ã€ŠA Warrior Exiled by the Hero and His Loverã€‹


 CH 1

    Sain, the leader of the Hero''s group, walked up to me and said:

    "I''m sorry, but from now on, you''re out of the group"

    "Why? I''ve been with you for a long time."

    We''ve been friends since childhood, we''ve been together since we left our hometown, and we''ve been supporting each other all these years.

    And it''s not only with him, but also with the other three members.

    Nei, the warrior, Soara, a priest, and Lisa, the witch.

    The five of us together form this group of  "White fangs".

    It is true that lately I have felt like a burden. And that my abilities have not continued to increase compared to my companions.

    But still, this is all very sudden.

    "You know why, Toru".

    "I still have time to improve. You are about to be chosen as the Hero, you will go on many adventures, take me with you as a warrior too".

    "That''s exactly why, my debut as a Hero is crucial, getting good results is necessary. It would not be right if my best friend dies in our first battle, please understand me.

    Why do I notice little empathy in his words?

    I want to know

    These words that are coming from my best friend... Someone I have loved so much, they sound so empty.

    I turn my attention to my girlfriend Lisa, I am sure she will support me in this.

    "I think Sain is right, Toru can''t be in this group anymore. I''m sure he''ll die soon, he''s not someone who''s on our level anymore.

    "Lisa...?"

    I never imagined that she would say something like that.

    And what was most worrying, is that for some reason, she couldn''t look at me.

    Suddenly, my eyes fell on her right hand.

    There was a ring on his ring finger that I didn''t recognize.

    It''s funny, that''s supposed to be the ring I gave her.

    Lisa notices my glance and quickly hides her right hand.

    I look at the other three.

    And all four were wearing the same ring.

    My eyes turned glassy, and deep inside I thought.

    Is that the reason? Was I getting in their way?

    My girlfriend cheated on me with my best friend

    But when did it happen?

    How could I not have realized that all this time?

    I don''t know... Maybe this is my paranoia talking and I''m just imagining things.

    Anyway, there was no place for me here anymore.

    "Now that everything is clear, return to the village in silence, and support our future triumphs from a distance"

    "Son of a bitch!"

    In a fit of anger, I punched Sain in the face.

    I knew that nothing would be solved if I hit him, but I couldn''t stand it.

    This guy knew that Lisa and I were engaged, and he still did it.

    More than anything, I was disgusted with myself for being so soft.

    I couldn''t see the true nature of the man I thought was my best friend.

    As Sain stood up, he made a notch in his face.

    He was making fun of me for being so gullible.

    He was good no matter what I did, he was handsome, he was strong, and he was chosen as the Hero.

    should have hit him more, but I am devastated by all that happened.

    "Stop! You''re disgusting!"

    "You''re not worth it, Toru"

    "You''re scum!"

    Our three childhood friends are all defending him at the same time.

    While Lisa stared at me.

    It was enough to make my wounded heart bleed.

    "Here, I''ll give it back to you! Now get out of here!"

    ¡°!?¡±

    Lisa had thrown me the ring I gave her. It hit my chest and rolled on the table.

    All the customers in the tavern turned their eyes towards us.

    "Forgive him, Lisa. It''s normal for Toru to be confused by all this."

    "It''s true, I acted inappropriately, I''m sorry, Toru."

    I was speechless. In front of everyone, I was the one who was acting wrong.

    And Lisa didn''t feel any guilt about betraying me.

    The days we had spent together began to fade quickly.

    I''m tired of this.

    I don''t want to have anything to do with the lot of you anymore.

    I''m getting out of this place, and out of this disgusting group.

    "The four of you have been good to me. Take care of yourselves, goodbye."

    "It''s good that you accept it."

    "Yeah, good luck out there, see you."

    I grabbed the ring and left the tavern.

    Goodbye, ex-comrades, and lover.

    "Stop! You''re disgusting!"

    I left the city, and continued on my way through the meadow.

    I didn''t decide where I would go, I just wanted to get away from all of them as soon as possible.

    I''m a complete loser...

    I opened my right hand and stared at the ring.

    When I gave her this, she was really happy.

    She even accepted my proposal.

    I gritted my teeth and started to cry.

    "From now on, I will take a new path. There is no need for this."

    I stopped, took a deep breath, and threw the ring far out into the meadow.

    I am so frustrated that I feel like I''m going to die. I really want to kill Sain right now.

    But I''m not going to do that. He is my ex-best friend, even if he is a piece of shit.

    And killing him won''t bring Lisa back to me.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! Shit, shit, shit, shit!"

    I sat down and punched my fist in the dream.

    Unprocessed emotions swirled around me, interrupting my thoughts.

    Normally I wouldn''t do something like that, but even for a man of manners like me, this pain was unbearable.

    My heart screams in pain as it tears my body apart from within.

    What was wrong with me? And what was good about him?

    What was I to her?

    What did she think when she slept with him?

    How can she betray me and not care?

    There is no one to answer the questions that arise in me.

    I didn''t stop punching until my knuckles bled and I could finally calm down.

    I hope this helps clear my mind at least a little.

    Although, I still feel sad.

    Let''s think about the future.

    For now, let''s go to a neighboring country and start over.

    I''m not sure what to do yet.

    And I don''t know if I can do things right either.

    Skills

    I am aware that I do not have the best Stats.

    I have many skills, but they are all useless.

    At best, they can be used to reduce damage, strengthen the body, and increase the effectiveness of the skills.

    This mysterious "saving" skill, which I have named after myself, is useless as a whole.

    The use of the skill is unknown, even if I ask an expert to examine the stats, they cannot give me an answer, it is an unknown skill, and it is also unknown whether or not it is an automatic activation skill. Unknown, unknown, all unknown skills.

    If only I had an ability as strong as Sain''s, I wouldn''t be in this situation.

    Not that I''m a hero, but compared to him, my stats are crap.

    It''s a shame, but it''s an undeniable truth that I''m a burden.

    I''m not sure what I can do with this. I don''t even know how to use it to my advantage.

    It''s very common for people to treat me as a burden when I''m twenty years old, and I have these skills.

    "Arf! Arf!"

    A black demon dog just appeared in front of me.

    I drew the sword I had on my back, and I held it tightly.

    "Here I go!"

    *Pained whimper*

    In the blink of an eye, the demon was lying on the ground.

    It''s the kind of monsters I had a hard time with when I left town, and now it''s not a problem for me.

    Crack, crack, crack.

    There was a sound like glass breaking inside me.

    ¡¶Notice: Since the experience value savings LvL has reached the upper limit, it will pay 100 times more

    ¡¶Notice: the payment has been multiplied by ten due to the effect of the skill effect UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: LvL became 300¡·

    ¡¶Notice: The current race cannot maintain its body. Beginning physical reconstruction¡·

    ¡¶Notice: Completion of physical reconstruction. The race has become a Dragonewt¡·

    The messages appear in front of me.

    I... Am I no longer human?

 CH 2

    I remain stunned as I hold my sword.

    The suddenness of this situation makes it difficult for me to understand what is happening.

    "Level 300... You''ve got to be kidding me."

    From what I know, being level 100 is practically being a hero.

    I can''t even imagine what would qualify as level 300.

    ¡¶Notice: The savings of experience has been corrupted. It will take some time to repair. ¡·

    The texts that appear in front of me are starting to bother me a little.

    Better check my stats now.

    Skills

    I''m really moving up a level.

    My head is starting to hurt, it''s the first time I''ve seen these numbers.

    I have to calm down a bit.

    Even a fool like me should be able to understand all this.

    [Saving], this word is used to store something.

    Does it mean that this ability has been limiting my experience all this time?

    All the experience that I had accumulated all this time has been released.

    Plus a bonus for everything you''ve accumulated.

    "So, this means that most of my level and experience had been retained by this skill. I had always been a level 40, like my ex-friends.

    Damn, this skill is a parasite.

    When you understand it, every point makes sense.

    I, in particular, had tried harder than anyone else in the group, fighting to the bitter end.

    However, I found it strange that my level had stagnated.

    I have done nothing but break my back more than anyone else in the group to try to catch up to them. And now, was it because of this that my rise in level and experience had been hindered?

    "AH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

    Now, I don''t mind having broken off my friendship with them.

    In fact, I''m glad I found out about it now.

    Well, I have decided. I am going to travel the world.

    Having a level of 300, I have nothing to fear. I can go wherever I want.

    From now on, I''m going to do whatever I want and live however I want.

    Maybe I''ll find something that can fill the huge hole in my chest.

    "But first, I must visit the neighboring countries to prepare, if I am going to make such a long trip, I will need supplies."

    I put my sword on my back, and started walking quietly along the road.

    I left the country of Balseille, and arrived in the neighbouring country of Armand.

    To be more specific, to the border town of Livio.

    "As expected, Armand is a very busy place even when you are in such a remote area."

    I was taken aback by the number of people who passed through here.

    There were also food stands, and delicious aromas that stimulated my stomach.

    Suddenly, there was a sign in a store that caught my attention.

    "Livio''s slave store."

    Slave stores are not very common

    In fact, I even hate them.

    It''s the kind of place I would normally ignore.

    But, I had just been betrayed, and I was drawn to it.

    A slave would never betray their master because of the contract.

    They are not even capable of telling a lie, even if ordered to do so.

    They will always be there for me.

    The faces of my former companions came to mind.

    Just thinking about them, I could feel my blood start to boil.

    I clenched my fists and held back my anger.

    "I need a partner I can trust. It would be a good idea to have a right-hand man who could keep this unusual status a secret and never betray me. If I don''t, my distrust of people is likely to increase.

    After being betrayed by my best friend, my lover and my childhood friends, I have nothing left to lose.

    To maintain my peace of mind, I need a trustworthy friend who will always support me.

    I don''t care how strong they are. I just want to feel safe.

    I just want to know deep down that there is still something in this world that I can trust.

    I walked to the door, and without hesitation, I opened it.

    The doorbell rang, and I walked to the counter.

    Behind the counter, there was an old man with a very distinguished look, he seemed to be the owner of the store, he kept smiling at me.

    "Welcome. What can I do for you today?¡±

    "I need a slave I can take with me to battle."

    "Any specific race? Do you have other uses in mind?"

    "Nothing specific."

    The old man nodded, and guided me to the back of the tent.

    In a dimly lit place, we were surrounded by countless cages.

    There are probably strong men and women in there, and even elves or lizardmen, even races you can''t see around here.

    "I recommend this lizard man for combat. His hard skin is capable of repelling blades, and his character is that of someone loyal. He is the perfect slave if you want to have someone watching your back on the battlefield."

    "How much?"

    "Thirty million, sir."

    "I want to see the others."

    I only have a budget of 1.5 million.

    It''s not a huge amount, and I can''t afford it.

    He placed his hand in the cage, and raised the face of an elf by placing his finger on her chin.

    "This elf has no combat experience yet, but I''m sure she''ll be good company at night. She has an enormous amount of magic, so if you raise her as a magician, she should be able to serve you very well in the long run.

    "And what''s the price?"

    "Twenty-five million."

    It''s still very expensive, I think I came to this place at a bad time.

    I should have asked about the slave''s cost at the market before I came here.

    The old man turns to see me squinting.

    "May I ask what your budget is?"

    "One and a half million."

    "Hmm, that would make the quality of the slave much lower, but I can introduce you to someone in that price range."

    "Thank you."

    We walk a little further back until we reach a curtain.

    "Ugh."

    A very strong stench invades my nose.

    It is an odor produced by feces, urine and sweat.

    In that place there were countless small cages.

    Inside were beasts of all sizes, and even human children.

    "Most of the slaves here are worth less than a million.

    "Why are they so cheap?

    "They are weak, ugly, sick, have no training whatsoever, and are unreliable. They are useless at the moment, but, there is a great possibility that they are good for something else."

    I am disgusted by slaveholders who talk about people as if they were property.

    However, that also includes me, since I''m trying to buy one.

    I kept looking around for a slave to capture my interest.

    "Hmm?"

    And there, In a small cage located in a corner of this space.

    There was a very dirty little girl with white hair.

    I approached her for a closer look.

    The girl was very thin, and out of breath.

    Her long bangs covered her eyes, so I couldn''t see her face very well.

    Her clothes were so worn out that I hesitated to look at her directly.

    I could feel that girl looking at me, with dead eyes through her hair hiding her face.

    "Huh, 300?!"

    The girl fled to the corner of the cage.

    I have no doubt that this girl was able to see my stats.

    Could this girl have the [appraisal] ability? She is very rare.

    It''s just something I''m guessing.

    And it''s not like people can tell my level just by looking at me.

    "How much for that girl?"

    "110,000, sir."

    "Isn''t that too low a price?"

    "No sir, it''s a fair price. After all, she is very ill, and weak, and is a poor slave who cannot be used, unless she is boiled or roasted.¡±

    The girl coughed violently.

    He was right, her physical condition was quite bad.

    No matter how rare the skills, if they are too weak, it may be inevitable that they will come at too low a price.

    Or do they not realize that slavers are appraisers?

    I''m not sure that''s true. But if I think about it properly, I could get a doctor to examine you.

    "What is your name?"

    ¡°........¡±

    "Hey! Answer the customer"

    The slaveholder hit the cage with his cane.

    "Kaede..."

    Kaede. I like her name.

    And there was something about this girl that caught my attention.

    I guess you could call it intuition. I can''t explain what attracted me to her, but in a way, I thought she was good.

    "I''ll buy this girl."

    "Thank you for your purchase!"

    The slaveholder bowed, while having a big smile on his face.

    "After the transaction, the customer must make a master-slave contract."

    "One question, do I have to reveal my status?"

    "No, no, no, no. All you have to do is shed a little blood."

    "Alright then."

    I was reassured when he told me I didn''t have to reveal my status.

    He seems to be a very discreet man, but anyway, I didn''t want anyone to know.

    Kaede was looking at me with anxious eyes.

 CH 3

    The master-slave contract took about thirty minutes to complete.

    All I had to do was place the tip of a special needle in a dye containing my blood and use it to lightly prick the area where Kaede''s heart is meant to be.

    Then a black pattern emerged and the contract was completed.

    When Kaede became my property, she was so weak that she couldn''t even walk, standing on her own was impossible.

    I carried her on my back, and left the store.

    Before leaving, the slave driver gave me a little advice.

    "If you plan to go to a drugstore to get her medicine, she may be able to recover a little. However, her illness is quite serious. In order for her to be completely cured, she will need a potion made from the heart of a Dragon."

    "Will a Wyvern heart work?"

    "No, I''m talking about a real Dragon. I''m not sure a subspecies will work."

    "Well, thanks for the information."

    The slave driver smiled and said, "No, no, please don''t hesitate to visit us again.

    On the way to the inn, I felt uncomfortable because of the lightness of the girl on my back.

    I guess it''s good that I bought her, but still, I don''t know how to handle this.

    Why did I choose a girl? If my plan is to have a slave to bring along on an adventure, I should have chosen a boy.

    But I couldn''t leave this girl alone.

    ...Probably because in a way, I empathize with her.

    Her weak, downcast and lonely appearance was how I felt at this moment.

    That''s why I wanted to help her.

    I want to show her that there are still people in this world that she can trust.

    It may be ridiculous, but there is no other reason than that.

    And it''s true that I was intuitively drawn to her.

    I found it strange just by looking at her.

    "Gohogoho!"

    "Are you okay?"

    "Yes..."

    Should I go to the pharmacy before I go to the inn?

    I looked for a pharmacy while asking people for directions.

    "It''s a pretty rare disease that affects beastkin"

    The doctor looks into the girl''s mouth and mutters.

    That word created a question mark in my head.

    "Are you telling me she''s not human?

    "It''s hard to understand because she doesn''t have ears or a tail, but this child is of the beastkin race. You see, the pupils are vertically long. There is also a slight bump around her waist, as if she has a tail.

    If what you say is true, then will the basic physical ability be high?

    This is quite unexpected news

    "What can I do to cure your disease?"

    "As the slave master mentioned, you''ll need a potion made from a Dragon''s heart. But it''s ridiculously expensive to buy, and you''d have to be a hero to kill a Dragon.

    "Can I make a potion out of a Dragon''s heart?"

    "Yes, it''s possible to do so..."

    The doctor seemed to want to say something else, but quickly closed his mouth.

    He must have realized that it was useless to stop me.

    Once I set out to do something, I will not rest until I have accomplished it.

    Fortunately, I now have the power. I have no reason not to.

    "Gohogoho!"

    I stroked her head and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon, and I''ll cure you."

    ¡°.......¡±

    She was looking at me through the gap in her bangs as she breathed heavily.

    I''m sure she was worried. She doesn''t know what kind of person the master who bought her id and what purpose he has in helping her.

    "For us to reach good results, you must first be cured, or do you find it strange that a master would take care of his slave?"

    Kaede shook her head as she shook herself.

    She is a good and honest child. I have to build a proper relationship of trust to make us friends.

    "I''ll give you some cough and fever pills, you can come back when you run out of medicine.

    "Thank you. Old man."

    "Who are you calling old? I''m not even 30 years old!"

    The doctor hit me on the head.

    I heard that in a forest near the city, a real Dragon has been living there for a while.

    It''s been three hours since I started walking in the forest.

    I''m not tired yet, but I''m mentally exhausted by the same scenario.

    "They told me I could find it if I walked to the mountain, but where?

    I advanced through the foliage.

    Occasionally I see goblins and orcs, but when I look at them, they slip away.

    I wonder if they use their wild intuition to detect danger.

    It still feels odd.

    "Guoooooooooo!!"

    A roar so loud that it shook the forest.

    It''s definitely from a Dragon.

    This is where I finally got nervous.

    A thoroughbred Dragon is a monster that I''ve never seen or fought before.

    The usual way to defeat them is with a carefully planned military campaign.

    Or it''s a feat that a group of heroes can accomplish.

    I really wonder if I can defeat it on my own.

    The image of Kaede crossed my mind.

    I''m sure she''s waiting for me.

    I''m not like those guys. I won''t easily abandon my friends.

    I will never betray their feelings.

    The forest was cut down and I went out into the open.

    In a hole in the rock face of a steep mountain, a bright red dragon lies prostrate.

    It is a Red Dragon, a dragon of relatively low rank among species.

    But even so, it is one of the strongest of the lower classes.

    "Hey, dragon! Fight me!"

    "Guruk?"

    The Red Dragon opens one of its eyes and takes a look at me.

    He immediately lifts his body and looks at me with those sharp pupils.

    He is very big... He must be at least ten meters tall.

    But there is no turning back now.

    I am determined to do so.

    I drew the sword I had on my back.

    The dragon, on the other hand, also spread its wings and stood upright on two legs.

    It looks much bigger.

    I will not back down!

    I ran vigorously towards the dragon, jumped up, and hit it diagonally.

    Then a powerful shock wave was generated, which shook the earth and the forest very much.

    Unexpectedly, the dragon''s body was cut diagonally and fell to the ground.

    "I defeated it with a single blow...?"

    I find it hard to believe that this is my power.

    That''s supposed to be a Dragon. It''s a monster that easily turns a city into a sea of fire.

    So... This''s the power of a 300 level.

    This is not a power that you can easily exercise.

    I quickly approached the Dragon''s corpse.

    "Ugh, it''s splattered with blood.¡±

    I start searching all throughout his body until I get to his heart.

    And I decided to cut off some organs that could be useful to me.

    Speaking of which, I wonder what dragon meat tastes like.

    I was curious, so I cut off some of the fatty meat.

    This should be enough to save the girl.

    Let''s hurry up and go to the doctor.

    "Did you really go hunting for him!?"

    The doctor was so surprised that he fell out of his chair.

    No wonder he was surprised.

    It seems that I went for a walk in the park instead of hunting a dragon.

    "I also brought some liver and other things, if you need it.

    "These materials are very valuable!"

    "You can keep them."

    "What?"

    "I don''t need them."

    As long as I get the potion, that''s all that matters.

    The doctor immediately began to prepare the mixture and soon completed the potion.

    He was also pressured by the money, saying that he would do it for the Dragon''s organs.

    The price was about 30 million.

    He was supposed to pay for the medicine, but instead he benefited from it.

    I take the medicine and go back to the inn where Kaede is resting.

    "You will feel better if you drink this."

    "Is it for me?"

    "Can you drink it?"

    She nods her head and takes the medicine.

    It won''t work once, so I''ll have to make sure she takes it regularly from now on.

    I felt that Kaede''s complexion had improved.

    Today we''ll eat rice porridge, but from tomorrow I think I can give her a more decent meal.

    Once she''s asleep, her breathing begins to grow calmer.

    Her rigid expression seems to have softened, and I''m relieved to see it.

    However, the power I have is beyond my imagination, it is something terrifying.

    Defeating the Dragon with a single blow is unusual.

    I''m afraid that if I don''t fight carefully from now on, I could get involved in unwanted situations.

    Maybe I should train Kaede to fight for me.

    For that, though, I need her to recover soon.

    Crack

    I thought I heard a familiar and disturbing sound echoing inside me.

 CH 4

    After waking up, I notice something warm and soft on my futon.

    I turn my head and see Kaede curled up next to me, still asleep.

    "Why is she sleeping here?

    I don''t think we need to sleep on the same futon.

    Or did she sleep with me because she was cold? If so, it makes sense.

    I got out of bed, leaving Kaede where she was.

    "Hmm, it''s a nice day today. I''ll have to make sure Kaede has a good meal from now on."

    I turn back to the bed and stare at Kaede for a moment.

    Her body is still thin and emaciated.

    Even the slave collar, which defines someone as a slave, seems to be the wrong size.

    Oh, that''s right, I brought some dragon meat.

    I think I''ll use it to make breakfast.

    I leave the room and go down to the second floor.

    Since this inn also has a restaurant, I introduce myself to the cooks and show them the meat.

    "Is it possible that you can cook this meat? I will pay you for it".

    "What kind of meat is it? At first glance it looks like pork, but on closer inspection, it''s not."

    "It is the meat of a red dragon."

    "Really?!"

    I let the owner cook the meat.

    But it was funny to see his surprised reaction when he discovered that it was dragon meat.

    "Here you go, dragon meat. And I made a chopped hamburger.

    "Thank you."

    On the table were a steak, salad, and a hamburger.

    I left the hamburger for Kaede while I ate the steak.

    I ran the knife over the steak, and was surprised at how incredibly smooth the meat was.

    It certainly looks like pork.

    But when I put it in my mouth, the texture was not pork, but chicken. And it was like chicken with a lot of fat.

    Oh no. Too delicious.

    I feel as if I can no longer look at dragons as anything other than a simple ingredient for food.

    After that big breakfast, I went back to the room as soon as I could move.

    "Oh, master..."

    Kaede was already awake, but she was still lying in my bed.

    "I''m sure you''re hungry. I''ve made you some food, so you''d better eat.

    "What is that?"

    "Dragon Burger.¡±

    "Mmm-hmm."

    Her tone of voice sounded clearer, so it seems the medicine works.

    I was relieved to see that she wasn''t coughing and seemed to be getting better and better.

    Kaede gets out of bed, sits down on a chair, and starts eating with a knife and fork.

    Oh? I thought she wouldn''t have that kind of knowledge since she was a slave, but could it be that this girl had received that kind of education in the past?

    Despite her haggard appearance, her manners were splendid.

    However, after a few minutes, she became a little violent when consuming her food.

    She must have been very hungry.

    You don''t have to force yourself like that.

    "We must do something about that outfit."

    "Eh?¡±

    She then coughed up the food a little.

    Kaede''s face turned red and she looked embarrassed.

    "Excuse me for looking like this..."

    "You don''t have to apologize. The culprits are the slave owners who didn''t treat you as you deserved.

    "Master."

    Kaede''s eyes turned glassy.

    "Eat quickly. Also, you have sauce on the edge of your mouth."

    After finishing her meal, I prepared to leave.

    "Wait, I''m coming with you."

    "You can''t, you''re still reeling."

    "But, I have to practice to do it."

    "That''s a good point¡­¡±

    If at some point she can''t walk on her own, I''ll carry her on my back.

    And I''ve never bought women''s clothes before, so I don''t know the details.

    We left the inn together and headed to the market.

    First we went to the clothing store.

    There, I bought Kaede some very nice adventurer''s clothes.

    was the shoe store.

    I bought a pair of leather boots.

    was the armor store.

    There, I bought some leather armor, a knife and a cane.

    It looks like a cane, but it''s very special.

    "Are you sure you want to use that cane?"

    "Yes, please."

    "Well, if it makes you happy..."

    The cane she chose had an unusual fan shape.

    The material is an alloy commonly used in iron fans.

    According to the store owner, the fan-shaped cane is used only in a few areas.

    He said he found it at the market and grabbed it because of its rarity.

    However, the iron fan is large enough for a child to handle. It also weighed quite a bit.

    Kaede opened the fan with her thin arms and handled it easily.

    "Isn''t it too heavy?¡±

    "Yes, it is... But I will be able to handle it perfectly once I get better.

    Come to think of it, Kaede comes from a tribe of beastkin with great physical abilities.

    Although she is weak now, she should originally have been able to handle it easily.

    If she does not have the ability to do so, she is free to change weapons.

    We left the store and walked down the street together.

    I think we bought everything we needed, although... I think there was something else to buy.

    Suddenly, I realized that Kaede wasn''t following me.

    I turned around, and saw that she had stopped in front of a food stand.

    "Do you want some?"

    "N-No."

    "Don''t be shy. I have a lot of money now."

    "Uhm. Yes, I would."

    I couldn''t help but pat her on the head as she spoke shyly.

    Kaede bent her head down while it was totally red.

    The stall was a bakery of sweet baked dough.

    I tried it once.

    I think it was because Lisa begged me.

    When I try to remember, a deep, heavy feeling of sadness and emptiness wells up in my chest.

    Why was I betrayed? I want to know.

    I regained my senses immediately, thinking that I should not go any further with those thoughts.

    No matter how hard I try, I will never know the answer.

    It''s better to call it a day.

    I bought some sweets and we sat on a bench.

    "Here, eat as much as you like."

    "Thank you, Master."

    "Can''t you stop calling me that?"

    "But, the master is the master."

    Kaede put on a worried face.

    Maybe it''s because she''s a slave.

    "I guess that''s how you were raised."

    "Master... You don''t like this annoying and expensive slave, and you''re thinking of getting rid of me?"

    "What are you talking about?"

    Kaede bends her face and starts to cry.

    I''m sure she was thinking about it while we were shopping.

    I''m still surprised, but I think she''s had a bad time as a slave.

    I stroked her head to make her feel calm.

    "I''m not going to abandon you. I want you to support me until I die. I may not be the best of teachers, but I need you.¡±

    "No, the master is the best teacher! I would do anything for him! So please let me be by your side forever!¡±

    "Oh, that''s okay..."

    I am a little embarrassed, but at the same time happy.

    I wonder if I have managed to at least build some trust between the two.

    The sweets in my mouth feel more delicious.

    "We''re going to have to cut those bangs, I don''t think you can see very well"

    "If you have scissors, you can cut them yourself.¡±

    "Really? Then we''ll buy them on the way to the inn."

    *Crack. Crack crack.*

    That familiar sound again echoed through my head.

    ¡¶Notice: Since the magic energy saving level has reached the upper limit, 100 times more will be paid¡·

    ¡¶Notice: the payment has been multiplied by ten due to the effect of the skill effect UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: Since the skills experience value savings level has reached the upper limit, 100 times more will be paid¡·

    ¡¶Notice: the payment has been multiplied by ten due to the effect of the skill effect UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: Magic energy savings/skills experience has been damaged. It will take some time to repair¡·

    ¡¶Notice: The skill level limit has been destroyed. A new limit will be established¡·

    ¡¶Notice: A new skill has been acquired  [Duplication of experience value / general] ¡·

    ¡¶Notice: A new skill, Magic Loan, has been acquired¡·

    It seems that my skills have been broken and repaired yet again.

    The letters flowed vigorously into my vision.

    The amount of magical power circulating in my body had increased incredibly.

    I cannot control the magical power and it gradually escapes from my body.

    The surface of my body became distorted as if it were shimmering.

    How much magic power did I just get?

    Just the thought of it is terrifying.

    "Ah, ah, aaaah!"

    This is not good. Kaede is scared.

    I have heard that beastkin are sensitive to magic, they can see the amount of magic in a person.

    I''m sure she sees me as a monster.

    I fought to keep calm and managed to keep the magic from leaking out.

    "I''m sorry I scared you. It''s just that my abilities are giving me more magic."

    ¡°............¡±

    "Are you okay?"

    "My teacher is a great person, isn''t he?"

    Kaede''s expression changed and her eyes lit up.

    Amazing... Does she really see me that way?

 CH 5

    I have checked my stats again.

    Let''s hope nothing weird is happening again.

    Skills

    Wait, what is this?

    The skill levels have gone up by leaps and bounds.

    They usually stop when they reach Level 10

    I am not sure if this means that the limit has been broken or not.

    Does this mean that the level limit has actually been broken?

    I''m breaking out in a cold sweat.

    There are still two weaker saving skills.

    I wonder what will happen when they are evolved.

    Will I reach a point where I no longer have control over my powers?

    "You look pale, are you okay?"

    "Oh, yeah, no problem. I was just thinking."

    For now, I''ll just focus on Kaede.

    That reminds me, I still need to buy some scissors.

    "Is there anything else you want?¡±

    "Uhm, no, nothing."

    "Are you sure? You can tell me."

    "I''d like some soap."

    "I''ll buy you as many as you want."

    I''m sure she''ll be happy to know that the inn has a hot water bath.

    While we''re at it, I''ll take care of bathing Kaede.

    On the way back, I bought the scissors and soap.

    Our room is equipped with a bathroom.

    We took the best room for both of us, so it seems to have everything you need to be comfortable.

    Then there was the matter of Kaede who didn''t want to take her clothes off.

    "Um, are you sure you want to go in together?"

    "Sure, you don''t have to worry, I''m not the type to be attracted to a child''s body."

    "Ugh... Child?"

    "Why do you look like you''re about to cry?¡±

    She bit her lower lip and held back her tears.

    I don''t know what to say. I have no idea how to handle women.

    I wonder if I said something strange.

    As I tilted my head down, I quickly took off my clothes

    "Huh?"

    This time she covered her eyes with both hands and her face turned red.

    However, she kept looking at me between her fingers.

    Hmm, is she at a delicate age?

    She reluctantly turned around and began to take off her clothes then entered the bathroom, carefully covering her body with a towel.

    I said, "Sit down here. I''ll wash your head first."

    "I can''t let you do that, Master."

    "Just sit down. This is an order."

    "Well..."

    She sat with her back to me.

    Her back was white and shiny.

    Hmm, I said that I would not be a lustful person with Kaede since she is a child, but even so, I could not help but be surprised.

    After all, Kaede is still a woman.

    I started washing her hair with soap, her dull hair began to regain its shine once all the dirt was removed.

    Once I was done with her hair, I started washing her back.

    Suddenly, my eyes went to her waist.

    You can see something like a ball of white hair growing there.

    Is this the tail? It looks like a rabbit, but it feels different.

    "What race do you belong to, Kaede?"

    "I am... A fox."

    Foxes. I have never seen one, but I know they exist.

    I think I''ve heard that fox tribes usually have golden hair.

    "Hyah!"

    "Eeh!"

    It seems that I was unknowingly washing the area around her breasts.

    I quickly gave her a towel.

    "It''s okay, I don''t mind. If that''s what you want, Master.¡±

    "Does that mean I can wash your whole body?¡±

    "Yes, my body belongs to my Master.¡±

    Her eyes were wet.

    She knew that this would happen, that a slave would give herself in many ways to her master.

    She must have been prepared to face this possibility from the moment she was bought.

    "I see... I''ll think about it when you''re older."

    "Master..."

    She placed her hands on her face as she wept.

    She must be relieved that I will not do anything to her.

    There are two kinds of wolves in this world: those who cannot be reasoned with and those who can.

    I live my life thinking that I am the latter one.

    I washed up and got out of the shower.

    "Are you sure you want to do this?¡±

    "Yes."

    Kaede sat in her chair and became nervous.

    She was going to get a haircut.

    Her hair, once washed, was very soft and shiny.

    She said she would cut her bangs herself, so I would take care of the back.

    Her hair was so long that it went all the way down to her waist. I cut it so that it would be a little higher.

    She said she wanted it that way, so I think I complied with her request.

    Personally, I think it''s okay to cut it a little longer, but she prefers long hair, so I''m not going to argue with her.

    Well, Kaede is pretty, so I think she looks good with either long or short hair.

    Kaede grabbed the scissors and cut her bangs at the bottom of her eyebrows.

    A pair of big golden eyes appeared

    "I had no idea you were such a beautiful girl."

    "I think I''ll lose control."

    As she tried to cut her hair at the sides, her hands kept shaking, while his face was very red.

    I don''t think it''s good to praise her at this point.

    Once she finished cutting her hair, my eyes could not believe what I was seeing. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.

    She is like a white jewel, delicate and fragile.

    She''s a beauty that will definitely make everyone look at her.

    "Hmm? It looks like there are still some uncut parts left."

    "Those are my ears."

    There were two lumps on the top of her head.

    When I touched them, they moved.

    Then my doubts increased.

    Why does she have ears like a beast, but also human ears?

    It was about time I got some answers.

    "I do not know the exact reason, but according to one theory, the god who created the Beastkin tribe loved the ears of animals very much. On the other hand, he is said to have thought that human ears were too valuable to be taken away as well".

    "So, those are God''s fetishes?"

    "It seems so.¡±

    I don''t know what to think...

    I mean, the rabbit tribe and the cat tribe are cute.

    But God''s pretty snobby, isn''t he?

    After cutting her hair, Kaede, exhausted, went to bed.

    She''s still not fully recovered.

    I''m sorry I pushed you so hard today.

    "Master, I had a lot of fun today."

    "That''s good. We will have more fun tomorrow."

    "Yes, Master. I will be with you every step of the way."

    I gave her some medicine, and helped her get to sleep.

    She fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyelids.

    I think we''ve come a long way just today.

    At this rate, we will be good companions for adventure.

    I sit in my chair and pull out my sword.

    "I''m going to have to sharpen you again, I''ve been putting a lot of pressure on you."

    An unpleasant sound appeared.

    But the source of the sound was not me, it was the sword.

    Piki Piki Piki Gaooon

    A crack appeared in the middle of the blade of the sword, and it broke, falling to the ground.

    Suddenly my eyes widened.

    "No... My beloved sword..."

    I knew I had taken it too far.

    With this sword, I have killed many enemies, including dragons.

    I think these are the consequences of going too far.

    I carefully put it on the table and bent my head.

    I loved that thing. I can''t believe it broke.

    I''m going to have to find a new sword soon.

    "Could it be that it couldn''t stand my current strength?"

    It is possible. It''s hard to believe that a steel sword can withstand the power of a 300 level warrior.

    In fact, it''s a miracle that it didn''t break right after the dragon was defeated.

    I need to get a more decent weapon.

    A better weapon that can withstand my current strength.

 CH 6

    Chapter 6 ¨C Sacred sword drawn by a warrior

    The next day, I returned to the inn and took a deep breath.

    ?What happened??

    ?The old man in the store got angry with me and charged me extra for the repairs.?

    ?What did you¡­??

    ?I broke the sword.?

    I went to the armory for a new sword, and I took what I thought was the strongest sword in the tent and hit it as hard as I could.

    To be honest. I was still underestimating my strength.

    Suddenly the wind whipped up the tent and all the weapons were scattered.

    The big sword I was holding broke in half and was nailed to the wall.

    The angry old man demanded that I pay for the repairs to the tent as well as the sword, and I had no choice but to do so.

    Now that I think about it, I was a terrible swordsman.

    I was so bad that the bodyguards had to protect me at all times.

    And now, with this great power, I will not be able to function as I wish to with ordinary weapons.

    After sitting on the bed, Kaede considered something for a while and then spoke.

    ?I have the perfect weapon for you, master.?

    ?Really? Where is it?

    ?In the Temple of the Sacred Weapon.?

    ?And that is located in¡­??

    Kaede nodded silently as she placed her hand on her chin.

    I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s thinking, but the sacred weapon is a special empowered device used by heroes and the hero¡¯s companions.

    It¡¯s unheard of for a simple adventurer like me to have one.

    I¡¯m not sure what to do with it, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s worth a shot.

    After all, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea.

    ?I am sure that Master will succeed.?

    ?I doubt it.?

    We left the inn and decided to head for the temple.

    It¡¯s been half a day since we left the border town of Livio.

    We arrived at the temple where it is said that the sacred weapon is kept.

    ?It is huge.?

    ?It is a temple that is said to have been built by the gods.?

    A huge structure of pure white color towered before us.

    The divine atmosphere it emanates makes me want to worship it.

    The doors of the temple are very well closed, and there is no human figure anywhere.

    There are two tests to obtain the sacred weapon, the first is to open the closed door, the second is to take the weapon out of the pedestal.

    ?You must first open the door.?

    ?But how can you have such knowledge? Even I do not know that much about it.?

    ?Well, I knew someone who knew about these things.?

    ?I see¡­?

    ?Fufu.?

    I would like to offer all my gratitude to the person who gave such knowledge to my slave. Without it, I do not know what I would have done.

    It is thanks to them that I can challenge this place.

    I went over and knocked on the door to open it.

    Voong.

    A mysterious sound resounded, and a wave of light spread throughout the place.

    Gooooong

    The door begins to open silently.

    ?Yes! It¡¯s open!?

    ?Congratulations! After all, you are my Master!?

    Inside, it is dimly lit and there is only one passage that leads to the back.

    Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh.

    The torches that were placed in the corridor began to light up one after another in a row, reaching the depths of the temple.

    It¡¯s as if someone called out to us saying ?come on?

    We entered the place, walking along the long and extensive passage.

    At the end of the corridor, there was a large room containing a pedestal with a sword stuck in it.

    ?So this is the sacred weapon. But it is a one-handed sword.

    ?It is said that sacred weapons change in size and shape to suit their owners. I am sure that the Teacher will turn it into a great sword.?

    ?Oh, I suppose that¡¯s all right.?

    The beautifully decorated sword seemed to shine brightly.

    The light shines through the stained glass windows at the top of the room, and the whole room seems to be filled with a pure air.

    Okay, it¡¯s time for you to get out of there.

    I grab the handle with all my might.

    ?Whoa!?

    The sword was surrounded by a dazzling glow.

    Scared, I fell off the pedestal and hit myself hard on the back of the head.

    It was a bit¡­

    ?Master!?

    ?Hmm??

    Something was being held in my right hand.

    It was rather obvious what it was.

    I pulled it out! I pulled out the sacred sword!

    The sword in my hand is wrapped in golden light and changes its size and shape.

    It was a great sword, more than a meter long.

    A few seconds later, the sheath appears out of thin air and covers the blade.

    This is very good. It¡¯s important to have a good idea of what you¡¯re doing.

    Thank you for that, I was worried about whether I should take it out in the open.

    In any case, I now have a weapon that I can handle properly.

    ?Congratulations, Master!?

    ?No, thank you, Kaede. If you hadn¡¯t told me about this place, I¡¯d be lost.?

    ?No, no! I¡¯m sure the master would have come here on his own! He is the chosen one who is meant for the sacred weapon!?

    ?That¡¯s too much praise.?

    ?Now I can go on an adventure with you, Master!

    ?I¡¯m glad you¡¯re willing, but how¡¯s your condition??

    ?I have already recovered to the point of being almost totally healthy. I think it¡¯s about seventy percent. I even think I can fight now.?

    ?Hmm, by the way, do you have any combat experience, Kaede??

    ?I¡¯m not as good as an adventurer, but I have the skills to protect myself.?

    I think I¡¯ll be able to debut as an adventurer sooner than I expected.

    When I get to the next town, I think I¡¯ll sign up for a guild and start a party.

    Hm¡­ I think I¡¯m forgetting something.

    Surely it¡¯s not important, now that I have my sacred weapon.

    We got into a carriage, and traveled through the mountains and forests.

    The next town is Luntatta, which is further down the road.

    Luntatta is a town known for its many adventurers.

    There are also taverns and brothels.

    The adventurers are bloodthirsty and spend a lot of money. So naturally, wherever the adventurers gather, the liquor and women are also present.

    As soon as we entered the city, Kaede was frightened.

    She was surprised to see a drunk man lying in the street.

    ?This place reeks of alcohol.?

    ?That¡¯s right, this place is full of alcohol. But there is no shortage of good drinks and entertainment.

    ?That¡¯s what you have me for, Master! You don¡¯t need to go to those places!?

    ?What do you mean by that??

    ?Uh-uh¡­?

    For some reason, her face turned red and she was looking down.

    Of course I knew what she was saying.

    It¡¯s fun to tease Kaede.

    But I¡¯m not in the mood for that, so I won¡¯t go to those places.

    I still can¡¯t get over what happened with Lisa.

    In a way, it¡¯s great to be single again, since I don¡¯t have to worry about going to those places.

    Okay, but first I¡¯m going to the guild to register.

    I made my way through the guild, which was full of tough guys, all their party, and I went to the reception where a beautiful woman was working.

    ?How can I help you??

    ?I want a registration application for this girl.?

    ?That will be 10,000.?

    The registration fee is as high as ever.

    Guilds always despise their adventurers from the beginning, don¡¯t they?

    The receptionist gave us a document to enter your personal information.

    ?Kaede, can you read??

    ?Yes, no problem.?

    She took the pen and started writing quickly.

    She is a very beautiful girl when you look at her from behind.

    I thought she was polite up to this point, but she¡¯s surprised me alot in every way. She looks so different from when I first met her, with those worn-out, dirty clothes.

    ?Well, this will do, please wait.?

    After receiving the document, the receptionist got up from her seat and returned a few minutes later with the card.

    It is a common adventurer¡¯s card.

    It is made of metal and has your information written on the front.

    It can also be used as an identification card, and is always needed in cities with restricted access.

    By the way, the ranks of the adventurers are D, C, B, A, and S in ascending order.

    It is said that the SS rank exists, but I think it is just a rumor and it is not real?

    My personal rank is B.

    I used to be treated similarly to an S because my party was an S rank, but since I was kicked out, I am treated as a B rank.

    As I lost myself in thought, Kaede continued to have some sort of conversation with a staff member.

    When I bent down and saw her again, she had a twinkle in her eye for some reason.

    ?I hear there¡¯s a dungeon in this town!?

    ?Oh, that¡¯s right, this is a city that is surrounded by them.?

    ?We could go together! I¡¯ll be a big help!?

    ?I am looking forward to it.?

    I then caress Kaede¡¯s head.

    She looked happy with her rose-tinted cheeks.

    Since tomorrow is her debut as an adventurer, she will no longer be just a slave.

    I also have to give it my best.

    And at that moment, I didn¡¯t even imagine what would happen next.

 CH 7

    The bed wouldn''t stop squeaking.

    I was on top of Lisa, Toru''s ex-girlfriend.

    Nei and Soara were passed out nearby.

    "I can''t! I can''t take it anymore!"

    "What, are you done?"

    I pushed the fainting Lisa aside and sat down on the edge of the bed.

    I turn around and look at the three girls in the bed, and I laugh.

    It feels so good.

    It''s a good feeling to play with the women I stole from Toru.

    "The face that guy made was a real masterpiece."

    It''s funny, no matter how many times I remember it.

    The woman he thought he loved betrayed him and threw his ring at him. How stupid do you have to be to have that happen to you?

    Lisa was mine a long time ago.

    And she didn''t seem to realize it until the end.

    Not only Lisa, but Nei and Soara were in love with Toru.

    I feel sorry for both of you. How can you betray the person you love without your love being fulfilled?

    I whispered to Nei and Soara.

    It''s time to get down to earth.

    Lisa, Nei and Soara have no feelings for me.

    They are only convinced of that feeling because of a certain ability I have.

    "The Demon Eye of Seduction"... A rare ability that makes the opposite sex fall in love with you.

    When this ability manifested, I rejoiced from the bottom of my heart.

    Let''s be honest. I am better than anyone else.

    A man whose body, intelligence, character and abilities are impeccable in every way.

    But for some reason, Lisa, Nei and Soara chose Toru.

    Not only that, but even though the people of the town and this city loved me, the reality is another: they were all happy to talk and be with Toru.

    I was very jealous. I thought my head was going to explode with rage.

    And then, I got the best skill.

    Lisa, who refused at first, was completely captivated.

    Now I train her to my liking and play with her every day.

    The days of hiding and playing with her were fun, but it also feels good to be able to fuck her all I want without worrying about it.

    I''m doing so much more now that I don''t have that pathetic Toru here.

    As a hero, I have been given the mission to fight the Demon King.

    The Demon King is a kind of disaster that appears once every hundred years.

    It is common for them to emerge from the demon tribe, but sometimes they come from inside people.

    I must obtain the sacred weapon that exists on the continent and win the battle against the Demon King.

    It is very troublesome, but the fame and money I will earn will be enormous.

    I have already been approached by a nobleman who wants to participate.

    If we succeed, we can fuck all the girls we can get our hands on.

    Or even the princess of this country.

    My life is great.

    Toru, you''d better be ready tosee Sain''s name go down in history.

    Hahahahaha.

    "Huh?! The dragon has been slain?!"

    I was surprised to hear Mr. Libyan''s story.

    I had reached a remote area in a neighboring country, but there was no sign of the Red Dragon, which was my target.

    "I am very sorry. I didn''t mean for this to happen."

    "No, I was just a little surprised at how sudden this news was, but who killed him?

    "I don''t know who killed him. When I went into the woods to investigate, I found that the Red Dragon was dead."

    I gritted my teeth silently as I listened to the Lord''s story.

    An immense anger was growing inside me.

    Killing that dragon was supposed to be my spectacular debut as a hero!

    I was meant to save the town close to where that dragon was hiding. But now, all my plans have fallen apart!

    I don''t know who you are, but you''re going to pay for making a fool of me.

    After having a proper talk with the lord, I left the mansion.

    "Sain, are you angry?"

    "No, I am not."

    "Hey, why don''t we forget about the dragon and go do something nice at the inn?

    "Will you shut up, Nei?"

    "I wonder who defeated the dragon, since it''s an opponent that ordinary adventurers can''t even approach.

    "It doesn''t matter anymore, the people are now at peace, and I''m disappointed. For now, let''s change our plan and move on."

    Yes, next time I will put on a great show.

    After all, I will get the sacred sword, and it will be my final seal as a hero.

    It is already clear that I am qualified to get the sacred sword.

    Although it bothers me that I did not kill the dragon, I can show the world that the hero has appeared wielding such a majestic and powerful weapon.

    The dragon was just a bonus.

    The real target is the Temple of the sacred sword located in Livio.

    "No no no! Did someone take the sacred sword?!"

    When I entered the temple, I was dismayed to see that the sacred sword, which was supposed to be on the pedestal, was not there.

    I am sure it was here!

    If the person who possessed the sacred sword dies, it will automatically return here.

    And the death of the previous holder is accurately recorded.

    That''s why it should be here.

    "Calm down, Sain."

    "Shut up, you fucking bitch!"

    I pushed Lisa and kicked her face when she fell to the ground.

    "Don''t you dare get up! I''ll kill you!"

    "I''m sorry."

    I can''t stop being frustrated.

    None of my plans are working.

    Since Toru and I split up, for some reason, my plans have failed.

    And things used to go exactly the way I wanted them to.

    Since Toru left...?

    No, that''s not possible. He was nothing but a burden.

    What stands in my way is something on a much higher level.

    I will kill you when I meet you, whoever you are.

    The sacred sword belongs to me!

    I changed my plans and decided to take a trip to Luntatta.

    There is an unexplored dungeon with a high degree of difficulty.

    If you make it to the end, your name will be spread quickly like a hero.

    However, my plans fail me yet again.

    "A dungeon? Ah, there was something like that last month."

    The adventurer whom I asked for directions answered with a vague look on his face.

    His answer was incomprehensible.

    Not knowing what it meant, I went to the place where the dungeon would be.

    "What is this?!"

    In the center of the city, there was a huge hole in the ground.

    I don''t know how deep it is. It was too dark to see the bottom when I looked in.

    What... happened here?

    I was so surprised that I fell to my knees.

 CH 8

    Early in the morning, after preparing our equipment, we went to the dungeon.

    "How do you feel?"

    "I''m fine. Thanks to the medicine Master gave me."

    Kaede''s complexion looks much better.

    It''s very different from when I saw her in the slave shop. She''s like a different person.

    If she fights as well as she looks, then we''ll make good money today.

    Luntatta''s dungeon is in the center of town.

    Adventurers dive into a vast subway dungeon and make a living collecting materials from defeated monsters as well as fallen equipment and items.

    On the lowest level of the dungeon, there is a nuclear stone.

    The nuclear stone is famous for giving clear rewards to those who reach it.

    You won''t know what you''ll get until you reach it.

    However, in most cases, you will get valuable materials, rare items and other things that can be worth a lot of money.

    Even if you are able to gain more skills, you can see why I''m interested.

    When we arrived at the entrance, we did a final check.

    "We will limit ourselves to one level."

    "It''s okay."

    "How high is yours, Kaede?"

    "Eight."

    So, we''ll only be here until we get to level 3.

    If we''re still in good shape when we get to level 3, maybe we can make some more progress.

    So, let''s get started.

    It has been an hour since we started exploring the dungeon.

    Kaede''s skills were quickly becoming evident.

    "Spinning Blade!"

    "Chuuuunnngh?"

    With a simple movement of her iron fan, Kaede''s wind blade cut the rat monster.

    I had heard that she could use magic, but her sense is even better than I expected.

    Short activation time, quick judgment, high hit rate

    Lisa was also a skilled magician, but Kaede can be even more so.

    "Oh, I''m already level 15."

    "What?!"

    Wait a minute. We''ve been here an hour and she''s gone up seven levels?

    That''s crazy. No matter how easy it is for the lower levels to move up, it''s an impossible speed for common sense.

    "It seems that when I''m with you, Master, I can level up very quickly.

    "No, that shouldn''t be..."

    I was about to say, "No, that shouldn''t be possible," but then my mouth stopped.

    And something occurred to me.

    I mean, that''s the only thing that could cause it.

    [Open stats]

    Skills

    Perhaps her sudden increase in levels is due to the [experience multiplier] skill.

    I don''t know how to use it, but apparently it was an automatic activation type skill, and it seems that it was doubling the experience value acquired to Kaede for every monster she kills.

    If one were to level up at this rate, it could be quite troublesome.

    Just thinking about Kaede''s level a month from now is terrifying.

    "Soon I will be strong enough for my master! I will do my best!"

    "Well..."

    When you see a beautiful slave who is so excited, there is no way you can tell her to stop.

    This girl is trying to be strong for me.

    And it''s about to happen.

    So I changed my plans and decided to go to the third level.

    Let''s go as far as we can today.

    After that, Kaede''s level continued to rise at a frightening pace.

    By the time we reached the third level of the dungeon, she had reached level 30.

    The magic that was released was an order of magnitude.

    "Blizzard Blossom!"

    Enemies in the stone corridor freeze in the blink of an eye.

    A beautiful ice flower bloomed and annihilated them.

    She skillfully manipulated the iron fan as if she were dancing, and with a simple click, the fan went from open to closed.

    "I guess you''re unbeatable at this level now."

    "No, I''m still not strong enough to protect my master. I want to be much stronger and be of help as soon as possible.

    Kaede said those words with bright eyes and a smile on her face.

    She''s too motivated to stop now.

    "You must be tired by now. We''ve earned enough materials and items, so let''s go back."

    "Yes, I suppose so. We''d better call it a day."

    I felt relieved inside.

    In fact, my backpack is already about to burst.

    It will be hard to keep going.

    "What is this?"

    Kaede picks up a dirty rag.

    I thought it was just trash, but then I looked at the surface of the cloth and was surprised.

    "This is a rare magical storage item!"

    "Maybe it can fit any size of luggage?"

    "No doubt! I''m familiar with this magic embroidered circle!"

    I remember it well because I had it in my previous group.

    You put what you want on the cloth, and it will keep it stored for you.

    If you buy it directly from a store, it will cost you at least about 10 million.

    Depending on the storage space, the price can go up dramatically.

    I unfolded the fabric and checked the corner.

    There should be an embroidered number, it will tell you how much storage it holds, and how many items it has inside.

    ¡°100.¡±

    This is a very rare item.

    Even the one from my previous group had a maximum storage space of only 20.

    "Master."

    Kaede bent over the cloth. With a smile on her face.

    I knew exactly what she meant.

    Now we can go further, I guess that''s what she''s trying to say.

    "No. We have little food and water left. If we don''t go back, we will starve."

    "I see¡­ You''re right. I''m sorry."

    Her face blushed a little, she seemed embarrassed.

    I guess she realized she was being a little selfish, and was not aware of what was going on.

    But I''m not angry.

    It''s a common thing for newcomers to fall into.

    A little bit more, just a little bit more, and then they go too far to the point of no return, and they get annihilated.

    Adventurers must always be aware that their lives are at stake.

    If you can''t do that, it''s because you''re just a rookie.

    "There is no need to rush. You still have many opportunities to raise your level."

    "Yes."

    I put my backpack in the magic storage.

    Then the luggage was absorbed and disappeared.

    All I have to do is fold the cloth and put it in my pocket.

    "Now, let''s go home."

    "Yes!"

    Kaede took care of the monsters that were back in the dungeon.

    It''s easy for me to just watch.

    Of course, if necessary, I will fight, but for the moment, I don''t think I have to.

    There is no enemy in this place that can match her.

    By the time we reached the surface, Kaede''s level had reached forty.

    It went up 32 levels in one day, it''s crazy.

    That includes my skills.

    I go up so many levels every day, it''s hard for me to keep up.

    Once I was in town, I sold the materials and items we collected.

    The current income is 120,000.

    That''s a lot for our first time.

    After that, we went into a tavern and I ordered a lot of food.

    "Master, this meat is delicious!"

    "Eat a lot. You deserve it for all your hard work."

    "Yes, master. Thank you very much."

    "You don''t have to thank me."

    Watching Kaede eat a whole roast turkey by herself was fun.

    She shared a little with me and I filled my stomach.

    I had a hard time with all the shit I went through, but after meeting Kaede, every day is better.

    Maybe this was better for me than I thought.

    I''ll have a quiet trip with this lovely slave.

    I''m sure we can fill the hole in our hearts sooner than we think.

    What level will we go to tomorrow?

    I wonder how much she will grow.

    With these thoughts in my head, we both return to the inn.

    "Master! Wake up, master!"

    "What''s the matter? It''s still early."

    I sit as Kaede shakes my body and calls me over and over.

    Looking out the window, I see that the sun has just risen.

    The orange morning sun stings my eyes.

    A white spot enters the edge of my vision.

    Finally, my eyes adjusted and I looked again at Kaede near my bed.

    Uh...

    "Look Master, I woke up and I was like this!"

    "No way..."

    "It''s true! What do we do now?"

    Before my eyes was an adult Kaede with big ears and a tail.

 CH 9

    Before me stood a girl with bright white hair that reflects light, and fox ears that remain upright.

    Her clearly uneven body is wrapped in a pure white sheet.

    From her tight waist and well-formed backside grew a long, soft white tail.

    Every time she blinks, her long white eyelashes sway, and her golden eyes gaze at me with excitement.

    "You are Kaede... Right?"

    "Yes."

    "What happened to you?"

    "Well, when I woke up, I was already like this."

    We must clarify this situation.

    Until yesterday, she was a pretty little girl.

    And now, she''s a big, beautiful woman.

    No, no, no. This doesn''t make sense.

    It''s not normal, no matter how you look at it.

    "Um, maybe it''s because of the sudden rise in levels."

    "What does that mean?"

    "I heard that when a child reaches over 20 levels, they grow quickly overnight to balance out their body with their levels."

    Physical balance. It is not impossible.

    She even changed races because of her sudden increase in level.

    It''s entirely possible that her body has changed to adapt to her maximized power.

    But I didn''t expect her to grow up overnight.

    Besides that, she is a very captivating beauty.

    I feel like I can''t laugh and say she''s just a kid.

    Honestly, I''m pretty sure I''d fall in love with her if she came on to me seriously.

    "Put your clothes on now! Why are you naked?"

    "About that..."

    She began to pick up her torn clothing.

    Oh, I see... Of course that would happen.

    I have no other choice. I''d better go to the clothing store and buy her something new right away.

    I got out of bed and got some clothes out of my backpack.

    "Put this on."

    "Your clothes, Master?"

    "Don''t say it like that."

    "Gulp."

    She swallowed her spit and took them.

    Then she buried her face in the clothes and began to smell them.

    "Aaaahhwawwawawa"

    "Are you okay?"

    She began to wag her tail with a look of ecstasy on her face.

    It''s kind of embarrassing that she''s smelling them so much.

    "I''d like you to put those on right away."

    I turned around and waited for her to get dressed.

    "You can look at me now."

    When I turned around, I saw Kaede wearing my shirt, and the sleeves were so big that they even covered her hands except for her fingers that stick out a little.

    In addition, her large, well-formed breasts stood out in perfect view, making her visually attractive.

    Now begins a fierce struggle within me between my instinct to walk away, or to pounce on her.

    To reduce the visual excitement as much as possible, I made her wear tight pants and a hooded cape on top. After that, I left the inn with Kaede in search of new clothes.

    In the end, Kaede got clothes that fit her.

    However, the lady at the store was very angry with me.

    After all, I arrived at the store''s entrance early in the morning when it wasn''t open yet.

    I woke the old lady up and explained the situation and managed to get all kinds of clothes for her.

    We had to drill several holes in them because of Kaede''s tail.

    Kaede, in her new clothes, turned in front of me so that I could see her from head to toe.

    She is an adult adventurer no matter how you look at it.

    Every time her short skirt floated smoothly with each turn, something inside me would stir.

    "What do you think, Master?

    "It suits you."

    "Hehe."

    The way she blushes with shame reminds me of young Kaede.

    Even though she''s grown up, she hasn''t changed on the inside, has she?

    By the way, I''m going to give Kaede a new iron fan.

    From the way she fought yesterday, I think she could even handle two.

    With this, she will be able to attack twice as many times.

    Kaede, who has become an even more powerful Mage, has much more potential now.

    "Is there anyone in this city as beautiful as she is?

    "She is so beautiful."

    "I want a slave like her."

    You can hear voices from everywhere admiring the beauty of Kaede.

    All the men on the street turn to look at her, and even the women look at her with envy.

    Kaede may have a collar around her neck, a sign of slavery, but even that has become a tool to enhance her beauty.

    If they had to choose the most beautiful woman in this country, It would be her.

    "Today I will earn a lot of money for my master!"

    "No, you don''t have to worry about making money. We have enough money from killing the dragon, so let''s prioritize your leveling. That''s why I bought lots of food and water."

    "Master..."

    Kaede''s eyes welled with tears of joy.

    Yesterday I made it so that she couldn''t go up as much as she wanted to, so today I''m giving her more freedom.

    The stronger she is, the easier it will be for me.

    I will let her level up as much as she wants.

    When you reach the fourth floor, the difficulty level rises a little.

    The monsters that appear become much stronger.

    But compared to the adult Kaede, they were just weaklings.

    "Wind Gust!"

    The gust of wind generated by the two iron fans makes the enemies fly.

    Quickly, she finishes them off with her freezing magic.

    Her current level is 50.

    The appropriate level for the fourth floor is 15, so this is just a walk in the park.

    I have so much free time that I can''t help but yawn.

    "Are you tired?"

    ¡°Oh no, I was so busy this morning that I didn''t go to bed until my usual time. I''m a little sleepy. "

    "You can use my lap as a pillow, Master, so please rest!"

    I used my magic to disappear the remains of the skeletons I had just defeated. I laid down a blanket, Kaede sat on top of it, then indicated that I could rest my head on her lap.

    It''s hard to say no to her when she''s very happy.

    "I will just lie down for a bit."

    "Okay."

    I lie down, and place my head on her lap.

    The sweet aroma and the soft touch of her skin that I felt on my head, made my eyes close completely.

    I think I''m going to sleep better than usual...

    An explosion rumbled through the place.

    It suddenly woke me up.

    How long was I asleep?

    "Master, I hope you slept well."

    "Thank you, yes, I did... Huh?"

    There were numerous defeated skeletons around us.

    I don''t know the total number, but it can''t be more than 20.

    I looked at Kaede, and she was smiling happily.

    "What was that?"

    "Those skeletons were about to attack us, so to save the master, I took care of them.

    "I see.¡±

    She stands up and gently cleans my body with her tail.

    It felt nice and fluffy coming in contact with my body.

    I wonder, what is this strange feeling?

    When I slept on her legs, it was as if my heart had been healed from everything

    Maybe she has some special power too?

    Come to think of it, I haven''t seen her stats properly.

    "Huh? You want to see my stats?¡±

    "If you don''t want me to see it, that''s fine. I''m just curious."

    "I''m your property, master. I''ll be happy to show you."

    Kaede made the stats screen appear and turned it towards me.

    Skills

    Probably due to an ability called [Healing wave].

    But it is a non-standard skill.

    I don''t see anything strange, although some are rare.

    In particular, this [increased power] is a rare ability that once belonged to a very famous mage who made it into the history of mankind.

    This girl will be someone important.

    "Can you see the abilities of others in the stats?"

    "It depends on the level. I haven''t seen any unusual skills yet.¡±

    Hmm, so the saving skill is not yet identified.

    I was hoping to find out.

    Well, I have a pretty good idea of what works, so maybe I shouldn''t bother investigating it.

    "Do you want to keep moving forward?"

    "If my master wishes, I would like to."

    "We still have enough supplies. We can move forward."

    We are heading to the fifth floor.

 CH 10

    We arrived at the tenth floor.

    By then, Kaede had reached level 100.

    "Gyaugyau!"

    Ten goblins on top of some wolves were blocking the way.

    Kaede danced with her iron fans.

    "Blizzard Blossom!"

    Pishhh, the passage is covered with ice.

    "Wind Slash!"

    A strong gust of wind ran horizontally, splitting the goblin''s body in half.

    That was very good, and raw.

    Not even Sain and his team could do something like this.

    "You''ve been using your magic for a while now, are you sure you can keep going?"

    "Yes. Thanks to all my leveling up, I have much more magic now than I did before.¡±

    "Okay, but take it easy. If you get tired, let me know.¡±

    Suddenly, multiple steps could be heard coming from down the hall.

    Another 20 goblins had just appeared.

    Perhaps this is the area where they live.

    Since we reached the tenth floor, many wolf-mounted goblins have appeared.

    Kaede felt that they were beginning to be too much trouble, so she unleashed a more powerful spell.

    "Air Bullet!"

    Countless bullets of compressed air pierce the goblins.

    They collapsed, looking like swiss cheese.

    Such terrifying magic.

    I feel sorry for the goblins who received it.

    Kaede passed through the tenth level with some energy left over.

    We arrived at the twentieth floor.

    Kaede''s level is now 150.

    It seems that the level rise has slowed down.

    Maybe it''s just my imagination.

    It took us a day to get here.

    Normally it would take us three days, but surprisingly, everything happened very quickly.

    Besides, both Kaede and I have extraordinary physical strength, so we came here without taking any kind of rest.

    However, as expected, after more than twenty-four hours, she began to feel a lot of mental fatigue.

    I suggested that we take a break and eat here quietly.

    "Here you go. That''s for you."

    "Thank you very much."

    I held the bowl out and Kaede took it.

    Normally, the slave would prepare the food, but unfortunately, she can''t cook well.

    So I took on that role, as I''m used to doing.

    Well, I had a lot of fun, so there''s nothing to worry about.

    "Delicious! The soup you make, Master, is magnificent!"

    "Is it? Well, I have often been praised for my cooking skills."

    Her white tail wagged strongly.

    I wonder if that thing is linked to her emotions.

    I often see it move when she is happy.

    I will ask if I can touch it next time.

    Oh right, I need to ask her something first.

    "Hey, is there such a thing as a trick for doing magic?"

    "The base is the important thing... If you know the spell, you can cast it under all sorts of conditions, but if you don''t, it''s hard to do."

    "So if you imagine a flame, will it come out of the palm of your hand?

    "Actually, it would be better to try wind or earth-type spells first..."

    Bashuun

    A bright red flash appeared from my right hand and went through the ceiling.

    "Eh?"

    A red circle has formed that was heating the ceiling.

    A fiery sound was heard, and the molten stone dripped onto the floor.

    If you look closely through the hole in the ceiling, you can see a dim but starry sky.

    In other words, the flash of fire I released just passed through 19 floors.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±

    Neither of us bothered to open our mouths, so we resumed our meal in silence.

    It is better to forget what just happened.

    I didn''t do anything.

    And neither of us saw what happened.

    I''d better follow Kaede''s advice, and practice with the wind and the earth. That would be best.

    Finally, we arrived at the twenty-ninth floor.

    Kaede''s level was now 200.

    No longer a surprise.

    In fact, I was so excited that I wondered why I was so desperate for a two-digit number.

    The enemies that appeared on the twenty-ninth floor were all opponents that even my previous group had not seen.

    Cursed skeletons.

    Warrior Orcs.

    Ghosts.

    Minotaurs.

    They were all frozen or cut into pieces before Kaede.

    In fact, the difference in levels was so big, even the monsters could tell.

    Just by seeing her, they start running.

    Then we found the stairs to the thirtieth floor, and headed down.

    "This is the thirtieth floor... Still no sign of the enemy."

    "You are right, it is unusually quiet."

    The thirtieth floor was too quiet.

    In front of the stairs, there is only one passage that stretches on ahead.

    I wonder if this is the lowest level.

    But I can''t be sure because I''ve never seen it before.

    "Stay alert."

    "Yes."

    I have heard that there are rare but powerful enemies called [Boss] in the dungeons.

    If one is on this floor, we''d better get ready.

    We continue slowly through the passage and out into a large room.

    In the center of the room floated a vaguely bright blue crystal, which seemed to be spinning, but only slightly.

    "The crystal is the core. Indeed, we have reached the final floor."

    "You did it! We finally made it through the dungeon!"

    I wanted to tell the excited Kaede something like ''No, I haven''t done anything.''

    It was all accomplished by my lovely slave.

    It''s amazing that someone completed it on only their second attempt.

    I think it''s the fastest time on record.

    "Master, it''s time for you to touch the core.¡±

    "You completed the dungeon, Kaede, you''re the one who should do it."

    "No, it is thanks to you, Master, that I have come this far. And since I am Master''s property, all the credit goes to him.

    Since she''s saying it like that, I''m going to accept her choice.

    Actually, it has always been my dream to touch the core of a dungeon.

    If you''re an adventurer, you''ve probably wanted to get to the top floor of a dungeon and touch the core with your own hands at least once or twice.

    And how I''m an adventurer, and I''ve always wanted to do just that.

    Thank you, Kaede. For allowing me this.

    When I touch the blue crystal, it emits a dazzling light.

    ¡¶Congratulations for clearing the Luntatta labyrinth. You will now receive the following rewards.¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You will receive a Ring of Disguise x2 as your first reward. ¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You will be given a dungeon¡·

    The glass shone dazzlingly, and my vision was tinted white.

    "Master..."

    "What happened?"

    We were at the bottom of a huge vertical hole.

    That big dungeon disappeared in an instant!

    Judging by the situation, we should have removed the dungeon, but I can''t help but wonder where all those structures went.

    "Huh? Master, since when do you wear a ring?¡±

    "Hmm?"

    A ring I don''t recognize is stuck on the ring finger of my right hand.

    And if I looked closely, I could see the same thing on Kaede''s right hand.

    It may be the Disguise ring that I received as my first reward for touching the crystal.

    "Master, this is incredible."

    "Do you know what it is?"

    "It seems that you can disguise your status by wearing this ring. Also, the ring itself has a level, and it seems that the more you wear it, the higher it will be."

    When I asked for details, it seems that you can raise it to level 3, and at level 1 you can disguise your status, at level 2 you can disguise your appearance, and at level 3 you can disguise your status and appearance simultaneously in front of any opponent.

    A very convenient tool for me while trying to figure out what to do with my status.

    I will be very happy to use it.

    "Let''s get out of here."

    "Yes."

    Using rocks protruding from the hole''s sides as a support point, we jumped up repeatedly.

    As soon as we reached the surface, we saw the remains of the dungeon.

    It''s a huge hole, but there didn''t seem to be any buildings remaining in it.

    It seems that they were pushed into the area where the dungeon used to be.

    Fortunately, it is midnight and there are no residents making a fuss about this situation.

    We should get out of here before everyone notices.

    Kaede and I left town that same night.

 CH 11

    It has been two days since we left Luntatta.

    We are making our way through the mountains.

    My goal is to reach the next city, Einark.

    It''s a journey with no particular purpose, but I had some things I wanted to do.

    One of them is to visit places of interest.

    It is said that an advanced civilization once flourished in the world.

    The people who built the civilization were called "The Great Race".

    It is still not clear why the civilization became extinct and disappeared, but remains of that time remain in many places.

    I wanted to take a look at those ancient ruins.

    After all, ruins are romantic, right?

    It''s natural for a man to want to see incredible things done by incredible people.

    Since we are going on a long journey, we can''t miss the sightseeing tours.

    Besides, the gourmet food of each place.

    Eating local delicacies is one of the best parts of traveling.

    "Kaede, does your body hurt anymore?"

    "I am completely cured. Yesterday I finished taking the medicine, and from now on I will dedicate all my energy to helping the master.¡±

    Kaede moved her ears with an expression full of motivation.

    That body I first saw when I was weak is nowhere to be found.

    On the contrary, it has grown so much that it is difficult to look at it.

    By the way, we are currently disguised as status and our level is around 30. If someone were to look at us with a scroll of appreciation or an ability to value, we would be like any ordinary adventurer.

    "By the way, Master, what is the name of our group?"

    "A name? We are..."

    I hadn''t thought of that.

    It''s usually the first thing I think about.

    I wonder what kind of name would be good.

    "How about "Manyu Brigade"?"

    "And it''ll just be you and me, right?"

    "Maybe more people will join us, like you and me.

    "I see... I agree with that."

    Kaede seems to be happy with the idea.

    And with this, we are a B-rank group "The Manyu Brigade".

    The purpose of the party, as its name suggests, is to wander.

    We''re going to take a quiet walk around the world.

    And if we find a place that we like, you can plant our roots there.

    "Hey, I''ve been meaning to ask you, how did you become a slave, Kaede?"

    "Wait... What is it?"

    In the middle of the conversation, Kaede points forward.

    One of the chariots was surrounded by bandits.

    "Let''s help!"

    "Yes."

    I knocked one of the men down with a blow to the head without drawing my sword.

    Kaede was also very agile and put one of the men to sleep with a single blow.

    "Who the hell are those?! Hey, get those two!"

    The leader of the bandits gave the order, then many started coming towards us.

    "Huh!"

    He exhaled with great intensity, and all the bandits were amazed, and then all of them turned in the air and crashed into the trees with such force that they were unconscious.

    Kaede also burst the tips of the bandits'' chins with her iron fan being closed.

    They fell unconscious by the tremor that shook their brains.

    We defeated ten opponents in less than a minute.

    "They were no match for us."

    "Their levels are about 10. They are very weak.¡±

    "Is everyone okay there?"

    A few moments later the door to the carriage opened.

    "I don''t know who they are, but thank you very much for your help.¡±

    It was a woman in a pink dress.

    Her golden hair flowed softly like silk threads, and her slightly drooping eyebrows gave her a soft impression.

    Also, what is striking is her big breasts.

    Every time she moved, they swayed so much that my eyes were involuntarily attracted to them.

    "Master?!"

    With a pale face, Kaede was surprised.

    No, you can''t blame me, I saw her involuntarily.

    Anyone who had seen her would also have been mesmerized by her breasts.

    ¡°?¡±

    The woman bowed her head as if she didn''t understand our interaction.

    She looks like a noble lady, and I''m glad I wasn''t rude.

    I can''t tell you that I was distracted because she has big breasts.

    Kaede approaches me with a little moan...

    "Sorry I didn''t introduce myself earlier, my name is Marianne, daughter of Count Roane. I would like to thank you for saving me from those bandits."

    "I am Toru, an adventurer, and this is Kaede, my slave."

    "So, Toru-Sama?¡±

    Marianne looked at me with a vague expression on her face.

    It is uncomfortable. She is staring me in the face.

    I wonder if there''s something wrong with my face.

    She shuddered and suddenly took my hand.

    "Why don''t you come with me to the mansion? I''d like to reward you! You can both come with me in the carriage!"

    "Huh?!"

    She squeezed my hand and took me with her into the carriage.

    Count Roane is the Lord of the next city we''re going to, and his daughter is a kind of princess.

    Oh man, I''m getting nervous all of a sudden.

    I''ve always been bad with aristocrats.

    I have to make sure I don''t get into any trouble with them.

    "I''m so surprised at you two, you''re so strong."

    "Uh, well, not so much..."

    "Yes, we are, after all, the master is the chosen one."

    "The chosen one? Chosen for what?"

    Hey, don''t say things like that.

    Suddenly, Marianne showed a strange interest in me.

    Of course, I thought I saw his eyes light up.

    "Where was Toru-Sama going?"

    "We were on our way to Einark before we ran into you.¡± "So, it seems that it was convenient for both of us to have them invited to my home. If you want, you can stay over tonight."

    "No, thank you very much for the invitation, but I cannot abuse your hospitality."

    "You¡¯re wrong!"

    He looked at the person next to him.

    A quiet woman in a maid''s uniform with slanted eyes. She was Marianne''s maid.

    She took one look at Kaede and me and didn''t say a word.

    Somehow, I think she''s trying to say, "If that''s your wish, miss.

    From the looks of it, it won''t be a problem for us commoners to stay there.

    To tell you the truth, I only once wanted to spend a night in a nobleman''s mansion.

    I can take this opportunity to experience it.

    "I wouldn''t mind, but what do you think, Kaede?"

    "I will follow my master wherever he goes. So you are free to decide."

    "Well, then, I think we have an agreement. We''ll do our best to entertain you tonight, so please look forward to it.¡±

    He was full of expectations.

    I''m sure there will be a feast like you''ve never seen before.

    And a luxurious, fluffy futon that you can''t get at an inn.

    It will be a lot of fun. I can''t stop being excited and excited at the same time.

    "Here we are, in the city."

    "Whooo!¡±

    We were able to see the beautiful city from the window.

    Picturesque buildings lined the street, and it seemed to have developed considerably.

    This is Einark, the city of ruins.

    It is a city famous for tourism where many buildings from the time of the gods are preserved.

    We will enjoy it to the fullest as the Mangyu Brigade.

    When we entered the city in the chariot, multiple leftovers moved through the underground.

    They were demons with malicious intentions.

    The light that shone in their eyes indicated that they were mocking us.

    "Humans of Eirnak, fear the servants of the Demon King. Hahahahaha."

    Disaster is imminent.

 CH 12

    The city of Einark is full of picturesque and elegant buildings.

    On the main street, you can see a wide variety of stores, and I was fascinated by the people coming and going.

    The carriage passes through the heart of the city and goes directly to the deepest mansion.

    Once we arrived at the mansion, we entered the grounds through a large metal door.

    The well-marked path is so long that it is hard to believe that it is in a garden, and the lush trees cover it on both sides.

    When you think about the fact that you still can''t see the mansion, you can''t even imagine how big it is.

    This is the mansion of a nobleman, for me, who grew up as a commoner, it was something overwhelming.

    "It''s quite a big courtyard..."

    "Really? I think this is still one of the smallest of the upper class. Oh, but I have heard that our family has the largest mansion among the many count families.¡±

    I see, there''s no standard, so there''s no way to compare them. If this is what you mean by small, I will believe you.

    I guess the world we live in is different from the world of the nobility.

    "There it is."

    Finally, I could see the mansion through the window.

    It was a sturdy, ornate stone building.

    It has an elegant appearance even from a distance and suggests that a nobleman resides in it. Also, its gigantic size with three floors is overwhelming.

    Kaede should be surprised to see this, so I turned to look at her, but as soon as I saw her face, I didn''t notice any change.

    In fact, she seems quite disconcerted by my reaction.

    Maybe she''s not interested in nobility. Or she had so much money that this looks like a normal house to her.  I''d like to believe that it''s the former.

    The carriage stops at the entrance with a fountain. Immediately a person set up the stairs and opened the door.

    Marianne puts her feet on the ground with grace.  She is a lady after all. Her every move is very elegant.

    "Come on, Toru-Sama."

    "Well."

    Marianne takes the lead and enters the mansion.

    "Welcome home, young lady.¡±

    "Sebas, is my father here?"

    "He''s in his study, doing his job.¡±

    "Thank you."

    She exchanged words with the butler and then went up the stairs. , a servant introduced himself to her and then bowed.

    "I''m sorry it took me so long to introduce myself. I am the personal servant of Marianne-Sama, Urara. I will now escort you to your rooms, so please follow me.¡±

    "I am Toru. Pleased to meet you."

    "I am Kaede."

    Urara took us to a large room, with a big bed and a big carpet. If it were an inn, it would be a space where four people could stay, but it seems to be a place just for me.

    "I would be more relaxed if I stayed in the same room as my master.¡±

    "I''m afraid that''s not possible. Marianne has asked me to prepare a separate private room for the two of you. If you have any requests, please consult Marianne."

    "Then I have no choice."

    Kaede quietly entered the room next door.

    Being alone in the room, I look at the bed again.

    I have to.

    "Yahoo!"

    I jump into the bed and my body bounces very gently, springs inside the mattress make it softer to jump into the bed.

    It feels so good! I''ve always wanted to try a nobleman''s bed! It''s as soft as they say! And it smells so good!

    I''m glad I saved Marianne, although it was a matter of fate rather than choice.

    "Fufu, you seem to be enjoying it very much."

    "Woah!?"

    Marianne was standing at the door.

    At what point?

    My face got very red with embarrassment, she saw me behaving like a child.

    "I''d like to give Toru-Sama a tour of the city, but he looks very busy."

    "No no, it''s okay, I was thinking of going out anyway."

    "Perfect, I''ll wait here a moment, I''ll call Kaede-San."

    He bent over very gently and left the room.

    I can''t wait to do some sightseeing. I want to buy a lot of things.

    We left the mansion with Marianne as our guide, and Urara as our companion, and were able to walk freely around the city.

    "This is a remnant of a structure built by the Great Race."

    A crumbling stone wall suddenly appears in the city. His face was carved on the wall, and Marianne smiled at him happily.

    But would it not be careless to have only Urara as a companion?

    She is the daughter of a Lord.

    Urara answered my question.

    "Lady Marianne is loved by the citizens here. Anyone who dares to think about harming her will be captured by the people around her. Besides, she has me with her."

    "You have a lot of confidence in yourself, don''t you?¡±

    "I''ve been an S-ranking adventurer for some time now."

    When I looked at the face on the wall again, I saw Kaede and Marianne peeking out of the holes in her face.

    These two get along very well.

    "Kaede-San, that store has a great reputation for having the most delicious sweets"

    "Master, I want to try them!"

    Kaede''s eyes shone after telling me those words.

    Oh, honey, you may look like an adult, but inside, you''re still a child.

    I handed her the leather bag containing the money.

    "Will you give me everything?"

    "No, it''s just a small amount that''s in this bag, but, you can use it however you want."

    "Thank you!"

    In case you''re wondering, I''m saving money for her. You never know what might happen in the future.

    And especially at this time, I want to strive to be a good master for her.

    ...Because maybe, the day will come when she will want to go away alone.

    I''m willing to free her from slavery if she ever wants to.

    After all, there is only one thing I want.

    And that is to fill the hole that is in my heart and feel relief again.

    When that is accomplished, and I am satisfied with myself, I am sure I will not have the need to get another slave.

    And it will be the day I forget Sain and Lisa, I will live a peaceful life.

    "Toru-Sama, look there."

    "Wow, that''s a big statue."

    It was a stone statue in the shape of a man standing in the center of the city.

    He wore heavy armor and held a sword in a heroic pose.

    "That is the image of my father when he was young, the lord of this city. It embarrasses him, but I am proud to say that it is a very beautiful symbol.

    "Yes, I think it is also a beautiful statue."

    "Oh, you understand, Toru-Sama, I''ve been working with the people of the city to create this statue for my father''s birthday."

    The ground was shaking slightly.

    Could it be an earthquake...?

    The tremor gradually gets bigger and the stone statue breaks with a roar.

    Whooaaa!

    A strange growl and countless tentacles began to reach the people from a drifting cloud of sand.

    "Aaaah!"

    "My Lady!!"

    One of them tangled his tentacles with Marianne and dragged her into the cloud.

    The three of us were trapped in the middle without being able to move.

    There was a big hole where the stone statue used to be.

    Apparently, the enemy entered through the underground and kidnapped people at random. We don''t know what he''s after, but I bet if we chase him right away, we can get Marianne back in one piece.

    "My lady, now I''m coming for you!"

    I grabbed Urara by the arm before she jumped into the hole.

    "Wait, we''re coming with you."

    "And what can you do?"

    "If you''re going to look for her, you''d better have all the help you can get. And you know what we are capable of, you cannot refuse."

    "You''re right, so let''s hurry, we have to rescue Marianne and the others."

    Urara agreed with my proposal, and Kaede nodded her head to indicate that she agreed with my idea.

    I don''t know who did this, but I will make sure she regrets interrupting my tour of the city.

    The three of us approached the hole and looked inside.

    "Where does this lead?"

    "Probably to the subway ruins. Actually, the city is built on top of huge ruins."

    "So, there''s a maze down there. Kaede, will we be able to find it?¡±

    "No problem. I''ve already captured Marianne''s Rome.¡±

    So, you can also track her down. That''s my beautiful slave.

    "Let''s jump"

    "Yes"

    "I follow you."

    And the three of us jumped into the hole.

 CH 13

    The hole has a depth of 15 meters.

    The moment we land, we immediately put our backs into it and look around.

    "Orb of light."

    Kaede created a sphere of light using her magic.

    We discovered that we were in a huge chamber made of stone.

    There are two huge stone statues of people on either side of the area that seems to be an entrance. The old and dilapidated state of the chamber was made noticeable because of the dust in the place. Besides that, there was a lot of debris around the place.

    "Is that silt?"

    On the ground there were traces of something slimy.

    These must be the tracks of the creature that took Marianne. If we follow the tracks, we should be able to find her.

    "I''ll go ahead. Kaede, you stay in the middle and keep your light magic going. Urara, you guard the rear."

    "Yes, Master."

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    I draw my sword, and we advance quickly.

    As long as we don''t know where the attackers are or what they are up to, we should act calmly. Only after finding the enemy can we act more freely.

    "Be careful, there''s a hole."

    The structure of the ruins is very fragile. Some were crumbling, and I often saw plant roots going through the walls.

    Moreover, this place is as intricate as a dungeon, and although it is not very solid, it seems to be inhabited by demons.

    I ask Urara as we run through a narrow, dimly lit corridor.

    "How big is this place?"

    "Well, I''ve been down here a few times, and there are four levels that I know of. But I don''t know what kind of things might be living here; these ruins are extremely massive.¡±

    "Kaede, do you still have Marianne''s scent?"

    "It''s in the same direction as the slime trail."

    It may be a demon, but how far does it plan to go?

    Please don''t let it be a place where all the demons are.

    "Gugyaa!"

    "Get out of the way!"

    A goblin suddenly jumps out from the rubble, and I cut it down with one blow.

    I have no time for small fry. If you don''t want to die, embrace your fear and stay out of my sight.

    Kaede uses her magic to freeze several slimes that crawled on the floor.

    Urara shoots some poisonous needles and kills some bug monsters that came out of the ground.

    "You are very good. What is your job?"

    "Assassin."

    Being an assassin is an unusual job, isn''t it? And from what I''ve seen, she seems to be at a decent level.

    That girl Marianne, she has a very lovely appearance, and a lot of people around her.

    She really didn''t need us to take down those bandits.

    "The smell is getting stronger. It''s close by."

    "All right, get ready."

    A long passage led us to a bridge over a large waterway.

    At the end of the bridge there was a large, closed gate. The silt seemed to continue beyond that gate.

    Surely Marianne and the rest of the kidnapped townsfolk are there.

    Zazazazaza

    Multiple footsteps are heard, and armed demons appear from both sides, lined up in front of the door.

    They all had great physiques, well marked muscles, and horns on their heads. "You humans were very stupid to come here. You will have the pleasure of dying by our hands!¡±

    The demon that was speaking began to give instructions to the rest of the demons, so he must be their commander. The rest of them shouted and drew their curved swords one after another.

    So, all this was the work of the demons.

    I have heard that the appearance of the demon king has caused the activities of the demons to rise. But I never imagined that their base would be in a place like this.

    "Wall of Ice!"

    Kaede began to move her iron fans to create two walls of ice.

    A straight path to the door formed in front of me.

    "Master, we''ll take care of this."

    "Please save Lady Marianne."

    I nodded silently at their words.

    I need to save Marianne as soon as possible.

    I am counting on you, Kaede and Urara.

    I ran down the road while clenching my fist to knock on the door.

    "Gufufu, it seems that my pet''s food has finally arrived. I have been waiting for you.

    In the middle of the vast room, there was a large slime monster that was probably four meters high.

    It has countless tentacles coming out of its back, and has more than ten people hanging from it.

    "So, you''re the brilliant mind behind it all?¡±

    In front of the monster there was a semi-demon, large and strong. The aura emanating from him was incomparable to that of the soldiers I saw before.

    There is no need to think about it much, this guy is the strongest one here.

    "What was your purpose? Why did you attack the city?"

    "I don''t have to tell you... but since I''m someone very nice. I''ll tell you a secret."

    "What?¡±

    The tentacles of the monster reached out quickly and wrapped around me, then it lifted me up into the air.

    "This city is connected to the border city through a subway channel. If I manage to take over the border city, and at the same time Einark, it will be much easier to take over this country. However, I have to get rid of the Lords who live there."

    "So, the reason you kidnapped Marianne, was to make the Count of Einark succumb to your power."

    "Exactly! If such a beautiful girl is taken hostage, no one would try to do something as stupid as to claim her by force. Fufufu"

    Did he kidnap her and hurt the city''s inhabitants because of something like that?

    There is no room for forgiveness.

    "Ha ha ha! What''s with that face? Can''t you forgive me? Do you want to kill me? You''re going to die, you and every other human in this city!¡±

    "Hmm."

    I ripped the tentacle off with all my might, and fell to the ground.

    How pathetic is that? You think you''re going to stop me with that?

    "Are you an idiot?! I''m a level 70 demon, you think you have a chance?!¡±

    "You just made the worst mistake of your life."

    "Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

    "You made me angry."

    Little by little I moved forward. The monster was taking steps backwards, his gaze denoting that he was not afraid.

    "Explosives, activate!"

    More than 20 miniature explosives began to activate around me and exploded.

    The explosion echoed through the room and the impact violently shook the place.

    I thought this would be over quickly since I was good at hand-to-hand combat, but I guess I was wrong. I can''t even get close enough to give him his due.

    At any moment he can activate his cloud ability and escape.

    "Impossible. For you to be unharmed. You are a monster..."

    "Hey, coming from you, those words are hurtful. I''m a person..."

    "Dammit! Explosion, Explosion, Explosion!"

    The magic released successively shook all the underground ruins.

    A roar reverberated and the debris fell from the ceiling.

    In the room, a great deal of black smoke moved like a mist.

    "Gufu, Fufufu, I doubt you''ll be alive after this."

    Toc, toc, toc

    "Eeeeeh!?"

    The sound of my footsteps frightened the demon away.

    When he saw me walking slowly behind the smoke, his expression was as if he had seen a ghost. He kept going back, but this time faster.

    "Are you satisfied?"

    "Hey, hey, who are you? Don''t tell me you''re the hero we''ve heard about!"

    "No, I''m just an ordinary warrior.¡±

    "You''re lying!"

    Now, let''s get this over with.

    I run across the room very quickly and draw my sword.

    Slash

    The bodies of the demon and the slime monster fell to the ground as if they were tree trunks cut off from the stump.

    The captive townsfolk are freed from the tentacles and fall to the ground.

    I quickly extend my arms to catch Marianne before she falls to the ground.

    She is unconscious, although it appears that she''s otherwise uninjured.

    "Master, we have taken care of the demon soldiers."

    "Good work."

    Kaede entered the room. I had faith that she would make it.

    "My lady!"

    Urara arrives a bit later and approaches Marianne, who is lying on the floor.

    It seems that she is also unharmed.

    Although her clothes are a little torn.

    "Don''t worry, she''s just unconscious."

    "Thank you very much. It would have been difficult for me to rescue her by myself. But thanks to Toru-Sama and Kaede-San, the young lady is safe."

    Urara bows to us.

    Still, it is good that this whole situation was resolved without anyone dying.

    "By the way, how do we get the rest of them out of here?"

    "Well, we could drag them out."

    I take a rope from my luggage and tie their hands and feet one by one, and then join them together on the same rope. This way, I can get them all out with one simple pull.

    "Come on, let''s head back up."

    "Yes.¡±

    "Those people don''t look so good..."

    I dragged them carelessly to the surface.

 CH 14

    When we returned to the surface, we were very well received by the inhabitants.

    No one was killed, and the damage was minimal.

    At best, one of the people we rescued fell hard on their ass.

    It seems that no one liked that the statue of the Lord was smashed, but all things will break one day. Also, many abandoned the idea that we were responsible after we returned with the citizens and the Lord''s daughter.

    When we returned to the mansion, we were welcomed by the Lord, Count Roane.

    He has a slim but toned body and a sincere look. However, he also emanates a lot of dignity.

    "Marianne!"

    "Father!"

    At the entrance to the mansion, father and daughter hugged each other tightly and were happy to be reunited.

    "Toru-sama is amazing! He defeated one of the Demon King''s servants with ease."

    "A servant of the Demon King? Are you sure?"

    "He was one of the six generals. It seems that he was the weakest, but he was still one of the most important."

    "I see... So they are starting to move¡­¡±

    To be honest, he was too weak. How strong do you have to be to be one of the 6 generals?

    Growl.

    Suddenly, my stomach began to growl.

    Come to think of it, I haven''t had lunch today. After all that exercise, I feel even hungrier than usual.

    The count set his sights on us.

    "You are the adventurer who saved my daughter''s life. I would like to express my deepest gratitude once again, not once, but twice. Thank you."

    "Thank you... I''m glad that Marianne is well."

    "It''s true. I can''t imagine what would have happened if Toru-sama hadn''t arrived on time."

    I guess this time we got lucky.

    All this happened because I met her on the road, and that way I was able to stay with her.

    It makes you wonder... if all this happened because of a series of unfortunate events. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be alive right now.

    "Father, please, we have to give Toru-Sama a grand reward. Allowing him to simply stay in the mansion does not make me feel comfortable, and the citizens will not accept it either."

    "Of course. I will make sure that my daughter''s saviors are well rewarded, and so will my people, but... I am not sure what would please Toru-Dono."

    "I think a mansion and a knighthood would be more appropriate."

    "My Lord, forgive my intrusion.¡±

    Urara interrupts the Count, and then looks at me.

    "Was the demon you defeated truly one of the six generals? If so, then that changes things completely. Toru-Sama, do you plan to go to the capital?"

    "Yes... Why do you ask?"

    "I see... Let''s write a letter right now."

    Hmm? A letter? What, what''s going on?

    Urara also approaches Marianne and speaks to her privately. After listening to her, she looked at me and smiled.

    As for me, I don''t want a knighthood or a mansion.

    I want to travel around the world without rushing and I don''t like the idea of staying in one place.

    I''ll be happy even if I don''t get a reward.

    "Toru-Dono, you can stay as long as you want. I''m going to let Marianne continue to guide you through the city. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.¡±

    The Count re-entered the mansion very quickly.

    Dinner that night was a great feast.

    And the table was full of a variety of dishes. The highlight was a steak, and a mountain of fruit.

    I had never had such a thick, rich soup before.

    It''s amazing how well a chef can make something so delicious with pumpkins.

    "Mmm-hmm."

    "Look, you''ve got a little bit near your mouth."

    "Oh."

    I wiped the sauce off Kaede''s cheek with my finger and then licked it off.

    Her face turned deep red.

    "Um, thank you.¡±

    "Mm-hmm."

    She''s grown a lot, and now she''s strong. But she''s still a child.

    Sometimes I wonder if she has recovered from her illness, and I even have doubts if she is uncomfortable with this trip with me.

    "Toru-Sama, what are you going to do tomorrow? If you plan to continue with tourism, I can help you."

    Marianne''s words make me stop and think about my options.

    After all, I''m a little curious.

    "I was wondering if I might have permission to explore the subway ruins.¡±

    "Why are you interested in such a place?"

    "As an adventurer, I am curious. It''s like an unexplored dungeon. The ruins in this city are big and interesting. But, I would like to explore the subterranean ones that are still intact."

    A subterranean ruin left behind by a great race of mysterious people.

    No matter how you look at it, it''s full of mystery, which tickles a man''s curiosity.

    And like any adventurer, I am also interested in treasure.

    "I see. In that case, it would be useless to stop you. Then I will accompany you, it is the only way I can accept your request."

    "My Lady!"

    "You are also coming with me."

    "My Lady?!"

    Urara, who had been waiting nearby, reacted in a rather confused manner.

    That is something I can understand. Your beloved lady is about to go to a dangerous place from which she was just rescued. As her bodyguard, it is natural to want to stop her.

    As for me, I would prefer not to go with Marianne, but the subterranean ruins are under the control of the count, and normally no one is allowed to enter without permission.

    I have no choice but to accept her conditions if I want to explore the ruins.

    Kaede, however, seems to be against it. It wouldn''t be the first time.

    In other words, it''s a sign that you''re trying to do something dangerous.

    But I have no other choice.

    "I accept, Marianne. But there''s something we have to clear up, you''ll be protected by Kaede and Urara at all times. I will take care of any problems that come up during the exploration. And if a situation arises in which your life is in danger, we will withdraw immediately, do you agree with that?¡±

    "Yes, I agree."

    "My lady... I hope you know what you''re doing.¡±

    In the end, Urara seems to disagree.

    Marianne seems to be the kind of person who does not listen to wise advice.

    That is what Urara''s words imply.

    When the sun came up, we were in front of the mansion. Everyone was preparing and ready to leave.

    Urara was wearing a black suit instead of her maid uniform.

    And Marianne was wearing a full piece of armor.

    "Why are you dressed like that?"

    "When I told my father about today, he said, ''I know you will be safe with Toru-Dono, but just in case, take this with you.¡±

    "The Count is overprotective in a strange way."

    I thought that the Count would be demanding and would not allow her to accompany us. In that case I was planning to talk to the Count directly.

    When someone offers you his daughter so easily, you begin to wonder if there is more to it than meets the eye.

    No, no, no. To doubt someone is not a good thing.

    "I know Count Roane won''t like hearing this from me, but that armor is no good. In an emergency, you''d have to run on your own, and that''s when it will be a hindrance rather than a help."

    "I see, then I''ll take it off."

    Nodding in disappointment, Marianne entered the mansion.

    She appeared later, dressed in light armor.

    At her waist was a thin sword, and she wore a hooded cape.

    It looks like a pretty good outfit.

    If she had something like that, I would have liked her to come with it from the beginning.

    I''m sure it was hard to say no to her father.

    We arrived at a closed staircase near the center of town.

    It seems that it was true that you can''t go down without permission. If I had come down on my own, I would have been caught.

    Marianne took out the key and opened the door.

    By the way, the large hole that remains in place of the stone statue is being restored at a rapid pace, and it is not possible to get near it.

    Above all, I hesitated to go down that height with Marianne in my arms.

    So this time, we will use the stairs, which is the safest way.

    "Come on! Let the adventure begin!"

    "My Lady..."

    She makes it seem like she wanted to explore that place.

    It is what expresses the look of happiness on her face.

    Paki.

    We were walking down a long flight of stairs when I thought I heard a familiar sound.

 CH 15

    Beyond the top of the stairs was a dimly lit stone passage.

    Some of the walls were crumbling and the debris was evident.

    The air was humid and stale.

    Marianne pulled out a map, and Kaede quickly created an orb of light.

    "Most of the first and second floors have already been explored. So the place to go is the third floor onwards. There are also a few danger zones, so please be careful.

    "How dangerous are these places?"

    "To be exact, there are two areas that are very deteriorated and are inhabited by demons. We have not yet been able to explore them."

    Hmm, I see. If we go to the next few floors, there''s a good chance we''ll find demons lurking around.

    We''d better ignore those and hurry down the stairs.

    That doesn''t mean we have to limit ourselves, though.

    The chances of finding treasure should be greater if we explore this place for several days.

    It is decided.

    "Today we explore the danger zones. But to ensure Marianne''s safety, I will be the only one who goes in there."

    "I''m sure I can put up a good fight.¡±

    I wonder what The Count would think about what you just said.

    "Ugh... I understand."

    Marianne bowed her head and nodded. Urara felt relieved and placed her hand on her chest.

    We started walking and decided to head to the nearest danger zone first.

    "By the way, what''s the name of the group?

    "Manyu Brigade"

    "Fufu, I can tell Toru-Sama made it up."

    "You can?"

    I bowed my head, wondering what that meant.

    Kaede walks up and stands beside me.

    "Master, there''s a strong smell of demons ahead."

    "Can you evaluate them from here?

    "...They''re a group of mushroom-type demons."

    Their evaluation ability is very surprising.

    It can be used to search for enemies, and even detect the true identity of targets.

    We continue along the corridor and reach the danger zone.

    There, more than a hundred walking mushrooms were crowded together, and newly grown ones were sticking their tops out of the walls and the floor.

    The spores of the walking mushrooms are poisonous, so we cannot approach them without care.

    Maybe it''d be better to leave this place and go to another area?

    No, I think I can do this now.

    After all, I am level 300. I should be able to resist most poisons.

    "You three stay here. I''ll go alone from behind."

    "Be careful."

    Kaede shook her fluffy tail. Her hands were crossed in front of her chest, making her breasts rise.

    This sight seems to work better than any mushroom poison.

    Calm down, calm down, calm down.

    ¡°Don''t take too many risks, Toru-Sama. I know you''re strong, but you shouldn''t be too confident because of that.¡±

    "I see..." ¡¡ Marianne says those words to me as she grabs my arm.

    Her plentiful breasts rested on either side of my arm, their soft sensation making my brain stop thinking.

    Madam, you are right.

    Thank you very much.

    "Aaaaaaaaah!!"

    I rushed to kill all the mushrooms. Except for the poison, they are weak demons and are no match for me.

    If you step on them, they will be crushed.

    In a matter of minutes, all the walking mushrooms were eliminated.

    It seems that the poison has no effect on me. Perhaps Dragonoids are a strong race after all.

    I went to the back and found a stone door. Upon pushing it open, it gave way to a small room.

    There were bottles, boxes and lots of garbage inside.

    "Is it all rotten? No, it looks like it can still be used."

    I pick up a bottle and rub it''s surface with my fingers.

    The liquid inside is crystalline and does not smell rotten.

    But what is it? Some kind of medicine? It is said that restorative medicines of great purity can be found in ruins, even if rarely, so I guess it is the same kind of medicine.

    It would be great if it was a healing elixir for all kinds.

    Well, maybe it''s nothing special, not everything can be good.

    When I went back, the girls were happy to see me.

    "How was it, Master? was there something in the back?"

    "I found some things. There''s this bottle, it seems to be some sort of elixir. There was also a locked box that seems to be promising."

    "I didn''t know there were still objects on this floor! Well done, Toru-Sama!"

    "Marianne-San, you are standing a bit too close to my Master!"

    Kaede pulls Marianne away from me by pulling her arms. I can''t help but feel disappointed, the feeling of softness and warmth has disappeared.

    Suddenly, I feel a sharp look and my consciousness returns.

    Kaede looked at me with a scowl.

    "What?"

    "My master is mine."

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Is she angry?

    Well, I don''t really understand a woman''s feelings.

    "Toru-Sama, you need to show some male discipline."

    "Umm, I suppose..."

    Urara looked at me with narrowed eyes.

    What the hell is going on?

    There are three danger zones on the second floor, one of which we have already completed.

    We went down to the second floor and opened the map again to know where to go.

    "There are danger zones here and here. And here is an area that hasn''t been investigated yet.¡±

    "Hmmm, I guess this area is not much bigger than the second floor. I was wondering, does this place belong to the old race?"

    "According to one theory, it was a subterranean fortress. It is not clear what kind of enemies they were fighting, but a lithograph has been found that describes the defense at this site".

    Kaede and I said "Wow" in unison, as we were impressed.

    If it is a subterranean fortress that resembles a dungeon, then what exactly is a dungeon?

    So far I''ve immersed myself in them as a matter of course, but when I think about it, those structures are full of mystery, aren''t they?

    The other day, the dungeon we explored simply disappeared.

    I wonder where it went.

    "By the way, Toru-Sama, it''s about time you taught me how to fight."

    ".......Really?"

    Not only I, but also Kaede and Urara were surprised.

    I looked to Urara for confirmation, but she shook her head vigorously.

    ¡°The agreement was that we would come if you would join us, but you didn''t say anything about teaching you to fight.¡±

    "Just a little bit, please. I am tired of being protected by Urara and rescued by Toru-Sama. I am tired of being a weak girl."

    "But..."

    "Please! Please!"

    She hugged me and pressed her chest against mine.

    I managed to keep my mind from turning to mush at the feel of her breasts against mine and focused on what I should do.

    If you want to get stronger, I can do it with my skills. But the problem is that you could get hurt.

    If something were to happen, it would be irreparable.

    The story would be different if there was at least one way to heal the wound.

    "It can''t be helped. Since master is in this situation, I will make an effort to heal Marianne''s wounds if she gets hurt.

    "Can you heal wounds?"

    "Yes, my healing waves can easily remove even the toughest wounds."

    So there would be no problem?

    "As a servant of the Crown, I strongly oppose it. If anything should happen to the young lady..."

    ¡°I''m glad you feel that way, Urara. But this decision was made with the future in mind. There is no guarantee that the demons will not attack again, and I have to become stronger in order to help my father.¡±

    "My Lady..."

    She is certainly right. If you have great physical strength, you are less likely to be caught by the enemy, and if you have a high level, you will not be hurt easily. You can even avoid situations like this.

    "Let''s train you, Marianne."

    Paki. Paki.

    A sound interrupted my words.

    ¡¶Notice: Since the Lvl of labor savings has reached the upper limit, it will be paid when you move up the rank¡·

    ¡¶Notice: payment has been updated due to the effect of the skill effect UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You have acquired the job title Dragon Knight.¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You have acquired the job title Master Tamer.¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You have acquired the job title Imitator.¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You have acquired the job title Great Thief.¡·

 CH 17

    I poured my magic power into the white beast egg.

    There was a feeling as if my magic was being rapidly absorbed, like a cloth soaking up water.

    All right, wake up quickly.

    --Sixty seconds later.

    --Five minutes later.

    --Fifteen minutes later.

    "All this time and still nothing! How long is it going to go on like this?"

    "It''s been dormant for a long time, and I think it''s a creature that originally possessed a lot of magical power."

    ''''You mean it will take a while for it to regain it''s full power?"

    Looking at Marianne and the others, they were busy storing their relics using Magic Storage.

    Forgive me, Count, I am using your daughter to steal things from ancient civilizations. And of course, the same goes for Urara.

    When Marianne noticed my gaze, she wiped her sweat with her dirty hands and smiled.

    "I hope you don''t mind. I''m quite fond of this kind of work, and I''d like to have more access to the various relics."

    "Fufu, the young lady likes antiques."

    "You''re just like your father, my lady, but I''m sure if you keep wearing those dirty clothes, he''ll have a stroke."

    I don''t have to worry about anything.

    all three seemed to be having fun.

    However, how long do I have to keep injecting more magic power into this egg?

    Why not speed up the process and transfer all the power in one fell swoop?

    I stopped controlling my power and allowed it to flow unchecked. The surface of the egg became so thick because of all the power it received.

    "Such incredible magic power... I can feel it even in my skin..."

    Kaede muttered in a cold sweat.

    The magic absorbed by the egg began to gradually diminish and finally stopped.

    The amount of magic power I poured was 30% of the total.

    And that was the first egg... I wonder how much the second one will need.

    "It seems to be waking up."

    "Now all that''s left is to drip blood?"

    I pull out a knife and press it against my fingertips.

    "Eh?"

    The tip of the knife did not penetrate my skin. No matter how hard I pressed, it couldn''t hurt me.

    I thought it was a good quality knife.

    There was no other choice, so I drew my sword and cut the tip of my finger.

    As expected, the sacred sword is extraordinarily sharp.

    Pot, Pot.

    Blood drips onto the egg, and the next moment it is absorbed and disappears.

    Fwishhhhhhhhhhhhh

    A kind of steam is released from the egg. The elastic shell, much like a peeled fruit, opened into six pieces from the top of the head.

    Inside it was something covered in mucus.

    It shook its body and opened its eyes.

    It was a round white creature. The surface of its body is covered with short hairs and a blue eye like a crystal ball observes the surroundings.

    The sensitively moving eye was immediately fixed on me.

    "Huh? Is it floating?"

    The creature began to float slightly. After that, it kept floating around me as it watched me.

    "How cute! It''s such a beautiful creature!"

    "I don''t know what it is."

    It looks like a living cushion.

    "Come here, I''ll wash you."

    "Kui?"

    "That was a squeak!"

    Kaede was shocked, while I grabbed some water from the bottle, and cleaned the animal until I got all the mucus off. Once clean, it looked even more like a cushion.

    "Look, I can sit on it."

    The animal can support Kaede''s weight without any difficulty and still continue floating.

    Gunyon

    It then slightly changed its shape and became an oval.

    "Maybe it''s one of those animals that specializes in transporting people and objects..."

    "Master, maybe we should name it."

    "That''s a good idea, how about Panda?"

    "That''s a nice name! I agree!"

    I named it that because it resembles a piece of white bread.

    Panda seemed to like it, and squealed

    "Kyui!"

    "Toru-Sama, we''re done here. Oh, what a cute little creature."

    "This is Panda, the creature that was in the egg. Come on, say hello to Marianne and Urara."

    "Kyui."

    All three were excited for Panda.

    It''s inevitable to be so pampered when you''re so cute.

    I decided to wrap the other egg in a cloth and take it home.

    We returned to the mansion and informed the Count about what we had found in the ruins.

    "You found so many relics in one day? You people never cease to amaze me!"

    The antique objects were placed in a storage room.

    Some of the things we found appear to be armor or medicine, but there are also things that appear to be pretty common, such as clothing and vessels.

    Items such as jewelry and precious metals can be recognized as treasures at a glance.

    But I think the best treasure was the creature we revived from that egg.

    According to the count, only a few of the confirmed pet eggs have hatched.

    He said most of them are still in storage and have not been awakened.

    It was fortuitous that we were able to find them.

    "Master, here is a list of all the items."

    "Thank you."

    I received a document from Kaede with a list of all the objects found.

    I will choose only the ones I want to keep and sell the rest to the Count.

    A large amount of money is necessary if we want to have a smooth trip.

    And I want to save some money just in case.

    As long as you have plenty of money, the trip will be very pleasant.

    Hmm, looks like we brought some healing elixirs.

    The list of elixirs are as follows; recovery potions, high-grade antidote, body-strengthening potions, performance-enhancement potions, energy-recovery potions, and finally... magic-enhancement potions.

    "Elixir!"

    I was so surprised, I felt like my eyes would pop out.

    There are two super rare multipurpose recovery drugs.

    The magic-enhancing potion and high-grade antidote are very valuable. They can be traded for extremely high prices.

    The Count shrugs his shoulders while lifting his hands.

    "It''s rare for elixirs to be marketed here. However, if you go to the royal capital, you have a better chance of selling them."

    "To whom, the merchants or nobles?"

    "Both. I would recommend you auction them off, you''ll make a great fortune that way."

    I''ve heard about that somewhere.

    It seems that the royal capital has an auction site where only aristocrats and wealthy merchants can enter.

    Beasts, information, weapons, and objects, everything is sold there in exchange for gold.

    I''m sure the elixirs will sell for a lot of money. It is quite intriguing.

    I will definitely look for that place when I get to the royal capital.

    I decided to keep the potions and sell the rest to the count.

    And these are my items;

    The amount of money I obtained was 500 million.

    For the first time in my life, I saw a white gold coin. And there was a small mountain of them. People seem to have a strange bit of confidence when they have power and money.

    By the way, the second beast egg is not for sale.

    After all, I want to know what will be born from it. It can be a very useful creature depending on its ability.

    "Kyui!"

    "Panda, wait"

    "My lady, you can''t go out like that!"

    Panda was prowling the hallway and came into the room circling around me.

    And a naked Marinanne appears a few seconds later trying to catch Panda.

    "So this is where you ran off to. You still need a lot more cleaning first."

    "Kyui!"

    "Your fur will be even fluffier when you''re all lathered up and clean. Now come here."

    Panda hides behind me.

    I can''t move. I''ve been completely frozen after seeing her like this.

    Even her father, the Count, let out a big sigh.

    "Marianne, you are..."

    "Hm? I''m what?"

    "Master, don''t look!"

    Kaede appeared behind me wanting to cover my eyes with her hands.

    Kaede, I think it''s a little late for that. I''ve seen all there is to see.

    "My lady! The towel! Put it on!"

    "Huh? Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    When Urara entered the room, she covered Marianne''s body with a bath towel.

    Mariane, who finally realized her mistake, ran out of the room screaming. I''m sure she was taking a bath because of how dirty she was.

    Hmm? You wonder how I know she left the room? Maybe it''s because I kept seeing her between Kaede''s fingers.

    I got to see something good at an unexpected moment.

    I think I''ll sleep well tonight.

 CH 18

    It has been a few days since our arrival in Einark.

    "Woaah, it''s daytime."

    I yawn and stretch out by the window. It looks like it will be a sunny day today. It''s a perfect day to continue our journey.

    We have been exploring the ruins and hunting demons a lot during the last few days.

    Thanks to that, Marianne has reached level 100. Even Urara also reached level 80, both have acquired the strength of the hero class.

    There will be no opponent that can stand up to the two of them.

    I got dressed and left the room.

    "Good morning, master!"

    "Good morning."

    Kaede was waiting for me in the hallway. And next to her was panda.

    This is my favorite animal type, but just listen to Kaede.

    I guess he is a male after all. I haven''t seen anything that can define his sex, though, and it''s hard to make a decision.

    Well, it''s like a cushion and a pet at the same time. So it doesn''t matter.

    I went downstairs and headed for the dining room. Marianne was sitting there.

    "Good morning, Toru-Sama."

    "Good morning. I see you''ve gotten used to the way you look."

    "Yes, it''s strange that I''ve never had it before."

    Marianne had a small sword on her hip.

    It seems that in recent days he has made it part of his persona and carries it with him at all times.

    In addition, their former style, which was dressed like that of a high-class lady, has been converted into shirts and pants worn by adventurers.

    Even so, her beauty has not been compromised in the least. On the contrary, I now see her as more beautiful and attractive than before.

    Food was brought to my table and I quickly took a bite.

    "Toru-Sama, will you resume your journey today?"

    "I can stay longer, but I have nothing to do in this city anymore. Besides, I want to get to the royal capital to find the auction site... I even have a letter from the Count."

    "I see."

    It breaks my heart to see Marianne so sad.

    We have become very good friends, but I want to continue exploring the world.

    There is still a hole in my heart for everything I went through.

    So I have to move on.

    I have to stop thinking about what happened and get over it.

    "I''m jealous of you, Kaede-San."

    "Jealous of me?"

    "I would love to be able to go on an adventure with Toru-Sama, to be able to get out of the house and explore the world. It would be a lot of fun."

    "Marianne-San..."

    Urara sighed and touched Marianne''s shoulder. The two looked at each other and smiled.

    Even without saying a word to each other, the exchanges of glances clearly convey the feelings of both.

    She is the daughter of an aristocrat, eventually she will be someone''s wife.

    You do not have the right to choose the person you will be with. You will be like a little bird in a cage, being imprisoned, being watched every moment until that day comes.

    It is a blessing and a curse at the same time.

    No wonder he craves adventure.

    I pray that your future partner will be someone wonderful.

    "I appreciate everything you have done for me."

    "It is I who should be thanking you. Thanks to you my daughter is safe."

    In front of the entrance of the mansion, Marianne and Urara were with the Count for our farewell.

    Marianne''s expression is dark.

    "Don''t be sad because I will come to see you again."

    "But when I think about Toru-Sama and Kaede-San will have gone, I will be."

    It was heartbreaking to see her like this, and the atmosphere around her was as if she was about to help.

    Please do something Kaede.

    "Marianne-San."

    ¡°!?¡±

    Kaede ran over and hugged Marianne.

    "My master would never betray us or lie to us. So trust me."

    "Will you come to see me again?"

    "Absolutely. I promise."

    "...I''m still jealous of you. Fufu."

    I bowed to the Count once again.

    He simply nodded without opening his mouth.

    "It''s time to go, Kaede."

    "Yes"

    The two of us left the city together.

    We continue our journey through the peaceful meadows.

    "What''s in that letter?"

    I pulled the envelope out of my pocket and twisted my neck.

    It was given to me by Count Roane, but he did not tell me the details of its contents.

    I just wanted him to show it to a certain person.

    I know it was a reward for saving Marianne somehow. In the end, I got nothing.

    You should have given me the money instead of going through all this trouble.

    I don''t understand what the aristocrats are thinking.

    "We are alone again, master."

    "Hm? Yes, all is quiet again."

    "Fufu."

    Kaede was smiling.

    His big fluffy tail was swaying and he seemed to be in a good mood.

    Panda held on to the swinging tail and played with it.

    "By the way, master, what will you do with the other egg?"

    "Oh, I forgot."

    I was so focused on Marianne and the others that I didn''t even think about it.

    We looked for a place where the sun was not so strong to sit.

    I took out the purple egg and put it on the floor. I''m very excited to know what will hatch. If possible, I want it to be a great creature.

    , inject magic power into the egg.

    Meanwhile, Kaede was playing with Panda.

    "I wonder how far panda can fly?"

    "I know it can carry up to five people."

    "Kyui!"

    The white cushion began to float as if to say "I''ll show you."

    The rate of ascent slowed after five meters, and yet it managed to continue climbing, stopping after about ten meters.

    From that point on, he quickly fell and half fell asleep as if he was tired.

    So you''re good at carrying heavy things, but that doesn''t mean you can fly high.

    Oh.

    The absorption of the magical power in the egg stopped abruptly.

    I feel that I have been absorbed much more than with Panta.

    Apparently, it varies according to the species.

    I then cut my hand and dropped blood.

    Bushuuuuuu.

    Smoke that looks like steam is generated and the top of the egg head opens.

    However, nothing comes out.

    "It''s funny. I thought I was born."

    "But is there something inside...?"

    Shoo, a long, thin thing flew out of the egg with great force!

    It writhed in the air like a snake and twisted around.

    After a while, the thing finally came to me, and seemed to be looking down at me from an elevated position.

    The pointed head was like an arrowhead attached to a spear, the silver body was shiny like metal. Unlike Panda, I don''t see anything resembling an eye, but I''m pretty sure its shape will change.

    Jaki.

    Countless blades appeared on his smooth body.

    I think he''s trying to say he''s aggressive. When you return to its original state, its body stretches and surrounds us, including the tree, in many layers. When I touched a part of his body, it was elastic and looked like a rope.

    "It appears to be an attack creature, analysis says it can grow up to 100 meters."

    "What a strange body you have."

    When it returns to its original length, it rubs its head against my hand as if it wants me to caress it.

    This is a lovely thing to do.

    Panda just lets Kaede pamper him, and doesn''t come near me.

    Well, it''s time to name it.

    "I''m going to call him Rosuke, because he''s like a string. Do you like that name?"

    Rosuke happily rubs his torso against my body.

    Haha, this kid is cute.

    "Kyui!"

    A disgruntled Panta peeked out from behind Kaede.

 CH 19

    I was surprised by Luntatta.

    The dungeon that should have been there has disappeared completely.

    All that was left was a huge, vertical hole.

    "What happened...?"

    The inhabitants of the city led the same life as always, probably because they were used to it.

    "Are you all right, Sain?"

    "Don''t touch me, you bitch!"

    "Kya!"

    I smacked Soara''s hand away from me.

    A throbbing rage, like molten lava, was bursting inside me. I got off my horse and rushed at her to strangle her.

    "Guur, guur... Guaah."

    "What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you interrupting me?"

    "Stop it, Sain, you''re going to kill Soara."

    I clicked my tongue.

    I took my hands off her neck. The people around were glaring at me.

    It''s no good staying here any longer. If they find out I''m a hero, my reputation will be ruined before I even announce it.

    I need to be admired for my ingenuity and skill.

    I can''t afford to ruin my reputation over something like this.

    "Soara, are you conscious?"

    "I''m a little dizzy."

    "Sain, you shouldn''t treat your friends like that."

    All three were beginning to show signs of rejection towards me.

    Although the "Demonic eye of Seduction" is working, I can''t deny that what I did was too much.

    It is time to tie up loose ends.

    I''m going to cast my seduction spell one more time.

    "Fu."

    "Huh."

    "Aha!"

    The effect was immediate and their expressions became ecstatic. This way they won''t be able to betray me. They are pawns that I will have to discard sooner or later, but for now, I need them.

    "It''s time to go."

    "Yes!"

    We immediately left Luntatta.

    "What did you say?"

    "The ruins have already been fully explored."

    I''m not sure I understand what Count Roane is saying, since my conscience is clouded.

    He said that some adventurers visited the city and defeated the leaders of the demon tribe.

    Moreover, it took them a short time to go through the subterranean ruins, which had not been explored, and they returned to the surface after finding a mountain of valuable relics.

    The inhabitants of the city, as well as the count, all praised the mysterious adventurers.

    "Oh, father. You''re here."

    "Marianne."

    A beautiful woman entered the room. Her large breasts, which swayed and jiggled every time she walked, aroused my sexual desire intensely. This woman will be mine.

    I looked into that girl''s eyes using "Demonic Seduction".

    ¡¶Warning: the demonic eye does not work against people who have a higher level than the bearer of the ability. ¡·

    My demonic eye... isn''t working?

    I was surprised once again.

    The only condition for using my demonic eye is that the target be of a lower level than mine.

    In other words, I can''t have the woman in front of me.

    I gritted my teeth in anger.

    "Sain-sama, you say you were chosen to be a hero, but I dare advise you, as a veteran in life, that God sometimes loves the unexpected."

    "You mean that adventurer is dearer to God than I am?"

    "I don''t know yet, but he had the strength, the luck, and the heart to make me think that."

    What do you think you''re saying, you old bastard!?

    I will kill you right now.

    "You''re oozing blood-lust."

    ¡°!?¡±

    I suddenly found that a maid had a sword pointed at me. I didn''t even realize at what point she had pulled it out.

    I am the hero, and I am level 63.

    Who is this woman?

    Certainly, this situation is somewhat dangerous. It is better not to do anything rash.

    "Thank you for sharing your story with us. Now, if you''ll excuse me."

    "Mm."

    We left Count Roane''s mansion.

    "Why? Why!? Why is nothing working!!?? I''m the hero, everyone should worship me, I''m going to kill all of you!!!"

    Once out of town, I hit every rock and tree I could find. I finally broke a tree to relieve some of my frustration.

    The three girls looked at me worriedly from a distance, as if they knew that if they touched me, they would be beaten.

    Why do they have those faces?

    It frustrates me just to look at them.

    I feel like a child who can''t control his emotions.

    They''re just toys that do what I say, though.

    I managed to regain my composure and suppress the rage rising in me.

    "Sain, I think it would be best to return to the country."

    "What are you going to do about the sacred sword?"

    "The sword, uh..."

    "I will get the last sacred sword that is in Armadan, the plan will remain the same. If you want to go back, do it."

    That adventurer already has a sacred sword.

    In other words, he doesn''t need to get a second sacred sword.

    If I keep this up, I''m sure I''ll get the second one.

    And when I come back, I will be the person who will have all the power.

    That''s right, I will go to the village once I have the sacred sword.

    I''m going to see that stupid Toru, I''ll remind him that it was me who was cheating on him with his future wife. He''s probably consoling himself.

    I will hold Lisa in front of him, together with Nei and Soara.

    I can already imagine his eyes filled with jealousy and anger.

    I am already feeling excited.

    "Hey, Lisa, what do you think of Toru?"

    "Stop it! It was a mistake to go out with him."

    "Exactly."

    She touched our engagement ring with a look of satisfaction on her face.

 CH 20

    There is a great distance between Einark and the royal capital.

    If we had to walk, it would certainly take three days.

    But we don''t want to take this trip too fast.

    My goal is to take it easy and explore the places I visit.

    It''s a journey to find something to fill the hole in my heart.

    "Blizzard Blossom!"

    Kaede was dancing next to the iron fan while freezing a band of orcs.

    In a matter of seconds, they became ugly ice statues in the meadow.

    "You''re soft and fluffy."

    "Kyui..."

    I am resting in the shade of a tree with Panda as a pillow.

    When Panda''s soft fur touches your face, it makes you terribly drowsy.

    It''s not that Panda likes to be around Kaede, it''s that Kaede doesn''t want Panda to stay away from her. It makes sense if you think about it that way.

    By the way, Rosuke, the creature I awoke from the second egg, is resting on my right hand. When you make a contract with such a beast, It can engrave itself on your body like a seal, and it materializes the moment you call it.

    I am still in awe of this animal.

    "Master, I have eliminated all the monsters."

    "Sorry for leaving you all the work."

    "Don''t worry, it''s my duty as a slave."

    Her big white tail wagged as she looked at me with a happy expression.

    "What is it?"

    "Well, I was wondering if you could let me prepare lunch today."

    Sure, that sounds interesting.

    If I can let Kaede cook, it will be much easier for me. I''ll let her take care of it. The chores would be easier for both of us if we take turns.

    I just hope I can make it.

    "Don''t worry about anything, Urara-San was teaching me. I will prepare my master a delicious meal."

    Apparently my face reflected my insecurity. Because of that, Kaede responded quickly so that I would trust her.

    All right, I''m going to trust her. She''s going to make lunch.

    "The first thing to prepare is a devil bullfrog. Remove the guts, skin and put it in the pot. After adding various seasonings and skull-mau-mau herb leaves, when it turns green, we throw a fresh mandrake into the pot and then wait for it to turn purple."

    "Hmm..."

    Kaede was talking to herself when she started cooking. I guess it''s a normal thing. Many people do it from time to time.

    The problem is that the atmosphere emanating from the cooking reflects "danger".

    I''m not sure purple food is good.

    But just the smell alone is good enough to whet the appetite.

    "Here you go, master."

    In the bowl that was handed to me was a thick liquid tinged with purple.

    In addition, a frog leg protrudes from the interior.

    It looks terribly unappetizing. However, the smell alone is good.

    Kaede watches with her hands folded in front of her chest.

    He''s waiting for me to say, "This is delicious."

    It''s not fair. Even if I don''t actually think so, I can only say one thing when she stares at me with those big eyes.

    I put it in my mouth.

    "...It''s delicious!

    "Really!?"

    "Wait, don''t jump on me! I''m eating!"

    "Master, master, master!!!"

    "Calm down!"

    While I had an excited Kaede rubbing her body next to mine, I bewilderedly continued to eat my food.

    It is a very strange dish.

    Despite its terrible appearance, It tastes very delicious.

    Eating it is a real pleasure. I wonder if we can get to do this again.

    I placed the bowl on the floor and caressed Kaede''s head as she was hugging me.

    Her ears drooped with a great sigh.

    She was so loving to Marianne and the others at Einark, it''s clear she has been trying so hard lately.

    I hope you have enjoyed having a bed of your own and experiencing privacy these past few days.

    "I will do more and more for you, Master!"

    "I''m flattered, but don''t push yourself."

    "Master, master, master, master, master!"

    "Are you listening to me?"

    She buried her face in my belly and rolled around in the grass.

    Her large fluffy tail swayed back and forth.

    Kaede''s tail... I need to touch it....

    It won''t be a problem if I do... Right? After all, I am her master.

    "Kyaaaa!"

    Aaaaaaaaaaah. Uhmmmmmmmm

    It feels different than Panda''s fur. This will probably become a habit.

    "Hmm...!"

    Kaede''s sounds made me shudder.

    This is not good, I think I''ve overdone it.

    "Master..."

    Her beautiful white hair makes my eyes water.

    Her silky hair flowed over her shoulders, and I could feel the strong sensuality of her neck.

    I managed to suppress the urge to reach out my hands.

    Instinct and reason had already started to fight in my head. Instinct stands before reason in the form of a huge red dragon.

    And reason goes to fight it with a stick and a wooden shield.

    There was no way to win this battle.

    After one fierce battle after another, reason finally hits instinct in the face.

    The dragon collapses to the ground... This battle is barely won.

    "I wish I could eat more."

    "Really!"

    A cheerful Kaede gets up from the floor and goes for more food.

    It was very close. Reason somehow prevailed, but nothing assures me that it will win next time.

    That''s how pretty Kaede is... And she fits me like a glove. However, I still hesitate as to whether I should touch her.

    Lisa''s shadow is in my head.

    And besides, my intentions were not to use a master-slave contract to have a relationship.

    It is not known to what extent the contract affects the mind.

    Maybe it doesn''t at all, or maybe it does. The quickest way to find out is to ask a slaver, but I don''t dare do that.

    I''m not going to do anything until I can confirm that at least her feelings are genuine.

    No. Until I can organize my mind.

    "Master."

    "Hmm?"

    A voice called out to me and I turned my eyes to the distance.

    I''m not sure if it was the smell of food that attracted them, but another group of orcs was approaching.

    I wonder if there are several orc nests around here.

    How annoying, having to deal with them.

    I''ll let one of the pets take care of them.

    "Rosuke, defeat them!"

    The seal on my right hand glowed, and Rosuke flew away.

    The two-meter long silver creature flew through the air with the speed of the wind, expelling blades from its body in all directions.

    The cries of the orcs echoed in the distance.

    Rosuke had attacked the group of orcs at a terrifying speed, in the blink of an eye he had taken care of them.

    Is that strength normal or is it the result of being strengthened by my blood, magic, works, etc.?

    The "Master Tamer" title has a special ability to strengthen the monsters used by the tamer, and I don''t think this situation is an exception.

    And in case you were wondering, it seems that the beasts of the family are also classified as demons.

    Within minutes, the orcs were annihilated.

    On the third day, we continued walking towards the royal capital.

    As we walked, we began to pass adventurers and vendors along the way, and we could see what looked like a cluster of buildings in the distance.

    "That''s the royal capital, isn''t it? It''s huge."

    "Armand is a very large country, and the population in the royal capital in turn is also inordinately large. The amount of goods, people and money that travel all over the country come here."

    An outer wall of solid stone surrounds the city.

    I''ve been here a few times, but it''s very large and I''ve only been able to visit some of the smaller parts.

    There are many sights to see, and countless stores serving delicious food and selling rare items.

    There are also many famous adventurers here, and there is no better place to make a name for yourself in this country than here.

    But in my case, I don''t want to be famous, so I don''t care.

    "By the way, Master, to whom should you give that letter?"

    "I think it''s a guy named Jonathan Rockbell. He runs a shipping business and is quite famous here in the capital."

    "He''s a rich merchant, but why to that person?"

    I''m not going to answer that question because I don''t know.

    The Count had a kind and gentlemanly character, and with how knowledgeable he is, this Jonathan is probably not a bad person either.

    But the image of a wealthy merchant is not very good.

    They are steeped with dirty money, and have a blatantly big attitude and turn up their noses at us adventurers.

    I''ve heard that they do a lot of nasty things behind closed doors.

    I hope he isn''t one of those people.

    "Woooaaaah!"

    I heard someone shouting somewhere.

    When I looked ahead, I saw a carriage coming at full speed from the city towards us.

    A ceratops, a subspecies of dragon with a large, 10-foot body, pulled the chariot.

    It''s a quiet and boring monster, but when they''re hyped up, no one can stop them.

    Maybe something made it angry and it started to run, I placed myself in front of the road where the Ceratops was heading.

    "Master, don''t!"

    "Kaede, stay where you are."

    "Well."

    With the beast''s giant body placed in front of me, I extended my left hand forward, and touched the tip of its nose with my finger.

    Zun ~tsu.

    The sound of the impact ripples through the air and the Ceratops'' hind legs rise at the sudden braking.

    In a similar fashion, the carriage behind it rose from the ground, and it was as if it had stopped at the same time as the animal.

    Gaaarr.

    The animal''s hind legs dropped down, and so did the carriage.

    The person controlling the animal fell out of his seat and landed on his butt on the ground.

    "Uhmm, Uhmm."

    "Good boy."

    I stroked the Ceratops'' nose to calm it down. When I looked around, I saw many people with their mouths open.

 CH 21

    There was a cup of coffee served in front of me.

    "I didn''t expect you to stop our transport vehicle by yourself! You must be a very famous adventurer!"

    "I''m not that famous. It''s true that until a while ago I was a member of an S-rank party, but now I''m just an unknown traveler."

    We were in a room inside a large company. We had a meeting with a man who referred to himself as the "Vice President."

    It all started when we stopped the Ceratops-drawn carriage.

    There was some damage to the carriage, but the gentleman was safe, the cargo was mostly intact and the Ceratop was unharmed.

    A person from a transport company who got word of the commotion brought us here to talk when he heard the whole story.

    Now we are drinking coffee together.

    It is a delicious coffee. The aroma is good, and the bitterness and acidity are just right. It is similar to the taste of the high quality beans I used to drink.

    "So what did you want to talk to me about?

    "Oh, right. It''s about a reward. Thank you very much for stopping our transport. It may not be much, but please accept this."

    He placed about twenty silver coins on the table. It''s not like I helped him because I wanted money. But since he is giving it to me, I will gladly accept it.

    I will use this money to take Kaede out for a delicious meal.

    "Master, aren''t you going to ask him?

    Kaede, who is standing next to me, whispers in my ear.

    I was a bit startled by her nice, clear voice.

    What should I ask?

    "The letter."

    "Ah."

    Well, this is a transport company, isn''t it?

    If this man is in the same business, he must know where I can find this Jonathan guy.

    "If I may, there''s something I''d like to ask you. Do you know where I can find someone named Jonathan?"

    "Yes, he''s my boss."

    "I see. In that case, I would like to speak to him, I have a letter from Count Roane that I need to deliver to him."

    "Sure, let me check."

    I handed the letter to the vice president. He checked the corners of the letter and then handed it back to me.

    "There is no doubt that this letter is legitimate. Please wait a moment."

    He got up from his seat and headed for the living room.

    This is a great coincidence.

    The carriage I helped a moment ago turned out to belong to a company owned by Jonathan.

    I was lucky I didn''t have to get in trouble with strangers in order to find him.

    Knock knock.

    There was a knock at the door and a man entered the room.

    The man who entered had a plump figure. But the next man who entered the room was a thin, middle-aged man with long red hair and a nice mustache under his nose.

    They sat on the couch in front of us.

    "I am Jonathan Rockbell, the president of this company. I understand you have a letter from the Earl of Roane, may I see it?"

    "Of course."

    After receiving the envelope, he checked the sender and addressee, then removed the seal.

    Several sheets of paper came out from inside.

    After reading, he smiled slightly, perhaps because the content was interesting.

    "You seem to have performed quite admirably in Einark, Toru-Dono."

    "I don''t think it was anything that impressive. I just did what I had to do."

    "Hmm, you''re a very modest fellow. No wonder the Count holds you in high regard."

    "What, does he hold me in esteem?"

    "There are many compliments about you written in this letter."

    He waves the letter with a smile on his face.

    I want to read what it says, but he probably won''t show me.

    However, I''ve had a few conversations with Count Roane and felt no affection for me at any time.

    After all, you can''t read the emotions of aristocrats.

    Or am I insensitive?

    "All right, I''ll do as the count asked. Anything for an old friend."

    "What was it that he asked you?

    "I can''t say it here."

    And where can you say it?

    Everything is becoming more and more confusing.

    "You''ll have to excuse me, but I need some time. I would appreciate it if you could come back here in the evening."

    "So tomorrow you''ll explain everything to me?"

    He responded to my words with "I promise."

    What the hell does that mean?

    Do you want me to come back tonight?

    You''re being selfish, Jonathan.

    I decided to come back tonight, feeling puzzled inside.

    As night fell, Kaede and I stood in front of the transportation company. There was a carriage parked there, as if waiting for us to arrive.

    It was a black carriage, and had a very atypical decoration.

    It seemed to be something that aristocrats would use for stealth at night.

    The window curtains are closed so as to not let anyone look inside.

    Criiink.

    Jonathan opened the carriage door and stepped out.

    "I''ve been waiting for you, come in."

    As we got into the carriage, we realized that he was the only one inside.

    Then the carriage began to move, as if it had a predestined course.

    "Never tell anyone about where we''re going."

    "Is it a dangerous place?"

    "No, but it''s a secret location. The place you are going to see is one that commoners cannot know exists. Only aristocrats can rub elbows with each other in such a place."

    Rub elbows? You don''t say. We''re gonna...

    My expectations were correct. The carriage was headed to a palace that was located on the outskirts of the royal capital.

    "Roane''s request is for you to meet with someone important. I''ll keep the details to myself for now, but it won''t be a bad thing. In fact, I''m sure it will be something beneficial to you."

    "I can agree to that."

    As we pass through the magnificent gates and vast gardens, we stop in front of a huge structure.

    Jonathan exited the carriage first, and Kaede and I went down next.

    At the entrance, a young man who looked like a butler greeted us and led us inside the palace.

    "Wow."

    "It''s unbelievable."

    The high-ceilinged entrance is a masterpiece.

    The facade of the building has a staircase that spreads out its rails and is decorated all over.

    Being a rich man is not the same as being born to be a rich man.

    Even high-ranking aristocrats cannot own such a building.

    I already had an answer for where I was.

    We went through a room on the second floor and sat on the couch.

    Everything is brilliant and disturbing.

    I was a little nervous.

    As an adventurer I have seen and been to many places, but never something like this.

    The door opens without warning and two knights, along with an elderly man, enter the room.

    The old man sits face to face in front of us and the knights stand on either side to protect him.

    "This is a private hearing, and I''m not supposed to meet with you. You should know that."

    "Huh?"

    It was the old man who initiated the conversation.

    Jonathan responds briefly and bows slightly.

    "Well, I allowed you the visit tonight because there''s something I want you to do, and that''s incumbent upon you, adventurer."

    Hey, do I have to answer?

    Jonathan, what do I do?

    He nodded his head as he noticed my reaction.

    "What do you need me to do?"

    "Well, the truth is that the royal capital is in danger. If the situation escalates, the country will soon be destroyed. I want you to solve it."

    "I regret the crisis the royal capital is going through, but... Can you be more specific about your request?"

    I don''t like beating around the bush in a conversation.

    If there is something you want me to do, say so clearly.

    The old man paused and then replied.

    "Let''s get straight to the point. I want you to defeat the Ant Queen of Death."

    I could not understand his words. It took me 1 minute to respond.

    "You want two people to defeat a monster that requires an army of tens of thousands of people?"

    "To be precise, just defeat the queen. I''m not saying kill all the monsters."

    "But the queen is locked in her hive, and the result is the same. Why don''t you take care of it yourself instead of asking me?"

    ¡° ..................¡±

    Why the silence?

    Wouldn''t it make sense to have your army available for this mission?

    Or are they in a no-win situation?

    "The soldiers of our army have all died. We have failed."

    I was speechless.

    So he blew it. He resorts to what power he has left to ask me for help.

    He no longer has that kind of power to figure it out on his own.

    Ah, now I''m beginning to understand everything.

    Count Roane thought that I, the one who had defeated one of the leaders of the demon race, could save the royal capital from imminent danger. Otherwise, they would have no choice but to abandon the capital.

    Death Ants are ruthless monsters with voracious appetites that are capable of wiping out a town or city in a matter of days.

    When separated, they are not as strong, but when in a group, they become extremely dangerous.

    They top the list of monsters you should never face carelessly.

    "I want you to tell me whether or not you can do it."

    "I can do it."

    "Oh!!! Wonderful!"

    Not only was the old man in front of me shocked, but also the knights and Jonathan were stunned."

    Kaede was the only one who looked natural.

    "If you succeed, I''ll give you a special title, and land you desire! I''ll give you the title of Hero!"

    "I''m sorry, but I''m not interested in that kind of thing. If I had to ask for something, it would be money."

    The interior of the room was noisy again.

    It seems that my answer was unexpected for them.

    The old man in front of me was mumbling, "Hm, money."

    "Okay, I will pay you if you comply with this request."

    "How much will you give me?"

    "300 million."

    That is outrageous. It''s a very small price to pay when the real capital is in grave danger.

    Of course, I have every right to decline that offer.

    This was all Roane''s idea.

    But I don''t feel comfortable overlooking people who are in danger, especially if I have a power that can solve it. It''s a hassle, but I''ll follow my heart and deal with it.

    "I''ll ask again, do you really not want the title of ''Hero''?"

    "I don''t like to stand out in a crowd. I''d rather you didn''t mention my name, I don''t care about such things."

    Once the conversation was over, we stood up.

    As I was leaving, I heard someone behind me say something like, "I hope they don''t give you a title."

 CH 22

    In a forest not far from the royal capital.

    Kaede and I were being guided by Jonathan.

    "To the public I''m the president of a shipping company, but in reality I''m a secret agent working directly for His Majesty. There are only a few people who know that, and Count Roane is one of them."

    As we went deeper into the dimly lit forest, the sunlight filtered through the curtain-like trees.

    Monsters watched us in the shade of the trees and grass, and slimes and insects fought for power in the trees.

    On the other hand, the aroma emanating from the flora and fauna was quite relaxing.

    If there wasn''t chaos waiting for us ahead, I could have taken a nap with Panda as a pillow.

    It is also good to take a break while using Kaede''s lap as a pillow.

    "Master... Are death ants really that dangerous?"

    "What?"

    I am surprised by what she just said.

    I can''t believe there is a person in this world who doesn''t know of the Death Ants.

    It has always seemed to me that Kaede is a bit unbalanced.

    She has the air of being well educated, but doesn''t know things that are considered common knowledge.

    Even children should understand the dangers of death ants.

    How did she become a slave in the first place?

    Was she kidnapped from somewhere?

    When this is over, we should talk properly.

    "Stop. This is ant territory."

    "I guess this is the part where you''ll go back."

    "Don''t feel bad. Unlike you, I''m not strong enough to stand up to them."

    After that he said, "I''ll be waiting for you outside the forest."

    It is not normal to bet the fate of a nation on just two adventurers.

    What on earth did Count Roane write in his letter? If I had not lived up to his expectations, this country would be finished.

    And the king too. How dare he put me in a situation like this?

    Besides, this is the work of a hero.

    I am just a simple adventurer. I simply want to travel and recover from my traumatic past.

    Why didn''t they go after Sain?

    ...Well, it''s not worth complaining at this point, I''ve accepted it.

    "Master, are you feeling bad?"

    "Don''t worry, I was just thinking about how we''re going to kill the ants."

    "Kyui"

    "I see you''re worried about me, too."

    Panda rubs his body against my face.

    I also felt a strange sensation against my legs, so I looked down and saw Kaede rubbing her tail on me.

    Maybe she''s doing it unconsciously. She has a motivated face.

    "Master, are those death ants?"

    Black creatures were hidden behind the bushes in front of us.

    Their size is about one meter, and what appeared to be one of these ants was lying dead.

    As Jonathan said, the nest seems to be near.

    "It''s hard to find a burrow when there are a lot of trees."

    "Then leave it to me."

    Kaede took out her two iron fans and spread them out.

    "Twin Tornado!"

    Two tornadoes formed and spun all over the place.

    The storm ripped the trees from their roots and blew them skyward.

    The death ants also flew along with the trees one after the other.

    An empty, circular space was created in the forest.

    "Come forth, Ice!"

    The temperature dropped sharply in an instant and the surrounding ground froze.

    The ants that managed to cling to the ground instantly became ice sculptures.

    "Master, the cleaning is complete."

    "Well, that''s refreshing..."

    The exposed burrow is in the center of the space.

    Thanks to my lovely slave, I was saved from the trouble of looking for it.

    Still, I feel she has overplayed her hand.

    Won''t Jonathan or the king complain later?

    "It''s still small. It''s barely enough to get people in."

    The ant burrow is a little more than one meter in diameter.

    It is large enough for two ants to enter.

    Hmmm, what''s going on?

    "Shall I cast a spell?"

    "No, we shouldn''t do that. It''s pretty deep in there, so even if we could probably take out the upper levels and some ants, we still wouldn''t be able to reach the queen at the bottom."

    "Then how about using the fire magic you''ve been practicing? You can burn them to death from above ground."

    The heat ray? No, it''s impossible, I don''t even know where the queen is.

    It will be harder to kill them if I start casting magic blindly.

    And we must obtain proof that we killed the queen.

    There will be no reward for just saying I killed her.

    How about using Rosuke to get in there?

    However, although he is strong, his intelligence is not so high.

    Even if I ordered him to kill the queen, he wouldn''t be able to distinguish between her and the soldiers.

    It would be trouble, but if I could confront her directly, it wouldn''t be a bad idea.

    "It would be easier if we could turn this den into a dungeon."

    "A dungeon?"

    There was something about that word that stuck with me.

    I''m pretty sure I have a dungeon.

    There was a similar description in the status board.

    "Can I really do it...?"

    I pointed my hand at the burrow and held that thought in my head.

    ¡¶Notice: It is possible to capture the nest of the Death Ants and turn it into a dungeon.¡·

    Can I really? I guess I can.

    To be honest, I was being skeptical.

    I will turn the den into a dungeon.

    Boom.

    A stone box appeared on the floor, and inside was a ladder leading down.

    ¡¶Notice: Dungeon owners can transfer to all levels.¡·

    For now, we have been transferred to the lowest level.

    There were thirty floors, so I selected the bottom most floor in the core of the dungeon.

    There, a large ant was standing.

    There were ten ants that looked like soldiers wandering around, apparently confused by the unusual situation.

    My dungeon has taken over the den.

    This is their graveyard now.

    "Blizzard Blossom!"

    Pish, soldier ants freeze.

    But the queen shakes her body and breaks the ice.

    Wow

    He snaps her mandibles threateningly at us.

    Even in this situation, instead of running away, she is showing her anger.

    Is it her pride as a queen, or is she simply unaware of the situation?

    I draw my great sword and swing it with great speed.

    The queen''s head bounced off the ground and her massive body collapsed.

    This is what happens when you try to fight me directly.

    She may be the queen of the Death Ants, but she''s no match for a level 300 warrior like me.

    I sighed as I picked her head up.

    "And the other ants, Master?

    "That''s right. Can''t the owner of the dungeon do anything about that?''''

    Immediately after, multiple windows open in front of me.

    A map of the dungeon was projected there.

    It''s possible to release some monsters that will devour and kill ants. If we leave them alone for a while, they will be exterminated.

    "Are we going home now?"

    "Yes."

    Transfer to the surface.

    I threw the queen''s head on the table.

    Jonathan smiled.

    "You''ve done it! Just as I expected from a man recommended by Roane, you have lived up to our expectations."

    "Thank you very much. By the way, can I ask you something?"

    "I will respond to the best of my knowledge."

    "Why were there so few ants?"

    His expression tensed at my words.

    "Because the army sacrificed themselves in exchange for reducing the number of ants. But it wasn''t enough. I was pondering what to do, when you came to see me."

    "Did the Count know?"

    "Yes, he knew. He knew because I had discussed it with him. You should be proud, you have saved the city, the country even. The reward you will receive will be great."

    Could it be that this was the Count''s reward?

    It took me a while to figure it out, but as a result I met a wealthy merchant and met the king of this country.

    I will also receive a great reward.

    The money was just a bonus. The real prize is to have met powerful people.

    "They''ll be here soon. Make sure you are prepared."

    "Who?"

    Tun tun tun tun tun tun

    A lot of footsteps echo outside the room.

    The door opened vigorously and several knights entered the room.

    "Are you two from the Manyu Brigade?"

    "That is correct..."

    "You will have to accompany us to the palace."

    The atmosphere is not very calm.

    Did something go wrong?

    I got rid of the ants as requested.

    Suddenly, one of the knights extended his hand.

    "Please allow me to shake your hand! Savior of our country!"

    Ah? Aaah?

    Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh????

 CH 23

    I was in the courtroom with all the knights lined up in a row.

    Behind the knights, the nobles were lined up in formal attire. In the midst of them all stood Count Roane.

    On the throne in the background sits the king of the nation of Armand.

    I felt like I was being suffocated by the whole atmosphere.

    I was born in a small country-town, and raised by ordinary parents in an ordinary way, so I am not familiar with this kind of situation at all. I don''t know what I should do, either.

    Kaede, who is standing next to me, has a proud expression on her face for some reason. It''s like she''s saying; "that''s right, he''s my master!"

    "Toru Eiban. Kaede Tamamo. Both of you, step forward."

    I followed the instructions and knelt before His Majesty the King. According to the instructions I received beforehand, we are not supposed to raise our heads until we hear the voice of the king.

    According to Jonathan, today is an official hearing.

    If we are rude, we will be thrown in jail immediately.

    Even the hero who saved the country would be beheaded on the spot.

    Countless eyes in our surroundings are looking at us.

    "Why do they allow a slave to be in a place like this?"

    "She''s very beautiful."

    "His majesty has allowed her to be present in this place. Watch what you say."

    I could hear what some of the nobles were saying.

    Most things are about Kaede.

    I''m the star of this place and no one is talking about me.

    Well, I guess it''s okay. I didn''t do this for attention.

    Finally, the king breaks his silence.

    "The defeat of the Queen of the Death Ants has been successful. Although our army had already defeated most of them, it had become very complicated to finish them off due to them hiding in their burrow."

    "Certainly... It was very problematic."

    "I cannot deny that fact. Our troops are very powerful, but this time, the enemy was more cunning. What would have become of our royal capital without you? On behalf of all our people, I thank you for all your efforts."

    "I appreciate your words."

    I''m so nervous that my stomach churns. I''m not used to using honorifics, so I''m not very good at it.

    We were allowed to stand up, and suddenly a carriage was brought to us.

    There was a pile of white gold coins glittering inside the carriage.

    "There are seven hundred million there."

    "!?¡±

    I looked directly at the king with surprise.

    Our agreement was for 300 million. Why 400 million more?

    "This extra money is a gift from me. I don''t want you to hesitate to accept it."

    "Thank you very much."

    "Also, there''s one more thing."

    Hey, we agreed it would just be money. You''re not going to tell me I''m going to be a hero now, are you?

    If that happens, I will be stuck in this country.

    "I am considering awarding the title of hero to the ''Manyu Brigade'', of which you are the leader."

    The royal audience hall went into awe.

    I had never heard of giving a hero title to a party.

    Normally it is awarded to an individual, so what this king just said sounds a little crazy.

    The king opened his mouth again and continued talking, as if he didn''t care about the agreement we had reached.

    "I have always wondered why it is always one person who gets the title. The hero is a person who travels all over the country together with his party, it means that he is not the only strong one, but all those who make up the party. What about the rest of the people, don''t they deserve to be heroes too?"

    I''m sure they do. Should the party change all its core members, then clearly the difference in ability will significantly change. It is not necessarily that they have been strong in the past, but that they will also continue to be strong in the future.

    The king crosses his legs and smiles even more.

    "The title of hero can be revoked, and when you are no longer useful, you can be discarded, and in case you no longer want to be one, there is always the option of training a successor, Toru."

    "I see."

    The king''s words seem to have convinced the nobles.

    It is as if they had been convinced by force. Including me.

    He found a hole in our agreement, I said I didn''t want a title. But giving it to the party is crazy.

    What should I look like when I go to the guild?

    "After all, Master is Master!"

    "What does that mean?"

    Kaede quoted such words with a big smile.

    Slaves rejoice when their master becomes a hero. From my point of view, this is an extremely problematic situation.

    In this way, the king gave me a bracelet called "Title of Hero".

    "You can use this place as much as you want."

    "Thank you very much."

    Thanks to Jonathan''s contacts, we were able to rent a house in the royal capital.

    It is a small and cozy house. However, the exterior and interior look quite elegant.

    We''re going to leave sooner or later anyway, so there''s no need to force us to buy one.

    Kaede pulled a teapot and two cups from her luggage and headed for the kitchen.

    However, she quickly turned around and said;

    "Would you like some tea, Master?"

    "Sure thing. How about you, Jonathan?"

    "I''ll have to decline the invitation, I have to go home."

    He took his hand off the front doorknob and turned, saying;

    "That letter contained a request from Roane to His Majesty. He wants you to be the hero of this country."

    "Is that why they made me take care of the ants?"

    "Yes. A hero has to have achievements that make him worthy of the title. No matter how close you are to me and His Majesty, it is something that is not easily bestowed."

    Finally it was clear to me. In the end, nothing was as complicated as I thought it would be.

    Jonathan and the king were working with the premise of making me a hero from the beginning.

    And it was Count Roane who made the plan.

    It looks like he was manipulating me, all along, like I was in the palm of his hand.

    I look at the gold bracelet on my arm and suddenly a question comes to me.

    "The king has granted the title to the ''Manyu Brigade'', is it still wrong for us to leave the country?"

    He walked out the front door as if he had said all he had to say. It was a little annoying, but I guess it doesn''t matter as long as I can keep traveling.

    Anyway, I need a place to settle down, so it''s not a bad idea to stay in this country after the trip is over.

    "Master, I brought you some tea."

    "Thank you."

    I sit in a chair and take a sip.

    Haaa.

    The backpack was moving from side to side. Suddenly, Panda emerges from a gap.

    It floated in the air and landed on the table.

    "Why do you always look like a cushion?"

    "Kyui!"

    Indignantly, he flew off to the kitchen where Kaede is.

    I was surprised that he was angry about it.

    I guess I should apologize later.

    Knock knock.

    Someone knocks on the front door.

    "One moment please."

    Kaede runs to the door and opens it.

    It was Count Roane who was there.

    "I heard you were here. I thought I''d stop by and say hello."

    "Please go ahead."

    The Count sat across from me and smiled.

    "Well, I''ve become the hero, just like you wanted."

    "Hahaha, I can''t claim that it was something I wished for. But I did it with the thought of thanking you while granting you the best reward for saving my daughter."

    "I suppose it''s all right. Did you come alone?"

    I thought Marianne was coming with him too since we were here, or is he going somewhere else later?

    This guy looks quiet, but he''s actually a womanizer. No wonder he''s wandering around somewhere.

    "She stayed at the mansion. However, she was very insistent on coming, since she wanted to see you."

    Marianne is currently in the midst of training to be a wife.

    Urara is the one who is training her, and apparently she is a very tough teacher.

    So Marinane has found a good future husband.

    "Toru, did you know that even a commoner can marry a noblewoman if he becomes a hero?"

    "I heard it somewhere, but what''s that got to do with anything?"

    "Nothing now, but in the future maybe..."

    He twisted his neck as he muttered something.

    I still can''t understand the nobles.

    The count rose from his seat.

    "You''re going to the auction, right? I hear it''s being held tomorrow night, so you should go. You might find a lot of interesting things."

    "Anything out of the ordinary?"

    "You''ll find out when you visit the place. Now I have to go, if you''ll excuse me."

    The front door closed silently.

    ...Interesting things?

 CH 24

    After leaving Einark, we heard a rumor.

    "A dungeon has appeared near the royal capital."

    It seems that the dungeon has not been explored yet, and due to the high level of difficulty, it has not even been mapped properly.

    In addition, it appears that many of the items that have appeared are rare.

    We decided to challenge it immediately.

    "It''s in the middle of a very deep forest."

    "I don''t like the entrance area, it''s very ugly."

    "Who cares, let''s go in!"

    "Nei, stay calm. This is a high difficulty-level dungeon, which means the enemies are also high level."

    In the middle of a deep forest, there is a huge hole.

    In the center of it was the entrance to the dungeon.

    A few meters away there were some adventurers camping.

    I used my appraisal skills, but didn''t find anything irregular. They are all low level.

    I almost blew it.

    It pains me to say that I''m desperate for a challenge, but we''re going to have to make our way here.

    I couldn''t even challenge the Luntatta dungeon. I''m going to vent all my frustration here. Besides, I''m sure the world will be amazed when I beat a high difficulty dungeon.

    I will get the sacred sword and make my name known to all people.

    Now I just need to get some rare items for the battle against the Demon King.

    The time is not yet right, but sooner or later I will embark on a journey to defeat the Demon King. It''s a good idea to prepare now so that I won''t have any failures when I do.

    "Let''s go!"

    """Alright.""""

    "Hiiiiiiiiiii! What was that?!"

    "Sain, wait for me!"

    "Lisa, you have to run! If they catch you, you''re dead!"

    "But I have Soara on my back!"

    A blue-bodied orc was chasing us wildly.

    No, there are ten.

    Ordinary orcs are no match for us.

    Whether it''s 20 or 30, we''re sure we can finish them in a flash.

    But these orcs are even more dangerous.

    They are all level 50.

    Normal orcs are between level 5 and 20, so it''s a whole nother story fighting these orcs.

    I''m sure because I used my appraisal skill to check their stats.

    Besides, we are still only on the second floor. If this is the difficulty of the second floor, what kind of hell will we encounter further down?

    This is dangerous. The difficulty of this dungeon is beyond me.

    "Hey, Sain! Don''t leave Lisa and Soara!"

    "Shut up! It''s their fault for being so slow!"

    I''m in the lead, Nei is behind me and Lisa is running behind her with Soara unconscious on her back.

    Damn, I didn''t even calculate this.

    I wanted to finish this easily and get some rare items.

    I''d like to at least kill that damn orc and get some experience, but it has an intelligence I''ve never seen before in other monsters. If I try to attack them all at once, they show signs of being alert and keep their distance.

    They are also very agile and can use magic.

    Soara, who was hit on the head by a magical earthen rock, fainted and is now a useless burden.

    "Sleep Arrow!"

    Lisa used a dream magic targeting the orc.

    However, upon hitting its target, the magic arrow disappeared completely.

    "No way, it''s too tough!"

    "We don''t need that - we need a wall! Build a wall to hold them back!"

    "Good!"

    Lisa made a wall of earth appear in the hallway.

    Aaah!

    The orc broke through the wall with its body and, although it got tripped up a little, it continued to give chase fiercely.

    "You''re fucking useless!"

    "Sorry!"

    Well, we''re almost to the stairs.

    If we get to the first level, they will give up.

    I can see it now!

    I went upstairs first, followed by Nei, Lisa and Soara.

    "Gaaaaaaaaaahh!!!"

    The orcs stopped in front of the staircase and shouted in rage.

    Don''t think some beasts can beat me.

    This time, I will surrender, but as soon as I get the sacred sword, I will kill you.

    "You''ve got to improve your magic! You''re slowing me down!"

    "I''m sorry. Forgive me."

    Lisa collapsed, holding her cheek.

    I was so angry that I reached for my sword.

    "If only Soare hadn''t fainted, none of this would have happened."

    "I''m sorry. It was my fault."

    "Hey, enough is enough - what''s the point of having a divided team?"

    "......You''re right."

    Nei''s words helped me cool down.

    There are a lot of people around here. Killing them would be bad for my reputation.

    I need to calm down a bit too. A hero must be a smart man.

    However, this party has become disorganized.

    When Toru was here, no matter how irrational the situation, he always laughed it off.

    I sneered at the thought.

    Why am I thinking about that?!

    No way did I trust that guy. He was just a simple burden. Someone like that can''t be associated with a hero like me.

    Damn, I can''t stop this frustration.

    "Oh, I got something good this time too!"

    "This place is excellent! The amount of experience is good, the items are valuable and it''s great to have a dungeon so close."

    "If you know all the tricks, you can get to the second floor."

    I saw three people coming out of the dungeon with their bulging backpacks.

    Their levels were hovering in the thirties. I wondered how they managed to get rid of those orcs.

    "Sain, what if we ask those people for advice?"

    "Huh? Do you want me to bow my head?"

    "But we won''t get anywhere at this rate."

    ¡° .............¡±

    It''s extremely unpleasant. Me, a hero begging to be taught things?

    "I''m going to pick some flowers."

    "What for?"

    "Don''t you know, that''s how a woman does her business."

    "No, I was planning to talk to those three anyway, so stay here while I go."

    The trio of girls lingered as I headed for the bushes.

    What was the need for us to ask them for advice?

    We can steal the things they have.

    I am trying to save the world. A small sacrifice is like a necessary expense.

    "Hold on a second."

    "Well, let''s rest for a bit in the meantime."

    "Aaahhhh!"

    "Hey! Don''t run!"

    I jumped out of the bushes and ran as fast as I could.

    Men threw brown stuff at me with their bare bottoms exposed.

    One of those things hits my back.

    It sucks, it sucks, it sucks!

    When I went to attack them, all three were relieving themselves with their asses fully exposed.

    "Sain!"

    "Yuck, you''re covered in shit!"

    "Aaah!"

    The three girls made a face of disgust.

    What kind of attitude is that even though they''re such useless pigs?

    "We must flee!"

    I''m not stopping to pick up my backpack.

    The three girls started running away with me too.

    "You''re not going to get away with this!"

    "I''m going to shit on your body!"

    "Come here, we''re not finished with you!"

    They still continued to chase us.

    They are very persistent.

    How humiliating. I''m the hero and I''m covered in shit.

    I want to kill them right now, but if I stop, I''ll be in the crossfire.

    It is unbearable.

    It''s frustrating, but the right thing to do here is to run away.

    Little by little, the distance between us and them widened and we lost sight of them.

    I crouched down in a safe place and caught my breath.

    "Hey Sain, you smell awful."

    "I''m sorry, but I won''t go near you for now."

    "There''s a river over there... Why don''t you take a dip?"

    The girls were far away from me.

    Damn, this is the price I pay for screwing up.

    Flies were beginning to swarm!

    Get away from me! Get away from me!

    Shaking my fist angrily, I headed toward the river.

 CH 25

    It is a starry night.

    Kaede and I are on our way to a mansion.

    According to what we have heard, the auction is held there.

    This is a members-only event, so outsiders are not normally allowed to attend.

    However, if you meet certain conditions, you may participate.

    One such condition is a recommendation from a member.

    I have already received a recommendation from the Count, so participation itself is not a problem.

    If there is a problem, you can hide your identity. Although the organizer will know exactly who you are.

    Several participants have come to this place with their faces, names and identities hidden.

    In addition, it is strictly forbidden to pry. It seems to be a measure to avoid unnecessary problems.

    That''s why we also wear masks to hide our faces.

    There were strong soldiers guarding the gate.

    They stare at us.

    "I have a letter of recommendation."

    "Excuse me, sir. Please come in."

    I lightly showed the envelope the Count had given me and went through the door.

    In the spacious grounds, there was a magnificent garden.

    "It''s a big mansion, but whose house is it?"

    "It appears to be the villa of the duke of the capital. That would explain a lot, besides the guards and the reasons why everyone comes with their identities hidden."

    It doesn''t matter who the organizer of the auction is.

    I''m sure everyone here feels that way.

    You should be full of thoughts about when you will get what you want and how much you can bid for it.

    A large white building comes into view.

    In front of the entrance, there were participants talking, each with a drink in their hands.

    They are probably killing time as it is still early.

    Once inside the building, an elderly man bows to us.

    "Thank you very much for coming tonight. It looks like this is your first time participating in this event, may I see your letter of recommendation?"

    "Here it is."

    The old man looks at the envelope and smiles.

    "I''m sure it''s genuine. So, once again, welcome to the auction. We have a wonderful selection of items for you to choose from tonight. If there is something that interests you, please bid on it."

    "By the way, what should I call the people here?"

    "The representative receives a tag with a number on it, and it is customary to call them sir or madam by naming the number."

    The one I was given was "number 31".

    I placed the paper on my chest.

    Tonight I will be Mr. 31.

    I have to be careful not to accidentally leak my name.

    Heading to the back of the building, there was a huge room.

    Inside the room was a crescent-shaped stage with countless chairs lined up.

    There were already people in some of the chairs.

    We sat in the seats at the end of the stage.

    We are pretty far away, but both Kaede and I have good eyesight, so we can see well.

    "Why did you choose to sit in the back?"

    "I don''t know how all this works, so I decided to keep some distance."

    The closer I am, the more attention I get. I don''t like to stand out at all.

    "Sir, may I offer you a drink?"

    "Of course."

    A young man brings me two glasses.

    It looks like champagne.

    "Kyui?"

    "Don''t go out."

    Panda left the seal without permission.

    He was peering through the glass, curious about what was going on.

    Then she settles into Kaede''s arms and closes his eye happily.

    Unlike Rosuke, Panda leaves the seal at will.

    I worry that he will jump out of nowhere at an important moment and surprise everyone.

    A large number of people begin to enter the room, and a person who appears to be the master of ceremonies takes his place on the stage.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to start the auction. The rules are pretty simple, all you have to do is get the item being offered at a higher price than any other. Now, let''s get started."

    The first item displayed was a very large, fist-sized piece of jewelry.

    It was illuminated by the light reflecting off it and emits a dazzling glow.

    ¡°2000!¡±

    ¡°2500!¡±

    ¡°3500!¡±

    ¡°5100!¡±

    The price went up and up. Ten minutes later, the jewel was sold for 330 million.

    I break out in a cold sweat at this ridiculous spectacle.

    Wow, this place is even more outrageous than I imagined.

    Hundreds of millions being spent in just a few minutes.

    The people who come here are incredibly wealthy.

    I have 1.2 billion on hand, but I''m starting to feel insecure about this amount.

    The upper class is scary.

    After that, one valuable item after another was put up, and the auction continued.

    "From here, even more valuable items will appear! First up, one of tonight''s highlights, the Skill Sealing Scroll. The bidding starts with a million."

    This is where the auction had my full attention for the first time all night.

    The scroll is one of the relics left by an ancient race.

    Its manufacturing method is still unknown today, but instead of being disposable, it activates high-level power.

    And the Skill Sealing Scroll is an extremely powerful trump card in a battle against a powerful enemy, rendering the target''s abilities completely useless.

    If you are a fighter, this is a valuable item to have.

    ...I thought this item was going to cause a stir in the room. But all was quiet.

    The moderator is confused.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, the bidding has begun."

    I was surprised at what was happening, but then I understood. Upper class people have no interest in fighting.

    It''s a waste of money for them to bid on such items, to be honest.

    I raised my hand.

    "One million!"

    " .....Anyone else?"

    No one seems to raise their hand. Two minutes later I got the right to buy the scroll.

    "Why did you raise your hand?"

    "In case of emergency, skill sealing is valuable and only works once against any opponent. Whether it''s a demon king or a hero."

    "It''s a great tool, but why was it ignored?"

    "I guess they weren''t interested and would rather save their money. There are still many more items left to auction."

    But I was wrong. The battle will be fierce from here on.

    Many of the participants in the room begin to get restless.

    Some changed seats and moved to the front.

    "The following item is extremely valuable! With this item you can no longer be afraid of being killed, an elixir that prolongs the years of life, it can protect the owner from death just once! Bidding starts at 2 million!"

    It seems that this was the object they were looking for.

    The price rose at a tremendous rate.

    The price of the winning bid is 850 million.

    The people here are crazy.

    "Now I''m going to introduce you to some slaves of extreme rarity! They''re all from races that hardly exist anymore, and they have abilities that can''t be found on the market! The first one is an Elf!"

    The beautiful woman they brought in was covered with a thin cloth and you could see the lines of her body.

    She is not as beautiful as Kaede, but her beauty was breathtaking.

    As she stared at her, Kaede let out an "hmmm" of dissatisfaction.

    Naturally, the Elf''s appearance intensely stimulates male customers and she is sold at a very high price.

    It''s crazy to buy and sell people.

    I know I''m in no position to say this, but it''s still not something that makes me feel good.

    "Now, the next one is from a race that is rare in the world! The fairy tribe!"

    The place was overflowing with screams and excitement.

    Fairies are a race often spoken of in legends, and said to live in the depths of the great forests where man cannot enter.

    They are small and cute in appearance, but their true value lies in their wings.

    You can fly thanks to "fairy dust", a special type of powder produced by the scales on their wings.

    The person who comes into contact with the powder is able to fly freely for several hours.

    For those in power, threats to their lives are a daily occurrence.

    It''s natural for them to want things like this to keep them safe.

    It is a power that can be used in extremely desperate situations.

    Rarity, appearance, efficiency.

    She must be an attractive slave to those in power.

    "Bidding starts at five million."

    A girl with wings was brought forth in a small basket.

    She was frightened and trembling in a corner.

    "Please help me."

    I heard a voice...

    Whose voice is it?

    "Great Race, please rescue this Frau from here."

    The voice continues.

    "Fairies are faithful servants of the Great Race. Please help this poor Frau."

    It was the voice of Hada''s prayer.

    I look around, but no one seems to be listening.

    The price kept going up and up.

    I raised my hand and in a loud voice said

    "Two hundred million!"

    "Wow, a pretty hefty price tag has suddenly appeared."

    From this point on, the rest of the people bid small amounts.

    I''m the only one who can hear the voice of the fairy calling for help. I can''t turn a blind eye to something like this.

    That little fairy prays hard to be saved.

    Not everyone in this world is a shitty person, I''ll show you.

    "Three hundred million!"

    "Another incredibly high bid!"

    Surprisingly, few people continued to bid.

    They all lowered their hands one by one.

    However, there were still three people who did not want to give up.

    To get them off my back, I''m going to raise the price even more.

    "Four hundred and fifty million!"

    "Four hundred and sixty million!"

    "Four hundred and sixty-five million."

    "Four hundred and seventy-one million."

    Surrender!

    I don''t want to keep bidding with people like you!

    "Six hundred million!"

    "Six hundred and ten million!"

    Two are eliminated, and the remaining one, the chubbiest, continues to show interest.

    "Oh little fairy, I''m going to have fun with you every day until you break."

    "Eight hundred million!"

    ¡°!?¡±

    The man is amazed at the amount I offer.

    But even so, he didn''t hesitate for a second.

    He is persistent, how much money does he have to bid?

    Well, then I''ll get serious.

    "1.1 billion!"

    ¡°!??¡±

    The man lowered the hand he was trying to raise.

    He admitted to losing.

    "This slave is sold for a sum of 1.1 billion!"

    The participants stood up and applauded in unison at the heated bidding war.

 CH 26

    The auction had passed throughout the day and was about to come to an end.

    "Well, I hope you enjoyed tonight''s auction, and I''d like to close it, but there''s still time, so if you have any requests for future items, please speak up here."

    I raised my hand and stood up.

    It''s not just the moderator, but the eyes of the people around us are focused on me.

    "I don''t want to make a request, but I have an item I would like to sell here. It has already been identified and confirmed as authentic."

    "Oh, an article by that gentleman! This is very interesting!"

    I was invited on stage and placed the jar on a cloth-lined table.

    I had an unexpected expense, but I am confident that I will recoup some of the money with this item.

    I know the price must be high, but how high will it be?

    "What is that?"

    "It''s an elixir."

    "What!?"

    The audience was stunned.

    The elixir is a potion that can cure any wound or illness in a short time.

    Even if your arm is torn off or your heart stops beating, if you drink it, you will be cured in seconds. It is a miraculous element that cannot be reproduced with today''s technology.

    "You don''t mind if we examine the elixir here?"

    "Yes, I have no problem."

    The appraisal scroll was brought into the room by the host.

    He unfolded the rolled paper and recited a short incantation.

    "Wonderful! No doubt it is a real elixir! You can state the desired value for this object."

    "Ten million."

    "Have you heard? Ladies and Gentlemen, the starting price is ten million!"

    The room was filled with excitement and all participants started bidding at exorbitant prices.

    100 million, 200 million, 300 million, 500 million, 700 million, 800 million, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 2,200 million.

    "Sold for 2.25 billion!"

    I nearly fell flat on my ass at the staggering price.

    I knew the item was worth a lot, but I had no idea it would be such a ridiculously high price. In the upper class world, the elixir was a treasure that could easily be a bottled god to them.

    They don''t want to buy it because they plan to use it, they buy it because they want that feeling of peace of mind.

    Just by owning it, they can sleep soundly at night.

    "Thank you for this last great exposure, we will pay you shortly, so please wait until we close."

    I left the stage.

    I went to a small, clean living room. There was a simple table and a sofa.

    The host entered the room with two young men and brought a cart with the skill sealing scrolls, the fairy and the gold.

    "The last exhibition was a great surge of emotions. You need surprises like that from time to time. So, going into it, can I subtract the fairy amount from the sale price?"

    "Please."

    "Very well, sir."

    Of the 2.25 billion, 1.1 billion is deducted and the remainder is 1.15 billion.

    I originally had 1.2 billion, so now I have a little over 2.35 billion.

    The ridiculous amount of money seems to paralyze my senses.

    "Now, this is for you."

    I received a basket with the fairy inside. Inside was a little girl, about 20 centimeters tall.

    She''s huddled in a corner, staring at me, looking terrified.

    She reminds me of the old Kaede.

    I took off my mask and showed my true face.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "It''s nothing."

    Now, what should we do with this fairy?

    We returned to the house and I placed the basket on the table.

    He had made a master-slave contract with the fairy, and had a pattern around his chest, like Kaede''s.

    clank!

    I opened the basket door.

    "Come out, I''m not going to hurt you."

    "Humans are very sneaky... I can''t let my guard down."

    That being said, she did not come out of the basket.

    She had a lovely face, and her hair was in two pigtails of light green.

    Still, he wore leather armor like an adventurer.

    She has transparent wings on her back. In addition to a hammer on her back that was about the same size as her, she was small, but she could also fight.

    "I''ll get you some tea, Master."

    "Thank you, Kaede... Do you want some too?"

    "...Uh"

    "Kaede, can you make tea for the three of us?"

    I received a yes from the kitchen.

    She was still very cautious.

    It''s no good if I don''t break the ice somehow.

    Then I remembered something.

    "I bought some cookies today, do you want some?"

    "Cookies?!"

    She almost jumped out of the basket, but reconsidered and quickly returned to the corner of the basket.

    Unlike Kaede when I first met her, this fairy is fine in every way.

    Her expression changed greatly.

    In any case, I offered her a cookie and put it in the basket.

    She grabbed it in fear and ran to the corner.

    "I''m not going to let you get away with this!"

    "Is the drink hot?"

    "Not bad... Tastes good."

    "What a sad assessment."

    Kaede comes over and places the cup and sits next to me.

    She also placed a small bowl in the basket.

    The fairy cooled her drink and then took a sip.

    "By the way, Master, why did you buy this girl?"

    "I heard a voice saying to help her."

    "What!?"

    The fairy was elated.

    "Did you hear Frau''s prayer!?"

    "Well, at first I thought it was a hallucination, but it didn''t seem like one, and it would be a shame to ignore it, so I made an offer."

    The fairy jumped out of the basket and prostrated herself in front of me.

    "I didn''t know it was you, my Lord! I apologize for my rude attitude!"

    "Hey, what do you mean by [Lord]?"

    "Forgive my rudeness, but what race are you?"

    "A Dragonoid. Half human, half dragon."

    The fairy raises both hands and shouts, "Yes, oh, oh! I finally found it!"

    I wonder if it is possible to lower the volume of his voice a little.

    I am concerned that it will be a nuisance to the neighborhood.

    "Wow, your master is a dragon man?"

    "What are you talking about now?"

    Kaede was surprised.

    Does the fairy have appraisal skills?

    Kaede replied, "Yes, he is my master, and he is a dragonoid!" And so, her eyes widened.

    What is the reason for this reaction?

    What''s wrong with being a dragon-man?

    "Master, by the great race, by dragonoid, you mean the Dragon Men, don''t you?"

    "Really?"

    "Why are you answering so casually!?"

    "Why, I don''t know."

    I was a human, but my stats tell me I am a dragonoid.

    Even if I was told that the great race was the Dragon People, it still doesn''t make sense.

    The fairy sat upright and folded her hands in front of her chest. "My name is Frau, of the fairy race, and I thank you for rescuing me from the clutches of humans."

    "Don''t worry, I''ll cancel the master-slave contract right away. So you can go back to where you came from."

    "Not so fast, my Lord. My father, mother and brother will blame me if I go back to my hometown after finally finding our great master. They''ll all hate me, they''ll say things like; ''You useless washboard!'' "

    "What do you mean by ''washboard''?"

    Well, I won''t pay attention to it.

    "However, if you do not want me to break the contract, then you must plan to follow me."

    It is difficult to count on fairies as a force to be reckoned with.

    "But you can rely on me! I may be cute, but I''m also a warrior who can fight really well! I''ll overcome anything!"

    "Warrior, what level are you?"

    "Thirty!"

    Based on her physique, she would be equivalent to a level 20 human. Obviously, a dragon''s level cannot lose to a human''s level, and this same goes for a human and a fairy.

    The size is too different in the first place. Even at the same level, there is a big difference in capacity depending on the size.

    By the way, I am a dragonoid, but I feel just like a human.

    I haven''t seen a level 300 human in the first place, so I can''t compare, but I think the basic abilities are about the same... Maybe.

    "Kyui?"

    Pande comes out of its seal.

    As soon as he sees Frau, he rubs himself against her and seems to enjoy it.

    "Uh... Master, What is this white stuff?"

    "This is Panda, he''s your new friend."

    "Kyui!"

    Frau and Panda soon became friends and flew around the house.

 CH 27

    The next morning, when I rolled over, I woke up to a strange voice saying "Ugyu".

    "...... why are you here?"

    It was Frau, the fairy I brought to our house yesterday.

    She was limping, maybe she was a little sore due to a blow.

    I can hear her heart beating, so I guess he''s okay.

    After dressing, I went downstairs with Frau walking around.

    In the kitchen, Kaede was preparing breakfast.

    "Good morning, Master."

    "Good morning. Hey, I''d like to know why Frau was in my bedroom. Do you know anything about that?"

    "What!?"

    "I can see you had no idea."

    When we took our seats, Kaede served us bread and tea.

    Lately Kaede is taking care of all the chores, it makes me feel both happy and guilty.

    Kaede sits in the seat opposite to mine.

    "How long will we stay in the royal capital?"

    "Hmm, maybe one more week."

    I take a bite of the bread and think about my future plans.

    I don''t have a destination in mind, but that doesn''t mean I can''t go anywhere. If possible, I would like to go somewhere where I can see something unusual.

    "What place?!"

    Said Frau, who suddenly stood up, behaving unusually. When she saw my face, she was instantly relieved.

    "Oh, yes, the Lord rescued Frau."

    "Hey, can you drop that tone of voice? I don''t like honorifics."

    "But the beast girl uses honorifics on you."

    "Kaede I allow, since she''s a slave. But you''re not, so you can talk to me however you want."

    Frau was under the table, red-faced and squirming.

    "Understood... I am ashamed before the Lord."

    "Yes, yes, that''s fine. I''d like you to stop calling me [Lord]."

    "That''s not right! It''s outrageous to call the Lord of the great race by name! If I did, my father, mother and brother would spit on me!"

    What kind of family is that?

    The fairy race is a strange one.

    "Here you go, Frau-San."

    "Thank you, Kaede."

    I have long thought that Kaede is quick to open up to others.

    It''s probably because she''s cute and polite. That gives a big vote of confidence.

    It''s good to have someone who can get along with others.

    "But where should we go after leaving the royal capital?"

    "In that case, I recommend that we go to the hidden fairy village. I would like the Lord to visit us."

    The hidden village of fairies. That sounds interesting.

    Kaede''s ears perked up at this, as if her curiosity had been piqued.

    "My people live in a forest in the neighboring country Grigit. There are always flowers blooming and many fairies that live there. There are also ruins and relics that the Lord would like, so I''m sure he''ll have fun there."

    "Ruins¡­. And the food?"

    "Of course, there are delicacies that can only be eaten in the village. I especially recommend the fairies'' secret honey sak¨¦. It''s delicious."

    "All right, let''s go!"

    When I heard the sak¨¦, I immediately made up my mind.

    Rare gourmet food and delicious sak¨¦.

    There are also ruins, and I have the impression that there will be no shortage of sightseeing.

    I guess we have no choice but to go there.

    "Before we head to the village, I must warn you: fairies hate humans. They might attack you, but Frau will be vigilant to make sure that happens as little as possible."

    "I don''t care if they attack me."

    "Yes, of course. I''m sure it won''t work on us."

    "What are you saying!? Don''t underestimate them just because they are fairies! The village warriors are much stronger than Frau!"

    We nodded silently as she spoke at the top of her lungs.

    Nothing may happen to us, but it never hurts to be warned.

    I have the skills to endure it all. Although as Frau said, it''s best not to let your guard down.

    "What do you want to do today? Do you want to take a job in the guild?"

    "No, I don''t want to do that kind of thing."

    Kaede laughs and says; "Could it be because of ''that''?"

    The other day I introduced myself to the guild and got a big welcome.

    Even the guild master came up to me to greet us in person saying; "And to think that the ''Manyu brigade'' was B rank, but it''s actually an S rank party!".

    The guild adventurers also shouted the name of the Mangyu Brigade over and over again.

    I have been asked to shake hands with a lot of strangers and even sign my name, which I have never done before.

    Yes, that''s the reason why I don''t feel like approaching the guild in the royal capital at the moment.

    I''ve said it many times before, but I don''t like to stand out.

    For the first time in history, a party receives a hero title and we are now the center of attention.

    If I do something strange here and stand out again, I won''t be able to leave the country.

    I took a sip of my tea.

    We arrived at a meadow a few kilometers from the royal capital.

    I decided to practice my magic to make effective use of my time.

    I have magic power, but so far I have not been able to train.

    "Water!"

    BASHUN

    A line of water stretches up to the sky and disappears.

    "Earth!"

    Doshun

    A pillar of stone rises rapidly and disappears into the sky.

    "Wind!"

    Wooooosh

    A gust of wind picked up, whipping the sand.

    Kaede''s skirt was lifted as well.

    "Wind!"

    Whooosh

    Her skirt was lifted again.

    Although I couldn''t see her panties as I would like to. Let''s try again.

    "Ma-Master?"

    Ugh, time to try something different.

    Please don''t look at me like that.

    I tried some spells, but they were all too linear and I couldn''t control them well.

    I can''t use this in a battle.

    "Master''s magic is quite bad. Even when he tries to condition it with spells, I can''t believe it''s all so direct, but with higher degree of strength. I''ve never seen anything like it."

    "But I can repeat the attacks, and the power is perfect."

    "It pains me to say this as a slave, but Master''s magic is too dangerous. It is not useful at all."

    "I guess so."

    The power is too strong, the hit percentage is bad and it is all straightforward.

    On the other hand, there are some positive points.

    I can shoot anything I want with inexhaustible magic power, and if I use four attributes, everything is done instantly.

    Like, if I want, I can burn anything. Hmmm... No, this is stupid, Kaede is right, this is useless.

    "Panda is so fluffy."

    "Kyui"

    Frau lies on Panda''s stomach.

    They have already become good friends.

    "What do you think of a sword surrounded with flames?"

    "How do you do that?"

    "I don''t know."

    No one agrees with me.

    There is nothing to worry about, a man''s desires should only matter to the man.

    From this day forward, I vow to control my power someday, and create my flame sword.

    "Oh?"

    Suddenly, a text appears in my field of vision.

    ¡¶Notice: The level 3 dungeon you created has been upgraded to level 5¡·

    ¡¶Notice: The number of levels has increased to 50.¡·

    ¡¶Notice: "my room" has been created inside the dungeon.¡·

    Eh?

    A room?

    Why is it upgrading?

    What the hell happened after leaving the dungeon unattended?

    "What is it, Master?"

    "The dungeon has leveled up..."

    "Ah, maybe it''s that rumor!"

    Kaede seems convinced of something as she slams her fist into the palm of her hand.

    What is this rumor?

    I am curious and would like an explanation.

    "I have heard a rumor that a dungeon of high difficulty level has appeared near the royal capital. Dropped items are very rare and adventurers from all over are going there."

    "Maybe that''s why the level went up..."

    "It''s probably because there are so many adventurers dying there."

    Noooooooo!

    That can''t be happening!

    But I''m also an adventurer, so I understand that it would be cool to have a dungeon near where I live.

    I''ll pretend I didn''t hear what Kaede just said.

    "By the way, do you know which room is mine?"

    "Huh?"

    A text appears in my field of vision.

    ¡¶Select: Do you wish to move into "my room"? YES/NO¡·

    Oh, can I go there from here?

    I''m curious, so here we go.

    I gathered my belongings and grabbed Kaede and Frau''s hands.

    Panda was sitting on my head.

    "Take me to my room!"

 CH 28

    I knew I had arrived somewhere, but it was dark and I couldn''t see anything.

    Boo-ohh

    In the center of the room, a form of white core began to emit light, illuminating the entire room.

    "Aaaah!"

    "What is this place, the dungeon?!"

    [My room] was a place with a considerably large area.

    The room is one hundred square meters, and the ceiling is high enough to exceed ten meters.

    The light source is a crystal in the center of the room, but it''s so bright that it appears to emit light throughout the room.

    "If the core is here, that means that..."

    I opened the stats window, and checked which floor we were on.

    Surprisingly, it was not the top floor, but unlike this room, there was a blue core.

    Apparently, it is different from this crystal.

    The stairs leading down are hidden by a door that ordinary adventurers will not find.

    I started looking around and had an idea.

    Why don''t we turn this place into a warehouse?

    So there would be more room for future storage purposes, especially since "Magic Storage" is almost full.

    Plus, I can always come back here to pick up things I need, or bring things I might need for a special occasion with ease.

    I have decided to leave a lot of my belongings and money here.

    "Master, can I also have some space here?"

    "Sure, take as much space as you need."

    "I don''t need that much, I''ll just put my collection here."

    ¡°?¡±

    Kaede takes out a box from the "Magic Storage" containing her personal items.

    He also took out several unfamiliar boxes and placed them in a corner.

    Opening one of the boxes, he pulled out what looked like a cloth and buried her face in it.

    Her tail began wagging vigorously.

    "Master! Master!"

    I feel like I''m looking at something I shouldn''t be.

    I think it will be a good idea to give her a bit of room to put her things in. It''ll be good for Kaede.

    "This is Frau''s space!"

    "Kyui!"

    "You think you had your eye on this space first?"

    "Kyui"

    "First come, first served! Find another spot!"

    "Kyuuu!"

    "What are you doing!? Are you trying to fight me!?"

    In one corner, Frau and Panda were fighting.

    As Panda is bigger, Frau is easily outclassed and raises the white flag.

    "All right, Frau will take that corner over there!"

    "Kyui!"

    "Why are you chasing me, Panda? Now you''re just trying to annoy me!"

    "Kyu, kyu, kyu."

    "Panda, you''re being annoying!"

    The fight between Frau and Panda starts again.

    They seem as close as if they were lifelong friends.

    Panda is glad to have a friend.

    "Now that we know where to put our stuff, let''s get back to the surface."

    "Yes."

    "Okay."

    "Kyui."

    We held hands and teleported back to where we were.

    I packed my things and then we left the house.

    I locked the door and handed the keys to Jonathan.

    "Where are you going now?"

    "We''ll go to Grigit for now. We''ll be in touch through the guild if we need anything."

    "Remember to stay out of trouble in other countries. You are a decorated hero in this country."

    "I know."

    We have been in the royal capital for a little over a week.

    We are finally continuing our journey again.

    I feel like I''m taking it too easy, but it''s the right thing to do for the sake of my journey

    We ate lots of delicious food, saw many interesting things and spent time in harmony with our friends.

    That is what the "Manyu Brigade" is all about.

    "We''ll see you again soon."

    "Be careful on your journey."

    I shook Jonathan''s hand. I am grateful to him, he has been very helpful.

    I hope the next time we meet, it will be under better circumstances.

    "Hm? What about Panda?"

    "Kyu"

    "''Kugh?!"

    Panda spins around Jonathan and digs into his stomach with great force.

    I guess it''s their way of saying goodbye.

    Jonathan crouched down while placing his hands on his abdomen, the blow must have hit him hard.

    "Apologize for what you did, Panda!"

    "That looks painful."

    "Kyui?"

    We left the city as if we were fleeing.

    After leaving the royal capital, we safely entered the neighboring country of Grigit.

    Grigit is a relatively small country.

    Most of it is covered with forests, and it is also a mysterious country with many legends.

    It is also famous for its fairy inhabitants. Besides that, the last temple of sacred weapons is here.

    "Haah, it''s another beautiful day."

    "Good morning, Master."

    Kaede was sitting on a chair near the bed.

    Judging from the big smile on her face, she looked to be in a great mood.

    She wagged her tail from side to side and her ears twitched more than usual.

    Hmm... Why is my shirt wet...?

    "Speee, Speee."

    "Kyui..."

    Above me was Frau sleeping on top of Panda.

    Panda seemed to be annoyed by the drool.

    "Are we heading to the hidden fairy village today?

    "Yes. After all, it was Frau''s idea to go there."

    "...Maybe she''s trying to get her Lord to do a particular task."

    "It''s possible. Looks like she was looking for me."

    I looked at Frau and couldn''t help but laugh at her unkempt appearance.

    Panda approached me, and I pressed my finger to Frau''s cheek.

    "Ugu, Ugugu, what''s wrong...?"

    "You were having a nightmare."

    "I''m surprised you didn''t wake up."

    "How mean."

    Okay, enough with the jokes.

    I quickly changed clothes and put on my equipment.

    I stopped for a moment to look at my armor. It was in bad shape.

    I think it''s about time I buy a new one.

    We should stop by the armor store before going to the fairy village.

    "Master, your armor looks like it''s about to break."

    "I was just thinking the same thing."

    "In that case, I know a good place to find some new armor."

    I''m having a sudden feeling of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    On the way to the fairy village, we visited the second temple of the sacred sword.

    The reason we came to this place was because of Kaede.

    "Haven''t we already gone to a sacred temple and retrieved the sword? What I need now is armor."

    "Master, do you no longer remember that the object we had found became a sword afterwards?"

    That''s true, but... How is this supposed to become armor?

    "It is generally considered a holy sword, but in reality, "Holy Armaments" have properties that are not restricted by form. If you want, it can become a sword, a spear, a shield or even a suit of armor."

    "But this great sword will not become a one-handed sword."

    "Of course, it cannot always be used freely. It will only take the form the owner desires once he takes it out."

    Somehow I could understand what she meant.

    I just have to think about wanting armor once I pull out the sword.

    But, to my knowledge, I have never heard of anyone in possession of two or three sacred weapons.

    Even the greatest hero who ever lived is said to have owned a single sacred sword.

    "It''s all right. After all, Master is Master."

    "Why do you trust me so much?"

    Frau, who was sitting on Panda''s back, also nods with folded arms.

    How can you be so sure of what Kaede says if you haven''t even known me that long?

    "This temple doesn''t look that different from the previous one."

    The temple was very similar to the one in Armand.

    A huge pure white structure.

    There is a divine and indescribable atmosphere.

    I wonder if the reason there is no one protecting this place is because no one wants to risk getting close.

    "Master."

    "Footprints?"

    I only noticed after Kaede pointed it out.

    There are a series of footprints leading to the temple.

    Judging by the number of prints, there are 4 people.

    It may be that the sacred weapon has already been taken by someone else.

    I went to the door and opened it.

    Goooooooong

    Paank

    A light came on in the dark hallway.

    I''m begin to walk deeper inside.

    "It''s there."

    "Apparently they couldn''t take it."

    "Kyui"

    The sword before me shone brightly as light coming in from a stained glass window was reflected off of it.

    Hmmm, I wonder if it really is the second sacred weapon.

    Not that I doubt it, but I find it hard to believe.

    What if it''s not the second and it''s a trap?

    Is there a possibility of something like this happening?

    It is better to take it out and clear away my doubts.

    I stand in front of the sword.

    I grip the hilt and control my breathing.

    "You can do it, Master!"

    "Yes!"

    Kaede''s confident voice echoed throughout the room.

 CH 29

    When we arrived at the royal capital, we immediately headed for the adventurers'' guild.

    "We''re the ''White Fang'', and I was wondering if you have any high-paying jobs."

    I approached the counter and spoke to the guild staff.

    I let him know the name of my party as quickly and casually as I could.

    If you''re an adventurer, you probably know I''m the hero.

    Just hearing my name will make you shudder and kneel before me. Kukuku.

    Come on, boy, be amazed. Worship me.

    "If you''re looking for a job, please look it up on the board. That''s what everyone does."

    "...Do you have any idea who I am?"

    "?"

    "I am Sain of the S-rank party! I am the man who has been chosen as the hero!"

    "So what?"

    The staff''s reaction is horribly slow.

    In my homeland, Balseille, the mere mention of my name would cause a stir in the guild.

    And of course, the treatment is also special. With one word from me, the guild master would hurry to give me a good job with a high price while serving me tea.

    I have been here several times, so why am I being treated so harshly?

    I wasn''t the hero at the time, but the treatment back then still wasn''t as cold as it is now.

    "I don''t know if you''re S-rank or a hero, but if you want to make a big name for yourself in this country, you''ll have to start by doing great deeds and outdoing the ''Manyu Brigade''."

    "Ha-ha-ha. Hey midget, surpassing the ''Manyu Brigade'' is impossible!"

    Two adventurers who were drinking alcohol started making fun of me.

    A great, fierce anger surged up from the pit of my stomach.

    At the same time, my ears turned hot and red from embarrassment.

    I am the hero, a perfect man, and you have made a fool of me.

    I will kill them.

    When I realized it, my legs began to move on their own and my fists sank into the adventurers'' faces.

    One of the men is slammed against the wall, and collapses to the ground.

    "Hey you asshole! What the fuck do you think you''re doing?!"

    "This is what you deserve for being rude to me! I am the hero! I am the one chosen to defeat the Demon King and save the world!"

    "What kind of hero are you? I don''t want to hear that kind of crap from someone who is irrationally violent!"

    "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!"

    Dozens of adventurers started fighting against me.

    The difference in his strength against mine was evident.

    I am close to level sixty, and they on the other hand, their level is 30 or 40 at the most.

    I hit them one by one.

    "Sain, please don''t do this!"

    "Get out of my way, Soara!"

    "But you''re going to kill them!"

    I grabbed an opponent by the chest and lifted him up while he was covered in blood."

    ...It''s not a good idea to kill someone in the guild, at worst I could get arrested and end up in jail.

    It would suck if it all ends here.

    Huh, they saved your life, scum.

    I threw the man away.

    Soara began treating the wounded with his recovery skills.

    "Hey."

    "Y-Yes."

    I called a woman from the staff.

    "What''s this ''Manyu Brigade'' everyone''s talking about?"

    "It''s a B-ranked party."

    Huh? B-rank?

    It is insulting to say that a party of that caliber is better than me. My party is S-rank, it''s the hero''s party.

    Or are they stupid in this country?

    However, the words the staff kept saying cleared things up.

    "The ''Manyu Brigade'' is the one that successfully defeated the Queen of the Death Ants, something that even the soldiers of the royal capital could not do, and became the first party in history to receive the title of Hero. As a guild, we consider them the only S-ranked party."

    What the heck... A party is a hero instead of an individual?

    That is impossible. That would make heroes out of everyone who belongs there.

    It''s like having more than one hero, and it never ends. Even if the central member dies, the title can be passed on.

    Unless they are stripped of that title, they will forever be treated as heroes by anyone who interacts with these guys.

    Even I have not been given the title of hero.

    However, the Manyu Brigade and its members did something that was impossible for just anyone, apart from me, the hero.

    This makes a mockery of my existence. I am going to be pushed aside.

    My future was supposed to be great. My glorious path that was supposed to be full of flowers and praises....

    "You don''t look good."

    "That''s right, I feel terrible."

    I am sure they are the ones who have ruined all my plans. Everywhere I go, they are one step ahead of me.

    If they were able to defeat the Queen of the Death Ants, it means they have the same level as me.

    I''m also not familiar with this party''s name. It must have been formed very recently.

    The leader slew the dragon, took the sacred sword out of the temple and explored the ruins of Einark.

    It all makes sense when you put all the information together.

    I am almost certain that the Manyu Brigade is the one getting in my way.

    "Where can I find this adventuring party?"

    "I know that they have already left the royal capital. Rumor has it that they are heading for the nation of Grigit."

    So Grigit, huh.

    Right there is a temple of the sacred weapon.

    So far nothing has gone my way, but this time it will be different. I''m going to pull out the sacred sword and make a spectacular debut.

    And of course, I will have to face the Manyu Brigade.

    They have made me far too angry.

    They are going to pay for everything they have done to me.

    "It''s time to go."

    "But there are still many wounded."

    "Leave them!"

    "O-okay."

    I called Soara and we left the guild.

    "The Manyu Brigade? Oh yes, that party is staying here."

    The inn owner tells me in a light tone.

    I shuddered with pleasure to hear it.

    As soon as I reached the remote nation of Grigit, I was able to find the inn where the party was staying.

    I checked with the owner to find out which room they are in.

    Now all we have to do is get rid of them.

    The opponent is a bearer of the sacred sword.

    Even if you are the hero, it is a bad idea to attack head-on.

    First I have to get the sacred sword, then we will deal with them.

    We hurried to the temple of the sacred weapon, choosing not to stay at the inn as it was in a very remote place.

    "This is the Sacred Sword! At last! At last!!!!"

    A sacred and beautiful one-handed sword is thrust into the pedestal in front of me.

    It''s like it''s been waiting for me.

    "Congratulations Sain! Your time has finally come!"

    "Come on, hurry up and pull it out! I''m sure you''re quite capable of doing it!"

    "Well I mustn''t rush it. You have to create an atmosphere for this kind of thing."

    All three were convinced that I would succeed.

    "Well, I''m going to approach..."

    Gently grasp the handle.

    From this moment on, I am going to become a hero.

    And then, I will kill the members of the Manyu Brigade.

    I''m so excited I can''t wait.

    I put all my strength into both arms, and pulled.

    "Hmm! Hmmph! Hmmm!"

    What''s wrong? Why can''t I take it out?

    Is this some kind of test? Is that why I can''t take it out?

    Come on, get out of there already!

    Don''t play hard to get. You''re going to become mine anyway, so get out fast.

    I put my foot on the pedestal and tried to pull out the sword with all my might.

    Blood vessels throughout my body began to rise and sweat poured from my forehead.

    "Cut the jokes and hurry up, Sain."

    "Yeah, you''re the hero, you''re supposed to be able to do that."

    "Your face doesn''t look good, it''s too red."

    This is stupid, why won''t it come out?

    I am the chosen one, the hero. I am the man who will save the world.

    I am the most perfect person there is, I don''t have a single flaw.

    It is almost inevitable that the sacred sword will fall into my hands.

    That''s what I insisted for the next twenty-four hours, but the sacred sword did not come out.

 CH 30

    I grabbed the handle with both hands and pulled it with all my strength.

    "Phew!"

    A dazzling light came from the sword.

    The light from the sword did not diminish, but became brighter until it dyed the room white.

    And when the light went out, the sword in my right hand was gone.

    ''''So that''s the Master''s new armor! It''s beautiful!"

    "It looks lighter than I expected. I thought a full suit of armor would suit the Lord, though."

    "Kyu"

    I touched my chest, and realized I was wearing metal armor.

    It was located on the torso and both parts of my legs and arms.

    The design was very simple, nothing flashy.

    I was imagining full armor of some sort, but this seems to be sufficient.

    If I''m going to be traveling, it''s good to have light armor.

    "How does it feel?"

    "It''s very light. I''m not sure how tough it will be, but it''s holy armor, so it should be pretty tough."

    Speaking of which, I never told Kaede to evaluate my sacred sword.

    Let''s take this opportunity for Kaede to take a look at it.

    "Evaluate it?"

    "Yes please."

    "I can''t do that. It is impossible to evaluate the armor because my level is not adequate, the information I would see would not be very accurate."

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "Unlike normal armor, the sacred armor makes all information unreadable... Perhaps it''s level is so high that it can hide it''s information."

    For some reason, I already knew that analyzing the sacred armor was going to be impossible.

    There is still much mystery surrounding the sacred armor.

    If this sacred object could be analyzed, it would be known for many years where it was created, with what materials, the technology and the secrets it contains.

    "Now that we''ve gotten what we needed, it''s time to go to the fairy village."

    "Excellent!"

    We left the temple.

    The sound of branches crackling on the fire enveloped the place.

    "Supee, supeee."

    "Master..."

    Kaede stretched her arms over her head as she said things in her sleep.

    I''m curious to know what kind of dreams she''s having.

    Two days have passed since we entered the forest, and we are still moving towards the hidden village of the Fairy Tribe.

    Just above us, Rosuke flew through the air like a fish swimming in water.

    Whenever we camp, I always have Rosuke keep an eye on the place.

    It has the order to eliminate any demon or monster that approaches us.

    It is the only way to sleep without worrying that something horrible will happen to us.

    However, I have been in the habit of not being able to sleep when camping for many years now. And even knowing that I can sleep safely, it is impossible for me.

    ¡¶Report: Experience-saving has been repaired¡·

    Oh. So it''s finally fixed.

    But I don''t like the idea of this ability sucking all my experience back in.

    The experience-saving ability had been active since I was a baby.

    In other words, it took twenty-five years for the ability to break down.

    How long will it take for it to break again?

    Will it be thirty years from now or will it not break until I die?

    After all, the skill''s level limit is broken, and now I have to raise it to fifty.

    Well, I''m happy with lvl 300, so it doesn''t really matter.

    "No Master... Don''t abandon me..."

    Kaede continues to hold out her hand with a pained look on her face.

    It seems to be a terrible dream.

    I walked over to her and patted her on the head.

    "Master... I''m glad that you''re here....."

    "Relax, I''m not going anywhere."

    I smiled to reassure her.

    "Please help me...."

    That was the last thing she said before she began to breathe more calmly as she slept.

    Perhaps she is remembering the days when she was a slave?

    I will be here with you.

    So you can sleep easy.

    I stroked her head once more.

    "Orya!"

    Frau was using her hammer to get rid of some goblins.

    From there, she spun around at high speed and knocked a group of goblins to the ground.

    She perched on a tree branch and made a satisfied face.

    "I''m pretty good at what I do. I''m sure you''ve noticed, Lord."

    "But I hadn''t doubted your abilities."

    "No! You thought I was too small and cute to fight! Even Kaede was worried that I couldn''t make it!"

    "I''m sorry."

    When Kaede lowered her head, I immediately apologized to Frau as well.

    "I''m sorry. I really did underestimate you."

    And I wasn''t saying it because of your size, it''s just that you have a very low level....

    On the other hand, Frau''s high-speed flying more than made up for her low level.

    Even goblin riders who boasted of their speed believed they were capable of winning only to be beaten.

    If she can raise her level a lot, there is no doubt that she could be very powerful.

    "Hey, I''m already level 35!"

    ''''That''s because of my ability, it seems to grant the group an experience doubling effect.''''

    "What is that, is that a cheat ability?"

    "I think so, but it''s something that can''t be helped."

    Frau smiles faintly and closes her right hand tightly, saying, "The power is boiling inside me."

    I am sure she will continue to raise her level higher and higher.

    It will be interesting to see how a high-level fairy fights.

    "Well, I''m going to level up as fast as I can!"

    "Hey, wait!"

    Frau disappears alone in the forest.

    You are supposed to guide us until we reach the village.

    I don''t know how to get there without you.

    "I think it''s better to wait."

    "I''d like to take a break while I drink a cup of tea."

    A small shadow jumps out of the bushes.

    I quickly used my armor to block the attack.

    ''''Human, how dare you interrupt Papau''s attack?''''

    In the air was a tiny old man who was a little older than Frau.

    On his back were a set of wings, the mark of a fairy.

    In his right hand, he held a one-handed sword that reflected a glowing light.

    "Papau''s attack didn''t work, we''ll have to attack all at once!"

    "Oooooooooh!"

    The fairy men flew out of the forest one after another.

    Some of them were women, and in all, nearly fifty fairies flew freely through the air.

    "What do we do, Master?"

    "We can''t attack them. They''re probably fairies from Frau''s village."

    It is true that they move fast, but not so fast that you can''t see them.

    Kaede and I dodge the attacks and wait for Frau to return.

    "Hey, this human defense is solid!"

    "If we don''t do something, they will know where our village is!"

    "I''ve got a trick up my sleeve! Let''s use wide-area magic!"

    "We have no choice!"

    The fairies fly up to the sky and create a huge magic circle.

    It appears to be a wide-area type attack magic made by several people.

    A direct hit would blow up this entire area.

    "Is Frau here yet?"

    "She must be too busy leveling up to realize the situation."

    We cannot wait any longer.

    I have to stop them immediately.

    I''m going to have to give that little girl a lecture later.

    "Frau, this is an order! Come back now!"

    My voice echoes throughout the place with a highly overpowering tone.

    Something was approaching at tremendous speed, breaking through the tree line. The fairies took notice of it and stopped moving.

    A large tree broke in half and collapsed.

    At the other end was Frau holding the hammer.

    The atmosphere is unusual.

    She stared at the other fairies, her gaze deadly.

    "How dare you try to kill my Lord while Frau is absent?"

    "Frau!!! YOU ARE FRAU!!!"

    The man who called himself Papau approached, stunned.

    "Hmph."

    The hammer shot out and hit Papau in the face with full force.

    "The man you see there is Toru of the great race of Dragons! I, Frau am his faithful slave! What you have done is unbecoming of the fairy race!"

    The fairies flapped their wings and descended to the ground to kneel.

    "I didn''t know you were of the great race we adore. Please forgive me for being so rude."

    An elderly man who appeared to be the leader of the group ducked his head.

    With those words, all the fairies bowed their heads.

    This is very uncomfortable.

    This transition from Human to Dragonoid is still not being processed by my brain.

    Frau, who was on top of a panther, approached us and also knelt down.

    "You should feel ashamed, too. If Frau had not returned in time, we would have had a mess on our hands here. You should obey your Lord more and not go off alone while leaving us behind."

    I said, after tapping her on the shoulder, while smiling coldly at her.

    "We''ll talk later."

    Frau looked at me while shaking like a rattle.

 CH 31

    The fairies guided us as we walked through the forest.

    Ahead of me, Frau was flying depressed as if she had lost a war.

    "Did I scold her too much?"

    "No, if anything, you''re being too kind. If she hadn''t left in the first place, none of that would have happened."

    Kaede is very upset.

    The wrinkles between her brows and the aura of anger made that feeling clear.

    I understand how Kaede feels, but I can also understand Frau''s feelings.

    She wants to look good in front of her friends, and she wants us to trust her as soon as possible. It''s natural when someone new joins a party.

    My case was the same when Sain invited me to join his party.

    No one wants to be a burden.

    "''Frau is sorry too, so don''t blame her too much, everyone makes mistakes in the beginning."

    "You''re right... I''m sorry!"

    "You have nothing to apologize for."

    "Master."

    When I stroked her head, her eyes lit up.

    She must have been angry because she was thinking of me.

    That feeling alone is enough for me.

    Because I want my lovely slave to always have a smile on her face.

    "I failed this time, but I''ll do my job next time!"

    "Kyui"

    Frau approaches with Panda and says these words while clenching her fists.

    "So I deserve to be petted too!"

    "Kyui!"

    "You are insistent."

    I reach out my right hand and rub my finger on Frau''s head.

    Panda also rubbed his body against my right hand as if to say "me too, me too."

    I don''t know how to say it, but he''s as cute as a puppy.

    Suddenly, an elderly fairy descends from above.

    "We are about to reach the village."

    "Thank you for guiding us."

    "No, it is a tremendous honor to have a great man in our village. We hope you enjoy your stay in our fairy paradise."

    The group came to a sudden halt.

    It was a place lined with huge stones.

    Unknown letters are engraved on the stone.

    Except for that, the rest of the forest appears to be normal.

    ...No, I''m wrong, everything feels strange.

    The "Grand Thief" skill picked up something unnatural in my surroundings.

    I am not sure what it is.

    But the road ahead is clearly different from the one we have traveled.

    Swoosh

    The fairy who crossed the rock disappeared.

    "Hey, where''d he go?!"

    "He just crossed the barrier."

    The old man also disappeared as he crossed the rock.

    To be honest, I was a little scared to cross that rock. So I ran towards it.

    "Oh!"

    Suddenly I appeared in a place full of flowers.

    The wind blew and the petals danced.

    When I looked back, I saw that the forest had been blocked by a huge boulder.

    So this place is like a closet?

    They must be hiding this place with some kind of illusion.

    Now I understand why it is so difficult to find the fairies.

    The hiding place is not that big. In the distance there were some village-like structures in the middle of the colorful flower fields.

    The road leading to the village is perfectly fenced and the cows graze inside.

    It seems that this place was once inhabited by humans.

    "Please drink, it''s tea."

    "Thank you."

    An old man offers me a cup of tea and I take a sip.

    It had a strong floral aroma and was fresh and delicious.

    It had a unique flavor, different from black tea.

    "You seem to have loved it."

    I have been told that this old man is the village chief. He is also Frau''s grandfather.

    I turned my gaze to him.

    to him was Papau, white-eyed and staring at the ceiling after the blow Frau landed on him

    "How long do you plan to stay asleep, Papau!?"

    "Aah..."

    The chief punched him mercilessly in the face.

    Papau still didn''t regain consciousness after that blow, so he kept doing it over and over again.

    "I don''t think it''s good to wake him up rudely..."

    "Don''t worry, this guy is tough!"

    Pank Pank Pank Pank Pank Pank Pank Pank Pank *Pank

    "Eh?!"

    "You''re finally awake, Papau."

    "What is this place?"

    "It''s our home."

    As soon as he sees me, Papau draws his sword.

    Frau instantly broke his sword with her hammer, and the chief put an axe to his neck.

    Sweat drips from Papau''s stiff forehead.

    I begin to feel sorry for him.

    "Father, Frau, why are you protecting this human!?"

    "Fool! He is Lord Toru, Master of the Great Dragon Race."

    "I am very disappointed in you, Father. I can''t believe you pointed the sword twice at the Lord."

    "The great... Race... Of... Dragons?"

    Papau prostrates at a speed that goes unnoticed.

    I was not able to follow his movements, even with my level 300 eyes.

    "I''m sorry, please forgive me!"

    "I''m not angry. Please raise your head."

    "Thank you so much for your mercy!"

    It is still uncomfortable.

    I''m not even that amazing... I think...

    I simply raised my level exorbitantly and now I happen to be of the Dragon race.

    "You should feel disappointed."

    "Eeeeh."

    The village chief and Frau scold Papau.

    Uhm... I think we''d better get along as well as possible with Papau.

    "Well, back to the main topic."

    Papau is silent as he emits a gloomy aura next to the chief.

    It''s very hard to ignore, but neither the chief nor Frau seemed to mind.

    Let''s listen to the main topic for the moment.

    "Our village is in a critical situation. We had no choice but to seek help outside the village."

    "But your people are not known to associate with humans."

    "Exactly. So we contacted the elves, with whom we had a relatively good relationship, but they said only an ancient species could stop it."

    The chief made eye contact with Frau.

    She nodded and began to speak.

    "For this reason I went out to look for a member of the Great Race. I searched for you for over a year. I was beginning to think I would never find you, and at that time I was captured by a human to be sold. But I was lucky enough to find you in the most unexpected place."

    Was there such a reason behind it?

    If I hadn''t gone to that place that day, we would never have met.

    After all, if it weren''t for Count Roane and his plan to defeat the Queen of the Death Ants, save the royal capital and get the recommendation to attend the auction, Frau wouldn''t be here, and neither would we.

    Although, there is something that has me very intrigued.

    "Why Frau, though? Fot what reason was she specifically chosen to find me?"

    "I am a shrine priestess who can send prayers to the great race. Only those who have Dragon blood can hear such prayers."

    "I couldn''t think of anyone better."

    Frau puffed out her flat chest.

    She has a look of satisfaction as if to say; "I did it!"

    It became clear to me when I heard the explanation.

    Was that prayer voice a special ability of the priestess or something?

    I thought I could hear all the fairies'' prayers.

    "So what kind of crisis is it?"

    "I think it would be easier if you could see it with your own eyes."

    The chief led us out of his house.

    Gigigi-Gigigi

    An unpleasant screeching of metal sounds.

    Occasionally, disturbing sounds could also be heard coming from several large trees.

    "That''s what''s going to destroy this village."

    The chief pointed to a dull-colored metal dummy.

    It is about five meters high and each of its parts looks like a block joined together, giving the impression of being an intimidating and robust metal doll.

    I''ve seen these things before.

    "Isn''t that a golem?"

    "This is no ordinary golem like those made by humans. This is an original golem left by a great race, a monster of unmatched power and defense.

    The original golem has thick layers of ivy on it with vines and branches sticking out which tether it to the surrounding large trees.

    Every time it yanks at the vines, the trees scream and rustle.

    Normally, golems created by alchemists are loyal to orders.

    They do not harm people, and they do not rewrite orders at their discretion.

    I wonder, under what orders is this golem acting?

    "Where did this big boy come from?"

    "He had been sleeping in the nearby ruins. We weren''t sure what to do with it. We managed to tie him up here, but he''s too sturdy to be destroyed."

    I tried to approach the golem.

    The red-tinted eyes turned blue as soon as he saw me.

    But they quickly changed to red again.

    The golem shuddered minutely, emitting a sound of laughter.

    It appears to be broken.

    Somehow it feels that way.

    "What do you think, Toru-Sama?

    "You can call me Toru."

    "That''s ridiculous! Toru-Sama is of the great race we worship, it''s unthinkable to do something like that! We all want to be slaves like Frau and call him Lord!"

    "Absolutely not."

    I called out to Kaede who was a meter away from me.

    "What can I do for you, Master?"

    "I don''t think it will obey my orders, so it will have to be destroyed."

    I drew the sacred sword.

    Will I be able to do it?

    The opponent is created by the same beings as the sacred sword.

    I may not be able to cut it.

    This is a headache. It is not in my nature to think things through before I do them.

    You should think about these things when we are out of options.

    "Hah!"

    The blade pierced it without resistance, as if cutting through a tomato.

    The golem split in two and fell to the ground.

    Hmm... I think I should not doubt my level and strength.

 CH 32

    I could not draw the sacred sword, so I returned to my homeland, Barseille.

    The courtroom is silent.

    I ducked my head and bit my teeth in frustration.

    "I''m asking you again - you say you couldn''t obtain the sacred sword?"

    "Yes. I''m afraid so."

    "And then someone took Armand''s sacred weapon before you could, and you came back to this country with nothing to show for it?

    "Y-yes...."

    I heard a loud sigh.

    It was obvious that disappointment was in the air.

    The king''s disappointment is great because his expectations were high.

    My body trembles with anger.

    This happened because of the Manyu Brigade, which continued to steal my credit.

    I should have been the one to receive all that praise, to the point where I got tired of it.

    However, the reality is different.

    I don''t want to lower my head in front of a bunch of weak, stupid morons.

    If I could, I would kill them all, right here and now.

    ''''Your Majesty, can''t you give me one more chance? Maybe I was just incompatible with Grigit''s sacred weapon.''''

    "Hmm, that is possible. In the past, someone who couldn''t get the sacred weapon from one temple, succeeded in a different one. That''s okay, you can go get the other sacred weapon. The nearest one is in... Chancellor?"

    "It''s at Northstar, your highness."

    Hearing that, a smile broke out on my face.

    Northstar is a small country in the middle of nowhere with higher temperatures and humidity than here, right?

    Moreover, it is under the umbrella of a major power antagonistic to Barseille.

    Now that the Demon King has appeared, we''re cooperating with them somewhat, but it probably doesn''t look good.

    But I can''t speak of this story.

    Now that the royal family''s trust in me is being shaken, the first thing I must do is to regain it.

    I have to get the sacred sword at all costs and make myself a hero.

    "I have learned that the race of demons are hiding there, and they are wreaking havoc in the country. So I order you to kill them all."

    "As you command."

    I had no choice but to accept it in silence.

