《Cheat Magician Life That Started From Being Judged Useless》 CH 1 I was summoned to another world, but I was judged to be useless. ***---*** "This is crap! What''s going on, explain it!" Funayama a problem child is screaming, it''s a daily occurence in our class, aah, he''s doing it again ... Everyone only thinks to this extent. However, that''s only when the other person is a school teacher, it''s a different story if you''re dealing with a knight wearing full-plate metal armor. My name is Kento Kokubu, this is Chuuni. The word Chuunibyo is not the Chuunibyo, meaning that you are in the second year of junior high school, but in this case, we are in the middle of being summoned to another world. You see, isn''t it Chuunibyo? Well, I''m that age, so I''m suffering from it, but it''s serious, this is. Until a while ago, we were taking our third period class at a junior high school in Tokyo, when suddenly we were surrounded by light, a magic square appeared in the air, and the entire third floor of the school building was summoned here. Or so I was told, I was asleep and missed the summoning light and the magic square. From midday Tokyo, it suddenly became the middle of the wasteland at night, it became pitch black in an instant, and as a matter of course, the girls screamed loudly and I finally woke up. Anyway, to miss the moment of being summoned to another world, I think I''m really stupid. Furthermore, the school building was summoned from the floor to the ceiling of the third floor. This, this is a bad Daruma doll, isn''t it?(TN:Daruma doll signifies good luck, so this is bad luck) To have the fourth floor of the remaining school building in Tokyo suddenly fall onto the second floor ... It would be a catastrophe. Even though it would be a big incident even if all the students in the first grade went missing, the whole third floor of the school building disappeared, so it is a worldwide turmoil. I wonder if CIA, MI6, Interpol, etc. will participate in the investigation. If you could go home, you''d catch newspapers and the internet. Or rather, I''m sure you''d be attacked by the media. You''d be a celebrity, could you get along with idols? When I was thinking about it, a person who seemed to be in charge came out. A beautiful blonde ringlet wearing golden shiny armor, which looks different from other soldiers. "Quiet! I, Camilla Resenburg, the third princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg summoned you." Oh, the princess came--! Isn''t the princess in armor really like a different world? Everyone took out their smartphones and mobile phones all at once and took pictures. Yes yes, the knights who surround us look strong, but what they''re curious about is obvious, because they look very greedy. Ah, Funayama bastard, this time you got involved with the princess, that overreaching fatty. Or rather, why do we understand the language of this world? "Yeah, Princess, we were summoned as heroes? If so, why don''t we have more luxurious hospitality? If anything, you can do the night hospitality. That''s it." Funayama has a huge body with a height of over 180 cm and a weight of over 100 kg, and it seems a scout came from the sumo club. He was so forceful that Ayako Sugiyama, an intern teacher, cried when her class was criticized. The princess, on the other hand, is one or more heads smaller than Funayama, but she doesn''t seem to be scared at all. Yeah, it''s a princess, the royal aura is fully open, and it''s dignified. "I''m afraid you''re misunderstanding, so let me tell you, you''re not heroes, just soldiers to make up for the lack of strength." That? It''s clearly a hero summoning! I was wondering, but what does it mean to be just a soldier? Everyone around me feels confused. "Quiet! You have two choices: submit to us, cooperate, receive a reward and go home, or go against us and die, choose the one you like!" Yeah ... the ultimate choice! "This is crap! Why do we have to follow you obediently!" Funayama bastard, tries to grab the princess, oh, on the contrary, the princess grabbed him. "Geh, you ... wa, let go ..." No way! The princess grabbed Funayama''s neck and lifted him with just her left hand. "Don''t make me tell you the same story over and over, I''m not a patient person, your choices are two, obedience? Death? Choose the one you like!" Oh, Funayama was thrown away like garbage, yes, I''m obedient, of course. When I thought such, the chariman came--! Yuika Asakawa, the chairman of our class, is an endangered Yamato Nadeshiko who looks good with straight black hair. "Is it okay to ask a question?" "I don''t mind, I''ll allow it." "Thank you. You said that if we cooperate, we can get rewarded and go home, but is there a way to go back to our original world?" "Of course. What if a monster that is too much to handle comes out using summoning magic? It would be a problem if there was no way to send it back. The summoning method would not be possible without the repatriation method. This is the basics of summoning magic. I see, the princess confidently answered without a break, this is safe. The chairman and everyone around her have a relieved expression. "If you have no other questions, I will judge your magical power from now on." Eh? I wonder if we can use magic to judge magical power. Is that it? I think it''s an event where cheat abilities are revealed. "Judgment is made using ''Evil Eye Crystal''. If each person touches it with their hand, you can see the magical qualities and attribute of that person. If you receive the judgment, wear a bracelet to prevent the magic from rampaging. Ride the carriage separately according to the amount of magical power. There is no time, start quickly." Three crystal balls with a diameter of about 30 cm are prepared, the teachers will be judged first, and then the students will be judged in order of attendence number. "Green, wind attribute, medium, next! Blue, water attribute, strong, next!" Apparently, when you touch the crystal ball, it emits light of a color according to the person''s attributes, and the intensity of the light seems to indicate the amount of magical power. When observing, it seems that there are many amber light soil attributes and green light wind attributes, followed by water attributes and fire attributes are a minority. When the judgment is over, the have the bracelet fitted to their left arm, but it looks like carved obsidian, and it tickles my heart. Even so, it feels like a career woman who is making judgments, and although it is quite beautiful it is extremely clerical. Well, it can''t be helped because this number of people is one after another. Oh, next is the chariman''s turn. The chairman does not feel like a healing water attribute. "Next! Wow, my eyes are ..." As soon as the chairman touched the crystal ball, a white light that was incomparable to the previous one overflowed. "Well, this amount of magical power and light attribute. Unlike the hero summoning that summons an individual, I thought I couldn''t expect it, but it seems there was quite a pick-up. You ... That''s right. Get on my carriage." Oh ... I wonder if the chariman will sublimate into a real angel beyond my expectations for the light attribute? I hear the knights whispering, "Saint ...", but I won''t give her to you, because the chairman is our chairman. After that, the handsome guy in the basketball club draws a rare fire attribute, and seriously explodes in the rear! While I was thinking about it, it was finally my turn. Then I can''t help it, so let me show you my cheat! "Don''t screw with me! Why, this bastard, won''t listen to me!" I screamed at the crystal ball involuntarily, because it didn''t shine. "Crystal of the evil eye, dyed in the deep darkness with my magical power!" I tried to make a decision with two lines, but it didn''t shine ... I can''t use this one. "Ah ... this one, looks like a failure ..." The onee-san who was clerical until a while ago, looks at me with a pitiful gaze, but maybe I can''t use it ... "What a failure, what a failure ..." "Well, touch this one next time." The judgment onee-san took out a crystal ball with a diameter of about 10 cm. Ah, I understand somehow, this one broke when the chairman touched it. I''m getting a lot of attention from the people around me, and I don''t want to touch it because I have a very bad feeling about it, but the princess is looking impatient, so I''ll touch it. "This time ... what is that?" "Ah ... this is a complete failure, I''ve seen it from time to time, but I didn''t think one would be among the summoned ..." According to the onee-san, the human beings summoned this time are not as poweful as the hero, but they should be given stronger magical power than the locals ... Hey. I didn''t even think of it, a reverse cheat ... It''s too terrible that you can''t use magic even though you''ve been summoned to another world. "Camilla-sama, what are you going to do with this?" "Hmm, keep him in a place that doesn''t get in the way." Wow, the glittering look when seeing the chairman is now as if looking at a bug. It seems that I''m a little nervous and about to wake up to something. Oh, I didn''t get the bracelet. Is it meaningless because there is no magical power to go rampant? "Gyahaha, Babu bastard, you''re a failure, you''re an no-good failure." Funayama bastard, you''re crazy, you lost too! Oh, Babu is my derogatory term, Babu for short, stupid Kokubu, because even if you take a bath separately, no bubbles with come out. "Next! Make it big!" "Okay, I''ll show you my burning magical power!" Oops, it''s Funayama''s turn, fail, fail, dump it in! "Amber, soil attributes, weak, deceptive appearance, next!" Uhyahyahya, Funayama serves you right! I know that, I''ve seen it in an H book. It''s the same as when someone said "It''s small ..." or "It''s early ..." on the bed. Yeah, that''s pretty good, onee-san Good Job. When I was ridiculing Funayama in my heart, everyone''s judgment was over, and I was the only one who failed. Regardless of me being depressed, the knights were preparing for withdrawal, and all that remained was the princess, the chairman, and the onee-san who was judging. "So what will you do, Camilla?" If you can see such dirty things with your eyes, you''ll be thrilled. "You can go anywhere you like." Wow, I''ve been cut off, it''s like a slashing straw. "Wait a minute. Kokubu is our companion. You can''t abandon him!" Oh, the chairman is a serious angel! I''ll be with you for the rest of my life, call me a dog. "Hmm, I don''t need someone useless as a subordinate. Can I waste people''s taxes?" "That ... we were summoned unilaterally, so it''s terrible to cut him off just because he has no magical power." "Hmm, then I''ll give this guy a chance." The princess has a black laugh. I only have a bad feeling, but ... CH 2 The last chance is a death trip? ***---*** "I''ll give you one last chance, go the other way, the opposite direction from where we''re going. There''s a town after you''ve gone through the wasteland and through the woods, go to the barracks of that town. If you can do that, I''ll think about an assignment." The princess, dressed in golden armor, pointed to the road leading to the other side of the wasteland. "Well, am I going alone?" I asked. "Yes, who else is there?" "Um, water or food?" "In some cases, you may lose your equipment and have just your body alone, even if you don''t have a follower, you just walk on the road.. You don''t need anything like that." 90% of the princess is so unapproachable that she might as well be made of harshness. For me, who always uses escalators and elevators and thinks that if you use the stairs, you will lose, it seems to be a tough test. The judge onee-san looks at me with pity, but isn''t there something wrong with it? "Can you at least give him just water?" Oh! Chairman, how kind you are! "Hmm, even if you sip the muddy water, you''ll get there." Damn, damn, I''ll make this princess say Gahun someday. Thus, I was left alone and everyone else boarded the carriages and left. Because it was frustrating, when everyone left by carriage, I sang Donna Donna.(TN: A song about leading a calf to slaughter.) Well, it can''t be helped even if I stay still, so I wonder if I can walk. The moon, which is about twice as large as the moon on earth, is shining in the sky, so even though it is a night road, there is no need to worry about your feet. That said, there really isn''t a single streetlight, and when the moon sets, it will be pitch black. I don''t know how far it is to the town, but it''s better to hurry a little. First of all, isn''t the forest quite far away? Is it because of your mind that you can see it so far away? For the time being, I''m walking even though I''m confused, but I''m really walking. Speaking of how serious it is, it''s really walking with the slippers that are usually worn indoors. But, I don''t think about wearing slippers and walking long distances at all. The sole is very thin, and the soles of my feet started to hurt just by walking a little. Unlike the beautiful roads in Tokyo that are paved, it is difficult to walk because it is a stone or bare soil road. Even so, I walked desperately, and I think I walked for more than two hours. It was during the 3rd hour of class that I was summoned, so normally it''s already past lunch time, I''m so hungry I''m about to die. While enduring hunger and pain in my legs, I walked for another 30 minutes and finally reached the entrance to the forest. It''s good to arrive, but it''s dark, it''s too dark! The moon has already tilted considerably, and I think I can barely see about 10m ahead. If it''s up to 20m away, I can''t see it at all, and if the moon sets, isn''t it out? But if you go through the forest, there''s a town, right? I''m hungry so I have no choice but to go early. That''s why I decided to walk with guts, but it''s tough, painful, honestly scary, too scary for a bean sprout who grew up in the city. Already, it feels like you''re groping, and it''s completely at the haunted house level. I regretted it after walking for five minutes, why didn''t I spend the night outside the forest? It was pitch black, so while I was walking with my feet on my mind I heard it. "Gya..." "What? What is there?" I raised my face in a hurry, it was shining, eyes... ... "Uwa~a~a~a..." While screaming I tried to go back the way I came, even there eyes were shining. "Gya! Gyagyagya-!" In the blink of an eye, an unidentified something jumped in. What I saw in the moonlight was an ugly monster that was the same size or a little smaller than me. "Go, goblins ... don''t come over here!" "Gya-Gyagyagya!" I swung my hands around like crazy trying to get rid of the goblins, but it seemed that I was hit by something, I felt a shock to the back of my head, and I easily let go of my consciousness. What just walk down the road, that villainous princess, I''m going to really blow you away ... ... I was easily knocked out by a goblin-like monster, but I quickly regained consciousness. Why is that? That''s because I''m being eaten! "Ouch! Damnit, let go! It hurts, it hurts, stop! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, you bastards!" Even so, I screamed as much as I could. Because, of course, not only my hands and feet, but even my belly is bitten. Moreover, it hurts because the meat is being bitten off and eaten without any adjustment. "Guaaaa! It hurts, it hurts, igyaaaaaa!" While my limbs were being held down and I couldn''t move, I felt that something was being pulled from my stomach, and when I looked, the goblins were eating my intestines with a bloody mouth. "Gobu ... Goho, Goho, Gebo ..." Something warm is flowing back into my throat, probably blood. "No, I don''t want it ... I don''t want it ... gobu, I don''t want it, I don''t want it, help me ... ... help me, gebu, gefu ... ... help me, help me, help me ... ... gofu ... ... someone, save me!" Because even my internal organs were being eaten, I couldn''t help but pray. Bushu ... ... Suddenly, there was a crushing sound of meat, and the goblin''s neck flew in the air. What? What happened? "Gi? Gaga Gaga?" Bushu ... ... Bushu ... ... Bushu ... ... The flesh-crushing sound continues, as if to drown out the suspicious goblin cries. I could see a goblin whose head was skewered with something sharp. Kasha ... ... Kasha ... ... Kasha ... ... Kasha ... ... After the signs of the goblins clinging to my body disappeared, a flock of skeletons appeared. A more powerful monster ... what is this, it''s checkmate ... I let go of my consciousness again. Chun, Chun, Chun ... ... The next morning, I woke up with a bird song. "Ah, is this the famous ''Morning Chun''? Yes, i was looking forward to it last night ... Oh!". When I jumped up with a surprised self boke-tsukkomi, I was surrounded by a group of skeletons in a circle. "Well, what''s going on with this? Someone please explain." [ I will answer, My Lord. ] "Wow, I got a reply--!" When I was surprised by the voice that suddenly echoed in my head, a skeleton knelt down in wait. "Um ... Is it you who answered just now?" [ It really is My Lord. ] Apparently, the voice that echoes in my head is a kind of telepathy by the skeleton. "My Lord?" When I pointed at myself for confirmation, the skeleton nodded. [ We are protecting ourselves according to the orders of My Lord. ] "Um ... that means I called you all?" [ That''s right, My Lord. ] The skeleton nodded again, I don''t know why, but he seemed to have a grinning and satisfied smile. The skeletons that surrounded me were ten, and seven goblin corpses were piled up in the distance. The wounds were fresh and gross. According to the skeletons, they were knights who died in an ambush near here long ago. Because of the regret that they couldn''t protect their master, they were wandering around because they couldn''t ascend, but they received my rescue order and subdued the goblins. "But I''ve never used magic, and when I got a magic check last night, I was even told that I was ''useless''." [ If you summoned all of us without even being aware of it, Kent-sama would have a unique necromantic quality. ] It''s a bit exaggerated to be called ''My Lord'', So I had them call me by name. They used ''sama'', but that''s a compromise, isn''t it? By the way, on behalf of the skeletons, Reinhardt-san, who was the captain of the unit at the time when he was a knight, answered the question. "What kind of magic is necromancy?" [ Necromancy is a magic of darkness, but it is not a very common magic because there are very few magicians who have the aptitude of darkness. ] "After all, it''s a darkness attribute. If so, was it the correct reaction that the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' did not shine?" [ No, if you ahve the qualities of Kent-sama, the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' should definitely be dyed black. ] "But the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' remained clear, why is that? Is it broken?" [ Now, I wasn''t there at Kent-sama''s place to judge magical power, so ... ] While the skeleton thinks he twists his head like in a surrealistic painting. "Well, I forgot the important thing, why am I alive?" That''s right, I was cut down by the goblins last night and had my intestines pulled out, but at dawn I was fine. Well, the uniform I was wearing was torn to pieces and looked like a bloody rag, but my body wasn''t scratched. By the way, when I woke up, I was hungry and asked the skeletons to gather some fruit. One type is like mango but the taste is orange, and the other type is like adding banana and avocado and dividing by two. The appearance and taste don''t match, so I was confused at first, but the freshly picked fruit is really delicious. [ As far as I can see, Kent seems to have used healing magic on himself. ] Reinhardt-san answered, but somehow he looks confident. "Healing magic is light attribute, isn''t it?" [ Some people can use water as well as light, but when it comes to healing wounds that reach the internal organs, only light healing magic can be considered. Usually ... ... ] "Usually ... does that mean that unusual water magic might have been used?" [ No, it is said that darkness and light magic are in conflict, and it is usually unthinkable for someone with a darkness aptitude to use light magic. ] It seems that the skeletons around him are listening to the story, and it may be a little cute to see them all squinting. [ A moment, is that alright? Kent-sama. ] "Yes, it''s okay, uh ..." [ I''m Basten, the commander of the unit. ] He looks a little different, but it''s hard to distinguish the individual because they''re bone. [ This is a guess, but maybe Kent-sama has both light and dark magical aptitudes, and they cancel each other out, thus the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' did not react. ] The other skeletons also slam their firsts onto their palms and nod. "But if both magical powers are not balanced with exactly the same strength, either reaction will occur, right?" When I asked a question, the skeletons twisted their heads all at once and started thinking. Yeah, this is pretty cute. [ Whether they are exactly the same and balanced, or because they are unexpected attributes that have both attributes, they didn''t react. In any case, it is certain that even ''Evil Eye Crystal'' could not determine it. ] "Yeah, it''s more natural to think that it didn''t react unexpectedly." I thought it was a ''useless'' failure, but this opened the path to a cheat again. CH 3 Specter and Skeleton Knights ***---*** Although I was judged to be useless by the ''Evil Eye Crystal'', I realized that I also had magical power, and my mood rose rapidly. I called out ten skeletons at once and even healed my wounds where the internal organs popped out, isn''t it a pretty high spec? I tried to ride the moment and traverse the forest with the skeleton escorts, but the skeletons were not enthusiastic. "Maybe you can''t leave the land with a spiritual tether-like feeling? [ No, we have no problem following Kent-sama, but our strength is a little ... ... ] No, I feel that the wording of ''following'' was also strange. "What do you mean by strength?" [ If you go ahead, you will see ogres, saber-toothed tigers, etc. In that case, the current us will not be able to protect Kent-sama. ] "Hmm ... Is there a way?" [ If you strengthen us, I think there will be no problem. ] "I see, it''s strengthening, isn''t it? What should I do?" [ The enhancement of monsters is basically to take in the magic stones of other monsters. ] "Take in magic stones?" [ That''s why, you should choose three of us and take in the rest along with the goblin magic stones to strengthen us. ] "What? Is that okay?" [ No problem. ] "What happens to those who have had their magic stones taken?" [ We are no longer humans, so we will just disappear. ] "No, no no, that''s a problem, it''s a big problem." [ No problem. ] Reinhardt-san, who said that it was decided, was rather repulsive. "I can''t forgive you for having just met, then disappearing in the form of cannibalism!" Reinhardt-san nodded when as he understood why I resented his words. [ Kent-sama, it''s not cannibalistic. ] "Then what do you mean ..." [ We are already wandering around in a world apart from usual human beings, and disappearing means that we will return to our original form and ascend to heaven. ] "Isn''t that a bad thing?" [ On the contrary, Kent-sama, would you mind sending everyone? ] "But then, isn''t it better to send them all together?" [ The remaining ones of us will take over the will of the deceased and protect you, which is also an honor. ] Speaking of which, a skeleton is certainly like a ghost wandering around the world. Defeating a skeleton also means making it ascend. I decided to send everyone else to heaven, leaving behind three people, Reinhardt-san, who was the captain of the unit, Basten-san, who was the commander of the unit, and Fred-san. I stood in front of the eight skeletons lined up. If you took a closer look, everyone has missing bones and no arms here and there. I don''t know if it was last night''s battle or a long time ago. I don''t know, but I''m sure that they responded to my call and fought to protect me in such a state of full-blown wounds. "Thank you everyone, because you came to help me, I am ..." The skeletons, who were supposed to be terrifying monsters, felt warm watching over me, as tears overflowed and my words couldn''t continue. [ Don''t cry, Kent-sama, we''re going thanks to Kent-sama. ] [ That''s right, I''m sure I would still be wandering if Kent-sama hadn''t called me. ] [ Oh yeah, I''m sure my family and friends are waiting over there. ] [ So please smile and send me. ] In my eyes clouded with tears, the smiles of the rugged and gentle men were reflected. "Yes ... Thank you very much, everyone, please take a rest." I''m sure it''s a terrible face with tears and a runny nose, but I still smiled as hard as I could and saw everyone off. [ See you captain, I''m going first, thank you for your help. ] [ The commander is fine, and he''s dead, right? ] [ You guys, if you die over there, tell my family, and if you finish protecting Kent-sama''s life, you''ll die. ] [ I will protect Kent-sama until our parting. ] [ Oh, leave it to me! ] [ Then, see you over there. ] [ Ah, see you again. ] I''m still not sure how to use necromancy, but when I pray from the bottom of my heart that they should die for my family and friends, the eight skeletons are wrapped in warm light and glittering particals. Then they disappeared. After they left, eight clear magic stones were left behind. Collecting the magic stones left by the everyone in the skeleton unit and the magic stones recovered from the goblin corpses, I immediately strengthened Reinhardt-san, Basten-san, and Fred-san. There are 15 magic stones in all, so 5 per person. "By the way, how do you take in magic stones?" [ Some monsters eat them, but in our case, it feels like it''s pressed against the chest and absorbed. ] Certainly, a skeleton has no esophagus, and it''s too scary to be pictorially bitten. "So what should I do?" [ Please help with necromancy, Kent-sama. ] "Even if I''m told to help, I''m not conscious of necromancy, so what should I do ..." [ That''s right, it''s okay to have the image of us after becoming stronger. ] Speaking of skeletons that have been strengthened, the main thing is to strengthen the material of the skeleton, and after that, it feels like power-ups of movement and weapons. In that case, it''s better to ask about the fighting style of the three people in their lifetime. That''s why I will listen to the three people, solidify the image, and carry out reinforcement. "Then, I want to solidify the image concretely, so let''s strengthen it one by one." [ Understood. ] "First from Reinhardt-san." [ Oh, thank you. ] Reinhardt-san is said to have been a power type with the second name, ''Grand Arm'' during his lifetime. Therefore, let''s go with the mirror processing of heavy and hard tungsten. Why do I know that tungsten is heavy? That''s the common sense of Chuni. "Then, I''ll help you with the image, so start taking in the magic stones." [ Then, let''s get started. ] When he started taking in the magic stones I sent the magical power and image into his body, the black mist began to cover Reinhardt-san''s body. At first, the mist that was thin gradually darker, and eventually it became a dark color that seemed to swallow even the surrounding light, and even purple lightning started running inside, hey ... is it okay? I was scared by the power, but I couldn''t expose the pitiful figure as a summoner, so I did my best, even though I was a little bit scared. Eventually, the dark mist gathered in a condensed manner, and after the flashy thunderstorm burned the field of vision, a metallic skeleton carrying a jet-black sword stood there. "Th-This is... ..." [ Around three times as bad as before ... ] "Yeah, I''m definitely confident that I''ll be incontinent if I meet that at night." Even if you don''t have the knowledge of martial arts and magic, you can see something like an aura, and you can see the atmosphere that makes you feel it''s dangerous at a glance. Basten-san, who has a long relationship with him, is so overpowered that he can''t help but say nothing. Reinhardt-san seems to be checking his new physical condition by opening and closing his hands and turning his shoulders. And when he picked up the big sword that he was carrying on his back ... "Zuoriya~!" With a spirited cry, he stepped towards a tree at a speed that seemed to make his body blurred, and swung the big sword on his right shoulder at once. Dogaaaaaa ... ... It feels like it''s exploding rather than slashing, and the trunk, which is thick enough to be held by about three adults, disappeared. "Wow ... what''s that?" [ No, I guess Kent-sama helped me. ] [ Literally ... a monster ... ] The three of us reacted to the flashy destruction that Reinhardt-san showed us. [ Buhahahaha it''s wonderful, this body is wonderful! ] That? Reinhardt-san, hasn''t your character changed? When I turned my eyes to Basten-san and Fred-san, they shrugged together and made a pose. The skeleton in the hand-held pose has good taste, doesn''t it? Oh, I see, that''s the ground, or rather, you''ve been catty until now. Reborn? As for Reinhardt-san, I''ve done a lot too much, Tehepero. But in the future, I have to live in a different world, so I can''t be escorted by a weak escort, so I will take the plunge and overdo it. That''s why the other two also have to be strengthened. Basten-san is said to have been a master of spears with the second name, ''Burning Fire'' during his lifetime. He''s good at continuous piercing, so I imagined light and hard titanium. A sandblasted matte titanium-colored skeleton, also holding a jet-black spear, appears from the dark mist. "Shaaaa!" The jet-black spear''s tip made a large hole of about 1m in the big tree, and even pierced the trees that stood behind. It''s too fast to follow with my eyes at all, but did the spear grow? Or is it something like a shock-wave? I don''t understand the meaning of a long-range attack with a spear, but ... well, it''s okay because it''s an ally. Fred-san was a twin sword user who had the second name, ''Instant Slash'', so I imagined a light and supple composite carbon fiber. A skeleton with a carbon black resin luster, carrying a jet-black twin sword, stood as if it was natural he had been there from the beginning once the dark mist had left. I heard that the power to imagine magic is important, but even so, necromancy, darkness magic, it''s too amazing. "Shhh!" The twin swords swung with a quiet sound cut through the nearby huge rock like tofu. What is it made of that sword or spear? Unknown substance? Dark matter? The three skeletons that are all happily showing off with swords and spears is too scary, but I definitely don''t want to turn them into enemies. When I was thinking about that, the three of them lined up side by side and came towards me. Then, when they came in front of me, they knelt down and bowed their heads to me. Didn''t you notice that I took a half step involuntarily with such force? [ A wonderful body and weapons, I''m always grateful. ] [ The three of us, Kent-sama, will follow you and protect you. ] [ You have our swords and spear ... ] "I''m an unreliable Lord, but thank you." [ Huh! ] I''m hungry after strengthening the three people, could you feed me something? When I complained of hunger, Reinhardt noticed something and looked up at the sky. [ Basten, just right, it''s a bird, kill it! ] [ Roger that! Shah! ] Basten thrusts his jet-black spear towards a bird that arrives at the right time. Will it reach such a high place? It exploded and feathers sprinkled. "Wow, it''s amazing, it can reach such a high place ... but if it explodes, you can''t eat it." [ Hmm ... I''m sorry. ] The power has improved, but the adjustment seems to be too sweet, and when I''m in a battle with a monster in the future, I''m afraid that if I get sick, I''ll be caught up and die. I wonder if these people will fight with me in mind. In the end, we gave up on birds and I was filled with fruits again. Ah, it''s delicious, but it''s a vegetarian different world. After this, three people asked me to name their weapons. Oh, after all their partner needs a name. However, the names that come to mind in Chuunibyo are generally fixed. "The sword of Reinhardt-san is Gram." [ Huh. ] "Basten-san''s spear is Gae Bulg." [ Huh. ] "Fred-san''s twin swords are Laevateinn and D¨¢insleif." [ Hah. ] When I gave the weapons a name, the three grinned and laughed with their respective weapons in their hands. Well, I''ve come to understand the facial expressions of the three people, but I wonder if it''s due to familiarity. CH 4 It''s just now, but it''s a magical story ***---*** Having finished strengthening the three, we decided to go through the forest and head for town. Beyond the forest is a fortified city called Volzard. Isn''t it cool like a fort city? It feels like a different world. [ By the way, what was Kent-sama going to Volzard for? Entering the forest alone is a good way to suicide. ] "Eh? Ah ... it was a difficult task to go through the forest alone ... damn it, that villainous princess." I told Reinhardt-san that I was summoned from another world and that my magical power judgment was a mistake, so I was given the last chance to go through the forest alone. "But that, it''s just a good way to get rid of a nuisance right?" [ Yes, I can only think of it that way, because this forest is a dangerous forest that is difficult to traverse unless it is with a group of escorts. ] According to Reinhardt-san, this forest is a forest that has spread due to the outbreak of Trent, a monster that mimics trees. The number of monsters is large just because of the spread, and it seems that it was quite difficult to open up the forest and regain the original path. Still, it seems like human beings have regained their way. "Then, if I go through this dangerous forest alone, I wonder if my value will be reviewed." [ Of course, such a thing as traversing this forest alone is impossible unless you are a first-class adventurer or a master-class martial artist, if it''s heard that you can use both dark and light magic it should be correct to receive treatment that is no lower ] "Oh ... my time is finally here." I can''t help but be excited about the situation that every Chuunibyo dreams of getting a cheat ability in a different world. The excitement of the three of them seems to be conveyed through the bond as their summoner. But wait a minute, if you go on with it like this, you''re assured to make a painful mistake. Instead of rushing here, let''s stop and think about it. And to think, you need the information to make a decision. So, I decided to have Reinhardt-san and the others teach me about this world. [ As expected, Kent-sama, it''s wonderful that even if you get a unique power, you won''t become arrogant. ] "No, it''s a power, I''m not good at it, and I don''t think it was good to handle after being summoned." After all, you can choose between obedience and death, and if you come back without any preparation, there is no doubt that a terrible situation awaits you. Oh, I''m worried if the chariman is okay, My Sweet Heart. Speaking of which, it''s completely new, but it seems that the fact that I can understand these words is due to the summoning. I mean, I can only explain it, I asked Reinhardt-san to write the letters, but I can read it, and if I want to write it, I can write it. Seriously, the person who made this summoning technique is amazing. According to Reinhardt-san and the others, we are in a royal country called the Kingdom of Reisenburg. Come to think of it, that villainous princess was calling herself with such a family name. By the way, I asked Reinhardt-san and the others about the name of the princess named Camilla, but they didn''t seem to know it. It''s been a long time since Reinhardt-san and his friends died, and since they haven''t left the forest during that time, it''s only natural that they don''t know. "By the way, we were summoned as soldiers, but what they need soldiers for is to fight somewhere?" [ If you think in common sense, that''s the case, but if you want to gather troops for war, you usually put them near the battlefield, not here in the kingdom, rather near the center, away from the border with other countries. ] "Well, there''s no need to call nearly 200 people far from the battlefield." [ If you think so, the third princess may be trying to seize the throne by force. ] "Ah ... I see, it''s a coup d''etat, so to speak, that villainous princess seemed to have a strong desire for power ... That means we were involved in a power struggle over the throne?" [ I think that''s likely. ] "Hmm ..." This seems to be a mess if you don''t think about your way. The villainous princess said that if you cooperate you''d be rewarded ... but if the coup fails, the execution course will be straightforward. It seems that it is better not to go back to the coup. When it comes to coup d''etat, you can''t talk about it unless you know the current state of the country. Therefore, I decided to think about where to go after going to Volzard and investigating the current situation. The next thing I need to know now is knowledge about magic. So, I immediately asked Reinhardt-san and the others about magic, and although they all have basic knoledge, they don''t seem to be good at it. [ I''m sorry, Kent-sama, we''re all knight-types, and don''t have much knowledge about magic. ] "Hmm? What does that mean?" According to Reinhardt-san, magic has two major categories in addition to the six attributes. One is a so-called magical release-type caster, and the other is a circulatory knight who strengthens the body. Reinhardt-san and the others are knights who are good at the circulatory system. [ Most people are usually biased towards one or the other, few can master both magics, and everyone is heavily used in the country. ] "Well, then I''m a caster type." [ Probably so, but if you have the outstanding talent of Kent-sama, you may be able to master the magic of the circulatory system. ] "It''s better to protect yourself, isn''t it?" [ That''s right, but in the case of Kent-sama, we''ll protect you, so don''t worry. ] "Certainly ... ..." Since there are skeleton knights with such a vicious performance, a half-hearted attack will not reach me. But there''s one thing that really bothers me. "Ah, is it okay to stay with everyone in the city?" [ Well, that is ... ] Oh, it looks like it''s no good. Thinking normally, no matter if it''s your summon, from the perspective of others, the skeleton is like a monster. You can''t just walk around the city oopenly in the daytime. "Hmm ... I''m in trouble, I don''t hink I can do anything by myself even after I get out of the forest ..." I''m not proud of it, but even though I''ve been a kid since I was in Japan, I''m just a kid who doesn''t know the common sense in another world, and I have no confidence that I can cross the world without Reinhardt-san. When Basten-san heard that I was in trouble about what happened he said. [ I''ve heard that dark mages can hide familiars in their shadows and summon them from a distance using shadows, like Kent-sama. Isn''t it possible if you are talented? ] "Well, can you do that with darkness magic? But I still don''t know how to use magic ..." When I said that, all three put their hands in front of their faces, waving them as if to say no, no, and Reinhardt-san said on behalf of them. [ Kent-sama, if you unknowingly summon us and strengthen us to look like this, and say that, mages all over the world will swear at you. ] "Hmm ... I can''t say that ..." From the three people''s point of view, my magic seems to be out of the ordinary. Normally, it seems that magic is activated only after properly chanting the spell while imagining the activation in the head. In my case, I can use magic just by imagining it. [ If you say that you are using magic just by imagining it, why not try summoning us with shadows that way? ] "Oh, that''s right, if you don''t know, you can try it." I decided to take Basten-san''s suggestion and try what I could do. So I tried it, but it''s amazing, it''s a cheat, a cheat. I was able to summon everyone from the shadows, and I was able to move everyone along the shadows. Not only that, I was able to sink myself in the shadow and move along the shadows. Even if I''m attacked by something and think it''s dangerous, if I escape into the shadow, there''s no problem. Hyahha! Hur, hey! You know. The dark mage seems to be able to interfere with another space called the shadow, and could even create his own space and put things in it. In this way, it''s okay if everyone stays in the shadows after entering the city. Originally, the conversation with everyone was basically telepathy, so it is convenient to be able to do it without problems even when everyone is in the shadow. As expected, the rare darkness attribute, it''s cheat, I''ll fall in love with you. There is no doubt that this is the arrival of the popular period. When you can use some magic of darkness, you will be worried about another attribute, light. "I''ve got a feel for the magic of darkness, but what kind of magic is there of light magic?" [ Light attributes are magic of healing and exorcism. ] "Well, I feels like I''ve got the image, but is the magic of exorcism effective for any monster?" [ Well, I''m not familiar with it, but I hear that powerful light magic is effective against any monster, but it''s usually strong against undead monsters, that is, we skeletons, zombies, and other monsters. It seems to be effective. ] Yeah, that''s exactly what I had imagined. When I sent Reinhardt-san''s friends, I think it was light magic that I used unconsciously. Also, I think it''s the same with regenerating my body that was eaten by goblins. "If you can use the magic of light attributes, can even dead people be revived?" [ I heard that it is impossible, it seems that a brilliant healer can save the life of a dying person, but it is impossible to revive a completely dead person. ] "Well, from that point on, it''s the realm of necromancy." [ Well, but if you''re Kent-sama who can use the magic of both attributes, the boundary may be quite vague. ] "I see ..." After that, in order to actually try the magic of the light attribute, I imagined that my hand was slightly hurt and the wound healed while covering it with the palm of my hand, the wound that was bleeding disappeared without a trace. I was surprised. However, when I think about it, it''s not surprising considering my intestines were pulled out and eaten, but I was perfectly fine without any scratches, so it''s not surprising that these scratches disappeared. [ Kent-sama uses the magic of darkness, in a crazy way ... The light attribute is also crazy ... ] "Is that so?" According to Fred, it is not uncommon for healing magic to heal cuts, but it seems that he has never seen healing magic that recovers the internal organs and even regenerates from a state where it is eaten or not working. Reinhardt-san and Basten-san are both nodding. It seems that the magic of the light attribute is not suitable for attacks except for the undead type, and in most cases, the magician of the light attribute supports behind rather than fighting on the front line. It seems that the magician of the light attribute itself is rare, and it is meaningless if the recovery role is done first. However, for me who lived in modern Japan, the attack by light is the laser, and the ray weapon in the animation is a flower-shaped existence. That''s why I tried various things to see if it could be realized. First of all, when I started by emitting light, Reinhardt-san''s group who were exposed to the light were damaged with the feeling that they were sick, and they hurriedly evactuated to the shadow. It was a waste of time to strengthen for escort, dangerous, dangerous. The next time I strengthened the light, my eyes were blinded ... and I thought I had cast the spell of destruction. I wonder if ray weapons are impossible with magic. In terms of image, it feels like converting magical power into light, pouring magical power into it, strengthening it, compressing it, setting the direction and firing it, but when then magical power is poured, my eyes are, my eyes are ... Even so, I couldn''t give up on the ray weapon, and I continued trial and error so if Reinhardt-san and the others left me unattended, I could have an attack method. In short, I should have replaced the procedure. It compresses a large amount of magical power and converts it into light at the moment of deciding the direction adn shooting. Even so, it is impossible to use a high-power laser that makes a thick line like the one that appears in robot animation, so it feels like a 5mm hole can be made in a tree with a flash of light. It''s depressing. Moreover, it takes about 30 seconds to activate it, but it seems to be very powerful if you can shoot instantly. Because I hit it when I thought I could see it, so while doing it myself, the magic of the light attribute is also cheat. Basically, magic is a cheat, isn''t it? That, but is it commonplace in this world? It doesn''t matter, but what makes you hungry when you use magic? [ It''s because it uses the magician''s internal energy to convert the mana that exists in the air into the magical power of the attribute. ] "I see, is the magic of the circulatory system used by Reinhardt-san and the others the same?" [ You''re right, and the higher the conversion efficiencey, the stronger the magic you can use. ] "I see, I see, that ''Evil Eye Crystal'' looks at the attributes and their efficiences." After rounding up the magical practice of light attributes, I filled my stomach with fruits again. It''s delicious, but I''m getting tired of it. Oh, I want to eat white rice and miso soup. CH 5 Dark Night Psychic ***---*** By the time I finished eating the fruit, the sun set and the night came to the forest again. For a moment, the fear of being attacked by a goblin last night runs through my head, but tonight there are three encouraging escorts, so it''s okay. "By the way, don''t you feel sleepy?" [ We are undead monsters, so we don''t need sleep or food. ] "Well ... I wonder if everyone will be further strengthened if they take in the magic stones of the monsters they defeated after this." [ Yes, it should probably be. ] "Well, if that''s the case, if you actively hunt monsters and let everyone take in magic stones, you can further increase your strength ..." I don''t know what kind of situation will be involved in the future and how I can return to the original world, so if I can increase my strength, it shouldn''t hurt to do it. As I was thinking about that, the sun went down and set. Then, unlike yesterday evening, the moon hasn''t risen yet, so I was able to enjoy the starry sky. I wonder if there is a galaxy in this world, the Milky Way is flowing. After enjoying the starry sky for a while, I noticed something unusual. "What? Why is it so bright when the moon isn''t rising?" [ Kent-sama, how do you see the surrounding scenery? ] "Um ... it feels like daytime on a cloudy day ..." [ It seems that Kent-sama has become more accustomed ot using the magic of the darkness attribute, so he has become more used to night. ] "Eh? Is that so? Maybe it''s pitch black here?" [ If you focus on the magic of strengthening your body, you will be able to see it, but for a normal human being, the tip of your extended hand is unseen in the darkness. ] Oh, it''s a wonderful darkness attribute, the moon was rising last night, and I could finally see the goblins, but now I can see the forest without the moonlight. It''s too high-performance to see in the darkness even though you can see the stars beautifully, isn''t it? Then, while hiding in the shadows, I saw the approaching goblins. "It looks like company has arrived." [ Hey, Kent-sama, you can see it even in this darkness. ] "Yeah, it seems that the darkness of the night is an advantage for the darkness magician, I feel that the power comes from the depths of my body." [ Fufufu, but Kent-sama, please don''t take our job. ] "Okay, but Reinhardt-san and Basten-san are to wait, because they''ll shatter the goblin magic stones." [ Guu, that kind of killing ... ] [ We also use this power ... ] "It''s useless until you can adjust it properly, so Fred-san, please defeat them quickly and collect the magic stones." [ I understand ... ] The appearance of two vicious skeletons biting their teeth and regretting is quite surreal. And in the meantime, while I thought that another carbon black skeleton had disappeared to melt into the darkness, the goblins'' necks rolled around. You would never know that the goblins were slashed. It only took a few seconds for a total of eleven goblins to die. I asked everyone to absorb three of the eleven magic stones we collected, leaving two. There was no change in appearance, but it feels like they''re getting bigger. As I didn''t move as it was, the smell of blood flowing from the corpses of the goblins attracted kobolds and goblins to gather together. Reinhardt-san and Basten-san cried and begged, so I couldn''t help it, so I asked them to do it this time. Basten-san managed to recover the magic stone by exploding only the head, but the kobold who was hit by Reinhardt-san turned into a splash of hair, flesh, and blood along with the magic stone. "Reinhardt-san, House!" [ Agu ... ] When he was forcibly recalled by the shadow summon, Reinhardt-san was depressed with drooped shoulders. Let''s adjust the power seriously, it''s a blow to fight any monster. After that, Fred-san & Basten-san''s combination killed goblins and kobolds and continued to strengthen them steadily, but this is a vicious circle for Reinhardt-san. Even though the power adjustment isn''t working well, it''s further strengthened, so it''s not a waste. At that time, they appeared. The reddish-brown rugged giant is likely to be about 3 meters long, with thick chest plates, upper arms, thighs, and other muscular ridges. The dark brown curly hair extends to the soulders, the chin looks sturdy and is unlikely to break even if hit with a bat, and the forehead has two horns. A powerful monster that is incomparable to goblins is called the rock ogre. Even so, they are unlucky ... I nodded to Reinhardt-san, thinking so. The three rock ogres are probably the strongest monsters in this area, and without being wary of their surroundings, when they approached the mountain of goblins and kobolds and sat down, they began to devour them. The creepy sound and the smell of bload floating around made me feel sick. No matter what I do, I remember when I was eaten. "Reinhardt-san, do it ..." [ Leave it to me ... ] Reindhardt-san walked towards the rock ogres with a dignified gait, without being hidden in the shadows. "Uboaaaa ..." The rock ogres who noticed Reinhardt-san raised a menacing voice. Reinhardt-san turned around when he heard that voice and smiled with a grin, a really happy smile. Oh, really kill already, isn''t it enough? A rock ogre greeted Reinhardt-san, standing up angrily at his shoulders. "Uboaaa, Uvaaaa!" "Uraaaaaaa!" Reinhardt-san greeted the rock ogre that that is grabbing at him with his bare hands without pulling out his big sword. How much of him is made of tungsten? But isn''t it useless if the bones of about 1m80cm and the muscular ridges of the 3m class play a game? Just use a weapon, it doesn''t make sense to name it a weapon, gram. As expected, Reinhardt-san, in a strength competition with a rock ogre, begins to be pushed in as if pressed from above. Should I recall him by summoning through the shadow? Thinking such, looking back at Basten-san and Fred-san, they both shrugged their shoulders and showed that there was no problem. Ah, both of them are skeletons, but I can understand their facial expressions and read their intentions. Whether I should be happy or sad, I turned around with mixed feelings, and the situation began to change. "Ubo ... Ubo, Ubo, Ubo ..." "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Reinhardt-san, who had been pressed down a while ago, is trying to hold down the rock ogre while folding his wrist. Reinhardt-san does not seem to loosen his power even if the wrist is bent in a direction that it shouldn''t bend, and the rock ogre moans, and it seems that he is trying to push it to the ground as it is. Perhaps they noticed the their friend was inferior, the other two rock ogres stopped eating and stood up. Upon seeing it, Reinhardt-san struck a knee kick into the face of the rock ogre, which is now lying down at his feet. Uhhh, the rock ogre''s head exploded like a balloon. In addition, Reinhardt-san pulls out the great sword Gram and tosses a sideways blow at the rock ogre''s leg. The rock ogre reflexively tries to jump back, but took a flash of the great sword Gram and lost his knees. Reinhardt-san leaves the one that can''t move, steps into the other one, and with a flash strikes sideways at his head. The rock ogre reflexively tries to guard with his arms, but a flash of the great sword Gram blew his head up along with his arms. Hmm ... It''s strange that the opponent who was cut explodes even tho it''s a sword. "Ugaaaaaaa!" After screaming for victory, Reinhardt-san stabbed the rock ogre who had lost his legs and was stuck. How is it, I did it. The pose as such is ridiculously hot. "Fred-san, I''m sorry, can I ask you to collect the magic stones?" [ I understand. ] Fred-san melted into the darkness and instantly moved near Reinhardt-san. Yeah, it looks like a ninja and looks good. [ I''m sorry, Kent-sama, why has the leader been there for a long time ... ] "Ah ... yeah, it''s okay because I knew it a little, isn''t it okay if I give him a chance to vent from time to time?" [ That''s right, I''m basically a caring person, oh, is it a skeleton now? ] When he was alive, he seemed to have had a lot of trouble, and while looking at the distant-eyed Basten-san, I figured he would continue to have trouble. I can''t take care of such a hot old man. After having each of the three rock ogre magic stones taken in and strengthening them, I decided to move to another place and take a rest. Perhaps it''s a characteristic of a dark magician, it makes me feel better at night, but considering that I''ll be active during the day, it''s better to sleep a little. I didn''t feel the need to sleep very much, but I decided to leave the escort to everyone and sleep. I thought I didn''t need to sleep, but it was because I was nervous, and as soon as I chose a soft grassland and lay down, I fell asleep instantly. Chun, Chun, Chun ... ... The next morning, I woke up again with the song of a bird. I was looking forward to it last night, yeah, the skeleton knights enjoyed the slaughter to their heart''s content. While thinking such, I smell something good and fragrant. [ Kent-sama ... breakfast is ready ... ] "Good morning, Fred-san, oh! It''s a fish!" [ In the river beyond there ... I got it ... ] "Thank you, wow, it looks delicious!" The fish, which resembles trout, has no odor, has a light taste, and is very delicious. They also brought fruits, but I was absorbed in the protein source after a long time and devoured the fish. [ By the way, Kent-sama. ] "What is it, Reinhardt-san?" [ If you go to Volzard, your current clothes are no good. ] "Well, that''s right, I''m suspicious looking like this." Speaking of my current appearance, I''m wearing a uniform that is more like a cloth than clothes because it''s been cut off by goblins. The contents are a real human being, but the blood is soaked in it, it''s like a zombie cosplay costume. If you go to the city like this, you will definitely be suspicious. "Hmm ... but, is there a store on the way to the city? I don''t have any money." [ So, Kent-sama, why don''t you walk a little near the highway? ] "It doesn''t matter, but why?" [ If all goes well, you may have something to wear. ] "Okay, I''ll leave it to Reinhardt-san." I Followed Reinhardt-san''s suggestion and proceeded through the woods at a distance overlooking the road. The reason why wedidn''t go on the highway is that if we suddenly meet a carriage, it will be suspicious if I don''t explain myself and everyone, and in some cases, we may be attacked suddenly. Considering the future, it is wise to avoid unnecessary conflicts between humans. Then, as I proceeded through the woods along the highway, there was a collapsed carriage. As I approached, there were many traces of blood left around, and pieces of meat that gave off a rotten odor had fallen. The three were wary of the surroundings, but there is no sign of a monster, probably because time has already passed since the attack. "Reinhardt-san, this was attacked by a monster, right?" [ Yes, it''s normal to think so. ] "Maybe, from this carriage?" [ Yes, at any rate, the cargo of this carriage will just decay, we should take advantage of it. ] The monsters seemed to be interested in the humans in the carriage, but not in the cargo, and much of the luggage was left behind safely. Feeling a little guilty, I hunted for luggage and searched for clothes that I could wear. I was less than 160cm, and I had only slightly large clothings, but I can''t expect luxury. The clothes were neatly folded and put in a bag. I borrowed them after putting my hands together. Everyone searched for luggage and cargo, looking for something that could be used. As a result, this world''s clothing set, gold coins and silver coins, valuables such as magic stones, cloth and rugs that seem to be commodities, knives and pots, flour, salt, sugar, oil, ropes, needles and threads, etc. I was able to get it. I don''t like feeling like a thief, but if another carriage passes by, the same thing will happen, and in this world, it''s a memorial service to take advantage of dead humans. That''s it. It''s impossible for an ordinary person to carry such a large amount of luggage and move through the woods, but in my case, I could put it in the shadow space, so I took it all and stored it. According to Reinhardt-san, doing business through the woods is dangerous, but it''s also good to earn, and the amount of treasure collected is enough to play around for a couple of years. With clothes and money, we decided to head for the fortified city of Volzard. CH 6 Did I arrive in another country? ***---*** I found a black bracelet when I recovered everything that could be used from a carriage attacked by a monster and went to the end of the road to move through the woods again. It was dirty with blood, probably the onwer''s, but it looks the same as what everyone was wearing after the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' appraisal. [ It''s a bracelet of slavery, I guess there was a slave in the carriage. ] "Huh, what did you say just now? Reinhardt-san." [ Ah, does Kent-sama know about the bracelet of slavery? ] "No, I''ve seen something similar to this bracelet, but what is this bracelet for?" [ Kent-sama, this is a magical tool that binds a slave and prevents them from going against you ... ] "No way, that villainous princess, you can''t do that!" I told Reinhardt-san that all my classmates who had been summoned with me were made to wear this bracelet. Naturally, the facial expressions of Reinhardt-san and the others became cloudy, I could somehow read the changes in their facial expressions as if it were natural. Yeah, I''m sure everyone is an expressive skeleton, right? [ Kent-sama, apparently everyone has been deceived. ] "That''s right, I can only think of it that way ... is it?" [ What will you do? Kent-sama. ] "That''s right, isn''t there magic that returns the summoned person to the original world?" [ Well, the knowledge of how to summon a hero is a secret of the royal family, so we don''t know. ] Not only Reinhardt-san, but also Basten-san and Fred-san are tilting their heads. Somehow, I feel that the situation is very poor. Being deceived so much makes me feel that there really is no way to return to the original world. "What happened to the heroes summoned so far? have they returned to the original world?" [ Well, I know the summoning of heroes only in fairy tales, but most of the stories are about being tied to a beauty of the royal family and living happily for a long time. ] "Is it possible to return then, or isn''t it?" [ Well, I don''t know that either. ] "Oh, but I think it''s better to be suspicious." [ Well, as far as I''ve heard, I feel the ambition of the princess named Camilla is being exposed. ] "It seems more and more to be better not to return to the army." [ Yes, if you go back, it will be a bad thing, fortunately you have enough money to live for the time being, it''s better to look at it from the outside for a while. ] "Well, if possible, I have to look for opportunities and think about ways to help everyone ... is that possible?" I thought that if I had Reinhardt-san escort me through the forest, I might receive a good treatment, but if they enslave everyone summoned with me, that''s a different story. I turned around feeling uneasy about the future. Perhaps he felt it, as Basten-san opened his mouth. [ Kent-sama, I think it''s difficult to tell you not to feel anxious in the current situation, but I think it''s better not to fall into too negative of thinking. ] "But Basten-san, my friends are captured as slaves even now." [ Yes, that''s right, but the third princess has summoned you all for some purpose, and unless that purpose is achieved, they''re unlikely to be harmed. ] "I see, there would be no reason to dispose of ... ... huh? But, me, I was disposed of, right?" [ Yes, Kent-sama at that time it''s hard to say, but you were thought to be useless. ] "Well, if they think it''s useful, don''t worry, unlike me, who is useless, I wonder why, sweat from my eyes ..." [ Kent-sama, anyway, you can''t find a magican like Kent-sama in the kingdom, also ... ] "Also?" [ The slave bracelet is made using darkness magic, I think it''s possible to remove it if it''s Kent-sama. ] Listening to Basten-san''s words, I focused on the bracelet I had in my hand. The bracelet has a special technique built in, and it seems that a technique to release it is usually required. In addition, the structure is such that the magical power pattern of a specific person, probably the person who wears the bracelet, is registered, and if you try to act against that person, it seems that the movement of the body and the movement of magical power are hindered. I could understand it natrually. The materials seem to be made by kneading the blood of a demon into clay, engraving the technique, and baking it. When I interrupted the technique of locking the bracelet, it suddenly split into two parts. [ Well, that ... ] "Hmm? Didn''t you tell me I could remove it Basten-san ..." [ I said you could remove it, but it would normally take hours if you removed it with an illegal procedure. ] "Well, is that so? But when I imagined interrupting the technique, it came off." [ That''s the procedure, but it''s not so easy to remove ... ] Apparently, I had used an unconventional magic again, and Reinhardt-san and his friends had their eyes rounded. A skeleton that makes its eyes round, this is also surreal. "Hey, if I put this bracelet on the villainous princess, can I make her my slave?" [ Probably not possible. I hear that the manufacture and release of slave bracelets is controlled by those authorized by the royal family, and that the royal family is informed of the procedure for release so as not to become slaves. ] "Hey, does it make sense to keep it ..." Even so, since I got cheat magic, I thought it would be good to return to the others, but as long as I knew that all the summoned would be treated as slaves, it would only be used if I returned. Fortunately, I can use the magic of darkness, so it''s unlikely that I''ll be enslaved myself, but it''s decided that I should stay away from everyone and avoid the risks. So we decided to infiltrate the fortified city of Volzard as a travele, not as a summoned person. However, when I leave the forest alone, I would be absolutely suspicious, so even though I got the clean clothes, I got them dirty to make it look like I ran away for my life. I decided that I was an apprentice of a healer who belonged to a caravan from the west country, and I lost all my ID cards when I was attacked by a monster. "But, as expected it feels bad to be penniless. [ Well, if it''s Kent-sama, you''ll be able to make money right away as a healer, so don''t worry, you should get some money. ] "Well, if I do need it, I can get it out of the shadow space ..." I have stored everything in the shadow space, and if I need something, I just have to get it from Reinhardt-san and the others. As we progressed through the forest, we defeated monsters as we went and continued to strengthen the three, so they''re already too cheat-like skeletons. All three can move freely in the shadow space without having me summon them. So, basically, Reinhardt-san was attached as my escort, and I decided to let Basten-san and Fred-san move freely to collect information. "Okay, then, I''m going now ..." [ Yes, Kent-sama. ] A part of Volzard''s fort could already be seen through the gaps between the trees in the forest. The only way to enter the fortified city of Volzard is to go through the gates of the fort. In our case, though, we can get in by using shadow movement, but wandering around without permission to enter the city can be a hassle if something happens, so at first we will take the formal way and go inside. I decided such. I asked the three people to secure the safety of the surroundings, escaped from the forest, and aimed at the gate of Volzard while pretending to have a sloppy gait. It seems that I was soon spotted from the watch stand above the fort, and I could see people moving in the fort part above the gate. I approached the gate while adding an act in which my legs got tangled and I fell on the way. After all, there are three cheat skeletons in the shadows, so there''s no need to worry about being attacked by monsters, and I can afford to act. "Hey! Are you okay, come here quickly ... Oh, someone, lend me a hand!" A sturdy door next to the big gate opened, and a strong looking soldier jumped out. I reached out while staggering, entangling my legs again and fall down. The heavy footsteps rushed over as I was about to get up, then I was pulled up and carried. Uho, I feel that the position where i''m carried is extremely high. "You did your best, it''s ok, let''s go!" "Wa, water ... wa ..." "Be patient a little longer, I''ll bring you to the town right away, the faster we get to town, the faster you''ll get a drink." My head was turned towards the forest while being carried on the shoulder of the soldier, so I couldn''t see the city approaching, then I passed through the thick walls and entered the city. Yes, I succeeded in infiltrating for the time being. "Someone, bring me some water, okay, be quick." "Yes ... wa, water ..." "Oh, wait a moment, here''s water." "Ah ..." I greedily drank the water in the cup that was offered. Then I prostrated on the spot and thanked him earnestly. "Thank you, thank you ... thank you ... yes ..." "Hey, are you okay?" "Yes ... but everyone ... everyone was killed ..." "Well, it''s okay, no monsters can come in here, so rest assured." "Yes, thank you ... thak you ..." While feeling guilty about deceiving the person who came to help, I continued to play the person who escaped with their life. Besides, even though monsters can''t come in, three dangerous skeletons came in. After that, I was guided to the gate guard''s station and lay down on the bed there. Today''s escape drama was acting, but for the past few days, I was probably tired from living a life that''s too different from before, and I fell into a really deep sleep. When I woke up, it took me a while to figure out where I was. I think I had a deep sleep. "Oh, it looks like he''s awake, yeah, yesterday you looked like a corpse, but now I can see it." "Ah ... here ..." "Oh, this is the gate station of the fortified city of Volzard, you did well to survive and reach here." "Oh, thank you ... ..." The one who called out was the soldier who ran with me yesterday. When my drowsy head finally grasped the situation, I thought about how to deal with it. However, it seems to look like the figure of someone mourning their lost companions. "I''m sorry about your friends, but it''s not your fault, and it''s not a bad thing that you survived." "Yes ... Thank you." "If you feel calm, I''d like to hear from you a little, but is it okay?" "Yes, honestly, I''m still upset and may not be able to answer well ..." At that point, my stomach growled as it appealed its hunger. "Well, let''s eat first." "Sorry, I''m sorry, thank you." The meal was as simple as bread, cheese, and soup, but after a long absence, I ate an elaborate menu and shed tears without acting. The tears seemed to be misunderstood in a good way. After breakfast, the questioning began. The soldier is the third commander of the garrison, and his name is Kartz. His height is about 190 cm, his chest plate is thick, his chin is solid, it''s in the image of a square. His hair was a strong dark brown color, dark green eyes, and shaving marks on the beard give the smell of a man. I called myself Kent without using a pseudonym. Of course there are no kanji in this world, so I can''t write it as normal, but it seems that the name Kent is not uncommon. It is said that only those who rule the territory as aristocrats can give their surnames. And, in the middle of the questioning, a surprising fact was discovered. "What are you talking about, this isn''t the Kingdom of Resenburg, this is the Republic of Landshelt." "Huh ...?" The days passed while Reinhardt-san and the others were wandering as skeletons, and the Kingdom of Resenburg was divided into two countries with the forest as a boundary. The current Kingdom of Resenburg is only on the west side of the forest where we were summoned, and the east side through the forest is the Republic of Landshelt. What the hell! I almost screamed. It is said that the effective control of the royal family was lost due to the forest, and the eastern side of the forest became a republic where seven lords of large cities proceeded by a collegial system. "Sorry, it looks like I''m still confused, oh, it''s from Resenburg then?" "Hmm, you don''t have to panic, if you think calmly, it''s okay." I pretended to be confused by twisting my neck while being impatient. I mean, I''m in a mess right now. "By the way, Kent, what were you doing?" "I joined a caravan from the West as an apprentice to a healer ..." When I told Kartz-san that I had lost everything, leaving only a small amount of money, as I had determined in advance, he was deeply sympathetic. "Well, I had a lot of experience, but Kent, the apprenticeship of a healer at that age is amazing." "No, even if I say I was an apprentice, I''ve only done the chores of my master, so I haven''t actually done any treatment yet." "That''s right, I heard that healing magic requires experience and intuition, so I thought it wouldn''t be possible to heal at your age." In fact, if you say that you can heal an injury in which the internal organs pop out, what kind of reaction will you get? "So, I would like to find an ID card or a job to live in." "Then I''ll take you to the guild." "Speaking of guilds, will I be an adventurer?" "Ah, there seems to be such a thing, but our guild is where people seeking work register regardless of job type." "Is it regardless of occupation?" "Yes, from professional craftsmanship to work that even inexperienced people can do, there are all kinds of work that can be called work, except for the dark ones." "That''s right, then there seems to be some work I can do." It''s good to earn as a healer, but if you come to a different world, you would long to get a request from the guild to work. The monsters should be defeated by Reinhardt-san and the others, but will they capture dungeons? "How about, Kent, if you''re in good shape, why don''t we go now?" "Yes, please." In this way, I decided to go to the guild of another world that I longed for. CH 7 When I was escorted by Kartz-san and stepped into the city of Volzard, I realized that I was indeed in a different world. The scale of the castle wall, which is about 7 or 8 meters high, is large, and it seems that one side is 500 m or more. "It''s pretty wide, isn''t it?" "Ah, but that wall is the wall of the old town, so the wall of the new town is three times as large as that." "Well, why is it so wide?" According to Kartz-san, expansion work was repeated many times in the form of building a new all around the old wall. The buildings in the city are made of wooden pillars and beams on a stone base, and the walls that are hardened like concrete it''s hard to think it''s a clay wall. The color of the wall is pastel, it''s a gentle color and it feels like a rural town in Europe. The width of the road is wide enough for carriages to pass each other with plenty of room, and it is paved tightly, and if you look closely, it seems that there is also a sewer ditch. Even if it''s just the atmosphere, it''s definitely a different world, and it feels like something is going on. Well, it''s better than smelling or being dirty. "It seems that the city is well maintained." "You understand? This is the farthest city facing the Devil''s Forest, but we won''t lose to the inland cities." "Is this kind of road maintenance done by magic?" "That''s right, if it weren''t magic, it wouldn''t be so beautiful." Kartz-san has a face of what are you saying, so it seems like a world where magic is commonly used. I really want to see the contrustion site using earth attribute magic. On the contrary, it would be surprising to say that in Japan, a city that is more advanced than this is created without magic. The first thing that caught my eye when I went out into the city was the color of people''s hair. Blue, light blue, green, yellow-green, pink, red ... The roots of the hair are the same color, so it doesn''t seem to be dyed. Besides, the person who seems to be a beastman is also there ... Those ears are real, aren''t they? Old men don''t wear fake animal ears, especially in the middle of the day. Various shops are lined up on the central street of the city, and textiles of colors that are not seen in Japan and tools of unknown use are placed around, various odors drift through the air, I wonder whether they are spices. It looks like a bazaar in Morocco. After all, a different world must be like this, or the feeling of exploration won''t be exciting. The guild was about 15 minutes walk from the gate closest to the forest towards the center of the city. Volzard''s job listings are all gathered here, from hiring officials to helping with moving. It''s not a concrete-like wall, but a magnificient stone building that could be described as ''simple and strong'', and looks like a four-story building from the outside. "Oh, the guild has a sign that crosses a sword and a hammer." "Adventurer''s symbol and craftsmanship ... isn''t it?" "That''s right, well, there are some simple tasks, so don''t worry." "Yes, it seems impossible to do a difficult job suddenly, so I will do it steadily." While talking with Kartz-san, I am excited about the next development. Speaking of guilds, it''s a promise to have a beautiful receptionist. While the beautiful onee-san takes care of my work, it develops into a good relationship ... It''s a classic of a different world, isn''t it? However, the person at the window where I was taken for new registration was a tired old man named Otto, hmm ... What''s more, there''s also the thing I didn''t want to see again. "Then, put your hand on this ..." "Oh, this is ..." "Yeah? You don''t know ''Evil Eye Crystal''? This is a magic tool that looks at attributes and magical power." "Hah ..." Of course, I don''t know why, but I put my hand on it with a faint expectation that it might be a different result because I used magic hard in the woods, of course there is no reaction, this bastard. "Ah ... it''s rare, this time ... ah ... it''s good, F rank." "that, F rank is ..." "Yeah, it''s the lowest rank, well, if you can''t use magic, you''ll die if you enter the Devil''s Forest." "Hah ..." As I expected, I want to throw away the sarcastic crystal ball. However, Otto-san continued by saying something unexpected. "Don''t get me wrong, no matter how strong your magical power is, if you don''t have any achievements, you will stop at E rank." "Well, is that so?" "Of course, even if you can use some magic, you will die if you enter the Devil''s Forest without any experience." After the judgment, I wrote down the necessary information on the form and he made a guild registration card. It''s polite, big, and engraved with F. Well, if there''s no magical power shown in the measurement, and you have no work experience, it''s natural to have F rank. "By the way, do you have a place to live?" "No, the caravan I was with was wiped out ..." "How did you survive in the Devil''s Forest?" "Hmm ... well." "Wow, you can''t use magic, and you escaped alive, you, that''s praiseworthy. Yes, It''s because I have three vicious skeletons. "That ... the matter of the inn ..." "Oh, that''s right, there is a cheap boarding house, but did you want to use it?" "There is a boarding house?" "Anyway, this is the farthest city, manpower is precious, so there are housing acommodations so that new manpower doesn''t go away." "Is there a meal?" "It depends on the negotiations with the landlord, but it usually comes with it." "Then, please introduce me." "Hmm, there''s a vacancy ... If it''s Amanda''s, you''ll have a good meal." Though he''s businesslike, he registered me promptly and introduced me to a boarding house. Otto-san, he''s really a good person, I''m sorry to think that he''s a tired old man. When I said that I was almost penniless, he also told me about the loan system. I headed to the boarding house with the map written by Otto-san. It seems Kartz-san will come with me to the boarding house, he is also a really good person. Before heading to the boarding house, I decided to borrow money using the guild''s loan system. Shadow storage has enough money to play and live for the time being, but if you suddenly use it, you will be suspicious. Members of the guild who registered for the first time will be able to borrow up to 10,000 helts for one year without interest. Even if it''s said to be 10,000 helts, it is a problem because I don''t know how much it is worth. On the way to the boarding house, I asked Kartz-san. "Kartz-san, how many months can you live with the prices here with 10,000 helts?" "Well, it''s been over a month since I stayed at a cheap hotel." "That''s right ... I wonder if it''s a problem ... How much does a boarding house cost? Oh, I should have asked ..." It''s a hassle to go back to the guild again, so I''ll ask at the boarding house, if it''s not enough. The boarding house was about two rows behind the road that passed through the center of the city. I was told that the first floor has a cafeteria, but since the daytime has already passed, it seems to be closed in the afternoon. However, when I pulled the door with the tag in preparation lowered, it was unlocked. "Well, hello ... is this Amanda-san''s shop?" "Sorry, the daytime business is over, please come again in the evening." When I called out from the entrance of the store, a cheerful voice came back from the kitchen. "No, I was the one who was introduced to this boarding house by the guild..." "Ah, wait a minute ... put this here ... Hey, I made you wait, I''m Amanda, are you with the garrison person?" Amanda-san, who showed up while wiping her wet hands with her apron, is a woman with the appearance of a spirited mother. Her height is a little less than 170 cm, and the volume of the width is great, and the three sizes are 120, 140, 130. It feels like a beer barrel, but are you pregnant? But if it''s different, I don''t know, so I can''t ask? Her reddish brown hair is tied together in the back, and her eyes are crisp. "No, I''m an attendant, it''s this Kent who needs the boarding house." "I''m Kent, nice to meet you." "Well, it''s a very delicate boy ..." "Kent is the only survivor of a caravan that was attacked by monsters on the way through the woods." "Ah, what the heck, it must have been painful ..." "Yeah, that''s ... Muga ..." I was hugged by Amanda-san who heard the situation. Is this the smell of a Volzard mother, which is a mixture of sweat and spices? Teka, suffocating ... "Muga ... Moga ... Puha ..." "Oh, excuse me, so you were Kent, do you have any money? Do you have nay jobs in your hands?" "Yes, I borrowed money from the guild, I was helping my healer master, but it was just doing chorse, so I can''t really call it a job ..." "That''s right ... Well, this month we have only half of it left, so it''s okay to have it with next month''s rent. That''s all." "Thank you, then with meals, pay in advance for two months ..." "What are you talking about, the rent is find at the end of every month." "Is that so? But I would like to pay at some point ..." "Well, if you want to pay, that''s fine, but ... then I''ll give you this month''s food expenses, he''s a rare child ..." As I learned later, it seems that postpayment is basically normal in this world, and even for requests at the guild, after receiving half the money and the rest being fulfilled ... It seems that everything will be paid when the work is finished. Instead, it seems that it is a serious violation of etiquette to not pay or discount when the work is finished, and even if the guild won''t let you ask again, you can''t complain. In that case, the story that the wicked princess said that she could return to the original world may not be a lie. After paying two months'' rent and trying to show me to the room, my stomach rumbled loudly. I feel like I get hungrier since I started using magic. "Oh, you didn''t eat lunch, so let''s have lunch together, how about the garrison person?" "If it''s okay, then it will be a treat ..." "Oh, sit at this table, Meisa! Lunch is for four!" "Aah, why did it suddenly become four people ..." The girl who popped out of the kitchen was two or three years younger than me, and her hair color was similar to Amanda''s, but her appearance was thin and crisp with green eyes. "Who? This person ..." "Kent is boarding from today ... Look, say hello." "Aah, isn''t he just going to die again anyway?" "Idiot! Why would you say that, it''s not auspicious ..." "Ah ... maybe the former boarder ..." Amanda talked to me after showing a bitter expression at my question. "Anyway, you''ll understand it sooner or later, yes, the child who was before you dived into the dungeon within a few minutes of boarding, and that was the end ..." "Oh, do you have a dungeon?" "There is, but don''t dive, it''s not a good place!" "Really?" When I glanced at Kartz-san, he nodded. "I can''t recommend dungeons even to experienced adventurers, let alone F-rank Kent." "But if it''s a shallow place ..." "That''s ridiculous, what are you talking about, if you enter the dungeon with such a light feeling, you''ll just be food for monsters, okay, if you''re boarding here, while my eyes are black I won''t let you dive into a dungeon, so if you don''t like it, get out!" "Wow, I understand, I understand, I won''t dive, or I can''t dive now, so it''s okay." Pushed by Amanda-san''s sharp words, I promised not to dive, but after all, speaking of a different world, if it''s a dungeon, I want to dive. I was having lunch and started thinking about how to dive into the dungeon. The room of the boarding house that I was guided to after that was just a room just beside the stairs, and it was about 3 tatami mats in size with a bed, a cupboard, and a table. There is a small window on the wall at the end, but you can''t expect the sun ... I mean, the beds, cupboards, and tables are just lined up with some wooden boxes. The bed is made up of five wooden boxes arranged in two rows, and the futon is placed on it. The cupboard is made up of four boxes sideways, and the table is made up of two boxes. That''s it. "Ah, there are still things from the children who were here before you in the box, so you can make use of whatever you can use." "Oh ... I understand." Hmm, am I being made fun of, is it unexpectedly a furniture storage? But Amanda-san freely says that the child who was here before me died in the dungeon. Well, the things in the shadow storage are also the ones that came from the carriage attacked by the monsters, so I can''t be picky. In this world, it seems that it is basic to use what can be used without waste. The thing is, I was summoned and then abandoned ... it''s too harsh. I will part with Kartz-san of the garrison here. "Then, Kent, if anything happens, you can always come to me for consultation." "Thank you very much for all your help." "Well, this is my job, so don''t overdo it, be well." "Yes, I''ll go report when I''ve settled down." I shook hands firmly and strongly and we promised to meet again. Kartz-san was so kind to me that it made me feel uncomfortable to hide various things. I''ll have to go thank him again later. CH 8 On my first day at the boarding house, I was busy cleaning up the room and checking what I could use. I couldn''t expect the room to be sunny, but instead there was a clothesline where I lightly dried the futon and beat the dust. I expected it, but it smelled a little musty, and when I hit it, a lot of dust fluttered. In the box, there was a change of clothes for the person who was boarding before, but he seemed to be a fairly well-built person, and I couldn''t wear it because it was too big. The box that was by the bed also contained souvenirs from successive boarders, and there were obvious women''s underwear, but I can''t wear them either. No, I won''t wear it, because I don''t have such a hobby. After everything, I put the change of clothes I got from the carriage that I had put in the shadow storage in the cupboard. It''s okay if I say I found it in the box. The light in the room was a magic tool for lighting. The magic tool has arrived--! It seems that the light emitting part is made of a material taken from a monster, and it has a light technique engraved on it, and it glows when a magic stone is placed on it. It''s certainly bright when you close the room, darken it, and turn on the light. It feels like a lantern that lights up with a magic stone battery. However, even if the light is turned off, it looks normal, probably because of the privilege of a dark attribute mage, so the magic tool is not required. Amanda-san''s food is delicious because she runs a dining room, and if you can eat this every day, you will notice that the room is a little small. Her daughter, Meisa-chan is helping her, but Amanda-san seems to be running the cafeteria alone, and she doesn''t have a husband. In such a case, I think there is a good reason, so I won''t touch on it. Yeah, I''m a caring guy ... rather, the truth is I didn''t care to hear it, yes. After dinner, I returned to my room saying that I woudl take a rest early because I was still tired. When I was cleaning up the room, Meisa-chan came to peep at me, so I couldn''t be alone. For what it''s worth, I''m sure she''s curious about the new co-resident. I locked the door of the room and finally had time for myself, so I can talk with Reinhardt-san and the others about the future. However, since the room is small, it is impossible for three people to come out, so I will ask them to wait in the shadow space as it is. It''s from this story that I have to talk about first. "Hey, it''s not the Kingdom of Resenburg ..." [ No, Kent-sama, I''m surprised, no way, I didn''t expect this to happen ... ] "Hey ... Reinhardt-san and the others are surprised, but what''s next?" The wicked princess, Camilla, told me to appear at the barracks of the city beyond the forest, but it doesn''t make sense to appear in the barracks of another country. Rather than saying that, there is no doubt that it will be troublesome if you get there, so she thought it was impossible, that is, she thought that I would be eaten by monsters and die. I was actually eaten by a goblin and revived, but I''m angry just thinking about it, this villainous princess, I''ll make you cry someday, I''ll make you cry on the bed. [ Kent-sama, if this is a different country, the princess'' aim may not be to usurp the throne. ] "They might attack Volzard ...?" [ Yes, that''s possible, because it was originally our country. ] "Hey ..." According to Reinhardt-san and the others, it is usually unthinkable for monsters to attack beyond the Devil''s Forest. However, if you can use the classmates who were summoned in large numbers as soldiers and all of them can use magic to break through the Devil''s Forest, it may not be impossible. I only walked from the station to the guild and the boarding house, but Kartz-san, Otto-san, and Amanda-san are all kind people, I would hate and invasion of this city. "What about this city, as Basten-san and Fred-san saw?" [ It''s much more prosperous that it was when we were alive. ] [ There were no slums ... wonderful ... ] According to the two scounts, Volzard was better maintained than it used to be, it seemed to be safer, and the people in the city looked brighter. The training of the garrison was also a sharp movement, and I got the impression that they were well trained. [ When we were alive, Volzard was prosperous, but I had the impression that it was more rough, it was just like a city where adventurers were aiming for a lot of money. ] "Then, does the person who governs this city now have good politics?" [ It''s not clear yet, but maybe ... ] "Hmm ... what''s wrong ..." [ Kent-sama, you''re worried, but you don''t have to rush to a conclusion, things won''t move so quickly. ] "Well, is that so?" [ If you are the same age as Kent-sama, no matter how much magic you can use, it usually takes three years to become a soldier, and no matter how urgent it still takes two years. ] "Well ... that''s right." I''ve always been a kid since I was in Japan, but even my classmates can''t suddenly be a soldier. It takes years to become a soldier who will fight for another country. Because, killing each other between humans is impossible for us who grew up in Japan with a peaceful life. If you find that you have time, you have to collect more information. In the first place, I don''t know if that villainous princess will really attack, and even in the city of Volzard, I just arrived yesterday and I don''t know anything, so I don''t have enough information to decide my path. "Fred-san, can you go scouting to the Kingdom of Resenburg?" [ Leave it to me ... I can go immediately with shadow movement ... ] "Well, you do have that option ..." When moving using shadows, if you have been to a place in the past, you can connect to the shadows and move in an instant. Even in places you have never been to, you can move by following the shadows in the visible range, so you can move without appearing outside. "But do you know where everyone is?" [ It shouldn''t be far from the summoning place ... it''s okay ... ] "Then, I ask for a little reconnaissance, Basten-san will continue to investigate Volzard, and Reinhardt-san remain with me." [ Then, I''ll entrust Kent-sama to you, branch leader. ] [ Leave it to me, don''t worry. ] Even so, the skeleton hidden in the shadow is too much of a cheat. If you use the shadow space, you can go in and out anywhere, and you can see the outside from the shadow, so you can spy on anything as much as you want. If you think about it, I myself am free to go in and out of the shadow space, so if necessary, I could go to Resenburg for reconnaissance. [ So what about Kent-sama? ] "I ... for the time being, will look for a job in the guild and see the situation of Volzard while working ..." [ If so, it would be convenient if Kent-sama could also talk in a telepathic way. ] "Well, if I were the only one talking, people would think I was a strange guy, so let''s practice a little." Reinhardt-san and the others seem to have a magical link with me, and with a little practice, I can now convey my will without speaking out. Yeah, this doesn''t make you think I''m a weird guy with a lot of soliloquy. Basten-san checked it out, and it seems that today is the 74th year of the new calendar, the 833rd year of the lunar calendar, the 14th day of the 9th month, and the day of light. It seems that this new calendar is after independence from the Kingdom of Resenburg. In this world, one year is twelve months, 386 days. One month is thirty-two days, adding two days for New Year''s Eve. There are eight days in a week, Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, Dark, Light, Star, and Rest, literally the last day of the week is a holiday. The holidays are one day a week, but the total of ten days, including the two days of the year and the first week of the first month, and the hottest sixteen days of the second and third weeks of the eight month, It seems that it will be a long vacation. It''s the ninth month now, so long vacations are a long way off. The currency used to be Burg and is now Helt, but 1 Burg is 1 Helt and it is still in circulation. Probably because trade is still going on. The treasure collected in the forest is about 1.7 million Burgs of gold and silver coins, and it seems the total of magic stones exceeds 2 million Burgs. Besides, there are also cloths and carpets ... Uho, I, Rich Man, all of them are gifts. Considering the boarding house fee, I don''t have to worry if I don''t work for the time being, but I will try to work to get to know the inside of Volzard. I mean, getting a request from the guild, doing the job, and getting a reward, this is the real thrill of another world. The next day, I ate breakfast, then left the boarding house immediately, and came to the guild, but it was quite crowded. In front of the bulletin board where the request was posted, there was a large crowd, and it seems unlikely that we would get close to it. Uo, I''m working on something. It''s an overwhelming sight, but it feels like a promised sight, and it''s exciting. [ Kent-sama, let''s see what kind of work they have. ] [ Yeah, okay, I''ll look at it after it calms down a little ... I also want to see what kind of people are coming and going. ] [ I see, Kent-sama ... ] The results of practicing telepathy last night are immediately useful. I told Reinhardt-san that reason, but I really just want to enjoy this atmosphere a little more. Looking around, there are people who look like adventurers, people who look like merchants, and people who look like crafstmen. There seems to be a difference in the bulletin boards that each one looks at. I wonder if it depends on the rank and the type of work. When I was watching the guild scene in the morning, I was called out to. "I haven''t seen you before, are you a newcomer?" "Well, yes, yes, I just came the day before yesterday." The one who called out was a woman who looked a little older than me, with her pink hair tied behind her head, a little drooping and a feeling of relief. She has triangular ears springing out, and the butt of her loose trousers like cargo pants has a thick cat-like tail swaying. Oh, cat ears have arrived--! She''s about 160 cm tall, but my eyes are drawn to the sharp style. "What are you staring at? Aah?" When I glanced towards the voice, turning away from looking at the woman''s head, a stern looking onii-san was glaring at me. This one has gray hair and triangular ears, but the shape of the tail looks like a dog. You don''t have to come, dog ears have arrived--! He seems to be about 180 cm tall, and he also wears cargo pants, lace-up boots, and a cloak that looks like a shortened poncho. I apologize reflexively. "Well ... that ... I''m sorry ..." "Jeez, Gilik why are you so quick to poke at others ... sorry, I''m Muell, and you?" "Oh, I''m Kent." "Hey, black hair is rare, where did you come from?" The hair of people you see in the city was really colorful, but you may not have seen black hair. "Well, I''ve been following a caravan from the west all this time, but we were attacked by monsters in the Devil''s Forest ..." "Eeh! Was it okay?" "I managed to ... but the others ... Mugu ..." "Oh, that''s ... sorry ... you did your best ..." If you look down a little and pretend it''s painful, you will be hugged tightly and your face will be wrapped in a soft touch ... It''s a bit of a pinch. "Mugu ... Breath ... Fugu ..." "Yeah ... it tickles, you can''t talk there ..." "How long will this bastard hug Myu-ane! Get away, shoo!" "Fugu ... ha, ha, I thought I''d die ..." Do the women of this world have a habit of hugging like Amanda-san? I really thought I would suffocate. "Gilik, you can''t be violent!" "No, I wonder if Myu-ane was endangering his life." "Eh? Is that so?" Wow, I didn''t think I would see ''Tehepero'' even tho I came to another world, of course, Muell-san is cute, so I''ll forgive you. Muell-san is said to be a D-rank adventurer who wants to be a pharmacist, and in addition to a large knife, a number of leather bags are hung on the belt wrapped around her waist. Gilik, who is uselessly big like Funayama, is also a D-rank adventurer and carries a sword on his back.(TN: No honorifics with Gilik, he mustn''t like him much.) Both of them are really adventurers. "Kent is a freshly registered F rank, so if it''s this time of year, it might be better to pick the livre farm." "Well, it suits a little boy like you." Livre is a fruit that grows during this period and is used as a raw material for sake. "Okay, I''ll go for a moment, thank you very much." I was worried about what kind of work I should do, so I decided to try the farm work recommended by Muell-san. Looking at the bulletin board where the number of people has finally decreased, a request from the livre farm is posted. Perhaps the farm is large, because the number of people recruited seems to be large. It is written that there is no limit to the rank to receive the request, and it seems that I can also receive orders for F rank. When I peeled off a piece of the request paper and took it to the reception desk, the beautiful onee-san was absent, and the older onee-san took care of me in a clerical manner and taught me the way to the farm. I was looking forward to the guild receptionist onee-san ... Well, I got to know Muell-san, so let''s say it''s good. The livre picking work starts from the beginning of the week, the reward is 400 Helts a day, and it is said that a week''s live-in includes meals. For the time being, I decided to look at what kind of place it was by walking. CH 9 The morning at the livre plantation is early, and the picking process begins before dawn and continues until noon with breakfast in between. This is why the work at the livre farm is live-in, and before dawn, the owner of the farm, Bruno-san, comes to wake up the hired people. [ Kent-sama, Kent-sama, it''s about time! ] "Ummm ... Fugi! Ugaaaaaaa ... Igiii ..." On the morning of the third day after I started working, I was woken up by Reinhardt-san, and the strange moaning is not because I''m doing something wrong or abnormal. That''s right. I''m just moaning due to sever muscle aches throughout my body. The livre tastes like a combination of grapes and kiwi, but the shape is like a petit tomato, and the harvesting work is to pick the fruit from the tree by hand. The work of picking with the basket on the shoulder until it is full and then transferring it to the barrel is repeated. It''s crazy, it''s hard! It''s really hard. When I was in Japan, I had never done any physical labor, so I suffered from muscle pain on the first day. On the morning of the second day, my muscle pain was so sever that I couldn''t help but move, and I made strange movements while moaning, it greatly disgusted the other people. However, I stretched while making use of the privilege of a light attribute mage and self-healing, and escaped from muscle pain hell. So this morning, I decided to have Reinhardt-san wake me up a little earlier and finish the self-healing stretch. "Uhh ... ku, gii ... haa ... fuu ..." Even if I try to suppress it, I will inadvertently moan, but the other people who were hired also seem to be tired from the daily work and do not seem to be waking up. [ Kent-sama, wasn''t it okay to get up with everyone else? ] [ Yeah, that''s no good, I do worse work than the other people, so at least I have to keep up with the start ... ] Some of the people hired by the farm are of the same ages as me, but I feel they are more physically fit and accustomed to physical labor than I am. In fact, when I came to be hired, Bruno hesistated to hire me because my body was so poor. If I were to bring up the setting of having come from a caravan from the west for example, I could get hired out of sympathy, but I don''t want to impact their work. Even so, on the first day, my procedure was worse than other people, and there was a considerable difference in work. Yesterday I was a lot better, but I''m still lagging behind the others. Today, I want to work like everyone else, preferably more than everyone else. This early rising is also to get enthusiastic at the start of the day. Now that my body is warmed up, I wonder if I can go out and wash my face in the well. It''s mid-September, and it''s still hot enough to sweat during the day, but the cool breeze blows in the morning and evening, making it very pleasant and cheerful. As I was washing my face in the well, I saw Bruno-san coming from the main buliding to wake everyone up. It''s still before sunrise, and Bruno-san uses a light magic tool, but I don''t need it. You don''t need a light if you have darkness magic. "Good morning, Bruno-san" "Oh, Kent, are you up already? It''s early." "Yes, I''ll do my best today, I''ll work hard today so that I won''t lose to everyone else." "Oh, you''re a reliable guy, I''m counting on you." "Yes!" When I was in Japan, I wasn''t very good at getting up in the morning, so I was always late and falling asleep. I wasn''t staying up late at night, I just wanted to sleep, and I spent every day trying to sleep if I had a chance. Of course, my school grades were poor, and I was receiving a lot of sermons from my parents and teachers, but since I came here, it''s like a lie that I haven''t been drowsy. This may also be due to the darkness magic. It''s the third day of work, and it seems that the other people are getting tired, they all seem to be sleepy, and their movements are not good. If this is the case, I may be able to work as much as everyone else ... no, more than everyone else. Besides, I''ve only been working for three days, but I feel like I''ve gained some muscle. Well, that''s beside the point, but unlike the other people, I''m relieved of fatigue, so I can still work. As I was able to pick the most during the time before breakfast, Bruno-san also commented on it. "Huh, was Kent the best this morning, did you do your best again?" Bruno-san''s father, Dino, who is now retired from the scene, also praised me. On the first day, I had a pretty bitter face, so I''m happy. "Yes, I was worried, but now that I''ve finally got the hang of it, it''s okay." "Oh yeah, yeah, that''s reliable ... oh it hurts ..." "Oh, are you okay?" "Ah ... no, it''s okay, ku, this waist is ..." Dino fell off the ladder during pruning work two years ago and has been suffering from severe back pain ever since. "I don''t want to get old at all, Kent, weren''t you moaning because of muscle pain yesterday morning? Even if they''re sick, I can''t beat the younger ones ..." No, in my case, I''m doing a lot of cheating, but even so, it seems to be painful and I can''t see it. "Ah ... Dino-san, I was an apprentice of a healer, so I learned a little massage. If you''d like, can I do a little after lunch?" "No, Kent is tired too, so you can relax." "Then, what if I could afford to massage, even just a little?" "Um ... well, if you say that, would you like to do it for a moment?" To be honest, if it''s my body, it will recover from the internal organs, but I''m not sure if it can heal other people''s wounds and pain. So, I have to think about how to improve Dino-san''s waist without making it worse. Picking work continues until noon with breakfast in between. After lunch, there is a long nap time, after which fruit liquor preparation work is waiting until the evening. During this nap time, I massaged Dino-san''s waist. I asked him to lie down on the chaise lounge where we eat together, and gently placed my hands on Dino-san''s waist. With the image of relieving his muscle pain, I press with my palm and repeat the process. Unlike my own body, I don''t know if it was healed or not, and I was struck by a terrible anxiety, and a cold sweat blew out. "Oh, it feels warm and I feel good, oh, it feels good ..." "That''s good ... I''ll continue a little longer." "Oh, it feels so good that I''m about to fall asleep ..." After 20 minutes of massage, Dino-san fell asleep. "Ken, it''s okay, go rest, you''ll be working in the afternoon." "Yes, then ..." When Bruno-san told me that I also decided to go back to the dormitory and take a nap. I have about two hours to take a nap in the time of Japan, so I can take a good rest. It is said that the three months of the seventh month, the eighth month, and the ninth month people have a nap time to avoid the heat. Even if I take a nap later than everyone else, I don''t have to worry about oversleeping because there is a vicious skeleton alamr clock. [ Reinhardt-san, wake me up a little early in the afternoon. ] [ OK, take a rest slowly. ] After taking a nap, I was awakened by Reinhardt-san and was preparing for work in the afternoon, and Dino-san, who was lively, ran. Dino-san, is it okay to run so much? "Kent, Ken, Kent! You''re amazing, Kent!" "Hey, Dino-san, if you run so much ..." "Nothing happens, the hips that hurt so much, see, see!" Dino-san, shook his hips with a big smile and started dancing. Ah, it seems that the first treatment went well. "It was good, I''m sure it was a good match for Dino-san''s body." "Well, I was surprised since I couldn''t go to Volzard''s healing clinic anymore, but it would be so good with just one massage." "No, no ... it just happened ..." Oh ... I wonder if I''ve done too much, I wonder if I''m suspicious ... "Kent, I''m sorry, but before work in the afternoon, could you massage my wife''s knees ..." "Ah ... yeah, yeah, that''s fine, but I don''t know if it will be as dramatic as Dino-san." "Oh, I know that, but I hope it can get somewhat better." "Well, then I''ll give it a try." Dino-san''s wife, Maya-san, said she had hurt her knee when she fell last year, and while she was holding her left knee, she hurt her right knee. Now she''s walking with canes. I visited the main house of Bruno-san''s family and massaged Maya-san''s knees in the living room. The method was the same as that of Dino-san, wrapping her knees with both hands and lightly pressing and releasing. I tried to massage for 15 minutes on each leg and 30 minutes on both legs, but I still can''t feel the effect. "Ah ... how''s that ..." When I asked after the massage, Maya-san got up from the chair, bent and stretched her knees on the spot, and then burst into tears. "Well ... I''m sorry, didn''t it work?" "Yeah, it''s different, it doesn''t hurt at all, I''m happy, I''m happy ... Look, I don''t need a cane!" "Oh! Maya!" "Dear!" Looking at Dino-san and Maya-san, who are happily hugging each other and jumping, makes me so happy. [ As expected, Kent-sama seems to have outstanding skills as a healer. ] [ Yeah, it worked this time, but I don''t relly feel it at all, and I don''t know if it will work in the future. ] [ Don''t be so humble, it''s easy for Kent-sama to become the best healer in the country. ] [ Hmm ... even so, I still have a lot of worries. ] [ That''s right, the princess'' case, my classmates'' case, and cleaning up. ] If you''re so happy, I think being a healer would be good, but I have to make the villainous princess cry. "Then I''ll go back to work." "Kent! You don''t have to work any more today, take your time here." "No, that''s not the case, it''s no good because it will put a burden on everyone if I leave." "Well ... but I hope you''ll be so good ..." "Why don''t you help us for the first time in a long time?" "Oh, yeah, yeah, my waist has improved." "Yes, my knees have improved ..." "Then, we will show them our skills even though they are young ... Kent, let''s go." "Yes, thank you." The afternoon preparation work continued in a lively manner with the participation of Dino-san and Maya-san. Dino-san was full of humor, and Bruno-san had a suspicious look at first, but when he realized that his back pain had really healed, he changed to a relieved expression. The preparation work is to take out the seeds while crushing the livre fruit, squeeze the juice with a squeezing machine, transfer it to a large barrel, add yeast and ferment it initially. After that, the scum is removed and the barrels are packed and left to stand for about three years before it is ready to drink. The work of removing seeds while crushing the livre requires grip strength, and the work of transferring juice is dependent on the legs. Dino-san gave me some tips, so I feel that I was able to work quite efficiently, unlike yesterday. The others seemed to see and hear me being taught on the side, and today''s work was done earlier than usual. After work, bathe, sweat, and have a long-awaited supper. Meals are eaten at a large table in a corner of the warehouse. One of the pleasures is to have a meal with more than 20 people hired by the Bruno family to help with the harvest. I was beckoned to and called over by Dino-san. "Hello, Kent, here, sit here." "Yes, just eat, I''ll be working tomorrow ..." "Yes, I will!" Supper is a standard menu of stewed vegetables and meat, bread, cheese, boiled potatoes and corn, but it tastes very good because everyone eats together. Tonight, in addition to that, Dino-san and Maya-san entertained me with a big smile, so I felt it was even more delicious. After work, Bruno-san asked me to treat his stiff shoulder, Bruno-san''s wife''s stiff shoulders, the back pain and muscle pain of my colleages were also treated. I was very grateful to everyone, as for me it''s like having a healing experiment, so I''d like to thank you all. At the end of the day, I went to sleep in the bed in the large room again for tomorrow. [ Kent-sama, thank you for your hard work today. ] [ Thank you, Reinhardt-san ... Did you get tired? ] [ I don''t feel tired after getting this body. ] [ Is that a good thing? Or is it bad? ] [ It''s good for work, but if you say it''s dull, it may be a little dull. ] [ Well, oh ... I''m a little tired today ... ] [ Please take a rest slowly. ] [ Yeah, wake me up tomorrow morning, then take a rest. ] [ Good night. ] It may not be bad to practice healing while working in this way. I feel like I''m getting more familiar with this world every day. CH 10 The love road between the magic tool shop and Kartz ***---*** After finishing a week''s work at the livre farm, Bruno asked me to extend the week. Moreover, since the daily salary is raised to 600 Helts, there is no choice but to be OK. In addition to the daily work, the fatigue recovery massage that was given to everyone was very effective, and the work efficiency was greatly improved. Well, I''m just happy that my work is recognized. When I was in Japan, I only remember everyone getting angry with me, so I wondered if I shouldn''t go home anymore. It seems that the livre picking work will be almost finished next week, so it may be a good break. I agreed to extend the employment period, but I hvae to tell Amanda-san, the landlord of the boarding house, so I decided to return for today, which is the day of rest. The livre plantation is located on the other side of the Devil''s Forest form the fort of Volzard, so it feels like I''m returning to the city for the first time in a while. I mean, I haven''t seen much of the city yet, so after I tell Amanda-san that my work has been extended, maybe I''ll hang out a little. And one more thing, Fred-san is back from reconnaissance, so I have to listen to his report. For the time being, let''s go back to the city and listen to Fred-san''s report. [ Fred-san, did you find out where everyone is? ] [ I found it ... it wasn''t far away from the summoning place ... ] The place where we were summoned to is a wasteland between a big river and a magical forest, and noone lives there. I''m told that all of my classmates were taken to the military garrison in the town of Lastock, across the river. Everyone is being trained there as a soldier. [ What about their treatment? ] [ Not good ... but not the worst ... ] For the time being, they want to be able to use them as soldiers, so it seems that they are given a minimum amount of food and sleep, but it seems that it is not as good as the treatment for ordinary soldiers. [ But some people ... good treatment ... especially the saint. ] Ah ... After all, the chariman is treated as a saint. Originally, there are few people who have the light attribute, and there are even fewer people who have a lot of magical power, so the class chairman is really valuable. In addition to the chairman, people with a lot of magical power, such as the handsome guy in the basketball club, are given better treatment than ordinary soldiers. I don''t know if it''s a merit-first principle or if they''re trying to soften those who have power, but I''m relieved to know that the chairman is safe anyway. [ Surely the saint is amazing ... but Kent-sama is also amazing ... ] [ No, I don''t think I can match the chairman, the original qualities are different. ] [ No ... that''s not the case ... ] Fred-san was summoned by me, so I think that''s why he feels that way, but I feel shy when he says I''m better. [ So, did you udnerstand the purpose of the evil princess? ] [ Unfortunately ... not yet ... ] Camilla Resenburg has instructed her subordinates to make my classmates and teachers into soldiers, but she hasn''t talked about where to fight. However, it seems that there is a high possibility that she is thinking of attacking here from the appearance of looking at the map depicting the Kingdom of Resenburg and the Republic of Landshelt every time. I will suspend the report from Fred-san and listen to the report from Basten-san. [ Basten-san, what kind of person is the lord of Volzard? ] [ Well, he''s a pretty interesting person ... ] I''m told that Klaus Volzard, a man in the latter half of his forties, governs Volzard. Originally, his brother was supposed to become the lord, and Klaus was active as an adventurer, but he died in an accident and Klaus became the lord instead. He wasn''t very enthusiastic, but he had no choice because he had no other siblings. Klaus seems to have been familiar with the circumstances behind the city from being an adventurer, and he boldly reformed the city so that no noone would get involved in the dark family business. He created the Volzard that is very popular with the people. [ Hey ... what kind of reform did he do, for example? ] [ Well, it is said that he set an upper limit on the interest rate of money lenders, restricted the operation of gambling halls, helped poor children, reached out to slums and dismantled them. ] [ That''s pretty amazing, isn''t it? But I think there would be many enemies ... ] [ Well, if you do it normally, you''re likely to have many enemies, but it seems that he got along well with the so-called underworld people and preached the profits of doing business legitimately. ] [ Hey ... that''s a good deal, isn''t it? ] [ Yes, I think it''s necessary to be careful because it feels like it''s just a bit chaotic. ] [ Hmm ... I don''t think I could match him at all. ] [ No, if you have the qualities of Kent-sama, you can be a match for any person. ] It''s not a match between a person who is an adventurer and also the lord of Volzard, and a kid who is crazy. Of course, I don''t intend to be hostile, and even if I just liten to the story, I''d rather support him, so in some cases, it may be better to talk about everything and ask for cooperation. After returning to the city of Volzard, I headed straight for Amanda-san''s boarding house. In fact, it''s been a habit to get up early on the farm, and it''s still early, and today is a rest day, so ti seems that the city is slow to move. Amanda-san''s shop seems to be open even though it''s a rest day, so the preparation work was being done. "Amanda-san, I''m back now." "Welcome back, Kent, oh ... I feel like you''re gotten stronger." "Oh, I''m sure it''s because I didn''t have a chance to work outside, so maybe it was because I wasn''t tanned." "You are really tanned and when you came here you looked like a sick person, but I''m relieved." "So, Bruno-san from the farm asked me to work for another week, and I''ll be working again next week." "Oh, then, it''s not worth the extra money for the boarding house ..." "No, it''s a matter of convenience, so don''t worry." "Well, what are you going to do today?" "Yes, after this, I''ll walk around the city and then return to the farm in the evening, where I''ll be back on the next day of the week." "Okay, then be careful with your body." "Yes, then I''m off." "Yes, see you." Since the salary for last week is on me, there will be no shortage of funds for walking around the city. Now, thinking about where to look, it was Kartz-san''s face that came to my mind. He believed in the lie setting to get me into Volzard and I need to thank him for all the care. I also worked properly and earned money, so I''ll bring a souvenir and have him feel at ease. On the central street of the city, many shops were starting to open. It seems that there are many shops that work on this day of the week and rest on the day of the dark. It''s like a department store that is open on Sundays and has holidays on weekdays. At the eaves of the store, there is a sign that tells you what the store is at a glance. The shape of the boots is a shoe store, a barber with combs and scissors, a bakery in itself, a locksmith, and so on. [ Reinhardt-san, what kind of store is this magic symbol-like signboard down here? ] [ This is a magic tool shop. ] [ I see, there are tools with various magic symbols engraved on them, right? ] [ That''s right, the price varies depending on the material. ] If you come to a different world of swords and magic, magic tools are an indispensable item. This will have to be seen already. "Hello ... May I have a little tour?" "Please, please come in we have a wide variety of items from affordable items to luxury items. Please take a look slowly." When I opened the glass door and went inside, a young man with round glasses greeted me amiably. Since it''s a magic tool shop, I thought it might be run by an old man in a habit, or a witch of unknown age, but it''s surprisingly a normal shop. Inside the shop, it seems that cheap items are placed near the entrance and luxury items are placed in the back. [ Reinhardt-san, what is this paper? ] [ This magic symbol is a disposable magic symbol. The magic symbol is drawn on the paper with special ink, and it activates when you touch the magic symbol and insert magic power. ] [ Hey ... it''s disposable. ] It seems that there are various types of paper such as fire, water, ice, wind, light, and weight reduction. [ The fire type literally ignites when magical power is passed through, and the water type produces about a pot of water. ] [ Hey ... it seems to be useful when camping ... Oh, yeah, if you use this paper, you can use magic other than your own attributes. ] [ That''s right, and the light and weight reduction are unique magics that use magic symbols that are different from attribute magic. ] In this world, in addition to the six attribute magics, there is a magic system that uses magic symbols, and it seems that this is used in places related to daily life rather than combat. By the way, it was magic using magic symbols that summoned us. "Are you looking for camp paper?" "No, that''s not the case ..." "Our camp paper has a good selection, so the effect of fire and light will last for a long time, and water will come out for about a large pot." "That''s right, after all there are good and bad things about the camp paper." "Yes, the effect depends on the quality of the ink that draws the symbol, the accuracy of the symbol, the quality of the paper, etc." "How can I tell that?" "Hmm ... well, it''s a little difficult for ordinary people, I can only advise you to buy this from a reliable shop." "So that''s it... ..." Nott-san, a man with round glasses, is said to be the third generation of this shop. His father, his predecessor, prefers to make magic tools rather than do business, and he quickly entrusted the store to Nott-san, and he is enthusiastic about making magic tools in the workshop. Nott-san likes business more than production, so he seems to have no particular complains. By the way, his sister is enthusiastic about making magic tools, so there is no problem with her succession. In Japan, women sell, and men take over the role of craftsmanship ... There is such a tendency, but there isn''t here? "The quality of magic tools is basically determined by the material and the accuracy of the crafter, but luxury goods have a stronger aspect as crafts and works of art, so worksmanship and beauty of appearance are important." It was the time when the store was just opened, and there were no customers, so Nott-san showed me the products while explaining various things. The cheapest camp paper is 10 Helts, the highest, and the crafted clock is 500,000 Helts. A crafted clock is a clock that uses magic stones as batteries, and it is said that when the time comes, music is played and dolls dance. Person clocks are so-called pocket watches, but the shapes of luxury and practical watches are completely different. The practical watch is for adventurers who dive in the dungeon, and it is said that it is made to be sturdy so that it will not break. On the other hand, luxury goods have finely crafted cases, dials, and hands, and are competing for beauty. I''ve asked for various things to be explained, but there isn''t any magic tool I need right now. However, I asked for an explanation, so when I looked worried that it would be a shame if I didn''t buy something, Nott-san told me that I didn''t have to forcibly buy anything. "Magic tools are not justified in their value unless they are needed, for example, even if you have a fire-making paper, you have no chance to use it if you do not travel or cook. As such you won''t understand the true value of it." "I see, I''m sure since I''m helping the farm, maybe I won''t know how good the fire-starting paper is." "So, please come and buy when you need it, and whenever you think you need something like this, please come and consult us." "Yes, thank you for everything." A customer arrived, so I thanked Nott-san and left the store. Yeah, when I dive into the dungeon, I''ll need a lot of things, so I''ll come visit Nott-san''s shop. [ No ... I don''t think Kent needs a lot of magic tools when diving into the dungeon. ] [ Why? When you''re talking about a dungeon, you can''t go through it without preparing various equipment, right? ] [ If you are an oridinary adventurer, you will need to prepare various weapons and equipment for camp, but in the cast of Kent-sama, you do not need a light and you can use shadow movement, so you do not need to camp. ] [ Oh, yeah ... I can come back on the way, and if I go once, can I start from there again? ] Oh, it seems that I''m the only person who can use the save function, I''m sorry for something, but if you ask that, you will have to dive into the dungeon. When I''m done with the farm next week, I''ll think about it a little. After all, if you come to a different world, you can''t miss the dungeon crawl. Magical tools ... ... Dungeon ... ... Fuuuuuuu, I''m getting excited. When I left Nott-san''s shop and walked around the city again, I found shops selling weapons and armor. It''s a store that you rarely see in Japan, and it''s a store that appears in games and anime, it''s also fascinating. However, currently, I don''t know what to buy at all, so I just glance at it from the outside. By the way, I forgot to get a souvenir for Kartz-san. I wonder what''s good, and by the way, I''m hungry again ... When I stopped at the street corner and thought about it, a person in a garrison uniform approached me. One of the garrison members who seems to be patrolling in the duo was Kartz-san. "Kartz-san! It''s been a long time." "Oh, Kent, oh, you got a lot of sunburn." "Yes, I was working on a farm this week, so I got pretty burnt." "Oh, yeah, you look like you''re doing well." "Yes, I was thinking of thanking you today, but yes, if you like, please let me treat you to lunch." "Kent, I just did my job, so I don''t need your thanks ... but yeah, let''s have lunch together, and if you''re a new customer at a familiar store, that''s fine." The garrison people I''m with are nodding with Eun Eun, so I don''t think I''m unwelcome, so I decided to have lunch with them. I saw that Bert-san, a member of Kartz-san''s corps, was with Kartz-san. "Am I bothering you?" "That''s ridiculous! It''s a great help to have Kent!" "Huh? Is that so ...?" "Oh yeah, when I''m with the captain, I feel a bit sick ..." Bert-san has a grinning smile, and Kartz-san looks to be a little unhappy. Kartz-san and his friends took me to the dining room on the back road from the center street, in the opposite direction of Amanda-san''s boarding house. "Welcome! Oh, thank you, Kartz-san." "Hey, Meline, we have three people, can we get in?" "Yes, please go to the back seat!" "Uh, yeah, thank you ..." The woman who greeted us was a beautiful soman with white fluffy hair, with rounded horns on the side of her head. I think she''s a sheep beast, but she also has a great style. Kartz-san was kind of shy, and when I turned my gaze towards Bert-san, he nodded back with Eun Eun. Kartz-san, it''s easy to understand, it''s like an adolescent boy. "Kartz-san, who is this little boy ...?" "Oh, oh, Kent just came to Volzard last week, he''s the only survivor of a caravan that was attacked by monsters in the Devil''s Forest." "Well ... sorry ... it must have been hard ..." "No ... Fugu ..." I was hugged like as expected of Volzard. At the edge of the field of vision, Kartz-san looks like a demon. "Fugu ... Fugu ..." "Huh, oh, I''m sorry, it must have been painful." "No, yeah, ... it''s okay." It''s okay so please protect me from Kartz-san who is glaring at me. Well, Bert-san, you look to be in agony from biting back your laughter. I was wondering if I had to eat lunch in this awkward atmosphere, but thanks to Bart-san''s pretending to be like Meline-san and Kartz-san talking, Kartz-san''s expression immediately became sloppy. It''s loose. After all, Kartz-san is easy to understand. That''s good, but even though it''s already lunchtime, there aren''t many customers. No way, it''s probably because Kartz-san is excluding the men who look at Meline-san with the eyes of a demon. But even so, older customers should come. I was wondering why, but when the food I ordered came, I knew immediately. Yeah, it''s not very delicious. Compared to Amanda-san''s food, the taste is two steps lower. "How is it, Kent, it''s delicious right." "Yes, that''s right ..." When I turned my gaze to Bert-san, I was again notted at with Eun Eun. Ah, maybe Bert-san was pulled by Kartz-san a little bit. I would like to ask Bart-san once in the absence of Kartz-san, whether Kartz-san''s tearful efforts will be rewarded. CH 11 Guild combat training ***---*** Amanda-san was surprised that after working for two weeks at the livre farm and returning to the boarding house, I became much stronger. When I was in Japan, I used to live an indoor otaku life, but I worked hard in the sun, so it''s only natural that I''m going to become strong. Also, when muscle pain is cured by self-healing, it seems to be in so-called super-recovery state, and it develops muscles from what I can understand. The basis is simple, and when this happens, you''ll want to swing a sword or something. A week after I worked at the farm, when I went to the guild first thing in the morning, there was a large crowd in front of the bulletin board. While thinking about what kind of work I should do next, I looked for Muell-san, I would like to thank her for telling me to work at the livre farm. Then, as I did two weeks ago, I saw Muell and Gilik standing by the wall. "Good morning, Muell-san." "Well, oh, you were from that time ...?" "Yes, I''m Kent, you told me to work at the livre farm, and thanks to you, I found a good job." "Hey, you''ve become a lot stronger in two weeks." "Yes, I hadn''t worked with my body so far, so it was pretty tough, but it was fun." "Hey, it''s still crazy to say that you''re getting stronger." "Gilik, don''t be nasty." That''s right, don''t be mean, mutt. However, although Muell-san hesitated, it is a fact that I want to train a little more because I''m still poor. "Ah, did you both learn how to fight somewhere?" "Well, in the guild, weren''t you told that there is a class?" "Yes, I''ve never heard of the guild holding a combat class." "Today is the beginning of the week, so there should be a beginner''s class, why don''t you ask at the reception?" "That''s right, thank you, I''ll go ask a little." I thought it might be free if it was a class that I could take in the guild, so I asked the lady at the reception with a light feeling. "Oh, excuse me, I heard that you can take a combat class here." "Yes, you can, but what is your rank?" "Yes, it''s a freshly registered F rank." "Ah, then, it would be best to join the beginner''s class that will start soon, will you take it?" "Well, how much does it cost?" "A fee is not necessary, it''s a class for raising the level of adventurers belonging to the guild, so you can take it for free." "Is that right, then I''ll take it." "Then, please fill out this paper." Name, age, rank, magic attributes. I feilled in the registration number of the guild card and completed the application for the course. At first, I was told there would be a lecture, and was told to go to the conference room on the second floor. [ Kent-sama, if it''s combat training, we''re ... ] [ No, no, if I train with Reinhardt-san, my body can''t handle it, so I''m taking the guild class. ] Training with a sloppy skeleton is scary and can''t be done. No matter how much I can do, I don''t feel like I can cure the body that has exploded. If you go up the stairs and look into the room with the plate that says ''Meeting Room'', you will see about 40 chairs lined up towards the blackboard hung on the wall. The atmosphere is more like a classroom than a conference room, and about four boys are already sitting there. They''re about the same age as me, and everyone is a little nervous. Three of hte four seem to be acquainted, sitting together and talking in whispers. The other is a handsome guy with a well-organized face, and he sits alone. If this were Japan, it would be the composition of the normie, the mobs, and the loner. With that in mind, when I sat in front of the loner''s chair, I was suddenly talked to. "Hey, are you also F rank?" "Eh? Ah ... yeah, yes, you too?" "Yeah, I''m F rank, I''m Manon, you?" "Oh, Kent." "Nice to meet you, Kent" "Oh, nice to meet you ..." Manon has light blue smooth hair that hides his ears, and after all, the handsome aura is fully open, and his eyes are dazzling. The hand that shook hands with me is also slender with long fingers, and it feels more like a pianist than an adventurer. My hands, which have been rugged and overworked at the livre farm, are somewhat embarrassing. As I was greeting Manon, I heard heavy footsteps from the hallway, and a rugged old man came in through the door. At first glance, it''s a person who you''d think is dangerous, I just pray that he''s not a bad person. "One, two, three, four, five ... oh, that''s everyone, then I''ll start the class, I''m Donovan, the instructor, nice to meet you." Maybe it''s a friendly laugh, but he''s a powerful instructor who just loosens his mouth and it makes him look like he''s sick. "I have something to say do you first, it''s important, so don''t forget it." Being glared at by Donovan-san, the five of us unintentionally straightened our backs and changed our posture. "Even if you get a weapon, don''t think you''ve become stronger. You can only make use of a weapon if you can master it. Well, let''s say you have a sword here. Even if you shake it lightly, it''s a sword that''s sharp enough to cut down a big tree, but it''s a terrifyingly heavy sword, and if you''re not a big man, you can barely use it. Can you say that you are stronger now if you get the sword?" When asked by Donovan-san, we all shook our heads. "Okay, remember well, get a weapon that you can master. And once you get it, train yourself to master it. Only then do you get stronger, do you understand?" The five of us had no choice but to nod like dolls. Donovan-san, you''re really too powerful. But I heard a good story, you can''t get stronger just by getting a weapon, in that sense I hvae to do more magical training. It takes about 30 seconds to activate an attack with light magic, and it is useless in actual battles that you can not hit unless you stop your opponent. Then Donovan-san taught us the characteristics of various weapons. Starting with knives, daggers, swords, longswords, large swords, spears, naginata, bows and arrows, battle axes, halberds, etc. He also gave a brief lecture on how to fight with each weapon. He also told us about the types of shields and armor. His face is very scary, but his explanation is very polite and easy to understand, and above all, it makes me think that ''this person has master-like experience'', so it is convincing. Yeah, I want to make Japanese bad teachers emulate. After the lecture on weapons and armor, there was a lecture on monsters. Near Volzard, in addition to the demon forest that was born from the outbreak of trents, there is also an ordinary forest, and although there are no powerful monsters there, it seems that orcs live there. The lectures are based on the experience of subduing monsters, such as types, characteristics, dangers, weaknesses, and where they can be sold as materials, so their persuasive power is different. However, the monsters in this class are lurking at your feet, and can kill you instantly. After the morning lecture, there was a lunch break, but we were overwhelmed by the power of Donovan-san, and a strange sense of solidarity was born, and we decided to eat lunch together. The trio of Ridner, Maru and Tarik are childhood friends from Volzard. In this world, when you are ten years old, you go to school, and when you are fifteen years old, you register with the guild and start working. Manon is also 15 years old and has just started working this year, and everyone wants to be an adventurer. From my point of view, an adventurer has the image of fighting a monster with a sword or magic, but from their point of view, it is an adventurer who goes into a forest or dungeon and fetches materials, similar to a fisherman in my point of view. It''s dangerous, but it''s a dream to have a job that has a small amount of money and a chance to make a lot of money. However, everyone knows that reality is harsh because they are from Volzard, and that''s why they are taking guild training. "Everyone is so reliable ... ..." "Obviously, no matter how much money an adventurer makes, it''s over when he dies." Among the trio, the tallest Ridner seems to be the leader, he plans to make a party with Maru, who looks small and quick, and Tarik, who is a little overweight. "Maru, who has a small build, is the forward guard, I am the middle guard, and Tarik, who is calm, is the rearguard, this formation is the best, but it''s still a long way off ..." It seems that children who have finished school have two paths: those who aim to be adventurers as they are, and those who aim to become adventurers after saving a little money. As the latter path, Ridner and his colleagues are aiming to become adventurers while working and saving money for the time being. They haven''t gotten the weapons they will use yet, they don''t know how to fight, and they haven''t taken a step as an adventurer yet. Afternoon practical training will be held at the training ground behind the guild. It seems that anyone who has registered with the guild can use it freely, and acquaintances are trying to improve their skills. Even now, some adventurers are having a match with wooden swords, but it feels like it''s fast, I can manage to follow the movement of their bodies with my eyes, but I can''t overtake the movement of the tip of the sword. Hmm. Well, skeletons that I can''t keep up with even the movements of their bodies are close at hand. "Okay, we''ve gathered, I''m going to start a practical training course, but first I will ask you to choose the weapon that suits you. There are weapons that have been sharpened here, the weight is the same as the real thing, so choose whichever best suits your style." There are several types of knives, several types of swords of different length and shaps, spears, naginata, showtbows, longbows, and shields of different sizes. Tarik is interested in spears, but everyone else is gathered at the swords. The sword area was so crowded that I thought I''d look at the knives, but for some reason I was fascinated by the shields and tried to pick up the smallest shield. "Wow, it''s pretty heavy ..." "Huh, why did you choose the shield first?" Looking back in amazement, I see Donovan-san. Actually, it''s just somehow, but if you give such an answer, it''s likely to be crushed, so I''m afraid to give such an answer here. "Um ... I don''t have any means of attack yet, so I decided to check the weight of the shield and then choose a weapon that can be used with one hand ..." "I see ... First of all, you''re trying to solidify the defense first, it''s not bad, no wonder you survived in the Devil''s Forest." When I heard Donovan-san''s words, everyone''s eyes focused on me. No, I''ll be shy if I get so much attention. "Why do you know that ..." "Information is important for adventurers. The adventurer will die easily if he acts due to a lack of information. I''m not going to cut corners, even if it''s a class for a chick." Wow, it looks good, but it''s too stoic and scary. "The only reason that I survived in the forest is I happened to be lucky, and I really just ran away without knowing what was going on." "Yes, but you survived." "Yes, but if I was told to do it again, I would definitely die, so I took the course hoping that I would be able to acquire the knowledge and skills to avoid such a situation." "Well, that''s a wise decision, but the shield is too haevy for you. The most important thing in a fight is to be able to do what you want. If you are standing, but you get stuck, you''re just a shackle." "Yes, I certainly thought so." "What would you do?" "Eh... ...?" "What would you do if the shield is too heavy?" Wow, scary, scary, scary, I can''t give you a bad answer once again. "Um ... if I have to fight right now, I''ll run away." "Why don''t you fight with a light weapon?" "I think it depends on the opponent, but I have no plans to leave the city so far, so I think it''s more likely that I''ll be saved if I run away and ask for help rather than fighting." "Ghahahahahaha, good, Kent, you know how to survive. Ordinary guys want to fight with a weapon right away, but if you''re hodling a weapon. Then, the other party becomes more serious. If you run away, there is a better chance before the other party becomes serious, the correct answer." Hmm, it seems that I managed to get the answer right, but it''s bad for my heart. "I''ll tell you again, but the weapon you actually use should be something that you can control freely. Use something that feels a little heavy only when you train." After that, Donovan-san looked at our physique and mannerisms and chose the first weapon to use. He told us to try a knife for the petite Maru, a sword for Ridner, and a bow for the calm Tarik, in addition to the spear. Manon is also encouraged to try short bows in addition to daggers. And I was recommended the knife. "Kent, you know how to survive, but you don''t seem to be physically fit for a fight. If you have to fight, go for a fight that allows you to take advantage of a momentary gap in your opponent and make a fatal blow. Hmm ... I wonder if this is a compliment, it''s kind of cowardly, I can only think of as sneaky fight. After teaching everyone the recommended weapons, for some reason it was decided to practice swinging a wooden sword. That? Was that the recommended weapon? "I recommended a weapon that is suitable for actual use, but if you do not know the movement of the opponent, it will not be a battle. First, understand the basic movement of the sword and lay the foundation for dealing with it." I see, the basics are from the movement of the sword ... I mean, the wooden sword is also quite heavy. "Okay, first swing to the front 100 times, start!" "Yes! One, two, three, four ..." No, I think it''s not hard to do this 100 times. "Look, Kent! Swing firmly! Bigger and sharper!" "Understood!" In terms of time, it should be about three minutes, but I felt it lasted longer and I''m already sweating. "Okay, next, swing down from the upper right, swing up from the lower left, start 100 times each!" "Yes!" The wooden sword that was swung down from the right is swung up in the opposite direction from the left while stepping forwards. The arm is already on top of the pull, and this time a twist is added, making it even tighter. When it''s over, everyone is sweaty and muddy. "Okay, you did your best, next swing down from the upper left, swing up from the lower right, 100 times each ..." "Ehhh ..." "What''s the matter? Start!" "Hahiiii!" After this, we further swung from the left and right sideways 100 times each, and when it was over, we all collapsed onto the training ground. Ah, the warm eyes of the senior adventurers in the training ground hurt. "Hmm, if you seem to be tired at this level, it''s a dream to enter the Devil''s Forest or dungeon. Well, if you can do this practice calmly, the next class will be water day. After clearing the tasks given there, the next class will be on wind day. Until next week''s class is over, it is forbidden to enter the dungeon alone, do you understand!" "Yes ..." "Okay, today''s class is up til now, disbanded!" "Thank you ... ..." No, even if it is said to be disbanded, you can''t get up right away. It can''t be helped, why don''t I use self-healing here? "Ugi ... Fuguu ... ha, ha, fu ... yoto." When I did a self-healing stretch and got up, everyone else started to get up. Or rather, we''re being watched by Donovan-san, I''m afraid, I have to pretend it''s a little more painful ... "Kent, what''s that strange move?" "Well ... this is a muscle-stretching exercise, and after strenuous physical activity, if you stretch your muscles like this, tomorow''s muscle pain will be different." "Huh, where di you learn that?" "Yes, I used to be an assistant to a healer, I was told this when I was doing chores." Oh, somehow everyone is imitating my movements. Somehow, it''s a shame, but does everyone do stretching movements? That said, it''s just the knoledge I''ve seen on TV and remembered. "Hey, how are you guys?" "Yes, I feel like I can understand that it''s working." "Yeah, it hurts at first, but I feel like it''s getting easier as I stretch it." It seems to be popular with both Ridner and Manon. Do you think Donovan-san will do it too! "Hmm, I see, this guy is good, Hmm, Kent, I''ll lend you that wooden sword specially, so be prepared to be in time for the class next wind day." "Wow ... in a week?" "What are you complaining about?" "No, I don''t have ... ..." "Then, I''ll sign you up for the class next wind day, be sure to prepare." "Yes ..." "Gahahahahahaha ..." After tapping my shoulder, Donovan-san recovered everyone''s wooden swords and went home. "Well then, everyone will be taking classes next week, right?" "No, no ... we''re a little ..." "Uh, yeah, I have a little errand next week ..." "Hey, don''t be so cold, Ridner, Manon, hey, let''s all do our best, hey." "No ... do your best, Kent." "Yeah, do your best ..." "Eeeeeeeeh!" It''s strange, even though the class was taken with a light feeling, why? Why? "Kent, it''s okay, you''ll be all right ..." "Ehhhh ..." I''m afraid, I feel like I"m in a bigger pinch than the Devil''s Forest. CH 12 Today, on the second day of the tenth month, a thin moon is floating in the sky. Good evening everyone, this is Kent. I''m in the Devil''s Forest now. The reason why I am in the forest at night is to have special training. Yesterday, I took a training course in combat techniques in the guild, and Donovan-san told me to attend the training on wind day of next week. What''s more, I was strictly ordered to clear the task of swinging a wooden sword. What a cruel, unforgiving magistrate. On my way home from the class, I saw Otto-san and asked if there was a way to avoid attending the clas, but the answer I got was hopeless. "Ah, as expected of Donovan ... anyway it''s a good thing ... ... thanks for your hard work." "No, you don''t think it really is good, right?" No, Otto-san, don''t look away! "Hmm ... Donovan has a bad habit, and if there is a young person he likes, he feels like he has to train them properly." "Well ... but I''m not good at casting magic, and as an adventurer ..." "Well, you survived in the Devil''s Forest even with a failure appraisal, so It''s as expected." "Ah ... can I just skip class ..." "That''s no good." "Hey ..." "Donovan is a central figure for the adventurers of this guild, so it''s better to think that if you look at it in the opposite sense, it will be a lot harder to live." Wow, isn''t it the basis of your life? "But what if I can''t live up to his expectations ..." "Oh, that depends on your efforts, do you understand that you can''t cut corners?" "Hmm ... it''s already ..." "Well, if you work with him, I''m sure you''ll be stronger for free, so don''t give up and try to struggle." "Hah ..." That''s why I decided to take special training to clear the task of swinging, but when I brought back the wooden sword, I was caught by Amanda-san this time. "Hey Kent, what''s that, I said, no dungeon!" "No, no, this is a self-defense training, and when I took the guild class, I was noticed by the instructor, Donovan-san ..." "Hmm ... isn''t it a lie?" Amanda-san, who has a good sense, cornered me, and I was completely in the state of a trapped mouse, and when she glared at me, as if she could see right through me. "Oh, that''s true, because he''s so strict that I''m in trouble." "You don''t feel like diving into the dungeon, right?" "Of course, I won''t do it." "You''re not thinking about going to the Devil''s Forest, right?" "That, ridiculous, I''m sorry but I don''t want that scary feeling anymore." "Yes, that''s fine, but ... it''s no good." "Yes, yes, it''s enough already." Even though I said that, it''s difficult to swing in the neighborhood of the boarding house, and after thinking about it, I came to the Devil''s Forest using shadow movement. Amanda-san isn''t okay with it, so Basten-san stays in the room instead. If Amanda-san comes, I will move back to the bed with shadow move. "Well, what is this space? Reinhardt." [ Buhahahaha, how is it? We have prepared a special training ground for Kent-sama. ] I''m sure I must be in the Devil''s Forest, but the trees have been cut down, the ground has been leveled, and the space of a baseball field has expanded. Well, when I came here yesterday, there wasn''t such a field, I wonder he made this while being replaced by Basten as my escort today. "Hmm ... well, it''s okay because no one will come anyway ..." [ Then, Kent-sama, we''ll start with swinging tonight! ] I can''t help but be scared of training with a vicious skeleton who doesn''t seem to know the word "moderation", but I can''t replace my stomach. Going out of sight of Reinhardt is absolutely prohibited while being trained. I think I don''t need this kind of training because I''m a mage type. [ Kent-sama, the step is shallow, stronger and sharper! ] "Urya! Oh! That''s it!" Already, it''s a mess, let''s just do it. After swinging, running toward the erected log, running, muscle training using the weight of a natural stone ... until the date changes, while sandwiching the self-healing stretch many times on the way, it really hurts my body is a mess. After the training was over, I washed up in the river, returned to the boarding house, and fell into bed. The moment I lay down, I fell asleep instantly, and I wonder if I could be kidnapped by an alien without realizing it, and even have a switch attached to my head. In the morning, Reinhardt wakes me up and I make a strange voice while doing a self-healing stretch. I think I slept for about three hours, but because of the light attribute magic I can manage to get rid of it if I eat well. I wonder if it''s really okay, there are no dangerous side effects. "Kent, it''s just a thought, but can''t you get rid of that strange voice?" "Sorry, I''m sorry, I''m not sued to work yet, and when I wake up my body is full of pins and needles." "Oh, is that right, because Meisa is absolutely sure she hears something strange ..." Gikku-I don''t think anyone could have seen it. It''s absolutely awkward to have three vicious skeletons. "No, no ... I can''t keep anything because I''m doing my best to live ... hahahahaha ..." "Ah, that''s not the case ... but if you bring in something weird, it''s going out." "wow, I know, it''s okay." I will have a good breakfast this morning and head to work. No, really if I don''t eat it, I''ll fall down. Today''s job is trans-shipment work at the Garm potato warehouse, which is a three-day contract from yesterday. Garm potatoes are like sweet potatoes and taros added together and divided by two, and the taste is like a sweet potato. It is a potato found in a region far north of Volzard, and I''m told that it is used as a staple food because of its high yield. It seems that this time is the second harvest time, and the old potatoes that had been piled up in the warehouse are being moved to the front and new potatoes are being loaded into the back. It''s already heavy physical labor. Since it is a task to move the potatoes to the designated place, only force is used. So, since the daily allowance is not so good, it''s a very unpopular job. Even so, for me now that I need to increase my physical strength, it''s the perfect job, so I''ll do my best from monrning till evening. "Hey, Kent, let''s finish it." "Yes, and I''m carrying this much." Everyone hired with me went up quickly when the time came, but if you carry about five more bags, the dolly will be cleared up, so let''s do our best. It''s been a little over two weeks since I came to this world, and I haven''t grown taller, but my body is completely different. I was sickly around my abdomen, but my abdominal muscles are now cracked, and my arms, legs, shoulders, and so on have a lot of muscles. Oh, but I''m sure I was a cheat magician, why am I joining the physical camp ... Huh?" When the work is done, I will bathe in the well in the back and get the salary for today from my employer, Samiel-san, and go home. That, isn''t this quite a lot. "Samiel-san, this is a lot, I was promised a daily allowance of 350 Helts, but I have 400 Helts." "Good, good, Kent is working well, it''s a bonus." "But only I get a lot ..." "What are you saying, it''s still not much, and the other guys are messing around, and half of what Kent gets is fine." "No, but ..." "It''s fine! Keep quiet, instead I''ll ask you to come again tomorrow." "Yes, thank you, excuse me." Hyah-Igot a bonus-I went to the boarding house while skipping. It''s completely dark, and the city is lit with magical tools and lamps. Thanks to that, the central street is bright, but the side roads are quite dark. However, thanks to the darkness attribute magic, I can see at night, so I will not be worried about my feet. That''s why I''ve noticed that they are there for quite some time. The trio that came out of the dark are the people who were working together with me at Samiel-san''s. "Yo Kent, are you going home now?" "Yes, thank you!" "Oh, you''re fine even though you worked all day, you ..." "No, I''m in a situation where I have to do my best ..." "Well, that''s right, let me give you a little help, because it''ll be done soon ..." I''m talking cattily, but he doesn''t seem to have any intention of letting go by holding my arms from both sides. Well, I don''t need to think about the requirements, though. I left the central street and entered the back alley, and was taken to the back alley again. The destination is a dead end surrounded by buildings. "You, it''s annoying, you''re an eyesore for working hard." "No ... I''m getting money, so it''s natural to work seriously, right?" "Bah, can you work seriously with such a cheap daily allowance?" "No ... I know from the beginning that the daily allowance is cheap, and if I don''t like it, I''ll do another job ..." "Shut up! That kind of good kid act makes me sick! Well, tomorrow you should work like us, don''t work like today! It won''t be good!" He''s screaming and terrifying, but I''m not really scared because I have more opportunities to come in contact with the real thing like Reinhardt and Donovan-san. "No ... what happens if I say this ..." "It has been decided ... ..." The man grinned and pulled the knife out of his pocket to show it off. "If you say no, you''ll just be a body that can''t work for the time being ..." "Huhhhhhhh, aren''t I just a little kid?" "Far from the moment, you may not be able to work for the rest of your life ..." From my point of view, all three are old men, but when Funayama gets older, he may look like this. "Hmm ... I just came to Volzard, I''m not very familiar with it, but sometimes monsters appear here, right?" "Huh? What are you saying, there''s no way a monster will appear inside the walls ..." "Is that so? I heard that a skeleton appears in the dark ..." While talking, I tapped the ground lightly with my toes. "Huh? A skeleton? That kind of thing ..." Reinhardt appeared behind me, as we had a telepathic conversation. Thanks to my night vision, it looked good when the three people lost their words and turned pale. "Ahhh ... uhhhhh!" "Well, please help me!" "It''s a monster, a skeleton has come out!" The three ran away toward the central street. "Good work, thank you Reinhardt." [ Kent-sama, I wish I had hung them up and threatened them so much that their soul could come out of their mouth ... ] "No, if you do that, even though I might be a dark magician, this is enough." [ Well, if Kent-sama says it''s okay, it doesn''t matter. ] The direction in which the three escaped is somewhat noisy, so I will continue on the back alley and return to the boarding house. I don''t know anything, it''s true. "I''m home!" "Ah, welcome back Kent, I''ll send Meisa to call you after a break, so please wait!" "Yes, I understand!" Amanda-san''s shop seems to be thriving tonight as well. I called Amanda-san from the back door of the kitchen and returned to my room on the second floor. It''s time for the cafeteria to be crowded, so it''s dinner time for a while longer. When I sat down on the bed, my stomach rumbled loudly. "Uuu ... I''m hungry." On my way home from work, I was thinking about buying and eating at a food stall, but I missed out on eating because of the entanglement of the trio. [ Kent-sama, should I buy something? ] [ No, no, I''ll be a little more patient, if Reinhardt is found, it''s going to be a big fuss. ] [ If that''s the case, that''s fine, but if you don''t eat well, you won''t be able to get fit. ] [ That''s right, but well, I''m good because I can use self-healing, but if an ordinary person has Donovan-san set his eyes on them, that would be hell. ] [ Well, adventurers and knights, those who work hard must do their best to survive if they want to survive. ] For Reinhardt, who probably trained his subordinates while he was alive, that''s a matter of course, but it''s difficult for a peace-blurred Japanese junior high school student to understand. [ Even if I''m told I''m doing my best, I don''t really see it ... ] [ But Kent-sama is experiencing a dangerous situation after being attacked by a goblin. ] [ Yeah, well, that''s right, but I don''t remember well except for being eaten by goblins and asking for help, and after that, I''ve been leaving it to everyone and I''m not fighting myself. ] [ I see, ifyou say so, that''s right. ] It was all Reinhardt who got rid of many monsters while passing through the Devil''s Forest. All I did was help strengthen everyone. [ I see everyone defeating monsters, but I haven''t defeated them with my own hands, so when it comes to fighting with a sword, I feel like I can''t do anything. ] [ No, that''s not true, you weren''t afraid of the three of them earlier. ] [ Today, I didn''t feel desperate because they weren''t really serious about it, or because they just intended to scare me from the beginning, I was cornered. ] I was threatened by them showing off their knife, but I wasn''t too scared because I didn''t feel any danger from that knife. [ Um, Kent-sama is calm, so if you can afford to observe the other person calmly, it''s okay even if the other person is upset. ] [ Hmm ... I wonder ... I''m pretty worried. ] [ Kent-sama, the worst thing on the battlefield is when you lose your calm, if you lose your calm, you will make a mistake and it can lead to a worse situation. ] [ I see, that''s true, but I wonder if I can move when that happens ... ] [ Kent-sama, in order to be able to move in a hurry, you avhe to train repeatedly until your body remembers so that you can react without thinking. ] [ Well ... it''s not something you can enjoy learning. ] I don''t know what level Donovan-san wants, but for the time being, it seems I have to continue this special training life. It''s funny, if you come to a different world and get cheat abilities, you should have a fluffy development with a cute girl next time, but why is it a hard event with a rugged old man? As I''m about to cry, I can hear footsteps fluttering up the stairs. "Kent! Kent! Supper!" "Thank you, Meisa-chan." With the door open, Meisa-chan is observing me. "Well, what''s wrong?" "What does Kent always do in the room?" "Why?" "Because the room is always pitch black." Giku--Yes, I forgot to turn on the light because I''m getting used to night. "It just happened to happen, yes, I was tired just now, so I lay down a little." "Hmm ... eh!" "Buho! Also ... suddenly what?" Meisa-chan suddenly punched me in the belly. "Oh, it''s getting harder ... but it''s still ..." "Even so, Meisa-chan, isn''t it terrible?" "That''s why if you go to the dungeon, you''ll die, because the person who was before you was harder but didn''t come back, so you can''t go." "Uh ... I know, I won''t go ..." "How about ... Kent, something suspicious ..." "Oh, I''m not suspicious, I don''t know ..." Hmmm, despite being a little kid, she seems to look at me with Amanda-san''s eyes, you''ll be surprised. "You guys, if you don''t come down quickly, you won''t be able to eat!" "Hey, I''m going now, you see, she got angry because of Kent ..." "Well ... it''s my fault? Wait a minute ..." I also went down to the first floor, chasing Meisa-chan, who ran down the stairs quickly. Today''s supper is a stew of stewed pork guts and beans, with boiled garm potatoes. "Look, Kent, eat up, because you have to eat to grow up." "Yes, I will." The stew uses a unique spice, and it doesn''t smell like offal at all, it''s stewed until it''s soft and fluffy, and it''s really delicious. "Mom, Kent isn''t there yet, so don''t let him go to the dungeon." "Gufu ... That''s why I''m saying I won''t go, because even today I''ve been carrying these potatoes and doing my best." "Hey, if you are going to work in the garm potato warehouse, it will be unavoidable to make strange voices when you wake up." "Ahh ... I''ll be careful." "Mom, Kent must have something weird, because the room is always pitch black." "So, I''m not keeping anything, you can see everything in that room if you open the door, right?" "But Kent is suspicious ..." "Ahahaha, Meisa, even if you say suspicious, that''s a tall order for Kent." "that''s right, hahahaha ..." "Kuu ... Amanda-san, please change ..." "Aiyo! Eat a lot ..." "Kent has to grow up!" "Yes ... ..." They are basically good people, but somehow my treatment is terrible. The rice is delicious, but it''s very terrible for me. It''s funny, I didn''t think cheat life was like this. CH 13 Today is the 5th day of the 10th month, the dary of darkness, Gufufufu ... the day when this Kent-sama, a mage of the darkness attribute, can exert his best power ... or not. The day of the week has an attribute name, but this is just for convenience, and it seems that the magical power does not increase or decrease depending on the day of the week. I finished my job at the garm potato warehouse yesterday, so today I came to the guild looking for a new job. Yeah, there is a crowd of people in front of the bulletin board where the requests were posted this morning. Maybe there''s a better job early on, everyone''s eyes are scary, a little ... no, I''m pretty scared. As usual, while waiting until the hustle and bustle is over, I head towards the wall, the dog-eared Gilik with no cute parts stands all alone. Oh, where is Muell, the cat-eared angel? "Good morning, Gilik-san." "Ah? Oh, Chibisuke ..." I was about to pretend to be unaware and turn around, but I greeted Gilik. I''m a polite man, not because I''d be afraid to say hello later. "Ah .. isn''t Muell-san here today?" "Aah? Myu-ane?" "Yes, I thought I would say hello since I''m here ..." "Myu-ane is at the training course for mages ..." Ah ... why can''t he answer normally, will he die if he doesn''t do it? This dog is no good. There is apparently a training course for mages. "Ah ... There is a training course for mages?" "Aah? Of course there is, the training on the days of fire, water, wind, and earth is the same for both mages and knights, but the training on the days of dark, light, and stars is done separately, remember this!" "Yes ... I''m sorry." I see, until the middle of the process, both the mage type and the knight type are done together, and it''s different from the point where the specialty comes out, isn''t it? What kind of things do you do in the training course for mages, can I take a tour? "Ah ..." "Why are you still here ..." "Sorry, I''m sorry, can I take a tour of the mage''s training?" "Oh, you''re free to see it since they do it at the training ground." "Oh, that''s right, thank you." Oh, if it''s free to visit, I have to go see it. Of course, it''s purely for the mage''s training to see how it''s done, not because I want to go feast my eyes on Muell-san. Let''s go to the training ground! "Wait a minute!" "Gi ... ku, my neck ..." When I treid to go to the training ground, I was grabbed by the nape of my neck. "What''s with you, so suddenly ..." "I''ll go with you, I''ll watch you so that you don''t look at Myu-ane with dingy eyes ..." "Well, that''s not why ..." "Shut up, let''s go ..." Damn, this dog has a good nose ... No, I don''t mean to do that, really. Well, I''m not a kitten, so don''t pick me up by the nape and walk, everyone''s watching. Damn it, I''ll make you scream some day! When I was taken to the training ground, people were gathering in a differnt place from where I did the training. It is like a practice field for the bow and arrow, and a doll that becomes a target is erected in front of a sturdy earthen wall. By the way, Muell-san, the cat-eared angel, was ... there she is, with her pale pink tail swaying. Certainly, it is a movement when a cat is interested in something, that is, is it because she is listening to the class enthusiastically? Hmmm, the guy beside us keeps glancing at Muell-san ... "That bastard, Myu-ane ..." "Ugu ... Gufu ... My neck, my neck ..." "Oh? Oh, my bad, my bad ..." "Jeez, give me a break please." Muelle-san is a cat beast, and Gilik is a dog? They''re both beastmen, but they''re not real siblings. What kind of relationship do these two have, like a solid childhood friend''s unrequited love? While I was thinking about such things, it seems that they go into practical skills. The first man stepped up to the target. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame, dance, dance, dance oh flame, and become a fireball!" It hurts ... I was wondering what this painful chanting was ... but the man raised his hand and threw a fireball about 15 cm in diameter from his trembling right hand. Ah ... It didn''t reach the target and fell in front of him. "Hnn, I don''t know ..." Oh, it was a disappointing person. "It was okay until he made the fireball ..." Eeeh ... that''s okay ...? [ Hey, hey, Reinhardt, did you see that just now? ] [ I was watching, it was pretty mooth until he made the fireball. ] [ Eh ... magic is something that must be changed for such a long time? ] [ That''s right, in order to use powerful magic, you have to chant more. ] [ Ehhh ... If you''re so careless, you''ll be killed by monsters. ] [ That''s why mages practice chanting while moving, and work in combination with knights. From my point of view, Kent-sama, who uses magic without chanting, is a much more unusualy existence. ] [ I see ... ... ] Speaking of which, I was told there are days of the week when the mage and knight training are separated from each other, so I wonder if this class is a beginner''s class for the mages. With that in mind, it seems like it''s Muell-san''s turn. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a blade!" Unlike the fireball, the blade of wind seems to be invisible, and one beat after Muell-san swung her arm down, the straw doll was torn apart. Oh, Muell-san''s tail is pointing straight upwards, she''s proud of it. "As expected, Myu-ane, there is no doubt that this will take you to the next level." No, why are you so proud Gilik, you''re not doing anything. However, the course is over in two more stages, and then it''s okay to dive alone in the dungeon. That? Isn''t the dungeon surprisingly dangerous? "What are you guys doing in a place like this?" This voice is ... Donovan-san, I hurridly turned around. "Are you peeking again?" "Hey, no ... I''m that ..." Again? Just now Donovan-san said again, this peeping dog. "Are you a companion? Kent?" "Yes ... No, no, I wanted to see what the mage''s training was like ..." "Hey, yeah, so you came looking for a way to counter the mages?" "Eh? No, that''s not the case ..." No, I''m not thinking about such a thing. "But don''t worry, Kent. When dealing with a mage, if you hit them before the chanting ends, you''ll win. Even if the chanting is over, you just have to predict the movement and avoid it." Wow, here is one who solves everything with muscles! "Oh, just right, you should teach Kent a little." "Huh? Why am I helping him ..." "What ... is there any complaint?" "No, no ... that''s why ..." Uhyahyahya, Gilik''s tail is about to hide between his legs, he''s really scared. "Well, Gilik, Volzard is the farthest city. If you step into the Devil''s Forest, it''s a place where demons dominate, not humans. In order for humans to live in such a place, you have to train people. The more people you can use, the more the city develops, and the more people are around, the fatter your pockets become. Don''t just chase after a woman''s ass, think about raising the bottom!" "Yes ..." Uhyahyahyahya, the total size of Gilik has shrunk by 20%, hasn''t it? "What are you grinning at ..." "No, no ... I''m not ..." Damn it ... It seems that so much joy made my mouth smile. "This guy ... stop acting cute ..." "Anyways ... I just came to see the mage''s training ..." "Okay, Kent, it''s not bad to think with your head, but remember when you survived in the Devil''s Forest. Sometimes, it''s not possible to move correctly by intuition, and you''ll easily be hit. For that, there is only training." "Yes ..." No, no matter how I move, I couldn''t escape from this situation. Oh yeah, I should have searched for a job without talking to this dog ... but it''s completely too late. I couldn''t escape from Gilik, and I can''t escape from Donovan-san. After all that, preparations are ready. A leather helmet, a vest, and a gauntlet are equipped while holding a dagger-sized wooden sword. Anyway, this gauntlet, definitely smells, it smells like flowers and soap, is this something normal of this world? "Well, Gilik should only aim where Kent''s wearing armor. Kent can aim anywhere on Gilik, he can hit whatever he wants!" "Fuu, this Chibisuke, I won''t let him hit me." Gilik holds a normal-sized wooden sword in his right hand and confidently turns back. But you will find that self-confidence was overconfidence. Hmm ... I didn''t expect to show off the results of the special training in the Devil''s Forest so quickly. "Oh, please!" I hold the dagger in front of me and face Gilik. If it''s now then I can hit him, now it''s showtime. At the same time as making a sharp step, the dagger that was swung up to the top ... "Guhe ..." I didn''t swing it down, I got a yakuza kick in the stomach, I was hit hard and collapsed. That''s so sly ... I hadn''t heard about kicking. "Oh, too slow, too many gaps, get up, next, next!" "Guu ... this time ... daaaa ... huh, eh, gyahi!" This time, I pretended to swing up to the top, guarded the yakuza kick, and ate a wooden sword to my head. "It''s because you''re just looking at my feet, hey, come on quickly." "Kuu ... hey ... huh, hey ... uguu ... guha!" I guarded the yakuza kick and immediately blocked a blow to my head, but when I approached his guard, I got a knee kick to my right flank. "Gaha ... Goho, Goho ..." Ugiii ... ... I''m suffocating because my ribs are broken. Healed, healed, self-healed with all my might. Alright, this time I''m serious. "Uguuu ... here I come!" "Huh, aren''t you a gutsy one, come on!" Even if it''s just one sword, even if I face it, it was still one-sided. Generally, the reach is too different, shit, no matter how many times I do it, it won''t reach. If this happens, the self-healing will be fully activated and I will keep trying. "Guha ... Ugyii ... Another one!" "This guy ... oh, discipline! Oh!" "Guhe ... Igiii ... Another one!" "Huh, huh ... is this a zombie before me!" "Daha ... Uguuu ... Hah, huh ... that?" I should have been able to stand up by making full use of self-healing, but my knees collapsed and the ground approached ... I suddenly lost consciousness. How long did I faint? It seems that I have been laid down on a futon. When my hazy consciousness returned, I felt a warm and soft warmth on my cheeks. It seems to be breathing slowly. "Well ... who is this?" Apparently, there is someone in the bed holding me. When I couldn''t understand the situation and tried to escape, it seems that the mysterious person woke up. "Hmm ... Good morning, Kent." "Eh, eh! Muell-san?" Why am I in bed with Muell-san, what''s going on? Is that it? Did I unknowingly climb the stairs of adulthood? "Sorry, when I saw Kent sleeping comfortably, I also felt sleepy and went to bed ... hehe." I received Muell-san''s ''Tehepero''-! "Oh, uh ... where is this?" "Oh, it''s the guild''s medical office, Kent, you fell down at the training ground ..." "Oh, yeah ... I couldn''t hit after all ..." "It can''t be helped if Gilik is the other party ... I mean, Kent overdid it, eh!" Hyah--! Muell-san has done me in--! "Sorry, I''m sorry ... I feel regretful ..." "Nfufufu, Kent is also a boy ..." I mean, it''s close, Muell-san''s face is in front of me, at a distance that I''m likely to kiss if I get a little closer. Is it okay to kiss? Gugguuu ... ... Kyururuuuuu ... ... Hmm, what''s the timing, My Stomach! "Nfufufu, if you go wild like that, of course you''ll be hungry, I''ll treat you to apologize for Gilik''s mess." "No, no, that''s ... it was training, so it''s not a mess ..." Muell-san''s index finger pressed against my lips. "Don''t embarrass this onee-san, in such a case, you should be honest and let me treat you." Of course, there is no choice but to nod. Taken by Muell-san, I went to the bar in the guild for the first time. From the evening, it seems that people who have finished work crowd the area, but it''s free right now as the time is like a late lunch. When I tried to sit in a vacant seat with Muell-san, a man in the nearby seat called out to me. "Oh, boy, did you know? You were pretty good, weren''t you?" "Haah ..." I wonder who he is, with long brown hair and a mustache, he feels like a bad old man, and he is about 40 years old. "Well, you did a lot of work that was unusual for young guys these days, because that Gilik was tired at the end." "That''s right, boy, you look fine for having done that much?" "Wow? Yes, uh ... it''s like a constitution that heals when you sleep ...?" When I made a messy excuse so that the self-healing with the light attribute magic would not come out, my stomach complained again. Guguguuuuu ... ... Kyururuuuuu .... "Buhahahah, good boy, beating, sleeping, eating, growing up! Oh, Master! Let this boy eat it''s on me!" "No, for someone who I''ve just met for the first time ..." "Good, good, Kent, because this old man is rich ..." "Muell-san ...?" Hmm, isn''t this a bad old man, Muell-san? If you''re trying to get a date with a juvenile, Fred, the ninja skeleton, will kill you quickly. "Well, Kent just came to Volzard so you don''t know." "Oh, that''s right, boy, you survived running away from the Devil''s Forest? It''s a big deal." "No, I was just running like crazy, so I don''t remember it well ..." "Still, you escaped alive, those lucky people are welcome, welcome, to my city, Volzard!" The evil old man spread his arms and said with a lot of play. "My city ...?" "Yeah, this person is Klaus-san, the lord of Volzard." "Ehhhhh! Excuse me, it''s a good day today ... I met you for the first time ..." "Oh, no, I''m not good with formalities ... Klaus Volzard, nice to meet you, Kent." "Yes, thank you." Klaus'' hand, when we shook hands, was thick and powerful, it was not the hand of a desk worker. I didn''t think he was such a free person because I didn''t understand much about him just by hearing the report from Basten. But if you''re a lord, you have a lot of money, don''t hesitate to let him treat you, let''s do that. CH 14 The morning after I met Klaus-san, the lord of Volzard, the evil old man, I sank into the shadows of the back alley on my way to the guild as usual. Of course, Reinhardt and Basten are watching over me where no one can see them. I sank into the shadow space, looking for Fred and moving to that point at once. [ Fred, then I''m heading over there, so I''m counting on you. ] [ OK ... it''s all good over here ... ] During the special training last night, I practiced seeing if I could move not only to the places I went to in the past, but also to the places where Reinhardt and the others had gone. As a result, if Reinhardt and the others act as landmarks, I can move to places I have never been to. Yeah, this is super-convenient ... And the destination I moved to was Lastock in the Kingdom of Resenburg, infiltrating the enemy hideout. Yesterday, I talked with Klaus-san over a meal, and if the Kingdom of Resenburg and the Republic of Landshelt were to go to war, I decided I''d be on the side of the Republic of Landshelt ... or rather, to be on the side of Volzard. The reason is the difference in the way we think about people. "You idiot! Okay, Kent. There are people in this world who can''t do anything without effort, but there is no one who can''t do anything for the rest of their lives. You have a margin for growth!" When I said I was just a kid, Klaus-san yelled at me. "It''s the job of the people who stand on top to figure out how to raise and unlock people''s potential. It would take another fifteen years for humans to be able to work like Kent today. Well, it would take another ten years to become a full-fledged adult, and if you think about it, you can''t just cut someone off because they''re useless at first glance. You just have to spend time and money, I can''t do such a wasteful thing!" Volzard is said to be called ''the farthest city'' in the Republic of Landshelt. It is protected by a solid wall, but it also means that there is a danger that that much wall will be needed. Once every few years, the number of monsters may suddenly increase, and it is not uncommon for not only garrison members and adventurers but also ordinary people to be sacrificed. That is why Klaus-san understands the value of human resources. "Okay, Kent. You may not have any magical talent, but you''ve come out from the Devil''s Forest alive, I can confidently say, you still have a talent asleep in you. Do a lot of work to find out. If donovan or Gilik tells you to practice, go crazy and work like you did today. Make a lot of mistakes and learn a lot. If you do, you will surely find a way to shine! Do you understand!" "Huh ... yes, yes ... I understand ... uuh ..." Embarassingly, I spilled tears in front of Klaus-san and Muell-san. When I was in Japan, I was sleeping all the time, and everyone was always angry at me, every time I was labeled as bad, no, I was labeled as useless. I don''t think I''ve ever been recognized for my existence to my face. Between Klaus-san, who declared that he would make me shine even if he knew that the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' judged me to be useless, and the evil princess who tried to dispose of me without getting her hands dirty. It goes without saying which side I should be on. I decided to help all my classmates escape to Volzard. But it''s not easy to achieve. I can move back and forth without difficulty by moving in the shadows, but I don''t know if I can move with someone else. Then, in order ot move everyone to Volzard, I will have to traverse the Devil''s Forest. Of course, if you use Reinhardt as an escort, the chances of being able to overcome it will increase, but it is still difficult to protect nearly 200 humans. Of course, there is also a concern that Resenburg will follow. So, first of all, I decided to dertermine the current situation. There was also a slight discrepancy between the impression I had of Klaus-san between just hearing about him before we met and the impression I had when we actually met and talked. It''s not that I don''t trust Fred''s report, but I really wanted to see what everyone was doing right now. I was told that the city of Lastock never existed while Reinhardt and his friends were alive. In the old days, it was said that there were just grasslands and wastelands, but now there is a town in the middle of the wheat fields that have been harvested. It''s like a land and a city that was cleared after Reinhardt and the others died. The garrison where my classmates were taken is on the outskirts of the city, between the river than runs along the edge of the Devil''s Forest and the city. Perhaps it also serves as a preparation for monsters crossing the river, surrounded by sturdy walls, the opening has thick iron gates, and guards standing at the entrance to keep watch. However, the shadows of trees, the shadows of buildings, the shadows of people ... We were able to dive into the shadows and move along those shadows without difficulty. Mufufu, darkness attribute mage, seriously a cheat. However, in a large military facility, my classmates were trained in groups of mages and knights, depending on the type and level of attributes. I decided to look at them in order from the end, and the first thing I saw was training to become a knight. Like me yesterday, the two groups are facing each other, holding a wooden sword with a leather helmet, vest, and a gauntlet. There are about 20 people in each group, and about 40 people in total are glaring at each other. "Both armies start chanting!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" "Mock battle, start!" "Uooooooo!" The two armies who chanted all at once screamed and plunged into the other party. I wondered if there was a formation of crane wings, fish scales, or some other kind of formation, but it was just a brute force battle that rushed straight towards the enemy. Both groups have a mix of boys and girls, but it doesn''t look like they''re being more lenient with the girls at all. The girls are doing more than equal work, and I''m scared because it seems like they''re seriously killing each other. "What''s wrong! We don''t need uselessness in Resenburg, do you want to be bait for monsters in the Devil''s Forest?" "If you don''t want to die, kill your opponent! If you don''t, you''ll be killed!" "That''s why if you don''t want to also be eaten by monsters! Kill, kill, kill!" Wow ... It''s about me that was useless and used as bait for monsters ... Is it used as a threatening material? [ Reinhardt, was that the chanting for when you use physical enhancement? ] [ That''s right, the evaluation as a knight will change depending on how much you can strengthen, how long you can maintain, etc. ] [ How much can you strengthen? ] [ Well, if you have a weak magical power, it will be about 50% more, but if you have a high magical power, you will strengthen your body three to five times. ] I see, the villainous princess who lifted that Funayama with one hand is a knight type and has a high amount of magical power. While thinking about such things, it seems that a large number of simulated battles were decided. Apparently, the rule of victory or defeat is that the group that has a larger number of people who wrestle with the opponent they collided with, go to the opponent''s position if they win, and reach the position seems to be victorious. It doesn''t matter whether it''s a boy or a girl, the winning side and the losing side are all tattered. For the first time, I saw a girl screaming with a nosebleed, it''s too scary. [ Reinhardt, if they''re working this hard, they''ll become a soldier in about a year, right? ] [ No, Kent-sama, this way you''ll get fighting spirit, but you won''t get experience or a calm judgment, the training method wasn''t like this when we were alive. ] [ Is that so? Isn''t this the life-threatening training you mentioned last time? ] [ I said that it was dangerous, as in pushing yourself to the point where you exceeded the limit, not that you should do dangerous training in a messy way. ] [ Hmm ... In other words, it feels like a meaningful life-threatening and a meaningless life-threatening method? ] [ That''s right ] Elsewhere, training for mages was taking place. It has the same feeling as the guild''s mage training, and it seems to be a practice of shooting magic at the target. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world ... ga, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame ... Da, dance, dance, dance oh flame, become a fireball! Ya, yaaa!" The magic that the female student cast was scattered as soon as it left her hand. "No, no, chant more accurately and imagine it more accurately, such a traumatic changing will make you a fireball, or a fool!" "Sorry, I''m sorry!" The chanting to use magic is, of course, in the language of this world. Due to the influence of summoning, we can speak, read, write, and understand, but I think that the pronunciation is like a foreign language. Therefore, everyone seems to have a hard time chanting, and they can''t activate it well, and they are kicked by the knights. I don''t think I need to chant it, but I wonder if I''d be useless. When I was observing while thinking such, the handsome guy from the basketball club appeared. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame, dance, dance, dance oh flame, and become a fireball!" Wow, the fireball of the person who was taking the training in the guild was about a softball, but this is about a basketball, and the ball speed is about 150 km, isn''t it? The straw doll that was hit was turned into ashes in a blink of an eye, and the Resenburg mage who was watching over it also claps his hands and praises him. I wish he had a harder time chanting, but that''s why the handsome guy ... I was a bit jealous, and a beautiful blonde woman walked up to him with a towel in her hand. "As expected, Hero-sama." "Thank you, Celia, but this is easy for me." No, there''s no reason to do anything like wiping sweat. Anyway, hero? Oh, weren''t we just soldiers? According to Fred, this beautiful blonde is a maid exclusively for the handsome man, and she sleeps and eats together with him and takes care of his surroundings. What is this? It''s a complete honey trap, isn''t it? What an envious ... no, scary, but if I were this cheat magician ... I would be completely caught and tamed. "Hero, are you still training?" "Of course, I have to become stronger, I have to be stronger for those who aren''t strong enough to make it so that there are no more sacrifices!" Wow, it''s the cliche that forcibly creates a feeling of sadness that I wasn''t expecting. Well, about that sacrifice, he''s lurking at your feet. When I left the training center for the mages, there was a place where they were doing civil engineering work. If you look closely, it seems that there is a classmate here, or maybe there is the Funayama guy. [ Kent-sama, this is a training ground for earth-based mages. ] [ Training of earth attributes ...? ] The people there are all muddy and putting kneaded soil into molds to shape them. Oops, I think they are all students, but Ayako Sugiyama-sensei, the internship teacher, is mixed in. "When Ayako-sensei finishes filling the mold with soil, she begins to chant. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and infuse the earth, infuse, infuse, infuse the earth, harden!" "Let''s see ... good, next!" When the chanting is over, it seems that the knight of Resenburg hits it with a hammer to inspect the workmanship. The one that got an OK seems to be a U-shaped gutter. Apparently, it seems that the materials for civil engineering work are being made for training as well. It''s the simplest and most muddy job I''ve ever seen, and every face looks exhausted. "Mana, oh mana, ohh, wor, wor, the world, oh mana ... ga, ga, gather, gather, ugh, gather in my hands and infuse... in, infuse the earth, infuse, infuse ... infuse the earth, ha, harden!" Wow ... what a traumatic thing this Funayama''s chanting, is it okay? "This ... it isn''t solidified at all, what are you doing, you big lump, do you really want to become a bait for monsters?" "Ku ... I can''t do this kind of work ... Gue ..." "Are you not able to learn at all, over and over again?" Oh, the knight is also hanging onto Funayama''s neck with just his right hand. Ayako-sensei, even if you want to stop him, it''s crazy if you can''t get the right timing. Even though it''s a tense scene, it''s kind of healing. "Choose your favorite, obedience or death, you big lump!" "I ... o ... bey ..." "What? I can''t hear you, say it clearly, clearly!" "Guu ... o ...bey ... I ..." "Oh, you can''t talk like this, hmm ..." Ah, Funayama was thrown away like garbage again, I feel sorry for him when he plunges into the mud face first. The knight grabbed the coughing Funayama''s hair and dragged him up. "So which one is it, obedience? Death? Do you want to be bait for monsters?" "O, I will obey ... I will." "Hmm, if you said that from the beginning, it didn''t have to be painful or miserable, do you understand?" Funayama nodded silently, even though he looked dissatisfied. Uhyahya, Funayama is weak! THat''s it! Hey, Funayama bastard, you''re not a knight, but a mage. According to Reinhardt, the soldier candidates thusly recruited were first forced to undergo a physical fitness test, then taught to recite physical strengthening, and those who were not significantly stronger than the first measurement were trained as a mage type. Funayama is strong even if he doesn''t strengthen himself, but he''s not as strong as someone who can use the magic of strengthening his body, and he''s also inferior in agility, so he had to be a mage. Knight of Resenburg, please rectify Funayama. By the way, I can''t see the chairman, but where is my chairman? [ Saint is ... medical office ... ] According to Fred, the chairman is in the facility''s medical office, treating not only our classmates who were injured in training, but also the people of the city of Lastock. Then, let''s go to the tour immediately. Shadow movement makes it easy to break inside the building. The medical office is a little different from Japanese hospitals, and has something like a bathtub in addition to the examination table. This bathtub is said to be used by water attribute mages who can heal, and it is said that people store the water with healing power and people immerse the affected area in the water. Hwoever, since the chairman is a light attribute mage, the treatment seems to be done exclusively by the examination table. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and heal!" When the chairman chanted cheerfully, she put her hand on the waist of the man sitting on the examination table. The treatment seems to be over after about 3 minutes. "How is it?" "Yes, thanks to you, I''m getting much better, thank you, Saint-sama." "Well, see you tomorrow." "Yes, thank you, Saint-sama." After continuing the treatment for about three minutes per person for about ten people, the chairman exhaled and wiped the sweat on her forehead. Seeing the chairman like that, a woman who seems to be an assistant called out. "Saint-sama, take a break ..." "No, it''s still okay." "Saint-sama, there are still many people waiting for treatment, so please take a break so you can treat as many people as possible." "Hmm ... well, I see, I''ll take a break." The chairman sighed deeply as she sank into the sofa in the corner of the room. [ After all, as Fred says, Kent-sama is better at being a healer. ] [ Hmm ... but it''s not a strict comparison, and I think the chairman is doing her best. ] [ Kent-sama, you don''t chant ... also, the treatment time is long ... ] I think it''s because I was trained at the livre farm and self-healing. However, I feel that the chairman''s tiredness is terrible. "Please, please help my son he''s had a fever for three days, please, please, to the saint ..." "No, no, don''t overdo it, there are limits to the saint ..." Somehow it was noisy outside the medical office, so when I went ot peep, a woman holding a boy about three years old and a soldier were asking and answering questions. The boy held by the woman has a fever, but she also looks pale and earthy. Isn''t this pretty bad? "Please come inside, I''ll treat him right away!" "Ah ... Thank you, Saint-sama, thank you." "It''s okay, come on, let him lie down there." Oh, chairman, you really have become an angel. The chairman, who laid the child on the examination table, chanted and put her hand on the child''s chest and began treatment. However, even if she chants again and again, the child''s complexion doesn''t improve. On the contrary, it looks like the chairman''s face is draining of blood. [ Kent-sama, it seems that the situation is a little unpleasant ... ] [ Yeah, it seems better to help a little. ] The chairman may also have pride as a healer, but for now I will prioritize the recovery of the child. From the shadows on the treatment table, I put my hand on the back of the child so that the people around him wouldn''t realize it, and I imagined that the healing effect would spread throughout the body. "Oh, my child''s complexion got better in an instant ..." "Breathing and pulse have stabilized." "As expected of Saint-sama ... it''s a miracle!" "Thank you, Saint-sama, thank you, thank you." Apparently the child''s condition was stable, so I decided to keep an eye on what happened from the shadows. People praised the chairman, but she is staring has her hands with a surprised look. [ Good, it looks like the kid is getting better. ] [ Kent-sama, that may not have been a good idea. ] [ Why? ] [ The woman called the Saint may have thought it was her power. ] [ Yeah, it doesn''t have to be my credit. ] [ Kent-sama, I''ve only see it a little, but that woman seems to have a strong sense of responsibility. ] [ Yeah, that''s right, the chairman has a strong sense of responsibility. ] [ What if she couldn''t do what she thought she could do? ] [ Eh? Ah ... well, I''m still glad I did it. ] [ Yes, just try not to overdo it ... ] The chairman took a break again, but while sitting on the sofa, she started at her hands, smiled, and seemed to cry a little. Oh, maybe you''re impressed with your achievements? Actually, I helped ... it''s hard to say. I thought it was good, but I felt like I had created a fire of some trouble, and the aftertaste was a little bad. Hmm ... what''s wrong? CH 15 After finishing the reconnaissance of the Lastock Garrison during the day, I returned to Volzard. That being said, as I can move through the shadow world, I can instantly return to the backstreets of Volzard. I will return to my boarding house, have dinner, and then return to the reconnaissance at Lastock. Oh, by the way, I had lunch from the knight''s dining room at the garrison. The meals of my classmates were, as Fred reported, of lower quality than ordinary soldiers. Still, those who performed well in the morning training seem to be given a good diet. As a matter of course, Funayama bastard is only given a small amount of the worst food, which makes me feel much better. Yeah, it feels like a diet with committed results. The chairman and the good-looking guy of the basketball club were offered a better meal than the knights. In particular, the chairman gets fresh fruits as well as nutritious and digestible foods. Oh, I know that fruit, because I ate it for three meals in a row in the Devil''s Forest. Isn''t everyone unable to produce magical results because they haven''t eaten proper food? No, but I wonder if it doesn''t matter because I was able to use magic even in my three-meal fruit life. Other than meals, there is still differentiating. After the training, my classmates wash their bodies in the communal bathing area. At the dressing room, get a spoonful of soap powder from a Resenburg soldier and wash your head and body with it. Since it is a bathing area, there is no bathtub, and you wash your body by drawing water form a large tub with a pail. It''s already the tenth month, so the temperature has dropped considerably, and even if it was just after moving and sweating, it seemed to be sever when the body was cold, and everyone was trembling. I glanced at the bathing area for women, but everyone seemed to be trembling with purple lips, so I wasn''t excited due to their misery. While everyone was bathing miserably, the handsome guy went into the bathroom of his private dormitory with the beautiful blonde. The beautiful blonde wears something like a bathing suit, but when it gets we with hot water, it seems to be transparent. "Hero-sama, I''ll wash your back." "Celia, I''m not a hero at this time, I''m just a man, I want you to call me by name as usual ..." "Excuse me, Shuichi-sama ..." "Celia ..." Hey, what''s wrong with you, explode, explode, explode! I don''t want to see it because it''s stupid, so I''ll move, move, move. By the way, where is my angel the chairman? Well, no, I want to see the chairman''s bathing scene, that kind of thing ... I''m sorry, I''m really thinking. [ Saint ... this time, still in the medical office ... ] [ Well, because everyone else is already eating or bathing? ] [ Saint ... she is always treating until late ... ] When I moved to the medical office, as Fred said, the chairman was treating our classmates injured during daytime training. That said, there are so many people that it seems that treatment cannot be done until is it completely cured. Still, the pain seems to be alleviated, and everyone is grateful to the chairman. "I''m sorry, just for a little ..." After finishing the treatment of the last one, the chairman dropped her body on the sofa in the medical office as if it collapsed, and immediately fell asleep. The woman who is probably an assistant also brought a blanket from the cupboard and gently hung it on the chairman. "Really, you deserve to be called a saint ... You have to wake up, eat, take a bath, and then rest for a while ..." The assistant woman is staring at the chairman''s sleeping face with a charitable expression like a mother or sister. Apparently she is kind to her, but I am worried about the degree of fatigue of the chairman. Then, should I heal the chairman? Gently put your hand in the shadow on the back of the chairman who was left on the sofa, and imagine that the whole body will recover. Already, the image of recovering the whole body was solidified by the continuous self-healing, so I can do it without being conscious of it. IS this perhaps a lucky break? "Saint-sama, Saint-sama, let''s get you up and have a meal, if you want to sleep in earnest, do it on the bed in your room." Oops, the assistant woman is back. "Hmm, hmm--hmm, eh, eh?" "What is it, Saint-sama?" "How long did I sleep?" "It''s the same as usual ..." "I wonder, my body is so light, it seems that my tiredness has left from my whole body." Oh, chairman, turning both arms around, it looks like she''s doing very well. My healing magic seems to have worked perfectly. "Saint-sama, since the light attribute magic has been used every day, maybe the level was raised one step." "The level has gone up ...?" "Yes, there is no strict level in magic, but it seems that the effect may suddenly increase if you practice magic, and it is generally said that the level goes up one step." "Yes, maybe ... the treatment of the child during the daytime was different from what it used to be ..." "Maybe you were still unconsciously invoking self-healing." "Self-healing! I could do that too! Oh, I might be able to treat more people than ever before ..." This is ... Did I make an extra fire again? Reinhardt, why do you look at me with that kind of eye, even thought it''s just a hollow eye socket, I can see reproaching eyes? [ Kent-sama, this may be a little bad ... ] [ I know, but if you can use light attribute magic, isn''t it possible to self-heal? ] [ Such a rapid self-healing ... only Kent-sama ... ] The assistant woman grabbed the chairman''s hands laughing happily. Isn''t it an increasingly difficult situation to say? [ Kent-sama, if you don''t come to check on this from time to time, it could end up in a bad situation. ] [ Well, that''s right ... well, if I use shadow movement, I''ll be able to come right away, hahahahah ... ] Suddenly the door of the medical office opened as the chairman and the assistant woman talked in a good mood. The one who came in was the villainous princess, Camilla. The face of the chairman, who had been laughing happily until now, became stronger in an instant. "Well, it looks like you''re having a lot of fun, saint ..." "Why are you here?" "Don''t look so scary, you were rumored to have saved a dying child during the day, so I just came to check on you." "Apart from ... nothing changes as usual." "Hmm, yeah ... then it''s better to work as usual, and once the practical training in the Devil''s Forest begins, some people will be injured even more seriously." "Oh, that''s it! Why do we have to do such a dangerous thing!" "Hmm, if you don''t want another sacrifice, you should raise your healing strength, otherwise ... fufufu." "I''ll do it, I won''t let you sacrifice another! I''ll protect them!" "Fufufufu, I''m expecting much ... Saint ... Fuhahahaha ..." Nuuaaa, I''m sick, I''m sick, what''s this villainous princess, I''m sick! The chairman also sees off Camilla, who left with a laugh, with a bitter expression. "I''m going back to my room to take a rest ..." "Yes, Saint-sama ..." After seeing the chairman return to the dormitory, I decided to scout the evil princess. The villainous princess isn''t wearing her golden shiny armor, but she wears a stand-up collar that looks like a gorgeous knight''s uniform, riding pants and boots, and has a saber hanging on her waist. It feels like a certain opera company, but I don''t think it''s because she''s used to wearing it. The villainous princess walked in a stride to the commander''s office at the garrison. According to Fred''s imformation, Camilla is the commander of this garrison. Even though she is the third princess, and the commander of the garrison in the remote area, she dresses like a man, what a tomboy. As Camilla approaches the command room, the guards quickly open the door. Even in an rea when there are no automatic doors, great people still have automatic doors. "Good work ..." Camilla told the guard with a surprisingly gentle voice, returned the saber to the sword rack when she entered the room and told her secretary to make tea. Camilla folded her arms and stood in front of the map on the wall and wrinkled her brow. Really, what a hideous face ... even though it''s beautiful, it''s completely spoiled. Camilla kept looking at the map until the tea came, but she still kept looking at the map while drinking tea. What on earth are you thinking? [ Hey, Reinhardt, what do you think she''s thinking? ] [ Well, if you think about it normally, it''s a route to attack, but it looks like she''s taking a lot of time. ] [ Hey ... If you think normally and attack, the quickest way is to widen the existing road, isn''t it? ] [ Well, with the current width of the highway, it will be difficult for a large army to move, so it would be normal to widen the road first with a reason such as improving the highway, and then attack all at once. ] If so, you don''t have to worry about choosing a route, and if you follow her eyes, it looks like she''s looking at a part of the forest that isn''t a highway. As I was observing Camilla, who kept looking at the map, the door of the commander''s office was knocked on. "Who is it?" "It''s Celia ..." "Come in!" The one who visited was the handsome blonde maid, but her expression is a bit uncertain. "What about the snot-nosed Hero?" "He''s sleeping ..." "Why is he sleeping at such a time, so are you doing the important thing?" "No, that''s ..." What, important thing? And why is the maid holding her lower abdomen? "Hmm, is that typical of that age, it''s like an old man, well, do you know your role?" "Yes, it''s about getting involved with the Hero-sama and having a child ..." "Yes, you also have half the blood of the royal family, you should do your job, or you don''t know what thieving cat will be ..." "Wow, I know ..." "Then, continue to do your job, yeah, seduce the snot-nosed Hero so that he can do his job tomorrow morning, you can go now ..." "Yes, I''m sorry ... " Uhi, the moment Camilla turned her eyes back to the map, the blonde haired maid glared at her as if she wished she could shoot her dead. I''m scared, it''s the first time I''ve seen such a murderous gaze. [ Fred, that maid, I think there''s some reason, so check it out. ] [ Roger that ... ] [ Reinhardt, the villainous princess said that the blood of the royal family was half ... ] [ Maybe it''s an illegitimate child that the king gave birth to from someone other than the queen. ] [ But isn''t that the sister of the villainous princess? ] [ Yes, but maybe the mother''s status is low. ] [ Is that mother being taken hostage? ] [ Probably ... that fire-type boy''s qualities are certainly considerable, so if he turns against her, it will be the biggest obstacle, and if he won''t work, it will be a big loss. So, I think it''s the plan to have a child with a person who draws the blood of the royal family and to bind him with that bond. ] Damn it, it''s irritating, it''s irritating, this villainous princess, it''s really irritating. Speaking of the evil princess, she was staring at the map for a while after that, but when she called out to the secretary, she moved to the dormitory. In the commander''s office, she didn''t say anything and didn''t write anything, so I thought that if she returned to her room, she might have a tail, so I continued to monitor. However, the villainous princess who returned to her room must have already finished dinner, after taking a bath, she changed into nightwear, told the maid in the room what time to wake her up, and after enjoying about two glasses of nightcap, fell asleep quickly. Eh? Did I look at the bathing scene? Well, it''s a reconnaissance action, so it can''t be helped, it can''t be helped ... I just watched it a little. Once the watched object fell asleep, it wouldn''t make sense to stay in the garrison, so I moved to the Devil''s Forest training ground. It was only one day, but I was able to grasp the situation where my classmates were placed to some extent. Therefore, I had to consider how to proceed with the rescue operation. [ Hmm ... what''s wrong ... ] The reason I sighed involuntarily was because I remember when I looked into the bathing area for girls. Yes, I do not deny that I peeked from a lascivious heart. Because there aren''t many opportunities to see the bathing scenes of my female classmates. But as soon as I looked in, I felt like I was bathed in cold water. Everyone had their lips purple from the cold and was crying while bathing, wanting to go home, wanting to go home quickly. I''m not a devil enough to be excited to see such a figure. [ Kent-sama, perhaps only the princess knows if there is a way back to the original world or not. ] "Yeah, that''s right, I think so, that villainous princess, she doesn''t say anything to those around her." [ If so, we have no choice but to somehow make her confess... ] "That''s right, but it doesn''t seem like it''s easy to make her talk ..." The naked body of the villainous princess when I looked into the bathroom was so tight that you could tell at a glance that she was trained. The muscles of her arms and legs were also crisp, and I could see her abdominal muscles protruding, she had the so-called athlete figure. As expected, this is someone who can just raise Funayama with one hand. The useless person is cut off, make use of it to keep the others in line, use the half-sister who was probably annoyed for the hero''s entanglement. She''s ruthless, computationally expensive, and even disciplined and trained ... I don''t think I can do it to be honest. "It''s a pretty painful to find out a way to return to the original world, isn''t it?" [ Yes, it''s certainly painful, but that doesn''t mean we can''t proceed with the rescue operation. ] "That''s right ... At present, in addition to the return method, she is in a state where she is in control of their personal safety." [ That''s right, even if you negotiate with that princess, your schoolmates will have to be helped. ] "Hmm ... but how should I proceed?" [ That''s right, there are three main things to think about. ] Reinhardt showed three metallic bone fingers. "Three ...?" [ That''s right, the first is a method of simply taking your classmates out of the garrison, the second is finding a place to accept your classmates who have been taken out, and the third is getting an insider. ] "Well, let''s think about it one by one." [ First of all, for the recipient, but at the present, only Volzard can be considered. ] "That''s right, the other side of the forest is all the enemy''s position." [ However, no matter how much Volzard values human resources, can they accept nearly 200 people at once ... ] "Well, in my case, there was only one person, and if it became 200 people at once, it would have a big impact on where to live, what to eat, work ..." [ Yes, so I think we need to talk to the lord Klaus. ] "Well, that''s right, we need to talk and ask for help." [ Then, Kent-sama, I have one suggestion ... ] It seems that Reinhardt came up with something, so of course I would like to hear it. [ Why don''t you postpone the rescue period a little ... ] "Well, I think it''s better to be as early as possible, but why?" [ Yes, I may not say it''s fortunate, but Kent-sama''s classmates are being trained at the garrison. ] "That''s right! Let them get trained as it is and strengthen them, right?" [ That''s right ] Reinhadt nods as soon as he gets the idea. "Well, to get to Volzard, you have to go through the Devil''s Forest, and after training in combat, they might be able to protect themselves." [ It is difficult for us to escort 200 people alone, but if everyone can fight to some extent, it will be possible to break through the Devil''s Forest. ] "Yeah, yeah, I''m sorry to everyone, but let''s get them some more training." It hurts me to remember the miserable appearance of the girls, but rushing could cause blunders. [ Kent-sama, there is another reason to have your classmates continue training. ] "Well, another one ...?" [ It''s to get your classmates to help you with your work, because they''ve been trained as a soldier and that princess had them train in the woods, so they''ll also experience the subjugation of monsters. ] "Well, it''s also training for garrison members and adventurers, right?" [ If you can use them, it will be more likely that Klaus will accept them. ] "I see ... As expected, the former branch leader is reliable." [ Buhahaha, hey, this is not a big deal, Buhahaha. ] Next to Reinhardt, who laughs loudly, Basten and Fred shrug their shoulders ... After all, these three are a good combination. "Is it okay to say that while watching the progress of the training of the classmates, I should consider the details of the escape strategy and ask Klaus-san for cooperation?" [ Kent-sama, you''ve forgotten the insider. ] "Oh, that''s right, no matter how much we plan here, we need someone to let my classmates know." [ Yes, is there any good person? ] "Hmm ... wait a minute ..." The first thing that came to my mind was the chairman, but the chairman is drawing a little too much attention. In the same way, I wonder if the good-looking guy from the basketball club and Funayama are also rejected. It''s difficult to be known to everyone in the school year without being too noticeable. "Oh! That''s right, Ayako-sensei is good." [ What kind of person is that person? ] "Well, a so-called intern-teacher, a woman who is our senior, today, when Funayama was being held in the air, it was Ayako-sensei who was rushing nearby." [ I see, if you''re a teacher and an apprentice, you don''t seem to get a lot of attention, and the earth-based mage has a strong image behind the scenes, so it doesn''t stand out much. ] Unlike other attribute mages, earth attribute mages are rarely directly involved in combat, so they are not attacting much attention. "Then, while watching the progress of the training of my classmates, I will consider the details of the escape strategy, ask Klaus-san for cooperation, and I feel that the series of steps will be thoroughly implemented to everyone inside through Ayako-sensei, right?" [ That''s right, but Kent-sama, if you rush to do something, you''re more likely to fail, let''s sit down and wait. ] "Yeah, I''m sure Reinhardt and the others will teach me a lot, so thank you." [ Then, Kent-sama, are you ready to start the special training tonight? ] "Eh ... are we going to train tonight?" [ Of course, in order to rescue your classmates safely, you need to level yourself up, come on, we have a wooden stick here. ] "Ehhh ... before I knew it ... that''s ..." After all, even this evening, I was an injured mess while repeatedly self-healing. CH 16 On the 10th of the 10th month, the day of the week on wind day, today is the day of the class which Donovan-san told me to participate compulsorily. My initial goal was to be able to swing with the wooden sword, but I had to prepare for the regret that I was made into a punching bag during the training with Gilik and the rescue of my classmates, so it was a mess. I have repeated special training. I mean, the muscle-brain skeleton is close to me, and the special training escalated more and more. No, aren''t I strange too? I thought, but maybe it''s called training high, it seems that adrenaline and dopamine were leaking, so it was all-you-can-eat with the momentum of the moment, yes. Well, it''s amazing, my body is already amazing, it''s amazing when I take it off, it''s ripped, it''s ripped. If this is the case, I should be able to survive today''s class ... Maybe. When I checked at the reception desk of the guild to see if I had been applied for participation, naturally the application had been made, and the receptionist onee-san looked at me with pity. Ah, it''s well known that Donovan-san has his eyes on me. No, so Otto-san, please stop paying your respects, because I''m not dead yet. The class on wind day is not a classroom lecture, but a practical skill class, so I will head to the training ground. Isn''t the group that is carrying wooden swords and warming up the participants of the course? While thinking such, I see the figure of Meull-san and Gilik who don''t have to be there, what''s the matter? "Good morning, Muell-san, Gilik-san." "Good morning Kent, yeah, I feel like you are getting stronger again ..." "Hmm, don''t be crazy, I don''t think he''s strong." Hey, Muell-san told me that I''m getting stronger, and I''m basking in the good mood, so why do you have to get in the way, this mutt! "That ... why are you two here?" "yeah, I heard that Kent was going to take this class, so I came to visit for a while." "I came to see how you were doing, be grateful." "I wonder why Gilik is so hateful and just runs his mouth ... That''s why he doesn''t have a girl." "Well ... I''m not interested in women ..." You''re not interested you say, even though you''re looking at Muell-san with greedy eyes, this dog is crazy! "But I wonder if I can meet Muell-san''s expectations ..." "Again, you ... You can''t say that, eh!" "Yes ... I''m sorry." Hyah-Hmm, this morning''s Muell-san is doing well. "Well, don''t mess around, go quickly, Chibisuke ..." I don''t know why he has to disturb people''s good mood, if he does this, he''ll thoroughly interfere with my relationship with Muell-san, eh. "Mu, Muell-san, I''ll do my best, please watch." "Yeah, do your best, Kent!" I thought it was a cheesy line, so I think I was able to blush with a good feeling and produce a pure boyishness. Yeah, yeah, I''m in the acting sect. After receiving Muell-san''s encouragement, I headed to the training site before Gilik opened his mouth. When I turned around, he was glaring at me with a look like he had eaten something bitter, but he couldn''t get in the way of the class, and he was extremely scared of Donovan-san. "Ah ... is this the meeting place for the class?" "Ah, that''s right, is this your first time for the wind day of the week?" "Yes, today is my first time." "Oh, yeah, by the way, are you a knight type or a surgeon type?" "Um ... It was a failure judgment ..." "Oh, is that right, but it''s okay, you''re still a novice here, so don''t worry about it." "What, you got a failure judgment and today is your first time in this class?" "Oh, that''s tough but it''s okay, so don''t worry." "It''s the failure judgment? That''s tough ..." "Yes ... well, that ... I''ll do my best." The people who participated in today''s class seemed to all be good people, and when they learned that I was a failure, they gathered and encouraged me. Actually, I''m a cheat magician, but I feel sorry for it. Donovan-san, who plays the role of the lecturer, has appeared, so the circle surrounding me has been broken and the class is about to begin. "One, two ... six, all right, then I''ll start the class, the people who are here for the first time ... Kent alone, you didn''t run away and came properly." "Yes, I didn''t feel like I could escape ..." "Hmm, it''s a wise decision ... Okay, everyone spread out and start swinging!" "Yes!" Being able to swing the wooden sword without difficulty is a condition for attending the wind day class, so it seems there is a need to confirm it first. The quota is 100 times for each of the front swing up, swing down, swing down from the upper right to the lower left and swing up in the opposite direction, from the upper left ot the lower right, and from both the left and right sides. When I swung the wooden sword for the first time, I felt it was quite heavy, but now it''s extremely light, like waving disposable chopsticks. The reason is that Reinhardt made a swing stick instead of a wooden sword on the third day of the special trining in the middle of the night. The swing stick was cut down by Reinhardt and weighed about 50% more than the wooden sword. Using it, I repeated swinging and stepping, and from the sixth day of the special training, I have been using a heavier swing stick. That''s why ordinary wooden swords are light, light. "Hmm ... Kent, you''re able to swing a lot, right?" "Yes, I''ve been specially trained." "Hmm ... I think I can enjoy it a little." Yeah? What do you do when you enjoy it? I only have a bad feeling. "Okay, everyone passed, then start the class, prepare your armor!" "Yes!" Is preparing the armor the one I used last time? Except for me, everyone seems to have experienced this class, so when I followed them, I went to the warehouse of the training ground, and I started to wear the leather helmet, vest, and gauntlets that I used when practicing with Gilik. Wow, after all, I don''t want this gauntlet ... it smells. But the last time I wore it, I felt the armor was heavy, but today I don''t really notice. "Okay, if you''re ready, get out in front Kent!" "Yes." "I''m going to make arrangements, anyone is fine, choose a partner." "Eh? Is it a sudden arrangement?" "Yes, if you can beat three people, you can skip the class next week, now pick ..." When Donovan-san said that, everyone pointed at themselves and started their appeal. Well, when I said that this was the first time for me and I had a failure judgment, everyone kindly encouraged me, because they wanted to sucker me into getting them an easy win. "Um ... I don''t know who is who, so I''ll leave it to Donovan-san." "Is that fine? I might choose the strongest one." "Yes, I''m planning to hit that hateful guy someday ..." When Donovan-san heard my words, he smiled a terrible smile. "Well ... I see, then I won''t hesitate, Yzak, do it with him." "I got it!" Yzak, who was nominated by Donovan-san, happily stepped forward, and the others sighed with disappointment. Yzak isn''t as tall as Gilik, but he''s tall, he''s physically fit, and he looks the strongest of the five. I see, this is what Donovan-san meant by having fun. Yzak and I faced each other at a distance of about 5 meters. "Hitting the face is prohibited, but you can hit outside of the armor. It will end when I judge that the attack will make the opponent incapable of fighting. Get ready ... Start!" At the same time as Donovan-san''s signal, Yzak stepped in fiercely and slammed into my sword. If it was me from last time I practiced here, I would have been blown away trying to catch it. But today I''m a bit different. I expected him to charge me and make a big attack. The moment Yzak swung his sword up, I stepped sharply towards him, parrying the wooden sword that was being swung down, and attacked his torso. "That''s enough, the winner is Kent!" "Ooooooo ..." Donovan-san''s winning call incited screaming from the surroundings. When I glanced at her, Muell-san clapped her hands in delight. Gilik is glaring at me with a face that seems like I could hear him clicking his tongue, huh, what''s your problem? "Okay, get ready for Herman next." "Yes." "Herman is not tall, but he has a thick chest plate and looks very strong. "Get ready ... start!" Herman doesn''t jump in because he saw how Yzak lost before him. With his wooden sword held to the side, he tries to sneak around to my right hand side. Facing him, I turned the tip of the wooden sword he was watching slightly to the right, and went left following Herman''s movement. Apparently, while Yzak charges in, Herman seems to be quietly aiming for a counter. Then, should I start from here? If you try to go sideways, you will have a stable situation and an unstable situation due to your footsteps. When you open your legs firmly, it is easy to hit the opponent with a good stride, but on the contrary, when the stride is narrowed or crossed, the stride does not work. Keeping an eye on the movement of Herman''s upper body, I swing my sword at the timing when his stride narrowed, and yelled in front of him. "Hey!" Herman hurriedly lengthened his stride and struck out sideways with his sword from the right, aiming at my torso. I stepped back and evaded Herman''s sword and at the same time punched out with my guantlet. "That''s the game! Winner Kent!" "Uooo ..." Donovan-san''s voice makes the screaming louder than before. Muell-san is happily jumping up and down. Did you fall in love with me? I don''t know, I still have one person left, so I have to be careful. "Next, Colt, get ready." The third person is the smallest person I''ve ever faced, but somehow I have a hunch. He has a long tail and looks like a monkey, but is it a monkey beastman? I wonder what it is. With a grinning smile, I feel strangely confident. "Get ready ... start!" "Ukyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa." "Huh ...?" At the same time as Donovan-san''s signal, Colt began to swing the wooden sword on the spot. Naturally, I was in a position that he couldn''t reach at all, and I was taken aback by the sudden action. At that time, Colt thrust one had at me, while raising his voice. "Wow!" It can only be said that the first hit was a gift of special training. However, Colt shoots one-handed thrusts in quick succession, like fencing. "Ukya, Ukya, Ukya, Ukya!" "Uh ... ku, ku ..." Colt attacked me, who was on the other side of the field, with a continuous one-handed thrust. "Ukya, Ukya, Ukya, Ukya, Ukyaaaaa!" "Igi ... I''m done ..." When I was pushed by the thrust of Colt and involuntarily turned my upper body back, my shin was hit. "That''s it, the winner is Colt!" "Ukya! I''m going steadily, the next person is ..." "Yzak, take him on." Donovan-san nominated Yzak before Colt could nominate his next opponent. "Well, hey, can''t I choose the other person?" "What''s wrong Colt, are you saying my choice is wrong?" "No, no ... I don''t mean that ..." Colt seems to have been trying to choose a partner that would be an easy match, and he seems to be very dissatisfied. [ Kent-sama, you were thrown off by the other party''s surprise attack. ] [ Yeah, that''s right, it suddenly turned white. ] [ If you calm down and go around to the left side of the opponent, Kent-sama will win. ] Yzak slammed Colt''s one-handed stab, and then right in and decided the game easily. [ Well, if you bring him to your own pace, he''s not that strong. ] [ That''s right, that man relies solely on surprise attacks and doesn''t have the basics, so he''s fragile if you don''t get caught in his operation or if his pace is disturbed. ] [ Well, but maybe it was a good to lose to learn this lesson. ] [ As expected, Kent-sama, it''s important to learn your lesson from losing. ] Yzak overwhelmed the next person he faced. "Next, Kent, get ready." "Yes!" Donovan-san nominated me as the third person to fight Yzak. Yzak facing me glares at me with a fighting expression, unlike the loose expression he had earlier. "If it''s Kent, I won''t let my guard down this time." "Thank you." "Start!" It was Yzak who stepped in casually before, but this time he held his sword aside like Herman and began to go to the left side. His appearance is that of a feline beast aiming at its prey. Yzak''s fighting style is a tactic that overwhelms the opponent with power, and if they collide head-on, they will be defeated. It seems that I have no chance to iwn unless I manage to take a chance and make a sharp blow. Perhaps, in terms of ability, I think that Gilik is much better than Yzak. However, while Gilik wasn''t serious at all, Yzak is in serious mode because he wanted to step up to the next class. As we move in a circle while looking for each other''s gaps, the distance between us closes. Sweat was dripping from my temple to my chin, and my neck was tingling with the feeling of tension. "Shaaaaaaa!" Yzak fired a sideways blow from a sharp step. I tried to avoid it by jumping backwards like with Herman, but Yzak stepped deeply and I had no choice but to match his sword. The side is the tip of the sword, and although I am receiving it at the brim, my hand is numb and I lose my strength and get pushed in. Yzak takes the momentum and slashes his sword from the right. I was able to sneak in during the first match, but this time I was pushed in and down, so I had no choice but to take it. Even though there was a difference in body size, I received it while descending, so the sword I clashed with was flipped to the right. "Oops ..." "Zuryaaaa!" "Ugyaa ..." In the pursuit of Yzak, I was hit in my left arm because I couldn''t defend myself in time. It made a dull sound and I suddenly let go of my sword because of the sever pain that made me feel numb. "Winner, Yzak!" "Sorry! Kent are you okay?" "Guu ... it''s okay ... if I take a break ..." While holding my left arm, I use my full power to self-heal. Too much pain causes greasy sweat to flow. "No, I don''t think it''s okay, I hit you quite hard and heard a bad sound ..." Yzak is worried about me, but now it''s hard to reply. "It''s okay ... I''m just a little numb ..." "No ... but you ... Donovan-san, what should we do?" "Once you calm down a little, take him to the medical office, and even if it''s not broken, it will definitely be cracked ..." No, it feels like it was completely broken, but it''s okay, because the pain has subsided. After checking the condition of numbness by grasping and opening my fingers, I slowly moved my elbows to relieve the numbness. "Hey, no, Kent, don''t force it." "No, it''s okay, Yzak-san, I''m already used to the numbness." "Hey, really, you''re small but sturdy, hey." I continued to bend and stretch while using self-healing, I was able to reduce the pain and numbness. "It''s okay, Donovan-san, let me continue." "Huh ... is it really okay?" "Yes, if I rest a little longer, I''ll be fine." I thought I might be suspicious, but they won''t think I''m using healing magic without chanting, and it would be too sad to retire here. [ Kent-sama, you''re a little too defensive. ] [ Yeah, that''s right, I pulled back because I thought I''d lose in power, so I was pushed in more. ] [ Yes, if the opponent''s power is strong, you have to meet him before the opponent''s power is fully exerted. ] [ Yeah, you can''t tell unless you experience it in actual battle. ] [ I really have to add a partner to the special training ... ] [ I want to say that''s impossible ... but I have to think a little ... ] After that, I continued to spar with five people other than Yzak, and I managed to win against three people. "Yeah!" "Okay, Kent, next week is a class on wind day." "Huh ... eh, that?" "Is there something wrong?" "No, no ... not ..." "The above guys will be stronger again, so please train hard." "Hah ..." Oh, why am I happy to move on to the next class? Do I have to continue the special training to become stronger again? Um ... Isn''t there a harem event with a cute girl that accompanies a cheat magician? I''m sure there is ... CH 17 Kokubu style swordsmanship and wall construction ***---*** [ Kent-sama, please walk without changing your pace. ] [ Yes? Did something happen, Reinhardt? ] It''s the way back from the guild where I got a ticket to participate in the wind day of the week class by successfully defeating three people in today''s class. Reinhadrt spoke with a slightly cautious tone. [ It seems so, keep walking and we can tell, if they are following. ] [ Wow, hey ... that''s ... ] [ No, I don''t think it''s a big deal, but just in case. ] Just in case, I''m really curious about what it is, but I''m aiming for the boarding house without turning around or stopping. [ They''re following ... ] [ Yes, but I''m not worried because it''s the four people who were with us in last week''s class that are following us. I was watching them from the shadows during the daytime class. ] [ Damn, both Manon and Ridner said that they had something to do. ] [ That''s why they''re following you without calling out to you. ] When I heard that we were being followed, I was worried that someone might have suspected my identity for a moment, but if it''s those four it certainly seems unlikely. [ But why are they following me? ] [ Maybe they''re trying to find out how Kent-sama has suddenly become stronger. ] [ Hmm ... They think that they''ll get stronger by peeking at what kind of special training I''m doing, right? ] [ That''s what it is. ] Well, while I was walking while wondering what happened, I arrived at the boarding house. "Amanda-san, I''m back now!" "Oh, Kent welcome back, wait a little longer for dinner!" "Yes, I know!" When I returned to my room after calling out to Amanda-san, I sank into the shadows and headed for the alley where the four were hiding, watching the four of them from the shadows. "Hey, Ridner, isn''t this Kent''s boarding house?" "Ah, maybe the special training is after dinner." Apparently, it seems that Ridner and Manon are following my trail. "Hey, what kind of special training do you think Kent is doing?" "That''s right ... It''s just a guess, but maybe there''s an adventurer of a higher rank in the boarding house." "I see, does he have that person help him practice?" "Oh, maybe that''s the most likely thing." Hmmm, you guys seem to have good intuition. But do you live in the boarding house? You woudln''t think it''s a vicious skeleton. What''s more, you wouldn''t even think that the special training ground was in the Devil''s Forest. [ Well, what are you going to do? Kent-sama. ] [ Yeah, I have a little idea ... ] When I returned to the room by moving through the shadows, I went down the stairs with a wooden sword in one hand. "Amanda-san, I''m swinging my wooden sword in the back, so please let me know when it''s dinner time." "Yes ... Kent, the dungeon ..." "I won''t go, it''s okay!" "Ahaha, that''s fine ... Good luck." "Yes!" The back of the boarding house is a common well surrounded by a backyard-like space. I stood diagonally backward from the four people lurking in the alley and held the wooden sword in front of my face. Instead of making slight movements to warm up, I stood while holding the wooden sword, and then slowly move forwards, then stop moving again. From there, I shook my hips from side to side, like a hula, kui, kui, kui. I swung the sword down quickly while stepping forwards from there. "Eeeii!" I stepped back, lowered my sword, twisted my neck again and again, then return to its original position. I slowly pulled the sword up in front of my eyes again, and this time shook my whole body like kelp floating in the sea, and then swung the sword sharply. "Iyaaa!" When I finished swinging, I lowered the sword and twisted my neck to return to the original position. This is repeated while changing the operation on the way. I tried rotating my hips, shaking them back and forth, and moving only my neck, then I chose and repeated movements that seemed strange to the four people. "Kent ... what are you doing ...?" Amanda-san''s stunned voice is what I was waiting for. "Oh, this? This is the most famous kendo dojo practice method in my country." "Huh? Is there such a strange movement ...?" "If you''re an inexperienced person like me, it looks like a strange movement, but it seems that the secret of the Kokubu style is in the waist." "The waist ..." Of course, there is no Kokubu style, so it''s a crazy thing, but since I spoke with a lot of confidence, Amanda-san also put up a smile and listened to the story. "Yes, the sword can''t swing unless the hips are firmly set, but on the contrary, even if there is a strange force on the hips, the movement becomes stiff and it doesn''t swing as expected." "Hey ... is it something like that?" "No, I''m trying to imitate it, but it seems that the balance between the weakness that softens the waist and the focus that is set firmly is important." "Wow ... it''s a story that I don''t understand, do you understand it ..." "Yes, I understand it, I don''t understand it ... I mean, if I can understand this completely, I can reach the level of a master, so I don''t think it''s easy to understand." "I see ... well, a master of martial arts looks like a weirdo to the average person, since we don''t understand it." "Yes, I also prefer dinner to waist balance." "Ahaha, that''s right, let''s wash our hands and have dinner." "Yes, I''ve been waiting, I''ll put away the wooden sword!" I returned the wooden sword to my room on the second floor. [ Reinhardt, how were the four of them? ] [ Buhahahaha, Kent-sama is a bad person, all four were laughing at first, but when they heard the story you told Amanda-dono, their faces changed, buhahahaha. ] [ It''s a punishment for abandoning me who was noticed by Donovan-san, practice the style of swordsmanship in the Kokubu style for a while. ] The four of them returned from the back alley to their homes while I was having dinner. And speaking of me ... "Fugii ... Ugaa ... Fungiii ..." Tonight I will be working on self-healing in the Devil''s Forest. During the daytime training, I was reminded of my lack of practical experience, so I decided to step into the forbidden territory. In other words ... I decided to spar with Reinhardt. I thought it was a suicide act, seeing the fate of a goblin or kobold, by a vicious skeleton that would make you explode with a single blow, but I thought this was the quickest way to get rid of Donovan-san''s curse. Maybe Donovan-san won''t release me until earth day, which is a joint event for both the mage type and the knight type. From the day of dark, I will start training using physical strengthening and magic, so I don''t think I''m asking to be useless up to that point. As long as you can clear the classes on the day of wind and the day of soil, I''ll be freed from the days of special training. Then, let''s break through in the shortest two weeks. I don''t Reinhardt to take care of me, but I''m still worried that I couldn''t prevent it and he hit me. Therefore, I decided to spar with the armor equipped. The brand new leather helmet, vest, gauntlets and even the shin pads are well equipped. Eh? Where did you get that armor? Hmm ... This is Fred''s sneak pick from Lastock''s garrison. It''s a kingdom that tried to get rid of me and feed me to monsters, so it doesn''t hurt my heart at all. So, it''s important to fight, having good defense. I can see many wooden swords that should be just one, and there is no chance to block them from here. "Wow ... Wa ... Wow ..." [ It''s slow, it''s slow, Kent-sama, let''s go steadily! ] "Wa ... wait ... wait ..." [ No, I won''t wait, come on, there are a lot of gaps! ] "Wow ... ta ... guha!" From the battle with the rock ogre, it seems that his movement is just playing around, but I couldn''t cope with it at all, and I was hit by a blow to the torso and rolled. [ Sorry, Kent-sama, I''ll do it rigorously as long as I''m training you. ] "Kuu ... that''s what I want ... Come at me!" [ Buhahahaha as you wish, Kent-sama. ] After that, I missed receiving it many times, I was hit, I was struck, I was beaten, and I was kicked. Reinhardt signaled the end of the training when I stood up after recovering from the pain by self-healing after being hit in the left thigh. [ Kent-sama, that''s all for tonight. ] "Hah ... Hah ... Thank you very much, Reinhardt." [ No, I''m surprised by Kent-sama''s efforts, even when we were alive, few people worked so hard. ] "Huh ... huh ... but I''ve been lazy so far, so I have to do my best ..." [ If you are in this condition, you can finish the course in two weeks. ] "I hope that is so ..." In fact, if I repeat such a hard daily routine, there seems to be some results, so I honestly want to do my best to finish it in two weeks. [ Then, will you wash up and go back? ] "Hmm ... I wonder if I should practice magic a little more ..." [ Are you practicing magic? ] "Yeah, the light attribute magic for attack takes too much time to activate ..." [ I see ... how long does it take right now? ] "Um ... I''ll give it a try ..." A beam attack with light attribute magic compresses the magical power, sets the aim, and converts the magical power into light at the moment of shooting, so it takes nearly 30 seconds. [ I see, it takes longer than a normal mage''s chanting. ] "That''s right, it''s powerful but it takes time, and I don''t have the confidence to hit something while it''s moving." [ How about supplementing the image with chanting? ] "Hmm ... If possible, I want to be able to activate it quickly." Chanting to activate magic is an act that tickles the hearts of Chuunibyo, but considering the time loss, I decided that it''s better not to chant. [ Then, how about assisting with a bow-pulling action? ] "Action ... I see, action ..." When it comes to complementing the image with movement, it is solid, but I made the finger into a pistol shape, concentrated the magical power on the fingertip, aimed at the target by pointing at it, and repeated the practice by shooting. This strategy was more effective than I expected, and as I repeated the movements, I was able to shorten the time before it activated. Concentration, aiming, and shooting of magical power can now be done in about one, two, or three. Yeah, I have to practice the weapons I have got so that I can master them. With more practice, I feel like I''ll be able to shorten my time even more. When I was thinking of finishing up my practice tonight, a customer came to the special training ground. [ Kent-sama, this is a rock ogre. ] "Yeah, four in all ... Alright, Reinhardt, if I miss it, please support me." When their brow between their eyes flashed in one, two, and three, the rock ogre collapsed without a voice. One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three, even if my hand shines, it seems that they can not understand what is happening, so I knocked them down without letting the rock ogres do anything. Hmm ... It''s too cheat, the light attribute attack magic. [ Ke, Kent-sama ... ] "Oh, sorry, I''ve stolen the fun of Reinhardt, I''m sorry I should have only shot one." [ No, I don''t mind that ... Four without difficulty ... ] Even though the material for stress release has appeared, Reinhardt seems to be disappointed because I have stolen them. Well, I got excited and did something wrong. After that, while Reinhardt was collecting the magic stones, I finished washing up in the river and returned to the boarding house. When I fell down on the bed, it felt like it was time to wake up in the next moment. No, it''s probably about three hours in terms of time, but it''s too early, it''s too early, and it feels like a complete time warp doesn''t it. I manage to recover my physical condition by self-healing, but I feel that my hunger doubles. Amanda-san also has a very ordinary menu for breakfast, but I''m grateful that she prepared the right amount. "Kent eats a lot from the morning ... Isn''t he rampaging while he''s sleeping?" "Well, what are you talking about ... Meisa-chan, if I go while while sleeping, you''ll hear a banging sound from your room." "Hmm ... that''s right, but Kent is suspicious." "Oh, there''s nothing suspicious, because you have to eat well to work hard all day." "That''s right, as Kent says, hey Meisa eat quickly." "Yes ..." Meisa-chan is a little kid, and she has a strangely sharp intuition. After breakfast, I got ready and headed to work. "Amanda-san, I''m heading out!" "Kent, where are you going to work today?" "Yes, today I''m going to take a look at the construction site of the ramparts." "Well, that''s fine, please be careful." "Yes, I''m heading out!" After leaving the boarding house, I will not go to the guild today, but to the construction site of the ramparts. The walls of Volzard are still under construction. At the construction site, they are always looking for workers, and it seems that only the work here is directly hired and paid directly without going through the guild. Also, those who undertake work from places other than the guild or do business in the city are obliged to pay tax, but when tax can not be paid, it is possible to pay by labor of city wall construction. The walls of Volzard extend north and south along the Devil''s Forest, crossing the highway. On the wall extending from north to south, there is a U-shaped wall that surrounds the city. It seems that the city of Volzard has grown by repeating the process of constructing a new wall surrounding the new city on the outside of the wall of the old city. The construction that is currently underway is also underway to further surround the newest wall. Those who participate in the construction will register at the entrance of the site, start the work, and when the day is over, get paid at the same place and go home. The site of the wall construction pays 350 Helts, which is the same daily allowance as the garm potato warehouse. It''s not a high daily allowance, but it''s a construction work to protect our town, so a surprisingly large number of people are participating. Many men living in the city come to help with the wall construction once a week, and even a few people once a month. Today, I am participating in the construction because I heard from Basten that a person is participating in the construction every wind day of the week. The target person stood with his arms crossed next to the reception at the entrance of the site. "Good morning, Klaus-san." "Oh, isn''t it Kent, is something wrong with your work?" "No, after hearing the story of the wall construction, I wanted to give back to the city, although I have a small amount of power, and I am an apprentice, but thank you." "Oh ... Seriously, there are quite a few people flowing into the city, but you''re the first person to say this, okay, I''ll teach you directly, so let''s do our best together today." "Yeah! Will Klaus-san also work here?" "obviously, I can only come once a week, the on-site instructions will be given by the on-site supervisor, I''m a worker." Klaus-san, who makes a pose and laughs with that, is really like a worker, and he doesn''t look like a city lord. According to Basten, Klaus-san appears every week and is sweating with the workers. In fact, you can see how he''s really used to how to hang a rope to carry stones, and how to carry a stick with two people using their waist to carry stones. "Look, Kent, you can bend down and carry it, if your center of gravity is on top, it''s dangerous to stagger." "Yes, I''m sorry, this ...?" "Idiot! You''re not a good old lady, stretch your spine and drop your hips and carry it." "Yes, I understand." Since I came to Volzard, I''ve been doing physical labor, but it''s quite difficult to carry stones. By noon, I was tired. As usual, it seems that the afternoon work will not be able to survive without self-healing. Anyway, evil old man, you''re fine, hey! "Alright, Kent, it''s time for lunch!" "Hahi ... No, it''s hard ..." "Uhahaha, isn''t it? Well, you''re someone who is doing your best for the first time." While eating lunch, I asked Klaus-san a frank question. "Why do you go out to work even though you''re the lord?" "I''m going to the site because there are things I can''t understand without actually seeing it, but I''m also working here because I''m impatient." "You''re impatient ...?" "Ah, I think I''m impatient to make Volzard a safe city and pass it on to the next generation ..." "Is it because the Devil''s Forest is near?" "Ah, it looks safe now, but it won''t always be safe tomorrow, because it doesn''t mean that monsters won''t attack in large numbers ..." The Devil''s Forest is said to produce a large number of monsters about once every few years. It seems that the types of monsters that multiply vary from time to time, usually either goblins or kobolds, but there are cases where more powerful monsters will increase. Klaus-san talked about what happened 18 years ago while drinking tea after the meal. Eighteen years ago, a group of rock ogres approached Volzard from Devil''s Foest. It seems that not only soldiers of the garrison and adventurers who are good at fighting, but also ordinary people fought with weapons. At that time, the lord of Volzard was Klaus-san''s older brother, but at that time, he was killed by a rock ogre who invaded the city. "It''s okay for goblins, but when it comes to rock ogres, they''re difficult to deal with by yourself unless you''re an A-ranked adventurer. At that time, Donovan was active, so we managed to do it, but now. If the same thing happens, it''s going to be pretty tough." Rock ogre is the one Reinhardt killed three in the blink of an eye, right? I mean, that was the one who became the experimental target for light magic last night. That? Does that mean that I have the power equivalent to A rank? "Is rock ogre such a strong monster?" "Ah, you don''t usually see them much, but their body is big and strong, and as the name suggests, their body is hard, and it''s difficult for swords and spears to pass through. If it''s about the strength of Gilik you''ll be able to do it if you have about three people." "Well, is that so ... hehe ... is it that strong?" "What''s wrong, Kent, did you get scared?" "Well ... well, that''s ... I wonder if such a guy has passed through the Devil''s Forest ..." "Oh, I see, it will surely make your spine cold even if you remember it." Well, the sight of the rock ogre''s head being blown off like a balloon with a single knee kick makes my spine cold, even if I remember it. Really, I''m glad he was on my side. "Klaus-san, how many years will this wall be completed?" "It won''t be finished." "Huh? Well, isn''t it about completed ...?" "Well, this portion will be over, but once it''s over, the next one will start, so wall building should continue forever as the city grows." "I see ... the city walls expand with the city, and the city grows with the city walls." "Yes, it''s a job that will be passed on from our generation to the generations of Kent and the others, and to the generations after." The face of Klaus-san looking at the wall under construction is the face of a man who is proud of his work, and I honestly thought it was cool. CH 18 Manon and gardener apprenticeship work ***---*** The day after I participated in the wall construction, I went to the guild to find a job as usual. Even this morning, the bulletin board on which the contents of the request were posted was very crowded, adn everyone seemed to be bleeding and competing for work. I wonder if the daily allowance was so desperately different, and when I asked Otto-san, he said that the difference was at most about 200 Helts. It''s not surprising that the difference is that much, but for an adult man, it''s a serious difference because the amount of alcohol that can be drunk that night changes. Yeah, I don''t mind the ''fortune comes to the leftovers'' method. "Good morning, Kent" When I was waiting for the morning congestion to end by the wall, I was called out to. When I looked who it was, it was Manon, a handsome guy with light blue smooth hair. "Ah ... good morning, Manon." Learning Kokubu style FunyaFunya swordsmanship? It''s a little awkward now that I''ve done it. "Ke, did Kent come looking for a job?" "Yeah, yes, but Manon too?" "Yeah, my previous job was until yesterday, so I''m thinking of looking for another job from today." "I see ..." "Yeah, yes ..." Yeah, it''s really awkward, the conversation doesn''t connect well. "Ah, that''s it Kent." "What is it?" "Why don''t we work together for today?" "That''s fine, but ..." "Yes, then let''s go work together, yeah, let''s do that, yeah, yeah." "Hah ..." It seems that Manon is making a fist and doing a small guts pose. Is it so much fun to do the same job as I do? [ Kent-sama, isn''t this a continuation of the other day? ] [ Oh, I see, he wants to explore the secret of my growth, hmm, hmm, I see ... ] "What''s wrong? Kent." "No, no ... I don''t know ... I think it''s very crowded every morning in front of the bulletin board ..." "That''s right, I have to work up courage to go inside ... Oh." "Hmm? What''s wrong ... oh is that Ridner, wow, he''s being crushed ..." It seems that Ridner, who is taller and bigger than me and Manon, can''t even move when he''s among the adults. I wonder if he can confirm the contents of the request properly in such a state. Looking closely, Maru and Tarik are also being rubbed in a potato-washing state, so it seems that you will get tired before working, but is it okay? When I was worried about the three of them, I suddenly noticed the line of sight from the side and turned my eyes, and Manon turned away in a hurry. When I turned my face back to the bulletin board, I still feel the line of sight. So, when I turn my face, Manon is facing a ridiculous direction. I pretended to look at the bulletin board and looked at Manon ... "What ... what? Kent, what''s wrong?" Yeah, even if the behavior is suspicious, good-looking guys are good-looking guys ... I look like a weird kid when I look suspicious, it''s not fair ... "No, I wonder whta kind of work Manon would do ..." "M, me? No, it''s okay for Kent to do what he normally does today." "Is that so? Well, it will be free in a little longer, so let''s see then." "Yeah, that''s right ..." As the crowd dispersed, Ridner''s group seemed to finally decide on a job and ran to the counter with the request paper. Then, should we also look for a job? Most of the remaining work after the congestion is cheap or an apprenticeship. As the name suggests, an apprenticeship is the apprenticeship of various jobs, and while you can experience adn be taught the work, the daily allowance is cheaper. It is said that the children of Volzard will experience various jobs in these apprenticeships and get a job that suits them. I''ve been looking for an apprentice healer job, but it''s impossible unless you''re a person who has a high degree of expertise and professionalism and is judged to have the light attribute by the judgment of the ''Evil Eye Crystal''. It''s really annoying, that crystal ball. "Hey, Manon, have you ever done this gardener''s apprenticeship?" "Yeah? No, but does Kent want to be a gardener?" "No, that''s not the case, but the other day, Klaus-san told me to do various jobs to find the talent sleeping in me ... so I tried various jobs. I think I''ll try it." "Is that so ... Then, why don''t we try it? I think it''s okay because they''re always looking for people." "Okay, then let''s do this job today!" Manon and I took the requested paper to the counter, asked them to tell us the location of the gardner''s house, and decided to go immediately. "Manon is from Volzard, right?" "Yeah, I was born and raised in Volzard, and I haven''t been to any other city yet." "Is that right? Then, didn''t you know Ridner''s group well from before?" "Yeah, I knew their faces and names, but I didn''t know them that well because I live in a different area." Volzard is a city that has expanded with the addition of walls, so the city is divided into several parts by the walls. It seems that there is no difference in status depending on the area where you live, but it seems that people who live in the same area are better friends. Manon and Ridner also attended the same school, but it seems that children from the same district often gathered together during breaks. The gardener Oren-san''s house was in the second district, one wall out of the old town. There are many roadside trees planted in the city of Volzard, and it is said that his main job is to manage them and maintain the garden of the lord''s mansion. "Oh, I was hoping for an apprentice, so you came at the right time. I''m planning to prune the mansion of Klaus-san today, and I thought that two people wouldn''t be enough." "I''m Kent, please take care of us." "I''m Manon, if you please." "Oh, I''m ready, so let''s get going out now." "Yes!" We pushed the dolly with scissors and ladders for pruning and headed to the lord''s mansion. The lord''s mansion is just a stone''s throw from Oren-san''s house, on the easternmost side of the old town. In front of the house is a high iron fence gate, a garrison person was guarding and we were asked to show our IDs to enter. The garrison person who saw the guild cards of Manon and I, seemed to know that we were apprentices and told us to do our best. We placed the dolly behind the gate and started working immediately. "Okay, then Kent and Manon should start by weeding." We were given a jute bag and a weeding fork to pull out the bifurcated weeks, and we started weeding the cobblestones leading from teh gate to the entrance of the masion. Actually, as a punishment for falling asleep, I''ve often done this, so I''m good at weeding. The life guidance teacher seemed to have a disagreeable personality, and even if I left a small weed, I was forced to start over, so I got rid of them thoroughly. Weeding forks are used to remove the roots and not leave them behind. [ Kent-sama, you''re being watched. ] [ Yeah, I don''t care anymore, I don''t have any trouble being watched weeding. ] [ Is that right ... Anyway, Kent-sama, you seem quite used to it. ] [ Well ... I was forced to do it a lot because of the penalties for falling asleep ... ] [ Buhahaha, that''s a lucky break. ] The difference in the speed of work between me, who has a professional weeding technique, and Manon, who is observing me is obvious. My weeding technique that conquered the back of the school building and the back of the gymnasium is not to be underestimated. "Oh, Kent is pretty fast, the result is ... yeah, no problem, I''ll accept it in this condition." "Yes!" "As for Manon ... Oh, I''m sorry, but if you leave such small ones behind, they will grow quickly, so please review it a little." "Yes, I''m sorry ... I''ll do it over." "Oh, that''s the way it is at first, you don''t have to shrink too much." "Yes ..." It is permissible to leave weeds behind, but only for good-looking men? When I remembered myself at the time when I was nagged at in the back of the school building, my eyes became hot. Yeah, my hard work wasn''t wasted. When I was devoting myself to the weeds, I was called out to from above my head. "Oh, isn''t it Kent, are you a gardener today?" "Oh, Klaus-san, good morning, yes, I''m trying various jobs." "Fuhahaha, yeah, yeah, good, experience a lot of work now. Kent, experience is sure to help you." "Yes, I''ll do my best." "That''s right, Kent, my daughter, Beatrice." "Nice to meet you, Kent-san." "Hello, nice to meet you, I''m indebted to Klaus-san." Beatrice, dressed in a simple but well-tailored young grass-colored dress, has fiery red hair and brown eyes that look courageous. Yeah, she''s so cute that I don''t think it''s the blood of the evil old man. "Beatrice is still a student, so I wonder if she''s one year younger than Kent ... isn''t she cute?" "Yes ... very ..." Klaus-san nodded in satisfaction, then put his mouth to my ear and muttered in a low voice. "I''ll kill you if you touch her ..." "Hii, yesh!" Idiot parent has arrived--! Even in a different world, idiot parents will exist. "Hey papa! Don''t say strange things." "I didn''t say anything strange ... right, Kent." "Yesh ..." If you''re out of sight of Beatrice and glare at me, I have no choice but to nod with all my might. Jeez, I''m already nodding like Aizu''s specialty, Akabeko. (TN: Akabeko is a bobbleheaded red toy cow.) "It''s somehow suspicious ..." Even if Beatrice with her arms folded stares at me with suspicious eyes, Klaus-san is also glaring at me, so I can only deny it by shaking my head. Even so, she''s younger but dignified ... I''m overwhelmed by the aristocratic aura. "Hmm ... well, please do your best at work." "Yes, I''ll do my best." Ah, with Beatrice''s smile, I feel like I can put up with it. No, no, I''m not thinking about putting my hand on her, there''s a voice saying "I''ll kill you. I''ll kill you ..." please stop with the muttering, Klaus-san. Klaus-san to the guild for business, and Beatrice to school, the father daughter pair went out. Hmm ... I''m so tired ... I wonder why Manon is glaring at me. It''s okay, anyway, I''m an ordinary person with the feeling of unimportance. While Manon and I were weeding, Oren-san and his colleague were pruning the garden trees. After weeding, we will collect the branches and leaves that have been pruned and put them away. Manon seems to be observing me as usual, but I will continue to move with all my might. Working in a crouched position or in the middle of the waist puts a lot of strain on your legs, but I think this is also good for training. Continuing to move will also strengthen your stamina, and fatigue and muscle aches will not be a problem if you apply self-healing during lunch break. After the lunch break, we repeated weeding and cleaning of pruned debris until evening. "Oh, it''s about time to finish, Kent, load the bags full of pruned debris on the dolly." "Yes, I understand." The picked weeds and pruned debris will be buried in the garden of Oren-san''s house and used as fertilizer later. It is important to reuse whatever can be used in the farthest cities like Volzard. By the way, did you know that even at the livre farm, the livre pomace is used as fertilizer? "Well, thanks to Kent''s hard work, I was saved, hopefully I can ask for another day tomorrow?" "Yes, that''s okay, I''ll be counting on you tomorrow." "Oh, really, no, I''m saved, what about Manon?" "I will do my best ..." "Oh, then, I''ll ask the both of you tomorrow ... Oh, yes, bring a change of clothes tomorrow. After work, we''ll have dinner, so you''ll be able to wash up and change clothes." "Yes, I understand." After returning the dolly to Oren-san''s house, I went to report to the guild instead of Manon, who was exhausted, and then returned to the boarding house. After supper, as usual, I practiced swords and magic in the Devil''s Forest, and after the date changed, returned to the boarding house, went out like a light ... and a new morning came again. Well, I''m impressed that it''s something that my body can do. After breakfast, I headed to the meeting place with Manon. Manon who appeared seems to be dull from the looks of it, and it seems that yesterday''s tiredness has not disappeared. "Good morning ... Kent." "Good morning! Manon, did you stretch yesterday?" "Ah ... I forgot ..." "It can''t be helped ... I''ll help you stretch and give a little massage." "Thank you ... I''m sorry, Kent." "It''s okay ... with this much." By pretending to help with stretching and applying a little healing magic, Manon''s complexion improved considerably. "Wow, Kent, I feel like I''ve gotten rid of my muscle pain and fatigue, so I think I can do my best today." "Yeah, let''s do our best today!" We work at Klaus-san''s mansion today as well. I couldn''t meet Klaus-san and Beatrice because I was working behind the mansion from this morning. Eh? Isn''t it a pity that I can''t feast my eyes on her developing Nice Body? (TN: Btw, when you see these not so random capitalized words, they''re originally in Engrish.) Well, that kind of thing ... Isn''t it decided that I''m thinking with all my might? [ Kent, you''re apparently not being watched today. ] [ Yeah, Manon can''t afford that, right? ] [ Maybe ... ] Manon was observing my movements yesterday, but today he seems to be devoting himself to his work. Therefore, it seems that the work efficiency has improved significantly compared to yesterday. However, the amount of exercise has increased by that amount, and it seems that fatigue has accumulated. When I''m done with my work, should I do a stretch with healing magic? I brought a change of clothes today, so I crawl on the ground to clean up the grass and pruned debris. It was worth it, and by evening we were able to finish all the work. It seems that pruning the mansion can take three or four days, and in some cases five days, if only Oren-san and his colleague work. Oren-san and his son, Faldo, both had a fluffy face because the work was completed in two days. "Okay, when I get home and put away the tools, let''s take a bath and have a meal!" "Yes, thank you for your hard work." Manon is tired, but he seems to be doing well and feeling fulfilled. I''ll do the cleaning up of the tools for you. "Manon, I''ll do the cleaning up, so you can take a bath first." "No, that''s bad, Kent is working a lot ..