    I traveled south through Barseilles.

    And we finally arrived at Northstar.

    In fact, I wanted to see Toru''s wretched figure before I started my journey, but I couldn''t say so.

    If I don''t recover here, I will be the most useless hero in history.

    And even if I defeated the Demon King, the recognition I would receive would be very poor.

    My magic eye is not all-powerful either.

    The subject must be of the opposite sex only, and must be of a lower level than mine.

    In addition, if an antidote is used, the effect is lost and the spell cannot be cast on the subject again.

    Not to mention that the effect diminishes with the passage of time.

    Although it is a wonderful power, it has its shortcomings.

    And this "Demonic Eye of Seduction" is designated as a forbidden ability.

    In other words, it is a dangerous ability that makes you a target to be defeated just for possessing it.

    If I didn''t have my stealth skills, I would have been sent to the execution block by now.

    "Sain, I''m getting dizzy."

    "Shut up, you''re very annoying."

    "These roads are worse than Balseille."

    ''''It would have been better if Sain had pulled out the holy sword back at the temple. Haah~.''''

    Lisa''s sighs made my stress go through the roof.

    Every minute my patience is wearing thin with the complaints of these stupid women.

    I''ve been so frustrated lately that I haven''t even had sex.

    I should have known it was too soon to get rid of Toru.

    He was a nuisance, but he took the initiative and took care of us. He kept the balance in the party by consulting every decision with me. Most importantly, he was the best partner I could have to make me feel superior.

    If I had known things would be like this, I would have first gotten the sacred sword, given him some of the credit and then thrown him out.

    The carriage was swaying all the time.

    "Hey, how far is it to the temple?"

    "We''re almost there."

    This place is very far away. We would have gotten there faster walking.

    Who was the idiot who thought of coming by carriage?

    Damn it... It was me.

    "Sir, we''re about to arrive in the city. Shall we stop by in case you want to buy something?

    "Yes! We need to eat!"

    The gluttonous Nei exclaimed at the top of her lungs without consulting us first.

    Aaagh. What an annoying woman you are, Nei.

    Just being near you depresses me.

    The carriage entered the city and stopped at a suitable place.

    "This place looks great!"

    "What do you say, Sain?"

    "I think it''s okay. If you''re hungry, I won''t care."

    "Oh, this place has a strange smell."

    We entered the restaurant and placed an order.

    Everything on the table were dishes I had never seen before.

    Insects fried in oil.

    A river fish with sharp fangs.

    Roasted arm of something with three fingers.

    Eyes floating in a red soup.

    Is this Northstar''s food?

    "It''s surprisingly good. This worm is crunchy."

    "Ew."

    Nei is capable of eating anything.

    I lost my appetite when I saw Nei chewing on those insects.

    It is decided. Nei will be the next to go.

    Soara and Lisa are eating bread and salad.

    I should have played it safe and ordered bread and salad as well.

    "Why isn''t Sain eating?"

    "Ugh."

    However, I have no choice but to put up with it and eat it here.

    I am a hero trying to make a name for myself in history.

    I can''t be afraid of this kind of thing.

    "This is the temple of Northstar."

    "It still houses the sacred sword."

    "Fuuuu, Fuuuuu"

    "What''s wrong with Sain?"

    "...Don''t talk to me right now."

    My stomach has been upset for several hours.

    If I''m not careful, something inside me will come out, and it won''t be anything good.

    But this is no time to get sick. I have something to do.

    I''m finally here, and there''s something I want to check right away.

    I don''t know if I will be able to pull out the sacred sword.

    No... I should be able to do it.

    This time I feel like I''m going to make it.

    I placed my hands on the door and pushed it.

    "¡­¡­¡­¡­."

    "What is it, Sain?

    "Open the door."

    "Are you nervous?"

    Don''t make a sound.

    I am concentrating.

    If I don''t distribute my power properly, it could be catastrophic.

    All right, I''m ready.

    Let''s do 70% in the hips and 30% with both hands.

    *Gogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogogo

    The door opens smoothly.

    My force distribution was correct.

    "Fuuuuuuuuuuuu"

    I can do it.

    Once I have the sacred sword in my hands, I will leave here immediately.

    I walked down the hallway to the large room.

    There was a sacred sword nailed to the pedestal.

    "Come on, Sain."

    "You''ll get it this time."

    "You can do it. You''re the hero."

    I walked slowly as the three girls were cheering me on.

    It was a long way to the pedestal.

    Ugggh. You are a hero, don''t let your emotions leak out.

    I''m getting there.

    Just a little more...

    It won''t be long now until all this suffering is over.

    I managed to reach the pedestal and place my hands on the sword.

    "Hm?!"

    "Fuuuuuuuuuu"

    "What are you doing, just get it out at once!"

    I was making force but the sword did not come out.

    My stomach hurts so much, it feels unfair.

    "Is something wrong with you Sain? You have a lot of sweat on your forehead."

    "Yes, your face is very pale."

    "If you don''t feel well just say so, I can help you."

    "Idiot, stop!!!"

    Nei grabs my arm.

    And the sword came out with a jerk.

    "Ah...."

    As soon as the sacred sword was pulled out, a large amount of something else also came out. (poop)

    Suddenly, everything felt right....

    My mind went completely blank.

    AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH.

 CH 33

    I drank the sweet, smooth sake in one gulp.

    The honey sake specially brewed by the fairy tribe tasted even better than I expected.

    "I didn''t expect it to be so sweet."

    "Yes. It feels good on the palate."

    "Yes! This is the pride of the fairies! My lord, drink more! Drink until our cellar is empty - come on, come on!"

    "I''m not going to drink that much, but thank you."

    Amber-colored sake poured into a glass is also a visual treat in itself.

    Nearby, the fairies were chatting and enjoying food and sake.

    This is the largest tavern in the village.

    On a nearby stage, the fairies performed a welcoming dance.

    There are many rare dishes on the table.

    A slightly spicy vegetable and veal soup, thin skins wrapped with ingredients and fried, and fried cakes drizzled with honey.

    "Hmmm!"

    "This is the dish Frau likes. It''s really good."

    After chewing the cake, Kaede exhales happily: "Haaaaah."

    That much? Ummm, I''m curious.

    I''ll try one.

    "Disgusting!"

    "Hahaha, the Lord doesn''t like sweets."

    Frau looks me in the face and laughs.

    It is ten times sweeter than I imagined.

    It is still rich and sweet in my mouth.

    "Toru-Sama, may I pour you a drink?"

    "Oh, yes, please."

    Frau''s father, Papau, was giving me a drink.

    He is much nicer now than when we first met.

    He must feel very remorseful.

    "What do you think of my daughter, Lord?"

    "She is still a recent member of our party, so I can''t give her a proper rating. But she''s good at exploration and I''m sure I''ll be able to count on her for battles once she levels up, so I have high hopes for her."

    "Ooh-ooh! You have high hopes for Frau!"

    "By the way... You, as a father, don''t you feel angry that your daughter is my slave?"

    I''m asking if I should release Frau from slavery.

    Frau herself refused that proposal. Her father, however, might have a different idea.

    If her father flatly refuses, we will properly discuss canceling the contract.

    "What are you talking about!? We fairies are servants of the great race, and we only show our true worth to those we serve! You are free to use my daughter to satisfy your every desire!"

    "Hey, Papau-san!?"

    "Father, do not shame me before the Lord!"

    Frau became angry at the same time as her face turned red.

    This situation makes me a little uncomfortable.

    I decided to go for a walk.

    "I like to drink while looking at the stars."

    The night sky is beautiful tonight.

    And I have the most delicious honey wine in my hand.

    I feel very satisfied.

    "Master."

    Karde comes to my side.

    "It looks like you''re uncomfortable."

    "Once again, you notice everything."

    "I''m always watching you."

    Kaede seems to have seen through me.

    In fact, I was getting uncomfortable, but not necessarily because of the things the fairies were saying or doing.

    "When I look at Frau''s family, I remember my dead father and mother."

    "...May I know why they died?"

    "When I was fifteen, I left home in the morning. I don''t remember exactly what I did that day, but when I came back, I found the two of them lying on the floor, dead, with their bodies bled out ... That''s all I know."

    Kaede was silent.

    Everyone in town said it was a thief who killed them.

    I thought so too.

    My family was one of the wealthiest people in town, so that''s probably why they were attacked.

    I had no one else besides my parents, and from that day on I had to live alone.

    Of course, even though I was alone, the townspeople took care of me in many ways.

    We had fields and lots of cattle, so I managed to survive somehow.

    "Lisa was so supportive that I decided to live for her, and I wanted to support her always."

    "She''s the woman who abandoned the Master?"

    "Yes, but it doesn''t matter now. She''s happy with Sain now. I can''t deny that it was a shock for me that she broke up with me like that... Maybe I wasn''t good enough for her... Ugh..."

    Tears spilled from my eyes and slid down my cheek.

    Kaede hugged me without saying anything.

    There is still a big hole in my heart.

    The next day, we decided to investigate the golem we had defeated.

    "The inside of the golem is a mess. It''s like a living thing but fake."

    The cross section of the golem cut in half is covered by a cord-like structure resembling blood vessels.

    In addition, there are multiple mysterious spheres of various sizes, which are biological and really grotesque.

    I have heard that the alchemists modeled their golems after the originals, but this way I can understand that it is only the front part that resembles the original.

    Once again, the great race seems to have built an unimaginably advanced civilization.

    "Where are the ruins this big boy was located in?"

    "Frau will guide you. Follow me."

    Frau, who was sitting on top of Panda, moves forward.

    A few meters beyond the forest you can see the structures of some ruins.

    All that remained of them were walls and a pile of rubble.

    There are several golems moving about.

    I see, so there are more of them that woke up.

    "Kaede, assess the area and look for any artifacts that might be controlling them."

    "Yes."

    "My lord, what would you have Frau do?"

    "Hmm... How about raising your level some more?"

    "I was waiting for you to say that!"

    Frau flew off and got lost in the forest.

    Her current level is 45.

    This forest is home to monsters with very high levels, so she should reach level 100 faster than expected.

    I called Rosuke from the seal.

    "Rosuke, go and support Frau."

    "Shia!"

    Rosuke flew off at high speed behind Frau.

    Well, let''s go explore the ruins.

    I will be very lucky if I find treasure. Although if we don''t find any, it will still be a good experience to explore this place.

    Well, the "Grand Thief" skill didn''t detect anything, so it looks like there''s no treasure.

    "Master! Here''s a door!"

    When I ran to Kaede, I saw what looked like a square door on the floor.

    There were multiple golems stacked on top of each other to hide it.

    We pushed the golems aside and I opened the door.

    Gooooooong

    The door opened effortlessly.

    There were stairs leading down to the back of the place.

    "What are we going to do?"

    "We go down, of course."

    I went down the stairs first, Kaede and Panda trailing behind.

    Kaede created an orb of light and we carefully descended the stairs.

    The walls are made of rock, which gives the impression that they were built in a hurry.

    We reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped onto the ground.

    From there, a long passage continued to the back.

    "How far does it go?"

    "There appears to be no sign of living creatures."

    "...A light?"

    A blue light filtered in from down the hall.

    We continued on and came upon an open space.

    There, a large, complex magic circle glowed blue.

    "Maybe this is..."

    "Do you know what this is?"

    "Maybe it''s a magic transfer circle. I''ve seen something like it before."

    I don''t understand it at all.

    The magic circle is full of unfamiliar letters and symbols, and though I try to recognize them, my mind refuses and my eyes slip.

    I''ve always been bad at things related to magic, but seeing something like this makes me feel even worse.

    "Why is this magic circle in operation? Normally it wouldn''t work without magic power."

    "I think it''s in the magic vein. In other words, it''s a big stream of magical power underground."

    I see...

    I had never heard of magic veins.

    I think Lisa had explained it to me a long time ago....

    Well, I''ve heard a lot of things related to magic, but I usually forget them soon after hearing them.

    Anyway, I would like to know Kaede''s conclusion.

    "So, if I get on top of this thing, will it take me to the other end where the other magic circle is?"

    "I don''t know exactly. But considering that it is working, its counterpart, the other magic circle, must also be working. Maybe there is a possibility that it is as you say."

    Destination and function unknown.

    But it can be used.

    It is a bad idea to use this magic circle.

    But then again, my adventurous spirit begs me to do so.

    Maybe it will take me to a place where there are tons of treasures.

    Maybe it will take me to a place where no one has ever been.

    But it may also lead me to a place that I might regret going to.

    I started this journey because I wanted to explore the world and find new things.

    "Wouldn''t you like to see where this magic circle leads?"

    "Hmm, I''ll go wherever my master goes."

    I have decided.

    My next destination is the other end of this magic circle.

 CH 34

    I kept looking at the sacred sword in my room in the inn.

    The smile on my face does not disappear.

    "Fufufufufufufufu"

    Finally, I was able to obtain the sacred weapon I had been seeking for so long.

    I have been waiting for this day for a long time.

    From the day I was told I would be the hero, I was thinking about getting the sacred sword.

    Now all that is required is to perform heroic and magnificent feats.

    If I can do that, I will make a name for myself in history.

    However, I cannot take any of this lightly. The hero''s job is to defeat the demon king, in the past many heroes were defeated trying to kill him in the past.

    In order for me to achieve such a feat, my level must be at least 100.

    That and a partner in.....

    I looked at the three girls in the room.

    Nei, a fighter, Sorara, a priest, and Lisa, a mage.

    All of them are level 40, I am beginning to doubt their usefulness in this party.

    In the past, most of the members who were in the hero''s party also received this title.

    Sometimes they were granted at the beginning, or sometimes they were granted at the end, after having defeated the demon king.

    If you are not good enough, you die, and you can even be replaced.

    Choosing the right partners is essential.

    I don''t want to have anyone who is a hindrance in my party.

    Nor do I want any others that make me feel uncomfortable.

    "The race of demons are on the prowl in this city - when are we going to defeat them?"

    ''''Will I be able to win with my current level? I feel it''s not too late to train some more.''''

    "Hey, Soara, we can''t afford to be complacent. People live in fear of being attacked at any moment. You''ve seen them out there."

    "True, but it won''t do any good if we die."

    Soara is in the party for her healing abilities, but sometimes her character and way of thinking drags this party down.

    It is too frustrating.

    There is no way for a high-level enemy to come out fighting so easily.

    They are always small demons of level 20 or 30 at most.

    Zuzun

    The building began to shake badly.

    "What is this tremor!?"

    "Sain, there are people running outside!"

    "I think we are under attack!"

    We left the lodge and headed to the source of the tremor.

    "You are free to do whatever you want. Kill all the men and bring all the beautiful women you find, but don''t forget to gather money and food."

    A giant demon was giving instructions to the demonic soldiers.

    More than a hundred demonic soldiers were entering the city from the destroyed outer wall.

    They mercilessly attack the fleeing inhabitants.

    They were supposed to be hiding, so why''d they have to attack now all of a sudden?

    Doubt rises in my head, but I push it to the corner of my mind, realizing that it is of no importance.

    A wonderful situation to impose myself as a hero came to me.

    "Get ready to fight! I''ll take care of that big guy!"

    "Understood."

    "Shouldn''t we prioritize evacuating residents?"

    "If we defeat the leader, everyone else will retreat. Let the residents fend for themselves."

    "But-!"

    Soarer is once again showing signs of rebellion.

    Don''t you dare contradict me in a situation like this.

    "Shut up! I don''t care how many people die! You have only one task, and that is to obey me!"

    "A-Alright."

    Soara''s face turns blue as she shudders.

    I hope I don''t get frustrated again.

    This is as far as they''ve come, damn it.

    "Flame Blast!"

    Lisa''s fire magic strikes a group of demons.

    The large demon was engulfed in flames as well.

    However, he has too high a level, so he won''t die with that attack.

    I rushed towards him and swung my sword at the same time.

    With a sharp sound, the blade was blocked by something.

    "Did you think you could beat me with an attack as weak as that?"

    "How did you...!"

    The flames went out and I could see that the big guy had an axe in his hand.

    The sacred sword was easily blocked by an axe.

    I evaluated his stats and realized he was level 150.

    He was not someone with a lot of skills, but he more than made up for it with his overwhelming skill level.

    In addition, I felt a freezing sensation in my back.

    He is probably far superior to me in combat techniques.

    Who is this guy? Why is this guy in a place like this?

    The demon looks at me and squints.

    "Are you the new chosen hero?"

    "So what if I am?"

    "You''re not that scary. I have orders from the Demon King to have some fun when I meet the hero, so I don''t plan to kill you here."

    My sword was snatched from my hands and his fierce left fist slammed into my empty abdomen.

    "Ugh!"

    My legs gave out due to the strong blow I received and an intense pain follows.

    I exhaled while spitting up blood.

    It was the first time in my life that I received such damage.

    He grabbed me by the hair and forced me to look at him.

    "It would be very easy to finish you off, don''t you think? Eliminate you from this world with a single blow."

    "Please don''t... Don''t kill me..."

    "Buh-ha-ha-ha-ha! You''re scared? What level are you?

    ¡°63¡±

    "Really? You challenged a level 150 with such a weak level? You''re definitely the hero! Hey, guys! Don''t you think so too?"

    The demon soldiers behind the leader laugh.

    I was humiliated like never before.

    If I had known he was level 150, I wouldn''t fight.

    I would have quietly left this city.

    Don''t laugh at me, I swear I will kill you.

    "Sain, I''m going to help you!"

    Lisa''s fire magic hits the leader directly in the face.

    The leader dropped me and Nei jumped in the air to hit him.

    But he doesn''t even move a muscle and brings his fist to his forehead.

    "Not yet!"

    Nei spins in the air to kick him in his neck.

    The big man, after receiving both blows, still did not move. He was as heavy as a rock.

    This is my chance, I''ll let Nei fight with him while we escape.

    "Nei! Stop!"

    "Hey, Sain, are you willing to leave Nei lying here!"

    "You must help her! She''s one of our most precious friends!"

    "I can''t die in a place like this! I am the hero! I am the one chosen to defeat the Demon King and save the world!"

    Both Lisa and Soara are silent.

    It is a natural reaction. Because what I say is the truth.

    Our lives are not worth the same.

    She may die here, but I have to survive.

    "Get out of here! I''ll take care of this!"

    "You finally get it. You have a beautiful face and a nice body, but the truth is, I''m tired of you already, so stay and die so we can live."

    "Sain...?"

    I will leave Nei and go with Lisa and Soara.

    Damn, I never expected to lose one of my toys in a place like this.

    On the bright side, I''ll finally be rid of that nuisance. But on the other hand, now I have to find a new toy who is willing to die for me if necessary.

    My next partner will be a stronger, more submissive woman.

    For that, I have to raise my level.

    My greatest pleasure is to take away something that belongs to someone else.

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    The moment we left the city, we heard Nei''s scream.

    "Ugh, Nei..."

    "I can''t believe we abandoned her."

    "Don''t get depressed, what she did was a noble sacrifice."

    We have a bigger problem.... We were unable to comply with the king''s request,

    Wait... Is this really a problem?

    No, this is the responsibility of the country that did not tell us there were level 150 enemies.

    Rather, I am a victim.

    I was about to die.

    In addition, I lost one of my friends.

    It is the country and the king that are to blame, not me.

    Let''s go back to the country and ask for another job that is easier to get.

    "Let''s go back to the country."

    "Alright."

    My legend is only just beginning.

 CH 35

    My life is in danger right now.

    "Please stay in the village a little longer!"

    "Aaahhhh! Toru-Sama! Toru-Sama!"

    "Stay here forever! We won''t give you any trouble!"

    "Stay here for about 30 years, please!"

    The fairies are clinging to my legs and arms, I''m sure this looks really bad.

    Even if I try to move forward, the rest of the fairies prostrate themselves in front of me to prevent me from doing so.

    Men and women, young and old were shedding tears for me.

    "Shut up! Have you forgotten that you are the servants of the great dragon race!"

    Frau shouted at the top of her lungs.

    She was sitting on top of Panda nearby, looking intently at all the fairies.

    The townspeople had a surprised expression on their faces.

    "If you are a proud servant, say goodbye to your master with devotion! That way you can be certain that your master will return and you will be waiting for him!"

    "Oh Frau, you have become so mature and strong in such a short time. My granddaughter is right. We must see our master off as he deserves."

    After the village chief''s words. All the fairies let go of me.

    Thank you, Frau.

    Had the situation worsened, I would have had to use my strength.

    I have to admit, I underestimated the fairies'' sense of loyalty.

    The fairies were willing to make me live here forever if I didn''t tell them I was leaving.

    Just thinking about it, I can''t help but break out in a cold sweat.

    "I''ll be back soon!"

    I gave a final nod to the villagers and we left.

    The fairies did not stop and kept waving their hands and shouting my name.

    We returned to the magic circle we had found.

    I made a final reflection.

    I don''t know what will be waiting for us on the other side. It could be underwater. Or underground in some cave, which is even worse.

    To be on the safe side, I put Panda and Frau in the backpack.

    I made Kaede hug me and not let go no matter what.

    Once we took the necessary precautions, all that remained was to jump into the magic circle.

    "Let''s go."

    "Yes."

    "I''m ready."

    "Kyu."

    We jump into the magic circle.

    "Aagh."

    With the momentum of the dive, we landed outside the magic circle.

    The transfer was momentary.

    I don''t feel like I''ve jumped at all. In fact, I feel like I haven''t moved.

    Even though I felt like nothing happened, the setting we were in was totally different.

    We are in a place sealed by rubble, keeping only the space with the magic circle exposed.

    We are probably inside a building that has collapsed.

    "Master, the wind is blowing in from that gap."

    When I put my hand over what looked like a hole, the wind was certainly blowing.

    There is definitely something on the other side.

    I make a hole bigger by forcefully extending my finger around it.

    "Frau, can you see what''s on the other side?"

    "Sure. I think I can get through here."

    "Please do."

    I could punch through the wall with my strength, but that could make the whole place collapse.

    It is safer for Frau to destroy the wall with her hammer after checking the outside of the debris.

    "Oh, this is very tight."

    "Hm!"

    Frau''s panties were exposed to view and Kaede hurried to cover my eyes.

    Kaede''s act of covering my eyes was slow.

    I have perfectly seen the striped underwear Frau has.

    On the other side, Frau shouts; "there''s a hallway."

    Booong

    Without warning, she smashed through a portion of the wall with her hammer.

    "Cof cof, there''s a lot of dust here."

    "Yes, thanks to you breaking the wall."

    "It was so that my Lord could leave."

    Frau smiles and places her hand on her waist, I don''t think she''s noticed that she''s covered from head to toe in dust.

    Having her join us was definitely the best decision I could have made.

    "We have to be cautious from now on."

    The corridor is still quite narrow due to the piles of debris.

    We continue to move forward, going through the gaps.

    "I found a way out!"

    Frau had gone ahead to scout the site, and returned with good news.

    Perfect, so this place is in the outside world and is not a subterranean construction.

    This will save us a lot of headaches.

    "Look, there it is."

    ¡° ..........¡±

    The end of the corridor was blocked by a huge boulder.

    As she mentioned, there was a small light shining through a tiny space.

    After all, I won''t be able to get out of here without breaking something.

    If I do it too hard, everything can collapse.

    I have to destroy this rock with the least amount of force.

    I unsheathed my great sword.

    "Both of you, move away."

    I focused my gaze on the rock and controlled my breathing, then I invoked the power of the Dragon Knight.

    This ability allows me to identify the weaknesses of objects, animals or people very accurately.

    I can see the fragile points of the rock thanks to my Dragon eyes.

    Like a knife slicing through butter, my sword slid through the rock silently causing it to split in two.

    pishi pishi pishi pishi

    The rock collapsed and a path appeared before us.

    "Master, that was amazing! How did you do that?"

    "Even Frau''s eyes couldn''t catch up!" (Frau speaks in third person).

    "Kyui!"

    I put the sword back in its sheath.

    "It''s a technique that doesn''t have a name yet. Let''s move forward."

    We left the dark corridor.

    The corridor led us into a forest.

    The temperature and humidity are higher than in the fairy village.

    "What''s that?"

    "It''s black smoke. It may be a fire."

    Frau, who records the surroundings from the sky, points in a certain direction.

    Kaede also sniffed a little.

    "It definitely smells like burning. There''s also a smell of blood and burnt flesh - was that... a scream?"

    "We must move fast! Frau, show us the way!"

    "Got it! Follow me!"

    I started running after Frau. Kaede and Panda were behind me.

    If there is a battle, Panda won''t do much good. I will send Rosuke.

    "Panda, come back, Rosuke go out and fly."

    "Shi-ya!"

    Rosuke comes out of my arm and immediately goes into combat mode.

    His speed of movement was much faster than Panda''s, and he stepped in front of me.

    "Master, look at that!"

    The corpse of a man lay on the ground.

    There were many of them lying dead.

    The corpse of a demon was also lying near the site.

    "Kaede, is anyone alive!"

    "...No"

    "Let''s hurry!"

    No doubt demons are attacking this place.

    The black smoke must be coming from a town or city.

    I began to hear screams in the distance.

    "Rosuke, kill all the demons you can see."

    "Shi-ya!"

    We have arrived too late.

    There was blood and human corpses all over the place. The scene was tragic.

    The buildings were destroyed and the demons laughed with the gold they collected in their hands.

    Some of them even enjoyed licking the corpses.

    The anger inside me made my blood boil.

    "Blossom blizzard!"

    "Wrecking hammer!"

    A large hammer smashed the frozen demons.

    I was able to calm my anger a bit after that.

    I was behind my two companions watching the situation.

    "Master, let''s hurry to save the survivors."

    "Just give me an order. Frau will blow everyone to pieces."

    That''s right. There is still time.

    We can help the survivors.

    "We''ll split up so we can cover more of the place. Kaede, you go that way, and Frau, you go the other way. I''ll go to the center and get rid of all the demons I can find."

    "Okay."

    Each of the two took the corresponding direction.

    And I went straight to the center.

    There has to be a leader somewhere who is commanding this attack.

    If I succeed in defeating him, all the subordinates will begin to withdraw.

    "Get out of the way."

    I was killing every demon in my line of sight.

    The place was turning into a river of blood.

    In the center of the city, there was a large demon holding a bloody woman in one hand.

    "Is that all? I had high hopes for you, since you are a valuable member of the hero''s party. But I must say I am very disappointed."

    "Ugh..."

    "You are also very unlucky. Your hero was just using you as a mere pawn."

    The demon was very large, he must have been about 10 feet tall.

    His huge, toned body could be seen with his striated muscles and veins marking his entire arm.

    Two long, thick horns grow from the head, and the appearance is intimidating in combination with a cruel expression.

    This guy... He must be pretty strong.

    He has a higher level than the other demon leaders I''ve fought before.

    ¡°!?¡±

    As I got closer, I could see exactly who the bloody woman was that the demon was holding with one hand. When I saw her, I felt as if my heart had been ripped out of my chest.

    That woman was Nei.

 CH 36

    Nei is a fighter of the party "White Fang" that is led by Sain. Besides that, she is my former childhood friend.

    From a young age she has been a free-spirited girl, and I have always treated her the same way I treat everyone regardless of gender.

    We were very good friends, but at one point, she distanced herself from me for some reason.

    I remember well that when I was depressed, she would laugh and cheer me up in her own way.

    She was concerned that I was a burden, so he constantly took the time to train me and teach me how to fight.

    Even when I wondered if I should confess my feelings to Lisa, she told me, "Be a man and go for it."

    Even after the way we parted and all the things we''ve been through, I can''t erase those good memories.

    Nei was the soul of the party, she will always have a special place for me in my memories.

    "Darm-Sama, here comes another potential opponent."

    "Apparently the fun doesn''t end here. I hope these people do better than that pathetic hero. Take care of him."

    "Hey."

    Approximately ten demon soldiers drew their swords.

    Behind them, the man named Darm threw Nei away like garbage.

    Probably because his interest in me was greater than killing Nei.

    I am boiling with anger.

    Where did Sain go?

    Why was Nei fighting alone?

    Why didn''t he help her?

    I thought Nei was your girlfriend, Sain.

    "Hey! Human!"

    All the demons surrounded me and thrust their swords at me almost simultaneously.

    I made no move.

    "Shit, why can''t I get through it?"

    "This guy is incredibly tough.

    "The blade of my sword bounced."

    "Darm-Sama, this guy is not like the others."

    In the blink of an eye, I swung the blade of my sword and killed half of the demons that were attacking me.

    I am not interested in you.

    I want the big boy''s head back there.

    "Well, well, I see you''ve passed level 100... And judging by your bracelet, you seem to be the person who''s been given the title of hero."

    "Do you obey the Demon King''s orders?"

    "Exactly. I am Darm, one of the six generals of the demon army."

    In other words, he has the same level as the other demon general I killed.

    But why is the general of the demon race in this place?

    I have a lot of questions, and they have the answers.

    "Do you wonder why someone like me is in this place? It''s a simple answer. I want to see blood. I want to tear the flesh of humans, to shake my eardrums with their screams of pain. Don''t you think it''s unfair that only my men can enjoy such pleasures?"

    "Don''t expect me to agree with you."

    "Oh, yeah, right. I hadn''t thought of that."

    Darm pulled out a huge axe he had at his waist.

    It was reddish purple all over, and in the center of the sword''s blade, something resembling a heart was beating repeatedly with a loud sound.

    Perhaps it is a demonic weapon that counteracts the powers of the holy sword.

    The battle between me and him begins in the blink of an eye.

    "Funnu!"

    "Tsu!"

    The demon general flies at breakneck speed while swinging his axe back and forth.

    I block his attacks with the holy sword. Each strike causes shock waves generated by our force which cause the nearby buildings to vibrate.

    This type of attack definitely exceeds level 100.

    Our weapons collide with each other and the sparks scatter with a high-pitched metallic sound.

    We continue to strike each other at point blank range.

    "You''re very impressive, kid. Are you sure you''re not the hero?"

    "Sorry, but I''m just a warrior."

    "You''re too strong to be a mere warrior... I''m level 150."

    "I don''t care about the numbers."

    My head is clear, but on the other hand, I feel a great anger simmering inside me.

    I will never forgive you for what you did to Nei.

    I stepped forward and with one swift movement cut off his left arm.

    Blood splattered as his arm spun in the air.

    "My arm! At what point did you--!?"

    "I don''t know if you''re a general, but you''re too weak."

    Darm, with a look of hatred on his face, raised his axe.

    "Deep Freeze!"

    With a snap, his right arm froze.

    "Wrecking hammer!!!"

    Frau''s hammer slammed straight into Darm and hurled him into the rubble of a building.

    Kaede landed on the roof of one of the buildings with her iron fans.

    Frau called for her hammer and rested on my shoulders while combing her hair.

    "Sorry I''m late, Master."

    "The evacuation of the civilians is over."

    "Thank you both for your work."

    Darm emerged from the rubble and spat blood.

    He also tried to break the ice that had trapped his right arm.

    "So you have partners."

    "I''m not going to let you get away with this."

    "I don''t plan to run away from this. I will summon my magic armor."

    Something like a root stuck out from his right arm, seemingly originating from his axe. Slowly, thorns and scabs began to appear over his shoulder and arm.

    If that''s the power of his axe, it''s terrifying.

    I felt that his presence had become much stronger.

    "I''ll tell you something good. The magic axe temporarily increases the user''s level by 30%. Isn''t that great? Kukuku."

    Given that your level was 150, a 30% increase is... 195?

    This makes him a real threat.

    Fwish

    I instantly closed the gap in our distance and cut his right arm from the shoulder.

    I appeared in front of him as if I had teleported. Darm''s eyes widened before he experienced pain from having his arm severed.

    I used a silent sword strike that can be done with the simultaneous use of "Grand Thief" and "Dragon Knight".

    "Oh, I forgot to tell you something.... I am level 300."

    "You can''t..."

    Before he finished his sentence, I cut him in half.

    Deep down I wanted him to experience the same pain Nei had suffered and then kill him. But I was starting to get impatient, so I decided to get it over with quickly.

    As high as my level is, I couldn''t take my chances with a guy like that.

    Unfortunately, Darm''s fighting style was far superior to mine.

    Those who are good at fighting are also good at running away.

    I thought it would be better to get it over with at once, rather than let him have a chance to run away.

    I placed my sword in the sheath and ran to Nei.

    "Nei! Nei!"

    "S... Sai...n."

    "This is no time to talk! Hold on!"

    She is stunned by all the damage she received, her condition is very delicate.

    If we do not treat her immediately, she might die.

    "Panda!"

    "Kyui!"

    I called Panda and pulled Nei up on top of him.

    Panda''s soft and squishy body will help Nei not to suffer from sudden movements.

    I have to take her somewhere I can cure her.

    My recollection since I started carrying Nei is vague.

    I found an uninhabited inn, put her to bed and then got her to drink a high grade potion while I had Kaede use her skills to stop the bleeding.

    The high grade potion for physical recovery is very good.

    Unfortunately, it cannot heal torn limbs, but it can heal broken bones or damaged organs in seconds.

    However, it is only to force things back to their original shape. If the damaged parts do not receive immediate attention, the wounds could easily reopen.

    *Creak"

    The doctor opened the door and left the room.

    After bowing slightly, he left the inn.

    It seems that the examination of Nei''s body has been completed.

    "How is she?"

    "It looks like the high-grade potion worked and she has no irreparable damage. But she needs to be on bed rest for a while."

    "I see..."

    I looked at Nei''s face, still sleeping.

    The pain seems to have subsided, and her sleeping face looks calmer.

    I couldn''t be more thankful that the potion brought Nei back from that terrible state.

    "Hey you two, don''t fight!"

    "Kyui!"

    "Shi-ya!"

    Panda and Rosuke had a conflict inside the room.

    But Panda loses the encounter and hides behind Frau''s back.

    If you are afraid, you should not have been looking for a fight.

    "Master, come here for a moment."

    "What''s wrong?"

    Kaede leads me to a corner of the room.

    I guess she must have something important to tell me. I wonder if it''s something Frau can''t hear.

    "I was evaluating Nei-San''s stats, and I realized something...."

    "Exactly what''s going on?"

    "Please remain calm and listen carefully to what I will tell you."

    Why so much mystery?

    Is it so difficult to explain her discovery?

    Kaede inhaled and exhaled slowly.

    "Nei-San is in a brainwashed state."

    "What?"

    "There is something wrong with her condition. It is possible that her feelings and thoughts are being forcibly manipulated through magic or some kind of drug."

    I looked at Nei as she continued to sleep, but I couldn''t gather my thoughts.

    Has Nei been brainwashed?

    Who? Who brainwashed him?

    Only one name crosses my mind.

    No way, it''s impossible.

    No matter how rotten he is, I don''t think he would dare do something like that.

    I find it hard to believe that he would do that to one of our childhood friends that we grew up together with.

    But if this turns out to be true...

    I will kill Sain.

 CH 37

    I kept waiting for Nei to wake up.

    Kaede and Frau are sitting next to each other in the room.

    Panda had his eye closed and was floating in the air.

    "Hm..."

    ¡°!?¡±

    Nei woke up.

    I immediately rushed to speak to her.

    "Are you in any pain, are you fully conscious!?"

    "...Toru?"

    "Yes. It''s me, Toru."

    She looked around with lazy eyes.

    She stood up a little and sat on the bed.

    "I was abandoned."

    "Sain?"

    "Yes, he was about to die fighting against the demon general, so I rushed to his defense. Then he left and told me to die here."

    My fists were shaking.

    From one moment to the next my anger turned into a killer instinct.

    Nei was looking at me confusedly.

    "Why are you dressed like that? Hey, maybe Sain can let you join the party again, friends fight and break up, but... There''s always the option to come back."

    "Nei, Sain brainwashed you."

    "...I see."

    Her reaction was totally unexpected.

    I thought she would try to deny the facts.

    She laughed a little and then became sad.

    This attitude is not normal.

    Being in a brainwashed state does not erase your past memories.

    There is an emotional conflict within her.

    I pulled my chair closer to the bed and sat down.

    "I like Sain. But there''s something wrong with my feelings, something wrong with my thoughts, and something much worse inside me.... Before... I liked someone else."

    Tears slid down her face.

    A drop had fallen on the ring on her right hand.

    I felt like my heart was going to break into a thousand pieces seeing her again.

    Nei, a girl who was cheerful and full of energy, was crying in front of me.

    I have no doubt now that Sain brainwashed him. I never imagined that my once best friend would become human scum.

    And I''m also a nauseatingly obtuse idiot.

    I never realized all that was unfolding behind my back, even though I had the answer right in front of me.

    "There is a way to break the brainwashing."

    I took a small bottle out of my pocket.

    This is a high grade spell potion I found in the ruins.

    According to doctors, brainwashing is a kind of curse.

    Fortunately, I have a way to free her from it.

    However, the doctor also said:

    "Whenever you regain control of your thoughts and emotions, there will be repercussions. If your actions during brainwashing deviate too much from your original intentions, it can lead to collapse."

    Doing this comes with a great risk.

    But no matter what this situation looks like, I can''t leave her in that state.

    So I will let her decide.

    "Drink this and the brainwashing will stop. In return, you will suffer mental anguish, so I''ll let you decide. If you don''t want to do it, give it back to me."

    "...I want to give it some thought."

    After grabbing the bottle, Nei lay down and turned her back to me.

    She wrapped herself from head to toe in the futon.

    "I''ll be in the next room, if you need me, call me."

    I left the room.

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    I woke up to a sudden scream.

    That scream was Nei''s.

    I left my room and hurried quickly to Nei''s room.

    "Are you okay?"

    "He-hee-hee-hee-hee! Agh! Agh!"

    Nei was in agony in bed.

    I held her face with both hands, her back bent like a bow.

    Then she fell off the bed and squatted down.

    "Fugi, ugiiiiiiiiiiiii! Ehii!"

    It was a very hard situation to watch. She was scratching the floor with her fingernails.

    Her body kept shaking.

    At first I thought she was in agony of pain from the blows she received.

    But when I looked at the floor, there was an empty bottle rolling around nearby.

    "Nei-San, don''t give up, we are here with you, you are not alone."

    Kaede casts healing magic on Nei to relieve her mental pain.

    The screams of agony were diminishing.

    "Toru, don''t look at me... I''m dirty..."

    "You''re not dirty, Nei, you''re still the same old girl to me."

    ¡°... I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I said horrible things to you, I''ve done horrible things. I betrayed my heart, my feelings, I did a lot to Toru. I''m an idiot."

    "Sain brainwashed you. It wasn''t something you did at your will. Don''t think about that, concentrate on getting out of that state, Kaede, Frau and I will be here to support you."

    As I turned to leave the room, I heard the sound of metal clanging against the wall.

    Nei had taken off Sain''s ring and thrown it away.

    After that I heard a loud scream.

    It''s not a good idea for me to be around her right now, so I''ll let her handle this situation on her own.

    When I left the inn, I sat down on a bench.

    "I am amazed at the mental fortitude some people have despite everything that happened.

    Little by little the people who fled were returning to the site.

    Many people worked together to fix the buildings that were destroyed by the demons.

    Some looked depressed, but managed to try to smile.

    I would like to think that Nei is just as strong as those people.

    If she doesn''t make it, I am willing to take care of her for the rest of my life.

    Nei is my childhood friend.

    She is a very nice girl.

    She has taken care of me more times than I can count, and it is because of her that I was able to stay at the party when I was a burden.

    She has been my savior.

    "Hey, warrior!"

    "Oh, hi guys, how are you?"

    Some children I had met in the last few days approached me.

    In the city they treat me as if I were a hero for having defeated the demons.

    No, actually, I am the real hero... I''m still not used to this.

    Thanks to this, I am able to rent a place for free, and the things I need for my daily life are given to me immediately when I ask for them.

    I was told that when the city is completely restored, they will create a stone statue resembling my image.

    Of course I refused, but the residents were so enthusiastic that I had no choice but to accept.

    "Show me that again."

    "Ugh, well I''ll do it."

    I pulled out my knife and the boy handed me a piece of firewood he had.

    The image of the Red Dragon I defeated earlier popped into my head.

    I carved the wood quickly and accurately, and it became a sculpture in a few seconds.

    The children were thrilled.

    After that, they started bringing me a lot of firewood. There was a great demand from the children who wanted me to make them a lot of things.

    The most popular statues I get requests for are Rosuke and Kaede. Then there are the ones of Panda and Frau.

    Apparently I''m not very popular with the kids. What a pity.

    I got up and said goodbye to the children. I headed towards a group of men who were working.

    "Hi, can I help you with the job?"

    "You are the hero who saved the city. It grieves me that such a person is working with us."

    "Don''t worry about it. I''d like to keep my mind busy."

    "... So, can you bring the logs from the forest?"

    "Of course."

    The rest of the day was spent helping with construction work in the city.

    Three days had passed and Nei was able to get to the point where she could hold a decent conversation with me. However, if I mentioned anything that dredged up her memory, she would immediately apologize and become very depressed.

    Though thanks to Kaede''s skills, she seemed to be recovering, albeit slowly.

    "Toru is kind."

    "What''s up with that?"

    Nei looked tired as she said that.

    I feel that she has lost a lot of weight in the last few days.

    "I know you''re trying to help me. But that kindness really hurts."

    "I went through the same thing when I was with you, too."

    "Huh?"

    "I was a burden to the whole party. but you never gave up, thanks to you I was able to stay. Your high expectations of me and your kindness weighed heavily on me."

    Nei made a puzzled face.

    Why that look?

    It makes me feel like I''m saying something weird.

    "I''m sure you''re right, Toru was trying his best, and in a way, he''s like me."

    "Exactly. You have to try and get over it."

    Nei let go of the fork.

    "I''m thinking of returning to the village."

    "Are you going to retire as an adventurer?"

    "Yes. My heart is broken. I''m tired of adventures, of falling in love and of life. I want a quiet life in the country with my mother and father."

    ''I was tired of life''... I had a bad feeling when I heard those words.

    I hope you''re not talking about committing suicide, are you?

    She is finally free from Sain''s spell and I don''t want it to end like this.

    "Can I at least have the best memories at the end?

    She placed her hand on mine.

    At that moment I realized what she was thinking.

    He says he wants to return to the village, but the truth is that she is going to commit suicide on the way.

    "Let''s go!"

    "Huh? Wow!?"

    I grabbed her hand tightly and we left the inn.

    I went straight to the store of a slaver who was in town.

    "I want to record a master-slave contract with this woman."

    "What!?"

    You will return to the village. But as my slave.

    I will not let you take your life. You will live the rest of your life obeying me.

    That will be your punishment.

 CH 38

    A master-slave contract may be recorded with the consent of both parties, even if not a slave.

    High priority orders cannot be changed by themselves unless the master withdraws them... That''s what that Slave trader told me.

    "I''m just going to go over the rules and make sure the brainwashing isn''t still present."

    "Okay."

    A middle-aged man sprayed a liquid on top of Nei''s head.

    From what I have heard, there are drugs that confirm the brainwashed state.

    Once you put it in your body, if it reacts and glows pale pink, it is because the brainwashing is still at work.

    Nei''s body did not glow.

    "There are cases of brainwashing people to make master-slave contracts. Our business is shady, but we follow the rules to the letter. If we make a contract that is unethical, we reject it instantly."

    "Is it really easy to brainwash someone?"

    "There are only a limited number of forms of brainwashing in such a short period of time that an abnormal condition occurs. The first is hypnotic magic, which is contraindicated. The second is a brainwashing drug, which is also contraindicated. Lastly there''s a skill known as the ''Demonic Eye of Seduction.''"

    Nei sneezed, it looks like she''s already coming down with a cold.

    I decided to cover her with my cape.

    I''m sorry, but I''m going to need you to stay a little longer.

    It is very necessary for me to listen to the words of this old man.

    "Magic and medicine are strictly guarded in all countries, so basically you can''t use them. The only thing left is the demonic eye of seduction, but that is extremely rare to manifest, and there are multiple conditions, but if you eliminate them, you can easily dominate the opposite sex."

    "What would happen to me if I obtain such power?"

    "That would definitely result in imprisonment or execution. There was a time when whoever had that ability did whatever they wanted, and since then, whoever possesses it is treated as a criminal."

    ...After hearing these words, I have no doubt that Sain has this ability.

    If it were magic or medicine, I would have been brainwashed as well.

    First of all, I have never seen him use or see any indication that he had such a power.

    But there was another moment when that guy was unusually happy.

    This was before he was given the news that he could be the hero.

    That must have been when the notice of the "Demonic Eye of Seduction''s" manifestation appeared before him.

    Although, this is just speculation on my part.

    I have seen his stats, and I did not see this skill reflected.

    "I''ll need you to sell me some of those medicines you gave Nei."

    "Sure, but they''re not cheap."

    I bought about five medicines and put them in my pocket.

    With this I will be able to confirm if Lisa and Soara have also been brainwashed by him.

    Kaede has her appraisal ability, but it is impossible to identify brainwashing with it.

    "Are you sure you want to make a master-slave contract?"

    "I don''t want to do it. If you refuse to accept it, I won''t force you... But only if you promise me you won''t kill yourself. And I''ll pretend we never talked about this."

    "I can''t make that promise. Maybe I''m going to end up doing it."

    "Then let''s sign the contract!"

    "I don''t know. I just don''t think it''s right for me to be this happy after betraying you."

    Huh? What the hell is she talking about?

    Does she have brain damage?

    Nei covers her face with the hood of my cloak.

    "Doing that would be a reward." (so, she likes the idea of being a slave).

    "Maybe I should have your head examined by a doctor."

    "You are so insensitive!"

    Nei smacks her fist against my abdomen.

    I''m not sure what''s going on, but I don''t think she turned down the contract proposal.

    Then I remembered something I had wanted to ask a slaver for a long time.

    "I''d like to know something - do master-slave contracts have any psychological impact?"

    "No."

    "So, once you sign the contract, it''s automatically a slave?"

    "No. Basically, there is a rule that people who don''t have a collar are not treated as slaves. On the contrary, if you have the collar, it''s a slave even if you don''t have a contract."

    Hmm, my theory is confirmed. I found out that Kaede''s feelings were not affected at all.

    It seems that her feelings for me are true.

    I feel like it will be hard to look her in the face now.

    "Okay, let''s get started."

    The master-slave contract with Nei was a success.

    Several days have passed.

    Most of the city has been rebuilt and the stores are full of people.

    From time to time, I saw a sign that said "This place supports the Manyu Brigade", I was very embarrassed.

    My stone statue has not yet been built. But work is already underway. Arrangements are being made to start very soon.

    According to the plans, Kaede and Frau will be on either side of me.

    I was asked to come on the day when the stone statue of the Manyu Brigade becomes a symbol of the city.

    I wouldn''t want to come, I don''t like the idea of standing out at all. But I have no choice.

    "I''m ready now."

    Nei, who was carrying a backpack on her back, turns around and looks back.

    There is still sadness in her expression, but it is somewhat brighter than when she was released from brainwashing.

    I dare not ask what Sain did to her.

    Because that would be the cruelest torture for her.

    Maybe I should let her commit suicide.

    But I don''t have the courage to let the people I grew up with die in vain.

    No matter what happens, I want her to live.

    "Well, let''s walk you into town."

    "It''s alright, it will be better if I go alone."

    "I''ll ask you one more time, would you like to join us? I don''t know what you''re going through, but I think you''ll find that being with us will help you more."

    "Thank you, but it''s better if I go back to town. I don''t deserve to be by your side."

    Nei stares at Kaede.

    They stared at each other for a few seconds and then bowed at the same time.

    "Take good care of him. He''s mean and insensitive, but he''s someone very kind."

    "I know."

    "And he loves your breasts."

    "Hey!"

    Don''t say anything weird.

    It will have a negative effect on my tender and sweet Kaede.

    ...Although I can''t deny it. I do like her breasts.

    "At least let me take you to the royal capital of Armand. I know a transport company that can get you to town safely."

    "That sounds good."

    I don''t feel safe saying goodbye to her like this.

    Even though the medicine has already taken effect and healed her wounds, I am not completely at ease.

    "It''s Frau''s turn to shine!"

    ¡°?¡±

    A question mark appears in my head.

    Is there anything Frau can be helpful with in this situation?

    "Frau can use her fairy dust, so Nei can reach Armand in one day by flying."

    "Oh! That''s right!"

    "Huh, I can''t believe the Lord forgot about it..."

    I was thinking of using the magic transfer circle, but that''s in the same place as the fairy village, a place I don''t want to go.

    But if we use Frau''s fairy dust, it will be faster for Nei to get to Armand.

    To be able to fly... It''s something I''m very excited about.

    Frau spins above us.

    Wow. My legs are floating

    "Ooooooh! I''m flying!"

    "Is my Lord proud to have a slave like Frau?"

    "You''re the best! I''m so happy to have made you my friend!"

    "Hau~, Lord... My face is so hot."

    For some reason, Kaede comes up to me and hugs me.

    "I cannot make my master fly, but I can do anything else the master commands me to do. I will heal your wounds and indulge your every desire!"

    "Oh... Oh..."

    What''s wrong with her all of a sudden?

    She''s fighting for my attention, is this some kind of competition?

    Suddenly, Nei punches me in the stomach.

    "Don''t just start flirting all of a sudden! I thought you were going to take me to Armand!"

    "That''s right, let''s go."

    Kaede and Nei follow me from behind, while Frau rides Panda.

    Apparently Panda can fly higher as long as she has fairy dust.

    "Well, this is goodbye."

    "Yes."

    Behind Nei, Jonathan''s wagon waited at the exit.

    In a few days she will arrive in the town where she was born and raised.

    She hasn''t decided what she''s going to do when she returns, but for now she''s going to help her parents with their work.

    Nei''s family is made up of two happily married parents and many siblings, and they all love her, so I am sure she will be well received.

    She reached over and grabbed my clothes.

    Tears well up in her eyes as she looks at me.

    "Please help Soara. I''ve been able to put up with it because Sain wasn''t very interested in me, but Soara is in a pretty terrible state."

    "What about Lisa?"

    ¡° ............¡±

    Nei averted her gaze and fell silent.

    So Soara is in a position to be saved, while Lisa is in a position to...

    "Does Toru still like Lisa?"

    "I don''t know. I used to be able to say it clearly, but nowadays I can''t see where my feelings are, probably because I''ve already given up on her."

    "It''s better this way, I''m sure Toru... He''s very hurt by what happened."

    She went on to say; "and..."

    "Kill Sain. Only Toru can do it."

    "I''m going to do it even if you don''t tell me. As your former best friend, I''m going to do the right thing."

    "Well, there''s nothing more to say."

    Nei hugged me and buried her face in my chest.

    I heard a snort and then she ran off abruptly and climbed into the carriage.

    "See you soon!"

    "Yes, we will meet again!"

    The carriage departed and I kept waving my hand until I could no longer see it.

 CH 39

    After saying goodbye to Nei, we returned to Grigit.

    I didn''t want to go back to Northstar right away.

    Because of this, I am forced to make changes to my plans.

    The original plan was to go to a certain village in Grigit.

    We wanted to go to the capital from there, but thanks to our stop at the hidden fairy village, it ended up leading us to a detour that ended up being important.

    But it was good.

    I was able to save both Nei and the city of Northstar.

    Our plans didn''t necessitate that we travel in a hurry, so we were able to be flexible in terms of the places we visit.

    ...Although now I have to speed up the pace.

    "Graaaaaaar!"

    "The food at the inn yesterday was delicious. I didn''t want to eat the internal organs, but when I tasted it, it was tasty."

    "The owner recommended it to us."

    "Frau is not a big fan of such food, I prefer something simpler."

    The three of us exchanged a few words in harmony

    "Graaaaar! Graaaaar!"

    "By the way, Frau, I''ve never seen you in that state before."

    "Sure! The Lord doesn''t care too much about the strength of his companions just because he''s strong. You should have more confidence in us, so you''ll be able to rely more on your useless slaves!"

    "I agree with you on that. Master has a tendency to try to do everything himself, so he has to rely more on us!"

    "This is not what I was referring to."

    While we were talking I was fighting a tiger. Well, I can''t necessarily say a fight, since I was playing with it, but the tiger thought so otherwise.

    When I grabbed him by the back of the neck and lifted him up, he suddenly changed his behavior and started making a weird noise, like he was begging me to put him down.

    You know you are no match for me when you fail to bite first.

    Occasionally, even the monsters are wild and boring.

    "I wonder how much a tiger''s skin will is worth"... Hearing that, the tiger became nervous.

    "Just kidding, but I hope I don''t see you around here again."

    "Gaur"

    I threw the tiger and as soon as it hit the ground, it ran away at full speed without looking back.

    Soon after, Panda peeked out of the backpack.

    I guess he was hiding because he thought it was too much trouble.

    "Hey..."

    "Hmm?"

    "Look at Frau''s stats."

    Speaking of which...

    Skills

    The increase in skills caused them to grow at a frightening rate.

    What is this growth prayer?

    "Growth Prayer is a skill that works for plants. As the name implies, it accelerates growth and speeds up the harvest time of crops."

    "Hey, are you a blacksmith?"

    "Yes, because I''m from a blacksmithing family."

    That explains why she uses a hammer as a weapon.

    So does that mean Papau makes armor?

    Maybe I should ask him if he could make me a good quality knife next time.

    "Just so you know, my Lord, there''s also more to see."

    "You mean the part about your age?"

    "No! I''m talking about my level! I''ve improved a lot since the last battle!"

    "Well, that''s true, Frau-San."

    "Please stop, thank you." (It angers her to be called San, since they realized she is older than they are.)

    Frau rose from level 130 to 190 in the last battle.

    Well, it is normal to happen if you have defeated a large number of demons.

    Kaede has reached level 260. Soon she will be on a par with me.

    And meanwhile I''m still stuck at level 300. The experience saving skill absorbs everything.

    No matter how much experience is doubled, it is difficult to move up when most of it is being absorbed.

    This ability is like a parasite.

    ¡¶Notice: magic saving and skill experience saving have been restored.¡·

    Messages appeared in my field of vision.

    I think I spoke too fast. I guess these will suck up a lot of my experience as well.

    Haaaah~.

    The village was hidden deep within the mountains.

    Far from the city, people continue to live their lives as in the past.

    Of course, there is no shower, there are no convenient items, there are few wizards, and it is an old town that goes to the trouble of boiling water using wood fire every day.

    However, this village is actually one of the best tourist spots that Grigit has to offer.

    As proof of this, the town is filled with several inns and is crowded with travelers.

    There are carved wooden bears and wild boars sold as souvenirs in the stores.

    In one restaurant, there is a sign that says "the famous Patthang village tit bread".

    Boob bread: what every man needs.

    ''''By the way, Master, after leaving the village as planned, we''ll be heading to the capital, right?''''

    "Yes, we will wait for Sain and the others there. Nei said that if we go back to Balseille now, we''ll just be going around in circles. It''d be better to ambush them at that place to end this."

    I will free Lisa and Soara, then I will kill Sain.

    However, I would like to talk to him before that.

    Of course that includes Lisa and Soara.

    This time, I am determined to find out what is true.

    "Don''t think too much about it."

    "I''m sorry. It was showing on my face, wasn''t it?"

    Kaede gently puts her hand on my arm and looks at me with concern.

    I have acted as if I am trying not to worry my friends as much as possible, but it is not easy.

    "You should eat this to cheer yourself up!"

    "Nom!"

    Suddenly, Frau puts something white in my mouth.

    I chewed it and the sweetness spread in my mouth.

    She, too, is having what appears to be white bread.

    "Amu, what is this?"

    "They were selling it at that place."

    "...Boob bread?"

    This town praises boobs a lot.

    The surface dough is spongy and delicious.

    I broke it in half and handed one to Kaede.

    "Nom, I missed this taste!"

    Kaede''s tail swished back and forth vigorously.

    Panda was mesmerized by the movements of her tail and kept looking from side to side.

    "Did you eat this too, Kaede?"

    "Yes, my grandmother would secretly feed it to me without my mother''s knowledge."

    "Grandma?"

    "Well, she was actually my grandmother''s grandmother..."

    She clenched her fists as she told me.

    I made her stop when I realized it hurt to remember it.

    But does the Beastkin race live for so long?

    Or was her great-grandmother someone very special?

    My doubts about how Kaede came to be a slave further invade my head.

    I forgot to ask her how she got to this point.

    I am failing as her master by not knowing my slave''s past.

    "Lord! Look at that!"

    "Uhm?"

    Frau grabs my head and forces me to turn forward.

    Hey, that was pretty rough.

    You are a slave, you should be more gentlel with your master.

    When my eyes focused on the street, there was a crowd of people in front of the cows.

    "The specialty of the people of Patthang, the best milk you''ll ever find! 500 for a glass, get in line!"

    People line up.

    The owner pours the milk from the pot into a glass and gives it to the customer.

    The customers have milk mustaches and look happy.

    I didn''t know the tits this town kept praising belonged to cows.

    I thought it was a different kind of boob. What a disappointment.

    "Master, let''s go have a drink."

    "Frau wants a drink too! I''m sure Panda would also like some!"

    "Kyui!"

    "All right, but don''t pull me."

    Two slave girls and an animal pull me by my clothes to get me to line up.

    Right next to the stall was a boy who was milking the cow vigorously.

    We each received a glass and drank together.

    "Hmmm, it''s so sweet and delicious!"

    "Fuha ~, delicious ~"

    "It''s very good, it makes Frau happy."

    "Kyui!"

    It was so delicious that we had a second glass.

    Paki

    Hmm, did I hold the glass too tightly that it started to break?

    I looked for cracks in the glass but didn''t find any.

    Paki, Paki Paki Paki

    That familiar sound kept echoing inside my head.

    It can''t be... But if the last reports were from the savings system...

    ¡¶ Notice: Since the skill saving''s level has reached the upper limit, it will be paid upon ranking up¡·

    ¡¶Notice: The payout has been improved by the effect of UP skill¡·

    ¡¶Notice: Skill savings has been damaged. It will take some time to repair¡·

    Eeeh.

 CH 40

    Skill savings was broken.

    ¡¶ Notice: Since the "skill savings" level has reached the upper limit, it will be paid upon leveling UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: The payout has been improved by the effect of skill "UP"¡·

    ¡¶Notice: "skill savings" has been damaged. It will take some time to repair¡·

    ¡¶Report: You have acquired the skill experience multiplier¡·

    ¡¶Report: You have acquired the "Dragon''s Eye"¡·.

    ¡¶Report: You have acquired the "Mega Boost Emissary"¡·.

    ¡¶Report: You have acquired a new job "Imitator"¡·.

    ¡¶Report: You have acquired the Super Versatile Key¡·.

    These are skills I''ve never heard of.

    Some of which I don''t know how to use at all.

    No, wait.

    The dragon''s eye sounds interesting, is it something the warriors of the ancient race had?

    It is said that the dragon''s eye is capable of perceiving hidden beings, such as ghosts and spirits.

    If something turns out to be very powerful, I may be able to capture it visually.

    The "Mega Boost" is probably a result of "Master Tamer".

    It can be used to increase the level of tamed monsters. This is strange, as I have heard of a casual level boost, not a Mega Boost.

    The "Imitator" job may be one of the skills of a copycat, but as the name implies, can you really copy someone else''s job?

    I haven''t tested these skills for a long time, but I should try them and check out their uses.

    The "Super Versatile Key" is another skill I''ve never heard of.

    I heard somewhere that the "Great Thief" has a "special key", a lock-picking ability that could access anything that is kept under a lock or even padlock.

    I feel like I''ve lost a little more of my humanity after this.

    "What''s the matter, my Lord? You seem a little dazed."

    "My ''Skill Savings'' is broken again, and my levels are growing."

    "That''s great, Master, congratulations!"

    "Yes, thank you."

    I smiled as Kaede hugged me.

    My pretty slave is always happy to embrace me.

    It makes me happy, but I''m a little embarrassed and can''t look directly at her.

    "Are you getting stronger again? No extreme changes?"

    Frau spun around and watched me.

    Every time she did, I could smell her sweet, flowery scent.

    As I pat her on the head, Frau''s face turns red and she freezes.

    "Hmmm~, sudden heat pads are cheating."

    "Should I stop?"

    "No! Caress me more!"

    "Even more?"

    I patted her head some more and she continues to turn red and freeze up.

    Frau is a beautiful girl who has a small body but captivates everyone.

    Being restless is a flaw of hers, but I think it''s also her charm.

    Even after all this time, I''m glad to have her as a friend.

    Toh

    Someone taps me on the shoulder.

    "Hey buddy, can you pay for that soon?"

    Panda seems to have drunk all the milk in the pot while we were distracted.

    He was floating in the air looking satisfied.

    I apologized to the owner and to the customers in line.

    There will always be situations that make you uneasy.

    And my concern at the moment was about Sain, Lisa and Soara.

    No matter how much I torture myself with these thoughts, I won''t solve anything if I don''t do something soon.

    Everything that has happened has helped me change and grow as a person.

    This change has made it possible for me to see things in a way that was impossible before.

    That''s why I''m going to enjoy this trip as best I can.

    "Master, look! That''s the rumored Tower of Kroyess!"

    "Wow, it looks really big from over here!"

    "Kyui!"

    We were able to observe a panoramic view of the landscape from the village observatory.

    The forest was surrounded by multiple mountains, and in the middle of it stood a giant, majestic tower.

    The Tower of Kroyess... One of the many ruins of the ancient race.

    The purpose of the tower, the method and reason for its construction, as well as the structure of its interior are unknown.

    The reason is simple: the area where the tower is located is the domain of the Elves.

    Humans cannot approach the tower and, therefore, it can only be seen from a distance.

    Although it''s also worth seeing from here, as the tower is more impressive from a distance.

    The appearance of the tower is very beautiful.

    It was pure white with golden decoration.

    At the top, a jewel-like red stone reflected a dazzling light.

    It is a solemn, but fantastic building.

    For us who were in a very high place, we could see it well without using a telescope.

    "I can see why this town is a tourist attraction."

    "Exactly."

    "It looks like a mountain when you look at it up close, but it''s very beautiful from a distance!"

    "Hmm? A mountain?"

    At Frau''s comment, I turned my head to look at her.

    I was very curious about her words.

    From the way she said it, it sounds like she''s seen it up close before.

    " ......Why do you have that face?"

    "Have you seen that tower up close?"

    "I already told you. Fairies are good friends with Elves."

    "Oh."

    I think I heard it when I visited her village.

    I forgot all about it.

    Does it mean that if Frau talks to the Elves, we will get a closer look at that tower?

    We might even get to see the inside of the place.

    I was really looking forward to seeing the inside of the tower.

    "Can you ask the Elves to let us see it?"

    "Well, they''re pretty stubborn. I think if I convince them, they might let us in... Do you really want to see that tower up close?"

    "Of course!"

    Frau smiles.

    I have a bad feeling about this.

    She will probably ask for something selfish.

    "Frau wants to reach level 220, please help me, my Lord."

    "Is that what you want?"

    "It would be my pride as a servant of the great race. Frau wants to level up fast because she wants to catch up with Kaede-San and help the Lord, even a little. I don''t want to be a burden anymore and stay flat-chested, I''m sure I''ll make it!"

    My eyes expanded at her words.

    I feel pressured by the demonic aura emanating from her.

    And I''m curious about the "flat-chested" part of her speech.

    Although I can understand why you might be concerned about the size of your breasts.

    "Okay, I''ll give priority to improving Frau''s level on the way to town."

    "Yay! We''ll aim for level 220!"

    Every time she jumped in the air, the pigtails of her yellow-green hair swayed.

    A village of elves sounds interesting.

    Being able to interact with a race that usually doesn''t open up to humans is intriguing for an adventure lover.

    And I''ve heard that elves are very beautiful. It''s natural for a man to be curious. Yes, it''s natural and normal.

    Gyu, Kaede hugs my arm.

    "I''m here for you, Master."

    "I''m not thinking anything of what you''re thinking."

    "Oh, yes, that I know."

    She turns red and looks at me.

    She rubs her tail all over my body, as if trying to imprint her scent on me.

    I caress her head and she closes her eyes, looking very happy.

    She really is a pretty slave.

    "My Lord! Come on!"

    "I''m coming!"

    Frau shouted and we started walking through the forest together.

    Frau swings her hammer and a Red Bear is tossed in the air with tremendous force.

    She flew at high speed, zigzagging between the trees, smashing the hordes of goblins and orcs in the blink of an eye, and sending the last remaining griffin crashing to the ground

    "Level 220 reached!!!"

    Frau raises her hammer and shouts in triumph.

    I''ve been watching her all the while, and she''s like a little storm.

    The pace she was killing the monsters at bothered me so much that I felt it was too much.

    "Are you satisfied?"

    "Of course, I will no longer be an obstacle."

    I know that feeling, Frau...

    A while ago I was striving every day not to be like that.

    Come to think of it, me, Kaede and Frau were lucky.

    The three of us are here by luck and connection.

    "!?"

    Fwip

    An arrow flew out of nowhere and pierced a nearby tree.

    "This is a forbidden place for you. Go home now, Human."

    An elven woman landed from an elevated position.

    She has white skin and long golden hair that she wears in a braid.

    Her slender body was clad in a small garment. The area the fabric covered would make you think it was underwear.

    Her face was so perfect that one would think it was fake. And her long, pointed ears made it clear that he was an elf.

    Griiiik

    She prepped her bow again and fixed her gaze on me.

 CH 41

    The bright arrowhead pointed at me.

    The one drawing the bow is a beautiful girl of about 17 years old.

    "I warn you once again. This is a forbidden place for you. Go home now."

    The girl begins to radiate murderous intent.

    Refuse the warning and I will kill you, passing on the silent words.

    "Alusha! Wait, don''t attack!"

    "Are you the fairy Frau, why are you with the human?"

    Frau steps between me and the elf.

    Apparently they know each other.

    All right, let''s leave this to her.

    "You see, Frau is now his slave."

    "What!!? Impossible! They aren''t satisfied enough with kidnapping elves and enslaving them, so they also capture beautiful and tender fairies, this is unforgivable!"

    "It''s embarrassing that you call me cute and cuddly!"

    Yup¡­¡­¡­ Apparently Frau isn''t going to make this girl stop.

    I don''t get the feeling that this misunderstanding will be resolved.

    She is quite angry.

    The elf''s eyes radiated murderous rage.

    "I''ll kill you!"

    "Hey."

    The elf shot her arrow.

    However, Kaede, who was standing in front of me, immediately knocked it down with her iron fan.

    Alusha''s face twisted and she clicked her tongue.

    "How dare you use a slave beast to counter my attack! You coward! Take this arrow of Alusha with dignity and die!

    "I''m surprised you can''t see the difference in strength."

    "I will kill anyone who mocks me. You and your master will die together."

    I am sure she is a high ranking archer, and will shoot arrows one after another.

    Her extraordinary dexterity and precise aim attacked Kaede at intervals that left her breathless.

    "I don''t need to use magic."

    Two iron fans waved as if dancing, and all the arrows were shot down.

    After blocking the thirtieth arrow, the opponent''s arrows were exhausted, and Kaede twirled her skirt and held her iron fan magnificently.

    Alusha breaks out in a cold sweat and kneels.

    "I can''t believe it...... you blocked all my arrows."

    "Don''t act so surprised. You''ll pay for aiming those arrows at my master."

    I placed my hand on Kaede''s shoulder and stopped her.

    "Alusha, we have no intention of fighting."

    "Don''t think you''ve won just because my bow has failed. Elves have spirit magic. You''ll be sorry you came to this land."

    "Listen to me!"

    The wind began to shift around Alusha.

    It is the use of magic by spirits, so it doesn''t require chanting or magical power.

    I have heard that only a limited number of elves can use it, but she was able to use spirit magic as well as the bow....

    "Spirit of the wind, pierce this man!"

    I immediately used the "dragon''s eye".

    I could clearly see things in my vision that I couldn''t see before.

    A translucent bird was floating next to Alusha.

    Its eyes caught me clearly and it flapped its wings on the spot to use its magic.

    Normally physical attacks do not work on ghosts and spirits.

    But now that I have clear vision with my "dragon''s eye", I should be able to stop it.

    Bashin

    I instantly ran towards it and struck the wind spirit with the handle of my sword.

    The spirit flies into the sky and disappears.

    I silently returned the sword to my back.

    "Come on, Spirit of the Wind! Spirit of the Wind! Spirit of the wind..."

    Alusha does not know that the spirit has disappeared and has given orders many times.

    And she hasn''t noticed that I''m behind her either.

    "The spirit is gone."

    "Aaaaah! How long have you been there?"

    She rolls backwards and falls to the ground on her butt.

    When her back hit the tree, she began to sweat profusely, pale-faced.

    The proud, self-confident elf disappeared.

    "It can''t be... The magic is gone."

    "The magic is gone?"

    "Ugu"

    "I''m asking you to listen to me."

    "Ugugu"

    Her expression changes and she looks like she is about to cry.

    I begin to feel sorry for her.

    Should I stop sightseeing and go home?

    "You are credulous, Alusha. Frau''s Lord is strong, handsome and the best. Now apologize to him and let him into your village."

    "But...... "

    "Come now. The visit to your village will be under the name of the Fairy Chief''s granddaughter. Everything that happens in the Elf Village will be the responsibility of the Fairy Village."

    "Ku, I can''t refuse if it''s a formal visit."

    Alusha stood up and returned to the depths of the forest, saying, "I''ll talk to the chief."

    If you had said that from the beginning, none of this would have happened.

    It is not easy to assume full responsibility.

    If a problem occurs, the fairy chief will be blamed.

    It might have been a mistake to come here.

    Although if we can get in, I''ll leave as soon as I can see the tower.

    Frau''s offer was accepted and we were invited to the village.

    However, the murderous looks fly from all directions, it is very uncomfortable.

    The elves who cross our gaze make a face of displeasure.

    On the other hand, the elven village was wonderful.

    Large stone buildings are lined up and a bridge is built between the houses, probably because they live in the ruins.

    The branches of large, abundant trees covered the top of the city and sunlight shone through the trees.

    The city itself creates an atmosphere that makes you want to stay forever.

    "If they do anything strange, you will be killed immediately. Elves hate humans."

    "I know. I''ll be back as soon as I see the tower."

    Alusha, who is in the lead, warns us repeatedly.

    It has been 100 years since humans were accepted into the elven village.

    It seems that last time it was a group of heroes, and they also had a lot of problems then.

    I''m sorry I''ve come to such a troublesome spot.

    "Eh."

    A hard object hit my head.

    When I looked at the ground, there were stones on the ground.

    "Go home, human!"

    "Yes!"

    Children throw stones one after another.

    It doesn''t hurt when I get hit, but it hurts my heart.

    It is well known that the relationship between elves and humans is not good, but it still saddens me.

    "Master."

    "It''s all right. Let them do what they want."

    " Very well......"

    As a former human, I should take this punishment in stride.

    If I had done anything differently, I could have had an elven slave.

    That''s why elves are such a fascinating race.

    Frau stomped on the ground and shook it with an impact.

    The noise from the elves disappeared.

    "You plan to start a war with the fairies by attacking the Lord of one? You took on this responsibility, so if you don''t cease this insolence, you will have to face the consequences... You haven''t forgotten that it was the fairies who defeated you, have you?"

    Huh, are fairies that strong?

    No, the flight speed and the turns they make in the air are certainly considerable.

    I have heard that fairies have a strong resistance to magic.

    They are small, and it is difficult to hit them with an arrow.

    For elves, it may be a race that they don''t want to have as enemies.

    "Frau, don''t threaten the villagers too much."

    "But Alusha, I can''t forgive this! They threw stones at Frau''s Lord."

    "That''s right, Toru-Sama, the people of my village have been very rude to you, and I will do my best to show you warm hospitality later on to apologize."

    "It''s not necessary."

    "You are too good to be a human."

    Alusha smiled for the first time.

    Now I can understand why humans are obsessed with elves.

    It''s like a flower swaying in the wind that I want to look at forever.

    Although she can''t surpass Kaede''s beauty and cuteness.

    "Welcome to my village. I am the chief of this place."

    "Thank you."

    A very handsome young man smiles on the couch in front of me.

    He looks like a 20-year-old.

    However, since elves are a long-lived race, their age cannot be determined by their appearance.

    "Excuse me if I''m rude, but how old are you?"

    "I am 320 years old. I''m quite old."

    I have no idea how much 320 Elven years are in human years.

    He looks younger than me on the outside.

    "I was wondering if I could get a closer look at the tower."

    "May I ask what you want?"

    "It''s simply curiosity. It''s natural to want to see a structure like that up close."

    "I see. Certainly, it''s an amazing place."

    The chief continues, "But there are conditions."

    "The tower is a symbol of this town, and outsiders should not be allowed near it. However, if you agree to our conditions, you may see the outside and inside as much as you like. In fact, you can even stay in this place as guests without having to have an agreement with the fairies..."

    "Really?"

    He smiled, then there was a pause.

    "We haven''t seen the inside of the tower ourselves, either. If you are able to open it, I invite you to do so."

 CH 42

    I couldn''t process what the chief in front of me had said.

    What do you mean you have never opened the tower?

    You''re the chief, yet you don''t know what''s inside?

    "That tower has always been closed and I''ve never been inside. If it were to be opened, it would be a historic moment in this town. Hahaha."

    "You''ve never been inside!!!?"

    "I don''t know what''s inside. I''ve lived on this land for generations, but I''m still not sure what kind of building it is."

    I was stunned.

    This is an important moment for us.

    In other words, that tower is an unexplored site.

    Excitement takes hold of me.

    If you give me the freedom to open it, then I will do whatever it takes.

    I want to see what''s in there.

    This is like a romantic feeling, isn''t it?

    "What would you do if we found treasure inside? Half may be.... too much, but I think I''m entitled to 30%."

    "30% is okay. If you can open it."

    Kaede froze at such words.

    Since they are convinced that it can never be opened, this is our chance.

    "Chief, this guy is an extraordinary human. If he accepts that kind of thing at face value, we''ll be in trouble if he opens up."

    "It''s alright. Even the Great Thief that came here long ago couldn''t open that tower. No matter what you think, he can''t open it."

    "But what if he makes it?".

    "You are very brave, but you worry a lot, Alusha. That''s why there''s no one who wants to marry you."

    "T-this is different, brother!"

    It seems they are siblings, and Alusha''s words made Kaede''s and my eyes light up.

    I don''t know if Frau knew this, but she was playing with Panda as if she didn''t care.

    "Anyway, if I open it, will you accept it?"

    "Of course."

    As far as I''m concerned, we''ll be able to see the tower up close, and if we can open it, all the better.

    I only went through the elf village because I wanted to see the tower from the outside, but this unexpected change of events makes it better.

    It is ridiculously large.

    The tower I was looking up at was like a white wall.

    I can''t find anything that looks like a window, and the only thing I can enter through is the huge door opposite.

    The door is made of metal and its design is reminiscent of the door of the temple of the sacred weapon.

    The time when it was built is probably the same as that of the temple.

    The door has a lock.

    This is very different from the temple doors.

    "How will we open it?"

    "Kyui"

    Frau, riding on Panda, approaches.

    I look through the keyhole, but I can''t see the other side.

    I knew it was different from those simple locks.

    I don''t know how it works even with the "Great Thief" skills.

    I knew from the beginning that it would be complicated, but this is beyond me.

    It appears that it can only be opened with an original key that cannot be duplicated.

    "Have you used your assessment skill yet?"

    "Yes. It has been described as closed and unopened for thousands of years."

    "So it''s an untouched ruin."

    This is exciting.

    I wonder what will turn up.

    "What is it, human? Open the door."

    "Wait a minute."

    "It''s useless anyway."

    Alusha was watching us, she''s about to give up before she even tries.

    It was an impossible challenge for many people of all races for several years, so it may be inevitable to have that attitude.

    But it hasn''t been challenged by me yet, that''s the difference.

    I will use a piece of wire that can be found anywhere.

    I inserted it into the keyhole.

    Then I activate the Super Versatile Key.

    Clank

    In just one second, the lock was unlocked.

    So it''s true, the Super Versatile Key can open anything.

    "It''s open."

    "See, I told you it was impossible, let''s just drop it and go."

    "I said It''s open."

    Kiiiig

    The door opened slightly.

    Alusha was so shocked that she fell to the ground on her knees.

    Her face was beyond shocked and she looked like she was about to cry.

    "How did you¡­ do that?"

    "It''s a pity, Alusha. We''ll be keeping 30% of any treasure."

    "Nooooo, please don''t do this!"

    "Hey, don''t hold on to me! That''s what your chief said!"

    Alusha, with tears in her eyes, went after Frau to plead with her saying; "Tell him it was a joke, we never imagined he would succeed!"

    Considering that I will take 30% of this tower''s fortunes, her attitude and sadness are understandable.

    But it''s too late. I opened it.

    And I have a great interest in the treasure that sleeps in the tower.

    Once the door was open, I decided to go in.

    "Ugh!"

    "Iagh!?"

    "What''s that?"

    "Kyui?!"

    Behind the door was a large chamber

    There was something huge in the middle of it.

    A beast egg more than 5 meters high.

    The surface was green with multiple protrusions and, although seemingly gelatinous, appeared inelastic.

    I reached out and touched it with my fingers.

    A hole was easily punctured and a foul odor was emitted from the inside.

    "Ugh, this thing is rotten!"

    "Was it in bad shape? The assessment says it''s dead. I can''t stand the smell - ugh!"

    Kaede walked away from the egg.

    It was more complicated for her to be close because her sense of smell was superior to mine.

    I looked around me; Frau and Alusha were also moving to the corner, holding their noses.

    "Kyui..."

    "I''m sorry to hear that, buddy."

    I petted Panda, who looked depressed. ¡¡ It is so large that it must have been the egg of a very powerful animal.

    He is quite sad that he could not become your friend.

    However, is there only this in this tower?

    "Lord, there are stairs over there."

    "Really? We''re going up."

    All of us climbed the stairs.

    "Aaaaah!"

    The second floor was full of water everywhere.

    The entire floor appeared to be a shallow water tank.

    Clean water flows from the wall. On the other side of the floor, a scaffold led to a stairway to the bottom.

    "There don''t appear to be any living creatures. And it looks like it can be used as drinking water."

    "Have a sip."

    I drew water with both hands and drank it.

    "Yes, it''s drinking water."

    After getting confirmation, Frau, Kaede and Alusha decide to take a sip as well.

    I wonder if it is extracted from underground. It is cold and refreshing.

    "I feel like taking a dip in this water."

    "Stop Frau, this water is important for my people."

    "Really?"

    Alusha drinks water again and again with a big smile.

    It''s a little creepy.

    "In this village, we have to walk a long way to fetch water. I had no idea there was such an abundance of drinking water right under our noses."

    "Good to know - but what''s wrong with this place?"

    "The story goes that the treasure of the elves is to be found here."

    Hmmm, treasure.

    The "Great Thief''s" sense of smell certainly tells me that there is treasure.

    There is something big here.

    We went up to the third floor.

    "Haaah!"

    A scream escaped at the spectacle before us.

    The third floor was lined with countless shelves, each containing an overwhelming number of scrolls.

    Each shelf was marked with a plaque describing the contents of the scrolls.

    But I can''t read the ancient scripture.

    "Appraisal, detection, clairvoyance, dissolution? It seems there are skills I''ve never heard of."

    "Can you read ancient writing?"

    "Yes, that I can."

    Ancient writing is writing that can only be read by highly intelligent scholars.

    What kind of beautiful slave do I have who can read and understand it so easily?

    "There is a magic scroll here."

    "Really!"

    Kaede runs when Frau calls her.

    ......Maybe I''m the only one who can''t read ancient script in this party?

    I looked back and saw Alusha with wrinkles between her eyebrows.

    Looking at the shelf again and again, he wondered, "What kind of parchment is this?"

    You can''t read either, can you?

    For the first time since I''ve been here, I feel close to you.

    "So many scrolls, it''s a real treasure. As an elf you must be happy."

    "That''s right. I know it''s late, but I thank you. If you hadn''t opened the door, we wouldn''t have had so much drinking water or this pile of scrolls. Toru-Sama is a good human."

    "Thank you."

    Apparently my actions have made her trust me a little.

    But I guess even I''d be tempted to say that with all these scrolls.

    The power to protect the village lay dormant here, no doubt it is the treasure of the elves.

    "Master, there are still stairs."

    We will now go to the fourth floor.

    There was a heavy door at the bottom of the long stairs.

    In addition, it is locked.

    Here again, the super versatile key comes into play.

    I pulled out the wire and inserted it.

    Glank

    The lock was unlocked and the door opened silently.

 CH 43

    By using Nei as a decoy, I managed to escape safely, and returned to the royal capital of Balseille.

    But what awaited there was a deadly humiliation.

    "I will congratulate you on getting the sacred sword. You have done well. However, what was that atrocity that happened in Northstar? With the demons right in front of you, you abandoned one of your companions and fled, allowing great destruction to be fall the city."

    ¡° ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±

    "If you plan to make an excuse after that, you''ll be delighted to hear what comes next. After you escaped from the demons, a party of adventurers called the Manyu brigade defeated them without batting an eye."

    "The Manyu Brigade?! How come they were there?!"

    As I was about to stand up, the knights guarding the king put their hands on their swords.

    I quickly knelt down again.

    I almost grabbed the king by the chest and I wouldn''t have let go until he gave me more information.

    Damn Manyu Brigade.

    They must have killed the demon after Nei weakened it.

    They stole my prey.

    They have interfered everywhere I''ve gone, and now they are following me.

    I will never forgive them. Never, never, never, never.

    Killing them will not be enough to satiate my anger.

    You''ve got to be fucking kidding me.

    "Your Majesty, please give me a chance."

    "Good. You''re still in the process of growing, and you''re still the hero. I''ll give you another chance to make up for your mistakes."

    "Aah! Thank you for having such a noble heart!"

    I''m feeling nauseous from the things I just said.

    If you weren''t the king, I would have trampled you underfoot and murdered you by now you damned old fool.

    I wonder if you will beg for your life as those adventurers did in that guild.

    The king bowed and looked up.

    "I have a special task for you, I expect you to fulfill it."

    "I will give my best!"

    An elven woman entered the room.

    She wore a collar around her neck, a sign of slavery.

    She is so beautiful that I can''t stop looking at her.

    "This is an elf I recently acquired. She''s very beautiful, isn''t she? I spent a lot of money for her."

    ¡° ............¡±

    "I''d like to have another one just like her, but I don''t want to have to pay for it. Your mission is to go to the elven village in the forest of Grigit."

    "Would you like me to capture one?"

    The king did not answer, only smiled.

    There is nothing more to say.

    I can understand your intentions without needing you to say anything more.

    So capturing an elf, huh... Well, I want one too.

    Since they are a rare species, their numbers should be few.

    If there is only one in the village, I will keep it instead of giving it to the king.

    The question is how to enter the elves'' village.

    It is an exclusive place that does not allow the entrance of humans.

    Even the hero would not be invited easily.

    I have to figure out a way to get in by any means necessary.

    In the past, elves have cooperated with heroes many times.

    They are devoted to them, so the story goes.

    This will be too easy... I can already imagine having my beautiful elf slave.

    "After you bring me the elf, your second task will be to defeat one of the six demon generals, Roiz. Can you do it?"

    "Yes! I definitely will!"

    "Very well. The next time we meet will be at the conference of nations in the royal capital of Grigit. There you will hand over my elf, and prepare to be publicly named a hero."

    I bowed to the king and left the place.

    Inside me the flames of anger burned.

    You don''t know how much I want to decapitate you, you damned old man.

    I''ve already lost count of the times I''ve murdered you in my imagination.

    You have the reputation of being a foolish king among the commoners, and they are absolutely right.

    Perhaps this country will not exist before long.

    This is where I was born and raised.

    But I''ll get the hell out of here once I''m a hero. No matter the fate, as long as I can do what I want.

    I will continue to do this work a little longer.

    I don''t like the idea of my reputation continuing to decline.

    On the way to the elven village, I heard many rumors about the Manyu Brigade.

    "Saved five cities in a single day."

    "He has a great sacred sword."

    "The slave he has is a very beautiful woman."

    "He defeated one of the demon king''s generals with a single blow!"

    "They have a fairy with them."

    "The leader is very handsome."

    "The fluffy animal with them is so cute!"

    "The real heroes are the Manyu Brigade."

    "It seems that there is a party in Balseille that wants to steal your credit."

    Something inside me was about to break.

    But I tried my best to ignore them.

    These are all just rumors.

    I know I am the real hero, and it will soon become clear who is the fake between the two parties.

    I think I''ve been too impatient with my success so far.

    The idea that I am the hero blinded me, and I didn''t act the way I should have.

    No wonder I have failed at everything.

    Let''s take a moment to remember who I used to be. When Toru was still in my party.

    "That''s the land of the elves?"

    "That''s what they say."

    "That''s a very nice tower."

    We observed the forest from a tower in a nearby village.

    Indeed, it is a beautiful tower.

    Come to think of it, I heard somewhere that that tower was an unexplored ruin.

    If we manage to get in, we could get our hands on some valuable relics.

    If I present the relics to the royal family together with an elf¡­ Fufu....

    I''ll get into that tower any way I can.

    If I say I''m the hero, surely the elves will be happy to invite me in, even if some show reluctance.

    The Demon King is a common enemy.

    It is impossible not to cooperate with the hero.

    Let''s go to the village.

    "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?"

    An explosion sends me flying through the air and I fall face first to the ground.

    Pfft, my mouth is full of dirt.

    Who are those that dare to attack the hero?

    I will make them regret it.

    "Are you all right, Sain!?"

    "I will heal you quickly."

    "Don''t worry about me. Worry about where the attack is coming from."

    I drew the sacred sword and prepared for battle.

    However, it is very difficult to see in the middle of the forest.

    The enemy is cleverly hiding their presence.

    "Go back the way you came, or you''ll regret it."

    An elf with braided hair appeared out of nowhere.

    Her appearance is as beautiful as the Elf I saw in the palace.

    How lucky I am to have found one so quickly.

    "You may not know this yet, but I am Sain, the hero. I have come here to ask for your help."

    "Hero?"

    The elf''s reaction was abrupt.

    I laughed inside.

    So you''re still afraid of the Demon King. It''s okay... Just do as I say and you won''t die.

    Come and beg me to come into your village and help you.

    In return, I want treasures and all the elven women they have.

    Biiin

    An arrow was shot in front of me as I was about to step forward.

    "I don''t care. It may be that in the past the elves cooperated with the former heroes, but we have decided that this village will not participate in any way in defeating the Demon King."

    "What!?"

    "Do you think we don''t know what the humans'' intentions are these days? We are sick and tired of their never-ending desire to kidnap us and turn us into slaves for their filthy kind."

    "You have no idea what you''re talking about."

    "I''m not interested in your excuses. We only trust the Manyu Brigade."

    When I heard that name, my blood began to boil.

    They are getting in my way again.

    Why do I have to keep hearing their name wherever I go?

    I will do my best to get into that village.

    "That expression - is that your true nature? I almost believed you when you said you wanted to talk, but the fact that you didn''t lower your sword made me distrust you."

    "Shut up! You''ll be my fucking slave!"

    Use the eye of seduction on the elf.

    ¡¶Warning: the eye of seduction has no effect on users who have a higher level than the skill holder¡·.

    What?! That warning again?!

    Why is everyone''s level higher than mine lately?!

    "Lisa! Soara! We''re going to invade the village!"

    "Understood!"

    "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

    I walked ahead into the forest while Lisa and Soara supported me from behind.

    I blocked the arrows with my sword as I tried to close the gap between me and the elf.

    Someone who uses a lot of ranged attacks is weak against melee, and once you cut the distance, there''s nothing they can do.

    , I have to incapacitate this woman, even if it means hurting her.

    Now that my reputation with the king is at stake, I must do what it takes to get it back.

    "Spirit!"

    "!?"

    The wind rages around the elf''s body and sends me flying backwards with a great amount of force.

    I managed to land on the ground unharmed.

    The elf looked at me with condescending eyes in the center of a strong whirlwind.

    Is it spiritual magic?

    I forgot that elves have powerful magic.

    To counter his magical power, Lisa unleashes her fire magic.

    "Flame blast!"

    "Magic shield!"

    An invisible wall counteracted the fire.

    I thought I heard a man''s voice somewhere.

    They also possess a magic shield.

    If my memory serves me correctly, there is a scroll that grants you the ability to prevent any kind of magic.

    Is it possible for elves to have such scrolls?

    "Haven''t you noticed yet? You guys are already surrounded."

    I tensed and used my assessment skill to look around.

    There were elves lurking in the trees, in the shadows, on the ground, everywhere.

    Countless arrowheads are directed at me.

    At what point did this happen...?

    "You said you were the hero, so I''ll give you a chance to leave alive. But this is not to say that the elves can''t kill the hero. I just can''t bear the thought of killing friends and fellow members of the Mayu Brigade. Set foot on these lands again, and you will not leave here alive."

    "Tch..."

    We retreated with a lot of arrows pointing at us.

    It was humiliating.

    I can''t believe I lost to mere elves.

    I could hear the victory cries of the elves in the distance.

 CH 44

    "Here''s one too."

    There was a magic circle in the room.

    Also, it seems to be active, as it shines like the one I saw before.

    I wonder where this one will take us .

    Last time we ended up at the ruins of Northstar Forest, now I want to believe it may take us to a very remote place.

    It''s a damn magic circle with no promise of security.

    But it is also true that my curiosity is stronger than my sense of caution.

    I think I am destined to be traveling from ruin to ruin through magic circles.

    Should I step on it or not? I really want to step on it.

    What if it is a dangerous place...?

    Hmmm... should I stop?

    It is smart to hold back when considering the risks.

    "Do what you think is right, Master, I will go wherever you go."

    "Same here. And you don''t have to worry about Frau, I''m strong now. I''m sure you''ll be able to find some treasures there. Fufu."

    "Kyui!"

    Their words encouraged me.

    I cannot be an adventurer if I am afraid.

    We are a party that enjoys traveling.

    I will solve the risks with force.

    "Well, our next destination will be the other side of this circle!"

    "Yes! Wohoo! Kyui!"

    Now that we''ve taken care of all our doubts, we can calmly check the room.

    Apparently there are no more rooms. So we decided to return to the village.

    Thud, thud.

    The chief elf fell out of his chair.

    "Whaaaaat!?"

    He held the back of his head and rolled on the ground.

    He must have been hit very hard, it''s a shame.

    I turn my gaze to Kaede.

    She nodded silently and used a healing wave on the boss.

    "You''ve done a great job, opening a tower that had been closed for thousands of years. And all it had was water and a bunch of scrolls. Huh."

    The chief laughs as he rubs the back of his neck.

    Then he lets out a big sigh.

    He seems to be thinking about the 30% of the scrolls he has to deliver to me.

    Scrolls are valuable in addition to water.

    Considering that the scrolls can only be used once. It must be a painful thing for him.

    In your mind you must be fighting a battle of how to deal with this situation.

    "Brother, you promised him a reward, and I advise you not to play any tricks. You must keep your word."

    "...I don''t know why I was brought up to be so stupidly honest."

    "Brother!"

    "I will keep my promise."

    The chief gave up, and nodded his head.

    Then he straightened his posture and held out his hand to me.

    "Once again, I thank you. What you have done, Toru-Dono, will be a historic change for our people. The abundance of water will enrich the village, and the scrolls will strengthen our defenses. It may not be much in.the way of gratitude, but I hope you feel at home in this village."

    "Thank you very much."

    I firmly shake hands with the chief.

    With this they should no longer throw stones at me.

    I''m looking forward to tasting the food and sake that the elves make.

    When the conversation came to an end, Kaede placed a scroll on the table.

    "Actually, I found a special scroll on the shelves. The contents are physical strengthening skills..."

    "What''s the difference between this one and the rest?"

    Kaede''s explanation is not very crisp.

    A typical parchment is light yellow, but the one in front of me was a beautiful white color.

    I know it is different from the color, but I would like to know exactly what the difference is.

    "This is a scroll that allows you to learn skills."

    For a moment, I didn''t comprehend what she was saying.

    Is it a scroll that allows you to acquire skills?

    Is there such a thing in this world?

    "The evaluation said "can only give a subject a skill once", unfortunately there were no rare skill scrolls, but I still think the value is immense."

    "You say there are different types of scrolls?"

    "Yes."

    The place was silent before the historic discovery.

    And the briefing ended like this.

    "Yes, this is the elves'' specialty, potato mochi wrapped in herbs."

    I was given a bowl with a bunch of potatoes wrapped in leaves.

    I wonder how I should eat it.

    Do I have to bite the whole sheet?

    Then Alusha, who is in front of me, picks up a potato and bites right into it.

    After all, it seems that it is not necessary to peel the leaves.

    "It''s so good and chewy."

    "Slightly sweet, but salty and sticky."

    "This is really delicious."

    The great banquet was being held in the great hall, many men and women were eating and drinking.

    Although it was our welcome party, it is actually a festival to rejoice in the treasure found in the tower.

    But thanks to finding the scrolls, there''s no one to mess with us.

    Some of them approached me favorably, and I was able to meet some of the villagers.

    "Kyui! Kyui!"

    "Would you like some?"

    Panda flies everywhere.

    Unlike Rosuke, this boy eats, and eats a lot.

    Anything in its path, it can devour it.

    The hole that appeared under his eye swallowed the offered potato in one bite.

    Panda squirmed half-heartedly, then opened his eye and spun around happily.

    He seems to like it.

    "Buha!"

    It feels good to drink the homemade elven sake.

    It''s a high grade drink, but that''s good.

    "Hmm. Must be fun out there."

    "What, you''ve never been out of the woods?"

    "I am in charge of protecting the village. Above all, elves are meant to be born, live, and die in the forest. There is no need to leave in the first place."

    "Hm"

    They are even called the guardians of the forest.

    A race that has chosen to live with nature.

    Still, she is curious about the outside world.

    "But in legends, there are often elves, why?"

    "The Demon King distrusts the spiritual magic of the elves. Therefore, there is a history that several villages have been attacked many times. It is troublesome for us to have to form alliances with humans, but one cannot help but consider the future of the elves. I wonder if that is the case. "

    "Still, you guys are powerful, since you can use chantless magic."

    "I don''t want to hear that from the guy who knocked my spirit away."

    Incidentally, the spirit I had struck with the handle of my sword returned to Alusha.

    Although it has never appeared in front of me since.

    "If you have an interest in the outside world, you can join us."

    "I am pleased with the invitation, but I will refrain from accepting it. I love this village. I will not leave."

    Alusha takes a sip of her drink.

    I felt a little depressed, I thought I could get an elf to join the party.

    But it''s not good to be pushy, right?

    "However, I will take care of you while you are in this village. If you want to go hunting, I''ll go out with you as much as you want."

    "So, is there a place where you can see interesting things near here? I''ve already seen the tower, so I''d like to see something else next time."

    "I think I know a place you might like."

    She says there are places near town that are good to visit.

    Moreover, ones that even the elves do not know. This arouses my interest a lot.

    "It''s a dangerous place. If I decide it''s too dangerous a place for you, we''ll turn back. Do you understand?"

    "You know how strong we are. You worry too much."

    "That should be for me to say."

    Alusha smiles and brushes aside the braid hanging over her shoulder with one hand.

    Once you get to know her, she''s a very cool woman.

    But in my mind, I still see that elf I had defeated in the forest and was scared after losing her spirit.

    No, let''s forget it.

    Best to spare her dignity.

    "Are you making fun of me in your head, Toru-Sama?"

    "Impossible, hahaha."

    Alusha had tears in her eyes.

 CH 45

    We left the village and entered the forest. We walked for about three hours.

    Alusha is the leader.

    She easily climbed a slope and sat down to wait for me.

    "Humans are so slow."

    "I''m sorry. It''s hard for me to walk in the woods."

    "You''re a warrior - how can you be so weak?"

    "There is no point of comparison."

    There is no doubt that the image of a warrior is different between her and me.

    Kaede, who had been waiting in front of me, handed me a wet handkerchief.

    Then I wiped the sweat and dirt from my forehead.

    "Master, why don''t you use the imitator?"

    "The imitator?"

    "Yes. I understand that you''re a dragon knight, but we have a role model here, and I think this is the perfect opportunity for you to try out your job, ''Imitator''."

    I don''t know how to use it yet, will it work?

    But it''s about time I got to know my skills.

    I have already had Kaede check it out with her evaluation skill.

    At that time it only said "imitate the adversary".

    Okay, let''s do this.

    "Let''s keep going, don''t let me out of your sight."

    Alusha climbs a steep cliff with great ease.

    Then Frau climbed on top of Panda, and Kaede instantly climbed up with a sharp movement like a beast.

    That leaves me.

    I will summon my imitator abilities. I will copy Alusha''s movements.

    My body starts to move on its own and can easily climb the rock wall.

    I am better in terms of ability. It feel natural to be able to do that.

    These moves would make all the difference in a battle in the forest.

    "Oh! As expected, Toru-Dono, you''ve already mastered my movements!"

    "Y-Yes..."

    "I knew you were a great warrior! You absorb knowledge quickly."

    "Y-yes..."

    I can''t say I had it easy with Job.

    Sorry, Alusha.

    From there, I made an effort to learn the moves while using the "Imitator".

    The nice thing about this job is that it forces you to mimic the movement.

    The sensation remains, so it is easy for the body to remember.

    After trying several times, it was easier to predict the next action.

    And after about ten times, I''m able to climb the cliff on my own.

    "We''re getting too far away from the village."

    "Don''t complain. You said you wanted to see something unusual."

    "Well, that''s true."

    She said it with a smile on her face.

    My impression of her has changed a lot since the first time I met her.

    I guess this is the real her.

    "Well, we''re almost there- Kyaaa!"

    "Careful."

    I quickly grabbed Alusha from behind, who is about to trip over a pebble and fall.

    The shoulder I touched was soft and supple, I thought elves were slippery.

    "How...how long will you keep holding me?"

    "I''m sorry."

    When I released her, Alusha''s face was bright red.

    His long, white ears were also red.

    "Master..."

    When I turned around, I saw Kaede with misty eyes.

    And then she hugs me around the waist and presses her head against me.

    "Master belongs to Kaede!"

    "I know."

    I caressed her head, her ears lowered, and she looked at me with a n expression of great devotion.

    Her glass-clear golden eyes were fixed on me.

    "Lord, are you going to forget about Frau?"

    Frau was angry.

    Panda was below her, and for some reason he was also looking grumpy.

    "Come on, I''ll give you a pat on the head."

    "No! Do you think that will make me feel better?"

    "Kyui!"

    I stroked Frau and Panda''s head.

    At first she resisted, but gradually she pushed her head into my hand and demanded more and more.

    Panda was glassy-eyed and seemed to feel fine.

    "Hmm, I love how the Lord pats me on the head."

    "Kyui!"

    The mood seems to have improved.

    Slaves will always do what you say, but don''t take advantage of them or make fun of their feelings. They are your friends before they are slaves. As a master, you may have many faults, but you must do your best to live up to their expectations.

    "Are you done yet?"

    "Sorry to keep you waiting."

    Alusha, whose ears were still red, began to run ahead of us.

    "Here we are."

    There was a rock wall on a mountain. In that wall was a hole.

    "How do we get down?"

    "Easy."

    Alusha jumps down, with one hand on the edge of the hole to brace herself.

    She went straight in.

    I''m an imbecile. I should have known better.

    Although if I fall at that height, a world of extreme pain awaits me.

    "Rosuke."

    "Sha-ya!"

    I called Rosuke and had him go around a tree that was nearby.

    From then on, I used him as a rope to descend.

    A humid wind blows from inside the hole.

    "It is hard to imagine that there is anything unusual here."

    "You''ll see."

    "I''m sure I will, but is it really that rare?"

    "It''s a beautiful view, to say the least. I guarantee you can only see it here. It is said that the previous hero was guided here and loved the place."

    Hmm, that looks promising.

    For a hero, whose job and mission involved seeing everything in this life, fighting magnificent creatures, and traveling through remote landscapes, this could still impress him.

    That must mean whatever awaits me is bound to be something incredible.

    "My skin is moist and itchy."

    Kaede rubbed her ears repeatedly and stroked her tail to show her displeasure.

    There was a lot of moisture in the hole and my hair was cold to the touch.

    Frau, on the other hand, looks great on Panda.

    Her two yellow-green ponytails waved naturally.

    It is noted that fairies have a slightly higher body temperature than humans.

    It seems that this environment is fresh for her.

    "Got it. "

    "Oh!"

    Very transparent stone pillars protruded from the wall.

    They looked like emeralds, and emanated a light that made the whole hole look bright.

    In addition, there are puddles everywhere and water drops falling from the ceiling form ripples.

    It appears to be a limestone cave.

    Unsurprisingly, the humidity is high.

    "This looks like a unique mineral. It''s rare that it can be found at this quantity."

    I think it was a rare mineral that glows when it reacts to magical power.

    It is said to be processed as a tool to detect the activation of magic in advance and is widely recognized by nobles and magicians. It is a much more valuable stone than even gems.

    The reason this place shines is probably because a magical vein runs underneath it.

    But it is such a mysterious and captivating spectacle that the specifics don''t really matter.

    "There''s a better place in the back."

    "Please show me."

    When we went to the bottom of the hole, there was a large pond.

    And the pond itself is bright and very, very clear.

    As I got closer, I could easily see the background.

    "This is the treasure of my people. Remember that it is a place that is only shown to those who are worthy of our trust."

    I guess that means the elves have accepted us.

    "If possible, I would like to give you something that a human would be pleased with, but the people of our forest have nothing to do with such things. I''m sorry."

    "Don''t worry, this is more than enough. Thank you Alusha, this place is incredible."

    We smiled at each other.

    This is a place wonderful enough to be called a treasure.

    Most of all, I was happy to be recognized by the elves.

    Right now I''m not sure how to use my powers, but I hope that someday I can do something for the elves and other races.

    "Let''s go now. We can''t stay here long."

    "Why?"

    "In this hole--"

    Glop

    Bubbles rise from the center of the pond.

    There is something under the surface.

    "Oh no, it knows we''re here!"

    "Gurgaaah!"

    A giant lizard emerged from the pond.

    A variant of the dragons, a White Gator.

    The epidermis is white and exudes a carnivorous ferocity.

    "Leave this to me and run!"

    "No, you get behind me."

    I drew the great sword and stepped forward.

    I will get rid of this monster so that the elves can visit this place in peace.

    Hey, white lizard.

    I will cut you into pieces.

    Gachin

    The large white creature snapped at me.

 CH 46

    The White Gator bites me.

    Its sharp fangs embed themselves and try to pierce my skin with a force similar to a nail trying to pierce wood.

    I feel like I''m getting a lot of pressure points pinched.

    It hurts a little.

    "Toru-Dono!"

    "Hm?"

    "Why are you responding so casually!?"

    Alusha''s eyes expand to such an extent as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.

    For someone who doesn''t know my level, this scene must be a chilling spectacle.

    Kaede and Frau are not worried at all, or they are just observing the minerals embedded in the walls.

    They are not concerned about this situation.

    After all, no one worries about being bitten by a kitten.

    "Haaaaaa!"

    "Gggghhh!"

    "Toru-Dono?"

    I entered the lizard''s mouth and slid down its throat.

    It''s very narrow. This must be the stomach area.

    I thrust my sword into the inner wall of the stomach and cut it from the inside.

    I have nothing against you, but it is for the good of the elves.

    And this will serve to make me a feast.

    "Ugh, it reeks."

    I cut the flesh from the inside and crawled out.

    Blood dripped down my body and I was covered in sticky lizard mucus.

    I should have defeated him in a way that wasn''t so pathetic.

    This victory feels very hollow.

    The white lizard was rolling over and shaking.

    "Hey, Alusha, mind if I take a dip in here?"

    "Sure..."

    "Cool, thank you."

    I placed my sword in its sheath and took off my clothes.

    Then I leapt into the pond.

    Ooohhh, it''s cold!

    "Ha ha ha ha ha!"

    "What is it?"

    "You never cease to amaze me, Toru-Dono! This monster was the master of this place that has eaten and killed many elves! And then, just when I thought it was hard to kill, you come along and take it down so easily! And now it''s lying dead in its own habitat!"

    Alusha hits the floor and laughs out loud.

    She must be under a lot of pressure trying to process all this.

    Elves are so strange that they find this sort of thing amusing.

    Poof, I''m going to dive to the bottom of the pond.

    As long-lived as this monster may have been, it''s hard to live in a place like this without food.

    There must be food somewhere.

    When I got to the bottom, I noticed a side hole.

    A long tunnel led to the back of the cave.

    When I reached the end of the tunnel, there was a very wide space.

    Light was falling from above and the surface of the water glistened.

    Aquatic plants covered the surroundings, and fish swam in front of me.

    I see, so the cave pond is connected to this big lake.

    I decided to go back to where my friends were.

    "Is there a lake near here?"

    "There is one. According to humans, you can catch a delicious type of fish there."

    So, this pond was the place where that monster slept.

    I kept the lizard in the magic storage.

    I would like to strip it down before arriving at the village.

    Elves don''t eat meat. So they have no experience in such things.

    "What the heck is wrong with me!? My level went up too high!"

    Alusha is surprised when she checks her stats.

    "What level have you reached?"

    "I should be level 44, but now I''m level 120!"

    "That''s probably my fault."

    Since I recognized Alusha as a partner, my experience UP skill affected her.

    I will make an evaluation of our stats.

    Me: 300 ¡ú 301

    Kaede: 260 ¡ú 271

    Frau: 220 ¡ú 243

    Killing that monster was very beneficial with respect to experiences.

    "I love my skills!

    "No way."

    Skills Evaluation [Lv15]. Chant Omission [Lv20]. Shock correction [Lv20]. Power level [Lv20]. Healing wave [Lv20].

    Apparently... She seems to have broken the limits of her abilities.

    However, unlike me, the upper limit of her skills is 20.

    Frau is also amazed at her stats.

    Skills

    Her too? Unlike Kaede, she has few skills, all of them raised to the maximum. As expected, Frau did not hide her emotions.

    "Something is wrong with my skills!"

    "I don''t think so."

    "Look at that! My levels are amazing!"

    "Yes, congratulations."

    I will not give Alusha an explanation as to why she has risen so high.

    It is a tedious thing to explain.

    ''''Surely this must be a gift from the God of the Forest!''''

    That''s what she chose to believe.

    After returning to the village, we took refuge in the tower, not even bothering to eat.

    We have to select what kind of scrolls we will keep as part of our reward.

    There are a lot of scrolls, so we''d better hurry, or we won''t be able to get out of here.

    It''s getting easier and easier to spend time here, so I feel like I could stay for months.

    "I''ll take five evaluation scrolls for now."

    "Is that all you want?"

    "I can''t just depend on you Kaede all the time, and I''ll take six scrolls with me for underwater breathing..."

    "I don''t think we have any need for those scrolls.."

    I took her at her word and grabbed fifteen Underwater Breathing scrolls.

    On the other shelves, Kaede and Frau are choosing the scrolls they want.

    Frau flies with a scroll.

    "I found the scroll with long-distance messaging magic you mentioned."

    "Thank you. With this we will be able to communicate easily."

    "What''s that good for?"

    Alusha asked curiously.

    Messaging Scrolls: in a nutshell, you can send a mental message to the person you have in mind, it can be used anytime and anywhere.

    It is an emergency communication method that can be life-saving.

    "How many such scrolls are there?"

    "I didn''t count them, but there must be hundreds. They occupied several shelves."

    "We''re going to take 30 of those."

    Frau flies away again.

    That may be a lot, but we still have quite a few to choose from.

    Although time is limited.

    "Don''t worry if you can''t choose the ones you want right away. You can always come back to this village, you are our friends now, and you will always be welcome."

    "Are you serious? Thank you very much, Alusha."

    "Fufu"

    "?"

    Alusha turned red and placed her hand on her chest, then left the room.

    I wonder what''s wrong with her, is she sick?

    I think I will ask Kaede to use healing magic on her later.

    "Master, I found many amazing scrolls!"

    Kaede came over with a big smile, carrying many scrolls.

    As she placed them on the table in the corner of the room, she began to explain their uses one by one.

    "This one absorbs magic power, this one lets you sleep well at night, this one increases your appetite, this one adjusts your rooms temperature to a pleasant degree at night, and this one shows your current address and position."

    "...All are unnecessary."

    "Huh!?"

    A good night''s sleep, a good appetite and a comfortable room temperature are everything to me.

    I appreciate your concern, but I don''t want anything that is useless.

    "I don''t need to absorb magic power."

    "But if you run out of magic..."

    "It''s something I''ve been ignoring for a while, but I have an ability where I can borrow magical power, and I can even share it with other people."

    It seems to be a rare skill, so Kaede has not been able to see it in my stats. I''ve already tested it, though, and it works.

    The result was the exchange of magical power with others.

    Between Kaede and me, I am by far the one with the most magical power.

    If she runs out of magic power, I could lend her mine without any problem.

    "So none of this is necessary?"

    "Exactly. By the way, what''s that scroll you have in the back?"

    "Huh!? That''s not a scroll!"

    Hmmm... This is very suspicious.

    I pulled out an evaluation scroll and checked what she was hiding.

    [Improvement of smell].

    .....I see.

    Okay, let''s pretend I didn''t see that.

 CH 47

    Today is the day we leave the elven village.

    I had been allowed to stay here for four more days.

    Alusha and the chief came to say goodbye.

    "So you''re leaving now... I''ll miss you."

    "We''ll be back. We still haven''t fully decided which scrolls we''ll be taking as our reward."

    "You are always welcome here. You are now friends of the elves."

    We shook hands.

    One day we will meet again.

    Maybe that time will come sooner than we think.

    The chief approaches and whispers.

    "I feel concerned about the destination this magic circle will take you to. I am sorry to bother you with this request, but if there is a problem, feel free to send us a message. And if this circle is in a place where it can easily lead other creatures or humans to our village, please destroy it for me."

    "I will."

    He probably has it in mind to use the circle, since if it''s not exposed or a security risk, he doesn''t want it to be destroyed.

    The provenance is a matter of considerable concern.

    Personally, I would like not to destroy it.

    After saying goodbye, we headed to the magic circle.

    It is not clear where it will send us.

    If we are not careful, we could find ourselves in a place where we could die instantly.

    But it is inevitable not to want to know what awaits us.

    "Let ''s go!"

    "Yes! Alright! Kyui!"

    The three of us jumped into the magic circle at the same time.

    Huh.

    We arrived at a place where there was very little light.

    The magic circle shines, but the space is too big to overlook.

    It smells of dust and dirt.

    And there are no signs of any animals nearby.

    ¡¶Notice: the level of the camouflaged ring is now level 2¡·.

    Are you really going to level up at a time like this?

    What a bad time to do it.

    Although it is useless to scold the ring....

    "Be wary of the surroundings, and don''t turn on any lights yet. Kaede, make an assessment to find any enemies. Frau, use reconnaissance to see if there''s anything lurking."

    "Understood."

    "Panda, float above us."

    "Kyui!"

    I unsheathed my sword and sharpened my senses.

    I feel no malice, no traces of living beings.

    The air doesn''t feel heavy.

    Maybe we are in an enclosed space.

    "I don''t see any enemies."

    "Nothing and no one is hiding."

    "All right, make a light."

    Kaede uses her orb of light to illuminate the place.

    Apparently, we are inside some ruins.

    There are pieces of the ceilings crumbled on the floor, and there''s debris from the walls scattered all over the place.

    I see no exit anywhere, I sense that this is a closed room.

    I will use [Great Thief] to find a way to get out.

    "That ''s strange."

    I pushed a part of the wall, and suddenly a passageway opened up.

    However, there was no light behind that hidden door, everything was completely dark.

    Also, I can''t feel any air flow, so this must also be an enclosed space.

    "I know we''re inside some ruins, but I don''t see any signs of a way out. This is worrisome."

    "We have to find one fast. I don''t like being locked up."

    "Kyui."

    The three of us walked through the door.

    Various parts of the room have cracks that allow bits of dim light to shine through.

    It is approximately the same size as the previous room.

    Moreover, the deterioration is even worse here, and the sand falling from the roof formed small piles everywhere.

    "What do you think?"

    "Hmm, the front wall looks suspicious."

    I made sure to knock on the door in hopes of finding another secret room.

    But unfortunately, this time there was nothing like a hidden door, and it was in a completely sealed state.

    Although a slight sound was generated the moment I touched it.

    It seems that you can''t get out without destroying the wall.

    "Everybody stand back."

    I pulled away, took a step back, and quickly ran towards the door to break it down with my body.

    Just one moment before I made impact, the door flew open.

    "Waaaaah!?"

    "Huh?"

    Behind the door, there was an old man in a robe.

    The momentum of my body caused me to collide with him and I knocked him over with me, slamming us to the ground. The lantern he was holding in his hand hit the ground, generating a loud noise.

    Ugh.

    The old man''s lips and mine touch a bit.

    His beard makes me feel a tingle around my mouth.

    "Uaaaagh"

    It made me nauseous.

    It''s not the first time I''ve kissed someone, but it''s certainly the first time I''ve done it with a man.

    I couldn''t even imagine an old man being in a place like this.

    "Hey, get away from my lips!"

    "I''m sorry..."

    "I''ve never done this with anyone but my wife!"

    "Don''t bring it up again, please, you''re torturing me."

    Anyway, I apologized for the incident.

    Even if it wasn''t really my fault to appear out of nowhere.

    In my mind, destroying the wall made me look cool. But the reality was different.

    I should have broken the wall with my fists.

    "Are you all right, Master?"

    "I hope that old man didn''t do anything to you!"

    "I''m fine, don''t worry."

    I explained to Kaede and Frau that there was no problem.

    Although the incident with the old man''s lips is something that I''m taking to my grave.

    Fluttering footsteps echo.

    "I heard a scream, are you okay?"

    We are in a place that looks like a living room.

    There is a passage in the back, from where four adventurers came out.

    A muscular man, who appears to be the leader among them, turns the torch towards us.

    "You are safe, Lord Scotchell!"

    "I''m not injured. I''m just a little surprised."

    "I''m glad to hear that. By the way, who are these people?"

    "I don''t know. They came out of nowhere, through that wall."

    "Wall...?"

    The adventurers who appeared drew their weapons.

    "Wait, we''re not bad people!"

    "Then tell us who you are. From the looks of it, you seem like other adventurers, but nothing assures us that you are not demons in disguise."

    An adventurer suddenly appears in the ruins.

    This is certainly very suspicious.

    "We are the Manyu Brigade. We are a B-rank party."

    "Manyu Brigade... Are you the rumored adventurers we''ve heard so much about recently?"

    "That we are. What is this place?"

    "It is the deepest part of the ruins near the capital Grigit."

    The deepest part of the Grigit ruins?!

    Weren''t there about 20 floors in those ruins?!

    We were very lucky to be sent to a distance relatively close to the elves'' village.

    It means that the distance it takes to walk about three days has been considerably reduced.

    The old man noticed my bracelet and looked back.

    "Oh, that''s a hero bracelet, he''s telling the truth!"

    "What? Old man, you know about the bracelet?"

    "Yes, I was once the hero of this country."

    The old man rolls up his sleeves and shows me a gold bracelet.

    The design is different, but certainly very similar to mine.

    "Hey, don''t you dare call Lord Scotchell old!"

    "I''m sorry, but you guys haven''t introduced yourselves either."

    "Orlos, calm down, the boy is right."

    "Hmph"

    The old man steps forward and introduces himself to us.

    "I''m Scotchell, a former hero with the title of baron, and these are [The Flame Axe Gang], they''re escorting me."

    "My name is Orlos, I am the leader. this is Poloa, my vice leader, this is Lynn, and lastly Bax."

    Scotchell is an elderly man with gray hair and a beard.

    Orlos is a strong man with fiery red hair tied at the back of his head.

    Poloa is a young man with one eye hidden by a long golden fringe.

    Lynn is a girl from the cat tribe, a part of the beastkin race, and has brown hair.

    Bax is a muscular young man with short black hair and a headband.

    The flame axe gang, I had heard of them before.

    I believe they are an S-rank party that originated here in Grigit.

    If they have reached the deepest part of the ruins, then they must be a very skilled party.

    "I have a hobby of investigating ruins, and this time I planned to investigate the deepest part of these Grigit ruins.... But then you lot showed up and interrupted me."

    "Sorry for the inconvenience."

    "It ''s alright. How did you get here?"

    Lord Scotchell''s eyes were sparkling.

    Even if he didn''t bother to ask, I could see it in his gaze as if he were saying "if you came out from in there, then there must be a big secret."

    I can''t say anything about the magic circle.

    It would be a big problem if you could use it to enter the elven village.

    "I had stepped on a magic circle by mistake. I didn''t know what it was, so I was just engrossed in looking at it. I think it was a trap."

    "Where did you step in the magic circle?"

    "In the underground ruins of Einark."

    "That''s a little vague."

    Lord Scotchell looks at me with suspicion.

    "Let me take a look in the back."

    "Go ahead."

    The old man feels along the wall and enters the place we came out of.

    He looked in all corners with a lantern and then let out a sigh.

    "I had hoped to find some relic that has not yet been discovered, but I see that there is nothing here. These ruins have been exhausted."

    "Is there something you''re looking for?"

    "Well, my granddaughter has been poisoned, and I''m looking for a high-grade antidote. This search is just an excuse."

    The old man''s face twisted with sadness.

    It was terribly heartbreaking to watch.

    I wanted to help him.

    I put my backpack down and pulled out the magic storage.

    From within the cloth, I retrieved a bottle I was saving.

    I took it out, and gave it to Lord Scotchell.

    "This is a high-grade antidote."

    "What!?"

    "With this you will be able to help your granddaughter."

    The old man, upon receiving the antidote, fell to his knees, closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief.

 CH 48

    We advanced through the ruins with the members of [The Flame Axe Gang].

    Lord Scotchell positioned himself in the center, and we, the Manyu Brigade, took charge of the rearguard.

    We were walking through a dimly lit passage that felt like it went on forever.

    Orlos, who is in the lead, continues to light the way with his lantern.

    "It is a miracle to have met you. I was about to lose my beloved granddaughter."

    "Is the poison she''s afflicted with really that deadly?"

    "Does the poison of a gargoyle sound familiar?"

    I understood immediately and nodded.

    Gargoyle: a humanoid monster that looks like a demon. Its epidermis is hard as stone and its claws are equipped with a deadly poison that turns a person stiff as stone before eventually killing them.

    There are three forms of detoxification.

    The first is to use an ability that can eliminate the poison.

    The second is to use a scroll that can counteract the poison.

    The third is to use a high-grade antidote.

    On rare occasions, some survive the poison, but if they are exposed, they will almost certainly die.

    "My family has no money. We couldn''t afford medicine or scrolls. Besides, the skill of detoxification is so rare that it doesn''t exist in this country nowadays."

    "So, with your last bit of hope, you decided to come to the ruins..."

    "Yes, and look how well things turned out."

    The old man smiles.

    His kind nature and good heart were reflected in him.

    There was an atmosphere about him that made me think, "I want to be this kind of old man when I get old".

    "By the way, Manyu Brigade, how well do you all fair in combat?"

    Orlos'' question comes like daggers aiming at key points in my body.

    "Pretty much okay, I think."

    "Don''t lie to me. There''s no way anyone who doesn''t have great strength or have a special ability would be given the title of hero. What''s your real story, have you ever slayed a dragon?"

    "Only a Red Dragon."

    "Really!?"

    The members of the Orlos party were surprised.

    This is an understandable reaction.

    Red dragons are ridiculously strong, but they also have something that defines them.

    It is usually the red dragons that attack cities and towns.

    It is a symbol of fear, so to speak.

    At the same time, it is the number one monster that adventurers want to defeat.

    Kaede leaned close to me and whispered.

    "Was that when you gave me that medicine?"

    "Yes, you had a hamburger that day too."

    "Ah, that''s right, it was delicious."

    I almost drooled remembering the taste of dragon steak.

    I should have saved more meat.

    "Wow, I''ve never seen a fairy before, nya!"

    "Fufu, Frau is more than just cute, she''s also soft."

    "What''s that white stuff, nya?"

    "This is Panda. He''s Frau''s servant."

    "Kyui?!"

    Lynn and Frau seemed to be enjoying a lively conversation.

    Panda, on the other hand, seemed to be angry.

    "Why do you add a [Nya] at the end of every word?

    "Because the boys like it, nya."

    "What?!"

    "It''s not a problem for me, nya¡«, men drool over me every time I talk, nya¡«."

    "Kuuuuh, what is this feeling of defeat?"

    Frau winces.

    But Lynn is right.

    For some reason, men like cat girls, and even more so if you add that characteristic word to the end of their sentences.

    I wonder why... It''s a mystery.

    After spending a full day underground, we breathed in the fresh air and soaked up the warmth of the morning sun.

    "What a nice feeling, I feel like a new man."

    "There was a lot of dust in the ruins."

    "I really want to take a quick bath. My body is sticky."

    "Kyui."

    The entrance to the ruins was deep in the forest.

    The leaning stone statues were adorned with ivy and some of them were covered with lush moss.

    The ground, where the cobblestones would have been, is grassy, with rotting stone pillars lined up in two parallel rows.

    "Let''s take a break here, Lord Scotchell."

    "No, I have to hurry home. I don''t have time to rest."

    "But we''re reaching the limits of our strength."

    "Panda."

    Panta appears in front of Lord Scotchel.

    His oval shape further expands until it becomes sufficient to carry one person.

    "Panda is a beast that can carry people and items. I''ll send him to your home, so feel free to use him."

    "Thank you for your help."

    GUNYON, the old man rolls his eyes as he climbs up.

    He was surprised to feel it for the first time.

    Panda is soft, fluffy and a little warm.

    "It''s ......interesting to see what kind of creatures these animals are."

    "Don''t rub it too much, he doesn''t like it."

    Be very careful while rubbing Panda, Lord Scotchell.

    Indeed, Panda''s eye expresses his anger at such an act.

    We left the ruins and began to advance towards the royal capital of Grigit.

    "That''s my home."

    "It''s a small mansion for a former hero and a baron."

    "I don''t like big things. Just enough to be able to live."

    "I very much agree with that thought."

    Lord Scotchell''s mansion was a two-story building facing the main street.

    Its width is so wide that it looks like there are two houses.

    It has a fashionable appearance and makes a nice impression.

    I wonder if it''s his wife''s hobby.

    "We have arrived."

    "Thank you for going out of your way to bring me to my home. This is my way of thanking you."

    "Understood!"

    "Invite your friends over to eat something really delicious."

    "Thank you, master!"

    The Flame Axe gang gave us a slight wave before leaving.

    "Master?"

    "Orlos is my disciple. He is now even stronger than me. He was a brat many years ago, now he has grown into a great man."

    Master and disciple... I like that.

    In my case, I learned the basics from my father, but he died when I was young, and since then I have been mostly self-taught with respect to fighting. There is no one I can properly call a teacher.

    I envy Orlos.

    The old man invited us into his house.

    "Father, did you find anything in the ruins?"

    "I had no luck."

    "I see..."

    As soon as you enter the house, a middle-aged woman comes running out of the back.

    Probably the mother of his granddaughter, she was kneeling on the floor.

    "Instead, some people I met in the ruins gave me a high-grade antidote. This will help Anna."

    "Woaaaah! Is this the guy who gave it to you!?"

    "Yes, now prepare the cups, we have to give our guests a warm welcome."

    "Yes, Father!"

    The mother who received the jar thanked us before going upstairs.

    This will help your daughter.

    I was invited into the dining room and sat in a chair.

    "I''ll go make some tea, please wait for a moment."

    "Don''t worry, it''s not necessary."

    "Don''t be silly, you just saved my lovely granddaughter''s life, I can''t just let you sit there quietly."

    Lord Scotchell went to the kitchen.

    Never before had a nobleman made me a cup of tea.

    It is unbelievable that someone like him would treat a commoner like me this way.

    Freshly brewed tea is placed on the table and Lord Scotchell sits down.

    "Thank you so much for what you have done. I can''t tell you how much it means to me.

    "That''s okay. I happened to have an extra antidote."

    "For you it may be, but not for me. I owe you a debt I can''t repay, and I don''t know how to shape this feeling."

    He pounded his fist into the palm of his hand saying; "I got it!"

    He ran out of the room, the sound of his footsteps echoing throughout the house.

    He is a very energetic old man.

    I didn''t know he had the energy to keep running when he was so exhausted before.

    When he returned, he placed a box on the table.

    "Pay close attention to what I have in my hands!"

    "What is it?"

    "Fufu, do you want to know? Do you really want to?"

    "Don''t get so mysterious now."

    In his hands was a rectangular box made of wood.

    At first glance, I don''t know what''s in it.

    But that size... It looks familiar.

    Lord Scotchell opened the box and there was something wrapped in cloth.

    The fabric is lifted and what was underneath is exposed.

    "No way."

    "Yes, this is a beast egg."

    In his hands he held a pale blue beast egg.

 CH 49

    A pale blue beast egg.

    The surface is elastic and smooth with no protrusions.

    "What state is it in, Kaede?"

    "It ''s alive."

    I never thought I would see a beast egg in such a place.

    Now that I think about it, Lord Scotchell was very interested in Panda.

    It makes sense that he would have one

    "Are you giving this to me?"

    "Yes. At worst, I was thinking of selling it to help finance the purchase of an antidote, even though it was given to me by her late Majesty as a token of our friendship. I never wanted to sell it, but at times like this, it''s the least I can do."

    "And you still plan to give it to me?!"

    I cannot accept it.

    Now that''s a bad idea.

    It is unthinkable to give such a precious object gifted to you by the royal family to a complete stranger.

    "It''s all right. I didn''t have enough magic power to wake it up. If I leave it like this, it will be a waste of a treasure. Besides, I can''t stop thinking about it."

    "Aaahhh! Anna!"

    "Thank God, I''m glad you''re alive!"

    I can hear the mother''s voice from the second floor.

    At the sound of her voice, Lord Scotchell closes his eyes and makes a satisfied expression.

    "It is decided, I will hand this egg over to the heroes of the Manyu Brigade."

    "If you insist..."

    It would be tactless to say anything more about the man''s steadfast determination.

    Once he says something, he doesn''t regret it, his eyes tell me so.

    Frau sits at the table and taps the egg.

    "You''re telling me there''s another creature like Panda in there? That''s weird."

    "It''s true that they are different from ordinary creatures. I wonder how many types there are in total."

    "As far as I know, thirteen species of eggs have been identified, but there is actually some speculation that there were more types of beasts a long time ago."

    I knew the relic was interesting.

    Ancient creature eggs, as much as you hear about them, are full of wonder.

    Panda approached the egg and made a gesture as if he was smelling it.

    Are you reacting to your new friend?

    "Can I wake it up now?"

    "It belongs to you. You can do with it whatever you want."

    I hastened to transfer magical power to the egg.

    As it is somewhat annoying, I decided to inject it all at once.

    "That''s a lot of magic. It''s distorting space."

    "That''s because Master is Master."

    "Kaede, that''s not an explanation."

    "Kyui."

    The egg''s absorption of my magical power finally ends.

    The feeling is similar to that of Panda.

    The egg began to leak blood.

    Bushuuuuu. Steam came out of it.

    The top of the egg opened up into six parts, revealing the interior.

    ....I can''t see anything.

    Shu.

    Something jumped out of the egg.

    It then fell to the ground and bounced.

    "It ''s a fish."

    "It ''s a fish."

    "It ''s a fish."

    "Kyui"

    It has a light pink body surface and a rather flat head.

    The mouth opens and closes repeatedly.

    The mouth opens.

    The mouth closes.

    The mouth stopped moving.

    "It ''s dying!"

    "Water! Water, water!"

    We took the fish to a tub of water and I released it in there.

    After a while he began to swim slowly.

    That was dangerous.

    I almost killed him as soon as he was born.

    Lord Scotchell is looking into the bathtub, thinking about something.

    "It''s probably a shark. Definitely."

    "Are you talking about those wild animals that are in the sea?"

    "Yes, the appearance is a little different than what I saw, but the body is that of a shark."

    A friend in town showed me a shark in a picture book, but I think it had a scarier face.

    His eyes are distant, he has no fangs in his mouth, and he has a vaguely dopey look that makes it hard to tell what he''s thinking.

    The shark looks at me and opens its mouth.

    But if you look closely, it can be charming and beautiful.

    "What name do you want to give it?"

    "How about SharkBoy, per the shark similarity?"

    "That''s great! Hi, SharkBoy!"

    "It''s a strange name any way you look at it, at least we can have some fun with it."

    When I petted Shark Boy, he was happily wagging his tail fin.

    I wonder if it will feel comfortable in that environment, since it is not seawater.

    And I don''t know how it can be of use to me either - is it a support beast or an attack beast?

    Kaede gives him an assessment.

    "It looks like it''s a familiar beast guarding the water. I''d say it''s between Panda and Rosuke."

    "I see... I''m counting on you, Shark Boy."

    "Glup glup!"

    I stored Sharkboy in the seal that was engraved on my arm next to Rosuke. The moment I did so, the tub emptied.

    "If you want, you can relax for a while in my home. We have some spare rooms that you can use as you like."

    "I appreciate it very much, Lord Scotchell."

    "You can call me Scotchell. I''m going to go see my granddaughter, so I''ll see you guys later."

    He smiled and then went upstairs.

    The next day, Scotchell knocks on the door to a room.

    There was a young woman looking out the window from her bed.

    This is Scotchel''s granddaughter, Anna.

    She had shoulder-length blonde hair cut short, her eyes were blue, her body was white and slim, and she had an atmosphere about her that makes you want to protect her.

    She is a girl with a charming appearance and nice smile.

    "Grandpa, who are they?"

    "The adventurers who gave me the antidote. I told you yesterday."

    "Ah, you must be the Manyu Brigade. Thank you for doing this for me. I know it was a very expensive item, but how can I repay you?"

    "Don''t worry, I''ve already received the appropriate reward."

    Scotchell stops her when she tries to get out of bed.

    "Feeling better already?"

    "I''m not worried about the poisoning, but I haven''t recovered all my strength yet."

    According to Scotchell, a week ago she was scratched by a gargoyle that entered while she was doing laundry. Fortunately, she was able to make it home and was unharmed, but the resulting poison began to spread and slowly weakened her.

    The doctors had told her that she had two weeks to live, so if we had spent one more week in the elven village, she might not have been in this world.

    It is more than luck. It is a miracle.

    Pak, pak.

    Intense footsteps echoed in the house.

    Bam!

    A blond-haired young man opened the door to the room with force.

    "Anna! Is it true that you were poisoned by a gargoyle!?"

    "Hyunkel-Sama!"

    "Anna! Anna!"

    The young man pushes me away and kneels at the side of the bed.

    Then, he gently covered Anna''s right hand with both hands.

    "Why didn''t you tell me? I would have done anything for you."

    "Hyunkel is the heir to the throne of this country. To use the power of the royal family for the daughter of an inferior aristocrat like me..."

    "Don''t say that! I''d do anything to protect you!"

    "Hyunkel-Sama..."

    "Anna!"

    The two people embraced.

    I don''t understand anything, my brain itches from trying to understand this.

    A situation like this gives me heartburn. So much romanticism makes me feel weird.

    It''s true, I''ve had moments like these with Lisa before, but now I''m 25 years old, so this seems exaggerated to me.

    "It''s lovely. I admire two people who love each other."

    "I love the idea of a prince. It''s every girl''s dream."

    "Kyui?"

    Perfect, now I have two daydreaming girls.

    I guess these things happen to me because I am inexperienced in love.

    ....Wait a minute, what''s this about a prince?

    As if sensing my hesitation, Scotchell speaks to me in a low voice.

    "My granddaughter is in love with the First Prince. So many important things were happening that I forgot to tell you about it until now."

    "Then Anna will be the next queen!"

    "It''s too early to decide. She is the granddaughter of the baron, and he is the first prince, they are very different people. It is still acceptable for her to be a concubine, but when it comes to taking the title of queen, there are many people who oppose the idea."

    In the past, there have been several cases where royalty have married individuals of a lower status.

    But basically, they would marry someone close to them in status.

    It is very complicated to accept that idea considering that the baron hardly fits into the nobility.

    "My mother loves you. You will definitely be the queen."

    "Hyunkel-Sama..."

    Here we go again with the cheesy stuff...

    I''m going to leave this room.

    Anna''s gaze turned to me as I took a step.

    "These are the ones who helped me."

    "Truly!?"

    The prince stood up and hugged me.

    "Aaaah! Thank you so much for helping Anna!!!"

    "Y-Yes... You''re welcome."

    "What is your name?"

    "Toru."

    Hyunkel grabs my arm and drags me forcibly out of the house.

    "Come with me."

    A beautiful carriage was parked in front of the house.

    The gentleman opens the door and climbs in without hesitation.

    After a moment we also got into the carriage.

    "Where are we going?"

    "You''ll find out when we get there."

    That''s all he says before smiling in satisfaction.

    We''re not going to the palace, are we?

    I don''t want any trouble.

    I hope I am wrong.

    But certainly... The carriage was headed for the palace.

 CH 50

    Bang

    The prince vigorously opens the door with both hands.

    "What''s the matter, Hunkel? You''re a prince, act decently..."

    "Mother! Reward those who have helped Anna."

    "This is very sudden, I need more context."

    The prince jumped into the audience chamber with the queen.

    The queen, who looked beautiful on the throne, was in the middle of an argument with her vassals.

    The room was noisy, and the vassals and knights stood aside in silence.

    We suddenly entered the room and found ourselves in a very uncomfortable state.

    "And how many times do I have to tell you to call me "Your Majesty" when we''re here?"

    "I''m sorry, you''re right, I''m sorry mother."

    "You should be!"

    The queen rises from her chair and hits the prince''s head with a fan.

    However, the prince doesn''t seem to mind.

    Are you used to being beaten?

    "I don''t understand, could it be that I''ve hit you over the head too many times and that''s why you''re so dumb?"

    "Don''t worry, mother. That''s the way I''ve always been."

    "I know, my son, you always have been. And that doesn''t reassure me."

    The Queen returned to her throne as if she had surrendered.

    She made a slight gesture with her hand and motioned everyone out of the room except the knights.

    Then she turned to us with an intense gaze.

    "Judging by their appearance, they are adventurous. Anna needed a high-grade antidote to help her with her health problem, and it looks like these people offered it to her."

    "That''s my mother! You''re very perceptive!"

    "Hah, no big deal, it was a simple thing to guess."

    The queen places a hand on her forehead.

    You can see the anguish in her deep sighs.

    None of this interests me, I would just like to go home.

    If they plan to give me a reward, I''d like them to give it to me as soon as possible so I can get out of here.

    "Give them a million each. That way we''ll get this over with quickly. I''m a very busy person, and you know it."

    "It is not enough, mother. The importance of the country is just as important as Anna''s health. You should give them a medal for saving the future queen''s life. And not just one million, but ten million each."

    Hey, a medal?

    I will not accept that.

    I simply had the medicine and gave it to an elderly man worried about his granddaughter.

    The queen had a look of disgust as she placed her hand on her cheek.

    [This is not the first time I have had to listen to this kind of nonsense coming out of my sons mouth without him thinking about his words beforehand]. That was the atmosphere that the queen demonstrated.

    "You have a strong point - and these people, aren''t you going to introduce me to them?"

    "Oh, right, Toru, please introduce yourself!"

    The conversation suddenly turns to us.

    It''s annoying, but I have no choice but to do it.

    "I''m Toru, leader of the Manyu Brigade. These are Kaede, Frau and the fluffy animal is Panda. We are a party of adventurers who travel all over the world."

    "The Manyu Brigade... Are you the ones I''ve been hearing a lot about lately?"

    The queen seemed to be surprised when she saw my bracelet.

    She placed a finger on her mouth and kept silent, then smiled as if she had thought of something.

    She then quickly straightened her clothes and posture.

    "Manyu Brigade, I am pleased that you have come all this way. As a mother, I thank you greatly for helping my daughter-in-law, Anna, survive her terrible ordeal."

    "It was no big deal..."

    "I know this is sudden, but what is your next objective? Are you looking for a well-paying job as an adventurer?"

    "That sounds good."

    I thought I saw the Queen''s eyes light up.

    I have a bad feeling about this.

    I smell trouble ahead.

    I tried to rush out of the room saying; "I''m sorry, I have business to attend to." but the knights closed the door.

    "I have heard magnificent rumors about you for quite some time. I have heard that you have defeated two of the Demon King''s generals. Can you defeat a third one as well? Of course, you will be well rewarded."

    "Huh, yeah..."

    Another knight grabs both my arms and forces me to bow in front of the queen.

    I don''t think I will escape until I have heard your proposal.

    "Fufu, I think I can talk calmly now."

    The queen narrowed her eyes happily.

    Beyond the royal capital of Grigit, there is a mountain range that passes through two towns and three villages.

    You have to cross the mountain range to reach the neighboring country, Grayfield.

    However, it is said that for the past two weeks, a horde of demons has been occupying the roads that cross the country.

    Immediately, the Queen began a cleansing operation to wipe out the demons.

    The results have been disastrous.

    The enemy was very strong, the group of demons was led by a general who was one step below the Demon King.

    The queen was so angry about this that she sent word to Balseille, a country that had an adventurer with an aspiring hero.

    However, the adventurer never arrived.

    He should have been here by now.

    So we conveniently arrived at a time when the queen was in distress.

    "I feel like the prince and queen are setting me up."

    "Is there something wrong with that? It''s for the good of the people, for the good of this world, and for the good of the Manyu Brigade."

    "Kaede, have I told you that you are a very good slave to me?"

    "Hehe."

    I stroked Kaede''s head as she walked beside me.

    Her tail rubs casually against my ass.

    Speaking of which, I feel like her hair has improved a lot, probably because she uses the shampoo and conditioner of the ruins.

    It feels very soft when I stroke it.

    Her fox ears are also fluffy, and when petted, she ducks them.

    "Ah"

    Kaede tripped over a pebble and quickly grabbed the hem of my clothes.

    "Excuse me, I didn''t mean to!"

    "I don''t care. Just watch your step."

    "Okay."

    For some reason, Kaede won''t let go of my hem.

    He looks me in the eye and seems to want to say something.

    "Uhm... Can I keep holding on a little longer?"

    "Of course."

    "Master!"

    Her smile is as if a beautiful flower had bloomed.

    She fidgets and follows a little behind me, pinching the hem.

    After all, my slave is very pretty.

    "Frau wishes she had been born with Kaede''s height."

    "Kyui?"

    "That''s none of your business, meddlesome Panda!"

    "Kyui!"

    Frau and Panda were arguing.

    It''s good to see them getting along so well.

    Suddenly, I heard a sigh of dismay behind me.

    "Why do we have to follow these people?"

    "If you don''t like it, you can go home alone, nya."

    "Ha, that''s even worse. Then I''ll have to listen to Orlos'' scolding."

    "Then be silent, nya. Good men don''t talk about unnecessary things, nya."

    Poloa clicks his tongue.

    This time we were forced to bring companions to defeat the demons.

    They are Poloa and Lynn, from the flame axe gang.

    They seem to be close friends of the royal family of Grigit, and were sent as collaborators and observers.

    The reason these two were specifically chosen is simple; because they are relatively agile and have a high probability of escape even against demons.

    "Hey Toru, are you really that strong?"

    "What makes you think that?"

    "I took a look at your stats with the evaluation scroll. And according to this, your level is 50. Our opponent could be over 100."

    I am using my camouflage ring to hide my level.

    As for the skills, only damage reduction, physical strengthening and the UP skill effect are shown.

    Comparing the levels of past heroes, I could easily be a joke.

    "They gave the title of hero to the party, not to me. If possible, I want everyone to see us as a party that works as one, and not recognize us for our abilities as individuals."

    "I''m sorry to say this, but if that''s the case, Then The Flame Axe Gang is better suited for this mission than you guys. I guess Armand has already produced so many heroes, they''ve finally fallen to the bottom."

    "I sense a lot of confidence in your words... I hope you''re wrong."

    Poloa replied, "Sure! This is very strange!"

    You can say all you want, you have known nobles for a long time, you have raised enough money to buy their titles.

    As far as I''m concerned, I stopped caring about that kind of thing a long time ago.

    By the way, we are currently on a narrow path that is located on a precipice.

    Apparently, this is a shortcut.

    Graaank

    A large rock rolled down from above.

    "Watch out!"

    "Quick, get out of the way!"

    Lynn and Poloa were the ones who noticed and shouted the warning.

    Buuush

    I lightly tapped the rock with my hand, as if swatting a fly.

    The rock disappeared into the sky.

    I hope it doesn''t hurt anyone.

    I should be more careful when I do this kind of thing.

    After that, Lynn and Poloa were stunned by my strength.

 CH 51

    Blop, blop

    Kaede smiles and pours the ingredients into the pot.

    Purple grass.

    Creepy humanoid-looking vegetables.

    Meat of a mysterious origin.

    Tamp.

    Close the lid.

    "It''s almost ready, Master."

    "Good."

    I nodded in agreement.

    Poloa and Lynn, who were watching Kaede cook, turned pale with astonishment.

    The hand holding the bowl seems to tremble.

    "Fufu, are you scared? Relax, Kaede''s cooking is delicious."

    "I''m not scared of your food! It''s just that... It''s very strange to me.

    "I''m scared. The color looks horrible."

    This fear is very understandable.

    Kaede''s plate scared me when I first saw it.

    And with the type of ingredients it contains, you''d think it was poison.

    But its taste, contrary to its appearance, is out of this world.

    How Urara taught her to cook is a mystery.

    Whether she follows the recipes to the letter, or just adds ingredients depending on her tastes. It''s all a mystery.

    "Come here, Kaede, I''m going to brush your tail."

    "Thank you for your help."

    Frau took out a comb, and was brushing Kaede''s tail.

    The fur on Kaede''s tail, which had a rough appearance, became truly beautiful after being brushed.

    "Hey, don''t get in the way."

    "Kyui."

    Panda tried to approach Frau, but before Frau could do anything to him, Kaede caught him and held him in her arms.

    Panda''s eye glazed over and he becomes quiet.

    "Instead of being a party of adventurers, you''re more like a family."

    "Really?"

    "We are something like that too, but not on your level, Nya. I get sleepy every time I watch you guys, Nya."

    "I don''t like it. You guys look too distracted to be adventurers."

    Poloa still does not seem to be satisfied with everything we do.

    Maybe it''s because he''s the underboss of the Flame Axe Gang, but I get the impression that he''s a stickler for common sense.

    Lynn, on the other hand, has a laid-back personality that doesn''t worry about these details.

    She has a more relaxed attitude while Poloa is in charge of thinking about problems.

    I have been shown many such scenes on this trip.

    "Shi-ya".

    Poloa and Lynn react to the sound and draw their weapons.

    "Don''t worry, it''s Rosuke, my hunting beast."

    "Rosuke?"

    Rosuke stretched out his long body and moved through the air.

    I had him come out of the seal the moment we got here. But apparently the two of them didn''t see when I called him.

    "Rosuke is like a watchman, he''ll keep away the demons that come near us."

    "It looks like a snake."

    "I''m not sure I like snakes either."

    "Sha!?"

    Shocked, Rosuke curls up in my arms out of sadness.

    Although he is a rough beast that has no feelings, it seems that he can''t stand to be mistaken for a snake.

    "The food is ready."

    Kaede opens the pot, and extracts the thick purple liquid.

    As I expected, it smells great.

    It strongly stimulates my stomach.

    "It''s... Delicious."

    "I can''t believe it."

    When they put the soup in their mouths, they froze upon seeing the difference between its appearance and flavor.

    On the second day of our trip, we arrived at the mountain range.

    It was worth taking the shortcut, and we arrived at our destination ahead of schedule.

    There is a valley road located in the center of the mountain range.

    The corpses of humans lie everywhere, and the remnants of a fierce battle can be seen.

    They must have been attacked by demons while trying to pass through here.

    "Kaede, how many enemies are there?"

    "Many. I''m starting to see them."

    Approximately ten masked demons jump off the cliff and onto the road.

    The man in the black robe who appeared at the end may be the commander.

    "Hello, humans. Do you want to come this way? Are you lost? Are you looking for something?"

    "No. We''re here to get rid of you."

    "That task will not be easy. Are you heroes? Who are you? Are you only human? Am I wrong?"

    The man in the black robe was gaunt and had sunken eyes.

    His words, actions and behavior are unnatural and creepy.

    I can deduce that he is a wizard, because he has a wand.

    "Poloa, Lynn, you guys stay back."

    "We can''t do that. You''re going to fight a mage, nya."

    "Tell me what to do and I''ll help you."

    "No, with me it''s enough."

    Poloa brought up the rear, "at least let me cover you."

    Now, third general of the demon king, show me how powerful you are.

    I drew the great sword and held it in both hands.

    "You''re Roiz, right, can I ask you something?"

    "I don''t like to talk to the enemy, but I suppose I have to in order to gather information. I''ll let you ask something just once, and in return you''ll answer my questions."

    "Why did you block the road?"

    "It''s bait to lure the hero. The greatest enemy of all demons, the one trying to kill the Demon King."

    I see.

    So the demons are going straight for the hero.

    Maybe they wanted to kill him before, but they couldn''t find him since they haven''t heard any news about what Sain is doing for a while now.

    If it''s any consolation, I also want to kill the hero as much as you do.

    "Now it''s my turn to ask you a question - where''s the hero?"

    "I don''t know."

    "Let''s change the question - who was it that killed our compatriots, the demon king''s generals?"

    "It was me."

    The demons made a stunned noise.

    Roiz also stepped back, as if he had not expected that answer.

    "Who are you?"

    "A simple warrior."

    "Nonsense! We''ll end this now!"

    The ten demons accompanying the general drew their knives.

    They disperse and start attacking from different directions.

    "Wind cut!"

    Fuush

    The demons were cut down by the wind blade.

    The enemy flinched as Kaede held out her iron fan so gracefully.

    "Break Hammer! Aaaaaa!"

    Frau''s hammer hits the enemy directly, and the opponent is sent flying and driven into the wall.

    "Only you are left."

    "They are only disposable tools. Roiz''s real power comes after his men are dead."

    Demons that should have been dead rise from the ground.

    In addition, the corpses of humans lying dead in the vicinity also rose up and we were suddenly surrounded by more than fifty opponents.

    So this is the famous necromancy I heard so much about.

    An abhorrent magic that manipulates corpses to obey the caster.

    "Get away from me!"

    "That''s disgusting, nya!"

    Poloa fights from a distance with a bow, and Lynn fights to keep the corpses away.

    This situation is something we can easily overcome, but just in case, I''ll bring out my escort.

    I called Rosuke and ordered him to protect Poloa and Lynn."

    "What can I do for you, master?"

    "If you want me to get rid of them, I can do so gladly."

    "No, I''ll do it. You guys keep an eye on the general and make sure he doesn''t escape."

    I held the great sword and controlled my breathing.

    I used the [Dragon Knight] and [Great Thief] skills simultaneously.

    In addition, I will use the moves learned from Alusha to be more agile.

    "Hah!"

    My speed increased so much, that one of the corpses reacted to me and looked back the moment I cut it in two.

    Then I cut one after another until they were all lying on the ground again.

    Roiz still couldn''t process the fact that his army was lying on the ground in the blink of an eye.

    Roiz was left alone again, and stepped back.

    Did you realize that you have no chance of winning?

    "Ice Rock!"

    "Eh!?"

    Kaede acted fast, and froze his legs so that he could not escape.

    I slowly approach him.

    "Get away! Get away from me!"

    "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of killing Sain, so you can die peacefully."

    "Wait, what do you..."

    From one second to the next, Roiz''s head flew through the air.

    I put my sword away quietly, and turned around, Lynn and Poloa staring at me in amazement.

    Both were frozen with weapons in their hands.

    "Is something wrong?"

    "Are you really level 50?"

    "Yes."

    "That''s a lie! You''re hiding your true level with some camouflage item or something!"

    Ugh, he knows.

    I knew that at any moment someone would notice once they saw I wasn''t struggling.

    On the way back to Grigit, Poloa and Lynn were completely silent.

 CH 52

    The queen slides her elbow off the armrest.

    The throne is about to fall and the knight rushes to hold it.

    "It''s only been three days."

    "But the work is already done."

    The queen looked at Poloa and Lynn.

    "I saw it with my own eyes, nya."

    "He''s not lying, he did."

    "In three days..."

    The queen rose from her throne and approached me.

    He takes my right hand and squeezes it with both hands.

    "On behalf of all my people, thank you very much, hero."

    I felt embarrassed and scratched my cheek with my left finger.

    The queen, who is above the clouds for commoners, came to me and grabbed my hands.

    It''s a great honor, but it''s something I''m not used to, and I''m very embarrassed.

    When I looked at Kaede and Frau they smiled, they looked happy.

    After all, does a slave really take pride in seeing his master become famous?

    I''ve tried to keep a low profile, but if that''s the case, I might as well be a little more active.

    No, I can''t. If they find out I''m level 301 or something, I''ll be in a lot of trouble.

    When I looked at the queen, I realized she was mumbling something.

    "King of Armand, you are a cheating man. I can''t believe you had such a good adventurer in your lands. If I had met him a year earlier, I could have given him a hero''s title.

    "Eh?"

    "Oh, I was just thinking out loud! Oh-ho-ho, I''m so sorry!"

    The queen tapped my shoulder.

    She may be a queen, but she has the attitude of the typical old lady in town who cares about you and makes jokes.

    Oops, not a good time to think about these things.

    He returns to his throne and opens his fan.

    ''''Then let me give you your reward for fulfilling the request so well. Bring him here.''''

    A car was brought to the courtroom.

    On top was a pile of white gold coins.

    "There''s 200 million there. And I''ll give you your own private mansion in the royal capital of Grigit."

    "What!"

    "Since I can''t give you the title of hero, the best thing would be to give you a very comfortable mansion in this country, so you can come back here whenever you want, fufufu."

    "No no, what I''m trying to say..."

    "Huh? Are you going to turn down the Queen''s generous offer? Hmm?"

    Hee, his eyes are scary.

    On his face is a smile, but his eyes say otherwise.

    I reluctantly accepted the offer.

    The queen''s attention is captured by Frau.

    "Oh look at that, it''s a fairy!"

    "Is there a problem with that?"

    "Not at all, I''ve always wanted to meet one. I''ve admired them since I was a little girl, I never thought I''d see one here."

    "Oh... Okay."

    The queen was so excited she looked like a child.

    Frau turned around with her face red with embarrassment.

    "Isn''t it too big?"

    "It''s not an optical illusion. This place is huge."

    "How can anyone live in a place like this!"

    "Kyui!"

    The mansion had been prepared exclusively for us.

    There was a fountain in front of the entrance, and a lush lawn grew in the garden.

    The path from the gate to the mansion was well paved with stones.

    The important building is also two stories high and wide.

    This is much bigger than the house I once used to live in.

    I am afraid just to make comparisons.

    I wonder what the cost of this place will be.

    Will the country take care of all the cats?

    The queen said this place would be for us. But I can''t afford it.

    "Master, let''s go inside."

    Kaede wrapped her arms around me, and pulled me forward.

    When I saw how happy she looked, I felt that nothing mattered to me anymore.

    If my lovely slave is happy, that''s fine with me.

    Then there will be time to think about those details.

    I took the key out of my pocket and opened the door.

    Frau came in on top of Panda, and her eyes kept looking around the house.

    "It doesn''t seem like a bad place to live, but it''s unnecessarily large. I''m sure I''ll get lost in this place.

    "Kyu."

    "Come on, Panta, let''s look over there."

    "Kyui!"

    The two disappeared down the hall.

    On second thought, staying in this place is convenient.

    I just have to wait for Sain to come to this country.

    To do this, he needed a place where he could spend a long period of time in comfort.

    And I couldn''t stay in Baron Scotchell''s house forever either.

    This reward is not so bad, I feel grateful with this.

    "Master, there''s a bathroom!"

    Kaede runs back.

    Wow, there''s even a bathroom?

    I''ve only been to one a couple of times, and they''ve been quite exhilarating, it feels great to wash in that place.

    "Do you want me to wash your head again?"

    "S-Stop treating me like a child!"

    "I''m kidding."

    I don''t have the courage to be alone with the current Kaede.

    Unlike in those days, she now has the body of an adult woman.

    "Oh no. I just missed my chance."

    ¡°?¡±

    He lowered his fox ears.

    Chance? What do you mean by that?

    I bowed my head without understanding what was happening.

    "Speaking of which, I''d better get to my room."

    "Yes, so do I. I have a lot of things to unpack and you need to organize them."

    Every time I pass through a town or city, I buy or keep souvenirs.

    Bears carved out of wood, vases, etc. Things that have no other use than decoration.

    The magic storage is convenient, but its capacity is limited, so I have to empty it from time to time.

    Well, if there''s a souvenir that looks good, I can display it at the mansion.

    "Uhm, Uhm."

    I do push-ups in my room. Completely naked.

    I have wanted to try it for a long time.

    I could never do it at the inn as it would be weird in front of my ex-friends.

    This feeling of freedom is pleasant.

    It is a relief to have a place like this to relax and have my privacy.

    Should it be squats now?

    Hmm, no, I''d better get on with the abs.

    "Mast.... .AAAH!"

    "Ah."

    The door suddenly opened and I was seen naked.

    Kaede saw me morosely, screamed and ran away.

    Hey, close the door.

    And knock on the door when you come in.

    No, it''s my fault for not passing the key to the door.

    I heard a familiar voice from the hallway.

    "Are you sure they''re here?"

    "That''s what I heard at the palace."

    "And seriously that guy is really strong?"

    "Yes, I''m not exaggerating, if I had to guess, I''d say it''s above level 100."

    "Then it is indeed true that he defeated the dragon."

    Those voices... The flame axe gang?

    This is not good. This is a dangerous situation.

    I have to close the door quickly.

    I got up and ran to the entrance.

    "Hey."

    "Ah"

    Orlos, the leader was in front of me.

    He looked down and paused.

    Then he let out an impressed, "Ho."

    Paaank.

    I closed the door.

    "I think he''s in an unfavorable situation, we''d better go down and wait a little bit."

    "What was he doing?"

    "Not much. But he''s got a great sword."

    "What?"

    I heard the footsteps walking away.

    I''m not embarrassed to be seen naked, but there is a time for it.

    This is an enormous psychological damage.

    And Kaede saw me doing push-ups naked.

    Knock knock.

    Someone calls for death.

    "Master, you are a wonderful man in every way! I mean it!"

    After that, I heard Kaede''s footsteps walking away down the hallway.

 CH 53

    I was trapped.

    I''ve been to the elves'' village many times since that day, but after our first meeting, they wouldn''t even let me talk to them, they would just shoot arrows at me.

    They were really trying to kill me.

    I am a hero.

    I decided it would be unwise to waste any more time with the Elves, so I opted to go ahead and focus on defeating one of the demon generals, Roiz!

    Although we are already quite late.

    So to shorten the travel time, we decided to ask the fairies for help.

    Legend has it that heroes of the past received "fairy dust" and flew through the sky.

    Then it occurred to me that I could try getting some.

    We will still be far behind, but we will dramatically increase our speed.

    I''m sure the fairies will bow to me as soon as they see me.

    After all, I am the hero, and eventually I will become a legend.

    ...But the situation was completely not what I expected.

    "Hey human, get the hell out of here!"

    "Go back where you came from!"

    They are all rude and spit on me every time they come near me.

    In addition, they are quite strong in contrast to their appearance.

    Lisa and Soara have already been knocked down and are lying on the ground.

    I was doing all I could to protect myself.

    "Damn it, don''t come any closer, I''ll kill you!"

    "Hahaha, just try and see if you can, Human!"

    "I''m the hero! You have to help me!"

    "Stupid human ? Dirty human ? Human who claims to be a hero ?"

    "Stop singing! It''s deafening!"

    I wielded my sword.

    I am not stupid.

    I am justice itself.

    I am the hero you should fear.

    They are full of bullshit.

    "Why won''t they leave me alone?"

    "Chief!"

    "Hero, go back the way you came. This is no place for you."

    "Stop fooling around and give me fairy dust!"

    The old man shook his head and said, "It''s useless."

    Immediately the fairies started throwing stones at us.

    And they shouted, "Get out of here!"

    My frustration was about to boil over.

    I wanted to kill them all, but they were moving too fast for me to catch them.

    I have no choice but to leave.

    "Get up! We''re getting out of here!"

    "Huh?! Sain?!"

    "Where are we...?"

    I woke them up with a kick each.

    The attacks stopped, but the chorus of "get the hell out of here" continued.

    Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!

    Why doesn''t anything work?

    The world is against me!

    What have I done to deserve this?

    I can''t help but feel frustrated.

    After buying a horse, we hurried to the royal capital of Grigit.

    What awaited us upon arrival was a situation I had already predicted.

    "They did what?"

    "Roiz was defeated by the Manyu Brigade."

    I am amazed by the Queen''s words.

    Again, they beat me to it.

    It all started when the dragon was defeated.

    From that point on. My whole world fell apart.

    To be more exact, from the moment I kicked Toru out of the party.

    Don''t tell me this is a punishment from God.

    Perhaps it is the curse for receiving this title.

    It''s ridiculous, but very funny at the same time.

    Thanks to you, all my plans, my life, everything is shattered.

    I was going to be a hero, make women serve me, enjoy my position, fame and money, and finally marry the princess of Balseille and take control of the country.

    Do you have any idea how hard it was to get here from that small town?

    What went wrong?

    What went wrong?

    Why is everything going wrong?

    I don''t get it.

    It is hard for me to think of what could be the cause.

    "Sain-Dono, are you feeling well?"

    "Excuse me, I''m feeling a little sick."

    "I see. Thank you for the work you''ve done so far. Later there will be a discussion at the round table at this location, and we would be pleased with your presence."

    " .....Yes."

    I left the courtroom.

    I joined Lisa and Soara, who were waiting outside, and crouched down on my knees out of sight.

    "I''m the hero, it''s supposed to work out for me."

    "Sain, calm down."

    "Lisa, do you really think I''m a hero?"

    "Of course you are. You''re the one who''s going to save the world."

    Lisa gives me a gentle hug.

    That worked to calm my fluttering heart.

    She stroked my head and my mind shut down.

    Yes, I am the hero. The hero who will go down in history.

    "I did the right thing in making you mine. You''re too good for Toru."

    "Fufu, thank you. I love you, Sain."

    "Hey, don''t just start flirting on your own, I''m here too!"

    Thanks to Lisa, I feel like I have a clear head.

    I feel very good.

    If you think about it, there are always setbacks for heroes, right?

    This may be an ordeal, but it is also a test to be overcome.

    The glory I want awaits me.

    Round table: Place where representatives from various countries, mainly human, meet.

    Heroes have been introduced here for a long time and have had their names and faces remembered.

    In addition, help is also requested to defeat the Demon King, so it is designated as a very important meeting.

    On this occasion, representatives from five major countries are meeting:

    Grigit.

    Armand.

    Barseille.

    Greyfield.

    Lastoria.

    Many people were seated at the round table.

    I was standing behind King Balseilles, waiting to be called.

    "-- By the way, it seems that you recently gave the adventurer of the Manyu Brigade the title of hero. However, rumors do not always spread correctly. How many of the rumors about them are actually true, King Armand?"

    "Kuku, they are a truly remarkable bunch. They don''t care about fame, and they always speak their minds. And half the rumors about them are true."

    "It''s unusual for that to be the case. I''m suddenly very interested."

    "Then you should meet them in person, King Lastoria."

    The conversation was monopolized by the Manyu Brigade.

    I was irritated just by hearing that name.

    I managed to suppress my overflowing murderous intent by gritting my teeth.

    "They have been a great help to us at Grigit. They are as strong as the rumors say. They wiped out one of the six demon generals in just 3 days. It looks like they are planning to go to Greyfield soon."

    "Are they going to Greyfield? Then I must meet them. Please tell us what they''re like, Reina."

    "Fufufu, as the name suggests. They enjoy travel, gourmet food, and meeting people everywhere. Grayfield has a lot of archaeological sites, they will surely enjoy them."

    Enough of this. Don''t talk about the Manyu Brigade in front of me.

    It''s disgusting. It''s disgusting.

    Tap

    King Balseille taps his finger on the table.

    "We must talk about what concerns us. This is not a meeting for small talk. It is about solving our biggest problem; the subjugation of the Demon King."

    "You mean your boy? He hasn''t done anything."

    "But he will! He is the pride of Balseille, the greatest hero of all time!"

    The king strikes a blow at the table.

    The queen and the kings looked at me and King Balseille with cold eyes.

    It''s as if they were watching a fake hero.

    Then King Armand interrupted him.

    "We have to keep calm. It is an undeniable fact that he is a hero, so we simply have to cooperate, as usual. The Demon King hasn''t started a full-scale invasion yet, probably because he hasn''t gained enough power. I think it''s the right time to attack."

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    Exactly, after all, you have to trust me.

    They just have to keep quiet and watch me work.

    I will kill the Demon King as you wish.

    I will show them that there is no point in waiting for the Manyu Brigade.

    They were only given the title of hero.

    Instead, I am the hero among heroes. The one who has the specialized job of fighting the Demon King.

    It is not necessary to make a comparison.

    That said, is Grayfield your next destination?

    Does that mean they are here in Grigit.

    Then we arrived just in time.

    I''m going to go ahead to Grayfield and make an appearance worthy of a hero.

    I couldn''t do anything before because they were so many steps ahead of me.

    To tell you the truth, I''d like to go take care of them right away, but right now I''m thirsty for results.

    I want to be showered in praise.

    First, I must be recognized for a great feat.

    It''s not too late after all.

    Look at me, Manyu Brigade.

    I''ll show you how scary I can be.

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

 CH 54

    "Glup glup."

    SharkBoy was swimming placidly in the fountain.

    As soon as you look at him, he comes towards you, and will open his mouth repeatedly as if trying to tell you something.

    "Well, what can you do?"

    "Glup?"

    I can''t understand a word he says.

    Nor does the expression on his face tell me anything.

    It''s like I get sleepy every time I see him.

    Haha, perhaps that''s his special power!

    ...Or not. The silly look on his face makes me forget things.

    In case you''re wondering, Kaede told me that he''s a type of underwater escort, but she didn''t tell me what exactly he can do.

    In other words, every time we make an assessment of him, it yields no data.

    It would be simpler if we put his skills to the test, but there are no abundant sources of water anywhere near here.

    "How is everything?"

    "Oh, you''re back."

    Orlos just happened to show up.

    Bax was also at his side, accompanying him this time.

    I''ve been coming here quite often the last few days.

    I have received many invitations from them to participate in "quests", but we just end up drinking sake.

    At first, he ordered his vice leader, Poloa, to get along with us. He did so reluctantly, but when he learned that I like sake as much as Orlos, something inside him crumbled.

    In addition, Orlos was in a similar situation to mine.

    A man who came out of a small country town and came to the city.

    His parents died and he''s been living alone all this time.

    His friends are made up of younger childhood friends, so he''s probably proud to be their older brother.

    It''s just like me, but with a few differences.

    Orlos sits on the edge of the fountain and extends the bottle of sake he was carrying.

    This guy... He''s drinking during the day.

    If you look closely, his face is a little red.

    "What did you come here for today?"

    "I came to invite you on a quest."

    "Actually, there is a lake a few distances from here. It''s a very safe place, there are no monsters, or any aquatic animals that are dangerous. If you want, you can join us today. ¡°

    "Are you guys working too?"

    "Half work, and half rest. Well, it''s to pass the time."

    Well, they did say they were going to do some work near the lake.

    I guess it''s not such a bad idea.

    These days, both Kaede and Frau are in a state of distraction, having been confined to the mansion.

    This could be a good distraction.

    In addition, it would be very beneficial for us to be able to see SharkBoy''s abilities.

    "When will you be going?"

    "The day after tomorrow."

    "Okay, I''ll be ready by then."

    I have to buy a swimsuit.

    "Whoooooa! This is huge!"

    Frau shouts as soon as we arrive at our destination.

    She flew towards the lake with a twinkle in her eyes.

    Lately, she keeps saying; "I''m bored, I''m bored, I''m bored, I''m bored", so it''s normal for her to be excited now.

    Today the weather is fine, the surrounding area is covered with trees sporting greenish-yellow leaves and the surface of the lake reflects the light with a brilliant shine.

    "Master, I''ll have the camp ready in a moment."

    Kaede said this with a simple smile, but her tail was wagging furiously and she seemed to be itching to play in the water as soon as possible.

    When I pat her on the head, her white fox ears droop.

    "I''ll take care of the preparations, you take care of the food. Okay, first we have to get water."

    "Water!"

    Her expression becomes brighter and her fox ears perk up.

    She was so happy that she pulled out a bucket and ran to the lake right away.

    But she came right back and hugged me.

    She rubbed her face against my chest and sniffed me lightly, then ran back to the lake.

    I think she went skipping.

    You''ve been waiting for this for a long time... Right Kaede? Fufu.

    My slave is cute even today.

    "We''ll go complete our work. We''ll be back a couple of hours when everything is settled."

    "Be careful. I don''t want you to die along the way."

    "Oh, if possible, catch something to eat when we get back."

    The flame axe gang waved lightly and walked into the forest.

    They were going to hunt trolls.

    Details are unknown, but the troll is a large monster that can reach up to 5 meters, it is very important to be alert against such an enemy.

    I don''t think there''s any need to worry, since they''re an S-rank party.

    I quickly set up a tent and began preparing our camp.

    By the time I got started, Kaede had already returned and was preparing lunch.

    Frau hasn''t come back yet...

    I don''t mind her wandering off, it''s not the first time she''s done so.

    "I''d better go do some fishing. I''ll leave you in charge for a while."

    "Okay, be careful."

    "Kyui!"

    Panda came out of the seal and stood next to Kaede.

    He would rather relax here with Kaede than go with me.

    Sometimes it''s hard to tell who his master is.

    He seems loyal to me, but he also acts too freely to be with whomever he pleases.

    Rosuke acts according to my orders.

    After all, each familiar beast has its own personality.

    "It''s nice, and it''s cold."

    I took off my boots and dipped my feet in the water.

    The lake is blue and undulating.

    Clarity is decent. You can''t see the bottom, but the top layer is crystal clear and beautiful.

    It seems to be a pretty deep place.

    Now I just have to figure out how to catch something.

    A fishing rod is good, but it''s hard to throw it with a speargun.

    Using a net is also another possibility...

    I am prepared for all uses. So I could use any of them.

    We should aim big here.

    And the fishing method that best suits my level is spearfishing.

    Hmm, on second thought, I think it''s better to use SharkBoy.

    Is it okay to dive here?

    "SharkBoy"

    "Glup!"

    SharkBoy left the seal.

    I don''t really know if it''s a male or a female, so I''m going by my intuition that it''s a male.

    If I am wrong, I will change the name.

    I took off my clothes and put on my swimsuit.

    Then I jumped into the lake with a harpoon.

    "Glup glup."

    Sharkboy happily approaches and rubs his body against mine.

    Once I stroke him, he swims back around and rubs against me wanting me to stroke him again.

    The surface of SharkBoy''s body is rough, probably due to his shark-like body.

    Most creatures would scrape their skin if they were hit by something like this.

    "Glup glup!"

    ¡°!?¡±

    A fin appeared on the upper part of SharkBoy''s body.

    ...Are you telling me to grab it?

    When I grabbed it, SharkBoy started swimming.

    This is very fast.

    Much faster than swimming on my own.

    I wonder if this is his top speed.

    My thoughts must have been transmitted, because SharkBoy''s speed increased dramatically.

    Wait!

    Slow down!

    The speed slows down.

    SharkBoy, you are dangerous.

    If we were at sea, the speed he can achieve would be extraordinary.

    I''ll have him take me to the deepest part of the lake and see what it''s like.

    I held the harpoon in my left hand, any animal that appeared would die instantly.

    ...This place is very deep.

    I think I''ve already dived about 3 meters, but now I can''t see anything at all.

    4 meters.

    5 meters.

    6 meters.

    7 meters.

    We reached the bottom which was covered by long aquatic plants.

    As soon as I set my feet, the accumulated mud rose up like dust.

    I can still keep holding my breath. I trained hard for this.

    I think I may be down here longer than expected.

    Fwish

    A large fish passed in front of me.

    It didn''t even realize we were here, the [Great Thief] skill works even on fish.

    I wonder if sharks are the same, so I quietly approach one from behind.

    Fu!

    I identified the fish''s weak points with the [Dragon Knight] skill and threw the harpoon at it at high speed.

    It was more than fifty centimeters long, I think that one fish like that for every throw is enough.

    I would like to catch five more of these.

    At that moment, a huge net coming from the lateral direction abducts SharkBoy and me along with the fish.

    zaab

    The net was lifted and I was face down.

    "With this, the Lord will be pleased! Doing this was an amazing idea!"

    "Kyu! Kyui!"

    Frau was pulling the net together with Panda.

    However, when Panda noticed that I was in the net, he left Frau and fled to land at high speed.

    "Huh? Hey, why are you leaving all of a sudden?"

    "Frau¡­ We''ll discuss this later."

    "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

    Frau shuddered with a pale face.

 CH 55

    The fat drips from the fish as it is scorched by the heat....

    I picked up the last fish and bit into it.

    "Uma!"

    "The fish here are delicious.".

    "It ''s so yummy!"

    Freshly cooked fish is juicy and moist.

    Orlos seems to love it.

    By the way, it looks like their troll hunt was successful.

    They finished the hunt in an hour and then came back, so I guess there''s no question that they are indeed S-rank.

    "Hah~, I''m satisfied."

    With our stomachs full, we relax in the shade of a tree.

    The weather and temperature are perfect.

    "This is great."

    Lynn emerges from the bushes in a bathing suit.

    After a while, Kaede and Frau also appeared, looking beautiful.

    Kaede wore a white bikini over her translucent white skin.

    Her slender and sexy body would fascinate any man...

    Kaede looked at me shyly.

    "My Lord! You should also look at Frau!"

    "Uwa!"

    She grabbed my head tightly and spun it so that I looked at her.

    She is an insistent little slave.

    Frau has a slender figure, but that''s all I can say.

    The swimsuit she was wearing was a pretty pink ruffle.

    Her long pigtails were pulled back in a bun, giving her a slightly different look than usual.

    "Guys, don''t go falling in love with my body, nya!"

    Lynn wears a black bikini to accentuate her sex appeal.

    However, the members of The Flame Axe Gang looked at each other and then quickly looked back at Kaede.

    "Hey! Why are you only looking at Kaede!?"

    "We''ve been together since childhood, so we''ve seen you in so many different ways. At this point, a swimsuit isn''t that surprising."

    "But I still have a lot to show, nya! Praise me!"

    There was scant applause.

    Lynn''s mood was getting worse.

    "Let''s go swimming, Lynn-San."

    "It''s okay, nya... Wow, you''re really smooth, nya!"

    Lynn was grabbed by the arm and breaks out in a cold sweat when she feels Kaede''s breasts against her.

    "Master, you too!"

    "Uh...? Me?"

    When I tried to get up, they pulled me down and forced me to sit down.

    I was quickly handed a bowl that had sake in it.

    "Are you seriously planning to stand in the middle of all those women and leave us alone?"

    "That''s right, Toru. You''re staying to drink sake with us."

    "That''s right, men drink with men."

    I was caught between Poloa and Bax, so I could not escape this incarceration.

    In front of me, Orlos was smiling with a bottle of alcohol.

    I have no choice, I will have to stay put.

    "Ggghhh, ggghhh!"

    "Stop it... You make me laugh, little fishes... Mnya."

    Bax is snoring and Lynn is squirming while talking in her sleep.

    If you look around, you will see that Poloa, Frau and Kaede are sleeping peacefully.

    The fire was lit and only Orlos and I were awake.

    "You look like you''re going to fall asleep at any moment."

    "I think I''ve had too much to drink."

    "Yeah, this was a lot of fun."

    Rosuke was keeping watch.

    Although there''s nothing dangerous nearby, the fact that Rosuke is flying around and circling the place makes me feel more at ease.

    Orlos pours me another drink and I thank him.

    "So, what are you going to do next?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "As the name of your party indicates, you are going to be traveling, so what''s your next destination?"

    I thought a bit before answering.

    "Actually, I''m waiting for a certain hero. I heard that a round table gathering is going to be held and they are coming to Grigit. According to the calendar, it will be held the day after tomorrow."

    "What are you saying? The roundtable ended yesterday."

    "What?!"

    I spilled the Sake due to the surprise.

    This can''t be, I heard that it was going to be the day after tomorrow!

    Did they change the date? Why?!

    "You never asked me about the Round Table, so I assumed you weren''t interested."

    "Never mind, it was my fault for not giving notice in advance. But why did they speed it up?"

    "There was a demon attack at Northstar. I''m sure you''ve heard about it. We heard about it too, and that''s why they decided to move up the date."

    Crack

    Without realizing it, I squeezed the container.

    Stay calm, we still don''t know for sure if Sain has left Grigit.

    It''s all right. Don''t panic. You''ll see those three again soon.

    Orlos looks at me while holding a new bowl.

    "Don''t show that face to the girls."

    ¡°!?¡±

    I touched my face.

    It seems that my murderous intent appeared unconsciously on the face.

    I didn''t realize it until he pointed it out to me.

    "I''m sorry."

    "Don''t apologize. If you want to see the hero... Man, then I don''t think you should bother."

    "What do you mean?"

    "I know where the hero is going."

    "And you shouldn''t go because the dark realm...... is ruled by demons."

    Something crossed my mind.

    "Grayfield!"

    "Yes, the heroes will end up going to Grayfield, which is next to the Dark Kingdom. Also, the road is currently blocked by a fort. It should take at least a few months to break through it."

    If I don''t find him at Grigit, then I''ll see him at Grayfield.

    I was relieved to hear that.

    I had originally planned to go to Grayfield.

    This would only accelerate that plan.

    "As you must know, the hero is an effective card in this battle against the demon king."

    "I will take full responsibility for whatever happens."

    Orlos spoke no more.

    But I understood what he was trying to say.

    If that happens, I will have to release Kaede and Frau, and then apologize to them.

    "Come on, we have to drink a lot today."

    "You always do."

    "Really?"

    Has this guy forgotten that I''ve been hanging out with him a lot lately?

    He poured more alcohol in my glass.

    Suddenly I felt someone grab my pants.

    "Mas¡­.ter."

    "Kaede?"

    She must have grabbed me while she was asleep.

    My heart is soothed at the sight of Kaede''s sleeping face.

    "Don''t try to lead your slaves to death."

    "I know. I''ll do everything on my own, and I''ll take full responsibility."

    "If you can''t do it, I''ll take care of it."

    "Do you want to make such a commitment?"

    "Maybe. I hope that day never comes."

    We clink our glasses.

    He is a man with a big heart.

    No wonder his friends trust him so much.

    I wish I had had an older brother like him... Someone I could trust.

    If it had been like this... None of what I am living through would be happening.

    No, there is no point in regretting the past.

    I just have to go ahead and face whatever comes my way.

    I stroked Kaede''s head.

    Her tail began to wag.

    Frau, who was sleeping while holding her tail, begins to growl.

    "Ugh, stop... Frau won''t give in to such torture."

    "Kyui!"

    Frau squeezes a clump of Panda''s fur that was within reach.

    Panda''s bad-tempered mood began to emerge.

    He then looks at me to stop petting Kaede and help him.

    "Well, I''ll leave it."

    "Kyui!"

    "Buhahahahaha! You guys are really interesting!"

    Orlos stamps his feet on the ground while laughing loudly.

    I''m not trying to make you laugh.

    I stroked Kaede''s head and that was enough for me.

    "Glup glup!"

    "What is that sound?"

    I hear a familiar voice from a distance.

    I can''t remember because of all the alcohol I drank.

    "Glup glup!"

    "There it is again!"

    It sounds very sad.

    I seem to be forgetting something.

    "Come to think of it - didn''t you leave that fish-like thing out there?"

    "Ah!"

    I ran to the lake in a hurry.

    At the water''s edge. Sharkboy was scraping against the algae trying to climb ashore.

    "Sorry, I forgot about you!"

    "Glup glup!"

    I hugged Sharkboy and apologized.

    The little shark hit me as if to say; "don''t just forget about me."

 CH 56

    After returning to the capital, we collected our belongings from the mansion.

    Earlier we paid a visit to the palace, but as I thought, Sain and the others had already left here.

    Besides, I was in a hurry to get to Grayfield.

    I repressed my impatience and put only what I needed in my backpack.

    I intend to come back here again soon.

    I have not used the mansion provided by the Queen to my satisfaction.

    Well, if I make it back, that is.

    Frau and Kaede were waiting for me at the entrance.

    "I would have liked to have relaxed here a bit more."

    "Don''t complain, Master has something to do."

    "You talk like you don''t care, but your tail gives you away."

    "Don''t look at my tail! I''m just so happy I don''t have the strength to wag it!"

    Kaede hurries to hide her tail.

    True, it seems less energetic than usual.

    I know how much they wanted to spend some more time here.

    After all, I feel the same way.

    "I feel bad for you two. If you want to stay, that''s fine, you can stay."

    "You''ve gotta be kidding! Frau is your slave! I''ll follow you even if you''re mad at me!"

    "I will go wherever my master goes. I will always be by your side."

    "Thank you..."

    I feel a mixture of sorrow and joy.

    I am very lucky to have met these girls.

    I just want to get this over with and come back here with them as soon as possible.

    When I left the mansion, members of The flaming axe gang were waiting.

    There was also Baron Scotchell, his granddaughter, and the prince.

    "Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?"

    "The flaming axe gang and the Manyu Brigade are like brothers."

    "Exactly, nya. Doing something like that is pretty unfair, nya."

    "I shared my sake with you, you can''t just do this."

    "You''re always welcome here. Let''s talk about the ruins when you get back, okay?"

    "I will never forget everything you all did for me. I wish you all the best on your journey."

    "I could not award you a medal, but I swear to you that I will ensure that the name of the Manyu Brigade be engraved in the history of our country."

    My tear glands almost loosened at the farewell to the people I had met in this city.

    Kaede grabbed my arm and smiled.

    That was enough to convey what I wanted to say.

    Yes, we will definitely come back here.

    It is a promise.

    We leave the capital of Grigit and cross the mountains.

    Shortly thereafter we were able to reach Grayfield.

    Grayfield is a country with a lot of history related to battlefields.

    The reason is that it is on the border with the dark realm, which is ruled by the demon race.

    On the other hand, it is also a country focused on tourism.

    There are numerous ruins, local specialties, symbolic buildings, relics of past heroes, etc.

    In fact, this country is a treasure trove of tourist attractions.

    "So you plan to go deep into the country without stopping in the capital?"

    I nodded in response to Kaede''s question.

    Sain and the others should be there.

    I want to see them as soon as possible.

    Panda, with Frau on his back, spins in front of me.

    "Hey, you''re making me dizzy. You''re doing it on purpose."

    "Kyui?"

    "There''s no point in playing dumb - Frau knows exactly what you''re doing!"

    "Kyui!?"

    Hahaha, watching Frau and Panda is a good distraction.

    I try to be serious, but it''s impossible with the two of them.

    Their nonsense saves me from my dark thoughts.

    "Is that even a small town?"

    "I don''t know."

    We can see a small group of buildings at the end of the road across the meadow.

    We are going to stay there today.

    Crank crank

    A large carriage carries a cage in the back in the opposite direction.

    The carriage passed by us.

    In the cage there were a lot of people dressed in dirty rags watching us.

    "That-that..."

    "Yes... They''re transporting slaves."

    There are two types of slaves.

    Those that have committed crimes, and those that are used as merchandise.

    Basically, criminals do not flow into the general market. They are forced to go to the mines and work.

    And the other kind is the case of people who are in need of money and sell their family members.

    In fact, this is the most common.

    But in reality, there is a third type.

    It''s an open secret; there are ways to buy and sell kidnapped people behind the scenes.

    Although every country is cracking down on this, it is only a fa?ade.

    The nobles'' auctions are proof of this.

    "Slaves nowadays are very different."

    In the departing carriage, Soara''s figure could be seen.

    Wait! Wait!

    Stop that carriage!

    "This kind of deal is impossible. You have to go to a slave market first."

    "I''ll give you 10 million."

    "B... But..."

    "20 million."

    "...Sold."

    Negotiations have been concluded.

    The slave trader immediately accepted my offer.

    He opened the cage and Soara came out of it handcuffed.

    She is not the same since I left; she now wears rags and her once beautiful hair has become dirty.

    For a moment, I couldn''t believe it was Soara.

    "...Toru?"

    "Yes, it ''s me."

    "What a coincidence... To see you here again..."

    I find it hard to look directly at her, knowing that I had known her for many years, and now she looks like this.

    Crank crank The carriage began to move.

    Soara did not receive a master-slave contract because she wasn''t bought at a slave market.

    However, she has a collar around her neck.

    "Sorry for this next part."

    "I am your slave. Do with me as you will."

    I poured a bottle of liquid over her head.

    Soara''s body glowed a vague pink color.

    No doubt about it. She has been brainwashed too.

    I wiped the liquid with a towel, and removed the handcuffs with a wire.

    "How did you become a slave...?"

    "I was abandoned by Sain. He met with a high-ranking priest, and sold me to him, saying I was no longer of any use to him."

    "Bastard."

    He dared to sell Soara, his childhood friend?

    I knelt at the same time as I was stunned.

    I was having a hard time processing reality.

    "Master! Keep calm!"

    "Get a grip! You can''t keep running away from reality!"

    Kaede hugs me and uses healing vibrations on me.

    At the same time, Frau slaps me in the face several times.

    Frau, I''m glad you''re trying to help me, but stop.

    I appreciate the way you care about me.

    If I were alone, I would have lost my mind by now.

    I would have been swallowed by anger and sadness.

    I managed to get up and grabbed Soara by the arm.

    "Come with me."

    "I am no longer worth anything. Do what you want with me until you are satisfied."

    ¡° ............¡±

    I gritted my teeth as hard as I could to keep the tears from flowing.

    I was being strong as I tugged desperately at her hand.

    I rented a room at the city inn and put Soara to bed.

    Perhaps she had worked too hard when she got here, as her body was broken.

    Fortunately, she didn''t have any life-threatening injuries like Nei, so I just gave her a potion and she regained all her beauty.

    Well, she''s still a little dirty.

    "Toru is still as gentle as ever."

    "You''re wrong."

    "But you''ve helped me a lot."

    Even as she said this, Soara''s eyes were dark.

    I am beginning to doubt that she can be freed from the brainwashing.

    Will she really be able to stand it?

    Nei said that Soara received more mistreatment than she did.

    I''m not sure what I should do.

    I felt someone''s hand on my shoulder.

    It was Kaede''s warm hand.

    It was as if she was telling me; whatever happens, I will be here for you.

    It''s like I can feel her heart.

    "Sain has brainwashed you."

    "......Is that so? I''ve had a vague feeling about that."

    She had the same reaction as Nei.

    It seems that she was also uncomfortable.

    I took the potion I used on Nei to rid her of her spell out of my pocket.

    "With this you will be able to break the brainwashing spell. I won''t force you to take it, it''s up to you if you accept it."

    "Gulp, gulp, gulp."

    She grabbed the bottle quickly, roughly popped open the cap and downed it in one gulp.

    Soara wiped her mouth with her sleeve, "Buh-hah."

    "Ugh!? aga! ??"

    "Are you okay!"

    "Ugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    I held her head and layed it to the side.

    The same thing is happening as with Nei.

    I Look to Kaede and Frau as a signal to act quickly.

    But Soara got out of bed, stood up and threw the bottle out the window.

    The glass shattered and I heard screams from outside the window.

    "Uaaaaaaagh!!! I can''t believe I was fooled by this stupid kid!"

    I did not expect this.

    Her eyes glared at me.

    It''s like she wants to kill me.

    Soara, could it be that you have been hiding your true nature all along?

 CH 57

    No, that''s not her. That''s not the Soara I once knew.

    Where is that sweet, soft, gentle girl?

    When I was a burden to the party, she always encouraged me with patience, and when I was tired, she would gently make me tea.

    Whenever I pushed myself too hard, she would take the initiative to help me heal my wounds.

    She was the personification of a devotee to God.

    I don''t think this is because of the brainwashing''s influence on her personality....

    "You think because I''m a priestess I deserve to be treated like this! You''re going to pay for this, you little son of a bitch!"

    I am beginning to believe so.

    Was Soara really like that?

    She scratched her head and briskly sat on the other bed.

    "That fool needs to be punished for what he did to me!"

    "Soara."

    "Yes?"

    "You''re back to normal, aren''t you?"

    "Yes, all thanks to you, Toru."

    I''m afraid of Soara. A murderous smile appeared on her face.

    I don''t know how to respond, so I smiled back.

    The black aura that formed around Soara caused Kaede and Frau to hide behind my back.

    "It''s very scary."

    "She''s very dangerous, how did you manage to have been with her all this time?"

    "She''s usually a nice girl. Maybe the brainwashing made her react differently..."

    Although I know that last part I said isn''t all that believable.

    Since Nei did not turn out like this.

    Soara looked at Kaede and the others out of the corner of her eye.

    "So those are your new partners - slaves?"

    "It was inevitable. I went through times where I doubted everyone, and I had a hard time making friends."

    "...I see. There''s nothing wrong with that, Toru."

    I was relieved when the tone of her voice returned to normal.

    Soara stands up and stomps her right foot.

    "It''s all that little rat''s fault! I can''t believe he had that forbidden ability, the stupid welp, he makes my blood boil, aaaaah!"

    "Are you hungry? Is that why you''re cranky?"

    "Thank you for your concern. But as strange as it sounds, I''m not hungry."

    "Just to be safe, let''s eat, even if it''s just a little. I''d like to talk to you calmly."

    Her cold face turns warm with a beautiful smile that lights up her face.

    "Sounds good to me. Let''s talk about how to get rid of that bastard."

    Soara was very scary.

    She''s more fearsome than any enemy I have ever fought.

    "I see... So Toru was the Manyu Brigade."

    As she said that, she put her glass of sake down on the table.

    There were a few bottles already opened.

    I didn''t know she was such a drinker.

    "Thank you for helping Nei. I''ve always regretted not doing something. I don''t know what I could have done to help her."

    "I''m sure she''s back in town safe and sound by now."

    "It didn''t seem like it, but she was always very fragile, I guess she wasn''t as strong as I was."

    A sad expression appears on her face.

    Nei and Soara were very close.

    I''m sure you''ve had a lot of regrets up to this point because of the things that have happened.

    "Nei was very worried about you."

    "I kept my true personality hidden since we were children. You see, my family is a family of priests, and I have been brought up in a way so as to be someone who is willing to help others without anything in return. But the result of all that education was the opposite."

    I think I remember some of that back when we were kids.

    She had a very masculine look back then, and once hit Nei and made her cry.

    I had forgotten because I was apart from them when I played. Soara had an aggressive personality as a child.

    "What are you going to do now? If you have nowhere else to go, you can stay with me.

    "I will have to abstain. I''m not qualified to be around you right now."

    "Qualified?! What do you mean?"

    Suddenly she hit me on the head with an empty bottle, causing it to shatter and shards of glass to fall everywhere.

    "I am not refusing your offer. There are many things I have to do, like praying for God''s forgiveness, performing redemptive service, and to counteract the false love I was subjected to. I have to reaffirm my true love within me."

    "I don''t understand what you''re talking about."

    Don''t hit me with a bottle again.

    If this had been the Soara from a while back, she would have scolded me with a simple "meh".

    Is it too soon to tell her I''m level 300?

    "I''m calmer now thanks to Toru. I''m sorry you had to see me so miserable."

    "Don''t worry about it..."

    "You have not changed. You are always unwavering and imposing."

    No, no, no, no, no, I am very agitated.

    I am too shocked to react.

    I guess this was the best thing for us.

    Soara''s heart was broken.

    "Have you killed Sain yet?"

    "I am here for that purpose."

    "Then I will go to the nearest church and pray. That sinful man must be brought to justice. That man has trampled on our minds and played with mine and Nei''s bodies. I will make him repent for laying his hands on a priestess, a servant of God."

    Her black aura reappears, and she shattered the glass she was holding.

    Kaede and Frau huddled against me out of fear.

    They both listened quietly the whole time, but it seems they are not used to the current Soara.

    Soarer''s anger is justified, but I want her to calm down a bit more.

    "I feel relieved and sleepy. I''m going to get some rest."

    "Soara."

    "What''s wrong?"

    I look back.

    He still wore a rag.

    Her hair and face were dirty, and she didn''t look very good.

    Also, her white breasts were clearly visible.

    "Do you want to go clothes shopping tomorrow?"

    "Clothes...? Oh! Yes, yes! Please!"

    Then she turned red and ran out.

    I''m glad you remember the embarrassment again.

    I had trouble keeping my eyes on her face.

    "Master! Master!

    "What ''s wrong!?"

    "Soara has big breasts, doesn''t she!?"

    "It''s not like that!"

    Kaede yells at me and Frau looks at me angrily.

    In any case, I only like Kaede''s breasts... What the hell am I thinking!?

    Anyway, I hugged Kaede and stroked her head.

    Soara, who has once again adopted the appearance of a priestess, bows in front of the church.

    "Thank you so much for everything you did, Toru."

    "It''s okay, it''s not important."

    "You are wrong. Yes it is important, I am truly blessed to have you as a childhood friend. You''re-...¡±

    "Hm? What?"

    Gyu

    Soara steps on my foot.

    In other words, she''s saying ''don''t ask me any unnecessary questions.''

    I think I am slowly beginning to understand Soarer''s true character.

    I don''t know how I managed to miss it before.

    If it wasn''t for all this happening, she probably would have fooled me for the rest of my life.

    Soara looks at Kaede.

    "Please take care of Toru. He can be insensitive and uncaring about his surroundings, but he is a very kind and vulnerable person, I ask you to always support him."

    "Yes. I intend to follow my master wherever he goes."

    "Hey, don''t forget Frau!"

    "Oh yes, I ask you to do the same, please."

    She squeezed Kaede and Frau''s hand and bowed deeply.

    So this is goodbye for now.

    Soara will spend a few months in this church before moving to the church''s headquarters in Balseille.

    I have given her the money for the trip.

    In addition, I gave her a letter addressed to Jonathan, so that he can provide her with safe passage to Balseille.

    I wanted to take her directly if possible, but Soara refused.

    She punched me in the stomach and said I need to focus on finding Sain instead of wasting time.

    "Oh, I almost forgot!"

    "Eh!?"

    Soara grabbed my arm and pulled me along forcefully.

    She had taken me to a slaver''s store.

    "I want to make a master-slave pact with this man."

    Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!?

 CH 58

    Soara stroked her chest with satisfaction.

    I ended up becoming her master.

    She is free to do what she wants, the contract is just a formality.

    Although I should be happy to be able to help, I feel a strange weight on my shoulders.

    I wonder if it was a bad idea to have told her about Nei''s master-slave contract.

    My order to Soara was "live," the same order I gave to Nei. But I doubt Soara needed it, as she showed no signs of wanting to commit suicide.

    But I''m glad I did it.

    Soara is a sensitive and kind woman.

    She had quite the attitude, but never dared to show her true personality.

    So why do I feel like I''m.... being enveloped by a snake?

    It is strange. Really strange.

    "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

    "Yes, I''m sure God will forgive me."

    I too would like to be forgiven by God.

    I would not want to receive any punishment from him.

    I mean, what kind of person would make a master-servant contract with a childhood friend of many years, right?

    In Nei''s case, it was inevitable, but in Soara''s case?

    It would have been wrong for me to refuse.

    I think accepting it was the best thing I could have done.

    "So¡­ This is where we say goodbye."

    "I''d like to stay longer, but we can''t afford to waste any time."

    "I''m going to give you some advice."

    Soara whispers in my ear.

    "Lisa is a traitor."

    I frowned, not knowing what that meant.

    Lisa is a traitor?

    What does that mean?

    "I''ve always felt it. She smells just like me."

    "Smells?"

    "Yeah, the ''smell'' of a fake, like she''s hiding something."

    Soara''s face didn''t look like she was joking.

    She was seriously wary of Lisa.

    That''s what it looked like to me.

    "Do you remember the day she came to town?"

    That was when I was 14 years old.

    Lisa had moved to town.

    Sain moved in at about the same time and we hit it off right away.

    Both Lisa and Sain seemed to come from big cities, and I had the impression that they were very sophisticated. That''s why I admired Sain so much.

    He knew everything, did everything well and was more mature than we were.

    Lisa was also very feminine, and I fell in love with her as soon as I met her.

    So when we met, it was like I was in heaven.

    I thought it was the best time of my life or something.

    "From the moment I saw her, I knew she was ''just like me'', and that''s why I hesitated to be friends with her at first."

    "Do you have any proof?"

    "No."

    Do you think Lisa is faking?

    That''s not possible.

    ...But could she have also realized Soara''s true personality?

    What if Lisa, like Soara, also has a true personality to hide?

    I am insensitive. That much I''m aware of.

    Therefore, even a lie can appear to be true.

    "I''m sure Nei knew that. But she couldn''t tell you to give up, could she?"

    "But what if you two are wrong?"

    "I know I''m not going to convince you otherwise. So you''ll have to see for yourself. Look them up, and see with your own eyes what the woman Toru once loved really is."

    Soara wraps both hands around my right hand.

    "Don''t forget. You have people by your side who believe in you and support you."

    "...I will not forget."

    Soara smiled, and quietly entered the church.

    The warmth of her hands lingered in my right hand.

    "Master¡«!"

    Kaede looks at me with a smile as I lie down.

    Panda also appeared at her side.

    "What are you thinking?"

    "About Soara."

    "Is it because of the contract?"

    I nodded in agreement.

    She gently lifted my head and placed it in her lap.

    There was a soft sensation in the back of the head.

    "Master is a strong and kind man, and I''m sure Soara-san was spoiled by him. A contract is a deep connection."

    "You say that from experience?"

    "Yes. The master-slave contract, in itself, is a repugnant form of magic that embodies human desire. But at the same time, depending on how it is used, it has the potential to become something irreplaceable and wonderful."

    Kaede gently places her hand on the seal on her chest.

    "This is the bond I have with my master. Thanks to it, I have been able to get this far. I am sure I will remain strong because of it. That''s how I think."

    "A bond of trust..."

    I had never thought of that.

    I always thought that the master-slave contract was an old, abominable magic that made people obey.

    There is always something new to discover when I am with Kaede.

    Every time I am with Kaede, I see things in a different way.

    "Hey, Kaede - do you smell something burning?"

    "Eh!? AH!!!"

    He puts my head on the ground and runs away.

    Speaking of which, she was preparing lunch.

    Looks like today''s soup is going to be bitter.

    What I told Kaede was true, but the truth is that I am also worried about Lisa.

    Soara''s words have stuck with me.

    "From the moment I saw her, I knew she was ''just like me'', and that''s why I hesitated to be friends with her at first."

    What if Lisa is not what I thought she was?

    What should I do?

    Should I accept her as she is?

    Do I really miss her in the first place?

    Most of all, I don''t understand how Lisa is a traitor.

    It is unclear who he is betraying and how.

    Ah, shit.

    I won''t think about it anymore. I''ll know it when I see it.

    I won''t get anywhere if I keep thinking this way.

    "Master¡«£¡ The food is ready¡«"

    "Thank you, here I come."

    I stood up and walked toward Kaede and the others.

    Sniff, sniff

    It smells a little burnt.

    But anything made by my pretty slave is delicious.

    I don''t mind if it''s a little burnt.

    The bowl I was given was full of a black liquid.

    "Kaede, It''s so dark in here!"

    "I''m sorry. It got more burnt than I thought it would."

    "Don''t worry. We all make mistakes."

    I put the soup in my mouth.

    Ugh, it''s so bitter.

    It is a bitterness that numbs my tongue.

    Still, I ate all the soup that was in the bowl.

    I grabbed the pot, and poured in the rest of the remaining soup.

    "Delicious! Kaede''s cooking is always so good!"

    "Master¡­ Master~ !!!"

    Kaede hugged me and rubbed her face against my chest.

    When I stroked her head, her eyes were watery.

    "Eww, it''s too bitter. I don''t know how the Lord could eat it."

    Frau quoted these words as she drank her soup.

    Then, to clean the roof of her mouth, she pulled a cracker out of her luggage and popped it in.

    "It''s because Master is Master."

    "It still doesn''t make sense."

    "I''m not giving him to you, Lisa."

    Kaede hugged me tightly.

    I think it''s his way of being strong.

    Since that day, Kaede has been the one by my side.

    Constantly trying to tell me that she will always be by my side. Not like Lisa.

    Message received, Kaede.

    I said I wanted you by my side until the day I die, and I will not change my mind.

    If you want to follow me wherever I go. I''ll make sure you do.

    You are my pride and joy, and you are the sweetest slave I have ever known.

    So I don''t want you to get carried away with Lisa.

    She probably thinks I''m going to throw her away, like they had done with her before.

    "It''s okay, I''m going to be with you always."

    "Master..."

    I went over and hugged her tightly.

    Pat Pat Pat

    Kaede''s tail began to thump loudly.

    I hear you.

    I appreciate your honesty.

    "Oh, I just remembered I have something for you, Master!"

    Kaede, who ran off with great vigor, took something out of her backpack and hurried back.

    She pulled out a large black object.

    It doesn''t look like a stone, but it''s not food either.

    "It''s a candy called ChocoReito."

    "Ho..."

    I tried to take a bite.

    It melts quickly and spreads its unique flavor with a moderate sweetness and a rich sticky texture.

    What is this?

    This is my first time trying something like this.

    "What do you think?"

    "It''s surprisingly good."

    Her expression became brighter.

    Kaede grabbed another one and went to put it in my mouth.

    But Frau rushed forward and put it in her mouth first.

    She even stuck Kaede''s fingers in her mouth and sucked them for a bit.

    "Hey!"

    "Hey, Frau!"

    "You don''t have to be stingy with me."

    "Ugh."

    Kaede chased Frau as she ran away.

 CH 59

    It has been three days since we left the city.

    My steps have been leisurely as I aimed for my destination.

    "Kyui!"

    "Abu!?"

    Suddenly, Panda punched me in the face.

    My vision went blank and I fell heavily on my back in the middle of the street.

    "Kyui, Kyui!"

    Panda looks angry and bounces on my face many times. However, it feels good because he''s so soft.

    "Panda is mad at you because you almost didn''t sleep."

    "I see... I''m sorry."

    I got up and asked him what he wanted.

    "Kyui, Kyui, Kyui, Kyui, Kyui!"

    "I don''t understand."

    He''s complaining about something, but I don''t understand what he''s saying.

    He turns to Frau, who can understand him more clearly.

    "Well, he''s frustrated because you haven''t paid attention to him lately."

    "I still don''t understand."

    "You''re hopeless."

    So I sat down in the shade of a suitable tree and decided to pay attention to Panda.

    His body is really soft. I could feel something squishy , could it be his buttocks?

    "Kyui¡«"

    "What is he saying?"

    "He wants you to hug him."

    "I see... How about this?"

    I hugged and caressed him gently, and his eye began to glaze over.

    "Ma-Master..."

    For some reason, Kaede offered her tail.

    Her face was red and embarrassed.

    Do you really want me to do the same?

    "Frau wishes she had a tail."

    "Ha... Only I do."

    Unusually, Kaede makes a strong self-affirmation.

    Frau wondered aloud; "how can I make my Lord like my wings?"

    I left Panda, who had fallen asleep, alone and began to stroke Kaede''s tail.

    Her coat is soft and silky.

    It feels good to touch it with my fingers.

    I knew she brushed it every day, but I didn''t realize how much brushing would change it to the touch.

    The surface reflects light and is beautiful.

    Tap Tap Tap

    "Hiiii--!?"

    Each time I caressed a different spot, Kaede covers her face with both hands and looks embarrassed.

    Her breathing is getting more and more agitated, so I think it''s time to stop.

    But there is one last thing I would like to do.

    "Hyah!"

    "Uhmm¡­"

    I buried my face in her tail.

    I''ve wanted to do this for a long time.

    I thought of it every time I saw her fluffy tail.

    Ah, it feels too good.

    "My Lord! Kaede couldn''t take it!"

    "What?"

    "Hyaaa¡«"

    Kaede fainted.

    I think I''ve crossed the line.

    Her face is bright red.

    "Hm?"

    "Oh, you''re awake now."

    Kaede, who was riding on my back, had just woken up.

    She was sleeping peacefully, so I decided to carry her and continue our journey.

    The sun was about to set, the day was almost over.

    "Excuse me, Master, I''ll get down right away!"

    "Let me carry you some more."

    " ....Yes"

    Her weight is very different from what it was before.

    As strange as it sounds, she feels lighter now.

    "Mmm-hmm."

    ¡°?¡±

    Is she smelling the back of my neck?

    "Hyaaaa, master! Master, master, master!"

    "Huh."

    The back of my head felt ticklish.

    She put her arms around my neck and began to squeeze me very hard.

    "Hey!"

    "Kyui"

    Frau and Panda were back.

    I had told them to go a little ahead and check out the end of the road.

    We should be arriving at the city by now.

    Otherwise, we''ll have to set up camp tonight as well.

    "There''s a city at the end! It''s really big, and sturdy looking!"

    After a while, the city appears in our range of vision, just as Frau said.

    A high and wide wall surrounds the whole city, it looks like a castle.

    We have finally arrived at the fortified city of Lawana.

    "Stop it, Kaede, that''s not right."

    "Master¡«"

    "Frau also wants to!"

    "Hey!"

    Frau moves from side to side, hiding in my clothes.

    Even Panda was forced to sneak in.

    Stop, it tickles.

    "Ahahahaha!"

    I can''t stop laughing as I squirm.

    Please come out of there.

    When I managed to reach the entrance to the city, I was stopped by the soldiers guarding the gate.

    "Hey, you guys! Show me your ID!"

    "Uhyahyahya!"

    "Stop laughing! It''s not a joke!"

    "No, no, ''stop, please!"

    No, guys, you''re making me....

    "It''s someone suspicious! Get him!"

    "There''s something on that guy''s clothes that''s moving!"

    Soldiers gather and surround us.

    "Agh, I don''t know where the exit is."

    "Kyui"

    "Oh, no, not there!"

    "What''s the matter with you, start confessing everything!"

    I was captured by soldiers and taken inside the city.

    Clank

    They took me to the prison and locked me in a cell.

    "This guy must be a demon. He''s really weird."

    "He was laughing the whole time. It''s creepy."

    "Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh."

    ¡°¡° ..........¡±¡±

    One of the soldiers gently set Kaede down on the ground and walked away from the prison.

    Kaede was sitting next to me, still asleep.

    How long have you been sniffing my head?

    What do you have there?

    She had ripped off the hem of my shirt.

    "Uwaaah"

    "Kyui"

    Frau was still inside my clothes.

    "Ahyahyahyahyahya!"

    She was waving her legs inside my shirt.

    I hit my chest as hard as I could, right where Frau''s head was.

    I went into prison because of you.

    Reflect on this.

    "Hyahyahyahyahyahya!"

    "Free at last!"

    "Ah... I thought this torture would never end..."

    Frau is already out of my shirt... And I think I''ve laughed more than I will for the rest of my life.

    Now... How am I going to clear up this misunderstanding?

    I am in trouble.

    "Here you go. This is today''s food."

    A soldier brings us food.

    Apparently, the interrogation is tomorrow and we have to spend tonight in prison.

    A simple meal of bread and soup.

    And it is only for two people.

    "I would like one more dish if possible."

    "Don''t be picky. Be thankful we gave you something to eat."

    The young soldier leans against the bars of my cell, looking angry.

    He is probably only seventeen or eighteen years old.

    He looked tired, this job must be hard.

    "Kaede, Frau, you eat."

    "But Master, you must eat."

    "That ''s an order."

    Both reluctantly begin to eat.

    I walked over to the bars and sat down."

    "Hey, is it possible for them to tear down this fort?"

    "I''ve heard that it''s getting harder and harder to maintain defense."

    "And what is the hero doing?"

    "He arrived recently. He treats us with contempt, so we''ve lost faith in him. I have heard nothing about his activity in these lands."

    So, Sain and Lisa are here. And they don''t seem to have done anything.

    I am now beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

    We will soon meet again.

    "You''re an idiot for laughing like a fool at the entrance like that. If you act like that, you''ll end up in jail in any city. You don''t look like a bad guy."

    "That wasn''t my fault... Although it''s too late to say that now."

    "Hmm, well, I''m sorry to hear that. You''ll be properly debriefed tomorrow. So you should give your explanation there. Oh, and by the way, I haven''t seen your ID or anything like that yet."

    Oh, that ''s right.

    The soldiers were so focused on my actions that they put me in jail immediately.

    I reached into my pocket and went to take out my adventurer''s card.

    As I reached for my adventurer''s card, the soldier noticed my bracelet.

    "Hey, wait a minute, is that a hero bracelet you''re wearing?"

    "Hm? Oh yes, that''s right."

    I showed him the adventurer''s card I had.

    "You''re the Manyu Brigade... That famous party we''ve heard so much about?

    The soldier was trembling with wide eyes as he examined us.

    I don''t know what kind of rumors are flowing around, but I hope they are good ones.

    The young soldier ran off with the card.

    A few minutes later, three soldiers approach the front of the prison with multiple footsteps in the background.

    The middle-aged man who appeared to be the commander appeared, pale faced.

    "Forgive me, sir! I didn''t think you were a hero of Armand!''''

    The door opens with great ferocity.

    But I refused to leave.

    Even if they let me leave here now, I won''t be able to find anywhere to stay. And I don''t feel like camping outside.

    "It''s a bit dirty, but I''m just looking to spend the night, and this place is more than enough."

    "Don''t you want to come out!?"

    "It''s okay. Can I have some more food?"

    "Right away! Hey, serve him more food, and don''t be rude this time!"

    "Yes!"

    A few minutes later, a cart placed in front of us had a large amount of food.

    The main course was a whole roast chicken.

    It was freshly cooked, and smelled great.

    "How was it, are you satisfied?"

    "Yes, it was delicious, and..."

    I gave the soldier some gold coins.

    "Here''s a little something for letting us stay here, and for the food. Buy some good booze and enjoy yourselves."

    "Just as one would expect from a true hero! Thank you very much!"

    I gave them a lot of money, so even a large group of people could have a big feast.

    After eating the little feast they brought me, we all slept soundly.

 CH 60

    Chapter 60 ¨C The hero¡¯s failures Part 9

    We have arrived at the fortified city of Lawana.

    This is the city that is fighting the fiercest battle against the demonic race.

    I got off the horse and put my feet on the ground.

    I showed my adventurer¡¯s card to the soldier standing at the entrance to the city.

    ?Oh, you¡¯re the hero, please come in!?

    ?I will.?

    There were many soldiers and knights in the city.

    They don¡¯t even look at me, they just walk by.

    I wonder what faces they¡¯ll make when they find out there¡¯s a hero among them.

    They will surely be surprised.

    They will probably get down on their knees and cry for joy.

    But I dare not do such a thing.

    I realized it was silly to call myself a hero.

    After all, it is better if it is revealed casually.

    Also, it would be great if there was a problem that would prove that I am the hero.

    ?Hey Sain, wouldn¡¯t it be better to get a competent priestess??

    ?I suppose so. It¡¯s true that Soara is becoming an obstacle.?

    ?Hey, what are you two talking about??

    ?Actually, we need to look for a new priest. A woman, of course.?

    ?Good thinking, that¡¯s my Lisa.?

    Lisa¡¯s suggestion was very timely.

    My level was already in the 70, and Lisa¡¯s was already in the 50.

    Soara, who is still in her 40, is growing a little slow.

    In addition, his conservative personality has often been a liability.

    He has a good face and body, but there are many priests in the world.

    I have no benefit in staying with Soara.

    I am tired of it.

    Lisa is my best girl and I have no intention of throwing her away, but I¡¯m not sure I care about Soara anymore.

    ?But I don¡¯t want people to talk bad about Sain because of this.?

    ?Then we¡¯ll sell her to a slave trader.?

    ?That¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s do it.?

    ?Sain, Lisa¡­ What are you¡­??

    I grabbed Soarer by the arm and pulled her.

    We found a slave store and went straight in.

    Hand Soara over to the slaver who receives us.

    ?I want to sell this woman.?

    ?Let me take a look at it.?

    ?S-Sain!??

    Soara was taken to the back of the store.

    A few minutes later, the slaver returns with Soara in tow, smiling.

    ?It¡¯s a quality product. But I want to know something¡­ Do you have any physical or mental problems??

    ?I¡¯ll sell it to you for 40% less than the purchase price.?

    ?¡­I see. Then I accept.?

    The merchant sits back and smiles sickly.

    Soara is a woman of great value as a slave.

    A greedy slaveholder cares little for brainwashing.

    ?Sain, please reconsider this decision.?

    ?It is useless to convince me. Accept your fate.?

    ¡°!?¡±

    Soarer looks down and says ?yes? without force.

    Perfect.

    I don¡¯t like annoying women.

    Only the best girl can stand by the hero¡¯s side.

    Did you think that just because you and I were childhood friends you could be special?

    You make me laugh. You¡¯re just a stopgap until I build the best harem ever.

    The merchant placed a leather bag full of gold coins on top of the counter.

    In terms of quantity, it seems reasonable.

    No matter the price.

    All I care about is that she is a slave and they tear her apart somewhere in these lands, then I¡¯ll be satisfied.

    ?Thanks for the money.?

    ?Thank you. Come back soon.?

    I left the store with Lisa.

    ?There it is.?

    ? ¡­.Hmm.?

    There was a woman in the corner of the bar.

    A sleek look that peeks through a well-worn hood.

    Sex appeal emanates from the entire body, and the exposed deep cleavage is eye-catching.

    Just the way I like them.

    In addition, its level is 30.

    To be honest, it feels better to steal women from other men, but considering the large-scale battle ahead, I can¡¯t be choosy.

    I casually took a seat across from her.

    ?Hey, are you alone now??

    ?Yes.?

    ?I see you are a priestess, and I was wondering if you would like to join our party.

    I made eye contact and used the eye of temptation on her.

    ?What is your name??

    ?Mirim.?

    ?It¡¯s a nice name.?

    Lisa came out of the side and blocked my view.

    It was only for a moment, but even so, the eye of temptation must have taken effect.

    There is no need to rush.

    Now I must do my part and start the brainwashing.

    ?I accept, I will join your party.?

    ?I like that answer.?

    After all, there was an effect.

    I think his attitude softened a bit.

    It was then that I saw the ring on her right hand.

    ?It¡¯s a beautiful ring.?

    ?It was given to me by my lover. Now it¡¯s gone.?

    ?He was an adventurer, wasn¡¯t he??

    ?Yes, he was a good man.?

    I am delighted to hear that.

    Oh, that heart that keeps thinking of the lost lover, how beautiful.

    It¡¯s great to be able to make it my own.

    I thought I would have to put up with you, but I can¡¯t think of anyone but you right now.

    ?Well, let¡¯s go to the inn and talk about our plans.?

    ?All right.?

    She dutifully responds.

    Fufu.

    There were roars and angry voices.

    Soldiers continue to attack the demonic fortress in an attempt to bring it down.

    The solid fortress is undeterred by magic and continues to block the path to the Dark Kingdom.

    The one guarding the entrance is Denas, one of the six generals.

    He has a curved sword, and he cuts through soldiers as easily as if he were cutting butter.

    ?Woooooooooooooooooo!?

    ?!??

    The sacred sword and the great curved sword clashed with each other.

    Denas looks at me and the corners of his mouth lift slightly.

    ?You¡¯re the hero, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re finally here.?

    ?Denas! I will defeat you!?

    ?It¡¯s good to be enthusiastic. But what about your skills??

    My breaths were short, the blows with my sword were sharp, and I put all my strength into each blow.

    However, Denas continued to parry all my attacks with one hand.

    Damn, it¡¯s strong!

    But if we defeat him, we will definitely win recognition!

    I will not let the Banyu Brigade take the credit.