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, Manon was doing his best today, and I still have some spare capacity, so it''s okay." "Hmm ... Then, excuse me first." Cleaning up is as simple as removing the jute bag containing pruning debris from the dolly and washing the weed forks we used. The pruning scissors will be cleaned up by Oren-san and the others. "Oh, okay, go take a bath Kent, the rest is the work we do." "Yes, then excuse me first." The bathroom in Oren-san''s house is made wider than the bath in a normal house in case of working with a large number of people. The dressing room is also large, and it feels like a small public bath or a bathroom in an inn. I took the bag with my change of clothes and went to the dressing room, then took off my sweaty and dusty clothes. There was a popping sound of hot water from the bathroom. "Good work today, Manon." When I hid only my crotch with a towel and entered the bathroom, Manon had just risen from the bathtub. "Eh ... ..." "Huh ...?" It felt like time had stopped for a moment, and both Manon and I were frozen. Manon''s chest has a small bulge ... "K, kyaaaaaa!" "Wow, I''m sorry ... eh, ehhh!" "Don''t look at me, Kent''s naughty! Lewd! Hentai!" "Wow, I''m sorry ... yeah!" I rushed to the dressing room after being splashed with hot water by Manon, and I screamed unintentionally. "Uhhhhh! I never noticed that you were a girl! Fugya!" "Kent, that''s too rude! Stupid!" As a finishing blow, I was hit by a washtub thrown by Manon. Yeah ... I always thought it was a handsome guy, so I didn''t think it would be a girl. CH 19 Manon''s reward and revenge match ***---*** Her cheeks are blushing, her cheeks are puffed up, and she glares with tears in her eyes ... What is this cute creature? Is it a kiss with cherry-colored lips sharpened? Manon-chan, do you want me to kiss you? "Kent''s stupid ..." "Uh ... I''m sorry." In this case, it''s unavoidable that even if you''re called stupid, you''re likely to get burned. I got out of the bath and sat at the dinner table at Oren-san''s house, but right now, I''m in the middle of a reward called a sermon from Manon, a dish that seems to be more delicious than my previous ones, I''ll eat it. "What are you grinning at ... ecchi ..." "Guu ... I''m sorry." If you say that, I will remember the scene I saw earlier. "I can''t believe that there''s a girl in there, but you''re coming in so proudly ..." "It''s reasonable ..." "In the first place, it''s rude that you didn''t even notice that I''m a girl." "No, you''re right ..." But Manon always wears a big shirt, and at first glance you can''t tell at all. Well, there is a difference in body shape ... "Well, I may be small ..." "As you say ... no, no, it''s not ..." "Keeeent ..." "No, no! Well, it''s a little small but there''s a bulge ..." "Don''t say it''s little!" "Uhi ... I''m sorry!" "Uhaha, Manon, forgive him with that. Kent wasn''t doing it on purpose, and the food is going to get cold." "Okay ... I''m sorry, Kent." "Yes, I''m reflecting on that, Manon-san." "Is that really true ..." I''m sorry, I enjoyed being preached at rather than being remorseful. Oren-san didn''t think Manon was a girl, did he? You told us to take a bath together ... Well, I thought it was a little tasty, so I won''t pursue it. Thanks to Oren-san''s arrangement, I can finally have dinner. I had the sausages and pasta served on the platter set aside, and I immediately dug in. "Wow, this sausage is delicious!" The lightly roasted sausage has a perfect balance of herbs when chewed, further enhancing the taste of the meat. "Oh, it looks like it suits your taste ... Don''t hesitate to eat a lot." "Yes, thank you." In Volzard, many homes make homemade sausages, and each home has a different blend of herbs and a different taste. Oren-san''s wife seems to be good at cooking, and the seasoning of the stew is also wonderful, and my fork doesn''t stop. When I suddenly noticed, Manon was looking as if she was amazed. "Kent, you eat a lot ... where do you put that in that body?" "Well ... Manon who says that doesn''t seem to eat much ..." "No, I was overwhelmed when I saw Kent''s eating behavior ..." "But if you don''t eat properly, you can''t get bigger ... no, you can''t get stronger." "Keeeent ..." "Uh, I''m sorry ... but eating is the basis of building your body, so if you don''t eat properly, you will get tired and you won''t get any strength." Oren-san nods at my words. "It''s exactly as Kent says. Kent and Manon are still growing up, so if you work hard, your body won''t grow unless you eat well. Don''t hesitate to eat!" "Yes, I will." Manon also reigned in her temper and resumed eating. Yeah, delicious foods are kind to people. After that, Oren-san told us various things about the work of a gardener, and also talked about plants that grow naturally in the suburbs of Volzard. If your rank in the guild goes up, you will be able to enter the forest and collect herbs and materials, but if you do not have the knowledge, you will not be able to collect efficiently, so train your skills and accumulate knowledge at the same time. So I was told. That''s right, when it comes to collecting herbs in light novels and games, it''s an image that anyone can do, but if you don''t know the types of herbs and where they grow naturally, you can''t even collect them. "Oren-san, where should I go to study that?" "Well, it''s taught in the guild." "Eh ... is there such a class?" "Yes, it''s quicker to go to an actual craftsman for craftsmanship, but herbal collection is an adventurer''s job in the first place, so it''s only the guild that teaches it for free." "So that''s it ..." Once I was released from Donovan-san''s curse, I thought I would take a class once. I was told various stories, and it was a complete treat, and the time to return was a little late. "Manon, I''ll send you home since it''s late." "Well ... but my house is in the fourth section, so it''s the opposite direction of Kent''s boarding house." "Yeah, it''s okay ... that? Did I tell Manon where the boarding house was?" "Eh? uh, yeah ... I think it was the lunch break of the first class ... I remember hearing it ..." Mufufu ... a panicking Manon is cute, isn''t she? Of course, I didn''t talk about the location of the boarding house, and I was told that they were following me the other day. "Oh, that''s right ... well, I''ll send you home because it''s dangerous for a girl to walk alone, well, I can''t really be relied on ..." "isn''t it more dangerous for Kent to send her home?" "What do you mean, Oren-san, I''m basically a gentleman." "Well then, I''ll send Manon properly." "Yes, I understand." It''s completely rude, isn''t it? There are only about 80% of impure motives. It''s a lie, I''ll send her properly, once I send her, I can always move in the shadows to peep ... No, I won''t do it, it''s true. On the way to her house, Manon asked me straightforwardly. "Hey ... how did Kent get stronger so quickly?" "Well? Well, that''s ..." Hmm ... grabbing the sleeves of my shirt and looking up at me with your eyes. This pose ... is too destructive. It seems like everything is going to fall apart. "Um ... I had Gilik-san train with me... I wonder ..." "Well, Gilik-san, it''s that Gilik-san?" "I don''t know if there is another Gilik-san, but it''s probably the Gilik-san Manon''s thinking of." "Why is Gilik-san training with you ..." From Manon''s words, it seems that Gilik has a bad reputation, or that he wants a lot of attention. I told Manon, who was wondering, what happened last week. "Hey ... there was such a thing, well, then you might get stronger ..." "Ah ... that''s right!" "Hmm? What''s wrong Kent?" "Maybe we will practice tomorrow." "Eh? Why?" Tomorrow is light day, so maybe Muell-san will take a higher-ranked class. If so, the probability that the Peeping Dog Gilik will appear in the training ground is quite high. When I talked about that, Manon was convinced. "Maybe if Donovan-san appears when Gilik-san and I are together, I think we will be forced to practice." "I see ..." "Would you like to join Manon?" "Ehhh ... me too?" "Don''t you want to be stronger?" "Uh ... that''s right ..." "Maybe you can take the lead from Ridner and the others." "Ah ... hmm ... yeah, I''ll try it!" "Then, let''s meet in the guild at the same time as yesterday." "Yeah, looking forward to working with you, Kent." We just arrived at Manon''s house, so we parted there and I returned to the boarding house. Of course, instead of walking back honestly, I dived into the shadow of the back alley and moved to near the boarding house at once. [ Kent-sama, that''s not a bad idea. ] [ Well, if I say it''s the result of training with Gilik, I don''t have to reveal the special training with Reinhardt. ] When I returned to the boarding house, I briefly reported to Amanda-san what happened today and headed to my room. When I returned to my room, I prepared my bed so that I could come back anytime, and then headed to the special training ground in the Devil''s Forest. To be honest, I''m still tired from the gardener work, but I can''t help but take special training because there may be a rematch with Gilik tomorrow. With Reinhardt as a training partner, we will continue to spar. Of course, I got messed up, but on the other hand, I can''t even find a clue on how to counterattack, but I have no intention of giving up. No matter how many times I was hit, struck, and sent flying, I stood up with self-healing and guts. In the end, the training ended without a single effective hit this evening. After that, let''s practice magic and then go home. "Even so, even though this is the Devil''s Forest, there aren''t many monsters coming out, right?" [ That''s because this me keeps them away. ] "Well, since I''m scared of goblins and kobolds I can''t get close to them." [ That''s right. ] Certainly, if Reinhardt doesn''t hide his aura, half-baked monsters won''t be able to come near. That''s why the number of people approaching is limited. Also, a rock ogre has appeared. "One, two ... six, seven, more than before ... I''ll take three, and the rest are for Reinhardt and Basten?" [ We are playing around when Kent-sama is asleep, so it''s okay to get rid of everything. ] "Is that right? Then, if I miss them, cover me ... I''m going." Before this, it took about 3 seconds to shoot a light element attack magic, but it was worth the practice, and now I can shoot in 1 second per shot. "One, two, three, four, five, six, this is the last!" [ Well done! I don''t have a turn ... No, no, what can I say ... It''s a nasty attack. ] "Hmm ... but I feel like there is still room for improvement ..." [ Improve it even more? ] "Yeah, I think it''s good to increase the rate of fire, weaken or strengthen the power, or extend the irridiation time ..." [ As expected, Kent-san, I am impressed with your aspirations. ] "No, it''s the power that I''m able to use, so I just want to be able to use it well." In fact, this power is something that I had a hard time getting, so as Donovan-san said, if you can''t master it, you can''t really say that you''ve become stronger. [ Kent-sama, we will collect the magic stones, wash up and take a rest for tomorrow. ] "Yeah, thank you, I''ll do that." The water in the river is already cold, but if you apply self-healing, you can warm your cold body. If you go back to the boarding house and go to bed, the morning will come soon after you dream. [ Kent-sama, it''s about time to get up. ] "Hmm ... Hmm ... Hmm ..." I''ve gotten used to the special training life so much that I don''t have to make an eerie moan from the morning. I prepare for the morning as usual, and after breakfast, head to the guild. Now, let''s get a hit on the hateful Gilik today. When I went to the guild, Manon came first and was waiting. "Good morning! Kent." "Good morning, Manon." Ugu ... When I found out that Manon was a girl, I''m conscious of something strange. The bulge of the chest is modest, but it''s definitely a beautiful girl. "Hmm? What''s wrong? Kent." "Well, no, no ... I mean, Manon is cute today ..." "What! What are you talking about, I''m cute ... that''s ..." Oh? Even though she''s a girl, she''s not used to being told that she''s cute. She''s getting bright red and panicking ... What''s this cute creature, can I kiss it, kiss, kiss ... can I? In front of the bulletin board where the requests are posted, it seems to be very crowded this morning, and if you look closely, Ridnel and the others are being squeezed again. Is that the psychology of people who want to line up when they see the crowd? Or do you purely want to save money as soon as possible? And by the wall away from the bulletin board, he was there, a dog with a sloppy tail. "Good morning, Gilik-san." "Hmm? Oh, Chibisuke ..." "Is Muell-san in a class?" "Aah? What if she is?" "No, I''m just asking, I''m sorry ..." "Wait a minute!" "Gi ... my neck ..." As I expected, I was grabbed by the neck when I gave a light bow and tried to walk away to the training ground. "I''ll go with you ... I''ll keep an eye on you so you don''t interfere with Myu-san''s class." "Hey, I won''t ... Gue ... Neck ..." Well, I''ll say it many times, but I''m not a cat, so don''t grab my nape and hang it. Ah, the onee-san''s at the counter are giving me a warm look. Gilik went to the training ground with me hanging in his grasp and stopped at the outside of the door. "Good morning, Donovan-san." "Oh, good morning Kent, are you going to practice with Gilik again?" "No, I was just told to ..." "Ba, Bastard, this was your plan!" Uhyahyahya, it''s too late to notice it now. I thought that if Gilik grabbed me and moved to the training ground, he would grab Donovan-san''s attention. "Today, Manon wanted to participate, is that okay, Donovan-san." "Well, it''s impressive to invite friends, of course it''s OK." "Just now, what have you been talking about ..." "What just now, do you have any complaints?" "No, no, I don''t ..." Uhyahyahyahya, he''s trying to hide his tail in his crotch again. I''m someone that borrows the power of a tiger, but it''s really fun! "Okay, Kent and Manon get your armor ready, and also bring a wooden sword for Gilik." "I understand." Manon seems to be using the warehouse armor for the first time, so I taught her. Mufufufu, I feel a little senior. "Ke, Kent, after all I ..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, once you''ve done it with someone who looks scary, you don''t have to be nervous when you''re dealing with someone of hte same level. Besides, you don''t have to think about it because it''s natural for you to lose to an opponent like that. "Well ... that''s right, yeah, I''ll do my best." I equip the armor and return to the training ground with Manon. I hand the wooden sword to Gilik and I faced him first. "Kent, show me how much you''ve improved. Gilik, ready?" "I understand, I just have to do it ..." "I''m counting on you!" I held the wooden sword in gratitude to Gilik who answered in a bad mood. At the time of the last lesson, I had a dagger-sized wooden sword, but today it is a normal-sized wooden sword. It may not be a difference in ability that can be filled by extending the reach, but it should still be a little different. I swing the tip of the sword slightly to the right of my view and confront Gilik. Like last time, Gilik lowered the wooden sword in his right hand and did not hold it properly. "What''s wrong, come on quickly." "Hey!" "Too slow ... oh?" Just like last time, when I stepped in while swinging up my wooden sword, Gilik fired a yakuza kick, which is as expected. I increase the speed one step to avoid his kick and step in closer. "This guy ... oh?" "Daaaa!" The wooden sword that Gilik swung down in a hurry was parried at a higher speed, and the wooden sword struck his defenseless body. "Guu ... Bastard!" "That''s enough, winner Kent!" "Yeah!" I did it, even though he was completely off guard, I hit a blow to Gilik. Oh, Muell-san is jumping happily. Manon ... that? She''s glaring at something, but why? "OK, next, Manon." "Yes ... oh, please, please ..." I wonder if I made a mistake, Gilik, who was unaware of me, has an angry appearance, and Manon is completely reluctant. "What''s wrong? Come on!" "Huh, hey ..." No, it''s impossible, I know it''s frustrating, but let''s think about it for a moment. "Gilik! Do it properly ..." "Ku ... I know ... Oh, I''ll do it properly, well then come on." "Yes ... please ..." Wow, Manon, she''s sweating ... but maybe it will be a good experience in a way. After regaining his composure, Gilik parried Manon a few times and then tapped her head to decide the game. "OK, next, Kent." "Yes, please." "Be prepared for this ..." Oops ... Gilik is ready, I think I have to do it with the intention of dying. Gilik''s stance seems to be a stance in which the sword is swung up to the upper right with the left shoulder in front, and the power of the blow is seen in the stance. For me, who lost the match against Yzak, if I attack him head-on, I would be blown away. Still, I held it in the same way as Gilik and showed my will to hit it head-on. As soon as I set it up, Gilik exposed his teeth and gave a terrifying laugh. "Interesting, Chibisuke, I admit you have guts ..." "No, I''ll ask you to recognize my skill ..." I''m trying my best, but I couldn''t help saying it. During the special training in the Devil''s Forest, the power of Reinhardt, which is occasionally shown, seems to be seriously squeezed. Gilik is said to be the hope of the young men of Volzard, but he is still far behind Reinhardt. Of course, I won''t be able to beat him, but I won''t get stuck. I was nervous and shortened the distance, and measured the moment when Gilik stepped in. "That!" "Hey!" Gilik''s heavy blow is strong, and even if I greet him with all my might, I will be repelled. I jumped back with a paper-thin distance, and struck with my wooden sword from the top diagonally across. Gilik swung up his wooden sword using the momentum from before, and swings it down with a tremendous step. I also greeted him with a swing down with my whole weight on it. Gatsun! It made a dull sound and managed to catch the blow of Gilik, but it was pushed in to close contact. When it comes to such a push, the difference in body size makes a difference, and I am pushed down as he pushes. At the moment when I tried to push him back with the power of my whole body, Gilik suddenly relaxed. "Eh ..." When I suddenly lost the support in front of me I lost my balance, I saw Gilik with a smile on the edge of my field of vision swinging down his wooden sword. "I''m ... Gugyaa ..." I forcibly turned my body and tried to catch it with my wooden sword, but I couldn''t make it in time, and I got a blow from Gilik to my left shoulder. There was a dull sound, and I felt my collarbone break, and I inadvertently knelt on the ground. "Kent! Are you alright, Kent." "Ugyii ... I''m okay ..." Manon rushed over, but I was still down and couldn''t reply well. Heal, heal, hold your shoulder with your right hand and do your best to self-heal. All the pores on my head were opened, and cold sweat was dripping. Still, if you clench your teeth and use full self-healing, the pain will gradually go away. Just a little more, a little more. "Hey Kent, are you okay?" "Yes ... Donovan-san, a little more, a little more ..." While standing up, I slowly moved my arm while opening and closing my left hand. Yeah, it will be healed in a little more. "Hey, Kent ..." "It''s okay, Donovan-san, if I take a little more rest ..." As I slowly moved my arms, I finally raised my face and turned to Donovan-san, and I froze. It wasn''t the powerful but dependable familiar Donovan-san, but the war-ready Donovan-san who was looking at prey. "Kent, a normal guy doesn''t heal his broken bones right away ... I''ve been a little skeptical since you were injured by Yzak ... Who are you? Are you a Resenburg dog?" Ahh ... I think I''ve gotten a little too careless. Come to think of it, Donovan-san was a person who didn''t cut corners even in the training for a no-good person. This, is it over for me? CH 20 Interception, rock ogre ***---*** I entrusted my armor to Manon, and I was taken away by Donovan-san, who grabbed my neck. Isn''t it too easy to grab my neck? "If you don''t resist badly, I won''t feel like doing rough things ..." "Yes, I understand ..." No, I have no intention of resisting Donovan-san from the beginning. Manon and Muell-san look worried, but Gilik looks hostile. Well, I''m a suspicious child now, so it can''t be helped. [ Kent-sama, something bad is happening ... ] [ Hmm? Basten, this something bad, isn''t about my situation? ] [ Yes, a flock of rock ogres is approaching from the Devil''s Forest. ] [ Ehhh ... ] While being taken by Donovan-san, as soon as I received a report from Basten through telepathy, I heard the sound of a warming bell from the distance. "What a hassle at a time like this ... Kent, you''re not involved, right?" Pushed by the power of Donovan-san in serious mode, I could only shake my head and deny it. As we entered the guild building, a young adventurer rushed in. "Donovan-san, it''s terrible, there''s a horde of rock ogres!" "What it''s rock ogres, and not small fries? Damn ..." After showing a confused expression for a moment, Donovan-san increased his stride while dragging me. "Gi ... ku, neck ..." "Hey, lend me the key to the library!" Donovan-san dragged me into the staff space behind the counter, unlocked the library and threw me inside. "Fugya ... this is ..." "I don''t have time right now, so be quiet in there ..." "No, just a moment ..." The thick door was roughly closed in front of me, and the sound of a heavy lock was heard. It''s pitch black in the library without windows, but it''s not a problem for me, who has good night vision. The rock ogres are more of a problem now. [ Basten, how many? ] [ Yes, at a glance, it seems that there are more than 200 heads. ] [ That''s a tough number for the garrison and adventurers, isn''t it? ] [ Yes, if they fight normally, they will make a considerable sacrifice ... ] [ Okay, let''s deal with it, Fred, come back! ] [ Kent-sama ... Already here ... ] [ Then, let''s go ... ] I sank from the guild''s library into the shadows and started moving. When I moved to the shadow of the wall under the guidance of Basten, I heard a tense voice from the top of the wall. Apparently, garrison and high-ranked adventurers are gathering. "Hey, they''re still coming out, how many heads do you see?" "Okay, don''t let them enter the city, we''ll stop them here." "No matter how powerful a rock ogre is, it doesn''t mean it can''t be hurt or die!" "Hey, isn''t Donovan-san here yet? Who went to call him?" When I turned my gaze toward the Devil''s Forest, a rock ogre appeared from the forest. "Uboaaa! Uboaaa!" I wonder if they''re gathering their friends, some of them are actively howling. It''s the first time I''ve seen them in the sun in the daytime, but I feel a sense of crisis when the rock ogres, which are powerful even with just one, comes out with a zorozoro. [ Reinhardt, is there any problem with the three of you? ] [ Buhahaha, there''s no problem, my sword is thirsty. ] [ Then, can Reinhardt and Basten take charge of the subjugation, and Fred can I ask you to deal with the missed ones and collect the magic stones? ] [ OK ... leave it to me ... ] [ Reinhardt, Basten, you can rampage to your heart''s content, but you can''t break the walls. ] [ I understand, leave it to me. ] [ Captain, let''s do it as far away from the walls as possible. ] [ Then ... get rid of them! ] [ Oh! ] When I gave the GO sign, the three of them stepped out from the shadow of the wall. Oh, this appearance is cool. It feels like a squadron of heroes. "Hey, where did these skeletons come from?" "Well, they''re heading to the rock ogres? What? Are they on our side?" "Well, a skeleton wouldn''t be the opponent of a rock ogre ..." With the confused voice from the wall, Reinhardt and the others calmly walk up to the rock ogres. When the distance between the two became about 10 meters, the three stopped and pulled out their proud weapons. [ Buhaha, Basten, are we going to compete for the first time in a while? ] [ Sounds good, branch leader, shall we do it? ] [ Leave the collection of magic stones to me ... ] [ Good, Basten, let''s go! ] [ Shaaaa! ] Wow, all the evil skeletons kill, it''s enough. Reinhardt stepped in at such a speed that you could see an afterimage, leaving a roaring sound, and when he swung his beloved sword Gram, the heads of six rock ogres literally blew off. In the blink of an eye, five rock ogres had their heads pierced and died from a series of spear thrusts from Basten. "Uboaaa! Ubo, ubo, Uboaaa!" Rock ogres who were excited by the smell of the blood of their friends flooded in one after another, but Reinhardt and the others made them into a bloody festival one after another. In addition, Fred quickly walks up to the rock ogres that they have defeated and collects magic stones. Every time Reinhardt swings his big sword with one hand, and every time Basten thrusts his spear, rock ogre''s heads disappear like a balloon pierced with a needle. Wow, it''s literally a one-hit one-kill. [ Nu-boring, this is too easy. ] Suddenly, Reinhardt threw his big sword into the shadow space, and is now hitting the rock ogres with his bare hands. On the other side, maybe they realized that even if they send one rock ogre at a time, they can''t do it, several of them jumped at him at once. With a right straight, a left hook, a headbutt, and a Reinhardt blow, the rock ogres'' heads are still popping off. It seems that the bones of the rock ogre''s legs are broken with a single low kick. Wow, it''s just like a Rakshasa, with blood dripping off his head. [ Shaaaaa! ] If you look at Basten, he doesn''t move much, he thrust his spear and destroys a neck, and he hits their heads with a spear. Rock ogres, which are clearly far from the spear''s range, are also prey to Basten''s spear. Yeah, I can''t catch up with my eyes at all, and once again, a long-range attack with a spear ... If you think about it too deeply, you''ll lose. The rock ogres were quickly reduced in number and annihilated in no time. "What''s this! What the hell is going on?" "No ... what''s happening to them ..." "Wow, that skeleton is insanely strong!" Oh, I can hear Donovan-san''s voice from the top of the wall. Come to think of it, I''m supposed to be in captivity, so maybe I''ll head back soon. [ Fred continue to collect magic stones, Basten hunt the remnants, Reinhard ... wash up in the river and return as my escort. ] [ I got it! ] On my way back to the guild, I went down the shadows and looked at the city, but people had disappeared from the street and all the shops closed their doors tightly. It seems that the people in the city are accustomed to responding to the invasion of such monsters. There was a tense atmosphere in the guild, and Muell-san and Manon were at the bar. The bar also has tables and chairs tidied up at the edges, and the windows seem to have their shutters closed. When I was looking at the inside of the guild, I heard Kan, Kan the sound of a laid-back bell from the outside. Immediately, the inside of the guild was wrapped in the sound of a sigh, and the tense aire was relaxed. Apparently, it sounds like a bell telling you that the danger is gone. Well then, let''s go back to the library. I went back to the library, but I didn''t have anything to do, so I fell asleep while sitting with my back to the shelf. Although I used self-healing to cover it, it seems that I was still tired. I didn''t even notice the heavy sound of the library being unlocked. "Hey, Kent, get up!" "Wow? Hmm ... Good morning." "Hmm ... monsters were attacking, but you''re a calm bastard ..." "Gi ... Cho, Neck ..." Donovan-san grabbed my neck again and dragged me to the second floor of the guild. Klaus-san was waiting in the drawing room, further back than the conference room where we received our training. "Hello, Klaus-san." "Oh, Kent, what a problem this is ..." "I''m sorry, I''m sorry to trouble you." I was seated on the sofa while Klaus-san was sitting on the opposite seat across the table. "Donovan, does this look like a Resenburg dog?" "No, but there is a possibility that it''s great acting that doesn''t show it ... well, but just in case." "Well, Kent, I''d like to hear from you, but first of all, who are you?" As usual, Klaus-san, who seems to be a little frivolous, and is a bad old man, but his eyes aren''t laughing today. However, I was planning to reveal my identity and request cooperation, so it was just a little earlier than planned. "I pretended to be the only survivor of a caravan, but I''m actually an other-wolder summoned by Camilla Resenburg, the third princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg." "Huh? Another world? Summon? Are you really saying that?" "Well, I would like to talk about what happened since I came to this world ..." Well, even if you say you were summoned from another world, you won''t be believed right away, so I talked about things after being summoned in order. In the first grade of junior high school, about 200 people were summoned as soldiers, not as heroes. The summoned people have a higher magical power than the average person. Then, when I said that they were fitted with a black bracelet to prevent the rampage of magical power, Klaus-san''s expression became cloudy. "Kent, is that a ''slave bracelet''?" "Maybe ... I think so." "Why weren''t you wearing a bracelet?" "They didn''t put a bracelet on me because I was judged to be useless." "So why are you free and why are you in Volzard?" I told how I was deceived into thinking I would get one last chance if I was able to cross the Devil''s Forest alone. How I unknowingly summoned skeletons while being attacked and eaten by goblins. How I unconsciously used self-healing magic, Klaus-san met Donovan-san''s gaze when I told them that the wound had healed the next morning. "Kent, summoning a skeleton is dark magic, and healing wounds is light magic, but you''re saying that you have both aptitudes?" "Yes, I think that''s probably the case. I can use darkness magic, and I can also use self-healing magic. Maybe that''s why the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' did not respond ..." After that, when I told him that I had selected and stengthened three skeletons and that I had traversed the Devil''s Forest thanks to their escort, Donovan-san''s complexion changed. "Three skeletons? No way ..." "Yes, it was those three skeletons that were having fun playing with the rock ogres." "Where are they? Where are they now?" "In the shadows ..." When I pointed at my feet, this time Klaus-san nodded as if convinced. "Kent, did you use that skeleton to threaten some thugs?" "Wow? You even know about that?" "Obviously, I''m a lord, because a monster appeared inside the walls it caused a big fuss." "Uh ... I''m sorry, the knife was flicking, so ..." "Fuhahaha, then what do you say you summoned a skeleton because of a knife? Fuhahaha." Klaus-san was laughing while holding his belly, but Donovan-san was still expressionless. "Kent, can you control that skeleton perfectly as your familiar?" "Well, that''s ... what I mean, they''re not like familiars, it''s like having an escort, and all three are moving on their own initiative ..." "Then, does that mean that if the skeletons go out of control, there is no way to stop them?" "Um ... that is ..." When I was fumbling for words, Reinhardt spoke from the shadows. [ We will obey the order of the summoner, Kent-sama, of course, unless it''s something wrong. ] [ Thank you, Reinhardt. ] I deeply regret having a slight suspicion of Reinhardt and the others. " Reinhardt and the others won''t run wild in a way that harms people. They say that the''ll obey me as their summoner, but before that, I believe it won''t happen." "But Kent, the skeleton is a monsters." "Even if it''s a monster, it''s a reliable companion for me ... No, it''s like my family, so there''s no doubt about it." Wehn I looked back at him with a determined look, Donovan-san nodded greatly. "Well ... then, register them as monsters that you are using later." "Huh, register?" "Yes, it''s quite rare, but there are people called tamers who tame and use monsters. It may be a little different for you, but if you register, you won''t have trouble even if they are in the city." "I see, I understand." Indeed, if you register it as a monster you are using, they can stay in the city. After that, I told them how I learned about the ''slave bracelet'' and that Reinhardt''s knowledge was old and Volzard was in another country. How my classmates were taken away by carriage to be trained at Lastock''s garrison. I even talked about the unclear purpose of Camilla Resenburg. "That''s why I''m in Volzard. I know it''s a really selfish request, and I''m fooling myself by asking, but please help my classmates, please." I bowed down with the force of hitting the table and asked Klaus-san. After a brief silence, Klaus-san opened his mouth. "Kent, raise your head." "Yes ..." "First of all, thank you for saving Volzard from the rock ogres. Thank you. To be honest, it chilled my spine to think how much sacrifice would be made with Volzard''s current strength." "That''s alright ... Please raise your head, Klaus-san." When I raised my head, I saw Klaus-san bowing. And the color of distress came to the face of Klaus-san who raised his head. "Sorry, Kent, we''re being so taken care of, but I can''t live up to your wishes." "Is that so ..." "There are two reasons. One is that the purpose of Camilla Resenburg is unknown. If the purpose is a clear invasion of Volzard, it can be done, but for the domestic civil war and the development of the devil''s forest. If that is the case, we can''t help with it." Klaus-san raised one finger and then raised another finger. "Another reason is that your companions are wearing a ''slave bracelet''. Slavery was abolished in Landshelt, but it still remains a legitimate system in Resenburg. A person wearing a bracelet is treated as property, and it is not possible to take it away ..." "Wasn''t that the source of the war?" "That''s right ... I can only say that I can''t reward the benefits of having the city saved, but I can only say that it''s a pity, but I''m not the only one who is involved, but also the other city, Landshelt. It''s not my decision, I''m sorry!" Klaus-san bowed deeply again. However, this is within the range of expectations. "Klaus-san, please raise your head. I''m just saying, but if I can clear those two problems ... For example, about 200 children from a different world who are not wearing ''slave bracelets'', If they cross the Devil''s Forest on their own, can you help them?" "Huh, that''s what your plan is like?" "Yes, I haven''t made a detailed plan yet, but in general ..." I talked about the plan I had in mind with Reinhardt. "I see, you thought if they were trained by the Resenburg guys to develop the power to travers the Devil''s Forest ..." "I''m impressed that you''re even thinking about contact insiders." Both Klaus-san and Donovan-san agreed with our strategy. "Kent, you would like to help your friends as soon as possible, but let''s hold off a little. In the Devil''s Forest, once a mass outbreak of monsters occurs, the movement of monsters will become active for a while. It is better to determine the condition of that area and plan the strategy." "Yes, at the moment, neither the knight type nor the mage type is at a level that can be used yet, so even if I carry out the operation, I think it will be a little longer." "Well, if you have any questions about when to do it, please feel free to ask me or Donovan. I will do my best to help you." "Yes, thank you." I shook hands with Klaus-san. The rugged hands that I can''t think of as a lord''s hands feel very reliable. I was planning to ask Klaus-san for cooperation, but I was a little worried about suddenly talking to him, but as a result, I was relieved that he promised to support me. It''s a shame that the people of Volzard are openly involved, so I decided to keep my rescue plan confidential and continue to live as usual so that I wouldn''t stand out. Reinhardt and the others also got registered, but will continue to be hidden in the city. The bone fracture was explained as being thanks to the effect of the blessing magic I received when I was in the caravan. "If you have time before the rescue operation, do you have time for me to train you?" "What? Do, Donovan-san ...?" It feels like he''s back to the usual Donovan-san, not ready for battle, but why do you have such a happy smile? "Most of the time, you''re probably training with the skeletons, but if you suddenly get stronger in an invisible place, it''ll be suspicious, so I''ll train you in a place that everyone can see. Then you won''t be suspicious to others." "No, no ... I''m like a mage type ..." "Then that''s extra, if that''s not your path, we''ll train you so it can be your path instead." "Oh, Donovan, that''s a good idea. After all, you''re a benefactor of the city, train yourself so that you don''t lose your life if you make a mistake." No, even Klaus-san, why do you think this is so much fun? Well, their doubts about me have cleared up, but I''m afraid that the clouds are building up, is it going to be a big storm? "No ... hey ... if I escape to the shadow ..." "Kent." "Yes ..." "Don''t hold back." "Yes ..." I don''t feel like I can escape even if I use shadow movement. "Umm ... for training, I just have to clear the wind day and the following week''s soil day, right?" "What are you saying, the darkness day, the light day. There is also a class on the star day, and there is no end to training in the first place. Humans will continue to learn and train for the rest of their lives ..." "Ehhh ..." "What are you complaining about?" "No, no ... Thank you." "Oh, leave it to me, I''ll make you stronger than Gilik right away, hahahaha." Well, the special training was supposed to end in two weeks, but ... I haven''t heard about this. CH 21 Flowers in both hands? Is the popular period coming? ***---*** I have been acquitted of being a Resenburg spy, it has been resolved and I have been promised cooperation with the rescue operation. I decided to have them sign the documents for registering Reinhardt and the others because it was a big deal. When three evil skeletons emerged from the shadow of the sofa on which I sat, I saw that Donovan-san was breathtaken. "Well, I''ll introduce you. This metallic rugged skeleton is Reinhardt, the former knight''s branch leader. The matte titanium-colored skeleton next ot him is the former branch commander Basten. The carbon black skeleton on the other side is Fred, also a former branch commander." Together, they do the knight salute with their right fist on their left chest. Yeah, it''s really cool because it''s in the hall. "Kent, I''m sorry to ask you all these selfish things, but when a group of monsters attacks like today, would you please cooperate?" "Of course, I will cooperate, Klaus-san. Volzard is the important city where I live, so it''s natural to protect it." "Well, this may be very annoying to Kent, but I feel like thanking the princess of Resenburg." "That''s no good. I have to make that villainous princess cry at least once." "Hahaha, I guess ..." I won''t say it, but I''ll definitely make her cry on the bed. Reinhardt and the others also shook hands with Klaus-san and Donovan-san. What can I say, it seems that some of the strongest players in the battle have something in common. I also want to be a bitter adult who can join the circle. It seems that Reinhardt and the others will get a belt made with a plate with the guild emblem on it, and everyone will wrap it around their left upper arm. However, most of the normal tamers use monsters instead of horses, and it seems that Donovan-san has never heard of a tamed skeleton. Therefore, although I registered them, it may cause panic if the general public sees them, so I decided to have them continue to act in the shadows as before. [ Hmm ... I wish Reinhardt and his friends could someday walk around the city without causing trouble. ] [ Buhahaha, if we can protect Kent-sama, it doesn''t matter whether it''s the shadows or in the light. ] [ Yeah, I thought Reinhardt would say that, but my feelings are that I want to take a walk in the city with everyone and get people in the city to treat us normally. ] [ Well, if you can rescue your classmates, Kent-sama will not have to hide his abilities, so I wonder if you can think about it at that time. ] [ Yeah, that''s right, let''s do it. ] Let''s rescue the classmates successfully so that I can walk around the city with Reinhardt and the others. Leaving Klaus-san and Donovan-san who had a meeting, I left the drawing room before them. Hmmm, I was nervous after all, and the load on my shoulders was reduced a bit and it became easier. When I went down to the first floor of the guild, Manon and Muell-san were waiting. "Kent, are you okay?" "Sorry, Gilik has done something terrible ..." "No, I''m sorry to worry you. It seems that the fracture was healed because of the blessing magic that I had when I was in the caravan, and Donovan-san''s misunderstanding was resolved. Gilik-san, since you got serious, I''m rather grateful." "Kent ... but I think he''s done too much this time ..." Yeah, I think it''s overkill, as Muell-san says, and it''s easy to say bad things here, but that won''t add to my points. "Meull-san, why don''t you praise me for making him serious, instead of saying bad things about Gilik-san ...?" "Kent ... Yeah, yeah, Kent did his best." Foooooo! I was hugged by Muell-san! Oh, it''s bad, Yaksha is at the edge of my field of vision. Manon is glaring with Yaksha''s eyes while looking at Muell-san''s fluffy chest. Gugguuu ... Kyururuuuuu ... "Ufufufu, Kent is always hungry." "Uh ... it''s embarrassing ..." Kuu, I had Muell-san hug me, why did you have to ring now, My Stomach. "Then, let''s have lunch together? Manon too." "Yes, I worried you, so today I am ..." "Well, I told you not to embarrass your onee-san, right?" "Yes ..." Hyaha-and Muell-san has done it again-! Uh, I''m being glared at by Manon again, it''s dangerous, the puffed up cheeks is a little cute. Even so, isn''t it a flower in both hands with having lunch with Meull-san and Manon? Hyah--! Is the popular period finally coming to me? Is the harem event finally starting? "Oh, Kent, are you going to have lunch? Then, let''s have lunch together, Donovan." "Well, I doubted you a lot, so I''ll treat you with lunch." "Well ... no, I don''t care ..." "Let''s go, Kent." "What''s wrong, let''s go." "Yes ... I''ll go with you ..." Oh, it''s funny, it''s definitely funny, where is the flower in both hands? What about the harem event? Yeahhhhh ... After all, I had lunch at the bar attached to the guild, but why am I sandwiched between Klaus-san and Donovan-san? That''s bullying, isn''t it? Yeah, you hate me, right? Gussun. What''s more, the topic of eating is the story of the mysterious skeletons repelling a group of rock ogres. It''s also because they''re talking loudly, so I don''t have to worry about other adventurers gathering around and joining the conversation. [ Kent-sama, this is an appeal for this situation to be contained by such a story. ] [ I see ... the official view of the lord and guild on Reinhardt and the others. ] The ones that sandwich me are the ones who are ready to kill me if I make a careless remark. No, so don''t look at me with such scary eyes, Donovan-san, I''m listening properly. I can''t help it anymore, so let''s concentrate on eating ... While thinking such, Manon is eating heartily. Her gaze flickers to Muell-san''s chest ... Why do you look at her with such eyes? It''s not her fault that Manon''s chest is modest. Anyway, if it''s stress eating you would get meat in extra places. But in the case of Manon, who is pretty slim, it seems better to have a little more meat. "Kent, are you thinking of something rude?" "I''m not thinking about anything ridiculous or rude." "Uh ... Kent''s an idiot." What should I do with this cute creature? It''s no good, Amanda-san will get angry. "Kent and Manon are on good terms ..." "Well ... well, we worked as a gardener''s apprentice together the other day ..." "Kent is ecchi, so you should stay alert, too." "Cho ... Manon, that was an accident or a misunderstanding ..." "What did Kent do?" I wondered what Manon would say to the sudden question, I think Muell-san is pressing the investigation. "It''s nothing ... it couldn''t be helped ... I''ve only seen a little ..." "Kent''s ecchi!" "Guha ... I''m sorry." "Kent ... tell your onee-san what you did." Ah, Muell-san is glaring at me ... I''m being sent a warm look by Klaus-san, Donovan-san, and the adventurers who are gathering. I wonder why Manon is looking so unconcerned ... Wouldn''t it be self-destructive if they found out what happened? "Kent ... just give up and confess." "Guu ... Ac, actually ..." If you are ordered by the lord of Volzard, you have no choice but to confess. I didn''t think Manon was a girl, but when I tried to take a bath together at the end of work, I told them that I was hit by a washtub in the head after being splashed with hot water, and I was laughed at. You see, Manon also got a warm gaze, and she''s blushing to the fullest. Isn''t it bad for me to stand out? "Uhahaha, That''s Kent for you, you''re bad." "I understand without being told by Klaus-san ..." "Okay, Kent, I''ll give you a lot of training later, so look forward to it." "Uh ... why is this happening ... Ah, Donovan-san, please also train Manon." "Hey Kent! Why is my name coming up?" "Eh? In the sense of an apology, I just thought that Manon could get stronger quickly." "Okay, if that''s the case, I''ll train Manon as well." "Well, that is ..." "What are you dissatisfied with? Manon." "No, no ... Thank you." Uhyahyah, you see, this happens if you curse a person, Manon-chan. Gufufufu, you can''t stare at me with such teary eyes, I can''t escape from Donovan-san ... I can''t escape either ... "Donovan, training is good, but today there aws a monster attack, so let me go home and show that i''m safe." "Oh, yeah, I forgot because there was a rock ogre attack, but they did nothing and were gotten rid of." "It didn''t do any damage, but I''ve issued an evacuation order, so they''ll be worried if you don''t go home forever. Don''t wander aimlessly, just go home to your boarding house." Oh, I''m lucky, today''s lesson seems to be cancelled. "Kent, don''t worry, I''ll take care of you next time." "Yes ... Thank you." Wow ... I can''t escape after all. Still, for now, let''s go back to the boarding house and let Amanda-san know that I''m safe. I parted with Manon and Muell-san in front of the guild and returned to the boarding house. Since the evacuation order was lifted, the shop was reopening and people are returning to the street. It seems that Amanda-san''s cafeteria was also open, and the congestion from lunch was finally down. "Amanda-san, I''m home." "Oh, Kent, it looks like you were safe." "Yes, I was in the guild, so there was nothing dangerous." "Oh yeah, did you eat lunch?" "Yes, I''ve eaten with everyone in the guild, so Amanda-san, I''m going to see if there''s any damage to the livre farm." "Come to think of it, you were fairly indebted to them. I understand, be careful." "Yes, I''ll be back by dinner, then I''m heading out!" I turned down Amanda-san and headed to Lastock''s garrison instead of the livre farm. I just went to the reconnaissance last week, and after that I never went to see the situation, so I was worried about the chairman''s situation. The other is to think about the method and timing of how to contact Ayako-sensei. If you sink into the shadows from an uncrowded back alley, you can reach Lastock in no time. I''ve been here before, so I don''t need Fred''s landmark. At the training ground of the garrison, the training is divided into knight type and mage type, and the training is continuing as when I came last week. I just glanced at it, but I didn''t see any significant changes this past week. [ How about Reinhardt, do you feel anything strange? ] [ No, it doesn''t look any different from last time. I mean, they''re not like Kent-sama who can use self-healing, so they won''t get stronger so easily. ] [ Oh, usually muscle aches and bruises don''t heal quickly, and tiredness doesn''t go away easily. ] [ Yes, there are limits to what you can practice, and of course there are limits to progress. ] [ The thing is, hasn''t the magic of that snot-nosed Hero improved? ] [ That''s right, he seemed to have a lot of qualities. ] Damn, is that also a good-looking person correction? Well, when it comes to magic, I''m in a very fortunate situation, so I''m not in a position to complain. Yeah, I have to practice magic steadily. Instead, I''ll do today''s purpose. While passing through the training ground, I went to see Ayako-sensei first. Ayako-sensei, a civil engineer-type mage, was still undergoing magical training at a training ground like a civil engineering site today. As with last week, they pack clay-like soil kneaded with water into a mold, shape it, and then perform a magical chant. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and infuse the earth, infuse, infuse, infuse the earth, harden!" As expected, it seems that the student who aims to become an English teacher has a lot of fun, and the magic is activated by smooth chanting. When the effect is over, the knight of Resenburg will hit it with a hammer to check the workmanship. There is a dry and hard sound. "Um, there is no problem with the degree of hardening and uniformity, it is a good finish, and then work a little faster." "Yes, I understand." Gununu ... I wonder what''s with the lofty way of speaking. I''m terribly angry, what on earth are you going to do? By the way, Funayama must be here, but ... Oh, he is. Wow, it''s been a week, he looks sickly again, the image of fat is zero. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana ... oh, oh, mana that governs the world ... ga, gather, gather ... gather in my hands, ... in, infuse the earth ... infuse, infuse ... in, infuse the earth, ha, ha, harden!" I''ve never used chanting to cast magic, but I''ve found that the traumatic changting by Funayama doesn''t work. Sure enough, unlike when he inspected Ayako-sensei''s work, the knight''s hammer, instead of making a dry sound, sank into it with a damp sound. "First of all, this is useless! How many times have you tried it! Is that head a decoration? Should I tear it off? Look!" "Gya ... Uga ... I''m sorry, I''m sorry, Gua ... Please forgive me, forgive me ..." Wow ... I wonder if that''s really Funayama, the knight barely hits him with a wooden stick, and he becomes a turtle and begs for forgiveness weakly. When I came last week, he was still rebellious, but now I can''t see any fragments left. I asked them to rectify Funayama, but I think it''s a little much. What happened during the past week? [ Kent-sama, he''s probably shown as an example. ] [ Example? What do you mean? ] [ Isn''t that person probably the most repulsive and most standing out? ] [ Yeah, that''s right, he''s the most problematic child in our grade, and right after he was summoned, he was grabbed by that villainous princess. ] [ They''re being violent as a sense of letting the others kniw that they can''t go against the ones in Resenburg, and that if they rebel, they will only get hurt. ] [ Even so, I wonder how that Funayama looksl ike this in just one week ... ] [ Kent-sama, it may be the effect of the ''slave bracelet''. ] [ Oh yeah, because of the bracelet, they can''t use violence against them? ] [ Maybe only words can be rebellious. ] Indeed, Funayama is stronger than ordinary people without physical strengthening, so he should be able to rebel to some extent, but the effect of the bracelet does not allow violence. If Funayama couldn''t resist, the only people who would try to rebel would be the handsome guy or the chairman, and the two of them were tied up in a honey trap and the clinic. That villainous princess has the worst personality, but she''s smart. While thinking such, Funayama was hurt. "Please stop! Even if you hit him so much, he won''t get better at chanting." "What are you going to do?" Oh, Ayako-sensei, when you were in class for the first time, you were made fun of by Funayama, but are you going to defend him? Ayako-sensei, did you also become a real angel? "Please, Funayama-san isn''t given meals and is physically and mentally weak. In his current state, it is impossible to activate magic well." "Don''t try to get spoiled! Those who fight monsters will use magic to fight even in the last minute situation. If you can''t use magic at this level, be prepared to be eaten by monsters. That''s enough. Look, start over from the beginning." "Gugyaa ..." The knight slammed Funayama''s back with a wooden stick. Wow, that definitely looks like it hurts, it felt like he didn''t hold back at all. "Wow, how about I do the chanting and Funayama devotes himself to filling the mold with soil?" Oh, I see, Ayako-sensei, is small like a child, is not good at physical labor, but she can chant well. On the other hand, Funayama is not good at chanting, but his body is uselessly big, so isn''t it a good idea for them to form a duo? "Are you crazy? If you did that, one would just get stuck and the other wouldn''t be able to work satisfactorily. All we need is a full-fledged mage, no half-serving! Get back to work!" "Huh, huh ..." Damn ... It''s the knight who is really crazy ... But I don''t think there is any reason to say that. According to Ayako-sensei''s plan, if Ayako-sensei disappears, Funayama''s value would be lost. Funayama, who lost his rebellious spirit, has almost no value at this point. [ Reinhardt, isn''t the mage a division of labor after all? ] [ It depends on the time and the case. For example, when building a large building we decide the place to work and aim for completion by division of labor, but it is normal for each person to work on the production of such parts. ] [ Well ... You''re not a mage unless you can use magic. ] [ That''s it. ] Resenburg''s method may be correct for training a mage, even if there is a problem with the method. Even so, if I try to contact Ayako-sensei, this training ground is too clear and there is a risk that it will be discovered by the knight. After all, it seems that there is no choice but to wait for her to return to the dormitory and be alone. [ Kent-sama, how about contacting this person, but by using a letter? ] [ Oh yeah, if I just hand over a letter, I don''t need a long time. ] [ Yes, if it''s a letter, you can leave it with Fred and have him put it in a place where she can see it at the right time. ] [ Well, then I don''t have to keep an eye on the timing. ] [ Also, aren''t the characters in Kent''s world different from these characters? ] [ That''s it! If I write it in Japense, they can''t read the contents even if they discover it. ] [ But if it''s revealed, that person will be watched, and you may have a discrepance in your rescue plan. ] [ Well, if it''s in a place where they can''t find the letter, yeah, I have to make sure they can''t find it. ] I decided to contact Ayako-sensei by letter first. When I returned to Volzard, I thought about the content to start writing the letter. Well, if I think about it, I''ve never written a letter, but what should I do? At first, what do you write, seasonal greetings? Today''s day is good ... isn''t it? Hmm ... I wish I could just use the internet search at such a time. Well, let''s think about the letter after returning to Volzard. Then, I moved to the clinic where the chairman is, but there is a sign that something is wrong. "Why can''t you help my child? Marie''s child was helped, why ... help us, help my child too ..." "Don''t overdo it, the saint treated them until she collapsed." "No ... return, my child, return, no!" A woman''s scream echoes in the clinic. When I hurriedly looked into the examination room, the chairman was lying on the sofa with a deep blue face, and a girl about three or four years old was lying on the examination table. I tried to touch the girl''s back through the shadow, but I couldn''t feel a heartbeat. I hurriedly poured in healing magic, but I don''t feel like it''s going around in the girl''s body. The girl''s body still has warmth, but did her heart stop? Then I thought I would do a heart massage ... but to do that, I had to get out of the shadows. The chairman seems to have fainted, but there is the assistant woman, so I will be seen. [ Damn, even if I have the power, can''t I help one girl! ] [ Kent-sama, if the heart stops, I don''t think there''s anything you can do anymore ... ] [ I wonder if there''s something I can do ... If I can get the heart to move, I still have hope ... ] [ Kent-sama ... no matter how much Kent-sama can use great magic ... ] [ That''s it! I had this option! ] I can go anywhere in the shadows. So I put my hand into the girl''s body and grabbed her heart directly to move it. [ Come back! Don''t go yet! Come back! ] I cast my full healing magic through my heart-grabbing hand and called on the soul of the girl who should still be wandering nearby. The feeling of touching the human internal organs is horrifying, but I focused on the treatment. Suddenly I turned my gaze to the door of the clinic, and the girl''s spirit appeared. [ Did nii-chan call me? ] [ That''s right, let''s get you back into your body. ] The girl grabbed her face and shook her head, wondering if she should go back. [ I don''t like it ... If I go back, it will be painful again, right? ] [ If you don''t go back, you won''t be able to meet your mom. ] [ Well, I hate that! ] [ Then, let''s get you back into your body, I''ll make it easier for you soon. ] [ Really ...? ] [ Yeah, I promise, you''ll get better soon, and you''ll see your mom a lot. ] [ Hmm ... yeah, then I''ll go back, it''s a promise, cure the pain. ] [ Yeah, I promise. ] When I nodded powerfully, the girl smiled and quickly returned to her body. Immediately after that, the girl''s heart beat in my hands. [ Okay, I did my best, I''ll cure you soon! ] Pull my hands out of the girl''s body, put my hands on her back, and pour in healing magic with all my might. Unlike the beginning, I can clearly feel the healing magic going around the girl''s body. I found that the heart was beating and her breathing stabilized. If this is the case, it will be alright. [ Kent-sama ... ] [ I''m sorry, I think I can''t do any more ... I''m going back to Volzard ... ] It seems that the magical power has been exhausted by the treatment, and a tremendous fatigue strikes. I returned to the back alley of Volzard, but I couldn''t go back to my boarding house and lost consciousness. CH 22 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 22 What I should have expected, but I didn''t ***---*** When I woke up, I didn''t know where I was. It took me a while to look around the room and finally confirm that it was my room at Volzard''s boarding house. [ Kent-sama, are you awake? ] [ Ah ... well, Reinhardt you didn''t wake me up ... ] I''ve had Reinhardt wake me up in the morning ever since I got him to wake me up to go to work at the libre plantation. So when I woke up myself, I was unsure of where I was. [ This? How did I get back to the boarding house? ] I remember running out of magic at Lastock''s clinic and returning to the back alleys of Volzard, but I don''t remember anything after that. [ I informed Donovan-dono and asked him to take you to the boarding house. ] [ Well, you asked Donovan-san for such a thing? How did you ask him? ] [ I communicated using writing, and since I repelled the rock ogres, there is no punishment for doing this kind of thing. ] [ Hmm ... maybe, but it looks like training will be tough. ] [ Buhahaha, you should give up. ] Well, I can''t escape from Donovan-san''s training anyway, and I can train for free, so if I complain, that may get me punished. [ But Amanda-san was worried when I was carried in unconscious, wasn''t she? ] [ That''s right, but Donovan-dono said that you were overworked and anemic, so it''s okay to just let you lie down, and she seemed to have been convinced. ] [ Yeah, but I have to apologize for worrying her later. ] [ That''s right, you should do so. ] Gugguuu ... Kyururuuuuu ... The fatigue that may have been caused by the lack of magical power has disappeared, but I was struck by a fierce hunger. [ Kent-sama, there''s food on the table. ] [ Oh, really? ] Indeed, the table has a plate of sandwiches and a cup with a lid. Also, a note from Amanda-san was attached telling me to eat when I woke up in the middle of the night. At the end of the memo, there is also a slightly distorted message from Meisa-chan, saying that I should get better quickly. Even though I quickly hid it, tears began to drip at the thoughts of the two people who treated me warmly like family. I had a midnight snack while thanking them. [ Reinhardt, what time is it now? ] [ It''s just a little before midnight, isn''t it? ] This world has 20 hours a day, so it''s already midnight. Amanda-san wakes up early in the morning because there is store preparation, so she sleeps early and the boarding house is quiet. In the cit of Volzard, there are no stores that are open all night like the convenience stores in Tokyo, and at this time, the red-light district stores are about to close. I fell asleep at a strange time, so I woke up at a strange time. [ Hmm ... I think I''ll move a little at the training ground in the Devil''s Forest ... ] [ Kent-sama, you should take a rest tonight, because sometimes you need a rest. ] [ Oh, yeah, I understand. By the way, did I fall down because I used too much magical power? ] [ Probably so, Kent-sama, this me has never seen anyone bring a heart-stopped person back to life. Even a healer in the royal family can''t do such a trick. ] From Reinhardt''s words, I was really surprised, but in Japan, just having your heart stop doesn''t mean you''re dead. Reinhardt was even more surprised when I talked about cardiac arrest and brain death. [ I see, the world where Kent-sama lived was a world where medical techniques were advanced. ] [ Yeah, but in the end it seems that it''s because of the darkness magic that brought her back, and because of the light magic that she was treated, it''s mostly because of the magic. ] [ Even so, Kent-sama, who did it, is still extraordinary ... no, he has unprecedented qualities. ] [ Still, I think I have to train more because it''s just the power I received rather than my own power. ] In that sense, the environment in which the chairman was placed may be the best environment for training magic, although it is an environment where you have to take strict responsibility. [ After all, it feels like there is no waste in what the villainous princess does. ] [ That''s true, lean and ruthless. ] [ Is that the temperament of the royal family? ] [ I can''t say it''s that alone ... ] [ Hmm? What is that? Fred. ] [ That princess is popular with the people ... ] Fred says she''s a benevolent princess to the people, even through she''s cold-hearted to my classmates and Celia, the caretaker of the handsome guy. In the first place, it seems that the princess is deeply involved in the development of Lastock and is actively working to maintain the security of the city and help the poor. [ Kent, maybe that princess has a clear line between her enemies and her allies. ] [ In other words, do you mean she reaches out to the people who are allies and uses them thoroughly when they are not allies? ] [ Yes, maybe it''s like that. ] [ Then, is the purpose of summoning us also for the people? ] [ I''m not sure yet, but it''s likely. ] [ Hmm ... that''s pretty annoying, isn''t it? If it comes to being hostile to that princess, the people of Resenburg could turn into an enemy, right? ] [ That''s right, it could be that way. ] Hmm ... If it''s just a bad guy, I can crush it thoroughly, but as a result, I don''t want the people of Resenburg to suffer any damage. [ Kent-sama, let''s think about what our position will be after helping your classmates. ] [ That''s right, at this point in time, I''m not in a state where I can negotiate. ] As Basten says, I have no material to negotiate with the evil princess. First of all, I have to help my classmates escape, and then I have to get the material that can compete with the evil princess as an equal. When it comes to that, it would be equivalent to dealing with the country called Resenburg, and it would be a heavy burden for me as a kid. [ But ... isn''t it exciting to fight alone against a whole country? ] [ Buhahaha that''s right, as expected, Kent-sama, I''m looking forward to it. ] [ Seriously, as the leader says, if Kent-sama sets up a fight, I will serve you as much as you want. ] [ It''s okay ... Kent-sama can win ... ] [ Yeah, if that happens, I''m counting on you. ] Oh, I wonder if the temper of the evil skeleton is contagious, I think I wasn''t so warlike. But, if we''re free to enter and leave the shadow world, I don''t feel we would lose even if we fight head-on with the Resenburg army. [ By the way, can other mages move freely in the shadows like me? ] [ There were many mages in the days when we were alive, but I have never met a mage who freely uses the world of shadows like this. ] [ Well, is that so? Isn''t it possible for all dark mages to do it? ] [ I''ve heard that there was such a mage, but Kent-sama was the first I''ve actually seen. ] [ Yes, Kent-sama is a bit of an exception ... ] That? I was wondering if a mage with darkness attribute could use shadow movement normally, but it seems that it is different from what I thought. I have to thank Donovan-san tomorrow, should I ask him at that time? [ Kent-sama, I hear that the number of dark mages has been small since ancient times, and most of their magic was self-taught. ] [ Is that so? Then, did they practice by themselves when they heard that there was such magic in the past, such as shadow movement, shadow storage, and shadow summoning? ] [ Probably so. ] That means that if you think about what you can do with shadows, you may be able to use various types of magic. Yeah, it seems that I have to practice magic. [ By the way, what should I do to prevent the magic of that bratty hero''s fire attribute? ] [ Usually, it''s common to use a metal shield to parry it. ] [ Hwne you say parrying, is that just shifting the direction at an angle? ] [ Yes, with that kind of magic, if you receive it properly, the fireball will explode and you will be damaged instead. ] [ What about if you hit it with the same amount of magic to offset it? ] [ In the first place, it is difficult to measure the power of the opponent''s magic, and it is not realistic to hit the magic that comes flying at that speed. ] [ Sure, it has a great speed. ] A basketball-sized fireball flew at a speed that seemed to come out at a speed of about 150 km/h, and the target doll was on a fire doll in an instant. It''s dangerous, it would not be good to turn that handsome guy into an enemy. [ Kent-sama, I hear that dark magic is the best way to prevent magic. ] [ Well, is that so? ] [ Yes, I''ve only heard this, and I haven''t actually seen it, but I''ve heard that the magic called the shield of darkness is a shield that repels all magic. ] [ The shield of darkness ... The shield of darkness ... ] Since it blocks all magic, is it like opening the entrance to the shadow space unique to the darkness attribute? Now, when I put things in and out of the shadow storage, I use my own shadow, but maybe I can connect to the shadow space regardless of the presence or absence of the shadow. [ Yeah, I think it''s better to try this for a bit, but if I''m practicing, it''s only when the sun is up. ] [ That''s right, Kent-sama, it''s better to take a rest soon. ] [ Ah ... that''s right, then wake me up at the usual time. ] [ I understand. ] I slept at a strange time and woke up at a strange time, so I thought I couldn''t sleep right away, but when I lay down on the bed, I was immediately drawn to sleep. And the next morning, as soon as I woke up, I went to apologize for worrying Amanda-san. "Good morning, Amanda-san, I''m sorry for worrying you yesterday." "Oh, you look fine, but when you were brought home, you looked like a dead person." "I''m sorry, I have a vague memory ..." "It''s okay to do your best, but it won''t help if you break your body, so don''t train too much." "Yes, I understand, I''ll be careful from now on." That said, I don''t think I can get away from Donovan-san''s curse, and I have no choice but to train to rescue my classmates. Hmm ... It''s difficult. At breakfast, Meisa-chan got angry. That being said, Meisa-chan, you can''t try to push the carrots you don''t like to me while complaining. I have to thank Donovan-san, so I told Amanda-san I wasn''t going to work or train and headed to the guild. In front of the bulletin board where the requests were posted this morning, there was a huge crowd, and Ridnel''s party was in trouble. Yeah, they must enjoy that. When I turned to look towards the wall, Manon stood alone, but when she saw me, she smiled. Uh ... you''ve definitely fallen in love with me, right? Or is it still a good friend level? "Good morning, Kent!" "Good morning, Manon." If you glance at the surroundings, there are some people looking with warm eyes. I''m sure they are the ones who heard the story at the guild bar yesterday. "What is Kent going to do today?" "Well, uh ... I''m taking a break today ... I think." "Oh, what''s wrong? Are you sick?" "I''m okay, but I was a little sick yeterday, so I''m thinking of taking care of myself and taking a rest today." "Is that right, then I wonder if I''ll rest too ..." That? After all, Manon-chan, are you interested in me? No, no, wait, wait, if I have strange expectations, I might be told that I''m a fool ... but I''m a cheat, right? No, but Gilik can beat me up ... but I''m stronger than Ridner''s party ... "Kent ...? Hey, Kent!" "Hmm? I''m sorry, I was thinking a little ..." "You weren''t thinking about Muell-san again, right?" "N, n, no, it''s different, yesterday, when I was sick, it seems that Donovan-san sent me back to the boarding house, so I thought I should thank him ..." "Well, were you so sick? Are you okay?" "Uh, yeah, I''m okay, I''m okay, it looks like I was a little anemic, so I''m okay." "Yes, that''s fine, but Kent is trying too hard, so don''t overdo it." "Uh, yeah ... I''m sorry to make you worry." Wow, if you think about it, it''s probably the first time I''ve talked to a girl like this since I was in kindergarten. Fred called out to me as I was enjoying the little happiness. [ Kent-sama ... there was an incident ... ] [ Well, wait a minute, Fred. ] "Sorry, Manon, I''m going to the toilet quick ..." "Oh, yeah, I''ll wait here ..." "Uh, yeah, you''ll wait ..." Well, what''s the matter? Manon-chan, if I''m told that you''re waiting while looking up at me, I won''t want to go. Even so, I''ll walk towards the bathroom since I said I was going. [ So Fred, what happened? ] [ Funayama ... died ... ] [ Eh ... ] My feet, which were rushing to the bathroom, stopped unexpectedly. [ Kent, walking ... you''re suspicious ... ] [ Eh .. oh, uh, yeah ... ] At Fred''s prompting, I walked towards the bathroom, but I felt dazed like my feet weren''t on the ground. I entered the toilet and went in the private room. [ How did Funayama die, did they kill him? ] [ Because he wouldn''t wake up this morning ... His friends tried to wake him up ... and found that he was dead ... ] [ That ... it''s like they killed him in the end! ] [ I can''t deny ... maybe overwork and undernourishment ... ] To be clear, Funayama only has the impression of being a bad guy. I''ve been called ''Babu'' and was bullied, not just once or twice. Still, I didn''t hate him enough to want him dead. [ Saint-sama is ... shocked ... ] [ Ah, yeah ... Is the chairman okay? ] [ She''s pretty shocked, but ... she''s continuing treatment at the clinic ... it might be bad ... ] [ She feels responsible for Funayama''s death and is putting more effort into treatment? ] [ Yes ... as Kent-sama says ... ] At this rate, I feel that even the chairman is likely to collapse. It seems better to go to Lastock, because if something happens without going, I''m sure I''ll regret it. I left the toilet and hurried back to Manon. "Kent ... what''s wrong, your face is deep blue." "Sorry, Manon, I''m feeling a little sick, so I''m going back to the boarding house today." "Okay ... should I accompany you?" "No, it''s not that bad, so it''s okay, see you next week ..." "Uh, yeah, take care, have a good rest." I have to thank Donovan-san, but I will postpone it for now. While walking on the way back to the boarding house, I asked Reinhardt and the others to find a place I could dive into the shadows. [ Kent-sama, turn left in the alley there ... ] [ Okay, thank you ... ] When I entered the alley, I checked the surroundings, dived into the shadow, and moved to Lastock at once. When I entered the garrison, I was surprised to find that the training was carried out in the same way as yesterday. [ Well ... why are they training? ] [ Funayama is ... treated as if he wasn''t there ... ] [ That''s what it is! Don''t be foolish! What do they think people are! ] [ Kent-sama, calm down! ] [ Why do you say that Reinhardt? ] [ The others are still taken hostage! ] [ Ugh ... da ... damniiiiiit! ] It''s a shame, but as Reinhardt says, I can''t move poorly when everyone else is a hostage. And since they have the absolute trump card to return to the original world, it is not a situation where I can kill all the opponents. [ Sorry ... I will never forgive only that villainous princess, I will definitely make you compensate ... ] [ Kent ... Saint-sama ... ] [ Yes, the chairman ... ] When I hurried to the clinic, the chairman continued treatment with a sad expression. She was treating the patients, but her facial expression looked like a Noh mask, and there was no trace of a smile. "It''s over ... the next person ..." "Thank you, Saint-sama ...?" "The next person ..." Even if the patient says thank you, the chairman''s facial expression does not move even a millimeter. "Saint-sama, it''s time to take a break ..." "Next person!" When the woman who was taking care of the chairman recommended a break when she first came to check the situation, she did not deal with her at all. After that, when she treated three more patients, the chairman reached her limit. "One, next ... next ..." "Saint-sama!" "Don''t touch me!" The chairman slammed the woman who tried to support her when she was about to fall. Her eyes are lifted and don''t look normal. "Call the next patient right away!" "Saint-sama ..." "Shut up! Don''t call me by such a convenient way, even though you only think of me as a treatment tool!" I have never seen such a chairman who shouts so loudly that it echoes outside the examination room. "Why! Why! Every day, every day, from morning till night, why am I treating them! Why does my companion have to die without a satisfying treatment and a satsifying diet. Why! Answer me!" "Well, that''s ..." "I want to go back! Go back to the original world! I hate this! I hate this kind of life ..." When the chairman screamed with her hair disturbed, she lost consciousness and collapsed, like a puppet with a broken thread. The caretake woman caught her, but the chairman seems to be unconscious and even having slight convulsions. The caretakre woman laid the chairman on the sofa and called out to the soldiers outside the examination room. "Call a military healer!" "That Saint-sama is ..." "Anyway, hurry! And stop today''s treatment, go and bring them quickly!" "Yes!" When the caretaker woman left the chairman, I hesitated for a moment about casting healing magic from the shadows. I thought that if I treated the chairman as it was and recovered her physical condition, I would end up being hunted down. However, I was at a loss for only a moment, and it is clear that the current chairman needs treatment. If something happens to the chairman without applying healing magic here, I will definitely regret it. I gently put my hand on the chairman''s back and cast healing magic around her whole body. I was trapped in the illusion that the chairman''s thorny emotions flowed into my hands, which are casting healing magic. While hoping to heal even the thorny feelings, I found that the chairman''s painful breathing calmed down as I cast healing magic. After finishing the treatment of the chairman, I started to move in search of the evil princess. CH 23 The speculation of a villainous princess ***---*** Camilla Resenburg, also known as the villainous princess, was in the command room at the Lastock Garrison. Almost as soon as we arrived at the commander''s office, three knights entered the room. One of them is familiar to me, the knight who was beating Funayama yesterday. The three lined up in front of Camilla in front of the office desk and reported upright and unmoving. "I''ve finished processing the corpse as instructed!" "OK, good work ..." The processing of the corpse is about Funayama, isn''t it? "Did you see it done properly?" "Yes, definitely into the goblins'' bellies ..." "OK, that''s fine." Reinhardt held me down as I tried to jump out of the shadows. [ Let go! Let go, Reinhardt, that shitty woman, I''ll kill her! ] [ No, Kent-sama, you have to endure it. ] [ Guuaaaaaa ... ] I ground my back teeth to the point where they seemed about to break, and glared at Camilla from the shadows. I won''t forgive only this woman, I''ll definitely kill her someday. After reporting the corpse disposal, the three all bowed and apologized. "Sorry, Camilla-sama." "Why are you apologizing?" "Yes, I couldn''t follow the instructions to hurt him to the extent that he wouldn''t die for the show." "Hmm, you guys seem to be misuderstanding." "Misunderstanding?" "Yes, when such a monkey dies, what do you need to mourn? What do you need to feel sorry for? That''s a trivial matter." "Well, is that so ...?" Camilla, who stood up from her chair calmly, said to the three people who were confused. "Your priority is in the interests of the Kingdom of Resenburg. If a monkey dies, make hte most of the fact. If you need a show, just use another monkey. Such a trivial matter. I have no intention of disposing of you!" "Oh, thank you." "Hmm, don''t be so stiff, the important thing is from now on ..." Camilla even smiles at the three who bowed together. "Well, that monkey died and the monkeys will be repulsed, but never show any weaknesses. Tell the monkeys who are trying to skip training, that if they don''t like training, they''ll soon be monster bait. Imagine being eaten by monsters alive when they move on to the actual battle in the forest ..." "Understood!" "Well, the repulsive monkeys should be able to experience the actual battle in the Devil''s Forest all together. If one of their limbs is eaten, they will wake up." "Oh, I understand!" "Okay, go back to your place and think and act on what you should do for Resenburg, I''m looking forward to it." "Yes, I''m sorry!" Camilla saw off the three people leaving the room with a satisfied look. The woman who was the caretaker of the chairman appeared there. "Excuse me, Camilla-sama, the saint has fallen." "Well ... if you let her rest, restart the treatment." "Camilla-sama, the situation is too harsh now." "Hmm, what a helpless guy, Erna, you''re always saying, don''t be merciful." "But ..." The chairman''s caretaker woman seems to be named Erna. Camilla waved to block Erna''s words. "It''s fine, saints and heroes certainly have excellent qualities. They have, but they are only slaves, so to speak, they are easy-to-use tools. Care is required to demonstrate their abilities. But let them understand that if you can''t use them, you will just dispose of them." "But ... Camilla-sama." "Okay, if the saint rebels tell her, I''ve decided to send those who oppose like you into the actual battle. If you don''t hone your skill in treating sickness, I don''t know how many will die. Say it." "That ..." "Don''t get me wrong .. the priority is the interests of the Kingdom of Resenburg. Don''t show affection to slaves." "Un, understood ..." Erna didn''t look completely convinced, but she thought it was useless to talk anymore, so she bowed and left. After seeing her off, Camilla moved to the front of the map on the wall. "I have to hurry ..." After muttering, Camilla pushed her left fist to the left side of the map, to the west of the Kingdom of Resenburg. Even if I follow her gaze from the shadow, it seems that she''s looking around her fist. [ Reinhardt, what kind of country is the west side of Resenburg? ] [ When this me was alive, there was a country called the Balshanian Empire on the other side of the desert. ] [ Desert? There is a desert? ] [ Yes, the Davira Desert is a land of thin rocks and sand, where crops barely grow. ] [ Is it quite large? ] [ Yes, there is a road where horse-drawn carriages can pass, but even if things go smoothly, it will take more than a week if a sandstorm is encountered, and many people will be in distress. ] Camilla was staring at the map for a while, but when she returned to her desk, she returned to work as if nothing had happened. Even though Funayama is dead, the appearance of Camilla, who seems to have really done nothing, makes me angry again. I want to retaliate somehow, but to do that I need to grasp her weaknesses. When I looked at the map that Camilla was glaring at again, I noticed something. [ Maybe this is ...? ] [ What happened, Kent-sama. ] [ Reinhardt has seen a map of Resenburg when he was alive, right? ] [ Yes, I have, but what is it? ] [ Looking at that map, did the boarder of the Davira Desert look like that? Where was the line? ] [ Oh! No, Kent-sama, when we were alive, the border with the desert was farther west. ] [ Desertification from the west is progressing ... ] There are many lines on the west side of the map where Camilla was glaring, showing the border with the Davira Desert. This is probably a new redraw of the widespread desert. [ Well, this city of Lastock wasn''t here when Reindhardt and the others were alive, right? ] [ Yes, this area was a wasteland and a place where monsters appeared. ] [ Hey, is the west side of Resenburg a breadbasket? ] [ Yes, the fields of wheat and potatoes are expanding. ] [ Because the desertification of the west has progressed, they have cleared the east, and the desertification has progressed again ... ] [ This time, are they eager to clear the Devil''s Forest? ] [ Maybe ... we were brought in as a labor force for that? ] If Camilla''s purpose is to clear the Devil''s Forest, the chances of Volzard being attacked are low. But it also means that Volzard can''t help with the rescue of my classmates. And even if I know Camilla''s purpose, I don''t know how to make use of it. [ Hmm ... I feel like I don''t have neough information. Hey, have Reinhardt and the others been to the royal capital of Resenburg? ] [ Yes, the three of us have gone not only to the royal capital but also to the Davira Desert many times. ] [ Okay, Basten, I''m sorry, can you check the current situation of Resenburg? I would like to know the progress of desertification, and if possible, the situation of the royalty and aristocrats ... ] [ Leave it to me, now that I''m hiding in the shadows, I''ll take a peek into the depths of the royal castle. ] [ Fred continue to monitor here, Reinhardt continue to escort me. ] [ I understand. ] [ Leave it to me ... I''ll let you know if anything happens ... ] Even if I stay here, there seems to be nothing I can do, so I decided to go back to Volzard. On the way, when I looked at the training ground, I couldn''t feel any difference, but the words of the knight who was rebuking them had changed. "Look! Stop dawdling, if you don''t like training, you can actually fight, you''ll definitely become monster bait! Do you want to be eaten alive!" "Run, run! I''ll dispose of those who can''t be used! There are plenty of substitutes for you!" I was worried about the chairman''s condition, but since I had already treated her, I decided to have Fred watch over her. And I decided to get rid of another concern. The destination is the entrance to the Devil''s Forest from the Resenburg side. After checking the surroundings, Reinhardt and I came out of the shadow world. "The forest was like this ... it was pitch black when I came ..." [ Did Kent-sama think it was just a forest? ] "Yeah, I never thought that a monster would come out." If you take a closer look, you''ll find a carriage rut near the forest, new hoof marks, and a few footprints. Folling in the footsteps of the road led into the forest. The footprints are cut off within 50 meters, and there are traces of grass being stepped on at the side of the road. Following that, about 20 meters further, blood and pieces of meat were left. [ The goblins are nasty, they''ll even eat to the bones. ] While listening to Reinhardt''s words, I knelt down and put my hands together. Even though he was a disgusting guy, tears overflowed and I couldn''t stop. If I hadn''t been blessed with the two attributes of darkness and light, I would have followed the same fate. And I couldn''t get rid of the thought that this would not have happened if I had applied healing magic to Funayama. "I''ll definitely avenge you, I''ll definitely rescue everyone, so ... take a rest ..." After offering a silent prayer to Funayama, I moved to the special training ground in the Devil''s Forest. [ Kent-sama, you should be resting today ... ] "Yeah, I intended to do that, but I can''t afford it anymore ..." I suddenly came up with the idea of taking out the armor from the shadow storage. "That''s right ... the shield of darkness ..." Imagine connecting access to the shadow storage, which used to use shadows such as my own shadow and buildings, to the space in front of me. I imagined that a round hole would open and lead to storage, and when I pushed out my right hand, a black hole appeared. As I imagined, it led to the space where the armor is placed. Yeah, I think I can make a shield with this, and I feel like I can do more than that. However, it''s time for practice, it feels like I''ll go crazy again if I don''t move my body at this time. I wore the armor and faced Reinhardt. "Then, Reinhardt, I''m counting you." [ Kent-sama, you can''t be strong if you leave yourself to anger. ] "Yeah, I know, I don''t know how far I can put it into practice, but I understand what Reinhardt wants to say." [ Well, then I have nothing more to say ... let''s get started. ] "Yaaaa!" I swung up the wooden sword and stepped in. The special training continued until the evening, with a break during the day. I finished up when my energy, strength, and magical power for self-healing were about to run out. After all, even today, I have never been able to effectively hit Reinhardt. While lying spread-eagled on the ground at the special training ground I asked Reinhardt while looking up at the sky dyed by the sunset. "Hmm ... Hmm ... Hey, Reinhardt, how long will it take to train and beat the knights of Resenburg?" [ That''s a difficult question ... Kent-sama''s ability right now is just like a fledgling adventurer child. It''s been less than two weeks since we started the special training, so it''s a considerable progress, but if you continue the special training, your ability will not necessarily improve steadily. ] "Is that slowing down or a limit?" [ Yes, sometimes you will grow all at once, and sometimes you will reach a plateau even with repeated efforts. ] "Then, what if my qualities were normal?" [ As I said before, it would take about three years before you could be used as a normal soldier. No matter how hard you try, it will take two years, and even if you make full use of self-healing like Kent-sama, it will take at least one year. ] "That''s until you would become a normal soldier, right? If so, do you feel that you would need at least three years of training to be able to beat a strong knight?" [ Yes, at least that much is necessary. ] I feel that I was able to regain my composure by moving my body to the fullest against Reinhardt. Camilla disgustingly reminded me that she didn''t think of us as humans, but as monkeys or tools. And if I was angry and lost my composure, I knew that I couldn''t win. "What is the weakness of Camilla Resenburg ..." [ Looking at her words and deeds, the disadvantage of the kingdom seems to be her weakness. ] "Yeah, that''s definitely ... but I''m reluctant to involve citizens who don''t know anything." [ From our point of view, Kent-sama and his friends look like citizens who don''t know anything. ] "Yeah, that''s the case, but since the other party did it, I feel like it would be an endless cycle of killing if I tried to do it at the same level." [ Well, the easiest thing to do is to defeat her, but in the current situation where Kent-sama and his friends have no way to return to the original world, that''s not the case. ] "That''s how it is, but ... if everyone who came with me decided that they didn''t have to go home, I wouldn''t hesitate to kill Camilla ..." What she did, what she did to FUnayama, the situation where my classmates are still hostages, it''s all Camilla''s responsibility, and I''m sure I''ll be rewarded. [ Have you ever killed a person, Kent-sama? ] "Eh? No, no, there is no reason, because the country we lived in is so peaceful that there is a term ''peace idiot''." [ Then, leave the role of killing that princess to me. ] "Thank you, Reinhardt, but no, I''m going to have the goblins do that role." [ Is that right ... well, I''ll ask you again at that time. ] I think Reinhardt is careful not to fall into the so-called dark side, but when it comes to Camilla, even if you cool your head, it''s not at a level that you can forgive. After finishing up the special training and taking a bath, I changed my clothes and returned to the boarding house. After dinner, I told Amanda-san I was going to take a rest early and shut myself in my room. I asked Reinhardt to call me if someone came and joined Fred at Lastock''s garrison by shadow movement. I will head to the clinic to see what the chairman was doing. The chairman was treating classmates who were injured in the training. "Are you okay? Is there anything else that hurts or feels sick?" "Thank you, it''s just a bruise, so it''s okay, Asakawa-san shouldn''t overdo it." "Yeah, thank you, we''ll definitely go home alive." "Yes Yes ..." The chairman, who looked like she wore a Noh mask during the day, hugged a female classmate and shed tears. After that, she continued to treat each and every one of them carefully. As far as I can see, her complexion looks good and she seems to be mentally stable, but it also feels somewhat dangerous. As soon as the last one''s treatment was over, the expression fell off the chairman''s face. "Thank you for your hard work, Saint-sama." When the caretaker Erna called out, the chairman didn''t respond and didn''t even look at her. Erna''s expression became cloudy looking at the chairman who silently cleaned up. It looks like you''re stuck between Camilla and the chairman and wondering what to do. "Saint ... Yuika, please listen, I ..." The chairman left the medical office with a horrifyingly cold glance at Erna who tried to appeal for something. The remaining Erna covered her face with both hands and began to cry. Erna seems to be a decent person among those in this garrison, but she may not be able to go against Camilla''s orders. When I came to do reconnaissance last week, it seemed that she had a good relationship with the chairman, but Funayama''s death probably created a decisive crack in the relationship between the two. I decided to leave the examination room and take a peek at the dormitories of my classmates. There is a gloomy air in the dormitory. I think it''s usually more lively if there are people of the same age, such as during school trips and self-study time, but maybe because of Funayama, I can only hear the voices talking loosely. Even if I listen to the content of the story, I can only hear resignation and no hint of rebellion. "Can we survive if we fight goblins now?" "I don''t know about that, but I have to do it, right?" "I wonder if I can escape somehow ..." "Idiot, what would you do if you ran away?" "What? An adventurer ...?" "Idiot, you were told that you can''t register as an adventurer as long as you wear this bracelet." "Ah ... can''t I remove this?" "It can''t be removed just by trying to break it, how do I remove it? Cut off my arm?" "Don''t joke, I''m left handed, can I just cut off my dominant hand?" "Well ... can we really go home?" "I feel like it''s an impossible game ..." "Damn ... I wish I had a rare ability like Shuichi." "Are you talking about Celia-chan? Is it really all-you-can-eat?" "Damn ..." "Hey, where are you going?" "The toilet, the toilet!" "Oh, me too ..." It''s a bit of a relief for me, who has acquired cheat abilities but isn''t very fortunate, but I feel that the slave bracelet is likely to be an obstacle for rescue operations. [ Hey, Fred, I think there''s a spare slave bracelet that everyone is wearing, can you find one and steal it? ] [ Leave it to me ... ] [ Oh, wait a minute ... speaking of stealing ... ] [ Kent-sama ...? ] [ Fred, while looking for a slave bracelet, can you make a sketch of this garrison and list what items are and where they are located? ] [ OK ... I''ll find out ... ] [ Also, check out the role of the knights, including the three in the daytime, and the characteristics of their personalities. ] [ Kent-sama ... counterattack ... ] [ Yeah, if possible. ] After leaving the men''s dormitory, I also take a look at the girls'' dormitory. I was curious about Ayako-sensei, but it seems all the girls are comforting her. "Ueeee ... I''m sorry, I''m sorry ..." "It''s not Aya-chan''s fault, Aya-chan isn''t bad." "Yes, they''re the bad ones, Aya-chan, you were doing your best." "Because, because, Funayama-kun ..." "Aya-chan, you did your best." "Yes, you did your best, don''t cry ..." "I''m sorry ... Uuu ..." Ayako-sensei is probably five years older than us, but because of her petite body and baby face, the comforting girls look older. Ayako-sensei, who was in the same training ground as Funayama, feels responsible. Even though she''s a trainee, she''s still on the teaching side. I was planning on asking Ayako-sensei to be my liaison, but it seems to be a little difficult in the current state. [ What do you think? Fred. ] [ You should stand back for now ... ] [ Right ... ] I was a little worried about the appearance of the hero, but I would be angry if he was flirting, so I passed today. I don''t want to see Camilla''s face tonight either, so I passed on it and returned to Volzard. [ I''m back, Reinhardt. ] [ Welcome back, Amanda-dono and the others seem to have gone to bed. ] [ Amanda-san gets up early in the morning. ] [ Will Kent-sama take a rest? ] [ Hmm ... I''ll practice magic a little. ] [ Then, are you going to the special training ground? ] [ No, no, here, the shield of darkness ... ] In the daytime I tried it, and it seems that I can open the entrance to the shadow space anywhere. It will function as a shield because it opens the entrance to a different space from the one used for storage and doesn''t allow attack magic of different attributes to enter there. [ I see, as expected, Kent-sama. ] [ No, I only know how to do it, and I think I can''t use it without practicing the speed, range, and location of activation. ] [ I see, but Kent-sama is quick to learn the skills as a mage, so he will be able to use it immediately. ] [ Yeah, that''s fine, but in fact, I have something to think about a little more. ] [ Huh, what is it? ] [ Yeah, it''s a way to use the opponent''s attack, but first I think I should get used to the shield of darkness. ] [ Are you using the opponent''s attack? An interesting idea again, please let me know when it''s done. ] That night, I continued practicing the shield of darkness until the date changed. At first, I felt that I couldn''t make it well unless I specified the location and size. If I just make a certain size in a certain place, I can make it much more smoothly. It still takes about 5 seconds to activate, but it''s faster than chanting. I will practice this over and over until I can put it in the position I want to and in the size I want. It seems that it will take time to grow as a knight, so in preparation for the rescue operation, the mage part will raise the cheat level further. CH 24 Misunderstanding of the rest day of the week ***---*** The day after hearing of Funayama''s death was rest day, but Amanda-san''s shop is closed on dark day, and it seems that today it will be open as usual. I decided to meet my friends and go to the Devil''s Forest training ground again. On the way, when I looked into the forest from the shadow of the wall, the garrison members were all processing the corpses of the rock ogres. When I think about it, I left them there after defeating them and pulling out the magic stones. Even though it is a monster, if the corpse is left unattended, other monsters will be drawn to it, and if it rots, it will give off a terrible smell and draw flies, so it seems they will dig a hole in the forest and bury them. [ Reinhardt, should we help too? ] [ Kent-sama, if you don''t burn the corpse clearly, goblins and kobolds will eventually dig up and devour it, so it doesn''t make much sense to bury it. ] [ Is that so? But isn''t it better to bury them? ] [ Well, it''s just for temporary peace of mind. ] Goblins and kobolds are the weakest monsters in the Devil''s Forest. For that reason, corpses are an indispensable food for them. [ Kent-sama, the other day, Klaus-dono said that after a large number of monsters appear, the monsters in the Devil''s Forest will become more active, this is the cause. ] [ Oh yeah, the food will be abundant and their movement will become more active. ] [ Well, then, will there be a lot of goblins and kobolds this time? ] [ No, the number will increase, but it will not increase to the extent that they will appear in large numbers. ] [ Well, is that so? So why did the rock ogres appear in large numbers? ] [ I don''t know, we may now be monsters, but I still don''t understand why the monsters in the Devil''s Forest are so numerous. ] [ Is that so ... but I felt that the number of rock ogres was increasing little by little. ] [ Well, even when Kent-sama was training in the middle of the night, they occasionally appeared in a flock, but they usually don''t appear that often. ] [ By the way, Klaus-san also said that there aren''t many rock ogres. ] The work of the garrison is not likely to be finished yet, so I moved to the special training ground. There were several kobolds wandering around in the special training ground, but as soon as Reinhardt came out of the shadow, they scattered in all directions. "Hey, Reinhardt, can you let me try to pull a kobold into the shadow world?" [ Well, it seems you have an idea, don''t you? Let''s do it for a moment. ] Reinhardt and I tracked a kobold that had just escaped and tried to catch it and drag it into the shadows. In conclusion, the attempt was unsuccessful. I tried not only kobolds but also birds that were perched on a tree branch, but even if I tried to draw them into the shadow world, I felt like they hit a wall when trying to cross the boundary between the outer world and the shadow world. [ Kent-sama, it seems that living beings can''t be drawn into the shadow world. ] "Yeah, I felt like that, if I could pull in living beings, it woudl be easier to rescue my classmates." Perhaps, the shadow world can only be entered by someone who has the aptitude for the darkness attribute. I think that Reinhardt and the others can go in and out freely because I summoned them with the magic of darkness and there is a link of magical power. I thought that I could do anything with my cheat attribute, but after all there are restrictions. "Oh, but then what happens if I use the dark shield in close quarters instead of magic?" [ That''s right, weapons have no life, so they will enter the world of shadows and their wielder will be repelled ... ] "Is it still possible to prevent the attack?" [ I think so, it depends on how strong the shield is, but I can''t try it because I can go in. ] "That''s right ... I''ll try it when another monster comes out." Today, I spent the time before noon practicing the shield of darkness. Anyway, if I think I''m being shot at with magic, I will practice until I can reflexively put out the shield quickly. Even if I dive into the shadow world, I can avoid the attack, but it may be unavoidable if it is a hero class attack. And if I can put out the shield freely, I should be able to protect someone else. [ As expected, Kent-sama, it''s so quick to be activated ... ] "Yeah, it''s still limited to a certain place and a certain size, so I hvae to increase the degree of freedom even more." [ No, I''m just impressed with Kent-sama''s aspirations, and even at this point, it''s so fast that an ordinary mage would faint. ] "Maybe that''s the case, but I won''t get the strength of a knight in time for the rescue operation, so at least I want to increase my strength as a mage as much as possible." [ Well, if Kent-sama gets stronger, I have no objection. Well, Kent-sama, why don''t you have lunch now? ] "Ah, it''s about that time, lunch ... yes, let''s try the store I went to with Kartz-san ..." [ Sure, it seems like you said it wasn''t very delicious ...? ] "Yeah, that''s right, but I was taken care of by Kartz-san." Let''s contribute to sales in the sense of giving back to Kartz-san. I returned to the back alley of Volzard and headed to Merine-san''s dining room. The last time I was here was on the rest day of the week, so it should still be open, but Kartz-san may not have come due to processing the corpses of the rock ogres. There was an open sign hanging at the entrance of the store, but when I touched the door, I heard a loud voice from inside. "I can''t do it!" "That''s not the case, if you do your best ..." "I did my best! How can I do better than that! I don''t know anymore!" "Nikola!" I felt a difficult atmosphere, and when I was still standing in front of the door, the door opened vigorously and I was blown away. "Fugya ... it hurts ..." "Ah ... I''m sorry ... are you okay?" "Nikola, what are you doing, get a towel wet and bring it here! I''m sorry, are you okay?" Being hurried by Merine-san, Nikola returned to the kitchen in a panic. "Yes ... I just hit my forehead ..." "I''m really sorry ... Oh, you are ..." "Yes, I''m Kent, who bothered you with Kartz-san before. Oh, the store is ..." "Well, of course, it''s open, it''s okay, please order anything." Nikola came back with a wet towel in his hands. "Nikola, a customer, get ready!" "Nee-san, but ..." "Don''t keep your customer waiting!" "Un, understood ..." This time, Nikola returned to the kitchen with a feeling of reluctance. "Now, sit in your favorite seat, and keep your forehead cold ..." "Oh, thank you." "Well, what would you like to order?" Merine-san brought me a menu, but when I opened it, more than half of the menu was lined with horizontal lines. Most of the particularly expensive and time-consuming menus are lined with horizontal lines. "Well, uh ... please give me today''s recommended lunch." "Yes, a recommended lunch for one person! Thank you!" I don''t htink it''s necessary to say this now, but there are no customers other than me in the store. It''s a little late, but it''s still lunchtime, and at Amanda-san''s shop, it''s a time when people have to wait outside because they can''t fit in. When I was looking around while bored, Meline-san walked over. "Did you hear the story?" "Um ... yes, just a little ..." "Can you keep it a secret from Kartz-san? I don''t want to add more worries ..." "I understand ... umm, are you going to close the store?" "I don''t want to quit ..." According to Merine-san, the father of Merine-san, who was running this shop, died of sudden illness two years ago, and her younger brother Nikola took over by imitating what he saw, but it was not working well. "Today, Kent was our first customer ..." "Really ..." "Nee-san, it''s ready ..." Nicola called out from the kitchen, and Meline-san went to pick up the tray. "Yes, yes, come on, Kent, eat." "Yes, I will!" The recommended lunch is bread and soup, salad, and two kinds of sausage and fried egg. First of all, a bite of soup ... Yeah, it''s subtle. It tastes like something is missing. How about the sausages? Yeah, one is very salty, the other one''s herbs are too strong. The bread is somewhat lumpy. Oh, the fried egg is delicious ... it was the taste of the ingredients. "Hey, Kent, how is the taste? Can you give us an honest opinion?" "Hmm ... it''s a pretty delicate feeling." I wasn''t with Kartz-san today, so I gave my honest impressions as they wanted. "Well ... after all ... Kartz-san and the customers who came with him said that it was delicious, but I don''t have many customers ..." Yes, Kartz-san''s delicious is completely flattering Merine-san. Of course, the people who came with him would understand Kartz-san''s easy-to-understand attitude, so they wouldn''t be able to give an honest opinion. "Nee-san, as I thought, it''s impossible for me ..." Nikola came out of the kitchen before I knew it and joined our conversation. "Nikola, but you''re the one who said you wanted to take over our dad''s shop." "That''s right ... but I can''t do what I can''t do ..." Perhaps because I had a frank opinion, Nikola started talking about the survival of the store to me. I was a little curious, so I''ll ask Merine-san. "Ah ... can I ask you something quick?" "Yes, what is it?" "Have you ever trained or worked at a store somewhere?" "No, but what''s wrong with that?" Nikola looks as if he wonders why he''s hearing such a thing. "Um ... why don''t you practice?" "No, because I saw my dad cooking, I know how to do it ..." Oh, I somehow understood it, it''s a typical misunderstanding. Meline-san is shaking her head. "Why was the menu half erased?" "That''s because ... there aren''t many customers, so it''s useless to buy high-quality materials." "Is the sausage seasoning the same as your dad''s?" "That is ... of course it''s different from my dad''s, I''ve taken over, so I''ve devised a blend of my own style." "Why doesn''t the number of customers increase?" "Well ... they can''t understand my taste, the times can''t keep up with me ... maybe?" Ah, this is completely useless, he thinks he can do it without any effort, and he can do it even though he actually can''t, so the responsibility will be passed on to others ... Ah, just like Funayama. Even though he couldn''t do it, he screamed out, and if he failed, he would blame others violently. "Kent? What''s wrong?" "Well, no, I was just thinking a little." "Yes? You look like you''re about to cry." "Uh ... I''m sorry, it''s okay." I was worried about Marine-san''s shop, but even if I was worried, it wouldn''t work. "Nee-san, anyway, the store is only open today ... No, it''s already closed ... Tell Kartz-san for nee-san." "Hey Nikola, where are you going?" "Anywhere is fine ... I need a diversion, a diversion ..." "Nikola! Wait a minute, Nikola!" Nikola went out of the store, trying to shake off Meline-san. Wow, I came at some great timing. "I''m sorry, to show you something strange." "Yes, No ..." "He''s not a bad boy, but I''ve always spoiled him ... what should I do ..." Meline-san sat in the seat opposite me, put her elbows on the table and held her head. "Ah ... is it bad for Merine-san to run the shop?" "Me? But I haven''t practiced ..." "Then, shouldn''t you practice?" Merine-san was originally not planning to take over the shop, so she was working on sewing. That''s why when Nikola suddenly took over the store she had to help. "If you don''t close the shop, I think Meline-san has no choice but to do it ..." "That''s right ... well, to be honest, I''m not confident enough to run this shop, but I also want to continue because it''s the shop my dad left behind." "If so, I think it''s better to consult with Kartz-san and then decide." "Yeah ... but I don''t want to put extra worries on Kartz-san ..." "But if he was told later and he couldn''t help you in the most difficult time, I think Kartz-san would be sad, so you should ask him for a consultation." It seems that Kartz-san will do something that I can''t do or don''t know of, and it may seem to take advantage of his weaknesses, but it''s an opportunity for Kartz-san. After a little thought, Meline-san nodded after making a decision. "Well ... yes, yeah, I''ll talk to Kartz-san." "Yes, I think Kartz-san will be more than happy with that." "Yeah ... so what was Kent thinking about?" "Well ... no, that has nothing to do with the store ..." "But you had a serious face that changed your complexion, maybe it would be easier if Kent talked with me." "uh ... that is ..." I''m very grateful for the offer, but I couldn''t talk about Funayama, so I had a hard time answering. "I''m sorry ... I can''t talk about it for the moment ... I''m sorry ..." "Yeah, I''m sorry for trying to force you to talk about what you can''t talk about." I''m hiding it from Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, Manon, and Meline-san. It would be easier if I confessed everything, but then they would be caught up in a mess with Resenburg, and I absolutely must avoid getting Volzard involved in a war because of that. I didn''t even notice that Meline-san left her seat as various things ran aorund in my head. "It''s okay ... Kent is a kind child, so I''m sure it''s okay ..." Meline, who went around the table, gently hugged me. "In an unfamiliar city, you probably don''t know many people yet, but when it''s hard, you can rely on us Kent." "Uh ... uh ... yes ... I''m sorry, I can''t speak ... I''m sorry ..." "Yeah, yeah, it''s okay if you can''t talk ..." "Yes ... yes ... uuuuuuu ..." The direct cause of Funayama''s death was the Reisenburg guys, led by Camilla, but before resenting them, there should still be something I can do. I should have that much power now. And yet, because of my poor prospects, it''s like helplessly letting Funayama die again. In the end, I was supposed to be able to do it, and I was disappointed that I was a misunderstood guy who couldn''t do anything. Surrounded by the warmth of Meline-san, I wish that time would stop, but I can''t escape from the misunderstanding that I can''t do anything with that. I took a deep breath once to shake off the feeling of reluctance, and then thanked Meline-san. "Thank you, I feel better." "You''re fine ...?" "Yes, I can''t stop ... I can only crawl forward." "You''re strong, Kent ... but you can''t overdo it." "Yes, I''ll ask the people I can talk to for help." "Yeah, I''ll talk to Kartz-san too." "Yes! Please do so." I left Meline-san''s shop and returned to the Devil''s Forest training ground. I''m worried about my classmates at Lastock, but on the day of rest, they will be absent from training to rest the knights. That said, most of my classmates are forbidden to go out of the garrison and spend most of their time sleeping in the dorimitory. After returning to the training ground, I was enthusiastic about sparring with Reinhardt. I don''t think I''ll make any progress even if I advance recklessly, so I try to make various reflections and improvements, but I still feel that I can''t make up for the absolute difference in speed and power. When the sun went down, I don''t know how many times it was, but when I roll on the ground and look up at the sky, I''m hungry for the oxygen I''ve run out of, and I''m involuntarily complaining. "Huh ... huh ... damn ... I can''t catch up at all, I don''t feel the possibility of breaking through by changing the tempo, such as feints." [ Kent-sama''s movements are still wasteful, and it seems that you are hindering your movements because you are putting more effort into extra places. ] "Is that something I can think about and reduce?" [ No, Kent-sama has only just started, so it''s better to repeat until the body can react anyway. ] "Kuu ... that''s the part that isn''t logical." [ That''s right, do your best to react faster than you think. ] If I knew this would happen, I would have done some sports when I was in Japan. The magic of the bratty Hero may be related to his original physical ability. [ Kent-sama, do you want actual results? ] "I want them! I want to rescue everyone as soon as possible and return to the original world!" [ Then, don''t be impatient. Anyone who is impatient will surely cut corners. ] "Yeah, I think I know it in theory, but I feel like I can''t stay still." [ I think it can''t be helped if your classmates are in a situation like that, but if you overdo it, you''ll put them at risk. ] I know that Reinhardt is right, but I feel repulsive and anxious. "But if I keep doing it like this, I think something like with Funayama will happen again ..." [ Well, in that regard, I''m also responsible since it was this me who said we should put off the rescue. So let''s start with what we can do. ] "What we can do ... is a counterattack, right?" [ Indeed, however, we won''t do what we can''t do. ] "Okay, I''m starting a counterattack as much as I can." [ That''s right, so let''s end it with this, go back and have supper, and then plan our strategy. ] After finishing the training, we decided to have a meeting about the future without returning to the Devil''s Forest tonight after returning to the boarding house and finishing dinner. CH 25 Strategy meeting for a counterattack ***---*** For the meeting for counterattack, Fred and Basten also returned. The cheat of shadow movement is that you can easily come back even if you are in a remote place. In my room at the boarding house, I spread a sheet of paper on a small table that summarized the main points. When I was ready, Reinhardt asked me a question. [ Kent-sama, do you remember the three issues I talked about before? ] [ Yes, the rescue method, the recipient, and the insider? ] [ Yes, the recipient of that is the promise of cooperation from Klaus-dono, so there are just two remaining issues. ] [ That''s right, but I also want to hurt the other person, I''m not convinced if I leave her alone, and I feel like I''m going to be underestimated during negotiations. ] [ That''s right, let''s add a counterattack as an item. ] [ Rescue method, insider, and counterattack method. ] I will write these items on the unfolded paper. If I write it in Japanese, Reinhardt and the others will not be able to read it. If Amanda-san or Meisa-chan sees it, they may be suspicious, so I plan to keep the memo in the shadow storage. [ First of all, the rescue method, but since I found out that shadow movement cannot be used, I have no choice but to go through the Devil''s Forest, but the first thing to do is to get them out of the garrison. ] [ That''s true, but after all it''s better to rescue everyone at once, right? ] [ That''s right, that''s the ideal. They''ll be wary if we divide it into several groups, and we''re more likely to lose our stengths. ] [ Our stength is that we can move freely using shadows, right? ] [ Of course there is that, but the fact that our existence is unknown is one of our strengths. ] [ Well, they think I am dead. ] [ Yes, if they don''t think you''re alive, they won''t be wary of you. ] [ I see, it''s easier to do various things if they''re not wary. ] We are trying to rescue my classmates, but for Camilla who doesn''t know of our existence, she should only think about not letting my classmates escape. Of course, she should be less alert. [ That means she shouldn''t be aware of our existence, right? ] [ Of course, for example, even if this me was known to exist, it would be as an unidentified monster, but Kent-sama with black hair and black eyes should not be seen until the rescue of all of them is completed. ] If so, it may be better to have Reinhardt move openly, but if that is the case, they may think that he is a monster summoned by the Volzard side, and above all, my classmates won''t think that he is on their side. I mean, can we rescue everyone from that garrison at one time? The garrison is surrounded by high walls, and there is a soldier''s station at the sturdy gate. The location is on the outskirts of the city, but you have to cross the river to head towards the Devil''s Forest, and the bridge is a drawbridge to prevent the invasion of monsters. Of course, there is a shack on the drawbridge, and no matter how you think about it, it seems unlikely that you can escape without making noise. Of course, if there is a fuss, there will be a chase, and it will be more difficult to rescue them. [ Hmm ... everyone at once ... it''s difficult. ] [ Kent-sama ... an idea ... ] [ Idea? What are you saying? ] [ How about using the actual battle in the Devil''s Forest ... ? ] Fred''s idea was to rescue my classmates during the upcoming battle in the Devil''s Forest. This will save us the trouble of rescuing from the garrison, and of course the chances of a turmoil are much lower. [ Kent-sama, this may be a good idea, the number of soldiers leading them will be limited in the actual battle, and there is no worry about reinforcements coming. ] [ Well, if they didn''t think we were there, they would only be worried about them running away. ] [ No, Kent-sama, they''re not worried about them escaping, if they''re left behind in the Devil''s Forest ... ] [ Well, they''re in a situation where they''re in trouble if they don''t take them home. ] [ Yes, even if they escape from the spot, they will not be able to escape with the bracelet of slavery on, so in the end they have to return to the garrison. ] In a situation where there is almost no fear of escape, without considering a rescue operation from the outside, I feel that the knight who leads the knights is not very cautious. After that, what is the procedure for rescue? As I wracked my brains, Basten came up with an idea. [ Kent-sama, isn''t it better for us to attack them like a monster? ] [ Attacking them, my classmates aren''t a match for Basten. ] [ I know, so it may be a little painful, but how about stunning your classmates and killing the knights who lead them? ] [ I see ... hmm ... but ... ] [ Is there a problem? ] [ Is it necessary to kill the knights leading them? ] [ I don''t think there will be any after-effects if you can get rid of them. ] [ Hmm ... ] Certainly, as Basten says, if you kill the knights, you won''t have to worry about information being leaked. There is no doubt that if they return alive, information on the unidentified skeleton will leak and they will be more vigilant. However, if we kill them, I feel that it will cause a grudge and I will not be able to proceed well when negotiating to return to the original world. I walked about those thoughts and asked everyone for their opinions. [ What do you think, Reinhardt? ] [ Yes, if you do cause a grudge, later negotiations may fails. On the other hand, if they are vigilant, it can be difficult to rescue them. Which one should be prioritized? ] [ Yeah, I''m afraid we can''t go back to the original world, so I''ll try not to kill the other person as much as possible. Can you do it? Basten. ] [ Leave it to us, let us break the difficulties, etc. into pieces. ] [ Yeah, thank you, I''m counting on you. ] I can see a path to rescuing my classmates, so I feel a little lighter. [ Kent-sama, you have to be ready to proceed with the rescue operation. ] [ Oh, yeah, I have to talk to Klaus-san, right? ] [ Although there is that, it takes two to three days to walk through the Devil''s Forest. In the meantime, you will need to prepare water, food, tents, etc. ] [ Well ... I used to rely on you guys for food. If the number of people increases, I have to make appropriate preparations ... ] According to Reinhardt, the Knights of Resenburg act in units of five. The branch leader puts one leader in a group of five and bundles the five groups. It is said that the unit leaders are the ones who handle each of the five teams, and the branch leader is the one who handles the five unit leaders. [ So, will they prepare several units of five people? ] [ That''s right, I think that the actual battle in the Devil''s Forest will change depending on the scale, but I think that it will probably start with about 20 people. ] [ Then, will it be okay if I prepare enough for about 30 people? ] [ That''s right, you can put it in the shadow storage, so it''s better to have a margin. ] Even if I want to rescue my classmates quickly, I am keenly aware that I am not ready for anything. In the first place, I don''t even know where to get a large amount of food or tents. [ Kent ... don''t worry ... ] [ Why? ] [ From the garrison ... can take it ... ] [ Oh, I see ... but I wonder if it will be found out? ] [ If you take it out from the back ... it won''t be found out ... ] I asked Fred to list the garrison equipment, which seems to be useful. Of course, the number of equipment is managed, and the number of items to be taken in and out is checked each time, but the total number is checked only once in a certain period of time. Therefore, if I use shadow movement to take out from the back of a large number of items, there is almost no worry that they will find out until the total number is checked. [ Kent-sama, even if you get caught, they won''t notice the existence of this us and would suspect it was being diverted by an unscrupulous person as long as there is no evidence of invasion. ] (TN: Awkward, I''ve been using ''this me'' as washi, but I don''t really know how to make sense of washi-tachi which is plural so it became ''this us'' a suggestion would be helpful.) [ Yeah, that''s right, then Fred, I''m sorry, but I''d like you to get some things that you think I''ll need, and put them in the shadow storage. ] [ OK ... leave it to me ... ] I won''t have to worry about the items we''ll need for the rescue. After that, I have to bring everyone to Volzard and have them welcomed. [ Hmm ... I think it''s better to talk to the garrison ... and a bracelet of slavery ... ] [ Kent-sama ... bracelet, I looked for ... ] [ As expected, Fred, you work fast. ] I received a bracelet presented by Fred from the shadow space. The bracelet, which looks like carved obsidian, is not as heavy as it looks. When I picked up the bracelet and concentrated my consciousness, I was wondering if there was any clue, and the image flowed into my head. [ Uh ... this is ... ] [ What happened, Kent-sama. ] [ Yeah, unlike the one I picked up in the Devil''s Forest, it seems that a very complicated technique is engraved. ] [ Well, maybe it''s a special thing made for this summon. ] Only one person, perhaps Camilla, can unlock the bracelet, but it seems that the person wearing the bracelet can''t use violence against those who are recognized as residents of Resenburg. [ Hmm, that''s certainly a rare technique. It is usually owned by an individual and is a technique that makes them unable to go against that individual. ] Reinhardt says that a typical slave bracelet is not engraved with a magical signature before it is fitted, but is engraved with a magical signature when the owner puts it onto the slave. When I try to close the bracelet, it doesn''t come open even if I pull it anymore, and I can hardly see a seam. When I concentrate my consciousness in that state, it is certainly locked by another person''s magical signature, not my magical signature. When I focused more on my consciousness and interrupted the magical signature, the bracelet split into two with a small clicking sound. [ Yeah, it''s okay, I can remove this bracelet too. ] [ I''ve heard that it''s difficult to remove the slave bracelet for a dark attribute mage, as expected, Kent-sama. ] [ If I rescue my classmates, why don''t I throw it away with the blood of a monster on the bracelet I remove? ] [ That''s good, then it would seem they were killed by a monster, not rescued. ] [ Well, like me, they have to be thought of as dead. ] In order to rescue, remove the bracelet, bring them to Volzard, and have them accepted, I think it would be better to talk to a garrison person so that it would not be confusing. [ For the time being, I have to go to Klaus-san first thing in the morning and then let Kartz-san and Donovan-san know. ] [ Kent ... also for the saint ... ] [ Oh yeah, if she thinks that many people died at once, the chairman might fall down again. ] The person to contact was supposed to be Ayako-sensei, but if this happens, I''d like to contact the chairman and let her know everyone is well even at the time of treatment. [ Kent-sama, if you don''t do it well, our strengths will be lost. ] [ Yeah, but if it''s the chairman, I think she''ll do better than Ayako-sensei. ] [ Are you still going to contact that person? ] [ Hmm ... let''s see what''s going on ... it''s better not to spread my presence too much, right? ] [ Well, if you''re rescuing from the garrison, it would be better for her to know, but if you''re rescuing them from the Devil''s Forest, you''d better not let her know. ] For the time being, I will hold back on contacting Ayako-sensei for a while. [ By the way, Basten, what was the royal capital like? ] [ Sorry, Kent-sama, I actually went to the Davira Desert first. ] [ Oh, that''s fine, it doesn''t matter which one comes first, so it''s okay. So how was the desert? ] [ Yes, to be honest, the situation was worse than I had imagined. ] According to Basten, the city that used to border the desert has been completely swallowed by the sand and has become part of the desert. On the contrary, many of the towns to the east were swallowed by sand, and even in the town on the boarder with the desert today, sand has entered the fields and the growth of crops has deteriorated. People''s lives are poor, probably because of poor crop growth, and it is apparently not uncommon for children to be malnourished. [ But the city of Lastock isn''t that terrible, is it? ] [ Not as rich as Volzard ... but not that poor ... ] [ In such a case, isn''t the lord or the royal family doing something about it? ] [ Yes, that would be normal. ] [ The thing is that something unusual is happening? ] [ Excuse me, Kent-sama, if only I looked into the royal capital ... ] [ No, then I wouldn''t know the current state of the desert, so it''s not Basten''s responsibility, no matter how much shadow movement you can do, you only have one body, so you can''t check everything. ] [ Yes, tomorrow I will explore the movements of the aristocrats of the royal capital, so please wait a little longer. ] [ Yeah, you don''t have to hurry, and you have to come back during the rescue operation, so you don''t have to overdo it. ] Apparently the problem of desertification is more serious than I expected, and this is definitely the reason why Camilla is in a hurry. [ But if she''s in a hurry to cultivate the Devil''s Forest, why not do it herself? ] [ Kent-sama, maybe there aren''t enough people. ] [ Yes ... I don''t think there are any human resources for some units in the garrison ... ] [ But it''s a national issue, so why not gather people from other areas? ] [ Probably, the only force that the princess can freely order is the human resources in that garrison. ] Somehow, guessing from the information so far, it seems that people other than Camilla are reluctant to take measures against desertification, and Camilla relied on summoning magic because there is a shortage of human resources to be used. In that case, I think it would be better to give a more decent treatment. [ What''s wrong? Kent. ] [ Yeah, I told you my country is peaceful, right? ] [ Yes, it''s so peaceful that it''s stupid ... ] [ It''s a little different, but it''s okay ... Well, as a characteristic of people of my country, it''s hard to say no when asked. ] [ Well, then, do you mean that your classmates would be willing to cooperate as long as they arranged the treatment and asked for it? ] [ Oh yeah, magic exists only in fairy tales in our world, and the thought of using magic, it''s extremely exciting. ] [ In other words, does that mean that the princess is doing it wrong? ] [ Yeah, if you are treated as a slave, you''ll only be repulsed, right? ] [ That''s right ... I certainly don''t praise her treatment, but there must be some reason. ] [ Damnit ... That wicked princess, what are you thinking? ] If I understand what Camilla is thinking, I feel that it will be useful in rescuing my classmates, but on the other hand, if I understand her reasoning, I feel that I will be unable to blame her. [ Kent-sama, we still don''t have enough information. Let Basten find out a little more before thinking about it. ] [ That''s right, if I just think about it with speculations, it''s likely to be wrong. ] [ Yes, it''s probably a deep-rooted problem with royalty and aristocrats. ] [ Uh ... I can''t solve that problem. ] I don''t think I can solve a problem that involves a great person in such a country, and evne just listening to it makes me feel heavy. [ That''s right, if the problem grows to that extent, it''s not at the level of what can be done with an individual''s power. ] [ Hey, what does Reinhardt and the others want to do? ] [ Huh? This us ... is it? ] [ Yeah, the shape of the country has changed from when Reinhardt and the others were alive, and I think that there are only people who you do not know in the royal family, and the people who live in it, but it''s still the country where Reinhardt and the others lived, right? ] [ Sure, as Kent-sama says, but we''re dead already ... ] Reinhardt''s words are mixed with a sense of embarrasment. [ Yeah, that''s right. But Reinhardt and the others are the ones who worked to improve the country and the territory, right? Is it okay to leave Resenburg as it is? ] [ That ... wasn''t even thought about. ] [ Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred all remained to protect me, but I hope everyone''s hopes will come true anyway. ] [ Our hopes ...? ] [ Yeah, it''s my top priority to rescue all my classmates and return them to the original world, so I have to get Reinhardt to cooperate, but I don''t want to force everyone to do something unpleasant. ] Perhaps even at this point, if I use Reinhardt''s abilities to the full, I could kill all the soldiers in the garrison, rescue my classmates, and even if we can''t return to the original world. It may be possible to solve it by threatening Camilla with killing all the people in the city of Lastock. But I don''t think it''s the solution Reinhardt wants. Some of the knights in the garrison may be descendants of Reinhardt''s relatives and acquaintances. If we kill Camilla and all the knights that can be mobilized, desertification measures may be delayed and many people may die. And yet, there may be people in the royal capital who are sucking sweet juice without doing anything. At the end of the day, I don''t think Resenburg is the future that Reinhardt and his friends had hoped for when they were alive. [ How about it, Reinhardt. ] [ That''s right, as Kent-sama says, the current Resenburg is a little different from the future we wanted when we were alive. ] [ Branch leader, isn''t there something we can do? ] [ The body I got from Kent-sama ... If it can be used, for the country ... For the people ... ] Everyone''s feelings for Resenburg seem to flow in. [ Kent-sama, I will be a sword and a shield so that Kent-sama can achieve his wishes. But if allowed, I would like to work for the people of Resenburg and for the people of Landshelt. ] [ Of course, everyone is my family, so my family''s wishes are my wishes. ] [ Thank you for your words, this us, three people, we will do our best to serve you until our bodies shatter. ] [ Yeah, then rescue my classmates, but do it in a way that is to brighten the future of Resenburg, is that okay? ] [ I have no objection. ] It''s wrong to treat everyone as a matter of course while feeling angry at being treated as a slave. I will look for a way to fulfill both my wishes and everyone else''s wishes. [ Well, I hope Kent-sama becomes the king ... ] [ Hey, Fred, what are you saying, I don''t want to be a king. ] [ No, at that age, it''s okay because you have an eye for the problem of desertification just by looking at the map. ] [ No, Basten, they happened to be talking about desertification in a school class. ] [ Buahahaha, if the royal family is doing something silly, let''s wipe them out and let Kent-sama rule the country. ] [ Yeah ... King Kent ... Good! ] [ Stealing a country is it? My arm rings. ] [ I can''t do that, I can''t be a king, so I won''t do that, hey, are you all listening? ] Hey? It may be just my imagination that everyone is starting a disturbing consultation, isn''t it? Hey? Hey, say it''s just my imagination ... CH 26 New week report and lunch date ***---*** After breakfast on fire day of the new week, I immediately headed to the guild. This is to tell Donovan-san about the series of events that happened on the weekend and the rescue operation using the actual battle in the Devil''s Forest. The guild is closed on rest days except in emergencies. This morning as it was the beginning of the week, it was more crowded than usual in front of the bulletin board where the requests were posted. While a bearded old man and a muscular man scrutinize the requests while hitting their shoulders and elbows, the appearance of Ridner and the others is appearing and disappearing this morning. Yeah, that might be a kind of discipline, and it looks fun just by looking at it. At the wall outside the crowd, there is Muell-san, a cat-eared angel, Gilik, a dog who doesn''t have to be there, and Manon, a handsome girl. Uh ... Manon is tilting her head a little and waving at me a little. Isn''t it okay to take her home? Is it no good? Hey, isn''t it? "Good morning, Muell-san, Gilik-san, Manon." "Good morning, Kent." "Snort ..." "Good morning, Kent, how are you feeling?" Hmm ... I wonder if he''s ever going to say hello, this mutt. Compared to that, Manon cares about my physical condition, so it''s okay to take her home, right? Is it no good? Why not? "Kent, was something wrong? No way ..." "Hmm, I won''t apologize because it was during training." "No, I was a little tired and anemic, and it has nothing to do with that case, and I''ll get back at you soon, so you don''t have to apologize." "This Chibisuke ... Isn''t he courageous ..." "I have something to do with Donovan-san for a bit. Would you like to go with me?" "This ... I don''t think I''ll go ..." I glared back from below to meet Gilik''s gaze as he glared down at me. "Jeez, fighting so early in the morning, Gilik and Kent, behave!" Hyah-Hmm, so early in the week, Muell-san already scolded me! "Hmm, it''s not a fight, I''m just disciplining this Chibisuke who doesn''t know what he''s doing." "If I''m going to be disciplined, I hope it''s not by you." "First of all ..." "What is it ... ?" "Jeez ... hey Gilik, let''s go find a request, Manon and Kent see you later." "Y, yes ... un, understood." Ah ... Muell-san, the cat-eared angel, pulled Gilik and went to the bulletin board. Hmm ... The light pink tail is swaying. Isn''t it fluffy? I can just rub my cheeks all day long, right? "Kent ... where are you looking?" "Uhi, no, no, I wonder what kind of work Muell-san and Gilik-san will do ..." "I think it''s a gathering job." "Is it collecting medicinal herbs?" "Yeah, Muell-san wants to be a pharmacist." "Oh, right, she said that ..." "Wasn''t Kent just looking at Muell-san''s chest and not listening?" "Well, that''s not the case ... I just forgot." That''s right, I''m just gazing at her tail. "Is that right ... By the way, don''t you have business with Donovan-san?" "Oh, that''s right, I have to hurry ..." Today is the beginning of the week, so it''s a day when there is a beginner''s class. Donovan-san is probably a lecturer, so I have to hurry. When I went to the counter, Donovan-san had just come out of the back. "Good morning, Donovan-san." "Oh, Kent, good morning, I can''t practice because I have a class today." "Yes, I''m sorry when you''re busy, but I have something to say about the ''matter we were talking about'' ..." "Hmm ... follow me." "Yes." I told Manon to wait a moment and headed to the drawing room on the second floor with Donovan-san. "What happened, what happened?" "Yes, actually ..." When I talked about Funayama, Donovan-san''s expression grew angry. "You''ve got to be kidding me ..." "Yes ..." Donovan-san''s fist, clenched tightly, and looks like a weapon that could kill a person with a single blow. Donovan-san expressed distress when I continued by saying that Camilla''s purpose was to compensate for the decrease in cultivated land due to desertification by cultivating the Devil''s Forest. Camilla''s purpose is probably a sign of conflict that can only be dealt with by invading Volzard. So, I talked about rescue operations using the actual battles in the Devil''s Forest. "I see, you will use the place that comes out from the other side ... it''s not bad." A fearless smile returned to Donovan-san''s face. "So what time will this happen?" "I don''t know yet, but maybe it''ll happen unexpectedly soon." "Well, then we need to be ready to receive them." "Yes, I''m coming through the forest, so it''s better to contact the garrison, right?" "Well, I can do that much. By the way, are you sure you can remove the slave bracelets?" "Yes, I''m going to smear the removed bracelet with monster blood and throw it away." "Huh, okay, if possible, be prepared to change clothes, tear off the clothes they were wearing, smear them with blood, and throw them away too." "Oh, that''s right, I''ll do that." For changing clothes, I''ll move everything left in the boarding house to the shadow storage. I also had women''s clothes, so I should be able to do something about it. "Okay, Kent, let me know as soon as the date of the operation is decided. Is it okay to accept them like with you?" "Yes, it''s fine, thank you." When I returned to the first floor after parting from Donovan-san, who was waiting for his instructor''s work, the hustle and bustle of the morning was completley over, and Manon, who seemed to be bored, stood by the wall alone. Her sloppy expression became brighter as soon as she saw me. Isn''t it good already? This isn''t a misunderstanding? But wait, it''s possible that it''s not just a romantic feeling, but just friendship ... which one? I don''t know ... "Oh, I made you wait, Manon." "Yeah, have you finished talking to Donovan-san?" "Yeah, he got angry because I couldn''t manage my physical condition ..." "It''s true, Kent always overdoes it, even this morning you were poking at Gilik-san ..." "Because if I don''t say that much, he won''t really do it when we practice." "Well, Kent is the only one in our generation to say that." "Is that so?" "Yes, Gilik-san has the ability to dive alone in the dungeon." "That''s right ... Then, if I can beat Gilik-san, can I dive into the dungeon?" When I said that, Manon stared at me from the front. Eh, Manon-chan, aren''t you too close? Do you really want to kiss? "Does Kent really want to beat Gilik?" "Yeah, that''s my immediate goal." "Huh, your immediate goal ... do you really want to be stronger?" "Because Gilik-san isn''t the strongest in Volzard, is he?" "That''s right ... I usually don''t think that way." "Why? Manon is a girl, so you don''t have to think about it, but I think it''s normal for a man to try." But if you think about it, I wouldn''t have thought that I would want to beat Gilik when I was in Japan. Even Funayama, who is weaker than Gilik, I didn''t think I would win or go against him. Huh? Maybe I''m becoming more warlike due to the influence of the evil skeleton? "But, Kent was judged useless, right?" "Well, uh ... yeah, that''s right, why?" "Gilik-san is a knight type and has a high rate of physical strengthening." "Hmm ... that''s right." "That''s why it seems that it''s still lacking in stability, but it''s rumored that he can instantly strengthen his body by about five times." "Ah ... I see ..." Certainly, I heard from Reinhardt that the rate and duration of enhancement was important. Five times was about the top. "So it''s hard to say, but I think it''s difficult for Kent to win." "Hmm ... yeah ... but I''m just getting started and I got a hit in before this." "Yeah, that was cool! No matter how careless he was, it''s amazing against Gilik-san." "Well, right? But after that, I was beaten up ..." Well, the girl told me that I looked cool, maybe it''s the first time since I''ve been born, it''s a little embarrassing, but you can say more, Manon-chan. I''m the type who grows by being complimented. "But Kent is amazing, you''re getting stronger and stronger, you''re rushing towards Gilik-san, and I''m scared and my legs are shaking." "Ah, that was like I had my blood rush to my head, I was angry with Donovan-san, Mufufufu ..." "By the way, Kent is talking to Donovan-san without hesitation." "Well, because Donovan-san is tough, but kind." "That''s right ... he''s powerful ..." "Well, maybe I''m getting used to it?" Maybe it''s because I''ve been watching Reinhardt''s rampaging for a while, but I feel like I''m getting more and more immune. "Oh, by the way, is Manon a knight type? Or a mage type?" "I''m a mage type, so I''m a little worried if I can finish the knight class." I don''t know about the contents of the classes on wind day and soil day, but if it is a condition to win against three people, it is certainly quite difficult. Moreover, I feel that with the physical strength of Manon, a girl, it''s tough. By the way, I feel that there weren''t many women in the combat training. "Hey, Manon, is it rare for a girl to be an adventurer?" "Hmm ... it seems that it''s not so rare in other cities, but it may be rare in Volzard." "It that because the Devil''s Forest is near?" "Yeah, there are monsters in the forests of other cities, but it seems that you rarely encounter powerful monsters, but it''s not uncommon for ogres to appear in the forests near Volzard." "Oh? Ogres and rock ogres are different, right?" "Kent ... You learned it in the first class, did you forget it?" "Well ... oh, yeah, yeah, I learned, I learned, that''s right." "Kent, you don''t remember ..." "Well, that''s not the case, I learned that ogres and rock ogres are different, I remember properly." Isn''t it? It''s a different thing because it has a different name, isn''t it? "Rock ogres are considered to be a superior species of ogres, and I don''t know how they change, but they seem to be the same ogres ... you didn''t remember, right?" "Uh ... I''m sorry, I forgot." "I can''t help it anymore, Kent ... did you learn a little at school?" No, Manon-chan, there are no ogres, rock ogres, or even goblins in our world ... I can''t say that. "I didn''t learn much at school because there weren''t many monsters in the place where I lived." "Ah, that''s right, hey, what kind of country did Kent live in?" "Well, the country I lived in?" "Yeah, I''ve never been out of Volzard, so I''m interested in talking about other countries." "Hmm ... my country ..." You can''t just talk about Japan. There''s no magic, but you can fly in the sky, go far on the bullet train, and talk to the other side of the planet on the Internet ... it''s hard to believe. "I lived in an island country surrounded by the sea." "Hey ... what kind of island is it?" "Well, even if you say an island, it''s a fairly large island, and it''s an island made up of many volcanoes." "A volcano is it, doesn''t that erupt? I learned it at school." "Yeah, once every few decades, or once every hundreds of years." "Is that so? It''s not always erupting ..." "That''s right, because an eruption can cause great damage, such as volcanic ash and lava." "That''s right ... a volcano ... I want to see ..." "I want to show you, but I don''t know how to go home ..." "Well, if you save money, you can go home, right?" "Yeah, it feels like I''m drifting on a boat, so how can I get home ..." "Hmm, hmm, that''s right Kent, you can''t go home ..." Oh, why is it Manon looks happy that I can''t go home? "Then Kent has been in Volzard all the time, right?" "Hmm ... I wonder ... I wonder if I should go to other cities in Landshelt ..." "That''s right ..." Hmm? It seems that Manon is a bit sad, oh, do you want me to invite you? "At that time, will Manon go with me?" "Eh? Ehhhhh ... with me ...?" "Yeah, but I don''t know what time it will be, and I don''t know if I can go." "Muu ..." Hmm? I invited her, but the reaction seems strange, but why? "Don''t you really want to go with Muell-san despite saying that?" "Eh? Muell-san? With Muell-san, it seems that Gilik-san will come with ..." "That''s right, it''s decided that you have to defeat Gilik-san." "Well, you can have him carry the luggage, though." "Ehhhhh ... You''re not really thinking about that, right?" "Well, even if I was to invite Muell-san, I couldn''t go to another city with just having started to work and not having any savings." "That''s right, it''s impossible right now." "Yeah, I have a lot of work to do, so I''m not going to leave Volzard for the time being." "Oh, yeah ... that''s right, not so suddenly ... my heart''s not ready yet ..." "Hmm? Did you say something, Manon?" "uh, yeah, nothing, this story ... yeah, nothing." My classmates probably want to go back to Japan right away, but honestly I don''t really want to go back. I think it would be more fun to live here by making the most of cheat abilities, rather than returning to Japan and being treated as a joke. I wonder if I can help everyone to return to Japan and stay in Volzard ... I wonder how many years I can stay in a boarding house ... I wonder if I can buy a house because there are so many magic stones. How much does it cost to pay taxes? How much do you spend on a home in the first place? "Kent ... Kent, Kent!" "Yhya! What, what, Manon." "You didn''t hear me again, what about your job today?" "Oh ... I was talking and forgot." "It''s already lunchtime." "Guha ... I''m off today too ... I''m sorry, Manon." "Well, no, I was so absorbed in talking that it wasn''t just Kent''s fault." "I''ll apologize with lunch, do you know any delicious restaurant?" "Well, that''s bad, I''ll pay for myself." "It''s okay, it''s okay, I had some extra income ..." "Is that right? Then how about a pasta shop nearby?" "Yeah, let''s go there." I''ve already got a lot of rock ogre magic stones, but I haven''t sold them yet, but my pockets are warm. A rock ogre magic stone costs more thna 20,000 Helts, even if it is being estimated cheaply. That means that you can pay the boarding house for more than half a year with just one. There are more than 200 of them, so there is no need to work hard at all. However, this magic stone will be paid to Klaus-san as an acceptance fee when my classmates come to Volzard. Manon''s recommended pasta shop was a little further from the guild towards the Devil''s Forest. It seems that it is so popular that there is a line at noon, but it''s still a little early so I could sit down without waiting. Hmm? Isn''t it a bit like a date to have lunch with a girl? Oh, is this a lunch date? Is it a bit like being a normie? "Welcome! Oh, Manon." "Hello, Minuet, I''m here again." "The counter is fine ... oh?" "Today, I''m with my friend ..." "Hey ... it''s rare." The pasta shop clerk with greenish hair in a ponytail seems to be Manon''s friend. "Hmm ... so you''re Kent ... hmm ..." "Ni, nice to meet you ..." What do you think it''s a bad insect by the side of Manon? Somehow, I''m being stared at with reproachful eyes. "Hey, hey, Minuet, where should we sit?" "Ah, yeah, please take this seat." Manon''s face is bright red for some reason, but I wonder if it''s embarrassing to think that she and I are friends. I was shown the menu, but I wasn''t sure, so I decided to ask Manon for a recommendation. "What is Manon''s recommendation?" "Um ... I think this ''salted meat and cream fresh pasta'' is good." "Then, I''ll have that." "M, me too ..." "Thank you, salt cream raw, for two!" Minuet had an expression that seemed to want to ask Manon something, but it seems that there is no time to talk slowly since other customers started to enter. Even so, she sometimes casts a smirk at me. Every time Manon turns bright red ... Yeah, I''m sorry I''m not handsome. You don''t like an unreliable looking person like me because you think I''m her boyfriend. "I''m sorry to have kept you waiting, ''Salted meat and cream fresh pasta'', En, joy, your, meal ..." Yeah, it smells really good, but I''m worried about the slow intonation, I hope our relationship isn''t misunderstood. Hmm? Should it be misunderstood? Which one? Hmm ... Would you like the pasta before it gets cold? In this world, if you don''t make a loud noise, it seems OK to slurp pasta. Manon dexterously wound up the slightly wide pasta with a fork, carried it to her small cherry-colored mouth, and slurped the part that squeezed out. Yeah, it''s so cute that you can eat three cups of rice while watching Manon eat her food. "Kent, what''s wrong? Don''t you like it?" "Well, yeah, that''s not the case, it''s delicious." I was surprised and tried it in a hurry, oh, it''s a taste that might become a habit. The salted meat seems to be smoked and has a fluffy smoked aroma, which goes well with the rich cream sauce. The richness of the cream is well-balanced with spices, and it does not interfere with the rich taste, yet it has a refreshing aftertaste. Raw pasta is a little wide, and the exquisitely boiled pasta creates a crisp edge. If you entwine a wide pasta with plenty of sauce and eat it with salted meat, ah ... this strange harmony is unbearable. "Mugumugu ... gokkun, thank you for the feast." "Eh ... Kent, are you tasting and eating it properly?" "Well, of course, it was really good." "Oh yeah ... that''s fine, but wait a minute." "Oh, you don''t have to hurry, eat slowly." "Kent, would you like seconds?" "Yeah, but it''s starting to get crowded, so I''ll come again." "Oh, that''s true, I''ll hurry up too ..." Yeah, Manon, who is eating quickly, is small animal-like and cute, and I feel relieved when I see it. I was grinning when I saw Minuet observing Manon. What kind of relationship do you think it is? When I left the shop, Minuet whispered something in Manon''s ear and she squealed. Yeah, girls are good. CH 27 Manon is in a good mood ***---*** After having lunch with Manon at the pasta shop ... Well, what should we do from now on? I haven''t spent time with a girl before, so I don''t know where to go ... or what kind of store there is in Volzard yet. At times like this, the handsome guy of a bratty Hero would escort well. Movie ... we can''t do it, and there is no game center ... It''s a difficult task for me with zero experience at being a normie and 100% loner power. "Hey Kent, what should we do after this?" "Huh? This, after this ...?" Wow ... it''s awkward, I let out a strange voice. We just ate, tea? Is it tea? Is there a coffee shop? "Hey Kent, why don''t we go to the ramparts?" "What? What are we going to do when we go to the ramparts?" "Let''s go up and look towards the Devil''s Forest ..." "Yeah, that''s fine, but can we climb the ramparts?" "It''s no good when an alarm like the one before is issued, but it''s okay to go up normally." "Hmm ... Is that right." I had no idea what to do, so I headed to the ramparts as Manon invited me. The area around the gate is not accessible because the garrison people are guarding it, but you can climb up to the top of the wall from a distance. There is a passage on the wall, and when it comes to battle, the garrison members and adventurers will line up here to intercept the monsters. It''s about three floors above the ground, and it feels like you''re looking down at the Devil''s Forest, but other than the highway, the dense trees obstruct your view and you can''t see too far. Oops, the goblins are swarming, did they come to eat the corpses of the rock ogres? "The corpses of the rock ogres have been cleaned up." "Did Manon want to see a rock ogre?" "Yeah, even if you live in Volzard, if you don''t enter the forest, you don''t have many changes to see monsters, much less a ferocious monster like a rock ogre." "Well ... there''s a big difference between inside and outside the wall." Volzard is called the farthest city, but thanks to the walls, there seems to be almost no fear of being attacked by monsters in the city. However, in the event of an occasional outbreak, monsters cna get into the city and cause damage. "Kent, have you seen a rock ogre?" "Yeah, uh ... just from afar, but I''ve seen them." "That''s right, if you were near a rock ogre, you would be eaten immediately." No, Manon-chan, rock ogre can''t even get close to me, and it''s instantly killed by a vicious skeleton. "Hey, why did Manon decide to become an adventurer?" "Me? I ... I''m influenced by my dad." "Is your father an adventurer?" "Yeah, he was a very good adventurer ..." Is that the past tense? Perhaps I stepped on a land mine, and Manon''s expression had a shadow caster over it. According to Manon, Manon''s father was an adventurer specializing in mineral extraction. It seems that various mineral materials can be obtained from the dungeon, and many adventurers dive for minerals. In addition to gold ore, silver ore, copper ore, iron ore, etc., stones that can be used as gemstones can also be obtained. Manon''s father was a skillful adventurer who used earth attribute magic well and efficiently obtained materials. "Then, was he attacked by a monster in the dungeon ..." "No, my dad died of corruption disease three years ago." "Corruption disease ...?" "Yeah, is it called differently in Kent''s country? It''s a deadly illness where the stomach hurts and it gradually moves to the right lower abdomen and the internal organs rot." "Well, that''s ..." That''s just cecum, isn''t it? "Kent? What''s wrong?" "Well, is there no cure for that rot?" "Hmm ... In the academic city of Bakkenheim, there are good healers, but Volzard''s healers can''t cure it, and the only way to do it is to take a decoction." "Can they cure it if you go to Bakkenheim?" "Hmm ... maybe ... but I hear that you need a lot of money for treatment, so I think it''s impossible unless you''re an aristocrat." "I see ..." It''s not a fatal illness in Japan, but it seems that surgery isn''t done in this world, and it''s a scary illness that can lead to death if you get sick. "Thanks to my dad''s earning a lot, my mom and I can live, so I wanted to be an adventurer like my dad someday." "Your Mom doesn''t object to Manon diving into the dungeon?" "Hmm ... That remains undetermined, but I''ll be given the OK on the condition that I finish the fighting class and participate in a solid party." I see, in other words, you can''t dive alone. "I''m a water magician, so I think it will come in handy in a party." "Is that so?" "Yeah, because you can''t easily get safe water in the dungeon, and if you learn healing magic, you''ll be able to wash and heal your wounds." "Well, when it comes to bringing water, it''s heavy." "Yeah, people who dive in dungeons use dried perserved foods to reduce weight." "Really ... Is that right." I see, it seems to be quite difficult to dive in a dungeon normally. In my case, I can use shadow movement and shadow storage, so I can do it empty-handed and even on a day trip. I mean, I shouldn''t say that you can get water if you use camp paper. "Ke, Kent, if we can finish the battle class, uh ... why don''t we party together?" Why does Manon ask while facing away? I feel like her ears are red, but ... "A party, huh ... I haven''t thought about it ..." I''m interested in dungeons, and I''d like to try expeditions in search of materials, requests for subjugation, etc., but now the rescue of my classmates is the top priority, and I can''t afford to be thinking specifically about adventurer-like activites. "Well, is it no good ..." "Yeah, it''s not bad, but you can''t rely on only the two of us who just finished the course, right?" "Ah ... that''s for sure ..." Well, she just entered a downhearted mood. "I can''t think of it right now, and I don''t think I''ll be able to finish the course yet, but when I''m joining a party, I''ll always ask Manon." "Really?" "Uh, yeah ... it''s true." "Because it''s a promise, you absolutely have to!" "Uh, yeah ... I promise." After all, Manon wants to dive into the dungeon like her father. Do you really care about being invited to my party? Or is Manon also a loner and happy to find me who is a fellow loner? How can I check it? "Hey Kent, why don''t we go to the weapon shop?" "Weapon shop ...?" "Because you need a weapon to dive into a dungeon, right?" "Well ... that''s right." "Let''s go see it for a moment." "Uh, yeah, okay." Somehow, it seems as if we''re going to the dungeon tomorrow, but Manon has to think about breaking through the course first, right? That said, I still want to see weapons ... but it''s not like a date. If you follow Donovan-san''s teachings, I think that the weapons I can use now are limited, but it may be good to know the actual price. We were just going to the weapon shop, but ... Is it bad to hold hands? Umm, how can I say it, is a lover handhold no good? I casually reached out to grab Manon''s hand ... I stopped, then reached out ... I stopped ... We arrived at the weapon shop while I was doing that. "What''s wrong? Kent." "Yeah ... no, nothing ..." "Weird Kent ..." Gussun, I was told that I was weird, I was weird ... Gussun. When I regained my mind and entered the weapon shop, a female clerk welcomed us. "Welcome, Manon. Oh, you have a companion today ..." "Hello, Nasha-san. He is ... my fr, friend Kent." "Nice to meet you, I''m Kent." "I''m Nasha, nice to meet you." Nasha-san is an adult woman with purple hair cut into short bobs. Unlike the stores run by ugly middle-aged old men, it seems that you can easily see the products. Inside the store, there is a variety of weapons, from small foldable knives to bastard swords. "Ah ... Does Nasha-san make the weapons for this shop?" "No, I''m the manager of the store, and it''s my younger brother who makes the weapons." "You brother is a blacksmith, is he?" "He''s not a bad guy, but he''s a bit of a weirdo, so he''s not suitable for business." "I see, he''s got the spirit of a true artisan?" "Oh yeah, that''s it." Weapons made by Nasha-san''s younger brother are lined up in the store, and feedback is given on what kind of items have a good reputation. Manon hasn''t actually bought any weapons yet, but she came with her father and is a regular customer. "Hey Kent, aren''t you excited just by looking at it?" "Yeah, that''s right ..." Normally, I think girls are excited about clothes and accessories, but in the case of Manon, the target is a knife or a dagger that can cut. Looking at the price, it is quite expensive, from about 1,000 Helts for large knives to about 4,000 Helts for expensive ones. I can buy them because I have the money collected from the carriage on my way to Volzard and the magic stones of the rock ogre, but to suddenly buy a gift is strage. I would buy her a knife, since the relationship between me and Manon is inseparable ... but I feel like she would be put off. "Kent is it? What kind of weapon do you want to use?" "I have only practiced with a wooden sword, so I honestly don''t know what kind of weapon is good." I was asked by Nasha-san, but I could only answer that I didn''t know. "I see, it feels like you''ve just started combat training, right?" "Yes, and I think my body is becoming stronger, so I''m thinking of choosing a weapon soon." "Yeah, that''s pretty impressive for someone so young. Normally, a child of your age wants a weapon that doesn''t fit his size." It''s probably nothing to do with size, but because non-standard swords and shields lie in the shadows. "Donovan-san has his eyes on me, so if I had a weapon that didn''t fit my size, what would he say ... I''m horrified just thinking about it." "Aha, you, Donovan-san is paying attention to you, so you can get some advice during the lesson, so please listen to it before you buy." "Yes, I will ... but when will it be ..." "It''s okay, okay, Donovan-san doesn''t set his eye on someone unless they''re a promising guy, so I think you''re really talented." "That''s right ... well, I want to be stronger than Gilik-san." "Hmm ... you''re pretty interesting. Yes, if you get advice from Donovan-san, I''ll introduce you to my younger brother. After all, it''s better to make a special weapon." "Thank you, but please hold your expectations." When I was talking to Nasha-san, I was glared at by Manon. "Manon too, If Donovan-san puts his eyes on you I''ll talk to my younger brother." Ah, I see, Manon wasn''t told they would make her a weapon. I was glared at because I was given a promise first. "But if it''s better to make it exclusively, isn''t it better to make one for everyone?" "Well, that''s right, but when my younger brother starts to get into it, he becomes obsessed, so the number that can be made is extremely reduced." "I see, that wouldn''t be profitable." "Oh yeah, I can''t live without eating." After that, Nasha-san taught me how to care for weapons and the process of making special weapons, but when I talked to her, Manon was in a bad mood. After all, is a special weapon something you admire? Other customers came to the store and started talking to Nasha-san, so we decided to leave. "Nasha-san, I''ll be back again." "Yes, come play again any time, Manon too." At Nasha-san''s words, Manon just nodded with Kokun. It seems that she is still in a bad mood. It''s good to leave the weapon shop, but it''s still a little early to just stop and go home. In other words, the pinch has arrived again, what should we do after this? Tea, tea? "Ke, Kent, do you like older women like Nasha-san and Muell-san?" "Well, that''s not the case ... why?" "Because ... you talked together so happily ..." "Eh? That was about something I didn''t know, so I just thought it would be a good learning experience." "Is that right?" Hmm? I feel like Manon''s mood has returned. I thought, and then I was stopped. "Kent, Kent!" "Ah ... Hello Meline-san." It was Meline-san, the object of Kartz-san''s crush, who called out to me. "Thank you for yesterday, I managed to talk to Kartz-san." "Well, that''s good, so what did Kartz-san say?" "Yeah, he told me to do what I wanted, and he would help me if I needed anything, and he had my back." "Well, so ... what about the eatery?" "Yeah, it''s lonely to close it like this, so I''m thinking of taking a leave of absence, going to train, trying again, and closing it if it still doesn''t work." "I see ... where will you practice?" "Yeah, that''s the problem, isn''t there a good store?" Meline-san is thinking with her arms folded. "Hey, Kent, do you know of a good store?" "A good shop is it ... Hmm ... Amanda-san''s shop where I''m boarding ...?" "Hey, does the place Kent is boarding at have a cafeteria?" "Yes, Amanda-san''s food is excellent." "Hey, I don''t need a salary, so if I ask, will she train me?" "Hmm ... Amanda-san''s shop seems to be busy, and I think it''s okay because she''s a caretaker ..." "Please, could you introduce me a little?" I can''t say that I won''t if I''m asked by Meline-san, the soul of Kartz-san, who took care of me when I arrived at Volzard. "I don''t know if it will work out, but it''s okay if you just want me to ask." "Thanks so much!" Fooooooo! I was hugged by Meline-san. Hii, hii, Manon-chan is turning into a Yaksha at the edge of my field of vision ... "Then, is it okay to go right now?" "Yes, I think it''s time to prepare for night, so I think it''s okay." I decided to return to the boarding house with Meline-san, but Manon''s mood turned sour. "I''m going home ... En, joy, your, self!" "Oh, that ... Manon ... Manon-chan ..." Ah, don''t touch me, with such an aura fully open, Manon leaves in a huff. "I''m sorry ... I was so happy ... she got angry." "Um ... yes, there are various complex things ..." "Is that so?" "Yes, maybe ..." When I returned to the boarding house with Meline-san and talked to Amanda-san, she gave me two replies. The store was thriving and she was thinking of relying on someone to help her. Meisa-chan seems to be a little dissatisfied, because ... "Now Meisa will be able to study slowly, you can do it properly." "Uh ... oh, I''m going to take over the store, so why am I studying ..." "Because it''s no good, even if you take over the store, it''s a big difference between being educated and not being educated!" "Huh ... I understand ..." Apparently Meisa-chan is not good at studying. Let me help you when I have time next time. I mean, it''s okay, I can teach you about math, right? Meline-san seems to be starting training immediately from tonight. Fred called out when I was thinking of relaxing in my room until dinner. [ Kent-sama ... It looks like there will be a real battle tomorrow ... ] [ What, already? Okay, you continue to scout and give me the report later ... ] [ Roger that ... ] I knew that the actual battle would be held unexpectedly early to show off, but I didn''t think it would be tomorrow. I have to make a lot of preparations tonight ... It seems I''ll be busy. CH 28 Contact with the chairman ***---*** On that day, it was a dinner for four people with Meline-san, who started helping as training. I was helping Meisa-chan study until dinner, but she seems to be not good at math and is about to have steam come out from her head. "Kii ... Arithmetic I HATE IT ... It''s absolutely strange that Kent can solve a problem so easily even though you''re just Kent!" "Ha ha ha, if you are struggling with that degree of problem, Meisa-chan has a long way to go ... ha ha ha." "Kii ... You''re just Kent, you''re just Kent, you''re just Kent!" Meisa-chan is about three years younger than me, so in Japan she would be in fifth grade, but the calculation problem was easier. When I was in Japan, I was a drop-out level student, but it''s natural to solve problems of this level. "Anyway ... if you can''t calculate, you can''t do business by making a mistake in the change. You have to buy good items at a little cheaper price, so you have to keep studying hard. That''s it." "Uuu ... I know ..." It seems that Meisa-chan still needs to study in order to succeed Amanda-san and manage the cafeteria. "But it was surprising that Kent was good at arithmetic ..." "Yes, your mom thinks so too ..." "Guu ... I''m worried about Meisa-chan''s future if she can''t do it better than I, who is bad at it..." "Truly, Meline has helped me, so I have to let Meisa study a lot." "Kii ... You''re just Kent ..." Hmm, I''m not going to lose to Meisa-chan just tonight. "Well, why don''t you eat the jibura I brought for dessert?" "Eat, I''ll eat! Hey, isn''t it good? Mom." "Yes, yes, I see, because you''re weak to jibura." As a greeting for training, Meline-san brought a jibura, which is a slightly elongated watermelon-like fruit with a purple skin. The armoa and taste are citrus sweet and sour, but the texture is watermelon. "It''s a fruit I haven''t seen in the country I lived in, but it looks like it can be harvested in hotter months ..." "Is there jibura in Kent''s country? Yes, it''s possible to get it during a hotter time, but you have to soak it in water and wait for the bitterness to go away before you eat it." "Hey ... can you really get rid of the bitterness by soaking it in water ..." "Ah, even though I say water, it must be water that has a healing effect with water attribute magic, not just water." According to Amanda-san, the timing of harvesting, the quality of the water to soak it in, and the timing of taking it out of the water are important for jibura. If you miss the timing of harvesting, the texture will be worse, if the water is bad, the bitterness will remain, and if you don''t soak it long enough, the bitterness will remain and the taste will be worse. "This one is good because it has a nice texture and no bitterness at all, isn''t it?" "Oh, that''s a good find, Meline, wasn''t it expensive?" "No, this isn''t expensive because I bought it from a supplier we''ve had since my dad ran the cafeteria." "Well, that kind of connection is important, because when you reopen the store, you''ll be taken care of again." "Yes, they''ve always been very good to me, so I try greet them when I see them." Meisa-chan is chewing jibura while we''re talking. "She''s usually a little noisy, but the appearance of munching crazily is like a rabbit and cute. "Meisa-chan, you can eat half of mine." "Really? Thank you!" Uh ... the little demon turned into an angel. Meisa-chan, who was also given some by Meline-san, seems to have enjoyed jibura to her heart''s content. Meline-san went home and I returned to my room, it''s time to get busy. Tomorrow, I have to rescue my classmates by taking advantage of the actual battle in the Devil''s Forest. I need to be prepared for that. Fred and Basten also came back. [ Then, Fred, tell me what you learned about tomorrow. ] [ Understood ... Five people will be sent to the actual battle in the Devil''s Forest ... Three knights will lead them. ] [ Although five people are little, it''s a little troublesome to have three knights leading them. ] [ It''s okay ... two of them will only go to the entrance of the forest ... ] According to Fred''s investigation, two of the three knights who are in the leading role are the coachman and the guardian of the carriage. Five people are carried by carriage from the garrison to the entrance of the Devil''s Forest, where the carriage returns to the garrison. [ Wait a minute, then from the beginning, aren''t they just killing the five people for a show in the Devil''s Forest? ] [ It''s close to that ... If they don''t want to die, they can walk back by themselves ... ] I know there will be monsters, five people instead of one, and they''re halfway through training. Compared to me, who was thrown out alone without even knowing that monsters would appear, there is still a high probability of survival, but there is no substitute for being made to do a desperate march. [ Don''t worry, Kent-sama. The fact that there is only one knight to lead means they aren''t assuming the invasion of dangerous monsters, that is, they should not go deep into the forest, so it is unlikely that they will encounter dangerous monsters before rescue. ] [ I see, if there are are many rock ogres ... just one knight can''t protect them when it comes to things. ] [ No, Kent-sama, the knight probably has no intention of protecting them. ] [ Ah ... well, are they only thinking about running away safely ... ] If they''re willing to take them back alive, the knights in the carriage should be left as escorts. [ And it may be a role to see what kind of ending they will have in the Devil''s Forest. ] The fact that the number of people thrown into the actual battle is as small as five may be the number of people who will not hurt to be lost even if they are wiped out. If so, let''s take advantage of it and rescue the five while making them think they''re dead. And if you have five people, escorting them to Volzard should be easier. [ Kent-sama, let''s report to Donovan and get in touch with the Saint. ] [ Well, then, from Donovan-san first ... ] I dived into the shadow from the boarding house room and moved to the guild. The guild''s business hours have already ended, and I think that there are only people in the bar that is attached to the guild ... but in the room behind the counter, Donovan-san is left alone to work. It seems that he is reading the material by illuminating his hand with a magic tool of light. If I suddenly appear, I feel like I''m going to take a fatal blow without being asked questions, so I''ll call out and then go out of the shadows. "Good evening, Donovan-san, it''s Kent." "Mmm ... is the actual battle tomorrow?" "Why do you think that ..." "If you appear from such a place at such a time ..." Donovan-san grinned at me when I came out from the shadow of the desk. "Ah ... that''s true. Yes, they should be able to reach Volzard in a few days." "How many people?" "That''s right, the number of people is five." "Tsk ... they''re really making an example of them?" "Even so, I''ll proactively rescue them." "Yes, stay ahead of the enemy, don''t fall behind, I''ll prepare to accept them, so come here without worrying about it." "Yes, thank you." "Kent, can you move using that shadow regardless of the distance?" "Yes, if it''s a place I''ve been to, I can ignore the distance and move." "If so, please contact me when the rescue is over." "Okay, then prepare for acceptance, thank you." I shook hands with Donovan-san and returned to the boarding house. Next, I have to contact the chairman in Lastock. I was planning to use a letter to contact the chairman, but I don''t have time to write the letter anymore, so I have no choice but to aim for the time when she''s alone and talk directly. When I went to Lastock''s garrison by shadow movement, the chairman had already finished the treatment of her classmates and returned to her dormitory. The chairman''s room is located in the dormitory where those who are judged to be mages by the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' are gathered. There was a private room for several classmates on the first floor of the three-story dormitory, the second floor was the floor occupied by the handsome guy, and the third floor was the floor for the chairman. It has a large living room, a luxurious bedroom, a private bathroom, a toilet, and a room for the caretaker Erna to stay. As for security, a female knight is stationed at the place where you come up the stairs. If something goes wrong, an alarm will be sounded to notify them, and it seems that multiple knights are stationed at the first floor of the dormitory. The chairman had already finished dinner, had finished bathing, and was ready to go to bed. "Saint-sama, do you have any other needs?" When asked by the caretaker Erna, the chariman refuses to look, let alone speak. There is a cold air that you can''t think of as existing between two people who were once happily holding hands in the examination room. "Then, I will come to wake you up at the usual time tomorrow morning, good night." Even though Erna bowed deeply, the chairman was just looking in the opposite direction and didn''t respond. The room where Erna stays is requires going through the living room to get to the chairman''s room, but it''s just a wall in between. Moreover, the bed where the chairman sleeps and the bed where Erna sleeps are lined up just across the wall. If I talk to the chairman in this situation, there is a risk that she will hear me through the wall. [ Kent-sama ... You''ll have a chance soon ... ] According to Fred, after this, Erna will go to report to Camilla. This is a custom since the relationship between the chairman and Erna cooled down due to Funayama''s death. Either way, it''s conventient for me. [ Fred see what Erna is reporting to Camilla, and let me know when she comes back here. ] [ Roger that ... ] The chairman remained facing away from the door for a while after Erna left the room, but then she sighed, then sat down on the bed and covered her face with both hands. "Uuh ... uuh ..." The chairman muffled her voice and shed tears, which Erna was listening to from the other side of the door. Eventually, Erna left the door silently, exiting the living room and went out of the room. Apparently, it seems that she is heading to report to Camilla now. [ Then Fred, I''m counting on you. ] [ Roger that ... ] After asking Fred to watch Erna and let me know when she was returning to her bedroom, the chairman wiped her tears and was about to go to bed. "Chairman ... Chairman ..." "What ... who!" "Shh, chairman, quietly ..." "... Who? Where are you ...?" The chairman was surprised for a moment and her voice became louder, but soon she lowered her voice and began to look around. "First of all, I''m not a ghost." "You''re not a ghost ...? Hmm, maybe ... Kokubun-kun?" "Yeah, that''s right, now that I can use darkness attribute magic, I can move in the shadow world." "Yup, anyway, you''re okay." As it looked to the chairman, I slowly appeared from the shadow on the window side where the moonlight shines. "Good evening ... chairman ... Wapuu!" "I''m so glad ... I''m so glad you''re safe ... Uuu ..." As soon as I came out, I was hugged by the chairman. I mean, chairman, ch, chest is hitting meee ... "I''m so glad ... Camilla said you couldn''t be saved ... It''s good that you weren''t eaten alive by monsters ..." No, I was eaten by goblins alive once, but it''s better not to say that. Finally, I decided to sit on the bed and talk after being invited by the calmed down chairman. That''s fine, but the chairman is in thin nightwear. "Chairman, you should wear something in case you catch a cold ..." "Yeah, that''s right ..." Chairman, it''s good to put on a blanket, but why are you trying to wrap me up in it with you? Well, if you get so close, I''ll be more conscious. "Uhu, Kokubun-kun, you''re so warm ..." The chairman gave me a nice scent of soap, and the gesture of tilting her neck and staring at me was so cute it was dangerous. "So how was Kokubun-kun saved?" "When I was attacked by a goblin, I unknowingly summoned a skeleton using dark magic and asked them to help me." "Is that so, then why?" "Yeah, I''ll explain in order." After being driven to the Devil''s Forest alone, I explained the things up to today to the chairman step by step. I can use dark magic, I have traversed the Devil''s Forest with a powerful skeleton at my side, the other side of the Devil''s Forest was another country, I entered Volzard, lived in a boarding house, and searched for a job in the guild. I talked to the lord Klaus-san about his work and was promised everyone''s acceptance. "It''s amazing ... Kokubun-kun alone prepared for that ..." "Yeah, I''m not alone, because Reinhardt and the others cooperated." "But it''s amazing, I couldn''t do anything ... If I could use magic better, Funayama-kun ..." "No! It''s not the chairman''s fault, I couldn''t help Funayama, and that''s the responsibility of Camilla and the others, not the chairman." "Kokubun-kun ... Thank you." "Chairman, so it''s about the future ..." I told her that the shadow movement of the darkness attribute can not be used for rescue operations, that I can rescue everyone using the actual battle in the Devil''s Forest, and that I want everyone to become stronger in order to traverse the Devil''s Forest. "I think it would be better if I was thought to be dead to proceed with the rescue operation." "Well, Camilla and the others don''t think Kokubun-kun is planning a rescue operation." "Yes, so act thinking that tomorrow''s rescue operation isn''t going on." "What? Tomorrow''s rescue operation ...?" "Ah? Oh yeah, didn''t the chairman hear that an actual battle will be held in the Devil''s Forest tomorrow?" "No! Will there be an actual battle tomorrow?" After all, it seems that the chairman had not been told about the actual battle, and she gave a surprised voice. "Shh! Chairman, loud voice ..." "I''m sorry, but they''re actually fighting ..." "Yeah, it seems like they''ll pick five people to make an example of and send them to the actual battle." "That ... they can''t really fight yet." The chairman''s face drains of blood and tremors are transmitted to her arms. "It''s okay, don''t worry, I will definitely help the five of them and take them to Volzard first." "Really? Is it really okay?" "Yeah, the three skeletons that help me are insanely strong and can move in the shadows like I do, so I''ll protect them all safely." "Kokubun-kun ... I''m glad ... I''m really glad that Kokubun-kun is here ..." Hmmmm ... The chairman hugged my arm and leaned her head on my shoulder, and the degree of close contact is already dangerous. [ Kent-sama ... Erna is coming back ... ] [ Un, understood ... ] What a timing it is for coming back ... "Chairman, Erna seems to be coming back, so I''ll go now. Tomorrow, the five will have their deaths faked and will be rescued, so act well so that Camilla and the others don''t catch on." "Okay, I see, Kokubun-kun, please be careful." "Yeah, then I''ll be back for you." "Yeah, I''ll be waiting ..." If you hug me so much, I won''t want to go home. [ Kent-sama ... go back ... ] [ Uh, yeah ... then ... ] As Fred pulled my foot back into the shadow world, the door of the room was knocked on. "Saint-sama, I''m sorry to disturb you ..." Erna entered the bedroom without waiting for the chairman''s reply. The chairman turned a moody look at Erna, pretending to have been asleep. "I''m sorry to disturb you, but I have to hurry to let you know ..." "No way, someone again ..." "No, it''s not, it''s not ..." "What is it, just say it." Oh, isn''t this the first time that the chairman is acting? No, I wonder if she hasn''t acted before. "Actually ... tomorrow, an actual battle will be held in the Devil''s Forest, the number of people is five." "No way! Do you really want to kill five people in a sudden battle?" "No, never that ..." "In the first place, what can I do when I know it? You''re trying to make me think I can''t do anything and make me compliant? Yeah, I can''t do anything anyway. If you want to laugh, you should laugh." "That ... I told you that ..." "Get out! It''s unpleasant, so get out!" Erna, who was hit by the chairman, gently put the pillow back on the edge of the bed and bowed before leaving the room. "Why, why do we have to do this kind of thing ... uu ... uuuu ..." After screaming, the chairman covered her face and cried ... or pretended to and then stuck out her tongue, and went to bed in a good mood. Hmm ... Chairman, you really are part of the acting sect. If this is the case, I won''t worry. Even so, the chairman''s mental and physical burden is heavy, so she must be rescued as soon as possible while taking care of her occasionally. First of all, we must succeed in tomorrow''s rescue operation. I''ll do my best with enthusiasm. CH 29 The actual battle of the Devil''s Forest ***---*** Today is the day to carry out the first rescue operation. After contacting Donovan-san and the chairman last night, I returned to the boarding house without training in the middle of the night and slept early in preparation for today. Thanks to that, I feel refreshed and my body feels full of strength. When I left the room to wash my face in the well behind the boarding house, Meisa-chan stood in the hallway with her arms outstretched. "Good morning, Meisa-chan, what''s wrong?" "Well, it''s no good, Kent is off limits from here onwards!" "Huh? I''m off limits?" "Absolutely, absolutely off limits! See, hurry up and go!" "No ..." I wonder what that whole thing was about, I don''t have any reason to go to Meisa-chan''s room ... Before going down the stairs to the well, I greeted Amanda-san. "Good morning, Amanda-san." "Ah, good morning Kent, breakfast will be ready soon, so wash your face." "Yes, oh yeah, what''s wrong with Meisa-chan? This way is off limits ..." "Oh, that''s right, she doesn''t want you to see the futon that she drew a map on in the middle of the night."(TN: Apparently a term for bedwetting) As soon as Amanda-san answered in a loud voice, Meisa-chan''s face changed colors and she ran down the stairs. "Mom, why did you tell Kent! I told you to keep it a secret!" "Hmm, at that age, my daughter who is bedwetting should feel embarrased and reflect upon it." "Kii ... Okaa-san you meanie ..." "Amanda-san, Meisa-chan should be banned from jibura for the time being." "Oh, that''s right, let''s do that." "No, it''s absolutely no good to ban jibura! Kii ... Kent is always so cheeky!" "Well ... that''s because, bedwetting is a bad thing ..." "Kii ... hate, hate, I really hate Kent!" "Look, I''m going to go eat breakfast, if you make such a loud noise, Meisa-chan will be the topic of rumors in the neighborhood." "Nyaaaa ... No, no, absolutely no! If Kent talks outside, I''ll kick you out." With her face bright red, swinging her hands around, Meisa-chan is doing fine this morning. "It''s okay, Meisa-chan, don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone." "Really? Really really? Absolutely don''t do it." "Yeah, it''s okay, because ... I can''t tell anyone such an embarrasing thing." "Ukiii ... stupid, stupid, stupid Keeent!" I was beaten by Meisa-chan, but for the me of now who has been training since I came to Volzard ... "Look, eat up quickly, don''t you have to dispose of it, hey! "Hmm, remember, I''ll definitely get back at you someday ..." "Wow ... no, haven''t you had enough revenge?" "Snort ..." I ate her left and right hooks with my stomach ... Oh, it would have been dangerous after a meal, I was about to hurl. She was frustrated, so I watched Meisa-chan''s pouting face and enjoyed breakfast while grinning. Now that I''m not hungry, let''s regain our spirit and start the rescue operation. "Amanda-san, I won''t be back for a couple of days since I have to help Donovan-san, but don''t worry." "Oh, I see, then you''ll be back on soil day?" "Maybe around that, but until then, food is prepared." "Yes, well, we will have something, so don''t hesitate when you come back." "Yes, thank you, then I''m going." "Yes, be careful." After leaving the boarding house, I sink into the shadows of the alley on the way to the guild and move to the Lastock garrison. My classmates were lined up at the training ground at the garrison listening to Camilla''s instructions. "We seem to have some idiots who still don''t understand what they''re doing, even though we''ve been doing a meritorious deed and rigorously training them to the point they won''t die." From a platform about 1 meter high, Camilla folds her arms and looks down at my classmates. Outrageous, she''s totally outrageous. "If you don''t get into training, you must be really confident, so I''ll let you go to an actual battle instead of training as you wish." When Camilla says that, everyone takes a sharp breath and some girls start crying. "Quiet! Don''t disturb the line! Get out in front when I call your name! Kazuki Nitta, Tatsuya Furuta, Yusuke Yagi, Tomoko Kobayashi, Akemi Sakurai." Five people, Nitta Kazuki, Furuta Tatsuya, Yagi Yusuke, Kobayashi Tomoko, and Sakurai Akemi, were selected for today''s actual battle. [ Wow ... the old and new duo, the fake glasses, and the dekoboko sisters ... I''m surprised that the selection of people is so accurate. ](TN: Not sure how to translate this dekoboko, there''s no real translation in English. It can mean bumpy, rough, uneven, etc., but it doesn''t really translate properly. Literal meaning is Convex/Concave. I''ll leave it as dekoboko for now.) [ Kent-sama, are they well known faces? ] [ Yeah, not as much as Funayama, but he''s infamous in his grade due to his trait. ] Nitta Kazuki is in the baseball club, and Furuta Tatsuya is in the soccer club, but both of them are hot-blooded muscle-brains, Nitta means new rice field, and Furuta means old rice field, so they''re the old and new duo. Yagi Yusuke is a newpaper member who can deal with the other party by talking them down, and since the articles he writes are only gossip and fake information, his nickname is fake glasses.(TN: It''s not that his glasses are fake, but he''s a glasses guy who deals in fake info.) Kobayashi Tomoko is a member of the volleyball club and is nearly 180 cm tall. Sakurai belongs to the tennis club and is only about 150 cm tall, but she has a muscular body and is called a mini macho. Kobayashi-san and Sakurai-san are best friends, and they are called the dekoboko sisters, who are the girls'' allies who lash out at that Funayama, and they are feared by the boys. However, it seems that even the five of them understand what it means to be called here, and no one is willing to draw Camilla''s ire. After looking down at the five, Camilla grinned and then opened her mouth. "Rejoice, you are the first to have the honor of going into battle. Enjoy the Devil''s Forest to your heart''s content and struggle to live." "N, no, but, if we''re missing from here ..." "Objection is not permitted, get ready and go! The rest of you should start training as usual!" Fake glasses started to try his favorite far-fetched argument, but was easily shot down by Camilla. Camilla is infuriating, but she''s on a whole different level. The five are put on a covered wagon as in Fred''s information and are sent off to the Devil''s Forest like calves to slaughter. Some of the girls who see them off are crying raggedly. That alone is a big difference from my time. The wagon with a thick cover is dimly lit, and if I try hiding in the shadows, I can move with it without walking. Yeah, the darkness attribute is convenient. The five people on the wagon are silent without words, with an expression of it being the end of the world. The knight guarding them who was the situation spoke with a grinning smile. "What happened to your usual vigor? It''s too late to be scared by this time." "Shut up will you, we just have to kill monsters and achieve the quota, I''ll do it!" "Hmm, with your magic right now, I''d hope that you could kill one goblin at least ... well, do your best to struggle." "Tsk ... I''m seriously angry ..." Kobayashi-san replied, but Sakurai-san of the duo is trembling with her face pale. Sakurai-san usually lashes out at the boys, but she seems to be completely afraid in the case of a monster. The old and new duo have their arms crossed and their eyes closed, but their legs continue to shake. Yagi kept looking around, touching the stems of his glasses with his right hand. It is no exaggeration to say that once you leave the garrison, the drawbridge is just a stone''s throw away, and once you cross the bridge, it is an area occupied by monsters. After climbing the barely maintained rugged slope, we are at the place where we were summoned. From there, we went down steadily, but the road was bad and the wagon shook violently, and Yagi was about to bite his tongue. Still, it''s easier than when I was walking in my slippers. The wagon stopped in front of the Devil''s Forest. "OK, get off everyone!" "No, I hate ... please, I''ll train properly, so take me home ..." The frightened words of Sakura-san seem to be the shared opinion of the five. The knight guarding them said with an angry smile of amusement. "Don''t disobey, everyone, immediately, get off, the wagon!" As the knight spat out his words, he said one word at a time, and Sakurai-san stood up with a jerky movement like a puppet and got off the wagon. [ Kent-sama, just now is the effect of the slave bracelet. ] [ Yeah, I don''t feel like they''re moving of their own volition. ] When the five were lined up near the carriage, they were given a slender sword and knife. After hading out the swords and knives, the wagon really went back quickly. The remaining knight began to teach while straddling his horse. "Well, we''re about to enter the Devil''s Forest, and you should think about a formation. I''ll be watching from behind." "Ehh, why are we going first?" Yagi complained, but the knight leading them didn''t listen. "Obviously, it''s because it''s a real battle from here. The quota is to bring back three goblin magic stones per person, that''s fifteen magic stones in total for everyone. Let''s get started!" "No, I hate it ... I can''t do this ..." "At-chan, I''m here, I won''t go anywhere." "Tomo-chan ... I''m scared ..." Sakurai-san is panicking and Kobayashi-san is quiet, but her face is pale and she''s trembling and shivering. "Tsk, this is no time to be scared ... Ora, don''t disobey, everyone, go along the path of the Devil''s Forest!" The five were also deprived of their physical freedom and began to walk into the Devil''s Forest with jerky movements. Yagi holds the handle of his sword and looks around with a jerk. The old and new duo look more calm than Yagi, but they still look nervous. "OK! Kazuki and I will line up in the front, and the three of you guys follow with Sakurai in the middle." Furuta seems to have settled down in the formation of front right, Nitta on the left, Yagi on the back right, Sakurai in the center, and Kobayashi on the back left. [ By the way, are Reinhardt and the goblins here? ] [ No, they''re not nearby yet. ] I didn''t know it clearly because I just looked around from the shadow, but there is no sign of a monster nearby yet. "Be careful! Don''t let your guard down!" "Don''t overlook the unnatural shaking of the bushes!" The old and new duo who move forward proceed while calling out to the three people behind. Perhaps they were threatened at the garrison, and all five of them swallow hard many times, sweat cold sweat, and continue to be vigilant about their surroundings. Yeah, it''s so tense that just looking at them mkaes me feel tired. The knight, who is the leader, is about 20 meters behind the five people and is watching the surroundings while riding his horse. Since we have already set foot in the Devil''s Forest, there is a sense of tension in the knight''s face, but it is not an excessive tension like the five people, and I feel that there is no carelessness in his vigilance. I think this is the difference in experience. With their backs bent timidly, the five of them went down the road in the woods for about 200 meters. It''s about time for goblins or kobolds will come out. The knight leading them is unknowingly at a distance of about 40 meters, twice the first time. "Hey, stop!" It was Nitta who raised his voice. "Can you see over there ...?" There was a goblin 70 or 80 meters away, where Nitta pointed. It seems that it is injured, keeping an eye on its surroundings. "It looks like only one, it''s just right, let''s do it." "Well, let''s do it, you guys should be on the lookout here." Furuta told Yagi and the other two to wait. "Are you chanting?" "That''s right ..." "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" Apparently, the old and new duo are going to kill it. [ It might be a bad move ... ] [ Eh? But there is only one goblin. It''s okay, isn''t it? ] [ Kent-sama, if you see one goblin, always think that there are twenty. ] Yeah ... isn''t that a different G?(TN: G = Gokiburi = Cockroach) [ Well, this is the edge of the Devil''s Forest, so it''s probably less than that, but it won''t be alone. ] [ That means it has friends nearby? ] [ That''s fine, but I''m worried about why the goblin is injured. ] [ Ah ... do you mean that it was attacked by another monster? ] [ It''s highly possible. ] With Reinhardt''s worries aside, the old and new duo stealthily approached the goblin, and eventually the goblin also noticed the old and new duo. The goblin was very concerned about its back, and compared with the old and new duo approaching from the front, it turned its fangs and threatened them. "Gyii ... Gyagya!" Even thought it is a one-on-one situation, it seems that it is heading for the old and new duo instead of running away. "Okay, Kazuki, I''ll draw its attention, so when you see a chance slash it, I''ll follow up as soon as you hit." "Okay Tatsuya, isn''t it the usual feeling?" "Ah, can I get beaten by one of these small fries?" "Obviously, this is just fine." "Oh, I''ll do it ..." The old and new duo seems to be using a strategy in which the goblin is attacked from both sides, Furuta draws attention, and Nitta slashes first. Both of them had already pulled out their swords and were ready to slash at any time. "Gyigyi ... Gya ... Gya Gya!" As expected, the goblin is repeatedly intimidating by showing its fangs towards Furuta, who is approaching half a step forward. Nitta, who is in the baseball club, held his sword like a bat and narrowed the distance. Furuta turns the tip of his sword around to draw attention and make Nitta disappear from the goblin''s field of vision. "Gya ... Gyagya ..." "Daaaaaaa!" At the moment when the goblin''s attention was completely directed at Furuta, Nitta slammed his sword at its neck with a full swing. There was a dull noise, and the goblin fell down, sprinkling fresh blood from its neck. Perhaps the sword hit the bones of the neck straight, with the neck torn in half, the goblin repeatedly twitched and convulsed. Furuta stabbed the goblin''s chest with his sword held in reverse grip and finished it off. "Oh! I did it!" "Wow! I did it, I killed one!" When the old and new duo screamed, the remaining three people rushed in with a smile. "Oh, so this is a goblin ... Gross." The goblin''s corpse feels gross and unpleasant because it has a shape similar to that of a human. Yagi''s words seem to represent everyone''s thoughts, and everyone nods uniformly with the same expression. "Hey, who will take out the magic stone?" At the words of Nitta, everyone looked at each other, then the eyes of the four people focused on Yagi. "Wait a minute, why is it me?" "Nitta and I killed this goblin." "Akemi and I are girls, have some consideration." "The old and new duo are fine, but the dekoboko sisters haven''t done anything yet, have they?" "So, we''re girls, so be considerate." "Is calling yourself a girl apropriate ..." "What? Why are you complaining?" "Of course I would, someone so threatening tells me they''re a girl, I''m amazed." "Then, are you saying I''m not a woman?" Kobayashi-san proudly shows her bulges. "I was told a lot during training that if I discriminate against a man or woman, I can''t survive." "That''s not our values, we live with Japanese values." "Hey, I''m telling you that you can''t survive, if you go to another town, you have to do as the locals do." Reindhardt called me while I was watching Yagi and Kobayashi-san fighting over the dismantling of the goblin. [ Kent-sama, it''s bad, they''re surrounded. ] [ Eh? What ... it''s not an ogre is it? ] [ Yes, it looks like they''re surrounded by a flock of orcs. ] An orc is not as big as an ogre, but it is still more than 2 meters tall and weighs about 200 kg. The bipedal pig looks even bigger than sumo wrestlers and looks surprisingly muscular. [ Kent-sama ... 14 in all ... ] [ Ahhh ... They can''t deal with that with five people. Reinhardt and the others prepare to defeat them. ] Looking at the five, it seems that they are still fighting over the dismantling of the goblin and are unaware of the approach of the orcs. If you look at the knight leading them ... he''s already gone. You escape fast, oy! [ The knight ... escaped as soon as he found the orc ... ] [ He really didn''t want to protect them, did he? ] [ I mean .. it''s not unreasonable with this number of orcs ... ] If you are a good adventurer, you can compete with orcs even if it is one to three, but if you have one to four or more, you will have a hard time. It seems that it is only a suicide act to be the opponent of ten or more orcs with five people who are almost useless and oneself. The judgment of the knight who ran off on his horse at a glance and escaped seems to be a very correct judgment if he emphasizes his survival. "Hey, what''s that ..." "That''s bad, run away ... They''re here too!" It seems that the five people who had been fighting over the dismantling of the goblin finally noticed the existence of the orcs, but they are already approaching within a distance of about 50 meters. "What are you doing, we''re surrounded ..." "What should we do ... we have no choice but to defeat the guy at the exit of the forest and run away from them." "Defeat ... can you defeat that?" "No ... I don''t want to die, At-chan, I don''t want to die ..." The orcs who have already completed the siege shorten the distance and narrow the circle of the siege. "Yagi, Kobayashi, shoot that one with magic and kill him, Nitta and I will guard the back, so we can run to the outside of the forest at once." "Okay, Yagi, adjust the timing." "Okay, I''ll do it." Apparently, he intends to defeat the one on the road to the outside of the forest and escape from the siege. [ Kent-sama, what are you going to do? ] [ Yeah, I want to see everyone''s skills, so wait until the last minute, but intervene at a timing that they won''t get hurt. ] [ Buhahaha that''s a tall order. ] [ Sorry, I''ll be waiting here, so protect them with the three of you. ] [ Buhahaha leave it to me. ] [ No problem, Kent-sama. ] [ Rather affordable ... ] The orcs licking their tongues, aimed at the five trembling people, the three skeletons looking at them with joy, and the climax of the rescue operation is about to unfold. CH 30 Old and new, dekoboko sisters, fake glasses ***---*** I was a little surprised to find that the orcs were hunting by surrounding their prey, but when I thought about it, when I was eaten by goblins, I was caught by being pincered from both sides. It''s no wonder that the orcs have encircled them, because even the goblins attack the enemy from both sides. Surrounded by a flock of orcs, the five seem to have decided to open the vital path. Kobayashi-san and Yagi have begun preparing to cast magic towards the orcs that are blocking the road leading to the outside of the forest. "I''m ready, fake glasses!" "Anytime, is it!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a blade!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become water, dance, dance, dance oh water, and become a lance!" "One, two ... Uryaaaaaaa!" Kobayashi-san activated wind attribute attack magic and Yagi activated water attribute attack magic. The blade of wind is invisible to the eye, but the water-based attack magic, which is a little unreliable to call a lance, was easily blown off by the orc swinging a club. However, at the next moment, Kobayashi-san''s wind attribute magic hit the orc. "Bufu ...?" Fresh blood splattered from the shoulder of the orc. "Did we do it ...?" "Hey, don''t set a weird flag!" As if it was cut by a kamaitachi, blood oozed out and then gushed out all at once, and an expression of anger floated onto the orc''s face.(TN: A Kamaitachi is a mythical weasel that rides a whirlwind and inflicts sharp painless wounds.) "Bumoooo!" "Bumoooo! Bumoooo!" When the orc hit by the magic roared, other orcs started roaring, narrowing the circle of the siege at once. The power of the roars made the five people tremble as they stood. "No, it didn''t work at all." "Hey, what should we do, what should we do, huh!" "No ... help me, someone help me!" Sakurai-san in a panicked state cried. I''m sure I was like this when I was eaten by goblins. Three evil skeletons emerged slowly from the shadows to protect the five who stood helplessly. Oh, they look like heroes, these guys! "Oh ... what are these guys ..." "Don''t joke around, a new monster ..." Leaving five surprised people, the three skeletons greeted the flock of orcs. Reinhardt, who stepped in with a tremendous force, swung his beloved sword Gram, and in a blink of an eye, the heads of five orcs were blown away. When Basten, who was standing still, wielded his beloved spear Gaebolg with a flash, five orcs had their eyebrows pierced and collapsed. When Fred''s jet-black body disappeared in a shimmering manner, the necks of four orcs rolled down, and the bodies that had lost hteir heads ran five or six steps and then collapsed. "What''s this ... we were saved ...? Even if Kobayashi-san asks a question, the other four people forget to answer and look around. Then, let''s answer, this me. "Everyone, please wait, I''m here to help!" When I went out of the shadow of Reinhardt and called out, the eyes of the five people were turned to me all at once. Wow, I''m a little scared, but I feel a little better. "Hey, you, you''re Kokubu?" "I think there are a lot of things you want to ask, but for now, give priority to getting away from here. First, I''ll remove the slave bracelets, so change into the clothes I''ve prepared." "Didn''t you die?" "Questions come later, if you don''t move quickly, the smell of blood will cause monsters to gather." "Wow, really ..." Well, at the place where the monsters gathered, Reinhardt and the others just slaughtered them. The best way to hurry is to take advantage of the horror of the monsters you just tasted. When I remove the slave bracelets, everyone is happy with a guts pose. They must have felt oppressed by the bracelet. "Why can you remove the bracelet?" "Because I can use darkness attribute magic, now, change clothes in a hurry and move, focus on size, do not worry about color or pattern, hurry up, monsters will come." The boys were asked to change clothes on the spot, and the girls were asked to change clothes in a simple changing room made by Fred and Basten by supporting a cloth as a tent. "These three are skeletons that I have summoned and strengthened with darkness magic, and they usually work for me. From now on, I will escort everyone to the fortified city of Volzard, across the forest." "I introduced Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred to the five people who finished changing their clothes. When they found out that they were allies and that they were knights who were active in the past, the facial expressions of the five people changed completely. "It''s amazing ... you killed that orc instantly." "I couldn''t see the spear handling at all." "Fred-san? Let alone his spear, I couldn''t even see when he moved." The old and new duo and Kobayashi-san seemed to be curious about the three, but let''s start moving first. "Let''s talk while we move, Sakurai-san, are you okay?" "Eh, uh, yeah, I''m okay, I''m okay." The crisis of monsters has passed, her deep blue complexion has returned to normal, and it seems that her usual tone is returning. She''s smaller than me, so it''s cute that I don''t have to change clothes to match her size. "You can walk without being forced by the bracelet." "Noisy fake glasses, you''re almost useless, aren''t you?" "What''s that, Mini Macho ..." "Yes, yes, let''s move, we''ll be attacked if we don''t leave soon." "Well, wait, that''s no good ..." "Kokubu, you''re so cold ..." "Fred, please use everyone''s clothes and bracelets as camouflage, Basten dispose of the corpses of the orcs." I asked Fred and Basten for post-processing and started moving with Reinhardt''s escort. "Then, I''ll explain what''s to come. I''m talking about going through the forest to get everyone accepted in the fortified city of the Republic of Landshelt, Volzard, which is different from the Kingdom of Resenburg with peace of mind. "We won''t be enslaved again?" "It''s natrual to worry about that Yagi, but since I talked to the lord and Reinhardt and the others are a valuable force to protect the city, everyone shouldn''t be enslaved in the first place. Slavery has been abolished in the Republic of Landshelt." The five people who heard the explanation are relieved and stroke their chests. After all, the treatment at the garrison was endured. "Once you get to Volzard, you''ll have an ID card made at the guild." "Oh, does that mean we''re active as adventurers?" "At first, I thought the same thing as Nitta, but the guild of Volzard is a place that deals with general work, so it''s like Hello Work."(TN: Hello Work is a place that helps people find jobs in Japan.) "Is that something like a normal part-time job?" "Yeah, that''s right, it feels like everything from the apprenticeship that Kobayashi-san thinks to the subjugation of monsters." "Can we also get a job such as exterminating monsters?" "Unfortunately, it''s probably impossible, no matter how strong your magical power is, it starts from E rank, usually F rank, so in order to be able to receive the work that Furuta wants, it is necessary to raise the rank." "Wow ... somehow, isn''t it finally becoming a different world!" "Isn''t there a beautiful onee-san in the guild?" "Isn''t there something delicious that is unique to this world?" "Yeah, I''m really looking forward to it." Seeing Yagi pumping his fist and rejoicing, everyone expressed their consent. If you can escape from that treatment of the garrison, it''s no wonder that your tension rises. But I have to warn them before they get into trouble. "It''s okay for everyone to be happy, but just listen to me. I''ve talked about getting Volzard to accept us, but after that I''ll still rescue about 200 classmates and get them accepted in the same way. You have to behave. If everyone causes trouble in Volzard, the talk of acceptance may be ruined, if so then we will have no place to go." "I mean, those guys summoned us on their own, so it''s natural to accept us with good treatment, right?" I''m glad I thought to warn them, I knew the muscle-brain wouldn''t listen. "Furuta''s stupid! You weren''t listening to Kokubu, right?" "What the hell, what''s wrong with what I said?" "He said that the city we''re going to go to is a different country from this one." "Ah ... that''s right ..." It seems that the dekoboko sisters and the fake glasses understand, so I will focus on the old and new duo. "This time, I took everyone out because you are thought to be dead, but after I resuce everyone, I have to negotiate to return to Japan, and until the negotiations are finalized, we have to live in Volzard. You''ll die in the Devil''s Forest." "Uh ... that''s a big problem ..." "Don''t do anything excessive, Tatsuya." "I know, I''ll be obedient isn''t that OK? Tsk, here we are in another world, but it''s not interesting ..." Indeed, the muscle-brains need a place to relieve stress. "Ah, if you want to subdue monsters, why don''t you take a combat technique training class in the guild?" "A combat technique training class? Seriously ... Is it possible to hit each other with a wooden sword?" "That''s right, it''s not like Lastock, it''s a proper match format." "Is that so? I wonder if I''ll take it ..." "If you clear all the courses from fire day to star day, you will get permission to dive alone in the dungeon." Everyone bit on the words that were leaked. "Seriously? Is there a dungeon?" "Wow ... go to the dungeon ..." "Does the dungeon have treasures sleeping in it?" "Kokubu-kun have you ever dived?" "What kind of monsters will come out?" "Stop, stop, wait a minute, I can''t answer when everyone asks at once." For the time being, silence everyone once and warn them again. "If everyone causes trouble, you can no longer explore the dungeon. Besides, the dungeon is as dangerous as the Devil''s Forest, and you can''t enter alone unless you clear the course, and the person who lived in my boarding house before me went to the dungeon. I was told he didn''t come back after diving." When they heard that it was as dangerous as the Devil''s Forest, it seemed to calm them down. "But ... We''ve been walking quite a bit from the previous place, but no monsters have come out." "Oh ... that''s right, here comes the bad habit of fake glasses." "Shut it, unlike you muscle-brains, I never neglect to observe." After being attacked by the orcs, it seems that the five people have relaxed because no monsters have appeared. "I''ll tell you, the reason why monsters don''t appear is that Reinhardt isn''t hiding his presence, so weak monsters just run away and don''t attack. Normally, this area is a place where goblins, kobolds, etc., are wandering around." "Seriously ...?" "How should I put it Yagi, when you entered the forest earlier and were attacked by orcs, have you already forgotten?" "No, I didn''t forget it ..." "Then, why don''t the five of you just walk to Volzard from here? If you hurry, you may arrive in two days." "Two days, is it really so far? I mean, where are we going to sleep, what about food?" Ah, it''s totally annoying fake glasses ... Should I squeeze him a little? "We have a tent and food, but you can go on alone." "Impossible, impossible, or rather, Kokubu you can''t go alone, right?" "Well, I can move in the shadows, so I can go to Volzard right now." "What''s that, well then, eh, or rather, bring us with you, that''s right, I''m smart!" "You can''t enter the world of shadows unless you have the aptitude for the darkness attribute. What if I try opening the entrance?" I tried to open the gate to the shadow world by putting out the shield of darkness, but not only Yagi but also the other four people could not enter. "Hey, I can''t use the darkness attribute ..." "Yeah, let''s throw away Yagi ..." "No, wait, wait, that doesn''t mean ..." "Yes, I have a slave bracelet that came from Lastock''s garrison, so why don''t you put it on and I''ll send you back?" "Lies, lies, stop joking, stop joking ..." "Because neither the tent nor the food can be taken out without using darkness magic, there is no part for Yagi ..." "I''m sorry, really, I''m really sorry, I got carried away." "Yup, yup, as long as you understand, you understand right ..." He threw aside shame and reputation and did a dogeza, let''s forgive him. Kobayashi-san pointed out while I was nodding with my arms folded in front of the fake glasses prostrated on the ground. "Somehow ... Kokubu has changed." "What? Is that so?" "Yeah, what can I say, you used to be more sickly and weak, but now you don''t feel that way." "Ah ... maybe because I''ve been doing physical labor at the farm or doing special training with Reinhardt ... and maybe because I have more opportunities to interact with adults ..." "Somehow, Kokubu-kun seems to be having a hard time." Oh, Mini Macho, you know pretty well, if anything, I''ll introduce you guys to Donovan-san. Let''s handle the old and new duo of muscle-brains as much as possible so as not to cause unnecessary troubles. Fred and Basten, who finished the camouflage work, also joined, and the guard system was perfect. Perhaps because they were released from the slave bracelets, the five people completely seemed to feel like they were on a picnic, and this time there are only five people, so it''s easy to keep an eye on them, but when this number reaches fifty or one hundred, it seems that guarding will be difficult. From the pretense of fighting five orcs, at present they can fight with goblins, but if it becomes a monster more than that, it is unlikely to become a force. "Hey, how are you give people in terms of strength compared to everyone else?" "Tatsuya and I are the strongest of the knight types." "I think At-chan and I are also at a higher level among the mages ... Takayama is a different dimension." "Yes ... after all ..." "What is Kokubu, what are you after all?" "Yeah, actually ..." I answered Yagi''s question and talked about the future rescue plan. In order to escape to Volzard, if you have to traverse the Devil''s Forest like today, or if there is a chase from Resenburg, Fred and Basten will have to respond, and the guard may be weakened. I talked about the fact that if that happens, for that reason, I would like my classmates to acquire some ability in Resenburg. "I understand Kokubu''s idea, but do you think we can beat that orc?" At Yagi''s words, the other four immediately shook their heads. Sakurai-san''s face paled again. In that fight, you think it''s a little impossible. [ Kent-sama, you don''t always have to fight one-on-one. ] [ Yes, Kent-sama, there were more orcs this time, but what about the opposite? ] [ The important thing is ... cooperation and tactics ... ] "Oh, that''s right! Yeah, that''s right." "Oh, what is it, Kokubu, what is it?" "Well, ah, I''m sorry, I just received telepathic advice from Reinhardt and the others." "Telepathy, lie, can you do that?" That''s right, I''ve come to take using it for granted, but if I were in Yagi''s position, I would be envious of it. "Well, Reinhardt and the others say, it doesn''t have to be one-on-one, just do multiple people vs one instead." "Well, like when Kazuki and I defeated the goblin." "Oh yeah, what it if wasn''t just two people, but five or ten people?" "If that''s the case, can''t you defeat it? First, the magician attacks with magic ..." "Does it feel like the knight type stabs to finish them? Isn''t it possible?" Since there are only five people this time, it''s easy to guard, so it''s also a small force. If this number becomes 50 or 100, it will be 10 or 20 times more powerful, so even if you are attacked by a group of orcs of the same size as today, if Reinhardt and the others cut a part of them, it will be manageable. I feel like I can do it if I tell them that and have them protect themselves. "I see, it''s a party play in the game ... but you didn''t do that kind of training, right?" "That''s right ... Knight-type training was all about using a wooden sword to defeat the opponent." "The mage was just shooting magic at them." The story of Furuta-san and Kobayashi-san is the same as the situation at the time of reconnaissance. "I wonder if they will do training for cooperation properly in the future?" "What''s the matter? Maybe they''ll be thrown away without doing it." "I mean, aren''t we in that disposable situation right now?" The other four people nodded to the words of Yagi-san and Sakurai-san, but I feel that it is not possible to proceed with the reclaimation of the Devil''s Forest. I asked the five people if they were told about the opponent or purpose of fighting, but it seems that they were only informed that they will fight monsters. So, I told them that Camilla''s purpose seems to be to open up the Devil''s Forest as a countermeasure against desertification in western Resenburg. "You were searching for such a thing? Somehow that''s amazing ..." "We couldn''t afford to think about that ..." "What are you saying, the two muscle-brains don''t even think about it even if they can afford it?" "I guess I didn''t think it was uneven." "Well ... I don''t think I can afford to find out why in that environment ... So what do you think?" When we talked about the fact that the yield of agricultural products fell due to desertification and that there were malnourished children, all five began to have complicated facial expressions. "I understand the purpose, but ... I don''t like the way it is done." "Well, I''m thinking if they can treat us more properly, but I don''t think I want to cooperate if I''m treated like this." "All the girls are crying every night." "Well ... only Takayama and some of them are motivated, right?" "Is it Celia-chan? Damn, I really envy him, that." The old and new duo strongly agreed with Yagi''s words, and the dekoboko sisters are a little skeptical. "About Celia ..." When I talked about Camilla''s younger sister, whose low-ranking mother was being held hostage, and was forced to be Takayama''s partner, all five of them began to curse Camilla. "She''s really the worst, that shitty princess." "She''s so crazy, Kokubu, don''t let her live." "That''s right, you can''t keep her alive." "I don''t think I can forgive only that woman ..." "But if you don''t humiliate before you kill, I will be disappointed." "Wow, it came out, erotic glasses, the true nature was revealed ..." "Wait, Furuta thinks so too, right?" "No, no ... I don''t think so ..." "You''re really a subordinate ..." The story has begun to derail, so let''s stop for a moment. "Yes, everyone, wait a minute, haven''t you forgotten what''s important?" "What''s important?" "Yagi, don''t you want to go back to Japan?" "Uh ... yes, yeah, that shitty woman has the way back." In Yagi''s words, it seems that he remembered what the other four had forgotten. "Camilla is irritating, definitely, but she''s holding the magic of repatriation to return to Japan. Of course, I''m going to work with Fred and the others to explore, but at the same time, negotiate with Camilla to return to Japan. I think it''s useless without it." "But, even if they''re hungry, do you think that a woman who lets her sister do that will accept the negotiations?" "Yeah, as Kobayashi-san says, I don''t think she will accept negotiations now." "Well, that strong skeleton should kill all the soldiers in the garrison." After all, this fake glasses is too simple to think about it. If that were the solution, I would''ve already done it. "Yagi ... So what if she refuses to let you return to Japan? How do you return to Japan?" "Uh ... that, threaten that princess ..." "Does it seem like she would succumb to threats? That wicked princess." "I can''t see it ..." Fake glasses shrunk back at the cold gaze. "I think we have to be the one that Camilla looks to. To that end, we absolutely need the backing of Volzard, and I think everyone''s growth is essential." "Is that a war with Resenburg?" After listening to Kobayashi-san''s question, everyone''s facial expressions became stiff. "No, I don''t want to kill each other, so that''s the last option. If you think it''s better to return us to Japan than to leave us in this world, I think it''s more likely we can go home. "Hmm ... I don''t know, but should I get stronger?" "Well, don''t forget to get along with the people of Volzard." "Well, get along and get stronger, that is, friendship power." "Yeah ... well, Furuta and Nitta should be like that ..." Despite some anxiety, the party goes along the road of the Devil''s Forest at a fast pace. As expected, the old and new duo and the dekoboko sisters are part of the athletic faction. Ah ... fake glasses was whining and complaining, but I''ll leave him ... A brief comment was all it took to suppress him and make him walk. At this pace, we might be able to reach Volzard tomorrow night. CH 31 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 31 The chairman''s surprise ***---*** The light shining into the forest began to shine a madder red, so I started preparing for the camp. There was a place where a stream was flowing by the side of the road, so I decided to camp there tonight. Only one tent is needed to speed up the setup and withdrawal. Originally, in this world, five people are one unit, so it seems that the army tent is for five people. "I mean, there are six of us, can we sleep?" "Oh, yeah, I told you I wouldn''t go back to the boarding house today." "Well, it''s only one night, isn''t it okay if we sleep in a huddle?" When told by Yagi, I became aware I didn''t count myself in my calculations, my planning still has a long ways to go. Well, the tent was made considering the size of adult knights and is big enough, so as Nitta says, it''s okay for one night, but it''s okay because I will sleep in the shadow world. Why are Nitta and Furuta flexing their abdominal muscles? I mean, Sakurai-san will do it too! It''s said that the autumn sunset sinks quickly, but it''s the same in this world, and when you notice that the sun is starting to set, it seems to get dark in the blink of an eye. It seems ... I mean, I have good night vision, so I''m okay even in total darkness, so I don''t feel it''s dark anymore. There is a light magic tool hanging in the tent, so everyone seems to be okay, but it seems scary to go outside. "Wow ... it''s really pitch black, it''s a little dangerous ..." "What? Are you scared? Lame ..." Kobayashi-san makes teasing remarks at Yahi who looked out of the tent and muttered." "Shut it, then can you go piss in the middle of the night without a light?" "Well, that''s ... no, it''s impossible ..." Kobayashi-san, who looked out from the entrance of the tent that Yagi opened, gave up easily. From the point of view of a person without night-vision, it looks like true darkness. "It''s okay to carry the light outside." "Oh, thank you ... is Kokubu okay?" "Yeah, it''s a privilege of darkness attribute, I''m okay because I can see in the dark." "What''s that, really ... I also like the darkness attribute ..." "Well, I think so too ... I mean, if I didn''t have the darkness attribute, I would have been eaten by goblins ..." "What was that, were you attacked by goblins?" I talked about how after being summoned to the wasteland, I was attacked by goblins and had my guts dragged out and eaten, and when I said that I would have been eaten by orcs in the daytime if I was unskilled, everyone turned blue. "Wait a minute, you said they ate your guts, why are you alive?" Oh, Kobayashi-san noticed a good point, I haven''t talked about the fact that I can also use the light attribute. "Wait a minute ... Kokubu, you''re a zombie ..." "Eh ... it''s a lie, no way ..." What are Yagi and Sakurai-san saying, I told them I live in Volzard, but there''s no way zombies can register at the guild ... right? But it''s a little interesting, so why don''t I try talking about it? "Ah ... I didn''t tell everyone that I''m still alive ..." "Wait a minute ... are you really ..." "Ah ... okay, okay, I really want everyone to survive ..." Let''s create a little atmosphere, hold your body with both hands, and tremble. "This, Kokubu-kun ..." "Ah ... Sakurai-san, it''s okay, it''s really okay ... just ..." "Just what ...?" "Occasionally, wanting to eat a person''s brains, I wonder!" "Noooo!" Yes, good evening everyone, this is Kent. Right now, I''m sitting in seiza and receiving a critically acclaimed sermon. "Hey, you really overdid it!" "Yes, I''m sorry, I regret it ..." When I pretended to be a zombie, Sakurai-san got angry and started crying. Of course, it''s no wonder that Kobayashi-san, who is a duo with her got angry. To follow Yagi''s example and get carried away, of course I would get an angry sermon. "Come on, just because you want to scare them, you came up with a story about your guts getting eaten." "Well, that''s actually true, I was bitten in the stomach and had my guts pulled out ... uwa, now I remembered it ..." "That, how can you have your guts eaten and still be alive." "Yeah, I can also use light attribute magic." "Eehhhh!" Oh, it''s a really good reaction from everyone, I was waiting for this development. "Hey, are you serious?" "Yeah, seriously, maybe, I think the crystal ball for judging didn''t react because I can use both dark and light attributes." "Is it really possible for you to use the light attribute?" "Ah ... Yagi, lend me a knife." In the place where the orcs attacked, the old and new duo left their knives and the other three left their swords for camouflage. Borrowing Yagi''s knife, I cut the fingertips of my left hand, and immediately treated it with healing magic, everyone seemed to be convinced. "Why then, did they throw away the rarest Kokubu?" "Wow, they''re stupid, well, that''s why we were saved." As Yagi and Kobayashi-san say, Camilla, who cut me off as unnecessary will regret it. "Well, I''m going to report to the Volzard Guild for a moment, but it''s okay because Reinhardt and Basten will stay." "Can you really move in the shadows?" "Yagi ... If not, how did I get to the place where the orcs attacked you?" "Uh ... that''s right." "Then, Reinhardt, Basten, I''ll leave them in your care." [ I understand. ] [ Leave it to me, Kent-sama. ] If you go outside the tent and dive into the shadows, you can arrive at the guild immediately. Donovan-san is working alone tonight ... He feels like Volzard''s strongest company slave. "Good evening, Donovan-san." "Mmm ... how is it going Kent?" After calling out to him, I went out of the shadows he greeted me. "Yes, it''s going well, I think we can arrive here tomorrow night." "Yes, that''s pretty fast." "Actually, when I rescued them, they were attacked by a flock of orcs, so I think everyone wants to get out of the forest as soon as possible." "How many orcs were there?" "Umm ... 14 heads." "OK ... it''s a little big, but it''s still in the normal range ... but you can''t let your guard down ..." "Is there a large amount of orcs this time?" "I don''t know, but once a mass outbreak occurs, the activity in the Devil''s Forest tends to increase for a while, so you can''t let your guard down." "Well ... then, I''ll check if anything has changed while we''re going through the forest." "OK, I see, I''m counting on you." "Yes, then I''ll go back." "OK ..." I dived into the shadow in front of Donovan-san, and Donovan-san made a delicate expression. Let''s take a peek at Lastock while diving in the shadows. [ Fred, I want to take a peek at Lastock ... ] [ Roger that ... ] I think this time is already the time when everyone stays in the dormitory, so I first looked into the boys'' dormitory, but only the night light in the corridor was on, and the inside of the room seemed to be pitch black. However, it seems that not everyone is sleeping, and you can hear voices from all over the place. "It''s bad ... how can they survive?" "They should have just obeyed, now it''s not just Funayama but also the old and new duo too ..." "Is orc so strong ..." "I don''t really know about them, but from what I''ve been told, they''re more than 2 meters, aren''t they?" "Not possible, Isn''t it harder than fighting a bear with a sword?" "I don''t want to die, I don''t want to die, I don''t want to die, I don''t want to die, I don''t want to die ..." "Stop it! Ugh!" Apparently, everyone seems to think that the five have already died. There seems to be some people who are being cornered quite a bit, so I wonder if I can manage to disseminate information well. Next, I took a peek at the girls'' dormitory, but this is a more serious situation. The light are off as in the boys'' dormitory, but you can hear sobbing voices here and there. The dekoboko sisters take the side of the girls, so if it is said that the two of them died, it would be unavoidable to have such a situation. Is it too much to ask the chairman to heal this desperate atmosphere as well? I looked into the medical office in search of the chairman, but the lights were already off. When I looked into the dormitory, she was there. The chairman was already in bed, but I wonder why she is looking around. [ Kent-sama ... there''s no caretaker, right now ... ] Oh, did Erna already go to report to Camilla? Let''s also report to the chairman. "Chairman ..." Wow, chairman, she jumped. "Kokubu-kun ... where?" "Here, I''m coming out ..." Just like yesterday, when I came out of the shadow of the window, the chairman rushed at me. "Fubu ... Chairman, it''s dangerous ..." "I''m sorry ... I''m sorry ..." Wow ... I''m being hugged tightly. "Since Kokubu-kun is here, is everyone safe?" "But, of course, they should be in the tent in the middle of the forest right now." "Eh ... isn''t that the Devil''s Forest?" "It''s okay, don''t worry because they have a proper escort." "Hmm ... that''s good ..." "Oh, chairman, that ... you''ll catch a cold ..." "Yeah, then this ..." Wow ... I''m wrapped up with her in the same blanked again, uh ... Good luck, my reason. "Ch, ch, chairman, I have a request ..." "Eh, a request ...?" "Y, yes ... a request." I thought to ask her to help with everyone''s mental care, but I wonder what happened, because the chairman started squirming. "Um ... if you can listen to my request ..." "Of course, anything I can do!" "Then, call me by name, not as chairman ..." "Um? Um ... Asakawa-san ..." "Muu ... by name ... call me Yuika ..." "Eeehh ... umm, Yu, Yu, Yuika-san." "San isn''t needed ... just call me Yuika." "Yu, Yuika ..." "Yes, Kent-kun." Fuuuu ... I want to take it home! I want to take this cute creature back to Volzaaard! "So, what is Kent-kun''s request ...?" "Take-away ... Not that, it''s about the other classmates ..." I talked about the state of the dormitory I saw, before I came here, and asked if she could take care of their hearts. "If possible, I''d like to encourage everyone by making sure that the fact that I and today''s five people are alive is not revealed to the Resenburg side ..." "That''s right, I heard from Kent-kun, so I was able to act, but everyone else was really shocked." "Cha ... No, Yu, Yuika will just be burdened, but somehow ..." "Yeah, Kent-kun''s request, I''ll do my best." The chairman holds my left arm, tilts her neck, and looks at me with slightly raised eyes. I have never touched a girl at a distance where we could feel each other''s body temperature, breath and heartbeat, wrapped in a blanket, so my heart seems about to burst. [ Kent-sama ... the caretaker is back ... ] [ Roger that ... ] "Yu, Yuika ... Erna seems to be coming back, so I''ll head out ..." When I told her that, the chairman strengthened her grip on my arm. It''s dangerous, I don''t want to go home. "Yuika ... I''ll definitely come to help ..." Eh ... yes, the chairman''s lips ... on my cheeks ... "Absolutely, it''s a promise ..." "Uh, yeah ... yeah ..." [ Kent-sama ... quickly ... ] [ Yes, yes ... ] Literally, Fred dragged me into the shadows and at the same time I heard the living room door open. As Erna crossed the living room, she listened at the chairman''s bedroom door, looked inside, and then silently entered her own room and walked up to the side of her bed. Surprisingly, there was a hole in Erna''s room looking into the chairman''s bedroom. The fluffy pink mood was blown away in one shot. The chairman is already in bed and staying still, so there''s no problem, but if you''re wandering around like before I came, she might be suspicious. I''m sorry if I don''t tell you this before I go home. After confirming the chairman''s room, Erna sighed and began preparing to sleep. After changing clothes, when she went to the bathroom, I told the chairman about the peephole. "Yuika ... Be careful because you''re being peeped on from the next room." "As I thought ... I felt a strange look several times." Oh, that might be me, but ... let''s keep quiet. "I''ll come back to you again, it may be a little difficult tomorrow, but I''ll come back as soon as possible ..." "OK, for sure ... I''ll be waiting ..." I reached out from the shadow and squeezed her hand, and the chairman was surprised for a moment and then squeezed it back. I shook off my hard-to-reach thoughts and returned to the tent in the Devil''s Forest. "I''m back ..." The tent was still lit, but I called out and opened the entrance. It seems that everyone was talking while sitting in a sleeping bag. "Oh, welcome back, it took quite a while." "Is there any problem?" "There is no problem at Volzard, but everyone at Lastock''s garrison seemed to be quite shocked." "Tsk, you, you also went to Lastock?" "I told you it''s easy to move using the shadows." Seriously, the poor memory of this fake glasses. In comparison, Kobayashi-san''s worries are, as expected about the remaining girls. "Hey, have you seen all the girls?" "Yeah ... there were a lot of crying kids, the dekoboko sisters are on the side of the girls after all." "Wow ... I feel guilty somehow." "Hey, Kokubu-kun what about Asakawa-san ...?" "Oh, I contacted the chairman yesterday, so it''s okay, I think she acted well." "That''s good ... I was worried because I was indebted to Asakawa-san for the treatment and I felt desperate." Everyone else seems to agree with Sakurai-san''s words, and nod as if they were relieved. "I also told her that I rescued everyone safely and asked for the mental care of all the rest." "Well ... then, isn''t Asakawa-san''s burden too heavy?" "Yeah, I''m thinking of taking care of the chairman." That''s right, I have to do my best as long as I''m a cheat character. "Wait a minute, why does it have to be Kokubu?" "Well, because Yagi and the others can''t go back, we have to keep our lives as secret as possible, so I have to do it." "You aren''t aiming for Asakawa-san by saying that, right?" "Well, that''s not the case ..." No, if anything, am I being targeted? I can''t say that. "Hmm ... Kokubu is also aiming for Yuika ... Hmm ..." "No, I''m not saying that I''m aiming or not aiming, right now." I don''t know, the dekoboko sisters gaze at me while grinning, but I don''t think it''s possible to get rid of it. If you think about it, you''ll still get entangled with fake glasses. "Kokubu, you said you contacted Asakawa-san, but how did you contact her?" "Well, that''s ... when the caretaker went to report to Camilla, I talked to the chairman." "In the medical office ...?" "No, it''s her dormitory room." "Did you enter Asakawa-san''s room?" "Well, it can''t be helped." "Well, wasn''t she sleeping at this time?" "No, she was in bed, but she was still awake." "You even went into her bedroom!" "Well, that''s why it can''t be helped, because the caretaker is watching if it''s not that time." When I said I had entered the bedroom, the dekoboko sisters repeatedly interrogated me while grinning at me. And even the old and new duo have joined the story. "That story, can we hear it in fuller detail? Don''t you think so Tatsuya." "Of course, Kazuki, this needs to be interrogated, huh Yagi." "Of course, if you break into Asakawa-san''s bedroom, you have to prepare yourself and confess ..." Wow ... If I talk about this, it''s going to be a big deal. It''s completely like a school trip, isn''t it? "No, we just talked about things, even if I confess, and you know, everyone has to walk tomorrow, so it''s time to go to sleep ..." "What are you hiding?" Nitta, is this a wild intuition? "Well, there''s nothing to hide, hey ..." "What did she look like?" "Huh? Lo, look like ...?" "Was it pajamas, negligees, or ..." "Huh, normal nightwear? It''s not like a nightie, it''s like this ... it''s fluffy and silky ... it''s a smooth texture." "Did you touch her to know it has a smooth texture?" "Wow ... Didn''t touch, I didn''t touch her ..." "Then, are you saying that you were touched by Asakawa-san?" "No ... you see, I was supposed to be dead, so she was glad I was alive ..." "Hug? Did you hug?" Ah ... Bad ... When I talked while remembering, I accidently blurted it out. "No, no, that, the chairman''s hand ..." "Confess obediently ..." "No, even if I was told to confess ..." "Did you hug her?" Wow ... The color of the old and new duo and Yagi''s eyes is unusual. "No, that ... I feel like it was alright ..." "Really ...?" "Really ... that ... re, remaining silent!" "Naive Kokubu, there is no right to remain silent in another world, come on, spit it out!" "No, no ... it''s an unjust arrest! It''s a false charge! Call a lawyer!" Succumbing to an unjustified interrogation that lasted until late at night, the hugging case was revealed, but the case of the kiss was not known. Hmm ... Even though they were just liberated from being a slave, everyone is in too high of spirits. CH 32 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 32 Through the Devil''s Forest ***---*** The next morning after spending the night in the Devil''s Forest, the five people who were talking late are woken up to prepare for departure. "Look, if you don''t get up early, I''ll seriously leave you. If we don''t leave early, you''ll be sleeping in the tent tonight. If you want to sleep in a decent bed, get up quickly!" Thanks to the fact that I had been training until midnight, it wouldn''t be a pain to get up even if I stayed up late. However, it seems that the five people other than me slept after all. "Hold on ... Kokubu, five more minutes ..." "Yagi, you can sleep twice if you want, but it may be an orc, not me, who will wake you up next." "Don''t say such a cold thing, just a little more ..." "Hmm ... I tell you, you can''t afford to be lazy at all." Even though they were just attacked yesterday, it seems that they''ve already forgotten the fear of the orcs attacking them. So, I told the five people that there is a high possibility that the Devil''s Forest has become active due to the mass outbreak of rock ogres the other day, and that if there are too many monsters, even Reinhardt and the others may not be able to protect them. "In the worst case, if I escape to the shadow world, it doesn''t matter what kind of monster comes, but where will Yagi escape?" "No, that''s ..." "It goes without saying which is more dangerous, daytime or night. Yagi, can you run and escape in the Devil''s Forest at night without lights?" "No ... impossible." "Everyone''s lives are still in danger. You''ll be in Volzard anyway by the end of the day, right?" "I get it ..." It looks like he''s finally gotten some tension in his relaxed face, but I wonder how long it will last ... After that, I hastened the preparations of the five people, had a simple breakfast, and immediately set out for Volzard. The season is around late autumn, so the temperature is just right for walking. It really feels good to walk on the green-smelling path, as long as there are no monsters. Once we started walking, the old and new duo and the dekoboko sisters are fast because they are in athletic clubs. The problem is, after all, fake glasses. I''m tired, my legs hurt, I''m hungry ... He continues to complain with a series of complaints and whining, and I''m really getting angry. Even after lunch, he demanded an extension of the break and it was difficult to get him to move. "Just 10 more minutes ... I tell you, I''ll walk after 10 minutes ..." Everyone seems to be amazed, not only me, but also the other four people. "Anyway, about the rock ogre? Isn''t it too much to say 200? Isn''t it really about 20?" No matter how much you tell the truth, if he won''t believe it, it won''t work. "Kokubu, let''s throw this guy away, it''s ok, I''ll apologize to Yuika together with you later." "Hey, look, you, hey ..." "Shut up, grumble, grumble, you''re complaining about just this, it''s nothing compared to what Kokubu who prepared this for us went through." "Unlike a muscle-brain like you, I have a limited amount of physical strength, so don''t think you''re great just because you can walk a little." "Hmm, then you can die by being eaten by a monster alone. I''m sorry that we''re accompanied by someone like you." Because of the fake glasses, the atmosphere has become terrible. It''s only half a day left, so I seriously want to just shout at them to walk quickly. [ Kent-sama, it''s a troublesome one ... ] "Hmm ... that''s why I wanted to go quickly ... eh, what''s that?" When I answered Reinhardt''s telepathic communication aloud, everyone looked around. At the end of the road to Volzard, you can see a wolf-like monster. [ That''s a Gigawolf, ferocious, agile, smart, obsessive ... it''s annoying. ] "Gigawolf ... I think it''s pretty big ..." [ Yes, with four legs, the height to the head is about the same as an orc. ] "Well ... isn''t it too big to be called the same as an orc with four legs?" Giga-sized wolf ... It''s called a Gigawolf, so it''s a size that seems to make the perspective crazy. The five people seem to have noticed the size, and their faces are paling. "Look at it, fake glasses, because you were messing around ..." "Uh, no, I was walking, after all I was surrounded, don''t blame an unrelated person!" "What''s that, it''s too big ..." "Kokubu, is that okay?" "Hmm ... it''s a little annoying ..." "Eh ... no ... I''m scared ..." Reinhardt and the others are already in the process of interception. We are placed in the center of the three skeletons, and the other five are on the verge of panic. A Gigawolf approaches us, walks around a bit, observing us, and then moving some more. This one seems to be taking the role of attracting our attention, and looking around, it seems that they are trying to surround us like yesterday''s orcs. "How many heads are there in total?" [ As far as I can see, there are five or six ... or maybe there are a few more. ] [ Kent-sama ... nine in all ... ] "Nine heads ... Then, please do the same as yesterday ..." [ No, it''s Kent-sama''s turn today. ] "What? My turn?" [ Gigawolf''s fur is prized, so the smaller the damage, the better ... in other words ... ] "Ah ... I see, I should just defeat them with my attack magic." [ That''s right, Kent-sama, I''m counting on you. ] "Okay ... I think it''s difficult to aim from here ... I''m going for a bit, so please escort me." [ Kent-sama, the boss of the flock is in front of you, so defeat him first. ] "Yeah, I understand ..." The five people who couldn''t hear Reinhardt''s telepathic communication seemed to be trying to judge the situation from my words, and Kobayashi-san asked. "Wait a minute, will Kokubu fight?" "Yeah, that''s right." "That''s right, how? You don''t have a weapon." "Yeah, I''ll explain later ... wait a minute ..." "Hey, hey ..." Even if you can''t aim from the original place, I think that I can probably defeat it, but since it seems that you can damage strange places from the front, just put out your fingertips from the shadow and kill it with light attribute attack magic. I moved to the feet of the boss who was close to me, and shot from under his chin towards the heavens, and it was killed without even raising a voice. It was trying to sneak up in a low position, so it died in a prone position, so it seems that the remaining eight were instructed to wait. The other Gigawolfs were also lying down in the same way, it was really easy to kill, really cheat, it took less than a minute to kill nine Gigawolfs. "Basten, I''m going to put the Gigawolves in the shadow storage right now, so could you help me?" [ An easy task, I''m at your call. ] Even though the fur sells well, I don''t have time to dismantle it now, so I decided to bring it as a whole. Certainly the fur is super fluffy, and it feels really good. If you stack as many as nine Gigawolfs in the shadow storage, you will be overwhelmed by the voluminous feeling. It''s a fluffy mountain, fluffy mountain. [ Kent-sama, this sells high. ] "Really? How much will it go for?" [ A thing in such a good condition cannot normally be gotten, so it will cost several times as much as the magic stone of a rock ogre. ] "Well ... can it sell so high?" [ Magic stones also sell at a good price, so it may be about 100,000 Helts per animal. ] "Hmm ... I don''t really feel it ... Anyway, when I return to Volzard, I''ll talk to Donovan-san." [ Well, it''s a Gigawolf in such a good condition, and it''s better to leave the skinning to a professional craftsman. ] "Yeah, I can''t dismantle it in the first place, so I have to ask." Now that Gigawolf has been cleaned up, let''s leave for Volzard. "Then everyone let''s go." "Wait, Kokubu, what happened with that big wolf?" "Oh, I''ll explain while walking." Explaining that I defeated them with shadow movement and light attribute attack magic together, when I demonstrated the attack magic, everyone had a delicate expression. "No, I have no complaints because we didn''t get attacked by such a big monster ..." "Kokubu is a little too cheat, isn''t he?" Everyone else nods to the words of Yagi and Kobayashi-san. I think I''m too much of a cheat myself. "Anyway, why can you use magic without chanting?" "Why ... I just did it, I think it can''t be helped." "No, you can''t do it, you can''t do it ... normally, right?" "Is that so? I haven''t learned how to use magic from anyone." "I can''t do it, I''ve tried shortening chanting and non-chanting since I knew I could use magic, but I can''t do it at all." "Hmm ... I don''t know why I can do it." When I first used magic, I was unconscious, and after that, there was no one who could teach me the chanting itself, so I''m only doing what I imagine. Shortening the activation time is done by solidifying the image clearly, I do not know how it can be done, and there is no way to explain it. While walking to Volzard, Yagi and the dekoboko sisters struggled to activate the magic of the mage, and the old and new duo tried to activate the magic of physical strengthening without chanting, but in the end it could not be activated successfully. Perhaps it was because I was first imbued with the image that magic is something that is cast and activated. After all, it doesn''t work, so they decided to follow Reinhardt''s advice that it is better to make sure it activates even if you have to chant. We''ve been walking for about two days since yesterday, and when the sun started to tilt west, we could finally see the walls of Volzard through the trees. "I can see it, that''s the wall of Volzard." "Oh, that''s amazing, it''s completely connected, isn''t it?" "They''re still building new walls towards the outside and expanding the city." "What is it like inside?" "Ah ... Yeah, it feels like a different world, because there are people with different hair colors, and there are also beastmen as expected." "Beastmen? Seriously, is it a beautiful girl with animal ears?" "Fufufu, that''ll be fun to see ..." "Wow!" If you meet Muell-san, the cat-eared angel, the old and new duo and Yagi will be very excited. "That''s why men ..." "Ah, animal ears aren''t limited to girls, and there are also dog-eared boys." "Seriously? Hey, are there any good looking boys or cute boys?" "Fufufu, I think it''s fun to see that too ..." Kobayashi-san seems to be curious about boys with animal ears, so let''s introduce her at the last minute. I''d like to see what kind of face Gilik makes when pressed by a girl. When we reached the edge of the Devil''s Forest, we can see people moving in a hurry at the Volzard gate. By the way, when I first came here, I pretended to be a caravan survivor and acted as if I had reached the end of my life. This time, Reinhardt is here from the beginning, so they may be preparing to intercept the monsters. "Can you escort me from the shadows, Reinhardt, Fred, Basten?" [ I understand. ] Reinhardt and the others sank into the shadows, so this time I will take the lead. As I approached a distance of about 20 meters, I was called out to from the top of the gate. "Okay, everyone stop there and remove your weapons." "Everyone remove the sword and knife." I had the five people remove their swords and knives together with their scabbards. "Put your weapons at your feet and slowly move forwards." "Everyone, let''s go ..." As I led the five people and walked, the sturdy door beside the big gate opened, and Kartz-san with a bitter expression appeared. I''ve already bowed deeply with haste. "I''m sorry, Kartz-san, I was lying." "Huh ... Kent, Donovan-san already told me, just raise your head and go inside, then tell the story." When I raised my head, Bart-san came out from behind Kartz-san, and with a wink, he ran to collect the swords and knives. When I passed through the entrance and entered the wall, the garrison people were gathering. Hmm ... I wonder if we''re not welcomed, someone we''re attracting everyone''s appraising gazes. "Kent, haven''t you eaten dinner?" "Yes, I gave priority to arriving at Volzard safely, so we were walking since just after lunch." "Then, this way ... Hey, let me through ..." Kartz-san had the garrison people go down, but there are people on both sides of me, which makes me uncomfortable. The same thing happened with the other five, then Kobayashi-san hit me on the shoulder. "Kokubu, did you properly explain?" "Yeah, that should be the case, but I pretended to be a caravan survivor, and as a result, I was lying to the garrison people." "Stupid, why did you do that?" "Because I didn''t think this was another country, I thought that if I said I was summoned, everyone would catch me in the same way." "Oh, that''s right ... it can''t be helped ..." Kartz-san took us to the garrison''s cafeteria. Get the tray and receive dinner from the counter. The menu includes a tomato-based stew with large chunks of meat, fluffy bread, salad, and jibura as dessert. "Wow ... I don''t believe it, what''s this big meat ..." "Hey, the bread is fluffy, fluffy ..." "What''s this fruit? It''s like a watermelon, but it smells like citrus." "Hey, go fast, let''s eat quickly." At Lastock''s garrison, they hadn''t had a very good meal, so all five of them look like they''re drooling. "You are free to have refills, don''t panic, just eat." "Oh, I''m sorry!" As soon as they got to the table, they bit into dinner as if they couldn''t wait for all five of them. "Muhhh, yeah!" "Dangerous, how long has it been since we''ve eaten such a decent meal?" "Ah ... I was really released from slavery ..." "I learned about slavery liberation in social studies classes, but I didn''t think I would be part of it." "Wow ... I feel guilty about the other guys when it''s so delicious ..." While speaking inspiring words, the five people eat with great momentum. "I''m sorry, they didn''t seem to have had a good meal in Resenburg ..." "Oh, I heard about that. you can eat Kent, so let me know a little." "Yes, I''m going to talk about it this time, so please ask me anything. "Well, first of all, are the three skeletons we saw before really summoned by Kent?" "Yes, three of the eleven skeletons that I unknowingly summoned when I was carelessly walking alone in the Devil''s Forest and was about to die after being attacked by goblins." "Did you really unconsciously summon them?" "Yes, I was just summoned to this world and didn''t know how to cast it." "Well ... it''s an unusual story, but I can''t help but believe that the skeletons actually escorted you out of the forest ..." With that said, Kartz-san corrected his originally good posture and bowed deeply toward me. "Hey ... Kartz-san ..." "Thank you Kent, let me thank you again." "That ... Please raise your head, I''m the one who should be thanking you." "No, Kent may not be aware of it, but honestly, I was prepared to die when the rock ogres attacked the other day." Five people stopped their meals and listened to Kartz-san''s story. "That number of rock ogres, even if we garrison and selected adventurers fought for their lives, it''s doubtful that they were all defeated, and there definitely would have been a lot of casualties. It seems that the garrison people greeted us with an appraising gaze because they heard rumors from somewhere that the skeleton summoner was me. Kartz-san turned to the five people who stopped their meals and continued talking. "I also heard about the situation you were in. It''s really painful not to be able to help rescue because of the delicate relationship between Resenburg and Landshelt, but those who reach Volzard are doing their best. I promise to protect you." "Thank you, Kartz-san." "So, about their future, isn''t it the same as with Kent?" "Yes, make an ID card at the guild and ask them to find a job they can do." "Well, if it''s money for the time being ..." "Oh, that''s okay, because there''s the rock ogres'' magic stones ..." "Well ... then Kent, you''re a pretty wealthy man ..." Kartz-san smiles mischievously. "No, I''m not that wealthy considering the cost of staying for nearly 200 classmates to be rescued after this." "Well, that''s right ... you can''t afford to feed 200 people." "But I''m really relieved to be accepted by Volzard." "Maybe Kalus-san and Donovan-san have said that human resources are valuable at Volzard. Of course, it is assumed that they will work properly, but I want as many human resources as possible." "Is that the same for the garrison?" "Well, when it''s peaceful, it''s not difficult because it''s about maintaining the security of the city, but when a mass outbreak of monsters like before occurs, it''s our role to fight on the front line, so there may be not a few vacancies." "Are those vacancies in the line of duty ...?" "Of course, there are, but if you lose your limbs, it''s difficult to fight on the front line." After leaving the garrison of Lastock, they were released from their slave bracelets, and crossed the Devil''s Forest safely, and they were immersed in a sense of openness. The place where the five people live should be the same place, so it seems that they will allocate a temporary dormitory to be used when a mass outbreak of monsters occurs on the site of the garrison station. Although it was small, it was made into private rooms, and it was said that meals could be eaten in the dining room of the station. Tomorrow morning, we decided to go to the guild together and then I parted from the five, and after reporting to Donovan-san, I decided to return to the borading house. "Then, Kartz-san, I''m counting on you for these five people." "Oh, leave it to me." "Don''t bother everyone, especially Yagi, I''ll ask you seriously." "Hey, you, trust me a little." "No, I''m saying it because I can''t trust you, but Kobayashi-san, please keep him in line." "Okay, okay, leave it to me!" "Hey, you guys ..." I asked Kobayashi-san to monitor the fake glasses and walked towards the guild in the completely dark city of Volzard. Somehow, even though I was away for only two days, I feel like I''m home because I''ve become accustomed to living in Volzard. The guild at this time is crowded, though not as much as in the morning, when people who have been asked to collect are gathering to sell the herbs and materials they have collected. Some of the people who sold the ingredients went straight to the bar and drank their entire pay. "Isn''t it Kent, it''s rare to see you at this time." "Oh, good evening, Muell-san ... and Gilik-san." The one who called out was Muell-san, the cat-eared angel, and of course, the mutt was with her. "What, it seems you don''t like seeing me here ..." "No, I didn''t say that, even if I think about it." "Bastard, aren''t you doing fine ..." "What is it, I''m just as usual ..." "Jeez, you two shouldn''t quarrel every time you meet each other, tsk!" Hyah-I was scolded by Muell-san. Yeah, this mutt is also useful in this regard. Alright, let''s introduce Kobayashi-san as a reward. In return, I''ll take Muell-san instead. "So what did Kent come to do?" "Yes, I came to report to Donovan-san for a moment, but is he busy at this time?" "Tsk, someone who follows old man Donovan around like a little chick, you haven''t even killed a goblin alone, don''t get smart with me." "Snort ... how about it ... I might actually be really strong ..." "Haa? A bastard like you could just get rolled up like waste paper in reality ..." "Snort ... You can try ..." "You guys are really close ... do you want to go pracice now?" When I was crossing swords with Gilik and making him minced meat again, Donovan-san''s powerful voice came down from above my head. "Geh, do, don''t joke with me, I''ve been walking around all day gathering, how could I do training ... Myu-ane, I''m going home ..." "Yes, yes, see you, Kent." "OK, good night." Ukyakyakya, the mutt rolled up his tail and ran away. Of course, he wasn''t afraid. "So, did you bring them safely?" "Yes, I''ve pushed them into the garrison''s temporary dormitory." "Well, then registration is tomorrow morning? I''ll tell Otto." "Thank you, and ... on our way ..." Because it seemed to be bad if the surrounding people heard me, I whispered to Donovan-san about the Gigawolfs, and his expression changed completely. "How many herds were there? In which direction did they run away?" "Um ... There were nine in all, and I didn''t let any escape." "Did you annihilate them ... well, I''ll hear more about it tomorrow when you register the guys you brought, you''re tired, go back and rest." "Yes, thank you." I wasn''t aware of it myself, but it seemed that I was under a lot of pressure, so I went back to the boarding house, greeted Amanda-san, and as soon as I lay down on the bed in my room, I fell asleep. CH 33 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 33 Actually, I''m quite a cheat ***---*** The next morning after I safely brought the five rescued people to Volzard, I made up my mind and took a seat at breakfast. "Yes, you were waiting Kent, eat a lot." "Yes, u, umm ... Amanda-san, I have a story to talk about later." Yes, since I brought the five people, I will tell you what I have hidden so far. "Story ...? Oh, if you''re talking about Kent being summoned from another world, I''ve heard from Donovan-san." "Fue ...?" I had been deceiving Amanda-san and the others so far, so I thought that as a result I might have to leave the boarding house, so I made considerable determination and started talking, but she told me that she has already heard it. Then, I made a stupid voice. "Y, you heard ... that ..." "Everyone has heard that your friends were caught by the Resenburg guys and that the skeletons summoned by Kent protected the city." "Well ... I''m sorry for lying up until now." "That''s stupid ... Don''t apologize, Kent, You''ve done your best alone so far, and thank you for protecting the city." "Yes ... yes ..." Unfair, it''s no good, if you say that, tears will overflow. "Hey, don''t be stupid ... it''s not something to cry about ... look, just eat your food." "I ... can I stay here?" "Of course you can! What are you saying, this is your house in Volzard." "Thank you, Thank you very much ..." "Ah ... You shouldn''t cry so much, you''re a boy, you see, you''re busy today? You have to eat well." "Yes ... yes ..." As if getting revenge for the bedwetting case the other day, Meisa-chan gave me a grinning gaze, but my tears didn''t stop. "Mom, wasn''t it exactly what I said?" "Hmm? What''s that about?" "Kent said he absolutely wasn''t keeping anything." "Oh, that''s right, but any skeleton that protects the city is welcome." "Reinhardt, could you say hello?" [ Of course. ] I was told that he would be welcomed, so I decided to have Reinhardt come out of the shadows. Amanda-san and Meisa-chan were surprised and amazed to see Reinhardt coming out of my shadow. "I would like to introduce you to Reinhardt, who is guarding me. He used to be the leader of the knights." When Reinhardt proudly does the knight salute, they relax. "Mom, our security is perfect. He''ll never let a thief enter." "Well, it''s the safest house in the farthest city of Volzard." "Meisa-chan, you don''t have to worry about thieves or monsters, but handle worrying about bedwetting yourself." "Kii ... I''ll never do it anymore! Kent''s a meanie, stupid, stupid, stupiiid!" "Ahaha, Meisa, make sure you don''t have to worry about bedwetting, too." "Kii ... I won''t do it, I won''t do it! I''ll never do it anymore!" I was able to confess what I was worried about, and I didn''t lose my place. Thanks to that, it seems that I can pick up the five people in a refreshing mood. When I went to the garrison station, I was saluted by the member who was on duty. "Good morning, please, everyone is waiting at the cafeteria." "Good morning ... Oh, thank you ..." After entering the station, I meet a person, meet another person, everyone saluted me. Every time, I bowed to them, and they snickered, I wonder if they''re messing with me. When I went to the cafeteria, five people were drinking tea at the same table. I think Kobayashi-san is quite relaxed, probably because she was released from the difficult situation. I mean, Yagi is so relaxed it feels like he''s headed straight to becoming a NEET. "Good morning, did everyone sleep well?" "I slept so well that I feel guilty ..." "Ah ... maybe as Kobayashi-san says, we slept well, but considering the people who are still there ..." I see, it''s more like having a surplus than being full. "Then, we''ll go to the guild and have them make ID cards. Everyone''s actions will determine Volzard''s impression of us. Please act so that the remaining people will have a good impression." When they heard my words, their facial expressions tensed up except for one person. "I don''t want to work ..." "Yagi ... Oh, if you go to the guild, you might meet the cat-eared onee-san ..." "Okay, let''s go! What''s wrong with Kokubu, don''t dally!" It''s good because he''s easy to understand, he''s a simple idiot, so he''s easy to handle in a sense. The road from the garrison station to the guild is also the first Volzard road I walked on. Everyone looks at the cityscape, the people passing by, and the storefronts that are preparing to open. I''m sure I was the same. "It''s pretty ... I mean, it''s pretty clean looking." "Oh yeah, it looks like the sewage system is in place." "Wow, over there, an animal eared oba-chan ..." "Somehow, their hair is so colorful ..." "I don''t know ... I wonder if they sell coloring agents ..." Inside the guild, it was time for the hustle and bustle of the morning to end, and the front of the bulletin board was empty, but the bustle remained in front of the counter. I was told to talk to Otto-san, but it''s better to wait a little longer. With that in mind, when I headed to the usual wall, Manon, who looked fidgety, stood there. She looks like she''s laughing, and crying, and she has a complicated expression. "Hey, Kokubu, do you know that person? Please introduce me." On the way to Manon, Kobayashi-san hit me on the shoulder. "That''s fine, but Manon is a girl." "Wow ... wow, somehow, in a sense, that''s foul ..." "It''s a girl really? Introduce me, Kokubu." "Ah ... Yagi, annoying ..." As we got closer, Manon nodded sharply as if she made up her mind. "Good morning, Manon." "I''m sorry!" "Eh? Um ... that''s ..." "The other day ... I, did something bad to you ... S, so ... have you come to hate me?" Maybe when I was talking to Meline-san, she went home with a huff. I don''t care about that at all, and I have to apologize for my secrets. I mean, the looking upwards at me with teary eyes is too destructive, but is hugging no good, hug it, hug it ... "The thing before ... I don''t care about it, and I don''t hate Manon." "Really? Good ..." Manon becomes lively, however ... I can say with confidence, this trancendently cute creature, it may be an infringement on the Antimonopoly Law, but I want to monopolize her. "What ... Kokubu, you''re a smooth operator aren''t you ..." "No, no, Manon is that ..." "Nitta, Furuta, I think we need to interrogate ..." "No objection!" "Of course, no objection!" "No, a little ..." Manon tilts her head while seeing the old and new duo, the fake glasses, and the grinning dekoboko sisters. "Kent, maybe the caravan people were alive?" "Uh ... that, Manon, I''m sorry! I''ll tell you about the situation later, so don''t ask for now." The story seems to be even more complicated, so I persuaded Manon to wait for an explanation. "Kokubu-kun ... in the first place, while we were having a hard time, you''ve been having a pretty good time haven''t you ..." "Well, what are you saying, I think it was hard ... I think ..." "How far have you gone?" "What? What?" "Confess quickly, I do not recognize the right to remain silent." "No, I don''t want to ..." While I''m trapped in the grasp of the old and new duo and fake glasses, Manon is being approached by the devil''s hands of the dekoboko sisters. "Nice to meet you ... I''m tomoko, and this one ..." "Akemi, nice to meet you." "I''m Manon ... Nice to meet you." "Hey, At-chan, it''s a boku girl, a boku girl."