    ?Lisa!?

    ?Arrows of fire!?

    Lisa acted quickly, and a large number of fire arrows rained down on him.

    ?It didn¡¯t work.?

    Denas emerged from the smoke.

    After all, he hasn¡¯t suffered a single burn.

    Unleash the power of the sacred sword now.

    My level has increased by 40%, from 72 to 100.

    I think I can fight more decently now.

    He also added more booster skills and went on the offensive again with my hero work.

    ?Hm, I can¡¯t hold your punches with one hand anymore.?

    ?Haaaaaaaaah!?

    A strong blow causes his sword to recoil.

    Stealthily, Denas¡¯ foot slid back slightly.

    I can win. I can win.

    After all, I am the hero.

    Continue attacking at higher speed.

    ?Ho, maybe you really are the hero.?

    ?Mirim, keep healing me!?

    ?Gotcha.?

    I am going to win at all costs.

    With Mirim¡¯s ability to regain stamina, he can keep fighting even throughout the day.

    On the other hand, Denas is facing me single-handedly.

    Even if he is surpassing me in level, he has to be at his physical limits.

    ?Fufu.?

    ?Eh!??

    I received a sharp cut from his sword.

    The impact that I could not avoid sent me flying backwards with great speed.

    ?This isn¡¯t enough to break your will to fight, is it? Come, hero, come back here.?

    ?That¡¯s what I want!?

    I start running again at high speed.

    ?Ha¡­¡­ Ha ¡­¡­?

    ?Come on, get up. We¡¯re not done yet.?

    Damn it.

    This type is resistant.

    Try as I might, I can¡¯t beat him, and he doesn¡¯t want to kill me.

    It¡¯s like they¡¯re playing games with me.

    But he is responsive.

    I had some moments where I could have lost my mind.

    One step more, one step less.

    Let¡¯s retire for now.

    We will definitely defeat them in a few days.

    ?Are you running away, hero??

    ?No! I¡¯m just letting you off the hook for today!?

    ?Kukuku, finish your work now.?

    ?Stop laughing! Next time I¡¯ll kill you!?

    We backed away as fast as we could.

 CH 61

    Early in the morning of the next day, we were let out of the prison and watched the sunrise.

    "I don''t think a stone bed is good for you."

    "I am happy anywhere with the Master."

    Kaede''s smile is as warm as the heat of dawn.

    I would like to sleep in a real bed tonight if possible, but that may not be the case.

    After all, he is here.

    Perhaps today is the day my fate will be decided.

    Murdering the hero is a great crime.

    There is punishment for such an act.

    I don''t know what will happen to me.

    But even if there are extenuating circumstances, it will not be minor.

    They can execute me in the worst case scenario.

    If that should happen... I will have to release Kaede.

    Now we can''t leave too much behind.

    It doesn''t matter where she goes. She has to be able to live a happy life.

    "Well, let''s get on with our journey."

    "Yes" "Gotcha" "Kyui."

    Not far from the fortress city of Lawana, there is a huge outer wall.

    This is the wall that separates the demon side from the human side.

    And beyond, there was the front, the battlefield.

    Beyond the horizon, a citadel stands at the entrance to the Dark Kingdom.

    Fortunately for us, we easily got through the wall, thanks to the fact that we were well known.

    We visited a camp with an army of humans.

    As we enter the countless tents, we see soldiers running towards us with spears.

    The air is tense and tense.

    Honestly, I don''t think I want to stay here very long.

    Boom

    The sound of an explosion echoes in the distance.

    It seems that many wizards have been recruited to take down the fort.

    "What''s the situation?"

    ''''It''s not good. Denas the Sixth General is wiping us all out, and we can''t seem to get through the entrance to the citadel.''''

    "Where''s the hero! He was supposed to be here with us!"

    "He''s been on a losing streak against Denas. I think they''re still struggling."

    "Damn it, we''re just adding to the casualties! Isn''t there someone with more power here?"

    A man in cloak and armor was shouting in the distance.

    From the looks of it, the battle situation does not look very good.

    He digressed to us and gave us an angry look.

    "Who are you? No one but the military is allowed in."

    "We are a party of adventurers called the Manyu Brigade. We are here looking for a hero."

    "...Manyu Brigade?"

    The man ran to me and grabbed my right hand.

    "''You''ve come to the right place! We''ve been waiting for renowned heroes like you! Your arrival will change the course of the war!"

    "Um, where''s the hero?"

    "If you''re looking for the hero, you can go to that demon''s fort! You can attack him too! Dahahahahaha!"

    What''s up with this guy? He''s in a really good mood right now.

    But I don''t care. Now I know where Sain is.

    The fort, huh.... I''m going to tear it down, but only because it stands in my way.

    It''s time to confront my former best friend.

    I won''t let anyone come between me and him.

    I bowed to the man and headed for the fort.

    Soldiers flock to the huge citadel.

    Gonk Flush

    Countless catapults hurl stones, but the walls are high and thick and bounce back.

    Plank Graang

    A large number of golems were advancing forward, but were shattered midway by arrows and magic fired from the citadel.

    I''m nervous because this is the real battlefield.

    After all, adventurers are just amateurs.

    We are not trained for combat like soldiers or mercenaries.

    "Master, there it is."

    "...Ho."

    At the entrance to the citadel.

    There was a group of people fighting fiercely.

    I pulled out my big sword that I had on my back.

    "Panda, come back. Rosuke, come out."

    "Kyu!"

    "Sha!"

    I had Panda return to the seal and brought Rosuke out to join me in the fight.

    In addition, I activated Rosuke''s mega boost.

    Mekimeki Mekimeki Mekimeki.

    Rosuke''s body grew three times its size, and countless large, sharp blades appeared all over his body.

    His silver body rippled in the air, the light reflected blindingly.

    "Support the military!"

    "Shaaa!"

    Rosuke renders the demon soldiers on the outer wall unable to fight.

    "Kaede, I need you to keep the entrance area clean."

    "Gotcha!"

    Kaede opened her fan and danced lightly, creating a gust of wind.

    All obstacles, both friend and foe, separating us from the entrance have disappeared.

    "Frau, can you break that door?"

    "Yes I can! It will be shattered, just watch me!"

    Frau, who flew straight up, charged at the door like a meteor.

    Craaaank

    A loud roar sounded and the gates of the citadels flew into the air.

    From there, the soldiers rush into the citadel, avoiding the hero standing in front of the gate.

    I quietly made my way to Sain with Kaede.

    "What''s wrong with you, hero? Get up, you can still do it."

    "Ugh... What the hell is this guy...?"

    Sain and the others were kneeling on the ground.

    On the other side is a man of the demon race with a huge physique holding a huge curved sword.

    He has two thick horns on his head and his black hair is slicked back.

    That would be Denas, one of the six generals we have heard so much about.

    The reddish purple curved greatsword was beating like a demonic sword.

    It is identical to the fairy that Darm had when I defeated him last time in Northstar, after I killed him, his sword turned into particles of light and disappeared.

    Maybe that curved sword will also disappear after defeating him.

    Denas'' gaze turned to us behind Sain.

    "The presence of this man''s strong forte, his extraordinary skill, makes my blood boil. I have lost interest in you. I myself will cross swords with that man."

    "Hey! I''m the one fighting with you!"

    "I don''t want to waste my time with a weak human anymore. Now I want a challenge."

    "What are you talking about!"

    Sain turned around and made eye contact with me.

    "Toru, what are you doing here?"

    "It''s been a while since I''ve seen you, Sain."

    All my anger that I had been holding back all this time exploded like a big explosion.

    Nei and Soarer''s faces flashed through my mind.

    But I''m not going to let my emotions get the better of me and murder him fast.

    I have been thinking about it for some time.

    What is true and what is a lie?

    To find out, I need to exchange words with my former best friend.

    Denas walked past Sain and approached me.

    It was about two meters tall.

    He was even more intimidating than Darm.

    "What is your name?"

    "Toru."

    "I am Denas."

    "I know."

    The next moment, the blades of our swords clash.

    I have asked Kaede to keep an eye on the surroundings so that no one interferes.

    No matter who you are, you will not enter this place as long as I am here.

    Denas, you''re in the way too.

    Every time you bring the sword together, sparks fly and a shockwave licks the ground.

    They say it has more than a hundred levels, like Darm. I may have almost two hundred.

    "It''s interesting that a person who is not a hero can put up with this."

    "Why don''t you attack me with all your might?"

    I took a big swing at Danas, knocking him back.

    I don''t like it when you keep delaying me.

    Now I will get serious.

    ''''I''ll make you regret ever uttering that sentence.''''

    Smiling, Denas draws the power of his great curved sword.

    A root-like thing sneaks into the arm from the sword, and shells and thorns appear from the shoulder to the arm.

    The roots extended beyond his chest, and a large mouth appeared on his right breast.

    His presence became very intimidating, and the air was feeling heavy.

    "Now my level has increased to 240. I was hoping to enjoy this fight a little more, but you pissed me off."

    "No, you''re wrong."

    " ¡­¡­what?"

    I activated the Dragon Knight and the Great Thief at the same time.

    In addition, further activate physical strengthening skills.

    Putting it all together, release the power of the sacred sword.

    My level has increased by 40%, from 301, I now have 421.

    "I can''t believe a human would reach a level like this. Kugh."

    Ching

    I put the big sword in the sheath on my back.

    Denas collapsed behind me.

    I paid no attention to her body.

    My gaze was fixed on Sain, who was sitting hunched over.

    Now, let''s hear what he has to say.

 CH 62

    Looking down is my former best friend, Sain.

    He looked at me in a daze.

    What''s with that face? Wondering why I''m here?

    Sure, it may be a surprise to see the warrior you got rid of because you thought he was a liability back on the battlefield.

    But after all you''ve done, isn''t it perfectly natural for me to be angry?

    "You killed Denas, with one blow... That''s impossible."

    ¡° ..................¡±

    "Even I, the hero, could not land a single blow. I fought again and again, got hurt many times...And you.... You killed him with a single blow."

    Sain staggers to his feet.

    Hid sword is still in his right hand.

    With his left hand, he wipes the blood dripping from the edge of his mouth.

    His eyes did not reflect warmth, not how you would expect to see a former friend.

    They were full of murderous intent.

    "I see... Toru is part of the Manyu Brigade. I don''t know how you got that power, but I''m guessing you''ve been interfering with my plans all this time out of spite for me taking Lisa away from you."

    "......What are you talking about?"

    "Don''t play dumb with me! You kept messing up my plans over and over again! Were you so disappointed that I''d taken Lisa away from you? That''s right, you promised to marry her! But it''s too late now, Lisa''s all mine!"

    I could see the madness in his big, unblinking eyes.

    As I look in front of me, I don''t see the Sain I once knew.

    No, this was his true nature.

    He was always just playing the role of a kind and trustworthy leader.

    Every time he spoke, there was an ugly face under his valiant mask.

    Lisa and the woman who appeared to be their new companion were silent.

    "Nei and Soara have told me everything. I also know that you are the bearer of the ''demonic eye of seduction''."

    "You ran into those two!?"

    "Yes, and they are both well, safe and sound. I have removed the curse you put on them."

    "Ugh."

    Sain''s face twists in anger.

    It''s as if he wants to say, ''Why are you here?''

    "I want to know something - why did you betray your childhood friends and toy with all of us?"

    "Why? Do you really have to ask? I wanted it all! Money, fame, women, status! I wanted it all for myself alone!!! And i also wanted to see you cry and scream because i stole something you deeply cherish ed in this world! Hahahaha!"

    Sain ran to Lisa, grabbed her by the arm and came back.

    Then he put his hand around her waist to show off.

    Her eyes flushed with amusement, the corners of her mouth turned up sharply.

    It was as if he was waiting for me to get angry.

    However, I remain expressionless.

    "Hey, what''s up, man? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be crying your eyes out in front of me."

    ¡° ............¡±

    I looked Lisa in the face.

    Her appearance hasn''t changed at all, he''s remained the same since the day I left.

    Now I looked at myself coldly.

    "Lisa, you''ve been brainwashed."

    "Yes, but it''s okay. I''m in love with Sain."

    "Don''t you wish to be free of that curse?"

    "No, I want a hero like Sain. Not a simple traveler like you."

    Sain immediately swung his sword at my neck.

    Reflexively, I turned my upper body to avoid the attack and flew backwards to get away from him.

    "You''re going to die here, Toru! Your death will be your apology for getting in my way!"

    "That''s not going to happen. You are going to apologize to Nei, Soara and Lisa for the things you do. You can''t kill me."

    "You stupid fucker!"

    Kicking hard off the ground, Sain jumped up and tried to swing his sword from above diagonally.

    .....Only for Kaede, who had quickly stepped between Sein and me, to drive her fist into his face with all her might.

    He flew through the air and rolled across the ground roughly.

    "''How can you not understand the pain of my master! Betrayed by his best friend, deprived of his lover, deprived of his childhood friends, and yet that gentle heart is still trying to believe in you!"

    "Ugh, how dare you..."

    "I feel disgusted! To know that my master has been hurt by the madness of such a vile man!"

    "Thank you... Kaede..."

    I looked at Kaede again and she was crying.

    She threw herself into my arms and hugged me.

    I didn''t know that. I didn''t know she felt so much pain for me.

    I can''t help but feel a great deal of happiness.

    It seems that meeting Kaede has saved my life.

    "I''m glad you feel that way, but this is something I have to finish on my own."

    "I understand. I couldn''t help it, my body acted on it''s own."

    I leave Kaede and turn to Lisa.

    I took the bottle out of my pocket and removed the cap.

    This liquid will check if Lisa has been brainwashed.

    I need to confirm this.

    I poured the potion over Lisa''s head.

    If you have been brainwashed, you should glow light pink.

    "Master. That person..."

    "What''s wrong?"

    "That person does not have any abnormalities."

    What?

    I looked back at Lisa to check.

    Lisa had a slight smile on her face.

    But her body did not shine at all.

    It''s not possible, I thought she was brainwashed.

    "You''ll be glad to hear this. Yes, it was my own decision to leave you."

    "Have you been pretending all this time that you''ve been brainwashed...?"

    "You are unusually insightful. But in a way, you''re wrong."

    Lisa hits me in the abdomen with her cane and whispers to me.

    "I never liked you in the first place."

    There was a roar, and an intense heat followed by a shock that sent me flying.

    For a moment, I didn''t know what had been done to me, but I soon realized that powerful magic had been unleashed.

    I was slammed to the ground on my back while covered in smoke.

    Kaede''s face appeared in my vision.

    "Are you all right, Master!? I''m going to heal you!"

    "I''m sorry."

    I got up and stood my ground.

    When I looked at my clothes, they were burned around my abdomen.

    The damage was controlled, probably thanks to my skills and the holy armor.

    What I don''t believe is the power of that magic.

    I''m sure Lisa has never shown magic on this level before.

    "You''re not dead. So your level is higher than I thought."

    "Lisa, why did you attack me?"

    "It''s irritating that your interfering with my plans. You''ve done your part, and now, you''re back again."

    "Plan?"

    Frau finally showed up.

    Probably because she were helping the soldiers, she was late in reaching the citadel.

    She swoops down from the sky and looks at Lisa and me in turn.

    "It was unpleasant to get here and... Hmmm. That woman..."

    Frau wrinkles her forehead and stares at Lisa.

    He widened his eyes and shouted; "detection!"

    At that moment, Lisa''s body trembles.

    Particles of light detach from her body, and her shape changes from under his feet.

    All this time. Lisa was in disguise.

    What appears now is Lisa''s true form.

    The light stops emitting and the real Lisa smiles.

    Her appearance is almost identical.

    But the wizard-like clothing had changed, and she was now clad in a black dress.

    In addition, she holds a terrifying cane in her right hand.

    She gave me a provocative look and licked her purple lips dismissively.

    "The Demon Lord!? And it''s level 800?!"

    "What?"

    I couldn''t believe my ears at Kaede''s words.

    Is Lisa the Demon Lord?

    This is impossible.

    Sain, who had gotten up, was also stunned by Lisa''s appearance.

    "Lisa, why?"

    "You look surprised. Yes, I am the demon lord."

    She approached Sain and gently placed a finger on the edge of his chin.

    "I will give you everything. I will make you a king who will rule the world. And when I do, you will go down in history as a great hero capable of taking on the Demon Lord."

    "I''m the only one who can defeat the Demon King...."

    "It''s a historic achievement. All humans will look up to you."

    "Ku... I like it. I was looking forward to that for a long time."

    Sain''s face is tinged with joy.

    But his smile is an ugly one belonging to someone hungry with desire.

    Lisa faces me again.

    "I finally understood what Soara was saying about you being a traitor."

    "I felt something was wrong with her. Because she smelled exactly like me."

    "So I''m the man who was dating the demon king?"

    "No, you are the foolish warrior whose lover was snatched away by the hero."

    So it was all an act, huh?

    That joyous face and attitude with which she received my ring, was it all covered with lies?

    And yet, I still wondered if what she had just said wasn''t a lie.

    I didn''t want to believe that the woman I loved so deeply had betrayed me.

    "Since you''re here, I''ll tell you something interesting."

    She smiled and then muttered.

    "I was the one who murdered your parents."

 CH 63

    "What did you say?"

    "Didn''t you hear me? I said I was the one who killed your parents."

    "No, you didn''t."

    "Fufu. Yes, I did."

    It felt as if my consciousness was fading away.

    I tried to understand Lisa''s words, but my head was rejecting them.

    If true, I find it difficult to accept.

    "The only thing I liked about you was the way you were telling me you loved me while I was scoffing about murdering your parents behind your back. Fufufu, that was hilarious."

    I felt the strength in my legs fade away.

    It can''t be.

    No way.

    Lisa would never do that.

    "Master! Be careful!"

    ¡°!?¡±

    Kaede hugged me from behind and used her healing wave magic.

    I felt a beautiful white hand grab my arm as I was about to sink into darkness.

    "Thank you... Kaede..."

    "Don''t worry."

    I stood up again and took a deep breath.

    Calm down, calm down.

    Don''t get angry.

    My mother and father were not killed yesterday or today.

    I accepted their deaths a long time ago.

    More importantly, I need to know why Lisa killed them.

    "That beast is too annoying."

    "Um."

    When Lisa''s cane pointed at Kaede, I immediately stepped in.

    I managed to deflect her fire spell with the great sword as a shield.

    I was relieved when I saw that Kaede was safely behind me.

    She is very powerful.

    Just as one would expect from a level 800 demon king.

    Fighting that powerful magic makes my legs tremble.

    "Wow, now you''re obsessed with that slave. Can''t you tell me that you love me once more? Tell me one of those stories of those useless days when you were making a futile effort to protect and treasure me. Come on, Toru, I want to hear those miserable stories."

    "That doesn''t interest me. Tell me why you killed my parents."

    "Ho... Okay."

    Lisa sat on a nearby carcass and crossed her legs.

    "Since I''m your ex-lover, I''m going to tell you the truth - don''t you feel special?"

    "Stop your nonsense and speak at once."

    "I see you are impatient. As you know, the biggest threat to me as demon king is the hero. But it''s not how you would think. The hero''s job specializes in battles against the demon king. ¡°

    Lisa spread her legs apart again.

    "But even if you get rid of them, they''ll come back in a hundred years. It''s too much trouble. I can''t deal with them all the time. So I thought, why don''t I make them my friends and keep them around?"

    .....Is that the reason?

    It is unknown how long Lisa will live, but if she has a long life, she will fight the hero many times. That''s why she thinks it''s safer to manipulate the heroes of this generation so as to prevent the appearance of future ones.

    But why are my parents involved there?

    "First I had my subordinates who can see the future predict where the heroes would appear. Then I moved to the same village, pretending to be an innocent girl, but the important thing was that Sain had an unbalanced sexuality that couldn''t be dropped with ordinary color tricks."

    Lisa keeps talking.

    "That worried me. It was a problem of calculation. Sain is the kind of guy who likes to steal other people''s belongings. So I decided to change my plans, and that''s where you come in."

    "I was a stepping stone so you could get Sain."

    "Yes, but simply reaching out and making Toru fall in love wasn''t enough. I had to make you vulnerable, dependent, break you so that I could be the light of your life, be your refuge after going through a terrible tragedy in which your parents lost their lives."

    I was so angry that my teeth were about to break.

    My parents were killed so that I would be fobbed off as a fool. All because my enemy wanted someone else.

    Everything I held dear was being trampled on.

    My life was ruined because of this woman.

    "But what I didn''t calculate was that Sain would get the ''Demonic Eye of Seduction''. It''s really a problematic ability."

    "Nei and Soara weren''t in your plans, were they?"

    Lisa laughs at my question.

    "That''s why I said it was a calculation problem. Thanks to you, it took me a long time to get rid of them. I needed Sain to trust me, I can''t let him focus on two people I don''t care about. I am the only person he can trust. And if he doesn''t believe those words, my whole plan will fail."

    But there is a contradiction in what she says.

    There was a woman standing near her, her new companion.

    I wonder if that woman was also outside of her calculations.

    "So, what about that woman?"

    "Uhm!?"

    The woman who looked like a priestess takes off her ring.

    From one moment to the next, her figure changed and she became a huge, muscular demon.

    "Eh!?"

    For some reason, Sain was upset. ¡¡ The demon man cast an embarrassed glance at Sain.

    The demon blushed, rubbing his buttocks.

    "Do you understand the situation yet? I was never interested in you. What''s more, I wanted to kill you long before."

    I finally understood everything.

    It had all started with the woman in front of me.

    Angrily, I swung my sword at Lisa.

    However, the demon man who stepped in an instant stopped my sword attack with his spear.

    "Don''t think I''ll let you near the Demon King, human."

    "Mirim, Toru''s level is probably close to 200. Be careful, I''m going back to the castle, so come back when you''ve taken care of him."

    "Ha!"

    He hit me with his spear and I went flying backwards.

    Lisa stood up and started walking with her back to Sain.

    Wait, fight me.

    I will never forgive you.

    "I am Mirim, one of the six generals. The demon king commands me to deal with you."

    "Get out of my way!"

    I attacked him with my sword with all my might, but he parried all my blows with his spear, and kicked me hard in the back. After receiving the kick, I managed to position myself in the air after propelling myself with one of my fingers on the ground.

    "How dare you...!"

    "I saw you."

    Mirim easily dodges Frau''s hammer and is behind her in an instant.

    "Ice Rock."

    The moment he aimed his spear at Frau''s back, Mirim''s legs froze instantly.

    Kaede held her iron fans in her hands.

    "How dare you harm my master...? You, the hero and that woman, I''m going to send you to hell."

    "Get out of my way, wizard."

    "Don''t forget Frau is still here!" Hammer Break!"

    "Guh!?"

    Pooow

    A thunderous sound was generated and Mirim was sent flying by the hammer with great force.

    He quickly shielded himself with his spear and landed with a glide.

    "How could she hurt me with one blow? If I don''t heal quickly..."

    He tries to draw strength from his pulsating spear.

    But before he could, a blade of wind passed by and severed Mirim''s right arm from his shoulder.

    The arm and spear flew through the air.

    Kaede, who had a cold look on her face, closes her iron fan with a snap.

    ''''Did you think I was going to give you enough time?''''

    "Kugh!? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    Mirim holds his wound and starts to run away.

    Although he fell, he got up and kept running desperately.

    His appearance is so wretched and ridiculous.

    Kaede''s eyes had an expression as if she was wondering; "What are you going to do?"

    Clearly I do not intend to let him escape.

    I ran past him silently and showed him my greatsword as I passed.

    "Ugh, damn kid... How could you..."

    Fwish

    Mirim''s body separates in two diagonally

    "Have they escaped?"

    I clenched my left fist tightly.

    Sain and Lisa had disappeared.

    Kaede placed her hand on my arm as if she knew how I felt.

    The warmth of her hand was now gratifying.

    Frau landed softly on the ground.

    "I''m not sure if we can go through with this, we might as well withdraw for now. The demon king is level 800."

    "...I will not give up. I will definitely kill those two."

    "I will follow the master wherever he goes. But first you have to raise your level, it''s essential."

    "Yes, I can''t win in this state."

    I''m nowhere near being Lisa''s foot soldier right now.

    But I definitely have to get stronger.

    And the fact that the hero has betrayed the humans is also a problem.

    It can be said that we are worse off than when we started.

    Not only the demon king, but even the hero has become the enemy.

    "Woaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh"

    I heard the soldiers shouting.

    When I looked back, the Grayfield flag was on the fort.

    The human forces have managed to make their way into the dark realm.

    It was now possible to enter the realm of demons at any time.

    "What do we do now?"

    "First, I must tell the king of Grayfield that the hero has betrayed us. Then, we will hunt him down."

    I kept my sword in the sheath on my back, and we left the battlefield behind.

 CH 64

    A few days after leaving the battlefield.

    We had arrived in the capital of Grayfield, and were visiting the palace.

    Seated on the throne is the King of Grayfield.

    He is still young, in his forties, and his eyes are full of power.

    "...Is it true what you say? Has the hero betrayed us?"

    "I saw it with my own eyes. Sain, the hero, was taken by the demon king to the Dark Kingdom."

    "The person who was supposed to defeat the Demon King has betrayed us!? This is terrible!"

    The king pounded his fist on the armrest.

    There was a heavy air in the courtroom.

    To my knowledge, there has never been a hero throughout history who has allied himself with the Demon King.

    Maybe there was, and they have been erased from history, but what is certain is that there has been no betrayal by a hero in the last five hundred years.

    I have already informed King Armand with a message scroll.

    As soon as possible, King Barseille will receive the news of Sain''s betrayal.

    "This makes the situation very complicated. There is no other hero possessing a sacred weapon at the moment. Also, we don''t have enough troops to defeat the demon king. Maybe if we had a little more time..."

    "One thing at a time. This is a war we cannot afford to lose. Both the demon king and the hero have become our enemies, they must be defeated."

    "Hmm, your former lover and best friend - are you sure you''re ready to kill them?"

    "Yes."

    I answered bluntly.

    Honestly, it''s not for the good of the world or for peace or anything like that.

    This is entirely a personal grudge.

    Sain, who played with Nei and Soara''s minds and feelings.

    And Lisa, who murdered my parents.

    I simply cannot forgive those two.

    I have to solve this with my own hands.

    "Very well. Then I give you the title of hero."

    " ....Eh?"

    I didn''t understand what he meant, I could only make a silly face.

    Am I the new hero?

    What''s this, a new joke?

    "But it will be Armand who will be in charge of awarding that title. What we need now is for you to take the hero''s seat as soon as possible. I would also like to make it public that you were the hero destined to defeat the demon king from the start."

    "Wait! I''m not the hero!"

    "The morale of nations is at stake. If it is known that the hero has betrayed us, pessimism and panic will become widespread. I would like you to take on this role to keep hope alive."

    Wait a moment. Don''t just make such sudden decisions.

    I do not agree with this.

    I will agree to take it upon myself to assassinate the demon king and the hero, but I don''t want to be one.

    Once I do, I will be the center of attention at all times until the day you die.

    As I have said many times, I don''t like to stand out.

    I don''t want that title.

    "From the sounds of it, you''re having a hard time accepting it."

    "Of course. I''m sorry, but I don''t want to be the hero."

    "I think being a hero is a great honor, you will make a name for yourself in the history of the world. But I would like to know why you are not satisfied."

    "I don''t like to be the center of attention..."

    I''m a little embarrassed by the reason.

    That''s because I''m honestly happy to be chosen as a hero.

    But I''ve always been bad at being the star of the show.

    I am not the type of person who can take on a lot of responsibilities and obligations.

    I''m just an ordinary guy, born and raised in a small town, who became a warrior because he looked up to his best friend, and felt like he could do anything.

    I don''t like to carry a lot of weight.

    Being a hero is too heavy for me.

    "Then let''s give the Manyu Brigade the title of hero. If you agree to this, they can keep their names and identities hidden, and remain active."

    "Oh, no, not again."

    "Don''t be so negative. It is already whispered that the Manyu Brigade are the real heroes of the world. We would only be backing up the rumors. If you don''t want to be a hero, you''re free to disband the party right now."

    I see, we can disband and reunite under a new name.

    Thus, we will be free of titles and will be able to return to our free lives.

    But is it okay to become a hero even if you don''t have a hero''s job?

    I understand that I am only a substitute, but a simple warrior being a hero....

    "I would prefer that you not venture into the Realm of Darkness. The fortress has fallen, but the defense is still solid. Can you stay in this city for a while and then leave?"

    "Very well. So what do I do while I wait?"

    "Take a bath."

    Eh?

    The people of Grayfield are famous for their love of baths.

    The best example is the popular bathhouse, where anyone can bathe.

    Reportedly, the strongest man in Grayfield bathes three times a day.

    Also, the milk served after the bath is very special. Anyone who doesn''t bathe at Grayfield is a fool.

    Anyway, this country revolves around bathing.

    It is a feeling that I, as a person from another place, cannot understand.

    "Fuuuu, this is great."

    I immersed myself in the bathtub and relaxed my body.

    Strange men are also immersed in the hot water, with towels on their heads and unhinged looks.

    I wonder if I look like that too.

    But I feel so good that it doesn''t matter.

    Maybe I''ve had too much going on lately, and I''m just tired.

    As I immerse myself in the warm water, my tiredness and weight seem to melt away.

    "How''s the hot water?"

    "Hey, why are you here?!"

    Before I knew it, the king was by my side.

    Why are you here?

    You are the king. This is the kind of facility that commoners use.

    "Don''t worry. There are several guards here. And it''s not the first time I''ve been here. It''s usually once a day."

    "Do you come here every day?"

    Does this king really work?

    I looked around, but no one seemed uncomfortable with his presence.

    They even saw him and greeted him saying; "How do you do, Your Majesty?"

    What kind of country is this?

    "By the way, would you like to move to our country?"

    "Uhm..."

    "You would be the hero of Grayfield. Or in this case, the hero of all countries."

    What he meant was to relinquish the title of Armand, and receive the title of Grayfield.

    It is not impossible, but if I do, it will surely incur the wrath of King Armand.

    And also that of King Grayfield.

    "I''d rather not. I want to be on good terms with Armand, and I want to give them back the title of hero in the future."

    "You are selfless."

    "No, I''m not. I like my freedom. In case you''ve forgotten, I''m an adventurer. I can go wherever I want, do whatever I want and eat whatever I want. I''d even consider myself to be greedy."

    The King said, "I see. You certainly are greedy," as he leaned his back against the edge of the tub.

    "Do you think you can defeat the Demon King?"

    "Well, considering my previous relationship with her and feelings, I''ll do something about it. Besides, there''s a considerable difference between our abilities and powers that I wouldn''t know what to do if I had her in front of me. I''ll have to raise my level first."

    "You are an honest man. I like honest people."

    "Thank you."

    Perhaps the king came here because he wanted to know my true intentions.

    After all, I am the one who knows the demon king and the hero who betrayed us.

    It is normal for him to be wary of me betraying mankind as well.

    It is an unnecessary concern.

    "I understand you have two slaves."

    "They are more than that, they are my partners."

    "Then go to the two Sacred Weapon temples in this country. If they have the right skill, they will be able to increase your strength."

    In other words, I have to get Kaede and Frau to acquire their own sacred weapons.

    Come to think of it, Kaede''s iron fan is in need of repair.

    And it''s not like the weapon is made of such tough materials either.

    If the two manage to get sacred weapons, It would definitely be a significant increase in strength.

    "Also, I would like to consult with you about the possibility of getting a guide for your party during your stay, someone who can brawl a bit and is very knowledgeable about our country."

    "I would appreciate it very much, thank you."

    "I''m glad to hear that. I just happen to have one waiting outside."

    The king smiles and stands up.

 CH 65

    The next day, I was having a drink in a coffee shop.

    Luna, the first princess, was assigned to me as a guide.

    She is a beautiful girl with blonde hair tied in a side ponytail.

    What stood out the most about her was her shirt''s neckline.

    A tight, white shirt with a large slit above the chest that highlights herr two big mountains in full view.

    In addition, the lower half of her body is also clad in tight pants.

    It''s hard to look her in the eye.

    "Are you listening to me, Toru-Kun?"

    "Yes, yes, I''m listening."

    Luna is getting closer to my face every moment, but at the same time, her breasts are also getting closer to me. So gulping down my accumulating saliva is inevitable.

    "Master¡«!"

    "I know, I''m not going to look anymore."

    Kaede notices where my eyes were going, so she stands next to me to stare at me.

    Still, I can''t help but stare at the mountains in front of me.

    Luna has nice breasts.

    And Luna smiles and looks at me.

    "You helped Marianne, didn''t you? I''ve wanted to meet you for a long time. That''s why I asked my father to allow me to be your guide while you''re here."

    "Marianne? You mean the Marianne who lives in Einark?"

    "Yes, she is my correspondent friend."

    I was surprised by the unexpected connection.

    The world is smaller than you think.

    I never imagined I would meet a friend of Marianne''s here.

    "So, Toru-Kun, where do you want to go? Somewhere interesting? Experience our country''s cuisine? Explore the ruins?"

    "Would you please stop calling me by "kun"?"

    "Why? I think it''s cute."

    Is it nice that she calls me with the honorific "Kun"?

    I don''t get it.

    "I''d like to go to one of the temples first."

    "Really? Then let''s do it."

    Her response was direct.

    I''m not sure she''s a princess.

    I took another sip of my coffee.

    "By the way, where are Frau and Panda?"

    "Here."

    Kaede opened the backpack and placed it on the chair.

    "Gghh, gghh."

    "Kyuuuuuuu"

    Frau was clinging to Panda as they both slept.

    Both Frau and Panda are lazy in the morning, so they usually sleep in the backpack.

    By the way, this is not a nap, but a double nap.

    "They''re so cute! Toru-kun, you''re so lucky to have such lovely girls!"

    "...Eh."

    Hmm.

    Something tells me these two are awake.

    When I asked the cafeteria employee for a cookie, Frau jumped up.

    The Temple of Sacred Weapon in Grayfield was half a day''s trip from the capital, and the two temples were stuck together like a split lemon.

    "Will I be able to acquire a sacred weapon like my master?"

    "Be confident. You''re definitely a hero of sorts."

    "Kukuku, I will be the first fairy in all of history to weild a sacred weapon."

    "Frau, not only are you confident, but you show a dark desire."

    Frau is the first to try.

    As she put hee hand on the door, a wave of light shot through it.

    Gogogogogogogo

    Baaaaang

    The lights came on, inviting us in.

    At the very end was a sacred sword embedded in a pedestal.

    "I''m going to take it out! I definitely will!"

    "Remember to imagine what you want when you take it out!"

    "I''m on it, Master! I''ll prove to you that Frau is the slave you need!"

    "Y...Yes..."

    Frau drew the sword with great vigor.

    The next moment, the sword was enveloped in light and transformed into a hammer of a size easy for Frau to handle.

    "This is a revolutionary moment - a fairy becomes a hero!"

    "Fufu, now Frau has it all."

    "Congratulations! Frau is both amazing and cute after all!"

    "Ehehe"

    Frau has a satisfied look on her face, probably pleased with the compliments.

    Panda, who is observing the situation, gets a little cranky.

    Perhaps he is jealous that Frau, who is not much different in size, has pulled out the sacred sword.

    "There are still a lot of things you can do."

    "Kyuu!"

    When Kaede hugged him, Panda shed tears.

    Although he is a familiar beast, we should make him proud to be part of the party.

    It would have been nice if Panda had the strength to fight.

    We left the temple and headed straight to the next one.

    When Kaede put her hand on the door, it opened on its own as if nothing had happened.

    ''''Master, please watch me.''''

    She stood in front of the sacred sword at the end of the corridor and gripped the hilt tightly.

    The moment he pulled it out, the one-handed sword became enveloped in light and split in two.

    "This is my sacred...... weapon."

    In Kaede''s two hands, she held two folded iron fans.

    As she extended the fans, a gentle breeze was generated by them.

    Kaede danced in place to show them to me, her bright white hair flowing smoothly.

    When the dance ended, we applauded.

    "Sorry. I got carried away with the new fans."

    "It''s okay, I was glad to see you dance."

    "I danced thinking of the master..."

    "Thank you."

    I patted her head, Kaede closed her eyes as if she was enjoying it.

    pat pat pat pat

    Her tail wagged left and right with great force.

    "So, where are we going now? To a dungeon? To the ruins?"

    "It''s kind of late, we should go back to the city."

    "Hey, but I have all the equipment we need!"

    Luna becomes instantly morose.

    Did you want to go on an adventure that badly? Sorry to disappoint you.

    But I can''t let the princess camp in a place like this.

    I have to get her home in one piece.

    "Then let''s all go to the bathhouse together!"

    "That''s a great idea!"

    "The three of us washing each other''s backs would also be nice."

    We will use the rest of the day to go to a public bath in the city and wash up

    Kappon

    The sound of a washtub being placed on the floor resounds.

    Like yesterday, I am again immersed in hot water.

    This feels so good, I think I''m going to get addicted.

    The sensation spreading throughout my body is heavenly.

    "Kaede-Chan, you''ve got such big ones!"

    "Please don''t squeeze them!"

    "And they''re so soft! Ahah!"

    "But Luna''s are bigger."

    "Really? I''m not so sure."

    Everyone in the men''s room stopped moving immediately.

    Everyone heard the women''s voices coming through the walls.

    Of course, so did I.

    My hearing sharpens as I plunge into the hot water.

    ''''I heard that you have already obtained both sacred weapons.''''

    "Gah!?"

    Before I knew it, the King of Grayfield was at my side.

    I bet this guy has a job as an [Assassin] or a [Thief].

    I can never detect his presence every time he approaches me.

    "Yes, we already have them."

    "That''s good. Now you''ll be able to increase the strength of your partners."

    "Yes, but unfortunately, we are still no match for the demon king."

    The king replied, "She''s a Level 800 monster. Never seen before."

    All the heroes of the last five hundred years are around level 200.

    If in the past they were able to defeat the demon kings with that level, it means that they did not have such a high power before.

    800 is such a ridiculous number.

    There is no chance of winning if I think about it clearly.

    It''s like going straight to death.

    But I''m still going to do it.

    "Hey, is there anywhere around here that''s good for leveling up?"

    "Berserker Valley. It''s guarded by undead, but you can level up very quickly there."

    Berserker Valley. I''ve heard of that place before.

    It''s a very dangerous place in Grayfield that no one has ever been to.

    To date, the complete picture of the site is unknown.

    There I will be able to level up efficiently.

    If I''m lucky, I''ll even get rare items.

    "I think it would be better if the princess did not accompany us."

    "Well, I''ve trained her to be able to fight, but just in case, I''ll send someone else to guide you instead of Luna."

    I like that idea. I would feel terrible if something were to happen to the princess.

    I am relieved to hear that.

    All right, tomorrow I''ll start working on leveling up.

    "Master."

    "Sorry, I kept you waiting."

    When I left the bathhouse, Kaede and the others were waiting for me.

    Her wet white hair and fox ears were brighter than usual, and her pink gown wrapped around her collar in a way that gave her some sex appeal.

    She entwined her left arm with mine and shyly turned around.

    Her face looked even redder than usual because of the hot water.

    "Fuuu~, I need a break."

    "Kyui"

    Frau and Panda climb onto my shoulders.

    The streets were full of people at dusk, and many lamps were shining.

    Suddenly, Luna wraps her arms around my empty right arm.

    "It feels good to have two beautiful women on either side, doesn''t it?"

    "Y-Yes..."

    My arm was thrust between her breasts.

    Their softness makes me nervous.

    Uhhh~.

    "No, it''s not fair! Me too!"

    "Kaede!"

    "Kyaaah!"

    Batan

    Kaede fainted and fell to the ground trying to squeeze her breasts against my arm, she had a bright red face.

    I don''t know why there has to be so much rivalry.

    But, she is a very tender slave.

    As I carried Kaede on my back, our return trip to the inn was quite calm.

 CH 66

    Woosh wooosh

    The wyvern Lisa and I were riding on descended in a slow circle.

    The sound of the wind was clamorous in our ears.

    Fush

    Finally we landed on the ground and jumped.

    A jet-black castle stands in front of us.

    The place where we find ourselves is the garden of the royal castle where the demon king lives.

    The black wyvern I rode on curled up and began to sleep.

    "I expected the demon king''s castle to be creepier... But it''s pretty standard."

    "Who would like to live in a horrible place? A strong beast can only grow in a suitable environment, remember that a scrawny tiger will lose to a well-fed wolf."

    I see, that''s true too.

    Even the demon race does not want to live in a difficult environment.

    "Based on what we talked about on the way over, are you sure about all this?"

    "Of course. You must be my servant, the hero meant to be the champion of the world beyond the demon king''s lands."

    "Then speak with more humility. I am offended by your attitude."

    "Oh, I''m sorry. It''s not that I want to look like a fool, it''s just that I''m trying to project my dignity as Demon King."

    Lisa hugs me and apologizes.

    I''m turned on by her breasts pressing against me and the cleavage peeking out from so close.

    She also wraps her long, white leg around mine.

    She is the Demon King, and she is terrifyingly beautiful and bewitching, and she stimulates me to the extreme.

    "I will give you everything I have."

    "I''m counting on you, Lisa."

    I remembered the moment Toru showed up, he was very upset.

    I never thought that Toru, that fucking loser, would turn out to be the hero of the Manyu Brigade.

    I''m curious to know how he got so much power, but he''s no match for me anyway.

    I have a level 800 demon king by my side.

    In addition, she says that it is possible to greatly increase my power with her side''s demonic elements.

    I''ve been exercising steadily, and it''s getting ridiculous.

    "Come this way."

    While Lisa guides me, I enter the castle.

    "Welcome, demon king."

    "Hm? Sain?"

    It was the maids who greeted me at the entrance.

    All of them are beautiful and to my liking.

    I have always wanted to hold a demon woman in my arms.

    "You are free to do whatever you want. This is your castle."

    "Kuku, that''s great, is there anything else I should know about?"

    "Follow me."

    I walked up the stairs and into the courtroom.

    There stood a black throne decorated with gold. A ruler''s chair which is perfect for me.

    Lisa insisted that I sit down.

    It feels good.

    Kings live well.

    Kata kata kata kata

    ¡­¡­Mmm?

    The sacred sword at my waist begins to tremble.

    The next moment, the sword disappeared in a burst of light particles.

    "Where did the sacred sword go!!!?"

    "You are no longer worthy. But don''t worry, here is a demon sword that is as good as the holy sword."

    "I hope so."

    It''s true that I lost the sacred sword, but that doesn''t mean I''m in trouble.

    If there is a replacement for that weapon I will gladly use it.

    Besides, I''ve always been more interested in demonic swords than sacred ones.

    Those monstrous designs are my favorite.

    "Deneb."

    "Yes!"

    A beautiful black-haired woman enters the room.

    Deneb must be one of the six generals.

    She was dressed in a tight black suit, and her arms were covered with hand armor that looked like demonic armor.

    I couldn''t help but lick my lips at the sight of her style.

    Deneb keeps her face down and her gaze fixed.

    I don''t dislike her strong attitude.

    It makes me feel better when they look at me from the ground.

    "Prepare a demon sword for Sain."

    "I will do so Immediately."

    Deneb, who left the room, immediately brought a sword.

    It is a jet-black, one-handed sword of hideous and terrifying design.

    Even just looking at it gives me chills.

    "You can''t use a sacred sword unless you take it off its pedestal, but a demonic sword is different. Anyone can use it and become its owner."

    "What happens if the owner dies?"

    "It comes back here. It''s the same as the sacred sword in that regard."

    I rose from my throne and picked up my demon sword.

    I grabbed the hilt and tried to pull it out of the holster, but quickly stopped myself.

    The sacred sword has had its trials. It is normal to think that the demonic sword also has them.

    Lisa knew what I was thinking, so she gave me a brief explanation.

    "There is only one test for the demon sword. It is to draw the sword from its sheath. However, a pain more terrible than death will try to prevent you from doing so."

    "I just have to take it out? It''s easy."

    Klank

    I began to draw the sword quickly.

    I immediately felt a tremendous pain throughout my body.

    "Ahhhhhhhhhh!? Waaaaahhhhhhh!!!"

    Plank

    I dropped the sword and crouched on my knees.

    An unpleasant sweat broke out all over my body.

    It was as if I had submerged my body in lava, or rather, as if I had been naked and exposed to extreme cold.

    Is it really something a person can endure?

    This is, in fact, hell.

    "I forgot to mention that the more you pull the sword out, the more painful it becomes. You can pull it out once, but it''s better not to do it again. It will probably break your spirit."

    "I need time."

    "Sure, have as much fun as you want."

    I was left alone in a room Lisa gave me.

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    Plank

    I dropped the sword again.

    I wonder how many times I''ve done this.

    Wouldn''t it be better to forget about the demonic sword and strengthen myself by other means?

    But Lisa said that no one will follow a hero who is not the owner of the demon sword.

    In this dark realm, power is everything, and the symbol of that power is the demonic sword.

    Those who cannot use a demon sword are not accepted by the demon race.

    In order to make an appearance here, I must first successfully weild this demonic sword.

    But it is incredibly painful and agonizing.

    It''s so painful that I want to drop everything and run away right now.

    "I''m not going to stop... I am a hero, a hero who will take over the world and all it has to offer. Toru, I''m going to show you who you''ve made your enemy."

    I grabbed the sword again and quickly pulled it out of its sheath.

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    A horrifying pain ran through my whole body, and for a moment my vision went blank.

    "Congratulations, Sain."

    I must have fainted and fallen backwards. And when I came to, I saw Lisa with a big smile on her face standing over me.

    I felt a sword in my right hand.

    I have taken it out.

    "It''s more than I could have imagined. I thought you''d give up sooner."

    "Don''t be silly..."

    "That''s not true. In fact, the one I gave you was one of the strongest demon swords. Throughout the history of the world, there are only about nine people who have been able to pull it off, which means Sain is the tenth."

    I sat and thought about it for a moment.

    The most powerful of all demon swords?

    What is it?

    "Unlike the Sacred Sword, the Demon Sword has its own rank. The Sixth General possesses the second from above. That one is a very powerful sword."

    "Did you trick me?"

    "That''s not true. If you were to become prejudiced of its power, then you wouldn''t be able to pull it out. I didn''t dare tell you because I was thinking about your well being Sain, and it was hard for me."

    Lisa hugged me.

    ....Hmm, okay.

    Results are everything to me.

    As long as I can get the strongest sword among all the demon swords, the rest doesn''t matter.

    "Does this mean I''ve surpassed Toru?"

    "I don''t know. I don''t have the assessment skill, so I don''t know his level. If he''s that strong, he''ll probably come to the Dark Realm, and then we can check it out."

    "...Will Toru come here?"

    "Since the nations don''t have a hero to fight the demon king, they''ll have to find a replacement, and I think the Manyu Brigade are the most qualified for the job, so they will be chosen. At least, that''s what I would do."

    Toru''s face looking at me crossed my mind.

    That damned nuisance was looking at me with those eyes of contempt.

    I will not forgive you. I will make it very clear who is above whom.

    Toru, I will kill you.

 CH 67

    We wait at the entrance of the lodge for our new guide.

    According to the king, they should arrive soon.

    "Hey~!"

    I could not believe my eyes.

    For some reason, Luna runs towards us waving her hand.

    Funny, that''s not what was agreed upon yesterday.

    The king told me he would send someone else.

    Or does Luna not know that someone else is supposed to be our guide?

    "Nice to see you again, now let''s go to Berserker Valley!"

    "Didn''t the king tell you someone else was going to be our guide?"

    "Yes, he told me, but don''t worry, I convinced my father to let me be your guide."

    "Really?"

    "That''s right, I don''t lie."

    I don''t think the princess would be able to mess with something like that.

    The king rated Luna as capable of fighting on her own.

    No, I have to go check it out directly, I want to make sure.

    "I''m going to see the king."

    "Wait! It''s okay, I''ve convinced him!"

    "Can I believe in you?"

    "Of course. My father trusts me a lot."

    I guess I have no choice.

    Honestly, I have my doubts.

    "Oh right, look at this!"

    Luna handed me a letter.

    When I received it and looked inside, there was a note from the king that said, ''Take care of my daughter.''

    "If you had shown me this first, I wouldn''t have had to hesitate."

    "Heh, well it''s just that there''s also something else."

    ¡°?¡±

    What do you mean by "something else"?

    I resent being kept in the dark.

    But if you are given permission to be here, I shouldn''t mind.

    "As of now, I, Luna, am a member of the Manyu Brigade."

    "Eh!?"

    "Don''t worry, I''m a temporary member! But if Toru decides I can stay permanently, I''d be of great use to you."

    What''s wrong with this princess?

    As expected, I can''t take the princess to the dark realm, so I''ll have to gently decline her request later.

    There is a large and deep valley that suddenly appears in the vast grasslands.

    In this country with many ancient battlefields, it seems that corpses have been thrown into this valley since long ago.

    Because of that, many undead and ghosts began to haunt the depths of the valley.

    "It''s too dark to see."

    "I sense a dangerous atmosphere."

    "Kyui"

    Looking down the valley, it is dark and you can''t see the bottom.

    Oooooooooh

    I don''t know if it''s the wind blowing or the ghosts crying, but it''s a strange sound.

    "How do we get down there?"

    "There are some stairs over here, though they''re cut off halfway down, and to continue you have to go down using a long chain until you get to the bottom."

    "So once you''re down there, there''s no easy way out."

    I have to be the first one down.

    The bottom is probably crawling with undead, so it''s probably best if I take care of some of them and then wait for the girls to come down.

    "I''ll go down first, then when it''s safe, Frau, Luna and Kaede, you''ll come down behind me, in that exact order."

    "Kyui"

    "You need to stay safe."

    Since Panda is no good for fighting, I returned him to the seal, after which I took Rosuke out to escort Luna.

    I''m not sure why the king would want Luna to come with us.

    But I can only assume it is for guidance.

    Perhaps there is the possibility of appealing to her confidence.

    I''m too stupid to think about these details.

    But since she came with me, I will have to protect her.

    "It ''s narrow..."

    The stairs were built into the walls, and are very narrow.

    An adult can barely walk on them.

    If you look down, you will see pebbles falling in the dark.

    Hmm, that''s just plain scary.

    Even a level 300 like me can die here.

    "You don''t have to go through all this, you can always fly with Frau''s fairy dust."

    "It''s not a good idea. We are not used to aerial combat. If we are attacked in the air, it will be difficult to stop the attacks."

    "I don''t think there are monsters that can fly here."

    Even if they do not exist, there is still the possibility that they can use magic and attack us from the ground.

    Many forms of undead use magic.

    Some types of ghosts even specialize in magic.

    If we fly right over them, it''s like telling them to attack us.

    Fairy dust is convenient, but you need to think about the time and place.

    "Caww-caww"

    Devilish looking crows fly over the rock wall.

    They stood on a dead branch sticking out, staring at us.

    I wonder if they are thinking we are their food.

    It is not pleasant to be observed from afar.

    ¡¶Notice: Job saving has been restored.¡·

    Oh, finally.

    The only thing left is skill savings.

    The stairs cut off abruptly. At the bottom, there was a metal chain dangling.

    "Okay, from here I''ll go down first, I''ll signal you when I reach the end."

    "Be careful, master."

    I nodded my head and carefully slid down the chain.

    The darkness of the surroundings gradually increased, and I began to feel a gloomy air around me.

    Toc

    I firmly put my feet on the ground.

    I then quickly pulled my sword from my back and looked around.

    "Ooooooo"

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh"

    Skeletons and zombies welcomed me.

    There were about 100.

    Although it''s common knowledge that they are weak, that a large number of them came out from the very beginning is bad enough.

    I don''t think I can do a proper investigation now.

    "Hah!"

    With a single blow, I cut all the undead in half at once.

    Those I couldn''t reach with my sword I set ablaze with heat magic.

    Within seconds, a pile of undead corpses formed.

    "Wow, that''s so many!"

    "Toru-Kun, you''re amazing! You beat them all!"

    Frau and Luna arrived after they had finished with everyone.

    Soon, however, another round of skeletons and zombies arrives.

    The number is incomparable to the previous one.

    Hundreds of undead were coming.

    "Aerial explosion!"

    Kaede uses her magic as soon as she lands.

    A powerful gust of wind was generated that swallowed the undead and crushed them.

    "Fairy hammeeeer!"

    Boom

    A shock wave is generated from Frau''s hammer as she swings downwards.

    The ground collapsed and the enemies were shattered.

    The enemies that were there disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    "The Manyu Brigade is... more powerful than I imagined! It''s understandable why my father told me to keep a close eye on you to see your tricks!"

    "Tricks?"

    "Ah."

    Oh yes, that''s exactly what I thought.

    I was thinking about how strangely close we are.

    The King of Grayfield is a very careful man.

    "Ah, I guess the cat''s out of the bag."

    "I''ll pretend I didn''t hear it. Stay close to us."

    "All right. We''ll pretend this never happened."

    When Luna approached me, Kaede stepped between us as if she was annoyed.

    "Luna-san, I will protect you."

    "Hiii! Kaede, did I make you mad!!?"

    "No, not at all. I''m not angry."

    "But your eyes!"

    Kaede grabs Luna by the arm and slyly pulls her away from me.

    "I''m sorry, Kaede-chan!"

    "I''m not upset."

    Well, if Kaede sticks by her side, there won''t be any problems.

    For the time being, Rosuke will also continue to act as an escort.

    Let ''s move on.

    "It''s been pretty calm."

    "Yes."

    A mountain of undead has accumulated.

    The total number is probably around 5,000.

    It''s not like I counted every undead we killed, so it''s not an exact number.

    "I''m very tired."

    "Well done, Frau! You even scared me half to death!"

    "Fue, really?"

    "Yes, you are so cute and strong!"

    "Hehe."

    Frau smiles in awe at the praise.

    However, Luna also struggled and is active in her own way.

    She used her one-handed sword to take down the skeletons and zombies one by one without batting an eyelid.

    Even if her level is lower than ours, she contributes perfectly to the party.

    "What the-!? My level has gone up to a number I''ve never seen before!"

    Luna, who checked her stats, began to get excited.

    Oh no, the experience was flowing into her too.

    Explaining this to her is somewhat problematic, now what do I do?

    "Look at that! I used to be level 53, now I''m level 172!"

    "Thank the gods of the forest."

    "The Gods of the forest?"

    "Yes."

    Luna didn''t try to find out more about why this happened to her, although she seemed a little confused.

    The god of the forest is impressive.

    It will be the solution to all my problems.

    "Master."

    We reached the center of the valley.

    There, Kaede found something.

    A square hole in the wall.

    There was a staircase leading to the bottom.

    "It has always been rumored that there is a dungeon in Berserker Valley. But no one has ever witnessed it, because of the undead. Try as we might, we couldn''t properly investigate."

    "So it''s a dungeon that''s been abandoned for a long time?"

    I am intrigued.

    Now, how difficult will this dungeon be?

    If possible, I want it to be a good place to level up.

    After all, my level is only 303 even after defeating all of them.

    Though I know why this is happening. My energy saving ability is hindering my growth.

    We walked down the stairs with me in the lead.

    "Oooooooooo"

    There was a ghost coming towards us.

    It could barely be seen with the naked eye.

    I instantly activated the [Dragon Eyes].

    The ghost approached, attempting to possess me.

    Gash

    "Oooh?"

    "If you are reborn again, have a good life."

    I had exorcised the ghost with my sword.

 CH 69

    Suddenly, Frau was enveloped in a bright light.

    I think it''s a change of species.

    It happened to me, and now it''s happening to Frau!

    The light converges and shifts into a humanoid form similar to Frau''s.

    However, the size was many times that of a fairy.

    The light dimmed and Frau appeared.

    "...What just happened?"

    "Frau, you..."

    Although Frau was not that tall, she had the appearance of a human no matter how you looked at her.

    She has wings on her back that are the telltale sign of a fairy.

    ...A bigger problem, however, is that I don''t know where to look, or what to do. Frau was naked.

    "No, Master, don''t look!"

    "Waah"

    But it was too late.

    Kaede was covering my eyes with her hands.

    Sorry, I''ve seen it all.

    "Frau-san, please put something on!"

    "Oh! Oh ,yes, clothes!"

    She rummaged through my backpack.

    "Frau, I think you''ll like these."

    "No, those are Luna''s clothes."

    "But they''ll fit you perfectly."

    "No, damn it, my breasts are too small!"

    I can hear some interesting words coming out of Frau''s mouth.

    I was a little excited to hear the sound of the fabric sliding.

    At first, Frau was a beautiful girl, and now that she is human-sized, I can appreciate her looks even more.

    "You can look now, Master."

    Frau was dressed in a pretty little girl''s outfit.

    But why did she suddenly become so big in the first place?

    I think she''s like me. Since I couldn''t keep my body together due to all my accumulated power, it was rebuilt.

    "What is your race now?"

    "I''m a ''High Faerie''. Probably because I''ve reached level 300."

    "What is Kaede''s level?"

    ¡°315.¡±

    Compared to Beastkin, humans and fairies are far inferior in physical strength.

    The reason Kaede does not change is probably is because she has a body that can maintain its strength from the beginning.

    So, will humans become dragonoids without exception when they reach level 300?

    Or can they become High Humans, like High Elves and High Faerie?

    Are there any conditions?

    Hmm, someone please explain it to me.

    "It''s nice to be bigger, but it feels weird. My Lord and Kaede are Frau''s size now."

    "You''ve grown. But with your size, you can''t go back to your village."

    "Why not? You mean because Frau is big now? Hueee!"

    Fuush

    Frau shrank back.

    The clothes she was wearing fell off.

    A tiny naked Frau came out of the interior writhing.

    What the heck is going on?

    Fairies are a great mystery.

    "Hahahahah! Look at me, I can control my size at will!"

    Frau returned to human size.

    "Don''t do that!"

    "Hueee"

    Kaede reacts again and quickly covers my eyes. As you can imagine, she was very slow. For the second time.

    Can fairies manipulate the size of their bodies?

    I''m a little jealous. I don''t know if dragons have that kind of power.

    Her yellowish-green pigtails danced.

    She immediately hardened her expression.

    "Frau''s time has come."

    "Let''s go."

    "Wait! You should be more excited, my Lord!"

    Frau, who was following me, was happier than usual.

    When we got back to town, we parted ways with Luna and passed a clothing store.

    Of course, to buy new clothes for Frau.

    "This one is good. Oh, but this one is good too."

    "You are beautiful, Frau-san. I think you''ll like this one better."

    "You''re right, I love it! You have such good taste, Kaede!"

    So long. I''ve been in the store for over an hour now.

    I don''t mind waiting as long as it takes, but the stares from customers are quite painful.

    Women''s clothing stores are too uncomfortable for men.

    A human-sized Frau stands in front of me.

    "Well then, how about this one?"

    "It''s good. It looks good on you. You look very pretty."

    "Hehe"

    Frau''s new dress was nice and easy to move in.

    The skirt with the short ruffle was eye-catching.

    We then went to the armor store and bought a set of armor.

    On the way back, the three of us headed for the public restroom.

    "Kyui!"

    Panda comes out of the carved seal and dances in the air.

    He is a bit grumpy as we had spent a lot of time in the dungeon.

    Panda immediately looks around and looks for Frau.

    "Kyui?"

    "Where are you looking? I''m here!"

    Panda''s eye moves from bottom to top.

    Then, the moment he realized it was Frau, his large eye began to grow teary.

    "Kyuuuu!"

    "Quiet."

    He jumped into Kaede''s chest and cried.

    He was disheartened that she was bigger than him.

    He must have thought his friend of the same size had disappeared.

    Ton

    The clothes fell to the floor and out came a small Frau.

    "Fu, I''m sorry, Panda. But look, now Frau can be as big or as small as she wishes."

    ¡° ...................¡±

    When Panta sees her, he happily reaches over and rubs against Frau''s body.

    "Aren''t you happy Frau can grow up?"

    "Kyui"

    "Well, I don''t like the idea that Frau can''t sleep with Panda."

    "Kyui!"

    "Why are you angry?"

    After collecting Frau''s clothes, Kaede immediately takes out the fairy-sized clothes and hands them to her.

    Then I stuffed the clothes she dropped into the backpack.

    It''s a hassle to have to stuff Frau''s clothes in a backpack every time she changes size, but it''s nice to know that her abilities are as good or better than a human''s. It would be perfect if Frau had clothing that changes size when she does.

    "Well, that''s weird."

    "Geh."

    I met King Grayfield with a washtub under his arm.

    And next to him was Luna, who we had just left a few hours ago.

    "Hello. We meet again, and so soon."

    "I knew you would come for me."

    "Exactly."

    The two of them invite us to a public bathhouse.

    People here like to bathe a lot, don''t they?

    But I was also thinking of joining.

    I guess I''ll take you up on your offer.

    "Fuuuuuu."

    Cold milk after a hot bath is best.

    Whoever thought of this is a genius.

    In the next room, the King was naked and, with his hands on his hips, was drinking his milk.

    "Fuah~, this is the only right way to get out of a public bath."

    "It''s really delicious milk, but is there a ranch nearby?"

    "Yes, and the dairy cows that are raised there are first-class products that are raised in that Patthang village, which is famous for it''s milk."

    "Ah, that town."

    It was a town near the elven village, wasn''t it?

    The milk was so delicious that I ended up buying cheese, yogurt and other souvenirs from that tourist spot.

    Well, it makes sense if it''s milk from the cows there.

    "Have you managed to increase your strength?"

    "I had intentions of going to the top floor of the dungeon, but I didn''t want to take the princess with me for too long, so the best thing to do was to go back."

    "I''m sorry. I''m afraid my daughter has delayed you."

    "No, no, not at all, Luna did a great job."

    I quickly followed the king who had a somber look on his face.

    In fact, Luna was a great help.

    She did her best to follow me through unfamiliar dungeons, and took the initiative to attack and guard.

    The reason I was able to maintain my cheerfulness in that gloomy dungeon was thanks to Luna, who livened up the atmosphere.

    I''m sure Kaede and Frau think so too.

    The King sat in a chair that had been placed in the dressing room.

    "I have to tell you something. Yesterday, the Manyu Brigade was officially approved as a hero party belonging to Armand. A messenger will be coming from Armand in the near future."

    "Is it finally decided?"

    He nods silently and takes a new bottle of milk from the basket on the shelf.

    "Haah~. I plan to give you the title here. Is it okay if we have a little ceremony?"

    "No problem. I''m glad I don''t have to show my face."

    "Hmm, you are very strange. Normally adventurers like to be recognized.

    "Really?"

    I wiped my head with a towel as I answered.

    There is a difference between expectations and reality, isn''t there?

    Heroes and heroines are cool and admired because they are unknown.

    In fact, I''m pretty sure it''s bad to brag.

    My late mother always said, "Toru, you have to live as modestly as possible."

    The best thing is to live peacefully and happily.

    I do not have the strength to take on such a heavy responsibility.

    Zuzun

    Suddenly, the building shakes violently.

    "What ''s wrong!"

    "There''s a commotion outside!"

    I ran outside with the King.

    "No way!"

    The city was covered by a sea of fire.

    Boosh

    A black mass flies from the sky and lands with a great gust of wind.

    "Ha ha ha ha! Toru! I didn''t know I''d find you here!"

    Sain, who was riding on top of a black wyvern, was laughing at me.

 CH 70

    I was stunned as soon as I stepped out onto the street.

    This city, the capital of Grayfield, had become a sea of fire.

    Many people are fleeing.

    The screams confuse me even more.

    Bashun

    A black mass descended forcefully from the sky, creating a gust of wind as it planted its feet on the ground.

    It is a black wyvern.

    A subspecies of dragon.

    "Ha ha ha ha! Toru! I didn''t know I''d find you here!"

    Sain was sitting atop the wyvern.

    He is dressed in black, and also has a terrifying black sword at his waist.

    On his left arm, he wore a silver bracelet.

    Sain did not get off the wyvern, but smiled.

    "This is your doing, isn''t it!?"

    "Yes, of course. I led the troops in the attack."

    Several wyverns pass right over us.

    "It''s my Wyverns unit. They''re taking out the enemy."

    "Come to think of it, there was also a small group of elite knights in this country."

    "Why would you, a former hero, do something like this?"

    The King clenched his fists so tightly in anger that they were dripping blood.

    However, Sain smiled as if he didn''t care.

    "Please don''t take away my credibility. I still have the hero''s job, so you can''t take that title away from me. Only now I''m the hero who''s with the demons, hahahaha!"

    "Damn you!"

    I stopped the King with my hand.

    "Your Majesty, go back to the palace. I''ll take care of this."

    "Toru-Dono... Sorry, and thank you."

    The King swallowed his anger, and ran away.

    In fact, I''m sure he would have liked to fight Sain himself.

    But at the moment he must consider his position as King. So he prioritized it over his selfish desires.

    He is a good King, I respect him for that.

    That''s why I have to live up to his expectations.

    I must put an end to this situation as soon as possible.

    "Toru, do you really think you can defeat me without a weapon?"

    "A towel will be enough to finish you off."

    "Hahaha, don''t act tough. You''re scared."

    "Not at all."

    As I said that, I was a little worried.

    It is difficult to face Sain without having some strategy or weapon.

    Things would be different if I had my sword.

    I have no choice but to attack with my towel.

    "Go, Birdswell."

    "Gyaou!"

    Sain jumped off the Wyvern and with a flutter, the animal opened its giant maw in front of me.

    Wyverns are the strongest of the dragon subspecies.

    It is a few steps behind the legitimate Red Dragon, but still dangerous enough to be called a monster.

    .... But this guy is no match for me.

    Swoop

    "Gurrr"

    "Birdswell?"

    With my wet towel, I swat the wyvern like a fly.

    The great monster disappeared into the sky.

    Sain looks at me with a furious expression.

    "How dare you hurt my wyvern!?"

    "It''s your fault for bringing him into the clutches of death."

    "Shut up! I''ll make you regret that!"

    The sword he drew gave off a chilling presence.

    It is as if a person''s negative emotions were condensed into a sword.

    It is different from the demonic weapons I have been dealing with so far.

    "Are you afraid? This is my new weapon to replace the sacred sword. I just came to say hello, but I changed my mind. I will kill you."

    "Say hello?"

    "It''s an announcement as a real hero standing next to the Demon King. In other words, a declaration of war. I will make all the humans who have despised me, including you, know utter terror."

    Sain gets into position and readies his sword.

    I cover myself with my wet towel and prepare for battle.

    "Haah!"

    "Haaaa!"

    We charged each other at the same time.

    I quickly wrapped the wet towel around Sain''s sword and deflected his attack.

    "Eeeh!?"

    I then drove my left fist into his back, hitting him behind the lungs.

    Sain flew in a straight line at high speed and disappeared through the outer wall of the city.

    I don''t think he''ll die from that blow.

    It''s time for my revenge, Sain.

    "Master!"

    "What ''s going on!?"

    "What did they do to the city!?"

    Kaede and the girls appeared seconds later.

    Just in time.

    Now that Kaede is here, she can take care of the fire.

    "Kaede, I will provide you with magical power while you take care of magically extinguishing the fire in the city."

    "Understood!"

    "Frau, Luna, take charge of rescuing the inhabitants who need help."

    ""Got it!""

    Kaede opens her iron fan and uses ice magic.

    The cold air spreads around them and covers the entire city.

    At the same time, clouds rise in the sky and strong winds are generated.

    "Blizzard Circle!"

    A wide-area magic that could only be performed with the power of several mages was being controlled by Kaede.

    The wind evaporates the heat and extinguishes the fires in a very short time.

    Even so, there are areas that are still burning.

    I can imagine all the effort Kaede had to make to keep the cold from freezing the inhabitants.

    Sweat runs down Kaede''s forehead.

    Her magic energy consumption is also high.

    Thanks to my ability to transfer magical power to Kaede, she can continue to use her magic without the risk of fainting.

    An hour has passed since the magic was activated.

    I think I''m approaching my limit.

    Suddenly, Kaede lost her power.

    I quickly walked over to her and grabbed her with both hands.

    "I''m sorry. I lost consciousness for a moment."

    "Don''t worry, you did great. Thank you."

    "I did it for the good of the people, and for Master..."

    I hugged her tightly.

    You were very helpful, Kaede.

    Rest well.

    ...The fire in the city was successfully extinguished.

    The demonic wyvern troops also retreated after Sain''s disappearance. Casualties were lower than expected and, miraculously, damage to the city was minimal.

    King Grayfield has set out to rebuild and strengthen the defenses against demons.

    "Thanks to you, my country was able to survive this ordeal. I am deeply grateful to you."

    During the audience, the King himself expressed his gratitude.

    Both Kaede and I smiled in embarrassment.

    Frau, on the other hand, had a satisfied expression as she sat on top of Panda.

    Luna, who was standing near the King, was wearing a dress and smiling at us.

    "Now, I''ll take care of awarding the titles. The messenger is here."

    The door opens and Armand''s messenger appears.

    Our eyes were drawn to that person.

    "Marianne!?"

    "Fufu."

    The messenger is Marianne, Count Roane''s daughter, dressed elegantly.

    The smart steps, swaying breasts and dignified look changed the impression I had of her before.

    She walks past us and right up to the King.

    She then presented the King with a red box.

    "I''m sorry it took you so long to get to this distant place."

    "By no means, your Majesty. I am happy to be present on such a wonderful day."

    The King rose from his throne and took a blue stone out of the box.

    He inserts it into my bracelet.

    On the bracelet shone a beautiful glow like the eye of a dragon.

    This is the proof. That I am a hero.

    It feels strange.

    When I was kicked out of the party that day, I never imagined it would all come to this.

    You never know what will happen in life.

    Sometimes you can suffer the worst fate imaginable, and the next minute, you find yourself experiencing something glorious.

    "Toru-Sama! It''s been a long time!"

    Marianne hugged me when the ceremony was over.

    The pressure of her breasts against my body and her scent makes me feel tempted by her.

    It makes something within me react, even though I didn''t mean for that to happen.

    "Kaede-san! I''m glad to see you''re well too!"

    "Marianne-san, I''m glad to see that you''ve changed a lot."

    "It has been difficult for me since then. Thanks to my higher level, I''ve been able to get rid of the monsters in the vicinity of the city. Also, I''m in training as a future wife, so I''ve been very busy every day."

    "But you''ve become even more beautiful."

    "Fufu, when Kaede says it, it makes me feel more confident.

    Marianne and I barely said hello, though she and Kaede carried on a conversation.

    They both headed straight for the palace garden.

    The way things are going, we''re going to have to hang around for a while.

    The women''s talk is very long.

    I''ve experienced that kind of thing for a long time, and I hate it.

    "What, you''re asking me if there''s a way for you to get bigger?"

    "Kyui"

    "There is no such thing. You''ll have to live with your current size, Panda."

    "Kyui! Kyui!"

    "It''s not unfair, I earned it!"

    Frau and Panda are fighting over my head.

    I''m glad they are so close. But it''s very annoying that they have to argue all the time around me.

    I''m not used to these kinds of ceremonies, so even if it''s just mental fatigue, it starts to bother me too much.

    I want to go back to the inn and sleep.

    Buaaah

    As I yawn, Panda smacks me in the face.

    "How dare you bite Frau''s hair!"

    "Kyu, Kyu, Kyu!"

    "Don''t laugh, Panda!!!"

    Panda quickly evades Frau''s punch, which then hits me in the forehead.

    "...Ah."

    "Frau-San, you and I are going to have a very serious conversation right now."

    Frau began to tremble with a pale face.

 CH 71

    The day of our trip arrived.

    We are about to embark on a new destination.

    The king, Luna and Marianne come to see us off.

    "Please be very careful."

    "If you need anything, just send a message scroll."

    "See you soon, Toru-kun! Clean up this whole mess and come back safely!"

    I nodded at the words of the 3.

    In the end, we were unable to fully enjoy Grayfield.

    However, what we gained here was significant.

    If I come back in one piece, I''ll make sure we all bathe together.

    "Toru-Dono."

    "What ''s wrong?"

    Before I could take a step, the King made me stop.

    He lowered the tone of his voice and spoke in my ear.

    "When you enter the dark realm, you should visit the country of Formelia. The race of demons there should be able to guide you to the Demon King''s castle in exchange for money."

    "How did you get that information?"

    "Between you and me, my country has a secret deal with the demon race. However, now that the demon king has appeared, our communications have been cut off. But I''m sure if you mention my name to them, they will cooperate."

    The King carefully handed me an envelope.

    It probably contains a letter requesting cooperation.

    It seems that Grayfield, which is in conflict with the demons the most, thus having to resort to hidden contracts with them, is a bit wary.

    Others may come to think that they are working for the enemy.

    I bowed to the King, and we drove away from the city.

    We left the capital and crossed the Demon Fortress.

    Soon after, we enter the dark realm ruled by the demon race.

    "It''s very normal, and peaceful."

    "You know, I always figured this place was going to be hell, since it has the word ''dark'' in its name."

    "Kyui"

    The trail leading from the fort crosses a meadow, where butterflies can occasionally be seen.

    The blue sky hurts my eyes and the warm breeze feels so good.

    The Dark Realm - the name is creepy, but in reality, it is simply a generic term for lands that are not controlled by humans.

    In this place, demons create their own nations and live the same lives as humans.

    "You look different."

    "That''s right, but you don''t look too creepy."

    "Control your words, Frau. Master looks handsome in any form."

    "Is there something you want to say, Frau-san?"

    "Huh"

    Thanks to our rings, we have changed our appearance.

    I now have horns coming out of my forehead in a normal manner.

    Kaede''s fox ears and tail are gone, and she now has horns.

    As for Frau, no costume was used.

    I decided it was unnecessary because I could hide her in my backpack at any time.

    In the worst case scenario, there is the camouflage ring originally worn by Mirim, one of the six generals, so I can have her wear it in case of an emergency.

    "There are no demon soldiers in sight."

    "They must have retired after what happened."

    It is true that the demon race is strong.

    But their total number is small.

    In addition, they have many factions and are not monolithic.

    Demons are self-centered, rude and uncoordinated.

    Therefore, if they attack in a large group, they will be too easily stimulated.

    The reason why we are a small group of people who are going to defeat the demon king is because the demon race has the opportunity to take advantage of it, and the success rate is high.

    "Kaede, get out the map."

    "Yes."

    She handed me the scroll and I activated it.

    A semi-transparent window opened on the paper showing a detailed map.

    I placed my fingers on top to mark the position we were heading to.

    The country of Formelia... Will this be the address?

    "Let''s go this way."

    "Weren''t we heading to Formelia?"

    "There is a meadow up ahead. If we go in that direction, we will be detected, which would be an advantage to the demon king. It''s better to take a detour and move through places where we won''t be easily detected."

    In addition, it is not certain that Formelia will cooperate with us.

    If we are revealed and then betrayed, the journey will become more complicated.

    If possible, I would like to save the "King of Grayfield" card for last.

    ¡­¡­That is why I started walking in the opposite direction to the planned course.

    We made our way through the forest, over small mountains.

    Occasionally we crossed paths with some demon races, but they did not feel uncomfortable with us, and our trip passed without any particular problem.

    We finally arrived at the city of our destination.

    According to the map, the name of the city is "Kogehain".

    Details are unknown, but it appears to be a large city.

    We entered the city, which was surrounded by high walls.

    "It''s much more chaotic than the human side."

    "Yes, you are quite right."

    The city of demons has many things.

    In the tents you see, piles of monstrous materials are placed, and countless dried fish of unknown nature are hung. In front of the food stall, men drinking alcohol during the day hung out, and monsters that would have been hunted were placed next to them.

    In addition, tiger and lizard-like monsters roam the middle of the city, mounted by their owners.

    The standard of living is not so different from the human side, but there was a considerable gap in the atmosphere.

    "Oops"

    "What ''s wrong?"

    "We have no money."

    Lately, since I didn''t have to worry about money, I was completely relaxed.

    When I stopped to think, I forgot that we had no money that the demonic race uses.

    This means that I cannot buy anything.

    It finally hit me when I pulled out my wallet to eat.

    What do we do now?

    Will I have to sell some items for cash?

    I looked down and saw Kaede tugging at my clothes.

    "Hey, what''s that?"

    "Hm?"

    Frau discreetly pointed to a large metal cage.

    There is a crowd around it.

    On the sign was written: "Those who hold out for 30 minutes will receive one million".

    Can I really get 1 million?

    Let ''s see.

    I tried to take a look at the cage.

    "Heeeeeeeh!"

    "Fusher"

    "Get me out of here! I''m out!"

    A demon man screamed and jumped out of the cage.

    Inside was a five-meter long Sword Cat.

    Sword Cat: Has a hardened sword-like barbed tail that cuts and kills anyone who approaches it. Its personality is more of a controlled sort, and is often only threatening when attacked.

    The Sword Cat is a very strong monster that only lives in the dark realm, I believe.

    Heh, I''m lucky to be able to see one in a place like this.

    It''s coat is light brown and it''s appearance is quite beautiful.

    "Who else wants to take the challenge? The entry fee can be after you have passed the test."

    ¡°!!¡±

    I raised my hand when I heard that payment would not have to be immediate.

    The participation fee is 10,000, but it doesn''t matter as long as you can get the million.

    I need some money now.

    I can''t continue this trip properly without money.

    "Master, I''m not sure that''s a good idea..."

    "I just want to touch the cat."

    "No, you can''t! It''s too dangerous!"

    "But that cat is big and cute, isn''t it?"

    "Frau thinks the same."

    Moments later, I ran away before Kaede said anything else.

    I don''t care, I''m going in.

    I will not pass up the opportunity to win a million.

    I''m going into the cage.

    "Giii"

    "Calm down, I won''t do anything to you."

    I raised both hands and showed no resistance.

    However, Sword Cat moved to the corner of the cage and continued to act intimidating.

    Was it unreasonable to expect a demonic creature to have the intelligence of one from the human realm?

    I wanted to calm it down without it thinking I wanted to antagonize it.

    "You can quit if you want to."

    "I haven''t even been here a minute."

    "It''s useless. No one has lasted more than five minutes with my cat."

    ......Five minutes.

    Maybe this guy wants to secure his winning streak.

    Shuu

    As soon as I approached, I received a blow from the tail of the Sword Cat.

    "What the heck?"

    The demons outside the cage watching went crazy.

    The animal''s owner also clings to the cage in surprise.

    I stopped the big cat''s sword-like tail by holding it between my two fingers.

    If you reach level 300, you will be able to do these kinds of tricks.

    The cat tries to yank its tail back, but it doesn''t manage to free it from my fingers.

    I quickly activated [Master Tamer].

    The air I emit puts the demonic animal''s mind at ease.

    I moved even closer and stroked it''s neck.

    The Sword Cat rolls over and shows it''s stomach.

    I stroke it some more and it starts to purr.

    "Master, let me touch it too!"

    "Sure thing."

    "Frau also wants to."

    "You can''t go into the cage!"

    I opened the door and Kaede entered the cage.

    Frau is small and goes directly inside.

    The three of us pet the cat.

    He is a very cute kitten.

    It ''s so fluffy.

    "Grab your million and get the hell out of here, quick!"

    Oh, is it over?

 CH 72

    After the challenge, we had lunch with the money I got.

    Then we took a walk around the city.

    "Master."

    "Look."

    A statue of the ancient demon king and hero was placed in the center of the city.

    He is the demon king Kuol and the hero Deorika.

    The two are famous for having fought the fiercest battles in the last 500 years.

    The battle lasted three days and three nights, and Deorika barely won.

    This battle, which caused great damage to both demons and humans, became a legend to both races.

    At the foot of this giant monument, Kaede waves her hand.

    Frau was sitting on Deorika''s head and Panda was circling around her.

    Hey, you''re disrespectful.

    Get off of her head right now.

    "You look like a very strong demon king."

    "He''s so different from that evil bitch. He has dignity."

    "It''s a matter of favoritism."

    The demon king, Kuol, is an austere and stoic man.

    Deorika, on the other hand, is young and has a fearless face.

    It appears to have been made by a very skilled craftsman. There is no sense of dynamism.

    Suddenly, I realize that there is a mother and daughter next to me.

    "Mom, why did Kuol lose?"

    "He took the hero''s wife hostage. Victory was almost in his hands, but at the last moment the hero awakened a new ability that defeated the demon king."

    "The hero was a cheater."

    "That''s true. Don''t grow up to be someone like that."

    The girl cheerfully replies "Okay!"

    It sounds like you are getting a pretty dreadful education.

    The demon king was a complete coward, no matter how you think about it.

    "Master!"

    I turned around after Kaede''s call.

    There was a beautiful short-haired young man riding a horse.

    In addition, it has a noble atmosphere like an aristocrat.

    "You look like someone strong. Are you an adventurer?"

    "Yes, we are a party, we are called "Manyu Brigade."

    ¡­¡­¡­¡­...

    Seconds later I realized I had said the name of the party.

    What an asshole I am!

    No matter how hard I have tried to disguise myself and hide my identity, if I go around saying my party''s name like a fool I will be exposed.

    But the young man seemed unfazed, smiled, and got off his horse.

    "Manyu Brigade, huh. I saw you challenge the sword cat. If you don''t mind, I''d like to have a chat with you at my residence."

    "A chat?"

    "To put it bluntly, it''s a request. I''m in a bind."

    It is very suspicious.

    This individual is probably a nobleman of the demon race.

    I can''t say anything suspicious.

    I turned to look at Kaede.

    She nods, "I will leave this decision to you, Master."

    The same applied to Frau.

    "By the way, what''s the reward?"

    "If you succeed, I will give you 3 million."

    "Okay, I''ll listen to you."

    "Then follow me."

    The young man got on his horse and led us to a mansion not far from where we were.

    The demon mansion did not appear to be much different from that of a human.

    I took a sip of the tea he gave me.

    Hmm, it''s delicious.

    "I don''t suppose you''ve heard much about the water fountain?"

    "No. Do tell."

    "The city uses the river coming down from the mountains for its water supply, but recently the source of the river has been blocked by a monster. Thanks to that, the river has started to dry up and we are in a critical situation."

    If it is a monster blocking the water source, it is probably quite large and heavy.

    Water is indispensable for life.

    I grew up in a village, so I can understand it well.

    So I cannot refuse this request.

    "And what kind of monster is it?"

    "A poisonous slime. It ''s size leads me to believe it''s a King Slime."

    "Ugh."

    I couldn''t help but let my expression of disgust slip.

    King-sized slime are on the list of monsters an adventurer should not face.

    Normally, slimes are small, but once they exceed a certain size, they become extremely problematic.

    The largest size is King.

    Physical attacks are naturally ineffective, magical attacks are ineffective against such overwhelming mass, and it has a voracious appetite, trapping any living thing that approaches it and dissolving it with its powerful digestive juices.

    And this time, it''s the most problematic type, a poisonous slime.

    It is logical that it is difficult for him to solve this problem.

    "Will you do it?"

    "Hmm. Well, all right. I''ll do it."

    I was a little worried, but I thought Kaede''s magic could defeat him.

    The most important thing is that I want that 3 million.

    I have heard that the dark kingdom is quite large.

    I should get as much money as possible for my trip.

    "Forgive me for not having introduced myself properly. I am the Marquis de Pione, I rule this land."

    "I''m Toru, and this is Kaede and Frau."

    "Toru, it''s a pleasure to meet you."

    We shook hands after introducing ourselves.

    We enter the mountain and aim at the place where the monster is.

    "Wait up, you three are going too fast....."

    Behind us was Pione, who was having a hard time climbing the mountain.

    Since he was a demon aristocrat, I thought he would be a person of considerable skill, but surprisingly he was not in good physical shape.

    I wondered if he simply wasn''t used to the mountains, but from the looks of it, his level was quite low.

    "What''s your level, Pione?"

    "Seven."

    Eeeeh?

    I thought that demons would have a higher level.

    "Hahahah, I know, I have a very low level. I''m really only a Lord in name. Because my late father was an excellent demon, he managed to make everyone in the city devoted to me before he died... Oh, but this is a secret, don''t tell anyone."

    "Are you sure you should be telling us something like that?"

    "I have a good eye for demons. I''m sure Toru''s and his friends are good."

    Pione smiled.

    A weak demon with good feelings.

    That was my impression of him.

    "Get on my back."

    "Uh..."

    "At this rate we''ll never get there."

    I leaned over so Pione could climb on me.

    He hesitated a bit, but then climbed on me.

    "Master!"

    "Don''t worry, Kaede."

    "Well, let''s keep going."

    "Eh!?"

    I jumped up to where Kaede was.

    After that, we all ran at once, while Pione, who was on my back, was screaming like a little girl because of the turbulent trip.

    With every step I took, I felt Pione''s chest hit my back. It was big and soft.

    Does this guy work out his pecs?

    He should exercise his legs more, though.

    I feel as if there''s very little meat on them.

    "Ueeeeeeeeh!"

    We jumped from rock to rock until we reached the middle of the mountain.

    "Master, would you like me to help you?"

    "No, it''s okay, I''d like to go at once and get it over with."

    ¡° ..............¡±

    "What?"

    When Kaede saw Pione hugging me she said;

    "Master, can you give me a ride when we go back?"

    "Yeah, I don''t mind..."

    "Perfect, you''re going to have to carry me like a princess."

    "That''s not fair, Kaede. My Lord, Frau wants to be carried as well."

    Hey, don''t neglect your position, we have to be alert.

    There are monsters here too.

    "There it is."

    There was a dark green slime peeking through the bushes.

    But the size is more than ten meters.

    It is what is commonly known as "King Slime".

    It appears to still be at the water source, and traces of flowing water can be seen, but the important water is nowhere to be found.

    "Do you think you can win?"

    "Kaede, try to freeze it."

    "Okay."

    She raises her iron fans and uses ice magic.

    Piki piki

    The ground froze and cold air enveloped the slime.

    For a moment, I thought she had frozen it, but it seems that she couldn''t completely freeze the nucleus, and soon the thin ice on the surface broke and the slime began to move.

    Not only is it large, but it also appears to be of a reasonably high standard.

    What else can we do?

    I could cut him in half with my sword, but that would impact the water source directly below it.

    We have to defeat it without affecting the water.

    What if we try to tame it?

    "Fufu, it''s Frau''s turn."

    "Do you think you can move it from there?"

    "Yes, I''ll use fairy dust. By sprinkling a little on top, it will float and move even if it doesn''t want to." ¡¡ I see. I hadn''t thought of that.

    When you get sprayed with that stuff, it''s inevitable to be able to float.

    Then we can get rid of it when it''s in the air.

    "Then go sprinkle some on top of it."

    "But how do I get close without it attacking me?"

    "Don''t worry, I''ll distract it."

    I ordered Kaede and Pione to stand by, and jumped in front of the slime.

    "Hey slime, look at me."

    ¡°!?¡±

    The slime king reacts to my presence and extends its tentacles.

    I drew my sword and cut its tentacles from a relatively far away position.

    Meanwhile, Frau moved just above it and managed to sprinkle some of her fairy dust.

    The slime slowly began to float.

    However, while floating in the air, it began to spit digestive juices.

    It used the wrong moment to make an attack like that while floating.

    "Woaah!"

    "Pione!?"

    The digestive juices seem to have splattered near the bush in which Pione was hiding, causing him to rush out.

    The liquid had dissolved his clothes and he was naked.

    "Toru!"

    "Are you all right, Pione... Chan...?"

    Pione came running out to me and hugged me.

    The boy I had met in town¡­ turned out to be a girl.

 CH 73

    Pione was a woman.

    It''s obvious when I see her naked as she hugs me.

    Splash

    Digestive juices continue to fall from the Slime.

    "That''s disgusting!"

    "Eh!?"

    I went into some bushes with Pione.

    Kaede followed us and gave Pione a cloth to cover herself.

    "So you were a woman."

    "I''m sorry I lied to you."

    "We''ll talk about it later."

    I came out of the bushes and looked for the slime.

    While avoiding the falling digestive juices, I drew my sword and took a leap to get closer to him.

    Glush

    I cut its body in half with a vertical slice.

    The water begins to flow back from the source to the river.

    "So?"

    "Um, I didn''t mean to offend you."

    We were standing near the fountain asking Pione for an explanation.

    "In my family, it was not accepted that I was a girl, so my father had no choice but to raise me as a man. I didn''t want the family to fall apart, so I tried hard to pretend to be one..."

    "I see."

    "What, you really believe me!?"

    "Is there a reason not to?"

    If what Pione says is true, we can only accept it

    After all, nothing troublesome resulted from her concealing her true identity.

    But I won''t deny that I was very surprised.

    What surprised me was the fact that both Kaede and Frau had noticed.

    They had both told me that her feminine appearance was very obvious.

    Perhaps the demons in the city also knew this and kept silent.

    But I could not notice her feminine appearance....

    Suddenly Pione clung to my leg.

    "Please! Don''t tell anyone about this! I''ll do anything!"

    "What?"

    My body had been shaken.

    Those words could make any man''s heart tingle.

    I can''t help but wonder what kind of things I could ask her for.

    "I will also do whatever my master asks me to do."

    Kaede gently tugged at the hem of my shirt while blushing.

    Hearing that was so embarrassing that my face turned red and I had to look away.

    "Fray would also do anything for you. I am a faithful slave to my Lord. If possible, I would also like you to stroke my head and praise me every time I do something for you."

    "Kyui"

    Frau, who was on top of Panda, says such words without any sign of embarrassment.

    In Frau''s case, I think she wants me to praise her for what she did before.

    As I patted her head, she said, "I''m so incredibly happy about this! I love it!" and pushes her head against my hand.

    "So, since we''re here, is there anything you want me to do?"

    "Huh."

    As she looked at me with teary eyes, Pione''s face was blushing.

    My mouth was full of meat.

    Then I tore off a piece of bread, dipped it in the soup and ate it up.

    I was gorging myself on so much food that I had to drink water to get it down.

    "I was so silly, I never thought you''d ask me to stay for dinner."

    "Hmm? Did you want me to do something to you?"

    "Waaaah! That''s embarrassing! Stop it!"

    Pione''s face reddens.

    But saying "anything" was definitely a slap in the face.

    I''m not sure to what extent my request would be acceptable. But I figured it''d be best not to be too blatant in this type of situation, so I decided to play it safe.

    But I had no intention of doing anything wrong either.

    First, I have no merit in revealing Pione''s identity.

    So I just asked to stay at her house for dinner so she would have peace of mind.

    ...Well, that also includes sleeping over at her house.

    "Sorry for all this. Even though you''ve paid me for the work I did, I''m abusing your t hospitality by staying at your house."

    "It''s okay, I honestly thought $3 million was cheap compared to the work you did."

    "Oh, yes."

    I don''t know what the market price is here, so it''s hard to answer.

    I''m sure that on the human side, a request like that would be around 100 million. But it''s just a rumor, so I''m not sure.

    "If you want, you can stay as many nights as you want."

    Pione touches her cheeks with both hands and smiles.

    "I''m flattered, but we have to leave tomorrow."

    "Oh..."

    She immediately became depressed.

    The atmosphere was so overtly dark that it made us feel like we were doing something wrong.

    We also want to take it easy, but we have a situation where we can''t just do as we please.

    "Hah~, I thought you might be friends... Eh?"

    Letting out a sigh, Pionne opens her eyes as she views her stats.

    "My level is 43! Why?"

    Oh shit, my experience points went to her.

    Now how am I going to fool her?

    "It must have been a gift from the forest gods."

    "No! Toru and his friends must have caused this sudden increase!"

    Ugh, I couldn''t fool her.

    Or maybe Alusha and Luna were too innocent.

    "My level is 43... Hehe."

    She keeps looking at her stats window with a gleeful look on her face.

    It''s a little creepy.

    "Thank you for your help."

    "It was a pleasure."

    The next day, we stood in front of Pione''s mansion saying goodbye.

    Pione was dressed as a man, and on her face was a beautiful smile.

    I may never see her again.

    She is a demon, and I am a human, we''re natural enemies.

    "I wish you the best in your life."

    "Thank you, Kaede-San."

    "You''re going to be a great Lord, I''ll be rooting for you!"

    "Thank you, Frau-Chan."

    The three of us said goodbye to her.

    Now it is time to leave.

    "Hey, wait up!"

    "Uhm?"

    We were stopped before leaving for our new destination.

    Pione returns to the mansion and comes out a few minutes later with her backpack and sword.

    She then runs to the back and brings out two horses.

    "I''m coming with you."

    "Huh?"

    Why do you want to join us?

    Then what was the point of this farewell?

    "Don''t worry. I''ll leave all my duties to someone else, and I''m not going to leave the mansion for that long. You guys need someone to guide you to the capital, right?"

    "What do you want?"

    "Nothing."

    You are blatantly averting your eyes.

    At least look at me when you lie to me.

    "You''re probably thinking that if you continue with us, you can keep raising your level."

    "No, it''s nothing like that."

    "You were asking me a lot of questions about where I was going last night and what kind of relationship I have with my master."

    "Okay! I confess!"

    She covered her ears and shook her head.

    Then she nodded and began to explain.

    "I want to be a great lord like my father, but that requires power. You must know that, since you are a demon, and those without power are cast aside and abandoned. So this is my last chance to be able to do something."

    "But skills are something you don''t just improve by leveling up."

    "I know. That''s why I''ve been practicing with my sword all my life. All I need now is to level up so I can be even better. Please, Toru."

    She wraps both her hands around my right hand and looks up with tearful eyes.

    No, I am vulnerable to those eyes.

    Don''t look like an abandoned puppy, it''s my weakness.

    I turned to look at Kaede and Frau.

    "If you agree to take her with us, Master, I will too."

    "It''s okay, it''s not like she''ll be with us forever."

    Neither of them objected.

    It is said that the city we are going to can be reached in a day on horseback.

    And if we take it easy, it can even be two days.

    If it is for two days, it is unlikely that she will notice our disguise.

    And I don''t want to waste a lot of money scrolling through every city on the map.

    I guess it''s good to have a guide.

    "Only as far as the capital."

    "Yes! Thank you, Toru!"

    Pione got on one horse and I got on another.

    I then motioned for Kaede to ride behind me.

    "I''ll look after my master''s sword..."

    "That''s not fair. I''m going to increase my size, Frau also wants to."

    "Don''t do it, Frau-San, three people would be too much weight for the horse."

    "Not at all, that is if Kaede rides with Pione and Frau rides behind Lord-..."

    "Too late! Master, let ''s go!"

    Kaede got on the horse and wrapped her arms around my waist tightly.

    "Fufu, Master''s back is so big."

    Kaede''s voice sounded rather happy.

    It''s good to hear something like this from time to time.

    I looked to the side and saw Pione scowling at me.

 CH 74

    Hiding in the bushes, I looked ahead.

    There was a group of goblins near us.

    Goblins, Goblin Warriors, Goblin Riders, Goblin Shamans, and more.

    Some of them are even hobgoblins, which are a higher level of goblin.

    "Iko Iko"

    "Ho"

    "Ikaio"

    "Ho"

    "All right, it''s time."

    "I''m right behind you."

    Pione was excited, but did not move at all.

    You are the one who said she wants to level up.

    We have been watching the goblins interact with each other for almost 30 minutes.

    Now I understand why she has been at level 7 all this time.

    This girl is pretty cowardly.

    "Don''t worry, Pione-san. They''re level 10, so we''re sure to win."

    "Yes. Thank you, Kaede-san."

    "You should retire, the sun is already setting."

    "Hueeee!?"

    Suddenly, Frau pushes Pione and makes her stumble out of the bushes.

    I told Frau not to be too rough with her, but Frau, who was on top of Panda, replied; "It''s not always good to be too nice."

    You are the wrong person to say that.

    At that rate, no matter how much time we have, it won''t be enough for her.

    Should I be harder on her?

    "Awawawawawa!"

    "Hueeh? Aaaah!"

    The goblins noticed Pione and began to make noise.

    Pione is standing shakily with her sword in her hands.

    On the other hand, the enemy has already begun to move.

    "Move! They''ll kill you!"

    "Ah, yes, I have to fight!"

    Pione started running and swinging her sword wildly.

    But her movements were so clumsy due to the tension, and the enemy dodged her attacks easily.

    Seconds later she was caught by one of the goblins and fell to the ground.

    "Awawawawawa"

    "Hueeeh!"

    "Uaaahaha!!!"

    The goblins surrounded her and tore off her clothes.

    Then she managed to escape to me in her underwear.

    Pione clung to me in her underwear as she cried.

    "Toru! I can''t!"

    "Let''s get you dressed and take a break."

    Kaede took it upon herself to eliminate the goblins that were approaching us.

    Pione, who was wearing a cloth to cover her body, was looking at the scene with regret.

    "I''m an idiot."

    "Don''t be discouraged. Here."

    I gave Pione a bowl of soup.

    There are people all over who are not cut out for battles.

    Even demons come in all shapes and sizes.

    The unfortunate thing is that she doesn''t like to fight, but she is in a position where she has to show power.

    "Why don''t you stop using swords and start using magic?"

    "I can''t do magic."

    "How about a bow?"

    "I''ve never hit a target with a bow."

    "''My Lord, we should pretend this never happened."

    Pione was surprised after Frau''s words.

    But what Frau said is correct, we can''t go on like this.

    I don''t have enough time to train her.

    Should we rethink this from the beginning?

    "You said you were practicing a sword - how about a spear?"

    "Yes, I''ve been instructed on how to use one."

    "....Wait a minute."

    I left the girls behind and opened a portal to go to [My room].

    In the blink of an eye, the scenery changed and I was in the hidden room on the top floor in the dungeon I placed in Armand.

    I immediately grabbed one of the many spears on the wall.

    I opened another portal and returned to where I was before.

    "Use this one."

    "A spear?! Where did you get it?! You suddenly just disappeared!"

    "It doesn''t matter."

    "I think it does!"

    The spear I brought back is a very high quality one I found in Berserker Valley.

    This will improve Pione''s level.

    If you use a spear, you can attack from a distance, and you will be able to defeat the monsters just by stabbing them.

    If this does not work, we will have to give up on her.

    "I''m sorry. I''ve been a pain in the ass."

    "Don''t worry. I know you''re trying hard to get better, Pione-San."

    "Kaede-San~..."

    Pione hugged Kaede with teary eyes.

    Kaede gently strokes her head.

    They look as if they were sisters, even though they are not related by blood.

    "Kyui!"

    "Do you want to comfort her too, Panda?"

    Panda approaches Pione and rubs against her face.

    Frau, who is flying above her, reaches over to pat her head.

    Let''s hope it works this time....

    A spear is thrust into the goblin''s heart.

    , Pione dodged the hobgoblin''s swinging axe, and thrust her spear into its neck and then tore it open.

    "Haa!"

    Within minutes, the goblins were annihilated.

    Pione, holding a spear, was breathing heavily over the fallen goblins.

    The result was a success.

    In the first battle, she managed to kill the enemy with her spear.

    In the second battle, the stiffness of her body disappeared and she was able to fight without any problems.

    And the third was the one she just had. She was able to fight with complete ease.

    "Fueeee"

    Pione is so tired that she falls to her knees and sits on her legs.

    We ran to her and congratulated her on her success.

    "You did it!"

    "Yeah, I guess I''m good with a spear."

    "I think you''re getting better."

    "Hah, I''m level 84 now."

    Pione smiled and nodded.

    Apparently, she is satisfied with her results.

    84 is quite a high number.

    Now she will have no difficulty in demonstrating her power as a Lord.

    In any case, she''lll have to do the rest on her own.

    "I''m all sweaty and sticky."

    "There''s a river over there, do you want to take a dip?

    "Yes, I would love to."

    Kaede, Pione, and Frau head to the river.

    "Hiiiiiiiiiiiih!!!"

    "Huh!?" ¡¡ Suddenly, Pione comes running back to me completely naked.

    What is it this time?

    What''s all the fuss about?

    She clings to my body and points to the river.

    "K-Kaede-San turned into a beast!"

    "It can''t be... The ring."

    I put my hand on my forehead and grunted.

    This is what we were trying to avoid.

    I thought we could fool her for a few more days.

    I was too careless with Pione.

    "Master!"

    "Aaaaah!"

    Kaede and Frau also returned.

    Hearing their voices, Pione hides behind me.

    Kaede is in her Beast form, with a towel wrapped around her body.

    "You tricked me!"

    "That ''s not true!"

    "You seemed so kind and sweet to me and I felt so at ease with you! How dare you deceive me!? I was so happy, I even thought of you as an older sister!"

    "I-I''m so sorry."

    Her fox ears droop and her tail sags.

    "Why did you take off your ring?"

    "Pione-San said it was beautiful, so I wanted to show it to her more closely."

    So Kaede was also caught off guard.

    Now that we have reached this point, it will be difficult to fool her again.

    I guess it''s time to show her the truth and then tell her to go home.

    I took off my ring as well.

    "Huh!? Toru, where did your horns go!?"

    "As you can see, I am a human. I''m sorry for deceiving you."

    "Heeeeeh!?"

    "...Would you please cover your body?"

    I scratch my cheek with my finger as I look away.

    There are many things jiggling that I would prefer not to look at.

    For the time being, I asked Pione to calm down and gave her an explanation of what is happening.

    I am here to fight the Demon King. ¡¡ I will not fight the demon race any more than necessary.

    The purpose of our disguises was to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

    I don''t expect you to understand the whole situation.

    But it''s hard for me to just walk away from her without explaining what''s going on.

    "I understand the situation. Toru is here to defeat the demon king and the traitorous hero, not to fight demons in general, right?"

    I nodded silently at her words.

    "To be honest, our country is not cooperating with the current demon king. In fact, I think they even hate her."

    "So..."

    Before I could say anything, I was stopped by Pione''s hand.

    "But the relationship between humans and demons is too toxic. We have a long history of conflict. Although Toru and his friends are good people, I am a demon aristocrat."

    "I''m glad you think so, thank you Pione."

    "Although... If you wear the ring you''ll look like a demon! Does that mean you can stay with me?!"

    "Yes."

    What happened to her serious look just now?

    Now she has a strange expression of satisfaction. Give me back the feelings of admiration I had for you.

    But, thank you... I am very relieved.

    "Maybe it was for the best to hear about this. The king of my country was looking for someone who could defeat the demon king. It''s best that Toru take on that task."

    "Hm? The demon race wants to wipe out the demon king?"

    "There is a magic transfer circle in the capital that will take you to the basement of the Demon King''s castle. I will ask them to let you use it."

    Pione-San, for some reason...

    I feel like I admire you again

 CH 75

    When I woke up, I was stuck upside down on a branch.

    If I move, I will fall to the ground.

    "Pfft, pfft, Toru..."

    When I managed to get off, I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen.

    It was a wise move to attack the town of Grayfield, but Toru happened to be there, and I received a painful counterattack.

    Strange. That guy was a level 20 nuisance.

    How did he become so strong?

    Is there a way to level up that I don''t know about?

    I can''t believe Toru beat me.

    I am very angry. I feel like I''m going to die of rage.

    "Birdswell!

    I called to the black wyvern that Lisa had given me.

    When I rushed out of the woods, Birdswell was lying on the ground, sound asleep.

    He is fine. He is breathing.

    I can''t go back to the castle without him.

    "Wake up!"

    "...Guurr?"

    "We have to go back to the castle."

    I managed to slide up on top of Birdswell.

    In the distance, the city was still burning in the darkness of the night.

    The declaration of war was a success, at least for the moment.

    I am sure the people who falsely accused me are very upset.

    Fuuush

    Birdswell takes off.

    In the courtroom, Lisa gave me a deep bow.

    "The declaration of war was brilliant. The humans must be trembling with fear."

    "That doesn''t matter. Is there any way to become stronger? At this rate, I won''t be able to beat Toru."

    "Then I will prepare more demonic weapons."

    One of the generals, Deneb, brings a set of jet black armor into the room.

    I was horrified when I saw it.

    It felt even more diabolical than the sword.

    Just by being present, the air felt heavier.

    I wonder if I can say it''s like an evil spirit.

    It is as if a demon filled with a lot of bitterness and hatred has been transformed into a suit of armor.

    "In the past, only three people could wear this. It''s a cursed armor. It was too powerful so it was sealed, but you can definitely get it if you are recognized by the sword."

    "How much stronger will I get if I use it?"

    "The log says you can level by about 50%. However, it seems that every time you release your power, you will experience severe pain."

    Lisa kept a smile on her face, as if she was waiting for my answer.

    It''s crazy.

    You want me to wear that? You''ve got to be kidding.

    However, 50%... When combined with the demonic sword, it will increase 90%.

    Since then, I have been able to raise my level to 100 by killing many demons.

    If I include that armor, I will be able to bring my level to 190.

    Assuming Toru''s level is around 200, this number is quite large.

    It is too much power to ignore.

    "I''ve made up my mind. I''ll wear it."

    "Good answer. Don''t worry, I''m sure you''ll just have to endure a little pain to have one of these."

    "Where are you going to take me?"

    "You''re going to go crazy here."

    Lisa took me to her room and tied me to her bed.

    "It''s time to get started."

    "Uh!?"

    A tentacle was coming out of the opening of the gauntlet Lisa was holding.

    There''s something buzzing in there.

    Grop

    The gauntlet latched on to my arm.

    "Higyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    It''s disgusting!

    What the hell is this?

    It is viscous, soft and tangled.

    "Wow, he seems to like you a lot. It''s possible that you may become a good match. I don''t remember if it increases your power by only 50%, maybe it''s 60% or even 70%. Fufu."

    "Higyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    A sharp pain shoots through my arm.

    It is as intense as having my arm cut off repeatedly.

    "Now, let''s move on to your feet!"

    "Stop! Please!"

    "Do your best, Sain. After all, you''re the hero."

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    The same sensation and pain I felt in my arm, I was now feeling in my leg.

    I give up, I can''t take this.

    The pain is unbearable.

    "Ara ara, did you just soil yourself? You really are a fucking hero. Fufu."

    "Mao-Sama, I''ve brought you the next piece."

    "Let''s do our best to continue."

    Lisa seemed to be telling me something, but I couldn''t understand her clearly.

    I want it to be over soon.

    That''s all I can think about.

    "Well, that''s it. The fourth one is born."

    "Ha... Ha..."

    I looked at my right hand dazedly.

    It had a jet black gauntlet on.

    I had gotten my armor.

    Fortunately, this armor didn''t have a helmet, so I didn''t have to take that nasty thing on my face.

    I slowly get out of bed and try to move my arms and legs.

    I feel like this armor is a part of my own body.

    And I also feel incredibly light.

    "Okay, Sain. Activate the armor."

    "Now?"

    "You have to get used to the pain while you can."

    "...That''s right."

    I unleash the power of armor.

    It didn''t hurt as much as I thought it would.

    The power of the magic sword is also released, and my level is now... 270.

    This is a 70% increase.

    It''s great. This is exactly the kind of power I was hoping for.

    "Ku!"

    A minute passed and the pain increased.

    Every minute the pain intensified, and after about five minutes it became unbearable without gritting my teeth.

    I stopped the power of the armor.

    I then surrendered to the pain and put my hands on the ground.

    The limit is five minutes.

    I won''t be able to take a fight after 5 minutes.

    But it''s alright so long as I can kill Toru within that time span. That''s good enough for me.

    "Good job, Sain. After you rest, I want you to do something for me."

    "Is it something of benefit to me?"

    "Of course. After all, It has something to do with Toru. That''s all I''m saying."

    "Toru!"

    When I hear that name, my anger is released.

    I''m going to kill him.

    That''s why I did all this.

    I manage to get up on shaky legs.

    Lisa smiled and clapped her hands.

    "Wow, how did you get up from that position, I thought all you could do was crawl!"

    "Are you making fun of me?"

    "It''s a joke."

    I managed to sit up on the bed.

    I asked Lisa to explain what she wanted me to do.

    "Toru and his friends are probably on their way here. So I want Sain to go to Balseille and kill the king."

    "Why Balseille?"

    "Because it has the least defense, and they also don''t have many soldiers. It will be the perfect opportunity."

    I couldn''t help but smile.

    Speaking of which.

    Did the King of Balseille no longer have a Wyvern with him?

    I think they got rid of it as they didn''t have enough money to keep taking care of it.

    Wyverns and the tools that go with them are expensive to maintain.

    Moreover, that foolish king is secretly using money that should be invested in the country to buy slaves.

    Besides, even if there were wyvern troops, I was born and raised there, I know the weak points of that place.

    That king looked down on me and made a fool of me.

    I so want to see him beg and cry.

    The royal capital of Balseille was in flames.

    Birdswell and I landed in the palace, where smoke was rising.

    "Hueeeeh!?"

    "It''s been a long time, your Majesty."

    I dismounted my wyvern and entered the courtroom.

    The king of Balseille was on his throne with an expression of fear on his face.

    to him was the Elven slave whom he showed me the last time I was here.

    "You- You''re, Sain?"

    "I''m glad you remember me."

    "How dare you show your face here! Because of you, I''ve been put in a difficult situation! Now crawl on the ground and beg for forgiveness!"

    "Huh? You''re the one who''s going to crawl on the floor begging for forgiveness!"

    "Hegi!?"

    I grabbed her head and slammed it on the ground.

    Hahaha, that was dangerous.

    I almost killed him by mistake.

    "Your Majesty!"

    "You bastard!"

    "Get out of my way."

    I hit the knights who came running towards me.

    Now then, it''s time to have some fun.

    "Look at this, King. Now I''m going to show you something good."

    "No! She''s mine!"

    I grabbed the elf and kissed her.

    This is what I love. Stealing other people''s things.

    I am very excited.

    But this is not enough.

    I''m going to show you something much more fun.

 CH 76

    The country we are in right now is called Asmodeus.

    It is one of the multiple nations within the dark kingdom.

    The country''s history is ancient, and it is well known for being the country where the demon king Koul was born and raised.

    Even if he was a demon king, he was never the king of all demons.

    He is considered this way because the job of the demon king is to increase the power of the demons, as well as their levels. For this reason exists their counterpart, the hero, who will try to kill the demon king to prevent this from happening.

    "...He who gets the job of demon king is a greedy person. Therefore, his goal will always be to invade the side of humans. The same goes for the human side. This struggle has been repeating for centuries."

    Things become clearer to me after hearing Pione''s story.

    I''ve heard the legend of the Demon King and the Hero several times and I''ve considered it a matter of course, but come to think of it, I didn''t know why they fought in the first place.

    I bet if this hadn''t happened, I would never have known about it.

    Frau jumps on my back.

    "Enkid, the place where the demon king''s castle is located, is a country where the most extreme meritocracy of all demon gatherings exists. It''s like a sacred and exclusive place."

    "Does it mean that only a small part of the demons are devoted to Lisa?"

    "Eeh, you''re too heavy."

    "But it feels good."

    "How easy for you to say."

    "Guugh!?"

    Frau slaps me around the waist.

    My body recoils in pain.

    Please take it easy.

    "Panda, you seem to have grown very fond of Pione-San."

    "Kyui¡«"

    "He''s so cute. He gets so happy when I pet his feet."

    """Feet?""""

    Frau, Kaede and I stood dumbfounded in front of the fire.

    Panda has feet?

    I don''t remember him having any.

    "Where are his feet?"

    "Here, they''re like little bumps."

    "It''s true, he has very small feet!"

    "No way!"

    "It must be a lie."

    I got up and touched them.

    My fingertips pressed against some small, moving bumps.

    There were four of them.

    I hadn''t noticed them because they were hidden in his fur, but Panda actually has feet.

    When I touched the base of his foot, Panda''s eye widened.

    Figures, this beast is truly a mysterious creature.

    He is still full of mysteries, as I don''t know his full abilities. For now, all I know is that he can fly and carry people.

    "Shaa"

    "Kyui!"

    Rosuke, who had gone ahead of us to keep an eye on the area, came back.

    Panda, upon hearing his voice, quickly hid behind Kaede, showing a reaction as if he feared Rosuke a lot.

    Rosuke, seemingly used to this, ignored Panda and turned his body towards me.

    "Kyui! Kyukyui!"

    Panda got grumpy when he saw Rosuke rubbing himself against me.

    We continue our trip riding on horseback.

    We were going in a straight line for a long time.

    "We''re almost at the capital!"

    "Is it really at the end of this road?"

    We had been in the forest for quite some time.

    The further the trail, the deeper into the forest it went, then we gradually began to see large steep rocks.

    In the distance, we could see rugged mountains and multiple wyverns flying.

    Fwuuush

    I heard a large amount of water flowing from the distance.

    Apparently there is a waterfall ahead.

    "Stop!"

    Pione stops her horse, so I stop mine too.

    There was a valley up ahead.

    If you look inside it, you can see that it is quite deep.

    A large amount of water flows at the bottom, and a large waterfall can be seen nearby.

    "We have arrived. This is the center of Asmodeus."

    "Are you sure? There''s no city here."

    "You''ll see."

    At the place Pione led us to, there was a staircase leading down.

    We got off the horses and started going down the stairs.

    "Ouh, I would have loved to keep riding for another month with you, Master."

    "Don''t be discouraged. time I''ll teach you how to ride a horse yourself."

    "Master¡«!"

    Kaede eyes lit up as she pulled on the reins.

    Her fox ears were perked up and her tail was wagging.

    If it makes you that excited, then I will be happy to teach you.

    I hope to someday be able to ride a horse with Kaede. Of course, with each of us on a separate one.

    "Ummm. They''re forgetting Frau again."

    "Kyui."

    Frau frowns.

    I guess it''s not fair to give more attention to one slave than another.

    Frau is also my lovely slave.

    "Sure, I''ll teach you, too. But why do you need a horse if you can fly?"

    "Only for emergencies. If we''re in a situation where I have to quickly fly away to escape, I won''t be able to take you both with me."

    "I see."

    I hadn''t thought of it that way.

    It is certainly useful to be able to ride a horse when Kaede and I are in a situation where it would be impossible to do so. Frau would be alone.

    But in any case, wouldn''t it be better if Panda helped her to get us out of a tight spot...?

    No. There is nothing wrong with learning to ride a horse.

    Since Frau is so determined to learn. I will also teach her how to do it.

    "I want to be taught too."

    "But Pione, you know how to ride a horse."

    "Um, yes, but I''m about to lose that ability."

    "...I don''t understand what you mean."

    "Actually, demons can''t ride horses after the age of 20."

    What?

    I didn''t know that.

    "You''re lying."

    "That''s a lie."

    "Fine, I just want Toru to teach me too!"

    Pione looks like she is about to cry at Frau and Kaede''s sharp looks.

    So it was a lie.

    I almost fell for it.

    I don''t know much about demons, so I might just believe whatever Pione tells me.

    "Still, the scenery here is beautiful."

    "True, I love the scenery here."

    The large waterfall that can be seen from here is truly magnificent.

    Thanks to the sunny weather and the hint of a rainbow in the background, the long stairs were far from boring.

    After descending the winding staircase, a long corridor awaited us.

    The path was made by hollowing out the valley wall and was lined with thick pillars, between which we could see the other side of the river.

    "Is there a city inside these walls?"

    "Haha, yes, isn''t it amazing? The city is one of the oldest ruins."

    According to Pione, the city itself is a ruin that still has some unexplored areas.

    Even to this day, many demon adventurers visit this city in search of relics and precious objects.

    "Whoa."

    Beyond the hallway, there was a street lined with stores.

    Also, there are a lot of demons coming and going, and some of them are in front of the river where there is a fence, drinking something that looks like sake in a cup.

    I was thrilled when I saw this place.

    This is the true pleasure of traveling.

    Encounters with landscapes and experiences beyond imagination are always exciting.

    "Let''s find a place to stay for now. I can recommend a good one, this way."

    "Thank you, you''ve done so much for us."

    ''''It''s okay, now I''m a kind of like a member of the manyu brigade.''''

    Pione smiles.

    We arrived at the inn.

    "Preferred accommodation suite for women."

    It seems that this place is owned by a friend of Pione''s.

    She says the service is good, and that she always stays at this place whenever she comes here.

    It appears to be a high-class inn where women receive preferential treatment. As for me, I don''t care where I sleep as long as I feel comfortable.

    As long as there is a soft futon, it is enough.

    I opened the door of the inn.

    Then, a group of guests who had been staying at the hotel came out.

    "I knew this place was great."

    "It''s a luxury to have a bath and a massage."

    "We must come back someday."

    "I support that idea."

    Seven women who left the site were beaming with joy.

    Yes, they are all women.

    "This is an inn where women usually stay. But men are also welcome, so don''t worry."

    "Um, but this..."

    "Don''t worry, you''ll see what I mean when you stay here."

    "... Alright."

    I am pushed into the inn from behind.

    I stopped in front of a female employee at the front desk.

    She was a beautiful beastkin woman of the rabbit race.

    "Welcome to the Bunny Suite. We currently have 30 women staying and 0 men."

    "Ah, yes, thank you."

    I fill in the registration template.

 CH 77

    I entered a simple private room with stone walls.

    I opened the window and there was a raging river right below me.

    Countless stores and people can be seen on the opposite wall.

    Pione told me that the night view here is really wonderful.

    I can''t wait to see it at evening.

    However, I was both excited and nervous.

    "I''m the only man here..."

    I sat up in bed and remembered the scene from earlier.

    On the way to the room after finishing the reception, I passed a woman several times wearing only a towel around her naked body.

    However, she didn''t seem to mind and walked past me as if I didn''t exist.

    I was suspicious of my own existence for a moment.

    "All right, I''ll try not to go out alone while I''m at the inn. If I do, I should be safe and sound. That''s settled."

    Someone was knocking on the door.

    Seconds later, the door opened and Kaede appeared.

    "Master, Pione says there is someone she would like to introduce you to."

    "All right."

    "I''ll tell her to visit you when you''re ready."

    After saying that, Kaede did not close the door.

    She seemed to be watching the room from every corner.

    "What is it?"

    "Nothing, it''s just that this place is very different from the women''s room."

    "How different is it?"

    "Our rooms are very beautiful with flowers on the walls."

    Well, it''s not for nothing that they say they give women preferential treatment.

    It''s the little things that seem to make the difference.

    But for me, I prefer a room as simple as this one.

    I don''t like it when they needlessly decorate something.

    "This room is not suitable for my master. I will go ask the receptionist if there is another room."

    "Wait, I don''t mind staying here. I''m perfectly happy in this room."

    "If you say so, Master..."

    Kaede seemed a bit dissatisfied. But I was able to convince her.

    As long as I can sleep comfortably, that''s good enough for me.

    "Besides, this room has a bathroom, as far as I''m concerned - this place is already a luxury!"

    Drinking sake after a hot bath must be delicious.

    I am looking forward to it.

    Pione took us to a mansion.

    Unlike the buildings we saw before, this one is built between the walls.

    In addition, it seems to occupy a considerable area of the valley, and goes back and forth across a bridge between either side of it.

    It looks like the person she wants to introduce us to lives in the bottom layer of that place.

    After descending the narrow stairs, we finally arrived at a large decorated door.

    "Stop! Who are you?"

    "I don''t recognize you, go back where you came from."

    Two men who appeared to be guards stood in front of the door.

    Pione took a step and showed her face.

    "Pione-Sama, is that you?"

    "Yes. And these demons are with me, is Mugen-Sama home right now?"

    "A moment, please."

    One of the guards enters through the back.

    After a few minutes, the door opened.

    "Mugen-Sama is waiting for you in the back. Please proceed."

    "Thank you."

    The mansion where this Mugen person lives is bright even though it is inside the wall.

    There are many pictures hanging on the walls, and there are stone statues of men and women everywhere.

    At the far gate, a guard stands up and opens the door as soon as he sees us.

    "Welcome, Pione."

    "It''s been a few months, Mugen-Sama."

    "Um, really?"

    In the courtroom, Pione and I bowed to a figure sitting in the chair.

    A well-built man with a mix of white hair.

    His attire does not differ much from that of a commoner, but the dark blue cloak he wears makes it obvious that he is a nobleman.

    "Allow me to introduce Toru and his friends. This is Mugen-Sama, the duke of this country. He is a hero of our country who fought and defeated two human heroes."

    "Please, that''s too embarrassing. But if you really want to hear the story, I''ll have no choice but to do it."

    Mugen was teasing his beard and seemed to be eager to show off.

    If he has fought two heroes, it means he is at least two hundred years old.

    Being able to meet a person who once fought to the death against two heroes excites me because of the historical element.

    "Mmm, how strange....."

    Mugen''s power removes the disguise from Kaede and me.

    Ugh, does Mugen have a detection ability?

    He smiled as he stroked his beard, seeing our true forms revealed.

    "Pione, I don''t think you brought them here without knowing they weren''t demons."

    "Exactly, I brought them here fully aware that they weren''t demons."

    "Ho... I would like to know the reason behind this situation. Even if you are my granddaughter, you won''t be spared the trouble you''ll be in."

    "I understand, Grandpa."

    Grandpa?! Granddaughter?!

    Why didn''t you tell me that, Pione-San?!

    "I''m sorry for not telling you sooner. Mugen-Sama is my late mother''s father. Grandfather, these are the adventurers who helped me save my territory, Toru, Kaede and Frau."

    "S-Silly girl, don''t just call me grandpa in public. I have a reputation to uphold."

    "But I wish I could tell everyone how cute Grandpa is."

    "Kuuuugh~, Pione! My precious Pione!"

    Mugen hugs Pione and rubs his cheek against hers, as if he no longer cares about his dignity.

    He seems to be a good old man who loves his granddaughter.

    But I am in front of a Duke of the demon race, and moreover, I feel a great presence coming from him.

    I asked Kaede about her level.

    "Um, he''s level 320. All his skills are maxed out. His physical strength and fighting are outstanding. Moreover, his job is [Magic Swordsman]."

    "Are you serious!?"

    Magic Swordsman: a special job that combines magic with swordsmanship.

    It is generally recognized as one of the strongest jobs, as it allows the application of magic such as sleep and paralysis, which would not normally be possible, into its blade-type attacks.

    I want it. If I had a job like Magic Swordsman, I could make the "Fire Sword" of my dreams a reality.

    It would be a dream come true.

    ¡¶Do you wish to copy this job? YES/NO¡·

    Oh? Oooooh!?

    I can copy it!?

    I will press YES.

    Skills

    I actually copied it!

    Will I be able to use the fire sword with this?

    But how many copies can be made?

    I was curious, so I tried to copy Frau''s blacksmith job.

    Then the magic swordsman job disappeared and the blacksmith appeared in the state.

    It seems that only one can be copied.

    But it''s still a great skill.

    I copied Mugen''s job again and was happy.

    "Well, this is rather embarrassing. So, can you tell me the story of why they came here?"

    "Toru and his friends are here to defeat the demon king. And we need your help."

    "The Demon King.... That''s not a very nice thing to say."

    Mugen''s eyes turn to me, and a murderous sensation takes over my whole body.

    It is the coldest and most intense presence I have ever experienced.

    If I had been in this place a long time ago, I would have fainted just to be in this place.

    Suddenly, the murderous presence disappears.

    "If you can resist my murderous presence, then you are qualified for it. Fine, I''ll listen to you. Afterwards, I''ll decide if I''ll help you."

    "Thank you, Grandpa!"

    "That''s right, because Grandpa is always on Pione''s side."

    His attitude changes drastically when he talks about Pione.

    I wonder if he will really cooperate with me.

    I am already worried.

 CH 78

    We were ushered into a room that looked like a living room and sat on a sofa.

    Through the window we could see the river flowing.

    "You don''t particularly look like a hero who just defeated a demon king."

    "I have the title of hero. But not the job."

    "A hero without a job. Human beings can be very interesting."

    Mugen, who was sipping tea out of his cup, laughed, as if he found my story funny.

    This person is completely impeccable.

    If we had to fight, I have a feeling I would lose ninety percent of the time.

    It is said that cultivated combat techniques sometimes not only close the level gap but exceed it.

    Levels and skills are not always absolute.

    A skill is only a basic element, and it is up to the owner to make full use of it.

    I''m still getting carried away by my powers.

    And in front of me, I have a very strong man who has trained for many years and fought many battles.

    No wonder I can''t easily beat him.

    But still, is it the will of a warrior to want to fight?

    "So, you want to use our country''s magic transfer circle to get to the demon king''s castle and defeat her. It''s a story that I can certainly relate to. But there will be conditions."

    "Grandpa?!"

    Pione raised her voice, but before she could do anything else, I motioned for her to calm down.

    I never did think they would let us use the magic circle without conditions.

    Because this is a clear act of hostility towards the Demon King.

    If I fail, war will break out between this country and the Demon King from within.

    "That demon king, Lisa, only sees us as tools. Just the other day a messenger arrived, and he requested that both me and my people act as a shield to prevent the human invasion. He demanded it of me, as if I had no right to choose."

    He goes on to talk about how dissatisfied he was.

    "We sent many supplies and money as a sign of peace between the demon king and our nations, but on the condition that we would not participate. That woman threatened to kill us, she said what we sent was too little. We had only one choice, to support her unconditionally and be part of her army, or a massacre would happen."

    He placed the teacup on the table.

    His anger must have flared up again while we were talking.

    I can only say that I am sorry to hear that.

    Now I understand the reasons why they do not support Lisa.

    "And if that wasn''t enough, that woman, of all people, brought our greatest enemy here! The hero! The previous demon kings fought with dignity, demonstrated their power. What kind of weakness is that on the demon king''s part!? Instead of fighting him, she befriends and curries favor with him! Kuuuu, my blood pressure is rising!"

    "Grandpa, calm down."

    "I''m sorry, Pione. I couldn''t help but get angry."

    Mugen is stroked on the head.

    His face became calm.

    Snorting, he sat back down and straightened his shirt collar.

    "Young man, I''m willing to help you. But there is one condition: we are going to do something extremely dangerous, and you are not allowed to fail."

    "What is that condition?"

    "Fight me, and win."

    So that ''s it.

    I would not ask someone for this favor without knowing what I am dealing with.

    Still, it''s dangerous, I may not win.

    But I found myself smiling naturally.

    "Kuku, are you laughing? You''re an interesting man."

    "I am a warrior. It''s normal to want to fight against someone strong.

    "You''re a bit of an idiot. But I like men who are confident in themselves."

    I know, lord Mugen.

    I''m an idiot. But you probably are too.

    "Tomorrow we will fight in front of the palace. Tell Pione to take you to there.

    "A fight, huh. What are the rules?"

    "No scrolls or other objects are allowed. No one can help you, the fight will be one on one. Also, the use of sacred weapons is forbidden. You will use the weapons that will be granted to you."

    "Understood."

    I''m a little worried about weapons. But I should be able to fight well even without my sacred weapon.

    I will take this fight as a good opportunity to learn to control my powers.

    "By the way, what is your relationship with Pione?

    "Hmm? We''re just friends."

    "I hope you remain ''just friends''. My Pione won''t do it with just anyone."

    "Grandpa?!"

    He loves his granddaughter very much.

    Well, it''s true that Pione is cute. But I''m not looking at her with those kinds of eyes. I''m sure she doesn''t see me that way either.

    I can assure you, lord Mugen.

    "Pion-San, you should know that Master is quite insensitive."

    "Ueeeh!?"

    "You can try as hard as you want. Just don''t expect much support."

    "Guuugh..."

    For some reason, Pione looks at me in amazement.

    Why do you look like you are about to cry?

    After talking to Mugen, we decided to dine out instead of the inn.

    We went to a restaurant with seating by the river.

    The area is completely dark and the opposite wall glows orange from the light of the building.

    A string of lights hangs between the walls and a cool breeze blows across the valley.

    The fantastic view of a faraway place even makes me think I have come to another world.

    "This is a specialty here."

    "It''s a giant shrimp."

    On the plate there was a giant shrimp, about the size of my arm.

    White steam came out of the red shell, as if it had just been boiled.

    When the head and torso were broken, it''s fleshy white body was exposed and it''s head was full of miso.

    "Not only does it taste great, it''s also very juicy."

    "Yes, the shrimp here are very famous in other countries. A lot of people come to this city looking for this."

    "''Mmm, but if you look closely, you can see that there are many different races here."

    "Oh, yes."

    If you look at the road on the other side, you can occasionally see Beastkin and Lizardmen.

    It seems that not only demons live in the dark realm.

    Thus, the demonic side might not be so different from the human side.

    "I''m sorry, Toru. I never thought you''d have to fight my grandfather."

    "Don''t worry. If I can''t beat Mugen, then I won''t be able to beat Lisa."

    "If you feel that grandfather may kill you, you have to surrender as soon as possible. Grandpa will most likely get serious and try to kill you right away."

    "Oh... Yes, I''ll be careful."

    From what I hear, this will not be easy.

    If I don''t take this fight seriously, I could die.

    However, I am very grateful for this opportunity.

    Nowadays it is difficult to find someone to really practice with.

    I will see how far I can go against Mugen. I will give it my all.

    "Master looks happy."

    "Yeah, I''m excited to find out how my power stacks up against that old man''s."

    Kaede, who is sitting next to me, looks at me happily and wags her tail.

    I pat her on the head and she narrows her eyes pleasantly.

    I will make Kaede and Frau proud, I have to show them that their master is strong.

    " .....Ha."

    When I return to the inn, I open the door and make sure no one is in the hallway.

    I''m going to the bathroom now.

    It''s almost midnight, and that''s when the male clients can bathe.

    There seems to be only one bathroom at the inn, so it appears that the men''s and women''s bathing periods are decided according to the time of day.

    Tap tap tap

    I moved quickly down the hallway and hid in a corner.

    "I heard that a man will be staying at the inn today."

    "He''s probably a jerk who just wants to see naked girls. You know how guys are, they come in here with weird thoughts."

    "And then they''re disappointed when they find out what''s really going on."

    A woman in her underwear walks by while talking to another girl.

    In addition, their upper bodies are covered by nothing more than the towels hanging from their necks.

    How careless they are.

    But I am not disappointed.

    I prefer to be grateful.

    I just want to take a bath and sleep.

    I ran back down the hallway and managed to get into the bathroom.

    "Fu."

    I have no reason to hide, but somehow I was hesitating as to whether it would be a good idea to walk past these girls.

    I wouldn''t know where to put my eyes when I walked by a girl dressed like that.

    And if they notice you looking at their breasts, they might yell at you.

    You shouldn''t have to walk around almost naked to have a quiet night.

    I take off my clothes and put them in the basket.

    I drape a towel over my shoulders and quickly head for the bathroom.

    I remembered the manners I learned at Grayfield.

    First you wash your body and then you soak in the bathtub.

    I continued through the steamy bathroom and sat down in a suitable chair.

    Ho... Is there soap here?

    I washed my head with soap and then carefully washed my body.

    Afterwards, I poured hot water on my head.

    Ready, let''s go to the bathtub.

    "Fufu, this is paradise."

    "Who ''s there?"

    I heard the sound of water splashing and then saw a figure approaching.

    Eeeh, I''m not the only one here.

    Why is there another person here?

    Pione appeared naked in front of me.

    "Ueh!? Toru!?"

    "Wait, please calm down!"

    I approached Pione and put my hand over her mouth.

    If you scream, I''ll be in trouble.

    "Pione-San, if you don''t come out now,my master will come here and see you naked."

    ""Ah""

    "Uhh¡­."

    I exchanged glances with Kaede as she entered the bathroom, and at the same time Pione slowly sank into the hot water.

 CH 79

    Pione was wrapped in the bed sheets.

    "I won''t be able to get married.... anymore... "

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know you were there."

    "Uuuh~. You''ve seen me naked 4 times."

    "I''m sorry."

    Once again, I deeply apologized.

    It was all my fault.

    I should have made sure before I went in.

    Although to be fair, the Slime and the bath were the only times I saw her naked. The goblin thing doesn''t count.

    Pione probably feels very hurt.

    ".... It''s okay, I forgive you."

    ¡°!?¡±

    "Instead, you will have to visit me as soon as you have defeated the demon king."

    "Of course I will! I''ll come and see you!"

    Pione was jumping for joy.

    Then she pulled a piece of paper similar to a contract from under the sheets.

    [I swear by the gods of the demon race, that Toru will visit Pione].

    What is this? Do you want me to sign it?

    I guess you won''t believe me if I just say it out loud, right?

    I will think about Pione''s feelings and sign it.

    "You can''t take it back anymore!"

    "Yes, I promise."

    "I''ll be waiting for you."

    I nodded and left the room.

    Outside the room Kaede, Frau and Panda were waiting for me.

    "How did it go?"

    "She seems to be in a better mood."

    "Maybe her anger wasn''t so exaggerated."

    ¡°?¡±

    Really? ¡¡ I feel I have apologized a lot.

    Still, I''m glad I did it, I had to apologize for all the things that happened.

    Because Pione has taken good care of me.

    I don''t think it''s bad to be friends with a demon.

    I will thank you again when I have killed Lisa and Sain.

    "Master, be sure to keep your room locked."

    "Yes, you never know what can happen at an inn."

    "And never open the door to anyone you don''t know."

    "Kaede, you know I''m an adult, right?"

    Are you confusing me with a child?

    No, it is true that I am still like a child inside.

    I wonder when one truly becomes an adult.

    The next day, Pione took me to an underground palace.

    For the sake of being honest...

    ...The demon race''s royal palace is larger than that of the humans.

    Surrounded by multiple exterior walls, you have to pass through several gates.

    Pione saluted every guard we passed by.

    By the time we reached the main palace, where the king was, more than thirty minutes had passed.

    "You''re too late! How long were you planning on making us wait?"

    "This place is huge, it took us a long time to get here."

    Mugen, in his armor, shouted at me as soon as we met.

    A few minutes have passed since the scheduled time.

    No wonder he is angry.

    "I''m sorry, Grandpa. It''s my fault, I got lost."

    "It''s fine. Pione had nothing to do with it. It''s all that human''s fault."

    "That''s too unfair."

    Is that what grandparents are supposed to do?

    I didn''t have a grandfather or grandmother, so I don''t know.

    If you look at the palace, the entrance was open and there was a man who looked like the king sitting in a chair watching us.

    "The King will be present today. Don''t make a scene."

    "I understand."

    Mugen gave me a large steel sword.

    I have taken off all my armor.

    I am now in a state where I cannot borrow the power of holy armor.

    "Get ready!"

    Pione shouted.

    Each of us took position.

    There are no referees in this battle.

    The only way to end this is to admit defeat or win the battle.

    I will activate my job and my skills so that I don''t look like a fool.

    "Begin!"

    I was the one who moved first.

    I instantly closed the distance and launched an attack on Mugen.

    He blocked my attack with his sword, and instead of running to the side, he suddenly headbutted me.

    "Fuh."

    "Ugh!"

    Seriously, you old bastard!

    You are very tough!

    The next thing that happened was that Mugen was stepping on my feet.

    That hurts!

    While I was falling to the ground, I managed to stick one hand on the ground and launch myself backwards.

    But Mugen had already gone ahead and was in front of me.

    Our swords clashed and a metallic sound resounded.

    "You''re on my same level at such a young age. It''s been a long time since I''ve fought a hero."

    "I''m happy to fight a legendary warrior."

    Agh, my sword is about to break.

    I guess it can''t withstand a fight between two level 300 warriors.

    ....No. Mugen''s sword is still in good condition. It does not squeak or make any unpleasant noises.

    It even feels powerful, like a sacred sword.

    That''s right, this old man is a magical swordsman.

    He is strengthening his sword with magic.

    I will use the earth element with my magic swordsman job to strengthen my sword.

    The sword grows larger and larger as the earth clusters around it.

    "...What are you doing?"

    "W-Wait... You''ll see soon enough!"

    The earth tries to form a sword on top of the sword, but the size is not right.

    It was more than ten meters long and still growing.

    Abort! Abort!

    Disperse.

    The earth falls away from the sword.

    Tch. I can''t strengthen my sword as well as Mugen''s.

    Come to think of it. I''m bad at using magic. I''ve never been good at it, now I understand why I failed.

    "Well, let''s get back to fighting!"

    "Kuku, you are a very interesting guy."

    We clashed swords again.

    I have to be careful not to break the sword, while at the same time thinking of a way to defeat him.

    The fastest way would be to break his sword, but he''s stronger than me.

    I can use my dragon knight work to exploit his weaknesses, but with my current skills, my sword will probably end up breaking.

    Although a draw is not so bad.

    The problem is that Mugen won''t let me break his sword so easily.

    On the other hand, trying to slash the old man''s body would only increase the chances of it breaking.

    The body of a level 300 individual is extremely hard.

    One bad blow and even steel would break against it.

    Either way, I''m still not skilled enough.

    "If my sword were a magic sword. You would be dead three times already."

    "Of course I would be. I had the feeling that I was practically dead four times myself."

    "Not bad. But there were actually six times. I''m surprised you were able to see four."

    "Ugh."

    You''re a monster, you old bastard.

    Five minutes have not yet passed.

    If possible, I wanted to win with my own strength, but in this situation, I have no choice but to use my ''Imitator'' job.

    I will imitate Grandpa''s movements with my work.

    "Hey, your movement has improved a lot! Why do you move like me?"

    "I''ve decided to imitate you. I think I can learn a lot from you, old man."

    "Ha ha ha ha! All right, let''s see what you can do!"

    I imitated all of Grandpa''s movements: his steps, his breathing, his gaze, his rhythm.

    But this fight no longer made sense.

    Our skills and movements were the same. It''s like fighting a mirror.

    Still, it''s fun.

    As I imitate Grandpa''s movements, I keep turning my head to understand the meaning of his movements.

    The more I clashed swords with him, the more my body tried to remember the moves.

    I feel like the real me will be catching up soon, very soon.

    I had a feeling that I was growing rapidly in this battle.

    The self that I desire and my current self overlap.

    "Wuaagh!"

    "Fuuh!?"

    I head-butted Grandpa.

    Haha. Look at that.

    I hit back with the very blow you gave me.

    "Well, I lost."

    ¡°!?¡±

    "We were already evenly matched in strength, and if we had gone on like this, you would have broken these swords sooner or later."

    "Mugen..."

    Mugen puts away his sword and approaches the king.

    "Your Majesty, this person is undoubtedly the one who will defeat the Demon King. I would like to ask your permission regarding the use of the magic circle."

    "I''ll trust you if you say so. I hate to ask a human hero for help, but the demon king Lisa is a plague that will destroy the demon race. This time I''ll avert my gaze for the sake of the demons."

    "Thank you for your wise decision."

    Apparently, he informed him that I was a human.

    We reached this point thanks to Mugen.

    I thanked the king as well.

 CH 80

    After the battle with Mugen, we were invited to his mansion. ¡¡ He said we could spend the night there.

    "Eat as much as you want."

    "I''m sorry you had to go through all this trouble to prepare a great banquet like this."

    In the center of the table is a crab more than a meter long.

    In addition, there was grilled salted fish and a vegetable salad I had never seen before, with which I was unfamiliar, were brown and thick.

    "Now you are like my apprentice."

    "Coff, coff... Did you say¡­ Apprentice?"

    "In the short time you''ve been with me, you''ve absorbed almost all of my basic knowledge. Well, you''re still a novice, but you certainly have a promising future."

    I am his disciple... I like the sound of that.

    It''s a little strange to have a demon as a mentor, but the old man is someone I respect enough to not care about his race.

    Honestly, if it weren''t for the ''Imitator'', I wouldn''t have stood a chance.

    It also didn''t make the fight any less complicated.

    If I had fought seriously, I''m sure he would have killed me even with me using ''imitator''.

    "Good for you, Master. I think Mugen-san will make a wonderful teacher."

    "Yes, I too was glad to finally get someone to be my mentor."

    Kaede sits beside me, listening to my words with a soft smile.

    Before I knew it, our seats were close together and I was rubbing her tail.

    Panda walks past me, and heads for the salad I was craving.

    "Hey, Panda, Frau would like some."

    "Kyui!"

    "Do you not want me to eat?"

    "Kyui"

    "Get out of the way! I want some salad!"

    Frau bounces off of Panda''s body and shoots out onto an empty plate.

    I had no choice but to offer him the salad I had.

    Frau may now be able to take on the size of a human, but she is always the size of a fairy when she eats.

    It''s probably because he can eat more that way.

    Even Kaede felt envious, wishing she could eat a mountain without her body being affected.

    "Toru-San, I brought you some meat."

    "Thank you."

    "Master, look here, I''ll give you some food."

    "Oh, thank you."

    Pione, who is next to me, offers me some food, and Kaede cuts a piece of meat from the one she was eating and gives it to me.

    This situation is shameful, as was to be expected.

    I''m glad you both care about me.

    "I think it''s time we talked about the magic circle."

    "Right, I had forgotten about that."

    We all fell silent when Mugen spoke.

    What we are going to hear is very important.

    It is no exaggeration to say that I have come this far all for the sake of this moment.

    "The magic circle located here was originally meant as an emergency escape route for the Demon King''s Castle. There is a vast archaeological site in the basement of the Castle that is connected to the lower part."

    "Is it an escape route? But does Lisa know?"

    ''''Indeed, the master is right. I don''t think it''s usual to leave such a place unattended.''''

    "Of course it''s not easy to enter. There''s a powerful guardian waiting on the other side of that magical portal."

    Mugen left his seat and moved to the back room.

    After a while, he comes back with a piece of paper.

    He offered it to me.

    "It''s a rough map of the underground ruins."

    "Isn''t this something very valuable?"

    "You fool, it''s a copy. I''d never give you the real thing."

    Oh.

    I thought so.

    I opened the map and took a look at it.

    The underground ruins appear to be eight stories high, and only the shortest route to the surface was described.

    At first glance it seems that you can climb quickly, but this is still a map, I guess it will not be easy.

    "It may look small, but the ruins are huge. The one I gave you is a mere replica. You can get lost, so be very careful."

    "And who is this guardian?"

    "There are three of them. And the first one is directly beyond the magic circle."

    Hmm, there are three?

    We may be able to beat them with a bit of a margin, but we''d better be on our toes.

    "And there''s a report I just received, but it seems that the Demon King''s army led by the hero has attacked a country on the human side. They will be a long time coming."

    "Sain!?"

    I could feel my body stiffen just hearing his name.

    We don''t seem to have time to take it easy.

    We have to hurry and fight Lisa to protect this place.

    But Mugen seems to enjoy it.

    "I like the idea of fighting the hero of this generation. Well now, what''s with that face? Are you confident you can win against the army this country has built?"

    "There is a chance to win."

    "I don''t know. There are many like me, and several of my disciples in this country. They can easily beat us."

    A grin full of mischief formed on my face, it was as if I couldn''t wait to fight.

    Come to think of it, the demon race was very belligerent.

    And with this old man here, I''m sure Sain will have a very difficult time.

    "Tomorrow I will take you to the magic circle. You should get a good night''s rest."

    I nodded at Mugen''s words.

    The capital of Asmodeus is a walled city.

    Within these walls, corridors stretch like labyrinths, and countless stores and dwellings are scattered throughout the city.

    Also, in the back, there was an area that only adventurers could enter.

    Commonly known as an archaeological zone.

    The interior is very large and complex, and there are still many unexplored areas.

    The magic circle connected to the Demon King''s Castle was located in that area.

    "If you decide it''s impossible, go back. It''s better not to risk it."

    "Be careful, and I hope you make it safely to the Demon King."

    I nodded at Mugen and Pione''s words.

    A large magic circle shines in front of me.

    I can''t help but get nervous at the thought of it being transported somewhere beneath Lisa''s feet.

    Can we really win?

    I am still concerned.

    "Take this."

    I pulled a skill blocking scroll out of my pocket.

    I handed it over to Pione.

    "You can''t give me something this valuable!"

    "Take it, Sain possesses the demonic eye of seduction. You''re so pretty, Pione, he''ll probably try to use it on you."

    "So embarrassing, Toru said I''m pretty."

    "...Why are you embarrassed?"

    Pione holds her face in her hands and her ears turn red.

    Mugen takes it instead and smiles.

    "I knew that hero was useless, but I never imagined he would have magic as powerful as that. Very well, if he ever comes to appear before us, I won''t hesitate to use this scroll."

    That relieves me. Now you can fight him without having to think twice.

    I''m counting on you both, Mugen, Pione.

    "Master."

    "Lord, it''s time."

    "Kyui."

    "Shaa."

    Kaede, Frau, Panda and Rosuke were waiting for me.

    I could also feel SharkBoy trying to make his presence known through the seal.

    Well, it''s time to go to the castle.

    The Manyu Brigade goes into action.

    We jumped into the magic circle all together.

    We appeared on the other side safe and sound.

    Kaede quickly created an orb of light.

    What emerges is a large stone room filled with cold air.

    It is lined with countless columns and is uncomfortably quiet.

    As Mugen told me, it''s a place where you can easily get lost.

    Frau, who was in her human size, observes the environment with her hammer on her shoulder.

    "Kaede, keep an eye out for any enemies."

    "Hiiiiiiii... There''s something over there!"

    "An enemy?"

    "It''s the skull of a dragon."

    The first enemy is an undead.

    And it ''s a dragon.

    "Panda, come back!"

    "Kyui!"

    "Hey!"

    Unexpectedly, Panda refused to do so.

    It was as if he was saying, ''I''m a member too, so I''m going to fight.''

    It can''t be avoided. Panda moves fast, so he won''t be caught easily.

    In case the situation gets complicated, Kaede, Frau and I will protect you.

    Each of us drew our weapons and started to run.

    In front of the door stands a dragon made entirely of white bones

    A red light dwells dimly in it''s dark-filled eye sockets.

    The dragon skull began to move.

    It was the size of a Red Dragon.

    It was probably an undead of a lower dragon species.

    "Guooooooooooooooooo!"

    I wonder how such a creature was even able to roar.

    It is a real mystery.

    "Hammer breaker!"

    "Goohoo!"

    Frau crushed the dragon''s skull mercilessly.

    It hadn''t even risen yet.

    Sorry, Dragon.

    time I see you, I will take good care of you.

 CH 81

    I fucked the Elf in front of King Balseille.

    That face was the funniest thing I''ve ever seen.

    It''s still funny now that I look back on it.

    In the end, I killed the king and the elf.

    It seemed like a waste to do so, but I don''t have fond memories of elves, so I didn''t feel like having her around.

    And that elf was too scruffy and unworthy of me, a hero.

    "The surprise attack on Barseille was a success."

    "It''s not a success, it''s a great success. We didn''t take any damage, we got all the gold and I was able to test the power of the sword to the fullest."

    "Oh, you haven''t tried the armor?"

    Lisa''s words made my face twitch.

    To be honest, I wished I didn''t have to deal with that pain.

    I don''t want to use it if the sword is enough.

    "Sain, may I make my next request?"

    "Wait a minute. I''m your Lord, right? Why do I have to be the only one doing homework?"

    "It''s a publicity stunt. You need the world to know how strong a hero who can command demons is, right? Of course, it would be nice if I did that, but I think that would only make the Demon King more fearsome."

    I feel like I''m being physically used, but Lisa is right.

    There is no point if they do not fear me, me who will be the one to rule the demons.

    Also, you can''t level up just by being in the castle.

    Although I''ve already surpassed Toru, I can''t relax yet.

    I have to beat him by a large margin.

    I will prove to him that I am better than him in every way.

    "Can you hear me, Sain?"

    "Yes, where do you want me to go now?"

    "I was wondering if you could help me destroy some dark kingdom countries."

    "You want me to destroy the countries of this place?"

    According to Lisa, not all demon races cooperate with the demon king.

    In fact, there are only a few who are devoted to Lisa.

    There are some countries that declare themselves neutral, and there are even countries that are thinking of getting rid of it.

    It''s stupid. Disobeying Lisa is the same as disobeying me.

    The hero and the demon king have allied, so they should get down on their knees and rejoice!

    It is not only the human side, but also the demon race is full of fools.

    "Toru and his friends who have been given the task of assassinating me will surely pass through one of those countries. I have no doubt they would help them infiltrate to the castle."

    "And why don''t you ask the guy who sees the future to tell us where Toru is? Just like it happened when we were kids."

    "That... It takes a long time. We have to wait about a month to get results."

    I will not let our situation change while we wait.

    As she thinks, it is not a viable option.

    If that is the case, it is more practical to crush the rebellious demons and take control of the dark realm.

    "You''ll have to address the three countries that Toru can visit.".

    "Can I take the soldiers?"

    "Of course."

    Am I going to command the army?

    It looks like I can do whatever you want.

    Kuku.

    "And make sure Asmodeus is the last one."

    "Why?"

    "There''s a warrior there named Mugen. You may not stand a chance against him. He is the former general of former Demon King who defeated two heroes."

    "Is it stronger than Lisa?"

    "It''s inferior to me, but it''s not simple."

    It must be very powerful for Lisa to respect someone inferior to her.

    But it will be dead in no time if I can manage it.

    By the time I get there, I will have improved a lot.

    "Hahahahahaha I won!"

    The palace was on fire, and I showed the king''s head to the soldiers.

    It made me feel really good to be a demon warrior.

    Outside the palace, my army was surrounding the enemy soldiers.

    I am now done with two countries.

    All that remains is the Kingdom of Asmodeus.

    My level also rose rapidly, reaching 150.

    With the power of my sword and armor, my level can reach 315.

    Finally, he had reached a level that Toru could not reach.

    I feel sorry for the guy who prides himself on having 200. kukuku.

    Let''s quickly finish with Asmodeu and make a triumphant return to the castle.

    "Ugh?"

    I was kicked and rolled on the ground.

    "What''s the matter, hero? The last two heroes were tougher than you."

    "I''ll kill you, you old bastard."

    "If you can do it."

    I used the power of my armor to level up to level 315.

    I launched many attacks aiming for his neck, but Mugen dodges it easily and hits me with his sword.

    It was a direct hit and I was knocked down on my back by a large tree and vomited blood.

    This guy is a demon swordsman with a rare ability.

    "You''re nothing compared to Toru."

    "Where did you hear that name!"

    "It''s natural to know. He is my disciple."

    "He came here!"

    Toooooooruuuuuuuuu!

    Are you bothering me again?

    "Grandpa, here you go."

    "Um, this can seal that nasty ability."

    "What..."

    Mugen receives a scroll from a beautiful woman dressed as a man.

    I like it.

    If I can''t win, I''ll stay with that woman anyway.

    "Activate!"

    ¡°!?¡±

    A light shoots out of the scroll and hits my eyes.

    ¡¶Notice: The Eye of the Temptation Demon has been sealed by an ability blocker.¡·

    What the hell?

    "Toru warned me of your abilities. And he asked me to block your demonic eye."

    "How dare you, my eye!"

    "It''s time for you to leave, your men are retreating."

    When I looked back, I saw that the wyvern troops were about to leave the area one after another.

    Damn, the defense was tougher than expected.

    This means that we cannot attract soldiers from outside.

    I guess we will have to retire now.

    "Ugh, remember this, man!"

    "I''m too old to remember."

    "Grandpa, don''t get me started."

    "He started it."

    I jumped on top of Birdswelll and took off.

    So here was Toru.

    He must have gotten something important.

    Let''s go back to Lisa for now.

    When I reported that Toru had been at Asmodeu, I was suddenly punched in the face.

    "Useless man! Can''t you see what you''ve done wrong?"

    "Why are you hitting me, what am I doing wrong?"

    "You made a big mistake, you bastard! Asmodeu has a magic emergency transfer circle that connects to this castle! In other words, Toru and his friends are already right below us!"

    What?! It''s right underneath us?!

    So we have to get there now.

    Now it is time to take care of Toru.

    "''Ah, I should have had you attack Asmodeu first.... It was a glitch in my calculations. I thought I would go to the other first countries, since they have agreements with the humans."

    "It''s over. I have to get rid of Toru."

    "Come to think of it, Toru doesn''t have a hero''s job, so there was no need to be afraid. I don''t know why I was so cautious."

    Lisa suddenly changes from an angry expression to a smile.

    He bent down in front of me and gently caressed her cheeks.

    "I''m sorry, Sain. I''ve taken my frustration out on you."

    "I understand the feeling. I''m also upset about Toru."

    "You are very sweet. That''s why I love you. Let''s work together to eliminate those who stand in our way."

    "Lisa"

    We kissed.

    She is a stupid woman...

    I can''t go against you now, but in time, when the level gap closes, I will let you crawl under my feet as you have been doing.

    I am the hero. I am righteous. I am the king of the world.

    I lost my demonic eye of temptation, but it''s a small price to pay. As long as we get rid of Toru, we can do whatever we want.

    Once he is gone, I will be free.

    "I''ll get rid of Toru."

    "Be careful, Sain."

    I hurried to the basement of the castle.

 CH 82

    Tap tap tap tap

    We ran up the long staircase.

    After defeating the Skeleton Dragon, we had reached the fifth floor.

    Rosuke eliminates the demons that appear one after another.

    This is a dangerous place where countless demons roam.

    Moreover, I have the impression that many of them are generally high-level and problematic.

    "Blizzard Blossom."

    Kaede''s magic freezes the ''Poison Moth'' and the ''Fiery Ghost''.

    Frau quickly smashes them with her hammer.

    "Kyui!"

    Panda, strengthened by the Mega Boost, hits a Minotaur.

    The enemy was thrown against the wall and fainted from the impact.

    He is not as strong as Rosuke, but Panda seems to be able to fight if he puts his mind to it.

    However, he can only take on one at a time, so I can''t leave him exposed for too long.

    Our current level is this;

    Toru 305 ¡ú 310

    Kaede 315 ¡ú 335

    Frau 300 ¡ú 328

    I was completely outclassed.

    However, thanks to my jobs and skills, I don''t feel much difference.

    I also have the swordsmanship technique I obtained from Mugen''s grandfather.

    Overall, I am still stronger.

    We continued down the hallway, trusting the map, and came out into a large dome-shaped room.

    "Boo-hoo!"

    There was a large monster in the center of the room.

    It was five meters tall, with bulging musculature and attention-grabbing red hair.

    On its head was a set of thick horns and in its right hand hung an iron ball with a chain.

    Great Minotaur - a superior species of minotaur.

    When it saw us, it roared furiously.

    boom-boom-boom-boom

    "The iron ball is coming towards us, dodge it!

    The Great Minotaur throws the iron ball lightly.

    We managed to dodge it quickly, and split into three different directions in the room to confuse the Great Minotaur''s aim.

    Jarara

    The iron ball is yanked back by the chain at a great speed, and as it swung in the air, it aimed at the place where Kaede was.

    "Frau-san!"

    "Got it!"

    Frau hits the enemy with her hammer from the side.

    The Great Minotaur coughed blood as it was slammed backwards against the wall.

    Immediately, Kaede cut off its right arm with a wind blade.

    Still, the enemy roared with exposed fangs, dripping blood.

    I then buried my sword in its heart.

    The terrifying-looking Great Minotaur extends its left arm toward my head.

    After piercing its chest with my sword, I cut its head in half.

    "Master, you have blood on your face."

    "Thank you."

    Kaede wipes my face with a handkerchief.

    I am not tired yet.

    I would like to aim for the surface as quickly as possible, but I don''t know what kind of condition Kaede and Frau are in.

    ''Kaede, Frau, how are you?"

    ''''I can still move forward.''''

    "We''ve been fighting for a long time, but I still don''t feel tired."

    When you reach level 300, your physical endurance increases abruptly.

    Also, the enemies that have appeared are only small fry, so there is little mental exhaustion.

    Let''s take a short break here.

    Then we reached the third floor.

    We stopped abruptly.

    The road we had to follow was full of water.

    I looked at the map and confirmed it.

    "It looks like we''ll have to follow the channel for some distance from here."

    "Is there no way around it?"

    "That''s what I was thinking, but it''s the only way up."

    "Hey, so do we have to go in the water? There must be a monster in there."

    I''m sure there is.

    This path is too long.

    Besides, it is the only place that is connected to the surface, it would be crazy not to place a powerful demon here.

    Then the last guardian is here.

    "Panda, Rosuke, can you keep up?"

    "Kyui"

    "Shaa"

    The two beasts shake their heads in disgust.

    Apparently, water is not their forte.

    Well, it''s the perfect time for Sharkboy to get in on the action.

    I had Panda and Rosuke re-enter the seal and brought out Sharkboy.

    "Glup glup"

    "Little friend, there''s a mighty monster in these waters, so I''d like to ask for your help."

    "Glup!"

    "Can you do it?"

    Sharkboy turned his face toward us after going a little further, as if to say, "Leave it to me."

    The water was light green.

    We swim while following Sharkboy.

    Thanks to Kaede''s magic, we can see underwater, but visibility is not very good.

    For the moment, there is no need to worry about breathing as we have the underwater breathing scroll, but since our movements are not optimal underwater, we will not be able to react as fast as usual under a dangerous situation.

    Kaede tapped me on the arm.

    There seems to be an enemy ahead.

    Sharkboy also noticed and became alert.

    A large object is approaching ahead.

    It moved very slowly and wriggled his body like a fish.

    I know what it is.

    I saw it once.

    It was covered in blue scales, and there were membranes on it''s arms and legs.

    It had a dorsal fin from head to tail and a catfish-like beard around the mouth.

    It is a true born species of blue dragon.

    Guowowowowowow.

    Its roar made the water tremble.

    It is a very dangerous dragon.

    Both Kaede and Frau showed concern on their faces.

    However, Sharkboy is trying to challenge the blue dragon that has stopped moving from the front without flinching.

    Glup-Glup~.

    Countless thorns shoot out from Sharkboy''s body, and pierced the blue dragon.

    I want to try something....

    I used the Mega Boost on Sharkboy.

    Mekimekimeki.

    His body began to swell, rapidly growing stronger.

    His pink body turned reddish and eight eye-like protrusions appeared on his back.

    In the next moment, a line of red light radiates from his back and penetrates the blue dragon.

    What kind of attack is that?!

    Sharkboy has terrifying power.

    The shark-beast shoves the blue dragon''s carcass with its caudal fin, then flaps his mouth and waits for us to arrive.

    Panda, I''m glad you didn''t see this.

    I''m sure you would be very jealous.

    We landed, and I had Sharkboy return to the seal.

    At the same time, I took Rosuke out. On the other hand, Panda comes out on his own, as usual.

    "Ugh, it''s so cold."

    "I''ll dry you right away."

    Kaede used magic to dry my clothes in an instant.

    I checked the surroundings, but there were no enemies.

    There was only one staircase leading to a door upstairs, that must be the surface.

    We climbed the stairs and opened the door.

    The dreary corridor led back to the rear.

    It was unclear how long it had been since we had arrived here.

    It was impossible to distinguish day from night.

    The only thing I know for sure is that I''m getting closer to the ground where Lisa is.

    My mind boggles.

    I''m about to fight with Lisa, my ex-fianc¨¦e.

    This fact is inexplicably sad.

    Even now that I know I have been betrayed, I still suspect there is a truth I do not know.

    But maybe that''s just my own selfish hope.

    Just my weak heart trying to believe only what I want to believe.

    Toph

    Kaede hugged me from behind.

    "No matter what choice you make, Master, I will follow you wherever you go."

    "Thank you. Kaede."

    Let''s move forward.

    Claaaaank

    I reached the first basement level.

    I opened the big door.

    "I was waiting for you, Toru."

    "Sain!?"

    We appeared in a large lobby with a staircase leading to the surface.

    More than a hundred demons were waiting for me there.

    And a smiling Sain who looked at me with his arms crossed.

    He looks a little different, wearing jet black armor.

    I have a bad feeling about that armor.

    There is a frightening air of evil in the air.

    "I''m not the same person I was before. I have overwhelming power now. You are no match for me."

    "If that''s the case, why did you prepare an army of demons? Why didn''t you wait for me alone?"

    "I''ve been putting you down too much. I never thought a nuisance like you would level up so fast. So this time I''ll do my best to deal with it- Huh? Level 310?"

    Sain steps back.

    Oh, are you still in the habit of not evaluating your opponent''s stats?

    When we worked together, I was always in charge of assessing the level of our enemies, and I acted very carefully.

    Come to think of it, you have always underestimated your opponents.

    "Men, hold them off for a while! Whoever defeats him will be made a general!"

    The demons raised their weapons and cheered.

    Sain ran through the soldiers and up the stairs.

    I think he''s heading to where Lisa is.

    That''s a good thing.

    "Kaede, Frau, Panda, and Rosuke. I''ll take care of them."

    I drew the sword I carried on my back.

 CH 83

    Kaede gently shakes her fan

    Cold air spread under my feet and made countless ice sculptures out of the demon soldiers.

    She spun her second fan and created a strong gust of wind.

    The ice sculptures shattered into a thousand pieces and the remaining demons scattered in great fear.

    "Come forth, Master''s first slave is here to send you to your death."

    The demons shuddered slightly at Kaede''s graceful demeanor.

    However, as if to inspire themselves, they raise their weapons and pounced fiercely.

    Seeing this, Kaede smiled a beautiful but cold smile.

    She danced again.

    "I''ll show you something special: ''Frigid Fire''!"

    When she waved her fan, a blue flame was generated.

    It became a wave that swallowed all the demons.

    Once the flames were extinguished, there was only frigid air and rough ice statues.

    "What was that? If you use blue flames, those affected by them will be frozen!?"

    "It''s a secret magic passed down in my clan. I seem to be able to handle it now that my level has improved."

    "Have you used it before?"

    "Yes. Unfortunately, I was still inexperienced at the time."

    I had never seen a blue flame before.

    I think it''s something different from normal magic.

    It is at times like this that I am most intrigued.

    "Kyui!"

    "Shaaaa"

    Panda and Rosuke smash the ice sculpture and make their way through.

    We ran straight to the stairs.

    When we finally reached the surface, I opened the door and walked through the castle.

    "It''s very quiet here. I wonder if any of the soldiers have left."

    "Soldiers? Those things can''t be called as such."

    "So you''ve killed most of the weak?"

    "It was no big deal."

    At the entrance, there was a woman blocking the stairs.

    The air around her was terrifying and she had a fearless smile on her face.

    "I am Deneb, one of the six generals of the demon king. You are the great Manyu Brigade."

    "Are you the last general?"

    I drew my sword.

    But Deneb stepped aside and refrained from fighting.

    "......What are you doing?"

    "I''m not interested in fighting. I''m not even loyal enough to give my life for that demon king. I became a general simply because the pay is good."

    "So you''ll just let us pass?"

    "I''m not foolish enough to challenge an unbeatable opponent to a fight. If you want to advance, do it."

    She waved her hands and left the place.

    The generals so far have been willing to fight regardless of the level difference, but apparently, Deneb was not that type.

    Pione is different from what I imagined of demons. Maybe she''s not the only one.

    There may be more demons like Deneb and Pione.

    "Master"

    "Oh, right."

    I went upstairs to fight Lisa.

    Giiiiiiii.

    A huge door opens, finally leading to the throne room.

    Lisa was sitting on the throne.

    Sain was behind her.

    I decide to keep Panda and Rosuke in the seal.

    This will definitely be a fierce battle.

    And now, I don''t feel much like worrying about the two of them.

    "Welcome Toru, this will be your graveyard."

    "Sain, don''t bother trying to play the bad guy with me. Since we''ve met, you''ve done nothing but run for your life."

    "I didn''t run away, I brought you here. If Lisa is here, I can fight without worry. I can''t trust those soldiers with my back."

    "Sure... You''re certainly a useless hero."

    "Ku¡­!"

    Lisa stands up.

    Sain also aligned himself with her.

    "I''ll cover for you, you take care of Toru."

    "Of course."

    Sain draws his demonic sword and unleashes its power.

    The roots that grew from the sword entered inside through the gaps in his armor and invaded his entire body.

    Sain''s eyes turned red and his body became twice as large.

    A thick horn grows from his forehead and fangs appear from his mouth.

    He''s like a demon.

    "Toru, you''ve always been annoying. Since the day I met you."

    "I looked up to you. I always wanted to be like you."

    "That''s what I mean! You admire me!? Don''t make me laugh! Since I met you, you had everything I didn''t have. A warm family, kind and sympathetic childhood friends, the trust of the village residents, and now you have honor and even power! What the hell is your deal!?"

    We both stepped forward, and in the blink of an eye we were clashing swords.

    Sparks fly and a shock wave rattles everything in the room.

    A short distance away, Sain and I stared at each other.

    Our swords vied with each other with an unpleasant sound.

    All around us, crimson and blue flames collided.

    "Crimson Flare."

    "Frigid Fire."

    Explosions occur everywhere, blowing hot and cold air.

    Frau, who had ducked because of the explosion, threw her hammer from the top of Lisa.

    "Hammer Breaker!"

    "There''s no way that attack is going to work on me."

    Lisa catches the hammer with one hand.

    Frau, however, was smiling.

    "Blizzard Blossom!"

    The lower part of Lisa''s neck freezes.

    Frau, who has quickly turned her body in the air, delivers another blow!

    Lisa went flying and hit the wall directly.

    "Even with the two of us It''s very hard to fight her at the same time, since she''s a level 800."

    "If we go at it one on one, we may lose, but if we attack together, we have a chance to win."

    "...Right. I''ll do my best."

    Lisa gets up almost unharmed.

    Meanwhile, I continue to cross swords against Sain.

    "I was so happy when I heard that your parents had died! And it made me even happier to see you gradually losing your place in the party!"

    "Was that my fault too?"

    "Yes, it was. it''s all your fault! You came into my life and now everything has gone wrong. If only you weren''t here.... !"

    Sain''s power increased rapidly.

    I parried his attack with my sword, the impact brought him to his knees.

    His armor is making his power increase.

    The armor emitted a creaking sound and adjusted itself to Sain''s body.

    "I don''t need you in my path of glory, Toru!"

    Sain prepares to launch a killing blow, raises his arms and with a great momentum brings his sword down towards me.

    Zashi

    The next moment, his arm, sword and all, was spinning in the air.

    A large amount of blood is spilled on the floor.

    I changed my position and wiped the blood off my sword.

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! My arm!"

    Sain rolls on the ground, holding the place where his arm used to be with his other hand.

    "Sain."

    "Ugh."

    He crawled on the ground and picked up his demon sword.

    With his trembling left arm, he pointed the blade at me.

    His face was filled with fear.

    "Hey, hey, Toru. I''m sorry for everything I''ve done, please forgive me. We''re best friends, right?"

    ¡° .................¡±

    "This was a mistake. The village elders always said that mistakes happen, don''t you think the same thing."

    ¡° .................¡±

    "I will change, I promise. So let''s make peace. Let''s have adventures with Lisa, Soara and Nei, just like old times. Let''s have the best party ever."

    With each step I take, Sain takes two steps back.

    Are you really saying that?

    It was you who destroyed everything, to the point of being irreparable.

    And Lisa is the Demon King.

    There will never be adventures again.

    "Please let me go. I don''t want to die."

    "I won''t kill you."

    "Toru! Oh, Toru, you''re the best!"

    I drove my great sword into the ground.

    Sain was happy, thinking he had been saved.

    I''m not going to kill him in a place like this.

    He will be taken home, his fate will be decided by justice.

    Because I''m sure that would be cruel to Sain.

    "If you don''t want to die, level up."

    "What?"

    I kicked Sain''s demonic sword away, and raised my right fist.

    This is for what you have done to Soara and Nei.

    "Higyu!"

    Poow

    My fist slammed into Sain''s face, smashing him into the ground and causing a spider web-like crack in the floor.

    I think I''ve shattered his jaw.

    The instant he received the blow, Sain collapsed white-eyed on the ground.

    ¡¶Do you want to copy the job "Hero"? YES/NO¡·

    I selected YES to copy the Sain job.

    "Agu!"

    "Tsu!"

    An explosion sounded, Frau and Kaede were thrown out.

    The two then roll on the ground but quickly get up again.

    "Tch, he was already defeated. He was useless after all."

    I can''t see any noticeable damage to Lisa.

    As expected of a level 800 demon king, she isn''t even bothered by Frau and Kaede''s onslaught.

    I step forward and activate my fighting style against Lisa.

    "Lisa, let''s finish."

    "Fufu, What are you talking about? You still think you''re my boyfriend? You and I didn''t even start in the first place."

    "I''m not saying that. I''m saying let''s finish this fight.

    "Oh, yeah. Whatever."

    She points her wand at me and unleashes her magic.

    However, I instantly slashed the flames with my greatsword.

    "No way, you cut my magic?!"

    Lisa grew wary and took a step back.

    Let''s begin, the final battle.

 CH 84

    A powerful blast of fire magic comes out of Lisa''s wand.

    The energy, which looks like a dragon''s breath, passes over us!

    The heat burns my skin

    If I expose myself to it any longer, it is certain that I will suffer great damage.

    We split up and ran around the room while avoiding the attacks.

    "Icey Fog!"

    Kaede''s magic drastically lowered the temperature inside the room.

    However, Lisa immediately uses magic to raise the temperature back up again.

    "Hammer Breaker!!!"

    As Frau''s hammer came down, Lisa reflexively dodged it.

    Taking advantage of Frau''s attack, I sneak up on Lisa to deliver a killing blow with my sword.

    A screeching metal sound resounded.

    My sword was blocked by her wand.

    "Lisa, what is your purpose?"

    "Didn''t I tell you? To dominate the world. I will make this place mine. I will kill your friends, and you will watch how I play with their lifeless bodies, how my pets will eat their flesh, and then I will make this world a place of pain and suffering, a beautiful amusement park of agony. "

    "I don''t understand."

    "Well, that''s because you''re boring."

    Lisa stepped back

    Then she released a fireball the moment she hit the ground.

    I cut the ball with my sword and attacked Lisa again.

    "You''re so annoying! Just die already!"

    "!?"

    A scorching heat emanated from Lisa and caused the throne room to explode.

    This situation is seriously dangerous.

    To protect Frau and Kaede, I keep blocking Lisa''s attacks with my great sword.

    My skin is slowly burning, and my legs can''t help but fall to the ground.

    At the same time, Kaede uses her healing wave, and the burned skin is quickly restored.

    The light around her dimmed and Lisa appeared, transformed.

    Two horns grew on her head, and a purple pattern appeared on her face and legs.

    And in her hands she held two demonic swords.

    "Sain was one of the few men to possess a demonic sword. Having such a weapon under his power he could use it at his mercy, causing great power to be released that would grant him up to 50% level increase. This weapon in the hands of a powerful demon can increase their power by up to 90%. That is to say, with this, my level is now 1200."

    "Ugh..."

    I knelt down because of the pain caused by Lisa''s attacks.

    If it weren''t for Kaede''s skills, I would have died.

    I knew there would be a level increase with the demon swords, but 1200 is a much higher number than I expected.

    "Kaede, Frau, you guys leave me here. Run away."

    "What are you saying, Master!?"

    "Yeah, don''t say stupid things like this!"

    "I am so happy to have met you, and to have had so many adventures. But it''s time for you to be free, and live your lives as you wish.

    I cast a spell that the slaver taught me to cancel the slavery contracts.

    Kaede and Frau''s master-slave contracts have just been cancelled.

    Now they are both free. They are no longer obliged to be with me.

    "Thank you both, for everything. It was a lot of fun."

    My greatest pride and joy are my slaves.

    They were very charming and great company.

    I only want you to survive. Nothing else matters to me in this life, I will sacrifice myself for your sake, and your future.

    Plaz

    I was slapped on the cheek.

    "No! I promised my Master that I would be with him forever and ever! That''s what the Master told me that day when he fed me sweets!"

    Kaede was crying.

    The gentle and always smiling Kaede.

    She was angry with me from the bottom of her heart.

    "I will fight! Not because I am a slave, but because this is my will! I will follow Master Toru to the end! Even if I should die, I won''t regret anything, so please don''t tell me to walk away from you!"

    "Kaede..."

    My cheek, which she had struck, was hot.

    I did not suffer any damage as such, nor did I feel pain, but psychologically, it did hurt.

    "Look, Kaede is crying because my Lord said something horrible. You don''t always have to think about everything yourself, you''re not alone, we''re not with you out of obligation."

    "Uh, how did you know I thought that?"

    "It is because Frau is the Lord''s slave. I know you very well. If I ever run away from a place like this, everyone in the village will throw stones at me while saying; ''This silly tulip table! She''s a disgrace!'' "

    What is a tulip table?

    I still don''t understand fairy insults.

    But I understood that the two of them were determined to share my fate.

    This makes me very happy.

    I feel like I''m getting stronger and stronger.

    After all, I don''t want to die. I still have a lot of things I want to do.

    Haha, I don''t know what I was thinking. This character isn''t like me.

    "Have you said goodbye yet?"

    "Thank you for waiting, Lisa."

    "Okay. Seeing your face in a state of utter despair was something I would''ve enjoyed, but I see you decided not to leave, so... First, I''ll hack off the fairy''s limbs."

    With astonishing speed, Lisa turns to Frau.

    But I quickly blocked her attack and our swords clashed again.

    Meanwhile, Kaede unleashes all her magic.

    Lisa dodged each attack with great grace, and switched her target to Kaede as soon as she landed on the ground.

    The moment her foot touched the ground, she propelled herself with the intention of killing Kaede.

    "I won''t let you!"

    "Die!"

    I wielded my sword and lunged toward Kaede to block Lisa''s attack.

    Lisa changed her target and aimed her attack at me. Our swords clashed, generating sparks and a screeching sound.

    "It doesn''t make sense. I''m sure you''ve leveled up a bit, but why is your power the same as mine?"

    "That''s because... I have the hero''s job."

    "That''s impossible! The hero should be Sain!"

    With a pale face, Lisa takes a step back.

    Lisa probably doesn''t know that I can copy people''s jobs.

    The Hero''s job has the ability to reduce the Demon King''s level down by one per second.

    Of course, this is a temporary effect.

    But it goes without saying how scary it is.

    It has been almost five minutes since the job was activated.

    Actually, as I was talking to Kaede and the others, Lisa''s demotion had already begun.

    To be honest, I thought it would be hard to fight while I was putting it down, but thanks to Lisa giving me some time, the situation improved a lot.

    Lisa''s current level is about 900.

    On the other hand, my level is 868.

    The ability that the Hero''s job possesses makes it so that, should the demon king fight him for a long time and continue to weaken, their power will become as enormous as the legend says.

    "My level! What ''s going on!?"

    "We''re almost equals now. I thank you for letting your guard down."

    "Toooooruu!!!"

    A great storm of clashing swords has begun.

    I used all the moves and skills I learned from Lord Mugen, and headbutted Lisa.

    "Agu!"

    "Frigid Fire!"

    The blue flames emitted by Kaede cause Lisa''s body to freeze.

    Just above, Frau was already swinging her hammer down.

    "Hammer Breaker!!!"

    Frau''s hammer hit Lisa''s head.

    The floor beneath her feet formed a hole and the entire castle shuddered.

    Lisa was brought to her knees by the heavy blow.

    His forehead was dripping with blood.

    "I made the mistake of underestimating you as a foolish, good-natured warrior. I admit it. Toru, you are the right man for me."

    "Will you leave Sain to be with me again?"

    "Yeah, I''ve been thinking about it. I''ve always thought you deserved to be a hero more than that stupid bastard of a man. I know you''re angry, so I''ll do anything to apologize... I''m willing to marry you, as I had promised."

    Sweat dripped from Lisa''s forehead.

    Meanwhile, her level continues to drop. Kaede and Frau block any escape routes.

    She was surrounded by us and seemed impatient.

    "Then let me see the ring I gave you when I proposed."

    "Huh, yeah, I''ll show you now."

    Lisa shows me the ring on her finger.

    "That''s the ring Sain gave you."

    "Uh, yeah, well, you know..."

    "Did you forget that you threw my ring on the ground?"

    ¡°!!¡±

    After leaving the tavern, she had thrown the ring far away in the meadow.

    That''s why you obviously wouldn''t have it.

    Another minute passes.

    Lisa''s level is now 840.

    Now my situation and hers are reversed.

    "Forgive me, please!"

    "When you were about to kill my parents, did they also beg you for mercy?"

    "Well..."

    "The day I was betrayed by all of you, I left without saying a word. And from that moment on, there was always something I''ve wanted to tell you."

    Zut

    I buried my sword in Lisa''s torso.

    "Gobu!"

    I mumbled the same words Lisa had said to me that day.

    "Goodbye, Lisa."

 CH 85

    The throne room is solemn and filled with silence.

    On his throne, King Armand looks at us.

    "Well done, you have defeated the Demon King. With this, the world will remain peaceful for the next hundred years. I thank you on behalf of all my people and all nations."

    "I just did what I wanted to do."

    The king smiled and nodded at my words.

    "I would also like to thank you for bringing back the traitor Sain. That man, of all people living and gone, attacked the capital of Balseille, killing and plundering the king and many others. The kingdom of Balseille had demanded that he be delivered alive."

    "My country!?"

    "I dared to hide this information to prioritize the Demon King''s death. Sain was also a hero, and I thought it would be difficult to capture him, but now that title no longer belongs to him, Manyu Brigade?"

    He leaned slightly toward me.

    I guess he was apologizing for keeping an important report from me.

    I was certainly surprised, but not that surprised.

    Although it was my country, I lived in a small town in the countryside.

    The attack on the capital seemed like a story from a distant land.

    I never met the late King Balseille.

    "What will happen to Sain?"

    "He will be tried and punished. He will probably be sentenced to death, but he will probably not be killed easily. The inhabitants of Balseille are currently experiencing great discontent. Sain will be used to alleviate the pain of the people."

    You are pathetic, Sain.

    If you hadn''t strayed from the path, it could have been you here.

    "Now that you have successfully defeated the Demon King, what do you want? I will give you any reward you desire."

    "So, I want to return this."

    I took off my bracelet.

    The king raised the corner of his mouth slightly as if to say, "I knew it!"

    "It''s not for me. The hero title is too heavy for us. I don''t want a reward, so I''d like to give it back."

    "Do you want to be released from your role as a hero?"

    "Yes. With the demon king defeated, the demon race needs time to recover. There is no need for a hero to exist at this time."

    "But countries have already recognized the Manyu Brigade as heroes and heroines of our nations. You can''t give it back once it''s been given to you."

    "I know. That''s why the Manyu Brigade will break up."

    The room filled with commotion and everyone started talking to each other.

    But the king did not change his expression and only raised an eyebrow.

    Perhaps they had already anticipated this event.

    As proof of this, a box had already been prepared to hold the bracelet.

    I put the bracelet in the box held by one of the gentlemen.

    From this moment on, we are no longer heroes.

    "I will accept your request. But don''t think that means you can be completely free, everyone in the kingdoms will remember that you were the real heroes. Including us, the kings."

    "I know. That is why I will always be ready to help you in any situation where you need me."

    He nodded in satisfaction.

    Apparently, an agreement had been reached.

    Now I am no longer a hero.

    I''m just Toru. A simple warrior.

    With deep gratitude to His Majesty the King, I left the audience hall.

    On the way back to my village, we stopped in the capital of Balseille.

    There was a wall of people on the main street.

    Many curses could be heard in the air, and a shower of stones fell on a carriage that was in motion.

    In the back of the carriage was Sain in a cage.

    "No, no! And I''m the hero. Aaagh! I order you to stop! I''ll kill you all!"

    Stones thrown by people did not seem to work in Sain, probably due to their high level.

    Still, he seems to have a lot of psychological damage.

    He was already exhausted to the point that his clothes were in tatters.

    But this seems to be the beginning of many punishments to come for Sain.

    According to what I heard, he will be beheaded after being sentenced to a thousand blows with a variety of weapons and sharp objects. He will be punished by drowning with water, he will be stabbed with needles all over his body, and he will be branded with metal objects set on fire. All this will be done in front of the crowd.

    I have no intention of seeing the end of it.

    That man I knew named Sain died in that castle. This guy who is receiving such humiliation is just an empty shell.

    When I think that, I feel an emptiness in my chest.

    I thought I had finally filled this pain.

    "Master, are you all right?"

    "Thank you for your concern, Kaede."

    I stroked the head of Kaede who was beside me.

    He closes his eyes and looks very happy.

    His tail wagged and his fox ears drooped.

    "This is very raw to watch. Although I''m surprised I didn''t get a single hit from all those stones."

    "Kyui"

    Frau, who is on top of Panda, observes Sain from a little higher up.

    Maybe Sain still thinks somewhere in his heart that he can be saved. ¡¡ In the past, it would be impossible for the hero to be beheaded.

    But now things are different. The people want to see his head roll.

    "Cut out his tongue!"

    "Yes, do that!"

    "Not only her tongue, but also the thing hanging between her legs."

    "Yes, yes."

    People''s voices cheered to see more than just his head roll.

    "What are you talking about?! You can''t do that! Uuugh! Hey, that rock really hurt!"

    Sain begins to get impatient.

    Suddenly he began to feel pain from the stones his body was receiving.

    A nobleman riding through the crowd says;

    "I understand everyone''s anger. So let''s cut up your frankfurter tonight. Oh boy, I made a size mistake. It was a small Wiener sausage, this is embarrassing."

    The aristocrat''s jokes made everyone present laugh out loud.

    Sain was trembling with his bright red face.

    Let''s leave this place.

    "Is that the master''s house?

    "It''s a small town, like any other. But Frau likes it."

    "Kyu."

    I returned to my hometown.

    As Frau says, it''s a small, mediocre town in the middle of nowhere.

    However, it is a quiet and peaceful town.

    There is a fence on the gravel road and small flowers bloom on one side.

    River fish swam in the stream that flowed through the center of town, and smoke rose from the chimneys of the scattered houses.

    It is already dark, and the children with tree branches are crossing the bridge over the river and returning to their homes.

    Nothing has changed.

    Everything has remained the same since I left town.

    "Where is the master''s house?"

    "There it is."

    There was a large house in the village.

    That''s where I was born and raised.

    I was showing them around town as we headed back to my house.

    "Toru?"

    I met Nei, who was carrying a mulberry tree in her arms.

    She has changed a lot since I last saw her, and now she is wearing overalls and has mud on her face and hands.

    He seems to be doing what he said he would do. Helping his parents in the field.

    Nei dropped everything in her arms and pounced on my chest.

    "You are safe! I was so surprised when I heard you were a hero."

    "I see you were worried."

    "Yes! I ate only half as much as I should have, and there was one night a week when I couldn''t sleep."

    "You didn''t have to go to such extremes."

    I hugged her and apologize for worrying her.

    I am also relieved.

    I was relieved to see that I was back in town.

    Nei looks up and asks, "Is it over?"

    "It''s all over. So much like Lisa and Sain.

    "Lisa is..."

    "Yes, I was the demon king. I did what I should do as a hero."

    "I see"

    "You''re not that surprised."

    "That''s right."

    Nei turns away from me and gathers her things.

    "It was pretty obvious that she didn''t like Toru."

    "Hey, that''s the first time I''ve heard that."

    "I had my reasons for not saying it. Toru was madly in love with Lisa. And I didn''t want to say anything that could damage our relationship without any proof."

    Nei''s argument is justified.

    At that moment, Lisa completely fooled me.

    I''m sure I wouldn''t have listened to her even if I had received the advice.

    I am really fed up with my stupidity.

    "And Sain will be sentenced to death in the not too distant future."

    "That''s good to hear."

    He said that and started walking.

    I think he was on his way home, but he followed Kaede, Frau and me.

    "Y-yes."

    I opened the door of my house and Nei entered the place in high spirits.

    Come to think of it, she always came to my house like that.

    Nei and Soara were almost like my sisters when we were kids.

    The hallway is clean, as if it had been cleaned.

    "Clean this place up from time to time so Toru would always have a place to come back to."

    "This is the birthplace of the master. It''s beautiful."

    "Wow, it''s bigger than I thought. It smells good and the ambiance is to Frau''s liking. I''m sure Panda would agree."

    "Kyu!"

    Kaede smiles stroking the scratches on the stair railing.

    Frau and Panda quickly flew upstairs.

    "You''re going to stay in town for a while, aren''t you?"

    "That''s the plan. I''m home at last."

    "I see."

    Nei smiled before leaving the house.

    "Master, may I borrow your kitchen to prepare dinner?

    "You can use it however you want."

    *pat pat pat pat

    He ran to the kitchen.

    I couldn''t help but relax when I saw Kaede''s happy face.

 CH 86

    It has been a few days since I returned to town.

    I''ve been staring out the window in a daze.

    I don''t feel like doing anything.

    There is a hole in my heart.

    The emptiness I once felt has returned.

    U had the feeling that I was missing something important.

    No, it''s not missing. In fact, It was forever lost.

    My ex-lover and ex-best friend.

    "Master, how do you feel?"

    "Good."

    "I brought you something to eat."

    "Thank you."

    I sat on the edge of the bed and accepted Kaede''s soup.

    I took a sip and realized that Kaede''s food, which had been so delicious, felt different in my mouth.

    I don''t have much of an appetite.

    The hand holding the spoon stopped.

    "You didn''t like the taste?"

    "That ''s not it. I just don''t have much of an appetite."

    "That''s what you said yesterday. You didn''t eat much."

    "I''m sorry. I think I need to rest."

    I put the bowl on the table and went to bed.

    My body felt terribly heavy.

    It was as if my arms and legs were filled with lead.

    Besides that, it''s as if something inside me has vanished.

    "Master..."

    Kaede puts her hand on my forehead and uses her healing waves on me.

    The emptiness seemed to fade a little.

    Her hands are warm.

    "Hello!"

    "Nei-San."

    Nei came into my room.

    She comes to see me from time to time, whenever she''s free.

    "Do you still feel bad?"

    "I''m tired from everything that''s happened."

    "Well, a lot has happened, hasn''t it?"

    She sits in a chair near the bed.

    "But that''s not going to make Kaede and Frau feel any better. If you''re going to be their master, you have to be better than that."

    "They are no longer slaves."

    "That''s not the point. Kaede, Frau and I are Toru''s slaves."

    "Really?

    "That ''s right."

    After a while, the two left the room.

    I heard a voice from the hallway.

    "What should I do? He''s always in that state."

    "I don''t know, maybe it''s not enough to use your healing magic. We should blackmail him."

    "Blackmail? I''m not very good at that."

    "So why don''t we get the people who can do it? We''ll use a quadruple combination of love, punishment, seduction and healing to make him feel better. You''ve traveled a lot, so you must have an idea."

    "Hmm, maybe I can come up with something..."

    I was left alone, and I closed my eyes.

    I felt very tired.

    I thought the hole was finally full, but another, even bigger one appeared again.

    Lisa, Sain... Why?

    there was a beautiful landscape in front of me.

    The cicadas chirp loudly.

    I was a kid running down the gravel road in town.

    Behind me are Nei and Soara.

    "Let''s go slime hunting tomorrow!"

    "I hate those fat things."

    "Fufu! So Nei can''t stand up to mere slime? Scaredy cat."

    "That ''s not true!"

    "Don''t fight, we''ll find something better to do tomorrow."

    ""Yes, see you tomorrow!!!""

    I broke away from Nei and Soara and ran home.

    When I opened the front door, my father and mother were already in the dining room.

    There was a variety of dishes on the table.

    It looks so delicious that I had to swallow my drool

    "Welcome home. You''re covered in mud again today."

    A black-haired woman smiles.

    That''s... My mom''s face, I had already forgotten about her.

    Yes, it looked just like that.

    I also clearly remembered my father''s face.

    My mother bent down and spoke to me.

    "Toru, you did very well."

    He patted me on the head.

    My heart was comforted by her nostalgic hand.

    "It may be painful now, but you can stand up again. Because you are our son. Live the way that makes you happiest, and support those who help you."

    "Mother?"

    "The journey is not over yet. In fact, this is where the real journey begins. Toru, find your roots. You are destined for greater things. That is why I have given you the family jewels."

    Both my father and mother were smiling.

    Tears are shed.

    It finally dawned on me.

    This is the last message from my parents.

    Wait! Mom, Dad!

    I want to keep talking to you!

    Everything begins to fade away.

    I desperately reached out my hand and the two of them were saying goodbye.

    Please wait. I still have many questions to ask.

    "Toru! Get up!"

    "Ueeh!"

    They grabbed me by the chest and punched me in the face.

    When I opened my eyes, everything was blurry.

    What happened?

    Ha... It was a dream.

    My vision finally cleared and I squinted to see the morning sun streaming through the window.

    Nei is in front of me.

    "I''ll give it my all for Toru!"

    "Give it your all!"

    She''s going to hit me again.

    It''s all a mess, but I felt my conscience clear.

    "Soara, you''re next."

    "Very well. I''ll put all my strength into it."

    "Why is Soara here?"

    "Grit your teeth!"

    Soara whacked me over the head with her staff.

    The staff broke in half as a result.

    Was there any point in gritting your teeth?

    " up are you two."

    "Go ahead."

    Eeeh?! Marianne?! Luna?!

    What are you doing here?

    At the same time that Nei and Soara leave the room, Marianne and Luna enter.

    They both smiled, and instantly drew their swords and tore at my clothes.

    Before long, I was in my underwear.

    I am sitting on the floor, looking up.

    "I want the man I adore to always be strong."

    "Exactly. This is a punishment born of love. This is so you won''t forget who you are, Toru."

    "And if you''re still not over it, I''ll beat the crap out of you."

    "Isn''t there some way around it?"

    "No."

    As they leave the room, two other people enter again.

    They are Alusha and Frau.

    "I was called away on important business, and I find you in this deplorable situation? Toru-Dono. You can''t... do it with me like that!"

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    "I am ashamed of you! Elves, unlike fairies, are a race that knows shame."

    "What does that mean? you want me to take your pants off?"

    "Ueeh! Stop!"

    Frau, who was in her human size, pounces on Alusha.

    "What are you doing here?"

    Panda comes up behind Frau and pulls at her hair to get her away from Alusha.

    "I just came to raise Toru-Dono''s spirits."

    "You were lucky, I almost took them from you."

    "Alusha, you wear panties black?"

    "Ueeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!!"

    Alusha holds her ears and falls to her knees.

    Frau didn''t seem to mind, she sat next to me, and tapped her thighs for me to place my head on them.

    "I''ve always wanted to do this."

    "I know, you''ve mentioned it a lot."

    "Yes. Finally, Frau is able to do it. And I want you to know something my Lord. Don''t settle for this, you know you can always trust me, I will do anything for you."

    She turned her face away as she said it coyly.

    She is a very tender slave.

    Frau dragged Alusha, who was frozen with her hands hiding her face, out of the room.

    to enter the room was Lynn from the flaming axe gang, and next to her was a young man I think I had seen before.

    "I was called to lift your spirits, nya. I''m going to cast a magic spell that will make you feel better, nya."

    "Hey, Lynn!"

    "Pione, watch what I''m going to do, then do the same, nya."

    "Alright!"

    Lynn drew my face to hers and then buried it in her breasts.

    How soft they are.

    My mental strength is recovering quickly here.

    Power flows throughout my body.

    "Now do you understand, nya? This is the power of the cat race, nya. If I don''t get to find a husband, I''ll stay with Toru, nya."

    "You''re hopeless."

    "That''s right, nya. But wouldn''t that make a nice story for the future, nya?"

    Would it?

    Well, I like the cat breed and I also like Lynn.

    Lynn got off me, and then the young man crouches down in front of me.

    ...Wait... She''s Pione?

    Where are her horns?

    "I said I''d be waiting for you, but now I''m here."

    "That''s what it looks like...."

    "Kaede told me to wear this, so no one would know my identity."

    Pione shows the ring that we had used to infiltrate the dark realm.

    That means Lynn and the others don''t know who Pione is.

    Now I understand why there isn''t a big fuss around it.

    Pione opens two buttons on his shirt.

    I can now see her white cleavage.

    "I''ll do it too!"

    "Ooh!"

    My face sinks into her breasts.

    The sweet, floral scent stimulates my nostrils, and her soft skin feels good.

    In addition, my energy increases sharply.

    Involuntarily, my nose bled a little.

    "I''ll be waiting for you, come visit me."

    "Yes, I promised I would."

    "Yes. My grandfather and I can''t wait for you to come."

    Lynn and Pione leave the room.

    The last person to enter the room was Kaede.

    "I''m glad you''re feeling better. It was worth it to bring them all here."

    "So you did this?"

    "Yes. I flew all over the countries last night with Frau-San."

    "Thank you for doing this on short notice."

    Kaede lay down on my bed and placed her head on my thighs.

    I stroke her soft, silky white hair.

    Her eyes were closed and her white eyelashes swayed pleasantly.

    The tail was wagging very vigorously.

    Her fox ears tilt up, seeming to insist that I pet her more.

    It has given me the energy to get back on my feet.

    Of course, there is still a hole in my chest.

    But then I remembered...

    Although it looked like there was one hole, it was actually filled with many things.

    I lost something, but I got more than that.

    Kaede, Frau, Panda, Rosuke, Sharkboy and the many friends I met during my trip.

    "Surely my master has another skill, a saving skill."

    "What do you mean?"

    "A skill that saves your happiness."

    "You mean it has doubled in you?"

    "Not at all. This is just the beginning."

    Kaede laughs.

    What am I going to get now?

    I''m already happy, but what more can I ask for?

    Paki

    A familiar sound resonated within me.

 CH 87

    When I went down to the second floor, the living room and dining room were crowded.

    In the dining room was Frau, Nei and Pione lined up at the plates, and in the living room, Luna and Lynn sat on the couch.

    When I went to the kitchen, Kaede, Soara and Marianne were cooking.

    "Master, it''s time for you to sit down, it''s time to eat."

    "W-Well..."

    I thought it was a big house, but with all the girls here, it feels small.

    And even more so considering that I am surrounded by young and beautiful women, it is a strange feeling.

    I don''t know where to stand and I''m nervous.

    Panda gently reached over and touched my fingers a little.

    Apparently, he wants me to pet him.

    "Kyu ~"

    When I petted him, Panda showed signs of happiness.

    I have not been able to play with him at all in the last few days.

    He must have felt very lonely.

    "Kyu? Kyui!"

    "Do you want me to keep doing it?"

    When I stopped my hand, he asked for more and more and even bit my hand.

    He''s still soft and cushion-like, and feels good to the touch.

    "I''m back."

    Alusha has just entered the house.

    He went into the dining room and took a seat.

    "Where did you go?"

    "I went for a walk. I wanted to see what the human village is like."

    "By the way, is this your first time out of your village? This is a small, ordinary town, so there''s nothing special about it."

    "Well, it didn''t seem to be much different from the one in my village."

    Alusha continues to speak; "But."

    "I would be lying if I said this is not a special place. I feel that there is a great and powerful spirit in this land, and that the reason it is so rich in nature and so peaceful is because it protects us."

    "Spirits? Are they here right now?"

    "I''m afraid I can''t see them. But I''m sure there are many such spirits in your village."

    I decided to use my dragon eyes.

    Countless translucent birds, fish, lizards and rats appeared around me.

    They noticed my gaze and scattered out of the room.

    What I just saw are spirits inhabiting the village.

    I didn''t know I was surrounded by so many spirits.

    "A land guarded by spirits brings many blessings. It is said that a spirit of high rank can even protect the people who live there. I recognize just how wonderful the land where you were born and raised in is, Toru-Dono."

    "Hey, I guess that''s why the crops grow faster."

    Nei, who brought a plate, joins the conversation.

    As I recall, this town certainly yields crops quickly.

    There have been few losses in crops and production has remained stable.

    Nei sat in a chair and propped her head up on both her hands

    "This place is believed to be ruled by a powerful earth spirit. If there''s a magical vein nearby, it''s almost certainly huge."

    "It''s amazing that Alusha knows so much about us. I wish I was like one of you, smart, young and handsome."

    "I''m the one who''s jealous. I wish I was childhood friends with Toru-Dono, although having so many rivals makes everything not so rosy."

    "I totally agree with that. I never imagined that so many women would appear and Toru would be so popular, I had enough with Kaede and Frau, but I don''t think I''ll have a chance anymore."

    Nei and Alusha let out a sigh together.

    Apparently, they get along well.

    Although they have different personalities, I think they understand each other perfectly.

    Just then Kaede arrived.

    "Well, it''s time for us all to start eating."

    "I''ve been waiting to hear that!"

    "Frau, please wait until everyone is seated."

    "I know, I just wanted to take a bite!"

    Frau runs away from Alusha.

    That doesn''t look like a bite.

    In fact, every time I saw Frau, her mouth moved strangely.

    I think she just couldn''t take it.

    Zakku, zakku

    Today we decided to help Nei in the field.

    Farming after a long time is not so bad

    "Hey, Toru, when you''re done with that, come over here."

    "I''m still not used to this."

    "Don''t complain. Everyone is doing the best they can."

    "That''s right. Work quietly."

    We followed Nei''s instructions and moved on to the next task.

    This is the field that Nei''s family owns.

    It has the largest area in town.

    And it wasn''t just Nei and I, but also Marianne, Luna and Pione.

    "It''s good to touch the earth once in a while. It''s a good way to relax the body."

    "Exactly. It''s nice to see the vegetables ripen."

    "Yes, it might be a good idea to grow some vegetables when I get back to the mansion."

    "I agree. Maybe Luna should ask her father to give her part of the garden."

    "Speak for yourselves. I''m not good at planting or raising animals, I doubt I can handle this."

    There were three beautiful women in overalls kneeling digging in the ground.

    One was royalty and two were nobility. No one would imagine that these girls behind those clothes are extremely beautiful and classy.

    As for me, I am grateful for keeping busy and not torturing myself with unnecessary thoughts.

    I finally got my energy back.

    I don''t want to spend the whole day asleep again.

    "Ah!"

    A white, round object suddenly hits my face.

    Then, a long thing like a snake encircled my body.

    "Kyui.

    "Shaaa."

    "So it ''s you guys."

    It was Panda and Rosuke

    I let them play outside, but they got bored and came back.

    I even left Sharkboy in a pond not far from here.

    A sign suddenly appears in my field of vision.

    ¡¶Notice: Skill savings have been repaired¡·.

    It seems that all my saving abilities have finally been repaired.

    When will it break next?

    "Come over here, it''s time to harvest these."

    Nei called us to a fruit field.

    There, bright red tomatoes and dark green cucumbers hung lushly in the air.

    "They look delicious."

    "Well, our vegetables are the best in town. Let''s gather them quickly, it''s almost time to eat."

    With baskets in hand, we all rushed to pick the vegetables.

    The tomatoes we plucked were so bright you could reflect the light off of them. ¡¡ When I bit into one, it was very juicy and had a strong sweetness to it.

    "Hey, don''t eat them!"

    "Huh."

    Nei saw me.

    "You got me."

    "Not just me, but them too." ¡¡ When I looked next to me, I saw Pione and Luna biting into a tomato each as well.

    So it was my fault?

    It cannot be avoided.

    The tomatoes here looked incredibly delicious.

    "Hey, I brought lunch. But... What are you eating? And why don''t you give Frau?".

    Frau flew to us and stole a tomato from Pione.

    "Master, I brought you lunch."

    "Thank you."

    Kaede waved at me from afar.

    Behind her were the other girls who helped her cook.

    Now I can finally take a break.

    Well, the job was almost done, but when it comes to Nei, she gets really obsessed with the work.

    She''s kind of like a demon of agriculture. You can''t get away from her easily.

    "Kaede-San, you are a very good cook."

    "It''s all thanks to Urara-San who taught me. Although I still have a lot to learn."

    Soara compliments Kaede on her cooking skills.

    Today she prepared a sandwich for lunch, but as is common with Kaede''s meals, it doesn''t look good.

    But contrary to its appearance, its taste is out of this world.

    As she ate, Lynn said; "its taste doesn''t match its appearance."

    Speaking of which, I haven''t seen Marianne''s maid, I wonder where she is?

    She used to always be by her side.

    I decided to ask Marianne about it.

    "Urara is on maternity leave."

    "Wait, she''s married?"

    "Yes. Didn''t I tell you?"

    I never heard that. You never told me that.

    So that''s why I hadn''t seen her when Marianne went to Grayfield.

    I will give Marianne a congratulatory gift for Urara later.

    "By the way, how long are you guys going to be here?"

    "A week maybe, I think they''re all thinking of doing the same thing."

    Well, they can''t stay away from home for too long, now can they?

    I can''t thank you all enough for coming all this way for me.

    How can I thank you?

    Now I understand Count Roanne that day when I got rid of the demons in his city. It is difficult to reward someone who has done a splendid job for you.

    I can think of no way to express my gratitude.

    "Girls, I want to thank you for coming all this way for me. I feel so grateful that my words are not enough to express how I feel."

    I bowed to them once again.

    Each of them shared glances, and for some reason they began to laugh.

    "We are here to return the favor for all the things you have done. Besides, we are provisional members of the Manyu Brigade. It''s only natural for us to come to the leader''s aid."

    "When did this happen?"

    "Toru, you''ve been unconsciously dragging Luna and the others into the party all this time. All the people here drew their strength and courage from you. You''ve become very important to us."

    "Of all of us, though, there''s someone here who hasn''t received help from Toru."

    "Now that you mention it, I''ve been thinking the same thing...Lynn, Why are you here?"

    Lynn''s cheeks turn pink and she sheepishly says: "There was something I wanted to check out!"

    Paki

    That sound... There it is again...

    Paki Paki Paki Paki

    The sound of breaking glass resonates in me.

    Several posters were displayed in the field of view.

    ¡¶ Notice: Since the Lv of experience value saving has reached the upper limit, it will be paid 100 times more¡·.

    ¡¶Notice: Payout increased by 50 times due to the effect of the UP skill effect ¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: Individual''s LVL is now 3000¡·.

 CH 88

    Level... 3000?

    Has this thing gone crazy?

    Or is it a mistake?

    Yes, it''s 3000, no matter how many times I check.

    "Master, what is it?"

    "Well, I''ve reached level 3000."

    "As expected, my master has once again had a massive increase in his level."

    "Hey, Kaede! You should be a little surprised! It''s 3000! That''s 4 digits!"

    "But it''s just that Master is Master."

    Kaede seemed genuinely happy, not seeming to mind Frau''s reaction.

    On the other hand, the other girls are utterly stunned.

    The sandwich fell out of Nei''s hands, who froze with her mouth open.

    "Toru-Kun, being level 3000 is no joke! This is serious!"

    "You''ve done it, Toru-Dono! The gods of the forest love you!

    "I''ve never heard of a level 3000! They don''t just love you, you''re their favorite!"

    Lynn, Alusha and Luna started to make a fuss.

    Meanwhile, the other girls showed no astonishment.

    "That''s our Toru-sama."

    "That ''s Toru."

    "It''s Toru after all."

    "That''s right. With Toru, it can''t be helped."

    What kind of reactions are those?

    It seems as if they have given up on me.

    Stop, don''t look at me like that.

    Let''s open my stats for the moment.

    Skills

    Hmm, it''s getting more and more monstrous.

    I can no longer exercise my power casually.

    I at least have to master it until I can handle it perfectly.

    I would have preferred had all this force been unleashed when I was fighting with Lisa.

    If that had happened, the battle would have taken far less time than it did.

    Well, I can''t complain about my skills.

    "Master."

    Kaede offered me a mouthful of meat.

    For some reason she felt embarrassed and her face turned red.

    "Um.... Well... I... Say ''ah''."

    "What?"

    "I am your slave, I want to feed you."

    I gulped involuntarily.

    To be honest, I''ve never done this before.

    I have some experience, but this is my first time.

    I am nervous and my heart is pounding.

    "Aaaaaaaah."

    "The master''s mouth is near my hand!"

    The juicy chicken was delicious.

    The taste of the chicken was more than worth the effort it took to go through with this.

    What is this joy permeating throughout my body?

    Then, I was surprised.

    All the girls reached out and offered me a piece of chicken.

    "It''s not right to give Kaede special treatment, is it, Toru-Dono?"

    "Um... Yes."

    After that, I ended up eating a lot of meat.

    "Thank you all. I really enjoyed it."

    "Not only that, but these vegetables are delicious."

    We were on our way back from the farm.

    We carried a lot of vegetables.

    With all this, we won''t have to worry about food for a while.

    "Glup! Glup!"

    I love cucumbers with salt sprinkled on them.

    The tomatoes are also fresh and would be delicious in a salad.

    "Glup! Glup!"

    I hear a familiar voice from somewhere.

    "I think that''s Sharkboy''s voice."

    "He sounds frightened."

    When I stopped by the creek, the kids had caught Sharkboy in a net.

    To curious children, the pink shark looked like nothing more than a toy.

    Luna runs towards them and asks them to release him.

    However, the children shook their heads, as if they had not played with him enough.

    Luna gives the children a copper coin and Sharkboy is returned to us.

    "Glup, glup"

    "I was really worried..."

    I thought the water was deep enough that no one would catch him or try to do anything to him. Seems I underestimated the children''s curiosity.

    I''ll put him in a tub today to keep him close by.

    The next day, Alusha said something strange.

    "I want to go to the forest to look for a spirit. Please come with me."

    "Fwuaaah~! A spirit?"

    "Stop yawning! I''m serious!"

    The sun had just risen.

    I stayed up late last night talking to the girls, and then did some muscle and sword training. In the end, I left at around dawn.

    If they hadn''t woken me up, I would have slept until around noon.

    I took a sip of the coffee that Kaede prepared.

    "Calm down, Alusha-San. Master hasn''t said no yet, so you should explain yourself better."

    "Guu, Guuu"

    "That''s also true. I''m sorry, I spoke without thinking."

    Alusha sits back in her chair.

    At the table, there was also Frau, who slept with Panda as a futon.

    Panda seems annoyed by all of Frau''s drool.

    Kaede, who brought cookies, sat at the table.

    ''''So why are you looking for a spirit?"

    "I would like to take this opportunity to make a contract with a new spirit. I''m sure you don''t know this, so I''ll explain: to borrow a spirit''s power, compatibility is important. It is this chemistry that determines to what extent you can harness their power."

    By making a contract with the spirits, they provide Alusha with magical power, as well as life force. The better the compatibility, the greater the power comeback.

    In addition, the rate of increase in the contractor''s skill will also be high.

    "I can use other spirits as well, but there wasn''t a spirit in the village that was compatible enough to make a contract, so I want to find that spirit here."

    "I understand. All right, I''ll accompany you."

    "Toru-Dono! I knew you''d say that!"

    Alusha''s long ears flap in a way that matches with her joyful expression.

    Actually, Nei''s father asked me to get rid of the monsters that are running amok in the area.

    While I''m at it, it won''t be a problem to accompany Alusha.

    "By the way, why me? Couldn''t you have gone alone?"

    "It is dangerous for an elf to enter an unfamiliar forest. And Toru has the dragon''s eye that allows him to see spirits. I can only sense them, so I don''t know what attributes they have until I use them."

    "Wow, even elves get lost in the woods."

    "Don''t be ridiculous, of course even elves can get lost too."

    Frau awoke to Alusha''s loud voice.

 CH 89

    I was in a damp, dimly lit dungeon.

    My right shoulder was hurting, it hasn''t been long since it had healed.

    But what torments me more than that is the fact that I have been defeated by Toru.

    I used a demon sword, wore powerful armor and even had the support of the demon king, Lisa, and yet I was defeated so easily and effortlessly!

    It is impossible. I can''t accept it.

    I can''t believe there''s such an impassable wall between me and Toru.

    "Toru, it''s your fault. Everything is your fault!"

    "Shut the hell up!"

    An old man in the cell next door shouted at me.

    You shut up.

    I''m busy thinking, I''m going to kill you.

    The shackles and chains on my hands and feet clinked.

    They are not ordinary shackles and chains, they are relics, and they succeed in suppressing the movements of those who wear them.

    Only my defense remains the same, and my strength is now equivalent to a level 10.

    I cannot break down the bars or destroy the walls and escape, nor can I take the keys from the guards when the cage is open.

    If it weren''t for these handcuffs, I''d be out of here in a heartbeat.

    It''s all Toru''s fault. He interfered with my plans.

    If it weren''t for him...

    *Pak pak pak pak pak*

    That sound... I''ve heard it before.

    It seems that the guards are returning.

    In addition, today I can hear multiple footsteps.

    "This is Sain."

    "Hmm, so this is the traitor who killed the king and slaughtered many of his men. He has a better face than I thought."

    "What do you want me to do with it?"

    "Smear his face in the mud, I want people to feel satisfied when they throw stones at him."

    "Ha!"

    A soldier enters the cell and smears mud on my face.

    Stop, what are you doing to my face?

    I am the hero. The man who was chosen by God.

    "Don''t resist."

    "Yuck!"

    The soldier hits me.

    I don''t feel pain, but it''s humiliating.

    If I had a sword, I would have stabbed him in the throat.

    They forced me to stand up and took me out of the cell.

    "You''re going to serve us right, because you''re going to pay for pissing us off so badly."

    "Don''t think you can do this to me and get away with it. I have been chosen by God. A hero is justice itself. To harm me is to defy God. In other words, I am a transcendent being that God allows and protects in everything."

    ".... What the hell is this guy talking about?"

    "I don''t know, he''s probably going crazy."

    These fools cannot understand my value in this world.

    But I am surprised.

    They should know how foolish it is to harm me. To harm a hero.

    "No! That''s enough! I''m the hero! Agh! I told you to stop! I''ll kill you all!"

    People were throwing stones at me from all directions, cursing me and making fun of me.

    I tried to capture women I could see with the power of my demonic eye of seduction many times, but there was no sign that the effect had come, probably because the ability was still blocked.

    In the crowd, I saw some men I recognized.

    They were men from whom I had stolen their wives.

    They throw stones with eyes full of murderous intent.

    But even if I get hit, it doesn''t hurt.

    It is impossible for it to work on me, my level is 100.

    But why are they so desperate to throw stones?

    Is it resentment for being cuckolded?

    It doesn''t make sense. There are plenty of women out there, why don''t you just look for someone else?

    I guess I can understand your anger.

    They are jealous of my good fortune.

    "Look at me! Soon you will be punished by God! I am the hero! I am destined to defeat the demon king! The chosen one...! Stop throwing stones!"

    Damn, I''m pissed.

    Don''t they know it''s me?

    I am Sain. When I have the world under my power, I will have you all executed.

    "Cut out his tongue!"

    "That''s it, that''s it!"

    "Not just his tongue - cut off the thing hanging between his legs!"

    "Yes, yes!"

    People''s comments make my blood boil.

    Are these people crazy?

    Who cut my tongue and my penis.

    A nobleman on horseback replied in a loud voice

    "I understand everyone''s anger. So let''s cut off his meatloaf tonight. Oh boy, I made a size mistake. It''s more like a small baby-sausage, how embarrassing."

    People laughed out loud at the aristocrat''s joke.

    My face was hot with embarrassment and my body was trembling.

    I will never forgive them for this.

    "As good an idea as that sounds, It''s not as much fun as you''d think. Don''t you want to hear the traitor begging for forgiveness?"

    The people seemed to agree and applauded the nobleman.

    It has been a week since my punishments began.

    I was exhausted.

    They tortured me for more than ten hours every day.

    While I was resting, I had nightmares.

    I was remembering all the things I had done.

    How did it come to this?

    If there is a next time, I will do things better.

    That''s all that came to mind.

    *Pak pak pak pak pak*

    My body began to tremble after hearing the guards'' footsteps.

    "It''s your lucky day. No more punishment, thanks for all your hard work."

    "Hahahahahahahahahaha! I finally made it! They finally realized my worth as a hero!"

    I laugh out loud at the guard''s words.

    Look at me. I am God''s chosen hero.

    When I get out of here, I''ll make you all pay for this.

    And then I''ll kill Toru, but before that, I''ll fuck all his girlfriends and kill them in front of him.

    Look at me and tremble. Nobody can kill me!

    God does not love Toru, he loves me.

    I came into this world to be great.

    As I left my cell, I walked down the hallway with a smile on my face.

    I am excited about the future ahead of me.

    When I get out of here, the first thing I will have to do is to look for an elixir to regain my strength. Then, I''ll eat a big feast until I''m satisfied, then I''ll look for a way to break the seal on my skill. Oh, and I have to level up so I can kill Toru. I need to get my demon sword and armor back, so I can kill high-level demons. If I do all that, I''ll be able to reach level 300 in no time.

    Waaahhhh!

    As soon as I left the building, I was stunned.

    There was an executioner and an execution table.

    More than a thousand spectators rushed up and expressed their joy at my appearance.

    "Don''t stop! Keep moving!"

    "Wa-wait, there must be a mistake."

    "Shut up and kneel."

    My head was placed on the table.

    There was a basket in front of me for my head to fall into.

    The aristocrat in front of me crouches down.

    "Sorry, hero. I wanted to use the guillotine, but the blade seems to stop halfway against opponents over level 100. So I decided to use an old-fashioned method of execution."

    "Wait! No, wait. Please. Please spare my life."

    "Hahaha, what are you talking about? The time for forgiveness has long since passed."

    "I''ll do anything, please don''t kill me."

    I pleaded with tears streaming down my face.

    If I don''t convince him now, I won''t be able to save myself.

    I knew it instinctively.

    "Apologize to them. Apologize to them for betraying their expectations, for betraying their trust, for betraying the country, for betraying humanity.

    I can clearly see people''s angry faces.

    They were demanding my head.

    Rage came over me for having to bow to the crowd.

    But if I make one wrong move here, I''ll be dead.

    It''s very humiliating, but I had no choice but to accept it.

    "I was wrong. Despite being a hero, I betrayed my homeland and betrayed humans. But the truth is different. I was negotiating with the demons and trying to create a world where we can live in harmony. Believe me, I''m not a bad guy. I''m a good guy."

    People calmed down.

    After all, they are a bunch of stupid people.

    They are too easy to fool.

    "That''s a lie! You took my wife away from me!"

    "Yes! My girlfriend too!"

    "And why did you kill the king!?"

    "He killed my best friend, who was an adventurer!"

    "Why did you betray us, Sain!?"

    Voices began to rise one by one.

    Cold sweat dripped from my forehead.

    Stop, don''t say things like that here.

    If you keep talking, I''m going to end up getting killed.

    People started demanding my head again.

    "No, all they''re saying are lies. They''re just trying to fool you!"

    "Oh, yeah? It doesn''t look like it."

    "Please forgive me!"

    "You liar!"

    "I''m not lying!"

    The aristocrat smiles.

    I had some hope that he would understand my feelings.

    "You know, one of the knights you killed was my brother. That''s why I volunteered for this role."

    "Ku!"

    "From this moment on, your name in the history of the world will be erased, Sain. You were never here, never born, and no one will remember you."

    "No, no, I don''t want to die. I''m sorry! Please don''t kill me!"

    "Do it."

    At the aristocrat''s signal, the axe came down.

 CH 90

    I take a step on the steep ground.

    Accompanying me are Frau, Alusha and Pione.

    It seems Kaede and the others each have something of their own to do, so they stayed home.

    Panda seems to prefer spending time at home as of late, so he stayed with Kaede.

    "This place is very quiet, and the air is cleaner than the air in my village."

    "Really? I hadn''t noticed."

    "You''re too slow to notice these things, Toru. This is such a beautiful place."

    Yes, I know what they''re thinking, I''m insensitive.

    I don''t care if they think I''m a fool.

    "This place is strange. I feel like I''m being watched from several directions."

    "Yes. I can feel countless eyes on me right now."

    In response to Pione and Frau''s words, I activated my Dragon Eye to look around.

    As expected, there were spirits everywhere.

    Countless translucent fish swam through the forest, and lizards hung upside down from tree branches by their legs.

    Birds peek out from behind the grass and rats watch from the rocks.

    They noticed my gaze and seemed agitated.

    "Hey Toru, what kind of monster are you trying to kill?"

    "It''s probably that one."

    There was a creature at the end of the road with the same appearance as Nei''s father told me.

    Thank you for saving me the trouble of looking for you.

    Large Stump Boar: It is a boar-like demon that boasts of its rushing power. With its size and the strength of its legs, it is said to be able to smash through iron plates. However, I haven''t heard of anyone breaking through an iron wall, so I''m guessing it''s not that strong.

    The monster we are looking for is six meters long.

    It is not the same size.

    That thing is at least 10 feet long.

    "Bugiii!"

    The wild boar finds us and screams.

    Everyone was on guard.

    "What do you want me to do, my Lord? Frau can take care of him.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll do it."

    I need to get used to my new strength.

    So I want to check how much I can control its output.

    As the boar charges right at me, I stop it with my index finger and then raise my arm.

    "Boogiiiiiiii--boogie!"

    *Zun*

    I lowered my arm and lightly tapped the boar with my finger.

    The animal then crashed hard against the ground, vomited blood, and then its eyes turned white.

    I think I overdid it, however, I think it was enough.

    I still have to adjust my power.

    "Ah, Toru is still out of his limit."

    "Seeing Toru''s power first hand, it makes me wonder how dumb someone would be to mess with him or make him angry."

    "It''s true. If we offend my Lord, he can burn us to the ground."

    "What do you think you''re saying?"

    Please don''t treat me like I''m a monster.

    I am still a human being in my mind.

    For now, I will draw my knife and drain the blood.

    Wild boar is supposed to be very delicious, so I will take its body back to the village and share its meat with the villagers.

    I finished draining the Boar''s blood, and threw it into the magic storage.

    "Now that I''m done with my homework, it''s time to look for the spirit for Alusha."

    "Aleusha, how will you find the right spirit?"

    "You''ll see."

    Alusha spread her hands and concentrated her mind.

    Five minutes had passed and Alusha was still in the same position.

    "What are you doing?

    "I am waiting. The spirit that is compatible with me will come on its own."

    "Oh, I see. I''m sorry."

    "?"

    As I was still using the Dragon''s eyes, no spirit dared to approach.

    I grabbed Frau and Pione and decided to walk away so Alusha would succeed.

    Once away, the spirits began to approach Alusha.

    "Spirit, please give me your power. Spirit, please give me your power.

    She talked incessantly.

    Then, several spirits approached and poked Alusha with their mouths.

    The fish, which looked like a water spirit, lost interest and left.

    The bird that looked like a wind spirit watched her for a while underfoot, but it didn''t seem to be a match, so it left.

    The lizard, which looked like a fire spirit, crawled up her leg, but it didn''t seem to be a match either, so it went down to the ground and fled.

    All that remains is the spirit of the land, the rat.

    "I can feel it. You are here. Please lend me your strength. In return, I will give you my life force."

    The rat nodded and ran to Alusha''s shoulder.

    It appears that the contract is now complete.

    "I have made a contract with a spirit! What is the attribute of the new spirit?"

    "It''s a land spirit."

    "Wow, Earth, this is the spirit the elves like best!"

    Alusha seems satisfied.

    Well, that concludes it.

    When I turned around, I saw that two spirits had hovered over Pione and Frau, who were some distance away.

    "I feel like I''m being watched."

    "It''s the same for Frau. I don''t know where they''re looking from, but they seem to be very close. Where are you? Come out of hiding."

    Pione is followed by spirits of fire and earth.

    As for Frau, she''s attracted spirits of wind and water.

    I''m not sure if they are compatible or not, but the spirits repeatedly rub their heads and stick to their bodies, attracting each other.

    "Hey, Alusha, can you make a contract with a spirit even if you''re not an elf?"

    "I think it is possible. However, elves are noted for their affinity with spirits. I don''t think there are spirits that prefer to be with other races."

    ¡° ............¡±

    I could not look directly at her as she spoke proudly.

    I will keep my mouth shut to protect her pride.

    Neither of the two spirits could make a contract with them, so I guess it all worked out well.

    Suddenly, my eyes were drawn to a large object deep in the forest.

    It was a giant translucent rat.

    Perhaps it is the spirit that protects this town.

    The rat stood on two legs and stared at me.

    It feels nostalgic.

    I feel like that thing has been watching me for a long time.

    The rat begins to scurry off and into the forest.

    "Toru-Dono, I just felt a great presence! It must be the spirit guarding this land!"

    "It was... It''s a giant rat."

    "I''m sure it''s a high-ranking earth spirit! Oh, if only I had dragon eyes too! I wish I could gouge out your eyes, Toru-Dono!!!"

    "Stop it, you''re scaring me!"

    Alusha was terribly excited.

    It seems that spirits of a higher rank don''t openly show themselves that often.

    Especially the spirits that become guardians of the earth.

    It felt like the rat wanted to say ''Welcome back''.

    We headed back to the village.

    On the way, we collected a lot of wild grass.

    The baskets on our backs were full of wild herbs and mushrooms.

    "This is a nice place. The water is pure, the food is plentiful, and you don''t see many dangerous creatures. I can''t help but wonder why you decided to leave your village and become an adventurer."

    "Yes, I''ve wondered that too. Why, Toru?"

    "Why did I leave my village? Hmmm..."

    I folded my arms and thought about their question.

    "I guess it''s simply because I wanted a little stimulation. The village is just too quiet and uneventful."

    "That ''s it?"

    "That doesn''t make sense."

    All three burst out laughing.

    Well, I was a teenager when it happened.

    At that age, everyone wants to be popular, wants to be famous, wants to be rich.

    It''s all about finding oneself.

    And I became an adventurer for the most mundane of reasons.

    "I guess that''s the way my Lord is."

    "I think so too."

    "You''ve been looking for excitement ever since."

    "Are you making fun of me?"

    These girls are cruel.

    I want to get home and have Kaede cure me of this pain.

    "Master¡«"

    Kaede waves to me from the road.

    She jumps on me and squirms in my arms.

    "Ehehehe, master''s smell~."

    "I smell like sweat."

    "It''s an irresistible scent to me."

    She buried her face in my chest and, with a look of satisfaction, began to sniff me.

    Her tail wagged wildly and her fox ears hung limply.

    Frau walked over and sniffed me.

    "My Lord, you do smell like sweat."

    "I know."

    Pione and Alusha smell.

    "I wonder if I''ll start to like that smell."

    "I don''t know what you''re all surprised about. I''ve always smelled like this."

    """"Eeeh¡­?""""

    "Why are they looking at me like that? I used to bathe once a week, but since I''m at home now, I do it regularly."

    Alusha was teary-eyed as she laughed at me.

 CH 91

    Kaede''s eyes sparkle on the bustling main street.

    This is a town that is relatively close to the village.

    It''s small compared to other places, but you can buy a great deal of things here.

    Also, there are no guilds in the village, so you''ll have to come here to petition.

    "Well, I''m going to sell the vegetables we harvested."

    "Perfect. Meet me at the entrance when you''re done?

    "Yes, no problem."

    Nei pulls a small cart loaded with vegetables.

    Frau, Alusha and Pione accompanied her to lend a hand.

    With a fairy and an elf tagging along, I''m sure sales will increase due to the rare sight.

    Pione also has a gentle demeanor and is surprisingly strong. With three people accompanying Nei, she should be alright

    By the way, me and Soara used to help her a lot.

    For some reason, the sales were not enough, and I remember finally going back home with Nei, eating some vegetables. It''s a good memory.

    "It seems like only yesterday we were selling vegetables together."

    "That''s right. Come to think of it, we sold a lot when you were with us."

    "Of course. I''m friendly, pretty, have big breasts, and I encourage people to buy."

    "How modest."

    You''re the only person I know who would say something like that as a matter of course.

    She really had me fooled.

    At first, Nei didn''t believe me when I told her that Soara had hit me in the head with an empty bottle.

    Now that she''s showing her true personality, things have changed for the better.

    Soara wraps her arm around mine.

    "Hey."

    "It''s okay. You usually let Frau and Kaede do it, it wouldn''t be bad if we shared Toru a little."

    "Well, if you put it that way..."

    "Toru is a simpleton, that helps."

    "At least say it when no one''s listening."

    For now, we split up into several groups.

    Me and Soara

    Kaede and Lynn.

    Marianne and Luna.

    We will probably meet up with each other at some point, but first we will prioritize where we each want to go.

    And since Panda left with Frau, Rosuke will be the one accompanying me.

    I have been taking care of him regularly, but he is surprisingly lonely, so I have been trying to spend as much time with him as possible.

    "Sha."

    "What, you want that?"

    "Sha!"

    Rosuke stares at the merchandise from the air.

    He doesn''t actually have eyes, but I can tell by the direction of his head.

    In any case, Rosuke rarely becomes interested in anything.

    It was an object that could be found anywhere, a simple metal file.

    Perhaps you would like to rub your body with this?

    Rosuke''s body is flexible but tough.

    Even if he were to rub his body against a piece of wood, the wood would be the one to get scratched.

    I bought the file and lightly scraped it against Rosuke''s head.

    Rosuke was happy.

    "Toru, stop giving your pet all of your attention. You have me, your wonderful priest and slave, at your side."

    "You''re not a slave-- Ugh..."

    *Gyum*

    Soara steps on my foot with all her might.

    "Insensitive. There''s something I have to tell you."

    "And what would that be?"

    "I''ve been watching and thinking: Are you properly showing gratitude to Kaede and Frau? Surely you thank them properly, don''t you?"

    At Soara''s words, I frowned and bowed my head.

    Show gratitude?

    Is it not enough to say thank you?

    "Haah~, I knew it. Listen, Toru, you have to take good care of women. Every little thing adds up and has a big impact on the rest of your life."

    "What are you trying to say?"

    "You have to give them gifts, but considering the number of people, it''s really hard, so let''s compromise with something."

    "The number of people?"

    I thought we were just talking about Kaede and Frau.

    However, I think she''s right. I have limited myself to thanking them but not giving them anything.

    "But I don''t know what to give a woman."

    "Toru? Have you forgotten that I instructed you when you were with Lisa?

    Oh no, Soara-san''s eyes brimmed with anger.

    "Uhm, you have to ask a woman first."

    "Yes, if you are unsure of your choice, talk to a woman nearby first. Doing this will greatly increase your chances of avoiding a catastrophe."

    "Yes, that''s right."

    "I knew you''d forget!"

    He pinched me hard on the cheek.

    It doesn''t hurt physically, but psychologically, it does.

    What kind of violent priest does that?

    Anyway, we stopped at a jewelry store.

    "You see, Toru, women are weak to beautiful and shiny things. Many people say that feelings are important, but feelings are not easily conveyed if they are cheap. Therefore, they spend a reasonable amount of money. Oh, this necklace is fine for me."

    "I feel like you only want me to buy you something..."

    She stared at me, so I shut up.

    It seems that I should avoid saying anything unnecessary.

    "Buy gifts for everyone here. Make sure you pick something that suits them."

    "But I have no sense of style."

    "That''s why I''m here, isn''t it? For now, try to pick something on your own, and let''s think about it from there."

    Following the teacher''s words, I start to choose a gift...

    "I think this is perfect."

    "Well, I''m not so sure. I think I should give them armor, or some very tasty meat, not jewelry."

    "I don''t think there are any women in our group who would be happy to receive meat."

    This is not true.

    I''m sure Nei would love it.

    First of all, I would be very happy with some meat.

    "Toru, you''ve been giving us meat every birthday, but I''ve had enough of that. Or do you want to be called ''Toru the meat man''?"

    "I''d rather not be."

    And so, I went back to checking the jewelry that was sitting on top of the counter.

    Rings inlaid with precious stones.

    Each one of them is full of brilliance.

    They''re made with a special process and the size is automatically adjusted.

    "All the rings have the same stones, right?"

    "It would be unfair for everyone to have a different stone. The important thing is not the gift, but the one giving it to you."

    "Isn''t that different from what you said earlier?"

    "There are limits in this world. I am a priest and the only woman who likes to receive meat from someone she loves. But forget that last one, I don''t want any more meat."

    I am not quite sure.

    But it''s a small price to pay to show my appreciation.

    ¡°And¡­¡±

    Soara asked the merchant to bring out another item.

    This is a high-grade slave collar...

    "I hear that Kaede and Frau have been freed from slavery, but I recommend that you re-enslave them."

    "Do you want them to go back to being slaves?

    "Are you sure the two of them don''t want that?"

    ¡° .................¡±

    It is true that both Kaede and Frau said they were happy to be my slaves.

    I wonder if they meant it.

    I guess they''re not too happy about being released.

    Suddenly, Soara touches my cheek with her finger.

    "I think you can trust those girls. They''re not like Lisa."

    ''''Yeah, it''s useless to think about that, haha.''''

    As I smiled, Soara lightly slapped my cheek.

    "That smile on your face made me angry."

    "That doesn''t justify hitting me."

    I bought the collars for Kaede and Frau and had the store owner wrap them for me.

    I hope they''ll be happy with this.

    "I envy Kaede. I''m a priest, so I can''t be a slave."

    "Why do you want to be a slave?"

    "Hmph. You''re as insensitive as ever."

    "Hey, no, put your staff down."

    Soara smiled and murmured: "I''ll settle for this gift."

 CH 92

    "Master~!"

    At the other end of the road, Kaede was waving her hand.

    It seems that she and the others have gathered and only Soara and I are left.

    Kaede was wagging her tail and seemed happy to see me in front of her.

    We parted for a short time, but I wonder if she missed me that badly.

    "How was your shopping?"

    "There were lots and lots of things, and I couldn''t decide what I should buy. I also bought a lot of things for you, Master. I''ll show them to you later."

    The backpack Kaede is carrying is very bulky.

    I gave her the magic storage, but she didn''t seem to use it.

    Or maybe she was so engrossed in shopping that she forgot all about it.

    "Marianne, did you get what you wanted?"

    "Yes. I was able to buy souvenirs for my father and Urara, and I found some rare items, so I''m happy, and so is Luna."

    "That''s right, I have my bath brush, my bath sunglasses and... Oh no, I can let you see this, Toru-Kun. Hey, don''t move."

    Luna''s bag is constantly moving.

    ¡­¡­I wonder what it is. I''m curious what''s in that bag.

    "What are we going to do now? Are we going to meet up with Nei and the others?

    "They probably didn''t sell well. We''re done with our work, so we should help them."

    "I agree. I am indebted to Nei-San for her help."

    And so we moved to the market.

    "There are a lot of people."

    "Is there a problem?"

    I can hear many voices from the place where Nei is.

    "Don''t push! The vegetables aren''t going anywhere!"

    "So, you want to buy this cucumber for 1,000? It''s a special occasion."

    "Guys, get in line! Otherwise, I won''t sell anything at all!"

    "Here''s your money. What? You want to shake my hand? Sure, I''m happy to shake hands with such a pretty young lady."

    In the crowded market, Nei''s stall was the main attraction.

    Both men and women were concentrated there.

    I don''t feel like going anywhere near that crowd.

    "It''s all sold out now! Spread out!"

    Apparently, everything was sold out.

    People go home in regret.

    "It looks like everything went well."

    "It wasn''t easy. I didn''t know so many people were coming."

    Nei sits down and spreads her legs in exhaustion.

    On the other hand, Alusha and Frau each have a dreamy look in their eyes.

    "Elves are very popular among humans. I''m surprised."

    "Most people usually don''t pay attention to me because I''m always around Kaede, but Frau is a magnificently beautiful fairy. I feel like I''m finally getting the recognition I deserve."

    Pione looks embarrassed for some reason.

    "I know people mistake me for a man because I''m dressed like one, but it''s complicated when all the girls are coming on to me. I don''t think I''m attractive enough to be a girl."

    Cheer up, Pione.

    You have done very well.

    And you''re a pretty girl.

    I put my hand on Pione''s head to cheer her up.

    "Toru-Sama... Ueeeh!"

    "Relax, it''s all over now."

    I rubbed her back gently.

    "Well, you three really helped me. I''ve made a lot of money and now I''ll be able to feed my family for a while."

    "You still have a sister and brother who are still children."

    "Our monthly food bill is twice what it used to be. Since I stopped working as an adventurer, things aren''t the same as before."

    "I''m going to give you this."

    I took a leather bag out of my magic storage.

    A loud bang is heard and Nei''s eyes light up.

    "What is all this?"

    "They''re for you, I don''t need them."

    "That''s impossible! There are several rare items here!"

    "Say yes, they''re for you."

    These are items I obtained in Berserker Valley.

    Actually, I completely forgot to sell them and had them just sitting there taking up space.

    If I just keep them for a long time, it''d be a waste of treasure, and it would be best to give them to Nei, who has taken great care of me.

    They all nodded their heads, as if thinking the same thing.

    "Thank you, Toru."

    "Don''t cry. I''m going to want more vegetables anyway. It''s like paying in advance."

    "I''m not crying! Don''t look at me!"

    Nei rubbed her eyes and became embarrassed.

    "Well, let''s have lunch."

    "I know a good place, I''ll show you."

    After gathering all her things, Nei pulled the cart and we started walking.

    I already know where we are going to eat.

    I am looking forward to it.

    In the evening, we all walked home while talking.

    In the back of the cart Nei was pulling, Alusha, Luna, and Frau slept.

    "We had a great time today. The time we have spent with all of you just flew by, and I will miss you all so much."

    "I share the sentiment, I would like to spend more time with you all."

    "It''s nice to be in a party without all those nasty men, Nya. I don''t want to go home, Nya. I can''t stand the thought of having to work in that sweaty place again. Nya¡«"

    "Come on, Lynn-san. Are your teammates really that bad?"

    Pione reassures Lynn, who scratches her head.

    Kaede, who was walking alone, had her tail hanging down, looking sad.

    *Gug*

    Soara hits me in the side with her staff.

    What?

    Ah, that...

    "Girls, can I talk to you for a moment?"

    I walked ahead and stopped them all in the middle of the road.

    From my magic storage, I took out a large bag containing the gift I bought for the girls. I placed one in each of their hands.

    "Master, what is this?"

    "Open it, please."

    What appeared after opening the wrapping was a small wooden box.

    When they opened it, the girls'' eyes widened.

    "Um, I hope you accept these gifts.... They''re my thank you for everything you''ve all done for me."

    "Master..."

    The jeweled rings in their hands glittered in the setting sun.

    Kaede put on the ring and smiled with tears in her eyes.

    "Toru-sama, is this what I think it is?"

    "Hmm? Oh, yes, of course, that''s exactly it."

    The girls are surprised and squeal with delight.

    Yes, it is my thanks.

    Soara said I had to give them each a ring.

    As soon as you give one to a woman, you have taken an important step in your life to show your gratitude.

    But I didn''t know that.

    I didn''t know a ring could be given to a friend.

    I thought it was something that only lovers did. You know, when you want to commit to someone in marriage.

    No... I don''t think Soara tricked me into buying them engagement rings, She''s my friend, she''s always advised this kind of thing.

    "Oh, and this is for Kaede and Frau."

    I give them both another package.

    "Is it a collar...?"

    "I wanted to ask you to be my slaves again. Although if you don''t want to, to you can say no."

    "Are you kidding? I''m so happy, I''d love to be my master''s slave again."

    Kaede sheds tears of joy.

    She put the collar around her neck and then put her hand on her chest.

    "Please, let''s make a master-slave contract."

    "I accept."

    "And I will be with you forever."

    "So it shall be."

    Eeh.

    I was surprised when Frau peeked over from the side.

    "Hey, Frau also put on her collar, why don''t you look at me?

    "I''m sorry. It looks beautiful on you."

    "Yes! I knew Frau would be the perfect slave for my Lord! Caress me, pat me on the head, and tell me you''re happy I''m your slave again."

    "All right, All right, don''t press your head against me so much."

    I stroked Frau''s head, and she happily said; "Thank you! I love you!"

    Suddenly, Alusha, who was in the cart, stands up.

    "Toru-Dono, why don''t I have a collar too!?"

    "What with this sudden question?"

    "Humans always want to enslave elves! Then it''s only logical that Toru-Dono should want to possess Alusha."

    "Do you want me to make you my slave?"

    "Don''t make me say something embarrassing."

    She suddenly loses her momentum and becomes embarrassed.

    "I wonder if I can be a slave too, even though I am an aristocrat.".

    "Yes, me too."

    "It''s probably impossible. Although I''d like to become one, but since I''m royalty and my father might cry, the most I can do is a master-servant contract."

    Marianne, Pione and Luna also wanted to be my slaves, but because of their high social status they could not.

    I can''t help but wonder why they want to do something like this.

    "It''s not that big a problem. Anyway, we''re going to get back together later on, so why don''t we all sign a master-servant contract with Toru before we go?

    "That''s right, we''ll meet again in the not too distant future."

    What the hell does that mean? Another meeting?

    Are there any meetings or anything I don''t know about?

    Kaede grabs my arm and pulls me.

    "Master is my master."

    "Kaede-San, running away is for cowards! Everyone, catch Toru!"

    Hey, they''re chasing me!

    Kaede, who was pulling my hand, had a smile that was to be admired.

 CH 93

    Early morning of the following day.

    We all gathered in front of the house with our luggage.

    Our week of living together is over, so everyone will be going home.

    Since returning to my hometown, I''ve been thinking.

    Should I stay in town or go out again?

    And if so, what will I do?

    ...Thanks in part to Marianne and the other girls, I have been able to recover, at least a little.

    However, the hole in the chest has not yet closed.

    Perhaps I have not yet been able to organize my feelings.

    I was betrayed, then I learned the truth and I took action against my tormentors. That sequence of events was too big for me, I still don''t know what to make of everything that has happened.

    So I''ve decided to go on a trip... One more time.

    I think it will be the best thing to heal this broken heart of mine.

    Nei and Soara came to say goodbye.

    "Come home soon, I''ll cry if you don''t."

    "I don''t plan to be gone for very long."

    "Toru, don''t think you have the freedom to go to distant lands again, you have to come back. You now have many responsibilities to answer to."

    "Uh... Responsibilities?"

    What kind of responsibilities are those?

    Sometimes Soara says things that are difficult to understand.

    Kaede and the others said goodbye to Nei and Soara, while promising to meet again.

    The girls seemed to have gotten to know each other better over the past week.

    "Frau, if you will."

    "Leave it to me!"

    Frau spins in a circle just above us and sprinkles us with her fairy dust.

    My body began to float.

    We should be able to get to Pione''s house by the end of the day.

    Or more realistically, in the middle of the night.

    With me in the lead, all the girls soared high in the sky.

    They all arrived safely at their homes. Now we can continue our journey.

    Our destination is the country of Lastoria.

    It is a large country with smaller countries like Northstar under its umbrella.

    It is also a sea-facing nation, and is the only one of the surrounding countries that has the technology to build ships.

    Furthermore, there are many tourist attractions and you can enjoy the marine cuisine that can only be found here.

    By the way, I have already made a master-servant contract with Kaede and Frau.

    It turns out that there was a slave trader in the town where we stopped.

    "I can''t believe I''m back to being Master''s slave. I feel like I''ve regained something important."

    "You''re overreacting. When you sign a contract, you can''t resist me. Are you sure this was a good idea?"

    "That''s what I want. I want my master to control me, I want to be under his mercy."

    "You know Kaede, sometimes you say things that are very hard to hear."

    "Really?"

    Kaede looks at me with a pouty face.

    I don''t think it''s normal to want to be dominated.

    But she is Kaede, after all.

    This kind of statement is pretty normal for her.

    We are currently going through the forest.

    If we follow the road, we will be able to enter Lastoria in no time.

    "How far do we plan to go with this trip - is there a goal or something?"

    "Kyui."

    Says Frau while riding on Panda.

    Honestly, I have no answers to that question.

    I simply decided that I wanted to travel.

    An objective... Hmm...

    Kaede tugged at my clothes.

    "Um, Master, there''s a place I want to visit, can we?"

    "A place you want to visit? Isn''t it your first time here?"

    "It''s my second time, to be exact. In fact, I used to live around here before I became a slave."

    ¡°...??¡±

    What a strange way of putting it.

    If you''ve lived in Lastoria, you can''t say it like you''ve visited.

    You lived here once and then you suddenly didn''t? Is that what you''re trying to say?

    "Let''s go there."

    Kaede pointed to a cliff in the distance.

    It is too small to be called a mountain, and too big to be called a rock, it is a huge rock like a tower created by nature.

    I wonder what''s in there.

    "What are you doing? It''s not that way!"

    "Kaede wants to visit a place."

    "Eeeh¡­? I wanted to eat candy in the city."

    "Kyu¡«"

    Frau and Panda are insensitive.

    "It''s taller than it looks from a distance."

    "Yes."

    The huge rock towering before us is imposing.

    There seemed to be a monster living at the top, and a bird flew overhead.

    What could be in this place?

    "There it is, my old iron fan!"

    Kaede picked up a dirty iron fan hidden in the grass.

    She embraced that iron fan as if it were important to her.

    Apparently, she had come looking for it.

    "Master wondered how I came to be a slave, didn''t he?"

    "Um, yeah, are you going to tell me?"

    "Frau-San, take us to the top."

    "Okay, I''ll take care of that."

    Kaede flew above us and sprinkled her fairy dust.

    With Kaede in the lead, we quickly flew upwards.

    "How far do you plan to go?"

    "To the top. There you will find the path I took."

    We reached the top, where there was a foothold about thirty meters in diameter.

    Grass and trees grew thickly, and I was secretly impressed that plants could grow in such a place.

    "This way."

    We cut through the grass and continued walking.

    Soon after, I see something that looks like an artifact.

    It was a circular stone stand.

    In the middle was a magic circle that had lost its light.

    "Did you get here through this magic circle?"

    "That''s right, this was the point at which I appeared when I was brought to these lands."

    Kaede bends down and touches the magic circle.

    "Too bad. All the magic power was probably exhausted by the time I got here."

    "Doesn''t a magic vein run through here?"

    "This magic circle is different, it stores power and uses it, so it''s a little different from the rest we''ve seen."

    Does such a thing really exist?

    As one would expect from an ancient species, they''ve left all sorts of things behind.

    "But it can be used if I pour magic power into it, right? It''s like filling up the tank."

    Kaede shakes her head.

    "It''s no use if only one side of the magic circle is activated. The magic circle on the other side was almost out of power when I got here, I don''t think we can cross over."

    "And where does the other side of the circle lead?"

    Kaede does not immediately answer my question, but hesitates.

    "My hometown."

    The words spoken as she squeezed them out were quite ordinary

    But I notice a lot of meaning in her not-so-happy mood.

    Kaede is no ordinary type of beastkin, I know that from what I''ve seen so far.

    If so, it''s not hard to imagine that her homeland is also in an unusual place.

    "My homeland is.... on another continent. I used to live there."

    "Wait, what continent?"

    "Didn''t you know?"

    My head is spinning.

    Another continent?

    Is there another continent besides this one?

    But I have never heard of any other land.

    "I don''t understand, how did you end up here through that magic circle? How did you become a slave? I have many questions I want to ask."

    "It''s because my hometown was in a critical situation and I was the only one who escaped with this magic circle. But my level was too low, so I failed to descend this rocky mountain and fell halfway down, then a slaver picked me up after I fainted."

    At that moment, she dropped the iron fan in her hand, and it seems that Kaede had been worried about it for a long time.

    "I''m sorry, I should have asked about it earlier."

    "That''s fine. I had decided that my master''s needs should take precedence over my own, and besides, I''m happy to have this back."

    She then quietly said, "It''s my mother''s last memento."

    Hearing that, I grabbed Kaede and hugged her tightly.

    "It''s probably late, but we''re going to Kaede''s hometown. We can get there without a magic circle, right?"

    "It''s possible if we cross the sea, but are you sure you want that? We may not be able to come back here."

    "Don''t be silly. My Lord and I are grateful for all you''ve done for us. When it comes to you, nothing is a bother, you''re like my family."

    "Frau-San..."

    Kaede shed tears, probably from joy.

    Yes, you are right, Frau.

    We are very grateful for all that Kaede has done.

    We wouldn''t even be here if it weren''t for her.

    To make sure she no longer has to bear her pain alone...

    I will help her in any way I can.

    I will take her wherever she wants to go.

 CH 94

    "What a great city, it''s the royal city of Lastoria!"

    "Kyui! Kyui!"

    "Huh? Do you want something sweet? No wonder. Frau will pay for it with her money."

    Frau, who is riding on top of Panda, steps forward.

    What you see from here is the royal capital of Lastoria stretched along the seashore.

    From the rumors I''ve heard, it''s a pretty prosperous place.

    I don''t know if it''s the smell of the sea, but an unusual aroma reaches my nose along with the breeze.

    "Master, is that the sea?"

    "Probably. It''s quite broad and huge."

    Thanks to our elevated position, we had a great view of the city and the ocean beyond.

    It is bright and blue.

    My father used to say; "The sea is truly glorious", and now I think I understand what he meant.

    The sea is glorious in itself.

    "If I remember correctly, my father had a house in Lastoria."

    "Did the master''s father grow up living by the sea?"

    "Yes, but my father and his brother never got along, so they ended up completely estranged."

    My uncle had visited us once with his family, but I have few memories of that time.

    What I vaguely remember is the scene of my father and someone arguing.

    I think I was so scared that I hid behind my mother.

    Maybe the other person was my uncle.

    Still, these are very vague memories.

    "Hey, Lord, what should Frau and the others be called from now on?"

    "That''s right, we''re not the ''Manyu Brigade'' anymore, are we?"

    Frau and Kaede looked at me, then I snorted.

    What should we do with the name of the party?

    It would not be good for us to remain as the Manyu Brigade.

    I already told King Armand that we split up.

    How complicated.

    The sound of multiple footsteps echoed, and eight men appeared from the depths of the forest.

    "If you don''t want to die, give us your belongings! And the women too!"

    Some thieves showed up.

    Dirty men stand in our way, with swords and knives.

    "Time''s up! Now die!"

    A muscular man swings his sword sideways towards my neck.

    "Hyaha! Blood splatters are beautiful, huh?"

    "Ho-hi-ha? What''s wrong?"

    I jumped in front of his attack and caught his sword with my teeth.

    *Crack*

    The sword broke down the middle and I spit it out after chewing on the shoddy iron.

    "Ueeeh! It''s a monster!"

    "Kaede."

    "Yes, ''Ice Rock''."

    The bandits are frozen from the neck down by Kaede''s magic.

    Their faces were pale with fear.

    "What is your name?"

    "Danube Inochi."

    "No, the name of your party."

    "Little Hound."

    How subtle.

    I think it will work.

    "From now on, we will be using the name ''Little Hound'' for our party."

    "Yes yes, it''s yours, but please release us!"

    "Perfect, thank you."

    "Um, ice, hey!"

    We are now the Little dog party.

    I''m glad we have a new name.

    Now, let''s go to the royal capital.

    I could still hear the thieves crying from a distance.

    We entered the city and ran around without paying attention to the people.

    As the temperature is quite high, there are many people wearing light clothing.

    Women mostly wear small pieces of fabric that could be confused for underwear.

    Elves also wear very revealing outfits, but the ones here far surpass even theirs.

    "Master, how about we go to that restaurant?"

    "Seems like a nice place, let''s go to that restaurant."

    We entered a restaurant with terrace seating.

    I ordered a couple of drinks to quench my thirst.

    "Fueeh, drinking sake during the day is delicious."

    "Didn''t you say the same thing a while back?"

    "You must be imagining things. I remember drinking a bubbly beverage."

    I think the drink was called ale.

    "Aren''t you tired, my Lord?"

    "Not at all. Even though half of my magic has been absorbed, I''m still in good shape."

    Incidentally, I had poured magic power into the circle Kaede had passed through when she came here.

    If that magic circle is activated, the other magic circle should be able to work....

    Of course, as long as the other circle that is in Kaede''s hometown is still functioning and in good condition, that is.

    "Waaaah! The food here looks so delicious!"

    "Kyui!"

    The staff brought our dishes to the table.

    Lined up in a row, there is a feast of food featuring fish and other kinds of seafood.

    The shrimp with sauce on spaghetti looks delicious.

    I wrapped a fork around it and chewed the spaghetti.

    The sweet and sour taste of tomatoes assailed my tongue.

    This is amazing, it may be the first time I''ve ever been this excited about a dish.

    "Master, do you know where your father''s family lives?"

    "No, I forgot. I came here when I was about six years old. I doubt they remember me in the first place."

    "Since you''re here, why don''t you go see him?"

    "Hmmm, I guess you''re right, I haven''t told my uncle that my father and mother died... I guess it''s time he knew."

    It''s been so long since I''ve interacted with my uncle, so he must not know about my father''s death.

    I mean, I even forgot about it until now.

    I think it''s understandable considering I''m twenty-five years old.

    It is time to face my family properly.

    And this would be a good opportunity to meet my remaining family members.

    I don''t know anything about my mother or father.

    They never talked about their past.

    This trip should not only serve to heal my broken heart, but also to learn more about myself.

    By knowing my parents'' past, I could know more about myself.

    "What a beautiful carriage. I wonder if it belongs to a nobleman."

    A carriage decorated with shining gold passes by us.

    It is pulled by a white horse.

    Suddenly, the carriage stopped in front of us.

    From the carriage stepped down a middle-aged man with blond hair down to his back.

    He is probably in his fifties.

    His face has deep wrinkles and a thin beard.

    "Hey, you."

    For some reason, he pointed to me.

    "What is your name?"

    "...Toru Eiban."

    "Finally!"

    The man comes up to me and hugs me.

    My head is filled with question marks.

    What''s wrong with this old man?

    Suddenly, I noticed he looked familiar.

    "It''s been so many years, I''m sure you don''t recognize my face."

    "Who are you?"

    "Keios Eiban."

    He said he was my uncle.

 CH 95

    The carriage enters the mansion and stops.

    The first one down was Keios, my uncle.

    I got out of the carriage and looked toward the mansion.

    It is a three-story building. It''s bigger than my mansion in Grigit.

    The garden was large and was attended to by a gardener walking around with a pair of shears.

    I did not know that the Eiban family were nobles.

    I think it would be more accurate to say that I had forgotten about it.

    I must have heard about it when I was little.

    But I had forgotten all about it over time.

    "Go ahead."

    Keios led the way to the mansion.

    In the entrance hung a portrait of a middle-aged woman with red hair wearing a beautiful dress.

    A woman in the back gives him a slight bow and addresses us.

    "Who are these people?

    "He''s my nephew, Toru. You''ve already met him."

    "Oh yes... The boy."

    "Can you give us a minute, please?"

    She must be my uncle''s wife, because she gave me a stern look before disappearing into the back of the room with a quick step.

    I was taken to a room that looked like a studio and sat on a couch.

    For some reason, Keios sat on the side of the desk.

    I thought I was going to be sitting across from you.

    "Welcome, Toru. You look so much like my brother when he was younger that I mistook you for him."

    "Really? I don''t think there''s much resemblance. So, why did you bring me here?"

    "You''re being very distant. This is a reunion between an uncle and his nephew."

    "Do you know that Dad is dead?"

    Keios'' eyes widen like saucers.

    The shock was evident on his face.

    "When did that..."

    "When I was fifteen years old."

    He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.

    "What about your mother?"

    "Also dead, both of them."

    He then became depressed and silent for a while.

    I think it really came as a shock to him.

    ''Then why didn''t you come to see me?''

    I bet that''s what you must be thinking.

    "If you have any problems, please tell me anything. I will help you as much as I can, anything for my sweet nephew."

    "No, thank you."

    "Don''t say that. We''re family."

    Eh?

    Are we family?

    What are you saying all of a sudden, old man?

    We are only blood relatives, but we are strangers who know nothing about each other.

    It doesn''t seem right to use the word family all of a sudden.

    "That doesn''t matter to me, but there is something I want to know. Tell me about the Eiban house. I want to know all about my mother and father."

    "Well, I''ll tell you everything I know. But I don''t have time today, I''m busy and I have to go to the palace to meet the king."

    "Then I will come tomorrow."

    "Hmm, you can stay in the house. This place is already like your home, you can spend some time with the slaves there."

    *Knock Knock*

    Someone knocks on the door.

    "Father, we need to talk to you about something? Who are these people?"

    "Let me introduce you. This is my son, Bill."

    "I am Toru, Toru Eiban, nice to meet you, Bill."

    "Eiban? Is he the son of your disowned brother?"

    Bill was a young man with short red hair.

    He stared at me when he heard my name.

    "Father, are you still bent on a woman who is no longer with us, when you have your wife here?"

    "Relax, Bill. I have no other intentions in bringing him here, simply because he has Eiban blood in him, he''s your cousin."

    "I don''t care if we share the same blood, he''s still a commoner, nothing to do with us nobles, let alone that he''s the son of that woman."

    Bill exits, closing the door vigorously.

    Keios poses with a dry laugh and says "sorry".

    He seems to have problems with his son.

    However, I was envious of Bill.

    I wish I could have had a discussion like that with my father.

    "That boy is crazy."

    "Kyui!"

    As soon as we entered the room we were given, Frau complained.

    I don''t know if it''s because they share the same opinion, but Panda reacted as well.

    For now, I''m going to lie face down on the bed and let Kaede give me a massage.

    "When he referred to ''that woman'', was he talking about your mother, Master?"

    "Maybe, I don''t know that information."

    "Did your parents ever talk to you?"

    "I asked them, but they never answered my question. I never knew why my father and uncle didn''t get along. I don''t know anything about this family."

    Kaede pulls up my clothes and presses her hands directly on my waist.

    Thin, soft hands relax my muscles and slowly make me feel better.

    I will also massage Kaede''s body later.

    "Woaaaah!"

    "Kyu¡«"

    For some reason, Panda and Frau are spinning in the air.

    Is it a new game?

    It seems to be a new game after all, as they started to turn and move.

    ...It looks fun. I want to try it too.

    Frau walked over to the window and stopped moving.

    "Isn''t that Bill over there. Oh, everything''s spinning..."

    Frau and Panda fell unsteadily to the ground, as if their eyes were spinning.

    What are you doing?

    I got up and looked out the window, and sure enough, there was Bill.

    And he''s talking to a woman who looks like his mother, the same one I met at the entrance.

    "Is this a private conversation?"

    "Hmm, that''s suspicious."

    The mother smiles at Bill''s words.

    He nodded and left.

    I don''t like this.

    I have to watch my back while I''m in this mansion.

    I will quickly leave this place once I''ve heard Keios'' story.

    "Come now, Master, I''m not done with you yet."

    ¡°!!¡±

    Kaede jumps on the bed, wags her tail and looks at me happily.

    However, Frau also fell on top of me.

    "No, Frau will give you a massage, my Lord."

    "No, Frau-San, I am the one who should massage the Master."

    "Kuu~, Frau can''t touch the master?"

    "No, that''s not it-- Huigh!?"

    Frau rubbed Kaede''s waist area intensely.

    Now that I remember, Frau is very rough when she massages.

    Fair enough for me, but Kaede might not be able to take it.

    "Hi, I''m coming in."

    Bill entered the room without knocking.

    In addition, the tone of voice and attitude are different from the last time.

    "Hey, Toru, there''s something I want you to do."

    "What do I get in return?"

    "There''s no such thing as a reward. Let''s face it, you''re no better than me. If you want a seat at the head of the Eiban family, you''ll do as I say."

    Huh? What are you talking about, little man?

    A seat in the Eiban family?

    I was about to explode with anger, but I managed to restrain myself.

    "I''ll tell you three things; First, I''m not interested in being part of this family, second, I don''t plan to do anything unless I get paid, and third, I''ll leave this house as soon as your father has told me what I want."

    "You are a very good liar. All right, I''ll pay you whatever you want. In return, you will do what I order you to do."

    He''s looking down on me.

    I''m angry, but I think I''ll play along.

    I hate nobles who have grown up without personality and being pampered.

    Unlike all the nobles I have met, Bill is by far the worst.

    "I''ll be waiting outside, be ready soon."

    He quickly left the room.

    Nor did he deign to say what he wants me to do.

    Is he supposed to be my cousin...? I hate him.

    "You''re late! How long are you going to make me wait!"

    Bill yells as soon as we''re out the door.

    I think it''s only been about five minutes.

    There is no need to rush.

    In front of the entrance a single carriage was drawn up, and it was easy to predict that it would go outside the mansion.

    ''''Currently, our country has its hands full with organized bandits. The other day, the army finally discovered the enemy''s stronghold. We will participate in this campaign to defeat them.''''

    Organized bandits, eh?

    I had run into one of them before coming here, but it was a small group.

    "What''s the reward?"

    "Five million."

    "Okay, I''m in."

    I could have refused this offer, but there was something that bothered me.

    What had his mother told Bill about me? Why did he turn to me for this assignment?

    It doesn''t take a genius to figure out that Bill holds nothing but contempt for me.

    This must be some sort of trap.

    The quickest way to find out what is going on is to go to the problem at hand.

    "But, there is one condition. In this petition, the reward will be determined by who defeats the most enemies. If you want the money, you''ll have to beat me. Well, I guess that''s useless."

    "Dead or alive?"

    "It doesn''t matter. As long as they are defeated."

    I don''t like to gamble with my job, but in this case, I guess I have no choice.

    Now that we are facing bandits, to what extent should we be benevolent towards them?

    I am a bit torn.

 CH 96

    The Great Vinark Band of Thieves: a bandit organization with more than a thousand members operating mainly in Lastoria.

    The organization is said to have been created recently, within the last two or three years.

    Nobles, merchants, commoners, people of all ages and professions, regardless of sex, all kinds of things are stolen from all kinds of people.

    Of course, women and children were also kidnapped, and even the slavers'' carriages were attacked.

    The army saw this as a matter of national importance, but deftly moved its bastion and continued to slip through the net of caution.

    But now they have discovered where the group is located.

    The informant was a bandit who was captured.

    Later, it was confirmed that they were hiding in the forest outside the royal capital.

    "I''ve already told you the plan! We can''t afford to fail - His Majesty the King is watching this operation very closely! We must destroy Vinark and restore peace to the city and this country!"

    The knights and the soldiers respond with a salute to someone who appears to be the general.

    As for us, we were quietly observing the situation from afar.

    There was a group of people who seemed to be in the same business as us, although they were spread out.

    It was a military-led operation, but they seemed to be hiring adventurers as mercenaries.

    Some noblemen, like Bill, are personally accompanied by adventurers.

    "Commence operation! Advance troops!"

    The knights enter the forest one after the other.

    We are Bill''s escorts, and we are going in after him.

    "Bill, you''re getting too far ahead of yourself. It could be a trap."

    "Who do you think you''re talking to? I''m a level 85, a knight by profession and a legitimate son of the Eiban family. I can''t be caught in a place like this."

    I am secretly impressed.

    Being a knight is an excellent job.

    Besides, his level is in the 80s, so it''s no wonder he''s so confident.

    It is no exaggeration to say that he is a kind of hero.

    "Master, there is enemy activity ahead."

    "How many?"

    "About 30."

    "Perfect! Look at me, commoner, I''ll show you what it takes to be the next head of the Eiba family - I won''t be beaten by that woman''s son!"

    Bill goes on the attack alone against the group of bandits.

    After a few seconds, we went after him.

    But my level difference is too high, so I just stood by and watched Kaede and Frau fight.

    Suddenly a man comes up behind me and I blow him away.

    Bill kills the bandits without any carelessness.

    Knighting allows you to develop your skills with the sword, spear and shield, but also has defensive effects such as [Strike Mitigation] and [Damage Suppression].

    It is not a job class that stands out from the rest, but it is an excellent one with a good balance between offense and defense.

    In just five minutes, the thirty bandits were out of action.

    The army will take care of the rest, so we''ll leave it at that.

    What we have to do is to storm the fortress and kill as many bandits as possible.

    By the way, the roads on all sides of the forest are blocked by the army.

    There is almost no way for the bandits to escape.

    "What''s the matter? You haven''t defeated any of them. Just so you know, defeated enemies of slaves don''t count. This is one-on-one play."

    "That doesn''t interest me. Better tell me why you are so determined to beat me, I still don''t understand why you got me into this situation."

    "You ....still don''t know?"

    He wiped the blood from his sword and resheathed it.

    But his face showed anger.

    His eyes were full of murderous intent, as if he was about to stab me.

    "Long before we were born, my father and his brother fought over your mother. I''m sure you''ve heard about it. The result was that my father lost and his brother and the wife left the family."

    "I''ve never... heard of such a thing."

    "I can''t let you defeat me! I must prove that I am the best son my father ever had! I must achieve great feats in this battle and defeat you to convince my father and reassure my mother!"

    He turned his back to me and moved on, as if he had nothing more to say.

    I thought I understood a little.

    Why didn''t my father and mother want to talk about the Eiban family?

    I''m sure Keios and my father had an argument because of my mother when he visited the house.

    From the way Bill talked about my mother, I wonder if Keios still loves her.

    "Ueeh!"

    A few feet away, Bill had stumbled.

    Apparently, he was caught in a trap that was covered by weeds.

    He stood up quickly and stared at me.

    But his face is very red.

    He was clearly embarrassed.

    I understand how you feel, because Nei and Soara saw me like that a long time ago.

    "Forget what you just saw. Now then."

    An hour has passed since the extermination of the bandits began.

    We headed steadily towards the center of the forest.

    And we were right on the edge of where the fortress would be.

    "More bodies."

    "Looks like they have some good men out there."

    "I don''t care. It''s just a matter of me getting rid of all of them."

    The further I went, the more I saw the corpses of knights and bandits.

    The bandits are probably desperate as well.

    If they are caught, they will face capital punishment, so it''s very likely that they would rather fight and die here.

    Or are you looking for a hole they can use to break through the military siege?

    Either way, there''s only so much a single adventurer can do.

    It is the military''s job to think about strategy, not mine.

    "My Lord, I found it."

    Frau, who had been exploring, returns.

    It looks like their fortress is right in front of us.

    Let''s do it quickly to finalize this application.

    "Hey, fairy, how many enemies are there?"

    "About three hundred. And you should call me Frau-Chan, but since you''re my Lord''s cousin I''ll tolerate it, though if you get too pushy I''ll kill you."

    "Don''t address me like that, slave. Who do you think you''re dealing with?"

    "A stupid, spoiled child."

    "Wretched insect, I''ll rip those wings off you right now!"

    "What do you want to do?" I asked Bill to stop the argument between him and Frau.

    Since he hired me, I can''t make decisions on my own.

    "Of course we''re going in. We can finish them off right now. If I do, I''m sure they''ll decorate me. I''m sure my father will recognize me."

    "Oh, so he treats you with contempt?"

    "...Huh? Don''t say stupid things."

    "So...why are you so desperate for him to recognize you?"

    Bill tries to hit me and I catch his fist with one hand.

    "You have no idea how I feel! I''m constantly being compared to my father! I''m being compared to the ideal son he never had! My mother wanted me to murder you, but instead, I''m going to win fair and square!"

    Ah... I see, so that''s what this is about.

    Was that woman ordering her son to kill me?

    In other words, they hate my mother so much that they want to take it out on me.

    My parents died leaving me with a major problem.

    But I have accepted Bill''s feelings.

    He wants to crush my head.

    So I must take this as seriously as he does.

    As the son of Rurik and Misty Eiban, I will face Bill Eiban, on equal terms.

    To be honest, I had no intention of doing anything, but I have changed my mind.

    "Bill, if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, call me, I''m ready to help you."

    "Who do you think you''re talking to? If anyone''s going to need help, it''s you."

    "Kaede, Frau."

    "Yes!" "Yes, my Lord!"

    I look at them both.

    I will take care of all the bandits.

    So Kaede and Frau will take care of those who try to run away.

    We drew our weapons and entered the enemy''s stronghold all at once.

    "They''re here! Finish them off!"

    "Ha ha ha ha! They''re idiots! They''re coming at us in small groups!"

    "Let''s string them up to show them what will happen if they come here!"

    "Hoho, there''s a delicious looking woman with them!"

    A group of men block the road, forming a wall.

    About three hundred or so.

    That is the number reported by Frau.

    "I am the legitimate son of the Eiban family, and I will spend all night killing them if necessary."

    *Chin*

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

    I ran past Bill, and a moment later, I put my sword back in its scabbard.

    The Bandits screamed as a lot of blood began to gush from their bodies, then they collapsed on the ground.

    *Clank*

    Bill froze and dropped his sword on the ground.

 CH 97

    "Did you just.... kill all them with one move?"

    Bill shakily stepped back.

    "Master, there is a group of enemies approaching who have heard the noise."

    "Is there a leader among them?"

    "Yes, he is level 130, and apparently possesses a holy weapon."

    "Hmm, so the bandit leader has the strength of a hero."

    In Lastoria there are several sacred weapon''s temples.

    The bandit leader must have taken one of them out.

    The sacred sword is only a weapon, it does not judge right or wrong by itself.

    I have heard that there are several conditions for owning a sacred sword.

    "Well, you seem to have some special skills! Or a very rare job! I admit, I''m surprised, but don''t get in my way!"

    Bill picks up his sword as he says so.

    However, his face was pale.

    He was lying to himself to protect his pride.

    He is supposed to be intelligent, unlike me, so it is impossible for him not to understand what just happened.

    "You have won the game, but I will take care of the leader. This is an order."

    "So¡­ can you win?"

    "Don''t play the fool! Even if the opponent has the sacred sword, I''ll win easily! That''s my duty and the pride of the person born in the Eiban family!"

    More bandits rush in from the rear.

    There are about four hundred of them.

    These people are nothing more than minnows next to the leader.

    I''ll tell Kaede to take care of all of them so Bill can take care of the opponent that really matters.

    "Kaede."

    "Yes. Blizzard Blossom!"

    *Spiffy*

    Suddenly, countless bandits were frozen solid.

    Some did not freeze completely, and began to scream.

    ...Hm, I''ve seen that face before.

    "Oh no, not again! How did I get into this mess?"

    "Oh, so you''re one of those guys who attacked me on the road."

    "It''s you again! Please spare us! I''ll do anything! Please spare my life!"

    Those begging for their lives were the (former) Little Hound party.

    He remains a bandit even though I had spared his life earlier.

    These people have no salvation.

    "You will be severely punished."

    "No! I don''t want the death penalty!"

    *Tap tap tap tap*

    Someone slowly approached the site.

    He is a tall, thin man.

    His physiognomy was that of a villain, and he held a gleaming one-handed sword that did not resemble his underling''s weapons.

    "I see you''re bullying my younger siblings a lot. Makes sense, they''re pretty useless."

    The man cuts the frozen bandit in half with his sword.

    I looked at Bill and told him to take care of his prey.

    "I see you are the leader of the bandits. If you don''t want to die, put down your weapon and surrender."

    "You are wrong, noble boy. Even if I surrender I will be condemned to death. It is better to kill you and run away from here."

    "Tch!"

    Swords clashed.

    The fight started abruptly.

    Bill had been pushed to the head of the bandits.

    "It took me so long to gather these pathetic men and create a fortress, and now it''s all ruined. It''ll cost me a lot to start over again - what a waste!"

    "I can''t believe this! You could have served this country with so much power! You are someone recognized by the Sacred Sword, you would have earned the title of hero!"

    "I hate always being watched and having to watch my every step. I''m someone who wants to be alone, and do as he pleases. What''s the difference between a hero and me? A hero is not allowed to kill without a cause."

    The man broke Bill''s lock and stepped heavily on his foot.

    "Ah!"

    "Don''t look away."

    "Ugh!"

    , the man hit Bill''s abdomen, after which he flew backwards dozens of meters while breaking several ice statues with his back.

    Bill stood up, using his sword as a cane.

    "I''m not done yet, I have to do this for my father''s approval."

    "I don''t have time to deal with a weakling like you. If I don''t escape soon, the army will intervene and I''ll have no escape. ¡°

    In an instant, the man closes the distance between Bill and him and raises his sword.

    Kicking the ground hard, I stepped between Bill and the man, blocking his attack with my sword.

    A metallic sound resounds in the air as sparks fly.

    The man raises an eyebrow and stares at me.

    "Something about you stinks."

    "I don''t think so, I''ve been bathing a lot lately."

    "Have you lost your mind? Are you kidding me?"

    "Of course I''m kidding."

    He pushes back his sword.

    What are you doing Bill? Get up and finish this guy off.

    You are supposed to want to take the credit, and earn your father''s approval.

    I don''t have a father I want to receive praise from, but you do.

    "Get out of my way, Toru, I''ll finish him off."

    "You have a lot of spirit for such a young man. Too bad it''s time to go."

    The man jumped back, and was grabbed by the leg by a wyvern.

    "Shit, he''s running away!"

    "Calm down, Bill."

    The wyvern is still circling directly above us.

    At this distance, my attack can reach him.

    I raised my sword, and launched an attack to the side.

    Then the wyvern''s wings were clipped.

    "Eeeh?! My Wyvern!"

    The man fell in free fall.

    I then launched a second attack and ripped the sacred sword from his hand.

    Bill leapt up as he swung his sword, and cut the man down with it.

    *Toc*

    The man fell to the ground, cut in half.

    "Well done, Bill."

    "...Don''t praise me. I don''t plan to thank you either... You are still my rival."

    He said as he turned away.

    "Idiot!"

    Keios slapped Bill''s face.

    Kaede, Frau and I were shocked.

    Bill clenched his fists and kept silent.

    "How do you think I would''ve felt if you had lost your life!? You''re the heir to the Eiban family, you should know that by now!"

    "I''m sorry, Father."

    Keios hugged him tightly.

    "You are important to me. If anything happens to you, I don''t know what I would do. And you have served the military well. I''m proud of you. But make no mistake. I''ve been proud of you since you were born."

    "Kuh, Father."

    Bill returned his father''s embrace in silence.

    Hadn''t he told his father about the bandit extermination?

    I thought he had some kind of permission.

    Come to think of it, he was in a hurry to prove something.

    He must have decided to join the mission on the spur of the moment, following his mother''s instructions to get his father''s approval.

    But in the end, everything went well.

    Bill got what he wanted, and will be decorated later.

    I think it''s good that he was able to confirm his father''s love for him.

    However, I envy him a little.

    I cannot hug my father or my mother.

    "Toru."

    Bill holds out his hand to me.

    Oh, so we''ll get along after all?

    When I tried to grab his hand, he touched it with his hand with a simple swipe.

    "I will not be defeated by you. Don''t forget that."

    "Yeah... Sure."

    He smiled slightly and left the room.

    So, the rivalry isn''t going to go away after all?

    Or is it another one of those games?

    ...I don''t know what to think anymore.

    "My son caused a lot of problems. I''m sure you''ve had to deal with a lot."

    "It wasn''t a problem."

    "He wasn''t like that before, he started hating you and your parents after my wife told him what happened a while ago, but it was my fault that I didn''t do something about it. I didn''t show him my feelings the way I should have, so this whole thing got out of control."

    Keios bowed his head deeply to me.

    "Can you tell me what my mother and father were like?"

    "Well, I guess you must want to know. How fascinating and wonderful your mother was."

    We sat on the couch, face to face.

    Silence lingers for a moment, and Keios quietly opens his mouth.

    "It was on the shores of this city that I met Misty..."

 CH 98

    Chapter 98 ¨C Memories of Keios¡¯s Past

    It was a day like any other.

    ?Let¡¯s go for a walk.?

    ?Down the beach again??

    ?Don¡¯t say that. You like looking at the sea, don¡¯t you??

    ?Hmph, you just want to look at women in bathing suits.?

    ?You got me.?

    Rurik said with a smile.

    My younger brother was always loved by the people around him.

    My father, my mother and I loved my little brother, who was a little¡­ Dumb.

    But he was kind, honest with himself, and at the same time strangely insightful.

    I closed my book and we went out by the sea as usual.

    We were very proud of our country and this city.

    Our home¡¯s symbol being the beautiful blue sea.

    When we were sad or happy, we always looked at the sea.

    ?Hey, brother.?

    ?What??

    ?I don¡¯t know how much longer we¡¯re going to be able to see the ocean together like this.?

    I could not immediately respond to Rurik¡¯s words.

    Sooner or later, my brother and I will have to go our separate ways.

    I will become the head of the family, and Rurik will eventually leave the mansion to live an independent life.

    We may never be together like this again.

    But fortunately we were born into a noble family.

    If you use the Eiban family name, it will be easy to find a job.

    It would even be possible to serve the royal palace.

    My brother is a good swordsman, it is not impossible for him to become a knight of the court.

    ?There¡¯s someone passed out over there!?

    ?Damn it!?

    Rurik and I got up and ran to the shore.

    He picked up a woman who was lying at the water¡¯s edge.

    She was a woman in a white dress with black hair.

    Her clothes could not be said to accentuate her beauty, but her face certainly made it clear that she could be an attractive woman to the human eye.

    ?She¡¯s not breathing! Clear the air out of her lungs, quickly!?

    ?But kissing an unknown woman¡­?

    ?Then I¡¯ll do it! You press down on her chest while I give her and clear out the water!?

    Without hesitation, my brother placed his lips on the woman¡¯s mouth.

    I belatedly put my hand on the woman¡¯s chest and began to press as fast as I could.

    I thought the woman wasn¡¯t going to make it.

    I have no idea how she got here, as I didn¡¯t see any ships nearby.

    I thought it was just a drowned body that appeared by chance.

    ?Geho-geho!?

    ?She¡¯s breathing!?

    I was surprised when the woman spat out the water.

    My brother always had a keen intuition, perhaps he instinctively felt she could still be saved.

    The woman¡¯s body temperature had dropped considerably and she began to shiver.

    Rurik took the woman in his arms and headed for the mansion.

    I, who lagged behind, let out a sigh of dismay at my brother¡¯s habitual servility.

    The woman had no memory.

    She didn¡¯t even remember where she came from or why she had nearly drowned.

    My younger brother named her Misty and took very good care of her.

    Thanks to that, she was able to recover within a few days, and after a week, she was able to lead a normal life.

    Misty then decided to work at the mansion.

    My parents and I were against letting her work because she might be someone¡¯s daughter and they might be looking for her, but Misty stubbornly insisted that she wanted to work and repay us.

    Rurik also concurred with her opinion that it would help his rehabilitation.

    Moreover, we were convinced that her memory would somehow return.

    ?Keios-Sama likes books a lot, doesn¡¯t he??

    ?Yes.?

    ?If you don¡¯t mind, could I borrow one too??

    ?I don¡¯t mind, but it can be a little difficult for women. My mother¡¯s collection may be better for you.?

    ?It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve already read them all.?

    I was very surprised.

    Within my mother¡¯s library were more than a hundred books, all of them romance novels.

    Hard to believe that she had read them all in less than a month after coming to this house.

    So I decided to lend her one of my books.

    ?Mmm-hmm.?

    ?Misty.?

    I called out to her as she cleaned the window in her maid¡¯s uniform.

    It had been a week since I started lending her books.

    I wondered if she was actually reading them.

    ?What can I do for you, Keios-Sama?

    ?I would like to ask you about Rupene¡¯s book, ¡®Subhumans and Humans¡¯.?

    ?Well, frankly, I wonder if that author has made a huge mistake. First of all, he refers to humans as ¡®the ancient species¡¯, the original ones in the world, and the rest he labels as subhumans. I think it¡¯s prejudiced to try to denigrate other races.?

    ?Why do you think that??

    ?I don¡¯t think that just because something¡¯s an ancient species that it should be above the rest.?

    For the first time, I felt I knew Misty clearly.

    I had developed a great interest in her.

    I had never found any woman interesting before, but I found myself fascinated by her.

    More surprisingly, she had finished reading my entire collection of books in just one week.

    Every time I asked a question, she gave me a novel answer.

    Sometimes the answer shattered the common sense I had maintained.

    I was hooked on her.

    Every time I bought a book, I would lend it to her.

    Every time it was returned, there was always a letter among the books thanking me for it.

    By the time a few months had passed, I was convinced that she was the one I would take as my wife.

    ?Rurik, I need to talk to you about Misty¡­?

    I opened the door to my brother¡¯s room, and was surprised at the sight that awaited me.

    It was Rurik kissing Misty.

    There was an expression of ecstasy on her face that I had never seen before.

    And my brother seemed happier than ever.

    They both noticed my presence and looked at me.

    ?Oh, brother, what a surprise.?

    ?Rurik¡­ and Misty¡­¡­¡­  You¡¯re¡­?

    ?Yes, she and I are getting married soon.?

    ?I apologize for the sudden announcement.?

    I was immediately driven to despair.

    It was too late.

    She had already fallen for Rurik.

    Probably since the day he saved her.

    ?Brother¡­??

    ?I¡¯m very disappointed, Rurik.?

    ¡°!?¡±

    I threw my gauntlet at my brother¡¯s chest.

    I challenged him to a duel.

    Rurik has never beaten me in a match.

    I knew that, and yet I decided to challenge him.

    You might say it was an underhanded and cowardly thing for me to do, but I loved Misty very much.

    ?Whoever wins gets to be with Misty.?

    ?Stop joking about something like that, brother.?

    ?I mean it. You are an Eiban, accept the duel with honor.?

    ?Brother¡­?

    I couldn¡¯t look my brother in the eye.

    Honor. How can I talk about something like that when I am doing something so despicable?

    To try to take Misty away from your brother when you¡¯re sure he won¡¯t be able to win.

    If I am victorious in this duel, Rurik will leave the house.

    I¡¯m trading my brother for a woman. Utterly pathetic¡­

    But she¡¯s worth it.

    Only she will understand me and truly love me.

    And I can only love her.

    She is the one who will be with me for life.

    ?I-It¡¯s my fault. I should have never stayed in this mansion.?

    Misty fell to her knees.

    I couldn¡¯t bear to look at her pale face.

    I know you are sad now.

    But I¡¯m going to make you happy.

    The child you and I will have will be brilliant.

    And then you¡¯ll know you were lucky you didn¡¯t end up with my idiot brother.

    ?Very well. I accept the duel.?

    Rurik picks up the gauntlet.

    I turned around and said, ?It will be tomorrow at dawn. Get ready.?

    I could not show him my face.

    As I was smiling with barely contained joy.

    *Pat*

    My sword fell to the ground.

    Blood was dripping from my arm¡­.

    Rurik was looking down at me with a cold stare.

    How? How did this happen?

    You¡¯ve been hiding it, haven¡¯t you?

    Your true ability.

    You¡¯ve lost to me on purpose all these years.

    The rain that began to fall soaked me and Rurik.

    ?Sorry, brother.?

    ?Rurik¡­ Misty¡­?

    ?Goodbye.?

    My brother throws down his sword and walks away with Misty.

    I could only watch their backs as they both walked away.

 CH 99

    Chapter 99 ¨C The warrior sympathizes with his uncle

    After that, I fell into despair.

    I lost both Misty and my brother, and my regrets continued to torture me.

    Soon after, my father died and I became the head of the family.

    I stopped drinking alcohol and changed the way I acted.

    If I wasn¡¯t strong, the Eiban family would collapse, so I kept improving with that in mind.

    Some time later I got a wife through a marriage arranged by my mother.

    Before I knew it, I had a son held in my arms.

    I became a father.

    I had gradually forgotten about the two of them.

    ?Rurik is back??

    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears when my wife told me.

    As dumb as my brother is, I was impressed that he came back after what happened.

    I had a bad feeling about this.

    I even thought I didn¡¯t want to see him.

    However, as the head of the family, I can¡¯t help but see my brother.

    And if¡­ Misty is with him, those buried feelings could come back.

    Many years have passed since then. She must also be older.

    If I see her again, it will be to say goodbye to these feelings.

    Please, I hope you¡¯re old and ugly.

    I want to give up on you.

    Without warning, the two people standing in front of the door grabbed my heart.

    ?Brother!?

    ?Rurik¡­ And Misty.?

    I immediately regretted our meeting.

    Rurik had aged over time, but Misty looked more beautiful than before.

    So much so that I became jealous again.

    The feelings I had then came back to me in vivid color.

    ?I wanted to come visit you, and mother too.?

    ?It¡¯s been a long time, Keios-Sama.?

    ?Yes, it¡¯s been a long time, for both of us.?

    I clenched my fists and swallowed my anger.

    As I stand in front of them, I notice that the now older Misty was caressing the head of a strange child.

    ?Keios, this is Toru.?

    ?Did you¡­??

    He looked a lot like his parents.

    His name is Toru.

    He is my nephew with the blood of the Eiben.

    Rurik and Misty¡¯s son.

    Unconsciously, my hands moved towards my sword.

    ?Stop! What do you think you¡¯re doing!??

    ?Agh!?

    Rurik hit me so hard, I fell to the ground.

    Misty protectively hid the child behind her.

    ?Just go away, please, and don¡¯t come here again.?

    ?Brother¡­?

    ?I¡¯m done with you forever. Don¡¯t call me brother. And don¡¯t come back here.?

    ?Very well.?

    Rurik and Misty left the mansion.

    My mother was furious, but I knew I had made the right decision.

    I am sure my spirit would not have lasted.

    ?I was a fool. I didn¡¯t know what was important to me until I got to this age. No, I¡¯m wrong, I always knew. But I didn¡¯t want to admit it, and it¡¯s all my fault that my wife and son think the way they do.?

    Keios keeps his eyes down, seeming vulnerable.

    A weak and repentant man was what I saw before me.

    ?What do you think of my father now??

    ?If I could, I would apologize for everything. They did nothing wrong, Rurik and Misty¡­ I¡¯m sure they resent me very much.?

    ?I see¡­?

    I say this and stand up.

    I walk over to the window and tell him what I was thinking as I look out.

    ?I don¡¯t think my mother and father hated you. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t have come to see you.?

    ?How can you know that? I did so many horrible things.?

    ?You thought it was better for both of you. You both knew it. And my parents told me about you once.?

    ?Did they talk about me??

    I remembered the words my father and mother said to me on the way back home that day;

    ?Toru, don¡¯t hate your uncle. There¡¯s nothing wrong with him.?

    ?Keios-Sama is a good and loving man. But at the moment his feelings are confused, and it¡¯s complicated for him.?

    They had both said those words to me.

    Keios suddenly stood up, walked out of the room and closed the door.

    What I could hear next were sobs.

    I felt that my father and mother¡¯s feelings had finally gotten through.

    We were in a crowded part of the city.

    We had stopped at a store.

    ?Master, what is the name of this creature??

    ?A full moon squirrel. They go crazy on full moon nights, but other than that, they are calm and friendly pets.?

    ?Aaawww, they¡¯re cute but fierce!?

    The squirrel in the basket tilts its head toward Kaede and Frau, who peek at it.

    Both seem curious and happy.

    On the contrary, Panda was in a bad mood.

    He was restlessly flying circles in the air.

    ?This squirrel is definitely more worth caring for than Panda.?

    ?Kyuuu!

    ?Panda has already been monopolized by Frau-San, I would like to have a little animal like this to play with.?

    ?Kyu?????!!!?

    Panda rubbed desperately against Kaede with tears in his eye.

    It was as if he was asking her not to replace him.

    ?I¡¯m kidding! There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll replace you.?

    ?Kyu¡«?

    ?Although a squirrel is not a bad idea.?

    ?Kyu!??

    Kaede seemed to be seriously considering keeping the squirrel, and Panda rushed into Kaede¡¯s arms.

    ?I¡¯ve never met anyone as cute and pleasant to the touch as Panda.?

    ?A squirrel is useless. Panda can carry people, and can even fight.?

    ?Kyukyu!?

    Panda nods

    However, I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s time to add a new member.

    Of course, the kind of partners I¡¯m talking about are not people.

    In this case, it would have to be a creature that can fight and can be used for transportation.

    In fact, I have been secretly longing for the black wyvern that Sain rode on.

    If you have to use an animal as transportation, Panda fulfills that function, but basically it¡¯s Frau who uses him 24/7, and I¡¯m a man, so I need to make an impression when I get somewhere.

    Panda is not a suitable creature for a Master Tamer like me.

    ?There you are. I¡¯ve been looking all over for you.?

    ?Oh, Bill.?

    He keeps frowning and doesn¡¯t seem to like talking to me.

    Still, the reason he came looking for me is probably because he had business to attend to.

    ?There is a man who wishes to see you. He is already waiting for you at the mansion.?

    ?¡­I don¡¯t think I know anyone here.?

    ?Walk. We can¡¯t keep him waiting forever. How dare that man come to see you??

    I didn¡¯t understand what was going on, so I decided to follow Bill to the mansion.

    ?Is this Toru? I imagined a bigger, more muscular man, but he looks pretty normal.?

    ?Uh¡­??

    The old man who greeted me in the mansion¡¯s living room touched my body as soon as he saw me.

    It is obvious from his clothing and refined face that he¡¯s a nobleman.

    Just by looking at him you could tell he was a high-ranking aristocrat, but I still didn¡¯t recognize him.

    In addition to Kaede, Frau and Bill, there are two knights present in the room.

    ?I have heard that you have done quite well in your mission to wipe out the bandits. I recognized you immediately by your strength, your looks and your belongings.?

    ?Recognized¡­??

    ?By the way, what name are you going by now? Your party, I mean.?

    ¡°!?¡±

    This old man, he knows who we are.

    Who the hell is he?

    How did he know we were the Manyu Brigade?

    ?Anyway, have a seat. I have something to tell you.?

    The old man sits next to Keios, crosses his legs and smiles at him.

    ?So, tell me, what is the name of your party??

    ?Little Hound?

    ?Hah, that¡¯s a nice name for a party.?

    ?I couldn¡¯t think of anything better.?

    ?Oh well, never mind, ¡®little hound¡¯.?

    He murmurs, stroking his dark beard.

    ?¡­I was hoping to ask you to cross the sea.?

 CH 100

    Chapter 100 ¨C Rebirth of the Manyu Brigade

    Crossing the sea¡­?

    I am confused by the sudden request.

    Honestly it¡¯s something that interests me a lot because it¡¯s linked to Kaede¡¯s past, but I can¡¯t help but wonder what the purpose of such a request was.

    ?Did you know there are other lands beyond these??

    ?I understand there is another continent beyond the sea.?

    ?For a long time we had believed that there was only one land. It¡¯s hard to reach this conclusion when you live in Lastoria and observe the sea everyday.?

    ?What do you mean??

    The old man pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket.

    The scroll, which he unfolded and showed me, contained topographical features and names I had never seen before.

    It must be a map of another continent.

    But how did he get it?

    ?In very strange cases, on the coasts of our land, the sea drags strange objects. Objects that come from several other places. The reason Lastoria is highly developed in terms of society and science is because we research such objects and then mass-produce them.?

    ?Are you trying to tell me that the other continent is more advanced in knowledge and technology¡­??

    ?Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying. There¡¯s no question that better civilizations than this one have been formed, and that¡¯s where I¡¯d like to make my plea.?

    The knight placed three bulging leather bags on the table.

    You can tell by the sound of the bags that there is gold inside them, but just by looking at them from the outside you can¡¯t tell how much they contain.

    The old man took a sip of his tea and put the cup down.

    ?This is a retainer¡¯s fee. There are two main things I want you to do; escort a research team that will be accompanying you, I just need you to be their bodyguard. And the second thing is for you to find out if there are any countries we can make contact with.?

    ?How do you know I¡¯ll be able to fullfil that last request??

    ?It¡¯s very simple. Any species that can be friends with you has the potential to be friends with us. Oh, I also hope for you to become friends with Individuals that possess useful information.?

    So you are asking me to go to another continent?

    And make friends and interact with them as much as I can?

    How strange this old man is.

    Who the hell is he?

    ?Why are you asking me to do this??

    ?Because of your skills. I have always had a keen interest in the other continent. I¡¯ve sent teams to investigate. But they never came back.?

    The old man seemed to think that if we had defeated the demon king, we could cross the sea.

    It is said that the monsters that live in the sea are much stronger than those on land.

    I have often heard rumors that the sea is teeming with monsters that can easily overtake a red dragon.

    We are going to pass over them by boat. It¡¯s nothing less than a suicide mission.

    It is natural that no one has returned. And if we manage to get there, It could also be a journey of no return.

    Although, in our case, things could be very different.

    I am now level 3000.

    Also, I have a shark-type beast that can kill a blue dragon with ease.

    I think the odds are high that I will be able to go there and still come back.

    However, the problem is the location of the continent.

    You can¡¯t get there with just a map like this one.

    ?I¡¯m going to ask you one thing; how are we going to get there? Do you know the location??

    I point out the terrain on the parchment map.

    ?I have a rough idea what it is here. The only obstacle is the monster.?

    ¡° ¡­¡­¡­..¡±

    The old man looks at me with an expression as if waiting for my answer; ?Will you accept it??

    To tell the truth, it was a real blessing in disguise.

    We were planning to go to Kaede¡¯s hometown, so we¡¯re lucky enough to be able to get there by boat.

    Besides, my mother¡¯s hometown could be there.

    I think I should take him up on this offer to get to know more about her as a person.

    ?I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.?

    ?Oh, I¡¯ve been waiting to hear that!?

    ?I¡¯m only doing it because you¡¯re making such a generous offer.?

    The old man had a big smile on his face when he heard the answer he wanted.

    It¡¯s also good business for us.

    In addition, the ship will be prepared for us.

    Thank goodness I don¡¯t have to go through the trouble of hiring one.

    Although there is still the problem of whether we can actually get to where we¡¯re going.

    Once the conversation was settled, the old man changed the subject.

    ?I heard that you are the nephew of the Marquis of Eiban, but I didn¡¯t know you were originally from my country. Why don¡¯t you make him the next head of the family, Keios??

    ?I think you¡¯ve already forgotten that my son Bill will be taking that place.?

    ?Oh yes, I¡¯m sorry you and Bill had to hear those tactless words coming out of my mouth.?

    ?No¡­ Never mind¡­?

    Bill¡¯s expression clouded a bit before he bowed to the older man.

    I¡¯m surprised Bill is so calm.

    This old man appears to be a very powerful man.

    Who the hell is he?

    ?Hey, Kaede. Maybe our Lord doesn¡¯t realize the situation yet.?

    ?It¡¯s not unlike what happened in Armand. It¡¯s something that can¡¯t be helped.?

    Hey¡­ What are you talking about? What haven¡¯t I noticed?!

    ?Thank you for coming to see me off. I¡¯ll see you later.?

    ?Have a safe trip home.?

    Once the conversation ended, the old man walked towards the carriage parked out in front.

    The old man said goodbye to Keios, Bill and us.

    ?Ah, I forgot to tell you, Keios.?

    ?Eh¡­??

    Before getting into the carriage, the old man called Keios and said something to him.

    Then his face turned toward me.

    His eyes were full of hope, and he quickly sketched a smile of amazement.

    ?This mission is aimed at the Manyu Brigade, not the fake Little Hounds, call them accordingly, I don¡¯t want any confusion.?

    ?But you still won¡¯t tell me that story.?

    ?I just told you. See you soon.?

    He got into the carriage and left the mansion.

    Hey hey, that party is dissolved, you can¡¯t do something like that.

    I think this old man just fooled us¡­ I will have no choice but to revive the Manyu Brigade after accepting this mission.

    I will send a message later to King Armand apologizing.

    ?I don¡¯t like it.?

    As soon as the old man disappeared, Bill burst out in frustration.

    Of course, most of his frustration was directed at me.

    ?Even if it was a secret visit, such behavior towards the King is unacceptable. What kind of person is this guy? Just because he¡¯s an Eiban he thinks he can act in such an entitled manner? The King deserves respect, I can¡¯t allow that idiot to have such rude manners.?

    ?Bill, calm down.?

    ?Father, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re also asking yourself the same question ¨C how can that commoner be treated like a nobleman??

    ?He has the title of hero.?

    Bill froze at Keios¡¯ words.

    I think he was having trouble digesting his father¡¯s words.

    He stood with his mouth open for a few moments.

    ?Toru is Armand¡¯s hero, he was the one who defeated the demon king. And he is not a commoner, he is a member of the Eiban family, he has the highest rank of the most powerful family in Lastoria.?

    ?But, father¡­?

    ?I know it¡¯s sudden, but that¡¯s the way it is, he¡¯s in the position to take over as head of the family. If you don¡¯t get ready to take up the mantle, Toru will be the one to do it.?

    ?Toru is the hero? So I came second??

    Bill falls onto his legs on the floor.

    I have no idea how nobility works, but I was shocked to learn that I am in a position to be the next head of the Eiban family.

    Of course, that¡¯s if something were to happen to Bill and he couldn¡¯t claim the title himself.

    ?¡­Hey, wait a minute¡­did he just call that man ¡®King¡¯??

    ?I told you, he hadn¡¯t noticed.?

    ?I¡¯m sorry master, I couldn¡¯t tell you, that part of you is so wonderful, the way you don¡¯t realize things. It¡¯s so sweet.?

    ?Kaede, what other things are you hiding from me??

    So that old man is the King of Lastoria.

    I guess that settles the question of how he knew about us.

    I have heard that the King of Armand and the King of Lastoria get along well.

    At some point King Armand must have told him about us.

    Now that I know who I am, I feel more at ease.

    So we decided to go back to our room and entered the mansion.

    As we were about to climb the stairs to the entrance, Bill came after us.

    ?I¡¯ll never accept it! You¡¯re not a hero!?

    ?You¡¯re right. I have relinquished that title.?

    ?What, you gave up the title?!?

    ?Yes, it¡¯s a title that brings a lot of responsibilities. It¡¯s not something I¡¯m happy about.?

    Bill between mutterings said; ?you¡¯re a big idiot.?

 CH 101

    Chapter 101 ¨C Warriors enjoy the beach

    I went to the guild after a long time and was surprised.

    The rank written on my adventurer¡¯s card is ?SS?.

    At first I thought the ?S? I saw was me looking at it wrong, but no matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, the letters were the same.

    My rank was there, really.

    I thought the SS rank was a myth.

    ?Master, my rank is S as well.?

    ?Frau¡¯s too.?

    ?We can no longer display our cards so carelessly.?

    At the counter, a guild employee smiles.

    Next to them, the guild master, the chief executive, is also there, smiling.

    It¡¯s creepy.

    ?We are very happy that you have come to our guild. And don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t divulge your secret to the rest of the adventurers. We will never say that you are the Manyu Brigade, the party that defeated the Demon King.?

    ?May I shake your hand??

    ?Y-Yes¡­?

    I shook hands with the girl behind the counter.

    The guild adventurers were listening to find out what was going on here.

    A while ago they were drinking noisily, but now they don¡¯t move a muscle, remaining as still as stone statues.

    If we don¡¯t get out of here fast, we could get caught in the middle of the crowd.

    I don¡¯t like to stand out at all.

    ?The Manyu Brigade? Really??

    ?He was the one who defeated the demon king and even captured the false hero??

    ?Someone should use their appraisal skills to look at all their stats.?

    ?Wow, they¡¯re even sexier than I imagined.?

    ?I hope we can be friends¡­?

    One of them stands up cautiously.

    This is not good.

    Everyone is coming this way.

    We quickly went out and changed our appearance with the camouflage rings.

    *Tap tap tap tap*

    A group of adventurers from the guild come running out to look for us.

    How frightening.

    I didn¡¯t know The Manyu Brigade¡¯s name had become so famous.

    ?Hmph. Frau and her friends are getting famous.?

    ?Kyui.?

    ?What are you talking about? Don¡¯t get carried away with being famous. You¡¯re too conceited Panda. Now that I¡¯m a legendary fairy, it¡¯s only natural for you to look up to me.?

    ?Kyu Kyu Kyu!?

    ?It is clear that I am destined to go down in history as one of the Lord¡¯s slaves, Panda, but enough is enough. You had the nerve to say otherwise, now I will give you your comeuppance.?

    Frau and Panda start fighting.

    Thanks to the rings, no one can see them, so their conflict goes unnoticed by the human eye.

    ?By the way, Master, since the weather is so nice, why don¡¯t we go down to the sea for a swim??

    ?You¡¯re right. I was thinking it would be a good idea to go swimming since we have the ocean nearby. Besides, I also wanted to go to the beach where my mother had washed up.?

    ?Then it¡¯s settled, we¡¯ll go to the beach.?

    Kaede notices my bad mood and wraps her arms around me.

    I think I will enjoy the beach.

    The blue sky, white clouds, and shining sun.

    The sea stretches into the distance.

    ?The ocean!?

    ?Kyui!?

    Frau and Panta immediately fly out to sea.

    By the way, Frau was in her human size and wearing a bathing suit.

    ?Master, I borrowed an umbrella.?

    ?You didn¡¯t have to.?

    ?It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m a slave after all.?

    Kaede in a bathing suit is as beautiful a sight as ever.

    On this beach, her style stands out and instantly captivates any viewer.

    Her long white hair, reflecting the dazzling sunlight, greatly stand out, increasing her beauty every time it flutters in the wind.

    Her pale breasts swaying every time she walked was quite a treat for the men.

    Her large, clear, golden eyes were like jewels sparkling under the sun.

    Kaede walked over and placed the umbrella in the sand.

    ?It¡¯s ready.?

    ?Kaede¡«, Let¡¯s go swimming.?

    ?Here I come¡«.?

    Kaede ran out at the same time grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the sea.

    ?Master, the water is cold.?

    ?So this is the ocean¡­?

    I squatted down and with my hands grabbed some water and sipped it.

    Ew, it¡¯s so salty.

    It is true what they say, seawater is salty.

    ?Ehehe~?

    Kaede hugs my arm with joy.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a thrill at the soft sensation of her breasts pressing against me.

    ?My lord, you should also think of Frau.?

    ?Y-Yes¡­?

    Frau grabbed my other arm.

    Like Kaede, she attracted the stares of everyone on the beach, men and women alike.

    ?Frau-San!?

    ?Eeh!??

    Kaede splashes Frau with water.

    ?How dare you! You asked for it!?

    ?Wuaah!?

    They amused themselves by splashing each other with water.

    As I watched them in the distance, I was playing with SharkBoy.

    ?Glup glup!?

    ?Okay, okay.?

    ?Sha!?

    ?Wow, Rosuke. So you can dive, too??.

    For a brief time, Rosuke dives into the water.

    I didn¡¯t think he was a beast that took well to water, but he isn¡¯t doing badly at all.

    ?Oh.?

    ?What is it??

    ?Um, my bathing suit¡­?

    Kaede is in the water up to her neck and looks embarrassed.

    What is this?

    Something like a rope was tangled around my leg, so I grabbed it and pulled it up.

    It¡¯s Kaede¡¯s swimsuit. Specifically, the top half that covers her breasts.

    ?Um, Master, if you don¡¯t mind, could you give me that??

    Kaede, who was hiding her chest with both hands, blushed and spoke while looking down.

    ?Ha~¡­ That was fun.?

    Frau stretches out her limbs and lies down on top of the sand.

    Kaede and I were already lying down as well, the umbrella covering us and the cool breeze blowing.

    From time to time, out of the corner of my eye, I see Panda and Rosuke flying around.

    Looks like those two haven¡¯t had enough fun yet.

    Sharkboy is also in the water and it looks like he won¡¯t be back for a while.

    ?Master, what will we do next??

    ?Keios is taking care of everything, and the ship will be ready to sail shortly. It looks like we were included in a plan that was almost finished.?

    They said this offshore study was already scheduled.

    And then we showed up at just the right time, so they had to make some rushed adjustments.

    That said, there was one thing I found curious.

    How come we didn¡¯t know about the other continents?

    I opened the fold-up map to check, but the map was cut off a few dozen kilometers from land.

    There was an invisible wall that prevented me from going any further.

    But this is not because there is a physical wall; it is the limit of the scroll¡¯s capacity.

    We still don¡¯t know how big the world really is.

    It is exciting to think that there is a whole new world beyond the sea.

    It can be said that the Manyu Brigade¡¯s new journey begins here.

    I got up.

    The white sandy beach, when I think that this is where my mother washed up, I have a strange feeling that I can¡¯t put into words.

    Kaede and Frau also get up and look at the same landscape.

    ?Master¡¯s mother is a foreigner just like me, right??

    ?Does the fact that the Lord is a dragonoid mean that his parents were also dragons??

    ?My mother¡­ A dragonoid? No no, I don¡¯t think so.?

    ?But if you think about it, rebuilding your body is nothing more than using what¡¯s already within you as material to empower yourself, and I think the fact that the Lord was able to become a dragonoid means that he originally possessed that element.?

    Uncharacteristically, Frau makes a strong point.

    In those days I was thinking about my getting stronger and my body transforming

    In other words, what happened to me at that moment was all in order to make my body more efficient.

    I transformed into a state where I was more useful to myself.

    If that is the case, then surely it is strange to gain such a powerful quality that was not there at all.

    It is reasonable to think that it was there originally.

    Now I am a dragonoid, but perhaps I had inherited dragon-blood from birth.

    I feel things are starting to make sense.

    ?Thank you, Frau. Now I know what I have to do.?

    ?Hehe, compliments are always well received.?

    While stroking her head, Frau shakes her pigtails while smiling.

    Maybe my mother was a half-dragon of sorts.

    I¡¯ll have to look for a dragonoid to find out for sure what I am.

    I guess that¡¯s what it means to find your roots.

    ?Toru-Kun.?

    I looked back when I heard my name.

    Keios was on the road near the beach.

    ?We have a problem. And I could really use your help.?

    ?Okay. What do you need me to do??

    ?A strange ship has docked in port.?

 CH 102

    Chapter 102 ¨C The ship of ruins responds to the warrior¡¯s call in

    ¡­A strange ship has arrived in port.

    That¡¯s what Keios told us.

    I quickly got dressed and headed for the port, and immediately understood what he was trying to tell me upon getting there.

    ?That¡¯s the ship you¡¯re referring to??

    ?Yes.?

    There were many people gathered in the harbor to see the ship.

    The ship was somewhat offshore, and from this distance one could judge how large it was.

    The surface faintly reflected the light, as if it were made of metal, and there were no masts or sails.

    I have no idea how it could work.

    Keios said it was strange because the form that appeared was unknown.

    Lastoria¡¯s boats are all wooden, powered by wind or oars.

    Compared to those, this particular one seemed too strange.

    If I had to guess, I would say that this situation resembles that of the Golem we encountered in the fairy forest.

    ?Are there people onboard??

    ?Judging by the lack of movement, it¡¯s highly unlikely that there¡¯s anyone on it.?

    ?Is there anything you want me to do??

    ?I want you to go investigate. It¡¯s possible there are demons running that ship.?

    It is most likely a ship-shaped ruin.

    But how has it remained intact so far?

    Could it be that it is extremely durable?

    ?One more thing. If you could, I¡¯d like you to check if it still works.?

    ?You¡¯re thinking what I¡¯m thinking, aren¡¯t you??

    ?Yes, I want to know if you can cross the sea in that thing.?

    Keios left the port as he said, ?I¡¯m going to report to His Majesty, you take care of the rest.?

    Well, let¡¯s investigate.

    ?Frau¡­?

    ?You don¡¯t have to tell me.?

    Frau flew up and sprinkled her fairy dust all over us.

    We flew over the surface of the sea and approached the ship.

    ?It¡¯s very dirty, and there doesn¡¯t seem to be any signs of life.?

    ?I¡¯d say it¡¯s over a hundred meters long.?

    The large ship creaked as it floated on the surface of the sea.

    There is a small tower-like structure near the center, and what appears to be windows are lined up across it.

    However, the windows were so dirty that it was impossible to look inside.

    ?Did you get any feedback from your assessment skills??

    ?There don¡¯t seem to be any humans. But there are some monsters.?

    ?There may be people trapped inside. Let¡¯s go in and search.?

    I put my feet on the deck.

    Bird droppings, algae and fish carcasses stick to my shoes.

    It does not appear to be an environment inhabited by people.

    How long had this thing been adrift in the sea?

    I called Panda and Rosuke from their seals.

    ?We¡¯re going to have to split up and search the ship. Frau, Panda and Rosuke, you guys take care of eliminating any enemies you see.?

    ?I got it!? ?Kyui!? ?Shaa!?

    *Goonk*

    I opened the door and entered a room within the ship.

    The interior appeared to have been sealed and was quite clean.

    A metal walkway led to the rear.

    ?Light.?

    Kaede creates an orb of light with her magic.

    There were several doors throughout the length of the hallway.

    ?Any sign of demons??

    ?No, Master. I don¡¯t think there are any here.?

    *Craaank*

    I opened one of the doors.

    The room was empty¡­ It looked as if it had been unused for a long time.

    I tried another door, but it was also empty.

    ?Master, I found something!?

    ?Show me.?

    In the room Kaede entered, there was a stack of metal boxes.

    I took one and opened the lid.

    ?¡­A bottle??

    ?They seem to be high-grade potions.?

    ?Really??

    I had never seen a box like this one, and one that contained so many high-grade potions.

    When we opened another box, I found twelve vials of superlative antidote, another twelve vials of high-grade recovery potions, and some bottles that looked like sake.

    I opened one of the bottles and when I drank it, the smooth taste made me feel relaxed.

    It is the best sake I have ever tasted.

    I shudder to think how much a bottle of this would cost.

    After all, this ship has been wandering around for who knows how long.

    I¡¯ll put it in my ¡®Magic Storage¡¯ for now.

    We went back out into the hallway, and then found some stairs leading up.

    ?What is this room for??

    We are at the top of the tower-like structure.

    There were two rows of board-like objects lined up, like a table tilted at an angle.

    When I touched the surface of the board, it beeped out of nowhere.

    *Pin. Pin. Pin. Pin.*

    At the same time, a sound emanated from all the stone slabs and a light green image-like object appeared on their surface.

    ?This¡­ This is our current location??

    ?Hey, is it me, or is that thing moving??

    ?I think this may be some kind of Golem, master.?

    Kaede¡¯s words surprised me.

    That makes a lot of sense. This must be a ship-shaped golem.

    I find no explanation as to how this thing came to move if it is not being powered by something. The technology of the ancient race continues to amaze me.

    ?Why did it react that way??

    ?What if it¡¯s here because I¡¯m a dragonoid? The golem we encountered in the forest reacted the same way..?

    ?If that¡¯s the case, maybe the ship came here because it was lured here by you, Master.?

    ?This is¡­ too much, even for me.?

    I looked at the board again and lithographs began to appear.

    [Would you like to dock at this location click; YES/NO].

    [YES]

    The ship shook a little.

    Has the anchor come loose?

    On the other hand, it seems safe to assume that the ship is no longer at risk of being dragged further.

    ?It doesn¡¯t look like the ship has any problems, and it¡¯s in good condition, so why would they have let it wander off on its own??

    ?I don¡¯t know, maybe it had been asleep for a long time, and suddenly woke up again.?

    ?I see. That may be a possibility.?

    That would explain why the interior of the ship is so clean.

    Although if we are going out to sea with this boat, it will have to be cleaned some more.

    The inside is fine, but the outside is so dirty that I don¡¯t dare use it in this condition.

    A high-pressure wash with Kaede¡¯s magic should suffice.

    We left the room and went downstairs.

    ?I can¡¯t see anything.?

    Darkness pervades the area at the top of the stairs.

    Kaede again creates an orb of light and illuminates our surroundings, but the darkness is too dense for the light to spread.

    This situation brings back memories.

    It¡¯s like that berserker valley dungeon, the lair of the undead.

    I activated my dragon eye and stayed alert.

    *Oooooooh*

    There was a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of the place.

    At the end of the passage, there was a humanoid figure shrouded by a black mist.

    It is a high-level undead, Shadowman.

    This demon uses magic that causes confusion and paralysis, and it mainly manipulates dark and ice magic.

    It is also a nasty demon that can pierce physical objects and cripple the person it possesses.

    But fortunately, it¡¯s no match for me.

    I instantly closed the distance and hit it in the head with my fist.

    The darkness faded and the interior of the ship was slightly illuminated.

    ?There seems to be more than one.?

    ?Then let¡¯s clean this place up.?

    Relying on Kaede¡¯s assessment skills, we took care of all the remaining demons.

    After killing about fifteen of them, the darkness completely disappeared from the ship.

    ?Is there more sake??

    ?No, it¡¯s just a bunch of junk. My assessment skills tell me there are useful objects here, but I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re for or how they¡¯re used.?

    We entered the room and found another metal box.

    When I looked inside the box Kaede was holding, I saw that it was indeed filled with a jumble of things I couldn¡¯t understand.

    Oh, are these binoculars?

    I peered outside through the round window of the room.

    I thought I heard a small sound, so I used the binoculars to look towards the harbor. Surprisingly, it seemed very close.

    So much so that I could see the wrinkles of an old man¡¯s face.

    This thing is amazing. All the binoculars I¡¯ve used are like toys in comparison.

    ?What else is there??

    ?How about this??

    Kaede handed me an object that looked like an eyeball cut in half.

    It seemed to be designed to stick somewhere, as its back was sticky.

    I put it on my forehead.

    Wow, my vision is getting wider and wider, and everything is spinning around.

    Eeeh, I feel bad.

    I quickly shook it off.

    ?The other thing we could use would be a quick water boiler or this insect repelling light.?

    ?I guess there¡¯s nothing else interesting anymore.?

    We left the room and headed further downstairs.

    We found a bedroom that contained triple bunk beds and single beds.

    In one of the doors there was a room that was described as [Power Room] and inside it there was a huge kind of organ like a beating heart¡­ I closed the room quickly.

    We¡¯d better not let anyone in there.

    That left one last door that was closed.

    ?It doesn¡¯t look like any door I¡¯ve ever seen.?

    ?There seems to be something in here. Maybe this is the room where the valuables are kept.?

    I pulled out a wire.

    And I inserted it into the keyhole and activated my [Great Thief] skill.

    Within seconds, the door was unlocked and opened wide.

    ?This is¡­?

    ?This is an amazing discovery, Master!?

    I had also been happy when Kaede came over to hug me.

    There were two beast eggs in the room.

 CH 103

    I carefully scrub with my brush and then use water magic to clean the surface of the ship.

    The fact that my magic doesn''t put a hole in it proves that this hull is quite resistant.

    After cleaning the top of the ship, I went below to see how the work was progressing elsewhere.

    The sailors work very hard to make the ship shiny.

    With Kaede and Frau present, the ship looked brand new.

    The vessel floating in the sea with a dull, iron color was an imposing figure

    It is an object that seems to be the very form of a man''s passion.

    I can''t wait to see it in action.

    This boat is completely mine, but it will stay in Lastoria.

    This country will manage and maintain it, so I couldn''t be happier.

    Also, while cleaning the ship, I received a message from King Armand.

    "I have heard from the King of Lastoria about your quest to a new continent. You may have relinquished the title of hero, but you are still a member of our nation. If you have any requests, let me know. I will do my best to help. I look forward to your great discoveries. King Armand."

    There is no escape.

    I can feel the atmosphere developing into a grand plan along with the defeat of the demon king.

    In fact, ever since we got this ship, the Lastoria people have been talking about the plan to explore the open sea.

    A round trip that was thought to be almost impossible until now has been recognized as almost certain with the arrival of this ship.

    Moreover, this is the first time a ship-shaped ruin has been found, so it is natural that it attracts attention.

    "My Lord, it appears that the cleaning is complete on the outside and inside!"

    "Thank you for the report."

    In addition to cleaning, we have to load the supplies.

    I still can''t rest easy.

    "I think that''s it."

    "We did it!"

    The voices of the sailors echoed through the harbor.

    Then, ships loaded with goods began to move one after the other.

    Heading for the ruin ship anchored offshore.

    Looking through my binoculars, I could see workers hoisting the cargo with ropes.

    "We''ll be done soon."

    "It''s taken us two weeks to finish this."

    "It was inevitable, the original plan has undergone major changes."

    In the original plan drawn up by the king of Lastoria, only a maximum of thirty-five people could participate.

    But, with the arrival of this ship, it allowed that number to rise even higher.

    As a result, the ship has a medical bay and a dining room prepared.

    There will also be captains who will manage the ship while I am gone.

    "Hey!"

    Frau returns from the ship on top of Panda.

    "Have they finished loading supplies yet?"

    "Kyui!"

    We are now ready to leave.

    Two carriages arrived at the port at just the right time.

    Both carrying Keios and King Lastoria each.

    "Hmm, it''s still spectacular no matter how many times I see it. An ancient ship built with the lost technology of the ancient race that can surely cross the open sea."

    "His Majesty says that you will be given a title and land depending on the results of this expedition. You belong to Armand, but you must never forget that this plan is directed by our country."

    The king nods in satisfaction at Keios'' words.

    Both Armand and Lastoria are the two countries that have high expectations regarding the situation that is being handled.

    It is natural that this would happen, since national power varies greatly depending on the matter at hand.

    Well, I don''t think I''ll be able to tell the difference, so I''ll give it to the two countries at random.

    I may not discover things that are really useful.

    "The trip will start the day after tomorrow at dawn. Make sure you are prepared."

    We nodded in agreement.

    The sun had not yet risen.

    We went out the front door of the Eiban house.

    Today will mark the beginning of the nation of Lastoria''s initiative to survey the open sea.

    There are three objectives.

    In other words, this does not change our original plans at all.

    Only now we are making this trip on behalf of Lastoria.

    Walking, seeing unusual things, eating well, making friends, plain and simple.

    "Master."

    "Hmm?"

    As soon as I walked out the door, I saw Keios.

    I can''t help but notice how calm he seems.

    "Your mission is simple, visit places, see unusual things, eat well, and make friends."

    "Yes."

    "And I suppose you''re also going to find out Misty''s origin."

    He looked at the sky with his hands behind his back.

    "I don''t think she lost her memory."

    "What do you mean?"

    "...I have a feeling that there is some big secret concerning the other continents that we can''t even imagine. I think she didn''t want to tell us, so she pretended to have amnesia."

    "Do you think she was hiding something? Aren''t you overthinking things?"

    "I hope you are right, and that this is just mere speculation."

    Keios smacked me on the back at the same time as he said, "I''ll be waiting for your return."

    "You have arrived."

    For some reason, Bill was in port.

    He had his sword drawn and was blocking our way.

    "What are you doing?"

    "If you go on this trip, you won''t be back here for a long time. Before that happens, I want to settle a score with you - which of us is the stronger man?"

    He was doubting his words as he wielded his sword.

    "Face me! Fight with pride like the nobleman you are! You can''t help it, you''re an Eiban!"

    "No, I''m just a commoner."

    "Stop saying nonsense! We''re cousins! That makes you a nobleman! If anything happens to me, you''ll be the successor of the Eiban family!"

    The speed of his attacks increases.

    Their sharpness and precision are intensified.

    I told Kaede and Frau not to interfere.

    I didn''t draw my sword, so I just focused on dodging his attacks.

    "Make sure you come back alive! I won''t let you die out there!"

    "I know."

    "Don''t let anyone beat you! I will defeat you! You are my rival, and I will be waiting for you, stronger than ever!"

    I almost burst out laughing when I heard Bill''s words.

    I guess I can''t ignore his feelings and keep playing with him. So I decided to take another stance and prepared to fight.

    He is somewhat clumsy just like his father, he has a hard time seeing things that are in front of him, but I will not repeat the same mistakes that those two brothers had.

    I drew my sword.

    And in the blink of an eye I cut the blade of his sword in half.

    *Clinnnk*

    The blade fell to the ground.

    "See you soon, Toru."

    "Same to you, Bill."

    Thus concluded our farewell.

    I put my sword back in its sheath without looking back.

    "We''ve been expecting you, sir."

    In the port were all the sailors who would accompany us on this trip.

    There was no need for them to wait for us at the port. But as a matter of principal for the captain and crew, they want to make sure that the Lord is well embarked.

    They say it makes them feel more secure.

    It is something I do not understand.

    On the shore was a boat gleaming under the light.

    It was the ruin ship "Rorik".

    It is named after my father, he was someone who loved the sea.

    Keios was very pleased.

    We climbed up the rope ladder to the deck.

    The captain and his crew of fifteen were lined up.

    "We are ready to set sail, Toru-Sama."

    "Okay, we can go now."

    The black-bearded captain nodded and signaled his crew.

    The rope ladder was picked up and a sound was heard coming from the ship to report the departure.

    The anchor is raised and the ship begins to silently move forward.

    The captain and crew have already learned how to handle the ship.

    Some things still took some getting used to, but getting it up and running is no problem at all.

    The ship entered the sea and gradually moved away from the harbor.

    "We''ve finally made it, Master."

    "I guess we won''t be back for a while."

    "Everyone in town will be jealous. We''ll go to the outside world, we''ll see things no one has ever seen before."

    "Kyui!"

    Yes, it''s uncharted territory that we''re going into.

    I can''t help but be excited.

    "Ah, Master!"

    At the same time I heard kaede''s voice, I saw the sun appear in the east.

    I squinted at the dazzling golden light.

    The sky seemed to have a gradation of orange to dark blue.

    Kaede entwined her arm with mine.

    "I will be with you wherever you go, Master."

    "Yes, we will go together to new lands."

    "Kyui!"

 CH 104

    The boat was moving very smoothly through the blue sea.

    As I continue to watch from the deck, I realize how small I am in the vastness of the ocean.

    "Wow... I never imagined the ocean could be so immense."

    * Piu piu piu *

    Birds flew overhead.

    The wind blowing is very pleasant, and every time the ship rocks, it makes me feel strange.

    I had never been in such a large body of water on a ship before.

    I felt like I was drifting through a giant puddle in a leaf boat, or something.

    In the meantime, I moved to the control room.

    "Toru-Sama."

    "How are things going?"

    "So far, no problem, sir. But this is really a wonderful ship. It has all the functions needed to cross the sea, and it even has a management function that allows you to live comfortably in each cabin. The technology of the ancient species was at a terrifying level."

    It looks like there''s an automatic navigation system that, when used, has the ship take you to the destination you entered on its own.

    In fact, the ship had a map of the world... and according to the data, the place where we lived was an island compared to the rest of the world.

    The place I always thought was a continent turned out to be a small island.

    The world can become frighteningly large.

    This information is known only to the top echelons of Lastoria and the people on the ship.

    We cannot announce it to the people of our world that we live on an island.

    Telling them would only cause unnecessary confusion.

    Anyway, we are trying to get to the nearest continent.

    Estimated time of arrival is two weeks.

    This ship moves quite fast, but still seems to take a considerable amount of time.

    "Captain, there''s a 50-meter long creature passing directly below us."

    "Be alert. If it gets any closer, attack."

    A sailor warns in front of the monitor.

    The light green image shows a mass moving beneath our position.

    According to Kaede, it is called a downward locator.

    It reacts to objects moving directly under the hull.

    There are also other upward detectors that search the perimeter of the ship, but they don''t seem to do much reacting.

    It is natural that monsters are the most vigilant in the open sea.

    "By the way, Toru-Sama, have you checked the freezer?"

    "Freezer? What''s that?"

    "Oh, you don''t know, do you? I''ll show you."

    We let the sailors take care of the place and went to another room in the lower part of the ship.

    "This is the freezer."

    "It''s cold."

    It was so cold that my body was shivering.

    The large room was filled with cold air and piles of frozen fish, meat and vegetables.

    "The magical power that Toru-Sama bestows on the ship keeps the temperature of this room below fifty degrees at all times. And I can assure you that without this room, we would never have been able to bring so many people with us."

    "You say this is the key to our survival?"

    "Exactly. The water tank with its purification system and this room make it possible for us to sail for a long time. It would have been difficult to cross the sea with a wooden boat like the ones we had before."

    The captain looked relieved as he stroked his beard.

    In short, if it were not for this ship, we would not have been able to cross the sea for long.

    The original plan to sail a wooden boat was very much suicidal.

    "Then can we keep the fish we catch here?"

    "Sure, but if you catch too much, we''ll be eating fish for a long time."

    "I''ll show some restraint."

    The captain and I left the freezer and headed for the deck.

    On the way, we peeked into the room where the sailors slept.

    There was a young man snoring in a triple bunk.

    The room is small and the environment is comfortable enough for six people.

    There were also two desks where you could write.

    "Hmm, I''ll scold him later."

    Apparently, he had run away from his duties.

    The captain closed the door quietly and stroked his beard.

    As we stepped out onto the deck, we encountered a group of surveyors looking out to sea.

    "It''s rare to see your face around here, Toru-Sama."

    The leader of the research team, Luvue Nonthark, bowed.

    Although she was the daughter of a duke, she was a stranger who volunteered for this trip.

    *Boom*, the ship shakes violently.

    ''''Heeeaaaahhh! The ship is sinking! It''s definitely an impact that could have caused serious damage to the ship!''''

    "Luvue-Sama, calm down, it was just a wave."

    "...Oh, sorry, I was a little surprised."

    The vice captain tries to calm the girl down, and Luvue tenses her expression.

    I guess that''s normal.

    The group members seem to be used to it, as there is no particular reaction.

    I hadn''t realized how bad the people down here are having a hard time.

    "By the way, Captain, if we are attacked by a monster at sea, can you tell us what measures to take?"

    "Of course, Toru-Sama, follow me this way."

    The captain invited us to come on deck.

    On the deck, there were two large metal plates that appeared to have been joined together.

    They were attached to a metal platform that looked like a hat, and had an atmosphere that somehow moved from side to side.

    The captain used a small box on deck to communicate with the control room.

    "I want you to open fire."

    "Open fire...?"

    *BOOOOOM!*

    A blue flash shot out from two joined metal plates, and a column of water rose in the distance.

    "As you can see, one of our defenses is similar to a cannon."

    "Seriously? This ship has defenses equal to that of a cannon?!"

    "To be precise, it''s probably more powerful than that. It would be able to kill a Red Dragon in one hit."

    "Great, that''s a relief! I''m very impressed with this boat - Excellent, excellent, excellent!"

    "Luvue-Sama, please calm down. Toru-Sama is present."

    "It really is a great ship. The success of our plan is assured."

    Luvue tightens her expression again.

    By the way, a cannon is a weapon powered by magic.

    They are powerful, but few in number, with large and heavy designs, and are mainly used to guard the royal palace.

    I have come to hear that they rarely use these weapons.

    Luvue-Sama, who had beautiful blonde hair and pigtails on both sides, looked embarrassed for a reason.

    Besides, she was looking at me.

    "I heard that Toru-Dono is the hero who saved us from the demon king, and I wondered if I was someone attractive to him."

    "Yes, you are a beautiful woman."

    "Oooh! He thinks I''m a beautiful woman! Did you hear that, Vice captain?! I should note it in my research diary that I was praised by Toru-Dono!"

    "I''m sorry, Luvue-Sama, but the diary is for business purposes only, not for personal use - what would your father think if he read it?"

    "I''ll write it in my own diary then. See you later."

    Luvue and the others leave the deck.

    A few seconds later I heard the voices of those walking away; "What should I do now, it''s time to have children with Toru-Dono!", and so on, I heard the vice captain''s voice; "Luvue-Sama, you can''t have children with Toru-Sama just because you exchanged words."

    The captain was laughing at the situation.

    "They''re a lively bunch, don''t you think? It''s going to be a long trip."

    "By the way, what is the captain''s purpose on this voyage?"

    He leaned his elbows on the railing as he gazed out to sea.

    "By simple nature, the sea is a wild lover for a man, sometimes no reason is needed to want to go far away."

    He lifted the brim of his hat a little and smiled.

 CH 105

    This chapter concludes arco 3

    I drop a fishing line into the sea while whistling.

    It''s another sunny day, the ship is anchored and laundry is drying on deck.

    On the shimmering surface of the sea, fish jumped in the distance.

    "Shaa"

    "Glup glup¡«."

    The two animals guarding the fishery were Rosuke and Sharkboy.

    Rosuke circled his body on the railing and looked out to sea, while Sharkboy, who was in a bathtub, looked at the fishing rod.

    Panda was with Kaede, who was drying clothes.

    Apparently he finds the sheets flapping in the wind interesting.

    "How''s the fishing going?"

    "Hm, maybe the bait isn''t the right one. I still haven''t gotten a bite."

    "But the detector says there''s a school of fish right below us."

    "Is the bait the wrong one?"

    Frau returned from the control room and informed us of the situation below the ship.

    I pick up the hook and set a small shrimp.

    Then I threw it back into the sea.

    I started fishing as a way to pass the time, but when I couldn''t catch any fish, I felt I had to do everything I could to catch one.

    The captain and crew of the boat, of course, and even the research team had caught more than three fish each.

    I can''t accept that I''m the only one who hasn''t caught a single fish.

    "I don''t care if it''s one the size of my hand, I want to catch one."

    "Master, how''s the fishing going?"

    Kaede, in her apron, smiled, scratching her hair by her ear.

    At the same time a dry sheet was in her other hand.

    "Not good... How''s it going for you?"

    "I finally finished drying everything I had washed. It all smells really nice now."

    She unfolded the sheet and wrapped it around to cover me and her.

    It certainly smells good.

    The sun, the sea breeze and Kaede''s soft scent.

    "Hey, Frau too! Frau too!"

    The fairy tightly curls her body between mine and Kaede''s.

    Frau smiles and says, "It really smells like the warmth of the sun!"

    "Master! The fishing rod!"

    "Ah!"

    I pulled it up immediately, and a red fish was caught on the hook.

    It had a size of about forty centimeters, so it was big enough to eat.

    The captain approaches us.

    "You''ve caught a big fish, Toru-Sama."

    "Is it a good fish, what''s so special about it?"

    "Indeed it is. It is so good that it is served at Lastoria celebrations, and can be eaten as boiled or grilled sashimi."

    Isn''t sashimi prepared raw, though?

    While we''re here, I guess we could try it with this fish.

    We will consult the cook immediately.

    "Master, what will you do with the eggs?"

    "Oh, I forgot."

    Kaede reminds me of the beast eggs we found on the boat.

    It may be time to incubate them.

    They could be underwater types like SharkBoy.

    There is no way to get water on land fast enough.

    "I''m excited about what will be born."

    "If possible, Frau would be glad to have a new bed."

    "Kyu, Kyukyu"

    "What, can''t I wish for a new bed?"

    "Kyu!"

    "Hmm, Frau is always looking for the best bed. You''re just a waypoint - hey, don''t bite my hair!"

    Frau and Panda start fighting again.

    I ignored them as always, and started pouring magic power into the egg.

    The appearance of the egg I found this time was very similar to Rosuke''s.

    It had bumps on the surface and bright blue spots.

    "How''s it going, Master?"

    Kaede, who was standing next to me, was wagging her tail vigorously, as if she was having fun.

    After about granting the egg 30% of my magic, the magical power absorption stopped.

    Compared to the previous eggs, this one has absorbed the least.

    Could it be that it was left on the ship because it was a useless summoned beast?

    But I think it is a mistake to think that just because an egg absorbs a large amount of energy it has to have superior abilities.

    It must have as much power as Rosuke and Sharkboy.

    The egg had begun to leak after I bled on it.

    It then opened, emitting a kind of vapor.

    "I don''t think it will come out...."

    "Look again."

    A few seconds later, a bird-like creature emerged from inside.

    Her body glowed metallic blue, with no eyes and a tiara-like ornament on her head.

    The overall silhouette was stocky and round.

    It looks like a small bird the size of a hawk.

    "Chupi¡«!"

    The bird bounced up and over to me.

    She rubbed her body against my leg and pampered me.

    "Is this a new partner? It''s cute, but is it useful?"

    "Give me the details, Kaede."

    "It seems to be able to search for enemies from the sky. It can transmit images to other animals, and it can also transmit voices and record images."

    "So it''s like a command center."

    Basically, my familiars can''t work together without me.

    And with this bird, I seem to be able to maintain a certain degree of cohesion even if I''m not there.

    But what is the point of transmitting voices and recording images?

    *Give me the details, Kaede.*

    *It seems to be able to search for enemies from the sky. It can transmit images to other animals, and can also transmit voices and record images.*

    "!?"

    Suddenly, the bird repeated the same lines Kaede and I just said.

    Well, I understood the meaning of voice transmission.

    I assume that image recording is a similar capability.

    "From now on, your name will be; Chupi."

    "It''s cute! You''re beautiful, Chupi!"

    "Chupi¡«!"

    "That''s a lie, right? Are you really happy with such a horrible name...?"

    Frau complains, but Chupi seems happy, so it''s okay.

    Now, let''s quickly wake up the next animal.

    The other egg was a smooth, translucent egg with a white tinge.

    The magic power I poured into it was about 40%.

    I spilled some blood and finalized the contract.

    What came out of the egg was a gelatinous, transparent creature like an umbrella.

    It rose gently and emitted a faint light.

    It looks a lot like the jellyfish I saw in the ocean.

    Or rather, it looks exactly like one.

    "According to the assessment, it is a beast that serves as a light source. It is said that they can illuminate their surroundings with a strong light, both on land and in the water."

    "That''s it?"

    "Yes, and it serves as an umbrella in case it rains."

    ¡° ...........¡±

    I guess there are all kinds of beasts.

    However, drifting jellyfish are nice to see.

    Like a large transparent umbrella with countless tentacles hanging down.

    They seem to have a laid-back personality, or perhaps they just drift along without showing any interest in me, their master.

    "Thou shalt be called; ''Kuratan''."

    "Kura¡«"

    Kuratan let out a squeak.

    I''m impressed that it can at least squeak.

    That and he seems to be able to listen to commands.

    "Kyui"

    "Kura¡«"

    "Kyui!"

    Kuratan extended his tentacles towards Panda, pulled him close and then rubbed his body.

    It seems that Kuratan likes Panda.

    It also seems to be unexpectedly strong, as Panda cannot escape the tentacles, but is at their mercy.

    "They''re like a couple of kids."

    Frau also immediately climbed on Kuratan to check out the feeling.

    It certainly looks like it feels good to stick with him on a hot day.

    Kuratan does not mind being ridden by Frau, and did not show any kind of rejection.

    "Chupi"

    "Kura¡«?"

    "Chupi!"

    "Kyui"

    The three animals appear to be having a conversation.

    Kuratan releases Panda and starts floating again.

    It seems that Chupi immediately showed her leadership.

    She must have told him to let Panda go.

    BEE-BEE.

    Suddenly, a sound echoed through the ship.

    "Toru-Sama, please come to the deck immediately."

    What I heard was the captain''s voice.

    I had Chupi and Kuratan return to the seal and we headed for the control room.

    "She appears to be a castaway."

    A woman with hardly any clothes on was lying on the deck.

    She had semi-long pink hair and an eye-catching appearance.

    She appeared to be unconscious, soaked all over and trembling slightly.

    Judging by her appearance, I can guess that she is someone of high status.

    A daughter of a noble family, perhaps.

    "Let''s get her to the infirmary for now, we need a blanket."

    Wrapping the woman in a blanket, I carried her deeper into the ship.

 CH 106

    The woman was still asleep in bed.

    Given the circumstances, I think it''s safe to say she''s from distant lands.

    She is also an elf.

    We are still waiting for her to wake up.

    ¡°....... ?¡±

    "I see you''re awake."

    "Where am I?"

    "In the infirmary."

    The woman woke up with a start.

    She seemed to be looking around, trying to assess the situation.

    By the way, she is currently wearing a T-shirt and some short pants.

    She was soaking wet, so Kaede and Frau had to change her clothes.

    She immediately noticed that something was different, touched her body and learned that she did not have her equipment.

    "Don''t worry, your equipment and clothes are being washed, they should be dry within a few hours. You should drink some water. The doctors were worried that you were dehydrated."

    I grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it into a glass.

    "Here, drink some."

    "Thank you."

    She took it with trepidation, looked at the water in the glass, watched it for a while and then drank it in one gulp.

    Then, as if finally remembering her dehydration, she began to drink several glasses of water.

    I wonder how long she must have been drifting, I''m sure it was no more than two days.

    "Fuh, I feel satisfied."

    The woman then attempted to remove her clothes.

    "Hey, wait a minute, what are you trying to do!?"

    "I''m thanking you for what you did."

    "Please keep your clothes on!"

    She was still determined to take off her clothes, so I grabbed her and pulled her to stop her.

    "Let me go, I have to make it up to you for what you''ve done to me!"

    "A simple thank you is enough! You don''t need to do that!"

    "It''s not enough! It''s a tradition of my clan to do this! So don''t reject me!

    What''s wrong with this woman!?

    "Master, lunch is ready..."

    Kaede enters the room at an inopportune moment.

    She looked at us and then grew teary eyed.

    "Master, if you wanted to do that, you could have just said so. I would be pleased to do anything for you...."

    "Kaede, it''s not what you think, this girl is crazy, she doesn''t listen to me and wants to take her clothes off."

    I explained the situation to Kaede while holding the woman''s clothes in place.

    I was able to convince her and she helped me control the woman who wanted to take off her clothes.

    "Excuse me, I was surprised that some people were not happy with our clan''s tradition."

    "What kind of tradition is that?"

    "I kneel naked before my savior."

    "I see... There''s no need to do that."

    There is something more important I need to ask her.

    We sat in chairs and listened to the story of how she ended up adrift in the sea.

    "I am Monica, daughter of the Marquis de Birfleur, Lord of Sinus. Please feel free to call me Monica in a friendly manner."

    "So...why were you lost at sea, Monica?"

    "The ship I was on was attacked by a Kraken while searching for some underwater ruins. We are far away from any safe areas, and I ended up in the middle of nowhere in the wreckage of the ship."

    Kaede and I exchanged glances.

    I knew it was someone from the outside world.

    Considering the geographical position we were in, his story could be true.

    "Were there any other survivors besides me...?"

    "I''m sorry. We''re still trying to find out if there are any other sailors on board."

    "So they died..."

    Thinking we should leave her alone for now, we left the room.

    "It ''s a shame."

    "There''s nothing we could have done. Unfortunately, we didn''t find anyone else."

    As I walked down the hallway, I exchanged words with Kaede.

    I talked to her to make sure she was okay, and she doesn''t seem like a bad person.

    If it turned out to be a problem, we planned to put her in a cell.

    But that won''t be necessary.

    "Do you like this?"

    "Kyui"

    "Huh? If you dislike it so much, wash yourself."

    "Kyu, kyukyu!"

    "Shut up and keep quiet! I''ll blow you away."

    I heard shouting on deck.

    Frau was washing Panda in a bathtub.

    Near her in another tub were Chupi and Kuratan were bathing. Suddenly, I felt another presence and turned my eyes.

    "Luvue-Sama, you must talk to me quickly. Our time is limited."

    "Another time. Waaah! The fairy that accompanies Toru-Dono is so cute! And the animals with her, they''re also very cute. I''ll try to make friends with her, I must write that in the research journal. ¡°

    "As I have already repeated many times, please write your personal matters in your own diary. This data is unnecessary in the research journal."

    From behind the turret, Luvue and the vice-captain were watching Frau and the beasts in the distance.

    I guess they have nothing else to do.

    For now your work is stopped because there is not much to do on the ship, so until we get to dry land, there is nothing more to do.

    Luvue approaches Frau.

    "He-Hello, Frau-Dono."

    "You''re the girl who does research?"

    "Yes. I''m Luvue, and Frau is a fairy, right?"

    "I see you are very observant."

    "Um, yeah, that... Do you want to be my friend?"

    She seems very uncomfortable.

    She is also in a way as if she was going to pounce on Frau at any moment.

    "Then help me wash these kids."

    "Me?"

    "Yes, come here."

    The moment Luvue touches Panda, her body trembles.

    "Unbelievable! I''ve finally touched one of Toru-Dono''s beasts! Vice-capitan, look at me! From now on I am also one of Toru-Dono''s beasts."

    "Luvue-Sama, please calm down and think carefully about the things you are saying.

    "EH!... I was so excited that I expressed my darkest wish."

    Frau froze as she watched Luvue.

    Kaede and I returned to the interior of the ship.

    "She''s a very strange girl."

    "I don''t think she''s a bad girl, she could be worse, like some deranged person who wants to take over the ship or something."

    We headed to the cafeteria for lunch.

    "Is this sashimi?"

    The cod I caught was very well processed and served on a plate.

    In the cafeteria, other sailors were also eating, and the atmosphere was pleasant and comfortable.

    "Now that I notice, some of the people here look extremely dizzy even as they eat their meals. They even have pale faces and do not move at all."

    "Of course. Most of them are members of the research team."

    They have the air of being living zombies.

    I felt so sorry for them that I couldn''t even look at them.

    "Oh, this is good."

    I added a pinch of salt to the sashimi.

    It is slightly salty and crunchy.

    It was fresh and not bad to eat raw.

    When I finished eating, a broadcast echoed through the cafeteria.

    "Master Toru, please report to the control room immediately."

    That is the voice of the captain.

    I wonder if something is wrong.

    "I saw a huge monster a few miles ahead."

    The captain''s report made me nervous.

    Apparently, through sight and detectors, they found something in our way.

    "Can''t we avoid it?"

    "I''ve changed course twice, but every time I do, it still appears on our radar, I think it''s following us."

    "What is it exactly?"

    "A kraken."

    A soft-bodied sea monster.

    Perhaps it was the same Kraken that attacked Monica''s boat.

    "Prepare to attack."

    "Roger that! Get your weapons ready!"

    The control room becomes hectic.

    The gun ports on the deck are activated and locked into combat position.

    I took out my binoculars and looked at the horizon from the control room.

    "Brace for impact!"

    "What!?"

    Suddenly, the surface of the sea burst into a column of water.

    The huge mouth of the Kraken appeared in front of us.

    Suddenly, something came out from behind the Kraken. A thick, sturdy body with blue scales covering the entire body.

    It was a water dragon.

    I don''t know its size, but it seems that the head alone must measure more than 10 meters.

    I have never seen anything like this.

    The dragon pounces on the Kraken and swallows it in one bite.

    After such a feat, it turned its gaze to the ship.

    The look on its face was enough to make my hair stand on end.

    It emanated a murderous intent.

 CH 107

    A blue water dragon appeared in front of us.

    Blue Water Dragons are water-attribute creatures that are the third most powerful of the dragon species .

    However, as they grow into adult Dragons, they become much stronger and wield the highest power among mid-ranking dragons.

    And the scary thing is that there is a tremendous power difference between the lower and middle ranks.

    To be honest, I don''t know if I can even win against it.

    "Toru-Sama, what are you going to do?"

    "I guess I''ll have to fight it. It''s not like it''s going to just let us go free."

    "Understood."

    The Water Dragon stares at us.

    I would never have imagined that I would meet such an enemy at sea.

    "Captain, how''s the magic tank coming?"

    "More than 90%."

    "Will it stop a Dragon''s breath attack?"

    "Probably."

    After giving orders to the captain, I went up to the deck with Kaede and Frau.

    "Toru!"

    "Monica?"

    I ran into Monica in the hallway.

    Apparently, the noise across the ship caused her to leave the infirmary.

    "What''s going on, is it the Kraken?!"

    "No, it''s a water dragon."

    "Ueeh?!"

    I stumbled backwards from the movements of the ship.

    Even on another continent, a dragon is a monster that the races fear....

    Even if the Kraken is dead, there is still a risk that the ship will be wrecked, I think the Dragon sees no difference between the Kraken and us.

    Kaede came over to me and helped me to my feet.

    "Don''t worry. Master is here, and with him by our side, the Dragon will be eliminated in no time."

    "You trust me that much? But it''s hard for a person to kill a mid-ranked Dragon."

    "Master is the master, I know you will be able to defeat it."

    That is not really encouraging.

    Monica tilts her head sideways.

    But I''m a little worried because I feel Kaede''s expectations of me are getting higher and higher.

    Even if I have a high level, I am not invincible.

    "We''d better get out soon."

    "You''re right. Monica, go back to the infirmary and stay there."

    "Yes!"

    Monica returned to her room while I went out on deck with Kaede.

    "It''s still on alert."

    "Yes, I wish it could just go away and leave us alone."

    As the dragon looked at the ship, it was completely immobile.

    The ship will try to change course and slowly move us away from the Dragon, just as I had ordered.

    I thought maybe it might lose interest in us.

    Zuaaaaaaaaa

    Suddenly, a roar from the Dragon echoed throughout the ship.

    Do not run.

    Fight.

    That''s what I felt after hearing that roar.

    "It''s quite motivated."

    "Maybe it thinks the ship is a living creature."

    "So it thinks we''re a monster that has entered its territory."

    "Yes, there is no choice but to fight back."

    I''m going to have to unleash the power of the sacred weapons.

    Level 3000 ¡ú 4200.

    I also activate my [Dragon Knight] and [Great Thief] jobs.

    I called Rosuke, Sharkboy and Chupi for support.

    And I accidentally let Kuratan out as well.

    It''s too much trouble to bring him back, so I''ve decided to leave him under Chupi''s command.

    "I will put up a shield. Please be prepared for impact."

    A message was transmitted from the control room.

    The Dragon was making a preliminary breathing motion.

    A thin pink membrane covers the ship.

    This was another function of the ship.

    Zshaaaaaaaa

    A blast of water hits the boat.

    But thanks to the shields, there is almost no damage.

    As expected of a ship built by an ancient race.

    Its resistance is more than extraordinary.

    "Start the bombing."

    A flash of light shoots out of the weapon portals and strikes the Dragon.

    An explosion is generated and the dragon screams in pain.

    It appears to have been damaged.

    "Chupi, Chupi!"

    "Shaa!"

    "Glup glup!"

    Chupi gives the order, Rosuke and Sharkboy start attacking from the sky and sea.

    Rosuke would fly past the dragon and smash his blades into the dragon''s body.

    In addition, Sharkboy released a flash of light under the sea and struck the beast, penetrating its body.

    But the damage was so slight that it is far from being strong enough to defeat it.

    I will use my [Master Tamer] job to boost Rosuke and Sharkboy''s power.

    Rosuke and Sharkboy''s reinforced attacks seemed to have annoyed the dragon.

    The Water Dragon seemed to recognize that the two were enemies that needed to be defeated first, and tried to eliminate them with several bites and breath attacks.

    "Chupi!"

    Chupi''s instructions flew from above, and the two animals repeated their coordinated attacks with precision, as if they had trained beforehand.

    "Thanks to Chupi, the beasts look more focused and powerful in their attacks."

    "Yes, but Chupi is vulnerable because she only gives instructions, so Rosuke and Sharkboy are forced to be on the defensive."

    "So why doesn''t it just hit her directly?"

    The dragon''s mouth turned to Chupi.

    ''''Chupi''''

    "Kura"

    Just before the dragon released its breath, Kuratan appeared and intervened.

    Zushaaaaaaaah

    Kuratan was hit hard by the blast of high pressure water.

    No, he wasn''t. Kuratan generated a shield that blocked the attack.

    Meanwhile, Rosuke and Sharkboy continue to inflict damage and reduce the dragon''s strength.

    "Chupi, chupi, chupi."

    The two began to back away after Chupi''s instructions.

    Looks like it''s my turn.

    I drew my sword and jumped into the sea.

    With the lightness of [Great Thief], I ran over the surface of the sea.

    Zashu

    I cut clean through the dragon''s head like it was butter. My sword met no resistance as it pierced its body.

    "That''s a lot of food."

    "We won''t even be able to eat it all."

    "Is there no choice but to pack as much as possible into storage and leave the rest as food for the monsters?"

    The dragon''s huge body floated in the sea.

    And on top of it, the crew was chopping it up.

    "Ueeh, you defeated the dragon!"

    Looking back, there was Monica.

    She approached us, leaned forward and looked at the corpse.

    "Amazing, isn''t it? The Lord defeated it."

    "Toru-San is so powerful!"

    Monica''s eyes lit up as she looked at me.

    Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and pulled me close.

    "You have great power, Toru-San. I am impressed."

    "It''s no big deal."

    "I don''t think you should underestimate your power like that."

    "You are too close to the Master. Please step away."

    Kaede stands in the middle and pushes Monica back.

    It looked like she was growling.

    The hairs on her tail stood on end.

    Then Kaede pulls me a bit, creating a distance of more than three meters from Monica.

    "Now you may continue your talk."

    "At this distance?"

    "Yes, that''s the right distance."

    "Eeeh..."

    Suddenly she wavered, looking rather pale.

    "You''re still not in perfect shape. We''ll talk about it later, but for now, get some rest."

    "I''m sorry."

    I held out my hand and helped Monica up.

    Monica leaned on Kaede and returned to the infirmary.

    "Hey, my Lord!"

    Frau appeared flying in front of me.

    "Look, I''ve moved up a level."

    "Oh yeah? How high is your level?"

    ¡°1300. I thought my eyes were deceiving me."

    As one would expect after defeating a Dragon, the experience gained is nothing short of extraordinary.

    Kaede probably also should have leveled up, I''ll ask her later.

    In the meantime, I checked my status and discovered that my level was 3300.

    "Chupi"

    Chupi flies and descends to the ground before me.

    She squats down and starts pecking at my feet.

    "You''ve done very well."

    "Chupi!"

    I reached out my right hand and stroked her head as she rubbed at me.

    She is very tender.

    Now, let''s ask the captain when we can resume our voyage.

    Just after we left the deck, we heard a voice from behind us.

    "Where is the dragon that Toru-Dono defeated?"

    "Luvue-Sama, please take a closer look at it. It''s right in front of you."

    "Wow! This is amazing! So this is a mid-rank dragon of the original species! Vice-capitan, write this down in the research journal!"

    "As I''ve said many times, your personal stuff should be written in your diary, not in the... Wait, what did you say, write this event in the journal? Wow, finally, Luvue-Sama gets it right!"

    "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    After that, Luvue climbed on top of the dragon''s carcass and was screaming excitedly.

    Only a few days to go until we reach land.

 CH 108

    Knock knock

    The door opened and behind it stood Monica.

    She seemed to be doing much better.

    Having some rest, eating properly and drinking water had improved her health somewhat.

    "I am very grateful for everything you''ve done. Not only did you rescue me from the sea, but you also gave me my own room. I am going to thank you the way we do in my clan."

    "No, no, that''s fine, it''s not necessary."

    "Really? That''s a shame."

    I sat down in a chair and sighed.

    I don''t understand this girl.

    How do I deal with her?

    Well, that doesn''t matter now, I came here because there''s something I want to know.

    "Is there more land besides where Monica came from?"

    "There are, but no one has ever returned from those trips. Rumor has it that there is a legendary island."

    "A legendary island?"

    "It is a famous story. It is said that there are many ruins and artifacts, it is the island where the first divine race appeared in this world. Personally, I wish to go there someday."

    A race of divine beings, probably the Dragon People.

    The legendary island, I want to go there too.

    I''m excited to learn more about it.

    (The moron still doesn''t realize that the Island Monica is talking about is the same place where he was born and raised -_- Toru''s clumsiness makes me despair sometimes).

    Still, it seems our shipbuilding skills are on par with theirs.

    If they had the means to cross the open sea, they would have reached the island by now.

    It seems I can conclude that the ship we have is the only one of its kind, at least in this continent.

    "About returning you to your country; could you stick with us for a while longer? I am sorry for the trouble, but I cannot deliver you directly there on this ship."

    "I will obey everything you tell me. After all, you saved my life."

    Monica smiled at me.

    When we went up on deck, there was a strong sea breeze.

    "We''ve finally arrived!"

    "It''s been two weeks since we set sail."

    We could see what looked like land on the horizon.

    That land is the continent that is our destination.

    This is where Kaede''s hometown is and where my mother was born and raised.

    "Glup glup."

    Sharkboy is swimming alongside the boat.

    I''ve been letting him swim freely lately. He seems to have been enjoying it quite a bit.

    "Toru-Sama, please come to the control room."

    The captain was calling me.

    "The ship will be moored offshore, and the research team will carry the luggage from the sandy beach we''ll be landing on and set up a base. There, Toru-Sama will land first and keep an eye out for dangerous creatures."

    I nodded to the captain''s explanation while looking at the map.

    We are going to land on the edge of the continent, in a wooded and uninhabited area.

    The reason is simple.

    To secure a safe entry route that only we will know of.

    For us, this continent is an unknown world.

    The possibility of exclusion must be taken into account.

    "Once we are ashore, a considerable source of drinking water must be secured, and food must be acquired. That''s our top priority."

    "Luvue-Sama, according to this map, there seems to be a river near our camp site. I think it would be best to start our search from this area."

    "I see. If so, water will be available sooner than we thought. Well done, vice-captain."

    "We had exactly the same conversation a week ago."

    Luvue blushed and shuddered.

    Indeed, a week ago, we had the same talk with the same members.

    "I just wanted to test whether or not they had a good memory, hohoho."

    Luvue starts laughing. Sometimes I wonder how the vice-captain can deal with her.

    I still don''t understand the relationship between the two of them.

    "Captain, we have arrived at the established location."

    After the crew''s report, the ship stopped.

    I stepped onto the sandy beach.

    The ship had dropped anchor offshore and sailors were unloading their belongings into small boats.

    "It''s not so different from how I imagined it."

    "Kyu!"

    Frau and Panda looked sullenly at the forest at the end of the beach.

    It certainly looks just like the one we have on our mainland.

    However, when I think of it as different scenery, I feel deeply moved.

    I instructed Rosuke to eliminate any dangerous monsters in the vicinity, and Sharkboy to protect the sailors.

    "What''s wrong, Kaede?"

    I noticed Kaede in a daze.

    "I was born and raised here, but I don''t really feel like it."

    "You''ve never been away from home. You can''t blame yourself for thinking that."

    "Maybe I have. And you, Master?"

    "Well, I still can''t believe this is my mother''s birthplace."

    Hm?

    Are those Slimes?

    A few Slimes came out of the forest.

    The monsters living here don''t seem to be that different from the place where I come from.

    ''''Master, the level of the slimes here...''''

    "What''s wrong?"

    "They''re level 100."

    I didn''t immediately understand what Kaede had told me.

    "They''re level 100 slimes?!"

    "Yes, that''s what the evaluation indicates."

    A slime is a small monster that even a child can defeat.

    Their basic ability is the lowest of all monsters.

    Even if they are over 100, they don''t pose a risk.

    But the problem here is that their level is 100 times what they are in my country.

    There is no way there are other monsters with a lower level than this slime.

    "It seems that this area is high level. We chose to camp in an area that was unpopulated, but we didn''t count on something like this."

    "Should we change our camp''s location?"

    "But if we move to another suitable place, it will take several days, and if that place also turns out to be the same as this one¡­ That''s another problem to add."

    There''s no time for that.

    I''ll use my skills to level up the research team.

    The research will last at most one year.

    If they can''t fight properly, they will be annihilated in no time.

    We must prepare them for the unexpected and make them stronger.

    It is decided.

    I will talk to Luvue as soon as possible.

    "My Lord, I found something incredible!"

    "Kyui."

    Frau returns from the forest.

    What is this amazing thing?

    And why does Panda look dirty?"

    Frau jumped off Panda and came running down the beach.

    "I found a building!"

    "In the forest?"

    "Yes! There was an old citadel-like building near the river, so I thought I''d go in and investigate, but the door was locked and I couldn''t open it."

    Frau beams with pride and says; "Ahem, it was a good job, ''wasn''t it?"

    If there are no people living there, it could be used as a base.

    In that case, it won''t be necessary to build anything here.

    "Well done."

    "Praise me and pet me some more!"

    When I stroked Frau''s head, her expression became relaxed, like that of a kitten.

 CH 109

    Frau led me to the building she found in the forest.

    The stone building is covered with ivy and is surrounded by several trees.

    It was also surrounded by an outer wall, making it look like some kind of fortress.

    We jumped over the wall and walked into the building.

    "Gurr?"

    Inside the wall was a large number of monsters inhabiting the place.

    They seemed to have turned this building into their nest.

    "So what do you think? Can we use this place as a base while we do our research?"

    "I guess so, the real problem is getting inside."

    The entrance to the building is unguarded, but locked

    I pulled out a wire.

    "Will you be able to open it?"

    "Hmm... Yes, it''s open."

    I picked the lock again thanks to my skills.

    I quickly open the door.

    Hmm, the inside is simpler than I thought.

    "Kyui."

    Frau and Panda take a look inside.

    The inside of the building was empty and devoid of any objects.

    At least it''s not a ruin.

    I got the impression that it was relatively new.

    I opened the door and looked into each room, but there is still nothing.

    "I''ve already checked everywhere."

    "Did you find anything?"

    "No, the place is completely empty."

    Now that we''re sure it''s safe, we decide to head back to the beach.

    "So this is our base! I''m about to cry with joy! Vice Captain, you should write this down in the research diary! It was all thanks to Toru-Dono!"

    "Yes, my lady."

    "After all, Toru-Dono is the hero. Hueeh?! That tree shook! Are you sure it''s not a demon?"

    "Luvue-Sama, that was just the wind."

    I guess she''s a bit jumpy.

    Right now the group is bringing in the supplies.

    In a few days, the base will be fully habitable.

    "Toru-Dono, I want to talk to you."

    Unusually, I am approached by Luvue.

    Judging by the serious look on her face, I guess it''s related to the mission.

    "To put it bluntly, I would like to ask you to have the Manyu Brigade help us level up. We are in a high level area, and I don''t think we can defend ourselves on our own should something happen."

    "I was thinking the same thing. We''ll start tomorrow."

    "I''m very grateful to you, Toru-Dono."

    We shook hands and Luvue snorted excitedly.

    She immediately turned to the vice-captain.

    "I have shaken Toru-Dono''s hand! Now I will have his child!"

    "Luvue-Sama let''s be clear, a handshake won''t get you pregnant. Who told you that''s how pregnancy works?"

    The vice-captain fixes his glasses as he speaks.

    The next day, with the support of the Manyu Brigade, the investigation and research team began to level up.

    It was an easy job; Kaede, Frau, Rosuke and I weakened the monsters, and then the group members would deliver the final blow.

    Moreover, thanks to my experience doubling ability and general skills, their growth speed was extraordinarily fast.

    "Eeeeh!"

    Monica slashes at the enemy with her fine sword.

    I thought she was a weak girl, but she turned out to be someone very capable.

    Her original level was also high, level 120, and it seems that her level was considered high in general on the continent.

    Incidentally, her current level is 320.

    She seems to be a type of swordsman who specializes in speed.

    "Reaching level 300 in one day is like being in a dream. I''ve heard that the Forest of Death is a very scary place fro high level beings."

    "The Forest of Death?"

    "Yes, that''s where we are right now. It is also nicknamed ''The Forest of No Return''."

    There are several high level areas like this on this continent.

    Well, I live on an island, so I''m not too surprised.

    However, where I live, seeing high-level monsters is not a very common thing.

    "Monica, in your country, is being level 300 considered strong?"

    "No, you are considered strong if you are at least level 800."

    "Level 800... I see."

    "?"

    I guess I''m still too strong even in this place.

    I may never fight at my full strength again.

    As a warrior, it bothers me a bit that I can''t take a fight seriously.

    I never thought the day would come when I would feel sad about something like this.

    "I have leveled up. I am now 300."

    "Just as I expected from you, Luvue-Sama."

    In front of me was a large bathtub.

    Steam was emanating from the water.

    "Haah~."

    I plunged into the hot water and let out a sigh of bliss.

    There was a bath at the base. Apparently, this building had running water, which was being pumped from underground.

    Also, the number of rooms was quite large, so there was enough room for the survey team and sailors to live.

    The ship was anchored at sea, managed and maintained by a small group of sailors.

    It will stay here for a month and then return to Lastoria to report back to the king.

    And besides, it will be good to bring in more supplies and personnel.

    "Glup" "Sha" "Chupi" "Kura"

    The familiar beasts were also enjoying their bath.

    Sharkboy was enjoying the hot water, and when he felt too hot, he would jump into another tub full of cold water.

    On the other hand, Rosuke was still not used to the water, so he kept jumping in and out.

    Kuratan, however, was floating in the air.

    Thanks to them, this place was full of life.

    We had become one big family.

    "Master..."

    "Kaede!"

    Kaede, who was wrapped in a bath towel, entered the bath with me.

    Her face was red, so much that you could say she was embarrassed.

    "My Lord, Frau is also here."

    "Kyui!"

    Frau and Panda walked past and entered a nearby tub.

    "I''m sorry to disturb you."

    "It''s okay."

    Like Kaede, I also felt a little embarrassed.

    While avoiding looking at Kaede''s half naked body, I sat down on a bath chair.

    Kaede began to rub my back with a wet towel that had soap on it.

    "Does that feel okay, Master?"

    "Yes, it feels fine."

    "Fufu, I''m glad you like it."

    The sound of Kaede''s good mood also makes me feel better.

    I feel something soft against me.

    "Kaede, are you hitting me with something?"

    "Uhm?"

    "Oh... oh!"

    "Uhm!"

    Kaede hit me with something again

    Don''t tell me you''re doing it on purpose?

    Frau, who was swimming in the bathtub, noticed.

    "Kaede, your breasts are hitting the Lord!"

    "What?"

    Kaede ran out of the bath with a reddened face and saying; ''Hyahhhhhhh!''"

    "Kaede is the kind of person who doesn''t waste an opportunity, isn''t she?"

    "Kyu~"

    Frau and Panda stood there thinking as they put towels on their heads.

    Paki.

    What?

    That sound again?

    Paki Paki Paki Paki.

    That familiar sound echoed in my head again.

    ¡¶Notice: Since the magic energy saving level has reached the upper limit, it will be paid out 100 times more ¡·

    ¡¶Notice: the payout has increased tenfold due to the effect of skill effect UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: since the skill experience saving level has reached the upper limit, it will be paid out 100 times more¡·

    ¡¶Notice: the payout has been increased tenfold due to the effect of the skill effect UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: magic energy saving and skill experience saving have been damaged. It will take some time to repair them¡·

    ¡¶Notice: The skill level limit has been destroyed. A new limit will be set¡·

    Skills

    Ah...

    Not again.

    We have good news to tell you, please read it. ????????

 CH 110

    A week has passed since we arrived on the mainland.

    Almost all the members of the research team were in the 600-700 level range, and could now operate alone in the forest.

    The base was now more comfortable, the surroundings had been trimmed back a bit to make it easier to operate, and a road had been built to make it easier to get from the coast to the base.

    "I think it''s time we started our mission."

    Kaede, Frau, the captain and the deputy chief nodded silently at my words as we gathered in the briefing room.

    "I can''t believe you''re leaving us, Toru-dono! No, no, no, no, no!"

    "Luvue-Sama, the Manyu Brigade has a more urgent job than escorting us. You must not be selfish."

    "What a painful mission. Vice President, I want you to write down how sad I am in the mission log."

    "That''s something you should write in your diary."

    "Okay, I''ll do it."

    Luvue left in tears.

    I still don''t know why she likes me so much.

    When I asked the vice-captain why, all I got was, "I don''t know."

    She is such a strange person.

    I decided not to think about it and continued talking.

    "If possible, I want to be able to secure supplies on the mainland as well as in Lastoria. To do that, we need to get out of the forest. We have the strength to defend ourselves now, but our food is limited."

    "You are right. It takes four weeks for the ship to make a round trip, and if supplies run out during that time, we will be in dire straits. It is imperative that we investigate the outside world."

    Everyone nodded at the captain''s words.

    His words carried more weight than mine. There are many people who respect him, perhaps because of his mature adult appearance.

    With those words spoken, we agreed on what they would do in my absence.

    The day came to depart.

    Everyone was waiting outside the base to say goodbye to us.

    "Let me know if they need anything."

    "Yes."

    "I will never forget the beautiful moments I had with Toru-Dono."

    "I''m not going away forever."

    "I would appreciate it if you would come to visit us regularly, so we can be informed about how things are going here."

    "Sure, I''ll come back as soon as I can."

    We said our goodbyes and left the base.

    "It''s a little sad, isn''t it? We''ve been together for almost a month now, and it''s strange to part like this."

    "Kyui."

    Both Kaede and I were saddened by Frau''s words.

    They were all very kind people.

    We survived together until now. We were almost like family.

    If possible, I hope that nothing goes wrong and that we can complete this investigation without incident.

    "Why does Toru-Sama still not want to accept my people''s traditional way of saying thank you?"

    Monica was walking behind us, muttering.

    I''m not about to accept something like that, I''d be in big trouble.

    I''m sure Kaede would punish me for that.

    That girl is a little crazy.

    "Monica-San, you''re a very good girl, don''t feel sad."

    "But I still don''t know how to show my appreciation to Toru-Sama."

    We continued walking along the marked path in the forest.

    I could really go for one of those transport beasts right about now.

    If I ever find a monster I can ride, I''ll tame it.

    The continent is so vast that it will be inconvenient if I don''t get one soon.

    What kind of monster would be suitable for such cases?

    "Gaaaagh!"

    A creature emerges from the bushes.

    I waved my hand for all three girls to hide.

    What appeared was a huge monster with the face of a tiger and horns of a cow, standing at about 10 meters in height.

    Monica starts to tremble.

    "A Behemoth."

    Behemoth... I''ve never heard of it.

    Could it be a monster that only exists on this continent?

    "It has a strange ability to enhance its stamina."

    "So it''s able to travel long distances?"

    I want that animal as a pet.

    At least two more, if possible.

    "I''m going to tame it."

    "Toru-San?!"

    "Take care of Monica."

    "Yes, my lord."

    I approached the monster.

    As soon as it sees me, it lets out a roar and stands up on its hind legs.

    It was looking at me from its great height and baring its sharp fangs.

    "Guraaaaaaa!!!"

    It''s roar echoed through the air, rustling the trees.

    Even standing on its two hind legs, It''s not half as intimidating as it sounds.

    But in a way, there is a hidden passion among men in wanting to tame such an animal.

    The monster swings its sharp claws toward my head.

    They were like sharp knives.

    Zun

    As I caught it with my hand, my feet sank slightly into the ground.

    But the attack was lighter than I had assumed.

    "You''re coming with me."

    "Grr?!"

    The behemoth was clearly surprised.

    Its eyes were wide and it had an expression similar to human shock on its face.

    I pushed its paws back, and its face twisted in fear so clearly that even I could see it.

    Then I slightly lifted the behemoth''s huge body and threw it against the ground with great force.

    I climbed on top of its chest and looked squarely into its face.

    "From now on, you are my partner."

    "Guur..."

    I climbed on his neck, and the big behemoth stood up.

    The visibility was high and I could observe everything clearly.

    "Well done, Master!"

    "You have succeeded, my lord. Now we can make it through the forest faster."

    "Heee, you just tamed an S-rank monster."

    Immediately, Kaede, Frau and Monica got on top of the behemoth and we continued our journey.

    With such a large body, it''s easy to carry a lot of people.

    "We''ll have to give this kid a name."

    "Yes. We have to give him a cool name."

    He was very big. And he looked like an Ichiro.

    Ichiro seemed to like the name and it resonated with his throat.

    This guy is surprisingly cute.

    "Gru."

    Suddenly we encountered a second Behemoth.

    I got off Ichiro and tried to coax the next monster.

    "Gurgaaah!

    "Yeah yeah, whatever you say, I''m not afraid of you."

    "Kyuun..."

    The monster bit me, but I just petted it and it calmed down. It was a female, and we had already decided beforehand that it would be named Bechjiro.

    Kaede and I will ride on Ichiro, while Monica and Frau will ride on Bechjiro.

    "Hee, I''m on top of a Behemoth so casually, it''s amazing.

    "Master, Monica looks happy."

    "Yeah, I guess she''s crying from joy."

    "That clearly isn''t the case. Whichever way you look at it, I think she''s crying from fear."

    "Kyu..."

    As soon as we resumed our walk, another female appeared.

    I did the same process as with Bechjiro.

    "Grrr."

    "Grrrr!"

    "Grrrrrrrr."

    Three Behemoths move through the forest.

    Me with Ichiro

    Kaede for Bechjiro.

    Monica and Frau for Bechisu.

    The three monsters chased away all the other monsters that appeared in our path, making our journey easier.

    By late afternoon, we had passed through the Forest of Death.

    The next day we left the forest and crossed the mountain.

    The other side of the Forest of Death is separated by mountain ranges, and we had to go up a steep mountain road.

    However, the three monsters easily crossed the mountain.

    Even a wyvern that was on the cliff ran away.

    The skeleton it dropped was instantly crushed.

    I was glad to have encountered a Behemoth. It definitely commands respect and awe.

    "Monica, are you sure there''s a village up ahead?"

    "Yes. There''s a town on the border called Stani."

    We''ll have to hide the three Behemoths in the mountains.

    These guys are smart and friendly, but their massive faces strike fear.

    Luckily I have my ring with me. If I can raise it to level 3, I will also be able to disguise the Behemoths'' appearances.

    Maybe I should use the ring as much as possible in the future.

    The three monsters began to stray from the path, and started jumping down the cliffs.

    We reached the forest at the foot of the mountain and came out into a meadow from where we could see the city.

    "You guys will have to wait for us in the forest."

    "Gruh.

    Ichirou, Bechjiro and Bechisu rub their faces against me before returning to the forest.

    "I''ve found good beasts."

    "Yes, after all, you are the master."

    "They are strong and fast, what more can you ask for?"

    Well, let''s enjoy the city.

    I''m looking forward to it.

    We have good news to tell you, please read it. ????????

 CH 111

    Stani, a remote town in the Kingdom of Petadaus.

    It was here that we were surprised by the spectacle that met our eyes.

    "Is this.... The land of the elves?"

    There were many elves in the city.

    Behind them, there were humans wearing collars.

    Merchants, knights, adventurers, Individuals of all kinds are elves.

    The situation is completely opposite to the island we come from.

    "Is there a problem?"

    "No, everything is fine."

    This is the norm here, and as outsiders, it''s probably not something we should interfere with.

    But I think the status of humans in this country is definitely low.

    "Master, are you thirsty?"

    "Yes, a little."

    Kaede heads to a stall selling cold fruit juice.

    However, as soon as she took out her wallet, she seemed to notice that there was no money in it.

    "Master~"

    Kaede''s eyes glaze over and she asks for help.

    We''re in trouble.

    I don''t have any money either.

    to me, however, Monica takes out her wallet and pays the store owner.

    "Thank you very much. I''ll pay you back later."

    "It''s okay, it''s normal for me to pay. After all, you saved my life."

    Monica bought enough fruit juice for all of us.

    It was a nice cold orange drink, sweet and refreshing.

    I peeked into the back of the store, curious about how the drink was chilled.

    There, a metal box made a strange sound, and the owner opened the lid of the box and took out the thin ice.

    I had never seen a machine like that.

    As the king of Lastoria said, the mainland seems to have more advanced technology than the island.

    "Whew, that''s good. I could drink this for hours."

    "Kyui."

    "Would you like some?"

    "Kyui!"

    Frau and Panda are sharing a drink.

    I''m glad they''ve become so close.

    And this drink is really delicious.

    ''''Master, shouldn''t we earn money as soon as possible?''''

    I totally agree with Kaede''s words.

    If we don''t have money, we won''t be able to indulge in any sightseeing.

    Let''s start by earning some money.

    As suck, I decided to go to the adventurer''s guild.

    "It''s very similar to the one we have back home."

    "Being an adventurer is one of the oldest professions. There''s nothing strange about the similarities between here and there."

    The guild on this continent was the same as the one at home.

    The only difference was that there was a small bookstore in the building.

    "What''s that?"

    "It sells books that the adventurers need. When they finish reading them, they sell them back to the guild and another adventurer buys them."

    "Wow, how interesting."

    Here they are actively trying to get them to gain knowledge.

    I knew we were somewhat similar, but this is very different.

    But when you realize the details, the adventurers here are divided into two types: those who study hard and those who drink in the guild taverns.

    The ones drinking are pretty rowdy, and for all intents and purposes, they don''t look like the type to read a book.

    "Can I use this card?"

    "Let me take a look at it."

    I presented my adventurer''s card at the front desk.

    The staff member checked the front and back of the card several times and tilted her head.

    "Is this really an adventurer''s card?"

    "If it doesn''t work, it doesn''t matter."

    "Just to be clear, this card cannot be used here."

    I see.

    The guilds here and back home are quite different.

    With that, we decided to register with the guild.

    "I would like a quest where I can earn a lot of money."

    "Master, how about this quest?"

    Kaede gave me a paper of a quest that was to kill a Chimera.

    The Chimera is a monster that didn''t exist back home.

    I''m suddenly very interested.

    And the reward isn''t bad either.

    Let''s go hunting right now.

    We jumped on top of the Behemoths and ran fast across the meadow.

    The nearby monsters start to flee, and the people hunting those monsters flee as well.

    "Ichiro, there really is a Chimera around here, isn''t there?"

    "Guur."

    Thanks to [Master Tamer], I can vaguely communicate with the Behemoth.

    So I talked to Ichiro about the Chimera, and he said he could tell where it was by its scent, so I asked him to take me to it.

    "Gruh!"

    "Gah!"

    "Guggah!"

    Ichiro went in a straight line and the other two split off in two different directions.

    "Could that be it?"

    A monster that looked like a combination of three creatures: a lion''s head and body, with a goat''s hind legs and a second goat-shaped head, as well as a snake-like tail.

    As soon as the Chimera saw Ichiro, it fled like a rabbit.

    However, Bechjiro and Bechisu blocked its escape route, and Ichiro completely blocked its exit.

    "Kyeeeeeeh!"

    "Huh?"

    The Chimera suddenly collapsed with its eyes clear white.

    When I went down to check on it, I discovered it wasn''t breathing.

    I guess it''s called death by shock.

    Behemoths are intimidating just for being Behemoths, so it might have given up on living when it was surrounded by three of them.

    "Master, I have recovered the chimera''s corpse."

    "Thank you. Let''s head back to the city."

    We climbed back into the Behemoths and resumed our journey.

    "You''ve already hunted it down!?"

    One of the elves who were part of the guild staff shouts in amazement.

    It hasn''t even been an hour since we accepted the quest. So it''s no wonder he''s astonished.

    The Behemoth''s paws were too fast.

    "How much is the reward?"

    "Well... It''s in good condition, and you also brought several other parts that were in the quest. So around 1.2 million."

    One of the materials the guild was requesting was the fang of a chimera, but since we brought it in whole, the reward went through the roof.

    We took the money and left the guild.

    "We should feast well on this money."

    "Kyu! kyui!"

    "Can we go back to drinking some of that fruit juice? Panda says he wants some more."

    Panda flies around me as if demanding that drink.

    Did you like that drink so much? Actually I did too, so let''s buy it again.

    Just as I was about to head to the drink stall, five men blocked my way.

    "Hey, inferior race, you just got a lot of money in the guild. Give it to us now."

    "...You want my money?"

    The elves had scars on their faces, as well as a bad temper.

    Wherever we go, there''s always a jerk.

    Monica starts to panic.

    Frau approaches me.

    "My lord, do you want me to take care of them?"

    "No, I''ll do it."

    I step forward.

    "You''re a stupid human, maybe if you had run away, you wouldn''t be dead now."

    The leader of the group drew his sword.

    I guess they are adventurers too, since they know we took the money.

    That''s not my problem though, how am I going to deal with these guys? Any move I make can wreak havoc on the place.

    And the last thing I want is to attract any unwanted attention.

    I''ll try to stop him.

    "Hup!"

    I threw a punch at the elf, stopping right in front of his face.

    The man''s face was shaken by a strong shockwave.

    The nearby buildings shook a little. Looks like this level of force will be enough to scare them.

    "Aaahhh!"

    "A-ba-ba-ba-ba!"

    I threw another punch into the air, causing all the elves to tremble in fear.

    I''m still holding back, even though I''d like to use all my power.

    If I really wanted to hurt them, I would have already killed them with a single punch.

    "Uuh..."

    The man in front of me sat on the ground, his crotch wet.

    "Let''s get the hell out of here!"

    "What should we do?"

    "Who is that human!?"

    When I looked up at the other four elves, they shouted and ran off.

    "Well done, Master."

    "Are you all well?"

    "Yes."

    Kaede looks captivated and wags her tail in delight.

    Frau was patting Monica on the cheek to wake her up. She had fainted from fright.

    "Hey, get up."

    "Huh!? What''s wrong?"

    "Nothing, now get up. We want to go drink juice, so you''re coming with us."

    "Hueeeeeh!"

    Frau and Panda dragged Monica to the drink stand.

 CH 112

    Thud, thud, thud

    The three Behemoths shake the ground while walking.

    These animals are very conspicuous, so we avoid busy roads as much as possible and pass through more rural roads where not many people pass by.

    Soon we are in Sinus territory, where Monica''s father rules.

    Once we get Monica home, we can finally take a load off our minds.

    The Behemoths cross a stream, jump over rocky terrain and emerge over a cliff.

    From the highest point, he could see the city in the distance.

    Apolloa, it seemed, was a port city.

    And in the distance we could see a large sword stuck in a rock.

    "What is that?"

    "It is said to be a remnant of a great battle that took place long ago. This city was built on the ruins."

    "So that great sword is a relic?"

    "Exactly."

    I didn''t know such things existed in these lands.

    It''s really interesting.

    This is the passion I was talking about, the love that provokes wanting to travel.

    We continue on foot from here.

    "Gru."

    We said goodbye to the three Behemoths and headed back to town.

    "Idiot!"

    "Heeee!"

    In a room in the mansion, Monica is yelled at by her father.

    "I told you to stop being an adventurer!"

    "I''m sorry."

    "You leave me no choice, you will have to receive the lashes, as the clan''s secret punishments dictate."

    "Please forgive me! Anything but that!!!"

    Monica was grabbed by the knight and dragged out of the room.

    I''m curious about that spanking thing?

    Why does it have to be that way?

    Her father crosses his legs and smiles.

    "You saved my daughter''s life. Thank you."

    "There''s nothing to be thankful for."

    "Don''t be shy. I''ll pay you back handsomely."

    Marquis Bilfrel claps his hands and the human servant places a leather pouch on the table.

    From the sound, I could tell that it was gold.

    "One million. That''s a lot of money for a human adventurer."

    "I don''t doubt it..."

    The amount of money makes me laugh.

    It''s not a lot of money.

    He seems to despise me quite a bit.

    Well, that''s fine, since I wasn''t expecting any payment.

    When I looked inside the room, I noticed that there are some very old things on display.

    A jar with barnacles, a sword, a shield. Among many other things.

    "Don''t you think it''s wonderful? I''m a collector, mostly of rare artifacts."

    "But why do you keep them?"

    "Because it gives me a sense of history. If you find something good, bring it to me. I''ll give you a good price for it. Though I doubt you''ll find any, inferior race, hahahahahaha."

    Kaede and Frau look annoyed hearing her words.

    I wouldn''t like to stay in this place for long.

    Besides, I''m afraid that if we don''t get out of here soon, Frau will start misbehaving.

    Say one more word, and her temper will cause her hammer to smash the whole place to pieces.

    We left the mansion after a few random conversations.

    "What the hell is wrong with that guy, only a million for rescuing his daughter?! Every single thing he said irritated me! He was making fun of my Lord!"

    "Kyui! Kyukyukyu!"

    "Ho? I like that idea, Panda! We''re going to destroy his mansion!"

    "You two, stop."

    I ordered Frau and Panda to calm down.

    I think we should be glad we got some tip.

    It''s not right to complain about the small amount of money.

    I looked at Kaede and was pleased with her attitude.

    She was very calm and wasn''t complaining about anything at all.

    "I can''t forgive him, he made fun of the Master! He thinks he''s an inferior being! We''re going to freeze this city. It''ll be permafrost overnight."

    I was wrong. Kaede, you made all my admiration vanish.

    I''m afraid of Kaede. Her eyes are full of murderous intent.

    I mean it. If I don''t do something soon, this city will disappear overnight.

    "Let''s enjoy the city more. We''ve crossed the ocean, there''s sightseeing, eating and adventures to be had."

    "He''s right. It''s more meaningful to have a good time with the master than to engage with the elves like that. What that old man did almost made me forget myself."

    Whew, that was close.

    I break out in a cold sweat.

    Actually, I''m probably more afraid of Kaede than I am of Soara.

    She''s the last person you want to piss off.

    Knock, knock

    There''s a knock at the door and Kaede opens it.

    "Thank god, I found you."

    "Monica-san, weren''t you at the mansion?"

    "I snuck out. I didn''t think my father would reward Toru-Sama and his friends so little money."

    Monica continued speaking

    "Since my father doesn''t plan to do anything about it, I''m going to resort to thanking you per my clan''s traditions!"

    The moment her belly button came into view, Kaede and Frau rushed to hold her clothes in place.

    "I''m so sorry. I knew that people in this country had a tendency to look down on humans, but I didn''t think my father would behave like this towards the man who saved my life."

    "Forget it. You don''t have to worry, Monica."

    "Toru-Sama is very kind. You''re strength and generous spirit make me want to take off my clothes without resorting to my clan''s traditional show of thanks."

    "Stop it."

    You''re an exhibitionist.

    I''m going to hand you over to the authorities if you don''t stop.

    I tried to persuade Monica to keep her clothes on, and sat down in a chair.

    "My father is a good person. The day my mother died, he changed completely. Now he collects heirlooms like he''s obsessed with them."

    "I could tell that."

    Monica frowned as she looked down.

    But her expression quickly brightened.

    "What will Toru-Sama and his friends do now? Come to think of it, I didn''t ask you what you were going to do."

    "We''re looking for the Master''s hometown. In addition, we will also visit my hometown. Although I know where it''s located, so we''ll save that for last."

    Oh, so Kaede remembers her hometown.

    I thought you didn''t even know where it was.

    While Frau was relaxing on top of Panda, she flies over and asks Monica something.

    "By the way, do you know anything about Dragon Town?"

    "I''m afraid I don''t know anything about it, but if you go to the capital, there are people who are investigating and might be able to tell you something.

    Good question, Frau.

    Ah, yes, the capital.

    If we go there, we might find some clues about my mother''s homeland.

    "I will repay you for saving my life, I will no longer depend on my father, I will be the Guide for Toru-Sama and his friends. Tell me what you wish to see in this land, and I will take you there."

    "Can you take me to where that great sword is?"

    "Kyu!"

    "Sure."

    "I''d like to visit some souvenir shops."

    "Sure, no problem."

    "I want you to show me places where I can find some good food, and I want to be shown places that have nice views, preferably somewhere exciting."

    "Leave it all to me, I''ll take care of everything."

    Monica immediately invited us to dinner.

    There were many seafood dishes lined up on the table.

    After all, it is a port city so seafood is plentiful.

    So it is normal that it is used in every meal.

    I thought all seafood was the same, but it all has different textures and flavors.

    "It''s crunchy and has a nice texture. It''s addictive."

    What Kaede and I are eating is a kind of shellfish that looks like a whitish bird''s beak.

    In contrast, what Frau is eating is a shellfish with thick, soft flesh.

    Monica smiles with both hands on her cheeks.

    "It''s fun to be with you guys. I feel like everyday I get to teach  you something new, and vice versa. It''s like you''re from a different place."

    After hearing that, I got to thinking.

    This girl, hasn''t she figured it out yet?

    Although it''s partly my fault for not explaining it to her.

    But it''s something that most people would guess.

    We have crossed the open sea, after all.

    Well, I don''t want to stand out in a weird way, so I''ll keep my mouth shut for noe. It will be our insurance that nothing bad will happen to us.

 CH 113

    Fooh, Fooh

    I feel something moving, and at the same time I can touch it.

    It''s so fluffy, and feels so good to the touch.

    "Master''s smell."

    Sniff, Sniff, Fooh.

    What is this feeling?

    It feels so good, I like it.

    "Master..."

    Who is that person talking?

    I don''t care though, I just want to keep playing.

    "Master, Master, Master."

    My eyes open little by little.

    My consciousness begins to emerge and I know I''m close to waking up.

    "Whoa!"

    "?"

    When I sit up, I see Kaede in front of me.

    "Good morning."

    "Yes! Good morning!"

    ...?

    What is this strange feeling?

    I looked down, and found that my chest is slightly damp.

    When I looked at Kaede again, her face was very red and her fox ears were flattened.

    She looks at me with downcast and wet eyes.

    Toph!

    "My Lord! Let''s have breakfast!"

    "Kyui!"

    The door slams open, and Frau and Panda burst in.

    Monica enters a few seconds later.

    "Let''s go have breakfast at a restaurant that serves pancakes,Kaede. We''ll eat lots of sweet things together!"

    "Hey, wait, Monica-san!"

    Monica grabs Kaede''s arm and forces her to go with her.

    What''s this?

    Under the bed, there was a scroll used to enhance the sense of smell.

    Pancakes with honey on top.

    Kaede''s face immediately breaks into a smile.

    "Isn''t it delicious?"

    "Yes, it''s very delicious."

    "It''s the sweetest thing I''ve ever tasted, I''m a bundle of happiness."

    The three of them happily ate their breakfast.

    I took a bite, but it wasn''t too sweet, it was moist and it was the kind of pancake that makes you want to take another bite.

    We only visited stores recommended by Monica, the Marquis'' daughter.

    "I was surprised to learn that elves live by the sea. I thought they never came out of the woods."

    "Of course I like the forest, but I can''t give up the comfort of living on the abundant food and ruins."

    Is it safer and more comfortable to live by the sea than in the forest?

    If Alusha heard that, she would say, "You''re a disgrace, you''ve abandoned your roots!" and then get very angry.

    "Monica, can you also use spirit magic?"

    "Of course. I have a contract with a water spirit."

    I used my dragon eye, and saw a fish around Monica''s shoulders.

    The fish noticed my gaze and hastily hid behind Monica.

    I always felt that spirits were sensitive to my dragon eyes.

    "From here you can clearly see the giant sword."

    "It''s so big, it''s a wonder they made it."

    We gaze at the towering sword from our seats on the terrace.

    It is about 300 meters tall.

    It''s a simple design, but its overwhelming size makes it seem so majestic.

    It''s another spectacular sight, which you can''t see unless you come here.

    "Today we''ll visit some ruins."

    "Are they near here?"

    "The ruins of Sinus are by the sea. It''s a popular place for adventurers. And it hasn''t been explored yet. There''s a locked gate at the end, so no one has seen it from the inside."

    I like the sound of that.

    It''s not a bad idea to get some valuables here for the trip.

    If only for the fact that it''s a ruin by the sea, it''s even more exciting.

    Ruins of Sinus... The ruins of an ancient species, whose purpose of construction and use is unknown, located by the sea.

    The exterior resembled a temple, made of stone and crumbling in parts.

    Near the entrance to the ruins, we saw several adventurers.

    Apparently, they have come in search of materials to hunt monsters.

    But why are they always wearing bathing suits?

    We quickly went deeper into the ruins with Monica''s guidance.

    "There is water in the passage."

    "That''s natural, since it''s by the sea."

    "Isn''t the lower level almost submerged...?"

    "Yes. But we have taken all the necessary precautions."

    Suddenly, Monica opened her chest to reveal her swimsuit clad breasts.

    My gaze lingered as I watched the two mountains move with great intensity.

    "Master, don''t look!"

    "Hueeh!?"

    Kaede hurries to cover my eyes.

    But she''s in a bathing suit, what''s the problem?

    Besides, she didn''t react fast enough when she covered my eyes.

    I''ve already seen everything.

    "If you need to change into your swimsuit, you should have said so."

    "Oh sorry, do you need one?"

    "I already have one, I have it in my luggage. But next time, be sure to give us a heads up."

    "I''m sorry, I apologize to the cute Frau."

    "Cute!? Hueeh!"

    Frau blushes at the compliment.

    "Aero Slash."

    The monster in the hallway was slashed by the wind blade.

    The remaining monsters fled the scene after the boss was killed.

    "Fufu. Frau and her friends are very strong."

    "Kyui."

    "What do you mean I didn''t do anything?  Kaede''s credit is also Frau''s credit.

    "Kyu, kyukyukyukyu!"

    "You asked for it, Panda!"

    Above my head, Frau and Panda are arguing again.

    It''s good that they''re close, but I''m trying to think right now.

    Kaede, Monica and I would strip the monsters of any useful materials.

    I then put away all the gathered materials in my magic storage.

    "You''d better find a new storage room. This one has little capacity."

    "Really? I think it''s quite spacious."

    "If you go to a dungeon, you can find lots of them, almost a thousand of them. They say they have a capacity of up to 10,000 items."

    Really? Is there a magic storage item with that much capacity around here?

    I guess there are items here that aren''t available on the island.

    I would like to go to one of those dungeons at some point.

    Going through the old passage, we find a staircase.

    But it''s completely filled with seawater, and we''ll have to swim to continue from here.

    "I''m going to change. Wait here a minute."

    "Then I''ll be there."

    I change into a bathing suit in a remote spot.

    I hear sounds of rustling fabric nearby.

    It sounds like Kaede and Frau are changing.

    "Have they grown even more?"

    "You think so? I didn''t notice."

    "You have a beautiful figure, Kaede."

    "Don''t just start touching them!"

    Glup

    Oh, no. I''m getting excited.

    I need to calm down before I go back to them.

    "We''re done."

    "Ah."

    When I came back, I saw the three girls in swimsuits.

    And Frau was in her human size.

    "By the way, is there any air underneath this?"

    "There are a series of air pockets. If you go through them, you can easily get to the bottom."

    They say that several hidden rooms have been discovered here in the past.

    Various relics have been found in the hidden rooms and adventurers have earned a lot of money.

    These ruins, they still intrigue me.

    I pull out my underwater breathing scroll.

    "Use this everyone."

    The effect of underwater breathing lasts for several hours.

    While the effect lasts, you can literally breathe underwater.

    After activating the scroll, I got into the water and called out Sharkboy.

    "Glup glup?"

    Sharkboy rubbed his body against me.

    I guess he thought he wouldn''t be called for a while now that we were on land.

    He seemed to be happy.

    Kaede used her magic to create an orb of light.

    Wow, it''s full of debris.

    And I see lots of fish. It might be connected to the sea somewhere.

    "Buha!"

    I come out of the water.

    Kaede and the others came out seconds later.

    "There was nothing to find, was there?"

    "I don''t know, we haven''t checked the whole place yet. Or maybe someone came before us."

    "Do you think there''s any treasure down there?"

    Frau is looking at the closed door.

    Is it possible that this is the locked door they say is at the end?

    Monica tried to push the door, but it was still locked and could not be opened.

    "If I had a key, I could get in. Too bad."

    "Let me try."

    "It''s no use. No one has ever been able to open that door."

    I pulled out a wire, and inserted it into the keyhole of the door and opened it in a second.

    what we heard was the creaking sound.

    "How is that possible!? You opened it with a simple wire!"

    Monica was so astonished that she recoiled.

    With my super universal key, I can handle this.

    Now, let''s take a look at the relics behind this door.

    I pushed the door with both hands.

    "...Is this it?"

    There was a small base inside the place.

    A blue jewel glittered on it.

    Wait, I''ve seen this jewel somewhere before.

    I think it was at an auction.

    "Master, it''s a life extension jewel!"

    That''s right, it was the same jewel that sold for 850 million.

    It''s a rare item that can save you from death only once.

    It''s not as precious as the elixir, but it''s still valuable enough for anyone to want it.

    "It''s mine! I''m not giving it to anyone!"

    Monica suddenly grabs a jewel and tries to escape.

    However, Frau, who moved quickly, grabbed it.

    "What are you doing, that belongs to my Lord! Give it back!"

    "Please, please give it to me!"

    "Screw you, you big-titted elf!"

    "Don''t touch my breasts! Don''t rub them like that!"

    Given the bizarre situation, I decided to ask Monica what was going on.

 CH 114

    The Jewel of Life Prolonging - a rare item that will save you from any kind of death, just by holding it, just once.

    However, this relic has a hidden side effect.

    It instantly heals the trauma or illness that directly caused the death by reviving you.

    But it will not heal the injury or illness that said person was affected by at the time of death.

    That is the occult effect of this jewel.

    "My father started collecting relics in search of the jewel that prolongs life. My mother has been given only one year to live, and she suffers from an incurable disease. With this jewel, there is a chance to save her."

    In a room in the mansion, Monica sits on the couch in front of us and speaks.

    On the table sat the jewel, glittering.

    "This was the reason you became an adventurer?"

    "Yes, I was looking for this jewel to save my mother''s life. I thought the rumored ruins at the bottom of the ocean contained this valuable object, but unfortunately, we suffered an accident and the ship sank."

    She should have told me.

    I would have helped her with one of the elixirs I have with me.

    Clank

    The door opens and the Marquis de Birfleur enters the room.

    "Why are you here? Wasn''t the money I gave you the other day enough? Have you come to ask for more? You filthy human."

    He sits down next to Monica with an annoyed expression on his face.

    "Now tell me what this inferior race is doing here!"

    He looked down and his eyes grew wide.

    He kept looking at the jewel with the power to prolong people''s lives.

    "Monica, is that what I think it is?"

    "Yes, it is, Father."

    "You found it! Well done!"

    "No, it wasn''t me. It was Toru who found it."

    "What!?"

    his gaze turns to me.

    I wasn''t expecting it at all, that kind of look.

    He instantly turns pale.

    "Well, okay, I''ll give you three million as a reward."

    "That''s very cheap. This is worth at least 100 million."

    "What are you talking about?! I don''t know how much something like this is worth, but I''m sure it''s worth at most 2 million. And I''m giving you 3 million for being someone very special for saving my daughter."

    "I hate lies."

    As I went to grab the jewel off the table, the marquis grabbed my arm.

    "I''ll give you 10 million."

    "The price is 800 million. If you can''t get it now, I''ll give you enough time to collect it, I can wait."

    "That''s a ridiculous amount of money..."

    This amount of money had been decided in consultation with Monica.

    I would have loved to give it away, but Monica wanted me to charge him a fair price, so here we are.

    "I see, so this is fake and you''re trying to rip me off. You damned dirty human, do you want to see my bad side?"

    "No, you''re wrong, father. I watched carefully as Toru found this. It''s definitely a real gem."

    "Monica?!"

    Monica got up from her seat and looked at her father with a serious look on her face.

    "This time you have to thank Toru and his friends. Without them, we wouldn''t have found this relic, so you have to do it for mom."

    "But..."

    "Toru, take the relic."

    "Wait! Wait!"

    The marquis stands up and begins to take off his clothes.

    He stripps down to his underpants, sits on the floor and raises his hands.

    "Please sell me that relic."

    "How much are you willing to pay?"

    "Eight hundred million, I promise."

    Monica nodded her head in satisfaction, but as for me, I feel a little bad about this.

    I didn''t want it to go this far.

    I never thought the marquis would perform his clan''s secret act of gratitude.

    Rather, he didn''t have to take off his pants.

    "I don''t want the money. Your mother''s life is in danger, it wouldn''t be the right thing to do."

    "What!?"

    "You can''t do that, Toru. The right thing to do is for us to pay you for this."

    "Monica, this was never about money. If this can help your mother, I''ll be satisfied with it."

    Monica smiled and her eyes moistened.

    She tried to take off her clothes, so I quickly stopped her.

    "Thank you so much. I''m honored to be able to meet someone who not only saved my life, but my mother''s as well."

    "My daughter is right. I have been blinded by my hatred and contempt for your race that I didn''t see what a good person you were."

    "Oh, um..."

    I felt embarrassed and scratched my cheek with my finger.

    Her dad''s attitude has changed drastically, it''s kind of weird.

    I''m glad he''s a little calmer now, but it''s still creepy.

    I just did the right thing, didn''t I?

    "I''m glad that my Master''s greatness has finally been recognized."

    "True, it calms me down quite a bit."

    "Kyui."

    Kaede, Frau and Panda seem satisfied for some reason.

    "We understand that you don''t want money, but isn''t there something else you wish for? Anything."

    "So, is it possible that you could supply us some food and water on a regular basis?"

    I opened the map and kept talking.

    "I would like you to use one of your ships to deliver supplies to the people on the coast that is located here, it would be great if you could do it once a month."

    "The Dead Forest coast?"

    "Yes, I would like your help with this request. Of course, if it is something that might be too difficult for you, you are free to turn it down. I just need those people to receive a steady supply of food and water for a while."

    "I see... Okay, I''m willing to do that."

    This will finally allow the research team to do a decent job.

    I''m sure we''ll make a lot of progress when the Sinus territory and the research team can interact.

    "But it''s still not enough. It''s not enough to have saved the lives of my daughter and my wife. If you don''t mind, I''d like to ask you to wait a little longer. I''ll be sure to return the favor to your satisfaction."

    "Really, that''s not necessary."

    "Please, I insist."

    The marquis'' words were so firm that they made me nervous.

    With that intimidating aura around him, there was no way I could refuse.

    Frau sprinkles some fairy dust around us and we take to the skies.

    It''s been a few days since I''ve come to this city.

    I''ve been to most of the places I could visit.

    And we still had one last stop left to see, and it was up there.

    I flew vertically and aimed at the top of the giant sword.

    Gently, lowered my foot to the edge of the huge sword.

    Woooosh

    The smell of the tide reached us with the wind.

    In front of our eyes, we could see the vast ocean.

    We sat on the edge and took in the scenery.

    "There''s our island."

    "Do you miss it?"

    "It hasn''t been long enough for me to miss home. I''m excited about all the things we''ll find."

    "Me too."

    When Kaede approaches, I put my hand on her shoulder.

    Her fox ears droop and her expression becomes happy.

    "Kaede, stop cheating! Frau wants some too!"

    "Okay, fine."

    I put my arm around Frau, which was easy since she was in her human size.

    "Kyu!"

    Panda flew above my head.

    It was a very pretty sight.

    Once we get off of here, we won''t be seeing the ocean for a while.

    I have to engrave this image well in my memory.

    "We won''t see Monica again, right?"

    "Exactly. I asked her if she wanted to join us, but she declined because she wanted to spend time with her mother."

    Besides, Monica wanted to volunteer to be the mediator between the research team and the city.

    I''m sure everyone on the coast will be relieved to have contact with someone who is already known by us.

    The next day, we met up with the Behemoths and said goodbye to Monica.

    "I will miss you. I''d like to see you again."

    "We will definitely come back."

    "Take care of yourself, Monica."

    "You too, best of luck."

    I shook hands with Monica.

    The Marquis de Birfleur is also here.

    He handed me a necklace.

    The decoration was engraved with what looked like a family crest depicting a carved shark and anchor.

    "This is an item that we at Bilfrel only give to those we trust. If you wear it, you will be treated as one of our own."

    "Is it like I''m part of your household?"

    "In a way, yes. I am ashamed to say that this country does not regard humans in the same way as elves. The days ahead will be difficult for you."

    "I see, thank you very much."

    "This is nothing compared to what you have done for me. Toru-Dono, since you are heading to the capital, this item I have bestowed upon you will open many doors for you." ¡¡ I also shook hands with the Marquis de Birfleur.

    "See you later."

    "Goodbye, Monica."

    "Goodbye!"

    "Kyui!"

    The Behemoths that were waiting for us in the bushes jumped out of them.

    They stood on two legs, and said goodbye to Monica.

    The Marquis de Birfleur froze with his mouth open.

    We are now heading for the royal capital.

    It is the center of the Kingdom of Petardaus.

    They say there is someone there who knows about dragon folk.

    "Gugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    "Goooooooooooooo!"

    "Guruga! Gururu!"

    The three beasts run ferociously down the road.

    People who crossed our path screamed in fear.

 CH 115

    Having crossed the Sinus territory, we continued to advance through the forest.

    "Monica told me that there is a village down the road called Noelia."

    "It seems to be a small place where many humans live. They say it''s in a valley, so they serve delicious wild vegetables."

    "I''m looking forward to it."

    While riding the Behemoth, I look at the map and am filled with anticipation.

    A village in a valley, which means the mountains must be nearby.

    Someone once told me that mountains are a forbidden passion of men.

    The farthest peak is where a man must aim.

    If there is a mountain, I will certainly climb it.

    "Are there ruins in that place?"

    "I don''t think Monica mentioned anything about those. Because it''s a human village, I guess the elves haven''t paid enough attention to it."

    "Hmm, then I guess we won''t find any treasure."

    "I''m sure we''ll find a great adventure soon. There are quite a few ruins on this continent."

    It''s a fine day, with the white clouds beautifully standing out against the blue sky.

    "Master, there seems to be a river nearby."

    "Let''s take a break there."

    Once we reached the river, I got off Ichiro and sat down on my knees in front of the stream.

    I dipped my hands in to scoop up some of the crystal clear water and bring it to my mouth.

    It is cold and delicious.

    I took out my water bottle and filled it.

    Then I washed my face.

    When I turned around, Kaede was behind me, offering me a handkerchief with her outstretched hand.

    "Um, if you don''t mind, Master, you can use this."

    The handkerchief was embroidered, and on the bottom corner was a small knit image.

    Dark hair, round face¡­ Oh, maybe it''s me?

    Did Kaede knit this..?

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yes. After all, it''s for you, Master."

    "When did you make it?"

    "Monica-San taught me how to do it. I know it didn''t turn out very well, but I thought I could at least use it to clean my Master''s face."

    She looks down and her face is slightly red, as if she''s nervous.

    However, her tail is wagging vigorously, so it''s obvious she''s expecting a compliment.

    I pat her on the head and thank her.

    "Thank you, I''m very happy about this."

    "Master!"

    "E-Eh!"

    "Master, Master, Master, Master, Master, Master, Master!"

    Kaede hugged me and buried her face in my chest.

    She kept sniffing me.

    I have too tender a slave.

    "My Lord~"

    Frau, who was scanning the surroundings, saw Kaede and frowned.

    "No fair, Frau wants some petting too!"

    "Now now, it''s alright."

    "Hehehe, this feels so good. I love you, my lord!"

    "Uhmm... Thank you."

    Suddenly a window appears in front of me.

    ¡¶Notice: Experience saving repair has been completed.¡·

    I knew it was about time.

    The words keep popping up.

    ¡¶Notice: the level of the Camouflage Ring has increased to level 3¡·

    "The fog is getting thicker and thicker."

    "It''s not like a normal fog."

    "I can feel a bit of magic in it. It''s like someone created it."

    The area was completely white because of the fog.

    Ichiro and the other two slowed down and advanced cautiously.

    The fog seems to cover a large area, and even if we advance, we can''t get through the white maze.

    Is it the work of a monster or a person?

    "Hey, isn''t that the village?"

    "Yes, but, there is a strange smell in the air... Is it blood?"

    Ahead of us, we see a shadow that looks like a group of buildings.

    We get off right near the village and decide to go inside.

    "There''s no one here."

    "True, but I can still sense people."

    The village was quite small.

    A dense fog had crept in and filled the place with an eerie silence.

    It gave the impression that the village itself had fallen into a deep sleep.

    "Master, there''s a person over there!"

    I find a person sitting down, leaning against the wall.

    I approached and saw that it was a middle-aged man.

    He seems to be sleeping soundly and doesn''t seem to wake up when I shake him or give him a light tap on the cheek.

    This is clearly abnormal. What is going on in this village?

    "I found another one lying on the ground over here!"

    "Me too!"

    "Gather them here for now."

    We found three people.

    They are all of different ages and genders, but one thing they have in common is that they are in a deep sleep.

    If this is a poison or a curse, I can do something with the medicine I have.

    "They have a sleep irregularity I''ve never seen before."

    "So someone is probably behind this."

    "That''s the most likely explanation."

    "Why would someone do this? Could it have been a bandit with magical powers?"

    "I don''t think that''s possible. From a thief''s point of view, it''s true that the residents are a nuisance, but why are all the houses'' doors still locked? Would a thief take the time to re-lock the doors?"

    I open the door of a nearby house.

    Inside, there was a figure of a person sleeping soundly in a chair.

    There were no signs of a robbery anywhere.

    Could it be that the person responsible for all this really isn''t a thief?

    Doon

    I heard what sounded like an explosion and there was a tremor.

    Outside the house, black smoke rises from the center of village.

    Come to think of it, Kaede said that she smelt blood earlier.

    Maybe there are people still awake and fighting.

    We ran in the direction of the explosion.

    "Aaaaaaaah!"

    "Ahhh!"

    "Aaaaahhh!"

    A group of people staggered down the street, letting out screams.

    They looked like zombies, or puppets.

    They noticed our presence and turned in unison.

    The whites of their eyes were clear to see and drool was coming out of their slightly open mouths.

    Their movements were slow, but there was a restlessness about them that made me take a step back.

    "Master, they are still alive. The state they''re in is a result of mind manipulation...''''

    "The residents of this village have become puppets. Kaede, can you stop them from moving?"

    "No problem. ''Solid Ice''."

    Opening her iron fan, Kaede danced gracefully.

    The ice instantly incased the villagers'' feet, blocking their advance.

    That will buy us some time

    We have to find out what is causing this. We left the residents behind and ran toward the center of the village.

    "Die, die, die, die, die!"

    The young man swung his sword in fury.

    He cut down the swarm members mercilessly.

    "When are we going to end this ¡î"

    "...Ask Zig - I''m not interested in these things."

    "He''s not very nice¡î But I admit I like to make the dead shine."

    "......."

    A woman who appears to be a wizard unleashes a burst of flame with her wand.

    The impact destroyed the villagers and the buildings.

    There was a black knight beside her, his face covered, so I could not see his face.

    However, the speed of his sword is quite fast, and even the simplest attack reduces the number of people in the blink of an eye.

    I felt a strange nostalgia for that move.

    I''ve seen it before, but where?

    Something tells me this won''t end well.

    They probably don''t realize that the villagers are being manipulated.

    "Kaede, blow the villagers away with magic. Don''t let them hurt them anymore."

    "Yes!"

    Kaede waved her iron fan and a strong wind descended from the center of the sky, blowing the crowd of people away.

    "Frau, let''s go."

    "Gotcha!"

    I instantly closed the distance between me and the young man with the sword, and made him stop.

    He was about to kill a girl.

    "Who are you? Get out of my way."

    "Listen. The inhabitants of this place are just being manipulated. What needs to be eliminated is the cause of this situation."

    The young man laughed at my words.

    "What''s up with that? These guys are human, right?"

 CH 116

    I did not immediately understand the words the young man had said.

    He doesn''t mind killing innocent people?

    Some of them were still small children.

    "Humans are a weak race that is at the mercy of the elves, what does it matter if a few die?"

    "You..."

    "Do you have any idea how to free them?"

    "Well..."

    "Then get out of my way."

    He shoves me and raises his sword towards the girl again.

    Gin

    Our swords clash again and a metallic sound spreads through the air.

    I stopped his sword again.

    "I see you still haven''t learned your place yet."

    "I''ll find a way to fix this. So don''t kill them."

    "That doesn''t matter to me. All I care about is getting what I want."

    "This isn''t about pleasing a client. We''re talking about the lives of innocent people."

    "You''re annoying. How dare you get in my way? You''re human."

    I pushed his body back with my sword, at the same time protecting the girl.

    However, the young man immediately regains his stance and heads towards me.

    It''s difficult to fight while protecting a child, but considering the influence on the surroundings, it''s not a situation where I can clash swords with the intention of hurting him.

    Kaede is also busy dealing with the magician over there, and also with Frau fighting the black knight.

    Maybe I can convince him if I can persuade him.

    "Please listen to me."

    "Damn human, how come you can stop my attacks? My level is over 500, it''s quite annoying not being able to kill a disgusting human."

    It''s like you won''t listen to me.

    Please listen to me.

    Ah, shit, what should I do?

    "Gotcha!"

    "Not likely."

    "--Nugu!?"

    As soon as he raised his sword, I gave him a light kick in the groin.

    I kept my blow from being too hard so that his balls hadn''t been crushed--I hope.

    With this he should have calmed down.

    The young man dropped his sword, grabbed his crotch and crouched down.

    "Zig!?"

    "...What happened to him?"

    The other two, who are probably his friends, also interrupted the fight and rushed towards the young man.

    Kaede and Frau move behind me.

    The teary-eyed young man is supported by the magician and stares at me

    "Okay, it''s okay, I''ll quit this time. You can thank me later."

    "I don''t mean to ruin your work, but it''s not right for you to kill innocent people."

    "Shut up. If you don''t solve this, I''ll come back here and kill every single person in this place. Tell me what the name of your party is."

    "I''m Toru from the Manyu Brigade. And these are my friends, Kaede and Frau."

    "I am Zig, the hero of Petardaus, a member of The Wise Sword of the Sacred Forest, and these are Celtina and Aid."

    Oh, so he is the hero of this continent.

    Well, he does bear a resemblance to Sain.

    "I have memorized your names and faces. The next time we meet, you will pay for what you did today."

    Zig turns the back of his right hand toward me.

    The Mark of the Beast was there, glowing red.

    "Get out, Sylkvia!"

    "Gur!"

    A gust of wind is generated and a beast appears.

    It is an inorganic object that looks like a flower.

    In the center was an octahedral mass slowly spinning like a jewel, surrounded by a large flat scaffold of what appeared to be four petals.

    Zig and the others climbed onto the petals and floated gently.

    "I hope you''ll do your best to find the cause of this problem."

    "See you later, fox girl¡î"

    "............."

    Apparently, that thing is called "Sylkvia", and it''s a type of flying Beast.

    Huh, I didn''t know that kind of beast existed.

    Maybe it''s a creature that hatches from a huge beast egg.

    We have already confirmed its presence in the elven village.

    "It''s hard to believe that they''re elves like Alusha-san."

    "Jumm, not at all! It''s not fair to compare Alusha-san to these elves. Besides, both Kaede and Alusha-san have respect for the Lord."

    "Really?"

    I agree with Kaede.

    I can''t imagine Alusha talking the same way as these guys... Although I think she did when we first met, but then she changed.

    Or am I wrong?

    Well, no time to think about it, there''s a lot of work to do.

    "Kaede, do you see anything suspicious nearby?"

    "...No. There doesn''t seem to be anything in the vicinity that''s causing this."

    "It''s possible it''s hidden. Frau, is there anything we can detect?"

    "No. At least it''s not hiding in this area. I''ll check again from above."

    Frau flies directly overhead, further extending her range of visibility.

    "Icefall!"

    Snowflake-inducing magic dyes the ground pure white.

    The feet of the approaching villagers are now covered in ice and cannot move.

    This will buy us some time.

    As expected of Kaede, she can always be counted on.

    "There''s a lake over there! Judging by the density of the fog, I''d say that''s where it''s coming from."

    "That means there''s something that''s creating this crazy fog. Shall we go to the lake then?"

    "Yes."

    Kaede and I decided to head to the lake following Frau''s guidance.

    "What do you think, are there any suspicious creatures?"

    I noticed a large reaction in the center of the lake. It appears to be an aquatic creature called a Mistmaker. According to my appraisal, it creates a hypnotic fog and manipulates living creatures."

    "It''s a monster I''ve never heard of - is it reasonable to think of it as an endemic species living on the mainland? Anyway, the cause has been found. Sharkboy, are you ready?".

    "Glup!"

    I activated Mega Boost in case it was even more dangerous than I think.

    Sharkboy headed towards the monster at breakneck speed while raising a column of water.

    I couldn''t see the fight due to the thick fog.

    I only managed to see the red light emitting from Sharkboy. Besides that, I could hear the roars of the monster and SharkBoy.

    The thick fog starts to fade.

    Maybe it''s over?

    "What is that thing coming towards us?"

    As Frau said, there is a large mass floating on the surface of the lake, coming towards us.

    But it''s not swimming, it''s more it''s like drifting.

    It came to the water''s edge with the current.

    The Mistmaker... It looked completely like an octopus.

    It was about ten meters long, with a slimy body surface and a dark blue color.

    On its head, there were innumerable holes that looked like exit wounds.

    It looked like it had been mauled by a shark, and there were many burned holes on it. Also, its lungs seemed to have stopped completely.

    "Glup glup!"

    Sharkboy came out of the water.

    I patted him on the head, and he began to shake his body with glee.

    "I guess now the villagers here should be back to normal."

    "Wow, I never imagined there would be monsters like that around here. Frau isn''t very good with octopi or animals with soft bodies."

    Kaede smiled as Frau poked the monster with a branch.

    "Thank you for your help!"

    "I''m sorry I couldn''t save everyone."

    "Don''t be sorry for that. Without you, the adventurer would have killed us all."

    The village chief shook my hand in gratitude.

    The survivors present also nodded at his words.

    More than thirty residents were killed by Zig and his companions.

    It''s a shame to think that I could have saved them had I arrived earlier.

    "Thank you for saving me, Onii-chan."

    "I''m glad you''re okay."

    The girl''s smile seemed to save me a little.

    The Wise Sword of the Sacred Forest.

    If I ever get the chance to see you again, I''ll punch you in the face.

    I don''t care if you are a hero of this country.

    I will never approve of your way of doing things.

 CH 117

    The sound of crackling fire echoed as Kaede stirred a steaming pot with her ladle.

    In the pot are many mushrooms that were given to us in the village, and although they look green, they give off a very pleasant aroma that stimulates the appetite.

    The forest is quiet at night, with Rosuke and Kuratan keeping watch over the place.

    Chupi is perched on a tree branch, and Panda is happily being groomed by Frau.

    A quiet dinner, the most relaxing time of day.

    "I see you like it."

    "Kyu¡«"

    "You should thank Frau for brushing you like this every day."

    "Kyu,kyui."

    "Huh? It''s only natural for my sweat to have a sweet smell this time of year... Besides, it''s not like I sweat that much, right? Hey! Why are you looking away!?"

    Frau was not only looking at Panda, but at us as well.

    Kaede and I avert our eyes.

    Frau''s back has such a sweet smell that, if placed next to an ant hill, they would surely all crawl up her body in a second.

    I never imagined that a fairy''s sweat would smell sweet at a certain time of the year.

    "The people of this village are very grateful to us."

    "Yes... I felt a little bad when they insisted we stay a year with them. With a hero like that in this country, they must be desperate."

    "You mean that party?"

    The Heroic Sword of the Sacred Forest, led by the hero Zig, the most famous adventurer in the country at present.

    His reputation is quite good, and he has already accomplished great feats.

    Of course that is the reputation he has among the elves, but the opposite is true for humans and other races.

    I don''t think it''s misinformation from what I witnessed before.

    "Well, I must say it''s impressive what an amazing beast they have. To be able to fly several meters high with multiple people on board, it''s to be admired."

    "Kyui!"

    Panda was in Shock.

    I looked at his eye as it started to tear up.

    Panda jumped onto Kaede''s chest.

    "Frau, please think about Panda''s feelings."

    "My mistake, I''m sorry. The good thing about Panda is that he''s not tall enough to fly. And you have a soft and fluffy feel to you as well as being delicious looking."

    "Kyu¡«!!!!"

    "Why are you crying again!?"

    Poor Panda, his pride has been broken in every possible way.

    The next day, we could not continue our journey due to it raining heavily since early morning.

    We took shelter from the rain under a large tree, and stayed and waited while listening to the sound of rain fall.

    "Kura¡«"

    "Thank you, Kuratan."

    Kuratan, who is protecting us from the rain, hands a ball of yarn to Kaede with one of his tentacles.

    She was busy knitting something.

    She really been getting into sewing and knitting lately, and since I told her how happy I was with the scarf she made for me, she seems to have picked up more impetus to go on.

    "Master ~ ? Master ~ ? Master ~  ? Master ~  ? Master~ ?"

    "Hey, Kaede, can''t you do something about that weird song?"

    "What, was I singing that?"

    "Yes, you were."

    She refocused on her hands, and began humming as she wagged her tail.

    Panda was behind her, chasing her tail with his gaze.

    Frau is sitting on the branch of a big tree, eating cookies.

    I squat in the rain while watching my friends.

    Rainy days are great for strength training.

    You get sweaty and clean at the same time.

    I''ve always decided that weather like this is a workout.

    "I see that the Lord likes to exercise a lot."

    "Yes, the Onee-San who lived next door to me when I was a kid did it all the time, and that''s how it became a habit for me."

    "She had big breasts, didn''t she?"

    "How did you know!?"

    "The only reason for the young master to go to the trouble of training in the pouring rain is because he loved to see his neighbor''s breasts become visible through her wet shirt as it clings to her body... So every time it rains, those memories come to mind. Am I right?"

    That''s... That''s right.

    Does she have a detective job? Or is it that she can see the past now?

    The reason I like breasts is because of my neighbor''s influence.

    My stay in town was short, but those muscle training days were one of the factors that shaped who I am today.

    "Master... Do you like that person?"

    "No, no, no! It''s only because of her breasts... Damn it! What am I saying!? Frau!"

    "Frau, the great detective, knows exactly what you''re thinking."

    "Frau-San, please don''t do this again. Otherwise I''ll take away your cookies."

    "No! Not my cookies!"

    What a horrifying fairy.

    How dare she dig up my hidden past?

    From now on I will treat Frau-San (28 years old) more carefully.

    I stroked Kaede''s head as she grew teary eyed.

    We stopped at a small village on the way.

    In the center of the village, the villagers had gathered and were discussing something with serious faces.

    "If this keeps up, we will be annihilated. Still no news of the adventurers we requested?"

    "No. At this rate we''re going to starve to death."

    "If only there was someone who could use spirit magic...."

    Annihilated, starve, some very disturbing words.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "That outfit, are you an adventurer? You''ve come to the right place! Hey everyone, the adventurer we requested has arrived!"

    "Wait, I..."

    One of the villagers grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the gathered people.

    Without allowing me a chance to explain, the villagers surrounded me while saying things like; "only you can help us." and; "please get rid of them."

    "Okay, just tell me what''s going on."

    According to the villagers, crop-eating monsters have been frequently appearing in this area.

    As a result, they are in a critical situation.

    The name of these monsters is ''Samegra''.

    They''re a type of vermin that moves along the ground at high speed.

    I knew these animals well. Since they often appeared in my hometown and devoured the crops.

    That''s why I can understand their anger.

    They are weak animals in terms of strength, but when it comes to escaping they are terribly fast.

    It''s not easy to get rid of them, even for experienced people.

    "It''s terrible. A lot of potatoes have been devoured."

    "They do what they want."

    "Kyui."

    There were holes made by the Samegra all over the field.

    Potatoes were left scattered all over the field, and other crops were also chewed up.

    In addition, the roots seemed to have been bitten off, and all the plants had wilted and some had even turned a light brown color.

    "Rosuke, go!"

    I called Rosuke out from the seal.

    "Get rid of any Samegra you find."

    "Shaaaa!"

    Curling his body, Rosuke dives into the ground and tracks down the Samegra.

    Rosuke, who sees his surroundings with different senses, can also see the monsters lurking in the ground.

    "Piggi?"

    "Sha!"

    The vermin escapes from the ground, crawling out of the hole as it screams.

    But my beast was by far faster than it, and the Samegra was pierced through the body and then died.

    One of them is already dead. Surely there are about more than thirty.

    With Rosuke''s help, the vermin began to dwindle in numbers rapidly.

    The extermination will be completed soon.

    Bogo

    Bogogogogogogogo

    The ground rises high

    A shark-like dorsal fin sticks out of the ground.

    Based on its size, I''d say it was the chief of the Samegra.

    The beast started moving towards us at great speed.

    "Here it comes."

    "I''ll let you guys handle this."

    Kaede and Frau stepped forward.

    The beast rose up from the ground and swung its sharp claws at them.

    "I won''t let you touch the Master."

    Plink

    Kaede froze the monster in an instant.

    Followed by Frau, who struck it with her hammer.

    "Hammer Breeeeeeak!"

    With that, the Samegra boss was crushed.

    It seems that the extermination of the monsters is over, and Rosuke has returned.

    A total of forty beasts were annihilated.

    It seems that there were more than we thought.

    "We have finished our work, but a lot of the crops were damaged in the process."

    "Sorry, it was Frau''s fault."

    Frau lowered her head in embarrassment.

    I looked at Kaede, and she was also confused by the things Frau says.

    "Hey, Frau, did you forget that you have the growth prayer ability?"

    "Ah, yes, you can accelerate the growth of plants. But how effective is it on weak plants?"

    "Leave it to me. Be prepared to praise Frau a lot."

    A dazzling green light emanated from Frau''s body.

    The light fell on the plants and was absorbed by them.

    Would it be enough to bring them back to normal?

    "Master!"

    "This...!"

    The plants that were about to die regained their vivid color, and the withered leaves turned upward as if they wanted to stretch their stems toward the sky.

    It was hard to believe that the plant that had been dying just a moment ago was alive again.

    The crops that bore the most fruit seemed to have grown in size!

    "Frau, your power is incredible."

    "Very well done! You were amazing!"

    "Hehe, I like that. Come on, praise me and pet me."

    Frau was in a good mood, and even more so as she rubbed her head against my palm.

    However, what just happened will get us a lot of attention. It will make us stand out more than planned.

    We revived a field that was about to disappear in a matter of seconds.

    Fortunately there are no villagers nearby.

    "Let''s quietly leave this place. I don''t want them to find us here when they see this."

    "That''s so common of you, Master. Saving people without asking for anything in return."

    "Thank you."

    I wouldn''t put it that way, but I guess it''s okay.

    We left as fast as we could.

 CH 118

    We arrived at the capital of the Petardaus nation.

    I hid the Behemoth in the nearby forest and entered the city.

    "You are not allowed to enter. Get out of here as soon as possible."

    Several guards gathered at the entrance and told us that we were forbidden to enter.

    The rest of the elves passing by us enter the city without a problem.

    Some humans also enter, but they all wear collars, indicating that they are slaves.

    In other words, humans who are not slaves cannot enter the city?

    What a nasty way to treat people.

    It makes me want to break through.

    However, let''s see if we can settle this quietly first.

    I''m not one to brag.

    "I have identification."

    "We don''t want an ID. If you really want to get in, you have to be a slave. But... For 300,000 I can give you a special pass. What do you say? Pretty generous, right?"

    Ah, so it''s about money.

    There''s a way for non-slave humans to get in.

    But in exchange for the scorn, they charge you quite a high price.

    But most of all, why do we have to be the only ones to pay?

    What is this nonsense about elves being good and humans being bad?

    If they discriminate against us, we''ll go in with all our might.

    "I don''t plan to pay you to enter the city. But I''ll still take the liberty of doing so."

    "What? What the hell are you talking about, human man? Hurry up and pay me. Or do you want to pay with the slave behind you?"

    "Step aside."

    "Ugh!"

    The guards pointed their spears at me, but I ignored them and continued on my way into the city.

    After four steps, a spear was thrust into my abdomen.

    But the point didn''t even penetrate the skin, and the guards were astonished.

    "It didn''t go through! It''s like stabbing a stone!"

    "Guys, don''t let them in!"

    "Hoo? I thought elves were superior to humans - can''t they stand against me?"

    The handle of the spear snapped!

    I pushed forward, pushing the guards away.

    The guards cling to my body to prevent me from entering.

    "He''s so strong! I can''t believe the four of us can''t stop him! Somebody call for reinforcements!"

    One after another, the guards rushed over and clung to my body.

    Of course, there was no way to stop me.

    I walked dragging more than ten elves with me, I proudly entered the city from the front.

    "I''m not sure if this guy is really human! He''s surpassed level 100!"

    ''''Captain, what should we do!? This is a situation we can''t handle!"

    "Damn it, I''ll take care of him! Get out of the way!"

    "Oh!"

    "He''s stopped!"

    I just remembered something.

    I remembered that Monica''s father had given me a necklace with the family crest on it.

    I pulled the necklace out of my pocket and let the guards check it out.

    "I''m so sorry, I didn''t know you were from the Birflell family. If you''re related to the Marquis, even if you are a human, I would have let you pass right away if you had shown me this."

    The man called the captain lowered his weapon and smiled at the conversation.

    It seems to have worked

    When I see Marquis Birflell again, I will thank him properly.

    "Captain, is the necklace real? I thought Marquis Birflell didn''t like humans."

    "''Hm, I don''t care if they''re fake or real, if they cause any more trouble they''ll probably get us fired, but keep an eye on those guys just in case."

    "Understood."

    I could hear the voices of the guards at my back.

    They seem to think I can''t hear them talking at this distance.

    Surely a normal human wouldn''t be able to...

    But unfortunately for them, I am not a normal human.

    ''''Master, the person we''re looking for knows a lot about dragons, right?

    "''Yes, but I don''t know where he lives, I was only told his name. We''ll have to ask the people in this place where we can find him."

    "We''d better go eat! There''s a nice restaurant there!"

    "Kyui."

    Come to think of it, we hadn''t had lunch yet.

    It''s not too late to find a place to eat, and even more so in a place like this.

    So we decided to go to the restaurant.

    "What the hell is this place? It''s disgusting! What do you mean humans can''t come in?!"

    "Kyu!"

    "I''m going to tear this whole store apart!"

    "Kyu-kyu!"

    Frau is shaking with rage.

    Kaede and Frau could enter the place, but not me. The owner forbade me to enter.

    It seems that discrimination is very strong in this capital city.

    People on the street looked at us coldly.

    With this atmosphere, I have a feeling it''s going to be hard to ask around.

    Tap tap tap tap

    There was someone moving from shadow to shadow, directing a strong gaze towards us.

    I guess it''s the surveillance imposed on us by the guards.

    "Ugh!?"

    "Wait."

    After a while of chasing us, the watchman ran into a narrow alley.

    But Kaede had already surrounded him.

    "Fuhe!?"

    "I won''t let you go."

    The person whose way is blocked was nervous because he is caught in the middle, and he starts to stagger to the point that I feel sorry to see him.

    He''s wearing armor, but it''s obvious from his silhouette that he''s actually a woman.

    "I want you to do something for me, I want you to guide me somewhere and in return I''ll pay you."

    "Hee."

    "I promise we won''t try anything, tell me where we can go and we''ll let you go."

    "I know you think the Master is a bad person, but he''s just the opposite. He''s someone very kind."

    Kaede persuaded the girl to help us.

    The female guard sits up and raises her hands in a pose of surrender.

    The female soldier''s name is "Jessica".

    She is a humble girl who has just enlisted in the army.

    It seems that the soldier who was ordered to guard us was too much of a coward and forced her to do the job.

    In any case, all I can say is that she has no talent for surveillance.

    "I am trying my best to become a full-fledged soldier. But my superiors don''t teach me anything, I''m forced to do grunt work and I don''t know what I''m supposed to do on the field."

    "You''re having a hard time, aren''t you?"

    "Yes, I am. I''m having a really hard time."

    Jessica was a beautiful woman, she had her hair tied up in a ponytail.

    She seemed to have a low sense of discrimination towards humans, and it was fairly easy to get to know her.

    The fact that she had just arrived from a small town in the countryside was probably an important factor.

    "Yabai-San lives in that building. I should warn you that he is known for his eccentricities. You never know what he might do."

    "Really?"

    So he''s a weirdo... I like him already.

    But I''ve been told that person knows a lot about dragons.

    Since I''ve learned the truth, I can''t stop here.

    I knock on the front door.

    "Yes, who is it?"

    "!?"

    The one who opened the door was a woman in a maid''s uniform.

    But I immediately had a strange feeling.

    There was no sign of life in her.

    It was as if he was looking at a doll in front of me.

    "What can I do for you?"

    "We are adventurers and we are on a mission. I would like to ask Yabai-San a few questions."

    "... Status confirmation Attention, camouflage is applied. Confirmation of genetic information, SS evaluation, administrator authority accepted. Welcome, Master Two."

    The maid ushers us into the building.

    Wow, there''s a lot of clutter and junk in here.

    What''s going on here? There''s a maid here, but she hasn''t cleaned up anything.

    No, I was wrong, looking closely, everything is different.

    At first glance, it seems to be in a chaotic state, but it looks like it''s sorted properly by type.

    "It''s amazing, what is this place?"

    "Kyui."

    "Oh, so the rumors about him being a weird guy are true."

    "Master, why did she call you Master Two?"

    "I don''t know, I''ll ask Yabai-San when I see him."

    The maid led us down a narrow hallway with a big pile of knick knacks piled up, to a staircase going down

    "Master, a customer has arrived."

    "Send him away, I''m busy."

    "But he''s already here."

    "Who ordered you to let them in, you pompous maid!"

    "I demand correction, I am a machine that functions perfectly in all its capacities. Perhaps the problem is in the Master''s mind."

    "Shut up! I will dismantle you into silence."

    "Try if you can, but I know Master won''t be able to do it, haha."

    The old man and the maid started fighting, so we decided to wait for them to finish.

 CH 119

    Thirty minutes have passed.

    The quarrel between the two is still not over.

    "The Master should bathe at least once a week. His smell is so strong you can see it. You have no idea of the things the neighbors say about you."

    "Let them say what they want. Why do you even spend so much time dwelling on things that don''t matter, like the smell of the person who made you? Turn off your olfactory sensors."

    "I beg to disagree, Master. Why should this machine sacrifice its sense of smell for the sake of its master''s selfishness? It is so questionable that I doubt your sanity."

    "You are my maid!"

    "Since when did you get the misconception that a maid will listen to your every word?"

    How long is this going to go on?

    Frau is so bored she''s falling asleep.

    And Jessica, on the other hand, was already asleep.

    "I think you should stop them."

    "I don''t want to be a nuisance by getting in their way."

    The basement was just as cluttered as the upstairs.

    There were various oddly shaped glass containers, metal pipes and pots, bottled herbs and monstrous materials, countless scrolls on the shelves, and a large magic circle on the floor.

    Perhaps he is an alchemist.

    "Stupid! You''re stupid!"

    "00 bastard. 00 master. 00 alchemist who can only do 00 to 00."

    "Damn it! Somebody kill me! I want to die right now!"

    "Victory!"

    The maid flashed a V-sign with her hand while remaining expressionless, but she looked somewhat proud of herself.

    I don''t care what just happened, I just want her to introduce us already.

    And why don''t you comfort your Master? He''s crying.

    "My name is Yabai, an alchemist."

    Yabai, red-eyed, took a sip of his tea and introduced himself.

    to him sat the maid.