(TN: Boku is usually the male form of I, it''s rare for a girl to use it like Manon does, this is also partly why Kokubu mistook her for a guy.) "Light blue, smooth, hair, that''s foul play ..." Ah ... Manon has been touched by the devil''s hands ... Manon will go bad ... "Kent, are these the ones you brought?" "Yes, good morning." Oh, the savior Donovan-san is here. Mufufufu, I introduced Donovan-san to the five people, but all five of them straightened their posture with a glance. Yeah, your actions are right, you can''t go against him. "Appraisal and registration will be done in the conference room, follow me." "Donovan-san, can I take Manon with me?" "Hmm? Why?" "That ... it''s safer to have someone who is about the same age to cooperate ..." "Hmm ... is that so, that''s fine." After thinking a little, Donovan-san agreed. "Manon, I have a request, can you come with us?" "M, me? Y, yeah ... okay." When we went to the conference room on the second floor, Otto-san was ready. "Good morning, Otto-san, thank you." "Oh, good morning Kent, that''s right ... see, just touch it." Otto points to the hated ''Evil Eye Crystal'' So, I try to touch it as I am told, but after all there is no change ... "It doesn''t shine after all ..." "Kent, can you really use magic?" "Yes, I can use the magic of darkness and light." "Hmm ... it''s strange to be able to use two attributes in the first place ... but that''s probably why it doesn''t respond." Manon, who was listening to the story next to me, was surprised with her eyes wide open. After all, I have to explain properly and apologize. "Otto-san, please register everyone, Manon, come here for a bit." When I pulled Manon to the corner of the conference room, I was sent a grinning gaze from the dekoboko sisters again. "Sorry, Manon, I didn''t mean to lie, but actually ..." I told Manon what happened after we were summoned, and then asked her to help everyone get used to Volzard. "Kobayashi ... that''s not it, umm ... Tomoko and Akemi are girls, and Manon is the only girl who became friends with me that is the same age as me, so I think you might be confused, but please take care of them, is that okay?" "Yeah, that''s okay ... I can''t help it if I''m the only girl you''re close to, yeah, yeah ..." Well, I made a troublesome request, but Manon is in a good mood, but I wonder if she''s happy to make new friends. After all Manon also had a loner constitution. While talking to Manon, it seems that registration has been completed, and the five are happily looking at their guild cards. Yeah, everyone''s got F rank cards, good, that''s good ... "Kent, what about the immediate living expenses of these five people?" "Oh, yes, I''ve got the orc magic stones and the Gigawolfs that I killed on the way, and I''ll take it out of that." "What, Gigawolf!" Otto-san seems to have not heard the story of the Gigawolfs, and steps back in surprise. Donovan-san asked, interrupting the surprised Otto-san''s words. "Kent, where are they?" "Yes, they''re in the shadow storage, so I can pull them out at any time ..." "Of course they''re big, aren''t they?" "Yes, they''re big enough to surprise me." "Okay, pull them out in the back training ground and I''ll appraise them." "Yes, thank you." And so we all moved to the training ground behind the guild. Although the training for mages is being held today, there is no figure of Muell-san who has successfully advanced to the next stage. "Kent, put it out here." "OK, Reinhardt, please." [ I understand. ] When I opened the entrance to the shadow storage, Reinhardt takes out the Gigawolfs one after another. Surprised voices are raised from the surroundings as the metallic skeleton carries out the giant Gigawolfs one after another. Everyone who was taking the training for mages were also gathered at the training grounds. That''s right, I would be surprised if Mount Fluffy suddenly appeared, too. I asked Reinhardt to return to the shadows when the work was done. Donovan-san, who was inspecting the wounds of the Gigawolfs, asked with a suspicious expression. "Hey Kent, how were these guys defeated?" "Yes, I moved under their head with shadow move, and from there I killed them with light-type attack magic." "What! You''re the one beat them?" Donovan-san seemed to think that Reinhardt and the others had defeated them, and he made a very surprised voice, which caused the eyes of the people around to concentrate on me. "Well, uh ... yes, that''s right." When I nodded, Donovan-san caught my neck and pulled me over to where the mage''s training was being held. Isn''t it too easy to grab my neck? "Show me ..." No ... There are a lot of people watching, is that okay? I''m sure I shouldn''t stand out too much. However, Donovan-san shook his chin and urged me to do it as soon as possible, so I can''t help but do it. "Hmm ... then ..." I stretched out my pistol-shaped right hand towards the target straw doll and shot the attack magic. The magic hit it properly, and a hole was opened in the head of the straw doll, so I lowered my hand. Donovan-san opened his eyes wide towards the straw doll target, but I can hear the noise from the gallery that was watching in the distance, perhaps because they couldn''t not see the target well. "What''s wrong, why is he not doing anything?" "Why doesn''t he start?" After a short time lag, smoke rose from the straw doll''s head and it was eventually engulfed in flames. "Wow, what''s that, it''s burning." "What did he do?" Donovan-san who was frozen while staring at the target, thawed, and his eyes turned towards me. "You ... what about chanting?" "Um ... I''ve never done it." "Come to think of it, you went into the shadows without chanting ... Is it really the light attribute just now?" "Maybe ... I think so, because I imaged the light attribute ..." "Hmm ..." I was glared at by Donovan-san with his arms folded and surrounded by the noise of the gallery, which made me extremely uncomfortable. After turning his gaze towards the Gigawolfs, Donovan-san asked me. "Didn''t you take out the magic stones?" "Yes, I didn''t have time to dismantle it, so their state is like this." "Okay, for that, is it okay to pay the amount after appraisal and dismantling?" "Yes, that''s fine ... Oh, everyone''s immediate living expenses are needed, so can you cash in just the orcs'' magic stones?" "That''s right ... Okay, we''ll move to the counter inside. You guys should resume the class quickly." The mages have returned to their class, and the adventurers who have been practicing independently are gathering around the Gigawolfs. "That ... Donovan-san, is Gigawolf such a rare thing?" "Obviously, they''re far more annoying than rock ogres." "Have they attacked Volzard?" "It''s rare, and even if one comes, it''s not a whole flock, it''s just a solo individual, but it''s a ridiculous thing that jumps over the wall without hesitation and often escapes without being killed because it moves fast." Previously, the Gigawolf, that appeared in Volzard, jumped over the walls and invaded the city, attacked people and returned to the Devil''s Forest like a bad joke. Moreover, it seems that more than 10 people were killed while attacking over and over trying to kill it. "Please let me know if you see another one. Even if I have to chase it into the Devil''s Forest, I will kill it." "Mmm ... I see, I got it, at such a time I''ll rely you." "Yes, leave it to me." Each orc magic stone was bought for 12,000 Helts. The five people will be given 15,000 Helts each for their immediate living expenses. Now that we''ve finished making their IDs, it''s time to buy what they need for their lives. "Manon, I want to shop for clothes for everyone, but could you guide us to the store ... Manon?" "Eh ...?" Perhaps since so many things happened at once and she was confused, Manon seemed to be looking at my face and wasn''t listening. "Um ... I want to shop for clothes for everyone, can you show me to the store?" "Yeah, yeah, okay, leave it to me! I''ll guide you all, yeah, yeah." "P, Please then ..." "Leave it to me!" Manon is very motivated for some reason, but is she happy to make more friends at once, or is she happy to show us around her city? The dekoboko sisters are grinning, and the old and new duo and fake glasses throw me a murderous gaze, but what is it, I''m doing my best. Let''s go shopping for the time being. CH 34 Manon? Or is it the chairman? ***---*** After finishing making the ID cards, we went shopping for daily necessities, but I wonder how it became the situation where I was caught by the old and new duo and fake glasses and Manon was caught by the dekoboko sisters. "How did you get to know Manon-chan?" "How ... we took the guild combat training class together ..." "How far have you gone?" "Nothing happened, we just worked together ..." "Lie ... Isn''t there an event?" "No, nothing, nothing ... th, there is no such thing ..." "It''s suspicious ..." "Well, rather than that, you''ll be in trouble if you don''t have clothes and everyday items." Perhaps because they continued to live a life suppressed by Lastock, the questions of the old and new duo and fake glasses are persistent. Manon also has her face bright red and her eyes are darting around, I wonder if she was asked something by the dekoboko sisters, or if she was sick. Hmm ... I wonder if it''s okay, Manon has a tendency to blurt out unnecessary things. And when we started shopping, it backfired that I had handed over their living expenses for the time being, and they were trying to buy extra things like this, as if they were tourists in a new country. "Hey Kazuki, there''s a weapon shop." "Oh, I need a weapon, let''s see." "Wait, wait, you still can''t get a job of subduing monsters, so you don''t need any weapons." "What''s wrong Kokubu, don''t be stingy, don''t you have a lot of money?" "What are you saying, if I rescue everyone else besides Yagi and the others, I will need to pay for their living expenses." I don''t want everyone to rely on my wallet, even though they don''t earn even one Helt. "But Kokubu, if you''re so close to the Devil''s Forest, you''ll see monsters, right?" "That''s right, as Tatsuya says, don''t you need a weapon?" "There are no monsters inside the walls, look at the people on the road, they have no weapons other than the adventurers." Volzard is known as the farthest city, but you won''t see a single goblin in the city except when there are a lot of monsters. Weapons are carried by garrison members or adventurers, not a large percentage of the total people. "No, Kokubu, shouldn''t you have a knife for self-defense even if there are no monsters?" "No! If you want weapons so badly, wait until the start of the week and take the fighting class on fire day. Anyway, it''s no good right now!" "Tch, you''re really stingy ... or rather, are they okay?" When I looked at where Yagi was pointing, I saw the dekoboko sisters holding a large amount of packages coming out of the clothes shop, and I inadvertently sat down with my head in my hands. I was stupid to think that Kobayashi-san would be okay. "Hey, both of you are buying so much, what about living expenses for the time being." "What are you saying, it''s natural for girls to spend money on fashion." "Yeah, it''s important for girls to be fashionable, right, Manon." "Well, I''m ..." Kobayashi-san said something to Manon who was mumbling. "Well, that''s right, I think it''s important for girls to be fashionable ..." Manon also has a package, but has she been bribed? It''s not convincing to be told while wearing a face like a child whose prank was found out, but I can''t get angry because I asked her to do some troublesome things ... "So how much did you spend?" "No ... it''s okay, because I still have the money to buy shoes properly." "Oh yeah, Manon, next show us to the shoe store." "No ..." Manon, who is glancing at my face, becomes pitiful. "Hey Kokubu, can we buy weapons too?" "No! I tell you, the instructor of the combat class is Donovan-san, so if you have a weapon that doesn''t fit your size, you don''t know what kind of treatment you will receive." "Uh, that old man ... What should we do Kazuki?" "No, this is ... on hold." After that, I was forced to accompany the shopping of the dekoboko sisters at the shoe store, and I felt sick by the buying and eating of the old and new duo that I thought would eat inexhaustibly. I had a lot of trouble before I brought them back to the garrison''s dormitory in the evening. When I dropped the five people off at the dormitory and finally finished the job, Manon and I looked at each other and sighed a lot. "I''m sorry, I''m really sorry, Manon ..." "Yeah, it''s not Kent''s fault ... I''m tired ..." Seeing Manon, who was more exhausted than when we were the gardener''s apprentices, filled me with regret. "I''ll apologize with dinner, but is it okay to go to the pasta shop from last time?" "Yeah, but ... you already bought me clothes ..." That''s right, it seems that she was forced to be like a dress-up doll by the dekoboko sisters, and is currently holding a package of clothes. "Oh, you don''t have to worry about it, it''s cheap if you think of it as a nuisance fee for the future." "Uh ... that''s right ..." Manon has a distant look in her eyes, perhaps imagining that the situation like today will continue. No, I''m really sorry. At the pasta shop, we finished dinner while being watched by Minuet-san, and I sent Manon back to her house. It''s impossible to hold Manon''s hand while sending her home, because she''s holding the package of clothes with both hands. "Kent will continue to rescue his friends, right?" "Yeah, the situation is too terrible, so I want to make it as soon as possible, but ... it''s difficult." "Why don''t Tomoko and the others help?" "Hmm ... it''s a little difficult to have them help because I have to go beyond the Devil''s Forest." At present, it seems that the five people are not at a level that can be considered as a force, and there is no point in taking them. "I never realized that Kent was doing such a hard thing." "I''m sorry to keep silent until now ..." "Yeah, I understand the situation ... but I don''t think I can help rescue them either." "Yeah, but when I rescue more classmates, it will be very helpful if you could help them get used to Volzard ..." "Of course, I''ll cooperate if I can, because Kent protected the city." Manon stares at me with her glittering eyes, but since it was Reinhardt who actually fought, I can''t steal the credit. "But it was Reinhardt and the others who defeated the rock ogres." "But those Gigawolfs were defeated by Kent, right?" "Uh, yeah, well ..." "That''s amazing ..." Uh ... you can praise me more, Manon-chan, I''m the type who grows when being praised. "No, no, but it''s the power I got, it''s not me that''s amazing." "Still, Kent defeated them, right?" "Uh, yeah ... it just happened." "Hey, Kent, can you dive into the dungeon with me someday?" "Well ... well, if I could help all my classmates and send them back to the original world ..." When I said that, Manon suddenly stopped. The expression that had been shining and smiling until just now stiffened. "Hey Kent, will Kent return if you can go back to the original world?" "Well, that''s ... I don''t know yet ..." "Can you stay in Volzard?" "Yeah ... honestly, I''m at a loss ..." "I want you to stay ..." Hmm ... If you ask me with such teary eyes, it seems that I will immediately refuse to leave. Is it impossible to take Manon home? If I go back to Japan, I''ll go back to just being a kid, so even if I bring Manon, I can''t feed her. Hmm? Or will magic be usable even after returning? "Well, it hasn''t been decided that we can even go back yet ... I''ll think about it ..." "Yeah, think about it ..." From there until we got to Manon''s house, neither of us could find words to say and we walked silently. If I could resuce everyone ... If I could go back to Japan ... That should be my goal, but when that time comes, I have to make a decision, and I feel scared when I think that time will come. "Then, thank you for sending me home." "Yeah, see you later ..." We parted in front of Manon''s house and I was stopped when I tried to return to my boarding house. "Ke, Kent ... ouch!" "Fugya ..." When I was stopped and turned around, I saw Manon''s face was approaching, and I was head-butted in the temple. "Good night!" "Eh ...?" Manon had escaped into the house and I stood alone on the night road. Why was it head-butting? I wonder if she was so angry with me. Perhaps the fact that Kobayashi-san and Sakurai-san were around was a terrible influence on her. Yeah ... I thought there was a good feeling going on with Manon, but I wonder if it was a misunderstanding. I went back to the boarding house while wondering if Manon would continue to cooperate with me, wondering if something went wrong. Hmm ... The maiden heart is too mysterious. When I greeted Amanda-san and returned to my room, Fred came back from Lastock and called out to me. [ Kent-sama ... Don''t forget to take care of the Saint-sama ... ] [ Huh! That''s right, I pushed everyone''s care to the chairman. ] Sinking into the shadows, I headed to Lastock garrison with Fred. Speaking of the chairman, she was laying on the sofa in the examination room. Her expression was full of fatigue, and she was breathing heavily. "Saint-sama, don''t overdo it ..." "Don''t be silly, I wonder just who is causing this!" The chairman snapped at Erna. It''s like a kitty with its fur bristling in intimidation. Erna, on the other hand, looks like an owner who wants to fluff but is confused about why she can''t fluff. "You''ve seen everyone''s injuries today. Everyone''s mind and body are overwhelmed! Why do we have to do something so painful!" "I think it''s terrible, but in my own right ..." "If so, don''t say irresponsible things. I can''t stand losing any more friends ... I absolutely hate that!" The chairman who stood up and shouted, probably felt dizzy, as she held her forehead and collapsed on the sofa. Erna tried to run up in a hurry, but stopped as the chairman glared at her. "I''ll go back to my room after a short break, so leave me alone!" "OK ... please come back soon and take a rest." Erna bowed and left the examination room. Closing the door of the examination room, she hears the chairman''s sobbing voice leaking from inside, sighs, and then walks away down the corridor. [ Fred, there are no people around us, right? ] [ It''s okay ... I''ll let you know when someone comes ... ] [ I beg you ... ] I asked Fred to keep watch and returned to the chairman. The chairman seemed to be crying seriously, not acting, and it made me sick. "Cha ... Yu, Yuika ..." "Huh ... Kent-kun?" When I came out of the shadow of the examination table, the chairman hugged me. "Kent-kun ... Kent ..." "I''m sorry, I put a burden on Yuika, but I safely took the five of them to Volzard so that they could live there for the time being." "Really? Are they all doing well? It''s not terrible?" "They''re confused by the new environment, but it''s okay because the people at Volzard are working together." I can''t say that they spent their immediate living expenses like hot water and bought explosively. "That''s good ... that''s really good." "What''s the situation here? I heard the conversation earlier, but is the situation getting worse?" "Yeah, everyone thinks the five people are dead, so they''re not motivated to go against the knights, and it seems like they''re being forced to do more rigorous training than ever before." "Sorry ... I wonder if they can wait for the actual battle ..." "Is it possible to speed up the rescue?" "Hmm ..." When it comes to rescue operations by invading the garrison, it seems to be a big deal and I don''t know what to do. [ Kent ... Healing the Saint-sama ... ] [ Oh, that''s right ... ] When Fred tells me to heal the chairman, I realize that we''re still hugging each other, and my heart is throbbing. However, because of the large contact area, I cast healing magic on the chairman as if it were an extension of self-healing. "Eh ... this is ..." "Yu, Yuika ... I''m sorry to keep silent, I can use light attribute magic." "Ah ... then, before ..." "Yeah ... I''m sorry I silently cast healing magic." When I apologized for being silent, the chairman put more strength into her arms that were around my back. "Thank you ... Kent was watching over me this whole time." "I, I''m not qualified to have Yuika thank me when I made you feel so painful, sorry." "That''s not the case! Takayama-kun is crazy about the maid girl and isn''t trying to help anyone, even though he can use such amazing magic." "But Takayama also wears a slave bracelet, so he can''t go against them can he?" "Still, I think he should at least consider it ... Compared to that, Kent prepared for rescue alone and helped five people, you''re amazing, you''re really amazing." The chairman hugs me even more strongly, burying her face in my neck. "My prince ... just run away with me ..." "Yuika ... I''m sorry, but for now ..." "Yeah, I just wanted to say that selfishly ... yes, I''ll ask them to let me accompany them in the actual battle." "Well, yeah, then I can rescue you soon." "Volzard ... I want to go soon ..." "It''s a very nice city with only very kind people." [ Kent-sama ... the caretaker is back ... ] "Yuika, it looks like Erna is coming back, so I''ll go ... I''ll come back to you again." "Yeah, I''ll be waiting ..." Fuuuuuuu! Chairman''s kiss hit me again. I was pulled by Fred back into the shadows, and to replace me, Erna came into the examination room. "Saint-sama, it''s about time to go back to your room ..." "I''m about to return now ..." The chairman instantly tightened her relaxed expression, uttered in a cold tone, and pushed Erna out of the examination room. I was a little worried that the fluffy expression she was showing to me was acting because of the sudden change. From the garrison of Lastock, I returned to the boarding house and headed to the special training ground of the Devil''s Forest with Reinhardt. Tomorrow is light day, and last week there was a rock ogre attack, so maybe the mage''s training isn''t over. If so, Muell-san should be free from that mutt in class. I have to repay the debt of having my collarbone broken last week. In addition, there are days when I cannot take special training due to rescue operations. When I can, I have to train, become stronger, and rescue the chairman and everyone as soon as possible. [ Still a long ways to go, take a solid stance, tighten your waist and step in! ] "Yaaaa!" [ Here here, slow, you''re slow. ] "Uuh, Kuh ... daaa ... fugyaa ..." No matter how much I step in or swing my sword, it is unlikely that I will reach Reinhardt. But no matter how many times I''m beaten or knocked down, I don''t feel like giving up. Last week, even though he was being careless, I was able to get a hit on Gilik. This week, he won''t be careless, and I''ll practice until he''s tired of it. For that purpose, it can be 1 cm or 1 mm, so just move forward. [ Kent-sama, leave it around here for tonight ... ] "O, One more ..." [ Kent-sama, it''s also part of training to take a rest. ] "Well ... yes, thank you." I thank Reinhardt and wash off my sweat before returning to the boarding house. As expected, the water in the river was too cold, so before I came to Volzard, I heated water in a large pot I got from the carriage and washed my sweat. When I fell into my bed at the boarding house, I fell asleep immediately. CH 35 Head-to-head match! ***---*** The next morning, when I picked them up at the garrison station, the five people were happily talking about the guild registration card they had made yesterday. Seeing that, I remembered my feeling a little over a month ago. In a city where I didn''t know anything, I was full of anxiety when I was looking for a job for the first time. But at the same time as feeling anxious, I also felt the joy of working as a full-fledged person for the first time in my life. When I was in Japan, I was just sleeping, and for me, who was treated as a joke by my parents as well as my teachers, it was a great pleasure to be recognized as a full-fledged person. I was thinking of telling the five people about the situation of Lastock and warning them as much as I could, but I decided to postpone it after seeing their happy appearance. "Good morning, are you all ready?" "I''m always OK!" "I''m ready!" "Work in a different world, super-fun." "There are jobs for girls, right?" "I don''t want to work ..." Yeah, they''re ready except for just one person. "Yagi, there''s still caster training at the guild training ground today, and maybe the onee-san with cat ears is participating ..." "Let''s go! Kokubu, don''t dally!" Inviting fake glasses, who is refreshingly faithful to his desires, and head to the guild with the other four. We arrived at the guild a little earlier than yesterday, so they were in the middle of the morning hustle and bustle in front of the bulletin board. "Hey Kokubu, what''s that?" "That''s the everyday scenery of finding a good job every morning." I answered Kobayashi-san''s question, the other four are also watching wide-eyed. "Maybe we can''t get a job without going in that?" "I''m worried about Yagi, but it''s okay because they still have jobs left after the congestion is over. Also, they''re looking for people for construction of the walls every day besides the jobs here, so you can go there." "Isn''t the wall construction hard work?" "Yeah, that''s right, but I think it''s better to experience it at least once because I''ve been taken care of by Volzard." "Wow, I''ll pass ..." After all, it may be better to warn fake glasses. "Hey Kokubu-kun, where should we look for a job for girls?" "For Sakurai-san and Kobayashi-san''s work, talk to Manon. Um ... Manon ..." Ah, she was there, a mutt occupies the middle of the usual wall, and Manon stands a little way away from him. She has a complicated expression like a child whose prank has been found this morning. "Good morning, Gilik-san ... Good morning, Manon too." "Snort ... the unsightly Chibisuke, is it ..." "No, no, if we''re speaking of unsightly, it''s definitely the one with the bigger figure ..." "What did you just say about me, you bastard ..." "What''s the matter? I haven''t said a word about Gilik-san." "Interesting, I''ll knock some sense into you to kill some time ..." "Hmm, it''s not that easy, so be prepared ..." As I was meeting Gilik''s glare from above, as expected, Donovan-san called out as he approached. "Oh, it looks like you''ve got a lot of energy this morning ..." "Good morning, Donovan-san, last week was interrupted halfway through by the rock ogre turmoil." "Hmm ... It''s the continuation of last week, is it ... Excellent ..." Donovan-san laughed happily. Although I say that, Yagi and the others are cowering because he has a very powerful smile. "Hey Gilik, give some lessons to these five people and see how good they are." "Why do I have to do such a troublesome thing ..." "Aah? Do you have any complaints?" "No ... it''s okay, I''ll do it ..." Uhyahya, this mutt just doesn''t learn that he should just obediently follow because you''ll be killed if you complain. "Hey, Kokubu, what''s this practice, why am I hearing such a thing?" "No, it can''t be helped because it''s Donovan-san''s instruction." "You cheated, what happened with the cat-eared onee-san?" Ah, fake glasses blurts out the wrong thing in such a place, and the mutt reacts as a matter of course. "Hey bastard, you aren''t making a pass at Myu-ane, are you?" "Hii, no, I ... that, this, this guy, Kokubu ..." "Gilik-san, this guy, he wants to get closer to Muell-san, so I''m counting on you." "Hmm ... it''s pretty interesting ... you ..." Gilik glares like a demon, and Yagi has cold sweat. "No, no, it''s like this ... Hey, just before Kokubu, what are you talking about?" "Gilik-san is Muell-san, the cat-eared onee-san''s watchdog, so please get along with him." Apparently Gilik was completely locked on to Yagi. Let''s have him give some harsh treatment, and get his character corrected. "Wait a minute Kokubu, do I really have to do it?" "Gilik-san is a promising young person, so why don''t you see the difference in your ability? If you want ot dive into the dungeon, I think you have to be able to fight evenly." "After all, Kazuki." "Shall we go a round?" It seems that the old and new duo were all fired up. "Because he knows how to go easy on you, Sakurai-san should also participate. It''s safe because Manon also participated last week." It was then that Manon, who I thought had a full-blown expression again, suddenly bowed his head. "Kent, I''m sorry about yesterday! Oh, I didn''t mean to do that ... I mean, I made a mistake in the sense of distance ..." "Yeah, I was a little surprised, but it''s okay, don''t worry." "I''m sorry, I''m really sorry ..." Apparently, Manon seemed to have made a mistake and wasn''t angry with me, so I was relieved. "Hey, Kokubu, what happened?" "Eh? Nothing ... Manon and I just bumped our heads into each other ..." Talking about the headbutt last night, Kobayashi-san put her hand on her forehead and looked up at the ceiling. Hmm? Perhaps the dekoboko sisters know something about it. "Okay, everyone go to the training ground. Manon, fetch the five people some armor and wooden swords, Kent, you stay here ..." "Eh ... hey, wh, what is it?" Even though I was planning to participate, Donovan-san, who pushed the five people onto Gilik, grabbed my neck and I was taken away. The destination looks like the drawing room on the second floor. Klaus-san was waiting here last week, but today there is noone. In addition, I was carelessly made to sit on the sofa, and Donovan-san sat on the other side of the table. "Kent, take out your guild card." "Yes ..." As I was told, I pulled out my card with a big F rank on it onto the table. "I will collect this one." "Eehhh ... no way, but then, working ..." In response to my surprised words, Donovan-san put out another card onto the table. The card is engraved with a large B. "Kent, your new guild card." "Eh ... but this is a B-rank card, isn''t it?" "Yes, Kent, you''re B rank from now on." From F rank to B rank, I''m suddenly up 4 ranks all at once. "Is there some reason that it went up so suddenly? Why did it go up so much?" Even Gilik, who is said to be the most promising newbie, should still be in D rank. It would be strange that I, who had never won unless Gilik was careless, was two ranks higher. "Um, usually, even those who have made great achievements can only go up two ranks at a time, but this time, the rock ogre subjugation and the Gigawolf subjugation are two ranks each. It''s that form of an increase." "But I have no skill at all ..." "Hmm, there''s no way I can put a guy who defeats nine Gigawolfs alone in F rank, and there''s not even such a guy in A rank." "No, that just happened to be a good condition for me ..." "To be honest, you can''t accept a nomination request unless you''re ranked B." "Nomination request ...?" As the name suggests, a nomination request is a request to nominate a specific adventurer, and of course it may be difficult or dangerous. Due to the difficult request, the adventurers able to be nominated are limited to B rank and above. The nominated adventurer will not be able to refuse the request unless there is a good reason, and instead, an exceptional success reward will be provided. "In cases like last week''s rock ogre outbreak, skillful adventurers are nominated to help. The current Volzard''s greatest strength is Kent, Reinhardt, and the others." "But we will fight to protect Volzard even without being asked." "I''m grateful to have you say that, but if you neglect these procedures, the structure of the city will not work. It is certain that it is a little impossible to suddenly promote you to B rank, but this is a formal problem. Because there are few cases." It seems that the purpose is to prevent the mechanism such as nomination request from becoming un-refusable and ending up with a crazy relationship. "That''s why it''s B rank from today, but don''t show off too much, because there are many people who would become your enemies if they knew." "Uh ... you mean, I shouldn''t stand out too much, right?" "That''s another story ... Gigawolf and the unusual attack magic, there are rumors." "Well ... it seems that Donovan-san also has some responsibility ..." "Hmm ... even if something is said, keep it properly hidden." "No, I won''t say it that easily." "It''s not difficult, or do you think you have the stature suitable for a B rank?" "Eh? No, I don''t have anything like that at all ..." "If so, it''s okay to say that is a mistaken identity." "Ah ... that''s true ..." Hmm? It''s true what Donovan-san says, but I wonder why it makes me want to cry ... "Also, as for the Gigawolfs, how about 150,000 Helts for the biggest individual and 120,000 Helts for each of the remaining eight?" "Yes, that''s fine ... I have no idea how much it should cost, so I''ll leave it to you." "Don''t worry, I''m not going to cheat you, also be prepared for a nomination request in the near future." "Eh? Is there a sign of an outbreak of a large number of monsters?" "No, it''s a completely different matter ... well, put it in the corner of your mind." What kind of work do I have to do other than the mass outbreak of monsters? Since I can move in the shadows, it may be a delivery to Resenburg. It was decided to open an account for the money for the Gigawolfs and deposit it there. Well, in my case, it''s safe to put it in the shadow storage even if I get it in cash. After talking with Donovan-san, we headed to the training ground together. I was wondering if Yagi was beaten to a pulp, and the old and new duo were getting beaten down, but an unexpected sight was waiting for me. "Oh Kokubu, I couldn''t wait for you to finally come." "Choose, me or Tatsuya, which one?" I was thinking of trying a revenge match against Gilik, but the old and new duo wearing armor threw me a challenge. "What''s going on, Kent." "No, I don''t understand either ..." Even if Donovan-san asks me, I don''t understand what is going on. Behind the old and new duo, there is Gilik who laughs with his arms folded and the dekoboko sisters who have their arms folded in the same way on both sides. Yagi is ... a battered mess as expected, and it seems that he is not in a state where he can talk. Manon ... has a very embarrased face, I''m sorry for some reason. "Um ... I don''t understand the story, what do you mean?" "It''s simple, we can''t let you bother Gilik-san." "That''s why we''re saying we''ll deal with you first, so choose me or Tatsuya!" I don''t know what happened, but apparently the old and new duo and the dekoboko sisters should be considered to have fallen to become Gilik''s gatekeepers. "Hmm ... it doesn''t matter which one ... then Nitta!" "Okay ... be prepared, Kokubu ..." "Kazuki, don''t hesitate to do it!" I received and wore armor from Manon, who had a troubled face, and faced Nitta with a wooden sword. Donovan-san casually stood in the position of referee. "Kokubu, if I win, give me the money to buy a weapon!" "Huh? What are you saying, Didn''t I tell you that you don''t need it because you can''t subdue monsters yet?" "Idiot, this is a different world, I can''t think of a man being without a weapon in a different world that has no Gun and Sword Control Law. "That''s why, after completing the class ..." "Don''t talk so tediously, get started quickly!" If Donovan-san says so, I can''t help but prepare myself. "Let''s go! Kokubu!" "Uh, annoying, if you want weapons so badly, earn money yourself and buy them!" Nitta, who belongs to the baseball club, closes the distance with a bat swing stance, just like when he faced the goblin. I pointed my sword straight at Nitta, and approached him. We got closer to each other, and when I was about to enter Nitta''s space, I took the plunge and stepped forward. Nitta reacts quickly and swings the wooden sword fully, which is of course as expected. I pretended to step in vigorously, and after a half step, I ducked, evading Nitta''s swing, and swiftly struck his gauntlet. "Winner Kent!" "Damn, it''s cowardly to throw a curveball on the first pitch, come at me head on!" "Hey, it''s better than getting caught by such a simple feint." The old and new duo are over 170 cm tall, and they are physically fit because they are in athletic clubs. I''m not stupid enough to play head-to-head with such an opponent. "OK Kokubu, this time it''s my turn!" "Okay, don''t think I am the same as when I was in Japan." Defeat Nitta and face Furuta this time. When they fought the goblins, Furuta was a decoy, so I can''t read what kind of tactics he would come up with. "OK, get started!" At the same time as Donovan-san''s command, Furuta stepped back away from me. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world ..." "Wow, chanting is cheating, Taaaaaaa!" I don''t know how much physical strengthening Furuta can use, but it seems it will be disadvantageous if I let him use it, so I stepped in before his chanting was over. "Gather, gather, gather in my body ... uwaa, bastard, I was still chanting." "Do you think monsters will wait for you in an actual battle?" "Damn ... I''ll beat you up without chanting!" "By the way, I don''t need to chant." "Oh, that''s so dirty!" "Hmm, say what you want, it''s my turn from here, hey! Hey! Yaah!" After disturbing Furuta''s chanting, I swung the wooden sword heavily towards Furuta. "Huh? What are you doing ... uh, it hurts ..." While Furuta was taken back in astonishment, I thrust towards him with one hand. "Winner Kent!" "Damnit, once more Kokubu!" "What are you saying, the guy who tried to chant body strengthening against a mage is not qualified to say that." Furuta''s challenge was rejected, and I glared at the mutt who was standing behind him. "Now, let''s get started, Gilik-san." "Hmm ... Chibisuke wants to play with me ... Let''s do it!" "Sorry, I''m sorry, Gilik aniki!" Gilik aniki is it, what happened while we weren''t here? Well, for now, let''s concentrate on facing Gilik. I don''t think I can win. Even when my collarbone was smashed last week, I felt a considerable difference, and I don''t think it can be reversed in just one week. I used feints for the old and new combinations, but it''s a head-to-head game for Gilik. "Today, let''s break one or two limbs ..." "If you''re not careful, you''ll be embarrassed again ..." "Bastard ..." "Get ready ... start!" When I started a glaring match with Gilik, Donovan-san issued a command to start. Today''s Gilik has been ready since the beginning. In the upper right corner, which emphasizes power with the left shoulder in front, we face each other with the same posture. "Well, blindly imitating will just lead to an embarrassing experience ..." Gilik with a hateful smile speaks to me, but I ignore him. I will concentrate on the game rather than running my mouth. "What''s wrong with you? Come on quickly." Gilik''s provocation is also ignored, and while slowly moving around to the right side of Gilik, I close the gap. No tricks are required, just focus on the first strike. Just when Gilik and I changed positions, I crossed into the reach of both swords. "Raaaa!" "Haaaa!" Perhaps he was looking down on me again, and even though we stepped in at almost the same time, I was slightly faster, and Gilik''s superior physique was repelled. Immediately swinging my sword at the left side of his neck, at the collarbone which he had broken mine last week. Gilik moved quickly for his large figure and I couldn''t catch his collarbone, but the tip of my sword still hit his left upper arm. "Gah ... this is ..." Gilik, whose face is bright red, counters the wooden sword that is swung down by force with a single blow. The rugged wooden swords collided with each other, and after a few clashes, we were brought into a close-knit battle that seemed to be pressed down from above. Compared to simple force, there is too much difference in body size and I was pushed. When I clenched my teeth, I suddenly relaxed my body and stepped forward. Although I lost my balance greatly, I turned around and did a one-handed thrust to the right rear where Gilik would be, and there was a slight response. "Ku ... Damn Chibisuke ..." After quickly repositioning and facing each other, I saw a red streak on Gilik''s right cheek. "I don''t eat the same hand over and over again." He broke my collarbone from the same pattern last week, so I''ve been thinking about countermeasures. Blood was dripping from his cheek, and when Gilik traced it with his finger, he smiled with a terrible laugh after licking it. "Good ..." From the face of Gilik who repositioned, it seems that he grew pale. However, the eyes that glared at me were shining brightly. Gilik lowered his stance close to the bottom and closed the distance. The appearance reminded me of the Gigawolfs I met in the Devil''s Forest. "Shii!" With a sharp yell, he swung a sword aimed at my torso, which was clearly a faster and heavier blow than ever before. I put my whole body into my sword, but it was pushed by his power and was strongly repelled. "Shima ... gafu ..." My unprotected torso was hit and I was blown away by the powerful blow. The impact pierced my internal organs through my leather vest, and I couldn''t even breathe and was in agony. "Gua ..." I desperately applied self-healing while rolling around the training ground, and was able to breathe in a choked breath and the pain was reduced. "Fuu ... haha ... ku ... still ... still ..." Even so, Gilik hasn''t used the magic of body strengthening yet. So to speak, it is just one step before his seriousness. I can''t just curl my tail here and run away. However, it was a one-sided development from there. Due to the increased power of his swings, each strike becomes harder to block, and then I''m cornered to the point where the sword hit me, I was hit, I was kicked. And finally, the magical power for self-healing is exhausted, and I collapsed onto the training ground, it is the end. Still, let''s just say that it was good to see his sweaty and disgusting face. CH 36 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 36 First nomination request ***---*** I woke up on the bed in the medical office. Before, when the same situation happened, I was surprised to see Muell-san sleeping with me, but today I am completely surrounded by eyes. Whether you look to the right or to the left, you''ll see scornful eyes, scornful eyes, scornful eyes, and scornful eyes. "Well, no matter how many times you say it, Kent is always so rash." "No, I didn''t think Kokubu was so rash." "Right, right, even the old and new duo didn''t go that far." "But I think Kent is doing his best ..." After receiving a few words in the order of Muell-san, Kobayashi-san, Sakurai-san, and Manon who defended me a little, the eyes of the three people turned to Manon. "Huh, that ... Kent is too rash ..." Yeah, it''s okay because you can tell your true feelings, Manon-chan. "So ... Kent''s recovery is faster, not because of blessing magic, but because he uses self-healing magic?" "Uh ... yes, yes, I''m sorry I lied." I don''t know if it was heard from Manon or Kobayashi-san talked about it, but it seems that Muell-san was told that I can use light attribute magic. "Hey Kent, in magical training, you can push yourself to the limit, but if you pass out so often, you may break your body." "Is that so? But I''ve passed out several times, but ..." "Ke-n-t ... You, did you pass out more than just the time you passed out in the training ground before? Such a thing is absurd, overdoing it is no good!" "Uhi ... I''m sorry ..." Oh, I apologize, but I wonder if the joy that was given to me came out on my face, and the scornful eyes are raining down on me. Well, this time although Manon is becoming a Yaksha, but ... it looks like horns will start growing ... "Hmm ... Kent nees a little punishment ..." "Pu, punishment is it ...?" I asked while being careful of my mouth that was about to start smiling. Perhaps it will be done every morning for a week. "Yes ..." "Hey? Um, this is ...?" "It''s a medicine that helps restore magical power." What was presented by Muell-san was like a decoction of medicinal herbs, which was about 3 cm in diameter. It looks like a giant version of that guy with the trumpet symbol, and if you swallow it whole, you might choke on it.(TN: google ¥é¥Ã¥Ñ¤Î¥Þ©`¥¯ if you want to see it.) At the time of being given to me, it smells like Chinese herbal medicine, and althought it seems to be good for the body, it has a slightly dangerous atmosphere. "How should I take this ..." "Put it in your mouth, chew it well, taste it, and then swallow it ..." "Hah ..." I received the medicine that was being handed to me, but I feel that Muell-san''s eyes, which have a stern look, are laughing at me. Besides, I''m really worried that Manon has a very disgusted expression ... "Come on, down it fast!" "Uh ... I understand ..." I''m sure it''s really bad, but I can''t refuse it because I worried Muell-san. After taking a big deep breath, I threw the medicine into my mouth and took the plunge and chewed it. "Hagaa ... Kaha ..." "You can''t spit it out, chew it, taste it, and reflect on it!" As soon as I chewed the herbs, the bitterness and astringency exploded in my mouth. "Uguuu ... Wa, waterr ... waterrr ..." "Wait a minute ..." Manon rushes to fetch water, and the other three are laughing while holding their stomachs. "Ahaha, are you reflecting Kent?" "Kyahaha, Kokubu is an old man." "Hahaha, it hurts, I have a stomachache ..." It''s terrible, my mouth is really messed up, but everyone is laughing too much. "Kent, here, water!" "Thag yu ... Ngungu ... Puha ... No, it''s still bitter ... Oh, that ...?" Even if you drink the water poured into the cup, the bitterness in your mouth is hardly alleviated. That was a problem, but suddenly my head became dull and I was very drowsy. "Ahhh ... somehow ... suddenly sleepy ..." I just woke up, but I couldn''t resist my drowsiness and fell back to bed. "I''m sorry! I accidently gave him sleeping medicine ..." I felt like Muell-san said something outrageous, but I couldn''t confirm it and fell asleep. "Kent ... Hey, Kent, get up ..." "Hmm ... that, here ..." "Pull yourself together, this is the guild''s medical office, do you remember?" "Ah ... eh? Donovan-san? Good morning." I don''t know how long it''s been, but it was Donovan-san who woke me up. For me, I wanted to have Muell-san, or Manon-chan sleep with me and experience the ''Morning Chun'' in the morning ... Donovan-san, you''re so powerful in the morning. "Um, it''s still before dawn ... Can you get up?" "Um ... yes, I''m okay ... or rather, I''m pretty refreshed." "Yes, that''s okay." "That ... what happened?" "Um, it''s a little urgent, but it''s the aforementioned nomination request." "It''s a nomination request ... what should I do?" "Um ... can you take a little bath and change your clothes first?" "Ah ... yes, that''s okay." "You can use the guild shower room." Yesterday, I sparred with Gilik and passed out while sweaty, so I was full of sweat and dust. I pulled a change of clothes from the shadow storage and washed my body in the shower room of the guild with a refreshing feeling. "Okay, then come along." After changing clothes, Donovan-san, who has a magical tool of light, took me along the main street of the city. It''s before the sun rises, so there are no people on the street and stars are twinkling in the sky. The destination was the large mansion on the boarder with the second sectoin, that is, the lord''s mansion. When I came to work as a gardner''s apprentice, I was asked to check the guild card, but today I''m with Donovan-san, so I get a face pass. "Um ... what should I do?" "Um, listen to it from Klaus-san inside." "Hah ..." Apparently, the requester for the nomination request is Klaus-san, the lord, but I have no idea what the contents are. When I was told that there was a nomination request, I thought that it woudl be a job to carry luggage to a distant place by taking advantage of shadow storage and shadow movement, but that is not the case. When I came to work as a gardener, I didn''t enter the mansion, but the interior of the lord''s mansion is luxurious. I''m not familiar with architecture, so I''m not sure, but I feel that it''s made with good materials and effort. I walked along the corridor with long-haired carpets, following the guidance of the butler, and was shown to the drawing room. What was waiting for us there was Klaus-san, who seemed to be indignant. "Ah ... Kent, you''ve arrived, I''m sorry to call you so early." "What happened, Kl, Klaus-san?" "Well, sit down ..." Prompted by Klaus-san, I sat down on the sofa, but I felt a tense atmosphere and I was not at all calm. Besides, there is a smell like Chinese herbs in the mansion. After moistening his throat with tea brewed by the butler, Klaus-san started talking. "Kent, you said that the goblins ate your guts, but you were saved, didn''t you?" "Yes, I think I unknowingly used the self-healing magic of the light attribute." "And you also used a massage at the livre farm to treat others?" "Why do you know that ..." At my surprised remark, Klaus-san glanced Donovan-san. I see, Donovan-san, who does not compromise, investigated it. "Yes, besides the farm massage, I even cast healing magic on my friends and a child in the doctor''s office at Lastock''s garrison." "Well ... can you cure someone with rotten internal organs?" "I don''t know because I haven''t tried it ... but if I can save someone, I''ll do my best. I couldn''t help my friends ..." "Really ..." Klaus-san closed his eyes, pondered for a while, then nodded as if making a decision and bowed to me. "Please, Kent, my daughter ... Help Beatrice!" "Hey, Klaus-san, raise your head, what do you mean by help her?" "It''s rot disease, Beatrice is sick and can''t be helped by the Volzard healers ..." From the story of the rot disease, when Manon''s father died, it seems that the cecum has worsened and is causing peritonitis. According to Klaus-san, Beatrice has been sick since around dark day of last week. At first, she thought she had a mild abdominal pain, but since the beginning of this week, her condition has deteriorated. It seems that medication and treatment by a healer have been continued, but it seems that it is getting worse rather than recovering. "The healer babaa, says she only has until tomorrow ..." Klaus-san regretfully hits his fist on his thigh and seems to be desperately killing his emotions. "Please Kent! If there''s any possibility, I''d like to bet on it!" "Okay, I don''t know if it can be cured, but leave it to me." "I''m sorry ... Please ..." Guided by Klaus-san, I headed to Beatrice''s bedroom on the second floor, but a woman was standing in the hallway. The woman has a straight posture, as if with an iron core on her back, she has the same red hair as Beatrice, and has pins and rabbit ears on her head. "Kent, my wife Marianne ..." "Volzard garrison, Captain Marianne Volzard." "Ah ... Kent, nice to meet you, Klaus-san is always taking care of me ..." "I don''t need a lengthy greeting, can you really use healing magic?" "Yes, oh ... but I don''t have much treatment experience." "Is that so, then heal this wound and prove your skill!" Marianne-san rolled up her left sleeve and slashed her wrist with a knife pulled out from her waist. Immediately, fresh blood overflows. "Hey ... what are you doing!" Quickly, I rushed to Marianne-san and activated healing magic by wrapping the wound with the palms of both hands. With a faint light, the wound closes like a rewind of a video. "That ... no chanting ..." "What are you doing! What would you do if I couldn''t use healing magic!" "I''m sorry ..." Marianne-san bowed her head slightly, wiped the blood off her arms, and turned her gaze to look at her arm, which is not scarred so much as a hairline. "Marianne ... are you done?" "Yes ..." Marianne-san nodded vigorously at Klaus-san''s question and bowed deeply towards me. "I''m very sorry, please help my daughter, please, please." I was surprised at her sudden behavior, but if I look closely, Marianne-san seems to be rather haggard. It may be the result of high emotions that she slashed her wrist. Guided by Marianne-san, I stepped into Beatrice''s room, but I was suddenly overcome by the smell in the room. It is appropriate to call it an odor of death, and in addition to the odor of Chinese herbs, the odor of rotten protein is mixed, and it is an odor that is likely to cause illness just by smelling it. "Excuse me, can you open the window and vent the air in the room?" "... Yes, right away ..." Marianne-san seems to be a little lost, but she opened the window of the room and started to vent the trapped air. Beatrice, laid on a large canopy bed, has a paper-white complexion, and her shallow breathing is about to stop. Even in such a state, many thick blankets were hung, and it seems that she was pressed to breathe. "I will remove the blankets for treatment, is that okay?" "Yes ... I''ll leave everything to you." Only Marianne-san is in the room, and Klaus-san seems to be waiting outside the room. Every time I peel off a blanket, the odor of putrefaction grows stronger. And when I stripped off the last one, I groaned unintentionally. "Guu ... terrible ..." I found that Beatrice''s nightwear was wet with sweat and her abdomen was discolored black and blue. The condition is so terrible that you will want to avert your eyes. After taking a deep breath to calm my upset feelings, I made up my mind and put my palms on Beatrice''s chest and poured in healing magic with all my might. I don''t know the exact principle or situation, but the feeling I get is worse than the child who was in cardiac arrest in Lastock''s office. I will continue to use magic while imagining that my healing magic spreads from the lungs and heart to the whole body through the flow of blood and the lymph node. Immediately after starting the treatment, the movement of her heart, which tended to be disturbed, regained its strength, but I feel that the healing magic has not spread to her whole body. I released the hand attached to her chest and slid my hand to massage the abdomen, thighs, calves, and toes to cast healing magic. From the toes, back to the abdomen, this time from shoulder to hand, from hand to shoulder, this time from the nape of the neck to the head. Only then did I notice it. I couldn''t tell because it was hidden in her hair, but Beatrice had cute lop ears on her head. It''s an act that I normally would find unreasonable, such a thing as stroking the body of a girl one year younger than me, but at that time I was only thinking about treating her. With each massage, once, twice, three times, Beatrice''s body begins to regain its complexion, and the elasticity that is transmitted through my hands also returns to be healthy. One hour ... No, I may have been doing treatment for a longer time, but as I continued to concentrate, the passage of time was out of my mind. 4th, 5th ... No, I don''t remember how many round trips I made, and it''s almost time for my magical power to run out. Finally, once again, the healing magic was cast from the chest to the whole body. Beatrice''s breathing becamse completely calm, and her pale cheeks are reddish. Her sleeping expression is as cute as a French doll. I don''t know if it was completely cured, but for the time being, the threat of her life should be gone. With my head beginning to be stunned due to running out of magic, I was watching Beatrice''s expression, and when I thought that her eyelids quivered, her eyes slowly opened. Perhaps she had been in a coma for a long time, Beatrice seemed to have her gaze wander while checking the situation. Then, as if finally focused, her eyes opened wide. "N ... N ..." "N ...?" "Nooooooo!" "Ebushi!" I got a strong slap from Beatrice and fell on the floor. That''s right, when you regain consciousness, if there''s an unknown man touching your chest and you''re only in your nightwear, it''s natural to blow them away. My brain was shaken while I was in a state of magical power exhaustion, and I let go of my consciousness. The next thing I knew I woke up on a bed in a strange room. Since I came to Volzard for some reason, this pattern has been common ... The sun is shining brightly outside the window, but what time is it? I woke up, but I still have some indescribably fatigue. Well, if you run out of magical power until you collapse every day, it can''t be helped if it looks like this. I mean, the chairman is like this. Yeah, I have to rescue her quickly. It''s a very comfortable bed, but I''m kind of uncomfortable in a large room. Let''s get up early and return to the small boarding house room. If you reach out your arms, the narrowness of touching the walls will settle you down. I got up, but when I was sitting in bed, with a heavy body, the door opened and a maid came in. "Excuse me, how are you feeling?" "Ah ... yes, I''m a little tired, but somehow ..." A woman dressed as The Maid has bright brown hair and white hair only at the tip of her triangular animal ears, probably in her early twenties. "Then, can you come to the drawing room, the Lord is waiting for you." "Ah ... yes, I understand." At that exact time of me answering, My Stomach growled. "Uhu ... I''ll prepare a meal too." "Yes ... please ..." Wow ... it''s awkward, I was laughed at. I headed to the drawing room with the guidance of the maid, but the white, thick tail moving in front of me was fluffy, and I really want to fluff it. I want to fluff her whole body on my cheeks, can''t I just rub my cheeks? "This way ... do you need something else?" "No, no, nothing ... oh, thank you." Wow, I''m a completely suspicious child. As soon as I stepped into the drawing room with a slight dent, my view was obstructed. "Thank you, truly, I don''t know how I can possibly thank you ..." Marianne-san''s voice while hugging me tightly feels moist. "That ... what is Beatrice''s condition?" "Yes, she says she''s okay, but after taking a bath, she was tired and laid down again." "Yes, I''m glad, and if you feel sick, please tell me anytime." "Yes, thank you, come on, sit down." Klaus-san with a relieved expression was waiting on the sofa in the drawing room. "Thank you very much, Kent, I can''t find the words to thank you." "No, I just did what I could ..." "Honestly, Marianne and I were half-prepared, but to improve to that extent ... Not even a Bakkenheim healer would be able to do that." "Even if you say that, I can''t explain what I did or how I did it ..." "Still, Beatrice was definitely saved, I''m really grateful." "That''s right, please raise your head, Klaus-san." It''s really uncomfortable to be bowed to by an adult person so many times. "That''s why Kent, this time it was a nomination request from me, but I was upset and asked for treatment without deciding the reward." "No, the reward is having myself and my friends taken care of by Volzard ..." "No, that''s no good, especially I, the lord, can''t disturb the mechanics of the city. So it''s a reward, but what about 500,000 Helts?" "No, I can''t get such a big reward." "No, if I took her to Bakkenheim and asked for treatment, they would charge three or four times as much, and there was no guarantee that she would be cured. It''s too cheap for Beatrice''s life." "But ..." "Also, if you rescue your friends, you''ll have to pay for their living expenses? It''s not a problem, take it." "Oh ... I understand, thank you." I''ve heard that nomination requests will proved a large amount of rewards, but I''m surprised that they are so expensive. The work in the garm potato warehouse is 350 Helts a day, so it''s more than 1400 times. With this treatment alone, I have worked for about 3 years and 8 months. "And also ... Kent." "Yes, what is it?" "What you saw during the treatment, the feel of your hands ... forget everything." "Huh ...?" "The appearance of Beatrice you saw, the feel of Beatrice you got, erase everything cleanly from your memory ... and if you touch Beatrice ... do you understand?" "Well ... yes ..." That''s right, I completely forgot, but the bad old man in front of me was a perfect example of an idiot parent ... "I asked Marianne, but you seemed to treat her very enthusiastically, but forget about it cleanly, right?" He probably hasn''t slept properly for the past few days, so if he stares at me with bloodshot eyes full of killing intent, I have no choice but to nod. CH 37 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 37 Apothecary in the back alley ***---*** After having a meal, Marianne-san asked me to apply healing magic on Beatrice again. The idiot parent evil old father strongly opposed it, but he was finally convinced on the condition that I treated her from the back. "Kent, okay, forget everything about this morning''s treatment ... and forget about this treatment as soon as you finish ... okay, okay?" "Oh ... I understand." Hmmm, of course I have no intention of forgetting it. Or rather, when I recall the situation this morning, it''s really awkward to meet Beatrice again. "It''s okay, I''ve told her about how great your treatment was, and the other day''s rock ogres." That''s right, Marianne-san told her, but at that moment I must have been recognized as a pervert, and it''s true that I was touching her ... it''s awkward, isn''t it? While I was thinking about it, I had already come in front of her room. "Rise ... I''m coming in."(TN: I''m using Rise as the nickname instead of Riche because even though her name is Beatriche I removed the h, and Rice is a weird nickname.) "Yes, by all means ..." When Marianne-san knocked on the door and called out, a surprisingly energetic voice came back. Beatrice is reading a book while sitting up in bed. "Rise, let''s have healing magic cast on you again just in case, Kent-san, please." "Okay ... ah, greetings ..." "Aah ..." When I entered the room following Marianne-san, Beatrice, who saw me, shouted a little and covered herself with a blanket. Yeah, it''s like a baby rabbit has escaped into the nest. Even so, being peeked at from out of the blanket, it''s dangerous, she''s super cute. "Hmm ... but I''m fine ..." "Don''t say that, get treated. Don''t you have to go to school at the beginning of the week?" "Uuu ... I understand ..." Beatrice, who came out of the blanket that she was wearing in a reluctant manner, was blushing as much as her hair color, and she stared at me with teary eyes while sharpening her mouth. Hmm, can''t I take it home to my boarding house? Of course it''s no good, the idiot parent wouldn''t be silent. "Well, this time it''s fine from the back." "Eh ... really?" "At the time of treatment this morning, I couldn''t help it because you were in a bad condition." I see, she thought she had to feel embarrassed again. Beatrice was asked to lie face down on the bed while I massaged her back to infuse healing magic. Her condition is different from when I started treatment this morning, and I can feel the healing magic circling inside Beatrice from my hands. At first, Beatrice was tense and stiff, but as soon as I began to cast healing magic, she seemed to relax and was asleep by the end of the treatment. "It looks like she fell asleep ..." "Thank you ..." I gently covered her with a blanket so as not to wake up Beatrice, and then left the room with Marianne-san. "I can''t say for sure because I don''t have much treatment experience, but I don''t think it''s a problem anymore." "Thank you very much. I have to have Rise herself thank you ..." "No, it''s a pity to wake her up ..." Even if her physical condition has improved, I don''t think she has fully recovered because she''s been asleep for a long time. I mean, can I go home and take a rest? I decided to have the reward for the nomination request transferred to my guild account, and left Klaus-san''s mansion. When I went out of the mansion, the city of Volzard in the afternoon was full of energy. Normally, I would go home while strolling around the city, but today I feel tired both physically and mentally, and I don''t feel like getting into the crowd. I thought I''d go home by moving through the shadows, but there are so many people that it seems difficult to dive into the shadow without being seen. So, I decided to go through the back street, which is one of the main streets. Even though it''s a back street, there are shops and people come and go, but it''s still not as crowded as the main street. Besides, if I go straight down this street, I should be in front of Amanda''s inn. As I walked down the back alley with a little drowsiness, I smelled Chinese herbs. I looked in the direction of the smell that since yesterday afternoon, didn''t leave me with a good impression, there was a store that seemed to be a small apothecary. By the way, I don''t know the drug situation in this world at all. It seems that medicines cannot cure putrefaction, but sleeping medicine is powerful, and there are medicines for other illnesses, so-called potions. Anyway, I''m just going home and taking a rest today, so let''s take a look. "Hello ..." "Yes, welcome ... wait, Kent?" "Eh ... Muell-san?" I was surprised when I opened the door of the shop, and saw Muell-san inside. I was surprised, but I immediatly tightened my expression and sent Muell-san a gaze. I haven''t forgotten that I was given sleeping medicine. "Uh ... I''m sorry ... I made a mistake, tehe." Damnit! Forgive, there''s no choice but to forgive her! Tehe-pero is unfaiiiir! "I didn''t wake up until just before dawn, and it''s really bitter and astringent ..." "Sorry, sorry, so what did Kent come to buy?" "No, I didn''t come to buy anything, I don''t know anything bout medicines in this world, so I wondered what they''re like ..." "I see, Kent was summoned from another world." "Yes, so there are so many things I don''t understand." "Ummm, if that''s the case, this onee-san will guide you." This shop is said to be Muell-san''s master''s shop, and today they went to a friend''s house. By the way, it seems that the mutt is usually aimlessly wandering around, but he chased away the old and new duo and said that if he saw the three people, he would get rid of them as an obstacle. Yeah, Nitta, Furuta, Good Job. Muell-san seems to be in charge of the store, but since customers don''t come frequently, I decided to ask her to tell me about medicines in this world. Before that, I''ll talk about Japanese medicine in general. Medicines are made in big factories, collecting materials from all over the world, investing huge amounts of money and manpower to develop new medicines, making it a big industry, anesthesia technology and surgery. Muell-san was surprised when I talked about all of it. "It''s so amazing that I can''t imagine it at all." "I can talk about this, but I don''t understand anything technical." "Will our world be like that in the future?" "Hmm ... I don''t think it will be exactly the same because we think that science and technology have advanced because there was no magic in our world, but it may be similar in the future." "I see ... I see ..." I heard from Muell-san that the drug situation in this world was similar to that of Chinese medicine. However, when making medicines, it seems that magic is still involved, such as using water that has a healing effect made from water attribute magic, and using medicinal herbs with magical power. "Well ... is that really something you portion and use?" "Uh, yeah ... really ..." "How much do you usually use of that sleeping medicine?" "Um? Um ... what you cut in four ... and then you cut it in four again and use it?" "Uh ... Did I ingest 16 times as much as you normally use ...?" "Um ... tehe." Damnit! I can''t get angry, I can''t get angry. Tehe-pero is unfaiiiir! The medicine I drank yesterday is sized for transportation and is also used to put monsters to sleep. To take it normally, you can cut it into pieces, or use one-sixteenth or one-eighth portions. Even if it''s one-sixteenth, you will not wake up until morning, and if it is one-eigth, you will not wake up even if you are hit. However, it is too bitter and astringent, so it is difficult to abuse it. "Hmm ... well, it was powerful, but it was painful ..." "What? You''re thinking about letting Manon ingest it and doing naughty things, right?" "That''s ridiculous, I''m not thinking about that." "Are you really ... Kent is also a boy ..." "No, I was wondering if it could be used to rescue my classmates." "Ah ... well, hmm ... but if you ingest it, you''ll notice it right away, and if you ingest it without noticing it, the effect will be small." "Hmm ..." When I rescue my classmates, I thought that if I could put the knights of Resenburg to sleep, the operation would proceed smoothly, but it seems that it will not go well. Still, I thought that there might be some use, so I took 10 eighth-sized sleeping medicine portions, I also bought 10 eighth-sized medicine portions that were what was supposed to have been taken yesterday to help restore magical power. "The case with the red mark here is the sleeping medicine, and the case with the blue mark here is the magic recovery medicine, so don''t make a mistake." "Yes, I''ll be careful not to make a mistake like someone else." "Muu ... Such mean words are no good!" "Uhi, I''ll pay attention." Hyaha, I properly received it from Muell-san, so let''s flee before the mutt comes back. I was able to talk a lot with Muell-san, so I felt somewhat less tired. "Yeah, Muell-san''s smile is a silver bullet of recovery for fatigue. Returning to the boarding house, Amanda-san is in the middle of the night''s preparations, and Meline-san is busy helping out. Meisa-chan is ... wearing a sullen face, in the middle of glaring at her notebook. "I''m back." "Ah, Kent, welcome back, have you finished Klaus-san''s work?" "Yes, it''s done without any problems." Apparently Donovan-san contacted them. "Yes, that''s right, I''m sorry, but can you watch over Meisa''s studies?" "That''s fine, leave it to me." "Uuu ... you''re just Kent, you''re just Kent ..." Come on, Meisa-chan, show me your arithmetic homework." "Kuu ... you''re so cheeky even though you''re just Kent ..." "Fufufu, I wonder if you can say such words after solving the problem ..." "Kii ... I was trying to solve it now." I watched over Meisa-chan''s homework until the evening business hours, and after that I decided to stay in my room until dinner time. Before returning to my room, I tried taking a magical recovery medicine, and it certainly seemed to work, and I found that the fatigue that had been nesting in the back of my body diminished. I thought that pharmaceutical technology was inferior to that of Japan, but I feel that this world is superior in terms of the efficacy of medicines. Or is Muell-san''s master particularly good? [ Kent, how are you planning to use the sleeping medicine? ] [ Yeah, I''m wondering if I can use it well during the rescue operation ... ] Last time, when I rescued the five including Yagi, orcs appeared at the right time, and the knight ran away because he had no intention of protecting them from the beginning, but if it was a situation like fighting together, taking only five people. I think it would be difficult to rescue them. In the actual battles in the future, my classmates should be considered as a force that must be kept, so the knights will not easily abandon them. In that case, the problem is how to bring back only my classmates. [ I wish I could put only the knights to sleep ... ] [ I see ... but it''s so bitter that it''s difficult to ingest it without being noticed. ] [ That''s right ... I wonder if there is no choice but to get Reinhardt to chase them off ... ] I want to avoid killing the knights if I can, considering the negotiations for returning to Japan later, so it is most convenient to have them escape like the last time. [ Kent-sama, would you like to show off a mock battle between this me and Basten? ] [ Eh? What do you mean ...? ] [ If this us go on a rampage while knocking down the trees in the forest, the knights may feel it''s dangerous and withdraw. ] [ I see ... But then, wouldn''t my classmates run away? ] [ That''s right, but if they come to the forest like last time, wouldn''t the knights ride horses and your classmates would move on foot? ] [ Ah ... yes, I see ... ] Certainly, if Reinhardt and Basten rampage, ordinary knights will not be able to compete, and if their safety is a priority, they may be more likely to escape. [ If the knights still don''t escape, the only way to realize that we''re working to rescue them is to attack your classmates to the point of them not dying. ] [ Yeah, that''s right ... As a scenario, while Reinhardt and the others were fighting, if you met the people who came to the actual battle, and the brunt of the battle headed there ... ] In any case, unless the next actual battle is held, there is no way to do it at present. [ It''s impossible to serve it to all the knights, but I wonder if it''s possible to give Camilla a drink and do some damage ... ] [ I hope I can, but the bitterness is a problem anyway. ] [ That''s right ... ] Whether it''s cooking or drinking, it hsouldn''t be difficult to mix medicines with shadow movement. However, if you notice it in the taste, you will not drink the required amount. [ Kent, what are you going to do if you put Camilla to sleep? ] [ Hmm ... that''s also a problem ... If you do something poorly, it''s possible that they will notice someone is trying to harm them, and our existence may be revealed. ] [ Are you going to violate her in her sleep? ] [ No ... No, it would kill our chances of going back to Japan if I do something that antagonizes her. ] [ With the qualities of Kent-sama, it''s not difficult to have Camilla give in to you. ] [ No, no, impossible, or rather in my case I can''t do something like that, I have to grow up more ... ah! ] Suddenly a good idea came up. [ What happened, Kent-sama. ] [ Mufufufu ... maybe I came up with a good thing ... yeah, this is ... ] [ What kind of strategy is it? ] [ Yeah, if I can come up with a way to put Camilla to sleep ... the rest is a secret. ] [ Hou, it sounds interesting. ] [ Yeah, it might be a bit interesting ... ] When I was talking to Reinhardt, I heard the sound of running up the stairs. "Kent! Dinner''s ready!" "Thank you, Meisa-chan ... what''s wrong?" Meisa looks suspicious while holding the door of my room open. "Kent, the room is pitch black again ..." "Ah ... I can use darkness attribute magic, so I can see even in the dark, so it''s okay." I''ve already talked about the fact that I can use magic, so there''s no need to hide it. "Yeah! No way, really?" "Yeah, it''s true." "Well ... but isn''t it really pitch black in here if you close the door?" "Maybe, but to me it looks normal." "Suspicious ..." Then Meisa came into my room and closed the door completely. "I''ll believe you if you can catch me right away after counting a dozen." "Okay, then count, one, two, three ..." As I begin to count slowly, Meisa crawls on all fours and crawls into the back of the room. I can see it clearly, but Meisa-chan seems to be barely able to see, and she''s groping around terrified. "... Eight, nine, ten, I''ll go grab you." Meisa-chan is shrinking in the corner of the room she went into ... With her panties in full view. "That''s right ... you''re holding your knees and curling up, I can see your panties." "Lie ... Oh, you said that to make me speak so that you could know where I was!" "No, I can really see you." "Lie, I can''t believe it!" Meisa, who stood up, was about to fall on the chair, trying to reach the door. "Wow, it''s dangerous, Meisa-chan, you can''t see, right?" "Lie, you can really see ..." In my arms, which caught her in a hurry, Meisa was surprised with her eyes wide open. "Meisa! Kent! What are you doing, if you don''t come down soon, you won''t be able to eat!" "Let''s go, Meisa-chan." When I open the door, Meisa squints dazzlingly. "Muu ... you''re so cheeky even though you''re just Kent ..." "Ha ha ha, it seems so, with being that brilliant, the arithmetic problems should be solved with no issues." "Kii ... Cheeky, cheeky, you''re just Kent, you''re just Kent ..." "You guys, I''m really going to get rid of the food!" "Yes, we''re going now, let''s go ..." "Bleeh ..." Sticking out her tongue at me, Meisa ran down the stairs. "Mom! Kent is plotting in a pitch-black room!" "Hey! What are you talking about, Meisa-chan!" I hurriedly chased Meisa and ran down the stairs. "Kent is okay without food, right?" "Hey! If you say such a thing, I''ll give you some hand-crafted arithmetic exercises!" "No ... I hate arithmetic!" "You guys! Don''t fight!" "Yes!" Amanda-san gave a sermon to me because of Meisa-chan, and she laughed at me. It''s a little kid who really takes care of me, so let''s forgive her with 50 arithmetic problems. CH 38 Is it sunny and then stormy on rest day of the week? ***---*** Meline-san, who is training at Amanda-san''s shop, came early in the morning to help with the preparation. She wants to learn work procedures and recipes as soon as possible and reopen the store that her father left behind. Really, if only her stupid brother Nikola would follow her example. Amanda-san also heard about her story and seems to be enthusiastically instructing. When I asked if it was okay to have a business enemy in the same city of Volzard, she stated that she would not lose to a person trained at her place, and if there were rivals, they could compete and grow together, so rather, they were very welcome. Amanda-san, you look like a shounen manga hero, don''t you? That''s why Meline-san has joined the breakfast table and we have a livelier morning. "Meline-san, have you talked with Kartz-san?" "Yeah, Kartz-san sometimes come to eat at noon." That''s right, he gets to see Meline-san, and this time the taste is good, so I''m sure he''ll be happy. "The number of garrison and male customers has increased, and sales have risen sharply, which is a big help." Today is rest day, so the guild is closed, but many eateries and shops close on dark day, so Amanda-san''s shop is also open. And Meisa-chan, who was deprived of her position as the signboard girl by Meline-san, is eager to help the store to restore her position. "Kent is a hindrance, so don''t wander around." "Yes, I understand ..." After breakfast, when I thought about what to do today, I remembered that I hadn''t explained anything about how to get a job to the five rescued people. The day before yesterday, I took them to the guild to find a job, but after talking to Donovan-san, I passed out in a revenge match with Gilik and was sent to the medical office. Furthermore, Muell-san gave me sleeping medicine, and when I woke up, I was taken by Donovan-san to treat Beatrice, and I passed out again and came back yesterday evening. After all, I''ve left the five people completely unattended. I mean, isn''t my daily life too hard? According to Muell-san yesterday, the old and new duo seem to be cooperative, so they seem to be okay, and the dekoboko sisters will be okay. The problem is fake glasses who is going straight down the path to becoming a NEET. I took him to the guild using Muell-san as bait, but I wonder what happened after he was beaten to a pulp by Gilik. I''m still worried, so I''ll go take a look. "Amanda-san, I''ll be out until evening." "OK, be careful ... you have a bodyguard, so it''s okay, just go!" "Yes, I''m going!" I called out to Amanda-san, and when I got out of the back door, I stopped in surprise. "Ma, Manon ...?" "G, good morning ... Kent." Manon, who usually wears a large shirt, wears a dress instead of her usual loose trousers. A light blue dress that matches her hair, a dark brown half coat, and short boots with cute floral decorations on her feet. It''s dangerous, it''s cute, she really looks like a girl. "Does it not suit me ...?" Manon asks me while fidgeting, and I can only shake my head without words. "I, it suits me ...?" I could only nod, but when I suddenly felt a gaze and turned to the alley, a shadow disappeared quickly. Looking closely, I can see that there are two faces looking at me vertically side by side from the shadows, I see, she was dressed up by the dekoboko sisters. However ... excellent! If there weren''t any people watching, I woudl hug her, but ... I''m sorry, it''s a lie, I don''t have the courage to do that. "Cu, cute ... extremely cute ..." "Really?" "Yeah ... super cute ..." Kuuu ... The small, lively, Manon is so cute it''s painful. "Was Kent going somewhere?" "Eh? Uh, yeah ... that''s right, but I''ll talk to the two people over there before deciding ..." "Ah ... it was exposed?" "Yeah, those are the clothes you bought last time, right?" "Uuh ... I''m sorry, I wasted money ..." Oh crap ... She''s quickly becoming downhearted. "Oh, no, I''m not angry, it''s fine, because the Gigawolfs sold well so you don''t have to worry about it." "Really?" "Yeah, really, really ... it''s extremely cute." "Huu ..." Oops, she covered her face with both hands, and turned her back to me, but the view from the back is also cute. Jeez, as if the dekoboko sisters weren''t enough ... that said, I felt a gaze and looked behind me, Amanda-san, Meline-san, Meisa-chan all stood there smirking at me. "Kent is such a smooth operator." "Yeah, Kent is kind ..." "But Kent is lewd." "Hey, what are you talking about, Meisa-chan!" For the time being, I felt it woudl be bad to stay here. "Ma, Manon, come with me ..." "Eh, uh, yeah ..." "I''m going to the livre farm!" I pull Manon''s hand and enter the alley opposite of the alley where the dekoboko sisters are. I was thinking of asking about Yagi, but right now I''ll postpone it. We quickly walked down the alley, entered another alley, and hid in the shadow of the stacked boxes, and then put out a square shield of darkness to hide in a hurry. "Oh, no, where did they go?" "Tomo-chan, there is an alley ahead!" "Hey, I won''t let them go ..." "If I remember correctly, the livre plantation is ... this way." "Okay, let''s go, At-chan!" "OK, Tomo-chan!" The sound of 2 people''s footsteps noisily move away from the alley. I breathed quietly until I couldn''t hear the sound of footsteps anymore. I hid in a panic and am currently hugging Manon in the shadows. After calming my pounding heart with a deep breath, I whispered to Manon. "Manon, for a moment Yagi ... I want to check on Yusuke, is that okay?" "Yes ..." Manon grabbed my hand as I put away the shield of darkness and went out. I was a little surprised, but I daringly squeezed her hand. This time, it was Manon who was surprised, but she squeezed mine back. I''d like to aim for the temporary dormitory of the garrison like this, but gulp ... it takes considerable courage to do so ... People on the road cast warm looks and murderous looks at me. Hyah--! I, am in a normie situation! Oh, let''s forget about fake glasses and go play somewhere. "Yusuke ... I was a bit worried ..." "Eh, why is that? Is something wrong?" "Yeah ... what can I say, Gilik-san has his eyes on him ..." "Ah ... He did resemble a worn-out dust rag ..." "Yeah ... um, after that, Kazuki and Tatsuya? Those two were grabbed and taken away ..." "Ouch ... that reminds me, how about yesterday?" "I don''t know because I only met Tomoko and Akemi yesterday ..." Everything considered, it seems better to go check on him for a bit. It couldn''t be helped, so I went to the temporary dormitory of the garrison, but Yagi must have gone somewhere and I couldn''t see him. "Where did Yagi go?" "Do you want to go find him?" "Hmm ... I think it''s okay if he went out for a distraction, so we don''t have to go." "Well, yeah ... then why don''t we go up the ramparts?" "Up on the wall? Okay ..." I wonder what it is, there is no rock ogre corpse anymore, yet Manon likes to go up on the ramparts so much. I was surprised to be asked to go up on the ramparts. The scenery was completely different from when I climbed the other day. Whether you look to the right or to the left, there are a lot of couples. Some couples are about the same age as us, but most are older, more adult couples. Naturally, the degree of close contact is different, isn''t it? It''s not that I''m not thrilled just by holding hands, but they''re sticking together closer. It''s not uncommon for couples to kiss enthusiastically here and there, and they''re kissing everywhere. "Well ... I wonder if this is always like this on the day of rest ..." "Oh, that''s right ..." In the pink space that I would have never imagined, my head became dumb. I''ve heard that there are date spots and places where couples gather in Japan, but I''ve never been there, and of course, there weren''t any girls to go with. Somehow, rather than climbing the stairs of an adult, when I got off the elevator, it was like an adult''s floor ... I just walked on the ramparts without knowing what to do. The air was so pink that I couldn''t even look up, and my heart was fluttering. When I glanced at her, Manon''s neck was dyed in vermilion, and it has an indescribable luster. "Ma, Manon ... I think it''s a little early for us to be here ..." "Uh, yeah ... I think so too ..." Manon-chan, aren''t your eyes going in circles? You might be overdoing it. I pulled the hand of Manon who was on the verge of fainting, turned around and descended from the ramparts. But, when we grow up a little more ... that said, what am I saying ... We returned to near the gate, so we went to the garrison''s dormitory again to see if Yagi had returned. Yagi hadn''t returned, but we met an unexpected person. "Oh, Kent, my daughter really caused you trouble yesterday." "Oh, Marianne-san, no, thank you for the excessive reward." Marianne-san, dressed in the garrison uniform, doubles her dignity. Uh ... Manon-chan, it feels like my hand is starting to squeak ... Isn''t it too tight? "It was just right, come here, Rise, thank him properly." Beatrice was trying to hide behind Marianne-san, but she seemed to be staring at Manon and I. Her physical condition seemed to be completely restored, and when she stood beside Marianne-san, I felt the aura of the first time I met her. She picked up her skirt with both hands, bent down lightly, gave a fascinating and elegant bow, and then opened her mouth. "Kent-sama, thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving my life." "Yes ... no, I just did what I could ..." "Still, I can''t find any words of gratitude for saving the life that the Volzard healers had forsaken. Also ..." "Oh, also ...?" Beatrice cast a fleeting glance at Manon, and shamefully put her hands on her cheeks. "After having been stroked all over my body ... I can''t be a wife anymore." "Kent ... what is she saying?" Igiiii ... Manon-chan, my fingers ... my fingers will break ... "No, no, that was treatment ... it doesn''t count ..." Even so, I wonder what she''s suddenly saying, is Beatrice saying this even when there are garrison people around her? "However, having my improper appearance seen by a man ... Shouldn''t you take responsibility?" Stop hiding your chest with both hands! It looks as if I''ve done something ridiculous. I''m not completely innocent, but it''s just part of the treatment ... or rather, it seems that the fingertips of my left hand are losing sensation. Beatrice approached me, who had a cold sweat dripping down my body, with a smile on her face that is calm and composed, and snuggled up against me. Ooooooo ... Everyone started making a commotion, after kissing me on the cheek, Beatrice licked her lips as if savoring the taste. Are the rabbits of Volzard carnivorous? "Kent-sama, from now on, please call me Rise." "Y, yes ..." "Well then, if you will excuse us, Okaa-sama, let us go." No, Marianne-san, don''t look at me with an expression that says ''Oh dear!'', say something please. I mean, surrounded by the warm gaze of the garrison members, Manon''s gaze pierces like a sharp blade from the left, can you tell me what I should do? "Kent ... you will tell me the story in detail, right?" "Of course ..." "Kent, look at me ..." "Uu ... th, that just now, th, that was just teasing me ..." "Did you touch her?" "Uh ... but, that was just treatment ..." "Did you touch her ...?" "Yes ..." "Kent you cheater!" "Hyabu ..." N, no way ... Manon leaves after slapping me as hard as she can. Rather, Manon, you''''re wearing a dress today, so you can''t walk like that. Uh ... the warm eyes that are coming from the surroundings are painful. "Hyahhhhhhhh, Kokubu, serves you right!" "This voice is ... Yagi ..." Looking back at the owner of the voice, I see Yagi laughing while holding his belly, pointing at me, and laughing. "Have you realized Kokubu, you are ... a person on this side!" No, no, I don''t think I''m someone who puts on airs ... "Well, it''s a thousand years too early for you to get along with a pretty girl before me!" "No, I can''t live a thousand years." "It''s natrual, that''s why if you want her, first introduce this cute girl to me, and everything will go around in a circle!" "Yes, yes, I understand, I understand, I''ll tell Gilik-san that Yagi is aiming for Muell-san ..." "That, absurd! What are you saying, don''t you know how terrible I had it because of you? Don''t spread false information! Me aiming at the cat-eared onee-san, I''m not thinking such a thing!" Yagi is too desperate, I guess he was treated harshly. "Yes, you''re not aiming, not aiming, you''re not aiming, but I''ll tell Gilik-san that you were looking at Muell-san''s chest ..." "Are you stupid! That''s even worse!" "But you were looking, weren''t you?" "Eh ... n, no ... that, was I wonder ..." It''s useless to pretend otherwise, because anyone can see that you were. "Yes, I will report that you were watching!" "Look you, if you say such a disadvantageous thing, you were also watching!" "I don''t really mind ... Anyway sooner or later, I''ll make Gilik say ''Ouch!'' ..." "You ... are you really thinking of doing that?" "Yeah, I''ll report ..." "Wait a minute, wait a minute, Kokubu, yes, let''s talk, aren''t we fellows who were summoned together?" What are you talking about, even though you pointed at people and burst into laughter ... "Well, let''s reconsider, Kokubu-kun, Kokubu-san? Kokubu-sama!" "Will you work seriously from tomorrow? If you work, I won''t report." "Ku ... dirty, Kokubu ..." "Yes, report ..." "Okay! Work, I wonder if I should work ... Damn ..." "Then, I''ll pick you up tomorrow morning, so get up properly." "I understand ... Tsk, I''m sorry ..." Well, I was able to achieve my original goal, but ... well, I''m depressed when I think about meeting Manon tomorrow ... CH 39 Novice Hero is a stepping stone ***---*** When I returned to the boarding house with a heavy feeling after eating a slap from Manon, Amanda-san and the others asked me what happened at the dinner table, probably because I had a very depressed face. "Mom, you don''t have to ask, I''m sure Manon hates him for trying to do ecchi things." "No, Meisa-chan, I''m a gentleman, so I won''t do that." "Then what happened, if you have such a depressing face, the food will be unpleasant, please explain?" "Uh ... actually ..." Dodging the pursuit of the dekoboko sisters, Manon invited me to climb the ramparts, but when we were pressured by the atmosphere that was too pink and retreated, I was teased by Beatrice and Manon left angrily. When that happened, I was laughed at. I couldn''t say that Beatrice kissed me. "It''s no longer funny. It''s awkward to meet Manon tomorrow." "Ahaha, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, but isn''t it Manon-chan''s misunderstanding?" "That''s right, I just received a request to treat Beatrice." When I said that, everyone''s laughter stopped. "Kent, what do you mean by treatment?" "Oh? Didn''t I tell you I can use light attribute magic?" "What! Lie! You''re so cheeky despite being just Kent!" "Eh? Eh? What do you mean?" Amanda-san and Meisa-chan heard about my identity, but Meline-san hasn''t heard it, so it seems like she can''t understand what I''m saying. So, I talked about being summoned from another world and being able to use magic. "I heard from Donovan-san that it was only a job from Klaus-san, but did you really treat Beatrice-chan?" "Hmm ... well, for the time being." Amanda-san seems to be surprised because she didn''t know that I could use light attribute healing magic. "But wait a minute, Beatrice-chan should naturally be treated by a healer, right? Why is Kent treating her?" Well, Meline-san''s question is natural. It''s not that the lord''s daughter can''t get a satisfactory treatment, so if you think about it normally, I shouldn''t have a turn. "Um ... it seems that the healer threw in the towel, and he bet on his last possibility ...?" "Ehhh ..." Being a healer seems to be a job that requires experience, and you wouldn''t think a child like me can do it. It''s hard to imagine a situation where a healer would give up. "So what was Beatrice-chan''s illness?" "It was rot disease." "Eeeeeeeee!" Wow, all three are so surprised they can''t stand up. By the way, rot disease usually can''t be cured. "Kent, is that really the true story?" "Yes, I don''t have to lie anymore ... Oh, but I wonder if it''s better not to stand out ... Don''t tell anyone else ..." Spawning Mount Fluffy in the guild''s training ground ... Using attack magic without chanting ... Getting kissed by Beatrice in the eyes of the public ... If I don''t stand out now, it won''t make much sense. I think it''ll happen, but I don''t have to try to make myself stand out. "Mom, I think this Kent is a fake ..." "This kid, what nonsense are you ... no, even if you say such a thing ..." "No, Amanda-san, don''t hesitate to deny it." Well, I wonder what it is, it''s uncomfortable to get a reproachful gaze from three people. "I see ... Kent isn''t just kind, he''s a child who can do it, so Manon-chan ..." "Gunuu ... So cheeky despite being just Kent ..." "Nufufu, even if it looks like that, I''m pretty good, Meisa-chan." "Kii ... You''re just Kent, cheeky, cheeky, but Manon-chan rejected you!" "Guha ... that''s right ..." "Ah, you''ll have to meet tomorrow and talk properly, come, come, eat quickly, it''s not like you can do anything about it right now." I''m depressed when I think about tomorrow, but right now I can''t do anything about it, so I''ll concentrate on eating. Well, I''m already eating, I''m eating. Tonight''s menu is korhi beans and chicken soup. Korhi beans are large beans with a size of about 5 cm and can be stored for a long time when dried. These dried korhi beans are simmered in chicken soup, and the beans themselves are voluminous, so the soup alone will make them swell. "Look, you don''t need to eat in such a hurry, you won''t be able to taste it, right? It''s like you''re swallowing without tasting it." "That''s not the case, I''m properly enjoying the taste while eating ..." "What''s wrong? Did something strange get mixed in?" "Yes! That''s right, you have to taste it!" I had an idea spring into my head. "Huh? What are you saying, this kid, are you that opposed to my taste?" "No, it''s not that, I found the answer to what I''ve been thinking about for a long time, thank you Amanda-san." "Hmm ... I don''t know what it is, but I hope it solved your problem." "Yes, I can get revenge with this ... After dinner, let''s set up a strategy and put it into action tonight. "Mom, Kent has a bad face ..." "Kent, you aren''t trying to get revenge on Beatrice, right?" "Eh, no, the person to take revenge on is the villainous princess of Resenburg." "What are you going to do to get revenge on the princess?" "Ah ... I''m not going to hurt her or kill her it''s just harrassment, even if I say revenge." "Is that true?" "Yes, of course, don''t worry." "Well, that''s fine, but ... don''t do anything too dangerous." "Yes, I know." After dinner, I returned to my room and asked Fred and Basten, who had been scouting, to return. [ Tonight, I will fight back against Camilla! ] [ Huh, have you finally decided to violate her? ] [ No, I won''t violate her, I just want to give her a little mental damage. ] [ What kind of strategy ...? I want to know ... ] [ Tell me, Kent-sama. ] [ Simply give sleeping medicine to Camilla and harass her while she sleeps. ] [ Are you going to drag her naked and hang her from the roof? ] [ No, Reinhardt, I won''t do such a radical thing. ] [ But how do you get her to take the medicine ...? ] [ Throw it directly into her stomach. ] The bitterness of the medicine was a major bottleneck in using the sleeping medicine. However, if you think about it, you can go anywhere in the shadows. You can just throw the medicine into their stomach, just as I did the other day, in Lastock''s medical office, when I massaged the heart of the child in cardiac arrest directly. If this is the case, they will be put to sleep without feeling the bitterness. [ I see, you thought about it. ] [ Didn''t you? ] [ Camilla drinks a nightcap every night ... that''s the chance ... ] [ Yeah, let''s set it up at that time. ] After a brief meeting, we moved to Lastock''s garrison. Since today is rest day, the knights are also given the day off, so there is no training for my classmates. Before carrying out my revenge on Camilla, I looked into the room to take care of the chairman, and the Novice Hero was there. Celia is behind the Novice Hero, and Erna is behind the chairman. "I don''t know how Asakawa-san feels, but as long as I have this bracelet, I have to obey." "Takayama-kun can use such great magic, but why don''t you appeal for better treatment?" "No, I''m not saying I did nothing, I''ve appealed for improved treatment many times, but I was just told that the treatment of the ones who can''t do it is natural ..." "It''s too terrible to do that, seven people are dead, Kokubu-kun, Funayama-kun, Nitta-kun, Furuta-kun, Yagi-kun, Kobayashi-san, Sakurai-san, all of them wouldn''t die if they were in Japan as they should be." "That''s ... yes, but I''m doing what I can do." You''re definitely doing what you can, you''re doing something erotic with Ceila, who was offered freely. Pluck it all off! You should just go bald, Ero Hero. "I ... I will accompany you in the next battle ..." "Wh ... What are you talking about, if something happens to Asakawa-san, everyone''s treatment will be even worse." "Still, if I go, maybe the knights of Resenburg will really try to fight." "Maybe so ..." "What about Takayama?" "Huh, me? I am ..." "Are you not going to be in the actual battle? Won''t you protect everyone?" "Well, I want to protect everyone ... but only if I''m told to go, I can''t force them to let me participate." After all, you''re full of energy to not go, this Novice! [ Hey, Reinhardt, if it''s Takayama''s magic, can he beat an orc? ] [ That''s right, that Hero''s fire magic is likely to defeat them. ] [ If he goes to the actual battle, he will be a force, right? ] [ That''s right, but whether he can demonstrate the power he does during training ... ] [ Then, he has to go into the actual battle, right? ] [ That''s right. ] However, Takayama, the Novice Hero, keeps talking about this and that to the chairman while refusing to say whether or not he will go into the actual battle. "Anyway, I want Asakawa-san to cooperate with Resenburg a little more for everyone." "I can''t do that, if you want me to cooperate, the first thing to do is to change the treatment." "Huh ... you''re stubborn ... anyway, I gave you some advice." Even if you say advice, it is simply for the show of having given advice, and the chairman didn''t consider a single word of it. With Celia in tow, the Novice Hero left, and after seeing them off, the chairman sighed deeply. After all that, he never said which side he was on. The chairman instructed Erna to prepare her a bath. [ Kent-sama, what are you going to do? ] [ Eh? What am I going to do ...? ] [ Are you going to watch over the bathing? ] [ No, no, no ... I don''t think it''s necessary ... Oy. ] Reinhardt, what are you trying to say, asking me if I''m going to watch, Though I definitely want to watch ... Hey. [ Kent-sama ... useful ... ] [ That''s right, Kent-sama is doing his best. There is no punishment if it is useful. ] [ No, no, what are Fred and Basten saying ... ] As I thought, are knights and the athletic clubs affiliated? All three of them are encouraging me to peek. [ Kent-sama, it seems that the caretaker will also take a bath. ] [ Conversation while taking a bath ... you should listen ... ] [ That caretaker had a pretty conflicted face ... ] Certainly, Erna had wrinkles between her eyebrows the whole time during the conversation with the Novice Hero. It is necessary to listen to their conversation while taking a bath, isn''t it? Yeah, I have no choice but to know what their conversation is like. Obviously, when she moves to the dressing room, the chairman will take off her clothes without hesitation. The two people, who took off everything they wore, faced each other in the bathroom. With the armor of clothing taken off, it seems that the air is charged with a tingling sensation, with a sense of urgency between the two. "Saint-sama, are you serious?" "I will definitely accompany them to the next battle." "It''s too dangerous, please reconsider." "I don''t want to ..." Well, the chairman who knows that it is a rescue operation at the time of the actual battle won''t reconsider. For Erna, on the other hand, she thinks the actual battle equals death, so please reconsider. However, she can''t tell Erna about the rescue operation, and it''s a frustrating relationship. The chairman then washed her body and hair with the help of Erna, and after the chairman soaked in the bath again, Erna washed her body, but both remained silent. Normally, I would be fascinated by various places, but I couldn''t take my eyes off the facial expressions of the two because of the tense air. In the end, both of them remained silent and the bath time was over. Hafu ... It was too stimulating for me. After this, when Erna goes to report to Camilla, I will take care of the chairman, but I wonder if I can look her in the face properly. Erna spoke to the chairman, who returned to the living room, while preparing a cold drink. "Why don''t you reconsider?" "I''m sorry ..." Erna sighed a little in response to the chairman''s blunt reply. After half a drink, the chairman headed to the bedroom. After cleaning up the drink glass, Erna enters her own room and looks at the chairman through the peephole. Surprisingly, there is not just one peephole, but multiple peepholes that are difficult to find from the chairman''s side. At first, Erna seems to peek from the most difficult place to find, and while confirming the position of the chairman, she chooses a place that is easy to see. The chairman who entered the bedroom seems to be writing something at the desk after she put on a bathrobe. From our position, we can''t see the text, but it''s probably a diary. Occasionally, she stops writing in her diary and shows a figure of sadness with putting her hand on her cheek and sighing, I want to hug her quickly. "Mama ... Papa ..." Uuh ... I''m sorry, I got carried away. I was sure she was thinking about me ... I believed such a thing. That''s right, she wants to meet her family that is back in Japan. The chairman, who returned the diary to the drawer of the desk, took off her bathrobe, hung it on the back of the chair, and gently wiped her eyes with her nightgown''s sleeves and went to bed. After observing the chairman who went to bed for a while, Erna watched the situation from the peephole, and when she left her room with silent footsteps, she quietly left the living room and went out to the corridor. [ Fred, keep watch, and let me know before Erna comes back. ] [ OK ... I''ll check on Camilla ... ] After asking Fred to monitor Erna, I spoke to the chairman. "Yu, Yuika ..." "Kent ... where? Oh!" When I came out of the shadow of the bed, the chairman hugged me. She buried her face in my neck and put strength into her arms. "I''m sorry, the lord of Volzard asked me to do a job, so I couldn''t come for a while." "I was worried that something had happened ..." "Sorry, but dont worry, Volzard is much safer than here." "Yeah ... I''m still worried, no one will help me if Kent is gone ..." "I''m worried that Yuika is overwhelmed ..." "I''m sorry, I think I have to do it ... because otherwise everyone ..." That''s right, the chairman said that she couldn''t help but do it, but taking care of everyone is too much. "Okay, then I''ll support Yuika, so you don''t overdo it." "Kent ... but then Kent ..." "Let''s decide the time, lunch break and about 4 o''clock in the evening, yes, you pretend to take a nap, and then I will cast healing magic from the shadows." "Kent ... Thank you ... I love you ..." The chairman will leave her head to me so that she can be pampered. Kuu ... I have already decided to take her home in the next actual battle. "A while ago, Takayama-kun came ... he told me to stop rebelling." "Is that so?" I''ve heard most of the story, but if she finds out, she would notice that I was peeking during bath time, so let''s blur it. "Yeah, he brought the maid girl ... So I told him, I''m going to the next battle, so Takayama-kun should go with me and protect everyone." "What did Takayama say?" "If he was told to go, he would obey ... because, it''s the worst ..." "It''s okay, because even if there''s no Takayama, I''ll protect everyone ... I''ll rescue everyone." "Yeah ... I''m waiting ..." Fuhaha, Novice Hero, please be my stepping stone. "Yuika ... I''m thinking of launching a counterattack against Camilla tonight." "Eh ... counterattack?" "Yeah, I can only harass her, but I think I can damage her a little." "Really? What are you going to do?" "Hmm ... that''s still a secret." "Eh ... Kent''s mean ..." "I''ll tell you if it works." "Yeah, it''s a promise ..." The chairman and I entwined our little fingers and squeezed. [ Kent-sama ... the caretaker is back ... ] [ Roger that! ] "Yuika, I''m going because Erna is back." "Yes ..." The chairman kissed my cheek as I was about to dive into the shadows. Well then, is it time to fight back against Camilla? CH 40 Project Meisa ***---*** Camilla Resenburg was sitting at her desk in her room at the dormitory. It''s rest day, so she''s not wearing her uniform, but she wears riding pants, boots, and a simple shirt. A number of documents are spread out on the desk, and deep wrinkles are engraved between the eyebrows of Camilla who is looking through them. "I don''t think ..." She flips the documents with her right hand, and the index finger of her free left hand is tapping the desk in frustration. "Oh, maybe ... a report of western yields ..." [ Is desertification increasing? ] [ Even if you don''t look at the numbers, you can see it at a glance by looking at her face. ] [ I see ... ] Certainly, as Reinhardt says, Camilla looks like she''s biting a bitter bug. I was summoned to this world and immediately gotten rid of, so I didn''t have much time to look at Camilla, but I have the impression that she was sarcastic and confident. It may be the first time I''ve seen Camilla''s face in such anguish. Camilla turns over the documents, writes out the numbers, repeats the calculations, shakes her head a little, and sighs repeatedly. The situation in the west may not be so good. [ Kent-sama, there are aristocratic territories in the west to support the First Prince. ] According to Basten''s investigation, the Kingdom of Resenburg is currently engaged in a dark battle between the First Prince and the Second Prince over the throne. Camilla seems to be supporting the First Prince, and the most painful problem for the First Prince faction is the desertification of the west. The decrease in yield is directly linked to the decline in tax revenue, and the financial strength of the First Prince faction is swaying. Many of the aristocrats who support the rival Second Prince are in the eastern part of the country, and desertification seems to be a boon. [ That means that the yield is falling and the price or grain is rising, which is a good deal? ] [ That''s right, Kent-sama, you understand well. ] [ I feel like I learned the balance between supply and demand in class, but I don''t remember clearly. ] According to Baten, desertification reduces yields in the west, resulting in a tendency for grain shortages, rising grain prices, enriching farmers in the east, and buying grain in the west becomes expensive. Increasingly, the eastern part of the country will be enriched, and the western part of the country will suffer even more. For the aristocrats of the Second Prince, it seems more convenient for desertification to progress. [ But the reduction in western yields due to desertification will lead to a decline in national power for the Kingdom of Resenburg, right? ] [ That''s right, but if you focus only on faction conflicts, you may not be worried about the future, or even if you feel a sense of crisis, you may not be able to move as you wish because you are bound by the faction. ] [ I see ... what does the Second Prince faction look like? ] [ Sorry, we haven''t been investigating that far yet. ] [ Sorry, you can''t look it up so quickly. ] [ But ... the Second Prince doesn''t seem to be very popular among the citizens of the royal capital. ] [ Is that right ... Okay, can you continue to investigate? ] [ Ok, let''s investigate the prince''s personality and that of the major aristocrats. ] [ Yeah, please. ] By the time I finished listening to Basten''s explanation, the door of Camilla''s room was knocked on. "Who is it ..." "It''s Celia." "Hmm ... come in!" "Excuse me ..." Celia wears a robe over her sleepwear, unlike the maid outfit I saw in the chairman''s room. Camilla stood up from her chair, sat partly on her desk, folded her arms and smiled scornfully. "Is the snot-nosed Hero still sleeping early?" "Yes ... He''s already resting for today." "Can you play your role with such a condition?" "I will serve with that intention." Celia responds with a blank expression like a mask. "Hmm ... well, let the snot-nosed Hero participate in the next battle." "Eh, that can''t be, isn''t it too early for actual combat ..." "Huh ... Have you become attached to that brat ...?" "Oh ... that''s ..." She''s trying to hurriedly deceive her, but as soon as she heard about Takayama''s participation in the actual battle, she lost her mask, so she can''t deny it. Hey, Novice Hero, she seriously seems to be in love with you, it''s a little irritating. However, Camilla talked about the next actual battle, is it going to be soon? "Well, even though he''s a brat, he still has that kind of qualities, so we''re not going to throw him away." Hearing Camilla''s words, Celia strokes her chest. "However, tell them if it''s just the level of a goblin or kobold, there''s no need to go out of the way to help, and they can step back. "I, I respectfully obey." Even after Celia left the room, Camilla continued to struggle with the documents, but when she suddenly stopped, she heaved a large sigh. When she put her left elbow on the desk and supported her head, she stopped moving with her eyes closed. Camilla didn''t make a slight movement for about two minutes, but then she suddenly opened her eyes, she turned her head lightly and began to clean up the documents. If she starts drinking her nightcap, I will go with the strategy, but it seems that she will take a bath first. [ What are you going to do? Kent-sama. ] [ Eh? No ... If she enters alone, there won''t be anything in particular ... ] [ No matter how trivial ... enemy information is important ... ] [ When she feels relaxed, she may spill her true intentions. ] Hmm ... Maybe Reinhardt and the others just want to see? Isn''t it possible to throw away worldly desires even if you become bones? I want to see her too. Yes, this is my second peeping time tonight, following the chairman. I can''t say anything about Gilik anymore. Camilla does all the dressing and bathtub preparation herself. It seems that the maid work is usually done by her exclusive maid, but on rest day, the maid is resting and she does it herself. No matter how much she was the commander of the garrison, it was surprising that the royal family, the Third Princess, was preparing the bath by herself. [ Camilla is ... trusted by her subordinates and the maids ... ] [ Even in the First Prince''s school, it is regarded as important. ] From Fred and Basten''s story, she seems like a person who can care for people below her, but why is it so terrible for us? After all, as Reinhardt said before, I wondre if there is a clear line between enemies and allies. Camilla, who folded her clothes including her underwear, sighed deeply as she sank into the bathtub. "Fuu ... I feel alive again ..." Even so, she really has an outrageous figure. A gravure idol would flee from her superiority. Still, her upper arms, thighs, and calves have tight muscles, and you can see that her abdominal muscles are slightly ripped. [ Every morning ... She''s training every morning ... ] Even if Camilla reads the documents until late the day before, she wakes up early in the morning and does not neglect her training in swordsmanship, martial arts, and horse riding. Strictly discipline yourself and treat your subordinates with compassion, you would become popular and trustworthy. I think it woudl have been easier if even half of that compassion had been directed at us ... After getting out of the bath, Camilla wore her nightgown, put on a robe, and started to prepare a nightcap. Then, is it time to start the operation? Remove the case containing the sleeping medicine from my pocket. The contents of the case are pills made by dividing a large sleeping pill into one-eight pieces. It seems that with even one pill of this you will not wake up even if you get hit once you fall asleep, but this time I will use two pills just in case. Camilla pours about one-third of the sake bottle into a glass and enjoys the mellow armoa while slowly tasting the sake. Camilla, with her squinting eyes and relaxed expression, is so beautiful that ten out of ten people would be captivated by her. If she had a good personality with this, I wouldn''t have any complains, but when I think of her throwing me away, and making a show of Funayama and driving him to his death, I don''t feel like falling in love. When Camilla drank the first and poured the second, the operation began. [ Then, it''s about time to start the operation ... Project Meisa start! ] I tried to dress it up, but if I searched for the position of Camilla''s stomach and threw in two pills, the first stage was over. [ Kent-sama, is Project Meisa''s Meisa the boarding house Meisa? ] [ Yeah, that''s right, that Meisa-chan. ] [ Is it somehow related to the operation? ] [ Yeah, you''ll know it right away. ] The effects of the pills were immediate. It seems that Camilla usually goes to bed with crisp footsteps even after drinking two glasses of nightcap, but tonight, before she finishes drinking the second drink, she repeatedly yawns and takes a stunned gait. When she went to the bedroom, she fell into her bed. After turning over a few times, Camilla began to breathe lightly. [ Wait until she falls asleep ... ] I kept waiting for about an hour until Camilla fell into a deep sleep. I got out of the shadow and poked Camilla''s cheek with my finger, but there was no sign of anything happening. [ It looks like she''s completely asleep, so I''ll move on to the next stage. ] I prepared a large mug for pouring ale. Then, hold the mug and move once. [ What are you doing, Kent? ] [ Yeah, it''s a bit rude ... ] Sorry for the dirty story, Jobo Jobo Jobo, I poured my urine instead of ale into the mug and poured it on the crotch of Camilla who was sleeping. Yeah, you got a nice map on the futon that looks expensive. If there''s no evidence that anyone has invaded and her crotch is wet ... What will you think of Camilla ... [ Buhahaha! For sure, it''s Project Meisa, that is brutal, it''s really brutal! ] [ Kent-sama ... Heinous ... ] [ Wow, to a female member of the royal family before she got married ... to do this, Kent-sama. ] [ Compared to what she did to Funayama and I, this is just lukewarm ... Well, let''s go home because the preparation is over. ] Cover her with a blanket properly and return to Volzard. I wanted to see what Camilla looked like when she woke up, so I asked Fred to keep watch. The next morning, when I was informed that Camilla had awakened, I hurried to Lastock. Camilla isn''t awakened by the maid, she wakes up every morning on her own and heads to training, but she woke up earlier this morning. When I rushed in, Camilla stood stunned at her bedside. The hatefully confident face is pale and her eyes appear to be out of focus. It looksl ike her line of sight goes back and forth between the bed and her crotch many times, and she still can''t accept the situation. [ Ahahahaha! Look, hey, look, that face ... ahaha ... ] [ Buhahaha! This is a lot of mental damage. ] [ Gufu ... Kuku ... Stunned self-defeat ... ] [ Hahaha, Kent-sama, you did it. ] [ No, Project Meisa is in production from here. ] I showed a confident smile to the three people who laughed out loud. Camilla was standing by the bedside for a while, but it seems that she finally returned to herself and began to think about countermeasures. And what Camilla got was a big jug on the side table. With a small sigh, Camilla sits down on the bed, holding the jug several times and examining the angle and twist of her body. Eventually, she sighed again, perhaps because she felt better, and in the bed she sprinkled the contents of the jug from her chest to her crotch and onto the bed. Well, it''s a common pattern for eradicating evidence. Camilla called her exclusive maid while soaked. "I''m sorry, I was sleeping and knocked the jug over ..." "Yes, I''ll do the cleaning up." "I''m sorry ..." "Camilla-sama, this degree is nothing ..." Camilla shook her head weakly and headed for the bathroom. The maid looks worried about the unusual appearance of Camilla. The maid, who prepared a change of clothes for her, started cleaning up the soaked bed, but stopped while peeling the sheets off and began to sniff the surroundings. Ah, I''m sorry, I was tired, and I was taking sleeping pills and magical restoration medicine, so the smell may have been quite bad. The maid might have noticed the odor, and when she took a deep breath and opened her eyes, she hurriedly stripped the bedding from the bed and began to put it away. Camilla, on the other hand, sighs repeatedly in the bathroom, thoroughly washing her body, and even after returning to the dressing room, she smells her body. Camilla dresses in easy-to-move clothes for training, tightens her expression, and retruns to the living room, but there is an indescribable subtle atmosphere with the maid. "Uh, yeah ... uh, I''m sorry, but keep this morning''s failure a secret, as the commander of the garrison, to be half asleep and water, water is spilled, such a thing can''t be known to the subordinates." Uhyahya, did you say it twice because it''s important? But the maid seems to know. "Yes, I know, I won''t tell anyone!" "Oh yeah ... I''m counting on you ..." Uhyahya, I have a stomachache, I have a stomachache ... Camilla is asking the maid with teary eyes. [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, you did it, which should have left no damage to her body but deeply scratched her heart. ] [ Yeah, but Reinhardt, Project Meisa isn''t over yet. ] [ Well, is there still something? ] [ Yeah, but that''s after I''ve done my errands at Volzard and come back later. ] Watching from the shadow world, Camilla was exposed to the warm eyes of the maid who served her, and when she drank tea with an unbearable expression, she went out for training as usual. It would be a big mistake to think that this was the end, because the grudges of Funayama and I won''t end with this. But let''s go back to Volzard and get what I have to do out of the way. I mean, it''s going to be a big job to solve Manon''s misunderstanding ... Someone help me! CH 41 Cute trouble maker ***---*** After returning to Volzard and having breakfast, I will pick up the five people at the garrison''s temporary dormitory. Today is fire day at the beginning of the week, so it''s the day for the combat class for beginners. It''s up to the five people as to whether to take the course, but it''s better to give them the information. Besides, aside from the old and new duo and the dekoboko sisters, if I don''t keep an eye on fake glasses, it would be easy for Volzard people to think that my classmates are lazy. "So there is a combat class for beginners, what should I do?" "Of course we will take it, Kazuki." "Of course, we''ll catch up with Gilik-aniki quickly and be unmatched in the dungeon." Well, the old and new duo is as expected. "What about Kobayashi-san?" "At-chan, what are you going to do?" "Hmm ... fighting is a bit ... but it sounds like a monster-type lecture would be interesting, doesn''t it?" "Then, let''s take it for now." "Yeah, that''s right." Yes, the dekoboko sisters are also participating. "What about Yagi?" "Hmm ... what should I do?" "If you take a class, you don''t have to work all day today ..." "Well, I''ll take it, if I''m bored, I can sleep." "What are you saying ... No, never mind ..." I thought I''d warn him, but it would be more effective to have Donovan-san do it, so let''s stop it. It''s good to go to hell. Before going out to the guild, I informed the five of them about the progress of Project Meisa. "Well done! Kokubu!" "Damn, a stupefied Camilla, I want to see thaaat!" "Wow, gross, I''d normally be put off, but this time I''ll tolerate it." "True, true, I wanted to see the depressed Camilla, too." Everyone was pleased with a guts pose, other than one person, Yagi, who didn''t lose his stern look. "What''s wrong? Yagi." "Kokubu, you''re done with that ... there''s nothing else, is there?" As expected, the only newspaper member called fake glasses lives up to his name. You''ve hit the nail on the head with that question, involuntarily I started to smile. "Of course not, the finishing touches are yet to come. I''m going to make rumors reach not only the garrison, but the city of Lastock, and in Camilla''s own ears." "Impressive, it''s just like Kokubu to understand so well. It doesn''t make sense unless rumors spread!" "And if it spreads, it will double its effectiveness ... right?" "Yes, that''s right!" After taking the five to the guild, the finishing touch I have to do is to spread the rumors that Camilla wet her bed. Even if it is only known to one person, the exclusive maid, it would be depressing if such a rumor spreads ... Camilla''s expression will be something worth seeing. "Okay, Kokubu, the rumors that are scattered shouldn''t be lengthy. Shorten the words and make an impact on the listener." "I see, it''s a short sensational rumor ... I understand!" "Kokubu, don''t hesitate, whittle down that princess'' nerves." "Okay, I''ll whittle them down for everyone." I went to the guild with five people who felt relieved after a long time, no, for the first time since we came to this world. "By the way, Kokubu, where did you go yesterday?" "That''s right, livre plantation ... such a thing was a lie, where did you bring Manon?" "Come on, saying I brought her somewhere, such a thing is bad to hear ..." "You must have climbed the stairs of an adult, right?" "Hey, what about Yuika? Listen, what did you do?" "No, I already told you ..." I forgot, there were the two dekoboko sisters lurking behind Manon. "Fuhaha, I''ll tell you waht happened to Kokubu and Manon!" "What, why do you know fake glasses?" "Do you want to know? I saw it yesterday, the moment Kokubu was slapped by Manon-chan!" "Hey Kokubu, you, what did you do?" "That''s right, it''s strange that such an innocent Manon gets so angry, right?" "Well, no, it''s a misunderstanding ... Yes, Manon is just misunderstanding ..." Yagi talks about extra things, so the dekoboko sisters are angry and hounding me. On the way to the guild, people on the street also look at me strangely. "What misunderstanding, I definitely heard it, ''Kent''s a scum playboy!''." "She didn''t say that I was scum ... She said I was a cheater ..." "Cheating you say, did she catch the scent of the existence of Yuika?" "No, no, Beatrice, not the chairman ..." "Eeh, Kokubu-kun, you''ve put your hands on another person?" "That''s why I said it''s a misunderstanding, Beatrice is ..." "You called for me ...?" "Huh ...?" Suddenly I was called out to from the side and blurted a stupid reply. "Good morning, Kent-sama, call me Rise as was the honor conferred to you, do me this favor please." When I turn my gaze, standing there was a beautiful girl with red hair. The person I was talking about suddenly appeared, so my brain is unable to keep up with the situation. Ah, looking closely, her lop ears are hidden ... I want to fluff. "G, good morning, Beatrice-san ..." "Rise ..." "Um, um ... Ri, Rise-san." "Rise ..." "Ri, Rise ..." "Yes, Kent-sama ..." Beatrice kissed my cheek in one smooth motion, as if it were natural. The surroundings are about to burst into high-pitched cheers, Beatrice licks her lips as if savoring the taste. Will I be eaten? Will I become food for a carnivorous rabbit? Looking in the direction of the cheers, there were a few girls who seemed to be Beatrice''s friends, and about the same number of boys sent a murderous gaze. Among them, one boy, dressed in well-tailored clothes, is glaring at me while clenching his tteth so hard that blue streaks appear on his temples. I''ve already ignited a completely new trouble fuse. "Well then, Kent-sama, if you will excuse me." "Yesh ..." While I was in a daze watching Beatrice leaving, I was grabbed by my nape with a tight grip. "Bastard ... Kokubuuu! Who is that beautiful girl!" "Tatsuya, Yagi, interrogation, we must start the interrogation!" "What are you saying, sweet old and new duo, no interrogation required, immediate execution!" I mean, Beatrice kissed me yesterday, but Yagi didn''t see it. "Then, it can''t be helped that Kokubu is called a scum playboy ..." "Kokubu-kun is such a person ... What can I tell Yuika ..." "No, misunderstandings are really misunderstandings ... and the class will start soon ..." I just started moving towards the guild because the class will start soon, but when I glanced back, the boy was still glaring. Why do I have to bear another grudge? Heading to the guild counter to apply for the course, Muell-san, Manon, and Gilik are standing by the wall, which is free from congestion. Manon, who was talking to Muell-san, noticed us and looked ashamed. From her expression, the misunderstanding may have been resolved. When I thought such, the dekoboko sisters quickly walked up to Manon and started to say something. N, Not good! Manon, don''t listen to that story, those fellows will definitely embellish it! It, it''s different, it''s not about a whale, it''s really about a killifish. Even if I rush to deny it, I can''t move because my arms are held by the old and new duo. And Manon, who was caught by the dekoboko sisters, transformed into a Yasha as I watched. I mean, It seems that even Muell-san is looking upset, but ... I was beckoned over with her index finger. I couldn''t escape, so I was taken to her by the old and new duo. "Good morning, Muell-san, Gilik-san, Ma, Manon." "Good morning ... Kent, can you explain to me later?" "Yes, it''s just a misunderstanding ..." "Hmm, erotic Chibisuke ..." "They said you were getting along well with Beatrice this morning ... Tomoko, Akemi, if you''re going to take a class, I''ll teach you how to apply, let''s go ..." Ah ... Manon leaves with a frigid look. "You guys are going to take the course too, right? Please go apply ..." "Yes, Muell-nee-san." "Let''s go, Yagi ..." "Oh, oh, go go ..." It seems that he was fascinated by Muell-san''s chest with her arms folded, but he didn''t realize that he was being watched closely. Make him look like a worn-out rag again. "What are you grinning about, Kent ..." "Huh, huh! No, no, no ... nothing ..." "Bastard, don''t look at Myu-ane with such a disgusting gaze, hey ..." "That''s ridiculous, it''s a misunderstanding ..." In the end, the five were led by Manon to the class, and I was taken to a corner of the training ground by being grabbed by Gilik, who was instructed by Muell-san. "Now, I''ll have you explain it properly." "It''s really a misunderstanding ..." In order to resolve Muell-san''s misunderstanding, I talked about being woken up by Donovan-san and completing the nomination request. "Th, that is, I certainly touched Beatrice''s body, but it was just for treatment, and Marianne-san was watching from nearby." Even after finishing the story, Muell-san looked at Gilik and doesn''t seem to believe it. "Don''t be foolish you bastard, I don''t think an F-ranked kid can accept a nomination request ..." "Yes, so I was promoted to B-rank the other day." "Utterly foolish you bastard, such a thing as suddenly ranking up from F to B can''t happen." "That''s why ... I''ve been ranked up twice, from F to D and then from D to B." Even after showing the guild card, telling about the rock ogres, or the Gigawolfs, Gilik doesn''t seem to trust me at all. "Chibisuke, who is weaker than me, is two ranks higher than me ... don''t joke around." "No, even if I''m told that, I didn''t tell them to raise it ..." "If you say that you should have a match with me, if you bastard really is as strong as you say, try to beat me seriously." "No, but even if I was told to have a match ..." "What, are you scared, Chibisuke." "I''m extremely scared, I don''t want to die yet ..." When I glanced at her wondering if she could stop him, Muell-san was thinking with her arms folded. "Go try it for a moment." "Eh ... even Muell-san ..." "Yeah, I want to see how strong Kent is." "That''s ..." Muell-san heard about the subjugation of the Gigawolfs from the dekoboko sisters, but she seems to be skeptical. In the end, in order to avoid the danger to my life, I ended up having a serious match with Gilik on the condition that we used wooden swords, no attacks from the neck to the head, and I could use magic. I wanted to fight a match with Gilik someday, but I thought that it was only after I was able to compete with Gilik without magic, so I''m a little reluctant to have a match at this timing. However, since it is the morning of the beginning of the week, no one is using the training ground, so it seems that it will not be noticeable. "Be prepared, Chibisuke, I''ll finish it in an instant ..." "Hmm ... please." Ah ... I''m not sure what will happen, let''s just do it, I''ll let you say ''Ouch!'' completely. However, even though I have armor and a wooden sword, how should I fight? The attack magic of the light attribute could be trouble if it hits the wrong place, and the only thing that can be used is the shield of darkness, but I have not tried how strong it is. Hmm? Far from saying ''Ouch!'', I might be in a big pinch. we faced each other at a distance of about 10 meters, and Gilik seems to have no doubt about his victory. "Here I come, Chibisuke, Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" When he chanted to strengthen his body, I felt that Gilik''s body had swelled a little. As usual, with his left shoulder in the upper right corner, Gilik kicked the ground with a wolf-like laugh. Fast! By stepping a few steps faster than usual, Gilik closes the distance at once. "Dobu haa!" The match ended in an instant. The shield of darkness seems to be stronger than I expected. I put out a shield of darkness at his feet, and when it caught his foot I put out another shield of darkness in front of his face as he fell forward, he rushed into it and self-destructed. Yeah, he looks foolish with a nosebleed that is flowing from Gilik''s nose and expands into the training area. "Um ... should I apply healing magic?" "Hmm ... do it after picking up his wooden sword ..." "Oh, yes, I understand." "Kent, what was that just now? What about chanting?" "That thing just now, I call it the shield of darkness, and I have never chanted." "I can''t believe I just heard that, but I have to believe it since I actually saw it." I picked up the wooden sword from his right hand, put my hand on his swollen face and cast healing magic, and the wound disappeared cleanly, and Gilik regained consciousness. "This Chibisukeeee!" "Gilik! It''s over!" The moment he regained consciousness, Muell-san stopped Gilik who was grabbing me. Gilik, who stopped moving suddenly, began to shake all over when he checked his situation again. "That''s stupid ... I can''t lose to such a shitty Chibi ..." He understands the situation, but he doesn''t want to admit it. Even for me, I don''t like this way of winning with a surprise attack, finding a fault with his strength is unpleasant. "Well, there was no doubt because Donovan-san admitted that he was ranked B." "Well ... then we didn''t have to have a match." "But if you didn''t do it, he won''t be satsified with it ... right?" "I, it''s a lie ... for me, to this Chibi ... no way ..." Gilik stood up, and when he stepped back, he rushed out of the training ground like a rabbit. Yeah, Gilik has a wonderful character. "It may be good medicine for Gilik because he was a little too self-confident because he never lost to a person who is a little older than him, let alone the same age." "Is it okay? I don''t want to get into a fight or something when Muell-san is not looking." "What? Boys talk with their fists, right?" "No, I''m not that a part of that physical sect." "Is that so? Well, I think it''s okay ... I see, Kent is a better child than I thought." Oh yeah, that''s right, Muell-san, I''m a pretty good guy, so I don''t mind if you fall in love with me or anything. "So did you understand that everyone is misunderstanding?" "Hmm ... about half?" "Half ..." "Because even if she intended to tease you, didn''t you get kissed by the girl in front of everyone who was watching?" "Uh ... that''s true ... but why?" "Ufufu, Beatrice is also a conspicuous child ... Kent should think about it himself, see you later ..." "Eh ..." Muell-san left with a smile on her face, but in the end, she didn''t solve anything. It''s already a mess because of Beatrice. [ It''s a disaster, Kent-sama. ] [ Seriously, will having my strength be understood give more gains than the dark thoughts ...? ] [ It was a wonderful way to win without doing anything by using the power of the other party. ] [ Hmm ... It''s not refreshing, oh well, let''s go finish Project Meisa. ] [ Then, move to Lastock. ] We moved from the shadow of the warehouse in the corner of the training ground to Lastock. Starting from now, I''m spreading the rumors of Camilla, and I''m already thinking about the dialogue. The first target is the knights in the garrison. I searched for a knight who was alone in a warehouse or a toilet, and played a dual role so that they could listen to it on purpose. "Camilla-sama, did she wet her bed?" "Idiot, keep your voice down, what if someone hears you ..." Using this as a basic pattern, I will spread rumors around the garrison. The knights who heard my voice were surprised without exception, and some of them ran towards me. Once I''m done with the garrison, it''s time to head out into the city of Lastock. Behind the alleys, at the edge of the well, through the walls of the house ... I spread rumors here and there. "Camilla-sama, there''s no way she would wet her bed." "I think so too, but I heard from a knight in the garrison ..." The people of the city were also surprised, confused, and trying to confirm the owner of the voice. The shadows of the market, the corridors of the school, the chapel of the church ... I gradually change the lines according to the listener. "Did you hear, Camilla-sama''s rumor ..." "Bed-wetting ... that''s stupid ..." Whether it''s affirmative or negative, it''s good if the rumors spread. After spreading rumors all morning in the city, I headed to the garrison''s medical office. I made a promise to support the chairman who overdoes it. The chairman was treating a girl with an injured forehead. There is a lot of bleeding since it''s a wound on the head, and the chairman is desperately treating her, but she seems to be really overdoing it, and she looks paler than the girl who receives the treatment. However, it seems that the wound on the forehead was completely closed, probably because of that. "Thank you Yuika, there isn''t even a scar left ... I''m okay now, your face is pale." "Yeah, it''s okay, I''ll be okay if I take a break ... It''s already lunch ..." "Really? Oh, you should rest on the sofa for a while, here, I''ll lend you a shoulder." "Thank you, yeah, maybe I couldn''t do it ..." "No, what would we do if Yuika collapses ..." "It''s okay, I''m sure my Prince will come to help ..." "Jeez, your Prince ... Yuika is dreaming too much ... But I wonder if he will come, your Prince." "It''s okay, I''m sure he will come, let''s do our best until then." "Yeah, yeah ... yes, we''ll do our best." The treated girl gently placed a blanket on the chairman lying on the sofa and went out of the examination room. I immediately put my hand on the chairman''s back from the shadow and cast healing magic. "Oh, Kent ..." "Shhh ... quietly ... Yuika is overdoing it ..." "Yeah, but it''s okay because there''s my Prince ..." The chairman, who was relaxed, began to take a nap quietly. Erna came into the medical office and looked at her, but closed the door again and went out. I want you to leave her alone for now, so that the serious and dreamy princess can rest. CH 42 The result of the counterattack ***---*** After finishing the chairman''s care at Lastock''s garrison, I had lunch from the knight''s dining room and continued the reconnaissance. What I''m looking for right now is the resting place for the maids. I''m not going to look at them changing clothes, my purpose is to find Camilla''s exclusive maid. "Wait, seriously stop it. That, you make it seem like I am walking around talking." "Well, aren''t you? Everyone thinks it''s from Rosalie." "That''s not the case, really stop it!" "Is it really true?" "S, such a thing, there''s no way that I can say that with my own mouth, right." "No way, is it really true? It''s not a joke?" "Like I said, I can''t say that with my mouth ..." Yeah, Camilla''s exclusive maid, Rosalie, seems to have finally realized, even though she said something outragerous. I can''t say that with my mouth, means that it is something you''re not allowed to say. "No! No! No, no, there is no such thing! No!" She denied it in a hurry, but the maids around her have an incredibly difficult look on their faces. "You''re wrong! It''s really not me, I didn''t talk about anything! Uuhhhhh ..." "Okay, okay ... it''s not Rosalie." The other maids hurriedly began to calm down Rosalie who had been cornered and started crying. "But if it''s not Rosalie, who talked ..." "Oh! Maybe someone saw Rosalie cleaning up her bedding ..." "Yeah, everyone knows that Rosalie is in charge of Camilla-sama." "That''s right, Camilla-sama''s bedding is different from the other knights." Hmmm, I see, you guessed that the information came from there, being a spectator is amusing, isn''t it. In other words, it seems that the fact that Camilla wet her bed was recognized as a fact among the maids. Congratulations, congratulations. The result of my work is almost perfect, so this is fine. All I have to do is wait for it to become exaggerated. Even if the knights go to a place where they can rest, it seems that they are all talking about Camilla''s rumor. Perhaps, unlike Japan, where there is no shortage of topics such as television, radio, and the Internet, they''re hungry for entertainment in a sense. I can see them talking to each other here and there. To that extent, being both severe and sympathetic, Camilla was yearned for by the knights, and they would likely have never imagined her to ever wet her bed. "Is it true?" "Is there something wrong with her physical condition?" "It can''t be helped, I''m sure she''s had a lot of trouble since she summoned people from a different world." "My loyalty won''t change at this level." "That''s natural, I''m the same." "Yes, rather it''s almost like a reward ..." Yeah, there''s a few people who look dangerous, but let''s ignore them. Again, it seems to be recognized as a truth that Camilla wet her bed, but I don''t like the fact that their impression of Camilla isn''t shaken. When I was looking at the resting place of the knights, one knight caught my eye. "Hey, wake up Paul, hey!" "Hmm ... what is it, another job?" "That''s right, you, do your job crisply, don''t let those damn kids underestimate us." "Snort, against such stupid brats, this Paul-sama will teach them to underestimate us, such a thing." "Well, don''t hit them too hard and break them." "Hmm, I can''t guarantee that ... it''s all for the benefit of Resenburg." At the edge of the resting place, a knight named Paul, who was awakened by a knight colleague and had a grinning smile, is familiar. Yes, he is the knight who was beating Funayama up. [ Kent ... this guy ... ] [ Yeah, I know, I want to do something about this guy. ] Fred also remembered Paul and occasionally watched his actions. [ What kind of person is this Paul? ] [ Not very good ... he likes to drink ... ] [ Someone who likes to drink, is there any way we can use that? ] [ Maybe ... he seems to have messed up several times ... ] After the break, Paul looked like he was heading to the training ground for earth-based magicians, and then turned to the training ground for attack magic. According to Fred, the knights change places to monitor and guide. Paul, holding a wooden stick in his right hand, roams behind my classmates training in attack magic. This wooden stick is also familiar. It seems that what kind of person he is has spread among my classmates, and some girls stiffened their bodies just by having him pass behind them and failed to activate their magic. When that happens, Paul mercilessly swings the stick down with a natural look. "What a failure, do you want to die in the actual battle!" "Aguuu ... I''m sorry, I''m sorry ..." "Stupid guy, who said you can rest! Stand up and keep going!" "Agiiii ... I''m sorry ..." Even if Paul hits her on the back, the girl stands up with tears in her eyes and tries to continue training. "Hey, quit it, there''s no way we can get better if you hit us so much!" "What did you say bastard ... are you defying me?" "Yeah! We grew up in a world without magic, and we were only taught to chant words we don''t know in a world we don''t know, in order to use magic ... it doesn''t work!" The person who lashed out at Paul, belonged to the kendo club, and is called the sword princess by the girls and sword demon by the boys, her name is Motomiya Aoi. "Shut up! If you have time to talk, shoot as much magic as you can, if you''re scared of just this do you really think you can fight against monsters? They''ll seriously come to kill you. That''s it!" He was saying the same thing when he was beating Funayama, and I thought it might be reasonable at that time, but thinking about it now, it''s just an excuse to justify his violence, right. Motomiya-san is likely to get beaten up at this rate, so let''s try something that comes to mind. "Bastard, you''re going to die if you go into the actual battle ... like ... what, suddenly ... damn, keep training ... what''s, going on ..." Paul walked to the corner of the training ground, and as soon as he sat down at the root of the tree, he falls asleep and starts snoring. Yeah, this is what happens with three sleeping pills. Once he''s fallen asleep, it''s decided what to do next, the ale mug is getting another turn. However, it won''t soak into the bedding like it did with Camilla, so it''s hard for someone else to know, but be shocked by yourself. Seeing Paul starting to fall asleep, my classmates stopped training and watched. "Motomiya-san, what should we do ...?" "Since it would be bad if other knights come, let''s continue training, because in any case, if our magic doesn''t improve, it''s highly likely that we''ll die." "That''s right, there is no choice but to do it ..." "Yeah, but there is no obstacle, so let''s practice calmly." "Yes, I understand." Throwing the sleeping pill directly into the stomach seems to be a very effective method. If you won''t wake up even by being hit or kicked, you''ll probably stay asleep for seven or eight hours, during which time I''ll be able to rescue my classmates. The problem is that they are sleeping pills, so they may smell like medicine, so let''s go back to Volzard and check with Muell-san. [ Kent-sama ... this will work ... ] [ Well, if I put more and more knights to sleep this way, I think I can rescue my classmates without bloodshed. ] [ I think it''s better to take a carriage and run away ... ] [ Yes, that''s right ... but we haven''t dealt with carriages or horses, so maybe we can''t drive them properly ... ] I''ve seen carriages running in movies and dramas, but I''ve never actually driven one, and I don''t know how to handle the reins. [ Should I have Fred drive it? ] [ That''s ... probably impossible ... ] [ Why? Can''t all of you drive a carriage? ] [ Horse ... is afraid of monsters ... ] [ Oh, that''s right ... ] Fred and the others would have been able to drive the carriage, but now that they have become skeletons, the horses would be scared and it would be difficult to approach them. [ Kent-sama ... Training with five people ... ] [ Yes, I should learn how to handle the carriage with everyone else that I rescued and have them help with the rescue operation together. ] [ If it''s a carriage ... it''s fast to move ... ] When we were first summoned, everyone was taken in a carriage to the garrison. I was left behind, and but I sang ''Dona Dona'' as I was sent off.(TN: Again, Dona Dona is a song about a calf being led to slaughter.) So there should be a carriage in the garrison that can carry everyone. This would speed up the rescue. [ It''s nice to be able to rescue them quickly, but it feels like my actions are hit and miss ... ] [ Kent ... the situation changes ... you should choose the best option at the time ... ] [ Oh, that''s right ... ] A child like me can''t look into the future, and I have no choice but to settle with what I can do now. Besides, I can''t do this operation alone, so it''s better to go back and talk with the five people and ask Reinhardt, Donovan-san, and Klaus-san for advice. Then, I''ll finish Project Meisa and take care of the chairman in the evening before returning to Volzard. Camilla Resenburg is inspecting the training situation with a strong appearance. It''s natural to be worried because the progress of the training will be directly linked to the promotion of her plan. My classmates are wearing slave bracelets and should not be able to do any harm, but Camilla wears only the chestpiece of the shiny golden armor. [ That is ... it''s to show off her position ... and measures against stray magic ... ] As Fred says, the shiny golden armor has a silent presence in the training grounds. At first glance, it seems that she continues to inspect with a dignified expression, but today''s Camilla sometimes throws her gaze in a different direction. When that happens, there are always moody, anxious wrinkles between her eyebrows. Apparently, the effect of Project Meisa is appearing without me having to do anything, but let''s finish it to be done with it. Camilla stands out anyway because she is wearing golden armor. However, there are moments when the knights avert their gaze while she goes around the large garrison and training ground. I think it''s time for the finishing touch. After observing the training of the earth attribute mages, Camilla returns to the building where her office is located. On the way, she will pass between the dormitory and the warehouse, but there are no people around, making it suitable. So let''s whisper from the ventilation hole in the warehouse. "Bed-wetting! That Camilla-sama?" "Idiot, lower your voice ..." "I''m sorry ... but you''re not joking?" "No, it''s likely ..." As Camilla passed by, she stopped and looked back at the vent with an awkward movement that seemed to make a squeaking noise. After that, when she looked around, she leaned to the side of the ventilation hole and started to listen. The ventilation holes are made by stacking thin plates like window blinds, so you cannot see the inside from the outside. Even so, I continued to put on an act alone from a place that was in the shadow of the luggage. "Is that story believable ..." "But if it''s true ..." "That Camilla-sama, just how old do you think she is, no way, no way ..." "But if it was true." "There is no such thing!" Camilla patted her chest in relief when I said that during my solo act. "But if it''s true, I''m disillusioned ..." "That''s right ..." Camilla''s face turned pale, and when she left the ventilation hole with a creaking noise, she began to walk unsteadily. Her appearance is like a royal family member who lost a battle and is running away. [ Kukuku, in a situation where none of her followers are near, she only returns to her office, walking like she drank muddy water. ] [ Kent-sama has ... has become dark Kent-sama ... ] Even after entering the building where her office is located, I used the shadow of the stairs to play a similar solo act. By the time she reached her office, Camilla looked like she had run out of HP, and the guards guarding the door had painful expressions. After taking off her armor and heading to her desk in the office, Camilla held her head with both hands and gave a deep sigh. "Uwa ... what am I doing ... deplorable ..." It''s only been one day, but it seems that Camilla has been exhausted considerably. If it takes too long to rescue everyone, let''s set it up again later. Instead of taking a nap, the chairman was absorbed in treating her classmates when I headed to the doctor''s office in the evening. Apparently, the knight-type mock battle is over, and the injured people there are streaming in. A girl who has blue bruises on her face and has eyes that are out of focus. In the same way, there is also a boy who is groaning while holding his left shoulder. I feel like I''m lost in a field hospital. "Prioritize those woh have sever bleeding and those who hit their heads hard!" "Yuika, don''t overdo it." "That''s right, Chairman, we can still stand it ..." "I''m sorry ... I''m sorry everyone ..." Perhaps if we were still in Japan, if they had to wait in such a state, there would have been someone who would copmlain, but when you see the chairman who is desperately continuing treatment, you can''t complain. I mean, the chairman is likely to pass out at this rate. I searched my pocket, took out the blue case I brought just in case, and threw a pill into the chairman''s stomach to help restore magical power. I don''t know how effective it is, and it''s just a quick fix, but it''s better than doing nothing. After a while, the chairman, who had been enthusiastic about the treatment, stopped her hand and began to look around. "What''s wrong, chairman." "Eh? Ah ... I felt like my prince ..." "Huh? Prince ...?" The boy, who was being treated for a large laceration on his arm, had an expression of incomprehension. Apparently, it worked fast. I mean, aren''t there any medicines or potions that help restore magical power here? It didn''t seem like a dramatic recover, but the chairman seems to have finished treating her urgently injured classmates. "I''ll eat later ..." The chairman said without looking at Erna and sank onto the sofa. I immediately put my hand on the chairman''s back and let the healing magic flow. "Ah ... Prince ..." The chairman, who pulled her blanked up to her mouth, repeatedly opened and closed her left hand under the blanket. She''s asking to hold hands, right? As my right hand continued to heal, her left hand stretched out and grabbed it, and the chairman squeezed my fingers tightly. "Thank you ..." The chairman started to sigh, but uh ... I can''t go home like this. I''ve finished casting the healing magic, but I can''t go home ... what should I do? Well, it won''t be that long, as it''s only until Erna returns. I also took a rest while thinking about what to do after returning to Volzard. I have to talk to the five people about the rescue operation using sleeping pills, I have to ask the garrison to train us to drive a carriage, and I have to ask Muell-san to confirm the medicine smell, but above all, Manon''s misunderstanding is not solved at all. Thinking about Manon while holding the chairman''s hand seems to be the act of scum, but I still think about it. Also I don''t know what Beatrice is thinking, the same thing is likely to happen again ... I mean, I know I shouldn''t be wavering, but I can''t abandon the chairman, Beatrice is coming after me, and Manon is cute ... Ah, what should I do now, it''s too difficult for me with a love standard score of 30 or less. [ Simple ... Kent-sama all you have to do is make them all yours ... ] [ Uwa? Did you read my thoughts? Ugyaaaaa ... it''s bad. ] [ If it''s Kent-sama ... the chairman, that boku girl, the lord''s daughter, also ... Camilla should all be taken in together ... ] [ No, no, Fred, that''s impossible. ] [ But Kent-sama ... you''re thinking ... ] [ Guha, because, that''s right, I yearn for a harem ... ] [ You can realize it ... There is polygamy in Resenburg ... ] [ Uh ... is that so? Well, it''s not Japan ... ] Fred''s words shake my heart. Because it''s a different world, I got a little cheat, and so I dream of it. When I go back to Japan, I''m just a useless person, but in this world, I can make a lot of money, so I think I can live my life ... But when I compare myself to Klaus-san, Donovan-san, Kartz-san, and other adults, it''s no good at all. If I say something like making a harem, I will be killed by the evil old man.(TN: Klaus, if you forgot) [ Kent-sama ... the caretaker is back. ] [ OK ... I''ll worry about it after returning to Volzard ... ] Erna quietly opened the door of the examination room and returned, and after seeing the chairman''s sleeping face, hesistated a little and then called out. "Saint-sama, let''s have a meal ..." "Hmm ... Hmm ... I understand ..." While replying to Erna, the chairman squeezed my hand. After she squeezes my hand and I return the squeeze, the chairman relaxes her hand and lets go. The chairman got up, folded the blanket, winked hidden from Erna, and smiled. After seeing the chairman leave the examination room, I returned to Volzard. If possible, I would like to meet up with the five people and talk about the rescue operation, but after the class is over, I hvae to find out where they are and what they are doing. I went out from the shadow of the back alley and headed to the entrance of the guild. CH 43 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 43 Rich kid and his entourage ***---*** I took a peek at the guild training ground, but it seemed that the training had already ended, and Yagi and the others weren''t there. I looked around in the guild, but it seems that they weren''t at the bar either, so I think they''ve already returned. Since it''s like this, I have to decide whether to go out to the city or return to the boarding house, but I thought it woudl be better to visit the boarding house before dinner was over, so I decided to return to the boarding house first. The setting sun dyed the sky red, and the main street is crowded with people shopping for dinner. What''s for dinner today ... Reinhardt gave me a warning as I was walking around thinking about it. [ Kent-sama, you''re surrounded. ] [ Eh ... ] I didn''t notice it because I was absent-minded, three boys were blocking my path, and when I turned my head and looked back, two more boys were standing there as well. Standing in the middle of the three in front is the well-dressed boy who was glaring at me this morning. "You, lend me your face for a minute ..." "Haa ... what the heck is going on?" "Come on, come on!" The two who were behind grabbed my arms so that I couldn''t escape, following the boy''s instructions. Maybe he''s the same age as Beatrice, one year younger than me, but the boys are taller than me. [ Kent-sama, should we kick them around? ] [ No, it''s still okay, I know what he wants, it''s a hassle but I''ll follow along, I''ll hear him out. ] [ I see ... well, it''s okay, but if something happens I''ll do it. ] [ At that time, take it easy on them ... ] I was taken to a vacant lot at the end of a winding alley, which seems to be a hangout for boys. The vacant lot is a tiny area surrounded on three sides by buildings, and the only entrance is the alley we came from. I was pushed to the center of the vacant lot, and the five people lined up to block the alley. Looking at the faces of the five people, indeed, as expected of a rich person, the feeling of having followers, one boy is shorter than me, one boy is about the same height, and the two who are holding my arms are taller than me. The rich kid is about the same height as me, but he seems a bit jelly-like. When I was in Japan, I wasn''t confident that I would win even if I had to fight a boy smaller than myself, but since I came to Volzard, I''ve been doing a lot of special training, so maybe I won''t lose to anyone. However, that''s if it''s one-on-one, I''m not as confident against five people at once. "So what do you want with me?" "Don''t get close to Beatrice-san!" As expected, in this situation, he''s probably in love with Beatrice. But it''s okay, it''s a love that won''t come to fruition unless you defeat that evil old man stupid parent. "First of all, I''m not getting close to her." "You ... Then you say you''re the one being approached by Beatrice-san?" "The reason I became familiar with her was due to a request I took at the mansion, but it was Beatrice who came up to me this morning ... Didn''t you see it?" "This guy ..." Oh, I guess he remembered the kissing scene, his temple''s blood vessels are about to burst. I''m getting embarrased too ... "Then you say you won''t stop approaching Beatrice-san, right?" "If I don''t have any particular business, I won''t get close to her, Klaus-san is scary." When I said that, I wondered what the rich kid thought of the evil old man stupid parent. He''s the lord of Volzard, and he''s a member of the physical sect who participates in the wall construction every week, so it seems to be a bad idea to make him into an enemy. "Besides, approaching Beatrice or not, is up to my ability, and is in no way something you can command." "This guy ..." The rich kid clenches his fist in anger, but it doesn''t seem like he is going to hit me himself. Maybe the feelings of wanting to hit and the feelings of what to do if he hits are in conflict. Somehow, it seems that he is not confident while looking at me. If the two people around me were holding my arms, I wouldn''t have been able to do much, but if they are all facing me about 3 meters away, it wouldn''t be scary. "You, do you not understand your current situation?" The small one next to the rich kid looks like a typical henchman. His body is also spindly, and if you hit him in earnest, it would be like bullying a weak person. "Youu, this Nazario iis, assuredly the successoor, of the Orlando shoop." Yeah, it''s a very annoying way of speaking, so it makes me want to punch him. "Sorry, I''m from another city, so I don''t know the Orlando shop." "Seriouslyy! You country bumpkiin." "Katz, that''s enough, oi, Nago, Rodos ... rough him up ..." When Nazario the rich kid interrupted the words of the henchman, he gave instructions to the two with the big bodies. Hmm ... It''s a development that is too cliche, and it''s not interesting. In fact, violence is more troublesome later, so let''s leave it here. "Yeah, Chibi, be prepared." "I''ll make your face into one that Beatrice-san won''t bother approaching." "Yeah, of course I refuse." Before they could reach me, I put out a shield of darkness behind me and went inside it as it was. And once I erase the shield of darkness, it''s impossible to follow me anymore. "What! Where did he go?" "Hey, what just happened ... he disappeared." Nago and Rodos are looking for my whereabouts by waving their hands around where I was and trampling on the ground, but they can''t find me. [ Seriously, what misfortune, Kent-sama. ] [ Yeah, I have to get my classmates accepted by Volzard, so I don''t want to use unneccessary violence. ] [ That''s right, but Kent-sama, you were warlike to that Gilik. ] [ Because Gilik is like a wall to overcome ... well, he self-destructed ... ] [ That''s right, but is it fine like this? They will get involved with you again. ] [ That''s right ... well, at that time, I''ll think about it at that time, for now I''ll go home for dinner. ] I left the rich kid and his minions who were still wandering around in the vacant lot and returned to the boarding house immediately. "I''m back now ... what are you doing, Meisa-chan?" When I returned to the boarding house and called out to Amanda-san and the others, Meisa-chan with her arms folded glared at me with her mouth pursed. "Mom, is this the real Kent?" "Hey, Meisa-chan, there''s no fake of me, what''s wrong?" "Kent, is it true that you kissed Beatrice-san?" "Eeeh! Where did you hear about that ..." "At school, everyone was talking. A small person with black hair kissed her, Kent-sama they called him." "Uuh ... that thing, I''m not the one did it, Beatrice was ..." "Nuuu ... it''s not a good match at all." "Guaaa ... I understand that much ..." Meisa-chan''s harsh words made me almost fall to my knees. Beatrice is the number one student in Volzard''s school and is the daughter of the lord, so every studen in the school knows it. She is excellent at studying, kind to juniors, and is longed for by not only boys but also girls. It was a terrible topic that Beatrice was kissing an unknown boy in the middle of the main street in the morning. My head really hurts. "Haa ... give me a break will you ..." "Kent, you''re threatening Beatrice-san, right?" "I can''t do that, she''s the lord''s daughter, I won''t be able to stay in Volzard." "Hmm ... then why? Why did Beatrice-san kiss you?" "I don''t know, I want you to tell me." For Meisa-chan, it''s hard to believe that the senior student she admired kissed a dull boarder. Yeah, I don''t suit her anyway. "Meisa, if you''re going to talk there and aren''t going to help with the store, go upstairs with Kent!" "I''ll help! Kent is in the way so go upstairs!" "Yes, I understand ..." I have to proceed with the rescue operation using sleeping pills, but I feel depressed because it seems to be very troublesome. Even though Manon''s misunderstanding must be resolved, I''m getting a chill thinking about that evil old man stupid parent who is likely to have a hand in it. For the time being, in order to prioritize the rescue operation, I will ask Basten''s reconnaissance in the royal capital to be interrupted. [ I''m sorry, go this way, go that way it''s selfish. ] [ No, it doesn''t matter, because the rescue of your classmates comes first. ] I have something to check first with Reinhardt and the others. [ Hey, can you throw the pills directly into someone else''s stomach like I can? ] [ No problem, we are Kent-sama''s genus, so we can enter anywhere in the shadows. ] [ That means that we can split up with the four of us and put the knights to sleep, right? ] [ Well, there aren''t many knights in that garrison, so if we divide them, they''ll all be asleep in less time. ] According to Fred''s investigation, there are 117 knights in Lastock''s garrison, including those in the group leader class below Camilla. [ Okay, so what should we do first? ] [ That''s right, first of all, what time is the operation? The placement of the knights is completely different between daytime and nighttime. If you think about putting them to sleep, it''s best to have it nighttime with an easy-to-understand arrangement. ] [ That''s right, they move around during the day with training. Fred what is the night like? ] [ Gatekeeper ... Patrolling ... A little more vigilance in the dormitory ... ] It seems that the garrison itself is not so strict because they are wearing the slave bracelets, and it seems more people are assigned to the guard in case monsters cross the river and enter the city. [ It''s better to have a sketch of the garrison, right? ] [ Of course, it''s easier to understand who is where, what is where, and where to attack, etc. ] [ Fred, can you please? ] [ Because I was asked before ... it''s already done ... ] Fred was asked to make a sketch when Funayama died. On the large paper that is pasted together, details such as all the buildings of the garrison, their purpose, and the type of goods stored are written in detail. As expected, Fred, he works fast and accurately. [ Can Basten find out the staffing and patrol routes at the drawbridge station? ] [ Okay, the operation of the drawbridge itself is common, but I''ll check it for the time being. ] [ The position of the enemy''s guard, the place where the knights sleep, and ... the carriage? ] [ We have to find out the location of the stables. ] [ That''s right, the carriage can''t move without a horse. ] After all, when it comes to attacking, or invading and rescuing, it is necessary to check various things. [ If I rescue my classmates in the middle of the night and start traveling by carriage before dawn, can I get to Volzard that evening? ] [ If nothing happens, it will be okay. ] [ If so, is it okay to eat light meals twice? ] [ Kent-sama, you have to think about giving the horses fodder and water. ] [ Well, horses are living things, aren''t they? They can get hungry, and they''ll be thirsty. ] Shall I ask Kartz-san to accommodate the fodder from the garrison? If I prepare only a tub, it will be possible to have Reinhardt and the others draw water using shadow movement. It doesn''t seem difficult to secure the necessary supplies, but the problem is the preparation of the carriage. Neither I nor the other five including Yagi have ever driven a carriage. I don''t even know how to move the reins, and probably on the day I''ll have to start by connecting the horse to the carriage. I found it difficult to prepare in a few days. [ It would be faster to move by carriage, but I think it will take some time for us to get used to handling the carriage. ] [ That''s right, if you start by getting used to the horse, it will take some time. ] [ Well, isn''t it okay for everyone to move on foot as originally planned? ] [ When it comes to walking, it''s difficult to move through the Devil''s Forest in the middle of the night, and in the morning the knights of Resenburg will surely follow you. ] If we couldn''t move in the middle of the night and waited for dawn, they could easily catch up by chasing us when we entered the Devil''s Forest. Even if everyone can fight with the slave bracelet removed, there is a possibility of injury or death in the worst case. Considering the negotiations to return to Japan after the rescue, I would like to avoid armed conflict. [ If it''s a carriage, if you turn down the lights on all sides of the carriage, you can move even at night using the carriage in front as a landmark. ] [ Well, if you earn some distance in the middle of the night, you''re more likely to shake off your pursuit. ] After all, I feel that it is better to move by carriage. I would like to start practicing starting tomorrow so that I can get used to handling horses as soon as possible. However, I can''t practice without renting a carriage or horse, and for that I should talk to Kartz-san ... no, Marianne-san. When you start to make a rescue plan in this way, you will be impatient with what you cannot do and what you lack. [ Kent-sama, you won''t suddenly be able to do things that you can''t do even if you''re impatient. ] [ Yeah, that''s right, I know, I think I know, but I still feel ... ] When I was feeling downhearted, I heard footsteps running up the stairs. "Kent, it''s dinner ... it''s pitch black again ..." "Ahaha ... It''s okay to save the magic stones of the light magic tool." "Just because you can use a little darkness magic, you''re so cheeky even though you''re just Kent! Even though you aren''t a match with Beatrice-san at all!" "Gufu ... You''re saying that again ... I have a problem for Meisa-chan. A group of 9 people who ate a 30-Helt lunch each, just paid the amount with no extra, but Amanda-san said to give a discount of 3 helts per person. How much change do you have to give back?" "Eh, eh? 30 Helts for 9 people ... discount is 3 Helts, 30 Helts minus 3 Helts, 9 people ... uh ... ch, change is my tip!" Ahahahaha!" Yeah, Meisa-chan runs down the stairs, leaving behind the mysterious answer that shows that she is a poster girl. "Mom, Kent is plotting in a pitch-black room again!" "Hey, what are you talking about, Meisa-chan, I''ll make a lot of arithmetic problems!" "No, I hate arithmetic ..." At the dinner table, when Meisa-chan''s uncertain answer was told to Amanda-san and Meline-san, they both laughed a lot. From Meisa-chan, I ate several elbows to my side, but my abdominal muscles that I trained ... Gufu, how are you hitting them so accurately? Having fun with the four of us around the dinner table alleviated my impatience, but I just can''t feel good about it. Let''s rescue the chairman and everyone else as soon as possible. After dinner, I told Amanda-san I was going out and visited the five people in the temporary dormitory of the garrison by shadow movement. The five were gathered in the living room of the temporary dormitory, so I just went out of the shadows. "Good evening." "Kyaaaa!" "Kokubu, don''t just suddenly come out, we''ll be surprised!" As I suddenly appeared, Sakurai-san screamed and Kobayashi-san got angry. "I''m sorry, I have something I want everyone to help me with." "Help you ... Is it the rescue operation?" "Do you need combat personnel?" It seems that the old and new duo are exhausted, probably because they moved their bodies during the daytime combat training. Oh, not to mention fake glasses, he''s terrified. "Yeah, I want you to help me with the rescue operation, but I want you to be coachmen, not combat personnel." I talked about the situation in the daytime when I gave Paul sleeping pills, and told the five people about the rescue operation using sleeping pills. "That''s why I think it''s better to move in a carriage to shake off the pursuit of Resenburg." "I see, you mean, you''re going to take everyone home at once by carriage." "Is our role that of driving the carriages?" "Oh, I wish we had stolen the carriage at our time as well." "But this will rescue everyone, right?" The old and new duo and the dekoboko sisters are enthusiastic about the rescue operation, but the lonely fake glasses looks dissatisfied. "Kokubu ... you''re really stupid." "Hey, who are you calling stupid, stupid ..." "Because you''re stupid, I''m saying stupid. If you can put all the knights to sleep, just tie them up and say that they won''t live unless we return to Japan, and that''s it, we don''t have to run away to here, right?" "Ah ... that''s right ..." Five people other than Yagi, including myself, looked at each other and silently shut up. Certainly, if all the knights were taken hostage and they themself were taken hostage, no matter how good Camilla was, she wouldn''t be able to resist. In that case, we don''t have to go through the Devil''s Forest to reach Volzard. "I can''t think of anything like this at all ... I think I''ve been training too much since I came here and my brain has become muscle." "Gunuuu ..." It''s true that Yagi has a point, and it''s a story that deserves consideration, but ... Yagi''s nagging tone is annoying. While thinking about it, the dependable Reinhardt told me to wait. [ Kent-sama, I can''t really recommend that plan. ] [ Why? It doesn''t kill people, it just takes them hostage. ] [ If it''s an easy-to-prepare request like treasure or food, that''s fine, but if the negotiations are protracted or take a long time to prepare, you''ll need to keep guarding them until the issue is settled. The technique of summoning Kent-sama was quite large, so the magic circle for returning should also be large. ] Reinhardt seems to care about the time it takes for the request to be completed. [ After all, does it take much time to prepare to activate a large-scale technique? ] [ I don''t know the details because we were knights, but it seems that some techniquest may take several months. Isn''t it difficult to keep them hostage for such a long time? ] [ I see ... Even if you can bring in food by moving through the shadows, it is difficult to relieve the stress of being trapped? ] [ That''s it. ] When I told Reinhardt''s story to the five people, everyone except Yagi seemed to be convinced. "It''s unlikely that we can stay a few months in that dormitory ..." "Isn''t it difficult to separate the dormitories when it comes to a barricade?" "Hey, it''s impossible for a man and woman to stay in that dormitory together." "Baths and toilets are going to be disastrous ..." "No, that''s right, we should prepare a place for them to stay." With a word from Yagi, everyone''s eyes are directed at me. [ Umm ... how about it? Reinhardt. ] [ In this case, when someone in power is captured by the other side and becomes a hostage, the situation will return to the beginning. ] [ Hey ... ] When I convey Reinhardt''s words, everyone''s eyes are focused on Yagi this time. "N, no ... even as a joke, taking the princess hostage, won''t that put us in an awkward situation with the other side?" "Ah ... it seems that the First and Second Princes are fighting for succession, and Camilla is in the First Prince camp." "What''s that, then if the First Prince tries to help her, but the Second Prince would rather kill ...?" "I don''t know that much, but isn''t that possible?" As expected, Yagi also had a bitter look. "What should we do?" "It would be better to bring them over here." "Well, how about forming a party with only the summoned group and capturing the dungeon?" "Ah, that''s good, maybe I will participate too." "I''m looking forward to driving the carriage ..." "Hey ... do you want to take safety measures ..." He seems to be reluctant, but it seems that Yagi is also convinced. Then I''ll talk to Kartz-san or Marianne-san tomorrow and ask them about renting a carriage, a horse, and someone to guide us. CH 44 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 44 Let''s aim to become coachmen! ***---*** "If we go back to the original place, it will be useless." It was time to start talking after discussing the rescue operations using sleeping pills and deciding to train to drive the carriage. Kobayashi-san immediately raised a voice of protest against the words Yagi said. "Hey fake glasses, don''t you want to go home? Do you want to stay in this world for the rest of your life?" "That''s not it, I don''t mean that, don''t jump to the wrong conclusion." "Then, what do you mean, spill it." "We were summoned from the third floor of the school building, think about what would happen if we returned to that exact same place." Hearing Yagi''s words, we looked at each other. "I don''t know if it''s being demolished, under construction, or what''s going on at the school, but what if we fall from the height of the third floor to the ground? It could be a mess ..." "Then, what should we do ..." "I don''t know the whole situation, but I''m sure it''ll be a big deal if we go back without thinking, right?" "We ... can we actually go home?" Sakurai-san''s words that she unintentionally blurted are the same anxieties that everyone has. "That princess, naturally we could return, she said something like that ..." "She also said the bracelet was to prevent the rampant magical power ... she lied so calmly ..." As the old and new duo say, I don''t know how true Camilla''s words are, and I even feel that it''s more likely to be a lie. "Hey Kokubu, do you have any information about that?" "Um, I''ve prioritized the rescue of everyone, so I haven''t investigated anything about summoning or repatriation yet." "Once the rescue is over, we''ll have to negotiate with Camilla, but it''s better to look for it separately, right?" "That''s right, if the Third Princess knows, there should be information from other royalty and books." As Yagi said, it would be better to find a way to return to Japan from another source other than Camilla. "Well ... do you think it''s okay to just go back to Japan?" Yagi asked while looking around at the other five people. "Just go home like this ... what do you mean?" "I''m talking about compensation. It''s a terrible thing that Funayama has died, can we go home without any compensation?" In response to Kobayashi-san''s question, Yagi made a ring with his thumb and index finger, suggesting a claim for compensation. "Isn''t it meaningless to bring this money home even if you say compensation?" "Idiot, Kokubu''s an idiot! Obviously, we demand it as gold, silver, or other precious metals." "Oh, I see ..." "Isn''t it like Camilla said, we''re going to cooperate and get rewarded, or die ... I mean, she''ll prepare the reward with precious metal and bring it home." It should be said that this is exactly as expected of fake glasses, but we''ve certainly suffered from this much inconvenience, so it should be okay to get some sort of compensation. When we talk about compensation, we naturally turn our attention to the question of responsibility. "Yagi, it''s okay to get some money, but what about the princess, do we keep her alive?" "She killed Funayama, shouldn''t she get the death penalty?" "Isn''t it impossible to demand compensation and execute the royal family?" "Isn''t it the knight who was directly responsible that should be executed?" It seems that there is a slight difference in temperature between the old and new duo and the dekoboko sisters. "Kokubu, what do you think?" "Hmm ... what should we do ...?" I was surprised when asked by Yagi, but the strong murderous intent did not spring up like immediately after Funayama died. Maybe it''s because I reduced my bloodthirst through Project Meisa, or because Camilla is worried about the people suffering from desertification. I feel like ... "Well ... what would happen under Japanese law?" "Huh? Japanese law?" "No, with the law here, it wouldn''t be a crime if the royal family killed a commoner, so I was wondering what would happen if it were Japan ..." "Under Japanese law, if you killed one person, you wouldn''t get a death sentence, rigth?" "Is it murder? Or is it a fatal business accident?" At my question, the old and new duo from the athletic clubs and the dekoboko sisters tilted their heads, so the one to answer my question became Yagi. "He was assaulted and died the next day ... Like that, so it was a fatal injury?" "Camilla didn''t touch him directly, but she was in a position to supervise, right?" "In that case, wouldn''t it be a fatal business accident? Ah ... I don''t know!" "Yeah, but, without any criteria, this one died, so kill that one too ... It''s easy to understand, but I feel like it''s not a solution." "Why don''t you kill all the knights?" "That''s no good, if the knights are gone, who will protect the city if a monster crosses the river and invades Lastock?" "That''s ... it''s not our concern, right?" "I think it could be a woman or a child who wasn''t involved, but is that okay?" "No, that''s ..." You might think that we grew up in peaceful Japan and we''re peace idiots, but I think it''s not the solution to just kill someone. "And if Camilla was lying and there is no way for us to go back, wouldn''t we have to live here with the grudge of having killed the knights?" "Then what are you saying?" "Hmm ... like the compensation that Yagi said plus imprisonment ...?" "I don''t understand everything ... but would it be like that?" "The final negotiations are with the teachers ... By the way, what about the teachers?" "I don''t know ... After coming here and being judged for magical power, it seems like they were on another carriage ..." It seems that the old and new duo and the dekoboko sisters also shook there heads and didn''t know. "Well, Ayako-sensei was there, right?" "Aya-chan ... wasn''t she mistaken as a student because of her appearance?" "Well, that could be true about Ayako-sensei, but it would be a problem if there were no other teachers, right?" "No ... it''s not a problem, right?" "No, I''m afraid we have to go back together, dealing with related places, dealing with the media ..." "Well, I can''t just leave them ... but where are they?" I was distracted by training and magic, and didn''t realize that the teachers weren''t there. "Well ... are the problems increasing again ..." "Isn''t it okay if Kokubu doesn''t do anything?" "Yagi, if you were still in Lastock, could you still say that?" "Uh ... that''s right ..." I decided to have the five people wait here for training related to driving a carriage from tomorrow on, and decided to return to the boarding house. Although the plan of the rescue operation has been decided, the problem of not knowing the whereabouts of the teachers has been added, and I think that the feeling of frustration that things aren''t going well has increased. It seemed that we talked longer than I thought we did, and Amanda-san and the others were already sleeping until early in the morning. Even if they lock the door, it''s okay for me because I can move using the shadows, so the door of the house is locked. So, I went back to my room directly by moving through the shadows. [ Haa ... I''m kind of tired ... ] [ Kent-sama ... What about the Saint-sama''s care ...? ] [ Oh, I haven''t gone yet ... I forgot ... ] I hurried to the room in Lastock, but the chairman was already asleep. I just let the healing magic flow, while being careful not to wake her up, forgive me for tonight. When I returned to the boarding house in Volzard, Reinhardt told me. [ Kent-sama, you seem to be overdoing it. ] [ Yeah, just a little ... but now I feel like I have to overdo it. ] [ But if Kent-sama collapses, the plan will be unable to be carried out. That could endanger your classmates. ] [ That''s right, but ... I''m impatient. ] [ For the time being, you should take a rest tonight, and I''ll have Fred and Basten look into the teacher situation. ] [ Sorry, I''m counting on you ... ] I seemed tired, probably because I was going back and forther between Lastock and Volzard, and I fell asleep as soon as I lay down on the bed. In my dreams, I went to the chairman''s bedroom and tried to care for the sleeping chairman, Beatrice appeared and stole my lips without running away, and Manon was stunned by Beatrice. As a result, I ate a slap and woke up. Hmm ... I wonder why the ending isn''t getting better despite the increasing number of characters. I felt refreshed because I didn''t have any special training in the middle of the night. Even if I''m impatient or depressed, the problem will not be solved, so I won''t lose my positive feelings. [ Good morning, Kent-sama. ] [ Good morning, Reinhardt, I feel refreshed because I went to bed early. ] [ Well, that''s good, and about the aforementioned teachers, we know where they are. ] [ Really, do you know? ] It seems that Fred and Basten found out while I was sleeping. [ Outside of Lastock ... They''re confined in another building ... ] [ Is it far from the garrison? ] [ Leaving the city, it''s on the other side of the wheat field, there''s a little distance. ] [ Why are things so different only for the teachers? ] [ Maybe to eliminate those who are in charge of the students. ] According to Reinhardt, in the case of an organization such as a school, the teacher has the role of leading the students, so it may be better to keep the role as it is, but in a harsh environment like this time, they may be the coordinator of a rebellion, so they should be isolated. It seems that the aim is to remind the captives that it is knights of Resenburg who are in command. [ What kind of situation are the teachers in at that facility? ] [ I just found the place ... I don''t know the details ... ] [ That''s right, we just started looking for it last night, we don''t know. ] [ However, it doesn''t seem to be a very good environment. ] It seems that they just looked around the facilities and bedding of the facility, but it seemed to be equal to or inferior to the dormitory of the garrison. [ Of course, there were knights stationed at that facility, right? ] [ Of course ... but not many ... ] [ Maybe it''s because they''re wearing the slave bracelets, they don''t think they can escape or revolt, but the doorway of the dormitory is locked. ] There are a total of six teachers, two women and four men (excluding Ayako-sensei), and both women are middle-aged, and the male teachers are all middle-aged men, except for Furudate-sensei the science teacher who is relatively youn. Kato-sensei who was in charge of health and physical education seems to be able to move well even if he is middle-aged, but I still think that he is physically inferior to the knights. Hmm ... I think it''s better not to look at them as combat force. Let''s make a map of Lastock, including the facilities where the teachers are confined, and let''s finish breakfast and head to the garrison''s dormitory for the time being. "Good morning, Amanda-san." "Ah, good morning Kent, did you come back late yesterday?" "Yes, I was talking a little about future plans, so I was late." "Going out so late ... well, is Kent okay because he has an escort?" "Yes, but I''ll try to be home as soon as possible." "Oh, do that, because it''s safer." It''s nice to have someone who is worried. "That''s right, Kent has to come back early." "Meisa too, are you worried about me?" "If Kent doesn''t come back, the skeleton oji-chan''s won''t come back, right? So you have to come back early." "Guu ... Meisa-chan, even if Reinhardt and the others come back, you''ll still be worried about bedwetting." "Kii ... I won''t do it! I won''t do it anymore! Kent you idiot, idiot, Manon-chan, Beatrice-san, don''t be fooled!" "Guha ... That''s right, Manon''s misunderstanding hasn''t been resolved." After going to the garrison and talking about getting training related to driving a carriage, we will start training as it is, I have to go to Lastock during lunch break and take care of the chairman, and at what timing should I report to Donovan-san ... Oh, I want another body. "Look, eat your breakfast, eat well and do your best today as well." That''s right, I can''t do my best all day if I don''t eat well. After breakfast, I went through the side streets to the garrison''s dormitory. There seems to be danger in the main street, so this is also the wisdom of life. Kartz-san was naturally in the garrison''s dormitory, so I asked him about horse handling training. "I see, you''re trying to escape with a carriage." "Yes, maybe we have to learn from connecting a horse to a carriage ..." "No, Kent, it''s from where you can put on the bits at first." "Bits ...?" Bits seem to be the metal fittings at the tip of the bridle and the part where the horse is attached. In addition, it seems that it is necessary to wear a harness to connect to the carriage, and it seems that it is difficult to understand just by listening. "Well, let''s get you used to a horse first, then how to put on the harness, and then drive the carriage that was actually connected." "Yes, we don''t know anything anyway, so thank you, we will learn to handle a horse ..." "That''s right, that would get you used to horses sooner, I''m counting on you." With Kartz-san''s consent, we decided to learn how to handle horses instead of doing work such as caring for horses. I went to the stables with the other five, but I was concerned about Yagi but he was unexpectedly sharp, severely astonishing me. "Kokubu, you ... you don''t think I''ll do something related to the success or failure of the rescue operation." "Well ... I mean, be like this every day." "Hmm ... that''s an impossible task!" "No, it''s not that tough." Kartz-san introduced me to a veteran stableman named Raymond-san. He is a bear beastman who has deep laughing wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and has round ears on his head. "Okay, first warning, you can''t stand behind the horse! Absolutely, do you want to be kicked and die?" Horses are said to be timid animals by nature, and if you carelessly approach them from behind, they may kick backwards with their hind legs. Also, if you are nervous, it will be transmitted, so it is safer to calm down and show that there will be no harm from you or the tools you use. "The garrison and the horses of the knights you borrow have to have been properly trained, otherwise they won''t help you at the crucial moment." It''s true that the horses from the knights can''t be allowed to have their instincts run wild. The horses are far more experienced than us, who are amateurs, and we have to be careful not to interfere with the work of the horses. After hearing the warnings from Raymond-san, we finally met the horses, but as expected, they are big. "No way ... their eyes are so big and round and cute!" "Really, they look so kind." Oh, as expected of the dekoboko sisters, they give such a fearless impression. "Kazuki, the way these muscles look is wonderful." "It feels like it was trained to run." Yeah, the old and new duo are also curious in a different sense. "What''s wrong Yagi, why don''t you look closer?" "Oh? Oh ... how should I put it, I''ll stay near Kokubu ..." "Eh, I, I''ll do it afterwards ..." "How should I put it, it was your idea in the first place." "That''s right, but ..." I''m a little scared because I''m likely to be bitten. "Look, the two of you are making the horses wary when you''re scared like that." "N, no ... The only one who''s scared is Kokubu, I''m fine ..." "Wh, what are you talking about ... I''m also ... Owaa ..." I''m sorry, I''m scared of horses, I''ve never kept an animal, and I''m not good with big dogs. But I can''t be scared forever, so I fearfully touched it. "Oh, it''s warm ..." "Stupid, stupid Kokubu, that''s natural since it''s alive." "No, that''s right, but ..." "You''re able to defeat wolf monsters that are bigger than this, so what''s scary?" "No, if it''s just defeating, it''s not scary, but I''m not fighting ..." Well, I felt a little better when I thought that if I was bitten or kicked, I would be able to use self-healing. Today, in the sense of getting used to the horse, it was decided that we would start by attaching a tow rope and doing a pulling exercise. There are many horses in the garrison, so one horse is assigned to each person. "Okay, boy you get this Snatch." The one assigned to me was a brown-haired mare, with white hair growing only at the tip of the left hind leg, and it seems that she is wearing socks only there. "Thank you, Snatch." "Bururuuu ..." "Oh, oh ..." I''m not familiar with horses, so I''m not sure, but I feel that this horse is somehow more stout and robust than a thoroughbred. While being taught by Raymond-san, I put on the harness to be attached to the tow rope, then connect the tow rope, and start leading the horse. "Then, Snatch wait a moment, where are you going, wait, wait, Snatch ..." The other five horses are quietly standing still, but for some reason Snatch drags me and walks steadily. I tried to stop her with the tow rope, but she was stronger than I expected and I couldn''t stop her. "Hyahyahya, Kokubu, how far are you intending on going?" "I don''t know! Ask Snatch!" Snatch dragged me to the sandbox near the horse riding grounds and suddenly lay down and begain rubbing her body in the sand. With her legs facing up, her stomach is exposed, and she rolls around in the sand. Eeh ... wait, what are you doing? "Oh boy, my bad, this fellow likes to take sand baths." "Sand bathing ...?" "Ah, it''s said that they rub their body against the sand to get rid of parasites, but unlike the wile, they don''t have any parasites, so it just feels good." "Hmm ... is that so?" Well, it certainly looks good, but it''s kind of like a dog or cat, not a horse. Snatch rolled around in the sandbox for a while, but then she suddenly stood up, and shook the sand off her body. Are you satisifed, what kind of exercise are we going to do? She looked at me with a face like that. I don''t think it''s just my imagination that she seemed to grin. CH 45 Is it the straight line towards becoming a company slave? ***---*** After the leading exercise, brushing and hoof care, and helping with the stable cleaning, we returned the horses and finished the morning work. I decided to have lunch at the garrison''s cafeteria, but before that, I will go to Lastock to finish the chairman''s care. The chairman continued treatment with a blue face in the examination room. Perhaps it''s because I started taking care of her, but I''m worried that the chairman seems to be overdoing it more than ever. "Saint-sama, let''s finish the morning treatment here." "OK ... I''ll take a break ..." The chairman dropped her body onto the sofa and layed down, then she sighed deeply and relaxed. Erna, the caretaker, quickly placed a blanket on her and gave a small bow and went out of the examination room. I asked Fred to monitor Erna and cast healing magic on the chairman. "Ah ... Kent ..." "You''re really overdoing it Yuika ..." "I''m sorry ... Kent, why didn''t you come last night?" "I''m sorry, I was consulting with Yagi and the others about the rescue operation and it became late, so I just cast healing magic so as not to wake you up." "Is the rescue operation the next actual battle?" "No, not that, we''re planning on how to rescue everyone at once, so wait a little longer." "Really?" "Shh ... lower your voice." "Ah ... I''m sorry ..." Speaking in a hushed voice, I talked to the chairman about the rescue operatoin using sleeping pills. The chairman was surprised when I told her that we started training to be coachmen from today. "Hey, by any chance, Camilla''s bedwetting ..." "Oh, chairman did you hear about it too?" "Everyone already knows, and the conflict with the knights is starting to occur ..." According to the chairman, Camilla''s story has been spread to our classmates, and there is a conflict over words that ridicule the matter. Our classmates uttered teasing words to relieve the wrath of being oppressed, while the knights thought that the slaves were ridiculing the royal family and were more savage than ever. It seems that they are supposed to respond in a straightforward manner. "Ah ... Is that the case, was it a failure?" "No, everyone was so happy to laugh behind their backs, so it''s not a failure." "I hope so, but I''m a little worried about the conflict." "That''s why I tell everyone to be careful." "Yeah, I''m counting you." The caretaker, Erna, is back, so I quit talking and returned to Volzard. While eating in a hurry, I reported the situation of Lastock to the five people. When I talked about the conflict involving Camilla, everyone looked worried. "Well, in that situation, if you hear rumors that Camilla wet her bed, you''ll want to ridicule her." "As Yagi says, if this makes it even harder to handle, they''ll be in a trouble, and we''ll need to be able to drive the carriages faster." Everyone nodded at Kobayashi-san''s words, and everyone was serious during the afternoon training. In the afternoon, it was decided that we should experience horse riding in order to learn how to use the reins. We were told that even if the basic rein handling is taught in words, the feeling cannot be learned without actually handling them. That being said, no one had ever experienced horseback riding, so at first they had us carry a tow rope and just let them walk. Yeah, if you don''t do your best, it will take a long time. After continuing training until evening and parting from the five, I headed to Donovan-san to report. So far, I''ve only talked about rescue operations using the actual battle, so if I suddenly want to rescue nearly 200 classmates all at once, I''d have to let him know in advance. Donovan-san is always busy, so I asked him to take some time and talked briefly. "That means that nearly 200 people are likely to come here, right?" "Yes, I''m sorry it''s so sudden, but I don''t want to leave them over there for too long." "It''s okay if you use a temporary dormitory, and it''s okay if you let us know about their meals a little early." "Then, is it okay to start at any time?" "Yes, it doesn''t matter what time, but just report to me in advance." "Yes, I understand." Donovan-san gave me an OK, so all I have to do is wait for us to be ready. After finishing the report, I went from the shadow under the stairs of the guild to Lastock at once, took care of the chairman for the evening, and returned to Volzard again. Before returning to the boarding house, I went back to the guild thinking about going to Muell-san''s master''s drugstore to buy additional sleeping pills, but what came into my eyes was Manon waiting in front of the entrance. "Kent ... is now good ...?" "It''s fine, let''s talk while walking?" "Yes ..." Manon, with a ponderous expression, nodded a little and entwined her arms around my left arm. I tried to see her expression, but Manon turned bright red and looked down. For the time being, we started walking out of the entrance of the guild to head towards Manon''s house, but this time Nazario with a blue streak on his temple stopped us. "This guy ... he''s putting his hands on another woman ..." Nazario, his four minions, and two young men who look like they''re up to no good today are attending. "Lend me your face a moment ..." "Manon isn''t involved, so let her return ..." "Shut up! Come on, hey, bring the woman too!" When Nazario gave instructions, the ill-mannered men flicked their knives so that they could be seen by me and not by those around us. "I''m sorry Manon ... I''m involved in something strange." "Ke, Kent ... who are these people?" "Yeah, I''ll explain it later, but I will never let them touch Manon, so don''t worry." "Yes ..." Yesterday Nazario''s behavior was somewhat pleasant, but today it''s quite serious. Maybe because he was busy moving around since morning, he was stressed and he was quite frustrated. I was taken to the same back alley vacant lot as yesterday. One of the guys is standing behind Nazario and the other is holding my nape the whole time. "You may have fooled us yesterday, but that''s not the case today. Both of them are C-rank adventurers, a chick like you can''t do anything to them. Yeah, it''s a fox that borrows the power of a tiger so refreshingly. Well, I don''t have much qualification to say anything because I used Donovan-san to handle Gilik before. "If you don''t promise to stay away from Beatrice-san, that woman will be hurt ..." "Don''t screw with me!" When I shouted at him, shutting him up, Nazario''s body shook and he stepped back half a step. "If you like Beatrice so much, be a man she can love, relying on an adult adventurer like this will only make you less attractive." "This, this guy ..." "What would you do if Beatrice fell in love with an A-ranked adventurer? Will you hire and threaten them with an S-ranked adventurer? Then what would you do if she fell in love with an S-ranked adventurer?" "Shut up, shut up! If you go against me, that woman will be hurt too." Another adventurer, signaled by Nazario, tries to walk up to Manon, but I block his way using a shield of darkness. "What the hell is that ..." "It''s darkness attribute magic called the shield of darkness." "You''re a mage ... when did you chant ..." The man whose way is blocked cannot hide his surprise. "If you touch Manon, I won''t forgive you ..." "Won''t forgive? What can you do against two C-rank adventurers?" "Do you remember that horde of rock ogres came to Volzard the other day?" Nazario, for a moment, didn''t know what I was saying, and looked at the adventurer beside him. The adventurer who received Nazario''s gaze nodded, so maybe he was at the wall. "Well, what about it?" "Do you know that it was three skeletons that killed the entire horde of rock ogres?" "Well, that happened ..." "Did you know that dark mages can use necromancy?" While talknig to Nazario, I tapped the ground with my toes. "Ah ... ah ..." "Uwa, a skeleton ..." "Hii ... Uh, behind ..." "Do something about the skeleton!" "Don''t be crazy, those guys can kill rock ogres instantly!" "I haven''t heard of these guys!" I intended to call only Reinhardt, but all three evil skeletons have stepped out. Behind me is Reinhardt, Fred is protecting Manon, and Basten is blocking the alley. "These three fellows can overwhelm more than 200 rock ogres. If you''re going to threaten me and the people around me, you''d better be prepared for it." Nazario, his entourage, and the C-rank adventurers gathered together and nodded at me. "Basten, they want to go home, so let them through." With a nod, Basten sank into the shadows, and the seven ran away without looking back. After all, I borrowed the power of the evil skeltons, but it''s good. I can''t put up with things like this anymore. "Thank you, Reinhardt and Fred." [ Buhahaha, that rich kid is not likely to interfere with you anymore. ] "I hope so ..." Manon clung to my arm and watched Fred sink into the shadows with her eyes rounded. "I''m sorry Manon, because of me, you got involved in something like this." "It''s okay ... are those the skeletons that protected Volzard?" "Yeah, Reinhardt, Fred, Basten, the three were knights when Reisenburg and Landshelt were one country, and they were the captain and commanders." "Is that right ... are they always with you?" "I usually have Reinhardt escort me, and Basten and Fred collect information, but I"m planning a rescue operation for my classmates, so I had them come back." "I see ..." Manon looked up after looking down briefly and started talking, staring straight into my eyes. "I''m sorry ... I heard Kent was struggling to rescue his friends ... I was only thinking about myself." "Beatrice was really just treatment, and Marianne-san was there with me ..." "Yeah, I heard from Muell-san, Kent, you''ve been promoted to B-rank, right?" "Yeah, but thanks to Reinhadrt and the others for the rock ogres, the Gigawolfs happened to be during a good situation." "It''s still amazing, Kent is amazing ... or cool ..." With that said, Manon looked down again. "No, no ... I''m a little ... I''m not a strong person ..." "It''s my first time ... I''ve never felt like this, so what should I do ..." "Manon ...?" "I was thrilled when I was with Kent ... It was painful to see Beatrice-san kissing Kent ..." Manon is crying with tears running down her face while hugging my arm tightly. What should I do? It''s the first time for me to be in such a situation ... but I can''t let a girl continue to cry. "I''m sorry ... I have just been bothering Kent ..." "Manon ... Thank you." I turned to Manon and hugged Manon by wrapping her with my right arm. "Kent ..." "I never got along with a girl, so I''m really happy to be liked by a cute girl like Manon." "Eh, I''m cute ... I''m ..." "Yeah, Manon is cute, I say you''re cute, so you''re cute!" "Huu ..." Manon turned bright red and fell down, but it seems that I manged to stop her tears. "For now ... I have to rescue my classmates for now, so I can''t face Manon properly, but after I rescue my classmates ... then I''ll do it properly ..." "Yeah, I''ll be waiting ..." When I gently hugged her, Manon turned her arm around my back and hugged me tightly. I''m putting off the problem, but for now I should concentrate on the rescue operation. "Although it''s probably safe, I''ll send you home." "Yes ..." Manon is squeezing my left hand with her right hand and her left hadn is squeezing the sleeve of my shirt. After I sent Manon home, I went back to the boarding house and took a rest until dinner, and turmoil broke out again. [ Kent-sama ... the actual battle will be held ... ] [ Eh ... at this timing? ] [ It seems that the knights are quite repulsed by the conflict caused by Camilla''s rumor. ] [ What time is the actual battle? ] [ Day after tomorrow ... ] [ The number of people is likely to be higher than last time. ] [ Okay, can you continue to collect information? ] [ Roger that ... ] [ Check the number of people and the selection of people. ] After Fred and Basten returned to Lastock, I inadvertently held my head. [ Hmm ... Just when I was thinking of devoting myself to the rescue operation ... ] [ Kent-sama, things change, and it''s not always a bad thing to change. ] [ But if I work towards rescuing the combat unit, I wouldn''t be able to train as a coachman. ] [ That''s right, but even if there is a difference, it will only be a few days, and if you train the newly rescued people as coachmen, the carriages will be ready faster during the rescue operation. ] [ Well, we''ll have to start with connecting horses to a number of carriages, so it''s better to have more people involved in the preparation. ] As Reinhardt says, considering the carriage preparation, it is certainly better to have more manpower. If you think so, it''s like going to headhunt for coachman human resources. [ Yeah, I feel better. ] [ But Kent, one problem ... ] [ Well, is there something wrong? ] [ Yes ... ] Reinhardt''s unprecedently serious tone causes anxiety in my chest. [ If the Saint-sama participates in the next actual battle, she will be able to come to Volzard as it is, but if she encounters Manon-jou ... ](TN:''jou'' is a term for a young lady, it could be thought of as Miss.) [ Uwa ... Yes, chairman ... wow, I can''t put it off at all ... ] [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, this is where you show off your manliness. ] [ What should I do to show off my manliness? ] [ Buhahaha, if they want to complain, you should close their mouth with a kiss, in other words, keep quiet and follow me. ] [ Eh ... That''s ... ] Anyway, I have to tell Donovan-san that an unplanned actual battle will be held, and I should ask the five people to prepare the dormitory ... and I have to have a meeting with the chairman. Ah ... if the Novice Hero comes out, but well, how can it be? Somehow, when one thing is done, it seems that two or three new issues will be raised, and it seems that it feels endless, doesn''t it? After having dinner, I headed to the guild via shadow movement. Even tonight, Volzard''s strongest company slave is working overtime. "Good evening, Donovan-san." "Hmm ... what happened?" "There is a high possibility that an unplanned actual battle will take place." "Hmm, what is the schedule and number of people?" "The day after tomorrow, the number of people is likely to be higher than last time." "Then, will they arrive here in the evening three days later?" "That will be the shortest, but whether things will be as smooth as last time ..." "Well, don''t force yourself to sacrifice." "Yes, I''ll be careful." "As for Kartz ..." "Tomorrow, I''ll let him know while talking to the five people." "Yes, I understand ..." Donovan-san, who cut off the conversation, smiled a bitter smile. "That ... what?" "Kent ... you''re going to follow the same path as me ..." "What? That''s ..." Donovan-san didn''t answer my question and looked around the empty guild staff space. "Well ... maybe you work until this time every day?" "Hmm, that''s probably the case." "Uh ... surely ... but once the rescue of my classmates is over ..." "Don''t worry, the next job will definitely roll in." "Eh ... That''s ..." "What''s wrong, can''t you go home and rest today?" "Uh ... after this, to Lastock ..." "Kukuku ... That''s right, work, work." "OK ... I''m sorry ..." If fake glasses is on a straight line to becoming a NEET, am I on a straight line to become a company slave? Why is the different world so black?(TN: As in a black company.) CH 46 Second actual battle ***---*** On the morning of the actual battle, my classmates were lined up at the training ground at Lastock garrison. After getting the information that the actual battle will be held the evening of the day before yesterday, I ran around all day yesterday to prepare for today, and now I''m watching my classmates from the shadows of the training ground. After this, it seems that Camilla will give out instructions and the names of the paricipants of the actual battle will be read aloud, but some of my classmates are smirking. The knights, on the other hand, are all glaring at my classmates with a whip about 50 cm long in their hands. There was a tingling air in the training ground, and without the slave bracelets, it would definitely have developed into a brawl. In such a tense atmospher, Camilla, who climbed up to the platform overlooking my classmates, seemed somewhat lackluster. In the past, a look of horror had come to the eyes of my classmates when they looked at Camilla, but today there are many with a smirk on their face. Camilla had a complicated expression that seemed to be a mixture of shame, anger, and resentment, but once she started talking, she was the normal Camilla. She stood up straight, and said in a dignified voice. "Today, there are fifty participants in the practical training in the Devil''s Forest." The eyes of the classmates, who had been smirking until then, were opened in astonishment. I think it''s bad for everyone, but until the whole rescue operation is completed, I can''t let Camilla and the others realize my existence, so the information about the actual battle was not leaked by the chairman. "It seems that you all have grown considerably after receiving the unrelenting rumors, so it''s a good idea to take up arms and enjoy the rigors of the actual battle!" Some girls panic and start crying, and it seems that the boys are terrified about who will be chosen. "Quiet! At this point, I''ll read out the names of the participants, and those whose names are called should come forward immediately!" When a knight who went up to the platform to replace Camilla raised his voice, my classmates took a breath and calmed down. "Shuichi Takayama!" Immediately, when the name of the Novice Hero was read aloud, screams arose. It is a well-known fact that Takayama is regarded as important, so there is a mixture of optimistic opinions that it is okay if Takayama participates and pessimism that it is too dangerous to have Takayama participate. According to the information found by Fred and Basten, the purpose of this actual battle is to enforce discipline, and there are many people participating, so it seems that they are planning on bringing everyone back alive. In other words, it is the idea of Resenburg to make you feel it''s a little dangerous, get you injured and scare you, but not to create a situation where you will die. However, in the previous actual battle, all five people died, so it seems that my classmates think that it is possible that they will be wiped out. "It''s okay, I''ll protect everyone, so don''t worry!" When the Novice Hero declares such, a cheer is heard from the girls. Even though he was so reluctant to participate in the actual battle, this is what happens when it came about ... It was a little irritating. After that, the remaining 49 participants were called and went forwards, but since it''s 50/200, they must have calculated to have a quarter of them participate. It would be a big step forward if we could rescue all of them. "Wait a minute, let me join!" The chairman, who was not named among the fifty, tried to raise her hand and move forward, but Camilla rejected her. "No way! Saint, you''ll stay here." "For what reason, why won''t you let me participate?" "The reason is, because if I let the recovery role appear on the front line, there is a risk of you dying." "That ... if I go with them, even if they get injured, they''ll be treated immediately ..." "The front line is not a place to treat! Or are you saying that you have some means of attacking?" "No ... that is ..." "Hmm, the more people who wander the front line with no means of attack, the more their friends are at risk, do you want to drag down your allies?" If Camilla tells her that much, the chairman has no choice but to withdraw, but everything the chairman said was just an act anyway. I gathered the information in advance and told the chairman that she would not be allowed to participate. Last night, it was difficult to console the chairman who was insistent on participating. I hugged her tightly and said I''ll definitely come to pick her up ... I even said a line like a hero somewhere, and even when I think back on it, my face gets hot. Eh? You wonder if there was a kiss? Well, that''s a secret. So the chairman knows she cannot participate, but even so, if she doesn''t raise a voice of protest and proclaim her participation, they will be suspicious. [ Kent-sama ... The Saint-sama is quite an actress. ] [ Yeah, I think so too. ] Perhaps this kind of performance is a form of stress relief for the chairman. The selected fifty people board two carriages and aim for the Devil''s Forest. "There is Takayama, and it should be okay if there are so many people, right?" "Last time was a horde of orcs? Do you think they will come out again?" "Isn''t it possible to win if five or six people team up?" In addition to the number of people, this time, Resenburg has specified the composition of grouping up, five people per group and a total of five groups. The role of leading one group is Takayama, the Novice Hero, and the other group is led by Kondo Joji of the judo club. Kondo is not a so-called handsome guy, and he is a quiet type, so he is not popular amongst the girls, but he has a strong sense of responsibility and is willing to work, so it must have caught the eyes of the knights. "Joe, what if a monster appears?"(TN:Using Joe here because Jo or Jou sounds like a girls name.) "Well, let''s have the knight types protect the mages who attack from as far away as possible." "Do you want to weaken them and get rid them all at once in close quarters?" "No, if possible, can''t we finish everything at a long distance? I don''t know the strength of the monsters, and if they''re stronger than we think, it''s dangerous." "That''s right ... Then, is close combat the last resort?" "Yeah, that''s right." Kondo''s group seems to be working with safety first. On the other hand, the Novice''s group ... "It''s okay, one blow from my magic, and the monsters will get scared and run away." Yeah, it''s just as I expected, and most of the girls and some of the boys are relieved, but most of the boys and some of the girls look disgusted. Most of the boys are looking in envy, but some of the girls seem to be worried about how well his idea will work. The smaller portion of girls are Motomiya-san, also known as Sword Princess, and Sagara-san, who also belongs to the Kendo club. They may feel a sense of crisis because they are in the world of martial arts. As in the previous battle, they were unloaded from the carriage at the entrance of the Devil''s Forest, from which my classmates walked while the knights were riding horses. At the start, it seems that the group led by the Novice Hero will take the lead, and the second group led by Kondo will follow from behind. There are a total of ten knights accompanying them, and it seems that the group in charge has been decided for the time being. The formation of the first group is a formation in which the Novice Hero walks in the lead, then the group of the girls, followed by the group of the boys. The second group following them is basically protecting the girls in the center, but it seems that the knight types are surrounding them regardless of gender. The knights are following their respective groups, with five knights riding between the first and second groups, and the remaining five knights riding after the second team. The group walks along the road for about 30 minutes and then steps into the forest on the right. It seems that they will continue straight for about an hour, turn left 90 degrees, and after another hour, turn left and return to the road. When returning to the highway, the 1st and 2nd teams will switch, and the 2nd team will lead, and this time they will walk through the forest on the left side of the road in the same way and return to the original place. Those who were whispering noisily while going down the road, were silent after entering the forest. [ Reindhardt, how many monsters are there around here? ] [ Well, the horde of orcs last time was an exception, most around here are goblins or kobolds. ] [ Is it possible to deal with them with 25 people in a group? ] [ As long as they don''t run into a large horde, it''s okay. In this area, it''s probably a pack of 15 or 16 monsters, so there''s no problem. ] I was almost eaten by a group of seven monsters, half of that, but it would be okay if there were two groups of twenty-five people. Then, about 30 minutes after entering the forest, the Novice Hero raised his right hand and stopped the march. On the other side of the cluster of trees furry figures appear. [ Kent-sama ... Kobolds, the number is eighteen ... ] Reported such by Fred, who scouted, it looks like an average kobold pack. The kobold looks like a werewolf about four heads tall, and looks comical from a distance, but when viewed from up close, it is a complete monster with sharp claws and fangs, and bloody eyes.(TN:I''m guessing it means four of its own head, so its head is 1/4th of its entire size) This time, it seems that my classmates happened to be downwind, and the kobolds haven''t noticed yet. "Everyone wait here ..." The Novice Hero went forward about five steps and began chanting loudly. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame, dance, dance, dance oh flame, and become a fireball!" No, it''s hard not to notice if you make such a loud voice. The kobolds raise their faces all at once and look at Takayama. "Uryaaaaaa!" Even so, the fireball released by the Novice Hero hit the group of kobolds directly, and several kobolds were blown away while being enveloped in flames. "Gyauuun ..." "Did you do it?" The fireball explodes and the dust dances in the air, and the wind blows towards us. The Novice Hero tries to see through the other side of the dust cloud while still in the position of casting. At that time, the surviving kobolds attacked him, rushing out of the dust. "Gaaaaau!" Kobolds are treated as small fries among monsters, but they are still over a meter in size when standing on two legs, and sprinting on four legs is quite fast. In other words, it is more dangerous than being attacked by a large dog. Overwhelmed by the power of the kobolds, who rushed at full speed in response to the magical attack, the Novice Hero stood still. "Hey!" Motomiya-san and Sagara-san rushed between the kobolds who were baring their fangs and the Novice Hero. Motomiya-san''s sword slashed a kobold''s nape, and Sagara-san''s blow slashed another one''s torso deeply. "Knights pull out their sword and fight, mages chant! They''re still coming!" Instead of standing there like the Novice, Motomiya-san tossed out instructions, and the group who just stood there regained their composure. The kobolds are attacking one after another, burning with the anger of having their companions killed. There is also support fire from the second group, and the first group is advancing the battle in an advantageous manner. "Be sure to intercept with multiple people, and don''t approach carelessly even if it doesn''t move. If you approach, finish them off!" The Novice Hero stood still with his legs trembling, but his chanting voice trembled and failed to activate the magic. That''s what happens when you''re freaking out and aren''t calm. The smell of blood and burnt meat permeated the air, and it suddenly changed to the air of a battlefield. The knights of Resenburg hold a bow on horseback and are in a good position to support him, but they don''t seem to be willing to do anything unless he is in a pinch. The actual fighting time was a little over fifteen minutes, and although some people were slightly injured, my classmates managed to subdue the kobolds. The kill count of the Novice Hero is absolutely zero, isn''t it? "Collect the corpses, take out the magic stones quickly, and get moving!" Before the classmates who have completely the subjugation try to relax, the knights give instructions and keeps them tense. The magic stone recovery work seems to be done jointly by the first and second groups, and all the classmates have begun to gather around the kobold corpses. So, let''s start the rescue operation soon. The knights gather in one place and look down at the classmates who are collecting magic stones from the top of their horses. Fred comes out of the ground about 20 meters ahead of my classmates. "Hey, what''s that skeleton?" "If it''s a black skeleton ... is it a rare encounter?" "What is he going to do?" Fred raises his arms from around his waist to above his head, as if he were making an offering to the heavens. After repeating that movement three times, he slowly lowers his hands as if to receive something from heaven, and begins to compress something in his hands with his palms. Fred pulled the something that had been compressed in his hands to his right hip, and after a moment, he pushed out his hands towards the knights. Seeing the movement, my classmates buzzed and the knight screamed. "What, be careful! What is it going to do ...?" "I don''t know ... no, what''s this drowsiness ..." "Damn ... some curse ...? ...?" Of course, it wasn''t a curse, but when Fred pushed out his hands, I, Reinhardt, and Basten threw sleeping pills into the knights'' stomachs. For today''s rescue operation, I went to Muell-san''s master''s shop yesterday and asked them to make pills of triple portion. This makes it easy because you can throw it one by one. Fred sank into the shadows and returned. "Damn ... no, no ..." "Oh ... me too ..." The knights fall asleep one after another, and one after another fall off their horses. On the other hand, the classmates who do not feel any abnormalities cannot hide their confusion at the sudden situation. "Hey, what''s going on?" "Hey, it looks like all the knights are asleep." "I mean, wasn''t the movement of the skeleton just before ''hama-dan''?" "But the beam didn''t come out." In fact, Fred''s movement is the movement of a famous anime hero character.(TN:Kaaameeeehaaaa ... yeah you get it.) "But isn''t this a chance to escape?" "Idiot, where are you going to escape to ..." After confirming that the knights had fallen asleep completely, I went out of the shadow world. "Wait everyone! I''m here to help!" The eyes of my classmates turned to me all at once. Yeah, sorry to keep you waiting, it''s our turn from here. "After this, we''ll run away to Volzard, beyond the forest, so rest assured that the other side of the forest is another country. Also, three skeletons, including the black skeleton you saw earlier, will escort you, so be careful. You may want to ask a lot, but for the time being, we should move before the knights wake up." While clapping my hands with ''pom pom'', I encourage everyone to move, but they all look like they''re being tricked by a kitsune, and their reaction is slow. "You are Kokubu, right? Were you the one who put the knights to sleep?" "That''s right, but I''ll talk more about it later, for now get moving ... Hebu!" Motomiya-san, who approached briskly, suddenly slapped me. "Why, why didn''t you come to help earlier!" "Eh, eh ..." "Yeah, if you could do something like this, I wish you could have helped sooner ..." "Well ... no, but ..." I was scolded by Sagara-san, and everyone else complained. "Why did you wait so long ... it''s too late." "Yes, how many people do you think are dead?" "Why were you dawdling!" "If you could do this, you sohuld have come to help sooner!" Far from being welcomed, I was surrounded by classmates with angry eyes. From all of them, the Novice Hero comes out and grabs my nape and tightens his grasp. "Because of you, Nitta and Furuta, Kobayashi-san and Sakurai-san, Yagi and Funayama are all dead!" "Yeah, Tomo-chan and At-chan won''t come back! Please say something!" Even Motomiya-san got caught up in it. "Wait a minute ... the old and new duo, the dekoboko sisters, and fake glasses group of five are all rescued and doing fine at Volzard ..." "Eh ...?" While holding my nape, Novice Hero and Motomiya-san look at each other. Will you let me go? "The five are disguised as dead, taken to Volzard, and are waiting over there ..." "Ah ... um ... I''m sorry!" "Takayama, hurry and let him go." "Uh, oh ... I''m sorry ..." Everyone else who surrounded me and blamed me a while ago also had a poor expression. Well, it may be unavoidable because they were in a stressful environment, but it''s a bit annoying. "This time, everyone will disappear in the form of being taken away by a mysterious skeleton, so let''s move, hurry up because the plan will be ruined if the knights wake up." Last time, when I took away the group of five including Yagi, I did camoflauge work, but when it comes to fifty people, I can''t prepare a change of clothes, and as expected they can''t be deceived in a situation where there are no corpses, so to make them disappear, I decided to have them be taken. If fifty people walk, their footprints will naturally remain, so once we head back to the original road, we will use the road to head towards Volzard. The knights who have fallen asleep will be put together with the horses in one place, and Fred will monitor and guard them. The fifty people will continue to maintain the formation, and Basten will be in charge of erasing the footprints after going out on the highway. If this happens, the only escort will be Reinhardt, but this time there are a lot of people, so it should be okay. I went out on the road and walked towards Volzard, removing the slave bracelets one by one. "Wow, I''m free!" "Yeah, I was released!" "Now I can take revenge on them!" "Well, should I go back and kill them?" "Well, of course you would think so if you were free. "No, everyone else is still hostage, so if it goes poorly, you might go back to being a slave." "Uh ... but okay, if there are so many of us ..." "In the first place, you ca''nt cross the drawbridge, right?" "Ah ... that''s right ..." The drawbridge over the river that separates the Devil''s Forest and Lastock is raised except when the knights pass through. If there are no knights and only the classmates give a signal, it is unknown whether the bridge will be lowered. "I''m thinking of rescuing everyone else, so let''s go to Volzard and set up a solid plan before we go." "OK ... let''s do that." The classmates feel somewhat angry because they have been oppressed by Lastock. If we participate in the rescue operation as they are, I feel that it is likely that blood will be shed or lives will be lost. It seems better to have a decent life and stabilize their mental state while training as coachmen at Volzard. [ Uuun ... I wonder if there is a way to prevent them from splurging ... ] [ Kent-sama, you''ve probably been paid for the Gigawolfs, aren''t you financially okay? ] [ Yeah, that''s right, but if they were spending money without working, I don''t think the residents of Volzard would take too kindly to them. ] [ I see, but I think it will be well received by those from whom they buy the products. ] [ Well, there is that way of looking at it ... Hmm ... Should I reduce the amount of payment? ] [ Rather than that, Kent-sama, something is going on in the clouds ... ] It is still early for the dusk to approach, but thick clouds are beginning to spread and the area seems to be growing dim. It seems that dark clouds are spreading above the future of the rescue operation. CH 47 Rain of confinement ***---*** The sky seen through the trees began to be convered with black clouds. I chose a place that is a little higher than the surroundings, and a little into the forest from the highway, and started preparing the camp a little early. Eventually, raindrops began to fall, and by the time the tents had been set up, it was already raining. The tents are soaked with sap and are waterproof, so rainwater does not soak in, but the sound of rain and humidity that hits it made me feel uncomfortable instantly. Of the fifty people who participated in this actual battle, there were twenty-seven boys and twenty-three girls, six tents of ten tents are for the boys, and four tents are for the girls. Six people will sleep in the tent meant for five people, but if it is a small girl, there seems to be no problem. I asked Kondo-san and Novice Takayama to act as the coordinators for the boys, and Motomiya-san and Sagara-san to act as the coordinators for the girls. I asked them to gather at one of the tents, to talk about what happened, understand their future plans, and to prevent anyone from treating everything as a joke after this. We also talked about future rescue operations and persuaded them to cooperate. "... That''s what I''ve done so far and my plans for the future ... Do you have any questions?" The moment I asked the four people, Motomiya-san suddenly bowed with a vigorous sound. "I''m sorry, Kokubu was working so hard, but I complained unreasonably and even slapped you ..." "Yeah, it was pretty painful, but it''s okay, it was easy to misunderstand with me having proceeded with the rescue operation without telling anyone." "That ... that won''t let me be at peace ... hit me too! Take the plunge! Don''t hesitate!" "No, no, I can''t do that ..." The mistake was just a small mistake, to be at one''s wits end over one mistake, there''s no way I can accept her demand. "Yeah ... that''s right, you can''t do it in a place like this ... you have to be in front of more people ..." "Huh ... what are you talking about? Motomiya-san, what are you talking about?" "In front of lots of people''s eyes, I will get knocked down after being cursed as a slut or a sow, then grovel wretchedly ..." "No, wait, wait, if I did that, I would be a lowlife." "Rather, kick and trample me ... kya!" "Ao, return to your senses!" "Auu ... Takako, I''m sorry." "I''m sorry, she almost never shows it in front of the boys, but sometimes Ao goes in a strange direction ... well, it''s as you see." Sagara-san''s slap on the back of her head finally stopped Motomiya-san''s rash actions. I was scared because her eyes were slightly rolled back. "And I also said something terrible ... I''m sorry." "I''m sorry ... I didn''t know, but I''m sorry." Sagara-san and Kondo both bowed their heads. And then, speaking of the Novice Hero Takayama ... "It was bad for us to have misunderstood ... but Kokubu, this plan is too naive, if you could do this and you also got rid of the bracelets, you could kill the knights and catch and torture Camilla. Shouldn''t we just take them hostage and ask the other royals how to return?" Novice Takayama''s opinion caused the other three people, along with the boys who were present in the tent to nod in agreement. I feel that the idea is too radical, probably because they have been opressed at the garrison in Lastock. Or, as Takayama says, am I too naive? "Takayama, the other day, a horde of more than 200 rock ogres rushed at Volzard, the city beyond the forest." "Rock ogre? What kind of monster is that?" "Height is 3 meters or more, and it is a monster wearing hard muscular armor that a sword cannot easily cut, and it can only be defeated by a skilled adventurer. For someone at your level ..." [ Even if there are more than 10 people, they will be beaten. ] "Even if there are more than 10 people, they will be beaten." At Reinhardt''s words, the four look at each other and imagine the appearance of a rock ogre, but they don''t seem to understand. "That ... how was Volzard? Was it okay?" "Oh, it''s okay because Reinhardt and the others have annihilated the rock ogres." "Is that skeleton so strong?" "Yeah, somehow ... it feels like he''s in a different dimension." Unlike the last time when I killed a group of orcs, they didn''t see them actually fight, so they didn''t have any idea of their strength and the questions kept piling up, Motomiya-san and the others seem to be getting more and more confused. "Weren''t the rock ogres subdued? It was done by the skeletons you''re using, Kokubu? If so, wouldn''t it be even easier to kill them all." "Yeah, if I wanted to do it, I could do it, but since I''m still in the middle of explaining, can you listen to the end?" Novice Takayama seems to be frustrated, probably because I don''t accept his idea. "I heard from the people of Volzard that when a horde of monsters happens, the Devil''s Forest becomes more active for a while." "More active meaning more monsters?" "Well, to put it simply, as Sagara-san says, it also means that the possibility of monsters rushing the cities near the Devil''s Forest will increase." "So what do you want to say, say it clearly!" "Takayama, who will protect the city of Lastock if a monster attacks the city?" "Huh? That is ..." It seems that not only Takayama but also the other three people noticed the intention of my story. After the four thought about it, it was Takayama who first opened his mouth. "That''s the way it is, they''re just reaping what they sow, what does it have to do with us?" "Wait a minute, you''ve never been out of the garrison, so you don''t know, but there are women, children, and elderly in the city, right?" "Of course, outside the garrison is an ordinary city, so ordinary people live in it." After hearing my answer, Motomiya-san glares at Takayama. "I''m against carrying out a massacre, if we kill all the knights, and then the people in the city are killed by monsters, it''s the same as if we killed them, even if we didn''t do it directly." "Well, that''s ... I think it''s okay to let that skeleton protect the city, and then it''s okay to kill all the knights." "What''s that, you want to leave everything to the skeleton? But if Kokubu is against it, the skeleton won''t move, right?" "Yeah, I''m not going to ask Reinhardt to do that." "Which side are you one! Do you want to be on their side!" It seems that Motomiya-san and Sagara-san are against a massacre, and while Kondo is thinking, the boys present with Takayama seem to be in favor of killing everyone. "In this world, medical care is not as advanced as in Japan, so even if you have cecum, you will die. Besides, it takes about 20 years, effort and money to raise just one knight. I don''t agree with the idea ..." "Then what should we do! Funayama was killed by them. Even though everyone is in a terrible situation, are you telling me to just meekly accept it?" "I''m not telling you to just meekly accept it. Rather, Takayama has no right to say such a thing ... You lived a very good life ..." In one statement, the color of the eyes of the boys who were present changed. Everyone saw Takayama flirting with Celia. "Well ... oh, I had a hard time ..." "You were taking a bath with Celia ..." "Why do you know that ..." "Oh Takayama ... Tell me more about that story ..." "Yes, as Kokubu says, you don''t have the qualification to say anything about it ..." "We were in a terrible situation, but this is ..." Ah, the boys'' eyes are scary ... What if I told them that he crossed the line with Celia? "Yes, yes, putting aside the execution of Takayama, anyway, I''m just putting the knights to sleep. I can kill them any time, but I don''t dare to kill them ... I''m thinking of using it as material to give us an advantage over the enemy in negotiations. Anyway, it''s best to go home, and then proceed with financial compensation, don''t you agree?" "I agree." "I think that''s fine, too." "I generally agree, but I think it''s better to explain the plan to everyone before implementing it." "Okay, anyway, it''s impossible to get everyone together and explain in this rain, so let''s talk more about it after arriving at Volzard." Motomiya-san, Sagara-san, and Kondo-san agreed, and the boys who were present seemed to be trying to figure out how to execute Takayama. Takayama, who was taken to the corner of the tent, seems to be cross-examined while sometimes looking sideways for help, but of course I have no intention of helping. When I was watching Takayama''s cross-examination while grinning, Sagara-san asked me a question. "Hey, why does Kokubu know how Takayama lived?" "Ah, that''s an application of the magical shadow movement of the darkness attribute ..." They were surprised to hear that I was diving into the shadow world, scouting Lastock''s garrison, contacting and caring for the chairman. "It''s pretty cheat to be able to use even the light attribute ... But you can see anywhere, you didn''t peep on Yuika''s bath time, right?" "Uuee, th, th, there''s no way that''s true ... su, such a thing as peeping ..." "Yeah, you didn''t do that." "O, of course ..." "But there is a bathtub in Yuika''s dormitory, right? We only have a big tub to hold water. It''s fine in summer, but don''t you think it''s too cruel at this temperature?" "Sure, at this time, it''s miserable isn''t it..." "Isn''t that right? So Kokubu-kun, them being miserable ... why do you know such a thing?" It''s dangerous, I remembered the situation where there wasn''t even a bathtub and the temperature dropped, and I inadvertently blurted it out. "Well ...? Well, that''s ... yes, the boys are, so I wonder if the girls are the same ..." "Saying such a thing, truth is you really burnt each and every girl''s nude figure into your eyes, didn''t you?" "I won''t do that, if I see the girls that are crying, wanting to return, I''d be a devil if I got excited ..." "Hmm ... what did you see ...?" "Eh ... no ... wh, what is it ..." "Kokubu-kun, will you come to our tent for a moment ... come on!" "Yes ..." After that, I was taken to a tent for the girls, and after a stricter cross-exaimation than Takayama, I confessed to seeing the chairman and Camilla''s bath times, and my stock crashed. "Kokubu, the worst ..." "Guha ..." "This will be reported when Yuika comes." "Hey, that''s ..." "That is a waste of a cheat, right?" "Gufu ... I can''t deny it." "Maybe it''s a little cool ... I thought such a thing, I wonder what''s wrong with my feelings?" "That''s, sorry ..." "How about Volzard? It seems like you''re peeping at the city we''re evacuating to." "I haven''t done it, I haven''t done it in Volzard." Even if I desperately deny it, her cold gaze just pierces me. [ Kent-sama ... It''s about time for dinner ... ] "Oh yeah, this time I asked the garrison cafeteria for dinner." Last time, the five were so impressed with the decent meal that I decided to move from the canteen of the Volzard garrison via shadow move so that I could serve warm meals along the way. "Dangerous, the meat of the stew is so soft." "Bread ... Bread is so fluffy!" "Fruits haven''t been around since, no, tears have come out ..." It seems that my stock crash has been stopped with the powerful support of a warm and delicious meal. After distributing the meals to everyone, I also hurriedly finished a meal while reporting the progress to the five remaining in Volzard at the garrison cafeteria, and then headed to Donovan-san to report the progress. Donovan-san is still in the middle of overtime work tonight, and when I think this is my future, I drip sweat from my eyes. "Good evening ... Donovan-san." "Hmm, what happened Kent, did something go wrong?" "No, this is ... just garbage in my eyes." "Yes, tha''ts fine, but ... is it going well?" "I rescued everyone ..." Heavy rain is also pounding on the windows of the guild. "I see, are you getting stranded ..." "Yes, I haven''t gained as much distance as last time, and if the weather doesn''t recover, tomorrow and beyond ..." "Yes, but usually you won''t be in the Devil''s Forest on a rainy day, so you won''t have to worry about being chased. If the road is muddy, it will be difficult to track with a horse." "Then, should we wait for the weather to clear without rushing?" "At least it''s better after the heavy wet rain has stopped." "Okay, I''ll come back to report tomorrow evening." "Um, I understand." After finishing my report to Donovan-san, it is time to report to the chairman. When I went to the garrison room, I heard the chairman screaming. "What summoned as a soldier, don''t screw with me! Fifty, fifty companions ... what''s the actual battle for, isn''t it just to get killed by monsters!" Erna, the caretaker, seems to be troubled at what words to return to the chairman who is screaming with her hair a mess. "This time, it seemed to be an unexpected situation for the knights, and we didn''t expect this to happen from the beginning." "This time ...? Then, did you mean that you sent them to the actual battle with the intention of killing from the start for the previous actual battle? Murderer ... This murderer!" "No ... see here, it''s a figure of speech ... We didn''t intend to have them killed last time." "But they''re dead ... No one is back, if you add Kokubu and Funayama, 57 people are already dead, you didn''t mean it? Don''t screw with me! Murderer!" "We really didn''t mean that ..." "Shut up! I don''t want to look and see a murderer''s face! Get out!" "I, I understand ... if you''ll excuse me." Pressed by the chairman''s sharp words, with her eyes wide and brimming with tears, Erna bowed and left the room. The chairman knows about the rescue operation, so this should be acting, but it''s too real and a little scary. After seeing off Erna, the chairman turns off the lights in the room and glares at the wall on the side where the bed is placed. After leaving the chairman''s room, Erna moved from the living room to her room, looked into the chairman''s room through a peephole, and then separated in surprise. The next moment, a loud impact sound was heard from teh wall. The chairman, who saw the peephole open, walked up fiercely and kicked the wall with all her might. "Don''t peek like a mouse!" The chairman''s yelling seemed to reach her ears even through the wall, and when Erna sat down on a chair in her room, she sighed and held her head. By the way, the chairman''s words pierced my heart. What would happend if she found out I saw her bath time? Speaking of the chairman, she sits on the bed with her back against the wall and shakes her shoulders while facing down ... she is enduring laughter. Yeah, the acting ability of the chairman, it''s wonderful. I''m worried that she might be acting even when she''s with me. Sitting in a chair and holding her head, Erna sighed again and looked up at the wall. She was looking at the wall for a while, but then she shook her head gently, then with stealthy footsteps walked out of her room, cut through the living room, and went out into the hallway. Perhaps she will go to report to Camilla. [ Then, Fred can you check on Camilla? ] [ Roger that ... ] I asked Fred to monitor Erna and I called out to the chairman. "Yu, Yuika ..." "Kent, where are you?" "Shh, lower your voice. Erna went out, but be careful because there is a knight on the stairs." "Sorry ..." While coming out of the shadow of the table, the light was turned on, and the chairman walked up to me with a light step and hugged me tightly. "You rescued everyone, right?" "Of course, but the rain is stalling us ..." Even in Lastock, it''s raining so hard it''s banging on the windows. "Are you all wet?" "No, the tents I borrowed from the warehouse here are good and they don''t leak." "Eh! Are you taking equipment from here?" "Yeah, because it costs money to buy." "Ufufufu ... amazing, after all Kent is amazing." "Yeah, I''m not great, it''s because the people around me come up with ideas." "But it wouldn''t have been possible without Kent, right? Kent is amazing." No, no ... I''m embarrassed when the chairman praises me face to face. But this may be a chance. "Um, Yuika ..." "What ...?" Well, the chairman who tilts her neck while hugging me is so cute ... wait, now''s not the time for thinking about that. "I have to apologize to Yuika ..." "Kent? To me? There is no such thing, even though you support me so much ..." No, there is, it hurts my heart to think that I betrayed her trust. "Oh, that ... when Takayama came the other day." "Well, Takayama-kun ... when he came to give me some incomprehensible advice?" "Yes, at that time, I was actually watching form the shadows ..." "Well, that''s right ... but it''s for me, right?" "Uh, yeah, of course, that''s right, and when Yuika was talking to Takayama, Erna had a terrible look ..." "Is that because I said I would participate in the actual battle?" "Oh yeah ... that''s why I was a little worried ..." "You were worried?" "Um ... what kind of conversation will Yuika and Erna have and what kind of relationship will they have ..." "Well ... but Erna can''t know about the rescue operation, so I have to continue acting, right?" "That''s right ... but I was worried ..." "Hmm? What''s wrong, Kent?" "Well, that ... I was worried, and I kept watch over the situation after that ..." "What happened after that ... eh!" After Takayama returned, the chairman''s face, upon remembering what she did, turned red explosively, and immediately after that, my sides were squeezed hard. "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, I''m sorry, I was just worried." "Kent, how much did you see?" The tone of the chairman''s voice is one octave lower. "Um ... almost everything ... it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" "Did you look at the other girls?" "Uh ... ju, just a little ... it hurts, it hurts." "No way, Camilla too?" "Guu ... yes ... it hurts, it hurts, my sides will break ..." Chairman, she''s not using body strengthening magic, but it hurts a lot. The chairman''s eyes glow suspiciously under her well-shaped eyebrows that are lifted up. "Responsibility ... will you take it?" "Hey ...? It hurts, it hurts, what should I do ..." "If you have an affair, I won''t forgive you ..." The smiling chairman''s eyes aren''t laughing at all. With a creaking sound, my whole body starts to go pale. [ Kent-sama ... the caretaker is back ... ] "Yu, Yuika ... Erna is coming back ... when the rescue ends, I''ll do it properly ..." "It''s a promise ... okay!" Tonight''s farewell wasn''t a kiss, but Fred pulling me into the shadow while my sides were being crushed. Hmm ... I''m sorry, even just one peeping case makes this situation, so if Manon and Beatrice are involved ... Uuh, the chairman is really scary. CH 48 Undead Lizardman ***---*** Even at dawn, the heavy rain didn''t show signs of weakening. Reinhardt says that monsters are almost inactive during heavy rain. The smell and noise of finding prey will be drowned out by the rain. It seems that these points are no different from ordinary wild animals. Since the tent is well waterproofed, rain will not infiltrate, but the moisture trapped inside may condense and drip. If it falls on the nape of the neck, it will become a mess. It''s intended for use by large adults, so it''s large enough to lie down and sleep, but it''s too narrow for classmates who have just been released from slavery. They don''t have a smartphone or handheld game console like they did when they were in Japan, and when they don''t have tools for killing time such as playing cards, they have no choice but to sleep. Even though the rain calms the monster''s activity, it''s still in the Devil''s Forest, so everyone is ready to move at any time. It was the first time they fought with a real sword or knife in their hand against the kobolds yesterday, so some of them put it in the scabbard with blood still on it, so I had Fred teach them how to maintain their blade. If there''s nothing to do, you can have fun eating. Breakfast and lunch were delivered via shadow movement from the garrison cafeteria, so everyone was satisfied. Kobayashi-san and Sakurai-san, who helped with the meals, entrusted me with letters to all the girls, and Motomiya-san, who received them, had me deliver a message that they are looking forward to seeing them again at Volzard soon. While everyone was having lunch, it was time to take care of the chairman at Lastock''s garrison, give an interim report to Donovan-san, and start thinking about whether to leave for the weakening heavy rain. Basten called out with a tense appearance. [ Kent-sama, a pack of lizardmen is approaching, get everyone ready to move. ] "Understood!" In the center of the hastily lined up tents, I issued a loud warning. "Monsters have arrived, everyone get ready for a fight! Hurry up!" "Seriously ... where did my sword go?" "Ehh, it''s raining a little, but is there a raincoat?" "Wow, the ground is messy ..." Even though they were trained at the Lastock garrison, they seemed to have little training in line with an actual battle, as they were told to beat each other up without guidance in order to learn to activate magic. I asked Kondo and Takayama to take command so that I could move at any time, but it doesn''t seem to have been necessary. It seems to be the same for the girls, and Motomiya-san and Sagara-san who have already prepared are running around giving instructions, but it seems that everyone''s preparations are not finished yet. [ Kent-sama, I''m going to intercept, come Basten, Fred remain on defense here. ] [ Okay, branch leader, it''s awkward to get closer, so let''s do it far away. ] [ Leave the defense to me ... ] "I''m going to defend myself, but for the time being, as a greeting ..." I shot a light-type attack magic at a lizardman who was approaching fiercely from a distance, but it seems that it was not damaged at all. "No way, the attack didn''t work ...?" [ Kent-sama ... Stop with the shield of darkness ... ] "Eh ... oh yeah, I understand ..." When I put out a shield of darkness at the feet and face of the rushing lizardman, it fell and smashed its face, and the momentum of the rush slowed down. "The shield of darkness worked, but it has light attribute resistance ...?" I am impatient because the light attribute attack magic, which is the majority of my attack power, does not work. I wondered if the magic itself didn''t work well, and when I shot the attack magic at a tree in the distance, it didn''t seem to be as powerful as usual. "Ah ... maybe because of the rain ..." It is common Chuunibyo knowledge that ray weapons such as lasers are affected by fog, rain, and dust in the atmosphere. It seems that the influence will be small if it is from up close, but I feel that the risk is too high. The lizardmen are lizard monsters about 2 meters tall, with their entire body covered in green scales and is terrifyingly agile. Some of them live in dry areas such as deserts, while others prefer to live near the water, and the ones that are attacking are probably the types that live near the water. Some individuals have not only sharp fangs and claws, but also swords that look like some sort of bone or fang. The number is more than fifty at a glance, and may be close to one hundred. At the time of the rock ogre invasion, Reinhardt was killing several of them at once, but for lizardmen he seemed to be able to kill only one with a single blow, and even the long-range attack by Basten''s Gae Bulg was avoided. Basten will outperform them in close quarters, but it seems that is is still not possible to kill them with a single touch of a weapon. "Takayama, Kondo, it looks pretty tough, so can you keep them from being scattered?" "Should I go to those two skeletons?" "Yeah, and do it flashy so that they don''t come near me." "OK, leave it to me!" "Don''t go alone, go with everyone." "It''s enough with me alone ..." "No, yesterday you missed the kobold opponents, where does that confidence come from?" "Noisy! Shut up!" Novice Takayama parts from the group that gathered at last and looks in the direction in which Reinhardt and the others are fighting. "Kondo, I''m sorry, but can you get everyone else together and ask for what I said earlier?" "Okay, leave it to me ... but what about Kokubu?" "I''ll look at the situation from the top of a tree." I climbed up to the top of a nearby large tree via shadow movement so that I could see the entire situation. Although the heavy rain has weakened, it is still raining, and both Reinhardt and Basten are fighting in muddy areas. It seems that the two deliberately jumped into the front of the pack and attracted the attention of the lizardmen with their flashy moves. Perhaps because of that, most of the lizardmen are paying attention to Reinhardt and Basten and attacking them one after another. Also, other than that, there is a lizardman who is trying to approach by separating from the pack. If they can be stopped here, I thought the danger to my classmates would be reduced. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame, dance, dance, dance oh flame, and become a fireball!" At that time, the fireball of Novice Takayama hit one of the lizardmen that surrounded Basten. "Gyaoooo ..." "How is that! Do you like that lizard bastard!" The lizardman who ate Takayama''s fireball rolled around on fire, but after all, the area was extremely muddy, and the fire was easily extinguished. "Guruuu ... Gyauaaaaa!" Once the lizardman was set on fire, when it got up with an angry cry, it screamed at Takayama. Being attracted by that voice, the lizardmen around it also switched their goal from Basten to Takayama. The lizardmen are all moving towards Takayama all at once, and my classmates are gathering behind Takayama. "That damned Novice, you really did it now ..." The moment I turned my gaze towards my classmates, the hair on my back stood up. [ Reinhardt, Basten, come back! Fred, it''s a pincer attack, they''re coming from behind! ] I sank into the shadows and moved behind my classmates who gathered together. In front of my eyes, I saw a pack of lizardmen sprinting towards us. It looks like there are more than fifty of them. I put out shields of darkness to slow down the speed of their rush, but there are too many to stop. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become water, dance, dance, dance oh water, and become a lance!" The water-based attack magic that Motomiya-san released from beside me slightly broke their scales and caused fresh blood to dance, but it seems to be far from a fatal injury. Still, the lizardman stopped in fear for a moment, Fred appeared and slashed its nape deeply. Reinhardt and Basten came back towards us to strengthen the defense, but it seems that they will be pushed back by the force of numbers. In the rear, they stopped moving as Fred was killing them in one blow without fail, but they''re still being pushed. It''s okay if you have the escort of the three evil skeletons, and if your classmates are trained, they will become a force ... I am no longer sure about this. I never thought that a monster that was more troublesome than rock ogres would come out. If we are pushed back like this, my classmates will definitely be wiped out. If that is the case, I have no choice but to try the method I came up with. "Motomiya-san, could you lend me a knife?" "A knife, no way ... you''re going to engrave a mark that will never disappear ... Kya!" Motomiya-san, who is about to start her delusions again, Sagara-san put an end to it with an accurate thrust. "Don''t go saying something stupid in this situation, yes Kokubu-kun, use it!" "Thank you, Sagara-san, I''ll borrow it." "I don''t mind lending it, but don''t go thinking of doing close combat." "Of course, this knife is used like this." In front of us where the lizardmen are approaching, I put out a shield of darkness and it crashes into it and stops moving. Then, thrust the knife into the small shield of darkness I put out in front of me, twist it tightly, then pull it out. The lizardman, who stopped moving because of the shield of darkness, staggered and collapsed on the spot. "That, Kokubu-kun, what did you do?" "I connected the shadow space to the inside of the lizardman''s body and cut its heart with the knife." While explaining to Sagara-san, I followed the same procedure to kill the second lizardman. From that point on, it was like an assembly line. Stopping and stabbing, stopping and stabbing, stopping and stabbing ... With Fred''s strenuous struggle, the group from behind reduced in number as we watched. "Fred, are you okay with the rest?" [ Kent-sama ... support the front ... ] "OK, I''m counting on you." On the side that was attacked first, Reinhardt and Basten continue to struggle. And the classmates led by Kondo continued to chant without interruption and continued casting magic. "Team Two chant and Team One shoot!" Although it was not Nobunaga''s three-stage shooting, Kondo had the mages of the 1st and 2nd teams chanting alternately, and continued to shoot attack magic without interruption. Even if the power of each shot is small, it seems to be annoying for the lizardmen that it attacks without interruption, and it is difficult for them to approach. Still, some of my classmates have run out of magic and are starting to sit down with a blue face, and the balance is about to break for the worse. Fortunately, the magic of my classmates has stalled the lizardmen. This is my chance to attack. Standing on the outermost side out of the way of my classmates who are attacking, I thrust the knife into the shield of darkness. Every time I thrust, a lizardman collapsed, and my classmates cheered, wondering if their magic had worked. "Look, one of them has fallen!" "It worked, next, next shot, quickly!" "It fell down again!" "Look, they''re falling down!" Now that the left side has been roughly cleaned up, it is time to turn to the right side and launch an attack. Here, too, the magic of my classmates has stopped them, so I continued to stab their hearts with the knife. "Wow ... they''re no longer being overwhelmed." "That''s because everyone stalled them ..." Some of my classmates looked back at the conversation between Sagara-san and I. The small round shield of darkness floating in the air, and the appearance of me silently thrusting a knife into it, seemed quite strange, but before long, they noticed that every time I thrust the knife, one lizardman collapsed, and they looked at me with wide eyes. Perhaps because they were less worried about their surroundings, or because they were accustomed to fighting, Reinhardt and Basten returned to slaughtering the lizardmen one after another. Seeing their group of comrades who were rapidly decreasing in number, some lizardmen began to retreat, and from there the lizardmen ran away one after the other. "We did it, they ran away." "Hmm ... I thought I''d die seriously." Seeing the lizardmen retreat, my classmates cheered and sat down as if they were exhausted. "Motomiya-san, Sagara-san, check if anyone is injured." "Okay, but I think they''re okay, because they didn''t reach this point." As Sagara-san said, we were able to prevent the lizardmen from approaching, so they didn''t have a chance to be injured, but if we made a mistake, it wouldn''t be strange if there were many injured or dead. [ Kent-sama, we managed to protect them, but if they come again, I don''t know if we can. ] [ Yeah, thank you Reinhardt and the others, I have something to think about, but can you help me? ] [ Of course, what are you going to do? ] [ I didn''t expect this to happen, so I thought I''d add a few more companions. ] With the help of Reinhardt and the others, I asked them to select about five lizardmen with a strong body from among the lizardmen I had stabbed in the heart with the knife. I''m able to use both darkness and light magic, but I''m still not sure how to use it. Even so, I called up something like the magical connection I had with Reinhardt and the others, with the image of connecting it to the five lizardmen I chose. "Please help me, as my genus ... Guu ..." Through the connected links, I felt that my magical power was being pulled out, and immediately after that, the dead lizardmen slowly got up as undead. The five undead lizarden stood side by side in front of me after looking at each other. "Gururuuu ..." "Um ... I don''t know what you''re saying, but will you help me?" The undead lizardmen nodded over and over in response to my question. The light of intelligence dwells in the eyes of the five of them, and the glaring murderous intentions from before can no longer be felt. "I''m going to strengthen everyone, so I''ll give you five magic stones each." I distributed the other lizardman magic stones collected by Fred to the five, and gave each one five magic stones. "Then, I''ll stengthen you, so start absorbing the magic stones." At the time of Reinhardt and the others, I strengthened them one by one, but this time I decided to do it all at once with a common image, and as usual, when I sent the image and magical power, black haze began to hang around the undead lizardmen. Perhaps because it was a group of five, the black mist swirled in a jet-black vortex that seemed to swallow everything around it, and black lightning ran magnificently, causing thunder. The classmates who were watching from nearby from the start, were so overpowered that they ran away all at once. As the mist exploded and the condensed darkness burst, five undead lizardmen with jet-black scales stood there. It feels that their bodies are one size larger, and a jet-black Kukri knife, which seems to have a blade length of about 1 meter, is hung on the waist. The five of them look around at their own bodies and the bodies of each other, closing and opening their big hands. At first glance, the sharp claws like before disappeared, but when one of them sharply struck out its hands, even more vicious claws sprung out. For a while, the undead lizardmen were silently looking at each other, but suddenly they started fighting each other. They were agile before, but with being powered up, the sound of them hitting each other seems to be on the level of the sound of a traffic accident. I wonder if it''s to test their skills while using a new body ... Why are Reinhardt and Basten added? Um ... this, I wonder how long this will last, my classmates are drawing back in fear. The undead lizardmen come back with a satisfied look. Reinhardt and Basten also mix in and hit their fists and smile. A powerful group approaching side by side ... Deja vu ... "My King, I have no words to display my gratitude at receiving such a wonderful body." "Fua? K, king ...?" Pointing at myself, the undead lizardman, who spoke and thanked me, nodded as a matter of course. "As genus of the king, we will use all our bodies and lives for you in loyalty." "Oh, uh ... thank you." "Why don''t you give us new names?" "Name ...?" I felt that I had to respond to the sincere eyes that were staring at me from a kneeling posture. "Okay, then I''ll give you new names, you''re Zae, you''re Tsuo, you''re Kame, you''re Suo, and finally you''re Tala." The moment I gave names to the five people, I felt that the connection links became thicker. If I''m not careful, embarassing thoughts are likely to leak out. I mean, if you add speech to the image of strengthening, the undead lizardmen are talking normally, but can Reinhardt and the others also do it? "I want everyone to take advantage of their speed and power to play the role of a mobile unit, I''ll probably also ask you to do other things as well, I''m counting on you." "As you will ... Maou-sama." "Ma, Maou is ..." "You are the king of, we, the demons, therefore isn''t calling you the Maou correct?" Zae smiles with a grin, and the other four nod. "No, being called the Maou ..." [ Buhahaha, if Kent-sama dominates the world, all your worries will be solved. ] "No, I don''t want to conquer the world, I want to live in peace." "If Maou-sama so wishes, we will continue to fight until our bodies decay as your spearhead." "That''s why I''m telling you, because my policy is an exclusively defense-oriented policy ... That Maou is also prohibited!" "Nuu ... It can''t be helped if it''s the order of my King." It feels a little dangerous, but I was able to increase the number of powerful companions, but I have one thing I have to confirm. "Zae, just in case, but if lizardmen attack, can you fight without hesitation?" "Of course, this body was given by the King, we are the genus of the King, and the ones who are hostile to the King can only be our enemies." "Yeah, but if you don''t like killing, you can just drive them away without killing them." "Thank you for your kindness. Then, let''s say that we will show off our strength to have them realize that it is foolish to be hostile to us." Yeah, with this it''s okay if the lizardmen who withdrew attack again. The rain is so weak that it is almost unnoticeable. The corpses of the lizardmen are scattered around, so I decided to move toward Volzard and look for tonight''s camp before other monsters gathered. CH 49 Manon vs Beatrice ***---*** On the day of finishing our second time camping in the Devil''s Forest, I added Zae and the other undead lizardmen to the escort, and we safely arrived at the place where we could see Volzard''s wall. Shortly after leaving this morning, a pack of more than thirty orcs attacked, but Zae and the others quickly subdued them. As soon as I gave the GO signal, Zae and the others accelerated and attacked the orcs. Perhaps Fred is faster if it''s just simply speed, but since the movements of Zae adn the others can be followed with the eyes, it may feel faster. As usual, every time a jet-black Kukri knife, I''m uncertain what it''s made of, was flourished, the limbs and heads of the orcs flew into the air, and the orcs were wiped out before they realized their failure. "Hey, are those orcs?" Sagara-san asked me while I was watching the movements of Zae and the others. "That''s right, if you look closely, they''re quite powerful." "Last time there was a pack of orcs, so the leader of the knights and the other knights abandoned Tomo-chan and ran away, right?" "That''s right, but if you''re a good adventurer, you can deal with about three of them alone." "That''s not about three per person, isn''t it? Are the skeletons just as strong?" "Yeah, probably stronger ..." "Hmm ... I think Kokubu really looks like a Maou ..." Sagara-san sighed and returned to the others. Excuse me ... I''m struggling for everyone, but it''s a big deal to look like a Maou. After lunch, I told everyone about what to do after arriving at Volzard. First of all, I warned them saying that causing trouble was strictly prohibited, and also told them to be prepared for guild registration and rescue operations, and finally I warned them again so as to not cause trouble. "Kokubu, you don''t have to worry so much, we know it, so it''s okay." "For me, I''m most worried about Takayama when saying that ... so really don''t make a fuss." "Excuse me, if you have a magical talent like me, there''s no reason to cause trouble." "Somehow, I''m more worried ..." For the time being, after arriving at Volzard, I will have Kondo and the old and new duo handle the boys, and Motomiya-san, Sagara-san, and the dekoboko sisters handle the girls. At the gates, Kartz-san was waiting for us this time as well. As before, disarm in front of the gate and have the swords and knifes collected. Just like last time, Bart-san, who came to collect the weapons, whispered in my ear. "Kent ... someone''s waiting for you ..." "Oh, yes, thank you ..." I thought that the five people who had been rescued earlier were waiting, but it was an unexpected person who was on the other side of the gate when I entered with fifty classmates. "Welcome to the fortified city of Volzard, my name is Beatrice Volzard, the daughter of the lord, and I sincerely welcome you." Although it is not a formal dress, she is wearing a pure white one-piece with frills and lace and looks the part of an ojou-sama, and all fifty of my classmates, both boys and girls, are entranced. But don''t let your guard down, because this rabbit is carnivorous. "Kent-sama ..." "Yesh ... wh, what is it?" It''s dangerous, did she understand what I was thinking? Beatrice walks up to me. The classmates take a step or two to open the way and from her steps you can feel a sense of self-confidence and even an aura. "I heard that you were rescuing your classmates, it must have been difficult to get through the Devil''s Forest, thank you for your hard work." "Oh, thank you." I instinctively bowed to the words of frank appreciation. Because, my nature is that of a timid Japanese person. "Welcome back, Kent-sama ..." As soon as I raised my head, I was kissed on the cheek. "Kyaaaa! Local wife, Kokubu-kun''s local wife appeared!" "Youuuuu! I won''t forgive you Kokubu, unforgivableee!" High pitched cheers from the girls, and grudge-filled shouts from the boys. Beatrice put her arm around my waist and put her head on my shoulder. "Rise was lonely ..." Along with Beatrice''s whisper, I smell something good, maybe perfume. It''s piercing, it''s piercing, the grude-filled eyes of the 27 boys ... I wonder why I''m being looked at by Takayama with that kind of eyes, I think he''s got it better. "U, umm ... E, e, everyone needs to be guided to the dormitory ..." "Aren''t those five people doing that ...?" The girls cheered and rushed when seeing the dekoboko sisters with a smile on their faces, and the old and new duo and fake glasses sent a hateful look. Well, isn''t Manon-chan there? It''s not the usual dull clothes, but a pants look, but with beautiful colors and slender silhouette, anyone can tell that she''s a girl. After taking a big deep breath, Manon walked straight to me. Even though it''s almost November, the pores in my head opened and cold sweat started to flow. Beatrice stares at Manon and puts her strength into the arm around my back. It''s dangerous, is this the rumored shuraba? The girls look at me with curious eyes, and the boys send me gazes as if expecting my pitiful appearance. "Welcome back, Kent." "Hey ... I''m home, Manon." I was wondering if I would eat another slap, like before, but Manon seems calm. "Beatrice, you''re disturbing Kent." "Uuh ... I understand ..." If she was being told the truth, there was no room to refute even by Beatrice, and she released her clinging arm and separated from me. Immediately after that, Manon, who snuggled in close, kissed my cheek. "Hey, what are you doing, Manon-san!" Beatrice raises her voice in protest, but Manon squeezes my arms and hugs me as if she will never leave. "Kyaaa! Second, second local wife, it''s shuraba, shuraba!" "Okay, let''s kill ... Skeletons and lizardmen are poweful, but I have to kill him ..." "Of course, we''ll get our weapons back." I hear a terribly disturbing voice, I won''t be able to act if the state stays as it is, I pat Manon''s back to get her to separate from me. Even though she hugged me herself, her face was bright red and her eyes were spinning. Beatrice, who was glaring with tears in her eyes, seemed to be approaching, so I stopped her in a hurry. "Stop! Really stop! I still have to take everyone to the dormitory and talk about the schedule for tomorrow, so please ..." "Uuu ... I understand ..." Beatrice, who glares with pursed lips, does not show the aura of a young lady, and instead feels the cuteness of her age. "Let''s go, Kent." "Huh, Manon ...?" Manon grabbed my left hand in a lovers hold and held onto my left arm. Manon also has a nice scent, probably because she has some perfume on. "I will accompany you too." Beatrice, who saw Manon''s actions, immediately held my right arm. "Fua? Hey Beatrice?" "Rise!" "Uh ... is Rise coming too?" "Muu ... Am I really disturbing you?" "No, no, that''s ..." It would be a blissful moment without the spectators, but it''s really uncomfortable because of the warm eyes of the girls, the murderous look of the boys, and even the eyes of the garrison members are on me. I mean, rumors will flow from the garrison people, and the evil old man will hear of it. Anyway, let''s take everyone to the dining room of the garrison dormitory and have them eat dinner. It''s even more frustrating when you''re hungry. After dinner, I explained my future plans. I have asked Yagi and the others to allocate the rooms for the temporary dormitory. After this, just take a bath and sleep, and tomorrow we will make guild registration cards. When I brought five people, we went to the guild to register, but this time there are a lot of people, so Otto-san will make a visit from the guild. After registration, I plan to hand over 5,000 Helts per person to shop for daily necessities for the time being. Yagi and the others have requested it for themselves, but of course I have rejected them. "Kokubu''s stupid, wouldn''t it be a problem if we didn''t have money when guiding them?" "Wait a minute, Yagi, what do you mean you don''t have any money? I gave you 15,000 Helts. It''s only been ten days, right?" "Idiot, Kokubu''s an idiot, we can''t use as poweful of magic as you can. So we have to cover it with a weapon ..." "No, where are you going that you need weapons?" "Idiot, are you going to do the rescue operation in earnest? Isn''t it necessary to go through the Devil''s Forest again? If so, we''ll need weapons, hey, Nitta, Furuta, right?" "Of course ..." "As Yagi says, it''s indisputable ..." "Oh, we ran out the first day, of course we don''t have any left." "Oh yeah, girls need to be fashionable." It''s no joke and I''ve already fallen to my knees. "That''s why we also need 5,000 Helts ..." "Rejected!" "Come on, I finally met Ao and the others again ..." "No! If you say you can''t do it without money, I''ll ask Manon to guide them." "Then, 3,000 Helts is fine ..." "Rejected!" "Don''t say such a cold thing, just a little ... right?" "I refuse!" "Okay, then take the middle and 2,500 ..." It''s rare, Yagi and Kobayashi-san are cooperating and are really persistent. "It can''t be helped anymore ... 