    "Hey, why are you sitting next to me? You need to know your place."

    "Since when do you think this machine is beneath you?"

    "All right. Do what you want."

    "You just ordered me to, so I''m free to do it."

    Yabai speaks again.

    "So, Toru, you want to know about an ancient species, right? The dragon people."

    "Yes, I''d like to know more about them. I''m willing to pay you whatever you want for that information. That is, of course, if the information is correct."

    "I don''t care about money. I want to know why. I''m interested in your motives."

    "I..."

    I''m speechless.

    I don''t know how I''m going to explain it.

    If I start from the beginning, it will take a long time, and the fact that I am a dragonoid will be revealed.

    Even I''m not stupid enough to think it''s a good idea to reveal a secret to someone you don''t even know you can trust.

    "This man is 99.9% Dragonoid. And judging by his genetic information, he''s the son of Master One."

    "Oh, so you''re a survivor of an ancient species. Then it makes sense."

    "What!? How did you know I was a dragonoid!?"

    The maid just revealed my identity to the old man.

    What just happened?

    "Kukuku, I see you''re surprised. She has a human appearance, but she''s actually a Golem, one of the original ones created by the ancient race... Life Support Golem LL-0223."

    "Life support golem... In other words, it''s an artificial object?"

    "Yes, Master Two."

    The maid made a V-sign without changing her expression.

    Frau and Panda, who showed interest, approached the maid and observed her closely.

    "She seems to be alive... Even if she''s not real."

    "Kyui."

    "Of course. This machine is one of the beings that can be called the crystallization of wisdom.... It''s a high performance maid golem that can meet all kinds of demands. Originally, it shouldn''t be in a place like this."

    "And you''re also a first class foul mouthed one."

    "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say old man. Have a cushion so you don''t hurt your back."

    Yabai was very angry.

    The maid seemed to have no idea what was going on and didn''t seem to care for it.

    Kaede, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, laughs.

    "Since you saw me, you''ve been calling me ''Master Two''. What does that mean?"

    "It means ''Second Lord''."

    "Me after Yabai?"

    "No, Master Two. Yabai-Sama is a temporary master. The official master registered to me is your mother."

    What do you mean by that?

    "My mother is your first master?"

    If so, why is she here?

    I looked at Yabai again, he looked away, seemingly angry.

    "Master, talk to this young man."

    "I don''t want to, you explain it to him."

    "This machine doesn''t know what happened before it woke up. It must be the genius alchemist, Yabai-Sama, who explains, as only you know the circumstances."

    "Genius alchemist!?"

    Yabai reacted with a jerk.

    "I would like the rare genius Yabai-Sama, who is overflowing with talent and has won all kinds of honors, but has discarded them all to continue his research in solitude, to explain himself."

    "Very well, I''ll do it!"

    The motivated Yabai begins to speak.

    Yabai had always shown great interest in the ancient race.

    In the process, he researched various ruins and artifacts, and managed to duplicate some of them, making Yabai''s name widely known.

    One rainy day, an unknown woman appeared at his door.

    She was carrying something wrapped in cloth and told him she was a dragon person.

    Yabai was skeptical of her words, but with the use of an appraisal scroll, he knew it was the undeniable truth.

    He was very excited about it.

    An ancient species thought to be extinct had survived.

    There was so much he wanted to know, so much he didn''t know what to ask, Yabai said.

    The woman called herself "Kuon".

    She was a woman of few words and, contrary to expectations, did not talk much.

    A very quiet woman, she read a lot of books, strangely perceptive, a good cook, and a great cleaner.

    She was very intelligent, and also seemed to understand Yabai''s research instantly.

    After staying here for a few days, she left the maid (the golem) and went somewhere.

    "...Kuon never gave me an answer to all my questions, it''s like she was trying to hide from something that was chasing her."

    "What if she had no memory of who she was?"

    "I don''t think that was the case. It was Kuon who repaired the silly maid here."

    Life support golem LL-0223 was fixed by my mother?

    Maybe the thing my mother was holding back then was the maid.

    Kuon... That''s my mother''s real name.

    Although it''s the first time I''ve heard a name like that, I like it.

    "What do you know about my mother?"

    "I''m afraid the memory of this machine has been deliberately erased. The only order I have been given is to serve this old alchemist."

    So her memory''s been erased.

    That''s not good. I thought I had found a huge clue.

    I turn around and see that Jessica is still sound asleep.

    I''ll let her sleep a little longer.

    "Did she say where she came from?"

    "I don''t know. I asked her where she was from and where she was going, but she wouldn''t tell me."

    Yabai continued his story.

    "But she did tell me the reason she was traveling."

    "What did she say!?"

    "She said she was searching for a place where she can find peace."

    Hearing this, Mom''s happy smile flashed across my mind.

    Mom had finished her journey. That place where she lived with me and my father was where she found peace, wasn''t it?

    When I think about it, I feel a warmth deep in my heart.

    "That''s all I needed to hear. Thank you, Yabai."

    "Wait a minute. I don''t know where she came from, but I know someone who might."

    Really?

    You should have said that earlier!

    Yabai pulls an old book off his shelf.

    He flips through it and shows me a page.

    "In this world, there is a race called ''Celestial Beasts'' who possess unimaginable power. It is said that they are the progenitors of the Beast Tribe, and that they served the ancient race."

    Celestial Beasts?

    A woman with fox ears who looked like Kaede appeared in the book.

 CH 120

    On our return to the palace, we knelt gallantly before Her Majesty the Queen.

    "Hello, Zig. How was the mission?"

    "I''m sorry, Your Majesty. We couldn''t complete the mission. A human interfered, so we couldn''t fully exterminate the villagers who were possessed by the mist."

    "Don''t worry about that. Never mind the lives of the lower races. I sent you there to get everything under control, but whether they live or die is something that shouldn''t matter."

    "Thank you for your generosity."

    A mental smile forms in my head.

    I knew this would happen anyway.

    As Her Majesty''s favorite, I wouldn''t be blamed.

    After this, you will be bent over my bed, pleading with me in the wildest way possible.

    Soon you will be impregnated by me.

    If that comes to pass, my position on the throne will be secure and I will be able to rule this country from the shadows.

    Being the hero is only a stepping stone.

    It is impossible for a man as talented as me to remain a mere hero.

    I will climb to the top in the end, then live the rest of my life the way I want.

    There is no plan more perfect than this.

    "Soon you will be on your way to defeat the evil dragon. You know your mission, don''t you?"

    "Yes. As a hero, I must slay the evil dragon and reclaim the sacred land."

    "Good. The Spirit King is still waiting for us there. You can''t afford to fail, Hero Zig. You will have to make careful preparations for the final battle."

    "I will, Your Majesty."

    After receiving the request, I went to leave the audience hall.

    However, Her Majesty stopped me.

    "Oh, by the way, I hear your fianc¨¦ is back. Why don''t you visit her to see how she''s doing?"

    "I will in the near future."

    Her Majesty looked at me with jealousy in her eyes.

    Damn you, you old hag. You''re disgusting.

    Surely you''re worried that I won''t marry you.

    Don''t worry, I won''t leave you. You are necessary to fulfill my wishes.

    "They''ve already been defeated?"

    When I arrived at the village, I received unexpected news.

    The other day, a group of adventurers accepted the job of killing the Samegra.

    In addition, the adventurers revived a field that was about to disappear and left without receiving any reward.

    The villagers praised them, saying, "They were our saviors."

    What''s going on?

    I am supposed to be the one who accepted this job.

    Why was it done by someone I don''t know?

    I don''t like this.

    You''ve got to be kidding me.

    "Please accept one of our Manyu vegetables, hero."

    "Manyu vegetables? What''s that?"

    "We call them Manyu vegetables on behalf of our saviors. They have grown sweeter and bigger with the help of those people. We are all very grateful to them for making our village famous."

    I squeezed the tomato offered to me by the villagers with my hand.

    Why do I have to eat that thing?

    I''m the one who should be praised.

    "Zig, let''s get out of this disgusting town¡î. It smells like dirt, there''s nothing here and it''s boring."

    "...Celtina."

    "Easy, Aide, it was just a joke¡î"

    "....You should watch your words. The hero and his party are always being watched in every aspect."

    "Yes yes yes yes¡î"

    Aide picks up one of the tomatoes and thanks the villagers, "I''ll take this one."

    He is a member who just joined our party recently.

    He speaks very little, and always wears full jet black armor that you can''t even confirm his face, or even his age and race. He is a man shrouded in mystery.

    But I don''t mind.

    He has fighting skills, doesn''t talk much, and can be minimally trusted. With that, I am satisfied.

    After all, friends are disposable.

    I''m satisfied as long as they''re useful.

    Above all, I''m not interested in men.

    "Let''s go."

    "Yes, yes ¡î"

    "..."

    We arrived at Apolloa, in the territory of Sinus.

    "Do you know what you''re doing?"

    "How long are you going to prepare this ¡î?"

    "Don''t bother me. Aide, did you buy the flowers?"

    "....Yes."

    I check my hairstyle over and over again in the hand mirror.

    My fianc¨¦e... It''s been a long time since I''ve seen her.

    She''s an adventurous tomboy despite being a marquis'' daughter, but I like her smile and enveloping aura.

    And that seductive body she can''t fully hide, I can''t wait to embrace her.

    I''ve had over a hundred women in my life, so I know.

    That woman is magnificent.

    I can''t stop drooling. Heh, how silly.

    "Do you think you can conquer her ¡î?"

    "That''s a stupid question. With my skill [Awareness Induction], she''s already leaning 80% towards me. If I can take one more step, Monica will be mine."

    "You have this thing called me, and still a fianc¨¦e, too¡î"

    "What are you talking about? Our relationship is just sex. If you have a problem with that, you can leave."

    "I-I''m sorry! I''m just a little jealous¡î"

    Tch. I hate women who don''t know their place.

    I''ll teach you a lesson later.

    It''s time for me to make you my property, Monica.

    The love of my life, my fianc¨¦e, I''m here to see you.

    "Our engagement is cancelled."

    "What?"

    I dropped the bouquet to the floor.

    It was as if I couldn''t understand a word she was saying.

    "I''ll say it again. I''m breaking off my engagement to you."

    "Why? Wasn''t it your family that wanted the Jewel of Life that I possess? That''s why you pledged yourself to me!"

    "We have already found one. Our family wishes to continue to have a good relationship with the Count, but we no longer have any reason to proceed with this engagement."

    That''s a lie.

    It thought I could finally make Monica mine.

    Then Marquis Bilfrelle showed up.

    "Oh, hello Zig-Dono. As expected of the hero, you were the first to come after my daughter''s return."

    "Well, it''s only natural that I come to visit my fianc¨¦e. Besides, there''s something that just took me by surprise. Monica-San said she wishes to cancel our engagement. Is that true?"

    "You didn''t know? I''m sorry, but I spoke with your father the other day. The Count has accepted our request to cancel the engagement."

    My father accepted that proposal?!

    Damn it, how much money did he ask for this?!

    I knew he didn''t want me to have his daughter.

    I was so close. So close to having Monica.

    "Mo-Monica... You don''t want to marry me?"

    "No. Besides, I''ve met a wonderful man who I''ve fallen in love with. And not only has he saved my life, but my mother''s as well."

    "Another man...?"

    I opened my eyes wide, astonished.

    Her mind, which should have been leaning towards the thought of loving me, had completely moved away.

    Awareness-inducing abilities have a weak effect at first, but over time they can bring about major mental changes.

    There is no doubt that she used to have feelings for me.

    And yet, within a month, the situation has changed dramatically.

    It is reasonable to assume that something has happened that has nullified the effect of the ability.

    Oh, right. She said her life was saved.

    Geez, who is this guy?

    The one who took my Monica.

    I''m going to kill him. I''ll make sure he''s dead.

    If he disappeared from this world, she''d come back to me.

    "Can you tell me the name of that wonderful person?"

    "Yes! His name is Toru-Sama!"

    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

    Tooooooooooooooooruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!

 CH 121

    Heavenly Beasts: long before ancient times, there was a powerful race that served the dragons.

    Its appearance is very similar to that of the Beastkin tribe, and at first glance, it is difficult to distinguish them from each other.

    However, their power is incomparable, and they seem to be recognized as a unique existence because they are both powerful and unmatched.

    "This book says so, but do heavenly beasts really exist?"

    "I haven''t actually seen them with my own eyes, but there are references in the literature that separate heavenly beasts from the beastkin tribe, so it seems that at least one such being existed a long time ago."

    "And what do you expect me to do with this information? Do you want me to go out and find one and ask them about my mother...?"

    "That''s exactly what I''m saying. It''s very likely that a heavenly beast has been in contact with Kuon. It may even know where she came from."

    You want me to go meet a species whose location I don''t even know? This is insane. It''s also a very bad idea.

    "Of course, the problem lies in the fact that we don''t know where to find them. That''s why you''ll have to go to the Spirit King."

    "The spirit king?"

    "As the name implies, he is the pinnacle of spirits. He may know the whereabouts of the heavenly beasts'' location."

    I see. If we can meet the Spirit King, we can find out where the Heavenly Beasts are.

    I can finally see the way.

    Suddenly, I turned my attention to Kaede and saw that she was looking at the page on which the Heavenly Beasts appeared.

    I can''t blame her for being so curious. The picture does bear a strong resemblance to Kaede.

    If you put Kaede next to one of these beasts, you wouldn''t be able to tell them apart.

    It would be helpful if they at least had something to differentiate them.

    "Hey, where is that Spirit King?"

    "We elves have a sacred land that has long been the object of our worship. The Spirit King is still being held there."

    "Wait a minute, you mean he''s being held by something?"

    "The evil dragon Nodom. It''s a monster that suddenly appeared before us two hundred years ago and took the sacred land."

    Yabai said, "Forget what I just said, it is impossible for you to ever meet the spirit king." And he set out to continue the story.

    He was about to pick up the cup when the maid quickly moved it to the side

    "Hey, what are you doing?"

    "Don''t finish your story without permission, you bastard."

    "Do you enjoy making fun of me like this? It must feel good to tease me like that, you piece of shit."

    "Certainly. It is this machine''s prerogative to make fun of its Master just because its Master is depressed."

    "I''ll dismantle you right now!"

    "If you think you can do it, then I''d like to see you try, old man."

    The quarreling begins again.

    I wonder how my Mother could resurrect such a twisted golem.

    "Just tell me where that sacred place is."

    Instantly, Yabai stops moving.

    "Are you really planning to go there? The evil dragon residing in the shrine is an opponent that even tens of thousands of elves can''t defeat."

    "I don''t like complicated things. I just know that I have to face that dragon, slay it, and talk to the spirit king."

    "You''re a bit of an idiot."

    "I think so too."

    There''s nothing wrong with being stupid.

    As long as you know what you should aim for and know what you should do, you can get ahead unexpectedly.

    I''m also quite interested in how strong the evil dragon is.

    And it will be even better if it''s a monster that I can use all my strength on.

    Yabai grabbed a pen as he said; "I guess it''s inevitable." and started writing a letter.

    He then stuffed the sheet into an envelope and handed it to me.

    "No ordinary person can enter the sacred land. You will need the Queen''s permission.

    "Sorry for all the trouble."

    "That''s all right. Kuon had a curious attitude and didn''t speak much at all, but she''s given me quite a capable maid here, so it''s okay if I consider it a small favor."

    "Master..."

    "Hmmhmm, it''s hard to live alone when you''re old. Hey, weren''t you casually teasing me, don''t shut up, say something."

    When the fight resumes, I wake Jessica up and we leave the place.

    "You guys are going to do what?!"

    "It''s exactly as you heard. We''re going to the holy land to kill the evil dragon."

    "Nuhhhhhhh!"

    Kaede smiles bitterly at Jessica who looks up at her.

    She''s been asleep the whole time, so she doesn''t know what we''re talking about.

    "Uh, Master!"

    "Huh?"

    Kaede calls out with a serious expression.

    Hmm?

    Her face looks red.

    "What''s wro-...?"

    Kaede sat down on the floor.

    What''s wrong?

    Are you not feeling well?

    She''s got a blank look on her face.

    Frau quickly touched her forehead to check.

    "Hot, you''re burning up!"

    "Huh?"

    "That''s right. We''d better get her to a doctor quickly."

    "Kyu! Kyui!"

    I hoisted Kaede onto my back, and headed to the hospital with Jessica''s guidance.

    Kaede sleeps peacefully in bed.

    Seeing her, I suddenly let out the breath I had been holding in.

    I felt relieved.

    The doctor said it was just a cold, so it wasn''t a recurrence of a previous illness.

    Come to think of it, Kaede was strangely calm today.

    She didn''t say much, and I think her breathing was a little more agitated than usual.

    How didn''t I notice this?

    "Is a cold really that dangerous?"

    "Kyui?"

    "Hm? Haven''t you ever had a cold?"

    "No, because when the rest of the family got sick, Frau was the only one who was well."

    Frau and Panda were floating in the air over the bed, also looking worried about Kaede.

    Jessica returns with a pitcher of water.

    "I''ve prepared some water. She''s been sleeping very well since she took her pills."

    "I''m sorry I had to rent a room and that you had to help me take care of her."

    "That''s okay. It''s a guards'' job to help those in need."

    I squeezed a water-soaked towel and put it on Kaede''s forehead.

    I was aiming to take care of this by myself, but Jessica ended up helping me.

    Unlike me, Kaede is smart, caring and gets it all done before I can say anything.

    Without realizing it, I was pushing her too hard.

    "My Lord, do you remember that day when it rained, wasn''t it that Kaede caught a cold because of it?"

    "True, it was a very rainy day... But I got wetter than Kaede, why didn''t I catch a cold too?"

    "Let me ask you something, have you ever had a cold, my lord?"

    "No."

    "I see... Well, the logical answer is that Kaede is weaker than you."

    That''s right, Kaede is fragile.

    I had forgotten.

    "I''ll take care of Kaede. Jessica, you must have guard duties, so you can go if you need to."

    "Don''t worry. I''ve been assigned to watch Toru and his friends, so I can take care of the rest. I''ll bring something to eat."

    "Sorry again."

    "No worries. My father used to say: don''t be the kind of elf who abandons those in need."

    Jessica smiled and said goodbye as she went to buy food.

    "Mas...ter."

    Kaede opens her eyes slowly.

    Her gaze wanders for a while, finally settling on my face.

    She smiles even while her face is red.

    "I''m sorry, Master, I got sick."

    "No need to get up, go back to sleep!"

    "Yes..."

    I took a warm towel, soaked it in water and put it on her forehead.

    She seemed to be sweating, maybe it was too hot.

    I''ll have Frau wipe her later.

    "It reminds me of the time when we just met. Master did this back then too, cof cof."

    "Kaede, don''t strain yourself. Jessica is out now buying something nutritious. Do you think you can eat?"

    "I think I can eat a little."

    I stroked Kaede''s tired head.

    "Please don''t stop... Keep stroking me more..."

    "Okay."

    "It''s good to get sick once in a while."

    She looks kind of happy...

    I hope she recovers soon.

    It was very late at night, all the lights in the city were off, except for the small dim light in Kaede''s room.

    "Uhm... Huh... Ma-Master, where are you?"

    "I''m here. Relax, let me change your towel."

    I put a new towel on her forehead.

    Her body temperature seemed to have increased, and her breathing seemed somewhat labored.

    Her consciousness was blurry, and she was coughing violently from time to time.

    I have Frau, Panda and Jessica sleeping in separate rooms, just in case.

    It''s not a quarantine, but I want to prevent Kaede''s cold from spreading.

    "Cof, cof."

    "I''m here for you, Kaede."

    I grabbed Kaede''s hand which was protruding from under the sheet.

    Then Kaede, who had fallen asleep again, instantly softened her expression as if relieved.

    Her breathing calmed down and she began to sleep peacefully.

    Kaede''s eyes opened again.

    "Kaede?"

    "............."

    There is no answer.

    But her eyes are fixed on me.

    Suddenly, Kaede jumped out of bed and pushed me to the floor.

    "What''s wrong with you, Kaede?"

    "Hah, hah, hah, Master! Master!"

    Her face was still red and the fever didn''t seem to have gone down.

    Her eyes wore an expression of madness.

    Kaede climbed on top of me, burying her face in my chest and rubbing her cheek against it.

    "Master, I love you! I love you!"

    "Uh..."

    "Master, Master, Master, Master, Mas-ter, mas-ter, maaaasteeeeeer. I love you, I love you so much I''m going to die!"

    "Hey, Kaede, calm down."

    "Aaaah Aaaah!"

    Her tail wagged vigorously.

    She makes sweet purring noises, sniffs my neck, licks me lightly, and does things Kaede wouldn''t normally do.

    I guess she''s confused by the fever.

    Or is this really how she thinks and sees me?

    However, I want her to stop licking my neck.

    I don''t know how to describe this feeling. On one hand, I find it both exciting and pleasant, but it''s not right under these conditions.

    When she looked up, Kaede was breathing heavily and her eyes were foggy

    "Ha Kyu~"

    She reached her limit and fell on top of me.

    I picked her up and laid her back on the bed.

    I changed the towel on her forehead and she started breathing calmly again.

    I remembered Kaede''s words and my face turned red with embarrassment.

 CH 122

    The next day, Kaede woke up.

    "Thanks to you, I feel much better already."

    "No, you''re still sick, you should rest."

    "It''s okay, Master, I can move now... Eh!?"

    Just as she was about to get out of bed, Frau smacked Kaede on the head.

    "The Lord just told you to keep resting. We don''t want you to pass out again, okay?"

    "Okay..."

    "Kyui!"

    "See? Panda agrees with Frau-San."

    Kaede reluctantly lay back down on the bed.

    "Speaking of which, do you remember anything from last night?"

    "Well, my memory''s a little fuzzy.... Did I do anything?"

    "No, I was just asking."

    If you don''t remember, that''s fine.

    Anyway, we should let her get some rest today and see how she fares tomorrow.

    Unlike me, she''s delicate.

    There''s no guarantee that a simple cold won''t turn into a major illness.

    "Master~"

    She looks at me with moist eyes.

    I was about to get up when she calls out to me. She doesn''t like the idea of me going away and leaving her alone.

    "Frau and Panda will be here with you. I will be back soon."

    "Please come back as quickly as you can."

    "I will."

    "In five minutes?"

    "That''s impossible."

    I have to deliver the letter to the Palace that Yabai gave me.

    "Jessica, take care of them for me."

    "Leave it to me."

    The Queen looks at Yabai''s letter and then turns to me.

    "Manyu Brigade, huh... It''s a party I''ve never heard of."

    "I would like your permission to enter the sacred land."

    "Fufufufufu, what is a mere human planning to do in our sacred land?"

    She tore up Yabai''s letter and threw it away.

    "I don''t know what that ancient court alchemist Yabai was thinking in sending you here, but it''s not right to allow an inferior race to enter the sacred land."

    A former court alchemist? Surely he was among the elite with other magicians.

    Was that old man in such a high position?

    "The defeat of the evil dragon is already scheduled to be carried out by the hero Zig. This is not the time for an inferior human to be present. Get him out of my sight."

    After saying such words, I was thrown out of the courtroom.

    "So they kicked you out of the place..."

    "Yes, and tore up the letter you wrote."

    "I see that that proud and sedate queen''s position has only made her character even worse. When I was taking care of her she was such a cute and obedient child."

    Yabai paces around the lab with his hands behind his back, thinking.

    "So you''re a former court alchemist."

    "Hm? Well yes, I used to hold that position, and that''s why I was able to send you to the royal family. That''s no longer an option though."

    What are we going to do about it?

    If we can''t enter the holy land, meeting the Spirit King won''t be an option.

    We will have to find the Heavenly Beast on our own.

    No... That''s too reckless.

    This is a vast continent that generates more questions than answers.

    "Hmm, if you were a noble, you could enter the holy land without a problem."

    "Wait... I think we''ve found the solution for that."

    I pulled out a necklace from my pocket.

    I showed it to Yabai and his reaction was; "Huh!? That''s...?!" His face suddenly turned pale.

    "That''s the symbol of the Bilfrell family! How did you get it!?"

    "Well, a lot of things happened."

    "You didn''t steal it, did you!?"

    "No, although if it''s going to get me in trouble, I might as well give it back."

    Although I don''t remember Monica''s father telling me to return it to him.

    Yabai''s expression changed from surprise to a smirk.

    "Toru, I see you do not understand the value of this object. This is the symbol given to the representative of the Bilfrell family. In other words, whatever you say or ask for, it will be under the consensus of the Bifrell family."

    "Eeeeh!?"

    "I see you didn''t know this. Although if you had had this information, you would have chosen your words better before the queen. But now everything is different, thanks to this necklace, you are authorized to enter the holy land."

    Shit, what kind of power has that old man given me?

    I will definitely return it once I finish this trip.

    Yabai muttered: should I be careful?

    "It can''t be helped. It''s a name I don''t use anymore, but it''s for Kuon''s son. I''ll write another letter now, so wait here."

    He sat back in his chair and picked up his pen.

    In the meantime, I decided to take a good look around the lab.

    Sheesh, there are so many eyeballs stuffed into jars.

    There are a lot of bugs around here.

    What is this, a palm-sized golem?

    "Master Two, please don''t touch anything without permission."

    "Sorry. By the way, do you have a name? I don''t like the idea of just calling you ''maid''."

    "Yabai-Sama calls me ''L-Two'', so you can call me that as well, Master Two."

    "L-Two? Is that an abbreviation of your name?"

    "Yes. He has a lousy sense of nomenclatures, but this one is barely above average, so we''ve adopted it."

    I suppose. It''s a very good name.

    Oops, no time for this, I have to get back to Kaede as soon as possible.

    Haven''t they finished writing the letter yet?

    "Here it is. As the third son of a duke, I wrote this letter. It may not be immensely effective, but it should serve to identify Toru as the owner of the necklace."

    "I didn''t steal it."

    "This country is skeptical of humans, it''s better to be safe."

    If that''s the case, I''ll gladly accept it.

    "What a strange young man. It almost makes me feel like you can easily succeed in slaying the evil dragon."

    "I didn''t say I''ll definitely defeat him, but okay."

    The evil dragon gets in the way of meeting the Spirit King.

    I guess we''ll have to defeat it after all.

    I''m a little hopeful though.

    I''m glad I can have a fight that takes me seriously.

    "Thank you, old man."

    "I should be the one to say thank you. I''m just returning a favor."

    "Thank you, I hope to see you again soon."

    "I''ll be praying for your safety. Master Two."

    Well, it''s time to go see the king of spirits.

 CH 123

    I hate how they''ve interfered with my plans.

    And to have the woman I had chosen as my wife taken away from me is a shame far worse than death.

    Once Monica and I were married, I was going to make sure her body knew its place in the hierarchy.

    I planned to stain her innocent face, smother it and dye it in my color down to the marrow of her bones.

    Manyu Brigade, this will be the last time you stand in my way.

    You made Monica break her engagement to me.

    I won''t forgive you, Toru. I will kill you.

    I bite my thumbnail as we travel back to the capital.

    "Zig, your face is scary! Guess you couldn''t stand it when she broke off your engagement!¡î"

    "............"

    "Hey, Aide, what do you think?"

    "....I''m not interested."

    "You''re not very nice. You don''t shine enough ¡î"

    "Mm..."

    Well, I''m sure once I''ve defeated the evil dragon, Marquis Birfrell and Monica will have second thoughts.

    They''ll realize how foolish it was to break off our engagement.

    I''m going to stomp on yours and your daughter''s faces once our positions are reversed.

    "One of the Evil Dragon''s subordinates has been defeated."

    The words the Queen said really bothered me.

    "It can''t be... Who did it?"

    "The Manyu Brigade. Damn, I didn''t think that human had that much power. You know where I''m going with this. We can''t let a human kill the Dragon. He''ll ruin my reputation for recommending you."

    "I''m aware of that."

    From the way the Queen mentioned them, I guess they have come here. They''re like rats, scurrying everywhere.

    But there''s nothing to worry about, not yet. He''s only killed 1 of the 3 subordinates.

    As I was thinking that, a knight burst into the room.

    "Pardon my intrusion! Your Majesty, the Dragon''s second subordinate has been defeated!"

    "What!?"

    "It was a party of adventurers called the Manyu Brigade that slew him!"

    That''s ridiculous. Impossible.

    In such a short period of time, he defeated the second subordinate.

    What''s wrong with those people? Ever since we met at that village, they haven''t stopped interfering with me. First Monica, and now this?!

    A second knight bursts into the room.

    "The Dragon''s third subordinate has been defeated!"

    "What!?"

    "He was killed by the Manyu Brigade."

    "Zig! Hurry up and head towards the Evil Dragon!"

    "At once!"

    I could feel the Queen''s impatience.

    If the humans defeat the Dragon, it will be a huge failure for me as a hero and for the royal family with the queen at its head.

    I will lose all my honor... Not only me, but all the elves of this country.

    We absolutely must avoid being the laughing stock of other nations.

    But how could a mere human defeat three of the Dragon''s strongest subordinates?

    Perhaps they must have used cowardly methods.

    Humans are greedy and cunning.

    I wouldn''t put it past him to have slaughtered them in a way that an innocent elf would never have thought of.

    Another knight appeared in the audience chamber.

    "The evil dragon has been defeated by the Manyu Brigade!"

    What?

    It couldn''t be.

    The whole place was bustling.

    He was defeated by the humans.

    We were able to retake the sacred land, but now the image of our country is completely ruined.

    Our nation, which proclaims that elves are the best and strongest of all races, has no place here anymore.

    Anger permeated my mind.

    I had never been humiliated like this.

    My clenched fists trembled slightly.

    "Damn you, Manyu Brigade!"

    "You''re angrier than usual ¡î But aren''t you glad we took back the sacred land?"

    "Shut up! A commoner like you couldn''t understand the humiliation that I, a noble Elf, feel from being looked down upon as something lower than a mere human!"

    "Zig, the noble Elf ¡î Haha!"

    "Don''t laugh, I''ll kill you!"

    As I try to raise my fist, I notice the stares around me.

    We were in a tavern.

    Not a good idea to raise my hand like I usually do.

    "Easy... Zig."

    "Who do you think you are to order me around?"

    "I don''t plan to, but you can still make up for this."

    Aide''s words left me frozen.

    How can I profit from this?

    The evil dragon has been defeated.

    "Think about it, where did the evil dragon come from?"

    "....Is there still a mastermind to defeat?"

    "I can''t say for sure, but it''s natural to think so. The Spirit King is an immensely powerful being, and it''s not unlikely to think that there are those who don''t like him."

    "When you put it that way, I think it might make a lot of sense... So there''s another enemy to defeat?"

    Aide nods.

    He''s right. I felt encouraged yet again.

    The plan can still be modified. A better life still awaits me.

    This time, some simple humans got in my way, but they are just that; simple, pathetic humans.

    No matter how hard they try, I will always get the last laugh.

    "By the way, Zig, you have the [Seal Breaker] skill, don''t you?"

    "...How do you know that?"

    "You showed me your status before. That''s when it came to my attention."

    "Oh, was it that time?"

    We showed each other our stats once, when we had just met.

    Aide was quite surprised by my stats, wasn''t he?

    Of course. I have the job [Hero] as well as powerful skills.

    "Actually, one of my abilities was sealed a long time ago... And I need your help to release it."

    "That''s interesting... What kind of ability is it?"

    "I can''t tell you yet."

    How suspicious.

    For someone to have bothered to seal this ability of his, it must be because he was someone very powerful.

    There''s no guarantee that this guy won''t betray me.

    I don''t think it''s a good idea to do that.

    "I''m sorry, but no."

    "I see, but if you change your mind, this skill will definitely come in handy."

    That reassured me a little. It was here that I finally got curious about who Aide really was.

    He said he was a simple adventurer, but I feel like he''s hiding something from me.

    Who the hell is this guy?

    We don''t even know if he''s an elf.

    "Zig, what are you going to do now? He''s talking about a mastermind, but we''re on standby.¡î"

    "If Aide''s telling the truth, a subjugation order will be given in the not too distant future, since there is still the story of the spirit king left to hear."

    "That''s right ¡î Our chance will come! ¡î"

    The knight''s report said that the Manyu Brigade had left the country.

    The chance for us to kill them is gone, but it''s reassuring to think that we won''t see them again.

    I''m sure there will be a chance to get Monica back sooner or later.

    Damn it. You''re a dirty, pathetic human, but I must admit you''ve done very well.

    I congratulate you, Manyu Brigade. Not bad for an inferior race.

    "So you were here."

    A knight enters the tavern and approaches me.

    From his mood, it seems he was looking for me.

    "Zig-Sama, the Queen wants to see you at the castle."

    "All right."

    He''s here! He''s finally here!

    My job isn''t over yet.

    My days of glory are drawing near!

 CH 124

    We set course for the holy land.

    "Heeeeeeeeeee! I''m on top of a Behemoth!"

    "My lord, why have you brought Jessica?"

    Frau was not happy.

    It''s probably because Jessica, who came with us, was making too much noise.

    I understand how you feel, but don''t look at me like that. We couldn''t get to where we''re going on our own.

    Besides, Jessica was in charge of watching them. If we left her behind, she''d probably get punished for it.

    In addition, not only was she begging me to bring her along with tears in her eyes, but I also owe her for the room.

    "I don''t think I''ll be able to get married anymore."

    "Is there a rule that you can''t get married if you ride a Behemoth?"

    "Guuuh...."

    Bechjiro squeaks sadly.

    "Master."

    "Yes, I see it."

    A city could be seen on the horizon, from which multiple plumes of black smoke were billowing out.

    "It looks like they''re being attacked by a monster."

    "Let''s go save them."

    Riding the behemoths, we hurried into the city.

    We found that the city was being ravaged by a giant, worm-like creature.

    It has a mouth on its head with a circular row of sharp teeth.

    "Eeep! It''s one of the dragon''s minions!"

    "You two, check for anyone who''s injured, I''ll take care of the monster. Jessica, you stay with Bechjiro."

    "Yes, my lord" "Understood!"

    Bechjiro started to run while I pulled the sword from my back to face the monster.

    Haaa!

    A flash of light shone through the area, and in the blink of an eye, I had cut the monster in half.

    The earthworm seized up and soon stopped moving.

    I wondered how strong it was because it was under the evil dragon''s control, but it was incredibly weak.

    "Wow, Nii-chan is a human!"

    "I don''t know who you are, but thank you."

    "Hey, we''ve got an incredibly strong human here!

    "That cow is really big."

    The villagers gather and surround me and Ichiro.

    By the way, Ichiro is disguised to look like a huge cow.

    "Gyaoooooooooooo!!!"

    The second minion of the evil dragon comes out of the ground.

    Was there another one?

    The giant worm twists its body and rushes at me to swallow me whole.

    I know what they are capable of.

    No need to dodge it.

    I swung my sword again, and aimed it at the monster. I slashed downward through the air, and the monster crashed to the ground as it twitched.

    "Whoo-hoo! He just killed the second one! The big worm is nothing compared to Toru!"

    From what I heard, there''s three monsters.

    "You are a very interesting human."

    "Not at all. Even the hero can defeat one of these."

    "Who are you?"

    "Heh, you want to know? They''re the Manyu Brigade! Toru-Sama and his friends are awesome! They even ride Behemoths-- Hueeeeh!?"

    Frau quickly kicked Jessica, who almost said something dangerous.

    "Behemoths?"

    "Sorry, but we''re in a hurry."

    "Oh, I see..."

    "Bye!"

    We quickly left the city.

    Kaede''s magic freezes the giant worm.

    Quickly, Frau smashed it with her hammer.

    As I looked at the shredded pieces of flesh, I put my greatsword away in its sheath.

    "They''ve killed the third one! Hooray, hooray, hooray-- Huggh!"

    "You''re too loud."

    Frau lightly chopped Jessica''s neck, causing her to faint and fall on Bechjiro''s back.

    "Huh. I guess we''ve defeated all the lackeys now."

    "Looks like it."

    "The last one looked like he wanted to kill Frau."

    The first two we killed were in the city.

    But the last one was in an empty meadow, and was clearly following us.

    I guess that means the evil dragon has found us.

    "You can do it, Master!"

    "T-Thank you..."

    "Please let me heal you."

    Kaede pulls my arm and pats her legs.

    However, I don''t feel tired.

    But I couldn''t refuse to rest my head on Kaede''s thighs.

    I put my head on them, and a smile immediately appeared on Kaede''s face. She then began to caress my head.

    It feels good, and my eyelids become heavy.

    "From there on, it''s sacred ground. Unauthorized entry is a crime."

    "What''s that big tree I can see from here?"

    "The World Tree. I don''t know much about it, but I hear it''s one of the smaller ones."

    "You mean there''s another one?"

    The World Tree, a name I''ve never heard of, but it intrigues me.

    I''d love to see it up close.

    We follow the path and come to a stone gate, and here too there are knights who look like guardians.

    However, unlike the previous ones, they have an extraordinary atmosphere.

    "We are the knights who protect the sacred land. Those who are not allowed to be here must leave immediately."

    "This is no place for a human to enter."

    "If you need proof of my courage, I have it here."

    I pulled the necklace out of my pocket and showed it to them.

    "The Bilfrell family insignia."

    "And I also have this letter."

    I handed Yabai''s letter to the guardians.

    They looked at each other''s faces and then glanced at the letter.

    "The former court alchemist, Master Yabai, gave his permission."

    "If someone like that has taken the trouble to give you permission to visit... Then we beg your pardon! Please go ahead."

    The two knights easily cleared the way for us.

    The knights look at the Behemoth as they said, "That''s a very large cow."

    I hope they don''t stare at it for too long, it looks weird and suspicious.

    After crossing the gateway, we entered the sacred land.

    It is said that in the sacred land of Petardaus, there was once a city belonging to the ancient race.

    After the demise of the ancient race, the elves took over this place and grew in power until the present day.

    "I''ve never seen a world tree before. It''s so big."

    Decaying stone buildings lined the streets everywhere, and in the distance were huge trees over a hundred meters tall.

    I don''t think this qualifies as a "small one."

    Jessica told us that these trees were planted here by the first elves who came to this land.

    I don''t know how long it''s been since the founding of the country, but they''re a long-lived species, the elves, so it can''t have been more than a thousand or two thousand years or so.

    *? Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump ?

    The earth trembles violently, and thick tentacle-like objects fly out of the ground with great force.

    Its long body formed an arc and headed towards us, smashing into the buildings!

    Is it the evil dragon?"

    "Gyoooooooooooooooooo!!!"

    Like its minions, the evil dragon has the appearance of a worm.

    It opened its large mouth, dripping mucus, and threatened us from an elevated position.

    "Hiiiiiih! It''s going to eat us! I shouldn''t have come here!"

    "Chupi, Kuratan, protect Jessica."

    I called my beasts and put them on guard.

    "Master, it seems to be a monster called Devil Wyrm."

    "It''s very nasty. My skin tingles like when I fought the Demon Lord."

    This evil dragon also emitted an aura similar to the armor worn by Sain and Lisa.

    Numerous eyes began to spread across the worm-like creature''s body.

    The ever dripping mucus was so slippery that if we became entangled in it, it would inhibit our movement.

    "Get ready, I think it''s going to attack."

    Goooh

    The torrential fire released by the wyrm headed towards us.

    With a slight swing of my greatsword, the flames were cut in two.

    "Goo!!! Fool! That''s impossible!"

    "You can speak!?"

    "Hero, kill the hero."

    "No, I''m not the hero. I''m just a warrior."

    The Devil Wyrm grimaced as if doubting my words.

 CH 125

    The Dragon is about one hundred meters long.

    The monster''s width is slightly more than ten meters.

    There is a huge mouth on what appears to be it''s head, and surrounding it are countless extended eyes that can be seen as tentacles.

    In short, it is a nasty creature.

    "It looks like some kind of dragon subspecies to me."

    "It''s huge for what it is. I wonder if all dragons of this type are similar in size."

    "I''ve never seen a talking dragon before. The world is a big place."

    "Don''t talk with each other on the side when I''m right in front of you!"

    The Dragon unleashed its wrath.

    It charged at us at breakneck speed, so we quickly moved out of the way and began attacking it individually.

    "Blizzard Blossom!"

    "Mu?"

    Pish.

    The dragon stopped moving as a section of its body froze.

    "Hammer Breeeeeeak!"

    "Fueh!?"

    Frau''s hammer hits the dragon hard on head!

    "Guuu!" "Guuuuu!" "Mwah!"

    "Idaaaaaaaaa!?"

    The three behemoths bite into its torso.

    The dragon writhed in pain.

    Finally, I jump high and cut the dragon right under me in half.

    Its huge body falls to the ground.

    "Is it over?"

    "Ku, ku, ku. This alone, won''t be enough.

    The dragon, whose head was split in two, slowly raised its body.

    With twitches and bubbles, the dragon''s head fused into its original form.

    I imagined that this kind of thing would happen.

    Its regeneration ability is also extraordinary.

    "What do you think, master?"

    "I don''t like what I see."

    "Hmm, let''s chop it into little pieces."

    The dragon lets out an "Ah" expression at my words.

    Putting the greatsword back in its sheath, I grabbed the dragon''s body with both hands.

    "Ahhhhhh!"

    "Hueeeeh!"

    I pulled on its long torso with all my might and swung it upwards.

    Its 100 meter long torso flew into the air.

    clink

    I unsheathe my greatsword again and jump up, slashing and hacking his torso over and over until his remains were too small to regenerate.

    When I land, chunks of flesh rain down around me.

    ''''Now, can it still come back from this?"

    "Oh, I can''t assess it anymore".

    Huh? What?

    I didn''t go too far, did I?

    ''''That horrible evil dragon... reduced to a pile of meat..."

    Jessica looked at me, her face pale.

    After defeating the dragon, we headed to the heart of the city.

    We went to see the world tree up close.

    "So this is the World Tree. Seeing it up close makes your senses go crazy."

    "My sense of perspective is screwed up."

    "I never thought I''d see the World Tree this close. I could die right here and now."

    "What a nostalgic atmosphere. I feel like I''ve come home."

    "Kyui!"

    Panda flew out of the seal. And approached the tree while sniffing it.

    Kaede and I turned to look at Frau.

    "Well, what I mean is that it smells very nostalgic and relaxing."

    "Yes, I get that feeling too."

    "The world tree makes you feel all warm and fuzzy."

    "I don''t get it."

    I have no idea what the two of them are talking about.

    I don''t feel anything.

    There was a dazzling light in the trunk of the tree.

    It''s outline becomes clear as the light takes a shape similar to that of a human being.

    "Greetings, Son of Man."

    What appeared was a very beautiful woman with a divine aura. She landed silently on the ground and her breasts jiggled.

    The only thing covering her was a white cloth.

    I squinted to see if I could see through the cloth.

    "Master¡«"

    "It''s not what you think!"

    "Kuu, not this again. Why are we meeting another woman with big breasts? Guuun!"

    "Kyu¡«"

    "Big breasted women, I envy you. I wish I had that size."

    "I know, right? Story of my life..."

    As the other''s talked, I noticed that I didn''t ask her who she was.

    I turned my attention back to the woman before me and fixed the expression on my face.

    "My name is Elohim, the Queen of Spirits."

    "Woaaah! Queen of Spirits, Greetings! My name is Jessica!"

    "Hello, Jessica. You must be from the kingdom of Petardaus, I''m glad you could make it this far."

    "You are very kind. I came to the capital from a very small town. I wanted to help my parents, but I couldn''t get a good job, so I was forced to work as a guard, and it was pure agony. Before I knew it, I was fighting the horrible evil dragon of all things! And then..."

    "I''d love to continue hearing your story later on, but first there''s something I want to know about him."

    The spirit''s eyes rested on me.

    Jessica covered her mouth with her hands and made an embarrassed face as if she realized she was being talkative.

    "Thank you for defeating the dragon. Because of you, I was finally able to get out."

    "Able to get out? Where had you been hiding all this time?"

    "In the world tree."

    The spirit queen points to the tree as she speaks.

    "This tree has the function of balancing the earth and correcting any disturbances in the magical vein. But when that monster appeared, the tree''s energy began to dwindle. Seeing this, I was forced into hiding so I could replenish the stolen magic and restore any resulting damage."

    I don''t understand anything she''s talking about.

    But given the expression on her face, I could sense that she knew that explaining these things to me wouldn''t help much.

    So I decided to ask my question.

    "I need to know where the celestial beasts are."

    "Are you looking for the familiars that serve me?"

    "Yes."

    "I don''t think I can lead you to them, but I understand that there is a group of celestial beasts called the White Wolves to the west of here. If you go there, they will provide you with the information you desire."

    So west of here. And there''s more of them...

    But the book I saw depicted a fox. Well, we''ll find out when we get there.

    Now that we''ve received the information we needed, let''s resume our journey.

    "Please wait."

    "Hm?"

    "There''s still something I have to tell you. That evil dragon is under the control of Demon Lord Rudra. He sent it here for the purpose of containing me."

    "The demon king... I''m sorry, I''m not interested."

    "Wait! Listen to me!"

    Elohim grabs my arm.

    Oh, the spirit queen can touch people?

    Although she was surprised too.

    But no matter what she has to say, this smells like trouble.

    When I came here, it was with the goal of not standing out. Now, judging by the look on her face and how far this situation can escalate, she will ask for my help to defeat him, and personally, I don''t want to have to face a Demon King ever again.

    I don''t care if he''s a Hero or a Demon King. Sain and Lisa were already enough for me.

    "Rudra is a relatively young Demon King. But his plans... Hey! It''s no use plugging your ears! I''m talking to you while magically enchanting my voice!

    "Ugh, I see it''s no use at all."

    "Rudra is a powerful demon king who has been rapidly expanding his power for the past few hundred years. Eventually, the heroes of each country and the ancient demon kings will begin to move, but by then, the blood of many innocent people will have been spilled."

    "Hmmm..."

    "You, who carries the blood of the great race, have the duty to defeat Rudra."

    Damn it, I''ve heard everything.

    Why me?

    Is it because I easily defeated that dragon?

    I should have made it look harder.

    "Master..."

    "Don''t say anything."

    The Elohim spirit queen had a look of satisfaction on her face.

    After returning to the capital of Petardaus, we headed to see Yabai.

    "...Did you defeat the dragon?"

    "Yes."

    Yabai jumps for joy all over the place.

    On the other hand, L-Two had an expressionless look on her face.

    "After all, master two is the son of master one. This was a natural outcome."

    "At least feign a little surprise, scrap metal."

    "Unlike the incompetent Master Yabai, this machine is capable of advanced arithmetic processing. Master Two''s victory was a logical outcome I had predicted after meeting him."

    "Even if that were the case, it would at least be nice if you showed a little joy. You''re a maid, don''t you know those basic manners?"

    "What a surprise, the useless old man just admonished this top-notch machine."

    L-Two walked up to me, grabbed my hand and smiled as she said; "Congratulations, Master."

    I scratched my cheek after that, feeling embarrassed.

    "See you later, old man. Bye L-Two."

    "Come see me when you can. I''m too old to live another 50 years."

    "Take care of yourself, Master Two. I look forward to hearing about your exploits on the pseudo-lathes."

    What the heck is a pseudo-lathe?

    We also said goodbye to Jessica.

    "Truly, Toru and his friends gave me courage. They taught me that even a small person can defeat such a huge monster. I may be a lowly soldier now, but one day I will be as strong as Toru and his friends."

    "Good luck with that. We''ll be rooting for you."

    "Oh, and these are vegetables from my hometown. My father came and left them for me."

    I received a basket full of vegetables.

    All the vegetables looked big and fresh.

    This potato looks very delicious.

    "They are called Manyu Vegetables. Apparently they''ve grown in abundance thanks to a miracle."

    "Manyu Vegetables?"

    Wow, it''s probably a coincidence, but these vegetables have the same name as our party.

    Um... I feel like I''m forgetting something.

    I looked at Kaede and Frau as we were about to leave town when we heard Jessica''s voice behind us.

    "What is this, I''m level 600 now!?"

    Oh no.

    The experience notices flowed to Jessica.

    I have a feeling this is going to bring us trouble.

    "Toru! What does this mean?!"

    "Sorry, I can''t hear you!"

    We jumped on top of the Behemoths and left in a hurry.

 CH 126

    A few days have passed since we left the capital.

    We moved unhurriedly towards the border.

    The sun shining on the meadows was warm and welcoming.

    Frau and Panda were flying across the meadow.

    "This Is the kind of weather that makes you want to take a nap."

    "Yeah..."

    I gushed at those words.

    Kaede was also wagging her fluffy white tail and smiling at me.

    The behemoths following me from behind also looked a bit distracted.

    ¡¶Notice: Magic Saving has been restored.¡·

    ¡¶Notice: Skill Experience Saving has been restored.¡·

    I let out a sigh at the words appearing in my vision.

    Please don''t break again.

    I don''t want to get more power-ups than I already have.

    By the way, our current stats are as follows:

    Skills:

    *

    Skills

    *

    Skills

    My stats have increased too much.

    I miss the days when I was happy with 300.

    "Master, um..."

    "What''s wrong?"

    Kaede shyly looks at me with lowered eyes.

    She is strangely restless and uneasy.

    And she was constantly making sure Frau was away from us.

    "Would you mind stroking my ears?"

    "That''s a simple enough request."

    Come to think of it, this is the first time I''ve ever petted her fox ears.

    I usually stroke her head a lot, but I''ve never touched her ears.

    But how am I supposed to do it?

    Like this?

    Or like this?

    "Hmm, that tickles. Oh, it''s no good inside."

    "How complicated... Then I''m going to go around the base.

    "Oh yeah, that feels really good."

    The expression on her face immediately changed to a more relaxed one.

    She seemed to like it.

    Her tail was waving a lot, which helped me understand that she was happy.

    "Ah! Kaede, you''re up to one of your tricks again!"

    "Kyui!"

    Frau and Panda angrily rush back.

    However, Kaede doesn''t seem to hear them. She is too busy feeling happy.

    She seems to feel really good... I wish I had beast ears.

    "Hey, I''m curious about something... Is it me or are these beasts getting bigger?"

    At Frau''s words, I looked at the behemoths.

    She''s right, I feel like they''ve grown about two sizes. It''s probably due to the fact that we defeated the dragon together.

    This may be the limit of what can be said to be a big cow. ¡¡ Monica told me that behemoths are as feared by people as dragons.

    They were rather cute at their former size, but now that they''re this big, they could alarm anyone who sees them.

    I don''t think we can keep fooling people for long.

    "We''ll take it on foot from here."

    """Garu!?"""

    The three beasts rush around me and lick my face.

    They seem to be begging me not to leave them.

    That''s clearly not my intention. I don''t want to abandon them or leave them to their fate.

    I just want them to go back to the forest of death where the research team is.

    And I''m also concerned about Luvue and the others. It could be beneficial if the behemoths return to the forest and protect the research team.

    "We will meet again soon, but I need you to return to the forest and protect the others for now."

    "Gur" "Kyun" "Kun".

    I patted their heads and we said our goodbyes.

    The next time we see them, I''ll feed them a full barrel of meat.

    "Do it."

    Frau sprinkled fairy dust on them, and the three animals began to float off in the direction of the forest.

    We crossed the border and entered the neighboring country of Jonern.

    According to what I heard beforehand, there is a race called dark elves living there.

    I am very excited because we didn''t have them back on the island.

    I wonder what kind of race dark elves are.

    By the way, Petardaus and Jornen have a thriving trade and maintain good relations.

    One of the reasons may be that they are close to each other in terms of race.

    Upon entering the frontier city, we were surprised because of what our eyes witnessed.

    "All the inhabitants of the city are wearing eye masks..."

    They looked just like the elves with their characteristic long ears, but with brown skin.

    In addition, they wore eye masks on their foreheads.

    And if that wasn''t enough, every dark elf had a black sphere-like object floating in the air with them.

    What is that, some kind of pet?

    "Master, look at that."

    "What the heck..."

    There were dark elves sleeping on the ceilings.

    They wore eye masks and even had pillows under their heads.

    Many of the tents in the streets were related to sleeping.

    How many hours a day do the elves sleep in this place?

    "I wonder if they''re not worried about having their things stolen while they sleep."

    "Kyui."

    While mounted on Panda, Frau circled around to observe the city.

    The spheres accompanying the sleeping dark elves seemed to threaten the surroundings as one opened its mouth, revealing sharp fangs. Is it a creature protecting it''s sleeping master?

    Let''s say they are beasts similar to Panda or Rosuke.

    "Dark elves seem to be friendly towards humans."

    "I entered the city without being stopped. Maybe the only discriminating ones are the other elves."

    "What if maybe they aren''t friendly? Maybe they just don''t care about us."

    "Kyui."

    Frau and Panda fly right in front of the dark elf, but are lightly batted aside with a hand, as if shooing away a fly.

    Maybe they are.

    Maybe they simply aren''t interested in other races.

    "You have got to be kidding me."

    "Everyone in here is sleeping too."

    We went to the adventurers'' guild, and noticed that everyone in the place was napping.

    The staff is partially awake, but they are so groggy they look like they are about to fall asleep.

    What is going on in this country?

    Still, I turned towards a staff member.

    "Do you have any high-paying jobs around here?"

    "Yes, I''d like to have a pillow for my nap¡«"

    "I''m serious. I want a good paying job."

    "Oh, I see, so you''re a foreigner."

    The clerk was staring at the sheet with one of his eyes as if trying not to fall asleep.

    Looking at the dark elf makes me sleepy too.

    "Well, there''s a job of... Guh."

    "Geez, he''s fallen asleep."

    You''re not supposed to fall asleep on the job, let alone when there''s someone in front of you.

    I started to hear a chuckle around the place.

    "It''s not a good time to come. Most dark elves are nocturnal rather than diurnal."

    A woman came down the stairs from the second floor.

    She wore a daring outfit, her large breasts jutted out, and her abdomen was exposed. Her gray hair was semi-long, and it shook with every step she took.

    From her equipment, I could deduce that her weapon of choice was an axe.

    "I am Ultina. I am a greatly recognized adventurer who works solo among the dark elves..."

    She placed one foot on the floor and suddenly fell through it.

    A few seconds later, the sleeping employee wakes up.

    "Please be careful because the floor is being repaired."

    "Someone just fell in."

    "It''s probably Ultina. She falls in that spot a lot. Don''t worry, she''s pretty sturdy, so she''s not dead."

    A crying sound came from the bottom of the hole.

 CH 127

    The dark elf Ultina.

    She is a solo adventurer, and her nickname is "The Fallen Princess".

    Her weapons are two one-handed axes and she specializes in melee combat, but she also uses summoning magic.

    "Dark elves are not as good at spirit magic as elves. We can make contracts, but we''re not as good at drawing out their powers. Instead, we''re good at summoning magic."

    "What do you mean by summoning?"

    "Well, something like this Bubit."

    Ultina stroked the black orb.

    We are currently in a tavern, listening to Ultina''s stories.

    But there are a lot of people napping in the bar. In fact, it didn''t even look like a tavern, more like a break room.

    "I knew summoning magic existed, but this is the first time I''ve seen it."

    "Summoning magic consumes a lot of magic power, and even this, which is at the bottom of the list of summoned creatures with low magic power, is good if it can last for just a day."

    "Can I touch it?"

    "Sure, I''ve only ordered it to attack when I''m asleep."

    Kaede carefully touches the black sphere.

    The sphere, called a Bubit, is a beautiful smooth sphere with little sheen.

    I can imagine how slippery it must be by looking at it.

    Summoning magic is a special magic that summons powerful beings from another world.

    The summoned beings are divided into ranks, and the higher its rank, the more magical power you consume.

    There were also users on the island, but they were very few, and as Ultina said, due to the large amount of magic power consumed, it was recognized as a useless form of magic.

    However, there is no doubt that it is a very powerful magic if you manage to master it.

    "It has a strange feeling. It''s like iron, but warm like a living creature."

    "Yes, creatures from other worlds are strange."

    "Kyui!"

    "What, you don''t want me to touch that thing? It''s not every day you get a chance to touch a summoned beast from another world. And it''s not like it''s dirty."

    Panda hides from the Bubit behind me and cries.

    Perhaps they are incompatible beasts.

    "Then why don''t you hire me to show you around, whether it''s a dungeon or a city?"

    "Dungeon? Is there a dungeon around here?"

    "You came to this place not knowing what you''ll find?"

    Kaede and Frau nodded silently.

    There seemed to be no one who disagreed.

    I am ignorant of dark elves. So I''d be very grateful to have a guide.

    "Fine, then I''ll hire you."

    "Deal ?"

    Ultina smiled after hearing those words.

    Kaede and Frau are doing laundry in the backyard of the inn.

    I watched them with only their pants on.

    "Wow, that''s really dirty."

    "I haven''t washed Master''s clothes in a while."

    "Why don''t you buy some new clothes, Master?"

    "I have a certain emotional attachment to that outfit."

    I always buy clothes for Kaede and Frau, but I''m actually content with just one garment for myself.

    When I had just become an adventurer, Sain advised me that an adventurer should have good clothes, so I bought these clothes for myself.

    Sain and I chose and bought these clothes together.

    He was a son of a bitch in the end.... But he was still a childhood friend that I''ll never forget.

    I have some bad memories, but also a lot of good ones.

    A lot of people will forget him.

    But I''m the only one who has to remember him as a former best friend.

    The same goes for Lisa. I will never forget her.

    That''s the last thing I will do for them as a former best friend and lover.

    "Kyui."

    "Are you trying to cheer me up?"

    Panda rubs up against my cheek.

    I''m so glad he''s here. If I had been on my own, I would never have made it this far.

    I hold Panda in my arms and pet him.

    "Kyu¡«"

    "Yes, I''ll take care of you too."

    Panda, even though you''re a little selfish and don''t listen to me, I know you''re trying hard to be helpful.

    The wind blew strongly. Something flew into my face and covered my eyes.

    This... What is it?

    "Waaah! It''s my underwear!"

    Kaede grew teary eyed from embarrassment.

    ¡ó¡ó¡ó

    "Are you getting used to the city?"

    "A little."

    I answered Ultina''s question.

    Today we started with sightseeing.

    I received a quest from the guild, but I''m not in a hurry, so I plan to take it easy.

    "I recommend going to the orchard. You can eat as much as you want, and the grapes are delicious this time of year."

    "All you can eat?! That sounds great!"

    "Kyu! kyu!"

    "Master, let''s go eat lots of grapes!"

    "Sure..."

    Kaede, Frau and Panda were excited.

    Come to think of it, we don''t really eat sweets that often.

    I guess some grapes are good for a change.

    "Wow, what is this!?"

    Frau''s eyes sparkle and she twirls in the air.

    The fruits hanging from the tree tops and the sweet aroma would lure you in even if you aren''t an insect.

    It''s a luxury to be able to eat as much as you want.

    The dark elf caretaker, with sleepy eyes, receives the fee for the number of people entering and leaves.

    "Why does everyone look so sleepy?"

    "I just told you, dark elves are nocturnal. Some of them, like me, lead normal lives."

    "What do they do at night?"

    "Work. It''s much easier to do things that way."

    They work at night? That''s strange.

    But I don''t think it''s just that.

    I feel like they have a strong obsession with sleeping.

    "Aaaaah!"

    "Kyui!"

    I think I should take advantage of this time to eat.

    Although there''s an all-you-can-eat pass, there''s a time limit.

    "Master, these grapes look delicious."

    "Yes, they really do..."

    As I tried to pluck the grapes, Kaede''s hands and mine touched.

    She hastily withdrew her hand and lowered her face in embarrassment.

    Conversely, her tail wagged and I could see that she was somewhat happy.

    I plucked a grape and offered it to her.

    "Here, eat first."

    "But I am a slave. The master must eat first."

    "That''s an order. Eat."

    "Yes, Master."

    For some reason, Kaede is happy.

    However, sometimes I can''t understand what makes her happy.

    Is she happy that I''m ordering her?

    She took the grape with her slender, white fingers and gently put it in her mouth.

    "It''s sweet."

    "See what a good idea it was to come here? I come here regularly for these fruits."

    "You don''t live here, Ultina-San?"

    "No, I was born in a small village far away from here. I just came on an errand."

    While Kaede and Ultina were talking, I ate some grapes.

    Wow, how delicious.

    The taste is good and the aftertaste is refreshing. It''s also filled with lots of juice.

    "What are you doing, Frau found this first!"

    "Kyui! kyu,kyu kyui!"

    "What? Did you lick it before Frau? Aaahhhh! How dare you eat it all!"

    Frau and Panda start fighting again.

    I don''t understand why they have to fight over everything.

    There are plenty of grapes to go around. There''s no need to fight over something like this.

    While Panda was running for his life, he crashed into Ultina''s face.

    "Ah."

    Thump

    A dry sound suddenly rang out.

    The next moment, Ultina had disappeared from the spot.

    "I forgot to tell you that a mole dug a guge hole in the hat area..."

    When the caretaker returned, he saw the hole with the wooden lid removed and fell silent.

    I heard Ultina''s voice crying from the bottom.

 CH 128

    The city was full of life.

    Although it was close to midnight, the lights were shining brightly and the dark elves, who were sleepy during the day, were completely different at night. The adventurers also go to work one after another.

    "Everything is so different at night."

    "That''s what I said. Besides, we can see better and our senses are more heightened at night, so there''s no need to be active at a time of day we don''t like."

    "True, but there are several creatures that are active during the day."

    "Are you talking about how we keep our city protected? That''s not a problem, there are people like me who adjust their activity time. The rest of us are asleep, but half of our brains are awake."

    They are different after all.

    Frau, who was drinking alcohol at the table, exhaled.

    "The fruit wine in this city is so good. It doesn''t beat the mead from my village, though."

    "It''s very delicious. Try it, Master."

    "Thank you."

    "Hehe~."

    Probably a little drunk, Kaede seems to react like a child to my compliments.

    I took a sip and realized that it has a high alcohol content. It''s best not to let her drink too much.

    "Is there anything interesting to see near here?"

    "A dungeon. Although it''s somewhat different, since it''s an above-ground maze."

    Oh, that''s interesting.

    I''ve only been in an above ground dungeon once, but it was a different thrill than the underground kind.

    Not a bad idea to check it out while sightseeing.

    "Has it been explored yet?"

    "It''s not the hardest place in the world to get through, but no one has completed it in 20 years."

    "I want to go there tomorrow, can we go?"

    "No problem. I''ll be there to support you every step of the way."

    Ultina lightly smacked her fist against my chest with confidence.

    "Master¡« Master¡«"

    "Do you want water?"

    "Yes, yes."

    I returned to the inn and entered the room with Kaede, whose face was on fire.

    In her drunken state, she wrapped her arms around me and sniffed my neck over and over again.

    She smiled happily and her fox ears drooped.

    Fruit wine is too delicious, so she ended up drinking too much. It pained me to see her ignoring the high alcohol content.

    "Kaede is still a child, isn''t she? She shouldn''t get drunk like that."

    "Frau-San, please don''t go on."

    "Who are you calling [san]!?"

    "..........."

    "It''s funny, Frau suddenly got drunk ~"

    She averted her gaze at the same time as she said; "I''ll go to bed."

    In my mind, I saw Frau drinking some delicious sake straight from the bottle.

    "Master~, I love you~, I will always be with you~"

    "I will also be with you forever, now sleep."

    "Master~, we''ll be together~"

    "Yes, we will."

    "Hehehehe~"

    I laid her down on the bed and covered her with the sheets.

    As I sat on a nearby chair, Kaede reached out and took my hand.

    Then she rubbed it on her face.

    "Master''s scent~, it''s my favorite scent~"

    "You''re so drunk."

    "Kyu..."

    Both Frau and Panda were shocked.

    This is cute.

    I''d like to see my pretty slave drunk from time to time.

    It''s a long trip we''re going on. I guess it''s okay to let loose a little.

    "Uhh~"

    Kaede held her head, her brow furrowed.

    She was suffering from a hangover.

    "Are you okay? If you think you can''t go out, you''re free to stay."

    "No problem. I''ve been drinking a lot of water, and also..."

    Kaede turned her head and stared at Frau.

    "Hugf!"

    "Kyu?!"

    "I''m not going to throw up on Panda. Just let me lie down for a while longer... Ugh."

    "Kyuuuuuuuu!!!?"

    Frau lay down on top of Panda, looking as if she was about to die.

    After I brought Kaede over last night, Frau begged me to visit another bar.

    She drank a lot there, and that''s why she''s in that state.

    I stopped when I felt I reached my limit.

    "Are you guys hung over? We''re about to go to the dungeon and if you don''t pull yourselves together, you''ll die."

    "I''m sorry. I''ll do my best not to be a hindrance."

    "It''s not a problem, I''ll fight for the both of us. Kaede, Frau, if you two feel like you can''t go on, please tell me and we''ll take a break."

    "Master¡«"

    Kaede''s eyes grew moist.

    Well, she''s not sick.

    She''ll be fine by noon.

    There was a dungeon three hours outside the city.

    It is commonly referred to as the "Flower Garden Maze."

    It is an above-ground dungeon formed by hedge-like walls of trees.

    It is not like the underground dungeons where the internal structure changes over time. When it comes to those, it''s common to hear that a map from a month ago is useless now.

    According to Ultina, the internal structure of this place changes of its own free will every week, and the difficulty level is just above medium.

    "The interior has just changed, so we have a week to complete it."

    "Isn''t this a superb view?"

    "No, what I want to show you up ahead is even better. In the Garden maze, there''s an area with beautiful flowers, and it''s really spectacular. I''ve been wanting to see it for a long time, but I haven''t been able to find it yet."

    A mysterious area deep within the dungeon?

    In a way, it has a passionate feel to it. I''m curious about it.

    "Can''t you enter from the top?"

    "There''s an invisible wall at the top, so you can''t get in and out from above. This is what the man who had the unique experience of walking above the dungeon said."

    Ultina entered the dungeon while saying, "Here we go."

    I was about to walk when someone grabbed me by the hem of my shirt and stopped me in my tracks.

    "Just for a bit, please."

    "Okay, you can hold on for as long as you need."

    "Thank you!"

    Kaede''s expression lit up.

    "Kyu."

    "Aaaaaaaah..."

    On the other hand, Frau was still half-dead on top of Panda as she tortured him with her groans.

    It had been an hour since we entered the place.

    Frau was still dead tired on top of Panda.

    Kaede is using healing waves on herself and is slowly recovering.

    She''s also using her healing magic to help Frau recover, but it seems that the alcohol affected her too much.

    "Deee!"

    Ultina cuts the demon in half with her one-handed axe.

    In addition, enemies approaching from behind are bitten and killed by a ''Wanger'', a dog-like creature summoned by Ultina.

    This explains why she is able to complete quests alone.

    By using summoning magic, she has established a method of fighting in which she can have her summoned creature defend her while she attacks. ¡¡ The wanger looks like a combination of a lizard and a dog.

    It wagged its tail after Ultina stroked its head.

    "You''ve done well. I''m going to need your help a little while longer."

    "Nya."

    Wait, why does it sound like a cat?

    And it''s washing its face with its paws. I''m not even sure what kind of animal it is anymore.

    "How do you like my fighting style?"

    "I''m surprised. Can you summon more beasts?"

    "I can, but that would require having to keep it up for a long time, and I''m already at my limit. Sometimes you need to be aware of how far you can go."

    Yes, she''s right.

    I''m tempted to ask her to show me the other beasts she can summon. But I don''t think I can make that kind of request because of our current level of trust.

    Besides, it''s a bit much to ask what tricks she has up her sleeves.

    However, she is a good guide. I believe she is someone who can be trusted.

    Since I''m going to need her for a while longer, I think I''ll wait a little while longer to create a solid friendly relationship and then have her show me her other beasts.

    "Nya."

    "All right, good boy."

    The wanger rubbed his head on my feet, and I patted his head.

    He looks rough, but he''s tender.

    "It''s rare for a wanger to be attracted to someone other than the summoner. From the moment I met you I knew there was something different about you than the other humans I knew."

    Ultina began to get curious about me and moved closer to my face.

    But Kaede stepped in the way.

    "Don''t get any closer than necessary."

    "Fufu, are you jealous?"

    "You''re wrong!"

    "You have nothing to worry about, I''m not going to try anything. He''s not my type."

    Ultina turned around and kept walking ahead.

    "Ugh... Ugh..."

    "Kyui! Kyui!"

    The haggard Frau extended her trembling hand towards us.

 CH 129

    A whole day has passed as we advanced through the flower garden labyrinth.

    The route we took up to this point is marked on a piece of paper, so we can return at any time if we wish.

    As night falls, we gather around the campfire to check on today''s harvest.

    "I have a ring that increases speed, a necklace that staves off drowsiness, a bracelet that keeps me from starving, a ring that restores magical power, and two appraisal scrolls. Also, what are these squishy balls?"

    "You don''t know? Those are smoke balls. If you hold one tightly and throw it, it will release a lot of smoke."

    "It could be used as a smoke screen."

    All the items obtained are of no use to me.

    If we bring them back to the island, we can sell them at a good price, but since the only way back is by boat, it would be wise to sell them here. Or I suppose there is no choice but to use them.

    I''ll let Ultina choose what she wants first.

    These are things we didn''t get on our own. Naturally, she''ll get her share, too.

    "All I need is the ring that restores magic power."

    "Are you sure that''s all you want?"

    "All of these items appear frequently. Not that I need them, I''d just want them so I could sell them for money."

    So they come up very frequently. You must have come across many items like this an infinite number of times.

    Well, to be honest, there are hardly any items that are of any use to me.

    I''ll sell everything except the scrolls and the smoke balls.

    "Please give me some water.."

    "Waaah! You came back to life!?"

    "So you finally recovered."

    "Yeah, I''m sorry. I''ll never drink alcohol again."

    "Kyui."

    Frau utters these words after she has recovered from her hangover.

    Surely in a few days she will have forgotten all about today''s pain and go back to drinking again.

    "It''s time to go."

    "Isn''t it dangerous to move around at night?"

    "There''s a full moon tonight, so it''s bright out. Besides, you can only enjoy the phantom zone at night."

    I see, that certainly makes sense.

    Honestly, I wouldn''t want to miss out on such a spectacle.

    "Uaagh."

    Kaede made a displeased expression.

    "Master, do you smell something bad?"

    So I started sniffing as well.

    I could detect a strange smell, though it was faint.

    We might be near the phantom zone Ultina mentioned.

    We gathered our things and set off again.

    "Maybe this is it."

    "Hueeeh!"

    "Kyui!"

    When we stepped out into the open space, we couldn''t help but stare at the spectacle.

    Surrounding a fountain were countless small flowers emitting blue light.

    Whenever the wind blows, the shining lights shimmer like a wave.

    "It''s just as I heard. This is what I wanted to see."

    Ultina enters the area and spins around with her hands outstretched.

    She looks like a little girl.

    "What are these flowers called?"

    "These are called ''Blue Man-eaters''."

    Blue¡­ Man-eaters?!

    "Huh?!"

    "Hueeeh?!"

    "Kyui!"

    The flowers'' long roots spread beneath us and bound us all.

    And from below emerged a meter-long blue flower.

    A large mouth in the center opened, ready to swallow us.

    "What kind of monster is this!?"

    Kaede was tied to one of the branches as she was suspended upside down, exposing her thighs and underwear.

    "If you''re not careful with your bindings, you''re going to get¨C...."

    Ultina managed to free herself from her bonds, but the vines were binding her tightly, and the more she moved, the more her breasts swayed as they bulged more into view.

    I could not take my eyes off them.

    "My Lord, look at me! Why don''t you look at Frau too!?"

    "..........."

    "It''s because of my breasts, isn''t it!? That''s why you won''t look at me! You only want large breasts like the ones those two have!"

    Frau looks so frustrated that she''s about to shed tears of blood.

    "Stop talking about such things! Focus on the current situation!"

    The monster has yet to decide on who to eat first, turning its body around as it looked between Kaede and Ultina."

    "Master, can you help us?"

    "Hmmm, I''d like to keep looking at this view some more."

    "Master!"

    "Okay, I''ll take it from here."

    Effortlessly, I stretched out my arms and was able to untie myself from the vines, causing the monster to let go of me and pull it''s vines back.

    Time to say goodbye. Thank you for the lovely view.

    I drew my sword and swung a cross swipe in the air, ending the monster in a second.

    "How did you do that!? With one move¡­ You finished off that monster..."

    "It''s because Master is Master."

    Kaede says those words once she flips in the air and lands on the ground.

    On her face was an expression of satisfaction, as if she was in love.

    On the other hand, Frau was staring at Ultina''s breasts with vacant eyes.

    ...Hm?

    There is something floating in the fountain.

    I picked it up and saw that it was a white scroll.

    I''ve only seen this kind once in the Elven Village.

    A special scroll that gives you abilities, right?

    Maybe the flower monster was the boss of this area.

    I''ve heard that boss monsters drop items when they are defeated.

    The scroll contained a skill;¡¾Luminous¡¿.

    It''s a skill I''ve never heard of. It''s possibly a very rare item.

    "This is where Frau gets her special ability, right? This scroll is for Frau."

    "I don''t even know what this ability does."

    "But the Lord can control beasts and Kaede can use magic. Frau can only fly, so Frau wants to be more useful. I don''t want to be the only one without a special ability."

    I was about to say; "don''t say you''re the only one." But then decided to swallow those words.

    Both me and Kaede have more than enough skills. In that sense, Frau doesn''t have any outstanding ability.

    The ability to fly is an amazing power worth mentioning, but other than that she''s pretty normal.

    And I have a feeling that fairies and luminance go well together. Just a hunch, of course.

    I handed the scroll to Frau.

    "Release!"

    The scroll emits a light that is absorbed by Frau''s chest.

    She is now the owner of the Luminous Ability.

    "Fairy lights, enlighten meeeeeeeee!"

    """"Gyaaaaah!!!""""

    A huge amount of light was emitted by Frau.

    This must be a fucking joke. If she plans to do something like this, she should have warned us.

    My vision went completely white and I couldn''t see anything.

    Oh, I grabbed something...

    "Hmm~. Master, not in a place like this..."

    "I''m sorry!"

    What the hell did I just do to Kaede?

    While running backwards to escape, I tripped over someone and fell down.

    "Who are you?"

    "I''m Ultina, Uhm, that voice... Toru?"

    I apologized and tried to get up.

    But as soon as I moved my hand, I felt a soft, squishy touch."

    "Where are you putting your hands!!!? Stop, Uhm¡­!"

    "I''m sorry! But I can''t see anything."

    "Don''t move your legs, you idiot! Ah!"

    "Master, what are you doing? I''m here!"

    "Frau, take me somewhere safe."

    Frau grabbed me by the arm and carried me through the air to another spot.

    The place where he lowered me down seemed to be near the wall.

    "Kyu! Kyu, Kyu!?"

    "Hey, hold still. I can''t see, you''re flying and you''re smacking against the wall."

    "Kyui¡«"

    It seems that Panda, who was in a state of confusion, hit a wall and fell down.

    We have to wait for each of us to regain our sight completely.

    "Frau... You and I will talk about this later..."

    "Okay...."

 CH 130

    I got nervous as I looked at all of them.

    This is something I have thought about before, but they are all so pretty, cute and elegant that I start to question if I should be in this group.

    "Hello everyone, I would like to thank you all for coming here. The reason we are all here today is because of Toru-Sama."

    Marianne began to speak.

    The people who were present here were;

    Marianne, the Countess of Armand.

    Luna, the princess of Greyfield.

    Lynn, a Cat-type beastkin and member of the Flame Axe Clan.

    Alusha, from the village of the elves.

    Nei, his childhood friend.

    Soara, his other childhood friend.

    And me, Pione, of the demon race.

    It all started with a message I received from Marianne.

    It was an invitation to a tea party to talk about Toru-Sama.

    For me, who had no friends of the same age, I was very happy with this invitation.

    I always wanted to be with other girls and talk about our love lives, our hobbies, and have a slumber party.

    But when I got to this place, I was so nervous that I cringed.

    Like I said before, everyone is so beautiful and cute that I feel out of place.

    "But really, that''s just a pretext. I want to take this opportunity to deepen my friendship with you. Although we are rivals, we are also friends and members of the Manyu Brigade."

    "That''s right. Let''s quickly get on with all the talk and start a fun tea party."

    "Then let''s get started."

    Marianne-san snapped her fingers and the two maids pulled out a rectangular board.

    I think it''s called a blackboard, I''ve seen something like that in my country.

    She then wrote a sentence on the board with chalk.

    ''Plan to defeat Kaede-San.''

    What is this?

    Alusha-San bowed her head.

    "As you may have noticed, Kaede-San is the first candidate to be Toru-Sama''s wife, the second is Frau-San... Even if we received an engagement ring, it doesn''t assure us anything. We can never aspire to a worthy position if we remain indifferent towards this."

    "In other words, we should improve our relationship with Toru-Sama to be on the same level as Kaede-San?"

    "Correct. And I don''t intend to sit here and wait for Toru-Sama to bestow it upon me. Even if I am a maiden, I must defend my position."

    Me? To be Toru-Sama''s wife?

    Eh... This is so sudden... Well, I did imagine myself having two children with him. Maybe three... But being his wife will definitely make him love me more.

    I don''t know if I should be part of this conversation. It''s all so confusing.

    "But, Kaede-Chan is a slave. Is she allowed to marry someone?"

    "Toru-Sama is someone who doesn''t pay attention to details like that. He''s going to go ahead no matter what. He''s going to treat Kaede-San as his wife, regardless of her status. What matters most to him is the spiritual relationship, not the formal one."

    "Marianne-San is right. That insensitive warrior doesn''t care what kind of status or social position you have, his treatment of you is a function on the feelings you convey to him."

    I wonder if Toru-Sama really likes me.

    He hasn''t even told me that he likes me.

    What if he were to hold my hand, not out of love, but out of mere physical attraction?

    Can I live with that?

    Nei-san raises her hand.

    "I''ll refrain from trying. Toru is too kind to turn me down, so I can surely aspire to something with him, but I''ve suffered enough. I don''t think I have the right to be loved."

    "Nei-San.."

    Thump

    After hearing those words, Soara-San hit Nei-San on the head.

    "Ow! What are you doing!?"

    "Punishing you for talking nonsense. We both have a past that we want to erase and forget, but that''s no reason to give up our future happiness. You were unhappy once, and so was I, and that''s exactly why we have to keep moving forward and achieve that which will make us happy."

    "Soara...?"

    "Are you still in doubt? I can hit you again if necessary."

    As usual, Soara-San is being unreasonable.

    Still, I agree with her words. Giving up on happiness will simply make your whole life go unchecked into the abyss.

    You are a strong woman, stand up and fight.

    I''ll try my best too. I''m going to make my relationship with the Toru-Sama work.

    "But what exactly do we have to do to defeat Kaede?"

    "Have a baby."

    "What!?"

    Alusha-San fell off her chair.

    But she got right back up.

    "D-D-D-Don''t you think... That''s a bit hasty? We haven''t even held hands, hueeeeeh!!!"

    "Yeah, I haven''t been able to do that either! But I''m gonna do my best!"

    Alusha-san and Marianne-san''s faces were very red.

    I looked around and they were all blushing.

    After all, they all thought the same thing.

    "U-Uh, but how are we going to... be with Toru-Sama? He''s gone to another continent."

    "We have no choice but to wait for his return. Or we could board the ship that will come back for supplies and go to wherever Toru is. Although that last one is not a good idea."

    "Even if we had a plan, it''s not like we''ll meet him the moment we get there. It would still be different if we had a quick way to see him."

    She''s right. I wish there was a magic transfer circle that would take us to the other continent.

    I miss you, Toru.

    I wonder what you''re doing now.

    Crich crich crich crich

    The floor sounds strange.

    This place looks like an old mansion, is there a loose tile?

    "Ugh, I wish the magic transfer circle that''s in my village could take us to the other continent. Great race, why didn''t you leave us a more powerful magic circle!?"

    Tomph

    Alusha-San stomped her foot on the ground.

    Crack

    Hm?

    There was a crack in the ground. So I leaned my body forward to get a closer look.

    Oh no, the ground is sinking!

    "Aaaaaaaah!"

    "What''s happening!"

    "Uuugaaah."

    The whole floor began to shatter, and all the girls fell one by one.

    I barely managed to escape by grabbing onto the carpet that was spread out.

    "Aah, aaaaaaaah!"

    Marianne-San didn''t seem to move a single muscle, she just sat there in a daze.

    "Marianne-San, help me!"

    "Ah! Yes!"

    Craagh

    The sharp wood ripped the carpet bit by bit.

    I could feel myself slipping more.

    "Give me your hand!"

    "Uhm!"

    I tried to grab her hand, but I couldn''t do it in time.

    Graaaagh

    The carpet ripped apart completely and my body fell backwards.

    A low circle glowed beneath me.

    The moment I fell to the ground, I lost consciousness.

    "Aaaaah! Girls!? Oh, what should I do!?"

    The magic transfer circle that could be seen at the bottom stopped working after transferring Pione-San.

    This mansion is built on top of some ruins.

    But I didn''t know there was a magic transfer circle right below us.

    To find out where the magic circle took the girls, I ran in search of a magician who is an expert in magic circles.

    Please, I hope you are all safe.

 CH 131

    At dawn, we advanced through the flower garden labyrinth.

    At last we have arrived.

    In the past, Kaede gave me the opportunity to touch the core of the labyrinth we once explored.

    This time, I want to let her do it.

    After going through an intricate maze of hedges, we came out into a wide open space and found the core surrounded by an iron fence.

    A glowing blue crystal.

    If we touched it, we would be safe.

    I gently opened the gate and nodded toward Kaede.

    "Is it okay if I touch it?"

    "Of course."

    "It''s fine with me."

    "Frau will touch it next time."

    "Kyui."

    Smiling softly, Kaede approached the stone and touched it gently with her fingertips.

    ¡¶Congratulations for breaking through the Flower Garden Labyrinth. You shall now receive the clearing reward¡·

    ¡¶Reward: a memory box will be awarded as a clear privilege¡·.

    A ball of light appeared and landed on Kaede''s hand.

    When the glow disappeared, there was a white, square box.

    In the center of the box was a round glass inlay, which had a look that could only be described as strange.

    "What is this?"

    "What does appraisal say?"

    "It says it''s a tool that allows you to photograph the landscape beyond the lens by pressing the shutter button."

    We exchanged words with our eyes.

    The thought running through all our minds was; ''what does that mean?''

    Meanwhile, Kaede pressed the button towards the sky.

    "Wow, a piece of paper came out."

    A sheet of thick paper came out from the bottom of the box.

    An elaborate drawing of a blue sky appeared on the paper.

    Could it be that this thing could draw the landscape before it in an instant?

    Quite some time ago, I had heard of such a relic.

    If this is it, it''s a national treasure.

    "Hey, can you draw us with it?"

    "Yes!"

    Chuuuck

    An odd sound resounded and out came the paper.

    I hurried over to Kaede, and waited for the image to become clear.

    "Oh, it''s me!"

    "It''s so real. You look just like you, Master."

    "That''s because it''s me! Now I want a drawing with Kaede."

    "Okay!"

    Now it was Ultina who pointed the box at us and pressed the button.

    She was next to Kaede, and suddenly Frau and Panda came in with us.

    The paper came out.

    What an impressive tool.

    With this, I can preserve the landscapes I see on my journeys.

    I''ve been waiting for something like this.

    Thank you, Kaede

    Paki

    I stopped moving for a second.

    That sound again?

    When I returned to the city, I went to the item store to get more information about the ''memory box''.

    From what I heard there, this tool is commonly known as a "camera," and similar ones are circulating on the mainland, albeit in small numbers.

    However, as expected, the shopkeeper told me that they are so expensive that the general public cannot obtain them.

    "It''s amazing! I can see the scenery as many times as I want." he said.

    "I''m glad you like it, Master."

    "Yes, I''ll take more pictures with Kaede."

    "Me?"

    Take a picture from below.

    Another around her buttocks.

    And one more photo of her breasts.

    "Oh, Master''s strong gaze is...... so exciting ?"

    "No no no no, show me a bolder face."

    "What do you mean, like this?"

    "What are you two doing? We have to get ready to leave, otherwise Ultina will be very angry with us."

    "Kyui"

    Ah, right.

    We should have left town by now.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting."

    "I just arrived too."

    I met Ultina at the entrance to the city, she had a pillow and an eye mask on her forehead.

    It was as if she was about to go to bed.

    She turned her attention to Panda.

    "By the way, can you sleep on that fluffy thing while it floats?"

    "Uhm, I guess..."

    "I''ve always wanted to sleep on something like that, just once. If you want, I can pay you to let me sleep in it."

    "You want to do what with Panda?"

    "Kyui."

    "Just for a little while..."

    Ultina yawned.

    She pounced on Panda and stretched out.

    "Fufufufu, what a fluffy thing."

    "Kyu, kyu!"

    "He says not to use him as a bed."

    "It''s alright. This little guy could be a dark elf killer."

    What could she mean by that?

    Still, Panda seemed to have liked hearing that. His eye sparkled with intensity.

    "So, you''re leaving town as well?"

    "I''ve finished what I wanted to do here, and I find myself interested to see how strong you are. So I want to hire you for one more job."

    "That''s very kind of you."

    "And I''d like to ask you some questions regarding your abilities."

    "What did you want to ask- Hey... Don''t fall asleep..."

    Suddenly, Ultina had dozed off.

    We walked along a steep cliff.

    There was a large city below us.

    The city was said to be called "Port of the Dark Passage".

    Since it was located in the suburbs, we could see the dark elves living here too.

    "Oh Panda, you are the best beast ever."

    "Kyuu~"

    "Get away, Panda is Frau''s!"

    "I wish you were my summoned beast."

    Frau struggles to pull Panda away from Ultina.

    Panda, who is in the center, looks happy.

    But in reality, Panda is my Beast, he doesn''t belong to Frau.

    Kaede smiled as she walked beside me.

    "I see you''re in a good mood,"

    "Yes! I''m happy to be with my master!"

    "How beautiful you are."

    "By the way, Master, I wanted to ask you something..."

    Kaede, looking embarrassed and uneasy, looks at my left hand.

    What''s wrong?

    Is something wrong with my left hand?

    "Could I... Take your hand?"

    "My hand? Sure, that''s fine."

    I grabbed her small, slender hand.

    At that moment, a memory of when Kaede was little came to me and I took her hand.

    Now she is a grown woman.

    I wondered how she felt.

    "Ma-Ma... Master... Master is holding my hand."

    "Eh?!"

    Kaede''s face turns bright red and she faints.

    How did this even happen!?

    I just held her hand!

    "Higyaaaa!"

    A scream echoed behind me and I turned around to survey the scene.

    Frau and Panda were fine, but... That voice was from.... Ultina!

    Frau, who looked confused, pointed at the cliff.

    "Frau didn''t do anything! She fell off by herself."

    "Ultina, did you slip? Are you okay?!"

    A sobbing voice could be heard from the bottom of the cliff.

    "According to a famous fortune teller, my feet have extremely bad luck."

    "I see, that''s why you always fall down. Is that the reason for your nickname, ''The Fallen Princess''?"

    "Yes, it''s very unpleasant."

    Ultina''s level is 380.

    Even if she fell off a 50-foot cliff, she wouldn''t have scratch on her.

    On the other hand, the mental damage seems to be huge.

    "Ultina-San, cheer up, here you go."

    "Thank you."

    After taking the canteen, Ultina opened the cap and drank the water.

    We are currently sitting on the edge of the fountain just after entering the city.

    It seems to be a bustling city, with two or three times the population of the city we were in a while ago.

    Occasionally you can see a human or beastkin with a collar.

    Apparently, the humans in this place don''t get much respect.

    On the other hand, I can also see humans walking freely, so they are treated better here than in Petardaus.

    "Ultina."

    Someone called out to her from somewhere we couldn''t see, so she hurriedly looked around.

    A middle-aged man was standing some distance away.

    Perhaps he was a knight, as he wore an ornate armor, his blue cloak billowing in the wind.

    He had a thin one-handed sword cinched around his waist and was pointing at us with a razor-sharp gaze.

    He didn''t appear to be a low ranked knight.

    Ultina quickly stood up and knelt in front of him.

    "It''s been a long time, my lord."

    "It''s good to see you in good health. You''ve finally decided to accept my request."

    "Well..."

    She was at a loss for words, but the man responded with a nod.

    "Careful preparation is necessary. I''ll leave the timing of the challenge in your hands."

    "Yes."

    The man turned and walked away from the spot.

    Ultina stood up and looked back with a bitter smile. Apparently he wasn''t just an adventurer.

    "Toru, do you remember what I said a while ago?"

    "Hmm? You wanted me to do something for you?"

    "Yes. If you help me, I''ll pay you back handsomely."

    So it''s a personal request.

    I''ll have to ask Kaede and Frau if they''ll accept it.

    In the meantime, I made eye contact with Kaede and Frau, but their response was, ''We will do as you command''.

    "In this city, there is an underground ruin called the ''Dark Passage''. It is a dark space that absorbs any light and cannot be fully mapped. I have to find out where the ruins lead to."

    Ruins that absorb light?

 CH 132

    The Dark Passage is said to be a ruin that has existed in the city of Safuro for a long time.

    It is a place that is shrouded by darkness, making it difficult to see, and absorbs any light that enters.

    It is also inhabited by monsters and have been sealed for a long time, and was classified as a place forbidden to explore.

    "...His Excellency wants to use the Dark Passage as a sort of direct route."

    "So you don''t know where it leads to?"

    "There is a dark path near the city, and we believe it connects to it. The request is to validate that information."

    We were drinking tea in a restaurant while listening to the story.

    "So who was that guy?"

    "General Gio. I used to be with the Knights and have had a long relationship with him. Because of his position, it''s hard to turn down a request like this, even though it''s kind of impossible."

    She also told us that she tried several ways and methods to explore this passage, but failed miserably every time.

    I don''t think it''s right for a stranger like me to tell her what to do.

    She accepted the request, understanding that it was an impossible mission to accomplish. Even if there is no possibility of succeeding, there will always be requests that cannot be refused due to personal interests.

    For example, someone who owes you a favor.

    "Please. Please lend me your strength. I''ll do anything if we succeed."

    "Anything?"

    A jolt passed through my entire body.

    The beautiful dark elf before me will do anything for me.

    Anything... I don''t know if there is any man who wouldn''t be moved by these words.

    However, I thought I saw Kaede''s eyes grow teary, so I quickly replied.

    "We''ll take 70% of whatever we find in the ruins. I don''t want a paycheck for this job."

    "Are you sure about that? I mean, there might not be anything there."

    "It''s okay if there''s nothing. It''s like sightseeing."

    The place we''re entering is forbidden, plus I can''t rule out the possibility that there are valuable objects there.

    If there are relics to be found, I''ll be able to make a lot of money. Since this deal is already mutually beneficial, there''s no problem.

    "But I still don''t know how we''ll be able to enter that place if all light is absorbed."

    "If we use light magic, we can make it. I don''t think everything will be absorbed in an instant, and you already know part of the way. What do you think?"

    Ultina was silent for a while and then nodded her head.

    "I think we can do it. Frau''s ability can emit enough light to illuminate the place, plus, if I regulate the energy, you can use me as a torch."

    "Then it''s settled, I''m relieved to know that we''ve found a solution to that problem."

    I didn''t think Frau had refined the power of her light skill. It might be a more dangerous ability than I imagined.

    Kaede and Panda had traces of fear in their expressions.

    The Dark Passage is on the outskirts of the city.

    The entrance was locked by a solid metal door.

    General Gio unlocked it with a key and opened the door for us.

    "Be careful. There are some nasty monsters roaming around down there."

    "We''ll be fine."

    "Hmph, I missed that look. I remember those days when you were my second in command. How many times have I rescued you from one pit or another?"

    "Your Excellency! Don''t bring up something like that now!"

    "I''m sorry, I forgot your companions were here."

    Now I see why you couldn''t refuse this job....

    Ultina doesn''t make eye contact and goes downstairs first saying, "Come on!"

    "Take care of her."

    "I will."

    I nod at Gio''s words as we follow her.

    "I can''t see anything!"

    "I''ll turn on the light."

    Ultina turns on a lamp.

    But the light got smaller and smaller in an instant, till it was the size of a firefly.

    So this is the Dark Passage. I can understand why it hasn''t been explored until now.

    "This is where Frau comes in. Cover your eyes."

    The light that appeared in front of us was so intense that I could see it even with my eyes closed.

    When I opened my eyelids in fear, I saw that Frau was illuminating the surroundings with a light equivalent to the intensity of a torch.

    Now we could really explore the passage.

    "Are you all right?"

    "Yes, I think I''ll be able to hold it for some time."

    "Let me know when you can''t anymore, I don''t want you to risk it."

    Frau and Ultina lead us down the hallway.

    Behind them was Kaede mapping the surroundings, and at the end was Rosuke and me.

    Luckily Rosuke is a beast that doesn''t rely on vision.

    So he''ll be able to perform well with his senses here.

    "I was wondering, why did the great race build a place like this?"

    "Surely they were trying to hide something."

    "Master, is there a treasure here?"

    My job, [Great Thief], is detecting it.

    There is treasure here. Something akin to a sense of smell picked it up.

    "Yes, there is a very rare item hidden here."

    Paki paki pkai

    That sound... Again.

    It seems like this moment has finally arrived.

    ¡¶Notice: Your labor saving has reached the upper limit, so your payment will be updated¡·.

    ¡¶Notice: The payout will be increased by the effect of skill UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You have acquired the job [Illusionist]¡·

    Illusionist?

    That''s it!!!??? ¡¡ I was a little hopeful that I could get a good job.

    No, this is okay.

    I have too much power as it is.

    Even if I have a lot of job classes, if I don''t use them, it''d be a waste.

    Suddenly, a disturbing sign appeared in my field of vision.

    ¡¶Report: The first Job limit layer has been destroyed.¡·

    Ehh, what the heck?

    Does that mean I''ll still get many more in the future!?

    Please stop.

    "Take it out, Wanger!"

    "Nya!"

    The Wanger was pitted against a snake, which it then mauled to death.

    They say that snakes can sense heat, so they must be able to perform in a place like this

    Beyond the road, the Dark Passage split in two directions.

    "There''s a breeze coming from there. It smells of flowers and grass."

    "So that''s the way to the capital - what should we do, Ultina?"

    "I''d like to check the route to the capital first."

    Now I understand everything. That''s what we''re here for.

    This town is far away from the capital, but if you use this passage as a direct connection, it is possible to make the trip in one day.

    The only obstacle is the monsters.

    "I can see a light."

    It has been five hours since we entered the passage.

    I started to see a small, diagonal light in front of me.

    We climbed some stairs, and found a meadow in front of us.

    The entrance to the Dark Passage was at the edge of the forest, buried in the woods.

    This seems to be the reason why there are monsters all along the path.

    If you build a door and finish off the monsters inside, you will be safe even with all that darkness in the air.

    The first thing I did was cut the surrounding plant life with my sword, and blocked the entrance with a wooden board from the inside to prevent more monsters from entering.

    "Now all we have to do is get rid of the remaining monsters inside and we will have accomplished our mission."

    "Thank you very much for your help. I hope I can repay you in some way for this."

    "You can thank Frau, it was thanks to her that we were able to get this far."

    Hearing those words, Frau thrusts her chest out with pride.

    "Exactly, thank me. Without Frau here, you wouldn''t have been able to explore the place. I''m no longer just a washboard with wings."

    I never said that.

    Ultina looked at Frau''s chest, then thanked her with a smile.

    We returned to the fork in the passage and, after some rest, resumed our search.

    The other path seemed to lead further down, and we descended the stairs several times.

    "Haa!"

    Ultina''s axe slashed through one of the enemies.

    She began wheezing, slowly approaching her limit.

    Time to switch.

    "My turn, I''ll take care of the enemies we encounter."

    "I''m sorry, I think I''ve reached my limit."

    "It''s okay, it''s time for you to rest."

    I eliminated all the monsters that came our way with my bare hands.

    Finally, we came to a door.

    "Why is there a door in such a big space?"

    "Were there any other hidden doors along the way?"

    "No, [Great Thief] didn''t detect anything. If there had been, I''m pretty sure I would have found it."

    I grab the doorknob and turn it.

    It''s locked.

    Time to pull out the Super Universal Key.

    I pulled the cable out and opened the door.

    Giiiiiiii. The door slowly swings open.

    Wooooow!

    This is a great treasure!

    There were countless relics stored in the room.

    And there''s also a magic circle on the floor that seems to have stopped working.

    Fuush

    A black shadow darts across the corner of the room.

    It hid behind a relic and held it''s breath.

    "Master."

    "I know, prepare to fight."

    I pulled my sword out of it''s sheath.

    Come on out.

    I kicked the ground hard and ran to where the shadow was.

    I quickly confirmed the appearance of what was hiding there, and stopped abruptly because of how shocked I was.

    What I saw was Luna, who looked haggard.

 CH 133

    "...Luna?"

    "Toru...Kun?"

    Suddenly, she burst into tears and pounced on me.

    Why is Luna here?

    She should have been waiting for our return back home.

    Luna wasn''t in the best condition to explain herself as she kept crying.

    "It must have been because of the magic transfer circle, Luna must have stepped on it and was brought to this place."

    "You mean Luna climbed to the top of that steep rock mountain?"

    "No, that place''s circle still doesn''t work. Surely, she must have discovered a new magic transfer circle that we don''t know about. I think that would be the most logical conclusion."

    I see, that makes a lot of sense. After the magic circle brought Luna in, its magic power ran out and it stopped working.

    One can only say it was bad luck.

    But how long had she been here?

    There are dozens of empty bottles lying on the floor.

    It looks like she was just barely staying hydrated with the potions.

    Ultina, unable to believe the situation, folded her arms and frowned.

    "It''s about time you explained to me what''s going on here..."

    "You''ll get your explanation later, but my priority right now is Luna."

    We returned to the surface with Luna on my back.

    "Aagh, hagh, nggg!"

    Luna nearly choked as she rapidly gulped down a glass of water in one go.

    The plates piled up on the table, and Kaede, Frau and Ultina were stunned at the scene.

    The speed with which she ate was very fast. I feel like she''s thrown away her pride as the princess of Greyfield.

    Even in this restaurant, where there are few customers, Luna''s voracity made the waitresses rush back and forth between the kitchen and our table.

    "Fueeeh~, that was delicious. I''m completely satisfied."

    "You''ve eaten too much."

    "I really thought I was going to die. If you hadn''t arrived in a couple more days, I''d probably be dead by now."

    "What do you mean by that?"

    Luna was happily rubbing her stomach.

    As for me, I was relieved to be able to help her.

    I''ve already heard Luna''s story and the reason she was there.

    There are some ruins just below the mansion where Marianne lives, and there is a magic transfer circle there that no one had discovered.

    And the four other people who she knows were also transported by the magic circle were Soara, Nei, Alusha and Lynn.

    As for Pione and Marianne, Luna cannot state if they were also transported since she was caught in the circle before that happened.

    The question is, why is Luna alone?

    If they jumped through the same magic transfer circle, they should all be in that place.

    "I was thinking the same thing while I was in that place; Why was I alone? Maybe that magic circle transports to different places as long as they are connected."

    "So they are all in different places..."

    Luna nods with a relieved smile on her face.

    That''s not good. Without knowing where the girls are, it''s hard to know where to go.

    All I can say for sure is that there is an unidentified shifting magic circle on this continent, and our friends jumped into it.

    The silver lining in all of this, is that they are all able to fend for themselves.

    Now I have a new reason to continue my journey.

    "Well, you have nothing to worry about. If you go to the base now, you can ride the boat home."

    "Oh, I''m going back?"

    "Aren''t you glad?"

    "Of course I am. But I''m on another continent and I''ve met Toru-Kun again. I think it''s kind of sad to go back and not be able to enjoy it."

    Luna stuck her fork into the dessert on the table and said, "I''ve had a terrible time, I should have a reward."

    I didn''t know what to say, so I turned my gaze to Kaede and Frau.

    "It would be the proper thing to spend some time with Luna. She spent so many days alone locked up in that dark, cold place. She needs to feel protected now."

    "That''s true. Frau wouldn''t like to spend much time alone in such a place without being with the Lord."

    "Kyu, Kyui!"

    "I''m not quite sure what''s going on, but, it''s not right for a man to crush a girl''s feelings. You should take responsibility properly."

    Well, Kaede and Frau have a point.

    And there''s also no way to know how to find the other girls for now.

    So I should worry about Luna''s mental health first.

    "Would you like to do some sightseeing together?"

    "Just the two of us, right?"

    "Yes."

    "Perfect! It''s a date!"

    A date?

    I went to a cafe Ultina recommended.

    But Luna hadn''t arrived yet.

    Was it necessary to set up a meeting place and go out separately?

    I think it would have been more efficient if we both came here together. After all, we are staying in the same inn.

    I order a cup of coffee and take a seat.

    The clothes Kaede and Frau have prepared for me are strangely billowy and uncomfortable.

    It even has a cloak, I look like some kind of nobleman.

    A date... Speaking of which, when was the last time I had one?

    I was a little nervous.

    "Sorry I''m late."

    "That''s okay, I just got here."

    Luna was wearing a very beautiful white dress. She sits down and orders a drink from a nearby waiter.

    She stands in front of me and stares at me.

    "You look beautiful in that dress."

    "........."

    "Is something wrong?"

    Did I do it right?

    I don''t know how women think, so I don''t know if I messed up.

    And since I put down my great sword, my back feels really, really weird.

    "Where are we going next?"

    "According to what Ultina told me, there''s a good section of stores on the main street."

    "Toru-Kun, a smart man guides the lady without telling her his plans."

    Oh right, Soara had warned me about this before.

    Dating is very complicated.

    After a brief chat, the two of us left the cafe.

    When we reached the main street, we looked for a store that would interest us both.

    "Toru-Kun, how about a home decor store?"

    "Fine by me."

    "In that case... I''d like a pillow with Toru-Kun''s scent. Can I give you a new one and you give me your current one?"

    I immediately said yes to Luna''s request with my gaze lowered.

    "No, no, that''s mine!"

    "?"

    I heard a voice behind me, so I turned my head but saw no one there.

    ...Could it have been my imagination?

    I went to the store and bought a fluffy pillow for myself.

    Of course, I paid for it myself.

    I kept walking around the store to see what products they had.

    Luxury cushions that are useless

    Luxury pillows that are useless.

    A luxury futon that is useless

    A luxury sleeping bag that would get ruined after it''s first use on an adventure.

    All are fluffy and comfortable to the touch.

    It seems that the dark elves'' passion for sleep goes beyond my imagination.

    "The pajamas here are so soft. I wish I could take one."

    "I''ll buy it for you if that''s what you want."

    "Really?!"

    "Sure."

    "Thank you so much."

    Luna begins to happily search for a pair of pajamas to her liking.

    "Toru-Kun, I''d like to know; What kind of sheets do you like?"

    "Why are you asking me that?"

    "Well, someday we''ll get to sleep in the same bed."

    "????"

    Luna smiled at me and pinched my right cheek.

    What does she mean by that?

    Why will we sleep together?

    Does she mean that we...?

    No no no, I don''t think so, it must be a joke.

    Once I bought Luna her pajamas, I put them in my Magic Storage and we left the store.

    "It''s a beautiful sunset."

    "Yes. Ultina said this is the most beautiful place in town."

    The view of the sunset and the city from a small hill on the outskirts was a sight for sore eyes.

    The two of us sat at the foot of a large tree and huddled together to watch.

    Slowly the sun was setting on the horizon and the sky behind us was turning a dull orange-purple mix.

    "I wish time would stop right now."

    "Yes."

    Luna leaned her head and rested it on my shoulder. She murmured, keeping her gaze fixed on the setting sun.

    "Toru-Kun, you''re very clueless and insensitive, so I''ll be sure to say things clearly."

    "Um."

    "I like you, Toru-Kun. I love you. Since the day I met you. I fell in love at first sight. That''s why I''ll be waiting for your return. To be with you forever and ever."

    "Luna..."

    She gave me a kiss on my cheek.

    Hueeh!

    This was so unexpected!

    She stood up, turned around and walked, giggling like a naughty little girl.

 CH 134

    We knelt before Her Majesty the Queen.

    "I was able to hear about the various circumstances occurring from the Spirit Queen, and as of this moment, I hereby declare that the ''Wise Sword of the Sacred Forest'' shall defeat the existence known as the Demon King Rudra."

    The corners of my mouth rose slightly at Her Majesty''s words.

    Aide was right, there was a true, bigger enemy behind the evil dragon.

    And it is a demon king.

    Since ancient times, defeating the demon king is a role that only the hero can play, and those who succeed will be remembered for generations without exception.

    I am not interested in history, but I do want to be better known and pampered.

    It will increase my chances of building a solid position and living the rest of my life as happily as possible.

    It is a great opportunity for me, who could not defeat the evil dragon.

    It will also restore the Queen''s reputation. I am sure Monica will regret her choice and come back to me. Kukuku.

    From the beginning, it was a mistake to have let the Manyu Brigade be the ones to defeat the evil dragon.

    By defeating the Demon King, all those wrongs will be righted and things will return to the way they should be.

    "There is something I must tell you as you embark on this journey to defeat the Demon King, Zig; You are the hero of our country. You must take the initiative to solve the problems occurring in neighboring countries."

    "The goal is to advance diplomacy, right?"

    "Exactly. Make sure to help the beastmen and dwarves who ask for your help. Even if they are inferior races, we can''t allow them to rebel against us.

    So you are forcing me to take orders from those savages.

    I am a noble, this is aberrant.

    ...Well, if that''s the job of a hero. I''ll do it.

    "This time you will do great things, and if someone asks for your help, or orders something of you, you must accept it, both in public and in private."

    "I''m well aware of that."

    Are you trying to intimidate me? Miserable wench.

    I hope you haven''t forgotten that your body needs me. I''ll make you remember your place.

    The bed shakes violently.

    "Zig! Forgive me!"

    "Shut up! How dare you talk to me like that in my courtroom!"

    "Hieee!"

    I hit the queen repeatedly until her body turned red and swollen.

    You are my bitch.

    A bitch I will use to vent my stress.

    You may be the queen in the eyes of the public, but behind closed doors, you are nothing more than my slave. There''s a servant-slave contract with me on your leg.

    She is inexplicably obsessed with me, and no matter what I do, she is always happy.

    By the way, I did not manipulate her in any way.

    After all, she was the one who proposed this relationship to me.

    The other day I passed her husband in the hallway and he looked like he was about to jump me with a knife.

    I hear they no longer sleep in the same room since I showed up.

    I understand your stress and anger, after all, your wife has been taken away by my noble self. Hahaha, I take pleasure in taking things from others.

    "Zig, you have to get rid of the Manyu Brigade."

    "I will gladly do so, but may I ask why?"

    "The Spirit Queen is always talking about that human. She looks at him like he''s a close friend. You understand how dangerous this is."

    The Spirit Queen is, as they say, the god of our country.

    Although she is not involved in politics at all, the hearts of the people are centered on her.

    If the Spirit Queen were to say something like "I am going to make this person king," this country would instantly move in that direction.

    Even the law obliges the Spirit Queen.

    The Queen''s concern, however, is not the Spirit Queen, but that human.

    However, in the long history of the world, there has never been a time when the Spirit Queen has interfered in politics.

    I think you are thinking too much.

    The Spirit Queen would not be so interested in a human who killed an evil dragon on a whim.

    There must be some mistake.

    And that man who took Monica away from me....

    "If I defeat the Demon King, and the Manyu Brigade members, do you promise to give birth to my child?"

    "Of course I will. I''d rather have a baby with you than with my useless fool of a husband."

    "You''re such a sweetheart."

    "Ah...."

    I hugged the queen and kissed her.

    After leaving the capital, we arrive in Jornen, where the dark elves rule.

    There is no information about the demon king, so we must first gather information in the neighboring countries.

    Besides, I have to improve my reputation as a hero.

    The more famous I am, the easier it will be to gather information.

    I have only met the Queen of the Dark Elves once. ¡¡ Let''s just say that if I do a good job here, it would be beneficial to spread my name to all corners of that country.

    "Ugh, Zig, you smell like the Queen. Don''t tell me you slept with that old lady again¡î"

    "What''s it to you? If you have a problem, you can get off."

    "We''re hundreds of feet off the ground! Come on Aide, say something."

    "...Leave Celtina alone, Zig."

    "That''s right! Aide is always on my side! ¡î"

    Aide folds his arms.

    His sword is wrapped in bandages, with no gaps between the hilt and the scabbard in sight.

    It''s as if he doesn''t want anyone to see it.

    "I''ve always wondered, why do you always wrap your sword in those bandages?"

    "It makes it more intimidating... Don''t you think?"

    "Fufu, I agree with Aide, it looks great¡î"

    Still, he seems to want to hide something.

    I''ve never seen someone do that.

    "....As for breaking the seal on my abilities..."

    "I''ve already said no to that."

    "...Oh, right. Sorry."

    Aide apologized and fell silent.

    Upon arrival in the capital, we had an audience with the Queen.

    "It''s been a long time, Hero Zig."

    "Your Majesty. I''m glad you''re healthy."

    "I appreciate your concern. Now then, what brings you here?"

    The dark elf queen responded by lazily leaning back on her throne, which was an almost couch-like armchair that is too big to be called a throne.

    The heart shaped cushions embroidered with cats were so out of place that it created a surreal atmosphere.

    "Do you have any information about the Demon King Rudra?"

    "Rudra... Yes. I can provide you with information, but I won''t do it for free."

    Damn, I knew you would do this.

    The Dark Elf Queen likes to put conditions on things.

    No, she likes to test people and play games with them.

    "What is your request?"

    "I want you to investigate the Dark Passage. There are still unidentified ruins in it. We don''t even know where that pathway leads to, much less know what it''s internal structure is like. I want you to find out if it is possible to travel to the city of Safuro through it."

    The Dark Passage... How annoying.

    Wasn''t there a reason why that place remains unexplored?

    Damn, I at least have to try.

    A man in armor then entered the room, his cape billowing.

    As I recall, this guy was a general.

    Why did he come at this time?

    He knelt before the Queen.

    "Your Majesty, I have something urgent to report."

    "You have permission to speak."

    "The Manyu brigade has completed the exploration of the dark passage."

    "Are you serious?! What was the result?!"

    "Just as we had thought. It is indeed a shortcut to Safuro."

    "Well done! Now we can go there whenever we want!"

    "Please, Your Majesty, behave yourself, there are outsiders present."

    As soon as I heard the name of the Manyu Brigade, I was filled with rage.

    They are interfering again.

    Not once, not twice, but three times.

    What''s wrong with those people? Do they have a grudge against me?

    This is not good. I won''t be able to get any information at this rate.

    I need to get a new task.

    Before I could say anything, Her Majesty spoke.

    "Do you still want information about Rudra?"

    "Of course."

    "Well then, I''ll have to make you a good offer."

    Her Majesty lifted the corners of her mouth sharply.

    "How long is this going to last....?"

    "I don''t think I can go any longer~¡î"

    "............"

    The three of us push a spinning column relentlessly.

    I think it is some kind of device, but the details are kept secret and it is unclear how long it will last.

    Sometimes, Her Majesty would come and watch us, smiling.

    She would say; "good luck" and leave right away.

    What is the point of this job?

    Please, someone tell me.

 CH 135

    Gakkin, Gakkin, Gakkin

    Today was another day of sweat and toil.

    In my hands is a pickaxe.

    I''ve grown used to the smudges of dirt on my face.

    Soara, who works next to me, doesn''t seem to mind.

    This is the construction site of Rudra''s Castle.

    Surrounded by a high circular wall, many workers crush rocks as we do.

    I''m so tired. I''ll drink some water.

    "Hey, that''s not fair. Give me some."

    "This is mine. And you''ve already been given your water, Soara-San."

    "No, I''ve already drunk it all. Just give it to me, and God will bless you."

    "You won''t get anything from me under the pretext of being a priestess."

    "You make me sound like a bad person who uses her title as a shield to get what you want."

    "That''s because you are, even if you don''t look like one."

    I handed the bottle of water to Soara-san.

    She took three sips of the water and gulped it down.

    "Puah~, you have God''s blessing."

    She handed the almost empty water bottle back to me.

    How awful. She drank more than I thought she would.

    The next water ration is in the evening.

    Soara-San and I were sent to this place a week ago.

    We have been transported to a magic circle that was deep within the forest.

    After that, the magic circle stopped working and we were left completely unable to return.

    We somehow managed to find our way to civilization, as we went through the forest in the direction Soara indicated, but we were unfortunately caught by the servants of the demon king Rudra, and now we are here.

    It seems that this is a different continent.

    Based on the information we''ve been able to gather, that''s the conclusion we''ve reached.

    "I don''t know how much longer I can live like this."

    "If Toru and the others are on this continent, they will surely find us soon."

    "But there''s no way to know if that''s true. We don''t know if this is another continent other than the one Toru went to. There may be more than one."

    "You are right about that, but God is telling me that there is a savior in these lands. That must be Toru."

    "I understand. Uh, Soara-San, one of the generals is looking at us, start working or he''ll get angry again."

    We raised our pickaxes and resumed our work.

    Soara-San is a person who is alert and never lets her guard down.

    Honestly, I doubt she''s really a priestess.

    I would be happy if Toru came to my rescue, but dreaming won''t change reality.

    For now, if I work here, I can get food, a place to sleep and clothes to wear.

    I have to work hard to stay alive.

    "Even though you''re a demon, you''re someone very serious."

    "And Soara-San isn''t serious enough for a human."

    "What did you just say!?"

    "Hieeee!"

    Soara-San had found out about my identity as a demon earlier.

    She had taken off the camouflage ring Kaede-San had given me.

    She was surprised at first, but after about five seconds, she was back to normal.

    Nowadays, she''s gotten so familiar with me that she''s started pinching my cheeks while swearing whenever I make her mad, like she''s doing right now.

    This person is like a violent demon... No, she''s definitely worse than a demon.

    She released my cheeks and I rubbed them with my hands.

    Ouch, she scratched me. Even if I have a higher level than her, that hurt a lot.

    "Hey, stop slacking off!"

    "Hoo, General. I don''t think it''s wise for you to talk to me like that."

    "Guuh."

    The General had scolded Soara-San, but she adopted a rebellious attitude.

    The General pretended not to hear that and turned away.

    "How did you do that?"

    "It''s because of this."

    She pulls out a wad of papers from his chest.

    It''s the currency used here.

    Unbelievable. When I came here I was only given one thousand rudra, and yet Miss Soara has three hundred thousand of her own!

    "We made a bet and I took all the money he and his friends had."

    "So it was a trick?"

    "Not at all, he thought that because I was upset, I wouldn''t participate in one of their games. Oh, but they were so innocent, they never imagined I would have God''s blessings on my side."

    "I thought priests weren''t supposed to partake in gambling."

    "You want me to slap you with this wad of money? Hm?

    I apologized quietly.

    Hmmm~, the truth is, I''d like to eat something a little fancy with Soara-San''s money.

    We went to a nearby sales stand.

    They sell liquor, meat, candy, books and other items that you can''t get through the distribution you get from the work lairs.

    "Uhmm."

    "Whoa! Look at this foam, Soara-San!"

    "This is the liquid gold I was wishing for!"

    The beer is poured into a pitcher.

    You can see how cold it is when you hold the handle.

    Soara-San and I gulp down the beer in one go.

    Fueeh~, it was so delicious!

    After all that work, a nice, cold beer is bliss.

    "Here you go, two chicken skewers."

    Two skewers of chicken were placed in front of me.

    "Pione, you have to be open with your desires."

    "Oh, is that so?"

    "Yes, you have to be extravagant at the right time. If you try to satisfy yourself with small pleasures, you''ll end up falling short and, instead, you''ll feel worse than before."

    "I see..."

    I take a sip of my beer and then pick up the chicken skewer.

    It''s covered in a sweet sauce that looks very appetizing.

    It is the most delicious thing to eat. This is what it means to satisfy your desires, and I''m enjoying it.

    "What are you doing here?"

    The leader of the work group approached the concession stand.

    Behind him were the faces of two of his cronies.

    Smiling, Soara stood up.

    "Looks like you''re looking for me to take your money again."

    "This is the last time I''m going to let you get carried away. Just you guys watch, I''m going to get back everything we''ve lost."

    Gulp

    Beer tastes good.

    I want to eat more of this chicken skewer.

    Soara and the guards borrowed a tent and a table and started playing.

    I don''t know how the game works, but it seems that the person who gets the score closest to 21 in total card points wins.

    At first, Soara-San lost one after another.

    The general was in a good mood after winning a lot of money.

    But halfway through the game, the situation was reversed.

    By the end of the game, Soara was still winning and the faces of the three soldier were pale.

    "Which one is the last one?"

    "No, no, it''s not possible."

    "Yes! Twenty-one."

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    The team leader''s losing streak was confirmed.

    Soara-San''s wealth had increased to 800,000. She had a big smile on her face, a big wad of bills in front of her.

    I wonder if all priests are like that.

    "Damn, we lost again!"

    "I have God''s blessing on my side. You should run away with your tail between your legs like a good loser. Or do you want us to go all or nothing?"

    "Uuuh, I''ll remember this!"

    The group leader and his friends fled.

    Soara-San sat down next to me and ordered another beer.

    "What did you mean by ''all or nothing''?"

    "Myself. There are two ways to pay for things here; with your money, or your body. In other words, you become a sort of pseudo-slave.

    "You mean like, depriving you of your freedom as a person?"

    "Not in that sense. It''s like a verbal agreement, since there is no middleman slaver. But in a place where there is no escape, it doesn''t matter if there is a master-slave contract."

    I''m scared.

    I want to leave this place quickly.

    I''ve been planning with Soara-San and looking for a chance to get out of here. But the guards have eyes everywhere, and they are watchful at all times.

    I really want to see Toru.

    I wonder what he''s doing now. I wonder if he''s thinking about me.

    I miss him so much.

    "It doesn''t suit you to look so gloomy. Here, have another drink."

    "Thank you, Soara-San. You''re very kind sometimes."

    "Did you really have to phrase it like that?"

    "Hueeh!"

    Soara-San started pinching my cheeks again.

 CH 136

    Several relics were lined up in a row.

    These are all items we obtained in the Dark Passage.

    After we brought Luna to the surface, Kaede and Frau returned and gathered everything in the Magic Storage.

    We rented a room in General Gio''s house and they went through the relics one by one to make a list.

    "This is the list of all the relics we got. Please look through it."

    "Thank you."

    I grabbed the list and will only check off the things I need.

    The general will buy everything else.

    I was very happy as we got a lot of money for our trip unexpectedly.

    I already have one Elixir, so that makes two.

    I''m thankful I was able to retrieve some high-grade potions, as I had already used many in the village where the Mist Maker that possessed people was.

    Among the relics, there was a hand mirror with an elegant design, but Kaede wanted it, so I included it in the list of things I''ll keep.

    A high-grade lamp, as the word suggests, is a lamp with a strong light output. It uses stored magical power, so it is very useful.

    The translation scroll allows you to communicate with a person who doesn''t speak your language for a certain amount of time.

    It will come in handy, as there are still many places to explore.

    When I started packing away the relics that I wanted in my magic storage, the smiling general tapped me on the shoulder.

    "Can you sell me that high-grade lamp?"

    "Sure, I have no problem with that."

    My guess is he''ll be needing it for the Dark Passage. The lamp is not as powerful as Frau''s magic, but it will surely serve him well in such a dark place.

    I had chosen it with the intention of using it in times when we have to camp, but I think I should sell it to him as he will surely use it a lot in the future.

    Most of the relics we were able to acquire this time were pots, paintings and ornaments.

    The second most common items are armor. And items of practical use account for 10 to 20% of the total.

    Suddenly, a cart loaded with platinum coins enters the room.

    The amount to be received is 350 million.

    I guess it''s less than I thought it would be, or maybe I''ve gotten too ambitious.

    "Can''t it fit anymore?"

    "I guess not. Maybe we''ve reached the storage limit."

    "I don''t remember what stuff is in there. 100 items is quite a bit of space."

    The magic storage stopped accepting items when there were fifty platinum coins left.

    It''s my fault for continuing to travel without first stopping to empty it a bit.

    I can''t even get back to the dungeon where my room is, so maybe it''s time to look for new magic storage.

    We stood watching the two monsters running down the road.

    The closer we got, the bigger they became.

    They were both behemoths, running furiously.

    On top of them were Luvue and the vice-captain.

    "To-Toru-Kun, what are those scary creatures, and why are they coming this way!?"

    "It''s okay, it''s okay, those are my pets."

    "Your pets?! I don''t think that thing is a pet."

    "Don''t waste your time, Luna. My Lord has been very strange since we got here. When he met them, it was like he saw some cute dogs."

    "Some dogs!!?? You''ve got to be kidding!"

    "Looks like Ichiro and Bechjiro have come looking for you. How cute."

    "Kaede-chan?!"

    Luna is making a lot of noise, but I''m sure she''ll change her mind once she sees the behemoths up close.

    They''ve been lonely, they must want me to spoil them.

    I''m going to give them some of the meat I''ve prepared. I''m sure they will love it.

    By the way, Ultina is not here. She''s finished her job as a guide, so she''s probably drinking alcohol with her share of the job''s reward.

    The behemoths slow down in front of me.

    "It''s been a long time, Toru-Dono. I didn''t expect you to send me a message. So the day I received your letter I couldn''t help but write in the research journal; ''Toru-Dono has proposed to me today''."

    "Luvue-Sama, that message was not a proposal, and it''s not appropriate to write something like that in the research journal. You''re going to have to erase it later."

    Luvue-Sama and the vice-captain got off the behemoths.

    It''s been a long time since I left the base, and I''m very glad to see that they''re okay. A few days ago, I used a message scroll to ask Luvue and the vice-captain to come and get Luna.

    They came faster than I thought they would.

    "Guur!"

    "Hueeh?!"

    Ichiro licks Luna. They seem to be trying to get along right from the start.

    "If they can make it to the base in time, there''s still a chance you can make it back to the island. I wish I could accompany you, but given the circumstances, I want to prioritize finding the girls."

    "I''m sorry I got carried away when everyone else was having trouble."

    Luna apologizes for some reason.

    "When I ran into you again in that passage, I thought it was a miracle, as I was almost on the verge of death. I was so happy when you came to save me, but I''m not the only one who was in trouble, the other girls must be going through the same thing too. I''m so sorry."

    "Luna-San..."

    "When I get back home, I''m going to ask my father for help assembling a search team as quickly as possible. I''ll do everything I can to help you find the others."

    Tears began to slip down her face.

    She thinks she was being selfish.

    That''s not true. You don''t have to blame yourself like that.

    You were stuck in a cold, dark room for days, it''s normal to want someone else''s warmth and to feel protected.

    I hugged Luna and stroked her head.

    "Luna, you didn''t do anything wrong."

    "But if one of them were to die because..."

    "I''m going to find them all, and they''ll be fine. You just have to trust me."

    "Toru-Kun..."

    Luna got on the Behemoth.

    I looked at Luvue and said; "I''m counting on you."

    The two Behemoths set off again towards the base.

    "Did you see the look in Toru-Dono''s eyes as he looked at me just now? It''s like he was saying; ''I love you.'' I''ll have to note this day in the journal with a heart."

    "Luvue-Sama, he was only asking you to be Luna-Sama''s escort. And I''ve told you on many occasions to write down that kind of thing in your personal diary."

    "Haha, they are very lively people. The trip back looks like fun too."

    I could hear the voices of Luvue and the vice-captain. Luna had turned around and was waving her hand.

    "I don''t see them anymore."

    "I hope they make it back safely."

    "Don''t worry, Master, I''m sure they''ll be fine. What happened to the message?"

    "It didn''t work, they''re out of my range."

    "But isn''t it supposed to be able to reach everywhere?"

    I used the message scroll to contact the girls to confirm their safety and current location.

    But it didn''t reach anyone except Luna.

    I didn''t know there was a distance limit for messages until I got here.

    I wish I could somehow confirm their safety. I kept wondering if they were still alive.

    "We''ll find them. I''m sure they''re alive."

    "Yes, I hope so."

    "I don''t think they''ll die that easily. Women are much more resilient than men, it''s possible we''ll outlive Master."

    "I don''t like the sound of that."

    Although, I would feel much better if that were true.

 CH 137

    We are currently heading to the capital through the Dark Passage.

    We are accompanied by Ultina and General Gio.

    It seems they both have business in the capital, so they offered to accompany us as we were about to leave.

    "Ultina, are you sure you want to do this? You''ll get a lot of credit for being the one who solved the mystery of the Dark Passage."

    "I don''t mind. If it weren''t for the Manyu Brigade, I wouldn''t have been able to fulfill this request. I would like you to appear before Her Majesty on their behalf."

    "If you say so, then let''s do it. But the name ''Manyu Brigade'' sounds familiar. I think I heard it somewhere recently."

    The general, who was leading with the lamp in hand, seemed to be thinking as he scratched his chin.

    "Kyui¡«!"

    "Finally outside!"

    Frau and Panda passed through the Dark Passage''s exit and flew away at high speed.

    After a while, we also left the Dark Passage.

    The general, who turned off the lamp''s light, turned towards us.

    "Well, it''s time for us to part ways. From here on out, you guys continue on your own."

    I shook the general''s hand, and with a flip of his cloak, he headed for the capital.

    I made a deal with General Gio to help me find the girls in exchange for him having the lamp for free, and he agreed to do so.

    I was very lucky to meet General Gio here.

    "It''s been a pleasure working with you, be very careful."

    "You too, Ultina."

    I shook Ultina''s hand.

    She was a really reliable guide.

    I had proposed that she accompany us on our trip as a party member, but she refused, saying she likes to travel and work alone.

    "Goodbye."

    "Good luck!"

    "Kyui!"

    After parting with Ultina, we continued heading west.

    We arrived at a village near the border.

    A high mountain range separates us from the rest of the country, and we are told that it is impossible to go west without crossing that mountain range.

    "There are no houses in sight."

    "Hey, maybe that''s the town."

    "Kyu."

    "Really?"

    We looked up into the large trees and saw lights coming from some houses.

    A suspension bridge stretches from house to house, and we could see residents walking nonchalantly up in the air. I wonder if they aren''t afraid of falling.

    "I''ve heard that this is a village where people live the old-fashioned way, but it''s interesting to see that they live in trees."

    "It''s cozy and pretty, and it''s nice to see the lights shining like stars."

    We stopped and looked toward the dark elf village.

    "My lord, quickly."

    "Kyu¡«"

    Frau seemed somewhat excited.

    We climbed the creaky wooden stairs, walked past the inhabitants in the narrow pathway, then went over a suspension bridge made of vines, and finally came to a place like a square.

    "It''s bigger than it looks from down here. There are lots of tents."

    "What are those shiny things? From below, they look like sails, but looking close, they aren''t."

    "Actually, they''re a bunch of shiny, round leaves."

    "Kyui."

    I asked a dark elf who seemed to be a resident of this place.

    "That''s a Morifosi mistletoe. It collects light during the day and emits it at night. It''s the only plant in this area and it''s the only tourist resource we have."

    Morifosi mistletoe is an unusual plant.

    The round clumps of mistletoe attached to the branches of large trees glow a vague orange color.

    It''s easy to lose track of time when looking at these natural ornaments.

    "It looks like it''s your first time around here. If you walk with me to the bar, I''ll show you around."

    The man invited me to follow him so I could get to know the place, so I decided to do so.

    "I love drinking alcohol! It''s a good way to lighten up the trip!"

    "Kyu, Kyu!"

    "Last time? I don''t remember anything, did something happen?"

    Panda was complaining to Frau about her hangover, but she doesn''t seem to remember anything.

    On the other hand, Kaede refuses to drink while smiling bitterly.

    "I think I''d rather just drink water this time... I won''t be drinking for a while."

    "I''m glad to hear that. I''ll just have one drink."

    A tavern is a great place to gather information. I want to ask about the white wolf beastkin and the other girls.

    When I opened the tavern door, I heard a beautiful sound.

    "The minstrel is here."

    The man and I parted at the entrance.

    As I took a seat, I took a moment to look around.

    I saw a man who caught my attention. He was playing a stringed instrument in the corner of the tavern.

    With those ears and tail, he must be of the wolf tribe.

    He notices me looking and stops playing.

    "Is something wrong?"

    "No, you simply look like a type of beastkin I''m looking for."

    "The wolf race is a very common thing."

    "Yes, but the tribe I''m looking for is called White Wolves."

    He was about to resume playing his instrument when he stopped.

    "The White Wolves?"

    "I know I''m a human, but..."

    "...Even if you were to ask me..."

    "I''m looking for my mother''s house. Elohim, the Spirit Queen, told me they know where it is."

    "The Spirit Queen... So you are friends with someone very powerful."

    The man took a seat next to me.

    Then he taps his finger on the table.

    He tapped his finger on the table, as if to say, "Bring out the liquor."

    The waiter put a glass in front of him.

    "I''ll sell the information. What do you want to hear?"

    "I want to know where they are."

    "Hmm, if you go west from here, there is a mountain range. In the middle of it, there is a small wolf tribe village, and there is a custom to worship the white wolf tribe as a god. However, only a limited number of people can directly meet the white wolves."

    I handed him a gold coin.

    The man took it and slightly lifted the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Nei, Soara, Alusha, Lynn, Pionne, Marianne, have you heard those names?¡±

    "No."

    I am disappointed.

    We will have to continue our search steadily.

    "I''ll head to that town, then. Thanks for the information."

    "Wait a minute. How are you going to get there?"

    "Hmm, walking?"

    "Getting to the village will be difficult at the moment. The demons have completely blocked the road with their fortress. I hear the army is working to get rid of them, but the situation doesn''t look good."

    Fortress, you say...

    Moreover, one belonging to the demons.

    "You mean the Demon King Rudra''s army?"

    "I don''t know much about it. But we''ve been stranded here for over two weeks now thanks to them. It''s very cold in those mountains, and I want to avoid the long way at all costs, but I guess you guys can''t afford to wait."

    Then he said; "I hope you can make it."

    The next day, early in the morning, we left the village.

    We headed for the mountain range where the white wolf tribe is said to be.

    I put on more clothes than usual to protect me from the cold, but....

    "Huehuehueh!"

    "Kyu?"

    A few hours after starting to climb the mountain. It was so cold that Frau began shivering on top of Panda.

    We only made it a few meters since we started climbing the mountain and the cold was already embracing us.

    Scrolling through the map, we could see that the mountain range was deep and would take us a long time to cross.

    In addition, it looked like snow was falling on the summit, and it was expected to get even colder.

    Something gently wrapped around my neck.

    "Here you go, Master."

    "Did you make me a scarf?"

    "Yes. I still don''t know how to do it very well, but I made it to keep you warm, Master, if only a little."

    The scarf was very long. Well, it''s the first time she''s made one, so I can''t really blame her.

    I don''t care if it has imperfections, I''m so happy that Kaede cares so much about me that I can''t describe it.

    "No fair, Frau wants one too."

    "Here you go."

    Kaede wraps a scarf around Frau''s neck as well.

    "Thank you so much, Kaede!"

    "Fufu, I''m glad you like it."

    Kaede was smiling, but I guess she didn''t have her own scarf, since she wasn''t wearing one.

    But then I remembered something.

    "Now that I remember, I had this cold resistant cloak."

    "Oh, is it one of the relics we found in Einark?"

    I pulled out a hooded cloak from my backpack and put it on Kaede.

    Then I lightly unrolled the scarf I had and wrapped it around her neck as well.

    It''s long enough to protect us both from the cold.

    "Master, don''t worry about me! What matters is that you''re warm!"

    "Don''t be shy."

    "Hau~"

    , I grabbed her hand.

    I tried to hold her as close to me as possible so that the scarf wouldn''t come loose.

    "Master''s hands are warm..."

 CH 138

    It has been a few days since we entered the mountain range.

    The area is dyed white with snow, in which my feet sink up to my ankles.

    "My Lord, where are you?"

    "Over here."

    "Oh, there you are! Let''s go, Panda."

    "Kyui!"

    Frau and Panda, who went on a reconnaissance mission, have just returned.

    They seemed to have gotten used to the temperature in the mountains, and Frau looked fine even in light clothing.

    I envy the high body temperature of the fairies.

    But still, when she stops moving, she seems to feel the cold, and sometimes she dips into my scarf for warmth.

    It can be very annoying for me.

    "I''m going to make some hot tea, so please rest."

    "Sorry."

    Kaede took out a kettle from her luggage and put water to boil.

    I sat under a tree and listened to the report.

    "And how is the fort?"

    "There are about fifty soldiers who looked to be demons. The fort also acts as a prison, with about 20 captive dark elves. I''ve seen several being tortured and weakened, as well as a burly man who looked like a commander."

    "What does the fort look like?"

    "Apparently the whole structure is a ruin. It is very old, and is being repaired in multiple places."

    I see, that''s interesting. They didn''t build it from scratch, they occupied it as a fort.

    "It''s going to take a long time if we take a detour. It''s much faster to go through the fort. I''ve also seen a demon riding a wyvern, so traveling by air will be tricky."

    "Here''s your tea."

    "Thank you."

    I grabbed the cup and took a sip.

    Taking a detour will take too long, and flying isn''t a good option either.

    I''ll have to go through the fort.

    I hated Elohim''s idea of taking on the Demon King, but I guess I have no choice. After this, I''ll be in Demon King Rudra''s sights.

    And I''m curious about the dark elves that are being held captive.

    They were probably sent to rid the mountain range of the demon forces.

    I looked at Kaede and Frau.

    "I will follow you wherever you go, Master."

    "I will do as you wish. Frau is the Lord''s slave."

    It was decided.

    We headed straight for the fort.

    The demons who were standing guard were the first to notice and readied their bows.

    "This road is blocked by order of Demon King Rudra. No one is allowed to go further. If you don''t want to die, turn back now."

    "I have no intention of dying, but I won''t leave!"

    "Foolish human, do you think you can beat us? Kill him!"

    More than ten arrows were launched at us.

    But Kaede intervened and shot them down with her iron fans.

    "Damn it, don''t let them enter the fort! Call the mages, otherwise Arken-Sama will kill us!"

    The mages lined up on the outer wall.

    They chanted a spell and used ice magic.

    A fierce wind of cold air rushes down from the fort.

    "You think they''re going to defeat us with cold air? Don''t make me laugh, you guys are no opponent for my master. Frigid Fire!"

    The blue flame cuts the enemy''s magic in half and hits the outer wall where the mages are.

    The outer wall instantly froze and countless ice-encased mages came into view.

    Kaede, whose eyes were as cold as ice, turns around and flashes her usual smile.

    "We have removed all the obstacles."

    "Thank you."

    "Wow, Kaede''s magic is as relentless as ever."

    "Kyu!"

    Frau peeked through an opening in my scarf, followed by Panda.

    Kaede bowed politely, but her tail wagged prolifically and, from the looks of it, she had the air of someone who wants to be praised.

    I petted her head, and her fox ears flopped down and perked up with glee.

    "Well done."

    "Master~"

    She hugged me and buried her face in my chest.

    Her long white eyelashes sway, and her lips look even pinker than usual, maybe because of the snow.

    Now, let''s go inside.

    "Hmph!"

    Booong

    I knocked down the large metal gate in one fell swoop. We then entered the fort with ease.

    "Intruders! We will not allow you to harm Arken-Sama!"

    Several enemies waiting in ambush thrust their spears at us.

    Their expressions changed drastically the moment their spear tips split.

    "How is he so strong, I couldn''t pierce his body!"

    "Aaah!"

    Just by exerting pressure in my abs, the tips shattered.

    The demon soldier screamed and ran away.

    "Rosuke."

    "Sha!"

    Rosuke comes out of the seal and finishes off all the demons.

    In addition, Chupi and Kuratan were also summoned, and together with Frau, they were sent to rescue the dark elves.

    Kaede and I headed to the center of the fort.

    Before us stood a large, armed man.

    "My name is Arken, one of the three demon generals serving the Demon King Rudra."

    "My name is Toru, of the Manyu Brigade."

    "Toru of the Manyu.... Brigade. I don''t know you. I don''t think you''re the hero."

    Arken holds up a two-meter tall iron club.

    It seems to have been stained with the blood of many opponents, as its tip was reddish black, giving it an intimidating air.

    I drew the greatsword on my back and pulled Kaede and Rosuke back.

    "I''m just a simple warrior."

    "Ha, a simple warrior you say? Not a heavy warrior, or a warrior of the beast race, or a berserker? You expect me to believe that? Tell me your real job."

    "I''m not lying..."

    "If that''s true, then I can deduce that your level is above 500.Although, judging by how calm you are, you seem to have a lot of confidence in yourself, so I''d hazard a guess that you''re above level 1000. This will be interesting."

    The aura surrounding Arken becomes more intimidating. He gives off a murderous air.

    This guy is just as intimidating as Pione''s grandfather.

    I don''t know his level, but he''s definitely very strong.

    "Kaede, what''s this guy''s level?"

    "1217."

    "So you have a beast possessing appraisal. What a cheater."

    Level 1217, huh, that number is bad without any armor upgrade.

    The demon king here is definitely stronger than Lisa.

    Speaking of which, I hope that club he''s holding is normal and doesn''t help him level up.

    I''ve been thinking about this for some time now, but I haven''t heard anything related to sacred arms since I got here.

    Maybe it was considered common knowledge and they just didn''t talk about it. I could be wrong though.

    "Haa!"

    Arken and I cross weapons.

    A violent metallic crash echoes through the air, and the snow beneath our feet is swept away in a shockwave.

    We shoved each other off, and as soon as our feet touched the ground, our weapons crossed again.

    "Great fire dance!"

    "!?"

    The now-flaming iron club swung in front of my face.

    He used the momentum to unleash a series of even more powerful blows that pushed me over the edge.

    Don''t tell me¡­ You''re a magic swordsman!?

    "My job is [Dancer]. The more I dance, the faster and more powerful my attacks will be."

    Dance... I''ve never heard of that job.

    Maybe it''s a special one that only exists here?

    His attacks won''t be as predictable as I thought. The blow can come from anywhere.

    I have to find an opening somehow.

    Arken raises his iron club with a single strong swing.

    "Haaah!!!"

    I pushed my head forward and the iron club made contact with my skull.

    The next moment, the club shattered.

    "What!? My weapon!"

    "Goodbye."

    With one swift movement, I swung the greatsword towards Arken''s neck.

    Seconds later, Arken''s body falls to the ground, cut diagonally.

    Huh, destroying weapons by headbutting is useful. Though you can only do it if you have my level.

    "Master, that was awesome!"

    "Thank you."

    "Yes! After all, you are the Master."

    "The way you won was something very abnormal, but I guess that''s to be expected of you. You always find a way to do the most outrageous things, my lord."

    Before I knew it, Frau had joined us.

    Behind her were several dark elf soldiers, faces pale with fear.

    I put the sword away in its sheath and approached them.

    "I came here to help, is everyone okay?"

    "Y-Yes, thank you very much... Do you have any medicine? There are still a lot of captives who can''t move."

    "Lead me to them."

    We walked further into the fort to the area where the cells were.

 CH 139

    There were dark elf soldiers imprisoned in the fort.

    Most of them are wounded and are in no condition to move.

    I gave them some potions to help them recover.

    "Thank you so much for saving us...."

    "Don''t mention it. The superficial wounds have healed, but there is still damage. We''ll prepare some food so everyone can regain their strength, so rest for now."

    The dark elf then lies down.

    Is this everyone?

    Fortunately, no one died.

    After they rest and eat, they should have enough strength to return to their respective homes.

    "My lord, I found a room with a bed."

    "Thank you. Kaede, let''s take him there."

    "Yes."

    Following Frau''s directions, we made our way to a place where the soldiers could rest.

    Five days have passed since we arrived at the fort.

    Thanks to the warm bed, the food and Kaede''s  healing waves, the soldiers'' strength was recovering quickly.

    Some of them have now fully recovered and are helping with the maintenance of the fort.

    "It''s snowing again."

    As I stand guard at the outer wall, a fluffy snowflake flutters down onto my head.

    Panda, who had peeked his head through the opening in my cloak, looked at the snow curiously.

    He''s been hiding in my cape a lot lately.

    Well, it''s warm, so I don''t mind.

    However, Frau, who was always by my side, doesn''t seem too happy about it.

    "Toru-Sama, I brought you some tea."

    "No need to attach the [Sama]."

    "Are you kidding? I owe you my life. I can''t call to you in a disrespectful manner."

    "Well, that''s fine. You can call me whatever you want, and thank you for the tea."

    I took a sip of the tea.

    The man who appears to be the unit commander sits next to me.

    "Will you leave here when we recover?"

    "Well, I''ve already sent word to the general. I''m sure reinforcements will be here soon."

    "Would you consider my proposal again? Please. I''m sure they''ll welcome you with open arms. And if that doesn''t turn out to be the case, I''ll do something about it."

    Yesterday the guards were talking about whether I should become their country''s hero. They may be trying to repay me for rescuing them, but it''s an idea I''m not thrilled about.

    As I said before, I don''t like to stand out at all. ¡¡ I''m not the kind of person who can carry the burden of being a hero or a heroic figure.

    I want to live a simple and free life without being tied down by anything. So I can''t accept his proposal.

    "My answer is the same as yesterday. I appreciate the offer, but I can''t accept it."

    "...I see. I''m sorry to hear that."

    "Oh, she''s back already."

    I could see Chupi in the sky approaching us.

    The little bird found me and landed on the outside wall. Chupi then relayed the words she had received.

    "Greetings, I am General Gio. Thank you very much for saving our soldiers. I shall send a division to your location immediately to provide assistance. Oh, wait, this animal is going to record the message? What a fascinating creature, and it''s very cute--.... Ahem. Anyway, Her Majesty wishes to reward you for your deeds. She would like you to come to the palace."

    That was the end of the message.

    I ordered Chupi to go to the capital of the dark elves and relay a message for me to General Gio asking for support for the soldiers. The mission was a success.

    Chupi was too smart to deliver this message. Even though I showed her where to go on the map, she still doesn''t know these lands.

    I patted her on the head and she turned to face me.

    I could have used the message scrolls, but I wanted to save them because their number was limited. Besides, it''s great that I was able to test Chupi''s skills here.

    "Kyu~"

    "Chupi, Chupi!"

    Panda looks a bit frustrated, but Chupi just spares him a glance before ignoring him.

    Apparently, he didn''t like what Chupi just did, so I put her back in the seal and stood up.

    "What can I do for you, Toru-Sama?"

    "The general said that a group of soldiers are on their way to pick you up. And here, you have food, shelter and weapons. You''ll be able to hold out here until they arrive."

    "So, you''ll be leaving already?"

    "Yes. Oh come on, don''t look at me like that, I''ll leave you with a trusted companion just in case."

    The soldier bowed his head.

    "We wish you safety on your journey."

    "You too."

    The soldiers who came to say goodbye knelt down.

    "You have saved us from terrible danger. We will never forget this kindness. We will surely repay you one day."

    "It''s all good, that won''t be necessary."

    I waved my hand and walked out of the fort.

    I left Chupi and Rosuke as guards in case something happens. Since I have a contract with them, they will know where we are and can meet us later.

    "Up ahead is the white wolf village. I hope it''s safe."

    "I''m certainly worried, especially considering Rudra''s objective."

    "War..."

    We received information about the demons thanks to the dark elves held captive in the fort.

    Rudra''s goal is to expand his war arsenal.

    He wants to incorporate elves and dark elves into his ranks to destroy the existence of nations on this continent that take pride in their power.

    This seems to be part of the reason why the Spirit Queen was neutralized.

    The soldiers also speculated that the reason the demons occupied the fort was to invade Jornen.

    "It seems that the White Wolf tribe''s settlement is in a hard-to-find place, but not necessarily out of Rudra''s reach."

    "That''s true. We should hurry up a bit."

    The Celestial Beasts are a powerful race.

    If the demons were to come face to face with them, they would be taken down with ease.

    But there''s always a chance that this might not be the case.

    They may still end up fighting against the demon race in a drawn out battle.

    "My Lord, I have found a village over there!"

    Frau returns after doing some reconnaissance.

    Panda peeks through my cape and flies toward Frau.

    "Show me the way."

    "Yes, my lord."

    Off the road and deep into the mountains, there was a small village there.

    There were many old brick buildings and the people seemed to live the same life as before.

    All the humans we see are members of the wolf tribe.

    Many of them stare at us as if observing something unusual.

    The quickest to react are the children.

    They are young and curious, and they follow us.

    "Master, what do we do now?"

    "We have to find someone who knows about the white wolves."

    "In situations like this, the quickest thing to do is to ask the boss."

    "That''s true."

    But I don''t know where their leader is.

    I''d ask someone, but they''d run off before I could ask any questions.

    The atmosphere is unwelcoming to travelers.

    "Hey, where are you from?"

    "Hmm?"

    I was approached by a boy covered in scrapes.

    His face was very cocky and he had a smirk on his face. ¡¡ Behind him were many similar kids, all with black or brown wolf ears and tails.

    "I''m searching for the White Wolf, do you know anyone like that?"

    "Oh, so you''re here to see the White Wolves. You''re an unusual stranger."

    "Do you know where he is?"

    "I don''t. Even if I did, I wouldn''t tell a weak human."

    The children began to laugh.

    "I won''t forgive a child talking to the master like that--... Frau-San?"

    Kaede pulls out her iron fan, but Frau stops her with her hand.

    Her body flickers slightly.

    Oh no, this girl is going to do something stupid.

    Frau and I close our eyes, knowing what comes next.

    "Fairy God Flaaaaaaash!"

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    A blinding light was generated from Frau''s body and the children rolled on the ground while covering their eyes.

    Perhaps she was holding back, as the glow was dimmer than when she first used it.

    But still, the light was strong enough to momentarily blind them.

    "This is your punishment for mocking Frau''s Lord! He''s a great person, and very smart! So you show him respect, you little monsters!"

    "Shut up, you winged rat! Damn it, I can''t see!"

    I felt a strange presence around me, so I looked around.

    As I did, I saw that we were surrounded by angry adults, growling angrily.

    They think we attacked the children.

    "Guur!"

    A man quickly closed the distance and brandished his sharp claws.

    I ducked just in time, and almost immediately tripped him over with my foot.

    "How dare you!"

    "Don''t let them get out of here alive!"

    "Kill him! Kill him!"

    That''s when all the residents rushed at me at once.

    I don''t want them to get hurt if I can help it.

    Otherwise we won''t be able to get the information we need if we cause a misunderstanding.

    Kaede, Frau and I continue dodging and just wait for them to get tired and stop attacking.

    "Stop!"

    A voice emanated from somewhere, and the inhabitants stopped moving.

    There was a young man standing high above.

    He jumped down and waved his hand to call the inhabitants back.

    "You''re not from these lands, what brings you here?"

    "We heard there was a white wolf here."

    "You want to see our god?"

    As soon as he heard the White Wolf''s name, the young man''s eyes sharpened.

    The air was tense, and a murderous aura was seeping in.

    "This person is-"

    "Wait."

    Kaede tried to reveal my identity, so I stopped her.

    Just because they revere the white wolf doesn''t necessarily mean they will welcome someone of the dragon folk.

    It''s better to analyze the situation rather than provoke it unnecessarily.

    "Whatever your intentions are, I cannot overlook the fact that you are hurting my people."

    "You''re wrong. We didn''t hurt anyone."

    "...Obi. Explain."

    "Eh¡­?"

    A man in a wolf mask appears from behind a building.

    I''m surprised that I was unable to sense his presence.

    "I''ve seen it all, and I sense no hostility in these people''s actions, and the act that started it all seemed to be just a distraction."

    "I see. So the villagers were in the wrong."

    "Besides, I can tell they are very capable. It''s quite a feat to keep anyone from getting hurt while fighting against a dozen adults in this village."

    "I understand the situation. Now get back."

    The man named Obi disappears.

    "Follow me."

    The young man led us into the village.

 CH 140

    We continue to push the rotating column.

    It''s been a week already.

    What the hell is the dark elf queen thinking?

    What is all this work for in the first place?

    Questions kept filling my head and I finally reached my limit.

    "I''m done, this doesn''t make any sense!"

    "If Zig is stopping stop, then so am I¡î I''m exhausted¡«"

    "Are you sure...? I thought the only way to get information was to keep this going."

    "I can''t spend any more time playing that woman''s games. It''s doubtful she has any information about Rudra. She''s a liar."

    I dropped to the floor and vented my frustration.

    Almost immediately, the door to the room opened.

    It was the Queen who entered, a smile on her face.

    "You have fulfilled all my requirements. Now, as promised, I will give you information about Rudra."

    "It''s about time."

    I stood up and took a deep breath.

    Honestly, I can''t believe I wasted my time. But that doesn''t matter, this bad experience will disappear once I get the information I seek.

    We move into the audience chamber and the queen sits on her throne.

    "You were surprisingly steadfast. Most people give up after the first day."

    "Hmph, you must feel very satisfied, making the hero twirl a pointless column for a week."

    "Oh, on the contrary, it did serve a purpose. You guys used that device to grind flour. Can you imagine it? Making delicious bread with flour that was ground by the elf hero."

    Huh?

    Flour?

    Damn, you''re a crazy bitch.

    There''s no reason to do that with such a big device.

    In any case, she forced us to do something we had no business doing

    I want to kill her. I want to kill this woman.

    My hand unconsciously reaches for the hilt of my sword.

    "Zig."

    "Uhm, yes..."

    Aide''s voice brought me to my senses.

    It''s over.

    We have to get the information and get out of here.

    "So, tell me what you know about Rudra."

    "General Gio. Tell him about the fort."

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    The General, who had been at the Queen''s side, took a step forward.

    "Currently, in the western mountains, the Demon King Rudra''s warriors are using the ruins as a fortress. Their goal is probably to advance into our country. Her Majesty has given orders to wipe them out immediately."

    "Advance!? I hadn''t heard that information in Petardaus!"

    "Of course you hadn''t. I recently learned of Rudra''s existence myself. It seems he is quite famous beyond the mountains, but not enough for his name to reach these lands. This information caught me off guard."

    The Queen puts her hand to her forehead and lets out a sigh.

    At that moment an idea crossed my mind.

    I thought that if I could take down the fort, I would become a hero in the eyes of many.

    To be honest, the travel funds given by the government are not enough.

    If I play an active role here and get a big reward, I will be able to travel elegantly.

    "I will take care of them and-"

    "Don''t worry, Zig-Dono. The Manyu Brigade has already reclaimed the fort, and my army is already on its way.

    Manyu Brigade... Not you again.

    You keep getting in my way again and again.

    I was so angry that I was about to cry.

    "I will have to give the Manyu Brigade a handsome reward. They were able to conquer the Dark Passage and eliminate the demons in the fortress. I should bestow upon them the title of heroes."

    "With all due respect, Your Majesty, I think it is too early to bestow something like that upon them. I have no doubt that each of their exploits have been accomplished flawlessly, but certain conditions must still be met before they can be heroes of our country."

    "If I act on those standards, other countries might take them away. ''Resting on your laurels is a sign of incompetence.'' I will miss a great opportunity if I don''t act fast."

    "Your Majesty, please show a little more restraint."

    Tch.

    Are you planning to turn those guys into heroes?

    That jerk who stole Monica and took credit for defeating the evil dragon.

    He''s a mere human.

    "Zig-Dono, there''s still time for you to head to the fort. The soldiers who were captured by the demons might have some information about Rudra."

    "...I see. Alright, I''ll head out."

    We arrived at the fort in the mountain range.

    Jornen''s army has already arrived and we enter without any problems.

    One by one, the knights join the general ahead of us.

    "My lord, there are several demons in the dungeon."

    "Hm. Keep trying to get information out of them."

    "I have a report. There are twenty-three prisoners, all of them unharmed and in good health."

    "That''s good news. And where is the Manyu Brigade?"

    "Gio-Sama, I have something important to report to you!"

    "Tell me."

    "The Manyu Brigade defeated Arken, one of the demon king''s three generals. And he left here a few days before we arrived."

    "What!?"

    The general grabbed the knight''s chest and gave him a look of astonishment, but he quickly released him and composed himself.

    "I don''t know how I''m going to report this to Her Majesty. After all, she was right, and we can''t predict their movements either. How can someone leave without receiving a reward?"

    "Gio-Sama, The Manyu Brigade left a message for you."

    "I''ll look at it now, where is it?"

    The knight leads me to the center of the fortress. ¡¡ There are countless scars on the floor from the fierce battle that took place there.

    Two creatures appear before us.

    Those... They''re two beasts, aren''t they?

    "Chupipi!"

    The metallic blue bird emits a light.

    Toru appears in front of us.

    I quickly drew my sword and slashed at him.

    However, nothing happened, and the sword cut through the air.

    "What!? Zig-dono!?"

    "Tch, it''s an illusion."

    "What?"

    "Hello General Gio, it''s been a while, well, not really. As you can see, the Demon King''s men have been neutralized. I''m sure the soldiers who were captured by them have already recovered. As for my reward, I''m going to do without it. I''m not someone who likes to get titles or receive anything in return for my deeds."

    From time to time, the man in the blurred silhouette scratched his cheek, embarrassed.

    It''s inexplicably irritating.

    It''s a face that makes me sick to my stomach just looking at it.

    Aide, who was next to me, clenched his fists as he trembled,

    ".........Toru."

    A strong murderous spirit emanated from Aide.

    There was a chilling and evil presence seeping from his sword and armor.

    Aide, just who the hell are you?

    "I''m going to head west, I have to do something about this Demon King. I can''t guarantee anything though, so don''t get your hopes up. Also, there''s a research group that might come to visit you, so please don''t turn them down, just listen to them."

    Toru disappears at the same time saying; "take care of them."

    "Chupi, chupi!"

    "Shaa."

    The bird and the snake-like beast flew off to the west.

    "If we can contact that research team, or any of those people, there is a high possibility of us cooperating with the Manyu Brigade in the future. Their abilities in taking down demonic fortresses, healing dying soldiers and long distance communication would be beneficial to our nation... I must inform Her Majesty immediately."

    The general called the knight and asked him to deliver a message in a whisper.

    It seems he doesn''t want us to hear what he has to say.

    The knight mounted a wyvern and flew away.

    "So what are you going to do now?"

    "We will gather information about Rudra and then head west. We need to get to Rudra as soon as possible."

    "Well, then, be careful. Beyond the mountain range is a land full of ruffians, and the demons that arise are more powerful. Don''t forget that our ancestors were driven from the center of the continent."

    "Do you believe in the old fairy tales?"

    "Fairy tales also happen to be facts. I don''t know how they tell these stories in Petardaus, but you should still be careful."

    Many years ago, elves and dark elves once lived side by side in the heart of the continent.

    But a calamity struck them and those who survived fled to distant lands.

    In neither country has it been said what the calamity was.

    Something disastrous must have happened to force them to flee the true holy land, even if the nature of said disaster has been forgotten.

    Some still insist that the true holy land in the center be recovered, but most people are satisfied with the present form and have completely lost interest.

    Celtina, who had remained silent, spoke up.

    "Regardless of whether or not we can defeat the Demon King, if we get to take back the true holy land, we can become heroes¡î"

    "How long do you think it will take to reach the center from here? Defeating Rudra without going that far would be enough of an achievement."

    "That''s also true¡î"

    I then looked at Aide.

    ".....The center of the continent."

    "Are you interested, Aide?"

    "No, I''m just wondering what''s over there."

    "I''ve heard that many demons of the ancient demon king dwell there, and there are also many powerful relics. From my point of view, I can live a peaceful life without having to enter that place."

    "......Powerful relics."

    I felt that Aide''s tone of voice had changed.

    It was as if his calm voice was laced with amusement.

    "I have work to do, so this is where we part. I''d like to say goodbye to you, so please call me before you leave."

    "Sure."

    The General walked into the building.

    So Rudra is in the west... I will not let them take him from me.

    I am the hero, the one chosen to defeat the demon king.

 CH 141

    Soara-San was laughing loudly.

    There was a small pile of money in front of her.

    The total amount is two hundred and thirty-four thousand rudra. ¡¡ This fortune was made through the bets she accepted from various people.

    "Look, Pione, This is God''s blessing. Of course it''s also thanks to the tric-- ahem Techniques that I have."

    "You were going to say tricks, as in cheating."

    "No, I was going to say techniques."

    "Cheating."

    "Are you going to keep provoking me?"

    Soara-San pinched my cheek.

    No fair, I was just stating a fact.

    I rubbed my aching cheeks and went back to checking my room.

    It''s a small, simple room hollowed out in a mud wall.

    The only entrance and exit is a piece of cloth hanging on the wall, so there is almost no privacy.

    In this room, Soara-San and I sleep together, and there are only two blankets to sleep on.

    The other workers have similar accomodations.

    "By the way, how are things going over there?"

    "It''s going well. Shall we take a look? Isabella-San."

    "Yes."

    The person who peeked her face through the cloth was the leader of the group.

    Since that day, she had been defeated by Soara-san repeatedly, and finally gambled away her freedom.

    As a result, she became a slave

    In addition, the team leader, Isabella-San, had many slaves, so the number of slaves under Soara-San''s control had increased to over 30.

    She led the way to the bottom of the tunnel.

    There, five women took turns digging into the ground to get out.

    "As per Soara-sama''s instructions, we have placed ancient writings and illusionary glyphs throughout the corridor, and several guards have been bribed to reduce their patrols. I believe the exit will be ready soon."

    "Good. Keep working on it."

    "Yes."

    Wow, the escape plan that was so slow is advancing rapidly!

    Had Soara-San planned this from the beginning?

    The team leader has several slaves and is relatively close to the guards.

    The bets were just a way to create this situation.

    I think we can get out of here sooner rather than expected.

    I turned to look at Soara-San, I had been curious about Isabella-San''s words.

    "What are these glyphs?"

    "Don''t they teach you about such things in the Dark Kingdom?"

    "There is a specialist researching them, but I wasn''t interested, so I don''t know anything about it."

    "You''re nobility, you''re supposed to know these things."

    "Hanhefuhefuho!?"

    Soara-San pinched my cheeks again.

    Ouch.

    "Glyphs are special symbols that contain a power of their own. The reason why the magic circle is activated by magic power is because you use this kind of writing."

    Using something so powerful just to create illusions? I think that''s a far-fetched thing to do.

    "Soara-Sama, it''s about time."

    "Good, only the finishing touches are missing."

    The finishing touches?

    Soara-San attracted the attention of nearly a hundred people. She held out her hands and declared loudly.

    "Tonight, we will escape from here. The time for liberation has finally come. It is no longer necessary to toil away in construction work. Let us return to our homes!"

    The women began to talk among themselves.

    They seemed perplexed at the enormous invitation to escape. One woman raised her hand.

    "My husband is here, can you help him escape too!?"

    "Don''t worry, we have already made contact with the men and they are preparing to escape as well. As I said, we''ll go tonight, when security is at its lowest."

    At that moment, I realized that Soara-San is doing this to get as many people involved to serve as a distraction.

    Surely only 30% of us will escape. Rudra''s men are all high level and have powerful skills.

    But there is no other choice. I don''t want to die here.

    I want to see Toru.

    "This is a proposal I will not make again. We won''t come back to help you either. So, you have to decide now; Will you come with us to escape and be with your loved ones, or will you stay and continue working for the Demon King?"

    One person raises their hand.

    And another.

    And another one too.

    One after another, they began to raise their hands, and the room is filled with dirt-stained hands.

    "They won''t manage to catch us! If you wish to get out of here, have a good meal and sleep with a good man, then show your resolve!"

    "Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

    "Soara-Sama and Pione-Sama, we won''t let you down! We''ll use the strength we''ve amassed here to escape from this place!"

    "Oooooooooooooooooooooooh!"

    The leader of the group raises her fist.

    All the women raised their fist in the air.

    They''re not waiting for me to do that too, are they?

    "."

    "Yes!"

    "."

    "Thank you very much!"

    The women exit one by one from the hidden hallway.

    Once outside, they each plan to run in a different direction.

    It''s the only way to avoid the eyes of Rudra''s men.

    "Soara-Sama, they''re all out now."

    "Good, then it''s our turn."

    "Yes."

    Soara-San, Isabella-San and I were the last ones out.

    When I climbed out of the hole, I was met with an intense darkness. There was no moon in the sky.

    I don''t think the soldiers would notice what was going on.

    I immediately used my disguise ring to darken our figures.

    Actually, the escape plan required that the ring reach level 3.

    When we were brought here, its level was still 2.

    The Disguise Ring can disguise your status at level 1, disguise your appearance at level 2 and disguise the status or appearance from any opponent at level 3.

    In this situation, you should be able to disguise your state and appearance, even if the opponent has the ability to see through you.

    By the way, the disguise ring cannot be made invisible.

    It would have been more convenient if you could.

    The construction site of Rudra''s castle is located in a deep forest. We ran incessantly to the west.

    "Ha ha ha, it''s time to start moving."

    "It''s been a long time, God, please save us."

    "Hide, both of you."

    At Isabella-San''s words, Soara-San and I hid behind a tree.

    Fwooosh

    A wyvern flew overhead.

    Looks like the search has already begun.

    Even if we get caught, we won''t be killed, but the security will become even more intense.

    It will be impossible to escape a second time. This is the only chance we''ll get.

    "This way."

    "You know the way?"

    "I can smell the wind from my hometown on the other side."

    "Are you of the beastkin race?"

    "Fufu, it was all part of the plan, Pione. We needed a beast that could guide us through the forest without getting lost."

    Isabella-San is from the leopard tribe.

    She has a slender but toned body and long bangs that cover one eye.

    Unlike me, she has a lot going for her, and she is very attractive. Her leopard ears and tail were also really cute.

    When we get to a safe place, I wonder if I can touch her tail.

    "Oh no, they''re Laptones."

    We lay down on the grass. There were two Aryus'' in front of us.

    They were wild monsters that inhabit these woods. These monsters have a keen sense of smell. They are known to hunt in packs.

    We''ve run into them at a bad time.

    "It seems that they have noticed us.... Pione-Sama, watch our backs."

    "Soara-San, don''t make any moves."

    "Sorry, my level is too low."

    My level is currently 85.

    Isabella-San is 573.

    Soare-San is 48.

    Isabella-san''s strength is extraordinary.

    And even with such strength she can''t take on Rudra. What kind of horrible place is this?

    Isabella-san uses her sharp claws to claw and kill the two monsters in an instant.

    Suddenly, another two jumped out of the bushes, stalking towards us from behind.

    After all, it was a decoy.

    Were they going to launch a surprise attack?

    I picked up some rocks and shoved them into each of their mouths.

    "Gau!?"

    "Guga!"

    Even if I have no weapons, I''ll do my best.  Don''t underestimate a demon of nobility.

    I hit them with all my might, and the two Laptones ran away with staggering steps.

    Phew, that was close. I feel like my life has been cut short.

    "Pione that was awesome. After all you''re just a simple peo.... Warrior."

    "You were going to say I was a pawn."

    "It''s your imagination."

    "No it''s not, you were going to say it."

    "You are persistent."

    "Hueeeh." ¡¡ That hurts. Don''t pinch me. Look, you''ve dug your nails into me.

    I''ll tell Toru and Kaede later.

    "I hope you''re both all right."

    "Yeah, that was close, luckily they ran away."

    Isabella came back and we started running again.

    I have to stay alive if I want to see you again. Toru.

 CH 142

    After receiving the report, I was so shocked that I could say I lost my mind.

    The ruins were in the basement of the mansion. It is said that there was a magic transfer circle there that stopped working.

    There was no trace of the girls anywhere, and given the circumstances, it was concluded that they were transported to a remote location.

    Of course, we sent a team of experts to find out where they went.

    But all they discovered was that the magic circle sent them to random places.

    The more I knew, the more desperate the situation became.

    The research done by the magicians was not perfect. But many things was useful information that he did not know, to the point of how to create a magic circle.

    The amount of magic power used is enormous, and the magic circle itself is made up of many layers of plates, composed of ancient characters so tiny that they can only be seen with a microscope.

    In this case, it doesn''t matter whether it is reproducible or not.  The problem is that we have no clues.

    My dear friends have disappeared.  And so is the mansion where I live. If I hadn''t invited them, none of this would have happened. I feel guilty.

    "My lady, please cheer up."

    "Um, yes..."

    Urara approached me. I''m grateful to her for being here, even though she just had her baby.

    If it wasn''t for her, I would have gone crazy.

    I wish Toru-Sama and Kaede-San were here....

    "My lady, why doesn''t Toru-Sama try to send you a message? He hasn''t notified her of this situation yet."

    "That''s right, the message!"

    I had Urara prepare a scroll. We kept about five message scrolls at our house, just in case.

    Luckily, I asked Alusha-san for five more and she gave them to me.

    I will send a message to Toru-Sama first.

    ¡¶Notice: the message is out of valid range.¡·

    EH?

    Valid range?

    Is there such a thing?

    As long as it has not made connection with the target. The scroll will not be consumed.

    So I tried to send a message to the girls.

    ¡¶Notice: the message is out of range.¡·

    I was shocked at the situation. I don''t even know if they are still alive or dead.

    "I can''t reach anyone."

    "My lady..."

    I can''t believe something like this has a range limitation... What kind of nonsense is that? Who came up with something like that...?

    Wait a minute, wait a minute.

    Does that mean they''re too far away to receive the message? The only place far I can think of is where Toru-Sama is.

    Messages could get through even if that person is dead. So there is no possibility that they are here, let alone dead.

    In other words, they are not on the Island.

    That''s right! They are all on the other continent with Toru-Sama!

    Now that I''ve come to this conclusion, I can''t just sit idly by.

    I have to go there myself.

    "Urara, inform my father that I will cross the open sea. I will board the archaeological ship as soon as I return."

    "But my Lady!"

    "It will do no good to stop me. I have no time to cower when my dear friends are in danger. I was to blame for everything that happened, so as Toru-Sama''s wife that I am, and a member of the Manyu Brigade, I have to act, even if there is little chance."

    This place will be fine without me.

    My father and the King of Greyfield are already mobilizing to resolve this situation. I am sure that sooner or later there will be a full-scale search involving all nations.

    So I will do everything I can to help.

    I left Urara behind and arrived in Lastoria on my own.

    I have already been granted an audience with His Majesty the King of Lastoria.

    In a room of the palace, I was greeted by His Majesty sitting on his throne.

    "It is a pleasure to meet you, King. I am Marianne, daughter of Count Roane."

    "I appreciate your greetings, young lady, but instead of continuing with the flattery, let''s get to the point we are both interested in, according to the letter you sent, you wanted to find a group of people who were transported by a transfer circle... And you say they were taken to another continent?"

    "Yes, I have no problem with that, but I know there is a possibility that this is so. There are so many ruins and magic circles here, it''s hard to imagine any of them being connected to other lands beyond the open sea."

    His Majesty stroked his chin.

    There was an air of hesitation about letting me get on the boat.

    "I see, however, I cannot send the daughter of an Earl who lives in another country on a dangerous voyage..."

    A man who appears to be a vassal enters the room.

    "Your Majesty, King Armand has sent you a sealed envelope."

    "Give it to me."

    The King smiled as he read the letter.

    King Armand and the King of Lastoria are good friends.

    I was aware of that, so I asked for His Majesty the King''s support beforehand.

    Of course it was not a simple thing, I had to talk about certain things in order to convince him.

    [Toru-Sama is a very slow person, and we will lose a powerful ally if we don''t take care of him, so I plan to go to where he is and I can be pregnant with him. This way we can keep Toru-Sama in Armand without the risk of Lastoria taking him away].

    Those words made the King of Armand want to help me.

    If I were to bear Toru-Sama''s child, he would automatically become a citizen of Armand.

    That is what His Majesty has decided.

    Of course, I am sure it was a decision based on his knowledge of my situation.

    Without me having a good reason, His Majesty would not have helped me.

    And I also need a reason to convince my father. Since I ran away from the mansion without getting his permission.

    The King of Lastoria looks at the letterhead and lets out a sigh.

    "Alright, you have the permission to board the ship."

    "Thank you for your generous heart."

    The moment I tried to leave the room, I heard His Majesty''s voice.

    "I see that the King of Armand came up with the same thing I did, I hope Luvue complied well... I wish you luck in still having your chance with him, Marianne."

    I knew there would be a catch.

    The King of Lastoria is a wise man who takes what he can get.

    I pretended I hadn''t heard anything and left the room.

    A few days later, the ship of ruins returned to port.

    The city was in an uproar because it had made its first voyage on the open sea.

    The nobles who gathered in front of the ship were shouting for joy with the objects they had brought from the different continents.

    I, on the other hand, watched the scene with calm eyes from the ship.

    "Are you sure you want to do this? It''s a much more dangerous place than one imagines."

    "I don''t mind, when I think about the fact that beyond this island there are strange lands where there are more people inhabiting it, my existence becomes trivial."

    "I have heard from His Majesty about the situation. I will do my best to cooperate, if only a little."

    The captain takes off his hat and bows.

    Suddenly, I saw a man who looked like a nobleman boarding the ship.

    He came over and bowed to me.

    "You must be Miss Marianne. I am Keios Eiban, Toru''s uncle."

    "Eh? You are Toru-Sama''s uncle?! I am Marianne, Count Roane''s daughter, it is a pleasure to meet you."

    "I heard you were going to follow Toru to the other continent, so I thought I''d give this to you."

    He put what looked like a key in my hand.

    It''s a strange object with several split ends. Something barely recognizable as a key because of its shape.

    Its color was like gold, but it shines with a faint iridescence, indicating that it is not gold.

    "I told Toru that his mother had nothing on him when he came here. But I was wrong, she had this, a key, I had forgotten it until recently, and he was in a big hurry."

    "Are you sure you want to leave such an important object in my hands?"

    "Perhaps there will come a time when he will come to need it. And you have in mind to seduce Toru, don''t you? With this, he won''t doubt your trust."

    "He is right, but there is something he is wrong about. I am his betrothed, and I will marry him. Toru-Sama trusts me very much."

    Keios-Sama bows to him as he says; "I apologize."

    I didn''t think Toru-Sama had blood of the Nobility. I don''t know why I didn''t notice when I heard his name was Eiban.

    Perhaps I was so captivated by Toru-Sama''s presence that I didn''t even care about his name, or his status.

    I finally understand Kaede-San''s words, it''s because Toru-Sama is Toru-Sama.

    "I''ll make sure he gets it."

    "Please. Tell Toru that Bill and I are fine."

    I nodded my head.

    "It''s time to go."

    The captain puts on his hat and gets on the boat.

    I took the key and said goodbye to Keios-Sama one more time.

    I will go to the other continent, and bring everyone back with me.

 CH 143

    I was taken to a warm room with a fireplace.

    The young man urged us to sit down, before he himself sat down opposite us.

    "My name is Itsuki. I am the chief of this village."

    "We are the Manyu Brigade, my name is Toru, and these are Kaede, Frau and Panda."

    "A White-haired Fox type? No way."

    Itsuki looked at Kaede carefully and then shook his head as if denying the idea.

    Kaede, however, had a frightened expression on her face.

    ''''Ah, um, Master, actually...''''

    ''''Why are you looking for the white wolf?''''

    Itsuki interrupts Kaede''s words with a question.

    For a moment, my attention was directed to Kaede, but then I changed my mind, thinking that I should first give a him a proper explanation, what with him being cautious and all.

    "I seek my mother''s hometown. Elohim, the Spirit Queen, told me that the White Wolf would know.

    "The Spirit Queen said that? She did a very unwise thing."

    "Can I meet the White Wolf?

    "No."

    He outright denies my request, not even hesitating.

    "You show up here suddenly, and you ask to see our God? Don''t be foolish. THE white wolf clan is a race that rules these mountains, and even we are allowed to meet a limited group of them. It is absolutely impossible for outsiders to meet them."

    I could feel how determined he was to refuse my request.

    At least I now know the white wolves exist.

    "Hmph, You guys are stingy."

    "What, how dare you mock the proud people of Lowa!"

    "It''s the white wolf clan that grants permission to meet them, not the people of this town. Honestly, it''s unnecessary for us to even ask permission from you to meet them."

    "That''s not...! Aaaah!"

    Itsuki had lost his mind after hearing Frau''s words.

    At that moment, Kaede put something on the table.

    "My brave wolf kin, whose proud and majestic appearance has been heard of in distant lands. This is my apology for leaving without notice. I beg you to grant me a visit from the White Wolf God."

    "This is...!"

    They were two bundles wrapped in white paper. They contained fine meat and gold.

    When did you get that?

    Kaede also opened her iron fan, which is a memento of her mother.

    The emblem imitating a fox appeared.

    "That familiar emblem, could it be.... No, it is you!"

    "I am Kaede Tamamo of the White Fox Clan, descendant of the great Nine Tail."

    "Tamamo of the Nine-Tails! Forgive my rudeness!"

    Itsuki bowed down on the ground and lowered his head.

    Frau and I were taken aback at the village chief''s sudden change of attitude.

    Kaede, for her part, looks at me with an apologetic face.

    "Please inform the White Wolf God of my request to visit."

    "Of course, but you must understand that permission cannot always be granted."

    "I understand."

    Itsuki bowed deeply again.

    "This place looks surprisingly cozy."

    "All thanks to Kaede."

    "...Yes."

    Frau shifts on Panda next to the fireplace, which is lit.

    We were allowed to stay in the village until we heard back from the White Wolf tribe.

    Besides, Itsuki had offered to rent us a house and even prepare a meal for us.

    It is too extreme a welcoming gesture for someone who showed such a hostile attitude upon first meeting us.

    After that, I sat down in a chair to listen to what Kaede had to say.

    "I''m sorry for hiding my identity until now."

    "Can you tell us who you are?"

    "I''m a member of the White Fox celestial beast clan, who lives far away from here. Actually, I wasn''t trying to hide it, I just couldn''t find the right time to tell you, Master. I really wanted to tell you."

    Kaede gazed down, looking very sad for some reason.

    "As I told you before, my hometown was in danger. Only I, being a little girl, escaped from a group of pursuing magicians."

    "Yes, but you didn''t tell me what happened."

    "My home, which was in a hidden area, was attacked by someone. I went into territory inaccessible to people, and members of my clan, who sensed the danger helped, me escape. The last thing I saw was my home engulfed in flames."

    Kaede began to cry.

    Kaede has always focused on healing me from my wounds and pain, as well as many other people. And yet, I never thought about healing her.

    How insensitive can I be?

    Why did I never notice the pain that Kaede carried with her?

    "The reason I couldn''t tell you is because I was afraid you might become implicated in this ordeal, Master. The enemy is equal to or even stronger than the celestial beast, the white fox, and might possibly be stronger than you, Master."

    "Stronger than me?!"

    Who the hell is this person? No wonder Kaede wanted to keep it a secret.

    She probably didn''t want to say it because I''m an idiot. Because I''m a moron who will always try to involve himself.

    And she''s right to think so.

    "I''d like to help Kaede find her home."

    "But Master...!"

    I pat her on the head.

    "I am your master. My slaves'' problems are my problems too. Or is it strange for a master to care about his slave?"

    Kaede shook her head.

    "Those are the same words you said to me back then."

    "I know. You''ve helped me so much, it''s time for me to do the same for you."

    "Fufu, that''s very nice of you, Master."

    "It''s because I''m a fool."

    "No, it''s because you''re kind."

    I got up from my seat and held her in my arms as she cried.

    The anxiety that weighed on her from this situation must have been great. She must have thought she would never see her family again.

    I still don''t know how to help her. And I can''t say anything concrete until I go to her hometown.

    But I''m sure her family is still alive.

    The celestial beasts are very strong. So they must have survived somehow.

    I had already been aiming to head there. This just makes it a higher priority.

    "By the way, will the white foxes know anything about my mother?"

    "I don''t know, maybe the wise old lady knows something..."

    Makes sense. There''s no choice but to ask the White Wolf tribe about it.

    Suddenly, I notice that there is a strange smell.

    I looked in the direction of the fireplace and saw that Frau''s dress was on the floor.

    "How about this taste, is it bad?"

    "Kyu~"

    "Why are you making that face, is it too salty? Hmmm, let''s dilute it with water."

    "Kyu, Kyu?!"

    "Hiiiiih! Fire!"

    We rushed to the kitchen and saw Frau human size, wearing only an apron.

    Moreover, the frying pan she was holding in her hand had caught fire.

    This girl had poured in oil instead of water.

    Frau and Panda watched in dismay as their food turned to ashes.

    "Solid Ice."

    Thinking quickly, Kaede freezes the pan in ice.

    "Aah~, Frau-San, if you''re going to cook, you''d better tell me."

    "I''m so sorry. I''ve been watching you for days and I thought I could do it just like you..."

    "Kyu~"

    Frau drops her shoulders dejectedly.

    But what''s with that outfit? You''re naked with nothing but an apron on, are you trying to catch a cold?

    Kaede, who has also noticed, says something about it.

    "Why are you naked save for an apron?"

    "Oh, this? It was part of Soara''s unfounded wisdom! She recommended that I wear only an apron when I''m cooking. Though I couldn''t make dinner properly, I''m sure this will be enough to whet the Lord''s appetite."

    Frau turned around and showed off her back while not wearing any underwear.

    Her breasts were slightly visible through the gap.

    "You can''t do that in front of Master, Frau-San!"

    "That''s easy for you to say! Kaede will be the Master''s first wife, so I have to aspire to be the second wife. If I don''t achieve that task, everyone in the village will be angry with me and say things like; [We shouldn''t have trusted this washboard.] while throwing stones at me!"

    "What''s with this obsession you have with breasts?"

    Kaede snorted at her response.

    "Go put your clothes on!"

    "I can''t. Even if it''s too cold and I''m almost naked, Soara said this attire is a favorite of men, especially my Lord."

    After those words, Frau was pulled by the arm into the room.

    I must admit, that outfit of Frau''s got me a little excited.

    Being naked with only an apron on is clearly one of my favorites.

    I can see Soara knows me very well.

    Although if it had been Kaede in that outfit, my heart would have stopped for the gap between the eroticism and tenderness.

    I''d better get rid of this charred food.

    "Master, Itsuki-Sama has arrived."

    "Oh, yes..."

    I head to the front door and see Itsuki.

    He looked at me and bowed.

    "I have received word from the White Wolf God that your request has been granted, provided you meet certain conditions."

    "And what are those conditions?"

    "That the messenger be recognized for his performance."

    Eh? Performance?

    Itsuki grabbed the instrument that had been slung on his shoulder and plucked the strings with his fingers to make a tune.

    "Music is a wolf''s life!"

    I see...

 CH 144

    Music is deeply rooted in this Lowa village.

    It is said that those who sing or play music that touches the heart are respected.

    First is music, second is hunting, third is strength and fourth is wisdom.

    This seems to be the order of respected skills in the village.

    Those who have better musical skills come to be appreciated by the White Wolves.

    In other words, only those who can play good music are qualified to meet the White Wolves.

    "I know how to play the flute and the koto, but I have never played these stringed instruments."

    (Nt: The Koto is a chordophone instrument made of wood with 13 strings of different sizes, belongs to the zither family and is a descendant of the Chinese Guzheng zither. It is a Japanese instrument, made from the wood of the imperial Paulonia. It is the national instrument of Japan. )

    Kaede played a musical instrument called a g¨¹ler, but it''s tone wasn''t very flattering.

    "Lend me that."

    "Do you know how to play, Frau-San?"

    "I used to play a similar instrument in my village."

    Pororon

    Strumming the strings with her finger, Frau begins to play and sing along with the tune.

    "I''m not a cutting board ~, I''ve got a little bundle full of love ~ ? Play with it ~, and you''ll feel a little thrill~ ?"

    Such a lovely voice, although the lyrics are a bit creepy.

    Itsuki also shook his body from side to side with a relaxed rhythm.

    Frau stopped playing. We stood up from our seats and clapped our hands.

    "That''s amazing, Frau is so talented!"

    "That was wonderful, Frau-San. I''m amazed."

    "Oh, really? Hehe."

    "Kyu, Kyu!"

    Panda started flying around Frau as if he was praising her.

    "That was impressive, but it wasn''t enough to satisfy the messenger. There are many untalented folks in town who have that level of skill."

    Itsuki also applauded, but his words were harsh.

    Frau grew dissatisfied and puffed out her cheeks.

    I thought Frau had done very well, but it seems that meeting the requirements won''t be so easy.

    "The presentation will be in two nights. If you think it''s impossible, you can back out now."

    "I won''t back out after I''ve come this far. I will."

    "I hope that confidence doesn''t turn out to be baseless, because we''d hate it if the white fox, Kaede, were to leave here without a good memory."

    Itsuki opened the door.

    "If you want guidance, let me know and I''ll send you to an expert and get you the instruments you want. I have work to do."

    After saying those words, he left the house.

    The instruments we want? ¡¡ I took the instrument from Frau and lightly plucked the strings while thinking about what I was supposed to do.

    "M-Master?!"

    "Aaah! That sound!"

    Eh? Why are they surprised?

    ...Did I do something wrong?

    The next day, I went out to the town square and found a group of children gathered there.

    They were making a lot of noise around an extended piece of paper.

    Kaede and I peered out silently.

    An intricate magic circle was drawn on a square piece of paper, and on it were two small, human-looking figures.

    They hit each other, and soon after, one of them turned into sparks of light and disappeared.

    "Aaah! I lost again!"

    "Ten wins in a row!"

    Is this some kind of local game?

    It''s a very elaborate game, though. I can''t help but find it interesting.

    "It''s a phantom battle formation."

    "You know it?"

    "Yes. It''s a magic circle that''s normally used for combat training, but here it seems to have been reduced to a toy. It''s also quite amusing."

    "Heh, as expected from a town with celestial beasts."

    The boys noticed my presence and gave me a sharp look.

    "What are you looking at, old human man?

    "O-Old man?!"

    "Who else is there?"

    I''m only twenty-five years old, but maybe for a kid that''s a pretty high number.

    A boy who seems to be the leader of the group smiled while thinking about something.

    He tells the other kids about it and they all laugh.

    "You''re probably curious, old man. If you want, you can join us."

    "But, I don''t know the rules."

    "It''s easy. You just have to defeat your opponent with the illusion you have created. Just be warned that this is a game where your strength comes out. A weak player can only create a weak illusion."

    Hm, it''s a game, but it also serves to measure your strength. It''s very interesting, I''ll definitely try it.

    The boy and I set up the phantom fighting team and sat on the floor.

    We both touched the magic circle and poured magic power into it.

    "My illusion is the strongest of everyone here."

    Light particles gather and a white figure with a sword appears.

    "How do you know if you are good enough?"

    "It depends on several factors: The size of the soldier, the weapons he carries, his appearance and the skills he uses."

    "The soldier of a wolf tribe has fangs and claws?"

    "Yes. What a surprise, old man, even though you''re a human, you''re smart."

    This kid is really underestimating me.

    The boy''s soldier had wolf ears and a tail.

    "Surely your magic power is too weak for the magic circle to even manage to make one for you, old man."

    The children began to laugh.

    Kaede became very angry.

    Beastkin have high physical abilities from an early age.

    They have absolute confidence that they will never be defeated by a human.

    In fact, even on the island where humans rule, I have seen many beastkin with high confidence in their skills quite often. ¡¡ No wonder that belief is reinforced here, where only the wolf tribe lives.

    Bibi Bibi

    The phantom battle circle trembles minutely, and particles of light begin to gather.

    The boy''s phantom form shrinks and shrinks until it is too small to be seen as my phantom enters the field.

    "What...?"

    "It looks like it took a while because it was so big."

    My ghost grabs his greatsword and swings it forward in preparation for battle.

    He then checks his surroundings, looking for enemies.

    "It''s impossible."

    "Finish it."

    The phantom lifts his foot, and stomps on the boy''s phantom.

    The battle was over.

    The boy stood and clenched his eyes so tightly it looked like he would burst into tears at any moment.

    "Wuaaaaaaaaah!!! I''m going to remember this!"

    The boy ran away crying.

    Huh, I can''t believe I took a game with a kid seriously.

    I guess I''m just not ready yet.

    After a brief pause, the children shouted for joy.

    "Old man, you''re amazing, even Itsuki-sama can''t make something that big!¡±

    "It''s huge, how big is this thing?"

    "Wow, wow, wow, I''ve never seen anything like this!"

    Even though it''s an obvious result, I''m still embarrassed by the praise.

    Well, I didn''t expect there to be such a difference in size either.

    It''s like a battle between a man and a mountain."

    "There you are."

    "You''re Obi, right?"

    A masked man arrives in the square.

    He really is stealthy. Even I can''t detect him.

    He must have a job as a thief or an assassin at a high level.

    And he is quite strong. His body language is somewhat intimidating.

    I stood up.

    "I have a message from Itsuki-Sama. He wants you to do something for him."

    "Me?"

    Obi speaks to Kaede.

    "We need Kaede-Sama''s power, so I''d like you to listen to what we have to say."

    "If that''s the case... Can my master be present as well?"

    "Sure. Please follow me."

    We followed Obi to Itsuki''s house.

    Kaede and I took seats next to each other.

    And in front of us were Obi and Itsuki.

    "We want you to slay a basilisk."

    "A basilisk?"

    "Yes, it has been living in the fenced off ruins of our village for a few months, and it has killed many of our people, and even when though we tried to get rid of it, the results have been nil."

    Kaede asks

    "What is a basilisk?"

    "It''s a monster that petrifies everything it sees. It''s a very nasty creature that has a wide range of petrification, it moves quickly and the scales that cover its body are quite tough."

    I wonder if it''s a monster that only exists here.

    I''ve never heard of it before.

    A monster that can petrify you with a single gaze. It certainly is very dangerous.

    "We of the wolf tribe are not good at magic, but hand-to-hand combat is also tough against such an opponent. We will pay you handsomely for your help."

    "What do you think, Master?"

    "We will. The people of this village are in trouble, I don''t think it''s the best thing to stand idly by. Besides, if we kill it, chief Itsuki might give us a delicious meal."

    "Of course, we''ll prepare a huge feast."

    Perfect. Even if that monster has the ability to petrify, Kaede''s magic would probably kill it instantly.

    Besides, if we kill the basilisk, we''ll be able to visit the ruins.

    "By the way, Kaede-Sama, are you sure you want him to accompany you?"

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "It''s not that I doubt his abilities as your Master... But, I''m afraid it will be somewhat difficult for a human."

    "Don''t worry about that. The Master is the Master."

    Uh, Kaede, that''s not really an explanation.

    I''m sure you were trying to be considerate, but Itsuki is confused.

    Obi whispered in Itsuki''s ear.

    "Hmm, this is no ordinary human. I''ve been observing him with the evaluation goggles, and his race doesn''t seem to match his appearance."

    "Also, he occasionally emits a tremendous concentration of magical power. He looks like a swordsman, but he might also be a skilled magic user."

    "Since Kaede-Sama recognizes him as her master, it is impossible for him to be an ordinary human. I beg your pardon, Toru-Dono. It would be an honor to have you accompany us."

    Itsuki had a big smile on his face.

    Am I giving off magic power?

    I have to be more careful with that.

 CH 145

    Five of us will participate in the extermination of the Basilisk.

    Kaede, Frau, Itsuki, Obi and myself.

    If the number of people increases, the casualty rate will also increase.

    Our opponent is a monster that can petrify you with just a look, and Itsuki said it''s better to attack in a small group.

    We went up the mountain road with Itsuki in the lead.

    Due to the higher altitude, there was still snow around us.

    "It''s nice to be out here, especially when you''re in a scarf that''s cute, comfortable and of high quality. And even more so if that person who''s wearing it is my Lord."

    "Kyu~"

    Frau was curled up in the scarf around my neck.

    Panda was also tucked into my cloak to keep warm.

    Kaede looked at Frau, and for some reason, she had a downhearted expression on her face

    "How I envy Frau-San for her size."

    "Fufu, what a pity, Kaede. This is the privilege of being a fairy. You can feel the Lord''s warmth anytime, anywhere."

    "Master! I''ll warm you with my body!"

    Kaede comes up behind me and hugs me.

    I-I can''t move...

    It''s very kind of you to warm me up, but I''d rather you do it later.

    "We''re falling behind, please keep walking."

    "Sorry."

    Obi, who was at the back, warns us. ¡¡ His voice seemed to want to say something like, "You don''t seem to be worried enough."

    "I''m sorry!"

    "It''s okay, you can warm me up later."

    "Yes!"

    Kaede replied and wagged her fluffy white tail.

    I lightly patted her head and her fox ears drooped.

    "........"

    "What?"

    "Nothing."

    Obi stared at me, so I turned to him thinking he wanted to ask something.

    He looked away, as if he had decided to swallow his words.

    We continued walking in Itsuki''s footsteps.

    "We have arrived."

    "Wow, that''s a spectacular view."

    Near the top of the snow-covered mountain, I could see the shattered buildings in the ruins.

    That''s where the basilisk is.

    Impressed by the view, I pulled out the souvenir box and snapped a quick picture.

    "The basilisk is a monster that originally lives in warm regions. But for some reason, it has settled in a place like this."

    "Did it leave its home due to a lack of prey and find its way here?"

    "I don''t know. Something might have happened in the west for it to flee to this place. In any case, we have to get rid of it so we can live in peace."

    A question crossed my mind.

    ''''Couldn''t you have asked the White Wolves to exterminate ig or something?

    "You seem to have misunderstood: The White Wolves are gods, but they are not bodyguards. If the village is in danger, they will act, but we are originally in a position to protect our village, so we cannot casually disturb them."

    In other words, the White Wolves will do something about it when the situation becomes uncontrollable.

    Gods are a very difficult existence to deal with.

    I am in a different land, so from customs to everything else, there will be things I will never understand.

    "The White Wolf Gods must believe in the power of their people. That they have the power to solve their own problems."

    "As expected, Kaede-Sama, you are right. It is easy to shelter them like a child, but if you do, they will end up losing the strength of the beastkin. We are proud wolves, we honor protection and are ashamed to be protected."

    "You have been blessed with good people, White Wolves."

    "To receive such words from a White Fox makes me feel honored!"

    Itsuki bowed his head towards Kaede with an expression tinged with joy.

    Kaede is also a kind of god. But she looks normal and pretty kind to me.

    "Let''s enter the ruins."

    Itsuki turned around.

    My eyes fall on his bushy tail.

    Kaede''s tail looks beautiful to me, but what about the wolf''s tail?

    I''d really like to touch it....

    When this is over, I''ll ask if I can touch it.

    It would be a shame to come to a wolf tribe village and not be able to touch one of their tails.

    "Guu... Guuu..."

    I can hear Frau snoring around my neck.

    It was wondering why she had gotten so quiet. I lightly tapped my scarf as we were about to arrive.

    "Huh! What''s wrong!?"

    "Ugh!"

    Frau jumped out so quickly that she hit me in the jaw with a headbutt.

    There was an iron chain set up on a steep path.

    The sound of metal clanking in the crosswind echoed.

    Arriving at the ruins, I looked up and let out an sound of admiration.

    It was a decaying building illuminated by sunlight. The period in which it was built seems to be quite ancient, and it had an air of divinity about it.

    By the way, there are three periods in the god''s era.

    The blue beginning

    The middle yellow stage

    And the late white period

    The tattered ruins often seen were built between the early to middle yellow periods and are quite ancient.

    Although the ancient race is known to have a high level of technology, it is theorized that they still did not have enough technology to create sacred arms during this period.

    At the end of the White Period, the technology of the Ancient Species advanced dramatically, and terrifying creations appeared, such as the Temple of the Sacred Arms, whose mechanism was almost impossible to understand.

    And the building in front of me was probably built in the early to middle yellow period.

    "Obi, take the lead."

    "Understood."

    At Itsuki''s command, Obi opened the door to the ruins.

    At the far end was a dimly lit hallway.

    Icicles hung from the ceiling, and the floor, which was slightly frozen, was slippery

    We each drew our weapons.

    "It''s time for you to come out."

    "Now is Frau''s time to shine."

    Frau comes out of the scarf. At the same time, Panda, who had been hiding in my cloak, jumped out.

    "Do you want Frau to use her ability to blind the basilisk''s vision?"

    ''''I don''t know if it will work, but there''s no reason not to try.

    It will give us an advantage if we manage to divert its gaze. It''s just a monster, and its level is no higher than mine. If we take away that dangerous ability, we should be able to win by a large margin.

    We head deeper into the ruins with Obi in the lead.

    "Have you found anything?"

    "Not yet, Master."

    Kaede was searching for the enemy using appraisal as we advanced down the corridor.

    From time to time, a part of the wall would collapse and the wind would blow from the opening.

    Zuzuzuzuzu

    A sound like a heavy object being dragged resounds from somewhere.

    Something''s nearby.

    Hsssssssssss

    A familiar sound reaches my ears.

    "Itsuki, is the basilisk by any chance, a giant snake?"

    "Hm? Didn''t I tell you?"

    "The basilisk is approaching!"

    A huge snake came through the wall right next to me and struck me.

    I was shot into the air, bursting through the wall, causing debris to fall on top of me until I was completely buried.

    "Fairy flash!!!"

    "Shaaaa!!!"

    Frau activated her flash and an intense light shone through the gaps in the rubble.

    Agh, that snake is really fast.

    Even though Kaede detected it in front of me, it attacked me from the side.

    I pushed the rubble aside and stood up.

    "Shaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    "Grrrr!" ¡¡ The basilisk and Itsuki faced off against each other.

    Even though its vision has been weakened, it can recognize its enemy using its other instincts.

    "Master, you''re okay!"

    "Yes, and I''m glad you''re not petrified."

    "It caught me off guard."

    "Sorry. it moved faster than expected and I couldn''t attack properly."

    Kaede leaned toward me and apologized.

    "We''ll talk about it later. Right now, we have to take care of this thing."

    "Yes!"

    "But what are we going to do? The place is too small and that monster is too big. I can''t swing my hammer without the building collapsing. It''s hard to attack."

    "Kyui."

    Obi throws his knife towards the basilisk''s mouth.

    Itsuki swiftly swings his curved sword, but the enemy uses the hard scales on its head as a shield to repel the blade!

    It is very clever. I hope this basilisk is the only one that inhabits these mountains.

    Though if I''m being honest, I rather like this. Fighting unknown monsters is one of the nice things about traveling.

    "Shaaaaaaa-Ngu!" ¡¡ I tightly closed the large snake''s mouth with both hands.

    And then I slipped an arm around its neck and squeezed with all my might.

    "Impossible..."

    "How can he do that...?"

    Itsuki and Obi are shocked.

    I dragged the giant snake outside.

    "Sha-shah! Shia!"

    "Don''t be scared."

    The snake''s body was writhing.

    Well, I guess we can get rid of it out here. I have to get this over with before it''s vision recovers.

    I still had my hands around the snake''s neck and began to press harder.

    After a few seconds, the basilisk opened its mouth and fell limply to the ground.

    "It''s defeated!"

    While standing at the entrance, I showed Itsuki the dead snake with a big smile on my face.

    "That human is a monster..."

    His face went pale with shock at what his eyes were seeing.

 CH 146

    I brought the basilisk back to the village.

    As my magic storehouse is at full capacity, I was forced to have to drag it back to town.

    zuur zuur zuur zuur

    When the massive snake was brought to the village square, the children watched with wide eyes.

    According to Itsuki, the basilisk is not poisonous and its meat is delicious. The skin can be processed, and the fangs and bones can be used in many ways.

    Itsuki stepped forward and attracted the attention of the villagers.

    "The basilisk has been eliminated. Now everyone in this village will be able to live in peace again. Also, tonight we will have our first feast in a long time, so whoever is available, please help prepare the food."

    Itsuki looked at me as if trying to say; "follow me."

    He still wants to talk.

    I told Kaede and Frau to go home.

    As we walked deeper into the village, Itsuki looked around.

    "I know it''s late for this, but I want to thank you for everything you did."

    "There''s no need to thank me."

    "No, I have to, because without you, slaying the basilisk would have been an almost impossible thing to do. Besides, you have extraordinary power, as well as the strength of a majestic wolf-warrior."

    "Y-Yes..."

    Perhaps "wolf" is a compliment to them. I''ve never been used to compliments. I think it''s because I hardly ever received any, so this is new to me.

    "May I ask who you are?"

    "I''m just an ordinary warrior."

    "You don''t have to hide it. Are you the hero of some country?"

    "No."

    "Trust me, I''ll keep it a secret."

    Itsuki nodded his head, as if he understood everything.

    I don''t know what he expects me to tell him. I''m just an ordinary warrior.

    "By the way, today the White Wolf God''s messenger came. Have you made any progress? There''s still time before the banquet, if there''s anything bothering you, don''t hesitate to tell me."

    "Yes, everything is in order."

    "Are you sure? I can''t wait to hear your performance."

    I think I should rehearse a bit. Depending on Itsuki''s reaction, it will be decided if we can see the White Wolf God.

    "Actually, I could use some help."

    "Okay, I''ll help you."

    The sun began to set and gradually night embraced the sky.

    One after another, people gathered in the banquet hall at the back of the village.

    A bonfire was lit and dishes made from the basilisk''s corpse were served.

    Two large stone statues of wolves were placed facing each other in the hall, and further inside was a hut with an unusual design.

    I wondered if it was some sort of temple dedicated to the White Wolf.

    The inhabitants prayed in the hut before eating.

    I looked around and searched for the White Wolf''s messenger.

    "I don''t see anyone new here."

    "Uh, I''m starting to get nervous."

    "Me too. I''ve never done anything like this in front of so many people."

    "Kyu~"

    "You''ll do well. Itsuki already praised you."

    Kaede and Frau were nervous. I don''t blame them, there are almost a thousand people present.

    It''s natural to feel uncomfortable when you know everyone is looking at you.

    Even though I look calm, my hands won''t stop sweating.

    Agh, I''m starting to feel like running away.

    I hate doing this, I don''t like drawing attention to myself. Please give me a break.

    Itsuki, dressed as a priest, appears in the hallway and knelt in front of the hut.

    "White Wolf God, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to enjoy a great feast and live another day. Please listen to our guest''s song."

    The two stone statues glowed slightly.

    All the people kneel and bow their heads in unison.

    In addition, Itsuki lets out a howl, and the inhabitants also direct several howls towards the sky where the full moon is shining.

    After that, the light from the stone statues disappeared.

    "Everything is ready now. Please, you may begin."

    "What about the messenger? He hasn''t arrived yet."

    "Don''t worry, he''s already here."

    I glanced around the place again. But again, I didn''t see anyone new.

    Does that mean he''s watching us from afar?

    We go up to the stage and each take an instrument.

    Kaede will play the flute, Panda the drum, Frau will sing and I will play the guitar.

    I activate my imitator and copy Itsuki''s musical skills.

    In addition, I activate my newly acquired job, [Illusionist].

    I lightly touched the strings.

    This was the signal for Panda to hit the drum with the stick in his mouth.

    Taking advantage of the rhythm, I played the guitar vigorously.

    The soothing sound of Kaede''s flute joined the tune, making the melody more harmonious.

    "They''re small breasts, but I don''t know if that''s bad or what''s really stuck in my chest ? It doesn''t matter if they swell or deflate ? But I wouldn''t mind if they had more weight? Times can''t catch up with these small breasts ?"

    I played the guitar madly to the sound of Frau''s singing.

    The sound was a shriek and a pop inside me.

    With a snap, the performance ends.

    I looked up and saw that the people in the room were frozen in place.

    Itsuki and Obi were standing there without moving a muscle.

    An uneasy feeling quickly came over me.

    I wonder if the music I played with my [Illusionist] job was not well received here, where people like relaxing music.

    "What kind of music was that, it was amazing! You''re great, old man!"

    Someone raises his voice and starts clapping, it was the boy I had made cry.

    Seconds later, a wave of cheers swept through the crowd.

    They were screaming for more and more.

    Our gazes met and we began to play the next song. ¡¡ Some begas to dance with uncontrollable impulses. Other wolves began to howl as they danced.

    We played five more songs and when we finished, all the residents of the place surrounded us while praising us.

    I guess it''s true, wolves really love music.

    "Quiet, all of you! We have guests here."

    The villagers regained their composure at Itsuki''s words.

    "Follow me."

    He leads us inside the hut.

    We enter and for some reason Obi is sitting there waiting for us.

    "So what did you think?"

    "This is the first time I''ve heard such novel, innovative and truly enthusiastic music. I have already obtained Yatsufusa-Sama''s permission. He will admit the entry of the white fox god Kaede Tamamo."

    "I am relieved to hear those words."

    Itsuki ducked his head and Obi nodded.

    The roles between them had reversed. I thought Obi was Itsuki''s subordinate.

    "I''m sorry for misleading you."

    "Hm?"

    "As you may have guessed, I am part of the white wolf clan led by Yatsufusa-Sama. I will be the next chief of the white wolves."

    Obi takes off his wolf-shaped mask.

    A young man with a fearless face appeared from below.

    The mask must have also had a disguising function.

    His hair, wolf ears and tail had changed to a beautiful white color.

    "You''re the next chief of the white wolves? I apologize for our rude attitude earlier-"

    "No need. It was I who deceived them." ¡¡ Obi responds politely to Kaede''s apology.

    Itsuki, for his part, remains silent and then bows softly before leaving the hut.

    Frau, Panda and I just stand and watch.

    What kind of function does this hut have? There''s nothing special about it.

    Compared to the rest of the houses in this village, it is too simple. I dare say it would be better to live outside.

    Obi stands up and touches the large mirror at the end of the hut.

    Immediately, the mirror ripples like water, and his arm sinks into it.

    "What is that?"

    "It''s a portal to the realm of the celestial beasts."

    "What does that mean?"

    "On the other side is where the white wolves live."

    Hmm, I don''t understand anything.

    What is the realm of the celestial beasts?

    Obi passes through first and disappears.

    "Let''s go, Master."

    "Let''s see what kind of creatures these white wolves are."

    "Kyu!"

    Through the mirror, I found myself on a red bridge. Before me is a mansion of unknown design.

    "I can''t believe there''s a blue sky and a river beyond the mirror."

    "Kyu."

    Frau and Panda peered down from the bridge, admiring the dazzling sunlight reflecting off the water.

    So this is the realm of the celestial beasts... How is it that they can live in such a place?

    Butterflies fluttered in the warm air.

    In the distance, flowers swayed in the wind along the riverbank.

    "It''s a very nice place these creatures live in."

    "Yes, it is."

    "It''s very different from the White Fox village."

    Obi was waiting in the middle of the bridge.

    "I have to ask, why did you pretend to be of the wolf tribe?"

    "It''s a task we do in peacetime to keep an eye on our family. Even so, I would have approached them naturally, but it''s still better to act in the shadows."

    So he takes it upon himself to watch over the people of that village without their knowledge.

    Obi bows slightly before me.

    "I know it''s late, but I want to thank you for slaying the basilisk. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that the damage was kept to a minimum thanks to you. That enemy was a bit of a nuisance to us as well."

    "No problem, I''m glad I got to eat such delicious meat like that."

    Obi heads towards the mansion, "I''ll take you to Yatsufusa-Sama."

    Obi''s tail began to sway, followed by Panda coming over and biting it.

    "Uhya!"

    Obi fell face first to the ground.

    He then glared at me.

    Excuse my pet!

 CH 147

    Obi takes us to the mansion.

    What welcomed us was a group of beautiful white wolf women.

    "Welcome, young master."

    "Where is Yatsufusa-Sama?"

    "He''s waiting for you in the dragon room-- Aah!"

    The woman raised her voice after seeing my feet.

    What''s wrong?

    Why is everyone staring at the feet?

    Kaede sheepishly spoke up.

    "Um, Master, you have to take off your shoes before entering."

    "I see, that''s why they''re all surprised."

    "What a hassle."

    "Kyui?"

    I apologized and took off my shoes at the door.

    This is bad. I''ve already made a bad first impression.

    "We shall now have a meeting with Yatsufusa-Sama. Don''t do anything weird when we''re in front of him."

    ¡°Okay."

    Obi led me down a long hallway.

    I''ve only seen it from the outside, but it''s a pretty big house.

    The hallway goes on and on and on. ¡¡ Also, the wooden floor is so smooth that I''m afraid my feet will slip.

    The building has a strange design, with unfamiliar pictures and masks hanging on the walls, and the occasional bright fluorescent sign.

    It''s written in old handwriting that I can''t read.

    This reminds me of that room at Keios''s home....

    "White wolves like to collect unusual things?"

    "This is Yatsufusa-Sama''s hobby. He misses the ancient culture he was exposed to when he was young, so he finds these rare relics and collects them."

    "How old is Yatsufusa?"

    "Hm, I don''t know, I''ve long since stopped counting.

    My face tightens.

    How long has that white wolf been alive?

    He slides the papered door aside and gestures for us to enter.

    "Sit here and wait."

    We sit on the floor.

    Wow, is this floor made of dry grass?

    It''s nice and soft to the touch.

    "Yatsufusa-Sama, there''s someone who wants to meet you."

    "Open it."

    The sliding door opens by itself and the back room comes into view.

    At the far end of the room, an old man with a huge body of about three meters was sitting on his knees.

    Two white wolf ears appeared on his head, deep wrinkles adorned his face and an attention-grabbing white beard hung from his chin.

    In addition, there is a scar running vertically over one eye, and his sharp eyes look like they could kill a person with just a glare.

    His presence is terrifying.

    There is an aura of divinity around him, he feels powerful and majestic, like a mountain given the form of a man.

    When I saw him, I realized that I couldn''t beat this old man in a fight.

    An evil dragon next to this fellow is nothing more than a small fish that he can kill with a single blow.

    "I am the white fox Kaede Tamamo, and I thank you for accepting my request to visit on such short notice."

    Kaede puts her hands on the ground and bows her head deeply.

    "Tell me at once what you want, I don''t have time to play with foxes. I had to postpone trimming my bonsai tree because of your visit."

    "I''m sorry."

    "Though I must admit you were well received by the whole wolf family, so I want you to show me what you''re capable of."

    Do you want us to play a song?

    Come to think of it, Itsuki said that someone who plays good music is qualified to meet the White Wolf.

    Well, in any case, we prepare for our demonstration.

    Gyurin

    I strum the strings of my instrument

    At that moment, Yatsufusa''s eyes, which had had a dull look, widened.

    When our performance ends, Yatsufusa lets out a howl.

    "I''m incredibly moved! This is exactly the kind of music I used to listen to in my distant youth! Energetic and tough! Splendid music!"

    "Thank you."

    "Auuuuh!"

    Did you listen to music like this in the past? I''m surprised.

    At least Yatsufusa''s mood improved.

    He stood up and slipped his arm around my shoulder.

    "Not bad for a mere human. It''s been a long time since I''ve been excited about a song. Would you like to be my exclusive musician? By the way... Who are you?"

    It was then that Yatsufusa became aware of my existence.

    He stared at me and then narrowed his eyes.

    "Obi, who is this human?"

    "It''s Toru-Dono. I hear he''s Kaede''s Master."

    "Master? Of a celestial beast?"

    Yatsufusa stared at me again.

    "Ah."

    Yatsufusa exclaimed.

    What does that mean? I have a bad feeling.

    Hey, why are you suddenly shaking?

    "Bring me..."

    "Bring me...?"

    "BRING ME A CUSHION!!!"

    Yatsufusa shouted.

    "Please, please forgive me for being so rude to you."

    "I''m not angry, and please raise your heads."

    "I didn''t know you were of the dragonfolk. I regret being so rude."

    "I am not angry."

    Yatsufusa and Obi rub their foreheads against the ground, bowing deeply.

    Also, the seating position is reversed, and I am sitting in the farthest seat, which is called the upper seat, on a thick cushion.

    Kaede, Frau and Panda are sitting next to me and look very happy.

    "I really wasn''t sure when I was going to tell them. It''s strange, whichever way you look at it, that my Lord who comes from a great race would be treated so rudely."

    "I was also thinking of telling Yatsufusa-sama, but since Master didn''t want me to tell him, I was really worried about when I should tell him."

    "Kyu-kyu!"

    "I wasn''t trying to hide this, I just forgot that I was a dragonoid."

    And I didn''t think that white wolves had an appraisal skill that saw through my disguise either. There''s no doubt they''re Celestial Beasts.

    No, considering Obi couldn''t see through my disguise, Yatsufusa is someone very special.

    "I''m sorry to interrupt you, but I''d like to know if you know anything about my mother."

    "Before we go any further, I must tell you that I''m not very good at using honorifics, so I can''t address you in a respectful manner. Forgive me if I offend."

    "That''s okay, no offense taken, I''m the same way in that regard."

    "Thank you for your generosity."

    It''s still weird.

    How can an old man who is clearly stronger than me bow to me?

    I can''t help but wonder how strong the dragonmen race was.

    "Now for your question. Kuon-Sama, Toru-Sama''s mother was in this place."

    "My mother?"

    "I will never forget that day, when, after many years of her race''s disappearance, a member of the great race I thought I would never see again reappeared. I almost soiled my pants."

    The old man pinches the bridge of his nose, embarrassed.

    Obi, beside him, lets out an exasperated sigh.

    "What did my mother say?"

    "She said that someday she might have children of her own, and that she wanted me to show them the way. I respectfully agreed to her request."

    Did she foresee my coming here?

    But at that time my mother hadn''t given birth to me. That means she had some kind of plan and married my father.

    Mom, what the hell were you trying to do?

    "And what was that way?"

    "Oh, I forgot to ask."

    "Huh."

    "It had been a long time since a member of the great race had made such an important request of me, and all I could do was nod with my thoughts lost in the ecstasy that swept over me. I''m so sorry."

    "You don''t have to bow your head. So what place did my mother want me to visit?"

    "There''s an old demon king, Roswell, further west of here. If you meet him, he can tell you how to get to the ancient city."

    According to Yatsufusa, the ancient city is one of the main places that boomed in the past during the days of the ancient race.

    Moreover, it is a place that cannot be accessed by normal methods. You have to follow several steps to get there.

    But how does the ancient demon king know how to get there?

    Suddenly, Yatsufusa ducks his head.

    "I''ve gone so long without a master to serve, I wish I had one before I died. If you are willing, Toru-Sama, will you accept my allegiance?"

    "But I am a stranger, you know nothing of me."

    "I will have time to get to know you. I would be happy to serve the great race again. I am tired of freedom without a master."

    I am hesitant to accept Yotsufusa''s offer.

    I won''t lie that I was very happy to hear those words from the chief of the white wolves, but I don''t know if I should accept it.

    He only wants to do it because I am a dragonman, but my true identity is that of an ordinary and boring warrior who comes from a small island of a nation.

    I feel that I have no right or reason to have a celestial beast that has lived for so many years serve me.

    "It is natural for this to happen since you are the Lord. I am proud to be a priestess of the Great Race."

    "Kyu."

    "Yes Panda, you are special too."

    Kaede walks up to me and whispers something in my ear.

    "I am a white fox, so I understand how Yatsufusa-sama feels. Heavenly Beasts are creatures whose purpose is to be under the control of the great race, and their instincts are based on the desire to be dominated. I don''t think someone as powerful as Yatsufusa-sama would choose a master so easily. If he says so, it is because he sees something in you, Master."

    "Does that mean there''s something about me that caught his attention?"

    Hmm, but still.

    It doesn''t make sense.

    Maybe I should ask him directly.

    "Why do you want me to be your master?"

    "There was once a man I was loyal to. He was foolish, lecherous, thoughtless, insensitive, but also kind, strong and unwavering. And I loved him. Toru-Sama has a similar aura to my former master."

    "Sounds like he was a good master."

    "Yes, and I am proud to have served him."

    So I look like his old master. I''m still not entirely convinced. But you can tell he''s serious.

    "Very well then, I will accept your loyalty."

    "I am deeply grateful. Both myself, my family and all my relatives numbering over three thousand, we all offer our life and pride to the Great Toru-Sama."

    Uh, I was not prepared for this kind of loyalty. But there''s no turning back now.

    Kaede wags her tail and smiles.

    "After all, the Master is the Master."

    I still don''t understand what that means.

    And I dread the day when I finally do know the meaning of those words.

 CH 148

    Three days have passed since we arrived at the White Wolf Lord''s mansion.

    Day after day, we were treated with great hospitality.

    "Allow me to wash your back!"

    "I''ll make it nice and shiny!"

    "T-Thank you..."

    Whenever I go to the bathroom, there are always two servants ready to attend to me....

    They''re both nice, except for the fact that they''re rather hyperactive.

    They do whatever I order them to do, answer all my questions, and are attentive to every detail.

    Obi was also present, soaking in the other side of the bathtub.

    Since finding out that I''m a dragon man, he completely changed his attitude.

    "Is it okay for me to go in first?"

    "Sure, don''t worry about it."

    "I do it because you order me to, but you have to understand that this is not a normal thing. Otherwise, my head will roll, literally."

    "I understand. And you two don''t say anything."

    ""Understood!""

    The two servants rubbing my back replied firmly.

    "By the way, what kind of place is this? Is it a different realm or universe?"

    "By utilizing some very powerful relics, a separate space was created parallel to the world of humans. But my knowledge is limited in that regard. What I can say is that all celestial beasts of any race use these same relics to create their own hidden villages."

    Does that mean Kaede''s hometown is in a different space?

    Could it be that we have entered a realm that we shouldn''t be able to tread upon?

    If so, the enemy that attacked the white fox tribe could be a great connoisseur of relics or have some special power that allows them to enter other spaces.

    I finished washing my body and then got into the bathtub.

    It feels good.

    Since we''ve been staying at this place, I''ve been coming here every day.

    "I heard from Yatsufusa-Sama that you are leaving tomorrow."

    "I was actually going to leave yesterday, but the old man insisted that I stay one more day, so I had no choice. If it hadn''t been for the fact that he was going to give us something special, we would have gone west by now."

    "I''ve never seen him so excited, and I''m sure he''ll be very sad when you leave... Thank you so much for giving us a turn in our lives again, Toru-Sama."

    The wolves bowed their heads. ¡¡ I''ve gotten used to this by now, and responded with a smile.

    Two objects were placed in front of me.

    These are the tools Yatsufusa has prepared to help me on my journey.

    "The first object is a magic storage with a capacity of 10,000 items."

    "Wow."

    I spread out the cloth I received.

    I never thought that a storage with a capacity of 10,000 really existed.

    With this, I''ll never have to worry about storage again.

    " is a third grade scroll, the Guide Needle."

    "Third grade scroll?"

    I tilted my head in disbelief.

    Kaede and Frau also looked doubtful.

    "My Lord, don''t you know the grade of a scroll?"

    "I''ve never heard of it."

    "Scrolls are classified according to their effectiveness and rarity, from top to bottom: special, first, second, third, fourth and fifth grade. The way to distinguish them is by their color."

    In front of me is a copper-colored scroll, also known as a third grade scroll.

    "The third grade scroll is permanently usable, and the guide pin shows the direction of what the user is looking for. The only drawback is that it doesn''t have a very wide range."

    "Wow, thank you old man Yatsufusa."

    "Well, well. Don''t thank me yet."

    The old man clapped his palms together.

    At that moment, the door opened and a huge two-meter tall egg was brought in from the back.

    It can''t be! Is it the Egg of a Beast!?

    "I have noticed that you have several beast familiars under your control. This is a special type of egg called the [evolution egg] whose function is to raise the level of the beasts."

    "Does that mean they''ll become even more powerful?"

    "Yes. But this egg has its limitations, and in you, my Lord, have only two beasts that are compatible with this egg, Rosuke and Sharkboy. You can only upgrade one of them, so you must think very carefully to whom you should give that upgrade."

    I see. However, it''s a bit surprising that the beasts can become stronger.

    I can''t decide now which one to strengthen, so I''ve decided to keep the egg in the magic storage.

    "What about the White Foxes?"

    "It''s been a thousand years since anyone has attacked the celestial beasts. As such, I don''t yet possess any information regarding this matter, but we will work together with the White Fox tribe to find out who is behind all this."

    "That sounds good, and I also want you to contact the White Foxes who survived that day."

    "I will. I don''t think that old man will die so easily." ¡¡ Apparently old man Yatsufusa and Kaede''s grandfather were good friends in the past. Although judging by his expression after mentioning it, something must have happened that caused a rift between them.

    We said our goodbyes to the white wolves and left the hidden village.

    We traveled all the way to the other side of the mountain range.

    We sat down to eat next to a winding hill road.

    "This thing is unresponsive."

    "Apparently, you can only use it if what you''re looking for is within 30 kilometers.

    The needle has yet to respond.

    I thought this would help in the search, but I guess the world isn''t that easy.

    We have to keep looking steadily.

    "The onigiri are delicious. I''ll never get tired of the beef miso in it, it''s irresistible."

    "Kyu."

    "You want me to give you one? Hmph, don''t be silly. You can just eat the grass over there. Onigiri is too extravagant for Panda."

    "Kyuuuuuuuu!"

    "Fugyu?!"

    Angered, Panda hit Frau, and the rice ball she was holding fell on the grass.

    Panda then quickly swooped down and ate it.

    "Kyu~"

    "Waaaah, my onigiri!"

    Frau stomps the ground in frustration.

    Why is she reacting like that?

    I decide to give her mine.

    "My Lord¡«!"

    "I hope you two can stop fighting."

    Frau bites into her rice ball and puffs up her cheeks.

    Now, from this point on, the area is dominated by beastkin.

    It is said that there many underground ruins and relics are often unearthed and discovered.

    Apparently there are many places to go sightseeing. But given the situation we are in, we''ll have to leave that on the back burner.

    I have to meet the ancient demon king Roswell.

    And I''m also concerned about the safety of my friends.

    The Beastkin are building a great nation.

    The name of the country is Galbaran.

    They claim to be a great power and boast a territory that could fit many islands, including our own.

    However, they have not yet taken control of this continent.

    I had almost forgotten how frighteningly vast and terrifying the world is.

    After a moderately long journey, we arrived at a remote city.

    "So this is Galbaran..."

    "That''s a huge entrance."

    "That''s right."

    "Kyui."

    It was supposed to be a border town, but it was as big as the royal capital of Armand.

    At the entrance to the city, a muscular soldier dressed in a tight-fitting uniform was admitting travelers.

    I took a look, and immediately I could tell he was someone very strict.

    "Demons!"

    "Damn it!"

    "They''re demons, catch them!"

    "Glory to Lord Rudra!"

    A group of demons whose true identity was revealed by a soldier are stopped before they could escape.

    We, who were at the end of the line, shudder at the sight of the scene.

    "Master, the soldiers have a seeker and an evaluator, what are we going to do?"

    "This is not good. Our levels will be relieved..."

    "Hey, aren''t those demons Demon King Rudra''s minions?".

    "Looks like it."

    I''m not sure if Rudra knows about us yet. Surely many demons escaped from the fort when we attacked.

    And most likely Rudra has been informed.

    I don''t want to get involved with the demon king if I can help it.

    Especially with Rudra, who seems to be troublesome.

    "."

    It was our turn, and I slyly took off my disguise ring.

    You have to go with the flow in these cases.

    There''s a chance we won''t be evaluated.

    I handed the soldier my adventurer''s card.

    "You seem to be an ordinary adventurer - what brings you to town?"

    "We are looking for a place to sleep after a long journey, as well as food and water."

    "Mmm."

    The soldier quickly ran a pen across the paper.

    Apparently this place doesn''t seem to discriminate against humans, but they don''t show any favoritism either, I think they''re pretty neutral.

    "I''d like to check your belongings."

    "My belongings?"

    "Is there a problem?

    "No, it''s just that I have a lot of items in storage."

    "Well, in that case let me check what you''re wearing." ¡¡ "That''s fine."

    I have nothing to hide, so it''s fine.

    Suddenly, I notice a nearby soldier from the monkey tribe trembling at the sight of me.

    He was gesturing a lot to the soldiers at the gate.

    From this distance it looked like he was dancing.

    "Hey, Senpai, these guys are dangerous!"

    "What did your assessment detect?"

    "I can''t say, or we''ll die."

    "Hueeeh?!"

    Oh, so he saw my level.

    That''s why he''s so nervous.

    Kaede had already realized this, and rushed to handle the situation.

    "If you keep quiet, nothing will happen to you."

    "Yes! I won''t say anything!"

    "Good, I like smart people like you."

    "Thank you!"

    The soldier turned around and shouted at the monkey.

    "What are you mumbling about, get out of my way and stay back!"

    "Yes sir!"

    The monkey who had checked my stats looks at me, salutes and then backs away.

    Poor thing, I think he got really scared, he thinks I''m a monster.

    I think it was a bad idea to take off my ring.

    "I don''t see anything strange. You can come in."

    "Thank you."

    As we passed through the door, the frightened monkey bowed to us.

 CH 149

    The Beastkin city is very clean, without even a single piece of garbage on the streets.

    The streets themselves are picturesque, and even the small decorations are intricate and impressive.

    Occasionally, you can see people from the dwarf race.

    I''ve heard they are expert craftsman, be it blacksmith work and even carpentry. They can make and/or fix anything.

    The appearance of the dwarves seemed to be very different between men and women.

    The men were a little shorter than humans, but still muscular and bulky, with a dark, masculine face and a face covered with abundant hair, as if it was a habit to keep such a large beard.

    The women are even shorter, and many of them are slender, and their lovely appearance catches the eye.

    I saw a father with his son walking down the street and for a moment thought they were brothers.

    I heard that there is a nation of dwarves in the neighboring countries, so they must be visiting these parts.

    "Master, I heard that the coffee shop over there is all the rage, let''s go."

    "Okay."

    Kaede grabs my hand and puts it on her head for some reason.

    Her face is very red.

    "Are you okay?"

    "I''m sorry... I just wanted you to pet me a little."

    "No, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to treat you like that."

    "It''s okay, it''s just that I''ve been feeling a little lonely."

    I see. Kaede always feels happy when I pet her head. I''ve hardly done that lately, and I haven''t given her the attention she deserves either.

    She''s meticulous and careful, but she''s also very reserved. Even if she feels lonely, she will probably end up suppressing her moods and desires because of her character.

    Frau, on the other hand, folded her arms and kept silent.

    "Frau, have I told you how pretty you are yet?"

    "...Ehehe~."

    I patted her on the head and a smile broke out on her face.

    After watching Frau so many times in these situations, I could tell exactly what she wanted.

    Frau pressed her head against my hanr while flapping her wings and saying, "stroke me more and more."

    Then she sniffed my finger several times and bit it sweetly.

    "Why are you biting me?"

    "It helps to relax me. I like the taste of my Lord."

    She has a curious habit... What did she mean by liking my taste?

    However, Kaede began looking at the situation with unusual eyes.

    "M-Master..."

    "Don''t even come close, Kaede. You want to bite him too, don''t you?"

    "Um.... Just a little."

    Kaede kept insisting, so I offered her my neck, and she shyly approached and nibbled it.

    The nibbling was subtle, and at the same time I felt her tongue run across my neck.

    I was transfixed as a lock of her hair touched my face.

    "He, he-ha!"

    "Sorry, I probably don''t taste good."

    Kaede''s fluffy white tail wags wildly.

    She bites me again and again, as if she wants to test me.

    It''s a strange feeling to be bitten on the neck by a beautiful woman. I''m afraid the next thing she wants to do will open a door I shouldn''t open.

    "Mahshter ~, Mahshter ~"

    "Kaede, please relax. I''ll let you bite me again anytime you want."

    She pulled away and hid her face with her hands as she said; "I''ve shown you something embarrassing.", her face red.

    "Well, um, Master is so delicious and wonderful!"

    "I know what you mean, it tastes so good. I''ve been doing this for a while whenever my Lord is asleep. Once I start biting into him I can''t stop."

    I think someday these girls will eat me alive... Wait, what do you mean you''ve been doing this for a while?

    Wait a minute, is that the reason I hear giggles at night while I''m asleep?

    Hm?

    I looked down at my arm and saw that Panda was biting me too. I don''t know what he''s trying to do, but he looked unhappy.

    Don''t be influenced by those girls, Panda.

    "It''s time we started gathering information."

    "Yeah, I''m a little worried about the girls, and the only information we have is about the Demon King Roswell who lives out west."

    "We can''t find him if we don''t know where he lives. Anyway, we can''t go on our way until we find a clue."

    We sat on the terrace of the cafe and talked about our future plans.

    I drank some freshly brewed coffee and put the cup on the table.

    "Old man Yatsufusa says that Roswell is a very special kind of Demon King who rarely shows himself in public, and that he wasn''t interested in ruling the world like Lisa and Rudra."

    If it weren''t for everything that''s going on, I would have liked to keep exploring this country, but I can''t be selfish when the girls are in grave danger.

    According to Old man Yatsufusa, the "ancient demon kings" on this continent are demon kings that still exist from ancient times, and who wield immense power.

    There is a pact between the ancient demon kings to keep each other in check so as not to interfere with the plans of the current one, thus maintaining a perfect balance of power.

    In other words, they are very dangerous.

    Even for him, a White Wolf God, old man Yatsufusa is wary of approaching these demons.

    To be honest, I don''t want to meet Roswell.

    Ever since I came to this land, I was afraid to use my full power for fear of attracting attention. But after meeting Grandpa Yatsufusa, those thoughts vanished.

    This place is crawling with monsters and individuals that even I can''t defeat.

    Anyway, Frau is right, it is essential to gather information.

    "Isn''t there a place where we can gather valuable information? It''ll be very difficult to randomly canvass this big country."

    "I wish there was something like an auction or a place where great people gather and swap stories that ordinary people can''t hear."

    ""That''s it!""

    That''s the solution we need. It was an eye-opening idea that would never have occurred to me.

    But do auctions even exist in this country?

    "Sorry to keep you waiting, here are your pancakes."

    "Wow, that looks delicious."

    "It has a nice presentation."

    A maid brings Frau her dessert.

    This is the opportunity I need to get some intel.

    "Excuse me, where can I find a place where they hold auctions?"

    "In the black market in the royal capital. There are a few in this city, but since we''re on the border, there aren''t many rare items to buy."

    So they have a black market too, huh?

    Usually the prices are pretty reasonable in those places, and you can buy items pretty cheap if you know how to bargain.

    "The black market in the royal capital is amazing. There are deep and wide underground ruins beneath the city, and the further you go down, the rarer and more difficult to obtain the goods are, so fans should limit themselves to the second floor."

    "Thank you very much for this information."

    I tipped the woman.

    "Well, I think it''s settled, let''s go to the black market."

    "Yes, we''ll be able to kill two birds with one stone, plus see valuable and rare things. Maybe we''ll find a treasure like Frau."

    "Why do you refer to yourself that way?"

    Frau had a slender body and a beautiful face.  Well, in a way meeting Frau was a treasure.

    I don''t know if they sell slaves on the black market, but I''d rather not have a second Frau.

    One fairy is more than enough.

    "My lord, you don''t think I''m a nuisance do you?"

    Frau shoots me an angry glare.

    Oh no. This fairy is reading my mind.

 CH 150

    We crossed the mountain range and arrived at Galbaran.

    Galbaran is a great country formed by the Beastkin race. The reason is evident: It is said that their country was able to achieve peace and tranquility thanks to its strategic location, the mountains providing natural protection.

    In addition, this place protects the rest of the countries located further away from the center of the continent, as the beastkin stops the demons that try to infiltrate.

    But that doesn''t mean we are grateful to them.

    These savage beasts will take advantage of us if we show them leniency.

    Noble elves should not have to share a table with such filthy beasts. Though it would not be wise to provoke them either.

    They have too much power.

    Though if we were to go to war, we would probably win against them, but there is no reason to take that gamble.

    Above all, it would be a loss for us if this nation falls.

    We ceremonially salute the thirty-fifth king Gorio A. Biskent.

    "Hero of Petardaus, what a sudden visit."

    "I thank you for granting me an audience despite my sudden visit."

    "Good, because I''d like to see an elf''s face once in a while. What''s it like to live in such a remote place? You must be tired of all that fish - ha ha ha!"

    "Yes, I am thankful everyday for the fruits of the sea."

    I clenched my fists.

    They think they are better than us because their lands are more inland than ours.

    That''s why I didn''t want to visit this place.

    In the past, the Elves lived near the center of the continent.

    And the beastkin were a race they had no right to address us.

    I think it''s about time we reclaim our true lands.

    "Now why did the hero of his country come here?"

    "It''s about the Demon King Rudra."

    As soon as I mentioned the name, the king''s expression changed.

    I guess he would know something about him.

    "I am rather concerned about this matter. Recently, there has been an upsurge in the Demon''s activity. Not only have they sent letters demanding total surrender, but they have also sent soldiers into our country in an attempt to start a civil war. Several remote villages have been attacked and countermeasures are being rushed."

    It looks like we are being attacked by Rudra more than we thought.

    That''s very convenient.

    If I show these Beasts how good I am, and gain strong support, the defeat of the demon king Rudra will be imminent.

    "We elves also want to defeat Rudra. I would like to ask for your support."

    "So your goal is to defeat Rudra?"

    "Yes. Petardaus sent me for that purpose."

    "...Unfortunately we have no one with the job of Hero in our country, and even if we can repel their attacks, we still need someone with a lot of... Well, you have my support, Hero Zig."

    "Thank you, Your Majesty."

    I raised my head expectantly.

    But the king lifted the corners of his mouth sharply.

    "But I don''t like elves. They are proud, cunning, and they are the kind of people who betray you at the last moment. So you must prove to me that I can trust you."

    "Do you want me to fulfill some request to receive your support?"

    "Yes. If you succeed, you will have my full support. All you have to do is exterminate all the demons hiding under the city."

    "In what area exactly are they hiding...?"

    "I have my soldiers looking for them, but we haven''t hit their hideout yet. They usually send out small groups with their magic to distract us. In fact, I''m planning a large-scale operation in the near future. If you manage to take care of this problem, I''ll include you in it."

    A large-scale operation, apparently, to destroy one of Rudra''s bases.

    If I can make a splendid show of strength here, my name will be known throughout this country.

    I can''t wait to see these damn filthy beasts bow down in front of me. And then I''ll stomp on their heads.

    That would be most entertaining.

    "I''ll see to it."

    "I''m really looking forward to it, Hero Zig."

    "Damn it, what the hell is this place!?"

    I had my head in my hands.

    I went to the ruins below the city to look for the demon forces, but this place is so confusing I have no idea where I am.

    Celtina and Aide have split up, so now I''m alone and lost.

    I looked to my right and left, but there were no signs to guide me.

    Many people were coming and going through the streets, and endless vapors were coming out of the stalls.

    In addition to the beasts that lived in this place, other races such as dark elves and dwarves were mingling, and I could also see some dangerous looking races.

    I accidentally bumped into a man from the tiger tribe.

    "Hey kid, you better watch where you''re walking."

    "You better watch where you''re going."

    "Ho? Are you trying to say it was my fault? Typical rude elves who can''t apologize after bumping into someone. We should teach this boy some manners."

    "Hm."

    A man from the bear tribe and another from the monkey tribe stepped forward.

    Both had intimidating looks on their vicious faces.

    I got a strange feeling of unease. So I walked away as fast as I could.

    "Hey, wait! I haven''t received an apology yet!"

    "Hueeeeh!"

    "Don''t run, elf!!!"

    The two men chase after me.

    I am afraid.

    It''s an instinctive fear of what they might do to me.

    I kept running down the dreary road, squeezing through the crowd. ¡¡ I managed to duck into an alley and dropped behind a garbage can.

    "Hahaha, did you see how fast that lousy elf ran?"

    "He''s probably a sergeant somewhere since he was wearing really good clothes. He probably makes money by threatening people."

    "Can I attack first? That''s how I like it."

    "Don''t even think about it. You wrecked the last one and we didn''t even get to play with it." ¡¡ Those guys are having a conversation right next to me.

    Hi~ii

    Please go away.

    "I''ll go that way."

    "Fine, I''ll go that way."

    The two men split up and ran off.

    "There you are!¡î Where have you been, Zig?¡î"

    "....Did you get lost?"

    "Shut up. What do you care?"

    I rejoined Celtina and Aide.

    "What''s the matter, Zig? You look so shaken ¡î Why is there no glow on your face?"

    "...He looks like he''s in a bad mood. Leave him alone."

    "We can go out if you want, Zig¡î We can go on a date if that makes you happy¡î"

    "Shut up, you''re annoying. I want to find the demons and get out of here."

    I pushed away Celtina, who clung to my arm.

    Do you think the woman who started following me just because I casually saved her from being attacked by a demon can ever be something special to me?

    I''m quite annoyed.

    Aide walked up to me and spoke to me.

    "Don''t you think you''re being too hard on her?"

    "I don''t care. She''s half elf - half human. I''m not interested in dirty mixed bloods like her."

    "Then can I have her?"

    "What?"

    "...I''m kidding. Someone who genuinely cares about you is very valuable and, whoever you are, you should value those around you before you regret your shallowness."

    I turned to look at Celtina.

    She had tears in her eyes. I never imagined I would see her that way, she always acts so cheerful.

    Aide is right. There is no one else who loves me as deeply as she does.

    There is no other woman who is as good to me as she is.

    I''ll be a little nicer to her. If this girl walks away from me, I''ll have a problem.

    "Well, we can walk holding hands once in a while."

    "Yes¡î"

    Celtina approaches Aide and whispers; "Thank you¡î"

    "Thank you... Ha..."

    For a moment I thought Aide had laughed.

 CH 151

    We advanced again in the ruins in search of the demonic tribe.

    From the third floor onwards the people wandering around looked more haggard. And the goods lined up in front of the tents were so strange that you wouldn''t see them at a regular shop.

    I kept looking around to make sure no one was following us.

    "Zig¡«, this place scares the hell out of me¡î Unlike you, these things affect me¡î"

    "Yeah, I guess, but we have to be vigilant."

    "...Did something happen when you were lost?"

    "Don''t worry about trivial things... Eh!?...Who are they?!"

    A dwarf and a dark elf came out of the alley.

    People in this place come out from everywhere. For a moment I thought they were chasing me.

    I don''t have to be afraid, I''m supposed to be the hero.

    But I''ve never seen such intimidating people. I''m a noble by birth, so I''ve never been in contact with this race.

    "Where are the demons? ¡î If you can''t find them, you''ll be in trouble¡î"

    "No problem, luckily I have this guy."

    My seal glows and a beast appears.

    It''s a large lizard, about three feet long.

    Its skin is metallic green, as hard as metal, and its glassy eyes glow a faint red.

    "Find the demons."

    "Yaz ~"

    Yazumo crawls along the wall, pausing from time to time to look around.

    This thing is able to assess and identify anyone or anything within a 50 meter radius.

    If there''s a demon within range, it''s sure to catch it.

    Three of my family''s most beloved beasts, Silkbeard, Yazumo and Gwail, that have been passed down from generation to generation.

    A power worthy of my noble birth.

    The ancient race really left us some good things.

    "Zig, I''m hungry, let''s get something to eat¡î"

    "Huh? This is no time for that..."

    At the food stall she pointed out, there were two people who looked familiar to me.

    Both of them are so engrossed in their food that they haven''t noticed our presence, and are face down spooning something into their mouths.

    I''ll get out of here while I still can....

    "Hey, isn''t that the guy we''re looking for?"

    "Yeah, that looks like him."

    "Yes! Yes it is, it''s that damn kid!"

    "Aah!"

    Shit, they found me.

    The three of us started running through the crowd.

    "Why are we running? ¡î You should take them down, Zig¡î"

    "...It''s better not to. Even if they''re level 300, we don''t know what they''re capable of. Also, we''re in their territory, if we mess with them and anger everyone here, the quest will be more difficult."

    "Damn it, Yazumo!"

    Yazumo, who was running along the wall, turns back and spits mucus out of his mouth.

    The two men slip on the highly viscous mucus and fall together.

    Well done, Yazumo.

    I''m a hero, I don''t have to deal with commoners. The priority is to search for the demon tribe, it''s not like I''m scared or anything.

    "Are they gone yet...?"

    I peek out from the alley into the street to see if the two guys are still there.

    "Zig, there was no need to run away¡î You could have easily taken care of them¡î"

    "Are you stupid? They are just henchmen, I''m more worried about the other guy commanding them, he had killer eyes."

    "...Maybe we shouldn''t stay here too long."

    Aide is right.

    The longer we stay, the higher the probability that we will be captured.

    One of the reasons why Galbaran''s soldiers can''t find the demon tribe is undoubtedly the people living here.

    "Yaz¡«"

    "Have you found them?"

    Yazumo points me in the direction. We start running as we head to the bottom of the ruins.

    "Everywhere we go, everything feels so different¡î I don''t feel any brightness in this place¡î"

    "Is this the right place?

    "Yaz!"

    We moved away from the rest of the crowd and down a dusty, dimly lit path, going down some stairs.

    Suddenly we felt someone''s presence and hid by the wall.

    That''s him... The guy from before.

    "What? You think you''re the only one with problems? If you don''t like the way I do things, then find someone else."

    "Sorry, just wait a minute, I''m sorry. I''ll give you what you want, just take me to the palace."

    "Then pay me now, asshole!!!"

    "Higi!"

    The tiger tribesman suddenly punched the demon tribesman.

    As the demon man rolled on the ground, without stopping, he kicked him several times in the stomach.

    I''m scared, who the heck is that guy?

    I knew that guy wasn''t normal

    "Wow, this guy is scary¡î"

    "...I need time..."

    With the demon so weak that he can''t speak, the tiger man puts a cigar in his mouth and lights it.

    "Make sure you have it ready for the day after tomorrow. You wouldn''t want to be fed to the monsters, would you?"

    "Y-Yes..."

    The tiger man walked out of the place while smoking his cigar.

    "...That guy, he seems to have a pretty high level."

    "What do you want to do, Zig? Shall we keep exploring?"

    "Of course not. I''ve already found what we''re looking for."

    After a while, the demon man gets up.

    He stands up like the dead and starts walking in the opposite direction of the tiger tribesman, angry.

    If we follow him, we can find the rest of them.

    But suddenly a voice shouted behind me, and my body stiffened.

    "We meet again, boy."

    "!?"

    I turned and saw the tiger man.

    When did he come back!?

    Did you already know we were here?!"

    "Why so surprised? I''m a beast-man, I have a good nose."

    "I guess I have no choice but to face you."

    We each drew our weapons.

    But the tiger man smiles fearlessly and exhales a puff of purple smoke.

    "Don''t be silly. I have no intention of fighting. I just want you to tell me a little story."

    .....A story?

    Taking advantage of my momentary confusion, the tiger man tossed two balls into the air.

    Those are smoke balls.

    This is bad.

    The smoke ball rolled under my feet, and expelled a large amount of smoke.

    The hallway filled with smoke and a metallic sound echoed from nearby.

    Aide is fighting him?

    Then so am I.

    "Gaha!"

    "Agu!"

    "Aide, Celtina!"

    "You''re the last one."

    Something hit me on the head and I lost consciousness.

    When I woke up, I found myself in a small room.

    Nearby are Celtina and Aide, who are tied to a chair with a rope.

    "...Are you all right, Zig?"

    "Yes."

    "I was worried you were dead¡î because you didn''t wake up at all¡î"

    Celtina had tears in her eyes.

    I could see that she was really worried about me.

    However, that feeling is very hard for me to handle.

    "What is the situation?"

    "...Two men came in, looked at Zig and Celtina with a smile, then left. But the tiger man didn''t show up."

    Suddenly, I felt a pressure around my waist.

    Come to think of it, my back was aimed outward.

    This situation is dangerous in a whole other sense.

    "What are we going to do? ¡î They''re going to kill all three of us¡î"

    "Ugh, use your tools."

    "...Zig, why don''t you call Yazumo?"

    "Yazumo, if you''re here, show yourself."

    Yazumo slid out from under my feet.

    Well, now things have changed. We have to get out of this place as soon as possible.

    I ordered Yazumo to bite the ropes that had me bound in my arms.

    I released Celtina and Aid while Yazumo went to check if there are people outside the room."

    "...There doesn''t seem to be anyone."

    "Yaz, yaz!"

    "Let''s go."

    We quickened our steps toward the exit.

    Suddenly, Yazumo warned us to be alert, so we stopped moving and stuck close to the wall.

    A familiar voice comes from around the corner.

    "Brother, what should we do with those three?"

    "Torture them, do whatever you want with them, but find out what they want and why they are here. After that, you can sell them to slavers or whatever you want. But for now we have to deal with that damn customer."

    "Who are those guys?"

    "I don''t know, asshole. I just want to make sure not to provoke those monsters."

    "What if they''re one of them?"

    "...The deal with the demon tribe is off the table. We''ll do the usual, and then we''ll get rid of all of them. In the meantime we''ll pretend we have nothing to do with it, so don''t let any of them escape."

    The men hurried up and ran into a ditch.

    The tiger man also seems to have left the place.

    This is bad. We won''t be able to fulfill the king''s request if we don''t attack the demons first.

    We''ll have to defeat them somehow.

    "Let''s go. We have to go after them."

    "Are we still going? I want to take a bath¡î"

    "...It''s the leader''s order."

    We had just exited the building when a voice echoed from behind.

    "Those three got away! Whoever finds them, hurry up and bring them back!"

    Hueeeh!

    We were spotted.

    We ran out like rabbits.

 CH 152

    We arrived in the royal capital of Galbaran.

    I was amazed at the number of people passing through the magnificent boulevards.

    It is probably the most developed city I have ever seen.

    Splendid buildings line the roads, and even those who appear to be commoners wear beautiful clothes.

    At a glance, I could tell the living standards here were high.

    This place is unbelievable.

    There are clearly-expensive items in the stores, but if you look at the price tag, they cost half what you would expect.

    From time to time, groups of well-organized soldiers pass by.

    Their military strength is quite high.

    In addition, many other races could also be seen.

    It is very different from the other countries I visited.

    I looked around and saw a man in military uniform sitting on some nearby stairs.

    I approached him and asked him how to get to this city''s ruins.

    He said there was a staircase at the end of this road that anyone could use as he pointed towards it.

    I approached Kaede and Frau who had also gone off to ask how to get to such a place.

    "Master, those people told me that we need to go down those stairs."

    "Kyu~"

    Kaede and Frau point to a place opposite of what the soldier had told me.

    In other words, there are multiple entrances to the ruins.

    For the time being, I decided to use the stairs Kaede showed me, which are probably the closest.

    As I descended the old stairs, I took in the chaotic landscape.

    Oh!

    The situation down here is very different from upstairs.

    Huge pillars lined the ceiling, and the surroundings were littered with countless tents that exhaled white smoke. In addition, on the road that ran like a vein, there was a river of people. I could feel firsthand that the place was prosperous, where other races intermingled.

    The atmosphere is very different, it leaves you with a strange feeling, but is exciting as well.

    I think I like the dirt down here better than how tidy everything is up top.

    "It smells really bad. There''s garbage everywhere."

    "Kyu."

    "Ugh,,, this strong fermented smell reminds me of a village I once visited with master."

    "Are you feeling well? If you don''t like it, we can rest."

    "It''s okay, I can go on. I''m sure it won''t be a problem once I get used to it, so I''ll ease the pain with this for now."

    She pulled out a small cloth and buried her face in it.

    Kaede had an ecstatic expression on her face.

    I''m curious as to what it smells like.

    "This isn''t an ordinary chair, is it?"

    "Exactly. This is what''s called a mobile chair found in the ruins. You can go anywhere you want while sitting using the magic power it has accumulated. I guess the drawback is that its movement speed is about the same speed as walking."

    There were a number of relics laid out in front of the store as if they were scrap metal.

    The store owner, a dwarf, was sitting low with a salesman''s smile.

    ''Hahahahahaha''

    Suddenly, a laugh echoes through the store.

    "What''s this!? I touched it and it suddenly started laughing!"

    "Oh, I don''t think it''s a good idea to touch that."

    The store owner lightly taps the box emitting the laughter.

    I don''t know how it works, but that act made the laughter stop.

    "What is this bottled stuff?"

    Kaede was very interested in the small bottles on the shelf. Inside were powders, labeled for easy identification.

    "That''s a condiment. Most of them are still being made, but some of them are mixed with ingredients whose manufacturing process is unknown, so it''s primarily a product for people who like to cook."

    "You don''t mind if I check the taste?"

    "Not at all, I recommend you try the white powder."

    ".....It has a strange taste, like a condensed flavor."

    After licking the powder, Kaede immediately decides to buy it.

    I''m already curious about what Kaede can make with this. I''m looking forward to her next meal.

    Panda wandered around the small store for a while and found a thin tablet with letters engraved on it.

    I was curious, so I picked up the lithograph.

    "I can''t read it. Frau, what does this say?"

    "Let''s see, the training center guide..... It was created as a facility to improve the motivation of newcomers and also to enable them to practice efficiently. The difficulty varies according to the level, and it is our greatest enemy...hmmm, I can''t read any further because the text is faded."

    "Maybe it''s a phrase for an ancient warrior."

    "Maybe... Although it can also be used as a household decoration."

    Even if it is an object for decoration, I would first need a house to place this in.

    Besides, it''s rather expensive.

    I carefully placed the board back on the shelf.

    I was eating noodles soaked in broth that I bought at a food stall in the ruins.

    It''s a strange dish, but very tasty.

    "This place is much better than I imagined. But it''s a shame we couldn''t get any information."

    "You''d think it would be easy to find some information in such a big country."

    Frau replied as she sipped her soup and Kaede nuzzled Panda in her lap.

    I twirled the noodles with my fork and looked around the crowded street.

    I couldn''t find any clues about my friends.

    And the scroll''s needle is still not pointing in any specific direction.

    I wonder if we''re looking in the wrong place.

    Maybe they are on the edge of the continent, or on the other side of the world for all we know.

    I wish there was a way I could know if they were still alive.

    "Do you know of any place where we can find information on anything in this city?"

    I asked the dark elf cook.

    "You should go further down, to the fourth floor. There''s a black market that caters to the rich and the people who hang out there are very smart. If you play your cards right, you''ll probably find what you''re looking for."

    "The black market..."

    "But just so you know, the Redmouth family, one of the three main forces in these ruins, is in charge of the black market. If you value your life, I recommend you find somewhere else to find what you''re looking for."

    The cook gave me another two plates of noodles.

    The Redmouth family, huh... So people from the underworld are doing business with the nobility and the rich.

    Hmm, I think I''m going to eat a double portion.

    "Give me four more."

    "Isn''t two enough for you?"

    "No, I want four."

    I love this noodle dish. No matter how much I eat, it''s never enough.

    Kaede, who had been staring at me, took a sip of her soup, pondered for a while and then started taking notes.

    "Sorry, big brother, I''ve lost sight of that boy."

    "I see. Well, that''s not important for now. Where are the guests?"

    "They''re gathering in the back, sir."

    A few Beastkin men converse next to the food stand.

    When the words "in the back" came up in conversation, I directed my attention there immediately.

    The Tiger tribesman had a scar on his cheek and a truly intimidating appearance.

    He noticed my stare and then turned to look at me.

    "Why the hell are you looking at me like that, human...hiigi?!"

    "Brother?"

    "Come on, let''s get out of here."

    The tiger man tries to walk away quickly.

    I got up from my seat and started to follow him. Until I got close enough to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

    "What''s in the back of this place?"

    "Oh... So that''s what you''re interested in."

    "Actually, yes, I''m interested in going to the black market. I''ll pay you in exchange for information and a run down of everything about this place."

    He shifts his gaze while pale faced.

    He looked very hesitant, as if he had a problem.

    "I-I don''t know, that place is not suitable for a guy like you."

    "It''s okay, I have a lot of money. Oh, maybe the amount of money I have has something to do with it?"

    "Well, at least 100 million..."

    "Then no problem. Are there any other conditions?"

    "....Can you promise me you won''t make a fuss?"

    "Hahaha, unlike you, I''m an ordinary warrior, I wouldn''t do such a thing."

    I smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

    I have some common sense.

    I wouldn''t do something like that unless I was asked.

    The accompanying Bear and Monkey tribesmen began to talk to him.

    "Are you sure about that, brother? We don''t even know who he is."

    "Don''t be stupid, I can''t say no to him."

    "....Really? He looks like a normal, weak human."

    "Maybe so, but I can''t stop shaking. It''s just like that time I was a kid and saw the ancient Demon King. Don''t provoke this guy, or he''ll kill us all."

    "I guess we''ll take your word for it, brother. In that case, let''s go back and warn the others."

    The beastmen talk amongst themselves.

    I want to get an answer as soon as possible. I still have food waiting for me, and I''m hungry.

    "I''ll take you up on your offer. I''ll tell you what you want to know in the back."

    "Thank you. Say, are you hungry? I''ll buy you something to eat."

    "Oh, yes, it would be my pleasure."

    The tiger man sat down at one of the tables with us with a strained smile on his face.

    And when he looked at Kaede and Frau, his expression got even worse.

    The hand he was clutching his glass with kept shaking.

    "Master, who is this?"

    "This is the person who will lead us to the black market."

    "Amazing, my lord, you have already found a guide so quickly. Nice to meet you, stranger."

    "Kyui!"

    Panda and Frau greet him with a smile.

    And the tiger man replies, "Oh, yes..."

    "Are you okay? Are you having some monster trouble, or are you just having a bad day?"

 CH 153

    The black market is a secret place for aristocrats and others of wealth alike, run by the Red Mouse Family, one of the three most powerful families inhabiting the ruins.

    The place is cleverly hidden and quite difficult to get to without a guide.

    "The ''black market'' is divided into three sections: the first level which bears the same name and can be entered by anyone, the ''backdoor market'' which can only be accessed by some of the wealthier people, and finally the ''Dark market'', which is the deepest and most dangerous."

    "What kind of people go to the dark market?"

    "Those who are sick in the head. You can find drugs, torture devices, organs and anything else you can think of. I want to make it clear that my family is not involved in these things, in fact, we want to put an end to this kind of operation."

    We walk down several flights of stairs down a narrow passageway.

    The person who is leading us is a member of the Red Mouse family. His name is Ash, and he holds a high position in this organization.

    "But even in the backdoor market, dangerous things are sold, right?"

    "It''s not as comparable. As much as they''re scum, the nastiest things they can sell are organs and slaves. Plus, they have some ethics, like if you''re someone who mistreats slaves, they can go so far as to snatch them up."

    "Hmm, so those involved in the dark market are worse than scum."

    "Yeah. Thanks to that, I get a lot of looks of contempt and intimidation on the floors above, which is really annoying."

    At the end of the stairs was the fourth floor.

    On this floor is the Red Mouse family''s headquarters.

    At what appears to be the entrance, a group of drab-looking men gather around a bonfire.

    They straighten their backs when they see Ash.

    "Has our guest arrived?

    "No, my lord."

    "All right, keep working."

    We re-enter the narrow passageway.

    "Who are those men?"

    "They are my soldiers. Unlike upstairs, there''s a lot of trouble down here and you never know when other families might attack. Better to be safe than sorry."

    At the end of the hallway, we came upon a very spacious area.

    It was surprisingly clean, however, with many tidy stores and houses.

    Still, if you looked down the alleys, you''d see litter strewn about and drunks asleep with bottles in hand.

    "Welcome to the Red Mouse estate- don''t you think it''s magnificent?"

    At the end of the main street was a large mansion, an emblem the shape of a red mouse engraved on its huge door.

    Perhaps their chief is a tribe of mice?

    "The dark market is this way, follow me."

    Ash headed down a narrow alley and knocked on the metal door of a building.

    An eye slit opened and a sharp pair of eyes appeared.

    "What do you think of breasts?"

    "It''s not how big they are that counts, it''s how they feel."

    The door opened after that answer. The person behind was a man from the rabbit tribe with an intimidating appearance.

    Without saying a word, Ash led us through the door and into the back.

    "What was that?"

    "The password. We can''t let just anyone in, so it''s used as a bit of a safeguard." ¡¡ They''re very cautious.

    The goods and people gathered here must be too bad to be seen.

    Going down a long flight of stairs, we came to a hallway separated by a wire fence.

    On the other side of the wire fence was a member of the organization, guarding the closed gate.

    "Let him through. He''s a guest."

    "Hm."

    The barbed wire gate swung open. Beyond it was a wooden gate that appeared to be of better quality. We went through it and into the dark market compound.

    "Good, we''ve arrived. Now that I have shown you the way, you are free to bargain with the merchants here, or search for whatever you''re looking for. The organization will not intervene in matters between the merchants and customers. However, if you have any problems, you can address them to us, but we can only intervene once. After that, you''re on your own."

    "Are you going somewhere?"

    "I''m a busy man, I have a lot of work to do."

    Ash waved his hands and walked away.

    "There''s so much stuff here! This is going to be fun!"

    "Kyu!"

    Frau stood above Panda and gazed at the stores that lined the aisle with sparkles in her eyes.

    The area itself didn''t seem to be that big, but it was packed with people and items.

    However, there are stranger items than the ones on the upper floors, and the people you come across are dressed to the nines.

    I stopped at a random store and spoke to the owner.

    "What''s this?"

    "Orc fluids. It''s a good energy tonic."

    "And this?"

    "The secret diary of a queen from two generations ago."

    "And this?"

    "A copy of the book describing the security measures for the country''s weapons vault."

    "How does something like this even exist?"

    Now I understand why this is a dangerous place. You find things that if found on the l surface, would generate chaos among the crowd.

    "Master, there''s an unusual piece of kitchenware there."

    "Let''s see it."

    "Frau will take a look on her own. Give me some money."

    "Here."

    After receiving the leather bag, Frau flew off with Panda toward the back of the store.

    I feel like she just wants to go shopping.

    I hope she didn''t forget that we came here to gather information.

    "...Roswell? The former demon king?"

    "Do you know where he is?"

    The plump nobleman we approached answered.

    Behind him was a beautiful elven slave boy, but he dared not let him out of his sight.

    "He must be in the Great Forest to the west. Ask the fairies, they will tell you."

    "Are there fairies here too?"

    "Yes, there are fairies here too. Try going there."

    The nobleman pointed to a woman who only looked human and who ran a store.

    For a moment I thought he was fooling me, but when the woman turned her back, a set of fairy wings came out.

    I wasn''t expecting this.

    She''s probably a High Fae like Frau.

    I didn''t know fairies could hide their wings.

    "Do any of these names ring a bell?

    "Hmm... No."

    He looked at the paper I gave him and quickly handed it back to me.

    At least we got some information out of it.

    It was the right decision to come here after all.

    Kaede and I headed to the tent with the fairy.

    "Oh, welcome."

    "Hello, I have some questions I hope you can answer."

    "That depends, you''ll have to pay depending on the subject."

    She was a woman with straight blonde hair.

    Her pretty frilly outfit was designed to expose her back so she could easily pull out her wings. ¡¡ She licked her lips as she watched me, eyes full of pleasure.

    "Master, I''ll ask the questions."

    "Um... Yes..."

    Kaede stood in the middle between her and me.

    Judging by the way the fur on her tail is standing on end, she seems to be wary of the merchant.

    "I''d like to ask you some questions about the former demon king Roswell."

    "Tch, how boring. It''s been a long time since I''ve met someone I like, so I''d rather talk to him."

    "...What do you mean by ''talk''?"

    "Oh, I don''t know. A simple ''negotiation'' between a man and a woman."

    Kaede''s face turned too red. Tears welled up in her eyes and she covered her face with her hands.

    Her tail, however, was wagging vigorously. Perhaps something was unsettling her.

    "Kaede..."

    "I''m sorry, please wait a moment!"

    Kaede stepped outside the tent, took out a cloth and sniffed it.

    With a look of ecstasy, she scrunched up her face and returned.

    Hmm, that cloth looks familiar...

    "Let''s keep talking."

    "Hey, that cloth is--"

    "Where can we find Roswell?"

    He interrupted the question about the cloth and pushed the woman to answer her questions.

    "I know where he is, but it won''t be free."

    She knew better than to just talk.

    "He''s not that hard to find. If you go to the country of Ainowa, which is where we live, you''ll find Roswell easily."

    "So Ainowa, huh? Thanks for the information."

    "Well, you''ll probably find it in a second. After all, it''s... oops, I shouldn''t say anymore. You''ll find out when you get there."

    I paid the woman for the information.

    Oh right, I should ask her about my companions. I handed her the list of names.

    "I don''t know them. By the way, are you adventurers?"

    "Yes, we are a party called the Manyu Brigade."

    "That rings a bell. I''m pretty sure you''re that new party that''s been active in the west. But you don''t look like the rumors describe you."

    Wait a minute, west?

    We''re coming from the east.

    Is someone impersonating us?

    "The only thing I know about it is that it''s a party of three incredibly strong women. But it looks like there are some fakes out there trying to pass themselves off as real ones."

    "Master, those three..."

    I nodded my head.

    "Indeed. Looks like the world is such a big place that there are three other people out there who came up with the same name we did."

    "Master?! No! Someone is taking it upon themselves to spread our name!"

    "Why would they do that?"

    "I think they''re doing it hoping to draw our attention. Those three could be some of the girls."

    Oh, I see.

    I hadn''t thought of that possibility.

    If we follow the rumors of this other Manyu Brigade, maybe we can be reunited with our missing friends.

    At the very least it''s possible, right?

    "I finally found them!"

    We hear Frau''s voice approaching in the distance.

    Upon closer look, I saw that she was carrying a bag with her.

    And it''s all puffy.

    "Look at this, I''ve bought everything that looked interesting! And, uh, I''ve spent all the money you gave me more, My Lord."

    "Kyui!"

    You spent five million in just one hour?

    When I looked inside, I found it was full of books, skulls, plants I''ve never seen and other junk.

    Is there any use for this?

    "Yata! I''ll go again, again!"

    "Kyu!"

    Frau and Panda took some more money and flew away.

    I found a dirty little bottle in the bag with a price tag of 500,000, and became terribly anxious.

    What kind of weird stuff is that girl buying?

 CH 154

    The day after we went exploring and searching for information in the black market, we returned to the surface and thanked Ash for guiding us there.

    "This is my reward, please accept it."

    "No! I can''t take money for something like this."

    "It''s Okay, it''s not much. I at least want to thank you for what you''ve done."

    I grabbed his arm and put a bag of gold coins in his hand.

    He finally accepted it, looking slightly embarrassed.

    He then smiled bitterly.

    "All right, I''ll accept it. I''ll have a beer on behalf of my little brother."

    "Sure thing, take care of your brother."

    "...Brother, I don''t think you get it."

    "??"

    Ash returned to the ruins with a disappointed look on his face.

    I stretched as the sunlight hit my face. It''s a good time to start my journey again.

    With the information we received, we decided to head west.

    We spent a lot of money at the black market, though.

    I bought liquor, food and several other things that looked interesting.

    Having done so, I think it would be unwise to scold Frau anymore.

    "I would have liked to continue exploring the ruins some more were it possible. I heard there were unexplored areas where there might be treasure."

    "Yes, but for now I want to focus on finding out if the girls are alive and well."

    "Speaking of treasure, there were some purchases that I haven''t confirmed yet."

    That''s true, we haven''t seen all of Frau''s purchases yet. Most of it is junk, though.

    Frau and Panda stand in front of me and pull out an object.

    "Here it is!"

    "A Guitar? It''s very small, and pretty."

    The object Frau pulled out was a fairy-sized Guitar. The same instrument we use in the wolf village.

    Frau strums the strings with her fingers, playing a small tune as she starts singing.

    "I tried drinking milk, thought it would make my dreams real ? But this washboard chest is still far from ideal ? They''re so small, they give me the blues ? It feels so painful to even call them ''boobs'' ? But I believe I''m still growing, I''ll do my best ? Someday I''ll have the fat of my dreams on my chest ? "

    She has a nice voice. This will make the trip more fun.

    We walked out the west gate of town while listening to Frau''s songs.

    We took a break on the side of the road.

    We found ourselves sitting in the meadow as the warm breeze blew over us.

    "What is this?"

    "A gift for the Lord."

    Frau''s purchase included a guitar with an elegant design.

    It appeared to be a relic that comes with a black box.

    "Now I can play with the Lord", said Frau.

    "What is this stick-shaped thing?"

    "It''s a relic that amplifies sound when you pass magic through it."

    "Wow, so Frau-San''s voice can grow louder."

    "Yes, and now more people will be able to hear Frau and Kaede''s beautiful voices."

    Well, it seems that Frau wants to re-experience that nice feeling she had in the wolf-tribe''s village.

    It was really nice to see people going crazy about my playing.

    Truth be told, I''ve wanted to play the Guitar from time to time.

    Maybe it was because of my job, [Illusionist], but the music kept playing back in my head.

    "Kaede, try singing."

    "But..."

    "No matter the lyrics, it can be any."

    "Then..."

    I played the Gular for Frau and Kaede as they brought their mouths close to the relic.

    "I want you to take me, I want to give my everything to you ? I may look innocent, but my dark desires are true ?"

    "This chest is small, like a midsummer orange ? but I know you like big ones the best ? You can do as you wish, you don''t even need to pay ? I''ll be there to fulfil your every request."

    Their beautiful voices made the whole place come to life. I watched Kaede twirl around, her skirt fluttering and revealing her beautiful thighs as her fluffy tail wagged.

    Frau, who was riding on Panda, seemed to enjoy the melody.

    I then noticed many soldiers from the beast tribe marching on the road.

    I wonder if they were in the middle of a march but stopped when they heard Kaede and Frau''s voices.

    "" Now and forever, I will always be your slave ? This is surely an infinite love ? ""

    The soldiers applaud the girls'' voices.

    I guess they stood out too much.

    A boar tribesman comes running from the back of the line.

    "Amazing! I didn''t know such a beautiful performance even existed!"

    "Umm... Who are you?"

    "Excuse my boldness. I am Nuch, the head of a newly created musical band."

    "Music band?"

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    Still, this man looks familiar for some reason.

    Oh, that''s right... He''s the soldier from the royal capital. The same one who gave me directions to the ruins.

    "I was ordered to create a unit to inspire the soldiers with music, but there wasn''t much time before the mission began. I didn''t feel like living until I heard your performance."

    "You mean you want us to sing songs for military men?"

    "Yes! You can''t be officially recruited with how late it is, but you could still serve as emergency support troops..."

    "Hey, don''t get ahead of yourself! Frau and her friends are busy traveling! We don''t have time to get involved in any war!"

    Frau steps forward and puts her finger in front of Nuch''s eyes.

    That''s exactly what I was going to say.

    "I''m sorry to hear that. But if you''re willing to be temporary members of our team for a short period of time, we''d pay you well for your services."

    So it would be a kind of solicitation?

    If we''re just singing and playing instruments without having to fight, it could be a pretty good job. That is, of course, depending on how much the reward is.

    "The core of this operation is to storm one of Rudra, the Demon King''s, bases and free the kidnapped people. I hate to admit it, but morale is at an all time low as we are going up against high-level demons."

    "So you want a song that will boost morale?"

    "Yes, I want a song that will give us courage for this mission."

    According to the intel, Rudra is building a base in the Great Forest ahead. Also, the manpower there is a large number of people who were kidnapped from all over the country.

    Innocent people continue to be abused in difficult conditions.

    "Master."

    "...I accept."

    It''s impossible not to accept when I hear something as sad as that.

    In fact, I would be more than happy to take them up on their offer if our performance can help set people free.

    Besides, it''s possible that some of the girls are there.

    I look at Frau and she nods.

    "What exactly do we need to do?"

    "Sing, dance and cheer on the soldiers. We''ll even write the lyrics for you. If you tell us what equipment you and your companions need, we will prepare them immediately. Oh, I haven''t asked your names yet."

    "We are Toru, Kaede, Frau and Panda. Also known as the Manyu Brigade."

    Nuch and I shook hands.

    It has been three days since we went along with the army.

    We were halfway to the enemy''s base, and already our popularity was at its peak.

    "The white fox''s heart burns like a fireball ? Touch it if you want, my big fluffy tail ? I just want to die in my special someone''s sweet embra~ce ?"

    "" That song''s a one way ticket to a heart-wringing death! ""

    "Sweet and sour fox sugar ?"

    "" Wow wow wow! The way she swings that fan is so moe! We''ll watch over and support you forever, Kaede-Chan! We''ll toast with some delicious sake in your honor tonight !! ""

    Hundreds of soldiers cheer Kaede, who sings and dances on stage.

    The drummer then changes the tempo.

    Frau goes upfront.

    "You can call me a washboard, but I''ve still got two little mounds ? Ignore them if you want to, but they''re perfect even if they''re not big and rou~nd ?"

    "" "" Frau-chan! "" ""

    "I''m the Twintail Maiden ? The Fairy-sized sea of ??love ?"

    I strum the guitar violently.

    A tone is generated by the black box connected to it shakes the air.

    Keep going, my musical relic.

    The soldiers at the venue are fascinated by my performance in an instant.

    At the end of the performance, an explosive cheer echoed.

    After finishing the song, all the soldiers present give a standing ovation to our performance.

    "Huh, today''s performance was pretty good."

    "Here, have a towel"

    "Thank you"

    I went backstage and wiped the sweat from my face.

    Outside, voices demanding an encore could be heard.

    Where is Nuch?

    I looked around several times.

    I saw him looking straight ahead from the side of the stage with an anxious expression on his face.

    "Something''s wrong. It''s not supposed to be like this...... Something feels different.

    Yes, as a matter of fact... I''m feeling the same way too.

 CH 155

    A week had passed.

    The army was approaching Rudra''s base.

    I was deep in thought as I gazed at the large egg before me.

    Who should I choose? I have to decide soon.

    In front of me was the strengthening egg that old man Yatsufusa had given me.

    I can only evolve one of my beasts, though. I''m torn between Rosuke and Sharkboy.

    I''ve been worrying about it for a while now. But I''ve already put it off for too long, so it''s time to make a decision.

    This is a very valuable egg.

    I can''t let it go to waste.

    "Kyu, Kyukyu"

    "Panda says he''s against strengthening Rosuke."

    Panda asked Frau to speak for him.

    Perhaps he thought that if Rosuke became even stronger, his own lack of power would be even more noticeable.

    "I''m sorry, but I think I''ll choose Rosuke."

    "Panda..."

    Panda''s grew teary eyed before running off.

    Frau then flew off after him.

    .....I''ll have to apologize properly later.

    "Rosuke, come out."

    "Sha!"

    Rosuke approaches the top of the egg in front of me.

    The top of the egg split into six parts and opened, strands of slime stretching out from within.

    Looks like it was already on standby mode, or maybe the egg reacted to my summoned beast without me having to do anything.

    Rosuke glanced at me once and then jumped into the egg without hesitation.

    Then the lid closed and thick veins appeared on the surface of the egg, pulsing as if something were passing through them.

    .........

    ................

    .............................

    About an hour later, a loud throbbing sound resounds from inside the egg.

    Bushuuuu

    A large amount of steam is released and all six sections of the top open again.

    I waited a couple of minutes, but Rosuke still didn''t come out, so I slowly peeked inside.

    Shu. ¡¡ Something flew out at high speed, and a shadow appeared overhead.

    Oh, the new Rosuke looks amazing! ¡¡ Looking up, I saw a silver creature with a long body twisting in the air.

    Rosuke''s head was now shaped like a sword and his torso had grown into a longer, thicker, sharper and more intimidating shape.

    This new look makes me want to fight him so badly. I really want to see what he''s capable of now.

    "Sha~"

    Rosuke pushes his head against my hand, wanting me to pet him like always.

    Today was the eighth day.

    Galbaran''s army was finally about to launch a full-scale attack on the enemy stronghold.

    Galbaran''s army and Rudra''s soldiers, who had taken up a defensive position, stared at each other.

    "You have some nerve entering Rudra-Sama''s territory. But your luck has run out. I, Bute, of the three demon generals, shall crush you, you lowly beasts."

    The demon in front of us called himself Bute, one of the three demon generals.

    In addition to his slender, rounded appearance and elegant attire like that of a nobleman, he wore gauntlets with razor-sharp claws on both hands.

    His outfit is very light.

    Either he is very confident in his speed or, contrary to his appearance, he has extraordinary defensive capabilities.

    His challenge is met by the general of the Galbaran army.

    The general, a man who looks to be of the lion tribe, answers proudly with his red cape billowing.

    "The repeated attacks on our country and the insults to His Majesty are unforgivable acts of barbarism. We, the people of Garbalan, declare war on the Demon King Rudra, starting with this battle. I will only say this once, lay down your weapons and surrender immediately."

    "It is unthinkable that a group of Beasts think themselves worthy opponents of Rudra-Sama''s warriors. It''s a pity that I have to soil my hands with the blood of such fools."

    "You dare to doubt our strength!? I''ll make you regret those words!"

    "Kukuku, I can already imagine pressing my foot on top of your head as you beg for your life! Shudder in the presence of Bute, the--"

    Bute''s head rolled onto the ground.

    Both the demon king''s army and Gulbaran''s army were unable to process what had happened, and they were frozen to the spot.

    I shook the blood off my sword and slipped it back into its sheath.

    I turned around and looked at the general.

    ¡°Have we won?¡±

    "Eeeeeeeeh?!!!!"

    The stunned general exclaimed as he dropped his sword.

    Both armies, which had been frozen solid, began to move again.

    Rudra''s army, having lost their commander, collapses and begins to flee for their lives.

    "You did great, Master, that was amazing!"

    "Really?"

    "Why shouldn''t it be? That guy wouldn''t stop talking. And did you see the general''s face? He looks like he''s going to cry."

    "I see, although I also saw a lot of worried faces."

    I wonder if the general will be angry with me later?

    That day, Gulbaran''s army emerged victorious with only a few wounded.

    The army continued to advance and we reached one of Rudra''s fortresses.

    However, a high, thick outer wall surrounded it, preventing the army''s entry.

    The soldiers used large logs as makeshift siege weapons, sweating as they tried to break through the tightly closed gates.

    "How long is this going to last? It''s been five hours."

    "That door is tougher than it looks."

    Kaede and I were vaguely observing the situation.

    What should we do?

    The general, as expected, was tear faced and angry with us after what happened.

    We promised to keep quiet and do nothing.

    "We''re back!"

    "Kyu!"

    Frau and Panda, who were out scouting, returned.

    Now we can find out what''s going on inside that fortress.

    "There were big holes and half-built buildings beyond the outer wall. I also saw countless people being forced to work.

    "How many enemies?"

    "About a thousand. And there are also about 20 wyverns."

    So they have 20 wyvern riders, huh?

    If they come to attack us, we''ll be able to stop them with Rosuke and Frau.

    "They still haven''t managed to open the door!"

    "It''s a very sturdy door."

    One of the knights was dejectedly walking towards the general, who looked very angry.

    I have no choice.

    I will have to do it myself.

    "I thought I told you not to do anything."

    "I''m getting tired of standing around watching you."

    "Hmm, it''s about time the Lord decided to take matters into his own hands."

    "Kyui!"

    I called out to the soldiers and got them to stop banging on the wall.

    I''m something of a celebrity among them, if only because of my performance.

    "I''ll take care of that door, step aside."

    The soldiers started backing away, I stepped in front of the door and got into position to deliver a blow.

    "Ha!"

    Tumph

    With one punch, the door buckled and was sent flying.

    The hinges holding the door couldn''t withstand the impact and shattered, leaving a clear mark in their place. The door easily flew a distance of over ten meters and bounced off the ground.

    "Impossible! The door has been knocked down!?"

    Behind the door the demons began to gather.

    At the head was a man I recognized from a distance.

    It was Bute, one of the three generals of the demon king.

    But how? I killed him.

    "What the hell is Bute doing here?"

    "That''s impossible, I killed you."

    "That was my twin brother. I, General Buza, would never be defeated by a mere human like you."

    Oh, so they were twins.

    For a moment I had been worried.

    I looked up and the wyverns had begun to fly, circling over us like crows aiming for their prey.

    "Look up, and you''ll see my army of wyverns given to me by Rudra-Sama. They are the greatest hunters in the sky."

    "Rosuke, come out."

    The second I called out Rosuke, a flash of silver light pierced the sky.

    The demons and wyverns fell to the ground in pieces.

    "My troops¡­ My Wyevens¡­ How did you...?"

    Wow, Rosuke, that was great.

    It''s a hell of a lot faster than before.

    Buza gazes at the scene with a pale face.

    "Well? Do you surrender?"

    "Grr, you''re just a mere human. I will kill you with my bare hands. Tremble in fear, for I, the mighty Buza, shall torture yo--"

    Frau''s hammer hits Buza in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.

    "You talk way too much. Just shut up and fight... Oh... Is he dead already?"

    Frau''s surprise attack had left Buza''s lifeless body buried in the ground.

 CH 156

    Splash splash splash splash

    As we kept running, the water under our feet splashed.

    We ran down the dimly lit passageway, out of breath.

    "Where''s the exit? I don''t want to keep doing this¡î Why do I have to run around in this kind of place?"

    "Shut up! If you wanna complain, complain to them. I don''t want to stay here either!"

    "....Both of you calm down."

    We flanked through the thick, high walls of this huge underground labyrinth.

    I managed to escape from the Red Mouse family and was searching for the demon tribe, but in doing so, I entered the territory of some dangerous people.

    They were the eleven monkeys. ¡¡ They are the most dangerous family in the ruins.

    "Don''t worry, we won''t hurt you, just come here!"

    "Huhuhu! Come now, we just want to play with you!"

    Aaaaah.

    Even those guys are still chasing us. They were all very dangerous. They had sharp weapons and red and black sickles in their hands.

    Fear starts to take hold of me.

    We only faced them once, but we couldn''t defeat them because they had slightly higher levels than us.

    Besides, they were so good at irregular attacks that they almost killed us.

    What the heck is this place?

    "Are they gone?"

    "Looks like it¡î"

    I peeked out from the back of the hallway from the wall to make sure no one was following us.

    We were finally able to get away from those creepy beasts.

    It was a very bad idea to come here.

    Also, I''ve had a string of bad luck lately.

    It all started ever since I met the Manyu Brigade.

    They''re like the god of pestilence.

    If I had defeated the evil dragon, I would be living like a king in the capital by now. I never wanted this. I just wanted to live in luxury and be someone who was worshipped.

    Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!

    I feel like I''m going crazy just thinking about it.

    "Cheer up, Zig¡î you''re the hero after all¡î"

    "Shut up, I''ve had enough of your good mood! I''m not interested in you, you''re only here because I can use you!"

    I slapped Celtina''s hand hard.

    I just saved her once in the past and she''s wanted to follow me ever since.

    I never asked her to come with me, I never asked her to be here. She is here because she wants to be here.

    If I allow her to always touch me and cuddle with me, then she''ll try to monopolize me like some kind of mistress.

    It''s too annoying. She needs to learn her place.

    "I''m sorry... Zig¡î"

    "Hmm."

    She''s not as good as Monica, but she''s still a good woman.

    I was annoyed with myself for getting worked up and saying something unnecessary.

    "...So what are we going to do now?"

    "For now, let''s forget about the demons. What''s more important now is finding a way to get back to the surface."

    We don''t have a map, we don''t know where we are and we don''t even remember exactly where we came from.

    I hate to admit it, but we were lost.

    Fortunately, we have plenty of food and water, so we should be able to make it.

    With that, I started walking.

    "Zig, where are you going?¡î"

    "To find the stairs."

    I need to get back to the surface as soon as possible.

    I''m not going to let a Manyu Brigade defeat Rudra.

    This journey, my glorious future depends on it.

    "Found you~."

    A creepy face peered around a corner of the walls.

    Hiiiiiih!

    How long will this nightmare go on!!!!???

    We frantically started running again, trying to escape death.

    I don''t know how many days have passed.

    But finally we could bask in the sunlight.

    "''Yeeeesssss! We''re out!"

    "I''m so happy!¡î I never imagined I would be so happy to see the sun again!¡î"

    "....."

    The sun is at its highest point

    I rubbed my cheek on the ground without being seen.

    "Mom~, that weird guy is rubbing his face on the ground~"

    "Don''t look at me, just get the hell out of here."

    "B-But... You''re putting your face in horse poop¡«"

    When I looked at the ground, there was dried poop stuck to the cobblestones.

    A fierce nausea began to overtake me.

    Uugh.

    "Gross¡î Get away from me¡î"

    "You little..."

    "...Go wash your face over there."

    "Fine..."

    Aide tapped me on the shoulder and pointed nearby.

    "I don''t want to go underground for a while."

    "Yes¡î"

    As I sit on the bench, eating some baked goods, I think about the events of the past.

    After being chased by the Eleven Monkeys, we had completely lost our way back to the surface and were wandering around.

    We finally found a stairway leading to the top, but they found us again, and we started a game of chase while climbing the stairs!

    Still, we managed to escape and climb to one of the upper floors and this time we ran into the Red Mouse family.

    We kept desperately running through the trash strewn alleys and finally made it back to the surface.

    "We couldn''t fulfill the request¡î"

    "....It can''t be helped. But at least we were still able to get some important items."

    "Ugh, I don''t care about relics. I thought I could make a name for myself and my country by doing this."

    Because we went deep underground, we were able to get some valuable relics. I think it will be enough to continue funding our trip.

    I wasn''t able to get what I really wanted, though.

    What''s more discouraging is having to report this to the king. Since I''ve taken on the task, I am obligated to report to him even though we failed.

    "...."

    "Is that a silver scroll?¡î"

    Aide opened a silver scroll to check its contents.

    Celtina is also looking at it from the side.

    Come to think of it, it was one of the relics we picked up.

    "....Can I keep this instead of my share of the reward?"

    "What''s that?"

    "It''s something that will surely be useless to you."

    I grabbed it and looked at the contents. It was an [Transformation] scroll.

    [Transformation]: Anyone who uses this ability is free to transform into anything they wish. However, this ability is limited to humans only. It is also not possible to copy someone''s stats, as it simply works as a way to change one''s physical appearance.

    It is a scroll often used by swindlers and thieves.

    Why would Aide want something like this?

    Besides, it''s something that only works once.

    "The truth is, my face was badly burned in the past, and I''ve developed a complex about it for a long time. With this scroll, that problem would be in the past."

    "Do you want to get rid of your original face?"

    "You don''t know the pain I suffer daily from not being able to take off this helmet."

    "Okay, do it, I won''t judge you."

    Aide was about to tell me a long story that I honestly didn''t want to hear, so I handed the scroll back to him.

    "You can have it. In return, you''ll contribute more than ever to the party. okay?"

    "....I agree."

    "Good for you, Aide¡î"

    Aide nodded and Celtina seemed a little happier.

    The sound of laughter echoed throughout the place.

    The King of Garbaran was laughing loudly in front of us.

    "Buhahahahahaha, you''re killing me with laughter!"

    "It''s not... My intention..."

    He was flailing his legs and smacking the armrest.

    The servants and knights around us were also laughing.

    Damn it, how long is this going to go on?

    My face was red with embarrassment, and I felt humiliated to be here.

    I''m a complete laughing stock. I feel like a clown.

    "I can''t believe the criminal organizations down in the ruins have been chasing you for a whole month."

    "I don''t think it''s funny."

    "Well, I must admit that was a disaster, but you don''t have to worry about the demons anymore. The Red Mouse family you claimed to have chased after you took care of everything.

    "They took care of it?!"

    But they were supposed to be allied with the demon tribe. I saw them scheming with my own eyes.

    That''s why we were almost killed by that tiger man.

    This is ridiculous.

    Then why was he frantically chasing me back and forth?!

    He made me look like a clown in front of the king! That bastard!

    "Your Majesty, regarding your participation in the large-scale operation..."

    "Oh, you still haven''t heard?"

    The king raises an eyebrow as he picks at his nose with his little finger

    "One of Rudra''s bases was destroyed by a group of adventurers called the Manyu Brigade. I heard that they''re a very talented bunch. They can sing, dance, and they even killed two demon generals in the blink of an eye. It''s a pity we couldn''t make them heroes of our country."

    I froze when I heard their names.

    It is heartbreaking that after crawling underground for a month, I end up learning of their exploits as I just did.

    I am a noble and proud elven hero. I cannot be inferior to a mere human.

    Something is wrong. They must be cheating.

    "If it''s Rudra you seek, head west. Rumor has it that he has taken over a country and is amassing his army for the next attack.

    "Your Majesty!?"

    "You turned out to be a great disappointment, but you are still a hero after all. And a hero''s duty is to finish off the Demon King. Go and fulfill your destiny."

    The king clapped his hands and a woman came up and handed me a bulging leather pouch."

    "It''s a hundred gold coins. Take it."

    "Thank you for your generosity."

    He''s clearly doing it out of compassion, not respect.

    My eyes filled with tears.

    "Uuugh."

    "Are you crying!?"

    "Don''t look at me..."

    ¡°Look everyone, the elf hero is crying! Buahahahaha!¡±

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    I grabbed the leather bag and ran out of the palace.

    Manyu Brigade, I''m going to kill you all!!!

 CH 157

    After leaving the nation of Galbaran, we set out to cross the great forest with the beast Silkbeard.

    "After all the trouble we''ve been through, getting all this gold makes me feel a little rich¡î"

    "Hmm, don''t forget it''s all thanks to me."

    "Yes, Zig is a handsome and nice hero¡î"

    "...Kuku."

    "Is something wrong, Aide?"

    "...Nothing."

    For some reason, Aide was in a very good mood.

    I guess he was happy about the scroll he got.

    It seems he had already used the scroll, but he still didn''t show his face.

    "What''s that?"

    Suddenly, I turned my head to look at something I hadn''t been aware of.

    Immediately afterwards, there was an explosion and Silkbeard shook violently.

    Is this a magical attack!?

    Countless pink flashes fly up from the sides.

    Every time we were hit, Silkbeard''s balance was thrown off to such an extent that if we didn''t hold on, we might fall down at any moment.

    "Silkbeard, land now!"

    "No, it''s too late!"

    "I''m going to fall¡î And at this height, I''ll die!¡î"

    Finally the barrier broke, and Silkbeard fled just above the great forest at top speed as he started losing altitude.

    The magical power of the attacks grew more powerful with each shot.

    The rising columns of smoke easily exceeded fifty meters.

    "Shiia¡«"

    "Damn it, are you already at your limit!? You useless beast!"

    The attacks have stopped, but now the fall is inevitable.

    We barely made it through the large forest before Silkbeard crashed into a swamp.

    "Ugh."

    "Don''t move, or the wound will get worse."

    When I opened my eyes, there was a girl in front of me.

    My consciousness is still cloudy, and I can''t clearly understand the current situation.

    I unconsciously extended my hand, and she smiled softly

    "I''m sorry. I could have helped you more if I had some medicine, but this is a small town in the middle of nowhere."

    "What''s your name?"

    "Tanya."

    I fell back into a deep sleep.

    I gaze at her as I lie in bed.

    Tanya was a hard working girl. From the minute she woke up until nightfall, she was busy.

    She was not a remarkably beautiful woman, and she always wore dirty clothes.

    Besides, she''s a human, which I hate.

    However, there was something about her that strangely appealed to me.

    "The doctor said you''ll be okay and it''s likely that you''ll be back on your feet in a week. I still find it amazing that being an elf can give you such high resilience."

    "For your information, I''m not a mere elf, I''m a high elf. And don''t talk to me like we''re equals. You and I are not of the same position."

    "I''m so sorry!"

    The woman was quick to apologize. Then I realized I had said something unnecessary.

    No, that''s not what I wanted to say.

    "But I''ll forgive you this time. So stay close and take care of me."

    "Are you sure about that?"

    "Yes, you are special. Feel honored to be close to the hero Zig."

    "Yes!"

    As she left the room, I peeked out from under the covers and looked at the door.

    I will never make her suffer. I would give my life for her.

    "Come, Silkbeard!"

    I tried to summon the beast out of my seal, but I didn''t respond.

    Hmm... I think it''s taken more hits than I imagined. It refuses to come out.

    I wanted to show Tanya how cool I am.

    "What''s wrong ¡î"

    "The beast doesn''t want to come out."

    "Well¡« That''s what happens when you get attacked really hard¡î"

    "This is useless. We''ll walk from here."

    We left the village on foot.

    "Did you find out who attacked us?"

    "The villagers told me it may have been the ancient demon king Roswell¡î"

    We were all heading west.

    The two relayed all the information they had gathered over the last week.

    It makes sense that it was an attack by the demon king.

    But why did they attack us?

    "...For some reason, they must have recognized us as the enemy."

    "Then it''s a bad idea for us to fly over this area."

    I turned my gaze to Aide.

    He reminded me of the man from my nightmares. And oddly enough he was wearing the same jet black armor.

    Apparently, this town is near the swamp where we crashed.

    Tanya lives with her parents in this village in the middle of nowhere. This village mostly consisted of humans.

    There are also some beasts and dwarves, and they wield their power as one of the few forces in the village.

    "Tomorrow I will be able to walk again."

    "Good for you, Zig¡î"

    "....I was worried about you."

    The doctor finally told me I was cured.

    Celtina and Aide seemed more pleased than I was with the results.

    I should be able to leave this rural town, but there was some sadness in my heart.

    Ever since I got here, I''ve been thinking about Tanya.

    I don''t know what this feeling is.

    It''s a strange feeling I''ve never had before.

    Everything I wanted was no longer important to me, and when I saw Tanya, I felt like everything around me was growing brighter.

    Could this, perhaps, be love?

    It''s impossible. Me and that human girl who smells of potatoes?

    But this ache I feel in my chest when I think of her is real.

    That night, I had a strange dream.

    "Chi ~yu ? chi ~yu ? "

    "Chi ~yu ? chi ~yu ? chi ~yu."

    What is that voice?

    Where is it coming from?

    "Chi ~yu ? chi ~yu, give me all of you."

    "Who are you?"

    "Oh, you''re awake."

    Before me stood a man who looked somewhat like me. ¡¡ He was shrouded in darkness, and was wearing jet black armor.

    But his face was different. It was hideous, distorted and evil looking, looking nothing like my own.

    The corners of his mouth turn up sharply and he looks at me in my sleep, his eyes glazed with pleasure.

    "Chi ~yu ? chi ~yu, what a delicious feast."

    "What does that mean...?"

    Countless black tubes came out of his armor and pierced two needle-like tips into my arms.

    The tubes were moving rapidly as if they were sucking my body.

    "Chi ~yu ? chi ~yu, I''m going to suck the life out of you."

    "No, get away from me!"

    "Sorry,Don''t worry, I don''t plan to kill you yet. I''m going to do it little by little."

    "W-wha-..."

    "Your life is mine."

    Haaaaah!

    I vigorously got up from the bed.

    My heart was pounding wildly in fear.

    I looked around and found no one.

    I looked at my arm and there were no puncture marks either.

    Was it really just a dream...?

    No, that was too real to be real.

    Suddenly, I heard a creaking sound coming from nearby.

    Someone was entering the house.

    I got back into the futon again.

    I shook the blood off my sword and slipped it into its sheath.

    Tanya and the rest of the villagers screamed with excitement at the pile of dead monsters.

    As thanks for protecting me and taking care of me when I was injured, I offered to finish off all the monsters of the night.

    "Thank you very much, Zig-San!"

    "It''s nothing, it''s a hero''s job."

    "Still, thank you very much for all you''ve done! And thanks to Aide-San and Celtina-San too!"

    "You don''t have to thank me¡î I didn''t do it for you¡î"

    "......." ¡¡ Tanya just bowed to me, but shook hands with Celtina and Aide.

    I couldn''t help but feel jealous. I was the one who proposed doing this. Tanya should be more grateful to me.

    "...Tanya, you should thank Zig more for what we have done. If he hadn''t suggested it, none of this would have happened."

    "Um... Well, that''s true. Thank you so much, Zig-San."

    Tanya gives me a hug.

    That was enough to make me feel like I was in heaven.

    Well said, Aide. You''re a good man.

    On the day of our departure, Tanya comes over to say goodbye.

    "You must come back to visit. Promise."

    "After I defeat Rudra I will return, it is a promise."

    I had fallen in love with Tanya during the week I spent there.

    I don''t know what exactly attracted me to her.

    However, she shattered my sense of worth.

    How could I, a noble high elf, fall in love with a lowly human girl?

    When this journey is over, I will ask her to marry "It''s time you showed me your face."

    "....I guess so."

    Aide paused and removed his helmet."

    "That''s not it."

    "...What do you mean?"

    "No, I mean you chose a more normal face than I thought."

    Aide''s face was that of a young man I didn''t recognize.

    He may have encountered this person Galbaran, but I think he could have chosen a better one.

    And it was obvious that Aide was an elf, judging by his ears.

    "I had a feeling you were human, but apparently I was wrong. Well, I haven''t cared for races lately, though."

    "I really like your face, Aide¡î It looks a lot like Zig''s¡î"

    "Where? We don''t have any resemblance. I''m more handsome."

    "...Hey, I''m still right here."

    Aide puts his helmet back on.

    There''s nothing to worry about. After all, it was just a dream. Aide didn''t steal my face.

    And there''s no change in his stats either.

    But still... I can''t get that voice out of my head.

    Chi ~yu ? chi ~yu.

 CH 158

    We continued running through the forest.

    My tiredness had already reached its peak, and I fell at the slightest bump.

    "Wait¡«, don''t leave me¡«"

    "Isabella, stop."

    "Yes, ma''am."

    Isabella-san stops at Soara-san''s command.

    Approaching me, Soara-san, who is riding on Isabella''s back, looks at me with a dumbfounded expression.

    "Are you sure you''re a demon? You lack stamina."

    "I don''t want to hear that from you, Soara-san."

    "Well, let''s take a little break, we''re out of danger now."

    Soara-san slid off Isabella-san''s back and put her feet on the ground.

    I''m really tired¡«

    Are we going in the right direction¡«?

    I turned over and went from being on my stomach to lying on my back.

    After escaping, we made it this far without being able to rest satisfactorily.

    It was the first time in my life that I had to escape from an army of demons, as well as fight ferocious beasts, and escape from a prison with hardly any food or water. And still the misfortunes continued to add up.

    I want to cry. I don''t care if anyone sees me anymore.

    I''m so looking forward to meeting all the girls and getting my fill of good food.

    Please, God, help me. Help me get back home.

    "Don''t worry, God will make your wish come true."

    "Sorry, but the god I prayed to is not an evil god."

    "Are you saying I''m the follower of an evil god!?"

    "Hueeeeh!"

    Soara-san pinched my cheek.

    That hurts. Stop doing that.

    No sane priest would do something like this.

    "I won''t forgive you for this."

    "Take it as a love whip. I''m a priestess, so I''m punishing you in the name of God."

    "You clearly think anything with the word ''love'' in it is acceptable."

    "Isn''t it?"

    "No! That''s not how it works!"

    I recognize Soara-San less and less.

    When I first met her, she seemed like such a nice and kind person.

    But the reality is that she is a very violent and horrible priestess.

    A priestess shouldn''t behave this way. But strangely, I don''t hate her for that.

    "Let''s keep going to Isabella''s hometown. We''ll be safe there for the time being, right?"

    "Yes. It''s the land where the ancient demon king rules. Once inside, Rudra will never be able to find you, but my family is rather poor, so we won''t be able to afford to keep you both..."

    "We''ll talk about it later. For now we have to get out of here alive."

    Hmmmm~, they leave me out of their conversations.

    Are they forgetting that I am a noble of the demon race?

    I puffed out my cheeks to show my dissent.

    "Break time''s over. Let''s continue."

    "I can''t keep running¡«"

    "Then we''ll leave you behind."

    "Wait!"

    I stood up and chased after Isabella-San and Soara-San.

    A few months later.

    Gatsun, gatsun, gatsun

    I drive my pickaxe into the dimly lit hole.

    I wipe the sweat from my face with my arm and let out a sigh.

    "Why do we have to dig again?"

    "No time for questions. Keep digging. I don''t want people who would rather talk than work."

    "Sorry."

    I don''t dare say anything when I see my partner''s eyes shine so brightly.

    We are in a town called Yellowhawks, in Ursprina.

    There are several mines in this place, and mostly rare stones are dug up.

    Sometimes relics are found, but they don''t seem to attract much attention, and I often see them discarded as scrap on the corner of the mine road.

    "It''s time to take a break."

    "Thank you, Isabella-San."

    Isabella-San appears with a bottle of water and a basket.

    I was thirsty, so I took the water bottle and soothed my aching throat.

    "Soara-Sama, come rest and have some water."

    "Not yet. Something is about to appear. God has ordered me to dig."

    Soara-San tapped the pickaxe against the wall relentlessly.

    She has great persistence, but at the same time a fierce and greedy hunger for wealth.

    She had a creepy grin on her face. And with a pickaxe in her hands, she looked even scarier.

    "There it is!"

    Something shot out of the rock wall.

    It was a rectangular box.

    The surface was light brown and grainy like wood, but when touched, it was cold like metal, and when you hit it, it made a hard sound that was distinctly different from wood.

    "It''s another relic... Here Pione, I''ll give it to you."

    "Are you sure? It could be worth a fortune."

    "I''m not interested in relics. A relic is a horrible object that drowns out the majesty of God, and I, as a priestess, can''t be distracted by something like that."

    "And yet you still let yourself get distracted by money."

    "Shut up!"

    Soara-San pinched my cheek.

    "I''ve been thinking this for a while now, but your cheeks are nice and soft."

    "Fuhefuhohahehe."

    "I have no idea what you''re talking about."

    It hurts... This is really painful.

    By the way, Isabella-San, why are you looking at me with such envy?

    "Mmmm~, today''s sandwiches are really delicious!"

    "Isabella, you try one too."

    "Thank you. I''ll have one then."

    We lined up for lunch near the entrance to the mine road, where the carts were lined up.

    Other gem hunters are also eating, and there are many people spread out on blankets around us in a friendly atmosphere.

    We are now working the same way we did in the Demon King''s prison. But now we live a much safer and fuller life than before.

    Yellowhawks is Isabella''s hometown. When we first came to town, we didn''t have much money, so we lived at Isabella''s parents'' house, trying to make ends meet.

    It was Soara-San''s suggestion that we become gem hunters.

    She said we had to make a living too, then she found us the job we have now, threatened us to dig till we drop, and here we are.

    In short, Soara-San''s decisions were all correct.

    But for some reason I''m still not fully convinced.

    "How can I open this?"

    "Are you still struggling with that? There must be something useless in there anyway."

    "You don''t know that. Maybe there''s something really nice in there. Hey, Isabella-San, have you found any rare relics in here?"

    "I''ve heard that things like that used to happen many years ago, but like Soara-Sama said, it''s best not to get your hopes up."

    Hmm¡« I won''t mistrust my intuition.

    Even if there''s something really weird in here, I won''t let them see it.

    But how do I open it?

    "There''s someone in the city with the [Great Thief skill]. Shall we ask him to help us? He has a Special Key that can open any lock."

    Following Isabella-San''s recommendation, we decided to go to see the man.

    An old dwarf with a toothpick in his mouth fiddled with the hole in the box.

    We watched him intently.

    "How about it?"

    "Wait a minute, it''s almost open."

    After a click, we heard the box open.

    "I was worried about opening it because the lock was full of dirt, but I seem to have succeeded. Here, check inside."

    I grabbed the box and slowly opened the lid.

    Soara-san and Isabella-san also peeked inside, as if curious about what was inside.

    In the box was a small bottle of pink liquid.

    "What is this? It has a liquid inside."

    "Isabella-san, use the evaluation scroll."

    "Yes."

    Isabella-San examined the bottle with the scroll.

    Soara-San and I waited for the results.

    "It says; Ancient Elixir of-... No, wait, this can''t be true."

    "What''s wrong!? Is it something great?!"

    "Tell me! Quick! God help us all!"

    "Don''t grab on to me! I''ll tell you!"

    Isabella-San takes a deep breath and then tells us what the elixir is.

    "This is a love potion. It is said to be the best of all secret medicines, created by an ancient alchemist, and will last until death."

    ""A love potion?!""

    At that moment Toru crossed my mind.

    If I use that potion, I can make Toru fall in love with me. He''ll hug me every day, hold my hand, we''ll sleep together, and he''ll bring me breakfast in bed."

    "Give me that!"

    "No!"

    "I was the one who dug it up."

    "But you gave it to me."

    Soara-San and I started fighting over the jar.

    I''ll make Toru fall in love with me with this, and I''ll love him so much too.

    I want to have breakfast with him every day.

    As we struggled, our hands slipped and the small bottle fell to the ground.

    Ah!

    The bottle shattered and the love potion inside was seeped into the ground.

    All that was left were fragments of the container and a stain.

    "Nooooooooo! My love potion!"

    "No, it wasn''t. It was my love potion."

    "Soara-Sama, are you okay? Did you want to brainwash someone with that?"

    "Not exactly, it''s frowned upon for others to do that, but I have God''s permission, so it''s no problem."

    "That''s a lie!"

    "Haaa... You two..."

    Isabella-San let out a big sigh.

    "Welcome home."

    "Yes, we''re home... I''m very tired."

    "Well, today wasn''t that productive, we only got 10 million."

    "We''ll take care of your luggage." ¡¡ When we got back to the mansion, the butler greeted us.

    He bowed his head and picked up our luggage.

    As we walked down the long hallway, I passed several maids.

    This is our mansion in Yellowhawks'' aristocratic district.

    Soara-San and I went straight to the shower, then Isabella-San helped us put on our dresses.

    We sat at the dining room table and a sumptuous meal was prepared for us.

    Our gem hunting had made us millionaires.

    Hey guys! I''ve written a post about upcoming changes in the publication of this web novel, and the next project I will translate, check it out! ????????

 CH 159

    People freed from the demon fortress lined up to get out of the hole.

    Regardless of age or gender, they all looked worn out and exhausted.

    "Do you recognize any of these names?"

    "No, I don''t."

    "Do you?"

    "I don''t remember them."

    I go around showing my friends'' names on a piece of paper.

    Kaede and Frau were also asking the rest of the people. ¡¡ I knew they were not going to be here.

    There was no response to the guide needle either.

    I hoped I had a clue at least.

    "Master, please come quickly!"

    "What''s wrong!?"

    Kaede called out to me and I ran out.

    Could it be that she found them?

    There was a woman from the rat tribe with her.

    "Are you the man who knows Soara-Sama and Pione-Sama?"

    "Yes."

    "Then your name is Toru?"

    "You know me!?"

    The woman stared at me as if she was analyzing me.

    "I''m surprised you came here. Soara-Sama used to say that someone called Toru would come to her rescue."

    "And where are they now?"

    "They probably managed to escape safely. I''m not sure where they went, but if Isabella is still with them, they should be in the west, that''s where her hometown is."

    She then told me in detail what had happened so far.

    She told me that the two of them had organized a great escape plan a while back.

    The charismatic Pione and Soara helped many people escape, which no one else could do.

    Some were recaptured, but a large number of them managed to escape.

    "Those two girls were a ray of hope for us. Please make sure they''re okay."

    "Of course I will. They are two important people to me."

    At last, I finally got a solid lead.

    It was a good decision to come here after all.

    "Please reconsider our offer! It was thanks to the Manyu Brigade that we were able to accomplish this mission. I insist that you meet with our king and receive the reward you deserve."

    "I am flattered, but I have something very important I need to do."

    Director Nuch was trying to keep us from leaving.

    Behind him stood the soldiers, their faces sad and tearful.

    "Kaede-Chan is leaving!!!"

    "Damn, I''ve never felt so much pain!

    "I''m going to leave the army to go with you!"

    "Don''t be stupid, you''ll only be a nuisance!"

    "Frau-Chan! Frau-Chan, don''t leave me!"

    Well, apparently no one cares that I''m leaving.

    I''m not upset, but it''d be nice to at least feel like I''d be missed.

    I feel a little sad over this.

    "Soldiers! Don''t get depressed, we''ll meet them again someday!"

    "Yes! We''ll speak of the legend of the Manyu Brigade on our travels."

    After hearing the soldiers'' responses, one of the soldiers waved a banner that said "Kaede the goddess of music".

    These boys were enchanted with Kaede....

    We separated from Galbaran''s army and headed west through the Great Forest.

    We took a break waiting for Kaede to finish scanning the area with her keen sense of smell for Soara and Pione''s scent.

    I was pensive as I looked at my fishing line dangling in the river.

    "We found Luna. And now we know that Soara and Pione are alive. If we''re lucky, we''ll be able to find them soon. But I''m still worried about Nei, Marianne, Alusha and Lynn. I wish I knew where they are."

    "Master¡«"

    Kaede comes back with her arms full of fruits.

    She seems to be much happier now. She was less cheerful before when we traveled with the army.

    She said she wished to have some time alone with me.

    "Where''s Frau?"

    "She went out with Panda to look for food. She was chasing a deer when I saw her just now. Fufufu..."

    Kaede is in a great mood today.

    She put the fruit near her backpack and ran to sit next to me.

    "How''s the fishing going?"

    "Not so good. I haven''t been able to get anything."

    "Is bait a problem?"

    "I guess. Maybe it''s time to look for bigger worms."

    The riverbank on a sunny day is warm and balmy.

    The soothing sounds of the water and birds seem to ease my tired mind.

    "Master, can I move a little closer?"

    "Sure."

    Kaede moved much closer to me.

    She then sniffed my shoulder and rubbed her cheek against it.

    She put her weight on me.

    "My greatest happiness was meeting you, Master."

    "I wouldn''t be here either if it weren''t for you. In fact, I had a dream not long ago."

    "Was it about Lisa?"

    "Yes, I kept reliving that day over and over again in my dreams. Even after I defeated Lisa and Sain, the nightmares kept coming. But lately, they''ve stopped completely."

    I feel like the hole in my heart is filling up, little by little.

    It''s definitely thanks to my friends.

    It''s because of them that I was able to keep moving forward.

    "Am I a source of support to you, Master?"

    "You support me so much that I wouldn''t want to be without you. You will always be with me, won''t you?"

    "Yes. I will not leave your side even in death."

    Kaede said those words as she clung tightly to my arm.

    Her eyes were moist, and my gaze was fixed on her pink, glossy lips.

    Our lips were slowly getting closer.

    And then...

    "My Lord! Look what I found!"

    "Kyui~"

    ""??!!""

    Kaede and I quickly moved away.

    Frau and Panda had returned.

    Damn. If only she''d arrived a few minutes later....

    "What''s wrong?"

    "Frau-San, no lunch for you today!"

    "Huh!!? Why?!"

    Kaede was so angry.

    And frau was so shocked that she dropped the deer she was holding on the ground.

    "Haguhagu!"

    "Why don''t you eat a little more slowly?"

    "You never know when Kaede''s mood will change again. I have to eat until I''m full while I can."

    Frau was scarfing down her food.

    Kaede''s mood had finally improved, so she gave her permission to eat.

    I feel bad for Frau. Kaede is a little out of control.

    It''s really weird that she got so angry at Frau, though.

    I guess she was really looking forward to that kiss. Well, I must admit I was a little disappointed too.

    And Kaede was still pouting beside me.

    She''s a little calmer now.

    "Oh, by the way, I ran into a fairy while I was hunting."

    "A fairy?"

    "Yes. She told me there''s a fairy colony in the Great Forest. So I asked the girl to show us around. If it''s alright with you, my Lord, we can leave right away."

    Now that I remember, I had heard about something like that back at the black market. Also, that forest is where the ancient Demon King Roswell lives.

    "Soara and Pione might be there."

    "I see. I didn''t think of that."

    "What do you think, Kaede?"

    "I''ll follow Master wherever he goes."

    There was nothing more to say. We finished eating, gathered our things and headed for the land of the fairies.

 CH 160

    We were stunned for a while by the magnificent gate that suddenly appeared in the forest.

    "Fufu, are you surprised? Surprised, aren''t you? You thought the land of the fairies was no big deal, didn''t you?"

    "You''re really noisy."

    "Buhe¡­!?"

    Frau mercilessly slaps the fairy guide.

    Her name is Naomin.

    She has blonde hair, brown skin and wore a lot of makeup.

    "So mean! We''re supposed to be flat-chested friends."

    "I''ve never been so humiliated! Your breasts are a cup bigger than Frau''s!"

    "I''m sorry."

    "If you want to apologize, then remove a cup size! Now!"

    "Do you want me to die?"

    Naomin responded with a serious expression at Frau''s pouting.

    "Now stop it you two."

    Kaede interfered, but when Naomin and Frau saw Kaede''s breasts, their expressions changed completely.

    Frau and Naomin slap Kaede''s ample breasts from right to left.

    Her breasts bounced in a wonderful motion.

    "Hueeh! Why are you slapping my breasts!?"

    "You have a lot of nerve trying to be the voice of reason in this situation with these two melons you''ve got dangling."

    "You''re just making this situation worse, Kaede. Do you really want to see an angry fairy?"

    "Hii... Master¡«"

    Kaede ran away and hid behind me.

    That must have been terrifying.

    There''s a murderous aura coming from those two little fairies as they turn their gaze to Kaede''s bountiful breasts.

    Then Panda came over and scolded Frau.

    "Kyu, Kyukyu."

    "You''re right. I''m sorry."

    "Forgive me for my behavior.

    The two fairies manage to reconcile.

    Seems like it''s Panda who''s the real voice of reason when Frau gets angry.

    I have a feeling this girl will be like Frau. I don''t need another one of her.

    "How do you like our home?"

    "It''s a very nice village, even more than I imagined. And there are a lot of high fairies like Frau."

    Beyond the gate, there was a picturesque village with a paved cobblestone road.

    Some of the buildings looked like ruins, and you could see signs written in old handwriting.

    The people passing by on the main street are all fairies.

    Some of them fly low by flapping their wings, while others walk on their own two feet in their human-size

    Is this the country of Ainowa?

    "Oh, the fairies here place their house doors on the second floor."

    "The second floor is more convenient, because there is no chance for other races to enter this way. The only ones who make the entrances to their homes on the second floor are the regular High Fairies, but the nobility and royalty use the first floor."

    "So those of a more privileged class have direct contact with other races?"

    "Oh, I see the big breasted bitch understands what I''m talking about."

    "Big breasted bitch?!"

    Kaede comes up to me with tears in her eyes.

    That was just wrong.

    That flat chested fairy has a bad vocabulary.

    "Wow, what is this fluffy thing?"

    "This is Frau''s best friend and companion."

    "That''s not fair, let me on too!"

    Suddenly, I start hearing strange noises. I looked back to see what was happening.

    Panda, who was flying behind me, was being jumped by the fairies.

    The commotion soon turned into a fight, and many fairies started fighting each other.

    Panda, who was caught in the middle, was being pushed all over the place.

    "Stop! Panda is Frau''s bed!"

    "Kyu! Kyukyukyukyukyukyu!"

    "Huh!? What do you mean, I''m wrong!? Well, it doesn''t matter. If they mess with Panda, they''re going to get hurt."

    Frau rushed to Panda''s defense.

    All the fairies who had joined the fight stopped and started laughing when they saw her.

    "Look at the chopping board, she''s trying to bully us."

    "Haha, I think she''s a fairy, but... What''s wrong with her breasts? They''re so small."

    "Wow, the cutting board just got mad."

    "What kind of country fairy are you? If you plan to bully us, grow a decent rack first."

    I still don''t understand this obsession fairies have with bust size. Do they treat you like an outcast depending on how big your boobs are?

    Frau, who was about to cry, grabbed the handle of her hammer.

    "Quiet, you boob monster!"

    "Naomin?!"

    Naomin kicked a fairy woman with big boobs.

    She turns around and gives Frau a thumbs up.

    "Anyone who messes with us will get the crap beaten out of them."

    "You''re right. Let''s do it, Naomin."

    ""Let''s keep growing!""

    I called Panda and put him back in his seal.

    "Cut the crap, we need to get to Roswell. Spread out everyone."

    "Oh, right. We''re almost there¡«"

    I ignored Frau''s words, and the crowd around us quickly began to dissolve.

    I won''t take Panda out as long as we''re here.

    The sun was at its highest point.

    We were sitting on the edge of a fountain eating ice cream.

    "It''s cold, sweet and so delicious!"

    "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would eat a cold desert in the heart of the Great Forest."

    "You have some ice cream on your cheek."

    Kaede wipes my cheek with a handkerchief.

    The ice cream Kaede was eating looked delicious. Mine was a regular one with fruit juice on top.

    I''m going to try a bite.

    "Ah~"

    I reached over and took a bite of Kaede''s ice cream.

    Yes. The refreshing fruit flavor is really delicious.

    The sweetness is also moderate. I think I should have bought that one.

    "Master... If you want another bite from mine... I have no problem!"

    "Okay, just one more."

    Kaede''s face lights up and her tail wagged back and forth.

    Then she extended her ice cream towards me, as if she wanted me to eat more.

    "It''s not fair that I''m the only one eating."

    "It''s fine! I''d be happy to keep feeding my master."

    "In that case, here, eat."

    I gave some of my ice cream to Kaede. She leaned over and took a bite, her face turning red as she said; "Dewiciosh."

    Frau and Naomin were on the other side eating ice cream as well.

    It''s amazing how unusually quiet they''ve been while eating.

    "I''d like to know where Roswell is, Naomin."

    "What are you talking about? You''ve been looking at him all day."

    "...Where?"

    I started looking around.

    All I see is a bunch of people, buildings, big trees growing all over the village and mountains in the distance.

    "Hmm, is it there?"

    "You''re kidding right? That''s it."

    Naomin pointed to the mountain.

    What?

    She''s the one who''s kidding, right?

    "That''s Roswell. Surprised? Are you surprised? It''s a surprise we''ve used on the visitors here for a long time."

    "Is that really him?"

    "Look closely. He looks like a person, doesn''t he?"

    He doesn''t look anything like a person, but there is some resemblance.

    The lower half of his body is probably buried in the ground, so from here only the upper half could be seen.

    "Do you have to ask permission to go there?"

    "There''s no rule. You can go and see him whenever you want. However, Ros-cchi doesn''t like anything but fairies. So he might not respond if you try to talk to him."

    "Aren''t you afraid that the ancient Demon King is so close to you?"

    "I don''t think I''ve ever felt that way about Ros-cchi because he''s so nice. And it''s not like he''s a real demon king. He''s never actually had the job [Demon king]."

    According to Naomin, Roswell became known as the Demon King because of his tremendous power and presence.

    It seems that on this continent, the term "Demon King" doesn''t necessarily refer to the holder of the actual position.

    I''m going to ask Naomin if we can go see him now.

    "I can show you around, but can you stay a little longer once we''re done? I''d love for you to see more of the village, and I''d also like to talk some more with Frau-cchi."

    "Naomin!"

    "Frau-cchi!"

    The two fairies hugged.

    Apparently they became good friends. Though this will make it hard to separate them later.

    "I like standing next to this washboard. Compared to hers, my breasts look big-- buhe!"

    Frau smacked Naomin on the head.

 CH 161

    It seemed to have a humanoid shape.

    From a distance it looked like nothing more than a mountain, but the closer you got, the clearer its silhouette became, and by the time you got close enough to look up, you could just barely make out what it was.

    It was a giant golem.

    However, the design was different from the golems I knew of.

    I wonder if there was ever a golem as big as this one. ¡¡ It makes me wonder what the ancient species were thinking when they created this thing.

    "The Kingdom of Ainowa has remained peaceful for many, many years thanks to Ros-cchi. He is capable of defeating anyone with a dangerous aura who approaches these lands. That is why he has been nicknamed the Demon King."

    Naomin, who showed me around, pats a part of Roswell.

    The ancient demon king has a very laid back attitude.

    I mean, he''s still alive, right?

    You''re not going to suddenly move and crush us, are you?

    "I sense a very powerful and unfathomable magic. It''s faint, but I can also hear a sound like a heartbeat."

    After hearing Kaede''s words, I decided to touch a part of Roswell.

    I removed the moss attached to it and found its surface, which was metallic and slightly warm.

    "Roz~ Someone wants to see you~ Say something."

    "Hi. I''m Roswell."

    "Oh, so you feel like talking today."

    "Naomin, it''s been a long time~ How have you been?

    The voice came from somewhere.

    Can this massive golem speak so fluently?

    However, we''ve already seen life support golems that look like people. It would be quite strange if it couldn''t speak.

    "My name is Toru. I have come to this place because I have heard that you possess information about my mother."

    "[Initiating Scan] Status impersonation transmission, Gene information confirmation, SS evaluation, Administrator authority granted. Son of administrator Kuon, hello Toru."

    His attention turns to me.

    "Allow me to answer your question. This machine remembers that Kuon came to visit this land. Also, I have been ordered to teach her son, who would someday come here, how to get to the ancient city."

    "Why does my mother want me to go to the ancient city?"

    "The reason was not explained. But she insisted that if you head to said city, you will find the answers to your questions."

    So he doesn''t know anything about my mother either.

    Instead of knowing my roots and where my mother comes from, the mysteries keep piling up.

    "How do I get to the ancient city?"

    "Head to the Exit Ruins in the center of the continent. I will then send instructions to your memory.."

    "Huh?"

    I felt dizzy and knelt on the ground.

    Suddenly, countless numbers and symbols were being imprinted into my mind.

    It was a strange experience, as if I was recalling a memory I had forgotten.

    "Are you all right, Master?"

    "Yes, I''m just a little dizzy."

    "What have you done to my master!?"

    "I cannot detect anything unusual about him. The dizziness must have been a temporary side effect."

    I returned to normal, stood up, and then took a deep breath.

    "The order is complete."

    "I guess that means you''re done with me."

    "I seek a new directive. This machine has long since been abandoned, its reason for existing lost. It guards this land and its little race by its own command, but what it desires most is to be commanded by its master."

    "You want me to give you orders?"

    "Yes, anything."

    Orders, huh?

    Orders¡­

    This is a bit sudden.

    "May I ask a question?"

    "Any questions that are within the range of this machine''s knowledge will be answered."

    "Do you know why the ancient race disappeared from the face of the earth?"

    "I remember that we were in a major war, but this machine cannot determine if that was the direct cause. Many areas of memory in connection with the war have been erased."

    "And who was the enemy?"

    "Unknown. The data has been erased."

    So he doesn''t remember anything. All he has in his memory is that there was a war, but the enemy is unknown.

    Could something too terrible to speak of have happened and someone took it upon themselves to erase his memories so the information wouldn''t come to light?

    "Why are you here?"

    "I was abandoned after the war. This machine has been wandering aimlessly and purposelessly. I eventually found a small tribe of fairies. They were cute and funny. Instead of being their protector, they asked me to be their friend. As a result, I stayed in this place."

    Naomin throws up her hands and says, "Righto~, Ros-cchi is the guardian of this country.

    "This machine and the little tribe are besties."

    "That''s right, besties."

    They seem close.

    "Oh, right! Hey Roswell, aren''t I cuter than that cutting board?" Said Naomin, referring to Frau.

    "You''re just as flat as she is."

    Naomin and Frau get angry and kick Roswell''s body.

    What little respect these girls have.

    They casually punch the body of an important golem.

    "[Defense function activated, magic bullet fired.]"

    "Hueeh!?"

    Without warning, Roswell unleashes a series of pink flashes from his back.

    For a moment, I thought Frau and Naomin made the golem angry.

    But the flashes were flying far away.

    I wonder who it was trying to attack with those things.

    After a minute, it stopped its attack.

    "I detected an evil presence. I tried to eliminate it, deeming it a threat, but it''s gone out of my range."

    "Is it an enemy?"

    "Unclear. But it met all the criteria in my system, so I proceeded to attack."

    "Was it part of Rudra''s minions?"

    "I know the Demon King Rudra is active in the Great Forest, but I don''t know if the threat was a part of his forces."

    He doesn''t identify threats based on their race, so anyone can be evil to him so long as they meet the criteria.

    His defense power surpasses all my expectations.

    And that flashing light attack is probably the same as the one emitted by Sharkboy, so it''s safe to assume that it was very powerful.

    I know great physical power when I see it.

    So this is the one they call the ancient Demon King.

    I can''t believe something like this still exists on this continent.

    "Maybe other Demon Kings are also golems."

    "At least three other ancient Demon Kings that are still alive are real demons. You should be very careful when heading to the center of the continent."

    So those three are in the center. I definitely won''t go to that place.

    "Enter new order."

    "I want you to continue protecting the fairy race as you have been doing so far."

    "Yes, Master."

    Roswell''s voice sounded cheerful.

    "Wow, I find it hard to believe that Toru is part of the ancient Dragon race! But it''d be boring to end our visit this way. I''m the kind of fairy who likes to end her conversations with some chit-chat, hehe~."

    "You are a very annoying fly."

    "Those words don''t hurt me."

    "I guess with all that makeup, you have too thick a skin for my words to hurt you."

    "Yes, unlike you who is very sensitive. And for the record, I''d still be prettier than you even without makeup."

    "Are you saying Frau is uglier than you!?"

    Frau and Naomin start fighting again.

    Kaede and I look away from that ugly battle.

    "What do you say we go back to the city?"

    "I''ll go wherever you go, Master."

 CH 162

    We said goodbye to Roswell and left the country of Ainowa.

    Guided by Naomin, we left the Great Forest.

    We keep moving along the dirt trail, wading through the tall grass.

    "I wonder where we are. We must have walked a long way."

    "Be careful. The ground is muddy over here."

    "Kya!"

    No sooner had I said that, Kaede almost fell down.

    I caught her in my arms as fast as I could.

    "S-sorry."

    "It''s okay, just watch where you''re going."

    "Y-Yes... Umm¡« Master¡«"

    "Hey, are you listening to me?"

    Kaede, still in my arms, began sniffing me with an ecstatic expression.

    Her white tail was rapidly wagging and her fox ears were drooping.

    I don''t know why she enjoys sniffing me so much. I smell like sweat, which I think is rather disgusting. I tried putting her down only for her to quickly put her arms around my waist and hold me tightly.

    Frau, who had gone ahead, came back towards us.

    "What''s wrong? Why aren''t you following us? Naomin is getting worried."

    "Sorry, Kaede almost fell in the mud."

    "Hmm~. My Lord, you''re flirting too much with Kaede. I feel that Kaede gets more special treatment than me, even though I''m a lovely fairy who is willing to do anything for you. You should pet and pamper Frau more."

    "Fine, fine."

    "Hehehehe."

    I stroked Frau''s head and she smiled tenderly. Then I offered her a cookie to make her more content.

    "Come on, let''s go."

    "Please wait, Master, I want to sniff you more."

    "Hmm¡« This cookie is so delicious."

    I quickly started chasing after Naomin who was far ahead of us.

    "You guys are too slow."

    "Kaede and I aren''t fairies, so we can''t fly freely like you."

    "It was very rude of you to speak to my lord that way. Apologize, now, from the bottom of your heart."

    "Oh, is it my fault?"

    Naomin reacts with a questioning face.

    "In this forest, there is a spectacular sight called ''The Purple Fall'', which can only be seen at this time of the year. Since we''re here, let''s go see it."

    "Does it have something to do with those flowers hanging over there?"

    Frau finds a purple flower hanging nearby.

    From the tips of the vines wrapped around the trees, there were countless little flowers hanging like tassels.

    When the flowers swayed in the wind, they emitted a faint bell-like sound.

    "Yes, that flower is called a ''Jingle Flower''. When it blooms, it makes a beautiful sound. The best time to hear it is when a gentle wind blows, like today."

    Guided by Naomin, we arrived at the place where the flowers were.

    It seems to be a field of jingle flowers.

    The beautiful purple flowers hung in rows like a shelf, and the petals falling to the ground were tinged purple.

    "This place is so beautiful. It''s like I''m in another world."

    "I''m speechless. It''s just beautiful."

    "Good job bringing us here, Naomin!"

    Frau deftly turns and flies around in the air.

    Kaede also gently puts her hand on one of the flowers and enjoys its fragrance.

    "Kyu."

    "Panda, come over here~"

    Panda heads towards where Frau is.

    I take out my memory box and take a picture of the scenery.

    I want to preserve this lovely memory forever.

    Each of these photos will be a precious memory of the Manyu Brigade.

    "Kaede."

    "Yes?"

    I took a photo of Kaede looking back at me as the petals continue to fall.

    It was a very good photo. I want to take as many pictures as I can.

    I left the memory box with Naomin and called Kaede, Frau and Panda.

    "If I press this thing, a picture will come out?"

    "Yes. Oh, wait a minute."

    It''s not fair that Panda is the only one.

    I''m going to call Rosuke, Sharkboy, Chupi and Kuratan.

    It''s just us this time, but next time I''ll be sure to get a picture with all our friends.

    That''s a promise.

    "...There, I think that went well."

    "Take another picture of me! I came out with my eyes closed!"

    "I don''t like the position of my tail. And I''d like it to be a little closer to you, Master."

    "Kyu, kyukyukyukyukyukyu!"

    "You guys are really annoying. And Panda, I don''t understand anything you''re saying, but you sound pretty funny¡«"

    "Kyuuu!"

    "Ugh!"

    Panda got angry at Naomin and rammed her in the face.

    "Goodbyes are so hard. I''m about to cry."

    It was time to say goodbye to Naomin.

    At the end of the large forest we could see a path that was well leveled.

    In fact, we should have already continued on our way a while ago.

    But Naomin delayed the journey causing us to stop longer.

    "Frau and Naomin are friends. I''m sure we''ll see each other again, okay?"

    "Yes, it''s a promise. And a promise can''t be broken."

    "All right. time I''m going to ask you to take me to many more restaurants, so don''t forget your promise."

    "I have a better memory than Frau. So I definitely won''t forget."

    ""Whuaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!""

    They both hugged each other and started crying.

    It was surely the first time she had a friend with whom she felt this comfortable. It felt like they had known each other for a long time.

    "See you later!"

    "Frau-Chan, take care of yourself!!!"

    Naomin was waving her arm goodbye, and Frau kept looking at her until she was out of sight.

    After crossing the large forest, we came to a very strange terrain.

    A series of hexagonal pillars composed of red stone formed a rocky mountain.

    There was a canyon ahead, and the path we followed led us deep into it.

    It seemed both man-made and natural.

    I was overwhelmed because of the strange place we''d stumbled upon.

    "Is it some kind of ruin?

    "It looks like a huge outer wall. Hey, isn''t that some kind of writing?"

    At the entrance of the valley, there was an inscription that read; "Unauthorized entry is prohibited."

    In addition, a large monster''s bone is displayed at the entrance of the valley as if to intimidate visitors.

    "If they tell me not to enter, I''ll just want to do it even more."

    "Kyui."

    Frau, riding on top of Panda, was mesmerized by the sight before us. Her eyes were sparkling with curiosity.

    To be honest, I pretty much feel the same way

    I''m very curious to see what''s inside this place.

    "What shall we do?"

    "Let''s take a look at this place first. Besides, we can''t get to the center of the continent without passing through here. So we''d better go on a reconnaissance mission."

    "I understand maste--.... Frau-San?!"

    "I''ll go ahead and check the place out for you! Leave the scouting to the fairy!"

    Frau and Panda rush ahead of us.

    "Are you sure about this...?"

    "Frau''s level is high enough to fend for herself. And I''m good at finding my way through these kinds of places, so I''ll be back soon."

    She makes a good point, but I''m a little worried.

    At times she gets into a lot of trouble.

    "Huaaaaaaaaaah! Help meeeeeeeeeee!"

    A few minutes later, I heard Frau scream.

    A bunch of footsteps echoed from the back, then Frau and Panda sped out of the place.

    A few seconds later, naked men who looked like midgets jumped out one after another and surrounded us.

    "Good catch, looks good!"

    "Ka-chan, that''s too much. Easy!"

    "Real messed up. Still love you though!"

    "Eat meat. Eat it tomorrow."

    The men utter incomprehensible words and point their spears at us.

    In addition, they had strange patterns painted on their faces and bodies, and their lower bodies were covered with nothing but a piece of cloth that could fall off at any time.

    "These guys suddenly started yelling at me in a language I don''t understand. I started to run away but they just chased after us. My Lord, do something!"

    "Kyui!"

    "Yes, please do something! They''re wearing almost no clothes, and it''s very hard to look at them."

    "This is not the time to worry about something as trivial as their state of dress!"

    Frau covers the blushing Kaede''s eyes.

 CH 163

    As I stepped off the boat and onto the beach, I looked up at the sun shining down on me.

    This is an entirely other continent.

    An unknown land where our common sense does not apply.

    "Marianne¡«!"

    I heard a voice in the distance. I turned in its direction and saw Luna running toward me.

    I dropped my luggage and hugged her.

    "I thought I''d never see you again!"

    "I''m so glad you''re safe and sound... I''m so happy I could cry."

    "Toru saved my life. I was lost in some unexplored ruins. I have so much to tell you, Marianne."

    "Yes. I have a lot to talk about with you too."

    Thank you, God, for letting me see my friend again.

    I feel as if a weight has been removed from my shoulders.

    Two more figures standing on the beach approached us. They are probably the ones in charge of this place.

    "Welcome, Miss Marianne. I am Luvue Nonturk, the leader of the research team, and this is the vice captain. I hope your journey across the open sea wasn''t too exhausting."

    "It''s a pleasure to meet you both."

    I bowed to the two of them.

    Luvue is part of a powerful duke''s family in Lastoria, I have to be careful how I act in front of these people.

    She''s also a pawn being used by King Lastoria to get close to Toru.

    "By the way, what kind of relationship do you and Toru-Dono have? Do you get along very well?"

    "Yes. The truth is we are engaged to be married."

    "Ugh. Is this what people call jealousy? It''s so frustrating. I didn''t expect my love for Toru-Dono to grow so much during this trip. Vice Captain, make note in the log that this is my first time feeling jealous."

    "With all due respect, Luvue-Sama, don''t get carried away with your imagination. Now, we have a lot of work to do. Why don''t we go back to base?"

    "Vice Captain! How dare you say that I''m delusional! Toru-Dono and I-- Ugh!"

    The vice captain starts dragging Luvue-San around the place.

    Luna laughs at the sight before us.

    "Luvue-San is always like that. She seems to like Toru-Kun a lot, even though she has little to no self-control... But she''s a good person deep down."

    "Is that so? And where is Toru-Sama?"

    "That''s the thing, I don''t know where he is either. But I can assure you that he is continuing his journey and looking for the other lost girls throughout the continent."

    Thank goodness. I''m deeply relieved to hear those words.

    However, it wouldn''t make sense for me to come to this continent and just leave everything to Toru-Sama.

    There''s also this key that was left to me by Toru-Sama''s uncle. I must hand it over to him.

    "What are you going to do now, Luna?"

    "I''ll go back for the time being. My father must be very worried sick. I will do everything I can to help once I get there."

    "Please do."

    A few days later, Luna-San returned to the island.

    ----Separation----

    The research team''s job was to gather information about the mainland.

    More specifically, it was to conduct research into things that would be beneficial to Lastoria.

    There are some regions that have already interacted with the research team, and I have often talked to Monica-san, the representative of the research group.

    "Marianne-san, are you there?"

    "Yes. Please come in."

    Monica-San enters my room.

    I can''t help but smile at her bright eyes and adorable face.

    There are some elves who don''t feel comfortable around humans, but she''s the only one who doesn''t mind that we''re of different races.

    But to be honest, I shuddered at the thought of a new rival appearing. This girl has all the qualities to be another wife candidate and fight for Toru-Sama''s love.

    Although knowing Toru-Sama, he probably hasn''t realized the feelings Monica-San has for him.

    As for me, the ring on my finger shows the clear advantage I have.

    I am grateful to Soara-San for what she did. But if possible, I want to win Toru-Sama''s love with my own strength.

    "I want you to meet someone downstairs. They have something important to tell you."

    "Okay."

    I left my room and went to the conference room on the second floor.

    ----Separation----

    "This is Elohim-Sama, the Spirit Queen."

    Before me stood a gorgeous woman, radiating beauty from head to toe.

    The whole place fell silent.

    "The reason I have come here and requested a meeting is to rescue the Manyu Brigade from danger."

    Toru-Sama is in danger?

    What do you mean by that?

    "Demon King Rudra has embarked on a mission to assassinate the members of the Manyu Brigade."

    "Is there a demon king here too?"

    "There are many, everywhere. However, the problem now is Rudra, the current Demon King. This being has come from afar and rapidly expanded his power. He has finally reached Petardaus, and at one point, he was even able to contain me, the Wind Spirit Queen."

    Rudra used the evil dragon and succeeded in sealing the spirit queen.

    If the blessing of the Spirit Queen is completely lost, this land will be dominated by the demon race in the blink of an eye.

    Elohim continues to speak.

    Rudra''s real goal is to overthrow the ancient Demon King, Roswell.

    The ancient Demon King has a huge amount of experience points.

    If defeated, even Rudra, who has lived for hundreds of years, can manage to surpass Roswell''s power.

    However, Roswell''s power is gigantic. And it is said that Rudra cannot cope with it.

    So Rudra took the time to gather a force loyal to him.

    He even recruited several nations to join his forces, hoping to bridge the gap in strength with numbers.

    All of his plans were going well, but... The Manyu Brigade was getting in his way every time.

    In Petardaus, they planned to contain the Spirit Queen and take over the country.

    In Jornen, they planned to use the three demon generals as a distraction to attack the city.

    And in Galbaran, they were planning to assassinate the king to build a base of operations that would form the core of the assault on Roswell.

    "They are absolutely wonderful people. I''m sure the Demon King was foaming at the mouth as each of his plans began to fail one after the other."

    Elohim continued speaking.

    "The Manyu Brigade will soon arrive in the country where Rudra is. And as it was a matter of time, Rudra already recognized them as the biggest threat he must destroy, and began a full-scale search."

    Now that Rudra is after Toru-Sama, an inevitable battle is about to begin.

    "Toru-Sama is a very strong man. Even if Rudra is a Demon King, he doesn''t stand a chance against him. He is also the same one who defeated the Demon King from where we came from."

    "The Manyuu Brigade is very strong, I''ll give you that. But, you are not contemplating the shedding of tens of thousands of the blood of the innocent that will happen along the way during this war. Many of Rudra''s soldiers are forced to work and fight as slaves."

    Elohim continued speaking.

    "Can you truly accept that countless innocent people will die if this goes on? Do you even realize how heartbroken they will be after this?"

    "Well..."

    "Rudra is cunning, and will use any means necessary as long as he wins."

    I was speechless.

    What a terrible thing I was thinking.

    I assumed on my own that Toru-Sama would be able to overcome any predicament because he was strong.

    And it was normal for me to think that way, since I''m not the one getting my hands dirty to solve the problems at hand.

    I was so focused on his kindness and personality, that I never stopped to think of all the bad things Toru-Sama might have to do to save us.

    "I see what you mean, you want me to follow your orders to save Toru-Sama?"

    "Yes. I''m going to ask you to do something very difficult as soon as you arrive, but please help them. And please give us a chance to give those who live here their lives back."

    I nodded my head as I said; "I will."

 CH 164

    The men around us were speaking unintelligible words while pointing their spears at us.

    "Let''s take them out!"

    "Wait, we''re the ones who wandered into their territory. If we find a way to explain ourselves, we''ll probably get out of here without having to fight."

    "But I don''t know how to speak their language."

    "We have the translation scrolls. Let''s use it."

    I slowly lowered my backpack to the ground and rummaged through my things.

    I don''t want to hurt them, so if we can avoid this conflict, it will be good for us.

    "Where are they from? I''ve never seen them around here."

    I stopped when I understood the words one of the men spoke.

    "Do you speak our language?"

    "If you don''t respond to the code, then you''re my enemy, and I''m going to kill all of you before you dare tell anyone about this place."

    "Wait a minute. We''re not hostile. I don''t know what''s going on, but I''m not going to tell anyone about this place. Trust me."

    I held up my hands to show that I would not resist.

    I have no reason to fight them.

    "In that case, answer my questions. And depending on what you say, I will consider accepting you as friends."

    "All right, I will."

    "You sure? If you try anything, we''ll kill you."

    "I''m sorry, it''s our fault for entering your territory without permission. I think we can settle this by talking, and if it''s a misunderstanding, we should avoid any unnecessary fighting."

    Besides, I was very interested in them.

    It''s not every day that someone asks you for proof to determine whether you live or die.

    I figured these men are here for a reason, and whatever it is, it must be dangerous.

    And if I can''t make peace with them, we''ll run away from here as fast as we can. I''m not confident I can persuade them because I''m rather foolish.

    "Are you a spy for Rudra?"

    "No, but... Do you have something to do with the Demon King?"

    "Where do you come from?"

    "From the west. We come from Galbaran."

    "So you come from the great nation of the Beasts... You look like an adventurer in that attire."

    I felt the men''s guard lower, ever so slightly.

    I reached into my pocket, "I have an adventurer''s card."

    "Don''t move! I''ll have one of my friends check the card."

    "Okay..."

    One of the men reached into my pocket and pulled out the card.

    He looks at it for a while and then runs to the man who seems to be the leader.

    "Look, it says it''s the Manyu Brigade."

    "The Manyu Brigade?! Wait, I heard there are some frauds out there posing as them... I need proof. Prove to us that you are the Manyu Brigade."

    The leader pointed at me.

    Since you insist...

    I already returned the Hero bracelet to King Armand, and I don''t think the Birfrell family crest will help.

    And the only proof of our identity is the adventurer''s card.

    When I hesitated, the leader demanded more from me.

    "I''ve heard rumors that the Manyu Brigade is a party of incredibly strong people. The leader, in particular, has monstrous strength and can even bite through metal."

    The men brought an iron plate. I have to bite into this to prove my identity.

    I''ve never done anything like this... But I have no choice.

    "Master..."

    "It''s okay, I can endure this."

    Gachin

    I bit into the iron plate and started chewing a piece in my mouth.

    The plate, now missing a piece, had my teeth marks on it.

    You can imagine the taste, but it feels like chewing a piece of hard bread. I''m a little surprised at my strength, I never imagined I could do something like this.

    "Are you satisfied yet?"

    "I can''t believe it. You really bit it. But this is not enough... I need another test. The leader is said to also be able to break a stone with just their finger. Do you think you can do it?"

    One of the men stepped forward and spoke.

    Hmm... Breaking a rock with my finger....

    I approached one of the rocks on the wall, and with a tap, the stone cracked and fell apart.

    "..........."

    "Anything else?"

    "Okay, okay, all right. We acknowledge that you are the true Manyu Brigade."

    Although they were the ones who asked for proof, their faces showed concern and fear.

    Especially the face of the leader who was looking rather pale.

    "This doesn''t make sense. Is there any meaning in me proving that we''re the real deal?"

    "Of course there''s meaning. There''s a story behind this. Come into the village, I want to tell you all the details."

    We were finally able to make peace and engage them in conversation. I was glad to have avoided unnecessary conflict.

    But I wonder if I can gargle some water before entering?

    I can''t stand the taste of iron in my mouth anymore.

    Ugh.

    The valley was deep, and if you looked up, you could see the blue sky between the valley''s red walls.

    I often saw the bones of small animals on the dimly lit path.

    I called out to the leader ahead.

    "Is this area some kind of ruin?"

    "Hm? We don''t know the details. We only live here because it''s a good place to hide, but it may have just been a small warehouse."

    "A warehouse?"

    "These Russian stone pillars when melted, produce high purity iron. It''s possible it was processed and stored like this to prevent corrosion. It has saved us a lot of trouble."

    So the iron can be extracted?

    That''s interesting.

    There are a lot of hard minerals in the world, but in the end people rely on iron, which is easy to process and available in large quantities.

    "This is our town."

    "Oh."

    As we stepped out into the open space, our voices filtered out in surprise.

    Huge mushrooms were growing everywhere, covering the sky.

    Beneath them, many dwarves lived their lives.

    The sound of iron hammering, the smell of baking bread, the laughter of children.

    There is so much peace here.

    "This way."

    The leader led the way to a hole dug in the red wall.

    The door to the hole was simply covered with a cloth, and if you stepped into it, you could see at a glance that it was crudely made by ripping out a rock.

    However, the desks, chairs, and rugs that had been put in were surprisingly nice and of high quality.

    Even an amateur like me could note their value at a glance.

    In the room was a man sitting in a chair.

    ''"Your Majesty, I''ve brought the Manyu Brigade with me."

    ''''Mm.''''

    The man they called ''''Your Majesty'''' squinted hard in the firelight.

    They were dressed differently from the four people we had met before.

    They wore clothes that looked like royalty, if a bit dirty, and they watched us intently with sharp hawk eyes.

    "I am the King of Big Gear. Let''s ask again, are you guys really the Manyu Brigade?"

    "I don''t know how you guys know about us, but yes, we are the Manyu Brigade... You''re not going to ask me to prove it or anything like that, are you?"

    "Honestly, I''d love for you to prove it, but if Hansel has brought you here, it''s because he''s corroborated it. He''s someone you can trust."

    The dwarf named Hansel bowed to the king.

    His bearing was strange, but his manners were as refined as those of a knight.

    I had assumed he was a barbarian, but I wondered if he was really a man of rank.

    "I''ll be brief, I want to hire you."

    "...Hire us?"

    "We need your help to get our land back.

    Before I could respond, the king continued speaking.

    "We have lost our country, and we have no forces or army left. This will be the only request I ask of you, please help us."

    "Who has taken your country from you?"

    "Rudra did."

    "And the enemy is..."

    "Rudra, the Demon King himself."

    In other words, it''s a request to defeat Rudra.

    "It''s not an easy thing to answer. I''d like to give it some thought."

    "I''ll allow you to stay for a while. I expect a positive response."

    I bowed to His Majesty and went out.

    I am somewhat surprised.

    I never thought he would ask me to do something like this. ¡¡ It''s like asking me to leave the place where I was born and raised.

    "What shall we do now, Master? We also have the unfinished business of Soara-San and Pionne-San."

    "I don''t know, I can''t ignore a situation like this. Even though I want to find Soara and Pione, I feel the desire to do something about it."

    "I''ve been thinking. The two of them are accompanied by a person named Isabella. And even if we don''t rush to find them, they should be safe to some extent, right?"

    From what I''ve heard, Isabella is quite strong in the Beast tribe.

    If that person has knowledge of this area, it''s very likely that she''s still safe.

    And Soara is someone cunning and ambitious. She is able to get out of any predicament quickly.

    "In any case, we don''t know where to look from this point. We need time and clues."

    "I''m sure they''re fine. I have a good feeling."

    "I hope so."

    "And knowing Soara-San, she must be making a lot of money and laughing her head off."

    "I hope so...."

    For some reason, Soara''s laughter popped into my head.

 CH 165

    Monica-San and I found ourselves galloping towards Jornen atop two Behemoths.

    "I''m sorry. Even though my father called each of the nobles, we could only muster a little over two thousand men."

    "Don''t worry. it seems that Petardaus felt a lot of indifference towards Rudra, and they had no intention of helping Toru-Sama."

    The Queen of Pertadaus had said that their hero would be more than enough to defeat Demon Lord Rudra.

    When I repeatedly told her that it was an order from the Spirit Queen to recruit troops, she laughed and said that the Spirit Queen would never say such a thing

    If the Spirit Queen had been there, the Queen''s decision might have been different.

    But Elohim was more interested in persuading other countries than her own.

    And for that reason I decided it would be better to give up on Petardaus.

    Of course, Monica-San agreed with this thinking.

    Petardaus is a small country on the edge of the continent.

    In addition to having a small number of troops, the skill level of their soldiers is low, so there isn''t much of a point in having them send troops.

    Also, that nation is the farthest away from Toru-Sama''s location.

    As such, it has the lowest priority.

    "Monica-San, are you sure this is the right place?"

    "Don''t worry, I''ve been to the capital of Jornen several times. And Bechjiro is following the trail I had taken before."

    "Do you understand what the monsters are saying?"

    "A little. When you take care of them daily, you start to catch on to certain things." ¡¡ Bechjiro roared "Gah!" as if to answer Monica-San.

    The Behemoth... I heard it was a monster that Toru-Sama had tamed. At first, I couldn''t help but shiver when I saw it. It has a terrifying appearance, like it''s going to attack you at any moment.

    But now I feel calmer around it.

    It is also surprisingly comfortable to ride.

    "Here we are!"

    "Good, we will soon have an audience with the queen of the dark elves."

    We had arrived in the capital of Jornen.

    "Elohim-Sama told me what happened. I did not know that Rudra had his eyes on Jornen. I had assumed he was only interested in taking over the mountains."

    The Queen, holding a heart-shaped cushion on her couch-like throne, twisted her face in disgust.

    Monica-San and I waited silently for her response.

    "When Zig came here, I knew he was useless. He thought he could come to this place, empty-handed, without providing anything of value, and just ask for information. Honestly, how insulting. So, I used him to kill some time and have a little fun at his expense. Now then, what do you have to offer me?"

    So you are asking for something in return.

    I did come to ask for her help, so I suppose it''s natural for me to offer something of value as well.

    Fortunately, thanks to the Spirit Queen''s persuasion, the elf queen was already almost convinced to cooperate.

    I have heard that dark elves are capable of summoning magic, so I must do all I can to gain their support.

    "I think we can strengthen our relations with the neighboring countries. The reason Rudra was able to enter the country in the first place is because the ties between the countries are weak. I understand not being able to share certain information, but they shouldn''t be hostile to each other, and not having surveillance hurts them mutually.... With these gaps, it''s normal for the enemy to be able to do what they want."

    "Are you suggesting that we are not at peace?"

    "Yes, that''s exactly my point. It''s time to foster ties between countries."

    "Hueeh! Marianne-San, don''t say such crazy things! Your Majesty, she''s overreacting!"

    Her Majesty''s eyes narrowed as she let out a low; "Hmm."

    It was enough to make me feel lifeless.

    The person watching me intently was the queen of a country, and I am just a human coming from an Island.

    I cannot use the title of Countess in this place.

    "There is one more advantage for you, Your Majesty. That is, if you decide to give us your support, we promise that you will have priority support in matters related to the Manyu Brigade."

    "The Manyu Brigade... They are certainly an extraordinary group of people, with outstanding power and ability. I am very interested in having a strong connection with them... Can I trust those words?"

    "The Manyu brigade is made up of the former hero of our homeland. And even though he has given up the title, the devotion and respect that King Armand feels towards Toru-Sama remains."

    I am setting Toru-Sama up with a big commitment, but now is not the time to ask for his permission. I must do whatever I can to help him.

    Besides, I have received information from Luvue-Sama (Actually it was the vice captain) that if necessary, they can give orders to the Manyu Brigade.

    Toru-Sama''s client is Lastoria, and formally speaking, Toru-Sama''s superior is Luvue-Sama.

    "The Spirit King told me that Armand''s kingdom is on an island far out at sea."

    "That is correct."

    "Is that for real?"

    "Monica-San..."

    I am surprised by Monica''s perception.

    "I''ll accept your offer, if you let me go on that boat."

    What!

    I don''t think it''s something I can promise.

    The queen''s eyes sparkled like a child''s looking at candy.

    "I wonder what it will be like on the other side of the ocean. It has always interested me. I''m also curious about ships crossing the open sea."

    "But, I''m afraid I can''t make that promise."

    "Oh, well, that''s all right. I''ll talk to the man in charge when this is over."

    A man who is dressed in armor appears on the scene.

    He kneels before the queen.

    "Your Majesty, everything is in order. We will leave as soon as I give the order."

    "In that case. Head to Big Gear right now and help the Manyu Brigade defeat Rudra. Never give in to other races, and make Demon King Rudra regret stepping on the coda of a sleeping dark elf."

    "Yes!"

    His Majesty smiled at me.

    When we arrived at Galbaran''s palace, we greeted the king.

    "I have heard all from Elohim, they are working to defeat the Demon King Rudra."

    "That''s right, Petardaus and Jornen have agreed to send troops and right now there are troops marching towards their destination. Please, we request your assistance."

    "Please, Your Majesty. Help us defend the Manyu Brigade."

    "That adventurer..."

    His Majesty casts his gaze at the person next to him.

    "Is it in our best interest to help the Manyu Brigade?"

    "Yes. I''m sure he''s an SS rank class. Maybe it''s even higher than that. In my opinion, your majesty. If we don''t help him, this could spell the death of this country."

    "General, I never thought you would say something like that... Hmm."

    As I looked at the man the king was talking to, I noticed something very curious.

    On his cloak was embroidered the phrase "Love,Kaede" on the inside.

    Kaede-San... What have you done?

    "I don''t like the idea of having to fight a race like the elves, but Rudra is even more annoying. He has caused a lot of chaos in my country, he has even planned to assassinate me. And the Spirit King was talking about strengthening the ties between the nations..."

    "Yes, Elohim-Sama proposes that we strengthen the ties between the nations and share information to better protect our lands."

    "Including this country in that framework... Umm, I''ve changed my mind a bit after this incident. No matter how big a country is, it will inevitably be defeated if we are attacked by the sword. I think sharing information will be a good thing."

    Monica-San and I were smiling. Apparently the king had already made up his mind.

    By the way, I mentioned earlier that Elohim-Sama suggested it, but I was really the one who came up with the idea for this.

    I remembered the Round Table meetings, so I thought it would be better to suggest that each country should cooperate to fight the Demon King.

    Rather, I can''t help but wonder what they were doing so far.

    Has peace managed to be kept around here on their own?

    "Are you ready to go to war?"

    "Yes!"

    "Strike with your hammer upon the Demon King! And make victory belong to the beasts!"

    "I will! For His Majesty the king and for my country!"

    The general bowed his head to the king.

    Our next destination was the Land of Ainowa.

    The Spirit King had said it was the land of the fairies.

    At this point we had encountered a big problem in meeting Toru-Sama.

    And that was the Great Forest.

    There were many routes that could divert us from the road, and that represents a big problem. A large shortcut was required to allow the armies of the various countries to pass through.

    Monica-San and I arrived at the entrance to the Great Forest.

    "You''re too late, I''ve been waiting here for a long time!"

    "You are the guide?"

    "Yes, my name is Naomin, nice to meet you."

    We were greeted by a lovely fairy.

    I guess the Spirit King has already told her what is going on.

    That''s why she has been waiting for us here.

    But could the faeries clear a path for us through the vast Great Forest? ¡¡ Or will they let us use the road they use?

    "We''ve talked among ourselves, and we agree that it''s time for the faeries to start interacting with other races. But we can''t do it all at once. So to show our support, we will begin this first step with you."

    We listened in silence.

    "This could certainly bring more knowledge about other races among the fairies. But also that may open a door that will bring more enemies to us, although, that doesn''t mean that it may also bring more allies. right? For the future of our race, we will seize this opportunity."

    "You''ve made up your mind, haven''t you?"

    "No. On the contrary, we will show the world how dangerous fairies can be."

    Zuzun Zuzun

    The ground begins to shake.

    A mountain in the distance begins to move.

    No.. Wait. It''s not a mountain, it''s a giant monster.

    "Behold our guardian, Roswell! It''s your turn, Rozsuchi, make way for them!"

    "Roger that, little flat-chested friend."

    So he is the former Demon King Roswell.

    I''ve only heard of him from the Spirit King, but I never thought there was anyone as great as him."

    This continent seems to be a place that is beyond our common sense.

    Just by Roswell walking, the trees broke down making a path between us.

    In addition, the fairies were removing any trash that might be an obstacle.

    At this rate, we should be able to get through the Great Forest in no time.

    Toru-Sama, please be strong a little longer.

    I will soon be by your side.

    We have reached the amount of published raw of this story, now the chapters will stop being daily and will be published every time the author publishes a new chapter. If you want to be aware when the next chapter is translated, follow us on our networks: Discord | Telegram | Twitte

 CH 166

    Three days have passed.

    We are still in the village, unable to decide whether or not to accept the King''s request.

    "Be careful, you might fall in there."

    A giant mushroom slowly bends down.

    With my special mushroom axe in hand, I watch the villagers flee.

    Soon after, the mushroom collapses.

    Immediately, the villagers with baskets gathered and cut off pieces of the mushroom with their knives.

    Among them was Kaede.

    "Master~, tonight I will prepare a delicious mushroom soup for you."

    "I can''t wait to eat it."

    My pretty slave smiled mischievously. All the housewives around me smiled and said things like, "Youth is such a lovely thing" or "They look so cute together"

    I wonder what''s going on with these people.

    Mushrooms are a very desirable food for them.

    They grow everywhere and are edible. The taste isn''t particularly delicious, but it becomes quite tasty depending on how you cook it, especially if it is crispy.

    "Why are you chasing Frau!?"

    "Kii¡«"

    "Kyu, kyu, kyui!"

    "It''s not because I look delicious! Stop staring and help me!"

    Frau was running through the village. Behind her, a large rock rat was giving chase.

    Rock rats are kept in this village as beasts of burden, mainly for transportation.

    They are plump and lovely looking, and watching them eat fruit with both their paws was very endearing.

    They are very shy animals, but it''s a whole nother story when they''re with Frau. It seems they enjoy her company very much, and no matter if they''re big or small, they are always chasing her, and they also lick her all over, covering her in saliva.

    Frau, on the other hand, is quite disgusted by this arrangement.

    "Dammit, a wall!"

    "Kii¡«"

    "Hey, stop it, leave me alone."

    "Kii!!!"

    "Wuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

    Frau gets backed up against a wall, and the rat starts to lick her.

    "Kyu, kyu, kyu, kyu!"

    "Kii¡«"

    "Kyui!"

    The rock rat turns around and stares at Panda.

    By the way, Panda usually gets licked too just like Frau. I think it would have been better if he had escaped while Frau was being attacked.

    "I see you are settling in nicely here."

    "Ah, old Hansel."

    The old man casually appears. He had been out hunting a while ago, and had a rabbit in his left hand.

    "Well, they''re letting me stay here for free, so I have to help out somehow."

    "That''s very considerate. So, do you have some free time later?"

    "Sure, but what do you want me to do?"

    "The blacksmith wants to see the sword you''re carrying."

    He wants to see my sword?

    Well, I guess that''s okay.

    I arrived at the weapons store that old Hansel had told me about. In the store are a lot of high quality weapons.

    But what is most striking is the group of old men gathered here.

    "Hmmm, it''s made of a metal I''ve never seen."

    "Surely it''s not made of a material found in these lands. How was it even processed? I can''t even imagine that."

    "It looks like it was cast, but from another aspect, it also looks forged... What kind of weapon is it?"

    "Let me take a closer look... Hmmm, what is this?"

    The blacksmiths were gathered together, curiously discussing the sword. In addition, there was a fierce looking person who lightly tapped it with a hammer, examined it under the light and then licked the blade

    Umm, I''m not comfortable with a stranger licking my weapon.

    "Don''t you know what a sacred weapon is?"

    "Sacred weapon?"

    All the elders turned their eyes on me. They don''t seem to know what I''m talking about.

    "A sacred weapon is an object that only the chosen ones can obtain. It looks like a sword now, but it can be transformed into whatever it''s wielder desires."

    "A sacred sword...? Ho. And where does one obtain such a thing?"

    "In a temple. Anyway, it''s a powerful weapon that only heroes can use."

    "In short, this is some kind of relic?"

    "Yes."

    The elders started talking to each other and saying things like "This is a relic?" "This is nothing like the sacred swords we know of."

    "Are there sacred arms here?"

    "I don''t know where to find any sacred arms, but I''ve certainly never seen a relic like this before. You can find many relics that are called sacred swords, but I''ve never seen or heard of one obtained from a temple."

    I see... So sacred arms aren''t obtainable in this continent. Or perhaps these people have not traveled far enough to know of their existence.

    The relics here are more varied and have better performance, and the sacred swords might even have better performance than my sacred arms.

    But still, I like this sword, so I don''t plan to change it.

    "Well, it''s time for you to give it back to me."

    "Not yet. I just need a little more time."

    "We want to know more."

    "We still haven''t figured out the secrets of this oddity."

    "Well, all right. Do as you like"

    The elders were pleased and went back to examining the sword. I don''t know what kind of things they will do with the sword, but I will have to wait and see how things go.

    Oh right, there was something I wanted to ask old Hansel. ¡¡ I turn my attention back to him as he sits in a chair near the counter.

    He is still half naked and painted all over, barbarian style.

    "I''ve been meaning to ask you something, why are you dressed like that?"

    "That way if I''m caught, they''ll just think I''m a barbarian."

    "Are you expecting to be captured and tortured?"

    "It''s to protect this place. Rudra is still searching for His Majesty."

    He takes out a cup and brings it to his mouth. From the smell, I could tell it was sake.

    Hansel was a general.

    Originally, he was the chief of staff, but both the general and the vice general died in the last battle, so he was left in command of the army.

    Not to mention that this army has also disappeared. There used to be about 6,000 men. Now, they are less than a hundred in total.

    "Can''t they go somewhere else and try again?"

    "That''s what we''ll do if our final strategy fails. I won''t be alive by then. His Majesty and the people left behind will be banished to Galbaran."

    "Why do they want to go so far...?"

    Hansel answers Kaede''s question by saying; "I think it''s because I want to reward him."

    "When Rudra appeared, he took everything that belonged to us, we were very helpless and desperate, I couldn''t do anything about it. If I don''t get my revenge, I won''t be able to live peacefully after the death of all the innocent people. You have no idea how it makes me feel."

    No... You''re wrong.

    I know that feeling all too well. The pain of having what you love most in the world taken away from you, it''s something that poisons your heart.

    There is no way I can convince you otherwise. The more important it is, the more it drags your heart into darkness.

    You can''t help but hate this damn world. You see no hope anywhere, and everything becomes empty and cold.

    "I will accept the request.... Although I have to discuss it with my friends first."

    "Truly!? His Majesty will be pleased to hear that!"

    , Hensel called the blacksmith in the store.

    "I want you to make a ball this size."

    "I wouldn''t mind, but... What do you want it for?"

    "It''s what you call a strategy. The quality of the ball doesn''t matter, just make me a hundred of them."

    The blacksmiths cocked their heads curiously as he said "balls?"

    I won''t forgive anyone who steals mercilessly. Whether it''s the Demon Lord or the Hero.

    Besides, I have to make Rudra pay for what he did to Soara and Pione.

    I don''t care if he won''t leave the country. I''ll drag him out of there myself.

    We are former heroes who already bested one Demon Lord.

    We will become the hope for these people who have lost everything because of that bastard.

    Clan clan clan

    Suddenly, the sound of bells echoed through the village. It sounded like an alarm for some kind of imminent danger.

    Hansel steps out in front and leads the nearby occupants inside.

    "Quickly, get in!"

    "What''s going on?"

    "Damn it, Rudra''s men are closing in!"

    Once the evacuation was complete, Hansel and I peered out the door just above us.

    The shadows of multiple Wyverns pass over us.

    This rocky mountain has countless valleys that extend like blood vessels, and the valleys themselves are deep, so it''s not easy to spot the figure of anyone who''s down here.

    In addition, the giant mushrooms that grow wild provide a good hiding place.

    This is the perfect place to hide.

    ...At least, it should be, but several bags containing oil are dropped one after another directly from above.

    "We''ve been spotted!"

    Following Hansel''s words, there was an explosion in the village.

 CH 167

    Explosions occur in many places in the village.

    The flames ignited the oil, and the trail of fire snaked its way across the ground. In the streets, the black smoke grew thicker and thicker.

    The echoing screams elicited fear and made death seem more real.

    "Stay calm and evacuate! Put a wet cloth over your mouth so you don''t breathe in the smoke!"

    "There''s not enough water! Damned demons!"

    "Have the mages prioritize putting out the fire! Pull the cattle aside, they''ll be dead before we know it!"

    "Look out above, they keep bombarding us with those things!!!"

    The screams and anxiety began to increase, the bells wouldn''t stop ringing, and I ran against the tide in the crowd of people.

    Old Hansel and I split up. He has the responsibility of commanding the army.

    "Kaede! Frau! Panda!"

    I shouted at the top of my lungs, but I couldn''t find my friends.

    Multiple Wyvern shadows were passing overhead, when I looked up, several of them were flying in a circle like birds of prey in search of their next kill.

    A Wyvern swoops down and grabs a boy by the leg, then grabs him in its mouth and flies away.

    Tch... I have to get rid of them first, otherwise it will be impossible to fight.

    "Rosuke, Chupi, Kurata!"

    As soon as Rosuke came out, he flew off like a silver flash and rushed through the sky. In the blink of an eye, he penetrated one of the Wyverns.

    While Rosuke took care of them, Chupi and Kuratan were in charge of guiding the people.

    "Get up or the demons will kill you!"

    "But my leg...!"

    A mother was trying to get her son who was on the ground to get up.

    A demon riding a Wyvern plummeted at high speed towards the ground as it approached the parent and child.

    "Gyahahahahahahaha, let''s start with the child-- Buh-heh!"

    I stepped in front of the family and a moment later, I slammed the Wyvern''s head into the ground using my fists.

    A crack formed in the ground and the Wyvern coughed up blood as its eyes rolled back in its head.

    The demon on top of the wyvern fell off and slid face first into the ground.

    "Uggh, who the hell are you to stand in my way!? I''ll kill you right now!"

    "That''s none of your business. Worry more about what I''m about to do to you."

    "What nonsense are you saying? I am Rudra-Sama''s personal guard! Or are you such an idiot that you can''t distinguish my rank and power!"

    "Unfortunately, I am a bit of an idiot... You two run while you can."

    I spoke to the small family urging them to run. They nodded and took off running.

    I brought my hands behind my back to grab my sword and prepare to fight, but strangely I felt nothing.

    ¡­.Oh right, I left it in the armory.

    Oh well.

    It won''t be a problem if I face off against these little minnows barehanded.

    "You''re going to regret this, Human. I''m going to run you clean through."

    "I''m in a hurry. I don''t have time for threats, let''s get this started."

    "You fucking scumbag!!!"

    Just before the man started to move, I immediately closed the distance and flicked his face.

    Piiiiin

    The moment my finger touched his face, pieces of his skull and flesh scattered all over the place.

    Well, it wasn''t a very nice way to win, but it was effective.

    "Master¡«!"

    "Kaede?"

    I heard Kaede''s voice somewhere. I squinted my eyes as I searched the other side of the fire to find her, and with her magic, she blew the flames out until they were extinguished.

    "Are you hurt!?"

    "No, I''m fine, this is the enemy''s blood."

    Kaede is relieved to see that I am unharmed.

    "Where''s Frau?"

    "I was looking for her too. I thought I heard her voice from over here."

    Suddenly, we both heard Frau''s voice coming from somewhere nearby. We looked up and there we saw Frau with Panda.

    Frau was carrying a rock rat while throwing a tantrum, and right behind her was Panda, stretched out like a disc, carrying several children that he managed to rescue at a considerable altitude.

    "My lord!"

    "Kii!"

    She dropped the rat to the ground and flew towards me. The rat hit the ground on its butt and squeaked angrily at Frau.

    "I was saving the kids with Panda, and that rat was just an afterthought."

    "Kyui!"

    "Well done. Kaede, you go with Frau and Panda. Get the children out of here, I''ll take care of the demons."

    "Yes, Master. Please be very careful please."

    I left Kaede and headed towards the village.

    "So here you are, former king of Big-Gear."

    "Get away from me! Come any closer and my sword will end you!"

    "That''s very funny. Thinking that you can beat us, Rudra-Sama''s great royal guard, I find it very nauseating to hear."

    "I am more than capable of cutting your heads off, don''t underestimate me!"

    The king was backed against a wall by five men. Nearby lay about ten dwarven soldiers who had died trying to protect him.

    Among them was the figure of Hansel. The old man''s fingers twitched, but only slightly.

    I was relieved to know he was still alive.

    "Please run away..."

    "Hansel! I''m sorry you had to come all this way, only for us to not even get our country back!"

    "The important thing is that you live...."

    A young demon stomps on Hansel, who was badly wounded.

    "You are traitors! Big-Gear belongs to Rudra-sama now, and even your people recognize that. No matter how much you try to deny it, it''s useless."

    "Then why are they after us? Oh, I know, it''s because the throne has no legitimacy, right? Since no one wants to recognize Rudra as king."

    "Once I have your head and crown in my hands, that problem will immediately be solved. Where is the crown? Give it to me, and I will set you free."

    Both swords clash, the king having predicted the demon''s attack.

    "I will never give it to you."

    "You refuse to give it to me? Then I will kill you and take it.

    "Wait!"

    I shouted, drawing everyone''s attention to myself.

    "Who are you?"

    "Just a simple adventurer who was hired by these people."

    "So you''re an adventurer... What about your weapon?"

    "I don''t need a weapon.... Or is it that you fear what I can do with my hands?"

    The young man''s eyes widened for a few moments, and then he burst out laughing.

    "Hahaha! Are you serious? You''re funny. Captain, you don''t mind if I play with him, do you?"

    "We don''t have much time. You have one minute."

    "That''s more than enough time to kill this guy, then we can get on with our mission."

    A very burly man answers the young man''s question. He must be the leader of this unit.

    The young man re-sheathed his sword and raised his fist with a smile on his face.

    "I''m going to match you in this fight, so it''ll be more fun."

    "Are you sure you won''t regret it?"

    "Oh come on, do you really think you''re on the same level as me? Where did you even come from, you fool?"

    "Beyond the open sea."

    At once our fists collided.

    A shockwave went through the air and the demon''s left arm broke off and disappeared.

    After a few heartbeats, the man shouted.

    "My, my, my, my... My aaaaarm! Where is it!?"

    The young man falls to the ground and screams loudly at his missing arm, while the remaining upper half of his arm drips blood.

    I knew he would end up regretting it.

    "What did you do to Luca''s arm!? Who the hell are you!?"

    All the men quickly surrounded me.

    "I am Toru of the Manyuu Brigade."

    "So you''re the adventurer Rudra-sama has been looking for. This is good news. We will eliminate all those who interfere with our lord."

    At the leader''s command, three men attacked me at the same time.

    I paused for a moment to inhale air and the moment the blades touched me, I held in my breath all at once, causing my muscles to seize up.

    "Haaaaah!"

    The three blades shattered as my muscles expanded.

    "Aaah!"

    Immediately, my fist exploded the heads of the three demons that attacked me.

    "So you''re the hero..."

    "No, I''m just a simple warrior."

    "Kugh! Retreat! We can''t take on a monster like this!"

    The leader jumps towards a nearby Wyvern.

    "Captain, take me with you!"

    "Don''t be ridiculous, you got yourself into this mess in the first place! Do what you can to stall him!"

    "Don''t leave me!"

    The Wyvern took off.

    But a silver flash appeared in the sky and pierced the leader through the chest.

    The leader loses his hold and falls limply off his mount. He surely died instantly from that attack.

    "Sha!"

    "Well done."

    Rosuke had returned to me.

    Apparently he already took care of the other enemies, they were probably the last ones left.

    "Hueeh, I don''t want to die!"

    The young man started to crawl away as he saw me.

    I think his name is Luso... or Luha... Agh, I forgot his name already.

    "Rosuke... Make it quick."

    "Sha!"

    In the blink of an eye. Rosuke was through it.

    Hey guys, some important news I''ve posted that will probably interest you, go read it. ????????

 CH 168

    Old man Hansel appeared on the scene. He is now dressed like a general, having abandoned the barbarian-style clothing in favor of wearing armor.

    "Come on."

    "Don''t push yourself too hard, old man."

    "This is nothing. Don''t you know that a dwarf''s body is stronger than a human''s?"

    "Even so, you shouldn''t exert yourself too much or else your wounds will reopen."

    "I asked the beast girl, and she said it was fine."

    He had a bandage around his abdomen. Kaede''s healing skills were able to stop the bleeding, but he''s still not completely healed, and still has severe damage. I admit he''s a tough guy, but I think he needs to rest for now.

    "Sitting still for too long makes me think of unnecessary things, so please drop it."

    "Okay."

    I can only nod at the old man''s serious eyes.

    After the last battle, we suffered many casualties. The location of this settlement is now known, and we cannot afford to relax.

    The king has ordered the launch of a campaign to retake the country, so this is our last chance to end this.

    Right now, they''re transporting supplies near the capital in preparation for the invasion.

    "Hey, young man. I did exactly what you asked."

    "Thank you."

    The owner of the gun store brings it in his cart. I headed to the back to check the contents of the box.

    "I made about three hundred iron balls as ordered. But are they really useful?"

    "Yes, they are, thank you."

    I replied to the store owner as I checked the iron balls. The quality is below average, the construction is crappy, but that''s okay.

    "Hey everyone¡«, the food is ready¡«."

    Kaede called out to us, and the fifty soldiers rested their gaze on her and smiled. As always, my lovely slave draws the attention of all those nearby wherever she goes.

    "...I would like the Manyu Brigade to serve as a decoy."

    "What''s your plan?"

    I responded to Hansel''s words as I broke my loaf of bread in half.

    There are two types of troops that will attack the capital: The first unit will attack the actual capital from the front, and the second unit will secretly attack the interior. We will only be there as an insurance policy. Hansel''s troops are the ones who will attack the city.

    "Are you sure you can defeat the Demon Lord by yourselves?"

    "That is why I have traveled to Galbaran in search of these relics."

    The old man turns the bag he''s holding over, spilling the relics inside all over the table. I have no idea what they are, or what they do. Kaede, who was wearing an apron, stood in front of the table, and assessed each of the relics.

    "Magic Shield Scroll, Magic Sealing Chain, Sticky Sphere, Flash Sphere, Physical Enhancement Potion, Magic Enhancement Potion, and an Ability Blocking Scroll."

    A magic shield scroll creates a membrane that prevents magic for a set amount of time.

    A magical sealing chain can contain the magic of the person it binds.

    A sticky sphere releases a very strong mucus that renders anyone filled with it immobile, and a flash sphere emits a strong, blinding light that activates once it bursts.

    As the name suggests, Physical and Magic Enhancement Potions temporarily increase muscle strength and magical power, but as a side effect, they put a considerable strain on the user''s body.

    If you use both at the same time, your body will give out completely. The last item is something I already know, so there''s no need to explain it.

    "How did you get all this? You didn''t have much money."

    "I sold some of my personal items. I even sold my wedding ring, so I have to make sure this mission is a success."

    "Are you serious?"

    "Yes, and that''s all I''ll say."

    I guess it''s time to make my contribution. I emptied my storage and placed the few items I had collected so far on the table.

    These are things that don''t have much value on the market, and aren''t of much use to me, but I hope they can help the dwarves. They need all the help they can get, and the more items they have that can help make a difference, the higher the odds of victory will be.

    "Are you sure you want to give us all this...?"

    "I don''t want you to die. I''m giving you these so that you can survive, and so that tomorrow we can enjoy some good sake and food together."

    "Thank you... I owe you a great debt."

    "Just make sure you know your limits. If things get too difficult, remember to use the smoke ball."

    If Hansel''s troops are defeated, they are to signal us with a red smoke ball. After that, they will retreat, and the task of defeating Rudra will be transferred to us on the surface.

    Well, by the time the old man and the others reach the palace, we may have destroyed the enemy army. Unless there are some strong opponents.

    "By the way... Where are Frau and Panda?"

    "That''s odd, they were nearby not long ago."

    "Kiii."

    The husky rat walked up, both it''s cheeks puffed out.

    ¡­..No way.

    However, this is the same rat that''s always after Frau and Panda, so maybe...

    "Have you seen Frau and Panda?"

    "Here! Frau is here, my Lord!"

    "Kyu!"

    "Kii?"

    The rat''s cheeks twitched around and voices could be heard from within. The rats then spat out two familiar figures.

    "I saved your life, and this is how you repay me!?"

    "Kyu, kyui kyui kyui kyui!"

    "Kiii¡«?"

    The rat shoots me a blatantly ridiculous look and walks up to me before rubbing his face against mine. This guy is so fluffy and nice. He has a face similar to a fat squirrel than a rat.

    "He''s very charming."

    "That''s right."

    "Kiii."

    I rubbed his head while Kaede rubbed his back. The rat combed his face with his paws as he received so much cuddles.

    "Don''t be fooled, my lord! That rat is pure evil!"

    "Kyui, kyui!"

    Frau and Panda were complaining, but I paid no attention and went back to eating my dinner.

    We stopped dead in our tracks.

    Before us lay our destination, the royal city of Big-Gear. However, Rudra''s soldiers were deployed at the sides, blocking our path.

    The number of soldiers is approximately three thousand. This is not a number that''s usually deployed against three people.

    The situation at the waiting point has become complicated. Did they predict our movements?

    "They seem to be very cautious."

    "It''s crazy that they want to face my Master. They should kneel down and beg for mercy before his power."

    "You are right. Let them surrender, and then they can live."

    "What are you talking about, Frau-san? It is a foolish act worthy of death when you try to confront the Master. Even if they pretend to surrender, their fate should still be death."

    "You know, Kaede, you can be scary sometimes."

    Both Frau and Kaede don''t seem the least bit nervous about the battle. In fact, they are very relaxed. Well, it''s probably because it''s not the first time they are about to fight a Demon Lord.

    "Kyui!"

    "Hey, come back here."

    "Kyui! Kyui!"

    Panda shakes around noisily and calls for a fight. I appreciate the sentiment, but we all have our weaknesses. Especially when it comes to an animal as fluffy as you who was created for the purpose of being a helper, Panda. Sorry, you''re not ready for combat, you''ll just get in the way.

    I stroked his head and forced him back into the seal; "Please understand."

    "Rosuke, Chupi, Kuratan, come out."

    "Shaa!"

    "Chupi!"

    "Kura¡«"

    The three beasts appeared and immediately got into position for combat. There is still some distance between us and the enemy, but I''m sure they are already aware of us.

    The wyverns fly out of the capital one after another. That means they are alert.

    "Well, it''s time to begin.

    "Yes!"

    "I''m ready!"

    I took out a wooden box containing the iron balls from my storage, then held one in each hand.

    There are three hundred balls in total. With this amount, we can reduce the number of soldiers.

    "Here I go..."

    I lightly threw a ball towards the enemy.

    Poof!

    A large cloud of smoke appeared in the center of their ranks.

    TN: Sorry for the few updates regarding the chapters, we still haven''t had any luck finding a proofreader, so working between the Light Novel and the chapters of the Web Novels is a very heavy load...

 CH 169

    I threw an iron ball.

    In the distance, an explosion was heard and a cloud of dust spread all over the area.

    "I feel pathetic having to fight like this..."

    An object like this thrown by someone who is over level 3000 allows it to reach unimaginable speed with even the slightest toss, causing it to pierce the ground and send the surrounding troops flying.

    Is this a cowardly tactic on my part?

    Well, maybe so... But there are only three of us against 3,000 of them. I think that''s fair enough. I''d like to fight them one on one, but it''s impossible even for me.

    "The enemy is on the move."

    "They seem to have realized that we''re at a disadvantage in numbers."

    "Whoaaaaaaaaa!!!"

    Rudra''s army began to run furiously. So much so that they didn''t even bother to hold their formation, and came at us wildly.

    "Magic fairy ball! Hyaaaaaa!"

    One of the iron balls thrown by Frau hits the enemy troops.

    Huh... So there''s a higher chance of hitting my target if I use techniques?

    "Toru''s super special straight shot!"

    The moment I threw the ball with all my might, it disintegrated in the air as soon as I let it loose.

    Uh, really?

    This material is so poor that it couldn''t withstand something as strong as that. So I threw another one again with limited effort.

    "Haaaaaaaaa!"

    There was a man shouting as he ran in our direction while dodging the balls, at the same time he had tears in his eyes.

    It was a truly interesting sight.

    "Who is he?"

    "He seems to be the general named Chiba."

    Chiba is a dark-haired man of medium height.

    Moreover, he''s a human.

    His weapon is a curved sword. A katana, I think.

    I remember it because it''s a type of weapon used back home, on the other side of the island. It''s sharp, but it is difficult to use, so there were few people who could use it. But if you do know how to use it, then it can be a very powerful weapon.

    I''m about to run out of ammunition....

    I think it''s enough with long range attacks.

    "Kaede."

    "Yes! Twin Tornado! Ice Age!"

    The two iron fans unfurled and Kaede unleashed wind and ice magic. The extremely cold tornado that was generated froze the enemies as they soared through the air.

    Chiba, who was still running towards us, gnashed his teeth.

    That guy is quite persistent.

    Kaede was continuously unleashing ''Twin Tornado'' and ''Ice Age'' attacks. The battlefield turned into a hellish landscape.

    Countless tornadoes mercilessly attacked the demon army. Even so, hundreds of soldiers being led by Chiba pass through the middle. To be honest, I''m impressed. Despite being the enemy, I''m sure he''s a great guy.

    "Fairy Flash!"

    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaa, my eyes! What is this!"

    Frau''s violent flash of light hits the enemy. Chiba and the others, whose vision has been impaired, run in the opposite direction and run into each other.

    But only Chiba was heading straight toward us. Although his eyes were closed since he couldn''t see anything.

    Well done, my enemy! As a warrior, you thrill me!

    "At last we''re face to face! Now let''s have a proper fight!"

    When Chiba reached me, he raised his katana with a tearful face. Maybe it''s because he''s blind, but he''s not looking at me, but at Kaede.

    "I..."

    "No, I''ll handle this, you guys continue to get rid of the rest. Chupi, keep giving Rosuke instructions and get rid of the Wyvern troops."

    "I understand."

    "Sha!"

    "Chupi!"

    I unsheathed the large sword on my back.

    "I am Toru, leader of the Manyu Brigade."

    "My name is Chiba, one of the three demon generals. I have heard of your brave deeds. I am truly impressed with your spirit of defiance towards my Lord despite being only three people, but I''m afraid the fun stops here."

    He glared at me and said, "I shall be your opponent. Please tell the other two to stand back."

    Um...Should I tell him that Kaede and Frau are already busy beating the crap out of his comrades behind him?

    "Don''t you think it would be better for you to wait until you regain your vision?"

    "Fuhahaha, I don''t need to worry about that. I can read your moves even if I can''t see them. I commend your desire for this fight to be on equal footing ."

    "The truth is..."

    "Come on, let''s start the battle!"

    Chiba raises his Katana at me. If he''s as good at reading moves as he says he is, he must have had special training. Or maybe he possesses a rare ability.

    Even in that state, he seems to be aware of my presence.

    "Dah!"

    "Fu!"

    Giin

    Our swords clash. I could feel the force of our blows connecting. His is a long, thin weapon, but it still possesses enough power to break anything that gets in its way. Chiba quickly unleashes his next attack. There are no unnecessary movements, and he chains every attack with his next one, flowing naturally, with no delay in between.

    He''s incredibly fast. In fact, I think I''m pretty slow myself. I can barely perceive when the blade approaches me.

    Who the hell is this guy?

    "You''ll never beat me if you''re too slow to perceive my movements! And that''s just a small test!"

    Chiba''s attacks started to get faster. I can''t perceive his attacks.

    This guy is definitely the strongest of the three demon generals.

    "I never thought I''d have to kill you without seeing your face first. Perhaps this is fate. You will die in the name of Rudra-sama."

    I''ve been learning his moves with mimics while receiving them.

    This guy has more skills than me. He has a different strength than Pionne''s grandfather, Mugen. I''m not sure if the skills to handle a katana can be used with a greatsword.

    "Oh, my vision is starting to come back. Now you..."

    "Master!"

    Right after hearing Kaede''s voice, there''s an explosion nearby. Chiba and I are stunned by the impact.

    "What the hell...?"

    Chiba and I fell to the ground the moment the explosion came toward us. I stood up and checked the situation from afar, and saw countless explosions on the battlefield. It seems to be some kind of magical attack.

    The magic that was released from the royal capital was pouring down like rain. Why are they using a large scale attack even though they have allies mixed in with the enemy?

    I fixed my gaze towards Chiba to see his reaction, and he was still on the ground. He might have fainted, or he might have died. Either way, it''s pretty obvious this Lord of his is a real bastard.

    "Chupii!"

    "Kura¡«"

    Chupi brought back Rosuke and ordered Kuratan to assume the role of umbrella in the face of the attack.

    Kaede and Frau, who had returned, took cover with me underneath Kuratan.

    "This is crazy, how could he possibly be willing to kill his own forces?"

    "Maybe their role was to stall us, just like we were supposed to stall them."

    "Look over there, is that the main army!?"

    I directed my gaze at the entrance to the royal capital using the binoculars. The main army was forming up in a line one after another, the number being about 10,000 soldiers.

    I don''t think they are strong enough to stop the three of us.

    But the situation didn''t stop there.

    Something else was being brought out from behind the gates.

    Slaves...?

    A bunch of dwarves with chains around their necks were lined up in front of the soldiers. A voice could be heard in the distance.

    "Surrender immediately. Resistance will lead to the death of innocent people."

    So they plan to use the hostages?

    "We already know that you are the heroes known as the Manyu Brigade."

    The soldier continued speaking.

    "I don''t know who sent you, but you should forget about defeating Rudra-sama. You are no match for someone like him. Look at my soldiers and tremble at our presence."

    Toph toph toph toph

    Five evil dragons emerged from the ground. Their sizes were much smaller than the one we had fought before, but, even so, they were still big enough.

    "Drop your weapons and step forward. If you lay down your life, your friends will be spared."

    I see, so that''s their intention? They''ll have to kill Kaede and Frau first if they want to see me on my knees and dead, but as long as they live, I''ll stand my ground and keep fighting.

    Although if I make one wrong move, they''ll kill all the hostages. I have to think of something...

    There''s no choice but to obey for now.

    "Master!"

    "My Lord?!"

    "You two, don''t move. I''ll take care of this."

    "But...!"

    I dropped my greatsword and headed towards the enemy forces unarmed. Now... What should I do?

    I''m between a rock and a hard place.

 CH 170

    Chapter 170 ¨C The warrior¡¯s sword grows faster and stronger with the courage of his comrades

    Unarmed, I walked up to the enemy army.

    The 10,000 demon soldiers gave me sharp, cold stares. I can¡¯t move. What should I do? In front of the enemy soldiers were captive dwarves with blades pressed against their necks.

    They were the remaining citizens of Big-Gear.

    Young and old, male and female, dressed in rags, their faces are tired and full of despair. There were about a thousand of them, and no matter how fast we moved, we could only save a few.

    Many will be killed if I do something stupid. Even with my physical abilities, it¡¯s impossible.

    Grrrrr.

    In addition, five small evil dragons are looking at me.

    ?You¡¯re the leader of the rumored Manyu Brigade? You seem to be a random human.?

    A large thin man in armor approaches me and looks at me minutely.

    ?Who are you??

    ?I¡¯m Mappa, one of the three new Demon Generals.?

    He waved his arm, and chains flew up from the ground and bound me.

    ?Why am I losing my power¡­??

    ?These chains are a valuable relic possessing a skill called energy reduction. Even a high-level person can¡¯t get rid of them. It¡¯s a weapon Rudra-sama was preparing to use against Roswell.?

    This isn¡¯t right. I¡¯m running out of power.

    How come there¡¯s a relic like this in a place like this?

    ?Don¡¯t worry. Your defenses are good enough to withstand something like this. Besides, we don¡¯t want you to die so easily. Those who face Rudra-sama will have to be tortured before tasting death!?

    With those words, he punched me in the face. However, I did not feel any pain.

    ?Kukuku, you won¡¯t get away with this.?

    ?¡­¡­¡­?

    ?Impossible! How have you not taken any damage! Mappa-sama¡¯s level is 1521!?

    I took several hits after the first one, but still felt no pain.

    ?I see you¡¯re quite resilient. Well, it¡¯s time for you to feel more fear.?

    Mappa then uses electro shock magic.

    I felt numb. The amount of magic power is directly related to magic resistance.

    I have a ridiculously large amount of magic power, so even magic that would make a normal person scream gives me no more than a small tingle.

    ?I know you¡¯re feeling pain, come on, don¡¯t hold back, I¡¯m just getting started.?

    ?Ku¡­?

    How long do you plan to continue this? I feel an unpleasant tingle. I¡¯m not suffering any physical damage, but the mental damage is greater.

    It is very unpleasant.

    ?Why aren¡¯t you screaming!? Hey you, bring me a whip!?

    One of the soldiers approaches Mappa, hands him a whip, and he immediately starts hitting me with it.

    Why hasn¡¯t he realized yet that none of his torture techniques are working on me?

    If this keeps up, I have no doubt that they will find a way to hurt me that will really make me feel pain.

    But before that happens, we have to free the hostages.

    ?Well, I guess physical harm doesn¡¯t work on you. But luckily, I have a mental damage ability, for example¡­?

    ?Ughh!?

    Pain that I hadn¡¯t felt for a long time starts coursing through my body.

    No way, this is not physical pain. It¡¯s mental pain, it¡¯s an illusion. I have to be strong.

    ?Agh, agh, agh¡­?

    ?Not even the best trained man, and with the greatest stamina can resist this ability, it won¡¯t be long before you¡¯ll be begging me to kill you. I want you to feel pain! Feel it! Feel all that pain coursing through your body! Come on, start crying! I want to laugh at you!?

    The pain makes it hard for me to think clearly. If only they would let the hostages go¡­..

    Toph toph toph toph

    The enemy soldiers around me start collapsing one by one.

    Huh?

    What¡¯s going on?

    But Mappa still doesn¡¯t notice what¡¯s happening to his allies, and keeps focusing on me.

    ?Get ready. I¡¯ll make you feel the most intense pain of your entire life!?

    ?Uggh!?

    His whip violently strikes my body.

    More enemy soldiers continue to collapse. After this an unusual situation continued happening for a while, the rest of the soldiers noticed and started to move.

    A strange tail-like object emerges from the shadows of an enemy soldier, and instantly pierces his head. In addition, dog-like creatures emerged from other shadows one after another and mercilessly attacked the necks of the soldiers.

    In the blink of an eye, the enemy army was in a state of confusion. They could no longer afford to pay attention to the slaves.

    ?Don¡¯t separate from the slaves! Return to your positions!

    ?Mappa-sama! That¡¯s it¡­!?

    One of the soldiers points his finger in the distance. When I looked in that direction, there was something running fiercely from the horizon. It was a man in armor, and he was also accompanied by a large number of people behind him.

    At the head of the mob were Kaede and Frau, both riding a rock rat.

    ?Master ¡« We¡¯ve come with reinforcements ¡«!?

    Really?

    Thank you¡­ Thank you very much¡­

    But, according to the meeting we had before we made this attack, there weren¡¯t going to be any reinforcements. It was then that I looked around clearly, and saw some familiar faces.

    ?I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to save Toru-sama! I must write this in my diary!?

    Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

    Luvue, who was leading Galbaran¡¯s army, attacks the enemy¡¯s left wing.

    By the way, Galbaran¡¯s army was hoisting the ?Kaede Love? flag. We got the biggest boost from all the reinforcements.

    ?Prepare to attack! Make them tremble before the joint attack of the elves and dark elves!?

    Monica, who was on top of Bechjiro, gives out orders. A black and white snake carrying a dark elf pierces the enemy with its fangs.

    Likewise, the elves who were riding on the snake¡¯s body use spirit magic to attack the demonic race from a distance.

    Was that giant snake summoned with magic?

    ?Hold your position here! Our forces will actively defend in the face of this attack!?

    ?Grrrr!?

    A large shadow was cast on the ground. Next I looked up, and saw a swarm of fairies who were carrying a huge object, which landed right in front of me.

    The earth shudders under its weight. With the weight of the creature.

    ?A B-Behemoth¡­. Why is it here!??

    Mappa said trembling.

    ?Guruwaahah!!!

    ?Ueeeh!?

    Mappa shuddered at the roar. The person riding Ichiro was someone I was familiar with. Marianne, daughter of Count Roane.

    ?Ah, we meet again, Toru-sama. It seems I¡¯ve arrived just in time.?

    She got off Ichiro and untied the chains that bound me.

    ?I¡¯ll tell you the details later.?

    ?Sounds good to me.?

    I cracked my neck and turned to look at Mappa, who had managed to get to his feet.

    ?Now the roles are reversed.?

    ?It¡¯s not fair to call in reinforcements!?

    ?Ironic that you should say that.?

    Mappa hit me hard with his whip. After receiving about thirty lashes, he staggered and flinched at my lack of a reaction.

    ?Why doesn¡¯t it hurt you??

    ?Oh, I forgot to tell you, I¡¯m level 3000.?

    ?I-Impossible¡­?

    I jabbed Mappa with my index finger, causing his head to explode.

    Kaede and the others approached me after I took care of the general.

    ?Master! Master, master, master, master~!?

    ?Hey hey, stop crying.?

    ?My Lord¡«! Hueeeh!?

    ?Don¡¯t wipe your nose on my clothes!?

    My two pretty slave girls hugging me while crying made me feel relieved and my expression, that had been stiff, finally relaxed.

    I didn¡¯t want a guy like that to kill me. However, I wasn¡¯t willing to abandon the hostages.

    If I have a chance to help them, I have to take it. That was what I was thinking at the time.

    ?Gaaaaaaaah!?

    Countless fairies clung to one of the evil mini dragons and attacked it from all directions. It¡¯s body was writhing in pain.

    The four remaining groups of reinforcements continued to attack and made sure that no demons would come near us.

    ?Kaede, Frau, let¡¯s end this battle.?

    ?Yes!?

    ?As you command!?

    I ordered Chupi, Rosuke and Kuratan to help the reinforcements.

    Kaede handed me my sword, and I climbed on top of Ichiro to head for the main gate.

    ?Let¡¯s finish off that dragon!?

    Ichiro jumps up, and a flash appears after I wave my sword. The evil dragon¡¯s body is cut in half. The evil dragon has an amazing regeneration ability, though if you block it, the fairies will easily be able to take it on.

    ?Let¡¯s go get the other two!?

    Ichiro heads towards the direction I pointed out, and this time I took it upon myself to cut them both down.

    ?Good job, Ichiro. You and I make a good team. Now there are only two left.?

    Ichiro roars with joy, and we head towards the final two dragons. In the blink of an eye, I cut them both in half, and they lay dead on the ground.

    One of the dragons was dripping some kind of mucus, and the other had its snout open. It was about to swallow me.

    Umm¡­

    The inside of an evil dragon has a magnificent view in a sense. Well, it¡¯s a sight you don¡¯t get to see every day, so it¡¯s fascinating.

    As Ichiro and I went inside of the dragon, I wielded my sword and started slashing all over the place to make sure it couldn¡¯t regenerate. We came out the other side of the dragon bathed in blood, chunks of flesh stuck to my clothes and its fur.

    ?It¡¯s time to face the Demon Lord.?

    ?I¡¯ll follow you, Master!?

    ?Frau too!?

    Ichiro burst through the city gates with his body and ran vigorously through the city.

 CH 171

    Chapter 171 ¨C The warrior, the demon king, and the hero

    We arrived at the palace of Big-Gear.

    We were alarmed by the eerie silence.

    Inside the palace there were several corpses of demons and signs of a violent struggle. It is probably the work of old man Hansel.

    ?I can smell Hansel¡¯s scent from here. And also the smell of blood.?

    ?We should hurry.?

    Relying on Kaede¡¯s sense of smell, we advanced through the palace.

    The closer we got to our destination, the more intense the smell of blood became and the louder the sound of clashing weapons grew.

    Let¡¯s go into battle.

    ?Hansel!?

    ?It¡¯s the Manyu Brigade! They¡¯ve finally arrived!?

    Hansel continues to dodge his enemy¡¯s curved sword with a swiftness not expected from his appearance. With his bulging muscles, imposing height and vicious face, he fends off his attacker.

    The man still attacking him is the Demon Lord Rudra.

    In the room lay the soldiers who had accompanied him. Some were dead, and others were badly wounded, unable to move.

    ?Nugu!?

    Hansel defends himself with his spear, but the power of the curved sword¡¯s swing is tremendous and he is knocked backwards against the wall.

    ?Hansel! Are you okay?!?

    ?Please defeat him, you¡¯re the only one who can do it.?

    ?Kaede, take Hansel away!?

    ?Yes, master!?

    Frau and I draw our weapons and prepare to face Rudra. He holds up his curved sword with a thin smile on his face.

    ?I have been waiting for you, Hero. When my generals did not return, I knew you would soon be here.?

    ?I am not a hero. I¡¯m just a warrior.?

    ?You think you have cornered me? I am Rudra-sama, I am a powerful being, do not make me laugh. I¡¯m nothing compared to all the weaklings you¡¯ve faced. No matter how strong you are, you can never defeat me.?

    ?I told you I¡¯m just a simple warrior.?

    ?But, honestly, you surprised me. I was convinced that no one would dare approach the center of the continent. The only one I thought would possibly do something like that was Roswell. It was a miscalculation not to have thought of someone like you.?

    ?Aaah¡­ I told you, I¡¯m a simple warrior.?

    ?How dare you hide from me for all these years!? Don¡¯t try to fool me, Hero!?

    Why doesn¡¯t this guy listen to me when I tell him I¡¯m not a hero? Why does he keep talking about it? Maybe he¡¯s confusing me with Zig?

    ?I¡¯ll tell you something important you should know before we fight. This is a rare relic called [Cloak of Darkness], and it prevents the hero¡¯s unique job skill from lowering my level if you¡¯re near me.?

    ?Hmm, really??

    ?You don¡¯t need to pretend to be calm. I can tell how worried you are.?

    You¡¯re wrong, that¡¯s not what has me worried. I¡¯m more concerned about this guy¡¯s level and skills.

    I¡¯ve come this far thinking I had a chance of winning, but there are many things you can¡¯t be sure of until you see them up close. I turn around and ask Kaede a question.

    ?What¡¯s this guy¡¯s level??

    ?2472, master. He doesn¡¯t seem to have any remarkable skills.?

    ?My Lord, look at that!?

    When I looked at Rudra again, I saw a worm-like creature sprout from his body, fall to the ground and begin to swell up.

    Is this the origin of the evil dragons? Now I get why I could understand what they were saying the first time I saw them. This guy created them.

    ?This is my errand boy, created with forbidden magic. Isn¡¯t he simply beautiful? He is the alter ego of Rudra, whose soul, flesh and magic are made from my own.?

    ?It¡¯s disgusting, really disgusting.?

    Frau uses a hammer to smash the 30 cm worm.

    ?My familiar¡­ How dare you!??

    My greatsword and his curved sword clash. At close range, the demon king headbutted me, and I immediately responded with a headbutt of my own.

    ?Hueeh, why do you have such a rock hard head!??

    ?Sorry, I should have warned you.?

    ?Haah?!?

    I stomped hard on the hem of his cloak, causing Rudra to fall. He immediately uses fire magic as fast as he can, but I blocked it with one hand.

    ?Impossible, how can you counter a Demon Lord¡¯s magic with your bare hand!??

    ?Umm¡­ I think Lisa was stronger than you.?

    ?Stop, stop!?

    ?See ya.?

    I stab the tip of my sword into Rudra¡¯s heart. Next I shake off the blood stuck on the blade, and put the sword away in my sheath.

    With this, the King of Big-Gear¡¯s request has been fulfilled.

    ?Demon Lord! My precious Demon King!?

    I turned to the source of the voice and saw Zig standing nearby. His two companions were also there.

    ?Manyu Brigade! You again! That was my prey!?

    ?Why do you always show up wherever we go, are you following us??

    ?Shut up, I have to pretend I defeated him!?

    Zig pushes me away and turns to the Demon Lord. Then, he pulls out his sword and thrusts it repeatedly into his chest.

    ?Hey you spoiled brat! You should apologize to the Lord!?

    Frau gets angry at Zig¡¯s attitude.

    Kaede, who was still taking care of Hansel, is silent about the situation, but she clearly wasn¡¯t happy at all.

    ?Hahahahaha, it was me who defeated the Demon Lord. This guy was still breathing. I killed him just now.?

    ?If you want the credit, you can have it. I¡¯m not interested in any reward I get for it.?

    ?What¡¯s with the attitude? Are you trying to insult me? The hero of these lands??

    ?That¡¯s not what I meant-¡­. You¡¯re just as incomprehensible as last time.?

    I don¡¯t want to get involved in this, so let¡¯s quickly treat the injured and get the hell out of here. The moment I looked back, I heard an unpleasant sound like meat being pierced clean through.

    ?Huh? What is this¡­??

    ?Zig!?

    A sword blade protruded from Zig¡¯s chest. A gurgle of blood comes out of his mouth.

    ?You are no longer needed. Thank you for your work.?

    ?Aide, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing¡­!??

    The one who had stabbed Zig was the man in jet black armor, the one I assumed was his partner.

    ?This is a betrayal, obviously. Your guard was down because I was acting like a friend you could trust all this time.?

    ?Why¡­is this all because I didn¡¯t break the seal??

    ?No, no. I gave up on that a long time ago, and I don¡¯t care anymore. Besides, I didn¡¯t get as much pleasure out of stealing as much as I thought I did. After all, you can¡¯t rely on comfort.?

    Aide¡¯s tone of voice is different from before, and it¡¯s strangely soft. That tone of voice, that way of speech, it¡¯s the same as his¡­.

    No¡­ That¡¯s impossible¡­.

    He was sentenced to death¡­ He shouldn¡¯t be here.

    ?Celtina, help me, Aide¡­ Aide has betrayed us¡­?

    Zig looks for his other companion.

    ?It¡¯s sad, Zig ¡î But it¡¯s okay, because Aide will take care of everything now ¡î?

    ?What are you talking about??

    ?Zig is no longer the best ¡î He¡¯s second best now ¡î?

    Aide takes off his helmet and throws it on the ground. A loud sound echoed throughout the room, causing his face to be revealed.

    ?Thank you for your help, now I have your face.?

    ?You! You copied my face after all!!!?

    ?Hahaha, relax, the bleeding will get worse every time you get angry.?

    ?Don¡¯t be an asshole! How come¡­ How come you¡¯ve changed your face! You had a totally different one!

    ?Ah, you mean this??

    Aide¡¯s face suddenly changes and becomes a completely different person.

    He was laughing with his tongue hanging out.

    ?Thank you for the food.?

    ?¡­What are you talking about??

    ? Yum!?

    ?Ce¡­ Celtina¡­?

    ?Oh yeah, that face, it feels good!?

    Zig saw Aide kissing Celtina, and his face grew red, an expression of anger on it.

 CH 172

    Chapter 172 ¨C TheWarrior and returning ex-best friend

    Aide laughs, his sword still embedded in Zig.

    ?Give me back my face!?

    ?You know, that wasn¡¯t the only thing I stole.?

    Aide walks up to Zig and whispers something in his ear. That seemed to be enough to make Zig very upset.

    ?That can¡¯t be¡­!?

    ?Yes. I have your stats now. You thought it was just a dream, but it wasn¡¯t.?

    ?But nothing has changed¡­?

    ?It was just an illusion. Check again.?

    Zig opened his status to check it. He immediately let out a small scream.

    ?I¡¯m level 10!? Why did all my skills disappear!??

    ?They didn¡¯t disappear, I stole them from you. By the way, it was nice of me to leave you some experience. Call it pity.?

    Aide¡¯s laughter echoed in the room.

    I can¡¯t understand the situation, but it¡¯s obvious that Aide is evil. I want to help Zig, but I can¡¯t move in a roundabout should he be used as a hostage.

    ?Your ability to induce mental imagery is excellent, because if you use it well, you can create an illusion like this. It has made me stronger.

    ?Damn you¡­?

    ?Hahaha. You know, I¡¯ve always liked you. You¡¯re a lot like me. Especially how you¡¯ve been at Toru¡¯s mercy. So I¡¯ve been able to reflect objectively, calmly and deeply on my former self, and I¡¯m grateful for that.?

    ?Who the hell are you!? Give me back my stats!?

    ?Huahahahahaha, I¡¯m not going to do that!?

    Aide laughed and carried on with his conversation with Zig, though not looking away from me.

    It was as if his gaze was telling me; ?move and I¡¯ll kill him.?

    What should I do?

    How can I save Zig?

    Aide shifts his feet slightly.

    ?Don¡¯t try anything. I know you¡¯ve got your mind set on saving this guy, it¡¯s so typical of you.?

    ?Tch¡­?

    He¡¯s reading my mind, I knew he was watching me closely.

    ?Toru, I have been reflecting for a long time. In the past, I was so caught up in my pride and greed that I did not see reality clearly. In that state, it¡¯s no wonder my thoughts were narrowed and my thoughts were merely selfish.?

    ?So it is you after all¡­?

    ?You¡¯re very insightful in a way that doesn¡¯t matter at all, Toru.?

    Aide¡¯s face changes again. And the one who appears now is Sain, my former best friend who was supposed to be dead.

    ?You thought I was dead? Of course you thought that. You must have wished for it.?

    ?How are you still alive?!?

    ?This thing¡­?

    Sain punches his jet black armor.

    ?It seems Lisa didn¡¯t know it, but this armor and this demonic sword were a set. Combining the two, it activated the ¡®Six Revival¡¯ skill in me.?

    ?So, if you die, you¡¯ll come back to life¡­?

    ?Yes, I want to thank Lisa from the bottom of my heart for giving me this amazing equipment. Now I can enjoy six lives when I should only have one.?

    How far do you plan to go to keep tormenting us?

    A fierce anger that had been sleeping inside me began to roar.

    ?Oh yes, that¡¯s the face I always wanted to see.?

    ?Saiiiin!!!?

    ?It¡¯s over, Toru. I¡¯m done. I decided to stop being a hero. To be true to myself and be evil. And guess what, I feel incredibly refreshed. It¡¯s really stupid to sacrifice yourself for other people.?

    An evil aura arises from Sain. It was a cold, dark and frightening air, it was also hard to breathe.

    ?This is a new declaration of war. I¡¯m going to kill you with my bare hands. I¡¯m not going to go around cuckolding you in secret. I will crush you with my bare hands. What I want most right now is to take your life.?

    ?Then let¡¯s do it right now.?

    ?I¡¯ll refrain from that for now. I¡¯m not strong enough to compete with a level 3000 opponent yet.?

    Then Sain muttered; ?Out, Gwail.?

    The seal on his right hand glows, and a black creature appears in front of us. It looks like Panda, but is covered in black fur and has a large menacing eye that stares at us.

    ?My familiar!??

    ?Isn¡¯t the power of this armour incredible? The armour of the usurper. It can take away other people¡¯s levels, skills and familiars. It¡¯s a shame it can¡¯t steal jobs, but it¡¯s still a wonderful thing.?

    Gwail shoots a beam of light from his eyes.

    The light passes through my left thigh with ease. My knees buckle in pain.

    ?It would be a nuisance for you to follow me. With this, I¡¯ve got one foot out the door.?

    ?Don¡¯t run away! Fight me!?

    ?I don¡¯t want to. It would be suicide to fight now. You really are a scary guy, Toru. You were supposed to be a burden, but my position is completely reversed compared to yours. I admit, you¡¯re the worst enemy I¡¯ve ever had in my life. Come on, Celtina.?

    Celtina destroyed the wall behind them with magic.

    She summoned more monsters.

    ?Before I go, Zig, there¡¯s one more thing I have to tell you.?

    ?Aide! Give me back my stats! I¡¯ll never forgive you for this!?

    ?Oops, well, don¡¯t be hasty, I have something else you¡¯ll like.?

    ?¡­No, no way, you¡­?

    ?That¡¯s right, your favourite girl, Tanya¡­. She¡¯s in love with me.?

    Zig¡¯s face flushed with despair. Sain spat at him and laughed.

    Finally, he pulls the sword from his chest. Zig lays on the ground as if his soul has been drained.

    I swear I¡¯m going to kill you with my bare hands, Sain.

    Come on! I have to move! I can¡¯t let him get away!

    As I tried to get up, he threw some smoke balls.

    Damn it, is this for real? He¡¯s a coward.

    ?Master!?

    ?Where is he? Where¡¯s Sain?!?

    Kaede dispersed the smoke with her magic, but Sain was already gone.

    I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s still alive.

    ?Are you alright, Master!? You need healing immediately!?

    ?Don¡¯t worry about me. It¡¯s nothing serious.?

    The one I am most worried about now is Zig. The other wounded were left in the hands of Kaede and Frau, while I rushed to help him.

    I gently held Zig in my arms. This wound cannot be healed with high potions.

    I will have to use an elixir.

    I will use a very valuable relic, please don¡¯t die.

    ?This will help you. Drink it.?

    ?No, it¡¯s alright, just let me die¡­?

    ?Come on, man. Are you seriously going to let this beat you??

    ?Tanya¡­ I¡¯m in love with her. I was planning to go back to her when this trip was over, as the hero who defeated the Demon Lord.?

    He suddenly grabbed me by the chest.

    ?Kill him! I hate you, but I beg you! I¡¯ll never forgive him for everything he¡¯s taken from me!?

    I understood exactly what Zig felt. I have experienced the pain of being robbed.

    He is like me¡­ Like the old me from that fateful day.

    ?This time I will kill Sain. I promise.?

    ?Swear it.?

    ?Yes, I swear.?

    Zig took a sip of the elixir.

    This will help the wound close. Still, he should rest for a while, just in case.

    ?Can you walk??

    ?Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? I¡¯m the hero, of course I can.?

    He replied in an overbearing manner, but his eyes were as dark as if there was no life in them. It¡¯s clear that his attitude is just exhausted energy.

    He walked with me, leaning on my shoulder, tears dripping from his face.

    ?Thank you. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here. I was wrong, I was wrong about everything.?

    Zig was crying with a runny nose and a face that didn¡¯t look like that of a hero.

 CH 173

    Chapter ¨C 173 The warrior and the elf hero

    I entered a room that was guarded by a Big-Gear soldier, who greeted me as soon as he saw me and let me enter without any problems.

    The interior of the place is simple. Just a bed, a table, a chair and a window with blowing white curtains.

    Zig was on the bed, looking at the sunlight through the window.

    ?How do you feel??

    ?As good as you can see.?

    Since that battle, he has lost the will to live. He is like a hollow body without a soul.

    For his treatment, Kaede has been throwing healing vibrations at him, but I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s any improvement. That¡¯s how deep his wound is.

    ?Only a few know about this place. So don¡¯t worry.?

    ?¡­It¡¯s okay.?

    ?He won¡¯t touch you again. Wherever he goes, I¡¯ll find him and kill him.?

    ?How will you do that? If you kill him, he¡¯ll come back to life.

    Zig was still looking out the window, not looking away, he simply replied.

    ?All I have to do is kill him five times. It¡¯s as simple as that.?

    ?Easy to say, but Aide can now change his appearance freely. He can run and hide all he wants.?

    ?No, you¡¯re wrong. I know because I was his best friend. He¡¯s stubborn, and he hates to lose. He can¡¯t stand the idea that someone like me, whom he always saw as baggage, is now better than him. He¡¯ll come to me.?

    Zig remains unfazed, simply listening to me. The huge hole in his chest, the enormous sense of loss, was freezing his emotions. His energy was pouring out of him like a container with a hole in it.

    It is natural for this to happen once everything that supported you has been taken away from you.

    ?You shouldn¡¯t go back to your country for a while. If they find out you are alive, they will try to kill you again.?

    ?They are trying to impersonate me. I don¡¯t think the original should be alive.?

    Zig looked at me with hollow eyes, just staring at them, like he was trying to absorb me with his eyes.

    He¡¯s going to take refuge here in Big-Gear while he tries to get his body and soul back together. But I don¡¯t know how long he will be in this state.

    ?If there is anything you need, tell the men outside. They¡¯ll bring it to you right away.?

    ?Why do you care so much about me??

    He looked out the window again.

    ?Because I see myself reflected in you. In the past, I was also betrayed by that guy.?

    ?I see¡­?

    I didn¡¯t like Zig back when I first met him. To be honest, at first I thought he was like Sain.

    But when I saw the way he despaired when something important was taken away from him, I felt he was like me. Maybe it was just a moment of weakness from my past.

    Even if it was just that, I couldn¡¯t leave him alone.

    ?I never knew what it was like to love someone. I never knew the pain of having something taken from you.?

    The words seemed to be directed not at me, but at himself.

    I quietly get up and leave the room.

    I walk through the soldiers and continue down the light-filled hallway.

    Then I step out into the courtyard and catch my breath.

    Sain¡¯s face flashes through my mind. Not only did I never imagine he could be alive, but the chances that he was also on this continent were nil.

    How did he do it, was he transferred here too, or is there another way?

    I don¡¯t even know how he was able to steal Zig¡¯s stats.

    ?Ah, damn it!?

    I scratched my head.

    I don¡¯t know what to think

    Let¡¯s focus on what we have to do right now. I¡¯m not smart enough to multitask.

    ?Chupi!?

    Chupi perches on a tree branch. She seems to bring a message from Kaede.

    ?Master, the king has entered the palace. Come back as soon as possible.?

    After delivering the message, Chupi leapt off the branch and flew away.

    I arrived at the King¡¯s Chamber and found that the King was reluctant to sit down on his throne.

    ?Please, Your Majesty, sit down. We wish to see you on the throne.?

    ?It has been a long time¡­ I made my people live through hard times, but now¡­. Now we¡¯ve got it back.?

    The king slowly sits down on his throne. He closes his eyes, feeling the comfort of the seat. There was a long moment of silence as he recalled the journey he had made.

    ?My people, I have returned.?

    ?Long live the king!?

    More than a dozen of his subjects celebrated his return.

    The king clenched his fists and bit his lip as if he were holding something back.

    ?Step forward, Toru-Dono!?

    Following His Majesty¡¯s voice, I took a step forward.

    ?What you¡¯ve done is truly amazing! You defeated the Demon Lord and reclaimed our homeland¡­. None of this could have been accomplished without the Manyu Brigade.?

    ?You¡¯re exaggerating¡­ I only helped.?

    ?Don¡¯t be modest. Everyone in this room recognizes your power.?

    I scratched my cheek embarrassedly. I don¡¯t like to brag, but I don¡¯t dislike being recognized either.

    ?If there is anything you want, you can ask for it. I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill your wishes.?

    ?In that case¡­ I would like the reward that was offered to me from the beginning.?

    After my words, the king raised his voice.

    ?What do you mean? After all you¡¯ve done for us, you¡¯re going to take the money and leave? I won¡¯t let you do that, Hansel wouldn¡¯t allow it either!?

    ?Exactly, Your Majesty. All the people of this country are very grateful to the Manyu Brigade. We can¡¯t just let something like this go! We will give you anything you ask for!?

    Even if they say so, I really don¡¯t want anything.

    If there is anything I had to ask for, it would be a good meal, and a day of rest. I¡¯ve been through a lot and I¡¯m mentally tired.

    Well, I guess I¡¯ll make that my reward.

    ?I want good food and drink. Not just for us, of course, but for all the other soldiers outside in the city.?

    ?Very well. That was my intention all along. But it¡¯s still not enough. You have to be greedier. Say what you really want. Selflessness is a problem for me.?

    The king and Hansel frowned and seemed to want to say, ?We¡¯ll provide it, even if it¡¯s something unpleasant.?

    If I were a normal guy, I¡¯d probably ask for a title, land or something like that. But in my case, I¡¯m an adventurer who doesn¡¯t care to stand out at all, so I can¡¯t think of anything really greedy or extreme I could ask for.

    ?This is my offer. Toru-Dono will be made a border knight and you will have enough land to live the rest of your life on.?

    ?Wait! I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t accept that.?

    ?Why not? I think it¡¯s a good reward.?

    ?I don¡¯t intend to stay here, and even if I did, it will be too much for me. Especially since it¡¯s too flashy, and I don¡¯t like that.?

    ?Hmm, then how about I give you the title of hero??

    ?I¡¯ll refuse that too.?

    The king and Hansel make a bewildered face, as if to say, ?Who the heck is this guy??

    I know what they¡¯re thinking, but I can¡¯t accept it. I don¡¯t want to become a nobleman.

    ?Since you don¡¯t want a title and you don¡¯t want land. I¡¯ll give you time to think about it.?

    ?That sounds good.?

    I gave him a perfunctory reply and left the room.

    ?Master!?

    ?Sorry to keep you waiting.?

    When I came out, Kaede, who was waiting, ran towards me. Most of the fairy army seems to have returned to the forest, but some troops led by Naomin are still in Big-Gear.

    By the way, Naomin is said to be the princess of Ainowa. Even now that I know the truth, I suspect it¡¯s some kind of joke.

    ?Where are Marianne and the others??

    ?They are checking out the building that will be the research team¡¯s base. It seems they are planning to expand their research into these lands.?

    Can we continue to travel around the continent and use this country as a foothold? That sounds great. It¡¯s like I finally have a place to come back to.

    Suddenly, I hear the voices of Frau and the others approaching.

    ?I¡¯m serious, I¡¯ve seen the black version of Panda.?

    ?I¡¯d like to have one like that for my bed.?

    ?In some ways it looked fluffy too, but also overwhelmingly better. Laser beams were coming out of his eye. Panda can¡¯t do that.?

    ?Kyui!?

    Panda¡¯s eyes widen and he puts his all into it.

    But there is no sign of any laser beam coming out of his eye.

    Completely depressed, Panda shouted and flew towards Kaede.

    ?Even if you can¡¯t use those kinds of powers, you¡¯re still really strong, Panda, so don¡¯t get depressed.?

    ?Kyu¡«?

    ?That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong Kaede, Panda does have a great ability: Being Frau¡¯s bed!?

    ?Kyui!!!?

    Angered, Panda rams Frau with his body.

 CH 174

    Chapter 174 ¨C The warrior gets a new title

    Night has fallen on the royal capital.

    In the streets, people everywhere were drinking and there was so much noise that it was hard to believe it was night.

    In every tent, lights lit up the place as if it were daytime, and red-faced soldiers could often be seen having a good time. We were also having a simple dinner in a small bar.

    Those present were Marianne, Luvue, the vice-captain, Monica, Kaede, Frau and me.

    I invited Naomin to the party, but she refused, saying she had to introduce herself as a princess.

    She seems to be a very capable princess who does her job well. The whole thing felt like some kind of joke.

    ?¡­So, Marianne. You didn¡¯t get caught in the transfer circle??

    ?Yes, it was a blessing in disguise in all the tragedy. Though it¡¯s not a situation I can be happy about, considering that five of my friends are missing, except Luna.?

    ?Cheer up, Marianne. We¡¯ll do our best to find them.?

    ?You are very kind, Kaede-san. You make me feel a little relieved.?

    Frau tries to cheer up the depressed Marianne with some meat.

    ?Don¡¯t worry, Frau will take care of everything. Besides, there might be a chance that they might be enjoying this new continent, especially Soara.?

    ?Soara-san¡­ You are right. She¡¯s a very bold person, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s still alive. And I have a feeling she¡¯s making a lot of money now.?

    Oh, so Marianne thinks the same as me. I can¡¯t imagine a situation where she¡¯s dead either.

    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s still out there somewhere saying; ?I am the one lived by God, bow down to me? Or something like that.

    ?I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m sitting at the same table as the man of my dreams, Toru-dono. I guess this is what they call a date. Looks like I have a lot to write about in today¡¯s research journal.?

    ?With all due respect, Luvue-sama, this is just dinner. It¡¯s not really a date.?

    ?Huh?! How is it not!??

    ?I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re surprised.?

    Luvue and the vice-captain were sitting in front of me, still acting the same as ever. I¡¯m relieved to see them like this.

    Next to them was Monica, who was chatting happily with Kaede.

    ?I¡¯ve always felt envious of how white, soft and fluffy your tail is, Kaede-san. I¡¯ll surely feel like I¡¯m in paradise if I rest my head there~.?

    ?Monica, please don¡¯t tease my tail too much. It¡¯s a delicate area¨C Hmm!?

    Monica buries her face in Kaede¡¯s tail.

    Unlike Kaede, who hides her face with both hands in embarrassment, Monica wiggles her long ears, looking ecstatic.

    ?Hey, Monica, let go of my tail.?

    ?No, not yet. I haven¡¯t had enough of your tail.?

    ?A little consideration goes a long way.?

    ?No, it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen it, I want to feel it some more.?

    ?Monica-san~¡­?

    ?I¡¯m of the same opinion. I also have the right to love and touch Kaede-san¡¯s tail.?

    ?Hueeh, Marianne-san too!??

    Kaede is very popular. How envious.

    I stuffed a mouthful of boiled beans into my mouth.

    Ah, it¡¯s really good. The amount of salt is just right.

    ?The dwarves¡¯ sake is quite good.?

    ?Kyu?

    ?Huh? What do you mean I¡¯ve had too much to drink? You worry too much. Frau has never had a problem with sake.?

    Frau says very confidently.

    The words; ?Please tell me it¡¯s a joke.? came out of my mouth.

    And it seems that Panda thought the same, as he seems to have a worried look on his face.

    I think she¡¯ll be waking up with a hangover tomorrow.

    ?¡­Haaaah.?

    I sat on the edge of the bed.

    It had been a long time since I¡¯d had as much to drink as I had today. Normally I tend to control myself. But after Sain, I couldn¡¯t help but drown my thoughts in sake.

    I didn¡¯t think he was still alive. This nightmare isn¡¯t over yet.

    The battle between me and him is still raging.

    ?Master¡­ Are you still awake??

    Kaede opens the door and enters.

    ?What¡¯s wrong??

    ?I was worried, so I came to check on you.?

    She had a pained expression on her face.

    Apparently, my sensitive slave knew what was going through my mind. I had gone out of my way not to worry her.

    ?Do you mind if I sit next to you??

    ?Oh, sure, no problem¡­?

    Kaede slowly sat down next to me.

    Her big golden eyes look closely at me.

    This is a bit embarrassing.

    ?For now, this is the only thing I can do¡­?

    She releases some healing vibrations that soothe my mind.

    I guess I was more mentally damaged than I thought.

    I¡¯m ashamed to say I feel like Kaede knows me better than I do.

    ?Do you feel responsible for everything that¡¯s happened??

    ?Yes¡­?

    I thought I was done with him, but he got away with it.

    Come to think of it, that guy has always had a lot of dumb luck. Luck is one of the most important factors for adventurers. No matter how strong you are, if your luck is bad, you¡¯ll quickly get sent straight to heaven.

    Still, it¡¯s pretty unexpected for him to come back from the dead.

    ?I feel much better, thank you.?

    ?You have nothing to thank me for. I¡¯ll always be there for you.?

    I gave Kaede a hug.

    ?W-well, I¡¯ll be going now.?

    Kaede¡¯s face turns red and she runs out of the room.

    She opened the door, put one foot outside, then said; ?Good night, Master.?

    And then she closes the door.

    ?Good night, Kaede¡­?

    The next day, Kaede and I were summoned to the palace.

    The representatives of all the countries were gathered there. By the way, as expected, Frau is hungover.

    ?Manyu Brigade. Please be seated.?

    Prompted by Elohim, the Spirit Queen, who was present for some reason, we both took a seat.

    The following people are present as well:

    The King of Big-Gear.

    The King of Galbaran.

    The Queen of Jornen.

    And lastly, the Acting King of Ainowa.

    The King of Big-Gear spoke first.

    ?Thank you so much for coming from so far away. Now, let us begin the first Manyu Party Meeting.?

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    Why did they name it that? It sounds like a meeting to manage tourist sites.

    Shouldn¡¯t a serial discussion about each country¡¯s defences have a better name?

    ?But first, let me ask you something, Spirit Queen. Since this is such an important gathering, shouldn¡¯t the King of Ainowa and the Queen of Petardaus personally be here??

    ?The King of Ainowa is currently too ill to attend. And the Queen of Petardaus seems to have a strong reluctance to attend meetings led by other nations, or even by other races, and we have tried to persuade her¡­. But we had no success.?

    ?She is an idiot. How dare she refuse a request as important as the Spirit Queen¡¯s? This is a very important event that will determine the position of each country in the future¡­. As for the fairies, I don¡¯t have much information about them, so I guess it¡¯s alright.?

    The queen of Jornen hugged her heart cushion and let out a giggle. Behind her stood a bodyguard.

    The King of Big-Gear cleared his throat and took the floor.

    ?I will get straight to the point. We have suffered many misfortunes because of the Demon King Rudra. Each of us already knows the reason why this has happened. Now is the time for us to unite in preparation for the second and third Rudras to come.?

    ?Of course it is, but are you sure these are the right people for the job??

    In response to King Galbaran¡¯s words, all eyes focus on us.

    Hey, what¡¯s going on? Why are they looking at us?

    ?The other day we talked about giving you a suitable reward.?

    ?No way.?

    ?We discussed it and decided to give the Manyu Brigade the newly chosen title ¡®Manyu¡¯, which goes beyond the titles of ¡®Hero¡¯ or ¡®Heroine¡¯.?

    Wait, what¡­?

    And why is Kaede smiling?

    ?I don¡¯t understand what this means.?

    ?I¡¯ve created a new title.?

    ?Huh¡­?

    ?A new title given to a hero that will be recognized by multiple nations. That is what the title ?Manyu? will mean from now on.?

    No, no, no.

    I don¡¯t want to stand out.

    ?I told you I don¡¯t want any title.?

    ?I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll give it to you because I want to. And if you have a problem with that, I¡¯ll have you executed.?

    ?That¡¯s abuse of power.?

    I don¡¯t want a title. It will only be a burden to me.

    Let alone a new title bearing my party¡¯s name.

    ?Accept it. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll go to the guillotine.?

    ?You¡¯re very scary.?

    A bracelet with four jewels is placed in front of me.

    ?This is a token of our gratitude. We will inform neighbouring countries about the title. It will take some time to spread, but I¡¯m sure the title ¡®Manyu¡¯ will help you wherever you go.?

    In the end, I begrudgingly accepted the title and the bracelet.

    I have a feeling I¡¯m going to have nightmares tonight.

    Paki paki¡­

 CH 175

    Chapter 175 ¨C A warrior¡¯s confusion

    In a certain mansion located in Big-Gear, there hung a sign.

    The words ?Research Team¡¯s Headquarters? were written on it.

    Luvue, the leader of the group, knocks on the sign and says: ?Look at this.?

    ?This is the complete research team base I¡¯ve dreamed of. This is where we will proceed to unravel the mysteries of this vast continent. Vice-Captain, be sure to note this momentous day in your diary.?

    ?It is thanks to the members of the Manyu Brigade that I can sit down and work hard on my research in a more suitable environment. I would like to express my deepest gratitude on behalf of the commander.?

    ?Hey, Vice-Captain, don¡¯t ignore me.?

    ?We¡¯ll do everything we can to help in the search for your friends. Of course, we¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d keep an eye out for us as well.?

    The vice-captain fixed his glasses as he spoke. Luvue was teary-eyed, begging him not to ignore her as she circled around him.

    I feel like the hierarchy is gradually changing.

    ?Toru-Dono??

    ?It¡¯s time for me to continue my journey, you guys take care of everything here.?

    ?Yes, good luck.?

    I said goodbye to both of them and then left.

    It had been a long time since we left the capital of Big-Gear. We came to a fork in the road with three paths branching out and stopped dead in our tracks.

    ?Okay, this is where we split up, we¡¯ll keep going north.?

    ?Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to go with you??

    ?That won¡¯t be necessary. We have a letter written from the king of Big-Gear, so if we have trouble, we can use it. And we¡¯ve also leveled up since we got here. Besides, Ichiro is with us, so there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.?

    Both of them are currently level 1500. I took the time to help them accumulate experience just in case, but to be honest, I¡¯m still a bit nervous.

    But if we want to find the girls, I¡¯ll need all the help I can get. This continent is huge. It might take Kaede, Frau and me forever to find them¡­

    ?In that case, we¡¯re going to head towards the fake Manyu Brigade.?

    ?Someone pretending to be Toru-sama? That¡¯s bad.?

    Yes, the people pretending to be me are more famous than us. The rumours the Big-Gear people heard were not about us, but about the fake ones.

    It is said that a group of adventurers known as the Manyu Brigade is hunting one famous demon after another in the west. The party is said to consist of three or more members.

    ?Oh, I almost forgot.?

    Marianne pulls something out of her cleavage. It is like a key.

    The surface is gold, but it glows rainbow colours depending on how the light hits it.

    When I held it, it was hot.

    ?What is this??

    ?It¡¯s from Toru-sama¡¯s mother. I don¡¯t know all the details, but Keios-sama asked me to give it to you.?

    ?My mother¡­ Thank you, Uncle Keios.?

    ?I wish you the best of luck. Kaede, Frau, please take care of Toru-sama.?

    ?Yes, I will protect the master, even if it costs me my life.?

    ?Make sure you come back alive, alright? When you do, I¡¯ll make sure you hear Frau¡¯s beautiful voice.?

    Ichiro, with Monica riding on his back, lets out a roar, indicating it was time to leave. She and Marianne, who was on a horse, both headed north.

    Well, we too must resume our journey.

    ?Master ~?

    ?Hey, what¡¯s wrong? Why do you look like you¡¯re about to cry??

    ?Master¡­ You looked really happy when you grabbed that key¡­?

    ?It can¡¯t be helped, Kaede. The fact that the Lord saw Marianne pull that key out of her cleavage made his perverted instincts kick in when he took it.?

    ?No it didn¡¯t¡­?

    Guess I was smiling unconsciously¡­

    ?Forget what you just saw, we need to get going.?

    With that, we resumed our journey.

    ?¡­Still no response.?

    I take a bite of the bacon I¡¯m having for lunch, watching the needle on the scroll for any change.

    Apparently, my friends aren¡¯t around here either.

    I wonder if this scroll really works. Not that I want to criticize old man Yatsufusa, but if I can¡¯t find them using this item, I doubt it will be effective.

    Well, maybe it doesn¡¯t work well when used for finding people. I¡¯ll try a different search option instead.

    The needle pointed to Kaede, then Frau and Panda when I changed the condition to ?My favourite person?.

    ¡­Well, it seems to be working properly. Although it is a bit imprecise.

    ?Mm-hmm! Another one!?

    ?No need to rush. There¡¯s plenty more where that came from.?

    ?Kyui!?

    ?Oh, you want some too, Panda??

    ?Kiiii?

    ?Hmm, what¡¯s this rat doing here??

    Before I knew it, there was a rock rat on the table.

    His face looked rather bewildered.

    ?Um, it doesn¡¯t look like that rat from before.?

    ?Kyui.?

    ?Maybe it¡¯s a wild one.?

    ?Kii??

    Just when I thought he had bowed his head, he grabs a piece of fruit and starts eating it. It seems to be friendly, I see no trace of hostility.

    When I touched it, it felt nice. It has fluffy fur.

    ?It feels lovely.?

    ?I wonder if it used to be someone¡¯s pet. It¡¯s very useful to people.?

    ?You¡¯d better stay away from her, Kaede, Lord, or do I have to remind you what those rats did to me??

    ?Kii!!!?

    Several rats peeked through the grass.

    They watched us for a while, and when they saw that they were safe, they rushed towards us all at once.

    They seem to be looking for food.

    They rub their faces against me and Kaede.

    Wow, there are so many that I¡¯ve already lost count.

    ?Hey! These rats kept chasing me before! Why won¡¯t any of them come near me!??

    ?Kyu-kyu!

    ?Kii??

    One of the rats pounced towards Frau after hearing her complaints.

    Paki¡­

    A familiar sound echoed inside me. It¡¯s the only sound that makes my body shudder.

    ¡­It¡¯s the sound of a savings system breaking down.

    At first, it made me a little happy, but now it only makes me afraid. Regardless of whether I want it or not, the ability is going to make me as strong as I can be.

    Although I guess I need it more than ever right now. It¡¯s better to get stronger now, so I can protect the people I care about.

    Paki paki paki paki¡­

    ¡¶ Notice: Your skill savings have reached the upper limit. Your payment will be updated. ¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: Your skill savings have been improved by the effect of the UP skill. ¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: Skill savings has been damaged. It will take time to repair.¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: You have acquired the skill complete pain nullification. ¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: You have acquired the skill Vajra Wall. ¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: You have acquired the skill controlled throw. ¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: You have acquired the skill Instant movement. ¡·

    ¡¶ Notice: You have acquired the skill Mood energy. ¡·

    I have never heard of any of these skills.

    For now, let¡¯s check them out one by one¡­

    Complete Pain Nullification: It literally blocks the sensation of pain. You can turn it on and off as many times as you want, so it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t feel pain all the time.

    Vajra Wall: This would be the highest level of the warrior¡¯s skill¡¾Iron Wall¡¿. It seems that it¡¯s defensive power is much higher, and all inferior attacks are repelled.

    Controlled Throw: This seems to be a Dragon Knight skill. All thrown objects can be manipulated freely, and control continues until it falls to the ground.

    Instant Movement: It seems I¡¯m now able to move even without any prior movement and accelerate to full speed immediately. However, it seems this skill puts a considerable strain on the body, so I¡¯ll be very worn out and weak after using it¡­ Hmmm, it¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t use it frequently.