500 Helts, I won''t put out any more no matter how much you beg." "500 ... just that much ..." "If you don''t like it, I won''t give you a single Helt ..." "Oh, wait, wait, I see, I''ll put up with 500 Helts ..." "You know ... It''s only 350 Helts to carry potatoes in the warehouse for a day, such luxurious remarks, there''s also helping with building the walls." "OK, I understand ..." I have to leave the rest to Yagi and Kobayashi-san and report our arrival to Donovan-san. "I''m going to report to the guild, Manon, Rise, let''s go together, I''ll send you home." I call out to the two who were watching the financial discussion with Yagi and the others, and left the garrison''s dormitory. Manon quickly grabs my left arm and Beatrice grabs my right arm. I''m getting a lot of attention from people on the road, but it''s fine, I''m already used to it. On the way to the guild, Beatrice asked me. "About before ... is Kent-sama paying for their living expenses?" "Yeah, that''s right." "Does Kent-sama have a special position?" "No, I don''t have any particular position." "Then, is it necessary for Kent-sama to bear the burden? If it''s 5,000 Helts for each of fifty people, it''s 250,000 Helts ... It''s not an amount that can be easily prepared by someone of our age." "Yeah, well ... Reinhardt and the others subdue monsters, and the Gigawolfs sold well, so I''m okay on money." There is a deposit of about 1.7 million Helts between orc magic stones, the Gigawolfs, and the nomination request reward, and there is also the untouched rock ogre magic stones, so there is almost no financial concern. Even if I rescue another 150 people, I only need to have 750,000 Helts for the time being, so it is okay to bear the living expenses for all of them. However, not only Beatrice, but also Manon has a face that she doesn''t like it. "What''s wrong?" "Kent, did you say that you can only earn 350 Helts a day at the warehouse job?" "Yeah, at the Garm potato warehouse, but it was quite difficult." "Then why did you readily hand over 5,000 Helts?" "No, but everyone doesn''t have any clothes to change into, they have to prepare necessities for daily life, and it''s their first day here ..." "I used some of Tomoko and Akemi''s." "Uh ... that''s right ..." As Manon says, if you give money to the girls led by the dekoboko sisters, you can be sure they''ll consume it like hot water. "2,000 Helts is enough, but if Kent insists on 3,000 Helts, I think any more is too much." Beatrice nods at Manon''s words. When I think about it, even after I came to Volzard, I''ve been wearing gifted clothes, and eating at the boarding house, and I haven''t done much shopping, so I don''t really know the price levels. It seems better to listen to the opinions of the two people here. "Okay, I''ll make it 3,000 Helts per person." "Oh, Kent, aren''t you going to report to the guild?" "Yeah, I''ll do it after I send the two of you home, because Donovan-san works late anyway, it''s okay." "Kent-sama, how do you know that Donovan-san works late, is it because Kent-sama is also active until that time?" "Uh ... yes, but not every day." After all Beatrice is sharp, in fact, I am active until that time almost every day. "Somehow, it seems that only Kent-sama is playing a detrimental role ..." "Yes, Kent should let others do more work." "Hmm ... yes, I wonder ..." When I sent Beatrice to the mansion first, I was kissed again in front of the gate. Gatekeeper-san, please don''t report to Klaus-san, please. After that, when I sent Manon to the front of her house, I was also kissed by Manon. "Ah ... maybe that headbutt from before ..." "Oh, that''s because Kent suddenly turned around ... then the sense of distance ..." "Then I don''t have to worry about head-butting anymore, right?" "Muu ... Kent''s stupid ..." Even though Manon sulked, she kissed me again. After separting from Manon, I moved to the guild using shadow movement, Donovan-san is still working as usual. "Good evening, Donovan-san." "Mmm, Kent ..." "Yes, the report was delayed, but all fifty people were brought in safely, I''m counting you from now on." I went out of the shadows and bowed my head while requesting such to Donovan-san. "Hmm ... Manon and Beatrice, you sure are popular ..." "Hey? Where did you hear that from ..." "Be careful not to run into Klaus." "Uhhhh ..." Apparently, rmors have reached the bad old man. Is the only way to have a fight? "Registering at the guild will have Otto go to you as planned, but if I have time, I will be there too." "Yes, thank you. Also, I would like you to register about five more companions ..." "Is it the undead lizardmen from the report?" "Yes, Zae, is it okay for a moment ...?" When I called, Zae immediately appeared from the shadow. Donovan-san has heard the report that we were attacked by lizardmen, but this is the first time he has met Zae. "Nuu ... You made a vicious companion again." "Umu, strong person, please do as you see fit." "Hey ... they can even speak human language? I understand, we''ll do a similar procedure as for Reinhardt and the others." Zae shook hands with Donovan-san and went back into the shadows. "And this morning, I encountered a pack of more than thirty orcs." "What ... wasn''t there 14 of them last time?" "Yes, will there be an increase in orcs?" "I don''t know, but it''s likely that rock ogres, lizardmen, and everything in the Devil''s Forest are increasing." A normal pack of orcs is about 20 at most, and when it is 30 or more, it seems to be a fairly large pack. "Let''s raise the level of vigilance for the time being." "My strength has increased, so I''ll leave one in Volzard." "It would be helpful if you could do that, please." "I''m in trouble if Volzard''s safety isn''t protected." If any one remains in Volzard, they can immediately notify me when something goes wrong and can arrange reinforcements. "Will the people you brought this time get into training as coachmen immediately?" "No, I can''t be helped by everyone, so I''ll select a few members." "Kent, wouldn''t it be faster to have more undead lizardmen and let them pull the carriages than to train them?" "Well ... oh yeah ... I''ll go back now ..." "Hmm ... it''s too late, by this time they''ve even had the bones eaten." Skeletons and undead do not occur unless there are bones and corpses left. The reason why Reinhardt and the others can exist as skeletons is that the ambushing enemy was probably the same knights, and the body was not left unattended, but was burned to bone and then buried. "If you bury the corpse without burning it, goblins and kobolds will dig up the body, and if they eat the bones, it will not be a skeleton or an undead. The lizardman''s body may have been left without magic stones, but it''s too late." "Ah ... If I had about five more people, I could immediately move on to the resuce operation ... No, wait, should I go hunting ..." When I was talking to myself, Donovan-san warned me. "Kent, it''s okay to immerse yourself in the operation, but you have just crossed the Devil''s Forest, rest your body for a while." "Yes, but those words aren''t very convincing, especially if Donovan-san, who works alone every day, says it." "Hmm, this guy, you really said it. Then I''ll retire early and give you this chair." "That''s ridiculous! I''m going home! I''ll be back soon, take a rest!" "Kukuku ..." While listening to the powerful Donovan-san snickering at me, I hurriedly dove into the shadows and left the guild. CH 50 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 50 Discovered ***---*** Good evening everyone, this is Kent. Right now, I''m doing seiza in the chairman''s room at Lastock. "Now, Kent, give me a detailed explanation." Yes, it''s exposed, about Manon, and about Beatrice too. The matter of looking into the bath time was forgiven with the daytime care of yesterday and today, and when I went into the room informing that I had arrived at Volzard with everyone, the chairman hugged me again. Immediately after that, the chairman began to sniff. "The smell is different on the right and left ...?" I made a sharp sound and paled. Until that time, I had no idea about the perfumes of Manon and Beatrice. Both of them had different scents, but they had a sweet scent like a girl. The chairman who has been hugging me cannot be unaware of the scent. "What the heck is this? There are two girls in Volzard who welcome you?" "No, this is ..." "If they don''t stick to you from both sides, you shouldn''t have that much scent, right?" The chairman has a big smile and a gentle tone, but her eyes aren''t laughing at all, and her words have the coldness of absolute zero. "Manon I got to know in a guild class and she helped Kobayashi and the others get used to the city ..." "I see ... and what caused the other one to stick to you?" "Be, Beatrice, the daughter of the lord of Volzard, had rot disease ... I treated her peritonitis from the cecum mentioned in Japan, it was to the point of endangering her life ..." "Hmm ... Treatment you say, weren''t you told that you should take responsibility for doing naughty things?" "No, that''s not it at all ... maybe not ..." Ugh, I''m afraid of the chairman''s eyes. The room should be cold enough that the chairman is wrapped in a blanket, but the unpleasant sweat doesn''t stop. "While we were suffering here, Kent became friends with a pretty girl at Volzard." "No, I wasn''t playing around either ..." "Well, you were certainly working on the rescue operation, but ... you didn''t tell me a word about the girls, did you?" "That ... I can only say that the distance between us has been shortened recently ..." "Hey ... Then Kent was spending time with me while getting closer to another girl." "No, Beatrice is the daughter of the lord, so I can''t have wicked thoughts ..." "Then, what about the other one?" "Yeah, Kobayashi-san and Sakurai-san yelled at Manon ..." "Are you imposing responsibility on Tomo-chan and At-chan?" "No, that''s not what I mean ... everything is my responsibility ..." Isn''t Erna''s return a little late? Normally, I think she would''ve already retunred, but only today I feel like she''ll never come back. "So ... what is Kent going to do?" "What do you mean ...?" "Who would you choose? No way, because it''s a different world, let''s make a harem ... you''re not thinking that, right?" "Do, do, do, don''t be absurd, ha, harem or something, such a thing ..." "You''re thinking about it, right?" "No ... that ... just a little ..." "Hmm ... this is why boys ..." I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I got caught up in the moment, and I was frivolously growing my lascivious heart. "Haa ..." The chairman sighed again and got up from the bed she was sitting on. Oh, it''s finally time for execution. "For the time being ... I will give you a suspended sentence." "Yes ...?" "Instead ..." The chairman puts her arms around my back and hugs me tightly. "Instead, report to them that I am doing something like this with Kent." "Well ... that''s a little ..." The chairman kissed both my cheeks. "If you''re going to put it off, it could be a big deal when I get to Volzard." "Ugu ... I understand ..." "And ... I''ll never lose ... Tell them ..." "Yesh ..." "Now, cast healing magic until Erna returns." "Yes ..." Since the chairman''s weight was added, my legs hurt a lot, and I''m severely numb, but it would be a big deal to say that she''s heavy, so I kept my cramped smile and cast healing magic. After that, Erna came back, so I was finally released from the chairman, but the homework I was given was heavy. [ Kent-sama ... Harem doesn''t bear fruit in just one day ... ] [ No, I can only think of a harem as a dream again ... ] According to Fred, who has been scouting, the rescue of fifty people this time was a big miscalculation for Camilla. That''s a miscalculation, because a quarter of the 200 people summoned are gone. What''s interesting is that the knights'' report isn''t that they were attacked by a strange skeleton, but because they were attacked by a pack of orc mages. An orc mage is an orc that uses primitive magic, and its strength is double that of a normal orc. Perhaps the knights had a quarrel because they couldn''t report that they were put to sleep by one skeleton and were taken out without helping the fifty slaves. Even if you report that everyone has been killed and eaten, it is unlikely that Camilla will go to the site for verification, so even if you report a lie, there is no problem as long as you don''t talk about it. This time, Takayama, the Novice Hero, is also dead, but Camilla is not disappointed about it, but rather seems to be pleased to be able to get rid of the troublemaker. Celia, who was taking care of Takayama, seems to be in the garrison, but she seems to be pushed into a small room for servants instead of a luxurious room. According to Camilla, she might have her do another job ... but it''s somehow unpleasant. I also took a peek at the classmates remaining in Lastock, but there was a desperate atmosphere. "I can''t do it anymore ... I want to return to Japan ..." "If even Takayama isn''t coming back, even though he had that personality, he could use such amazing magic ..." "I don''t need a reward, so please let me go home now ..." "No, Takayama is dead, so with Celia-chan ..." "Stop it ... but I don''t want to die as a virgin ..." Listening to Camilla''s story and the whispers of the boys, the predictions go in the wrong direction. Is it better to have someone keep an eye on them so my bad expectations don''t come true, and in such a case use force to intervene? The best thing would be to rescue everyone quickly, but ... there are a lot of problems. For the time being, let''s go back to the boarding house and go to bed, I''m really tired. Amanda-san and the others who get up early in the morning, seem to already be asleep, so I moved back to my room via shadow movement. After returning to my home for the first time in three days, I feel calm. The exquisite narrowness that you can reach the wall immediately if you reach out is good. "Hmm ... tomorrow, I''ll watch over everyone''s registration and then go find some lizardmen ..." [ Kent-sama, you forgot your homework. ] Reinhardt''s point makes me sick. [ Gua ... that''s right, I have to talk to Manon and Beatrice about the chairman ... then, how do I go about that ... ] [ Buhahaha, if they complain, close their mouth with a kiss and tell them to follow you! That''s all there is to it. ] [ That''s not the case ... Uuh, should I be prepared for a few slaps ... ] [ By the way, Kent-sama, are you planning to increase the genus with lizardmen? ] [ Yeah, I am planning that, is something wrong? ] [ King, we''re hard to find because we''re lurking by the water. ] [ Oh yeah ... I didn''t think about that. ] According to Zae, the lizardmen usually live mostly in the water, and on the day of the attack, they were hunting far with the rain on their side. [ Hmm ... I can''t beat them if I can''t find them in the first place. ] [ Kent-sama, the rest of your classmates are about 150 people, and if they ride on five carriages, then Zae and the others are enough. ] [ Yes, that''s right, it doesn''t mean that only 25 people can ride in a carriage. ] [ But if you do that, your guard may be weak. ] If you have a total of eight between skeletons and undead lizardmen, you sohuld be able to counter a considerable number of monsters, but if small monsters such as kobolds and goblins come in the thousands, you may allow them to break through. [ Thousands ... that number ... ] [ Kent-sama, in the past, over tens of thousands of goblins have caused a stampede and caused great damage. ] [ Yeah! Tens of thousands ... That number is really tough, isn''t it? ] [ But it''s only goblins or kobolds that have such a large outbreak. ] Reinhardt says that even if he faces tens of thousands of goblins, he will not lose, but my classmates will be attacked by the goblins that he hasn''t defeated. Even if powerful weapons are lined up, it feels like the enemy will invade through the gap. [ Um ... then what should I do? ] [ I wonder if we should line up weapons that are so powerful that there are no gaps, or increase the number of weapons that make small moves to fill the gaps. ] [ If you''re talking about Reinhradt, you''d recommend a weapon with a small range, right? ] [ Absolutely, it''s not enough to simply use the same weapons. ] [ That means, should I make undead of small monsters like goblins or kobolds as genus? ] [ That''s right, then it''s easy to collect, and if Kent-sama strengthens the part that lacks power, there will be no problem ... ] [ I see ... It''s a person who moves around quickly around Reinhardt and Zae ... Yeah, let''s do that. ] Goblins or Kobolds are easy to find once you enter the Devil''s Forest, so you don''t have to search for them, and you can find them in large numbers. It may be good to create a corps that can be commanded by Reinhardt and the others. It may be good to make a few more and place them like an laarm device in various places. [ Good, let''s make a corps of 50 monsters in total, 40 monsters divided up for Reinhardt and the others to move. ] [ The plan has been decided, then Kent-sama, it''s about time to take a rest. ] [ Well, then wake me up as usual. ] [ I understand. ] As soon as you lie down in bed, you''ll be drawn into the world of sleep, and the morning will come in no time. When I was awakened by Reinhardt and opened the door of the room, a delicious smell drifted from downstairs. "Good morning, Amanda-san." "Ah, welcome back Kent, did you come back late yesterday?" "Yes, I took everyone to the dormitory, and then I had to report or something, and it was a little late." "Hmm ... what kind of report did you make ..." Amanda-san is laughing with a grin. Maybe she heard about Manon and Beatrice from a customer. "Kent is such a smooth operator ..." "Meline-san?" "Hmm ... lewd, EroKent!" "Guha ... Such a thing ... I wonder whether it''s this or that ..." Amanda-san and Meline-san are looking at me with warm eyes, and Meisa-chan''s reproachful eyes are painful. "Amanda-san, I''m heading out." "Kent, what about dinner?" "Maybe I''ll be back, but I''m planning to move around a lot today ..." "I see, well, there will always be something to eat, I''ll prepare it when you return." "Thank you very much. I appreciate it." "Aa, take care of yourself." "Yes, I''m going." I have to report to Manon and Beatrice, but first of all, I have to get everyone registered and then distribute the living expenses for the time being. When I go to the garrison''s dormitory, the gatekeeper salutes me as usual, but this morning he has a grinning gaze. Well, it''s after yesterday''s turmoil, so it can''t be helped. Donovan-san and Otto-san were already in the conference room I rented to complete the registration procedure. "Good morning, Donovan-san, Otto-san, thank you for your time today." "We''re okay any time, do you want to start?" "Yes, I''ll get everyone together soon." I went to the classmates who had already gathered and brought everyone into the conference room. The five registered people are also present because there is information about shopping after this. When everyone got together, Donovan-san went up to the stage and started talking. "I''m Donovan, who plays the role of coordinator for the guild of Volzard, the first thing to say, don''t forget to open your ears and listen carefully." Donovan-san looked around at everyone, the classmates swallowed sharply and corrected their posture. "You''re useless as an immediate force, and even if we teach you a job, you may return to your original world by the time we can use you ... You''re definitely a nuisance." Some of my classmates glared at Donovan-san with rebellious eyes, but when he glared at them, the immediately looked down. That''s because the power, the stature, and the experience are too different. "The reason Volzrd accepts such a nuisance is because Kent asked us." This time everyone''s gaze was directed at me ... Yeah, it''s uncomfortable. "You know since you were attacked by a swarm of lizardmen on your way here, but Kent''s fighting power isn''t normal. This time, five undead lizardmen have joined. To be honest, I wouldn''t be able to win against him with the full force of Volzard." Somehow, the way my classmates see me has changed. It''s like they''re looking at a dangerous person. "The other day, when a swarm of rock ogres stampeded towards Volzard, I was prepared to suffer considerable casualties, but as a result we didn''t have anyone killed or even injured. Everything is thanks to Kent." "No, no ... it was all done by Reinhardt and the others ..." Somehow, I''m afraid for my back when I''m lifted up like this by Donovan-san. "Kent is both a shield and a halberd for Volzard. With the Devil''s Forest revitalized, Volzard can''t afford to lose Kent. If you want to disturb order or security, I won''t forgive you. I''ll take your guild registration card and expel you out of the city. If you think you can live without an ID card or something to rely on, try it." Perhaps the rebellious spirit is swiruling in the hearts of my classmates, but Donovan-san''s words are completely correct, and we don''t have the ability to go against them. To be honest, I was worried that some people would have trouble because of the large number of people, unlike when it was just five, so I was relieved to have Donovan-san give them a warning. "Kent, what do you have to say?" "Yes, um ... First of all, about the rescue operation, but I was thinking of selecting members from everyone to help me, but I''m thinking about increasing the number of undead lizardmen in my genus and ending it all at once." "Hey, wait a minute, what about our training?" "Yeah, Yagi and the others trained as coachmen, but if we had the undead lizardmen pull them instead of horses, you wouldn''t have to worry about breaks or replenishment, and you wouldn''t have to operate them in the first place. And I think it''s less dangerous." "That may be true, but I trained for a while ..." "Yeah, but while you''re here, it''s more convenient to be able to handle horses, and I think the range of work will expand." "Then, can we continue training?" "Yeah, if there are other applicants besides Kobayashi-san, I''ll ask them to train." "Yeah, I can''t do horseback riding when I return to Japan, let''s continue At-chan." Indeed, considering that it is a horseback riding experience, it costs money in Japan and it takes time to go to school. "Then, once you''ve registered, I''ll be giving out 3,000 Helts of money to buy things like daily necessities for the time being." "Wait a minute, you said yesterday that you would give out 5,000 Helts per person, and didn''t you say that you gave out 15,000 Helts to Yagi and the others? Isn''t it a bit unfair?" I wonder what he''s saying evne though it''s not the money he earned himself. "Yeah, but 3,000 Helts is okay, Manon and the others advised me, and I''ll pay for your accommodiation and meals, so you should be able to make ends meet." "Even so, one-fifth of Yagi and the others ..." "If you want money, you can work on your own, and there are many jobs you can do." Takayama was still saying something, but he couldn''t fool Donovan-san, so he lined up quietly in the registration line. Takayama got an E-rank card due to the strength of his magical power, and everyone else got an F-rank card. Indeed, no matter how strong the magical power is, it is true that it will stop at E-rank. So, even though he was the only person to get an E-rank card, Takayama started complaining again. "Wait a minute, isn''t it strange to be E-rank with as much magical power I have?" "Even if the magical power is strong, if you enter the forest or dungeon without experience or ability, you will die." Otto-san simply refused as usual. "No, but if you have the magical power I have ..." "The rank of the guild is not a decoration, the rank will not go up unless you have a track record, and if you leave a track record, your rank will go up even if you do not want it." Ah, that''s true, there''s such a thing as suddenly being B-rank. "Kokubu, what rank are you?" "Well, I''m B ..." "You''re B, didn''t you get judged as useless?" "No, it''s a malfunction of that crystal ball, or an irregular result." "Damn, I see, I''ll overtake you soon ..." Somehow, he''s trying to leave with the final lines of someone who is about to be killed, but I haven''t distributed the living expenses yet, is that okay? Oh, he''s back. "Well, give me money ..." "Yes, don''t waste it." "Uh, noisy, I know ..." Wow, his face is bright red and he looks like a really bad kid. After giving out money to everyone, I called out to Kondo, who I can count on. "Kondo, I''m leaving everyone to you, the old and new duo will guide you." "Okay, I''m sorry for making you take care of everyone." "No, it''s a time when everyone has to do what they can." I have to go thank Donovan-san and Otto-san, and then go increase the number of my genus. CH 51 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 51 The next genus ***---*** After registering my classmates with the guild, I thought I''d go to increase the number of genus, but Manon was waiting when I left the conference room. I was about to take a deep breath, start walking, and explain about the chairman, but when I felt a gaze and turned around, girls were gathered at the entrance of the conference room and were watching closely. "Kobayashi-san, Sakurai-san, I''m counting on you for the rest! Manon, come with me!" Leaving behind the girls who had turned into a mass of curiousity, I ran while holding Manon''s hand. I thought that the destination would be okay at this time, so I headed for the top of the wall. Manon held my hand tightly while looking down, and running with me. I reached the top of the wall and turned around, but it seems that I managed to lose the curious girls. To get rid of my rough breath from running, I took a deep breath again, and decided to do my homework given by the chairman. "Sorry, in fact, not only Beatrice, but there''s also a girl in Lastock who has been kind to me ..." After bowing deep enough to hit my knees, I told Manon about the chairman. After we were summoned, she could use light attribute magic. Since she was in Japan, she had a very strong sense of responsibility and continued to treat my classmates until she collapsed every day. Being kept apart from the dormitory, she can only talk to her friends during treatment. I didn''t refuse the chairman''s kiss. Manon and Beatrice, whom I had kept secret, were found out by the chairman last night. "Yuika asked me to give Manon a message that she wouldn''t lose ..." Manon listened to the story, while biting her lips with tears in her eyes almost ready to spill. When I finished talking about everything, she looked up slightly, closed her eyes, and seemed to be organizing her thoughts. Eventually, after a big sigh, Manon quietly opened her eyes. "Kent''s a cheater." "Guu ... I can''t argue with you." Even if Manon critizes me with tears, I can only hang my head. "Haa ... Why did I have to come to like Kent ..." "Sorry ..." "Kent couldn''t leave Yuika alone, right?" "Yeah, she''s been fighting alone this whole time, and it seemed like she would really break ..." "Yes ... I understand ..." With a determined gaze, Manon hugged me tightly as she snuggled up to me. A shrill voice was heard from below the ramparts, but I''ll pretend I didn''t hear it. Manon, who is shaking a little, feels irresistibly adorable. "I can''t hate Kent ..." "Thank you, when I bring Yuikda to Volzard, I will introduce you properly." "Yeah, tell her before that ... I''ll never lose ..." Manon kissed my cheeck and then put her strength into her arms around my back again. "Ok, I''ll definitely tell her. Then, can I move by shadow movement from here?" "Where are you going?" "Yeah, I''m thinking of increasing my genus in the Devil''s Forest." "Genus ...?" "Yeah, it''s a companion who works for me." "Increase ... how do you do it?" "I use necromancy to make monsters I''ve killed into genus." "You can do that?" "Yeah, I seem to be able to ... something like that?" "Haa ... Kent is absurd ..." "Sorry ..." "Be careful and go ..." "Okay ... then I''m off." After nodding at Manon who released her arms, I dove into the shadow world. [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, was pretty good. ] [ Mou, It''s not something to laugh about. ] I moved to the Devil''s Forest with Reinhardt and Zae who were waiting in the shadow world. [ My King, if that person also becomes genus ... ] [ No, no, if I do that, I''ll be a criminal. ] I immediately dismissed Zae''s opinion, but in reality, if I make killed humans into undead and use them, can you tell the difference from a normal human? Do they keep their memory? If so, if I kill Camilla and make her undead, I may be able to manipulate her with absolute obedience, but ... I feel that I''d become a trash person. [ So Kent-sama, do you want to make genus of goblins or kobolds? ] [ If it''s quick, which one is faster? ] [ That would be kobolds. Goblins are a little smarter, but kobolds are better at speed and dexterity. ] [ Well, let''s find a pack of kobolds. ] When Reinhardt and the others came out and let their aura out, the kobolds would run away in fear, so we searched while moving in the shadows. As I entered slightly into the forest, I quickly found a pack of kobolds moving. [ They seem to be heading out to hunt. ] Reinhardt says that kobolds have territories that they build nests in. The individuals moving in this way are young males and females heading for hunting, and the bosses of the herd, the breeding females, and the children live in the nests. The kobolds, who have been moving, stopped to drink water from a stream and took a rest. The total number of them is 33, which is not enough for the planned 50, but I decided to make this pack my genus. The kobolds, who have taken a rest as they wish, are stabbed in the heart with a knife from the shadow world. It''s really like an assembly line because it''s a kobold partner who is still. Basten asked me as I was killing the kobolds. [ Kent-sama, why don''t you use light-type attack magic? ] [ Yeah, that would open a hole in the front ... ] [ Even if a hole is opened, it may be closed when strengthening ...? ] [ Oh, yeah ... but it''s over, so no. ] The subjugation of the kobolds was completed in about three minutes. You wouldn''t even know how the fallen kobolds were killed. I asked Zae and the others to collect the defeated kobolds. There are no scratches on the outside, so it seems as if they are really sleeping. In front of the lined up kobolds, I took a deep breath to calm myself. And, like the time of Zae and the others, I called out while imagining connecting links. "Become my genus, please work ... ugh ..." I felt like noise was running through my head, and I almost fainted for a moment, but I clenched my teeth and endured it. While I desperately tied up the link that was about to break, I was caught in the feeling of having my magical power drained again. I lost strength from my body and involuntarily kneeled. [ Kent-sama, are you okay? ] [ Yeah, a little more ... ] While I was kneeling, and enduring the feeling of being deprived of my strength, the loss of power stopped. Then, the kobolds woke up and started looking around. Looking at them, I gathered my strength and stood up, and the kobold, who seemed to be the leader of the pack, gave some signal, and the kobolds all knelt in front of me. "Kyun ..." "Will you help me?" When I asked if I could rely on them, the kobolds nodded firmly. I downed a pill to help restore magical power, and then started strengthening the kobolds. [ Kent-sama, the kobolds have already become members of your genus, so isn''t it okay to strengthen them later? ] "But I thought I''d finish it all at once." [ Are you okay? It will be trouble if you get sick from overdoing it. ] "Yeah, I''m probably okay, but this might be the last time I can increase my genus." [ Hou, what makes you think that? ] "Somehow, I felt when connecting the link as a genus that I had hit the limit." [ Is that so ... If that''s the case, you should dispose of them and get stronger monsters ... ] "No, I''ve already made them my genus, so I can''t treat them so poorly." [ Mmm, is that right, Kent-sama was that kind of person. ] If I knew that the number of genus was limited, I might have made more powerful monsters into my genus. However, since I have already made them my genus, it''s the same as being family. If their strength is not enough, I can strengthen it. Increased speed, increased power, increased wisdom, and ... "Then, I''ll strengthen everyone, each one gets one orc magic stone and one lizardman magic stone." I strengthened the kobolds with the magic stones of the orc pack that we defeated yesterday, and the magic stones of Zae''s kin, which have not been cashed in to the guild yet. When they started taking in magic stones and I sent magical power with the image, a black mist wrapped the kobolds as usual. After the lightning ran, thunder roared, and the black mist exploded, they were undead kobolds with black fur, like a deformed werewolf. Their height doesn''t reach 120 cm and they have triangular ears. The bloody red eyes became black eyes, and the fur and tail are fluffy like stuffed animals. A black dagger, like a toy sword, is attached to everyone''s back. [ Kent-sama, they look pretty cute ... ] "Yeah, the appearance is ... alright, everyone, try out your new bodies." As soon as I called out, the kobolds swirled in the wind and disappeared. Not only running on the ground, but also kicking the trunks of trees, jumping over branches, and running around the Devil''s Forest three-dimensionally. Dive into the shadows with all your might and jump out of another shadow ... Yeah, I can''t catch them like this. Eventually, when an undead kobold swiped its front leg, a tree that an adult could barely hold was broken with a single blow. A blow of a swung black dagger easily cut down a tree of similar thickness. Yeah, their power seems to be perfect. [ I see, if you''re fooled by that look, you''ll get a lot of pain. ] "Oh yeah, if it looks cute, I wonder if walking around the city won''t make an uproar." [ As expected, Kent-sama, I am impressed you were thinking so much. ] Well, actually, I just wanted fluffy genus. "OK, everyone gather!" When the command was given, the one who was the leader came out in front, and the rest were lined up in four columns. "Then, I''ll give everyone a name, you''re the leader, Art!" I''m sorry, I couldn''t think of over thirty names at once, so I added one letter to each of the beginning of the names of the kobolds in the order of AIUEO. As expected when I finished naming everyone from Art to Murt, I felt that the link became thicker. Specifically, what it feels like is that even though the kobolds have the same face I can properly distinguish their names. Of course, with Zae and the others, their faces and names can be properly distinguished. "Everyone, I''m counting on you in the future." "Yes! Goshujin-sama!"(TN:Can mean master, lord, or husband.) "Eh? Go, goshujin-sama ...?" "Yes, goshujin-sama, is my goshujin-sama." When I looked at Art who responded happily while shaking its tail, I thought it was okay. "Okay, everyone, come on!" "Wafu!" When I opened my hands and called them, I was pushed down by Art and the others and licked all over my face. It''s already the Fluffy Festival, the Fluffy Festival. It''s the best in the coming cold season ... I wonder why they''re warm even though they should be dead because they''re undead. The undead kobolds made six groups, with five in each group, and three under my direct control. I will try to combine one group for each of Zae and the others. The remaining group will be used to contact and assist Reinhardt and the others. Yeah, they look like a corps. With this number, they could guard Amanda-san''s shop while I was out, and a half-hearted opponent wouldn''t be their match. After increasing the number of genus, it was already noon, so I sneaked into the garrison of Lastock, ate a meal, and finished the care of the chairman. After this, I have to go to the guild to register Art and the others. While I''m in the guild, I had Reinhardt take command and do a movement exercise in the Devil''s Forest. It''s impossible to say that you can suddenly form a combination and move. Take the three of Mart, Mirt, and Murt and move to the guild by shadow movement, leave the three of them in the shadow world, go out from the shadow of the stairs, and head to the counter, have a chance encounter. "Yo, if it isn''t Kent ..." Ah, isn''t it the evil old man stupid parent? "He, he, hello ... Klaus-san." "Ou, I heard you rescued about 50 of your companions?" "Yes, thank you for your continued support." "Hmm ... what should I do ... it looks like there''s some bastard who is getting carried away ..." Klaus-san with his arms folded, is pretending to ponder about the future. "No, um ... the matter of Rise ..." "Aah? Rise is it?" "No, um, about Beatrice-san ... um ..." "I''ll kill you if you put your hands on her, I told you right ...?" The distance was shortened, and I inadvertently stepped back, but there was no escape as there was a wall behind me. "Yesh, but ... umm ..." "I told you, isn''t that right?" Noooo, the first Kabedon of my life, this particular case is unpleasant. Anyway, close, close, your face is too close. It was a time when I was cornered and faced a desperate pinch. "Guru ..." I heard three growls that echoed from the bottom of the stomach from nowhere. "What?" As expected, Klaus-san, who was originally an adventurer, suddenly backed off and began to look at the surroundings. "Mart, Milt, Murt, it''s okay, just wait." "Kyun ... Kyun ..." Perhaps because they were told that there was no turn, I heard a dissatisfied nasal voice. "Kent, what is this voice?" "Yes, I added undead kobolds to my genus, so I was thinking of registering them." "What is an undead kobold?" "You can think of the kobolds that have been subdued as kobold versions of Reinhardt and the others, which have been strengthened by necromancy." "Are they here?" "Yes, the three of them who report to me are here." "Okay, follow me, hey, tell Donovan to come to the drawing room." Klaus-san told the guild staff who passed by, grabbed my nape and started climbing the stairs. At Volzard, is it natural to grab and carry me by my nape? As soon as I was seated on the sofa in the drawing room, Donovan-san appeared with heavy footsteps. "You called? Hmm, Kent huh, is it about the genus?" "Oh, I came about the matter of undead kobolds." "Didn''t you say you were going to increase the number of lizardmen?" "Yes, I wanted a genus with maneuverability, so I increased the number by 33 undead kobolds." "What? Thirty-three of them, you can have so many?" "Well, I''ve increased it a lot." Even Klaus-san was surprised because he didn''t think I had increased so much. "Yes, if I increase the number, when I''m out to Resenburg, I can be notified immediately if something goes wrong at Volzard, and if there''s any news, I''ll be able to move back and deal with it." "I see, they''re messengers, bring them out a moment." "Yes, Mart, Mirt, Murt, come out." From the shadow of the sofa, the three of them popped out. "Uuu ... Goshujin-sama, is this an enemy?" "No, no, he''s someone who takes care of me, so don''t attack." "Uuu ... I understand ..." When I stroke its head, Mart squints comfotably, and Mirt and Murt also rub their heads so I stroke them. "The kobold spoke ..." "The undead lizardmen also spoke." "Seriously ..." Perhaps because they heard that Klaus-san wasn''t an enemy, Mart and the others went up to the sofa, resting their heads on my lap and leaning on my shoulders. "Hmm ... they look like a pet." "Yes, I thought about being like this when I was strengthening them." "Goshujin-sama, stroke me, stroke me." Murt is in full relax mode, showing its stomach. "Hey, is this all right?" "Of course, but when the time comes, I think they can instant kill orcs." "Seriously ... So, are you going to use these guys to finally proceed with the rescue operation?" "Yes, I''m thinking of bringing everyone to Volzard in the next operation." "After that?" "After that, depending on the negotiations with Camilla, we aim to return to our original world." "Kent, are you going back?" "That ... I''m still not sure ..." To be honest, my heart is leaning towards staying. I think in this world, I can definitely be useful. Klaus-san stared at my face, pondered for a moment, nodded a little, and then started talking. "Kent, if you say you''re going to stay in Volzard, you can think of a relationship with Beatrice ... but! You can''t touch another woman!" "Haa ... Umm, I''m not actively pursuing Beatrice ..." "What''s that, it seems that Rise isn''t attactive enough for you to put your hands on her!" "No, you said you would kill me if I put my hands on her." "Obviously, if you put your hands on her, I''ll kill you, but it''s rude not to put your hands on her." "No, I don''t understand what you''re saying, it''s troublesome." When the idiot parent said something incomprehensible, Mirt suddenly interrupted us. "Goshujin-sama is ours." "Huh ...?" "That''s right, goshujin-sama is ours so come on ..." "Yes ...?" Mart, Mirt, and Murt rub their heads against me, with a look as if its natural. Hmm? Did I make a mistake in how to strengthen them ...? "Fuhaha, yeah, you can''t help it if you have such a cute family, yeah, I''ll tell Rise to give up." "Ah ... um ... eh ..." "Kent, the notification document is okay with saying 33? Oh, and we don''t handle marriage documents in the guild." "No, I don''t mean that ... eh ..." It''s strange, I talked to Manon about the chairman, and although the number of genus increased and I should have been moving forward smoothly, I feel like I''ve taken off in the wrong direction. CH 52 Unexpected uproar ***---*** After completing the registration of the undead kobolds in the guild, I decided to return to Reinhardt and the others who were practicing in the Devil''s Forest. I went back to the place where the kobolds were, but I can''t see Reinhardt and the others. "Where did everyone go ...?" "Goshujin-sama, someone is coming." "Alright, everyone dive into the shadows." When Mart informed me, I dived into the shadow, but when I think about it, I wasn''t doing anything wrong, so I didn''t have to hide. However, since I was hidden, I will take a look at the situation. As I entered the shadows and looked down from the top of a tree, a group of five people approached. "Hey, isn''t it a mistake?" "It shouldn''t be that way, I could see people." "No, this is in the Devil''s Forest, there shouldn''t be anyone in such a place ..." "No, I''m certain I saw it, this way ..." Since they''re active in the Devil''s Forest, they are probably adventurers with appropriate skills. A petite man with short hair and a bandana on his head walks on the road while being alert of the surroundings. At first glance, the four people who follow him also seem relaxed, but occasionally they will glance around them. "Look, this tree didn''t fall down naturally." "Hey, look at this!" "This isn''t an ordinary cut ..." Yes, that''s what my genus broke or cut down to test their strength. But what are these people doing in a place like this? [ Mart, go look for everyone, let them know that there are adventurers here, I''m afraid they might attack us. ] [ Okay, goshujin-sama. ] As soon as Mart dove into the shadows to go find the others, Reinhardt returned. [ What''s wrong, Kent-sama? ] [ Yeah, when I came back after completing the registration ... ] [ Hmm, it looks like an adventurer party. ] The five adventurers are exploring the surroundings as they please. "Look, there are claw marks left at a very high position." "Oh, it''s the same here, and there are quite a few footprints left." "What''s this footprint? It''s the size of a kobold ..." "Look at this, isn''t it the footprint of a lizardman?" "Don''t be stupid, at a place like this?" "But look, are there any other monsters or wild animals with such a footprint?" The eyes of the adventurers gathered at one man. Perhaps he is in his early thirties, depending on the lighting his hair has an orange color, and he has a tail with a long bundle of hair at the tip. [ I think it''s a lion beastman, he seems considerably strong ... ] [ Is that person the leader? ] [ Probably ... ] The man, who looked like the leader, looked around again and then opened his mouth. "It''s too abnormal ... looking only here, it doesn''t look like the kobolds chased by the lizardmen ran away, but traces remain only around here." "What do you mean?" "I don''t know, this is the first time I''ve seen this situation." "Weren''t the kobolds annihilated by the lizardmen?" "If so, there should be traces of blood. I don''t think that the traces of blood should have disappeared since the footprints are so new." Reinhardt and the others were too close to Volzard here, and they were actually practicing by hunting orcs in the deeper forests to get used to actual combat. It seems that the defeated orc magic stones were taken in separately by everyone and used for strengthening. Having said that, I feel that Art and the others who have returned have a fearless look. Art brought magic stones for Mart and the other two, so while they were taking them in, I kept imagining that the cuteness wouldn''t be lost. "What should we do, Bartolo?" "That''s right ... We could go a little further, or if we go in this direction, we should reach the road, from which we can return to Volzard from the road." Apparently the leader is named Bartolo. The other two seem to be the same as or slightly weaker than Bartolo, and the last two seem to be even weaker. "How is it, does it look profitable?" "Chezari, we''re just getting started, how could we tell so easily?" Bartolo exasperatedly admonished the petite man who was walking in the lead. "Chezari, if you intend to deal with the Gigawolf, we need to take the initiative, it''s up to you, Seeker." "Well, is it okay to depend on Chezari?" "Well, isn''t it okay if in the worst case we use Chezari as the decoy and run away?" "Gahahaha, the Chibi Chezari may not be able to earn much time before he''s swallowed." The leader is Bartolo, a lion beastman, Chezari a small seeker, a beared dog beastman with a spear, a slender man with a bow, and a shaved-headed giant with a large shield. Apparently, this party is aiming for a Gigawolf. [ I wonder if the fur of the Gigawolfs that Kent-sama defeated were put up for sale, or if there was a rumor. ] [ Hunting Gigawolfs and aiming for a lot of money? ] [ There is that, but Gigawolf is a monster that you can boast about just by killing it, so it may just be for fame. ] [ Hmm ... that''s right ... ] [ Buhahaha, and there''s Kent-sama, who has killed nine Gigawolfs alone and didn''t boast to anyone. ] [ Hmm ... Isn''t it just more troublesome if I brag? ] [ Well, that''s right, but some people think that it''s the adventurer''s style to have trouble come at them. ] [ Hmm ... well, I''ll refrain from doing that. ] After leaving behind Bartolo and the others, we moved to the Devil''s Forest training ground. Since this is deep in the forest, Bartolo and the others will not come this far. Three skeletons, five undead lizardmen, thirty-three undead kobolts, my genus are all in the training ground. "Reinhardt, how is working together going?" [ Well, we''re just starting today, so it''s not perfect. ] "How many days do you need to practice to be able to participate in an actual battle?" [ The shortest is three days, but five days will likely be necessary, and if we take all possible measures, it will be a week. ] Reinhardt, who was the leader of the knights, says so, so there is no mistake, but I will also listen to the story of the side that is actually training. "What did Zae think about Art and the others?" "Well, it''s my first time to fight alongside other monsters, and I''m honestly confused." "Is it quite difficult?" "No, if it''s My King''s order, I''ll get rid of all the troubles and get it done." "Thank you, how about you Art?" "Training is fun, goshujin-sama." "Well, isn''t it difficult?" "We hunt in groups, so it doesn''t hinder us to move in groups." "Hmm? Don''t the lizardmen hunt in groups?" "Yes, it''s rare to have a group battle." The lizardmen usually hunt things that come close the waterside alone, and it seems that group battles are only held when the number of individuals increases and it rains for a long time. "Then, does that mean that the number of lizardmen has also increased?" "That right, My King." After all, the Devil''s Forest may be revitalized. "Reinhardt, it''s a training for cooperation, but can we thin out the monsters near the highway?" [ Why do you say that? ] "I''ve done two rescue operations so far, but both have been attacked by monsters." [ Yes, the first time was orcs and Gigawolfs, the second time was lizardmen and orcs, surely ... ] "When we were attacked by the lizardmen, I think it was quite dangerous, although that was affected by the weather." [ Sure, it would have been quite dangerous without Kent-sama''s help. ] "In the next operation, we will have more people and more genus, but I think it will be difficult to protect everyone." [ I see, that''s why you want to reduce the number of monsters first. ] "Oh yeah, if you want to train anyway, I think it''s better to create a foundation on which we can safely proceed with the operation." [ It''s fine, it''s easy to move anyway, let''s clear the area before the operation. ] "Then, for the next week, Reinhardt will supervise the cooperative exercises, and Fred and Basten will proceed with the preliminary research necessary to carry out the operation." [ Kent-sama, it''s finally coming to a close, let''s do our best without being impatient. ] "Yeah, I''m counting on everyone!" Immediately after being summoned by Resenburg, I was the only one who was thrown out, but now I have made such encouraging companions. If we are together, we will surely be able to rescue my classmates safely. All I have to do now is make a solid plan and put it into action. As the sun went down, I decided to return to Volzard. I decided to let Zae and Art spend their time freely around the training ground because it would be stressful if they were sitting in the shadow world. I returned to Vozlard with Reinhardt and Mart, Milt and Murt. Fred and Basten went to explore Lastock. After completing the registration, I wondered what happened to the classmates who went shopping, so I decided to stop by the garrison''s dormitory, but when I came out of the shadows of the dormitory, a noisy atmosphere surrounded me. I asked a female classmate who was nearby. "Hey, what happened?" "Oh, Kokubu-kun, somethinghappened, it''s tough, come with me! Kokubu-kun is here!" "Hey, what happened?" Since the class is different, when I was pulled by a girl who I did not know the name of, I saw classmates with serious faces in front of the garrison station. As soon as she saw me, Kobayashi-san rushed over. "Hey, where did you go, I searched for you!" "No, I just went to the forest to increase my genus, what happened?" "Something happened, because fake glasses caused a fight between Takayama and the old and new duo, it''s really tough." "Eeh ... wait, what about Kondo?" "Kondo-kun was also involved and was injured and couldn''t move." "What about Takayama?" "He''s being interrogated by the garrison people." "Eeh ... being interrogated, what did he do?" According to Kobayashi-san and the others, when they went shopping for daily necessities, there was a quarrely between boys of the same age in Volzard, and from there it developed into a brawl, and they were injured because they used weapons and magic, and the store was half burned down. "Are you kidding? Really?" "Does it look like we''re joking?" "Are the girls okay?" "We won''t do something so stupid, right?" "What about the boys?" "Everyone is detained and most of them seem to be injured ..." "Jeez, this is stupid ... I''ll put an end to it ..." "So what are you going to do?" "I wonder what I should do ..." I just came back feeling good about the prospect of the rescue operation, and I can''t think of any countermeasures. While I was at a loss, Kartz-san came out of the station and seemed to come find me. "Sorry, Kartz-san, it seems that my classmates have caused trouble ..." "Kent, it might be a bit of a problem ..." According to Kartz-san, various people gather in Volzard, in order to enter the Devil''s Forest, so sometimes it can lead to a brawl. However, even if it becomes a brawl, there is something like an unwritten rule that weapons and magic are not used, and thanks to that, it seems that it is not a big fuss like this time. Since a stranger who just came yesterday caused a brawl using weapons and magic, repulsion is beginning to spread among the people in the city. "We know that Kent saved the city from the rock ogres, but the people in the city don''t ... and even if we talk, it''s Kent''s personal achievement, so it won''t help those who have caused the uproar. "That''s right ... That''s right, the other people are also injured, right?" "Well, the injuries are only minor bruises and cuts, and they aren''t terrible things that hinder your life, but the shoe store is half burned down and the products are almost ruined ..." "Kartz-san, can you take me to that shop?" "What are you going to do?" Kartz-san asks with a suspicious expression. "Apologize for first, if the store is closed, they will need money for the time being, so I will pay the money I have and then pay for the damage to the store''s products and buildings separately." "Hmm ... but Kent, is that something you should have to do?" "But my classmates don''t have money, and the shop staff will be in trouble ..." "Yes ... I see, let''s go together." "I''m sorry, this actually happened ..." Kartz-san patted my shoulder, but I was ashamed and couldn''t raise my face. The site where I went with Kartz-san was terrible. The front side of the shoe store is burnt down, and there is a burning smell around it. Inside the store, there are many burnt-out building materials and burnt shoes that I think were the products, and they are soaked in water. At the shoe store, Kartz-san called out to a middle-aged man who was stunned. "Marcel-san ... are you okay?" "Ah, Kartz-san ... I''m not okay, what should I do starting tomorrow ..." "Kent, this is Marcel-san, the owner of the shoe store." "Kartz-san, who is this child ...?" "He''s an acquaintance of the kids from earlier ..." "Aah? A companion of that damned brat!" As soon as he heard about my identity, Marcel-san''s eyes, and his shoulders that were drooped in disappointment, lifted. It''s only natural since he was forced into such a terrible situation. "I''m sorry! I''m really sorry." "Hey ... what are you doing ..." I knelt on the water-soaked road from extinguishing the fire and bowed my head to the ground forcefully plunging my forehead into a puddle. "I''m sorry for the inconvenience, I will surely compensate you for the damages to the store, I''m really sorry." "Is it really possible for a child like you to reimburse me for that? Rumor has it that you just came from somewhere else." "I will definitely prepare the money, so please forgive us, we have nowhere to go if we are kicked out of Volzard. So please, please forgive us." "Don''t be foolish! How hard do you think it was to get this store to this point! Don''t think I''ll forgive you just because you ask me to forgive you!" "I''m sorry, I''m really sorry, I''m still a kid and I don''t know how hard it is to make the store bigger. I can only prepare money, but please ... Guu." My head which is doing a dogeza is trampled and my forehead is pressed against the bottom of the puddle. "Don''t be stupid, Don''t think you''ll be forgiven just because you pay!" "Marcel-san, don''t be like that ..." "Why, Kartz-san, are you on the side of such a kid? It''s the job of the garrison to protect the outsiders and the people in the city!" "Marcel-san, this Kent is a benefactor of Volzard." "Huh? This kind of kid is a benefactor?" "Ah, Kent is a dark magician, and it''s the skeletons that Kent uses that repelled the group of rock ogres that attacked the other day ..." "A child like this ...?" "Believe it or not, this is the truth, without him, at worst the city of Volzard could have been overrun by rock ogres." "But ... I don''t want to be paid by such a child ..." "He can use such powerful monsters, he can defeat monsters and collect the magic stones, and I''ve known Kent since he came to the city, but he''s a serious and reliable boy. Marcel, I''m asking you, please forgive him." "Well, well ... It can''t be helped if Kartz-san says so much ... but I''ll get you to pay exactly what you should pay!" "Yes, that ... this is an apology for the inconvenience, please use it for the time being." With my head down, I handed out a bag containing the 10,000 Helts I had prepared. "You, this ..." "The reimbursement of the shop will be paid separately, please accept it." "Ah ... I see, I see, if you look like that, I''ll look like a bad guy, it''s annoying! Go home!" "Yes, I would like to apologize again, I''m really sorry." Once again, I bowed my head enough to plunge my forehead into the puddle and then when I got up, Marcel-san was gone. "Kent, go back to the garrison''s dormitory and wash off the mud ..." "Yes, I''m sorry, I''ll be in your care ..." "Marcel-san has just had such a thing happen, so he can''t organize his feelings and I think he couldn''t control his emotions." "Yes ... I know." "I think it''s better to talk in the future when he''s a little calmer." "Yes, I will ..." I sat down on the ground, and although I was dirty myself, I was sad and tears overflowed. When I tried to wipe my tears, the mud seemed to get into my eyes, and I was shedding tears I didn''t know since I was wet, but I couldn''t stop sobbing. "Uu ... Uguuu ... Uuuuu ..." Even though I''ve been struggling to get my classmates accepted, I get the illusion that it burned down with the store. Kartz-san firmly held and supported my shoulders, not caring if his uniform got dirty. I borrowed the bath in the garrison''s dormitory and changed into clothes taken out of the shadow storage. I''ve washed away the dirt, but I''m not feeling refreshed at all. Still, I couldn''t help but head to the building where the boys were detained. The boys in my class are placed in three prisons after being treated for wounds. "Uuu ... ouch ... ouch ..." "Damnit, don''t screw around ..." "Oi! Quickly let us out of here!" From the voices leaking out of the prison, I can''t feel any fragment of reflection. When Kartz-san accompanied me and I entered the building where the prison was, everyone''s eyes turned to me at once. "Ah, Kokubu! What have you been doing!" "Hey, tell them to let me out soon!" "Kokubu, this happened because you didn''t properly prepare ..." Yagi, Furuta, and Takayama all say whatever they want, and it''s okay for me to be angry. "Noisy! Shut up, you idiots!" While yelling as hard as I could, I kicked the bars of the prison with all my might, and the idiots became quiet. "Don''t saying anything without knowing how much I''ve bowed and how hard I''ve been struggling to get you accepted! Don''t be foolish!" I think it''s the first time in my life that I''ve shouted so much. "Your treatment is left to the garrison! I warned you to strictly adhere to the laws of Volzard here!" "Oh, what are you talking about ..." "Shut up! Shut up! I''m talking now, don''t but in!" Because fake glasses was about to say something foolish, I shouted at him and silenced him. "I will compensate the shoe store that was burned by the fire. Instead, I will stop providing any assistance to the thirty boys here. The house you live in and the money you eat with are up to you. Do something about it!" "That''s ridiculous, how are we supposed to live?" "Shut up! Think for yourself, there''s no reason to rely on me for everything and take care of you! If you don''t like it so much, put on the slave bracelet and go back to Lastock. Would you like to be used by Camilla and die in the Devil''s Forest? You should be grateful that you were released form slavery and I created a situation where you could work and earn money!" Once again, I kicked the prison bars as hard as I could before heading to the exit. "Hey, wait a minute, wait ... hey, Kokubu!" Fake glasses was screaming, but I went out of the building without listening. I''m going to talk to the girls, then go to Donovan-san to apologize and report to the chairman ... I have to go to Klaus-san to apologize. I wasked Kartz-san to go to the conference room where all the girls were waiting, but on the way I lost my energy and sat down against the wall of the dormitory. Oh, I want you to forgive me. "Goshujin-sama, are you okay ...?" "Cheer up ..." "We are here ..." Perhaps they confirmed that there was no one around, and Mart, Mirt, and Murt came out of the shadows and licked my face. Even though I unbearably shed tears, the three of them licked it. I hugged Mirt in front of me tightly and had Fluffy heal me. I think I can do my best a little longer. CH 53 The people who support me ***---*** As expected, or rather as a matter of course, all the girls used up the 3,000 Helts I gave them. It goes without saying who is the mastermind. "I will bear the expenses related to living in the temporary dormitory of the garrison and the expenses for the dining room, but I think I can''t afford any other money ..." When I talked to the girls who had gathered in the conference room about future support, Kobayashi-san asked me a question. "About that, the boys ... isn''t it Takayama''s fault, is Kokubu bearing the compensation costs for the burned shop?" "Yes, I think I probably have enough with putting all the money I have, but I still don''t know how much I''ll be charged, so I can''t afford the extra money." "But is it something Kokubu should have to bear?" "Of course, that''s not true." "If so, shouldn''t you let the boys pay for it and support the girls according to the original idea?" "Hmm ... do you really think I can do that?" "Uh ... anyway, that''s my thought." It''s not the girls responsibility, so they''re feeling upset and the response is inevitable. "As Donovan-san said this morning, we aren''t welcome. And yet, if we make such a fuss and don''t make a proper apology and compensation, we can''t complain if we''re really thrown out. I wonder if you can throw away irresponsible thoughts ..." Looking around at the faces of the girls who gathered in the conference room, it seems that half of the faces are reflecting, and the other half are wondering why they are victims ... "Sure, we were summoned by Camilla against our will, but it has nothing to do with the people of the city of Volzard, and whether we hate it or not, Until I find out how to return to the original world, we have no choice but to live here ..." It seems that there are more than 30% of the people who show a sulky expression even if they understand how the words connect to the current situation. I''m really thinking about throwing everything away, giving up on going home, and living freely in Volzard. "That''s my idea, but do you have any questions?" "That ... horse riding training ..." Sakurai-san seems to like horseback riding a lot, but I wonder if I can live up to her expectations. "Sorry, you''ll have to negotiate that yourself, because I need to concentrate on the rescue operation for everyone else." "I understand ... I''m sorry ..." "If you don''t have any other questions ... I''m going to leave." When I told the dekoboko sisters, Motomiya-san, and Sagara-san I was leaving the conference room, I immediately heard voices of complaint, but I ignored them and entered the world of shadows. Now I have to go to the guild and apologize to Donovan-san. I can''t deal with spoiled brats. When I go to the guild, Donovan-san is working alone as usual, but I feel that the pile of documents piled up on the desk is higher than usual. There''s no need to guess why, it''s probably due to the brawl. "I''m sorry ..." "Kent ..." "Yes, I''m sorry for the inconvenience." "Hmm ... I''m sure it''s an inconvenience, but it''s not your responsibility." "But ... it happened because of the guys I brought ..." "You take too much responsibility for everything. Before the registration process, I warned them so much and they still caused trouble, I hope they''re resolved ..." "No, I don''t think they''re resolved ... umm, just not expulsion ..." I begged him while bowing so deeply my forehead reached the level of my knees. "Hmm ... it depends on their attitude. In Volzard, at your age, you have the same responsibilities as adults. Are you allowed to wield weapons and cast magic in the city? You can guess whether that will be forgiven or not." "Yes, I''m not saying that they''re not guilty, and I hope they will be rigorously dealt with in accordance with Volzard''s law, but if possible, please refrain from explusion." I bowed deeply while asking again. If we were to be expelled, I would have to search for a place to stay before returning to the original world. Funayama can''t be brought back already, and I don''t want to increase the number of people who can''t go back any more. "Kent, I can''t decide until I hear from Klaus." "Yes ... I''m aware, I''m sorry." "I will consider it ... but don''t expect too much." "Yes, thank you ... and I would like to apologize to Klaus-san ..." "Well, show up at the start of the week, before noon on fire day. He should be in the guild at that time." "Yes, I understand, I will do that." "Kent, don''t do anything during tomorrow''s rest day, hold a kobold and sleep, you''re doing well enough, you konw." "Yes ... yes ... excuse me." It was simple words, but I couldn''t stand the words of Donovan-san, who was being compassionate, and I almost cried, so I hurriedly dove into the shadows. Perhaps they were listening to Donovan-san, Mart, Mirt, and Murt approached while wagging their tailes. "Goshujin-sama, will you be with me all day tomorrow?" "Can you hug me?" "Pats, pat me a lot!" "That''s right, let''s relax tomorrow." "Yay! Relax, relax!" Watching Mart and the others running around calms my nerves. After this, once I take care of the chairman, today''s quota is over. Tomorrow, as Donovan-san says, I''ll sleep while Fluffing Mart and the others. I moved to Lastock and joined up with Fred and Basten. [ Kent-sama ... you should take a rest ... ] [ Yes, Kent-sama has a hard time because of those guys. ] [ Yeah, but the chairman has nothing to do with the uproar, and she''s doing her best here ... ] Normally, I''ll be watching the chairman as I wait for Erna to leave, but tonight I had Fred watch for me and decided to bide the time with Mart and the others. The three of them approached me when I sat down and rubbed against me quickly. Even though it''s the result of my imagination, it''s soothing to feel such an exquisite fluffy feeling. [ Kent-sama ... the caretaker went out ... ] [ Okay, everyone wait here ... ] Leaving Mart and the others in the shadow world I enter the chairman''s room. "Good evening ... Yuika." "Kent ...? What happened?" "Eh ... why?" "Your ovice seems to be very tired ..." It''s no good, it''s not the time to care for the chairman. "Yeah, actually ..." I wasn''t confident that I could deny the chairman''s worries and deceive her, so I talked about the brawl. "I can''t belive it! They''re so stupid!" "Sorry, I took my eyes off them ..." "No! Kent isn''t bad at all, so ... Uuu ... Kent is doing his best every day ... Uuu ..." The chairman hugged me tightly and cried for me. I also put my arms around the chairman''s back and hug her in return. "Thank you ... Thank you, Yuika." "I''m sorry, I''ve left it all to Kent ..." "Yeah, I''m not alone, there are lots of encouraging genus." "Genus ...?" I talked to the chairman about Reinhardt and the other members of my genus. "It''s okay because someone will always be with me." "Alway ... even now?" "Yeah, Basten, Mart, Mirt, Murt, come out." "Eh ..." The titanium-colored skeleton that came out of the shadows does a knight salute, and Mart and the others look enviously at the chairman who is hugging me. "So cute ..." "I know, right?" "Umm, can I touch them?" "Yeah, it''s okay." "Wow ..." The chairman, who started walking with a wobbly gait, walked straight up to Basten. "That one!?" "Eh? Because it''s so cute, wow, this looks like metal, is it?" It seems that Basten is confused because he was said to be cute. "Basten was the commander of the knights and was a master of spears, I strenghened him with the image of sandblasted titanium." "Wow, so cute!" Yeah, I don''t really understand the standard of cuteness of the chairman who looks at Basten with glittering eyes. "Goshujin-sama, is this female goshujin-sama''s woman?" "Um ... Um, she''s not my woman yet, but she''s an important person." "Uuu ... Then, is she our rival?" "Fufu, she''s the same important person as everyone else." "Wafu, then she''s a companion." It seems that Mart and the others, who had been a little cautious until then, wagged their tails and accepted the chairman ... But the chairman is obsessed with Basten. [ Kent-sama, do you know this is a little embarrassing ... ] [ Yeah, sorry Basten, be patient a little more. ] "Hey Kent, why doesn''t Basten fall apart?" "Hmm ... because he''s a skeleton? Something magical is working?" "Wow ... Hey, Kent, is Basten strong?" "He''s already, another dimension level? Maybe even if all the knights here attack him, I don''t think they''d be able to win." "Hey ... eh?" Suddenly, the chairman turned around and stared at me. "Hey Kent, what are you going to do with the knights here when you rescue us? Will you kill them?" "No, I just use medicine to put them to sleep." "Hmm ... good, I wondered what to do if I was told you would kill them all." "If I kill the knights, there will be no one to protect the city." The chairman nodded sharply when I said that the Devil''s Forest had bee active since the outbreak of rock ogres, and that if monsters rushed across the river, only the knights could protect the city. "Since I have increased the number of genus, I don''t have to rely on everyone else I rescued, so I plan to resuce everyone here in about a week." "Kent, what about the teachers?" "It''s okay, I know where they are, and I''m planning to rescue everyone all at once." "That''s good, as expected of Kent, isn''t it?" The chairman left Basten and hugged me again. "I will let you know when the detailed plan and the date to carry out the operation are decided." "Okay, I''ll tell everyone to be prepared to escape at any time without giving up hope." "But don''t let the Resenburg guys notice you." "Yeah, I''ll be careful ..." The chairman, who gently closed her eyes, put her head on my shoulder. [ Kent-sama ... the caretaker is back ... ] "Yuika, I''m leaving because Erna is back ..." "Yeah, I''ll be waiting ..." I untied my arms from around the chairman''s back and dived into the shadow with Basten and the others. It was a short time, but thanks to spending time with the chairman, I feel that my rough heart has returned to normal. I have reassuring genus, and I also have the chairman and Manon, so I have no reason to be depressed. When I returned to Volzard, the boarding house was already asleep. Amanda-san may have been worried when she heard about the uproar, so I have to apologize tomorrow morning. [ Welcome back, Kent-sama, Amanda-san was worried about you. ] [ I know, I will explain properly tomorrow. ] [ That''s good. ] [ Yeah, I''m really tired today ... ] [ After all, there is no need to help such an idiot. ] [ Yeah, I''m not going to help anymore because my patience has run out. ] [ That''s fine, tomorrow is rest day, so let''s rest a little. ] [ Yeah, I''ll do that ... ] When I dive into the bed of the small boarding house room, the blanket is really cold. Yeah, I need a hot water bottle here. [ Come, Mart ... ] [ Wafu ... ] I fall asleep while holding Mart that came into my futon. It''s fluffy, and I think it''s due to the image I had at the time of strengthening that it''s warm. In the future, let''s Fluff with the rotation of Mart, Mirt, and Murt. But summer is a little ... right. The next morning, I woke up before being awakened by Reinhardt because I went to sleep early. On the narrow bed, I was sandwiched between Mart and Murt, and Mirt is curled up at my feet. Yeah, it was a failure to not explain the orde. It''s still a little early, but let''s get up. "Hmm ... Yeah, thank you everyone, go back to the shadows." "Wafu, pet me ... Goshujin-sama!" "Yes, I''ll pet you a lot later." I sent Mart and the others back into the shadows and suddenly checked the bed, but yeah, lost hair hasn''t fallen. This is, in a sense, an ideal pet. They understand words, they''re strong, fast, fluffy, there is nothing more to say. When I left the room, it seems that Amanda-san has already started to prepare, and a good smell rises from downstairs. "Good morning, Amanda-san." "Ah, Kent, are you okay?" "I''m sorry, my classmates seemed to cause a turmoil, so I''m sorry." "So, you didn''t get hurt?" "Yes, I was in another place, so I came back only after the turmoil was over." "Oh ... yes, I am relieved to hear that." Amanda-san seems to be relieved from the bottom of her heart, and I''m really sorry for worrying her so much. "Umm ... Amanda-san, are there rumors?" It seems that the situation is not good if you see Amanda-san''s facial expression cloud over as soon as I ask. "It''s not uncommon for people to fight, and everyone has their own limits." "Yes, I heard form Kartz-san." "They swung their weapons around ... well, it''s like being hurt when being robbed, so it''s still okay." "Ah ... the shoe store, right?" "Yes, it''s a bit unforgivable to use magic in the city that causes trouble and damage to those around you." Even if she thinks Takayama is dead, it is natural that Camilla is not disappointed at all. I''m not a madman, but I can only think of God''s harassment as to why Takayama had such a strong magical quality. "Hmm ... that idiot, what is he doing, really, I told him not to cause trouble ..." "Well, no one would tell you to leave Kent, but you should expect it to be a bit rough for the other guys." "Hmm ... that''s right." I told all the girls yesterday that it would be difficult for me to give any more help, but in a situation where it might be difficult to find a job if you''re not good at it, I may have to continue to help. "But now, Kent didn''t do anything wrong, isn''t it strange that Kent has to apologize?" "Meisa-chan, that''s right, but I''m the one who brought the guys who made the uproar yesterday to Volzard, so I''m still responsible." "But Kent protected the city, didn''t he?" "Yeah, but it was Reinhardt who protected the city ..." "But if Kent didn''t come to Volzard, wouldn''t Reinhardt oji-chan and the others have not come to Volzard?" "Yeah, well, that''s right." "It''s weird! It''s absolutely weird that Kent is apologizing!" When I saw Meisa-chan stomping on the ground and getting angry with puffed cheeks, I almost spilled tears again. "It''s okay, we know that Kent is doing his best ..." Meline-san also hugged me tightly. "Come on, let''s have breakfast, because we''re still open today!" There are so many people who are worried and support me even if something really bad happens, so much that my heart is about to break. So I have to do my best. If our relationship breaks or emotions get worse, I can repair and rebuild it. We''re not dead, and there''s still a way to start over, so don''t give up. I''ll eat breakfast well and do my best today as well. CH 54 A busy day of rest ***---*** Today is rest day, so I thought I''d relax for a day, but I changed my schedule and decided to move. If there is something I can do, I shouldn''t waste time resting. The first place I went to was Marcel-san''s shop, which was burnt down during the turmoil yesterday. It''s rest day, and it''s still early in the morning, so there aren''t any people around, but Marcel-san, who looks like he''s at a loss as to what to do, is standing there. To be honest, it takes courage to talk, but if I''m shy here, the situation won''t change. I will take the plunge and call out. "Good morning, Marcel-san." "Hmm? Why are you here, yesterday''s boy?" "Yes, I was wondering if I could help with cleaning up." "Well, I don''t know where to start, so I don''t need anyone to help. Or rather, what happened to the person who burned the store down in the first place?" "Yes, everyone involved in the turmoil are in the garrison''s prison." "Well ... why are you not in there?" "I was outside the city when there was the turmoil ..." "You weren''t part of the turmoil yesterday?" "Yes, I wasn''t involved in the turmoil." "Then why did you apologize?" "That is ..." I was a little lost, so I talked to Marcel-san about the history of our past, including being summoned and having my classmates deceived and detained, and how I still have to rescue the rest of my classmates and have them accepted by the city. "Stupid kid! Why did you keep silent about such an important thing!" "Sorry, I''m sorry ..." "Ah, enough already ..." Marcel-san bowed to me after scratching his head. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know, but I did too much yesterday, please forgive me." "That alright ... Please raise your head, Marcel-san." "About Kent, I can''t immediately forgive what your friends did, but I don''t resent you." "But it happened because I brought them to Volzard." Marcel-san changed the topic a little after glancing at my face. "Kent, you, have you done jobs at the guild?" "Yes, I''ve done a lot of work." "What kind of work have you done so far?" "Um ... I participated in the harvesting work at the livre farm, the shipment work at the Garm potato warehouse, the apprenticeship of the gardener, and the castle wall construction once." "Well, you''ve done a lot of work, right?" "Yes, thanks to everyone, I''ve learned a lot." "Kent, the one who finds a job, completes that job, and lives on his own is recognized as a full-fledged person in Volzard. When you register with the guild and get a card, you''re alone. It''s like proclaiming that you''re going to work and live here. Why do you feel responsible about other people making a fuss when you''re not there? For example, you brought them to the guild. And yet, you feel responsible for their actions." I think it''s exactly what Marcel-san says. But in front of the burnt down store, yes ... I can''t say that. "But ... if the store is in this state ..." "Hmm ... that''s right, let the people who were involved in the turmoil take responsibility ... Or so I say, but I wonder what to do ..." Marcel-san folded his arms and looked up at the burnt shop, with a clouded expression. When I looked at the store beside Marcel-san, Reinhardt made a suggestion. [ Kent-sama, why don''t you lend money? ] [ Lending, lending money? ] [ Yes, how about Kent-sama lends the money needed for reconstruction and immediate needs to Marcel without interest, and Marcel pays back when the compensation from your classmates is received? ] [ I see ... but I wonder if those idiots will pay up? ] [ That''s right, then I wonder if you should keep it a secret that he owes Kent-sama. ] [ I see ... ] Without the funds to rebuild the store, Marcel-san wouldn''t be able to make a living. However, it takes too much time for the boys in my class to repay him. However, if I repay him in secret, Marcel-san will not have any trouble with funds. "Oh, Marcel-san, I have a suggestion ..." "Suggestion? Kent, you can''t say you''re paying." "Yes, I understand that ..." When I talked about lending in place of my classmates in secret, Marcel-san thought with a bitter expression. "Honestly, it would be great if you could lend to me, but do you have that kind of money in the first place?" "Yes, my genus are powerful and I make a lot of money subduing monsters, so I have money after selling magic stones and other materials. I can''t use all of it, and use it for the living expenses of my classmates." "Is that so ... I wonder if I should ask, but I''ll have the guild act as an intermediary." "The guild is it?" "Ah, you can get a loan from the guild, but you can also have the guild take on a role of an intermediary to prevent troubles with lending and borrowing personal funds." "Okay, then ... oh, today is a guild holiday, they''ll be back tomorrow, can you go with me?" "Kent, that''s what I should be asking, well, thank you." "Yes, thank you for your cooperation." I feel that I managed to repair the relationship by shaking hands with Marcel-san. "By the way, Marcel-san, this shop has to be destroyed to be rebuilt, right?" "That''s right ... It would be difficult to repair it if it is burned so much." Marcel''s two-story store is in a state where the front side is burnt down and the rear half is somewhat whole. "Of course it costs money to tear down, right?" "Well, that''s right, it doesn''t cost money to dispose of the dismantled building materials due to the labor cost of dismantling." "Can I do it?" "Huh? How would you do it?'' "Well, using my genus, I can do it all at once ..." "Dahahaha, you can do it if you really can." "Then, can you bring out just the things that you will still use? I''ll help you." "Well, I have to carry it out anyway, can you help me a little?" After that, Marcel-san and I carried out everything that could still be used, the neighbors helped us and we were able to finish carrying everything out before noon. "Marcel-san, do you have anything else to carry out?" "Oh, this is the last, I was saved, that''s right, I can''t just stay looking at it, I have to do what I can do from here." "Then, is it okay to start?" "Dahahaha, good, if you can, do it, it will help." Yeah, Marcel-san, you don''t think I''m serious about it at all, but let''s get rid of it all at once. [ Then, Reinhardt, I''ll put out a shield of darkness, so you can smash everything and move it into the shadow world. ] [ Okay, let''s get rid of everything at once. ] [ Yeah, I''m counting on you. ] "Then, Marcel-san, could you back away a little?" "Oh, what are you going to do?" "Yes, umm ... then everyone get started." At the same time as giving a signal to everyone, I wrapped Marcel-san''s shop with a dark shield. If it''s like this, the debris will not fly and damage the next building. "Oh? What''s this, what''s going on, Kent?" "Yes, I surrounded it with dark magic so as to not bother your neighbors." It seems that the work has begun, and a tremendous destructive sound is heard. Yeah, everyone seems to be doing it without holding back, so let''s close the top as well. "Whoa!, that''s some incredible noise, Kent, is that the doing of your genus?" "Yes, I don''t think it will take long because my genus are all demolishing it." "Huh? You weren''t kidding?" "Well, is there something I shouldn''t demolish?" "No, it''s okay, but your genus ..." "Yes, I can use the demons I subdued using necromancy." [ Kent-sama, it''s over, I''ll pile up the waste wood in the corner of the training ground during the night. ] [ Okay, thank you everyone. ] Upon receiving the news from Reinhardt, I released the shield of darkness, and the place where Marcel-san''s shop was located became a clean and refreshing vacant lot. "Ehhh ... hey, this ..." "Hey, Marcel-san, what''s going on?'' "Hey, the store is gone!" Not only the owner of the store, Marcel-san, but also the neighbors who helped carry out the luggage are looking wide-eyed. "Umm ... wasn''t it ...?" "No ... I don''t know ..." Marcel-san looks at his neighbors and doesn''t know how to react. "Then, why don''t we have lunch with everyone who helped us? I''ll treat you." "Hey, don''t be stupid, you can''t just take care of me and buy me a meal, but I''ll pay, oh, everyone come, I''m restarting my economy!" When Marcel-san raised a shout, the frozen neighbors finally thawed out. "Oh, excellent, Marcel-san is no longer looking dispirited." "That''s right, if it becomes a vacant lot, there is no reason not to rebuild it." "If it''s just a building, it''ll be built within two weeks, during which time it''s okay to rent somewhere and prepare for sale." At lunch with the neighbors, I was naturally interrogated. It''s become a hassle to hide various things, so I talked about everything I was asked, including being summoned. "Kent, it''s like you''re fighting with Resenburg alone, right?" "No, I''m not alone, because i have my reassuring genus." "Genus is it ... Kartz-san said that it was the skeletons used by Kent that repelled the group of rock ogres, but that was true." "Yes, they were active in the dismantling work a while ago." "By the way, you''re also the one who was kissed by Beatrice-chan in the middle of the road." "Eeh .. that is ..." I decided to talk about everything, but that topic is ... "Well, Kent, you can''t just be put in the corner ..." "No, no, Marcel-san, this boy, Beatrice-chan isn''t the only one, he also brought another child with short light blue hair." "Haa? Hey Kent, what''s he talking about?" "Uee ... that is, that is ..." As I was dripping cold sweat being interrogated by everyone in the shopping district, the sound of a signal bell echoed. Kankankan, kankankan, kankankan ... As with the rock ogres, it is the sound of a bell signaling the approach of a horde of monsters. [ Kent-sama, a horde of orcs. ] [ Great, because I''ve been having money issues, so let''s clean this up quickly. ] [ Buhahaha, that''s right, then I''ll go first. ] [ Yeah, I''m counting on you. ] The people in the shopping district who were present hurried back to close their stores. "Hey Kent, a horde of monsters, we should evacuate." "Oh, it''s okay, my genus will subdue them quickly." "Huh? Don''t say that, you''re no match for them, we should evacuate." "No, it''s impossible for my genus to lose to such a thing as orcs, and I''m going to watch over them, so I''m sorry, but Marcel-san, please evacuate alone." "Are you going to the front line to watch over them?" "Yes, it''s okay, even if I look like this, I''m strong." "Idiot, anyone who isn''t C rank or higher won''t be called." "Yes, I''m B rank." As I continued to be asked and answer questions from Marcel-san, Mart popped out of the shadow. "Goshujin-sama, if you don''t go soon, it will be over." "Okay, I''m going now." "Wow, Kent, what''s that ... it talked ..." "Yes, it''s okay because it''s my genus, so I''m sorry." "Hey ... eh ..." I don''t have the time, so I moved into the shadows in front of Marcel-san. I moved to the shadow of the wall and looked outside, but it looks like a one-sided murder. Alto and the others surround the horde of orcs and drive them towards the center, where Zae and the others swing their Kukri knives to decapitate the orcs before them. As the number of orcs dimished and the circle surrouding the pack shrank, Reinhardt gave instructions, and this time Alto and the others began to wield their weapons. [ Ah ... orcs aren''t even a match at all. ] [ Whose fault is that, Buhahaha, who is the person who strengthened them so much? ] [ Yeah, it''s me, but it''s amazing ... I''m amazed. ] The adventurers who were taking up arms on the wall also seem to be taken aback. "What''s with those kobolds, they''re too fast and too strong." "Wow ... I''m sorry, that lizardman, I can''t see its weapon move ..." "Hey, are they on our side? They won''t attack us, right?" "Don''t say stupid, scary things, you know, no matter which way, you''re not their match." "Wow ... I have a little sympathy for the orcs." While listening to the reaction of the people on the walls, the orcs were steadily reduced in number, crushed and annihilated. [ Reinhardt, help me collect all the magic stones. ] [ Okay, this will make you wealthy even if you cover the construction costs of the shoe store. ] [ Yeah, it looks like the orcs brought me money. Tell everyone to wash off the blood before they return. ] [ I understand, what about Kent-sama? ] [ Yeah, I''m going to report to Donovan-san. ] There was no figure of Donovan-san on the wall. Perhaps ... I looked into the guild and saw Donovan-san sitting at his desk and drinking tea in a relaxed manner. "Somehow he can afford it ..." "Oh, have you come, well, sit there." Donovan-san pointed with his chin to the chair he had prepared in front of his desk and began pouring tea into the cup he had prepared again. Kan, Kan ... I heard the sound of a relaxed bell. "Did you get rid of the orcs?" "Yes, I have already started collecting the magic stones." "It looks like you''re doing the demolition work of buildings, well, drink ..." "I''ll have it then ... oh, it''s delicious ..." "Hmm ..." The tea brewed by Donovan-san has a very nice armoa and less astringency, and a faint sweetness spreads in my mouth. It is a taste that I can not think that Donovan-san, who seems able to twist and kill an orc with his bare hands, has brewed. "Kent, are you thinking something rude?" "Wow, that''s ridiculous ..." "Hmm, well, I''m sorry despite telling you yesterday that you should rest, but I''m saved." "No, I''m going to spend a lot of money, so it was just right." "Fufu, yeah, I think it''s a good job for you." "But after all there were a lot of orcs." "Hmm, how many were there?" "Um ... how many?" I couldn''t tell at first glance, so I asked Reinhardt, who was hiding in the shadows. [ It''s roughly between 300 and 400. ] "It seems to be between 300 and 400." "Really ..." Donovan-san was thinking for a while with his arms crossed. "Kent, when are you planning the rescue?" "Yes, I''m aiming for about a week, but why?" "Um, I feel that the activity in the Devil''s Forest this time is quite large." "Really?" "Yeah, rock ogres and orcs, all over 200 in a pack, and besides that, lizardmen and Gigawolfs ... I feel like there''s still something coming, be careful." "What is it, thousands or tens of thousands of monsters?" "I don''t want to think about it, but if I don''t prepare for it, we will be wiped out in the unlikely event of it happening." After saying such, Donovan-san carried the cup to his mouth to enjoy the scent. "But how do tens of thousands of monsters occur?" "Well, I don''t know everything about monsters, but I can say that most of the parts I guess are like this." Recalling when I was in Japan, it''s not uncommon for tens of thousands of spectators to gather in baseball and soccer games, 100,000 in a concert, and even more in big events. With that in mind, it may not be strange for thousands or tens of thousands of monsters to gather. "I heard that only kobolds and goblins gather in tens of thousands ..." "That''s in past examples, but it cannot e said that it is absolute." "Is it possible to have orcs, ogres, or Gigawolfs?" "I don''t want to think about it, but ... I don''t feel like I''d be much help if there are a lot of Gigawolfs." Having said that, Donovan-san isn''t breaking his fearless expression, so even in such a situation, he''ll see it through until the end. "Kent ..." "Yes, what?" "Stay in Volzard." The words that were casually thrown were predictable, but I couldn''t answer immediately. "I know you have a situation, I can''t prepare anything to keep you here. Still, I ask, stay in Volzard." "Well ... let me think about it." "Well, I wish you could have answered immediately ..." Before I knew it, the sound of the bells stopped, the guild on holiday was quiet, and I could hear the buzz of the city from a distance. Resenburg that abandoned me, Volzard that accepted me, Japan where I was only treated as a useless person, I should not have to think about where I belong, but I could not say it right now. "The idiots you brought, I decided to force them to work." "Forced labor is ... the city wall?" "Yes, I''ll give them a difference in the number of days depending on the crime, but I''ll try to figure out what it means to work." "I''m sorry, thank you." "After you finish drinking, go home and rest, you''re overworked." "Yes ... thanks for the drink." It''s the least convincing word, but I decided to obediently follow it. After drinking the slightly cold tea, I went straight back to the boarding house room in the shadows. Let''s enjoy the Fluffy time until dinner. CH 55 The beginning of a new month ***---*** It''s fire day the beginning of the week, the first of November today, let''s go about with a complete change of mood. After breakfast, I went to the site of Marcel-san''s shop. Today is when we go to the guild together and have them mediate the loan process. I was wondering if I was a little early, but Marcel-san is already at the vacant lot where the store was. Marcel-san seems to be meeting with another middle-aged man with a good physique. "Good morning, Marcel-san." "Oh Kent, good morning, you''re early." "No, isn''t Marcel-san earlier?" "That''s because it''s my store, so I guess I was impatient." Marcel-san looks so lively that it doesn''t seem like he''s the same person who was staring at the burnt down shop. "Marcel, who is this boy?" "Oh, yeah, why don''t I introduce you, Kent, this guy is Herman, a friend who is a carpenter." "Good morning, I''m Kent." "Ah, good morning ... So, Marcel, who is this kid?" "Oh, this Kent is ... the guardian deity of Volzard!" "Huh? What are you talking about when you say guardian deity?" Herman-san has a stunned look at Marcel-san''s words. "Hmm, well, you can''t tell by his looks, but Herman, it''s this Kent who repelled the monsters that have been attacking in quick succession these past days!" "Hey, Marcel are you okay? Did the store burning down make you go crazy?" "Well, it''s hard to believe, but it''s true that Kent is the guardian deity of Volzard." "Hmm ... this boy is ..." It''s no wonder that Herman-san, who is a carpenter and has a muscular body and is taller than me, can''t believe the story when he looks at me. "Marcel-san, are you already working on rebuilding the store?" "Oh, that''s right, since Kent cleaned up the burnt down store, all we have to do is build it." "Hey, Marcel, the one who cleaned up the burnt shop ... is this boy?" "That''s right, it was amazing, a black wall suddenly appeared with a bang, there was crashing, a loud cracking was heard, what''s this wall, what''s that noise ...? I asked Kent to explain, and the store was gone while I was listening to him." "Huh? You ... are you really okay?" Marcel-san seems to be amused by Herman-san, who is really worried about Marcel-san. "I wonder if I''m okay, but if the story is a lie, why is this a vacant lot?" "Well, that ... you asked somewhere ..." "Where in Volzard is there someone who can clean up burn marks so beautifully in just one day?" "No, it doesn''t exist ... but ..." Herman-san seems to judge me with a look as if he''s seeing something strange. Yeah, this might be a little amusing, I understand Marcel-san''s feelings. "Anyway, please make the exterior and the building the same as the previous store, but before starting the interior work, I will discuss the places I want to change a little, so if you get it, please start the work." "Okay, then I''ll start today, but Marcel, are you okay on funds?" "Oh, don''t worry about it, don''t worry because the guild will mediate." "Yes, I understand, no, you feel more energetic than I expected, so I''m relieved." "Well, I was depressed on the day the store burnt down, but this one ..." Marcel-san put his hand on my head and continued talking. "This Kent, he''s doing his best, so I can''t lose." "Well, I see, the guardian deity of Volzard isn''t quite right, but it seems that him being Marcel''s deity of good fortune is certain." "Oh, it''s a tremendous blessing, worship him, worship him!" "Hey, Marcel-san, don''t make fun of me." "Dahahaha, don''t make fun of him, Volzard''s guardian god." No, it''s completely amusing, isn''t it? Well, I guess it''s fine as long as Marcel-san becomes energetic? When I was watching Marcle-san, who was bantering with Herman-san with a lively smile, a nice scent drifted into my nose. "Kent-sama ..." "Eh ..." Oops, I was off guard. As soon as I turned around after being called out to, Beatrice kissed me on my cheek. "Ooooo ..." Beatrice puts her head on my shoulder, listening to Marcel-san''s surprised voice and a shrill scream from the other side of the road. "Good morning, Kent-sama ..." Beatrice whispered and then blew on my ears. Ah, this is completely amusing. "Good morning Rise, that tickles." "Ufufufu, I''m sorry about that ..." Beatrice hugs my neck as if bathing in my scent. I mean, Nazario, whose blood vessels are about to burst across the road, is glaring with terrible eyes, but please forgive me seriously. "Rise ... you''ll be late for school." "Ah ... the cruel wall of society tears us apart ..." "No, no, it''s not that exaggerated, it''s just school." "Ah, Kent-sama, although reluctant, this Rise must go." "Yeah, study hard ..." "Mou ... Kent-sama is so cold ..." "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, Rise ..." Immediately after pinching my waist, I was kissed on the cheek again. "I''m going, Kent-sama." "Yes, yes, go ahead, Rise ... It hurts." WIth a bewitching look that doesn''t suit her age, and one final squeeze of my waist, Beatrice quickly returned to the girls waiting across the road. Ah ... it''ll burst, if you clench your teeth any more, you really will burst your blood vessels, Nazario. The other day, Reinhardt and the others beat him up, but it looks like he''s in a hurry to get beaten again. "Kyun ... Kyun ..." "Yes, I''ll stroke you later, so be quiet ..." "Wafu!" "Mou, it''s awful to have jealousy everywhere. Hearing the voices of Mart and the others, Herman-san is looking around. "Kent, that''s quite a passionate show you''re putting on there." "No, Beatrice is just having fun by teasing me." "Hmm ... it''s just for fun ... or rather, why are you so familiar with Beatrice-chan?" "Um ... that''s ..." I explained how I had treated Beatrice for various things. Because I can''t say that I touched her in various ways. "Wow, you can even use healing magic ... it''s ridiculous ..." Marcel-san is surprised with wide eyes, but Herman-san looks suspicious again. "Can you really use healing magic?" "Yes, I don''t really know how, but I can do it." "Hmm ... can you cure shoulder pain?" "Is something wrong?" "Oh, I was carrying lumber ... I hurt myself a little, but it''s hard to heal." "Dahahaha, Herman, you''re old too." "Shut it, I don''t have time to go to the healing clinic, can I just wait for hours at that place?" Somehow, every world is the same. I hear that people who work in Japan are too busy to go to the hospital. "Um ... which shoulder?" "Ah? Oh, my left shoulder ... can you really heal it?" "Well, maybe, but it doesn''t matter if it''s cured or not, I won''t take any money, so it''s okay." "Oh, is that right, then what should I do?" "Well, could you sit here for a moment?" I have Herman-san sit on a wooden box and put my hand on his left shoulder to cast healing magic. I''m used to casting healing magic on others, though I''m not sure why it''s healing. "Oh ... it feels like it''s slowly warming up from the inside ..." "Well, but bruises and sprains have to be treated several times, right?" "No, I think it''s okay." I rubbed it for about 5 minutes and cast healing magic to finish the treatment. "Um ... how is it?" "Hmm, is it over? Ah!" "What''s wrong, Herman?" "It doesn''t hurt ... No way, it got rid of the pain ..." Herman-san is astonished with his eyes wide open to the point of spilling, turning his shoulders to make sure. "Well ... you''re right, Kent is a great guy." "No, I don''t know why Marcel is so proud, Kent though, you really are a big deal, I''m really surprised." "No, I have to have Herman-san able to do his best to rebuild Marcel-san''s shop." "Oh, that''s right, I''m counting on you Herman." "Hmm, leave it to me, it literally feels like the burden has been lifted from my shoulders, so I''ll do it!" Immediately after parting from Herman-san who called his colleagues to start working, Marcel-san and I went to the guild. It seems that many of these buildings are made by combining woodwork and earth attribute magic, and Herman''s place has skilled craftsmen, so the work is quick. In the case of a two-story building, it will be completed in about two weeks. "I rented a corner of my acquaintance''s warehouse, so if I make shoes as procuts before the store opens, I can reopen the store immediately." "Sorry, my friends really troubled you ..." "Hey, Kent, that''s enough apologizing. You gave me the money, and above all you helped me recover, I''m the one who should bow. Thank you Kent." "No, that''s ... I just did what I could ..." In Japan, I''m treated as a useless person, so it''s embarrassing to be told thank you face-to-face. When we arrived at the guild, the hustle and bustle of the morning was about to end. People who found a job and are going to work are gathering one after another. As I walked from the entrance to the counter, I saw many faces I knew by the wall. Muell-san, the cat-eared angel, Gilik, the mutt who self-destructed, and Manon, who is waving a little is small and cute today. Next to Manon, there are Motomiya-san, Sagara-san, and more than 10 other girls. "Good morning." "Good morning Kent, it''s been a long time." "Snort ... I won''t lose ..." Yeah, nobody asked about that. Muell-san also has a bitter smile, and Gilik is facing away, but his ears are bright red. "Good morning Kent." "Good morning Kokubu-kun." Marcel-san, please don''t talk about Beatrice. "Um ... did everyone come to look for a job?" When I asked with wishful thinking, the girls nodded strongly." "We can''t rely on Kokubu too much." "That''s right, you''re already paying our living expenses, we can''t ask for more money." "Well, I feel like I want money to play ...?" The other girls nodded with a smile at the words of Sagara-san and Motomiya-san. Also, when we were in Japan, they weren''t old enough to work part-time, and they''re interested in working. "Well, and is Manon the guide?" "Yeah, I also want to help Kent a little." "Thank you Manon, I''m counting on you." "Yeah, leave it to me." Manon who blushes and nods is too cute it''s painful, can I hug her? Gyu, Gyu ... Oh, Sagara-san''s warm eyes hurt. "Hmm? But this ... only fifteen people came to look for a job?" If you add the dekoboko sisters, there should be 25 girls, but everyone''s facial expressions have become darker. "Sumika ... Kizawa-san and the others group is ... it''s difficult, Tomo-chan, and At-chan drew them in to horse riding training." Sumika Kizawa whom Sagara-san is talking about, is in a different class from me, so I can''t remember her face just by hearing her name, but she''s probably one of those who were complaining the night before last. "Working is unpleasant, so horse riding ... Is it like that?" "Well, it''s like that, but horse riding training also takes care of horses, right?" "Oh yeah, is it the plan to get people to work in the name of riding horses?" "Yeah, At-chan, is thinking that ..." I see, except for a few girls, everyone is thinking about it. If so, I''m afraid that I have to give them the warning from Amanda-san. "Thank you everyone. Ah ... I''m sorry if it discourages everyone, but the day before yesterday''s turmoil may cause it to be a little rough for us, so be prepared for that." The girls'' facial expessions become cloudy at my words. "It''s okay, I''ll choose a good job, so it''s okay." Manon clasps both hands tightly and cheers everyone up. "Volzadr is called the farthest city, and there are a lot of people coming in. Some of them have done bad things in the past, and some have made a fuss like this time. For those who reflect on it and do their best, the city of Volzard will evaluate them properly and work hard together." It seems that not only the girls but also the people around them listen to Manon''s words and nod. "This time, everyone''s companions made a fuss, but it''s not everyone''s responsibility, and Volzard has had a lot of help from Kent so far, so this time I''m sure everyone will give back. I''ll show you a good job." I couldn''t stand it because Manon, who stared me in the eyes and smiled like a pretty flower, was so cute. "Thank you, Manon ..." "Err, Kent ..." "Kyaaa, Kokubu-kun, so good!" Sagara-san and her friends make a fuss, but it doesn''t matter anymore. It''s awkward compared to Beatrice, but I hugged Manon and kissed her on the cheek. Manon''s face is bright red and her eyes are spinning. "Well, I just ran into Beatrice ..." As soon as I told her that, Manon''s eyes suddenly returned to sanity. Manon buries her face in my neck and doesn''t seem to be easily releasing me. When I tapped her on the back, she finally let go, but she pursed her mouth and stared with teary eyes. "I won''t lose ..." Guu ... Guu so cute, I wonder if it''s okay to throw everything away and escape with Manon, is it no good. If that happens, the rescue operation will not advance ... Then the chairman won''t come to Volzard. Hmm, what should I do? "Kent ...?" "Huh, Manon, please everyone, I have a little task ... Marcel-san, let''s go ... uh ..." Before I noticed, I''m monoplizing the line of sight in the guild. Well, if I hug Manon tightly, it will be like this. "I see ... this is Kent''s favorite, not that other one ..." "No, Marcel-san, that one, this one, what are you saying ..." "Ah, so hot ... Volzard in November is so hot ..." "Really, really ... but I might be a little jealous ..." Ah, Sagara-san, Motomiya-san, and the girls'' eyes hurt. "Then, everyone, do your best, Manon, I''m counting on you, let''s go, Marcel-san." "Dahahaha, I see, I see, don''t panic, you''re a man." Please just go to the counter and let me escape from the warm gaze that pierces me and complete the loan certification procedure. Since the amount of money is a little large, Otto-san will do the document preparation. "Then, write the amount here, Kent''s name here, Marcel''s name here, and when you finish writing two of the same documents, you''ll get a magic seal." I''m told that two documents will be created, one will be kept by the lender, me, and the other will be kept by the guild as the mediator. A magic seal is made of a special ink mixed with a few drops of blood and stamped with a thumbprint, and an individual can be identified using a dedicated appraisal machine. The amount was one million Helts, including building construction costs, ruined merchandise, and compensation for holidays. After deducting the cost of reopening the store from 1 million Helts, the surplus is repaid. And it seems that the guild will collect the cost from the idiots. Now Marcel-san can reopen the store without any financial burden. "No, I was saved, Kent, so I can concentrate on my work without worrying about money." "No, it''s because of my friends, so it''s painful if you thank me." "But at your age, it''s a big deal that you can pop out a million." "No, that''s because of the power of my skills ..." "What the hell, Kent has saved a lot of people, the money was the result, be proud." Marcel-san struck my shoulder. "Yes, what is it ..." "That''s why, excellent women are approaching you? I wish you''d share a bit of that." "No, that story ..." "Marcel-san, if that story comes to your wife''s ears ..." "Oops, Otto, pretend you didn''t hear what we talked about, or it''ll rain in Volzard." Otto-san''s eyes are laughing, as usual. Apparently Marcel-san seems to have a terrifying wife. I shook hands with Marcel-san and split up with him. After this, it''s time to apologize to Klaus-san. It seems that the idiots were at least spared expulsion, but it seems that there are various things that must be decided, including the rescue operation for the rest of my classmates after this. I prepared myself and headed to Klaus-san''s office on the second floor. CH 56 Apology to Klaus ***---*** When I knocked and got permission to enter the room and opened the door, I saw Klaus-san with a stern look with his arms folded. "Enter and close the door." "Yes ..." Klaus-san did not lose his gentle demeanor even when the thing with Beatrice was revealed, but today I can''t see that gentleness. From the standpoint of the lord of Volzard, it''s clear that this uproar isn''t something to laugh about. I stood in front of the desk where Klaus-san sat and bowed deeply. "My classmates made a large turmoil in the city and caused a lot of trouble. I''m really sorry." "Kent ..." "Yes ..." "I declared ..." "Eh ..." "I declared ..." Sweat dripped out all at once. When bringing my classmates to Volzard, I was told to remove all the slave bracelets to prevent trouble with Resenburg. So, before arriving at the city gate, I removed all the bracelets. This time''s trouble was not caused by that, it''s highly obvious, but I don''t recall hearing anything about the case of the disposal at the time. I don''t remember missing anything, but Klaus-san says with confidence, so maybe I''ve forgotten something very important. But what''s wrong ... I don''t feel like I understand, and I desperately wrack my brains and try to remember it, but I can''t seem to find anything. "Kent ... you don''t mean to say you don''t remember, right?" "Yes ... yes, no, that ..." Sweat dripping from my head runs down my chin and drips, and sweat also drips to my back. As I was standing bowed over and desperately searching my memory, heavy footsteps approached and the door was knocked upon. "It''s Donovan ..." "Enter." "Excuse me ... what happened?" Donovan-san asks suspiciously when he sees me stuck with my head lowered. "Ah .. apparently I''ve forgotten what he declared." "What he declared ...?" Donovan-san answered with a suspicious voice. Was it something that was declared while Klaus-san and I were alone? "Klaus-san, polygamy is allowed in Landshelt, and premarital romance is free in the first place." "Huh ...?" "Sh, shut up! Kent, I told you, if you''re thinking of extending your hand towards Rise, you can''t put your hands out to other women." "Eh ... it was about that ...?" I thought it was about the matter of the classmates'' uproar, so I lost my strength and sat down on the floor. "Bastard, It''s bad enough to get sticky with Rise on the way to school, but you were sticky with Manon in the guild, you''re getting carried away by increasing your genus, you bastard!" "No, that was, because Rise ..." "Rise?" "Mou, so annoying ... Beatrice-san kissed me, so I thought it would be unfair if I didn''t do the same to Manon ..." "Bastard, do you think my Rise is a hassle?" Ah, it''s getting really annoying. Should I take a defiant attitude? "On the contrary, the troublesome one is Klaus-san, Beatrice is rather pleasant ...?" "Ba, ba, bastard, what did you do to my Rise!" "Nothing was done by me, just, Beatrice hugged me, and then kissed me ..." "I''ll kill you! Bastard where''s my sword ..." Zushin ... At the vibration that shook the entire building of the guild, instinctively Klaus-san and I looked at each other, and then turned our gaze sideways. Donovan-san, who is in a state of anger, stands there with his arms folded. I think the vibration was caused by Donovan-san stomping his food just now. "I''m not free enough to watch you two bicker ..." "Well, let''s get to the main subject ... right, Kent." "Yes, of course, Klaus-san." Cold sweat also gathers on Klaus-san''s temples. After clearing his throat again and again, Klaus-san began to talk about the main subject concerning my classmates. It seems that the commotion started as a trivial argument about judging glares, smug looks, cockiness ... etc. At one point, Kondo intervened to settle the matter. However, fake glasses said something unnecessary, and it became a skirmish again, and Kondo who stepped in this time got beaten up, and it seems that it developed into a brawl in which both sides got mixed up. In the brawl, the old and new duo and fake glasses pulled their swords out and fought, and it became a bloody situation and riled everyone up even more. In the confused situation, Takayama tried to use magic, and the opponent who felt the danger got out of the way, so he missed his target, and a fireball flew into the storefront of the shoe store and burned it up all at once. "To be honest, it''s a child''s fight. It''s ridiculous to judge which one is worse. But it''s a different story if you wield a weapon and burn down a store with magic." "Yes, I''m sorry." "The Volzard brats were also arrested and confined, and will pay a fine based on their charges. Kent, I decided to impose forced labor on your companions." "Yes, I heard a little about it yesterday." "Originally, slapping a light fine on a person is fine, but your companions have no money, and a heavy charge would be confiscating the guild card and expelling them from the city, but if they go missing, you''re in trouble ... isn''t that right?" "Yes, if I can rescue those who remain in Lastock, I would like to negotiate with Camilla as soon as possible and return everyone to our original world as soon as possible, so they will go home. I don''t want to not know where they are when that happens." Klaus-san nods at my explanation. "I thought that would be the case, so I made it into forced labour, but of course they will be treated as criminals until the end of their sentence." "Yes, that can''t be helped anymore." "Kent, how are criminals treated in your country?" "Well, in my country? Um ... I wonder if they get dressed in a prison uniform and have their hair cut ... so they put them in jail." "What do they do when they go to work outside?" "Well, outside is it? Umm ... maybe handcuff them and move them ... I don''t understand much, so I''m not sure." "What is a handcuff?" "It''s like a lock with a chain that connects your hands like this?" "Really ..." After listening to my explanation, Klaus-san started to talk after a while. "Kent, it''s forced labor, but the place is the construction site of the ramparts." "Yes, I went to work there before, right?" "No, I''m afraid to put them with the general public, so I''ll have them do it in the section planned for the future, but in any case, it''s out of prison, right?" "Yes, that''s right." "I don''t know how much magic your companions can use, but they can''t go out without doing something." "Yes ..." "Then ... I''ll use these ..." What Klaus-san took out of the drawer and put on the desk with a clatter was a bracelet that looked like carved obsidian. "S, slave bracelet ..." "Yes, it''s a slave bracelet." "But in Landshelt, slavery has been abolished, right?" "Yes, slavery has been abolished, but it is allowed for use on criminals." Those with meagre possessions, low rank, those who cannot atone for property confiscation or deprivation of rank may atone for their crimes with forced labor, in which case magic is used to prevent escape and riots. It seems that slave bracelets are used for the purpose of limiting their actions. "This is something your companions don''t want to see, but it''s a necessary step to force them into labor rather than expulsion." "Yes, that''s ... I think so ..." "Kent, this is different from the one managed by the Resenburg royal family ... can you remove it?" I was able to remove what I thought was a special product that my classmates had, so I think I can remove what Klaus-san has without any problems. "Yes, I think I can probably remove it." "Don''t remove it ... If you remove it from your companions without permission, they will have to leave this city, including the rest of them." "Yes, I understand." Klaus-san sighed after staring at my face. "Hmm ... I don''t want to say this since you cleaned up the horde of orcs yesterday, Kent, I want you to stay in Volzard in the future." "Yes ..." "But I can''t just let someone who disturbs the city''s order go unchecked, do you understand?" "Yes, I know." "The number of days of forced labor depends on what you have done." "That depends on the content, Takayama who burned Marcel-san''s shop ..." "The sentence won''t end until he finishes paying the damages." Compensation is one million Helts at the moment, and the daily wage for wall construction is 350 Helts, and it will take a considerable period of time to complete the repayment. I don''t think it''s a good thing in itself, but after this, if I rescue everyone else and the negotations with Camilla go well, we may be able to return to the original world unexpectedly quickly. When that happens, will Takayama, who has not paid the compensation, be left behind in this world? After confirming that, Klaus-san showed a bitter expression. "Originally, I wouldn''t free him until the end of his sentence, however, in the current situation you''re shouldering his debt, so I''ll give him amnesty only when he returns to your original world. Don''t talk about it until then." "I''m sorry, thank you." "And I''ll allow those who have finished their sentences to use temporary dormitories, but I won''t allow you to help their lives. Make them work, earn for themselves, and feed themselves." From the beginning, I was no longer planning to help the idiots. "Yes, but let me bear the expenses of the girls who have nothing to do with the uproar." "Hmm ... are you going to keep all of the women?" "Well ... that''s not the case." "I know, it''s a joke, but I''m just going to say this even if you don''t do it." "Hmm ... that''s right ..." "Well, if after seeing this turmoil and saying they''re still going to make a turmoil, whether it''s a man or woman, I won''t forgive them." "Yes, I understand, thank you for your consideration." Once again, I bowed deeply toward Klaus-san. "Okay, let''s end this subject with that, Kent, yesterday''s orcs, how many were there in total?" "Yes, there are 374 in total." "That many ... What do you think, Donovan?" "Yes, I talked a bit with Kent yesterday, but this activity should be considered quite large." "Is there a possibility of a maximum outbreak of thousands or tens of thousands?" "I''m not sure, but if we don''t prepare, what is waiting for us is annihilation." For a moment, I imagined the city of Volzard overflowing with monsters, and chills ran down my spine. "What are the measures?" "IS it enough to check the shutters of each house, and to stockpile food and water?" "Is the notification to the adventurers ... already issued?" "Yes, at the time of the rock ogre''s invasion, if the alarm sounds, adventurers of rank C or higher were told to gather on the wall." "That ... I haven''t heard about that ..." "Hmm, won''t you come without being called." "Hah ..." If the warning bell rings like yesterday, adventurers of rank C or higher will gather at the wall, and adventurers of rank D or lower will be urged to evacuate to the city and evacuate together. "Oh ... I didn''t tell my classmates ..." "Tell them quickly, I don''t know when it will happen." "Donovan-san, what should I do if we''re away from my house or the dormitory?" "There is a building that accepts evacuees, I''ll give you a map later, and the door of the accepting building has a guild mark, so if you don''t know the location, look for the mark." "Well, it''s a sword and hammer mark." "Yes, it''s important, so be sure to tell them." "Okay, I''ll go there soon after this." Most people will be in the temporary dormitories, and everyone who went out looking for a job has Manon, so it''s okay today. For the boys ... I think it''s better to explain it. "Donovan-san, is there any precursor to the outbreak of monsters?" "If it''s a precursor, then things that have happened so far can be counted." "Is it the size of the horde?" "Yes, there must have been less than a hundred rock ogres that caused great damage to Volzard eighteen years ago." "That is ..." Certainly, I heard that Klaus-san''s brother was killed by allowing the invasion into the city at the time of the rock ogre attack 18 years ago. When I remembered the story I heard during the construction of the ramparts, their eyes were on me. "Well, umm ... what is it?" "Kent, I''m really glad you are here, I don''t want to feel like I did eighteen years ago." "Kent, about yesterday''s story, think about it." It''s no exaggeration to say that Klaus-san, and Donovan-san, Volzard''s top two, if they ask with a serious face, you must also think seriously. "I will consider it positively, and I''m not sure if we can return to the original world yet, and I am indebted for the time being. Since the number of genus has increased, please be assured that I will leave the personnel to monitor and contact me even when leaving Volzard. "I''m sorry, please." Of the five undead kobolds entrusted to the Reinhardt Corps, I decided to leave two of them in Volzard by rotation. When something happens, I''ll have one of them go to me and the other to Reinhardt. We can move in no time, so it should be okay, but if you come up with a better way, let''s improve it. By the way, let''s use about half the orc magic stones that we defeated yesterday to strengthen everyone. It was a little before noon when I finished the meeting with Klaus-san. I moved from the guild to the garrison of Lastock and had lunch in the knight''s dining room today. The food for my classmates doesn''t look delicious, but the food for the knights is quite delicious. I''d like it if they could at least serve decent food as much as they eat. Looking into the examination room where the chairman is, I feel that there are more injured people than ever before. [ Kent-sama ... Training has become stricter again ... ] [ That''s because it seems like fifty people have been wiped out? ] [ Although they''re knights ... everyone''s crazy ... ] [ I see ... ] It is believed that even the Novice Hero Takayama was eaten by the orc mages, so it seems that all of my classmates think that they will die if they don''t get stronger. On the other hand, there are some people who have given up because they can''t do it if even Takayama couldn''t do it. For such people, the knights'' beatings seem to be terrible, and as a result, the number of injured people is increasing. The chairman is desperately continuing treatment with a deep blue face. It''s hard to watch anymore. After finishing the morning treatment and after Erna left, I came out of the shadows, hugged the chairman, and immediately cast a healing spell. "Kent ... it''s painful ..." "I''m sorry, I''m moving the rescue operation forward, so do your best a little more." "Stupid ... stupid Kent ... you smell like a girl again ..." It''s dangerous, I was hugged by Beatrice and I forgot to hug Manon. "Sorry, I was careless this morning, and got hugged ..." "Hmm ... I won''t consent, but once I go to Volzard, we''ll face each other directly." "No, no ... that is ..." "Be prepared, if you don''t come to pick me up as soon as possible ... I''ll go wild." "Hey ... but I''ll do my best." "All right ..." After kissing my cheek, the chairman kept hugging me and didn''t let go until Erna came back. [ Kent-sama ... one step closer to the harem ... ] [ No, I feel like I''m getting closer to bloodshed before that. ] However, I''m a little happy, aren''t I? "Goshujin-sama, we will lick too." "Peropero, Peropero!" "Pat me, pat my stomach!" "Yes, yes, I understand, I understand." Let''s Fluff before going to Volzard''s garrison dormitory. For a long time, I petted everyone. Stroking each in turn and being licked to the fullest, Mart and the others were satisfied, so let''s head to the garrison''s dormitory. When I went to the courtyard of the garrison, all the girls were practicing horseback riding under the guidance of the stableman Raymond. "Hello, Raymond-san." "Oh, did Kent come to train?" "No, I''m here for a different matter ... I''m sorry, I''m sorry to trouble you." "Hmm? Oh, I''m saved rather than being troubled, because everyone has been conscripted for the processing of the orc corpses, so it''s a great help for the ladies to help me with horse care and stable cleaning." "Wow ... I''m sorry, I left that unfinished ..." "Aha, what are you saying, I don''t know how many people would have died if we had to deal with that many orcs, no one would complain and would rather be grateful." "Hmm ... it makes me feel better." "So, is there something you need to do?" "Oh ... that''s right." The people who are with the dekoboko sisters are the group of Sumika Kizawa. I looked at her face, she had a sulky look on her face, but once I interrupted their horse riding training, I handed out the map I got from the guild and explained it. "If the alarm sounds when you''re in the city, run away to the buildings with the guild mark, and my genus will deal with the monsters, but unforeseen circumstances may occur, so pay attention." Unlike yesterday, today is a life-threatening story, so everyone seems to be listening seriously. I asked the dekoboko sisters to tell the girls who don''t want to work. "Raymond-san, what should we do when the alarm sounds here?" "Ah, it''s basically the dining room that we evacuate to. The dining room has food and the building is sturdy, so it''s the best place to have a siege." According to Raymond-san, the cafeteria was originally designed to withstand a siege, and it can directly access the food warehouse, and there is water and cooking utensils such that 100 people can survive for about a month. Even if thousands or tens of thousands of goblins and kobolds attack, they will have to move if there is nothing to eat, so there is a high possibility that they will disappear if they wait. The buildings designated as evacuation shelters in Volzard are designed to give you time to wait, and it seems that food is stockpiled in each building. It is said that Klaus-san prepared such evacuation buildings. Klaus-san, who lost his brother who was the lord in the rock ogre invasion 18 years ago, is working on the construction of the walls and evacuation buildings so that no one will be sacrificed. If he''s not being an idiot parent, I respect him as a great person. CH 57 Idiot Novice Hero ***---*** After explaining about the evacuation sites to the girls, I headed to the building where the boys were imprisoned. To be honest, I don''t feel like doing it, but the explanation of the evacuation sites is a matter of life or death, so I can''t help but do it. As I approach the building, I hear someone screaming noisily. "Damnit! Let me go, let me go!" "Idiot, stay still." "Put it on! Quit stalling!" "It''s okay, put it on please." "Stop iiit! Traitor! Damniiiit!" "Bastard, I''ll remember this!" The yelling is coming from the building where the garrison troops are, there are black bracelets. Apparently, a slave bracelet was put on the classmates who were imprisoned. "Don''t screw with me, if we get stuck wearing something like this, we have to obey, don''t we?" "Don''t be stupid, I told you it will be removed when your sentence is over, it''s just to suppress your magical power and make it impossible to use magic." "Such a nice way of using it, can I believe such a thing?" "Then what about Kokubu, why can he move around freely?" "Obviously, it''s because he betrayed us and wants to make us slaves." "Don''t be foolish, even though he''s taken care of you so much, if you didn''t make a fuss, you wouldn''t be wearing this kind of thing!" "That''s right, wielding your sword in a brawl, are you a delinquent?" "Shut up, are you looking down on me?" "Takayama used magic without thinking, of course something like this would happen, right?" "Why, it was completely self-defense, it''s the others who did something wrong!" Apparently, those who directly caused the uproar and those who were just involved are in conflict. I greeted the guard at the entrance and was let in. The moment they saw me stepping into the corridor, the reaction was interestingly divided. "Kokubu! You traitor, hurry and get me out of here!" "Shut up, Kokubu has business with us so he came here, be quiet and listen." "Haa? Someone who is waited upon by his local women, what business could a flirting playboy have?" "I told you already, shut up you bastard!" It seems improbable that this will end, so I''ll proceed with what I need to say. "I''ll talk about how to evacuate when there in a monster attack. I don''t know if you''d be late to evacuate without me telling you." Everyone had just experienced a monster attack on their way to Volzard, so they were in a position to listen to my story even though they looked dissatisfied. "I think you probably heard the alarm sound yesterday, but a horde of orcs attacked. The total number was 374. Currently the garrison members are working on disposing the corpses. It may take about five days." "370 ... is it really ...?" "The activity in the Devil''s Forest this time seems to be considerably larger than in the past, and at some point it seems that thousands or tens of thousands of monsters may attack." "Ten thousand ... will it be okay?" When they were told a number they weren''t expecting, they forgot about the conflict they had just made and everyone started whispering. "Of course, I''m going to have my genus do their best to protect Volzard, but there may be a case where monsters invade the city. By that time, everyone will have finished their sentence and spend time in the city as normal. I''ll tell you the evacuation method for that time, so listen carefully." I explained that the guild mark is that of a sword and hammer, and that the buildings designated as shelters have this guild mark. "The map depicting the location of the evacuation centers will be left to the garrison personnel, so be sure to check it when you get out. They are at the same level as the evacuation centers from when we were in Japan. If you think about it, you''ll die if you don''t know what to do." Well, I thought they would listen quietly to this point. The problem is whether to tell the details of the sentence, but I can''t help but talk about it even though I know it will be trouble. "Then, let''s talk about the sentence. Everyone will be forced to work according to their crimes. Simply put, it''s wall construction, but be prepared for it because it''s pretty tough." "Wait a minute, depending on the crime ..." "Oh, the idiots wielding weapons. Of course, it will take longer than others." "That''s ridiculous, that was the guys over there ..." "Yagi, did you say something unnecessary after Kondo cut in? What were you thinking. Here we are extraordinary, think about what people will think if you make trouble. You went and bought weapons you can''t use at all, so it''s going to be like this." "That''s because we want to help with the rescue ..." "How does getting upset, getting put in prison, help the rescue?" He''s still a little dissatisfied, but Yagi was silent. It was Kondo who opened his mouth instead. "Sorry, Kokubu, I stopped it once, but I was beaten up like this ..." "Well, it may have been impossible for Kondo to stop alone ..." Kondo also, got hit in the back after doing a shoulder throw to end it, after getting hit in the back he got knocked down and beaten to a pulp. "My bad Kokubu, I got a bit carried away ..." "Somehow, I felt like I was on a school trip ..." "We will listen to the garrison people ... please forgive us." Besides Kondo, about half of the boys apologized. Rather than apologize now, I would rather you would have avoided the uproar, but it''s unavoidable. On the other hand, the other half of the boys turn their gaze with hostility. "Kokubu, what is the meaning of this bracelet, bastard, you have the nerve to sell us off?" "What helping us, how much did you sell us for?" "Believe it or not, that''s your choice, but if I remove the bracelet, everyone, including me, will be kicked out of Volzard." I told everyone what I was told when I apologized to Klaus-san. The boys of Volzard, who were the other party in the brawl, were fined, but my classmates had no property to pay the fine, and I was forbidden to carry the fine. "The lord, Klaus-san, gave me permission to use the temporary dormitory for those who have finished their sentence, but I''m banned from helping you with living expenses, dormitory rent, and the cost of meals, everyone has to make their own money to live by themselves." Naturally, those who complained have a bitter look, but I have no intention of forgiving them. "Then I was going to pay for the burnt down shop, but that was also rejected." The eyes of those in the same prison are directed at Takayama. "Well, what are you saying? You''re not telling me to pay, right?" "Who was it that caused the store to burn down?" Everyone pointed at Takayama all at once in response to my question. "Wait a minute ... because they are ..." "As for Takayama, it seems that he will work until he finishes compensating for damages to the store." "D, don''t joke around, why should I be the only one to have to do that?" "Then, I''m also responsible for the fire, so I''ll work with Takayama until he finishes paying ..." I thought noone would volunteer, but Kondo and a few others raised their hands. "I couldn''t stop the turmoil, and Takayama alone wouldn''t be able to do anything." I''m grateflu for Kondo''s feelings, but it doesn''t make any sense if I can''t see any intention of being remorseful from Takayama. "Yeah, I understand everyone''s feelings. You can tell the story to the garrison, but don''t expect me to help because I was forbidden from doing so." "Well, wait, because they started it." "Well, I''ve seen the magic of Takayama, and that shouldn''t be used in the city." "No, because they were ..." "If you''re not good at it, it wouldn''t be strange if there are dead people, right?" Most people in the prison nod at this. Using magic to toss a basketball-sized fireball at tremendous speed in the city is almost a terrorist act. "No way, it''s not Japan, it''s a different world, so it''s okay to kill people ... You''re not thinking that, right?" "Well, I can''t think like that ..." "In Resenburg, you were given preferential treatment because you were called a Hero, but here you''re just an ordinary person with a little higher magical power." I tried to get the situation across to Takayama, but it seemed to be a failure. "Hey, you''re really a sarcastic bastard, do you really want to brag about your cheat so much?" "Huh? What do you mean?" I really didn''t understand what he meant, so I asked him back, but Takayama turned his face red and bit back at me. "Don''t play dumb! You''re jealous of me because you were abandoned because of being judged as useless! You think you''re going to be the savior of Volzard and get all the glory? It''s obvious." I''m really amazed at how much paranoia he has. "Haa? When did I ever trick Takayama, I told you not to cause trouble. Even so, you were stupid enough to make a fuss the day after arriving?" "Shut up, if you had properly prepared for our acceptance, there was no reason to go shopping either, then I wouldn''t have been caught up in the trouble." I had to snort at this. Without knowing how much preparation I have made, those silly words are absolutely unacceptable. "Haa? I asked the lord Klaus-san to accept you, rented a temporary dormitory from the garrison as a place to live, arranged the identification procedures necessary for living, and arranged the necessary items for living. I even prepared the money for you to shop. Leave sleep talking for when you''re asleep, how much more are you going to demand of me!" "Sh, shut up, shut up, don''t patronize me! I never asked you for anything!" "Well, who was the one who told me to give out money yesterday after you registered for the guild?" "Sh, shut up, it seemed like you prepared it, so I took it!" "I didn''t ask you to take it, right?" "Sh, shut up, shut up, shut up!" Takayama, like Meisa-chan, who when having a tantrum, has a bright red face and is stomping on the ground. "Truly, Takayama is all talk. Even when we fought against the group of kobolds, you attacked without thinking and Motomiya-san helped you ..." "Shut up, it was okay to not get that help, she did it on her own ..." "Hmm ... You were standing there with trembling legs, and it seems that you couldn''t use magic well ..." "Shut up! I''ll kill you someday! Be prepared, damn it!" Takayama clenches his teeth and looks at me with hatred. I might have apologized when I was in Japan, but now that I''ve had a lot of experience in Volzard, I feel more annoyed than scared. "See, you''re all talk, you''re in prison, you''re even wearing a slave bracelet, how would you kill me? If you kill me, how will you pay the shoemaker''s reparations and have the slave bracelet removed?" "Shut up, I''ll make the money right away." "Ah, by the way, the total amount of compensation is 1 million Helts, and the daily wage of the wall construction work by forced labor is 350 helts. If you calculate, it will take over 7 years even if you work without holidays, so ... until you finish returning, Good Luck!" "That, seven years ... then ..." He never expected it to be such a long time. Takayama was appalled when he heard about the period until the payment was completed. "I''ve increased the number of genus, and I''m thinking of rescuing the rest of us in about a week. Then I''ll start negotiations to return to the original world, so maybe we can easily return to Japan." "Are you sure we can go back to Japan?" "Hey, Kokubu, is that story true?" "Please, negotiate so that we can go home quickly." The story of returning to the original world has become more realistic, so not only Takayama but everyone else bit into it. "Wait, wait, I don''t know because the rest of us haven''t been rescued, negotiations haven''t started yet, and if it will even go smoothly ..." "Well, what''s that, aren''t you just all talk?" "Huh? Takayama, did you come to Volzard by yourself? Are you so stupid that you don''t even know who set you up in Volzard?" "Shut up, shut up! We can''t go back to the original world by being self-important, if you have time to make fun of me, find a way to go back home!" Seriously, you''re going to play innocent, and criticize others like this? However, should I give Takayama something more to think about? Of course, I''m not going to talk about amnesty. "Of course, needless to say, I''ll negotiate for our return so don''t worry. Even if we''re ready to return, if you have''nt paid the compensation by that time, maybe only Takayama will stay here?" "What are you saying ..." Yeah, he doesn''t seem to know the situation he''s really in. "Even if you ask, it''s the current situation, so how can you finish your sentence early ... shouldn''t Takayama be worried about that?" "Hey, don''t be crazy! I''m innocent, it was completely self-defense! The bad ones are those guys!" "If you say such a joke, you won''t be able to get out forever. I think everyone else will definitely get out earlier than Takayama, so don''t forget about the evacuation shelter. I will concentrate on the rescue operation, so don''t bother the people in the garrison ..." "Wait ... wait, Kokubu, I''m not finished talking yet! Hey, hey!" Takayama said he still had something to say, but I stopped talking and left the building. I didn''t think Takayama was so stupid. In a sense, the situation at Lastock, where he was lauded as a Hero, may have been an ideal situation for Takayama. Should I put a Resenburg slave bracelet on him and send him back? However, I feel like Camilla will tell me that she doesn''t need him. When I left after explaining to the boys, the sun was already leaning to the west. When I was a little worried and climbed up the wall, the garrison people were still processing the orc corpses. In addition to the previous rock ogres, this time there are more orc corpses it looks like a lot of hard work just to collect and bury them. The more corpses there are, the more likely it is to draw monsters. "Mart, could you call Reinhardt for me for a moment?" "Wafu! I understand, Goshujin-sama!" Shortly after sending Mart as a messenger, Reinhardt returned. [ What''s wrong, Kent-sama? ] [ Yeah, about the orc corpses, could you bring them to the depths of the forest at night via the shadow space? ] [ Well, that''s right, it will just attract monsters as it is. Okay, let''s move when the garrison people finish their work. ] [ Yeah, please, how is the collaboration training going? ] I am also interested in the training of Reinhardt and the others. After all, it is directly linked to the success or failure of the rescue operation. [ It''s going well so far, it seems that Zae and the others are still confused, but Alto and the rest originally hunt in groups and are accustomed to adapting to others. ] [ Well, I want to finish the rescue operation as soon as possible, but how many more days do we need? ] [ That''s right, if I have three more days, I think we can move on to the operation without any problems. ] [ Then, should I prepare for the operation on the night of dark day? ] [ OK, I''ll head back. ] I asked Reinhardt to dispose of the orcs, so I''ll go back to the boarding house and have dinner before heading out to take care of the chairman. Maybe it''s still a busy time in the cafeteria, so let''s spend the time in my room with Mart and the others until it''s time for dinner. I went back through the side street, which was one of the main streets, but it was kind of noisy in front of Amanda-san''s shop. This would normally be the time for a line to start forming in front of the store, but there is a man in front of the store who is yelling. "It''s not a lie, it''s the work of the kid called Kent who is staying here that Volzard has been attacked by monsters in quick succession recently." "Don''t say stupid things! Kent can''t do that!" "It''s true, ojou-chan, you''re being deceived." "You are the one who is trying to deceive me!" Meisa-chan, is arguing with her face bright red with someone I recognize. The man with the short-hair and bandana was one of the men who was in the adventurer party I saw at the entrance of the Devil''s Forest, and if I remember right, he''s a seeker called Chozari, or maybe Chezari.(TN: I''m sure there''s probably a pun somewhere with the Cho/Che, but I don''t know.) "It''s true, the famous adventurer party Flamehound''s leader, A-rank adventurer Bartolo, says such, so there''s no doubt." "I don''t know such a guy, Kent is lewd, clumsy, a crybaby, and lewd, but he will never do such a bad thing!" I''m very happy that Meisa-chan is defending me seriously, but why did she say lewd twice? "No, ojou-chan, the guys who caused the turmoil at the shoe store are the guys who Kent brought." "Kent wasn''t even in Volzard when the turmoil broke out." "No, no, ojou-chan, he''s having his followers act according to his instructions so he can pretent to not be guilty, do you understand? Or don''t you understand because you''re still small?" "I understand that I can''t trust a stranger like you!" The customers waiting in line laughed at Meisa-chan''s words. "This brat ... Don''t push your luck ..." "See, this is what you really are, a thug!" "This brat!" I never thought he would use violence against a little girl like Meisa, but the shield of darkness can be deployed at a speed close to instant. Chozari faints in agony when the shin that tries to kick Meisa-chan hits the shield of darkness. In the meantime, using shadow movement, I appeared in front of Meisa at once. "Ouuuch ... damnit, what the heck, wow, what the heck is in front of me?" "Kent!" "Thank you, Meisa-chan, it''s okay already." "This guy ... I see, this bastard is Kent, huh, everyone listen up, the hordes of monsters are due to this guy, and he''s the one who burned down the shoe store." Even if Chozari shouts out loud, he doesn''t get any reaction from the surroundings. "What did you say, this outrageous brat, should I educate you in behalf of the shoe store?" Coming out from the surroundings where the reaction was weak, was the slender man with a bow. They even prepared a shill, just how much free time do they have, these people.(TN:A shill is someone who you pay to cause trouble planted in the audience.) "Oh, that''s right, we have to take revenge for the poor shoe store owner." "Seriously, what an outrageous brat ..." Chezari and the slender man walk closer together. Meisa-chan''s hand holding the back of my shirt is shaking. You can''t forgive this situation, right?" At that time, one of the customers in line said. "I met Marcel, the shoemaker, during the day, but he kept talking about Kent, he was able to recover so quickly because of Kent ... he was praising him." "Oh, I heard a similar story from Herman, who is rebuilding Marcel''s store, Kent is a great guy ..." I can''t sleep with my feet pointed towards Marcel-san anymore.(TN:Sleeping with your feet pointed towards someone is considered extremely rude.) Chezari and the slender man have ugly looks on their faces. "Flamehounds is it? You all seem to be quite free ..." "What''s that, you brat." "Bastard, don''t make fun of us, I''ll beat you up!" Wow, they''re more stupid than I expected, and if you say that, the two of you will be exposed. "Ah ... are you two acquaintances?" "Haa? What are you talking about, I don''t know, this guy." "Ah, ah, I just passed by ..." They''re desperately trying to deceive, but I can hear snickering from the audience. "Both of you are not very good at acting ..." "Wh, what are you saying, b, beside that, I wonder if you''re drawing in more monsters." "N, no way, outrageous isn''t it ..." Wow, even in this situation, they''re still trying to act. "Sigh ... So, who asked you to do this? Did you give up on the Gigawolf? Chozari-san." "Well ... I''m not Chozari, it''s Chezari! Anyway, why do you know about the Gigawolf?" "I can''t tell you something that reveals my secrets, I don''t know your name, but you''re a bow user, right?" "This, this guy ..." Neither Chezari nor the slender man can hide their upset appearance, they''re still second-rate. "What are you doing? Do you want to smear the name of the Flamehounds?" "This brat ..." "If you attack me and Meisa-chan here, it will be difficult for Flamehounds to work in Volzard. I don''t know if Bartolo will be angry." "This guy ..." "Hey, Chezari ... let''s draw back." "Damn it, I''ll remember this!" The two went away, leaving behind a villainous exit line which was refreshing. "Mart, Mirt, track them from the shadow world, and Murt contact Reinhardt." "Wafu!" I''ll find out the mastermind and let you say ''Ouch!''. Although she can hear their voice, she can''t see Mart and the others, so Meisa-chan is looking around. "Meisa-chan, thank you for defending me." "Oh, if Kent''s reputation goes down, the reputation of our shop goes down, so it can''t be helped. I mean, Kent doesn''t do his job properly, so this happens!" "Uh ... I''m sorry." She''s pretending to be angry with puffed cheeks, but I''m smirking at Meisa-chan''s tsundere attitude. "Thank you, Meisa-chan." "Kuuu ... Sh, shut up, shut up, you''re so cheeky despite being just Kent! Go upstairs because you''re in the way of business!" "Yes, I understand." The customers lined up in front of the shop seem to be familiar with it, and they watch Meisa-chan with amused grins on their faces. Yeah, yeah, she''s playing the role of the poster girl well. Well, let''s wait for Mart''s report in my room. (TN: This chapter was a major PITA to translate, I had to manually decrypt around half of the chapter, instead of just lightly editing Google Translate version. Most of it was due to Takayama.) CH 58 Flamehounds ***---*** When I was explaining the situation to Reinhardt who came back to my room on the second floor, Mirt came back. "Goshujin-sama, they''ve entered a building, Mart is watching." "Okay, Murt, stay here and tell me if Meisa comes to tell me supper''s ready." "Okay, Goshujin-sama." Leaving Murt as an answering machine, we headed to the building where Mart was waiting. Since I moved in the shadow world with Mart as a landmark, I don''t know where it is in the city, but the five Flamehounds are gathered in a room like a drawing room. "And that''s why, you guys will stop at C-rank no matter how much time passes." Chezari and the slender man are shrinking back in front of the bearded dog beastman who seems to be exasperated. Four people, two on each side, sit face to face on the long side of a rectangular table, and the leader Bartolo sits in the seat of honor. "Tony was with me and it still became a mess ... I''m ashamed ..." The shaved-headed giant, who had a large shield, also looked exasperated, looking down at the two people who were shrinking back. Apparently the slender man is called Tony. "You couldn''t get any results, and on the contrary, you smeared mud on the name of the Flamehounds, you fools!" Bartolo was glaring at the two with his arms folded, with an infuriated look. "That brat called Kent, if we could lower his reputation, our treatment would be even better." "I''m sorry, Bartolo-san, that brat called Kent, he knew strange things ..." "Yes, he knew we were aiming for a Gigawolf ..." "What did you say ... where did he get wind of that, did you tell someone?" "No ... that is ... ..." "It was a bad atmosphere ... or rather ..." "Idiot! Didn''t you try to find out how the enemy got the information? You fool!" "Hii, I''m sorry!" Chezari and Tony shrunk even more, being yelled at by Bartolo. At this rate, I think they will be small enough to hold in your hands in about three hours. "Well, now Volzard is being invaded by monsters. It should be a time for adventurers to make money. And yet, the city is peaceful. Why?" "Well, that''s because of the brat called Kent ..." Chezari replied, while freaking out, to Bartolo, who leaned forward and asked. "Yes, it''s said that the brat called Kent used monsters to defeat the hordes of monsters alone. It''s rumored that there were more than 200 rock ogres and more than 350 orcs yesterday. Do you understand the meaning of this?" "Um ... that brat Kent is employing strong monsters ..." "Are you stupid! That''s not it, you''re really an idiot aren''t you ..." He doesn''t seem to like Chezari''s answer, and yells at him again, and it looks like Chezari has shrunk again. Is Bartolo the user of magic that shrinks things? As they send fleeting glances at Bartolo, the dog beastman sneered at them. "It can''t be helped, this Orest-sama will tell you the answer ... It means that Kent brat is monopolizing the magic stones." "Ah ... that brat, is he really making so much?" As the dog beastman Orest says, I''m in a state of having a monopoly on the magic stones, but I still have to take care of 150 people, and I plan to use half of the orcs'' magic stones for reinforcement. Sitting back in his chair, Bartolo opened his mouth, looking around at everyone. "Well, if there were no brat called Kent, we could earn a lot of magic stones, and our fame will increase as we take out the monsters. Think carefully, there are over 350 orc magic stones. No matter how cheaply you estimate it, it should be between 3.5 million and 4 million Helts." "4 Million Helts ..." "Hmm, and he earns that in just one day ..." It seems that all five Flamehounds are completely dazzled by gold. I wonder if these people are really strong. Even if they''re strong, can just five people subdue the 374 orcs? [ How about it, Reinhardt? ] [ These people, although I don''t know if they are master level, but I don''t think these five alone could subdue them. ] [ I know right, somehow, Ridner and the others who said it was over if they died seem more like veterans. ](TN:In case you forgot, Ridner''s group is the group always getting crushed in the guild job request rush, who took the combat class with Kent and Manon) [ If you trust the rumors, this Bartolo is an A-ranked adventurer, and although he has a good track record, he has never faced a horde of more than 200. ] [ He doesn''t have the actual experience ... that sort of thing? ] [ Probably ... ] Even so, I wonder if they themselves would actually subdue the monsters or focus on their own interests, in which case the mass outbreak of monsters could endanger the city. "Bartolo-san, what about the Gigawolf?" "That''s right ... Keep trying to find it, but don''t be too focused on it." Bartolo replied to Chezari''s question as to whether he should simply stop aiming for a Gigawolf. "Well, does it have to be a Gigawolf?" "Tony, Gigawolf or orc, which is more dangerous?" "That''s, of course, Gigawolf." "Which is better, risk your life or earn it easily?" "Obviously it''s better to take it easy and earn money." "Then you know which one we should aim for." "I see ..." The door of the room was knocked upon as the five Flamehounds were grinning at each other. "Excuse me, dinner is ready, and I''d like you to join Nazario-Bouchama and tell him a heroic story ..."(TN:Bouchama is young master of a rich family) "Okay, we''ll go right away, please tell Nazario-tono that we''ll be there shortly."(TN:Tono/Dono = Lord/Master not necessarily a noble) "Understood." The maid who brought news of supper was given a lustful look by the five people, but I felt that the wording of the response was just as dignified as it should be towards an A-rank. As the maid left the room, Orest, the dog beastman, snorted. "Snort, here also you have to babysit a brat, it''s tough Bartolo." "If you think so, you guys should help, he''s a promising candidate as a gold mine, so don''t be rude. And don''t mess with this brat like Kent. He''ll cut it off so that you can''t hold a woman, so I won''t do that ..." Everyone nodded at Bartolo, who looked away. I see, this is Nazario''s house, is it? It was a store called Orlando Store. The reason Flamehounds came out to Amanda-san''s shop for a while was to damage my reputation and get Nazario in a good mood. [ Well then ... what should I do now? ] [ It''s just one right after the other, Kent-sama has it hard. ] As the five Flamehounds headed for a meal, we returned to the boarding house, leaving Mart to keep watch, and began a discussion on what to do next. At the time of the turmoil, the Flamehounds were probably in the Devil''s Forest, so they weren''t involved in the turmoil. From the story of the maid and the conversation that followed, it is unclear whether Bartolo and the others moved due to the instructions of Nazario, but it seems likely that they are acting to improve their position and profits. [ If they think I''m not going to say anything if they involve Meisa-chan, I feel that they''re going to continue to meddle. ] [ That''s quite likely, we''re not going to be aggressively hostile at this point, but it''s better to let them know that it''s not a good idea to turn us into an enemy. ] [ Yeah, that''s right, they have various problems, but when Volzard is attacked by thousands or tens of thousands of monsters, their strength will be a valuable asset. ] I don''t know what the situation will be when tens of thousands of monsters invade, but if my genus alone can''t handle it, we''ll have to have the adventurers fight. I don''t think the five Flamehounds will fight for free, but if they kill monsters to survive, it should help reduce the total number. [ The question is, how do we warn them? ] [ That''s right, I feel like they won''t withdraw if it''s done half-heartedly ... ] When I was worrying about how to deal with the Flamehounds, I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. "Kent! Supper time ..." "Thank you, Meisa-chan ...? What''s wrong?" Meisa has her eyes wide opened and is standing stiff with the door open. "Wh, wh, what is that! What, that Fluffy!" "What? Ah ..." I Fluffed Milt and Murt and kept them out in the open. "Milt and Murt are my genus." "Milt ... Murt ..." "Both of you, Meisa-chan is an important person, so say hello properly." "This one is Milt." "This one is Murt." "They talked! The Fluffy talked ..." Miesa-chan''s eyes aren''t the usual when she looks at Mirt and Murt, and she is breathing through her nose excitedly. "I, I want to touch ..." "Okay, but don''t be violent." "I won''t, I absolutely won''t ..." Meisa-chan, approached timidly, and gently reached out to Mirt. "Howaa ... Fluffy, amazingly Fluffy! Wafuuu ..." While petting Mirt, Meisa-chan is enchanted. "Kent! Meisa! What are you doing, hurry up and come down or you won''t get dinner!" "Yes, we''re coming now! Look, Meisa-chan let''s go." "No, a little more ..." "You can pet them slowly later, so look ..." "Uuu ... I definitely will ..." Not just Milt and the others, but Zae and the others haven''t been introduced to Amanda-san and Meisa-chan yet, so let''s take this opportunity to introduce them. Otherwise, if something happens and they come to help, when they meet for the first time, they''ll think they''re just monsters. After dinner, I told Amanda-san about the story behind the ruckus from earlier in the evening. "I see, getting a grudge because of Beatrice-chan, that''s a real nuisance." "I''m sorry, I''ll have to do something so that they won''t bother you anymore ..." "Well, I don''t have anyone who believes such stupid stories among my customers, but it''ll be troublesome if they bother us, so do something about it." "Yes, by the way, I''ve increased the number of companions in my genus, like Reinhardt and the others, so I''d like to introduce you." Meisa-chan was restless during dinner, and it seems that she can''t help but want to pet Mirt and the others. "Well, first of all, from the undead kobolds, Mirt, Art, come out for me please." "Eeeh ... they''re different ..." The fluffy and cute Mirt and Art with a fearless figure look a little different, but the specs are almost the same. "Nice to meet you, I''m called Art." "This one is Mirt." "Oh, how surprising, the kobold spoke." "Hey, hey, Kent, can I pet it a little?" Meline-san also seems to want to experience the Fluffy, so she''s impatient. After confirming with Art and Mirt, when I give the OK, Meline-san went to Art to Fluff, and Meisa-chan hugged Mirt. "They''re pretty cute, but are they useful?" "Of course, if it''s about the level of an orc, they''ll kill it instantly." "Eeh, that totally doesn''t match their appearance." "Yes, I was careful not to give too much intimidation when I strengthened them." After all, even in this world, cuteness is justice. "And the next one I''m going to introduce is an undead lizardman specializing in combat, so it''s quite poweful, so don''t be surprised, Zae ..." I introduced them after making a preface, but when Zae emerged from the shadow world, all three tightened their facial expressions. So I stood next to Zae to show them it was okay. "I''m Zae, the undead lizardmen''s coordinator."(TN:Zae speaks with ending sentences with desu, should I add that? Or just leave it like this.) "It''s the first time we''ve met, I''m the Landlady, pleased to make your acquaintance ..." "Wow, this one talked too ..." "Yes, I tried to strengthen Reinhardt and the others so that they could speak, but they could only talk with telepathy, probably because they''re only bones. On the other hand, Zae and the others and Art and the others can speak, so you can communicate with them." "My King has told me to protect the people of thise house, and I will protect you if anything happens." Perhaps he learned from Reinhardt, Zae does the knight''s salute, and the facial expressions of the three relaxed. "We are also told by Goshujin-sama to protect this house." "There are five undead lizardment and thirty-three undead kobolds, so don''t worry, I''ll always have someone watch over the store." Hearing the number of my genus, all three froze up. "Mom, it''s amazing, it''s like a fairy tale." "Oh, it''s a really unbelievable sight." "That''s right ... but I can''t believe it''s Kent doing this." "Ah, seriously ..." I know Amanda-san and Meisa-chan are very good people, but I feel that my treatment is terrible ... At this time, Meline-san''s hug is ... Art''s! Ah, I also need healing ... When I looked around the store, I noticed a box on the table. "That ... Amanda-san, what is that box?" "Hmm? Oh, that''s a cookie box I got from a customer, do you want to take it?" As soon as Amanda-san said that, an intense wrinkle appeared between Meisa-chan''s eyebrows, it''s not possible to take it with me. "No, not the contents of the box, but if possible, I would like that ribbon ..." The cookie box is tied with a red ribbon that has been untied once. "What will you use the ribbon for?" "Yes, I''d like to write a letter of reconciliation to those who were making noise in the evening and attach it ..." "Huh? Putting a ribbon on a letter to those thugs? Can you reconcile with that?" "Well, if you don''t try it ..." Meisa-chan also wanted the ribbon, but apparently gave up when she heard that I would use it for negotiations with the Flamehound guys. If I don''t do it soon, it will be useless to reconcile. It may cause an uproar if the customers see them, so everyone in my genus won''t show up on the first floor of the store except in an emergency situation, if there was a situation, they could talk to Amanda-san in the kitchen. Meisa-chan seemed to be dissatisfied, so when Mart, Mirt, and Murt had spare time, I decided to rent them out for when she went to bed. "Amanda-san, these kids don''t lose their hair, and they don''t sleep, so it''s okay." "Ahahaha, well then, only one person needs to worry about bed-wetting." "Kiiii! I won''t do it, I won''t do bet-wetting any more!" While being hugged by Meisa-chan, Mirt looks very worried, so I''ll explain later that you probably don''t need to worry. After finishing the introduction of everyone in my genus, I moved from my room to Lastock and explained the aftermath of the turmoil while taking care of the chairman. When I gave out the name of Sumika Kizawa, the chairman''s expression became cloudy. "I''m not good with Kizawa-san ... I don''t want to say bad things about others, but ..." The chairman talked to me after making a preface, but it seems that she is leading the bullying, cheating on tests, and other bad rumors. However, she says it''s just rumors, and she seems to be good at moving around. "Maybe if Kent says this and that directly, I feel that trouble will increase ..." "Hmm ... but I''m in trouble if something happens ..." "It''s better to talk to Tomo-chan and At-chan before acting." "I see ..." According to the chairman, Kizawa-san, who is good at moving around, is not hostile to the dekoboko sisters who are overwhelmingly popular with the girls. "But that''s because in the past the dekoboko sisters were overwhelmingly supported, right?" "Yeah, that''s right." "Now, it''s about 17 to 8 power difference ..." "Ah, yeah, there are only 25 girls, hmm ... maybe you have to do things so that they don''t get too angry ..." "Hmm ... do we have another time bomb besides Takayama ..." "For the time being, Kent should concentrate on the rescue operation." "Yeah, I wonder if I should do that ..." I haven''t had a chance to get close to any girls so far, so I have no idea how to deal with girls like Kizawa-san. I''m a little sorry, but let''s let the girls handle the whole thing about the girls. I kissed the chairman and returned to Volzard. Let''s send a letter to the Flamehounds. CH 59 Correct ribbon usage ***---*** Dear Sir The great leader of the famous adventurer party Flamehounds, Bartolo-sama. Please forgive me for the sudden and unscrupulous letter. The reason I wrote this letter is because I became aware that everyone had a misunderstanding due to the fact that Chozari-sama and Tony-sama visited my boarding house. Since I make use of monsters, it seems that they has been a simplistic and easy misunderstanding that I was attracting groups of monsters, but there is no such fact. If I have the power to attact a horde of monsters, I would gather them away from Volzard and subdue them. This is because there are many people who have taken care of me in Volzard, and if I make a mistake, they can be hurt. I think that everyone can understand that I would not dare to create such a dangerous situation. Chozari-sama and Tony-sama''s actions this time are unfortunate events that happened because they had a terrible misunderstanding, did not confirm the facts, and had a selfish idea that they were justice. However, it would be difficult for a renowned adventurer party such as yourself to apologize to me, an unknown person and a child, because of their tiny pride. So tomorrow, on the afternoon of water day, I will go out of my way to visit you under the premise of seeking reconciliation. I will arrange for the residents of Volzard to be informed that I have settled the matter. Everyone of the famous Flamehounds, I''m sure you will agree with me, I apologize for troubling you all, but please wait with everyone. Best regards, from Kent [ Yup, something like this? How is it? ] After rewriting many sheets, I finally asked Reinhardt to take a look at the completed letter. [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, this is a very polite letter of reconciliation. ] [ Yeah, because it''s a letter to people older than me, I have to be careful with my language. ] [ Buhahaha, so Kent-sama, how will you give them this letter? ] [ Yeah, I''m thinking of leaving it, with a ribbon ... ] Reinhardt tilted his head when I showed the red ribbon given by Amanda-san. Yeah, the skeleton that tilts his neck after a long time is good. [ Kent-sama, how is that ribbon used? ] [ It''ll be fun to see. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to write it. PS ... ] [ I see ... anyway, where ... I wonder? ] [ I''m looking forwards to seeing that too. ] Having finished preparing the letter, I moved to the Flamehounds people that Mart was keeping an eye on. Bartolo and the others seem to be getting drunk at a detached building of the Orlando Store. In the daytime, in the room on the table where Chezari and Tony were getting scolded, a liquor bottle rolled around, and all five had drunken eyes, repeating bragging stories that I''m unsure of whether they were lies or truth. "The most dangerous thing was when I fought a Salamander." Bartolo looked up at the words of the shaved-headed giant, carrying a cup of liquor to his mouth. "Jarma, that story, you promised you wouldn''t tell." "Well, don''t say that, Bartolo''s strength is known to both Tony and Chezari, but I''m wondering if there are any incompatible opponents in the world." "Well, you just want to tell your heroic story, right?" "Don''t say that ..." Jarma, who had a large shield when I saw him in the Devil''s Forest, said that the battle with the fire-breathing earth dragon, Salamander, was extremely difficult. At that time, Bartolo, Orest, and Jarma were forming a party with three people, but Bartolo''s fire-based attack, which is the cornerstone of his strength, had no effect on the Salamander. "So how did you defeat the Salamander?" "Well, don''t be in a hurry Chezari ..." Soothing Chezari and Tony who were curious about the continuation, Jarma began to talk about how he strained his body to protect his companions from the attack of the Salamander, after some time of continuing to brag, he finally began to get to the point. "Tony, what would you do if you don''t have enough power?" "In that case, I have no choice but to practice and improve my ability." "Stupid, that''s why you''re still C-rank." "Well ... then what would you do ..." Jarma snorted, drank, and said with a tooth-baring grin. "If you don''t have enough power, you can borrow from another party." "Ah ... you were fighting together?" "Yes, depending on the monster, if left unattended, the damage may spread. I didn''t have time to practice ascetic." "Well then, during the time with the Salamander?" "That''s right, we struggled jointly with a user of water attribute magic named Metz, who it was said that being promoted to S-rank in the future was no mistake, and slew it." "Metz, that''s not a name I know, but is he such a great mage?" "Ah, he was a great mage ... but he had an unfortunate accident even though he finally managed to defeat the Salamander ..." When Jarma said such, Bartolo and Orest also opened their mouths in alignment. "Oh, that was a really unfortunate accident ..." "Well, Metz was a promising man ... I was really disappointed." I got goosebumps when I saw the three people grinning and laughing. [ Reinhardt, that ... ] [ Most likely the adventurer, Metz, was killed by them. ] I thought they would be a force when thousands or tens of thousands of monsters attacked, but they seem to be more vicious than I expected. "Well, Chezari, Tony, adventurers lose if they die. If they don''t live, they won''t get money or women. If they survive, they''ll get the credit of the dead." "In other words ... don''t have an unfortunate accident ... right?" Tony replied with a smirk, and next to him, Chezari laughed as well. However, the laughter of the other three seemed a little different. Orest, the dog beastman suddenly got angry, and asked while glaring. "Tony, Chezari ... do you guys understand the meaning of my words?" "Eh ... meaning, isn''t it natural ..." "Hmm, I don''t think you understand at all ..." "What do you mean ..." "Aah? You guys stepped on crap like today many times ... I''m telling you that unhappiness will come." "Hiii ..." "We don''t want to see where our friends have an unfortunate accident, but ... somehow an unfortunate accident hits a guy who keeps messing up ..." "Ah, having the party members and the adventurers who fought together die in an unfortunate accident causes a bad aftertaste ... You guys should be careful ..." Tony and Chezari nodded and ran away from the drawing room and returned to their own rooms. "Wasn''t that overkill, Bartolo and Orest?" "I thought about the future of the party and took the trouble of taking the hated role, you know, Bartolo?" "Hmm, I think it was just a joke, but ... I''m going to go through with it if they don''t pull themselves together." Bartolo replied uninterestingly, drinking alcohol. "Well, that''s just talk for now, I''ll leave it at that for now ..." "Ah, whether it''s Gigawolf or a mass outbreak of monsters, there are likely to be scenes that require a decoy ..." "Kukuku, Bartolo is totally ..." Rather than not recognizing Tony and Chezari as official party members, the three, who are grinning and laughing disgustingly again, seem to have decided to use them as decoys for monsters. [ Isn''t it better to report these things to Donovan-dono? ] [ Yeah, I''m going to make them say ''Ouch!'' tomorrow afternoon, but I''ll report after that. ] Bartolo and his friends continued to drink for a while after they became just three people, but they finally raised themselves heavily and returned to their respective rooms. [ Finally ... I''m tired of waiting. ] [ Well, Kent-sama, how are you going to deliver the letter? ] [ First, check on Bartolo ... ] When Bartolo returned to his assigned room, he didn''t change into his nightwear, and as soon as he lay down on his bed, he began to snore. [ Hmm ... I don''t think it''s necessary, but just in case ... ] I threw a sleeping pill into Bartolo''s stomach and waited for a while. I tried poking Bartolo''s cheek after a while, but there is no sign of waking up. I heard that he was an A-ranked adventurer, or ... I thought, but I was worried in vain. [ Kent, is it the turn of the ale mug again? ] [ No, I''m going to use a different method today. ] I went out of the shadows into Bartolo''s room, approached his bed, and turned over the blanked that he had kicked more than halfway off. Loosen the belt, unbutton, slide down the pants, and then lower the underwear. [ Wow! It''s really big ... or not. It''s not like ''Gao'', it''s like ''Nyan''. ] [ Kent-sama? What the hell are you going to do ... Buho! Buhahaha you''re decorating such a small place with a ribbon ... Buhahaha! ] Reinhardt is on the floor laughing in agony. Yeah, I''m glad he could only talk via telepathy, if he had a voice, the people around us would get up. Tie Bartolo''s crotch with a ribbon and place a letter prominently on the side table. In the postscript of the letter, I wrote that if he refuses to reconcile with me or if he tries to go to the boarding house, I will cut it off next time. Needless to say where. I asked Hart, Hirt, Hurt, Hert, and Hort, who had been entrusted to Reinhardt to monitor Bartolo, and returned to the boarding house. Tomorrow, no, the date has already changed, so it''s today, but since the boys are going to work on the ramparts for the first time, I''ll see them for the time being. I don''t have much time to sleep, but let''s make it Fluffy. "I''m sorry, the bed is small, so we''ll take turns sleeping together, Mirt tonight, please." "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama." Mirt wagged his tail happily, and Mart and Murt were downhearted, so I stroked them a lot before they returned to the shadow world. If you lie down on the bed with Mirt''s Fluffy, you will fall asleep in no time. And the morning came in a blink of an eye, and after all Mart and Murt were on the bed, so it seems impossible to take turns. I mean, I''m planning on lending them to Meisa-chan, but if they come back without permission, I''m likely to be resented by Meisa-chan, but is there a good way? "I''ll talk to yesterday''s thugs today ..." When I told Amanda-san after breakfast, she had a bitter expression. "Kent, don''t you feel like you''re doing something dangerous?" "That''s ridiculous, we''re just talking, and I''ll report to Donovan-san properly, so it''s okay." "Well, that''s fine, but don''t do anything crazy." "Yes, it''s okay." Actually, the report to Donovan-san is close to being post-approval, and it is assured that the meeting will be a bit ridiculous, but let''s keep quiet about it. "Mom ... Kent seems to be hiding something." "Huh? Wh, what are you saying, Meisa-chan ... Jeez, no way ..." Meisa-chan is troubling because she is strangely sharp even though she is a child. "Ufufufu, Meisa-chan, boys have some secrets that they can''t tell people." "Muu ... Kent isn''t erotic or dangerous, he''s just Kent!" "Yes, yes, it''s okay because Reinhardt and the others will accompany me. Meisa-chan will be late for school if she doesn''t hurry." "Muu, you''re so cheeky despite being just Kent!" I tried tapping the head of the pouting Meisa-chan like a drum, but it feels like the corners of her mouth are drooping more and more. She''s seriously worried, so I shouldn''t be mean, but it''s time for me to go out. Meisa-chan and I left the boarding house together, and I headed to the place where my classmates were constructing the walls. My classmates are in charge of the foundation work at a place about one block away from the normal wall construction. Even though it is called foundation work, it''s basically just digging a hole. Unlike Japanese construction sites, there are no heavy machinery such as power shovels and bulldozers, so construction can be carried out steadily by human power. It seems that my classmates were brought from the prison be being led by a garrison person, but the garrison person seems to be leading from behind, he doesn''t wear a sword, and he doesn''t carry anything like a whip. Hmm. And, as expected, Klaus-san was also seen at the construction site. "Good morning, Klaus-san." "Oh, Kent, did you come after all?" "That''s annoying, I was wondering if Klaus-san was coming ..." "Well, I''m not going to participate in the construction today, but I have to see it as the lord ..." "Thank you." This morning, Klaus-san has the usual atmospher of an evil old man, so the classmates who are a little far away probably don''t think he is the lord of Volzard. The classmates are divided into two groups, one of which is a motivated group centered around Kondo. The other has an expression that seems to be overtly dissatisfied, such as Takayama, Yagi, the old and new duo, and so on. Klaus-san smiles with a joyful smile while looking at the two contrasting groups. And before the construction started, Klaus-san opened his mouth to my classmates. "You did well to come to Volzard, I''m Klaus, the lord of Volzard, you rash brats." After all, it seems that they didn''t think Klaus-san was the lord, and my classmates screamed. "First of all, I would like to tell you that the wall construction is not for playing around, do it seriously! Otherwise, you will definitely get injured. Not only will you hurt yourself, but in some cases the lives of the people around you will be lost. You''re in danger. Don''t get distracted and take it seriously." Although Klaus-san is talking about something that is natural but important, Takayama and his friends still have unruly expressions. Seeing that, Klaus-san smiled again. "Why do we have to do something like this ... are you thinking that? There, you, Shuichi Takayama!" Named and pointed at by Klaus-san, Takayama made a bitter expression, but he doesn''t reply and stays silent. "Why do you have to be treated like this ... do you know the reason?" Takayama shook his head silently. "I''ll tell you ... because you have a great talent." "Eh?" At the unexpected words of Klaus-san, Takayama''s jaw dropped and he froze. "I heard from Kent that it''s been less than two months since you came to this world? In Resenburg, they didn''t even teach you how to use magic, right?" Takayama nodded silently this time. "But you can shoot the magic that makes a shoe store half-burned in one shot, your talent is great." "Oh, thank you ..." Takayama thanked him in a polite tone, perhaps because he was praised and softened his attitude. "But you''re too mentally immature to handle that kind of magic." Takayama has hardened his expression again, but Klaus-san continues to talk. "In order to use such powerful magic, first of all, it is necessary to be careful not to involve allies or unrelated people. No, absolutely! For example, like this time, disturb the enemy in the middle of activation. Even if it is done, it is absolutely useless if you involve allies and unrelated people!" As expected, Takayama also seems to be feeling guilty about burning an unrelated shoe store, so he began to listen to Klaus-san''s story. "But your magic jumped into an unrelated shoe store and half-burned the store. The people in the city think, he has a great magical talent ... but it''s very dangerous ... Right?" The classmates other than Takayama also swallow hard and listened to Klaus-san''s story. "You were called a Hero in Resenburg, but did they teach you how to use magic?" "No, no ..." "Then, keep in mind here that your magic is a violence that can easily kill people if you use it incorrectly." Takayama nodded awkwardly at the glare of Klaus-san, who had erased his frivolous smile. "Shuichi, are there immigrants and foreigners in your country?" "Well ... yes, there are." "What would the people of your country do if there were immigrants or foreigners who unthinkingly released magic or weapons that could easily kill people? Would you reach out to them with a smile? Or try to get rid of them?" "That ... they would try to get rid of them ..." "Here at Volzard, you''re becoming a scary person to the average citizen who doesn''t have much power." Takayama seems to have finally begun to think about how he is viewed by the people of Volzard. "If you go out into the city without taking any action, there will definitely be a movement to exclude you." Klaus-san keeps talking while looking at the other boys. "It''s not just Shuichi, the other guys definitely have a higher magical power than the Volzard kids of the same age. What do you think?" Even those who had an unruly expression when Klaus-san started talking are listening with a strange look. "That''s why I ask you guys to do this wall construction. It goes without saying what kind of place the Devil''s Forest is outside the wall, isn''t it? For Volzard, the wall brings peace. It''s an important wall to keep living. If you are serious about the construction for the city, the view of the people in the city will change." I''m ashamed to say that the construction of the ramparts is tough and punishable, but it has a decent meaning. "Shuichi, the reason why only you are involved in the construction for a long time is because you have an outstanding talent and you will be watched by the residents of Volzard with strict eyes. Right now you are a very talented and extremely dangerous guy. However, if you continue to work on the construction seriously, they will think that it is a valuable talent, a talent that is difficult to obtain. To avoid relying on magic for everything, I forbid the use of magic with that bracelet." Takayama looked astonished and looked down at the slave bracelet. "Shuichi, you have a great talent. But you can''t rely on that talent easily. To use strong magic, you need to have a high level of ethics. As it is, the way you are. You won''t be recognized by the people around you. Well, you should be able to think about an adult who is ten years older than you are now. That may open the way for you to become a real hero. Like the other guys, Heroes have trials. Don''t run away from these trials, face them head-on and defeat them." When Klaus-san cut his words, everyone aws motivated. It''s frustrating, but it''s a trick that I can''t do right now. That''s why, let''s work head-on with what I should do now so that I can become an adult who can compete with Klaus-san in the next 10 or 20 years. I have a meeting with the Flamehounds people, so I left with Klaus-san who broke off and returned to the guild halfway. I would like to express my gratitude for guiding my irresponsible classmates. "Thank you. I was saved because some of them were honestly struggling." However, what came back was laughter and unexpected words. "Hmm, to cope with that brat, just tickle his vanity a little, he''s rather simple-minded don''t you agree? ... Donovan''s glaring is effective, but he''s no good at getting people to move by flattery." "Then ... what was the story earlier?" "Ah, I''m not saying it''s all a lie, but Kent, Landshelt has a saying that even monkeys can be made use of with flattery ... Do you understand what that means?" "Hmm ... well, maybe me too?" "You, even if you don''t get flattered, will work on your own, hahahaha." I could only stand there stunned while watching Klaus-san walk away to the guild, leaving behind his laugh. Damnit! Adults are unfair after all. Listening to the story, I got a little angry, return my good impressions! CH 60 A confrontation called reconciliation negotiations ***---*** Rich kid, who has a crush on Beatrice, Nazario''s parents'' home, and the Orlando store, is said to be the largest store in Volzard. The main product is jewelry made by processing precious metals and jewels procured from dungeons, and it is said that it is exported not only to the Republic of Landshelt, but also to the neighboring countries and is highly evaluated. In addition, they have a wide range of businesses such as clothing, weapons, equipment, and food. With a large store on the main street of Volzard, a workshop, a residence for craftsmen, and a mansion for the owner''s family, the land area seems to be larger than that of the lord''s mansion. The five Flamehounds are staying in a side building away from the owner''s mansion. After observing the wall construction of my classmates and parting from Klaus-san, I moved to the garrison of Lastock, where I had lunch and took care of the chairman. Somehow, I feel like I''ve been taken care of by Resenburg for lunch these days, but it''s natural because I''m so annoyed. After returning to Volzard, I heard from Hart and the others who were watching over the five people since I left the letter last night. Bartolo, with whom I had set up a little mischief, woke up as expected and was furious at the same time, and when he read the letter, he rolled it up and turned it into ashes with fire magic. Though I would have gone to visit him if there were no wall construction of my classmates, it''s really regrettable. I wanted to see Bartolo''s face when he saw the cute ribbon-decorated ''Nyan''. Bartolo, who also turned the unraveled ribbon into ashes, immediately called Orest and Jarma to discuss countermeasures. The countermeasure is simple and clear, he intends to drag me into the mansion, let me speak as much as I want, and then kill me, and disassemble my corpse and hide it away. It seems that they are considering the fact that if they kill me, they will be suspicious, and after killing me, they will dismantle me quickly and have Chezari and Tony throw it away. Even if they are suspected, if there is no corpse, they think they can get away with it. Chezari and Tony still don''t seem to be involved in important decisions, and they were told only to the extent that they''ll get rid of them in some cases. Jarma, the shaved-headed giant, was in charge of dismantling for the Flamehounds, and he took out a large knife the size of a dagger and grinned, but of course I don''t intend to let him dismantle me. Fred was posted in Lastock, Mart was posted at the boarding house, and Mart and Mirt were posted on the walls, and all the other genus gathered with me. After this, I''m going to go into the mansion of the Orlando Store and have them settle semi-forcedly, so I''m planning to have everyone in my genus play a role. [ You''re all set, right? Reinhardt. ] [ Kent-sama, although we know their abilities, don''t let your guard down. ] [ I know, I''ll always be ready to throw up a dark shield, so signal me when it''s dangerous. ] [ OK, then ... ] [ Yeah, let''s go make them say ''Ouch!''. ] When I told the gatekeeper of the mansion the purpose of my visit, he immediately took me to the front door after confirming that I had no weapon. I knew this was also arranged by Bartolo, so I''m not surprised. If I had a weapon, it seemed like I would have had it confiscated here. From the front door, the maid guided me to the building where the five Flamehounds were staying. "Bartolo-sama, Kent-sama has arrived." "Send him in ..." When the maid knocked on the door of the drawing room and called out, Bartolo''s voice that seemed devoid of emotions came back. Maybe the maid looked after Bartolo this morning and predicted something bad would happen, looking at me as if I were a calf being led to slaughter. "Please ... be careful ..." "Thank you." When I entered the drawing room, thanking the maid for her concern, Bartolo welcomed me with a smile. Of course, his face is laughing, but his eyes aren''t laughing at all, and he looks like a shark aiming for its prey. "Hey, so you''re Kent, I''m glad you came, hurry up and come in ..." "Nice to meet you, I''m sorry for suddenly pushing to meet you today." "Sit down in the back seat, without the stiff greetings." "Yes, excuse me." Bartolo told me to sit in the seat farthest from the door, where Bartolo was sitting yesterday. Bartolo sits opposite, Orest and Jarma diagonally in front of him, and Chezari and Tony on my side. In other words, it''s probably the most inescapable seat. While the maid prepares tea, Orest and Jarma are appraising me with a smirk. Chezari and Tony expose their hostility and glare at me. "Well, I have something to do ..." When the maid left the room, Bartolo asked. The smiles up to that point disappeared, deep wrinkles were carved between his eyebrows, and blue streaks appeared on his forehead. "Yes, I wrote it in the letter, but it seems that I was misunderstood, so I thought I should resolve the misunderstanding and reconcile." Bartolo read the letter and immediately burnt it to ash, so it seems that the other four people did not know the exact content, so remembering the content that I had rewritten many times last night, I talked about the letter as accurately as possible. While reiterating the content of the letter, I conveyed the intention of my visit. "Bastaaard! Don''t get cocky, brat!" "Chezari! Tony! Sit down!" Reiterating the contents of the rude letter, Chezari and Tony naturally stood up in a rage, but Bartolo shouted and they sat down. "Gahahaha, Bartolo, isn''t this kid courageous, shouldn''t we show him the results of his actions?" "Jarma! Don''t blurt out needless things." "Gahahaha, I''m sorry, I''m sorry, but this brat is a mouse in a bag, so there''s no escape." "Snort, I heard he uses darkness magic, kill him without reservation if he starts chanting." Bartolo''s words surprised Chezari and Tony, but soon they grinned and gave a sneaky laugh. "Kukuku, Bartolo, scary, scary, but what happened?" "Snort, this kid looks down on the Flamehounds, so it''s natural to send him to the other world ..." "That''s right, but hey, as Jarma says, there''s no escape, let''s play a little more." Bartolo looks bitterly at Orest and Jarma, who are amused. Apparently, he didn''t talk about yesterday''s ribbon. Then, let me tell you with my own mouth. "It seems that you don''t want to reconcile in this situation, but didn''t I give everyone a warning last night?" "Damned brat ... Does he want to die so quickly ..." Looking at Bartolo who is starting to stand up, Orest and Jarma tilt their heads. "What is this warning? Bartolo." "Noisy, shut up, Jarma, don''t let the brat make a fool of you!" "Oh Jarma, isn''t that warning the cause of Bartolo''s irritation?" "Um, that''s right, brat, what did you do?" Orest and Jarma seem to be interested, but Bartolo doesn''t want it to be known. "Shut up, Chezari, Tony, kill him!" "Wait! What''s wrong Bartolo, what the heck is that warning?" "Damn! Chezari, Tony, kill him quickly!" Chezari and Tony pulled out the knives they hid under the table, but they seem to be at a loss when comparing Bartolo and Orest. Jarma urged me with his eyes, so I told him about my warning. "I took down the sleeping Bartolo''s pants and decorated his imporant part with a red ribbon. ''If you refuse to reconcile, I will cut it off next time ...'' I wrote in the letter." "Gahahaha, this is a masterpiece!" "Uhyahyahyahya, brat, bastard, are you trying to make me laugh myself to death!" Jarma and Orest laughed while holding their stomach, and had a cramped smile on their face. Jarma and Orest kept laughing for a while, but finally became silent when Bartolo slammed his fist on the table. "This is the end of your life, brat." "That''s right ... Then, as originally planned, you will kill me, disassemble me into pieces, and let those two people throw it away, right?" "Well, I wonder how you investigated so much, just the ability to investigate is a big deal, it seems to be much more useful than Chezari ... but if you make a fool of us, it''s over." Perhaps he finally regained his poise, Bartolo pulled out his knife with a big smile. "That ... since it seems that the ending is decided anyway, can I ask you a few questions?" "Oh, don''t worry, say it, brat." My question was answered by Orest, who was playing with a knife, before Bartolo could respond. "you guys are armed with knives, I''m unarmed, so I''m at a disadvantage and I''m going to disappear from Volzard ... you''re thinking this, right?" "Oh, that''s right, don''t you understand it well, brat?" "Yes, that''s right ... you guys don''t think it''s the other way around ...?" "Huh? The other way ...?" Not only Orest, but the other four also had suspicious expressions. "Yes, the other way around, I''ll survive and you''ll disappear ... why don''t you think about it?" "Gahahaha, are you saying that you can get rid of the great us and survive with no weapons?" "You all know that I can use darkness magic and use monsters like people say, right?" Maybe because Nazario pestered them for heroic tales, even though they have naturally heard the story, the five Flamehounds, don''t feel to have much caution. "No matter how powerful a monster can be used by an idiot ... it wouldn''t be able to do anything if it isn''t here ..." Apparently, from Bartolo''s tone, he doesn''t think I can summon my genus. "I see ... can I ask another question?" "What, say it quickly." "What if, maybe I had the power to turn the situation around, what would you do? Would you still continue to be hostile? Adventurers lose when they die, right?" After looking at each other, Orest and the others gazed at Bartolo. "If you could do such a trick, I wouldn''t mind, but we''re realists ... I don''t feel like dealing with such a joke, there''s no reconciliation ... I''d die here." Bartolo signaled the other four, so I hit the floor with my toes before that. Reinhardt stood on my right side, Basten on the left side, and behind the five Flamehounds, Zae and the undead lizardmen appeared. Zae and the others held the heads of the Flamehounds with their left hands and put the blade of the Kukri knife at the nape of their necks. Furthermore, Art and the undead kobolds appeared, filling the room, showing off their claws and fangs. "Everyone, please put your knifes on the table." "Damn, what happened ..." "Li, Lizardmen ..." "Brat, is this you bastard''s power ..." You should be able to understand the situation at a glance by looking at the faces of your peers. Art and the others quickly recovered the knives that had been quietly placed on the table by the five people who had been subdued and turned pale. "As long as you follow Volzard''s law and act as a decent adventurer, I have no intention of being hostile, but if you set me up, I have no choice but to fight back, right?" "Damn ... making fools of us ..." "You''re the one making fools of yourselves, Bartolo-san. You thought I was just a kid, and didn''t think that even though you caused trouble for the boarding house, you weren''t expecting me to counterattack?" "Damn ..." No matter how much you glare at me, it doesn''t look good if you are deprived of the ability to kill. "Gahahaha, Bartolo, this is our defeat, the opponent is too strong and it got out of hand." "I agree with Jarma''s opinion, this brat, using this number of monsters without chanting, it''s not worth it. If you stick to your pride, you''ll be ruined." "Damn ... what do you want, brat!" It seems that Bartolo has finally raised the white flag, so let''s have him accept my request. "As I said earlier, if you don''t violate the law or trouble my friends, I won''t be hostile, but if you don''t accept my request, I''ll kick you out of Volzard. I won''t kill you, so I''ll encourage you to leave, but I might cut it off." "Damn ... okay, I''ll accept your request ..." "And ..." "There still more ..." "Yes, please do not use Chezari and Tony as decoys." "Well, that is ..." "W, wait, Bartolo-san, what is he saying?" "Use us as a decoy ... is that the truth?" When they heard that they would be used as a decoy, both Chezari and Tony protested, but since they were still restrained by the undead lizardmen from behind, they had no power. "That ... you had to go and say something unnecessary, you shitty brat ..." "Yes, as you say, I''m a shitty brat, but as that shitty brat, please show me a little cool adult. You''re an A-ranked adventurer, right? I want you to show me the spirit worthy of it." Bartolo, Orest, and Jarma showed a bitter look, and Chezari and Tony nodded as if I was right. "Then, I''ll leave now, but keep your promise. I don''t want to have to cut off such things either ..." When I stood up, Art and the others dove into the shadows, as they were previously, and for the remaining Zae and the others as well as myself, I put out a shield of darkness, and stepped back into the shadow world. "Damn, damn, damn, brat, making a fool of me!" As soon as we disappeared, Bartolo slammed his fist on the table that looked expensive and shouted, with his brow wrinkled. Orest threw his hands in the air in frustration, and nodded silently. "Oh ... that brat, I''m gonna hurt him someday ..." "Bartolo, can you do it alone?" "Um, yeah, I don''t want to have a hand in it either." "What ... are you guys going to keep silent because you''re beaten?" "Oh, I still don''t want it to be cut off." "This me also ... hahahaha." "That''s a little much ..." Bartolo glared with a bitter look at Orest and Jarma, who exchanged smiles as if they were just observers. "That ... Bartolo-san, about that story ..." "Using us as a decoy ..." "Shut up, if you don''t like it, go somewhere else!" Bartolo put his feet up on the table as if he didn''t care, looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. Chezari and Tony, who have been pushed out, have a conversation with their eyes on what to do, but it seems that they can not draw a conclusion. "As Bartolo said, no matter what the damned brat said, our methods can''t change so easily." "Well, when that time cimes, I''ll use you as a decoy without hesitation ... If you don''t like it, get out of the Flamehounds and walk on your own ..." Chezari and Tony, who were pushed away by Roest and Jarma, thought silently for a while. "I''m sorry, but I''m out ... Thank you for taking care of me ..." Tony, after thinking with his arms folded, briefly told him, then bowed lightly and left the drawing room. Seeing that, Chezari still seemed lost, but he stood up as if he had decided. "Oh, thank you for your care!" Saying godbye in a loud voice as if to shake off the regret, Chezari also left the drawing room. "Well, neither one had guts ..." "Gahahaha, Orest, it''s terrible to want it from young people these days." "What are you saying, I wonder if there was a brat who left calmly." "Oh, that''s right, hahahaha." While complaining with his mouth, Orest has a refreshing look. "So, Orest, what are we going to do now?" "It doesn''t matter, it''s just like going back to the old days." "Gahahaha, it would be helpful if you could really go back to the old days, since your face and body have aged." "Kukuku, hey ..." "You guys should go somewhere else ..." Bartolo muttered with his eyes closed, and Orest and Jarma burst into laughter after looking at each other. "Uhyahyahya, did you hear that, Jarma, the crybaby Baru is saying something?" "Wait, wait ... don''t leave yet, Orest ..." "What did you want to talk about?" Even if the glaring Bartolo looks terrible, it feels like the other two are unaffected. Apparently, these three people seem to have a very old relationship. "I don''t know about the other guys, but it would be useless to dress us up, Jarma." "Well ... what is this about a ribbon on the crotch?" "Shut it, yesterday I drank too much and I was just off guard, I''ll return the favor when he comes next time." "I''m glad he didn''t cut it off, it''s better to have it even if it''s small." "Shut up! I''m not small!" "That''s ..." "Gahahaha, I''ll leave it at that ..." "Damn, doing whatever you want ..." Looking at the relationship between these three people, there seems to be no problem, but looking at the conversation last night and the response today, there seems to be a considerable problem, after all, I''ll report to Donovan-san. Even so, both Klaus-san, and Bartolo and the others, are adults who don''t really seem to learn. No matter how it''s called the farthest town, it''s still troublesome ... CH 61 Detained teachers ***---*** The settlement negotiations with the Flamehounds ended before the evening. There is still time before dinner time, so about the teachers being detained in Lastock. I went to preview the facility. In the next rescue operation, this is the first place I''ll start, and if I take time here, there is a concern that the later schedule will be delayed. The place where the teachers are detained is on the other side of the city of Lastock, as seen from the garrison. The site is about the size of a school playground, and there is a two-story building that is about the size of a classroom and a warehouse that doubles as a stable, the rest is a vacant lot, and its seems that training is being conducted here. There are six detained teachers, four men and two women, and all of them are middle-aged ojii-sans and obaa-sans, other than Furudate-sensei of science. The teachers were being trained as scouts, regardless of knight type or mage type. "Lower your posture more! Like this you can be completely seen!" There are obstacles made of ropes and boards, and the scouting training amongst such obstacles is like the training of the army seen on TV. "Idiot, don''t show your face so carelessly! You and the brats will be annihilated together!" The knights of Resenburg are training them by saying that when they go to battle, the teachers will lead the students through the forest. Being told that the ability of the teachers as scouts is related to the life and death of the students, the teachers have no choice but to work hard even if they don''t like it. However, Basten has found that it is a lie to encourage the teachers to work hard on training, and they are actually intended to be used as decoys to walk in front of a professional scout. They can survive if they can play the role of a scout, but they think that if they don''t notice the approach of monsters, they will be the first to be sacrificed, thereby letting the original scout know the existence of the monsters. There are three Resenburg knights at this facility, and it seems that they will return to the garrison at night, leaving only one in charge of the night shift. The teachers seem to live on the second floor of the building, and there are private rooms that are little larger than my room at the boarding house, shared toilets, bathrooms, kitchens, etc. It seems that at night, the stairs that go up to the second floor are locked. All the windows are fitted with iron bars, and if there is a fire in the middle of the night, they will be wiped out. Even so, it seems a little careless to have just one night shift for six people, but they''re told that if they escape, the students will be punished, so it seems the teachers haven''t been able to plan an escape. Besides, since they can''t get out of the premises, they don''t know the outside situation at all, and it seems that they cna''t even make an escape plan. It is convenient for me that they have poor security at night, so I will contact them before the operation and have them prepare. During the rescue operation, the knight on night duty is put to sleep, the stairs are unlocked, and the small carriage that is pulled by Zae and the others is moved to the garrison, where they will join my classmates and move to Volzard. The key to the stairs has been confirmed to be hung at the entrance of the room for the night shift, so the sleeping knight will be locked up on the second floor. [ Even so ... it''s kind of dirty and looks very messy ... ] [ They aren''t being treated very well, so it may be unavoidable. ] It seems that the facilities for living are in place, but they have to cover water and fire by themselves. It seems that magical power is poured through magical tools to make water, or to light a fire for cooking or heating a bath, but the magical power is empty due to being exhausted by training, and it is necessary to use the last dredges to cover the minimum amount of water of fire. It seems that the limit of water ot fill the bathtub and the fire to heat it is once every few days. [ Once every day, they''re having trouble with water for washing, they can''t cook well, and they''re not being given any good ingredients. ] [ I see ... ] When we were in Japan, the teacher, Sato-sensei, seemed to be young with heavy makeup, but when I saw their face without makeup, they looked so old that I couldn''t tell who they were. The other teachers also looked quite old, to verying degrees. The faces of all of them seemed to have lost their vitality, giving the impression that they were using up all of their energy. I don''t think this is useful, no matter how much you intend to make them disposable. [ Fred, do they have any information about my classmates? ] [ It doesn''t seem they are told that. It seems that the matter of Funayama, the first five people, and the fifty people who all participated in the actual battle, they don''t seem to have been told that they haven''t returned. ] [ Is that to prevent the teachers from being upset or become rebellious by bad news? ] [ I think so, and they seem to avoid contact with the students as much as possible after this. ] No matter how I can come in contact with the teachers, it''s only the night when their is just one knight, so I''ll ask Amanda-san to bring something with me. I decided to go back to Volzard, report to Donovan-san, have supper, and then come back again. Before returning to the guild, I went to the site of wall construction where my classmates were working. As of this morning, Takayama and his friends, who had been rebellious, were also motivated as a result of Klaus-san''s speech technique, but since the wall construction is hard work, I was worried that they weren''t going to do it properly, but apparently my anxiety was unfounded. While washing their hands and faces, they talked about their impressions of the day with Kondo and the others, who were in charge of the construction work and the garrison members who were supervising. Well, fake glasses was vague as usual, but the old and new duo and Takayama also joined the circle, and I could feel a sense of unity. I feel it''s better not to show up here. Looking at the facial expressions of the people in charge, it seems that today''s work has been completed without any problems, and at this rate, I feel that it won''t be long before everyone is accepted by the people of Volzard. Kondo, the old and new duo, and Takayama are much better than me since they have the basic specs of being in athletic clubs, and if they work seriously, it''s natural that they will be recognized. It would be best if everyone could interact with the people in the city in a place where I wasn''t around, but since I was the only one not participating, I felt a little alienated. If you have a really narrow heart, you are likely to fall into self-loathing. I regained my mind and moved to the guild to report to Donovan-san about the Flamehounds incident. I explained step by step from the uproar in front of Amanda-san''s shop to the settlement, but even Donovan-san couldn''t hold back his laughter when I said I decorated ''Nyan'' with a ribbon. Yeah, I feel like it was the right choice. "Well, then they''re back to being a trio, right?" "Yes, I think so." "Okay, I''ll have someone keep an eye on them ... Even so, the Orlando Store, huh ..." "What is it, is something wrong ...?" "Well, to put it simply, they are the type to spare no expense, so be careful ..." "Even if you say so ..." If there''s a problem with the Orlando Store, it''s definitely due to my relationship with Beatrice, and I''m not the one doing anything, so it''s out of my hands. "Hmm, the mischief of a woman, is cleaned up by a man." "Hmm ... I''m not used to this kind of thing ..." "Kukuku, then you should study, otherwise, the people at the boarding house may be inconvenienced again." "Oh ... I understand." After all, I have to prevent Beatrice from approaching, kissing will cause troubles. The next time we meet, I''ll make sure to warn her properly. Having reported to Donovan-san, I returned to the boarding house, talked to Amanda-san about the situation, and asked for something for me to deliver to the teachers. "Seriously, what a terrible thing to do, I''ll make something to the best of my ability." "Thank you, but I don''t think their bodies will accept it if they increase the amount too quickly ..." "I understand, when it comes to cooking, leave it to me with a ''bang''." "Yes, please." I think I''ll have a little more time before dinner, so I went to look at the training for everyone in my genus. The destination where I went with Reinhardt as a landmark seems to be far behind the Devil''s Forest. [ Reinhardt, where is this? ] [ It''s about two days on foot to the south of the Devil''s Forest. ] [ By the way, what is the terrain around here? ] [ You may have seen the map in Camilla''s room, but the Devil''s Forest stretches southward, extending from the steep mountains of the north to the cliffs of the south coast. ] The map I saw in Camilla''s room only showed the old Resenburg, which is now Resenburg and Landshelt, but it seems that the north is a steep mountainous area with icecaps and the south is the sea. The Devil''s Forest spreads over the entire land area that leads to another continent on the south side, and it is said that it was originally created by a large number of tree monster Trents from the neighboring continent. The southern continent is said to be a continent controlled by demons, and it is believed that the mass outbreak of monsters comes from the southern continent. [ Well, in other words, are we in the direction of a higher density of monsters? ] [ That''s right. ] Since the level of an orc is no longer their opponent, it seems they have moved in search of stronger monsters in order to train cooperation in line with an actual battle. It seems that even skilled adventurers will not set foot in this area, and the forest is a dense virgin forest, and there is no sign of people. In the primeval forest, there is a place with no trees, about 30 meters in diameter. Looking closely, it seems that it''s not that it wasn''t growing, but it is cut down from the roots, and it seems that this is a hunting ground. From the depths of the forest, growls and the threatening roars or Art and the others was heard, and after a while, a dozen or so ogres appeared. When Art and the others drove the ogres into the hunting ground, Tsuo jumped out of the shadows and wielded the Kukri knife, turning the ogres into pieces of meat in a blink of an eye. While repeating these exercises, they have repeatedly strengthened with the magic stones they got, so the movement of Tsuo seems to hvae increased in speed and strength, and I can not keep up with the movement with my eyes. Yeah, I''m confident that if everyone attacks me, I''ll be killed instantly. Art and the others also seem to be even stronger. I would be in trouble if there was a different in ability, so I called Mart and the others to stengthen them, but of course I was careful not to lose their cuteness. [ Kent-sama, I''m planning to train for cooperation until tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, I''ll teach Zae and the others how to handle carriages, and on dark day, I''ll have everyone in place during the day. ] [ Yeah, I see, then the day after tomorrow I''ll be able to rent a garrison carriage. And I have to arrange sleeping pills. ] [ The time of patrolling of the knights of Lastock and the knights on duty are also identified. There is no problem for now. ] [ Three days later, be ready for the operation in perfect condition. ] [ OK, leave it to me. ] When I returned to the boarding house, it was just becoming dinner time, and Amanda-san made a pot of soup and a heap of sandwiches for me to deliver. "Wow, thank you so much, please charge me later." "It''s fine, Kent has protected the city many times, this is a service." "No, it''s bad to have you do this, I''ll pay it in addition to the boarding house fee." "It''s fine, a kid shouldn''t hesitate!" "But ... then I''ll buy something next time, like cookies and cakes." "Cookies! I like the cookies of the Mesudori Pavilion!" As soon as she heard the word ''cookie'', Meisa-chan responded. If Meisa-chan had a tail, it would be swinging around. "Yes, yes, the Mesudori Pavilion''s cookies, I understand." "By the way, what happened with Kent and the thugs?" "Yes, I''ve talked about it with them, so the Flamehounds guys shouldn''t come around for now." "Was the ribbon from before useful?" "Yes, of course." Explaining the series of exchanges with the Flamehounds, including how I used the ribbon, Amanda-san laughed, Meline-san held her mouth and her shoulders shook, and Meisa-chan showed a subtle expression. Maybe she wasn''t convinced by how the beautiful ribbon she wanted was used. After dinner, I washed my sweat briefly and changed my clothes before heading to the chairman''s care. I haven''t met Manon or Beatrice today, but I can''t smell like sweat. "Kent, did you get along with other girls before you came here?" "I didn''t, I didn''t hug or kiss anyone today." "Then why do you smell like soap today?" "Today, I was moving around and sweating, so I came after taking a bath so that I wouldn''t smell like sweat." The chairman seems to be finally convinced after staring me in the eyes. Yeah, it''s all because of my bad behavior. "I''m sorry to doubt ..." "Yeah, when I look back on myself, I wonder if I can''t help being suspected ..." "Uuh, really, it''s a disqualification for a boyfriend to come to see a girl while smelling like two other girls ..." "A boyfriend ...?" When I asked a question, the chairman kissed me on my cheek. "We kissed so much, but is it different ...?" "Um ... that is ..." "Hmm ... You''ll have to face it directly at Volzard." "No ... that''s that ..." "It''s okay, I''ll be at Volzard in four days." "Oh, that''s right ..." "I won''t lose ..." Until Erna came back, the chairman put her head on my shoulder and hugged me tightly. Leaving the chairman''s room, this time I headed to the building where the teachers were detained. Surprisingly, the knight in charge of the night shift brought a bottle of liquor and drank liquor while playing a board game like chess. If I was to wait for him to fall asleep by himself, it would take a long time, so I gave him a sleeping pill and he was out right away. After confirming that the knight in charge of the night shift had fallen asleep, I moved to the second floor where the teachers were. On the second floor, there are only a few small nightlights, and if you don''t have good night vision, it looks pretty dim. It seems that the teachers who have nothing to do and are exhausted from the daytime training are already sleeping. I knocked the Sato-sensei''s room, which was checked by Basten. "Sensei, Sato-sensei, are you awake ..." I knocked on the door and called out, but I didn''t get an immediate reply. "Sensei ... Sato-sensei ..." "Who ... what is it at this time?" "Sensei, it''s Kokubu, I brought a delivery." As soon as I gave my name, the door opened with great momentum. "Kokubu-kun ... you were safe ..." "Se, sensei, it''s painful ..." "Oh, I''m sorry ... eh, but you, how ... no way ... a ghost ..." "It''s okay, I have legs, so see ..." I asked Sato-sensei to wake up the other teachers and have them gather in the common space. It seems that the information of the classmates was not given, but it was said that I had gone into the Devil''s Forest alone and was already prey to monsters. As I showed up, not only Sato-sensei, but also the other teachers were confused that I was alive and well, and suspected that I was a ghost. They warmed the soup I put in the shadow space and ate it with a sandwich, but it seems that it''s been a while since they''ve eaten a properly cooked soup, and Chisaki-sensei of the social studies department was crying happily. When the teachers talked about the food and enjoyed themselves, I talked about the situation so far and the rescue operation. When I told them that Funayama died, after all of them became silent, they seemed sad, angry, and outraged. "So, three days later, I think it will be about this time, but I will come to pick up the teachers. After that, we will move to the garrison where the rest of my classmates are, and we will all head for Volzard." "Are we walking? Isn''t it faster to steal a carriage?" "To move, I have a carriage pulled by my undead lizardmen." "Are you pulling it with a monster instead of a horse?" "Yes, with a horse, you need to connect them to the carriage, and you have to give instructions to operate it, but with my genus, they can prepare themselves to pull the carriage, and you don''t have to give detailed instructions." I introduced Zae on behalf of everyone so that they wouldn''t be surprised on the day of the rescue, but everyone was surprised and sat down. "I am called Zae, a genus of Kent-sama, pleased to make your acquaintance ..." Hearing Zae speak fluently and do the knight''s salute, the teachers finally seemed to be relieved. By the way, I asked Basten and Mirt to also come out and introduced them. "I will give the teachers a class-specific list of my classmates remaining in Lastock''s garrison on the day, so please make a roll call to your homeroom class." "How many carriages do you have?" "I''m planning on using five." "Can you add another one?" "Another one ... Hmm ..." Kato-sensei of Health and Physical Education tells me to increase the number of carriages because our grade is six classes. Of course, if you try to put six classes on five carriages, one class or all classes will have to board separately, which can be confusing. If you want to put six classes on six carriages, you can allocate a carriage for each class, so there is less confusion. "It would be impossible to pull only one with a horse, so I would have to select someone from Art and the others to pull it ..." [ Kent, Should I pull it? ] "Basten, is it okay ...?" [ I couldn''t do it while I was alive, but now there will be no problem. ] "Okay, I''ll think about it with Reinhardt and the others after returning. Kato-sensei, please put it on hold for a moment." "If it''s difficult to prepare six carriages, I''ll divide my class and spread them around, so please consult me." "Yes, I''ll be counting on you for that time." The first thing to do after rescuing the teachers is to get all the classmates together, even though they are far apart. When I rescued fifty people, Resenburg was the one who formed the two groups, so they were able to act as they were. However, in this case, without such a configuration, the number of people will increase further, so I felt that it is likely that it will take time to act together. Therefore, I decided to have the teachers take the leading role in each class. "Then I think I''ll come back to you by the time of the decision, so be prepared and don''t get caught." "Leave it to us with a ''bang''!" When the youngest teacher, Furudate-sensei, hit his chest and laughed, the other teachers also smiled. But I don''t think that''s the case ... "Furudate-sensei, please do not have such a cheerful face as now. If the teacher who was dying until yesterday suddenly becomes cheerful, they will definitely be suspicious." "Uuh ... that''s true, then ... Kokubu, please help us soon ... Is it like this?" Furudate-sensei acted with a feeling of dying, but it was quite comical and he was laughed at by the other teachers. For the time being, I promised to contact them by the day of the operation and returned to Volzard. Now, I feel like everything is in the works. CH 62 Sumika Kizawa and Marianne ***---*** The day after I got in touch with the teachers, I first went to the guild. At the beginning of the week, I asked Manon to help the girls find jobs and left it alone. I think it''s okay because they boys have caused such a turmoil, but I''m worried about leaving them unattended, so I decided to keep an eye on the situation, including the progress. Even this morning, the front of the bulletin board is very crowded, and it seems that there are no girls who are willing to rush in there. Yeah, Ridner and the others are still getting bashed around, but it can''t be helped ... At the wall away from the bulletin board, there were my female classmates. There is also the appearance of the dekoboko sisters today, and Manon seems to be asked various questions at the center of everyone. Light blue short hair stands out in a group of black hair. I don''t know what they''re asking, but Manon, who is blushing and acting flustered, is cute and healing. When Manon noticed me and waved her small hand, all the girls'' eyes were directed at me all at once. Hmm ... I think it''s a little overwhelming to be looked at by more than a dozen girls all at once. The girls turned around with a grinding sound, and when they saw me, they grinned broadly and leaving behind Manon who was in the center, they quickly separated to both sides. Amongst them, there are people who beckon me, but it''s hard to approach them. "Good morning, Kent." "Good morning ... Manon." With warm eyes watching me as I approach awkwardly, girls'' whispers are heard. "A kiss, it''s a good-morning kiss." "Stupid, first hug, gyu, gyu ..." No, no, being looked at with such expectancy, I''m not so bold as to be able to do that. What is it Manon-chan? Why did you turn red and close your eyes? No ... this is really ... it''s great, it''s great, the pressure is great. I gently hugged Manon, who was shaking a little, and kissed her cheek. "Huuuuu, it''s so hot right away in the morning ..." "I wonder why the morning of Volzard is so hot ... Hey!" It''s bad, it''s really bad right away in the morning. I hurriedly released the hug, but Manon was holding my shirt tightly and I couldn''t leave. Well, that kind of gesture is unfair, it makes me want to hug her again. "Kent ... I don''t smell Beatrice today ..." "Yeah, yeah, I haven''t seen her today." "Yes, that''s good ..." "Well ... so what kind of work is everyone doing?" I tried to switch the topic, but I got glared at by the dekoboko sisters. "Why does Kokubu talk about something else ignoring the atmosphere right away ..." "That''s right, as Tomo-chan says, I wish they could hug more." "No, everyone, you have to find a job ..." I tried to switch the topic somehow, but this time I was scolded by Sagara-san and Motomiya-san from the other side. "We can''t find a job in that crowd yet, and Manon will take care of us, so it''s okay." "We''re really grateful to Manon. She''s worked so hard that we shouldn''t rely on Manon anymore." Manon explained the contents of the job in detail, and thanks to the guidance to the workplace, the introduction to the people at the workplace, and the explanation of the circumstances, everyone was able to experience the job smoothly. "Now, Kokubu should just stay here and live happily with Manon." "Oh yeah, it''s exactly as Tomo-chan says." Everyone nods to the words of the dekoboko sisters. Manon is bright red and looks down, but I feel that her mouth is a bit sloppy and grinning. "No, it hasn''t been decided that we''ll be able to go home yet, and I haven''t finished rescuing everyone else ..." "By the way, Kokubu-kun, are you flirting with Yuika?" "Even though Manon is here, the worst, Kokubu, the worst!" "No, because even the chairman is working so hard she collapses if left alone ... it hurts." Sagara-san said something unnecessary, so I was struck in the flanks by Manon. Anyhow, Manon-chan, when did you draw everyone to your side? But for the time being, I was relieved that the girls here seemed to be working without problems, but after all the number of people is not enough. "Well, by the way, what about the rest?" As soon as they heard me, everyone''s facial expressions clouded over. "Ah ... it''s bad for Kokubu, but Sumika and the others may not be ..." "Yeah, horse riding was only for one day, and after that ..." Sumika Kizawa''s group was reluctant to clean the stables and brush the horses during the horse riding experience, and when the training for the day was over, they declared that they would no longer participate. "Then what are they doing now?" "They didn''t get up when we left, and they were all gathering and talking, rigth?" "I think they can''t get up because it seems like they were gathering and talking until midnight yesterday." "Will they cause a problem ...?" "Oh, I think it''s okay, because unlike Takayama and the others, they''re good at conducting themselves." According to Kobayashi-san, they don''t complain or try to do anything unpleasant, but if someone tries to cause trouble, they have enough wisdom to keep a distance from the troublesome person and not deal with them. "However, the impression of us may get worse ..." Sakurai-san says that even if they don''t do anything like the boys'' uproar, their disgusting speech and attitude make people around them feel disgusted ... With that said, I''ve met them face-to-face at the time of explanations several times, but they didn''t have a very positive attitude. "Okay, I''m going to talk to the garrison after this, so I''ll take a look at them at that time. Everyone is doing what they can do." "I''m counting on you, what are you going to talk about?" "Maybe have everyone who remains help?" Not only Sagara-san and Motomiya-san, but everyone else seems to be curious, so I briefly talked about my plan. "My genus said that they will clean up the road and improve the road today, and I got in touch with the teachers, and it''s going well for now. Maybe around noon on light day, I think I can rescue everyone else." The girls were delightedly holding hands when they heard that the rescue operation was concretely underway. "That''s good ... I was worried about everyone who remained." "Well, if the teachers come, shouldn''t Kizawa and the others be left to them?" "But if the teacher warns them in the current situation, isn''t it likely that they will not listen?" "Ah ... it might be ..." Certainly, when we were in Japan, there was the backing of the authority of the school, but in this world, the teachers are also in the same situation as us, so if they pay attention to their poor skills, they may not listen. While talking about such things, the front of the bulletin board began to clear, so all the girls went looking for today''s job. "Manon, thank you for taking care of everyone." "Yeah, I can only do this much ..." "That''s not true, having you do it ... I''m really saved, thank you." "If it helps Kent even a little ... I''m glad ..." I loved Manon''s shy smile and couldn''t help but hug her softly. "Manon ..." "Kent ... e, everyone is watching ..." "Eh ...?" Everyone who should have gone looking for a job is back and surrounding us with broad grins. That''s why, the excited pressure is ... "Kent ..." "Kyaaa! Is it decided? Mou, did you pick Manon?" "Well, what about that red-haired girl?" "What about Yuika? What about Yuika?" I succumbed to the pressure, I couldn''t resist my personal desires, I hugged Manon again. Naturally, all the girls got into a turmoil and Manon hugged me again, probably because she heard the names of Beatrice and the chairman. "I won''t lose ..." It''s dangerous, I want to abandon my classmates and escape somewhere with Manon. "Kent ... you''re busy today, right?" "Y, yes ..." "Do it quickly, then we can take our time ..." "Yes ..." Aah, how troublesome, should I just abandon them after all ...? "Hey, Kokubu ... I want you to release Manon soon ..." "Tomo-chan, that''s not romantic." "But At-chan, we can''t do anything without Manon ..." "That''s right ..." Manon lifted her body a little and stared me in the eyes as she released her arms and shook off her regrettable feelings. "Then, Kent, I''m going." "Yeah, I''m counting on you." With a bouncy step, Manon walked to all the girls. All the girls surrounded Manon and made a fuss with ''Kya Kya'' and sent me warm looks. Yeah, it kind of feels like the obstacles are being removed. The group that is looking for a job in the guild seems to be okay, so let''s take a look at Kizawa''s group while going to talk with the garrison. The chairman said that if I said it directly, it would be more troublesome, but there are some things I have to say. That''s why I visited the dormitory, but I didn''t get a reply when I called out. I peeped from the shadow world to see if they were still asleep, but I couldn''t see them in the dormitory. And when I went to the cafeteria, I heard a clamor. "We''re cooking for everyone in the squad, not for you. What are you talking about this time around?" "What with that! The service is so bad even though we''re paying for food and board ..." "We''re not an inn, we just accepted you because you didn''t have a place to go, if you don''t like it, then leave." "What''s with that! The money was paid, don''t joke around, make a quick meal!" Apparently, Sumika Kizawa''s group who overslept was not in time for breakfast. The garrison''s cafeteria has breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It will be flexible if it is the last minute, but it seems that the kitchen has been cleaned up because it has been quite a while since breakfast time was over. I thought it would be awkward if I didn''t mediate, and when I tried to step into the cafeteria, I heard a voice from behind. "It''s noisy, what''s wrong?" Red-haired ears jumped into my sight when I turned around. It was Marianne-san, the captain of the garrison, dressed tightly in her garrison uniform. "Good morning, Marianne-san." "Good morning Kent. So what''s the fuss about here?" "Um ... I just got here, so I don''t know the details ..." Sumika Kizawa has an overtly dissatisfied face. "Hey Kokubu, they won''t prepare a meal, what''s going on?" "It''s not good treatment ..." "They''re not properly prepared, they''re seriously useless ..." Wow ... I hate it if they think this is the standard of our world. You''re sullenly distorting your mouth, do you know how ugly your face looks. "Manuela, what''s going on?" At the request of Marianne-san, the lady in the cafeteria explained that breakfast time had alread ended and that the kitchen had already been cleaned up. "I haven''t heard about the time limit ..." "Yeah, we''re paying for it." No, you say you''re paying for it, but I''m the one paying for it. "Okay, if you haven''t heard about the meal time, it can''t be helped. Manuela, make something to tide them over until noon." "I understand ..." "I''m sorry to bother you." Manuela looks reluctant, but she started preparing meals for Kizawa''s group. I apologized involuntarily, but Sumika Kizawa and the others take it for granted. "Oba-san, you''re hard to talk to ..." "Hey, Marianne-san is the captain of the garrison and the wife of the lord Klaus-san, so don''t be rude." "Hmm ... is that right ..." Oh, I understand what Sakurai-san meant. This attitude is no good. "By the way, Kent-san, not everyone is here. What happened to everyone else?" "Oh, yes, they''re looking for a job in the guild." "Oh, is that so. So what about you guys?" "Um ... that ..." The members of Kizawa''s group, who were grinning when they knew that they would have a meal, became moody and ugly as soon as work was mentioned. "Why do we have to work ..." "Oh yeah, we''re just victims who were involved ..." "Well, Kokubu can go anywhere, right? He can bring money from their safes." "Oh yeah, it''s such terrible treatment, so spend more money ..." I can''t help but want to hit them, and I''m embarrased to have them show such an abomination in front of Marianne-san. Marianne-san isn''t bothered or angry, and she keeps her calm while listening. "Now, it looks like the meal is ready, so let''s continue while eating. Manuela, can I ask for tea for Kent and myself?" For me, since the turmoil has subsided, so I''m full of the feeling of wanting to leave, but I can''t really leave it to Marianne-san. Kizawa''s group sat facing each other at the long table in the dining room, and Marianne-san and I sat facing each other at the very end. "Kent-san, is the rescue operation going well?" "Yes, I have a request for that ..." It was the right time, so I asked if I could rent some carriages. "That''s an easy request, is tomorrow okay? Even so, even if it''s your genus, to have a monster pull it ..." "Yes, at first I thought I would select from my classmates, form a rescue team, and come back with a carriage I stole ..." Marianne-san nodded greatly and agreed with me when I explained that we were not accustomed to handling horses, and it would take time to prepare the carriages, and that if it was the genus, they could move to Lastock at once by moving in the shadows. "In addition, the knights of Resenburg will be put to sleep for the time being, but if they participate, they may run into danger, so I decided not to use my classmates." "I see, but when I hear your story, isn''t it only Kent-san having a hard time?" "Hmm ... but I happen to have the power, so I wonder if it can''t be helped ..." Kizawa''s group also seems to be worried about the rescue operation, and they seem to be listening while glancing at me. "I mean, if you have that ability, come to help sooner." "Oh yeah, he was playing and flirting with a woman." "Well, he also peeped into Lastock''s women''s bath, this trash!" "He''s also put his hands on Asakawa, he''s trash ..." I don''t know if it''s because they''re saying it in front of Marianne-san, of if it''s because I''m being looked down on as a person, but my fist held under the table trembles when they say whatever they want to. "Ufufufu, Ara ara, Kent-san that seems to be some severe criticism, would everyone be okay if Kent-san left?"(TN:Apparently Marianne is an ''Ara ara'' Onee-san, if you don''t know what this means, google it!) Sumika Kizawa and her friends responded to Marianne-san''s words, which were released in a relaxed manner, with the feeling of a piercing breeze. I have no intention of going anywhere, and it seems that such a thing will not happen, but noone is willing to give an answer. "I don''t know about your world, so I think about things by Volzard''s standards. You know that Kent-san is now important to Volzard, right?" All the members of Kizawa''s group nodded at Marianne-san''s question. "Being important means that you have talent and you can live without any problems, even if you are not in Volzard." Marianne-san once again spoke sharply and looked around the people lined up. "In other words, Kent-san will not be inconvenienced if he abandons you and disappears, but on the contrary, if Kent-san disappears ... Will you be okay?" The seven gazes gathered at the tall girl who seemed to be the most courageous, so she must be Sumika Kizawa. Yeah, the style is ... modest.(TN:Style is usually referring to body type, so I guess she''s got a rather small ... chest) "Well, I can''t forgive him ..." "Well, because of Kent-san''s personality, he wouldn''t abandon you. But you never know when humans will die. One of your friends died, right?" Marianne-san is probably talking about Funayama whome she must have heard about from someone. Kizawa and her colleagues were silent when confronted with the fact that there was a classmate who actually died. "Kent-san has powerful genus as bodyguards, so his life won''t be at much risk. But that doesn''t mean he''s absolutely safe, ''you''ll never die, you won''t be gone'' ... there is no such guarantee." The eight people have a subtle expression that seems to be a mixture of dissatisfaction and anxiety. "I think it''s only natural that you''re furstrated when you suddenly fall into a situation you don''t want, but you''re not prepared right now." "Are you telling us that to make us work too?" When Sumika Kizawa asked with a pursed mouth in dissatisfaction, Marianne-san smiled and answered. "I''m not only telling you to work. You should get ready to be independent ..." Marianne-san once again began to talk about the situation of people our age in the city of Volzard. "In Volzard, when you reach the age of all of you, you start to become independent from your parents. Whether you work or continue to study, you decide on your own will and start your own path. Some people get married, have a house, and have children at the same age as you." "But ... we''re not people from here ..." "Well, it may be a little different from the world you were in, but when will you be able to return to your original world?" "That is ... Kokubu, when is it?" "If I rescue everyone, start negotiations right away, and get working on it right away, it''s about a week ... but it''s unclear because there are so many things I don''t understand at all ..." Marianne-san started to talk after nodding a few times. "If you can get back to your original world right away, you don''t have to work hard. But if you don''t know when you can go back, and if it takes a long time to get back, the chances of something unexpected happening will increase, that''s how it is. It''s also necessary to think about Kent-san''s disappearance. Isn''t it better to be prepared when you have to live on your own rather than simply working?" "That doesn''t mean that everyone is gone just because Kokubu is gone ..." While saying that, Sumika Kizawa turns her gaze toward the other girls, and the side to which she looks nods awkwardly. "Now, Volzard is preparing for a maximal outbreak of monsters. A maximal outbreak is a situation where thousands or tens of thousands of monsters are rushing in, which caused great damage in the past. Currently, we are working on the construction of the walls and shelters, and since Kent-san is also here, it may not be as damaging as it used to be, but how would it be if a horde of monsters larger than we imagine attacked? I don''t know if people will survive. If you survive in such a situation, will you be okay? There may be nobody to rely on." What Marianne-san is saying is not a threat or anything, but the reality of Volzard. For those of us who lived in peaceful Japan, it''s easy to think that such a stupid thing won''t happen, but at the time we came to Volzard, we were actually attacked by monsters, and we can''t deny it with a laugh. "From my point of view, Kent-san seems to be working very hard, but from the point of view of all of you, you may be full of dissatisfaction. But the situation of relying on one person is very fragile and dangerous. Yeah, learn how to live calmly even if that person is gone." Saying that, Marianne-san stood up. "If you don''t know what to do, you can always ask the garrison. Now, Kent-san aren''t you still busy?" "Oh, yes, yes, I still have a lot of preparations ..." I decided to leave the cafeteria with being thrown a lifeline by Marianne-san. Sumika Kizawa and the others have been to consult with each other noisily, but it seems that they are not just complaining like before. When I left the cafeteria, I thanked Marianne-san. "That ... Thank you, Marianne-san." "Oh, it''s natural to guide younger people. In Volzard, we don''t waste the resources we can use." That''s right, human resources are valuable in the farthest city Volzard. "By the way, Kent-san, are you going to accept my daughter?" "Huh? Um ... that''s ..." "Ara, that Rise, it looks like she''s not pushing hard enough ..." "No, no, the push is too strong, and I''m in trouble with envy from various places ..." "Isn''t that because Kent-san isn''t clear?" "Guu ... that''s right ..." "Kent-san ..." Marianne-san, who suddenly put on a serious expression, and I quickly correct my posture. "Yes, what?" "Polygamy is allowed in Landshelt." "N, no ... that is ..." "If you can''t decide, declare that you''ll take them all." "Eeeh ... Marianne-san, you''re saying ..." Marianne-san smiled at me and left while waving her hand. Since I came to Volzard I''ve heard from several people, but now I know that the reason why the lord Klaus-san doesn''t have an affair or want his daughter to be part of a harem is because Marianne-san is scary. CH 63 The witch of the apothecary ***---*** After asking Marianne-san to rent carriages, I moved to Lastock''s garrison to take care of the chairman. I had a little time before noon, so I took a peek at the training, but it certainly had a devilish feeling. According to the story I heard from the rescued classmates, the fighting in the knight type training was done from the beginning, but since there are constant serious injuries, it seemed that they were just acting and deciding the winners and losers. That said, the training was conducted while the knights of Resenburg were watching, so it was not possible to completely act, and as a result, the situation was constantly making new injuries. However, the battle that is unfolding in front of me does not look like acting. Looking at each other with bloody eyes, they have a fierce clash as if they were trying to win if they saw a chance. There is no choice but to become stronger in order to survive, and it seems that there is a feeling that if you remain weak, you will surely die. After the battle is over, there are a number of people who are moaning and groaning, and it makes me depressed to think that the chairman alone will have to treat this. When I moved to the examination room, I saw the chairman who continued treatment with an expressionless face like a Noh mask. It seems that she has been acting since the time when the first five rescued people were thought to be dead, and she doesn''t smile or interact with the residents of Lastock who came for treatment like before. "I wonder why she''s become closed off ..." "It''s like she''s become a different person ..." "It seems something happened to her friends ... Will she return to smiling like before?" It seems that the reason why the chairman is expressionless has not been revealed to the residents of Lastock who come to receive medical treatment, and there are voices of unease. While saying such, when the classmates who have completed training appear, the residents who are not in a hurry to receive treatment go out of the waiting room. "It seems like Saint-sama''s companions have come, we''ll do it later." "Well, I can''t be a burden to the Saint-sama anymore ..." Originally, it seems that the residents of Lastock were prioritized, but it seems that the residents voluntarily refrained from treatment because of the attitude of the chairman and the seriousness of the injuries of her classmates. "Now, everyone should go inside and give priority to those who are seriously injured." The chairman took off her blank expression and took a deep breath, and then devoted herself to the treatment. [ Kent-sama ... The Saint-sama''s treatment is improving ... ] [ Is that the effect of treating every day until she''s about to collapse? ] [ Maybe ... The more you practice magic, the stronger it becomes ... ] Originally, the chairman made the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' shine so much that I thought my eyes would go blind, so the degree of leveling up would be quite high. She treats fractures and severe lacerations one after another, but every time she finishes the treatment for one person, the chairman''s complexion seems to get worse, which makes me feel uncomfortable. Now that I can''t apply healing magic to the chairman, I''ll give the chairman a pill to help restore her magical power. "Next ... oh ..." "Hey, Yuika, are you okay? Aren''t you overdoing it?" "Yeah, I''m okay, because I have a prince." "Hmm ... Really, just talking to Yuika can help." Also, the girl waiting for treatment softens her expression, although she is a little surprised that the chairman has started a dreamy story. "It''s okay, I''m sure my prince will come to help me someday, so don''t give up hope." "Yeah, that''s right, Yuika says so, so there''s no doubt." I''m not a prince, but I renewed my feeling that I must meet everyone''s expectations. The chairman, who was unsteady but finished the treatment of her classmates, collapsed herself onto the sofa. The caretaker, Erna, silently hung a blanket and silently bowed and left the examination room. When I asked Fred to keep an eye out and went out, the chairman spread her arms and asked for a hug. "Stupid Kent ... I smell a girl again ..." "I''m sorry ... Manon helped everyone get used to working ..." "No, I won''t forgive you ..." "Yuika ..." I do my best to cast healing magic on the chairman who clings strongly. Her body, which seemed a little cold, seems to have become warmer, making me more conscious of Yuika''s existence. "Kent ... how many days left?" "Soon, I''ll come pick you up the night of the day after tomorrow." "You absolutely have to ... it''s a promise ... I''m at my limit." "Yeah, do your best a little more." "Got it ..." We hugged each other until Erna came back and I left the medical facility. I headed to Volzard to arrange for sleeping pills. When I visited the small drugstore on the back street, which was parallel to the main street, Muell-san''s master welcomed me. "H, hello, Corey-san." In front is a wall full of drawers containing various medicines, and behind the counter, Corey-san is an obaa-san who looks like a witch. Her face with deep wrinkles has an atmosphere that seems to be convincing even if I''m told she''s 300 years old, and honestly she''s a little scary. After staring at my face for a while, Corey-san grinned and showed only two missing teeth. "Welcome, lady-killer, it''s two people today, huh ..." "Uuh ... yes ... that''s right." "Hiihiihii, don''t get stabbed because you''re indecisive, I''ll be in trouble if my customer dies ..." Corey-san is very sensitive to odors, probably because she prepares medicines, and she seems to be able to sniff out not only the perfume but also the chairman''s body odor. "So how many do you need today?" "Yes, please give me 200 at the size of before." "Well ... then, you''re all set up." "Yes, I''m going to do it the evening after tomorrow." Corey-san has already been told about the situation and I explained what the sleeping pills are for. "This fellow is troubling ..." "Eh, isn''t there enough?" "Hiihiihii, this me, to make such a blunder ...? After your strategy is over, you''re not going to buy medicine anymore? I''m saying that it''s trouble if my customers decrease." "Oh, I see ... But I''m going ton continue to be in your care for medicine that helps restore magical power." "Well ... anyway, if you go back to the world over there, you won''t need it ... or rather you won''t be able to come to buy it ..." "Oh, right ..." "But well, you''re likely to stay here ... I''ll continue asking for your business." "I don''t know yet, but I''m looking forward to working with you." When I lowered my head again, Corey-san nodded several times. "You''re good. You don''t go out of control like the people around you. The big figure is also annoying ..." Corey-san is harsh on Gilik, but it would be annoying if someone with his physique was careless in this small shop. When I imagined that figure and smiled a bitter smile, Corey-san also grinned at me. "Sit there and wait, I''ll prepare it now." At first glance, Corey-san looks dried up like a mummy, but surprisingly, she prepared the sleeping pills with vigorous movements. Dividing each of the five grains into small paper bags, I put them into the shadow storage so that they will not be dropped after paying for 40 bags. After seeing it, Corey smiled again after widening her eyes. "Hiihiihii, I''ve lived for a long time, but it''s the first time I''ve met someone who instantly uses magic without changing. How on earth are you doing that?" "Hmm ... I don''t really understand it myself." "Hiihiihii, truly an amusing person ... Anyway, are you going after Muell." "Well ... that kind of thing ..." "Hiihiihii, I guess you thought about it a little." "Uh ... yes, just a little ..." "I can see what you are thinking. It''s not suitable for negotiations." "Guu ... right? Well, I''ll be troubled during negotiations in the future ..." "Hiihiihii, you should wear a mask." "Oh, yeah, I do have that hand ..." I was laughed at by Corey-san when she said it might be a good idea to wear a mask while negotiating so the other party couldn''t understand what I was thinking. "Ahhhhhh, this is a masterpiece. Is there anyone who really cares, where in the world is there someone who ewars a mask and negotiates?" "But I''m a person from a different world ..." "Hiihiihii ... you''re funny after all. Look, you should bring this ..." Corey-san put a small medicine bottle on the counter. "Oh, this is ...?" "It''s a booster, and if you drink it, you can fight for about half a day without running out of magic ... However, after it loses its effect, you''ll fall asleep for about three full days." "That ... the effect should be a little milder ..." "Hiihiihii, if there was, I''d already be putting it out." "Hey ..." "Be sure to come back and entertain this old woman ... You see, aren''t you busy?" "Yes, when I''m free, I''ll come back to play." Corey-san nodded, waving me away and sent me out. After leaving the back street pharmacy, I dove into the shadows from the back street and moved to Reinhardt and the others. Reinhardt and the others said today that they would wipe out the monsters around the highway and improve the road. Everyone of my genus were in a place near Resenburg on the highway, and soil was put in the place where rainwater had accumulated to level it. Art and the others dig the soil on the side of the highway all at once and fill the holes where rainwater has accumulated. Looking closely, I saw tools for leveling the road. "Where did you bring those from, Reinhardt?" [ Of course, from the warehouse in Lastock''s garrison. ] "After all ... Isn''t that a bad idea?" [ You don''t have to worry because it was covered with dust in the back of the warehouse. Perhaps it was prepared for use when carving out the forest after the training of your classmates. ] "Well, is it okay because it''s used correctly in a sense ..." Looking in the direction where they are not working, it seems that the work has already been copmleted, and the road is neatly arranged. I had the impression that the road was rough because the caravan only passed through very rarely, but it seems that a comfortable carriage trip will be possible. The Republic of Landshelt, to which Volzard is a member, whas originally part of Resenburg, but after the erosion of the Devil''s Forest made it difficult to come and go, the lords of seven states gathered to declare independence. Therefore, the relationship is delicate because the Resenburg side still has the idea that Landshelt is a part of their country. Since there is a buffer zone called the Devil''s Forest, it is not necessary to fight, but it seems that it is unpredictable what will happen if the Resenburg side advances the development of the Devil''s Forest and the distance is shortened. However, the development of the Devil''s Forest is not as easy as it sounds, so it seems that it is beyond the scope of the story as ''tentative ...'', and few people think of it as a real problem. "Goshujin-sama, a huge lizard is coming." As I was watching the road maintenance, Tart, who was on scouting duty talked to me. "Big lizard? Is it a lizardman?" "Yeah, a bigger lizard." [ Kent-sama, it may be a Salamander. ] "That''s the guy the Flamehounds boasted they had subdued?" [ Yes, it''s a pretty dangerous monster, how should we handle it? ] "Of course, I have to subdue it, but ... everyone should stop working and dive into the shadows!" In the first place, I have never seen an actual Salamander, so I will not fight so suddenly before checking the situation. Looking in the directly Tart pointed, there is a shadow apporoaching through the woods. I mean, it looks like the reddish-brown hills are moving ... "Umm ... is it always so big?" [ No, I think it''s too big, usually about half that size ... ] "Is this also the effect of the activation of the Devil''s Forest?" [ I don''t know, but it''s likely. ] The Salamander that moves through the woods is about the size of a normal truck with just its torso and head, and when added to the length of its tail, it is likely to be longer than a large truck. The color is reddish brown and the back is covered with scales that seem to be hard, and the parts without scales are also rugged. The scales and skin of the Salamander have special properties, and they are said to be resistant to fire when magical power is passed through. Therefore, it seems that fire attribute magic does not work at all for a live Salamander. The scales and skin after death are inferior to those of when it''s alive, but they are fire resistant when magical power is passed through, and they are used for armor and fire extinguishing equipment. "Does it spit fire?" From the mouth of the Salamander walking slowly, from time to time a flicker of flame seems to appear. [ It doesn''t spit flames, it shoots fire bullets that are several times more powerful than the no-good Hero, but when it comes to one of that size ... it''s scary to think about it. ] "Wow ... it''s already a monster level ..." Even if it is a normal size, it is a high-risk monster, so when it appears near the city, it is more common to threaten it and drive it away rather than subdue it. This is because if you try to subdue it poorly and it rampages, there is a high possibility that the surroudings will be damaged by the stray shots of the fire bullets. The Flamehounds said they subdued it, perhaps defeating something that had come very close to the city, had entered the city, or was lurking away from the city. "How do you do it if you are just scaring it off?" [ Salamander is vulnerable to water-based attack magic ... It hates it, so it''s common to line up water attribute mages and repel it with attack magic. ] "I see ... but there is no water attribute mage here." [ Well, Kent-sama has light type attack magic, or else we have no choice but to attack from the inside and subdue it. ] "I see ..." Considering the rescue operation, it should definitely be subdued, but subduing the salamander, which looks like a living dinosaur, is a little discouraging. [ By the way, if you kill one salamander, it will be twenty to thirty times more expensive than the Gigawolf. ] "Eh ... is it so expensive?" [ Of course, it''s dangerous enough to destroy a small town easily, and you need at least ten skilled adventurers to subdue it. ] "That means that the three Flamehounds are pretty amazing?" [ Well? I don''t know the size of the subjugated individual, and the user of the water attribute, which is said to have been in an unfortunate accident that was mentioned, may have been amazing. ] While talking to Reinhardt, the giant Salamander came very close to the road. Because of the activities of Reinhardt and the others, goblins and the like do not approach, and perhaps it is not blessed with prey, it is constantly sniffing its nose and smelling the surrouding scent. [ Kent-sama, if you make it worse, it may head to Lastock. ] "If this guy goes to Lastock, could the knights of Resenburg be able to repel or subdue it?" [ That''s impossible, a Salamander of this size is at a legendary level and the natural disaster level, it would be impossible if the whole country had to embark on subjugation. ] "It can''t be helped, I''ll subdue it ..." I don''t want to cause trouble by having Lastock attacked at this timing, and there is a risk of damage to my classmates, so I decided to subdue it. I connected the shadow space inside the head of the Salamander and cut through the medulla oblongata with a large knife. The Salamander, who had its head raised high sniffing, stopped moving and collapsed with a rumble. [ What are you going to do with it? ] "Hmm ... I wonder if I should ask Donovan-san ..." [ Buhahaha, as expected, Donovan-dono may be overwhelmed, but it''s a reasonable choice. Let''s store it in the shadow space for now. ] It may be good to be able to subdue dangerous monsters without danger, but somehow I feel guity about having taken the life of a huge creature. I can''t imagine the coexistence of Salamanders and humans, but I couldn''t help but wonder if there was a good way to avoid mutual interference. I had Reinhardt and Art continue to improve the road, and I decided to go back to Volzard to deal with the Salamander. The guild is a bit quiet, as it''s still a while until the evening and it''s a little later when people who have finished their work report or ask for the purchase of collected materials. When I asked at the counter to meet with Donovan-san, I was taken to the back office space. Donovan-san invited me while sitting at his desk and enjoying tea in his spare time. "Well, sit down and have some tea ..." "Yes, thank you." Perhaps it is unusual for Donovan-san to serve tea, because the guild staff around him cast an interesting look. Donovan-san brewed tea with a delicate hand that did not suit his physique and appearance. "Hmm, you''re thinking about rude things again ..." "That''s ridiculous ... Oh, thank you." The tea seems to be different from the other day, but the mellow aroma and taste were wonderful. "Well ... what happened?" "Yes, I want you to buy something ..." "Well, Gigawolf again ... how many this time?" "No, it''s a Salamander ..." "Buha, gohogoho, Sa, Salamander!" Donovan-san, who seemed to be unmoved no matter what, spouted tea to his heart''s content. The staff members also have their eyes widen and stand up straight. "Where, where did you see it!" "Well ... it''s a place near Resenburg on the highway ..." "Is it an adult? How big is it! Which place is it heading for!" "I think it''s an adult, but ... I''d like to ask you to buy it because I''ve subdued it ..." Well, somehow everyone is frozen. After a brief freeze, Donovan-san sighed. "Hmm ... I heard that it was a Salamander, and I forgot that I shouldn''t treat you like a normal person." "No, I''m a little reluctant to be treated as abnormal ..." "What''s wrong with the guy who says he''s subdued a Salamander, is he not abnormal?" "No ... well, maybe that''s the case ... so can you buy it?" "Of course, scales, skin, fangs, nails, bones, there is a lot of demand, but I''m sure I can buy it." "Then, is it the same as with the Gigawolfs?" "Um, don''t worry, take it to the back training ground when you finish drinking your tea." Donovan-san urged me to sit down with his hand, so the staff members also sat down with a deep breath. "After all, Salmander is a dangerous monster, isn''t it?" "Obviously, what are you saying. Even the walls of Volzard I don''t know how long they can withstand if they continue to eat fire bullets, and once they''re in the city, how much damage will they do ... Rock ogre can be defeated by a skilled adventurer. Even Gigawolf can be subdued by a few people. However, if you fight against a Salamander while protecting the city, the garrison and adventurers must all come together." "I see ... that''s the level." "Conversely, even if you have the Volzard garrison and adventurers, they won''t be able to compete with your genus who have defeated the Salamander ..." Donovan-san carried the cup to his mouth with a bitter smile. "Um ... I did the subjugation alone ..." "Gaha, Guho ... Ugu, Gaha, Gaha, Hii ... You did it alone!" I''m sorry, I thought it was a little funny for Donovan-san to be upset, so I should have kept silent. "Well, it looks like a surprise attack ..." "Guu ... the tea is ruined now, hey, forget what you just heard." Donovan-san glared at me after he warned the guild staff. "Kent! You defeated it using your genus ... Do you understand?" "Yes!" "If it is known that you defeated it alone, idiots who want to test their skills will come for you." "Wow ... that''s a bit of a problem ..." "Brawling notice, duel notice, if you want to increase my work any more, I''ll appeal to Klaus-san and rank you up ... I''ll let you sit at this desk." "Hiii ... Pa, pardon me from just that, please ..." "If so, be quiet!" "Yes ... I''m sorry ..." I messed up, I got carried away in doing my adventurer work, I will engrave this in my heart. CH 64 Gilik''s weakness ***---*** After enjoying the re-brewed tea, Donovan-san grabbed me by the nape of my neck and took me to the training ground. He has a grudge, he definitely has a grudge for making him spew the tea. At the training ground, several adventurers were doing voluntary training, but they vacated the place in the form of being driven away by Donovan-san. "OK Kent, put it on this edge." "Okay ... We''ve been seen quite a bit, is it okay?" "Rumors flow immediately when you pay people, don''t worry ..." "Okay ... then, Zae, please." I put out a large shield of darkness and connect it to the shadow space. The five undead lizardmen pulled out the subdued Salamander, and the adventurers who were watching nearby screamed. "Wow ... what''s that stupidly big lizard!" "Is it a Salamander? I saw it for the first time." "Well, aren''t the black lizardmen the ones who killed that swarm of orcs?" "Is Donovan-san employing them?" When Zae and the others put the Salamander on the training ground, they lined up side by side, did the knight''s salute, and returned to the shadow space. Speaking of Donovan-san, he looks up at the Salamander with his eyes wide. "What''s this big thing ... it''s a Salamander, but ... it''s too big ..." "Even Donovan-san thinks it''s big when looking at it?" "Usually, even if it''s about half this size, it''s considered big ..." Donovan-san was surprised at the size of the Salamander and started the inspection, but he immediately clouded his expression. When he came back near me, he muttered with his mouth close to my ear. "Kent, how did you beat this?" I told him that I cut the medulla oblongata through the shadow space, so there was no trauma and only a slight bleeding from the nose. Probably, he didn''t want the nearby people to hear him asking, but when I whispered the subjugation method into his ear, Donovan-san opened his eyes wide and looked down at me. "You can do that ... what a ridiculous guy." "I''m sorry, I just felt like I could do it when I did it ..." "I see, it''s similar to having an affair and getting them pregnant ..." "Hey ... I''ve never done that." "Hmm, I think it''s just a matter of time ..." "Eh, what are you talking about ... I''m not ... yet ..." After all, Donovan-san makes a strange analogy, so weird sweat came out. After that, Donovan-san put on leather gloves and checked the claws and fangs of the salamander. I don''t know at all whether the salamander is good or bad, so I have no choice but to leave the decision to him. "It''s an individual that has lived for the longest time I''ve ever seen. It has a lot of old wounds, but it''s the best. It can be said that it is a level that will be left in history." "History is an exaggeration, no matter how much ..." "Hmm, at this size, rumors will soon flow and it will be a big fuss when these scales, fangs, claws, etc. will be put on the market." He says so, as if it''s natural. "Kent, this isn''t just a huge sum of money, it may solve your problem." "Huh? What is my problem?" "Well, just wait expectantly ..." "Haa ... I understand." I was a little worried about Donovan-san''s suggestive way of saying it, but let''s throw the purchase assessment to him and return to my job. The work I''m doing today is to take care of the chairman this evening, contact the teachers, and I forgot, I hvae to make a list of the remaining classmates. I think it''s about time the girls are back after work, so let''s wait a bit in the guild. If you lean against the wall and wait, those who have finished their work adn those who have finished collecting will come back. Among them were Muell-san and Gilik. "Thank you for your hard work. Muell-san, Gilik-san." "Oh, Kent, it''s rare to see you at this time." "Tsk, Chibisuke, huh ... I don''t have time to play around ..." Hmm, this damned mutt, I''m working harder than you. "I came to ask for a material purchase and now I''m waiting for my classmates to come back from work." "Hey, Kent also came to sell materials, yeah, I have to sell them too ... Gilik, wait here ..." Eeeh ... Muell-san, are you going to have me babysit this mutt? "Tsk, I won''t admit defeat to you ..." "Yes, yes, you do that." "Kuu ... this damned Chibisuke ..." "What is it, Gilik-san who has a nosebleed and is not defeated even if he falls down?" "Bastard ... don''t get carried away ..." "No, no, I''m just telling you the facts ..." "Youuu ..." "What is it ..." When I was being glared at by the mutt from above, I was called out to from the side. "Sorry, do you have a moment?" "Aah? What do you want?" "No, I''m not here for you, it''s him ..." "Oh, for me?" The man who called out to me was in his mid-thirties, and although he was a little smaller than Gilik, he had a well-proportioned body. He feels a little sloppy, and the polite way of speaking is rather unpleasant. "That Salamander, did you subdue it?" "Well, I did, or rather, my genus did." "What are you talking about, Chibisuke, what Salamander?" Apparently, the man was watching the place where the Salamander was put out at the training ground, and he talked with interest, but of course the mutt will bite. "Um ... I happened to be able to defeat a Salamander, so I brought it to ask for a purchase." "Huh? Sleep-talking when you''re awake, Damned Chibi, bastard, you can''t beat a Salamander in the first place!" "If you doubt, look at it, because such a big thing is rarely seen." The man pointed towards the training ground to get rid of Gilik, who was in the way of his story. "Well, it''s about the size of a chicken ... I''ll take a look." The man saw him off with suppressed laughter as he sauntered away. "Oh, I''m sorry, I forgot to name myself. I''m Pedel, a B-rank adventurer." "Oh, I''m Kent." "So Kent, are you the one who beat that Salamander?" "No, it was my genus that defeated it." "Your genus ... is it those black lizardmen?" "Yes, for the time being ..." "That means, those lizardmen, are under your employ?" "Yes, well ... that''s right." "I see, I see ..." I don''t know what kind of intention Pedel is asking for, so I''m wondering how far I should talk. Pedel seems to nod many times every time I answer and puts together his thoughts in his head. "Those black lizardmen, they subdued the horde of orcs the other day, right?" "Yes, they did." "At that time, a group of black kobolds were driving the orcs, but those kobolds are also your ... genus?" "Well ... that''s right." "I see ... you''re a tamer, right?" "No, I''m not a tamer." Pedel, who had been nodding in a good mood until then, shifted to a suspicious expression. "Then, how do you use monsters? Can you control them properly?" "Yes, it''s okay, and everyone is registered in the guild." "So how are you using them?" Pedel seemed calm when I was doing what he wanted, but as soon as he wasn''t expecting it, he began to ask questions, and his eyes became somewhat suspicious. "Is it necessary to talk about everything" "What? You say you can''t answer whether they''ll listen to you?" "To the person I met for the first time, revealing everything in my hand ... is a little." "Are you going to be hostile to me?" "No, I''m not going to be aggressively hostile ..." "If so, answer, aren''t you being hostile?" "Hmm ... I don''t like it, I can''t trust Pedel-san somehow." "What is this kid ..." Yeah, on the contrary, I can''t trust him at all. "Did Pedel-san not see where the Salamander came from and where the lizardmen went back to?" "What are you saying ... eh ...?" "Do you remember? My genus isn''t visible, just because they''re not here doesn''t mean they''re not in the immediate vicinity." Pedel, who was about to grab me, jumped away and looked around. "Bastard ... I''ll remember this ..." "That''s why, what makes you think so?" "Tsk ..." Pedel angrily left me alone. "Mart, make sure you know where he''s going." "Wafu!" As a replacement for Mart whom I asked to be a tail, Muell-san came back after selling the materials. "Huh, where''s Gilik?" "Yes, he went to the back training ground." "Training ground? Is there something there?" "Um ... the Salamander ..." "Yeah! Really? I''ll take a look." Muell-san, who heard that there was a Salamander, ran to the training ground with her trail standing up straight. Hmm ... I thought I could talk to Muell-san without the mutt ... "Hey, damned Chibi, what kind of trick did you do you bastard?" Yeah, he didn''t have to come back, but he came back. "What do you mean by trick ...?" "Tell me what kind of dirty trick you used to defeat such a big Salamander, answer me!" "I don''t want to." "What was that, damned Chibi!" "Because, even if I speak honestly, Gilik-san won''t believe me, ''I won''t lose'' ... Saying such a thing." "You bastard ..." When we were glaring at each other from above and below again, I heard a familiar voice. "Oh! Rikk-kun, Tomo-chan, Rikk-kun is here." "Seriously? Oh, Girigiri, long time no see ..." When the mutt turned his face in the direction of the voice, his face turned pale. He tried to sneak away quietly, but I grabbed his belt. Isn''t Rikk-kun or Girigiri this mutt? "Where are you going, Gilik-san?" "Idiot, let go of me damned Chibi!" "Kobayashi-san, Sakurai-san, Gilik-san is trying to escape." "That ... what are you saying ..." "Ehh ... Rikk-kun, that''s terrible, so cold ..." "Oh yeah, Myu-neesan told you to be kind to girls, right?" I don''t know what happened between the mutt and the dekoboko sisters, but intuitively I was convinced that it woudl be an advantage for me. Wow ... his tail is about to hide in his crotch ... that means that the dekoboko sisters are as effective as Donovan-san. Yeah, it feels like I''ve found a good weapon. About six girls who seemed to have gone to work with the dekoboko sisters also came by. By the way, I would like to ask all of you for your cooperation. "Um ... this is Volzard''s Young Hope, Gilik-san, these are my classmates, please get along well." "Well ... what are you saying ..." "Everyone, Rikk-kun is a little strong, but kind." "Yeah, yeah, you can rely on Girigiri." I wonder what it is, even though he''s crazy about Muell-san, I wonder if he''s not tolerant of girls, the mutt becomes a borrowed cat.