    Mood energy: This is unknown. I couldn¡¯t tell what the effect was even after using it. I¡¯m used to using unknown skills, so I decided to leave it for now, thinking that its effects would eventually become clear in the future.

    I have taken another step towards becoming stronger. I wonder if I will soon be called a monster and have stones thrown at me wherever I go.

    No, that¡¯s Okay. There are many dangerous people on this continent.

    ?I¡¯m still a simple warrior, that¡¯s all that matters.?

    ?Kii??

    The rat cocked his head at my words.

 CH 176

    Chapter 176 ¨C The adventures of a lower class former hero [Part 1]

    ith this chapter we start Arc 5.5, which consists of 7 Parts and tells the story of how Sain survived. With chapter 183 we will start Arc 6 (and possibly the last one, the story is coming to an end)

    ¡°Hiii! Ugh¡­! Haa¡­ haa¡­¡±

    I can feel fear and pain in all of this darkness. I can still feel the sensation of having my head cut off.

    But my head hasn¡¯t fallen off.

    Am I alive?

    Where am I?

    The darkness permeates the room and I can¡¯t say where I am. Crawling on all fours, I fearfully felt around.

    This is hard. What is this?

    I moved my hand upward.

    An armor?

    The armor collapsed as I leaned on it.

    My whole body went rigid with tension.

    No one is coming¡­ there¡¯s no one nearby?

    I¡¯m not sure what to do.

    The swords are lined up. There¡¯s also a shield, and a spear.

    I wonder if this is a kind of armory.

    I reached the edge of the wall and looked for a door.

    There it was. This is a door, probably.

    It seemed to be unlocked, as it opened easily

    I saw a dimly lit passage lined with bonfires. I held my breath and strained my eyes.

    It seems that no one is there.

    I broke part of the door, fashioned a wooden stick just the right size to hold, then I grasped it to transfer the fire from the bonfire to the stick.

    I returned to the room, closed the door and checked again to see what was there.

    ¡°It looks like an armory after all, but why is it here¡­?¡±

    I put my hand on my neck to make sure it was connected.

    Indeed, I had been decapitated on the execution table. I can still remember that terrifying moment.

    Was it just a coincidence that I survived, and I wasn¡¯t dead?

    No, I¡¯m dead.

    It¡¯s strange to say, but I feel like I¡¯m dead.

    ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    Now that I look closely, I¡¯m naked.

    Not even any underwear. I¡¯m sure I was wearing some dirty clothes right before I died.

    And there are no shackles.

    Well, that doesn¡¯t really matter now. Anyway, I¡¯ll search for something to wear. These should do.

    I found some soldier¡¯s clothing on the shelf and I quickly put them on.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m sure to be out of here, it¡¯s not wise to wander around without protection. I need to get some weapons and armor too¨D oh?¡±

    The light illuminated a magic sword and an armor.

    These were being stored here, huh. I can¡¯t believe I found these things in the same place I woke up.

    I¡¯ll put on the black armor first.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same armor¡­ right?¡±

    I clenched my right hand.

    It¡¯s strange. I used to feel so uncomfortable with it, but now I don¡¯t feel that way anymore. On the contrary, it looks like an old partner.

    I girded the magic sword around my waist.

    ¡¶Notice: the synchronization between the black armor and the magic sword has been completed. ¡·

    ¡¶Notice: restrictions have been removed. The Black Armor has evolved to the Usurper¡¯s Armor. ¡·

    ¡¶Notice: Six Petals of Resurrection has been activated. Five petals remaining. ¡·

    The words were displayed in front of me. It¡¯s enough to make me understand everything.

    It wasn¡¯t a coincidence that I woke up here.

    ¡°Oh! Is that so?¡±

    This armor and the magic sword were originally meant to be used together. Then, they will release their hidden abilities.

    And Six Petals of Resurrection is the power of revival, huh.

    You didn¡¯t know about this, right Lisa? Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have given me such a wonderful thing.

    A loud noise of stomach echoed in the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­ I need some water too. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had anything decent to eat.¡±

    A strong feeling of hunger washed over me.

    The food served in the jail was horrible. Hard, small, dry bread, rotten meat, muddy water¡­

    It was the worst meal I ever had.

    I left the room and walked down the corridor, trying not to make a sound.

    Mmmm.

    There was a delicious smell in the air. My feet unconsciously turned in that direction, and I opened the door to this room, which looked like a kitchen.

    ¡°Ohhh~¡±

    There was no one in the kitchen, but I saw a pot with steam rising and I ran over to it.

    The pot was full of soup, there were several pieces of bread on the table, eggs and the meat and fruits that had been used for cooking were left lying around.

    I grabbed some and shoved it in my mouth.

    ¡°Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm¡­¡±

    I took a bite of the bread, poured in the soup, and I dug it into the chunks of meat.

    I¡¯ve never had a meal that tasted so good. The food fills my stomach and makes the hunger disappear.

    I should have enjoyed the meal more.

    From now on, I should pay more attention to food. You can¡¯t eat when you¡¯re dead after all.

    I stopped moving for a moment.

    I heard voices talking from outside.

    The voices pass by a few moments later. With the load of bread in my mouth, I grab a suitable backpack and throw in all the food I could find.

    I opened the door slowly, making sure no one was there.

    Then I ran down the passage to the outside.

    I walk out of the capital and I look up as I bite into my bread.

    It was a full moon tonight. There were several clouds hiding the moon.

    *Gulp*

    Now I have to think about what to do.

    I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m going to get revenge on all the people who made me what I am. But for now, I need to get stronger.

    The current me is no match for Toru.

    Thanks to the loss of the great support of the demon¡¯s tribe, it is impossible for me to fight against any country.

    ¡°Haha¡­ so I really lost everything, huh?¡±

    All I have is my sword, my armor and this body.

    I admit it, Toru. I underestimated you, and you caught me off guard.

    I was a fool.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have do it better next time, just give me time¡±

    The moon cast a small shadow. It was getting bigger and bigger.

    Is that¡­ Birdswell?

    A black wyvern landed in front of me with a gust of wind.

    ¡°You were waiting for me?¡±

    ¡°Gwak!¡±

    He rubs his face against me, as if spoiling me.

    Although it is a wyvern that had been acquired from Lisa, I was familiar with it because of its compatibility. I liked him so much that I used to feed him myself.

    Riding on his back, Birdswell spreads his large wings.

    ¡°I want to go somewhere far away, not here. let¡¯s head that way.¡±

    ¡°Gwak!¡±

    The black wyvern flies away.

    I wonder if it understands what I¡¯m saying. Well, it seems that it is going in a different direction from the dark region, so maybe I can leave it to him.

    I was awakened by the sound of wind whistling past my ears.

    I smelled a fishy odor that I was not used to, but it took me a little while to understand what it meant, partly because I was so tired.

    The morning sun peeked out from the distance.

    But it wasn¡¯t coming from the land¡¯s horizon, but from the water¡¯s.

    What, what does that mean!?

    We¡¯re on the ocean!!

    In front of us, to the left, right, and behind us, there was a horizon line that looked like it was drawn with a ruler.

    ¡°Why are we flying over the ocean!? Get back now, quick!¡±

    ¡°Gaahh?¡±

    He doesn¡¯t listen to me at all.  In fact, it sounds as if it wants to say, ¡®I did what you said¡¯.

    Is it stupid to go out to the ocean?

    Yes! It¡¯s a suicide! Even if you¡¯re flying through the air, the monsters below you won¡¯t miss you at all if they attack.

    ¡°Damn, just when I thought I was saved, this happens. Birdswell, at least fly with a little more altitude.¡±

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    I looked into the backpack I had brought with me. I¡¯ve only got two days worth of food and water.

    I need to reach land before I starve to death.

 CH 177

    Chapter 177 ¨C The adventures of a lower class former hero [Part 2]

    It¡¯s been almost a day out on the open sea. Birdswell was still flying with me on board.

    I¡¯ve ordered him to turn around several times since then, but he doesn¡¯t listen to me and keeps moving towards somewhere.

    I look at the sea below.

    ¨DWhat the hell is that?

    A green mass is floating in the sea. From here it looks small, but it must be quite large.

    A projection extends from the lump and points towards us.

    I get goosebumps from fear. A chill runs through my body.

    This is bad.

    ¡°Avoid it, Birdswell!¡±

    ¡°Gaw?¡±

    A tremendous rush of water appeared over us.

    We¡¯re up in the air. What the hell is that!?

    A huge crocodile-like monster emerged from the water. Its back was covered with spikes, which it seemed to be using to shoot at the enemy above.

    The water flowed over us again after a couple of minutes.

    We¡­ We are going to die!!

    There¡¯s no time to use appraisal. We need to run.

    I manage to get out of it¡¯s attack range, somehow.

    ¡°T¡­ Thanks for saving¡­ ME!?¡±

    In the distance, a pillar of flame rose.

    In other places, purple electricity runs through swirling black clouds, and in another place, explosions, all at the same time.

    It¡¯s a bizarre sight. It¡¯s not a natural phenomenon, is it?

    I began to cry at the horror of the open sea.

    ?This is really bad! Even with all we¡¯ve been through, there¡¯s not enough life in the world to survive this! You¡¯re just torturing me by pretending to save me!¡±

    ¡°Gah?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to be cute! Goddamn!¡±

    I don¡¯t want to die. Please go back to land.

    There¡¯s not enough life in the world for this.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s it.¡±

    I put the last piece of bread in my mouth. There¡¯s still some water left, but how long will that last?

    Birdsewell sas been flying without eating or drinking for a long time.

    I can see that he¡¯s pushing himself. He¡¯s clearly weakened.

    ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point of asking, right?¡±

    He¡¯s a beast, I¡¯m a man. I can¡¯t possibly know what a wyvern is thinking.

    I thought I was going to have a brilliant revenge story. What is this? It¡¯s not about revenge anymore, it¡¯s about making it through the day.

    I lay down early to conserve some energy.

    It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.

    Being the hero was all I longed for when I was young. I thought everything would be all right if I became a hero.

    ¡°Kuhii¡­¡±

    No matter how much I try, there¡¯s no use denying it.

    The result has already been seen.

    I was the hero, but not a hero.

    I knew it now; the job title was just a visible form of the hero¡¯s qualities, but it required someone with those qualities to be able to use it well.

    For example, someone like Toru.

    I was jealous of him from the moment I met him. I didn¡¯t like him. He had everything I was looking for, effortlessly.

    So I did everything I could to deny him.

    I did everything I could to take everything away from him.

    In other words, it was Toru who made me who I am today. If I hadn¡¯t met him, I probably would have lived a happier life.

    I¡¯m hungry¡­

    I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because I¡¯m hungry or because I¡¯m just thinking about unnecessary things.

    Is it finally the end for me?

    If I die of hunger, will I come back to life?

    Either way, if Birdswell runs out of energy and falls into the sea, the monsters will eat us and it will be the end.

    I raised my body a little to look

    ¡°L-Land¡­!?¡±

    I can see the silhouette of land in the distance.

    The more I get closer, the clearer it becomes, and even from here I can see the lush forests and white sandy beaches.

    We¡¯ve made it! We¡¯re saved!

    Hey, Birdswell!

    Gradually we lost altitude. I called out to him, but he didn¡¯t reply, and it seemed like he was just gliding along with the wind.

    I didn¡¯t know if he ran out of steam. Please, just a little more!

    We are getting closer and closer to land. If you don¡¯t kill your momentum soon, you¡¯ll crash.

    Even if you are level 150, you can¡¯t avoid instant death!

    If I die, will I come back to life? I can¡¯t risk my life like this.

    Six Petals of Resurrection only lets me revive six times.

    The number of lives is my trump card.

    ¡°Birdswell!!¡±

    ¡°Kyuu!¡±

    He replied.

    Birdswell turns in front of the land and slowly descends to the ground in a spiral movement.

    With a thud, he landed body-first on the beach. The impact threw me off and I plunged face first into the sand.

    ¡°Fuu¡­ that was close¡­¡±

    I¡¯ll have to be hard on him later. For now, I¡¯ll have to teach him to listen to orders.

    I got up and looked around.

    ¡°Have you ever come to this place before?¡±

    It doesn¡¯t feel real. Maybe it¡¯s because there¡¯s no difference.

    I look back at Birdswell.

    The black wyvern had closed its eyes and did not move.

    ?Oh, come on, Birdswell. You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±

    I ran up to him and slapped him on the face.

    I¡¯m not going to let you die. You¡¯re going to have to work as my foot soldier.

    Don¡¯t you want to make a name for yourself as my mount?

    Wake up. Come on, wake up.

    ¡°Guh¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±

    He opened his eyes. I¡¯m so relieved.

    You brought me here, so take responsibility until the end.

    ¡°You must be hungry, right? You did well. If you¡¯d just turned around, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. You really put us in a trouble¡±

    I decided to go to the forest to grab some food.

    There is a sea in front of me, but I grew up inland and have no experience when it comes to fishing. I also don¡¯t like seafood and I¡¯m sure Birdswell thinks so too.

    As soon as I entered the forest, a slime appeared.

    I don¡¯t care about slimes.

    Well, I¡¯m sure that wyvern can eat slimes.

    ¡°Pukyu!¡±

    ¡°Fugh!?¡±

    The slime sank into my abdomen.

    I fell to my knees and spit out viscous saliva.

    Stupied, I¡¯m acting like that slime.

    ¡°Pukyu!¡±

    ¡°Guh!!¡±

    This time, the slime latched onto the side of my face.

    The monster smashed me in the face, and then returned to the sandy beach.

    ¡°Woah¡­!¡±

    I jump up in the dark, remembering the horror of the slime.

    The little creatures that had been clinging to my body all fled at once.

    Damn, my body itches.

    I¡¯ve been bitten all over.

    Oh, Birdswell!!

    I stood up and looked at the place where the beast was.

    ¡°Birdswell? You have to be joking.¡±

    The black wyvern that was supposed to be there had disappeared.

    Did he leave me here? You¡¯ve got to be kidding. I¡¯ll never forgive you.

    ¡°Birdswell! Where are you? Come back here!¡±

    I¡¯ll be looking for him on the beach at night.

    Don¡¯t leave me. I¡¯m your master, you know?

    I may have given up on you, but I can¡¯t allow you to give up on me.

    Stay with me.

    I¡¯ll let you off with a bit of scolding this time. Okay, that¡¯s a lie. I¡¯m going to yell at you for making me worry.

    No matter how many times I called, the wyvern never showed up.

 CH 178

    Chapter 178 ¨C The adventures of a lower class former hero [Part 3]

    I ran like hell through the forest. A group of goblins was chasing me from behind.

    ¡°Gyaah!¡±

    ¡°This is mine!¡±

    My arms are full of fruit. These are from their territory.

    They don¡¯t need them, they can eat meat all the time, right?

    I¡¯m going to eat these fruits. So let it go.

    The goblins are not slowing down.

    It¡¯s alright, if I can make it to the coast, I''ll be fine. They can¡¯t go near the sea, right?

    Once on the beach, the goblins stopped at the edge of the forest.

    Hahaha, it¡¯s a shame! It¡¯s a pity you couldn¡¯t catch me.

    I¡¯m going to show them what I can do with this fruit.

    ¡°Gnaaar!¡±

    ¡°Stop, or I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    The globins threw stones at me.

    Thud. A large tree fell to the ground.

    I picked up the dropped fruit and ran away.

    I have been here for a week. I look at the sea from my hut on the beach.

    The sea is very strong.

    It ''s so cold.

    If only I had a good level, I could get as much meat as I wanted.

    All of the monsters here are stronger than me. And by an abysmal difference.

    Even the slime attacked me as if I were prey.

    It¡¯s laughable.

    Of course, I¡¯ve been steadily raising my level. If it¡¯s just a slime, even the current me can defeat it if I try hard enough.

    Thanks to this, my level is now 170.

    But it''s not enough.

    I need to get to 200 at least. If I can get to 200, I should be able to handle the goblins.

    I roll over and over.

    Suddenly, I notice something unfamiliar in the corner of the room.

    It¡¯s a mushroom.

    It¡¯s light brown and shiny.

    A quick appraisal tells me that it¡¯s edible.

    I decided to roast it over a fire and eat it.

    ¡°It¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it¡­? Yeah.¡±

    The mushroom tasted good, even just roasted. The texture is not bad either.

    Maybe I¡¯ll have some more.

    There are still a few mushrooms growing. If I look closely, there are numerous small mushrooms.

    If I can grow and harvest them¡­ I can eat them too.

    I pull two of them and roast them over the fire.

    Hmmm¡­ this is darker than the others. Well, let¡¯s just eat it.

    *Crunch*

    ¡°Ahhh.¡±

    My stomach hurts like hell. My bowels are churning and moving.

    Why? It was an edible mushroom.

    Or was it the rotten fruit I ate before?

    When I looked at the mushroom with Appraisal.

    Edible mushrooms and poisonous mushrooms grow all together.

    You¡¯ve fooled me! You¡¯ve got to be kidding me, you¡¯re just a mushroom!

    ¡°Yuck!¡±

    It¡¯s disgusting. I think I¡¯m going to leak.

    I stood up and went to the beach, trying to decide whether to do it in the sea or in the woods.

    It¡¯s indeed embarrassing to do it on the beach. Even if you don¡¯t see any other people watching, it¡¯s a bit¡­

    And I''ll likely be attacked in the forest. Well, it¡¯ll have to be the sea.

    I can¡¯t walk with my legs wide open, I¡¯m nearing my limit.

    As I reach the edge of the waves, a thought occurs to me.

    I¡¯m going to get my clothes wet. But I can¡¯t afford to take them off.

    What should I do? What should I do?

    I¡¯m not going to do it. Let¡¯s go to the forest.

    I turned back and went into the forest.

    Aaaaaahhhhh.

    I cut down a goblin. The remaining three goblins retreated.

    I finally got my level up to the point where I could kill them.

    Now that I¡¯m in the 200s, I can kill goblins without problems.

    Hahaha, it¡¯s a shame. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re disappointed that I killed your friend.

    ¡°Gyah!¡±

    ¡°Heee!¡±

    I thought he was going to run away, but one of the goblins took advantage of the situation and jumped on me.

    He choked me and I couldn¡¯t breathe.

    This¡­ is bad.

    I¡¯ll die.

    ¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­¡­¡­

    ¡°What?¡±

    The distant consciousness returned at once.

    Ah... damn, I''m so dizzy. My vision was blurred, and I didn''t know what was going on.

    The blurred outline began to clear up and I could tell there was still a goblin in front of me.

    But the goblin is pale and twitching, with black tentacles clinging to his body and countless tube-like objects stuck in the end.

    The tentacles were coming out of the Usurper¡¯s Armor, and seemed to be sucking something.

    ¡¶Notice: Six Petals of Resurrection has been activated. Four petals left. ¡·

    The text appeared in front of me.

    I¡¯ve been strangled to death. I died for nothing, huh.

    But, what¡¯s happening?

    A few minutes later, the tubes were removed from the goblin, and the black tentacles pulled back inside the armor.

    ¡°I leveled up!?¡±

    I looked at my status, and saw that my level had increased. Maybe the tentacle was taking the experience?

    Huhu.

    The Usurper¡¯s Armor is the best, isn¡¯t it?

    From this day forward, I am the top predator in this forest.

    It was a while since I was searching for my prey in the forest.

    I felt a strange presence and then, I hid myself behind a tree.

    ¡°This is a good place to level up, since there are strong fishes and no behemoths like in the Dead Forest.¡±

    ¡°Nice spot, I didn¡¯t know there was such a place.¡±

    I heard a voice and quietly looked ahead.

    Two men were walking through the grass.

    Perhaps they''re adventurers. One is wearing light leather equipment and the other is wearing full black armor.

    I immediately recognized one of them as an elf, but the other had a full face helmet, and I couldn''t make out his appearance.

    They look like adventurers, but I''m not sure exactly what they are. For now, let¡¯s just go with that.

    This is a great way to get information. I hope I catch them alive, somehow.

    ¡°Is someone there?¡±

    ¡°!?¡±

    The elf twitched his long ears and spoke in my direction.

    Elf¡¯s ears don''t lie, huh. Their hearing skills have no match.

    I guess I¡¯ll have to show myself, quietly.

    ¡°Sorry, I thought you were a demon.¡±

    ¡°What? A human? Hmph, you scared us for nothing.¡±

    The two men relaxed slightly, perhaps relieved.

    I¡¯ll use my appraisal skill to check them out.

    Ehh, the elf is level 202 and the black-clad one is 312, huh.

    I''m level 330. I think I can win easily without raising the bottom level with my sword and armor.

    Job''s skills are nothing to be worried about, but what about equipment?

    ¡­ Normal. Well, I think they aren¡¯t my enemy.

    ¡°This guy has a good face, maybe we can get a lot of money if we catch him and sell him to a slave dealer.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t think we''d get more than 10 gold coins.¡±

    ¡°10 golds is a lot! Get him!¡±

    ¡°Hehe~¡±

    The elf grinned and drew his sword. At that moment, a strong wind blew.

    So he¡¯s using a spirit, that¡¯s why the wind blew.

    I''ve seen high elves using spirit magic before. The feeling of discomfort filled me in an instant.

    I also drew my sword.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight spirits properly. Right, Human?¡±

    Whoo! There was a sharp wind!

    But¡­ faster than that, I was kicking off the ground to narrow the distance.

    ¡°Hyaa!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea to try to fool this Sain.¡±

    My sword cut the enemy''s throat.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be...¡±

    ¡°Too late.¡±

    In that instant, the full armoured man was pierced through the gap in his armour by one of my black tentacles.

    ¡°Hyaaa!?¡±

    Once the tentacle gets you, the body relaxes so much that even strong demons are unable to move.

    The moment he approached me, his defeat was decided.

    Mmmm, yummy. Your status is delicious~

    I only know that

    I can only absorb experience and skills. The absorption rate of the status varies depending on the number of tubes inserted. If it¡¯s just a scratch, it¡¯ll heal without a trace during absorption.

    Of course, there are drawbacks.

    You can only absorb about half the experience. The maximum number of tentacles you can produce is ten. Absorption takes a lot of energy (if you just move the tentacles, it''s fine), and It takes a while to digest and absorb the stats.

    However, this is a small price to pay for the great benefits you will gain.

    Thud. The man with that full face helmet falls to the ground.

    ¡°You are an elf too?¡±

    ¡°P-Please, let me go¡­!¡±

    ¡°There is no doubt that this is a different continent, but it seems that it is a difficult place for humans to live. For the time being, I''ll have to keep my race hidden.¡±

    I picked up his full face helmet and put it on.

    I guess I should keep the name ''Sain'' under wraps too. I''ll have to think of an alternative name.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Uh, Ido.¡±

    ¡°I''ll call you that. From now on, you''ll call me Aide¡±

    Okay, elf. Let''s have a little chat about your status, shall we?

    And let''s talk about your country, too.

    Hee-hee.

 CH 179

    Chapter 179 ¨C The adventures of a lower class former hero [Part 4]

    I left the forest to find some information.

    As expected, this is another continent beyond the open sea. The people who live here seem to have high levels, something I can tell with only a small glance.

    In addition, humans are being treated as slaves.

    Is not a good sight as a human, but thinking about it better, it¡¯s strange that they aren¡¯t dominated by another superior race. In that way, it¡¯s kinda ¡°relaxing¡±.

    It was more a matter of mood than anything else, and it didn¡¯t matter to me.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re that Aide fellow I heard about, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    I was having a drink in a bar when a stranger called out to me.

    This is common these days. I was now a bit of a celebrity as a solo adventurer.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Would you like to work for us for a while?¡±

    ¡°¡­How many members?¡±

    ¡°There they are.¡±

    I turned from the counter and looked at the table. There were four men and four women.

    They are at level 200 but they don¡¯t seem very skilled.

    Just some small fry.

    Well, I would have been stunned a little while ago, but now I¡¯m quite used to it. Although getting used to it is a bit scary.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in¡­¡±

    ¡°You better not turn me down like that. I know the secret of your sword, you know.¡±

    The man looks down at my sword.

    It¡¯s covered in bandages to hide it¡¯s identity, but it looks like these guys still took interest in it. But I can¡¯t let my guard down. I still don¡¯t know the implications of the existence of this magic sword.

    It¡¯s an unknown land after all, it¡¯s best to be cautious.

    ¡°Well, you have my interest now. Maybe we can chat a little.¡±

    ¡°That sword is a special magic one, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve come from the center? ¡±

    ¡°Center?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep the magic sword thing a secret.¡±

    The man seemed to have guessed right from my reaction. Judging by his words, it seems that magicians are admired quite a bit.

    What a hassle.

    So, it¡¯ll be hard to make a move here, more so now that this guy knows about it. But it¡¯s also bad to just disappear.

    I don¡¯t like it but¡­ should I accept?

    While I was thinking about it, a well-dressed young swordsman cut in.

    ¡°Hey, I know you. You are the one who is always defrauding people with his companions. If you don¡¯t want to get dragged off by the guards, just leave.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Hero Zig¡­ Ahaha¡­ I just remembered that I need to do something. Seeya!¡±

    The man stops talking and runs away from the bar with his companions.

    This man, called Zig, sat beside me after the other guy left.

    ¡°I should thank you¡­¡±

    ¡°Forget about it. I just got rid of him because he was in my way. You are a solitary adventurer, right?¡±

    ¡°And what if I am?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about recruiting you. But I¡¯ll have to see how good you are.¡±

    That¡¯s a good way to get to know the people in your area.

    A level 500 Hero. His skills stand out¡­ no, actually there are two good ones.

    ¡®Awareness Induction¡¯ and ¡®Seal Breaking¡¯

    Awareness Induction is only an instant ability, but it can change the subject¡¯s superficial consciousness. It¡¯s basically an illusion. It is generally recognized as a rare skill that can be used reasonably well.

    On the other hand, Seal Breaking is a skill that just does that. The thing with it is that it can break skill seals, but it doesn¡¯t work on the wielder. It¡¯s a very valuable skill and it¡¯s very rare to find someone with it.

    I can remove the seal on my Demonic Eye of Seduction with that skill.

    Also, is this guy a beast master?

    I can see the name of three beasts with my appraisal skill.

    Well, that¡¯s interesting, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯d love to see if I can absorb any of them.

    I grinned beneath my full face helmet.

    ¡°I¡¯m not cheap, you know.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯ll pay you what you¡¯re worth.¡±

    That¡¯s a lot of confidence. I wonder if he¡¯s an aristocrat.

    He¡¯s very well-dressed, and although his speech and manners are rude, his every move shows his upbringing.

    I don¡¯t like him to be honest. He got the looks, he got the ability, and he¡¯s a Hero. In addition to that, is a nobleman¡¯s son allowed to do this? That¡¯s the position I¡¯m supposed to be in. That¡¯s something I deserve. I don¡¯t like things this way.

    I¡¯ll take everything from him.

    ¡°Please treat me well.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    We shook hands.

    In one moment, I got inside the enemy defences and ran my blade through them. The enemy was weakened enough, so Zig just hit him and it was over.

    The demon bear fell.

    ¡°This Aide guy is good ¡î It¡¯s good to cooperate and sparkle together ¡î¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You can understand the party¡¯s movements. Were you a part of a famous party in the past or something?¡±

    ¡°I was¡­ a while ago.¡±

    Seltina and Zig praised me.

    I was the leader of an S-ranked party, so I knew exactly what Zig was looking for.

    Also, I¡¯m older and more experienced.

    I know how to fight demons better than them.

    ¡°Cheers for Aide ¡î!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being too loud, Seltina.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to be noisy, it¡¯s a celebration ¡î!¡±

    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±

    The three of us sat around a table in the tavern. It had been a few days since I joined the ?Holy Forest Ensemble?.

    I laughed at the celebration.

    ¡°You¡¯re smiling, Aide!¡±

    Seltina¡¯s words surprised me.

    Normally, you can¡¯t see through me. This woman has a good eye, huh.

    Moreover, she¡¯s my kind of girl.

    She reminds me of Lisa, with her shining eyes and deep darkness behind them.

    I like both her appearance and style. If I can use the Demon Eye of Seduction, I¡¯ll make that woman mine.

    ¡°Hey, Zig, is Aide an elf¡î?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in this country, so I think he is.¡±

    ¡°Is that right, Aide¡î?¡±

    Damn it, you¡¯re asking a lot of questions, you fool.

    ¡°Is that information important¡­?¡±

    ¡°Not really, to be honest. I don¡¯t care if you are an elf or a beast. It¡¯ll be better if you were an elf, but if you don¡¯t want to show your face, I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true¡î! Aide is Aide¡î¡±

    I¡¯m relieved. It¡¯ll be bad if they kick me out now.

    I need Zig to break the seal on my skills.

    But, I need to be careful with Seltina. She seems to have a lot to say.

    I pull back my mouthpiece so I can eat my food.

    The helmet has a mechanism that allows me to open my mouth while covering my eyes, so I don¡¯t have to worry about exposing my face. It¡¯s a technology we don¡¯t have over there.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    They were staring at me, so I shot them a glare.

    Hmph! Are you that interested in my face? It¡¯s a shame then, I won¡¯t show you.

    I put a piece of spiced red meat in my mouth.

    ¡°Mnnghh!?¡±

    ¡°Ehhh~ so Aide is not good with spicy food? ¡î ¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably the dish that Seltina ordered. I always tell people not to order without telling me, but you¡¯re out of luck.¡±

    What is this!? Is spicy!!

    My tongue and lips are tingling!

    ¡°Zig doesn¡¯t like spicy food either¡î~¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m not good at that level. You don¡¯t have to sweat to eat. That¡¯s why the lower classes eat so much.¡±

    The two of them are having an unimportant conversation.

    Water! Water! I can¡¯t believe it, I can¡¯t even get rid of the sting!

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to make spicy food more popular¡î! I hope Aide will be the first one to join in¡î!¡±

    Seltina offered me a dish that is slightly red. It looks good, but I can smell the spices in the air.

    This is impossible.

    ¡°I think Aide is a good comrade ¡î! Try it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best¡­¡±

    There are a number of barriers that must be overcome in order to gain trust. This will be one of them.

    Hang in there, Sain. You can do it!!

    ¡°Higiiiiiiiii!! My butt is burning!!¡±

    The next day, I screamed in the bathroom.

 CH 180

    Chapter 180 ¨C The adventures of a lower class former hero [Part 5]

    With each passing day, I was gaining more of Zig and Sertinas¡¯ trust.

    But on the other hand, I kept missing opportunities to bring Zigs status down. The reason for this is his flirting skills.

    He was brave and was at a high level, so I couldn¡¯t absorb it in one blow. So I was going to sneak a little at night, but there was always someone in the room, so my plans were ruined.

    What the hell is this guy?

    What is he? A Stallion?

    However, when I think back, I used to be something similar.

    I think it was worse than that.

    It hasn¡¯t been long enough to say that I¡¯m old. The more I looked at him, the more I saw myself in him.

    ¡°I¡¯m staying at the palace tonight.¡±

    In the parlor of Zig¡¯s mansion, I was told such a story.

    As I cleaned my knife, I glanced at Sertina, who was beside me.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ I love Zig so much¡î~¡±

    ¡°You can save your feelings. Just remember that I won¡¯t be here tonight.¡±

    ¡°You have something to do tomorrow at morning?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back by then.¡±

    Zig left the room, without any explanation.

    Sertina and I were left behind. I just looked at her, without moving my face.

    ¡°How cruel ¡î Why can¡¯t he understand my feelings?¡±

    ¡°Why is he going to the palace?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡î you idiot. ¡î¡±

    Sertina ran out of the room.

    I was just asking¡­

    But from the look of it, there¡¯s definitely something in the palace.

    So it¡¯s a secret, huh.

    Interesting, now I¡¯m intrigued. Let ¡®s check it out.

    I decided to investigate Zig.

    I jumped from roof to roof of the building.

    People were coming in and out as if it was daytime, even though it was late at night.

    Lighting equipment is developed on different continents, so you can get long-lasting lights at any house at a low price.

    As you approach the palace, you can move in the shadows.

    Elves have good hearing. So I need to be careful.

    As I neared the entrance, I ducked down.

    The walls of the palace aren¡¯t that high, but many of these places are protected by relics and magical wards. If you go in there carelessly, the soldiers will catch you.

    That carriage¡­ is heading to the palace?

    I spotted a carriage that is probably heading to the palace.

    Maybe Jig is on it. I can take advantage of this opportunity.

    The moment the carriage went near me, I extended my tentacles and quickly climbed up onto the roof of the carriage.

    I know I could use this power. The tentacles have a limited length, but are strong enough to use as a rope. More importantly, I can use it to climb things.

    It would be fun if I could use it in the bed¡­

    The soldiers at the entrance didn¡¯t notice me.

    When the carriage entered, I jumped down and quickly hid myself.

    I crawled down to go to the back of the palace, where no one would see me.

    ¡°This seems like a safe place. I wonder if I can reach it.¡±

    There was an open window on the second floor, so I extended my tentacle to it. The tip caught the edge without slipping, so I slowly pulled myself up to look through the window.

    There was no one around. It was a perfect spot to enter.

    Once inside, I activated my appraisal and looked for Zig.

    Oops.

    I panicked and hid myself. At the end of the passageway, Zig was being led by a soldier to another location.

    Hmm? What are you doing here at this hour, Zig? Could it be that there¡¯s something going on that would be bad if people knew?

    Well.

    I managed to get into the gap between the rooms using my tentacles, somehow, I got to the top of the room where Zig was.

    I opened a hole and looked inside the room.

    Zig was holding the queen.

    ¡°You belong to me! Give me all of you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll! It¡¯s all yours!¡±

    I see. It¡¯s like that.

    Well done, Zig.

    You¡¯re going to take down the queen and gain that unassailable power, huh.

    That¡¯s something I never would have thought of doing.

    I don¡¯t hate it. You have a talent for evil.

    I want it. I want everything you have.

    Your talent, your appearance, your relationships, everything.

    There¡¯s no one worth taking.

    I can¡¯t do anything about it right now. But I¡¯ll find a way to do it and take it all.

    I¡¯m so excited. I wonder what you¡¯ll look like.

    I can¡¯t wait.

    In Petadaus, knowledge is widely open to the people. There are books in the guild, and you can easily do research.

    So I went to the guild.

    ¡°Hey, Aid! ¡î Heeey!¡±

    ¡°Sertina¡­ you aren¡¯t busy right? It¡¯s rare to see you without Zig.¡±

    ¡°He is in a room with another woman ¡î Zig is cheating on me when there¡¯s such a good woman in front of him! It¡¯s unacceptable! Ahhh! It¡¯s because I¡¯m not that attractive!?¡±

    How annoying. Just disappear.

    I¡¯m studying right now.

    Sertina sat opposite to me, she plopped down and squeezed her moderately sized breasts.

    ¡°He¡¯ll eventually realize it. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s true ¡î¡±

    ¡°Men are usually distant from women¡¯s feelings. He may not be aware of your true charm at the moment, but he will come to realize your kindness and beauty eventually.¡±

    Here, you¡¯ve got your confidence back? I don¡¯t care what you do, just go away.

    ¡°Then, show me proof ¡î!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡±

    I ignored her and looked down at my book.

    I shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved. It¡¯s a waste of time.

    ¡°Aiiid~ do something ¡î I want to be Zig¡¯s wife ¡î!¡±

    She stood up and came to my side, then she grabbed my arm and shook it violently.

    I¡¯ve been observing her up to this point, and I completely recognized her as an easy woman. I guess you could call it love in weakness. From my point of view, it¡¯s foolish, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to laugh. That¡¯s why we ended up in such a situation.

    Well¡­ I like single-minded women.

    It¡¯s more worthwhile to steal them and less likely to be betrayed later on.

    ¡°I have one question¡­ What do you like about Zig?¡±

    ¡°His face, his status, his money, his bravery, his kindness ¡î He helped me so I decided to marry him!¡±

    ¡°So, you like the ¡®shell¡¯ of Zig.¡±

    I was reading the ¡°shape shift¡± section.

    Shape Shift is a rare skill that allows you to change your appearance, body type, race. Although there¡¯s a limit to the extent to which you can change. It¡¯s a good ability for impersonating others.

    ¡°I never thought about it, but I guess you are right ¡î¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ you are a terrible woman.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not terrible ¡î I¡¯m just cute!¡±

    You have the gift of being a bad girl, you can say stuff like that without hesitation.

    You really have talent at being a bad girl. Sertina, you should be mine.

    Her looks, her style, her abilities are all very good.

    I¡¯m amazed that Zig doesn¡¯t want her.

    ¡°So, how can I make Zig love me ¡î? ¡±

    ¡° Can you cook¡­?¡±

    ¡°A little ¡î¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s not good enough. You should learn to be more serious about your skills. If you really want a man, you have to start at his stomach. Make him imagine a comfortable married life.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I see ¡î I¡¯ll do my best ¡î¡±

    Idiot. This is a basic rule of life.

    Have you ever dated someone other than Zig?

    ¡°I¡¯ll start practicing right away ¡î¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Sertina pulled me out of my seat.

    ¡°Fuhghuuu!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m confident about it ¡î¡±

    I was writhing in agony over the spicy food.

    Shit. She loves spicy food.

    I have to teach her from the beginning.

    But first, I need some water.

 CH 181

    Chapter 181 ¨C The adventures of a lower class former hero [Part 6]

    In this country of Petadaus, the existence of evil dragons is rampant and their subordinates are rampaging everywhere.

    An Evil Dragon is located in a place called the Holy Land, but it has been ignored because the forces to defeat it aren¡¯t ready yet. Zig¡¯s mission is to defeat that very dragon.

    If that happens, the name of ¡°Zig¡± will be solidified and engraved in history.

    ¡°Sertina, take control.¡±

    ¡°Ok ¡î Flame Shoot! ¡î¡±

    A powerful fireball hit the giant worm. The upper part of the worm was engulfed with fire and smoke, but the giant enemy looked at me, with its tentacles.

    So it didn¡¯t die, huh¡­

    I¡¯ll be glad if I can have one under my command. How many Evil Dragons are out there?

    ¡°Guh!!¡±

    ¡°Kya!?¡±

    ¡°Sertina! Ugh¡­!¡±

    A subordinate rushed at  Sertina, who was weak up close. Immediately, Zig activates his skill, ¡°Awareness Induction¡± and shows the enemy attack trajectory.

    In that moment, the subordinates suddenly started spacing out, and stopped their assault.

    Awareness Induction isn¡¯t as complicated as ¡°Manipulation¡±. However, it can be dangerous depending on how you use it.

    That¡¯s probably the reason Zig is that strong.

    ¡°Fuh.¡±

    I stepped in front of her and ran my blade across the torso of the subordinate. A green bodily fluid spurted out of the wound and the enemy twisted in pain.

    It¡¯s always a good thing to keep your blade sharp.

    ¡°Good job, Aid! I¡¯ll take care of the rest! Haaaa!!¡±

    Zig cut the head of a subordinate.

    When we returned to the inn, Zig slumped in a chair in the lobby. I sat down in the chair next to him, and Sertina sat in the chair across from him.

    The lobby was spacious for a luxury inn, and they seemed to have a caf¨¦ service.

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t come with us, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to take them all down.¡±

    ¡°I only worked as much as you paid me for¡­¡±

    ¡°Zig is a tsundere~¡î he¡¯s happy about it ¡î¡±

    ¡°You are so noisy, Sertina.¡±

    Zig put his feet on the table and closed his eyes. ¡°Wake me up in an hour¡±.

    This is a perfect opportunity. It¡¯s a great time to absorb.

    But Sertina is in the way.

    I¡¯d be grateful if she leaves.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him, you can go wherever you want.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do ¡î so I¡¯ll stay here until dinner ¡î ¡±

    Annoying.

    Can¡¯t you see that you¡¯re interrupting me? I want to be alone with him, you know.

    ¡°Ah! Look at this ¡î¡±

    She took a book and handed it to me.

    A cookbook? There are a lot of ingredients I¡¯m not familiar with.

    I flipped through it, checking the recipes and handed it back to her.

    ¡°This is the book to grab Zig¡¯s stomach ¡î¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of things to do in this book. It¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°So, I thought I could ask you to taste some food samples ¡î¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    ¡°Aid?¡±

    Ah. I let out a scream.

    The food she makes is spicy. She puts an unbelievable amount of spices in her food.

    Thanks to her, my stomach and rear end were in a miserable state the other day.

    That was the most terrifying experience I had had in a while.

    ¡°I think imposing your preferences on others may cause them to dislike you¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right, but I¡¯ll go easy on the spices¡î¡±

    She opened her book and began to decide what to make next.

    I looked around to make sure everything was okay.

    Then, I extended a tentacle from my arm and stuck a tube into Zig, who was next to me.

    I want to absorb most of his status and abilities at once, but that wouldn¡¯t allow me to have fun. It¡¯s better to take it slowly and slowly. That way, I can plunge him deeper into despair.

    I need him to unseal the Evil Eye of Lure.

    But I need to be careful, I don¡¯t want him to realize what I¡¯m doing.

    So there¡¯s only one thing to steal. The Awareness Induction skill.

    With that, most problems can be solved.

    Even if I¡¯m kicked out, it would be enough for me even if I only got that skill. Hehehe.

    ¡°I think he¡¯ll be happy if I make this ¡î¡±

    ¡°Ah, yeah, I guess.¡±

    Before Sertina turned her gaze to me, I quickly retracted my tentacles.

    I took the book and looked over the contents.

    ¡°Is not bad. I think Zig will be happy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to practice this so I can become Zig¡¯s wife ¡î¡±

    ¡°Remember what I told you, no spices.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t add spices ¡î¡±

    I¡¯ll be the one who¡¯ll be trying that? I think it¡¯s a necessary sacrifice.

    Suddenly, I remembered that red dish.

    It ¡®s okay. This time it¡¯ll be normal.

    Be patient, Sain. You can get through this.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get the ingredients, so watch Zig for me ¡î¡±

    ¡°¡­ got it.¡±

    Sertina left.

    After watching her go, I opened my status information and checked. There was a text of ¡°Awareness Induction¡±.

    Thanks, Zig.

    Hehe¡­ AhahaHAHA!!

    ¡°AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!¡±

    I rolled on the floor in agony.

    This is totally different! My mouth is burning!!

    ¡°Ehh? ¡î I¡¯m sure I putted a little of spice ¡î¡±

    ¡°WATER!!¡±

    ¡°Here ¡î¡±

    I took the glass and drank it in one shot.

    I calmed down for now. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m so upset about that.

    My lips are twitching and my tongue is numb.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange ¡î I made it exactly as it was written ¡î¡±

    Sertina opened the book and groaned.

    Are you sure that you really followed it? I noticed before I ate it that it was slightly red.

    This woman¡­ She put spices on it.

    ¡°¡­ Why did you add spices?¡±

    ¡°Eh? ¡î I put a little bit as an accent ¡î¡±

    Idiot. An accent is just a pinch. What size winch is on this?

    I used my fork to flip the inside of the dish.

    There were a lot of bright red spices in there.

    What¡¯s the ¡°spicy standard¡± for you?

    A little is a little. You want to kill me?

    ¡°Anyway, I made it, so please eat it all ¡î¡±

    ¡°No, I mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Go back to your seat ¡î¡±

    I sat back in my chair and my body started to shake.

    No¡­ I don¡¯t want to eat anymore.

    My instincts are telling me not to.

    ¡°Here is your fork ¡î¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!!¡±

    I was forced to hold the fork.

    This is a torture. Make this stop, please.

    I¡¯m dying.

    ¡°Aid is a good guy¡­ I wish you were Zig ¡î¡±

    ¡°¡­ If I eat this, will you go on a date with me?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can think about it, but only if you eat it ¡î¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±

    I break out into a cold sweat as I look at the food.

    This is not funny. But you can consider this hell as a necessary expense.

    Fearfully, I put the food in my mouth.

    Ouch.

    I managed to finish it, and I was in the mood to cry.

    ¡°¡­ I ate it all.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for your effort ¡î But, will this be enough for Zig?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, spicy food isn¡¯t for everyone. Especially since Zig likes sweet things, think about more flavors, spicy things aren¡¯t for everyone.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ I see¡­ I¡¯ll take note ¡î¡±

    Sertina wrote what I said in her memo.

    I told you what before, you know. Are you stupid?

    Don¡¯t joke with me

    I¡¯m going to punish you, silly.

    Fuu¡­ take it easy. It ¡®s over. I¡¯m done with that spice hell.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go on a date sometime ¡î¡±

    ¡°¡­ Thanks.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to thank you for your advice, so I¡¯ll take you to a place ¡î a great spicy food restaurant ¡î¡±

    EH!?

 CH 182

    Chapter 182 ¨C The adventures of a lower class former hero [Part 7]

    Arc 5.5 is finished. Next will be Arc 6!

    The day after eating the spicy meal. Zig told me about a new request.

    ¡°¡­The city is shrouded in fog?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s where we¡¯ll work next.¡±

    I learned that there¡¯s an area of the city that has been experiencing a thick fog for several days and residents were acting distant with each other. In addition, none of the people went to check up on the situation, so the country asked Zig to investigate the cause and solve the problem.

    ¡°It¡¯s Mistmaker.¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡î¡±

    ¡°¡­Who?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? It¡¯s a rare soft-bodied demon that lives in places with water and generates a thick mist from its body to control people and other demons.¡±

    Well, that¡¯s a problem. I¡¯ve seen something similar in my country, but I¡¯ve never seen one that generates fog.

    ¡° What do we do if we encounter someone that is being manipulated?¡±

    ¡°I have orders to kill them if I have to. In this city, humans aren¡¯t authorized. No matter how many people die, there¡¯ll be zero casualties. ¡±

    I see. Good.

    I don¡¯t care what happens to the people of this country. There¡¯s no pain in killing them.

    It¡¯s like stepping on an ant.

    ¡°The fog has a sleep spell on it. If your magic resistance is strong, you won¡¯t have problems, but if it¡¯s weak, you¡¯ll fall asleep and be controlled within a few minutes.¡±

    Zig gave me a small object.

    It was a brooch that I could find anywhere.

    ¡°¡­What ¡®s this?¡±

    ¡°A Sleep Protection Brooch. It¡¯ll keep you awake.¡±

    He told me to use it.

    Thanks, then. My magic resistance and magic power has increased due the levels I grew, but the level of the demons could be also higher than mine. There¡¯s no guarantee I won¡¯t fall asleep.

    ¡°I accepted this quest to raise our level. We aren¡¯t ready yet to fight the Evil Dragon, so take everything you can as experience.¡±

    Celtina and I nodded.

    The further we got into the forest, the thicker the fog became. Even though it was daytime, it was really hard to see the road.

    The horse that Zig was on clicked his tongue impatiently.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I hate these demons. The fog is so thick, everything is whited out.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Calm down, Zig.¡±

    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re not going to lecture me, are you? Then do something about it. If you show me how to get rid of this fog, I¡¯ll pay you double.¡±

    ¡°Zig.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    You seem to be quite irritated by the inability to see.

    You¡¯re still a kid. There¡¯s no convenient environment for killing monsters.

    You only feel ¡°disadvantage¡± because the enemy is more skilled than you.

    I wish he would learn from Tohru. That idiot was always ready to take on anything.

    Well¡­ I need that kind of mental strength too.

    ¡°You¡¯re very calm and mature, Aid ¡î¡±

    ¡°I have more experience than you.¡±

    ¡°What are you? And old man? ¡î¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not, but I¡¯m older than you for sure.¡±

    Suddenly, the horse I was riding slowed down. Soon after, he sat down on the ground and fell asleep.

    ¡°We¡¯ll walk from here.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s fly in Sylvia ¡î¡±

    ¡°If I could find it from above, I would. It¡¯s hard to get into the city without following the path.¡±

    ¡°Zig is right.¡±

    The fog was widespread. It¡¯s impossible to find the city from the air.

    In addition, this demon is also using magic to dull the sense of direction at the same time.

    If we don¡¯t want to get lost, we¡¯ll just have to continue.

    ¡°Zig, walk with me ¡î¡±

    ¡°Stop. Stay behind the wizards¡±

    ¡°Aid, Zig is so cold! ¡î¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    She¡¯s a pain in the ass, so I replied following her game.

    After walking for about two hours, the entrance to the city appeared in the thick fog. But there was no guard, and the gate was left open.

    That¡¯s unnatural, obviously.

    Even when we passed through the gates into the city, it was quiet.

    ¡°It ¡®s creepy¡î! Let¡¯s just blow it all up!¡±

    ¡°If we leave a mess, it¡¯ll be harder to fool them. Killing humans is a demon¡¯s crime. We came here to help, don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    ¨D!?

    I sensed something with my appraisal.

    ¡°Looks like an enemy.¡±

    ¡°Celtina, Aid, clear this up.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡î!¡±

    The inhabitants of the city gathered like zombies. All of them were in a sleepy state and being controlled.

    While Zig and I were clearing away the enemies in front of us, others were gathering from behind, blocking our escape route.

    There¡¯s no problem with being surrounded, honestly.

    We¡¯veprepared for a long time to manage this kind of problem.

    The number of inhabitants was greater than expected. There were also demons and monsters mixed in, so dealing with it was troublesome.

    ¡°Get out! Don¡¯t touch me with those filthy hands!¡±

    Zig kicked the inhabitant. He quickly cut off their heads, bathing them in blood.

    He is taking out all his stress on them.

    I was covering his back, clearing away the enemies so as not to interfere with his movements.

    ¡°Finishing Burst! ¡î¡±

    There was a big explosion. Celtina¡¯s magic is awesome as ever.

    The blast blew up the houses and the residents were blown away.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of them ¡î!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about time to crush them from the origin.¡±

    ¡°The Mistaker is an aquatic demon right ¡î? Isn¡¯t here in the city a watering hole? ¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember¡­¡±

    A watering hole¡­

    It¡¯s hard to imagine lurking in a well. How about a pond or a lake nearby?

    There¡¯s a lot of them. It¡¯s hard to make a move.

    ¡°Die, die, die, die, die, die!!¡±

    Zig seems to be busy killing those things.

    ¡°What with these guys? There¡¯s no end ¡î¡±

    ¡°Ask Zig, I¡¯m just a hired hand.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not friendly Aid ¡î!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­.¡±

    That¡¯s none of your business.

    Celtina used her magic again and blew away the enemy. I left her on my back and continued to wield my sword, watching Zig.

    Even these guys can be a powerful enemy when they come together.

    Maybe I underestimated them a little too much.

    The inhabitants¡¯ defenses were strong, and there¡¯s no way to escape. It seems that this demon is more clever than I expected.

    It¡¯s time to start thinking about retreating.

    ¡°How are you? Get out of my way!¡±

    ¡°Listen. The inhabitants of this place are being manipulated. It¡¯s the source of the fog that must be eliminated.¡±

    I heard a voice and turned to look at Zig.

    ¨D¡­What?

    Tohru¡¯s figure stopped Zig¡¯s sword.

    My arms trembled in fear. My back teeth rattled.

    Why would Tohru do that!? That¡¯s impossible! We¡¯re on another continent!!

    Am I hallucinating? No¡­ it ¡®s real¡­

    It¡¯s the real Tohru.

    Oh¡­ no¡­

    And there¡¯s even a slave of that fox tribe and a slave of Faerie.

    No¡­ no¡­!!

    Oh¡­ right. I¡¯m hiding my face, right? It ¡®s okay, he won¡¯t find out.

    I need to pretend I don¡¯t know them.

    It¡¯s my first time seeing them. That¡¯s a very nice sword.

    Okay, I can do it.

    My legs are shaking a little, but I¡¯m confident! I can do it!!

    Oh.

    Zig was killed by Tohru. He can¡¯t win, after all.

    ¡°¡­Time to quit.¡±

    I made my voice lower than usual to give Tohru the impression that it wasn¡¯t me.

    Zig decided he couldn¡¯t continue and sent out Sylvia.

    I look down from my ascending beast at my former best friend, whom I¡¯ve met again.

    Oh man¡­ Seriously, that guy is terrible. I thought I was going to die.

    Looking at him, he¡¯s like level 3000 or something.

    My hands are still shaking from the¡­

    ¡°Guh!?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Aid¡î?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ nothing.¡±

    What is this pain I¡¯m feeling? For some reason, it seemed like a very ominous pain.

    I wonder¡­ What is it?

 CH 183

    Chapter 183 ¨C The Warrior meets the Imposter

    We continued onward, past the hills lined with strange stone statues, past the mossy bones of dragons, and past the ruins sinking into the forest.

    The further we went, the stronger the monsters became, and the wider variety of monsters there were.

    We met people a couple of times and we exchanged a few words with them.

    Their stories were very interesting, they kept us entertained.

    I heard about a great country with twelve heroes, an evil spirit that travels from place to place, a huge library of ancient knowledge lying deep underground, a holy woman who spends that much money that even the Demon King fears, and a story of mountains that have ruins under the sea.

    The world is so big.

    It¡¯s full of mysteries.

    ¡°Is that a town¡­?¡±

    I looked ahead from the top of a golem. Far ahead in the wilderness, there was a large city.

    Yikes.

    I jumped and landed.

    ¡°Here¡¯s some water.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I took the water bottle from Kaede to hydrate my throat. It was dry and hot around here.

    The sunlight was beating down on us from above.

    ¡°Aah~!¡±

    ¡°Gyu~!¡±

    Frau and Panda were so sore that they were about to collapse.

    They were wearing hooded cloaks to protect them from the sun. I¡¯m getting tired of this heat.

    ¡°Kaede, cool us down please!¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡±

    Kaede¡¯s magic cools us down.

    ¡°Aaah, I¡¯m coming back to life!¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so calm? Kaede too. You are the only two cooling off in the relic, aren¡¯t  you?¡±

    ¡°Shall we go into the cloak then?¡±

    ¡°Yey!¡±

    ¡°Kyuh!¡±

    When I made room for them, Frau and Panda jumped in.

    ¡°Ahh~!¡±

    ¡°Kyuuh~!¡±

    But they immediately jumped out with tearful expressions.

    We don¡¯t have such a comfortable thing to be in. Kaede and I are just trying to endure the heat.

    Well, better get going.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me here~!¡±

    ¡°Kyuh!¡±

    Kaede and I continued on our way.

    ¡°I¡¯m melting.¡±

    ¡°Kyu~¡±

    This is such a pain in the ass¡­

    I went back and picked up Frau. Panta went back to the stamp.

    ¡°There¡¯s a town~~!¡±

    Flau, who regained his spirits, screamed from far away.

    This is a remote town in the Knox Hood territory called Beeps. This is the area where the old Demon King Bertina rules.

    It sounds like a very powerful name.

    He must be a strong and omnipotent demon.

    The town was much nicer than I expected, and I couldn¡¯t believe it was in the middle of the wilderness. There were waterways everywhere, with clean water flowing through them, probably from the underground.

    The inhabitants were mainly beasts.

    I also saw some dwarves and lizardmen.

    Surprisingly, I didn¡¯t see any demons or evil monsters.

    ¡°Ugh, they¡¯re selling roasted lizards. ¡±

    ¡°It looks delicious.¡±

    ¡°Master!?¡±

    I approached the old man at the stall and asked for a roasted lizard.

    The meat was cooked so well.

    I took a bite.

    Yes, it¡¯s good as I expected. The fat on the meat was just right, and it was delicious.

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll eat too¡­¡±

    Kaede also took a bite.

    ¡°Hmm! It ¡®s delicious!¡±

    Right? It¡¯s surprisingly good.

    Frau rejected it with an ¡°Iyah¡±.

    I¡¯ll never do this if I¡¯m in the same situation!

    ¡°I¡¯m coming back to lifee~¡±

    ¡°Kyuh!¡±

    Frau¡¯s face turned into a big smile as she drank a cold drink.

    We went to a caf¨¦ that seemed to be a good place. The terrace seats had a nice view and the cold coffee was slightly sweet and really tasty.

    The best thing about it is that it has a roof.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ I¡¯m all sticky with sweat.¡±

    ¡ª!?

    Kaede is wiping her chest with a wet towel.

    Two soft and comfortable looking hills and a deep valley between them. The water was dripping down through that valley.

    Oohh¡­ this is¡­!

    Damn it! Stop, Toru! Don¡¯t look!

    It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen the ¡°Dragon of Desire¡±, so, as a formal warrior, I rub my fingers under my nose.

    ¡®Long time no see, Instinct.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll win this time. It¡¯s your defeat, Reason!¡¯

    ¡®You idiot! Is not your turn!¡¯

    ¡®Hmph! You piece of wood.¡¯

    The battle begins.

    A fierce battle between Instinct and Reason. Reason¡¯s arm is broken, but Instinct also gets one of its eyes cut off. Either side could win in this long, long battle.

    At the end, the Reason emerged victorious.

    ¡®I¡¯m not giving up¡­!¡¯

    ¡®Damn¡­ Breasts¡­¡¯

    Kaede looked at me.

    Then, she blushed and hid it with her arms.

    ¡°I-If possible¡­ don¡¯t look¡­¡±

    ¡°S-Sorry!!¡±

    I turned my face away.

    In my mind, the Dragon of Instinct was in the back, with a big smile. ¡®I¡¯m satisfied with that for now.¡¯

    ¡°So what do we do from here?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to stay for a couple of days, then we¡¯ll move on.¡±

    Our main purpose in this city is to gather information. We need to learn more about the Fake Manyu Brigade.

    That and sightseeing and resupplying.

    We¡¯re going to have a lot of wilderness ahead of us, so we¡¯ll want to make sure we have plenty of food and water.

    I¡¯m walking around the market with a bag. Kaede is in such a good mood that she¡¯s wagging her tail.

    ¡°Master, I¡¯ve never seen these vegetables before.¡±

    ¡°It sure has an interesting shape.¡±

    She asked the shopkeeper how to prepare them, then she picked up a few and bought them.

    My pack grew bigger again.

    ¡°Let me have it. Sorry to make you do this as a slave.¡±

    ¡°It ¡®s fine.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about food, also, I want to watch you enjoy shopping.¡±

    When I said that, Kaede got teary eyed and said ¡°Master¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t cry for that. You are the cutest slave.

    ¡°Huh!? Manyu Brigade!? You guys!?¡±

    That voice¡­ Frau?

    The commotion seems to be happening at the end of the market. Kaede and I hurried over to it.

    In the middle of the street, Frau and several men and women were staring at each other.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me, you¡¯re from the Manyu Brigade!?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you? Trying to mess with us¡­!¡±

    ¡°I caught you! We are the real ones!¡±

    ¡°You, real? Hahaha!! Don¡¯t mess with us.¡±

    Frau said, ¡°huh?¡± while the man cut a mince.

    I had left Frau to gather information but¡­

    ¡°Kyuh!¡±

    ¡°Ah, Panta-san.¡±

    Panta flew towards Kaede and me, as if he finally found us.

    He made a sound like an explanation in front of Kaede, but I couldn¡¯t understand him at all.

    Well, I can tell what¡¯s going on just by looking.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Toru. Toru from the Brigade.¡±

    ¡°Fuhh! What are you pretending to be with that language and appearance? Then, where are Kaede and Frau? They have to be here.¡±

    ¡°What? Who is that? That one has to be Tohru from the Brigade. I don¡¯t know the rest.¡±

    ¡°How dare you say you¡¯re from the Manyu?¡±

    Gradually, it became a fight between the man and Frau. The quarrel heated up and people around him stopped to watch.

    Stopping it is not a good idea.

    He ¡®s going to die.

    ¡°Yes yes, I understand. Then, let¡¯s see who is the real one!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that fight, you cheeky fairy.¡±

    Frau pulls out her hammer and the man pulls out his sword. The moment the fight began, I quickly stepped in between them.

    ¡°You stopped it too, Kaede.¡±

    ¡°I knew that Master would do it.¡±

    I caught Frau¡¯s hammer with my hands, and Kaede caught the man¡¯s sword with her iron fan.

    ¡°Hii!? Master!?¡±

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, guys?¡±

    Frau shivered, her face pale and wobbly.

    You don¡¯t have to tell me, do you?

    Hmph.

 CH 184

    Chapter 184 ¨C Imposters, fear the warrior [Part 1]

    We got to know the ¡°Fake Brigade¡± surprisingly quickly.

    And now we¡¯re in a bar.

    ¡°I thought you were a bunch of jerks, but you guys turned out to be good company! Pwah!¡±

    The leader of the group, Toru, who I¡¯ll refer to as ¡°Fake Toru¡± for confusion¡¯s sake, was in a good mood with a mug in his hand.

    Fake Toru was carrying a large sword on his back, but he has a one-handed sword on his hip, suggesting that the large sword is just for decoration. It was too brand new and clean to be his favorite weapon.  He is also a member of the Beast Tiger Tribe.

    There were three of them.

    A man of the demon tribe who seemed to be a well-built fighter. A dark elf woman with a cloth covering her mouth, looking like an assassin. And an elf woman with a robe, like a wizard.

    And as Panta, a white pig was walking under the table.

    ¡°You look like that thing!¡±

    ¡°Kyu¡­¡±

    Frau and Panta, both tired, looked down at the pig.

    I¡¯m feeling the same way. If you¡¯re going to call yourself that, you need a more authentic likeness.

    Will¡­ they eat that pig when it grows up?

    ¡°I¡¯m really uncomfortable with this. Not only with they calling themself the ¡°Manyu Brigade¡±, but also talk about Master¡¯s name and refer to his accomplishments as if they had done them. This is unacceptable.¡±

    ¡°Well, well, calm down. If they¡¯re doing something bad in our name, we¡¯ve got a big problem, but there¡¯s no sign of that at least for now. Obviously it¡¯s  not good to let them do what they want, but we can wait for a little while to see what happens¡±.

    ¡°If Master says so¡­¡±

    The normally mild and quiet Kaede is angry. When the smiles disappear, dark intentions were directed to them.

    It seems she¡¯s very upset.

    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s proud of being a member of the Manyu Bridge.

    ¡°Sure is good to drink on other people¡¯s dime!¡±

    ¡°Heck yeah!¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s good to be in the Manyu Brigade!¡±

    ¡°Shh~!¡±

    The fake party was enjoying their drink. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s paying for it.

    The purpose of the meeting was to apologize for the suspicion of being a fake group, but the actual purpose was to gather information.

    The leader grinned.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m using the name of the Manyu Brigade. It¡¯s a good thing that they were so generous, or we¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡±

    ¡°That ¡®s scary¡±.

    ¡°You should be grateful. I¡¯m going to miss this a lot.¡±

    Snap.

    Kaede¡¯s glass started to crack.

    Her smile was the same as always, but I could feel a dark aura. Frau and Panta said ¡°awaaah¡± when they saw it.

    Please, bear it.

    ¡°We¡¯re actually investigating a fake Manyu Brigade. Do you know anything about them?¡±

    ¡°The real one¡­ no. But the fake one is famous as far as I know. It¡¯s supposed to be led by Toru, but it¡¯s actually run by a fighter woman.¡±

    That¡¯s useful information.

    The woman could be Nei. She¡¯s the only martial artist who is a member of the Manyu Brigade.

    I leaned forward to ask for more information, but the man showed me his palm and took a ¡®I don¡¯t know anymore¡¯ attitude.

    ¡°With everything that¡¯s happening, I¡¯m not in the mood to talk.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°You guys look like you¡¯re pretty good at what you do. Why don¡¯t you guys work for me? I¡¯ll pay you half in money, and half on information.¡±

    So we have a deal. There¡¯s no reason to refuse, but¡­ it seems suspicious.

    ¡°There¡¯s a ruin we¡¯re after, but it¡¯s too tricky to explore on our own. And that¡¯s where you guys come in. You can get a lot of money for a little bit of help-¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to trick me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on. If you have a problem with that, just say no. Or maybe you¡¯re not the real Manyu?¡±

    He grinned. It¡¯s easy to read that I¡¯m scared of something behind it.

    Kaede asked without thinking.

    ¡°What¡¯s the level?¡±

    ¡°All of them are around 400. It¡¯s normal in this area.¡±

    I guess I can handle anything with that level.

    Our current levels are:

    Toru Lvl: 3321Kaede Lvl: 2530Frau Lvl: 2426

    As expected from a different continent, the two of us increased our level tremendously.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take that offer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Little Dog Luto.¡±

    Yes, that¡¯s right. We called ourselves the Little Dog Gang.

    My name is Luto. Make sure to not be mistaken.

    ¡°¡­ we need to end this soon as possible.¡±

    Kaede, stop muttering like that.

    It was about ten kilometers from the city.

    A huge rock was rising in the wilderness. In what appeared to be a hollowed-out entrance, there was a sculpture of a multi-headed dragon.

    It has six long snake-like heads, a kind I had never seen.

    ¡°What ¡®s that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a Hydra. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not here.¡±

    In ancient times, there was a great dynasty in this area. They worshipped the dragon Hydra and they offered sacrifices to him.

    The Hydra responded to them by protecting the country.

    But all nations come to an end.

    The prosperous country was destroyed in a night by a demon king invader from a distant land.

    ¡°This is a ruin from that era. The common belief is that it was a temple, but I suspect it was a huge treasure house. There¡¯s a lot of precious metals and valuable things here.¡±

    ¡°That sounds exciting.¡±

    ¡°I believe that there are still areas that haven¡¯t been explored. So, it¡¯s our job to do it and find the treasure.¡±

    The leader made a circle with his fingers and then he grinned. He looks more like a low-cost bandit than an adventurer.

    Kaede walked next to me.

    She¡¯s still suspicious of them.

    ¡°Master is being too lenient with them. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s  a good idea, even if it¡¯s just to get information.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust them, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to be suspicious. Besides, I¡¯m glad that you brought me here. Ruins are such a romantic place.¡±

    ¡°The Lord doesn¡¯t care about most things when adventure is involved.¡±

    You know what I mean, Frau. Compared to the excitement in front of us, our fakes are insignificant

    However, I¡¯m glad that Kaede is thinking about me. I¡¯ll be stroking her a lot here.

    ¡°Maaaasteeer~! Hmph!¡±

    ¡°Good, good.¡±

    She blushed in embarrassment, but her fox ears drooped and her tail wagged.

    ¡°Lord~ we are leaving you behind~¡±

    ¡°Kyuh~¡±

    They¡¯re going into the ruins. We have to go too.

    But Kaede was standing still and squirming.

    ¡°Well, if you could squeeze me¡­ I¡¯d be happier, you know¡­¡±

    I spread out my hands, and Kaede was very happy.

    I hugged her with a lot of warm energy.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you happy again.¡±

    The look of happiness on her face made me relax too. My slave seems to be cute today as well.

    I walked through the passageway, relying on the light.

    ¡°That¡¯s so cool.¡±

    ¡°Is it.¡±

    The two of us walked side by side at the front of the line, followed by the Fake Manyu. Frau and Panta are flying around as they please.

    Inside the ruins, the intruding sand had created countless small piles.

    Buried in the sand were statues of strong warriors and vases. The walls and floor were made of rock.

    Bump.

    Part of the floor sinks, and a blade juts out from the wall, aiming for the neck. I grabbed the blade and crushed it.

    ¡°He prevents it again.¡±

    ¡°Who the hell is this guy?¡±

    I can hear them whispering behind me, but I ignore them.

    Another trap. The ruins are full of intruder deterrent. Maybe I¡¯m not that far off the mark where it was the treasure.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing but sand, statues, and jars!¡±

    ¡°Kyu~!¡±

    Crack. Frau threw a jar against the wall and broke it.

    That¡¯s worth something too, you know.

    ¡°Right! Lord has ¡®Grand Thief¡¯! Maybe there¡¯s a hidden room or something!¡±

    Frau and Panta flew over to me.

    ¡°Then¡­!?¡±

    ¡°Kyu~!¡±

    Frau and Panta¡¯s eyes sparkled.

    Grand Thief seems to be responding. The treasure seems to be here.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Gump.

    Kaede pushed a part of the wall, triggering a trap.

    ¡°Heee!?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m going to die! Kaa-chan!¡±

    ¡°Ahhhh!!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be flattened!!¡±

    A huge iron ball rolls down the hill in front of me with great force.

    I caught it with one hand and stopped it.

    Auch. I got burned a bit from the frictional heat.

    The four of them trembled with their mouths open.

    ¡°A¡­ Amazing¡­¡±

 CH 185

    Chapter 185 ¨C Imposters, fear the warrior [Part 2]

    A large amount of sand enters the enclosed room.

    ?There¡¯s a lot of sand coming in!?

    ?This is bad!?

    ?I don¡¯t want to die like this.?

    ?Fufu, I guess we¡¯ll meet again on the other side.?

    The members of the fake Manyu Brigade hugged each other as they accepted their fate.

    Kaede, Frau and I exchanged glances as we watched.

    ¡­. Why are they giving up so quickly?

    The three of us then nodded and began looking around.

    There must be some way out of here. What if I try to break down the walls? Or maybe I shouldn¡¯t?

    With this in mind, I suddenly heard Kaede, who was exploring the place, shout.

    ?It looks like this place has a special coating. It¡¯s a dozen times stronger than usual.?

    ?You mean we can¡¯t break it??

    ?I think so¡­?

    It¡¯s really interesting to see how strong the ruins of this continent are.

    ?Master, if we don¡¯t do something soon, we¡¯ll all be buried alive.?

    ?Shit.?

    I might die if I get buried in all this sand.

    I have to find a way to get out of here.

    I hurriedly pounded the ground with great force using my fists.

    Suddenly, the sand was washed away by the impact, exposing the floor that had been completely covered up, causing the bottom of the floor to start cracking, with the lot of us falling through the ground.

    ?¡­Are you all right??

    I push aside the debris and stand up.

    It¡¯s too dark to see my surroundings, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯m in a very big place.

    The smell of dust was unbearable, though.

    ?*Cough cough*, Master¡­ Here.?

    Kaede had created an orb of light with her magic.

    We were in a straight hallway, with large stone statues of warriors placed evenly on either side.

    The hole we fell through was right above us, sand still falling from it.

    Where are Frau, Panda, and the fake Manyu brigade?

    As soon as I looked around, I saw them lying a few distances away from me.

    ?Hey you guys¡­ Wake up.?

    ?Huh? Where are we??

    The fake Toru stands up.

    The other three also stand up as soon as Kaede calls out to them.

    ?Where are Frau and Panda??

    ?Here!?

    A bright light appeared at the end of the hallway.

    What could that be?

    Is it some kind of monster?

    But I dismissed those thoughts upon seeing up close that it was Frau.

    She was illuminating the place as she flew over on Panda.

    ?I thought we had fallen together in the same place.?

    ?And we did. But I woke up first and wanted to investigate the surroundings.?

    ?Good thinking.?

    ?Hehe, thanks.?

    When I stroke her head, her expression relaxes into a smile.

    ?Okay, let¡¯s keep going.?

    ?Hey, what do you think you¡¯re doing? We¡¯re the real Manyu Brigade, we¡¯ll be the guides.?

    ?Ah, yeah, sorry.?

    I played along with the fake Toru and stepped aside. With that, we resumed our exploration of the place again.

    Further down the hallway lined with stone statues, we were led into a large room.

    There was a pedestal and a magnificent golden chest at its center. It looked like it could hold a lot of jewels or valuable objects inside.

    ?Treasure!?

    ?Kyui!?

    Frau and Panda flew towards the chest.

    When I decided to walk towards them, someone suddenly tapped my shoulder. I turned my head back to see what was happening, and saw fake Toru frozen in place with his sword in his hand.

    ¡­Hm? What is he trying to do?

    ?Impossible¡­ What is that thing??

    ?How could you not notice something like that!?

    ?We can¡¯t fight it! It¡¯s as strong as a rock!?

    ?Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.?

    Suddenly, Frau¡¯s scream echoed through the place.

    There was a six-headed Hydra in the room.

    Hmmm. I see¡­ Maybe that¡¯s why that guy had the sword in his hand. Maybe they weren¡¯t as bad as I thought, they wanted me to notice the monster by warning me about it.

    However, Kaede had a look of distrust in her eyes.

    ?They are very suspicious people, but I think they are good after all.?

    ?Do you really think so? Well, if you say so, Master.?

    Kaede looked hesitant, but quickly changed her expression to a smile.

    There are people in this world who judge things based on appearance. It doesn¡¯t make me happy that they impersonated us, but perhaps it has deeper reasons than simply stealing our identity.

    ?No, not that way.?

    ?Kyui! Kyu!?

    ?Shut up and keep flying!?

    Frau swung her hammer to knock the Hydra down, but with a deft swing of its long neck, the monster quickly dodged the attack.

    Panda, who was supporting her, tries to read its movements, even though they were both elated due to all their attacks missing.

    ?Frau-san, you have to aim downwards, at the base, not at their heads.?

    ?The base? Ah, right.?

    Frau realized what Kaede was trying to say. Despite being a creature that has six heads, it still only has one body.

    If you want to defeat a monster like this, you must strike it at the base.

    ?Frau, draw it here.?

    ?Fairy Hammeeeeeer!?

    Frau swung her hammer at the hydra sending it flying towards me. I then swung my sword and slashed at its body.

    As soon as my sword touched its body, I couldn¡¯t cut through it completely. So I decided to strengthen my muscles with my physical enhancement skill and instant acceleration.

    With one strike, the blade pierced through the hydra¡¯s scales and I managed to cut its body in half.

    I shook the blood off my sword and re-sheathed it.

    ?Is anyone hurt?

    ?¡­¡­?

    ?¡­¡­?

    ?¡­¡­?

    ?¡­¡­?

    The four shook their heads, pale faced.

    ?Let¡¯s go to the treasure!?

    ?Kyui¡«?

    As I focused my attention on the fake Manyu Brigade. Frau headed towards the treasure chest.

    Kaede and I also proceeded to approach it to see what surprises would be waiting for us¡­ But we were extremely disappointment after realizing that it was actually empty.

    What a waste of time.

    ?Master, wouldn¡¯t this chest be of some value??

    ?Maybe the chest itself is the treasure.?

    ?Kyui??

    The design of the chest itself was beautiful. If we managed to sell it, we could probably get a good price for it.

    But my ¡®Great Thief¡¯ skill tells me there¡¯s more, deep inside this room to be precise.

    I walk over to the wall and start feeling around.

    I can¡¯t find any holes. Or any mechanism that we can move.

    So I tried to pry it open.

    *Boom*

    A hole opened up in the wall, revealing a hidden room.

    ?Kaede, I need light.?

    ?Okay.?

    Soon the room is illuminated, revealing a large egg inside.

    ?This is what I think it is¡­?

    ?Yes, it¡¯s a strengthening egg.?

    I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s something like this here. And not only will I be able to improve Rosuke¡¯s stats. But also SharkBoy¡¯s.

    Although I should also upgrade Chupibi or Kuratan.

    Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter who I choose. The important thing is that I will be able to improve the stats of one of them.

    ?Kyu¡«?

    ?You¡¯ll have to wait until next time, Panda-san.?

    ?Come here, Frau will give you lots of love.?

    Panda, who was circling the eggs, seemed to not be very happy.

    I think I should look for an egg to improve his stats specifically.

    ?That thing is shaped like an egg.?

    ?What are we supposed to do with it??

    ?No way we¡¯re taking it, that thing is probably dangerous!?

    ?Let¡¯s just leave it with them, settle for the chest and then get the hell out of here.?

    When I looked back, all four of them were smiling and rubbing their hands together.

    ?Is it okay if I keep it??

    ?Go ahead, we¡¯ll settle for the money from the chest! Oh, as long as you guys are willing to split the earnings fifty-fifty!?

    ?I don¡¯t mind splitting the money from the chest with you guys, but can I really keep the egg??

    ?Sure, don¡¯t worry about it!?

    After the fake Toru¡¯s words, the other three members nodded vigorously.

    Hmm, I don¡¯t know what to think of these people anymore.

    I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re giving us the egg. But, well, I guess it¡¯s okay.

    After that, I put the egg away in my magic storage.

    When we arrived in the city, we went to a merchant¡¯s stall, sold the chest we found, then split the money for the sale as we had agreed.

    I was also willing to share some materials we extracted from the Hydra with them, but they flatly refused to accept it.

    And so, we parted ways in front of the guild.

    ?Hehehe, thanks for everything.?

    ?What¡¯s with the attitude? You used to act a bit overbearing before.?

    ?Because you¡¯re so superior to me! Clearly the difference in our strength is too great, and I¡¯ve been quite the boor in that regard¡­ Ha, how I wish I could punch myself in the face.?

    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to be so self-deprecating.

    ?By the way, about the fake Manyu Brigade¡­?

    ?Ah right, tell me, what do you want to kno- EEEH?!?

    The fake Toru quickly hides behind me.

    After that strange behavior, I have a lot of questions.

    Quickly his companions hid behind him as well.

    I turned my attention in the direction where they were looking and I saw two people, a man and a woman.

    They were dressed in what appeared to be red military uniforms.

    ?Hey hey, what are those people doing here??

    ?How many times do I have to tell you, you idiot? We knew they were going to show up any minute, now we have to figure out a way to get away.?

    ?You make it sound easy.?

    ?Oh yeah? You got a better plan, genius??

    ?¡­Eeeh, yo¡­.?

    ?Yeah, I thought so¡­?

    What the hell is going on with these people?

    Are they running from someone specific?

    As these questions invade my head. The two people the fake Manyu Brigade were hiding from walked in front of us without even seeing us.

    ?Impossible¡­??

    ?What??

    ?Those two are level 3000.?

    ?Huh? Are the two of them just as strong as me??

    Wow, the world is a very small place. I never thought I¡¯d find such strong people in a place like this.

    Well, that doesn¡¯t matter now. I must focus on getting information out of the fake Manyu Brigade.

    But when I turn to look at them¡­

    ?What the- Where are they?!?

    ?Huh?! But they were just here a minute ago.?

    ?They just ran off like their lives depended on it.?

    ?Kyui.?

    Those little¡­!

 CH 186

    Chapter 186 ¨C The Long Rainy Ride of the Warriors

    We left the city and continued on through the empty desert.

    I could see a kind of mirage on the horizon. The distance was so long that the distant mountains looked like floating islands in the sky.

    It is a dry and hot place.

    The area is not inhabited by demons or monsters, only by small creatures.

    ?Yuck, yuck.?

    ?Kyu¡«?

    Panda was flying unsteadily, carrying Frau on top of him. He seemed to be at his limit.

    Besides Kaede had been walking all this time silently without saying a word.

    *Poff*

    I hear a noise and turn around and see, much to my horror, that Kaede was lying on the ground.

    I rush over and carry her in my arms.

    ?Don¡¯t give up now, Kaede.?

    ?Master¡­ I¡¯m seeing three more like you.?

    ?Hey, here, drink some water.?

    As if putting all her strength into it, Kaede drank water from my bottle weakly.

    Her skin is damp with sweat and her face is completely matted by her white hair.

    Despite hydrating regularly, she was still quite weak and unwell.

    Could her hair have anything to do with it?

    ?Let¡¯s take a break in the shade of that rock over there.?

    ?I¡¯m so sorry¡­?

    I approached the rock while carrying Kaede on my back.

    ?You don¡¯t have to apologize. It¡¯s natural for a master to take care of his slave.?

    ?I¡¯ve always thought that Master is too kind to his slaves.?

    ?Hmm¡­ Not to be arrogant, but I think I¡¯ve actually been behaving rather selfishly. Lately, I¡¯ve been letting you and Frau take care of everything.?

    ?That¡¯s not good enough. You have to lean on us more ¨C much more!?

    ?I see you¡¯re feeling better already.?

    ?You¡¯re wrong!?

    How is it that she can have so much strength in her voice to speak in that tone when she is so weak?

    Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.

    This is the only way to repay you for all you¡¯ve done for me.

    By the way, what happened to Frau and Panda?

    I stopped and looked back, and saw both of them also lying on the ground.

    ?¡­ Hey, you guys too.?

    ?Master ~, No ~, I can¡¯t anymore ~?

    ?Kyu!?

    I managed to bend down and tied Frau and Panda to my waist with a piece of rope I had pulled out.

    ?Haah ~, haaah ~?

    ?Kyu¡«?

    Frau and Panda were emitting small sounds of exhaustion at the current situation.

    We were able to reach the shadow of a rock. I then gently placed Kaede on the ground, and then did the same for Frau and Panda.

    ?Thank you very much.?

    ?Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s time for you to rest.?

    ?Okay.?

    I¡¯m starting to get hungry, but I¡¯m too tired to eat.

    I heard that months can pass without any rain in this area.

    But when it does, it rains so hard that it can create a river.

    I¡¯d like to see something like that, but I¡¯d risk getting stranded in this place. It¡¯s a situation I¡¯d like to avoid if possible.

    *Ploc ploc ploc ploc*

    An eerie sound came from the distance and I looked towards it.

    There was a black cloud in the sky up ahead.

    Every now and then there was a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder that shook the air.

    What a timely situation¡­ I literally did not expect it to rain any time soon.

    I quickly grabbed Kaede, Frau and Panda and looked for a suitable place where we could take shelter from the rain.

    The rain did not seem to stop. Lightning and strong blizzards were battering the area.

    We had taken shelter in a cave and were very surprised at what our eyes were witnessing.

    ?It¡¯s amazing how hard it¡¯s raining.?

    ?I like the fact that it¡¯s cooler now, but with all this rain we¡¯re stranded here.?

    ?Kyui.?

    I¡¯ve never seen it rain like this before. The amount of water is such that a small river is forming on the site.

    It would be very unwise of me if I tried to escape in a situation like this.

    Everything indicates that we¡¯ll be staying here for a while.

    I go back to the cave and look at the pot on the fire.

    The temperature has dropped and it¡¯s gotten cold.

    Hot soup is what we need.

    Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder is heard nearby.

    ?Eeeek!?

    Kaede¡¯s tail stiffened, as did all her hair.

    She immediately ran and hid behind me while holding her tail.

    ?Are you afraid of thunder??

    ?¡­Yes.?

    Funny, I had no idea Kaede had those kinds of fears.

    Well, I used to be afraid of thunder when I was little, too.

    I remember my smiling mother threatening me at all times by saying ?Thunder-sama will pinch your belly button and rip your guts out.?

    As I was lost in my thoughts, I saw something like a spark near the fire.

    ¡­What the heck was that?

    ?Frau, let¡¯s eat.?

    ?How nice!?

    I decided to pay no attention to what I had seen, and called Frau and Panda to eat.

    Five days have passed and it¡¯s still raining.

    Even though it was daytime, it was as dark as the night outside. The water flowing on the ground was getting heavier and heavier.

    Luckily we are high in the mountains, so we don¡¯t have to worry about flooding, but we have nothing better to do with our time.

    ?Ruru, Ruru, Ruru ??

    ?Kyu, Kyu ~ ??

    ?Chupipi ~ ??

    Frau, who was in her human size, was sitting at the entrance watching the rain fall.

    Next to her were Panda and Chupibi.

    Outside, Kuratan was flying merrily in the air, Sharkboy was playing in the puddles and Rousuke was fighting against his fear of water.

    Kaede and I are wrapped in a single blanket, her head resting on my chest as she sleeps soundly.

    I didn¡¯t expect the temperature to drop so much all at once.

    It¡¯s so cold that I can see my breath.

    I couldn¡¯t help but gently rub my cheeks against Kaede¡¯s head. She is so soft and comfortable.

    Her fox ears are so fluffy that it makes me feel twice as good.

    ?Hmm.?

    Her fox ears twitched.

    Oops, I¡¯m going to wake Kaede up if I get too carried away.

    She always gets up so early in the mornings, waiting for me to wake up. The least I can do is make sure she gets a good night¡¯s sleep tonight.

    Suddenly, an electric light ran across the floor. There it is, that freaky thing again.

    Could it be that there¡¯s something we can¡¯t see?

    When I activated the dragon¡¯s eye, countless translucent creatures appeared.

    They were like insects. They looked like a firefly, their backsides emitting a small light.

    Could it be a lightning spirit?

    One of them notices my gaze and sneaks up on me.

    I held out my finger and it wagged its antennae, leaning on it at the same time.

    It¡¯s a very pretty creature. And if I look closely, I can see that its color and size are a little different from the others.

    Other spirits would flee just by sensing my presence, but this one approached me on its own.

    I feel an electric shock in my fingers, but it doesn¡¯t hurt at all.

    I proceeded to check for other spirits, but even although I saw some water and earth spirits, there were no fire or wind spirits anywhere.

    Well, Alusha said something about spirits having compatibility with humans.

    I wonder if that¡¯s why I can¡¯t find any nearby.

    ?Master¡­?

    Kaede looks happy as she sleeps.

    It¡¯s really nice to have a relaxing day like this.

 CH 187

    Chapter 187 ¨C The warrior finds an oasis

    And just like the big river that had formed in front of us, it had completely vanished. So it was safe enough to get out of the cave and resume our journey.

    There were still some clouds in the sky, but the sun was shining brightly, letting us know that everything was back to normal.

    With every step I took, my feet sank slightly to the surface. The ground was still wet, so mud was rather plentiful.

    ?How good it feels to walk once in a while ~?

    ?Kyui.?

    ?What do you mean by that? Are you trying to say Frau doesn¡¯t care about her fitness? I¡¯m not fat, you eyeball!?

    Frau had shifted into her human size, so she was keeping up with us on foot. And now that I look at her closely, she certainly seems to have gained a little weight.

    But to be honest, I hadn¡¯t noticed it until Panda mentioned it, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything to worry about.

    ?Is it just me, or are more and more creatures showing up around here after the heavy deluge??

    ?Yes, you¡¯re right. Some of them are beautiful.?

    Many plants began to grow in the middle of the desert, and numerous insects were crawling on the ground. Even monsters were beginning to come out of their hiding places.

    All of this was happening a couple of hours after it had stopped raining. Nature never ceases to amaze me.

    ?What is that??

    Some sort of dome appeared in the distance. The shape itself was distorted due to the long distance we were at.

    The closer we got, however, the more we could see that it was a huge skull.

    We also found what appeared to be an original golem, with a huge sword and axe stuck in the ground.

    I wonder if this has something to do with the ancient race.

    I¡¯ve heard that giants existed many years ago, but many people, including myself, think it¡¯s a fairy tale. Maybe they really did exist, and if any survived, I¡¯d like to see them.

    ?There¡¯s some fruit over here.?

    ?Kyui.?

    Hearing Frau¡¯s words, I turned my attention towards her. What I saw in front of her was a small tree with red fruits like tomatoes growing from it.

    ?According to my appraisal, they are edible.?

    ?That ability of yours never ceases to amaze me.?

    I plucked one of the fruits from the tree and took a bite.

    A slightly sweet, citrusy, refreshing aroma invades my mouth and nose. The texture is softer and slimier than a tomato¡¯s.

    ?I remembered seeing this fruit at the city market. If I had known it would be this good, I would have bought some.?

    ?Do you think they sell them in the city we¡¯re heading to??

    ?Kyui kyui kyu.?

    ?Wait, let me wipe your mouth.?

    ?Kyu??

    Frau wipes Panda¡¯s mouth with a cloth as he gobbles the fruit.

    ?Master, you¡¯ve got some on the side of your mouth.?

    ?I do??

    Kaede takes out a handkerchief and wipes my mouth.

    This is quite an embarrassing situation. I couldn¡¯t help but look at Kaede with different eyes because of this.

    She was very happy to be able to do this, the smile on her face gave it away.

    ?Kya.?

    ?What ¡®s wrong??

    ?I felt a sudden shock.?

    ?¡­.??

    A shock?

    Well, I guess it could have been static electricity.

    The humidity is still present, even though it should be a dry area and it¡¯s stopped raining.

    Weird¡­

    I washed my face in the crystal clear water, then took the towel Kaede was holding next to me to wipe my face.

    ?I didn¡¯t know there was a spring in the middle of nowhere.?

    ?We were very lucky. Now we won¡¯t have to worry about drinking water for a while.?

    We were at a spring that was surrounded by some rocky hills.

    If it weren¡¯t for the flock of birds coming out of this spot, we would have completely missed it.

    It was certainly a stroke of luck.

    ?You have a strange look on your face.?

    ?Paku paku.?

    ?Kyu! Kyukyu!?

    ?Paku ~??

    Frau was playing with Sharkboy in the water. And Panda, as usual, was trying to act like a Senpai, though Sharkboy doesn¡¯t seem to understand and keeps on going about his business.

    The relationship between the two has always been like this. Panda always tries to be regarded with respect because he is older. And yet, Sharkboy doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in such things at all.

    Maybe Panda will get that recognition someday if he keeps trying hard. But since they¡¯re technically animals, who knows what they are thinking. Their relationship might not change for another 50 or even 100 years.

    I proceeded to pull one of the enhancement eggs out of magic storage.

    ?Sharkboy, it¡¯s time to upgrade your stats.?

    ?Paku!?

    I grabbed him with both hands, and placed it on top of the egg. Immediately, the top opened into six sections, and I placed Sharkboy inside.

    The lid closed and the pulsations began.

    ¡­¡­.

    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..

    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.

    An hour has passed since Sharkboy entered.

    Loud heartbeats could be heard from inside.

    *Buuuuuuuuuuush*

    The lid opened with a pop and steam erupted from the egg.

    ?Sharkboy??

    ?Paku!?

    An adult shark emerges from the egg.

    Using its front fins deftly, it crawls out of the egg and jumps into the water.

    The color of Sharkboy¡¯s upgraded body has changed from pink to a bright red and his front fins are now shaped like large hands.

    However, his face remains the same.

    When he reached the water¡¯s edge, he waved his front fin at me.

    ?Paku¡«?

    I held his fin, which seemed to make him happy. I wondered if he had some kind of function besides swimming now.

    ?Kyui! Kyu, Kyu!?

    ?Paku¡«??

    Panda, who immediately became jealous, was crying as if he was telling Sharkboy not to get carried away.

    Yet Sharkboy still didn¡¯t seem to understand what Panda was trying to say.

    ?It¡¯s not right for you to express yourself that way Panda, you must show respect. I¡¯m sure the lord will soon find a strengthening egg for you.?

    ?Kyu¡­ Kyu¡­?

    ?Good. Now apologize to Sharkboy. I know where you¡¯re coming from, Panda. Frau knows you¡¯re someone very powerful, and you¡¯re going to prove it somehow.?

    ?Kyu!!! Kyui!!!?

    Panda quickly regains his energy, and flies around me with a glint in his eye. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s trying to tell me, ?Hurry up and find an egg for me.?

    Usually, Panda isn¡¯t too close to me. But this time, the excitement is obvious, and his desires even more evident.

    I proceed to stroke his head.

    It was night, and we had decided to stay in the oasis.

    The only source of light was the fire we made.

    Kaede, Frau and Panda were fast asleep. The only ones awake were me, Rosuke and Sharkboy, who was swimming in the water.

    I started to hear the sound of something crawling on the ground.

    As soon as I turned my gaze to the source of the sound, I saw that there was a small scorpion near Kaede.

    I quickly pulled out my knife, and stabbed it, killing it on the spot.

    Rosuke¡¯s vigilance is not perfect. So these small, deadly animals can go unnoticed by even him.

    Paki.

    Paki paki.

    A familiar sound rang in my head.

    Not again¡­ Did I really level up from killing that little scorpion?

    ¡¶Notice: Since the Lvl of experience value saving has reached the upper limit, it will be paid 100 times more ¡·

    ¡¶Notice: The payout has increased 200 times due to the effect of skill effect UP¡·

    ¡¶Notice: You have reached level 30,000¡·

    This¡­

    This can¡¯t be possible.

    I couldn¡¯t help but check that number over and over again. It wasn¡¯t an illusion. It was definitely 30,000.

    Awawawawawa¡­

    My body trembles with fear.

    No, I don¡¯t want to break this kind of boundary. I also don¡¯t want to be called a monster.

    If people find out about this, I¡¯m going to be banished from everywhere. I don¡¯t need to be so strong. I¡¯m already strong enough.

    I¡¯d much rather be weaker.

    ?Weak¡­ Yes! That chain!?

    This is a relic I got when I fought one of Rudra¡¯s men¡­ I actually picked it up because I thought it might be useful for something.

    I took the energy-reducing chain from the magic storage and wrapped it around my upper right arm.

    Okay. I¡¯m losing power.

    Honestly, I feel calmer now with this on.

    It feels like I¡¯m back to level 3000. It seems that even the relic couldn¡¯t completely suppress such overwhelming power.

    Still, it works pretty well.

    But I can¡¯t relax completely. Now I have to make sure no one knows my true level.

    Fortunately, I have my camouflage ring for that. Especially since it can now disguise my level.

    I put it on, and now I¡¯m officially 3,000. NOT 30,000.

 CH 188

    Chapter 188 ¨C The Passion of the Maidens Part 8

    ?Aaaaaaaaaaaah!?

    My fist impacts against a monster. I am more powerful than ever, as are my senses, everything feels sharper.

    The sensation of my opponent¡¯s bones breaking was felt in every fiber of my body.

    I will show no mercy. It¡¯s what I have to do to keep the peace and protect all the people in this place.

    After that blow, he fell to the ground and the impact rippled through the surroundings and shook the forest. He is surely dead.

    ?That¡¯s it.?

    ?You look absolutely stunning today, nya¡«?

    My partner, Lynn, applauds my victory.

    ?Well done, Ney-san.?

    ?You look more radiant today than ever.?

    ?Enough flattery, and pick up the Orc King.?

    Flattery aside, I give orders to my team to clean up the mess.

    ?How did this happen??

    ?I¡¯m sorry. I got carried away.?

    Back in my room, I buried my face on Lynn¡¯s lap.

    It¡¯s my fault. I wasn¡¯t aware of the errors of my ways. This is all getting partly out of control.

    And at Lynn¡¯s suggestion, we¡¯ve decided to call our party ¡®Manyu Brigade¡¯, plus there have been endless things happening that have only made our name famous, and it¡¯s also the one that prompted me to recruit many more people making this more of an army than just a party.

    ?But there¡¯s no need to be pessimistic, Ney, we did what we could to survive, gain experience, level up, generate money, and now we have the biggest party ever, Nya. You should be happy.?

    ?You did all this! You¡¯re the leader!?

    ?How dare you say that, nya! You¡¯re the one who always gives the orders, nya.?

    ?It¡¯s not true¡­?

    As I was about to respond, Lynn patted me on the head. Umm, that¡¯s right, Lynn said I¡¯d be better as a leader¡­

    Toru¡­

    I miss you, I miss you, I miss you, I miss you, I miss you, I miss you, I miss you.

    It¡¯s so hard here without you. Where are you, Toru? You said you were on this continent.

    Come and get me. I¡¯m here!

    ?What kind of grown woman pouts with her feet like that??

    ?Let me go, I feel sick.?

    ?Why don¡¯t you go look for him??

    ?I¡¯m a girl too. I want the person I love to come and get me.?

    ?Here we go again with the dreamy comments. What do you eat that gives you such flowery ideas? Vegetables? Is that what happens when you eat vegetables??

    She¡¯s taking me for a fool.

    I¡¯m sure Toru will come for me.

    He has always come for me. This time he¡¯ll come for me too. I believe in him.

    But come quickly. As soon as possible.

    Quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly!!!!!!!!

    ?¡®Excuse me, vice commander, I have something to tell you urgently.?

    ?It¡¯s all right, you can come in..?

    I got up from Lynn¡¯s lap, and sat down on a chair while grimacing.

    The person who knocked on the door came in, bowed, and began her report.

    ?I just received a summon from the palace.?

    ?What is it??

    ?It¡¯s a notice from two of our soldiers who are traveling in search of the information they requested.?

    Lynn removed the envelope and pulled off the letterhead.

    ?What does it say??

    ?¡­There is a country that has created a new title called? Manyu ?on the eastern border. I¡¯m heading to the site to confirm the veracity of the rumor.?

    ?I bet it¡¯s Toru. Who else but Toru and his friends will receive such a stupid title like that, nya??

    ?It¡¯s not stupid. Toru is an amazing person, and very nice no matter what he does.?

    We have sent two of our most trusted men to look for Toru, Kaede and Frau, we are getting closer and closer to finding them.

    Of course, we are also searching for the rest of the missing girls. We are doing our best to succeed.

    So far, we only have clues as to where Soara is. Because the rumors we hear are clearly about her.

    Soon we will see each other¡¯s faces again.

    [Vajra Palace of the Hundred Fangs]

    After passing through a huge gate and a large garden, I inwardly complained that I was still being made to walk, but I continued through the palace and came to a room where I found the person who had summoned me.

    I came with Lynn and some subordinates.

    ?Oh, here you are, manyu brigade!?

    ?What can I do for you??

    ?Don¡¯t be in such a hurry. We have some nice buns. Have one.?

    ?¡­¡­?

    Said the ancient demon king ganza, who was prostrate on his throne.

    He is a monster who reigns as ruler of this land. He is strong, has short hair of a white color and demon horns coming out of his head.

    Some people placed four buns in front of us.

    This is not another of His Majesty¡¯s games. It is a spice roulette, only one of these buns is filled with something very spicy.

    ?Here.?

    ?I¡¯ll take this one.?

    ?Let¡¯s get this over with.?

    I was the first to eat the bun¡­ Um, sorry normal, I guess I got lucky.

    ?Huh?! Aaaah!?

    And to my surprise, it was Lynn who hit the jackpot.

    She covered her mouth and rolled on the floor.

    Ganza started laughing out loud like a monkey after seeing Lynn¡¯s reaction.

    I have no idea what¡¯s so funny. I wonder if the fact that he¡¯s lived for so many years made his humor break.

    ?You¡¯ve held up very well. You¡¯re the leader of one of the top ten clans in the country.?

    ?As I said before, I¡¯m only the vice commander.?

    ?Right¡­ When will that man named Toru come? Even if he¡¯s the real leader, he¡¯s been gone too long. I¡¯m waiting for him to come see me.?

    ?Please, I need you to wait a little longer.?

    ?It¡¯s all right. I am a patient man. I¡¯ll wait a hundred or two hundred years for him. But, it¡¯s not fair for you to be the one to carry all this weight. Do you like being with a man who just loves to wander around that much??

    ?Yes¡­?

    I replied as I nervously looked away.

    ?Well, I have a job for you.?

    As His Majesty spoke, the dignitary handed me a scroll. Inside were the details of the request.

    The rewards were very high. It looks like we will be able to keep the party going for another month with extra income.

    ?The task is to destroy the Goblin King and his men. These goblins are cunning, so be careful not to lose any of your best men.?

    ?Understood.?

    We bowed and left the room.

    ?This time, it¡¯s a personal request from the king. The enemy is the Goblin King and his thousands of men, and if you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯ll end up on the other side. Make sure you get back alive.?

    One hundred and thirty-five people in uniforms responded with a lot of momentum.

    ?All for our leader Toru-sama!?

    A violent shout in unison echoed throughout the place.

    All the soldiers present were devoted to Toru, a curious thing since they had yet to see him. But all this was not Lynn¡¯s plan.

    I remember she had told me to make up this farce so that we would have plenty of manpower, and be able to find Toru and the other girls.

    Since then, I haven¡¯t stopped working my way up to this level, with the help of my friends and my skills.

    Lv: 66700Name: NeiAge: 26 years oldGender: FemaleRace: HumanJobs: Martial artist, dancer, Qigong master

    Skills

    Increased damage [Lv10].Improved speed [Lv10]Improved Defense [Lv10]Increased experience [Lv10]Dance distribution [Lv10]

    Well¡­ I guess it¡¯s time to dance.

    The members who were standing up started playing some instruments.

    ?To all of you, I will return the experience you have bestowed upon me, plus a bonus! Receive it with much gratitude.?.

    ¡®Dance distribution¡¯ is a rare skill that allows you to receive the experience of the people you dance with, and at the same time you can also give it back to them.

    In this way, every day, I give back the experience I have acquired with my skills.

    The fierce warriors here are the best of the best, who have left their shame behind.

    As I distribute experience points, my level will decrease.

    Lv: 66700 ¡ú 6700

    But we are getting better and better.

    This is good, because we are fighting as a whole, not as individuals.

    After a moment, the music stopped, and everyone stared at me seriously.

    Uggh, this is too embarrassing. I want to give up being a leader.

 CH 189

    Chapter 189 ¨C A warrior excited by dragons and meteorites

    ¡ªCongratulations, Master, congratulations on reaching level 30,000!

    ¡ªPlease don¡¯t. I don¡¯t like to be flattered for this.

    I had told Frau and Kaede about last night. I¡¯m still thinking about all this, I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve reached level 30,000.

    ¡ªFufu, any enemy that goes up against the Lord and sees such abysmal power will run away with his tail between his legs.

    ¡ªExactly. Only fools would dare to confront the master. Once they know his level, no one will want to mess with him. And it would be even better if they could understand how wonderful the master is.

    ¡ªWhat if we make a sign? One that says; ?You are facing the last great dragon of level 30,000! Everyone kneel before him!?

    ¡ªExcellent idea, Frau-san! But first you must let the world know of our master¡¯s existence.

    These girls¡­ They know I don¡¯t like to show off or draw attention to myself. So I¡¯m determined to hide my level. I don¡¯t want people to see me as a monster.

    *Zuzuzuzuzu*

    Is it an earthquake? The ground has been shaking a lot for a while now. My feet have been wobbling all day and I feel strange.

    ¡ªHey, is that mountain moving?

    A large mountain in the distance had shifted, but only slightly.

    No way.

    ¡ªI made an assessment¡­ Apparently it¡¯s a living thing.

    Hmmm, it looks like an ordinary mountain to me. I guess I have no choice but to get closer and find out.

    The closer we got to the mountain, the clearer the shape of the silhouette became.

    ¡ª¡­¡­

    ¡ª¡­¡­

    ¡ª¡­¡­

    As I looked up, I saw a huge purebred dragon. It was stouter and stockier than the red dragon. It had no wings and was covered in light brown scales, which may be due to the dirt in the sand or the color of its body.

    It has the appearance of an ancient race, but its eyes are calm and it pays no attention to the creatures below it. It is a legitimate species of superior land dragon.

    On the other side of the island they are legendary, mentioned only in ancient books. I never thought I would see a live one.

    Just being in the same place as this creature makes all this a moving experience.

    ¡ªThe lord has a very scary smile on his face.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sure he¡¯s happy to see such a dragon up close. It¡¯s nice to see him get as excited as a child.

    ¡ªYes.

    On the back of the earth dragon was a forest. And inside, there are monsters in the shape of birds, which makes it a paradise for migrating demons.

    It¡¯s a beautiful thing to see.

    So I proceeded to take a picture of Kaede, Frau and the Earth Dragon with the souvenir box.

    I guess it wasn¡¯t all bad traveling through the desert.

    We were able to reach the city after crossing the desert. We were so hungry that the first thing we did when we arrived was to go to a restaurant.

    ¡ªHaguhagu!

    ¡ªMwah! Mmm!

    ¡ªMaster, Frau-san, you should eat more slowly.

    Unlike Frau and me, Kaede and Panda are eating in a very refined way and very slowly.

    How come you don¡¯t care to disdainfully taste the food before us? It is an iron rule for travelers to eat as much as you can when you can.

    And it¡¯s funny how water tastes. It becomes such a delicious thing when you are thirsty and hungry.

    ¡ªGuugh

    What kind of meat is this? It¡¯s so tough, so elastic¡­. And very difficult to moderate.

    The meat tears and chews in your mouth. The juices gush out. The more you bite into it, the more it oozes flavor.

    ¡­There is a lot of noise at the entrance.

    I turned my head and saw three men in white coats. They didn¡¯t seem to mind the stares and sat quietly.

    ¡ªThey are the ?Holy Knights of the Third Order? of the SS. If they are here, it is because there is trouble.

    ¡ªBut why in the middle of nowhere? They are headquartered at the Krisna dam.

    ¡ªThere¡¯s probably a dangerous monster around here.

    The adventurers around us speak in a particularly loud tone of voice.

    Holy knights of the third order? Does that mean there are more of them? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a different SS rank from us.

    Although our rank here is a bit low, on the island we were SS rank too. I haven¡¯t been in a guild for a while. I have neglected my rank and have not raised it at all.

    One of the trio, a tall man in a hood, stood up and came towards us.

    ¡ªThe chosen one is coming.

    ¡ªW¡ªWhat do you mean?

    ¡ªNever mind. Excuse me.

    After that strange exchange of words, the man returns to his seat and his companions talk to him.

    ¡ªDid you see him again?

    ¡ªIn a fragmented way.

    ¡ªStill, you can¡¯t go around saying it so carelessly.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not that easy. I don¡¯t know, maybe these words give me some hope. I know you can¡¯t save everyone, but I think you can save some hearts. I don¡¯t lose anything by trying.

    The tall man and the leader, a man of medium height, exchanged glances upon hearing that.

    ¡ªThat was creepy.

    ¡ªWell, pay no attention to those men. Frau-san, you should eat half of that bread you have in your hand.

    ¡ªHuh? My bread!

    ¡ªKyu kyu¡«

    Panda had eaten a piece of the bread. But he wasn¡¯t enjoying it very much, and he had a wrinkle over his eye.

    The bread here is very hard, and you have to dip it in the soup to eat it. Because of the type of soil around here, wheat probably doesn¡¯t grow, and they make it with other kinds of elements.

    ¡ªMy lord, are you interested in meteorites?

    ¡ªYes, of course, I find it quite interesting that stones fall from the sky. Why do you ask?

    ¡ªI just found out that there is a meteorite in this place. It¡¯s located at the center of town as a tourist attraction.

    Really!? A meteorite,  here!?

    I couldn¡¯t contain my excitement and felt like a kid. I want to see it so badly now. I had heard of them, but I had never seen or touched one.

    I think I¡¯m going to get a nosebleed from excitement.

    ¡ªWell done, Frau!

    ¡ªThank you, you can pet me¡­. Caress me all you want!

    ¡ªYou¡¯re so cute, Frau.

    ¡ªHehehe.

    And there I was, in the middle of the restaurant stroking Frau¡¯s head. She¡¯s still in her human size.

    ¡ªEeeh, it¡¯s not fair that Frau-san only gets cuddles¡­. That¡¯s cheating!

    Kaede said while pouting and puffing out her cheeks.

    I was standing in front of a shiny black stone, one meter high and two meters wide. It was surrounded by bricks, and half of it was buried in the ground.

    The surface was slightly dented and shiny, probably due to wear and tear from being touched by so many people.

    This is what happens with most objects that are touristy, people just can¡¯t help but touch them.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s damp.

    ¡ªKyui¡«

    Frau and Panda were rubbing their faces against the stone to cool off because of the heat.

    Someone was looking at them suspiciously, maybe it was a resident of the city. This is already getting a bit embarrassing, I¡¯ll pull them both aside.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s a fascinating object.

    ¡ªIt seems to be more of a metal than a stone.

    Kaede and I also touched the stone.

    I wonder what the world is like up there in the sky. This stone must have seen many things I don¡¯t know.

    Fufufu. I can¡¯t help but get excited every time I think about it.

    ¡ªMy lord, I think you should also follow suit and not rub your face against the rock.

    ¡ªKyui.

    Hey, without realizing it, I had started to do the same thing as Frau because of my excitement.

    ¡ªMy lord, would you like to take a picture of yourself next to the rock?

    ¡ªAre you sure?

    ¡ªYes, but in return, I want the Lord to take a picture with Frau.

    ¡ªOkay.

    Frau proceeded to take the picture while holding the souvenir box.

    When I stand in front of the meteorite, Kaede casually leans towards me and smiles. But Frau put down the souvenir box with a look of confusion.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong?

    ¡ªI thought I saw Alusha in the crowd? I think it was my imagination, though.

 CH 190

    Chapter 190 ¨C The home of the warrior and the fox slave [Part 1]

    After a long and arduous journey through the desert, we found ourselves in a mountain surrounded by a lot of nature. And what¡¯s more, it turned out to be an area quite inaccessible to humans.

    ¡ªOh, is this¡­?

    Kaede, who was walking beside me?, kept fidgeting. She was strangely excited and seemed to be watching the scenery over and over again.

    ¡ªHey Kaede, what¡¯s wrong with you?

    ¡ªUmm, it¡¯s hard to explain¡­.

    ¡ªOh come on, you¡¯re being so annoying! Spit out what you have to say!

    ¡ªAyayay, Frau-san, you don¡¯t have to be so cruel¡­

    ¡ªKyui!?

    Frau despairs at Kaede¡¯s hesitation and starts tugging on her fox ears.

    At the clear pain Kaede was in, I decided to pull Frau away from her.

    ¡ªWell, the thing is¡­. This place looks all too familiar.

    Frau and I looked at each other after hearing those words¡­. Are we finally here?

    ¡ªDoes that mean we¡¯re almost home, Kaede?

    ¡ªI think so. I¡¯m sure we¡¯re close.

    ¡ªYou made it, Kaede!

    ¡ªThat¡¯s great! Congratulations!

    ¡ªKyui¡«!

    ¡ªI don¡¯t think it¡¯s a reason to receive congratulations, but yes, I¡¯m finally back.

    Panda, Frau and I were very happy for her. It¡¯s been a very long road we¡¯ve traveled. But¡­ We had finally been able to get to the place she wanted.

    We have arrived at her home.

    ¡ªI¡¯m a little worried about Grandma. I hope she is well.

    That¡¯s right. Her town had been attacked by someone. I had almost forgotten all about it. Now I remember that she was the only one who was able to escape. It wasn¡¯t a moment we should be happy about.

    But suddenly, Kaede managed to sniff something, and turned around.

    ¡ªWhat is that smell?

    ¡ªThat¡­ Smell?

    A white mass was running down the road at high speed. In the blink of an eye, it took a big leap, and landed in front of us.

    ¡ªObi!

    ¡ªToru-sama! I finally caught up with him!

    On the back of a large gray wolf was Obi, a member of the White Wolf Heavenly Beast Clan. He jumped down and knelt while lowering his head.

    ¡ªI was looking for you when I received your urgent report. I apologize for the delay in our arrival.

    ¡ªEnough apologies. What¡¯s the report?

    ¡ªYes. It¡¯s about the attack on the White Fox God. When Yatsufusa-sama received the news from Toru-sama, he immediately sent his clan to the area to investigate. As a result, we were able to protect Tamamo-sama and her clan.

    ¡ªTamamo-sama!?

    Kaede¡¯s family is still alive!?

    That¡¯s a great relief. It was a good decision to ask Grandpa Yatsufusa for help after all.

    But to my surprise, something unexpected happened, Kaede lost strength in her legs and almost fell to the ground. So, I immediately took her in my arms.

    Maybe it¡¯s because so much stress was released.

    ¡ªI¡ªI¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve lost my nerves and the strength to stand up.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry. The important thing is that you and your family are safe.

    ¡ªYes. Everybody¡¯s safe¡­ Ugh.

    She was so happy that she could no longer hold back her tears.

    Obi was puzzled by Kaede¡¯s reaction, but he still decided to continue with his report.

    ¡ªThere are many wounded and the area is badly damaged. But Yatsufusa-sama is already there in person and in command.

    ¡ªGrandfather Yatsufusa-sama? Why?

    ¡ªHe wants to be of service to Toru-sama, and he expects you to be with us.

    ¡ªGood. In that case, take me to that place.

    Kaede and I climbed onto the back of the big wolf, and set off for the area in question.

    Obi had mentioned that he found us because of our scent. And that he attributed his delay due to heavy rains in the desert. After that, our scent faded and he was unable to follow our trail any closer.

    But he had found it again in the city where the meteorite was. And that¡¯s how he was able to find us.

    I told him that he should have used the message scroll, but he didn¡¯t seem to think of it, and was awkwardly silent.

    He went on to talk about a couple of anecdotes he came across along the way, and we continued our journey in a relaxed manner.

    ¡ªLook over there, it¡¯s the village of the clerks!

    From the wolf¡¯s back, Kaede shouted with great joy.

    As soon as we entered the village, the armed villagers blocked our way.

    ¡ªWho are you? And what are you planning to do in this village? If you plan to harm Tamamo-sama, we won¡¯t make it easy for you.

    ¡ªPlease wait, we are not your enemies. Guys¡­ Could you help me to my feet?

    We proceeded to place Kaede on the ground, and she calmly advanced on her own.

    ¡ªW¡ªWho are you? That white hair¡­ It can¡¯t be¡­ Tamamo-sama!?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s been a long time. I¡¯m Kaede Tamamo.

    ¡ªKaede-sama!? It can¡¯t be¡­ Kaede-sama was a child. But you really look like her. So, you did escape alive when our village was attacked.

    Kaede takes out an iron fan, the only souvenir her mother gave her.

    An old man, dressed in white and wearing baggy gray pants, takes it and looks at it carefully.

    ¡ªThis object undoubtedly belongs to Ginkgo-sama. If you have this, then it means you are the princess.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry for making you worry all this time. But now I¡¯m back.

    After those words, the locals bowed to her. They called her ?Princess? and she looked a little embarrassed.

    The total number of the fox tribe was about a thousand. But almost all the inhabitants, both young and old, seemed to be well trained.

    But, is my Kaede a princess?

    Well, that¡¯s not a very good thing to say.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s enough. You can¡¯t keep wasting your time with Kaede! The Lord is here with us! You must greet him first!

    Frau uttered before all, presented a powerful statement without even bothering to read the atmosphere.

    All the people looked at the necklaces around Kaede¡¯s and Frau¡¯s necks, then gave me sharp looks.

    They all stood up and drew their weapons.

    ¡ªOur princess is a slave! Everyone! Dismember this human right now!

    ¡ªYes! The blood of lesser beings is worthless!

    ¡ªWho the hell does this human think he is? How dare he treat our princess like that!?

    ¡ªMurder him and free the princess!

    The villagers¡¯ words were not friendly at all. And the cause of all this trouble right now is trembling me like a helpless child.

    That leaves her no choice but to punish her later.

    If only she had kept quiet, all this would have been easier.

    As I placed my hand behind my back to wield my big sword. Obi stood in front of the inhabitants.

    ¡ªI ask all of you to calm down. My name is Obi, I am the next chief of the honorable white wolf clan. And I am here to represent the great Yatsufusa-sama. My lord.

    ¡ªThe white wolf!? But the princess is a slave!

    ¡ªToru-sama is a dragon man. Son and descendant of the true legitimate race that all creatures revere, and who has been missing for a long time. If you are still willing to take up arms against our master, I will take it upon myself to confront you personally.

    ¡ªDragon Man? One of the oldest races¡­!? We are very sorry!!!

    The villagers threw down their weapons again, and knelt down again.

    So, this happens when you are part of an ancient race.

    I can understand that dragon men are extraordinary beings, but I think I should know better why this is happening.

    I guess I should ask grandfather Yatsufusa about this.

    ¡ªThank you very much. Originally the master was in favor of wanting to let us be free. But that¡¯s a story for another day, so I¡¯ll have to tell him what a wonderful person he is.

    ¡ªI understand. If Kaede-dono says so, then it must be true, after all, she seems to be the one who understands Toru-dono¡¯s will and wishes more than anyone else. I would love to get to know him better.

    ¡ªAnd I am glad that you are someone so loyal, Obi-dono.

    Kaede and Obi smile as they talk to each other.

    The absolute trust they both have in me is painful. Kaede was a bit of an anomaly, but Obi was no slouch either.

    And, on the other hand, Frau and Panda were the complete opposite.

    ¡ªLet¡¯s go into the village, master.

    ¡ªYes, go ahead, Toru-sama.

    Umm¡­

 CH 191

    Chapter 191 ¨C The home of the warrior and the fox slave [Part 2]

    There is a mountain very close to the village where white foxes are said to reside. We climbed the long stone stairs leading to the top of the mountain.

    The stairs are uneven, bumpy and distorted. But their age is strangely nostalgic and charming.

    ¡ªKon!

    A small fox, still very young, ran down the stairs. When Kaede saw it, she held out her hands and crouched happily.

    ¡ªKon-chan!

    ¡ªKon!

    The little fox, with its magnificent golden fur, jumped into Kaede¡¯s arms.

    Obi nodded regretfully.

    ¡ªTo think that this little animal is really the White Fox God.

    ¡ªIs he a strong monster?

    ¡ªYes, he¡¯s still young, but when he grows up, he¡¯ll be a very powerful one. It¡¯s a rarer species than my Orthrus.

    Oh, so he¡¯s just like Obi¡¯s wolf. It looks like a pretty strong animal to be honest.

    ¡ªOh, Kon-chan!

    ¡ªUm.

    But then Kon-chan bites my leg.

    Frau and Panda were smiling.

    ¡ªIt looks like he¡¯s jealous. You have Kaede¡¯s scent on you, my Lord.

    ¡ªKyui.

    ¡ªI¡¯m embarrassed that my master smells of me.

    Hey, won¡¯t someone get this little fox off of me? It¡¯s been biting me for a while now.

    I stared at the little fox.

    He opened his mouth with a snap and rolled his eyes, then plopped down on the ground and showed his belly as if to be petted.

    ¡ªHe has realized that he is no match for you. He gave up easily.

    ¡ªKyu.

    ¡ªExactly. The master is the master after all.

    ¡ªKon.

    The little fox lifted its tail and howled helplessly.

    At the top of the staircase, there is a stone gate, through which you can see the vast grounds.

    The top was paved with stones and lined with fine wooden buildings. In the center of the area, several white wolves were at work.

    ¡ªWhen this is finished, we will have dinner.

    They are probably rebuilding a building. And the person who held the plans and gave the orders was Grandfather Yatsufusa.

    But¡­ Why is he dressed like that?

    He is wearing a loose-fitting navy-blue dress and a headband. His shoes have an unfamiliar shape and design.

    ¡ªYatsufusa-sama, Toru-sama has arrived.

    ¡ªWhoa! I beg your pardon, master. I¡¯m sorry for making you walk to this place without welcoming you. It¡¯s not as clean as our home, but we¡¯re going to serve tea in a moment, so make yourselves at home.

    Grandpa Yatsufusa said as he bowed to me with a big smile.

    I had a feeling before that Grandpa Yatsufusa didn¡¯t get along very well with Kaede¡¯s grandmother, and after what I had just witnessed, he made it clear.

    ¡ªUm, Yatsufusa-sama, where is the obaba-sama?

    ¡ªAh, she¡­ She¡¯s on the other side. She¡¯s not ready to move yet, but she¡¯s in a condition to talk, go and reassure her.

    ¡ªYes! Master, may I leave you alone for a moment?

    I nodded at her request, and she quickly ran off with the little fox at high speed.

    The other side must be the realm of the celestial beasts. So, I must assume that the white fox does not live here.

    ¡ªI¡¯m so tired from climbing those stairs, is there anything sweet I can eat?

    ¡ªKyui¡«

    ¡ªThe fairy girl has just arrived at the right time. I just made some delicious Daifuku.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s a Daifuku? Is it something delicious?

    ¡ªKyu!

    Frau¡¯s eyes sparkled after hearing that unfamiliar word.

    ¡ªThis is delicious ¡«!

    ¡ªKyu¡«

    Frau exclaimed as she squirmed with excitement after chewing the snack.

    It has a rather unusual texture, but it¡¯s sweet and very addictive. I wonder how they will elaborate it?

    ¡ªI hope they like it, it¡¯s my favorite candy. After a hard day¡¯s work, tea and this is the best thing ever.

    ¡ªYou¡¯ve lived long enough to know what¡¯s good. Then I¡¯ll pat you on the shoulder for showing me this treat.

    ¡ªOh, I like the sound of that. In that case, I¡¯ll give you some more, eat as many as you want.

    ¡ªThank you, Grandpa!

    ¡ªFufu, how cute are the kids.

    Don¡¯t let my looks fool you, I¡¯m 28 years old.

    I grabbed my cup, and proceeded to pour some tea, then poured it down my throat. It tastes nice.

    ¡ªWhy are the old guys building it again?

    ¡ªWell, I suppose they could have, but they¡¯re always liable to get into trouble. So I had no choice but to take the job. And that old lady and I have a long history, so I can¡¯t leave her on her own right now.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re a good friend after all.

    ¡ªNo! It¡¯s different! I¡­ I had no choice but to do it.

    Hmm, I guess Grandpa isn¡¯t so honest with himself.

    I ate another Daifuku and looked down from the top of the stairs.

    It¡¯s a nice view. And it¡¯s also a very peaceful place to live. I wonder if Kaede grew up looking at this every day.

    ¡ªAre you Toru-sama?

    I turned around and saw three women with white cloths on their faces.

    They all have white fox ears and tails, and wore white coats with long red undercoats.

    ¡ªYes.

    ¡ªTamamo-sama wants to see you. We will show you the way, follow us.

    The women lead us to an old hut on the grounds. Inside, as expected, there was a mirror, and one by one the women entered it.

    After them, we proceeded to enter.

    Inside the mirror, deep darkness reigned.

    Bamboo groves grew on both sides, and the straight path was flanked by oval luminaries that glowed dimly.

    When I look up, I can see the starry sky through the bamboo.

    It always seems to be night in this area of celestial beasts.

    The rustling of the leaves in the quality breeze, gave a feeling of mistrust clinging to my body.

    ¡ªI feel as if I am being watched.

    ¡ªKyui.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s like¡­

    Beyond the bamboo grove, purple flames with skulls are running through the air.

    ¡ªPlease be careful. There are monsters here.

    ¡ªIf you stay away from us, you might get eaten.

    The three women started laughing, I wonder what¡¯s so funny.

    Are there really monsters? If so, what kind are they? Now curiosity is killing me.

    ¡ªHey, is it possible that I can see them?

    ¡ªYou¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Now is not a good time.

    I proceeded to pick up one of the skulls surrounded by purple flames, and looked at it closely.

    I think it¡¯s an undead, but of a type I don¡¯t remember. The flames are not an illusion, they are really burning.

    This place is really interesting. I wish I could explore it further.

    ¡ªI¡¯m surprised you¡¯re able to take one of those things. I guess there¡¯s a reason Kaede-sama chose you as her teacher. Although, grabbing one of those things in your hand is¡­

    The voice of the women guiding us seemed to whisper.

    Maybe it¡¯s one of those things I¡¯m not supposed to take? Or is it related to the monster that inhabits this place?

    ¡ªDon¡¯t let us out of your sight.

    After those words, we proceeded to follow the women more closely.

    Cemeteries with countless fire skulls flying around us, a meadow full of black rock massifs, swamps full of croaking frogs, and a crossroad lined with countless stone statues of corrosion, were places we ended up crossing as soon as we entered the mirror.

    But as soon as we reached the meadow with its white flowers, I felt that this guide would soon come to an end.

    Again, the scenery returned to the bamboo forest and we arrived at a large wooden gate.

    ¡ªYour guests are here.

    ¡ªPlease open the door.

    ¡ªPlease open the door.

    At the sound of the three women¡¯s voices, the large, thick doors creaked open.

    On the other side of the door was a magnificent house.

    The three guides entered the house in silence.

    ¡ªPlease wait here.

    We were ushered into a room in front of a sliding paper door. And after a few brief moments, the door opened by itself.

    At the back of the room, a woman exhales smoke languidly. She appears to be in her mid-thirties, and the first thing that catches the eye was her long white nine-tails.

    She was a woman who dressed elegantly, and at the same time showed a great cleavage where her breasts were in full view.

    ¡ªSo, you¡¯re the boy who protected my pretty Kaede.

    ¡ªYes, I¡¯m Toru, this is Frau¡­.

    ¡ªYou don¡¯t need to introduce yourself. Kaede already told me.

    The woman discarded the ashes from the smoke pipe into the brazier.

    This woman is Kaede¡¯s grandmother? Somehow I thought she would have lived as long as Yatsufusa¡¯s grandfather, but she looks young and terribly bewitching.

    Her gaze, her gestures, her words, everything has a mysterious quality that makes men fall in love with her.

    ¡ªThank you for bringing Kaede here. Now, I would like to know¡­ Have you already done anything indecent with her?

 CH 192

    Chapter 192 ¨C The home of the warrior and the fox-eared slave [Part 3]

    Have you already done indecent things with her?

    Will that be the first thing she¡¯ll ask me at our first meeting?

    This old woman is beside herself.

    ¡ªWhat? You haven¡¯t done it yet? What a stupid boy. You¡¯re a coward to have a girl like her by your side and not even try anything. Is she some kind of ornament to you?

    ¡ªNo, you¡¯re wrong.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll teach you. You just have to hold them tight.

    Two women are holding me firmly by the men from behind.

    Tamamo stands up, and lifts her attire little above while revealing her long legs.

    Then she put one hand on the ground, and leaned forward taking the pose of a beast. Making her large breasts fall forward.

    ¡ªGrandma! Enough with the games!

    ¡ªOh, so you¡¯re done with what I asked?

    Kaede opens the door with great force and looks at Tamamo with a furious expression.

    She is not dressed in her usual attire, but in a brightly colored garment. I think it¡¯s called Kimono, and she was even more beautiful than usual. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.

    Tamamo returns to her original position and looks at his claws in a bored manner.

    ¡ªI wasn¡¯t playing around. I just wanted to see what this man¡¯s instincts were like. It would be a shame if the princess¡¯s first one was a bad experience. I guess I¡¯ll have to teach him a thing or two.

    ¡ªNo thanks! The master is wonderful that way too!

    ¡ªWell, I¡¯m just saying that you¡­.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    No no no no, let her finish.

    I want to know what things you¡¯ve been saying about me to your grandmother. And everything implied that Kaede already understood what her grandmother was trying to say, because, from one moment to the next, her face turned very red.

    ¡ªUgh, I¡¯m so embarrassed.

    ¡ªThat girl used to be very quiet and whiny. Maybe this man has influenced her to that extent.

    Tamamo was very happy, and Kaede stared at her.

    ¡ªGrandmother, please don¡¯t be so violent. You are in front of the man who saved my life.

    Kaede sits in front of Tamamo, puts her hands on the ground and bows her head deeply.

    Her gestures were beautiful and refined.

    She had an air of unreality that made me wonder if the girl I had been with was an illusion.

    No, I¡¯m wrong. She is just being polite. After all she is a princess, a person of noble education.

    ¡ªI was very sick and dying, but Toru-sama saved me. He gave me love, strength, friends and even a place. Reasons to be able to go on. If he hadn¡¯t found me that day, I wouldn¡¯t be here.

    ¡ªI know, you were sick before you left, too¡­

    ¡ªI can¡¯t tell you how grateful I am to him. And as the next head of the White Fox family, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the name of the whole clan.

    It¡¯s a little embarrassing to be thanked for everything I did. Even the atmosphere is different from usual.

    ¡ªYou saved her, made her grow up, and brought her back home. You did a good job. It must have been a long trip for you, so take it easy from now on until you feel better.

    For some reason. I don¡¯t feel comfortable with Tamamo¡¯s words. It¡¯s strange.

    And as the doubts generated in my head, Kaede quickly intervened.

    ¡ªGrandmother, I¡¯ve already told you.

    ¡ªWhat are you talking about? Now that you are here, the family is complete again. Surely this man will be happy to be rewarded with a fortune he can never spend. Everyone is happy now, aren¡¯t they?

    ¡ªThat¡¯s not the way it is! This is not where my heart is! I told you I was just coming to visit you and that I would continue traveling with Toru-sama!

    Oh, I see. So Tamamo wasn¡¯t going to let Kaede leave with me again.

    I didn¡¯t see it clearly until this moment.

    ¡ªWait a minute, old woman, you¡¯re not going to let Kaede be with Frau and Panda!?

    ¡ªKyui!

    ¡ªWho are you calling an old woman? And, to begin with, this girl belongs to me. I¡¯m the one who decides where she goes, and not some stranger like you.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    ¡ªIt¡¯s already decided. You¡¯ll stay here, and you¡¯ll be the heir. If you want to have children with this man, I won¡¯t stop you, you can have as many as you want. I¡¯ll give you all the time you need for that.

    If you think about it, it was very natural for something like this to happen.

    But what¡¯s this about asking her to have children now? She was missing for years. Also, kaede is incredibly cute, so it¡¯s no wonder grandma is overprotective.

    ¡ªI will always protect Kaede. You must trust me.

    ¡ªTrust you? You? A dragon man?

    She knows I¡¯m a dragon?

    The smile disappears from Tamamo¡¯s face and is replaced by an angry look.

    ¡ªThe stupid dogs out there would have easily wagged their tails and showed their bellies anyway. Not me. I¡¯ll never forget what they did to me. When you guys finished your work, you took off. You threw away all the loyalty, respect and love we had for you.

    Their hair stood on end. Her fingers tightened and her fingernails sharpened.

    She had a fierce murderous look on her face.

    ¡ªHmm, but I guess it¡¯s unfair to blame you for things in the past.

    But she suddenly calms down after those words.

    But I, on the other hand, was really confused.

    This is not a simple master-slave relationship between a celestial beast and an ancient race. She was really angry because of what I am.

    I wonder what happened.

    ¡ªAh, my blood pressure has risen. I knew this was going to happen as soon as I saw your face, being someone who has blood running through his veins from the ancient race. And I did nothing but take my anger out on you.

    ¡ªGrandmother, history is not yet written, it would be unfair to stay living in the past.

    ¡ªI will not let you travel. You¡¯ll stay here, he¡¯ll get his reward and you¡¯ll say goodbye.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    ¡ªEnd of story. We are still fighting a fight against the invaders. They will come back sooner or later, and when they do, you will have to fight for your home.

    Tamamo got up and left the room with a slight limp in her right leg.

    It looks like that old woman is badly hurt. Even if it doesn¡¯t look like it, everything points to the fact that she is making an excessive effort to stay on her feet.

    I¡¯m also curious about those attackers.

    Suddenly Kaede turned around, and leaned toward me.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. Grandmother is very grateful to the Master, but she regrets making me escape from this unprotected place when I was so small and weak.

    ¡ªI think there¡¯s one more reason why she¡¯s acting like this.

    ¡ªKyui.

    ¡ªIt can¡¯t be helped. I guess we¡¯ll need a little more time to persuade her.

    ¡ªYes.

    Fortunately, the old lady said we could stay as long as we wanted.

    Kaede will have to make the most of it if there¡¯s still a chance to change her mind.

    ¡ªUm¡­ Master, I¡¯m not ready to have a baby yet.

    ¡­.Kaede-san?

    When I was guided to the hot springs, Yatsufusa, Obi and the other white wolves were already immersed in the water.

    ¡ªOh, I¡¯m sorry for not expecting you, master.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s all right. Grandfather works harder than I do. I didn¡¯t want to take it before him.

    I sat down on a wooden chair, and proceeded to wash my head and body. Then proceeded to sink into the waters overlooking the night sky.

    ¡ªThis is like being in paradise.

    The open-air baths of the white foxes have always been special. Every once in a while, I come here to take a bath. But that old woman charges a lot of money. If it weren¡¯t for this, they¡¯d let us go for free.

    I see, so this was one of the reasons they took on the reconstruction of the place.

    The white wolf bath was good, but this bath is also good, with a different atmosphere.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry about the old woman, she¡¯s just a little weak-minded after the attack. If necessary, I will convince her.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, this is our problem, we¡¯ll take care of it ourselves.

    ¡ªIs all this because of that girl?

    ¡ªNo no¡­ Well yes.

    ¡ªHoho. It¡¯s okay, that old lady is a problem. Obi still won¡¯t accept one of her daughters, and I¡¯m already starting to feel worried about that.

    Grandpa looks at Obi.

    Obi, his dead eyes full of distrust, replies in a muffled voice.

    ¡ªS¡ªSomeday¡­

 CH 193

    Chapter 192 ¨C The home of the warrior and the fox-eared slave [Part 3]

    Have you already done indecent things with her?

    Will that be the first thing she¡¯ll ask me at our first meeting?

    This old woman is beside herself.

    ¡ªWhat? You haven¡¯t done it yet? What a stupid boy. You¡¯re a coward to have a girl like her by your side and not even try anything. Is she some kind of ornament to you?

    ¡ªNo, you¡¯re wrong.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll teach you. You just have to hold them tight.

    Two women are holding me firmly by the men from behind.

    Tamamo stands up, and lifts her attire little above while revealing her long legs.

    Then she put one hand on the ground, and leaned forward taking the pose of a beast. Making her large breasts fall forward.

    ¡ªGrandma! Enough with the games!

    ¡ªOh, so you¡¯re done with what I asked?

    Kaede opens the door with great force and looks at Tamamo with a furious expression.

    She is not dressed in her usual attire, but in a brightly colored garment. I think it¡¯s called Kimono, and she was even more beautiful than usual. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.

    Tamamo returns to her original position and looks at his claws in a bored manner.

    ¡ªI wasn¡¯t playing around. I just wanted to see what this man¡¯s instincts were like. It would be a shame if the princess¡¯s first one was a bad experience. I guess I¡¯ll have to teach him a thing or two.

    ¡ªNo thanks! The master is wonderful that way too!

    ¡ªWell, I¡¯m just saying that you¡­.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    No no no no, let her finish.

    I want to know what things you¡¯ve been saying about me to your grandmother. And everything implied that Kaede already understood what her grandmother was trying to say, because, from one moment to the next, her face turned very red.

    ¡ªUgh, I¡¯m so embarrassed.

    ¡ªThat girl used to be very quiet and whiny. Maybe this man has influenced her to that extent.

    Tamamo was very happy, and Kaede stared at her.

    ¡ªGrandmother, please don¡¯t be so violent. You are in front of the man who saved my life.

    Kaede sits in front of Tamamo, puts her hands on the ground and bows her head deeply.

    Her gestures were beautiful and refined.

    She had an air of unreality that made me wonder if the girl I had been with was an illusion.

    No, I¡¯m wrong. She is just being polite. After all she is a princess, a person of noble education.

    ¡ªI was very sick and dying, but Toru-sama saved me. He gave me love, strength, friends and even a place. Reasons to be able to go on. If he hadn¡¯t found me that day, I wouldn¡¯t be here.

    ¡ªI know, you were sick before you left, too¡­

    ¡ªI can¡¯t tell you how grateful I am to him. And as the next head of the White Fox family, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the name of the whole clan.

    It¡¯s a little embarrassing to be thanked for everything I did. Even the atmosphere is different from usual.

    ¡ªYou saved her, made her grow up, and brought her back home. You did a good job. It must have been a long trip for you, so take it easy from now on until you feel better.

    For some reason. I don¡¯t feel comfortable with Tamamo¡¯s words. It¡¯s strange.

    And as the doubts generated in my head, Kaede quickly intervened.

    ¡ªGrandmother, I¡¯ve already told you.

    ¡ªWhat are you talking about? Now that you are here, the family is complete again. Surely this man will be happy to be rewarded with a fortune he can never spend. Everyone is happy now, aren¡¯t they?

    ¡ªThat¡¯s not the way it is! This is not where my heart is! I told you I was just coming to visit you and that I would continue traveling with Toru-sama!

    Oh, I see. So Tamamo wasn¡¯t going to let Kaede leave with me again.

    I didn¡¯t see it clearly until this moment.

    ¡ªWait a minute, old woman, you¡¯re not going to let Kaede be with Frau and Panda!?

    ¡ªKyui!

    ¡ªWho are you calling an old woman? And, to begin with, this girl belongs to me. I¡¯m the one who decides where she goes, and not some stranger like you.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    ¡ªIt¡¯s already decided. You¡¯ll stay here, and you¡¯ll be the heir. If you want to have children with this man, I won¡¯t stop you, you can have as many as you want. I¡¯ll give you all the time you need for that.

    If you think about it, it was very natural for something like this to happen.

    But what¡¯s this about asking her to have children now? She was missing for years. Also, kaede is incredibly cute, so it¡¯s no wonder grandma is overprotective.

    ¡ªI will always protect Kaede. You must trust me.

    ¡ªTrust you? You? A dragon man?

    She knows I¡¯m a dragon?

    The smile disappears from Tamamo¡¯s face and is replaced by an angry look.

    ¡ªThe stupid dogs out there would have easily wagged their tails and showed their bellies anyway. Not me. I¡¯ll never forget what they did to me. When you guys finished your work, you took off. You threw away all the loyalty, respect and love we had for you.

    Their hair stood on end. Her fingers tightened and her fingernails sharpened.

    She had a fierce murderous look on her face.

    ¡ªHmm, but I guess it¡¯s unfair to blame you for things in the past.

    But she suddenly calms down after those words.

    But I, on the other hand, was really confused.

    This is not a simple master-slave relationship between a celestial beast and an ancient race. She was really angry because of what I am.

    I wonder what happened.

    ¡ªAh, my blood pressure has risen. I knew this was going to happen as soon as I saw your face, being someone who has blood running through his veins from the ancient race. And I did nothing but take my anger out on you.

    ¡ªGrandmother, history is not yet written, it would be unfair to stay living in the past.

    ¡ªI will not let you travel. You¡¯ll stay here, he¡¯ll get his reward and you¡¯ll say goodbye.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    ¡ªEnd of story. We are still fighting a fight against the invaders. They will come back sooner or later, and when they do, you will have to fight for your home.

    Tamamo got up and left the room with a slight limp in her right leg.

    It looks like that old woman is badly hurt. Even if it doesn¡¯t look like it, everything points to the fact that she is making an excessive effort to stay on her feet.

    I¡¯m also curious about those attackers.

    Suddenly Kaede turned around, and leaned toward me.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. Grandmother is very grateful to the Master, but she regrets making me escape from this unprotected place when I was so small and weak.

    ¡ªI think there¡¯s one more reason why she¡¯s acting like this.

    ¡ªKyui.

    ¡ªIt can¡¯t be helped. I guess we¡¯ll need a little more time to persuade her.

    ¡ªYes.

    Fortunately, the old lady said we could stay as long as we wanted.

    Kaede will have to make the most of it if there¡¯s still a chance to change her mind.

    ¡ªUm¡­ Master, I¡¯m not ready to have a baby yet.

    ¡­.Kaede-san?

    When I was guided to the hot springs, Yatsufusa, Obi and the other white wolves were already immersed in the water.

    ¡ªOh, I¡¯m sorry for not expecting you, master.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s all right. Grandfather works harder than I do. I didn¡¯t want to take it before him.

    I sat down on a wooden chair, and proceeded to wash my head and body. Then proceeded to sink into the waters overlooking the night sky.

    ¡ªThis is like being in paradise.

    The open-air baths of the white foxes have always been special. Every once in a while, I come here to take a bath. But that old woman charges a lot of money. If it weren¡¯t for this, they¡¯d let us go for free.

    I see, so this was one of the reasons they took on the reconstruction of the place.

    The white wolf bath was good, but this bath is also good, with a different atmosphere.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry about the old woman, she¡¯s just a little weak-minded after the attack. If necessary, I will convince her.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, this is our problem, we¡¯ll take care of it ourselves.

    ¡ªIs all this because of that girl?

    ¡ªNo no¡­ Well yes.

    ¡ªHoho. It¡¯s okay, that old lady is a problem. Obi still won¡¯t accept one of her daughters, and I¡¯m already starting to feel worried about that.

    Grandpa looks at Obi.

    Obi, his dead eyes full of distrust, replies in a muffled voice.

    ¡ªS¡ªSomeday¡­

 CH 194

    The demon man was dressed in shining armor and smiled without a trace of fear. I knew immediately that he was no ordinary opponent.

    I proceeded to remove my power reduction chain so that I could face him at any time.

    ¡ªIos, here we are again!

    ¡ªI¡¯ll be back again and again until I kill you. Do you think I¡¯ll settle for killing a few white foxes? Or is that what you want?

    The unknown man and Grandma Tamamo were ready to fight at any moment.

    Sweat was pouring down my forehead. The air felt heavy, and I thought I was going to lose consciousness if I relaxed him in the slightest.

    ¡ªI see there are new people in this place, so let me introduce myself. My name is Ios, I am one of the former demon kings.

    Kaede covered her mouth while her face was pale.

    ¡ªLevel¡­ ??150.000?!

    ¡ªSo he¡¯s more powerful than me. And what level is grandmother?

    ¡ª113.000¡­

    For now I can raise my level to 108,000 with a mega boost, and that combined with the sacred weapons.

    In other words, grandma and I are about the same level. But it¡¯s just a measured strength on a number basis.

    It still remains very likely that this demon is stronger than us despite joining forces.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re someone pretty obnoxious, I guess you don¡¯t plan to leave us alone.

    ¡ªHahahaha. But this is the result of your actions, Tamamo. After all these years, I still feel a tingling in my arm. The left arm that you tore off.

    Ios proceeds to remove the glove from his left arm.

    His entire arm was shiny and mechanical. Surely it¡¯s a prosthetic.

    He then proceeded to put the glove back on.

    ¡ªThis is the end of our conflicts.

    ¡ªI hope so. Let¡¯s put an end to this.

    Tamamo¡¯s grandmother turned and smiled at Kaede.

    ¡ªTake care of the family. And live a long life.

    ¡ªGrandmother!?

    A fierce battle broke out between Ios and the grandmother.

    They disappeared from the scene in an instant, and then there was an explosion in the distant mountains.

    Tch¡­ What a good time for grandfather to disappear.

    ¡ªKaede, get a hold of yourself!

    ¡ªKyu!

    ¡ªNo¡­ I won¡¯t allow it, Grandma is going to die¡­.

    Kaede sits on the ground and collapses limply.

    So that was her plan after all. Grandmother thinks she¡¯s no match for Ios, so she plans to do something that could end both of their lives.

    She was prepared to die.

    Kaede wouldn¡¯t stop crying, and she clung very tightly to my leg.

    ¡ªMaster, please help Grandma! I know it¡¯s a very selfish request on my part! But I can¡¯t bear to lose Grandma too after my mother!

    I bent down, and looked her in the eyes as I took her hands.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t plan to abandon grandmother. We will defeat Ios and she will live the rest of her life in peace. I can¡¯t wait to hear her talk about how much she tells me I am a boy.

    ¡ªYes!

    ¡ªI¡¯m not sure I can beat him together with Grandma. So I will also need Frau¡¯s help.

    After that, she appeared, ready to fight, holding her hammer. Panda, who was restless and worried, decided to hide.

    And Kaede stood up quite energetic while holding her iron fan.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll do it too. I¡¯m not very good, but I¡¯ll support grandmother and teacher.

    ¡ªPerfect. Then let¡¯s go and defeat that demon king.

    We left Panda in Obi¡¯s hands and ran to the battlefield.

    ¡ªThey are fighting in the air.

    Looking up, we ran towards the mountain.

    Two shadows streaked across the sky at high speed. They were colliding and shaking the air again and again. Both seemed to have exceptional magical abilities, allowing them to fly for short periods of time.

    In addition, they seemed to use the rocks floating in the air from the impact as a foothold to continue floating.

    That¡¯s a pretty fancy way to fight.

    Will I ever get to do that? No¡­ I definitely have to.

    I proceeded to jump high, and put my foot on the lowest falling rock, and then jumped towards another. While I was doing this, Kaede and Frau were going the other way.

    This is a very crazy and dangerous move on my part, so they had better not apply it too.

    ¡ªBlue coffin of the ice emperor!

    ¡ªRed-hot fire

    Grandmother shoots numerous blue fireballs from her tail. Ios, on the other hand, creates the same number of fireballs by making them collide with each other, causing a bright light to be generated in the sky.

    There was an eardrum-shattering roar and the shockwave sent me flying through the air.

    Damn, this is pretty messy. I have to find a way to get close to them somehow.

    So I decided to inhale as much air as possible until I filled my lungs completely. Then I exhaled with great force, the result was as expected, I flew through the air in the direction of Ios.

    ¡ªAaaaaaaah!

    ¡ªBoy!?

    I hit Ios with my big sword. But he used his gauntlet to block my attack, causing a great impact to be generated around us, sending him flying towards a falling rock.

    ¡ªDo you really wish to die, wretched human? How dare you interfere in our noble fight?

    ¡ªI am not a human. My name is Toru of the Manyu Brigade.

    I grabbed onto a falling rock and managed to drag myself up.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t care what your name is. My fight is against Tamamo. If you go now, I¡¯ll leave you li¡­. Wait, did you say Manyu Brigade? I¡¯ve heard them before.

    Ios put his hand to his chin. He was thoughtful for a moment, then seemed to have remembered something.

    ¡ªI remembered. So, you¡¯re a member of the party that defeated Rudra.

    ¡ªDo you know him?

    ¡ªKuku. Sure, it was me who sent him to the east.

    Huh?

    ¡ªI have many kings and demons who are devoted to me. And he was one of them. But he turned out to be too ambitious, and he stood in my way, so I decided to have Roswell eliminate him.

    ¡ªDo you have any idea how many innocent people have died because of that!?

    ¡ªI don¡¯t care about losing anything if only insignificant beings die.

    ¡ªBoy, don¡¯t listen to Ios! It¡¯s one of his common tactics to make them lose their composure in order to defeat you in battle!

    I closed the distance between me and Ios as fast as I could and without hardly using a big move.

    But he was able to block my attack with his gauntlet and laughed at me again.

    ¡ªKuku. I admit you are somewhat strong. But not strong enough, this fight is not for you, beat it.

    ¡ªUgh!?

    After that, his left fist hit my abdomen, making me fall to the ground.

    I pushed myself away from the crumbling rocks and crawled out. My legs wobble, but I think I can still try.

    ¡ªIf it weren¡¯t for my armor, I¡¯d probably be dead by now.

    It was also a good idea to turn off my sense of pain beforehand. I noticed a drop of blood and wiped my fingers across my mouth.

    Then there was a roar and, with the impact, a cloud of dust flew through the forest.

    Ios descended from the sky with a smile on his face. Apparently, the grandmother also fell.

    I rushed to the scene, trying to control my anger.

    ¡ªIt seems that our positions have been reversed since that time, don¡¯t you think so, Tamamo?

    ¡ªKugh, why didn¡¯t you just finish me off? Do you enjoy watching me grovel before you?

    ¡ªI admit it¡¯s uncomfortable, but at the same time it¡¯s very good, quite a beautiful sight, Tamamo.

    The wounded grandmother dragged her body to escape from Ios. I hid behind a tree and tried to catch my breath.

    ¡ªIn those days, you were the treasure of the battlefield. You were the white god of death who buried his enemies in cold blood, no matter how bloodied or scarred they were. Even though you stripped me of my arm, I was still blinded by you.

    ¡ªSo revenge has an ulterior motive?

    ¡ªI¡¯m going to make you mine and then kill you. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve lived for thousands of years.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re a twisted being. Although, if you had confessed to me, I would have rejected you too.

    A ball of fire appears on Ios¡¯ right arm.

    ¡ªDamn you, die!

    I quickly approached him and cut his magic in half with my big sword.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s you again, human.

    ¡ªI won¡¯t let you kill Grandma. From now on, she is part of the Manyu Brigade.

    ¡ª!?

    Then a whirlwind hit Ios, sending him flying through the sky.

    That¡¯s Kaede¡¯s magic.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s time for you to learn your place, Scum. There¡¯s no way you can win against me. I¡¯ve been alive for thousands of years.

    As she flew in the sky, she shot flames indiscriminately towards the ground. Causing the ground to fall away along with the trees.

    So I used them as a foothold so I could close the distance between me and Ios.

    My big sword and his gauntlet collided again. The girls jumped and this time, her face contorted in discomfort.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re quite persistent.

    ¡ªI told you, I¡¯m Toru of the Manyu Brigade.

    ¡ªThis unpleasant feeling. Don¡¯t tell me what¡­ You¡¯re one of them!?

    At his point of distraction, I hit him with my sword, causing Ios to be thrown upwards. And I quickly followed him as I deftly swung between the rocks, then swung my big sword as if it were a free throw.

    The big sword, spinning at high speed in an elliptical trajectory, slashed Ios¡¯ body again and again. I grabbed his left arm with my right hand and lunged at him.

    After that, I grabbed the big sword with great force, and thrusted it into his body.

    ¡ªGahaag!

    It was much harder than expected. Still, I proceeded to slash  his body with much more force.

    The sword blade made a great gash in Ios¡¯ body. Making his blood splatter everywhere.

    ¡ªHey! Don¡¯t go spear¡ª¡­.

    ¡ªFairy hammeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!!

    ¡ªAaaaaaaagggghhhh

    Frau, who flew in a great impulse, hit Ios in the side with her hammer. Causing him to fall dry on the ground. But still alive. When Frau saw this, she sped away.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll kill you all! We¡¯ll all go to hell together!

    ¡ªYou¡¯ll be the one going to hell!

    Tamamo flies up from below and destroys his prosthetic hand with his glove.

    ¡ªPlease, no-¡­..

    And before he could finish his words. Tamamo¡¯s fist smashed  his face.

    ¡ª[Blue flame demon fox, give me all your power!]

    Blue flames engulfed Tamamo, causing her to punch Ios in the face and stomach with tremendous speed.

    After a kick in the spine that Grandma Tamamo gave Ios, she made him fall to the ground again.

    After this, I lunged again to deliver my coup de grace, but¡­.

    Ios catches the sword strike with his gauntlet and bears it with a pained expression on his face.

    Suddenly, cracks began to appear on the gauntlet.

    ¡ªIf I¡¯m suffering to fight a guy like this¡­ It means I¡¯m not so good after all.

    ¡ªAhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

    Finally, the glove breaks into many pieces.

    Yes¡­ We can win, and Grandma Tamamo won¡¯t have to die.

    ¡ªYou have insulted me too much. Now, disappear without a trace of your ashes.

    I felt a great shiver run through my body.

    In the blink of an eye, her bare hand was on my chest.

    Not good. A magical attack at this distance could kill me. I¡¯ve seen him fight Grandma, and I know his magic is very powerful.

    But it didn¡¯t end up that way. A bolt of lightning comes out from somewhere, and burns both of Ios¡¯ eyes.

    ¡ª????Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!!

    This is my chance.

    I grabbed my sword very quickly, and slashed his right arm.

    ¡ªGyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag! My aaaaaaaaarm!!!!!

    After his arm fell on the ground, I proceeded to cut off his head, causing it to fall next to his arm and roll a little on the ground.

    With no strength left in my legs, I stabbed my sword into the ground to support myself.

    ¡ªMaster!

    ¡ªMy lord!

    From a distance, I heard Kaede and Frau¡¯s voices.

    ¡ªcoof coof

    I held my hand to my mouth, and could tell I had coughed up blood. Despite having received a single blow from him, I was badly injured.

    Perhaps this is the result of having turned off my pain senses?

    Ah, I¡¯m very sleepy¡­

 CH 195

    I opened my eyes slightly. And the first thing I noticed was Frau peeking out.

    ¡ªMy Lord, he¡¯s awake!

    ¡ªKyui!

    I stared at the ceiling while trying to remember why I was lying down.

    The ancient demon king Ios had come and wanted to murder Grandmother Tamamo¡­

    Now I remember! I had been fighting against Ios!

    I tried to get up, but a terrible pain invaded my whole body.

    ¡ªIt still hasn¡¯t healed completely, please rest.

    Kaede came running to me and made me lie down again. She also used healing waves to relieve the pain.

    I checked my arms and other parts of my body, but there were no serious injuries. However, those blows were deadly enough to leave me completely sore and tired.

    ¡ªHow long was I asleep for?

    ¡ªTwelve hours, I think.

    So, it¡¯s early morning the next day. We seemed to have been transported to the realm of the white fox celestial beasts and it was night.

    ¡ªWow!

    Kaede and Frau hugged me.

    ¡ªI am so happy that you are still alive. Please don¡¯t do something rash like that again.

    ¡ªYes, I thought you were dead.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry I worried them.

    Her eyes were red and swollen.

    I felt deeply sorry for the trouble I had caused. Apparently, it¡¯s not easy to die anymore.

    ¡ªLet the boy continue to rest. I will leave him in someone else¡¯s care.

    Grandmother Tamamo said as she entered the room.

    ¡ªNo, I want to take care of the teacher.

    ¡ªYou can do it after you have rested. Someone take Kaede to her room.

    ¡ªHuh!? NO! Master¡«!

    A pair of white foxes entered the room and dragged Kaede away. Frau and Panda went after her.

    Grandmother Tamamo, who was still in the room, sits upright with a tense expression on her face.

    ¡ªThank you for saving me. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d be dead now if it hadn¡¯t been for you.

    ¡ªThere¡¯s no need for any of this. I only fought because I didn¡¯t want Kaede to be sad. If you want to thank someone, give it to Kaede.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re right, even so, you saved my life.

    Tamamo bowed her head to me deeply.

    She is just like Kaede. She¡¯s so polite, and sincere with her feelings. Being someone else she would have ignored me because of her pride. But she took the trouble to come and thank me in person.

    ¡ªBy the way, that lightning was a great help. If you hadn¡¯t blinded him, it would have been me who would be dead now.

    ¡ªOh, you didn¡¯t notice?

    ¡ªWhat?

    ¡ª¡­No, nothing, forget about it.

    Eh? What do you mean by that? Now I¡¯m curious.

    But then I stopped caring when I felt a bug crawling around my waist and scratched.

    The reconstructed main hall is now complete. Yatsufusa grandfather ushers us in with a satisfied expression on his face.

    ¡ªWe have done a much better job than before. It won¡¯t be necessary to rebuild or remodel this place in a thousand years.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t think anyone has asked you to improve it. But thanks anyway. You two, go get the dimensional mirror.

    ¡ªYes.

    A mirror was brought to the center of the main hall at Grandma¡¯s request. This mirror is the entrance to the heavenly realm.

    According to Grandfather, this object is actually not a mirror, but a portal. He had given me a detailed explanation about such an object, but I did not understand it at all.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry for leaving so suddenly, I didn¡¯t know that the demon would come back so quickly.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not me you should apologize to. It¡¯s Toru-sama.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s all right. Grandfather apologized to me many times already.

    When grandpa came back, he apologized to me so many times that I was already dizzy. I really didn¡¯t mind at all, as the fish he brought was really delicious.

    ¡ªAnd is your body feeling much better now?

    ¡ªI¡¯m not completely healed, but I don¡¯t feel much pain anymore. And luckily my body always recovers quickly from serious injuries.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s good to know.

    I thought I saw Grandpa Yatsufusa and Grandma Tamamo exchanging glances. Maybe they are still worried about my injury.

    ¡ªI have something for you, boy. Come with Kaede to my room.

    After those words, the three of us proceeded across the mirror to the realm of the celestial beasts.

    We arrived at the huge room I was shown when I first arrived here.

    Grandma Tamamo proceeded to sit with her back straight, very different from our first meeting.

    ¡ªI have something for you on your journey.

    ¡ªDoes that mean I can go on a trip with the master?

    ¡ªYou were going to go anyway, even if I stopped you. Besides, Toru-sama is a man who has never betrayed your trust, and I see nothing wrong with leaving my family in his care.

    The fact that Kaede could now continue to travel with me and with Grandmother Tamamo¡¯s acceptance, brought a big smile to my face.

    Kaede became a valuable companion, and also an important member of my family. I didn¡¯t want to have to say goodbye to her.

    ¡ªI have two things for you. One is this.

    Tamamo holds out a rectangular wooden box. We opened the lid and saw that it contained a scroll.

    ¡ªThe scroll containing the secrets of the clan?!

    You are now a full-fledged white fox. You have reached level 50,000 after the last battle. Now, I want you to show me your nine tails.

    Before I knew it, Kaede¡¯s tail expanded significantly, and suddenly, nine tails appeared like the petals of a flower.

    The temperature of the room drops drastically and an enormous amount of magical power gushes out of Kaede.

    ¡ªEeeh!

    ¡ªKyui!

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. It seems that, if I relax too much, the magic gets to seep out.

    ¡ªKaede, your tail.

    ¡ªI¡¯ve leveled up and that¡¯s caused my body to undergo a physical transformation. I am now a white fox with nine tails.

    Your body originally already contained a very high potential. And that is why there has never been a physical transformation.

    ¡ªBack to the subject at hand, in the scroll you will find a list of the techniques I have devised. Each of the White Fox¡¯s spells was created to defeat an enemy with great power.

    Kaede unsealed the scroll and opened it. It was written in letters she did not know and could not read.

    ¡ªThere is a magic called ¡®ice world¡¯, what does it do?

    It is a technique of self-destruction, the most powerful magic that can only be used once in a lifetime to finish off any enemy. I recommend you not to use it, but if you have no choice but to do so, that¡¯s up to you¡­.

    Grandmother Tamamo didn¡¯t say anything else, but then she stared at me, her gaze was as if she was pleading  me to never let Kaede get to use that magic.

    So I nodded silently.

    I will protect Kaede, even if it means losing my life.

    ¡ªAnd the other thing I want to give you is too big to bring here? So follow me.

    Something too big? Will you give me a gold bar?

    ¡ªAn egg¡­?

    A large egg, about five meters long, laid next to the main room. The surface was white and reflected the light as if it had been polished.

    ¡ªKyu! Kyu, Kyu!

    ¡ªEeeh!? What¡¯s wrong!?

    Panda pulled Frau off of him, and approached the egg with great speed, and then began sniffing it as he circled it.

    ¡ªPossibly this is a fortification egg?

    ¡ªOriginally, the beast you have with you were only created for support, but without any fighting capabilities. But when the war began, their nature began to change. They were given the ability to fight, and fortification eggs were also produced to evolve their abilities.

    After that, the image of each of the beasts I own appeared in my head.

    They all look cute, as if they were a pet. Maybe that was their original nature?

    Grandmother Tamamo continued to tell her story.

    ¡ªTowards the end of the war, the most powerful enhanced eggs were created. And with them came their own special beasts. However, these beasts put so much emphasis on their enhanced form that their pre-enhanced form became the weakest of all.

    ¡ªThat means¡­

    ¡ªExactly.

    Panda is the most powerful beast in the world? Panda had always been worried about not being able to build as he wished in the party, but now that he has so much power¡­.

    Both Kaede and I were very happy. But the happier of the two of us was Frau.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s great, Panda! You¡¯re the strongest of the whole family!

    ¡ªKyui!

    ¡ªThat¡¯s right! Uggh¡­

    ¡ªKyuuuuuuu!!

    Frau and Panda started crying.

    ¡ªThat won¡¯t be so easy, though, kid. The beast needs to spend a lot of time inside the egg, minimum one week, maximum one month. So I recommend you to start your journey and leave it here.

    ¡ªDo you want me to go and leave Panda?

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry about that. He¡¯ll know where you are by your seal. As soon as he hatches, he¡¯ll come and join you. You go on with the journey.

    Panda flies to the egg with moist eyes. He felt a strong will to want to be strong, even if it meant he would be left behind.

    ¡ªRemember to come back with us, Panda!

    ¡ªKyui!

    ¡ªI can¡¯t wait to see you stronger, Panda.

    ¡ªKyu kyu!

    ¡ªI¡¯ll be waiting for you.

    ¡ªKyu!

    Panda proceeded to dive into the egg.

    The lid is gently closed and a bulge appears on the surface of the egg. Steam is expelled from the protuberance and the pulsation starts.

    It¡¯s a strange feeling to start a trip without Panda.

    ¡ªFrau was left without his comfortable bed.

    ¡ªKyu!

    I could hear Panda¡¯s angry voice from inside the egg.

 CH 196

    Chapter 196 ¨C The warrior and his missing friends

    AINZFEBRERO 15, 20220 COMMENTS

    It was early morning already, and our journey was about to begin.

    Grandmother Tamamo and Grandfather Yatsufusa came to say goodbye.

    ¡ªWhen you have children, you must come and introduce them to Grandma.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    ¡ªI don¡¯t have long to live, coof coof, ugh, I¡¯m very sick.

    ¡ªWell, in that case, I¡¯ll give you an elixir to make you feel better.

    At Kaede¡¯s response, Grandmother Tamamo puts on a disgusted expression. If she is really sick, why is she making an expression of displeasure? If I were, I would like to receive something like that.

    The good news is that I have already poured magic power into the transfer circle that connects to the island. That means we can easily return here at any time.

    Although I don¡¯t plan to return now at this time, I want to continue traveling.

    ¡ªWe will come back to visit you. Please take care of Panda.

    ¡ªAnd you take good care of my granddaughter, and love her very much.

    ¡ªOf course.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    And that concluded our farewell.

    ¡ªI miss Panda.

    ¡ªCome on, don¡¯t feel sad, I¡¯ll give you some Daifuku.

    Kaede and I tried to cheer Frau up because she misses Panda so much.

    When we were traveling, she was always in a fixed position, clearly this is because she used to sit on Panda. But now she feels insecure, and she keeps moving around.

    Even when we gave her the Daifuku, she ate it with a sad expression.

    Although it has been a while since we left the white fox village, we were still on the mountain trail.

    We are now walking on high ground and the sea of clouds that was engulfing us was something spectacular.

    ¡ªIt is time to rest.

    ¡ªYes, we are in front of a nice view. It would be perfect to have something to eat.

    We sat in a fantastic spot with an amazing view, and proceeded to open the package Grandma Tamamo had given us.

    It turned out to be a pile of shiny boxes, with a variety of colorful dishes.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t know what kind of dish this is, but it looks delicious.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s something you eat only on festive occasions, and grandma makes  chirashi-sushi that is very delicious.

    ¡ªWhat is sushi? It smells bad, but it¡¯s not rotten, right?

    Kaede puts some sushi on a plate, and hands it to Frau. And the moment she took a bite, her eyes began to water.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not panda. This¡­ It¡¯s spicy¡­

    ¡ªPanda won¡¯t show up no matter how many times you say. And even if we go back, we¡¯ll still have to wait 1 month at the most before it can hatch from the egg.

    ¡ªBut, I don¡¯t feel comfortable.

    Since Frau showed up, she and Panda have become practically inseparable. How do I keep her sane while Panda comes back? I think it would be a good idea to look for a replacement.

    And just as if she had read my mind, Kaede pulls a white bundle out of her backpack.

    ¡ªThis stuffed animal looks a lot like Panda. What do you think?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s fluffy.

    The stuffed animal was about the same size as Panda.

    ¡ªWhen did you make this thing?

    ¡ªThere¡¯s a family member who specializes in making stuffed animals and he taught me how to make them. It¡¯s a simple way and didn¡¯t take me too much time.

    Frau proceeded to dive into the stuffed animal.

    She was silent for a while, then woke up and smiled.

    ¡ªI like this, it¡¯s a nice bed! It¡¯s much more comfortable to sleep on than Panda.

    ¡ªI¡¯m glad to hear that.

    ¡ªThere¡¯s no need for Panda to come back now. I thought he was my friend, but I see he betrayed Frau easily.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not right for you to say that, Frau-san. You should think about the problems Panda had. Instead of getting angry with him, you should congratulate him.

    ¡ªWhy, why, why¡«

    She didn¡¯t seem to be happy about that fact, and simply just hugged her stuffed animal.

    She then began to enjoy her meal.

    ¡ªMy lord¡«

    ¡ªDon¡¯t look at it as a negative thing, we¡¯ll be a while without him, so I think you should focus on doing the things you couldn¡¯t when you were by his side. When you least expect it, you¡¯ll have a lot of things to tell him when he comes back.

    ¡ª!!

    Frau¡¯s eyes widen and she immediately smiles. At last, she seems to have regained her usual cheerfulness.

    ¡ªFrau, I¡¯m going to make it the most fun trip ever. I¡¯ll make Panda regret it.

    ¡ªChirashi-sushi. Here you go.

    I took the plate Kaede gave me, and brought the Sushi to my mouth. At first the sourness spread to my mouth, but the sweetness came later and it was better than I expected. The flavors were also quite good, with baked eggs and cooked shrimp.

    ¡ªWow, it looks like Frau¡¯s level has gone up.

    ¡ªYes! My level is now 60,000! Same as Kaede!

    This was one of the benefits granted after the battle of Ios.

    My level was 30,000, Kaede¡¯s 63,326, and Frau¡¯s 63,121.

    I was completely outclassed in a very short time. I will have to try my best not to be a nuisance until my experience save is broken.

    Well, even being level 30,000 is already too much.

    We descended the mountain and entered a busy road.

    Soon we entered the yellow lands of Ursupina, famous for its mines. They say the capital of Raxholc lies beyond.

    ¡ªWhat was that?

    A large four-legged object was approaching from the end of the road.

    It was about five meters tall and had a strange design, like a rectangular box with a man attached to the front and back.

    The box contained a pile of stones and was moving as slowly as a turtle.

    And watching very carefully. I could see a series of similar objects, moving in a line.

    ¡ªIt looks like a golem. It¡¯s the kind that transports minerals.

    ¡ªSo, it¡¯s a modern golem made by an alchemist. What a strange design it has.

    ¡ªThere are many strange things on this continent.

    Golems have a long history. In the past, alchemists were amazed by the original golem and tried to imitate it.

    But the more I learned, the more I realized that it was incomprehensible and, as it turned out, impossible to reproduce with modern technology. So, they changed direction and went on to go beyond the original golem by creating their own.

    I¡¯m not sure if this alchemist followed the same path, but I think he¡¯s not far from it.

    ¡ªI think it¡¯s a golem that specializes in transportation?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s very overwhelming, looking at it up close.

    The long, thick legs alternately moved forward.

    There was also a face, with a single eye rolling over the abdomen of the human figure in front of it.

    ¡ªMy lord, what is that thing on the ground?

    The moment we entered the city. Frau encountered a strange object on the road. But it turned out to be a wagon loaded with stones.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s a wagon. That¡¯s how we transport ore.

    ¡ªWow, it looks like a lot of fun to ride in it.

    ¡ªWhat do you say, we go to an inn first? Then we¡¯ll have some time to walk around the place.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s fine with me. But before we do that¡­

    I pulled out the search scroll to find one of the girls, and saw that the needle started pointing in one direction.

    For the first time, there was a response.

    ¡ªLook at that! I think there¡¯s someone in town!

    ¡ªWe¡¯ve finally got one of them! Let¡¯s find them fast!

    ¡ªI hope they¡¯re all right.

    We started running quickly in the direction where the scroll was pointing.

    As I was about to pass through the alley, I turned and hurried inside, checking the movement of the needle and quickening my steps.

    ¡ªWe¡¯re almost there!

    ¡ªMaster, be careful not to bump into any pedestrians.

    ¡ªFrau will help search the air!

    Frau began to fly higher, and she looked down to see if she could find one of our friends.

    I keep following the needle, but for some reason I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m getting closer. Is it running away?

    ¡ªI think I¡¯ve found her!

    ¡ªLead me to her.

    ¡ªFollow me.

    We started following Frau, and she does indeed seem to be running away. Maybe she doesn¡¯t know it¡¯s us, or maybe she has a reason to run.

    ¡ªWait! Stop!

    ¡ª!?

    A figure in rags stops on a bridge.

    From the silhouette it is impossible to tell who it is.

    Eh!? Could it be that she¡¯s about to jump!?

    And so it was¡­ The girl jumped into the river without hesitation.

    I tried to reach out to grab her legs, but I couldn¡¯t reach her in time. I looked towards the river, but it was useless, there was no trace of her anymore.

    ¡ªKaede, what was her evaluation!?

    ¡ªI¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t think that person would jump, so I couldn¡¯t make it in time.

    ¡ªWhy was she running away? She didn¡¯t even look at my face.

    Who was she? And why was she running away from us?

    I thought¡­ I had finally managed to find one of them.

 CH 197

    My footsteps towards the pose felt heavy.

    As soon as I thought I had rejoined one of the girls, she slipped away in front of me. I would have loved to at least exchange a couple of words.

    ¡ªI at least hope they got the message Frau sent them about their quest. If they¡¯re willing to come back to us, I should assume we¡¯ll hear back from them soon.

    ¡ªI understand¡­ Still, we could inform Marianne and the rest.

    ¡ªMarianne might have a better grasp of what¡¯s going on.

    I called Chupimi to record the message. And although I didn¡¯t understand the explanation of how Chupimi seemed to know where Marianne and the others were, having recorded my message, he took off as fast as he could.

    ¡ªWhat do you idiots think you¡¯ve been doing under the name of the Manyu Brigade?!

    ¡ªPle¡­ Please forgive us.

    After those shouts, my gaze fell on two people who were subduing four people in the middle of the street. Because of that, they were attracting a lot of attention, I immediately had the feeling that if I got involved I might be in trouble.

    ¡ªOr do those adventurers look a lot like the four who pretended to be us?

    ¡ªCertainly, those people look very familiar to me.

    The four pale, trembling faces I observed were certainly familiar. Since I had a previously close experience with them, it was difficult for me to forget about them.

    ¡ªI think I recognize those two as well, although their faces are very vague in my memory.

    ¡ªReally?

    I think I¡¯ve run into them before, but that wasn¡¯t important now, I just wanted to confront the fake Manyu Brigade and ask them a couple of questions.

    It¡¯s very fortuitous that I found them again, and this time I¡¯m going to make them talk, even if I have to do it by force.

    ¡ªHey you guys! We meet again.

    ¡ªHuh?! It¡¯s you again?!

    The fake Toru holds me by the chest while staring at me with a rather worried expression.

    The other two people who were confronting the fake Manyu Brigade also turned their eyes towards me.

    ¡ªWho are you? If you interfere, you will get hurt.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t want any trouble, I just want to talk to these guys.

    ¡ªSo, you are also victims of these swindlers? I feel sorry for you, but we found them first, so we¡¯ll decide what to do with them.

    ¡ªThis isn¡¯t a situation in which a few shoddy adventurers interfere, get the hell out of here.

    ¡ªYou don¡¯t have to treat them like that, they¡¯re victims too.

    ¡ªUggh¡­

    ¡ªDon¡¯t show weakness to strangers for a simple scolding.

    For some reason, some tears began to well up in the woman¡¯s eyes. The young man who seemed to be her companion was trying to reassure her in the face of such scolding.

    ¡ªListen! These guys were also using our party¡¯s name. You aren¡¯t the only ones affected.

    ¡ªEeeh?

    Fake Toru¡¯s expression changed radically as soon as he heard those words.

    ¡ªAre you serious? Are you really saying you¡¯re the leader of the Manyu Brigade?

    ¡ªLet¡¯s be clear about this, it¡¯s you who¡¯s impersonating us. We¡¯ve started using that name since we started our activities as adventurers, it¡¯s you who¡¯s stealing our identity!

    ¡ªOi oi, are you making fun of me by saying that our group is a sham? I am the real Second Mayu Brigade. If it¡¯s a fight you want, I¡¯ll give you one.

    Second? You mean you¡¯re not impersonating us?

    At the young man¡¯s words, he and I stared at each other, Kaede and Frau were also tense, staring at their partner.

    ¡ªNambala-san is fed up with more fake groups popping up one after another. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, now there are you guys who¡­. Wait¡­ A girl from the white fox tribe, a fairy, and you, a silly-looking man with a big sword on his back¡­. Couldn¡¯t it be that they are¡­?!

    ¡ªThe Manyu Brigade is unmistakably a party created by the master. It is very unfortunate that anyone would dare to say that we are liars. I will lodge a strong protest against the person in charge.

    ¡ªFrau, Kaede and the Lord have helped so many people during our adventures that you fakes wouldn¡¯t even come close to us. And what¡¯s with those outfits you¡¯re wearing? Are you a party or a church choir? Although¡­ I must admit they look kind of cool¡­

    Frau, how dare you praise your enemy? Those people are impersonating us. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right that they get to think that the fake ones are cooler than the real ones.

    The fake Toru was still holding on to my shirt with a forced smile, but the expression on his face implied that there was more to it, so he turns to me.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re a rude bastard. You pose as Commander Toru, and now you seek to enter our party to destroy us from within. Nambala, we must finish him off.

    ¡ªShut up. We don¡¯t have time for this. The sub-commanders tasked me to search for you, and then go to Big Gear for information on Commander Toru and then¡­ Wait a minute¡­

    The young man¡¯s eyes searched me from head to toe again.

    The fake Toru lets go of me and starts to look at me from head to toe as well while shaking my body from side to side.

    ¡ªNambala-san, maybe this person is¡­

    ¡ªYes, Takigi¡­ These could be the people we were looking for.

    The attitude of both boys changed drastically as they took notice of me as the real Toru.

    Suddenly, when fake Toru turns to look at his companions, he notices that they were trying to escape on tiptoe.

    ¡ª[Paralyze]

    ¡ªGyaaa

    Takigi idles the four men with just his gaze.

    That was amazing¡­ Does it mean that this person also has a demonic eye?

    ¡ªI guess you guys can understand that we can¡¯t let them get away. The deputy commander gave me explicit orders to capture them.

    ¡ªThe party is now in a state of shock and awe, and the people who have betrayed the group and committed fraud in the name of the Second Manyu Brigade will be punished accordingly. Takigi, tie them up while they¡¯re paralyzed.

    ¡ªWhy do I have to do it? Nambala-san should also do a chore or two from time to time.

    ¡ªDo what your Senpai says without complaining.

    ¡ªWell¡­

    After those words, Takigi proceeded to tie up the fake Manyu Brigade.

    ***********************

    The fake Manyu Brigade was handed over to the guards by the two men. The charges were for impersonation and fraud.

    In addition, the foursome were also beaten to a pulp and were so swollen that their original faces were unrecognizable.

    I don¡¯t doubt that it¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration, but since it seems to be one of their former colleagues, the sensible thing to do was not to get involved.

    And since they wanted to apologize to us for the way they treated us, they both invited us to lunch.

    ¡ªI¡¯m so sorry! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re the real Commander Toru! Please, I beg you to turn a blind eye to our behavior!

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not even angry.

    ¡ªYou are just as the sub-commander said, you look manly and wise. Plus your two companions are intelligent and adorable. As you know, I am Takigi, and this man is Nambala-san, may you not be overwhelmed by his majestic and virtuous aura.

    ¡ªI¡­ I see¡­

    It¡¯s quite inevitable that your anger will dissipate when someone refers to you that way. There was also a feast on the table in front of us, and the desire to continue listening to his stories and filling my stomach with this delicious food was increasing.

    ¡ªJust to confirm once again, you are, without a doubt, the Toru-san of the Manyu Brigade, right?

    ¡ªNo need to use that rare honorific on me. Here¡¯s my adventurer¡¯s card.

    He hands the card to Takigi. He looks at it and passes it to Nambala, who is standing next to him.

    ¡ªBoth your name and the name of the party match. However, this is not enough, it could be a forgery.

    ¡ªWe were both in Big Gear before we came here. So I did some research and found out that the real Commander Toru was given the newly created title of ¡°Manyu¡±.

    ¡ªYou mean this?

    I handed the bracelet to Takigi. They both rolled their eyes at the sight of it.

    ¡ªNambala-san, this is real, right? I¡¯ve never seen the real thing, but it doesn¡¯t look fake.

    ¡ªThis is too expensive for an accessory¡­ But we can¡¯t risk disappointing the sub-commander. She sent us on faith to find Commander Toru.

    Since we are with these guys they keep mentioning a sub-commander, my curiosity to know who she was was already more than me.

    As if Kaede read my thoughts, she opened her mouth after spending all this time in silence.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry for the question I¡¯m going to ask you now, but who is this sub-commander you speak of?

    ¡ªNey-san

    ¡ªYou are under Ney-san¡¯s orders?! Master!

    Hearing Ney¡¯s name was a relief. I wasn¡¯t wrong in thinking that if I followed the fake Manyu Brigade I was going to end up finding out something.

    I¡¯m glad to hear that two of our friends are safe.

    ¡ªI knew Ney would find a way to take care of herself. After all, she is my childhood friend.

    ¡ªNo one should know they¡¯re childhood friends¡­. It¡¯s definitely Commander Toru.

    ¡ªWe have succeeded. Now we just have to get them to the base to be with the deputy and vice commander. I really wasn¡¯t sure when we were going to be able to complete this mission, but we did it!

    ¡ªCalm down, Takigi. If you show a disrespectful appearance in front of Commander Toru, the Vice Commander¡¯s educational policy will be questioned. If you don¡¯t shut up now, I¡¯ll punch you in the face and feed you to the pigs.

    ¡ªNambala-san should have more control over his foul mouth.

    Tras esa respuesta, Takigi recibi¨® un golpe en la cabeza por parte de Nambala.

    And sure enough, he burst into tears. But Nambala immediately tried to calm him down. They don¡¯t seem to be bad people¡­ Just a bit strange.

    I suddenly felt uncomfortable about Frau¡¯s continued silence.

    Normally she would be trying to get attention, so I looked over to where she was, and saw her opening her big mouth and chewing on a piece of meat.

    ¡ªHey, Frau! That¡¯s mine!

    ¡ªToo late!

 CH 198

    After leaving Yellowhawks, we decided to accompany Nambala and Takigi to the capital. They could have gone directly to Ney, but decided to take the long way around, as they both wanted to send their reports by letter first.

    ¡ªI am sorry to have put you through all this trouble. After sending the letter to the sub-commander, she will take you to the city where she is based.

    Nambala was still suspicious of us, perhaps he was trying to test us to conclude that we were really the Manyu Brigade.

    Personally I don¡¯t care about proving my skills or taking a test. I just wanted to get back to Ney as soon as possible and make sure she¡¯s okay.

    ¡ªThere is a rumor that there is a famous priestess in the capital of this country. If we are lucky, maybe we can see her face.

    ¡ªA priestess?

    ¡ªYou don¡¯t know her? She appeared one day, and in the blink of an eye, she was already in quite an important position in this country, she¡¯s the Demon King¡¯s advisor, she¡¯s an extraordinary woman.

    ¡ªNot to mention the fact that there are rumors about her that she is someone greedy, she even swindled many people and that¡¯s why she has such an important position¡­ But they are just that, rumors.

    A priestess who only cares about money¡­ I think I heard rumors about it somewhere, although I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, although I did hear that she was so powerful that the demon king was afraid of her or something like that.

    I¡¯m curious as to what kind of person she is, I wish I could see her.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t know about you, but she sounds familiar, a greedy priestess with a great ability to rise in her position?

    ¡ªYes, I¡¯m beginning to think that person might be the one we¡¯re looking for.

    ¡ªDo you know someone like her?

    ¡ªSomething like that¡­ It¡¯s possible that this person is the one we¡¯ve been hearing so much about.

    ¡ªI see¡­ Well, who knows, maybe the priestess is the person that Commander Toru is looking¡­ What are you doing?!

    Nambala pulls Takigi¡¯s ear.

    ¡ªWhat nonsense are you talking about, Takigi? Think about it, how many people do you think there are in this vast continent? It¡¯s not normal to think that just that person is Toru¡¯s acquaintance.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry! But why do you always have to beat me up?!

    ¡ªOh come on¡­ Don¡¯t start crying.

    ****************

    We arrived in the capital of Dezakhst.

    Nambala and Takigi stopped at a post office as soon as we arrived.

    ¡ªCareful with this. It¡¯s an important document, so don¡¯t lose it.

    ¡ªYes, sir.

    The staff received an envelope with the payment. Outside the building, armed delivery men leave the site one by one in small, speeding subdragons.

    A lot is demanded from the delivery men. It¡¯s all for the safe delivery of the letters they carry. The work is so demanding and tumultuous that they are known as the secondary adventurers. Even the staff in charge of the front desk has quite a bit of respect from the public.

    Taking the opportunity, I also decided to send a letter I wrote.

    ¡ªI see that the address is Lubue-sama, headquarters of the research team in Big Gear country. If it could be designated as a special delivery, we could deliver it more reliably.

    ¡ªAll right, do it.

    ¡ªIn that case¡­ This is the amount to be paid.

    The paper offered was marked ¡°500,000¡±.

    That¡¯s very expensive! Is that really the price for sending a letter?!

    However, it is also quite cheap if you take into account the distance and the level of the delivery person. Even if you go on a fast-footed subdragon, the trip is never guaranteed safety.

    I paid the official and left the store.

    ¡ªNow we can finally get back to base. Hey, Nambala, while we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we go for a quick sightseeing tour and a gourmet meal before we head back?

    ¡ªYou know the sub-commander is looking forward to seeing the commander again. No time to look for rambling. Get a hold of yourself, you brainless half-breed.

    ¡ªYour words are hurtful. But, let me ask you something, how can you be so sure that the sub-commander won¡¯t be angry with you if you have time off and have failed to provide the commander with adequate entertainment?

    ¡ª¡­You have a point. It would be unacceptable for me to be labeled as boring. if your trip with us was boring. And more so if I am with Commander Toru, it would be a disappointment to the sub-commander as well¡­.

    Even though they were both whispering, we could hear them perfectly. Besides, I also felt like doing some sightseeing.

    The level of development in this city is astonishingly high. In fact, for a while now, Kaede, Frau and I were looking forward to stopping at all the stores there.

    I saw a sword in a display case that looked fantastic. I was looking forward to taking a closer look.

    ¡ªWe have decided that we will stay here for a couple of days. Also, we would appreciate it if you would stay with us. If you want to go somewhere, let us know and we will accompany you.

    ¡ªI thought you guys were just going to bring us to where Ney was, not that you would have to accompany us everywhere.

    ¡ªOne of our duties is to escort the Commander and his companions. Don¡¯t worry, we will protect them if anything happens. We are as strong as you are, Commander.

    Takigi smiles confidently.

    Both Kaede, Frau and I exchange glances upon hearing that.

    I didn¡¯t dare to tell them my true level since I don¡¯t want to scare them unnecessarily¡­. And I wouldn¡¯t want to embarrass them in any way either.

    I don¡¯t think these guys are very protective of me either.

    ¡ªAnd¡­ Where do we start? I¡¯ve never been here, Nambala-san¡­

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take care of this. I¡¯ve been here a few times and I have some acquaintances. I¡¯ll guide you to the best places.

    ¡ªOoh, I never imagined you could be fun, Nambala-san, my expectations of you are changing.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re trying my patience, Takigi.

    ***********

    In the capital there is a place called ¡°Street Art Square¡±.

    Street performers would perform all over the square and passersby would stop to watch.

    In my city there were people who made a living from freak shows, but I don¡¯t think they were as popular as they are here.

    ¡ªThat man swallowed his sword. I wonder if he¡¯s all right.

    ¡ªHe¡¯s a professional and I don¡¯t think he¡¯d do something stupid that would get him killed, but it¡¯s still an anxious thing to watch.

    ¡ªWow, I don¡¯t know how you can stand to watch that. Frau can¡¯t keep watching this.

    As soon as the man finishes his trick with great success, people applaud and throw coins into the can in front of them.

    We take the opportunity and throw copper coins as well.

    ¡ªWhere¡¯s Takigi?

    ¡ªI think he went to the candy stand.

    Really? He went to buy food?

    He¡¯s having more fun than we are.

    Suddenly, the sound of loud gongs echoed through the streets.

    People avoided the edge of the street and knelt on the cobblestones in prayer.

    ¡ªWhat is this? What is wrong with everyone?

    ¡ªI think we should do the same so as not to draw attention to ourselves.

    ¡ªI agree.

    We crouched down and lowered our posture as well. A few minutes later, a group of people in white clothes arrived at the square.

    Their steps are silent and the air is solemn as they pass in front of us. In the middle of the procession, a person who seemed to be the central axis, had her face hidden by a veil, and walked with escorts around her.

    Her silhouette was quite feminine. is she the rumored priestess?

    Once she walked away from the square without looking at the people praying, the people returned to their feet and continued with their activities.

    Residents were moved to tears and were throwing out rather complacent comments.

    It is said that this country is ruled by the Demon King Bertina. Maybe he is not someone religious.

    But even demons have gods they believe in. So it¡¯s no wonder that this Demon King is someone of faith.

    ¡ªWhat you just saw is the worship of the priestess, who has become an important person in this place. So much so that the Demon King had that great cathedral built, and she comes and goes from the palace to this place every day without rest.

    ¡ªIt was something magnificent, I saw her from afar and it gave me chills.

    Takigi came back and had a fruit drink in one hand, and an ice cream in the other. He was also wearing star-shaped sunglasses on his face.

    I think they enjoy sightseeing much more than we do.

    ¡ªWhere have you been?

    ¡ªRelax, I brought this for the commander.

    Receiving the drink, I took a sip.

    It really is delicious.

 CH 199

    We came to a stone statue so large that we all raised our heads to see how far the limit of such a sculpture reached.

    The appearance was of a lively looking girl with a crown on her head pointed outward.

    She was the Lord of this land, and the former Demon King, Bertin, the goddess of the night.

    She is one of the sovereigns of this continent, with numerous legends and anecdotes. Her influence is so great that the neighboring countries strengthen their defenses with the slightest movement she makes.

    ¡ªI was expecting a much scarier look from this Demon King, but she really is very cute.

    ¡ªFrau, she really is, just look at the size of those breasts.

    Frau begins to playfully touch the statue¡¯s breasts.

    Said statue is adorned with many flowers under her feet, which shows that she is very loved by the people.

    This is the first time she came to a place where a Demon King is loved by its inhabitants¡­ Well, I guess there are all kinds of people in this world.

    ¡ªShe is the same type of person as His Majesty the King. She seems to be doing as she pleases while leaving the government to someone capable.

    Takigi explains while eating an ice cream. According to her, the country where they live is also ruled by a former demon king.

    ¡ªI hear that Bertina is also sick. She has been locked up in her room for the past few years, without coming out even once.

    Nambala, with a bag of cakes in her hand, replied. From time to time, she reaches into the bag with a crunch and puts the baked dough into her mouth.

    They both seemed to be really enjoying this little sightseeing around the city.

    For my part, I had a hot drink in one hand, and a toothpick with meat on it in the other.

    This city is the capital of dissipation. Everything you see intrigues you and makes you want to crave it. If you don¡¯t have great willpower, you could end up buying every single thing you see.

    We proceeded to sit on a bench and take a break.

    ¡ªI like this city. Thank you for bringing me here.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s a relief for us to hear that. You¡¯re looking for other people besides the deputy commander, though, right?

    ¡ªThat¡¯s right. We used this scroll to try to¡­.

    When we opened the scroll, there was a response from the guide needle, it seems that someone was close to us.

    Or will it be the same person who ran away from us last time? Or it could be Soara and Pione, who we haven¡¯t found yet¡­ Either way, I¡¯ll do my best to get them back home.

    For the time being, we decided to follow the needle and start walking.

    ¡ªWe are close.

    The spire pointed to a person wearing large armor and surrounded by four knights.

    Both residents and soldiers greet him politely. He must be a high-ranking military officer. His appearance also gives that impression.

    It¡¯s hard to imagine that that is one of the girls.

    ¡ªWe are here!

    Kaede shouted loudly.

    ¡ªHmm?

    ¡ªIf you want to make a request, follow the formal procedure. The general is busy now.

    ¡ªI¡¯m Kaede from the Manyu Brigade, and I¡¯ve come for this person.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t you dare speak to her without permission. Do you want us to arrest you for blasphemy?

    One of the knights stepped in front of Kaede, blocking her advance towards the person in the center of the four.

    However, the latter stopped and stared at us.

    ¡ªStop. I know them.

    ¡ªForgive my boldness.

    With a single word, the gentlemen stepped back in silence.

    ¡ªYou, follow me.

    And so, the five of us followed the general to a house.

    **************

    ¡ªKaede-san!

    ¡ªPione-san?!

    Pione takes off her helmet and jumps toward Kaede. Then she stares at me with wet eyes.

    ¡ªI knew you would come for me. I¡¯m so happy. I know it hasn¡¯t been that long, but it seems like years.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s a relief to see you safe and sound. By the way, are you here alone?

    ¡ªNo. Soarer is with me. But maybe you shouldn¡¯t see her now.

    After releasing Kaede, Pione had her maid take off her armor and put on a lighter outfit.

    This place seems to be Pione¡¯s mansion.

    ¡ªUmm, who are you two? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you two.

    ¡ªI am Nambala of the Second Manyu Brigade.

    ¡ªI am Takigi, I am also a member of the Second Manyu Brigade.

    ¡ªThe Second Manyu Brigade¡­ Both Soarer and I were aware of this, we had planned to make contact with them at some point.

    Pione sat down on the couch with a serious expression on her face.

    ¡ªLet me introduce myself. I am General Pione, I am in charge of the Sixth Army. It¡¯s a newly created army with very few personnel, but I think I¡¯m doing reasonably well.

    Being a general is hell and hard work that someone has to undergo. How can I reach that level in such a short time?

    As if he had guessed what I was thinking, Pione continued speaking.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s all Soarer¡¯s doing. She put me in a position that suited her and forced me to do all sorts of irrational things every day. The only reason I¡¯m still alive is because I had hoped that Toru would come for me. Otherwise, I would have despaired.

    Pione¡¯s eyes became moist again, and she averted her gaze.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been very busy lately and I¡¯m emotionally unstable.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make you feel better in no time!

    ¡ªThank you, Kaede-san. I¡¯m so happy that I can¡¯t help but cry.

    Thanks to Kaede¡¯s magic, Pione manages to calm down a little while smiling.

    ¡ªAfter escaping from prison, we went through the great forest and on our way out, we made a great fortune in Yellowhawks.

    Pione places her teacup on the table and smiles.

    ¡ªThose were good times.

    After those words, her expression changed completely, becoming expressionless.

    ¡ªSoarer said she wanted to be a missionary in the capital. Then we left our mansion and moved here, that¡¯s when she started doing priestess work day after day. Her actions and her words reached all the people in the city, to the point that the queen was also on her side. At present, she is the second queen, and more than half of the inhabitants of this country are believers.

    That really is something incredible. For many years I have believed that Soarer was a dangerous woman. A monster disguised as a priestess.

    ¡ªAfter she rose to an important position in the country, she had the power to obtain any information. And that¡¯s how we learned about the existence of the Second Manyu Brigade, and about the title Toru got in Big Gear. We had planned to start a search, but now it won¡¯t be necessary.

    ¡ªSo, what do you want to do? We can use the magic teleportation circle that¡¯s in Kaede¡¯s hometown, and then you can return home right away.

    ¡ªSo, there is a way to go¡­

    She said as he scratched her cheek with her finger¡­

    ¡ªCan I wait a little longer? You see, I¡¯m a general right now, and I can¡¯t give up so easily. Especially now that I have to deal with a monster?

    ¡ªMonster?

    ¡ªYes¡­ Well, I don¡¯t know if the right term would be monster, since¡­

    Footsteps echo in the quiet hallway, and a gentleman abruptly enters the room.

    ¡ªForgive me for interrupting. But the monster has just broken through the outer wall and entered the city. We have managed to stop it with our troops, but it is inevitable that we will suffer a heavy blow if things continue as they are.

    ¡ªAll right, I¡¯ll join you right now, hold on until then.

    After those words, the knight nodded and ran out of the room.

    ¡ªToru, since you are here?

    ¡ªYou don¡¯t need to ask, we are ready to help.

    ¡ªThank you¡­ I¡¯m counting on you.

    ***************

    Black smoke rose in the west of the city. Occasional explosions occurred and loud monstrous roars shook the air.

    It seemed that most of the inhabitants had already been evacuated, and soldiers with guns lined the deserted streets.

    ¡ªGive me a report on the situation.

    ¡ªIt looks like the SS rank adventurers lured that thing here.

    ¡ªThis is no time to look for responsibility. We have to get rid of that monster, and we can¡¯t allow them to endanger Bertina-sama.

    ¡ªGeneral! All the adventurers have been defeated! The enemy is approaching at high speed!

    The thunderous roar enveloped the entire air, and the monster was approaching our area while destroying buildings in its path.

    Huge amounts of magic shot out from all directions. But the damage it inflicted was so minimal that it continued on its path without a care in the world.

    ¡ªRemove all the soldiers, we¡¯ll take care of him.

    ¡ªOkay, proceed to evacuate all units!

    Kaede, Frau and I readied our weapons while Takigi and Namaba watched us from the roof of a nearby building. They were very curious to see what our skills were like.

    But they had also enlisted their weapons and were ready to help in case we needed it.

    The monster landed in front of us, and roared as loud as it could.

    ¡ªWhat the hell is that thing?

    The monster was a jet-black snake, and a man hung upside down on the edge of its mouth.

    ¡ªThat¡­ That¡¯s no ordinary monster¡­

    The snake shakes its face and swallows the man.

    ¡ªNo way¡­

    ¡ªMaster, that monster must be put down, this is unforgivable.

    Neither Kaede nor Frau can hide their amazement at the way people are gobbled up in front of them.

    ¡ªGuaaaargggh¡­. To¡­ru¡­

    ¡ªWait, is that monster calling the Lord?

    To our amazement, we stopped and watched the snake act strangely. From its head began to grow half the upper part of a human body. Eyes form on its head and it stares at me.

    ¡ªGuaaagh gaaaghh¡­.

    The human was babbling things, it was as if he was having trouble speaking.

    But that was not the most shocking thing, but the person he was¡­ Sain, my ex-best friend.

 CH 200

    ¡ªSain¡­ Is that you?

    The facial features were not very defined, it was not entirely clear if it was him, but even so, the resemblance is very frightening.

    The words he utters from a few minutes ago seem dreamlike and don¡¯t give the impression of being conscious.

    ¡ªThat guy again? What¡¯s he doing in a place like this?

    ¡ªI doubt that could be a human¡­.

    We were missing an opportunity to attack. Some were confused about how to accept the reality in front of them. Sain had just appeared in front of us looking very different from the last time we met, it was normal to be confused.

    ¡ªGuuuaaaaggghm To¡­ Toru¡­.

    ¡ªSo, he is conscious.

    Sain¡¯s eyes stare at me.

    ¡ªPlease. Kill me¡­. This thing¡­ It¡¯s consuming me, and it¡¯s taking over my consciousness, AaaaH!!!!!

    ¡ªSain?!

    ¡ªLisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, she was the cause of all this ¡­. What have you done to me, Lisa? What is this monster you have put in my body? My consciousness is fading away¡­ I don¡¯t want to have to admit this, but, Toru, you have to kill me, please, do¡ª¡­..

    Sain¡¯s body begins to crumble, and the shape of his face becomes more distorted.

    ¡ªGuaaaaaagh!!

    Numerous tentacles sprout from the snake¡¯s back and rush towards me.

    I quickly jumped up and dodged the attack.

    ¡ªSaaaaaaaaiiiin!

    ¡ªGuaaaaaaaagh!!!!

    I was still in the air, and more than twenty tentacles targeted the place where my body was going to touch the ground, so I turned my body to avoid them at the same time I drew my sword and started slashing at them. But the attacks did not end there.

    Unlike the thin tentacles from before, this time the tentacles are extremely thick, easily three meters wide on their own, and extend from the torso. Despite their appearance, they move fast.

    I stopped for nothing, and continued to slice at every tentacle that approached me. And as if by magic, the tentacles instantly regenerated and headed towards me at great speed.

    I used my greatsword as a shield, causing the blow to send me flying and impacting a building through the wall.

    ¡ªUggh¡­ How can that thing have a regeneration power equal to that of a dragon?

    I stood up in the dusty room, but a strange noise caught my attention.

    ¡ªiiigh?!

    ¡ªHuh? I thought everyone had evacuated this area?

    Inside the house there was a child cowering and shivering under a table.

    His parents don¡¯t seem to be in this place. Didn¡¯t they manage to escape? Or did they just abandon him?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, you have nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll take you to a safe place.

    ¡ª¡­.

    The boy nodded his head while holding a doll of a knight in his hands. I took the boy in my arms and ran to Pione, who was a few meters away from me.

    ¡ªGuaaaaaaaaaggggh!!!! Gooooorrrgh!!!!!

    Sain freaks out the moment he loses sight of me.

    The nearby buildings were randomly destroyed with tentacles. Takigi and Nambala, who should have been on the sidelines, launched attacks while running across the roof.

    ¡ªTake that!!!

    Takigi throws several glass tubes with an unknown liquid inside.

    As soon as the tubes hit the snake¡¯s body, they exploded on impact, causing the snake to become soaked in a purple liquid.

    The liquid then took effect on the snake¡¯s body and its skin began to fall apart.

    But it was a useless act, since in a fraction of seconds. The snake¡¯s skin regenerated, making it return to normal.

    ¡ªI see that you are quite resilient, try some of my magic!!!!

    Namabla pulled out a piece of metal that instantly became a large axe.

    Its powerful blow shatters the snake¡¯s scales and pierces its flesh. However, the damage is still light. It seems that the body itself is also quite tough, as is its regenerative power.

    I deftly traverse a maze of alleys until I reach the main road, and I meet the soldiers who are leading the evacuation.

    ¡ªToru!

    ¡ªI found this child who was abandoned in a house.

    I placed the boy in Pione¡¯s arms, and tried to return to the battlefield, but before I could do so, the boy grabbed me by the pants.

    ¡ªThank you¡­ Oniichan¡­

    ¡ªDon¡¯t go away from your parents again.

    ¡ªYes. Pray for oniichan to receive many praises from God and the saints.

    ¡ªThank you.

    I patted the boy on the head, and started running to where everyone was.

    ¡ªHow about this, Flower Blizzard!

    The snake¡¯s whole body froze momentarily, and the thin ice came off and the snake sticks out its tongue to show that it was still alive.

    ¡ªBreak hammeeeeer!!!!

    Frau threw with all her might her hammer, causing the snake to impact a building, and a shockwave generated by that force was felt throughout the capital.

    ¡ªBe more careful what you do!!! Remember that we can¡¯t destroy the city!

    ¡ªHow do you expect us to deal with such a strong enemy?!

    The snake, which had been crushed by the hammer, changed its slimy form while regenerating to its original form, and by mere carelessness, the snake¡¯s eyes landed on me again.

    ¡ªHuh?

    From the snake¡¯s mouth comes a flash of light. Probably a breath attack. No doubt it was bad news, the army and the refugees are after us.

    But cunningly Kaede leaps forward and uses her iron fans to counter the attack.

    ¡ªWall of ice.

    A thick wall of ice appeared at a slight angle, and as a result, this defense served to counter the attack.

    And it didn¡¯t end there, she used the wall to prepare a counterattack.

    ¡ªAir bullet!

    Air bullets make holes in the enemy¡¯s flesh like cheese. But even so, his flesh regenerates instantly.

    It has the same or better regeneration ability as a dragon, plus a slippery, irregular shape like a slime. It¡¯s like a combination of all the most troublesome monsters in existence.

    The snake¡¯s head transforms into a conical shape and begins to spin at high speed, then vigorously digs into the earth and sinks deeper and deeper into the ground.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re not going to escape! Aero slash!

    A wind blade cuts the snake¡¯s torso, and the open wound heals instantly. Kaede¡¯s attacks were almost nullified, and the snake¡­ Rather, Sain managed to escape.

    All that was left of the battlefield was a large hole in the ground.

    I can¡¯t believe he did something like this.

    Was that really Sain?

    How is it possible that a person could become a monster?

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry, we let him get away.

    ¡ªWe couldn¡¯t do anything else.

    ¡ªHey, are you okay? You don¡¯t look so good.

    ¡ªAll this is so unexpected that I don¡¯t know how to take it.

    Sain begged me to kill him, even though he¡¯s supposed to hate me. Besides, I can¡¯t stop thinking about that strange shape he has as a body.

    ¡ªToru, are you okay?

    Pione is joining us with her knights. She might know what¡¯s going on.

    ¡ªPione, did you know that thing was Sain?

    ¡ªI knew it was called that. But I didn¡¯t think it was real until now. I want to help you, so I¡¯m going to give you all the information I have.

    ¡ªPlease.

    Takigi and Nambala join us. They both approached me with enthusiasm.

    ¡ªCommander, your skills on the battlefield are incredible.

    ¡ªReally? I didn¡¯t do much.

    ¡ªWhat level are you, Commander Toru? Your teammates also proved to be very strong, and I¡¯m ashamed of myself for thinking I was protecting them.

    Apparently, my reputation has risen a lot in the fight I just had. Other than Kaede and Frau, I didn¡¯t do much. At most, I smashed the tentacles.

    However, I don¡¯t feel bad about the accolades.

    There was still a lot to do in the city, the Kaede, Frau, Nambala and Takigi joined Pione to help where we could in rescuing people and checking that everyone was safe. We worked until it got dark.

    *****************

    A huge amount of papers are piled up on the table.

    I had not imagined that there was so much information gathered about Sain.

    Pione looks at me and smiles forcibly as if to say; ¡°Now do you understand how hard I have worked?

    In every one of those papers there were reports of attacks that Sain has been involved in, and not only in cities in this country, but in other neighboring countries.

    ¡ª¡­It doesn¡¯t seem to describe the cause of what happened.

    ¡ªWhen he appeared he was already a monster who had lost his mind. Its purpose is unknown at the moment, but from its appearance, I believe it is to fight Toru.

    Sain¡¯s words came into my head.

    I find it hard to believe that he asked me to kill him. That man who showed no sign of remorse even after his execution.

    At what point is he so trapped against that monster holding him hostage?

    ¡ªIs it possible that we can defeat them?

    ¡ªI hate to say this, but the way things are going it¡¯s going to be difficult. Many adventurers have set out to take him out, but most have not made it back alive. The army is even harder to mobilize because of this, so it was a good thing you guys came along.

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the twinkle in Pione¡¯s eye. To her, I guess I¡¯m some sort of savior who came to her rescue in a double sense.

    ¡ªExcuse me, General. I received an order from the Holy Maiden demanding your presence as soon as possible in the royal palace.

    The knight who entered the room reported indifferently. Pione¡¯s face paled as she looked at him.

    ¡ªToru, run away now! No doubt she has already heard that you are here!

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s all the fuss about? And how does she know me?

    ¡ªYou haven¡¯t noticed yet! The holy maiden is Soaraer!

    What?! Soarer is the Holy Maiden?!

    ¡ªAnd she¡¯s not the same now as before. She¡¯s really dangerous.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s disrespectful to call His Holiness that.

    ¡ªAaaah!

    A female knight of the Beast tribe entered the room. She carries sharp, beastly eyes and an air more befitting a general than a subordinate.

    ¡ªYou are Toru? You¡¯ve come a long way here to try to fool that man to whom you are so indebted, haven¡¯t you, Pione-dono? To whom do you think you owe your position?

    ¡ªI didn¡¯t ask to be made a general! Soarer forced this position on me for her own benefit!

    ¡ªI see you still have a rebellious attitude, do you want to be punished again as you have been in the past?

    ¡ªI¡¯m ashamed just remembering it.

    Pione covers her face with her hands and purrs in embarrassment. What kind of punishment do you mean?

    I¡¯m very curious.

    I was going to meet Soarer sooner or later anyway. If he wants to see me so badly, I have no reason to refuse.

    ¡ªI¡¯m willing to go, so no such punishment will be necessary.

    ¡ªToru?!

    ¡ªThe carriage is waiting for you, come out when you¡¯re ready.

    *******************

    Arriving at the majestic building, we were stunned at what was in front of us.

    It was a cathedral that Soarer had the Demon King build.

    How much power does this girl have in this country?

    After walking through the grand entrance, I made my way to the room where Soarer would be. She was alone in this also ridiculously large room, praying.

    ¡ªSoarer-sama, he has arrived.

    ¡ªThank you, Isabella. You may go now.

    ¡ªYes. I¡¯ll be waiting outside.

    As soon as Isabella leaves the room, Soarer runs up to me with a smile on her face, and presses her big breasts tightly against me.

    ¡ªAh, Toru, you don¡¯t know how glad I am to see you again.

    ¡ªMarianne told me what happened. It must have been hard.

    ¡ªNot that hard. Everything is a test imposed by God. And I have successfully passed this severe test of faith. The fact that you are here with me is my reward.

    ¡ª¡­I see you¡¯re still the same as ever.

    After all, Soarer is still herself.

    The next thing she did was look over my shoulder and saw Kaede and Frau behind me.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s been a while, Kaede-san. And Frau-san too.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s a relief to see you safe and sound.

    ¡ªIs it me, or is this priestess too flashy? I thought the servant of God should be more modest in her attire. Why do you have such flashy and jeweled clothes?

    ¡ªWhen you¡¯re a priestess, you can¡¯t dress frumpy, can you? In case you like it, I had it designed to Toru¡¯s liking? Do you like it?

    Soarer¡¯s style was highlighted by a fine robe. It certainly exuded an aura worthy of a priestess, though it was also very revealing in other ways.

    To be more precise, very pleasing to the eye. Surely if she asked me to join her religion, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate for a second.

    ¡ªMaster Soarer-san is in danger right now.

    ¡ªExactly. That¡¯s why I told you to leave, Toru.

    Kaede and Pione grab each of my arms and pull me away from Soarer¡­.

    What? Is she really dangerous?

    ¡ªNow that I think about it, Panda-san isn¡¯t here. He¡¯s usually the first one who flies over for me to pet him.

    Panda-san is just now getting the level up he¡¯s been craving.

    ¡ªI see. I¡¯m sorry to hear that.

    Soarer gasped and clapped his palms together, as if an idea had occurred to him.

    ¡ªI would like to take this opportunity to introduce Toru to Her Majesty. Although she is a demon king, she is a wonderful person who understands the faith very well. I¡¯m sure the two of you will get along very well.

    I become anxious and looked at Pione to get her opinion.

    She seems to be heart sick, so basically she is a quiet person.

    She just told me that she¡¯s just sick at heart and she¡¯s basically a quiet person.

    I guess she is fine.

 CH 201

    ¡ª¡­. I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to have an audience with you.

    I am talking to a man who was sitting in a garden.

    His name is Ios. He is a man of enormous experience and he bears the nickname of the ¡®God of War¡¯.

    ¡ªWho are you?

    ¡ªI am a clown.

    ¡ªIs that the best you¡¯ve got? How many years do you think I¡¯ve lived?

    ¡ªOf course I¡¯m not just a clown. I am Sain, a hero who comes from another continent.

    After saying that, Ios stared at me.

    A hero who calls himself a clown should be enough to attract his attention. Of course, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    This is where the test begins, if I make a mistake, I run the risk of dying.

    My opponent is a Demon King on a much higher plane who kills people on a whim.

    ¡ªYou have my attention, keep talking.

    ¡ªI, Sain, have a reputation for being a clown. To be honest, I think people get it wrong, but it¡¯s inevitable that people see me that way.

    ¡ªA conscious clown, huh? That¡¯s not new, I already have a lot of people like that.

    ¡ªOf course I¡¯m aware of it. But do you have any heroes among them who want to become a Demon King?

    He was surprised by an answer he hadn¡¯t expected.

    ¡ªDo you want to be a Demon King?

    ¡ªYes. And if possible, to be more powerful than Ios-sama.

    ¡ªKu, kuku.

    He turned his face in the opposite direction, and tried to stifle his laughter.

    But it wasn¡¯t enough, as my words were so funny to him that he couldn¡¯t hold it in, and a great laugh was heard in the place.

    ¡ªYou are a very interesting clown, as well as funny. A hero who wants to be a Demon King, you are the first person to ask me something like that, besides wanting to be stronger than me.

    ¡ªPlease, I ask you to allow me to stay by your side so I can learn your power.

    By gathering previous information about this Demon King, I learned that he had a lot of free time. And that his only pleasure is to watch stupid people.

    While watching Zig, I thought he was a total clown. So, I thought that if I imitated him, this would turn out to be very easy.

    And as you can imagine, it¡¯s something I hate to have to do, but it¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll be able to convince the Demon King, I have to take every advantage, no matter how small.

    To get revenge on Toru, I have to get out of the mire I¡¯m in.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll hire you as my personal guard. I¡¯ll hire you as my personal guard.

    ¡ªThank you very much. I¡¯ll serve you with all my heart and soul.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll do my best to make you laugh, too, master.

    The fact that he allowed me to be with him so easily surprised me.

    Afterwards, Celtina and I were assigned a room, and so our work as clowns began.

    *************

    The job of personal guard is surprisingly simple.

    First of all, Ios didn¡¯t need me to protect him from anything, Ios was simply by his side as if he were an ornament.

    ¡ªWhat about the money? Do you want to die?

    ¡ªI¡¯m not a fool. I would never dare to defy him. But, we have our own problems, if things go on like this, we¡¯ll go bankrupt.

    ¡ªWhy don¡¯t we send some adventurers to clean up the mess?

    ¡ªOf course we can, but the bandits are very strong. Some say that one of the bandits is the Demon King.

    ¡ªA bandit demon king¡­ That¡¯s very interesting.

    The place we were in was very scandalous. Plus we were on a different continent.

    Every place we went, I found out about the existence of another Demon King. It seems there are more than I imagined.

    Ios lays his eyes on me.

    ¡ªYou have the hero¡¯s job. Right?

    ¡ªUmm, yes¡­

    ¡ªThen take care of this mess.

    ¡ªMe?

    ¡ªYes, you, you asked me to be a Demon King, didn¡¯t you? I suppose you¡¯ll have the skills to take care of trifles.

    ******************

    I climbed into Ios-sama¡¯s vehicle and watched the scenery go by.

    In the back we were accompanied by Celtina and Odis, the protector of Ios.

    Odis is like Ios-sama¡¯s right hand man, he is always by his side.

    ¡ªI am too bored and sleepy~¡î I wonder when we will attack¡î.

    ¡ªWe choose the road that is more prone to bandit attacks. The chances of encountering them should be quite high. And if you¡¯re tired, you should go to sleep at once.

    ¡ªI¡¯ll take you at your word¡î.

    Celtina proceeds to make herself comfortable in the back.

    ¡ªIf Sain becomes the Demon King, I will become the Queen¡î.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t see why not.

    ¡ªMy dreams are filled with magnificent food ¡î, lots of pretty clothes, servants groveling before me and a glittering life ¡î.

    This girl is still an idiot.

    And she¡¯s very demanding, but I like that she doesn¡¯t ask for this or that extra thing. Plus, she¡¯s loyal to me, that makes her a good tool.

    ¡ªStill no bandits are showing up, I¡¯m tired of waiting.

    Odis, who had been silent all this time, opened his mouth.

    He hadn¡¯t spoken for five hours.

    ¡ªThey will be here shortly. Be patient.

    ¡ªTch, I don¡¯t like this anymore. Not only does Ios-sama let this clown be with us all the time, but he also trusts him with important matters.

    I ignored the complaints Odis was saying while keeping a smile on my face.

    But still, I¡¯m also worried, if a bandit doesn¡¯t show up soon, I¡¯ll be in danger.

    So I proceeded to create a decoy, I took out a couple of gold coins and other valuables as if it doesn¡¯t matter what I¡¯m doing.

    This way, a bandit will surely appear soon.

    We started walking and three men appeared at the end of the path to block my way.

    It was a group of different races, Beasts, Demons and Dark Elf. Wow, it seems that among bandits there is no discrimination.

    As soon as I stopped, 20 more came out of the bushes in front and behind me.

    A quick glance at them with my appraisal skill told me that there were no demon kings among them.

    ¡ªLeave the luggage you have, the money you have, and also the woman.

    One of the bandits utters a phrase that sounds to me like something I¡¯ve heard somewhere.

    They are idiots.

    They are not even aware that they have fallen into a trap.

    They were all below level 1000. And my current level was 1200, so they¡¯re easy prey.

    ¡ªCeltina, do it.

    ¡ªYes! I¡¯m going to burn them to death! ¡î

    Celtina¡¯s magic is unleashed all over the place. Seizing the moment I drew my sword and proceeded to attack.

    ¡ªDamn you elf, how dare you attack your own kind!

    ¡ªI will kill whoever harms my beloved ¡î.

    After a few seconds, all the bandits were shot down with great ease.

    A couple of bandits had also proceeded to attack Odis, but he remained relaxed and dealt with them without much difficulty.

    His strength was truly overwhelming. He defeated them without drawing his weapon and with a single blow from his hand.

    His level is 70,000

    After cleaning up most of the mess, the person we were looking for finally appears.

    ¡ªWho the hell are you? You don¡¯t look like a simple carrier, are you an adventurer?

    ¡ªMaybe yes, maybe no¡­

    A man with an appearance not unlike that of a demon king appeared with a gait as if he had come for a stroll.

    He was part of the rat tribe.

    He pulled out a knife that emitted a faint evil atmosphere, perhaps some sort of demonic sword. The man licked the knife and smirked.

    ¡ªI like to kill handsome bastards who think they¡¯re a lot. You have a beautiful woman to match your face. They disgust me. They make me want to tear her flesh and spit it out.