(TN:Becoming a borrowed cat means suddenly becoming quiet and meek, I left it this way because of the inu/neko wordplay) He has a bad complexion and he is acting strange and sweating. "Wow ... it''s big ..." "Awesome ... his muscle looks amazing ..." "Everyone, look here, the tail is fluffy ..." "Ahh ... don''t touch that ..." Yeah, his tail seems to be weak, his legs are collapsing, ThisIsFuuun! When I thought that, Muell-san came back. "Hey, Kent, Kent, was that Salamander really defeated by Kent?" "I mean, my genus did ..." "Wow, it''s amazing, Kent, I''m surprised." Well, it''s not so much ... but it''s okay to praise me more. "What are you talking about, Myu-neesan?" "Ah Tomoko, there''s a Salamander that Kent defeated in the back training ground, so take a look, you might only seen on this big in your lifetime." "Oh, Rikk-kun ran away!" Gilik escaped when the attention of all the girls gathered on Muell-san. Uhyahya, his tail is hidden in his crotch. Gilik escaped from the girls, who headed to the training ground to see the Salamander, and Muell-san leaked a sigh. "Haah ... seriously that Gilik ..." "Is Gilik not good with somen?" "Yeah, that ... it seems like a childhood trauma?" According to Muell-san, Gilik was the youngest of four siblings, the first three were all women, and there were no boys of the same age in the neighborhood of the house, so he grew up surrounded by girls. "Are you envious Kent?" "Eh? No, no ... that kind of thing ... just a little ..." "But you won''t envy him when you see that ..." Muell-san has a distant look in her eyes, but I wonder what happened in Gilik''s past. "I won''t go into details for Gilik''s honor, but anyway, Gilik isn''t good with friendly girls." "But he''s fine with Muell-san, isn''t he?" "As for me ... how should I put it, it''s because I''m the only one who covered for him." "I see, Muell-san was his mind''s oasis." "Aha, Kent says something good, but it really was like that ..." From the appearance of Muell-san, who is looking far away again, I felt that it was better not to go deep into this story. I feel like a snake will come out if I poke too much. "That, Muell-san, if the girls are useful, please use them." "Hmm ... Kent, aren''t you just having fun?" "Eeh, th, th, there''s no way I am ..." "Is that true?" "Yes ... probably ..." "Mou, what am I going to do with you ... Don''t do that!" Hyahahaaa, I got scolded by Muell-san for the first time in a while. "I''m sorry, Gilik-san is too different from usual ..." "Well, I understand your feelings, and in fact, girls don''t come near him for the time being, so the existence of Akemi and Tomoko is valuable." Muell-san folded her arms and began to think about something. "Keee-n-t ..." "Huh? Uh ... oh, welcome back, Manon ..." I wasn''t careful, and when I was staring at Muell-san, Manon was staring at me with a look like a Yaksha. By the way, Sagara-san, Motomiya-san and the other girls are also glaring at me. I''m sorry, my stock crashed again. "Aah, Manon, Aoi and the others, welcome back!" "Hey, hey, everyone has seen it, it''s a dinosaur, a dinosaur, a dinosaur!" Oh, the dekoboko sisters, good timing. The dekoboko sisters took the group who came back to the training ground, so I felt like I managed to get things done. "Ufufufu, isn''t that good, Kent." "Uh ... yes." Well, it''s a little uncomfortable to be told that by Muell-san. I asked the girls who came back from the Salamander tour to make a list of the classmates who are still in Lastcok, and after I kissed Manon I left the guild. I have to ask the boys to make a list, and I have to contact the teachers and take care of the chairman ... My day is not over yet. I have to do my best, until the rescue operation is carried out, two days remain. CH 65 Sharp perception knight ***---*** The knights of Resenburg, they were thought to all be dimwitted. A guy like Paul who was hitting Funayama and the girls with a stick, so that they would all become timid, they arranged beforehand that all 50 people were eaten by orc mages, it was thought that it was just an incompetent misuse of authority. "Gert ... as expected, I think it''s a misunderstanding ..." "No, that''s not the case. There must be something ..." I asked Kondo to make a list of the boys, finished the care of the chairman, and came to the building where the teachers were detained, but there were two knights on night duty when there should only be one tonight. The original night duty charge seems to be the knight spreading cards similar to playing cards on the table, but apparently a knight called Gert who remained voluntarily is paying attention to the second floor. "The youngest guy ..." "Aah? What happened with the youngest guy?" "He was clearly different from yesterday." "Well? I didn''t feel that way, I think you think too much." Apparently last night''s worries were right. Furudate-sensei, who heard that I was proceeding with the rescue operation while eating the sandwiches I delivered, was suddenly feeling lively after his tension rose. "If it''s my misunderstanding, there''s nothing wrong with it, but what if it''s different?" "If it''s different ...?" "What if they were told they''ll get help?" "No, no, where and who could they get help from, there''s no such person." "Fifty people were said to have died last time." "Huh? How does a guy who was eaten by an orc mage come to help?" Gert began to speak again to his fellow knight as he turned his attention upstairs. "Do you really think a pack of orc mages arrived?" "Aah? What do you mean?" "If they really encountered a pack of orc mages, wasn''t the armor of those who came back quite unblemished?" "Yes, was it ...?" Apparently, those two did not participate in the previous actual battle. "What would you say if it wasn''t or mages?" "I don''t know for sure, but I think they could have escaped when they made a mistake?" "Then, did the fifty people who escaped contact them?" "Maybe ... not all fifty people, but isn''t this the place where the security is weaker than the camp?" "Well, add the adults here to increase the number of people ... it''s possible ..." It''s not the correct answer, but I feel that he seems to be a difficult guy who doesn''t trust his companions words and is skeptical of them. "Rondal, I''ll look around the building for a moment. Upstairs ... be careful." "Will you be okay alone?" "Yeah, I''m a knight of Resenburg who has been rigorously trained here, I won''t get caught off guard by some kid." "That''s right ... but negligence is your biggest enemy." "Okay, I''m going to tighten my mind." As Gert walked out of the building, the remaining Rondal cleared the cards on the table and began chanting. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" After chanting, Rondal seems to close his eyes and listen. [ Basten, that was the body strengthening magic chant just now, wasn''t it? ] [ Yes, maybe he''s looking for signs upstairs by stengthening his hearing. ] [ You can do that ... ] [ It depends on the person, but it seems that this knight named Rondal plays the role of a scout. ] [ Maybe he can even hear the conversation on the second floor? ] [ It depends on the rate at which it can be strengthened ... ] [ I have to tell the teachers ... Basten, tell me when Rondal is about to come upstairs! ] I hurried to move upstairs and thought about going out of the shadows, but I wasn''t good at speaking aloud, so I fetched a piece of paper and a pen. The teachers were gathered in the shared kitchen. I came out of the shadows and asked them not to speak with my index finger on my mouth before the teachers spoke. "Kokubu ..." Sato-sensei called my name and closed her mouth in a hurry. Then I pointed to the first floor and everyone seemed to be convinced. [ Kent-sama, Rondal is going upstairs! ] Once again I put my index finger to my mouth and then hurriedly dived into the shadows. I heard an unlocking sound, followed by footsteps climbing the stairs. Rondal, woh went up the stairs, yelled at the teachers gathering in the kitchen. "What are you guys doing at this time!" "What are we doing ... We just got together and are talking ..." The one to answer Rondal was Oda-sensei, the oldest. "What are you planning?" "Plan? What are you talking about?" "Don''t act confused, are you thinking of escaping?" "We can''t do that. If we escape, won''t the students be harmed? And even if we get out of here, where will we go? What''s outside? We don''t even know." It seems that Rondal is unable to contest the words of Oda-sensei, who is coherent despite just being a math teacher. "You have training tomorrow, go to bed!" "Okay, but I''d like you to allow us to take a break to chat." "Hmm, you guys shouldn''t think about anything unnecessary and just follow our instructions, go to bed!" The teachers who were gathering in the kitchen were forcibly disbanded. Rondal was watching until everyone returned to their rooms. With this, it is not possible to contact all the teachers at once. Then, on behalf of them, I chose Oda-sensei. If it''s someone simple and easy to talk to, it''s Sato-sense, who is in charge, but when I heard the coherent and calm answer from before, Oda-sensei seemed to be more suitable. I''d like to get in touch with him, but Rondal didn''t seem to be in a hurry to go downstairs. On the other hand, Gert, who went around the outside of the building, carefully explored the surroundings and occasionally turned around to see if there were any abnormalities in the building. I can''t speak aloud while Rondal is listening for signs, so I have to rely on writing. However, a teacher who is blind at night needs a light to read letters, and if the light is turned on, the light leaking from the window is likely to be noticed by Gert. After about 20 minutes, I confirmed that Rondal had returned to the first floor, and then contacted Oda-sensei. After blocking the windows and doors of Oda-sensei''s room with a shield of darkness to prevent light from leaking outside, I turned on the magic tool of light, and Oda-sensei quietly got up from the bed. I made a gesture to be quiet just in case, he nods as soon as he saw it. I asked Basten to keep watch on the first floor and explained the situation in writing while paying attention to the sound as much as possible. [ They are suspicious of Furudate-sensei''s attitude. Don''t talk about rescue operations. ] [ He is still not good at acting. It can''t be helped, we have no choice but to continue pretending that nothing happened? ] [ I don''t want to change my schedule. Please plan to do it the night after tomorrow. ] [ Okay, I''ll tell the others not to let the knights catch on. ] [ Please. ] As I expected, Oda-sensei seemed very calm and relieving, but Furudate-sensei, the youngest, is acting with a suspicious behavior. I hope since the knights will keep an eye on him he won''t say anything unnecessary ... After finishing the written conversation with Oda-sense, I was looking at the first floor from the world of shadows, and Gert came back from the outside. "How is it outside?" "I don''t feel any abnormalities for now." "Well ... the guys upstairs seem to have gathered in the kitchen and talked about something." "What, is that true?" "Oh, when I listened for signs, it seemed that they were gathering, so I went to find out." "So what were they talking about?" "I don''t know that much, but it seems like they''re planning something, so I gave them a warning." "Really ..." Gert folded his arms and began to think about something. He looked at the ceiling with his eyes closed, and opened his mouth with a big nod, perhaps he made up his mind. "Rondal, I''m going to report this to Camilla-sama tomorrow." "Gert, I don''t know what you''re feeling, but isn''t it a little too hasty?" "But it''s too late if something happens. Shouldn''t it be decided by Camilla-sama, not us, whether it''s late or early?" "But at most it''s just speculation." "That''s why we should ask Camilla-sama''s judgment." "Hmm ..." This time it was Rondal who folded his arms and thought about it. "Okay, then I''ll report. You''ll be working until dawn, right?" "That''s right ..." "I will return to the garrison at the end of the night shift. Whatever the case, I''ll report it instead." "I see, it would be great if you could do that ... So what will you do tonight?" "I usually fall asleep, but we''ll take turns waking up. It''s going to be tough to stay up all night because it''ll affect tomorrow''s work." "That''s right ... Then take a rest first, and I''ll wake you up when it''s time." "Got it ..." I don''t know how much the tension of Furudate-sensei was, but I didn''t expect it to be so troublesome. [ Hmm ... We were a little too naive about the knights of Resenburg. ] [ Kent-sama, I''ll watch here, so please go back to Volzard and rest. ] [ Yeah, I don''t think they will do anything anymore tonight, but the problem is what happens when they report to Camilla. ] [ Well, I''ll follow this guy called Rondal. ] [ Yeah, I''m planning to watch Zae and the others handling of the garrison carriages, but let me know when he reports. I want to see it directly if possible. ] [ Okay, I''ll take Hirt for contact. ] I asked Basten to watch over Gert and the others and returned to Volzard. When I briefly talked to Reinhardt, he advised me to change my strategy. [ Kent-sama, this may make it so you need to speed up the execution of the operation. ] [ If Camilla knows the contents of the rescue operation, the chances of failure will increase. ] I have only told the teachers that the knights of Resenburg will be incapacitated, but from the situation when fifty people were rescued, if the knights who participated in the actual battle knew, the danger of being put to sleep might be detected. According to Corey-san, from the apothecary, there are some medicines that you should be aware of as well as sleeping pills, and if you take them, the sleeping pills will not work along with it. If the sleeping pills do not work, there is no choice but to incapacitate them by force. If it''s with the power of my current genus, it will be possible to suppress them with force. However, there is a risk of injuring or even killing the other person. [ Reinhardt, depending on the movement of Camilla after she hears Rondal''s report, can the strategy be executed even in the daytime? ] [ The placement of the knights and the whereabouts of your classmates are unknown and the possibility of multiple unforeseen circumstances cannot be ruled out. ] [ Which is easier to do, deal with them with sleeping pills during the day, or hope the strategy has gone unnoticed? ] [ It depends on how much of a response Camilla takes, but it''s annoying if the knights of Resenburg get serious. ] [ That''s right ... Yeah, then, be ready to move. ] [ I understand. ] I asked Reinhardt to be ready to take action, and I decided to sleep between Mart and the rest. Yeah, it doesn''t work to have only one at a time in order, but it seems that the sleeping position changes depending on the order. The next morning, after breakfast, I headed straight to the garrison''s dormitory. I collected the lists, the girls'' part from the dekoboko sisters and the boys'' part from Kondo. After that, once Zae and the others learn how to handle the carriages, the preparations are almost complete. At the horse-riding ground, the garrison members were exercising the horses. During this time, the stable-hands seem to be cleaning the stables. I''ve heard that horses are afraid of monsters, so I can''t bring out Zae and the others right now. It would be difficult if the surprised horses went out of control. "Oh, Kent, you''re early, what happened today?" "Good morning, Raymond-san. I''m planning to rent carriages from the horse-riding grounds today ..." "Oh, I heard, I wasn''t told who, but Kent will use it ... I mean, you can''t handle horses yet?" "Yes, I''m planning to have my genus pull them, not horses." "Speaking of genus ... Is it the lizardmen from before?" "Yes, if it''s a horse, you have to put on equipment, connect it, and give instructions to move it, so in that respect, if it''s my genus, they can judge and move by themselves." "I see ... Then, all you have to remember is how to remove the brakes and how to pull it, wait a minute, I''ll take this one back now ..." Raymond-san took the horse back to the stables and took me to the depot where the carriages were located. There are more than ten carriages in the depot. It seems that there are types such as two-horse wagons, four-horse wagons, and box wagons. Raymond-san brought me to the front of a two-horse carriage. "There are various shapes of carriages, but this two-horse one is the basic type. I think that the ones in Resenburg are the same, so if this one can be handled, others will be okay." "Oh, Raymond-san, is it okay to call my genus here?" "Oh, I told them to keep the horses away from here, so it''s okay." "Thank you. Then everyone come out." Five undead lizardmen, led by Zae, lined up. "Wow ... these are so powerful ..." Raymond-san also has a good physique, but Zae and the others have a physique that is on another level, and the black shining outer skin doubles the power. "Raymond-san, my genus Zae, Tsuo, Kame, Suo, Tala." "I''m in your care, Raymond-dono." Raymond-san''s eyes widened when he saw Zae and the others do the knights salute together. "Well, these guys are surprising, they talk and salute ... no, no, I want to scout them for our corps." When Raymond-san began to explain how to handle the carriage, Hirt popped up. "Goshujin-sama, Basten wants you to come." "Okay, I''ll go right away." Apparently, Rondal went to report to Camilla. "Sorry, Raymond-san, can you continue to explain to Zae and the others? It seems that the situation has changed a little, so I''m going to scout." "Oh, it''s okay, I''ve already explained most of it, so it''s okay for these guys to go too." "Well, then, if something happens, I''ll ask them to come, so can you tell them some more detailed things until then?" "OK, I''ll do that." I asked Raymond-san to take care of Zae and the others, and hurriedly dived into the shadows and moved to Basten. [ Basten, what''s the situation? ] [ Kent-sama, he''s about to report. ] When I looked out, Rondal walked up to the front of Camilla''s office. He saluted the knight guarding the door, took a big deep breath and then knocked on the door. "Who is it!" "I''m Rondal in charge of the annex." "Come in!" Contrary to the harsh voice, Camilla sitting at the office desk has a soft expression. "What''s wrong?" "Yes, I have something I''m worried about, and I would like to ask Camilla-sama for her judgment." "Well, what are you worried about?" "Yes, actually ..." Rondal reported to Camilla that the youngest teacher had suspicious behavior and that they were gathering and talking in the middle of the night, as if he was the one noticed it. "Hmm, it certainly looks suspicious ... but they can''t do anything alone." "Yes, I think so, but there is one more suspicious thing ..." "Well, what can I say ..." Camilla smiles thinly while listening to Rondal''s report. "I would like to say this first, but this is just my imagination and I have no intention of condemning other knights." "Hmm ... is it related to others?" "Yes, it''s about the second actual battle that took place the other day ..." Rondal once again spoke as he inferred Gert''s reasoning. [ Hey, Basten, is he trying to steal credit? ] [ Yes, it seems like that. ] However, Camilla, who had been listening to the story with a smile until then, became more strict as Rondal''s story progressed. "So what you are saying is that those who participated in the battle are reporting lies to me?" "No, no ... this is just an extreme theory, and it is possible that they really were attacked by orc mages and escaped through a gap ..." "Hmm ... I see ..." Camilla seems to be pondering, with her arms folded, her body resting on the backrest and her eyes closed. Rondal corrected his posture as he was glared at by Camilla, who opened her eyes, as if her thoughts had come together. "Bacchus, tell Levic to come here!" "Yes!" When the secretary who was entrusted as a messenger for Camilla leaves the room, Rondal went pale. Camilla glanced at him and opened her mouth with a smile so that he could clearly see it. "Don''t be so nervous, make sure if there are any suspicious points, even if they''re coworkers, otherwise the skill of the corps will only drop. Even if you''re misunderstanding, your actions are not wrong. Be proud and wait." "Yes, thank you." As I always think, Camilla is really tolerant of her coworkers. Half of this would be fine, so if you had treated us with a tolerant attitude, I think things would have changed. After waiting for a while, the footsteps running down the hallway echoed and the door was knocked on. "Who is it!" "I''m Levic, I''m here according to your call." "Come in!" The knight who came in with a slightly pale look is familiar to me. He''s probably the knight who commanded the second battle. Depending on his report, the rescue operation may need to be accelerated. I sent Hirt to summon Reinhardt. Well, how will you act? CH 66 Forced rescue operation ***---*** Perhaps because he was suddenly called by Camilla, Levic looks pale. He went in front of Camilla''s desk, where Rondal left and was vacant, in an upright and immovable posture, and asked. "Camilla-sama, you called for me?" "Yes, I called you because I have something for you to do, but well, don''t be so nervous ..." With a smile on Camilla''s face, it looks like Levic''s shoulders drooped. "So what do you need me for?" "Yes, I was asked to hear the story about the actual battle the other day, sorry I know you''re busy." "N, no, it''s not a problem, please ask me anything." I don''t know if this knight named Levic was the ringleader, but there is no doubt that he is at least a party to reporting lies to Camilla. Perhaps because of that, when he was told to talk about the actual battle again, his facial expression seemed to be strong. "That''s right ... First of all, can you talk again about encountering the orc mages?" "Yes, it was a while after lunch break was over and we started exploring in the afternoon ..." Levic talked about how the slaves were wiped out, and they felt danger and withdrew, with occasional memory-seeking gestures. Of course, this story was all fake, and in fact we used sleeping pills to put them to sleep and rescued my classmates in the meantime. But Levic tells as if it really happened. Camilla occasionally asked questions and nodded many times to praise him for responding flexibly to the crisis. Rondal''s complexion looking at Cmailla is gradually turning pale. "I see, not only more than 20 orc mages, but at least 10 more orc mages set up a pincer attack." "Yes, if it were only the first twenty, we could have commanded and the slaves could have annihilated them, but we were confused at being struck from behind ... sorry." "No, even though you were in such a situation, you didn''t make any sacrifices, so Levic, your skill is great." "I''m sorry ... but I''m sorry to say that it''s painful to receive your praise because I let the slaves be annhiliated ..." "Well ... but the value of life is different between slaves and you knights. Remember that it is in the interest of Resenburg that all of you return safely." "Yes, I''ll keep it in mind." Camilla changed the topic of the conversation a bit while looking at Levic, who bows his head in a stern posture, as if he had a stick on his back. "By the way, Levic, the fifty slaves you brought, were they all eaten?" "You''re saying, was there a survivor ...?" "Yes, it seems that you were also forced into a confused situation, so maybe you haven''t confirmed the deaths of all of them?" "That ... that ..." It seems that Levic''s head got lost when he came here. It seems that they decided a story where everyone died in a back-to-back conversation with his companions, but when he thought about whether he could confirm the death of everyone in the situation where they were caught by orc mages, he was wondering how best to answer. "Levic, it was a confusing situation with a pincer, even if you couldn''t confirm everyone''s death, it can''t be helped ... how was it?" "Hmm, I''m sorry, we were caught in a confusing situation and I''m not sure if the fifty people were all preyed on." Upon hearing Levic''s words, Camilla nodded strongly, and Rondal sighed involuntarily. "Camilla-sama, excuse me, why is Rondal present?" "Yes, why is Rondal present ..." When Camilla explained why, Levic opened his eyes and glared at Rondal. "Levic, don''t think you were scorned by Rondal!" "Camilla-sama, but ..." "The number one reason Rondal questioned your report was that he was suspicious of the behavior of those training in the annex. So what we should think about now. What is it?" "Is that ... the survivor of the fifty ...?" Camilla nodded with satisfaction at Levic''s answer. "Yes, if they were to come back alive from the Devil''s Forest and look for opportunities, it would surely be an obstacle to us. What should we do?" "Confirm their whereabouts? And then lure and arrest them?" "Lenient! That''s too lenient, Levic, the remnants will be annihilated as soon as they are found!" "Hii! I''m sorry!" Camilla also summoned Rondal to the front of the desk and ordered the two in line. "Okay, if they survive, it''s the slave''s duty to appear immediately and return to the original squad. It''s outrageous to escape and rebel against us. Get rid of them!" "Yes!" "The problem is how to get rid of all of them. Even if one person is kept alive, they may become the downfall of Resenburg in the future ..." "Camilla-sama, I think it''s better to lure them out all at once." Rondal began to talk about his theory to Camilla who was thinking. That aside, this may also be a strategy Gert was thinking of. "Currently, we do not know the whereabouts of the surviving slaves. Then, in order to avoid the risk of missing them, I think we should search for the whereabouts and the number of survivors, and then annihilate them all together." "Well, surely the first thing to do is to understand the current situation. Then Rondal, did you forget anything?" "Huh? What are you saying ...?" "The youngest teacher you noticed. Shut him down. You can blame him, pull out all the information he has!" "Yes! I understand!" "Levic, go and see, and as soon as you get the information, make a subjugation plan and report it!" "Yes! I understand!" "It doesn''t matter if you make a false report if you dispose of all the remnants, it''s fine!" "Yes! I''ll get on it right away!" Rondal and Levic, who salute Camilla, both look at each other. "Hmm? What''s wrong ... What''s this drowsiness ..." "Camilla-sama, this is ..." "This is the mysterious thing from at that time ..." Camilla, who was skeptical, sank her upper body to the desk, and both Rondal and Levic fell to the floor as if they were collapsing. [ The operation has started, Kent-sama. ] [ Yeah, Furudate-sensei will not be able to tolerate much torture, so let''s start all at once rather than have the plan come out! ] [ Roger that! ] Before Camilla and the others moved, I decided to move first. The three of them were given sleeping pills, so they shouldn''t wake up for a while. Then the secretary who heard the noise and the knight who was guarding the door were put to sleep, pulled into the office and locked the door. I tied the limbs of the ones who were asleep just in case. I moved with Zae and the others to the teachers and tried to put the three knights to sleep and rescue them, but there was a problem here as well. "Hey, you guys, what''s wrong, hey, be firm!" The two knights slept lightly, but Gert didn''t fall asleep. Apparently, he had an irregular night shift yesterday, so maybe ht took something like a smelling drug to keep him awake during today''s work. [ My King, should I annihilate him? ] [ No, call Fred quickly. ] Gert ran towards the building, laying his fallen companions on the ground. The other knights may wake up if medicine is used. [ Kent-sama ... what is it? ] [ Fred, it didn''t work on Gert, can you somehow incapacitate him without killing him? ] [ OK ... leave it to me ... ] At the same time as I asked Fred, Gert ran out of the building. As Fred came out of the shadows to greet him, Gert stopped. "A black skeleton ... who is it!" Gert put the parcel he was holding on the ground, and while pulling out his sword, asked who Fred was. Of course Fred couldn''t answer aloud, so instead he pulled out his jet-black twin swords and held them, and Gert changed his grip on his sword. "Gert Stahl, belonging to the 4th knights order of Resenburg ... Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen! Come on!" Perhaps he realized that Fred wasn''t an ordinary enemy, Gert proudly declared his name, chanted physical strengthening, and rushed in. From his serious of actions, Gert rushed quickly as he looked like a serious and capable knight, and for a moment it seemed as if Fred had been cut. However, it was only Fred''s afterimage that seemed to be cut, and Gert was easily knocked down by a sword handle dropped on the back of his head. Fred quickly and tightly tied him up, squeezed him into the second floor of the building and locked it. "Teachers! We were noticed by Resenburg, so I moved the operation forward, we''ll escape! Zae get the carriages ready!" When Gert collapsed, I went and called the teachers to the warehouse. "Kokubu, they noticed ..." "It means that Furudate-sensei was too noticeable, so get on quickly. Oda-sensei, please sit on the coachman''s stand and pretend to be manipulating Zae. The other teachers sit inside the cover so that they cannot be seen. Please hide." Since we''re running in the city during daytime, it is unavoidable that Zae will stand out, and if there is a person who is manipulating it, it should be considered as a tamed monster. Fred opened the gate while preparing the carriage. "Zae, you know the way, right?" "Don''t worry, My King." "Then, bring the teachers to the garrison and I''ll go back and guide my classmates." "I understand." "Fred, let''s go back!" Leaving the teachers to Zae, Fred and I returned to the garrison. Art and the others are giving sleeping pills to the knights, but the garrison was in turmoil. "Hey, what''s going on, why are they sleeping?" "Hey, what are you guys doing ... uh ... what ..." "Wow, this is ... Hey, isn''t it dangerous?" "Isn''t it better to run away?" "Stupid, where would you run away to ..." If this happens, I don''t care about the order. I went out and called out loud. "Everyone, gather at the training ground for each class and hurry up!" "Oh, Kokubu, you were alive!" "Where did this ghost come from?" "I''m not a ghost, the first five and the latter fifty are all alive. Everyone hurry up and get together!" "Hey ... yeah, he''s gone ..." After calling on everyone to meet, I moved to the examination room. I gave Erna a sleeping pill and caught her as she collapsed, and called out to the chairman. "Yuika, the schedule has changed, let''s go!" "Kent! Kent, Kent!" The chairman left the obaa-san she was treating, and hugged me. "The situation has changed, so we''re going now." "Understood, I''m always ready!" [ Kent-sama ... put the knight on the table to sleep ... ] Hearing Fred''s news, I hold the chairman''s hand, jump out of the examination room and run to the training ground. "Ah, Saint-sama ..." "That kind of thing ... what''s going on ..." It''s bad for the people of the city who rely on the chairman, but I''ll get her back, because the chairman is my chairman. My classmates began to gather one after another at the training ground. Tsuo and the others who pulled out the carriages from the direction of the warehouse approached as well. "Wow, it''s a monster! There''s a monster!" "It''s bad, mages, anyone who can use magic, shoot." "Wait! Those lizardmen are on our side, so don''t shoot!" Tsuo and the others who heard my voice also stopped and did a knight''s salute, so it ended without becoming a panic. "These lizardmen, the black kobolds, and the metallic skeletons are my genus, so don''t worry, they''re allies!" I let everyone know by yelling, which seems to be the loudest I''ve ever yelled. "We will prepare six carriages, so everyone group up by class so that we can ride smoothly!" The knights fell asleep around the training ground, and my classmates were still confused because they could not grasp the situation. From the entrance of the garrison, the carriage pulled by Zae came in. "Teachers, hurry up, this is the list of students left in each class and a pen, match them up and leave when you get confirmation." I handed the lists to the teachers and asked them to check that no one was left behind. [ Kent-sama, we have completed securing the drawbridge. Anytime is OK. ] [ Thank you, Basten, please handle the carriage now. ] "Wafu, Kent-sama, all the knights who were patrolling have fallen asleep." "Thank you, Art, keep an eye out for the rest of the knights." The plan has changed significantly from what was originally planned, but thanks to the efforts of all the members of my genus, I feel that things are going well so far. However, my anxiety has been squeezing me this whole time, my back is sweaty and my stomach is tied in knots. "Kokubu, all three groups are ready." "I have two sets." "Start from the same class, cross the drawbridge for the time being and move to the entrance of the forest." "Okay, we''ll go ahead." The carriages started to move one by one, and cheers came from inside. "Wow ... I''m free, I''m free!" "I did it, I thought I''d die!" "Ugyaaaaa! I did it!" The bridge is just a stone''s throw away, but it would be great if the people in the city who came to the medical office were watching with anxious expressions, and if possible, be quiet ... that''s impossible. When I hear everyone''s happy voices, I feel that the results of my efforts will take shape, and I feel like screaming. I can''t deny that I was alert in such a situation, but I couldn''t react at all to the shock that suddenly struck from my back. "Eh ...?" A blood-stained sword grows from my stomach. Recognizing that it was a sword, as soon as I found out I was stabbed, a burning pain pierced the heavens, and blood overflowing from the wound flowed from my abdomen to my left thigh and fell. "Ahhhhh ..." "You''re the mastermind you bastard, serves you right, don''t look down on Resenburg." When I turned around, the knight who I thought had fallen asleep raised his upper body and thrust a sword at my back. The face is familiar to me, Paul, who used to beat up Funayama with a wooden stick. "It''s impossible for me to suddenly fall asleep and leak and wet myself ... I thought there was something wrong with it. So I tried carrying medicine I was aware of, it went as I expected ..." At the mage''s training ground, I put a sleeping pill to stop the girls from being beaten, but I didn''t think he was such a smart guy. "Igiiii ... gafu, gefu, gefu ..." As the sword was pulled out slowly by Paul, something warm flowed in the back of my throat. When I cough it out of my throat, bright red droplets scattered. I shouldn''t forget my original intention, but I don''t want to remember the pain of being eaten by goblins. I couldn''t stand and collapsed on my knees. [ Bastard, I won''t forgive you! ] I saw Reinhardt swinging up his beloved sword Gram with an angry expression. "No! Gaha ... Don''t kill him! Gofu, Gobu ..." [ Guuuu ... ] Reinhardt clenched his teeth so hard that I thought his back teeth would break. Paul, who has a jet-black sword swung down to his face, falls on his backside and leaks from just the wind pressure. "Fred ... tie him up, go ... put him somewhere ..." "What are you going to do you bastard, are you being compassionate? Don''t screw with me, kill me!" Fred moved in front of the screaming Paul and made him faint, and then he quickly tied him up, and carried him into the warehouse. I put my hands on the wound on my back and abdomen and applied self-healing so the blood stopped immediately, but I felt like I was deprived of my physical strength. [ Reinhardt ... Lend me a hand ... help me up ... ] Reinhardt silently held me up. Fortunately, my classmates were obsessed with getting into the carriages and didn''t seem to notice this turmoil. When I saw the sixth carriage start moving, my consciousness began to grow cloudy. When I saw Ayako-sensei running in a panic and half-crying, while my consciousness began to grow cloudy. I was so weak that I thought I would depart for heaven as it was. I instructed Mart and the others to carry Ayako-sensei to a nearby carriage, and I let go of my consciousness. CH 67 A long way to freedom ***---*** The rugged vibrations and the voice calling my name in my ears gradually raised my consciousness. Immediately before I fainted, I felt a fierce chill, but now I feel a pleasant warmth. "Kent, Kent, do your best, don''t die, come back ..." The tearful voice I hear in my ears is probably that of the chairman. Apparently, I am being hugged in a way that I''m leaning against the chairman. Healing magic is flowing from the chairman''s palm, which is placed on my stomach. By the way, because I was stabbed from behind, my back should be bloody. "Yuika ... clothes get dirty with blood ..." "Stupid, stupid Kent, clothes don''t matter, Kent is more important, stupid ..." I was hugged tightly by the chairman. Ah, I want to stay like this for a long time, yes, it''s no good. Before I got up, I put my hand on the black bracelet in front of me to release it. "Ah ..." With a surprised sound, the chairman''s left arm was freed, the classmates around her began to buzz. "Wha ... Yuika, the bracelet ..." "No way, how did you remove it, chairman?" "Seriously? Chairman, you''re not wearing a bracelet ..." When I got up with the help of the chairman, I was still dizzy. The wound has healed, but the lost blood will not be restored. I mean, the blood that has flowed to my ankles is starting to clot, which makes me feel uncomfortable. "Kent, don''t overdo it, you should still lie down ..." "Um ... where is this?" [ We just entered the Devil''s Forest ... but we don''t have to worry about being chased ... ] "Fred, what do you mean that we don''t have to worry about being chased?" [ Raised the drawbridge ... I worked so that they couldn''t lower it ... It''s okay for a while. ] "Then, stop around the center of the forest and remove everyone''s bracelets there ..." [ OK ... I''ll tell Zae and the others ... ] When I noticed, my classmates in the carriage looked at me with a suspicious expression. "Kokubu ... are you okay?" "Are you seeing hallucinations ...?" "That''s dangerous ... you should rest ..." Perhaps the conversation with Fred looked like a soliloquy? It''s likely they saw is as me raving. I instinctively smiled a wry smile. I was asked by my classmates to briefly talk about the process so far while leaning on the carriage bed in the space next to the chairman. "Then the first five and the second fifty are all alive?" "It is a different country ... can we finally enjoy being in a different world?" "Sorry ... forgive me for being happy." My classmates sighed as if they were disappointed when I told them that the boys that I had rescued previously had caused a turmoil and were now detained and forced into labor. But if I didn''t say anything, they wouldn''t have caused a problem ... I thought, but I didn''t say it. The teacher, Sato-sensei, is also holding her head. "So, Kokubu-kun, what are you going to do from now on?" "I''m going to get everyone safely to Volzard and then negotiate with Camilla." "of course, it''s a negotiation to return to the original world, right?" "Yes, if I can take it home, I''ll collect precious metals in the form of conpemsation ..." "Is it going to work?" "I don''t know. After all, the other party is that Camilla." When I gave Camilla''s name, my classmates had a bitter look on their faces. "Kokubu, shouldn''t that shitty princess be killed?" "No, not just the princess, you should kill all the knights." "Truly, I can''t forgive them." "Fifty-five people are alive, but Funayama is dead? Let''s get rid of them." When one person gives a radical opinion, the opinions that agree with them continue one after another. It seems that everyone is angry about their treatment at Lastock garrison. "What happened to the knight who stabbed you, Kokubu?" "Well, he fainted, got tied up, and locked in ..." "Well ... isn''t that stupid, you got skewered? Why didn''t you kill him?" "Yeah, I understand what everyone wants to say ..." At present, it has not been confirmed whether there is a person who has information on summoning and repatriation other than Camilla, and in order to facilitate negotiations, the situation of bloodshed has to be avoided as much as possible. I talked about the dangers of the people in the city when the Devil''s Forest is active and the knights are gone. "Hmm ... you say the negotiations will go smoothly, but on the contrary, won''t they look down on us?" "I wonder ... if after everything that''s been done, won''t they think that even though I didn''t kill them, I could kill them at any time?" "Normally you would ... but they''re not normal." "That''s true ..." Anyway, I have focused on facilitating negotiations, but in some cases it may be counterproductive. "That being said ... Can we go home properly in the first place?" "I''m sorry, I prioritized rescue, so I don''t know yet." "What will happen from now on ..." I felt that the air in the carriage became depressed all at once due to the girl''s muttering that seems to have leaked out. "But when we get to Volzard, you can have a decent meal and take a hot bath." After all, I feel that the power of food and bath is great, and my classmates who were looking down suddenly raised their faces. "Oh ... Seriously, are we finally free from the horrible food?" "Bath ... I want to take a warm bath quickly." "Oh, it''s dangerous ... I haven''t contacted them to move the operation forward ..." "Oh, oh! Isn''t there any food?" "Bath, hey, what about the bath?" "Wait, wait ... I''ll get back to you soon, wait!" As soon as they heard that there might not be food and a bath, the power of my classmates was as strong as a rock ogre. "Mart tell Donovan-san that the situation has changed and I moved the operation forwards, so please tell Volzard that I''ll take my classmates there by this evening." "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama!" My classmates had their eyes widened at Mart, who replied putting its head out between my legs where I sat down. Doping with pills to restore magical power and self-healing made me feel better. "Then, I''ll remove the bracelets in order." "Oh, you did it! This is real freedom!" I removed the bracelets of my classmates while riding the carriage, and when we stopped near the center of the forest, I also removed the bracelets of all the rest. "What is it, I was wondering if monsters would come out because we were warned that it''s the Devil''s Forest." "Really, this is no different from a normal forest." While waiting for their bracelets to be removed, my classmates look out over the forest and look like they''re out of tune, but the reason there aren''t many monsters is because Reinhardt and the others have wiped them out. "Don''t go too far, because there was a Salamander around here yesterday." "What is a Salamander ... Is it that thing that spits fire?" "It''s several times more powerful than Takayama''s magic, and it keeps spitting as if it''s inexhaustible." "Seriously ... Is there such a thing ..." After removing all the slave bracelets, everyone seems to be relieved from the bottom of their hearts, and the air of the party seems to have calmed down. After that, if we can arrive at Volzard safely, I will be relieved. With the leg strength of Zae and the others, it seems that we can arrive after noon. Now that I have removed all the slave bracelets, we will move on to the carriages again towards Volzard. Thanks to Reinhardt and the others who fixed up the road, the carriages go smoothly without any big vibrations. Shortly after departure, Hart, who had been left behind to keep an eye on Lastock, came to report. "Goshujin-sama, they''re starting to get up." "OK, Fred, take a look." [ Roger that ... ] Camilla and the others were the first to sleep, so they probably should get up and start taking action. "Kokubu, is it okay? A chase ..." "hmm ... I think it''s okay, because half of the forest has already passed and Volzard is closer." "That''s fine, but if we''re brought back ... Hey." "I have to make sure that doesn''t happen, but we have to use repatriation magic to return to Japan, and how would we check if the repatriation magic is correct ... I think there are still many things to think about in this world." The rescue of my classmates was almost successful, but the challenges have not disappeared. The classmates who were confronted with that fact were all deep in thought. It was Sato-sensei, my teacher, who opened her mouth first. "Kokubu-kun, thank you very much for your hard work. It would have taken a lot of preparation to put the plan up to this point into practice, and I think it must have been a lot of hard work. Thank you again, thank you. Thank you." "Sensei ..." "Thank you, Kokubu, I really thought I couldn''t do it ..." "I was wondering if I was really dead, thank you." "I was really saved, I''ll be grateful for the rest of my life, thank you." "Everyone ..." Everyone thanked me face-to-face, and I felt like I was finally no longer recognized as a useless person, and my heart became hot. "Kent has always supported me from the shadows, thank you Kent." "Yuika ..." The chairman gave me a kiss on my cheek as a thank-you, and the carriage that had calmed down for a moment was warpped in various screams the next moment. "Yeah ... yes, the chairman!" "Kyaaaa, I thought it was suspicious to call by name from a while ago ..." "Wait, wait, wait, thank you for your help, but I haven''t heard about this Kokubu!" "Yes, I won''t admit it! No, we won''t admit it!" The screams of boys'' grudges, the shrill voices of the girls, the murderous gazes, the warm gazes, and even if various things come out, the chairman held my left arm and didn''t seem to be willing to leave. This situation didn''t exist even for Takayama when I was in Japan, so I was immersed in a little sense of superiority, and at the same time, my stomach hurts when I think about what will happen after we arrive at Volzard. [ Kent-sama ... Camilla is agitated ... However there is no pursuit ... ] [ Okay, try to find out what they plan to do in the future ... ] [ OK ... Kent .. Harem is just around the corner ... ] [ Guu, I hope it''s not a rain of blood ... ] According to Fred''s scouting, some people advised Camilla to pursue us. However, if the system is not in place, the scale of the pursuit cannot be decided without knowing who the opponent is and how large it is, and it seems that they eventually gave up. Now we don''t have to worry about anyone chasing us, all we have to do is get to Volzard. In other words, the time of the direct confrontation between Manon and the chairman is approaching closer every moment ... I really have a stomachache. "Kokubu-kun ... are you okay?" "Yes, what is it Sensei?" "Up until now, we''ve put the burden on you alone, but from now on, we''ll help you too, so talk to us when you do something." "Yes, thank you." Until now, there were people who I could talk to like Reinhardt, Klaus-san, and Donovan-san, but since there were no adults who knew what we were doing, I feel that the load on my shoulders was lightened. After arriving in Volzard and arranging for everyone to live, I may be able to relax a little. Other than being stabbed by Paul, the operation proceeded more smoothly than I expected, and I thought that if I proceeded a little further, I would be able to see the walls of Volzard. Hert who was left in Volzard appeared in the carriage. "Goshujin-sama, it''s bad! A horde of goblins is approaching Volzard." "A horde, no way ..." "Yes, I think there are over a thousand at a glance." "Mirt call Fred, and Murt go guard Amanda-san''s shop, Reinhardt, go back and stop it even a little!" "I understand!" "I''ll be back!" [ I understand! ] I never thought that a monster that had reached its maximum would come at this timing. "Art! Tell Zae and the others to hurry and have the rest of the kobolds surround and protect the convoy!" "Okay, Goshujin-sama!" As Art jumped out, the speed of the convoy increased. [ Kent ... You called ... ] "Fred, the goblin outbreak is approaching Volzard, help us get closer to the gate while protecting the city ahead of time." [ OK ... leave it to me ... ] The carriage we are riding is in the fourth position from the beginning, so I can''t see the end of the road. "Can you see a horde of goblins, Kame?" "My King, right front." "Eh ... that''s the undergrowth of the forest ..." "No, it''s a great number ..." If you look at it as if it extends from the back of the coach, the dark green objects are wriggling so as to fill the roots of the grove. I don''t think it''s just a thousand or two thousand. Even so, it''s blocked by the forest, and you can only see part of it. It seems that some people have noticed the goblin herd in the other carriages and screams can be heard from the front. "Mart, tell everyone else in the carriages to hold on to something." "Okay, Goshujin-sama." Shortly after Mart jumped out, the convoy sped up further. "Kent, the road is about to be blocked!" Mirt, bring Reinhardt back and get rid of the goblins on the road!" "Okay, Goshujin-sama." Zae and the others sped up, but it seems that they ran across the horde of goblins heading towards Volzard. "Goshujin-sama, I told them." "Mart, who is leading the way?" "The first one is Zae." "Tell them to slow down a bit, if you run over a goblin corpse at the current speed, I''m worried that the carriage will turn over." "OK, I''ll tell them." Immediately after Mart was sent as a messenger, the convoy slowed down. The slowdown caused another scream from the carriage in front of me. Along with the scream, the sound of a fast bell can be heard in the wind from a distance. It should be a short distance to Volzard, but the chairman also has a blue face. "Kent, is it going to be okay?" "I''m sorry, I don''t know to be honest. However, I think the situation will only get worse if we''re outside the walls, so even if we have to cut through the horde, we''ll reach Volzard." "Goshujin-sama, we''re going to reach the horde, Reinhardt is fighting in front of us!" "Okay, Art, side and back, solidify so that nothing breaks through." "OK, Goshujin-sama." From the front, how is it! Gusha! When I thought that I could hear a terrible collsion sound, dark green waves rushed to the side of the convoy. When Art and the others moved around like a black whirlwind, fresh blood flutters and the dark green wall collapses, but soon the goblins behind them approach. "Gigiiii, Gigyagyaa!" "Gugyagugyaaaa, Gippiii ..." The screams of the excited goblins echo like the rumbling of the ground, and they are mentally opressed. "No, I don''t want to die, I don''t want to die!" "Help me, I don''t want to be eaten!" "No, that number ... it''s over ..." I can hear screams from both the carriage in front and the carriage in the rear. They shouldn''t be attached at this point, but it''s unlikely that I''ll be able to see it even if it''s attached to a carriage somewhere. The convoy has slowed down further and is now going at a fast jog, but it hasn''t stopped yet. I''m also shooting light-type attack magic, but I feel like I''m pouring water on a burnt stone with a water gun. "It''s a wall! I can see the city!" "Hey. Hey, help us!" Prompted by the voices I heard from the front, when I look up, I can certainly see the walls of Volzard beyond the grove. "Sensei! I''ll go out for a while, so please keep everyone together." "Hey, Kokubu, where are you going?" "I''ll make a path." I dive from the carriage into the world of shadows and move to the front at once. At the front of the convoy, Reinhardt is wielding his beloved sword Gram, but the goblins are rushing in from the side where he swept them away. Therefore, at the timing when Reinhardt swept them away, dark shields were erected on both sides of the road to prevent the invasion of goblins. [ Kent-sama! ] [ Reinhardt, go ahead and charge forward! ] [ OK, I''m sorry! ] By securing the road, the speed of the convoy has increased. After the convoy has passed, a dark shield is put out to close the road and prevent us from being attacked from behind. Art and the others can freely pass through the shield, so it''s okay to leave them behind. As the speeding convoy passed through the forest, goblins overflowed between the forest and the walls. The goblins approaching Volzard are attacked from the top of the wall and defeated, but the following goblins rush to devour the corpses of their companions. If this number of goblins move, food will naturally be in short supply. If they smell blood there, they don''t seem to care if the meat was a companion. It''s like the screams of goblins, the sound of grabbing flesh and biting bones, and the scent of dense blood spilling around, paint a hellish picture of annoying screams. When we left the forest, the pressure from the surroundings increased, Reinhardt shook them off, and even if I built a wall with a shield of darkness, I couldn''t proceed as I expected. Perhaps it''s because of the widespread deployment of the shield of darkness, or the effect of being stabbed in the belly, it seems that my magical power is about to run out. Volzard is right in front of me, but I feel like I''m one move short. If I remove the shield of darkness as it is, we may be swallowed by a group of goblins if I do it poorly. It was when I thought I had no choice but to use the booster I got from Corey-san. A fireball exploded in the mdidle of a swarm of goblins filling the space between the convoy and the walls. After that, a blade of wind and a spear of water poured out one after the other. My classmates including Takayama lined up on the wall, shooting attack magic without interruption. However, the convoy cannot move forward as it is. While maintaining the shields of darkness, I moved to the top of the wall. "Kondo! Shoot at the side of the highway, we can''t move forward if it''s left as it is!" "It''s Kokubu! Okay, everyone heard him, aim at both sides of the road, shooting group one, group two chant!" The pressure from both sides of the road has been reduced, so Reinhardt can proceed as long as the front is swept away. Fred is fighting hard in front of the gate to stop the goblins from approaching. "Zae, stop on the left side of the gate for the remaining carriages to enter later!" "I know, My King!" They can''t open the gate in this situation, so you have to go through the entrance to enter the city. When Reinhardt arrived, I surrounded the gate in a semi-circular shape with a shield of darkness. "Art, get rid of all the goblins left in the shield!" "Okay, Goshujin-sama." Following the leading carriage, the carriages run one after another. With the help of Fred and Art, the goblins left behind inside the shield were quickly wiped out. Perhaps he was watching the timing from the top of the wall, the entrance opened and Bart-san of the garrison appeared. "This is it! Get into the gate quickly! Hurry, hurry, hurry!" My classmates who jumped off the carriage rushed into the wall. After seeing everyone enter Volzard, and seeing the doors closed tightly, I erased the shield of darkness that surrounded the gate. We arrived at Volzard, but as soon as I turned off the shield, the goblins rushed in. To survive, we must manage this dark green tsunami. CH 68 Deadlock ***---*** The fortified city of Volzard, as the name implies, has high and strong walls around the city. Without this wall, the city woudl have been swallowed by the goblin tsunami and it was unknown how many inhabitants would have been sacrificed. The walls are now surrounded by hordes of dark green goblins, with excited screams and the smell of blood enveloping the city. The purpose of the goblins who came from the forest is to feed. Perhaps they were pushed out before, or they were attracted by the smell of people drifting in the wind and approached Volzard. But what attracts the goblins to Volzard right now is definitely the smell of blood. The goblins who hit the wall try to climb up and invade the city, but they fall one after another under the attack of the waiting garrison members and adventurers. The wounded and fallen goblins are swarmed by the goblins underneath and turned into their food. When the wounded and weakened goblins are gone, the goblins are dropped while attempting to climb the wall and are eaten by their companions. At the beginning, it seemed that we could repel them by repeating this, but the situation changed in the middle. The pressure that came in later increased, and the goblins began to trample on the corpses of their companions and try to escape upwards. A slope of the corpses began to form in front of the wall, and if the corpses continued to accumulate, there was a danger of overcoming the wall. We arrived at Volzard when the slopes of the corpses began to rise. "Reinhardt, Basten, destroy the corpses by the wall!" [ Understood! ] Immediately, the two metallic skeletons smashed the pile of corpses, but as long as the pressure from the rear continues, there is no relief. "Zae and the others attack the goblins away from the city, because if there is a feeding ground in the distance, the pressure on them should be lessened." "Your will!" The five jet-black lizardmen dived into the shadows and jumped out into the middle of a pack of goblins. "Art and the others attack from the outer curcumference of the horde that is not in contact with Volzard. If you kill a few in one place, move to another place to induce cannibalism and reduce the number." "Ok, Goshujin-sama!" The black kobolds also jumped out towards the outer circumference of the dark green tsunami. On the walls, garrison members and adventurers continued their desperate attacks to stop the rushing goblins, but when Reinhardt and the others broke the mountain of corpses, the imminent crisis was over and a relieved air was flowing. I moved to Donovan-san, who is in charge of spearheading, to convey this movement and ask for future instructions. "Donovan-san, I''m back." "Kent, what happened, what is that blood!" "Oh ... I was careless and got stabbed by a knight of Resenburg." "Is this idiot okay?" "Yes, the wounds are okay, but it will take time to recover and my magical power will be exhausted." "Well, in your case, it would be nice if your genus could play an active role, so take a break." "Yes, that genus ..." When I told Donovan-san about the movements of Reinhardt and the others, he nodded a lot. "That''s fine for now, it''s a big help just to break the slope of corpses." "For now, is there anything more I should do?" "Oh, what''s happening right now is the first stage of the maximal outbreak." "That means there is a next step, right?" "Yes, those guys are starting to come out ..." At the place where Donovan-san pointed, there was a goblin that ate and hunted the corpses of its companions, but it looks clearly different from the goblins around it. The body is about 50% larger and has a green color close to black. The adventurers on the walls seemed to notice, and they were shouting. "Wow ... what is that?" "High-ranking goblin species, such as high goblins, goblin mages, and gigagoblins will spring up." Goblins that have eaten the corpses of their companions and the magic stones of their companions will change to higher-ranking species. The second stage of the maximal outbreak is that the outbreak of this superior species causes the goblins to even show organized movements. "How do you deal with it?" "I haven''t dealt with it yet." "Eh?" By the way, the attacks from the walls were sporadic. It seems that Reinhardt and the others have begun to push back the goblins under the walls. Both the garrison members and the convened adventurers have stopped attacking and are taking turns resting. "If there was a corpse slope adn the upper species were to gather togethere, we wouldn''t have been able to do this, but it''s okay if the wall height is maintained." According to Donovan-san, higher ranking species will appear one after another after this, but the only way to stop it is to collect the corpses'' magic stones, which is virtually impossible in this situation. Even though it is a high-ranking species, it is a goblin, so it is not as dangerous as a rock ogre. If there is a defense called the city wall, it seems that it is more efficient to aim at a place that has become a higher-ranking species. Reinhardt and Basten destroyed the goblin corpses that had accumulated under the walls and moved them away from the walls. It seems that the pressure on Volzard is weakening, probably because Zae and the others are rampaging in the flock. The goblins are rushing to the pile of dead bodies and are eager to fight. I wonder if these guys will eventually evolve into higher-ranking species. "It will take some time to move to the second stage as the number of high-ranking species increases, so please rest now." "Yes, I''m going back to my classmates." Upon returning to the gates, my classmates moved a little further back towards the garrison station to receive soup and sandwiches. It''s a simple meal, but some people eat it with tears. Yeah, Lastock''s meal was really bad. Some of my classmates who were eating were the boys who were rescued earlier. I mean, everyone doesn''t wear a slave bracelet, but I wonder if it''s okay. Well, it''s unfashionable to pour water into the air that is happy to meet again, so let''s keep quiet. "Kokubu ..." "Oh, Kondo, I was saved a while ago, thank you." "Well, are you okay? Before and after ..." "Yeah, the wound has healed, so it''s okay, I was a little off guard." "I hope it''s okay ..." "Why were Kondo and the others on the wall?" "I appealed directly to the garrison and got permission to participate in the wall defense." The boys who were working on the walls were instructed to go inside the wall and return to the garrison building when the warning was given. At that time, he was told that the rescue operation had been advanced and that we were heading for Volzard. Therefore, Kondo played a central role in asking to participate in the defense of the walls and getting permission. "But why did you suddenly move the operation forward?" "Oh, that''s ..." Kondo was amazed when I explained that Furudate-sensei, who suddenly became well due to the effect of being informed of the rescue operation, was suspected and was about to be tortured, so I hurriedly forced the operation. "We can''t say anything about people, but Furudate-sensei ..." "Well, if I was trying to do it as planned, it would have been postponed due to the effects of this maximal outbreak, so the result is okay." "Well, that''s right ..." It''s clear that the number of goblins that fill the perimetere of the city won''t end in a day or two, and things may have changed in the meantime. With that in mind, I was in a hurry, but I think it was good to move the operation forward. When I was talking to Kondo, I saw Kartz-san. "Okay, please gather the temporary troops." "Then, Kokubu, I''m going ..." "Yeah, do your best." When he saw me, Kartz-san showed a scary expression, so I appealed that I was okay by making a big circle with both hands. I don''t like the fact that my back and stomach are covered with blood, so let''s change clothes first. I asked a garrison person to rent a bathroom in the dormitory to wash away the blood and change into the clothes I had left in the shadow storage. I finished filling my stomach with the soup and sandwiches that the chairman has set aside, and then dope with pills to help restore magical power. Well then, should I join the front too? "Kent, I also want to help with the treatment." "Well, Yuika''s healing magic is useful ... Let''s run it by the teacher for a moment." "Yes." If the chairman leaves without saying anything, it will make a commotion, so I decided to inform Sato-sensei that we would be participating in the garrison activities. When I asked the garrison person who was handing out food, he told me the location of the front base. The front base, I was told, was a building right next to the wall, and inside, Klaus-san and Marianne-san were having a meeting with stern looks. "Klaus-san, Marianne-san, I''m back safely." "Oh Kent, I''m glad you came back." "Welcome back, Kent-san." "I would like to thank you on behalf of my classmates for your continued support." "It seems that the eager little boys are doing their best, so don''t worry ... and who is this girl?" "Yes, she is a classmate who has been rescued this time, but she seems to want to help with treatment because she can use quite powerful healing magic." I introduced the chairman to Klaus-san and explained to her that Klaus-san was the lord of Volzard and Marianne-san was the general commander of the garrison. "I''m Yuika Asakawa, nice to meet you." "Oh, it''s helpful because a healing magic user is precious, but ... what about your skill?" Klaus-san and the others looked a little uneasy, so when I explained the chairman''s struggle at Lastock''s garrison, they both agreed. Marianne-san walked up to the chairman and hugged her in a compassionate manner. "You suddenly got caught up in a difficult situation and had a hard time ... but since you came to Volzard, you''ll be okay." "Yes, thank you, I had a hard time, but Kent always supported me ..." When the chairman turned her gaze to me and blushed, Klaus-san was in a bad mood at once, and Marianne-san smiled with a meaningful smile. Where is the harmonious and peaceful air from a little while ago ...? "Now, Kent, since you came back safely, I''d like you to work like a carriage horse to protect the Volzard where your companions will live." "You must not make any mistakes, because for Kent, it''s a battle to protect Volzard, where you will live for a long time." When she heard Marianne-san''s words, it seemed that the chairman''s eyes were raised a little. "Is Kent going to stay in this world?" "Uh? Well, you can say it''s still under consideration ..." "Hmm ... but it looks like a parent-approved relationship, doesn''t it?" "Um ... remaining is like as war potential ... kind of like that?" As soon as my flag color got worse, it was very annoying that the bad old man started to grin. "Kent-san, I think there are various problems that need to be resolved, but can you concentrate on getting through this situation now?" "Yes, of course! Then, I will be under the command of Donovan-san, so please take care of Yuika." "Oh, Kent ..." The chairman looked like she wanted to say something, but I bowed deeply and headed to the wall like a rabbit. As I climbed onto the walls, Reinahrdt and Basten were pushing the goblins'' corpses further towards the woods, perhaps in light of the situation. The number of goblins pushing out of the forest seems to be clearly reduced, probably because of Zae and the others rampging in the horde. The garrison members and adventurers on the walls seem to be watching over the situation. Normally, adventurers of C-rank or higher are convened, but this time it is a maximum outbreak, so it seems that applicants from D-rank are also participating. Because of that, I can see many young adventurers, and maybe Gilik is here somewhere. "Donovan-san, please let me help too." "Fufufu, there''s nothing for you to help, it''s a situation that depends on your genus." When I called out, Donovan-san loosened his cheeks. It''s a smile that seems to be a bit much for a small child, but I think the situation is improving and he can afford it. "What is the situation like?'' "Well, the appearance of the higher-ranking species has become more prominent, and although there are some movements that seem to lead the goblins, it''s okay because we got this much done under the walls." Small pieces of meat have fallen, but the corpses of large chunks have been pushed to a distance of about 50 meters form the walls. Certainly, if this is the case, the original performance of the city wall can be demonstrated, and it will not be easy to be overcome with goblins. However, Reinhardt and Basten, who had been disposing of the corpses, are wearing blood droplets and pieces of meat and are showing a terrible appearance. "That ... Donovan-san." "What?" "Can I bathe my skeletons?" "I don''t mind. It''s going to be a deadlock for a while now." "Then, is it okay to have the other genus take a rest?" "Well, it''s still a long way to go, do it." When Mart was sent as a messenger, Reinhardt and Basten disappeared into the shadows. Even if they disappear, the goblins do not rush in, and they seem to be absorbed in devouring the corpses of their piled up companions. After observing the situation, Donovan-san gathered the adventurers. "Okay, listen carefully. Now the goblins are going crazy about filling their sotmachs, and if they fill their stomachs, they won''t move for a while, but if they don''t move, they''ll get hungry. And then they will start moving again. The next goal is ... Needless to say?" The facial expressions of the adventurers, that were loose while they were resting, now look harsh and tight. Goblins who have eaten up the corpses will definitely aim for the city of Volzard next. If we can''t protect ourselves, we may be eaten, everyone will be desperate. "The next time they push out, the top species will definitely show a systematic move with the bottom ends together, but that''s also an opportunity for us." Donovan-san, who said harsh words, showed a terrifying smile. "The organization of the enemy is easy to break down if they lose their leaders. In other words ... the next thing we aim for is the higher-ranking species." According to Donovan-san, even if the upper species organize them, the strategy that can be done is at best a pincer attack, so it''s best to aim at the leaders when they come together and crush the confused mobs. "However, the sun will set soon. They will be smart at night, so be careful about that. The person in charge of the lookout should use not only his eyes, but also his ears to look for signs. Don''t make a fool of yourself and allow them to invade!" In terms of timing, it seems unlikely that they will attack during the night, but if they do attack, it seems that the monster side with good night vision may have an advantage. After Donovan-san''s instructions, the adventurers returned to waiting at their assigned locations. "Where should I be, Donovan-san?" "You should be near me so I can give instructions ..." "That ... can I tell the people at my boarding house that I''ve returned safely?" "Oh, no matter which way, the situation won''t move yet." "I''m sorry, then I"m going for a while." I left Donovan-san and dived into the shadows and returned to the boarding house at once. Amanda-san closed the door tightly and sat facing Meisa-chan at the store table. "Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, I''m home." "Oh, Kent, you''re safe, I was worried." "Fubu ... Meisa-chan?" Amanda-san smiled as if she was really relieved, and Meisa-chan rushed at me like a rocket. I feel sorry for Meisa-chan, who clung to me silently. "I''m sorry, you were worried ..." "Stupid Kent ... Stupid ..." "The situation suddenly changed and we had to move the rescue operation forward, but somehow everyone was brought safely to Volzard." "Is that so ... Kent, you did your best ..." "Amanda-san ..." Amanda-san hugged me with Meisa-chan and praised me. "Mugu ... Oh, mom ... It''s painful ..." "Ah, I''m sorry ... So Kent, what''s going on outside? It''s rare that the alarm doesn''t go off after such a long time." "Yes, Volzard is surrounded by hordes of goblins." "What! Then ..." "It''s okay, we were pushed in temporarily, but we''re pushing them back with the help of Reinhardt and the others. However, I think it will take a little longer because the number is unusual." I was at a loss, but I thought it was better than telling a strange lie, so I told them about the current situation of Volzard, but Amanda-san and Meisa-chan both looked uneasy. "Kent ... is it really okay?" "Of course, it''s okay, because you''ve been guarded by Murt right after I came back, Murt." "Wafu, I was watching properly, Goshujin-sama." When Murt showed up, they both relaxed. "Even if it looks like this, Murt won''t be defeated by something like a goblin, so I''ll have them protect you." "Fluffy ... Can I do it?" "Yeah, okay ... Murt, I''ll leave them in your care." "Leave it to me, Goshujin-sama!" Meisa-chan hugs Murt with an enchanted expression on her face. "So Kent, what are you going to do now?" "I''m planning to have everyone in my genus work while receiving instructions from Donovan-san." "Then you''re going to the ramparts, right?" "Yes, I''m still a B-rank adventurer." "Be careful ... Protect Volzard." "Yes, leave it to me! I''m heading off!" In order to dispel their anxieties, I said it cheerfully and left the boarding house. I''ll protect you, both of you are my important family, and Volzard is already my city. CH 69 Emergency ***---*** By the time dusk approached Volzard, the goblins were almost invisible outside the forest. At one point, the goblins overflowed from the woods, but the number decreased due to the rampage of Reinhardt and the others at the walls, Zae and the others in the middle of the horde, and Art and the others on the outer circumference of the horde, and food was available. It seems that the movement stopped because they entered. According to Fred, who has been scouting, a myriad of groups are being formed by a number of superior species. If such a group is formed, it seems likely that there will be a turf war, but since there is plenty of food, there will be no conflict between groups. Then adventurers, who have survived the first stage of the maximal outbreak and have taken a rest, are waiting for the second stage attack. Even if you say waiting, it depends on the goblins as to when there is an attack, and when that will happen ... some adventurers have begun to get impatient. "Donovan-san, isn''t it better to hit them from here while they are calm?" "If you go out poorly and get surrounded, is it okay if we just let them eat you?" "No ... that is ..." "Then, how about shooting at the higher species that you can see from here?" "The one who eats the magic stone of the fallen higher species will just become the next higher species ..." "That''s right ..." If you are an adventurer, you may want to make a name for yourself and earn more than others, but it seems difficult to fulfill your wishes in a situation like a siege battle. Still, it makes you impatient to have to keep silent and wait for the situation to move, and considering the people in the city, it''s better to get things done as soon as possible. "That, Donovan-san ... Is it useless to have my genus collect the higher-ranking magic stones?" It seems that it is not known exactly what role the magic stone plays in the body of the demon. However, it seems that it is involved in the circulation of mana in the body, just as the heart circulates blood, and when the magic stone is actually crushed or broken, the demon will die. If my genus extracts the magic stone from the body of the higher species, I can subdue the higher species and prevent another goblin from becoming a higher species. "Can you do that?" "Yes, my genus can move freely in the shadow world, so it is possible to select a higher-ranking species and extract the magic stones." "Well, if you collect even the magic stones, will the next higher-ranking species come out ... Okay, do it." With Donovan-san''s permission, I immediately tried to send Mart as a messenger, but one adventurer stopped me. "Wait a minute, Donovan-san, doesn''t the fact that his genus collects the higher-ranking magic stones mean that he monopolizes the magic stones? That would be unfair." The one who complained was Pedel, who was involved in the guild on the day I asked them to buy the Salamander. "And anyways, I think he just made a lot of money by having his genus defeat the Salamander. And now he''s going to have a further monopoly, does everyone consent?" He''s acting like the representative of the adventurers, but if the adventurers around me are told that I''m the only one who owns the magic stones, they don''t look very happy. "That ... the magic stones collected by my genus will be divided equally ..." "No. Why do you need to divide equally?" I read the air on the spot and tried to offer an equal division, but Donovan-san rejected it. "I understand how you envy Kent, because such an unreliable little boy can easily get the money you would spend years earning." "If so, it can be divided equally ..." "No. Adventurer business is a business that makes money with talent, effort, and ability in the first place. Don''t count on others! You want equal division? Did you do something to have the right to be part of the division?" If Donovan-san glares at them, no one can argue face-to-face. "Look under the ramparts. Who cleaned up the pile of goblin corpses? Thanks to whom did their pressure weaken? Don''t look away from the facts, this kid is already a demon who is working so much that it''s not enough to monopolize the stones." "But that''s the work of his genus ..." "So what? If you have any complaints, try having your genus work. You don''t have to bother to say who the skeleton or lizarman is working for. Then you can''t say you don''t know who should be rewarded." Although Pedel had a bitter look on his face, he couldn''t argue. "Pedel, this Kent will easily overtake you ... no, maybe he''s already overtaken you. There are occasional irregularities like this in the world." Donovan-san looked at me, but it''s not a power I wanted to obtain. "As someone who has been working steadily and diligently, I can imagine how frustration and envious he must be. But, even if you drag him down, it doesn''t mean that you can rise above where you are now. If you want to rise, rise with your own feet." Pedel was still dissatisfied, but when he nodded, he turned around and returned to his place. "Kent, do it." "Yes, I understand!" I decided to have Art and the others collect magic stones from the higher-ranking species. Twenty-five heads from Art to Nort were tasked with collecting magic stones, and five heads from Hart to Hort were tasked with monitoring the outer circumference of the horde. As soon as the thirty undead kobolds scattered, changes appeared. Like ripples, the voices of goblins spread in the forest. "Gigi ... Gii ..." "Gya, Gyagyaguu ..." As the goblins began to make noise in the Devli''s Forest where dusk was approaching, the adventurers and garrison members who were waiting all stood at the ready. I, who gave instructions to Art and the others, thought that it may be a situation where I had to give instructions to Reinhardt and the others to defend, but the buzz that spread like ripples on the surface of the water eventually subsided. "Goshujin-sama, it''s over." "Good job ..." Art came to give the news, so when I looked into the shadow space, there was a mountain of magic stones that seemed to belong to the higher species. Maybe there are more than a thousand at a quick glance, and I felt somewhat dizzy and held my forehead. "What''s wrong Kent?" "No, the magic stones made a mountain ..." When I thought about the adventurers, I thought it would be awkward and answered in a whisper, and Donovan-san grinned. "Fufufu, you have good working genus." "Yes, I''m just grateful ... By the way, the goblins seems to be quiet." "The turmoil you heard earlier was probably because their leaders suddenly died and the goblins who became their minions were upset." "Won''t they attack after this?" "Probably not. They''re full now, if they''re hungry ..." "Will they fall asleep?" "Maybe ..." Just in case, when I sent Art and the others to scout, they said that several goblins were sleeping clustered together. I don''t know the ecology of goblins at all, but even if you wake up from sleep, you won''t feel hungry suddenly, and if there are still corpses of their companions, I feel like they won''t attack the city. Even so, the outbreak that started with rock ogres led to the outbreak of orcs, and this time the maximal outbreak of goblins, why do they only come to Volzard? It wouldn''t be strange to go to the side of Lastock once in a while. "It''s probably because of the wind ..." "Because of the wind?" According to Donovan-san, there are many days when the monsoon from the east blows at this time of year. Riding on that wind, the scent of the people living in Volzard flows, and it seems that monsters are attracted to it. Certainly, the wind is still blowing from the walls toward the forest. "Then if the wind changes ..." "Well, there will be more days when the westerly wind will blow from near the end of the year. If that happens, Lastock will be targeted." I don''t know what would happen to Camilla and the others after everyone returns to the original world, but before that, they might be attacked by monsters and annihilated. I wonder if Resenburg is properly preparing for a maximum outbreak. By the time the buzzing goblins were quiet, the sun had set and the adventurers were given dinner. It was only rich milk tea and biscuits like hardtack, but the taste was ok and it settled firmly in my stomach. I''m not a goblin, but when I was full, I was suddenly drowsy. After lunch, I was nervous because the situation was still imminent, but in situations where the deadlock seems to continue, I tend to feel relaxed. Even if I stand on the wall and stare at the forest, my consciousness is dimming and my feet are unsteady. I have been moving since the morning due to irregular rescue operations, and I may have been exhausted by being skewered. Looking at the adventurers around, it seems that they are watching in a fixed order. "That ... Donovan-san, the order of my lookout ..." "You should sleep there until I call." A blanket was piled up where Donovan-san pointed with his chin. [ Kent-sama, we''ll be watching and do reconnaissance, so take a break. ] [ Thank you, I''m counting on you, Reinhardt. ] It''s not soft to the touch, but it''s warm, wrapped in a thick blanket, as soon as I lean against the wall, I fall asleep. Before I feel asleep, I remembered that I had forgotten to arrange the accommodations for my rescued classmates, but I couldn''t beat the powerful drowsiness. It''s like when I was just coming to Volzard, I was training in the Devil''s Forest in the middle of the night, and I fell asleep for a moment, and when I woke up, it felt like less than five minutes. [ Kent-sama, get up! Somehow the situation is strange! ] "Get up everyone! Get ready for battle!" Immediately after being awakened by Reinhardt, I heard Donovan-san''s sharp voice, and immediately woke up and noticed something unusual. From the forest, I heard goblins screaming voices along with the sound of the earth rumbling. "They''re going to rush in, don''t let even one into the city!" The angry words of Donovan-san reached the ears of the adventurers so as to overwhelm the sound of the earth rumbling that shakes the air. I don''t know how long it''s been since I fell asleep, but there''s no sign of dawn yet, and the lights of the magic tools installed on the walls haven''t reached the forest. But in my field of vision, which was good at night, I could see dust approaching from the distance. "Goshujin-sama, the goblins are being chased by a huge lizard." "Hert, a huge lizard ..." When I asked Hert, who came to report from reconnaissance, a flame bullet rose from the other side of the rumbling sound. "Damn, it''s a Salamander!" The goblins, who fell asleep during the night and thought they would be rushing the city after tomorrow, suddenly started to run away because they were attacked by a Salamander. "Hert, how big is the Salamander?" "About half the size of last time." It seems that the Salamander that was subdued last time was a particularly large individual, so this time should be considered as a normal size. Donovan-san was upset by the invasion of the Salamander for a moment, but he heard that it was a normal size and started to devise countermeasures. "Goshujin-sama, it''s half the size, but there are four." "What ...?" After that Donovan-san opened his eyes wide in shock, he hurriedly turned his gaze towards the forest. If you look closely, it''s true that the flame bullets are rising from multiple places. "Reindhardt, command everyone and protect the city!" [ OK! ] "Donovan-san, I''m going to defeat the Salamanders!" "Hey, Kent ..." Without listening to Donovan-san''s reply, I dived into the shadows at once and aimed at the place where the Salamanders are. Looking through the shadows, the goblins seem to be completely panicked. They are in a state of running away scattered because they lost the role of coordinating from the higher-ranking species and there is no one to lead the horde or group. The place where the Salamanders are is like a special effects movie where the flames blow, and even if I just showed my face, it seemed it would be burned by the heat. It seems that the four Salamanders work together to spit out flame bullets and drive the goblins. The Salamanders mercilessly attacked the goblins who were afraid of fire and fled, and ate two ore three of them at a time. "Gwauu!" The four Salamanders are less than half the size of the last one I defeated, but unlike the previous individual who was lazily looking for food, the appearance of spitting flame bullets and repeatedly roaring from their stomach is scary, and the legs are shaking. What''s more, the appearance of catching goblins and chewing them with agility that doesn''t suit their size was full of the style of the king of the ecosystem. I tried to cut through the medulla oblongata and subdue them like last time, but I can''t install it where I aimed the shield of darkness because they are moving around. Meanwhile, the Salamanders continue in the direction of Volzard. As the Salamanders advance, the chased goblins also escape in the direction of Volzard. If I don''t stop the Salamanders, the goblins will not stop, and conversely, if I stop the Salamanders, the goblins may stop. This time, I decided to subdue them with light attribute attack magic. While moving along the shadows, I searched for a place where I could shoot at the head of the Salamander, and when I saw a chance, I shot magic. It should have hit, but the Salamander seems to be too large compared to the range of effect of the attack magic method, and it can not be killed with one shot. In the end, I shot nearly ten attack magics, and finally one Salamander stopped moving. One of their companions suddenly collapsed, so the other three stopped and came back to see what was going on. "Guruuuuu ..." While making their throat squeak, they''re trying to wake up their stuck companion with their nose. The other two also watched the situation with suspicious faces, but it was helpful that they stopped moving. I connected the shadow space into the head of the Salamander that stopped moving, and cut through the medulla oblongata. Immediately two of them colapsed, and the remaining one was surprised and stopped moving. It''s good that they were killed safely, but I was having trouble handling the defeated Salamanders. If I leave it as it is, it will become bait for goblins if I''m not careful. On the other hand, it is necessary to get the help of my genus to put it in the shadow space, but everyone is fighting. At that time, I decided to try something that came to my mind. What would happen if I put out the shield of darkness under the soil where the Salamanders lay and connect it to the shadow space? Wouldn''t the Salamander be stowed in the shadow space so that it would fall into the pit? Yeah, can I join the ranks of masters? Now that the threat from this side is gone, the pressure of Volzard should be reduced. When I hurried back to Volzard, I could see the sight of a Salamander on the wall. A flame bullet fell from the center of the wall and blew away all the goblins that had rushed. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame, dance, dance, dance oh flame, and become a fireball!" Compared to the magic of Takayama, which is the size of a basketball, the fireball is larger than an adult with both hands open. At the point of impact, more than ten goblins have blown away and craters have formed on the ground. "Focus your aim near the center of the horde so that the goblins avoid Volzard!" The user of the flame bullet raises her red-haired ears and gives instructions to the garrison mages. I heard that Marianne-san, the commander of the garrison, was a fire-type mage, but I never thought she was this good. Due to the attack of the garrison members led by Marianne, the goblin horde moves to the left and right, but the pressure from behind is still strong, so part of them are pushed against the wall. Reinhardt and Basten are sweeping the horde under the ramparts, but they seem to be pushed by the force of numbers. Also, it seems that corpses are starting to accumulate under the walls slowly, and even if the garrison members and the adventurers struggle, the goblins will rise to the top. "Donovan-san, the Salamanders have been cleaned up." "Kent, is that true!" "Yes, I''m going to destroy the corpses under the wall. Tell Mart and Reinhardt to leave the wall for a bit!" "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama." I also dive into the shadows and move to a place where I can see the state under the wall. To clean up the corpses, I use the same method as with the Salamanders. You can''t put living things in the shadow space, but you can put dead things in it. If you put out a shield of darkness under the ground below the wall and connect it to the shadow space, the corpses fell into the shadow space together with the ground that could not bear the weight. It was impossible to clean up the entire circumference of the wall at once, but if I clean it up in order from the place where the most corpses are piled up and imminent, the goblins will avoid and escape when they see the wall that has regained its height. Perhaps because the pressure of the Salamanders disappeared, the movement of the goblins gradually slowed down, and by the time the rising sun rose, there was nothing approaching the walls. I went out of the shadow world and called out to Donovan-san, who was taking a rest. "It looks like something has happened." "Oh, Kent, where did the corpses go?" "I temporarily dropped them into the shadow space, so I will ask Reinhardt and the others to throw them into the depths of the forest later." "Well, what happened to the Salamanders?" "I''ve killed all four of them and put them in the shadow space, so please buy them later." "Fuhahaha ... four Salamanders at a time, I wonder if the guild''s money is about to run out." Donovan-san is smiling, but his facial expression looks tired. "Kent, could you have your genus explore the forest?" "That''s easy, Art, go take a look." "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama." When Art went out on reconnaissance, Donovan-san put his arms on the chest-high wall and turned his gaze to the forest. "There was a guy who was slightly injured after they climbed up to the ramparts several times, but I haven''t heard any reports of any deaths or entry into the city." "We''ve protected it." "It''s not completely over yet, but I''m sure we''ve crossed the mountain, Kent, thanks to you being here, thank you." "I don''t need thanks, Volzard is an important city for me, so it''s natural to protect it." "Yes ... that''s right ..." Donovan-san''s bitter laughter seemed to have a love for the city of Volzard. "Goshujin-sama, the goblins are scattered all over the place, and I don''t feel like they''re heading over here." "Okay, Reinhardt, do you have a moment?" [ What is it, Kent-sama? ] Reinhardt appeared immediately after I called. "I want you to remove the magic stones from the goblin corpses that I dropped into the shadow space, and then disperse them in the depths of the forest and throw them away." "I see, it''s a translocation to create a feeding ground for goblins in the depths of the forest, I understand." Reinhardt understood my will and took immediate action without telling everyone. If there is a feeding ground in the depths of the forest, there will be no reason for the goblins to come to Volzard. "Donovan-san, if I clean up the area around the city ..." "Hmm, if you want to do that much work, I''ll readily give up my desk and chair." "Aah, that''s ridiculous, it''s fine, I''ll decline!" "Fuhahaha, you should go back to your boarding house and sleep, and then we and the garrison guys will handle it." "Okay ... Oh, Donovan-san, where is the first aid station?" "Why, even if you got injured somewhere ... can''t you heal yourself?" "Because a classmate who can use healing magic that was just rescued volunteered to participate ..." "Well, yeah, the first aid station should be next to the cafeteria." "Okay, I''ll take a look and then go back to the boarding house." As I was walking towards the first aid station, ''Kan, Kan'', the bell was ringing to announce the cancellation of the alarm. I was a little proud to think that I was able to contribute a little to Volzard''s successful new morning. CH 70 A new morning has come ***---*** While listening to ''Kan, Kan'' of the alarm-cancelling bell, I was walking relaxedly towards the first aid station, and Marianne-san called out to me. "Thank you for your hard work, Kent-san." "Oh, Marianne-san, thank you for your hard work, I saw the fire-type attack magic, but it''s amazing ..." "Oh, it''s not a big deal compared to Kent-san." It''s ridiculous that it''s not a big deal. Our Novice Hero is at the level of wrapping his tail and running away. Marianne-san, who was laughing pleasantly, suddenly tightened her expression and looked at me and started talking. "If Kent-san''s genus weren''t active, I think Volzard would have suffered a great deal of damage. I would like to thank you again, thank you very much." "Gratitude is unnecessary ... Volzard is an important city for me, so it''s natural to protect it." "I''m glad to hear you say that. That also means you''ll accept my daughter, right?" "Eh? No, no, isn''t the story jumping too much?" I felt like we were talking about something good, but the story changed in an instant. "Oh, you think it''s an important city because it''s the hometown of Rise, who you are welcoming as your wife, right?" "No, it''s too early for me to get married ..." "Oh, Kent-san, we talked about it in the cafeteria the other day. It''s not uncommon for a resident of Volzard to become independent from his parents and build his own family at the age of fifteen." "But I just came to Volzard ... that''s right, Rise isn''t 15 years old yet." "Oh, that''s true ... but it''s okay, it''s about two months until the New Year, and there''s nothing wrong with the engagement." "Even if you suddenly say that we''re engaged ..." "Well, you''re in trouble if you suddenly get engaged. But, Kent-san, my husband, myself, and Rise herself all agree, so please feel free to ask me anytime." "Kl, Klaus-san too?" "Well, I won''t let him oppose it, so don''t worry." "huh, huh ..." For a moment, Marianne-san looked like a Yaksha, but I feel like she''s going to remove any obstacles in her way. With a smile, I left Marianne-san who was smiling terrifyingly, but I couldn''t stop the sweat flowing down my back. I started walking towards the first aid station again, but there was a crowd around the cafeteria. I wonder if breakfast distribution has started. As I approach, it seems that young adventurers are gathering together. "Bastard, it will be cured if you spit on it." "Shut it, bastard, you''re not the one who''s hurt." "Bah, I was bitten by a goblin ..." "Bastard, you must have bitten yourself, it''s not the mark of goblin teeth!" "Ah ... Seriously an angel ... Ah, it''s okay to die already ..." "Hey, do it fast!" "Stupid guy! Apologize to the Angel-chan who came here in a hurry!" Ah, I have a very bad feeling about it ... Angel-chan ... I thought I should just go home like this, but then the chairman would get angry. Let''s take a look at the situation from the edge and let her know that I''m safe and go home. "Excuse me, could you let me through ..." "Aah! Let you go through? Everyone is waiting for their turn, do you understand, this is ..." When I tried to get through on the side, I was glared at by a strong looking young man. "N, no, I have a little message, I don''t need healing ..." "Aah? You have a message ..." When I thought it was unlikely that I would be able to get through, a strong looking young man who seemed to know the other strong looking young man yelled. "Hey, Kurt, that guy ... isn''t he the Maou ...?" "Aah? Uh, this guy ... the Maou ..." Perhaps they heard the voice of Kurt, the adventurers lined up in front of the first aid station turned around all at once. No, even if ''Monster User'' is not bad, to be called ''Maou'', I can hear the voices saying ''Maou'' from here and there. "No, I definitely have my genus work for me, but to be called ''Maou'' ..." "Hey, really ..." "That ... if you could just let me through ..." I don''t know what it is, but the young adventurers have opened the way by shifting sideways about two steps. "Oh, I''m sorry ... Thank you ..." While being bathed in judging looks as I passed through while bowing my head, I saw the chairman smiling while treating people. Yeah, it''s a big difference from when she was in Lastock''s medical office, so it''s no wonder she''s called an angel. "Oh, Kent!" The chairman, who noticed me, abandoned the adventurer who was being treated with a lewd look, rushed in with a bouncy step and hugged me tightly. As a matter of course, voices of anger and grudges were raised, but at the same time, I heard voices of admonishment saying things like ''Monster User'' and ''Maou''. "Kent, are you injured anywhere?" "Yeah, it''s not a big deal because everyone in my genus did their best." "You say that, but the truth is you have a history of being rash." "That, ridiculous, I''m not rash." The chairman released me, and after looking at me for a while, she suddenly relaxed her expression. "It seems like it''s really unreasonable, but I forgive you because you came back safely." "Yes ... I''m home." "Welcome home." The chairman hugged me tightly, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Damnit, the ''Monster User'' takes everything!" "Ah ... Angel-chan to the poisonous fangs of the ''Maou'' ..." "Damnit, go bald, go bald from the back of the head without noticing it!" The young adventurers left as the tide goes down, leaving behind grudges. I mean, all their injuries don''t require treatment. To my chairman, I want you to not unecessarily bother her. It seems that the cafeteria of the garrison this morning is open to the adventurers who were conscripted, so I decided to return to the boarding house after having breakfast with the chairman. I was a little worried about the other classmates who I rescued, but I think they''ll be okay because there are the teachers. When I left the termporary first aid station and headed for the dining room, I suddenly felt the blood rush from my face. The light blue short hair that runs around while out of breath at the entrance of the garrison ... with this timing? I feel the warmth of the chairman who has her arms crossed on my left arm, but I can''t refuse Manon who is running with a face that seems like she''ll start crying at any moment. "Kent, Kent, Kent!" "Fubu ... Good morning, Manon." I was hugged by Manon who rushed in with no brake like a wile boar, but it hurts ... it hurts, my left arm, which the chairman''s grip tightened, feels like it''s missing ... it feels like it''s going to break. "I was worried, because you didn''t tell me anything, stupid Kent ... stupid ... uuu ..." "Sorry, the situation suddenly changed and I had to hurry ..." Manon is on the opposite side of the chairman, burying her face in the right side of my neck and groaning a little. Or rather, it seems that my left arm that was really tightened up by the chairman is at its limit. "Kyaaaa! Shuraba, Shuraba!" "Gununuuu ... I can''t use monsters ..." "The crisis of Volzard is gone, but Kokubu''s life is like a light in the wind." "Yagi, I seems to have found that I have to kill even if I''m forced into labor for the rest of my life." "What a coincidence, me too, Nitta ..." I hear various voices from various places, but I was active in protecting Volzard ... So, can''t I get paid for it?" Why is the old and new duo and fake glasses freely wandering around, why don''t you go back to forced labor as soon as possible. "Keeent ..." "Kent ..."(TN:Wow, I just realized that Manon''s Kent is ''Kent'' while the chairman''s should be ''Kento'' because of the difference between how his name is pronounced in this isekai vs how it was in Japan, it''s too late to change it now though, just know that Yuika calls him Kento like his actual name is.) "Y, yesh ... that, um ... for the time being, breakfast together ... I''m sorry." Although I felt the warmth of the chairman on my left arm and Manon on my right arm, I couldn''t afford to enjoy it at all, so I headed to the cafeteria where I was being dragged. This morning''s breakfast is a menu of stew with large chunks of meat, whole bread, salad and fresh milk to satisfy the hunger of the adventurers and garrison members who struggled last night. Normally, it smells so delicious that I would be drooling, but I feel that my stomach, which hurts now, has very little capacity. I chose a seat in the back and sat down, but my classmates surrounded me, and the adventurers and garrison members were paying attention from the distance. Wow ... what is this situation ... it''s the first time I''ve been so noticed. "Kent, it''s going to get cold, so let''s eat it first ..." "That right ... let''s do it, i, itadekimasu."(TN:Meal start saying.) The chairman who can eat calmly in this situation, her nerves are likely to be beyond the scope of understanding. "Kent ..." "What is it? Manon." "Yes, a, ahn ..." "Umm ... a, umm ... a, ahn ... mugu ..." Manon, who was listening to the talk of the Devil dekoboko sisters, is being corrupted. I was thinking such, but this time I was approached by the chairman from the left side. "Kent, here, aahn ..." "A, ahn ... mugu ..." It''s dangerous, I don''t know the taste at all. I think I''m going to be cursed and killed by the crazed eyes of the boys. I finished the breakfast without tasting it at all in the state of a watched person. No, breakfast is over. "Umm ... gochisousamadeshita."(TN:Meal end saying.) Nobody has any reaction, but as expected, it''s useless if I don''t put an end to it here. Take a big deep breath once, twice, three times ... "Kent ..." "Mya?" Wow ... Why are you talking to me at this timing, Manon-chan? I made a strange voice with all my might, what is ''Mya'' ...? They couldn''t stand it here and there, and I can hear giggling. "I''m sorry ... well, Kent. I think if Kent is suffering, you don''t have to decide now." "Manon ...?" "I don''t think everyone who came to Volzard lately knows, but Kent has really worked hard. It seems that he can easily come and go to Resenburg because he can use great magic, but he thinks about how to rescue everyone, he has to secure a place for them to live at Volzard, and he has to secure a place to live for himself ... Anyway, you''ve been doing your best." My classmates are listening to Manon''s words. "I don''t want to disturb Kent because I love Kent who works so hard ... I don''t want to hurt Kent ... I want to help Kent as much as possible ..." Dangerous ... My tear glands are about to collapse. "Kent still has a lot to do, right?" "Yeah, yeah, Camilla ... I have to negotiate with the Princess of Resenburg to bring everyone back to the original world." "Then, I want you to give priority to that ... If I''m not chosen, I''ll still support Kent." "Manon ... Thank you ..." I won''t cry. Some of the girls who worked with Manon are crying messily, but I won''t cry because I look ugly. This is just sweat from my eyes. "I''m sorry Manon, I misunderstood you." When I was thinking about hugging Manon, the chairman quietly started talking. "I imagined you were a calculating girl with a keen eye for magical talent. I apologize, I''m sorry." The chairman stood up, and bowed deeply. "But I''m not going to give up the role of supporting Kent. Life in Lastock was really hard. I was given better treatment than everyone else, but I could only talk to everyone during treatment. It was only a short time, and the treatment couldn''t cure everyone, and I was always reminded of my powerlessness, and my heart was about to break." The classmates who had been rescued were listening to the chairman''s story. Everyone was really taken care of by the chairman''s treatment. "It was Kent who supported me at that time. He came to see me under a watchful eye and healed me who was exhausted with healing magic. I was very relieved to feel the warmth of Kent wrapped in a blanket in my room at night, and I couldn''t stop my heart from pounding." "Yuika ..." "I haven''t said it properly yet, so I''ll say it here. I love Kent. Yuika Asakawa loves Kento Kokubu." The straight words of the chairman made me feel a heavy weight and reached my heart. I made an excuse to myself that I couldn''t help being swept away by the situation, and I felt like I hated my frivolity when I hugged and kissed them. "I ..." "It doesn''t have to be now. I don''t want to bother Kent, and I know Kent is a little naughty and vulnerable to girls. And ... there''s another one, right? The game must be fair." "Yes ... I''m sorry ..." When I heard the words of the two people who were serious about me, I wondered how to reward them. I don''t think I''ll be able to give them an answer right away, But I realized that I had to think more and more. "Kent, what are you going to do today?" "Um ... go to the guild and ask Donovan-san to by the Salamanders when he''s back ..." "Huh? DIdn''t you finish selling the Salamander the day before yesterday?" "Yeah, apart from the day before yesterday, I have to sell the four that I killed last night." "What! Four Salamanders ..." "Because of those Salamanders, the horde of goblins was heading towards Volzard, so I hurried to defeat them ... what?" Somehow the cafeteria became noisy, and the garrison members and adventurers were paying close attention to my words, but I wonder if they didn''t know that I went to defeat the Salamanders. "Kent, just now, is it true that you defeated the Salamanders?" "Oh, Bart-san, good morning, yes, I was in a hurry because of the situation." "No, but the Salamanders were on the other side of the goblins? How did you go to defeat them?" "Um ... I can use dark magic, so I can move in the shadows." "Seriously ... but even if you could move, how did you defeat them?" "Well ... umm, that''s a trade secret ...?" Somehow, I hear the words ''Monster User'' and ''Maou'' again, but I hope it doesn''t become something troublesome. "Hmm ... when we first met, I thought you were a polite but unreliable kid, but I don''t get that feeling anymore. By the way, can you manage my captain''s love affair?" "No, I''m busy with my own mess, so Bart-san, I''m counting on you." "Sure ... Beatrice-chan in addition to these young ladies ... That''s impossible, do your best." "Yes, I''ll think properly." Perhaps it was time for work, but the garrison members left, and the adventurers also went home to heal the tiredness from last night. If you think about it carefully, there are about 150 plus teachers who were rescued from Lastcok that need to prepare daily necessities. It seems that the classmates are just gathering, so let''s talk here. "Oda-sensei, I want to leave money for everyone to shop for everyday items. Is that okay?" "I don''t mind, but will Kokubu bear the money for everyone?" "Yes, fortunately my genus earns money, so there is no problem." "Well, that''s fine, but I''ve heard a little from Kobayashi and Sakurai who came by earlier, so we''re going to work from now on." "Yes, but it''s okay if you don''t rush and get used to Volzard. Then, at 3,000 Helts per person ... I''ll give you 500,000 Helts, so please use that first." "Okay, hey Kobayashi, Sakurai, the guys who came earlier should guide us." "Ah! Don''t run out of money by listening to the dekoboko sisters suggestions." Perhaps my desperation stuck in their minds, the cafeteria was filled with laughter. "Then Kent, I''m going shopping with everyone." "Keep an eye on everyone so they don''t cause problems." "Kent, I''ll show everyone around." "Please, Manon." "Then, shall we go, Yuika." "Eh, I''m counting on you, Manon." The chairman and Manon went shopping with ''Kya Kya'', surrounded by a circle of girls, including the dekoboko sisters. The first round of the direct confrontation seems to have managed to end without a rain of blood in the form of settlement. "Hey, bastard Kokubu, got through it well ..." "Damn, our chairman ... why ..." "That kid, I wonder if that girl with light blue hair is his ... Damn." "Damnit, he''s flirting in front of me, go bald, no, I''ll pluck it out ..." "Become incompetent ... Become incompetent ... Incompetent ..." I wonder if the boys can''t leave without leaving words cursing me. Well, if I were in the opposite position, I would be cursing as much as I could. Now, I have to ask for the purchase of the Salamanders, so let''s go to the guild once and then go back to the boarding house to show my safe face. CH 71 Two names ***---*** When I left the garrison''s dormitory, I found that the city of Volzard had the same scenery as usual this morning. Warnings were sounding frequently in this place, and although it took a little longer this time, there was no damage to the city, so I think they could return to their daily life immediately. On the way back to the boarding house, when I passed by the reconstruction of Marcel-san''s shop, Herman-san and the others were already working. Surprisingly, it looks like the framework is already about 80% complete. "Good morning, Herman-san." "Oh, good morning, Kent." "It''s amazing, it''s already done like this." "We have good craftsmen, well, it''s roughly like this." Herman-san talked a little proudly while watching the craftsmen working in the lot. Looking at the work, it seems that no nails are used for the framework. "Herman-san, is the framework fitted?" "Oh yeah, the basic length of the framework is fixed, I''m going to combine them to make it. If you look at the surrounding buildings, they''ll all be the same height." "Oh, that''s true ... is it height and width both?" "That''s right. That''s why the parts that become the framework are just assembled at the site because the parts are standardized." "I see ..." It''s like an architectural version of a prefabricated steel frame. It seems that the pillars of wood cut to a certain length are connected with joints, and the pillars and walls are coated and solidified using earth attribute magic. If you use earth-based magic, it will harden in an instant, so it can be built much faster than reinforced concrete. "It''s amazing, this is efficient." "Well, it''s impossible to use standard products for the interior details." I wanted to take a closer look at the work of the craftsmen with their snappy movements, but I also have something to do. I parted with Herman-san and returned to the boarding house. Amanda-san''s shop is prepared to operate as usual, and it smells good. "I''m back!" When I called out to the kitchen, Amanda-san and Meline-san rushed out. "Ah, Kent, you''re back safely, you aren''t injured anywhere?" "Kent, was it okay to participate in the subjugation?" "Yes, as you can see, I don''t even have a scratch, it''s okay." "Thank you, Kent, for protecting Volzard." "No, it wasn''t just me who protected the city, but the power of everyone." "Didn''t they say that you defeated Salamanders alone?" "Why do you know that ..." "Murt told me." "Oh, I see ..." Information seems to have flowed from the other kobolds. "But Kent, it''s really amazing to beat a Salamander alone." "No, Meline-san, this time it just happened, it just happened ..." "Hmm ... you''re so good at it, could I be your wife too?" "Well ... no, saying that is a problem ..." "Ufufufu, that''s right, it seems that there are already many candidates for Kent ..." "No, that''s ... that, well ... that''s right ..." Rather, if Meline-san and I were to get married, I don''t know what I''d say to Kartz-san. "Kent, are you hungry?" "No, I''ve eaten with my rescued classmates." "Yes, that''s fine, but you have to eat properly." "Yes, when I''m hungry, I''ll say it properly, so I''ll be counting on you at that time." "Oh, leave it to me for meals." Meisa-chan has already gone to school where she is taught as usual. Since I showed my safe face, I say that I''m heading to the guild. The inside of the city seemed to have regained its normal life, but the guild was surrounded by a noisy atmosphere as the outbreak had just ended. The number of people in the guild is smaller than usual, probably because there were many adventurers involved in the subjugation all night, but it seems that it was last night''s story that was spoken loudly here and there. If you think about it carefully, I just took a nap once, and I worked hard to deal with the maximum outbreak from the rescue operation. Still, I don''t feel sleepy because my body is in a state of excitement. "Hey, that ..." "Oh, ''Monster User'' ..." "He''s the ''Maou'' ..." The muttering I heard from somewhere spread all over the guild in a blink of an eye, and the eyes of the surroundings came down on me. No ... what should I do in such a case? Let''s go to the counter for the time being, ask if Donovan-san is back, and if not, come back later. I was too conscious of their eyes and started walking towards the counter, but I was immediately blocked. "Hey, you''re called the ''Monster User''." "Oh, that''s right, but I didn''t ask them to call me that, so I''m not sure." I don''t know who it is, but it''s a young adventurer who feels like adding Ridner and Gilik and dividing by two, and he doesn''t look very strong at first glance. "Well, two names for someone like you is ten years too early." "Even if you say that, I didn''t give out the name or ask for it ..." "Hmm, you can''t do anything without the monsters you''re using, right? You aren''t a big deal." "No, even if you say it''s a big deal ..." "Huh? Even though you''re F-rank, you''re being taken in by Donovan-san and he''s letting you take credit? What tricks are you using?" "No ... I feel like I''m being used more conveniently rather than being taken in ..." "Really, you talk too much, damned Chibi ... come with me for a moment and I''ll teach you a lesson." The small-fry adventurer whom I don''t even know his name walked towards the training ground without even hearing my reply. I thought I should ignore it and go to the counter, but I got unwanted attention and it will be a nuisance if he says I ran away later, so I decided to go to the training ground. When I started moving, the people in the guild followed me to the training ground. Hmm ... I don''t want to stand out too much, but I wonder if it''s impossible anymore. It may be better not to take any more trouble. "Mirt, call Zae and the others." "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama." The small-fry adventurer who went out earlier is turning his neck and shoulders in the middle of the training ground to loosen his body. I wonder if we''re not using wooden swords or armor. "Oh, come on, don''t be afraid ..." "Haa ... so what are you planning to do?" "Hmm, stupid, I think it''s obvious to train when you''re at the training ground. It''s an adventurer''s training, so injuries are inherent, so don''t whine." "Haa ..." He cracks his knuckles loudly, but it''s just a deteriorated version of Gilik and I''m not feeling scared at all. Training is just a fight, isn''t it? "Are you ready? Chibi. Let''s go, Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body ..." The small-fry adventurer began chanting to strengthen his body, causing shouting from his surroundings. I never thought he would use magic, but it''s more convenient. "Return, return, return and become my power, strengthen! Wow, what the heck!" I unfolded the shield of darkness by wrapping the bottom of the adventurer''s neck like a coarse fish. "Because you were chanting, there is also magic, right? I''m a magician, so I use it even if you say no." "Well, that''s dirty you bastard! You chanted it before we started!" "No, I don''t chant." "Huh ...?" "Zae and the rest, come out ..."(TN:Wondering if I should just give up and use ''-tachi'' it gets tiring and adds unneeded length to change it every time.) I put out a new shield of darkness next to me and call Zae and the others from there. "Ahhhhh ..." "Oh ... it''s the lizardmen from before." "Seriously, he''s a ''Monster User'' ..." "Did he summon them without chanting?" Surrounded by five undead lizardmen, the small-fry adventurer trembles to the point where his teeth are chattering. "My King, should I cut off this dirty neck?" "Zae, don''t use the weapons given by the King for someone of this level." "Yes, I''ll just tear it apart ..." "No, it''ll be torn off with just one finger ..." "Rather, why don''t we just crush it?" I didn''t ask for it particularily, but I wonder if my feelings were conveyed, and Zae and the others showed their fangs and started to talk around the head of the small-fry adventurer. "No, I don''t like it ... Help me, I was wrong, help me ..." "That ... I''m pretty busy even though I look like this, can you not trouble me anymore?" "Okay, I''ll never do it again, so help me ..." It would be unavoidable if the unfounded bullish attitude that he just had disappeared and I was asked while crying. "Well anyway ... thank you for coming all the way here." "No, please call us for anything, any time." Zae and the others lined up in front of me to show off to the spectators, did the knight''s salute, and then returned through the shield of darkness. "I''ll release it later, so stay there a little longer." In the end, when I left the adventurer who looked like a small-fry who I didn''t even know his name in the training ground and tried to return to the guild, the crowd of spectators who had gathered split apart and a road was created. If I look around, everyone looked away. Did I overdo it a little? When I thought about it, Donovan-san who had his arms folded appeared at the end of the split in the spectators. "What are you playing around for ..." "Uhi, I''m sorry ... I got entangled in something ..." "Calling your lizardmen for something of this degree is proof you need to train." "Well ... training is until the rescue operation is over ..." "Hmm, I thought I said that there is no end to training. Humans learn and continue to train for the rest of their lives." "I did hear that ..." "Kent, I''m indebted to you ... don''t hold back." "Yes ..." It''s funny, the number of my genus has increased, and I thought that the training would end if I finished rescuing all my classmates ... "Hey, are you selling the Salamanders? I''m too busy, quickly ..." "Yes ..." Donovan-san grabbed me by the neck and went back to the center of the training ground. Until a while ago, the spectators who were looking at me with slightly awed eyes are now laughing bitterly. Ah, it''s a hindrance to look like at the small-fry, so I asked him to leave after releasing the shield of darkness. "Look, line them up here ..." "Yes, Zae, can you please?" "Of course, My King." When the dark shield was created and connected to the shadow space, the four Salamanders that I defeated last night were pulled out and lined up one after the other by Zae and the others. "Hey, that Salamander, and two, no, are there still more ..." "Hey ... what''s this, I''ve never seen this?" "Dangerous ... this ''Monster User'', it''s too dangerous ..." "Anyway ... Isn''t it a great amount of money?" "It''s rumored that he''s also got the goblin magic stones ..." Well, if you line up the Salamanders, you will get a lot of attention. When Zae and the others salute again, a scream of admiration arose. "Okay, I''ll do the assessment later. Follow me a little." No, I don''t think I''ll be able to follow you if you grab my neck, but ... No, I have no complaints. I was taken to the staff space behind the counter as it was, but how can I be called ''Monster User'' or ''Maou'' in this style? The staff are laughing at me, perhaps because it''s a familiar sight. "Sit here and wait a minute." I was seated in a chair next to Donovan-san''s office desk. Donovan-san gives some instructions to the staff onee-san while pointing at me with his chin. There are piles of documents on Donovan-san''s desk, but does he read all of them? After finishing his instructions, Donovan-san started boiling water with a water heater using magic stones. "What, if you want to help me with my paperwork so much, don''t hesitate." "That, ridiculous, I will politely decline." "Sigh, if I let you do it, my work will increase more ..." Donovan-san turns the documents at high speed while waiting for the water to boil, and stamps them one after another. When does Donovan-san take a rest? After clearing a quarter of the pile of documents, Donvan-san began brewing tea with a dexterous hand. "I didn''t have time to relax and drink tea last night ..." "Oh, thank you. Hmm ... it smells good." "Right ..." I was able to tolerate the smile of Donovan-san, which would make a small child start crying. "So ... what do you want me to do?" "Well, don''t rush ... drink the tea slowly." "Hah ..." Well, Donovan-san''s brewed tea is really delicious, so there is no reason to decline it. If I relax and let my guard down, I will feel drowsy. Uh ... my eyelids are heavy. "Kent ..." "Hey, hey ... I''m not sleeping, I''m awake." "Hmm, you''re overworked. When you''re done with your errands, go home and go to bed." "Hmm ... but I have to think about negotiations with Resenburg ..." "What are you saying with those dopey eyes of yours, you''re not thinking straight." "Hmm ... well ..." Anyway, Donovan-san, aren''t there sleeping pills in your tea? When I thought such, the onee-san who was instructed earlier came back. "OK, Kent, give me your guild card." "Yeah ... sitting at that desk is a little ..." "Don''t be stupid, I won''t really ask for such a thing, so give me your card quietly." "Hmm ... You can leave it as it is ..." "The person who kills Salamanders in such a short period of time, isn''t suited to be left at rank B." When I reluctantly handed him my card, I was given a card engraved with a large A instead. "Hmm ... I don''t mind if it doesn''t go up ..." "Fuhahaha, I''ve never seen anyone who is so unhappy to go up to A-rank." "I mean, is there anything good for going up in rank?" "Naturally. You can receive high-priced requests that can only be received at A-rank, and you will be given preferential treatment no matter which guild you go to." "Hmm ... I mean, even if I bring this card, they won''t believe it ..." "Fuhahaha, that can''t be denied." No, isn''t it terrible to laugh along with all the staff? "I mean, Kent, it''s a temporary stopgap." "Huh? It''s a stopgap ...?" "That''s right. If I send the report of this maximum outbreak, it will be another rank up." "Well ... does that mean S-rank?" "Yes, I''m sorry, but I can''t make a report by falsifying your achievements. The skill of defeating four Salamanders alone is beyond A-rank." Before I came to this world, an S-rank adventurer was something I longed for in my delusions, but in reality, I think it''s just more troublesome. "Um ... what are the benefits and disadvantages of S-rank ..." "Hmm, look forwards to it." "Oh ... I understand." "If your errands are over, don''t detour, just go home and go to bed." "Yes ..." Somehow I feel tired, so I decided to go back to the boarding house and take a rest as Donovan-san said. I greeted Otto-san who was at the counter, and when I was thinking of going home, a fluffy, sweet smell came to me. "Hey ... you''re called the ''Monster User'', right?" "Wow? Um ... it seems like that ..." "You played an active part yesterday, right? I want you to tell me a story ..." "Eh? Eh ...?" When I started walking in a daze, I was sandwiched between two onee-sans like beer barrels who looked like they sprang from the chubby territory. The scent of sweet perfume makes me think that it is a chemical weapon. "If you can tell me a story ... Your onee-sans will tell you something good too ..." "Fueee ... Umm ..." "Uhu, cute ... adult stairs, do you want to climb them?" "Um, um ..." I get a stuffy feeling in various places, but it''s not my chest but my stomach. It''s dangerous. I feel like I"m going to be eaten quickly. I feel like my drowsiness has blown away all at once and the hair on my back is standing straight up. "Well, are you going?" "Uhu ... I''ll love you ..." "Um, um ... hey, for a moment the bathroom ... please." "Oh, it can''t be helped ..." I was taken to the front of the toilet while sandwiched between the two beer-barreled onee-sans.(TN:Seeing this ''biyataru'' constantly just makes me laugh. I keep thinking about the running gag in the Atelier games when you search a barrel and it says ''Taruuu'' etc. Due to the MC of the first game''s obsession with barrels.Sorry, random extra stuff there.) "Then, I''m waiting ..." "Uh, should I help you with anything?" "no, no, it''s okay, it''s really okay ..." I managed to escape to the bathroom, put out a shield of darkness, and escaped to the shadow world at once. "Wow, I''m scared! No matter what, I can''t do it, I can''t do it!" [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama was in a pinch more than when he was against the Salamanders. ] "It''s not something to laugh about, Reinhardt." [ Buhahaha, but Kent-sama, from now on, various people will come closer to aim for wealth and fame. ] "Hmm ... this is why I didn''t want to stand out ..." Looking from the shadows, the beer-barrel onee-sans stepped stealthily into the men''s toilet as soon as they saw that my return was slow, and when they found out that I had escaped, they messed up their hair and spat words of abuse. Yeah, orcs look cute in this case. "Oh, I was scared ... I''m going back to the boarding house and going to sleep." [ That''s right, that would be wise. ] "Goshujin-sama, we sleep together." "Me too, me too, pat my stomach." "Yes, yes, let''s go home ..." Let''s add Mart, Mirt, and Murt, who is an answering machine, and sleep tightly again. CH 72 Troublesome sister ***---*** It flashed. Maybe I''m a genius. The bed in the boarding house is made up of five wooden boxes arranged in two rows. Then, if you increase it to three rows, it will turn into a semi-double bed in a blink of an eye. Yeah, if this is the case, I won''t have to squeeze in with Mart and the others. I wish I noticed it sooner. Perhaps because I was released from rescue matters, or because I was still tired, I fell asleep until night without eating lunch. "Kent ... are you there? It''s dinner time ..." "Hmm ... oh, Meisa-chan, good morning ..." "Good morning, it''s already night. I mean, Kent is unfair! It''s unfair to have three Fluffies alone!" "Ah ... they''re tired because Mart and the others were doing their best." "Muu ... I want to sleep with them ..." "Then, they can sleep with Meisa-chan in turn?" "I want to sleep with three of them too!" "Well, that''s ..." When you look at the faces of Mart and the others, they all say, ''That''s a little ...''. "Meisa, Kent, come down quickly, I won''t let you eat if you''re slow!" "Yes, I''m going now, look Meisa-chan, let''s go." "Muu ... Kent is unfair ..." It seems that she wants to sleep with Mart and the others, so Meisa-chan was pouting for a long time during dinner. "Meisa, you''re eating with such a bulge. I think the food will be unpleasant." "Because ... because Kent is unfair ..." "Well, if you want to sleep with the kobolds so much, you should sleep in Kent''s room." "That''s right! Mom is smart!" "Well, eh ... wait a minute, Meisa-chan, are you going to sleep in my room?" When asked, surprised by the sudden situation, Meisa-chan nodded as if it were natural, with her arms crossed and her nose in the air. "If I go to Kent''s room, I can sleep surrounded by Fluffy!" "Well ... but Meisa-chan, your bedwetting ..." "I won''t do it! I''ll never do it again!" "Hmm ... Is it really ..." When I glanced at Amanda-san, I was signaled by her eyes to be patient. "Hmm ... I can''t help it, go to the bathroom properly before going to bed." "I''ll go, and I won''t eat too much Jibura!'' "Then, do your arithmetic homework properly." "Uuh ... no, I''ll do it ... I''ll do it properly, please ..." "Oh ... I see. Okay, we can sleep together." "Yeah! I love Kent!" I was hugged by Meisa-chan and she rubbed her cheeks against me, but I''d be happy if she would always be so obedient. "Is it bad, Kent?" "No, it''s okay if I increase the number of boxes to line up so it''s not narrow." "Ah, yeah, that''s right. Then, I''ll bring Meisa''s bedding so that it doesn''t stick out." "Well, I don''t think she''ll catch a cold because Mart and the others stick together." So I decided to line up more boxes, but isn''t it faster to sleep on the floor? However, unlike Japan, shoes are worn in the building, so I have no choice but to line up the boxes. After dinner, Amanda-san and Meline-san asked about the outbreak. They were surprised to hear that I arrived at Volzard at the last minute and that the goblins that were rushing at the wall were about to overtake the ramparts. "Did that many monsters come in?" "Yes, it''s so many that you couldn''t see the ground, so maybe it''s hundreds of thousands to over a million." "Where did that many goblins go?" Amanda-san and Meline-san looked awkward when they heard the goblins panicked after being chased by the Salamanders and that some of the goblins passed Volzard and went further inland. "Um ... As expected, it''s bad, right?" "Hmm ... because it''s goblins ... I don''t know how much it will affect, but the price of grain may go up." "Why?" "That''s ..." According to Meline-san, even though Volzard produces crops, the absolute amount isn''t enough, and many grain sellers rely on imports from other cities. The higher the encounter rate with monsters on the way to Volzard, the more money it will cost to guard, and as a result, the price of grain will rise. "I see ... but goblins shouldn''t have any higher-ranking species, so it won''t have that big of an impact." "It would be nice, but ... it''s said that as the number of goblins increases, so does the number of other monsters." "Is that so? I see ... If so, I wonder if it''s bad ..." In some cases, I may need to wipe out the goblins between Volzard and the next city. Or will I deprive the work of other adventurers who are happy to have more escort jobs if I go out? It seems best to move after listening to Donovan-san''s opinion. In addition to grain, the price of medicinal herbs is likely to rise. It seems that the collection of medicinal herbs is done in the forest, which is more inland than Volzard, and there are not many monsters living there. And, with this maximal outbreak, the goblins who have gone around Volzard and advanced further should definitely settle in such a forest. Muell-san, whose main job is collecting, has a bodyguard called Gilik, but depending on the situation, it may be better to have one kobold. After talking, Meline-san went home, Meisa-chan took a bath, and I lined up new boxes to make the bed. If I line up four rows of boxes, it feels like a box as soon as you open the door, but it can''t be helped. In the morning, all I have to do is put it back in the table, chairs, and cupboard. "I''m sorry, Kent, for asking you something like this." "No, if she gets a little bigger, she''ll be able to sleep alone, so it''s okay." "If necessary, Kent may have to accept Meisa." "Wow, what are you talking about, Amanda-san?" "Ahaha, that''s a joke. She won''t get married before her bedwetting is solved." "Hmm ... don''t surprise me like that." Meisa-chan would be in the fifth grade of elementary school in Japan, so I can''t think of her as a love interest. So to speak, it feels like a younger sister who causes a lot of trouble. When I was playing with Mart and the others on the widened bed, the door was knocked on lightly. "Yes, it''s open." "Uuu ..." Meisa-chan, who changed into her pajamas and held her pillow is groaning at the door. "What happened?" "Uuu ... umm the light ..." "Ah ... I see, it''s scary when it''s pitch black ..." "Well, it''s different! Well, if it''s pitch black, I''m in trouble when I get up to go to the bathroom ..." "Ah, yeah, yeah, it''s a different room tonight." "Th, that''s right, I''m not used to it ..." "Yeah, yeah, let''s say it''s like that ..." "Kii ... Cheeky, you''re cheeky despite just being Kent!" "Yes, yes, you see, the light is on, you can sleep in the middle of the bed with no worries." "Muu ... stupid Kent ..." Meisa-chan was pouting, but when she went onto the bed and was surrounded by Mart and the others, her face instantly became loose. "Hafuuu ... Fwuffy ..." "Then, I''m taking a bath, so I can sleep first." "Okay ... good night ..." "Yes, good night Meisa-chan." When I got out of the bath and returned to my room, Meisa-chan seemed to be sleeping. I didn''t want to sleep much because I slept a lot during the day, but I''ve been busy since I came to this world, so let''s take a rest when I have a chance. I was thinking such, but Fred talked to me. [ Kent-sama ... report ... ] [ How is Camilla? ] [ It was a hard blow ... She''s in a bad mood ... ] Fred was asked to return to Lastock''s reconnaissance when the outbreak had subsided. Fred reports that in the garrison where my classmates are gone, there is more activity to strengthen the defense of the city. As a result of collecting information from Paul, Gert, and the people in the city who witnessed it, Camilla seems to think that the mastermind is one of the first five who participated in the first battle. However, it seems that it is impossible to guess how they survived, how they put the knights including herself to sleep, and how they use monsters. Due to the large scale of the operation, it seems that there are cooperators, but it seems unlikely that the Republic of Landshelt is involved. It is virtually impossible to move the country in such a short period of time. Camilla seems to think that it is more likely that the Second Prince is working in the shadows. Judging from eyewitness testimonies, it is highly possible that those who escaped crossed the bridge and fled to the other side of the Devil''s Forest. However, with that in mind, it seems that the possibility of crossing the river from another place by boat and hiding in Resenburg cannot be ruled out. In any case, the number of hostages has increased due to this turmoil, and the hostages have been regained, so it seems that the defense system is being strengthened considering that there is a risk of launching an armed attack. Some knights have said that if we are gone, they should summon new slaves, but it seems that it will take a long time and a lot of money to prepare for summoning, so the current situation seems that new summons cannot be made. And the loss of a large number of slave bracelets is also a pain. As I thought, the bracelet which my classmates were wearing seems to have a special technique engraved on it, and it seems that it will take time and money to arrange the numbers. [ I was thinking of collecting the bracelets together and sending them back, but it seems better to dispose of them. ] [ It''s okay if you put them in the shadow world ... but it''s safer to break them ... ] [ Yeah, yeah, I''ve got these, and I also destroyed all the ones in Lastock''s warehouse. ] [ Kent-sama, it''s better to start negotiations before Camilla recovers. ] Fred and Basten seem so agree with Reinhardt''s opinion. [ Hmm ... negotiation ... I know it''s better to be early, but I''m not so confident ... ] [ Kent-sama, we''ll support you, so it''s okay. ] [ Of course, I would like to ask for everyone''s full support ... ] [ Buhahaha, you''re worried about Corey-dono''s words, right? ] [ Yeah, that''s right ... ] Since my original communication ability is low, tension and agitation will appear on my face as much as possible. [ Is it a mask after all ... ] [ Kent-sama, you can''t grow if you run away from difficulties. ] [ Yeah, I know that, but I don''t have time to grow this time, but it''s not a good situation to fail. ] [ Hmm ... That''s right, so how about doing it this way? ] Reinhardt proposed a way to leave both possibilities. For the time being, prepare a mask in case I can''t make it in time. On the other hand, I should practice negotiations in order to encourage my growth. [ Well, if you''re not good at it, you should practice. ] [ Anyway, even if you can hide your facial expression with a mask, you can''t hide your voice. ] [ I see ... ] Looking back, when I encounter something unexpected, I suddenly say ''Fua'' or ''Fue'' or something. Yeah, it seems that I have to practice. [ Kent-sama, you should also talk to the teachers about the contents of the negotiations. ] [ Yeah, we need to talk about how much the compensation should be set, how to detect the truth of the repatriation method, and so on. ] [ If so, why don''t you ask for a negotiating practitioner? ] [ Well, isn''t it good with Reinhardt? ] [ I feel that our relationship has become a little too close. ] [ I see ... Certainly, I have a strong sense of relatives and family. ] [ And I think people who don''t usually talk much can be more aware of negotiations. ] [ That''s right, yeah, let''s do that. ] The teachers talked about working, but the most important thing is to get a way to return to the original world. If it''s a matter of money, the amount of selling the Salamanders will come in, and it''s okay to pay for all 200 people. For the time being, let''s visit the temporary dormitory of the garrison first thing in the morning tomorrow to talk with the teachers. [ Well, if tomorrow''s schedule is decided, Kent-sama should also take a rest. ] [ Yeah, I''ll do that ... I''m worried about Meisa-chan''s bedwetting tonight. ] [ Buhahaha, it seems that Jibura wasn''t eaten tonight, so it''s okay. ] [ That''s right, I want it to be that way. ] Meisa-chan is sleeping between Mart and Mirt. I wanted to sleep with Mirt sandwiched between me and Meisa-chan, but Mirt moved so that he was on the outside. "I don''t mind if I''m outside." "Goshujin-sama is in the middle, we warm you up from the outside." "OK ... Thank you." "Kuun ..." After stroking not only Mirt but also Mart and Murt, I dived into the bedding. "Hmm ... Fluffy ..." Maybe Meisa-chan is with them in her dreams, she rubs Mart with her cheeks and makes a sleepy face. Yeah, she''s cute when she does this. I''m an only child, so I''m not sure, but if I had a younger sister, it would be like this. "Hmm ... Fluffy ..." "Fua ..." Meisa-chan, who turned over, clung to me. Mart is sleeping outside the futon, so she can rub her cheeks but doesn''t seem to hug him.(TN:I may occasionally say ''him'' once in a while when I refer to the kobolds or lizardmen, but I''m not sure of the genders of any of them, and it''s awkward to just say ''it''.) I mean, it seems that Mart is guarding against being hugged ... "Hmm ... Kent shouldn''t die ..." "Eh ..." I didn''t expect my name to be called during sleep-talking, so I was a little surprised. I was hugged by the soft and warm Meisa-chan, and I thought about it again. Huh? It''s like a younger sister ... but it doesn''t mean that Meisa-chan is actually connected by blood, no, no, she''s a total stranger, but she''s like family ... huh? No, I''m four years different from Meisa-chan ... but it''s not uncommon for a couple to be four years apart when they grow up ... huh? Huh? I can''t sleep because my heart is confused ... rather, Meisa-chan, I''m not Fluffy even if you nuzzle against me. "Hmm ... ecchi ... crybaby ... ecchi ..." "Guh ... isn''t Meisa-chan awake?" I suspected that she was awake, but after sleep-talking, she had the breath of someone sleeping, I suddenly felt weakened. If Meisa-chan knew I was worried about her, I don''t know what she would say later. I mean, I''m okay with sleep-talking, I don''t think I''ll talk about anything dangerous. When it became foolish to think, drowsiness attacked me all at once, and I was invited to the world of sleep. The next morning, I woke up feeling suffocated. I thought I was crushed again, but since the bed was expanded, Mart and the others are sideways and quietly curled up. Feeling the weight and coldness around my belly, I rolled up the blanket and Meisa-chan was sleeping with me as a pillow. On top of that, she''s drooling on my belly, but ... I wonder if she''s sleeping with her mouth half-opened and her throat is empty. [ Reinhardt, what time is it now? ] [ It''s still a little early to get up. ] [ Hmm ... I can''t help it, I''ll let her sleep a little longer ... ] [ I''m looking forwards to Meisa-chan after waking up. ] [ It''s not something to laugh about. Think about it from my situation ... ] [ Buhahaha, it''s painful to be an older brother. ] [ Hmm ... it''s really ... ] When I stroked Meisa-chan''s head, who was sleeping soundly, she smiled with a happy smile. Yeah, but you should close your mouth a little, the saliva ... As I was observing Meisa-chan''s sleeping face for a while, the door of the room opened quietly. Of course, it was Amanda-san who killed her footsteps and entered the room. Meisa-chan is completely submerged in the blanket, and Amanda-san, who couldn''t see her, has a suspicious expression on her face. When I rolled away the blanket and showed off the tragedy, Amanda-san held her forehead with her right hand and looked up at the ceiling. "Hmm ... sorry, Kent." "Well, it wasn''t bedwetting, but ..." "Hmm ... Meisa! Look, how long are you going to sleep! You''ll be late for school!" "Hmm ... mmm ... juru ... mmm ..." Apparently Meisa-chan isn''t good with mornings. Then, let''s wake her up a little. "Meisa-chan, Meisa-chan, bedwetting!" "Fue! Eh, eh ... that ... eh ..." "Oh, it looks like your bedwetting was okay." "Eh, Kent? Eh, that?" "Meisa-chan, my belly is all covered with your drool ..." "Hey, no, not me, Murt ..." "If you say that, you won''t be able to sleep with me." "Yeah ... no, I''m going to sleep together ... I''m sorry ..." "Yes, yes, you have to wash your face, change your clothes, and get ready to go to school." "Uuu ... I understand ..." "Yes, yes, let''s get up." "Yeah, good morning Kent." "Good morning, Meisa-chan." Yeah, Meisa-chan feels like a troublesome younger sister. For the moment, let''s deal with the drool evidence. CH 73 Preparing for negotiations ***---*** "What is this about compensation? Why is it necessary to pay such a thing?" "Th, th, that''s ... Y, You summoned us without permission and caused trouble ..." "Hmm, I definitely said it before, to choose between obedience or death, and you chose obedience." "N, no ... because we couldn''t oppose in that situation ..." Sweat that gushes from the pores of my head run down to my chin along my temples. If I don''t manage to convince the other person by connecting words, I''ll get impatient and I won''t be able to think well, and words will not come out. "Hmm, I''m sure I said that if you make achievements, you will be rewarded. It''s not right to give up your role and still get money." "N, no ... because ... that ..." "Yes, that''s enough ... this is a difficult future ..." Both Sato-sensei, who stopped us, and Oda-sensei, who played the role of Camilla, are holding their heads. "I, I''m sorry ..." "Although I knew you weren''t prepared for it, well ... it''s terrible." "Guu ..." First thing in the morning, I visited the temporary dormitory of the garrison and consulted with the teachers about negotiations. I explained the situation of Resenburg, the relationship with the Republic of Landshelt, and the situation they are in, which Fred and Basten have investigated so far. I then confirmed that the request for negotiations would continue to prioritize the return to the original world, followed by an apology and compensation. And this is the result of the practice of negotiations. "Kokubu-kun ..." "Yes, what is it?" "This negotiation, can you leave it to us?" "To the teachers?" "Yes, I, Oda-sensei, and the other teachers, because we haven''t been useful since we came to this world." When Sato-sensei turns to look at the others, Oda-sensei nods to show his consent. "As Sato-sensei says, we are really useless as it is. Of course, we will keep an eye on the behavior of the students while spending time in this city, but honestly, that alone won''t keep us as teachers in this world." "Hmm ... I see." Certainly, while escaping from Lastock, the teachers only job was to check the student list. "Of course, it''s thanks to Kokubu-kun that we escaped to Volzard, and I understand that you want to negotiate. But ... I think it will take some time before you can negotiate with that princess." "Sure ... I think it''s exactly as teacher says." No, to be honest, my desire to engage in negotiations is not that high. Besides, if I imagine the actual negotiations, it goes without saying which one is better between me and Oda-sensei. "What Kokubu is lacking is experience, what we are lacking is information, which one is easier to supplement ... do you understand?" "Yes, well, I think it''s better to ask the teachers to negotiate. However, in order to negotiate, we will have to go to Lastock again, and of course it is dangerous ..." To negotiate with Lastock, you have to go through the Devil''s Forest, and it''s hard to say that it''ll be safe because you''re stepping into enemy territory. "I think we''re fully aware of that. Besides, I think it''s not acceptable as an adult and as a teacher to just sit still in a safe place even when Kokubu is getting hurt to rescue us." "Of course, we cannot secure our safety by ourselves, so it''s unfortunate, but we have to rely on Kokubu." While saying that, the teachers laughed. [ How about it? Reinhardt. ] [ It would be better if you cooperated here. ] "Okay, I''ll ask the teachers to negotiate with Camilla, and I''ll stick to being an escort." I''m really relieved. If I had been doing the negotiations, it might have been worse than the previous practice. "By the way, Kokubu, even if we negotiate, we need to stay in Volzard until the negotiations are finalized. If possible, I would like to say hello to the person in charge of the city, but can I get in touch?" "Yes, I can find out Klaus-san''s schedule, but I think he''s busy after the latest turmoil, so I don''t know when you''ll be able to meet ..." "Yes, but I was surprised at the number of monsters. It was like watching a scene from a movie." "It was bad for my heart until I really got to the city." Certainly, as the teachers say, such a large group of goblins can only be seen in the special effects scenes of movies in Japan, and I don''t really want to see the sight of them rushing towards us. Also, unlike movies and VR games, it even had a nauseating, dense bloody smell, so it was a doubling of horror. "Anyway, this is neither Japan nor even Earth. Even if we proceed with negotiations, our common sense may not be valid. What we need is information. Kokubu, I want more detailed information. Would you please put together a little material?" "Okay, I''ll summarize what I''ve researched about Resenburg." "And I want to know more about the essential summons and repatriations." "Yes, that''s it ..." Of course, information on summoning and repatriation must be collected with the highest priority, but even in the foryal family, it seems to be a secret, and detailed information has not been found. Fred is looking for it in Lastock''s garrison, and Basten is looking for it in the royal castle, but no clues have been found yet. I also asked them to check the materials in Camilla''s office and private room, and although there is a description about general magic circles, I can''t find any material about summoning. "Well ... maybe it was disposed of ..." "We thought so too, but it''s strange that they don''t have the materials for the repatriation that they should be doing, apart from the materials for the summoning that has already been completed, right?" "Hmm ... I don''t want to think too much about the future ..." If the reason why the material does not exist is as we imagined ... I felt that a dark shadow was cast on the direction we were heading. "Okay, I''d like to know how much work Kokubu and your genus can do, assuming that they will continue to search." "Our work ...?" "Yes, it''s better to say that it''s ability. Our greatest strength is definitely Kokubu, but it is directly linked to the advantages and disadvantages presented to the Resenburg side." "Does that mean they will threaten us with the notion of turning them into the enemy?" "Depending on the situation, and they take control of us by force. If we don''t let them know what the consequences will be, I can''t say that they won''t invade this city in the worst case." "Well ... if they think we don''t have the strength, Volzard''s position is likely to get worse." "That''s right. Given the content of the negotiations, it''s not something that can be simply threatened by force, but if they think we''re powerless, we may not be able to negotiate on an equal footing." "Okay, I''ll try to deliver it as a document." That said, it''s better to leave the material about Resenburg to Fred adn Basten than for me to make it. The ability of the genus is ... Yeah, let''s rely on Reinhardt. Yes, you don''t do your best by yourself, but you ask the people around you to help you, isn''t that the work-sharing thing? Was it different? The talk about negotiations was finally over at noon, so I went to the cafeteria with the teachers. "Kokubu, is it the start of the second round?" "Huh ... uh!" At the end of the road to the cafeteria were the chairman and Manon. Both of thme noticed me and waved their hands with a smile, but my face, which turned around, was cramped. I mean, why are they together? "Hello teacher, can I borrow Kent?" "Yes, I don''t mind, we''re done with our business." "Let''s go, Kent!" Huh? While eating ... What''s the story ... Well, we''ve almost finished talking. Like yesterday, the chairman held my left arm and Manon held my right arm and I was taken away. From their facial expressions, it doesn''t seem like it''s going to rain blood ... "Why are you together?" "What? Is it bad if Manon and I are together?" "Well, that''s not the case, but I wonder why ..." "Hey, I''m thinking of learning healing magic from Yuika." "Well, healing magic ... well, is there healing magic in the water attribute?" By the way, the medical office where the chairman was also had something like a bathtub for water attribute healing magic, though she didn''t use it. "Yes, Manon, ask Kent to apply healing magic, because he can use much stronger healing magic than I do." "By the way, Kent healed his bone fractures himself." "Well, yeah ... well, that''s right, but I don''t really understand it, why can it be cured?" "But if you ask Kent to apply healing magic, you will understand how to use the magical power, so you should imitate it. I also got the knack." "Is that right, then Kent, can I ask you later?" "Yeah, of course." According to the two of them, they talked about various things while shopping yesterday, and they talked about healing magic. Therefore, it seems that Manon thought that if she could use healing magic, she would have more opportunities to play an active role. Light magic is more effective in treating trauma and bone fractures, but water-based healing magic seems to have a wide range of uses, such as being the base of medicines for drinking and being used as water for aging Jibura. "But when it comes to healing magic, I feel like it''s heading away from dungeon exploration, is that okay?" "Hmm ... I have a dream of exploring the dungeon like my dad, but it''s certain that our attributes are different and I can''t do the same thing." It seems that Manon''s father used the earth attribute well and earned money from the work of collecting minerals in the dungeon. "If it''s just diving into the dungeon, I can do it, but it seems difficult to find minerals efficiently unless I can use earth-based magic." "Well, Kent can move in the shadows. It seems easy to dive into the dungeon." "Yeah, if you just dive, you can go empty-handed." I heard the story while we ate lunch together, but it seems that the chairman was influenced by the experience of helping at the time of the maximum outbreak and decided to gain experience as a healer in the medical office of the garrison. The garrison''s medical office is said to treat people in the city just like Lastock''s medical office. Manon seems to be getting the same experience as the chairman by going to the garrison''s medical office once every two days while following the rescued classmates to work. "Then, once every two days, we''re together like today." "That''s right, because that way you don''t have to worry about getting a head start ..." "Eh, getting a head start ..." "That''s why you can''t flirt with Manon in the guild." "Guu ..." "And you can''t sneak into Yuika''s room." "Gufu ... I understand." It seems that the chairman and Manon made a promise to not get a head start on each other. For a while, I have to hold off on hugs and kisses. I''m a little lonely, but I''ll put up with it. We finished the meal while talking about the medical office from the two of them and talking about the outbreak and future negotiations from me. The classmates who came nearby were also curious about the negotiations, and I was asked various questions, but the current situation is that there are few answers because it is still in the preparatory stage. After finishing our meal, I decided to apply healing magic to Manon as promised. When I put my hand on Manon''s back and tried to cast healing magic, the chairman stopped me. "Wait, Kent, instead, hug her tightly." "Eh ... that, here?" "Of course, it''s forbidden to get a head start ... so it''s only when I''m watching." No, everyone in our class is watching us ... Well, it would be nice if it was officially approved by the chairman. I was a little jerky, but I hugged Manon and cast healing magic. "Ah ..." Manon raised her voice a little as I hugged her tightly. Yeah, because it''s a healthy Manon, it feels like healing magic goes around the whole body smoothly. I''m really scared of the boys'' grudges ... "Did you understand, Manon?" "Yeah, just a little, but I feel like it''s going around inside my body ..." "Yeah, that''s it, I think it''s better to use magic consciously to reproduce it yourself." I don''t understand, but I won''t complain if it will be helpful. After that, the chairman and Manon decided to go to the medical office, and I decided to go to the guild to ask about the appointment with Klaus-san. "Oh, hey, Kent, about the thing we just talked about ..." "What was that thing ...?" "You promised not to get a head start with Manon." "Ah, yeah, is something wrong with it?" "You have another one, right?" "Uh ... yes." That''s right, even if the chairman and Manon promise not to get a head start on each other, the promise with Beatrice has not been established. "That''s why ..." "Manon?" "When we are together." "When Manon and I are there ..." "Yuika? Hmm ..." Ehehehe ... The two of them kissed me from both sides. Is this a harem development? "Eh, once again ... it hurts." "Kent ..." "Don''t get carried away ..." "Yes, I''m sorry ..." It''s nothing, the two of them pinched my sides together ... Gussun. Let''s see the two of them off as they leave while talking happily, and I''ll go to the guild and finish my errands while being lonely. Yeah, but I can''t stop grinning. As I walk towards the guild, I see a line of people entering the guild in a group. When I approached to see what the procession was, they seemed to be younger than me. "Oh! Kent!" "Huh ... Meisa-chan?" It was Meisa-chan who jumped out of the procession to the guild. "Where are you going, Kent?" "To the guild ... What about Meisa-chan?" "I also am visiting the guild for the Salamanders!" "Well, hey ... Meisa-chan?" Meisa-chan is pulling my hand and trying to get back in line with me. Perhaps they were a teacher, but a woman who was leading the procession approached. Perhaps in her early twenties, she feels a bit plump and seems to like children. "Meisa-chan, you shouldn''t leave the line without permission." "Teacher, this is Kent who defeated the Salamanders." "Eh ... is that true?" Yeah, I can tell they don''t believe it at all, but it''s not unreasonable. They don''t think I can beat a Salamander because I''m younger than them and seem unreliable. "Um ... yes, I defeated them." Well, I was the one who actually defeated them, so I have no choice but to answer, but the children raised doubts. "Well ... yeah, he doesn''t look strong at all." "That''s right, he''s not much different from me." "Meisa-chan, you shouldn''t lie." "It''s not a lie, Kent defeated them." "Lies, lies, absolutely, lies!" "Hey, liar, liar Meisa!" "It''s not a lie! Kent is ecchi, clumsy, a crybaby, and ecchi, but I''m not lying, and he has very strong genus." Hmm ... I''m in trouble. Neither Meisa nor I are lying, but I''m in trouble if I''m told to prove it. I can''t pull out all my genus here. Also, ecchi was said twice. The teacher took care of it, and the turmoil managed to subside, but Meisa-chan seems to hold my hand tightly, with a displeased look on her face, and is enduring tears. If I at least had a physique like that, they would believe it, but I can''t suddenly grow up. We entered the guild together, and I wondered if there was any good way. The guild at this time is the time when adventurers and others are out for work or requests, and most of the people inside are those who came to request work, but maybe because of the effect of the maximum outbreak? It''s noisy. "Y, you, stop it bastard..." "Huh? Scampering around, scampering around, this is not a playground for kids!" "Guu ... it''s painful ..." It seems that a man who looks to be the lead teacher is being held in the air by an adventurer, but isn''t that yesterday''s small-fry. What are you doing without working in the middle of the day ... It''s not praiseworthy. But it''s just right, so let''s make use of him for a while. "Look, Meisa-chan, do it like before." "Eh? Uh, yeah ..." I pulled Meisa-chan''s hand and left the procession. It seems that she didn''t know what it was for a moment, but soon Meisa-chan locked on to the adventurer who looked like a small-fry. "Hey you! Let go of the teacher, you thug!" Yeah, that voice tension, that dialogue, it''s wonderful, Meisa-chan 100 points!" "What''s this kid! Hii ... well, ''Monster User'' ..." The small-fry adventurer who turned around vigorously screamed as soon as he saw my face. "Um ... is there any trouble?" "Yeah, no ... it''s just a little misunderstanding?" "Well, if so, could you let him go ..." "Okay ... you see, I let go, it''s not a problem ..." When the adventurer who looks like a small-fry releases his hand from the teacher, he recedes, clinging to the wall and passing by me and Meisa-chan, and escapes to the outside of the guild like a rabbit. "Kent ... you were really strong ..." "Well ... didn''t you believe it either, Meisa-chan?" "Umm, wasn''t it Reinhardt oji-chan and the others who defeated the Salamanders?" "Fu fun, now, I wonder about that ..." "Eh? Eh? Did Kent really beat them? Hey, Kent!" Without answering Meisa-chan''s question, I went to the training ground while laughing. A good number of people came to see the Salamanders at the training ground, just like Meisa-chan. With the height of Meisa-chan, there are so many people that she can''t see well. "Hey, you''re the ''Monster User'' ..." "The ''Maou'' has come ..." "He''s so small ..." "Oh, idiot, he''s a great mage ..." As soon as one person found me and started whispering, it was contagious and the eyes of the people around me gathered on me. When I pulled Meisa-chan''s hand and took a step forward, the crowd broke and a road was created. "Now, Meisa-chan, let''s go see them, everyone should come along." "Kent ... Wow ..." "Hmm, have you changed your opinion of me?" "Yeah, you weren''t just ecchi!" "Guha ..." I took her to the vicinity of the Salamanders, talked about the situation when I defeated them and the situation of the maximum outbreak, and when I introduced Zae and the others, Meisa-chan''s classmates had shining eyes. Yeah, this way Meisa-chan isn''t a liar. By the way, I hope my evaluation will go up a little. CH 74 Orlando Store ***---*** When Meisa-chan and her friends saw me off with a glittering gaze and I tried to return to the guild, I saw Donovan-san standing with his arms crossed. When I thought it would be embarrassing to be grabbed by the neck at this timing, Donovan-san pointed to the counter with his chin and walked ahead. To all the staff, I bowed down and went to the back of the counter, and Donovan-san was preparing tea. Maybe you''re using me as an excuse to make tea? "Do you hate being an S-rank adventurer and are willing to change jobs to a teacher?" "No, what do you mean ... Huh? But I wonder if it is better ..." "Hmm, don''t worry about it so seriously. You can''t become a teacher unless you graduate from the higher education institute and get qualification." "Hmm ... is that right. You can''t easily become a teacher." "That''s right ..." Donovan-san also brewed tea with a dexterous hand and acted. "Hmm ... it''s a different tea leaf, it has a refreshing scent today." "It looks like you got a good night''s sleep, because you slept halfway yesterday." "Uh ... I''m sorry, isn''t Donovan-san sleeping properly?" "Obviously, what do you think I am ..." "A puppet that moves with magic stones ... It''s a joke, I''m sorry, it''s a joke." "Hmm, don''t confuse me with your genus ..." "Yes ... that''s of course ..." "So what is your business?" "Yes, actually ..." Since they were staying in Volzard, the teachers said that they would like to say hello to Klaus-san on behalf of my classmates, so I told him that I came to hear their schedule. "Yes, but it''s busy after the outbreak, so it''s okay at the beginning of the week. On fire day, bring them here." "I understand. Is it difficult to clean up after all?" "Well, it''s not that easy because it''s such a turmoil, but it seems to be easier because there are no dead people." "When a dead person comes out, it''s still difficult, isn''t it?" "It is natural to give condolence money to the bereaved family, but if the dead person is the main pillar of the family, we have to pave the way for the remaining family to live with peac of mind." If an adventuere who was forcibly conscripted like this time dies, the response will be the same as the treatment of the garrison members. In addition to the one-time condolence money, money will be paid in the form of a survivor''s pension, and various assistance will be provided so that the survivor''s life can be established. "It''s a lot of care, isn''t it?" "Otherwise, no matter how much forced conscription is done, morale will not rise, and if you do poorly, people will not be able to be gathered." "I see ... but for those who are worried about their families, it may be a natural measure." "Well, that''s what it is ... is there anything else you need to do?" "Oh, it''s about the goblins that escaped to the inland of Volzard ..." I asked for Amanda-san about the impact on prices of grains and the need for subjugation. "That''s right ... as you say, just having goblins on the road will raise the price of grain, but escorting caravans and subduing monsters is also a profitable job for adventurers. However, if you use the genus, it may be possible to subdue the roots, but first of all, it is necessary to see the situation." "Does it depend on the grain price?" "Yes, the life of an adventurer must be established, but when it comes to the grain market, it is a problem that directly affects the lives of the citizens. If the price soars, we may ask for a nomination." "Yes, I will always cooperate, so please tell me." "Hmm, it seems that if you''re not considered reliable, then no one is reliable." No, I won''t deny it, but isn''t it terrible to giggle, staff? "Are there any other things to do?" "No, that''s all I have to do today. I''ll go back and put together some materials for negotiations." "Really ..." Donovan-san drank the remaining lukewarm tea in one breath and nodded before starting another story. "Kent, I received a meeting request, from the owner of the Orlando Store, Dellitz." "Umm, for me?" "That''s right." The Orlando Store was completely out of my mind because I was in a hurry with the outbreak of the rescue operation. The father of Nazario, who is in love with Beatrice, is the employer of the Flamehounds, and the owner of Volzard''s number one store. Thinking this way, he seems like a person who is not straightforward. Even if I have a meeting, I should carefully research what kind of person he is. "Are you worried ...?" "There is also the Flamehounds ..." I mean, I don''t want to get mixed up with Nazario''s father. If his goal was to have a blood relationship with the lord clan while fulfilling his son''s wishes, I would dfeinitely be in the way. I don''t think the Flamehounds will come out unless there''s a lot to do because I''ve warned them pretty well, but Orlando is another thing. "The other party wants you to go to the store at your convenience. If you have time, go after this." "Well, is it any time from now? That''s a little ..." "Well, it''s good to be careful, but this time they''re applying for a meeting through the guild, so you shouldn''t have any disadvantages." "Really?" According to Donovan-san, applying for a meeting through the guild is also an indication that they will not harm the other party or conclude a disadvantageous contract. If you do harm or make a disadvantageous contract, you will be forced to stop dealing with the guild altogether. "But if it''s a big store like Orlando Store ... doesn''t it have a big influence?" "That''s right. The suspension of transactions with the guild will be a disposition not only in Volzard but throughout Landshelt. In that case, those who are broadly involved in the procurement of materials, procurement of workers, delivery of goods, etc. will suffer a greater impact." Well, I shouldn''t have to worry when Donovan-san says I should go, but I''m on alert because I was just hurt, so I''ll be careful not to let my guard down. I asked Donovan-san to meet with the teachers and Klaus-san, and left the guild. [ What do you think, Reinhardt? ] [ That''s right ... If it''s the owner of a big store, they should be able to determine the profits and losses. It''s unlikely that they''ll harm Kent. ] [ Then ... I''ll just go. ] Orlando Store is a large store facing the main street and has a frontage of about three times that of the surrouding area. They carry a wide range of products, from high-end jewelry to everyday goods, and they also sell equipment for adventurers. Forgetting my initial purpose, when I was looking at the products, I was approached by a young female clerk. "Customer, are you looking for something?" Perhaps in her late teens to early twenties, she is a dog beast-woman with large almond-shaped eyes and looks courageous, and she has a slightly annoyed expression on her face. If you look closely, the place where I am is an area where quite expensive items are lined up among the equipment for adventurers. Perhaps I looked like a novice adventurer who couldn''t even buy it. "Um ... I''d like to meet Dellitz-san, I''m not here to shop ..." When I told her that, the clerk looked even more suspicious. Perhaps a naive child has come asking to be hired. "Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" "Um ... it''s an appointment, or rather an application for a meeting has come to the guild ..." "Eeeh! Are you saying you''re the ''Monster User''?" No, onee-san, I understand your feelings, but your facial expression is completely readable, is that okay? "Hmm ... I''m called that way." "Ahahaha ... you, if you''re going to lie, you have to lie a little better." The clerk talked to me in a tone of talking to a small child like she didn''t believe me, but at the same time, whispers were heard from all over the store. "That is the ''Maou'' ..." "No way, he''s just a kid ..." "Don''t be fooled by the appearance ... you''ll get hurt." The buzz spreads throughout the store, and the eyes of the surroundings are directed toward us. "Eh ... eh ... no way, you really are ..." When the clerk onee-san was confused, a bitter man with the appearance of ''The Butler'' came in. "I''m very sorry. I''m Guster, the butler of Dellitz. You''re Kent-sama, the Lord is waiting for you. Please follow me ..." Guster-san politely bowed his head, handled the customers who had an interested look, and guided me smoothly to the back of the store. Yeah, that the onlookers made a path for us, is definitely a butler''s skill. When we went out of the store to the back area, many clerks were working, but they all bowed deeply and politely to me. However, this is not because they know me, but Guster is guiding me, so I''m recognized as an important person. "Please relax here until the Lord comes." The interior is fashionable, but it doesn''t feel garish. When I was guided to the drawing room, the maid immediately brought me tea and sweets. There are baked goods like cookies, cake-like scones, and things like dried fruits, althought I don''t know what they are. A cup filled with deep-colored tea with a fragrant armoa looks simple but expensive. [ Kent-sama, they''re observing from the next room. ] [ I thought that would be the case ... ] After enjoying the aroma a little, I slowly taste the tea. A complex harmonic taste spreads in my mouth. Donovan-san''s brewed tea seems to be expensive, but this has a special taste. If you look closely, the dried fruit seems to be processed livre. When eaten raw, it tastes like a combination of grapes and kiwifruit, but the dried version has a crispy texture and a strong sweetness. I feel a strong sweetness, but since it is the sweetness of the fruit, I have nothing to complain about, and when I put it in my mouth with tea, it became a blissful taste. [ Kent-sama, it looks like they''re here ... ] [ Roger that ... ] As soon as the door was opened quietly, I stood up and welcomed the owner of the shop. Dellitz was a fat man with a mustache, with his indigo-colored hair, which had begun to recede a little, patted with oil, probably in his late forties. It''s probably because they''re parent and child that he feels somewhat similar to Nazario. "Well, well, nice to meet you Kent-kun ... no, Kent-san would be more appropriate ... I am Orlando Store''s owner, Dellitz." "Thank you, Nice to meet you, I''m Kent." "Come, come, let''s not stand around talking, please have a seat." "Yes, thank you." Dellitz-san has a big smile, but it feels like there is a sharp light in the back of his eyes. Nazario was like a rich bonbon, but his parent looks like a good person. After waiting for the maid to finish brewing new tea, he started talking to me. "Now, let me tell you frankly, I have no other purpose than to improve the relation between you and the Orlando Store." Dellitz-san stopped for a moment and looked at me to check my reaction, but when I was having trouble answering, he started talking again. "I thought it was rude, but I did a little research on Kent-san." Dellitz-san knew that I was summoned from another world, that I could use the two attributes of light and darkness, the type and number of my genus, and that I was struggling to rescue my classmates. "I know that Nazario caused a bit of a miess, and I''ve received reports of the Flamehounds. I''m sorry for the inconvenience." Dellitz-san bowed his head tightly when he corrected his posture. "Originally, we should have set up such a place immediately after the turmoil, but it seemed that you were busy, so we refrained from calling out." That means that he knews that the rescue operation has been completed ... [ In the end, what does this person want to say? ] [ Maybe, instead of unilaterally apologizing and repairing the relationship, he wants you to know that they are not straightforward. ] [ I see ... ] Even if you don''t bother to do that, most adults will look at you from the perspective of a child like me. It goes without saying that if you are the owner of such a big store, you should be respectful and vigilant. "You talk about improving our relationship, but what exactly will happen?" "Before I tell you that, please understand that the things that have caused inconvenience to Kent-san are the dogmatism of Nazario and the discretion of the Flamehounds who tried to be taken in by Nazario." "That means Dellitz-san knew, but wasn''t involved?" "That''s right. I''m not saying I''m not responsible at all because it''s the blame of my son and the adventurers I hired, but please understand that it''s not the result of my instructions." Certainly the adventurers Nazario was taking in didn''t feel like they were being directed by Dellitz-san, and the thing with the Flamehounds was due to the letter of provocation from me, which was also not Dellitz-san''s instruction. "But ... then you don''t have to call me and apologize ...?" "Fufufu, didn''t you kneel at the shoe store and apologize for the incident that your friends caused?" "Ah ..." "As I said, I have no direct responsibility, but I am not exempt from my responsibliity as a supervisor. Isn''t that so?" "Surely ..." What Dellitz-san says is true, but I still don''t understand. "That ... Can I ask you something?" "What is it ..." "As Deelitz-san ... No, as an Orlando Store, do you think it would be desirable for Nazario-kun and Beatrice-san to get married in the future?" "Hahaha ... no, excuse me, that''s the cause of everything, and it''s natural to be worried, but if I can answer frankly, I don''t care." "Well, you don''t care?" I think I''m a little out of tune with Dellitz-san, who laughs like it''s really funny. "As you may have heard, we use various means to do business. But I''m not so depressed that I have to rely on my son''s wife." The grinning face belonged to a warm merchant. "Sure, it may be beneficial to have a blood relationship with the Lord''s clan, but Kent-san, you need to understand that we''re not as good as someone like you who can subdue a Salamander alone." "Then ... Beatrice-san and I ..." "If Beatrice-san chooses you, it can''t be helped. I wish I could fulfill my child''s feelings as a parent, but if he doesn''t think he can get the girl he likes without the help of his parents ... ... I have to reconsider having him take over this store." Apparently, the marriage between Nazario and Beatrice is not as important as I thought. "And Kent-san, you may have noticed already, but the man named Klaus Volzard is really tough. Even if he has a blood relationship, he has the judgment to cut it off if he judges it to be a disadvantage to the city. On the contrary, if he thinks that it will be beneficial to the city, he is a man who joins hands regardless of blood relations." It is true that Klaus-san, who usually looks like a light-hearted bad old man, seems to intentionally hide his sharpness when looking at the extension of the walls and preparations for the maximum outbreak. It seems difficult to suck up to that Klaus-san just because of blood relations. "I see ... I understand. So what should I do specifically?" "Nother ... there''s nothing to do." "Well, I don''t have to do anything ...?" He applied for a meeting through the guild, so I thought there was some kind of request, so I was a little surprised. "We would like to build a good relationship with Kent-san, but considering the circumstances so far, it will be impossible so suddenly. So, after making it level ... I would like to return to the state where likes and dislikes do not exist. Then I would like you to re-examine the existence of Orlando Store and make a judgment with your own eyes. That is my request." Dellitz-san, who speaks with a gentle smile, shows his confidence and personality as a business person. I see, this is a person who is not straightforward. "I understand. I apologize for making a commotion by overdoing it when dealing with the Flamehounds." I imitated Dellitz-san, and I straightened my posture and bowed my head. "Hmm ... whether it''s the original qualities, the environment, or both ... In any case, you''ll be one of the top people in the future. If possible, I want you to stop being a business person." "No, I''m just a kid after all, and I don''t know anything about business ..." "Hahahaha ... Just a kid wouldn''t be called by a second name, such as ''Monster User'' or ''Maou''. Excessive humility seems to be sarcasm for some people. You should be careful." "Hmm ... yes, maybe that''s the case, but I don''t really feel it because I suddenly gained this power." "Not many people know you up until now. Most people judge you by looking only at the you of now. You should keep that in mind." "Is that right ... Thank you for your advice." After that, I talked about the influence of the goblins that escaped, but when I volunteered to be the target of a nomination request if that was thought to be the best, I increased my impression that Dellitz-san was a thorough business person. [ He feels like a tough person, but your reaction may be easy to read because the criteria is clear. ] [ That''s right, but I don''t think it''s going to work with just a small profit, so I think it''s a difficult partner. ] [ That''s right, but we should judge that it was good that the hostility at this point was gone. ] I also asked Reinhardt''s opinion on the way back from the Orlando Store, but he agreed. Well, as for Nazario, it feels like a liberalism, so don''t hesitate to tighten it when something comes out again. When I returned to the boarding house, it was time for the evening business to begin. Let''s spend time until dinner by making materials for negotiations. "I''m back." "Ah, Kent, welcome back." "Kent, a letter came ..." "Hey, for me?" Meisa-chan brought me a high-class envelope, which was stamped with wax and sealed. This emblem was certainly engraved on the wall ... "It seems to be an invitation from Klaus-san ..." "Hey Kent, read what it says." "Well, yeah, that''s right ..." The invitation stated that he would like to thank me for my work in the outbreak of goblins and invited me to dinner. "Well, I worked hard, so it looks like he''ll treat me to dinner tomorrow." "Eeeh ... that''s nice, Kent ... I want to go too." "Well, what about ... I wonder if we can go together ..." "Meisa, you''re not working. If you want to go, you''ll be invited to work." "Hmm ... I understand, I''ll put up with it ..." Maybe it''s okay if it''s just Meisa-chan, but let''s follow Amanda-san''s opinion here. Instead, I''ll buy some sweets. "Amanda-san, what should I wear at such a time?" "Oh, by the way, Kent only has the old boarder''s clothes doesn''t he. Hmm ... You should go buy it during the daytime tomorrow, do you have any money?" "That''s right ... hmm ..." "What is it, your face looks gloomy." "I have a bad sense of clothes and it''s catastrophically useless ..." "Ahahaha, you should leave everything to the clothing store." "Oh, yeah, that''s right." That''s why I decided to go buy clothes tomorrow and go to Klaus-san''s mansion in the evening, but hmm ... I hope nothing happens ... CH 75 Camilla''s guess ***---*** The night after the meeting with the owner of the Orlando Store, Dellitz-san, I received a report from Fred, who was scouting at Lastock. [ Camilla ... is worried about the existence of a Tamer ... ] "Is that because Paul saw me giving instructions to everyone?" [ I think so ... He was collecting information about Tamers. ] According to Fred''s report, Camilla invited the Guild Master of Lastock to ask various questions about Tamers. The types of monsters that can be trained, the number of monsters that can be manipulated at one time, how obedient they are, whether they are able to listen to instructions of other humans, and whether there is an adventurer who can do such tricks in Resenburg. Most of the Tamers have techniques that are passed down from parents to children, or from teachers to disciples, and the number of people is limited. As far as the Guild Master knows, there is no one in Resenburg who meets the conditions presented by Camilla. I was stabbed in the middle of the operation and he saw my face, but Paul didn''t seem to recognize my face. Rather, he didn''t even remember the faces of my classmates, except for those who stood out like Funayama and the chairman, and didn''t realize that I was the first to be cut off. For that reason, Camilla seems to assume that the mastermind is one of the first five who were believed to have died in the first battle. It seems that it is suspected that some of the fifty people who participated in the second actual battle survived, but considering the scale of the rescue operation, it seems that they didn''t have enough time to prepare. "That means that Camilla thinks that the old and new duo or fake glasses, one of the three is the mastermind, right?" [ I think so ... but the Tamer is an outside collaborator ... She suspects he''s the Second Prince. ] "In other words, does she think the real mastermind is the Second Prince or someone in his faction?" [ That''s right ... ] According to Camilla''s guess, some of the five who participated in the first battle survived, and the Second Prince contacted them. It seems likely that the Tamer used monsters to help the escape so that Camilla wouldn''t realize the involvement of the Second Prince. The sphere of influence of the First Prince and the Second Prince is on the west side of Resenburg, if the First and Second Princes are easily separated. In other words, Lastock is under the sphere of influence of the Second Prince, a city effectively controlled by Camilla and isolated from the First Prince. If the First and Second Princes have an armed clash, the Second Prince will be pincered by Camilla''s hand. Of course, it seems that the Second Prince fully understands the situation, and that Camilla is aware that the Second Prince thinks it is annoying. It seems that the reason why the number of knights of Lastock is small is not only that there are few pieces at hand that Camilla can freely use, but also that she does not want to stimulate the Second Prince. However, if the training of the 200 summoned people proceeded, the force would be nearly tripled, and Camilla would have been keen on the movement of the Second Prince. Even if she suspects the Second Prince''s dynamism in this turmoil, there is no evidence to support it, so it seems that she is trying to get confirmation by tracing through the Tamer. On the other hand, Camilla does not seem to completely abandon the line of collaborators other than the Second Prince. If the third party is a collaborator, the escaper''s spear will be directed at the entire Resenburg. In that case, it seems that the hiding place is likely to be Volzard, and Camilla has also begun preparing to send a messenger to Volzard. "Reinhardt, what kind of person will be sent with the messenger?" [ It depends on the contents of the letter delivered by the messenger, but in the case of armed forces like this time, it is common for the knight who acts as the messenger to be accompanied by several knights who act as escorts. ] "In other words, once the letter is completed and the selection is complete, the knights of Resenburg will come to Volzard." [ Indeed, that''s right. ] I hear that the relationship is subtle because the Republic of Landshelt, to which Volzard belongs, was originally part of the Kingdom of Resenburg. Since the border of the country is the Devil''s Forest, it is an environment where armed conflict is unlikely to occur, and it seems that trade is still taking place, but it seems that it is hard to say that it is an intimate relationship. "What is Camilla going to write in her letter?" [ Yes, the most likely thing is to return the slaves. ] "That''s right ... but everyone arrived at Volzard with their bracelets removed. What happens in this situation?" [ Maybe, when you register in the guild, you should be recognized as an ordinary person. Besides, there is no slavery in the Repblic of Landshelt, so there are no slaves to return ... ] "I see ... but that doesn''t make the Resenburg side convinced, right?" [ Indeed, maybe they''ll extend their stay for some reason and explore the city themselves. ] "Then I have to keep everyone inside the dormitory until the knights return to Resenburg." I don''t know how long it will take, but if they stay in the dormitory for a long time, they''ll be stressed. [ No Kent-sama, that''s not enough. ] "Well, because ... umm, maybe the knights of Resenburg might come to the garrison''s dormitory ..." [ No, that''s not the case. Even if they don''t see you, even if they get into the rumors of the city, there is a danger that you will be detected. ] "Ah ... I see ..." If 150 boys and girls are shopping for daily necessities in a group all at once, it will stand out, and above all, the appearance of black hair and black eyes is a different existence in this world. "Did you see a group with black hair and black eyes? If you were asked, wouldn''t we get caught in one go ..." [ That''s right, Kent-sama''s appearance is a little noticeable. ] If so, it seems that we have to think on the premise that they will be in Volzard. It seems better to consult with Klaus-san at dinner tomorrow and think about countermeasures. Suddenly, the words of Dellitz-san, which I heard during the day, passed through my head. ''The man named Klaus Volzard is really tough. Even if he has a blood relationship, he has the judgment to cut it off if he judges it to be a disadvantage to the city ...'' If he decides that it''s going to be a disadvantage for Volzard ... I don''t want to think about it. "If they find out that we are in Volzard and Klaus-san refuses to return us, will Resenburg and Landshelt be at war?" [ It won''t be a war. ] "Definitely?" [ I can''t say absolutely, but to start a war, you need strength as a major premise. The current Camilla doesn''t have the strength to attack Volzard. ] "Well, even if you say it''s a letter from Resenburg, it''s not the consensus of the Kingdom of Resenburg, just because Camilla sent it." Yes, I completely forgot about the essential force. Resenburg is in a dark battle between the First and Second Princes, and even if Camilla can draw additional strength from the First Prince, it will not pass through the eastern side of the Second Prince-dominated kingdom. It will be difficult. Then, if the Second Prince would help, they wouldn''t help because it would reduce their strength in the midst of a faction battle. "So that means we don''t want them to find out we''re in Volzard, but if they find out ... the feeling is something that." [ Well, Volzard has an advantage in the current strength, and in the first place, Camilla''s hand alone will not be able to overcome the Volzard wall. ] Although I was impatient when I heard that a messenger was coming, I feel that I was a little too worried. No matter how much I leave the negotiations to the teachers, it''s no good if I''m upset about this. [ Kent-sama, the messenger''s correspondence has been decided, and it''s time to take a rest. ] "Well, tomorrow I''m invited to Klaus-san''s mansion." Tonight, Meisa-chan is sleeping in the bed surrounded by Mart and the others. Yeah, I hope you don''t drool tonight ... When I sneaked into the place where Mirt vacated, Meisa-chan who turned over hugged me and nuzzled against me. It doesn''t matter whether it''s Fluffy or not. "Hmm ... Kent, you''re amazing ..." Hmm, are you dreaming of what we were doing in the guild during the day? That''s right, Meisa-chan, I''m pretty amazing. "Kent ... amazing, ecchi ..." "Buho ..." Well, that''s fine ... Anyway, that''s what I am. But if I see Meisa-chan hugging me while sleeping and laughing, I''ll forgive her. Fortunately, she wasn''t drooling until the next morning, but when I woke up, Meisa-chan was using me as a pillow. After having breakfast together, I went to the garrison''s dormitory and talked to Oda-sensei about Fred''s report. Oda-sensei also seems to be concerned about the messenger of Resenburg, but decided to think of a countermeasure after consulting with Klaus-san. The only thing they can do for now is to stay at the garrison''s dormitory. In addition, I will hand over the materials related to the negotiations that I asked Reinhardt and the others to do. Well, isn''t it fun to push the job to others? That''s ridiculous, I just asked for it because I could make a mistake when I listened to it and made the material. Reinhardt and the others were happy to do paperwork after a long time. "Hmm, this is easy to understand, it helps ..." "Yes, Reinhardt and the others are ex-knights, and that kind of report seems to be a handy thing." "Well ... Kokubu, it''s a good idea to learn how to organize this material." "Well ... that''s right ... yes, that''s right ..." "Kokubu ... Did you think you were going to push the job to others in the future?" "No, no, that''s not the case, but ... well, I''ll study." "Fufu, well, it''s okay if you have time, because it looks like you''re pretty busy." "Hah ..." Maybe he''s talking about the chairman and Manon, but today''s problem is Beatrice. I don''t think I''m the only one invited to dinner, but it''s not good to let Beatrice be free in the absence of the chairman or Manon. However, it''s impossible to refuse coldly ... Is the invitation tonight unexpectedly a pinch? After finishing the meeting with Oda-sensei, I left the garrison''s dormitory and headed for the clothing store. There are no mass-produced items in this world, so it seems that clothes used for formal wear are basically made to order. It seems that there are so-called ready-made products, but there are no items that can be used as formal wear, and most of them are casual wear. According to Amanda-san, formal wear is the norm at gatherings of aristocrats, but when so-called citizens are called in, it''s okay as long as the clothes are clean and not shabby. However, the clothes I have are all the ones I got from the carriage that was attacked by the monsters, and they are quite worn, so I came to buy new clothes. "Hello ..." "Welcome! Eh, isn''t it Kokubu-kun." "Eh, Sagara-san?" When I entered the clothings store that Amanda-san referred me to, the clerk who greeted me was my classmate Sagara. "Hey, I was interested in fashion, so I''m working here." "That''s right, maybe Motomiya-san is with you?" "No, Ao is more of the savory type than the sex appeal type, so she should be working in the food business." Sagara-san chose the job of an apprentice clerk at this store from the jobs posted on the guild bulletin board. It seems that the owner of the shop didn''t want to hire her at first when she asked if she would return to her world, but when Sagara-san drew a picture of Japanese fashion, she changed her attitude. Certainly, the clothes you see in the streets of Volzard are simple at best, and uninteresting at worst. "Takako, is it a customer?" "Yes, Flavia-san." "Whaaa?" When I saw the woman coming out from the back of the store, I screamed unintentionally. The woman Sagara-san called Flavia-san was in her late twenties, with her straight silver hair peeking through her triangular ears and a thick, fox-like tail that was slightly blackened at the tip. She''s not very tall, but her rugged body shape is quite sensual. Flavia-san is dressed in various overexposed costumes with a moe arrangement of shrine maiden costumes that seems to appear in anime, and I also scream. It''s red hakama hot pants! The shortness makes you want to dig in, the pure white knee socks create a trim voluptuous feeling. The white kimono is stitched with red thread, the sleeves are furisode, and the chest is shallow enough to peek into the cleavage of the twin globes. In a word, it''s like a cosplay of a naughty shrine maiden.(TN:Wow, I think that''s the most descriptive character so far, everyone else just gets a shallow description.) "Welcome ... Black hair and black eyes are Takako''s friends." "Flavia-san, he''s the rumored ''Monster User''." "Well, well ... this kid? Really ...?" Flavia-san, who was told that I was the ''Monster User'', walked around me and gazed at me from the top of my head to my toes. "Hmm ... so you''re the ''Monster User'', huh ..." "Hmm ... it seems like I''m called that way ..." Flavia-san, who went around to the front, folded her arms and leaned forwards a little, looking up at me and facing me. No, Flavia-san, that position is bad, the contents are likely to spill. "Ufufufu, you''re a boy for sure ..." "Guu, because ... I''m sorry." I''m sorry, Sagara-san gave me a frigid gaze. If I do something here, she will notify Manon and the chairman. "Ufufufu, so what are you looking for?" "Oh, uh ... I was invited by Klaus-san for dinner tonight, but I don''t have any clothes to wear ..." "I see ... well, I''ll make clothes that can be used for formal wear, but they won''t be in time by tonight, so I wonder if it''s a great adventurer style ... let me take your measurements for the time being." Flavia-san took my measurements and arranged several types of jackets, vests, pants, etc., but I''m not sure if it''s a good combination. I thought it would be nice to have cargo pants with lots of pockets, but if I think about it carefully, I can use shadow storage, so basically I don''t need pockets. So, I bought a pair of pants with a safe shape that seems to be easy to move, a shirt with a checkered pattern, a slightly thick jacket because the tempurature is going to drop, and a slightly stylish leather vest. After paying the money and putting the wrapped items in the shadow storage, both Flavia-san and Sagara-san were surprised. "Are you a ''Monster User'' that doesn''t chant?" "Yes, I was able to use magic before I learned to chant ..." "In the first place, there are few people who can use the magic of darkness, but I see ... This is the rumored person." "No ... I''m not very good at standing out ..." "Ufufufu, it''s changing more and more, most of the adventurers are conspicuous and just like that." "It''s a popularity tax, so you have to give up." "Hmm ... is that right ..." I sigh involuntarily when I think that people like the small-fry adventurer and people like the Beer-barrel onee-sans will get involved in the future. After leaving Flavia-san''s shop, I headed to Marcel-san, who rents a warehouse I know. The products in the store along with the store itself burned, but most of the tools in the back studio did not burn, and Marcel-san said by the time the store was rebuilt, he should have made something for sale. It''s been about five days since he resumed work, so I''m not sure if there are shoes that fit my feet, but if I buy shoes, I''ve decided that Marcel-san''s shop is my first choice. Relying on the map drawn by Herman-san, I went down the back alley and found a place like a warehouse district. Buildings of similar shape were lined up, and when I walked around looking for the number I was told, I finally arrived at the target warehouse. When I look at the situation from the outside, I can hear the sound of working. "Hello ..." "Who is it, it''s open so come in." When I called out from the outside, I heard the familiar voice of Marcel-san. When I opened the poorly built door which squeaked, Marcel-san was looking at me from the other side of the workbench. "Oh, just when you think of someone, it''s Kent." "Hello Marcel-san, sorry to bother you." "Oh, you did well to come to such a place, I heard you had a big part in the other day''s activity." "No, it wasn''t just me who protected the city, but the garrison members and the adventurers." "Hmm? I heard that the genus of the ''Maou'' were smashing the goblins with great momentum." "Well, my genus did their best, but we couldn''t protect it alone." "Well, what''s the matter today?" "Yes, I was actually invited to Klaus-san''s mansion tonight ..." "Ah ... I see, those shoes ..." The shoes I''m wearing now are also from the carriage that was attacked in the Devil''s Forest, and they are quite a mess. "I''m already making products for the reopening of the store, but if there''s something that fits Kent''s feet ... take off your shoes and let me measure the size." "Yes, please." I asked him to measure the size of my feet and he pulled out something that seemed to fit. "If it''s Kent''s size ... this one and this one would be okay." "Then, this one ..." "Wait, wait, don''t try to buy before you wear it." As for shoes, expensive ones are said to be made to order by measuring the size in detail, but most people choose the size and fine-tune it according to their feet. "How is it ...?" "The width is a little tight ... I wonder if I''ll get used to it if I wear it ..." "Wait a minute, I''ll adjust it now." Marcel-san took out a tool with a handle and inserted it into the shoe, then turned the handle and started to widen the width of the shoe. "If you do this, the leather should stretch and you should have some room." When I was in Japan, I bought something of my size without wearing it, and I adjusted it to fit my feet while wearing it, but when I had it adjusted carefully like this, I felt like I was an adult. "How is it?" "Yes, it''s perfect. It''s like a part of my foot." "Well, that''s good." "Well, how much is it?" "I don''t need to charge you, because Kent took care of me." "That''s because my classmates bothered you ..." "That''s why I said it''s not Kent''s responsibility. I''m really grateful because the store was burnt and I was desperate to recover. So I wonder if you could accept it ..." "Marcel-san ... I understand, I will wear it carefully." "Oh, if you have a problem with your shoes, please come and talk to me anytime, because I will definitely help." "Yes, thank you." After that, I left the warehouse after talking about making shoes and the store being rebuilt. Let''s get ready to go home. CH 76 The fruits of work ***---*** After returning to the boarding house and washing off my sweat, I put on the clothes I just bought. When I wear crispy clothes that have just been bought, I feel that I''m somewhat sharper. "Amanda-san, then I''m heading out." "Yes, if you''re late, I''ll lock up, so go straight back to your room." "Yes, I understand." "Take care, Kent." "I''m off, Meisa-chan." Yesterday, Meisa-chan, who was pouting for me to take her with me, is now seeing me off with a big smile. I bought a box of Mesudori Pavilion cookies as a souvenir to bring to Klaus-san, but I bought an extra box and gave it to Meisa-chan. Fufufu, so simple-minded. From the alley behind the boarding house, I moved in the shadow. I may be a little over-self-conscious, but I''m getting more and more attention lately, and it''s getting more and more troublesome. I can''t afford to be late for the invitation because of some strange people. I couldn''t just suddenly go out in front of the gate, so I waited for the flow of people to stop at the corner of the road a little ways away before I went out. When I showed the invitation to the garrison member guarding the gate, I was smiled at with a great smile. "Since the apprenticeship of the gardener, you''ve made a lot of progress." "No, I don''t think it''s as good as a career, but I''m nervous since it''s my first time like this." "Hahaha, Klaus-sama is a person who doesn''t care about the details, so I hope you enjoy it." "Yes, I will do that." Like before, I walked along the grassed cobblestones to the front door. Since the sun is going down, the sky is adorned with beautiful gradiations from orange to deep indigo. When I rang the heavy door knocker, the door opened quietly. "Welcome, Kent-sama." "G, good evening, I, I''m here to take part in the invitation today ..." "Please give your greetings to the Lord." "Ha, hahi ..." I was overwhelmed by the butler''s ''The Butler'' aura who greeted me, and I greeted him unintentionally. Guided by the butler with my mouth tingling, we go down the corridor. By the way, when I came last time, there was a scent of medicine in the mansion, but today it has a refreshing scent of flowers. "Go ahead ..." "I''m sorry ..." Beatrice, dressed in a pale pink dress, stood in the drawing room, but as soon as she saw me, her smile bloomed like a flower, and she walked towards me with a bouncy step. Uh ... it''s bad, she''s so cute, she feels like a real princess. Beatrice gracefully bowed by pinching the hem of her skirt. "Welcome, I''m glad to see you, Kent-sama." "G, good evening, I, I''m here to take part in the invitation today ..." "Stiff greetings and such, we don''t need them, come, let''s sit down ..." "Y, yes ..." Beatrice pulled me to the sofa. Beatrice sits next to me and naturally keeps her body in close contact. "Be, Beatrice-san ..." "Rise." "Ri, Rise ..." "Yes, Kent-sama." "Hey, aren''t you a little too close ... I wonder ..." Beatrice''s face, sitting next to me and in close contact with my body, is at a distance where I can feel her breath. I mean, isn''t it hard to focus your eyes being this close? "There is no such thing, or rather, this isn''t enough ..." "Rise ..." Beatrice''s lips approached me and made a noise on my cheek. Anyway, anyway, isn''t this something a handsome guy does? Beatrice, who separates her lips from me, smiles a sweet smile. Yeah, it feels like I''m certified as a carnivorous rabbit''s property. "Hey Rise, why me?" "That''s ... you saw my improper appearance, and touched me everywhere ..." "Gufu ... but that was treatment ..." "Is it really 100% treatment? Didn''t you have any guilty feelings? Am I not attractive?" "N, no ... I can''t say there was nothing ..." Beatrice was in a really bad condition when I started treating her rot disease, and it made me wonder how she was still alive. An unhealthy feeling was also transmitted to the palms of my hands that shed healing magic. However, the softness of Beatrice, who regained her complexion and health through treatment, is ... dangerous, and even if I remember it, I''m likely to have a nosebleed. "Because you violated this maiden''s body, you have to properly take responsibility ..." "What are you saying, violate ... be, besides, we still don''t know each other well yet ..." "That''s why, we need time to get to know each other like this?" "But if other invited guests can see this ..." "Tonight, there''s only Donovan-san besides Kent-sama, and Donovan-san won''t be able to see us until the last minute." No, she''s supposed to be younger than me, but I don''t feel like I can win no matter what I say. Still, if I don''t tell her to stop kissing me in public, the jealousy of Nazario might cause a troublesome thing again. "Rise, I have a request ..." "Well, what could it be? Something like what we did during treatment time, right now is a little ..." "No, it''s not that. Can you stop kissing me in front of everyone when we meet in the city?" "For what purpose is that?" "Because there are a lot of people who are longing for Rise, I think there are a lot of people who feel jealous or unconvinced when you kiss me." "You, something like that ... Kent-sama is the hero who saved Volzard. Rather, there are many people who feel unconvinced about me." "No, that''s not possible. Anyway, kissing in the city is prohibited ..." "That''s unpleasant." Beatrice who is being ''Tsun'' with her lips sharply pointed and has become sulky ... is super cute, isn''t she? It makes me want to hug her. "Even if you hate me, it''s a little embarrassing to be kissed when everyone is watching ..." "The one who was kissed by another woman is saying that ..." "Uh ... no, Manon and Yuika ..." "How is it different from me, is it because I''m younger, or am I unattractive, or ..." Beatrice''s eyes were moistened and teary-eyed, and tear-drops dropping from her eyes fell down her cheeks. "No, no ... there''s nothing lacking in charm ..." "Yo Kent, you did well to come here ..." "Higu ... K, Klaus-san? This is ... different ..." Yeah ... What a timing to come in, this bad old man. "Kent ... I hope you''re ready for this ..." "No, it''s really different, it''s a misunderstanding. I''m just ..." "Just ... what? Tell me ..." Wow ... He has bad eyes, but I''m completely gone ... "But when we meet in the city, I want her to stop kissing me in front of everyone ..." "Whaaa? You said you refused a kiss from Rise? You shouldn''t joke around. I haven''t had her kiss me for years. She used to love papa ... Anyway, the one who used to kiss me, tells me these days that I''m annoying." "No, it''s your fault ..." "Shut up! Bastard, it''s already decided. With a gloomy expression as she floats near the windows, Kent-sama ... Are the feelings of the me that is made to hear such muttering understood?" "No, but, the jealousy and envy is amazing ..." "Of course it is! That''s how it is compared to receiving a kiss from Rise, if anything, it''s a reward!" "No, because Klaus-san told me not to put my hands on her ..." "Of course I did! Kent, I don''t admit that you bastard can put your hands on her ... but if you''re going to receive a kiss from Rise, you can''t afford to refuse it, you fool!" No, what you''re saying is incoherent, what is Beatrice thinking while staying in close contact even in this situation? "Papa ... annoying."(TN:Uzai) "Guha ..." Oh, Klaus-san collapsed to his knees. I mean, can you stop glaring at me with upturned eyes, and muttering ''I''ll kill you, I''ll kill you'' over and over again? "Goshujin-sama, Donovan-sama, has arrived." It''s a butler-san who doesn''t change his complexion even in this situation ... "What''s this situation ... Kent, don''t mess around with Klaus-san." "I''m doing no such thing." "Fufuf, it''s a joke ..." In order to understand the situation, after relieving the tension a little, Donovan-san calmly sat in the chair opposite me. Or rather, is it okay to leave Klaus-san alone? Donovan-san opened his mouth after seeing me, who was perfectly attached to Beatrice. "I see how it is, that idiot son of the Orlando Store, no wonder he''s messing with you ..." "Eh ..." Upon hearing Donovan-san''s words, Beatrice stared at me with a surprised expression. "Did you talk to Dellitz?" "Yes, that''s right, but that person doesn''t seem to be straightforward ..." "Fufufu, that''s natural. Otherwise, the store couldn''t be so big." "Well, Nazario was given a warning, so I think it''s okay ..." Ara-ra, Beatrice is feeling despondent. I mean, just coming in, grasping the situation and talking about the right topic ... I wonder if Donovan-san is an Esper. "Beatrice-jou, you seem to be accustomed to being seen by people, but you should think a little about how you are being looked at." "Yes ... I''m sorry, Kent-sama." "Oh, yeah, but it''s not that serious, so it''s okay." She let go of my body in a sloppy manner, but she grabbed my cuffs and held on ... It''s dangerous, is it okay to hug her? "So how was your talk with Orlando Store?" I was asked by Klaus-san, who recovered as if nothing had happened. "Yes, he said to throw away the things up until now and to start over from a level field ..." "I see, to lead a hand-reared party including A-rank adventurers around by the nose, I think it''s a reasonable line." "Oh, yes, I have something to talk about before the meal ..." "What, I''m not allowing you to marry Rise ..." "No, it''s about the messenger from Resenburg." "Ah? Is there a messenger from Resenburg?" "Yes, they should arrive at Volzard in the evening on fire day, the beginning of the week." According to Fred, who continued to scout, Camilla ordered the messenger to leave early in the week after finishing the selection. "Well, are they planning to leave Lastock early in the morning and arrive at Volzard that same day?" "Yes, that''s how it is, but it seems that the Resenburg side doesn''t know we''re in Volzard at the moment." I talked to Klaus-san about what Camilla might have guessed so far and asked for advice on how to deal with it. "I see ... If they don''t know where you are, you don''t have to bother to let them know ... Rather, it''s better not to know where you are." "But if the knights of Resenburg ask about us, we have this hair color ..." "Well, the black-haired group certainly stands out, and if they ask me, they''ll find you in Volzard in one go, but ... you''re worried." "Well, is it okay if we get caught?" "There is that too, but they don''t have time to gather information, they have to return by the next morning." "Well, the next day ...?" "Oh, almost certainly ... do you have any other questions? If not, let''s have supper. Tonight is a recognition party for surviving the maximum outbreak. He feels like a fox, but it''s okay because the lord of Volzard says so. Klaus-san took the lead and guided us to the cafeteria. "Welcome, I''m glad to see you, Kent-san." "G, good evening, I''m here to take part in the invitation today ..." "Come, come, dispense with the stiff greetings, have a seat please." "Yes, thank you." Marianne-san, who greeted me, is dressed in a bright red evening dress that matches her hair color. Klaus-san is at the so-called ''birthday'' seat of a large table that can seat more than 10 people, Donovan-san is diagonally to his right, and Marianne-san is next to him. I sat opposite Donovan-san, and Beatrice sat next to me. "Now, let''s toast to suriving the maximum outbreak." Klaus-san raised a glass filled with a slightly golden liquid. It has a soft and refreshing scent and smells of alcohol. "Um ... I can''t have alcohol yet ..." "What are you saying, you can''t say that the man who made a great deal of effort in defending Volzard can''t drink. And Kent this is the new liquor from Bruno." "Well, is that Bruno-san from the livre plantation?" "Yes, livre liquor is best to drink after it has been aged for about three years, but there are a few new liquors that have just been brewed at this time. It''s a translation of fortune-telling. You see, it''s the result of your sweat." I thought I had goosebumps all over my body. Summoned to this world, I arrived at Volzard, and my first job was to harvest and prepare the livre plantation. Some percentage of the new liquor in front of me also includes my work. "Now, a toast to Volzard''s safety!" "Cheers!" The liquor I drank for the first time seemed to condense a refreshing scent, and it seemed to permate all through my body from my mouth, throat, and nose. The reason why I feel warmth flowing through my stomach is probably because it contains alcohol. "How is it, Donovan." "Yes, this year''s liquor seems to be good." "If Donovan''s endorsement comes out, there''s no doubt, how about Kent?" "Yes ... Guzu ... I''m impressed." "Idiot, why is this guy crying?" "Because this liquor from Bruno-san''s place where I worked for the first time ... Thanks to Dino-san and Maya-san ..." I remembered when I came to Volzard, and when I thought that the memory was made into liquor and it was here, tears began to overflow. "Kent, you protected it." "Eh ..." "This liquor might have been messed up if it had been stepped on by the goblins ... maybe it couldn''t have been tasted like this. You''ve protected it, I''m proud." "I ... yes, yes ..." It''s sloppy, and if you say that, I''ll be overwhelmed with tears. I put the new libre liquor in my mouth and closed my eyes to think of the scenery at the farm. Cheerful Dino-ojii-chan, kind Maya-oba-chan, stout Bruno-san ... everyone''s faces come to mind. After two weeks of work, I was completely occupied with training and rescue operations. I completely neglected them. Tomorrow is rest day of the week, I decided to visit the farm with a souvenir to talk about my impressions of the new liquor. CH 77 Resolution of the Lord''s household ***---*** "I''m sorry ... She''s outrageous. That princess named Camilla Resenburg is ... really outrageous. Are you listening? Klaus-san." "O, oh, I''m listening, she''s outrageous ..." "That''s right ... like this, she''s like ''Don'', and like ''Kyu'', and like ''Ban'' ... do you understand?"(TN:He''s outlining her body shape.) "Oh, that''s right, that''s right ..." What is it? Why does Klaus-san look annoyed when I''m communicating information about Camilla? After toasting with the new livre liquor, the menus served one after another tasted great. Starting with an appetizer of steamed chicken and vegetables dressed together, the meat, fish, and vegetables were all elaborate, but the taste of the ingredients was outstanding. After the new livre liquor, I drank three-year and five-year livre liquor and learned the difference in taste. As the years go by, livre liquor becomes deeper in color, aroma, and taste. For me, who drank it for the first time, I can''t imagine what kind of taste the new liquor I drank today will mature into in three or five years, but if you are a connoisseur, just drinking the new liquor will give you some expectations. It seems that it can be done. Therefore, it seems that you can get liquor of a good year even if you pay in advance for three or five years ahead. And now, what I''m talking about is a decade-old livre liquor. The amber-colored liquor spreads like a mellow armoa after a trolley texture in the mouth. The spiritual euphoria is hard to describe. It feels fluffy and consciously floating in the air, and it seems that even a slight poke will cause me to leave my body. "Already, the profits of Resenburg are the top priority, they think we are only monkeys ..." "Oh, that''s right, that''s right ..." "When we were summoned ... Obedience or death, choose the one you like ... What a golden shiny armor ... You don''t know!" "No, I don''t know because we''ve never actually met ..." "Hey ... Klaus-san, haven''t you met Camilla?" "No, I''ve said that many times, so Kent is talking about information ...?" "That''s right, that''s right ... That''s why information is important, isn''t it?" Klaus-san, who is the lord of Volzard and is one of the seven leaders of the Republic of Landshelt, seems to have no acquaintance with Camilla. Although there is traffic of caravans due to the border of the Devil''s Forest, it seems that the traffic of major people in the country has stopped. So, before the messenger comes, I''m giving information about Camilla to Klaus-san. Ah ... I wonder why the world looks like it''s spinning. "Wow ... what''s the truth ... It''s outrageous ..." "Klaus-san, can I bring him to the boarding house?" "No, at this time, the boarding house may be sleeping, so it''s okay to put him to sleep in one of our rooms." "Sleep ... tell you ... still Camilla ... fluffy ..." "Then, let''s carry him to the room." "That''s right, I''ll ask ..." "Hey, Kent, let''s go ..." Donovan-san, who came around the table, grabbed my nape and carried me as usual. "Hey ... Donovan-san, I''m not a Nyanko ... Wow ..."(TN:Nyanko=kitten) "Oh, I understand, look, walk." "Well ... the floor is ''GunyaGunya'' ... Klaus-san, the floor ..."(TN:GunyaGunya is something flabby/limp/soft and pliable, kinda like walking on a water bed I guess? I''m not translating these things cause he''s drunk and it fits.) "Idiot, it''s your feet that are ''GunyaGunya''." "Huh? My feet ... What does that mean ..." While hanging onto Donovan-san, I walked with the feeling of stepping on clouds and was thrown into a large bed. "Ah ... this isn''t the boarding house ... the wall ... is out of reach ..." "It''s okay, just go to bed." "Is that so? That, Camilla''s information ..." "It''s outrageous, I understand, so it''s okay." "Yes Yes Yes ..." "Seriously, you really normally hold yourself back a lot don''t you ..." "Yes ... ha ..." The bed Donovan-san threw me into was fluffy, and in a blink of an eye I was drawn into sleep. When I noticed, I was facing Camilla at the guild training ground. As usual, Camilla is dressed in golden shiny armor, holding a sword that is also golden shiny and has a large jewel on its handle. On the other hand, I am dressed in leather armor and holding a wooden sword in my right hand. "Hmm, an unfamiliar monkey ... Be grateful that I''ll give you guidance myself!" "That''s not the case! Dead Funayama, Takayama, the old and new duo, fake glasses, everyone''s thoughts give me strength!" "Hmm, what a joke ... the thoughts of monkeys are just to be eaten by goblins and become dung in their stomachs." "Y, you ... You alone, I won''t forgive, Camilla Resenburg, be prepared!" I swung the wooden sword to the upper right with my left shoulder in front. "Hmm, monkey ... you''ll become rust on my sword ... Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body ..." "Slow!" The moment Camilla started chanting to strengthen her body, I stepped in fiercely. For this day, I''ve been training with blood and tears, and I can master the magic of strengthening my body without chanting. "Now ... without chanting ... Kuu" Camilla barely blocked my blow, even though I stepped in at a timing close to a surprise hit. Camilla''s treasure sword and my wooden sword collide with each other and make a high-pitched sound. Gyin! "What ... my treasure sword Excalibur and such a wooden sword are on par ..." "Hey, don''t think it''s just a wooden sword!" At the same time as activating the magic of strengthening the body, I am strengthening the wooden sword by granting magic. Of course, both of them are activated without chanting, so it would be incomprehensible to Camilla. "Ku, Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen! Don''t get carried away, you lowly monkey!" "Come on! Princess!" Camilla stepped in at such a speed that her body seemed to shake, but with my strengthened eyesight, it seemed to stop. Gyan, Gyiiin, Kyiiiiin! The sound of the treasure sword and the wooden sword colliding with each other echoes in the guild''s training ground, and the crowd gathered at the sight scream like a rumbling. "Come on, ''Monster User''!" "Camilla-sama, please beat him." "Do it! Defeat Resenburg, ''Maou''!" "Camilla-sama! Good luck!" Every time Camilla and I clash, a shockwave runs and the guild doors and windows vibrate. The training ground, which received the aftermath of the impact, cracked and deep cracks were carved here and there. However, neither Camilla nor I are hindered by the crack. We moved around at such a high speed that an afterimage remained, and we didn''t miss evne the slightest gap, and both of us made deadly blows. How much time has passed, it seems like just a few minutes, and it seems like a few hours have passed. Nicks began to appear in the blade of both Camilla''s treasure sword and my wooden sword, and the both of us were about to reach the limits on our physical strength and magical power. "Hmm, aren''t you quite tenacious for a monkey ..." "Hey, it looks like you''re breathing quite heavily, Late-to-get-married-Princess." "Well, what are you talking about, I''m still only 20 years old!" "Liiiies! Didn''t you start worrying about your body shape after taking a bath?" "Ba, ba-st-ard ... It seems that you''ve seen something you shouldn''t see ... Oooooo!" "What!" With her screaming, Camilla''s magical power explodes. "The whole city of Volzard will be erased!" Camilla''s magical power converged on the treasure sword on the upper part, giving off a dazzling glow. Perhaps a full blow with all of Camilla''s remaining magical power will be released. It''s not difficult to avoid, but if I run away, everyone behind me will be sacrificed. I ... I can''t lose any more. "Are you ready? Monkey, Kuraa ... Royal Impact Ooooo!" From the treasure sword of Camilla that was swung down, the amplified magical power comes towards me as a huge mass of destruction. "Ohhhhh! Shield of darkness!" I stuck out my left hand and activated a huge shield of darkness. Repelled by the diagonally erected shield of darkness, Camilla''s magic turned to the sky. Activating another shield of darkness in the direction it was traveling to further reflect the magic. "Why, this black wall to my magic ... Guaaaaa!'' Camilla''s armor shattered in the direct hit of the reflected Royal Impact. "Stop Camilla! Eat, Final Explooooo-sion!" "Kyaaaa ..." Camilla''s body was bounced high in the sky by the blow of the reverse sword that was unleashed from the stepping from the foot. When Camilla, who had become like a ragdoll, fell to the ground, the guild''s training ground calmed down like a lie. "It''s over ..." I also used up most of my magical power with the current blow and got on my knees, but this is the end of the long battle. I can finally report the victory to my scattered friends. "Not yet ... it''s not over yet ..." "Wh, at ..." Camilla, wearing the wreckage of her armor, stood up with her broken treasure sword as a support, while shedding blood from her forehead. I tried to stand up, but the wooden sword I used as a cane shattered into pieces. "Don''t lose, Kent!" Yuika''s healing magic as she rushed to me gives me strength. "Kent, this ..." Manon''s healing water moisturizes and revives me. I stood up with all my strength. Camilla''s blonde ringlets, which are usually arranged Gorgeously, is now messed up, and its appearance is like a mountain witch.(TN:As usual, Capitals = Engrish.) "It''s finished, monkey!" "Ca-mi-lla!" Camilla throws away her broken treasure sword and runs with her fist held firmly. I also settled on the fighting pose and greeted her. Camilla slammed her whole right straight without any feint. I hesitate at the last minute and use a left hook to cover it, but Camilla blocked with a reflexively bent elbow. This time, I aimed at Camilla''s face with a right straight with my whole body, but in response, she attacked with a left hook. I duck and try to dodge the left hook and slip in close, but Camilla''s knee kick approaches my face. I stepped to the side and went around behind while avoiding knee kicks, and at the moment I grabbed her tightly, I threw Camilla with enthusiasm. Her body draws an artistic bridge, slamming the back of Camilla''s head into the ground. "Gaha ..." Camilla''s body lost power, letting out a moan that squeezed out the air left in her lungs. Even if I unbridge her and throw her out, Camilla seems to remain in the shape of a letter and doesn''t move. "Ku~ ... kill me ..." Hyahaaa, I got Camilla''s ''Ku, Korose'', itadakimashita! "Don''t be silly ... I don''t think a guy like you will die easily." "Ku ... Stop ... As a member of Resenburg''s royal family, I can''t be humiliated by a monkey like you ..." "Fahahahaha, I don''t think the loser has a choice ..." "No, stop ... stop ..." I hugged Camilla, who was trying to crawl and escape, my physical strength, and my magical power both seem to be at the limit, and my consciousness goes away with a severe headache. "Kuu ... I''ve defeated Camilla ... like this ..." In my consciousness that is going away, Camilla is trying hard to get rid of me ... I don''t know ... Ah, my head hurts ... but I don''t know where this Camilla is ... huh? There is a soft touch in both arms, but this is ... When I open my eyes in a vague consciousness, in front of me is bright red. Ah, I wonder if I was crying tears of blood, but when I shifted my eyes a little, smooth skin like white porcelain jumped into my eyes. "Oh, that ...?" The warmth in my arms is quivering. Right now, I''m not holding Camilla Resenburg, either in physique or color. That being said, I feel like I''m wearing pants ... I feel that the object in my arms is like a piece of thin silk ... The sense of accomplishment of beating Camilla is blown away, and the unpleasant sweat does not stop due to a severe headache and irritation. "Kent-sama ... take responsibility ..." "Eeeh ..." The muttering of Beatrice, like a mosquito, makes my whole body lose its blood. Huh? Did I go up? Did I go up the stairs of adulthood? "Of course, you''ll take responsibility, right?" "Hiii ..." When I turned my head slowly and squeakily towards the voice that whispered in my ears, bright red ears jumped into my field of vision. "Good morning, Kent-san, Rise was looking forwards to last night ..." "Oh, good morning, Marianne-san, this, this, this is ..." "Kent-san, a woman''s body is delicate, so you shouldn''t be so violent." "Yes ... but this is a dream ..." "It''s not a dream." "Yes ..." As Marianne-san says, the feel in my hands, the warmth ... it''s not a dream. Not only the outer moat but also the inner moat is buried, and the main circle is cut into it.(TN:Basically he''s completely dug his own grave, something like that.) "In this situation, nothing happened ... I''m sure ... Hey." "No, no ... that memory ..." "Well, how was it?" "Okaa-sama, my, my body and soul belong to Kent-sama ..." Oh, it''s over. I wonder why I had such a dream. Did I really do it? I don''t have any memory for the first time ... it''s too bad. "Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me." "Feee? Mirt?" "Pet my stomach, pet my stomach." "Pet my head too, Goshujin-sama." "Mart? Mart?" If you think it''s a big pinch of desperation, it''s an unexpected appearance of reinforcements. "Um ... have you been here the whole time?" "We''ve been here the whole time, The oji-san with the beard took off Goshujin-sama''s clothes with a face that seemed unpleasant." "Yeah! Isn''t that Klaus-san?" "Yeah, because this girl said she wanted to sleep together, I put her between us." "Well ... then, did I just sleep?" "Yeah, Mart was jostled around in the middle of the night." When I glanced at her, Marianne-san quickly turned away. "Well ... Marianne-san?" "What, Kent-san?" "I didn''t bring in Rise, right?" "That''s right ... but you were spending the night together, right?" "Uh ... well, isn''t it foolish to hold me accountable for this situation?" "Ku ... But you were dressed like that and spent the night together, right?" "Uh ... but it was Klaus-san who dressed me like this, right?" It''s a little painful to think about how Klaus-san was taking off my clothes. "Hmm ... Rise, I told you to properly get it done ..." "Because, Okaa-sama, the kobolds have been watching me the whole time ..." Hmm ... I was saved because Mart and the others were there ... What would have happened to me if they weren''t there? Would I have been eaten by a carnivorous rabbit after all? "Hmm ... It can''t be helped ... Kent-san, is it okay to divide the pain this time?" "Oh, I understand." The outer moat and the inner moat were buried, and even the main circle was cut, but I think it feels like peace at the last minute. I got dressed and sat at the breakfast table with Klaus-san, but I couldn''t help but say a word. "That, Klaus-san." "What ..." Klaus-san has had a terribly sullen face this morning. "I''m sorry for the inconvenience caused by getting drunk, but I don''t like this method." "Hmm ... I don''t like it either." "Then why ..." "Because it''s the Lord''s household." "But Beatrice is still in school ..." "Still, it''s the Lord''s household." Klaus-san spoke with an unprecedentedly harsh expression. "Kent, I don''t know how it is in your country, but the lord of Volzard is hereditary. If you are born into a Lord''s house, you can at least live a wealthier life than a normal house, but that''s a heavy responsibility. It''s the flipside of responsibility." "Responsibility, is it?" "Yes, if you live a wealthy life as a Lord''s household, you have to work for it. Otherwise, you''ll be the same as a swindler." "But that''s why ..." "If the four Salamanders had reached Volzard ... I don''t want to imagine that. Kent, I want you to stay in Volzard no matter what I have to do. No ... we have to do." When I looked at Klaus-san, who said that with a serious expression, I remembered Dellitz-san''s words again. "But then, Beatrice''s feelings ..." The moment I turned my eyes to Beatrice, I swallowed the words I said. With Beatrice''s determined gaze, I finally understood. Not only Klaus-san and Marianne-san, but Beatrice, as the Lord''s household, is trying to keep me in Volzard even if they have to bet themselves. From the perspective of me, who has lived casually in peaceful Japan, it looks like a fierce way of life. Marianne-san called out as I stared at Beatrice with a feeling of being a little overwhelmed. "Don''t get me wrong, Kent-san. It''s true that Rise is trying to connect with you for Volzard, but she really loves you." "Eh ..." Beatrice, who turned her gaze towards Marianne-san for a moment and immediately returned her gaze back to me, and was looking down while glancing at me with upturned eyes. Uh ... this is unfair. A child of an aristocrat who has to accept a marriage of convenience is seriously in love with her marriage partner ... isn''t it like the heroine of a romance novel? What''s more, that person is me ... I want to fulfill that hope. However, on the other hand, the pressure of expectation from the lord of Volzard also made me feel tense. CH 78 Predecessors of life ***---*** After having breakfast, I left Klaus-san''s mansion and returned to the boarding house. When I talked to Amanda-san about how I decided to stay, she was angry that I drank too much. I returned to my room, took off my clothes, took a bath, and changed into my everyday clothes. "Reinhardt ..." [ What is it, Kent-sama? ] "Are all the aristocrats determined to live like that?" [ There were various aristocrats when we were alive, but those who lived with pride as aristocrats were determined to do so. ] "I see ..." [ But not all of them, some of them just wore their aristocratic status and had no determination or compassion. ] I was convinced that Beatrice was making fun of me because she was embarrassed at the time of the treatment. I never thought that she had made such a decision, and on top of that, liked me. For the benefit of the city, the beloved daughter was even reluctantly used, but when I heard it, I realized that I was the one who wasn''t ready. [ What would Kent-sama do if you could return to your original world? ] "Yeah ... I''m starting to think about staying in this world." [ Don''t you have family in your original world? ] "Yeah ... for the time being ... but we''re not very close ..." [ Is that so ... ] Dad is the director of a big company and seems to have a mistress, so he rarely comes home. My mother is a gambling and shopping addict, and after all she is hardly at home. It''s like my paternal grandmother raised me, but she died of cancer last year. I''ve always had a complex desire to have my grandmother, who suffered from terminal cancer, get well and to die peacefully without suffering. When I was summoned to this world, I feel like I was dreaming of my grandmother while taking a nap. Maybe that''s why I got both the light attribute of healing and the darkness attribute that governs death. "If I stay in Volzard, I can''t choose the chairman, right?" [ If you ask her to stay with you, isn''t it okay? ] "That''s the same as telling the chairman to abandon her family ..." [ Then, can you return to your original world with the Saint-sama? ] "If I go back to Japan, I don''t know if I can use magic, and if I can''t, I''m just a useless person and I''m out of proportion with the chairman, and I''m needed at Volzard ..." [ Then, can you choose Manon-jou, Beatrice-jou, or both and stay in Volzard? ] "Hmm ..." In hte first place, I can''t believe that I, who hadn''t been looked at by girls until now, is in a position to choose. [ By the way, Kent-sama, weren''t you going to visit Dino-tono at the libre farm ...? ] "Oh, that''s right, I aws about to forget." I decided to think about the chairman again and talk to Amanda-san after visiting the livre farm. On the way, I stopped by the Mesudori Pavilion and bought cookies as a souvenir. The livre trees that had grown steadily when I came to Volzard, have now dropped their leaves and are preparing for winter, and the farm has a somewhat lonely atmosphere. It seems that Dino-san and Bruno-san, parent and child, are lined up at the farm looking at the trees and are marking them. "Hello Dino-san, Bruno-san." "Oh! Kent, Kent, I''m glad you came, I''m glad you came." When I called out, Dino-san welcomed me with a big smile. "I''m sorry I haven''t contacted you until now, please enjoy this with everyone." "What''s this, something like a gift feels distant, come empty-handed, empty-handed." "No ... I''m grateful to everyone ..." "What are you saying, you are the one who took care of us, so let''s relax at home." "Yes, thank you, but weren''t you at work?" "Ah ... what I marked are the braches for pruning." "Pruning ...?" "Yeah, it''s an important job that forecasts next year''s harvest." I was told that they performed pruning work on the livre trees during the dormant state in winter to cut off weakened branches and unnecessary branches. "If there are unnecessary or weak branches, the sunlight and growth will be worse." "Really ..." That being said, it''s hard to tell which is the unnecessary branches and which are the weaker branches. "Hohohoho, that''s years of experience and intuition." When Dino-san spoke proudly, his son Bruno-san raised his hands, showing he didn''t understand either. "Well, does Bruno-san not understand either?" "No, not at all ... I''m no match for my father ..." Bruno-san, who has a bitter smile, still looks somewhat proud. "Until about two years ago, I didn''t know at all, but it seems that I''ve come to understand it, so it''s okay to leave it to me." Dino-san has a happy smile on his face, but he looks a little lonely. For me, I would like Dino-san to do his favorite job in good spirits, but it may be difficult in terms of age. When Dino-san took me to the main building, his wife, Maya-san, greeted me with a big smile. "Well, if it isn''t Kent, I''m glad you came, come in and take your time." "Yes, thank you." Dino-san''s waist and Maya-san''s knees haven''t been in pain since then, and they both seem to be rejuvenated. "By the way, Kent, why are you here today, do you need something?" "Ah, yes, I was actually invited to Klaus-san''s mansion last night to drink the new livre liquor." "Well, was that the case, how was this year''s new liquor, was it good?" "Yes, it was very delicious. Just ..." "Was something wrong?" "No, I drank it for the first time, so I''m sorry I don''t know how to compare it to the usual year." "Hohohoho, yeah, it''s natural that you can''t tell the difference if you drank it for the first time." "Yes, but when I thought that I was helpful even a little in making the new liquor, I was a little touched." "It''s not just a little helpful, the reason why the preparation went smoothly for this year''s harvest is because of Kent''s massage. I really appreciate it, thank you Kent." "Well, no ... yes, you''re welcome." It''s embarrassing to be thanked by Dino-san, who smiles with a friendly grin. When I told him that I was allowed to drink three-year, five-year, and ten-year livre liquor at Klaus-san''s mansion, Dino-san guided me to the brewery where the liquor was stored. When I was harvesting, I just brought the juice into a large barrel in another brewery, and I could only see this brewery from the outside. The brewery has a sturdy stone semi-underground structure with only a few ventilation windows. Klaus-san told me that I protected the liquor, but with this level of strength, it is unlikely that a goblin will be able to enter. When we opened the sturdy door and went inside, the scent of wood barrels was drifting in the cool air. "Kent, can you close the door ..." Dino-san turned on a light magic tool and slowly guided me through the warehouse. "What is in the front is new, and the farther back you go, the older it becomes." The barrels are branded with the year they were prepared and are arranged in an orderly manner. It''s like being in a cave separate from the outside world. "Here, the temperature changes more slowly than outside. We let the sake rest here and let it mature slowly." "After all, is there a good or bad result depending on the year?" "Well, in a year of unseasonable weather, the livre isn''t good enough. The fruit doesn''t grow big, or the sweetness isn''t enough ..." "The result of livre also affects the liquor." "Well, this year''s livre was good, so I''m sure it will be a good liquor." Dino-san looks at each barrel as if he is grateful, and goes to the back of the warehouse. "But then, the liquor of the year when the livre was poor would be left unsold ..." "You think so? However, it''s not always that the liquor is bad because the livre was poor." "Really?" "Yeah, the liquor of the year where I thought that the sweetness of hte livre was not enough will grow into a liquor with a unique taste after letting it rest for three or four years." "Is that something you can roughly predict if you drink new liquor?" "That''s right, to a certain extent. I don''t really know what will happen as a result of letting it rest for more than five years. See, people will change after five years." "That''s right, if you put it that way." "But the core remains the same. People and liquor are interesting ..." When we returned from the brewery, Maya-san baked a livre cake. "Kent, Maya''s cake is excellent." "Hey, you can eat it all, so don''t hesitate to eat it." "Yes, I''ll have it ... Hmm! It''s delicious ..." "Isn''t it exquisite?" "Yes, it''s really delicious." "Yes, I''m glad it suits your taste." Maya-san''s cake is a mixture of chopped dry livre and several nuts, and I have no complaint about the taste, aroma, or texture. "This, the aroma of livre liquor, it''s so fluffy in my mouth ... I''m happy." "Hohohoho, yeah, yeah, that''s the aroma of 20-year livre liquor." Dino-san poured an amber liquid from a bottle in the cupboard into a small glass. Even though it was more than 5 meters away, the mellow scent drifted as soon as he poured it into the glass. "Here, this is 25 years old, try drinking it." "Thank you." It''s dangerous. Just bringing the glass close to my mouth makes me feel happy. When I put it in my mouth, I get the illusion of being immersed in a bath of livre liquor. The aroma of the wood barrel, the aroma of the livre, the deep taste, and even though the alcohol content should be high, there is no sharpness, and the warmth gradually spreads. "Dino-san, this is no good." "What''s that, this me''s prided liquor!" "If I drink such a great drink, I won''t be able to drink other drinks." "Hohohoho, I see, I see, hohohoho ..." If I continue to drink like this, it will be a repeat of last night, so I decided to drink it as it is and just stick with tea for a while. As for the cake, if I was the only one to enjoy it and just told the story, Meisa-chan would get angry, O so I asked her to wrap it as a souvenir. "Hey Kent, you said you were invited to Klaus-sama''s mansion ..." "Oh, uh, actually ..." I was working at this farm when I had just arrived at Volzard, and I had explained to Dino-san and the others that I was the survivor of a caravan. So, I talked about being summoned, being able to use magic of the light and dark attributes, and being invited to dinner because all my genus were active. "Is everything okay after the last maximum outbreak? Was there any damage?" "Oh, there was no damage, it seems to have been done in a completely relaxed manner." "Truly, we were saved because there are walls now." "Umm, now ... meaning there weren''t in the past?" When I was curious about Maya-san''s words and asked, she nodded and told me. "Yeah, at the time I came to be a wife, this area was still outside the walls." "Is that so? Did you see monsters?" "Well, unlike the forest, it has a clear view, so it was okay if you were careful, but there were times when orcs and ogres came." "Well ... was it such a dangerous place?" "Really ... When I got married, I was deceived ... and I lived crying." When Maya-san smiles and looks at him, Dino-san shrugs his shoulders and has a bitter look on his face. "The livre farm is busy only during the harvest season, and it makes money from selling liquor and dried fruits ... I wondered if I could live in a large farm, but it was ridiculous." "That''s unavoidable, because if I didn''t say it like that, there wasn''t a girl who would come be my wife in such a place." When Dino-san and Maya-san were young, the farm was still outside the walls, and when a large number of monsters broke out, they waited in the house for the alarm to be cleared. Now that you mention it, this main building is made out of sturdy stone, and the other buildings are similar except for the new workshop. "I had to stay in the house for three weeks before the goblin horde disappeared." "At that time, Bruno was just born ..." "I was really worried about what to do every day because the diapers didn''t dry." Both of them talked with a smile, but at that time I think it was harder than I could imagine. "That ... didn''t you think you were deceived and though about divorcing?" "Well ... I used to think that when I had just come here, but when I saw our people working really hard, that thought disappeared." While working on the farm, Dino-san often participated in the construction of the ramparts, and he worked only during the year-end and New Year holidays so that his family could live with peace of mind as soon as possible. "The construction of the ramparts is a symbol of the development of Volzard, and it is natural for the people to work for their families and for the city, as it is a source of peace of mind." Even when I was taken care of here, I was surprised at how Dino-san worked after his back pain was healed. Even though he was about the age of my grandfather, he was strong and I was overwhelmed by the difference in experience he had cultivated over many years. Large, thick, rugged wood-carving hands look like the medal of hard work. "Then, are you glad you were deceived now?" "Hohohoho, yeah, that''s right, you, thank you for deceiving me." "Huhhhh, the day has come when you were grateful for being deceived ... No, I''m the one who is grateful, thank you Maya." The two who smile happily at each other look like a really close couple. The bond between the two is probably because they have been struggling together for a long time and have come to think of each other. Will I be able to laugh with someone like this in the future? Do I have to turn down someone''s thoughts for that? "Kent ... Kent ..." "Oh, oh, yes ..." "What''s wrong, do you have a problem?" "Well, no ... that ... yes ..." "I don''t know if such an old man and an old woman will be useful, but why don''t you talk to us?" "Um ... yes ..." I was a little embarrassed, but I consulted with Dino-san and the others about the chairman, Manon, and Beatrice, including the rescue operation from Resenburg and the treatment via the nomination request. "Ah, Kent, you did your best ... you did your best." When I finished talking, I was hugged by Maya-san who stood up. "Yeah, as expected, Kent did a good job." "Thank you. But, just because I ran around like crazy, I mean, I got kind of carried away ..." "Well, from the perspective of a woman, it''s kind of cheating." "From the perspective of this me, I envy him ..." "You!" "Really ... no, nothing ..." Yeah, it seems that there are a lot of hen-pecked husbands in Volzard. "Kent ..." "Yes, what is it?" "So which child do you like best?" "Um ... all three are very cute, have a good personality, and like me ..." "So you can''t decide?" "Yes ..." "Huuu ... It can''t be helped ..." "Yes ... I''m sorry." It seems that Maya-san was also surprised, but it can''t be helped. "Do you know that polygamy is allowed in the Republic of Landshelt, Kent?" "Yes, I heard that." "Yes, then you know that you have the option of being connected with all three." "Yes, for the time being ..." "Then, do you know why polygamy is allowed?" "Why ...?" In the case of animals, I''ve heard that it is to leave the gene of a strong indivicdual, but in the case of humans, is it because of the status of a person with money? "Originally, many people lost their lives in battles and subduing monsters." "Does that mean that the percentage of men was small?" "Yes, friends and acquaintances supported the lives of people who became widowed or lost their lovers, but now it''s different." Volzard is called the farthest city, right next to the Devil''s Forest, and I hear that many people die in dungeons. Still, the proportion of men does not seem to be extremely low, and many people live with jobs other than adventurers. "So polygamy is no longer encouraged as it used to be, and having multiple partners can be a daunting task." Certainly, if you are an ordinary person, the financial burden will be heavy, and above all, there will be envy from those around you. In fact, it''s been handed out by Nazario, and I''ve also been exposed to the grudge-filled gaze of my male classmates. "Is it better to choose one person after all?" "Well ... from a woman''s point of view, that''s desirable, but ... falling in love with someone isn''t logical." "What should I do ..." "Be honest with your feelings, be honest with the other person, don''t lie, don''t hide things, you have to keep this at a minimum." Until now, I''ve tried to hide as much as possible when kissing or hugging someone, but once they know each other''s existence, that''s no good. Hmm ... but to report this morning''s events to the chairman and Manon ... "Kent ... are you doing something in secret?" "Well ... how do you know? No, no, I mean to say I haven''t had a chance to report it yet ..." "Hmm ... report the secret properly, and then since two of the three have talked. Add the other one and talk properly to convey your current feelings." "Yes ... yes, I will." That''s right, no matter how difficult it is to talk, if you don''t talk about it and hide it, you can''t respond to the feelings of the chairman and Manon. Also, in order to respond to Beatrice''s determination, I thought again that I had to think more seriously and convey my feelings firmly. CH 79 Unexpected decision ***---*** Six knights and six horses are lined up in front of the barracks at the Lastock garrison in the early morning. Camilla Resenburg, dressed in shiny golden armor, appeared there. The six knights welcomed Camilla with an undisturbed salute. "Good work, at ease!" "Yes!" One of the six knights stepped forward. "Prepared for departure, we are ready without delay!" The knight who stepped forwards is Rondal, who reported the concerns of his colleague Gerd to Camilla, and as a result, was selected due to predicting the attack. "Rondal, it sounds tedious, but what is your role?" "Yes! I will hand over Camilla-sama''s letter to Klaus Volzard, the Lord of the fortified city of Volzard." "What if you are attacked by an enemy on the way?" "Yes! Avoid battles, prioritize heading to Volzard, and never lose the letter. In the unlikely event that we die, the letter will be disposed of in an undecipherable state." "Yes, this time your role is to deliver the letter to Volzard first, and absolutely do not let the enemy see the contents of the letter." "Yes!" Camilla presented an envelope with gold fringes, and Rondal received it with a reverent hand and put it in his leather shoulder bag. "Rondal, what is your role after delivering the letter?" "Yes! Check for traces of the escaped slaves, and if we find any traces, confirm the existence of their collaborators." "Yes, at this point, the Second Prince''s dynamism is suspected, but it is possible that the third party has escaped to Volzard. Look carefully without prejudice." "Yes! I respectfully obey." Rondal seems to be a little pale, probably because of the tension due to being assigned to play a major role. Upon seeing it, Camilla loosened her cheeks. "Fufu, Rondal, don''t be so nervous." "Yes! But because I have the great task of keeping Camilla-sama''s letter ..." "Rondal, the letter is certainly important for the future, but after all it''s just a piece of paper." "Huh, it''s just a piece of paper?" "Yes, if you lose it, I just have to rewrite it. Well, it''s your life that is more important than the letter. It''s pointless to be fixated on just a piece of paper!" "Ca, Camilla-sama ..." "If you feel that you are in danger, destroy the letter so that the writing cannot be discerned, and give priority to protecting yourselves. All six people must definitely come back alive and report, do you understand!" "Yes!" The six knights raised their voices in unison, and once again showed an undisturbed salute. I am observing the situation from the shadow world with Fred and Reinhardt. This time, it seems that Rondal will lead the messengers from Resenburg, and Levic, who was in charge of the second actual battle, will serve as the adjutant.(TN:I still feel it''s awkward to keep calling it ''actual battle'' this and that, but I don''t know how else to word it to make it sound better.) The other four are escorts, including Gert, who noticed that Furdate-sensei''s conduct had changed, and Paul, who skewered me. The six knights leave Lastock''s garrison, cross the drawbridge, and gallop their horses towards the Devil''s Forest. Levic called out to Rondal, who was leading the way. "Rondal, don''t hurry so much, the destination is far." "I, I know! But this time we may be hindered by enemies, so I can''t settle down." "That''s right, but if you rush too much from the beginning, the horses won''t be able to take it." "But until you enter the forest, there are few obstacles, so you should consider the possibility of being shot ..." "Then, let''s slow down when we enter the forest, because we need to be careful in places where we can''t see." "I understand ..." Levic, who stopped talking, has a bitter expression on his face. Apparently Rondal is distracted by the heavy responsibility and seems to be having his horse run at a slightly too fast pace. [ How is it? Reinhardt. ] [ They just started the trip, but it looks like they''re a little impatient. ] [ You can ensure the safety of the highway, right? ] [ Don''t worry about that, Zae and Art have a system in place to dispose of high-risk monsters. ] Our role today is to get the Resenburg messengers safely to Volzard. Since the recent maximal outbreak, the Devil''s Forest has been in a noisy state. It seems that the corpses of goblins that have been hand-disposed by Reinhardt and the others are crowded with other goblins and kobolds, and the appearance of orcs and ogres is increasing. If the number increases too much and becomes a threat to Volzard, it needs to be annihilated, so Art and the others are taking turns looking around the forest. Since the messenger of Resenburg pass by today, they kept monsters other than goblins and kobolds away from the road. As an escort, it is better to keep goblins away, but if the monsters do not appear to much, it may seem abnormal. In reality, the number of ogres is increasing, but the Resenburg guys wouldn''t think we were beating them out of sight. After seeing the party enter the Devil''s Forest and start to slow down, I decided to return to Volzard. [ Then, I''m going to report to Donovan-san for a moment. ] [ I understand, leave the monitoring to me ... ] In the guild, the dismantling work of the Salamanders has begun. The largest individual is already disassembled and each part is being auctioned. Of the four Salamanders that were defeated later, two were decided to be purchased in their entirety by the Orlando Store. The Salamanders will be sold as a normal size one for 2.5 million Helts. For the large individual, the price of the auction minus the guild fee will be transferred later. With the dismantling of the Salamanders, more people are visiting the guild to see them, and I feel that troublesome things will happen if I show up poorly. Let''s finish the report to Donovan-san from the shadow. "Good morning, Donovan-san." "Hmmm, Kent, what are you doing?" "No, there seems to be a lot of people ..." "Hmm, I thought you were being chased by the other two women." "Well, that''s not the case." "What, did you get caught in Beatrice''s trap and give in?" "I haven''t done it, I haven''t done it! Did Donovan-san know and left me behind?" "Hmm, it''s better than being crushed by that small amount of liquor ..." "Guu ... Anyway, the Resenburg guys have left, we''ll be escorting them on the way so they won''t notice, they''ll be arriving in the evening." "OK ..." After finishing the report to Donovan-san, I decided to pick up Oda-sensei and Sato-sensei at the garrison''s dormitory and bring them to Klaus-san. By the way, I will also take a look at the situation of my classmates.(TN:Just going to throw this out there, I''ve been using the term ''classmates'' but they''re not all the same class, they''re all the same grade in the same school, so despite being in different classrooms, I feel ''classmates'' still works in that case? It was the entire grade floor of the building that was transferred.) Klaus-san says that the Resenburg guys don''t have leeway to listen to rumors and will return the next morning, so I have been instructed to tell my classmates not to leave the garrison grounds for two days, today and tomorrow.(TN:I made a mistake before, they''re apparently not leaving the same night and arriving at Resenburg the next morning, but staying the night and leaving for Resenburg the next morning.) Those who are engaged in forced labor also have two days off. I don''t think anything will happen, but I''m really worried because there is precedent for an uproar. First, I''ll look at the situation from the street in front of the garrison and confirm that nothing is happening. Looking at the situation from the top of the ramparts overlooking the site, it seems that nothing has changed in particular. However, there seems to be some commotion in the restaurant where I thought that everyone would be gathering. I was wondering if Sumika Kizawa''s group was causing a dispute, but at the center of the turmoil was the chairman, Manon, and Beatrice. "I don''t really understand what you''re saying, can you explain it to me?" Wow ... the chairman''s voice is very high pitched ... "So, as I said, Kent-sama and I spent the night together ..." Beatrice shyly holds her cheeks with both hands, and the chairman and Manon ... oh, Yaksha. Real Yaksha ... It seems that horns will grow. "Wait a minute!" "Kent!" "Kent!" "Kent-sama!" It is absolutely a bad thing for the story to proceed as it is, so I jumped out of the shadow world into the middle of the three. "Wait, wait a minute, I''ll explain it properly, so wait!" I held down Manon and the chairman who was angry and tried to grab me, and first faced Beatrice. "Beatrice." "Please call me Rise ..." "Beatrice!" "Yes ..." "I understand that you''ve prepared yourself and that you''re thinking of me, but I don''t like this." "But ..." "There was nothing, but you''re trying to make them think something happened. It''s not fair, is it?" "But ... Kent-sama, to me ..." "Oh, that''s because I was asleep ... Hmm, because it''s unavoidable ... Oh, it hurts ..." "Kent, what do you mean? Explain it properly." "Oh, it hurts, Yuika, I''ll explain, so don''t pull my ears ..." Yes ... it''s seiza. With a resolute attitude, I managed to bring order to the confusion ... My thoughts collapsed in an instant, and when I told them that I was drunk with livre liquor and was set up to a planned situation in the morning, I was made to sit in seiza. In front of me, the chairman with her arms folded is standing beside Manon, and next to her, Manon is looking at me with her eyes raised. "So, Kent, what happened with Beatrice?" "Well, that''s ... well, I was playing with Mart in my dreams ... I mean I stroked her ..." Wow ... what is it, the girls around me send me a gaze as if they''re looking at garbage, and the boys are glaring at me while gnashing their teeth ... No, in this situation, why is Beatrice happily holding her cheeks with both hands? "Since we''ve spent the night together, Kent-sama, you have to take responsibility ..." "But you haven''t crossed the line, right?" "Uh ... that''s right ..." "The kobolds were always watching to see if you would do anything next to them, right?" "Ugu ... yes, that''s right ..." Beatrice is inferior because she was attacked by the chairman and Manon both. "Ne, nevertheless, I was patted all over my body during treatment ..." "I was peeped at in the bath." "I was also peeked at in the bath by Kent." Guha ... It''s true, but it''s being announced to everyone here ... "No way ... Kokubu-kun has gone that far ..." "Truly trash, the worst." "Okay, let''s execute, no interrogation is necessary." "Damnit, violating a beautiful girl with drooping bunny ears ..." No, I didn''t violate her. Hey, I just stroked her a little ... "So what are you going to do, Kent?" "Kent!" "Kent-sama ..." Beatrice, who was having fun, is a little frustrated. But it''s time for me to decide. I took a deep breath and looked at the chairman and Manon before opening my mouth. "I''ll do my best to get everyone back to Japan, but ... I''m thinking of staying at Volzard." "Kent ..." None of my classmates seem surprised when they hear my story, as I had expected, but the chairman seems a little confused. "Yuika ... I want Yuika to stay with me." "Kent!" "But I''m sorry! I want Yuika, Manon, and Rise to be mine!" When I took the plunge and said my desire for a harem, booing happened as a matter of course. "Wow ... He''s seriously thinking of a harem ... I''m a bit repulsed." "It''s impossible ... spur of the moment ..." "It''s good to execute him, execution is good, burning is good, no, after waterboarding once?" "Apart from the light novels and anime, people don''t really say that ..." Only words of criticism come from the girls and boys, but it''s natural. "I will serve you with this body and soul if Kent-sama remains in Volzard." Beatrice crouched down beside me and kissed me on the cheek as the boos from my classmates poured in. "I wish Kent would remain ..." Manon also crouched down beside me, holding my right arm and trying to kiss my cheeks, causing our temples to head-butt. "Oh, it hurts ... Manon ..." "S, sorry ... Kent." Everyone around us giggled and laughed for the first time at Manon''s clumsy move, but the chairman was standing with her face pale. It''s natural that the chairman is confused because she suddenly has to choose between me and her family. "Yuika ... I''m sorry, I suddenly said something like this, but I still don''t know when we can return to Japan, you don''t have to hurry to give an answer, and until Yuika decides, I''m not going to have any more relationship with Manon and Beatrice." "Kent ... Yeah, let me think a little ..." "Is that okay with you, Manon and Rise? Especially, Rise, even if we meet in the city, kissing is no good." "I''m fine with that, because I promised to compete fairly with Yuika." "I''m fine with that too. If Kent-sama stays in Volzard, I''ll be waiting." Both Manon and Beatrice let go of my arms out of consideration for the chairman. "Then, I have to introduce Oda-sensei and Sato-sensei to the Lord Klaus-san, so I''ll go first." "Kent ..." "What is it, Yuika ..." "I also will think properly and give an answer ..." "Yeah, I''ll be waiting." When I nodded at the chairman and tried to leave the cafeteria, Oda-sensei and Sato-sensei stood at the entrance. "Good morning, I''m sorry, did I keep you waiting?" "No, we just got here, is now a good time?" "Yes, it''s okay, then I''ll show you the way." That said, I hear criticism from the cafeteria. "I''m grateful for his help, but it''s a little ..." "Although he may have had a hard time, after all, he resorts to cheats ..." "Hey Yuika, what are you doing? Are you seriously thinking about harem." "Now, let''s get ready for execution, fortunately there is no forced labor today, so we have plenty of time." "Kokubu-kun, I was just thinking he might be a little good ... but I''m disillusioned ..." Even if I quickly leave the dining room, the words of my classmates remained in my ears and did not disappear immediately. "Is it okay, Kokubu?" "Well ... yes, it''s okay." "Hmm, it doesn''t look okay at all, because it''s written all over your face." "Uh ... yes, it''s the consequences of my own deeds, but it''s a little tough." "But you thought about it and decided it yourself?" "Yes, I did ..." "If so, don''t hesitate. Don''t waver. Otherwise it won''t look good to the girls who chose, and Asakawa who will decide from now on. "That''s right ..." Oda-sensei berated me with a slightly harsh tone, but he''s exactly right. If I were to waver, the chairman wouldn''t be able to make a decision. "Kokubu ..." "Yes." "You should at least act cool for the girls who fell in love with you." "Yes, I understand." When I was in Japan, Oda-sensei seemed to be straightforward and difficult to talk to, but he seemed surprisingly good at taking care of me. "Huh? For the girls who fell in love with me ... Does that mean that other people think I''m uncool?" "Fufu, who knows ... I don''t know that much ..." "You don''t know ... what is it?" "Your original merit, was certainly lacking." "Guu ... It''s painful that I can''t argue." When I talked about the livre liquor that caused the turmoil, Oda-sensei screamed. "Until the students are safely returned to Japan, I can''t take it easy ..." "I don''t know about other liquors, but the 25-year old livre-liquor I had yesterday was excellent." "Kuu ... Kokubu, can you get that liquor for a celebration when it''s decided we can return?" "Teacher ... it''s certainly possible, but for now, please concentrate on your return." "I know ... I know, so I''ll ask again when we have a clear idea ..." "Okay, I''ll ask again when I visit Dino-san from the livre farm." I saw an unexpected side of Oda-sensei, who seems to be a straightforward person, but I have to be careful not to fail in negotations involving alcohol. Yeah, I realized that alcohol is really scary. CH 80 Messenger of Resenburg ***---*** The meeting between Klaus-san and the teachers began with a peaceful atmosphere in the drawing room of the guild. "Welcome to Volzard, I''m the Lord, Klaus Volzard. I should have met you earlier, but I''ve been busy with cleaning up after the maximum outbreak and it''s a bit late. I apologize to you." "No, we are really grateful for accepting such a large number of people. My name is Shuuji Oda, and I''m a math teacher." "I am in charge of teaching Japanese Language, my name is Ritsuko Satou."(TN:I''m blind and this originally should have been Satou not Sato, so I''m going to change it from now on.) "Come, come, please drop the formalities. Kent, you can also sit down." "Oh, oh, yes ..." For some reason, I was seated next to Klaus-san on a four-seater face-to-face sofa. "Shuuji-san, to be frank, accepting all of you isn''t a burden to Volzard." "Well, is that so? But there are a total of 200 people, and I''ve heard that some students have caused a turmoil and caused an inconvenience." "Sure, some of the over-the-top people made a fuss, but Kent is responsible for all the compensation and your living funds, so the expense from Volzard''s side is almost zero." Klaus-san''s hand, which was placed with a ''Pon'', grabbed my shoulder, but isn''t it a little too strong? I''m not sure what to do, but the root of it is definitely Beatrice. He''s plainly just trying to harass me. "No, to be honest, we were being taken care of, and without Kokubu, we would still be trapped in Lastock at this time." "No, it''s the same with Volzard, we were being taken care of. The rock ogres, the outbreak of orcs, and this goblin maximum outbreak, at worst the city would have been destroyed without Kent." No ... I''m embarrassed when I''m praised so much ... Please praise me more. I''m a child who grows with compliments. "Is it common for such hordes of monsters to attack?" "No, I think that scale is about once in a hundred years or so. Since Volzard is a city in such a place, we have given top priority to the construction of the walls. I thought that if it wasn''t a maximal outbreak of powerful monsters, I would be able to protect it without any problems, but in reality we were in a very close state." I heard at the dinner table the day before yesterday that if we were late to return to Volzard, the goblins would have crossed the wall at the first stage and they would be been forced into a war of attrition. If the walls are fully protected, the effect will be enourmous, but if they get inside, the monsters will not be able to leave unless they are annihilated. It was really big for Volzard that Reinhardt and the others destroyed the goblin corpses below the walls. "If Kent stays in Volzard, you can stay for months or years." "I want to return to the original world as soon as possible, and I can''t really be taken care of by Kokubu forever, so I''m going to look for a job and make myself independent." "Our manpower has increased, and consumption has also increased, because it''s a welcome thing for Volzard, we will support you as much as possible." "Yes, thank you." He shook hands with Klaus-san, but Oda-sensei looks a little surprised. Perhaps he was surprised by the hands of a worker which were unlike those of a Lord like Klaus-san. In any case, I was relieved that the meeting was over. "By the way, what happened with the Resenburg guys, Kent?" "Yes, I''ve confirmed up to the point where they left this morning, and I''ve arranged to avoid having them encounter dangerous monsters along the way." "If so, they will arrive at Volzard by the end of today." "Yes, if nothing unexpected happens, that''s the plan." "Hmm, they wouldn''t think they''re being escorted by the guys they''re looking for." "I never thought I would give instructions to protect the knights of Resenburg." It would be easy to steal Camilla''s letter, but they need to return in order to make them think we''re not in Volzard. The contents of the letter naturally affect our negotiations, so the teachers seem to be interested. "Can you tell us the contents of the letter?" "It shouldn''t have been revealed, but it''s easy for you to peep, so there''s no point in hiding it. Isn''t that right?" After answering Satou-sensei''s question, Klaus-san looked at me and grinned. I could have peeked at it when Camilla was writing the letter, but I can''t just snoop on the letter from the Princess to the Lord. "Are they still asking for our return?" "yes, that''s most likely, but there are no slaves in my city, so I can only answer that there is nothing to return." "But if they notice our existence, wouldn''t they bother us?" "That worry is probably okay, but don''t leave the garrison grounds for the rest of tomorrow." "I understand." After that, I introduced Oda-sensei and Satou-sensei to Donovan-san, and as soon as the knights of Resenburg left, I asked him to register the classmates and teachers I rescued this time at the guild. After parting with the teachers, I hurried back to the knights of Resenburg. The messenger and his party were resting on the banks of a stream. [ I''m back, Reinhardt, how are they doing? ] [ They just arrived here and started to rest. ] Rondal and the others got off their horses and drank water to rest. It seems that they also took out their mobile food, sat down, and will rest here for a while. "We didn''t encounter any large monsters, but weren''t there a lot of goblins?" "I''m not sure because it''s my first time to enter the forest so deeply, but I think there certainly are a lot." The knights of Resenburg talk about what happened along the way. According to Reinhardt, they had one encounter with kobolds and three encounters with goblins during this time. That being said, the selected ones were all from the knights of Resenburg, and it seems that they took care of them with one blow from on horseback and they all became rust on their spears without being touched. It seems that it wasn''t dangerous, but even so, if you repeatedly encounter monsters, you will be mentally tired, and the knights were resting in a relieved manner. Meanwhile, only Gert seems to be walking along the road while thinking about something. Levic, who noticed it, called out. "What''s the matter, Gert, did something happen?" "Ah ... isn''t the road too beautiful?"(TN:He''s talking about it being maintained, so there aren''t huge holes all over, etc.) "What ...?" Hearing Gert''s words, the other five also looked at each other and stood up and went out to the road. "I''ve been worried the whole time. The road was so beautiful since we left Lastock. Why is there such a road where caravans only pass through once in a while?" At that time, the faces of the knights who had been loose due to the rest became tense. They confirmed the road that the other five people had come from, the road that they were going to take, and the road at their feet. "Isn''t this solidified by the magic of earth attributes ..." "But who on earth ..." "Did they prepare it for the escape?" "No, the average labor force couldn''t maintain this distance." Everyone''s eyes were on Rondal, who is leading the corps. "Hmm ... well, there was somebody from a big organization who set the way ... this is definitely ..." Rondal twists his head while talking, but it seems that his thoughts do not come together. [ Reinhardt, isn''t this a little bad? ] [ That man is the knight who noticed the rescue operation, he seems to be a competent person. ] [ Did he realize that we prepared it for the rescue? ] [ There is a possibility, but we can''t do anything about it now. Let''s just keep an eye on the situation for now. ] Then Gert, who was looking for the way, opened his mouth. "Rondal, it''s dangerous to determine the purpose of those who paved the way at this point." "Well, I can''t figure it out because there are many possibilities." "If it was set up for their escape, it would have a very large organization behind it, but if it was simply set up by Volzard for trade, it would be useless to think about it." "Well, they may have used what Volzard did." It was Paul who cut into the story between Gert and Rondal. "It wouldn''t be a problem if this was Volzard''s work, but if it was the work of the organization behind them, wouldn''t it be a shame to be too careful?" "Okay, get ready for departure ..." Levic stops Rondal, who has issued a departure command. "Wait, Rondal, you should rest your horse well." "Well, yeah ... yeah, ok, everyone should check their equipment in the meantime." When he gave the instruction, Rondal pulled out his sword, checked the blade, put it in the scabbard, and then began to check the fasteners on his armor. Speaking of the other knights, they are looking at each other with a bitter smile. [ Kent-sama, apparently this guy named Rondal isn''t used to leading his troops. ] [ Yeah, it looks like he''s restless from my point of view. ] In the end, Rondal sat down again on the grassland beside the road, as Levic convinced him that he also needed a rest. Yeah, this person seems like he''ll be sick by the time he gets to Volzard. The knights of Resenburg had a good rest before they left, but by the time they arrived at Volzard, not only Rondal, but the other five were quite tired. The reason is that the goblins remained dense around Volzard due to the aftermath of the maximal outbreak. "There are enemies on the left front, the number is around six!" "The pack on the right seems to be moving away, no, it''s lurking on the side of the road ahead!" "I, it''s a feint! Levic!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a bullet!" It seems that the wind bullet is a condensed air bullet, and the goblins lurking in front were blown away. "Rondal, a flock of kobolds is coming from the left rear!" "What''s going on, no matter how you think about it, it''s too much ..." "Attract them for a moment, I''ll do it!" Paul left the formation and retreated to the back, pretending to be late and slowing down. The other knights also adjusted their speed so that Paul is not too far away. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" After finishing the chanting of physical strengthening, Paul turned his horse around and plunged into the kobold pack. Paul''s horse-riding spear was unleashed at lightning speed, making the kobolds into a Blood Festival. [ I thought he was just a nasty bastard, but he''s trained to be a knight. ] [ If it''s the normal kobold, it''s not something to be afraid of if you can fully use your physical strengthening. ] [ What if it''s our kobolds? ] [ They''ll dance on the spear. ] [ Ahaha, if they really do it, Paul may faint. But isn''t this too many goblins? ] [ No, Kent-sama, you have to leave this many. After all, it''s after the maximum outbreak. ] [ Yes, that''s right. ] When we passed, it seemed that a dark green tsunami was coming in, so this degree is warm. "I see it! It''s the walls of Volzard!" "O, okay, speed up everyone! As long as we reach Volzard, I don''t care if the horses collapse!" The knights of Resenburg increased the speed of their horses to shake off the goblins and kobolds. When the party passed through the forest, Reinhardt, Zae, and the others sent out their presence from the shadows, and the goblins who chased them turned around in a hurry and ran away. "O, open the gate! Open the gate! We are Resenburg''s messengers here to deliver a letter from Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg! Open the gate promptly!"(TN:Wareware wa uchuujin ... ja nakute ... Wareware wa Riizenburugu ... Sorry, couldn''t help it.) Rondal with a strangely high voice, desperately screamed at the gate. Perhaps since he overused it, the horse on which Paul was riding knelt and fell sideways. "Currently I can''t open the gate, dismount and enter through the entrance." In response to the reply for Volzard''s garrison members, Rondal protested loudly. "What! We are messengers from the Kingdom of Resenburg, and it''s rude to make us enter through the entrance without opening the gate!" "If you don''t like it, stay there forever, this is a measure for the safety of the inhabitangs. I don''t know your face." "Damn ..." Rondal raises his eyes and glares at him, but the garrison member on the gate seems to not even care. Since it was just after the maximum outbreak, I had Zae and the others keep an eye on the monsters during the opening of the gate, but it seems that the garrison''s response was due to Klaus-san''s instructions. "Rondal, it''s not safe here, it''s better to go inside first." "But Levic, to be treated like this ..." "Our role is to deliver Camilla-sama''s letter, so we should just bear with it." "Damn, damn, okay, everyone dismount! Enter the city through the entrance." The entrance is not high enough that you can go through it while riding their horses, so everyone pulled their horse and entered Volzard. "Okay, disarm there and I''ll keep all your weapons here." "What, we''re messengers, how rude!" "If you can''t disarm, you''re asking for trouble. We''ve just survived a maximum outbreak of goblins, and the inhabitants still have a tingling air. If you enter the city in an armed state and something unexpected happens. Won''t you be the one who is in trouble?" "Wh, what was that, a maximum outbreak?" "Yes, going through the Devil''s Forest at this time. From our point of view, it''s just an act of suicide." Rondal and the others, who learned for the first time that the maximum outbreak had occured, looked at each other and whispered quietly. "I haven''t heard of the maximum outbreak, Rondal." "Well, that''s the same with me, but no matter how much it''s after the maximum outbreak, this kind of treatment is ..." "You can protest directly to the Lord about the treatment, and it should serve as handing over the letter anyway." After all, it seems that he adopted Gert''s opinion and gave priority to handing over the letter. Rondal and the others left their exhausted horses and moved on a carriage prepared by the garrison. If the armaments are taken away, the horses are taken and they''re packed in a carriage, they have no choice but to listen. The destination where the knights of Resenburg were guided is Klaus-san''s mansion. Anyway, the carriage will drive to the front door of the mansion, so there is no chance of contact with the general public. The party from Resenburg was guided away to where the delegation was to stay. "Please feel free to use this building. After you have cleaned yourselves up and have a rest, please speak to me. The Lord will meet you." When the guide butler bowed and left, Rondal and the others started talking face-to-face. "Rondal, what are we going to do?" "No matter what, let''s wash up first, it''s better to refresh and switch our mindset." There is a large bathroom in the back, but it seems that the group of Resenburg decided to take turns taking a bath three people at a time in case of an unexpected situation. Rondal and two knights entered first, and Levic, Gert, and Paul remained in the drawing room. Perhaps Rondal dislikes the company of these three. After confirming that Rondal and the others had headed to the bathroom, Levic began to speak in a quiet voice. "What should we do, Rondal is no help." "But right now we can''t change the ambassador." "As Gert says, Levic, you have to be in attendance as an adjutant or demand that everyone be in attendance." "Well, that''s not the only thing ... but what is with the maximum outbreak ..." "Levic, it''s impossible to predict. Now we should think of the best thing we can do right now." "Yeah, it''s just getting information right now. The first thing to do is get some information about the Volzard guys." "The problem is ..." The eyes of the three were directed to the corridor where Rondal had disappeared. Speaking of Rondal, who was being doubted by the three of them, when he came back from the bathroom, without asking the other knights, he lay down on the sofa, and in a blink of an eye he began to snore loudly. In addition to the tension given to him as a messenger, it is natural that they will get tired if they are attacked by monsters many times along the way. The other knights also look quite sleepy, albeit still awake. The three people who got out of the bath came back. "You guys ..." "Wait, Paul, let him sleep for a while, otherwise his head won''t work when we meet Volzard''s Lord." Paul tried to yell, but he seemed to agree with Gert''s words. "Well, let''s let him sleep a little longer, then have some tea and then have a meeting." It seems that the other four agreed with Levic''s words and decided to rest in a comfortable position. [ Is Klaus-san already back at the mansion? ] [ The Lord is already back, Goshujin-sama. ] I was guided by Art to Klaus-san''s study. "Klaus-san, it''s Kent, are you busy?" "Oh, how are they doing?" Klaus-san was looking at the documents on his desk, and when he raised his face, he smiled with a joyful smile. Perhaps it''s preparation for the audience, he has a different aristocratic appearance than usual. I left the shadows and reported what they were doing so far. "It seems that they''re pretty tired because they were repeatedly attacked by goblins and kobolds along the way." "Well, weren''t your genus escorting them?" "Yes, they kept away the large monsters, but without this level of attack, it would be unnatural after a maximum outbreak, so Reinhardt adjusted it." "Kukuku, okay, that''s okay, I''ll give them the final blow. Since Volzard was attacked by a maximum outbreak of goblins and the direction of the winds will soon change ..." Klaus-san has a really nasty smile that looks like he''s having fun. "I see, in such a situation, they can''t be relaxed, and they''ll go back to Lastock." "That''s right. It''s the dry season as a bonus, Lastock is a city with a river between it and the Devil''s Forest, but at this time with low water, the same number of goblins as the previous maximal outbreak rush in. Then, I''m sure they''ll cross the river and stampede." "Is that so ..." Lastock is a city that has nothing to do with me, but when I walked around spreading rumors about Camilla''s bedwetting, I saw ordinary people living normally. If they were to be eaten by goblins ... I know that it is horrible, painful, and hopeless because I have been eaten once. "Kent, are you thinking of protecting the country that put you in such a terrible situation?" "Uh ... but the people in the city are really just ordinary people ..." "Hmm, you''re really a friendly guy. Well, if that''s your way, I like it. Oh, but if Volzard is attacked, give us priority, Son-in-law." Klaus-san grinned again. "Eh ... Son-in-law ..." "Aren''t you staying in Volzard? Rise came to inform me with a big smile. She hasn''t shown such a smile lately ..." "I''m sure I''m going to stay, but I''m still not sure about everyone else''s return ..." "Hmm, I know. As for myself, as long as you stay, I don''t think you have to accept Rise ... Or rather, endure it with just Manon." "Guu ... When you say that, I''d rather get ahold of Rise by any means ... Or rather, it would be hard to let go of her ..." When I tried to speak my feelings and moved the palms of both hands rapidly, a blue streak appeared on Klaus-san''s forehead. "Interesting ... Would you like to guide the messengers from Resenburg to the temporary dormitory of the garrison?" "Ah ... If that happens, I won''t be able to stay in Volzard ..." "Gununu ... you''ve really learned how to talk, haven''t you, Kent ..." "I am grateful that this is also thanks to your guidance and encouragement ... Father-in-law." "Kunuuuu ... After all, I won''t allow it, you bastard can''t have Rise!" When Klaus-san and I were scattering sparks between our eyes, the door of the study was knocked on. "Klaus-sama, the messenger of Resenburg wants an audience." "Okay, I''ll be there right away, so please lead them to the audience chamber." "Understood ..." Klaus-san turned his gaze to me and said. "Even if I tell you not to look, you''ll watch anyway, right?" "Yes, I will study ... Father-in-law." "Kuu ... I don''t know how my wife will move if you get carried away ..." "Uh ... I''ll study, Klaus-san." "Tsk, shameless ... that way of saying it also kind of pisses me off ... Tsk ..." Klaus-san left the study and headed for the audience chamber, clicking his tongue. I will also follow from the shadows. CH 81 Audience with the Lord ***---*** In the audience chamber, a luxuriously decorated chair is placed on the upper level of the stairs of about five steps, which are designed to be a separator from the audience on the lower level. The knights of Resenburg are lined up in the lower level. Rondal is in the front, Levic is behind diagonally to the right, and the remaining four are side by side behind them. "Fortified City Volzard''s Lord, Klaus Volzard, entering!" A soldier standing by the door on the upper right hand side declared, and the knights of Resenburg knelt all at once and lowered their heads. The first to enter the room was two garrison soldiers with swords, who entered and stood diagonally in front of the chair. Then Klaus-san entered the room with a stern look and sat down on the chair. From behind Klaus-san, two more soldiers with swords followed and stood as an escort behind the chair. "You did well to come all this way, raise your heads." It was a heavy voice that I couldn''t imagine from the usual Klaus-san. "I think you may have already heard about it, but Volzard has just overcome the danger of a maximum outbreak. Soldiers and people in the city are feeling different from normal times, and although you may have been treated in a way that you cannot stomach, forgive them because it is an emergency." "Yes!" Huh? Even though they said they would vent their dissatisfaction to the Lord directly, they can''t help but be convinced now that they''re up against Klaus-san himself. "I''ve heard the reason why you came to Volzard at such a time while braving the danger is to deliver a letter ...?" "Yes! I''m Rondal Daleman, a member of the Fourth Chivalric Order of the Knights of Resenburg. This is the letter from Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg. Please accept it." Rondal stepped forwards, climbed the stairs, knelt down at Klaus-san''s feet, and presented him with a letter on a square silver tray. The escort soldier received it, checked the envelope, and handed it to Klaus-san. "Yes, I have definitely received it, the reply ...?" "Yes! I was told to receive it verbally." "Okay, wait for a while ..." Klaus-san opened the seal with a Paper Knife presented by an escort soldier and began reading the letter. Then, Klaus-san, who started reading the letter, immediately wore a suspicious expression on his face. "Hmm ... the content is ridiculous. About 150 people with the qualities to be a ''Maou'' summoned by an evil magician escaped ..." Rondal is sweating cold sweat, and staring at Klaus-san. "In the first place, does summoning magic actually exist? Where did the evil magician learn summoning magic? What are the qualities of a ''Maou''?" "Hmm ... well, summoning magic is a secret of the Resenburg royal family, but there is a suspicion that someone stole it." "Well ... then, does the Resenburg royal family admit that the summoning magic that appears in the legend of the Hero and the ''Maou'' actually exists?" "No, no ... it''s just asking you to answer in that way, and it''s unclear if it really exists." Rondal is sweating and desperately coming up with a reply. It seems like I''m looking at myself of when I was practicing negotiations, and I feel a little pity. "Unknown? You don''t know if the magic itself exists, but why can you say that they were summoned?" "Th, that''s because ... th ... they had black hair and black eyes." "Hmm ... black hair, black eyes, it''s certainly something you don''t see around here, but that doesn''t mean it doesn''t exist in this world?" "Th, that may be ... it may be true ... th, there were traces where they were summoned ..." "Well ... where is that?" "Yes, it''s a wasteland between Lastock and the Devil''s Forest, across the river." "Looking at the traces, who decided that the summoning was done? What made you decide that the summoning was done?" "Th, that''s ... Camilla-sama confirmed the traces ..." "That means, Camilla-dono had a basis to determine that it was due to summoning ... in other words, the Resenburg royal family acknowledged the existence of summoning?" "Th, that''s ... I haven''t asked how Camilla-sama judged it ... so I can''t answer." "Hmm ... well, good ..." "Yes, I''m sorry ... Fuu ..." Perhaps he felt he had completed his task, Rondal exhaled a big breath. Levic and the others who are watching them do not seem to care. "It seems that there is a summoning magic, but what are the qualities of a ''Maou''? This letter says that you want me to kill them as soon as I find them, but are they so dangerous?" Klaus-san''s words surprised me, who was watching over them in the shadows. I thought he would be required to return us, but I never thought they would ask Volzard to kill us. [ What does this mean? Reinhardt. ] [ Well, I have no idea, but she might have predicted that even if she requested the return as a slave, it would be refused, and then she thought she would try to get rid of you before you became a harmful existence. ] [ But do you think Volzard will accept it? ] [ Well, I don''t understand. The reason for the disposition is that you have the qualities of a ''Maou'' ... It''s also puzzling. ] Rondal answers Klaus-san''s question, sweating again. "Th, they have higher magical powers than the average person ... they are savage people who are a little unethical ... that''s right, it seems dangerous to leave them alone." "Isn''t it Resenburg that left them unchecked? Are you telling us to clean up your mess?" "N, no ... that''s not right ..." "When did this happen?" "Huh ...?" "Tell me when they escaped!" "Y, yes! It''s earth day of last week." After hearing Rondal''s reply, Klaus-san made a thoughtful gesture, then nodded vigorously and then opened his mouth. "Judging by that, they aren''t in Volzard. Rather, if they were heading for Volzard, they would be in the belly of the goblins by now." "Ah ... is that because of the maximum outbreak?" "That''s right, if they were heading for Volzard at that time ... they probably wouldn''t have lived. This story isn''t unrelated to you, either. Listen carefully." "Yes!" Klaus-san turned his gaze to the knights behind Rondal before he started talking. "The goblins started to show up around the evening on wind day. It started with just one or two goblins appearing from the forest. However, that was just the front of the horde that reached Volzard, and the forest should have already been flooded with goblins." Klaus-san seems to be manipulating the numbers for his advantage for the first day when the maximum outbreak reached Volzard. "The next morning, the walls were filled with goblins. I couldn''t figure out the exact number, but it wasn''t just tens of thousands, there should have been hundreds of thousands to millions of goblins." "Hey, a million ... how did you subdue that number of goblins?" "Nothing too difficult. You can wipe them out from the top of the wall. Their purpose is only to fill their belly." "In other words, cannibalism ...?" "Yes, that''s right. They''re nasty, they eat whatever they can eat, even if it''s the corpses of their kind. If you aim appropriately from the top of the wall and kill or half-kill them, they will cannibalize and reduce their number." "I see ..." "But it wasn''t an easy battle. The pressure from the Devil''s Forest was so great that the goblins used their fellow corpses as a foothold and rushed to the top of the wall." When Rondal heard Klaus-san''s explanation, he swallowed harshly and seemed to quiver. "There are walls in Volzard, but is Lastock okay? The riection of the winds will change soon. Furthermore, the amount of water in the river may be decreasing due to the dry season?" "W, we are preparing, but when I''m told what actually happened, I wonder if it''s going to be all right ..." "Before the outbreak of goblins, there were a large number of orcs and rock ogres. If you don''t anticipate a large-scale situation, the damage will be great." Rondal was breathtaken at Klaus-san''s words, and Levic and the others were involuntarily looking at each other. "I will have the captain of the garrison tell you more about the maximum outbreak after this. Also, I will have them prepare replacement horses for your return. If you are worried about preparation, it would be good if you let them know as soon as possible and get ready." "Yes! Thank you for your consideration." "Good, Kartz, give the people of Resenburg the details of the maximum outbreak. And choose good horses and get them ready to leave." "Yes, I understand." Klaus-san gave instructions to Kartz-san who was attached to the escort, and left the audience chamber. After seeing that, Kartz-san called out to the knights of Resenburg. "Now, let''s go, I''ll give you a little more information." "Thank you." I asked Basten to watch over the knights who were readying for departure, and I went to see Klaus-san who returned to the study. "Thank you for your hard work, Klaus-san." "Oh, Kent, well, I can''t say I''m exhausted from that degree of an audience, but formal clothes shouldn''t be so tight." Klaus-san took off his jacket with a bitter smile and loosened his tie. "Will the knights of Resenburg return soon?" "Maybe they''ll head back in a hurry tomorrow morning." "Is that because Kartz-san will give them a warning?" "That''s right. In fact, that maximum outbreak was beyond my expectations. If Resenburg''s preparations were those of the traditional scale, they will definitely be broken and take great damage. Of course, it takes time. If ..." "They have to hurry back, right?" Klaus-san nodded confidently and then tightened his expression a little. "Kent, the messengers can almost certainly be gotten rid of, but the contents of this letter are a little worrisome." "May I see it?" I took out the letter from the envelope that was presented to me and read it. The contents of the letter began with Camilla''s greeting, stating that antisocial forces, not slaves, had fled, and the request to Volzard was to kill them as soon as they were found. And what was worrisome was that those who fled, that is, me and my classmates, were supposed to have the qualities of a ''Maou''. "What do you think, Kent?" "Hmm ... to be honest, I''m not sure. Does the ''Maou'' exist in the first place?" "If it''s the ''Maou'' ... Isn''t there one in front of me ..." "Guha ... I don''t mean that ..." "I know. ''Maou'' ... It is said to have existed long ago." "Eh ... did it really exist?" "Ah ... but it''s not the king of demons, it''s like the masterpiece of a criminal organization that manipulates powerful magic."(TN:Refresher, ''Maou'' = Demon King) It seems that there is a fairy tale in this world where a hero summoned from another world subdues the ''Maou'', but this story is based on the historical facts of what actually happened. The boss of a group that devastated the world with powerful magic is the ''Maou''. The ally of justice who subdued the ''Maou'' is the model of the Hero. "It''s a story that doesn''t even tell the exact age, so I don''t know how far it''s true or where it''s a fairy tale, but it''s certain that there was a villainous criminal called the ''Maou''." "Everyone in this world, whether they know the fairy tale of the ''Maou'' is based on historical facts ... Do you know?" "Yeah, although they know, it''s an old story, so the boundaries are pretty vague." It seems that there is a considerable difference in recognition between those who strongly believe they exist, and those who do not believe and think they''re just fairy tales, things like the ''Maou'', Heroes, and summoning techniques. "But for that vague reason, does Camilla really think that Volzard consents to murder?" "The story of the ''Maou'' and the Hero, it is said that the royal family has a book that describes the exact history." "Does that mean what Resenburg says is true?" "Whether it is true or not, it makes me feel that it may be true, and I think it is a request that takes that into consideration." "If it''s the story of the Resenburg royal family, who is said to know the correct history, you might think it might be true ... does that mean you think it might be true?" "I don''t know! But, well, that''s how it is, but if you ask me if I will decide to kill immediately after seeing this, the answer is no." So to speak, is it a diversion by Camilla? "For Camilla Resenburg, it''s obvious that the request to return the slaves will be rejected. But since she doesn''t want those who escaped to join hands with me ... She tries to stress how having the qualities of a ''Maou'' would be distressing." Perhaps Camilla is a bit Chuunibyou ... I thought, but I didn''t say it. "But even in fairy tales, it''s the hero who is summoned, not the ''Maou'', right?" "Oh, that''s true, it would be a problem if the ''Maou'' was summoned." "That''s right ... When it comes to that, it''s becoming more and more ridiculous of a reason ..." "Well, such a thing, can be checked during negotiations with Camilla." He can deal with the messenger of Resenburg, but we have to negotiate with Camilla on our own. "From the contents of this letter, can we think that we, who are free, are in Camilla''s way?" "Well, that''s right. If she thinks it necessary, she''ll ask for your return, but once you''re released from the slave bracelets, she''ll find it difficult to control." "If so, if we say that we won''t harm Resenburg and will just quietly return to our original world, it''s possible that we''ll be repatriated, right?" "Normally that would be so ... but from your story, she''s not a straightforward person, is she?" "Yes, I feel like we should be prepared for her usual behavior." "If so, make sure you have a good enough plan before you start negotiations. You should wait so that you won''t show any weaknesses over there. To break that wall, you shouldn''t miss a small gap. You need to be prepared to keep your claims. If you''re like that messenger of Resenburg today, you will have already dropped the ball." "That''s certainly true ..." Rondal, who was facing Klaus-san, was a little pitiful even from a hostile standpoint. Well, I''m not proud of it, but if I negotiate with Camilla, I''m confident that I''ll expose a worse ugliness than that. "Kent, you can keep that letter. Show it to Shuuji and Ritsuko." "Yes, thank you." I thanked Klaus-san and decided to report to Oda-sensei after seeing the state of the messengers of Resenburg. In the remote drawing room where the knights of Resenburg are staying, Kartz-san was explaining the process of the maximum outbreak while showing sketches and the like. That being said, much of the explanation is a myth. He can''t reveal the existence of myself or my genus to Resenburg. "A high-ranking goblin species, a coordinated movement ... it''s awkward." "In Volzard, they just aimed at places where corpses piled up and the height of the walls was jeopardized. In Lastock, they will probably aim at places where the corpses make the river shallower." Listening to Kartz-san, the complexions of the knights of Resenburg darkened. "Damn, if they can cross the river, Lastock is flat and has no walls. We have to be ready for a siege." "Can we secure preserved foods for all residents?" "Water, food is important, but first it''s water. We''ll need to order and distribute camp paper." "If we don''t return to Lastock as soon as possible and start taking measures, we may not be in time." "Kartz-dono, umm ... horse arrangements ..." Kartz-san nodded confidently to Rondal, who asked with anxiety. "I have already ordered my subordinates to prepare twelve good horses." "No, we have just six people ..." "You can choose six horses from them, or you can bring them as spare horses. It is a heavy burden to run while carrying people as opposed to being riderless. There will definitely be monster attacks, and the horses may be injured. By all means, please head for Lastock while being at ease." "Umm ... how can I thank you for this ..." "We are knights, whether Volzard or Lastock, our job is to protect the people, even though we live in different places. Please protect the inhabitants of Lastock." "I''m indebted! I''ll definitely report your kindness to Camilla-sama and visit again to thank you." "Then, it''s necessary for you to have a meeting to make preparatory arrangements, so I''ll take my leave here. Also, when you leave, it will be the same as when you came. We will drive you to the gate. Horses will be ready for you at the station near the gate." Kartz-san shook hands firmly with each of the knights of Resenburg and left the room. After seeing him off, Gert was the first to open his mouth. "Rondal, let''s leave tomorrow morning. If we don''t hurry, we can''t take measures in time." "I''m going to do that even without being told. Is it permissible if I can''t protect Lastock with the cooperation of Volzard so far?" Everyone nodded strongly at Rondal''s words. "Now, we can''t waste time. Let''s put together a draft of the measures here so that we can take immediate action as soon as we return to Lastock." At the words from Levic, the knights of Resenburg began to put together a plan for the maximal outbreak. [ Basten, can I ask you to keep an eye on them? ] [ Of course, Kent-sama. ] [ Okay, then I''m going to report and consult with Oda-sensei in the garrison''s dormitory. Let me know if anything happens. ] [ I got it. ] The contents of the letter were revealed, and a little bit of Camilla''s speculation was revealed. The challenge for the future is how to utilize this in the negotations. Anyway, let''s head to the temporary dormitory of the garrison. CH 82 Expectations of the Teachers ***---*** After watching the audience between the knights of Resenburg and Klaus-san, I went to the garrison''s dormitory to discuss negotiations with the teachers. I had dinner at the garrison''s cafeteria, but I''m worried that the chairman isn''t doing well. She says she''s okay, but she suddenly has to make a decision, so I can''t take her word for it. It seems that Manon, who is with her in the medical office at the garrison''s clinic, is taking care of various things, but there is also a part that seems to be a burden to the chairman. At times like this, I don''t know what to say, and I feel sorry for my inexperienced self. The gazes on me from the surroundings remain strict. Since the chairman is a girl who was also the spiritual pillar of everyone while they were in Lastock, it is natural that they direct a cold look at me who makes her feel gloomy. However, I was worried that it would be a mental burden on the chairman again, so I wonder if harem is impossible for me. At the meeting after dinner, I met with all the teachers. They all have the desire to return to Japan as soon as possible, and it seems that they also have a strong desire to help me. On the sofa in the drawing room of the dormitory, Oda-sensei and I are sitting facing each other, Satou-sensei is sitting next to Oda-sensei, and Katou-sensei is sitting next to me.(TN:Again, it should have been Katou not Kato. Like with Satou/Sato. My bad.) The other teachers brought in chairs for themselves and are watching from the place of their choice. First, I talked about today''s audience and the knights of Resenburg. When I talked about how the knights raised the prospect of returning to Resenburg tomorrow, Oda-sensei nodded strongly. "Well, if the maximum outbreak of monsters happened and their city was in danger, they would have fallen." "Yes, and in order to get back through the Devil''s Forest, they need to act with the same number of people, so they wouldn''t be able to split up." "Even so, in the letter to the Lord, the qualities of a ''Maou'' ... I feel like I''m being reminded that I''m in a different world ..." Not only Oda-sensei, but also the other teachers have a bitter smile. "Well, there may be some convenience from that, but we can''t play around forever. I asked Kokubu to put together a lot of information, but according to that, we were summoned. The ritual seems to be time consuming and costly to prepare. Of course, the ritual to send us back should be expected to cost the same amount of time and money." When Oda-sensei, the facilitator of the meeting, started talking, the teachers all had a difficult expression. Among them, Katou-sensei, who is sitting next to me, asked me a question. Katou-sensei is a man in his forties who is in charge of Health and Physical Education, and his head has hair in stripes like a bar code.(TN:Due to balding.) "Kokubu, how much time and money does the summoning ritual cost?" "I''m sorry, I''m investigating summoning, but I don''t know the details at all." Fred has thoroughly examined the materials in Camilla''s office at Lastock''s garrison, but no remarkable materials have been found. I even had him read Camilla''s diary, but it''s unclear when she started preparing and how many people were preparing. If Fred was a real human being, he would have been able to listen to rumors in the town of Lastock, but it is impossible to do so in the form of a skeleton. "You don''t know about the summoning ritual, but what about the repatriation ritual ...?" "Yes, at the moment ..." "Can we go back?" Katou-sensei nodded back at Oda-sensei. "We''ve just talked a bit, but Kokubu is looking into it, but there''s no information about a repatriation ritual at this point. I want to just think and prepare to proceed with the negotiations." The other teachers seem to have no objection. "And if it takes time to prepare for the repatriation ritual, we want to get started as soon as possible, and to do so, we need to urgently draw from Resenburg the decision to return us to the original world." "How do we make them take that decision ...?" This time, Oda-sensei nodded at Katou-sensei''s words. "In order to negotiate, we need to go to Lastock. When it comes to negotiating, it will be myself and Satou-sensei, it takes a day just to go, so first we will write our request in a letter, and then I would like to decide the date and time of the negotiation." Oda-sensei, who paused a moment, turned his eyes to me and asked. "Kokubu, if it''s just delivering a letter, can you go right away?" "Yes, that''s okay ..." "If you ask me, it seems that Resenburg will be busy dealing with monsters. Of course, Camilla will have to take command as the person in charge of the measures. We will take advantage of the confusion." Oda-sensei''s idea was like taking hostages to take measures against the upcoming maximal outbreak of Resenburg. If she refuses to negotiate with us, he will threaten to prevent the measures against the maximal outbreak. "Teacher ... but if the measures are delayed, the people in the city ..." "I know, I''m not saying that we will actually interfere, but if you suggest it, can Resenburg refuse to negotiate?" "That''s true ..." "The hordes of monsters we actually saw, if they rushed to Lastock, would cause great damage. And there is no guarantee that the damage will be limited to just Lastock. If so, not only the First Prince group to which Camilla belongs, but also the Second Prince''s group will have to cooperate." "Oh ... well, the eastern side of Resenburg is the sphere of influence of the Seonc Prince, and if there is any damage from the outbreak ... I see ... I understand, I''ll deliver it as soon as the letter is ready. I''ll be back!" "Don''t panic, things have timing. For example, even if we write a letter and deliver it to Camilla, the effect will be small." "Eh ... is that so?" "Obviously, those who will deliver the information about the outbreak are still in Volzard." "Ah ... that''s right." Unless Rondal and the others, who came to Volzard as messengers, return to Lastock and report, the information on the maximum outbreak will not be transmitted to Camilla. Unless she feels the danger of the maximum outbreak, the effect of our request is weak. "Then, when should I deliver the letter?" "That''s right ... they''ll be back in Lastock tomorrow evening, right? Then, the day after tomorrow, it''s better to actually start taking measures and realize the delay." Oda-sensei grinned and smiled a bit wickedly. "Can I have a moment?" Nakagawa-sensei, who is in charge of English, called out with his right hand raised lightly. He is a thin man in his mid-thirties, and his slightly sarcastic words are unpopular with his students. "I feel that the method is quite confusing. Kokubu can use powerful monsters, so if you go against it, he will kill the inhabitants ... isn''t that enough?"(TN:Facepalm ...) Oda-sensei replied after nodding again and again. "Certainly, as Nakagawa-sensei says, both are negotiations that take the residents hostage, so Camilla may respond. However, according to Kokubu''s investigation, the First Prince group to which Camilla belongs seems to be in need of funds." The First Prince''s group is struggling to raise money because their arable land is concentrated in the western part of Resenburg, which is affected by desertification. So, even when the knights said that they should summon again after we escaped, they have come to the conclusino that it is financially difficult. The Seonc Prince''s group, on the other hand, seems to have abundant funds as it is concentrated on the eastern side of Resenburg, where income has increased due to rising grain prices. "In that case, we should say to the Second Prince''s group that if they go against it, we will kill the inhabitants." "Well, but the Second Prince''s group aren''t really in contact with us, and they don''t even know how strong we are. If we threaten them, we''re a threat. We have to show that." "Then, you should actually show it off. Are Kokubu and the others free to move?" "Just a moment please!" It was Chisaki-sensei of the Social Studies Department who raised her hand to stop Nakagawa-sensei''s words. A slender woman in her late thirties or early forties, she gives off a slightly nervous impression. "Isn''t that the same as telling Kokubu to do terrorist acts by using the method that Nakagawa-sensei says? I can''t order a student to do that ..." "No, it''s not the time to be saying such a naive thing. We have to use any means to return to the original world ..." "If you use the method that Oda-sensei says, you don''t have to actually commit terrorist acts, right? If so, we should adopt that method." "Is is actually possible to get through to the Princess by saying such a naive thing? In fact, Kokubu was stabbed during the rescue operation. They don''t think anything of killing us at all." "Even so, we will live in peaceful Japan when we return to the original world, and I don''t agree with the way of using violence to solve things." "That''s naive, so naive, Chisaki-sensei. It doesn''t make sense if you can''t go home." "Umm ... Can I chime in a moment?" It was Satou-sensei who broke into the dispute between Nakagawa-sensei and Chisaki-sensei. "Kokubu''s power is indispensable for negotiations from now on. We can''t go to Lastock without an escort, and the trump card for negotiations is Kokubu''s strength. And that Kokubu ... ... you''re going to stay in this world, right?" I answered Satou-sensei''s question after nodding once. "Yes ... there are so many people in Volzard who need me ..." "Even with the method that Nakagawa-sensei says, if you want to return to the original world, you don''t have to worry about your evaluation in this world. The accompanying evaluation will follow later. I am against the method of degrading Kokubu''s evaluation." When Satou-sensei finished speaking, Oda-sensei called out to Nakagawa-sensei. "Nakagawa-sensei, can we proceed in my way for the time being? If that doesn''t work, we will consider hard-line measures." "Hmm, it can''t be helped, it''s true that we have to rely on Kokubu ..." Having said that, it seems that Nakagawa-sensei is not very convinced. Suddenly a hand was placed on my shoulder and I was surprised when I turned around, to find Katou-sensei staring at me. "Kokubu, do you really not have to go back to Japan? Aren''t your parents worried?" "Um ..." Explaining my family situation, not only Katou-sensei but also the other teachers had complicated expressions. "Well, so it was such a situation ... But Kokubu, there is a bond between parents and children, so if you we can return to Japan and you still feel that you will remain, write a letter. Write in the letter the gratitude you have for being raised and the honest feelings you have in mind. I will definitely deliver it to your parents ..." "Yes, thank you for that time." Well, if I want to stay in this world, I have to tell them why I chose it and the feelings I have had so far. Also, if the chairman chooses me and stays with me, I have to write a letter to the chairman''s parents. But what should I write about? Give me your daughter ... a greeting? Wow ... I''m really embarrassed. "Are you okay? Kokubu ..." "Huh? Uh ... oh, it''s okay, just a little upset ..." Oops ... I entered my own little world and was holding my head. It''s a little bad. Oda-sensei looked a little suspicious, but resumed the meeting. "The basic flow of negotiations is like this, and the next thing we request is, instead of compromising from the beginning, we should start with a strong request." Oda-sensei''s request for Resenburg is actually the same as what I wase talking about with the first five people I rescued. Repatriation of all of us to the original world, apology for mistreatment, and compensation for inconvenience. "The currency Helt seems to be about 10 yen based on the prices I looked around when shopping for daily necessities. What we demand from Resenburg is compensation for the bereaved family of Funayama who died, and to us. The former is 30 million Helts, the latter is 200,000 Helts per person, and the total is 70 million Helts." Since one Helt is calculated as 10 yen, it means 700 million yen. Oda-sensei presented specific numbers, but it seems that the other teachers don''t agree on the point because of the large amount of money. "Teacher, I think it will be a considerable amount of money when it comes to 70 million Helts, but will Camilla pay?" "Kokubu, as I said earlier, this is the starting point. Of course, Resenburg should refuse to pay or ask for a reduction. For me personally, even if there is no inconvenience fee, I don''t mind as long as I can return to Japan, but I would like to withdraw compensation for Funayama''s bereaved family at all costs." The words from Oda-sensei made me feel a strong determination. The other teachers are also tightening their facial expressions, and at the same time they feel guilty about Funayama, who was killed because they couldn''t do anything, and at the same time, they may feel resentment towards Resenburg. "We will use this amount as the starting point to proceed with negotiations while making concessions, but there are some problems that need to be resolved. One of them is how to determine whether the repatriation magic exists." The existence of the repatriation magic is doubtful, but there is a concern that Camilla will deceive us and we will fall into a trap when she repatriates us. Gather us on the magic circle where a large-scale explosion occurs and get rid of us all at ocne ... If it''s someone like Camilla, it may well be done. Of course, we can''t detect magical traps, so it seems that we have to hire someone from this world. "Kokubu, could you introduce someone who is familiar with such things, or ask in the guild?" "Yes, I''ll ask about it tomorrow." Oda-sensei nodded and then continued. "One more thing, compensation and nuisance fees are meaningless to receive in this currency, so I''m planning to have them pay in precious metals that are also valuable in Japan. It''s better to receive them in pure gold, considering common sense. I think, but the question is how to check the truth." Oda-sensei turned his eyes to the teacher who had been like air from the beginning of the meeting. "Furudate-sensei, can you appraise gold?" "Is it me?" Oda-sensei nodded silently. Furudate-sensei is the youngest teacher in his twenties and is a Science teacher who feels a little airy. "Well ... gold is the heaviest metal ... oh, the specific density varies depending on the purity, but if you measure the specific density to some extent ... the rest is a very stable metal, so if you have nitric acid I wonder if I can confirm the authenticity ... Oh, it doesn''t stick to magnets." "Is it possible to check if you are prepared?" "Well, well ... that''s what I''ve heard, but I''ve never done it, and it''s a considerable amount of money, isn''t it? I''m a little unsure ..." It feels a little pitiful, but it''s a lot of pressure to check for 700 million yen worth of money, isn''t it? "That, Oda-sensei ..." "What is it Kokubu, do you have a good idea?" "How about receiving it in this currency and having it exchanged for gold in the Volzard Guild?" "Hmm, that''s right, that''s more reliable and credible." Knowing that he wouldn''t have to act as a gold appraiser, Furudate-sensei took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. "I think that other than that we just have to decide on negotiations at this point ... but, is there anything else?" "Umm teacher ... about the repatriation ceremony ..." I talked with Yagi and the others before, and I was told that if we were to be repatriated to our original location, we could fall from the height of the third floor above the ground to the rubble or to the construction site under construction. "Well ... yes, I didn''t think about that ..." "But we can''t be sure what''s going on at school right now." "Is the repatriation magic something that sends us back by specifying coordinates?" "No, I have no idea even if you ask me ..." Even if Oda-sensei looks around, it seems that the other teachers also have no idea. "Why were we chosen in the first place?" When Oda-sensei asked, everyone wracked their brains and thought about it all at once. "Coordinates ... it''s hard to think of ..." Surprisingly, Furudate-sensei was the first to open his mouth. "Even if you turn the globe and throw darts, it doesn''t always stick to the place where people are. Let alone from another world, it would be impossible to summon the person you want by specifying the coordinates." Certainly, as Furudate-sensei says, the probability is too bad if you pinpoint the selection from the infinite possibilities. You don''t spend a lot of time and money on perparations that will do such an inefficient thing. "If so, does it mean that it has to meet some conditions?" "Maybe that''s more likely. They said they summoned soldiers instead of heroes. Maybe it''s the number, age, or degree of culture." Unlike when he was about to be given the role of a gold appraiser, Furudate-sensei arranged his words in a coherent manner. "Wait a minute ..." "What''s wrong, Chisaki-sensei?" "If we were summoned because we met the conditions, not the coordinates, can they identify the original location to send us back?" Chisaki-sensei''s words may be the words that everyone here couldn''t say even though they thought them. "Then, is Chisaki-sensei saying that there is no repatriation magic?" "I don''t know, Princess Camilla can''t do it unless the summoning magic is a set with the repatriation magic ... I think she said it was something like that ..." Although Chisaki-sensei answered Nakagawa-sensei''s question, she still feels only half-confident. "At that time, I thought she was saying that summoning and repatriation were a set because it would be a problem if an unexpected thing came out, but if they could only send us back immediately after summoning ..." "Does Furudate-sensei also thing there is no repatriation magic?" "No, that''s ..." When asked by Nakagawa-sensei in a strong tone, Furudate-sensei looked down at once, but raised his face with a slightly determined look. "Well, I think it''s more likely that there is no repatriation magic." "You, such an irresponsible thing ..." "So, is Nakagawa-sensei convinced that there is repatriation magic? Is there any basis?" "No, the basis ... I would be in trouble if there was no way to go home in the first place." "Hmm ... how about, if we could withdraw money from Resenburg for a lifetime, it wouldn''t be so troublesome ..." "What are you talking about, what are the students going to do!" "Isn''t it possible to survive if we can withdraw compensation from Resenburg? This world is scientifically behind, but the level of life such as hygiene is not low, and I think it''s interesting to create a new culture ..." "Don''t joke around! I have a wife and children. I have a family I have to go home to!" "But even if you tell me that, I can''t do anything about it." "You ..." "That''s enough!" It seems that both Nakagawa-sensei and Furudate-sensei regained their senses with the powerful voice of Kato-sensei. "Nakagawa-sensei, I also have a family and I can understand your anxiety, but even if we fight, things will not improve. Let''s keep calm. Furudate-sensei, it''s necessary to change, but please have a little more consideration. There must be many students who are worried." "I''m sorry ... I got a bit carried away, because I''m anxious." "I''m sorry ... I was a little lacking in consideration." Katou-sensei looked at him, and Oda-sensei took over. "I don''t know anything about repatriation magic yet, so don''t be pessimistic. If you have nothing else to worry about, I''d like to leave it at this today, is that okay?" None of the teachers disagreed with Oda-sensei''s statement. Katou-sensei and Oda-sensei seem to be calm, but I think they still feel uneasy in their hearts. I''m thinking of staying in this world, and yet, while I think it''s easy in a sense, I wanted to send everyone back to Japan. Oh, by the way, Ayako-sensei wasn''t here, but ... Does she not think she''s a teacher? CH 83 Camilla''s ability to respond ***---*** The next morning, the knights of Resenburg left Volzard in a hurry. Until the midpoint between Lastock and Volzard, they were repeatedly attacked by goblins and kobolds and were forced to struggle and lost four horses, but none of them chased after they broke through the Devil''s Forest. Of course, we were going to watch from the shadows along the way and help if it was really dangerous, but it seemed that their fighting skill and judgment were excellent since they were selected as part of the messenger party. [ Reinhardt, aren''t there too many goblins around Volzard? ] [ That''s right, there is a fear that the grain market will skyrocket if it is left as it is. ] [ Is it possible to think them out to the extent that it doesn''t rob the adventurers of their work? ] [ It''s up to you, aoso, the messengers of Resenburg are back, and everyone is a little bored. Let''s defeat some of the pack and have them cannibalize them, and collect the magic stones when they become higher species. ] [ Yeah, that''s OK, but ... it feels like we''re cultivating goblins. ] [ Buhahaha, that''s certainly true. Let''s grow goblins to make money. ] When Reinhardt gave out instructions, Zae-tachi and Art-tachi were happy to go out.(TN:Tachi = ''The group of, and including, #Name''. I give up, I''ll just use tachi instead of ''#Name and the others'' after this. If it seems weird to you guys, I can maybe change it to ''#Name''s group'' but that sounds awkward.) Yeah, it feels like they''re going to be eradicated. As the sun set, the knights who left the Devil''s Forest galloped their horses towards the drawbridge, slowing down a bit, but not showing any signs of resting. They make their horses drink water before the drawbridge descends, and advance their horses as soon as the drawbridge descends. "Hey Paul, why didn''t you stay at Volzard for a few days?" "Well, somehow, Volzard was hit by a goblin maximum outbreak." "What, is that true?" "We also want to just laze around. But it''s about time the winds change, and the next target is Lastock." "That''s certainly true ... but what should I do?" "You should be sent instructions soon, keep everyone ready to move." While Paul is talking to the knights on the drawbridge, the other knights are galloping their horses towards the garrison. After arriving at the garrison, the party began to act without showing any signs of clearing the dirt off when they got off their horses. Rondal and Levic headed for Camilla''s office. Rondal looked at the guarding knight and knocked on the door without hesitation. "Who is it!" "It''s Rondal, I''m back from Volzard!" Camilla, looking through the papers, stopped and glared at the door when she heard that Rondal was back. "Come in!" "Yes! Excuse me." Camilla''s eyes widened as if she was a little surprised at Rondal, who was dressed in dusty armor and looked angry, but had a strong will in his eyes. "What''s wrong, nobody ..." "No, everyone arrived at Lastock safely." "So what happened, did you get attacked? Did you deliver the letter safely?" "Yes! I definitely hadned the letter to Klaus Volzard." "And what''s the reply?" "Those who escaped have not reached Volzard." "... That was the answer?" "No, I don''t think they would have been able to reach Volzard." "Hmm ... what do you mean?" "Camilla-sama, Volzard was hit by a goblin maximum outbreak." "What did you say!" The always calm Camilla hit the desk and stood up. "How big was it?" "The area around Volzard was filled with goblins, and even the ground was invisible." "Fill the ground ... how many?" "It seems that Volzard doesn''t know the exact number, but he said it was in the hundreds of thousands or possibly more than a million." "One million ..." Even for Camilla, it seemed that she hadn''t expected the number of one million, and she froze for a moment with wide eyes. "Camilla-sama." "What ..." "Before the maximum outbreak of goblins, there were outbreaks of hundreds of rock ogres and orcs." Camilla involuntarily covered her eyes with her right hand and took a deep breath. "Is it possible the information was wrong?" "When we headed to Volzard, goblins and kobolds were moving around at a density we have never experienced before." "Well, you did well to return safely." "Yes, I left Volzard early in the morning, so on the way home we were hit harder and lost four horses." "What, then how did you come back?" "Yes, Volzard prepared us with twelve horses for our return trip. All of them were hand-picked horses, half of them were riderless horses, and the injured horses were abandoned. And we were able to get through." "What ... did Volzard give such consideration?" "Yes, we are knights who protect the people, even though the country is different ..." After opening her eyes, Camilla slowly closed her eyes again, took a second breath, and then opened her eyes. "Do you think we can protect Lastock if it is hit by a maximal outbreak of the same scale?" "No, the amount of water in the river is decreasing due to the dry season, and it seems that it will allow them to cross the river and invade the city." "Immediately start planning measures!" Levic stepped forward at Camilla''s words. "Camilla-sama, here is a draft that we thought of while we were in Volzard. Please consider measures based on this." "You ... well done, that''s why you''re a Knight of Resenburg." Camilla was in a good mood and loosened her mouth, and then she began to read the documents she was handed. However, as she read several of them, deep wrinkles were carved between Camilla''s eyebrows. "Rondal, Levic, do you think we''ll be in time?" "To be honest, we don''t think we can make it in time." "Camilla-sama, I think it would be better if you asked for help from His Majesty the King." "Well, ok, I approve all of this plan. Get started right away with people, materials, money, and get it done in time!" "Yes!" Rondal and Levic rushed out of Camilla''s office, as if they had forgotten their exhaustion of traversing the Devil''s Forest. Camilla who remained, cleaned up the documents she had spread out and began to reconfirm the drafts that Rondal and his colleagues had come up with. After confirming, Camilla wrote on three sheets of paper while holding a pen and matching the numbers. Finally, after checking the numbers again, Camilla then wrote three letters. She attached the paper with the numbers written on them to each letter, put them in three envelopes, and sealed them with wax. They are addressed to Alexis, her father. The First Prince Alphonse, and the Second Prince Bernhardt. Camilla seems to be determined to repel the disaster that will break out in Lastock, even if it requires the help of the Second Prince Bernhardt, with whom she continues to be hostile. "Bacchus, take a swift horse to the royal castle!" "Yes!" Bacchus, who was handed the letters, rushed out of the office. [ Basten, take some kobolds, can you explore the situation of the royal castle? ] [ Understood, I''ll take six of them for contact purposes. ] Basten-tachi immediately chased after Bacchus. Camilla instructed her secretary to deliver the letters and began to scrutinize the contents of the draft. It seems that the items written in the draft are prioritized and written out, and the parts that seem to be excessive or deficient are corrected. Her figure is that of a normal officer who is familiar with the business, and it is far from the normal image of a Princess. [ What do you think? Reinhardt. ] [ Frankly, she is a talented general. She doesn''t hesitate to ask her political opponents for help when she sees a national danger. ] [ That''s right ... I mean, I was just looking at the dark battle between the First and Second Princes, and I forgot that the current King is still alive. ] [ According to Basten''s research, the current King Alexis Resenburg seems to be opportunistic and not very well respected by the public. ] [ Will there be any effect for Camilla to have written a letter? ] [ Kent-sama, he''s the current King, so it''s okay to just ask the Second Prince for help and not report to the King. ] [ Yes, that''s right. ] While I was talking to Reinhardt, Camilla continued to work with tremendous concentration. She assigns the people who will be in charge of the measures that have been prioritized and written out. However, the pen stopped halfway, and the fingertips of her left hand began to hit the desk steadily in an irritated manner. [ Maybe there aren''t enough people. ] [ Well, is that so? You can see it well. ] [ Buhahaha, I wasn''t the Branch Leader for no reason. There may be an intention to avoid conflict with the Second Prince, but the personnel at this garrison are not enough. ] Camilla''s troops at Lastock''s garrison are just under 120, not enough troops for everything. [ It seems that she asked the First Prince for reinforcements, but will they come? ] [ Well, because Camilla is in the First Prince''s faction, right? Speaking of countermeasures for the maximum outbreak, reinforcements will come soon, right? ] [ I wonder if the Second Prince will let them through ... ] [ Because it''s a national crisis. In the event of a maximal outbreak, the first to suffer will be the eastern part of Resenburg, where the Second Prince''s faction is gathering. ] [ That''s right, but will the Second Prince really trust Camilla''s words. ] [ But Camilla is also requesting support from the Second Prince. Won''t he trust her? ] [ How could he? He''s too dazzled by the throne. ] Reinhardt predicts that even if the First Prince''s reinforcements come, it will be after the Second Prince''s forces have entered Lastock and confirmed that measures are actually being taken to counter the maximal outbreak. Camilla seems to have rushed a messenger to the royal capital on a fast horse, so each of them will be informed tomorrow morning. After that, they will have to consider whether to send reinforcements, and Reinhardt predicts that the Second Prince will move the day after tomorrow. [ No, no, isn''t that too late? It''s a maximum outbreak, it''s a national crisis. ] [ Kent-sama hasn''t seen any aristocrats other than Klaus-dono and Camilla, so you might think so, but I think it''s still early. ] If it''s a talented aristocrat, they will respond immediately to the news, but if it''s an ordinary aristocrat, they will start by checking the facts. After confirming that the news is true, they will finally discuss countermeasures and take action. [ Eh ... does it take that much time? ] [ It takes time to confirm the facts and discuss countermeasures, they have to explore the situation of other powers before taking action, so it''s no wonder it takes more time. ] Appearance, face, power struggle ... It seems that the aristocrats cannot move unless they take into account the gaze of others, the power relations inside the faction, and the steps that do not go down. [ But the Second Prince is a sharp and able person, and there is a possibility that support will come soon, right? ] [ The information gathered by Basten makes it seem unlikely. If they''re out of luck in the first place, they''ll be more proactive in taking advantage of the fact that the First Prince''s faction is exhausted by the effects of desertification. ] [ Hmm ... Is it better to wait for a while to request negotiations with us? ] [ Well, if you want to pull out the Second Prince and get funding, it''s better to wait until they have a sense of crisis. ] [ But if a maximum outbreak occurs while we wait for it, and if there is a great deal of damage, there will no longer be a ritual for compensation or repatriation. ] [ That''s right, it''s quite difficult to set up. ] If a maximal outbreak occurs before the countermeasures are completed, it may be necessary to have all my genus play an active role in order to curb the damage to Resenburg. [ Reinhardt, the only way to protect Lastock is to use the river, right? ] [ That''s right. It has a big role as a natural water moat. ] [ In Volzard, the dead goblins gathered under the walls and it was a dangerous situation, but Lastock is in a similar situation, isn''t it? ] [ Well, if the corpses make the river shallow, there is a danger of crossing the river all at once. ] [ Well ... hmm ... ] [ What do you want to do? ] In Volzard, the goblin corpses were dropped into the shadow space and cleaned up, but if I try to do the same thing in the river, a lot of water is likely to flow in. I was able to leave the corpses of the Salamanders and goblins there temporarily, so I feel that the capacity is okay, but if the river water flows into the shadow space, the amount of water downstream will decrease and it will have an adverse effect. [ Is it better to think of another method? ] [ That''s right, in this case, it''s okay if it''s partially scraped. ] [ Partially ... ? ] [ If you cut it partially, the river will wash it away. ] [ Oh, yeah ... the flow of the river? ] [ To put it differently, you should aim at the part that is obstructing the flow and cut it. ] At the walls of Volzard, I was the only one to clean up the corpses no matter how long I waited. However, in the case of Lastock, if the river flows normally, the monsters cannot cross. [ By the way, Kent-sama, I feel that our role was to interfere with the measures against the maximum outbreak when the negotiations with Resenburg broke down ... ] [ Yeall, well, in negotiations it seems like it''s a bargain, but to be honest, I don''t want to get in the way. It''s a lot of damage to the citizens ... ] [ Maybe ... In Kent-sama''s case. However, if you do not make some kind of demonstration, you may not be able to bring it into the negotiations. ] [ That''s right ... During the rescue operation, I focused on avoiding bloodshed and putting them to sleep, so only two people, Gert and Paul, actually experienced the power of Reinhardt-tachi. ] [ Then, will this me and the rest go into their camp and rampage? ] [ Hmm ... isn''t that just what Reinhardt wants to do? ] [ Well, that''s not the case. Yes, it''s just a demonstration. ] Occasionally, my thoughts seem to leak to Reinhardt and the rest, but now I understand that Reinhardt''s feelings can be picked up. [ Hmm ... But ... ] [ Don''t worry, I''ll take care of it. ] [ Well, if there is an injury that seems to be dangerous, I wonder if I should treat it ... ] [ We, well then ... ] [ I''ll handle it if such a situation happens. ] Somehow Reinhardt looks like a large dog waiting for a walk. After issuing the messenger, Camilla seems to concentrate on planning countermeasures, and since there seems to be no movement today, I decided to return to Volzard. [ Then Fred, please monitor Camilla. ] [ Leave it to me ... ] I returned to Volzard and told Oda-sensei what Camilla-tachi were like. Oda-sensei was also surprised at the slow movement of Resenburg. "Is it really that time consuming?" "Since it''s the words of Reinhardt, who was the former knight''s Branch Leader, I think it is unquestionable, but what will happen in reality ..." "I see ... I''m writing a draft of the letter to be sent to Resenburg. I''m planning to finish it in the afternoon with the other teachers tomorrow morning. The timing to send the letter is tomorrow. I want to decide by looking at the state of Lastock. Will you scout for another day?" "Yes, I''m also exploring the situation at the royal capital, so I think I can deliver that information as well." After nodding sharply, Oda-sensei turned his gaze upwards to think a little and then started talking. "After that, there is a part that depends on the other party''s appearance, but when it comes to negotiations, it is necessary to move to Lastock. Is there a good method?" "Well, I wonder if the plan of pulling a small carriage with my genus is the most reliable ... When the date and time are decided, I will try to rent a carriage or talk to the garrison." "I''m sorry, I rely on Kokubu for everything." "No, I think it''s a time for everyone to use what they can." The one-horse carriage in the garrison warehouse would be a reasonable size. By the time the meeting with Oda-sensei was over, it was completely dark. Amanda-san''s shop is about to settle down, so when I left the garrison''s dormitory to go back to my boarding house and have dinner, I was stopped by a boy from another class. "Kokubu, do you have a minute?" "Yeah, it''s okay ..." Because our classes are different, the boy whose name I don''t know is the type who looks like an adult wearing glasses. Prompted to follow him, I went to the pathway between the dormitories, and several boys were waiting. There are no street lights around, only the light leaking from the rooms on the second floor, so it''s probably dim, but I have good night vision and I can see their moody expressions. "Um ... what''s the matter?" "Bastard, aren''t you getting a bit carried away?" "Stop it! You promised to talk calmly." One boy tried to poke in, but another stopped him. There are a total of seven boys, including the boy who first called out to me, but all of them are the non-athletic type. Perhaps he was the coordinator, a tall lanky boy broached the subject as their representative. "Probably, I think you know it a bit, our talk is about Asakawa-san." "Yeah, so ...?" "Frankly, we want Asakawa-san to be free. We don''t want to see Asakawa-san suffering." As if the words of the representative were the spark, the other boys also opened their mouths. "Because of you, yesterday and today, she''s been trying hard the whole time." "I''m grateful for your help, but it is terrible to force such a decision." "I know you want to stay. If you can use that much magic, but Asakawa-san should be free." "It''s not the same as getting married in Japan, you''ll never see your family again." "Asakawa-san may like you too, but to make her choose between her family and you ... it''s terrible." "Isn''t it too greedy to take Asakawa-san when you already have two other cute girls?" "Abandon your family, but there are two other women ... isn''t that too cruel?" As the chairman who supported everyone at Lastock, it is natural that there is such a reaction, and I think that everyone is correct. Sure, in Japan you can meet your family even if you get married, but if she chooses to stay in Volzard, she won''t be able to meet them again. When asked if I currently have the right to force her to make that choice, my heart is shaken. "We are outsiders, so I know we don''t have the right to say this. I know, but I can''t see Asakawa-san like that." "Shouldn''t you withdraw for Asakawa-san?" "You probably like Asakawa-san, so let her be free." "That would be the best choice for Asakawa-san." If they''re swearing at me, I might be repulsed and make fun of them, but if they calmly persuade me, I can''t find words to return. "Uwa, gross!" When everyone looked up at the words that suddenly came down, there was a person looking down from the window on the second floor. "Who is it!" The boys surrounding me don''t seem to be able to see her face because she''s backed by the lights in the room, but the one looking down is Kizawa Sumika. "What, it''s for Asakawa-san? Isn''t it because you want to kick down Kokubu so you can take over his position?" "What did you say, who are you! Are you on Kokubu''s side!" "Uwaaa, what an idiot. I''m hostile to Kokubu myself, just confess your intention is to aim at Asakawa." "D, don''t joke around! We from the bottom of our hearts want for Asakawa-san ..." "Disgusting! It was so disgusting I got goosebumps! For Asakawa-san''s sake ... Gross, your stalker''s constitution is showing." "You ... S, stalker ... don''t screw with me!" The boys who surrounded me screamed, and several people looked down while opening other windows to see what happened. "See, the number of spectators has increased, and if you think you''re in the right, keep going." "What, what, what are you talking about?" "Hey, we can''t see what you''re talking about ..." The classmates who appeared are curious at the words of Kizawa Sumika and are watching over the situation. "D, damnit, I''ll remember this ..." "Uwaa, your small-fry feeling is exposed, or rather, you don''t have the guts to confess your feelings, you trash." The boys who surrounded me broke away. "Thank you, Kizawa-san, I''m saved." "Haa? Don''t be stupid, who would help you, you trash!" "Eeeh ..." "If you drive away the cockroaches that flock to the trash, the trash will still be trash, so don''t get me wrong! You trash!"(TN:Tsundere is saying that trash is better than cockroaches.) "Eeeh ..." Kizawa Sumika just said what she wanted to say, then withdrew her face and closed the window. The classmates who were looking out the other windows also closed their windows one after another, feeling that the commotion was over. I feel a little tired when left alone in the dark. Let''s dive into the shadows and go back to the boarding house. CH 84 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 84 Royal Capital Aldaros ***---*** The biggest difference between Lastock and Volzard is the existence of the river. In the rainy season, the width of the river is about 50 meters, and you need a boat to cross places other than the drawbridge. Lastock does not have a wall like Volzard, as this river acts as a natural moat. For example, even if a group of about 100 monsters tries to cross, you can repel them by lining up the knights along the riverbank and attacking with magic or a bow and arrow. After all, the attacked opponent can''t move very well in the water, so you just aim at it unilaterally. In addition, the flow of the river will wash away the blood, so there is no need to worry about attracting new monsters. Probably because the city was built by relying on the river, the houses lined up are also normal. They''re not as sturdy as Dino''s house on the Libre Plantation, nor are they equipped with shutters like Volzard''s houses. And it seems that they did not prepare evacuation facilities like in Volzard. [ Reinhardt, I feel like there is a big difference with Volzard. ] [ That''s true, probably because they prioritized pioneering, they didn''t even think about preparing for a maximum outbreak. ] [ I see ... but that''s pretty bad, isn''t it? ] [ Well, if a maximum outbreak occurs in the current state and a swarm of monsters crosses the river, I feel that the residents won''t be able to evacuate. ] The day after Rondal-tachi returned to Lastock, the city of Lastock was literally like the inside of a beehive. It feels like all the people in the city, regardless of age or sex, are running around to take measures. However, one thing that surprised me was that even though there were talks about a maximum outbreak ... Lastock might be dangerous ... few people tried to escape from the city. If it were a similar situation in Japan, there would be traffic jams caused by people who put together their household items and tried to escape. [ There may be reasons, but one is that the inhabitants of Lastock are those who migrated from the west side of the desertified Resenburg, and the surrounding area is under the sphere of influence of the Second Prince, and there is no place to escape to. ] For the inhabitants, Lastock is a new world and a bridgehead for the future development of the Devil''s Forest. Losing Lastock also means losing the hope of their comrades, who are suffering from desertification, so they seem to want to protect it at all costs. [ The other is probably Camilla''s desire. ] Camilla goes out to the city in the morning and gives out instructions one after another while checking the actual situation. When asked by the residents, she will answer with a smile without hesitation, and will immediately dispel their anxiety. Because Camilla does not look down at them from above, but looks at things from the same level as the residents, listens to the voices of the residents, and talks about protecting the city together, there are few people who would abandon their prized city and run away. [ Looking at this situation, I think that if you tell me that by interfering with their measures, they will definitely accept the negotiations, but it feels like I''d be a bad guy. ] [ But Kent-sama, the other party is that Camilla. If you don''t exploit her weaknesses, it''s difficult to meet your demands. ] [ That''s right ... ] Even if I know that we need a way to hold the inhabitants hostage in order to gain an advantage in negotiations with Camilla, I don''t feel like it. It was a difficult situation, but while I was watching the people of Lastock who were running around to take measures without losing hope, I was given a suggestion by Reinhardt. [ Kent-sama, why don''t you take a look at the situation in the royal capital? ] [ Well, yeah, if Basten is a landmark, I can easily go to the royal capital. ] [ That''s right. In the future, there is no guarantee that negotiations won''t be held with the King, the First Prince, and the Second Prince. It''s better to visit once. ] [ Well, I know the situation in Lastock, so let''s go once. Fred, is it okay to ask you for this reconnaissance? ] [ OK ... Leave it to me ... ] Lastock''s reconnaissance was handed to Fred while I headed to the royal capital with Reinhardt. If I use Basten, who is scouting in the royal capital, as a landmark, I can easily go the distance that would normally take days by horse-drawn carriage, so shadow movement is extremely convenient. The royal capital, Aldaros, is located slightly east of present-day Resenburg and slightly north of the city, and is a water town where the four-storied water moat also serves as a waterway. Across the first water moat from the huge royal castle is the aristocratic district, across the water moat from there is the public district where schools, government offices, theaters, etc are lined up, across the third moat is the commercial and industrial district, and across the fourth, outside the moat, is the area comprised of farmland where commoners live. There is a tall tower in the royal castle, and the view overlooking from there was a masterpiece. [ Uwaaaaa ... it''s amazing, it''s the royal capital indeed, it''s so wide ... ] [ Buhahaha, it''s originally a place that only the royal family can enter, but thanks to being a member of Kent-sama''s genus, I was able to enter. No, it''s a superb view! ] No matter how tall the tower of the royal castle is, it is less than half the height of the skyscrapers in Tokyo. However, since there are no tall buildings around, you can enjoy a 360-degree view. The outermost moat is approximately where the Yamanote line would be. [ Four to five times as large as Volzard ... No, the town extends outside the moat, so is it about ten times as large? ] [ The royal capital draws water from a lake in the northeast, which is also used as domestic water. ] It seems that there is a magic tool for purification in this world, and domestic wastewater is also purified before being returned, so the water in the moat is clear and fish are swimming. The moat also serves as a canal, and a waterway connecting the moat is also created. Of course, such channels are equipped with locks to block them in an emergency. [ So Basten, how are things in the royal capital? ] [ Yes, the King instructed the Chancellor to dispatch reinforcements, the First Prince instructed his faction to prepare to send reinforcements at any time, and the Second Prince was scouting the other camps, and both camps took measures. I think it''s in the process of being worked out. ] [ Then, at least the reinforcements from the King will be dispatched soon, right? ] [ No Kent-sama, it''s still in flux. ] [ Why, didn''t the King order the dispatch? ] [ Yes, but it seems to be stagnating at the Chancellor''s end. ] [ Well ... is he stopping it? ] [ That''s right ... ] According to Basten, the Chancellor is looking at the situation of the two Princes. In Resenburg, the Chancellor is appointed by the King to take charge of the country''s business. The work of the Chancellor is diverse, and it is said that a talented Chancellor may remain at the post even if the King changes. To put it the other way around, an incompetent Chancellor is a waste of money if the King changes. [ Then, isn''t it all the more necessary to dispatch reinforcements quickly? ] [ If you think about it normally, that''s right, but dispatching may benefit either Prince, and of course it costs money, so if there is no maximum outbreak, it will be a waste of money. The money spent is, so to speak, the property inherited by the next King, so if you waste it ... ] [ Uwaaaa ... so annoying. Why are they thinking such troublesome things? Even while doing this, it wouldn''t be strange if a maximum outbreak is heading for Lastock. ] [ Kent-sama, this is the creature called an aristocrat. ] Camilla is so irritating that I want to make her cry someday, but I feel a little sympathetic to her in this situation. No, not that. If I am sympathizing, it''s with the Lastock residents. [ But if it takes so long to decide one thing, it wouldn''t be strange if the country continually collapsed. ] [ For general events, if they follow the guidelines, there will be no particular problems. ] [ But desertification is progressing ... oh, it''s not a general thing ... ] [ Still, as a countermeasure against desertification, about 15 years ago, it seems that the western residents were relocated to the east side and carried out a large-scale reclamation project, adn the city that was created at that time was Lastock. ] [ For the time being, they have taken measures. ] [ That''s right, but it seems that no action has been taken since then. I think that desertification of the cultivated area on the west side would not have been as problematic as it is now if they had a soil-type mage and a water-type mage working together to take countermeasures. ] [ Does that mean that the decision to take countermeasures has not yet been made? ] [ Probably ... ] Resenburg when Basten was alive, and the current Resenburg, have different territories, and may be strictly different countries. However, if you trace the origin, if the country you lived in is in the current situation, it is no wonder that Basten has a reluctant face. [ Hey, what kind of person is the King? I want to see him for a moment. ] [ Would you like to see him? ] [ Well, can I not see him? ] [ No, it''s not bad ... I understand, I''ll show you. ] Somehow, I was guided crisply by Basten and in no time, went to take a look into the King''s room. [ Hmm ... it''s no wonder Basten is hesitant. ] [ I''m very sorry. ] The current King, Alexis Resenburg, was in the bathroom. He is perhaps in his mid-fifties, he is plump and has a double chin. His complexion was strangely reddish-black and looked unhealthy, and he had young women serving him and was drinking alcohol in the middle of the day. [ This is the King? ] [ Yes, it is. ] [ Isn''t Resenburg no good anymore? ] Both Basten and Reinhardt are holding their heads without words. When I think that Camilla was born from such a man, I feel life is mysterious. [ Well, are the First and Second Princes similar? ] [ No, it''s not so bad. ] [ Up to this point ... I''m stuck, can you guide me? ] [ Understood. ] With Basten''s guidance, I first took a peek at the First Prince. Surprisingly, Alphonse, the First Prince, was thinking about how to deal with the maximum outbreak with the man in charge. After seeing that parent, I felt it was unexpected, but if I think about it, it''s natural. "Torvil, what time is it good to depart? Will Bernst let us through?"(TN:For some reason author changed it to Bernst from Bernhardt from the previous chapter.) "Let''s decide the date and time of departure after checking the movement of Prince Bernst. It doesn''t make sense to be ready if he doesn''t let us pass." "That''s right ... it doesn''t make sense if he doesn''t let us pass ..." The First Prince, Alphonse Resenburg, is as thin as a crane in contrast to his father, the current King, and his skin color looks morbidly white. From a while ago, a man named Torvil, who is a staff member, walks around the room like a bear in a zoo, and is much more calm. "But, but, I think it''s a big deal because Camilla informed me so quickly." "As I can guess from the contents of the letter I saw, there is a part where Camilla-sama is swallowing Volzard''s story. Besides, there is a river between Lastock and the Devil''s Forest. Even if a maximum outbreak occured. By the way, it won''t be easily exceeded." "That''s right, it''s okay because there is a river." "Yes, and the most troublesome thing about crossing the river is Prince Bernst. While Camilla-sama is using the river to stop them, Bernst-sama should cheer them on." "That''s right, Bernst is more troubled than me." "Yes, that''s right." Still, Prince Alphonse continues to walk around the room. This may be normal for him, not because of anxiety. Torvil, the Chief of Staff, stared at Prince Alphonse, but after nodding twice as if he made up his mind, he called out. "Prince." "Wh, what is it, Torvil." "If the Prince makes a decision, take this opportunity to think of Bernst-sama ..." Alphonse stopped, quivered, and turned his gaze to Torvil. "To, To, Torvil, th, think of that person ..." "Unless the desertification in the west stops or Camilla-sama''s development goes well, our inferiority will continue. Once we survive this maximal outbreak, Prince Bernst''s dominance will remain unwavering." "Th, that''s ... You mean I can''t be King?" "I''m not saying that''s true, but I wonder if that possibility will gradually increase ..." "Th, that''s no good. I''m supposed to be the next King, not my brother." "If so, make a decision ..." "D, decision ... saying that so suddenly ..." Alphonse''s indecision seemed to be the usual thing, Torvil didn''t seem disappointed and started talking. "It''s definitely a difficult decision, so why not make a bet?" "Bet? A bet, what in the world am I going to bet?" "Even if you do an operation, it will be difficult to get enough troops unless a maximum outbreak occurs." "That''s right, but it''s impossible because Bernst is cautious ..." "No, if there is a maximal outbreak, even Bernst-sama will not be able to choose the means. Thus, the bet. If a maximum outbreak does not occur, it will be finished as a wait-and-see. Conversely, if a maximum oubreak does occur ..." Torvil casts a decisive gaze at Alphonse. "B, but ..." "You ... Don''t you want to be the King?" "I want to be ... rather, I am the one who will be King." "In that case ..." "I, I understand. If a maximum outbreak occurs ... I will kill Bernst." "That''s more like it First Prince ... no, the future King." "Torvil, I''ll leave the arrangements to you." "I respectfully obey." Torvil grinned with a black smile, while bowing his head reverently Meanwhile, Prince Alphonse began to roam the room again, biting his thumb nails. [ Reinhardt, isn''t this dangerous? If a civil war begins when the maximum outbreak occurs, won''t the country really be destroyed? ] [ Indeed. As it is now, Lastock''s response will not be sufficient. If a maximum outbreak occurs in this state, the tsunami of monsters will extend inland. ] [ Basten, is the Second Prince taking measures to protect the inhabitants? ] [ Not at the moment ... ] Looking at Basten''s expression, it''s obvious that no measures have been taken. Yeah, it''s a skeleton, but I can see the expression perfectly. [ I want to see what the Second Prince is like. ] [ I will guide you. ] The royal castle is divided into several buildings, and it seems that factions are formed in each area. The area where the Second Prince stays gives a rough impression compared to the other places. The Second Prince, Bernst Resenburg, is a fat man who, at first glance, can be understood as the son of the current King. However, although they are not twins, there are two similar men. [ Basten, which is the Second Prince? ] [ Yes, the Second Prince Bernst is the one with reddish hair that is facing us, and the other one with the greenish hair is the Third Prince Christoph. ] [ It''s not strange they''re similar since they''re brothers, but they''re very similar. ] [ Yes, these two are the sons of the Second Queen, Terencia. ] [ That means that the First Prince is the son of the First Queen? ] [ That''s right. There are currently three Queens in the royal family, the First Queen Marguerite, the Second Queen Terencia, and the Third Queen Maylene, also, Camilla is the Third Queen''s daughter. ] [ Then, is it like the First and Third Queens are joining hands against the Second Queen? ] [ It''s not as simple as that. ] According to Basten''s investigation, the First and Third Queens do not always seem to have a good relationship. On the contrary, the First Queen seems to think that they are using it as a cover, and when the Second Prince wins the battle, she thinks that the Fourth Prince would be cut off.(TN:Not a typo, he''s not introduced yet, but there is a Fourth Prince as well.) [ But, Camilla belongs to the First Prince faction, right? ] [ It seems that is it more about preventing the Second Prince from getting out of control, rather than actively supporting him. ] What is unfolding in front of me is a banquet by the Second and Third Princes and their entourage. What is different from with the King is that there is no woman serving them, and the map of Resenburg is spread out on the table, and there is something of a noisy discussion. "So what will you do, brother? Will you send reinforcements?" "We''ll send reinforcements ... or pretend to." "Just pretend to? Then we''re not sending them?" "Yes, listen to me. This is a big trap that the First Prince faction''s Torvil thought about." At once the Second Prince, Bernst, drank the liquor in a breath, wiped his mouth roughly with his cuffs, and began to speak with a grin and a dull laugh. "They have no choice but to send troops through our territory, but they''re in trouble if there is no excuse for doing so, thus they made up the story of a maximal outbreak." "Why lie about the maximal outbreak? Brother." "No, it may be true that Volzard was hit by a maximal outbreak, but there is a river between us and the Devil''s Forest. It''s not really a big deal." "I see ... So they think they can send troops through with the excuse of a maximum outbreak ..." "That''s right, Christoph. In other words, if they inadvertently try to send soldiers through ..." "Damn, hasn''t that weak, overly skinny person realize that he''s not fit to be a King yet?" The liquor splattered as the Third Prince, Christoph, placed down his cup roughly. "Kukuku, so rough Christoph." "But brother, we can''t let that guy''s tricks go unnoticed forever ..." "That''s right, so we''ll make use of their strategy." "Use ...?" "Pretend to cheer on Camilla, while the main force hides near the road they are heading to." "I see, pretend to be caught by their strategy and on the contrary, ambushing them, as expected of brother." Christoph lifts his hips off the sofa and exaggeratedly honors Bernst. "Christoph, it''s going to be a big deal, maybe this time that Alphonse guy will be there too." "What, then brother ..." "Yes, this time I''ll hold my breath. I''ll think about the reason later. The important thing is to make sure to take him down." "But brother, what about dealing with Camilla?" "That''s why, pretend to send reinforcements and have a holding force against them." "Won''t that disperse the soldiers?" "The army that will hit Camilla, is just soldiers for buying time. All we have to do is pretend that there are many soldiers. That woman''s favorite is her brother Diethelm. A fierce battle that loses power for Alphonse, she won''t do it." "As expected of brother, I didn''t think that far ..." "Once we''ve killed Alphonse, all we have to do is crush Diethelm. Of course, that fucking cheeky Camilla will receive a lot of love ..." "Brother, can I join you?" "Naturally, we''ll give her love until she breaks." "Hyahaha, I''m looking forward to what kind of voice that amateur will cry out." I may not be qualified to say it, but these guys are too bad. Camilla has a younger brother whose mother is the same Third Queen, who is hiding under the patronage of the First Prince until Diethelm is empowered, and when the time is right, it seems that she wants to let her brother take over the throne. [ Somehow, it''s messy, but is being a King really such a good thing? ] [ Well, I don''t know, but it''s a good thing because you can live a good life with a body like that, isn''t it? ] [ Hmm ... Is it just me that feels the difference is like between heaven and earth compared to Klaus-san''s household? ] [ No, Kent-sama, it''s really disgusting investigating this royal family. It''s sad and annoying to think that these guys are the descendents of the Resenburg that we once tried to protect ... ] Basten, who speaks eloquently, seems to be terribly indignant. From Reinhardt and Basten, the desire to protect the people comes straight to my heart. Reinhardt doesn''t mention it, but he seems to be disappointed and angry at the appearance of such a royal family. Then I have decided what to do. [ We put Volzard''s safety first, but when the maximal outbreak occurs and Lastock is attacked. I will move to protect Lastock. ] [ Kent-sama, are you sure? ] [ If there is a great deal of damage to Resenburg, the repatriation of my classmates is likely to be adversely affected, and ... Although the country is different, the job of a knight is to protect the people, right? ] [ Kent-sama ... ] Reinhardt and Basten together give me a knight''s salute. Yeah, my genus are really cool. CH 85 Policy change ***---*** After completing the reconnaissance of Lastock and Aldaros, I returned to Volzard and started a meeting with the teachers, but the atmosphere was still heavy. Oda-sensei didn''t seem to think that the King and the Second Prince were such trash. "Is it that bad ..." "Yes, to be honest, I don''t think it will work in our favor even if we bring the King and Bernst to the negotiation table." The same lineup as last time is gathered, but the other teachers are also holding their heads. Even Nakagawa-sensei, who insisted on a strong opinion, closed his mouth in deep thought. "Based on the information Kokubu has researched, even if we try to negotiate with Camilla on our own, I don''t even know if they can hold a repatriation ceremony, let alone pay compensation. Then ..." It was Furudate-sensei who broke the heavy silence in the meeting room. "Would you rather start a revolution?" Everyone''s gaze turned to him at the same time, so Furudate-sensei continued to speak even though he looked a little frightened. "From what I''ve heard so far, Princess Camilla is the only member of the Resenburg royal family who seems to be able to talk straight." "Are you saying that you want to make Camilla the King?" In response to Oda-sensei''s question, Furudate-sensei nodded firmly. "The King, the First Prince, the Second and Third princes are all useless, so we should get rid of them." "Okay, Furudate-kun, that''s a good idea!" Nakagawa-sensei voted in favor of the proposal without any hesitation. "Wait a minute. Get rid of ... Are you going to kill them? Are you going to make Kokubu-kun kill someone?" "That, hey, it would be better if you let his genus do it." Nakagawa-sensei annoyedly tried to interrupt Senzaki-sensei''s protest. "Still, it''s the same as doing it by Kokubu-kun''s hand." "We are the ones who give the instructions to Kokubu, and Kokubu won''t be able to disobey ... we just have to shoulder the responsibility."(TN:Uh ... just say no?) "It''s easy to say that you''ll shoulder the responsibility, but how do you intend to shoulder the responsibility?" "Well, even if the media blames us when we go back to Japan, we''ll take responsibility ..." "I don''t think that Kokubu-kun''s guilt can be erased." "Then, what are you going to do about it? You''ve just been saying no, no, and if you''re going to deny it so much, then come up with a counter-proposal." "That''s ... from now on ..." "Hmph, aren''t you just denying without a counter-proposal?" "Well, we only just started talking ..." "Then when are you going to come up with a counter-proposal? We can''t take it easy. Now, when are you going to come up with it?" "That is ..." "That''s enough!" Katou-sensei cut in between Nakagawa-sensei and Senzaki-sensei who were getting heated up. "Both of you, be a little more calm ... We have only just started talking, so Furudate-sensei''s proposal may not be the only choice." Katou-sensei''s words sounded like they were admonishing, and the two of them sat down and took a deep breath. Katou-sensei gave me a wink, and Oda-sensei restarted the meeting. "Furudate-sensei''s idea of excluding all members of the royal family other than Camilla is frankly very appealing. If we do that, we will have no choice but to cut down on the human powers that are considered unnecessary and let Camilla take the real power." "You say we should reduce their power, but what exactly do we do?" Naturally, Nakagawa-sensei raised a question. "I will have to think about the specific method from now on." "Will things go well with that sort of thing?" "I don''t know, but even if we assassinate the royal family, I don''t know if Camilla will be able to take the real power." "I don''t think so. If only Camilla and her brother were left, there would be no other choice." "Nobles may try to take over the country by making Camilla and her sibling dead." "If you bring up such a possibility, we can''t do anything." "That''s right, but we can''t ignore it at all. We have to think about various possibilities and choose the method with the highest probability. I''m going to make a decision, too." The eyes of the teachers were directed at me, and I involuntarily avoided their gaze and lowered my eyes. Nakagawa-sensei mercilessly asked me questions. "Kokubu, you can throw sleeping pills into someone else''s stomach, right? Is it possible to replace sleeping pills with poison?" "Eh, eh ... that''s possible." "Just a moment please." "What is it, Furudate-sensei, you''re the one who started talking about removing the royal family?" "That''s right, but since evidence may remain in such a thing like poisoning, wouldn''t it be better to do something else that doesn''t leave evidence?" "Is it really necessary to go to such lengths?" "Of course. If the assassination becomes a ruckus, there is no guarantee that someone won''t appear who will complain about the legitimacy of the succession to the throne. ''I tell you, I''m actually the King''s illegitimate child.'' ..." "Then, we should just kill him without being found out ... How about it, Kokubu?" "Eh ... that''s ..." As to whether it''s possible or not, it is possible because it''s possible to cut blood vessels in the medulla oblongata and brain while sleeping, just like when I defeated the Salamanders. It''s possible, but it''s hard to say that it''s easy to do when I''m faced with the idea of killing someone. It''s fine if it''s a joke or an analogy, but it''s even more of a problem if I say I can do it and I''ll be forced to do it regardless of whether I can or not. "Both of you, please wait a moment. Since we''re teachers, we should first consider a way that prevents Kokubu from killing people." "I also agree with Satou-sensei''s opinion." "I think I do too." Senzaki-sensei and Katou-sensei also agreed with Satou-sensei''s words, so the investigation was terminated, but Nakagawa-sensei was openly dissatisfied. "But how do you eliminate them without assassination?" "I have an idea ..." Katou-san raised his hand. "From what I have heard so far, I feel that the Second Prince is the most attached to the throne and is also aggressive. The Second Prince is also harboring the Third Prince, what would happen if those two had a fall-out?" "I feel like the power of the Second Prince''s faction will be greatly reduced." Certainly, as Oda-sensei answered, if the Third Prince defected, it would be a big loss. The Third Prince I saw seemed to love his older brother, but is it even possible to make them have a fall-out? "If the Third Prince leaves the Second Prince''s faction and joins the First Prince''s faction, the situation will change dramatically. The Second Prince may be eliminated as it is, there is also a possibility that the First and Third Princes will be eliminated, but in any case, wouldn''t it be possible to make them disappear on their own without us getting our hands dirty?" After listening to Katou-sensei''s words, Nakagawa-sensei and Furudate-sensei began to ponder. In such a way, Oda-sensei started to talk about his own thoughts. "In Japan, where we lived, information from the other side of the world was delivered instantaneously through the Internet, but in this world, it takes time to transmit information. It is carried by people. Using this difference in information power, isn''t it possible to stir up the inside of Resenburg and drive them to self-destruction?" "But wouldn''t that take too long?" After all, Nakagawa-sensei seems to be dissatisfied. "We won''t know until we try it, but at least I think it''s better than inciting a student to become a murderer." "But ..." "Would you mind letting us try it for the time being? Besides, if we create a situation where both of them become suspicious, I think we can justify the assassination." Certainly, if the Second Prince was killed in the current situation, it would be the work of the First Prince''s faction, but the situation would change if the Third Prince were to fall-out with him. "Um ... Katou-sensei." "What is it, Kokubu?" "You''re talking about makign the Second and Third Princes fall-out, but will the King and the First Prince also get involved?" "Well, in my opinion, I think it''s desirable to have a development where only the Fourth Prince remains." "But wouldn''t the country be in chaos if the King was killed?" "I don''t know, even if one man who is still useless disappears, isn''t it okay?" Certainly, the only people who would be troubled if the King was gone were the followers who sold favors by selling flattery, and I have a feeling that such a person would be looking for someone to transfer to quickly. That being said, I wonder if it''s okay for us to control the fate of a country from behind the scenes. "What''s wrong, Kokubu, are you unenthusiastic?" "When it comes to the people who are at the center of the country, I couldn''t think about it when I was in Japan, so I don''t know how to say it ..." "Well, if you ask me my real feelings about it, I would have no choice but to wrack my brains, but even so, it is necessary for us to return to Japan, so there is no choice but to do it." "What are you going to do about negotiations with Camilla? Are you going to wait until you take control?" "What are we going to do, Oda-sensei?" Katou-sensei turned his attention to Oda-sensei, but he just turned his gaze to the other teachers. "Well, it''s better to take a closer look ..." "No, if there is an internal conflict, wouldn''t it be better to contact them first?" Nakagawa-sensei was the one who began to speak with enthusiasm. "If we communicate our demands and they don''t agree to negotiations, I guess we will interfere with their response to the outbreak." "That''s fine. If you show not only the disadvantages, but also the advantages of cooperating with us, it will be more acceptable to negotiate." Furudate-sensei seems to agree with Nakagawa-sensei''s opinion. This time, Satou-sensei and Senzaki-sensei seem to have no objections, and Katou-sensei nods. "Right. There''s just one problem ..." "What is it, Oda-sensei, do you still have any complaints?" "No, that''s not the case, if we proceed with the negotiations on that condition, it''s not possible for the King''s faction, the First Prince''s faction, or the Second Prince''s faction to know about our existence." "That''s ... that''s certainly true." "If that''s the case, where could the eyes of the Second Prince''s faction look to." Oda-sensei''s gaze turned to me. "Eh ... you mean I''m the negotiator?" Oda-sensei nodded at me, and I burst into a cold sweat. I was relieved to be released from the role of negotiator. "Yeah ... it''s impossible for me to negotiate ..." "Is this fine?" It was Senzaki-sensei who gave me a lifeboat. "Looking at Kokubu-kun, I feel that he is not suitable for negotiations either. So, how about we decide to conduct negotiations through writing and have Kokubu-kun devote himself to the role of a messenger who delivers letters. "I also agree with Senzaki-sensei''s opinion. Also, I think it woudl be better to write a letter to avoid trouble later on, such as saying something or not." Nakagawa-sensei nodded in agreement with Satou-sensei''s words. "Yes. To be honest, I am also worried about Kokubu." "Eh ... that''s right ..." At Oda-sensei''s words, everyone spoke up in unison, and the tense atmosphere suddenly loosened. Well, it can''t be helped because it''s true that I''m unreliable. "Then, let''s think about the letter and finish writing it by tomorrow noon. Kokubu, please deliver it so that the other factions won''t notice." "Understood. Camilla will probably stay in her office until late, and the secretary should have left the room at that time, so I''ll aim for that time and contact her." "Please don''t reveal your faults." "Guu ... I''ll do my best." The meeting was filled with laughter. Anyway, isn''t this bullying, I''m going to compain to the board of education. I finished the meeting with the teachers, so when I came to the entrance of the dormitory to return to the boarding house, I remembered what happened yesterday and stopped walking. The words from teh boys who had feelings for the chairman deeply stuck in my heart, and I felt like I was going to do as they said. When I walk out the door, I suspect that another boy or an angry girl will be waiting for me. To be honest, I''m a little hesitant, and I''m thinking of hiding in the shadows and going home, but this is the result of my decision, so I have to face it head-on. When I took a deep breath and walked out the door, there was an unexpected person waiting for me. "Kento..."(TN:Gonna leave it like this for Yuika from now on.) "Yuika." The chairman, who was leaning against the wall of the dormitory, looked so fleeting that it seemed she could disappear at any moment, and I couldn''t help but hug her. "You''re cold ... did you wait very long? You''re so cold ..." "Because ... I wanted to see you ..." If you say something like that in a slightly damp voice, I won''t be able to take it and won''t want to let go. "Kento ... I, what should I do ... I want to be with Kento. But, I also want to see Papa and Mama ... Kento, it''s painful ..." "I''m sorry ... I''m sorry, Yuika. I want to be with Yuika, too. But I want to live in Volzard, that needs me." "Because Manon is here? Is it because Beatrice is here?" "That''s not all. Amanda-san and Meisa-chan at the boarding house treat me like family, and Klaus-san and Donovan-san rely on me. When I was in Japan, I was a useless person. I''m happy to be useful to people and be relied on by people." "But you have family in Japan, right?" "Yeah ... well, just in case ..." "Kento ...?" I was a little hesitant, but I told the chairman about my family situation. "Oh, I see ..." "Yeah, when Grandma died, I was alone in the house more often than not. Even though my Father and Mother were still alive, I felt like a stranger." "I''m sorry, I didn''t notice at all ..." "No, no, I didn''t say anything, so it''s only natural you didn''t realize." For the chairman who wants to talk a little, I took out a wooden box as a chair and a blanket from the shadow storage. I put the box against the wall of the dormitory where the light leaked through the window from the second floor, and the chairman and I were wrapped in the blanket. "Ehehe ... It''s like when Kento sneaked into my room at Lastock." "At that time, my heart was really pounding." "Because the two of us were alone?" "No, umm ... it''s kind of soft ..." "Kento''s ecchi ..." "Guu ... I''m sorry." While saying ecchi, the chairman holds my left arm and conveys her warmth. "Aren''t you excited now?" "I''m definitely excited. My heart is about to burst." "I''m not." "Eh...?" I felt like cold water was poured on my back by the chairman''s unexpected words. "Because I feel very relieved when I''m with Kento. I feel like my whole body is being healed." "Yuika ..." "I want to stay with you until morning ..." "As expected, with just one blanket you''ll catch a cold." "You idiot Kento ... I want to spend the night with you like Beatrice ..." "Eeeee ... That''s ..." "We will sleep together!" "Pat me, pat me!" "Goshujin-sama, rub my belly!" As soon as we started talking about sleeping together, Mart and the others came out. That''s right, it''s impossible to be alone with these guys around ... The Committee Chairman burst out laughing at Mart and the others who suddenly appeared wagging their tails around. "That''s right, Kobold-chan-tachi were there, so you were able to escape from Beatrice''s honey trap." "Guu ... I''m embarrased." "Goshujin-sama, are you going to sleep with this girl tonight?" "What about Meisa-chan?" "Can you get away with not being hugged tonight?" Huh? The chairman and I should be wrapped in a blanket, but somehow the temperature suddenly dropped ... "Kento, what''s going on?'' "Huh? What do you mean ...?" "Meisa-chan is the daughter of the boarding house, right? Why are you sleeping with her?" Huh? The chairman is about to become a Yaksha ... "No, it''s different, Meisa-chan is different, because Meisa-chan''s target is Mart-tachi." "If Kobold-chan-tachi are her target, then why are you sleeping with her, Kento?" "Because Mart-tachi keep coming back to me, and Meisa-chan wants to sleep with the three of them, so Amanda-san told her to sleep in my room ..." "So are you sleeping with her?" "Yes, I can''t help it because I was asked to. How can I say it ... she''s like a sister who takes care of me?" "I wonder if it''s true ..." "It''s true, it''s true, and I don''t do anything with Meisa-chan." "Goshujin-sama, you were used as a pillow." "Yeah, she was drooling." "Guha ... don''t remind me ..." "Ufufufu ... it looks like it''s true." Somehow, the chairman seemed to trust me, and she withdrew her suspicions. "I want to stay in Kento''s room too." "Hey? Eeeeeeeeeeee..." "That''s right, I have to invite Manon as well." "Yeah ... Manon too, but my room isn''t that big ..." "Speaking of which, did Kento say hello to Manon''s family?" "Huh?" Come to think of it, I haven''t met Manon''s family yet. If I''m not mistaken, her father is dead and her mother is still there, but I''ve never heard of any siblings ... "Haa ... If you''re serious about going out with Manon, shouldn''t you say hello properly?" "Uh ... that''s right, yeah, see, the time ..." "No! You have to go as soon as possible, tomorrow even." "Hmm ... But Resenburg is starting to grow suspicious ..." "Eh, what''s wrong?" "Yeah, actually ..." I told the chairman about Lastock, the state of the royal family in Aldaros, the royal capital, and our countermeasures. "That''s what it''s supposed to be ... Hmm, then it looks like Kento won''t be able to move around for a while." "Yeah, but I hvae to meet Manon''s mother, right?" "That''s right, ''Please give me your daughter.'' ... Ufufufu." "Yuika, are you amusing yourself ..." "Because, if I stay here, you won''t greet my Papa and Mama, right?" "Uh ... I''m thinking of writing a letter." "Letter?" "Yeah, Katou-sensei told me to write a letter to my father and mother if I''m going to stay here, and he''ll take responsibility and deliver them ... so I''m thinking of writing a letter to Yuika''s parents as well." "Kento ... I see, a letter ... I couldn''t think of such a thing ..." After that, after some more trivial conversation and a kiss on my cheek, the chairman went back to her room. I wonder if it was just my imagination that she looked a little broken. CH 86 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 86 Truth ***---*** The monsters that have been generated at a maximum level may come rushing in. The day after Rondal''s group returned from Volzard, the City of Lastock has become like a battlefield. Lastock is a town that was born from a large-scale reclamation project that took place fifteen years ago, and with a large river flowing between it and the Devil''s Forest, ordinary households were not prepared for monsters. If a large-scale outbreak were to occur in this state, it would cause enormous damage. The first thing Camilla started with was setting up a shelter for the people of the city. If they were to reinforce the ordinary homes one by one, there would not be enough time. Therefore, it seems that they decided to reinforce a building that can accommodate a large number of people and use it as a shelter for the people. The barracks where my classmates were housed was originally built to be sturdy, so it was used as an evacuation shelter. In addition, schools, churches, auditoriums, etc. have been selected as evacuation shelters, and not only the garrison members, but also adventurers and townspeople were working together to reinforce them. While proceeding with reinforcement work, food is also being brought in from grain warehouses. Due to the sudden situation and large-scale construction, people are rushing around the site, but it doesn''t look like a big mess. This is because there is a knight who leads the work at each site, checking the progress and giving instructions for the next work to be done. [ Fred, do their instructions follow Camilla''s plan? ] [ That''s right ... She hasn''t slept much since she got the news ... ] Since Rondal''s group returned from Volzard, Camilla has been making plans with almost no sleep or rest, except for short naps, and has been issuing new instructions after receiving progress reports. Camilla acts as the brain, the knights act as the nerves and convey information, and the adventurers and residents act as the limbs. Indeed, the entire city of Lastock seems to function like a single organism. [ I thought Klaus-san was amazing, but I feel like Camilla is even moreso. ] [ Exactly the vessel of a virtuous ruler ... Compared to Camilla, the other royals are rubbish ... ] With this much practical ability, and moreover, she doesn''t lack consideration for knights and residents, so it''s only natural that she''ll be popular. To be honest, if our treatment was justifiable, wouldn''t all of my classmates have voluntarily cooperated with Camilla? I take a look around the city where the reinforcement work is progressing until just before noon, and then return to Volzard. When I went to the garrison''s temporary dormitory, they were doing a final check of the letter that the teachers had written. Our demands are an official apology from the Kingdom of Resenburg, a total compensation of 70 million Helts to the family of the dead Funayama and us who suffered inconvenience, and the return to our original world. If she accepts this request, we will help the Fourth Prince succeed the throne. However, if you refuse the request, we will interfere with Lastock''s countermeasures against the maximum outbreak. I''ve just seen the people of Lastock working hard to take measures, so it''s a bit heartbreaking, but if Camilla accepts the request, I''m willing to cooperate. All the teachers agreed with the contents of the letter, and Oda-sensei closed the envelope. "Then, Kokubu, please deliver this letter to Princess Camilla in such a way that the Second Prince faction, nor the First Prince faction or the King''s faction will not find out, and receive a reply to the letter." "Understood, I think I''ll probably get in touch later tonight, or even tomorrow morning ..." "No, we''ll be waiting here tonight, so please come and report, even if it''s late." "I understand." After receiving the letter, I return to Lastock. I thought about going to the garrison''s cafeteria, but since I was being hit hard by various things, I decided against it. Let''s have lunch at the Lastock garrison, as usual. Earth-attribute mages are the main force of the reinforcement work. They will focus on reinforcing the entrances and windows of the buildings selected as evacuation centers, as well as the walls on the first floor. The buildings in this world seem to be basically built with earth-attribute magic, and the wooden framework is coated with soil, and the soil is hardened using magic. It seems that the more skillful earth-attribute mages can harden a large amount of soil at once, and the stronger the hardened soil will be. [ Reinhardt, to what extent can they increase the strength of that hardening? ] [ In general architecture, a skilled craftsman is about the same as a natural stone, and a fledgeling crafstman is hardened but weak ... ] [ Is it impossible to make something stronger and harder than iron? ] [ Most of the crafstmen who make weapons are also earth-attribute magicians, but when making swords and spears, it seems that they start by carefully selecting the materials. ] [ I see, there is a limit to the use of soil in that area. ] [ Indeed, there are people who specialize in carefully selecting the materials. ] I see, it takes a lot of time to make a single sword ... Huh? What''s going on with the weapons that Reinhardt-tachi are using? I was able to imagine it when I strengthened it, but I don''t even know the material ... yeah, let''s just assume that I lost if I think about it. It seems that the people who have finished the reinforcement work of the shelter will be sent to maintain the riverbank protection this time. Until now, the riverbanks on the Lastock side had only a drawbridge connecting the highway and a dock for fishing boats in the river. They are digging down the riverbank and piling up the dug-down soil to create a riverbank protection. In other words, they are trying to build a rampart in addition to having the river, which is a natural water moat. "For the time being, it should be hardened enough that it won''t crumble." "What''s wrong, we don''t have enough core material, bring more quickly!" After the contruction of the evacuation centers, people began to gather, and I thought that the construction would proceed smoothly, but it seems that there is a shortage of materials. Unlike the reinforcement of the shelter, the construction of the embankment covers a wide area, and the hardening of the earth attribute magic cannot keep up with it, so it seems that the soil is piled up after building the core of wood. In other words, if there is no core material, the soil cannot be piled up, and if the soil cannot be piled up, it cannot be dug-down. "Hey, what happened to the lumber used for the core material?" "It seems that the inventory has run out because it was sent to the construction of the shelters." "Then, is it useless if we don''t start logging?" "I hear another group is out, but it seems they haven''t returned yet." "Damn it ... it''s been going well so far ..." With dusk approaching, some people are starting to stand around and talk on the banks of the river. If this continues, the construction work will be halted completely. When I moved to the garrison office, Camilla was holding her head. I thought she was looking at the paperwork, but she stood up and looked out the window at the training grounds of the garrison. From the window of the office, you can see the training grounds and the gates of the garrison, but it seems that those who have left for the logging that Camilla is looking forward to have not returned yet. When I asked Art to scout, it seems that the people who headed out for logging are on their way to Lastock, and it will take some time for them to arrive. [ Even Camilla can''t do everything according to calculation, right? ] [ That''s right, but the construction of the shelter may have progressed faster than planned. ] [ Ah, I see ... Construction is progressing unexpectedly fast and there is not enough lumber ... Big projects are difficult, aren''t they? ] [ That''s right, even in battle, if the logistics are cut off, you won''t be able to fight. In construction, meals, personnel, they need to pay attention to meals and breaks so personnel can move. ] [ I wonder what Camilla will do after this. ] [ Even in that area, you may be able to see the qualities of those who stand at the top. ] Camilla was staring out the window with her arms crossed, but then she nodded with determination, then opened the window and yelled. "Clemens! Finish today''s work, except for the lumber manager! Work will continue tomorrow, so tell them to get plenty of rest!" "Yes! Understood!" There was still some time until sunset, but Camilla decided to finish today''s work. [ How is it? Reinhardt. ] [ Good decision. Without materials, the work cannot proceed. Continuing to lazily work will only increase fatigue. ] After closing the window, Camilla returned to her desk and resumed checking the process. Surprisingly, even Camilla''s secretary and security guards were dispatched to the scene, leaving Camilla alone in the office. Even the office door is left open for those who come to report. Camilla wrinkles her brows as she compares the schedule with the list of materials. Even if you use horses and ask for reinforcements, in the current situation where support has not arrived from anywhere, it is obvious that the materials will run out. Like timber, if you cut it down, you can get it, but you can''t ready things like nails and hooks right away. "Even if the worst-case shelter is managed somehow, the river wall won''t be in time ..." After that, the knights who had finished supervising the scene came to report one after another, but all they asked was about the deliver of materials. Metal fittings are necessary to connect the pieces of wood together, and the metal fittings can be substituted by hardening them with earth-attribute magicians. It seems to be connected. "Camilla-sama, at this rate, the construction of the river wall will not proceed." "Although there are still metal fittings, there is still an overwhelming lack of lumber." "Is there no choice but to increase the number of people in charge of logging?" "Is there no support from the capital?'' All of the opinions are reasonable, and Camilla is well aware of that. If you increase the number of people for logging, the number of people involved in the construction will decrease, but if you don''t have the materials, the construction won''t proceed. In the end, all Camilla could do was to increase the number of people involved in logging. On the way, she only ate a sandwich that was delivered, but after listening to the report and working out countermeasures, before I knew it, Camilla was left alone in the office. Occasionally, she is holding her left hand to her temple because she is experiencing a mild headache. But let me do my job. I ask Basten to guard the corridor, and have Reinhardt as an escort and Fred will hold down Camilla if she acts violently. Even if Reinhardt follow me out of the world of shadows and I stand in front of her desk, Camilla continues to move her pen forward without noticing. She suddenly stopped her hand and Camilla casually raised her gaze, and our gazes met. "Wh, who are you ..." Fred''s sword was placed in front of the throat that tried to scream, and Camilla stopped moving. "Please be quiet, I don''t want to anything violent ..." To be honest, I was a little nervous in front of Camilla, but I acted like I had some composure. "Is that so ... you were from that time ..." "As expected. Did you remember me ..." "Kuh ... what the hell is that? Did I fail right from the beginning ..." Camilla threw the pen in her right hand onto the desk. Apparently she didn''t intend to act violently, so I let Fred withdraw his sword. "To come straight to the point, we ..." "I understand. If it''s your request, I understand it well ..." Camilla slowly stood up, turned around the desk, faced me, and suddenly threw off her outer garment. "Huh? Hey ...?" While I was frozen at her unexpected action, Camilla knelt on the floor and bowed deeply. "Eeeeh ... hey, what are you doing ..." "Maou, I don''t care what happens, I''ll give you this body ... Please don''t mess with my people ..." "Eh, uh ... what ..." "No way ... I guess, after all, in Lastock ... No, the women in Resenburg will be violated until their bodies are destroyed ..." "Hey, that''s not right!" When Camilla looked up at my words, her eyes were like a dead fish. "I see ... not now, not in such an unpopular place, but in front of the knights ... no, in front of the gathered people, you''re going to expose my defiled appearance ... I''m sure I''ll be thrown to the Maou''s army and get pregnant ... Nkya!" I unintentionally knocked on Camilla''s head. "Listen! No one is asking for that!" "Eh ... but when it comes to the Maou''s request ..." "Noisy, put on your coat and sit down!" I decided to sit on the sofa and wait until Camilla finished putting on her coat. "I, I kept you waiting, so, what can this me do for you ..." "It''s no use trying to look good now." "Kuh ... this is the Maou, so he''s gradually shaving away my spirit like this ..." "Haa ... From before, you''ve been calling me Maou, Maou, but for what reason are you calling me a Maou?" "Of course it''s because you are a summoned person." "Huh? Isn''t it a Hero that gets summoned?" "Fumu, I see, so you only know the story of the hero passed down by the people?" "What do you mean?" "The Maou is the ruins of what once was a summoned person." "Huh?" "The fairy tales passed down among the people are stories made up by the royal family and are not true." Camilla told the truth about the Hero and the Maou that has been handed down in the royal family. A long time ago, there was a kingdom in the southern continent, which is now ruled by monsters. The kingdom, which is connected by a narrow peninsula, had been at war for a long time, and it is said that during the reign of a certain King, Resenburg was in danger of being destroyed. At that time, it was the first Hero summoning. It is said that the summoned Hero manipulated a huge amount of magical power and various attributes to repel the forces of the Southern Kingdom. Up to this point, he did a perfect job as a Hero, but the more his battle results increased, the more he grew, and he began to make various demands. Money, status, fame, and women. It is said that the Hero took every woman he liked as his own. Regardless of whether the woman had a fiancee or was married, he would mercilessly deprive her of her innocence, and use his inhuman physical strength to continue to violate her until her body broke. Not only that, but when the hero used healing magic to treat a broken woman''s body, he inflicted violence on her so her body would break again, and continued to play with her until her spirit collapsed. "The Resenburg royal family decided to banish him and even tried to assassinate him, but the Hero apparently escaped to the southern continent." Camilla told me as if spitting it out. The southern continent was ruled by the banished Hero, and it seems that the banished Hero reigned as the King of the Demons alongside the Demons. And then the Maou began to reach out to Resenburg with the evil hand of revenge, and the impoverished royal family once again summoned a Hero. "However, that summoning only increased the number of Maous to two. ''The royal family that is at a complete loss, cheats ... Hyahaaa!'' It seems that he raised a strange voice and incited the second Maou who was hunting for women, and he attacked the first Maou." Maybe it''s a hatred for kindred, the two Maous fought with all their might, and in the end the first Maou won due to the difference in experience. And the first Maou, who was hiding tattered and exhausted from the battle with the second Maou, was targeted and subjugated by the knights of Resenburg ... During that battle, an abnormal amount of magic stagnated in the southern continent, and as a result, it turned into a continent ruled by monsters. And it seems that the traces of the maximum outbreak of Trents that overflowed from the southern continent became the current Devil''s Forest. Reflecting on that time, the Resenburg royal family banned the art of summoning and suppressed it thoroughly. However, even though they became Maous, it is true that the summoned people possess enormous magical power, and it seems that the ritual of summoning a Hero has been handed down through the royal family as a last resort in an emergency. "I researched the summoning technique independently, added some arrangements, and performed it. In order to disperse the magical power that was originally concentrated under one person, I increased the number of people, lowered the age, and limited the gender. It was you who were summoned as a result." "That''s why you called us people who have the qualities of a Maou?" "Hey, you, why do you even know the contents of the personal letter to Volzard ... but it''s not a mistake, you should try to remember when you were summoned." "Huh? Ah ... Funayama ..." Immediately after being summoned, Funayama lashed out at Camilla and even demanded her hospitality for the night. If Funayama had obtained a cheat ability, he would have become what Camilla calls a Maou. That''s why Camilla used Funayama as an example and thought she didn''t mind him dying. "Even if you specify an age that is easy to handle and summon them, there is a risk that they will become unmanageable once they grow up. The Novice Hero Takayama had high fighting power, so he was given good treatment as well as Celia in order to entrap him, but if he started talking about harems even a little, she was planning to get rid of him ... That was dangerous, Takayama. After cutting off the conversation, Camilla turned her gaze to me, then Reinhardt, and finally Fred, who was ready to restrain her at any time, and let out a sigh. "However, despite all the preparation, I stumbled at the first step." Hmm ... Camilla''s description of the Maou seems to have a different meaning than the ''Maou'' I''m called by Volzard, but it seems like it would be advantageous for negotiating, so let''s stop correcting it. "So, Maou, what are your demands? As I said earlier, I don''t care what happens to my body, but if you interfere with my people ... I will kill you by any means." "Can you do it? The other day, when I rescued my comrades, I was a little careless and was skewered, but I won''t let my guard down like that again." "Kuh ... You were the one Paul said he killed ... even though he said his sword went through your stomach ..." "Even like that, I still feel pain. Would you like to taste the pain of being skewered with a sword?" "I, if the people can be saved with that, I will endure any pain and any humiliation." "Well then, this is our request." As if to show off, I took out the letter from shadow storage and slid it across the table towards Camilla. Camilla grabbed the envelope, swallowed sharply, and opened it. "This is ..." Camilla, who ran her eyes over the letter, let out a small voice of surprise, and then slowly reread the letter twice. "Are you investigating the inner workings of the royal family ... so the desertion wasn''t guided by the Second Prince''s faction ..." "Actually, there was talk of bypassing you and negotiating with the King, but with that King ..." "Are you aware of Alphonse-nii and Bernst-nii?" "Of course ..." "So you want me to take over?'' I silently nodded. Camilla seemed to be frantically spinning her head while pretending to review the text. "Unfortunately, I cannot meet this request." After closing her eyes for a moment, Camilla looked at me with a determined gaze and said clearly. "It''s a pity, you''re also a citizen of Lastock ..." "Wait, wait, if it''s an apology, I''ll do anything, just like I said earlier, if you ask me to be your comfort, I''ll gladly give you this body. Even if it''s impossible, I''ll definitely pay it." "Eh ..." I expected it somewhere in my heart, but the words that came out of Camilla''s mouth contained enough power to freeze me. It doesn''t even look like Camilla, who is desperately insistent, is lying. "D, don''t joke around! You said summoning and repatriation are based as a set ..." "That''s a lie ... a lie I prepared to prevent you guys from rioting, I''m sorry ..." I couldn''t find anything to say as I stood up from the sofa involuntarily. CH 87 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 87 Out of fury ***---*** "There is no repatriation technique. If there was a repatriation technique, the first Hero would have been sent back to his original world when he became a Maou. Even this summon, there would have been no need to prepare the ''Slave Bracelets''. If you go against our will, we can send them back." I try to refuse to understand the meaning of her words, but Camilla''s words flow through my ears and dig into my brain like a drill. "A summoning technique is a technique to find and summon a person that meets the conditions. The summoner has no idea what world that person lived in. If there was a way to send them back, I don''t even know where to send them back to ... I''m sorry." Across the table, Camilla deeply bowed her head. I understood the meaning of Camilla''s story, and that was something I was concerned about during the meeting with the teachers. However, when I was confronted with the truth, I couldn''t even move. "I''m sorry, I''m really sorry. I don''t care what you do with my body. Even so, it was necessary to open up the Devil''s Forest. "Don''t joke with me!" "Gaha ..." With a clenched fist, I threw a punch at Camilla, who was insistent on the actual situation in Resenburg. When I came to this world, I used a wooden sword to hit each other, but this is the first time in my life that I hit a person, let alone a woman, with my fist. "Do you know this? We have nothing to do with your circumstances! Solve that sort of thing yourself! Not enough troops? There''s no shortage of forces with the Second Prince who doesn''t do anything!" "However, Bernst-nii is hostile to Alphonse-nii ..." "I don''t know! What does that have to do with us!" "Th, that kind of thing is ..." "What is it? You don''t want to be branded as a parent murderer or a brother murderer? After all, you just want to look good! If it''s for the sake of the people, you don''t care what happens to us? That''s right. You''re just getting drunk on yourself playing a tragic Hero!" "That''s not true, I''m serious ..." Hearing my scream, the sound of footsteps running down the corridor is approaching. "Fred! Rout them!" [ Roger that ... ] "Wait, wait, my subordinates ..." "Shut up! You treated us like monkeys, and you didn''t even bury Funayama''s corpse, you just fed it to the goblins! Don''t mess with your subordinates? Don''t make me laugh!" "Ugh ..." Once again, I hit Camilla''s left cheek with my fist. As Camilla rolled to the floor, there was a groan and the sound of something collapsing in the corridor. "What are you apologizing for?" "No, stop ... stop ..." I unconsciously took out a knife from the shadow storage and held it in my hand. As it is, I continue walking towards Camilla. "I needed to find out about the repatriation technique, so I kept you alive until now, but it''s no longer necessary ..." "St ... w, wait ..." When I took a step forward, Camilla sits down and moves backwards, probably because her legs gave out. "Let me tell you a good thing. I can use the dark attribute necromancy. I killed the lizardmen and kobolds who are my followers and used necromancy to remake them into my genus. Monsters work well. But what about humans?" "No ... I hate it ... don''t come ..." "What''s wrong ... do you care what happens to your body? I''ll add you to my genus as an undead." "I, I don''t want that ... H, help me ..." "Ah, that''s right, the Second Prince, Bernst, wanted you, so why don''t we use you as a bargaining material? The Third Prince, Christoph, said that he would also give you lots of love." "I don''t want to ... I''d rather die than be made to comfort them ..." "It''s okay. You''re going to die and become my genus, so you won''t die any more, and besides ... it seems that even if you become my genus, you''ll inherit your memories from your former life." "Noooooo ... I hate it, I hate becoming an undead ..." Camilla, who was driven to the edge of the wall, was trembling as she stuck herself to the wall. I grabbed the knife with my other hand and raised it. "Well then ... outrageous Princess ..." "Hiii ..." The knife I swung down was stopped at the nape of her neck, but Camilla collapsed to the floor like a stringless puppet. The reason I stopped the knife was because Reinhardt grabbed my arm, not due to my own intention. "Reinhadrt ... why?" [ I think Kent-sama''s anger is justified. ] "Then why did you stop me?" [ There are times when it is necessary to kill others. However, I would like to ask Kent-sama not to become a person who takes the lives of others by entrusting them to his emotions. ] I thought that Reinhardt stopped me because he was a former Resenburg knight, but it was my future that he was worried about. Reinhardt''s straightforward words made me regain my composure. "Let''s go back to Volzard ..." [ Let''s do that. ] I sheathed the knife and threw it into the shadow storage. It feels like the threads that have been taut in my body have snapped. Camilla is lying unconscious on the floor. Although I have regained my composure, it is not convincing to go home like this. [ Are you coming, Kent-sama? ] "Yeah, wait a minute ..." I took a sleeping pill from the sahdow storage and threw it into Camilla''s stomach, then treated the bruise from where I hit her with healing magic. [ Kent-sama, you don''t need to treat her separately ... ] "It''s fine, it''s fine, it''s annoying to go home like this ..." I borrow a piece of blank paper that was on Camilla''s desk and write on it. [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama. ] [ When she wakes up ... I''m looking forward to it ... ] "Fred, what about the soldiers in the corridor?" [ Just knocked out ... not dead ... ] "Then let''s go home ... Ah, it''s depressing to report to the teachers ..." I tucked the hasty writing into the paperwork and asked Fred to keep an eye on Camilla. [ My genus, continue living as before so that the people around you do not find out. I''ll follow up with you, Maou. ] I haven''t told Camilla that I can use light-attribute magic. Won''t she think that the bruises on her cheek were healed because she was remade as my genus? I can''t wait to see Camilla''s face when she notices the hastily written note. I dived into the world of shadows and moved all at once to the front of the garrison''s temporary dormitory, but I couldn''t make up my mind to open the front door and enter. Everyone wants to go back to Japan. There may be some people like me who want to stay, but they are in the minority. After taking two, three deep breaths in front of the door, I boldly opened the door. After opening the door, there was a sofa for visitors, and the teachers who were waiting there all turned around and looked at me. I instinctively took a half step back at the pressure of that sight. "You''re back, Kokubu." "Yes, I have just returned." "How was it, what was the reply?" "Are they willing to negotiate?" "Rather than that, what about the repatriation technique, what happened?" "When do you think we can go back to Japan?" I fell to my knees because I couldn''t stand the expectations of the teachers. "Th, the repatriation technique ... does not exist ..." When I finally squeezed out the words, it felt like the time in the dormitory had stopped for a moment. The silence that made me feel like I could hear my own heart beat surrounded me, and the next moment it was broken by words that seemed to break the dam. "Don''t joke around!" Nakagawa-sensei came running over and grabbed my shoulder hard enough to hurt and shook me. "You, did you get seduced by that Princess? It''s obvious, but how can we return to Japan!" "Nakagawa-kun, even Kokubu is shocked. Calm down." "Katou-sensei, isn''t this guy going to stay in this world? He doesn''t know how we feel about wanting to return to Japan." "What are you talking about! If he didn''t care about us, he wouldn''t have worked so hard to help us! Are you making a fool of him!" Katou-sensei yelled in my defense, and Nakagawa-sensei came to his senses and released the hand that was holding my shoulder. "I''m sorry, Kokubu, I lost myself in a rage. I''m sorry ..." "No ..." Nakagawa-sensei''s voice seems to contain a deep sense of disappointment, and it feels like my heart is tightening. "Kokubu ... Are you okay?" "I''m sorry, Katou-sensei ..." "Idiot, you shouldn''t be apologizing ... Now, stand up and tell us a little more detailed story." "Yes, I understand." I sat down on the sofa in the same position as in the previous meeting, and talked about the story of the Hero and the Maou that Camilla had told me, about the summoning, and what happened after I was told that there was no repatriation ceremony. When I finished speaking, I was asked by Oda-sensei. "So, you didn''t kill Princess Camilla?" "Yes, I threatened her, but ..." "If I had been there, I would have killed her with my own hands ..." Nakagawa-sensei, who had lost his strength for a while, turned bright red and shook his fist while listening to the story. "However, Nakagawa-sensei, if we cannot return to our original world, we will have to increase the amount of reparations so that we can continue our lives. Originally, Furudate-sensei, who said he didn''t mind staying in this world, seems to have already made up his mind. "Then what can I do with this frustrating feeling!" "Just like Kokubu said, wouldn''t it be better to make her pay with her body when the time comes?" "Furudate-sensei, you''re in front of a student." "Senzaki-sensei, it was Kokubu who brought us this story." "But ..." In the meetings so far, I listened to the teachers and we thought about it together, but now it''s hard for me to listen to them. "Kokubu, go home and rest today ..." "Yes ..." I felt like I was being told something, so I replied automatically. "Kokubu ... Kokubu!" "Eh, y, yes ... what?" "Go home and rest!" "Well, but ..." "Is your head working properly?" "Yes ... no, it''s not working." "Negotiations with Resenburg aren''t over yet. Kokubu still needs to work, so go home and rest for today." I nodded at Oda-sensei''s words adn decided to return to the boarding house. I didn''t know what to do, so I hid in the shadows and returned to my room at the boarding house. "Ah, welcome back, Kent." When I went straight back to my room, Meisa-chan was laying out the boxes and spreading out the bed. Somehow, all of a sudden, I lose my strength. "I''m home ... Meisa-chan." "Muu, did something happen?" "Eh, why?" "You''re not feeling well, I understand! Manon-chan dumped you!" "I wasn''t Du ? mp ? ed!" Is Meisa-chan''s intuition good or bad ... "Eeeh ... then, I understand, Beatrice-san got angry at you for doing naughty things!" "I wasn ... t? She didn''t get angry!" "You did something ecchi ..." "Guu ... that, Beatrice ..." "Kent''s ecchi!" "Fuuun ... it''s fine, I''m a lewd person, so you shouldn''t sleep with me, who is a lewd person. Meisa-chan, hurry to your own room ..." "Wait, wait! Kent isn''t a lewd person. It''s okay ..." "Yes, yes, I''m going to take a bath, so you can go to bed first." "Uuh ... I understand." When I left the room with a change of clothes and a towel, I ran into Amanda-san. "Ah, I''m home." "Welcome back Kent, did you eat dinner properly?" "Oh ... I was too busy ..." "That''s no good, I''ll make something for you, so you can eat it after you get out of the bath." "Yes, thank you." Amanda-san patted my head and went down to the kitchen. I have Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, Manon, Beatrice, Meline-san, Muell-san, Klaus-san, Donovan-san, Marianne-san, Dino-san, Marcel-san ... a lot, I was able to form bonds with a lot of people form Volzard. However, my classmates have just arrived in Volzard, and if they can''t go back to Japan, they have to build new relationships. Even I, who was useless, could do it, so I think most of my classmates can do it, but some people may not be able to do it. I''m fine ... no, don''t think like that. If everyone can''t go back to Japan, I don''t think I can be happy unless I can make everyone else happy. There may have already been rumors about what the teachers talked about, but it''s probably going to be a big fuss. I wonder what Sumika Kizawa''s group, who had no intention of working, will do in the future. After breakfast tomorrow, let''s head over to the garrison''s cafeteria and see how things are going. Ah, I hvae to report it to Klaus-can and Donovan-san, right? When I got out of the bath, a plate with a sandwich and a cup filled with milk were placed on the box in front of me when I entered the room. Meisa-chan is already breathing cutely while dreaming. If I hadn''t lived in this boarding house, I might have been so depressed that I couldn''t recover tonight. I don''t know for sure, but family ties must be like this. [ Reinhardt, do you have time? ] [ What is it, Kent-sama? ] [ Yeah, can you join me in cutting down trees for timber in the Devil''s Forest and stack them in the training grounds of the Lastock garrison? ] [ Are you sure? ] [ Yeah, also, dispatch some of the kobold squad to the royal castle, take out ropes, metal fittings, and other things that can be used from the warehouse, and put them on the training ground. ] [ Hou, are you helping them to that extent? ] Reinhardt''s tone of voice seems surprised, but I''ve decided to put my mind to it. If we can''t go back to Japan, just like Furudate-sensei said, there is no choice but to collect as much compensation as possible from Camilla. For that reason, it would be better if Camilla took control of Resenburg and was free to use the royal property. [ Even if you let it sit in the royal castle, it won''t be of any use, right? I have to use what I can use where I need it. Also, attach a message to the lumber and materials. My genus, use it with care ... ] [ Buhahahaha, that will make Camilla think that she was turned into one of your genus. ] [ If I do that, the next negotiation will be easier. ] [ Understood, I will do as you said, so Kent-sama, please rest. ] [ Yeah, I''m counting on you. ] If we''re going to extract compensation from Resenburg, it''s better not to cause any damage due to the maximum outbreak. Even if Lastock is attacked by a maximum outbreak, I intend to provide as much support as possible on the premise that Volzard will not be harmed. "Goshujin-sama, aren''t you going to sleep?" "Yeah? I''m going to sleep, I''m going to sleep now." After stroking Mart, Mirt, and Mart, I gave up thinking about various things and go to sleep. Meisa-chan is sleeping while rubbing her cheeks against Murt. If this is the case, it seems that tonight I won''t be turned into a pillow. I crawled next to Meisa-chan, being careful not to wake her up. "Good night, Meisa-chan ..." "Hmm ... hm ... Kent ... ecchi ..." "Yes, yes, I understand ..." When I went into the futon and closed my eyes, Meisa-chan rolled over with a ''gurin'', and hugged me in her arms. Haa ... At this rate, I wonder if it''s confirmed that I''ll be a pillow again ... "Kent can''t go home ... stay with me ... no ... mufuuu ..." "Yes, yes, I''m not going home ... Or rather, I can''t go home ..." After stroking the head of Meisa-chan, who smiled a happy smile, I fell into the dream world. CH 88 Camilla''s fallacy ***---*** The next morning, when Fred woke me up, I quickly changed and headed to Lastock. The purpose, of course, is to check Camilla''s reaction. After waking up from her sleep, Camilla sits on her bed and talks to her maid, Rosalie. "Then you really haven''t done any treatment?" "Yes, you were just unconscious, so don''t worry ..." "Really ..." A hand mirror is held in Camilla''s left hand. Perhaps she was checking the swelling on her face. "Um ... Camilla-sama, the hot water is ready." "Uh ... I see ..." When Camilla entered the bathroom, she held her knight uniform that Rosalie had taken off, put down her change of clothes, and left the dressing room. [ Fred, can you bring me the scribbles that you mixed into her papers yesterday? ] [ Understood ... Kent-sama, keep an eye on Camilla ... carefully ... ] Even as she soaked in the bathtub, Camilla was constantly thinking about her left cheek. Thinking about it normally, there''s no way Camilla, who is a Princess, would get hit with a fist. Even so, she must have seen people who were beaten, so she must have doubts since her cheeks aren''t swollen. [ Kent-sama ... I brought it ... ] [ Thank you, Fred. ] I hide the scribble Fred brought under Camilla''s change of clothes. Camilla, who had finished wiping her body, put on her underwear, put on her shirt, and then stopped moving when she picked up her knight''s trousers. She turns around furiously, looking up, down, left, right, inside the dressing room, but unfortunately she can''t find us. Camilla dropped the pants she was holding and grabbed the scribble with trembling hands. "That''s right ..." Turning pale, Camilla sat down on her knees, desperately searching for the pulse in her left wrist with her trembling right hand, and then pressed her left chest with both hands and stopped moving. "I have a heartbeat ... I have blood ... but I haven''t even been treated, but I don''t have any traces of being beaten ... Which one is it, have I been remade?" Sweat trickled down her temples and her slender chin. Camilla stared at the scribbles for a while, but after taking deep breaths to calm herself down, she stood up and began to prepare herself. Having made all the preparations, Camilla once again faced the full-length mirror, took several deep breaths, folded the scribbles into a small piece, and put it in her pocket. "Camilla-sama, I have received a message from Clemens-sama asking you to come to the training ground once you are ready." When Camilla returned from the bathroom and heard the message from Rosalie, who was making tea, her face returned to the expression she had when she was in the office. "Clemens ... did something happen?" Normally, after this, she would have devoted herself to her self-discipline, but after finishing her tea, Camilla headed straight for the training ground. [ Come to think of it, I haven''t seen the results of Reinhardt-tachi yet ... ] [ Perfect ... No problem ... ] The fact that Camilla was called was undoubtedly because of them. "What is this!" Camilla, who arrived in a place overlooking the training ground, stopped and let out a voice of surprise. No, even if it''s not Camilla, you''ll be surprised, there''s a mountain of giant trees. "Camilla-sama!" "Clemens, what is this pile of lumber!" "I don''t know, after one night it became like this ..." "Did no one notice anything?" "I''m sorry. I was strengthening the patrol in the direction of the Devil''s Forest ..." "Yes, that''s right ..." "Camilla-sama, it''s actually not just lumber, but other materials ... here." Guided by Clemens, Camilla headed for a mountain of ropes, metal fittings, and shovels. "What the hell is this ..." "Camilla-sama, there was something else ..." Clemens handed her a piece of paper with scribbled words, [ My genus, use with care. ] Seeing that, Camilla''s body tilted sharply. "Camilla-sama ..." "I, I''m fine ... just a little dizzy ..." "I''m sorry, but the color of your face, are you okay?" "Don''t worry, I''m fine ..." "I hope you don''t push yourself too hard ..." "No, now is not the time to say such things!" "Ha, I''m sorry. So, Camilla-sama, what are you going to do with these?" When Clemens turned around, the other knights had gathered and were waiting for Camilla''s decision. "I don''t know where it came from, but it''s an emergency right now. Check the quantity, check if there are any quality problems, and then send it to the site." "Yes! I''ll start right away! Hey, check the quantity!" Following Camilla''s instructions, Clemens ran to the pile of materials. "Is this the power of the Maou ..." Camilla, who let the words in her heart out, started walking towards the office with heavy steps. [ Yeah, this was pretty effective, wasn''t it? ] [ Excellent effect ... she should fold here ... ] [ Okay, let''s go ahead and finish this up. ] I advance to Camilla''s office with shadow movement and add more hasty writings. [ Someday I will put Resenburg in your hands. If you want to protect the people, make use of the materials we''ve given you, and use your wit to survive the maximum outbreak! ] We tucked it into the paperwork while making it easy to find. I will watch from the shadows to see how she reacts. Camilla entered the office with heavy steps, closed the door that had been left open since yesterday, and leaned her body back in her chair as if she was collapsing. After staring blankly at the ceiling for a while, she shook her head and slapped her cheeks with both hands before heading to her desk. "Wha! This is ..." While trying to organize her messy paperwork, Camilla noticed a scribble. After running her eyes over the text two or three times, she raised her head and looked around and around the office. Having given up looking for our traces, Camilla returned her gaze to the hasty writing and let out a big sigh. "Haa ... that''s fine. I will protect the people of Lastock. Even if this body falls into the hands of the Maou, I will protect the people." Camilla hit the desk with the documents she had compiled, stood up and walked over to the window. "Clemens! You haven''t counted it yet! We don''t have time to play around!" Camilla turned around and seemed to have returned to the confident expression she had until yesterday. [ Huh? Did it fail? ] [ She''s defiant ... the effect is unknown ... ] [ Hmm ... We sold our favor with the materials, so it''s fine. ] After returning to the boarding house and finishing breakfast, I went to the garrison''s temporary dormitory to see how everyone was doing. Last night, Nakagawa-sensei was talking loudly, and just as I was thinking my classmates must have heard, the temporary dormitory was surrounded by a tumultuous atmosphere. "Sensei! Sensei! Is it true that we can''t go home?"(TN:For some reason, I imagine a student thrusting a microphone at a teacher, while cameras are flashing in the background.) "Answer me! Are you sure we can''t go home!" "Hey, are you serious? It''s not fake, is it?" "Nakagawa-sensei was yelling that there was no repatriation technique, so it must be serious." "It''s a lie, isn''t it? Hey, tell me it''s a lie!" My classmates are crowded in front of the room where the teachers gather and discuss, creating a dangerous atmosphere. If I stick my head out in a place like this, I''m sure they''ll cling to me. I entered the room directly so as to not be seen. "Oda-sensei ..." "Oh, Kokubu, huh ... what''s wrong?" "No, not what''s wrong, what are you going to do?" "I was just discussing that, but after lunch I will gather everyone and explain, so you should attend." "Then, will you tell them that there is no repatriation technique?" "I don''t think we''re in a state where I can keep quiet ..." Oda-sensei turned his gaze to the door and mumbled distantly. "I hope it doesn''t cause a big fuss ... but what are you going to do after this?" "Of course, I have no intention of giving up returning to Japan." "I have a feeling that some people will say that they don''t want to work ..." "I''m going to withdraw as much money as possible from Resenburg, but I don''t know how much or when it will be, so I guess I''ll have to get everyone to work." "Ah ... I have to register everyone with the guild ... I completely forgot." I forgot to register the classmates I rescued later because I was so busy with goblin outbreaks, dinner invitations, and messengers from Resenburg. "Can you go and ask them about that?" "Yes, by the way, I''m thinking about reporting to Klaus-san about the fact that there is no repatriation technique ... what do you think?" "Yes ..." After thinking for a moment, Oda-sensei opened his mouth as if he made a decision. "They will find out sooner or later, and it will be a long relationship, so it woudl be better to report it honestly." "Okay, then I''ll go to the guild and then come back." "Ah, I''m counting on you." In the guild, after the hustle and bustle of the morning, the air was a little more laid back. I greeted the staff at the counter and asked to meet with Donovan-san. "Um ... is it okay?" "Yes, Donovan-san told me to let you through." Normally, the counter is a boundary and you can''t go inside, but I''m a little confused as to whether I should be happy or sad about this special treatment. "Good morning, Donovan-san." "Hmm ... what happened?" "Yes, I had the first negotiations with Camilla, so I thought I would report to you and also register my classmates." "I believe it was one hundred and fifty people? That''s fine, I''ll send the staff to the temporary dormitory in the afternoon." "Thank you." "So, how were the negotiations ... I didn''t even need to ask, it seems you aren''t happy." "Uh ... that''s right." "You can''t go home?" I couldn''t speak well to Donovan-san''s question, so I had no choice but to nod. "Volzard is grateful for this story, but for you guys, it''s something serious." "Yes, the dormitory is still in turmoil, and the teachers will gather everyone in the afternoon and give an explanation." "I see ... report this matter to Klaus-san, it will be fine at this time." "I understand." I bowed to Donovan-san, went back outside the counter, went upstairs and koncked on the office door. "Who is it." "Good morning. It''s Kent." "Oh, it''s open." "Excuse me." When I opened the door, Klaus-san stopped his paperwork and looked at me. "Did something happen?" "Yes, we started negotiations with Camilla Resenburg." "It doesn''t look like it''s going very well ..." "Yes, well ... but I think it''s not a bad story for Volzard ..." "Hmm ... You can''t go back to your original world?" "Yes ..." Donovan-san and Klaus-san have good intuition that makes me think they''re espers. Or is everything showing on my face? "Did you tell everyone?" "No, I didn''t tell them directly, but it seems that there were people listening when I reported it to the teachers last night, so I think most of them know. This afternoon, it seems that the teachers will gather everyone and formally speak to them." "Does it look like there will be a dispute?" "Yes, maybe ..." "Okay, that meeting, I''ll be there too." "Eh? Klaus-san is ...?" "Oi, oi, I''m the lord of Volzard, and you''re going to be living here for a while, right? Then it wouldn''t be strange for me to talk about the city." "Ah, yes, that''s right." It was an offer that I didn''t expect, so I was a little taken aback, but if I think about it, it''s not strange at all for the lord of the receiving side to greet you. Anyway, it''s a secret that Klaus-san sometimes forgets that he''s a feudal lord. "I''m sorry, at this busy time ..." "It''s fine. It would be troublesome for them to cause a fuss and increase the trouble, also ..." "Also what?" "My son-in-law looks like he''s in trouble ... no wait, if you can''t go back to your original world, you don''t have to take Rise." "Haa ... it''s true I can''t go back to my original world, but I can move to another city." "Tch ... I didn''t think of something like that ... Tch ..." After that, I told Klaus-san what happened between the Hero and the Maou that I heard from Camilla. "I see ... So they came up with the ridiculous story about the qualities of a Maou?" "Yes, it seems so." "I can''t say anything because I didn''t actually see the summoned people, but rather than having the qualities of a Maou, wasn''t it just a problem with the sudden acquisition of great power and how they were treated by the people around them?" "That may be the case ..." When we were in Japan, Takayama, the Novice Hero, was the head of the normies group, but I don''t think he was as strangely overconfident as he was after coming here. It may be the result of drawing the rare powerful fire attribute magic, and in addition to being blessed with good treatment, he was even given an exclusive woman named Celia. "What''s wrong, Kent?" "I wonder if I''m getting carried away without realizing it. I''m trying to keep three girls to myself ..." "Come on, think for yourself. Otherwise, you''ll be called a real Maou." Rescuing all my classmates, helping to protect Volzard from a catastrophic outbreak, single-handedly defeating Salamanders, punishing the Flamehounds, and being able to do many things, so that many people will thank me. Before I knew it, I was beginning to think that it was only natural to have the three of them all to myself. But when I look back at the reactions of Nazario and my classmates, it''s clear that they think I''m getting carried away. I thought I was the only one who coudl do things like reconnaissance of Resenburg and contact Camila, so I took proactive actions, but do they think that I''m being too intrusive? I suddenly lost confidence in my actions. "Kent ... Kent!" "Y, yes ... Excuse me, what is it?" "Listen Kent, no matter what you do, someone with power will be envied by others. There are those who think that the work you have worked so hard to accomplish is fun and rewarding. Others don''t even want to see the hardships behind the scenes." I feel that Klaus-san''s words are mised with a little bit of bitterness. "How can I avoid making them jealous?" "That''s why I said, no matter what you do, there will be people who are jealous." "Does that mean it''s impossible not to be envied?" "That''s right, it''s impossible not to be envied by anyone and liked by everyone." I heard that Klaus-san became a lord in place of his deceased brother and has shown his shrewdness. In the process, there may have been many things that were resented or envied by others. "People with power will stand out no matter what they do. You too will be called ''Maou'' and ''Monster User'' and you will be famous, and from now on you will be even more noticed by others." "I don''t want to stand out, but ..." "That''s an unreasonable wish. So Kent ... don''t act on selfish desires. Don''t forget to be considerate of others. Don''t be biased towards your relatives and lack fairness." What Klaus-san said seems to be obvious, but when you put it into practice, you will likely face various difficult situations, so can I follow such a teaching? "Can I do well?" "Hey, what a pitiful face ... Kent, I''ll teach you something good. If you''re caught up in indecision and can''t decide, think like this. How can I act to look cool? That''s it." "Eh, looking cool ... is it?" "That''s right, Kent ... be a cool adult." From Klaus-san who grinned at me, I could feel the composure of an adult. CH 89 Feudal Lord''s briefing and pardon ***---*** As expected, the briefing held in the garrison''s auditorium was complicated. Oda-sensei began to explain on behalf of the teachers, but as soon as he said that there was no repatriation technique, the gathered classmates all started making a fuss all at once. "What are you saying, telling me something like we can''t go home!" "I hate it, I want to go home, I want to go home, I want to go home ..." "Don''t joke around, kill them all!" "Or rather, money, if we can''t go home, there''s no choice but to make them pay us money to live and play for the rest of our lives." "No way, I can''t believe that life without internet and smartphones will continue ..." The anxious classmates showed no signs of calming down, even when the teachers tried to make them quiet down. "It''s not like it''s completely decided that we can''t go home yet! We will find a way to return by any means necessary." "What do you mean by any means necessary? Please be more specific." "When is it? When can I go home?" "Impossible, I''ve never used magic before, I can''t find anything like that." "You, are you going to give up. There''s no convenience stores either." There were those who rushed at the teachers, those who started to fight with each other, the girls who were crying, and the boys who stood stunned. It was a time when the auditorium was in an uncontrollable state of chaos. Zudoooooooooooon ... ... Everyone stopped moving as the floor of the auditorium shook. "Oooooh, that''s disgraceful ... Will the situation somehow improve if you yell about it?" Klaus-san, who had been watching the situation in the corner of the auditorium until then, began to speak. Donovan-san must have created the quake just now. There''s a crack in the floor at his feet. "I am Klaus Volzard, the Lord of this Volzard. I''m going to talk a bit, throw out anyone that can''t keep quiet and listen. Not outside the auditorium, outside the city walls. Due to the recent outbreak, the number of monsters is still increasing. If you want to be thrown out into them, I don''t mind if you talk, if you don''t like it, shut your mouth." Before they knew it, the garrison members had surrounded them. Everyone is usually friendly to them, but now they don''t even try to break their stern expressions. The classmates who were making a fuss also shut their mouths in shock. "I heard the story. I sympathize with the situation where you were suddenly brought to a world you don''t know and have no prospect of returning to, but I won''t forgive you if you cause a ruckus in my town." When Klaus-san, who folded his arms, glared at them, most of the people lowered their eyes and fell silent. "The reason I didn''t banish the kids who caused the ruckus last time is because Kent asked me not to because he didn''t want to know where everyone was when you were able to return. But, if you can''t find a way to return, I won''t forgive you. Those who disturb the order of this city, I''ll take away your guild''s registration card and banish you. With no guaranteed identity, if you think you can live without anyone to rely on, try it." The auditorium fell silent as if the hustle and bustle from earlier was a lie. "As for me, I may treat you guys as a nuisance, but I have no intention of treating you like slaves. Volzard, as you know, is said to be the farthest city that overlooks the Devil''s Forest. People are valuable assets here, to maintain and devleop the city, all residents must work together. We experienced the maximum outbreak the other day, you should understand well." As Klaus-san says and practices on a daily basis, in order to repel the threat of monsters and for Volzard to develop, to extend the walls, above all, they need more people. From that point of view, with nowhere to go home to, we are very welcome. "Volzard, we welcome you guys, let''s cooperate as much as possible so that our future life will be established. However, only if you live a proper life. I heard from Kent, it seems that everyone is not old enough to be recognized as an adult in your original world. But, here, when you register in the guild, you are recognized as a full-fledged person. Don''t ask someone else to do everything, think about what you should do yourself." Klaus-san spoke as if confirming each and every word in order to encourage each person to make a decision. "Even so, all of a sudden, from today onwards, you''ll be a full-fledged person, so try living on your own ... No matter what you say, that will be troublesome. The environment is completely different, and it''s just confusing. But, find something you can do other than relying on Kent, I''ve heard that someone else is also taking a step forwards. It is great to be introduced to a culture that Volzard didn''t have." This is probably about Sagara-san, who works at the clothing store. Flavia-san''s ecchi cosplay-like costume I also find to be very welcome. "Regarding the repatriation technique, I will also collect some information for you. However, because the summoning ceremony itself is considered to be an event in a fairy tale, don''t expect it to be easy to find. Put down your roots in Volzard, and look for a way to return while building a foundation for your life. That would be a realistic answer. That''s why, I''ll say it again, what can you do, think carefully about what you should do." When Klaus-san stopped talking and gave a signal, Donovan-san came forward this time. "I''m Donovan, who plays the role of the coordinator in the guild. After this, I will have you all register to the guild and create a card. This is necessary for living in Volzard. Other than those who have already registered, everyone else please register." When the guild staff came out with a table with two ''Evil Eye Crystals'' on it, some people had a bitter expression on their face as they remembered the day they were summoned. "Ah, oops, I forgot one thing." The newly rescued classmates were beginning their guild registrations, and Klaus-san started speaking again. "This time Volzard, we were able to overcome the maximum outbreak with almost no damage. Therefore, I grant amnesty to the kids who caused a ruckus and were made to wear bracelets. However, next time you make a fuss, be prepared to be banished this time. Do you understand, Shuichi!" "Eh, ah, yes, I understand!" Takayama was surprised when his name was suddenly pointed out, but he smiled happily and made a guts pose. "The other guys will also be watched properly ... Then, I''ll remove the bracelets and line them up here." "Thank you!" The old and new duo and Yagi-tachi also made a line to have their bracelets removed while exchanging high fives. Yeah, I feel like Klaus-san is on a different level than the teachers. "Thank you, Klaus-san." "Oh, well, it would be better to start a new life together, but if you do it next time ..." "I know, I''m going to live in Volzard, so I''ll obey the city''s laws." "Do you really understand? If you spoil them too much, they won''t be able to stand on their own." "I''ll keep that in mind." "Also, I will use your money to compensate Marcel." "Eh, that, that''s a bit ..." "What are you dissatisfied with? If you''re dissatisfied, I can put the bracelets on them again." "No ... it''s fine ..." What I thought was cool just now was completely canceled. After all, adults are unfair. I aim to be an adult that can make such an adult eat his words. Well, building the castle walls every day would take a huge amount of money, so let''s give a loan to Takayama. The person who got the most attention when registering for the guild was the chairman. I feel that the light emitted by the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' is even stronger than when we were summoned. With Klaus-san''s advice, the chairman started from D-rank. It seems that the treatment results in the medical office of the garrison have also been taken into consideration. Everyone in the garrison is also staring at the chairman with dazzling eyes, but the chairman is my chairman, so I won''t give her to you. When I was looking at my classmates registering, Takayama, who had finished having his slave bracelet removed, called out to me. "Kokubu, can I have a minute?" "Yeah, what is it?" "Umm, here''s a bit ..." It seems that Takayama, who had been strangely overly self-conscious up until now, was concerned about the gazes of those around him and invited me to a corner of the auditorium. "The negotiations with Resenburg are actually done by Kokubu, right?" "Yeah, actually, Oda-sensei and Satou-sensei were supposed to do it, but I''m doing it for now." "I see ... I have one request ..." I can only think of one thing that Takayama would ask of me, but I''ll wait for him to speak for himself. "Request ...?" "I, um ... I don''t need compensation, so uh ... in exchange, could you please get me Celia?" "Takayama ... Celia-san isn''t an object." "Uwa, I know ... it''s just a manner of speech." "Does that mean you want to live with Celia-san in Volzard?" "That''s right." Nodding strongly, Takayama''s face is serious. After all, I wonder if it worked in a good direction to have him work on the castle wall construction. "I understand. I don''t mind negotiating for you, but before that, there are a few things I''d like you to do." "What do you want me to do? What?" "First, in order to bring Celia-san over, you need a place where she can live." "Where to live ... OK. What else?" "The second is to work and earn enough money for the two of you to live, although it overlaps a bit with the first ... No, the three of you will live together, right?" "Nah ... idiot, it''s just going to be the two of us." When I grinned, Takayama turned bright red and denied it. Even if you say that, I know you did what you had to do ... "Really ...?" "I, right now it''s just the two of us ... Wh, what else?" "Then the last, third, is to apologize to the shoemaker, Marcel-san, and get his forgiveness." "Uh ... I understand, I''ll do something, even if I have to prostrate, I''ll make sure he forgives me." "Well then, let me know if you manage the first two, I''ll go to Marcel-san''s place with you." "Okay, place to live and work, I''ll get it sorted out soon." Takayama''s transformation, which makes him look humble, is rather worrying, but there''s no need to doubt his motivation. But there are some things I have to say. "Takayama, I will negotiate, but I can''t guarantee that things will go well." "Is something wrong?" "Celia-san is a child that the King of Resenburg had a woman of low status give birth to ..." On the surface, the three Queens of Resenburg appear to be on good terms, but behind the scenes, they seem to be fighting over the succession of the throne. The only thing the three of them are cooperating about is not letting the current King''s lovers have children, and they are willing to assassinate them. The cause of this situation is said to be Celia-san, whose mother is imprisoned under the First Queen. "Celia-san was against Takayama''s participation in the actual battle, and from what I saw, it didn''t seem like it was just ordered by Camilla, but in a situation where her mother is being held hostage, she may not easily be able to make the decision to come to Volzard." "I, is that what happened ..." It seems that Takayama believed that Celia-san fell in love with his qualities as a Hero, and didn''t think that her mother was being held hostage and forced into a relationship with him. "Having her mother released with her ..." "In that case, Camilla won''t be able to make a decision on her own, and I don''t think she''ll be able to come up with an answer any time soon ... Besides, there will be one more person that Takayama has to feed ..." "I, I''ll do something about that. So please lend me a hand so that Celia can be free!" Oh, that Takayama bowed to me. "Understood, I also want to do something about the situation that Celia-san is in, so I will try to do everything I can. However, the situation is complicated, so I can''t say it right away." "Understood, I''m indebted." While talking with Takayama, it seems that the registration of my classmates is over. There are those who have brand new guild cards in their hands and talk happily about the future, while there are those who stare anxiously at the cards. There''s a group of people who are playing sword-fighting together, and it looks like it might be bad if I don''t give them a warning. While the boys are scattered about, the girls gather in a corner of the auditorium and seem to be talking with a few other people. At the center of the circle are the dekoboko sisters, Sagara-san, Motomiya-san and other people who were rescued previously, and for some reason Manon is mixed in. Yeah, it''s really cute to see her talk so hard even though she''s a little flustered. The girls seem to be able to get along well with Manon and the people who came first, but when I think about it, the boys, the old and new duo, Yagi, and the people who were rescued first, were all forced laborers in the construction of the castle walls. They have no other job. Huh, isn''t this a bit bad? It would be a problem if they attacked the dungeon on their own and didn''t come back. Let''s talk to Donovan-san, who is cleaning up after the registration. "Donovan-san, do you have a minute?" "Hmm, what''s wrong?" "Um, about my classmates, I think the girls are okay because Manon takes care of them, but I''m a little worried about the boys ..." "Klaus-san warned them that much, and also, the teachers were nearby, but even so, I''ll show no mercy if they cause a ruckus." "Yes, that''s true, but I wonder if the misunderstood people will dive into the dungeon or something like that ..." "Fumu, well, it''s okay, the maximum outbreak has just ended, and people below the D-rank can''t go out of the city without escorts above C-rank." "Ah ... so no one can leave the city without an escort ... in other words, they can''t go to the dungeon, right?" "Yes, this restriction will continue for a while, so be thorough in the meantime." "Yes, I understand." I''ve never been to a dungeon, but I''ve been out of Volzard city for about half a day. It seems to be in place. "Near the entrance of the dungeon, the adventurers had built something like a settlement, but I wonder what happened with the outbreak ... Of course, there should be remnants of goblins inside the dungeon, and they are exremely skilled. If not, I''ll be closer for the time being." "I see ... But isn''t that a problem? I heard that various ores can be mined from the dungeon." "Well, the people who do that kind of business buy when the price of raw materials drops, so it won''t have an immediate effect, but if it continues for a long time, the ffect will be inevitable." Donovan-san crossed his arms and thought for a moment before returning his gaze to me. "Perhaps a nomination request may come from Dellitz." "Eh ... But the Orlando Store employs the Flamehounds." "If they can handle it ... it''s not easy to push back the power of numbers." "I see ... but then wouldn''t the gaurds be dispatched?" "If it lasts longer, we may move to suppress the entrance of the dungeon. However, the inside of the dungeon is out of our jurisdiction." The dungeon is located in an area ruled by Klaus-san, the Lord of Volzard, but it seems that the law does not apply to the inside of the dungeon. Then, if you ask if it''s a lawless area, it''s not like that, but there seems to be a tacit understanding between adventurers. For example, even if a murder occurs inside a dungeon, there is danger in going to investigate it. Even if there are no witnesses, the corpse will be come food for monsters, leaving no evidence. Even if there were eyewitnesses, it would be difficult to find grounds for punishing them because they would just argue over what they did or didn''t do. However, of course, the criticism from fellow adventurers will strengthen into rumors about the person, if there are no companions to form a party with, it will be difficult to work in the dungeon. It seems that the things inside the dungeon are left to be cleaned up by other adventurers. "Are they requesting you to nominate me to subjugate monsters?" "No, if it were to come, it would probably be as escorts for a party that specializes in ore gathering." "Even if it''s an escort, even the group of the Flamehounds ..." "What are you talking about, you must have had a lot of experience with escorts that were far more difficult." "Uh ... that''s right." During the rescue operation, we were attacked by a swarm of lizardmen, and encountered a maximum outbreak. It is certainly difficult to act while protecting someone else. Negotiations with Resenburg, secret maneuvers to get Camilla to hold the real power, negotiations to release Celia-san, and the addition of a nomination request to the dungeon, I feel like I''m going to be extremely busy. "Kent, I have already sent the report of the outbreak to the guild headquarters." "Yeah ... Donovan-san, you don''t have to work so quickly ..." "Hmph, let me tell you, a day where you can be lazy and relaxed and served by women, won''t come to you." "Guu ... that''s right ..." It''s funny. If I could rescue everyone, I would eventually be able to return them to our original world, and a free harem life was supposed to be waiting for me. If this happens, I''ll work hard and get a free life even if I''m just being stubborn. First of all, should I start by squeezing Camilla and hoarding money? Even so, Camilla''s money at hand and the First Prince''s faction are short of funds. If I want to withdraw money, I have to let Camilla hold the real power ... Huh? "What''s wrong Kent, do you want to let a woman serve you like that and take it easy?" "No, I aws thinking of a way to get compensation from Resenburg, but it seems I was thinking too hard." "Let me just say that Volzard''s laws naturally don''t apply to crimes within Resenburg." "Uh ... Donovan-san, are you against it?" "Well, that''s up to you to decide, but don''t let innocent people cry." "Yes, I''ll take care of that." What I came up with was to steal funds from the Second Prince''s faction. I can get reparations, and also reduce the power of the Second Prince''s faction. Yeah, this is killing two birds with one stone. "I was going to ask you before, but how does Donovan-san know what I''m thinking?" "Hmph, you are simple and easily show it on your face." "Guu ... I''ll be careful about that too." "Well, it seems impossible to pay attention to that." "That''s right ..." While returning a pitiful wry smile at Donovan-san''s terrifying laughter, I began to think about the problems that must be solved from now on. CH 90 Unexpected return ***---*** After the briefing in the auditorium, I was planning to go to Lastock to see how Camilla was doing, but my classmates caught me. Many classmates were shocked when they heard that there was no way to return to the original world, but the chairman seemed to be overwhelmed and had a smile on her face. It''s only natural that she''s happy because she''s been released from the ultimate choice of whether to pick me or her family. But if you look at it from a different perspective, it means that she chose me, and I feel responsible. I was asked to talk a little more about the negotiations with Camilla, so we moved to the dining room. We were seated in the middle of a long table that could seat about ten people, with the chairman on my left and Manon on my right. On the opposite side, there are girls such as the dekoboko sisters, Sagara-san, and Motomiya-san, there were also boys such as fake glasses, Takayama, and Kondo, who have had their reputations considerably lowered. First of all, I talked about how Lastock is busy with countermeasures, the internal affairs of the Resenburg royal family, and the delay in countermeasures against the maximum outbreak. Naturally, there were voices criticizing the King, the First Prince, and the Second Prince. "Wow, what''s with that, the royal family is already rotten." "Really, as Acchan says, it makes Japanese politicians feel like they are on the side of justice." "It''s better to kill everyone, right? Let''s do it." "I don''t want to forgive Camilla, but I feel sorry for the people." The dekoboko sisters, and the old and new duo are in favor of attacking the royals in the future. And then Kondo raised his hand and began to speak. "There is no doubt that the royal family of Resenburg is rotten, but if we kill them all ... Just a thought, but the current situation is that the First and Second princes are in balance, right? A quagmire of a civil war ... wouldn''t the people be more miserable if something like that happened? Something like that country in the Middle East would be terrible ..." When Kondo said that, I remembered the footage of the civil war that had been reported on TV every day before I was summoned. It was tragic to see not only soldiers fighting with weapons, but also innocent people such as women, children, and the elderly bleeding and wounded. Then Yagi opened his mouth when the air was about to swell. "But you know ~, I won''t be satisfied if we don''t kill Camilla, also in the sense of avenging Funayama''s death." "No, she''s in the middle of taking the lead in setting up countermeasures in Lastock, so at least we can''t kill her now ..." It was Takayama who opposed Yagi''s opinion, but I won''t say his intention was to protect Lastock. "As for me, I would like to start by having her submit all the information about the summoning that we haven''t heard yet. Since Camilla said that the summoning ceremony was modified this time, I thought that if we could modify it, I think we might be able to find a way to return." "Why didn''t you find out about it sooner?" "No, because Camilla fainted because I hit her so hard, and I couldn''t make a calm decision because blood was rushing to my head ..." "Seriously? Did you really hit Camilla?" "Hey? ''Guu''? Did you hit her with a ''Guu''?" "That''s right, I did ..." "Shiyaaaaaaa! Good job, Kokubu!" Most of my classmates gathered in the cafeteria gave a fist pump and cheered. It must have been so unbearable, well, it''s true that Camilla is annoying. "But, even if we get the summoning information, we can''t understand it, can we?" "Yeah, it''s just like Sagara-san says, we don''t have any knowledge of the technique. That''s why I''m thinking of asking Klaus-san and Donovan-san to introduce us to someone who is familiar with the technique." "But, if the summoning technique spreads poorly, won''t more people be summoned besides us?" "That''s right ... It''s just as Motomiya-san says, it''s a delicate situation where the number of victims other than us can increase." It seems that the royal family of Resenburg locked away the summoning technique as a forbidden technique in order to prevent increasing the number of people who are summoned from another world like us. "Eh, but, if it''s a technique that summons one person, it''s definitely a cheat, right? If so, isn''t it fine? Give me a cheat ability, too." "No, even if you ask me to give it to you, I can''t give you abilities." "Why!" Even though Yagi raised his voice in protest, everyone around him nodded in agreement. "But, just like Yagi said, if cheat abilities are definitely given, then being summoned isnt'' necessarily a bad thing, is it?" "No, it''s no good, a situation like ours already happened, and I can think of a situation worse than this. For example, summoning only women and making them slaves ..." All the girls frowned when they heard Takayama, who opposed Kobayashi-san''s opinion. But I can''t imagine the worst possible situation. "But, if that''s the case, won''t you be able to analyze the formula no matter how long it takes?" "How about we all study the spell from the basics and specialize in summoning spells?" "It takes time and there is no way to succeed, right?" "No, even if you don''t know if you will succeed, if you don''t start with what you can do, you won''t move forward no matter how much time passes ..." "Let them give us money to live on, how about we concentrate on research?" "That''s good! If you do well, you won''t have any trouble going home." As far as I''m concerned, I was just thinking of having someone familiar with the technique introduced, and I didn''t even think of trying to analyze it myself. After all, even if I think alone, I can''t come up with any good ideas. Just when I was thinking about it, Yagi suddenly talked again. "Hey ... Kokubu, can''t you go home?" "Huh? Me ... why?" "No, you have the world of shadows, don''t you? You can pass through there and move freely to places you''ve been before, right?" "Eh ... Ah, yeah, but ..." "You! Don''t tell me you haven''t tried it!" The pores all over my body opened, and I was sweating profusely. "Um ... I haven''t tried ..." "Idiot! Why don''t you try!" "Yeah, you''d usually try that first, are you an idiot?" "You, do it now, try it, now, quickly!" I was yelled at all at once by my classmates who gathered in the cafeteria. "Wait! I''ll do it, I''ll do it, so wait!" I don''t even know why, but I never had the thought of using shadow movement to return to the original word. It may be that I unconsciously wanted to stay in the different world and didn''t want to return to Japan. Under the gaze of my classmates gathered in the cafeteria, I pulled out a shield of darkness and dived into the world of shadows. [ Haaaaah ... ] [ Are you okay, Kent-sama? ] When I let out a big sigh because I couldn''t endure it, a worried Reinhardt called out to me. [ Yeah, I''m okay ... I dived here and thought about where to go ... I understand now. ] [ Then ... ] [ Yeah, I can go back to my original world. ] I connect the world of shadows and peek out to the back of a Junior High School gymnasium overgrown with weeds. I shouldn''t stand out if it''s here, but I''ll refrain from going out. Seeing the scenery of Japan for the first time in a long time makes me feel nostalgic enough to make my whole body tremble. On the other hand, I feel like I''ve come back ... and even though it hasn''t been three months yet, I feel like the place has changed. Moving along the shadows, the school building is surrounded by a steel plate fence that looks like a construction site, and the demolition work seems to have stopped halfway. A flower stand is placed outside the fence, and flowers are offered, but there are no people around. I was so preoccupied with rescuing my classmates that I had completely forgotten about it, but since the whole third floor of the school building was transferred, the fourth floor should have fallen onto the second floor. These flowers were probably not directed at us, but at the students and teachers who lost their lives at that time. When I saw Camilla working hard to prevent the outbreak in Lastock, I thought that she was a royal family who cared about the residents, but it''s a ridiculous story. Not only the guilt for Funayama''s death, but also responsibility for those who lost their lives in Japan must be taken. But I don''t think we can immediately come up with what to hold her responsible for in the true sense, or how to hold her responsible. I''ll have to bring this back to Volzard and consult with the teachers to decide. [ Kent-sama, are you okay? ] [ Yeah, I just remembered something important that I had forgotten. I hvae come up with something I have to think about again. ] I was wondering what was going on at home, but let''s go back to the classmates who are waiting for me. But what should I say? I can go back to Japan, but my classmates can''t enter the shadow world. In other words, I''m the only one who can return to Japan. I put out a shield of darkness again and returned to the dining room. "How was it? Were you able to return?" I can''t give a good answer to Yagi who asks me forcefully. "First of all, why didn''t you try it out before, go buy some yakisoba bread!" "Hey, what are you talking about? I can''t go shopping if I don''t have money!" "Wait, did you manage to go back to Japan? No, seriously!" "How was the school? Did the media come?" "You idiot, how many months has it been since we came here? There''s no media anymore." "Hey, go back, take me with you to Japan too." "That''s right, take me with you, and then everything will be settled." The atmosphere in the cafeteria was even more tumultuous than when they realized there was no repatriation technique. All at once, everyone who had quietly surrounded us rushed to gather together, creating chaos. "Wait! Wait a minute! Listen! It''s impossible. Only me and my genus can enter the shadow world." "Don''t joke around, why is it just you again! You bastard takes all the good things for yourself!" "No, it''s not Kokubu''s fault ..." "You! You must be thinking of abandoning us and going home alone!" "Stop, don''t push, it''s dangerous ..." "Just do something about it. What are your cheats for!" "Wait, don''t push! It hurts, it hurts ..." It happened when the chairman and Manon were in a state of being unable to move because we were mobbed by the surging classmates. Buuuuuuun! Suddenly, a strong wind blew, and the classmates who were surging were knocked down all at once. Reinhardt is standing on the table with his beloved sword Gram unsheathed. Reinhardt pointed it at my classmates and slowly turned the tip of his sword, causing my classmates who weren''t blown away by the gust of wind to also retreat. After removing the classmates from around me, Reinhardt stepped down from the table and guarded my back with his large sword. "In the first place, I''m going to stay in this world, I have no intention of going home alone. Also, if I didn''t want to help everyone, I wouldn''t have had so much trouble so far. Now we know I can return to Japan by moving in the shadows, after that, how do you enter the world of shadows, I have to think of a way to bring everyone in, right? I''ll do it, of course I will. But there are so many things about magic that even I don''t understand. No matter how much you complain, I can''t do it now, so there''s no reason to complain in the first place, is there?" Even the chairman and Manon are in danger, and my blood is boiling. It was Kondo who opened his mouth in the tense atmosphere. "Everyone calm down, it''s good to know that Kokubu can go back to Japan. I can see hope that we can go back to Japan, so why are you pissed off?" "That''s right, it''s wrong to complain about Kokubu-kun. We all might have died if Kokubu-kun wasn''t here." When Sagara-san followed up, I felt that the hostility towards me had eased. The chairman made a suggestion. "Hey, why don''t you write a letter? Kento can carry objects, right?" "eh, yeah, I can carry objects, but for some reason I can''t put living things into the shadow world." "So, let''s all write a letter and let our families know that we''re safe at least!" "Agreed! I agree with Yuika!" "I agree too!" "Me too, I agree with you!" Thanks to the chairman''s proposal, the dangerous atmosphere was dispelled, and Reinhardt who saw it disappeared into the shadows. "It''s bad, what can I write? I''ve learned to use magic ... but they won''t believe me, right?" "No, I''ll still write, I can''t help but write!" "Can they believe that goblins and lizardmen really exist?" "Isn''t it fine if we send them a video?" The dining room fell silent after someone said those few words. "Yes, a video. But what about my smartphone? The battery is dead." "Kokubu, go find it, my smartphone!" "My phone too!" "Mine too!" "Wait ... I''m going, so wait." When they were taken to the Lastock garrison, all their belongings were taken away. Of course, the smartphones and mobile phones were also collected together, and it seems that they were told they would be returned when they were able to go back to the original world, but since they couldn''t return in the first place, it was doubtful they wanted to return them. Isn''t it strange that everyone has just been intimidated by Reinhardt, and yet they''re using me as an errand boy? Well, I don''t deny that it''s convenient to use me, but ... I went into the shadows to Lastock and called out to Fred who was watching Camilla. [ Fred, how''s Camilla doing? ] [ Work is almost as usual ... but she looks pretty uneasy ... ] Camilla, who believed I had remade her as my genus, seems to be concentrating while being busy with countermeasures against the maximum outbreak, and seems to be spending her time as usual, but it seems the moment she loses her concentration, she is overcome with anxiety. [ She doesn''t have much of an appetite ... that also makes her feel uneasy ... ] [ She''s been hurting us a lot so far, so we need her to suffer a little. It''s not like I really made her my genus ... ] [ But I''m worried she''ll overwork herself and collapse ... ] [ At that time, I''ll just heal her with healing magic and have her return to work. ] Having just returned to Japan and witnessed the devastation at school, the animosity I harbor for Camilla has grown. [ Kent-sama ... you''re so strict with Camilla ... ] [ Well, I almost died in the Devil''s Forest, and she caused a lot of trouble to the people of my original world. I can''t be kind, can I? ] [ Start off strict ... pour in kindness at the end ... Kent-sama, tactician ... ] [ Hey, I''m not thinking about that. I think even three people is a luxury. ] [ Understood ... Let it be for now ... ] Fred sometimes makes radical suggestions ... and with his poker face ... it''s hard to read because he''s just bones. [ By the way, Fred, have you seen a glass-and-metal plate about this size? ] [ Then, maybe ... the reference room ... ] I thought that Fred, who had searched for materials related to the repatriation technique, would know where they were put, and it''s perfect. In the reference room, smartphones and mobile phones were stored in boxes. I decided to take the whole thing back with me, but I guess they won''t be able to use them unless they charge them. I dove back into the shadows to the garrison canteen, but thought for a moment before going out. If i show the actual thing poorly, everyone will rush like before and things will get out of control. It''s better to show the actual things after deciding how to return them. Somehow, I feel like I''ve become an animal trainer. "I''m back ..." "Oh, Kokubu, did you find my smartphone?" "Hey, what about mine?" "Mine has a red checkered cover." "Ah, wait, wait, sit down! Can you back off a minute!" Just as I expected, they were coming closer and closer, so I unintentionally yelled at them. "I don''t know if it will become a fuss like before and the smartphones break. Come on, Takayama, listen to everyone''s opinions and decide." "Huh? You''re going to have me do it?" "You don''t want to? Don''t you want me to do something for you?" "Kuh, I understand, I''ll do it ... Now, how are you all going to receive them? The power probably won''t turn on?" Takayama started a discussion, so I sat down in a seat a little further away. "Kent, thank you for your hard work, it''s kind of tough." "It''s true, why is it just me ..." "Everyone is counting on Kento ..." Manon and the chairman also sat down on either side of me. Both of them casually entwined their arms around my arm, and it feels good. "Kent''s ecchi ..." "Guu ... because, that is ..." "Only because it''s us ..." "Uh ... I understand." It''s dangerous, what kind of horrible things would have happened if I was trying to reach out to Camilla like this ... "Kent ..." "Hmm? What''s wrong, Manon?" "You''re not going back to your original world, are you?" Surprised by Manon''s voice, which seems to disappear, Manon''s eyes are moist. She was told that I couldn''t find a way to go home, but she was the only one who was feeling uneasy when she found out that I could go home. "Yeah, I may go back temporarily, but I will continue to live in Volzard." "Kent, good ..." "Oh, Manon-chan, if you hold so tight ..." "Even if I go home temporarily, I will also live with Kento." Oh, chairman, the soft warmth ... If I try to put my hands on Camilla like this, I''ll be punished. CH 91 Time of separating from one''s parents ***---*** When I was watching Takayama decide how to handle it, it seemed that it was time for dinner, and the members of the garrison had gathered. It''s weird to say that by the way, but I decided to treat myself to dinner. It seems that my classmates who were continuing the discussion decided to stop talking and have dinner. At the dinner table, I was asked by the chairman. "Kento, aren''t you going to see your parents?" "Hmm ... isn''t it unfair for me to go see them alone?" "But tell the school that everyone is safe and let the school know ..." "Hmm ... I think it''s better to wait until everyone''s letters are ready." "I don''t know ... if Kento says he wants to do it, I won''t force you." To be honest, I feel scared to see my Father and Mother face to face. Thinking normally, if a child who has been missing for months comes back, it should be a moving reunion. But I can''t think of a scene where I''m happy to see my Father and Mother and hugging each other again. During the day, Manon looked a little worried, but perhaps because I declared that I was going to live in Volzard, she looked somewhat happy. Come to think of it, I completely forgot to greet Manon''s family. "Um, Manon, are you living with just your mother?" "No, I have a younger brother." "Oh, how old is he?" "Because Hamill is four years younger than me, he still has a long way to go before he can start looking for a job in the guild." When she says four years younger, he''s probably the same age as Meisa-chan. "Hamill-kun, is he also aspiring to be an adventurer?" "Hmm ... Hamill has the same earth attribute as Father, but he wants to become an architect." "Heh, is that so ... it''s amazing, he''s thinking about his future properly." "I don''t know ... He doesn''t really want to be an architect, but it''s just because he doesn''t like the combat course ... If I was a boy and had an aptitude for earth attribute, I would definitely be like my father. I was aiming to be an adventurer ..." But no matter how much armor you wear, it still hurts to be hit with a wooden sword. If Donovan-san hadn''t noticed me, I don''t think I would have continued the guild''s combat training either. "Is Hamill-kun a mature person?" "Rather than saying he''s mature, he''s rebellious and lazy? He''s cheeky and all talk." Manon gives the feeling of being a natural airhead, so if they quarrel, she''s likely to lose. "Next time ... can you introduce me to Manon''s family?" "Eh, uh, yeah, it''s fine, but ..." "Especially, I have to get permission from Manon''s mother to date you." "Eh ... oh, dating ... eh, eh?" Manon turned bright red and began to squirm, in this world, do you not give greetings and just start dating? "Um ... is it not normal to give greetings like that?" "I, I wonder what it is ... I don''t really understand that kind of thing ..." Ah, somehow Manon''s eyes began going in circles. The chairman, who looked a little envious, also smiled wryly. "Beatrice has had both of her parents meet Kento, so you should properly introduce him once." "Well, is that right. If Yuika says so ... yeah, then, is it okay if it''s the next rest day of this week?" "Yeah, if there''s no big incident, that day is fine ..." "Okay, I''ll tell my mother." Manon looks embarrassed, but she still looks happy, and the chairman is smiling, but she looks a little lonely. "When Yuika is able to return to Japan, please introduce me to your parents." "Yeah, of course you should greet them properly. ''Please give me your daughter'' ..." "Uh ... I see ..." Yeah, after all, just thinking about greeting her family makes me feel embarrassed. I think Yuika''s parents will probably object and get angry, but it''s the result of the choice I made, so I have to fulfill my responsibility properly. "Hey, I know that we need the power of Kokubu to return to Japan, but is it okay if I promptly execute you?" "I don''t mind Yagi, I was just thinking the same thing ..." Even though we are immersed in the sweet atmosphere, we can hear some disturbing voices. "Stop it for a second, I''ll cast a curse on you that will make you unpopular for the rest of your life." "Acchan, he was already like that from the beginning, so there''s no point in cursing him." "What, I also had a cute girlfriend with cat ears at some point ..." "Ah ... Let''s tell Rikk-kun ..." "You idiot! Stop it, I really don''t know what that dog-eared bastard will do, so don''t even joke about it." "I know, I know, don''t tell him ... it was a joke, right?" "You idiot! Seriously, please stop it, seriously please." There''s a possibility that the dekoboko sisters won''t report it, so if I meet Gilik, I''ll report it too, let''s do that. When I was looking at Yagi and the others, I caught sight of Katou-sensei walking with a strange look on his face. Come to think of it, I didn''t tell the teachers that I was able to return to Japan. "Kokubu! Is it true that you were able to return to Japan!" "Yes, when I tried to do it with shadow movement ... it was surprisingly easy ..." "What happened, did you see how the school was like?" "Yes, I''ll wait for everyone, so just wait a little ..." When I tried to talk to Katou-sensei about how the school was like, the other teachers also showed up, so I waited until everyone had gathered before talking. When I talked about the damaged school building and the flowers on the flower stand, not only the teachers but also the classmates who were listening nearby became saddened. "We thought we were so unlucky to be suddenly summoned to another world, but compared to the people who were caught up in the sudden collapse of the school building, maybe we were the lucky ones ..." The impression that Oda-sensei leaked out, was also the thoughts of everyone in the dining room that was involved in the summoning. The teachers agreed with our idea of sending letters and videos, but they requested me to report our current situation. "Kokubu, please go home and report the current situation to your parents." "But will they believe me?" "If they don''t believe you, I''m sorry, but please show them your magic." "Yes ... um, it''s better to go now ... isn''t it?" "Please!" If Oda-sensei says it so clearly and the other teachers nodded, there was no choice but to go. "Well, then ... I''ll go back home for a while." Everyone looked at me with expectations, and I dived into the shadows while feeling a little pressured. To be honest, I feel daunted to go home. I don''t think they won''t be happy that I''m back, but I''m really worried whether they''ll listen to me and believe me. My house is on the 3rd floor of an apartment building with an auto-lock, and I lost the key to the house on the first day I was summoned to a goblin, so I decided to go directly to the front entry. "I, I''m home ... Huh? Huh ...?" I went out of the shadows at the front entry, but something was wrong. It''s normal to see many pairs of brand-name shoes that my Mother bought, but never wore, overflowing in the shoe cupboard, but there were no shoes at the entrance. Even when I opened the built-in shoe box, there wasn''t a single pair of shoes in it. "Huh? Huh, I got the wrong room ...?" I thought it would be awkward to unlock the door on my own, so I hid in the shadows and went out into the hallway. "Room 303 is Hasegawa-san, and next door it ... Huh? Muzumoto-san is in room 305, and next door is ... Why? Why is there no nameplate for us?" Once again, I dove into the shadows and entered the house. The closet next to the entrance, which had been piled up so full of my Mother''s brand-name products that there was nowhere to store them, was also empty. My room was supposed to be on the other side of the short corridor, but when I opened the door, it was an empty room. Living room, dining room, Mother''s bedroom, Father''s study ... TV, refrigerator, table, sofa, bed ... everything is gone. There was nothing left, and in the living room, which felt absurdly large, I sat down and couldn''t move. [ Kent-sama ... ] "Haha ... I don''t know why ... I''ve lost everything ... I wonder why ... there''s no one here ..." No ... before I was summoned, I was mostly the only one at home, and it wasn''t uncommon for days when I didn''t see my Father or Mother. After my Grandmother passed away, my Mother didn''t wake up early, so I had breakfast by myself and went to school. Every few days, when my Father came home, I would receive a lump sum of living expenses, which would cover my own meals. But even though we didn''t see each other, my Mother came home in the middle of the night and I could sense that she still lived there. Now it''s a genuine empty house with no signs of anyone. "It''s still a little over two months. It hasn''t even been three months since I was summoned, so why ... you don''t need me that much ... Uuu ..." "Goshujin-sama, cheer up." "For me, Goshujin-sama is needed." "Me too, I want to stay with Goshujin-sama." Mart, Mirt, and Mart came out of the shadows and lick my face. "Thank you." [ Kent-sama, this may not be a bad opportunity. Become independent. ] "Eh ... Independent?" [ That''s right. I don''t know how Kent-sama lived in this world. However, looking at Kent-sama''s condition, wasn''t he under the protection of his parents? ] "Yeah, that''s right. I was financially dependent on my Father, and my house was dependent on my Grandma." [ From now on, Kent-sama has decided to live in Volzard. In the near future, you will become an S-rank adventurer. Shouldn''t you separate from your parents'' grasp and become independent? ] Reinhardt, in an unusually solemn tone, advised me to become independent. When I was in Japan, I was just a useless kid, but in Volzard, as Reinhardt says, I am recognized as a high-ranked adventurer, and I had enough economic power to feed my classmates. "But ... can I do it?" [ You can be independent, you can''t exist if you don''t. It is a question of the will to be independent. Kent-sama is a person who can give careful consideration to those around him, but on the other hand, he is not good at expressing his will strongly. It is important to negotiate with Resenburg and listen to the teachers'' opinions, but first of all, Kent-sama should show what he wants to do and how he wants to proceed. You can''t be recognized as an independent man by following the orders of your teachers and schoolmates. ](TN:Thanks Reinhardt, that''s the word that would fit better than classmates, but it''s a bit late to change it now, just know schoolmates is the word that fits the situation better as a whole.) Just as Reinhardt said, these days, I tend to think that it''s fine to leave the decisions to someone else and just do what I can do. I should have thought more about what I wanted to do and what I should do without respecting other people''s opinions too much. [ Kent-sama, as an S-rank adventurer, you will be looked upon by envy by those around you. You must become the pillar of your family, supporting three women. Whether you are hit or kicked, show them unwavering strength. ] "I see ... That''s right. It''s time to separate from my parents." To be honest, I''m not sure if I can stand on my own. However, the desire to be more independent than that welled up from the bottom of my heart. And maybe because I was conscious of independence, the feeling of being abandoned by my parents has faded. It was a little different from a normal house, but I was able to live without needing food, clothing, and shelter. I should thank my parents for that. "Alright, let''s move. Sitting here is a waste of time. I''m going to go to the police now, but since there are no monsters in this world, everyone, please stay in the shadows." [ Understood. ] "We understand too." "It''s nice in the shadows." "I''ll do it properly, so please rub my belly later." "Yes, yes, I understand." I sent everyone back into the shadows and went back to the front door to put my shoes on. It''s gone now, but this is the house I''ve been living in since I can remember. I feel a little lonely when I think that I will never come back. "Thank you for your care." With nothing left, I bowed to the empty house and went into the shadows. The police station is across the Middle School from our apartment. I went through the world of shadows to the front door of the apartment and decided to walk from there. I don''t know the exact time, but it''s already dark and the street lights are shining. In Volzard, I could see so many stars that they seemed to be falling, but now I can only see a few stars, and I really feel that I am back in Tokyo. If you go out of the residential area to the main street, there are quite a few people walking, so it doesn''t seem like it''s late at night yet. At secondhand bookstores, there are children who are a little older than me. I was driven by the desire to browse fiercely, but now is not the time to do such a thing. As I walked along the bus street looking towards the Junior High School, I saw a police car parked. I didn''t notice it because I only looked at the schoolyard during the daytime, but it may be that it stops all the time to keep an eye on the school. Rather than going to the police station, it might be better to talk to the police officer here. A young policeman is in the driver''s seat of the patrol car, and a middle-aged man is in the passenger''s seat. "ah, um ... this, good evening ..." "What''s wrong?" When I called out, the middle-aged police officer opened the window glass. "Um ... Actually, I''m one of the students who disappeared at this Junior High School ..." Perhaps thinking that I suddenly said something out of the ordinary, the young policeman in the driver''s seat leaned forward and the middle-aged policeman restrained him with his hand. "Well, I''ll at least listen to you ... So, where have you been?" "Y, yes ... that, actually ... we were summoned to another world." "Oh, what country was it called?" I was a little scared that I might get scolded if I said something irrelevant, but the police officer tried to proceed without showing any signs of suspicion. "Eh, yes, I was summoned in the Kingdom of Resenburg, by the Third Princess, Camilla Resenburg." "Hou, does that mean you were summoned as a Hero?" "No, she said she summoned us as normal soldiers, not as Heroes." "Oh, you''re just a soldier ... That''s rare ... So how did you come back?" "I am of the dark attribute ..." "Oh, I see, it''s the dark attribute, the dark attribute ... and other people can''t use it, right?" "Yes, I''m the only one who can use the dark attribute ..." It''s kind of strange that a middle-aged police officer would normally use words like ''Hero'' or ''dark attribute''. "What happened to everyone else?" "Um ... They were treated badly at Resenburg, so I rescued them, and now they''re in a temporary dormitory at the city''s garrison in a town called Volzard." "Hohou, Volzard, what kind of city is it?" "Yes, because it''s near the Devil''s Forest ... it''s a fortified city surrounded by walls, and it''s also called the Farthest City." "Hou, the Devil''s Forest ... the Farthest City, no, it''s pretty amazing." "Eh ... yes, Klaus-san, the Lord, is an amazing person..." "Hohou, did you meet the Lord?" "Yes ... how can I say it, he''s a very friendly person ..." The middle-aged policeman listens to what I say without denying it, but I feel like he doesn''t trust me at all. The young police officer doesn''t even listen to me, they are just looking out the back through the mirror and keeping an eye on the surroundings. "Well, it seems that the next person is about to arrive, so let''s ask for your name." "Eh ... next person? Ah, my name is Kento Kokubu." "Yes, yes, Kokubu-kun ... Yes, it was quite a good story. The setting was also well though out. Ah, but the dark attribute as a method of returning was a bit ordinary. Also, give up aiming to be an actor. But, even if you aim to be a screenwriter, it''s no good if you don''t understand people''s pain, you understand, right?" "Eh ...?" "You understand!" "Yes ..." Pressured by the policeman''s sharp words, I answered yes without thinking, but I have no idea what he is talking about. "Then, the police officers will deal with you over there, so go home quickly ... Hey, get going." "Understood, it looks like we''re going to be busy tonight too ... you should go home quickly." All of a sudden, the police officers got out of the patrol car and their eyes were on the group approaching from the opposite direction from where I came. It was an odd bunch. A high-school or college-age man wearing a Western-style armor made from cardboard and holding a cardboard sword, and three people dressed up like it was Halloween, there were people who were filming it with a smartphone. When they got close to the middle school, the man in the cardboard armor raised his cardboard sword and shouted. "I am Kento Kokubu, the Hero who was summoned to another world! I defeated the Maou and returned using Space Magic!" The three people in costumes around him were laughing loudly. "Eeeeeh ... Kento Kokubu, why are they using my name ..." With the collapsed school building behind the fence, the group begins a skit that I don''t quite understand, and film it. Apparently, the group in the costumes seem to be set as the Maou and his subordinates. At that point, the police officer from earlier began to urge them to disband. [ Kent-sama, who are they ... ] [ I don''t understand, why are they using my name? ] While I was talking to the police officer, I felt uncomfortable, but I couldn''t keep up with the situation that made no sense. "Hey hey, my name is Kento Kokubu! I''ve been summoned by Shine Bright, the kingdom of light, to become a Hero!" Surprised by the sudden voice behind me, I turned around and saw another group of people in cosplay walking up to me. Dressed in a white-based costume with gold patterns, the role of a Hero wearing a gold circlet, a person in a robe reminiscent of a mage, an elf-like person holding something like a bow, the several people are imitating anime characters. And this group also has people in charge of filming, one in front, one in the back, holding a smartphone in front of the queue. "You there! Are you in trouble? This Hero. Kento Kokubu will help you!" Unable to have my brain process what''s happening and unable to even reply, I was left behind, and the Pseudo-Hero laughed loudly as he headed towards the middle school. As I stood stunned, the person in charge of photography took pictures without permission. "I like it, nice reaction!" I don''t even know how to respond when the person in charge of photography gives me a thumbs up. What are you saying, I haven''t given any reaction, but since you''re taking videos, do you intend to upload them to the internet? The young policeman hurries back, noticing the new party. When they said that this was going to be a busy night, I guess they were referring to this, but ... I didn''t think there would be another group like this coming. [ It''s no good ... It''s completely an Urashima Tarou feeling ... ] [ What is Urashima Tarou ...? Is Kent-sama famous in this world too? ] [ No, my name shouldn''t be known, but I think something must have happened while I was gone. Anyway, I don''t have enough information right now. Information, information ... Alright, let''s go to the library. ] Since a total stranger is using my name, I can only assume that my name has been picked up on the internet. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that my house was empty. Since I had no cash on hand, I decided to sneak into the library and rummage through the back issues of newspapers and magazines. CH 92 Events after the summoning ***---*** Anyway, the information is overwhelmingly lacking. With so many fakes of me appearing, even if I go to the police station, the moment I give my name, I feel like I''ll be turned away. Well, if I use magic, they''ll have to trust me, but it''s better to get rid of the situation whre I don''t have any information. I pass by the group arguing in front of the Junior High School, pass by the side of Akanegumo Park, and turn right at the end, opposite the police station. At the end of this road, just after entering the park, there is a library. Of course, it''s not open at this time, but I used shadow movement to enter. It''s not good to be caught on security cameras, so I decided to move through the shadows in the hall and browse from the shadows. [ Kent-sama, there is an amazing amount of books. Is this a royal library or something? ] [ This is a normal library that residents can freely browse. ] [ What ... ] There were books in Volzard, but they didn''t seem to be printed in large numbers like in Japan, so they were still valuable. [ Kent-sama, what can we investigate here? ] [ Newpsapers and weekly magazines since we were summoned. ] First of all, when we were summoned, I investigated what kind of situation the Junior High School fell into, but the damage was greater than I had imagined. 48 dead, 152 seriously injured, 207 missing. Those 207 people were the summoned classmates and teachers. At first, it was thought that the building had collapsed due to defective construction, but it was discovered that there were a large number of missing people, and it seems that the possibility of large-scale terrorism or abductions by a certain country began to be whispered. As the investigation continued, it turned out that the entire third floor of the school building had completely disappeared, and when scientific reasoning became difficult, it seemed that occult stories began to accelerate at once around the world. The impact of the accident that occured in the teleportation experiment began to be claimed as a modern version of ''Spirited Away'', and naturally, those who claim to have been summoned to another world also began to appear. In the midst of this, an accident occured. It seems that my Mother cut my Father with a kitchen knife when he came home for the first time in a long time after receiving the news of the incident. Fortunately, my father''s injuries were not life-threatening, but he had more than 20 cuts and stab wounds. The incident was featured in a weekly magazine. Their child disappeared for unknown reasons, and it was reported that the cause of the knife injuries was because of an affair. I didn''t know about it, and I didn''t even think to find out about it, but I heard that my Father lives in a high-rise condominium in the Wangan District with his mistress and their child. And while following the progress of the incident, I found a shocking article. [ Lies ... that ... ] [ Kent-sama, what happened? ] [ My Mother ... ] My Mother apparently committed suicide in prison. This seems to have increased the criticism of my father, as a victim of an accident, his identity would have already been revealed, and perhaps he was also harassed. It seems that it was around this time that my father disposed of the apartment. [ Normally, when my Father came back home, Mother was kind ... ] My Father stopped coming to my house when I was in the third or fourth grade of Elementary School. Thinking about it now, maybe it wasn''t a good thing for me to rely on my Grandmother because I was afraid to approach my Mother who was in a bad mood. [ Are you okay, Kent-sama? ] [ Yeah, how can I say it, I don''t really understand it at all, maybe because I decided to be independent, I''m fine now. ] After his personal information was exposed on the internet, he moved out of the tower apartment and they seem to have lost his whereabouts. After that, it seems that his address was not specified, and just when it seemed that the commotion would subside, the first impostor of me appeared. My impostor showed up at the police station in a muddy uniform. It is said that he was suddenly sent to an unknown world together with the school building, and when he and his classmates were searching for a human settlement there, he fell off a cliff and before he knew it, he was back in Hikarigaoka Park. After hearing that a Junior High School student who had mysteriously disappeared suddenly appeared, the mass media made a big fuss again. My impersonator seemed to have a similar face to me, so the police believed that it was the real person, and they interviewed him many times, and even conducted a psychiatric evaluation. No matter how much we looked alike, if my Father met him, he would have known that it was a fake, but he apparently didn''t want to the media to know his whereabouts, so he entrusted the correspondence to a lawyer. As a result, it took more than a week before it turned out to be a fake. Of course, the boy who acted as my imperonator was criticized, but the police, who had been deceived for over a week, and the Father who didn''t come to see his missing child, were also criticized. Then, in order to make fun of my Father, who had an affair and neglected his family, and the investigation situation that didn''t make any progress, it seems that it became popular to play as a fake me, with the feeling of ''I tried to play Kento Kokubu''. There seems to be a variety of patterns, such as those who act like the real thing, and those who act as fakes like the group just before, but what they all have in common is that they call themselves Kento Kokubu. There are computers in the library, but I think it''s awkward to turn them on, I haven''t seen any info on the internet, I only know what was written in the weekly magazine, they uploaded quite a few videos, didn''t they? And it seems that the area near the Junior High School has become like a poor quality pilgrimage. With this, if I just stepped forward, people would definitely think I was a fake. [ So what are you going to do? ] [ Hmm ... I guess I have no choice but to infiltrate the investigation headquarters. If I take out the shield of darkness and show it to the public, they''ll understand it''s real. ] [ I see, magic doesn''t exist in this world. ] [ Yeah, but it looks like there won''t be anyone left at the investigation headquarters at this hour, so I''ll come back. ] [ Then, should we go back? ] I returned to Volzard from the library, but it seems that the investigation took longer than I expected, and the lights in the dining room were turned off. When I looked into the dormitory, all my classmates were writing letters in their rooms. Katou-sensei came to Oda-sensei''s room and they were having a meeting. "Sensei, do you have a minute?" "Kokubu, what happened?" "Yes, actually ..." I reported what happened after I entered the world of shadows and returned to Japan. When they heard that there were 48 deaths, they both looked up at the ceiling. When they heard that my impersonation was rampant, their expression turned suspicious, and when I asked them why, their expression changed to a sorrowful expression. "Kokubu, are you okay?" "Yes, I just read the article, and I don''t feel the realization that my Mother passed away at all, so I''m okay." It''s strange that I can answer Oda-sensei''s question normally. Katou-sensei also patted me on the shoulder. "If it gets tough, just tell us without overdoing it." "Yes, thank you. For the time being, I''m thinking of going directly to the investigation headquarters tomorrow. Oda-sensei, I''ll stop by here first, so could you collect the letters everyone wrote?" "Okay, you should go back and rest too." "Yes, I''ll do that." Before returning to the boarding house, there is something I should try. For the first time in a long time, I went to the special training ground in the Devil''s Forest and asked all my genus to gather. "Well, I''ll try it with Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred first, so everyone should bring some magic stones." I asked each of them to bring five high-ranking goblin magic stones that were collected during the outbreak, and strengthened them again for the first time in a while. However, this time it''s not about strengthening their physical ability, it''s about strengthening language ability. Since there is a possibility of activities in Japan in the future, I thought that I would like them to be able to understand Japanese. Through the link with me, I tried to strengthen their knowledge of Japanese with the intention of transcribing it. "Umm ... can you read this?" I used a stick on the ground and wrote Kento Kokubu in kanji. [ I can read it, it''s Kent-sama''s name. ] "So this one ... Fred." [ Saint-sama''s name ... it''s strange, even these symbols have meaning ... ] "Then this one ... Basten." [ That''s the name of the Feudal Lord-dono, I see, that''s how his name is written. ] Apparently both kanji and katakana are okay. Also, I''ll have to go to Japan to see how much they can understand it spoken. After that, Zae-tachi and Art-tachi were also strengthened in order. As expected, the number of genus increased, so I was quite tired. When I returned to my boarding room after strengthening everyone, Meisa-chan was sleeping on the bed with the boxes lined up. I don''t think I know whose room it is anymore. But at times like tonight when I feel like I''m alone, I don''t want to be alone, so I really appreciate it. I also told Mart and the others not to wake Meisa-chan, and I entered the bed where the boxes were lined up. I thought she was in a deep sleep, but as soon as I entered the futon, Meisa-chan hugged me. Do you have some kind of special sensor? Well, it''s arm in this season, so there''s nothing to complain about, as long as she''s not drooling or wetting the bed. I''m tired mentally and physically, but I can''t sleep. After all, the article about my Mother committing suicide weighs heavily on my heart. It''s not a mistake because it was in the newspapers and magazines, but I didn''t see the corpse or attend the funeral, so I don''t really feel it as if it was someone else''s problem. What shokced me more than that was that even though I tried to remember my Mother''s face recently, I couldn''t visualize her expression in my head. All I remember is the smiling face of when my Father was at home and the sad face of when he stopped coming home. Come to think of it, we haven''t seen each other face to face for months, and I can''t even remember the last words we exchanged. [ Kent-sama, can''t you sleep? ] [ Hey, Reinhardt, am I a heartless person? ] I tried telling Reinhardt that since I couldn''t remember my Mother''s face, but he immediately denied it. [ That''s not just Kent-sama''s responsibility. Kent-sama lived a normal life, right? Even so, if you can''t meet face to face, it''s only natural that you can''t remember. ] [ Yeah, maybe that''s true, but ... I feel like I could have done more. ] [ If you think so, it should be used as a lesson left by your Mother in your future life. ] [ Yes ... yes, I will. ] Talking to Reinhardt made my heart feel a little lighter. [ Kent-sama, do you think you don''t have to write a letter? ] [ Eh, because I can always go home ... ] [ You haven''t seen your Father much, have you? ] [ Ah ... yeah, that''s right, it might be better to write it down. ] It might seem to a bit self-serving, but it''s difficult to meet my Father when he''s caught up in the turmoil, a touching reunion ... I don''t want it to be directed like such, it might be better if we don''t see each other for a while. However, when I prepared paper and a pen, I was at a loss as to what to write. I don''t remember much talking to my Father when he was still at home. The first word that comes to mind is study ... I have had a habit of falling asleep since I was in elementary school. No matter how hard I tried to stay awake, I often fell asleep in the middle of class and couldn''t remember even half of what was being taught. Of course, my grades weren''t good, and every time I fell asleep it was written on my report card. My Father went to work before I woke up, and he came back after I went to bed. Even when we met occasionally, the first thing he always asked is, are you studying properly? In one statement, I was atrophied and couldn''t speak well because of my bad grades. At that time ... yes, I feel like I wanted to talk about games that were popular at school, anime, and manga. That''s why I decided to write a letter about what kind of people I''ve met, what kind of work I''m doing, what kind of life I''m living, and how I''m going to live in the future. Don''t forget to write about Manon, the chairman, and Beatrice. Finally, I thanked him for raising me up until now, and wrote down my determination to live as an adult from now on. [ Did you write it? Kent-sama. ] [ Yeah, it''s my first time writing a letter to my Father, so it feels strange. ] [ Did you write down all your thoughts? ] [ I don''t know ... I wrote it all of a sudden, so I might remember things I forgot later ... but I wonder if that''s the way it is. ] [ Maybe so ... Well, Kent-sama, there''s still time before dawn. Please rest for a while. ] [ I agree. Tomorrow too ... No, it''s already today, it''s going to be busy. ] After I finished writing the letter to my Father, I was able to fall asleep immediately, probably because I felt calmer. After waking up several times on the way and having a light sleep, the morning I was met with was more normal than I had expected. "Hey, Kent, Meisa, get up! If you keep sleeping, I''ll skip breakfast!" "Hmm ... Ah, good morning, Amanda-san." "Good morning, it''s rare that Kent isn''t awake. Was it a late night?" "Yes ... It feels like I''m going to be busy for a while." "Is that so ... don''t push yourself too hard. No matter how great of magic you can use, if you overdo it, you''ll break your body." "Yes, I''ll be careful ..." Amanda-san stroked my head and gave me a sad smile. Well, it was only for a short time, and she immediately returned to the usual Amanda-san. "Hey, Meisa! Get up! How long are you going to sleep? If you can''t get up properly, I won''t let you sleep in Kent''s room!" "Hmm ... Hmm, I woke up, hmm ... Mofumofu ..." Amanda-san''s voice made Meisa-chan get up once, but when she fell down on Mart, she began to sleep again. Mart looks at Amanda-san''s face and mine alternately, silently asking for help. "Haa ... Meisa! Cut it out!" "Hii ... eeh, eeh ... Okaa-san? Eeh, I''m awake ... yeah, I''m already awake ..." I''m sure she''s still half asleep, but Meisa-chan raised her upper body as a conditional reflex and started looking around restlessly. "Good morning, Meisa-chan." "Eh ... yeah, good morning ... eh, Kent?" "Hey, if you don''t wake up quickly, you won''t get breakfast." "Eh, I don''t want to miss breakfast ..." "Then get up and wash your face." "Yeah ... got it, huh? Yeah ..." Still half asleep, Meisa-chan went to wash her face. Well then, I''ll get up and after breakfast, I''ll show my face to the teachers, and then I''ll invade the investigation headquarters. After I finished eating breakfast, I told them that I had returned to my original world and what had happened to my family. When I told her that my Mother had taken her own life, Amanda-san stood up, hugged me, and burst into tears. In the seat next to me, Meisa-chan is also crying. But for some reason I can''t shed tears, and it feels weird. "That''s fine. You just can''t cry because you haven''t accepted it yet. It''s not strange at all, it''s not that you''re heartless, it''s fine for now." "Thank you." "Well, you can stay forever, but the girls won''t allow it, so until you have your own house, think of this as your own." Meisa-chan nodded over and over while wiping her tears. I no longer have a home to return to in Japan, but I''ve found a place for me in Volzard. A little while ago, I was a little unhappy, but now I''m very happy. So this time, let''s do our best to make everyone happy. When I went to the garrison dormitory, Oda-sensei entrusted me with letters from everyone and a report compiled by the teachers. The report seems to be a summary of the stories the teachers heard from my classmates after coming to Volzard. Naturally, the report describes the process leading up to Funayama''s death, and Ayako-sensei played a central role in putting it all together. "Even though I was near Funayama-kun, I couldn''t save him. As an apology, I have written the situation as it is, in as much detail as possible. Please be sure to deliver it." "Understood. I will find a way for everyone to return to Japan, but for now I will deliver this report and these letters." While being sent off by my teachers and classmates, I dove into the shadows and headed for the police station. At the time we were summoned, the media seemed to be flocking every day, but the situation continued with no progress, and most of the media went to the scene of another incident, it is appropriate to describe the situation in front of the police station as normal. Even so, if I enter from the front, I may be kicked out, so I will have to directly infiltrate the investigation headquarters. I move through the police station while hiding in the shadows to find the investigation headquarters. Hikarigaoka Junior High School Collapse and Disappearance Case Special Investigation Headquarters It looked like a large conference room with a large signboard written in ink. There are many desks and chairs in the room, but there aren''t many people there, probably because they are out on an investigation. The place where the landline phone is stationed near the whiteboard seems to be the seat of a high-ranking person. With a difficult look on his face, the man giving instructions is a man in his late forties with a good physique. If it was me from before, I wouldn''t have been able to call out. For now, let''s just call out from the shadows. "Um ... is it okay for a moment ..." The change was dramatic. Everyone nearby raised their heads and started looking for me who called out to them. "Who is it! Where are you, come out." "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to surprise you ..." "Who are you, show yourself." "Yes, I am one of the second-year students from Hikarigaoka Junior High School, who is supposed to have disappeared. What can I say, but it''s really full of surprises. Otherwise, it is unlikely that people will believe that I am Kento Kokubu. I unfolded a shield of darkness in front of the man who seemed the most pompous, raised my hands to show that I am not hostile, and stepped out. "What ... what''s going on?" "Nice to meet you, I''m the real Kento Kokubu. What you saw was magic for movement." "Secure him!" "Eeeeeh ... Wait, it hurts, it hurts ... what are you doing ..." "Be obedient!" "No, no, I''m already being obedient." "Where did this guy get in from?" I was held down in no time by the strong investigators who were around the desk. "Wait, don''t be too rough." "No, no, I think they''re already being rough enough." As a disclaimer, even though I showed myself with my hands held up, there is no reason to have pushed me down and held me on the floor. "Are you truly the real Kento Kokubu?" "That''s why I said so from the beginning, I thought you wouldn''t believe me, so I used magic on purpose to show you, but you didn''t have to do this, did you?" "Can you really use magic?" "I''m the only one who can use magic related to movement like this. That''s why I came to deliver the letter and report as the representative." The man who seemed to be the most important fell silent and collected his thoughts. "Katayama, let go ..." "Is it okay? Hey, don''t be violent." "That''s why I told you I wasn''t violent from the beginning ... Aren''t you being too cruel?" I had assumed it would be this kind of situation, so I''m glad I told Reinhardt to wait. No, maybe it would have been better if I had shown an actual skeleton instead? I feel like I have a hard time ahead... CH 93 First time errand ***---*** "I''m Sudou, who is in charge of the Investigation Headquarters. I know it''s sudden, but could you hand me the letters and the report?" "Before that, may I ask you a question?" "What?" "Do you believe me that I am the real Kento Kokubu?" After a moment of silence, Sudou shook his head slightly. "I''m sorry, but I can''t believe it 100% at this point." "Okay, then, could you look at the report first? The report was compiled by the six teachers and the intern teacher Sugiyama-sensei. Please read it and then make a decision." Sudou-san opened his eyes wide when I took out the report from the shadow storage. "Is that also magic?" "Yes, I can put things in the shadow space. Go ahead ..." "Wait! Let me inspect it first!" The person who tried to snatch the report from the side was the investigator called Katayama, but I had no intention of handing it over. "Hey, you, what are you doing!" "What is it, you''ve been rude for quite some time." "What is it ... bastard?" "Stop it, Katayama ... I don''t mind." When I handed him the report, Suduo-san put on gloves, took it, carefully opened it, and began to read it. The report mentions that we were summoned to the Kingdom of Resenburg, that we were treated inhumanely at the garrison, that Funayama lost his life during the rigorous training process, and that they have now escaped from the garrison. Things like how they arrived at Volzard were written, and at the end, the signatures and thumbprints of the seven people were stamped. "Hmm ... It''s hard to believe, but judging from your magic and the typeface of the report, there''s almost no doubt about it. For the time being, I''ll send this report to the forensics for examination, but is it okay?" "Yes, it doesn''t matter, can you please make sure that the information reaches the principal as well?" "Okay, I''ll have a copy delivered." "Also, I would like you to deliver the letters from my classmates to their families ..." "Do you mind if I look inside?" "Hmm ... I think there are some private details written in there, so if possible, I''d like to request you don''t open them ..." After thinking for a moment, Sudou-san nodded. "Okay, I''ll arrange for them to reach their families." "Then this ..." From the shadow storage again, I took out the letters packed in a box. "Oh, so much ... Well, it''s natural if there are 200 people ..." "Yes, it seems that everyone has a lot to say." "By the way, Kokubu, do you know the story of your family?" "Yes, actually ..." Sudou-san nodded when I told him about the process from returning to my empty home to finishing collecting information at the library yesterday. "Your mother was quite agitated immediately after the arrest, but by the next day she had regained her composure and was obediently responding to the interrogation. It was thought that she committed the crime in a fit of rage, and she reflected and regretted it. It''s not like we let our guard down, but maybe we didn''t monitor enough. I''m sorry ..." "Honestly, I haven''t felt anything yet, so I don''t even know what to say. For now, my first priority is to make it possible for my classmates to come back, so I''ll ask about the details at another time." Rather, if I listen to too much detail, I''m afraid I''ll get a real shock and be stunned. "I understand. By the way, Kokubu-kun, I know you brought the reports and letters from the other world, but can''t you bring people back?" "Yes, living things can''t be put in the shadow space where the report etc. were placed. However, I don''t really understand how magic works, so I''m going to look for a way to solve it." "Is that so ... For example, is it possible to take a video camera from here and shoot a video and return?" "Yes, I think it''s possible, but my house has been vacated and I don''t have that kind of equipment, much less a penny." "Since there may be requests from all the families, I wonder if you can keep it in mind that there may be such a thing." "Yes, I understand." "Then, excuse me, but could you tell me more about it ... Morita, please tell him the story." Morita-san, a young detective, has a stout physique, but he has slightly droopy eyes and is a friendly detective. I changed locations and told the story from the summoning until today. After listening to the whole story, I was asked the same story again to see if there were any discrepancies. "Hmm ... there''s no discrepancy in the story, and above all, I saw the box containing the letters being taken out in front of me, so I have no choice but to believe it, but if you just look at the contents, it''s a complete fantasy." "I didn''t think that people would believe me just by talking about it, so I used magic to directly move here." "How does it feel to use magic?" "Hmm ... it''s hard to answer when you ask me how it feels, but like this ... it''s kind of strange because what I imagine actually happens." "Are the other kids able to use magic normally?" "Well, everyone else is chanting to activate it, but everyone should be able to use magic in itself." "Magic huh ... Honestly, I want to try using it for a bit, but please don''t let me be pushed into such a poor environment." Morita-san frowned as he lightly flicked his finger on the transcript of my story. "If this were to be tried in Japan, would it be a crime of abduction and confinement?" "Actually, it would a charge of abduction, confinement, and death, but ... a trial in Japan would be a bit impossible ..." "Um, I can''t bring Camilla with me right now, but if she''s brought to Japan, wouldn''t she be put on trial?"(TN:So you want to abduct and confine someone to put them on trial for your own laws where they don''t apply to the laws of the place where you''re abducting and confining from ... Yeah ...) "Hmm ... I understand how you feel, but it''s difficult. There are various problems, but first of all, we can''t prove magic exists, so how did she take you away?" "I can show you how I use magic ... No, that''s no good ... Is it useless if we can''t prove the summoning technique that Camilla used?" "That''s right, but since the existence of magecraft itself has not been proven in modern society, an arrest warrant will probably not be issued." In addition, the Kingdom of Resenburg is a foreign country that does not have diplomatic relations with Japan. It seems difficult to judge. If Camilla can''t be judged in the world over there, why don''t we go to court in Japan ... I thought such, but my thoughts were too naive. "To put it simply, think of it as a more complicated situation than the abduction of Japanese people by the same country." "I see ... it''s not going to be an easy solution." At present, Camilla admits that she summoned us, but when it comes to negotiations between Japan and Resenburg, the story will only get more complicated. "Kokubu-kun, it''s going to be quite difficult from now on." "It''s difficult ... is it about the mass media?" "Well, currently, only Kokubu-kun can go to the other world, and the others are protected in the city of Volzard." "Yes, that''s right." "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cabinet Office, the National Public Safety Commission, etc. will also ask about the situation, and I think they will ask for cooperation." "Eh ... is it that important?" "As I said earlier, this is an abduction and destruction activity by another country. In fact, Kokubu-kun and the others see the Kingdom of Resenburg as a negotiating partner. The Japanese government can''t just keep silent when the people are suffering so much damage." Allegedly, when Japanese journalists were captured by armed groups in a country with a civil war, the government did everything in its power to rescue them. This time, more than 200 people are unable to return to Japan, so it''s only natural that the government should act. And no matter what we do, you''re the only one who can go back and forth between Volzard and Japan. "Ah ... it''s somehow becoming terribly heavy." "I''m sorry. We also have to get a lot of cooperation from Kokubu-kun." "But it''s difficult to go to court in Japan, isn''t it?" "Yeah, that''s true, but there''s no way we can''t investigate it. Until the decision is made to stop the investigation, it''s our case." This is the so-called adult affair. And just as Morita-san said, officials from various ministries and agencies appeared, I felt like when I finished explaining to one person, another person appeared, I was going to explain the current situation endlessly until night. If it''s something like this, it would be easier to gather everyone together and explain it all at once. During the explanation of the situation, there were also things that were taught. I thought I would bring back the reparations as pure gold, but I didn''t know that gold would be taxed. However, due to circumstances, it seems that measures such as tax exemption will be considered. Also, I heard that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will calculate the amount of compensation, including the amount of compensation for those who were sacrificed or injured in Japan, and convert it into the weight of gold at the current gold market price. The amount of money that Volzard can buy for that weight of gold will be the amount of compensation to claim from Camilla. It seems that each ministry and agency will respond after taking my story back with them and considering it, so it was decided that I would show up at the Investigation Headquarters once a day so that they could contact me. It seems that the Investigation Headquarters will also collect the letters from the families of the classmates. After I finished explaining the situation, I was thinking about going home, when Morita-san invited me to dinner. "Kokubu-kun, let''s go have dinner, I''ll be taking care of you from now on, so I''ll treat you." "Is that okay? Thank you very much." It seems to be a reward for dealing with so-called adult circumstances, so let''s be happy. Morita-san took me to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant a short walk from the police station. "I''m sorry ... it''s not a very high-end restaurant, but it''s been a while since I had sushi." "Yes ... Oh! I forgot ..." "What''s wrong? Is it something important?" "Yes, I''m sorry, Morita-san, can you lend me some money?" "Did the people over there ask you for something?" "Yes, all the girls asked me to make sure and buy it for them ..." Before I left Volzard this morning, I forgot to buy what the chairman whispered into my ear. I remembered after seeing the drug store on the first floor of the conveyor belt sushi shop. "I see, there''s a shortage of medicines in the other world." "No, the level of medical care is certainly not as advanced as in Japan, but we have healing magic, so we''re not in trouble." "Is that so? Then what was the shopping you were asked to do?" "Umm ... they asked me to buy a box for the daytime and the nighttime ..." "For daytime, for night ...?" "Yes, I mean, what should I say when I buy it?" "Kokubu-kun, what are you talking about?" "Umm ... well ... it''s a sanitary product ..." "Aaah ... I see ... Okay, I''ll pay for it, so Kokubu-kun take care of the order for the clerk." "Uh ... I understand." I made up my mind to go through the automatic door of the drugstore and stepped into the sanitary products corner, but I was completely taken aback. When a female customer approached, I involuntarily left the display shelf for a while. What is this guy doing ... The gaze like that hurts. What''s more, there are too many types, such as slim, long, and with wings, so I don''t know which one to buy. I have no choice but to rely on the store clerk here, but it''s useless to ask a male store clerk. Rather, why is Morita-san watching from so far away? While I was throwing a resentful look at Morita-san, who was holding his stomach and fainting from laughter, someone called out to me from behind. "Customer, are you looking for something?" "Yesh! U, umm ... well ... that is, I, It''s not for me, umm ... A female classmate ..." A young female sales clerk approached me, and I pretended that a classmate living overseas had asked me to send it to her, and asked her to help me choose. I''ve been sweating so badly that my throat is parched. "The manufacturer wasn''t specified, so I don''t know what to buy ..." "Then, should I give you a brief idea?" "E, even if you say a brief idea ..." "Well, I think it would be fine if you had heavy daily use, normal daily use, and for night, but just in case, it should be fine if you put in a few tampons for daily use and normal use." "I, is that so, th, then, put it in a box ..." "A box?" "Yes, there are a lot of people ..." "Ah, I see ... I understand. Now then, I will prepare the goods, so please wait a moment." "Th, thank you very much ... fuuu ..." Probably, I think that right now I have a complexion like a boiled octopus. Morita-san took care of the payment for four cardboard boxes of sanitary products. When Morita-san asked for a receipt in the name of the police station, the clerk gave a dubious look. "Morita-san, is this going to be covered as an expense?" "Well, I don''t know, but without a receipt, there''s no way to claim it." I pretended to load the four cardboard boxes into the car, and put them away in the shadow storage in the corner of the parking lot to avoid prying eyes. "That''s amazing, even something that big is fine, that''s great ... I want to use that magic, too." "Dark attribute magic is really a cheat. It can store items as big as a large truck." "Really? No, it''s amazing ... but, since they asked Kokubu-kun, I guess it''s pretty urgent." "Yes, really, I was strictly ordered to definitely buy it, so I don''t know since I''m a man, but I think it''s hard." "I see, it seems like the girls are indomitable." "That''s right. The boys got into a brawl with other boys of the same age in Volzard and were almost exiled from the city ..." While eating with Morita-san, I talked about things other than the summoning and rescue operations. Morita-san listened with great interest when I talked about the various jobs I did in Volzard, the food, the people I got acquainted with, and monsters. "Well ... The more I hear about it, the more I want to go. If you can come back from the other side, it will be possible to bring people there, right?" "Hmm ... I won''t know until I actually become able to do it." "Kokubu-kun ... if you create a travel agency and do travel tours to different worlds, you might become a millionaire." "Hmm ... even at this point, I am earning quite a lot of money in the other world, so I am not really interested in making money, or rather, I am thinking of living in Volzard ..." "Eh, you aren''t coming back to Japan?" "Yes, the Lord of Volzard has asked me to stay, and above all, if I want to make use of the magic that I have learned to use, I think Volzard is better than Japan ..." "No, no, if you use magic and show it in Japan, it will become very popular. You''ll be in demand on TV every day, and you''ll become friends with idols ..." "Eh, idols ..." I''m also in the middle of puberty, so it''s not that possible that I''m not interested in idols. If I could use shadow movement or something like that, it would probably have more of an impact than escape magic, and I might be able to become a popular person. Then I might get a chance to get acquainted with idols who are at the peak of their popularity, a gravure idol onee-san and a Fluffy development ... What am I thinking, also, the chairman will find out, so let''s stop it. With Manon and Beatrice as well as the chairman, there are three pretty girls, but if I want more than that, I will be punished. "So, how do you feel about coming back?" "Hmm ... I think I''ll stay in Volzard after all." "Haha ... I see, there''s a cute girl over there." "Eeeeh ... h, h, how do you know that ..." "No, Kokubu-kun is easy to understand. Besides, I''m good at reading people''s expressions because of my business." "I see ..." It would be impossible for me to lie to a professional detective. It was kind of frustrating, so I made a tower of plates to get back at him, but he still got a receipt when he checked out. Will they pay for entertainment expenses? "Well then, I''ll go back to Volzard." "Since the policy of each ministry and agency will be decided by noon at the earliest, could you come to the Investigation HQ once by tomorrow evening?" "Understood, if the situation over there doesn''t change significantly, I think I can visit you." I asked Morita-san to be vigilant about my surroundings, and returned to Volzard from the drugstore parking lot in the shadows. The destination is the room of the chairman in the temporary garrison. I want to deliver the requested items as soon as possible. The chairman seems to be writing a diary at her desk. Come to think of it, she was also keeping a diary at Lastock, so maybe I should bring that diary too. "Yuika, is now okay?" "Ah, Kento, welcome back, anytime is okay." "Well then, I''ll bother you. I brought what you asked for, but is it okay if I put it here?" "You already bought it for me, as expected of Kento, thank you." Ofuuu, I was hugged from the front by the chairman. The room in the temporary dormitory that my classmates were using was bigger than my room at the boarding house, and even with four large cardboard boxes, there was still room to spare. "I wasn''t sure, so I asked the drug store clerk to help me, but is it okay?" "Yeah, with this much I think it will be fine for a while." "It was a little embarrassing, but ..." "I''m sorry, but it was a serious problem for the girls ..." "Then, I''ll go report to the teachers." "Yes, thank you ..." I moved from the chairman''s room to the teacher''s room and reported today''s events. It is necessary to increase the amount of compensation demanded from Resenburg by adding the damage in Japan, but until the assessment is completed, we cannot present an amount that will serve as a starting point for negotiations. Consolation money for the bereaved families of the deceased, medical expenses for the injured, and the cost of removing the collapsed school building and rebuildings it. The total amount of reparations will rise at once, and it would not be an amount that Camilla can pay at her discretion. It seems that the Japanese government will issue an official letter of protest, but it will not be understood in Japanese, so it will be necessary to translate it into Resenburg''s language, and it will not be used in official documents in this world. I may also need to format it as required. In that case, I have no choice but to ask Klaus-san for help. In any case, I have a feeling that it will take a long time because it is a negotiation between two worlds. Since the Japanese government is involved, we can no longer move on our own. "We''re on standby until Japan''s policy is decided." "It''s not like that, it seems that Kokubu needs to keep working hard from now on, so please take a good rest when you can." After finishing reporting to the teachers, I decided to return to the boarding house, but before that, there is a place I must stop by. I dove into the shadows and headed for the Lastock garrison. CH 94 Royal siblings ***---*** It was late at night in the Lastock garrison, and the lights were still on in Camilla''s office. The door, which had been left open during the daytime, was closed, and neither the secretary nor the escorting knights were in sight. "The knights wanted to escort her ... Camilla strongly told them to stop ..."(TN:Not sure why this isn''t telepathy ... typo? Fred can''t speak normally.) According to Fred, who was scouting, Camilla told some of the knights about how the first person she banished had the qualities of a Maou and was the one responsible for the breakout, and how she was attacked in the office. On top of that, it seems that she persuaded them by saying that she would not be harmed because she was in a state of continuing negotiations, and instructed them to do other work and take a rest. Camilla probably thinks that it''s useless to resist us. It may be the effect of having all the lumber and materials appear over night, making her suspect that she had become my genus. While Camilla was concentrating on the papers at hand, I stepped out of the shadows, sat on the parlor sofa, and put my feet up on the table while pretending to be arrogant. I tried to make myself look like a Maou, but it''s a little sad that I didn''t get noticed at all. Camilla, who is absorbed in her work, looks tired and has dark circles under her eyes. Feeling her eyes drooping, she placed her left hand on her eyes and shook her head lightly, then Camilla finally noticed my presence. "Wha ... you, since when have you been there ..." "Is the countermeasure progressing smoothly?" "O, of course ..." Her language gives the pretense of being self-assured, but it seems that something like confusion and fear is floating in her expression. It would be better to proceed with the story without losing my arrogant attitude here. I lowered my legs from the table and gestured with my chin for Camilla to sit across from me. Even though Camilla showed a frustrated expression, she obediently sat down in the opposite seat. "W, what do you want ..." "Fourty-eight ... no, fourty-nine." I confronted Camilla with the number of people who lost their lives due to the collapse of the school building due to the summoning. "Kuh ... As the Third Princess of the Resenburg Kingdom, are you saying that even if I offer this body, it''s not enough ..." "Huh? What are you talking about?" "Isn''t it a request to hand over fourty-nine maidens?" "It''s not like that. It''s the number of people who were sacrificed by your summoning." "Why, only one person died ..." "Funayama was the only person who lost his life among those who came to Resenburg, but in the original world, 48 people lost their lives and more than 150 people were injured. It''s all your fault." "How do you know about the original world ..." "I got the power to return to our original world." "What did you say ... Th, then, are you going back to your original world?" I didn''t miss the flash of joy on Camilla''s face. "You seem to be misunderstanding something. At the moment, I''m the only one who can return to our original world, and if other people could freely come and go, that would be the end of Resenburg. My country''s army is equipped with firepower that rivals the knights of Resenburg. It''s possible to turn the royal capital of Ardaros into a burnt wasteland in a single day." "S, such a thing ..." "It''s selfish to think that it can''t be done, but compared to my country''s army, the knights of Resenburg are over a hundred years behind. By the way, another country in my world possesses a weapon that could blow away the royal capital in a single blow. Camilla Resenburg, you should understand that the world you picked a fight with is such a world." Of course, I can''t mobilize the SDF or the US military on my own, let alone shoot nuclear missiles into the royal capital, but Camilla''s face turned pale when she heard the story. "W, wait ... I didn''t have that intention ..." "The building that was summoned with us was the third floor of a four-story building. Caught under the collapsed building, 48 people died and more than 150 were injured. This afternoon, I reported the details of the incident to the government officials. A formal complaint and a claim for compensation will be filed against Resenburg in the near future. If you refuse to do so, you should expect retaliation as a matter of course." "I, I will accept the payment of compensation. I will accept it, but at my own discretion ..." "Then, report the situation to the King and ask for his cooperation." "But the summoning was something I did at my own discretion ..." "Even if what the royal family did was a matter of personal choice that had nothing to do with the country ... Do you think that such a story would pass? You always said it was all for the benefit of Resenburg ... So even if you say that the country has nothing to do with it, you have zero persuasive power." Camilla was at a loss for an answer and fell silent for a while. "W, with my life ..." "There''s no way that will fix it. Even if you took your own life, Resenburg''s responsibility won''t be taken away. Or rather, do you think the other royals can take responsibility? Do you think the King, the First Prince, or the Second Prince can handle the situation? If it''s left to those people, this country will really collapse and disappear." "Wh, what should I do ..." "I don''t know. It''s the seed you sowed, so take responsibility and reap it. Oh yeah, I''ll teach you something good. The First Prince, Alphonse, will take advantage of the commotion and raise an army to get rid of the Second Prince if a maximum outbreak occurs." "Wait, even though it''s a national crisis, what is he doing ..." "Aah, by the way, the Second Prince thinks that the report of the maximum outbreak this time is an excuse to send in troops, so he intends to ambush the First Prince when he advances his forces." "What is that ... then it will become a complete civil war." "Yeah. And that happens while Lastock is hit by a catastrophic outbreak. I wonder what''s going to happen to Resenburg." "Aah ... that''s ..." After being stunned, Camilla covered her face with her hands and her shoulders began to shake. It seemed that Camilla was being cornered more than I thought, so I decided to finish it. "Do you want power?" "Eh ...?" Camilla, who hastily wiped her eyes and looked up, had a mixed expression of anxiety and anticipation. "Do you want the power to protect the people?" "O, of course, no matter what happens to me, if I can protect the people, it''s my long-cherished wish." "Then pledge allegiance to me. If you pledge allegiance to me, Kent Kokubu, with your own mouth, I will help you protect your people. Don''t you want the power to single-handedly defeat four Salamanders?" "Salamanders ... four of them ..." "Don''t you want the power of a skeleton that can subdue a group of over 200 rock ogres?" "Two hundred rock ogres ..." With a snap of my fingers, Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred lined up behind me. "Don''t you want the power of lizardmen and kobold armies that can eradicate every single one of a horde of over 300 orcs?" "Of course I want it!" When I snapped my fingers again, Zae-tachi and Art-tachi appeared, filling the office. "Aaah ... this is the power of the Maou ..." "So, what are you going to do?" Camilla left her seat, went around the table, knelt in front of me and bowed her head. "I, I, Camilla Resenburg, pledge allegience to Maou Kent Kokobu-sama. Please lend me your strength to protect the people." "Okay, I''ll lend you my strength. However, it''s to protect the people, and it doesn''t mean your sins have been forgiven. After the fear of a maximum outbreak has passed and the country of Resenburg has calmed down, I will have you pay for your sins. Is that good?" "As you wish ..." Ukkyaaaa! It feels gooooood! That Camilla is kneeling in front of me. It may be inappropriate, but I can''t help but think it feels good. "For the time being, concentrate on strengthening the defense of Lastock. The First and Second Princes, and even the Third Prince, if they continue to fight for the throne without considering the people, I''ll get rid of them all together." "Such a thing ... No, it''s possible for Maou-sama." "Speaking of which, I don''t know what kind of person the Fourth Prince is, but will your brother be useful?" "Diethelm is ..." I thought that Camilla would of course declare that he was an excellent younger brother, but her words were vague. Perhaps, the male side of the royal family in this country is full of idiots. "Diethelm is a kind brother who thinks of the people like me, but his body is not very strong." "Does that mean that if he regains his health, he has the qualities to become an excellent King?" "Yes, that''s definitely true ... but even with the hands of the royal healers, his weak constitution won''t heal ..." "Hmm ... I understand. If you are imprisoned, I will prepare your brother to inherit the throne." "Isn''t Maou-sama going to rule Resenburg?"