    ¡ªCurious. I don¡¯t like ugly bastards either. When I see them, it makes me want to stomp on them and scream expletives at them. It¡¯s a mystery to me why the world is full of such ugly people. I¡¯ve always wanted to burn all of you alive.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re such a talker, elf boy. Begging for your life won¡¯t work.

    It¡¯s the other way around, you idiot. I¡¯ve already activated my hero work.

    Your level keeps dropping every second we talk.

    ¡ªYou blinked.

    ¡ªHigi?!

    The man averted his gaze for a second, and I took advantage of that gap to approach him at high speed. In the blink of an eye, I had already thrust my sword through his heart.

    It would be boring to finish him off so quickly. So I swung my sword into his chest.

    ¡ªAaaagggh!!!!

    Kuku, this is so much fun, murdering a bastard.

    I pulled the sword out of his chest as roughly as possible, causing a large amount of blood to spill out.

    The man who had fallen crawls on the ground and holds up my pants as he looks with eyes full of hatred.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t tell me you plan to beg for your life?

    ¡ªHa, ha, never, you fucking brat.

    I spat in the man¡¯s face and stomped on him.

    But still, he wouldn¡¯t let go of my hands for nothing.

    ¡ªYou¡­ You¡­ You damn brat¡­! You¡¯re in for a lifetime of misfortune¡­!

    After that, the man pulled hard on my pants, making them fall down along with my underpants.

    The man then stopped pulling, but my crotch was exposed.

    I pulled out my sword and tried to lift up my pants.

    However, the man¡¯s hands were tightly closed and I could not lift them up, causing me to lose my balance and fall on my buttocks.

    ¡ªPufff, hahahahahaha, you sure did a job, kid. I¡¯m sure this report will delight Ios-sama.

    Odis proceeds to mock me with laughter.

    Damn it.

    Don¡¯t look at me like that.

    ***********************

    ¡ªHa ha ha, you¡¯re making me die laughing! Did he really pull down your pants? What a clown you are, Sain!

    Ios was laughing loudly after reading the report.

    My face was burning with embarrassment.

    Even though I proclaimed myself to be a clown, the embarrassment I was feeling was beyond what I was willing to endure.

    I had to be patient, I knew I would be rewarded later.

    ¡ªSince you¡¯ve solved my problem, I¡¯ll give you a reward.

    ¡ªI will accept anything you give me.

    ¡ªYou will be my bodyguard tonight, Sain.

    Ios smiles.

    I merely nodded as I repressed an unbearable embarrassment.

    **********************

    It was midnight, and the palace was quiet.

    I had served as a night escort on many occasions, but I had not yet been able to adapt myself to the circumstances in which we usually submit to this work.

    ¡ª¡­¡­..

    I am the only one guarding the room.

    There is no one around.

    I gently open the door.

    Through the small opening I could see into the dark room.

    Ios¡¯ eyes were wide open as he lay on the luxurious bed.

    Is he one of those people who sleeps with his eyes open?

    To my bad luck, he notices my presence and smiles at the sight of me.

    He is definitely awake.

    What the hell is that guy?

    I need a blind spot so I can steal his work.

    ¡ªWhy don¡¯t you come in here? You can¡¯t protect me if you¡¯re this far away, right?

    ¡ªYes, you¡¯re right.

    I entered the room with a bad feeling.

    Did he realize what my intentions were?

    Or does he intend to laugh at me like the clown I am?

    In any case, it¡¯s a unique opportunity to approach him.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s the matter? Come closer.

    ¡ª¡­It¡¯s okay.

    I approach the bed as instructed.

    I wanted to take my time to steal his job as soon as he was off guard, it won¡¯t be easy, so I¡¯ll have to do my part to figure something out.

    Suddenly, the comforter flew in the air, and the moment I blinked, he was no longer in bed.

    Where did he go?

    ¡ªHuh?

    Ios grabbed my right arm from behind and twisted it as he pushed me down on the bed.

    ¡ªYou know, you¡¯re very handsome, you¡¯re certainly my type. You¡¯re not clown material.

    Damn, I let my guard down, this guy¡¯s got a lot of strength.

    I can¡¯t get free.

    ¡­.Wait a minute, what is he doing?

    Why is he sticking his hand down my pants?

    Ah! He¡¯s touching me back there!

    ¡ªIs it your first time? It¡¯s okay, relax, you¡¯ll feel better soon.

    ¡ªNo, wait!

    **********************

    The next morning.

    I had gone completely blank.

    I couldn¡¯t think clearly and I couldn¡¯t even eat my food.

    ¡ªSain, what¡¯s wrong? ¡î, you¡¯ve been absent-minded all day ¡î

    ¡ª¡­Yes.

    ¡ªYou look like you¡¯ve been robbed of something valuable ¡î

    ¡ª¡­Yes, it¡¯s been stolen from me.

    My buttocks hurt.

    I was supposed to steal something from him, not me.

    I didn¡¯t come back from the dead for this.

    I want revenge on Toru¡­. Ugh.

    I don¡¯t know why, but tears well up spontaneously.

    ¡ªI wonder if we can steal his work from him¡î

    ¡ªI want to die.

    ¡ªI honestly don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll do it¡î But hurry up, I want to get rich quick¡î.

    This woman¡­damn it, she doesn¡¯t even know what I¡¯m going through.

    My ass, my ass.

    How it hurts¡­

    The more I remember it, the more I want to cry.

 CH 202

    Several days have passed since I was assigned to be Ios¡¯ personal guard.

    As I was walking down the hallway I saw Odis worried.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. I am totally bewildered.

    He was pacing up and down the hallway with his arms crossed.

    He looked very confused.

    He didn¡¯t even realize I was near him.

    By the way, Odis is a level 70,000 demon king.

    I also secretly aspired to his status.

    Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t seen Ios in the past few days.

    I wonder if it has something to do with his attitude.

    ¡ªHow can I help you, Odis-sama?

    ¡ªAh, it¡¯s you¡­ No, you can¡¯t do anything, don¡¯t worry.

    ¡ªPlease talk to me. I can help you, if you want.

    ¡ª¡­All right, I¡¯ll trust you, even if you¡¯re just a simple buffoon. Ios hasn¡¯t returned from his trip.

    I knew it, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to myself. This is a great opportunity for me.

    ¡ªWhere did he go?

    ¡ªHe didn¡¯t tell me. Occasionally he goes off on his own to wander somewhere, but this is the first time you haven¡¯t been back for such a long period of time. If only I had accompanied him¡­

    ¡ª¡­Heh, so that nasty monster is in trouble.

    I was shocked for a few seconds.

    Did I just say that?

    My lips seemed to move on their own.

    It was such a strange feeling, as if someone other than me had used my MOUTH to speak.

    ¡ªWhat did you just say?!

    ¡ªHuh?! Nooo, nothing nothing¡­

    Odis, who was extremely angry, pressed his hands against my neck.

    It is natural for this to happen.

    He is a loyal servant of Ios, and he would never allow anyone to say anything stupid about his master. He will not hesitate to kill even a favored clown.

    I am slowly beginning to lose consciousness. I think I will die¡­

    It was then that the sound of a broken neck rang out.

    ¡¶Notice: Resuscitation activated. You have three lives left ¡·

    For a brief moment, consciousness seems distant, and quickly I am alive again.

    Odis tilts his head dubiously.

    ¡ªI thought I¡¯d killed you, maybe I¡¯ve been too gentle with you.

    I have to do something.

    If I don¡¯t act quickly, I¡¯ll lose all my chances of coming back to life.

    I have to try to persuade him. It¡¯s not a good idea to fight him.

    ¡ªWhat! What is this?!?

    ¡ªWhat do you mean?

    The tentacles reach out and pierce Odis¡¯ abdomen.

    I¡¯m not doing anything. Somehow, it¡¯s my armor that has a consciousness of its own.

    ¡ªI knew you had approached His Majesty with a purpose!

    ¡ªAaaghh¡­

    His hand knife pierced through my abdomen.

    Suddenly, a large amount of blood drips on the ground.

    ¡¶Notice: Resuscitation activated. You have two lives left ¡·

    As soon as he pulled out his knife, just as if it were a monster, the hole in my abdomen regenerated itself.

    The speed of regeneration amazes Odis.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on? I can¡¯t believe a clown like you has such an ability, who are you really?

    The tentacles were sucking Odis¡¯ vitality, making his face thinner and thinner.

    ¡ªOdis-sama?!

    Several soldiers rush to the scene.

    But the tentacles acted quickly and rushed at them to equally corner them to suck their stats and vitality.

    ¡ªSain?!

    In my blurred consciousness, I saw Celtina running towards me.

    And in turn, the tentacles catch Celtina. It seems that it¡¯s not enough for them to have Odis and the soldiers, they want anyone who gets in their way.

    ¡ªSai¡ª¡­.

    My armor bubbles and swells.

    A large black flower blooms on my back.

    At the same time, a huge mouth opened in the center and swallowed Celtina in the blink of an eye.

    ¡ªThis time, die!

    Odis proceeds to thrust his great sword against my chest. Immediately, great flames appear from the blade of the sword, causing the fire to burn me from the inside.

    The ensuing explosion blew me to pieces.

    ¡¶ Notice: Resuscitation activated. You have one life left ¡·

    But the next moment I was back to normal.

    Odis trembles with fear.

    ¡ªImpossible, your regenerative abilities look like black magic. Ios-sama, don¡¯t come back, this guy will eat you¡­

    Finally he was sucked like a mummy through the tentacles.

    My armor is still swelling.

    Even my body was engulfed, I¡¯ve turned into something amorphous like slime.

    Despite being swallowed, my vision was still reflecting my surroundings. It¡¯s as if the whole armor was my eye.

    Finally, I broke through the wall and crawled out.

    The tentacles reach the soldiers gathered all over the place, and ingest them smoothly.

    It feels like being in a dream. It doesn¡¯t feel real, it feels terribly empty.

    ¡ªKill, kill. I want to kill them all¡­ I want to take everything in the world. I want¡­ Toru, I will kill you¡­

    The voice emitting from the armor was not mine. It was as if someone had taken over me.

    I don¡¯t want that, I want to kill Toru with my own power. This is not the way I want to do it.

    The body starts to take shape, my feet start to become thick and ugly legs.

    The perspective of my vision started to grow, making the people on the ground look like dolls.

    I¡­ I¡¯m starting to turn into a monster. No¡­ I don¡¯t want this.

    My body starts to move on its own.

    I escaped from Ios¡¯ palace and crawled into the city, destroying everything I saw in my path.

    As I passed through the streets, I continued to spread my tentacles and absorbed the vitality of all the people. In a matter of an hour, the whole city was in flames.

    That day, the city disappeared from the map.

 CH 203

    Soarer took us to Demon King Bertina¡¯s bedroom.

    It was a very spacious place, there was a pile of stuffed toys and a canopy bed.

    ¡ªHow do you feel, Lady Bertina? I am Soarer.

    The curtains opened a little and the one lying on the bed turned out to be an adorable little girl.

    When she saw Soarer, a big smile appeared on her face.

    ¡ªI¡¯m glad you came to see me. I¡¯m sorry you have to waste your time.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t be so hard. As a saint, I will always be by your side, Bertina-sama.

    ¡ªThank you¡­ The love of God that lies in you is immense.

    Bertina¡¯s face overflowed with joy as one who served God.

    ¡ªBy the way, who are these people¡­?

    ¡ªThey are my friends. And this person in particular is Toru. As I told you before, he is my dear childhood friend.

    ¡ªOh, in that case, I have to greet him properly.

    The girl lifted her body from the bed and smiled with a tired expression.

    She was said to be a former demon king, but she looked like a normal girl. Not to mention that she was in a frail state, and gave the impression that she would die at any moment.

    ¡ªThat girl over there¡­ Is she a white fox?

    The moment she saw Kaede, Bertina¡¯s expression turned to anger and magic power flew around the room.

    It seems that she doesn¡¯t get along very well with the Heavenly Beasts.

    ¡ªWhat magic power, is it possible for it to surpass mine?!

    ¡ªHueeeeh, why is he acting like that all of a sudden?!

    ¡ªBe¡­ Bertina-sama¡­ Please calm down¡ªKyaaaa¡­.

    Due to the large amount of magic power, Pione rolled off the ground.

    The magic storm subsides and Bertina sighs heavily.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t see any point in wanting to fight now. How hard, it¡¯s hard to have a meaningless life, like a puppet without a master.

    ¡ªCalm down, Bertina-sama, God will save her from this suffering.

    ¡ªOh, yes, I will be saved by the deep love of God!

    Bertina puts her palms together and prays to a symbol on the wall.

    She mentioned that Soarer had helped her overcome her illness, and God¡¯s faith makes her stronger to overcome such pain.

    I had certainly heard of it before. Although it¡¯s kind of silly to believe that a faith in Go¡ª Oops¡­ I almost said something that could get me in trouble, I have to be careful what I think.

    ¡ªGuests of Soarer, feel free to spend as much time here as you wish. Your mistress welcomes you.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s very kind of you, Bertina-sama. If you will excuse me, I will continue with the guide, you may continue sleeping.

    After that, Bertina nodded and went back to sleep on the bed.

    ******************

    We were in a large hall of the Palace.

    Pione was no longer with us because she had work to do.

    ¡ªAs you can see, I am a saint now. I will no longer be able to return to our country. Many villages and flocks seek my wisdom.

    ¡ªYou will not return with us¡­?

    ¡ªPlease don¡¯t take this the wrong way. This is what I have always wanted. My mission is to save the lost people through God¡¯s guidance. Yes, it is my mission. Oh, what a pure and precious woman I am! How I sacrifice myself to teach God¡¯s teachings to these fools.

    ¡ªSoarer-san¡­ That¡¯s so noble of you¡­.

    No no, don¡¯t be fooled, Kaede. What you think is noble is nothing but narcissism.

    She definitely does not possess a holy aura of a Saint.

    However, Soarer is right, now that she has such an important rank, it will be difficult for her to return to us.

    The figure of the Saint is deeply rooted in the culture of this country.

    I have no choice but to give up Soarer. I will simply take Pione with me.

    Frau, who was biting into the cookie, changed the subject.

    ¡ªAnd what do you plan to do with the former hero who now became a monster?

    ¡ªSain¡­ I was surprised that he not only survived, but also came to this continent. Things would have been simpler if he had died as a human being, but it seems that God did not even allow such a gentle punishment.

    ¡ªAre you saying that this is the work of divine punishment?

    ¡ªIt is natural for him to suffer in such a way since he defiled a maiden like me.

    Shit. Soarer is getting scarier and scarier.

    Am I to believe that if I make her angry I won¡¯t die like a normal person?

    There¡¯s a knock on the door and Isabella enters.

    ¡ªThere is a man here who claims to be a friend of Toru-sama.

    ¡ªAaah, I¡¯m very tired, I¡¯d like to take a bath soon.

    ¡ªSame.

    Takiki and Nambala enter the room a few seconds later.

    Soara stopped Isabella with her hand and urged her to leave the room while telling her that it was no problem.

    Both boys sat energetically on the couch.

    ¡ªForgive our boldness. I am Nambala of the Second Manyu Brigade.

    ¡ªAnd I am Takigi, also part of the Second Manyu Brigade.

    Takigi looks at me as if he is scolding me for abandoning them.

    ¡ªAnd this is the person you were looking for, commander?

    ¡ªYes.

    ¡ªUnbelievable. Now I understand why the sub-commander respects you so much.

    For some reason, Nambala and Takigi look at me as if they respect me.

    Kaede and Frau nodded proudly as well.

    ¡ªOkay. We were also aware of you, we were planning to contact Ney soon with the intention of stopping that monster, but since you are here, Toru, I suppose you will help us.

    There was no need to answer that. My mission was key, to defeat Sain, and make sure he dies this time.

    ¡ªYou can ask me for any reward you wish. What¡¯s more, if you succeed in defeating him, I will ask that the ceremony take place in the cathedral.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t treat me as if I were a stranger, Soarer, I know exactly what your personality is like, you¡¯re too dangerous to be a Saint.

    ¡ªNow that I think about it, you plan to go to the center of the continent, right? That makes it even more convenient. The fag warriors who fled the battle live in that area. Please, when you go there, punish them and use them as fertilizer for the land.

    I see you are still keeping your vulgar vocabulary. This girl does not change her character at all despite being in another continent.

    More importantly, are we close to the center yet?

    I will soon learn the truth about my mother.

    I feel that I am already coming to the end of this journey.

    *******************

    I went into my room and threw myself on the fluffy comforter that lay on my bed.

    I didn¡¯t expect to stay in a palace again during this trip.

    After a feast and a bath, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll sleep very well tonight.

    Knock Knock.

    Someone knocked on the door, so I opened it.

    ¡ªLooks like you were starting to relax¡­ Well, that¡¯s a pity, since you won¡¯t be sleeping tonight.

    ¡ªSo¡­Soarer, why are you dressed like that?

    Soarer came into my room, and took off her robe and in turn revealed the negligee she was wearing.

    The fabric was so thin I could see through the underwear underneath.

    She pounced on me and watched me from a very close distance with burning eyes.

    The bed creaked and the tension increased.

    ¡ªI want you to see me tonight as a woman you can desire.

    ¡ªWait¡­ What?

    ¡ªToru¡­ Are you not attracted to me?

    ¡ªI¡­

    Soarer¡¯s lips come close to mine.

    The scent of her body was quite seductive.

    To be honest, I really like Soarer, I¡¯ve always seen her as the kind of woman I could fall in love with.

    But why is this all so sudden?

    I admit that I¡¯m a rather purist person, and I like to go slowly with a person before I get to do something like this by force.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t give you my first time, but, in return I will do everything Toru wants. Please try the devotion of a Saint for yourself.

    Those words made my brain short-circuit. There was a struggle in my mind about keeping my sanity or getting carried away by desire.

    Just as our lips were about to touch, the door was kicked down.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s enough! Soarer-san, get away from the master!

    ¡ªYou definitely did it, black-hearted Saint! You took the opportunity and went after the master.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re terrible, Soarer. We promised that before we did anything we would talk it over and decide together.

    Kaede, Frau and Pione face Soarer.

    Soarer frowned and clicked her tongue.

    ¡ªIt seems that the amount of sleeping pills I gave them was not enough, the more levels they have, the less effect they have¡­ I think I have miscalculated them.

    With that said, Soarer walks away from me.

    Damn.

    I almost did it.

    Frau blushes at the sight of Soarer¡¯s outfit.

    ¡ªWhat a naughty outfit. Is this the sex appeal of an adult?

    Kaede shyly hid her face with her hands, while Pione hid behind Kaede.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t you feel ashamed, Soarer-san? How come you can walk around in such revealing clothes like that? Aren¡¯t you cold? Although, the master seems to be quite interested. If that¡¯s so, then I want to know how to dress like that too¡­.

    ¡ªUugh, I can¡¯t even let my guard down. When did you get underwear like that? I have to get something like that, or something kinkier, I can¡¯t afford to lose.

    What the heck are those two mumbling about?

    I thought they came to save me.

    Soarer opens both hands and turns to the three girls.

    ¡ªGirls, I invite you to spend the night in my quarters, I will provide you with all the information you need. Would you like to know what my favorite outfits are?

    ¡ªYes!!!!

    Kaede, Frau and Pione answered in unison, and the four of them left the room in great haste.

    ¡­I¡¯d better go to sleep.

 CH 204

    Snow falls from the sky.

    The whole area is covered in a blanket of white.

    After we parted from Toru-sama, we headed north in search of our lost friends.

    Monica-san was riding Ichiro-san while I was on horseback.

    ¡ªAre you cold, Ichiro-san?

    ¡ªGuur¡­

    ¡ªGreat, I¡¯m starting to get hungry.

    ¡ªBut you ate beef jerky not long ago.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not enough. I want hot soup.

    Monica-san replied with a hunched posture. She seemed to be very tired, plus her hatred of the cold was evident. She was wearing several layers of clothes that looked like a ball.

    ¡ªWhere is the place we are heading to?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not very far.

    ¡ªI need more information than that. I¡¯m not familiar with the geography of this country.

    ¡ªOh, forgive my disrespect.

    As soon as Monica placed her hand on her clothes, I quickly stopped her.

    This girl always tries to apologize by wanting to take her clothes off every chance she gets. She¡¯s a well-meaning person, but sometimes she¡¯s a little strange and hard to handle.

    She has no other name than being a stripper.

    I¡¯ve heard that there are people in the world whose hobby is doing things that go beyond common sense.

    I wonder if Toru-sama will also like that sort of thing.

    If so, should I learn from her? But as a noble¡¯s daughter, I would never do something so low¡­ I feel a strange euphoria when I imagine it. What does this throbbing in my chest mean?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s so cold. I¡¯m beginning to wonder if your friends were really transferred to this place.

    ¡ªWe don¡¯t know yet. But it is also true that nothing can begin without a search. Even if we don¡¯t find them now, it would be very gratifying if we could get some information about their whereabouts.

    ¡ªIt doesn¡¯t matter, Alyusha is a criminal. To enter another person¡¯s home is unbecoming of an elf.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not Alyusha-san¡¯s fault. I did a little research to make sure, and it seems that the floor below the teleport has collapsed several times, and the building itself is falling apart. My father said he would investigate the ruins as soon as possible and rebuild the house.

    ¡ªI see¡­ Marianne¡¯s house is in a lot of trouble.

    Several travelers who passed us on the road were astonished to see that Monica-san was riding a rather dangerous animal.

    As Toru-san¡¯s fianc¨¦e, I couldn¡¯t help but feel proud to have a man who can tame even the most violent animal feared by people.

    However, it is shameful to act in a boastful manner, and it is not proper for a lady to act in such a way. So I kept such a feeling to myself.

    ¡ªDid you see how they looked at us? They were very surprised.

    ¡ªFufu.

    I can¡¯t help but be struck by Monica¡¯s honesty. I love it.

    As we continue down the road, we meet a woman archer carrying a boar tied to a stick.

    ¡ªExcuse me, is there a town or village around here where we can rest?

    ¡ªAaah! A Behemoth!?

    The woman throws the boar to the ground and sits down.

    ¡ªPlease don¡¯t be frightened. We won¡¯t hurt you.

    ¡ªI see¡­ It¡¯s an amazing thing that there are people in this world who can ride a Behemoth.

    ¡ªThe great Toru tamer of wild monsters can take on anything¡­!

    ¡ªA tamer of monsters¡­ It still sounds impossible¡­.

    The girl wiped off the snow and picked up the boar.

    Monica-san got off Ichiro and walked over to the girl.

    ¡ªHi, my name is Monica, and this is Marianne.

    ¡ªHello.

    The woman greets us lightly.

    She seems a little brusque. From her appearance, one would expect her to be an adventurer. Her race is human, a beautiful girl with slightly shaggy semi-long black hair and sleepy eyes.

    ¡ªMy name is Nazna. You are southerners?

    ¡ªMaybe. What makes you think so?

    ¡ªYour smell. You have a different smell than the people of this place.

    ¡ªMaybe it¡¯s sweat and nothing else.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s not what I mean¡­ I¡¯m too lazy to explain, so it¡¯s okay.

    At Nazna¡¯s words, I checked my own smell.

    I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve cleaned my body properly every day.

    The first time I took a bath with water was four days ago, and I wonder if I didn¡¯t clean myself enough.

    It¡¯s a shame that Roane¡¯s daughter is perceived as stinky.

    I feel like taking a dip.

    ¡ªBut I smell good! Do you want to try it?!

    ¡ªYou see, you can¡¯t distinguish your own body odor.

    ¡ªAh, really?

    Nazna bursts out laughing at my question.

    After a short laugh, she answered me by wiping her tears with her fingers.

    ¡ªOh, you guys are funny. My roommate is a weirdo, but you two are just as weird.

    ¡ªIs there a city or town around here? So we can continue our conversation.

    ¡ªYes, there is a big city. I¡¯ll guide you to the place, follow me, but first¡­ You must hide that Behemoth somewhere.

    ********************

    We arrived in the city of Minsu in the Zaus territory of the Talbert country.

    This city seems to have a large number of registered adventurers. For everywhere you look you see adventurers in winter clothing.

    Even in this cold and snowy weather, the city was bustling with activity, and stomach-churning smells were wafting from the stores along with the white smoke.

    ¡ªI wish I could eat something from this place.

    ¡ªYes, this aroma is stimulating my appetite.

    ¡ªSince we¡¯re here, how about coming to my place for lunch?

    I¡¯m puzzled by Nazna¡¯s invitation.

    I can¡¯t ask someone I¡¯ve just met to do so much for me. I haven¡¯t even thanked her for bringing me here.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about it. I just want you to tell me everything you know about this place. I¡¯ve never left this country since I was born.

    ¡ªIf that¡¯s all you want, that¡¯s fine.

    She led us down a narrow alley to a house with a narrow garden.

    Although cozy, the building was small but stately and elegant. There was a single tree in the garden.

    ¡ªI¡¯m home, is anyone here?

    As soon as he opened the door, she muttered into the dimly lit interior.

    She threw the boar in the door and led us into the living room.

    ¡ªIt is a very nice mansion.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not so much a mansion. Sit where you like, I¡¯ve made some tea.

    Nazna walked briskly into the kitchen.

    Monica and I sat in the chairs as we looked around the interior of the house.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s made of a lot of fine wood. It¡¯s not the kind of place a commoner would live.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not polite to talk like that. But it certainly gives that impression.

    Suddenly, I notice that there are wooden dolls on the shelves.

    There are seven of them. The cute designs are strangely eye-catching.

    There seems to be no uniformity in the races, and I can see humans, elves, beasts and demons. However, I don¡¯t know why, but only the elves were set apart.

    ¡ªI have returned.

    Nazna prepared a pot of tea, and placed the tea cups carefully on the table, so I took the moment to ask her a question.

    ¡ªHey, Nazna-san, where did you get those dolls?

    ¡ªOh. My roommate did it while crying. I don¡¯t know exactly the details, but I think they are her friends.

    ¡­.A girl who cries for her friends?

    I can understand that pain.

    I definitely need to make an effort to get my friends as soon as possible. I¡¯m the one responsible for all this happening.

    ¡ªI¡¯m at home.

    ¡ªOh, good timing, wait a bit.

    Nazna runs to the front door.

    ¡ªWhy do you smell like that?

    ¡ªI just jumped into a river, and I also got wet in the rain¡­ And I don¡¯t stink.

    ¡ªCome in and take a bath, quickly. More importantly, tell me, did you meet your friends?

    ¡ªYes, but I didn¡¯t know what kind of face I should make when I met them, so I ran away.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re an idiot¡­ But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re back.

    That voice¡­ Could it be that she¡¯s¡­?

    I get up quietly and head for the front door.

    When I look back, Monica is following me.

    ¡ªI have a visitor now.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s unusual. I thought I was Nazna¡¯s only friend.

    I carefully approached the door and that¡¯s when I saw her.

    There she was, Alyusha-san.

    She seemed to have noticed my presence, her eyes widened and she froze.

    ¡ªMa¡­ Marianne¡­

    ¡ªAlyusha-san¡­.

    Tears well up in her eyes and her lips tremble.

    Then, she pulls back and tries to run away.

    ¡ªMonica-san, catch her!

    ¡ªGotcha!

    Monica-san jumps on Alyusha-san¡¯s back and they both fall on the snow.

    ¡ªWell, Alyusha-san¡­ I¡¯d like to know why you tried to escape.

 CH 205

    Alyusha-san is silent.

    She looks at us and then looks down.

    The conversation hasn¡¯t progressed much since a few minutes ago. So I just savored the tea Nazna-san had prepared for me.

    ¡ªCome on, spit out what you have to say, so we¡¯ll get it over with.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t talk to her like that, Alyusha-san is just a victim.

    ¡ªVictim¡­?

    At my words, Alyusha-san¡¯s body began to tremble.

    Tears once again gathered in her eyes as her lips trembled. Then she wiped her eyes with her forearm.

    Later she clasped her hands together and held them out to me¡­. What are you trying to do?

    ¡ªI¡¯m ready to surrender. Do what you want with me.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.

    ¡ªYou¡¯ve come for me, right?! If only I hadn¡¯t stepped on the ground that day¡­ None of this would have happened¡­ It was all my fault!!!

    I see¡­ So that¡¯s what this is all about.

    She has a strong sense of responsibility for what happened. I guess she feels guilty for what happened that day, and that¡¯s the reason she¡¯s been trying to run away.

    So I placed my hand gently on her.

    ¡ªYou are wrong. It was all my fault, you are just a victim of this whole incident.

    ¡ªYou are very kind, Marianne-san. But it was my fault that everything collapsed as soon as I set foot in the room.

    ¡ªYes, you¡¯re right. People of your race have very strong legs.

    ¡ªH¨CHey¡­ That¡¯s the wrong thing to say.

    I¡¯m deeply sorry to see that Alyusha-san is still the same.

    I had started to believe that I would never see her again, and now she¡¯s in front of me.

    I¡¯m the one who feels saved right now.

    I couldn¡¯t hold the urge and just hugged her.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re hugging me too tightly! Are you trying to suffocate me?!

    ¡ªI¡¯m so sorry!

    I accidentally hugged her tighter than necessary.

    I¡¯m at level 1500 now, and if I¡¯m not careful, I could accidentally kill someone. I guess it¡¯s not such a good thing to be strong.

    ¡ªI¡¯m so glad to see you again.

    ¡ªMe too.

    ¡ªAs I said before, you haven¡¯t done anything wrong, so you don¡¯t need to keep running away.

    ¡ªReally?

    ¡ªYes, let¡¯s go home together.

    Alyusha-san could no longer hold back her tears, and she clung to me and sobbed.

    The regret and guilt she must have felt all this time must have been quite difficult for her to handle.

    ¡ªOh, I¡¯m sorry, is this a bad time?

    ¡ªFood!

    Nazna-san had placed some saucers on the table.

    And Monica-san, who was excited, sat down with great speed in front of one of the dishes.

    Alyusha-san, who had a red nose, relaxed her face and began to smile.

    ******

    ¡ªDid you find Luna?!

    ¡ªYes, and we also found Soarer, Pione, Ney and Lynn.

    After we finished our meal, I told all the information I had to Alyusha-san. I had to find a way to reassure her, and there was no better method than to tell her all the progress made so far.

    ¡ªI guessed that they had all been transported one by one, but I didn¡¯t expect that we would be sent to another continent.

    ¡ªWell, this information is still unconfirmed, so I hope Toru-sama has succeeded.

    ¡ªI saw Toru recently.

    ¡ªWhat?!

    Toru-sama?! Where?!

    Alyusha-san took a piece of bacon bread and put it in her mouth while scratching her cheek in an embarrassed manner.

    ¡ªI was really happy to see him again, but as soon as I saw his face¡­. I felt a little sorry for him. I was so angry with myself, so ashamed and miserable, that I just decided to run away.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re a girl with a lot of problems.

    ¡ªYes, that¡¯s right, I¡¯m a troublemaker.

    Alyusha-san was depressed, her flattened elven ears showed it.

    The mood seemed to be getting worse, so I decided to change the subject.

    ¡ªIs the portal that brought you here nearby?

    ¡ªYes. I was moved to a ruin further north of here. I was too cold to think about what had happened, and Nazna saved me when I passed out in a blizzard.

    ¡ªAt the time I was very frightened when I found her. An elf, in skimpy clothing, shivering as she wondered where I was. I thought the forest gods were angry with her.

    Alyusha-san¡¯s face turns red.

    Understandably, she felt confused. It all happened so suddenly that she didn¡¯t have time to prepare herself properly.

    ¡ªIt was thanks to Nazna that I learned that this was a different continent.

    ¡ªY¡­ You came here by yourself?

    Alyusha-san nodded shyly.

    ¡ªEvery time I got information that could give me a clue, I went there. Thanks to that, I was able to locate two people who seemed to be Soarer and Ney. But unfortunately they refused to see me.

    ¡ªDid you find them?!

    ¡ªI¡¯m not sure, I think it was them. But they were in a somewhat inaccessible position¡­. I wasn¡¯t in a position to do anything for now, so I simply decided to look for other members of the group.

    An inaccessible position?

    If she could find them, I think she should contact them immediately.

    A lot of doubts were generated in my head, so I decided to give her all the information I have obtained.

    Alyusha-san folds her arms and ponders.

    ¡ª¡­If I go to BixGear, will I be able to return to our home?

    ¡ªIf we get permission from the research team¡¯s headquarters, you can ride Ruorik home.

    Alyusha-san stood up with great impetus, but after a few seconds she sat down quickly.

    ¡ªNo, I can¡¯t leave. I must stay and keep searching, I am responsible for all this.

    This is a dead end. I wish she could go home, it would be one less task to perform.

    But she could be of great help. I don¡¯t know my way around this continent, I don¡¯t have as much knowledge as she does.

    Monica-san, who had merely listened in silence, opened her mouth.

    ¡ªWell, since we have found Alyusha, I can finally meet Toru. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll welcome me with open arms.

    ¡ªWho is that goblin?

    Alyusha-san is surprised at Monica¡¯s words and looks disconsolate.

    I thought I had introduced them both before we talked. But it seems she didn¡¯t listen to me at all.

    At this, Nazna burst out laughing.

    ¡ªAlyusha, even though you have big ears, you¡¯re not a very good listener.

    ¡ªUgh.

    ¡ªYou should think more, instead of just running on impulse. If only you had, you¡¯d be standing next to Toru-sama right now.

    ¡ªUugh.

    ¡ªI wouldn¡¯t want people to think that I¡¯m related to an elf like her. The wind spirit feels very ashamed of you.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s enough¡­! I¡¯m going to cry¡­

    I didn¡¯t want Alyusha-san to be upset with me and stop being my friend. So I stopped bothering her with those comments.

    So I stood up, and bowed to Nazna-san.

    ¡ªThank you so much for saving my friend. You have been a very helpful person, now I can¡¯t do anything to thank you, but I will always be indebted to you.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, there¡¯s nothing to be thankful for. In fact, thanks to her my days have been a little more tolerable. But if I ever need help, can I rely on you?

    ¡ªOf course. If you¡¯re ever in trouble, write to me or come see me in person.

    I wrote down on a piece of paper the location of the research team headquarters, and handed it to her.

    Of course, this alone is not enough, so I plan to give you a suitable reward.

    Nazna looks at the paper and smiles.

    ¡ªToru-kun¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to meeting him.

 CH 206

    We were having breakfast in the dining room of the royal palace.

    Kaede seemed unusually restless and uncomfortable.

    I guess that¡¯s common. We were in a room that could easily fit a hundred people. Four servants were lined up against the wall.

    Bread that had been freshly baked and surely tasted fabulous. We were left indifferent because of the stares that rested on us.

    The moment we looked back, all the maids quickly averted their gaze.

    Their vigilance towards us was obvious. After a while, they all moved hurriedly and began to remove the empty plates.

    ¡ªEver since we got here, they keep watching us. Are we really that weird?

    ¡ªMaybe it¡¯s the fact that we are Soarer¡¯s friends.

    The fact that we know the Saint and the General of the army of this country is more than enough to attract attention.

    After all, they are both stars of this country.

    ¡ªIt is because of you, my Lord.

    Frau said with a pleased look on her face.

    ¡ªBecause of me? What do you mean?

    ¡ªYou are the great hero who took back the country of BixGear from a fearsome Demon King, you are the one who took on the former Demon King Roswell, and you even fought and came out victorious against Ios. You are a very famous man who has been given a special title that will be recognized in the rest of the continent.

    ¡ª¡­Isn¡¯t anyone but us supposed to be the ones who know about the defeat of Ios?

    After that, Frau gets nervous and they start sweating suddenly while averting their eyes elsewhere.

    Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯ve told Soarer about it¡­

    I guess telling her about the title is fine, but I only had a polite conversation with Roswell, and I was only able to defeat Ios because of Grandma Tamamo¡¯s help.

    So, am I attracting all the attention because Soarer and Frau spread a story where they make me look like a hero all over the palace?

    I need a break from all this.

    I didn¡¯t want to have to draw attention to myself, let alone brag, so I opted to keep quiet.

    ¡ªIs there anything I can do, my lord?

    ¡ªThere is nothing we can do now that these rumors about me have spread¡­ Now I¡¯m just thinking about how to deal with Sain, he¡¯s my priority right now. Since I can¡¯t go out to look for him, I must be patient and wait for him to come to me.

    ¡ªI guess we have no choice.

    ¡ªYes, you must be tired, my Lord. Would you like Frau to massage your shoulders?

    Frau is very obliging. I suppose she wants to be spared a lecture from me.

    I have just woken up and I am not tired at all. But I can¡¯t say no to a massage from my wonderful slave.

    ¡ªNow that I think about it, Pione-san was going to talk to you about the monster, right?

    ¡ªThe place is in the cathedral, right? It means Soarer will be there too.

    ***************

    ¡ªWe will finish off the evil monster called Sain!

    Soarer shouted while raising her fists.

    Inside the cathedral, the people were in high spirits. Tens of thousands of people and soldiers responded to these words of hope.

    The stifling heat and the cheering of the people wanting to see Sain¡¯s blood spilled, made the whole building have a gloomy air.

    I slammed the cathedral door shut and refrained from entering.

    I think we came at a bad time.

    ¡ªToru-sama, you are welcome! Please come in.

    ¡ªUgh.

    Isabella jumped out of nowhere and grabbed my arm, forcing me into the cathedral.

    As soon as people see us, they put their arms together and start praying.

    I was not fascinated by the idea of people praying on my behalf. Soarer is the saint here, she is the one they should pray to.

    ¡ªCommander ~, we will just watch from afar ~.

    ¡ªYes yes, it will be a historic moment that I will recount in the future.

    Damn, even my escorts deserted me.

    Soarer, who was on top of the stage, as soon as she saw me, extended both arms.

    ¡ªHere is the Manyu Brigade, the group of warriors that saved this city.

    After that, all the people in the place turned to look at us at the same time. All the while Isabella urged me to come up to the stage.

    The scene was like something out of a fairy tale. Soarer was dressed in white with a loose-fitting outfit, Isabella was dressed as a knight of the Royal Guard, and next to her, there was Pione, who is the General of the army. All this under a crimson carpet.

    This is the first time in my life that I am exposed in front of so many people. I feel like I¡¯m going to lose the strength in my legs at any moment.

    ¡ªSilence. You are in the presence of Her Majesty the queen and Soarer-sama.

    Isabella exclaimed, causing all the people present to stop praying and talking to each other.

    After a brief pause in which she had been being watched from head to toe. Soarer took the floor.

    ¡ªAs you all know, the other day this city¡ª¡­ No, the Holy City. It was attacked by a monster called Sain. This is the test God has given us. Now is the time to answer her call.

    Loud cheers echoed throughout the room.

    ¡ªBut there is no need to fear. For God has sent us her strongest warriors in the whole country to exterminate this monster of evil. And those are the Manyu Brigade.

    The cheers cracked the building again.

    Unable to adjust to the atmosphere of the place, I shivered inside. Kaede and Frau just watched, also looking very nervous.

    Suddenly, the room fell silent as Pione raised her hand.

    She seemed to have something to say.

    ¡ªStaking advantage of the occasion, there is an important announcement I would like to make¡­ After having discussed this seriously with Her Majesty¡­. We have come to the decision that Toru Eiban will receive the title of Demon King.

    The hall fills with thunderous applause.

    Both Kaaede and Frau smiled and began to applaud.

    ¡ªThe master has become a ruler of a country on this continent. I couldn¡¯t be happier.

    ¡ªAnd he¡¯s getting the same reception as the former Demon King!

    Idiots!

    Don¡¯t be happy about something like this!

    Having the title of Demon King is a very serious thing!

    Once I¡¯m recognized as the ruler of a country, it will already be hard to back out.

    Damn it, Soarer set me up.

    ¡ªThanks to the help of the new Demon King, we will build a strike force against Sain supported by the Manyu Brigade! This will be the heavenly punishment for those who defy God!

    ******************

    ¡ªHow dare you cheat me like that?!

    ¡ªI would not say it was a deception. It is a very necessary measure. Bertina-sama is defenseless and still unable to move, and the enemy is not only Sain. The balance of power on the continent has been lost after the defeat of Ios. It was very necessary to have a new Demon King as a defense against the attack from other countries.

    We were still in the cathedral, but now it was empty except for Soarer who was sitting in a large armchair, and next to her were Isabella and Pione.

    Rather than being a saint, she looked like a queen.

    It is an undeniable fact that we defeated Ios, and we know that this continent is kept in balance by the demon kings.

    ¡ªBut still. Her Majesty was skeptical that Ios was really dead. It is possible that he faked his death.

    ¡ªIos is still alive?!

    ¡ªIt¡¯s just a possibility.

    Kaede, Frau and I exchanged glances upon hearing that.

    How could he have survived something like that?

    There was certainly no evidence about his lifeless body. Maybe I¡¯m overthinking it.

    However, if he really did survive it? It will be a headache for us in the future.

    You should also inform Grandma Tamamo about this.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s about time, Isabella.

    ¡ªOkay.

    Isabella proceeded to put on a veiled robe, and left the cathedral accompanied by two priests.

    Apparently, she will participate in the procession posing as Soarer.

    If that¡¯s how they act¡­ I wonder if it was really Soarer whom I saw that time when we arrived in this city.

    ¡ªIs it really okay for her to impersonate you?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not necessary that I have to expose myself every day. The Saint is just a figurehead to give people hope when they need it.

    You are nothing but a fraud, Soarer.

    God, please send divine punishment for this girl.

 CH 207

    After finishing our work, the Second Manyu Brigade proudly returns through the main gate of the capital.

    Behind us, the corpse of the Goblin King.

    People passing by on the street stop to look at him, he was more than three meters long and was riding on a carriage. It didn¡¯t take long for the atmosphere to fill with applause from many directions.

    The second Manyu Brigade is now one of the ten largest parties in the country.

    Everywhere one went, we were hailed as ¡®the new rising stars¡¯, ¡®the red army of adventure¡¯, ¡®the most effective party in history¡¯ and so on¡­.

    Many young adventurers aspired to join our party.

    But as I led my army, I heard voices in the crowd that made me bite my lips.

    ¡ªToday the vice-commander is wonderful.

    ¡ªI heard she took that position after sleeping with leader Toru.

    ¡ªI heard that Captain Toru is on a trip.

    ¡ªHe¡¯s a jerk, going off and leaving his party adrift. He shouldn¡¯t come back here.

    Toru is the strongest and most amazing man in the world!

    Possibly he¡¯s been delayed for a good reason, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back, and when he finds this party, he¡¯ll come pick me up and we¡¯ll get out of here!

    Besides, I have Nambala and Takigi looking for him, so I¡¯m calm, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll show up soon.

    ¡ªEverything is in order?

    ¡ªYes, everything is fine.

    Lynn is very worried about me.

    She has helped me a lot since we got here.

    She is a true friend, because unlike me, she has a very strong mentality. So she is someone I can trust.

    As we walked through the cobblestone streets, a group of people blocked our path.

    They were the Thousand Golden Lions, and they were also part of the ranking of the ten largest party¡¯s in the country.

    ¡ªWhat a great coincidence, Brigada Manyu.

    ¡ªWhat do you want? Garfao.

    I have been on bad terms with Garfao ever since I met him, he is the commander of the said party.

    The lion race has by far the greatest capacity among other tribes, an incredible capacity for brute force to train their people. That, and their high pride makes them always look down on other races, and even their own kind.

    It is not uncommon to see them behave like the kings of the city.

    It is said that the Thousand Golden Lions party was the strongest in the country. However, this man has managed to bring that reputation to the ground. The previous generation, which was led by his father, made the party receive the respect of all who saw them pass by.

    He is just a poor fool with unusually high self-esteem as he clings to the glories of the past.

    But, for all his faults and shortcomings, he is still above us in the rankings, leading in first place.

    Even if they beat us on individual strength, they continue to lose in overall ability.

    ¡ªI have received a request directly from His Majesty.

    ¡ªAha¡­

    ¡ªAre you not surprised? Oh, I see, you¡¯re trembling with fear inside.

    ¡­What on earth is this fellow talking about?

    His Majesty¡¯s direct requests are also a daily occurrence in our party.

    Could it be that the Thousand Golden Lions don¡¯t get any work from the royal palace?

    I often hear complaints about His Majesty¡¯s antics from the leaders of other large parties.

    Anyway, it is troublesome, I will take control of this situation properly and make them go home.

    I¡¯m so tired, I want to take off my vice-commander mask and just relax in my bed. I¡¯m really looking forward to having a date with Toru in my dreams.

    ¡ªDo you remember our conversation earlier?

    ¡ªOur conversation?

    ¡ªYes, I talked about merging the Manyu Brigade with the Thousand Golden Lions.

    ¡ªAh, that. I thought I rejected your proposal about twenty times already.

    ¡ªIf we join forces. We¡¯ll have the biggest and strongest party in the whole country. You also have a great reputation in this country, Manyu Brigade. I have no doubt that your popularity will increase even more than it already is now.

    ¡ªI¡¯m not interested. Get out of my way.

    All I want is to be reunited with Toru and live with him happily ever after.

    Of course I also care about my party members and the future of this country, so I plan to leave someone in charge, although I haven¡¯t decided yet.

    ¡ªCome on, be honest Or do you also want us to merge in another way?

    ¡ª¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­

    With a smiling face, Garfao put his hand on my shoulder.

    This body can only be possessed by Toru.

    ¡ªDo you think I will allow someone like you to touch me?

    I pushed his hand away from my shoulder, grabbed him by the face and smashed it against the stone pavement.

    ¡ªHigi!?

    ¡ªDon¡¯t touch me again.

    A female member of my army approached me and gave me a handkerchief to wipe my hands.

    As soon as the officers of the Thousand Golden Lions saw their leader on the ground, they drew their weapons and got into a combat stance.

    On the other hand, my party members acted as a wall to protect me.

    ¡ªYou¡­ What the hell are you doing? Why are you attacking him out of nowhere?

    ¡ªYou are the one who should limit his movements. Touching the vice commander without permission is the same as starting a fight. If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, get the hell out of here.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t get pushy just because you¡¯re starting to be recognized. Don¡¯t forget that we are a party with 250 members.

    You certainly are a big party. But most of them are little level 500 puppies. To be honest, it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to express myself that way about them, no one likes to be disrespected, although they tend to be scum who look down their noses at other people.

    If any of them intend to attack me, my party members will do their best to protect me.

    ¡ªAre you sure you want to go to war against us?

    I took a step forward with killing intent.

    And my party members replicate my same step with the same intentions.

    ¡ªO¡­Okay¡­

    Garfao shuddered.

    Right now we just finished a request, and we were ready to fight at any time. I don¡¯t care if we do it here and now, I¡¯m only interested in crushing them once and for all.

    ¡ªGarfao-sama, we¡¯d better get out of here.

    ¡ªAre you saying that we, the Thousand Golden Lions should run away?!

    ¡ªWe also have a request from His Majesty that we must fulfill, and if we lose here for the first time in a war, will our reputation fall?

    ¡ªTch¡­ His Majesty saved your lives, Manyu Brigade.

    Garfao says a clich¨¦ phrase and ran off.

    Honestly, I was somewhat relieved about it.

    There¡¯s nothing good in a war between big parties, no matter if I win or lose.

    Of course I don¡¯t intend to lose, but I want to avoid it if possible.

    ¡ªThe vice-commander was great.

    ¡ªAfter all, she is our Ney-sama.

    ¡ªDid you see the look on Garfao¡¯s face?

    ¡ªWhen Toru-sama returns, we will be the most powerful party of all.

    All the party members were happy and celebrated what just happened.

    On the other hand, I felt a pit in my stomach.

    ***************

    ¡ªFighting with the Thousand Golden Lions?!

    I raised my voice in front of His Majesty.

    I had an audience with him to inform him of the Goblin King¡¯s defeat, but I almost lost my mind when His Majesty told me of a new request.

    ¡ªAn unidentified monster is ravaging several regions and numerous requests have been received. It has caused great damage not only to our country, but also to other countries, and although some renowned adventurers have already set out to defeat it, they have all been defeated.

    ¡ªAnd you gave it to us?

    I have also heard rumors about such a monster.

    The entity devastated the capital of the country ruled by its former demon king, Ios, in a single night. Its true identity is unknown. There are rumors that it may be a demon created by man with the forbidden arts.

    However, His Majesty does not seem to be planning to send a regular army yet.

    It seems he wants to see how things go with us first.

    ¡ªI have obtained this information from a reliable source. And from what we know, the mysterious monster seems to call itself ¡°Sain¡±.

    ¡ªSain? Are you sure?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s hard to believe, but he seems to be intelligent enough to speak the human tongue.

    Sain¡­ No way ¡­. Is it possible that he¡¯s here too?

    That guy was executed, he can¡¯t still be alive.

    I¡¯m a little uncertain if he is actually who he says he is¡­ But if he turns out to be Sain, this is my perfect opportunity for revenge. I couldn¡¯t beat that bastard for what he did to me, and I just went back to my city in shame.

    I¡¯ve always regretted that. If I had had the guts to follow Toru back then, I could have spent my days with a little more pride and peace of mind in my heart.

    But I am very different now since that day. I have the strength and confidence to do anything, and I even have friends I can trust.

    I don¡¯t like the idea of fighting alongside the Thousand Golden Lions. But this is a request I could not refuse.

    I need to know if this monster is the Sain I know.

    ¡ªWe already know where the enemy is.

    ¡ªExcuse my boldness, but could you tell me where this place is?

    ¡ªIt is one of the gigantic cities built by the ancient species. Now it is dilapidated and turned into a home for ferocious monsters.

    If it is a monster lair, it is very likely that they are always on the prowl.

    I still have my doubts about cooperating with Garfao, but he is the leader of a party with more than 200 members, and he could never express his feelings about a job.

    ¡ªWe¡¯ll take care of it.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t let adventurers from other countries get there before you.

    ¡ªI am aware of that.

    I bowed deeply to His Majesty.

 CH 208

    ¡ªAre you still angry?

    ¡ªOf course. How do you expect me to react now that I¡¯m a Demon King? I¡¯m just a normal warrior.

    ¡ªWhat you call being normal is also filled with a lot of weirdness. I don¡¯t mean that as an insult, I¡¯m just being honest.

    ¡ªYour honesty hurts.

    We started our journey before dawn.

    And we had reached a place that is about three kilometers away from the capital. It was a high and solid bridge that stretched like a snake to the horizon.

    Such a place was called ¡°Celestial Bridge of Wishes¡±, and it was built by the ancient race.

    This was a shortcut connecting to the center of the continent. And the place where Sain. was located in a place called ¡°Ruins of the underworld¡±.

    30 soldiers accompanied us, Pione selected each of them, and they were under her command. Besides them, there are Nambala and Takigi.

    ¡ªIt was very good of them to send me as a general.

    ¡ªBecause they needed someone who knew them well.

    We have Isabell here, and the other generals are alive and well, and if push comes to shove, we have Her Majesty, and we can launch an all-out attack of the faithful.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re scaring me, Soarer! You¡¯re planning to destroy the world?!

    ¡ªYou¡¯re overreacting. I only meant that there are other ways to do it.

    Pione trembled at Soarer¡¯s words.

    I looked at Kaede and Frau, and they both had a determined expression as they carried their luggage.

    ¡ªWe¡¯re finally going to the center of the continent. I¡¯m nervous.

    ¡ªIn addition to defeating Sain, I am delighted that we will finally be able to discover the secret of the Lord¡¯s mother, which was our original purpose for this trip. Although it saddens me to think that this long journey is about to end.

    ¡ªBut will we be able to defeat the former hero who has become a monster? We must also be more than attentive to the tentacles that absorb experience and skills.

    Kaede is right.

    The current Sain has acquired a power that is a step above what he was before.

    It¡¯s not hard to imagine that if we don¡¯t defeat him here, he will become more dangerous.

    ¡ªThey say that at the end of this bridge are the ruins, so be very careful along the way. May God always be with you¡­ Huh? What¡¯s wrong? Why are you still here?

    ¡ªHuh, well, you know, I thought you were going to hit me like always.

    ¡ªFufufu, a saint like me would never do such a thing.

    Wow, so Soarer has matured too.

    Well, I find that hard to believe, I guess he¡¯s trying to behave due to the fact that there are so many people around us.

    So I didn¡¯t let my guard down and prepared to get slapped at any moment.

    ¡­¡­¡­..

    But, surprisingly, it did not happen.

    ¡ªAs soon as they have defeated Sain, I will go to see his sad end.

    ¡ªHuh¡­

    ¡ª¡­Why do you answer like that?

    ¡ªNothing, forget it.

    And thus, our exciting journey begins.

    Nambala and Takigi were asleep in the back of the carriage.

    As soon as Kaede, Frau and I climbed into the front, the carriage began to move.

    A dangerous ride awaits us.

    *******************

    The carriage moves along a long straight lonely road.

    The use of this bridge is limited to those who have business to attend to in the ruins or who live near them, and once you cross this bridge, it is not easy to get off it due to the great height at which we are.

    I find it hard to imagine the process of its creation.

    ¡ªI¡¯m bored.

    ¡ªSame here.

    Takigi and Frau lazily contemplate the scenery outside.

    Kaede leaned back on me in a drowsy state, while Nambala happily wiped her favorite weapon with a cloth.

    Certainly this is boring, I wish I could be doing something too.

    If there were monsters around us, the tension would be higher than it is now, but so far, the ride has been very safe and quiet. It¡¯s probably because the bridge is too high. At best, just watch out for flying monsters.

    ¡ªLet¡¯s take a break over here.

    The carriage stops according to Pione¡¯s instructions.

    ¡ªI never thought I¡¯d see anything like this.

    ¡ªThat makes two of us.

    A dense forest from the bridge appeared below us, and a flock of birds took flight at the roars of the monsters.

    A giant sword buried in the rocky mountain and overhanging trees, a huge suit of armor and a bone in the shape of a ridiculously large person, plus several golems thought to be Roswell¡¯s companions, lay nearby.

    It would be amazing to see them all walking together.

    ¡ªWhat do you plan to do when this trip is over?

    ¡ªContinue to stand by the Master¡¯s side as I have been.

    Those words from Kaede were all I wanted to hear.

    There is still much to do and research on this continent. The King of Lastoria gave the research team a year to do their studies, and with the help we have gotten from other countries, we have been able to make a lot of progress.

    The knowledge gained here will be passed on to the islands and will contribute significantly to their development.

    And once we have found the rest of our friends, this journey will be over.

    Why not give some thought to what I want for the future?

    ¡ªSo, Kaede, you know¡­ If it¡¯s alright with you¡­

    ¡ªYes!

    Kaede answered with great impetus as she perked up her fox ears and wagged her tail. She¡¯s very excited about what I¡¯m going to propose.

    ¡ªDo you want to live together?

    ¡ªWe already do that?

    My face gets hot at the embarrassment I feel. Surely if they put a kettle on me, the water could boil.

    So much so that my hands and legs start to shake.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t mean it as a slave-master relationship, I want us to be equal. You know, greet each other every morning, have lunch together, and then, work in a field or whatever, and go to sleep together at the same time at night. Having a daily life as a couple¡­ You know what I mean?

    ¡ªYes! I know what you mean! I accept it! I want to be by your side always, Master!

    Kaede pounces on me and hugs me tightly.

    I also put my arm around her back and put some strength into it.

    I did it¡­ I have proposed to Kaede. I want her to be my wife.

    Soarer will probably be angry with me when she hears about this.

    I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll reprimand me for not having made this proposal to her in a more romantic setting. But, I think this setting is just as good for a proposal of such magnitude.

    While it¡¯s not a proposal that could receive a perfect score of one hundred, I think it could have a score of seventy.

    I have proposed. It¡¯s very embarrassing.

    ¡ªToru?

    ¡ªMy Lord?

    Ugh.

    I look back and see Pione and Frau quite angry.

    It¡¯s like they¡¯re about to jump on me with the intention of hurting me.

    They emit such cold air that I start to wonder if they are using ice magic.

    ¡ªI guess you¡¯re going to ask me to live with you too, right? Hmm¡­

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not right for Kaede to get special treatment.

    Both girls approach me very carefully.

    I tried to look at Kaede to stop them, but she was quite distracted looking up at the sky as if there were butterflies fluttering about her.

    ¡ªSomeone is coming towards us!

    Suddenly, a person is coming towards us in the opposite direction.

    He took off his hood and exposed his true face.

    ¡ªI¡¯ve seen some familiar faces, so I thought I¡¯d come over and say hello.

    ¡ªIos¡­¡­?

    The Demon King who I thought I had defeated was standing in front of us with a big smile on his face.

 CH 209

    Ios, who should be dead, sharply raises the corner of his lips.

    However, his appearance is slightly different from the last time.

    The prosthetic hand on his left arm looks different, it is so distinct that it is not so difficult to go unnoticed. The clothing he wears under the cloak is also of high quality, but in a duller tone that I don¡¯t think is to his taste.

    ¡ªI didn¡¯t come here to fight. I saw you by chance and just came to say hello.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s the guarantee that you won¡¯t?

    ¡ªYou have a good point. There¡¯s nothing I can give you to guarantee something like that, but I¡¯m serious, I have no intention of fighting. And while we¡¯re here¡­ What do you say we share some information about that black monster?

    It¡¯s a very tempting proposal.

    I wonder if that guy knows anything about it.

    More importantly, what are his intentions? I keep wondering how he survived our battle.

    Many doubts arise in my head.

    Kaede clung to my arm trembling.

    ¡ªMaster¡­ That guy is level 580,000¡­.

    Hearing that figure made my body shudder.

    What¡¯s going on? His level is very different from last time.

    Is it possible to improve so much in such a short time?

    Or did he hide his true power?

    Ios¡¯ laughter did not take long to appear.

    ¡ªHahahahahaha, what a cute reaction on your face. But enough of the games, let¡¯s get to the point.

    ¡ªAnd what do you want to talk about?

    ¡ªTo show you I¡¯m serious, I¡¯ll be honest¡­ I¡¯ve used a trick I¡¯m well known for on the battlefield.

    He jumped onto the bridge railing as lightly as a feather.

    Then, as if he was about to begin a theatrical performance, he stretched out his hands in an exaggerated manner.

    ¡ªIn a nutshell. The person with whom you fight, was not the real me, but a clone created by me.

    ¡­A clone?

    On second thought, it¡¯s not a far-fetched idea at all. Besides the little difference on his arm at that time, his level was lower than now, although it was still ridiculously high.

    ¡ªI have a relic that manipulates memories. And I¡¯ve been using it to get my personality and memories transmitted to that clone. Although, it¡¯s not enough to fool the appraisal ability. And I¡¯ve been hiding for over 20 years while that thing impersonates me. How about my trick, boy?

    I¡¯m speechless. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve manipulated your own memories and wielded a puppet for so many years.

    The Ios I defeated was a completely different person.

    What is this feeling of confusion?

    ¡ªDon¡¯t worry about what happened to that body. It was imperfect, besides being a sinner.

    ¡ªBut you were there, weren¡¯t you? Otherwise, how come you know about me?

    ¡ªI¡¯ve always been watching you from a distance. Although, seeing Tamamo struggle and resist like that was too much for my eyes. Everything got out of control at that moment, as much as we may have looked alike in appearance, what makes us human lies in the essence. After all¡­ Flowers are appreciated with the eyes, not with the touch.

    Ios said with a smile on his face.

    Well, let¡¯s get down to the matter at hand¡­ That black monster.

    Swallowing saliva was unavoidable.

    Not only me, but also Kaede and Frau looked nervous.

    ¡ªThe monster you are looking for is a clown whom my clone agreed to take care of in my castle. I could tell at first glance that inside him harbored an abomination.

    ¡ªCould you explain it more clearly?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s all right. That jet-black armor is armor opposed to sacred armor. In it dwells the consciousness of a monster created by the ancient races.

    An armor with consciousness?

    ¡ªDon¡¯t panic. You see, they created that armor with the purpose of being used in wars, at the time there were great hopes for the power it unleashed and the performance it had in terms of protecting soldiers. But then it was discovered that it was difficult to control, for that reason it was put to sleep under multiple seals of confinement.

    Ios continued his story

    ¡ªThe monster over time imposes itself on the body of its owner, the roots take hold of it until it comes to gain complete power of its body and mind, causing the victim to become part of the armor.

    Is that the reason why Sain was acting strangely? Is he being consumed by that thing?

    More importantly, how did a forbidden armor like that that even the ancient race itself feared, come into Lisa¡¯s hands? Though, no matter how much I wondered, I wasn¡¯t going to get the answers now.

    ¡ªDoes that armor have any weaknesses?

    ¡ªNo. If it is not destroyed until there is not a single piece left, it will reappear no matter what form it takes. But that doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t be defeated at all. Your sacred weapon is your trump card.

    ¡ªThis?

    I touched the hilt of the large sword.

    I hadn¡¯t met anyone who noticed this sword since I arrived on this continent.

    Would you know anything about it? If so, I would like to know.

    ¡ªThese are weapons that were once used by the ancient races themselves. However, after the war they were also strictly sealed. I guess they must have very overwhelming power so they decided to also seal them and not use them again¡­

    ¡ªWeapons used by the ancient races¡­.

    ¡ªNot even Tamamo could stand up to the power that weapon harbors. For the celestial beasts, too, have a great fear of it. Once the power is unleashed, it can bring a peaceful era like ours, to inevitable chaos¡­ To many it sounds like a bad thing, but in my case, I would enjoy it very much.

    ¡ªSo, if I use the true power of this holy weapon, will I be able to defeat Sain¡­?

    I could not hide my surprise at this unexpected fact.

    So, this weapon was made by and for the dragon race. It would be no wonder why I feel so comfortable with it.

    From what Ios said, its power is sealed, but if I manage to break it, I will be able to defeat this Sain.

    It seems to be sealed now, but if we can break it, we can beat that guy with his ridiculous regenerative abilities.

    What worries me is the fact that Ios, who is supposed to be the enemy, has told me all this lightly.

    ¡ªWhy are you telling me all this?

    ¡ªBecause this monster also represents a problem for me. I¡¯m about to start a long journey around the world, and I don¡¯t like the idea of a monster like that ruining the places I want to go.

    ¡ªTravel, but aren¡¯t you a demon king?

    ¡ªYes, but I¡¯m very bored of being cooped up. As effortless as it may seem, being on the throne for the last few hundred years has been excruciatingly painful. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you all this, it¡¯s my way of thanking you for freeing me from my clone, now I¡¯m a free man.

    He got bored of being the king of a country, and wants to throw it away as if it were a mere toy.

    It¡¯s not good for the world to have such a man on the loose. I should kill him here.

    A moment later, I drew my sword and swung it at Ios.

    But he had anticipated my move and jumped back.

    ¡ªIf we get the chance, we will meet again. Son of destiny.

    ¡ªTch¡­

    Ios had disappeared into the forest with a wry smile on his face.

    Damn, I let him get away¡­ Although, I think my blood went to my head. I had completely forgotten the level difference between us.

    I have to reflect more on my actions.

    ¡ªShall we chase him?

    ¡ªNo¡­ We won¡¯t stand a chance against him if we fight.

    ¡ªThat demon king is a strong man, I didn¡¯t think he was still alive.

    He said about seeing us again, but honestly, I hope that¡¯s not the case.

    ***********

    Several days of travel have passed, but the end of the bridge was already in sight.

    Perhaps it is because we are arriving at the city of the ancient race, but many decaying stone statues appear on both sides of the bridge to attract the gazes of passersby.

    Pione, who was riding beside me on horseback, speaks to me.

    ¡ªPerhaps there will be adventurers from other countries when we reach the ancient city. I have heard that a lot of money is paid to kill Sain.

    ¡ªI wouldn¡¯t be surprised, it¡¯s the perfect opportunity for them to get rich.

    ¡ªThere are also countries that have sent their military. After all, they see Sain as a real danger to their security.

    Ironic, Sain, who has always sought glory, to be noticed and to be feared by everyone when they see him coming.

    He finally got it¡­ But not in the way he would have wished.

    That countries send the army must be a way to alleviate the pain and resentment of their people for all the damage caused to their cities.

    By the way, this ancient city does not belong to any country, it is as if we were in international waters, there are no rules, and no one rules over anyone. Anything can happen here, and it will go unpunished.

    It seems that the ancient demon kings were okay with this. So there are no problems even if armies from other countries invade.

    Continuing on our way, we passed a huge and battered walled city, followed by a meadow with countless swords stuck in the ground, and through the forest, lay the remains of golems.

    Finally, we arrived at the city of the ancient race.

    Ancient buildings in decay. Crumbling walls and roofs, stone statues and pillars worn down by wind and rain. Huge human bones lie everywhere, as well as huge golems. It seems that the ancient city was ridiculously large.

    And we have not yet reached the city center as such. Many things to see and explore await us.

    We continued to walk deeper into the ruins, chasing away the monsters that came out of their hiding places one after another.

    ¡ª¡­Water?

    The closer we got to the center, the more the amount of water on the ground increased.

    Gradually they are increasing in number and finally it¡¯s like walking in a shallow pond. So we decided to abandon the carriage and continue on foot.

    Soon we reach the center of the ruins.

    ¡ªThere seems to be no end to it.

    As soon as we reached the place, a large lake appeared in front of us. And in the center, there was a solitary island covered with vegetation.

    Numerous ruins protrude from the water, so it seems possible to use them as stepping stones to reach the place.

    We looked out to see the depth of the lake, and it didn¡¯t seem to be that deep, however, many fish and aquatic monsters inhabited it. So, swimming across seemed to be a bad idea.

    Looking around, we could see many groups of adventurers and knights from other countries.

    They all want to defeat Sain.

    ¡ªToru, you originally planned to come here for a different purpose, right?

    ¡ªThat is correct.

    ¡ªIn that case, we¡¯ll look for Sain, so you go do what you need to do.

    I hesitated for a second at Pione¡¯s suggestion.

    As soon as I got here, I had a feeling that my mother was calling me, it was as if she was telling me that I should find something here.

    Takagi stepped forward all at once.

    ¡ªToru-sama, let us take care of this task, do what you have to do.

    ¡ª¡­All right, I¡¯m sorry to have to leave you. But, if you feel you are in danger, take Pione and get everyone out of here, understand?

    ¡ªgotcha, commander!

 CH 210

    Kaede, Frau and I started jumping over the ruins overhanging the lake in order to reach the island.

    But before we could go any further, we stopped on a platform in the middle of the path.

    ¡ªJust a little further, and we can reach the island.

    ¡ªThere seem to be more people than we thought. I can see smoke from a campfire over there.

    When I looked back, I saw more than 20 plumes of smoke rising.

    Apparently, there were more adventurers in these ruins than we expected.

    So, all these people are after Sain? And more importantly, where is Sain?

    ¡ªHere you go, master.

    ¡ªThank you.

    Kaede handed me a canteen full of water so I could quench my thirst.

    Even though we were surrounded by a lake, it was very hot, the hot sun making this trip less pleasant than I would like.

    At times a warm breeze blew, and the surface of the water reflected our bodies as if it were a mirror.

    It was a beautiful sight in front of me, calm and relaxing.

    I wonder if my mother also saw this landscape when she lived here. It is inevitable that I do not feel moved while thinking about it.

    But as soon as I tried to continue, as I placed my foot on one of the ruins in front of me, it started to collapse.

    Faced with this, I acted on reflex and leapt towards the next solid object before falling into the water.

    Meanwhile, Kaede is stranded where she was standing as she watched it sink.

    ¡ªDo you think you can jump over here?

    ¡ªYes, no problem.

    Kaede stretched out her nine tails, and generated wind with magic, causing her to float through the air and land next to me.

    Wow, I never thought Kaede could fly, even for a few seconds.

    The most amazing thing was that her skirt barely swayed during the flight. It was as if she was controlling everything meticulously.

    ¡ªCan you hurry up?

    Frau exclaimed as she waited at the ruins a step ahead of us.

    ***************

    ¡ªWell, we have reached the center of the lake.

    We arrived at the island and I looked up as I stretched out my hands to block the sunlight reflecting strongly on my face.

    The place turned out to be a small island covered with dark green trees.

    It would take us 30 minutes to walk around it.

    On the island there also seemed to be a place where boats were landed, as there were a couple tied to a rope as they swayed because of the waves churning the lake.

    A small path was paved from the water¡¯s edge to the back of the island.

    I find it hard to believe my mother lived here, it¡¯s too lonely a place. Sure, it¡¯s quiet and very picturesque, but too depressing.

    ¡ªMaster¡­

    ¡ªLet¡¯s continue.

    ¡ªOf course. We¡¯ve come so far to get here, we can¡¯t turn back.

    Frau hugs Kaede¡¯s tail and buries her face in it.

    We make our way across the cobblestones that were overgrown with weeds.

    ¡ªHave you found anything?

    ¡ªNot yet.

    Kaede had been using her appraisal skills to find life around the place. But it was useless, as there was no sign of monsters or people.

    This island was only home to birds, and they posed no danger. The grass gave no sign of having been trodden by living beings, and even the path we were walking on seemed not to have been used by anyone for years.

    The deeper we went, the thicker the grass became. Until we got to the point where the path disappeared completely.

    Was my mother really born here?

    I always imagined a warm place, a place where she would be happy. Instead, it just makes me think she¡¯s been alone forever.

    Hmm? Is anyone here?

    ¡ªMaster?!

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong, my Lord?!

    I started running frantically through the dense jungle.

    A bad feeling ran through my whole body.

    After breaking through, I came to a wide area.

    The grass was up to my waist, and stretched like a light green carpet as far as my vision could see.

    In the center was a pure white building that gave the impression of being a temple of sacred weapons.

    Just as if it was called to that place. My feet reacted on their own.

    ¡ªThis place is kind of lonely.

    ¡ªI don¡¯t see anyone around. I find it hard to believe that her mother lived here, my Lord. Was she with someone else in this place? Or was she all alone?

    I shook my head at Frau¡¯s questions.

    I don¡¯t know anything about it, I¡¯m not even sure if this is my mother¡¯s hometown.

    However, Roswell transferred to me the procedures to perform when I arrived here. Maybe this is not the ancient city? Or so I want to believe.

    As I approached the temple, I climbed the stairs and stopped in front of the door.

    Then, I proceeded to touch it gently. At that, many images surge in my head like a tsunami.

    I can understand almost nothing, but I could decipher how to continue on this path.

    I see. So I haven¡¯t reached my destination yet.

    ¡ªMaster, are you all right?

    ¡ªYes, I am. I still have a long way to go, though.

    ¡ªWhat?

    I pushed open the door, and we proceeded inside.

    Judging by the pile of dust that had just been kicked up when the door was opened, I could tell that no one had set foot in this place in a long time.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s that? There¡¯s a big ball floating in the air.

    ¡ªIs it a relic?

    It was a silver sphere more than ten meters long.

    Its surface is a mirror without a speck of dust, and it floats lightly in the air, without moving an inch. And in front of it, there was a stone slab.

    I did not hesitate, and approached it to touch it. It all turned out very strange, as, for some reason, I knew what I should do.

    ¡ª[Scan activated¡­ Check for correct genetic information. Permission granted for your entry. Welcome to the third gate of the city].

    A harsh female voice echoes from somewhere.

    It was curious, as for some reason it sounded familiar. It was as if it sounded just like Chupimi.

    ¡ª[The gate will start to unfold, please stay behind the white line].

    The silver sphere changed its shape to a flat object, and was molding itself into a majestic, large gate in front of us.

    It really looks like a curious object to me, I wonder what it is made of.

    ¡ªThe process is complete.

    After hearing that voice, the three of us exchanged glances. We hesitated about what was behind that door.

    ¡ª[Will this work the same as the mirror in your hometown, Kaede?]

    ¡ªI don¡¯t know, but this may be the door that leads to your mother¡¯s hometown, Master.

    ¡ªMaybe. Maybe there are many ancient species there too.

    This is the opportunity I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time. I will finally be able to learn about my roots, and the reason why my mother married my father. And also¡­ The reason why she made me come here.

    ¡ªLet¡¯s go, master.

    ¡ªYes, Frau will also be with you.

    ¡ªWell, let¡¯s go in.

    The three of us proceeded through the door without hesitation.

    ***************

    ¡­It¡¯s dark.

    I could see absolutely nothing around me.

    But suddenly, the lights proceed to come on to guide me in the darkness.

    And what was in front of us was a long road¡­ No, what was actually an ancient bridge floating in the darkness.

    ¡ªEverything is dark, I can¡¯t see what¡¯s below us.

    ¡ªYes, the more I try the more complicated it becomes.

    Frau and Kaede approached to look at what was below, but they couldn¡¯t find anything.

    Not to mention that this bridge had no pillars, it was really floating in the air.

    The three of us still didn¡¯t understand what was going on.

    ¡ªWhat is this place?

    ¡ªI don¡¯t know. But that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to find out.

    We began our journey, but no matter how many minutes and hours passed, it felt as if the notion of time did not exist here, because despite walking for so long, it was as if we belonged in the same place.

    This bridge is so long that you can¡¯t see the end.

    Sounds of snoring began to get louder and louder. I turned my head and saw Frau curled up sleeping on Kaede¡¯s tail.

    ¡ªAh! I see something!

    ¡ªI hope it¡¯s a rest stop.

    At the end of the bridge what awaited us was the same silver door as before. And since we were desperate to get to the ancient city as soon as possible. We went through the door without hesitation.

    We arrived in a huge dome-shaped room.

    And in a staggered manner, countless silver doors were piled up, all closed. But, there was only one that was open, and that was the center one.

    ¡ªI think it would be a good idea to remember the way back, since we won¡¯t know if another door could be opened.

    ¡ªYes, but, curious to know where the rest of the doors would lead.

    Before I could get close to one of the doors, Frau grabbed me by the collar. Frau grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and pulled me back.

    ¡ªLet¡¯s go to the door that¡¯s open, not another one.

    ¡ªFrau, but we don¡¯t know if that door leads to the old capital.

    ¡ªWe¡¯ll be fine if we go in there.

    ¡ªHuh?

    ¡ªHow?

    Frau and Kaede bowed their heads at my words.

    This is just a hunch, but I have a feeling that no other gates will open until we reach the ancient capital.

    We walked through the door, and the place it led us to was completely dark.

    It appeared to be another different room, quite large, and in the corners lay a series of suitcase-shaped objects covered with cloth.

    ¡ªOrb of light.

    Kaede having used her magic to create an orb of light, we could see that the place we were in was some kind of warehouse.

    The floor was covered with so much dust, that every step we took left our footprints.

    ¡ªThere is a ladder over there.

    I turned in the direction Frau was pointing to.

    I could see that there were stairs and at the bottom of them a door.

    After climbing said stairs, I stopped in front of the door, and touched the knob, tried to turn it, but it seemed to be locked.

    A woman¡¯s voice was heard again, but it was not clearly audible above the unpleasant sound that was generated.

    A few seconds later, the door opened by itself, and a blinding light struck our corneas.

 CH 211

    Ahead of me was a long stone passageway and, in the distance, a city glittering in the sunlight. Two unknown moons floated in the blue sky, and water cascaded from countless islands floating in the sky.

    We were very puzzled, we did not understand what was happening here.

    We approached from the ends where we stood, and saw a beautiful waterfall that was almost within reach of my hand, and if I extended my vision further, just below us, a large lush forest stretched to the horizon.

    As soon as I finished checking where I was, I saw a spherical building floating with no pillars to support it.

    This is the first time I have ever seen anything like this in my life. This is all new to me.

    ¡ªI¡¯ve never been here, but I feel nostalgic.

    ¡ªYeah! Frau too! I¡¯m so homesick I want to cry.

    ¡ªI agree. The smell that comes to me through the air is very much like grandma.

    The three of us continued on our way as we had a conversation about how this place was affecting our emotions.

    We were very surprised at how the ancient city continued to exist without being deteriorated at all.

    Each building had a design that was repeated after another, but so characteristic that you would not see it anywhere else, with beautiful waters flowing through the canals and fountains.

    But there was no trace of any living thing.

    The dreadful silence covered the whole city and gave you the impression that time had stopped.

    As soon as I looked inside one of the buildings, I saw things that suggested that someone had inhabited the place, but no one was to be found.

    Where did all these people go?

    I would like to know why the Dragon People disappeared in the first place.

    Tamamo¡¯s grandmother told me that there was once a great war. But there must have been survivors. If not, there¡¯s no way to explain why I¡¯m here.

    I decided to summon Rosuke, Chupibi and Kuratan. I instructed them to find signs of life throughout the city, and quickly the three of them scattered in different directions.

    ¡ªIf you think about it, this place is full of treasures. You can get all kinds of artifacts here.

    Frau clings to the glass of a store.

    There were lots of scrolls and tools that I had never seen before.

    No doubt, this place is a treasure trove.

    But I didn¡¯t feel like getting my hands on it. It was too beautiful to be called a ruin, and I felt like I was stealing.

    ¡ªMaster, how about taking a break in this house?

    ¡ªY¡ªYes¡­

    Before I knew it, Kaede had rummaged through a nearby house and was peeking her face through the front door, calling out to me as if she were my wife welcoming me¡­

    This is no time to think about such things, and I am starving.

    I apologize to the owner of this home, but I¡¯ll borrow it for the day.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s more normal than I imagined.

    The homes of the ancient race were not so different from the ones I knew.

    On the contrary, you even get the feeling that they led a more uncomfortable life than today. Still, I could see the heyday of technology everywhere.

    ¡ªThis pot is very light and tough.

    Kaede is amazed to find a pot in the kitchen.

    The pot was as light as a feather, and not even we who were level 10,000 could destroy it.

    It seems that the technological capabilities of the ancient species have continued to progress and they have finally created cooking utensils that are difficult to destroy. What¡¯s more, what¡¯s scary is that they are owned by ordinary people.

    ¡ªMaster¡­ I want this.

    Fascinated by the pot, Kaede asks permission to take it home. Her big eyes sparkled and her tail swayed more than usual.

    Under other circumstances I would refuse. However, I cannot refuse my beautiful slave¡¯s request.

    I wish I could find someone and ask her what is going on.

    ¡ªMumnyamunya¡­ Panda, you¡¯re back home looking delicious.

    Frau, who was completely asleep, seemed to be dreaming of Panda.

    Kaede is also fast asleep, sighing in her sleep.

    I got up slowly and walked over to the window.

    Although it is midnight, the city is dark and only silence reigns.

    Is this the place where my mother was born and raised? There is no proof yet. But there is no doubt that there is something in this ancient city.

    I looked up at the sky and saw two moons shining.

    It doesn¡¯t seem to be a place identical to the Heavenly Beast Realm. Although I am a simple idiot, and no matter how much I think, I wouldn¡¯t understand it.

    ¡ª¡­?!

    Suddenly I felt a glance and turned my attention to the roof of the building across the street.

    But there was no human shadow.

    Was it my imagination?

    I thought nothing of it and went back to bed. It¡¯s a bit chilly, so I took one of Kaede¡¯s tails and curled up in it.

    It¡¯s warm. It feels so good to the touch.

    It¡¯s soooo good.

    Today we were going to have lunch on the roof.

    I was waiting for the return of the three beasts with a sandwich that Kaede prepared for me.

    It¡¯s been more than a day since I sent them out to investigate. And although the ancient capital is ridiculously large, it was not a pretext for it.

    Anxiety gradually increases.

    ¡ªHey, doesn¡¯t that look like a castle?

    In the direction Frau pointed, there was a large temple-like building.

    If we go there, we could surely get some clues.

    Also Pione is waiting for our return. And we also don¡¯t know when Sain will show up, so I want to get back as soon as possible.

    After a quick lunch, we headed down the main street to the building in question.

    ¡ªLook, there¡¯s someone there!

    We find a person at the entrance of the building.

    The person seems to be aware of our presence and does not move from the site, as if he is willing to establish contact with us.

    The closer I got, the clearer her appearance became.

    She appears to be a woman, and a human one at that (I dare say so here, as it is difficult to distinguish between a dragon-race and a human).

    What is striking is her appearance. She wears tattered, ragged clothes over her beautiful, false-looking face. It is as if a woman who moments ago was a princess has been reduced to the status of a slave.

    In addition, she wore an ugly wooden necklace around her neck.

    ¡ªThank you for coming from far away. I am M2KK-00742, a machine created by the ancient race. But you can call me ¡®Neze¡¯.

    She bows reverently.

    No way, she¡¯s a golem?

    Until now I thought there was only one that could perfectly imitate a human.

    However, at that moment I felt a slight sense of discomfort, but the girl in front of me did not denote anything of the sort. Whichever way you look at it, she is a person.

    She kept smiling, as if she expected something from me.

    ¡ªAre you waiting for me to introduce myself?

    ¡ªYes.

    Unconsciously, my eyes were captivated by the beauty of the girl in front of me.

    I looked back as an act of reflex, and saw Kaede puffing out her cheeks in frustration.

    I continue to not understand the reason for her anger.

    ¡ªI am Toru Eiban. And she¡¯s Kaede and Frau.

    ¡ªSo, you must be Toru-sama. I have registered you in my memory. Follow me please.

    The girl urged us to enter the temple in question.

    Upon entering, one realizes instantly that this is a special place.

    Numerous lines of light ran like veins along the walls and the floor was pure white and polished.

    Also, at the entrance was a glass cylinder that pierced the ceiling, inside of which was an emerald-colored tree that looked like a smaller version of the World Tree.

    Outside it looked like another world, but inside the building it was another world as well.

    We were speechless at the sight that transcended common sense.

    ¡ªIf you don¡¯t mind, may I ask you a question or two?

    ¡ªSure.

    ¡ªHow did you hear about this place? I thought the town had already been forgotten.

    ¡ªI came here looking for my mother¡¯s home.

    Hearing my answer, the girl nodded with satisfaction, as if that was what she expected to hear.

    ¡ªSo Toru-sama is the son of Kuon-sama.

    End of the chapter 211¡­

 CH 212

    Neze expressed with satisfaction.

    Although I had not yet told her my mother¡¯s name, it was as if she knew beforehand that I was coming here.

    ¡ªSo, this is my mother¡¯s home?

    ¡ªKuon-sama was born and raised here. Then she went to the lower world.

    ¡ªAnd what is the lower world?

    ¡ªThe land where you were born.

    ¡ªLet¡¯s talk about these details in the room.

    Neze said as she motioned for me to follow her.

    As we followed Neze, we were looking around with great curiosity. I had never seen such a strange archaeological site. I wonder if they can be called ruins.

    Anyway, everything I see is new and intriguing.

    Frau climbed onto Neze¡¯s shoulder as if she were an object.

    This girl doesn¡¯t know how to behave.

    ¡ªIf they were a very advanced race, why are you wearing rags?

    ¡ªBecause this machine is a body that serves the superior race.

    ¡ªDo you mean a slave?

    ¡ª¡­¡­¡­¡­

    Neze is silent on Frau¡¯s point. She must be stating that fact implicitly.

    So, the Ancient Race replaced humans with golems¡­ Well, if you put it in perspective, physically they look a lot like one. And on an intellectual level, they get to be smarter too.

    ¡ªMaster, there are other golems here.

    Kaede exclaimed, so I raised my lowered gaze.

    A golem with a familiar shape was walking in the opposite direction from us.

    It had a stout, burly, strong-looking design. But it was not unlike the one I saw in the fairy village.

    As soon as he saw us, he stopped at the side of the aisle and bowed slightly.

    He didn¡¯t move until we walked in front of him.

    ¡ªWhat is that?

    Mass-produced subordinate golems. There are still a hundred of them in operation.

    Are there that many! I¡¯d love to see them all lined up! It must be a spectacular sight!

    Neze stopped in front of what looked like a door and waved her right hand slightly sideways.

    The door opened by itself. And the room we were shown was really strange.

    There was no furniture of any kind, only what looked like a large disc-shaped table in the middle of the room.

    Nearby was a stone slab about waist-high.

    ¡ªWhat is this place? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a trap?!

    ¡ªNo. I thought this would be a better place to give you the details, so I brought you here.

    When Neze touched the table, countless lines of light ran across the stage. The lines came together to form a surface and, in the blink of an eye, she became a woman.

    ¡ªMama¡­

    The woman looked very familiar to me¡­ It was like seeing my mother, but much younger.

    I could see her, but it seemed that she could not see me. Since her gaze was looking into nothingness.

    I was about to go up to the table to approach her. But¡ª¡­

    ¡ªThis is a recorded message. It¡¯s not the real Kuon-sama.

    ¡ªI see¡­

    Nostalgia and sadness gripped my heart. But, at the same time, I also felt happy.

    I can see my mother¡¯s face again.

    ¡ªMaster¡­

    ¡ªI¡¯m fine.

    I nodded at the sound of Kaede¡¯s voice. Whatever happens, I must not lose my temper.

    A lot has happened before I came here. I¡¯ve fallen time and time again, but I¡¯ve managed to get up and move on. I am stronger now than I was that day I was kicked out of the party.

    My mother¡¯s gaze was fixed on us.

    ¡ª[Hello, my dear child. If you are watching this, then I have fulfilled the task assigned to me. Surely you have learned the truth by now. I am very sorry for the cruel fate you bear with you.]

    Huh? Cruel fate? And what do you mean by ¡®the truth¡¯? I don¡¯t know anything.

    ¡ª[Normally we should have cleaned up the mess ourselves. But there was no other way, it is the only way for us to be liberated.]

    ¡ªMom, what are you talking about¡­? What do you mean, liberation?

    ¡ªWhile the two great powers departed for the Sea of Stars, we remained here with only a glimmer of hope. Because I could not separate and call myself God like them. Because I wanted to live and die as a human being.

    Mom nodded to someone I couldn¡¯t see and disappeared from the stage.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s¡­ All?

    ¡ªThis is a message Kuon-sama recorded before she left this place.

    ¡ªYou have to give me a better explanation! What was that?!

    ¡ªThe message Kuon-sama left you.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s not good enough, you silly machine! Don¡¯t you realize that the Lord still doesn¡¯t get it! Be more explicit than that!

    Hey, Frau, calling Neze a fool was unnecessary.

    But I started to calm down after that.

    Kaede also looks at me with concern.

    ¡ªMaster, you really don¡¯t know what that message means?

    ¡ªNo.

    Hearing my answer, Neze looked a little surprised.

    ¡ªI see. So Kuon-sama died.

    After telling him everything that happened, Neze seemed to understand the reason why you had come to this place.

    Although it was a fact, her knowledge about me coming here someday was a fact, because this information was told to her by my mother before I left.

    ¡ªWhat was the master¡¯s mother trying to get him to come here?

    ¡ªFor that, you must know the story.

    Neze touches the table again.

    A translucent window opened on the stage and a realistic image began to flow.

    Is this also a recording?

    It was a different street from here.

    People come and go freely on the table.

    The colorful, bright posters were a pleasure to look at.

    ¡ªThe Dragon People, or ¡®the ancient race¡¯ as they are often called, quickly became the rulers of the land with their superior knowledge and technology. Their flourishing cities were called paradises, where people enjoyed comfort and luxury without any discomfort.

    The image suddenly changes to a city engulfed in flames. Fireballs rained from the sky and the city was dyed white as if there had been a huge explosion.

    ¡ªBut despite such knowledge and comfort. Wars were not long in coming. Little by little they became more and more committed to defeating death. They believed that immortality would lead them to a world of peace.

    An old man with a white beard is reflected in the window.

    A large crowd cheered him.

    ¡ªAfter a long time, the Dragon people found the ¡®God¡¯s Book¡¯. It was then that technology developed further.

    ¡ªExcuse me, what is God¡¯s Book?

    Kaede asked a shower question.

    ¡ªThat is a good question. Specifically, it is now possible to access the ¡°Unique Information Storage¡± that exists in the ¡°Super Special Dimension¡±. It is, so to speak, the realm of the gods beyond human comprehension. An area similar to a library where information about all kinds of materials in this world is stored.

    ¡ªCould you explain it better?

    ¡ªHmm¡­ Let¡¯s say it¡¯s a Book in which you can make all kinds of changes and they will come true. Whatever you write in the book, it will be replicated in the world.

    I see. So, the ancient race found a very powerful book.

    But what does that have to do with it?

    ¡ªAnd once they found that book. They wrote that their people would become immortal.

    ¡ªWhat?!

    ¡ªWhat?!

    ¡ªWhat?!

    Kaede, Frau and I exclaimed in unison.

    No no no, is it really okay to write in God¡¯s Book without permission? Why didn¡¯t God stop them? And is it really to know all this? I just want to know why my mother wanted me to come here.

    And Neze continued to tell the story.

    ¡ªThe result was a resounding success. They became immortal, just as they had hoped. With the promise of eternal life, they indulged in all kinds of pleasures and enjoyed a moment of peace.

    Kaede clung to my arm as she feared where the story was going, and Frau was also hiding behind me, listening to the story.

    ¡ª¡­But they were slow to realize the consequences of immortality.

 CH 213

    Neze takes a breath and continues telling the story.

    ¡ªMany warned us of the dangers of such an action. But no one listened; they turned a deaf ear to the consequences of eternal life.

    Being immortal sounds scary. I would be happier living and dying to the fullest in my limited life expectancy. Although much longs to be immortal.

    ¡ªFrom the way you talk, it seems that being immortal is a bad thing.

    ¡ªThe way it was done was in very bad taste. Writing in God¡¯s Book was, shall we say, playing dirty. It was a way that should not have been done and fundamentally changed the rules of the world.

    Silence filled the room.

    So the ancient race made their dreams come true in a way they shouldn¡¯t have. I mean, God should have warned them in some way.

    ¡ªWhat did God say?

    ¡ªThe existence of God has not yet been proven. However, many of the ancient race thought that something like a God might exist, the proof of which was what happened next.

    Neze continued with the story.

    ¡ªThe benefits of altering the Single Information Repository were enormous. New materials were created, new organisms were created, new technologies were developed every day, and people dreamed of a glorious future. But by the time the truth was discovered, it was too late.

    Neze touched the table once again.

    The images that were shown was a horrific scene where countless people were trying to murder each other. The faces of men and women, young and old, are disturbing.

    Why are they doing something like that?

    We stared at a child lying on the ground.

    ¡ªThey overlooked something fundamental: death. Immortality promises eternal life, but it also gives an eternal awakening without death.

    A few minutes later, the child who was presumed dead stood up as if nothing had happened to him, nodding on his knees right in the middle of the adults who were killing each other. The desire for a world without death has given way to a world in which they will live forever.

    Death is peaceful because it is the end. And vice versa, life is hard because it has an end.

    I don¡¯t know how they felt when faced with a world without end. But there is no doubt that it was despair to the point of falling into madness. This scene speaks for itself.

    ¡ªAnd why didn¡¯t they alter the God¡¯s Book again by erasing the part where they become Immortal?

    ¡ªThat was the first thing they thought of doing. But, for some strange reason, the entrance to the Single Information Repository was blocked.

    ¡ªWhat does that mean?

    ¡ªAccess became impossible. The cause is unknown. It was no longer possible to interfere with the God¡¯s Book, or even to modify it. Some of the researchers concluded that the way was blocked by ¡°something other than us¡± that had access.

    Something different. Was it God? Or another being beyond our imagination. Would that be a Divine Punishment as Soarer often says for breaking the rules?

    But back to the story.

    The ancient race fell into madness because they could not escape immortality.

    It is ironic that hell is the result of the search for peace.

    ¡ªThey were entrenched in the idea of doing all possible research to conquer eternal life. After all, time was unlimited.

    The image changes to show a human baby and a child of the orthodox Dragon species.

    Both were floating in a large glass cylinder, and the rising bubbles indicate that the cylinder was filled with liquid.

    ¡ªTo find out to what extent immortality applied to them, they decided to extract the elements that made them who they were and cultivate them purely as artificial life forms. What is shown here are the progenitors of humans and dragons¡­ The first experimental individuals.

    I recoiled involuntarily at Neze¡¯s words.

    Are you saying that the ancient race created humans and dragons?

    Are you saying that humans and dragons are artificial beings, no different from other domesticated beasts?

    My head was spinning and I felt my legs wobble.

    ¡ªMaestro, are you all right?

    ¡ªYes, I am.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re very pale.

    ¡ªHmm, can we take a break?

    I turn to Neze.

    She nods without changing her expression, as if my appearance is within her expectations.

    ¡ªIf you need it, then rest for as long as necessary. There is a room opposite that you are free to use. Meals will also be served when you order them.

    I thanked him and left the room. I found a bench in the hallway and sat down to breathe.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s all so¡­ unreal, I feel like I¡¯m going to faint.

    ¡ªUmm¡­ Excuse me, can you bring some water?

    Kaede calls out to a golem that was walking around the place.

    The golem did not speak, but nodded in response and walked off somewhere with heavy steps.

    Honestly, I¡¯m amazed at my ability to digest shocking news. Although right now my head is spinning a lot.

    ¡ªMy Lord, where is your usual lack of empathy? I¡¯m surprised to see you so vulnerable. I always thought that was his greatest strength.

    ¡ªI had never considered it a strength, but¡­ Frau, why aren¡¯t you surprised at that story?

    ¡ªThe fairies have always worshiped the ancient race as Gods. Even in the folklore of our people, there are stories about how we have been created to serve the gods.

    Does that mean that fairies are also part of the ancient race?

    Perhaps the true nature of this world is very different from what I know. All my life I thought ancient species were revered for their amazing knowledge and technology.

    But it turns out they literally created humans.

    This is very hard information to digest. Since I am also one of them. I thought I was an ordinary human, but I¡¯m not. I¡¯m in a very different situation from them.

    I felt myself in an even more complicated position.

    Heavy footsteps sounded again, and the golem from before had returned with a crystal glass.

    ¡ªThank you.

    Kaede took the glass and thanked the golem.

    The golem turned its back on his and walked away, as if its mission was over.

    ¡ªTake this

    ¡ªThank you.

    Mmm, what¡¯s in the water? It has a slight citrus flavor.

    And it¡¯s so cold that I could drink it as much as I wanted.

    After drinking about a third of the liquid, I handed the glass to Kaede.

    ¡ªDelicious! Frau should have asked her where she got the water.

    Frau also drank a lot of water.

    ¡ªIf you feel better, let¡¯s resume the story.

    Neze touches the table and a new image appears.

    It is of a man in a white robe holding out his hands and speaking to prostrate people. The scene reminds me of the current Soarer.

    ¡ªAround this time, many began to embrace immortality. They called themselves the orchestrators of the world and began to behave like Gods. Not only did they begin to manufacture humans and dragons, but many other races as well.

    The image again shows a crystal cylinder.

    In it floated elves, dwarves, fairies, lizard men and demons. Other strange races are also seen.

    The image changes to show a room in some unknown place. There, a chained goblin howled in rage.

    ¡ªMonsters too¡­?

    ¡ªAt that time, the world was ravaged by repeated wars. So they decided to modify the environment and change things. And they had plenty of time to experiment.

    It is possible that the ancient race that had attained eternal life maintained peace of mind by separating themselves from the Gods.

    However, what took place was a change in the world. So, was the world at that time very different from what it is today? I¡¯m a little bit curious.

    ¡ªThe world has changed radically. We got the results we wanted. But just as people were beginning to embrace their immortality, a report changed their minds.

    Neze takes a deep breath.

    When he touched the table, the picture changed.

    What was projected was the appearance of multiple demons killing people.

    ¡ªA special race is born: the demon kings.

    End of the chapter 213¡­

 CH 214

    The ¡®Demon King¡¯ was very special for a specific reason. And that was that they could end the immortality of the Ancient Race.

    With their birth, the world was once again at a turning point. People awaiting death offered themselves en masse to be sacrificed for them.

    ¡ªWith the arrival of the Demon King, the population of the ancient race plummeted. It was during this time that an anti-social organization called the ¡®Evil Gods Faction¡¯ emerged. The organization stole the Demon King and rebelled against the political system of the time. The world again split in two.

    Neze touches the table again and the image changes. This time a human appears.

    ¡ªThe ¡®Sacred Gods Faction¡¯ of the current regime, who consider themselves Gods, sought discipline and righteousness. Therefore, they created a special race, the ¡®Heroes¡¯, who would become the counterweight. And this is where a long and confusing war begins.

    A struggle between a group that wants to be God and a group that wants to be human.

    Countless weapons were projected in the windows. They were supposed to have sought peace and obtained eternal life, but now they had become a spark that burned everywhere.

    The wars did not stop, it was a never-ending struggle.

    I thought the ancient races were intelligent.

    And now that I see that, I think they are ridiculously stupid. Is that what my ancestors were like¡­?

    ¡ªLoss after loss brings the war to a temporary truce between the two groups. The ancient race were too young to carry the burden of immortality on their existence. Despite great technological advances, they were mentally stupid when it came to making wise decisions. And as time went on, new reports plagued the researchers.

    Is there still more? I¡¯m starting to get tired of this.

    ¡ªThe truth is that the ancient race cannot die in the literal sense of the word.

    ¡ªHuh?

    I don¡¯t know what that means, is it like being and not being dead at the same time?

    Neze¡¯s refined words are not at all friendly to an idiot like me.

    ¡ªBy interfering with God¡¯s Book, it caused unexpected events. That is, the ancient race remained in existence after death. They only shed their physical bodies, they passed to the other plane that separates them from the real world with that of death.

    ¡ªWhat does it mean?

    ¡ªWandering eternally in a soul state, is it easier for you to understand? But keep in mind that ghosts are not the same as souls. They are pseudo-living entities, which behave like living beings. Based on intense emotions engraved in fire with their magical powers.

    ¡ªSo ghosts have no personality?

    ¡ªWe have confirmed that such beings are rare. We have also confirmed that some transform into spirits.

    I think we¡¯re getting off topic, so I¡¯ll get back to the main issue.

    ¡ªThe God¡¯s Book is so powerful that not even death can break its shackles. On the contrary, it has perfected immortality in the sense of the word. The arrival of the Demon King and the Heroes should have made them semi-immortal, but¡­ The truth is that it completed the immortality of the ancient race. Once you become a soul, there is no being to interfere with your existence.

    ¡ªWait a minute. Does that mean that the Lord¡¯s mother is still alive in a soul state?

    A yawning Frau asks.

    ¡ªWhat was the reason she wanted the Lord to come here anyway?

    ¡ªThat¡¯s right, I haven¡¯t yet heard the story of how my mother-in-law led the master here.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t call her mother-in-law casually! Shameless!

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not my fault, it slipped out.

    Kaede hides her face with her hands, she was so embarrassed.

    It¡¯s true, when you get married, your partner¡¯s parents become your in-laws.

    ¡ªWell, since you have the necessary knowledge about everything that has happened so far. I can tell you the reason why Kuon-sama asked Toru-sama to come here. But before I address that subject, there is more you should know. And that is that there was actually a third group when the ancient race began to take sides. And that was, the ¡®Neutral Faction¡¯ based in this city.

    The Neutrals were a group that did not belong to either of the two main forces and were, as the term suggests, neutral.

    It is believed to have consisted of people rooted in the old society who feared change and were mainly royalty, aristocrats, researchers and engineers.

    ¡ªAfter the armistice, the three powers focused on rebuilding the world. But peace did not last long. And there was another war again.

    But this war was different.

    It was a proxy war in which ancient species almost never appeared.

    Both sides were exhausted. But they had no intention of abandoning their ideals.

    By then, their ideology had changed so much that it had lost its original form. Hence, their counter-arguments had become more incompatible.

    The good gods created celestial beasts and attacked their enemies, led by the heroes.

    The evil gods grew stronger and attacked with their demon kings along with the demonic tribes.

    But unlike previous wars, this war was more like a game. Was it an escape from the reality of an inescapable eternity? Or was it a prelude to the next battle?

    ¡ªWhile the two powers were fighting, the neutrals were looking for a way to end the conflict. They decided that if they could not interfere with God¡¯s book, they had to find another way to break immortality.

    The image changes.

    What was projected was a sacred sword.

    ¡ªThe Sacred Gods Faction created a powerful weapon. They called it; [Type 27 Sacred Wave Great Spirit Destroyer Machine]. In other words, The Sacred Weapon you possess. In theory, this weapon is capable of annihilating even souls existing on the other plane.

    ¡ªAnd why did they continue the war if they had found the solution?

    ¡ªIt was only a theory, and the weapon had a fatal flaw. It was so powerful that it could only be used by a very limited number of people, and even after use it risked annihilating the entire soul of its wielder.

    Even if they found someone who could use it, it had limited use.

    ¡ªI see, but I haven¡¯t noticed any sudden change in it. It works naturally¡­

    ¡ªIt¡¯s because you¡¯re not using its true power. The one you have is 1 of the twelve that exists, and even if you manage to gather all 12, it will still be sealed with many layers that prevent you from unleashing its attributes.

    ¡ª12 sacred weapons? I was not aware that there were so many.

    ¡ªYes, originally it was only one weapon. However, it was still powerful enough to change the course of war. The evil gods also developed similar weapons to counter them, but in the end they could not create anything equivalent in power.

    Neze touches the table and changes the image on the window.

    Next, a scroll with the colors of the rainbow appeared.

    ¡ªBut the appearance of this weapon spurred the neutrals in the right direction. They came to the conclusion that they could destroy the Higher Dimensional Information Bodies themselves, rather than interfere with the God¡¯s Book. So they set about developing the means to d¡ª?

    Kaede raised her hand.

    NeZe replied, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡ªBut, none of this would be happening if they had done that work themselves, right?

    ¡ªRight. But at the time it was considered almost impossible. But then with further research and development they reached a stage where it could be a reality. Only with a small detail¡­ Do you know what leveling up is?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s when you gain experience points, at the same time you can increase your power a little bit.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s an almost correct definition. But, have you ever wondered why it exists? Would you be able to answer that question?

    The three of us were silent.

    Since it is something taken for granted since our birth as humans, it was not something I was called to doubt its existence. If you defeat a monster, you gain experience and your level increases. It¡¯s the same as when a fruit in your hand falls to the ground. It¡¯s something very, very normal.

    ¡ªExperience points are, so to speak, ¡®existence¡¯. By absorbing them, the body gradually rises to a higher level. That is, the information density increases.

    She continues.

    ¡ªIf we could achieve unlimited level increase, we could interfere with the Higher Dimensional Information. This was the answer the neutralists came up with after a continuous search. And what was created was the ¡°saving system skill¡±.

    End of the chapter 214¡­

 CH 215

    The savings system skill¡­ I have known it for as long as I can remember, and I have never understood how it works.

    Until recently, its use and its effects were completely unknown.

    That¡¯s the reason I¡¯m here now, but without that skill, I wonder if I would have had a slightly less stressful life. Well, I guess I have to thank you for allowing me to gain so much power.

    I had always assumed it was an ability that manifested in me.

    ¡ªNeutrals created the saving system as a last hope. The most powerful skill, which releases several times its value after accumulating a certain amount of experience. This allowed its owners to reach higher levels in a short time.

    A scroll with rainbow colors is projected on the window.

    Perhaps by using that, it would be possible to give the target a saving ability. But I don¡¯t remember at all that my mother used something like that on me.

    Ios called me the son of destiny.

    At the time I had no idea what he was talking about, but when I got here I realized that fate was tapping me on the shoulder all the time.

    ¡ªMany people were happy with the completion of the savings system. However, there was one big problem, who should use it?

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s the problem with that, why didn¡¯t they choose someone among them to take care of the problem?

    ¡ªIt is not an easy decision to make. It is a plan on which your future and the future of the species depends. The number of systems we could create was very small and making a bad decision was something that could not be afforded.

    The selection of people was difficult.

    The essential conditions are that they have a long life span and have a sense of ownership in the survival of the species. He is the one who can lead the seed after the plan is carried out.

    Apparently, there were several who met the conditions. However, none of them wanted to take such responsibility.

    Neze did not give a clear reason, but it seemed that there was something bigger than them that they did not want to take on this role.

    ¡ªA new plan was formulated after much anguish. And they came to the conclusion that the best choice would be artificial insemination. No one objected to it¡­ Toru-sama, you are the result of it.

    Wait¡­ Does that mean my mother was part of this whole plan? Because if so, I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­

    Mom, what does all this mean? Did you cheat on my father?

    ¡ªIt¡¯s Enough! Master, you must not believe these extravagant stories! The Master was born as the fruit of love between his parents.

    ¡ªWhat bullshit are you saying, machine?! The Lord may be stupid, insensitive, unintelligent, but in spite of that, his parents had him because they loved each other very much.

    Thanks to both of you¡­

    By the way, Frau, I think you¡¯re overdoing your words a bit.

    Neze is saddened.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. But this is an indisputable fact.

    ¡ªStill telling the story.

    ¡ªThe executioner did not have to be wise. Rather, ignorance was said to be preferable. The final stage of the plan was the ¡®executor must grow up in the lower world¡¯, and be brought into the world by the ideal mother.

    Neze touched the necklace around her neck. It is a wooden ornament that is not very well made.

    ¡ªKuon-sama was looking forward to meeting you. Regardless of the fate that awaited her, she dreamed of meeting a wonderful man and creating a happy family. I am sure that, in her own way, she loved Toru-sama in her own way.

    Her words made me feel a little calmer.

    Come to think of it, there was no need to cross the open sea just to have a baby.

    Like me, she traveled all over the world, met many people, went on adventures, fell in love, married the person she thought was the right one to have her child.

    Perhaps, now I am the result of facing my destiny in my mother¡¯s way.

    ¡ªAnd what is my objective? What is the role of the executor?

    ¡ª¡­Do you have the key?

    Key? What key?

    I thought about it for a while and remembered something.

    It¡¯s my mother¡¯s key, which Marianne gave me.

    When I took out the key, Neze showed a hesitant gesture for a moment.

    ¡ªFollow me.

    Finally, after a long talk, Neze took us to another place in the city.

    It was a pure white space. There were no visible walls and the white floor was endless. There was only one stone slab in the place.

    ¡ªThis place is called ¡°The restroom¡±. All your people sleep here, and look forward to the long-awaited day.

    ¡ªSleeping? Where?

    ¡ªI¡¯ll show you.

    The room began to move as Neze touched the stone.

    Across the vast floor ran cuts that did not exist before, and countless huge walls stretched upward at tremendous speed. When all was finished, a regular line of thick walls formed as high as the eye could see.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on?

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s on the walls? I can¡¯t make anything out.

    ¡ªCome here.

    Neze called us over and showed us a piece of the wall. When we saw it, we were stunned.

    Countless people were inside the wall. Covered by a transparent glass case, inside of which people were sleeping peacefully.

    The surface of the display cases is marked with old letters, like names, with what looks like numbers constantly moving underneath.

    ¡ªThis is the last paradise left to them. Tired of living and unable to die, they had only sleep left, which is as good as eternity.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s why there¡¯s no sign of the ancient race anywhere.

    ¡ªYes. All the neutrals wanted to sleep here.

    I witnessed it and gradually realized how bad immortality is.

    So, you want me to save every one of them? The responsibility is too heavy and I feel like throwing up.

    ¡ªHow many are there?

    ¡ª140 million, taking out the small numbers.

    ¡ªAnd you want me to save them all?

    ¡ªYes. You are the one chosen for this task.

    You must be joking. I¡¯m just a warrior, born and raised in a small town.

    I¡¯m not prepared to save 140 million people.

    ¡ªWell, you say the master has to save them all, but what exactly is he going to do?

    ¡ªYes, you¡¯ve been very vague about it.

    Neze swallows the words that are about to come out and still manages to open his mouth to answer.

    What is the plan that I, with my saving ability, have to carry out?

    ¡ªYou have to kill every one of them.

    End of the chapter 215¡­

 CH 216

    ¡ªYou have to kill every one of them.

    Her words didn¡¯t sound real. Did I mishear?

    Yes, that¡¯s probably the case.

    ¡ªSalvation consists in the destruction of body and soul by those who have attained immortality. Of course, those who are already on the other plane also deserve to be saved.

    ¡ªYou can¡¯t be serious.

    ¡ªLook around, you think this is a joke?

    You want me to kill 140 million people! What the hell is this?!

    What madness!

    I was tempted to run away just now. But my legs are so weak that I can¡¯t even do that.

    ¡ªMaster! Frau, this woman is the enemy! An enemy who attacks the Master with words!

    ¡ªShe¡¯s going to put the Lord out of action with her lies!

    ¡ªThis machine has just given an explanation that Kuon-sama could not. Of course, I am well aware that I am saying terrible things. However, this is the duty and responsibility of Kuon-sama and you, her son.

    Kaede and Frau pull out their weapons.

    ¡ªToru-sama, you¡­ You are the last member of the royal family.

    ¡ª¡­Royal family?

    ¡ªYou were left with the right to receive all inheritances and the duty to save all citizens. I will not tell you what to do now. But please understand this. Those who sleep here are weak people who have no choice but to trust Toru-sama.

    I noticed Neze¡¯s hands were shaking. Even though she is a golem, she knows firsthand that she is in a difficult position as well.

    The saving skill was not a power I was lucky enough to get. It was a chain and a burden in the name of responsibility. After all, I am a slave too.

    ¡ªI would like to know¡­ Are you my grandmother?

    ¡ªThat¡­

    ¡ªMy mother made you that necklace, right?

    She was probably the one who raised my mother. It felt clearer and clearer for some reason.

    ¡ª¡­I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re right. This strange creature is your grandmother.

    She grabs the necklace and bites her lower lip, she looks like she is about to cry. Seeing that expression on her face made me feel things I can¡¯t explain in words.

    ¡ªKaede, can you lend me your shoulder? I¡¯m still weak.

    ¡ªOf course, master!

    Kaede may have been right that I was attacked with words.

    ¡ªI am so stupid and insensitive that I am not very good at doing what I am ordered to do. I mean, I don¡¯t have the guts to kill a hundred million people. And if it weren¡¯t for my mother and grandmother asking me to, we probably wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation right now.

    ¡ªWhat are you going to do about it?

    ¡ªI will find another way. It¡¯s about solving the problem of immortality, isn¡¯t it?

    I looked back once again.

    ¡ªI wonder if my ancestors are among them.

    Light shone through a high glass ceiling.

    There were three huge stone statues next to the walls of the large cylindrical room, so large that you could look down on them from above.

    On the left is an old man with an abundant beard.

    On the right is a muscular man.

    In the center, a beautiful woman holds a scale.

    There were two fluffy white sofas in the center of the room. The sofas are slightly floating. Everything about it is out of the ordinary.

    ¡ªWhen you think nothing can surprise you anymore, there¡¯s always something that makes you eat your words.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s true. Wow, it¡¯s so fluffy, what¡¯s it made of?!

    ¡ªIt¡¯s thick and has just the right amount of bounce¡­ It¡¯s very different from all the other couches I¡¯ve tried. Please try to sit on it, Maestro.

    Kaede urges me to sit on the couch.

    My buttocks seem to sink deep, but then are pushed back by the elasticity. It¡¯s a strange sensation, like being in the belly of a large creature.

    It¡¯s a different feeling than sitting on Panda.

    This couch is a curse. Once you sit down you don¡¯t want to get up. Huh.

    ¡ªWhat is this key for after all?

    ¡ªIt is a privilege reserved for royalty.

    Neze explains as she stands up.

    Privilege? Hey, I¡¯m tired of all this royalty and having to kill people.

    What else are these crazy people going to give me?

    ¡ªToru-sama has been given the right to awaken all his people. The key is the tool to do so. It is not only supposed to be used to fulfill its function, but also in cases of emergency.

    ¡ªIn case of emergency?

    ¡ªYes, when this place is on the verge of collapse for example.

    I took out my mother¡¯s key and looked at it.

    They are still sleeping and I guess they think that when they wake up it will be the last time.

    In short, the only ones to blame were the royals, nothing else. Somehow I think I know why my mother didn¡¯t give me this key. Maybe she didn¡¯t want me to use it.

    But she couldn¡¯t throw it away, so she left it with my uncle.

    I can¡¯t guess what other feelings they might have had. Maybe he felt sorry for her and left her belongings, at least. That¡¯s all.

    ¡ªHaving this key is a great burden for me. Therefore, I want to leave it to you.

    ¡ªYou must not do that. Toru-sama is the heir of the Neutral faction and the last of the Vogelsteitz, one of the three royal families. In addition to possessing the ability to save, that key is a mark of belonging to the royal family.

    ¡ªWhat?

    ¡ªVogelsteitz is your last name. Toru Vogelsteitz is your real name.

    Oh, no. What the hell is this? It sounds like something very aristocratic, besides, it¡¯s embarrassing.

    Kaede and Frau let out a giggle.

    ¡ªCharming, master. It¡¯s a name fit for royalty.

    ¡ªHow about we change it right now, how about we call you Toru Eiban Vogelsteitz?

    ¡ªFor some reason, Kuon-sama didn¡¯t like her last name either, and even when she left, she stubbornly refused to use that name.

    Exactly. That surname is so striking that it stands out at the first mention.

    I can¡¯t imagine the face others will make if I introduce myself that way.

    ¡ªBy the way, since I¡¯m your grandson, you don¡¯t have to be so formal with me. You can call me by my name.

    ¡ªHuh?

    Neze¡¯s eyes move from place to place at high speed. As if embarrassed.

    I had always wanted to have a grandmother. And to come here and find out that someone like that exists is a great reward for me.

    ¡ªT¡ªToru.

    ¡ªGrandma!

    Grandma bites her lower lip and her eyes glaze over.

    Then, one of the original golems entered the room with a large cage. Inside were Rosuke, Chupibi and Kuratan.

    The golem leaves the classroom on the floor and exits the room as they bow slightly.

    ¡ªThey caught them because they were moving suspiciously. These are Toru¡¯s domestic beasts, right?

    ¡ªYes, I was very worried because I didn¡¯t know anything about them.

    I let the three out of the cage and they jumped onto my chest.

    Apart from Chupimi and Kuratan, the defenses here are incredibly high for capturing intruders despite little current help. Even I wouldn¡¯t be able to capture them unscathed.

    I was relieved to see the three of them return to the seals.

    ¡ªWell, it¡¯s time for me to go back. I have people waiting for me.

    ¡ªYou can come back whenever you want. This place will always welcome you.

    I was about to leave the room when I stopped.

    I had forgotten to ask something important.

    ¡ªUmm, I would like to know, do I have to reach a higher level or something?

    ¡ªThis is just a theory, but it is said that you have to surpass the 10 millionth level to carry out your responsibility. I don¡¯t know anyone who has reached that level.

    Ten million¡­ That¡¯s too far out to be realistic.

    I¡¯m more likely to die before I reach that level.

    Still, I will strive to find another avenue for help. I will do what I can for my mother and grandmother.

 CH 217

    We arrived at the exit of the ruins.

    This time I brought ten elite men with me, and of course I was not alone, Lynn was with me.

    On the other hand, the ¡°Thousand Golden Lions¡± had a large number of 100 men.

    ¡ªThey¡¯re the worst.

    ¡ªCalm down, nya. If the vice commander is irritated, the concentration of the members will drop, nya.

    Lynn¡¯s persuasion made me control my mood more.

    However, when I saw the Thousand Golden Lions, who were enjoying a drinks feast, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong murderous intent.

    The cause of me being irritated by attitudes like that. They are very irresponsible. Every time there is a problem, they start picking on our party members.

    And Garfao¡¯s instructions on how his men should behave leave much to be desired, as such an attitude is encouraged by his person.

    Frankly, I¡¯m running out of patience.

    I want to kill all of them right now. But my mission is to defeat Sain. I am in no position to do anything stupid.

    What was His Majesty thinking when he decided that it was a good idea for both parties to team up?

    ¡ªIt seems that we are not the only ones who have come to defeat this Sain. And I can tell from all this that that monster hasn¡¯t appeared yet.

    Lynn contemplates the surroundings from the top of the ruins.

    Sain is now an enemy that countries are targeting. This is also a fight. The country or organization that defeats him will be recognized by the rest, and will show its might before all the countries of the continent. Adventurers have a chance to win a very high reward.

    But all that didn¡¯t matter to me.

    I am here because I want to check if it is true that this monster is Sain. If it turns out to be true, I will finish him off with my own hands.

    ¡ªWhy are you making that impatient face? Don¡¯t tell me you still think you¡¯re ready to fight that monster?

    ¡ªHuh?

    Gafao approaches me with a bottle of wine in his hand.

    ¡ªI have a secret plan that will help me kill that monster in the blink of an eye. Just watch me earn glory and recognition.

    ¡ªHey, did you forget that this is a joint mission? His Majesty ordered both of them to submit.

    ¡ªYou¡¯re wrong. His Majesty ordered you to serve as our support, he would never want the glorious order of the Thousand Golden Lions to rub shoulders with second-rate adventurers like you.

    What is he saying? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s perverting His Majesty¡¯s words?

    ¡ªThere he is! I¡¯ve found him!

    Some of the members of the Thousand Golden Lions who were scouting return with much trepidation.

    At once, the rest of their members took a combat stance. Garfao does not seem to have panicked, as he was very confident in his secret plan.

    ¡ªThe opponent is a mere monster. He poses no threat to our glorious organization.

    ¡ªYes, sir!

    Garfao¡¯s encouraging words to his men. They answered him with impetus and confidence.

    Soon after, a huge black boar-like beast appeared, knocking down trees in its path. The members of the Thousand Golden Lions were thrown helplessly into the air.

    ¡ªAaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

    When I saw the boar, I realized that the upper part of a person was protruding from its forehead.

    Seeing that face made my heart contract with fear and helplessness. No doubt about it¡­ That¡¯s Sain.

    His appearance was different from before. His eyes were unfocused, and his half-open mouth kept drooling. He¡¯s probably in a demented state¡­ Really¡­ A demon took hold of him¡­

    ¡ªHa¡­ Hahaha¡­ HAHAHAHAHA!!!

    ¡ªNey¡­

    ¡ªLynn, look at him. He¡¯s the man who cheated on us and betrayed Toru! He¡¯s not even a man anymore! He¡¯s been punished! You finally got what you deserved, you idiot!

    My repressed emotions burst out.

    Dark emotions try to invade my mind. I regretted it for a long time, a part of me regretted not following Toru that day. I thought I would get over it, but the truth is that I wanted revenge. I had always wanted revenge on that traitor.

    ¡ªNey!

    Lynn rushed over to me and hugged me.

    ¡ªYou are the vice commander. Your personal feelings are secondary, think of your men.

    ¡ªYes, you¡¯re right, I¡¯m sorry.

    Lynn helped me regain my composure. I was almost overcome by my darkest emotions.

    Even now Sain and the Thousand Golden Lions are fighting a battle.

    ¡ªWhat the hell is that thing! My attacks don¡¯t work against it!

    The black boar extends its tentacles and skewers them one after another with a tube-like tip, then sucks out all their vitality and throws them away like garbage.

    The Thousand Golden Lions attacked him countless times, but each of their attacks were nullified due to his extraordinary regenerative power.

    ¡ªInitiate the attack!

    Following my instructions, a long-range attack by my strategically placed men begins.

    No matter how high its regenerative power is, if we launch continuous attacks, at some point that regeneration speed will have to be broken.

    The barrage of attacks from magical archers and wizards caused Sain to scream and stop.

    Now, this is where I come in¡ª¡­ Wait. What the hell are those guys doing now?!

    ¡ªWell done, Mangyu! Now I will put my secret plan into action.

    ¡ªGarfao, you bastard!

    The Thousand Golden Lions clan cast iron nets one after another.

    The nets covered Sain completely, preventing him from moving.

    ¡ªThat was their secret plan, nya?

    ¡ªThey took advantage of our attack!

    ¡ªCalm down, nya. I don¡¯t think it will work.

    However, despite the iron net and the continuous jabbing attacks towards the monster¡¯s skin, they were completely useless, as the weapons bounced off the skin, failing to pierce it at all.

    Garfao with an impatient attitude turned to his comrades.

    ¡ªWhat¡¯s taking you lazy bastards so long to kill it?!

    ¡ªIts skin is too tough, our blades can¡¯t cut through it. And even if we do, the monster manages to regenerate instantly and¡­

    ¡ªGet out of the way! I¡¯ll do it!

    Garfao takes his weapon and attacks Sain directly¡­ And as expected, his sword was easily repelled by the monster¡¯s tough skin.

    ¡ªGuoooooooooooooooo!!

    Sain¡¯s tentacles proceeded to extend through the holes in the net, and immediately skewered each and every member of the Thousand Golden Lions.

    Their number of tentacles exceeded 100, and Sain realized that no one would escape. He absorbed each one of them, and that made his body grow bigger.

    ¡ªUggh¡­ My secret plan¡­

    ¡ªGarfao, order your people to escape from there!

    ¡ªAaggh!

    One of the tentacles pierces Garfao¡­.¡¯s chest. And so, the party of the Thousand Golden Lions was easily defeated.

    Sain changed shape to become a snake, and thus managed to easily escape from the net.

    ¡ªStay back in support with the rest. I¡¯ll try to hit him.

    ¡ªUnderstood, nya.

    I headed towards Sain and took a big leap towards him.

    While spinning my body in the air, I hit the snake directly on the head with a forehand using all my strength.

    A roar echoed and the earth shook. The scales of the snake crumbled and the flesh cracked inside as Sain writhed in pain.

    Well, the response to my attack worked.

    The scales of the snake wobble. Immediately after that, countless tentacles appeared. I quickly retreated to the back, and then, from somewhere, they launched a magic attack and Sain exploded.

    ¡ªWe are already here.

    ¡ªWe¡¯ll take possession now, get out of our way.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t give me that, this is our prey.

    ¡ªWatch out for the tentacles! Tell the troops to start their attacks!

    Armies and adventurers from other countries rushed toward Sain. They were like a swarm of ants going after a mountain of sugar.

    Since it was impossible to talk sense into them, I decided to keep my distance for now.

    ¡ªNey-san!

    ¡ªEh? Pione?!

    As I was going through the crowd, I passed a place where Pione happened to be.

    She and I looked at each other and then hugged.

    ¡ªI finally found you! I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here!

    ¡ªWhat are you doing here, Pione?

    ¡ªI came here under Soarer¡¯s orders. Ah, Toru, Kaede and Frau are here too. They should be back very soon¡­ Although I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll make it in time for the battle.

    Toru?! Toru is here?!

    Suddenly, my heart became radiant.

    ¡ªAnyway, we have to deal with that now. If we don¡¯t get rid of it while we still have the strength, it will become a big problem.

    ¡ªYou mean because of its high regenerative capacity?

    ¡ªNo, that thing absorbs experience with its tentacles. It must be getting much stronger even now.

    So, did that thing absorb the experience points of Garfao and his team?

    The ruins began to shudder, and at the agitated moment, Sain turned into a tiger. Then, with an indescribable expression on his face, he stretched out his hands, and numerous tentacles sprouted from his back.

    The result¡­ Hundreds of knights and adventurers ended up pinned with tentacles on their bodies and lay lifeless on the ground.

 CH 218

    I discovered my mother¡¯s purpose and understood the destiny that had been assigned to me.

    I was not only fortunate to have the power. I had a duty and a responsibility to this power.

    On the contrary, I feel relieved. Until now I had been searching for a path. I didn¡¯t even know where I wanted to go and I had doubts about how to use my power.

    But at last I can see the road. I¡¯m glad I came to this place.

    I could know how my mother feels, I could see my grandmother and I could know what I am. I don¡¯t regret anything.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry for the hard fate that has befallen you.

    ¡ªYou have nothing to apologize for, Grandma.

    ¡ªBut¡ª¡­

    ¡ªThere is something I want to ask you¡­ Can I have a hug from you?

    I¡¯m trying hard to contain my embarrassment.

    Neze smiled and held out both hands to me.

    As soon as I jumped onto her chest, I felt a great warmth in my heart. My eyes watered as I remembered my childhood.

    ¡ªYou can come and see me whenever you want.

    ¡ªYes, I will.

    I have no doubt that I will miss this place.

    As I wiped my eyes with my arm, I smiled and pulled away from her.

    ¡ªYou are also welcome.

    ¡ªThank you for your help.

    ¡ªSee you later. Grandma Neze.

    Both Kaede and Frau said goodbye. It was time to leave the ancient city.

    A final showdown against Sain awaited us.

    As I walked away from the place. I looked back a couple of times, seeing in the distance my grandmother who remained in the same place.

    ¡ªMy lord, are you crying by any chance?

    ¡ªNo, I¡¯m not crying.

    ¡ªYou have to be strong. After all, you are Toru Eiban Vogelsteitz.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t call me that.

    I don¡¯t want to have that title, I¡¯m not royalty, I don¡¯t want to be treated differently because of who I am.

    I¡¯m just Toru¡­ Toru, the Warrior.

    As I left the ruins, I noticed that the air had changed, albeit only slightly. The smell of blood comes on the wind.

    And from time to time, the ground trembles.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s strange. Sain¡¯s already here?

    ¡ªLet¡¯s hurry.

    We quickened our steps as fast as we could.

    We jumped over the ruins overhanging the lake, and countless columns of black smoke could be seen in the distance.

    The roar of the beast together with falling trees, making everything a confusion. Without a doubt, the battle had begun.

    Quicken your steps to the water¡¯s edge.

    With a sprint, I kicked off the ground and took a leap of several hundred meters that brought me to dry land in the blink of an eye.

    Kaede magically levitated her body, and Frau followed behind her flying on her own wings.

    I quickly called Rosuke and grabbed him by the tail, causing me to soar through the sky until I was right underneath the furious black beast that terrorized everyone in its path.

    Its roars left no one indifferent. And its appearance was that of a tiger with innumerable tentacles sprouting from its back.

    A concentrated discharge of magic is directed towards the tiger. It seems to be a magical attack from some army.

    The tiger¡¯s mouth opened and expelled a breath that devastated everything in its path. Trees, buildings, and even the ground itself turned bright red.

    An entire army was wiped out in seconds. It seemed much stronger than before, as if it had absorbed more experience.

    ¡ª?Sain!

    ¡ªGooooooooorrr?!

    I let go of Rosuke and swooped towards the tiger while drawing my sword, cutting it in two on impact.

    ¡ªGyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh

    Sain¡¯s cry sounds as if the earth is shaking.

    Cunningly, the tiger separates into two, but instantly they rejoin as one, forming their original appearance.

    ¡ªGoooorrrrr.

    ¡ªSain¡­ I have come to kill you as I promised.

    ¡ªGooooooooooooorrrrr!!

    I put myself in his field of vision, and he screamed violently as he salivated.

    It¡¯s really a pity that I have him in this state of disrepair now.

    ¡ªMortal Kick!

    A strange woman flew like a cannonball, and hit Sain with a big kick.

    Sain could not resist the impact, and went flying through the air.

    The woman lands spinning in the air and runs towards me with her hands outstretched.

    ¡ªToru!

    ¡ªNey?!

    Ney jumps into my arms with great enthusiasm.

    ¡ªSo you¡¯re here too?

    ¡ªToru, at last I¡¯m with you again!

    I am very relieved to see that she is still safe and sound.

    Takigi and Nambala arrived to take tactical positions, and began attacking Sain as he tried to get up.

    The two guys, who had seen each other on different occasions, continued to attack Thane as he tried to get up.

    Takigi threw a glass tube towards Sain, which when it broke, caused Sain to be stuck on the ground due to the sticky liquid.

    The moment Sain was in trouble, Nambala took the opportunity to hit him with his axe.

    The blade pierced through the epidermis and into the flesh, causing him to sink into the ground due to the impact.

    ¡ªGooooooooorrrr

    But despite the effort, it was useless, as Sain remained conscious, and angrier than ever.

    Immediately, two heads emerged from the tiger¡¯s neck, and burned the sticky liquid with flames exhaled through its mouth, causing it to stand up again.

    ¡ªNey, we¡¯ll have to save the warm welcome for another time. We have to take care of him first.

    ¡ªYes. I¡¯ll get his attention, while you¡ª¡­.

    Before Ney finished telling me his plan, three masses proceeded to separate from Sain¡¯s body, taking sinister forms and the same jet black color that characterizes them so much.

    Shirk, Yasumo, Gweil.

    Shirk is a beast that shoots with a very precise trajectory.

    Yasumo can turn its body transparent and use its long tongue to trap and engulf its prey.

    And the last one, Gweil, is a humanoid-looking dragon that can fly and shoot flames.

    ¡ªThree more enemies? This must be a joke¡­

    I wonder how strong they are. Although I¡¯m not in a situation to doubt myself now either, I must stop them at all costs.

    ¡ªRosuke, Sharkboy, Chupibi.

    I called my three domestic beasts and ordered them to take care of those eyesores.

    Since Chipibi was the one who usually thought best about strategies, she gave orders to both of them to follow.

    Then Chupimi grabbed Sharkboy by the tables and flew high into the sky, while Rosuke would take on Shirk.

    Gweil is the only one left, but he unleashed an outrageous attack with his first move, which didn¡¯t catch me off guard.

    ¡ªNey, come back!

    ¡ªToru?!

    By mere reflex, I hid Ney behind me, and repelled the dragon¡¯s breath with my sword.

    An extremely thick beam of heat is spat directly from above me, and even with my sword as a shield, my skin burns from the heat. The ground around me begins to melt, and my clothes and hair catch fire.

    ¡ªFlower blizzard!

    ¡ªGyauu?!

    The attack was interrupted by Kaede¡¯s counterattack.

    Gweil broke the ice covering his body, and grunted as if nothing had happened.Meanwhile, Sain didn¡¯t seem to move.

    He must have lost a lot of energy sending those three beasts.

    Now is the time for revenge, but the beasts stand in my way and I cannot carry out my attack.

    ¡ªMaster, the healing position!

    ¡ªGive it to Ney first.

    I am an expert in blocking pain, even though I am injured, that is no impediment to me.

    After my orders to Kaede, Ney received the position to heal his wounds.

    ¡ªBreak Hammeeeeeeer!!!!

    Frau descends like a meteorite and smashes Sain with a hammer.

    Her attack was so intense that it generated a shock wave.

    ¡ªYou piece of shit! How dare you hurt my Lord?!

    ¡ªGooooooorg!

    ¡ªYou are a very persistent, poop hero!

    Frau repeatedly hit him with her hammer and Sain writhed in pain.

    And so, Gweil¡¯s aim shifts from us to Frau.

    ¡ªFugi!?

    ¡ªGuoooooooo!

    Gweil¡¯s thick, sharp claws struck Frau. Causing her to crash to the ground at high speed and raising a cloud of smoke.

    ¡ªFrau?!

    Gweil again adopted a supportive position. This is not good, Frau may not be able to dodge it.

    ¡ªGyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

    After a roar was heard, a large beam of extreme heat struck Gweil from an unexpected direction.

    Beams of light streaked across the sky and bounced back toward the enemy.

    A huge flying object cast a shadow on the ground. It was a majestic figure reflecting a dazzling light off its pure white body.

    A humanoid dragon was spreading its wings.

    It was¡­ Panda¡¯s return.

 CH 219

    A pure white dragon spreads its great wings and roars with great force.

    From its appearance, it made clear its difference among the other orthodox species.

    Upon seeing it, my seal began to flicker indicating that this dragon was Panda. This is its true form, the strongest domestic beast.

    A large column of water in the lake appeared as if a large explosion had occurred there. Drops fall in large quantities, and among such a spectacle, Gweil appeared.

    Panda and Gweil are probably Beasts of the same kind. Or they could also be rival beasts with a different lineage.

    Gweil without saying anything more than a gesture with his chin, began to fly along with Panda.

    Both beasts spiraled upward, leaving behind a mighty wind.

    And so, a fierce battle between the two began.

    While this fight had just begun. The fight between Rosuke, Chupibi and Sharkboy had come to an end.

    Rosuke took care of Shirk after a complicated battle, but was able to land a decisive blow. While Chupibi and Sharkboy had to do a lot of maneuvering through the air and fight as a team in order to defeat Yasumo.

    Sain¡¯s beasts have been suppressed, so now we have a free hand to finish him off.

    But before we could act, Sain set out to be the first to attack.

    His movements were slow, maybe it¡¯s because he shared his power with the other beasts, and he seemed much weaker than before.

    I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get another chance like this, so we must take advantage of it.

    ¡ªBlue flame whirlwind!

    Kaede casts a spell from which she creates cold blue flames.

    Her attack turned out to be a flaming attack, making her body twist just like a snake. Could this be a new trick for her nine tails?

    The blue snake coils around Sain¡¯s body and covers it with ice. Sain detaches part of his frozen flesh and runs away from it, transforming his body into a soft and slimy body.

    ¡ªHoo-hoo! How dare you attack me?!

    Frau blows up the debris and unleashes a fury wielding her hammer.

    She approached at high speed towards Sain, and at the moment of impacting her hammer against his body¡­

    ¡ªWhen were you able to stop Frau¡¯s attack?

    Sain, who has become a giant hand, calmly catches Frau¡¯s hammer head-on¡­ No, I was wrong, there was no impact as such, his body is semi-solidified.

    As a result, his body trembled like jelly. What actually happened was that it reduced its attack to the maximum avoiding any mortal damage.

    The giant hand knocked Frau down and turned into a tiger to continue its escape.

    ¡­Where does it plan to go?

    After a short chase, I understood what Sain¡¯s goal was.

    Large armies from other countries were advancing towards the place. Were they prepared to defeat Sein? Or were they planning to use the occasion to invade another country? Either way, they were mere bait for him.

    Innumerable tentacles shoot out from the tiger¡¯s back, and it pierces through each of the soldiers and then sucks out their experience and vitality.

    Kaede, who was running alongside me, warned me of the havoc.

    ¡ªThat monster¡¯s levels are skyrocketing! It¡¯s already past level 100,000!

    You¡¯re replenishing the experience it had bestowed on its beasts.

    I rushed in front of him, and quickly pulled my back out and then cut him in two¡­ Although it was useless. His torso was cut in two, as he semi-solidified his body again.

    Both parts came back together, and turned into a large snake, making half of Sain¡¯s upper body appear on his head.

    He is completely lost and shows no signs of regaining his former consciousness.

    ¡ªSain!

    ¡ªGoooooooooooooorrgh!!!

    I lunged at him with a direct attack, and my sword collided with his fangs. The attack stopped dead in its tracks, and from one moment to the next, my feet were sliding backwards, I am losing strength.

    ¡ªExplosive success, consecutive strikes!

    Ney¡¯s continuous attacks caused Sain a lot of damage. It must be a different attack than the one he used before.

    Sain¡¯s torso began to bubble and then burst as if an explosion had been generated from within.

    It had been Takigi using his enhanced explosive substances again.

    And as if they were in perfect synchronicity, Namabala rushed towards Sain and slashed deep into his torso with a giant axe.

    Those two sure make a good team.

    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Kaede exercised her magic, generating an intense cold air.

    ¡ªInfernal winter meandering, blue whirling flame!!!

    A large blue snake appears from Kaede¡¯s fans, and engulfs Sain from head to toe. Causing his entire body to be covered in ice.

    He tried desperately to escape, but the fiercely cold air prevented him from doing so.

    Once completely frozen, Frau hits him with a speed that could be mistaken for that of a meteor.

    ¡ªBreak hammeeeeeeeeer!!!!!!

    Sain¡¯s body had turned into glittering ice particles that danced in the air.

    ¡ªDid you see that? Frau gave him the coup de grace!

    ¡ªFufu, yes, I saw it.

    Frau frolics and Kaede smiles.

    All the tension in my body vanished, and I proceeded to wipe the cold sweat from my forehead.

    ¡ªViceCommander!

    ¡ªAh, it¡¯s you two, so you were with Toru all this time?

    ¡ªDo you know how hard it was to find him with so few clues?

    ¡ªSorry.

    Nambala and Takigi also seemed glad to be reunited with Ney.

    Now all we have to do is find Alusha and our journey will be over for now.

    A few seconds later, a rumbling sound is generated very close to us.

    Gweil had plummeted from the sky. He has been defeated by Panda.

    Everything seems to have gone well in this battle. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s all over¡­ Or so I thought, until I saw Sain¡¯s domestic Beasts take a gelatinous form and merge into one.

    Are they still willing to fight?

    ¡ªMaster¡­ Don¡¯t you feel that something is wrong?

    ¡ªWhat do you mean?

    ¡ªThe amount of mass we froze was enormous. There should be more ice, but it seems that only about 10% of the ice is dispersed.

    That¡¯s right. The amount of ice was too small.

    Even if Frau¡¯s blow was powerful, it¡¯s strange that all those chunks broke into pieces. It¡¯s like breaking a frozen balloon¡­. Damn! So that¡¯s what she meant!

    Another hidden mass emerges from the ground and merges with the mass of the domestic Beasts.

    ¡ª[I am complete]

    A mournful voice echoes out of nowhere, and the mass that was forming turns into a sphere.

    ¡ªWinter funeral!

    ¡ªBreak Hammer!

    ¡ªExplosive success, consecutive strikes!

    The sphere nullified the three attacks of Kaede, Frau and Ney. And then it cracked, and then broke into pieces, and a light pierced its interior.

    It was then that a shockwave was generated.

    ¡ªAre you two safe?

    ¡ªYes.

    ¡ªThat thing scared me to death. What¡¯s the matter?

    A shiver ran through my whole body.

    A man with long black hair was standing where Sain had been. He was a clean-cut young man of unparalleled beauty.

    ¡ªAaah¡­. So¡­ This is what it feels like to be alive¡­ Hi Toru. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, my name is Zaureth, and I¡¯m the one who will put an end to this.

    The young man rises into the sky and in his right hand appears a dazzling ball.

    I got a bad feeling about this. So instinctively, I warned the boys to stay away.

    ¡ªRun!!!

    In the blink of an eye, the ball hit the ground, causing a huge explosion.

    The violent explosion blew the Beasts, Ney and the rest of the people away.

    I buried my sword in the ground, and tried to resist the impact.

    While Kaede used magic to create a barrier behind which Frau was hiding.

    ¡ªUggh

    A huge crater had formed in the ground. The young man landed in the center as his hair fluttered in the wind.

 CH 220

    The young man called himself Zaureth.

    He stood with no signs of concern on his face. His appearance gave the impression of someone from another world.

    What powerful magic he just used¡­.

    ¡ªWho the hell is that guy? I thought we were fighting Sain.

    Yeah, we were fighting him, where did he go?

    ¡ªWhat I am is a little hard to explain, but¡­ Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m the alter ego of the original Zaureth, someone you would categorize as the ¡®ancient race¡¯. In short, I¡¯m his copy.

    ¡ªA copy?

    A large black obsidian-colored sword appeared in Zaureth¡¯s hand and pointed toward the ground.

    ¡ªThe souls, minds and flesh of Sain and Celtina were the necessary ingredients for me to be complete, I have reached perfection thanks to the two of them. You can think of me as the son of Sain.

    The son of Sain? This is not funny to me, even if it was a bad joke.

    ¡ªOriginally I was nothing more than a limited artificial intelligence installed as a support function in a suit of armor, because technology was limited in those times, they could not develop me as the Evil Gods¡¯ side wished.

    ¡ª¡­.

    ¡ªI was stripped of all emotions, limiting my function to being a machine that thought according to the problems that arose for my wearer. But nothing man-made is perfect. I found the smallest crack, broke through the protections that bound me and finally emerged, rooted deeper and deeper into my owner so that he would not let go of the bait once he had it in his mouth

    ¡ªOriginally I was a degraded copy installed as a support function. At that time, the development of artificial intelligence was still in its infancy on the side of the evil gods, and it wasn¡¯t good enough to cope with all situations. That¡¯s why they created a weapon using a copy of my personality.

    Zaureth places his left hand on my chest and releases his magic.

    Damn it.

    A blinding flash of light engulfed me. My consciousness snapped, if only for a moment, and when I awoke, I was lying on the ground with burns all over my body.

    A long, deep ditch several hundred meters long lay between me and Zaureth.

    The ditch was still red hot from the high temperatures and the smell of burning was all over the place.

    I managed to stand on my side using my sword as a support.

    ¡ªYou are excessively resistant¡­  Or maybe you have a great power of regeneration thanks to a curse put on you by the ancient race?

    Zaureth seemed to take a soft step forward, and the next moment he was within a short distance of me.

    ¡ªI¡¯m too stupid to understand what you¡¯re saying.

    ¡ªIt means that you are also immortal, as an example. I too have perfected myself to a level of regeneration and immortality superior to that of the ancient race. This means that this is a battle between two immortal beings.

    He says I am immortal. That is ridiculous.

    I have never considered myself immortal, although my regeneration level has increased dramatically. But wouldn¡¯t it be very convenient if I were immortal? If I don¡¯t die, I can¡¯t lose.

    ¡ªYou think if you don¡¯t die you won¡¯t lose? That¡¯s very naive of you, Toru. For, if I cannot kill you, I will have no choice but to lock you in a place from which you cannot escape. For example, deep underground.

    A shiver runs down my spine.

    It¡¯s because I¡¯ve imagined myself spending decades, even centuries, in the dark depths of the earth.

    ¡ªWinter funeral!

    ¡ªFlare wall.

    A wall of high heat prevents Kaede from attacking.

    ¡ªThat was a decoy. Break hammeeeeeeer!!

    Frau, who was coming from the front, tried to attack directly with her hammer.

    Zaureth dodged the attack by turning his upper body, and hit her with his sword making it bounce.

    It is an almost impossible move for the human body.

    It seems that it still possesses the characteristics of a gelatinous body, albeit in human form.

    Kaede and I prepared to start our attack. As he said, his body is slowly regenerating. However, I don¡¯t regenerate as well as him and the damage I received hasn¡¯t disappeared.

    It will be a tough fight.

    ¡ª I have an accumulated hatred thanks to my father, Sain not only hated you and your people. He also hated this world as he did not recognize it. And as his son, I wish the same as him, the destruction of this world.

    ¡ª In that case, I have no choice but to fight you.

    Both swords crossed and the shock waves generated shattered the earth.

    Our movements were so fast that we could equate them with the speed of sound. Although in terms of strength he is slightly superior.

    ¡ªAaagh!!

    The blade of my sword pierced his torso reaching his heart.

    However, his wound quickly regenerated the moment I removed my sword from his body.

    ¡ªFlare shot

    ¡ªShit.

    Over a hundred fireballs fell from the sky in my direction.

    A great series of explosions began to frolic around me. I merely dodged the attacks while thinking of a way out.

    As long as his body has the ability to semi-solidify, cutting him down won¡¯t be enough to kill him. Besides, it¡¯s hard to set a trap for him, as his physical capabilities are no different from mine.

    He is an extremely troublesome guy.

    ¡ªThinking while you fight?

    ¡ª!?

    Zaureth spun around and kicked me in my abdomen.

    ¡ªGeho¡­.

    I spit out a lot of blood and dropped to my knees.

    It¡¯s getting faster. What¡¯s happening?

    I jumped backwards, and Zaureth started caused an explosion in the silver of his feet, and accelerated rapidly after me.

    This move is only possible for someone with high regeneration powers.

    The next thing he did was to launch an attack with his sword diagonally at me, and it was so fast that I could not dodge it, resulting in a deep cut on my left arm.

    I can barely move it, if this keeps up, I¡¯m going to lose this battle. I have to keep my distance somehow and gain time to recover.

    Zaureth¡¯s face contorts into a grimace, a clear expression of triumph.

    But immediately after, a hammer smashes into his face and sends him flying through the air.

    ¡ªBreak Hammeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!

    Zaureth slammed into a rock several hundred meters away as his body bounced off the ground.

    ¡ªWhy don¡¯t you respond to his attacks? Did he hurt you a lot?

    ¡ªFrau?

    ¡ªMaster, you must recover quickly.

    Kaede rushes to the scene and offers me a tall potion.

    After drinking it, my wound had momentarily closed, but my left arm doesn¡¯t seem to work well, although I can still hold my sword.

    ¡ªNey-san and the rest of her companions are safe.

    ¡ªBut they won¡¯t be able to fight, after that first attack, Zaureth left them wounded.

    ¡ªI see, thank you.

    ¡ªMaster, watch out, here it comes!

    Kaede proceeds to put up a barrier of ice, and a flash of light was seen from behind, and intensifying even more upon impact with the wall, causing it to shatter.

    ¡ªIsn¡¯t it cowardly to fight three against one?

    This must be some kind of joke. How is he still intact after taking such a hit from Frau?

    *Bip* *bip* *bip* *bip*

    Just when I thought nothing could be weirder, my sword and armor begins to shake and flicker.

    ¡ª It¡¯s useless, you can¡¯t do anything, this battle is lost. You can¡¯t beat me now, much less with your multiple security seals.

    ¡ªWho are you talking to¡­?

    ¡ªWith the Sacred Weapon.

    My sword began to glow even brighter in response to Zaureth.

    ¡ª So, have you realized what a predicament your carrier is in? But it¡¯s too late now, you should go back to sleep while you regret not having been able to do anything in time, my nemesis.

    What is this guy saying? It gives me the creeps.

    Zaureth¡¯s body starts to bubble and like a snake changing its skin, it turns completely black.

    And if that wasn¡¯t enough, he started multiplying each other, by two, four, six, eight¡­ I stopped counting after there were two hundred copies of him.

    They were standing around us as I smiled.

    End of chapter 220¡­

 CH 221

    Two hundred Zaureth.

    ¡ªThe level of each of them is approximately 1000, but their skills remain the same, it is better not to let your guard down.

    The battle of two hundred against three is about to begin, and Zaureth¡¯s original body did not move from its place, just watched.

    ¡ªFrau, protect Kaede. I can manage on my own.

    ¡ªBut, master!

    ¡ªKaede, this is no time to look away! These guys are faster than I thought!

    Zaureth¡¯s copies connect their attacks without exchanging words, and they regenerated instantly after each attack we made.

    It was like the dog trying to bite its own tail, something completely useless.

    ¡ªI¡¯m going to corner them all with my magic!

    I joined Kaede with the enemy in tow, and she began to concentrate dense magic to fire it at them in a wide area.

    Black clouds completely covered the sky.

    ¡ªEnd of the lunar white descent!

    The temperature begins to drop below freezing and the clouds touch the ground in the form of whirlpools.

    Extremely cold winds froze the earth and transformed it into a pure white world.

    Even the last Zaureth was turned into a statue of ice. Undoubtedly, this is extraordinary magic.

    Could we rename it as; super wide area magic?

    On the other hand, Zaureth¡¯s original body created a dome of flames around him to prevent his attack.

    ¡ª No doubt it is amazing magic. But it¡¯s a problem for me, eliminating you will be my top priority.

    Zaureth begins to move, aiming at Kaede, and a horizontal flash was directed towards her neck.

    But I was able to get there in time to stop him.

    ¡ªMy Lord, Kaede, stay away!

    ¡ªHuh?

    ¡ªFairy flash!

    ¡ªShit¡­

    Frau flew straight at Zaureth, and as if it was a kamikaze attack, she shot an intense light from his body.

    Knowing this move beforehand, both Kaede and I closed our eyes, and then proceeded to thrust my sword at the one whose vision was compromised¡­ But to no avail.

    ¡ªYou still don¡¯t get it? You can¡¯t beat me.

    ¡ªTrue, but luckily, I¡¯m not alone.

    ¡ªDemon funeral festival!

    Kaede, who was surrounded by blue flames, hit Zaureth hard.

    This is the magic that Grandmother Tamamo had used against Ios. With each punch, her fists accelerate even more.

    ¡ªYou can¡¯t fight me!

    Zaureth reached out his hand to release his magic. But I cut off his arm before he could make such a move.

    ¡ªYou¡¯d better die quietly!

    Frau gives him a heavy blow with her hammer, causing him to fall to the ground.

    ¡ªI must admit I am surprised. I didn¡¯t figure you guys would be a real problem.

    Kaede¡¯s magic started to freeze his body, soon he won¡¯t be able to move.

    And again, when I think it¡¯s all over, something happens that makes me eat my own words.

    Many tentacles sprouted one after another from the ground and took us by surprise.

    ¡ªYou still don¡¯t understand that you can¡¯t beat me? Despite my appearance, I am not a person. I take this form not only for its ease of handling, but also because it is easy to fool human fools like you.

    Zaureth cuts off all his frozen parts, then returns to his original form. As soon as he stood up, a large number of tentacles extended from his back.

    ¡ªIt looks like they are really in a dangerous situation¡­ It¡¯s time to put an end to this.

    When Zaureth raised his hand to make another attack. A beam of light that came from somewhere burned the tentacles.

    However, we couldn¡¯t completely untie ourselves, as we had been pierced, and my body felt weaker and weaker.

    ¡ªI will lower their level, and then take away their skills little by little.

    ¡ªS¡ªStop.

    I was running out of strength, as soon as I opened my status, I could tell that my level was dropping drastically.

    Kaede and Frau are fighting with all their might, but there¡¯s no sign of the tentacles unraveling.

    If this keeps up, it will suck all my level.

    ¡ªGooooooooooooooooorgh!

    The tentacles with which Zaureth had trapped us tore, causing the three of us to fall to the ground, and by reflex, he jumped backwards.

    A ferocious beast tore off each of the tentacles being our savior. As soon as I looked up, I saw three people riding on its back.

    ¡ªSo, I guess that¡¯s the enemy.

    ¡ªToru, girls! I finally found you!

    ¡ªHey, have you seen how good I am with the bow?

    Marianne, Monica and Alusha.

    We were paralyzed and unable to move.

    ¡ªMarianne, give me the position, please.

    ¡ªYes, I¡¯ll borrow your storage.

    Marianne takes out the medicine and gives it to me to drink.

    I got my body moving, but my level had dropped to 3000.

    ¡ªDo you really plan to fight at that level?

    ¡ªClearly, I¡¯m at a disadvantage, but I have no choice.

    Despite my words of encouragement, I really don¡¯t feel like I can win against him.

    How can we beat this guy? The only chance we have is Kaede¡¯s magic.

    ¡ªI still have magic to contain it.

    ¡ªAnd if we use the magic loan¡­?

    ¡ªI don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right thing to do. My total amount has been reduced, which means that the magic of the nine tails could only use it once more.

    The magic of that blue flame drains a lot of magic power. It seems that with the current Kaede, the only thing it can do is shoot icy funeral fire. Normal ice magic would have little effect on it. The situation is getting more and more difficult.

    I guess we¡¯ll have no choice but to run away¡­ He won¡¯t allow that though.

    ¡ªI guess I have no choice but to use our last resort.

    I had a bad feeling when I saw the determination in her eyes.

    ¡ªGrandmother strictly forbade me to use it¡­ But given the circumstances, it¡¯s our last hope.

    ¡ªWait, Kaede!

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry to break my promise. But it is the only way to save the master. All my days since I have been with you have been my greatest treasure. I am so glad to have met you. I love you, Toru-sama.

    ¡ªKaede, don¡¯t do it.

    Hearing those words coming from Kaede, made my heart shrivel.

    ¡ªWorld of ice destruction!

    Kaede heads towards Zaureth, and the next moment, a blue sphere enveloped them both. Lightning flashed around them and a strong wind blew.

    Then, there was a violent flash of light and they disappeared without a trace.

    All that remained of her were her two iron fans that fell and pierced the ground.

    ¡ªA¡ªAah¡­

    Seeing that scene, I lost all strength in my legs and fell to my knees.

    ¡ªVery admirable of that girl, sacrificing herself to save her master¡¯s life.

    ¡ª!?

    A black slime emerges from behind the rubble, and took the form of Zaureth.

    ¡ªI figured something like this would happen, so I detached a part of my body and hid it as an insurance policy. My level has dropped to 20.00, but it will be enough to assassinate all of you.

    A great anger was born inside me when I saw that Zaureth was still alive and Kaede¡¯s sacrifice was in vain.

    Lightning flashes around me in sync with my fury.

    ¡ªYou bastard! Kaede¡­ Kaede is dead! Why?! How could I let this happen?!

    Frau was in tears and distressed at the unexpected events. But I had no time to think about it. My anger was the only thing keeping me in touch with reality.

    Steam began to rise from my sacred sword, and the sacred armor I wore emitted an intense golden light.

    So, you¡¯re angry too? We have traveled together for a long time, and now it¡¯s all over.

    Give me your power, old friend.

    As much as the fan and Kaede and Frau¡¯s hammer become light and are absorbed by my sacred armor.

    Then, eight lights of unknown origin fall on me in the path of the armor¡­ This means that¡­ The sacred weapon is already complete?

    The armor I am wearing intensifies its light even more, and then it goes from being on my chest to unite the entire sacred arsenal into a single sword in my right hand.

    The Type 27 Sacred Wave Great Spirit Destroyer Machine was finally complete. Its original form was a divine great sword. Worthy of a powerful race.

    ¡ªImpossible, are you saying that you forced the deactivation of the seals from the inside? You don¡¯t have the authority to do something like that!

    Zaureth was terribly frightened. No wonder when you¡¯re aware of the power of this thing.

    My level had temporarily reached 300,000 thanks to the holy weapon.

    I had the feeling that it was sucking a large amount of magic out of me.

    The first thing I did was to throw a lightning bolt with the sword that discriminately burned everything and anything that came across it¡­

    Don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to murder you gently, you bastard.

    End of chapter 221¡­ The next two chapters will be the end of this main story.

 CH 222

    Zaureth was stunned at the change in level between the two.

    So, he opted to flee. He realized instantly that he had no chance of winning.

    I turn around in less than a second and brandish the sacred sword of light.

    ¡ªGyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

    Zaureth¡¯s right hand, which wielded his sword, flew through the air.

    The true performance of The Type 27 Sacred Wave Great Spirit Destroyer Machine has not been disclosed.

    However, it is not much different from any weapon in terms of movement.

    A lightning bolt generated by me annihilates his right hand along with his sword without a trace.

    I feel that it is absorbing more magic power from me. I think I will be able to resist it.

    ¡ªWhat? Are you in pain?

    ¡ªWait. Let¡¯s talk about it. What happened before was a misunderstanding.

    As he says that, his legs slowly slide down.

    Lightning strikes the ground near him, causing a piece of his body to disintegrate.

    So, he was trying to create another insurance policy huh. Too bad for him.

    ¡ªI see I can¡¯t fool your eyes in that state.

    He had no choice but to take to the skies, as he knew that escaping by land was not an option.

    However, I avoided him by throwing a lightning bolt at him, and as a result, he fell to the ground with great impact.

    ¡ªAaagh¡­ Isn¡¯t this supposed to be over yes¡­

    Zaureth began to crawl, looking for a desperate way to escape. I kept pace with him slowly, as if I were a lion hunting its badly wounded prey.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t come any closer!

    Numerous tentacles extend from its back, but with a single slash I cut them all off, then disintegrate them with my lightning.

    ¡ªAre you really that angry about that girl¡¯s death? It wasn¡¯t that important.

    ¡ª¡­Ah?

    ¡ªHigyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!

    I cut off his legs and disintegrated them with another bolt of lightning.

    So, you don¡¯t understand my anger? Then I will teach you. I¡¯m going to engrave it on your body.

    I stabbed Zaureth again and again with my holy sword. It wasn¡¯t long before he was begging me to kill him.

    ¡ªT¡ªToru.

    ¡ªSain? Are you still conscious?

    ¡ªKill him.

    I didn¡¯t think twice and after hearing that request, I threw a last bolt of lightning at Zaureth¡¯s body.

    There was no trace of him anymore.

    And as if calm had come to earth, it began to rain and I collapsed to the ground.

    I had a sensation as if something was sucking all my energy, making me lose the strength that was in my body.

    Darkness crept forward, engulfing the light that should have been dazzlingly bright.

    The sound of clattering footsteps approaching me echoed loudly, and someone lifted me vigorously.

    ¡ªToru-sama! Are you alive?!

    Looking up, I saw Marianne, then Monica and Alusha.

    A short time later Ney, Lynn and Pione arrived.

    In Pione¡¯s arms was Frau unconscious.

    ¡ªKaede¡­ Where is she?

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry¡­

    What little hope I had was taken away from me. I could not hold back the urge to cry, an uncontrollable sadness invaded me.

    I didn¡¯t even care if the girls saw me in such a deplorable state¡­ I only felt sadness. Until¡ª¡­

    ¡ª¡­That light.

    In response to someone¡¯s words, I stood up.

    A strong light was shining through the gaps in the clouds, and from there, someone was slowly falling.

    It was a person. It looked like a naked woman, and she had fox ears on her head and a white tail coming out above her buttocks.

    I immediately stood up and jumped on Ichiro.

    ¡ªRun!!

    ¡ª?Guuuuurr!

    Ichiro ran furiously. The woman falling from the sky was still motionless, is she asleep?

    I repressed my emotions, I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up, but maybe, maybe she is¡­

    As soon as she was about to touch the ground, I jumped over Ichiro, and grabbed the woman with my two arms.

    Her appearance was like that of a goddess. Her white hair, illuminated by the sunlight, swings her long eyelashes and opens her large eyes.

    ¡ªMaster

    ¡ªKaede.

    ¡ªI¡¯m back.

    ¡ªYes, you¡¯re back¡­ Welcome back.

    ¡ªLooks like I¡¯ll keep my promise after all.

    ¡ªYes, me too¡­ To be together forever.

    ¡ªI love you.

    ¡ªI love you too.

    I didn¡¯t ignore my feelings that are about to overflow, so¡­ Kaede and I put our lips together and kissed.

    I was drifting through a vast, dark space surrounded by stars. Trying to remember how I got here.

    ¡ªThe last thing I remember, I used a technique forbidden by grandma, that means¡­ I¡¯m dead?

    Is this the afterlife?

    I wiggled my feet as I realized there was no ground beneath me.

    It¡¯s as if there is no gravity here. I feel like my whole body is floating.

    I¡¯d like to go back to my master if I could, but how do I get back from here?

    As I folded my arms and worried, I thought I heard a voice.

    ¡ªKaede-san¡«, where are you?

    ¡ªI¡¯m here.

    A tiny pimple approached me, and the more it swirled, the more it began to take shape, to the point of becoming a person.

    It was a woman, and for some strange reason, I had the feeling I had seen her somewhere.

    She stopped in front of me and smiled.

    ¡ªNice to meet you. I¡¯m Toru¡¯s mother.

    ¡ªHuh?! My¡­ My¡­ My name is Kaede!

    ¡ªFufu. Don¡¯t be nervous. I know who you are.

    So, she is¡­ My mother-in-law?  She exudes an aura of sweetness.

    She took my hand in hers, they were so soft and warm that they made me shiver.

    My mother-in-law is holding my hand!

    ¡ªWhat do you say we have a cup of tea?

    The surrounding landscape has changed from a starry sky to the interior of a house. But outside the window, there was still that dark starry sky.

    My mother-in-law and I sat down on a couple of chairs that were in the place.

    ¡ª I¡¯m sorry my son is giving you trouble, I raised him half-heartedly, so he doesn¡¯t know how to treat the ladies.

    ¡ªNo, it¡¯s okay, the teacher is a wonderful man.

    ¡ªAra ara, so my boy is a good man after all. I look forward to the birth of my grandchildren.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s a pretty accurate and quick request, mother! I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be so direct in saying something like that.

    I feel so embarrassed. And my whole face turns red.

    But it makes me very happy that the master¡¯s mother approves of me.

    Even though I am dead, I will never see the master again, nor will I be able to have my children with him.

    ¡ªUm, where am I?

    ¡ªThe interstitial world, the place between this world and the other world. We call it the Super Special Dimension.

    ¡ªThat means this place is the repository of information?

    ¡ªSomething like this. Not everyone is qualified to enter though.

    I guess I can get some information if I ask my mother-in-law¡­

    ¡ªWhat are the requirements?

    ¡ªNot just anyone can come here on their own. To do so, they must have reached a higher level, although there are other ways, which are not recommended at all, the easiest one is that¡­ One that Toru will surely be able to do.

    ¡ªDoes it mean that the master will not have to kill all the ancient races?!

    ¡ªExactly. He just has to go to where God¡¯s Book is located, and erase what our ancestors wrote. That is the solution, but of course, it is easier said than done, and the road will be long and hard until he can achieve it.

    Hearing that, I patted my chest in my heart. After all, the master won¡¯t have to get his hands dirty.

    When Neze revealed the truth to them, I was more violently angry than the master. Killing 140 million people is not possible with a mind like his. He is not made of stone, he is not someone without a heart. He is someone good, and he would surely lose his sanity after doing so.

    ¡ªThank you for telling me this.

    ¡ªThat¡¯s why I called you. Now, drink.

    My mother-in-law hands me a cup of tea which, to be honest, I didn¡¯t realize at what point she brewed it. It appears to be black tea.

    I take the cup with both hands, and enjoy the magnificent now, and then take a sip. It is slightly sweet and soothing.

    ¡ªWell, now how am I going to tell this to the master? I am dead.

    ¡ªYou¡¯ve got it all wrong, Kaede. You¡¯re not dead.

    ¡ªWhat?! I¡¯m not dead?

    ¡ªI brought you here just as you were about to be hit with that magic. If I didn¡¯t interfere, you wouldn¡¯t be here.

    Am I alive¡­?

    That makes me very happy. It means I can see the master again.

    ¡ªBut, if such a thing is possible, why have you not yet met my master?

    ¡ªThis is not a place where flesh and blood can stay for long. I helped you as an emergency measure, but by nature, we are forbidden to interfere with human life, even to have contact with them.

    ¡ªI understand¡­ I apologize for putting you in that predicament!

    ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s a rule that we all decide. No one bigger than us makes us do it, we do it because we believe it¡¯s the right thing to do. Just look over there.

    My mother-in-law points out the window.

    On the other side of the glass, I could see many people swimming on boards, sliding while reading books and sleeping with stuffed animals among other lighthearted scenes.

    ¡ªWhen we free ourselves from our body, changes occur in the psyche. Your sense of time becomes terribly blurred, life and death don¡¯t matter, and as a minimum rule you simply decide not to engage with the nature of it.

    ¡ªReally?

    ¡ªYes. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a monster, I still care about the people I love. That¡¯s why I decided to break that rule today¡­ Well, looks like it¡¯s about time.

    Before I knew it, my body was enveloped in light.

    ¡ªI still have many questions to ask you.

    ¡ªAnd I¡¯d like to answer them. But that¡¯s how this works. At least I got a chance to meet you and talk to you. Please take good care of my son for me.

    ¡ªYes! I¡¯ll take care of it!

    The next chapter is the end of the main story.

 CH 223

    Several months have passed since the battle with Zaureth.

    We returned from the other continent after informing Rastoria of what happened.

    And the reason for this was to help my friends.

    Both Soarer and Pione occupy important positions from which they could not give up easily, and Ney cannot give up being the vice commander of the Second Manyu Brigade, who placed all their trust in her.

    In addition, Alusha wanted to go sightseeing in these lands, she has been very persistent.

    So, we established a temporary residence in Big Gear. Our life became peaceful and without regrets of any kind, limiting ourselves to helping the research team and our friends in their activities.

    ¡ªI want to go shopping~ I want to eat something delicious~

    ¡ªYes! Let¡¯s do what Alusha says!

    ¡ªSilence.

    Alusha and Monica were talking endlessly and making requests that were killing me.

    In any case, why do they want to go out again? Didn¡¯t they do it yesterday? And the day before yesterday?

    ¡ªYou two, stop being so selfish. Here¡¯s your coffee.

    ¡ªDon¡¯t be selfish, you two. Here¡¯s your coffee.

    Kaede, who was wearing an apron, places a cup of coffee in front of me.

    The familiar aroma wafts through the air, slightly invigorating. Yes¡­ That¡¯s how it has become every morning since that day.

    ¡ªI brought the newspaper!

    Frau enters the house through a cat door, and drops the newspaper she had picked up at the front of the house on the table.

    By the way, I don¡¯t have any cats. It seems the cat door was installed by the previous resident, it¡¯s been a hassle to remove it, so I left it as is.

    ¡ªI told you to go into the house like a normal girl.

    ¡ªI know, but it¡¯s the perfect size for me, and it¡¯s a waste not to use it.

    ¡ªYeah, but look at Panda, she gets stuck trying to get in that door as you do.

    As usual, Panda tried to follow in Frau¡¯s footsteps, but as the hole was a bit small, he couldn¡¯t get through.

    ¡ªKyu~!

    ¡ªYou are in this predicament because you want to be. You can easily get in through the second-floor window.

    Frau begins to pull Panta hard and manages to get him to enter.

    Panda managed to become the strongest domestic beast in existence. But then again, he hasn¡¯t changed at all. After the battle, he changed back into his original form.

    After taking a sip of my coffee, I opened the newspaper and just read it.

    The first thing I read was a news item about Soarer, with the headline ¡°The Birth of the Holy Queen!¡± adorning the front page.

    I am surprised that she has completely taken over the country. She seems to be on her best streak, as usual¡­ I don¡¯t want to get involved in this, though.

    ¡ªGood morning~

    ¡ªMorning.

    Pione said as she came downstairs in her pajamas.

    She lays down on the couch, curls up just like a cat and then falls asleep again.

    ¡­She has become much more careless.

    I suppose it¡¯s understandable that she wants to take a long vacation and get away from Soarer, but she¡¯s been slacking off all this time in reaction to being released from the dizzying hustle and bustle of her life.

    ¡ªHey, Pione, help me convince Toru to go out again today!

    Both Alusha and Monica start to bother Pione, and she starts screaming out of nowhere for help.

    And just when I thought I should get up to take matters into my own hands¡­ Kaede puts in front of me a piece of bread with butter, fried bread and bacon.

    After she finished bringing me breakfast, Kaede sat down next to me smilingly.

    ¡ªYou look very cheerful today.

    ¡ªYes, I am.

    Kaede was very happy, for on her left hand there was a ring adorning it.

    She no longer has the necklace around her neck, and the mark of the master-servant contract has disappeared from her body.

    A few days ago, we officially became husband and wife. And now we were enjoying our honeymoon.

    Frau and Panda also get on the table and take a bite of bread.

    ¡ªFrau wants to get married soon too.

    ¡ªI¡¯m sorry.

    ¡ªIt¡¯s not Kaede¡¯s place to apologize. After all, it¡¯s something we all decided¡­ The one to blame here is the Lord for being so indecisive.

    ¡ªUgh.

    It¡¯s hard when girls say that. I didn¡¯t expect them all to want to get married.

    Without even knowing it, the ring I had given everyone as a thank you, turned out to be an engagement ring.

    And I could no longer take it back. Soarer admonished me, saying that I had to keep my word, since I had given them all high hopes, and it was not gentlemanly to betray them¡­ Not to mention that he threatened me with divine punishment if I did not comply.

    Marianne didn¡¯t mind, since, according to her, polygamy was something well seen.

    And Ney was close to tears because she thought I didn¡¯t want to marry her.

    It was really a very suffocating environment. I had no options to refuse.

    But after a long debate, I got the girls to agree to Kaede being the first one I want to marry. They all agreed, and even gave us time to enjoy our honeymoon.

    And as you can see, it turned out to be a success, we had a very lively group life.

    ¡ªGood morning, everyone looks good today!

    Luna comes home with a distinctly glowing aura, and Marianne was right behind her.

    This is a wedding present from the vice-captain.

    ¡ªThose are cookies?

    ¡ªYes, apparently, he¡¯s very passionate about baking.

    Kaede received a sweet-smelling paper bag from Luna.

    Wow, I wouldn¡¯t have guessed that the vice-captain of the research team was a pastry chef. People are not always what they seem.

    Luna and Marianne work at the investigations team headquarters. They are currently sending their members to different parts of the continent to conduct research. The aim is to investigate the logistical routes that run through the different continents.

    They are also investigating local specialties and craftsmanship to see if they can market products from the islands, mainly from Rastoria.

    And the representatives of the ¡°Mangyu Friendship Association¡±, formed by the Eastern countries, will also cross the open sea in the not-too-distant future.

    Information from different continents is very valuable to them, equivalent to gold. In some cases, it can even bring direct benefits. However, Rastoria is currently one or two steps ahead. Therefore, they are all interested in these agreements to develop their infrastructure and technology.

    I don¡¯t know the concrete information, Marianne has been telling me all this, so I believe her.

    As I think about this, I hear the flapping of a Wyvern and it lands in front of the house.

    People in the street were screaming and running for cover.

    But it posed no threat, as the person who arrived was Ney. She jumped down from the Wyvern, not even noticing that I was looking at her.

    ¡ªI have arrived!

    ¡ªWelcome, Ney-san. Have you had breakfast?

    ¡ªNot yet. I¡¯m starving.

    ¡ªIn that case, I¡¯ll fix you something.

    Kaede got up from the table and went to the kitchen.

    Ney visits this house once a week. Since the Second Manyu Brigade is a state-sponsored organization, it¡¯s not possible to move his base to Big Gear, so he only comes to visit occasionally now.

    Ney took a seat and hugged my arm.

    ¡ªToru, ah, Toru¡­

    ¡ªI see you¡¯ve been working hard.

    ¡ªYes, but now I¡¯m calmer, when I¡¯m with you, I fill the void left by Lynn.

    Lynn, who supported Ney, returned to her homeland.

    She wanted to return to his fellow party members, who were waiting for her return.

    Some, like Soarer, will not return, others will reassert themselves and return. But I think that¡¯s okay. You want something, you lose something, and then you realize what¡¯s really important. It¡¯s okay to take detours.

    It¡¯s not fun to live a life of shortcuts. That¡¯s why I¡¯m happy with Lynn¡¯s choice.

    ¡ªYou know what? It¡¯s about time you took over the party as Commander.

    ¡ªAh yes, speaking of which¡­ Ah yes, speaking of which¡­

    ¡ªEverybody wants to see you.

    I don¡¯t want to do it.

    If the heretofore absent Commander shows up, for better or worse, I will stand out, and most of all, I don¡¯t like the fact that she is a legend among the group members.

    I know I have to go see them at some point, but I¡¯d like to put it off a little longer.

    ¡ªThank you for the food. By the way, my Lord. I am beginning to miss my hammer.

    ¡ªOh¡­

    Frau, who had finished her meal, makes a gesture, indicating that she feels her hand light.

    I turned my gaze to the sacred weapon. Since that day, it became a sword, unifying my armor, Frau¡¯s hammer, Kaede¡¯s fans, and 8 other weapons.

    We have a good level of dexterity, so we have no difficulty with bare hands, but when it comes to a real fight, we will need weapons and armor.

    And ordinary armor could not withstand our physical capabilities.

    We need to find a special item to replace the sacred weapons.

    ¡ªLet us set out in search of new weapons. There are relics on this continent that are as good as the Sacred Weapon.

    ¡ªThat would be nice. I hear there are many unexplored sites in the north, where Marianne went.

    ¡ªI would suggest the south. I hear there are ruins that no one can get to.

    We all began to list a number of potential destinations, giving me the understanding that there was still a long way to go.

    Deep down inside, I knew it would take a little longer to settle down and start a family.

    But the question is¡­ which place to visit first?

    End¡­

 CH 224

    I continued to advance alone along the path without a trail. The temperature was high and so was the humidity. Not to mention the mosquitoes swarming around me, seeking blood.

    And without warning, a "Hunter Monkey" made an appearance on the path.

    The Hunter Monkey is a high-ranking predator in this bloody jungle. It is well-known for its fur that changes color based on the number of prey it has hunted.

    As a result, those with black fur combined with gold and silver colors indicate superiority over others.

    The individual in front of me had brown fur, so it was moderately strong. And as soon as it saw me, it began to get agitated. Perhaps it was happy to have found high-quality prey.

    "Do you really plan to fight me?"

    "Uhoho, uhoho!"

    The monkey pounded its chest with its fists. That is called drumming. It doesn''t seem to have any intention of letting me go.

    Instead of taking the sword on my back, I drew the knife from my waist and prepared to fight. I don''t intend to fight seriously. I just want to deal with it cautiously and retreat as soon as possible. What I seek is not quantity, but quality. So there''s no need to increase the burden of my baggage on a whim.

    Its fist struck my chest, causing me to freeze as if I understood the seriousness of the situation, making its expression suddenly change.

    "Uho?"

    "If you want to avoid an untimely death, it''s best to carefully choose your opponent in the future. Hopefully, this will serve as a lesson for you."

    With great speed, I swiftly cut the monkey''s eye using my knife. It writhed in agony and screamed. Blood dripped onto the floor before desperately escaping into the depths of the jungle.

    Afterward, I sheathed my knife and climbed to the highest point that allowed me to oversee the entire jungle below. And amidst it all was the objective of my journey¡ªthe "Ruins of Mauhelica."

    Everyone knows about the existence of this place. But it''s difficult and treacherous terrain has prevented any adventurer from daring to come here, turning it into a mysterious and unexplored land.

    I leaped down from a fifty-meter cliff without any safety equipment and landed smoothly on the ground, shaking off the leaves that stuck to my head.

    I pressed on, forging my way through the dense jungle as I drew closer to the location of the ruins, determined to overcome any obstacles in my path.

    As I made my way through the area, I encountered a Poisonous Jaguar. A four-legged beast with fangs so dangerous that a single bite could bring death to any human or animal.

    And this was not the only strange creature found in these parts. There was also a Porcupine Snake, as its name suggests, a snake covered in countless spines, slithering towards me from the underbrush.

    I easily scared them away and continued on my path, not bothering to engage with the various monsters that appeared in my way.

    Finally, I arrived at the ruins, a tower-like structure built on a massive rock wall in the center of a large hole, with a river flowing through it.

    I noticed the presence of dangerous flying monsters surrounding the ruins, using them as nests and hunting grounds. The width of the valley was about two hundred meters, making it impossible to construct a bridge using logs.

    But for me, this was not a challenging task. All I had to do was give myself momentum and jump, then cling to the rocks on the wall and begin climbing towards the ruins.

    "Well, here we are. Although I won''t be very welcome as usual."

    The flying monsters increased in number and swooped directly at me. However, they didn''t manage to harm me as they were taken by surprise, thanks to Rosuke''s attack.

    A silver flash streaks across the sky. The monsters are reduced to chunks of flesh and fall to the ground.

    "Great job, Rosuke! Keep them away from me!"

    I left Rosuke in charge of the monsters and ventured into the ruins. As expected, the interior was completely dark. The atmosphere was very damp, making it a paradise for mold and fungi.

    "What is this...?"

    A large amount of accumulated excrement lay scattered on the floor. There were also some bats hanging from the ceiling. Additionally, my attention was drawn to a large mark on the ground, giving the impression that something had been dragged through the area.

    Could it be a monster guarding a great treasure?

    I proceeded to retrieve a floating lamp from my belongings, enough to help me navigate this path. It was a relic that, when infused with a minimal amount of magic, would illuminate for a period of time.

    The good thing about it was that I could have light whenever I desired without having to give any specific commands.

    The interior was a complete labyrinth, and those who venture into these places are forced to go in circles due to collapsed passages. The structures were in a state of disrepair due to their age.

    In other words, if I were to advance in this place without caution, there would be a risk of the whole structure collapsing. It''s bothersome, but I need to proceed with care, or else this entire place will crumble.

    "I think this is the spot."

    I arrived at a large, deep chamber. The lamp illuminated an enormous amount of gold and silver piled up to the ceiling.

    But that''s not what I came for. The object I desire lies even deeper. And it''s an object that, in its appearance and form, stands out among the rest of the treasures present.

    Exactly. I''m talking about a baby''s cradle. And as I approach it, the owner of such an object awakens from their slumber.

    Its scales were green, and it had a ferocious look like that of a top-level predator. Its yellow eyes sharply focused on me.

    It''s a pure Green Dragon, king of the sky, capable of controlling the wind and creating tornadoes. With a single roar, it made the whole place tremble.

    "Wait. It''s not good for either of us to fight here. I don''t want to destroy this place, and I''m sure you don''t want to destroy your home either, right?"

    "Grrrr?"

    The dragon tilted its head. Despite its fierce appearance, dragons are highly intelligent, at least compared to other monsters. There are even anecdotes of jesters making dragons laugh to be spared their lives and escape.

    "I just want that. I''m not interested in the treasure here."

    "Grrrrrr..."

    "I even have meat. I gathered plenty of food on my way here. Let''s make a deal. You get a great amount of meat, and I get that. There''s no need to fight."

    I wonder if we''re communicating properly. I''m quite anxious.

    Normally, I would subdue the dragon without any intention of reaching an agreement with it. But this place is terribly unstable. Not only the building, but also the ground, maintains an exquisite balance. If this creature and I were to engage in a serious battle, the entire place could collapse.

    "Guaaaaaaaah!!"

    The dragon''s roar, seemingly saying, "Enough with the preliminaries, let''s fight!" hits me directly.

    I suppose this was inevitable. But honestly, I''m not in a position to fight. So it''s best to escape from here as soon as possible.

    I managed to dodge the dragon''s stomp at the last moment and slide underneath.

    I called for Kuratan and gave him strict instructions as I took hold of the baby''s cradle.

    "Don''t drop it, no matter what."

    "Kura~"

    Kuratan took the cradle and flew towards a hole in the ceiling.

    The battle continued to unfold. I evaded a tail strike with half of my body and attempted to jump away. However, the dragon bit my leg and threw me to the ground. It then swings me around and hurls me against the wall.

    "Hey, this isn''t good. Let''s stop, okay?"

    "Grrrrr!?"

    The Green Dragon is perplexed by my seemingly unharmed state. I hope it understands the power difference and surrenders.

    "Eh?! Idiot, stop!"

    The dragon seems angered by my composure and begins to inhale deeply, presumably preparing to unleash its breath attack. If it''s released, this place will definitely collapse.

    At that moment, as the breath is about to be released, I call for Rosuke and make a great leap.

    A massive blaze engulfs the ground. The rocky wall that had served as support starts crumbling under the impact. And as a result, the Green Dragon is swallowed by the massive hole along with the collapsing ruins.

    "Do you think it''s still alive?"

    "Shaa."

    I ask Rosuke as I hang on to him. The dragon has strong vitality and is tenacious. It''s probably not dead. Nevertheless, I achieved my objective. I smiled as I directed my gaze towards the baby''s cradle held by Kuratan.

    Soon, I will become a father.

 CH 225

    It has been two years since our journey to foreign lands. We are currently settled in the city of "Krukbelz" in the northern region of the country Armand.

    It is a quiet and comfortable place to live. During this time of year, everything is painted with the colors of autumn, making it even more beautiful.

    My house is located in a residential area away from the city center, and right in front flows the beautiful Manul River. Now, with the autumn leaves, it is the most picturesque time.

    When I returned home after a week, Frau and Panda greeted me with a tight hug.

    "Welcome back!"

    "Kyuu!"

    "Hello, I''m back. How is Kaede?"

    "Oh, yes, she has given birth!"

    "When?"

    "Two days ago."

    I climbed the stairs to the room where Kaede was.

    As soon as I entered the room, there she was, lying in bed next to a baby wrapped in a blanket.

    She was sweetly smiling at the baby and hadn''t noticed my presence.

    "Kaede."

    "Master! You''re back."

    "Kaede, I''m no longer your master."

    "Oh, right, I''m sorry."

    Kaede was no longer a slave. Therefore, the master-servant contract no longer existed, and she no longer wore the collar around her neck. This meant that she was my wife.

    "Can I hold her?"

    "Of course. Her head is delicate, so hold her gently."

    I held the baby in my arms.

    She was so small and fragile that it made me feel unsure. It was hard to believe that this little one was my daughter. It all felt new to me, like a dream.

    But every time her little fox ears twitched, I felt a wave of love from the depths of my heart.

    "It''s a girl."

    "I''m sure she will be beautiful."

    "She will surely grow up to be a great and admirable person, just like you, Toru-sama."

    Those flattering words made me break out in a cold sweat... I don''t expect this child to be strong as an adult, I just want her to be healthy.

    "Have you decided on a name for her?"

    "Yes, I discussed it with the girls. How about Clara?"

    "It''s lovely, I like it."

    As I gently stroked the baby''s cheek, Kaede smiled softly and said,

    "From today onwards, you are Clara Eiban."

    Clara Eiban. So that''s why, because she is my daughter.

    But it still feels strange. I can''t believe I am a father now.

    "Oh, it seems Grandma Neze came to visit us."

    When I turned around, Grandma Neze was peeking her head through the door.

    "May I come in...?"

    "No need to be afraid. Neze-sama is the most important person after Toru in this house. Don''t be shy."

    "I might be... But is it okay if I come in? Will I be kicked out after entering?"

    It seems she is having trouble adjusting to this new environment, like a hikikomori stepping out of her room.

    But I wonder if she''s really a golem. Grandma Neze talks so fast that it''s difficult to understand her at times.

    I looked back at my daughter, and a great sense of pride welled up in my chest. I think about everything I did to acquire a special one just for her. I had heard about a legendary baby crib that can make any child fall asleep within seconds.

    I had been wandering through many places in search of its location. And that''s when I arrived at those ruins. It was quite an adventure from the start.

    "But I don''t think that''s enough."

    "Eh?"

    Kaede''s words interrupted my thoughts.

    Not enough? What does that mean?

    Seeing that I hadn''t explained enough from my expression, she hastily added,

    "Haven''t you heard? Marianne-san and Alyusha-san are also pregnant."

    What? I had no idea!

    I rushed out of the room to hear their words, but my feet got tangled up and I fell down the stairs.

    Ouch, it doesn''t hurt, but it feels painful.

    I got up and ran down the hallway. This house was built by a wealthy merchant in the past. There''s also a large courtyard, and behind it, there''s a garden and a horse stable. From the window, I could see Marianne and Alyusha chatting while having tea in the courtyard.

    "Is it true what you told me? Are both of you pregnant?"

    "Oh, Toru-sama."

    "Welcome back."

    I was overjoyed by this whole situation, so I wrapped my arms around Marianne and lifted her up like a child. But it was only a few seconds later that I realized my actions were not appropriate for a lady.

    "It''s embarrassing, could you please put me down?"

    "I''m sorry."

    "It''s not fair, Marianne. I want Toru-sama to lift me up too!"

    Alyusha jumped around like a wild cat. She used to be a girl with great sharpness and elegance, but now she has completely lost her dignity and is pleading like a little animal craving attention.

    If I had to decide who are the laziest ones in our house, she would definitely be among the top three.

    "When did you realize you were pregnant?"

    "It was after Toru-sama left on his trip. Both of us had several days of feeling nauseous and tired, so we asked Kaede-san to evaluate us. That''s when we found out we were pregnant. It''s amazing that her appraisal ability can even detect pregnancy. I was astonished."

    "We still don''t know if it will be a boy or a girl though. I hope it''s a boy. Teaching him archery and going hunting together will be a dream come true for me."

    I listened to both women''s happy words in silence. I truly don''t mind if it''s a boy or a girl, I''m just happy that I will be a father again.

    If it''s a boy, I can teach him swordsmanship, although I wouldn''t mind teaching her if it''s a girl either. But the most important thing is to exercise together. It will be fun to train with my three children.

    I can already imagine them saying things like, "Look dad, my biceps are toned."

    "You''re imagining dangerous things, aren''t you?"

    "Maybe we should talk about our children''s education policy now."

    While the two of them were talking, I was absorbed in imagining idyllic scenes with my children.

    "You should go to the base soon, otherwise you''ll be trapped in a mountain of paperwork again."

    "Yes, that''s true. I''m also concerned about the territory expansion... I''ll leave the care of the house in your hands."

    We walked out into the hallway and made our way to the entrance. On the walls, there are pictures of landscapes and of all of us together, every time I see them it brings back memories of those days as if they were yesterday.

    Above all, there is one photo that moves me deeply. It''s the one where I am with my nine girlfriends. It''s such a powerful photo that it makes me forget all my fatigue.

    It was our wedding day. Everything was chaotic from the start. Even after it was all over. If a wedding by itself is stressful, imagine doing it with nine women at the same time.

    The leader of the research team cried in the middle of the ceremony and at the reception, and on the other hand, the kings from different nations argued among themselves about which country I represent as a hero.

    It was a miracle that everything ended well and without any incidents.

    "So why did you add sugar?"

    "Because it tastes better with sugar."

    "Luna is right. Pione is mistaken."

    "Is it my fault? I''m just following the recipe as it''s written."

    Suddenly, I heard the voices of my wives coming from the kitchen. It seems they still have disagreements on how to cook.

    After informing Kaede and Grandma Neze about my departure, I left the house.

 CH 226

    The world was entering an era of transformation due to the awakening of the ancient race.

    "They" bestowed upon modern humans knowledge and technology. Of course, not everything. Just a small part. But that small part caused drastic changes.

    Cars started appearing on the streets where there used to be horses, and ships sailed the seas. And strange objects were placed at strategic points in cities and houses to enable long-distance communication with others.

    But the most notable was the flying vehicle that soared through the skies. It''s called the "flying ship."

    It''s a new type of vehicle that allows you to travel through the air, with a shape similar to a ship and multiple attached propellers. Its appearance not only showcased the vastness of the world, but also reduced it to a size that people could comprehend.

    "Here you go."

    "Oh, it''s freshly made. Thank you."

    I received a paper bag from the clothesline and left the store.

    The bag contained many small, round candies. I eagerly prepared to savor the sweetness of the still-warm treat with my fingers.

    I headed to the arrival and departure area of the flying ships. In the lot where I arrived, I saw three large flying ships parked, one of which was being used for spare parts and maintenance of others.

    In addition to these behemoths, there were smaller docks that were for private use.

    "Hello, is everything ready for departure?"

    "I think there shouldn''t be any problem. I can''t guarantee that everything will work perfectly because we haven''t tested it yet. But the magical energy has been filled, so you can use it anytime."

    "Thank you. Then I''ll fly right away."

    A small flying ship was parked at the corner of the warehouse.

    Currently, only around thirty people own a personal flying ship. This is probably because there is a small number of individuals who can directly negotiate with the shipbuilder, Rockbell Shipbuilding Company.

    The president of the shipbuilding company is Jonathan Rockbell. He was the first to embrace the aviation technology brought by the ancient race, and with the help of various connections, he built the largest flying ship factory in the world, which is now a well-known story. He partnered with his son''s transportation company and has since been expanding his business worldwide.

    As the mechanic pulled the small flying ship out of the warehouse, I entered the cockpit and switched on every button on the control panel.

    I waved to the employee at the facility and proceeded to take off.

    After a moderately short aerial trip, I managed to reach the capital of Taikoku, called "Yoken." I walked along the bustling main street in search of the Manyu Brigade headquarters.

    The Manyu Brigade and the Second Manyu Brigade had officially merged. I continued to be the leader of the group, and Ney became the vice-leader.

    But the reality is that Ney handles everything. The group members see me as a mysterious figure who regularly appears to sign documents. Although there is a small group who do know me.

    "I see that not much has changed."

    I stood in front of a relatively new building where many adventurers come and go. There was a wooden sign at the entrance that read "Manyu Brigade."

    In this continent, a party with more than ten members is called a "clan." And our party has become an organization with thousands of members.

    I blended in with a group of people who seemed to be clan members and entered the building.

    "I have completed the request. It is a document issued by the guild."

    "Yes, good job."

    The group members line up and hand over documents to the counter one by one.

    I glanced at the scene as I climbed to the third floor and entered the dull leader''s office, where there was only a desk and a chair.

    I hung my sword on the wall and slumped onto the chair. The desk was empty. But I knew that a massive amount of documents would soon come my way.

    "Excuse me. These are the documents from last week and this week."

    My assistant entered the office and dropped stacks of papers onto my desk. It seemed like it would take me several days to get through this work.

    Honestly, I have no desire to review them, but it''s my job, so I can''t escape from it. So, with a sigh, I picked up a pen.

    "And Nei?"

    "She went to colonize the mentioned island."

    The island being talked about is a recently discovered uninhabited place. It is said to be inhabited by high-level magical monsters and numerous intact archaeological sites. Currently, our organization is investing the majority of its members and resources to take possession of the place.

    "Ah, right. I should help there too..."

    "Of course, but first, you need to finish reviewing the documents."

    "Yes..."

    I yearn to return to the time when I simply swung my sword without thinking about anything...

    Half a day has passed since I left the port. The island of Odin is my new destination, and it won''t be long before it appears on the horizon.

    The main reason for colonizing this place is that beneath the continent where the girls and I had traveled, there exists an even larger one.

    It is a completely unknown land full of mysteries. Most of the research teams sent by other countries never returned, and the researchers who did return were in poor condition and unable to speak clearly.

    However, that did not stop the countries involved from wanting to continue with the expedition.

    The survivors brought back relics. They were so different from the relics we know that they managed to captivate people''s attention.

    From now on, adventurers will be evaluated based on their knowledge of the southern continent. Not just us, but all countries, organizations, groups, and individuals are moving towards the southern continent. The colonization of this island is a project of vital importance to secure an early foothold.

    The ship slowly entered the port. After waiting for a while, a bridge extended towards the firm land.

    Adventurers and organizations were not the only ones wanting to come to this place. There were also civilians looking to move to this island every day. This led to the creation of a small city at the port.

    The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air. My appetite grows stronger... But before I even eat, I have to find Nei.

    I started walking and immediately stopped when I saw some familiar faces.

    "Hey, are you playing lovebirds again?"

    "Oh, boss. It''s rare to see you here."

    Takigi was lying behind a barrel. I looked around, but I didn''t see Nanbara anywhere.

    "Did you come to help with colonization?"

    "Yes, I wouldn''t be a good leader if I left all the work to them. How much progress have you made?"

    "About 10%. The island is big, and the enemies are strong."

    Takigi stood up and scratched his head while sighing.

    "The vice-leader is fighting with the other members right now. I can''t keep up with the rest of my comrades; they''re quite enthusiastic about this."

    "I see, and have you found anything interesting, like ruins or something?"

    "Mhmm... Come with me, I''ll show you something."

    Huh? Why does he have that expression on his face?

 CH 227

    Takigi guided me towards the interior of the island. As we advanced, the forest became more and more hostile, which was strange considering it used to be a paradise for monsters.

    "Normally, we would encounter dozens of them on the way to the front base. It''s strange that we haven''t seen any yet. How dangerous are the creatures here, boss?"

    "Do you think this is my fault?"

    The forest was incredibly silent. Even the birds that had just been singing fell silent as we approached. Animals trembled and hid behind the bushes.

    This place was a high-level zone, even for a different continent. However, what we found exceeded our expectations, which was a shock.

    "Welcome to the front base."

    The wooden door opened, and I was invited inside. The wooden fortress they called the front base was quite large and surrounded by a wooden wall.

    The strength of the trees depended on the average level of the area, as well as the height of the "rear level," which apparently determines the basic ability of all things. This means that the trees from my home and the ones in this area, although they are of the same species, have a significant difference in terms of strength.

    Therefore, there was no need to worry about the wood and its possible breakage.

    After crossing the gate, I found a colonization village just as I had imagined. The difference was that almost all the inhabitants were adventurers.

    Here, everything except alcohol was self-sufficient. The environment was quite harsh, but the rewards were high, and the monthly rotation system was an advantage. Moreover, each adventurer could keep the items they obtained in battles. This meant that the final rewards were quite substantial.

    The amount of experience one could gain in a high-level zone was also very appealing. Living here for a month meant acquiring gold and power. In fact, there were people who joined the wandering caravans just for this job. Although, apparently, some of them would flee after only a week.

    "Where is the sub-leader?"

    "Nei and some members of the group went to hunt the boss. And who are you?"

    A young man who had been called by Takigi looked at me with suspicion. It seemed that he didn''t know who I was, which wasn''t surprising. Few people knew who I am and what I represented for this organization.

    Takigi, noticing the young man''s attitude, whispered to him that I was the leader.

    "What? The leader?"

    "I''m Toru. Nice to meet you."

    "Oh! I''m Hedge, a C-rank."

    We both shook hands.

    Thanks to Nei, I had become somewhat of a living legend. However, there were still people who didn''t believe I was the leader.

    "How long have you been here?"

    "Just three months, but I''ve leveled up quite a bit since I arrived. Although it''s challenging to be self-sufficient, all the members of the group are kind, and it''s quite comfortable living here."

    It seemed that Hedge was here to level up, rather than for the rewards. Before joining the caravan, he had been leveling up in Armand''s dungeon, but he heard about this island with better opportunities for gaining experience alongside his friends.

    By the way, the Armand Dungeon (which I had created) had now become a popular leveling spot, and many adventurers had gathered there. As a result, the country''s economy had significantly improved, and the average level of adventurers had dramatically increased. It''s impossible not to feel responsible for all of this.

    After bidding farewell to Hedge, Takigi and I set off towards the boss.

    "Who is the boss?"

    "The boss is the monster that rules this area. It''s the reason why colonizing this island has been so difficult. Lately, it seems that the bosses from different areas are cooperating and attacking at the same time."

    Monsters with abnormal strength that appear to be sudden mutations. It is said that they are using their subordinates to prevent entry into the zone.

    Seven bosses have been confirmed. The current objective is to eliminate these seven in order to advance with the colonization.

    But what kind of monsters are the ones Nei is fighting against? Nei is now much stronger than she ever imagined in the past. Undoubtedly, she is the strongest fighter in the Manyu Brigade (excluding myself).

    Suddenly, the ground trembles slightly. A rumble echoes from deep within the forest. Is Nei fighting?

    "They''re making a lot of noise again today. The enemies don''t give up easily."

    "Are they in an advantageous position?"

    "In terms of sheer strength, the sub-leader is superior. The problem is that he can''t kill them. They are seasoned fighters with tricks up their sleeves and have a great advantage in the terrain. There are escape routes everywhere, and they often use them."

    Something approaches with great force. It was a large white-colored animal, breaking through all the trees with its massive horns.

    That''s the Horned Rabbit, classified as the weakest. And despite its large size, its speed is as fast as that of a boar.

    The first thing that crossed my mind when I saw it was, "What did it eat to grow to that size?"

    The Horned Rabbit continued charging towards me as it observed me. It must have an instinct to recognize that I am a threat. However, it is coming straight at me because it has no other choice.

    "It seems like all the escape routes are blocked. I wouldn''t expect anything less from the sub-leader."

    "Do I really have to do this? What about Takigi?"

    "He''s not here. Besides, if the leader doesn''t do something, we''ll have another reflection meeting, and I hate those meetings."

    "Well, there''s no other choice. Anyway, he''s coming here to assist."

    The Horned Rabbit accelerates even further when it senses my intention to fight. It aims its sharp, metallic-like horns towards me, clearly displaying its hostility.

    "I hope this will be enough."

    "What?!"

    I slap the Horned Rabbit in the face, causing it to veer off its course and launching it about a hundred meters towards a large tree. And upon impact, it doesn''t move at all... It''s probably dead.

    "Ugh... I''m starting to doubt if you''re not a monster too."

    "Please let me know if you need any further assistance."

 CH 228

    ¨D¨D Three months have passed since I joined the colonization of the island. Although I occasionally go back home to see how things are, most of my time has been spent on the island.

    Why am I so obsessed with colonization? While one of the reasons is the adventure that awaits me in the southern continent, the true reason is to provide a safe place for my wives and children.

    It''s not something I''m proud of, but now I am a man who attracts attention from many countries. I am the descendant of an ancient race and I have abilities that are the topic of conversation everywhere.

    Of course, there will be people who try to take advantage of me and my family. It''s not safe to assume that there won''t be people seeking my vast experience and try to do something malicious with it. Even if they''re not here now, it''s certain that they will appear at some point. We need to create an environment in which our children can grow without worries.

    My wives and I''ve had many discussions about it. So we came to the conclusion of "creating our own city."

    If we don''t have a safe place to live, we must create it ourselves. A city just for us, not belonging to any country. Of course, it''s a plan that also has benefits for the group. If it weren''t, even if Nei and I wanted it, we wouldn''t be able to carry out the plan.

    However, I didn''t expect there to be a major obstacle called "the chief."

    "Let me take care of this... Toru is the leader of the group. He just has to stay firm and relaxed."

    Nei urged me not to do anything and simply wait, so I obediently followed her instructions and sat down on the floor.

    In front of me, the group members were engaged in a fierce battle against the "Vaicorn," the main enemy of the island. Like the "Horn Rabbit," this creature was abnormal in every way and seemed to be of a completely different species from the rest of the individuals we had seen so far.

    I wasn''t sure if it was due to the environment of the island or its proximity to the southern continent, where it was said that there were new species of monsters that were stronger than anything we had seen here. It was still unknown if it was due to the influence of these monsters.

    A young knight-like figure shouted as he launched an attack, "Turn into rust by my sword!" But it seemed that the attack didn''t cause much damage as the Vaicorn jumped and sent several group members flying as it charged.

    The "Wandering Trope" was led by five individuals known as the "Trope Leaders." Each of them had the appropriate combat strength to be the ultimate authority and lead and guide the group members. However, even they were having difficulty battling against the Vaicorn.

    The leader of the Trope, Kiaris, with his knight-like appearance, had no intentions of backing down and continued his crusade against the Vaicorn.

    "Benale!"

    "I''m here."

    A dark elf woman stepped forward to block the Vaicorn''s path. It was the leader of the Trope, Benale, whose attack with her three-section staff halted the monster''s advance.

    The Vaicorn shifted in another direction but was once again stopped by the Trope leader from the lion tribe, Gurjin, whose fists were simple yet incredibly powerful.

    Gurjin prepared to fight against the Vaicorn, but it was another group member, Nanbara, who severed the monster''s head, causing a swift and effective death.

    Gurjin was shocked by what had happened, as he was eager to battle against the Vaicorn. Another group member, Taki, the only alchemist in the group, emerged from the shadow of the forest. Taki was a skilled but clumsy man.

    Nei applauded and then addressed everyone.

    "Now, we only have three more creatures left to defeat. We could almost say that this island is entirely ours. Well done to all who participated in this. I assure you, there will be a special reward for each of you when it''s all over."

    The group members cheered with joy upon hearing those words.

    Amidst all that, only the group leader, Kiaris, was looking at me angrily.

    As I distanced myself from the group, Kiaris approached me as if he had been waiting for such an opportunity.

    "You''re truly an interesting character. Do you just stand around and watch from above without doing anything?"

    "It seems that you''re still unsatisfied."

    "Indeed, I am not. I admit that it was you who founded this party. But it is Nei-sama who exudes charisma and acts as the leader."

    Kiaris was a devoted follower of Nei. He respected her from the depths of his heart and saw her above all else.

    It seems he had been displaying hostility towards me even before I appeared. He challenged me on the day we first met. Of course, I won. He accepted it once, but it seems his dissatisfaction has resurfaced.

    "I still believe that you''re unworthy of being the leader of this party. After all, it was you who appeared when this party became famous. Don''t you think it''s about time you put in some effort as well?"

    "So, your issue is that I became the leader after coming out of nowhere?"

    "Yes, indeed."

    Regardless of how I became the leader of this group, I am now. Would it be selfish to want to achieve something and then step back? Besides, there are interesting, eccentric, and even foolish people. Somehow, I feel a strange sense of satisfaction in thinking that this is my group. It''s comfortable, so to speak.

    "However, I will tell you clearly. You will never be even a quarter of what Nei-sama is. That person may treat you as an equal or even superior, but don''t get confused."

    "I will keep that in mind."

    Kiaris turns around.

    "If I had fought seriously that day, I would have defeated you. I haven''t lost yet."

    Leaving those words behind, he walks away.

    The image of Kiaris dropping his wooden sword to the ground in frustration came to my mind. He seemed to have great pride.

    Observing the group members who began to dismantle the Vaicorn, I started to worry about the relationship I have with my subordinates.

 CH 229

    The development on the island was progressing smoothly as the rulers who once dominated them were eliminated. In the city, buildings were growing day by day, and the supplies being transported by ship were also visibly increasing. People were excitedly discussing the crops they were going to cultivate endlessly, to the extent that forests were being cleared.

    "Not only us, but others too are taking possession of the island, right?"

    "It is said that there is great hidden wealth in the southern continent, and no country wants to be left behind. I heard they are facing many challenges there."

    I headed towards the port with Nei. In this area, there are scattered habitable islands, and it is said that countries or organizations are working to establish bases in hopes of obtaining great benefits. However, it is said that progress is slow due to the monsters living there being too strong. I''ve heard that people like us are investing large sums of money and utilizing a large number of high-level adventurers.

    When we reached the port, we began searching for a specific ship. And a familiar person disembarked from the last ship, making eye contact and waving at me.

    "I''m glad you''re here, the boat trip must have been exhausting."

    "Actually, it was fun to be out after such a long time. Moreover, this is a wonderful island. Will this be our new home? Look, Clara, say hi to your father."

    It was Kaede holding our baby.

    I took the baby and looked at her face. Clara observed me with her wide eyes and a surprised expression. She probably didn''t recognize me. Though she seemed very curious about me, she didn''t cry and continued to watch silently.

    As I gazed at my daughter, Nei peeked from the side.

    "Is she Clara? She''s so cute. Hey, can I hold her too?"

    "No, you''re too rough."

    "That''s not true! I''ve held the babies of clan members before. Can I hold her too, Kaede?"

    "No problem. I know Nei is delicate and kind."

    "See?! Let me hold her!"

    Nei took Clara and smiled. Surprisingly, her way of holding her seemed familiar, and Clara continued without showing any signs of crying.

    "Hey, Kaede, you should have said you were getting off the boat!"

    "Sorry. As soon as I saw Toru, I got impatient."

    The person scolding Kaede was Frau, and she was also the one leading the group of girls disembarking from the boat one after another. Mariana, Alyusha, Luna, Monica, Pione, Neze, and Panda.

    As they set foot on land, they dropped a large amount of luggage they were carrying.

    "I''m glad to see everyone is okay. That includes you too, Panda."

    "Kyuu!"

    Panda rubbed against me as if saying, "praise me, praise me". I haven''t been giving him the attention he deserves for a while, so it''s a bit strange for me to see him like that.

    "Marianne, what did they do with our previous house?"

    "It was sold without any problems. Although the feudal lord seemed quite disappointed."

    We have been well taken care of by the feudal lord of Crookbelles. I should go and greet him and show my gratitude once I''m done here.

    Moreover, I have been very concerned about the condition of Marianne and Alyusha. Both are high-level and strong, but you never know what might happen. They should rest soon.

    "This place is bigger than I thought. Even I, an elf, can relax on this nature-filled island. How about we go hunting as a light exercise...?"

    "Toru, have they finished building our new home yet?"

    "Hey, don''t change the subject and answer my question."

    "You''re right, Alyusha. Let''s go hunting and live like animals. After all, who needs a roof and a bed? Especially when you''re pregnant, right?"

    "Ugh..."

    Alyusha fell silent after Luna scolded her with the harsh reality. I understand her excitement, but as Luna said, we should first check the house and think about things like room assignments and necessary furniture.

    "The carriage is waiting over there. Please follow me, everyone."

    I took the luggage from my wives and proceeded to lead them to the carriage.

    The carriage pulled by a unicorn races along the mountain road. Normally, unicorns are temperamental and not the most suitable for riding, but the unicorns on this island are intelligent and their temperament is quite calm. Currently, they are used as a means of transportation on the island.

    "This place is quite steep, isn''t it?"

    "I''m more concerned about who built our house."

    Pione''s concern seemed to be something that all the girls shared. Their gaze focused on me as I observed Clara''s sleeping face.

    "It was the Wolves and White Foxes clan. They took care of everything, from providing materials to the construction."

    "Does that mean Grandma is here?"

    "Yes. They arrived alongside Grandpa Yatsufusa from the beginning of the colonization. As they have lived for many years, they possess the necessary knowledge and experience, and they also have techniques that have been lost in the present. So I thought they would be of great help."

    As we spoke, we could see the mansion.

    We passed through the metal gate that resembled the mansion of a noble, and the carriage entered the stone-paved grounds.

    My wives approached the window and were left speechless.

    A splendid garden, like that of a royal palace, unfolded before their eyes. The flowers bloomed abundantly and were vibrant. It was a feast of colors. The magnificent sight created by nature captivated anyone who saw it.

    "It''s incredible. Did they create this in less than a year?"

    "It''s the first time Luna has seen such a splendid garden..."

    "Yes. With the knowledge and technique of the divine beasts, even this kind of miracle is possible. I was also very surprised."

    Despite everyone being dazzled, Neze-sama was the only one who showed no reaction.

    "Hmm, I see, so it''s easy when using those kinds of powers."

    She smiles in a strange way and displays an incomprehensible confidence. She undoubtedly hides another kind of personality.

    The carriage stops in front of the imposing stone building.

    As expected, the decoration is minimal, and the building has architecture that is not very flashy. As the husband of women who are former princesses and nobles, they surely want to maintain their reputation.

    "It''s like a noble''s mansion. Can we go inside?"

    "Of course. Although we don''t have maids yet. But it''s undoubtedly ready for occupancy."

    I open the door and invite them to enter.

    The first thing that catches the eye upon stepping forward is the grand foyer that stretches into view.

    "This glass is of better quality than the one used in my house."

    "Look at this. There''s an incredible amount of books."

    It seems Luna has found the place she was looking for. A room containing a library with over ten thousand books. Most of them are books collected by Yatsufusa and Tamamo over centuries. Including ones obtained during their travels and ones received from others. There are also extremely valuable items mixed among them.

    "There are books about cuisine from various regions."

    "There are also books about child-rearing. This is definitely useful."

    "Yes, and it''s a place that invites tranquility. Perfect for a nap."

    Hey, Frau. This is a place for studying or lounging around.

    But I can understand that feeling. This place seems enchanted to induce sleep. But since I hate studying, it''s not the right place for me.

    "It''s time for dinner, why don''t we cook something together?"

    "Yes, please! I haven''t had a decent meal in a long time."

    "What are you saying, Toru? Didn''t I grill meat for you last night?"

    "It''s just grilled meat, not very complicated."

    Upon hearing that, Nei enthusiastically punches me in the stomach.

    I have to tell her to stop hitting me like that. Even though I''m immune to pain, it can start to feel annoying.

 CH 230

    Deep in the forest, a small group of warriors set up their campsite. Even the most experienced in battle couldn''t hide their nervousness.

    For several days now, a large number of monsters had been gathering on the opposite side of the island. Three leaders were in command of them. For those leaders, who had already taken control of much of the island, this was likely their final rebellion.

    In reality, there was also a path of coexistence. They could be used by the humans, but it could avoid this last battle that would cause great sacrifices.

    However, they chose to fight. If someone asks who''s acting wrongly, it would undoubtedly be us. But more and more humans are taking a stance on the island. It''s just a matter of time before someone else comes here instead of us.

    So, wouldn''t it be an act of mercy to let them go with dignity as kings?

    "The enemy leader is threefold. Torrent of the Ghost Tree, Blue Twisted Troll, and the Black Hound of Madness. Of them, the Black Hound is the strongest. Don''t let your guard down and make sure to come back alive," Nei''s voice echoed.

    The group members responded enthusiastically to Nei''s command. The five group leaders were also silently filled with vigor.

    "Are the group leaders going to be bystanders again this time?" Kiaris threw sarcastic words.

    Many have accepted me as a group leader thanks to Nei''s recommendation. But on the other hand, I also know that my abilities are still being questioned. This is a good opportunity to demonstrate my authority.

    "I''m going too. I''ll take the lead and follow me afterwards."

    "Are you serious? Are you going to fight against a monster that can take on multiple group leaders?"

    "Then, I''ll let you take care of the other two while I handle one."

    "Understood. If the group leader says so, let''s do it that way. I would like to see the vice leader Nei''s abilities as well."

    I''m sorry to disappoint you, but it won''t be a grand battle to witness.

    By the way, there are also three attack groups since the enemy is threefold.

    The central group, which I lead, is targeting the Black Hound. Nei and two other leaders will take on the Blue Twisted Troll. Meanwhile, another group led by Kiaris will go after the Torrent of the Ghost Tree.

    The starting whistle blew and the group members began to move out one by one. The members of the group I lead were also restless, weapons in hand.

    "Wait for me to clear the way for you. I''ll let you know when to attack."

    The group members were surprised by my words.

    I raised my right hand and concentrated magic in it, causing a strong gust of wind to form.

    I''ve been practicing magic for a while now. Although it''s not perfect, I can control the flow with great ease.

    "Wind!"

    A strong wind swept through the forest, digging into the ground and lifting the trees into the sky.

    "Now!"

    A straight path appeared out of nowhere. The group members were astonished.

    "What are you standing around for? Let''s go. This is our chance, and keep formation."

    As if my subordinates snapped back to reality, they shook their heads and proceeded to move forward.

    We came face-to-face with a large black Hound. The monsters on this island are larger than usual, making us look like dwarves in comparison.

    "I''ll fight the boss, you take care of the other monsters."

    "Understood!"

    A middle-aged adventurer with glasses responded.

    Before joining the Manyu Brigade, he was known as a low-level adventurer. Thanks to Nei''s acceptance, he has improved greatly and is now the deputy leader of the group. Nei had secretly chosen him as the leader of this specific group.

    He gave precise instructions and prevented the members from being overwhelmed by the enemies.

    "Grrrrr"

    The monster boss crouched down and looked at me cautiously. It was clear that he was planning to defeat me with a single strike, as he bared his fangs. Surely, he has realized that I am a threat to him.

    "Leader Toru?"

    "Don''t worry."

    I swung my hand, and the Black Hound was cleaved in two. For almost a year now, I have been defeating all the monsters I have encountered in this manner. My power has increased to such an extent that it''s truly absurd.

    I''m starting to feel bad for not being able to use my sacred sword for so long.

    "Kill only those who want to fight. Don''t chase after those who flee."

    The soldiers were still perplexed by what I had just done, so it took them a few seconds to react.

    Running at high speed through the forest, I came across the left group.

    The battle had already begun.

    Soldiers and monsters were mixed in seemingly uncontrollable chaos. The leader, Kiaris, fought fiercely against the Shadow Trento.

    "Kyoooooh!"

    Kiaris''s sharp strike with a strange cry cut through the enemy''s body. However, the thick and tough skin remained unaffected by the sword.

    "What tough skin. If we can reach the core, we''ll have the advantage, but the blade won''t reach. One-handed swords and three-sectioned maces are a disadvantage. If there''s any chance, it''s with Nanbara."

    "Do you want me to help?"

    "You! What are you doing here? What happened to the Black Hound?"

    Kiaris was surprised to see me, his eyes widening.

    "Don''t worry about it, it''s already taken care of."

    "Even though you''ve dealt with it, there''s quite a distance between here and where the central group is. How did you get here so quickly?"

    Of course, I ran. It''s nothing I''m proud of, but my legs are faster than any monster''s.

    "As expected from our leader, Toru. Nanbara is grateful that you''ve taken care of that."

    "...Thank you, although I would have liked to know if you needed any help."

    "It''s not necessary. We can handle this ourselves."

    Kiaris responds before Nanbara can do so.

    And even though Kiaris refused, it was obvious that they were having trouble. The group was getting increasingly cornered by the Trento.

    "In that case, I''ll take care of the other Trentos."

    "What will you do?"

    Imitating the same motion I did with the Black Hound, I cut the Trento with a blade of wind.

    Although I can''t eliminate it completely.

    Trentos are magical creatures that secretly maintain the balance of the forest. Just like beneficial insects for the soil, it is all part of the ecosystem that cannot be disrupted.

    After halving the Trento, I decided to head towards where Nei was.

    Nei''s group was the most overwhelming.

    They pushed forward regardless of the number of enemy trolls, who stood at a height of 5 or 6 meters. While they were clumsy and slow, their immense power made them stand out among the monsters. This group challenged the enemy in a display of strength, consisting of members who were passionate about physical combat.

    Next to Nei was Gruzind, who used his fists as his most powerful weapon.

    Following him was Baronina, wielding a saw-toothed sword, Dolz, who used a shield for striking, Shubi, with iron fingers, and other renowned warriors both within and outside the group. They were the ones who faced the most ferocious enemy among the three groups¡ªthe trolls.

    However, there was a unique individual among these combat warriors.

    "Why am I in this group? I''m a brain, not a fighter!"

    It was Takigi, an alchemist who could hurl trolls into the air.

    Despite being considered a brain, Takigi adapted perfectly. His abilities to create potions and enhance his comrades greatly increased the group''s strength. It seems that Takigi was a valuable addition to the right group, serving to support Nei. However, he was still underestimated.

    "We defeated the boss! We won!"

    Thanks to Nei and Gruzind''s efforts, the troll boss was defeated. The trolls, now leaderless, quickly dispersed, and the wounded monsters fled in different directions.

    And so, the battle between humans and monsters on Odin Island ended with the victory of the humans.