(TN:No, I''m going to rule the whole world, and I''ll give you half. Maou done right, take that DQ games.) Camilla looks a little surprised, but I don''t want to do the work of a King because it''s troublesome. Having beautiful women serve me ... sounds good, just a bit, although I yearn for it a little, I''m afraid of the chairman, so I''ll pass. "I have no intention of doing troublesome things like being a King. However, I might do something to the extent of giving a hammer to a King that screws around ..." "Th, then, give my brother the throne ..." "What will he do with the throne?" "Of course, he''s going to run the government for the people." "That''s fine, but if he runs it for self-interest ... he might just disappear." "I, I know." I returned all of my genus to the world of shadows and told Camilla. "I have power, but it''s not infinite, so I can''t necessarily use all of it for Resenburg. So continue your efforts to protect your own country and city. I will help, but I won''t allow you to rely on me completely. Is that fine." "Yes, as you will." "Also, at this point, no one but me can return to the original world. Disclose all the information about the summoning technique passed down in the Resenburg royal family for those who wish to return." "But, the summoning techinique is a technique to summon those who meet the specified conditions, and it is not something that is performed by specifying a place ..." "I know. Even if it''s like that, if I specify the conditions in detail and summon from the original world, there is a possibility that they can return to the original world." "However, summoning is a secret of the royal family ..." "Is your loyalty to that extent? Then I may have to reconsider ..." "Please wait. I will give you all the information about the summoning technique." "Prepare it within three days, okay." "Yes, as you will." When Camilla bowed her head again, I dove into the world of shadows. Raising her head and noticing that I was gone, Camilla let out a big sigh. "Fuuu ... I seem to have summoned an outrageous person. I guess I should consider it a stroke of luck that I got through with just this level of situation ..." Camilla slowly shook her head and returned to her office desk, where she resumed organizing her documents. [ Kent-sama, as dignified as expected ... ] [ No, no, I was anxious in my heart that I would have my faults exposed. ] [ With this, Camilla is also confirmed to enter your harem ... ] [ No it''s not. Think about it ... Fred, How can I not show it on my face ... No, no, it''s no good after all, I''ll definitely be found out. ] [ If you make a fait accompli ... it''s okay ... ] [ I see ... hey, that''s no good, if I do that, what kind of horrible experience will I end up with ... ] Recently, I feel like Fred is playing around when it comes to matters concerning Camilla. Perhaps it would be better for Fred to subjugate quickly or move his body to relieve stress. While I was thinking about such things, I was spoken to by Reinhardt. [ Kent-sama, why did you make Camilla pledge allegiance? ] [ Hmm ... I thought it would be more convenient, but ... ] [ If they get information about the summoning technique, won''t Kent-sama become an unnecessary existence? ] [ Hmm ... I think that Japan, the country I used to live in, will make a formal protest or demand compensation, if they try to proceed with it through the regular procedure, I think it will be a big deal. ] After all, it will be a negotiation between Japan and a country in another world, so the parties can''t even meet face to face. The language doesn''t exist on Earth either, so if it comes to interpreting, I, who was involved in the summons, need to do it. Moreover, in the Kingdom of Resenburg, which is one of the parties, the other royals, aside from Camilla, are unaware of the situation. I can''t imagine anything going smoothly in a situation like this. [ I see, it''s exactly as you said. ] [ That''s why I''m thinking of involving Camilla in the negotiations as the representative of Resenburg. ] In the same way that Morita-san continues the investigation for adult reasons, everyone in other ministries and agencies must have various circumstances. To withdraw reparations, I''ll just have to steal them. However, in order for the Resenburg royal family to pay for it, we need a royal family member to cooperate. They might ask her to sign the reconciliation paperwork, or perhaps appear in a video. At that time, I thought of formalizing Camilla as the representative of Resenburg. [I see, if we were to have formal negotiations with the current Resenburg royal family, no matter how much time passed, the story wouldn''t move forward. ] [ You know, that''s why I decided to use Camilla. While beauty is needed, she also has a royal atmosphere. ] To be honest, I don''t want to be involved in the trouble between Japan and Resenburg forever. I want to hurry up and build a love nest in Volzard and live a sweet life. [ Kent-sama, your inner thoughts are leaking. ] [ Guha ... th, that, it''s just my wish ... ] [ Buhahaha, I don''t mind, Kent-sama has a suitable power, and has done suitable work. ] [ Th, that''s right. I think I did my best. ] [ In that case, let''s do our best and finish the trouble. ] It''s already late at night, but I''m going to clean up one more thing that worries me. Our destination was the royal capital of Aldaros. [ Basten, how''s it going over there? ] [ Yes, the instructions for assistance from the King have stopped at the Prime Minister as usual, and the First and Second Princes are both preparing for battle. ] [ Haa ... Isn''t anyone worried about the maximum outbreak? Is this country really okay? ] [ Unless Kent-sama helps from the shadows, a maximum outbreak of the same scale as Volzard will cause great damage. ] I asked Basten to check the assets that could be used as reparations while investigating the situation of each camp. [ Be sure to check the storage location for not only cash, but also gold bars, jewelry, and expensive accessories. I think that eventually we will carry it by hand and get Camilla to approve it. ] [ I see, so instead of demanding they hand it over, you have them just confirm it. I think the conversation will progress many times faster that way. ] It''s kind of like a group of thieves, but I need to quickly deliver compensation to the people who suffered damage in Japan, so I won''t choose my means. [ Also, about Diethelm, the Fourth Prince, do you know where he is? ] [ Will you take him hostage against Camilla? ] [ No, in order for Camilla to take responsibility for the turmoil, we need someone who can take over the throne, so I want to see if he has the qualities ... ] [ I see, I understand. I will guide you. ] Fred guided me to the building where the Third Queen lives. The Fourth Prince, Diethelm, is said to be part of the First Prince''s faction, but that''s because he can''t stand up to the Second Prince Bernst alone, he doesn''t seem to be actively supporting the succession of the throne by the First Prince Alphonse. Diethelm is currently 14 years old, one year younger than us, the same age as Beatrice. It seems that the reason why he lives in the section where the Queen lives is because he is not yet an adult. [ Yeah, it looks like he''s already asleep. ] [ Yes, Diethelm is a little sickly, and I have the impression that he is unreliable to succeed the throne. ] Certainly, as Basten said, the expression of sleeping on a luxurious bed combined with the same smooth blond hair as Camilla, makes him look like a girl. I think he''s just sleeping normally, but he''s breathing painfully, and the occasional gasping with his mouth open makes him look strangely glamorous. [ Um ... Prince, this is? ] [ Yes, no mistake. ] Perhaps because he is sickly, his body is thin, and if you put him next to the dekoboko sisters, Diethelm would definitely look more girlish. He looks pretty bad, though. Since he''s royalty, it seems like he would have generous nursing. [ I''ll cast some healing magic ... ] [ The royal healer should be dealing with it ... but it sure looks bad. ] I was surprised when I put my hand on Diethelm''s back from the world of shadows and cast healing magic. I felt that his physical condition was similar to when I treated Beatrice, but I also felt that it was different from inflammation like peritonitis. [ What is this ... his internal organs are in tatters ... ] [ Is it that bad? ] [ Yeah, that''s right, but ... something''s wrong. He doesn''t feel sick, but ... ] [ Maybe he''s been poisoned? ] I think Basten''s guess is correct. I don''t really know, but I feel like things that shouldn''t be in his body are being sent through his whole body by the blood flow. I have heard that the liver and kidneys play a major role in the decomposition and excretion of toxic substances, but it certainly seems that his liver and kidneys are weakened. As I patiently cast healing magic, his physical condition began to improve, and his painful breathing began to calm down. [ Does this mean that someone from the First Prince''s faction felt that Diethelm''s talent was dangerous and poisoned him? ] [ This is the area where the Third Queen lives, so it is not necessarily the First Prince faction, I wonder if we can deny the possibility that someone from teh Second Prince''s faction is infiltrating ... ] [ Uwaa ... somehow, it''s a very unpleasant living environment. ] [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t they be suspicious if he suddenly feels better? ] [ Aah, that''s true. Hmm ... I think I''ll act out another play ... ] After confirming that there were no people around the room, I left the world of shadows and stood at Diethelm''s bedside. CH 95 Those who aspire for the throne ***---*** I light the small light magic tool on the side table and shake Diethelm. "N fuu ... N uun ..." Diethelm slowly opened his eyelids while letting out a moan that made me doubt whether he was really a prince. After his deep green eyes swayed a little as if they were wandering, they caught sight of us and he opened his eyes wide. "Be quiet. I don''t like noisy people ..." "W, who ... Do you know that I am the Fourth Prince Diethelm?" "My name is Kent Kokubu. I''m the Maou summoned by your older sister, Camilla, from another world." Since Camilla thinks I''m a Maou, why don''t I act like a Maou? I stood by the bedside with my arms folded, and looked down at Diethelm while speaking gravely. I completely think I''m acting like my impostors in Japan, but I''ll do it. "Maou? That''s ridiculous ..." "You can''t believe it in this situation?" Around the bed, in addition to Reinhardt-tachi, Zae-tachi also appeared and surrounded him. Diethelm swallowed and shook his head. "Camilla seemed to have devised various plans to bind me, but she realized that everything was in vain and became my subordinate." "Th, that''s a lie. Sister giving in to a man like you ..." "Hmph, to me it''s like twisting a baby''s hand. Whatever, I wonder if I should kick Camilla down in front of you." "Kicking down my sister .. Th, th, that kind of thing, I won''t allow it." Hmm? I thought that if I said I would kick her down, he would immediately raise a voice of protest, but I''m worried that there was a strange pause, but whatever, let''s move on. "You won''t allow it? I don''t need your permission. Do you think you can stop me?" When I spread my arms out as if to be proud of my genus, Diethelm frantically looks left and right, but being surrounded by strong lizardmen and having Basten''s spear pointed at him, he can''t do anything. After returning his gaze to me, Diethelm opened his mouth after taking a deep breath to make up his mind. "I, I will take her place. That''s why, don''t put your hands on my sister anymore ..." "Huh? Wait, wait, a scapegoat?" "The Maou, if they like it, will defile both men and women indiscriminately ... Ah, instead of my sister, my body ..." "Wait, wait, I don''t have that kind of hobby, stop it, stupid prince!" Diethelm suddenly started unbuttoning his pajamas, and his bare white shoulders were glossy, and he was a little nervous. I walked up to him unintentionally and slapped my hand down on his head with a flat hand. "Ouch, a, as expected, not in a place like this, but in front of the people ... Ouch!" "You too, just like your stupid sister, what kind of education did you receive?" I don''t know if the Demon Lords of the past were terrible, or if the education of the royal family was terrible, but I didn''t think the brother and sister duo both held strange desires. "W, well then, what are you going to do with me?" It''s a secret from the chairman that I was suddenly startled by Diethelm, who stared at me with teary eyes while holding the collar of his disheveled white pajamas with one hand. "You will become my puppet and rule Resenburg in my place." "Eeh ... M, me ruling Resenburg ..." "Yes, you will be the next King." While looking down at Diethelm, I thrust my finger at him and declared. I thought he would naturally have a joyful expression to inherit the throne, but Diethelm''s head drooped and he lowered his gaze to his hands. "It''s impossible ... I can''t be a King." "Hmm ... Don''t you want to be King? Is it okay for those stupid step-brothers to become King?" "W, well, I want to be a King. I want to be a King who cares more about the people and works for them. But ... I''m weak ... I''m not as strong as my sister ..." Somehow, when I looked at Diethelm, I felt like I was looking at myself from a short while ago, and I got annoyed. Of course, I wasn''t this good looking, but the part where I felt inferior to other people and felt a complex was overlapping with the current Diethelm. "You can''t do it because you''re weak, you can''t do it because you''re not as strong as Camilla ... Are you just running away like that?" "There''s no such thing. If I had a healthy body that can live a normal life ... I would aim to be a King." "Then there''s no problem. You can become a King as my puppet!" "That''s why I said it''s impossible for me!" "You, are you a fool that doesn''t even know the state of your own body?" "Eh ... eh, lies, why ... it''s not painful ..." Diethelm, who finally realized that his physical condition had improved, opened his eyes wide and put his hands on his chest and stomach to check. "I have injected my dark power into your body. You certainly said that if you have a healthy body, you would aim to become King ... If you pledge allegiance to me, I will help you become King." "I, is that even possible ..." "I am the Maou. I can make you a King or destroy you." Of course, Diethelm can''t be placed on the throne that easily, but bluffing is also necessary. "Don''t you want to be one? A King that thinks of his people ..." "I, I want to be ... I want to think of the people like my sister and be strong ..." "Then, swear that you will become my puppet, besides, your respected sister also knelt before me and pledged allegiance." "Ah, my sister knelt down ... Hou, is that true?" Diethelm, a little, no a lot? He feels like a siscon. But I think he''s probably just in shock, it''s definitely my imagination that he looks like he''s in ecstasy. "You are free to doubt, but there is always just one truth. What are you going to do?" "I, I will ..." Diethelm made up his mind and got off the bed, knelt in front of me and bowed his head. "I ... Diethelm Resenburg pledge allegiance to Maou Kent Kokubu-sama. Please, lend me your strength so that I can become King." "Hmph, okay, I''ll lend you my strength. However, if you forget your feelings for the people, I''ll mercilessly destroy you, so keep that in mind." "I will make sure not to disobey Maou-sama''s will." "Okay, then the first order ..." "Yes, please tell me." Diethelm bowed his head with a solemn look. "Diethelm, the first order I give you is to act as if you''re a sick man." "Eh, even though Maou-sama has taken great pains to make me healthy, I am to pretend to be unwell?" "That''s right. Diethelm, you seem to have been poisoned." "Eeeh! R, right ... This is the section where my mother lives, and all the cooks should have been chosen by my mother ... N, no way, my mother ..." "Don''t panic. Even if you have no qualms about being selected, you may receive invitations from other factions later. Don''t get upset before you know anything. You can''t serve as the future King like that." "Haa ... I''m sorry." "Basten, take command of the kobolds and find out if there are any suspicious people." [ Understood, the Third Queen''s physical condition doesn''t seem to be a problem, so Diethelm is the only one being targeted, so I think we can find them immediately. ] Seeing that Basten, who was holding his spear, responded with a gesture, Diethelm offered. "Maou-sama, please let me know if you find anything suspicious. I will stop the root of their breath with this hand." When I saw Diethelm gleefully advising me, I got a little irritated. It may be right in this world to decide to mercilessly kill those who are hostile like Camilla does, but maybe because I''m a peace idiot, I can''t get used to it. "Is that what you call a King who cares about his people?" "Eh, what do you mean?" "If there is a suspicious person, will you kill them immediately?" "Those who poison the royal family deserve death." After all, Diethelm seems to have the same thoughts as Camilla. "Are you going to kill them without even investigating the reason? What if their relatives were taken hostage and they had no choice but to poison you? Will the person who committed the crime no longer be a citizen of Resenburg?" "Th, that''s ... but ..." "I know that they poisoned me, so kill them ... In that case, wouldn''t it just go as planned by those who are pulling the strings behind the scenes?" "That ... It may be so." It was Diethelm who made the offer with momentum, but he fell silent as if he was deep in thought. "If you''re aiming to become a King, show your magnanimity. If they were threatened and it was unavoidable to poison you, wouldn''t it be the person who threatened them who should be punished? Isn''t extending a helping hand to those who were threatened, the true form of a King?" "Maou ..." Diethelm lifted his lowered face and his eyes widened ... It''s good up to that point, but something is wrong with his mouth slightly open as if letting out a sigh and his cheeks were blushed ... "Maou ..." "Wh, what is it?" "I was wrong. A King must be strong, stern, yet kind and open-minded." "O, of course ... Killing blindly is not strength." "Ah ... Maou-sama ... I''ll be with you for the rest of my life." "Y, yeah ..." When he''s staring at me with upturned eyes, my back feels a little tingly, so I wonder if he could stop it. "Hey, act properly. If you get pretentious, you won''t be able to expose the mastermind, and next time you might be poisoned enough to kill you in one shot. Do you understand?" "Yes, as Maou-sama says ..." "Hmm ... I''m kind of worried. Try acting for a bit." "Yes, then ..." Diethelm thought for a moment, then furrowed his brow and began to breathe shallowly and irregularly. Perhaps, he is remembering his normal self, but he looks more unhealthy than I had imagined. This seems okay, but it''s kind of glamorous. "Yeah, it''s fine. If you act too badly, you might get noticed instead, so do well in that area." "Yes, as you wish ..." I guess it''s the aftermath of his acting, but it''s really uncomfortable to be stared at with those gloomy eyes. "Well, well then, I''ll go home ..." "Are you leaving already? Umm ... I want to just stay like this ..." "I, I''m going home, because I''m busy!" "Ha, I''m sorry." When Diethelm lowered his head, I dove into the world of shadows. [ Hey, what''s with Diethelm ... ] [ The Fourth Prince ... also in Kent-sama''s harem ... ] [ He''s not! I won''t allow it! ] Fred''s remarks were quickly dismissed. [ Kent-sama, sodomy is not uncommon among the nobles of Resenburg. ] [ Wait, what are you even talking about, Reinhardt? ] [ However, Kent-sama, looking at the Fourth Prince''s behavior, it looked more like the gaze of someone who cared for you rather than the obedience to their King ... ] [ Ugh ... As I thought? ] I might not have noticed it when I was in Japan, but I have been able to get goodwill from Manon, the chairman, and Beatrice, and I have come to understand a little bit about the difference in people''s eyes. Certainly, as Basten said, Diethelm''s gaze looked like that. [ That won''t happen. If even Diethelm were to join the harem, what would the chairman say ... it''s scary just to think about it. ] [ Kent-sama, I don''t know how it is now, but when we were alive, masculine and feminine were considered different things, so there weren''t many disputes between wives and lovers. ] [ No, even in our world, the understanding of same-sex romance is spreading, but it''s not that open. Hell, I can understand if he pledges allegiance with a frustrated expression like Camilla, but why is he ... in love with me? ] [ Probably, in the heart of that Fourth Prince, there is a swirling love-hate feeling towards Camilla. When Kent-sama said that he would kick Camilla down, it was only for a moment, but he certainly had a look of joy on his face. ] What Reinhardt is referring to is probably the time when there was a strange pause before he raised his voice in protest. [ Does that mean Diethelm wants Camilla to be kicked down by me? ] [ Perhaps, he had always imagined that he would kick Camilla down. His weak self subjugates his strong sister ... I guess he had delusions of such. ] [ Hmm ... I can understand those feelings because it''s that outrageous Camilla, but even so, isn''t it strange that he likes me? ] [ I guess his feelings of longing for Kent-sama, who has the strength to make wishes that he can''t fulfill on his own, have tilted in a slightly strange direction. ] [ Hmm ... I don''t know, I feel like he''s a bit twisted ... Maybe I should reconsider making him a King ... ] [ However, Kent-sama, you intend to make Camilla atone for her sins, right? if the Fourth Prince fails, Kent-sama will have no choice but to become King. ] [ No, no, that''s no good. I can''t be a King, after all. ] Once my classmates are able to return, I plan to stay in Volzard and enjoy the carefree life of an adventurer. I want to dive into dungeons and see other towns in Landshelt. I have no intention of doing something so troublesome as being a King. [ In that case, Kent-sama will have no choice but to train him and make him a King. ] [ Eeeh ... But, is that the only way ... ] Since I made the trip to the royal capital, I decided to take a peek at the camps of the First and Second Princes. That said, it''s pretty late at night, so they might be asleep already. Let''s take a look at the First Prince first. [ Basten, is the First Prince married? ] [ Yes, he''s married to the daughter of an Earl, but they have no children yet. ] [ Is that right ... that means, at this time, maybe ... ] [ Kent-sama, you won''t know until you see it. ] [ A, after all, I''m just going to find out how the First Prince is doing. It''s not like I''m interested in married life at night. ] [ I know, Kent-sama. ] Reinhardt and the others nodded in unison, but I definitely think they''re misunderstanding me. The First Prince was in the bedroom instead of the living room. Even the light on the side table is turned off, and the bedroom should be enveloped in darkness. The First Prince, Alphonse, was being held up from behind by a muscular man. [ Yeah, let''s go home ... ] [ How is it, Kent-sama, it''s just as I said. ] My evaluation of the Resenburg royal family has already fallen, and my evaluation is sinking into the ground. Just in case ... I took a peek at the Second Prince''s room, but the moment I took a peek, I regretted having seen it. Second Prince Bernst was in the living room, not in the bedroom. A long-pile carpet was laid out, and Christoph, the Third Prince and a few of his ill-mannered followers were sitting in a circle and drinking cups of alcohol. The fireplace in the room was glowing red, and the room was warm enough to make you sweat, and a strange color of smoke was wafting from the incense burner in the corner of the room. [ Kent-sama, don''t inhale the smoke. ] [ Is this some kind of drug? ] [ Indeed. It''s an intoxicating incense called Falzala. ] None of the men wore clothes, only a large towel was wrapped around their waists. Women with only thin cloth wrapped around their waists were leaning against the men. Bernst had women on both sides. Christoph is holding a woman while they are facing each other. Everyone in the room has cloudy, dead-fishlike eyes and a faint smile. Some of the women were continuously having uncanny convulsions and some were even blowing bubbles. [ Something must have been mixed into the alcohol. It''s even worse than a brothel on the outskirts of town. ] Reinhardt, spat out bitterly, and seemed to be biting down his anger that was about to explode. [ Let''s go home. These guys are useless. As for the First Prince, it''s a matter of taste, but these guys shouldn''t stand above the people, right? The Second Prince''s faction must be crushed someday! ] I don''t have the right to choose the King, but if these guys seize full power over Resenburg, even though it''s across from the Devil''s Forest, it''s obvious that even Volzard will be adversely affected. [ Kent-sama, would you like to get rid of them? ] [ If it is necessary, I will do so, but it will be a problem if the faction members become desperate and cause a civil war, so let''s collect a little more information first. ] I didn''t intend to get involved in the Resenburg family turmoil, but I decided to eliminate the Second Prince faction. CH 96 Celia''s feelings ***---*** The morning after I saw the Resenburg Princes'' misbehavior, I decided to ask Klaus-san in the guild. I wanted to report that I was able to return to Japan through shadow movement, and that I had decided to make the Fourth Prince Diethelm a puppet, and to hear his opinion. In particular, I would like to ask him to tell me if there is anything I should be careful about when destroying the Second Prince''s faction. I might be a little too self-conscious, but after the maximum outbreak, my face seems to be known a little, so I felt like it would be troublesome if I showed my face in the crowd of the guild, so I used shadow movement and went directly in front of his office. After confirming that there were no visitors in the office, I knocked on the door. "Who is it." "It''s Kent." "Oh, it''s open, come in." "Good morning. I''m sorry for intruding so suddenly." "What''s wrong?" "Yes, sorry for the delay in reporting. Actually, the night before yesterday, I found out that I can return to the original world by shadow movement of the dark attribute magic. Thank you for all your help until now." When I changed my posture and lowered my head sharply, silence came over the office. "Huh? You say you were able to return to your original world. Y, you''re not going to go back, are you?" Even when I hear Klaus-san''s slightly flustered voice, I kept my head down and remained silent. He gave amnesty to Takayama and the others, while appealing for his generosity as a Feudal Lord, and he made me pay the reparations, to repay such a cheating father-in-law, I have to make sure that my facial expressions cannot be read. "Kent, you ... what are you going to do about Beatrice. Also, the state of the Devil''s Forest is still in a state that can''t be said to have calmed down. Are you going to abandon Volzard?" "Actually, I went back to my parents'' house the day before yesterday ..." I reported that my parents'' house was empty, what happened in Japan after we were summoned, and that there is still no way for anyone but me to return home. "I''ve been indebted to you in many ways, but it seems that I have no place in my original world, so I decided to do my best to be recognized as a full-fledged adult in Volzard. Thank you very much for your continued support ... Father-in-law." After lowering my head again and showing him a grin, Klaus-san folded his arms and glared back. It looks like he has blue veins floating on his temples ... Did I overdo it a bit? "Hou ... Isn''t that interesting? I''ll treat you to plenty, so prepare yourself." "Y, yes, I will study." "Even so, it''s ironic that Kent, who doesn''t want to go home, can go home, and the people who wanted to go home can''t go home." "Well, that''s true, but knowing that I can return to Japan by moving in the shadows is a step forwards. If I can find a way to bring other people into the shadow world, we can solve the problem of returning." "I see ... Shadow movement, dark attribute magic, huh ..." Klaus-san uncrossed his arms and stroked his chin as he began to think. "Is there someone who knows more?" "In general terms, the most common attribute is earth, followed by wind, water, and fire. Light and dark attributes are rare attributes. I don''t know how much I can trust them at the level of rumors." "Is that so?" "Hey you ... A guy who calmly uses dark magic without chanting is a fairy-tale level existence if you ask me." "But ... when I tried to do it, I could do it ..." In fact, the first time I used magic was when I was being eaten by goblins, and I didn''t even realize that I had used magic. "Well, if you did it, you could do it ... Is there anything you can do to bring the other guys along?" "I tried it a little while rescuing my classmates, but it didn''t go well." "Is that so ... Dark attribute, huh ... Wait, Donovan should have sent a report of the maximum outbreak to the guild headquarters ..." "Does the report have anything to do with this?" "Oh, yes, it''s a big deal." Klaus-san loosened his mouth with a grin. "Of course, the report will also include your story. In that case, there will be rumors about your promotion to S-rank. In that case, there is a high possibility that the guild master from the headquarters will come to Volzard ..." "Is that person familiar with the dark attribute?" "Yes, but Kent, be careful. It''s a monster over 250 years old." "Eeeeh ... 250 years old? You''re joking, right." "I''m not joking. Well, if they don''t come to Volzard, I''ll write you a letter of introduction, so you can meet and have them listen to what you have to say. Maybe you can find a clue to the solution." "Yes, please, by all means." 250 years old is a bit of a stretch, but I can''t help but meet them in order to solve my problems. "Kent, is that the only story?" "Yes, I think that by returning to my original world, I will be negotiating with Japan where I lived and Resenburg ..." "Aah, that''s going to be troublesome." As expected of Klaus-san, who is doing his job as a Feudal Lord, he seems to understand the complexity of negotiations between countries with different languages, customs, and values without needing to explain. "Yes, I don''t know when it will be paid if I just make a claim, and I doubt that the royal family other than Camilla will respond to negotiations in the first place. So I''m thinking of having Camilla confirm it." "To have to confirm it ... Is she going to admit it?" "Yes, Camilla seems to think that I''m a Maou, so I made her swear allegiance by pretending to be a Maou." "Kukuku, are you really going to be a Maou ... Well, that''s fine, things will be cleared up faster that way." "Assuming that the negotiations with Japan will be settled in that way, about the royal family of Resenburg ..." I talked about the current situation of the four Princes I''ve seen so far, and how I''m thinking about having the Fourth Prince Diethelm inherit the throne in the future. "What do you think?" "Well, I can''t say anything because I didn''t see it directly, but it''s true that I haven''t heard any good rumors about the Second Prince. I don''t think it''s a favorable situation for Volzard to have them take full control." According to Klaus-san, tax collection is becoming stricter in areas ruled by the nobles of the Second Prince faction. If heavy taxes spread throughout Resenburg, there is a risk that the traffic of Barshanian merchant caravans crossing the desert will be affected. "If a high tax is imposed on entry into the country, and a high tax is imposed on transactions within the country, merchants will stop coming here. Also, merchants don''t just carry goods, they also carry information from other countries. If such a person ceases to exist, we will not know what the neighboring countries are doing or what they are thinking. To be frank, it''s more painful to lose information than the products." Unlike the Earth where we lived, information on the other side of the planet is not transmitted in an instant, and it seems that the information that is brought to us is of value. "Considering that I will continue to live in Volzard from now on, I think it would be better to eliminate the Second Prince faction, or is it better not to get involved in the struggle for the throne?" "Kent, that''s something that only you can do, normally you can''t do it even if you want to get involved." "Ah, yes, that''s right ..." "Normally, it''s impossible to investigate such internal affairs. That''s why we can only wait and see what kind of person will become King. When a new King is born, we''ll have to see what kind of attitude they will have and then respond." As Klaus-san said, even if they send a spy, it will be difficult to get into the depths of the royal family. Since I use shadow movement on a daily basis, I thought it was natural, but this is a big strength. "It''s something that can''t normally be done, but if I can do it ..." "Of course, I will lend you a hand, my son-in-law. For me, the interests of Volzard come first. First, gather more detailed information." "Is there anything I should be careful about?" "That''s right ... The battle for the succession to the throne and the faction disputes that accompany it are a gamble that will use the rest of your life as chips." "Gamble ... is it?" "That''s right, if the Prince you support becomes the next King, your territory will increase and you can move to fertile land, but if you are in the opposite position, you will be blamed and lose your land, and be moved to poorer land. Even a Prince will be imprisoned if he doesn''t become a King, and if he''s not good enough, he''ll be killed. If you''re going to jump into a fight that will cost you the rest of your life, and if you start with a half-hearted hand, you''ll get severely burned." Klaus-san''s advice gave me chills down my spine. Eliminate the Second Prince faction and set Diethelm as the next King ... Even though it''s a battle for each person''s life, I felt like it was a game. "Right now, the Second Prince faction is making a profit in the eastern part of their territory, but if the First Prince becomes King, there is a concern that they will be driven to a remote area in the west. If that happens, their income will naturally decrease, and they won''t be able to continue the good life they have now. In the first place, it would be the greatest shame for nobles to fall into ruin because they wear their honor like clothes. That''s why, when it comes down to it, they should be desperate to put the Second Prince on the throne." It can''t be as easy as removing the Second Prince piece from the game board. "A, as expected, should I stop ..." "That''s not right. You brought it up to my ears, I''ll have you do it." "Eeeeh ... but, everyone puts their lives on the line ..." "You idiot, even we are risking our lives. Do you mind if the city you live in becomes a situation where you can no longer live in peace? What will you do then?" "Th, that''s a problem, but ..." "In that case, it would be more convenient for you to make the Fourth Prince, who you can control behind the scenes, the King." "Th, that''s right ..." Huh? I''ll be the one to manage the battle for the throne of Resenburg ... It''s like, I thought my will was going to be respected by Klaus-san, but somehow it seems like he''s taking the initiative ... "Listen, Kent, even if you are in conflict with someone, if you think they are a useful person in the future, think about convincing them and making them your allies. However, if you decide that it''s useless and they will only harm you in the future, don''t forgive them. If you take a half-baked response, it will surely come back as a disaster, so remove them to their roots." "By all means ... is it?" "By all means. Those guys don''t necessarily come directly at you. If you want to protect your family, friends, acquaintances, or something important to you, show no mercy." I swallowed my salive and nodded at Klaus-san''s uncharacteristically harsh words. I have a feeling that the Second and Third Princes will probably be the opponents I absolutely have to kill. "I don''t think things will change suddenly today or tomorrow, but if you''re stuck and you can''t make it in time, there''s no point." "Okay, I''ll get to it right away." "I''m counting on you, son-in-law." "Guh ... Excuse me." "Ah, yes, I almost forgot." "What is it?" "Those who were pardoned the day before yesterday, they showed up at the construction site of the ramparts again yesterday." "Eh, is that true?" "Yeah, the site supervisor said that they''re becoming full-fledged people by doing a lot of work. How is it, we will make use of human resources." I bowed to Klaus-san who grinned, and left the office. Far from being rewarded, I feel like I''ve been shot like a hedgehog with arrows all over my body. It''s frustrating, but Klaus-san is better than many people. [ Kent-sama, it will take too much time if we investigate the correlation between nobles by ourselves. ] [ Hmm, what should I do ... ] [ The quickest way to find out would be to hear from Camilla. ] [ I see, it seems that Camilla understands not only the First Prince faction, but also the Second Prince faction. Okay, I''ll ask about it tonight ... ] Let''s go to Camilla in Lastock for a moment. Fred is sticking around and monitoring Camilla. [ Fred, how''s Camilla doing? ] [ Now that they have the materials at hand ... it has calmed down quite a bit ... ] The construction work seems to be progressing at the planned pace because the materials for countermeasures against the maximum outbreak, which was the biggest concern, have been prepared. However, it seems that the absolute shortage of manpower is unavoidable, and it seems that it will take some time before the entire construction is completed. Camilla seems to be checking the plan in her office with the door open as usual. [ It''s almost time to inspect the site ... ] [ If that''s the case, then I''d like to deliver this order as well. ] I scribbled a command for Camilla and slid it into her hand from a small shield of darkness that she couldn''t see. "Huh ... from where." If a piece of paper suddenly falls in front of you, it will surprise you. [ There is not enough information to let Diethelm sit on the throne. Summarize the relationships of the Resenburg nobility by night. ] Camilla, who opened her eyes wide after reading the scribble, folded the paper into a small size, put it in her pocket, and muttered in a low voice. "Understood, Maou-sama." Klaus-san said that if there was a useful person, I should recruit them as an ally, if that''s the case, then Camilla is definitely someone to recruit as an ally, it''s just, I don''t feel like I can easily forgive someone who was responsible for the uproar that caused as many as forty-nine deaths. After all, I was the first to be cut off, and I almost became the goblin''s bait. It depends on how the Japanese government responds, but most of all, I want the bereaved families of the deceased to receive some form of reparations. Taking away the gold and silver treasures of the Resenburg royal family is also a penalty, but it doesn''t feel like a burden for Camilla as an individual. Since Camilla, who used the secret summoning technique of the royal family, and is most responsible for this uproar, it will be necessary to punish Camilla personally. Since I''ve come to Lastock, I''ve collected the chairman''s diary while I''m at it. Also, I should clear up one more concern. [ Fred, where''s Celia-san right now? ] [ A narrow room in the garrison ... Confined condition ... ] [ Could you guide me? ] [ Understood ... this way ... ] Celia was in a corner of the first floor of the building that Camilla used as her residence. In terms of facilities and size, it is about the size of a one-room apartment, but the door is locked from the outside, and it feels like a Western-style prison. Celia sat on the bed and stared blankly out the window. [ Fred, are there guards around? ] [ There are no guards ... not enough people to deal with the maximum outbreak ... ] [ For the time being, keep an eye out for people that come closer. ] [ Roger ... ] It seems that Takayama wants to take Celia to Volzard and live with her, but if Celia is not willing to do so, it will be out of the question. So I decided to check her feelings. If I suddenly appear, she''ll be surprised, so I''ll come out after calling out to her. "Hello, Celia-san." "Who? Where are you?" "My name is Kent and I am Shuuichi Takayama''s classmate. Right now I''m in the world of shadows using dark magic." "Eh, Shuuichi''s companion ... Yes, please come in ..." "Excuse me for disturbing you." I put out a shield of darkness a little ways from where Celia was sitting and stepped out from there. It seems that it is the first time she has seen shadow movement, and she is surprised with wide eyes. However, once her eyes opened wide, they turned into sharp eyes that pierced through me. "Why ... why didn''t you help Shuiichi if you had that kind of power?" "Huh? Umm ..." "You''re the one that helped the other people escape. You have that much power right? Why didn''t you help Shuuichi ... Uuuu ... Shuuichi ... Shuuichi ..." Celia stood up and protested, then knelt down, covered her face with her hands, and broke down in tears. I forgot. Takayama was supposedly dead. "Umm ... Takayama, he''s not dead ..." "Eh ..." "I rescued Takayama and the rest of the fifty people who participated in the actual battle together, and now he''s doing well in Volzard." "Lies ... Really?" "Yes, he has a lot of energy and caused a brawl with people of the same age in Volzard ... I''m really annoyed." "Aaahhh ... Shuuichi, Shuuichi ... good, that''s good ..." When I looked at Celia, who had her hands folded and was shedding tears, I can''t help but feel annoyed with Takayama. Yeah, come to think of it, in the end, I''m the one paying the compensation to Marcel-san. I definitely won''t be satisfied if he doesn''t make up for it with something. Eeeh, I''m a small person. "Umm ... So, I can''t say right away, but Takayama wants you to live with him in Volzard, what do you think?" "Really? Shuuichi, is he really saying he wants to live with me?" "Yes, that''s right, but he''s currently renting a room in the garrison''s dormitory, and he doesn''t have a decent source of income ..." "I will work too. If I can get out of here and live with Shuuichi ..." Having said that much, Celia cut off her words and hung her head. "Are you worried about your mother?" "Why do you know that ..." "Excuse me, I did a little research. Is your mother imprisoned in the royal palace?" "Yes, Camilla told me that my mother would lose her life if I didn''t do what she said ..." "Then, if your mother can go with you, would you like to go to Takayama''s place?" "Of course! But, can you do that?" "I can''t do it right now. But I''m the man who helped two hundred companions." Yeah, it''s not my power alone, but isn''t it a little cool? Celia''s eyes opened wide again. "I beg of you. Please, please help me and my mother. Neither I nor my mother are interested in the throne at all. If I can live a normal life with Shuuichi, that alone would make me happy." "I understand, but I have to confirm your mother''s intentions, and if I rescue her from the royal capital, I need to make some preparations. Can you wait a little longer?" "Yes, I''ll wait. Just knowing that Shuuichi is alive, the gray world is now shining ..." Seeing Celia smiling like a flower blooming with both hands against her chest, I feel like I understand Yagi-tachi''s feelings for the first time in a long time. "Well then, I''ll proceed with the preparations to take her out, but could you continue with your life as before so that people around you won''t notice?" "Understood. Um ... can you tell Shuuishi? I''m looking forward to the day we meet again ... That I love him forever." "Yes, I understand. I have to move around a lot, so I may not be able to tell him right away, but I will definitely tell him." Yeah, I forgot to do it because I was busy ... I won''t do such a thing. After parting with Celia and returning to the world of shadows, I summoned Basten. [ Did you call for me? Kent-sama. ] [ I''m sorry for calling you when you''re busy. I have a favor to ask of you. ] [ Please let me know what you need. ] [ Make sure you know where Celia''s mother is. I plan to contact her later. ] [ Confirmed. However, even the request of someone who caused so much trouble ... Kent-sama is too good of a person. ] [ Yeah, well, that''s true, but it''s my nature to do this all the time ... ] After finishing my request to Basten, I thought it would be a good time, so I decided to show up at the Investigation HQ. CH 97 Message ***---*** Before I showed up to the Investigation HQ, I thought I''d pray at the site of the school building, and when I moved to a place where I could see the flower offering stand, I heard the sound of a helicipter from above. [ Ke, Kent-sama, what is that? There should be no monsters in this world, right? ] [ Yeah, that''s called a helicopter, it''s a tool that flies in the sky with people on board. ] [ Do people fly in the sky? ] Reinhardt looked up in amazement, and the helicopter seemed to be hovering and photographing the ground. When I looked over the fence, I saw a TV station crew with a camera there as well. [ Kent-sama, who are they? ] [ Yeah, the media are people whose job it is to report incidents and accidents. ] [ Hohou, it seems that they weren''t here the other day ... ] [ Yeah, maybe the information that I came back here was leaked from somewhere. ] When I moved to the front of the police station, there were even more media people rushing there. Let''s listen to the announcer who is reporting in front of the police station. "Although no official announcement has been made yet, we have received information from multiple people that they have been able to contact the missing Junior High School students, and it is believed that the Investigation Headquarters will make an announcement soon ..." A letter would have been delivered to everyone''s families, and since that happened, it would be natural for the story to flow to the media. But if you think about it, in the case of abduction or kidnapping cases, the released or rescued people hold press conferences. Maybe I''ll have to do it too ... I guess I can''t go home. Looking at the Investigation Headquarters, there are many people involved in the investigation moving around here, unlike yesterday. There are also officials from other ministries who came to hear about the situation yesterday. Somehow, if I go out now, I''ll be secured again -- It''s an atmosphere that looks like it''s going to be such. For the time being, I''ve been asked to show my face, so I''ll put out a shield of darkness large enough to show my face and call out to them. "Hello, Sudou-san, somehow there''s a big fuss." "Oh ... Kokubu-kun. Please stop that." "Eh ... was it crude?" When I poked my head out from the shield of darkness and called out to him, the Investigation Headquarters, which had been so lively, fell silent, and everyone''s gaze was focused on me. "It looks like there''s a severed head floating in the air. Try it once in front of a mirror and you''ll know how disgusting it is." "Uuh ... Is that right, I''m sorry." I spread the shield of darkness and stepped into the Investigation Headquarters. "He really came out of the air." "Is that something like teleportation?" "It must be some kind of trick ..." "Trick, how can a human come out of empty space?" The investigators who saw it for the first time sent a suspicious look. Well, this is what happens when they see shadow movement for the first time. "Sudou-san, the media seems to be invading you, but do I have to attend a press conference as well?" "Regarding that matter, I''m not thinking about it at the moment, and for the time being I will not reveal that you are returning to this world." According to the policy of the Investigative Headquarters and the Japanese government, the cause was the unexpected event of being summoned to another world, so they decided to temporarily hide the truth on the grounds that it would interfere with the investigation and the access of negotiations. At this point, the only way to prove that we''ve been summoned to another world is by using magic to prove it to them, and if that happens, I''ll definitely become a spectacle for the mass media. "I can''t say that everything is the media''s responsibility, but I would like to avoid you and your family being exposed to the media any further, and as a result, having a negative impact on the return of the others. So, if you need anything, we''ll prepare it, so I''d like Kokubu-kun to stay out of the open for a while. If it''s inside the police station, basically the media can''t enter." "Understood, thank you for your consideration." After that, I moved to another room and had a meeting with people from other ministries and agencies about future policies. I was asked to film the situation in the other world with a video camera. He wants me to film the wreckage of the summoned school building and the scenery of the other world, to prove that it is indeed a place that does not exist on earth. "There is a tall tower in Ardaros, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Resenburg, the country that summoned us. How about the scenery from there?" "How much of a view can you see from there?" "There are no other tall buildings, so I can see 360 degrees. The size of the whole city is roughly inside the Yamanote Line." "That''s nice, I really want to ask for that. If it''s a city of that size, I can''t think of a city that hasn''t been captured in images on Earth, so it will be a good proof that it''s a different world." In addition, I decided to take pictures of the ramparts of Volzard, the view of the city from the top of the walls, and above all, the appearance of everyone who could not return due to the summoning. "As for the fliming, it doesn''t matter if Kokubu-kun isn''t in charge of everything. However, I wonder if you can continue shooting without deleting the failed parts. That way you don''t have to be suspected of editing." "I understand, umm ... Some people have their smartphones, so if you prepare a device that can be charged with solar power and a memory card, they can make video mails for their families ..." "I see ... smartphones are the norm for kids these days ... but cell phones didn''t exist in our time." Teramoto-san of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who had prepared the equipment, took the lead in the meetings regarding the shooting, but from time to time, I received detailed orders from Tozaki-san of Public Security and Sudou-san of the Investigation Headquarters. "The wreckage of the school building that was summoned, I wonder if you could take a picture of the inside as well as the outside." "Also, if there are traces of summoning around, please take a picture of that as well." "Understood, we plan to obtain the materials related to the summoning soon, but since it should be written in the language of the other side, would it be okay if we translate it into Japanese first before giving it to you?" "Aah, that''s fine, Kokubu-kun, are you okay with that much work?" "No, I''m thinking of asking the teachers to do the translation work, and I''m the only one who can go to the place where the wreckage of the school building is and the royal capital, but I''m going to ask someone else to take pictures of the other places." After everyone nodded at my story, Kajikawa-san from the Cabinet Secretariat raised his hand and began to speak. "The Prime Minister will also be able to see the footage that we will be filming this time, and depending on the results, Kokubu-kun may be asked to visit the Prime Minister''s Office once, but is that okay?" "Yes, as long as we don''t end up being followed around by the media ..." "I will give due consideration to that point." "Thank you very much." After that, when I told them that I was thinking of taking the reparations from the Resenburg royal family without permission and having Camilla confirm it, everyone looked surprised, but there was no major objection. Even the Japanese government has almost no clues and has not been able to find even a clue to a solution, they have come under increasing public criticism, so if it can be resolved quickly ... it seems like a conditional acceptance. "What does the Princess, Camilla Resenburg, look like?" "This is just my personal opinion, but she is quite beautful, has good style, and gives off the aura of royalty." "I see. If that''s the case, I''m sure you''ll be asked to take a picture of something like an apology message." "But, Camilla can''t speak Japanese." "Aah, that''s fine. When your classmates come back, it''ll be seen as poor-quality, so I''ll ask for a proper apology to be written for her lines, rather than that, facial expressions and tone of voice are more important." According to Teramoto, Camilla''s video is intended to convey her apology and to convince the bereaved families, even if it is impossible. "The bereaved families may be satisfied with that, but what will the summoned classmates say ..." "Speaking of which, it seems that they were treated quite harshly." "Yes, they were deceived and even got a bracelet to make them into slaves, other than a few people with high magical power, their living environment was also a terrible state." "If that''s the case, then I have to come up with a line of apology that will convince the summoned people when they see the video." "Right. I''ll let Camilla think about that herself. How about showing it to the people over there, convincing them, and then shooting?" "Well, let''s leave it at something like that for now. Well, there has not been a formal protest from the Japanese government yet, so the filming will be a bit further down the road." Anyway, the first priority is to have government officials confirm the current situation in Resenburg and Volzard, so I was handed equipment such as a video camera. "Sudou-san, we can''t charge the batteries over there, so could you let us put a charger somewhere here? I''ll come to charge them." "Right. Let''s set up a place to put the charger in the corner of the Investigation Headquarters. So, should we make it possible to charge the smartphones of the people on site in turn?" "It would be helpful if you could do that, but it looks like I''ll be forced to run errands for charging." "Let''s arrange a solar panel charger so that doesn''t happen." "Thank you very much. Well then, I will hand over the memory card after the shooting is over." "I''m counting you." I receive the case containing the video camera, etc. and return to Volzard. If I go back now, I should be able to make it in time for dinner, so it might be a good idea to take pictures of everyone eating in the cafeteria. But before that, I decided to go back and check where we were summoned. It''s been a long time since I''ve been there, but it feels strange to see a reinforced concrete building standing alone in a wasteland. The sun is setting, but I''ll try to take some pictures. [ Kent-sama, what is that video tool for? ] [ This is a tool for recording the scenery you see as a video. ] [ Ooh ... the scenery is sealed inside the board. ] [ It''s not like it''s sealed, it''s like automatically recording ultra-precise pictures continuously ... ] [ Nuuu ... in the world Kent-sama lives in, civilizaion certainly seems to be more advanced than in Resenburg. ] As soon as I started shooting, I noticed that the area around the school building had been leveled by removing large stones, but it had been roughed up. [ Reinhardt, they ruined the ground ... ] [ Probably to erase the traces of the summoning magic circle. Look at what looks like black crushed stones mixed in. Those are the magic stones that formed the formation, but lost their mana after it was activated. ] [ I see ... let''s take a look from a distance ... ] If I look away from the remains of the school building, I can see evidence that a huge circle was drawn. [ It would take a huge amount of magic stones to build such a huge formation. ] [ Did they draw the magic circle using magic stones? ] [ Indeed, the magic circles activated in such places are drawn on the ground with crushed magic stone powder, hardened with earth-attribute magic, and then activated by pouring in magical power. ] [ I see, then they need funds to prepare a large amount of magic stones. ] As one way to bring my classmates back, I have an idea of activating a summoning ceremony in Japan. I don''t know if I can do it yet, but I should think about preparing the necessary magic stones according to the information I get from Camilla. [ Kent-sama, if it''s magic stones, we will prepare them. You can request them at any time. ] [ Yeah, I don''t know when that will be, but I''ll ask for your cooperation at that time. ] The school building was left as it was the day we were summoned. Textbooks and notebooks are scattered on the floor from the fallen desks. If I pick up the textbooks and bring them home, I might get praise from the teachers, but I''ll get a lot of boos from my classmates. As the sun began to set and the area began to turn red, I moved to the tower of the royal castle and photographed the cityscape of Ardaros illuminated by the setting sun. I went up to the roof of the tower and swung the camera around to record a 360-degree panorama. For some reason, it''s like filming a travel program about world heritage sites. I want to show this scene to the chairman. Let''s prepare a tablet and a mobile battery for playback. [ I see, so you can carry the scenery you see like this and show it to people in other places. No, it''s an unbelievable technique. ] [ Yeah, to be honest, even I can''t explain the whole structure of this machine. It''s a technology that was created by the gathering of many people with extremely specialized knowledge. ] [ Previously, Kent-sama said that your country was a country that was stupidly peaceful, but I guess this kind of technology is developed because it is peaceful. ] [ I agree. If we were at war, we wouldn''t be able to research or produce products. If you think about it, Japan is a good country after all. ] As I watched the setting sun, a cold wind blew. [ It''s a west wind ... ] [ Oh, it''s true, has the seasonal wind changed already? ] [ Kent-sama, the wind does not suddenly change from east to west one day. Until now there were many days when the wind blew from the east, but from now on, the number of days when the wind blows from the west will increase. ] [ That''s right, the wind doesn''t always blow in the same direction. ] [ Sure, but the strength of this wind makes me feel the change of season. ] [ Then, what if the next maximum outbreak occurs ... ] [ The destination of the monsters will be Lastock. ] When I finished shooting in the royal capital and moved to the garrison cafeteria, my classmates had gathered for dinner. There was still some room left in the battery and memory card, but it would be a problem if the shooting contents were mixed up, so I replaced the memory card and the battery. I put out the shield of darkness and came out while starting to film. "Yes, yes, everyone pay attention! Smile, smile, please give me your best smile!" As soon as they saw the video camera everyone went crazy. "Oh, seriously, are you filming this?" "Father, mother, sister, Pochi, Tama, everyone, I''m fine!" "Yeeeeeeee! I''m fine!" "It hurts ... don''t push, don''t push!" "This way! Kokubu, take a video of this way too!" "Mama, Papa, how are you?" I pan the camera slowly to capture the facial expressions of each person so that no one is missing. "Later, each person will be filmed one by one. I brought spare batteries and memory cards, so I''ll take videos in order of attendance number, so please prepare a message for about one minute for each person." "Isn''t one minute too short?" "We can shoot as many times as we want from now on, this time it''s just to confirm each person''s appearance. Then I''ll stop for now." "Hey, didn''t you take a video? Take a video of this way, too!" "Yagi''s direction will have to be mosaiced ..." "Hey!" Since they found out that there was no repatriation ceremony, there was a somewhat bleak atmosphere, but after a long time, smiles have returned to everyone''s faces. I pause the video, procure a bright spot in the cafeteria, prepare a tripod, etc. and begin preparations for shooting. In the meantime, everyone hurriedly finished their dinner and began making their one-minute messages. "Oda-sensei, can I ask you to take a picture?" "No ... I''m not good at mechanical things ..." "Then, shall I do it?" Furudate-sensei gleefully volunteered to take on the role of videographer. He seems to have a hobby of shooting with cameras and videos, so if that''s the case, we can leave it to him. "They had extra memory cards prepared, so they wanted me to shoot without deleting it even if I made a mistake." "I see, it''s to avoid suspicion of processing or editing. Understood, understood!" Sit in a chair with your back to the wall and take a bust shot and give the message one by one. People who have too many things to say and run out of time, people who run out of ideas and can''t put their thoughts into words, people who burst into tears midway through, people who burst out of the flames. The shooting progressed with high tension, but someone leaked a word, and the atmosphere in the cafeteria changed completely. "Hey, if I can''t go home, I wonder if this will be my last message ..." "Stop! Don''t say things that aren''t good luck." "But if Kokubu suddenly can''t use magic ..." "Don''t be silly, don''t raise a bad omen flag, you idiot." By being conscious of their family in Japan, I guess their feelings of uneasiness were welling up. The more people want to go home, the more anxious they are. "Yeah, that''s about it. I''ve got a solar generator to charge your smartphones, and a spare memory card, so you''ll be able to shoot longer messages yourselves." "Are you serious?" "Ah, it looks like Yagi''s footage can''t be brought into Japan because it''s against the law." "Hey! Am I an obscenity!" Even when Yagi raised his voice in protest, everyone around him nodded. "Hey, isn''t it terrible? I''m definitely going to demand better treatment." "Hey, have you thought about your message properly?" "Fuhahahaha, my very existence is a message, do you understand? Kokubu." "Yes, yes, I think the Prime Minister will probably see this video, so please do your best to convey the message with your presence." "Hey, the Prime Minister ... are you kidding me?" "The camera was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but someone from the Cabinet Office was also in charge, so I think they''ll make a copy of the footage and bring it with them." "You idiot, you should say that sooner!" "That''s right, I was fumbling my words." "Don''t be silly, I made a gag and messed up in a big way, what am I going to do?" "It''s okay, it''s okay, they know you''re alive and well, so it''s okay." "You''re going to do something like that, you idiot!" "Retake, retake again!" "Don''t be noisy, it''s my turn, so please be quiet!" In spite of these accidents, the chairman''s turn eventually came. As expected of the chairman, she looked tense, but after taking a few deep breaths, she went to shoot. "Papa, Mama, Mio, how are you? I''m doing fine. When I was summoned to this world, I was given light attribute magic. Using this magic, I now treat illnesses and injuries. In this world, medical technology is not as advanced as in Japan, and it seems that there are people who lose their lives even from diseases that can easily be cured in Japan. I want to be able to save even one person like that. I will return to Japan once, but I would like to be involved in medical care in this world in the future. Also ... I''ll introduce you when I get back to Japan, but I found someone I like. He is a very nice person who works hard for everyone. I want to live with that person in Volzard." The chairman finished speaking while blushing a little, and when she turned her gaze to me who was watching over her, she smiled. Yeah, I''ll hug you later, Gyu, Gyu, I''m going to hug you. But before that, I have to take a video of my message as well. As my turn approached, my heart was beating fast and an indescribable feeling of tension came over me. "Next, Kokubu ..." "Yes, thank you very much." When I sat down in the chair for shooting, everyone''s eyes in the cafeteria gathered. I have told Oda-sensei and Katou-sensei about my mother, but I haven''t told my classmates, even the chairman. I don''t want to be questioned, so I tried not to talk about her suicide. Furudate-sensei opened his hand, folded his fingers one by one, and began the countdown. "Father, I''m healthy. Umm ... I heard about Mother. I''ve heard it, but to be honest, it doesn''t make sense to me at all. So, um, when I return to Japan, please tell me more about it. Also, even if I ever go back to Japan, I want to go back to Volzard and live here. When I was in Japan, I was a useless child no matter what I did, but when I was summoned here, I received powers different from normal people. Now I want to use this power for the people who helped me in this world. Also, when we meet in Japan, I will say it properly, but thank you for raising me until now. From now on, I want to walk on my own." When I bowed to the video camera and finished my message, there was a thunderous applause. At first the applause was sparse, but eventually it spread to everyone, and I don''t know what it was for, but I felt very embarrassed and handed over the chair to the next person. "Good job, Kokubu." "Yes, thank you very much." Oda-sensei, who was watching the shooting, patted me on the shoulder. Was I able to convey my thoughts well to my father. CH 98 Three loyal retainers of Resenburg ***---*** After I finished recording the message to my Father, I beckoned Takayama to the corner of the dining room. "What do you want?" I wonder if he''s thinking that I''m going to do something again, and it''s really annoying to see his expression like that. Shall I give up on passing Celia''s message? "It''s not something you need to do. Isn''t there only one reason for me to summon Takayama?" "Are you talking about Celia? What''s wrong, when can you bring her?" "Haa ... I just told you, it''s not that easy. Do you only have the memory of a chicken?" "Ugh, I''m sorry ..." In fact, I was able to contact Celia, but I don''t even know where her mother is. "I met with Celia this morning and talked with her." "Really? How has she been? Is there something wrong with her ..." "Wait, wait, I''m going to talk now, so don''t panic!" "Sorry ..." "So, Takayama, haven''t you become an idiot since you came here? Are you okay? Why don''t you act as the head of the family?" "I, I''m sorry ... so, what about Celia?" It doesn''t look like he''s reflecting on it at all, but it doesn''t seem to be effective even if I tease him, so I''ll talk about it. "Celia-san was imprisoned in a small room in the garrison, and she thought that Takayama was dead." "Eh ... why ..." "Because the knights reported to Camilla that all those who went out to fight had died. Don''t you think it would be foolish to report that you escaped?" "No ... then Celia ..." "I''m looking forward to the day we meet again ... I love you forever ... She said." Takayama''s eyes opened wide, and in the next moment, he burst into tears. Eeeh ... That Takayama is crying. Well, I''m not really allowed to say anything about other people, but I was a little surprised and drew back. "Hou, is that true, is that really true?" "Is there anything I can gain by telling a lie?" "Ahhh ... Celia ..." "For the time being, I was able to obtain Celia-san''s consent, but I haven''t been able to contact her mother yet. I think Camilla will be able to approve the release of the two, but I don''t know what the Queens will say, so I won''t allow any prejudice at all ... but anyway, I delivered the message." "Ah, thank you Kokubu, thank you very much. If possible, send a message from me to Celia ... "Wouldn''t that be after you''re ready to welcome her to Volzard?" "Uh, yeah ... that''s right ..." To be honest, I have no intention of becoming a messenger for Takayama, I have a lot of other things to do. "It seems that you went to the ramparts construction yesterday, but did you go there today as well?" "Ah, I''m not very dexterous. I can''t think of any other jobs that I can do now." "Isn''t it fine then? Do what you can ... be a role model for everyone else." "Saying such a thing, on the other hand, isn''t it your intention to use me as an example?" "You understand very well. That being said, even though you were granted amnesty, you still haven''t been forgiven by Marcel-san, the shoemaker." "I know, I''m going to work hard on the rampart construction for a while, just to get his forgiveness." "Yeah, do it. I''ll let you know if there''s any progress." "Please. I''m sorry for asking Kokubu for everything, I''m counting on you." "I will do my best to release Celia-san as soon as possible." I heard that Furudate-sensei will keep the video camera and other filming equipment, so I decided to come and pick them up later, and headed to Lastock. [ This morning, you left the boarding house and went to the guild, then moved to Lastock, then stopped by the Japanese investigation headquarters, the summoning location, watched the sunset in the royal capital Ardaros, returned to Volzard, and moved to Lastock again ... Kent-sama, aren''t you overworked? ] [ That''s right ... I thought that a bit too. Well, this is my last job today, so I''ll do my best. ] I''m going to Lastock to question Camilla about the noble''s situation, but if I say it''s okay to wait until tomorrow, it''s fine, but I feel like I''ll have more work to do if I put it off, so I''m going to clean up the work that can be done. Besides, I have something important to do on rest day tomorrow. At the Lastock garrison, Camilla stayed alone tonight to continue her work. Well, maybe it''s because I instructed her to summarize the correlations of the nobles today, but when I see her working overtime every day by herself, isn''t it a poor distribution of work? Such a question arises. Watching from the shadows, she sometimes finds herself leaning forward while writing documents. From the looks of it, she seems to be overworked, but her subordinates probably can''t even reprimand her. Like last time, I stepped out of the shadows and sat down on the sofa while Camilla was concentrating on her paperwork. Incidentally, I summon Mart and the others, and spread them around while enjoying their mofumofu. In any case, I feel like I''ve been on the move since morning, and my eyelids grow heavy when I sit down on the comfortable sofa. I was a little worried about whether the story of the nobles would enter my brain ... Then, when I was worrying, the nice scent of tea drifted in the air. My eyes met with Camilla''s who also noticed the scent and raised her face. "Maou ... sama, when did you arrive?" "Hmm ... just a moment ago, also, thank you, Fred ..." It smelled like tea because it was prepared by Fred who was very helpful. Fred placed cups in front and across from me and I urged Camilla to take a seat. Camilla grabbed a stack of papers from her desk drawer and sat down facing me. "Here''s my report, regarding the relationship between the nobles of Resenburg ..." "Wait, let''s drink some tea before it cools down." Otherwise, I might fall asleep in the middle of the conversation, just like when I was in Japan. "Maou-sama, you look tired, but ..." "Haa? Do you know who''s to blame for that?" "I, I''m sorry. Everything is due to my immorality. I''m sorry ..." "Yeah, noisy! Let me drink tea quietly." "I, I''m sorry." The tea leaves that Fred brewed must have been prepared for Camilla. The taste is different from the tea that Donovan-san brews, but it also has a gorgeous aroma and a refreshing aftertaste, and I feel that the fog in my head is clearing up. When I was in Japan, the only drinks I thought about were soft drinks, but savoring this kind of properly brewed tea makes me feel like I''ve grown up. "By the way, are the measures against the maximum outbreak progressing?" "Yes, thank you for providing so many materials. Thanks to you, the shortage of materials has been resolved, but the shortage of human resources is a serious situation, and the progress rate is only about 30%." "Wait, show me your plan." "But, Maou-sama told me to protect everyone with my own power ..." "In the evening, I was watching the sunset from the tower of the royal castle, and a strong west wind was blowing." "The tower of the royal castle, to such a place ... is it true?" "Isn''t the direction of the wind that matters more than the location? If you proceed with the countermeasures at the current pace, will you be able to make it in time?" "That ... I don''t know. However, support has not yet arrived from the royal capital, and human resources are limited ..." Certainly, in a situation where support from the royal capital cannot be expected, they are doing everything they can. However, there are still facts that Camilla doesn''t know. "The reason Volzard was able to avoid the goblin maximum outbreak was because of my genus." "Eh ... wasn''t it because of the ramparts?" "Of course, the ramparts had a great effect, but the corpses of the goblins piled up and they were almost able to overcome the wall. Reinahardt and Basten destroyed the corpses, and that''s why Volzard was able to survive the maximum outbreak." I talked about the behind-the-scenes look at Volzard surviving the maximum outbreak, which was not revealed to the Resenburg messengers, but Camilla had a dubious expression on her face. "What''s wrong? Can''t believe it?" "No, when you say Reinhardt and Basten, do you mean the skeletons that Maou-sama has following him?" "Yes, but what is it?" "Could it be the Grand Arm Reinhardt and the Burning Fire Basten, who risked their lives to protect the Wise King Arthur?" It''s true that Reinhardt and Basten were called by those second names, but I remember hearing that they were wandering around because of the chagrin of not being able to protect their master. When I turned my gaze to Reinhardt, his eyes widened in surprise. It''s just bone though ... "How is it, Reinhardt." [ Surely, we were serving Arthur-sama, but ... ] "Didn''t you say that you couldn''t protect Arthur-sama?" [ At that time, we were attacked by an ambush force, and these us remained to stop the enemy, and lost our lives. ] Reinhardt''s desire to know the fate of the master he served is strongly conveyed. "It''s true that Reinhardt and the others are the knights called ''Grand Arm'', ''Burning Fire'', and ''Instant Slash''." "What, you have all Three Loyal Retainers of Resenburg under your command?" "Three Loyal Retainers of Resenburg?" According to Camilla, Arthur Resenburg, who was the First Prince at the time, was able to overcome the danger of absolute death thanks to the efforts of Reinhardt and the others, and was enthroned with the overwhelming support of the people. It is said that he is revered as the founder of the revitalization of the Kingdom of Resenburg, by spreading the good government and promoting the development of new farmland. It is said that the work of the three main men, Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred, who protected Arthur, was handed down among the royal family as the Three Loyal Retainers of Resenburg. [ Arthur-sama ... was that so, our efforts were rewarded? ] [ Branch leader ... I can''t put it into words ... ] The thoughts of Reinhardt and the others, who continued to wander the Devil''s Forest without knowing anything, were certainly rewarded, and it seems that they have become the foundation of Resenburg today. They''re bones now, and there shouldn''t be any tears to shed, but there was certainly something shining in their eyes. Hot thoughts flowed from the two of them, and I couldn''t hold back my tears either. "Good ... Reinhardt, that''s really good. Fred, let Basten know too." [ Understood ... He''s coming ... ] Fred, with bouncy steps, dove into the shadows. [ At that time, Arthur-sama had just come of age, and was about the same age as Kent-sama now. He was clever, modest, tolerant, thoughtful of his people, and possessed qualities that made you feel that he would become a great ruler in the future. That''s why I didn''t think it was a bit of a shame to bet my life on him. However, I regret that I had no way of confirming whether Arthur-sama was safe. ] "Well then, there''s nothing left to regret." [ No, that''s not it. These us have a new role to watch over Kent-sama''s future. If it''s Kent-sama, you should be able to rebuild Resenburg, which is about to collapse. ] "Hey ... I''m not going to be the King of Resenburg." [ No, even if you don''t take the throne, a new Demon King legend should be born in Resenburg. ] "It depends more on Reinhardt-tachi''s work than on my own work, doesn''t it?" [ Of course, I have no intention of sparing my bones. Let''s make Kent-sama''s wishes come true. ] I was a little worried that they would lose their attachment to this world and perhaps ascend, but it seems that my worries were unfounded. Basten, who received the news from Fred, hurried from the royal capital and exchanged a warm embrace with Reinhardt. [ Branch leader ... Branch leader ... ] [ Ah, we did it. These us protected him properly. ] [ Arthur-sama, you became a splendid King. ] [ That''s right, our eyes weren''t wrong. ] [ Yes, I am overwhelmed with emotion. ] At first glance, the sight of skeletons embracing each other while clacking their bones is a very surreal sight, but I saw it as a very beautiful sight. Tears were overflowing again, but Camilla leaked some words that caught my attention. "Even the Maou sheds tears." "You know ... If I hadn''t been summoned, I would have just been a normal child. In the first place, isn''t it the summoner''s responsibility for turning the summoned one into a Maou? If you''re summoned from a world where magic doesn''t exist, suddenly are endowed with great power, and get yelled at by those around you, you''re bound to grow." "That''s why, we use the bracelet of slavery ..." "Are you stupid? I wonder why you can only think in such an extreme way ... we were deceived and treated like slaves, and we were treated horribly ... so I don''t feel comfortable cooperating. In fact, I''ve earned quite a bit of resentment from my classmates." "That''s ... I''m prepared. Everything is for Resenburg ..." "That''s not true. Not only Camilla Resenburg herself, but 200 people also have a terrible grudge against the Kingdom of Resenburg ... No, if you add the people who were victims in our country, Japan, and their bereaved families, you''re getting more people''s grudges. Is that also for Resenburg''s sake?" "That ... I''m not sure." Camilla must have had confidence in her plan, and she seemed to have made up her mind in case of an emergency, but from the perspective of those of us who were victims, her thinking was too naive. "I''ve always wondered, but the way enemies and allies are treated is too different, isn''t it? Then, won''t enemies remain enemies no matter how long it takes? You''ve blocked yourself from the path to reconciliation." "However, if you show mercy to your enemies, you will only be looked down upon." "Then, once you identify them as an enemy, do you want to keep fighting until they surrender? It''s fine if the opponent is weak, but if they are equal in strength, you will just exhause each other. If so, won''t you fall together?" "That may be so, but depending on the situation ..." "You haven''t been able to handle it. Didn''t you surrender to me?" "Kuh ... That''s just me." In form, she pledged allegiance, but the way Camilla looks at me is mixed with humiliation, resentment, with a whole bunch of different opposive emotions mixed in. Well, it''s better than Diethelm''s pink gaze. "Give me the plan to construct the river wall ..." I tapped my fingers on the table and instructed her, and Camilla reluctantly fetched the plan. I didn''t look at the bundle of plans I received from Camilla, and threw them to Reinhardt as they were. "Reinhardt, take command of Zae-tachi and the kobold squad, and proceed in the middle of the night." [ Are you sure? ] "I don''t forgive the sins of the Resenburg Kingdom, but I want to avoid making sacrifices of the people who don''t know anything. If anyone gets in your way, tie them up and get them out of the way." [ Understood. ] Reinhardt glanced over the plan, handed it back to Camilla, and went into the shadows. Camilla watched him leave and asked. "Why? Why are you lending me so much power?" "If left unchecked, many people may become victims. I have the power to save them. Then there''s no reason not to use my power." "However, I treated Maou-sama and his peers cruelly ..." "So, that has nothing to do with the people of Lastock. Of course, I will demand a reward for my cooperation. I want you to work hard. Now, tell me the situation of the Resenburg nobility." "Oh, as you wish ..." I feel like the way Camilla looks at me has changed a bit. Basten remained as my escort instead of Reinhardt, and Fred began preparing a new pot of tea. "Well then, let me explain. There are thirty-seven major noble families in Resenburg. Among them, twenty-three families belong to the First Prince faction, and fourteen families belong to the Second Prince faction, but please think that about half of them are hardliners." On the paper Camilla brought out, the thirty-seven families were divided into the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction. Among them, a line is drawn under the names of three families for the First Prince faction, and two families for the Second Prince faction. "The five families listed here are the families that play a central role in their respective factions." Duke Dravis. Count Langhain. Count Saruel. Count Gleisner. Margrave Calvine.(TN:Idk if I translated them all right, meh.) Each house has a long history and a large territory, and it seems that they have a big voice in the kingdom. Among them, Count Gleisner and Margrave Calvine, who are in the Second Prince''s faction, are quite peculiar. Count Gleissner owns a vast breadbasket in the eastern part of the kingdom, and has benefited the most from teh rise in grain prices due to the effects of desertification in the western part, and he seems to have considerable financial strength. Margrave Calvine, as the name suggests, has a territory in the frontier of the mountainous region in the northeast, and it seems that there is a high-quality mine in his territory. It seems that it is not an exaggeration to say that he single-handedly controls the metal materials in the kingdom. On the other hand, the main three families of the First Prince faction, although they have large territories, are said to be in regions heavily affected by desertification, and their cash flow has been in jeopardy for the past few years. "It seems that Count Gleisner supports the Second Prince faction with funds and Margrave Calvine with human resources. Due to the nature of the mines, there are many rough-tempered and strong-willed people, and it seems that the best of them are sent to Bernst-nii." The Second and Third Princes, along with those who participated in the orgy, may be the same. The two families, who have a voice and are in a favorable financial situation, should not want the First Prince to ascend to the throne. "Aren''t the heads of the nobility on the table?" "Even though there are differences between being positive and passive, all the nobles belong to one or the other, but on the surface, the country is supposed to be united as one, and the heads of the noble families will never openly support one or the other." "In other words, even if the string is pulled from the back, it won''t come out. Or, even if it comes out, will they really come out?" "That''s right. The treatment of the nobles will change depending on who is enthroned, Alphonse-nii or Bernst-nii. Please think of those who are currently sucking sweet juice and those who are in a cornered situation as hardliners." As Klaus-san said, those who have no choice but to participate in gambling for the rest of their lives are hardliners. But just hearing about the owner of the mine doesn''t seem like it will be easy. "Are they in a competitive state in terms of combat strength?" "If you simply compare their forces, Alphonse-nii''s faction is superior, but in terms of funds, Bernst-nii''s faction has the upper hand. In other words, if the fight ends in a short period of time, Alphonse-nii will have the advantage, and if it becomes a protracted battle, Bernst-nii will have the advantage." "In other words, the First Prince''s faction has soldiers, but they don''t have enough money to maintain the front line, right?" "That''s how it is, but regarding the flow of money, it seems that the trends of first-generation nobles will have a big impact." In the Kingdom of Resenburg, there are more than 100 families besides the thirty-seven families that can call themselves nobles, and most of them are first-generation nobles. Lifetime aristocrats are people who bought a peerage with money, and it seems that they can receive the same treatment as a noble while the person who bought it is alive. "First-generation aristocrats have titles but don''t own territories. However, if the taxes and systems related to business change drastically, there is a possibility that they will hit an avalanche and run to one of the factions." "The fact that they bought their title with money means that they are of course people who still have money left over ... With a promise like that, if the First Prince gains popularity among a generation of aristocrats, wouldn''t the lack of funds for the First Prince faction be resolved?" "If that promise is feasable, it might be possible to gain the support of a generation of aristocrats, but since most of them are people who have made a fortune through business, it is just an idea and lacks practicality. If you bring it up, there is a risk of losing support." "I see ... They''re not naive enough to be deceived by a mere promise." Count Gleisner, Margrave Calvine, and the movements of the first-generation aristocrats seem to be the key to crushing the Second Prince faction. "Then, based on this information, I will conduct my own investigation and decide on a plan. Camilla, you should continue to take measures against the maximum outbreak." "Understood." "Also, rest for tonight." "Huh? But I still need to adjust the process ..." "You know the work of my vassals in regards to the timber issue, don''t you? Without confirming what Reinhardt and the others have done, there is no point in using the progress made in the evening as a basis." "Ah ..." "When you can rest, take a good rest, okay?" "Yes, as you wish ..." With the materials that Camilla had compiled in hand, while pretending to be calm, I put out a shield of darkness and dived into the world of shadows. [ As expected of Kent-sama ... exquisite carrots and sticks ... ] [ No, no, Camilla still has utility value, so it would be a problem if she collapsed. ] [ But Camilla ... is on the verge of surrendering to you ... ] [ No, that won''t happen, because the chairman will get angry, so that won''t happen. ] If I stay in Lastock, there will be many temptations, so let''s quickly return to Volzard. Or rather, I''m a little worried that Reinhardt happily went out to work on the river wall, but well, let''s think about it when it gets to be too much. CH 99 Greeting ***---*** In conclusion, Reinhardt went too far. Knowing that his former Lord Arthur, about whom he had worried for so long, survived and grew up to even be called the Wise King, I think he must have been excited. [ Good morning! Kent-sama, the construction of the river-wall in Lastock is almost complete, except for the part that will be hardened with earth-attribute magic. Buhahaha, if I''m serious, it''s roughly like this, buhahaha, buhahahahaha! ] The knights and residents of Lastock all worked together, and although they were only able to complete about 30% of the work in three days, it feels like twice as much work was completed in one night. I''d like to see how Camilla will explain this to the knights. [ Well, Kent-sama, what shall we do next? ] [ Hmm ... I''ll have Camilla come up with a plan later, so let''s continue after that ... By the way, isn''t it still early in the morning? ] [ That''s right. However, I wanted to let you know as soon as possible, so I hurried back. ] [ Yeah, hey, Reinhardt, you''re covered in mud ... don''t come into the room until you''ve bathed. ] [ Understood. Now, let''s go take a bath. Buhahahaha ... ] Yeah, even though it''s before dawn, his tension is too high ... I can''t keep up. I''m glad Reinhardt can''t speak. If he talked with that kind of tension, even Meisa-chan, who has trouble waking up, would probably wake up. For now, let''s sleep a while longer. The next day after recording my classmates'' messages, the guild and school are closed on rest day. However, it seems that many of the shops operate in anticipation of holiday customers, and instead take days off on dark day of the week. Amanda''s cafeteria, where I''m lodging, is open as usual today. "Hey, Meisa! How long are you going to keep sleeping? You''re going to skip breakfast!" "No ... no, eat ... I''m already up ..." This morning too, Meisa-chan used me as her pillow and fell asleep until morning. When I was in Japan, I was pudgy because I didn''t train hard, but since I came to Volzard, I''ve lost some fat and I think I''m too hard to use as a pillow. When I wake up, almost every morning, I am being used as a pillow. Well, as long as she doesn''t drool, it''s fine. "Good morning, Meisa-chan." "Hmm ... Kent? Good morning ..." She returns the greetings occasionally, but she probably doesn''t remember. Come on, let''s wake up, finish breakfast, and do our best again today. "Good morning, Amanda-san." "Oh, good morning, Kent is busy today too, isn''t he?" "Yes, I''ll send them the recording data I took yesterday, and then ...." "Recording? Data? What is that?" "Let''s see ... well, in my world there is a tool that can record the scenery you see." "Are you going to draw it on your own?" "Well ... I think I''ll be able to show you the real thing soon, but I can record the movement more faithfully than a picture." "Does a picture move? It''s kind of strange ..." It''s hard to explain a video to someone who hasn''t even seen TV or movies. It''s quicker to see the real thing, isn''t it? Let''s get a tablet ready for playback. Before going to the Investigation Headquarters, I will also take videos of the streets of Volzard. After taking videos of the ramparts and gates from the Devil''s Forest side, I''ll move to the top of the ramparts. On rest day, the ramparts is a date spot where couples gather, but it''s still early in the morning, so it''s not a pink space. While walking on the ramparts, I filmed the garrison grounds, the guild buildings, and the Lord''s mansion. I wondered if the Prime Minister would see this video, and it''s strangely embarrassing to include a narration for explanation. The number of memory cards taken this time is eight in total. A video of the ruins of the school building and the royal capital, a total of six filled with videos of everyone''s messages, one for each class, and a video of Volzard. I decided to put them in envelopes with the contents of the videos written on them and submit them. In one corner of the Investigation Headquarters, there was a battery charger for the video camera. After setting down the depleted batteries, I walked over to Sudou-san''s desk. "Good morning, Sudou-san, you''re working hard even though it''s the weekend." "Hmm? Are you jet lagged, Kokubu-kun, today is Wednesday." "Ah, I see, the number of days in a week is different between Japan and Volzard." "Seeing that, it seems that today is a day off in the other world." "Yes, there are eight days in a week in Volzard, and today is rest day." "I''m sorry, to make you work on your day off." "No, I wanted everyone''s families to see that everyone is doing well, so these are the memory cards I took videos on." "Hmm, I guess you''ve already recorded messages for everyone. No, it''s helpful, this is the school building, the royal capital, and Volzard, the city where everyone is staying." Sudou-san confirmed the writing on the envelopes and nodded. "It was getting dark at the school building, so if necessary, I''ll take a video again in brighter hours." "Alright, then, let me take a look first." Sudou-san plugged the memory card into the card reader connected to the computer and opened the recorded file. I will also look at the computer screen from the side. "I see, it certainly looks like the school building. But it''s a strange sight in the middle of such a wasteland." "This was taken from a distance, but the ground around there was leveled and the magic circle was drawn." "Yeah, I see, they destroyed it later." "Yes, that''s right. It seems that this blackish stuff is the wreckage of the magic stones used to draw the magic circle." After all, the part of the school building was requested to reshoot when it was bright. And when it came to the scnery of the royal capital, Sudou-san took a deep breath and stared at the screen. "Well ... this is an amazing view. If it were Earth, it would be a world heritage site." "Yes, I thought so too when I was filming." The royal capital of Ardaros was made of the same solidified soil, so it''s a spectacular sight with rows of houses with reddish roofs and white walls. The contrast between the well-organized aristocratic districts and government districts, the complex alleys of the commercial and industrial districts, and the districts where commoners live is also vivid. "This is probably because the streets are intentionally messy to make it difficult for the enemy to attack." "Ah, I see ..." When Sudou-san told me, I realized that there was no straight path to the royal castle, and once you hit the water moat, you have to turn in one direction or the other to get out onto the road that leads to the center. "This is going to make a big fuss if historians see it. No, this is a good image, you can see at a glance that such a city does not exist on Earth. After all, telephone poles and wires, people''s cars are not in the picture." Sudou-san also confirmed the video of Volzard, and he seemed to have the same impression. "Then, I will send these videos to the various parties concerned and ask them to check them, and what kind of response will be taken ... If I ask Kokubu-kun to take action, it will be after that is decided." "Then, before that time, is it okay if I show my face once a day?" "I''ll ask you to do that." I also asked for a tablet and battery for playback, and returned to Volzard. I bought some cookies at the Mesudori Pavilion, returned to my lodgings, and changed into the formal wear I bought when I was invited to the dinner party. I promised to visit Manon''s house today. This is the first time I will have met Manon''s mother and her younger brother. Manon asked me to come over a little before noon, so I moved to the neighborhood of her house by shadow movement and walked from there. There are no shops or factories in the area where Manon''s house is located, so it feels like a so-called ordinary residential area. As Herman-san, who is rebuilding Marcel-san''s shop, said, the buildings in Volzard seem to have a standard height and width, and the houses standing side by side are almost the same size. For some reason, it reminds me of ready-built houses that went on sale all at once in Tokyo. Even so, each house has a different color and shape of the roof, outer walls, and window frames, and it seems that they enjoy decorating by making those parts different. Manon''s house is a two-story detached house similar to its surroundings, and it looks twice as large as the ready-made houses in Japan. The walls are light beige, and the doors and window frames are reddish brown. The house seems to face south, and there is a balcony on the second floor, where the laundry and futons are dried. Standing in front of the door, I took two, three deep breaths, and when I reached out to use the knocker, I heard a voice from the balcony. "Eat this!" When I turned my eyes reflexively, water from a bucket flew into my field of vision. I immediately put out a dark shield to prevent the water from covering my head, but it rained down around me and splashed on the bottom of my trousers. "Wha ... what is that! You''re cheating, damnit!" While unilaterally cursing the dumbfounded me, the green-haired boy who threw water at me disappeared into the back of the balcony. Perhaps he is Manon''s younger brother, Hamill-kun. I somewhat knew it ... but it seems that he is not as welcoming as I expected. Even so, I was prepared for this. You may not be able to forgive me at first, but I will do my best to make you understand that I am serious about my relationship with Manon. When I made up my mind and used the door knocker, I heard bouncing footsteps. "Welcome, Kent!" "Hello, Manon. Sorry to bother you." "Yeah, come in." Today''s Manon is wearing a dark green loose skirt and a wine-colored blouse making a girly outfit in autumnal shades. "It suits me ... or not?" "No, it suits you. It''s very cute." "Ah, thank you ..." Manon blushed and shyly looked so cute that I wanted to give her a hug, and when I was about to approach her, a woman appeared from behind her. "Ara, ara, welcome. You must be Kent-kun. Oh dear, Kent-kun is childish, isn''t it? It would be better to call you Kent-san." "Wait, Mom, it''s rude to stare at him like that." "N, nice to meet you, I''m Kent. Um, please enjoy this with everyone." "Ara, ara, you don''t have to worry about that ... I''m Manon''s mother, Noela. Nice to meet you ... but Manon always talks about Kent-san, so I don''t feel like it''s my first time meeting you ..." "Mom! It''s rude to stand and talk like this." "Ara, ara, well, that''s right, come on, come on in ..." "E, excuse me ..." Manon''s mother, Noela-san, had bright green hair and a chubby petite build that at first glance looks like a baby tanuki. My first impression is that she seemed like a bright and talkative person. And there was one boy who was staring at me from the top of the stairs. Manon looks like her father, and her younger brother, Hamill, looks like her mother. "Coo, cookies won''t deceive me!" "Hey, Hamill, what are you talking about, come down and say hello." "Hmph, don''t wanna ..." The appearance of him disappearing looks like a baby tanuki hiding in a burrow. "I''m sorry Kent, he''s really cheeky ..." "It''s okay, maybe he thinks his sister will be taken away." "I wonder if that''s the case ... He always says things like quickly get married." I was guided to the living room and sat across the table from Noela-san. Manon was sitting next to me. Noela-san, she''s smiling now, but if she knew I was dating two other girls besides Manon and say I want to marry them, her expression would change completely.(TN:It''s not Earth with their ridiculous mindset, Kent...) But I decided, and it''s the path I chose, so I can''t help but say it. "O, once again, I came here today because I want you to acknowledge my relationship with Manon-san, thank you for having me over." "Ara, ara, how polite, I''m already very much in favor of it." "Umm, that is ... Actually, besides Manon-san ..." "I know, Beatrice-chan and Yuika-san, right? I''ve known Beatrice-chan since she was little, she''s adorable, and she''s a very well-brought young lady, and Manon always talks about Yuika-san being a wonderful person as well. "Eh ... I''m thinking of getting married with three people ..." "Yes, yes, I heard everything from Manon." I was worried due to my own family environment, but I heard that Manon and Noela are very friendly to each other and can talk about anything. From the time we met for the first time in the guild class, she was puzzled by the change in her feelings, she became clearly conscious of love and the existence of two rivals, it seems that she listened to everything up until the point where I made the decision. "You were the gardener''s apprentices before, right? She made a big fuss after she came back, saying that her bath was peeped into, and that everything was seen." "Mom! I told you not to talk about that anymore." "Ara, ara, I wonder if that was the case ... Ohohoho ..." It''s a secret that I replayed Manon''s treasure video that I had saved in my brain while listening to her talking about such a thing. "Kent-san, I am very grateful to Kent-san." "Eh, thank you ... I guess?" "Because ... This kid looked like a boy, and didn''t seem to be interested in romance at all ... Well, I don''t know if she wants to be an adventurer like my husband, but that''s right. I was worried about whether she''ll be able to become a wife ..." "Mom! I told you not to talk about that ..." "Ara, ara, I wonder if that was the case ... But it''s okay, even if you know Manon when she was dressed like that, you still chose her, so it''s okay." "Uh ... that, might be so ..." Certainly, when I met Manon, I thought she was a handsome boy, but now she''s a cute girl, so it''s okay. Hey, Manon-chan, loosening your pursed mouth is highly destructive, so I want you to stop now. I won''t be able to stop myself from grinning. While I was thinking what to do, I saw Hamill peering in from the door behind Noela-san, in the corner of the mirror hanging on the wall. Manon, who was sitting next to me, didn''t seem to have noticed, but Noela-san''s eyes occasionally move, so I guess she did. "Well, let''s get ready for lunch. Manon, you''re going to make it today, right?" "Y, yeah, I''ll make it ..." "Hamill, come here for a moment and keep Kent-san company." "Eeehhh ... why me ..." "Is it okay if you don''t have pocket money next month?" "Heee ... I understand." "Well then, Kent-san, please talk to Hamill." "Y, yes ..." Eeehhh ... I don''t need pocket money, but I guess I can''t leave my seat ... Hamill sat down on the seat diagonally across from me with his head down. "Umm ... I''m Kent, nice to meet you, Hamill-kun." "Hmph, I won''t give you either my sister of Beatrice-san, you womanizer!" "Gaaa ..." Noela-san unexpectedly forgave me, but Hamill seems to strongly oppose it. What''s more, the way he speaks is irritating, isn''t it. "Umm ... Hamill-kun, do you like Beatrice?"(TN:The whole town does, apparently.) "D, d, d, don''t say stupid things. It''s not like that, don''t be stupid ..." Well, he''s easy to understand ... The baby tanuki''s face turns bright red in no time. This kind of thing makes me want to play around with it a bit. "That''s right, you don''t like Beatrice." "O, of course, are you talking to a woman or something ..." "I see, I''m relieved to hear that. After all, Beatrice is absolutely in love with me ..." "Waa ... Th, that''s not possible! Don''t be stupid!" Yeah, this time his face is bright red in a different way. "I thought so too at first, that I was just being teased ..." "Th, that''s right, of course. There''s no way Beatrice-san would like you." "Well, that was, until, Klaus-san invited me to dinner, I got drunk and stayed the night, but when I woke up, I was in the same bed holding Beatrice in my arms ... apparently Beatrice had snuck in during the night ..." "Th, that''s a lie! There''s no such thing as that! It''s bullshit! By the way, why were you invited?" Hamill stood up and banged on the table and yelled. "Eh, because I played the most active part in repelling the latest maximum outbreak, and that''s why Klaus-san acknowledges my relationship with Beatrice." "That''s a lie, that''s a lie, that''s a lie! There''s no way you can be active! Don''t lie!" "Yeah, yeah ... I''m not that strong myself, but do you konw what I''m called?" "Eh ... well, ''Monster User'' ..." I expected that if Manon was talking to Noela-san about everything, Hamill would naturally be listening to various stories, and it was just as I thought. "Yeah, I''m not that strong, but my genus who work for me are really strong." "Even so, you''re not strong. There''s no way Beatrice-san would like you." "But now, if I''m gone, all my genus will be gone from Volzard, and if that happens, it''ll be a problem if another maximum outbreak occurs ... Klaus-san, as the Lord, wants me to stay in town no matter what, even if Beatrice has to sacrifice herself for that purpose ..." "D, don''t joke around ... Even if you''re not here, I''ll protect Volzard. I''ll protect Beatrice-san." "Hmm, I wonder if you can do it ... It wouldn''t be strange if the crisis of a mamimum outbreak occurred even right now. I wonder if Hamill-kun can protect them now ..." "S, shut up ... I, I ..." Okay, maybe I overdid it a little. Hamill begins to spill tears. "K-e-nt ... I wonder why you''re making Hamill cry ..." "Hey ... um, Manon, this is ... I''m sorry." "Ueeeeee ... Mom, that guy is bullying me ..." "Kent-san, what is going on?" She''s smiling just like before, but Noela-san''s eyes are twitching. "Um, should I say that it''s a misunderstanding, or rather, it''s a difference of opinion ..." "He''s mean to me ... I hate him!" "Kent-san!" "I''m sorry! I got a little annoyed when I got water dumped on me ... I was immature, I''m sorry." I lowered my head with the momentum of hitting my head on my knees. "You got water poured on you? Hamill ... what''s going on?" "Eh ... I, I, don''t know anything." Until now, Hamill, who had been clinging tightly to her, was about to run away, but Noela-san caught him firmly. "Hamill, did you pour water on Kent-san?" "Uh ... But, he put out something like a black board ..." "Hamill!" "Sorry ..." After that, Hamill and I listened to Noela-san''s sermon for about 30 minutes ... "What on earth are you doing Kent? You''re going to be Hamill''s, uh, brother-in-law, so you gotta get along with him." "Eh ... I see, that''s right. Okay, Hamill, you can call me brother-in-law." "I won''t call you that, don''t get carried away!" That''s right ... Noela-san was also smiling wryly, but I just wanted to say something. After the sermon was over, we all had lunch together, and there was pasta, sausages, and other familiar dishes lined up. There was also a tamagoyaki that was a little out of shape.(TN:Rolled egg omelette.) "Eh ... tamagoyaki?" "I''m sorry, I couldn''t cook it well ... I learned it from Yuika ..." Halfway through, I stopped hearing Manon''s words, and I, who had been staring blankly at the tamagoyaki, suddenly burst into tears. In my head, many years ago, the scene of the day of the excursion was recalled. "Kent? Hey, what happened Kent ...?" "Uuu ... uuuuuuu ..." My mother was not good at cooking, so grandman usually prepared meals for us. On the morning of the excursion, my grandmother had a fever and fell asleep, and my mother made a bento for me.(TN:Boxed lunch.) Even though I was a child, I knew that my mother was not good at cooking, so I remember watching her worriedly as she made the lunch box. My mother made a distorted rice ball, an octopus shaped sausage, and a slightly deformed tamagoyaki. "I''m sorry, I can''t cook well ... Mom, is not good at cooking ..." My mother apologized regretfully, but I vividly remembered how happy I was to be able to go on the excursion with the lunch box she made for me. But my mother isn''t here anymore. When I thought that I would never be able to eat my mother''s tamagoyaki, which was a little too sweet, I couldn''t stop crying. My mother''s death, which had been so unbelievable, suddenly became a reality and weighed down on my heart. I lost strength in my legs and collapsed on the spot. "If only I, if I had talked to my mother more ... If I had realized that I could return to Japan sooner ... my mother ... my mother ... Aaaaaaa ..." "Kent ..." Even when Manon hugged me, I couldn''t stop crying. CH 100 Becoming a family ***---*** My temples throbbed. When I woke up, I was lying on the sofa with my head on Manon''s knees. Apparently, just like when I was young, I got tired while crying and fell asleep. The warmth of Manon''s hand, which stroked my hair as if combing it with a hand comb, almost brought tears to my eyes. "Thank you ... Manon." "Are you okay ...?" "Yeah, my head hurts a bit ... but I''ll get up." As I lifted my head from Manon''s lap, I felt a little dizzy. I feel like my energy has been completely drained from my body. Honestly, I don''t have the motivation to do anything, and I don''t even want to heal myself. "My mother ... while I was gone ... she took her life." "Yes ..." Little by little, I told Manon that when I returned to Japan, my house was empty, my family situation, my mother''s suicide, and that I had nowhere to go back to. My memory is vague, but I think I probably told the same story before I fell asleep because I was tired from crying. Manon was not surprised, and she listened quietly to my story. "I ... If I had talked to my mother more ..." "It''s not just Kent''s fault. I''ve never met Kent''s mother or father, but I think everyone did it all wrong. That''s why even if Kent tried his best, it wouldn''t have gone well ..." "Maybe so ... But, I think I could have done a little better ..." "Then, let''s build a good relationship with me, Yuika, Beatrice, and everyone else''s family." "Manon ... That''s right, I failed with my mother, but we all have a long way to go." "Yeah, and can''t you just start over with your father?" "Eh ... with my father?" Manon''s idea is an option that I discarded. I thought that I could not go back to my original relationship with my father, so I decided to cut off the relationship on my own. "But my father has become a family with people I don''t know, so there''s no room for me to get involved ..." "Is there really no place for you there? It''s not like you''re asking your father to raise you. Kent will live independently." "That''s right, so with my father, I''m already ..." "Why don''t you try building a new relationship?" "Eh ... A new relationship?" "The relationship between an independent child and a father ... I can''t do it, but Kent still has a chance ..." After forcing my slow-moving head to think, I finally came to understand what Manon wanted to say. I can''t start over with my mother who is gone, but I still have a chance to start over with my father. There''s no need to go back to the same relationship as before. As independent men, we should build a new relationship. "My father was apologizing so much ... Sorry, sorry for not being able to be with you, sorry for not being able to find a marriage partner, sorry for not being able to hold your child ... Like that." Manon told me about her last moments with her father. She told me that Manon''s father, who died of rot disease, continued to apologize for his family''s fate until the very end. Even just listening to the story, I can feel the strong family ties, and it makes me very envious. "Father, he was apologizing for so many things, but from my point of view, all I could do was express my gratitude towards him. Rather, I wanted to apologize for not being able to repay anything. When father came back from the dungeon, we talked a lot, but I still wondered if I could have done more, maybe there was a different way." "I see ..." "Yeah, because I''ve never been sick before, so I thought my father would be fine forever." My mother too, we didn''t meet face-to-face, but I didn''t think that she would suddenly disappear. "So, after my father died, I tried to face the people I met and became friends with so that I wouldn''t have any regrets, but I still failed." "Is that so? Manon seems to be doing just fine." "It''s not like that. Even with Kent, there were times when things weren''t good and I went home angry, and I even slapped you." "Ah ... Come to think of it, that happened too." "But, when I think I made a mistake, I try to apologize properly." Certainly, the next time we met, Manon would apologize. It may have been because of Manon''s consideration that I was able to maintain a good relationship with her. "Thank you, I''m glad I met Manon." "No, thank you, I think I''m really glad I met Kent." "Are you really okay with me?" "I love Kent, who always works hard for everyone ..." "Manon ..." "Kent ..." "Mugaaaaaaaaa ..." As I was about to give Manon a hug and a kiss, I heard a muffled cry of protest through the crack in the door. When I turned my gaze, I could glimpse Hamill struggling while Noela-san covered his mouth. Just when I thought that, Manon pulled my face back, which was facing the door, with both hands and covered my lips. I put my strength into my arms and hugged Manon. "Hamill, I decided to be happy with Kent." "Ngaaa ... That''s no good. I won''t accept that kind of guy!" "Sorry, Hamill, I decided to be happy with Manon. Someday, I will do my best to be recognized by you." "I''m not going to recognize it, I absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, I won''t recognize it!" Hamill broke free of Noela-san''s grasp, and ran up the stairs. "I''m sorry, Noela-san. It didn''t go well today, but someday I''ll try to get along with Hamill-kun." "Well, it would be ideal if you could get along, but if you both accept each other''s existence, it''s okay to hate and slap each other." "Is it okay if we don''t get along?" "Of course, it''s better if you do, but you just met Hamill today. There''s also the matter of Beatrice-chan, so it''s difficult to get along right away. But hey, even my family fights sometimes. So, let''s slowly become a family." "We''re becoming a family ... Yes, I understand." "Oh, yeah, please call me mother-in-law instead of Noela-san." "Yes ... M, Mother-in-law-san."(TN:And now it''s a mouthful, O-gibo instead of Noela isn''t much of a change, but in english ... ugh.) Looking back, my mother, father, and I are related by blood, they were married, but maybe we weren''t a proper family. From now on, I will do my best to become a proper family with Manon, the Chairman, and Beatrice''s family.(TN:Should really start with calling her Yuika instead of Chairman in your thoughts by now ...) It was lunch that we were supposed to eat together, but Noela-san and Hamill had already finished their lunch, so Manon and I had the cold food. When I ate the tamagoyaki, tears came to my eyes again, but I didn''t get upset like I did before. When I talked about the excursion day, Manon burst into tears. "I''m sorry, I didn''t know ..." "No, thanks to Manon, I feel like I''ve finally been able to face my mother''s death properly. Thank you." After the meal, Noela-san and I enjoyed tea together. While I was listening to stories about Manon''s father, how he first became acquainted with Noela-san, and when Manon was born, Hamill peered in from behind the door. "Hamill, come and sit down, or the three of us will eat the Mesudori Pavilion cookies." "Kuh ... I''ll eat too. But I won''t talk to him." Thanks to Noela-san and the cookies from Mesudori Pavilion, I was able to sit at the same table and Hamill, even though he was wearing a pouty face. Yeah, Mesudori Pavilion is diverse. "Kent-san, please introduce your family as well." "Eh, my family is in my original world ..." "Isn''t there everyone who protected Volzard?" "Yes, they are all my family."(TN:Another way of saying genus is family, but it does have a different meaning, so I translate it as genus, but it means basically the same thing.) It''s really too bad today that I forgot to introduce everyone in my genus. "Goshujin-sama, can we come out?" "Yeah, everyone come here." Mart, Mirt, and Mart came out first. "Goshujin-sama, are you okay?" "I''m sorry for worrying you, I''m fine now." "Pat me, rub my belly, Goshujin-sama." "Yes, yes, wait your turn." Starting with Mart and the others, I introduced Art and the rest in order along with Reinhardt, Basten, Fred, and Zae-tachi. When the lizardmen gathered around the strong skeletons, Hamill stopped eating the cookies and was overwhelmed with his mouth wide open. "Maa, maa, everyone, thank you very much for protecting Volzard. Ara, ara, it''s amazing, let me touch those hard scales, look, Manon." On the other hand, Noela-san treated all my genus without fear, to the point that Zae was perplexed. "It''s dangerous, it might feel better than Goshujin-sama ..." Art and the others were even entangled by Noela-san''s mofumofu technique. Yeah, I''ll use that move as a reference. "That''s right ... Noela-san, would you allow me to treat you to dinner today?" "No, Kent-san." "Um ... if it''s not convenient ..." "It''s not that. It''s not Noela-san, it''s mother-in-law, isn''t it?" Noela-san, who laughed mischievously, corrected me. "Yes, then, m, mother-in-law, can I treat you to dinner?" "Yes, yes, I''d be happy with that." "Is Hamill-kun coming too?" "Why do I have to eat with you ..." "Ara, ara, Manon and I are going out, so I won''t prepare dinner." "Eeehhh ... tch, i, it can''t be helped, so I''ll go." Reluctantly, it was really reluctant, but I was able to pull along Hamill as well. "Thank you. Manon, can you bring the two of them to Amanda-san''s shop?" "Yes, I understand." "Well, see you later ..." I dove into the shadows from the living room of Manon''s house and returned to the boarding house at once. It was a sudden idea, but I decided to gather the people who would become my family and have a meal together. It''s really sudden, but I''m sure Amanda-san will do something about it. "Amanda-san, I have a request!" "Fuwaa! You surprised me, don''t just suddenly come out." When I called out to Amanda-san, who was preparing the ingredients, she was so surprised that she nearly knocked over the pot. "Excuse me, tonight, erm ... 8 people, no, I''d like to have eleven people including Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, and Meline-san ... is that a no-go?" "What''s the reason for adding us?" I explained the purpose of the dinner party to Amanda, who had a dubious look on her face. "Yes, I was introduced to Manon''s family during the day and we ate together, so at night I wanted to gather the people who would become my family and have a meal. At my house in Volzard." "Really, you should have told me that in advance." "I''m sorry. After all, it''s impossible to do it in such a hurry ..." "What are you talking about? Who do you think I am?" Amanda-san patted her chest and agreed. "Thank you very much. Well then, I will inform Beatrice and the others as well." "Hey, Kent, you''re not going to invite Klaus-sama only just now, are you? Kent!" Amanda-san seemed to be saying something, but anyway, it''s a shadow move to Klaus-san''s mansion. Beatrice was learning knitting from Marianne-san in the mansion''s living room. Klaus-san seems to be playing a board game similar to chess, and seems to be inferior to Marianne-san, who is teaching knitting. "Sorry for the suddenness. It''s kent. May I have a moment?" "What''s wrong, what happened?" Klaus-san''s expression, which was in holiday mode, tightened in an instant. "No, it''s not an emergency, but is it okay if I disturb you?" "Hmm, I don''t mind." When I stepped out of the shadows into the living room, Beatrice approached me in a trot, and as if it were only natural, came over to me and entwined her arms in mine. "Welcome, Kent-sama." "Hello, Rise." "Anyway! What do you want, Kent!" Klaus-san''s voice has thorns, probably because I was welcomed by Beatrice as if it were completely natural. "Yes, I apologize for the suddenness, but I was thinking of inviting ou all to dinner tonight." "Well, are you going to invite us as well as Rise?" "What are you up to?" "You ..." "Father ..." Klaus-san being scolded by Marianne-san and Rise at the same time is a little pitiful. "Actually, I''ve invited Manon''s family, and I''m thinking of having people who will become my family gather." "Kent-sama ..." Rise leans her head on my shoulder, and Klaus-san shows a sullen expression again. "I wasn''t able to form strong family ties in Japan, so I want to strengthen my family ties in Volzard." "Okay. Amanda''s shop is fine, right?" "Yes, sorry for the sudden talk." Klaus-san didn''t say it out loud, but he seems to have guessed that I was thinking about my mother''s death. "It''s not a formal gathering, so please come in comfortable clothes. Rise too." "Yes, Kent-sama ..." "Ah ... Bastard, Kent!" I kissed Beatrice on the cheek and dived into the world of shadows. Now that I think about it, this might be the first time I''ve kissed Beatrice in front of Klaus-san, but I''ll stop holding back. Because we''re going to be a family from now on. My next destination using the shadows is the garrison''s temporary quarters. I wonder, where is the chairman. Come to think of it, I didn''t hand over the diary I had collected from Lastock. I wonder what''s written there. I''m curious, but it''s not a good thing to look into the diary. I''m sorry, I already peeked into the bath. The figure of the chairman was in the garrison''s stable. It seems that the dekoboko sisters are taking the lead in horseback riding classes. It seems that most of the people gathered are girls, and there is also Raymond-san, the stable attendant who seems to have been asked to play the role of a lecturer. Surrounded by girls, it seems that the bottom of his nose is stretched out, but well, he''s probably been pulled out even though it''s rest day, so let''s overlook it. I came out from behind a tree near the riding grounds and speak to the chairman. "Yuika ..." "Ah, Kento!" The chairman saw me and rushed over with a big smile on her face. For Manon, Beatrice, and the chairman, yeah, they''re definitely in their prime. I, am becoming a normie! "What''s wrong? Weren''t you going to Manon''s house today?" "Yeah, I came after saying hello to Manon''s family. Well, we''re all going to have dinner together. Will you come?" "Of course! But what about Beatrice?" "Yeah, I called out to Beatrice, Klaus-san, and Marianne-san, and they decided to come." "I see ... It''s nice, I wanted tmy Papa and Mama to participate ..." "Ah, I''m sorry, that''s right, Yuika''s parents are in Japan ..." "No, it''s okay, even if it''s impossible now, you''ll greet them properly some day, right?" "Of course, because we''re goint to be family." "Kento ... Yeah, that''s right, in that sense, I, Manon''s family, and Beatrice''s family will become family." "Yeah, by the way, I brought Yuika''s diary from your room in Lastock. Yes, here it is ..." "Eehhh ..." When I took out the diary from the shadow storage, the chairman grabbed it and held it in her arms. "Did you read it? Did you read the diary?" "No, it''s okay, I didn''t read it." "Haaaa ... That''s good." Well, when I think that the content that''s written in it would trouble me if I see it, I''m kind of worried. "Then, I''ll come pick you up later, so get ready and wait." "Yeah, I understand ..." As I was about to kiss the chairman, I noticed that everyone in the riding ground was staring at me. There are warm and lukewarm gazes, as well as cold, contemptuous gazes. But, I won''t hesitate anymore, I''ve decided that the chairman and I will be family. I hugged the chairman and kissed her on the cheek. "Well, see you later ..." "Yeah, I''ll be waiting ..." It''s bad! The chairman holding my shirt is too cute. Manon, Beatrice, and the chairman, I will never give them to anyone. Everyone will be my wives. Send all my classmates back to Japan quickly, get rid of the reparations and other troubles, then go on an expedition to the depths of the Devil''s Forest, defeat all the monsters, and make money to buy a house. With that in mind, I''ll build my love nest. CH 101 A dinner party ***---*** "Thank you very much for gathering tonight despite the short notice. It''s true, I should have set up an opportunity to have a good time with the people who took care of me in Volzard earlier, but I couldn''t think of it because I have had almost no experience with gatherings like this. From now on, I would like to seize the occasion and have a good time with everyone. Cheers to the development of Volzard and everyone''s happiness!" Amanda-san closed her shop temporarily. If there are other people you want to call, please reach out to them ... I accepted Amanda-san''s words and asked Donovan-san, Kartz-san, Otto-san, and Marcel-san to come. Muell-san, I gave up because her master Corey-san''s pharmacy was closed and I didn''t know her contact information. Of course, I didn''t plan to invite Gilik from the start. "Hey, Kent, come over here and drink!" "Eeehh ... tonight, just a little alcohol ..." As soon as the dinner party started, Klaus-san called to me. Hey, you can take your seat however you like ... but when I said that, only old men gathered, it''s a pity that I was the one they called. "What are you talking about, tonight is a party to thank the people who took care of you, right?" "That''s right, but ..." "Even if you get drunk tonight, you don''t have to worry about getting home." "No, even Donovan-san ..." I wonder if Donovan-san has a grudge due to half-forcingly luring him out when he was working alone even though it''s rest day. "Ara, ara, that''s no good. I have to get Kent-san to be his new mother''s partner ..." "That''s right, come over here, Kent-san ..." "Kent! Don''t dawdle, come over here!" "Yes ... I''m on my way ..." Klaus-san and Donovan-san are two tops in Volzard, but if I have to compare the power relationship against that of Marianne-san, and Noela-san, the head of Manon''s family, and if Amanda-san, who has a hold on my stomach, calls me, I can''t say no. Most of the food is ready, and Meline-san is in charge of the finishing touches, so Amanda-san also sat down and started drinking. "You don''t understand it at all. When you first came to our house, you were unreliable, and I was really worried about whether you would be okay. Seeing as how you came to play a central role in saving Volzard. It''s still incredible to me now." "I can''t believe it either, but it can''t be helped." In fact, when I came to Volzard, I was an indoors person and was pale, had no muscles, my stomach was flabby, so it was only natural to be worried about. Since then, I''ve become a little stronger ... I should have. "I''m really glad Kent-san came to Volzard. Otherwise, my Rise wouldn''t be here by now." "I''m glad I was able to help you. To be honest, I didn''t know how far I could go." "Ara, ara, what are you talking about?" When Marianne-san talked about Beatrice''s treatment, Noela-san''s eyes widened in surprised. At the same time, it seems that another person, Hamill, was also surprised. Yeah, but why is Meisa-chan boasting about it? The chairman is helping Meline-san bring food and alcohol. As expected of the chairman, she can tactfully deal with old men. "Really, Yuika is wasted on Kent, but if you can stay with Kent in Volzard, I''ll be really grateful." "Oh, I''m not that good ..." At Klaus-san''s words, the chairman is frozen by Donovan-san''s gaze. It''s okay, chairman, Donovan-san is a little ... no, he''s a good person despite being overpowering. "No, his treatment skills are really great, but since Yuika and Manon started helping out in the infirmary, the young guys in the garrison have been bothering me with pointless complaints about their injuries." No, no, Kartz-san, don''t think that I haven''t noticed that you''ve been looking only at Meline-san in the kitchen since a while ago. "Well, you have to appeal that both of them are yours, Kent." "Right. Just like Otto-san says, you should go appeal to them as soon as possible at the start of the week." "Oi, oi, Kent, I''m begging you to be gentle. It would be a problem if the young people in the garrison got disappointed and lost morale." "It''s okay. There are about 100 female classmates in the garrison''s temporary dormitory, so Kartz-san, ''You have no time to look down!'' If you say such, it will be resolved." "Hmm ... is that true ..." So, even if you get dumped by Meline-san, don''t look down and do your best, Kartz-san. "Well, even so, as expected of Kent. Just by calling out, this many big-shots gathered, so it''s a big deal." "Umm ... Marcel-san. About my classmate who burned down the shop, he''s now changed his mindset and goes to the ramparts construction every day. If a little more time passes and he''s able to live a proper life, he''ll look for the timing to apologize. I would like to set it up ... but what do you think?" "Fumu ... well, to be honest, it''s not that there''s nothing I''m still angry about, but I''ve been compensated for the damage, and if you think about it, it''s like building a new store. That guy really regrets it. If Kent sees such, I don''t mind." "Thank you very much. I will look into it thoroughly and ask you again." To be honest, I don''t think I know anything about Takayama''s personal evaluation. In the future, I have to think about how to avoid lowering the evaluation of people from Japan while I live in Volzard. In other words, it might be better to bring Celia in sooner and let her hold his reins. The chairman and Manon must have been helping out at home on a daily basis, and they are doing flawlessly at serving meals and helping Meline-san. I don''t think Beatrice usually serves food, so it''s obvious that she''s doing things like carrying food with unsteady hands. Even so, she never spilled food or dropped dishes and broke them, and occasionally passed by me while never forgetting to show me that she was doing her best. "Kent-sama, do you have enough drinks?" "Yeah, Rise and the others should also sit down and have a meal." "Yes, it''s okay because I''ve eaten in between helping out ... Chu." She pretends to whisper in my ear and kisses me casually on the cheek. She seemed to think that she wasn''t noticed by the people around her, but soon after, Manon and the chairman approached me and also kissed me on the cheek. Hmm ... Today is a really good day, isn''t it. It''s a good day for me, but it looks like it''s going to be a bad day for Hamill. He sits far away from me and glares at me with a terrible look on his face. He seems to be talking to Meisa-chan, but he seems to be depressed there as well, and seems to be getting stepped on and kicked. Yeah, really, why is Meisa-chan so proud? As time passed, the situation started to become more and more chaotic as the alcohol started to circulate. However, with the exception of Hamill and Klaus-san, everyone was continuing to smile from the beginning to the end. I feel sorry for the people who lost their lives as a result of the summoning, but I feel glad that I was summoned. And at that time, Fred called out to me. [ Kent-sama ... Minotaurs are approaching Lastock ... ] "Eh, Minotaurs?" With one word I leaked out, the conversation stopped from inside the shop. "Minotaurs! Kent, how many are there?" Klaus-san asked in a sharp tone, and Donovan-san and Kartz-san also looked like they were ready for battle. [ One hundred and fifty to two hundred or more ... ] "The number is about 150 to 200, but the Minotaurs are heading to Lastock, not Volzard." "Is that so, will it have any effect over there?" "Reinhardt, what do you think?" [ I sent the kobold squad for reconnaissance, but it doesn''t seem to have any effect on Volzard so far. ] "Okay, just continue the reconnaissance. Klaus-san, the reconnaissance of the Kobold Corps shows that it has had no effect so far." "Is that so ... but it seems that Lastock is in danger ..." Kartz-san and Donovan-san also nodded at Klaus-san''s words. "Are Minotaurs really that dangerous?" "They''re dangerous, because they have more charging power than rock ogres. If it''s not done well, they might break through the wall of Volzard." "But there''s a river in front of Lastock ..." "They are also good swimmers. There is a high possibility that they will use their huge horns to destroy the river wall and attack." "Fred, how far have the Minotaurs come?" [ They''ve already left the forest ... they''re about a third of the way through the wasteland ... ] "I understand. I''m sorry, everyone. I''m going to Lastock for a little warning and scouting. I''ll be back soon, so please continue the dinner party." "Wait, Kento, be careful. I don''t want you to get hurt." The chairman who stopped me came running over and gave me a big hug. "Kent, please come back soon ..." "Kent-sama, be careful ..." I was hugged by Manon and Beatrice, and I went into the shadows while being sent off with everyone''s lukewarm gazes and Klaus-san and Hamill''s resentful gazes. I headed to the commander''s office at Lastock garrison. As usual, Camilla was left alone, but something is strange. She rests her elbows on the desk, supporting her head and shoulders and breathing roughly. "Camilla!" "Wha ... oh, Maou ... sama ..." Camilla''s face turned pale when she answered the call, and dark circles were floating under her eyes. She looks like a sick person. "What are you doing on rest day even though you''re not feeling well." "I''m sorry. The construction schedule has progressed significantly, so ... ah ..." "Watch out!" When I reflexively hugged Camilla, who was dizzy and about to collapse, her body was clearly suffering from a high fever. "You can''t even manage your physical condition, you fool!" "I, I''m sorry. Un, Maou-sama, ah ..." "Stay still. I will pour the power of darkness now." "Ah ... this is ..." I cast healing magic while holding Camilla in my arms. I''ve done this method many times with the chairman, so I''m used to it, but I tell Camilla that it''s the power of darkness, like a chuuni setting, so as not to let her realize it''s healing magic. "As expected, I am no longer of this world ..." "If it''s for the sake of protecting the people, didn''t you care what happens to yourself?" "That''s right ... if possible, I would like to hold my child with these hands." "Hmph ... that''s up to you, Camilla ..." "Eh ... that, what does it mean ..." "There''s no time to be dumbfounded. A herd of Minotaurs is leaving the Devil''s Forest and approaching Lastock. Get ready to intercept!" Camilla''s relaxed expression tightened when I finished pouring healing magic and I said it while pushing her away. "Minotaurs, are you serious?" "The number is around 150 to 200. If you think ''Instant Slash'' Fred''s assessment is wrong, keep doing paperwork like this! I''ll be on the front lines!" "I''m sorry, I''ll prepare for interception immediately. Is anyone there!" As Camilla ran out of the office, she seemed to have forgotten that she had only just recovered. [ She''s already gone ... Kent-sama will make Camilla''s dream come true ... ] "Eh, Camilla''s dream is ... no good, no, if I do that, I''ll be hanged by the committee chairman."(TN:Sentence starts with single bracket, ends with double, probably a typo. I don''t think it shifts to telepathy halfway through.) [ The other side is Volzard''s harem ... this side is Resenburg harem ... ] "I see, there''s a Devil''s Forest in between, and they can''t find out ... I can''t do that. I can''t do that ... so it''s not the time to play around. I''ll go meet the Minotaurs." [ It''s okay ... for us, they''re small-fries ... ] "Fred, don''t let your guard down." [ Roger ... tighten your mind and exterminate them ... ] I decide to move to the riverbank with Fred and watch from the shadows. I have about 10 kobolds staying behind to monitor Volzard, and the rest of my genus are gathered. [ Kent-sama, the Minotaur is certainly a troublesome monster, but with our power, there is no way we will fall behind. ] "Yeah, I think so, but I want to see how Lastock''s interception stance is this time, so I want to wait until the last minute to help." [ I see, if that''s the case, there''s no time to feel to relaxed. ] "Yeah, it looks like the battle in the water will be the main focus this time, so I''ll have Zae and the others do their best." "Leave it to us, King. We have an advantage in the water. The cows will be chopped into small pieces and slaughtered." "Yeah, if possible, I''d appreciate it if you could collect the magic stones and horns." [ Leave the collection to me ... everyone else concentrate on attacking ... ] Minotaur horns are said to fetch high prices. Around the time we prepared for the interception, the knights of Resenburg gathered at the river wall. "Set up the magic light machines. Archers, get to your posts!" "Squad 1, ready!" "Squad 2, preparations are complete!" "Squad 3, we have arrived at our post!" Even though no one had confirmed the presence of the Minotaurs, the knights flew to their posts with brisk movements. Under normal circumstances, skepticism would probably hinder their actions, but the reason why they don''t appear to be like that is probably because Camilla''s control is perfect. When the knights arrived at their posts, Camilla appeared dressed in shiny gold armor. She seems to have regained her physical condition, and she looks sharp and toned as usual. "Listen up everyone! The minotaurs heading this way are a herd of 150 to 200. Fortunately, the construction of the river wall is progressing, but it''s still incomplete because it''s just piled up soil. However, that''s no excuse! Repel them with all your might, protect the city, protect the people! Show your pride as a knight!" "Ooooooo!" When they heard about the number of the Minotaurs, there was certainly some confusion among the knights, but after listening to Camilla''s instruction, the morale of the knights was high, and it was as if the flame of fighting spirit was burning in every eye. [ Kent-sama, after all, this person named Camilla is the owner of extraordinary talent. ] "That''s right ... the problem is how she can atone for her sins in a way that everyone can agree with ..." The knights let out a roar, and after a while they scattered to their posts, I heard a rumbling of the earth. "Boooooo ... Boooooooooaaaa ..." Mixed with the rumbling of the earth, I can also hear something like a low groan. It looks like a buffalo from Earth when it comes running while raising dust, but it feels like it''s more than twice the size.(TN:So, not the humanoid Minotaurs you''re used to, more like just a huge buffalo.) It seems that there is a thick layer of skin and fat under the hard reddish-brown hair. The horns growing from both sides of its head are about the size of an adult''s leg, thick, and sharply pointed. "Magic machine, shine! Archers, forward!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, cover, cover, cover my arrows and pierce the enemy!" "Fire!" Leaving behind a high-pitched bowstring sound, the arrows flew towards the Minotaurs approaching the opposite bank, but were repelled by their horns and blocked by their thick skin, so it seems that it was unable to deal effective damage. [ Even if they enchant it, the arrows won''t pass through unless they are at close range. ] "They''re so hard ... c''mon ..." Selecting one of the Minotaurs that have started jumping into the river from the opposite bank, I try shooting light attribute attack magic at them. The Minotaur, that was shot through the forehead, was trampled by the following companions adn sank into the river. [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, a clumsy archer shouldn''t be a problem. ] [ Kent-sama is ... a cheat ... ] It seems that there is nothing that can compare to my magic for long-distance attacks. I thought that if they entered the river, their speed would slow down, but the Minotaurs swam at a furious pace. "Wow, how fast can they swim?" [ Seriously, they are good swimmers. ] The sight of the horde of Minotaurs rushing in waves is a tremendous force. "Mage Corps, fire!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become water, dance, dance, dance oh water, and become a lance!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a blade!" The water spears and wind blades fired by the Resenburg knights were much larger and sharper than the ones Yagi and the others shot at the orcs, and blood splattered out as they pierced the Minotaurs'' thick skin. However, the damage doesn''t seem to be enough to kill them, and it doesn''t stop the horde''s momentum. [ Kent-sama, if they come to the shore, we will also go. ] "Eh, but it seems that the knights'' attacks are going through ..." [ It''s common sense to have five knights per Minotaur to defeat it safely. If they charge like an avalanche and rush in, the current knights of Lastock will be unable to handle them. ] "Okay, I''ll leave the decision to Reinhardt. Zae-tachi, start with those. Kill the momentum from behind." "As you wish, King." "Art-tachi aim for the legs of the Minotaurs that have climbed onto land, from the shadows, and attack them, stop their movement." "Understood, Goshujin-sama." Zae and the others slip into the water from the shadows, while Art and the others wait in the shadows of the riverbank. "Then, is it fine for me to just observe?" [ Leave it to me, Kent-sama. ] [ Branch leader, please don''t let the knights of Resenburg kill you. ] [ Buhahaha, such a blunder would be annoying! ] The Minotaur, who went up the river bank on this side, shook its body and raised a splash of water, and started rushing at once. "Fire! Fire! Don''t let them get close!" Even though the knights'' magic and arrows rained down, the Minotaur didn''t seem to care and rushed straight for the river wall. Zudooooooon! With just one blow, the river wall, which was just a pile of earth, collapsed and the Minotaur rushed up at once. "Booooooo!" The moment the Minotaur ran up to the river wall and raised its gigantic hooves at the knights who were crouched by the impact, its torso exploded. [ Buhahaha, all those who are the enemies of Resenburg, this ''Grand Arm'' Reinhardt will deal with you! ] Reinhardt swung his blood-stained sword, Gram, and rushed into the herd of Minotaurs with a huge laugh. [ Shiyaaaa! If you want to step on the soil of Lastock, defeat this ''Burning Fire'' Basten! ] Reaching the shore from another spot and about to start charging, the Minotaur was silenced by Basten''s beloved spear, Gae Bolg, which pierced its head. On the other hand, the Minotaurs swimming toward the shore were dragged one by one into the river, floating to the surface as headless corpses and being swept away. "Aim only for the Minotaurs! The other monsters are the genus of the Maou, so don''t mess with them!" Camilla, who saw Reinhardt and the others, shouted out instructions. There must be traditional tactics and movements of the Resenburg knights. The knights attacked while avoiding Reinhardt and Basten, and Reinhard and the others seemed to be moving so that the knights could easily attack. Minotaurs came ashore from places other than where Reinhardt and Basten were rampaging, but they were cut at their legs by Art and the others, and when they slowed down, they were attacked by the knights'' concentrated attacks and died. [ It''s only a matter of time before annihilation ... Kent-sama, go back first ... ] "Wow ... heavy ..." Fred brought a cut-off Minotaur horn as a souvenir. The heavy weight made me stagger unintentionally. "Then, Fred, can I ask you to follow me?" [ Leave it to me ... I wonder if the Branch Leader will be satisfied if he rampages like that ... ] I decided to return to Volzard while looking at Reinhardt, who continued to slaughter the Minotaurs while laughing loudly. When I returned to Amanda-san''s shop, the adults continued the banquet, but the chairman and the others looked a bit out of it. "I''m back ..." "Kento!" "Kent!" "Kent-sama!" Wow! What a paradise this place is to be hugged by three beautiful girls as if competing with each other. "I''m sorry for worrying you. I was watching to see if Lastock could repel the Minotaurs, but it seemed difficult, so I had Reinhardt-tach back them up." "Oh, Kent, how were the Minotaurs?" "Yes, they were more powerful than I thought ...? Yuika?" I was about to walk away to show Klaus-san the horns of the Minotaur, but the chairman stopped me. "Kento, what is the smell of this perfume ..." "Hiii ..." Dangerous. I hugged Camilla and cast healing magic while hugging her. I didn''t think about perfume at all. I suddenly burst into cold sweat. "I wonder if a Minotaur is a monster with such a sweet smell ..." "No, Manon, that''s a misunderstanding ..." "Kent-sama, I heard that you often negotiate with the Princess of Resenburg ..." "Umm, that is, Camilla''s physical condition was bad, so I had to use healing magic ... It''s not a treatment like it was with Rise." "Kento ... Seiza." "Yes ..." Aahhhh, even thought I was in Volzard, I was going to show that I was a man who could detect a crisis in Lastock and rush over, and show them a man that could solve it brilliantly, and get Hamill''s respect, but why did it turn out like this. Marianne-san and Noela-san''s gazes are also cold, but Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, please don''t look like you''re sorry, it''s a misunderstanding. It took about 30 minutes to clear up the misunderstanding and gain forgiveness, but after that the Minotaur''s horns and Reinhardt''s fighting style became lively conversation, and the party continued late into the night. CH 102 Maou''s arrival ***---*** The dinner party that lasted until late at night was a really fun time. I didn''t know that sitting around a table with a large group could be so much fun. In Japan, the dining table at my house was, including my mother, grandmother, and my father when he came home, four people as the largest group, when my father was there, I remember eating while being nervous. I don''t have a memory of everyone smiling like this dinner party. But I found that I can have a good time depending on myself. For that reason, I have to create an environment where they can have a good time. The biggest issue I have is the return of my classmates to Japan. Once that is resolved, compensation, etc. To be honest, I don''t even care if I earn it. The only way I can think of to get all my classmates back to Japan is to be able to bring them back with my shadow movement, or to perform a summoning ceremony in Japan to bring them back. The bottleneck of using shadow movement is that I lack knowledge about dark magic, so I don''t know how to approach it. It seems that there are fewer people who can handle the dark attribute compared to the light attribute, and many of them are a mystery. According to Klaus-san, the guild master at the guild headquarters seems to be a person with a deep knowledge of dark magic, and it seems likely that he will visit Volzard for my promotion to S-rank, the trend is confirmed, if they don''t come, I''ll have to go see them and ask them to teach me. As for how to use the summoning technique, I will be able to get information from Camilla about the technique. Based on that information, I have to think about what kind of arrangement I should add to the technique, but I also need to find out if the technique can be activated on Earth in the first place. I don''t think I can succeed without doing any experiments, so it seems necessary to think about the method of experimentation. I can''t do the analysis of the technique by myself, so I guess I''ll have to ask the teachers and classmates for support. When Meisa-chan was put to bed after the dinner party, Reinhardt and the others, who had finished subjugating the Minotaurs, returned. [ Nobody got hurt? ] [ Everyone finished the subjugation without getting hurt. ] Reinhardt has a satisfied expression, probably because he''s been able to act violently after a long time. [ Fred, are you done collecting? ] [ Perfectly ... 184 in all, horns and magic stones collected ... ] When I dived into the shadow space, horns and magic stones were piled up. Also, I''ll pet Art and the others in turn. Anyway, the most important thing is that everyone returned safely. [ Is that the only place where the river wall was destroyed? ] [ That''s right, the others were dealt with before they reached the river wall. ] [ How were the knights of Resenburg? ] [ We saluted when Basten and I returned, and they returned the salute even though they were confused. ] [ They feel reluctant to admit that you''re an ally, but they don''t think of you as en enemy either ... is it that kind of feeling? ] [ I guess so. However, if they think about having to deal with that many Minotaurs on their own, they should understand the value of our work. ] If they want to defeat the Minotaurs safely, they''ll need five knights to deal with each, so in order to deal with this horde, they''ll need more than 900 knights by simple calculation. Lastock only has about 110 knights, partly because they don''t want to provoke the Second Prince''s faction. If you just look at the numbers, it wouldn''t be strange if they were wiped out. [ The rest is up to Camilla to explain, but that''s not something to worry about. ] [ Probably, as a result of the negotiations, a cooperative stance was taken ... The fact that she pledged allegiance to Kent-sama, she can''t confide to them. ] [ Well, there''s also the pride as a Princess, so it will be like that. ] Even on the night I negotiated with her for the first time, the knights saw her fainting, and she still hasn''t lost their support, so the relationship she''s built up so far is probably a strong proof. I''ve decided to take a break, too, in consideration of the successes of my genus. The next day, after breakfast, I decided to go see the situation at Lastock. To confirm the traces of last night''s battle and to get information about the summoning technique from Camilla. The corpses of the Minotaurs, whose horns and magic stones were collected, were cut up by Zae and tossed into the river. Restoration of the broken river wall has already begun in one place, and people who can use earth-attribute magic are working to harden the river wall in other places. "I was just wondering, if they just strengthen the river wall, if they can cross the river upstream or downstream, won''t they be attacked all at once?" [ Certainly, there is that possibility. ] "Then, wouldn''t it be better to surround the city of Lastock with a moat or a wall?" [ If it were a strong rampart like Volzard, it would be better, but if it was half-baked, it would hinder the residents from evacuating, I don''t think they can protect it in the current situation with limited personnel. ] If it is judged that the river wall cannot be protected, it seems that Lastock''s response at the moment is to besiege themselves in a sturdy building, but last night''s raid didn''t seem to have enough time to instruct the people to evacuate. Even if they had already evacuated, the Minotaurs would have knocked down the walls of the building. "Somehow, it feels like it''s going backwards ..." [ Probably, Lastock prioritized the cultivation of farmland and relied on the river to deal with monsters. ] Lastock must have given priority to people who lost their farmland due to desertification in the western part of Resenburg, and who had moved to the city for the purpose of pioneering. However, the defense is too weak as it is, and if a larger group of monsters comes, it seems that the city will be overrun with a single swarm. "Hmm ... I wonder if there''s a way to protect the residents more reliably ..." [ It would be a realistic method to use the garrison as a fortress and invite the residents to protect them. ] If they don''t have enough people to protect the entire city, and if they can''t defend themselves with just the walls of the buildings, they can protect the residents with a fort that can be defended by the knights they have now. "I see. But even if they build a fort, will the residents be able to evacuate in time when a maximum outbreak occurs?" [ That''s where the problem lies. Even in last night''s attack, it seems that the evacuation guidance of the residents was not taken care of. ] "If Reinhardt-tachi weren''t there, the river wall would have been broken through, and if that happened, the city of Lastock might have been wiped out?" [ In any case, the lack of preparation cannot be denied. ] From Camilla''s point of view, support from the royal capital may be coming, and it may be calculated that if the defense of the river wall is strenghthened, it can be protected, but since there is no prospect of such support, there is no choice but to strengthen the defense with the existing force. If so, it may be necessary to review the countermeasures themselves from the ground up, but the biggest problem seems to be whethere it will be in time. When I went to the garrison commander''s office to hear her thoughts, the knights were questioning Camilla. "I can''t believe it. Are you telling me to trust the people who attacked Camilla-sama?" "As you guys have seen, the Maou''s followers are powerful." "Are you saying that we are unreliable?" Camilla is being interrogated by Levic and Gert, who visited Volzard as envoys, and Paul, who abused Funayama.(TN:Paul also was there with the messengers ...) Apparently, the contents of their story seems to be about Reinhardt and the others, and Levic seems to be protesting with his face flushed. "That''s not right. Right now, if we are hostile to the Maou, we might be attacked by a maximum outbreak of monsters while fighting his followers. Can you oppose him over a practical matter?" "But, doesn''t it look like we knights are being protected?" "Wouldn''t it be nice if that would limit our damage?" "What is that Maou plotting? He wouldn''t lend a hand to something that doesn''t bring any benefits, would he?" "The purpose of the Maou is information about the summoning technique." "No way, you''re not going to tell him the secrets of the royal family, are you?" "I''m going to tell him." Camilla replied in a calm tone to Levic who was a little excited. Judging from this situation, I feel like I can trust the information about the summoning technique that Camilla is giving me. The one who objected to Camilla''s determination was the smart Gert. "No, Camilla-sama, if you teach them the summoning technique, they might call more allies from their original world. What would you do if they increased their numbers, prepared their army, and attacked Resenburg?" "Then, what should I do? The deadline for giving information about the summoning technique is today." "Let''s spread false information. There''s no way monkeys can understand the summoning technique anyway." Even though Reinhardt was about to kill him during the rescue operation, Paul still seems to underestimate us. "What is he going to do if the information turns out to be false? The Maou will become your enemy." "It''s okay. If they''re looking for information on the technique, they can''t go against us who have the correct information. Make use of the information as bait for the monkeys, you just have to lead them around by the jaw." "No. It''s too risky. With that method, as long as I''m alive, he won''t care if everyone in the city is killed." I thought she was going to take advantage of Paul''s cunning, but Camilla flatly refused and seems to stick to the policy of telling me the information. All four of them are so absorbed in their own story that they are completely neglectful of their surroundings. It looks like it''s going to be a long story, to let''s sit on the sofa and wait with Mart and the others to mofumofu. "If we give him the information on the summoning technique, won''t the Maou become our enemy?" "No, as long as we don''t take hostile action, it''s fine." "How can you say that? Camilla-sama, do you believe in the Maou rather than trusting us?" "Of course, I trust you guys too. But considering the current situation ..." "It is a disgrace to the Resenburg knights to join hands with such an unknown person." "Yes, we should protect Lastock on our own." "If you trust the monkeys, they will just take advantage of you." Gert and Paul agreed with Levic''s words, which seemed to interrupt Camilla''s words. Somehow, I''m getting irritated by all the talk with no actual results. "You''re saying things with high spirits, but do you think you were able to defeat the Minotaurs yesterday by yourselves?" When I called out to them, the three of them turned around as if they were flipped, and put their hands on their respective swords. "You, just when ..." "Bastard, from that time ..." Three skeletons are lined up behind me, and Gert, who engaged in one-on-one combat with Fred, looks at me as if to shoot me dead. Paul, who had skewered me and was about to be killed by Reinhardt, was also wide-eyed. "Maou-sama, thank you for last night." "Yeah, so, can you answer my question, do you think you could have repelled the Minotaurs by yourselves?" "Of course! Don''t underestimate the Resenburg knights!" Levic answered with a roar, but the color of tension is floating on his face. Come to think of it, Fred had played a role in putting Levic and the others to sleep in the second battle. "I''ll tell you, we were the ones who proceeded with the constuction of the river wall so quickly, provided the materials for that, and in the first place, I was the one who informed you that the herd of Minotaurs was approaching, but even so, can you still say that you are able to protect everyone on your own?" "What ..." They didn''t seem to have expected that I announced that the Minotaurs were approaching, so the three of them turned to look at Camilla to make sure. "Camilla-sama ..." "What Maou-sama said is true. He also provided us with the materials and informed us of the approach of the Minotaurs." The three of them looked at me with a frustrated look, as I acted out a relaxed pose while mofuing Mart. Wouldn''t it be nice to face off while mofuing your pet like a villain? "It''s not like we have forgiven you guys for treating us unjustly, but you can''t protect Lastock on your own, and we don''t want innocent residents to suffer. Camilla even said that she would sacrifice herself to protect the people, but are you going to protect the pride of the knights even if it means sacrificing the people?" "You! Don''t get carried away just because we''re being silent ..." "Stop!" Camilla stopped Levic, who was about to pull out his sword, then got up from her seat and walked over to me and knelt down. "Camilla-sama, for someone like that ..." "Shut up! We can''t expect any support from the royal capital. If a maximum outbreak occurs in this situation, Lastock will definitely be destroyed. Not only that, but if the damage spreads to the eastern part of Resenburg, there will be serious grain shortages and food crises, and if things go wrong, the country may perish!" The three of them looked as if they had been struck by lightning when Camilla spoke while still on her knees. "Maou-sama, please continue to help us in order to protect Lastock, no, Resenburg." "So, what about these three? Do you need my cooperation? Or do you not need it?" Gert was the first among the three to bend his knees. "Thinking calmly, we couldn''t get through last night''s situation alone." Hearing Gert''s words, Paul reluctantly fell to his knees, but perhaps he wasn''t satisfied with the fact that the human he had impaled was still alive, and he looked at me like he''d seen a ghost. Levic was hesitant unti the end, but when the others all bent their knees, he couldn''t resist and dropped to his knees on the spot. "I will continue to lend my strength, but there are three conditions for that." Hearing the terms of cooperation, Levic blatantly frowned. "The first is to transform this garrison into a fort." "A fort ... is it?" Camilla tilted her head, and when I told Reinhardt''s analysis of Lastock''s lack of personnel and lack of defense, Gert, who was kneeling behind her, nodded. "I will have my genus help you as a labor force. Build a wall, excavate a moat, draw water from the river, and make this a fortress. On top of that, as a second condition, make a plan to evacuate the residents." "Do you have an evacuation plan?" "Even if you use this place as a fortress, it is too far from the edge of the city, and if you leave it to the residents to voluntarily evacuate, there is a risk that it will not be in time. Take measures such as arranging a certain carriage in advance." "Understood." "Finally, the third condition ... use the pride of a Resenburg knight to protect the people." Hearing the third condition, Levic''s eyes widened. Perhaps he thought I would ask for money or something. "There is no point in having knights alone in a place where there are no people. I won''t tell you not to hate me. Even so, if you want to protect the people, move me and use me, even if it means bending your knees. Gert, you should take the lead in creating an evacuation plan. Levic, you should assist Gert. Paul, you have a sharp eye, fill in the holes the two of them don''t notice." They probably didn''t think their names were known. The three of them looked at each other in surprise. "We don''t have much time left, so let''s move!" "Yes!" Gert and the others stodd up as if they were repelled, and rushed out of the commander''s room. "Reinhardt, can you enclose the garrison by building a river wall?" [ Understood. Let''s turn this garrison into an impregnable fortress. ] Reinhardt, who gleefully slipped into the shadows, may overdo it again today, but I just want him to stop waking me up before dawn. "Thank you, Maou-sama." "Did you inform the royal capital about the Minotaurs?" "Yes, I sent a fast horse last night." "Have you notified the neighboring towns?" "Yes, I''m running news separately from those heading to the royal capital." "Then, let me ask you about the summoning technique." "Understood." Camilla stood up and walked over to the map on the wall, unscrewing it and flipping it up. When she pulls a small knob, a part of the wall opens to reveal a hidden cupboard. She probably never opened it after finishing the summoning ceremony. With that, it can''t be helped that Fred couldn''t find it even if he looked for it. "This is what I have transcribed from the lore handed down to the royal family." Summoning formulae are incomparably more complicated than the magic circles that are used for water or fire. "Did you know that the patterns used in the magic circle are ancient characters, Maou-sama?" "Ancient characters ...?" "Yes, the patterns drawn on the magic circle are said to be ancient characters found in the underground ruins of the royal castle." Camilla told me to take a closer look at the magic circle, but I had no idea what was written. When we were brought to this world, we acquired knowledge of words as well as magic through the summoning technique. I can understand spoken words without relying on an interpreter, and I can read and write. If the patterns written on the magic circle are ancient characters, it''s not strange to be unable to read or write them. "If it''s really letters, I feel like we can read it ... is it really letters?" "Yes, there''s no mistake about that." It seems that the magic circle used for summoning has been kept secret, but scholars have been researching the other characters for many years. There is a hypothesis that these characters were left behind by people who came from another world, but they look different from Mayan characters, which are considered mysterious characters on Earth, Egyptian hieroglyphs, or Tie characters. However, even if it was a hieroglyph, I can''t read it. "The magic circles that are currently in use are a combination of the letters that we learned from that research and the circle that is used to activate it." In other words, the magic circle that emits water uses ''water + activate'', and the magic circle that sets fire uses ''fire + activate''. Certainly, the pattern drawn on the camp paper I saw at the magic tool shop was much simpler than the summoning technique. "So, what''s written in this summoning technique?" "This is a rough guess, but I think it''s probably written about calling the target person from a distant place and giving them magic and communication ..." "You think ... you said you arranged it, didn''t you?" "Yes, I rewrote the age, gender, and number of people by comparing the ancient characters that are currently being analyzed with the Maou''s lore handed down in the royal family." "Eh, wait a miute, which part of this formula do you know?" "It seems that this is the description that activates it, and the description about the person that is summoned is here." The part that Camilla pointed out is just a small part, less than 5% of the whole. "Eh ... what about the rest?" "I''m sorry. I don''t know." "Eeeehhh ... Did we get summoned with such a rough arrangement?" "I, I''m truly sorry." According to royal lore, a healthy twenty-five-year-old man was summoned. It seems that the arrangement that Camilla made was simply changing the age of the person to be summoned from 25 to 15, erasing the description of being male, and rewriting the number of people from 1 to 200. In other words, Camilla deciphered only the number and the description of the man in regards to the formula. "Which world is it from? How does it work?" At my question, Camilla silently shook her head. "What were you going to do if two hundred outrageous monsters came out with such a random arrangement?" "At that time, even if it cost me and the knights our lives ..." "That''s too irresponsible ... seriously ..." "I''m truly very sorry." The sight of Camilla hunching her shoulders and shrinking was a bit funny, but I couldn''t afford to laugh. CH 103 Possibility of reverse summoning ***---*** The large turmoil that occured with this summoning was caused by a human named Camilla Resenburg. Even though the western part of Resenburg is desertifying, the royal family doesn''t take any effective countermeasures. Although she, herself, took the lead and embarked on the development of the Devil''s Forest, it is undenaible that there is an absolute lack of fighting power. In that case, it would be better to reinforce the fighting strength from other sources ... I guess that''s why we were summoned, the result of such an idea. Camilla is certainly superior compared to other members of the royal family, and has compassion for her subordinates and the people. At the garrison and in the city of Lastock, the gazes of those around her towards Camilla are truly charismatic. Because of that, she had to bear the burden of expectations, and because she continued to respond to those expectations, the people around her began to accept Camilla''s actions without hesitation, and it seems that such a sloppy summoning plan went unnoticed. Or rather, the details of the summoning might not have been revealed to her subordinate knights. "Did you just change the age, gender, and number of people to be summoned? "No, that''s not all. Since we increased the number of people, we made the scale of the magic circle 200 times larger than before." Up until now, Camilla has been hunching her shoulders and shrinking, but now, she''s speaking with a bit of pride, as if she was thinking about it properly. "Does that mean the diameter of the circle has been increased by two hundred times?" "That''s right, the number of people was increased, so the summoning wouldn''t have been successful if the scale hadn''t been increased." "But, if you increase the diameter by 200 times, the area ratio will be 40,000 times ..." "Eh ... if you increase the diameter ..." "Isn''t that the reason why we were summoned with the school building?" It seems that she didn''t think about the area ratio, and when I stare at her with a stern eye, Camilla shrinks again. "Hey, it''s obviously impossible to draw such a huge magic circle alone. If you use someone to draw the magic circle, the secrets of the royal family will be leaked to the outside, right?" "There is no need to worry about that. We used criminals to lay the magic circle." Camilla, who got back on her feet again, puffed out her chest and answered. Yeah, she seems to be doing it seriously, but it looks like I''m watching a skit, which reduces the tension. "Criminals, what do you mean by that?" "Here is a list of the criminals." The number of people''s names lined up in a row is more than 50 even with just a glance. Next to each name, charges such as theft or injury are also written. "No, no, if you use something like a criminal, won''t the risk of information being leaked increase?" "Don''t worry about that." "Ah, I see, you made it a complete division of labor and only showed a specific part of the technique?" "As expected of Maou-sama ... but, you''re only half correct." "Hmm? Half correct? Somehow ... did you shut their mouths?" "Yes, everyone, was executed in the Devil''s Forest." "Eeh ...?" I looked down at the list of criminals, while Camilla puffed out her chest as if asking for praise. "Are these people guilty of serious crimes that deserve the death penalty?" "No, but now that they know the secrets of the royal family ..." "No, wait, wait, did these people draw the magic circle knowing that they were going to be executed?" "It''s a dangerous job in the wasteland near the Devil''s Forest, but when it''s done, I''ll release you from the slave bracelet ..." "Did you deceive them?" "I actually released them from their bracelets, and they''re criminals. If they can be of use to the royal family despite being criminals ..." "Don''t be ridiculous!" I stood up and yelled at her, and Camilla, who thought that she was in the right, shuddered and cowered. "Even if they''re a criminal, if they atone for their crimes, they can go back to their normal life, right?" "That ... that''s right ..." "Wouldn''t the people on this list be freed from the bracelet of slavery once they''ve served their sentences?" "That''s right ... but at that time they were criminals ..." Camilla is crouching down looking at my expression, but she doesn''t seem to understand why I''m angry. For some reason, I feel like there''s a tremendous gap between Camilla''s perception and mine. Even if I talk emotionally like this, I don''t feel like I can fill the gap. "Fred, in Resenburg, are criminals allowed to be treated unfairly?" [ On paper, no, but in reality, there are many things that are not treated as human beings ... ] "That''s ... if that''s the case, it''s impossible to get back on their feet ..." "Um ... Maou-sama, is there something that bothers you?" Once again, my legs felt unsteady, so I sat down on the sofa and thought about it again. In Japanese prisons, if a prison guard treats a prisoner unfairly, he or she will be charged with a crime, in Resenburg, unfair treatment of criminals, even life-threatening acts, is openly practiced. It seems that if you commit a crime and have the bracelet of slavery put on you, you will be treated as only half a human. The reason why Camilla and her knights were calmly treating my classmates cruelly might be because they had a sense of contempt for those who slave bracelets were put upon. "Um, Maou-sama ...?" "Fred said that it was originally forbidden to treat criminals unfairly, but what do you think?" "That''s ... it''s certainly stipulated in the legal code, but as a custom ..." "Is it really good for Resenburg to throw away the people on this list like that?" "However, it''s a necessary measure to protect the secret of the summoning technique." "As I said before, it''s a mistake to rely on people from other worlds even though it''s a Resenburg problem. Shouldn''t you have taken countermeasures against desertification, even if it meant kicking the asses of your idiot brothers?" "That''s right ... I guess so, but I have petitioned the King and my step-brothers many times, but I haven''t received the response I expected ... I had no choice but to rely on the summoning technique ... If I had even half the power of the Maou-sama ..." Looking at Camilla, who drooped her shoulders silently, I began to hesitate. From our standpoint, there is no reason to force us to suffer because of Resenburg, which has nothing to do with us, and we can''t easily wash away the treatment we''ve had so far just by bowing their heads. In fact, when I found out that the repatriation technique didn''t exist, I punched Camilla, who lowered her head. Take power by killing her father and step-brothers ... I said that, but Camilla''s fighting strength and the fighting strength of the First and Second Princes would not be comparable, I would say it would be impossible to achieve. Also, if she fell, it would be a situation where there would be no royal family who cared about their country, she might have had no choice but to rely on the summoning technique. "Hey ... Do you think I can use the summoning technique to bring everyone back to the original world if everyone except me is gathered at the place where we were summoned?" "I think it''s probably impossible." "Why do you think it''s impossible?" "If Maou-sama activates the technique in his original world, Maou-sama and the person who died before will be left out. The summoned target is 200 people who are 15 years old, so the number will be insufficient." Our grade isn''t extactly 200, but on the day we were summoned, there were a few absentees, so it was exactly 200. That said, even if we had our birthday, we''re still only 14 years old, so maybe it''s counted by age reckoning.(TN:Age reckoning is where they''re counted as 1 year old when they''re born, and on the New Year''s day, one year is added to their age. A traditional East Asian way of counting.) The teachers must have been caught up in the summoning of us students, just like the school building. "Then, if we adjust the number of people to 198, can we bring them back to the original world?" "To be honest, I don''t know. If the teachers were involved in the summoning, if there was another place where more than 198 fifteen-year-olds were gathered, extra people may be involved, they may be summoned from that location." If we were to specify a world where 200 fifteen-year-olds gathered, the closest thing to Resenburg would be our world, our school. However, from our world''s point of view, Resenburg may not be the closest world to find 198 fifteen-year-olds. That''s why there''s no guarantee that people will not be summoned from the middle school in the neighboring town. It would be impossible to pinpoint my classmates by specifying only their age and number. "Come to think of it, I''ve always wondered, did the Maou who was summoned a long time ago have the same black hair as us?" "Huh? The hair color of the previous Maou?" Camilla seems taken aback by the sudden change in topic. "Yeah, black hair and eyes are rare in Volzard, and it''s the first time they''ve seen it. Isn''t that probably the same in Resenburg? If so, wouldn''t it be written in the legend if the Maou had black hair and black eyes?" "Certainly ... Maou-sama and most of your companions have black hair and black eyes, but it seems that there were some with brown hair ..." "Ah, it''s dyed or bleached ... Our people, especially the old people, almost 100% have black hair and black eyes." "Is that so ... If that''s the case, considering the Maou''s deeds, it wouldn''t be strange if there were legends about black hair and black eyes, but there is no story about the Maou having black hair in the royal lore." "In that case, the previous Maou may have come from a different world from ours. "Yes, there are no such descriptions left." "Well then, how can I check it ..." If they used characters that have never been seen on Earth, like the ancient characters used in the spell, it would be evidence that the previous Maou was summoned from a different world than Earth, since only one person was summoned in the first place, the only chance to use the characters from the original world would be a diary. However, it''s hard to imagine that the debauchery driven Maou I heard about would be keeping a diary. "Hmm ... If I activate the summoning technique in my original world, I might be able to bring back all my classmates ... I was thinking about that, but the risks are so high that I can''t even feel a shred of certainty." "I''m sorry, I can''t help you." Although the situation caused by the summoning and the treatment of us who were summoned is unforgivable, knowing that the summoning was done as a last resort, I felt a little pity for Camilla, who was crouching and hanging her head. "Are there any other materials related to summoning?" "Yes, all that is left in the royal family is what I have copied here." "Okay, if I have any questions, I will come to you, so Camilla should concentrate on countermeasures against the maximum outbreak. Reinhardt can listen and communicate in writing, and all the Kobolds can respond normally, so try to communicate properly." "Huh? Um, Maou-sama, can the Kobolds speak?" "That''s right ... hey?" "Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me." "Me too, my belly, rub my belly." Camilla opened her mouth wide in surprise when she saw Mart and the others calling out to be stroked. "Ah, that''s right, I almost forgot. Celia will be taken over by Volzard when the time comes, so please bring her mother from the capital as well." "Huh? Celia is it, that person is already damaged ..." "Yeah, I don''t like treating people like things ... Besides, I want Celia to hold the reins of the Novice Hero." "Excuse me, I didn''t realize you were thinking like that ... However, Celia''s mother is being watched by the First Queen, so it will be difficult to take her out right away." "Yeah, you should have her come to Lastock under the pretext of meeting Celia, and she''s going to disappear in the chaos of the outbreak ... or something like that to convince her." "I see, then I think she''ll agree." "Then, I have other work to do ... so please take care of the rest." "Um! Please wait, Maou-sama!" "Hmm? Is there something else?" When I left my seat to return to Volzard, I was stopped by Camilla. I turned and saw Camilla, who stopped me, kneel down again and began to talk. "When I came into contact with Maou-sama, I was reminded of my own shallowness. Although I wanted to protect Resenburg, it was a mistake to easily rely on people from other worlds. I didn''t have the heart to think about how many people my careless actions would hurt. In addition, I was swept away by old customs and mistreated those who put the slave bracelets on. I may be such a fool, but I dedicate every drop of my blood, even the fragments of my bones, to Maou-sama, and pledge my allegiance once again. Please, please lend me your power, Maou-sama, to protect the people of Resenburg. I beg you." Guu ... That''s a foul. If that Camilla appeals to me with her moist eyes that look like tears are about to fall, and if she bows her head deeply, I can''t reject her ruthlessly. "I won''t allow you to become lazy by relying too much on me and my genus. However, I will lend you my strength to protect the people. Camilla, think carefully about what you can do and what you should do, and do your best!" "Yes, as you wish!" While Camilla is bowing her head, I dove into the shadows and headed for Volzard. [ As expected of Kent-sama ... you can do whatever you want with every corner of her outrageous body ... ] "I won''t, because the chairman found out about the scent yesterday and it was hard." Even Basten, along with Fred, gave me a smirking look, so I immediately denied it. I denied it, but when it comes to every drop of blood or fragments of bones ... deep down, I can''t deny it.(TN:Basically a way of saying she''s completely devoted.) "A, anyway, Basten, go check out the state of the royal capital. If the Minotaur''s turmoil was reported by a fast horse, there may be some movement." [ Roger that. It seems that both the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction are trying to move with the maximum outbreak as a trigger, however, the attack of the Minotaurs may be the trigger. ] "Fred, use several of the Kobolds to guard the Devil''s Forest." [ Roger ... If there''s any disturbing movement, I will report it immediately ... ] I took Mart and the others as escorts and visited the teachers at the garrison''s temporary dormitory. When I told them that the summoning technique was written in ancient characters, and only about 5% of the total had been deciphered, the teachers all looked disappointed. "Oda-sensei, I told the Investigative Headquarters that I would translate this document before submitting it, but what should I do?" "Is that so ... I can''t come to a conclusion unless I think about it for a while." If it can be easily arranged and used to bring everyone back, it will be necessary to ask for cooperation in creating the magic circle, and in that case, of course, it will be necessary to disclose information. However, in the current situation where it is doubtful whether it can be used as a method of returning home, we must consider the concern that the information will be leaked and misused. "I feel it''s better not to tell them." "Hmm, why is that, Senzaki-sensei?" "Yes, I''m interested in Egyptian hieroglyphs and have researched other ancient characters, but to decipher the undeciphered characters, you have to use multiple languages, like the famous Rosetta Stone. It is based on the written contrast and the work of matching with similar characters. In any case, a lot of materials are required, and if the only text is this technique, it shouldn''t be possible to decipher it even with a supercomputer." Certainly, as Senzaki-sensei said, it is undeniable that there is a shortage of materials for deciphering the ancient characters. "If you can specify the gender, age, and number of people, then if you specify the number of female students, and the number of male students, wouldn''t it be possible to successfully summon them?" "I am against Nakagawa-sensei''s proposal." "Why, Furudate-kun, tell me why." "The reason is that it is unclear from where it summons. If it is from the nearest place or from the Earth, there is a risk of summoning from a nearby junior high school in the area. What will you do if something happens?" "If that''s the case, shouldn''t we summon them in the middle of the night when classes aren''t being held?" "No, no, that''s no good. If they are summoned from overseas, where classes are held at different times, and the school building collapses there, it will be an international problem." Nakagawa-sensei, who wants to go back to Japan as soon as possible, may want him to take on the challenge if possible, but the other teachers seem to agree with Furudate-sensei. "I wonder if it''s okay, Kokubu-kun ..." Satou-sensei came over to talk with me. "These ancient characters are also used in other magic formations, right?" "Yes, for example, magic tools for lightning use the magic circle that combines the word ''light'' and the word ''activate''." "In other words, is there research on ancient characters other than this summoning technique?" "Yes, that''s the material over here. It seems that this is a list of characters that have been deciphered, but there aren''t that many." "But, this is only what has been deciphered, isn''t it? Isn''t there more material that has not been deciphered?" "Ah, I see ... this is only a document about the summoning technique. There should be more ancient documents written by the Resenburg royal family." "Besides, if ancient characters are being used as magic circles, there should be people studying them." "That''s it, that!" Senzaki-sensei suddenly stood up and shouted, but everyone''s attention went to him and he hurriedly covered his mouth with both hands. "I''m sorry for yelling so loudly. But that''s right, you should collect the materials that are the basis of the research on those magic circles and have them analyzed in Japan." "In that case, wouldn''t it be very dangerous to bring it to Japan?" Oda-sensei nods, and the other teachers seem to agree. "Um, is it okay?" "What''s wrong Kokubu?" "Isn''t it better to hide the magic circles that are commonly used? Probably, I think it won''t activate unless you bring in magic stones or something like that ..." "No, no, Kokubu, I think they should definitely research that." I felt uneasy and tried to make a proposal, but Furudate-sensei immediately rejected it. "Magic has not been proven on modern Earth, but if it could be used on Earth, it would bring about a major technological innovation, and above all, it would be ecological! Even if you make a fire with it, no soot will come out, that is amazing." According to Furudate-sensei, the amount of heat generated by a fire magic tool is unimaginable according to the laws of physics on Earth, moreover, since there is not even the slightest amount of soot attached to the magic tool or the bottom of the pot, it seems that the combustion is terrifyingly clean. "Think about it in the first place. If you have the fire attribute, you can create fire from nothing by just concentrating and chanting. Creating combustion energy from scratch, even a perpetual motion machine might not be a dream. If we can get the trump card for a fossil-fuel-free, carbon-free society, Japan can become the worlds number one economic powerhouse." Everyone is a little reluctant to see Furudate-sensei stand up and spread his arms wide. "But if that happens, won''t everyone be turned into guinea pigs when they return to Japan?" Ayako-sensei who was participating in the corner of the room today muttered quietly. "Ah, no ... I think it''s fine, but I''m worried that we might end up being confined in a place like the Lastock garrison again under the pretext of cooperating with an experiment ..." "You can''t say that it doesn''t exist. After all, a real magican will appear, so the research institutes all over Japan ... no, the world will be watching, and if you''re not careful enough, you''ll be kidnapped, won''t you?" When Katou-sensei expressed his concerns, Furudate-sensei''s excitement seemed to cool off a bit. If someone could use magic that could become the energy of their dreams, they would attract attention from all over the world, and there is no guarantee that an intelligence agent from a certain country would come to kidnap them. "However, I have already written in the report that I was forced to undergo magic training, and the information ahs been passed on to the Japanese government." Ayako-sensei''s expression clouded over at Furudate-sensei''s words. "Hmm, that''s ridiculous. Instead of being afraid of a situation that we don''t know if it will actually happen, what we should do now is find a way to return to Japan. Even though we can''t go back, we should leave worrying about it for after we get home." "What Nakagawa-sensei said is understandable, but even so, we can''t afford not to think about what happens after we return. If we were to be targeted, I would be worried that our families in Japan would be in trouble." Nakagawa-sensei frowned at Oda-sensei''s counterargument, but changed his expression when he heard that he was worried about his family. I thought that information should continue to be kept secret, but Furudate-sensei said that information about magic tools should still be disclosed. "If there is a possibility that we may be targeted, that''s all the more reason we should give information about magic tools. Rather, if we don''t convey information about magic tools, our importance will increase, and the danger of being targeted will likely also increase." Certainly, just as Furudate-sensei said, if there were other research materials, I feel that the level of attention towards us summoned people would decrease. In the end, nine people, including me, voted anonymously to determine whether or not to disclose information about magic tools, and it was decided to disclose the information with a score of 6 to 3, but we decided to go with a passive disclosure of answering questions. CH 104 Government policy ***---*** After finishing the meeting with the teachers at the garrison quarters in Volzard, I moved to Japan to show up at the Investigation Headquarters. When I stopped by the site of the school building, prayed for the deceased, and looked inside, it seemed that the number of media outlets had increased compared to last time. The media are also pushing in front of the police station. Does the fact that the media is increasing mean that the information has not been released? I thought Sudou-san was waiting for information from me, so I hurriedly moved to the Investigation Headquarters, but contrary to my expectations, he didn''t seem to be in a hurry. On the contrary, the number of desks and chairs had decreased, and it seemed that the people remaining in the Investigation Headquarters were watching the live video in front of the TV. "Oh ... hello ..." "Oh, Kokubu-kun ..." When I called out to him, Sudou-san took a position in front of the TV and beckoned me. "What are you looking at?" "It''s an interview with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shida." When I looked at the screen, the scenery of the familiar press conference was projected. [ ... We will continue to hurry to identify the location and do our best so that everyone can return. That''s all from me. ] [ As a result of analyzing the letters that are said to have arrived from the students, the analysis results show that the paper and ink used do not exist on Earth, do you think the place where the students are at is another world? ] [ We have not confirmed the analysis, so we will refrain from commenting. ] [ In the students'' letters, there is a description that magic can be used ... ] [ We have not confirmed such facts. ] The reports were bombarding with questions one after another, but Chief Cabinet Secretary Shida answers in a way that avoids getting to the heart of the matter. While watching the broadcast, Sudou-san lets out a few words. "It''s a farce ..." "Eh, is this a farce?" "Yes. After all, both sides know that the missing people are in another world." "Eh, what''s going on?" "Even if we know that the missing people are in another world, the government can''t officially admit it. If they admit it, they will also admit that there is a way to exchange goods with other worlds, and they will be required to disclose information about it." "Is that about me?" Sudou-san nodded and explained. "Kokubu-kun is cooperating in this way, but you are also a victim of the incident, so you should be protected. We have no intention of allowing the media to make you into their toy. At the very least, it seems that the Japanese government has no plans to officially recognize another world until there is a prospect for the other people to return." In response to Sudou-san''s words, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others nodded in agreement. "The mass media knows it vaguely, so they''re doing it after knowing that they won''t admit it to each other." "I see, when you say it that way, it''s certainly a farce." "But there are some reporters who can''t read that kind of atmosphere ..." It was a relatively young female reporter who raised her hand and started asking questions. "There is information that Funayama-kun, the only one whose safety has not been confirmed, is already dead. What do you think?"(TN: Not sure why this stuff isn''t double-quoted cause it''s from the TV ...) "As I''ve told you before, please ask questions based on accurate information ... Our staff has not yet been able to confirm the whereabouts and safety of the two hundred and seven people." "I''m sorry, one of the people whose safety could not be confirmed, Funayama-kun died ..." "Have you confirmed that? Has anyone checked the body and has he been diagnosed by a doctor as dead? I will not comment on information that has not been confirmed. If there are no more questions, I will end with this."(TN: End of TV broadcast, again ... not sure why it''s not double-quoted.) When Chief Cabinet Secretary Shida left and the press conference ended, I was overcome with a feeling of dread. "Um ... Sudou-san." "What''s wrong, Kokubu-kun, you''re pale." "Umm ... what about Funayama''s family ...?" "We have only informed Funayama''s family that his safety has not been confirmed." "Then, saying he''s dead?" "There are statements in the testimonies of the classmates and in the reports compiled by the teachers, but it is not possible to announce that the body has died without confirming the body, and even if the death is recognized in the future, it will take a certain period of time. You''ll need ... Kokubu-kun, are you okay, you''re sweating a lot." When I remembered the time when Funayama lost his life, I was seized with a feeling of guilt. Surrounded by the people I met in Volzard, and being in a situation where there are three cute bride candidates, I thought it was a good thing that I was summoned. At the dinner party, I didn''t remember Funayama at all. "At that time ... I was able to move via the shadows and use healing magic. If I cast healing magic in the middle of the night, Funayama wouldn''t have had to die. It''s like I killed Funayama ..." "Stop it. Did you put your hand on Funayama-kun? I don''t think so. Did you take the food away from Funayama-kun? I don''t think so." "However, even after Funayama died, he was not even buried ..." "That story was also written in the report, but did you see it, Kokubu-kun?" "No, I didn''t see it directly, but there was a pool of blood in the Devil''s Forest ... something like pieces of meat ... Goblins don''t even leave bones behind ..." I felt self-loathing and at the same time rekindled my anger towards Camilla, but it also feels like I''m going out of my way, and my head is a mess and my thoughts are in a disarray. "Kokubu-kun ... Kokubu-kun!" "Oh ... Yes, what is it?" "Come over here, and have a seat." "Yes ..." Sudou-san invited me with his arm, and I sat across the table. "Kokubu-kun, what did you think when you heard that Funayama-kun passed away?" "I knew that Funayama was weak and a mere shadow of his former self, but I never thought he would die ..." "Was Kokubu-kun always accompanying Funayama-kun?" "Umm, I went to Lastock for reconnaissance and saw the training twice, but since I was also scouting the situation other than Funayama, it wasn''t a long time." "It would be fine if you lived together, but in that case it would be difficult to foresee Funayama-kun''s death." "Yes, maybe, but ..." "Whatever I say may sound like comfort, but you''re not the one who should feel responsible." "Then, what should I do ..." "Kokubu-kun, have you noticed that the number of desks is decreasing?" "Huh? Ah, yes ... when I came in." When the topic suddenly changed and I raised my lowered head, Sudou-san was looking at the empty area where the desks were gone. "The Investigative Headquarters has been scaled down. While we''re doing this, new cases are occurring in Tokyo, but the number of police officers to investigate is limited." "Are you saying they''re transferring to a different Investigation Headquarters?" "That''s what it is, but do you know what it means?" "Eh, what does it mean? Uh ... to improve the efficiency of the investigation?" "Of course, that''s what it means, but this summoning case hasn''t been resolved yet ... It was decided that we would be useless even if the Investigation Headquarters were to be reduced." "Eehhh! That kind of thing is ..." "That''s right. Even if there are fifty or one hundred investigators, none of them can go to another world. The reality is that we can''t investigate anything by ourselves." When I glanced at them, everyone from other ministries and agencies nodded as well. If this was a case of someone being detained in a disputed area around the Middle East, then there would probably be a turn to go to the site and negotiate, but if the location is a different world, not only the police, but also the person in charge of the ministries or agencies, there is nothing they can do about it. "Originally, it is our job to find and rescue you. As I said earlier, you are the victim of an incident. You saved and protected your classmates and teachers. Kokubu-kun, you can be proud of your actions. The ones who should be blamed are the people who performed the summoning, the people who treated Funayama-kun unfairly, and we, who are helpless and have done nothing." I feel that Sudou-san''s words, who looked straight at me and spoke, were filled with frustration. "We have reduced the number of personnel in the Investigation Headquarters, but if 206 people do not return to Japan, the case will not be resolved. If you feel responsible for Funayama-kun''s death, please help the others to return." "Yes, of course, I will do my best to make that happen." No matter how much I regret it, Funayama will not come back. At the very least, I rescued everyone from Lastock as an atonement, but if they weren''t sent back to Japan, it wouldn''t be a true rescue. I talked to Sudou-san about the application of shadow movement I''m thinking about at the moment and the reverse summoning from Japan, and asked for help deciphering the ancient characters, "In other words, you can''t disclose the information about the summoning technique, but you would like us to cooperate with you in deciphering the ancient characters in other texts ... is that right?" "Yes, I think it''s selfish, but I want to prevent people like us from appearing in the future and prevent information about the summoning technique from spreading as much as possible." "I see ... I understand the reason well, but that might not decipher the essential text." Certainly, if we can''t decipher the essential text, there''s no possibility of returning by reverse summoning. "As for that summoning technique, judging from the video of the school building the other day, is it a circular scheme?" "Yes, the magic circle looks like that." "Ancient characters aren''t all written in a circle, are they?" "Um ... I''ve only seen the actual ancient letters in the summoning technique, but I think they''re probably used as normal strings." "In that case, how about extracting them as normal character strings from the formula, mixing it with other materials, and requesting it to be deciphered?" "I see, well, I think it won''t activate unless it''s in the form of the formula ... I''ll go back and discuss it for a while." After finishing the meeting with Sudou-san, I was about to return to Volzard when I was approached by Kajikawa-san from the Cabinet Secretariat. Kajikawa-san wears a three-piece suit with a tight fit and looks like an elite from a long time ago, but he is a person who somehow gives me a loose feeling like Klaus-san. "Kokubu-kun, can I have a moment?" "Yes, what is it?" "It''s about compensation, but I had a meeting with the others and roughly calculated the amount. Compensation for the bereaved family of the deceased, medical expenses for the injured, alimony, and the cost of removing the collapsed school building. Also, reconstruction costs, etc, etc, we estimate that the total amount will be about 5 billion yen." "Five billion yen ... I can''t imagine that amount at all." "Well, that''s right. If you convert it to pure gold, it''s roughly 1 ton." "Hmm ... 1 ton of pure gold isn''t something you can imagine, is it?" "Well, if you live normally, it''s an amount you''ll never see in your life." It seems that the people who were present at the Investigation Headquarters had the same impression as me. "So, regarding this reparation, Kokubu-kun said that he would collect what he brought out of his own accord and have Princess Camilla confirm it ... but hvae you started taking it out?" "No, I haven''t started yet, and it''s a bit unknown if I can bring it out." "If you say unknown, is it that Resenburg doesn''t have money?" "Yes, I haven''t confirmed it yet, but it seems that titles have been sold to quite a few people." "Ahh ... that sounds like they''re completely financially stuck." "Yes, so I don''t think they have enough fortune to obtain a ton of pure gold." "Hmm ... I''m glad you haven''t started yet, but I''m worried about the lack of financial resources." Kajikawa-san placed his right hand on his chin and began to think. "Um, is it no good to just take out treasures?" "Yeah, frankly, I would be fine with that, but since it''s an incident like this, it''s not good to have things dug up later and find something to blame." "In other words, it''s not good to take it out without permission and have it confirmed ..." "That kind of thing, like the reporter who can''t read the atmosphere just now, it''s possible that they will poke their nose where they shouldn''t and start nitpicking." I think what Kajikawa-san said is reasonable, but then Camilla will only pay the amount voluntarily, and how many years will it take to pay 5 billion yen ... As for me, I''d like to settle this quckly and enjoy my life in Volzard. "Kokubu-kun, do you have anything that looks like it''s from a different world?" "Something that looks like it''s from a different world ... I have it. Magic stones ... Minotaur''s horns ..." "Minotaur horns?" "Yes, last night, a herd of nearly 200 of them attacked Lastock and I subdued them." "A Minotaur, that bull-headed axe-wielding guy?" "Um ... I guess it''s more like a cow-like monster that can walk on two legs." "Can you bring that horn next time?" "I can bring it out right now, but ..." "Really? Can you show me a little." "Okay. Please wait a minute." When I took one out of the shadow storage and put it on the desk, everyone who was there let out a cry of surprise. "Eh ... is it this big?" "If the horns are this size, how big is their body?" "You said there were close to 200 of them. Was everything okay?" I also took out one Minotaur magic stone and placed it on the desk. As for the size, it feels one size larger than a softball." "This is the Minotaur''s magic stone." "Magic stone, is it something like a mass of magical power?" "I guess so. I don''t know the details either, but it''s said that it''s near the heart of a monster and that it''s filled with mana." "How do you use these magic stones?" "In general, they''re like fuel for operating magic tools, like a battery, or something like that ..." "Magic tools ... do you have any?" "No, I don''t have any magic tools." "I see ... you don''t have any ..." Kajikawa-san made a blatantly disappointed face. There seems to be a high demand for magic tools. "Umm, Kajikawa-san, isn''t it okay to use magic tools and magic stones in place of reparations?" "What kind of magic tools are there?" "There are many things, but most of them are used as daily necessities. They can be used to create lights, produce water, make fire, blow wind, cool things ..." "Do they all use magic stones as a power source?" "No, there are also things that humans pour magic power into." "Huh ... Humans can also pour magic into them. That''s interesting." Kajikawa-san seemed to be quite interested in magic tools. "Hmm ... if those magic tools were to be used in Japan, it would be like magic that twisted the laws of physics, and researchers would race to get them, so it would be worth it." "Well, it seems like it can be a substitute for compensation." "No, unfortunately, it will be difficult." "Eh, is it no good?" "Certainly, magic tools would have great value in Japan, no, on Earth. But, it''s a daily necessity in the other world, right?" "Oh, I see ... is it like selling daily necessities for billions of yen?" "That''s right. The value here is also important, but if the value over there is too low, the meaning of compensation will fade. However, depending on the situation, magic stones may be an alternative." If Resenburg doesn''t have enough assets to pay the reparations, I thought about using magic tools instead, but it doesn''t seem to be any good. There seems to be a demand for magic stones as research materials, but I''m worried that bringing them in large quantities might have some kind of negative effect. "Then, there''s no point in bringing magic tools with me ..." "No, no, Kokubu-kun, come on! Can you please go and buy some." "Well, I guess I can ... I''ll buy a set of each magic tool." "I''m sorry, I can''t help you. Is there anything you want instead?" "Um, what about compensation for the bereaved families of the deceased and the injured?" "Ah ... well, unfortunately that''s in an untouched state." When it came to talking about the people who were affected by the collapse of the school building, Kajikawa-san turned sour. "Because it wasn''t a natural disaster, no disaster condolence money was paid by the local government, and since the cause of the accident has not been determined, life insurance and accident insurance claims have been delayed." "I''m going to buy some magic tools, so can''t you ask them to go ahead with that?" "Hmm ... Well, the cause of the accident can''t be made public, but we were able to identify it, and although it''s impossible to get the money paid immediately, I''ll try to take measures behind the scenes." "Thank you very much." "So, Kokubu-kun, don''t you have anything you want? For example, games or manga." "Honestly, if you ask me if I want something like that, I would like it, but I don''t have time to slowly enjoy it right now ..." "I see ... I''m sorry about that. We''re in a situation where we have no choice but to rely on Kokubu-kun, so I''m going to try to make it as convenient as possible, so if you need anything, please don''t hesitate to tell me." "Understood. Then, I''ll go back and proceed with purchasing magic tools." "Ah, wait a minute, I have received some letters from the families, also I have prpared the solar charger and tablet you asked for, so can you bring them with you?" "Yes, thank you very much." The solar-powered charger was a full-fledged one that is supposed to be used in the event of a large-scale disaster, and there are 6 panels about the size of half a tatami mat, and 2 sets were prepared with a control panel attached to them. There are five tablets for playback, and if there aren''t enough, they can add more, so I''ll use one. Also, about 30 high-capacity mobile batteries were prepared. "They can charge smartphones and other devices directly, but I wonder if they can charge the mobile batteries at the same time and store the generated power without wasting it." "I see, I understand. Then ..." "Oh, wait, wait, I still have something I want you to carry, this cardboard box." What Kajikawa-san pointed to was a cardboard box with the publisher''s name on it. "Eh ... this, is it?" "Fufu ... That''s right, you are still at the age where you can receive compulsory education, and we have a duty to prepare that environment." "Ugh ... but I have to move around a lot ..." "Ah, Kokubu-kun, please get a document from your teachers stating that you received the textbooks." "Kuh ... I understand. Mart, Mirt, Murt, help me carry it." "Understood, Goshujin-sama." Since there are quite a few cardboard boxes, I decided to ask Mart and the others to help me carry them. The people at the Investigation Headquarters were surprised with wide eyes at Mart and the others who suddenly appeared from the shield of darkness. "Kokubu-kun, that ... what are they?" "These are my undead kobolds." "D, didn''t they speak Japanese just now?" "Yes, I have strengthened them so that they can understand Japanese." "Goshujin-sama taught me." "I can talk too." "Goshujin-sama, please pat me after I carry it." Contrary to their cute looks, they are powerful and carry the heavy cardboard boxes full of textbooks without difficulty. Kajikawa-san watches the situation intently. "Kokubu-kun, that undead kobold ... can you give me one of them?" "I''m sorry. I refuse. Mart and the others are my family, so they can''t be transferred like an object." "Somehow or another..." "Impossible. These guys can hide in the shadows, so even if I leave them behind, they will come back." "I see ... so it can''t be helped ..." While saying that, Kajikawa-san has an expression that he won''t give up. "Goshujin-sama, it''s over." "Thank you for your help." "Goshujin-sama, something is wrong with the air here." Mart and Murt also nodded at Mirt''s words. "What kind of difference is there with the air?" "Hmm ... I don''t really want to stay ..." "Murt wants to go home too ..." I don''t know why, but all three of them have unpleasant expressions on. "Okay, thank you, you can go back to the shadows." "Goshujin-sama, pat me properly." "Yes, yes, I''ll pat you in turn, so please wait." Normally, they would come up to me, but Mart and the others quickly dived into the shadows. "Do you not feel anything, Kokubu-kun?" "That''s right. I don''t feel anything wrong with it, but I feel like it''s a little difficult to use magic." "Is it difficult to use magic?" "Yes, opening the doorway from the shadows is the same as usual, but when I bring out the shield of darkness from here, I feel like I''m using more magic than usual." "Does that mean that the air here doesn''t contain magic power?" "Well ... I can''t say for sure, because I can''t feel the amount of magical power in the air, but it''s possible." If that''s the case, I might not be able to return to Volzard if I use magic enough to cause my magic power to turn out in Japan. If I can''t go back, I won''t be able to get all of my classmates back here. It seems that I have to be careful with this. CH 105 Situation in motion ***---*** On the way back from the Investigation Headquarters to Volzard, Basten showed up to report. [ Kent-sama, there was movement in the royal capital. ] "The First Prince faction? Or the Second Prince faction?" [ Both. Under the pretext that the First Prince will gather the personnel first, he''s departing for the Dravis Duchy. Knowing this, the Second Prince also took his younger brother, the Third Prince, to the Count Gleisner territory. Also, it seems the First Prince took the Fourth Prince with him. ] "Even Diethelm? Maybe they found out that he''s feeling better?" [ I don''t know about that, but he''s heading to Rauf in Dravis Dukedom with the First Prince. ] The First Prince finally made a decision and headed to prepare his fighting strength. "How far is it from the royal capital?" [ I think it will take four days for a knight, and seven days at the earliest if the royal family accompanies them. ] "Eh, how far is it from there to Lastock?" [ It will take 8 or 9 days if they are accompanied by the royal family on the road that goes over the Kabasa Pass through the Ujule Highway that does not return to the royal capital, and it will take 12 days if they return to the Taragowa Highway and pass through the royal capital, I think it will take 3 extra days. ] "Yeah ... if it''s taking that long, it won''t be in time for the maximum outbreak." Come to think of it, they rely on horses for transportation in this world, so naturally it takes time if the distance is far. [ Even if the First Prince and the Second Prince actually arrive, they probably don''t think that a horde of monsters will rush across the river. ] "What about the Second Prince''s faction?" [ The Second Prince headed for the city of Bamata in the Count Gleisner territory, but it is likely that the army will be waiting at Kabasa Pass. ] "Is there anything in that place called Kabasa Pass?" [ No, there is nothing special, but it is more advantageous to attack from higher up as much as you can to gain momentum. Kabasa Pass is on the Ujule Highway, but it''s not too far from the Taragowa Highway Branch, so the First Prince can maintain his advantage no matter which way they come from. ] I see, even if they fight, it''s useless if they don''t think about the terrain. "How far is it from Lastock to Kabasa Pass?" [ Yes, it''s about a day''s ride to Kabasa Pass. ] "Huh? I think it''s a place on the east side of this place, but isn''t the Second Prince going to intercept them in front of here?" [ It''s not that there''s no such possibility, but since the front of the pass is a breadbasket, if it''s a decisive battle in the large area, the one with the most numbers will have the upper hand. If the Second Prince faction, which is inferior in numbers, is going to have an advantage in the battle, it is highly likely that they will choose the pass. ] That''s right, in terms of military power, it''s on the First Prince''s side, but on financial strength, it''s on the Second Prince''s side. "Okay, tell Fred to stop scouting Lastock and head over there and split up to find out what''s going on." [ Confirmed. May I borrow some Kobolds for communication? ] "Yeah, if you consult with Reinhardt and make sure there are no gaps in the surveillance around Volzard and Lastock, the rest will be flexible and able to be used." [ As you wish ... ] I thought that both the First and Second Prince factions might move, but I didn''t think that even the Fourth Prince, Diethelm, would be taken along. Since I''ve received textbooks and writing utensils, the teachers will probably start teaching, but I don''t think I have time to sit down and study. Well ... I really want to study, but the situation is what it is, so I have to take action ... Hey, I feel like I''m going to get booed by my classmates if I bring back the textbooks. Especially Yagi or something, Yagi or something, Yagi or something ... I returned to Volzard and visited the teachers at the dormitory, handed them the chargers along with the textbooks, and also threw the installation and operation to them. I also handed letters from the families to my classmates. I don''t have much time to distribute them. The teachers will immediately distribute the textbooks and prepare to start classes from the day after tomorrow. No, you don''t have to be in such a hurry ... "Kokubu, you should try to attend classes as much as possible." "Eh, me too ...?" "Of course, you''re also a student at Hikarigaoka Middle School." Katou-sensei forced me to take her class. "But, Sensei, I plan to stay in Volzard and live here, and it seems that things in Resenburg will become a little troublesome ..." "Even so, if you can take classes, take them. Certainly, in Kokubu''s case, Japanese Junior High School classes may not be necessary, but there may be times when knowledge of Japan will be needed in the future. It''ll be too late to regret it at that time." "Haa ... I understand. When I have nothing to do, I will try to participate as much as possible." To be honest, I can''t really imagine that happening, but I''ve seen adults regret it on TV.(TN:That''s mostly just fake ...) In order to prevent that from happening, it would be better to take the classes you can take. Textbooks adn other items will be brought into the cafeteria and distributed to those who have finished eating and will receive them when they return to the dormitory. Some people naturally booed when they heard that classes would resume, but there weren''t as many as I had expected. "Kokubu, why are you bringing textbooks?" "It''s annoying, it''s annoying, because I don''t have time to listen to Yagi''s opinion." "Idiot, we don''t have time to take classes." "Ah, that''s right ... well, that''s awkward, isn''t it?" I completely forgot about it because Klaus-san didn''t claim it, but I ended the burden of living expenses for the boys who caused the disturbance. If they were to take classes, it would be almost a full day, and Volzard''s work is only from morning to evening. It seems like there are no part-time jobs that are hired on an hourly basis. "I understand. I''ll pay for your living expenses, so take classes." "Really? Haa ... Am I finally free from the ramparts construction? It was tough ..." "I see, Yagi was also going to the ramparts construction." "Kondo and the old and new duo came to wake me up in turn ... I don''t know what it is, but Takayama is extremely enthusiastic ..." "Ah ... I see, so I guess it''s better not to bear the cost of living ..." "Hey, don''t get in the way of my love of learning. I''ll take classes." "Yes, yes, I understand ..." I thought that the people who went to the ramparts construction with Yagi would be happy to take classes, but it seems that there are many who are hesitant. "What about Kondo? You''re going to class, right?" "Honestly, I''m not sure what to do. If I can go back to Japan, I definitely need to study, but if I have to stay in Volzard, I feel like I should prioritize my work." "But Katou-sensei says that if you take it when you can, you won''t regret it ..." "If we could use magic like Kokubu, then I think that''s fine, but if we can only use average magic, won''t we be left behind by people of our age in Volzard if we study?" Certainly, people of the same age who originally lived in Volzard have already started working hard, just like Ridner and the others who used to get jostled around at the guild bulletin board every morning. If you continue to live in Volzard, it''s only natural to worry that you''ll fall behind those people. "I''m not going to class, I''m going to work on the ramparts." "Have you decided not to go back to Japan, Takayama?" "Ah, I wrote a letter to my family saying that I was going to live here." "I see ... I''ll cover Takayama''s living expenses." "Are you sure?" "Well, until you get out of this dorm and become independent." "I''m sorry ... I appreciate it." Yeah, it feels like Takayama has lost some kind of possession.(TN:As in, he''s no longer possessed by something.) If Camilla calls over Celia''s mother, should I plan to bring her to Volzard with Celia? I have heard that not only Takayama, but also some of the girls want to prioritize work. Among them was the committee chairman, as well as Sagara-san, who worked at a clothing store. Most of them seem to be members who participated in the second actual battle, but it seems that there are also some girls who came to Volzard after the rescue operation. "If I go back to Japan, I will never be able to experience working in another world, and I am quite relied on at the shop." Personally, I''d like Sagara-san to focus more on teaching Volzard to wear revealing costumes. Besides, it looks like I''m going to be appointed to S-rank, and it''s probably not good to have just one outfit forever, so why don''t I go buy some clothes at Flavia-san''s shop again? With the exception of Takayama and some girls, the resumption of classes seems to be taken for granted. In particular, most of the boys who came to Volzard during the final rescue operation were in favor of resuming classes. After receiving an explanation that there was no repatriation ceremony, most of the boys went to the ramparts construction and the guild the day after they registered, but it seems that there was a big gap between imagination and reality. Needless to say, the construction of the ramparts was hard work, and many people retired in less than half a day. Those who headed to the guild thinking they could do adventurer-like work would not be able to receive subjugation work at F-rank, nor would they have the knowledge to receive medicinal herb harvesting work, and in the first place, after the maximum outbreak, it seems that it came to a state where they couldn''t even go out of the city. The idea that it''s okay to not earn money to live on may have dampened their desire to find a job that they can do. "I don''t think it''s such a tough job, hey, if it''s ramparts construction, it''s a hundred times easier compared to Lastock''s training." "I''ve learned to use magic, but it''s not what I imagined ... training, lectures, seriously ..." "This will make my life in Japan easier, and if I can go home, I can''t study, so it''s really dangerous." In fact, it''s been more than two months since we were summoned, and we haven''t had any classes during that time, so it''s quite late. To be honest, since I came here, I have spent every day in an abundant variety of ways, and I can''t remember the contents of the classes from when I was in Japan. I can''t say it''s good because it was us, but if the summoned people were third-year students, it would have had a huge negative impact on their exams. In the end, even those who were against the resumption of classes calmed down by participating in classes every other day and taking supplementary classes in the evenings on days when they worked. However, it seems that Takayama will give priority to his work and that he will have supplementary lessons every day, so I decided to join him. "If Kento also took classes, we would be able to spend more time together ..." If the chairman says something while looking so disappointed, I''ll want to take classes every day. "I''m sorry Yuika, Resenburg is in a lot of trouble right now, and I can''t take my eyes off them." "As for Resenburg ... other than finding out information about summoning and bringing treasure, is that something Kento should be worrying about?" "Well, that may be true, but I will be living in Volzard forever, and even if you say that the Devil''s Forest is in between, if the neighboring country is in trouble, it seems that there may be bad influences ..." "I see ... this isn''t an island country like Japan. It would be a problem if a large number of refugees were to come flooding in." Well, we''re like those refugees right now. Since it''s a good opportunity, I decided to ask the chairman what to do about Camilla. "Hey Yuika, can we talk for a minute?" "Yeah, that''s fine ... Then, this way ..." I was led by the hand by the chairman and moved to the corridor between the dormitories, where I was asked for a wooden box and a blanket instead of a chair. As for me, I can enjoy the warmth, so I welcome the situation where I can be in close contact with the chairman, but I''m a little hesitant to bring up Camilla''s story. We wrapped ourselves in a blanket, and the chairman held my left arm tightly and rested her head on my shoulder. "So, what did you want to talk about?" "Yes, I''d like to hear Yuika''s opinion on the situation in Resenburg as well." "My opinion? I think Kento should do what he wants ..." "Hmm ... I don''t know what to say, if I keep negotiating with Resenburg, I''m worried that my thoughts will be leaning towards Resenburg." "I see, that''s why you want my opinion." "Yeah, for now, I''ll talk about what''s happening in Resenburg, so could you tell me your frank impressions?" "Yeah, I understand ..." She used to be the chairman of the class, and the chairman has excellent grades, so she will give more accurate opinions than I would. I talked about the current state of desertification in the western part of Resenburg, the current King, the four Princes, and Camilla, and I also talked about my plan to make Diethelm, the Fourth Prince, King. Of course, Diethelm''s pink thinking was left out. "Wow ... I didn''t think the situation was that bad. But is the Fourth Prince okay?" "Hmm ... there seems to be no problem in terms of physical condition, and I''m not Klaus-san, but I''m thinking of having him move as it''s convenient for me ..." "I feel like it would be quicker for Kento to become king, but if that happens, a lot of girls will come to him, so that''s no good." "Ugh ... I''m not thinking about that, but I don''t think I want to do it because being King seems to be troublesome." "What are you going to do with the First, Second, and Third Princes? Are you going to kill them?" "Hmm ... I''m worried about that too. If I talk to Klaus-san, he''ll probably tell me to get rid of them without mercy, but killing people isn''t easy." I also told her what I had discussed with Klaus-san, and on top of that, I said that I had a feeling of reluctance to murder, and I told her that I didn''t feel like taking the plunge. "I think that''s a normal feeling for us. Everyone said that we should kill Camilla and the knights ... But if I were to actually kill them with my own hands, I don''t think I would be able to do it." "In my case, if I ask all my genus to do it for me, it might work, but I have to bear the consequences of killing them, and when I think about it like that, I can''t give orders easily." "Yeah, I think that''s fine for Kento ... or should I say, I like Kento like that ..." "Yuika ..." The gentle warmth that I feel when I snuggle up to the chairman makes me feel an indescribable sense of security and happiness. "Kento ... What is Camilla going to do?" "That''s the biggest problem ... Diethelm is younger than us, so it will be difficult for him to succeed the throne right away, and if that happens, I think Camilla will be the one to steer the royal family for the time being ... But I don''t think all of our classmates will agree ..." "Me too, to be honest, I really hate Camilla. I still get angry when I remember those nasty words while looking at us from above. That''s why when I heard Kento hit her, I thought he did well." In the case of the chairman, I guess she has a lot of hatred for Camilla because she had many opportunities to meet face-to-face as a user of healing magic. "But, she''s pledged allegiance to Kento now, hasn''t she?" "Yeah, the bottom line of that is not worrying about herself, but worrying about the lives of the people, and considering the situation Camilla was in, I wonder if it can''t be helped that she relied on summoning ... I also think. However, it was absolutely wrong to treat everyone as slaves, and it is unforgivable that Funayama was sent to his death and that his body was used as food for the goblins ... What should she do, how is she going to atone for her sins ..." "First of all, why don''t you take a video of Camilla apologizing and show it to everyone?" "But, there are many people who won''t be satisfied with a mere apology, right?" "I think so, but apart from whether they agree or not, I think she shoudl start with an apology." "Yes, that''s true ..." I was only thinking about dispositions that everyone would be satisfied with, but in order to make them satisfied, it is better to apologize first. "But, if she apologizes poorly, she''ll get even more antipathy, right?" "That''s right. Even though it''s supposed to be an apology, if you show a video of Camilla saying she''s not responsible, there will be a lot of booing." "Once I shoot the apology video, I''ll have Yuika watch it before showing it to everyone. I''m worried if it''s just my decision." "Okay, I''ll take that role. Also ... Kento, are you planning to add Camilla to your harem?" "Huh? N, no ... I didn''t think about that at all ..." "I hate it ... you might think I''m a narrow-minded woman, but if she does that much, and is pardoned without punishment, moreover, she gets Kento''s love, I won''t allow it." The chairman''s quiet but determined words resounded in my heart. "Kento is kind, so if someone asks him to help, he will probably want to protect them, but I think it''s useless if she doesn''t fulfill her responsibility. For Manon, she did a really good job of helping everyone get used to Volzard. Beatrice isn''t directly about herself, but she''s the daughter of the Lord of the town that accepted everyone. Besides, I know that both of them are seriously thinking about Kento, so I can accept it, but not Camilla, at least not now." "I''m sorry. I made Yuika say this because I''m faltering. I''m sorry. At least until Yuika is convinced, I promise that I won''t mess with Camilla." "You can''t even look into her bath." "Guu ... I understand ..." Kuuu ... I was forbidden to update the outrageous video in my brain. "When you just can''t stand it ... that, me ..." "Huh? Did you say something ...?" "No, nothing." After muttering something, the chairman hugged my left arm. It''s too extravagant to ask for Camilla like this. "Is everyone ... still unfamiliar with life in Volzard? Fewer people were against the resumption of classes." "Maybe so. I''m fulfilled every day, and some girls seem to fit in, but life in Japan is more convenient and there''s plenty of entertainment." When they heard that we were summoned to another world and could use magic, I think most people were probably in a state of MAX tension, but in a world where magic is the norm, unless you have a very high magical power or a rare attribute, after all, we are normal children. We don''t have the physical strength to do the same work as adults, and of course we don''t have any work experience. Even if they register with the guild, you won''t be able to work all of a sudden. Living independently can be difficult. I felt an animosity towards Kizawa Sumika''s group that does nothing but wander around, but if they don''t have a talent for magic and don''t have to worry about living expenses, that might be normal. "If I could only use magic at a normal level, maybe I would be the same as everyone else." "Weren''t some people able to become familiar with it like Sagara-san?" "But I ... I will live in Volzard. I decided. With me ... will you stay with me forever?" "Yeah ... we''ll be together forever ..." I untied myself from the chairman''s arm and hugged her tightly. I have a lot of things to do and things to ask about, like Camilla''s apology video, the trends of the Princes, and the fortification of Lastock, but for now, I''d like to spend a little more time with just the two of us. CH 106 To completely become a Maou ***---*** [ Buhahahaha! Kent-sama, the construction of the garrison as a fortress is almost complete! If we get serious, it''s like this, buhahaha, buhahahahaha! ] [ Hmm ... is it over already ...? ] [ It''s almost completed. All that''s left is for an earth-attribute mage to harden it and pour water into the moat. ] [ Hmm ... OK, I''ll go check it out later. ] [ I understand. After consulting with Camilla, we decided to expand the strengthening of the river wall, so we will continue to work on it. If you need anything, call me at any time. ] [ Hm ... I understand ... ] [ Then, I''ll go back to the construction, buhahaha, buhahahahaha! ] Hmm ... I don''t understand half of what he''s saying, but the only thing I can say for sure is that it''s still early in the morning. If I don''t do something about that high-tension skeleton, my sleep will be at risk. Wait ... Aahhh, Meisa-chan''s drooling attack today too ... Tohoho ... Rubbing my sleeping eyes, I sat down at the breakfast table and talked about Reinhardt, and Meisa-chan, Amanda-san, and Meline-san burst out laughing. Hey, Amanda-san, half of the story is about your daughter. "Ahahaha ... Sorry, sorry, my bad. Kent''s pajamas will be washed by Meisa, so please take them out later." "Yes, then, I''m counting on you, Meisa-chan." "Uuuh ... I get it ..." Meisa-chan, who was red to her ears, pouted and reluctantly agreed to do the laundry. Hey, Meisa-chan, you want to mofu Mart and the others, right? I wonder why she uses me as her pillow ... After breakfast, I decided to head to Lastock for an inspection before Reinhardt''s urging came. I looked at the garrison from the opposite bank of the river, but it''s totally a fortress. A wall as high as the ramparts of Lastock rises up, and it seems that the earth-attribute magicians are working hard to cast hardening magic while hanging from ladders and ropes. The fact that they dug enough soil to make that wall means that the moat is just as deep, right? It would be nice if the earth-attribute magicians don''t fall down ... Come to think of it, they said they''d expand the strengthening of the river wall ... No, seriously, please don''t fall down. [ How is it, Kent-sama? ] "Aah ... yeah, somehow it''s too amazing for words." [ Buhahaha, it''s an honor, buhahahaha! ] "But, the fact that you''ve done construction on such a large scale means that the people of the city have seen all my genus. Are you okay?" [ Everything''s fine, but one of the knights, that cunning Paul, ''these people are troops of the Maou that accompanies Camilla-sama'' ... So he said.] "Aah, I see. If he says I''m Camilla''s subordinate, the people will be relieved, and they''ll be able to maintain their pride as knights." [ Is it okay? ] "It doesn''t matter. I''m not interested in honor or anything like that, and it would be better if Camilla solidified her power base, while also acquiring their property and paying reparations." [ As expected ... Kent-sama, you really have no greed. ] Looking at Reinhardt, he has a disgusted expression on his face, I wonder if this part of me is unsatisfactory. "By the way, Reinhardt, have you heard any movement from the Princes?" [ We received a report from Basten last night. ] "According to Basten''s information, Kabasa Pass looks like the decisive battlefield, but how does Reinhardt see it?" [ I also agree with Basten. For the Second Prince''s faction, which is inferior in military strength, they probably don''t want a decisive battle on the plains where a large army can be deployed. Considering the distance from Bamata in the Count Gleisner territory, Kabasa Pass should be the place where the Second Prince faction will be stationed. ] "But, of course, the First Prince''s faction knows that, right?" [ That''s right, if you think about it normally, you should be able to understand it. ] "Isn''t it like going out of your way to take damage if you rush into a place where you know what is waiting for you?" [ If they go head-on, they will naturally suffer a lot of damage, so the First Prince''s faction will probably come up with some sort of plan. ] "What kind of plan is it?" [ Currently, I don''t know at this point. ] It seems that if you think about it, you can think of any number of strategies, such as a method of overwhelming them from the front, a night attack, a sneak attack, etc. [ In any case, the battle will not take place far from this Lastock, and Camilla is supposed to be in the First Prince''s faction. Of course, there should be some kind of influence here as well. ] "That''s right. The Second Prince''s faction probably thinks that they will pincered." [ Exactly, but with regards to Lastock''s strength, it will be enough to be cautious. ] "Why is that?" [ It''s a matter of numbers. According to Basten''s information, the force of the Second Prince''s faction is approaching 20,000, even though it is inferior. They may be on guard against a surprise attack, but they probably don''t expect to be challenged head-on. ] "Eh, wait a minute, did you just say 20,000 people?" [ Exactly, is something wrong? ] Even though they said it would be a battle, I thought it would be about 1,000 people at most, so I was surprised at the number of orders of magnitude. "Is there really that many people?" [ Since it''s Basten''s information, I don''t think there will be a big margin for error. ] "20,000 people ... So, what about the First Prince?" [ There should be more than 30,000 over there. ] "30,000 people ... even though there are that many people, they aren''t sending support to Lastock?" [ That''s how it is ... I have a hard time understanding it, but maybe they''re only thinking about the throne at this point. ] 20,000 vs 30,000 people, if only 10%, or even 5% of them had been sent as support to Lastock, they might have been able to repel the horde of Minotaurs on their own. "Really, that''s so stupid ..." [ I agree with you, but Kent-sama, if they clash at Kabasa Pass, there is a risk that it will lead to an even worse situation. ] "A worse situation, do you mean that this place might also be attacked by the Second Prince''s faction?" [ No, it''s not like that, but in the coming season, the wind that crosses the Kabasa Pass will blow down. If there is a battle, of course blood will flow, and the smell of it will be carried on the wind ... ] "The monsters will be drawn." [ That''s right. If both armies were to become a melee, and if both sides were exhausted and monsters rushed in due to a maximum outbreak, both armies would be annihilated. The forces that are about to clash this time are the main forces of Resenburg''s armies. If they were to be devastated, the only forces left would be the Knights Guard guarding the royal capital, the private soldiers of each territory, and the adventurers. ] "That, isn''t that a terrible situation?" Reinhardt nodded strongly twice, three times. [ If the current situation is grasped by the country across the desert, the Barshanian Empire, there is no guarantee that they won''t cross the desert and invade at once. ] "That means that if they don''t do well, they''ll lose Resenburg." [ Just in case, I''m sending Fred to Barshania. He also visited Barshania during his lifetime, so it shouldn''t take long to come and go. ] I didn''t even think that I would have to worry about the invasion from the neighboring country, even though my head hurts just from the battle for succession to the throne among the stupid princes. "Are the First and Second Princes thinking about Barshania?" [ Well, what do you think. I think you can understand it by looking at the force of the First Prince''s faction, the army formations behind held in Drevis Dukedom Lauf, but right now it''s still indescribable ... ] If the First Prince''s faction, that is, the western military strength of Resenburg, is divided into the eastern part and the western part that is held back, it seems that it will be proof that they are keeping an eye on the invasion of Barshania. If the entire force were to be directed to the east, and if news reached Barshania, and Barshania was preparing to invade ... Just thinking about it makes my head hurt. "Okay, let''s spread rumors." [ Barshania is coming to attack ... Something like that? ] "Yeah, if that''s the case, won''t the First Prince''s faction also prepare?" [ Unfortunately, it is difficult. In the western part of Resenburg, such rumors have been circulating from time immemorial, so even if we were to spread rumors, we wouldn''t be able to expect them to have any effect. ] "Is that so? That''s no good ..." [ Some of these rumors are said to have been spread by Barshania themselves. ] "Eh, why? Ah! I see, because if they spread rumors and then don''t attack them, people won''t believe the rumors?" [ That''s right. Therefore, the invasion from Barshania cannot be trusted unless it comes from a very reliable source. ] Just listening to the story, I somehow felt that the country of Barshania was a tricky opponent. "Has Barshania attacked them many times before?" [ When we were alive, they never attacked us. I don''t know what happened after that, but it seems that there was a fierce battle before we were born. ] "Is that a reason why I should come here frequently?" [ Well, it would be better to check with Camilla about that. However, if Barshania comes to attack them, they will definitely attack them in earnest. ] "Is there some reason for that?" [ It''s the desert. Especially from now on, the west wind will blow. Strong westerly winds create dust storms that impede visibility. If they use them wisely, they can hide their appearance and attack, but if they encounter them while trying to escape, it will become a wall that stands in their way. ] "In other words, if they attack halfway, there is a high chance that they will be annihilated without escaping." [ That''s right. If civil war, the maximum outbreak, and Barshania''s invasion overlap at once, Resenburg could be destroyed. ] The battle between the First Prince and the Second Prince is 30,000 vs 20,000. If Barshania were to attack, they would also come in tens of thousands. No matter how strong my genus are, if we hit them head-on, there will definitely be a lot of damage. Until now, all my genus have been working hard, but I got carried away and completely miscalculated. If you think about it, it''s a battle that divides the country in two, so it wouldn''t be strange if it turned out to be a clash of tens of thousands of forces. If we don''t take fundamental measures, we might be wiped out. [ Is something wrong, Kent-sama? ] "No, all my genus are powerful, but against an army of tens of thousands ..." [ There is nothing to worry about. Whether it''s the First Prince''s faction, the Second Prince''s faction, or Barshania, let''s kick them all over. ] "No, no, Reinhardt and the others are strong, but no matter what, if you go head-on against an army of 10,000 units ..." [ In that case, it would be better if we don''t hit from the front. ] "Eh ...?" [ Kent-sama, thanks to being Kent-sama''s genus, we can move freely in the shadows. It''s possible to appear directly behind the enemy or from directly below. No matter how many tens of thousands of troops they have, they can''t assume that the enemy will appear from the center of their allies. If we go wild as much as we wish, all we have to do is pull out quickly. Even if tens of thousands of enemies come, there is nothing to be afraid of. ] I finally remembered when I saw Reinhardt wearing a fearless grin. Our greatest strength is that we can appear from anywhere and disappear from anywhere. "I see ... that''s right. We should fight by making the most of our strengths. Uh-huh ..." [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, you seem to have come up with something. ] "Yeah, no matter what kind of army they are, let''s kick them out. Of course, we''ll finish the battle unscathed." [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, you can feel the personality of a Maou. ] "Now, if I''m called Maou, Maou, I have no choice but to be thorough." [ Buhahaha, then, as the army of Maou-sama, let us unleash a ferocious attack. ] When I moved to the garrison commander''s room with Reinhardt smiling happily, Camilla had just finished listening to a report from someone who seemed to be a messenger and had a difficult expression on her face. "You''ve had a hard time, thank you for letting me know. Go back and rest." "Yes, thank you very much." Seeing off the messenger, Camilla sighed and held her head. "Haa ... What are they doing in this emergency? The country will really perish ..." "Is it news from the royal capital?" As usual, I relaxed on the sofa and called out to her, and Camilla looked up as if she was repelled. "Maou-sama! Yes, just now, I received news that Alphonse-nii and Bernst-nii have both started moving on horseback from teh royal capital. Nominally, it''s support for Lastock, but perhaps ..." "Yeah, I know. I think Kabasa Pass is going to be a battlefield ..." "Why do you know that ... No, if you''re Maou-sama, it wouldn''t be strange if you knew." With a surprised, yet satisfied look on her face, Camilla ordered the secretary to make some tea and sat down across from me.(TN:Maybe I should have translated it as attendant not secretary ...) "Thanks to Maou-sama, we have a chance to protect the residents of Lastock. Thank you very much." "What are you talking about? The construction hasn''t finished yet, and it''s not a situation to relax, right?" "Ha, that''s right. I''m sorry." "Did you come up with an evacuation plan for the residents?" "Yes, in the event of a maximum outbreak, an alarm bell will be rung to call for residents to evacuate, and a carriage will be dispatched from the edge of the city." "Does it properly cover elderly people who find it difficult and to evacuate, and the households with young children?" "Yes, I made a list of residents, and at the same time, the person who operates the carriage checked it, I also made it possible for the residents to cooperate with each other." I threw it all to Gert and the others, but it seems that they have created a proper evacuation mechanism. I just gave them instructions yesterday, so they must be excellent. "Yeah, that''s fine. All that''s left is to finish the construction." "Yes, but the movements of my stupid brothers ..." "We are still gathering information, but Diethelm seems to be accompanying them." "What! That''s impossible, there''s no way my brother will be able to serve in the army. Alphonse-nii, do you intend to kill my brother?" Hearing that Diethelm was accompanying them, Camilla instinctively lifted her head. "Hm ... I don''t really know, but if he''s just going to serve in the army, he''ll be fine. Last time, I poured the power of darness into him." "Eh ... that, even my brother ..." "I made him submit, but it''s not like I made him my genus. For now, he''s still from this world." "Haa ... Thank you very much. Then, how is my brother?" "There is no problem, but I told Diethelm to pretend to be sick." "Is there a reason for that?" "Yeah, Diethelm seems to have been poisoned ..." "What! To poison the royal family ..." This time, Camila rose to her feet like a spring-loaded doll. "Aah ... Don''t make a fuss, sit down." "Ha, I''m sorry. But ..." "I''m looking for the mastermind, but it''s either the First Prince or the Second Prince anyway. There''s no change to the opponent who will eventually be crushed." "Maou-sama, are you really going to make my brother King?" "That''s right, the First Prince is selfish, indecisive and nervous, and the Second and Third Princes are out of the question, and Camilla, you will be punished eventually, so only Diethelm will be left." "Umm ... Celia is ..." "She said she wasn''t interested in the throne at all. Come to think of it, what happened with Celia''s mother?" "Yes, I sent a message together with the follow-up report concerning the Minotaurs by a fast horse. Although there are only a few people in the royal capital, there are people under my control, so I instructed them to bring her here." "Fine, then let''s get to today''s main topic." "Yes, please tell me." I started talking about the apology to Camilla, who tightened her expression even more. "An apology ... are you sure?" "Yeah, an apology. You apologize to everyone to whom you caused trouble with the summoning." "So, you''re sending me to Volzard. I have to hurry and select a guard knight ..." "Ah, no, I''ll shoot a video of the apology here, so you don''t have to think about moving." "Yes ... Um, shooting is ..." "Ah ... I see, hm ... It''s faster to show than to explain, isn''t it?" I took out the tablet that I had packed up for myself from the shadow storage and turned it on. "Wha ... what kind of magic tool is that?" "This? This is a tablet, and it''s a tool for processing various information. It''s a machine that runs on electricity, not magic." "So, that''s a tool from Maou-sama''s world?" "Yeah, that''s right ... Then, let''s try it for a moment. Can you look at me and briefly introduce yourself?" I turned on the camera on the tablet and started shooting a video. "Umm ... I''m Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of Resenburg and a loyal servant of Maou-sama." "Yes ... That''s pretty stiff, but it''s a test video so it''s okay." I interrupted the recording and showed the screen to Camilla while playing back the footage that had just been shot. [ Umm ... I''m Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of Resenburg and a loyal servant of Maou-sama. ] "Wow! What on earth is this ... maybe my soul is sealed ..." "It won''t. That''s because it''s technology that converts light into signals and records them." "Light as a signal ... is it?" "Yes, the scenery we can see is what we see with our eyes as they catch the reflection of light that hits objects. This has a built-in camera that plays the same role as our eyes, and can record the images it takes. I can''t seal your soul just by doing something like that." "I, is that so ..." From the side of Camilla, who is wide-eyed, Reinhardt is also peering at it with great interest. When I played it again, both of them trembled in surprise. "Since I can carry around the filmed data, I will shoot a video of the apology just like now and bring it to Volzard and Japan, my original world. So, please think of an official apology as the Third Princess of Resenburg." "Yes, as you wish." "Ah, by the way, calling me Maou-sama is prohibited." "Huh? Why is that." "Yeah, since the video I shoot will be seen by various people, it''s inconvenient if my existence is not treated as one of the summoned people." "However, as for Maou-sama ..." "Because it''s an order. Maou-sama is prohibited. Treat me on the same level as everyone else." "Yes, as you wish." Yeah, why are you so dissatisfied. "Of course, the summoned people, their families, the people who died under the collapsed school building due to the summoning, the injured people, their families, and the people of Japan who have been caused trouble. Please think of a comment that offers a sincere, heartfelt apology." "Yes, as you wish." "After shooting, I''ll have my friends in Volzard check it, and if it doesn''t work, I''ll retake it as many times as needed." "Yes, as you wish ..." "Then, hurry up and finish the fort ..." "Yes, eeh ... Um, Maou-sama, are you going home?" I told her to think of an apology comment, but when I was about to leave, Camilla hurriedly stopped me. "Yeah, I''m done with my errands, so I''m going home, but ..." "Um, what should I do about those foolish brothers ..." "Yeah, we''ll defeat them, so it''s okay." "However, Alphonse-nii''s force will exceed 30,000, and Bernst-nii''s force should be around 20,000 ..." "So it seems. I''m going to defeat them together." "Is that true? Um, but if they were all killed ..." "Aah, Barshania?" "Yes, if there are no more soldiers in Resenburg, and the Barshanian Empire attacks ..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, I''ll kick them out, so don''t worry. I''m the Maou." Leaving the stunned Camilla behind, I dove in the shadows while waving my hand. Actually, I''m not without anxiety, but I tried to look cool for a moment. CH 107 Klaus'' outlook ***---*** After playing the Demon Lord in Camilla''s office, I returned to Volzard and showed up at the guild. I don''t intend to affect Volzard, but I thought it would be better to let Klaus-san know about it, as the foolish Princes'' fuss could lead to an unexpected situation. In the guild, the hustle and bustle of the morning is over, and it feels like time is flowing at a leisurely pace. At this time, Donovan-san must be participating in the class ... I thought, so I headed towards the counter and was beckoned to by Otto-san who saw me. "Good morning, Otto-san." "Good morning, it was a treat last time." "No, I have been indebted to Otto-san in varous ways, from the time I came to Volzard to the registration of my classmates." "Yeah, it''s a big deal to be able to care so much at your age, well, to get three wives, you have to be able to do that much." "Right ... I''ll do my best." "By the way, what are you here for today? If it''s about Donovan, he''s in class." "Yes, I want to meet Klaus-san for a little report ..." "I see, he''s on the second floor, so you should go." "Yes, I will." After slightly bowing my head to everyone working behind the counter, I was about to walk towards the stairs when Otto-san stopped me. "Oops, by the way, Kent, I almost forgot." "Yes? Did something happen?" "Yeah, the guild master is coming from the guild headquarters, and of course you''re the target." "Is that so? I''m glad because I have something to ask them, too. When are they going to come see me?" "They will probably arrive at Volzard sometime this week." "Okay, I understand ... Umm, Klaus-san said that the guild master at headquarters is over 250 years old, is that true?" "Ah, I''ve heard stories like that, but I''ve never met them in person, so I can''t say anything ... Well, if you meet them, you''ll understand." "Is that so ..." Muell-san''s teacher, Corey-san, also looks quite old, but I have never heard her age, so I don''t know how old she really is. The guild master at the headquarters probably looks like a wizard too ... Huh? Is it an old man, or is it an old woman? While I was walking while thinking about such things, I arrived in front of Klaus-san''s office. "Who is it?" "It''s Kent, can I have a minute?" "Come on in." When I knocked and asked, a somewhat harsh voice came back. "Good morning. As always, I''m sorry for being so sudden." "Really. It was a treat the other day ... My daughter, before getting married, kissing in front of her father ..." Aah, so he was still in a bad mood about what happened at the dinner party. "I''m sorry. I thought I had to accept Rise''s feelings and actions ..." "This guy ... don''t you have such a nice personality ..." "Thank you. This is also thanks to my father-in-law''s guidance." "Hmph! So, what are you up to this morning? I''m not free either." No, no, I''ve heard rumors that you''re wandering around quite a bit. "Yes, there was some movement in Resenburg, so I came to report it." "Hmm, the Minotaurs just arrived, did something else come?" "No, it seems that both the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction began to move after Camilla informed the royal capital about the Minotaur incident." "Tch, are those idiots seriously trying to start a civil war?" "It''s not confirmed yet, but Basten seems to think there''s a high possibility of that." "Can he predict the battlefield?" "Yes, this is also Basten''s prediction, but it seems likely that Kabasa Pass will be the decisive battlefield." Hearing about Kabasa Pass, Klaus-san frowned a little. "Since the Minotaurs headed for Lastock instead of Volzard, it is certain that the direction of the seasonal winds has changed. In that situation, if there was bloodshed at Kabasa Pass or something like that ..." "Yes, Reinhardt is also concerned about that. Also, while they are crushing each other in the country, I''m worried that Barshania will attack." "Oh, did your eyes reach that far, as expected, it''s different if you have former knights as genus." "Yes, so, Reinhardt and the others are unaware of the recent situation in Barshania, but are they planning to invade Resenburg?" "No, it hasn''t been done recently, but it seems there was a pretty fierce battle a few years before I was born." "Have they never invaded since then?" "Right ... As far as I know, I haven''t heard anything like that, but according to rumors from peddlers, they''re continuing to increase their strength year by year." As expected, Klaus-san seems to have a Barshania on his radar. "I feel like it''s a country that''s not easy to deal with." "That''s right. If the Prince of Resenburg is a complete blockhead, it wouldn''t be strange if the country was easily taken over, and if that happens, the next thing is ..." "It means that Volzard is not someone else''s problem either." "Barshania is a country that grows hemp and cotton. Do you know what this means?" "Weaving and other handicrafts are prosperous ... Are they skillful with their hands?" "Of course, that''s part of it, but the other side is ... drugs." "Ah ..." When I heard Klaus-san''s words, the first thing that came to my mind was the Second Prince''s promiscuity. "In Barshania, of course, the use of drugs is prohibited, and it is said that using drugs is punishable by death, but there are rumors that the country is pulling strings from behind the scenes to produce drugs. Naturally, drugs are not allowed to be brought into Resenburg, and there are inspections of belongings at the border of the highway, but it seems that people are entering through loopholes." "Does that mean that they want to spread it around Resenburg, destabilize the country, and invade it?" "That''s right, and the desertification of western Resenburg, but there''s a rumor that Barshania has a hand in that as well." "Eeehhh ... Is that true?" "I don''t know if it''s true or not, but when the west wind is blowing like in the coming season, they are using wind attribute magic to boost the sandstorms ... There are rumors like that. However, there are so many rumors about Barshania, so it''s fine to discount half the story." "But, discounting half the story ... If Barshania is planning something like that ..." In response to my question, Klaus-san smiled with a satisfied grin. "It''s fine, Kent, you''re from another world, so you''re not bound by the common sense of this world. If you tell the people of this world that Barshania will attack, most of them will just smile at you. If that''s what Barshania is aiming for ... then the country of Resenburg will disappear, and the other side of the Devil''s Forest will be Barshania." "That''s not a welcome situation for Volzard, is it?" "Naturally. No matter how much there''s the Devil''s Forest in between us, we want to avoid having a country try to invade a neighboring country and become bigger." "But, will Barshania really come to attack Resenburg?" "Well, that''s something I also want to ask, aren''t you starting to probe anyway?" "Yes, I''m having Fred look into it now." Klaus-san nodded twice, thrice, and smiled again with satisfaction. "You can even get information about Barshania while sitting in Volzard." "Volzard is already an important town where I live. I will do my best. But what is Barshania''s aim? Is there a reason why they have to expand their territory so much?" "Is there a reason ..." Klaus-san folded his arms and lost himself in thought for a moment. "The only reason to invade other countries is to get something that your own country doesn''t have." "Something that Barshania lacks ... is it?" "That''s true, but as I said earlier, Barshania is also an agricultural country where hemp and cotton are thriving, so the food situation shouldn''t be bad. Even after hearing the rumors of the peddlers, there are no reports of any years of extremely poor harvests." "Then, I don''t think there is any reason to attack Resenburg." "If there is, it''s a story of further west of Barshania." "Eh, further west of Barshania?" "Kent, even west of Barshania there''s a lot of land." According to Klaus-san, Volzard is located in the eastern part of the large continent, there is a country beyond the high peak in the north, there is another country in the east, and there is another country to the west of Barshania. It seems that there are many countries. "To the west of Barshania, there is a country called the Felciane Empire that goes around the mountainous region, the northwest of it is the Republic of Kilia, and to the southwest is the Jogesen Empire. It seems that a war is taking place between this Kilia and Jogesen." "Does that battle affect Barshania?" "If the emperor of Barshania is a madman ... but." The country next to, next to, next to Volzard. When it becomes a story about such a country, it''s not possible to imagine it at all. "Somehow, it feels like a story of a very far away country, but is there something that could be the cause of the fight between Kilia and Jogesen?" "Comparing Kilia and Jogesen, Kilia is only a quarter of the size, and one-third of it is a small mountainous country. Jogesen, on the other hand, is an agricultural country with fertile land ... It seems that Kilia has the upper hand in the battle." "Kilia has the upper hand ... Is that the reason why Barshania is targeting Resenburg?" "Oh, did I completely forget about that? There are two reasons why Kilia has the upper hand. One is something called explosives, the other is iron." Klaus-san showed me two fingers. "Explosives ... what are they?" "Regarding the explosives, I haven''t seen them in person, but rumor has it that anyone can use powerful fire-attribute magic. The real thing is hidden by the Kilia guys, so not much is really known, but there''s a roaring sound, a mighty flame, a storm, and it''s said to be powerful enough to blow people apart." "Haa ... is it gunpowder ..." "What, Kent, do you know about explosives?" "Yes, I don''t know the details of the manufacturing method, but on the planet Earth where I lived, the tools for warfare are more advanced than this world." "Are explosives that dangerous?" "Right. If it evolves following the same process as our world, weapons more powerful than magic will be created." I told Klaus-san that gunpowder began to be used in matchlock guns, then developed into cartridges, pistols, rifles, and machine guns, as well as hand grenades, mines, bombs, and missiles. After listening with his mouth half open, he shook his head as if to shake off a nightmare. "That can be used by people who can''t use magic, right?" "Yes, in the first place, there are no humans who can use magic in our world." "Does that mean you don''t even need to chant?" "Right. You don''t need to chant, but if it was just invented, it woudl be difficult to handle gunpowder in various ways." "Handling ... For example, what do you mean?" "Gunpowder shows its power when it burns instantaneously, of course, if you bring fire close to it, it will explode even when you don''t want it to, static electricity, the thing that shocks you when it''s dry, that will also make it explode. Also, gunpowder won''t explode if it gets wet." "In other words, if you shoot a fire arrow at the place where they keep it ..." "That''s right." Klaus-san folded his arms again in thought. "But, Kent, in your world, it''s easier to handle it, right?" "That''s right. In my country, the general public is prohibited from possessing one, but if you get a license, you can use it for hunting and other purposes." "In case of emergency, can you buy that weapon from your country?" "Hmm ... If I remember correctly, the sale of weapons to foreign countries was prohibited ..." "Then how about disclosing the method of making explosives?" "Hmm ... Gunpowder is a dangerous substance, so I don''t think they''ll tell me the details of how to make it. However, the most basic gunpowder is charcoal and sulfur ... huh, what is it, umm ... gunpowder has a strong smell ... gun smoke ... smoke reaction ... yes, saltpeter! I think it was a mixture of charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter." "Kent, you, to learn such a thing." "It''s something that appears in novels and manga ... But I don''t think it will explode well if the purity and composition don''t match." "Charcoal, sulfur, saltpeter ... I''ll have to look into Kilia''s condition a little more, but if necessary, I''ll have to do some research." Klaus-san has an unimpressed expression on his face, but from the standpoint of protecting the territory, it''s no good if he doesn''t have countermeasures if necessary. "Klaus-san, gunpowder ... I understand about explosives, but iron is that kind of iron, right?'' "Ah, a few years ago they discovered a vein of high-quality iron ore in Kilia. It seems that the amount of iron production increased all at once." "Are you saying that they are using that iron in weapons?" "That seems to be the case. With the discovery of the ore vein, it seems that the production technology has improved, and it seems that is is used in various weapons to increase the offense power and defense power." "Gunpowder and iron ... How about Barshania? If the gunpowder manufacturing method is a secret, is it about the iron?" "Well, I haven''t heard of any big mines in Barshania, and they should be relying on trade for things like iron." "Huh? There was a mine in Resenburg, right?" While listening to the story, something stuck in the corner of my mind. "Oh, there''s a big mine in Gaso, a mountainous area in the northeast." "The lord over there ... Is it perhaps a Margrave?" "Margrave Calvine. Is there something wrong with it?" "In Barshania, the government handles drugs behind the scenes, right?" "It''s a rumor, but it''s almost certainly true." "That, is it called Falzala?" "Kent, where did you hear that name?" As soon as the name Falzala was mentioned, Klaus-san''s expression tightened severely. "Falzala was used by the Resenburg''s Second Prince, Bernst, along with his entourage and led to an orgy, so I heard it''s name from Reinhardt." "Tch, is that stupid Prince using it ..." "It''s his followers ... I think they''re sent by Margrave Calvine." "What! Is that true?" "They were ugly and didn''t look like knights at all, so I thought they were chosen from the mine thugs ..." Klaus-san sank into thought for a while, furrowing his brows. "Kent ..." "Yes, what is it ..." "This is just my hunch, but it''s highly likely that Margrave Calvine and Barshania are connected behind the scenes." "But, Margrave Calvine is a noble of Resenburg, isn''t he? Wouldn''t it be bad if his country was invaded?" "If the territory and tax share are guaranteed, it will be the same regardless of whether the head is Resenburg or Barshania. No ... maybe he''s thinking of taking the lead in the confusion." "Do you mean a rebellion?" "Considering the worst-case scenario, it won''t be so. However, from Barshania''s point of view, even if the invasion is not possible, it woudl be enough if they can appoint a person who works conventietly for them as King, I wonder if they want to create a system to have them disappear when they become inconvenient. In any case, it would be better to investigate Margrave Calvine a little." "Even though Resenburg may be attacked by a maximum outbreak of unprecedent scale, is that guy only thinking of himself?" With Reinhardt at the top of the list, everyone is struggling to defend Lastock, but it really pisses me off that the important royal family and the nobles are only interested in making money for themselves. "Kent, it''s still in the speculation stage, so it hasn''t been decided yet. Besides, giving up on the royal family of Resenburg may be to protect the people of the territory." "Is that so?" "Just think about it, the Landshelt Republic where this Volzard is located was originally Resenburg. The reason it''s independent now is probably because it gave up on the Resenburg royal family." "Ah ... come to think of it, that''s true. Hmm ... Certainly, you might want to give up on that royal family ..." The King has been playing around with women in the daytime, and the Princes are only interested in the succession to the throne, so I feel that it can''t be helped if the nobles abandon them. "If that''s the case, even if Margrave Calvine has ties to Barshania behind the scenes, it''s not necessarily an action that he should be blamed for." "I see ... does that mean that the good and bad of things change depending on the point of view?" "That''s right. On top of that, what we should think about is whether it''s a good thing or a bad thing for Volzard. Kent, when you''re in doubt about your decision, think again about your position. Feeling considerate of others is necessary, but there are times when you have to make the ultimate choice. Don''t lose sight of where you stand at that time." "Yes, I understand. The place where I stand is here in Volzard." Klaus-san nodded twice, three times with satisfaction. "Even so, Margrave Calvine doesn''t care ... can you look into it a little?" "Yes, I''ll have Basten or Fred look into it." "Thank you, I''m counting on you. So ... Kent, how do you plan to settle the quarrel between the stupid Princes of Resenburg? Kabasa Pass is across the forest, but it''s not far from Volzard. If the conflict spreads poorly, there may be refugees who risk their lives to cross the forest." Klaus-san, of course, is concerned about the impact on Volzard. But it''s okay, there''s no need to worry. "Yes, myself and my genus will defeat them all." "Hou, don''t you talk quite big, isn''t the opponent an army of more than 10,000 units?" "It seems so. But they''re not our opponent. I''ll make them say ''Kyaa''." "I see, I see, you''re pretty confident, but will you be okay? As Volzard, it would be troublesome to lose you guys now." "It''s okay. If I think it''s dangerous, I will run away." "Fuhahahaha, in that case, it''s fine. If you ask me, the stupid Princes of Resenburg are someone else''s business after all. If you think it''s dangerous, pack up and run away." "Yes, I will." I promised to report back as soon as the situation changed, and left Klaus-san''s office. Yeah, after all, the active-duty Feudal Lord is reliable. I feel like I''m studying more than taking classes at school, but I wonder if I shouldn''t skip classes. CH 108 After I finished reporting to Klaus-san, I went to the town of Volzard to buy some magic tools. If I were to purchase a large amount, I would probably go to the Orlando Store, but I also wanted to acquire knowledge about magic tools, so I decided to visit Nott-san''s shop, where he had taught me about camp paper. Even if I look at the magic symbol drawn on the signboard of the store, it still looks like an earthworm writhing. I have no idea where or how to read it to make it look like letters. When I opened the door, there seemed to be no other customers, and Nott-san was sitting behind the counter wearing round glasses. "Hello ..." "Well, well ... Kent-san, the ''Monster User'', welcome." "Eeehhh ... why do you know my name ..." "Well, you''re the one who saved Volzard, and you can''t do business if you''re ignorant of the town''s rumors." "Is that how it is?" "Yes, that''s how it is." Even after the outbreak ended, I don''t remember wandering around town much, but I wonder if my face is more famous than I think, or maybe it''s just me looking too much into it. "Are you looking for something, Kent-san?" "Yes, that''s ..." I was a little hesitant, but I decided to tell him that I was summoned from another world, whether or not he would believe me. "Actually, we were summoned from another world by the Princess of Resenburg." "A different world? I see ... it''s no wonder that when you came to see me before, you were looking at the camp paper with a curious look." "Eh, did you remember that I was here before?" "Yeah, it''s rare to have black eyes with black hair." That''s right, it''s easy to forget, but black hair and black eyes are rare in Volzard. "Actually, I am the only one who is able to use dark attribute magic to return to my original world, but I was asked by the people of my original world to buy some magic tools. Would it be possible for me to consult with you?" "I don''t mind. Consulting about magic tools is our main business. Please feel free to ask me any questions." "Thank you. About the magic circle used for magic tools, I heard that they''re ancient letters, is that true?" "Yes, it''s true. That''s right ... this is a sample of the camp paper, but this is the water paper, and this is the fire paper, can you tell the difference?" "Ah ... the outer part is the same, but the central part seems to be different ... Does that mean that the outer part will be activated?" "That''s right, that''s right. The line coming out of the outer circle, when you place your hand here and let the magic flow, the magic circle will be activated." As Nott-san pointed out, a single line was drawn from the round magic circle, like a candy on a stick. "Do other magic tools basically have the same mechanism?" "Yes, this is a magic tool that can be used repeatedly to set fire, do you understand?" The magic tool Nott-san took out was a metal plate with a width of 3cm, a length of 10cm, and a thickness of about 1cm, with a magic circle engraved on one end. A line comes out of the magic circle, and a sliding mechanism is attached to it. "This, you use it by moving it, right?" "Yes, the part where this circle and the part that slides are fitted with a material that lets magic pass through." "Ah ... When you slide it, they touch each other." "That''s right, this is a fire magic tool, so it''s like this so that the magic doesn''t flow and catch fire." It''s true that the magic circle part isn''t just made out of metal, but something is embedded in it. "Um ... What is the material that allows magic to pass through?" "Yes, many of them are materials that can be obtained from monsters, and some ores also have magical powers run through them." "Speaking of materials that can be harvested from monsters, is it bones, fangs, claws, etc.?" "That''s right ... Yes, the Salamander that Kent-san defeated the other day, its fangs and bones are good materials. Other than that, horns and scales are good." When I heard the term ''horn'', what came to my mind was the horn of the Minotaurs in the shadow storage. "Horns is it, like a Minotaur''s horn?" "Ah, the Minotaur''s horns are good. One theory is that the horns are strengthened by pouring magic power into them when charging, and it''s one of the best materials for magic tools, but Minotaurs are dangerous. It''s a monster, so it''s hard to get it." "I see ... that''s why Minotaur horns are sold at such a high price." "Yeah, it seems like it''s been in short supply lately, and the market price is going up ..." "I have them. Minotaur horns." "Huh? You have them?" "Yes, about three hundred ..." "Eeeeeehhhhhh! Three hundred of them... I mean, right now one of them costs 40,000 Helts, so twelve million Helts ... you can buy a mansion." "A mansion is it ..." I was thinking of buying my own house when I let my classmates return to Japan, but when I thought about it, all my genus are also family, so I feel like a house where everyone can relax would need a lot of space. If you think about a garden where Art and the others can run around, or a pool where Zae and the others can swim, I think I need an amazing house. "Um, Kent-san, uhh ... can you sell me one?" "That''s fine, but wouldn''t it be better to sell them all to the guild and then buy them after the market price drops?" "Eeehhh, are you going to sell them all together? It will be more profitable to sell them in small batches." "Hmm ... But Donovan-san and the others know that I have them ..." "No, but if you sell 300 of them all at once, people who buy them for speculative purposes will hate you." "Eh, people are buying Minotaur horns for speculative purposes?" "That''s right. Minotaurs are said to move in groups of five to ten Minotaurs, and if they are subjugated, their horns will appear in the market and the price will drop, but they are not monsters that are subjugated often. Magic tools, even those that can be used repeatedly, will deteriorate as the magic circle is used. There is always a demand for it as a raw material, but it is not always available, so there are people who buy it when the price is low and try to earn a profit margin." "I see ... then, wouldn''t it be better to sell about twenty on a regular basis?" "That''s right. If you do that, the number of people who buy it for speculative purposes may decrease." In any case, it doesn''t seem to have a big impact on the market price, so let''s talk to Donovan-san or Otto-san and sell them. I decided to sell one to him for 20,000 Helts, as I''m asking Nott-san for consultation about various magic tools. "Well ... that''s a big help. Both my father and sister are craftsmen, and they don''t think about the price of materials, so I was just at a loss as to what to do." "I plan to continue living in Volzard from now on, so I think I will have a long relationship with Nott-san, so I look forward to working with you." "To you too, thank you very much. To be honest, I''ve only heard about things like the horde of rock ogres and the maximum outbreak of goblins, but what would have happened if Kent-san wasn''t here ... I really appreciate it." "No, no, it''s the result of everyone working harder than me ..." After that, I consulted with Nott-san and decided to buy 5 units each of stoves, refrigerators, air blowers, water supply units, etc. that use magic stones. "Nott-san, this water supply machine, does it use magic to make water?" "I don''t fully understand the principle, but it doesn''t seem like the phenomenon is caused by magic tools and magic stones alone. When the air is dry, the amount will decrease, and the amount will increase on humid days such as rainy days." "Does that mean that it collects the moisture around it?" "Hmm ... I don''t know. It seems that the magic tool that produces water can be used even in dry deserts, so it doesn''t seem like it''s just the humidity around it." When it comes to magic tools, the craftsmen who make them seem to rely on their intuition and experience in many ways, and they don''t seem to cause phenomena based on so-called scientific grounds. "Come to think of it, is it possible that the amount of magical power in the air is large or small?" "Yes, it does. This place in Volzard is close to the Devil''s Forest, so it is said that there is a lot of magic essence there. On the contrary, it is said that the magic essence is weak in deserts." "Magic essence ... is it?" "Yes, you can''t see it, and you can''t feel it, but it''s believed that the substances necessary for using magic are floating in the air. Magic stones, they''re said to be magic essence that has hardened. Therefore, if you continue to use it and the magic essence comes out, it will turn black and crumble." "I see ..." Mart said that the air in Japan was strange, maybe it was related to the amount of this magic essence. "Um, if there is no magic essence in the air, will magic tools become unusable?" "Where there is no magic essence at all? Hmm ... such a state is normally impossible, so honestly I don''t know what will happen, but the performance as a magic tool may decline." If the activation of magic tools and magic is affected by the magic energy around you, even if I bring magic tools to Japan, they may not perform as expected, and my classamtes who return to Japan, they may not be able to use magic at some point. Even if I think about it here, I can''t come up with an answer, so it''s faster to go to Japan and experiment, so I asked him to explain how to use the magic tools, and then I threw the magic tools I bought into the shadow storage and decided to move to the Investigation Headquarters. "Well ... that''s amazing. It''s the first time I''ve seen dark attribute magic, but there''s no chant ... Haa ..." "Well then, I''ll excuse myself from here. If there''s anything I don''t understand again, I''ll come to you for advice." "Yes, yes, please come anytime, and thank you for the Minotaur''s horn." "No, no, then ..." I dove into the shadows from Nott-san''s shop and moved to the Investigation Headquarters. When I peered into the Investigation Headquarters from the shadows, an unfamiliar person was shouting. "Why! Why is there no information about my son! There are even rumors that he died, but what''s going on!" "Funayama-san, please calm down. We are currently in the process of confirming it in a hurry, but it is the same for everyone that we have not been able to confirm their safety." "Don''t joke around! I heard that letters have arrived from the other students. Ryuji''s friend Tayama-kun''s house and Watase-kun''s house have already received letters. I read both letters, and they said that my son had died. Moreover, the corpse to the monsters ... the monsters ... what''s going on!" It seems that FUnayama''s father is furious and hitting the desk. Even Sudou-san, who is responding, has only the contents of the report, and Tayama and Watase are two people who were Funayama''s followers, so their letters might contain more details. I thought I should go into the Investigation Headquarters and talk about it, but what I know about Funayama''s situation is the same as the contents of the report. Even if I go out, I feel like it''s useless. "Don''t go ..." "Eh ..." While I was wondering whether to go into the Investigation Headquarters or not, Mart, Mirt, and Mart surrounded me. "Goshujin-sama, I''m here." "Me too, stroke me, Goshujin-sama." The eyes of Mart and the others which are normally crispy are ''uru uru'' with tears. I squatted down and patted their heads in turn while making eye contact with everyone. "I''m sorry I worried everyone. It''s okay, I''ll stay here for a while, so it''s okay." "Goshujin-sama, you''re doing your best." "You don''t have to go through hard things." "You should take a nap with us." I felt sorry for Sudou-san, but I decided to wait in the shadows until Funayama''s father left. "Come to think of it, everyone said that the atmosphere in Japan is strange, but are you okay in the shadows?" "I''m fine here." "It''s comfortable here." "This place smells like Goshujin-sama." "Eh, my smell ...?" I tried smelling my clothes myself, but I don''t understand. I''m properly taking a bath, changing clothes and doing laundry, but does my body smell bad? As I tilt my head to think about it, Mart and the others rubbed against my head and body. They look like a dog, but their demeanor is like that of a cat ... Well, it should reflect my desires, so I don''t mind it at all, and it''s rather fluffy and pleasant. While I was mofumofuing Mart and the others, Fred appeared to report. [ Kent-sama ... A report from Barshania ... ] "Oh, Fred, yeah, can I hear it?" [ Suspicious ... they''re gathering soldiers in a border town in the name of an exercise ... ] It seems that the residents of the city were told that it is an exercise to protect the city, assuming that Resenburg has attacked across the desert. "How many are there?" [ Right now, it''s about 10,000 ... but there are signs that it''s oging to increase ... ] "Hmm ... I wonder if that''s a lot or a little?" [ Not enough to attack Resenburg ... but enough for practice ... ] "Does that mean they''re watching the situation?" [ That possibility is high ... but, the First Prince is coming to the site. ](TN:Fred, where''s your second ellipse!?!) The First Prince of Barshania, Gregory, is around 30 years old and possesses a solid physique. The Emperor''s family is said to be tiger beastmen, and their eyes are so sharp that they glare as they review the troops, but as soon as the training is over, their expressions soften and they casually chat with the soldiers at the end of the training. [ Gregory is ... of appropriate ability ... ] "How is he perceived by the public?" [ More than Camilla ... so much that when he goes out to the town, children come to him ... ] "Isn''t he worried about assassination?" [ His skill of martial arts, is also considerable ... ] "Somehow, he looks like a prince taken straight from a fairy tale." A sharp-eyed tiger beastman who is very popular with children. He''s very different from the First Prince of Resenburg, who was pale and soft. "Is there only one Prince in Barshania?" [ We haven''t finished investigating yet ... for the time being, the First Prince is very popular ... ] "Okay, I''d like you to continue scouting, but ..." I told Fred about the conspiracy theory about Barshania and Margrave Calvine, which I came up with while talking to Klaus-san, and I decided to have him watch for any such moves. [ I''ve only just started looking into it ... if they get attacked, Resenburg will lose ... ] "I think so too, just by listening to it. However ... that''s only if we don''t get involved." [ If we help ... we can''t lose ... ] "Yeah, but information is still important to advance the battle, so please do the reconnaissance." [ Understood ... for Kent-sama''s royal road ... ] No, no, I don''t want to be King, but Fred gleefully went back to Barshania. If I use shadow movement, I can go to Fred in an instant, so it might be a good idea to see Barshania''s situation directly. While I was listening to Fred''s report, Funayama''s father seemed to have withdrawn, so I decided to show up at the Investigation Headquarters. As expected, Sudou-san had a tired expression on his face. "Hello, Sudou-san." "Oh, Kokubu-kun, you''ve worked hard." "Excuse me, I''ve been here for a while, but if I came out, it felt like it would get even worse ..." "Is that so ... it doesn''t matter. This is our job." "I''m sorry, what I know is probably not much different from the contents of the report, so I thought it wouldn''t be very useful ..." "You don''t have to do everything, just let us do the work." "Yes, thank you very much." After bowing to Sudou-san, I turned to Kajikawa-san, who was looking at me full of expectations. "Kokubu-kun, could you possibly bring me a magic tool?" "Yes, I brought some." "Oh ... Sorry for being in a rush, but can you show me?" "Yes, then ... here goes." The first thing I chose was a fire magic tool that can be used as a stove. It''s about 10cm wide and 25cm long, and it''s set on a trivet to put pots and other things on it. A magic circle is engraved on one end, and a line extending from it connects to the other end. It''s a very simple structure where when a magic stone is placed on it, a magic circle is activated and the magic stone is on fire until it runs out of magic power. "If you put the magic stone here ... huh?" "It seems that the fire is weak for some reason ..." When I tried it at Nott-san''s shop, the fire came out as fast as a gas stove used in a typical home in Japan, but now it''s just a little bit of flame rising to the extent that the flame of a gas stove does when set to the weakest. I tried the blower, but it only blows air equivalent to what I can slowly fan with a hand fan. "Kajikawa-san, I don''t think the earth''s air contains magic essence." "Magic essence? Is it something like the source of magical power?" "Yes, I think I agree with that perception." I told Kajikawa-san, who had a disappointed look on his face, what I had talked about with Nott-san from the magic tool shop. "I see ... Magic seems to be affected by the magic power used to activate it and the surrounding environment." "Apparently, it seems to." "Kokubu-kun, can I have a moment?" "Yes, what is it?" Sudou-san entered the conversation between Kajikawa-san and I. "Hearing what you just said, isn''t it difficult to summon from this world?" "Well ... even if the ancient characters used in the summoning ceremony were deciphered and the conditions were set so that everyone in Volzard could be summoned with pinpoint accuracy, the problem would be how many magic circles should be created." "The stove just now has enough firepower to cook normally in the other world, right? If that''s the case, isn''t it only showing a tenth of its ability here?" "I don''t know exactly how many times it is, but it is certain that it is not the original performance at all, and I feel that the consumption of magic stones is quite intense." The fire magic tool and the magic stone that was used to activate the air blower are starting to darken with visible force. Furudate-sensei said that it was a new dream technology, but looking at it, I feel that it''s far from practical. Even so, I''ve taken the trouble to purchase them, so I decided to leave about 100 magic tools and high-ranking goblins magic stones. CH 109 I received the letters from my classmate''s families at the Investigation Headquarters, but I haven''t received a reply from my father. I had to deliver the letters to the teachers, and while I was at it, I would stop by the garrison''s termporary dormitory to tell them that magic tools don''t work well in Japan. I thought that the teachers were preparing for classes starting tomorrow, but everyone was gathering and discussing something. "Oda-sensei, I received letters from the Investigation Headquarters." "Oh, Kokubu, good timing, come over here and have a seat." "Yes, did something happen, everyone is gathered ..." The expressions of the gathered teachers are not full of enthusiasm for the resumption of classes ... rather, they are all confused. "Actually, I went to ask Klaus-san this afternoon to rent the auditorium for our classes." "Could it be that he couldn''t rent it to you?" "No, I was told that I could use the auditorium freely when there were no events, but I was questioned about holding classes every day." "Um ... not every day, but once every few days ... is it something like that?" "Well, that''s how it seems ..." I''m sure Klaus-san has something in mind, but for some reason Oda-sensei''s way of saying it is as if something is stuck in his back teeth. "Um ... To be honest, I would be better off if I had less classes, but why can''t you do it every day?" "Yeah, that''s it ... Klaus-san warned us that we were too dependent on Kokubu." "Dependent on me ... Could it be the cost of living?" "That''s right. Some people are looking for work at the ramparts or in the guild, but most of us, including the teachers, are spending time idle in the dormitory. That''s why he pointed it out." Klaus-san warned him, if it''s my earning, I should be able to feed all my classmates, and since I''ve been able to travel back and forth to our original world, they can expect support, but I don''t know when they''ll be able to return. It seems that he was asked if it was the right behavior to let them eat without working. "More than ten days have already passed since we arrived in Volzard. And at present, we don''t eve know how many months or years it will be before we return to Japan. I heard that Kokubu was also doing various jobs when he came to Volzard." "Yes. Starting with the harvesting work at the Livre Plantation, I also worked at the warehouse carrying Garm potatoes, became an apprentice gardener, and also went to the ramparts construction." Even when I came to Volzard, I had the money I collected from the carriage that was attacked by monsters, and I had enough money to live on, but I wanted to make a living in Volzard, and build up my physical strength, so I have worked very seriously. "Certainly, if returning to Japan will be many years away, it might be better for you to be able to live independently here." "I heard from Klaus-san that our living expenses, including food expenses, are 3,000 Helts a month. Even if it''s as an apprentice, it should be possible to earn more than 300 Helts a day, so if we work for 10 days, we''ll be able to make a living, and if we worked for 5 more days, we would be able to supplement the money to buy daily necessities. I was told that we would be able to balance work and study." "Well then, what are you going to do about classes?" "We were discussing it, but should we do it once every two days or once every three days ... what do you think, Kokubu?" "Eh, me? I''m better off with less, so once every three days is good." "Kokubu-kun, it may be fine for you who will stay here, but for those who will return to Japan, the classes that are already behind will end up being even more behind." I was just giving my honest opinion, but Senzaki-sensei lashed out at me. "However, in an unfamiliar city, it''s hard to attend classes while doing a job you''re not used to. Until you get used to it, isn''t once every three days fine?" "Furudate-sensei, do you think you can make up for the delay?" "Well ... to be honest, it will probably be difficult to make up for the delay ... But, Senzaki-sensei, we also have to find a job." "That may be so, but aren''t we in a position where we have to think about the future of our students?" "If we are talking about the future of the students, then we have to think of a way to return. Do we have time for classes?" "Umm ... about returning ..." Since the topic came up, I talked about the fact that magic tools can''t be used well in Japan, that the amount of magic essence in the air seems to be related to that, that the performance of magic tools dropped, I also talked about the possibility that the summoning technique may not work well. With no clues to decipher the ancient characters that make up the formula, and on top of that, hearing that the possibility of the magic circle not working well has increased, the teachers all showed a bitter expression. "It should be considered quite difficult to reverse summon from Japan using summoning. It depends on the information about the dark attribute magic, but shouldn''t you have to think about not being able to go home?" "Furudate-kun, you are single so it''s easy to say that, but you should also think about someone who has a family!" "Nakagawa-sensei, isn''t it precisely because you have a family that you have to think about what happens if you cannot return home? It would be possible to ask Kokubu to exchange letters and video letters, but if you can''t go back to Japan, you''ll have to think about your income." "That may be so, but if we simply give up hope, the students will be upset." "Even if they are temporarily upset, it is about their future, so they can''t run away from it. We have to face each other and think." For some reason, the discussion between Furudate-sensei and Nakagawa-sensei has become a regular occurrence. On one hand, Furudate-sensei thinks it''s okay to stay in Volzard, and on the other hand, Nakagawa-sensei wants to go home no matter what, they don''t seem to get along, and it feels like they just want to get their point across. "Oda-sensei, can I go home? I still have things to do ..." "Yeah, well, it''s getting a little off the rails, but we''ll make the decision about classes." "Then, please send me a message." "Okay, I''m going to have class tomorrow, so try to attend if at all possible." "Understood, I will do my best." Even when I got up from my seat, Furudate-sensei and Nakagawa-sensei were so absorbed in their debate that they didn''t even notice. I was wondering if I should talk to the chairman, but I think Manon and Beatrice will get angry if I spend too much time with the chairman, so I decided to go back to the boarding house for today. At Amanda-san''s restaurant, dinner time is the busiest from now on, and some customers were already waiting in front of the restaurant. "Amanda-san, I''m back." "Oh, Kent, aren''t you early today. You just got back early, but Donovan-san sent me a message asking you to contact the guild." "From Donovan-san, is it ... what is it?" "Yes. If it''s too late, I''ll lock it as usual." "Yes, that''s fine. Then, I''ll go." Since Donovan-san contacted me, I wonder if the guild master from headquarters already arrived. Well, it''s faster to go there than to think about it. I dived into the shadows from the alley and moved to the bottom of the guild''s stairs, and after confirming that there were no people around, I came out. In the evenings, the guild is crowded with people who come to report on the completion of their work, and people who ask to sell the materials they have collected. I thought about waiting until there were fewer people, but since he left me a message, I thought it would be better to hurry, so I started walking towards the counter, when I thought that the noise had increased, the surrounding gazes focused on me. "Hey, that''s the ''Monster User'' ..." "He was pushing Lizardmen around arrogantly ..." "Despite his docile face, he''ll take any girl he sets his eyes on ..." "I heard he killed four Salamanders by himself ..." "Are you serious, such a little boy ..." "Stay away, I heard that the serious Gilik was easily defeated ..." "He seems to be reaching out to little girls ..." Recently, I didn''t come at a crowded time, so I thought that the rumors were going down, but it seems that it It might have been better if I came when Donovan-san was working overtime in corporate slave mode. Well, I dont take any girl I set my eyes on, and I haven''t put my hands on a little girl. As I walked towards the counter, the crowd split and a passageway was completed. I feel really uncomfortable. "Excuse me ..." "Please, go inside ..." When I called out to the lady at the counter, I was sent to the staff space without even being given time to enjoy the conversation. Donovan-san beckons from his seat. "I heard you sent a message, has the guild master from headquarters arrived yet?" "No, not yet. Well, sit down ..." Donovan-san pointed his chin at the chair by his desk and began to prepare the tea. Even so, there are piles of papers on the desk today. "For Resenburg, it seems like they''re in a lot of trouble." "Yes, the idiot Princes are addicted to the game of musical chairs ... it seems there are some nobles who encourage it ... I feel like something is wrong." "Besides, I heard that even Barshania wants to join in." "Yes, it seems that they are gathering soldiers in the border town and doing exercises." "Hmm ... that''s quite a disturbing story. If this wasn''t from you, I''d think it was a joke ..." Donovan-san brewed the tea with a delicate hand that didn''t suit his large body, and handed me a cup. "Itadakimasu. Oh, it''s a different tea ..." "Oh, you know, this is a pretty good tea leaf." "Hmm ... it''s sweet. It''s not bitter at all ..." "That''s right, that''s right ..." Donovan-san was also in a good mood and seemed to be enjoying the aroma and taste of the tea to his heart''s content. I hope he hasn''t forgotten about his message. Having said that, it would be rude to ask about it, so I enjoyed myself with a cup of tea. Yeah, the staff are looking at me with wistful eyes. "Kent, nomination request." "Huh, nomination request? For me?" "If it''s not for you, I won''t call you." "That''s true, too. The content of the request ... what is it?" "I think I talked a little bit before, but it seems that the dungeon is suffering from the aftermath of the maximum outbreak." "Is it a nomination request from Orlando Store?" "No, this is a nomination request from the guild." "Huh? Didn''t you say that the inside of the dungeon is out of your jurisdiction?" "Usually it''s like that, but this time it seems the situation is different." A dungeon is, by nature, outside the rule of a Lord, and is treated as self-responsibility for all events that occur inside. For that reason, even after the maximum outbreak, in regards to the route from the city of Volzard to the dungeon, the Feudal Lord lent a hand in subjugating monsters, but once you step inside the dungeon, they were told that it was their personal responsibility. "Actually ... after the outbreak subsided, no one has set foot in the dungeon and returned." "Eh, nobody came back?" "While the outbreak was occuring, the entrance to the dungeon was also blocked. The number of goblins in the surrounding area has calmed down, and the entrance to the dungeon has been opened, but no one has returned since." "A lot of adventurers dive into dungeons, right?" "That''s right. Most of them are not alone, but form a party ..." "And still, no one has returned?" Donovan-san nodded once before continuing. "The Flamehounds entered five days ago and were supposed to return by the evening of the day before yesterday, but they haven''t returned even yesterday." "Eh, is it those three Flamehounds?" "Those three were hired by the Orlando Store." "But Bartolo was A-rank, and Orest and Jarma were B-rank." "That''s right. Even if they try to take credit for others, if they don''t have the appropriate ability, their guild rank won''t go up. In other words, all three of them had a certain amount of skill." "If they still haven''t come back ..." "You should assume that they were eaten by some kind of monster." Donovan-san declared that the facts were the facts, without hesitation. "There are three high-ranked adventurers, and none of them have returned ... Isn''t it too dangerous?" "That''s right. If you''re a chick who has just finished the guild''s combat training, you won''t be able to handle it." "No, I haven''t even finished the course yet ..." "What''s wrong with someone who single-handedly kills four Salamanders?" "Uh ... But what kind of monster do you think it is?" "Well ... if you get hit without even having time to escape ... Cockatrice, which spews poison that petrifies people, is a strong candidate, but there are no records of them appearing in Volzard''s dungeons." "Petrification poison, are there such dangerous monsters?" "It''s in the records, but I''ve never seen it, and it shouldn''t be around here." "Then what kind of monster is it?" "I want you to check it out." "Eeehhh ... I''m the one going to do it?" "You don''t have to do it yourself. I don''t mind letting your genus investigate, so I want them to find out the cause." It''s true that if I don''t do it, I won''t be in danger, but I don''t feel comfortable sending my genus to a place where I don''t know what kind of monsters are lurking. "In short, we should identify the monsters nesting in the dungeon, right?" "If possible, please eliminate them. It can''t be helped if it''s impossible, but ..." "Is it fine if we decide how to do it ourselves?" "It doesn''t matter, the result is everything." "How long is the deadline ... is there such a thing?" "We don''t have a time limit, but the dungeon is in a state of being blocked, and no ores have been collected since the outbreak. Please hurry up." "Umm ... What about rewards?" "Hmm, you''re actually checking properly ... if you accepted the job without even talking about money, I was just thinking about making you work for free." Donovan-san floated a meaningfully intimidating grin on his face. "No, I thought it would be awkward for other people if I accept it for free ..." "Well, if such a request is free, all the work posted on the bulletin board would be free work. The reward is 500,000 Helts for investigating the cause. 500,000 Helts if safety can be secured up to the 10th floor, and another 300,000 Helts will be added if you can secure safety up to the 15th floor." "A total of 1.3 million Helts ... Isn''t that an amazing amount of money?" "It''s a request with a high possiblity that all Parties, including A-rank adventurers, have been wiped out, so this degree is natural." "Understood. I''ll do what I can." "Good, this is the map up to the 15th floor. It doesn''t cover all the detailed passages, but the part that will be the route is written fairly accurately, so take it with you. Even though you have a lot of other things to do, I''m sorry." "No ... compared to Donovan-san ..." Whenever I see the desk piled with documents, I feel like I''m ten years too young to complain.(TN:I get the feeling he leaves meaningless documents just so Kent can see them.) "What is it, do you want to do paperwork so badly?" "No, no, no, that''s ridiculous, I will respectfully decline." "Hmph ... if I let you help me, it looks like I''d have more work to do." "Ah, that''s right. Donovan-san, I''d like to ask you to purchase the Minotaur''s horns, but I heard that the price is skyrocketing due to a shortage, is this true?" "Well, the current price is over 40,000 Helts for a standard-sized horn. There are more and more people who are thinking of making a big profit." "I wouldlike to be able to lower the price as much as possible without causing too much antagonism from speculative buyers, but how much and how many should I sell?" "There are quite a lot of orders again, but ... that''s right. If you bring in 10 of them at 30,000 Helts each month under these conditions, you should be able to create the situation you want." "Okay, so for today ..." "Good, put them in the corner over there, can I transfer the money to your account?" "Yes, that''s fine." When I took out the Minotaur horns from the shadow storage and lined them up in the corner, the staff members all looked startled. Perhaps they think they headed for Volzard? "This is what I killed when they went to Lastock, and it didn''t affect Volzard, so it''s okay." I tried to reassure them, but there are some people who were even more surprised. "Idiot. Ordinary people can''t just regularly cross the Devil''s Forest to get to the other side, and they don''t have any way of knowing that monsters are approaching beyond the forest." "Uuh ... That''s right. But, I always have my genus patrol the area around Volzard, so there won''t be a sudden attack by a horde of monsters." When I told them that the Kobold Corps were patrolling, the staff members looked relieved this time. "Then, Donovan-san, I''ll go home. Right now, I can still have dinner at the boarding house ..." "I see, I''m counting on you about the dungeon." "Yes, I will try to clean it up as soon as possible." If I go back to the other side of the counter, I''m likely to get a lot of attention, so I hide in the shadows and move to the back of the boarding house. Amanda-san''s shop seemed to be closing down, and there were only a few customers. "Amanda-san, I just got back." "Welcome back, I''ll have dinner ready in a little while, so please wait upstairs." "Yes, I understand." Before dinner, I had a brief meeting with Reinhardt about the nomination request. "Have Reinhardt-tachi been to Volzard''s dungeon before?" [ I went there, but since it was an inspection, I only dived up to about the third floor. ] "But, if you''ve been there before, it''s easy to move there, isn''t it?" [ There will be no problem if we become a landmark. ] "But it''s quite dangerous if an A-rank adventurer doesn''t come back." [ That''s right ... but even an A-rank adventurer can''t come back from in front of four Salamanders, let alone subjugate them. ] "That was ... an emergency, and we were attacking from the shadows ... Well, is it okay if we don''t go straight through the dungeon route?" [ No way. We should carry out the request in a way that makes use of our strengths. ] "I see, I see ... if that''s the case ..." I decided to start the nomination request for the dungeon tomorrow morning, so I decided to have Art and the others make some preparations during the night. The idiot Princes of Resenburg have started to move, but it will take some time to move, so let''s finish the nomination request in the meantime. While I was having a meeting with Reinhardt, I heard hastily moving footsteps run up the stairs. "Kent, it''s time for dinner! Muu, it''s dark again ..." "Oh, I forgot to turn on the light. Come on, food, food, I''m hungry." "Mmm ... Kent, aren''t you hiding something?" "Unfortunately, I don''t hide cookies from Mesudori Pavilion." I thought I''d keep the nomination request a secret until it was over, but Amanda-san asked me about it at the dinner table. "Kent, what was Donovan-san''s summons? Is it a request for something?" "Yes, I was asked to do some work ..." "Hmm ... it''s the dungeon, right?" "Eeeehhhh ... how did you know?" "What''s that, it''s really a dungeon request!" "Ah ... I got tricked ..." I thought that it had appeared on my face again, but it seems that Amanda-san was asking a leading question. "No! Absolutely no! Don''t go to dungeons!" "Meisa-chan ..." As soon as she heard that my request was for a dungeon, Meisa-chan stood up and loudly objected. "It''s no good. Kent can''t go to the dungeon!" "No ... but it''s a nomination request from the guild." "It''s not allowed, it''s not allowed, not allowed! Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, not allowed!" Meisa-chan''s eyes are dripping with tears. "Meisa-chan, it''s okay ..." "Lies! It''s not okay, everyone said it''s okay, even though they said it''s okay ... everyone won''t come back. It''s no good, Kent ... Kent ... I don''t want you to go ... Uwaaaaaaaaaa ..." Meisa-chan clung to me as hard as she could, and she cried a lot. Amanda-san told me this after seeing Meisa-chan. "I''ve accepted many boarders so far, but they all started diving into the dungeon, and when she got used to them, they stopped coming back ..." From Meisa-chan''s point of view, it might have been traumatic for them to suddenly disappear around the time she became friends with the Onii-san''s and Onee-sans of the boarding house. "Meisa-chan ..." "No ..." In the end, until she fell asleep surrounded by Mart and the others, Meisa-chan never left my side. CH 110 "Because you can''t. You can''t go to the dungeon!" "Yes, yes, I''m going to ask Donovan-san if someone else can take my place. Look, if you don''t go now, you''ll be late for school." "Ugh ... It''s no good!" "Yes, yes, I understand ..." Even after I woke up, Meisa-chan was clinging to me and watching me to see if I would go to the dungeon, but she reluctantly headed for school. "I''m sorry ... Kent." "No, I''m so grateful to have her worry about me like that." "After going to the guild to see the Salamanders, it seems like she''s bragging at school." "Eh, is it about me?" "Ah, Kent, who lives in our house is amazing. He protects the city of Volzard with his powerful genus ... something like that." "Is that so ..." "Look, Manon''s brother was at the dinner party last time, right." "Yes, it''s Hamill-kun." "That''s right, she was boasting about Kent to Hamill-kun the whole time." "Ah, that was ... that''s what it was." I didn''t think that Meisa-chan thought of me that way, so I was a little taken aback. "So, Kent, are you going to the dungeon after all?" "Yes, the situation seems a little urgent, and I feel that it''s rather dangerous if it''s someone else, so I''m thinking of going over and cleaning it up." "Will you be okay?" "Yes, I can move in the shadows, so I''m going to investigate from the shadows instead of just foolishly diving into the dungeon, so there''s no danger." "I see ... that''s fine, but please be careful." "Yes, I plan to come back for dinner so as not to worry Meisa-chan." "It would be helpful if you could do that. I''m sorry, I''m sorry." "No, this is normal." The Dungeon of Volzard is located in a place where you can reach after walking about half a day with adult legs, deviating to the right from the middle of the road leading to the center of the Landshelt Republic. There is a large pond on the way to the dungeon, and it seems to be crowded with people who enjoy fishing on holidays. If I had time to spare, I would have enjoyed the scenery as I went, but this time I wanted to finish things up quickly, so I used Reinhardt and the others as a landmark and used shadow movement to move directly to the entrance of the dungeon. The dungeon opens wide at the foot of a rocky mountain, with a sturdy iron gate attached to the entrance. On both sides of the road leading to the entrance, one-story buildings were lined up, making it look like a small village. [ Kent-sama, that gate is not meant to prohibit entry, but to stop monsters from overflowing from within. If you look closely, you''ll understand, but the bolts on the gate are supposed to come down from this side. ] "I see ... are monsters overflowing from the dungeon?" [ I don''t know about Volzard, but in the past, monsters overflowed from other dungeons, causing great damage. ] "I see ..." [ Normally, the front of the dungeon gate should be more crowded, but I guess it can''t be helped if it''s forbidden to go in and out. ] As Reinhardt says, although there are several people on the road, everyone is staring blankly at the entrance to the dungeon. [ Kent-sama, the buildings in this village are like decorations. ] "Eh, decorations ... what do you mean? They look pretty sturdy, but ..." [ This place may be attacked by a horde of monsters that have circumnavigated Volzard, just like during the maximum outbreak the other day. That''s why the main body of the buildings are all underground. ] "Eh, is there an underground?" [ The large building seems to have been dug down to about three floors underground, and the entrance to the basement seems to hvae two or three sturdy doors. ] It seems to be common sense to hide underground and survive even if attacked by a horde of monsters. As I walk through the village towards the entrance to the dungeon, I will naturally be met with suspicious eyes. I guess it''s because it''s necessary to complete the guild''s combat course to dive into the dungeon alone, and they don''t think a child like me has finished the course. "Yo, boy ... this is not a place for a kid like you ..." Yeah, I failed. It would have been better to have moved directly to the entrance of the dungeon. Even though it''s still early in the morning, I got tangled up with a visibly drunk adventurer. With unkempt reddish-brown hair and a curly beard, he has a stout body that seems to be a mining specialist, and he is about forty years old. "Umm ... I came here on an errand for the guild ..." "Hey, you''re a guild errand boy ... Tell them to investigate quickly so I can dive in!" "Haa ... I understand." The middle-aged adventurer spat on the street and walked into the building. He''s frustrated because he can''t dive into the dungeon and earn anything, but it''s no good to take out your anger on me. Nevertheless, as I started walking, thinking that it was a huge hassle, I noticed someone in front of the dungeon gate looking at me with his arms crossed. He is about 180 centimeters tall, has a thick beard on his skinhead, and has a black eyepatch on his right eye. He looks younger than Donovan-san, but from his forehead to the right half of his face, four claw marks that look like those of a monster are carved into his face. He taped his shoulder with an iron bar that was slightly longer than his height, and seemed to stare at me as if he could not let anyone through. "Good morning." "Hmm? Boy, what do you need?" "Yes, Donovan-san told me to come here, but yo''ure from the guild, aren''t you?" "Oh, a message from Donovan-san?" "No, I was told to go investigate the dungeon ..." "Huh? A boy like you ... I see, are you the ''Monster User''?" "Haa ... that''s what they call me, I''m Kent." "I''m Rodrigo, who manages the entrance to the dungeon. I''ve heard the story, but just in case, show me your guild card." "Yes, here ..." Rodrigo-san lowered his gaze to the card I handed him, returned his gaze to stare at me, and after returning his gaze to the card to check it again, he nodded once and returned the card. "Fumu, I was surprised ... according to rumors, it was said that you were a black-haired black-eyed rugged fellow." "Eeehhh ... Do you think that I''m a fake?" "No, rumors are only half the story. Rumors about a guy who is said to be a ''Monster User'' or a ''Maou'' are extremely embellished." "Is that so?" "That''s right ..." Rodrigo-san, who floats a terrible grin on his face, is definitely the same kind of person as Donovan-san. "So, Kent, are you going to dive by yourself?" "No, I don''t have the courage to go head-on into a place where I don''t know what''s lurking." "Oh, then what are you going to do?" "Yes, I will use a decoy and watch over it from the shadows." "I see, a decoy ... where is it?" "It should be close now, so I''ll call it in a minute. Mart, call everyone who is preparing." "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama." Mart replied by sticking its head out of the shadows and hid again in the shadows to call out the Kobold Corps waiting nearby. "That monster just now, is that the monster you are using?" "That''s one of my genus, or rather it feels like family ..." "Family ... Anyway, it looked like a Kobold, but what''s going on with talking and hiding in the shadows?" "Well ... it''s a trade secret ..." "Hmm ... can''t you tell me what''s going on ... well, that''s fine." Rodrigo-san had a cheerful smile on his face, but it had a force that would make a small child nervous. A while after Mart ran to deliver the message, the Kobold Corps appeared around the rocky mountain. "Hmm? What is that ... Goblins?" The Kobold Corps came carrying three Goblins wrapped in ropes. "Goshujin-sama, we brought them as instructed." "Thank you, everyone." When I stroked the Kobold Corps carrying the Goblins in turn, they all narrowed their eyes and snuggled up to me. On the other hand, the Goblins were trembling as Rodrigo-san glared at them. "So you''re going to throw these guys into the dungeon as decoys and see what happens?" "Yes, that''s how it is, so is it okay if I ask you to open the entrance?" "It''s okay ..." Using the large key that Rodrigo-san had on his waist, he unlocked and opened the gate. When I entered the gate with the Kobold Corps carrying the Goblins and signaled to Rodrigo-san, the gate closed with a heavy sound. "Then, I''ll go into the shadows, untie the Goblins'' ropes and drive them into the depths of the dungeon." "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama!" When I waved at Rodrigo-san, who was watching me through the lattice in the gate, and dived into the shadows, his eyes widened in surprise. As I watched from the shadows, the Goblins, who had been untied from their ropes, were furiously barked at by the Kobold Corps and fled into the depths of the dungeon. We plan to guide the Goblins deeper and deeper while observing them from the shadows. "Then, Fred, please guide the Goblins." [Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] When I entered the dungeon for the first time, I thought it was pitch black, but there was a vague brightness. "Reinhardt, is something glowing?" [ Indeed, since the luminous moss is growing, there is enough light to walk without using magic to enhance your eyesight. However, adventurers who dive into the dungeon will proceed while illuminating it with light magic tools in order to confirm the situation. ] The interior of the dungeon felt like a rocky cave, with a ceiling about 5 meters high, and if it were low, you would have to bend down or hit your head. The width of the passageway is about 7-8 meters at wide places, but there are also narrow places where people can barely pass. It seems that the passage has many branches, and at the end of each branch there are many spaces called halls. The small hall is about 3 tatami mats in size, and the large hall is said to be large enough to fit a two-story house. The Goblins were driven by Fred''s throwing of stones and were forced to walk down the route to the lower floors. "It''s quiet ... nothing is coming out." [ That''s right, if it''s normal, it wouldn''t be strange for an Imp or a Goblin to appear at this level ... ] Even after passing the first floor and descending to the second floor, there are no signs of monsters appearing. The dungeon was silent with only the occasional noises of the decoy Goblins. "Reinhardt, what''s shining over there?" [ It''s probably an ore of some kind, but I''m not an expert, so I can''t tell what kind of ore it is. ] The wall near the ceiling seemed to be shining, so I asked Reinhardt to help me dig it out, and I found a large stone with a dull glow. [ A fairly large lump has appeared. ] "Is this a big one?" [ I hear that most of the items dug up in dungeons are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. This was near the ceiling so it must have been overlooked. ] The dungeon''s ore is said to be mined by visually searching for what appears on the surface like this, or by using magic to detect it with earth-attribute magicians. I threw the excavated ore into the shadow storage and continued chasing the goblins, but nothing happened even after passing the second floor. [ It''s still strange. No matter how straight the main route is, it''s strange not to encounter even a single monster. ] "Are they hiding somewhere under the command of a superior species of Goblins?" [ Even if there is a superior species, it can''t be the reason why even small monsters other than Goblins don''t appear. ] "The dungeon itself turned into a monster and ate all the people who entered?" [ As expected, I have never heard of such a situation. ] As I continued to chase the Goblins, Fred noticed something strange. [ Kent-sama ... above ... ] "Eh, what ...? Ugeeeeeee ... ''G''?"(TN:''G'' = Gokiburi = Cockroach.) The passage was narrow, but the ceiling was high. The ceiling and the walls near the ceiling where the light from the luminous moss underfoot doesn''t reach are covered with black, glowing objects. If you look closely, it seems that its wings have degenerated, and it has ten legs, but no matter how you look at it, its form looks like nothing more than a cockroach. Also, its size appears to be over 30 centimeters. [ It''s a Scavenger. ] "Scavenger ...?" [ Yes, it''s like a dungeon cleaner that scavenges for carrion ... but something is strange. ] The Goblins proceeded unnoticed below the Scavengers that are stuck to the ceiling. However, the Scavengers don''t show signs of attacking even when the Goblins go directly under them. "Huh? Aren''t these guys the cause?" [ Kent-sama, Scavengers only scavenge for carrion, the living ones are ... ] Perhaps Reinhardt tried to say that they would not attack, but when the Goblins had advanced about 20 meters under the ceiling where the Scavengers were, the Scavengers started falling in order from the very end like an avalanche. Gyaaa, gyagyagyagyaaaaa ... Some of the Scavengers began to bite, and the Goblins were surprised and started running further into the dungeon. The Scavengers attack the Goblins while filling the passage. Gasagasa, gasagasa, gasagasa, gasagasa, gasagasagasa ... The footsteps of the Scavengers echoing through the passageway will attack you with physiological disgust. [ I''ve never heard of Scavengers attacking living things. ] "I don''t know the reason, but this is the reason why people who enter the dungeon don''t return, right?" [ There is no doubt about it. After all, I don''t see anything moving in the dungeon other than these guys. ] The Goblins that were being chased by the Scavengers jumped into a hall in the middle of the passage. The area is about the size of a basketball court, and when I look at the map, it appears to be a branching point, with three entrances and exits drawn. [ Kent-sama ... The entrance is blocked ... ] [ Kent-sama, above! ] There were no other entrances or exits to the hall, and there was a swarm of Scavengers filling the ceiling. Not only that, but the walls are also covered with Scavengers. As the Goblins were standing still at the overwhelming sight, the passage they had just entered had disappeared. "Geeehhh ... The Scavengers are blocking the passage." [ They''re coming, Kent-sama. ] Losing a place to escape, the Scavengers from the ceiling rained down on the Goblins who were desperately looking for an escape route, looking around at the walls filled with Scavengers. Gigiyaaaaaaa ... In an instant, Scavengers gathered all over the Goblins'' bodies, turning them into black masses and collapsing to the floor. Gyiigyaaaaaa ... Baribari, nichanicha, guchuguchu ... The Goblins were swinging their arms and legs, desperately struggling, but they had no way to counter the overwhelming number of violent enemies, and their flesh was cut to pieces. Then, when the Goblins stopped moving, they appeared. Suddenly the Scavengers who had been swarming the Goblins retreated to the wall, and three shadows fell from the ceiling. Two shadows are about 70 centimeters long, adn the other is a Scavenger about 1 meter long. [ Kent-sama, it seems to be a high-ranknig species of Scavenger. ] "Ugeeehhh, disgusting ..." The Scavenger superior species ripped through the Goblin''s breastplate, poked its head inside, and began to rattle and eat. "Could it be that it''s chewing on the magic stone?" [ It seems so ... What should we do? Kent-sama. ] There is almost no doubt that these guys are the main culprits of this uproar. However, it is certain that there are more than 1,000 at a glance, adn it is possible that there are close to 2,000. Even if it''s my genus, if they fight normally, I feel like they''ll be bitten before wiping them all out. "Okay, I''ll block the three passages with a shield of darkness, so I''ll have everyone attack, but only attack from the shadows. We''re not fighting these guys, we''re exterminating them. Let''s end it calmly!" [ Roger! ] As I told everyone, the three passages were blocked with shields of darkness. Then, the extermination work by my genus began. Scavengers have hard shells on their backs, and F-rank and E-rank adventurers are said to have their swords repelled. Of course, if it is my genus, they would tear through like paper, but this time, it''s easier. The soft part of the abdomen was cut by Zae-tachi and Art-tachi from the shadows, and the Scavengers died one after another. The superior species also had their heads blown off by Reinhardt, their heads pierced by Basten, and their heads cut off without a sound by Fred before dying. It only took about ten minutes to kill all the Scavengers. The inside of the hall had a terrible smell of Scavenger''s bodily fluids mixed with Goblin''s blood. "Then, if you take out only the high-ranked magic stones, can you stack the rest in the center of the hall?" [ What are you going to do with them? ] "Yeah, just in case, Donovan-san will take a look at them as proof that we did the job, and then throw them away." [ But ... I''ve never heard of a high-ranking Scavenger being born. ] "Then, it would be better to report that as well." Just looking at the huge mountain of ''G''s corpses gave me chills. Let''s throw them into the shadow storage, quickly finish the report, and go home. "Then, the ten of you from Sart to Tort should go to the 15th floor to check if there are any strange monsters, and if you think you''re in danger, immediately hide in the shadows and report. Everyone else go about it as normal. Fred scout Barshania, and Basten scout the Second Prince''s faction, I''m counting on you." [ Roger! ] Let''s report to Rodrigo-san before we return to Volzard. I''m sorry to have him open the gate, so I stepped out of the shadows outside the gate. "I''m back." "Whoa! Don''t suddenly come out, you surprised me ..." "Ah, I''m sorry. For the time being, it''s over, so I came to report." "What, is it over already?" "Yes, it seems that a high-ranking species was born among the Scavengers, and it led the rest to attack." "Huh? A high-ranking species of Scavenger? I''ve never heard of such a thing." "Um, there''s a corpse, would you like to see it?" "Oh, let me take a look." The largest Scavenger had its head blown off by Reinhardt, so I revealed the second largest corpse Fred had killed. "Wow, this guy is double the normal size ..." "This is the second largest one, the largest one was about 50% larger." "In all, how many did you exterminate?" "That''s right ... it''s about 2,000 or so ..." Before I knew it, a circle of onlookers had formed, and when I talked about how the Goblins were attacked and eaten, until the end of the subjugation, everyone was trembling. Around the time we finished talking, Sart suddenly popped its head out. "Wafu, Goshujin-sama, there weren''t any weird monsters down there. However, the humans Master warned before is on the 14th floor." "Is it the Flamehounds?" "Yeah, those guys." "Could you tell the three of them that the group of Scavengers has been subjugated?" "Wafu, I understand, I''m going." It was thought that they had already been eaten, but it seems that it is quite difficult to take down an A-rank party. The onlookers who were surrounding the corpse of the superior species of Scavengers turned their gazes to me and Sart all at once and whispered to each other. "Is that the ''Monster User'' ..." "The story is that Beatrice-chan was violated by him ..." "Even Klaus-sama can''t handle him ..." "He killed nine Gigawolves by himself ..." "He''s a horrible philanderer ..." No, no, Klaus-san works me hard with no hesitancy, a horrible philander ... I don''t think so. When I looked up, the middle-aged adventurer who got involved with me before entering the dungeon was trembling in the shadow of the onlookers. Our eyes met, so I showed my teeth and gave him a smile. "I, I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to hurt you, oh, I''m ... Uwaaaaa ..." Just when I thought he was apologizing, he screamed and ran away. Yeah, if Donovan-san saw me, I''m sure he''d grab me by the collar again and take me away. "Then, Rodrigo-san, I will return to Volzard and report to Donovan-san." "Well, the dungeon will probably be opened after receiving the guild''s instructions, but for the time being, we have a prospect. Thank you." "No, I just fulfilled the request ... well then." I put out a shield of darkness, but away the corpse of the Scavenger, and then hid in the shadows to show off to the onlookers. Now, I have to go home early and reassure Meisa-chan. CH 111 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 111 Letter ***---*** The guild where I went to report the completion of the nomination request was crowded in the evening. I didn''t want to attract attention again, so I was thinking of going directly to Donovan-san''s place, but I saw a person coming in from the entrance. Muell-san, who has pale pink hair and a captivating bust, and Gilik, who is a uselessly large and annoying bug. If Muell-san was there, I couldn''t help but say hello. I emerged from the shadow of the pillar and called out. "Good evening, Muell-san. It''s been a while. Good evening, Gilik-san." "Ah, Kent, long time no see!" "Hey, don''t get carried away, Chibisuke." Muell-san smiled, and Gilik approached with an expression as if he had swallowed a bitter bug. "Muell-san, have you just returned from gathering?" "That''s right. What about Kent?" "I was asked to do a job by Donovan-san, so the report ..." "Hey, was it clinging like a follower and getting sesame oil rubbed on you?"(TN:IDK. Some sort of insult I guess.) "No, no, it''s a job that can''t be done by someone with a big body, so I was nominated." "Eh, did Kent complete a nomination request? Isn''t that amazing!" "Well, well ... it wasn''t a big job, but ..." Fufu, it''s okay to be even more surprised, Muell-san. "Hmph, it''s probably just a job to run errands anyway ..." "It seems that a certain someone with a huge body can''t even run errands ..." "What was that ... you damned Chibi ..." "What is it? I didn''t say a single word about it being Gilik-san, but ..." "Bastard ..." "Both of you, every time you see each other, you just quarrel ... Ah, mou!" Hyahaaa! After a long time, I got scolded by Muell-san. "Hey, look at that, the ''Maou''s next target seems to be Muell "Oh, what can Gilik do against a ''Monster User''?" "No, it''s impossible ... If they''re targeted, it''s the end ..." "Kuuu ... Muell will also be violated ..." No, no, that kind of thing ... Honestly, I''ve been thinking about it for a while. Camilla''s no good ... no, no, there''s already three of them, so any more than that ... But rather than becoming Gilik''s ... good, guwa tto ...(TN:Guwa tto means something like ''with a bang'', it has to do with something loud.) "Kent ... Kent, are you listening?" "Yes? Guwa tto ..." "Hmm? Guwa tto ...?" "Umm ... I finished the request with a ''guwa tto'' and came over ..." Dangerous. I was indulged in an erotic delusion and didn''t listen to the story. Muell-san is staring at me with reproachful eyes. "Hmm ... If you''re thinking too much about naughty things, I''ll report it to Manon." "Yesh? No, that ... I don''t need more extravagant punishments, yes." "Hey, you lewd brat ... if you get too carried away, I''ll gouge out your eyeballs." "Fufuun, I wonder if you can do it ... Who was the person who passed out with a nosebleed?" "Kuh ... that, I was just a little careless ..." "Hmm ... I kindly cast healing magic on you, but I haven''t heard a single word of thanks from you ..." "Gununu ... Bastard ..." "What is it ..." While grinding his teeth in anger and biting his molars, Gilik glares at me as he looks down at me, and I return his glare as if to shoot him down. It''s a little pathetic to glare at him from below. "Both of you already ... Gilik! We have to sell it soon, or we''ll be late to go home. Kent also has a nomination request report!" "Keh, there''s no time to mess around with this bastard, the freshness of the medicinal herbs will gradually drop and wither ..." Gilik left behind an incomprehensible throwaway line, carried the basket of medicinal herbs on his back, and left for the counter. "Kent, you''re overdoing it!" "Uhii ... But, I have to do that much, the people around you won''t come to Gilik-san, will they?" "Well, if you say so, that''s right." "Come to think of it, the old and new duo ... haven''t Tatsuya and Kazuki, or Tomoko and Akemi made an appearance?" "Ah, Tatsuya and Kazuki are sometimes ... But Tomoko and Akemi, he seems to run away when he sees them." "Really, even if he''s so big, he''s still bad at dealing with people." "Really ... two or three like Kent ... I won''t say, but he has to make at least one lover." "No, for me it just ended up like that, but ... I''m serious about them, with the three of them ..." "Hey, hey, Kent has a report too, right?" "Uuh, that''s right ... I''m going." "Yes, yes, see you later, Kent." Tsk ... at me, I wanted to receive it, but I had to postpone the hug. When I parted with Muell-san and walked over to the counter, the onee-san opened the door and was waiting for me before I could speak to her. Hmm ... do you hate talking to me that much. When I looked into the staff space, Donovan-san urged me to come quickly. "Damn, how long are you going to play around with Gilik? The tea will get lukewarm." "I''m sorry, itadakimasu." The tea that was prepared seems to be different from yesterday''s tea leaves, it has a slightly bitter taste, but the flavor is deep. "Hmm ... it''s kind of like an adult''s taste." "Even if you say it, it''s not convincing, but it''s not a bad analogy." Donovan-san, who grinned and loosened his mouth, slowly began to taste the tea. "So, what''s your progress?'' "Um ... the tea looks like it''s going to taste bad, so it''s okay to report after I''ve finished drinking." "I don''t mind ... Come to think of it, have you met Rodrigo?" "Yes. He looks so powerful that I was overwhelmed." "He doesn''t look like that at all ..." Donovan-san sipped his tea, let out a sigh, and then began to speak as if he was spitting it out from his chest. "That guy was a Young Hope of Volzard. He was a much more useful guy than the current Gilik, but he got carried away and was half-killed by a Gigawolf, and since then he''s secluding himself as a dungeon gatekeeper ..." "But, isn''t it difficult to grasp the sense of distance with one eye?" "Hmph, then do you want to try to fight me with an eyepatch on?" "I, I''m sorry, I''ll respectfully decline." "It''s true that having one eye will be a handicap, but it''s not a handicap that''s absolute. The direction of the wind will change and monsters will head for Resenburg, but that''s not absolute either. Even though there is a danger that Volzard will be attacked by the maximum outbreak, it''s not something that can be forgiven for secluding someone who can be of use ..." While looking down at the hand holding his cup, I felt that something else was reflected in Donovan-san''s mind. "Well, I''m not free enough to mess around forever, please finish the interim report." "Yes, the cause of the trouble in the dungeon was that a high-ranking species appeared among the Scavengers, led the herd, and attacked those who entered." "What do you mean, high-ranking Scavengers? Are they attacking living things?" When Donovan-san raised his voice, the staff members of the guild were shaken. Maybe they''re reacting to the part where Scavengers attack living things. "Yes, I captured three Goblins alive, drove them into the dungeon, and used them as decoys. When I guided them down the main route to the lower floors, not a single monster appeared until the second floor. And then they were attacked by Scavengers that were waiting in front of the hall in the middle of the 3rd floor." "An ambush?" "Yes, they stuck to the high ceiling where the light from the luminous moss didn''t reach, waiting for prey to come ..." Afterwards, when the Goblins were chased by Scavengers, were ambushed further in the hall they rushed into, and were attacked and eaten, the staff frowned and began rubbing their upper arms. They''re probably getting goosebumps just imagining the scene. Zawazawa, gasagasa, guchuguchu, boribori ... I purposely reported it with sound effects. When I told him about the size of the three high-ranking species, the total number being over 1,000, and that it was a horde of nearly 2,000, a deep wrinkle appeared between Donovan-san''s brows and he crossed his arms. "Nuu ... I can''t believe it, but it doesn''t look like you''re lying. In such a state, it makes sense that the people who entered the dungeon wouldn''t come back." "Ah, but the Flamehounds seem to be alive. My genus saw them on the 14th floor." "What. Well, did your genus skip past where the Scavengers were and go deep inside ... But, over 1,000 Scavengers attacking people is troublesome. If we don''t get surrounded, it will probably be possible to drive them away, but if you don''t let them escape and get rid of them ..." "Um ... The extermination is over, but ..." "What! You already dealt with it?" Donovan-san''s eyes widened in surprise when I told him that the extermination had already been completed. "Yes, I closed the doorways to the hall where the Goblins were ambushed, and all my genus killed them." "What happened to the corpses?" "Umm ... I''ve taken out the magic stones from the high-ranking species, and left the others in the shadow space as they are. I''m thinking of throwing them away after they''re inspected ..." "You didn''t take out the magic stones?" "Yes, how should I say it, it''s impossible to see, so I''m thinking of throwing them away." Visually, it''s impossible to split the stomach of a 30cm-class gigantic ''G'' and take out the magic stone from inside, and I don''t want to imagine all of my genus doing it. Even the high-ranking magic stones were only slightly larger than a Goblin, so a normal-sized Scavenger would be too small of a magic stone. Donovan-san looked at my face for a while and seemed to be thinking about something. "Kent, can you come to the guild first thing tomorrow morning?" "Yes, as long as there are no other serious incidents, it''s fine." "Okay, we''ll buy those corpses, so don''t throw them away until tomorrow." "Eeehhh, you can buy those?" "What, will you give them to me for free?" "Hmm ... no, if you can buy them, how much ..." "Well, it might not be a big amount for you ..." As for the details, we will talk about it again while they inspect the corpses, so I was released tonight. I left the counter while thinking that I could continue the conversation with Muell-san, and all eyes were once again directed at me. Looking for Muell-san and looking through the crowd of people who were looking at me, the people I looked at panicked and averted their gaze, wondering if I was watching them. Hmm ... it''s really uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I couldn''t see Muell-san or Gilik as a landmark, so I decided to give up and go home. Also, I wanted to avoid scenes like Moses'' Ten Commandments, so I decided to take out a shield of darkness on the spot and hide in the shadows to move. I heard a roaring voice, but I''m not good at being a spectacle, so I''m going back to the boarding house. "Reinhardt, can Scavengers sell?" [ The magic stone is small, but it seems that the shell can be processed and used for various things. ] The Scavenger shell has a moderate thickness, hardness, and elasticity, so it is said that it is used for clothes buttons and combs for combing hair. There are few people who like to collect them because of their appearance, but they are a source of income for novice adventurers. "Hee, is that so, well, if the things I thought about throwing away can be used, that''s better, isn''t it?" [ That''s right. Well, compared to the reward for the nomination request, it''s insignificant. ] I go out behind the boarding house and talk to Amanda-san from the back door. The store seems to be packed with customers today. "Amanda-san, I''m back ... Meisa-chan? Fubuu!" When I called out from the back door, Meisa-chan hugged me like a wild boar before Amanda-san could reply. "Hey, Meisa-chan, that''s dangerous ..." "Where did you go?" "Uh, umm ... Consult the guild with Donovan-san ..." "No way! You went to the dungeon! I told you not to go there!" I''m not good at deception, and Meisa-chan, who has good intuition from Amanda-san, can''t be fooled. "I''m sorry, Meisa-chan. But if someone doesn''t do it, everyone will be in trouble." "That''s why Kent doesn''t have to go." "No, other people can''t hide in the shadows and move. Donovan-san also decided that I could investigate safely." "Uuh ... but, even if it''s not Kent ..." "When I was in trouble, Volzard welcomed me warmly, so this time I wanted to help Volzard. Is that no good?" "Uuh ... you won''t be gone?" "The town where I live is here in Volzard." "Really, really, really?" "Really, really really." "Uuh ... Then I forgive you ..." Even though she said she''ll forgive me, Meisa-chan is still clinging to me and showing no sign of letting go. "Hmm, but Meisa-chan, I didn''t know you loved me so much ..." "Wh, what are you talking about, you''re just Kent!" Meisa-chan blushed and moved away from me as if she was repelled. "Yeah ... but you hugged me and said, Kent, I don''t want you to go to the dungeon ..." "I didn''t say that! I''m not going to talk like that!" "yeah ... but didn''t you even try to take a bath with me yesterday?" "I, I, I don''t do that, I don''t do that! If Kent isn''t here, he won''t be able to pay for the boarding house, so my mother will be in trouble ..." "Yeah ... With so many customers, the shop is booming?" "No, it''s not ... Yes, if Kent is gone, Mofumofu will be gone ..." "Yeah ... says the one who uses me as a pillow every night ..." "Kiiiiiiiiii ... It''s different, it''s different! Cheeky, cheeky, you''re just Kent despite being so cheeky!" After stomping on the ground and raising her voice, she finally feels like the usual Meisa-chan. "Look, you guys, if you''re going to make a fuss, go upstairs! It''s a nuisance to the guests." "I''m not going. I''m helping out at the store, so Kent is in the way, so go upstairs!" "Yes, yes, I understand ..." Far from being a nuisance, the customers are watching over Meisa-chan with a lukewarm gaze. I wonder why they''re looking at me with sharp eyes like a knife. Even though they''re so devoted to Meisa-chan ... Before dinner time, let''s show up at the Investigation Headquarters and finish the regular contact. I didn''t want Meisa-chan to come back when she called for me, so I turned on the light above the table and wrote down that I would be write back. Perhaps because it was getting late, there were no people from other ministries and agencies such as Kajiwaka-san at the Investigation Headquarters, and Sudou-san was just getting ready to go home. "Good evening, Sudou-san, I''m sorry I''m late." "Oh, Kokubu-kun, did something happen?" "I was nominated by someone from the guild, and I was working to solve the dungeon''s troubles." Upon hearing my words, Sudou-san gave a slightly surprised expression and then let out a chuckle. "Well, listening to you talk about guilds and dungeons, it really feels like a fantasy world." "Ah, now that you mention it, you''re right." There seems to be no particular movement in Japan, and I was handed a bundle of letters addressed to my classmates. Oh, come to think of it, class should have been held today, but I completely skipped it. "Kokubu-kun, this one is addressed to you ..." "Eh, to me ..." Separate from the bundle of letters addressed to my classmates was a letter from my father. The neat handwriting is certainly my father''s. "After you get home, read it slowly. Also, tomorrow is Sunday, so you don''t have to show your face here." "Yes, then excuse me for today." I have mixed feelings about what is written in the letter, like I don''t want to read it as soon as possible. I sat down for dinner as usual, but Amanda-san quickly saw through the letter. On top of that, even Meisa-chan is going to sleep in her own room tonight ... They''re really taking me into consideration, I''m really useless. After dinner, I went back to my room and turned on the magic light tool. I can read the letter without turning on the light, but for some reason I feel like I might miss something important if there is no light. The pure white envelope has a smooth texture that makes me feel it''s definitely from Japan. The paper in this world is somewhat lacking in whiteness and smoothness, but it is warm, and I feel that the smooth, pure white envelope is cold. I took out a knife from the shadow storage and carefully cut the seal. To Kento First of all, I''d like to apologize. I''m sorry. I wasn''t a good father. If I write something like this, I think people will look down on me, but I will try to write everything honestly. I married Mitsuko for work. Kento may not understand this, but when I got married, people who didn''t have a family tended to be socially untrustworthy. The president of a business partner often asked me if I was married yet, or if there was a good person around ... and I felt that being single would interfere with my work. Thinking about it now, I think I did something stupid, but I was under the impression that I would be able to date as recommended, get married as recommended, and build a normal family. At first, I played an ordinary husband in an ordinary family, then Kento was born, and this time I intended to play an ordinary father, but I felt that work was more fun than being home, and eventually I even started to feel alienated from my family. There was no way that Mitsuko would be able to maintain her affection for me, and the quarrels between us increased, which further pushed me further away from home. No, that''s not true, it''s not Mitsuko''s fault, I just kept my distance. Honestly, Kento, I couldn''t even feel affection for you. I thought I knew it in my head that if I worked as a married couple, I could have a child, but when I saw you being born, I was confused. I didn''t know how to approach you. I lost my father when I was young and my mother was ill, so I spent my childhood in a facility. After I became an adult, I resumed my life with my mother, but to be honest, I didn''t really understand the parent-child relationship. And yet, without any resolution, I had a child of my own, and I didn''t know what to do. Mitsuko asked me to give you more affection as a father, but it was an impossible request for me, who doesn''t even have memories of living with my father. In the end, I also ran away from raising children, which deepened the rift between me and Mitsuko. The person I live with now is the woman who supported my work as a secretary when I was away from home. She understood and supported me as a businessman that Mitsuko didn''t. As I moved away from home and spent more time at work, I naturally spent more time with her, and it didn''t take long for me to fall in love with her who understood me. Yet, far from asking me to divorce, she asked me to fulfill my responsibilities as a husband and a father. I was told that this was the duty of those who married and had children without caring for their partner. However, I didn''t even understand those words, so I asked Mitsuko for a divorce, and she refused. Being selfish, I even felt disgust towards Mitsuko, and it spread to that house, Kento, and you. When you got caught up in the turmoil, I even felt resentment that I was caught up in a lot of trouble. When I returned home after a long time and met Mitsuko, she vented her anger. It wasn''t until Mitsuko stabbed me that I realized just how selfish and cruel I was. Up until then, Mitsuko had been a girl who would only put her face down and mutter in a low voice, even when she got into an argument with me. That''s why, on that day, I unilaterally conveyed my request, thinking that I would only give her money and force her to take care of you. That''s why when I was stabbed, I honestly didn''t know what had happened. To be honest, I still don''t know what triggered it, but when I saw Mitsuko raging and brandishing a kitchen knife, I finally realized that I had trampled on a person''s life. "It hurts? Doesn''t it hurt? You should know the pain of other people! I hate you so much that I want to kill you, but I can''t support Kento, so I won''t kill you. I won''t kill you, but know our pain! Be cut into pieces. Know the pain I''m tormented by, and act a little like a father!" Mitsuko threw those words at me and cut me with a kitchen knife. True to her words, there was no danger to my life, but I had a stab wound to my stomach, and while I was in the hospital just in case, I was told Mitsuko ended her life. And I, who was hit by a weekly magazine, disposed of the house where we lived, and now live in a place a little ways from Tokyo. When Kento''s impostor appeared, I didn''t know how to lower my face adn go to see him, so I relied on a lawyer and made the problem worse. I''m really a pathetic man. The police came to visit me, and I was really surprised to hear the story of Kento from being summoned to another world until now. And when I read the letter from Kento, I realized how clouded my eyes were. You may think it''s a really selfish way of saying it, but I"m very proud that you, who shared my blood, grew up to be a solid man. I''m sorry. No matter how much I bow my head, I won''t be forgiven. Therefore, I wish from afar that Kento''s life with his new family will be filled with happiness. And this time, in order not to make a mistake, I plan to make my current life with my family shameless. Mitsuko''s burial has already been completed. When you come back, I want you to go and pray with me. I heard from the police that Kento has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. I would like you to do your best while paying attention to your health so as not to damage your body. From the shadows, I wish Kento good health and success. From your father After reading it over a second or third time, I put the letter back into the envelope. The first thing that came to mind was not resentment towards my father, but anxiety. Having never received the love of his father, he said in his letter, he didn''t know how to treat his children. If that''s the case, will I be able to be a proper father since I''ve never had fatherly treatment from my father. Even though I''m not in a position to think about having a child of my own yet, a strange sense of unease rises in my head. The confession that my father didn''t have affection for me was a shock, but somehow I was convinced. Even on my part, if I compare my father and Klaus-san, I feel closer to Klaus-san, even though the amount of time we have spent together and their appearances are completely different. I felt that rebuilding the parent-child relationship would be difficult. [ Are you okay, Kent-sama? ] "Yeah, I was a little shocked, but I was prepared, so I''m not too upset." Reinhardt must have been waiting to speak to me until I had finished reading the letter and calmed down. It''s okay, I''ve spent a lot of time alone at home in Japan, but in Volzard I''m surrounded by so many people I consider family that it''s hard to be alone, so it''s okay. "Yeah, I went to the dungeon early in the morning today, so I''m going to sleep a little early." [ That''s right, the busy days will continue, so rest is important. ] "Yeah. Mart, Mirt, Murt, come on. Let''s sleep together." "Wafu, Goshujin-sama, pat me, pat me." "Wafuwafu, me too, me too." "Wafu, me too, rub my belly." "Yes, yes, understood, understood, come on." I fell into a happy sleep while being rubbed by Mart-tachi''s mofumofu. CH 112 Rank disparity ***---*** The guild, which I visited first thing in the morning, was surrounded by a strange silence even though it was the time when it was crowded with people looking for work. Looking out from the shadows, in the large space in front of the counter, two groups faced each other with an indescribable sense of tension. Needless to say, one of them was originally living in Volzard, and the other was my classmates who showed up looking for a job. It seemed that the two groups were observing each other at a distance of about 2 meters. "Hey, which one''s the ''Monster User'' ..." "I don''t know ... They all have black hair." "They''re not a woman ..." "Woman ... Doesn''t the ''Maou'' use them, don''t do anything stupid ..." I see, it seems that everyone in Volzard can''t tell the difference between me and my classmates, and everyone looks like a ''Maou'' or a ''Monster User''. "Hey, they''re really watching me ..." "You, come here for a moment ..." "No, doing something like that ..." "Apprentice work is okay even after the crowd, right?" "Somehow, we''re not welcomed, are we?" "That''s right, because Takayama was such an idiot, of course ..." Yeah, my classmates are my classmates, and they don''t know how to blend in. When I look closely, I saw that Manon was among the girls and seemed to be explaining various things. This is no good unless I relieve everyone''s tension. In the middle of the two groups facing each other, I put out a shield of darkness and came out in front of them and greeted them cheerfully. "Good morning! Everyone, let''s do our best today as well!" As a result ... "I, it came out! M, ''Maou''!" "Uwaaaa! From a place like that!" "Stop, don''t push, don''t push!" "It hurts, ouch, ouch, you''re stepping on it, my foot, my foot!" Everyone was surprised when I appeared from the shield of darkness so suddenly, and everyone tried to leave all at once, causing a big fuss. However ... "You idiot ... what are you doing!" "Yes, I''m sorry ..." As Planned ... Well, Donovan-san grabbed me by the collar and took me away.(TN:He says ''Plan'' in Engrish here, but just Plan doesn''t mean anything by itself.) Aah, Manon-chan, don''t look at me with those flabbergasted eyes ... At the trainning ground of the guild where I was taken to, there were three people, Ridner, Maru, and Tarik. By the way, they weren''t in front of the bulletin board. "Huh? Why''s everyone here? Combat class?" "No ... Donovan-san said he would introduce us to a good job ... right?" Maru and Tarik also nodded at Ridner''s answer. I wonder what the good job is. If there''s such a good job, I think it would be great if you could introduce me to it. "Kent, take out the Scavengers'' corpses." "Umm ... All of them?" "All of them. Put them out over there." "Yes, I understand. Zae, Tsuo, Kame, Suo, and Tala. Can you please?" "Understood, My King." I put out a large shield of darkness and summoned Zae and the others, who immediately carried out the corpses of the Scavengers I had placed in the shadow space. Seeing me grabbed by the collar and taken away by Donovan-san, my classmates who were following me wondering what was going on, saw the Scavengers that looked like giant ''G''s and groaned in unison.(TN:Again, ''G'' = gokiburi = cockroach) "Wow, gross!" "It''s ''G'', ''G''! There''s such a big one out there, what a different world ..." "No, no, no way, I want to go back to Japan ..." Well, most Japanese people would react in the same way if they saw that form. "Okay, you guys, I''ll explain the job." "Y, yes!" At Donovan-san''s call, the three of them lined up side by side in an upright, unmoving posture. Hey, can I slowly withdraw now. "Dismantle these Scavengers, remove the shells from their back, and take out the magic stones." "Eeehhh ... This, is going to be dismantled ... ?" As expected of Ridner and the others, they all frowned. Even if you grew up in Volzard, this form is physiologically impossible, isn''t it. "What, do you hate it?" "A Scavenger is a bit ... right?" In response to Ridner''s question, Maru and Tarik nodded slightly. "I''ll pay 10 Helts for the labor of dismantling one corpse. It will take some time at first, but if you get used to it, you should be able to do more than 100 corpses a day, even if you slack off. Do you still dislike it?" "10 Helts for one hundred ... 1,000 Helts a day!" "Let''s do it, Ridner!" "I''ll do it! Please let me do it." As soon as they heard the labor pay, the expressions of Ridner and the others changed completely. "Okay, count how many there are first." "Yes, I understand!" Ridner and the others made up their minds and headed for the pile of Scavenger corpses. "Kent, I''ll buy these for 10 Helts each. Is that okay?" "Yes, I don''t really know the price, so I''ll leave it to you." When Ridner and the others counted, there were 1846 Scavengers. In other words, I will be paid 18,460 Helts from the guild. The same amount will be paid to the trio of Ridner and the others, but that will be after dismantling this mountain of corpses. From what Donovan-san said earlier, it should take six days even for three people. Somehow, I started to feel like I''m enjoying myself and making too much money. "Okay, use the hand ax prepared there to crack the outer edge of the shell. Once you''ve finished splitting it, cut it off at the head, and stick the knife in the gap to remove the shell. You can see where the stone is at a glance, so gouge out the surroundings and take it out. The corpses you finished dismantling go here, and the shells and magic stones are washed clean and put together." "Yes, I understand." I watched the work of Ridner and the others, but when they turned it inside out and broke the edge of the shell, the visual of a giant ''G'' with ten legs gave me goosebumps. In addition, whitish bodily fluid leaked out while the shell was being cracked, and when they cut it off at the neck, it splattered. Ridner and the others, ''Gueee'' ... or something, ''Ueee'', they also continued to groan. However, I still think it''s a big deal that they don''t try to stop. Even if you do such hard work for a day, the amount you can earn by yourself is 1/18th the amount I was paid for the corpses I was planning to throw away. Thousands of Helts a day is expensive compared to the work I''ve done in the past at the Livre Plantation and the Garm potato warehouse, but even so, I still feel guilty. "Ueeeeee ... ''G'' dismantling work is impossible, impossible, impossible ..." "Let''s go, we can''t watch this ..." "Gross, it''s too gross, they can do such a job well ..." The words of my classmates watching over the dismantling work made me feel even more guilty. "Umm ... Donovan-san." "What. Oh, did I leave you hanging ..." "Yes, that''s true, but would it be better for me to help them too?" "What are you talking about, you?" "No, because I''m the only one enjoying myself too much ..." "Are you stupid. These guys are thinking about forming a party and working as adventurers. Dismantling is a life-long process. No matter what kind of monster it is, if you can''t dismantle it without changing your complexion, you can''t be an adventurer. "I see ..." Come to think of it, when Ridner and the others start subjugating monsters as adventurers, they won''t have any genus who can take out the magic stones like I do, so they''ll have to dig out the magic stones from their prey themselves. "They can practice dismantling without running the risk of fighting monsters, and on top of that, they can get paid for it. It''s a sufficient job." "That''s right, but the amount of money I earn is ..." "Hmph, there''s no way an A-rank adventurer and an F-rank adventurer earn the same amount of money. Polish your skills, accumulate achievements, raise your rank, and be able to do a job that pays you money ... that''s what an adventurer does." Donovan-san seemed to be talking not only to me, but also to my classmates who were watching, but they look uninterested. Well, in light novels and anime, if you go to another world and become able to use magic, then as an adventurer you can earn money by hunting monsters. For my classmates, since they registered in the guild and made a card, I guess it''s a feeling that they want to go hunting with weapons and dive into dungeons. However, in reality, it might not be fun if they were forced to go outside the ramparts, let alone dive into the dungeon. After instructing Ridner and the others to clean up after work, Donovan-san seemed to be returning to his work. "Kent, I will pay for the nomination request after confirming the status of the dungeon, should I have it deposited into your account?" "Yes, that''s fine." "Then, if there''s nothing else, I need to get back to my job." "Yes, ah, I dug up one ore in the dungeon, but can the guild appraise it or buy it from me?" "Of course. Since the ore has stopped being brought in due to the maximum outbreak, it might go for a good price now. Bring it to the purchase counter." "Yes, I understand." When I returned to the guild following Donovan-san, my classmates followed me. "Tebez, ore purchasing." "Yes? Well, the dungeon is in the middle of a blockade ... Ah, is that Kent-san, I see ..." Donovan-san called out to Tebez-san, who came out to the counter. "Then, can you put it here?'' "Yes ... Umm ... Reinhardt, please." [ Buhahaha, you don''t train enough, Kent-sama. ] There''s no way I can lift an ore that is too big for me to hold. I put out a shield of darkness and ask Reinhardt to carry the ore left in the shadow space. "What ... wait! Please wait a minute. If you put that on the counter, it might break, so please put it on this scale." Seeing the size of the ore that Reinhardt was holding, Tebez-san hurriedly opened the counter door and pointed to the large scale placed inside. It seemed that one of my genus had taken care of it, and the mud from the ore had been washed away. The ore emitted a dull silver light and seemed to be quite heavy. "Kent-san, this is silver ore. Also, it''s seems quite pure." "Eh, this is silver?" "Yes, I specialize in ore appraisal, so there is no doubt." Tebez-san is an earth-attribute magician who specializes in appraising minerals. Of course, there are people at the guild''s branch office near the dungeon who could appraise, but the final appraisal at Volzard would be Tebez-san''s job. "Silver ore of this size is rarely seen. Of course, this is from the dungeon, isn''t it?" "Yes, yesterday, when I was handling the nomination request in the dungeon, I saw it glowing near the ceiling, so I picked it up." "I see, it was quite high, wasn''t it? Those in low places will react to a search if someone searches with earth-attribute magic, and they won''t overlook one of this size." "Yes, it was certainly as high as the roof of the second floor." After weighing the ore, Tebez-san wrote the numbers on paper and started the calculation. I guess he''s multiplying the weight by the market price of silver. "Well ... how about 690,000 Helts?" "Eh ... 690,000 Helts?" "Are you dissatisfied? The price of ore is rising right now, so I am caulculating with a better price than usual ..." "No, no, it was unexpectedly high priced ... Yes, that price is fine." "Then, could you please sign this document? Is it okay to pay it to your account?" "Yes, please put it on my account." Somehow, I''m scared that I''m too blessed. I just casually dug it up, and it''s worth as much as Ridner and the others could get in two years. [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, even if you are active in the dungeon, you can become first-class. ] [ No, no, this is beginner''s luck. It won''t come out like this every time, will it? ] [ No, no, that''s not necessarily true. If you focus on the area near the high ceiling, there are still ores that are overlooked because they can''t reach them even if they know they''re there. ] When told that, it certainly makes me think that if we make use of our special skills, we can be active in the dungeon. Whether it''s going or coming back, it doesn''t take long, so it might not be a bad idea to work in the dungeon once things are settled. When I suddenly looked around, my classmates were looking at the silver ore with a strange expression on their faces. As a side note, the congestion in the morning had already subsided, and all the girls were gone. Just as I was wondering if it was time to decide on a job, Hasegawa-kun, who was in the same class as me, started talking to me. Hasegawa-kun is not as conspicuous as Takeyama or the old and new duo, but he is in a mob position in the class like me. "Hey, Kokubu, they said that stone was 690,000 Helts, right?" "Yeah, but is something wrong?" "I heard that 1 Helt is worth around 10 Yen, so that means 6,900,000 Yen?" "Well, that''s how it seems." "Didn''t you also sell the corpses of the huge ''G''s earlier?" "Yeah, around 18,000 Helts." "Isn''t that over 7 million Yen in total ..." No, if the achievement of the nomination request is confirmed, an additional 1.3 million Helts will be transferred, so if converted to Japanese Yen, the total earnings will be over 20 million Yen, but let''s not correct him. "Somehow ... isn''t Kokubu making too much money?" "It''s true that it''s too much money for me to spend on my own, but if something happens to us that requires money, I have no choice but to pay for it, and if it''s split between 200 people, it''s 35,000 Yen per person. We''re basically in a state where we have no savings, so frankly speaking, we can''t feel at ease with this amount of money." "I see ... if you think about savings, we don''t have anything on hand ... that''s dangerous." "Speaking of which, what about the teachers?" "Ah, they''re going to the ramparts construction. They''re indebted to you, so they''re going to contribute to the city in some way ..." "I see ..." Katou-sensei of Health and Phys Ed is fine, but Oda-sensei, Nakagawa-sensei, and Furudate-sensei are likely to be unable to move due to muscle pain tomorrow. "So, aren''t you going to work?" "Hmm ... What should I do ... Wait, is there a job we can do?" "For now, why don''t you take a look at the bulletin board?" "Yeah ... I wonder if it''s possible to get living support from Japan?" "It''s not impossible, but I don''t know how many months or years it will be before we can return to Japan. Isn''t it dangerous to do nothing until then?" "I guess so ..." "For the time being, why don''t you try doing it like a part-time job?" I guided Hasegawa-kun and the others, who were reluctant to go up, to the front of the bulletin board, explained how to receive the job, and asked them to choose the job they wanted to do and the job they could do. At this time, all that are left are apprenticeships or jobs with a high degree of difficulty, and of course the jobs that can be accepted are limited to apprenticeships. However, even if it it was early, the only work Hasegawa-kun and the others could do right now is apprenticeship. After picking up a job posting, Hasegawa-kun and the others went to the counter, where the guild Onee-san greeted them with a big smile. "It''s a little late, so the daily wage may be discoutned, but please do your best." I listened to one of my classmates asking with a lot of ulterior motives, but it seemed that the guild Onee-san is Fleur-san. I wonder if she''s a bear beastman, she''s a mature beauty in her early twenties, but she looks cute with her round ears sticking out. Encouraged by Fleur-san, whose chest area in the guild''s uniform looked very tight, Hasegawa-kun and the others had lewd looks on their faces as they went to the workplace where they were instructed to walk with a step as if they were skipping. After all, they were looking forward to subjugating monsters and exploring dungeons when they came to another world, but they definitely can''t miss the event of making friends with the beautiful receptionist Onee-san''s of the guild. When I was thinking of moving to Lastock after seeing that everyone had gone to work, I was stopped by Fleur-san. "Kent-san, do you have a minute?" "Yes, what is it ...?" Now that my achievements and name are finally getting well-known, it seems like there''s going to be a ''mufufu'' event with a guild Onee-san. No, no, hold on, is it an invitation for a date? It would be a problem if the chairman or Manon found out ... Ha ha ha ... "Even though Kent-san was with them, it would be a problem if they were still slacking off until this time." "Hee ... umm, is this about the others?" I was a little taken aback by Fleur-san''s sharp tone, which was different from what I expected. "Right now, what time do you think it is? No matter where you work, it''s already time to start working. They want to work as an apprentice at this time ... do you think that would make a good impression?" "No, I don''t think that ... But you told them to do their best with a smile like that ..." "Of course. There''s no way I can say something that cuts off the motivation that''s already lacking. All the girls went out looking for work skillfully. Please tell all the boys to work diligently as well." "Yes, I''m sorry ..." Eeehhh ... Aren''t I the only one she''s treating poorly? Date invitation, ''mufufu'' events ... "Do you still need something?" "No, not really ..." "Then, it''s fine to leave." "Haa ... I''m sorry." Fleur-san drove me away without Huh ... That''s strange, something''s wrong. Though the Onee-sans in the guild should know that I have this many achievements, have raised my rank to A, have done a lot of nomination requests, and have a fairly high income ... Is it because of that? Is it because of Donovan-san''s Plan?(TN:Plan in Engrish again here.) If that''s the case, I''ll definitely demand an improvement in treatment ... I can''t do that ... It seems that the event with the guild Onee-san didn''t happen to me. CH 113 Cat that rides the wind ***---*** It turned out that the promise of another world, an event with a beautiful guild Onee-san, seemed unlikely to happen to me, and when I left the guild in despair, I saw Manon walking down the street. Manon seemed to have found me as well, and came running towards me with a happy smile on her face. If Manon had a tail, it would probably have been swinging around. "Kent, have you finished your business at the guild?" "Yeah, didn''t Manon go to work?" "No, I''ve finished showing everyone, and I''m about to go to the clinic." "Huh? Isn''t the clinic every other day?" "Yeah, that''s right, but I''m thinking of concentrating on healing magic for the time being." "Is that so, then, shall we go halfway together?" "Where''s Kent going?" "I was thinking of going to see how Marcel-san''s shop is doing." "I see, then, let''s go together." Manon, taking it for granted, wrapped her arm around my left arm. On Volzard''s main street, many shops are about to open, and people are busy working in front of the shops. Walking around with Manon arm in arm, it feels like I''m skipping school on a weekday and going on a date. Yeah, I''m a normie? I''m all seeeet! "Did you go to the guild to check on your classmates?" "No, I went to sell the monsters that I subjugated in relation to the nomination request." "Eh, Kent, did you receive a nomination request?" "Yeah, I cleaned it up yesterday." "But the nomination request is a nomination request because the difficulty is high, right?" "Yeah, but in my case, all my genus do the work for me." In fact, in this request, I just put out shields of darkness and closed off the hall, so it''s like I went sightseeing in a dungeon. When I spoke about the contents of the nomination request, Manon pouted and sulked. "That''s nice ... Dungeon, I want to go too ..." "Hmm ... I wonder if it''s okay if it''s a shallow floor when there''s nothing wrong ... After all, do you want to go to the dungeon?" "Yeah, it''s a place where my father was active. I really want to dive once." "Right now, things are a little messy, but when things settle down, shall we go together?" "Really! Are you really going to take me?" "Yeah, I think it''s still a long way off, but I promise." "Yippee! I love Kent!" Mufuu, I was kissed on the cheek. I can feel the warm and resentful gazes from all over the city, but I don''t care, I don''t care. I feel like I''ve gotten used to being the center of attention. Marcel-san''s shop, which is being rebuilt, is on the way from the guild to the garrison''s quarters. I have asked Marcel-san to give Takayama an opportunity to apologize, but I thought that it would feel better after the new store was completed, so I decided to see how the reconstruction progressed. I visited Marcel-san''s temporary workshop, but I only stopped by the shop once after the reconstruction began, and I haven''t seen the progress since then. Herman-san, who is in charge of the construction, seems to hvae a good team of craftsmen, and when I stopped by before, I was surprised to see that the framework had already been erected. And, when I visited this time, I was surprised again. Only about 20 days had passed since the reconstruction of the store began, but the exterior of the store from the main street appeared to have already been completed. The exterior walls of the store were painted in calm beige, perhaps in consideration of harmony with the surrounding shops, and the pillars, doors, eaves, etc. were painted green as an accent. Metal fittings for the signboard were also attached above the door, but the signboard had not been put up yet. It seemed that the construction of the interior was continuing, and the sound of construction could be heard from the other side of the open door. Looking inside through the open entrance, Marcel-san and Herman-san seemed to be having a meeting. "Good morning, Marcel-san, Herman-san." "Oh! Isn''t it Kent, ha, you''re showing off so early in the morning ..." "Good morning, is she Kent''s girlfriend?" "Yes, this is my girlfriend, Manon." "I, I''m Manon, nice to meet you ..." Perhaps because I introduced her as my girlfriend, Manon''s cheeks blushed and she tightened her grip on my arm. "Kent, that''s not quite right ... one of your girlfriends ... is right?" "Yes, well, that''s exactly right." "Hm? What do you mean, Marcel." I introduced Marcel-san at the dinner party the other day, but I didn''t tell Herman-san that I have three girlfriends. "That Kent, he has two more cute girlfriends." "Whaa ... I underestimated you. I didn''t think Kent had that many." "One of them is Beatrice-chan." "What! Kent, are you okay? Klaus-san is, you know ..." "Aah, after all, Klaus-san being an idiot parent is famous. Yes, I have his approval in various ways." "Oh, that Klaus-san approves it ... it''s a big deal." Klaus-san being an idiot parent seemed to be famous, and Herman-san nodded in admiration. "That''s a given, Herman, when I was invited to the dinner party the other day, I thought he had just slipped away, but then he killed the Minotaurs and came back." "Huh? I knew he escaped from the dinner party, but where on earth did you kill a Minotaur?" Hearing about the Minotaurs, not only Herman-san, but also the craftsmen stopped their hands. "Ah, it''s okay. The Minotaurs weren''t heading for Volzard, it was Lastock." "Huh? Lastock is ... isn''t it beyond the Devil''s Forest?" "Yes, I, can hide in the shadows and move around." Herman-san and the craftsment seemed to be surprised but convinced when I showed them dark-attribute magic, the activitites of my genus, and when I actually showed them the horns of a Minotaur. If I keep talking about myself, it seems like the work will be interrupted, so I decided to switch the topic to the store. "Still, to think construction has made it this far." "That''s how it is, it will be quick. All we have to do is install the signboard on the outside of the building, and the rest is just the interior work." "Oi, oi, Marcel, let me be the one to brag about how fast the construction is." "It can''t be helped ... it''s only for today." "No, why? Then I''ll brag about the workmanship of my shoes." "Dahahaha, you can''t do that. Every pair of shoes is a collection of masterpieces that have been carefully finished by me." Marcel-san seemed to be in a good mood as the reconstruction of the store was progressing smoothly. "When do you think the store will reopen?" "Herman is doing his best, and the production of the product is going well, so I think I can resume at the beginning of next month." "If you can''t open the store before New Year''s Eve, Marcel won''t be able to compete." "Is the end of the year and the New Year something to celebrate lively?" "Oh, so Kent will be spending New Year''s Eve in Volzard for the first time ..." According to Marcel-san and the others, the beginning of the year is the beginning of everything in this world, and in Japan, the end of the fiscal year coincides with the end of the year here. The school holds the closing and graduation ceremonies in the second week of December, and the new school year begins in the third week of the new year, with winter vacation in January. Generally work ends on the last day of December, with a total of 10 days off, including the two New Year''s Eve days between December and January, and the first week of the new year. Unlike in Japan, many shops open early on New Year''s Day, and the entire city goes into holiday mode during the ten-day holiday, except for when the garrison is on duty. During holidays, it seems that family and close friends gather and spend time leisurely. "But, if the store is closed for ten days, isn''t it hard to eat?" "That''s why the end of the year is the time to stock up. Food, New Year''s clothes, and so on, everyone buys at once." It seemed that there were bargains at the end of the year in Volzard, and Manon was already looking forward to it. Yeah, it feels like the end of the year is the time to show my worth as a man. Should I give the three of them New Year''s dresses and jewelry? In that case, why don''t I go to Flavia-san''s shop and pick dresses that reveal a lot more? "Kent ... Aren''t you thinking of something ecchi?" "Eh, n, n, no way. I''m not thinking about ecchi things to welcome the new year." "I wonder if that''s true ..." "T, true, true, it''s true ..." Dangerous, dangerous, I wonder how she always finds out. As I was pondering the New Year holidays, Hart suddenly showed up. "Wafu, Goshujin-sama, a big cat is going to Lastock!" "Big cat? Is it a monster?" "Yeah, riding the wind ... it''s really fast." "Riding on the wind ...?" [ Kent-sama, it''s probably a Storm Cat. If you don''t go to help, there will be great damage. ] "Understood, I''ll go right away. Excuse me, everyone, it seems that Lastock is in danger, so I''m going to go for a while. Hart, let Camilla know!" "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama!" I don''t know what kind of monster the Storm Cat is, but judging from Reinhardt''s flustered feeling, I feel like it''s a pretty dangerous monster. I parted from Marcel-san and the others, and hurried into the shadows. "Reinhardt, what kind of monster is Storm Cat?" [ It''s about a size smaller than a Gigawolf, but it uses wind attribute magic. ] "Eh, can monsters use magic?" [ Kent-sama, what do you think that the flame bullets that Salamanders throw out are? ] "I see ... Salamanders use fire-attribute magic." I thought I was the only one who could use magic without chanting, but monsters seem to use magic instinctively. In other words, I wonder if I''m an existence close to that of a monster ... I''m starting to feel more and more like a Demon Lord. [ Monsters use specific attribute magic depending on their type. A Salamander is fire attribute, a Lizardman is water, and a Kobold is earth. ] "Huh? Can Zae and Mart use magic too?" "My King, when we became My King''s genus, we lost our original water-attribute magic. However, we still excel in the water." It seems that the original attribute was lost when they became my genus and changed to the dark attribute. "I see ... So, Storm Cat is a wind attribute, right?" [ Indeed, it runs on the wind and lets fly blades of wind from its claws. It moves fast and changes direction even in the air, so it''s the most troublesome monster. ] "Is it more dangerous than a Gigawolf?" [ Indeed, above all, it runs on the wind, so there is a danger that it will jump over the river. ] "Will the knights of Resenburg be able to subjugate it?" [ It might be possible to defeat it by setting a trap and attacking it all at once, but it would most likely be impossible. ] "Okay, let''s hurry." Alarm bells were ringing at Lastock, creating a tumultuous atmosphere. The knights rushed into the city and called out loudly to evacuate to the garrison. "Hurry up! Monsters are coming, head to the garrison!" "Minimize your belongings and proceed with evacuation quickly!" It seemed that the garrison''s ramparts hadn''t finished hardening yet, and the moat hadn''t even been flushed with water. A large drawbridge was built by Reinhardt and the others, but it couldn''t be raised until the residents had finished evacuating. And it seems that the evacuation of the residents wasn''t progressing as expected. Even when the Minotaur attacked them last time, in the end, my genus were active during the night, and there was no damage to the city of Lastock. It''s good that there was no damage, but it seems that the residents'' sense of crisis had not increased because of it. "Wafu, Goshujin-sama, the cat jumped over the river in the south." "Eeehhh, how far is it from the city?" "It looks like it''ll be arriving soon ..." "Zae! Meet me outside the city!" "I understand, My King!" The Storm Cat seemed to be approaching Lastock at a much faster pace than I had imagined. On the south side of the city, where the wheat fields had finished being sowed, I waited with Zae and the others, and a black dot approached with great force. Calling it a big cat is outrageous. The black panther''s gigantic and ferocious appearance is more like a monster than a ferocious beast. As Zae and the others pulled out their kukri knives all at once, the Storm Cat accelerated further and closed the distance. "Fast ... Everyone, be careful!" The moment Zae and the others stepped in, the Storm Cat kicked the ground and jumped up. Then, while twisting in the air and turning its back towards us, it glared at us and swung its right front leg. I felt a cold chill run down my back, and when I reflexively extended a shield of darkness, the ground outside the shield was torn apart and a dust cloud rose up. If I hadn''t heard from Reinhardt that it could use wind-attribute magic, I would have been turned into minced meat. "Zuryaaaaaaaaa!" Reinhardt swung his beloved sword Gram, but the Storm Cat avoided even invisible slashes by kicking itself into the air, and ran off towards the city at once. "Too fast ... back to town!" We hid in the shadows to try to get ahead of it, but the Storm Cat was running into Lastock town faster than us. "The likes of a monster ..." In front of the residents who were evacuating, a knight stood in its way with his sword drawn, but the moment it seemed he was passed by the Storm Cat, his upper body disappeared and blood scattered. "Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!" "Run! You''ll be eaten!" "The garrison, escape to the garrison!" Seeing that the knight, who had been their mainstay, was easily eaten, the inhabitants like an avalanche started running to the garrison. While running through the streets, the Storm Cat devoured one more resident, and when it reached the edge of the city, it kicked the air like a loop coaster and changed direction, then attacked the line of residents who were evacuating again. [ Kent-sama, I ... ] "I will do it!" Aiming for the moment when the Storm Cat bared its fangs to attack the residents, I deployed a shield of darkness. Dogan! There was a loud, dull sound, and the Storm Cat crashed into the shield and fell into the street. I also stepped out of the shadows into the street and confronted the Storm Cat. "Guwaaaaaaaaa ..." I fired light-attribute attack magic at the Storm Cat, who shook its head and let out an angry roar. No matter how fast the Storm Cat is, it''s no match for the speed of light. The Storm Cat, hit by light-attribute attack magic between its eyebrows, trembled. I was worried about just one shot, so when I fired seven magic shots in quick succession, the body of the Storm Cat tilted and fell to the ground. [ Stunning! As expected of Kent-sama, you have a wonderful skill. ] "But, I''m not very happy that there were casualties this time." Just in case, I had Zae and the others surround the Storm Cat to check it out, but it seemed to be completely dead and didn''t move at all. The residents of Lastock didn''t seem to know what happened, and seemed to be watching us fearfully from a distance. "Hey, what happened ..." "I don''t know, but the monster is still down." "Isn''t that the skeleton that was at the construction site of the garrison?" "Where did that kid come from?" "Hey, it''s Camilla-sama ..." When I was thinking about what to do with the corpse of the Storm Cat, the knights led Camilla in, pushing the residents aside. "Maou-sama, what happened to the Storm Cat?" "I beat it, but it devoured two people." "This is ... It''s dead?" "Yeah, I had Zae-tachi check it, but it''s already dead." Even Camilla swallowed hard when she saw the Storm Cat''s gigantic body. "Maou-sama, was it Maou-sama who defeated it?" "Yeah, I beat it." "Is it by yourself ...?" "Yeah, Reinhardt and the others would probably have to be cautious and avoid it, so I did it this time." "Don''t be a fool, for a child like you ... ugh." When the knight who led Camilla here started cursing me, Zae and the others who were surrounding the Storm Cat moved behind me. "I will not allow a weakling like you to mock My King." "What, Li, Lizardman spoke ..." "Stay back, you idiot. Maou-sama, my subordinates have been rude." Camilla bent her knees and bowed to me. Perhaps because they were glared at by Zae and the others, the knights also reluctantly bent their knees. A groaning noise spread among the residents who saw it. "Hey ... is that the ''Maou''?" "Didn''t he obey Camilla-sama?" "That''s dangerous, hey, get on your knees and lower your head!" The residents who were watching from afar also began to bow their heads while on their knees. Yeah, if this happens, I''m already a Demon Lord. "This time, I could handle it, but if there are many such monsters, it will be too much for me. It might be better to change the evacuation method depending on the type of monsters. Like this time. In such a case, wouldn''t it be better to stay in a building and get away with less damage?" "Yes, I will have Gert and the others consider it immediately." "What should I do with the corpses in the stomach of the Storm Cat?" "If possible, I would like them handed over to their bereaved families." "I understand. Well then, I''ll take them out in the garrison, so go ahead and prepare for it." "As you wish. Hey, I''m going back. Collect the bodies on the street, and let the families know as soon as they''re identified." I put out a shield of darkness and have Zae and the others carry the Storm Cat, and the people of Lastock let out a cry of surprise. "What is that ... hey, it''s going to disappear ..." "Where are they going?" "Skeletons ... even that kid ..." As we waited in the shadow space, Camilla gave instructions and set up a curtain around the garrison''s warehouse to block the eyes of the evacuated residents. After seeing that the preparations were finished, Camilla and her knights all got down on their knees to welcome us. A large cloth was spread out in the area enclosed by the curtain. "Umm ... Should I put it on top of this?" "Yes, over there please." "Then, Reinhardt, I will connect the shadow space to the stomach of the Storm Cat ... Can I ask you to do the rest?" [ Leave it to me, Kent-sama. ] It''s been more than two months since I came to this world, and I''ve seen pieces of meat so far, but this is the first time I''ve seen the corpses of those who were victims of monsters. I can''t handle it with my own hands. The moment I saw the pale arm of the corpse taken out by Reinhardt, I involuntarily averted my eyes. After that, I continued to pray silently until Reinhardt spoke to me through telepathy. [ Kent-sama, it''s over. ] "Thank you, Reinhardt. Have Zae-tachi carry the corpse of the Storm Cat." [ Understood. ] Some of the knights were shedding tears when I turned to face Camilla, taking care not to let the corpses that had been carried out from coming into sight. Even though Funayama was used as food for the goblins, I thought it was quite selfish, but I told Camilla to bury them with dignity and left Lastock. CH 114 Nero ***---*** After leaving the Lastock garrison, Reinhardt, my genus, moved to the special training ground in the Devil''s Forest with the corpse of the Storm Cat. [ Kent-sama, are you bringing this Storm Cat to the guild? ] "Hmm ... I have something I want to try." [ Are you planning on making it your genus? ] "Yeah, I use magic on a daily basis, and maybe I''ll be able to increase my genus again ... I thought." I remembered that the chairman and her caretaker, Erna, were talking about increasing the level of magic at the Lastock clinic. I thought that if I used dark magic on a daily basis, I would be able to do things that I couldn''t do before. The corpse of the Storm Cat had many holes in its forehead and back of its head. I thought that it could be cured by using magic stones to strengthen it after making it a genus, but it was the first time I made a monster with a wound as my genus, so it seemed a bit creepy when it started to move. After taking a deep breath and calming myself down, I faced the Storm Cat and called out to it while being conscious of the magical connection I felt with all my genus. "Will you lend me your strength as my genus? Kuu ..." When I connected the link, I felt like my magical power was taken away, but it wasn''t as bad as when I made the Kobold Corps my genus all at once. If this is the case, I think I can increase the number of my genus more than just the Storm Cat. The light returned to its eyes, and slowly the Storm Cat lifted its head. When those eyes caught my eye, ''Dorodoro'', ''Dorodoro'' ... I heard a low sound. For a moment, I thought it was a threatening sound, but I didn''t feel any hostility in the Storm Cat''s eyes. It seems like it''s purring in a good mood, but because its body is huge, the volume is loud enough to echo in its stomach. "Will you become my genus?" "Naaaaaaaaaan ..." The Storm Cat got up and rubbed against me. Fuwa, hey, what''s up with this fur coat, it''s just like velvet. [ Kent-sama, it''s said that a house can be built by selling the fur of just one Storm Cat. ] "Is that so? No, but I might get addicted to this feeling ..." Of course, Mart and the others'' mofumofu feels good, but the supple texture of the Storm Cat is another kind of comfort. "Guruuuuuuu ... Goshujin-sama is cheating on us ..." "We also feel good too ..." "Wafu, but it can''t enter the room with that size." That''s right. No matter how nice the Storm Cat feels, it''s too big to fit in my boarding house room. Even when it''s standing on all fours, its head is higher than my height. "It''s okay. I won''t neglect Mart-tachi, so please get along with each other." "I understand ... if Goshujin-sama says so ..." "That''s why, please stroke me a lot later." "Me too, my belly, rub my belly." "Yes, yes, I understand, wait your turn." Let''s stroke them a lot later so that Mart and the others don''t get sulky after getting jealous. "Then, I''ll strengthen you, so take in the magic stones." I took out about 10 Minotaur magic stones, threw them into the large mouth of the Storm Cat, and sent an image of strengthening along with magic power. A dark mist enveloped the Storm Cat''s huge body, and a violent purple electric lightning ran through it. It was a powerful monster as it was, but since it lost its wind attribute magic when it became my genus, I thought it would be necessary to strengthen it specifically for the dark attribute. Increase in power, increase in speed, increase fur texture, and add charm. Since it''s big, I''ll put out a shield of darkness so it can go in and out. After a remarkably loud roar of thunder, an undead Storm Cat with lustrous fur appeared from within the exploding mist. Even the wounds left by my attack magic are gone. "Your name is Nero. Nice to meet you." "Nyaa, I''ll be useful to you, Goshujin-sama." Nero squints at me and rubs against me. Fuoooooo ... It''s crazy, it''s crazy, it''s so comfortable that I feel like I''m about to ascend. [ Buhahahaha, as expected of Kent-sama. There is no one other than the Maou of fairy tales who can tame a Storm Cat. ] "Because it''s more dangerous than a Gigawolf?" [ No way. The Flamehounds were aiming for the Gigawolf to add foil to their name, but the Storm Cat is faster and more dangerous, and since it''s a monster that doesn''t stay in one place, there''s almost no opportunity to kill it. It''s at the level of a natural disaster waiting for it to leave, even if it costs a few sacrifices. ] "Nyaa, Nero doesn''t attack humans other than bad guys." "Yeah, but Nero is big, so people in town might misunderstand you, so be careful. Even if you get attacked, you should just run away without fighting back." "I understand ... Nya nya, Goshujin-sama, there, there nya ..." When I stroked the back of its large ears, Nero opened its mouth halfway and showed an ecstatic expression. "Mart-tachi come too." "Wafu, stroke me, stroke me." When I called Mart and the others who had a sulking expression on their faces, they rushed over while swinging their tails as if they were about to be torn off. Uwaa, it''s a mofumofu festival, mofumofu festival. [ Kent-sama, if you increase the number of genus, wouldn''t it be better to rerpot it to Donovan-dono. ] "Ah, that''s right. Yeah, let''s go back to the guild right away." When I visited the guild to register Nero, it was in the afternoon, and there was a relaxed atmosphere with people asking for work. As usual, when I went out from the bottom of the stairs and headed to the counter, I met the eyes of the receptionist, Fleur-san. She was all smiley to my classmates, but her eyes on me were somehow sharp. The sharp gaze of a grown-up beauty made me feel embarrassed. I was going to visit Donovan-san in person later, but when I stopped for a moment, she called out to me. "Kent-san, do you need something? Kent-san is a celebrity, so please don''t hang around too much and cause a ruckus." "Yes, I''m sorry ... Or should I say, do you really hate me that much?" "Haa ... What are you talking about? Adventurers are scared of Kent-san." Fleur-san spoke with a big sigh as if she was amazed. "Hee? They''re scared of me ...?" "Everyone is grateful that Kent-san saved the city, but on the other hand, Kent-san, who uses many powerful monsters like his hands and feet, is also a terrifying existence." "Eh ... But, I look like this ..." "Haa ... Did you forget what you did to the young adventurer who got involved with Kent here before? Also, to the son of the Orlando Store ..." "Uuh ... That''s right ..." The small-fry-like adventurer who got involved was surrounded by shields of darkness, unable to move, and then threatened by being surrounded by Zae and the others. "If you offend the ''Monster User'', you''ll be eaten by monsters and you won''t even have your bones left ... that''s what they say." "Eeehhh ... I won''t do that. Besides, I think they''ve seen Donovan-san carry me off many times ..." "Do you think Donovan-san can be put on the same standard as everyone else?" "No ... That, won''t happen ..." "Anyway, please be more aware that Kent-san is considered a super-dangerous person." "Yes ... I''ll be careful." Fleur-san, who had a sharp gaze, folded her arms and the buttons on her uniform were screaming. "So, what do you want?" "Umm ... I''ve increased the number of my genus, so I thought I''d report to Donovan-san ..." "Genus ... When you say that, you increased the number of monsters you can use." "No, it''s more like a family member has increased rather than being a servant." "Did you increase the number of Kobolds again?" "No, this time it''s a Storm Cat ..." "Huh? Just now, what did you say ...?" "I said, I welcomed a Storm Cat into my genus ... Huh, Fleur-san? Ooh!" Until a little while ago, Fleur-san, who had been looking at me so sharply that I felt a little coldness, opened her eyes wide enough to make them perfectly round, took in a sharp breath, and the button on her uniform that reached its limit popped and flew off. "Kya, eeh, no way ... lies ..." Fleur-san, who returned to reality after the button popped off, hurriedly hid her chest with both hands while her face turned bright red. Guu ... The destructive power is too high for her to change from a queen-like atmosphere to a shy maiden. "S, Storm Cat, is that real?" "It''s true. I can show you ..." "No good! That''s no good. What are you thinking? There are people around." "Aah ..." Certainly, the people who came to ask for work and the guild staff behind the counter were also looking at us when they heard the name Storm Cat. "Donovan-san is at the training grounds for combat training. Please go over there. Definitely ..." "Excuse me ..." Fleur-san, who hides her chest with both hands and puffs out her cheeks while sulking, is ridiculously cute. "What are you grinning about? Please don''t stare at me." "I, I''m sorry. Well then, I''ll go to the training ground." When I looked for Donovan-san and went to the training grounds, the first thing I saw was a mountain of Scavenger corpses. It seems that Ridner and the others continued to struggle while groaning at the splashing bodily fluids, but it didn''t feel like they were reducing much. And when I looked for Donovan-san and moved my gaze to the place where the combat training was being held, an unexpected figure jumped into my sight. It seemed that three adventurers wearing protecting gear and holding wooden swords were attending, but it seemed that it was not a three-way battle but a two-on-one battle. The two of them were probably adventurers who were taking the class, and the one who was dealing with them was Gilik. In terms of age, the adventurers who were taking the class looked older than Gilik, but their expressions didn''t give off a sense of ease. Gilik, on the other hand, was also holding his wooden sword with vigilance instead of his usual cocky attitude. The two adventurers seemed to be plotting to target Gilik by changing positions while giving a wink. In response, Gilik stepped forwards towards one of the adventurers, but that seemed to be the other adventurer''s plan, and the other adventurer quickly circled behind Gilik. With a small click of his tongue, Gilik turned around and raised his wooden sword at the adventurer behind him. The other adventurer who saw it changed his posture from his waist and swung at Gilik''s back, but the wooden sword cut through the air. The tongue click and the reversal were all Gilik''s invitation, and the adventurer who attacked him was hit with a strong blow to his right side and collapsed. The other adventurer''s eyes were captivated by his appearance, and Gilik quickly closed the gap to the other adventurer who stopped moving for a moment. "Damnit ..." Gilik, who had plenty of room to repel the desperate blow, slammed his sword into the adventurer''s shoulder and decided the match. Then, when he turned around, he gave me a piercing glare. I felt that there was a strong determination in his gaze. "That''s the end, Gilik is the winner. Kent, do you want to join us?" "N, no ... I haven''t finished the class on the wind day of the week yet, and I just need to talk to Donovan-san ..." "Hmph ... I see, while you''re at it, give them a little treatment." "Eh ... Ah, yes, I understand." Both of the adventurers, who were struck down by Gilik, were lying down and groaning. When I treated the first who was hit in the side, then the one who was hit in the shoulder, Gilik frowned and clicked his tongue loudly. "Tch, are you seriously going to use healing magic ..." "Have you forgotten that you were also treated?" "Hmph, you won''t be able to say condescending things forever ..." "Fufuun ... No matter how much you talk, you can see the results in a serious match where anything goes ..." "For now ... I''ll cut off your head in a serious match so that you can''t say anything, aah!" "Heee ... You''re going to faint with a nosebleed again anyway ... Fugya." Donovan-san dropped his fist on us when I glared back at Gilik, who was glaring at me from above, from below as usual. "If you get in the way of the class, I''ll kick you out. Kent, what do you need?" "It hurts ... I''m sorry, I thought it would be better to rerpot it after increasing the number of my genus." "If it''s a genus ... what did you add this time?" "Yes, a Storm Cat." "What, did you say ... it''s a Storm Cat ..." Not only the adventurers who participated in the course, but even Gilik and Donovan-san were surprised. "A, anyway, it''s the same size as the cats around here, isn''t it?" Hearing Gilik''s unwillingness to admit defeat, all the adventurers have expressions of understanding, but if a cat the same size as Nero was wandering around, it would be a big fuss, wouldn''t it. "What''s the situation, Kent." "This is the first time I''ve seen a Storm Cat, so I don''t know much about it, but it seems like it''s a normal size." "It''s as firmly under your control as the Skeletons and the Lizardmen are, isn''t it?" "Yes, it''s the same as my other genus." Donovan-san crossed his arms and stroked his chin, thinking for a moment before he opened his mouth. "Okay, Kent, just show me." After hearing Donovan-san''s words, all the adventurers retreated away from me. "Nero, come out." When I put out a shield of darkness, Nero revealed its supple, gigantic body without even making a sound of footsteps. When it shakes its body with a ''bururi'', it rubbed against my body while making a throaty sound. "Nero, this is Donovan-san, to whom I''m indebted. Say hello." "Nice to meet you, Nero nya." "I''m Donovan. Don''t be too violent in the city of Volzard." "It''s fine nya, unless Goshujin-sama tells me to do it nya." Nero was in a good mood and wagged its thick tail. Oh, I forgot, I''ll mofumofu that tail later. "Amazing ... You''ve completely tamed a Storm Cat." "I heard he was a ''Monster User'', but this much ..." "Hey, that Storm Cat is talking." "Just a little bit, just a little bit, I wonder if I can''t mofumofu ..." I understand, I understand the feelings of the adventurers, but I won''t let you mofumofu. And as for Gilik, he was glaring at me with his teeth clenched so much that I could almost hear him grinding his teeth. Mufufufu ... If hit by Nero, Gilik would be KO with one cat punch. Ridner and the others, who were dismantling the Scavengers, also stopped their hands completely and looked at us with their mouths wide open. "Okay, I''ll prepare the registration documents for you. You can have it return for now." "Okay, Nero, go back." "Understood nya." When I put out a shield of darkness, Nero returned to the shadows with the supple gait characteristic of the cat family. "Even so, a Storm Cat ... Your place is getting more and more brutal. Who are you going to start a fight with?" "I don''t plan on starting anything, myself, but ..." "Hmph, why are you hiding? The stupid Princes of Resenburg and the people of Barshania won''t even notice your existence. Isn''t it you, Kent, who is willing to intrude?" "Eeeehhhh ... So, Donovan-san, are you telling me to leave the situation as it is?" "I can''t do anything, but if I were in your position, I wouldn''t remain silent." "Right. Even if I''m called a ''Maou'' in other countries, I''ll continue to work to protect Volzard." "Ha, that''s an admirable way of thinking. I''d like to see a blockhead who only cares about his own face, learn from him." "That''s right, that''s right. Shall I make a decoction of nail dirt and give it to you?" When I looked at Donovan-san with a wide grin on my face, Gilik''s face turned bright red as he gripped the hilt of his wooden sword so tightly that it seemed like it would break. "Well, if you don''t have anything else to do, you can go home, you''re in the way of the class." "Yes, excuse me." If i go back inside the guild, Fleur-san will glare at me, so I decided to hide in the shadows and move. I was so busy that I missed lunch and I was hungry. Maybe ... I thought, and when I returned to the boarding house, lunch had just finished. "Amanda-san, can I have something to eat, too?" "Oh, Kent, isn''t it unusual for you to come home at noon?" "Yes, I''ve been busy since morning, and I missed lunch." "Okay, okay, we''re going to eat too, so come in and sit down." "Yes, thank you very much." At the table in the shop, Amanda-san, Meline-san, the three of us sat around the dining table. "Where did Kent go this morning?" "Yes, I went to the guild to sell the small monsters I defeated in the dungeon. After that, when I went to see how Marcel-san''s shop was being rebuilt, I was informed that a monster was approaching Lastock, so I went to Lastock, added the defeated monster to my genus, went to the guild to report it ... and came back." "Haa ... I feel like my eyes are spinning just by listening to it." "No, compared to Amanda-san, who manages a crowded shop, I still have a long way to go." "Hey, Kent, can you show me what kind of monster your new genus is?" Meline-san, who likes the fluffy Art-tachi, asked with great interest. "Nero, who is the new genus, is a little big, so he can''t come out in the house." "It can''t come out inside the house, Kent, you didn''t make a Salamander your genus, did you?" Hearing that it''s a large monster, Amanda-san looked startled. "No, no, it''s not a Salamander, it''s a Storm Cat." "Eeeehhhh ..." Both of them were surprised with their eyes wide open when they heard Storm Cat. And Meline-san, almost dropped the fork she was holding. "Eh, what''s wrong? He''s cute, my Nero." "Kent, when you say Storm Cat, it''s said to be an unstoppable calamity that appears on the wind of death, reaps lives, and passes by." Even Meline-san, who likes fluffy things, can''t believe it. "That''s right. It was indeed very fast, and even Zae-tachi couldn''t stop it." "Kent, is it okay ...?" "Yes, I''ve already shown it to Donovan-san, and I''m supposed to have him make the registration documents." "it must be true. Well, if Kent says so, it should be fine ..." "Yes, I''ll have it greet you in the back when you''re done eating." "What is it, even the Storm Cat can talk?" "Yes, it''s easier to communicate that way." "Haa ... For some reason, living with Kent seems to keep breaking down my common sense." Hmm ... As for me, I think I act with common sense. When I looked a little unconvinced, Meline-san gave me a giggle. As for Meline-san, her training at Amanda-san''s shop will last until the end of the year, and she plans to reopen the store her father left for her from the New Year. "Honestly, I''m a little worried, but Amanda-san taught me some recipes, so I''m going to start with a limited menu and gradually increase it as I get used to it." "If it''s Meline-san, you''ll be fine. I''ll give you the stamp of approval." "Thank you very much. I really don''t know how to thank you ... Kent, thank you very much for introducing me to this place." "No, no, it''s a shop that your father left behind, so it would be a waste to close it like that ... Speaking of which, how is your brother doing?" "Yeah ... Nicola says he''s switching up to become an adventurer." Meline''s expression clouded as soon as she started talking about her younger brother Nicola. Even when he was working in the cafeteria, I can do it, I can do it, it''s your fault if you can''t understand, he was just passing the responsibility on to someone else, I don''t think switching to an adventurer will improve the results. Shortly after Nicola turned fifteen, it seems that there was a time when he was aiming to become an adventurer, but since his guild rank is E-rank, he can''t even go outside the ramparts by himself now, so he''s lounging around at home. "Shall I go and kick him into gear?" "Haa ... really, I''d like to ask you to do something." "Shouldn''t you consult with Kartz-san?" "Yeah ... I consulted with him, and I told Kartz-san to be firm, but ... because of his personality ..." Even if Kartz-san preaches, it feels like a waste of effort because he will avoid bringing it to a close, and it has little effect, Kartz-san is rather a physical person, so it seems that he is not suitable for a person like Nicola. "Since he''s your only family, it''s understandable that you want to take care of him, but if you spoil him like that, no matter how much time passes, he won''t be able to become an adult." "I guess so, but ..." "Isn''t it impossible if he doesn''t wake up after having a painful experience?" I agree with Amanda-san, but I guess Meline-san doesn''t want him to end up in danger. "I''m moving around here and there, so I don''t think there are many opportunities to be with Nicola-san, but I''ll be careful when I see him." "Thank you, it would have been nice if I had a kind kid like Kent as my younger brother ..." Aah, if Meline-san was my older sister, I would take a bath with her, and fall asleep while hugging her in the same bed ... "Kent, you show what you''re thinking on your face, so be careful ..." "Hiii? I''m not thinking about impure things." "Haa ... I didn''t say anything about anything impure ..." "Guu ... that''s right ... I''m sorry." "Really ... why are boys like this ..." Amanda-san was stunned, and Meline-san giggled. After the meal, I introdued Nero behind the boarding house as promised. When Nero emerged from the shield of darkness, Amanda and the others involuntarily took a few steps back, but when Nero narrowed his eyes and greeted them, they seemed to relax. "Nero nya, nice to meet you." "Haa ... Certainly, you can''t enter our house with this size ..." "Hey Nero, can I tough you?" "It''s okay." "Fuwaaaa ... It''s so fluffy ..." "Well, well, howaaaa, this is the first time I''ve touched something like this." Amanda-san, who was lured by Meline-san and touched Nero, also has a melting expression on her face. Well then, let me mofumofu your tail. "Funyaaaa ... No, Goshujin-sama, the tail, suddenly the tail is no good nyaaaa ..." When I squeezed Nero''s tail, which took my whole arm, Nero''s body convulsed and it leaked. Because of its physique, there was a large puddle. "Kent ... you should clean it properly." "Yes, I understand ..." "When you touch the tail, I want you to say so properly nya ..." "Yes, I''m sorry ..." Both Amanda-san and Nero scolded me, so the afternoon''s work consisted of cleaning the back of the boarding house. CH 115 Visiting a grave ***---*** After finishing cleaning the back of the boarding house, I decided to show up at the Investigation Headquarters. Sudou-san told me that I didn''t have to show up because it was Sunday, but I wanted to ask him something, so I decided to go see him. I heard that the Investigation Headquarters for major cases doesn''t have days off, but the summons case is a special situation, and they can''t even conduct a substantial investigation, so they are given days off on a rotating basis. Sudou-san wasn''t there at the Investigation Headquarters, but Morita-san was among the investigators. In order not to surprise everyone, I came out and called out to them fro ma distance. "Hello, Morita-san, are you on duty today?" "Oh, Kokubu-kun, that''s right, well, I can get a day off on another day. Rather than that, didn''t Sudou-san tell you that you don''t have to show up because it''s Sunday?" Morita-san stopped his paperwork and greeted me with a smile. "Yes, that''s what I was told yesterday, but I have a favor to ask ..." "Hahaa, did the girls ask you to do some shopping again?" "No, it''s not like that ... Morita-san, could you lend me some money?" "I don''t mind if it''s just pocket money, but what are you going to use it for?" "Um ... I want to buy flowers and incense sticks ..." Upon hearing my words, Morita-san''s smiling expression tightened. "Okay, I''ll go with you." "Eh, Morita-san too?" "We can''t say that we are not responsible for your mother''s death." I didn''t expect Morita-san''s offer, so I couldn''t make a quick decision, so after thinking about it for a while, I decided to decline. "Excuse me, Morita-san, I haven''t been able to fully sort out my feelings yet, so if possible, I''d like to go alone today ..." "I see ... that''s right. Then, will you accept this as flower money from us? I''m sorry I didn''t put it in the bag ..." "No, that''s ..." "I beg you, please accept it." Not only Morita-san, but also the other investigators looked at me and nodded. "Understood. Thank you very much." I bowed to everyone and received a 10,000 Yen note. From the Investigation Headquarters, I moved through the shadows again. I headed for the shopping district near Shimo-Akatsuka Station on the Toubu-Toujou Line. I went out in a back alley a little away from the shopping street and bought incense sticks and a disposable lighter at the drugstore, and flowers for the offering at the flower shop. The grave of the Kokubu Family was built by my father when my grandmother passed away, and it was located in the cemetary near the Akatsuka Botanical Garden. It was about a 20 minute walk from the shopping street in front of the station. I thought about moving in the shadows, but I decided to walk around. The sound of trains, the sound of cars, the music reverberating in the shopping district, the illuminated signboards ... The sights that were taken for granted just a while ago now looked very fresh. [ The world where Kent-sama lived is quite lively. ] [ Yeah, but places like Ikebukuro and Shibuya are bustling with more people. ] [ There are many tall buildings, and the technology is quite advanced. ] [ I agree. Since there is no magic, the technology of machines, crafts, and construction has advanced. ] It felt fresh to even I, who used to live there, so for Reinhardt, who was watching from the shadows, it must have been a strange sight. After walking along the bus street, going down the slope, up the slope, and turning left on the way down again, I saw the cemetary. I borrowed a bucket, a ladle, and a rag from the administration building, climbed the stairs, and stood in front of the grave. It was a small grave with a tombstone inscribed with Kokobu Family above the place for the bones. [ Kent-sama ... ] [ Yeah, it''s okay. I cried a lot at Manon''s house ... ] I sprinkled water on the tombstone with the ladle, wiped it with the rag to remove the dirt, filled the flower stand with water and offered the flowers I had bought. I''d never arranged flowers before, so I couldn''t get the balance right. [ Kent-sama ... ] [ Yeah, I''m fine. ] [ No, it''s not like that ... It looks like you''re being watched for some reason. ] [ Where is it from? ] [ It looks like they''re peeking through a black tube from the glass-enclosed building over there. ] The administration building is made of glass, and you can see the cemetary from the rest space. When I looked sideways while rinsing the rag, it looked like a person holding a camera and another person was taking notes. Maybe ... I thought, but it seems that the media was staked out. [ Does it feel like they''ll come over here? ] [ For now, it seems that they are only observing. ] Apparently, they don''t plan to come in contact until I finish my visit. In order to return the borrowed bucket, I would have to go to the entrance of the administration building, and the stairs I came up were right next to the administration building. If they watch from over there, they probably don''t have to worry about me escaping. But, if they don''t mind, I''ll go ahead and visit at my leisure. I lit an incense stick with the lighter, crouched down in front of the tombstone and put my hands together. "Grandma, Mom, I''m home. I''m back to Japan safely ..." I told them about the events from the day I was summoned to the present day while keeping my hands together. "Mom, Dad didn''t feel any affection for me ... It was written in the letter I received yesterday. To be honest, it was quite a shock, but I was strangely convinced. I talked about the contents of my father''s letter, how I felt uneasy about being a proper father, how many people supported me in Volzard, and ... I spoke about the questions I had in my heart. Aah, just as I thought ... I feel it''s like that." "Hey ... Mom, why did you leave me behind? Did Mom also not feel any love for me, either?" When I became aware of it, tears were running down my cheeks. The tears were not just sadness, but a mixture of frustration and anger. The letter from my father was a shock, but I understood what he was thinking and what he thought of me, so I was able to make sense of it. However, I can only imagine how my mother felt since she passed away without leaving her will. But, no matter how much I tried to imagine her, it was only my imagination, and the opportunity to know my mother''s true feelings for me was lost forever. "More ... I should have spoken to you sooner." I felt like I was reminded once again that even if it''s a blood related family, if you don''t put it into words, you can''t express your feelings. "Mom, I decided to live with my new family in Volzard. That''s why ... please watch over me so that I can properly convey my feelings so that I won''t fail next time." I put my hands together again and prayed for my mother to go to heaven. I opened my closed eyes and stared at the tombstone. [ Reinhardt, are there people around? ] [ No, there''s no one but those watching you. ] Then, I gave instructions to Mart and the others. "Mart, Mirt, Murt, when I give the signal, from behind the people who are watching me, bark as loud as you can without showing yourselves." "Wafu, I understand, Goshujin-sama." I stood up with the bucket in my hand, and when I turned my gaze, it met with the two people who seemed to be media. Then, when I tapped the ground with my toes and signaled ... Mart and the others surprised them when they barked. Aiming for that moment, I crouched between the tombstones and dived into the world of shadows. "Where''s the dog?" "Hey, Kokubu Kento isn''t here!" "What, where did hey go? Did you notice him?" "Think about it later, let''s chase after him!" From the shadow world, I watched the man with the camera and the man with the notepad in his hand run noisily down the stairs. They split into two groups and ran in opposite directions. Will the photos taken today be published in a weekly magazine? If possible, I''d like you to choose and use the ones that make me look like a good-looking guy. I returned the bucket and the rag and returned to Volzard. Amanda-san''s shop was about to open for the evening. "I''m back." When I called out from the back door, Meisa-chan came running with tremendous force. "Kent, Mofumofu! Show me the big Mofumofu!" "Yeah, yeah ... It''s impossible if it''s not outside." "Yeah, hurry up, hey, hurry up!" She must have heard from Amanda-san or Meline-san. Feeling impatient, Meisa-chan continues stomping her feet. "Nero, come out for a minute." "Nyaa, you called me, Goshujin-sama." When Nero slowly emerged from the shield of darkness, Meisa-chan, who had been stomping her feet, froze with her eyes wide open. "This is Meisa-chan, Amanda-san''s daughter." "Nice to meet you, Nero nya." "H, huge ..." Meisa-chan was clinging to my waist, half hidden behind my back, staring at Nero. She heard it was big, but I guess she didn''t think it was this big. After all, it''s big enough to swallow Meisa-chan whole. "Meisa-chan, you can touch Nero, but you can''t touch its tail all of a sudden." "Tail ...? Fluffyyy, thick tail ..." Then, Nero fluttered its thick tail around me and Meisa-chan. "Fuaaaa ... Fluffy ..." Meisa-chan''s expression was melting due to Nero''s fur, but I think mine''s melting too, because I''m wrapped up together. Nero''s big face approached us, and when I stroked the back of Nero''s large ears, it began to purr noisily in a good mood. "Kent ... I want to sleep with Nero ..." "Hmm ... There''s no room inside for Nero ..." "Uuh ... I want to sleep with it ..." "Hmm ... Then, how about we pick a nice day and go on a picnic during the holidays at the beginning of the year? If we take a nap outside, Nero can stay with us." "Picnic! Go, absolutely go! It''s a promise." "Yes, yes, shall we invite Amanda-san, Meline-san, Yuika, Manon, and Beatrice?" "Yeah, I''m going to ask Mom to make us a bento!" "Of course, Mart and the others will be with us." "Wafu!" If I forget to appeal, it looks like they''re going to be jealous again. By the time Nero returned to the shadows and we returned to the boarding house, evening hours had already begun. "Then, I need to help, so Kent should stay quiet on the second floor." "Yes, yes, I''ll be quiet, so please let me know when it''s time for dinner." I thought of going upstairs with Meisa-chan chasing me away, but I was stopped by a customer''s story. "Hey, did you see it? The Gigawolf." "What on earth, the alarm didn''t ring." "Oh, no. The Gigawolf was pulling a carriage." "Huh? Then it''s not a carriage, it''s a Gigawolf car, isn''t it?" "Idiot, such a meaning ... how do get that? No, it''s not like that, it''s a tamed Gigawolf." "Yeah, then it''s the work of the ''Monster User'', right?" "It''s different. Somehow, it was a young woman holding the reins." Meisa-chan looked at me as if she wanted to say something, so I shook my head with my hands raised, folded my arms and tilted my head. Then, a man entered the shop. "Sorry, I''m really sorry. I''m not a customer, I''m a messenger from the guild. Amanda-san! To your lodger ..." "Yes, that''s me, but what is it?" "Oh, are you Kent? Donovan-san wanted me to tell you to show up tomorrow morning when the crowds are over. The story is that the Guild Master from the Headquarters has come." "Understood, please don''t forget to tell him that I''ll visit him." "Righto!" When the messenger man left the store, Meisa-chan looked at me with a worried look on her face. "Kent, are you doing dangerous work again?" "No, I think they just want to hear about the maximum outbreak." "Really?" "Really, really. However, the Guild Master at Headquarters is over 250 years old ..." "Two hundred and fifty years old ... are they an elf?" "Eh, there are elves?" "I don''t know ... they appear in fairy tales ..." "Do elves live that long?" "They live for more than five hundred years ..." It seems that elves are legendary creatures, but there are Maou-like ones here, so it wouldn''t be strange if they were there. "Meisa, if you don''t want to help me, learn math from Kent on the second floor ..." "Help! Kent is in the way, so go upstairs!" "Yes, yes, I understand." I returned to my room on the second floor as Meisa-chan, who hates arithmetic, drove me away. "Reinhardt, are there elves?" [ The elves are said to live in deep forests on a different continent from here. ] "Then, do they actually exist?" [ No ... I''ve never actually seen one, and I''ve never met anyone who said they did. ] "Are they a fictitious existence?" [ No, there are stories of people who met elves in old lore ... ] Even in Reinhardt''s time, elves were legendary. [ Kent-sama, aren''t you more interested in the Gigawolf story? ] "That''s right. Is it possible to tame a Gigawolf?" [ Since you have a Storm Cat, you should be know, but I have never heard of someone who has a Gigawolf. ] "I heard that they were pulling a carriage, so maybe ..." [ There is a high possibility that they are companions of the Guild Master from Headquarters. ] Since they are the Guild Master of the Headquarters that oversees all the guilds that exist in Landshelt, naturally the escorts on the road will be strict. A Tamer, a high rank adventurer, must have driven the carriage while controlling the Gigawolf. If a Gigawolf was there, Goblins wouldn''t approach, so it would be an effective escort method. "If they can tame a Gigawolf, did they tame other monsters as well?" [ There is a high possibility of that. Even if you try to tame something, no one will suddenly try it with a Gigawolf. ] "Then, did they start with Goblins and Kobolds and gradually move on to larger monsters?" [ No, I hear they start with smaller monsters, but I don''t know how they are tamed. ] Tamers who use monsters use special techniques, and it is said that a tradition that is not leaked to the outside world is being passed down from master to disciple. [ Since it was said that the one who was holding the reins was a young woman, perhaps that woman''s master was accompanying her. ] "I see ..." "Goshujin-sama, the Gigawolf is at the guild''s training ground." Murt poked its head out and told me. Perhaps, after hearing about the Gigawolf, Reinhardt instructed them to search for it. "Thank you Murt, I''m sorry, but could I ask you to stay in this room? I''d like to check on the Gigawolf for a bit, so please let me know when Meisa-chan calls for me." "Leave it to me, Goshujin-sama." I stroked Murt who came out into the room, and went to the guild by hiding in the shadows so that we could replace each other. There was a crowd of people at the training ground, and they were watching the Gigawolf from afar. On the other hand, the Gigawolf was lying under the eaves of the warehouse, and a young woman was brushing it. She seemed to be two or three years older than me, had dark purple hair, was about 170 centimeters tall, and had a slender figure. When I went closer to inspect them, she seemed to know about the gazes around her while she was brushing the Gigawolf, and her well-groomed face had a proud expression on it. "Amazing ... It''s the first time I''ve seen a living Gigawolf." "Is that okay? I feel like she''s going to die just by it being playful." "Idiot, it''s completely tamed, otherwise she couldn''t do that." I heard words of surprise and awe from the people who were keeping their distance. It''s not just my imagination that every time I hear that, the Tamer-like woman''s face seems to start collapsing into a grin. "Hey, compared to our ''Monster User'', which do you think is superior?" "That''s right, Volzard''s ''Monster User'' is definitely superior." The hand that had been brushing stopped, and the woman looked back with a grim expression. "Just a minute, what did you mean just now? Superior to me? Volzard''s ''Monster User''? Don''t be ridiculous. Please remember well, the second name of ''Monster User'' is for this me, Ruija-sama." When Ruija crossed her arms and stood diagonally while puffing out her chest with her slender chin sticking out, the Gigawolf, that had risen to its feet, walked towards them with a low growl, and the people who were watching from afar fled into the guild in a race to get inside first. [ Kent-sama, it looks like this one is going to be troublesome. ] "Yeah, I think so too ..." For some reason, I felt exhausted thinking of going to the guild tomorrow morning. CH 116 Party from Guild Headquarters ***---*** After dinner, Meisa-chan, exhausted from her math homework, left for the dream world. I asked Mart and the others to take care of Meisa-chan, and I decided to listen to the reports from Fred and Basten. [ At the training grounds ... 5,000 men of the Third Prince''s unit have joined ... ] "What kind of person is the Third Prince of Barshania?" [ Third Prince ... Nicolae is the Commander of the Magician Squad ... ] In Barshania, the First Prince, Gregory, leads the knights, and the Third Prince, Nicolae, oversees the magicians. He''s in his mid-twenties, and although he''s not as strong as his older brother, he''s got a solid build, and he seems to have a dignity that doesn''t seem inferior even when mixed with the knights. [ A user of fire-attribute magic ... it seems that he also has knowledge of martial arts ... ] "How are the brothers doing?" [ There is no problem at all ... They''re lining up horses for exercises ... ] According to Fred, the current Emperor of Barshania, Constant Liforos, has four sons and a daughter, but he only has one Empress, and has no concubines, and they are all children of the same mother.(TN:Couldn''t find much on these names, they seem to be Old Greek, but for Liforos, the only thing I found was Leoforos, which is slightly different from the kanji ¥³¥ó¥¹¥¿¥ó?¥ê¥Õ¥©¥í¥¹ . If anyone has a better suggestion, I''ll take it?) "Then, there''s no such thing as a succession dispute?" [ From what I''ve researched so far ... the brothers are actually working together. ] The First Prince presides over the knights, the Third Prince presides over the magicians, and the Second Prince is in charge of internal affairs as the Emperor''s right-hand man. It seems that the movement of the Fourth Prince and the Princess has not yet been investigated, but it seems that no bad rumors have been heard. They are monogamous and seem to have solidified the foundation of the country under strong blood ties. "Hmm ... the core of the country feels very different from Resenburg." [ Yes ... The Third Prince is also popular ... ] After the exercise, Gregory and Nicolae sometimes appeared together at the market to buy and eat at the stalls. Somehow, they feel like very ordinary people, don''t they? [ Barshania''s unit of magicians is ... pretty strong ... ] It seems that the exercises were held in the desert, but the magicians were organized into units by attribute, and they cast magic of the same attribute all at once, and it seems they also perform attacks that create synergistic effects with magic of different attributes. "Magic synergy ...?" [ Combine fire and wind ... the flames increase ... ] In other words, if a fire breaks out on a windy day, the damage will be greater. It seems that the fire attribute is the strongest in terms of simple attack power, but the wind attribute seems to be the best in terms of increasing the synergistic effect. In addition to the combinations of fire and wind, and water and wind, it seems that training was also being carried out to create a quagmire by combining earth and water to stop the opponent. And it seems that such compound magic was more effective when activated from the windward side. "As expected, are they aiming for the coming season when the west wind blows strongly?" [ The possibility is high, but it seems that the exercises of this scale are not uncommon ... ] It''s suspicious, but it''s not definite proof of invasion ... It''s a very troublesome feeling. On the other hand, I heard from Basten that the party of the Second Prince''s faction had arrived at Bamata in the Count Gleisner territory. [ Kent-sama, they seem to be sending spies to Lastock. ] "Eh, does that mean there''s trators among the knights?" [ No, they don''t seem to be among the knights, but they seem to be blending in as residents of the city, and there''s been talk of turning the garrison into a fortress. ] "Does that mean that everyone in my genus are known to be working?" [ Yes, there have been rumors of you using monsters, and there have also been rumors of Camilla being accompanied by the ''Maou''. ] "Isn''t that bad? Won''t they be wary?" [ So far, it seems fine. ] According to Basten, the spy seems to be in the hands of Count Gleisner, and he advised caution, but neither the Second Prince, Bernst, nor the Third Prince, Christoph, seemed to take it seriously. "Is Count Gleisner not trusted?" [ No, it''s not that, one reason is that the number of knights in Lastock is small, and the other is that they don''t believe in the existence of the ''Maou''. ] The number of knights stationed in Lastock is only a little over 100, and no matter how strong a fortress is built, it is no match for an army of over 10,000. It seems that Demon Lords exist only in fairy tales, and that there are at most only a few skilled Tamers. "Then, does it seem the Second Prince''s faction will ignore Lastock?" [ No, far from ignoring it, he seems to be thinking about something outrageous. ] "Something outrageous ... you mean they''re going to attack them?" [ Yes, it seems that they are thinking of slaughtering all the residents of Lastock during the turmoil of the civil war and making it their own territory. ] [ What an imprudent person! ] Hearing Basten''s story, Reinhardt raised his voice with an angry expression. Of course, I completely agree with him. "I won''t let him do that. I can''t let him do that." [ Of course, Kent-sama. We will decapitate those who are unscrupulous like that, even if they are members of the royal family. ] Both Basten and Fred nodded at Reinhardt''s words. According to Basten''s information, before the Second Prince''s faction meets the First Prince''s faction, they intend to take over Lastock as a way to pay for their trip, and then head for Kabasa Pass after they have gotten rid of ttheir worries. [ Kent-sama, they are, on the surface, planning to enter Lastock under the guise of assistance for the maximum outbreak. ] "Ah, I see ... Camilla requested support. If they let them inside, the residents will be in danger ... what should we do?" [ Buhahaha, it''s simple, Kent-sama. All you have to do is put up a sign on the road. ] "A sign ...?" For some reason, I had a bad feeling about Reinhardt''s loud laugh ... [ Indeed. Beyond this point, it is Maou Kent''s territory, and it is forbidden to advance troops without permission! Something like that. ] "No, no, no, my territory ... I have no intention of occupying Lastock." [ Then what are you going to do? If Camilla continues to supervise, there is no reason to refuse the Second Prince''s army. ] "No, but come on ... wouldn''t it be rude to do something like that on my own?" [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, it''s fine because we''ll do it on our own. If you tell her this story, Camilla will show her will to submit, but some of the knights and residents will be opposed. It will be troublesome when it comes to convincing them and making them submit. ] "I see. If we do it on our own ... is that what we''re going to do? Well, we''re actually going to do it on our own, so maybe that''s fine." [ No problem ... no one can stop Maou Kent ... ] [ That''s right, Kent-sama, let''s beat them up. ] I feel a little uneasy because of both Fred and Basten''s excitement, but we can''t let them slaughter the people of Lastock, so let''s just do whatever we want. "As for timing, it will be around the time when the First Prince''s faction leaves for Kabasa Pass. Until then, prepare for the interception." [ From the fork to Kabasa Pass, the road to Lastock goes through narrow places and forests. They can''t even deploy a large army there, so it''s perfect for a counterattack. ] [ Buhahaha, if the Kobold Corps disturbs the long line, chaos will inevitably occur. ] [ That''s right ... It''s possible to kill them all ... ] "Yeah, about that interception ..." Regarding the method of intercepting the Second Prince''s faction, I made only one request, but it was accepted without hesitation. [ Then, Kent-sama, tomorrow we will have a meeting with the Master of the Guild Headquarters. It''s time for you to rest. ] "That''s right, then it''s time to become Meisa-chan''s pillow." After stroking Mart and the others in turn, I entered the bed, and although I don''t know what kind of sensor she has, Meisa-chan immediately clung to me. There''s no doubt that I will be used as a pillow tonight, but I would like you to refrain from drooling. However, even though she should be sleeping, it''s not a bad feeling to have someone snuggled up to me. When I was in Japan, my life might have been different if I had a younger sister like her. The next day, when I went to the guild around the time the morning rush was over, I saw my classmates hanging around in front of the bulletin board with the posted requests. When I turned my gaze to the counter, from Fleur-san, do something about this ... I was directed a line of sight that felt like such, but I explained how to receive work yesterday, and if I continue to take care of them, they won''t be able to become full-fledged people. I feel it''s like that. Therefore, I gracefully ignored the request from Fleur-san''s gaze and greeted her with a smile. "Good morning Fleur-san, Donovan-san told me to come here ..." "Kent-san, just now, you know what I wanted and ignored it, didn''t you?" "Just now ... what do you mean?" "Please don''t joke around. I''ve received several complaints from clients. They said that if they warned them during the work, they just left ..." "Eeehhh ... is that true?" "Is there a reason I would lie to you?" "No ... there isn''t." Now that she mentioned it, the number of people in front of the bulletin board seemed to be about half of what it was yesterday, and Hasegawa-kun was nowhere to be seen. When I was thinking about what to do, Donovan-san appeared from the back. "You''re here, Kent." "Good morning, Donovan-san." "Good, let''s go." "Um ... Before that ..." I stopped Donovan-san from leaving immediately and talked about my classmates, but instead of coming up with a countermeasure, I was laughed at. "Hmph, let them think about that themselves. Or are those people hanging out there your illegitimate children or something?" "That''s outrageous, there''s no way I could have a child of the same age." "Then let them do something about it themselves, there''s no need for you to take care of them. Once they''ve registered with the guild and gotten their cards, the time to be protected is over." "But everyone is confused by the sudden change in environment ..." "If that''s the case, isn''t it necessary to make an effort to get used to the environment? At least, Kent, isn''t that how you lived?" "That''s right, but ..." "Kent, you are taking too much care of everyone. Spoiling someone who has no reason not to be able to do something is also depriving them of their potential. If you don''t cultivate the power to break through, you won''t be able to become a full-fledged person no matter how long it takes." "Yes ..." "Let''s go!" I bowed my head lightly to Fleur-san, who was looking at me with a resentful gaze, and chased after Donovan-san. Donovan-san and I headed to the building next to the guild. It seemed that this was a facility for important people related to the guild to stay when they visited, and there were similar facilities in guilds in other cities. "Kent, if you go up to S-rank, you can stay for free when you go to another city." "Eh, I can stay for free?" "That''s right, S-rank adventurers are given preferential treatment." "Preferential treatment is it ... Somehow, it seems like I''ll be forced to do some troublesome request ..." "Hou ... you understand well, don''t you?" "Yeah, in my world, nothing is more expensive than free ... There''s such a saying." "Fufufu ... That''s what it is." Donovan-san went through a corridor covered with a thick carpet like that of a Feudal Lord''s mansion, and used the knocker attached to the door, which was also elaborately designed. After a few moments, the one who slowly opened the door was a man with a stouter body than Donovan-san. He wore a black leather jacket, black leather pants, and black boots. His hair was cropped short and gave a great sense of oppression. I was surely surprised by his physique, but what caught my eye the most was the mask. He bent a square metal plate around his face that had thin slits for his eyes, but you couldn''t see his eyes from the outside. The masked man reminiscent of an android in a sci-fi movie greeted Donovan-san and I in silence, not even moving. "I''m Donovan, the head of the guild. The one over here is Kent." The masked man tilted his head and looked away from Donovan-san to me, but he didn''t seem to open his mouth. I couldn''t read his expression because of his mask, and I couldn''t imagine what kind of emotion he would have. "I''m Kent ..." For the time being, when I lowered my head, it seemed that the man''s head also lowered, though only slightly. The masked man silently moved his body aside and nodded his head for us to pass. Thinking that this masked man was probably acting as a personal bodyguard, I was looking at the situation, but the moment Donovan-san passed him, he instinctively backed away, and immediately after that he gulped down his saliva. That, I thought something was wrong, so I stopped moving, and when he noticed that I wasn''t following Donovan-san, he looked back at me more quickly than he had before. Then, when he noticed that I was staring at him, his body trembled. For some reason, I felt like his eyes were swimming under the mask. "Kent, don''t play around and come quickly." "Ah, yes, I''m sorry ..." When I turned my gaze to Donovan-san, the masked man certainly let out a sigh. Yeah, for some reason, I feel like he''s a different person on the inside than on the outside. Inside the door was a sitting area. Sofas large enough for about three people to sit comfortably were placed facing each other, and a sofa for one person was placed on each end with the table placed in between. A woman was sitting sideways on the three-seater sofa and observing us. She was probably in her late twenties, resting her left armpit on a large cushion, sticking her cheeks in the air while smoking a long, thin pipe. Dark brown hair that extended straight down to her waist, big eyes full of curiousity colored deep emerald green, and it felt like I was going to be sucked in. Her brown body was wrapped in a highly revealing costume like a dancer from the Arabian Nights ... Anyway, it''s poisonous to the eyes. Also, an old man with a thin wooden cane was sitting quietly on a one-seat sofa. The slightly thinned grey hair was tied back, a goat-like beard, and the smiling eyes are reminiscent of a cat taking a nap on the porch. Umm ... I wonder which one is the Master of the Guild Headquarters. "Long time no see, Reese-san. Lau-san, it''s been a while." It seemed that the woman was Reese-san and the old man was Lau-san. Come to think of it, the Guild Master at the Headquarters was over 250 years old, so Lau-san ... I don''t think so ... "Donovan, is that the Kent of the report?" "Yes, this is Kent." "Hello, nice to meet you ... I''m Kent." "I''m the Guild Master of Headquarters, Reese. Let''s not talk while standing ... Well, sit down." I sat down with Donovan-san on the sofa across the table, but the smell of cigarettes and perfume, and the outfit I had a hard time looking at, made my head spin. Even so, are you serious that she''s over 250 years old? "Fumu, no matter how you look at it, you don''t look like someone who can single-handedly defeat four Salamanders ..." Reese-san was looking at me while smiling a genuinely happy smile. Well, it''s true that I don''t look strong, but it hurts a little when you say it straight to my face. "Three Skeletons, five undead Lizardmen, thirty-three undead Kobolds ... I see, it makes sense that you''re called a ''Monster User''. Didn''t you bring them with you today?" "I asked them to go here and there for errands, so not all of them are with me, but some are with me." "Some are with you ... what does that mean?" "Umm ... They''re in the shadow space ..." "Oh ... you can even use shadow summoning. Interesting, show me the monsters you use." I glanced at Donovan-san and he nodded, so I put out a shield of darkness and called out to all my followers. "Reinhardt, would you come out. Mart, Mirt, Murt come out too!" [ Hohou, is this the Guild Master of Headquarters? ] "Wafu, did you call, Goshujin-sama?" "Pat me, pat me." "Me too, rub my bell too!" Reinhardt stood behind me, and Mart and the others hugged me while swinging their tails. "Hey, what about chanting? And did those Kobolds just speak?" "Ho ho ho, that surprised me. Talking Kobolds ... No, I''ve lived a long life." Even Lau-san, who hadn''t said a word until then, smiled when he saw Mart and the others. Hey, until I heard his voice, I completely forgot about his existence. [ Kent-sama, that person, he''s a considerable master ... ] Reinhardt spoke to me by telepathy, and as soon as I turned my gaze back to Lau-san, the hair on my back stood up and I felt like I was going to faint. The glimpse of Reinhardt''s gaze wasn''t that of a good-natured old man, but it was as if a mighty monster was wearing the old man''s skin. That cane is definitely a prepared cane, isn''t it? Mart and the others also had their hair raise and bared their fangs at the same time, and let out a low growl. "Lau, don''t make fun of young people ..." "Ho ho ho, sorry, sorry, I didn''t intend to do that, but ... right?" Lau-san, who was rebuked by Reese-san and stuck out his tongue, returned to the original good-natured old man, but Mart and the others didn''t try to break their battle stances. "Mart, Mirt, Murt, that''s enough, it''s okay ..." "Ugh ... Goshujin-sama, he''s a scary guy." "Are you sure it''s okay?" "Will you call Art-tachi to defeat him?" "Thank you everyone. It''s okay, so you don''t have to be cautious anymore." After stroking them in turn, Mart and the others finally lowered their bristled fur and released their vigilance. To be honest, my back is already soaked with sweat. "I see ... Donovan recognizes this as an S-rank. I''ve never seen anyone tame a monster like this, ho ho ho." "Lau, even if the monsters are fine, what do you think of the user himself?" "Indeed ... He still doesn''t have enough training, but it doesn''t seem like he''s showing everything, so he''s not bad ... No, he''s quite interesting. It seems that Gunther''s deceptive appearance was seen through." So, the masked man was a deceptive appearance after all. When I involuntarily looked behind me, he lowered his head as if to shrink his huge body. Even so, Lau-san, even though you''re smiling at me, it makes me feel like a frog being started at by a snake. Seeing through my state of mind, Reese-san asked after letting out a chuckle. "Kent, you, where did you learn how to use magic without chanting?" "How to use magic, I wasn''t taught." "Hmm ... that, is it because you have the dark attribute?" "No ..." For a moment, I wondered if I should talk about being summoned from Japan, but Donovan-san looked at me and nodded, so I told her what happened after the summoning. "What ... you were summoned from another world ..." "Yes, I''m thinking of living in this world, but I want to someone return my classmates and teachers who were summoned together with me to their original world." I''m looking for a way to return to the original world, the reverse summoning by the summoning technique is unlikely to go well, I''m the only one who can use shadow movement to return, I told her that I was looking for a way to somehow get a living person to pass into the shadow world. "Umm ... I heard that Reese-san is familiar with dark attribute magic, but is there any good way to do it?" "Hmm ... How to draw a living person into the world of shadows, huh ... It''s not like there''s no way ..." "Really! Please, tell me." "It''s not that I don''t mind telling you ... But, can I ask you for a favor instead?" "What is it? Is it a difficult request? If I can do it, somehow ..." After spitting out the smoke from her deeply inhaled cigarette, Reese-san declared with a bewitching smile. "Hey, it''s not that difficult ... Be my companion." "Huh? Wh, what do you mean ...?" "I''m telling you to transfer from Volzard to Bakkenheim and become a couple with me." "Eeeeeehhhhhh ..." I was dripping with sweat unlike when Lau-san was glaring at me. Licking her lips, Reese-san''s bewitching beauty was incomparable to Beatrice''s, and I felt a sense of danger that I might be swallowed whole instead of just having my meat eaten. It''s dangerous, it''s the feeling of a tree frog being stared at by an anaconda. CH 117 Guild Master Reese ***---*** The bewitching Guild Master of Headquarters, Reese-san, was staring at me, but I couldn''t help but freeze when I couldn''t answer. "Reese-san, would you mind not making fun of children at that level?" "Are you kidding me? What are you saying, I''m serious." "Are you seriously saying that you want this chick-like kid to be your husband?" "That''s right. This guy is the man who is suitable to be my companion." "Why is it such a chick-like kid though ..." "Because he''s an excellent user of dark-attribute magic. Besides, even though I''m a long-lived dark elf, I''ve been thinking about giving birth to at least one child soon." "Dark elf ..." When I heard that she was a real elf, especially a dark elf, I couldn''t help but let out my voice. "That''s right, Kent told me that he was also from another world, so let''s flirt around and talk about my background." It seems that when Landshelt was still part of Resenburg, the ship Reese-san was on was wrecked in a sotrm and washed up on the eastern edge of the coast. Dark elves seem to have an aptitude for the dark attribute without exception, but Reese-san''s own magic power was weak and she was unable to activate magic well. Reese-san, who was caught without a way to resist, was sold as a slave because she was a rare dark elf girl, and because of her beautiful appearance, she was kept in a brothel. "My life in the brothel was horrible ... day after day, I couldn''t even get a day off, and my body was being toyed with by lustful men ..." She was a rare dark elf prostitute, and thanks to her popularity, she was able to receive treatment from a skilled healer even if she injured her body, in return, it seems that it was a hellish time that even if her body was broken, she couldn''t get out. "Kent, do you know how I got out of my hell?" "N, no ... I don''t know." "Can you remove a slave bracelet?" "Ah ... did you learn to use magic?" "Actually I found a way to use magic." "A way to use magic ... is it?" "That''s right, if you don''t have enough mana, you can take it from somewhere else. Luckily, there was no shortage of people who could pour in mana ..." "Eh ... that''s ..." "You should know about that much." Reese-san licked her lips with a bewitching smile. In other words, it''s that kind of thing. After that, Reese-san, who left the brothel, used dark-attribute magic and the bedroom techniques that she was made to acquire, made a fortune, expanded her network, and when Landshelt became independent from Resenburg, she played a central role in realizing the abolition of slavery. "Since I came to this land, I have met only a handful of dark-attribute mages, and there was no one who could master the arts. Don''t you think it''s only natural to want to have a child with you?" The story I heard may not contain anything inconvenient for Reese-san, but even considering that, I think the abolition of slavery is a splendid achievement. However, I can''t leave the chairman, Manon, and Beatrice to marry Reese-san. "Reese-san, weren''t you here about Kent''s promotion to S-rank today?" "Donovan, you''re an unromantic man who is always by the books... There is no reason to prevent Kent from being promoted to S-rank." "Then, you don''t mind if I issue an S-rank card." "I don''t care. To become S-rank in a little over two months from F-rank ... He''s even more suitable to be my companion." "Um ... is there really a way to bring living people into the shadow world?" "Yes ... but Kent, I don''t know if you can do it or not." "Reese-san, can you do it?" "Hmm ... I''m sorry, but I don''t have that kind of power ... but I heard that some dark elves can do it." "Is that ... a method that can''t be done easily?" "Fumu ... Is it your intention to hear it little by little like that?" I was wondering if I could somehow get a hint, but I can''t even find a clue. "Kent, do you hate being married to me that much?" "No, Umm ... Because there are people who I have promised my future to ..." "Hohou ... did that Klaus offer his daughter?" "It''s not like he gave her to me, and also ..." "Then, you have more than one girl to marry? In that case, there should be no problem even if we increase by one." "No, that''s why ..." Adults are adults, Reese-san, who had a bewitching smile, kept me overwhelmed and I couldn''t stop sweating. "Well, it''s fine. Since I''ve taken the trouble to visit Volzard-kun, I''ll be staying for a while, so you don''t have to reply now. Think carefully and give a proper answer." "Haa ... I''ll think about it ..." After that, it was decided to talk about the state of the maximum outbreak. Hearing that the number of goblins was unusual, that four Salamanders had attacked, and that Minotaurs and a Storm Cat had attacked Lastock, which was not recorded in the report, Reese-san and Lau-san made severe expressions. "That, something might be happening on the other side ..." "I can''t say for sure, but I think so too." The other side that Reese-san and Donovan-san referred to was the continent next to the peninsula beyond the Devil''s Forest. A long time ago, the continent where the summoned person, the Maou, reigned and scattered a huge amount of magical power, is now a world ruled by monsters. "Even we dark elves keep away from that continent. It seems that some people thought about moving there in the past, but it was just like setting up a residence deep in the Devil''s Forest. It was said that all but those who fled were wiped out." "If they''re a user of the dark attribute, wouldn''t it have been possible to make the defeated monsters their genus and solidify their defenses?" "Fufufu ... Kent. Even among the dark elves, the number of people who can be followed by a large number of genus is limited to only a few, and the number of genus that can follow a normal person is four or five at most." "Eeehhh ... is that so?" "A mage like you is a rare existence among dark elves." In my case, it''s a power that I got from being summoned, and unlike everyone else, there might be some sort of irregularity at work. But, if I can surpass the standard level of dark elves, I feel like I can bring a living person into the shadow space. The problem is, what do I do ... The story changed from the maximum outbreak to the struggle for succession to the throne of Resenburg, and then to the trends of Barshania. "Fumu ... It''s good, really good. After all, why don''t you become my "That''s a little ..." "Hey, no matter how many other women you take, I don''t care. As long as you become the parent of my child and work as my right hand, I won''t make any other demands." Reese-san sat down to show off her revealing outfit. "But, I have people I''ve decided to ..." "Fufufu ... Kent is cute ... Well, it''s fine, you should talk to your lovers." After that, I had lunch with her and was severely abused, and when I returned to the guild with Donovan-san, I was exhausted from the bottom of my heart. "That was a disaster, Kent, well, you should have some tea ..." "Yes, thank you very much." When I passed through the corridor and went to the space in front of the counter, I saw a woman with purple hair hanging on to Fleur-san. When Fleur-san saw me, she pointed to me and smiled. Ah ... I think she has a grudge for throwing away the troubles of my classmates. The purple-haired woman who turned around is Ruija, the Gigawolf tamer. She''ll get involved ... I thought, but Ruija looked a little frightened. Still, she walked up to us as if determined, and she stood in our way. "Oh, you''re Volzard''s ''Monster User''!" "No. I''m Donovan, the head of this guild. What do you need?" "Eh, eh, no, I''m sorry." Ruija returned to the counter with indignant steps. Yes, yes, the cover-up operation was a great success. "Using a person as a shield is different from what an S-rank adventurer should do." "Ueeeee, th, that is, that was just a mistake over there, umm ... I''m sorry." "Hmph ... There''s no after-meal tea as punishment. Hey, you can go." "Eeehhh ... Is it okay to go home?" "Do you want to become Reese-san''s companion?" "Haaa ... that''s troublesome ..." Ruija, who returned to complain to Fleur-san at the counter, returned with the outer corner of her eyes raised. "Wait, you''re the Volzard ''Monster User''! You should have named yourself, how dare you humiliate me like this!" "It''s not like I''m calling myself a ''Monster User'' ..." "What''s that! Then you''re saying that I''m an idiot for calling myself that?"(TN:Yes.) "I mean, where are you from?" "Hey ... are you saying that you don''t know Ruija-sama, the ''Monster User'' who belongs to the Guild Headquarters?" "Yes, because in Landshelt I only know Volzard ..." "Hmph, you''re a country boy. Well then, it might be unavoidable. Take this opportunity to remember. Ruijia-sama deserves to be the one called ''Monster User''." Aah ... She seems like a really annoying person ... she''s calling herself Ruija-sama. "From today onwards, even in this Volzard, speaking of ''Monster User'', it''s the nickname, which refers to me, Ruija-sama. You should call yourself another nickname." "Yes, yes ... I hvae no intention of calling myself a nickname, so please do whatever you want ..." "You don''t seem to understand how great I am. Come with me for a moment." "No, I''m having tea with Donovan-san ..." "It''s okay, just follow me quickly. Don''t complain about it." "Haa ... Please finish it quickly." "Hmph, it''s a hundred years too early for an underdog like you to order something from me." "Yeah, yeah ... I''m an underdog ..." If she came with Reese-san, she probably hasn''t heard about me. I decided to reluctantly accompany Ruija as she walked briskly to the training grounds. At the training ground today, Ridner and the others, ''Uheee'' ... or ''Ueee'', they continued to dismantle the Scavengers while groaning. Speaking of which, it looks like the pile of corpses has decreased a little. "It''s a completely strange city, isn''t it. Where the hell did all these Scavengers come from ..." "This is the aftermath of the maximum outbreak, and they were generated in large numbers inside the dungeon." "Hee ... So, there''s a dungeon. Where is the entrance in the city?" "No, the entrance to the dungeon is about half a day''s walk away." "Hee ... They brought them from such a place. It''s a hard story." Well, it would be a problem if they just brought it in normally, but it''s not a big deal since I got the help of all my genus and threw them into the shadow space. "Bran! Come here!"(TN:Might be Blanc, not sure ¥Ö¥é¥ó ) Halfway through the training grounds, Ruija called the Gigawolf in a loud voice. Upon receiving the instruction, the Gigawolf, Bran, began running ferociously towards us, as if to attack the people watching from afar. "Uwaaa, it''s attacking me!" "Run away, you''ll be eaten!" "Help me, Mom!" The adventurers who were watching rushed to escape, pushing each other and falling into chaos. "Hey, what are you doing? Isn''t it dangerous?" "What are you talking about, Bran wouldn''t attack people without my instructions!" "Even if that''s the case, normal people would be surprised if a Gigawolf were to run up to them!" "Hmph, if they''re scared at this level, they should get out of the business as an adventurer." I''m getting mad at Ruija''s selfish words. "Please, this is my lovely Bran." Looking at Bran again, it looks half as big as the Gigawolves I killed before. [ Kent-sama, this Gigawolf is in the process of growing into an adult. ] [ Yeah, that''s how it feels. ] It seems that Reinhardt''s opinion is the same as mine. "Fufuun, I feel like you can''t even make a sound. Anyway, it''s the first time you''ve seen a living Gigawolf, right?" "No, I''ve subjugated them before, so it''s not the first time. Was it Bran? It looks like it hasn''t fully grown up yet." "Haa? What are you joking about? Subjugating a Gigawolf?" "No, I''m not asking you to believe me, but ... Ruija-san, didn''t you hear Reese-san''s purpose in coming to Volzard?" "Wait! Why are you calling her Reese-san so overly friendly? Call her Reese-sama, Reese-sama!" "Yes, yes ... So, did you ask about Reese-sama''s purpose? Or were you not?" "Hmph, I know why she came to visit. After all, I, my brother, and Bran escorted her and brought her here to Volzard." Does that mean Gunther is Ruija''s younger brother ... or rather, is he that young! "Fufuun ... It looks like you were surprised beyond words." "Yes, Gunther-kun, he''s so young ... Wait, the real bodyguard is Lau-san, isn''t he?" "Haa? What are you talking about? Lau-san is her escort? Gunther-kun ... how do you know my brother?" "No, I''m Reese-san''s goal, so it''s not strange that I know about it, right?" "Huh? What are you talking about? Reese-sama, sama! Reese-sama''s goal is to appoint an A-rank adventurer who was successful in repelling the maximum outbreak to S-rank. A kid like you ..." "This is my A-rank card. It looks like it will be an S soon." When I showed her my guild card, Ruija looked surprised for a moment, then wrinkled her eyebrows. "Hey you ... forging a guild card is a serious violation of the rules. If you do that, you''ll be stripped of your rank." "Haa ... you''re a really annoying person ... I saw the Gigawolf, can I go home now?" "Wait, even though someone is kindly telling you, I''m going to tell the guild staff that you''re saying that. Or rather, there''s a living Gigawolf so close, so you should be more scared." "Hmm ... There''s nothing particularly scary about it ... Lau-san is many times more scary ..." "Haa? What are you talking about, are you afraid of such a gentle old man? Are you crazy? Or rather, where are your monsters? Anyway, you''re capturing goblins alive and training them with bait and whips. Bring them here for a moment. Bran will swallow them whole." Hmm ... if it becomes a fuss, I''m afraid Donovan-san will get angry again, but he told me to deal with her, so I don''t care what happens. "Haa ... Understood. Let me introduce you to my genus." "Hmph, what kind of genus can you have ..." "Nero, come here." When I put out a shield of darkness behind me, slowly Nero appeared as if melting from the pitch-black shield and rubbed against my face. "No, no ..." As soon as Ruija saw Nero, her eyes widened and she began to slowly back away. Well, Ruija''s reaction was as expected, but even Bran was trembling and backing away. Aah, its tail is hidden in its crotch ... it''s strange even though its not physically inferior. "Where are you going? Ruija-san. Nero, say hello." "Nyaa, Nero nya, nice to meet you nya." "Hey, it talked!" "Nero, the Gigawolf over there is called Bran. Should you play together and get along?" "Nyaa ... No good. Gigawolf will die if I scratch it a little bit. It''s not fun unless it''s a Salamander." Since Nero is also a member of my genus, it seemed to understand my feelings, so it exposed the sharp clows on its front legs and licked them. Seeing that, Bran ran around behind Ruija and desperately tried to hide even though it was protruding. Yeah, it''s just as much a deceptive appearance as Gunther-kun. "**! I, if you bully my Bran, I, I, I won''t forgive you!" "No, no, I''m properly telling Nero to get along with them, aren''t I?" "L, lies. Th, that claw! What are you going to do to Bran with that claw!" "Nya? Just play around ... just, play, nya ..." When Nero bared its fangs and grinned, Bran finally leaked. "Kuh ... I, I''ll remember this. The one who is called ''Monster User'', is this me!" "Uuuuuuuu ... Gauu!" Ruija and Bran left with throwaway lines like a master and servant and left for the space next to the warehouse. Well, I won''t get involved for the time being. "Goshujin-sama, Bran''s opponents should be Mart-tachi nya." "Yeah, well, I guess so ... Nero, you can go back." "Yes, nya." After rubbing his big head against me again, Nero returned to the shadow space through the shield of darkness. "Kent, the cleaning tools are in this warehouse. Clean it up properly." "Hee ...?" When I turned around, Donovan-san suddenly appeared, crossing his arms and pointing with his chin at Bran''s leak marks. Aaahh ... I''ve been cleaning pee for two days in a row. CH 118 Relief supplies ***---*** After I finished cleaning the training grounds, Donovan-san handed me a guild card and I was officially promoted to S-rank, but nothing special happened. "What, did you want me to hold a grand ceremony?" "No, it''s better not to stand out, so this is fine ... or rather, I don''t mind if I stay A-rank." "Really, S-rank is also the dream of all adventurers. Come on, play it cool." "Even if you say that, if I pretend to be self-important, it doesn''t look cool." "Hmm, that''s true too ..." It may not be a promotion celebration, but after having a cup of tea, I decided to show up at the Investigation Headquarters. If Morita-san was there, I wanted to say thank you for the flowers. In the Investigation Headquarters, there were piles of cardboard boxes and other items in the space created by clearing away the desks and chairs due to the downsizing. I looked around, but it seemed that Morita-san was nowhere to be seen, so maybe he was taking a paid leave. I exited the shadows from a place away from the inventigators and called out to Sudou-san. "Hello, Sudou-san. You have quite a lot of boxes, but ..." "Ahh, Kokubu-kun, is it? These are relief supplies from the government." Kajikawa-san from the Cabinet Secretariat spotted me and approached me with a smile on his face. "Hey, Kokubu-kun, thank you for the magic tools and magic stones last time." "Hello, Kajikawa-san. I''m sorry that they couldn''t demonstrate their true performance." "No, no! The researchers are very excited." "Is that so? But, I feel like it doesn''t make much sense on Earth where there is no magic essence." "No, that''s not the case. Magic is something completely different from the existing technology system. And magic essence? Even if there is no such thing, if we can create a substance that can be used as a substitute, there is a possibility that an outrageous technological innovation will be born." "I see ... I don''t really understand, but if it can help you, it''s worth it." "So, it''s not like it''s a thank you for the magic tools, but I prepared it myself ... can you carry it?" "It''s fine to carry, but what is this?" When I saw the piles of cardboard boxes, I was instantly convinced. "Soy sauce, miso, mayonnaise, seaweed ... of course, there''s rice. Also, instant noodles and curry roux!" "Oooooh! This, everyone will definitely be pleased." "There''s meat over there, right? How about potatoes, onions, and carrots?" "Yes, there are similar vegetables, so it''s okay." "Yeah, vegetables and the like might affect the ecosystem if you aren''t careful about bringing them ... even if I say that, the amount you eat will probably be high, but I don''t want there to be any negative effects as much as possible." There are enough supplies for 200 people, so the amount of relief supplies is quite large. A ton of rice, soy sauce, miso, and other items are piled up in cardboard boxes. "Also ... Kokubu-kun, if possible, could you please give me a little more flexibility with the magic stones?" "Magic stones are said to be lumps of magic essence, so is it okay to affect the earth?" "Hmm ... that puts me in a difficult position to be told that. To be honest, I can''t say that there is no impact at all, but the people in that world are fine, so it''s okay ... I guess it''s that kind of feeling ..." For Kajikawa-san, it''s a bit of a lame excuse, but there''s no reason not to give them considering all the supplies we''ve received. "Understood. I''m going to leave about 100 of them for now, so could you investigate the impact on the environment?" "Of course, we''re still investigating." "Also, bringing magic stones here means that the magic essence over there will decrease, so I thought it would be better not to bring too many ..." "Hmm ... That''s right. Over there is a society that relies on magic, and it would be bad if you couldn''t use magic there. Come to think of it, have you heard from the lord over there about any requests regarding science and technology?" "Yes, for now ... I wonder if it''s better to say no ..." After thinking about it for a bit, I told him that something like gunpowder had been developed in that world. "Hmm ... I see, once gunpowder is developed, it wouldn''t be strange for weapons to evolve rapidly. I don''t know, but there''s a technology called magic over there, so there''s the possibility that things will evolve in a different form and at a different speed than on Earth." "After all, it''s impossible for me to bring weapons out of Japan, right?" "That''s right. That would be difficult. I think it would be difficult even if the situation where your lives were in danger continued and the use of modern weapons was absolutely necessary." "Is it impossible to use a shotgun for hunting?" "Hmm ... Regarding firearms, strict control is required, even the number of bullets, so it''s difficult to do it without violating the law." "Is that right ... But, isn''t it better to avoid bringing in weapons from here and suddenly evolving weapons?" "That''s right. I feel that it would be better to keep it to the extent that it is conveyed as technical information if such becomes necessary." Since I was able to come back to Japan, I decided to consult with Kajikawa-san about something that had been bothering me for a long time. "Umm ... Should I give them information about steam engines and internal combustion engines?" "I think it would help raise the standard of living." "But, using fossil fuels is not good for the environment." "That''s right. In that respect, magic seems to be a renewable energy, and it can be said that it is an environmentally friendly technology. Well, that''s why the researchers are making a fuss." "I remember learning that deforestation and air pollution have accelerated with the use of steam engines ... is it better not to bring them in?" "Hmm ... That''s a tough question. In the case of the steam engine, you need fire to make steam, but if you supplement that with magic, wouldn''t the impact on the environment be minimal?" "I see ... but internal combustion engines are no good, right?" "That''s right. Regarding internal combustion engines, energy is extracted by burning fossil fuels explosively, so it seems difficult to substitute it with magic, if we don''t introduce environmental technology like we have on Earth, it will definitely cause air pollution." There are many useful technologies in Japan on Earth that Volzard does not have. However, bringing them in without thinking will also bring negative effects, and I don''t think it''s necessarily good for Volzard. Volzard can supply water with magic tools, and sewage is also purified with magic tools. There are magic tools that serve as refrigerators, there are magic tools for lighting, and there is no internet or cell phones, but I don''t feel that it is very inconvenient. I feel that if we bring in Japanese technology and develop it rapidly, it will actually create a distortion in the world. "Well, it''s better to consult with the Lord and decide about that." "Is that so. I''ll talk to him once I go back." I have a lot of supplies to bring with me today, so I asked Zae and the others to help carry them. Mart and the others said it was disgusting, probably because there is no magic essence in this world, so I put out a shield of darkness right next to the supplies. Even so, the people who were present at the Investigation Headquarters were in an uproar at the sight of Zae and the others. "Kokubu-kun, that is ..." "It''s my undead Lizardman. It''s fine, don''t worry." I think it would have taken a lot of time to carry it myself, but Zae and the others cleaned it up in no time. "It''s finished, My King." "Thank you, everyone." "It''s a simple task, My King." After completing the work, Zae and the others lined up in a row and performed the knight''s salute before returning to the world of shadows. When the people who were watching were exclaiming in admiration, the sudden appearance of Nero''s face raised voices of surprise all at once. "Nya, Goshujin-sama, where is this nya? It makes me feel weird nya." "This world is a difficult place for Nero-tachi to live in, so please wait patiently." "Understood nya, it''s more comfortable in the shadows nya." When Nero pulled back its head and I erased the shield of darkness, voices of relief leaked out from all over the Investigation Headquarters. "It''s dangerous to be in another world ... For a moment, I thought I was lost in an anime world." "You can''t beat that kind of thing with a pistol ..." "I''ve been wanting to go for a while, but I think I should reconsider." Kajikawa-san, who was next to me, had cold sweat running down his cheeks. "Kokubu-kun, is that big cat from earlier also your genus?" "Yes, it''s the undead Storm Cat that joined me recently." "Is Volzard a place where things like that hang around?" "No, no, Storm Cats are said to be natural disaster-class monsters, so they rarely appear." "And you made such a monster your genus?" "W, well ... it just happened." Sudou-san also handed me the letters for today, so I decided to leave them at the garrison''s quarters along with the supplies. Dusk was approaching in Volzard, and it was time for people to start coming home from work. When I visited the garrison''s temporary dormitory where my classmates lived, there was something sinister about it. "What would you do if the support from Japan was cut off? If Kokubu can''t go to Japan, we won''t receive support. In the first place, even this dormitory is rented because Kokubu is here. If Kokubu was gone, there is a possibility that we would be kicked out if we have no value." The person who was raising his voice was Katou-sensei of Health and Physical Education. "It''s impossible to suddenly work with adults." "Even if there''s no support from Japan, can''t we just withdraw compensation from Resenburg?" "That''s right, they made us suffer such a terrible experience, so you should tell them to pay us." Katou-sensei opened his mouth with an expression as if he had swallowed a bitter bug in response to my classmates who were unanimously dissatisfied. "Then, you guys should try it. Withdraw the reparations yourselves from Resenburg." "Such a thing ... It''s not possible, is it?" "We can''t do that." "There''s the Devil''s Forest on the way to Resenburg ... You can''t go there alone unless you''re Kokubu." "Oh yeah, even if we go against Kokubu, we won''t be able to beat him ..." "Or rather, we were brought to Volzard before we knew what was going on, Kokubu should take responsibility for bringing us ..." "Stop it!" When Yagi got into the mood and started talking fluently, Katou-sensei broke down. "It''s always Kokubu, Kokubu, Kokubu, Kokubu ... How long are you going to be spoiled by others while acting like a victim! Don''t you think it''s embarrassing! He''s responsible for bringing you here? Yagi, you were sent to the first actual battle and were abandoned by the knights who saw the orcs, weren''t you? If Kokubu weren''t there, wouldn''t you have been eaten, digested, and pooped out by Orcs by now?" Katou-sensei was in his late 40s, and although his hair was a little thin, he was said to be a rank holder in judo, and had a sturdy physique. Because Katou-sensei yelled in earnest, even Yagi, who had been frivolous, turned pale. "It''s true that Kokubu has acquired a talent for magic that makes you guys envious. But, thanks to that, we were saved. Even though that''s something to be grateful for, it''s illogical to ignore it and ask for him to take responsibility. Yagi, if you ask him to take responsibility for that, I will tell Kokubu to take responsibility to send you back to Lastock." "Hey ... Sensei, that''s ..." "You should negotiate with the knights of Resenburg yourself, ask for compensation, and try to live on your own. If you can''t do that, don''t say such nonsense again! Didn''t you normally go to the ramparts construction while complaining? Don''t get full of yourself just because you were able to receive a little help. I''ll have Kokubu cut off his support." I feel a somewhat irresponsible air to my classmates who are yelling about me. Personally, they may have thought that they tried their best, but it didn''t go well. Except for Yagi. "Anyway, starting tomorrow, change your mindset, choose a job that you think you can do, and don''t give up halfway through and try your best." "Sensei, isn''t tomorrow a class day?" "Nuu, right ... that''s right. So, tomorrow you''ll take classes seriously, and the day after tomorrow you''ll either go to the guild and look for a job, or participate in the construction of the ramparts. Do you understand." "Yes ..." "Fuu ... Alright, dismissed." The classmates, who were released by Katou-sensei, withdrew to their rooms with unconvinced expressions. "Really ... you should follow Kokubu and Asakawa''s groups a little bit ... but it''s true that ramparts construction is hard ..." Katou-sensei, who saw my classmates off, turned his neck and shoulders, and looked quite tired. "Good evening, Sensei." "Oh, Kokubu, did you bring letters?" "Yes, I brought letters with me, but I was also entrusted with relief supplies from the govnerment." "Oh, relief supplies is it ... what did you bring?" "Rice, miso, soy sauce ..." "Ooooo ... Good job, Kokubu! Finally, at last, I can finally get white rice and miso soup. Hey, is there natto?" "Ah ... There''s no natto, but there is seaweed." "I see, next time please request natto." "Yes, I will tell them. Anyway, is it okay if I put the things out here?" "Yeah, can you unload it here?" "Yes, Zae, can I ask it of you?" "As you wish, My King." When Zae and the others began to pile up the relief supplies, my classmates who heard the noise gathered. "Hey, isn''t that soy sauce?" "Over there, mayonnaise is written!" "Hey, isn''t that instant ramen?" "Wow, that''s curry, isn''t it? it''s not a mistake, right?" Everyone seemed impatient, but you can''t eat curry or ramen without cooking it, right? I hope it doesn''t turn out to be a scramble ... "Sensei, this is also for the girls, so please divide it well." "Understood, Kokubu, are you good?" "Ah ... Then, I''m going to just get the curry roux. I''m thinking of making it for the people at my boarding house." "Is that so, then please take as much as you need." For now, I decided to get one box of each curry roux, one sweet, and one spicy. "Hey, Kokubu, let''s eat together." "Yes, alright." Thinking about the conversation he had with Katou-sensei earlier, I thought he wouldn''t call out to me, but Yagi approached me with the same casual feeling as usual. I don''t know if he has thick nerves or if he doesn''t think about anything, but this kind of unobtrusiveness is also one of Yagi''s good points. On the way out of the dormitory and on the way to the dining room, he talked about the sermon earlier. "I was preached at again that I rely too much on Kokubu." "Is that so? Then, isn''t Yagi going to work?" "Hm ... How is it, it''s like a gap between the other world I envisioned and reality ...?" "In short, are you unmotivated?" "Well, that''s how it is. Even if I hear that there is a dungeon, I won''t get excited unless I enter it." Yagi, who complains, looks really unmotivated. Well, in Yagi''s case, it''s the normal, and it doesn''t seem like he''s motivated. "Ah ... Well. But, right now, it can''t be helped because of the effects of the maximum outbreak, right?" "Does it affect the dungeon and such?" "Of course it does. Monsters called Scavengers spawned in large numbers and attacked people." "What kind of monster is that Scavenger?" "The size of a normal individual is about 30 centimeters, and the higher species are twice or three times the size." "30 centimeters, that''s no big deal. Small-fry, small-fry. Even I can easily beat them." Yagi drew his sword and made a swinging gesture, slashing the imaginary Scavenger and pretending to put the sword away. "There were over 1,800 of them in total, is that still an easy win?" "Ueeee ... 1,800?" "Yeah, also, it''s a giant cockroach with ten legs." "Geeeeee ... No way, no way, no way, I won''t go to the dungeon!" "Well, this time it''s an irregularity, normally they just hunt for corpses and don''t attack people." "No, but I don''t want to go to a place where there is such a giant ''G'' loitering around." "But, there was a rock that was shining, so I brought it back, and when it was appraised, it was a silver ore, and it sold for 690,000 Helts ... About 6,900,000 Yen." "Huh? What the hell, did you go to the dungeon?" "Yeah, to subjugate the Scavengers. The ore was a bonus." "What''s that, introduce me to such a delicious job." "Yeah ... However, the current Yagi can''t take on subjugation work. It''s impossible unless you at least take the guild''s combat training and get permission to enter the dungeon alone." "Training huh ... it''s really dull ..." "Is that so? But, I met Manon in the course ..." "Ha! That''s right, that''s what you said. No, no, don''t be deceived, I had a terrible experience last time I attended the course. That dog-eared bastard who doesn''t take it easy is ridiculous." Hohou, even Yagi seemed to be learning. In other words, it looks like he was treated very poorly. "But Yagi, at that time, weren''t only our members participating?" "Hmm? That''s right ... Come to think of it, it was just the old and new duo, the dekoboko sisters, and me ..." "If you don''t rush through there, chances won''t come around, right?" "What the hell ... Kokubu, you''re giving solid advice. That''s right, if you''re with other guys, your chances will be reduced, I see ..." "Ah ... But, I guess it''s impossible for Yagi ... If you can''t swing a wooden sword, you won''t be allowed to take the class on water day ... There''s only about four days until the next class." "Don''t be stupid. It''s not like working on the ramparts construction. It''s as easy as swinging a wooden sword." Yagi is really simple, it''s just as I thought that if I tell him not to, he''ll bite. "I see ... Then, why don''t you try participating? There might be an unexpectedly cute girl participating. See, right now, due to the maximum outbreak, they can''t go outside the ramparts, and there might be some kids who want to take classes in the meantime. "Kokubu ... you ... if there''s a cute girl, can I tell them that I''m an acquaintance of the ''Monster User''? Look, it''s important to have a conversation." "Hmm ... It''s useless to say no, right? It''s fine as long as it doesn''t spoil my image too much." "Oh, Kokubu Kento, my heart''s friend ... Even if I become friends with a cute girl, don''t steal her." "If I do that, what will the chairman and Manon do ..." "Oh, if I spread rumors, what will they do ... I wonder if the intruders will disappear ..." Seeing the chairman and Manon waving in front of the cafeteria, Yagi moved away with unusual consideration. Yup, I''m sorry Yagi, the course on water day starts suddenly with practice swings, and I don''t think you''ll have a chance to get to know a cute girl because you''ll be attending right away ... but, do your best. I decided to walk up to the chairman and Manon and tell them about Reese-san''s proposal after dinner. CH 119 Fuwafuwa mofumofu strategy meeting ***---*** I went out after having dinner in the garrison''s cafeteria with the chairman and Manon. It was already dark and the stars were twinkling in the sky. I lit a portable light magic tool and invited the two of them to the edge of the training ground away from the dormitory. If it''s here, no one will come at this time, so we should be able to talk slowly. "Kento, how far are you going?" "Yeah, is this area okay?" The city of Volzard was surrounded by ramparts, so the wind didn''t blow very strongly, but when the sun went down, it got cold and even the slightest breeze felt cold. "Kent, isn''t it warmer in the dining room?" "Don''t worry, you''ll get warm soon." "Me and Kento, wrapped in a blanket together ..." "Eh ... Yuika, did you say something?" "Nothing ..." I wonder what it is, the chairman is in a bad mood. "First of all, I''ll introduce you to my new genus." "Eh, Kent''s new genus?" "Kento, did you receive another dangerous request?" "Now, now, let''s talk about that later, it''s cold, so I''ll introduce you in a moment. It''s a little big, but don''t be surprised." The chairman and Manon looked at each other and tilted their heads. "Then, Nero, will you come out?" When I put out a shield of darkness and raised the light magic tool so that we could see it clearly, Nero suddenly appeared from the darkness. "Nya, did you call me nya? Goshujin-sama." "Eeeehhhh ..." The surprised chairman and Manon hid behind me. "K, Kento, th, th, this is ..." "This is Nero the undead Storm Cat, Nero, this is Yuika, and this is Manon, they''re both important people to me." "Nya, Nero nya, nice to meet you nya." Even when Nero greeted them, they both froze. Unlike in the daytime, its big eyes shone brightly in the dark, so it''s like double the power. "Then, Nero, can you lie down like this with your head over here?" "Nya, this way nya?" "Yeah, just like that. Nero, is it okay if we learn on your stomach?" "It''s okay nya." I asked Nero to lie down with its back against the wind, and the three of us sat side by side, leaning against its stomach. "Wow, wow, wow ... Kent, it''s so ''Fuwafuwa'' ..." "Hafuuu ... Warm, soft, soon ..." Yeah, it''s such a satisfying feeling that Manon and the chairman are melting. "I hope you won''t hug me too tight nya ..." "Got it, got it, hooooooo ... so warm ..." In place of a blanket, Nero wrapped its thick tail around us, so it''s really warm. Nero behind me, the chairman on my right, Manon on my left, Nero''s tail in front ... Paradise. "Dangerous, it''s dangerous ... I think I''m going to fall asleep." "Hey, Kento, I want to borrow a big warehouse and sleep like this." "I also agree with Yuika''s idea." "Hmm ... I want to do that too, but I can''t do it without Beatrice, and Mart-tachi are here ... Everyone, come out." "Wafu, we sleep together." "Pat me, Goshujin-sama, pat me." The three of us decided to hold one each so that Mart and the others wouldn''t burn with jealousy. "Fuwaa, ''Fuwafuwa'' and ''Mofumofu'' ... It''s the best ..." "Hey, Kento, didn''t you have something to talk about?" "Ah, that''s right, I almost forgot about it and fell asleep. Actually ..." I told them how I was summoned by Donovan-san to meet with the Guild Master of Headquarters, and told them that I had been promoted to S-rank. "It''s amazing, Kent, there should only be a handful of S-rank adventurers in Landshelt." "Congratulations, I''m not surprised. If it''s Kento, it''s natural." "Mmm ... Yuika doesn''t know how amazing an S-rank adventurer is." "Oh, I wouldn''t be surprised even if I knew about it. Kento doesn''t even fall within the S-rank frame ... Right, Kento." "I, I too think Kent is above S-rank!" Whew, I''m so happy to be in close contact with them from both sides ... This is a privilege of an S-rank, isn''t it? "Hey, Kento, what kind of person is the Guild Master of Headquarters?" "That''s right, the Guild Master of Headquarters, Reese-san, is a dark elf." "Kent, in fairy tales, dark elves are said to be very long-lived and use dark magic, but ..." "Yeah, I heard that Reese-san is also dark attribute and over 250 years old." "Two hundred and fifty years old ... Is that true?" "Yeah, that''s what she told me, but she looks like she''s in her late twenties." Both of them were very impressed when I told them about Reese-san''s background. "Amazing, I respect her for changing the structure of the world with just one person." "I also learned about the liberation of slaves at school, but I didn''t know that Reese-san was the center of that." "Somehow, she feels like a representative of women who can do it ..." "Yes, I would like to meet her too ..." Both the chairman and Manon seemed to have respect for Reese-san as a woman. "That person, Reese-san, seems to know how to bring a living person into the shadow world." "Eeehhh ... Then, Kento, will you be able to bring everyone back to Japan?" "No, I haven''t been taught how to do that yet." The chairman was happy that I had found a way to return to Japan, but when she heard that I hadn''t learned how to do it yet, she looked dissatisfied. "Why? Why didn''t she tell you?" "Umm ... I was presented with a condition in exchange for teaching me." "An exchange condition? Could it be that you were asked to do a dangerous request?" "Hmm ... Dangerous, is it?" "What kind of request is it?" Both the chairman and Manon were interested, but also worried. "That is. I was asked to be Reese-san''s companion." "Eh, her companion ... Eeeehhhh!" "Ke, Kent, no way ..." "I haven''t replied yet ... but I''m thinking of refusing." "Haaaa ... I was surprised." "That''s true ..." Both the chairman and Manon let out a big sigh and lost their strength. "But, if Kento marries Reese-san, she will tell you how you can get everyone to return, right?" "According to Reese-san, there is such a method, but she doesn''t know whether I can do it or not." "I think that method is dark-attribute magic, but can Reese-san use it?" "No, Reese-san can''t use it, but I heard that there are dark elves who can use it." "In other words, does that mean that she knows the precedures and theories?" "Maybe ... I wonder if that''s the case." The chairman, herself, wants to go back to Japan and see her family, and she is thinking about it with a very serious expression. "Kento, do you think you know how to do it?" "Hmm ... I don''t really know at this point. Hey, Manon, is there anyone doing that kind of research?" "Eh, umm ... I don''t think anyone is in Volzard. If anyone is, I think they would at least be in the academic city of Bakkenheim ... But I don''t know if anyone is ..." There are almost no dark elves, let alone dark elves who use dark-attribute magic, so it seems that research itself is not possible. "However, my genus, Basten, etc., had heard stories about dark-attribute mages during his lifetime, so if we collect such rumors, we might be able to find a way to do it." Although I said it myself, I wasn''t very confident, but when I thought that the chairman would agree, she looked more serious than Manon. "Yuika, what''s wrong?" "Hey, Kento, how long will it take until you find a way to return to Japan that way?" "Sorry, to be honest, I have no idea when it will be. Yuika wants to go back to Japan, too." "If you ask me if I want to go home or not, I will answer that I want to go home. But, I''m going to live in Volzard, so it''s fine, but there are some kids who are a little nervous ..." Led by Sagara-san, who works at Flavia-san''s clothing store, many of the girls seem to have become accustomed to Volzard and enjoy their work. However, on the contrary, it seems that there are also girls who are unable to get used to Volzrd, are not doing well at work, and are withdrawing. "Several girls ask me every day if we haven''t figured out how to return yet, they want to return to Japan as soon as possible, and they even asked Kento for help and ended up crying." As I was living in the boarding house, I don''t know about the situation, and the chairman seemed to be silent because she thought it would put pressure on me. When I decided to talk to the chairman and Manon about Reese-san''s proposal, I also decided to refuse. "But, Yuika and Manon don''t like having me get married to Reese-san, right?" "I don''t like it. I definitely don''t like it." "I don''t like it either ... but when I hear about Yuika''s friends ..." A heavy silence fell between the three of us. Even though polygamy is allowed in the Landshelt Republic, I don''t think it''s a good idea to put aside the chairman, Manon, and Beatrice and marry Reese-san, who I just met. Then, if you ask me if it''s okay if we get to know each other better, I don''t think that''s the case either. [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, why don''t you get married to everyone together? ] "Hey, Reinhardt, it''s no laughing matter." [ Buhahaha, no, sorry, sorry, but Kent-sama, think about it. Would the Guild Master of Headquarters turn an S-rank adventurer into an enemy? ] "Eh, that''s ... she won''t?" [ Of course not. For the organization called the guild, turning Kent-sama into an enemy brings a great disadvantage. ] "So, if I ask ..." "Kento, what''s wrong?" "Yeah, Reinhardt says if it''s the Guild Master of Headquarters, she wouldn''t turn an S-rank adventurer into an enemy." "Ah, I see. Manon said that there were only a few S-rank adventurers in Landshelt. Let alone making Kento your enemy, if you think about it normally, you wouldn''t do it." To be honest, I don''t really understand that I''m an S-rank adventurer at all, so I don''t really understand my worth. "But, how should I say it? If you don''t tell me, I''ll become an enemy of the guild ... I don''t think it''s a good way to say it, considering our future relationship with the guild." "That''s right. We live in this world, so we want to maintain a good relationship with the guild." "Hmm ... As expected, I''ll tell her frankly that it would trouble you girls and ask for it." "Hey, Kento, I wonder if maybe I should go with you. We''re both women who were enslaved once, so I feel like she''ll understand my feelings." "That''s right. It might be better to have Yuika talk to her rather than me doing so." If she told her that we were suddenly summoned, deceived, and had slave bracelets put on, and were forced to live a terrible life in Lastock, I feel that Reese-san would sympathize with our situation. Yeah, I''m not sure if I can avoid the proposal, but it''s worth talking about. "Kento, what are you thinking?" "Yeah, I wonder how Reese-san will respond to our persuasion ..." "Yes, she may be able to teach you how to bring people into the shadow space, but I have a feeling that she''ll continue to demand her proposal." "Yeah, but let''s talk for now." "By the way, Kento, what happened to Camilla''s apology video?" "Ah ... U, umm ..." It''s bad, I was so busy that I completely forgot. Camilla''s video apology, I asked the chairman to check it after it was done. "You forgot, didn''t you?" "Uuu ... I went to the dungeon at the guild''s nomination request ... I''m sorry." "Don''t you have too much work to do, Kento?" "That''s right. Hmm ... I wonder what I should do ..." "Are you going to ask someone to manage your schedule and request deadlines?" "I think that sounds like a secretary, but isn''t that a bit too much?" "But, you''re too busy with looking for a way to return to Japan, getting involved in the internal affairs of Resenburg, being nominated by the guild ..." "When you say it like that, that''s true ..." Regarding communication with Japan, I have no choice but to do it, but for other situations, I feel that it would be more convenient if there was someone who could collect information and manage it, and there would be fewer mistakes. "But, who should I ask?" "Who, why don''t you ask a teacher to do it?" "Hmm ... That''s fine, but wouldn''t it be better to have someone familiar with the situation here do it?" "Oh, I see ... That might be the case." "Speaking of which, there are some stories that cannot be made public, so it''s no good unless it''s someone I can trust ..." "If you think about it like that, it''s hard to hire someone ..." "That''s right. Yeah, I''ll try to talk to Donovan-san tomorrow. Depending on the situation, it might be better to recruit through the guild." Tomorrow morning, I will pick up the chairman, go to the guild with her, and ask for a meeting with Reese-san. CH 120 Camilla''s thoughts ***---*** I walked Manon home and dove into the shadows to Lastock. It was to take a video of Camilla''s apology comment and have the chairman check it. Of course, I have to think about the costume and filming location for the video I bring back to Japan, but today was like a rehearsal. Since it''s troublesome to send things taken with a video camera to a tablet for viewing, I''m going to take a video with the tablet''s camera today. Thinking that Camilla would be working alone tonight anyway, I looked into the commander''s office, but she was nowhere to be seen and the lights had already gone out. When I moved to her room, she seemed to be relaxing in the bath. It''s completely outrageous when I''m moving around like this. I had no choice but to wait on the sofa in the living room. Rosalie, her exclusive maid, seemed to leave the room when she finished preparing to take a bath, so it seemed that only Camilla and I were on this floor. This was the floor dedicated to Camilla, and the guards were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. It was boring to just wait, so I decided to call Mart and the others and mofumofu to my heart''s content. Even so, I wondered why women''s bathing times took so long. Around the time Mart and the others, who had been caressed to their heart''s content, showed their bellies and relaxed, Camilla finally came out of the bath. She was wearing a pure white bathrobe, and her long hair was wrapped in a towel, Camilla returned to the living room with a relaxed expression. "So slow!" "M, Maou-sama! I''m truly sorry!" Panicked, Camilla got down on one knee in front of me with a staggering momentum. The front of her robe was open, and her thighs were peeking out from the lower part ... "I''ll wait, so change into your pajamas, hurry up!" "Y, yes, right now. I will change my clothes immediately." After waiting for a while, Camilla came back from her bedroom wearing a loose, thick robe. "I apologize for being dressed like this, Maou-sama." "Really ... I''m tired of waiting." "Yes, I''m truly sorry." Camilla was on one knee in front of me, with her head bowed and wore a solemn expression. "It''s hard to talk when you look like that, so could you sit across from me?" "Yes, as you wish." When Camilla got up, she sat down on the sofa opposite me. "Maou-sama, what do you want tonight?" "Yeah, I told you to think about your apology comment before, but did you do it?"(TN:I really need a different way of wording ''apology comment'' ''comment'' sounds so awkward ... It''s literally written ¥³¥á¥ó¥È Engrish ''Komento'' though ...) "Yes, I have thought of an apology to all the people who have suffered from this summoning." "Is it possible to show it here now?" "Yes, it''s possible, but are you going to shoot it right now? In this outfit ..." "Oh, it''s fine. This time it''s like a rehearsal, and it''s for someone other than me to check the contents of the apology before the actual performance." "Understood, then any time is fine." "Um ... Even if you don''t look at something like a manuscript?" "Yes, I have it all in my head, so it''s okay." In this department, she''s truly a royal. I can''t imagine giving a speech without a manuscript. I took out my tablet from the shadow storage and got ready to take a video. "Then, start talking when I signal with my hand." When I held up the tablet, Camilla looked nervous, I waved my hand, and she took a deep breath, and then began to speak confidently. "I am Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of Resenburg Kingdom. As of now, I will convey words of apology, so please listen carefully ..." "Yes, Stop, that''s no good at all!" Wow ... The hateful Camilla from the day we were summoned has revived. "Umm ... Is there a problem somewhere?" "There''s a big problem. Why are you so arrogant when you''re apologizing?" "I thought that I should face it with an attitude that would not be shameful as the Resenburg royal family ..." "Well, did the knights who came to apologize to Camilla have that kind of attitude?" "No, more ... how to say it, it was an apologetic attitude." "Right. The person you''re apologizing to isn''t a citizen of Resenburg, so make a proper apologetic expression. Do you understand?" "Yes, as you wish." "Then, let''s start over. Get ready." "Y, yes, please wait a moment." Camilla seemed to be making corrections to the manuscript in her head, muttering in a low voice that I couldn''t hear. "Are you ready?" "Y, yes, i, it''s fine." "Okay, second time, okay, let''s start!" "I, I am Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of the Resenburg Kingdom, ah ... A, as of now, I would like to express my apology ... so I want ... no, listen carefully ... please ..." "Yes, Stop, it''s totally no good. Aren''t you stuttering." "I, I''m sorry. I had to change what I had prepared ..." "Hmm ... Let''s prepare a paper and a pen to rewrite the manuscript." "Yes ..." As expected of royalty ... I thought, but it seemed to be exclusive to her royal family mode, she must have practiced beforehand. When it suddenly changed, it seemed that Camilla was unable to respond. "Then ... That''s right, try to write the sentences with your tone towards me in mind." "As if to apologize to Maou-sama ... I understand." After Camilla pondered for a moment with the paper spread out on the table, she began to move her pen. "Umm ... I, Camilla Resenburg, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg ... for the summoning we made ... to all those who have suffered ... I apologize ... Yes, yes, that''s fine, isn''t it." If the prerequisites were met, a decent apology should be completed, so I decided to wait while mofumofuing Mart and the others for a while. Camilla seemed to occasionally stop her pen and read silently to check her phrasing, with a serious expression on her face. She looked really hateful when she was looking down upon me after I was falsely judged useless, but looking at her without prejudice, Camilla was definitely a beauty. She had blue eyes with a hint of green, a straight nose, and fine white skin. "Umm ... Maou-sama." "Yeah, wh, wh, what is it ...?" "Umm, is there something on my face?" "N, no ... I was just looking at you thinking that you could make a proper manuscript ..." Dangerous, it seems like I was just staring blankly at Camilla. "Is that so, I apologize for the inconvenience. It''s finished." "I, I see, then, let''s try it once." "Yes, but I just wrote it down and I can''t remember it yet." "Then, it''s okay to look at the manuscript, today is practice." "Yes, as you wish." I put the tablet into shooting mode again and waved to Camilla. "I, the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg, Camilla Resenburg. I apologize to everyone who was inconvenienced by my summoning. Currently, the Kingdom of Resenburg is facing a situation in which arable land is decreasing due to the progress of desertification. Originally, the whole country should deal with this situation that causes anxiety about the future, but my father, who is the King, is indifferent to politics, and my foolish brothers continue to fight over the position of the next King. I thought of reclaiming the eastern wasteland in order to save the people from their predicament, but there were many monsters inhabiting the bordering forest, and it was difficult to deal with it with my own hands. In desperation, I tried to find a way out with the summoning technique passed down by the royal family ..." With a calm voice, Camilla slowly read out the apology, as if to check the context. A long time ago, a person who was summoned as a hero by the summoning technique lost himself and became a Maou. The person who was summoned to defeat the Moau also turned into a Maou in the same way and they were made to fight each other, finally succeeding in subjugating them. For this summoning, she said that the technique was arranged in consideration of past failures, and that the summoners were put under control by the slave bracelets. "However, all of that, it was just my shallow conceit. I considered all the summoned people to have the qualities of a Maou and did not treat them like humans. I was under the impression that if they were bound with slave bracelets, I could be free to do whatever I wanted. I never thought that the summoning would have a great impact on the original world and cause many casualties. I was so preoccupied with Resenburg''s interests that I couldn''t think of the possibility of making many people unhappy due to my summoning." Tears welled up in Camilla''s eyes as she read each and every word, and she seemed to be feeling deep regret. Camilla Resenburg had made a mistake. A total of 49 people lost their lives, including Funayama, and those who died when the school building collapsed. However, the basis of Camilla''s actions was her single-minded desire to save the impoverished people. She couldn''t help but think about how she could make amends for her mistakes and whether we could give Camilla a chance to make a comeback. "This unfortunate event was all caused by the shallow thinking of me, Camilla Resenburg. No matter how many times I apologize, I don''t think it will be forgiven. I understand that it is not something that can be compensated with money. Even so, if I continue to offer this body, my heart, every last fragment of my bones, and every last strand of my hair, to Maou Kent-sama ..." "Stop, Stop! I told you not to say ''Maou''." "However, it was thanks to Maou-sama''s guidance that I realized my mistake." "No good, no good, this apology comment will eventually be shown to the important people in the country where I lived, and in my original world, I plan to continue to be considered a mere child, so Maou Kent-sama is no good!" When I rebuked her in a strong tone, Camilla, who had maintained her obedient attitude until then, puffed out her cheeks and showed a dissatisfied expression. What''s with her, that girl''s face ... isn''t it too cute? "Are you dissatisfied?" "Of course. I ..." "But, it''s no good." When I cut off her words, Camilla closed her mouth and tears fell from her eyes. "Eeeehhhh ... hey, why ..." "I! I want more people to know the splendor of Maou-sama!" "Eh, m, my splendor ..." I was overwhelmed by Camilla''s spirit as she let out her hidden feelings. "I grew up listening to the stories of the Wise King Arthur since I was a child. Thinking of the people, listening to the voices of the people, walking with the people ... the way of life of the Wise King Arthur is the model of the royal family." Arthur Resenburg, whom Reinhardt and the others once served, is said to have promoted the reclamation of farmland for the people, and is called the progenitor of the restoration of the Kingdom of Resenburg. Camilla, who grew up admiring the Wise King Arthur, when she became aware, she saw her lazy father, and her power-obsessed foolish brothers. "In the current male royal family, there is not a single person who listens to the voices of the people, except for my younger brother. Far from the royal family, many nobles are only interested in their own finances. I acted thinking that I had to stand up and advance farmland reclamation, and I made a mistake." Camilla didn''t even try to wipe her tears, she looked straight at me and spun her words. "It wouldn''t be strange for us to be attacked and destroyed for being so disrespectful to Maou-sama and his friends. And yet ... even so, Maou-sama, you asked us to work for the people. On the contrary, you saved the people from danger with your own hands." "No ... Because it''s no good for people who don''t know anything to be sacrificed ..." "A Demon Lord who can make such generous decisions must be the reincarnation of Wise King Arthur-sama." "No, no, I''m just a normal child from another world ..." "No, in this life-and-death crisis of Resenburg, you are the savior that God used." "Kuu, a savior ... that''s such an exaggeration ..." Somehow the talk was getting louder and louder, but I thought that she was just praising me, but Camilla came to me with tears in her eyes. "At this rate, Resenburg will fall into the control of Barshania. Even if Barshania can be defeated, the country will be devastated by the fight between half-brother Alphonse, and half-brother Bernst, and many people will be pushed into the abyss of misfortune. It will be impossible for me or my unworthy brother Diethelm to save them. Please, please, save Resenburg and the people with the power of the Maou." Camilla lowered her head and prostrated on the table. "Even if Camilla doesn''t ask me, I intend to do what I can. But, it''s forbidden to have me appear as a Maou in your speech." "However, that would prevent Maou-sama''s achievements from being properly communicated to the people." According to Camilla, the knights, led by Paul, manipulated the information, creating a false image of the Maou among the residents of Lastock. "Those who think that the Maou is using sweet words to deceive me, and those who think that you are trying to invade Lastock with the power of monsters. Also, that ... Maou-sama wants me ... It seems that there are people who think you v, v, violated me to force me to submit." "Violated! I''ve hit you before, but I didn''t violate you." "I know that the residents are just misunderstanding, and that Maou-sama has no interest in me. It''s fine, but ... I can''t stand the current situation where the residents, who have overcome their perils thanks to Maou-sama, are ignorant of Maou-sama''s correct appearance and is rumored to be evil." "Hmm ... But, I have no intention of living in Lastock, so no matter what people think, if the residents are happy as a result, that''s fine, isn''t it?" "No way, Maou-sama ..." "For me, as long as the important people around me are looking at me properly, that''s enough." Mart and the others approached me, while Camilla was surprised with her eyes wide open. "We are, all the time, looking at Goshujin-sama properly." "Me too, me too!" "Goshujin-sama is a gentle Goshujin-sama who pets me a lot." When I stroked them in turn, everyone narrowed their eyes and flapped their tails. Camilla stared blankly at me surrounded by Mart and the others, then she whispered. "Me too ... No, it''s unforgivable for someone like me." "It can''t be helped ... If you want to mofumofu Mart-tachi so much ..." "No, that''s not it ..." "Eh, what is it? You don''t want to mofumofu?" I thought that Camilla definitely wanted to play with Mart and the others, but she hung her head down as if she was overwhelmed. She took a deep breath two, three times, and Camilla, who slowly raised her head, spat out the contents of her chest with an exhilarated expression. "Me too ... Would you let me serve at Maou-sama''s side as well?" "Huh? Wh, what are you saying?" "I understand. I know that I don''t have the qualifications to attend at Maou-sama''s side. However, if you allow me ... I yearn for you, Maou-sama ..." Camilla, held her hands in front of her chest with her left hand wrapped around herself, stared at me with her moist eyes. "Eh ... Y, yearn for me ..." "I understand. I am fully aware that I am not suitable for Maou-sama. However, my feelings ... please listen to my sincere thoughts." "Eh ... Ah, y, yes ..." Having finished conveying her thoughts, perhaps released from her tension, Camilla took a deep breath and gave a gentle smile like a blooming flower. Guu ... Unfair, that''s too unfair ... "Well then, Maou-sama, let''s continue our practice." "Eh ... Ahh, yeah, that''s right ..." I felt somewhat overwhelmed by Camilla, who had a satisfied expression that I can''t imagine from her dissatisfied expression just before. Hey, it''s been recording for so long, I wonder if the battery is okay. [ Buhahaha, after all, it would be best to have Camilla as your wife and have Kent-sama rule Resenburg instead of Diethelm. ] [ Hey, that''s impossible. I don''t want to do something so troublesome as being a King. ] [ No, no, the reincarnation of Arthur-sama ... I have come to believe that Camilla is right. Will you please save the people of Resenburg? ] [ Reinhardt ... ] From Reinhardt''s tone, which changed completely from a joking tone to a more serious one, I could feel his strong desire to protect the residents of Resenburg. "Anyway ... I''ll start with what I need to do and what I can do." "Yes, as you wish." [ I completely understand, Kent-sama. ] After that, I had to reshoot and rework the manuscript twice, and managed to finish the shoot. For some reason, the way Camilla looked at me seemed to be different from before, and I felt strangely confused. It was supposed to be a light shoot and then go home, but I feel like I was forced to carry something heavy on my back. CH 121 Mustering the bridal candidates ***---*** The morning after I filmed Camilla''s apology rehearsal, I went to the garrison''s quarters to pick up the chairman. Today, together with the chairman, I planned to make a petition to Reese-san, the Guild Master of Headquarters. I thought it would be troublesome if I went too early, so I took it easy in the morning before heading out. In front of the gate of the garrison, the chairman, with whom I was meeting, had already arrived and was talking with the member who was on duty as the gatekeeper. For some reason, I got the feeling that the expression on the young member''s face was really sloppy and relaxed. Also, the two of them are talking to each other near the chairman, but don''t they usually stand on either side of the gate and stand guard? The chairman seemed to have a smile on her face, and it was making me feel angry in the morning. As I walked with a slightly displeased feeling, the chairman saw me and waved at me. Until then, I could see a smile on her face, but the moment she saw me, her smile changed to that of a blooming flower. When that happened, the young member of the garrison had a bitter look on his face. Fufun, don''t make that face, because the chairman is my chairman. "Good morning. Yuika, did I keep you waiting?" "Good morning Kento, umm, I just got here too." The chairman leaned closer to me and gave me a tight hug. The garrison member she was talking to in front of us returned to his post with a sense of despair. But, in this situation, it might be better to show up at the clinic once and show off my relationship with the chairman. "Well then, shall we go?" "Yeah, first of all, it''s the guild." The chairman wrapped her arms around my right arm with a natural gesture. On the main street leading to the guild, many shops were preparing to open, and it felt like it was time for the city to wake up. "The city of Volzard is lively, isn''t it ..." "Have you looked around, Yuika?" "Hmm ... I started working at the garrison''s clinic, so I hardly ever leave the garrison''s grounds. They talk about how delicious this is and how cheap that store is." "Is that so. To tell you the truth, I haven''t looked around the shops much either, so I only know the shops that Manon taught me and the magic tool shop." "Is that so? Even though you''ve been around here longer than us?" "Yeah, most of the places are work or trouble related. Yes, here too." "This is ... what kind of shop?" "The shop Takayama burned down." "Ah ... Marcel-san''s shop is here." When I was talking with the chairman in front of the store, the door opened and Herman-san appeared. "Good morning, Herman-san." "Oh, good morning, Kent, who is that with you?" "This is Yuika, my lover. This is Herman-san, who is building Marcel-san''s shop." "Nice to meet you, my name is Yuika." "Ah, I''m the carpenter Herman, you don''t need to be so polite. You are someone other than Manon-chan and Beatrice-chan ... Kent, aren''t they all beautiful women?" "Gufuu ... Yes, I''m unworthy of them." Herman-san, you are very strong, so please don''t hit me on the back like that." "But, since you have black hair, that means you also came from the same world as Kent, right?" "Yes, that''s right." "Does that mean that you and Kent have been in a relationship since you were in that world?" "No, I was taken to Lastock, and Kento supported me the whole time I was in trouble, so ..." The chairman put strength into her entwined arms. "Then, since you came to this world, you''ve gotten into a relationship with three girls, right ... not bad, Kent!" "Gufuu, n, no, it''s just a coincidence. It''s really a coincidence ..." That''s why, please don''t hit me so hard ... I feel like I''m going to get a lot of hand-prints on my back. Or rather, just like Marcel-san, does Herman-san envy me, who is in a harem state, and is strictly prohibited from cheating as a hen-pecked husband? We parted ways with Herman-san, who was returning to the warehouse to pick up materials, and headed to the guild. While we walked down the main street, I saw adventurer-like people pointing at us and whispering to each other. Since the chairman was with me, I couldn''t even move in the shadows, so I''ll try to be a little careful. [ Reinhardt, please let me know if there are any suspicious persons. ] [ Understood. However, it seems that it''s more that they are afraid of Kent-sama than they are aiming at you. You don''t need to worry. ] [ That''s fine, though. ] By the time we arrived at the guild, the hustle and bustle of people looking for work had already ended, and it should have been time to take a breather, but there were many people in the space in front of the counter. But even so, the people there weren''t adventurers, craftsmen-like people, or people who came to ask for work. They appeared to be children younger than us, and they were lined up in front of the bulletin board at the urging of the accompanying teacher. "I wonder if it''s something like a social studies field trip." "Maybe so. That''s the bulletin board where requests are posted." "Hee, so that''s what it is ..." As the chairman and I were looking at each other, red hair approached us as if pushing through the crowd. "Good morning, Kent-sama." "Good morning, Rise ..." Beatrice approached and hugged me without stopping her steps. Some girls who seemed to be classmates of Beatrice raised shrill voices, and the boy classmates groaned with resentment. "I wanted to meet you, Kent-sama." "That''s no good, Rise, aren''t you in the middle of a school event?" "Muu, even though I met you after a long time, Kent-sama is cold." "Ofuu ... Wait a minute, Rise." Beatrice kissed me on the cheek. Ahh, the Orlando Store young master, Nazario is glaring at me with a terrifying expression. It''ll break, if you let the blood rush to your head that much, your blood vessels are too small. "Look, Beatrice, the teacher is troubled. Good morning, Kent." "Ah, good morning, Manon." Manon tapped Beatrice on the shoulder and pulled her away from me, and then she kissed me on the cheek. A roar erupted again, a mix of shrill voices and groans of resentment. "Kent, can I go with you?" "Manon too? Yes, that''s fine." "Kent-sama, Manon-san, where are you going?" "Yuika and I are going to meet the Guild Master of Headquarters together with Kent." "Eh, Yuika-san is going with you too?" Seeing the chairman nod, Beatrice looked a little flustered and then opened her mouth to me. "Kent-sama, could you wait a moment?" "Huh? Yeah, I don''t mind, but ..." "Here, please wait here." Beatrice pushed her way through her classmates and hurried to her teacher. And, after she pointed at us, she seemed to start asking for something. Hey, it looks like I''ll be cursed to death by Nazario''s glare. The teacher who was talking to Beatrice nodded after looking at me. I don''t think she invoked the Feudal Lord''s daughter privilege ... "Thank you for waiting, Kent-sama ... muu." Beatrice came back with a smile on her face, but when she saw that my right arm was occupied by the chairman and my left arm by Manon, she puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction. "Kent-sama, I will go with you." "Eeehhh ... Rise is in the middle of a school event, right?" "It''s okay because I properly declined the teacher." "You used your position as the Lord''s daughter to get your way, didn''t you?" "No, I will participate in the meeting with the Guild Master of Headquarters as the fiancee of the ''Monster User'' ... that''s what I said." "Once again, the teacher wouldn''t allow it for that reason." "No way. The teacher and the students all know how much Kent-sama played an active role in protecting Volzard, and I also talked about my relationship with you." According to Beatrice, my achievements became known because Meisa-chan boasted about them. Especially since she came to the guild to see the Salamander, she says she boasts every chance she gets. "There is no one who goes to school that does not know Kent-sama." Beatrice, who snuggled up to me, turned around, and when I looked at her classmates, almost everyone was looking at us. Among the boys, like Nazario, there are some who look at me with resentment, but about 70% of them gave me a sparkling look. Most of the girls were whispering to each other as if they were watching idols. "Manon ... isn''t this a bit awkward?" "Yuika, I thought so too ..." "No, this is because Rise is here ..." When I started to say that I wasn''t the only one who was popular, three girls approached me with a timid look. "U, umm ... would you mind shaking my hand?" "Umm ... with me?" "Yes, is it no good ... Kent-sama." "Umm ..." "It can''t be helped. One at a time." When Beatrice gave permission before I could answer, there was a loud shrill cheer, and a line formed in front of me. "Eeehhh ... Hey, Rise ..." "It will have a positive impact on all of my classmates." It''s unfair to say that ... but I don''t want to be strangely feared like with the adventurers, so let''s do what Rise says. Even while I was shaking hands with Beatrice''s classmates, the chairman held my right arm and Manon held my left arm, keeping her body in close contact, Beatrice cut in front of Manon and leaned against my chest. "Th, thank you very much." "Kyaaaa, I won''t wash my hands anymore." "You look cool ... you look really kind ..." "That''s nice ... Beatrice, me too ..." Somehow, it turned out to be like an idol handshake event, and from a distance, a group of boys led by Nazario were glaring at the situation with dissatisfaction. Those guys probably won''t be able to do much, but I have a feeling they''re going to spark something new. Furthermore, from inside the counter, Fleur-san was glaring at me with a pouting face, and at the door leading to the training ground, Ruija was clenching her fists and shaking. No way, the anti-Kent forces won''t gather. After shaking hands with all the students who wanted it, and even the teacher, I was finally released. I wanted to ask Donovan-san if it''s okay for me to visit Reese-san, but Fleur-san glared at me from behind the counter. I think it would be better to ask someone else to act as an intermediary here. "A handshake event while being attended by three women ... as expected of an S-rank adventurer, what are you here for today?" I tried to avoid it, but Fleur-san spoke to me in a harsh tone like barbed wire. She usually has a mature atmosphere, but isn''t her pouting face a little cute? Oops, don''t let my guard down, after all, the chairman is next to me. Or rather, I feel like the chairman''s arms that are wrapped around my right arm are squeezing ... "Umm ... Donovan-san, there''s something I''d like to ask him ..." "It can''t be helped, but Kent-san stands out, so you should check the situation of the guild before coming." Fleur-san crossed her arms to express her dissatisfaction, but ah ... stop, the button on your uniform is screaming. Rather, my left arm is also being squeezed by Manon and it''s screaming. "Really, what are you playing around for so early in the morning ..." Oh, Donovan-san, the God of Salvation, is here. Did you talk to Klaus-san that you walked in from the stairs? "Good morning, Donovan-san, umm, I would like to meet Reese-san ..." "What, are you going to take your bride candidates to help you because you can''t compete alone?" "W, well, it''s something like that ..." "I don''t mind, if you want to talk to her, go visit her directly. She''s the Guild Master of Headquarters, but right now she''s like a tourist." Donovan-san waved us away, as if to make us leave quickly. Well, it can''t be helped since we''re making this much of a ruckus. When I tried to move to the next building where Reese-san and the others were staying, this time Ruija stood in my way. "Wait, what business do you have with Reese-sama?" "Umm ... I''m going to make a small request, but it has nothing to do with Ruija-san." "There''s no way it has nothing to do with me. This ''Monster User'', Ruija-sama, is Reese-sama''s bodyguard after all." "Hmm ... As a bodyguard, if you''re in such a remote place, you can''t do your job, can you?" "Sh, shut up. Right now my brother is nearby, so it''s okay." "Hmm ... Gunther-kun ... but he''s not very strong, is he?" "Th, th, that''s not the case, okay. H, he''s strong. It''s because he''s really strong." Well, Gunther-kun has a deceptive appearance, but since Lau-san is there, there shouldn''t be a problem. "Anyway, I have something important to talk about, so could you let me through?" "Hmph, it''s definitely something that''s no good. What the hell are you doing, bringing three girls with you?" "They''re my future wives, and since they consented, it has nothing to do with Ruija-san." "No, it''s no good if I say no. I can''t let a frivolous man like you meet Reese-sama." Ruija looked down at me with her arms crossed and her chest puffed out. "Kent-sama, who is this rude person?" "R, rude, aren''t you the one who''s rude to someone you''ve just met?" "I am Beatrice Volzard, the second daughter of Klaus Volzard, the Lord of Volzard. This is my future husband, and the hero who saved Volzard from the goblin outbreak. I will not tolerate rude remarks." "Lord-sama''s daughter ..." Unlike when she was dealing with me, Ruija stepped back under the pressure of Beatrice, who was in noble lady mode. I don''t know what she''s going to say ... Ruija seems to be unwilling to lose if she''s made fun of, but I wonder if there''s a reason for that. "Come on, Kent-sama, let''s go." "Just a moment ..." "Is there something?" "Well, it would be a problem if you approached Reese-sama''s room without permission." "Then, please guide us, come on ..." "I, I understand ... Kuh." Just because you can''t go against Beatrice, I want you to stop giving me a look of resentment. Or rather, it''s a bit difficult to walk with the three of them in close contact. The guild staff guarding the entrance of the building looked at us, who had gathered into a mass of four, and after widening their eyes wondering what was going on, they gave us a lukewarm look. Yeah, this state is a little embarrassing. When we got to the front of Reese-san''s room, Ruija banged the knocker and called out. "Gunther, it''s me, open up." The door opened quietly, and Gunther-kun, wearing a mask just like yesterday, peeked out. The trio including the chairman were startled by his muscular physique and strange mask, but upon closer inspection, Gunther-kun''s eyes seemed to be swimming around. "Hello, Gunther-kun, I would like to meet Reese-san ..." "Hey, what are you saying on your own ..." "Kent, is it? Gunther, it''s fine to let him pass." When I heard Reese-san''s bewitching voice interrupting Ruija''s voice, Gunther-kun moved his big body and opened the door. Ruija let out her complaints in an inaudible whisper as she led us into the room. "Reese-sama, I have guided Beatrice-sama, the daughter of the Lord of Volzard, and the man called Kent." "Hou, by the looks of it, aren''t these girls Kent''s favorites ... I didn''t think there were three of them." Although the colors and patterns were different from yesterday, Reese-san was dressed in a dancer-like costume with a high level of exposure like yesterday, and was smoking a pipe while lying on the sofa. Hey, it hurts ... Both my arms are being squeezed, and I feel like my blood isn''t getting through at all. "Let me introduce them in order. The person on my right is Asakawa Yuika, who was summoned from the same world as me. On my left is Manon, who has light blue hair and I''ve been indebted to since I came to Volzard. The red-haired girl in front of me is Beatrice Volzard, the Lord''s second daughter, and the three of them are important people to me." "Fumu ... Guild Master of Headquarters, Reese. Does that mean I''ll join those three?" Reese-san looked at them one by one as if she were licking them. "No, it''s not like that, I thought I''d tell you a little bit about our circumstances, and then talk about yesterday''s story." "Fumu ... it doesn''t look like I can expect a very good answer, but that''s fine, let me hear your story." Reese-san urged me to sit down, and we sat down in the three-seater sofa in the order of, the chairman, me, and Manon, while Beatrice reluctantly sat down on the one-seater sofa. Only then did Beatrice notice Lau-san sitting on the sofa facing her for the first time, and her eyes widened in surprise. It''s party because Reese-san had such a strong presence, but Lau-san is hardly noticeable when he''s silent. Even so, Reese-san, you''re wearing a costume that''s hard to focus your eyes on today, and even the same-sex chairman and Manon''s eyes are swimming. "Kukuku, I see ... They''re pretty girls who suit Kent ..." Reese-san spit out purple smoke and licked her lips. I was overwhelmed by Reese-san before we even started talking, but I wonder if we can persuade her. CH 122 Negotiation development ***---*** Following Reese-san''s orders, Gunther-kun prepared some tea. The delicate hands that didn''t suit his big body reminded me of Donovan-san. Since it was a facility where important people in the guild stayed, the tea leaves that were prepared must be high-end items, and a very good scent spread throughout the room. But, I''ve smelled this scent before ... Could it be that Donovan-san carefully selected it. Before entering negotiations, it felt like Reese-san was in control of the pace. I felt that it would be a little disadvantageous to start the conversation as it was, so I tried to talk about something different from the main topic. "Umm, Reese-san, I would like to ask you something ..." "What? Are you asking about dark magic?" "No, it''s not about that, it''s about Ruija-san and Bran." "I see, so you''ve already met with Bran?" "Yes, after yesterday''s meeting ..." When I told Reese-san about what happened at the guild training ground, she burst into laughter. "Hahahaha ... Delightful, delightful, Kent really interests me." "Wait! What are you talking about to Reese-sama!" Ruija, who was waiting with Gunther in the corner of the room, became angry with her face turning red, but she refused to approach us from that spot. "Ruija, are you sure you should be leaving Bran alone?" "Uuu ... I, I''m going back. Don''t talk about unnecessary things anymore!" While pouting angrily, Ruija returned to the guild. "Umm ... Ruija-san, is she a good tamer?" "Tamer? Kuhahahaha ... Kent, Ruija isn''t a tamer." "Eh? But she''s tamed the Gigawolf Bran, right?" "Hmm ... If you call it taming, then I guess it''s taming ... Right now, it''s probably crying because it can''t see Ruija." Reese-san told me the secret of Ruija and Bran while laughing hard. It''s not a complicated story, even if it''s a secret, it''s just that Ruija raised Bran, who was separated from its parents and was weak, thinking it was a dog. "In other words, Bran is like a big domestic dog. That''s why it wears a collar so that it doesn''t blindly attack people." Now that she mentions it, Bran was wearing a collar, but isn''t that the guild registration card? "Could it be, slavery ..." "That''s right, as expected of Kent, you''re good at guessing. I''ve modified a slave bracelet into a collar and put it on it so as not to hurt people." "But then, isn''t Bran in danger?" "Fufufu ... Gigawolf that is thought to be tamed, do you think there are people who would carelessly put their hands on it?" "Ah ... If you say so, then yes. Besides, it can fight against monsters." "Well, that''s right, kukuku ... to be glared at by a Storm Cat and to leak out, kuhahahaha ..." Beatrice asked from the side of Reese-san, who continued to laugh. "Kent-sama, when did you add a ferocious monster like a Storm Cat to your genus?" "Yeah, I subjugated it in Lastock the day before yesterday, and I just made it my genus after that." I introduced Nero to the chairman and Manon, but I hadn''t yet introduced Nero to Beatrice. "But, if kept from a young age, monsters will get attached." "That''s right, I also saw it for the first time, and it was interesting, so I kept it handy. However, both Bran and Gunther over there are all about appearances, and on top of that, Ruija is ignorant of the world. She''s been praised and has a bit of excessive pride, so I brought her here to show her the wide world." "So, you''re keeping it a secret that Lau-san is your real bodyguard?" "That''s right, something more interesting will happen, won''t it? Kukukuku ..." For some reason, on the journey from Bakkenheim to Volzard, I can see the two people and one animal being used as Reese-san''s toys. "Now then, Kent, let''s get down to business, shall we? You''re willing to become my companion ... it doesn''t seem to be like that." "Yes, I haven''t made up my mind yet ... But, before that, I thought I''d tell you about our circumstances, which is why I''m here today." "Fumu ... What is the situation that Kent and the others are facing?" "Yes, about that story ..." "I will speak first." When I gave a signal with my eyes, the chairman took over the story. "Fumu ... Judging by your hair color and eye color, aren''t you from the same world as Kent?" "Yes, we were summoned together. Kent was, he arrived at Volzard as a result of being banished because the result of the magic judgment was not good, and the rest of us were deceived into thinking it was a magic tool to prevent our magical power from going out of control, and were taken away and had slave bracelets fitted on us." "What the hell, did they trick you into putting on a slave bracelet?" "Yes, we were not allowed to disobey because of the slave bracelets, and were forced to undergo rigorous training under harsh conditions at the Lastock garrison." The chairman said that Camilla summoned us to use us as soldiers, that Funayama was made an example of and was killed, that the girls were also subjected to strict training, that she was treated well, that she was tormented by a sense of helplessness because she couldn''t heal her friends'' injuries, and she sometimes choked with tears as she spoke. And then, although the quality of life had improved since coming to Volzard, she said that there were girls who were not familiar with the city and were driven by a sense of nostalgia. "What ... So you were in such a situation ..." After listening to her story, Reese-san stood up quietly, walked over to the chairman who was wiping her tears, and gently hugged her. "It must have been hard ... You did your best ..." "Yes ... Yes, thank you." "Hey, Kent! Why didn''t you tell me sooner that it was this kind of situation!" "Uwaa! I, I''m sorry ... I heard for the first time last night that there were girls who were having nervous breakdowns ..." "Hmph, that being said, you probably didn''t realize that the people in question had such thoughts." "Yes, you are right ..." "Hmph ... Well, what should I do ..." Reese-san sank into thought for a time while hugging the chairman. Not just me, but Manon and Beatrice also had anxious expressions on their faces. "Hmm ... That''s right ..." Reese-san patted the chairman''s back gently, then got up from her seat and settled down on the sofa where she was sitting. She put a short cigarette into the end of a long, thin pipe, lit it, allowed it to smoke slowly, and began to speak. "It seems that my request has been temporarily put on hold." "On hold ... is it?" "That''s right, if it''s on hold, there''s no need to worry, as for Kent, I will live longer than you ..." Reese-san was said to have already lived for over 250 years, but if she fulfills her natural lifespan as a dark elf without encountering illness or accidents, she should live longer than I do. "Kent, when you grow older and become a better man, I''ll ask you to be my companion." "Then, can you tell me how to bring a living person into the shadow space?" "Umu, I''ll tell ... But, Kent, I''ll tell the three people who are waiting there, not you." "Eh, but the three of them can''t use dark magic." Reese-san, who heard my words let out a big sigh with an exasperated expression. "Haa ... I''m fully aware of that. In the first place, I can''t use that method either." "Uuh ... That''s right, that''s what you said." "What I can teach is the theory and practice of the magic. Whether or not you can understand it and implement it depends on Kent." "I see ... But why not directly to me?" "Good question ..." When Reese-san finished her words, she smoked deliciously from her pipe again, spewing out purple smoke with a grin on her face. "Rejoice, Kent, while I''m teaching you how to use dark attribute magic, I''ll teach those three a part of my secret bedroom techniques." "Eeehhh ... Hey, that kind of thing ..." "Don''t panic. I''ll just teach the three the knowledge of men''s bodies so that Kent, who is inexperienced in dealing with girls, won''t be in trouble later." "B, but ..." Beatrice was very curious ... The chairman''s face was also blushing, but she seemed to be motivated enough ... Manon, yeah, her eyes were swimming. "Well, the story is settled. Kent, you''re a hindrance, so go do your own work." "No, but ..." "Don''t worry. I''m not stupid enough to make an enemy of an S-rank adventurer." In the end, I was forced to leave the room. I''m really worried about what kind of content they will be taught. I was told to do my own work, but I thought it would take time to persuade Reese-san, so I didn''t have any other plans today. I was supposed to meet the chairman and the others at the guild in the evening, so I''ll show up at the Investigation Headquarters until then. I dove into the shadow world and traveled to Japan. [ Kent-sama, being able to return everyone else has finally become a reality. ] "Yeah, if the return of my classmates can be realized, I''ll have crossed over a big mountain." [ Then, you can focus on the Resenburg turmoil. ] "That''s right, the trivial succession dispute of those people, let''s clean it up quickly." For Reinhardt, a former knight of Resenburg, I was sure he was worried about the turmoil in his homeland. Since the big task of returning everyone to Japan seemed to be in sight, I looked into the Investigation Headquarters in a good mood, but an angry roar resounded. "Where are you? You must be hiding here! Send out Kokubu Kento!" The one yelling was Funayama''s father. "Isn''t it Kokubu Kento in the picture here? There was a guy who compared the photo taken from the front with the one in his elementary school graduation album and published it on the internet. There''s no doubt it''s him! Where is he, don''t hide him!" Funayama''s father slammed the magazine he was holding onto a desk and yelled at Sudou-san. I couldn''t confirm it from where I was currently, but the photos in the magazine were probably taken when I visited the grave. "Funayama-san, I understand how you feel, but I cannot answer questions related to the investigation." "Don''t screw with me! This guy, Kokubu Kento, brought back the letters, didn''t he? And he''s probably the only one who came back and is hiding somewhere! That''s right!" "Even if that were the case, we cannot disclose the personal information of minors." "Why is that! For what reason! Is it something you''re too embarrassed to let me know? Isn''t this guy involved in the incident? That''s why he can''t come out." "Again, I can''t give you any information related to the investigation." "It''s only my house, only my house hasn''t received a letter. What''s going on? It''s been reported that he was killed, so what are the police doing!" Funayama''s father continued to yell, banged on the desk, stomped his feet, and turned red in the face. It''s hard to say that he''s elegant, and his behavior was rather rude, but there was definitely a desperation to care for his family. "As for us, we will do our best to identify his whereabouts and investigate so that his return will come true ..." "Don''t lie! There are fewer people than when I came last time! There are fewer chairs and desks! What do your best!" After shouting out loud, Funayama''s father suddenly stopped moving. "Funayama-san ... is something wrong?" "I see ... I see ... you guys know ..." It was murmured words, different from the screams I had heard until then, but it sounded like he was deep in thought. Funayama''s father, breathing heavily, opened his bloodshot eyes to the limit and glared at Sudou-san. "You guys already know everything ... That''s why the number of people has decreased. That''s why the number of desks has decreased ... tell me ... tell me, what happened to my son!" When Funayama''s father yelled and punched it again, the top of the desk reached its limit and broke. At the same time, Funayama''s father also fell to his knees while convulsing. "Funayama-san! Please stay strong. Hey, ambulance!" "Agaa ... Ryu, Ryuji ... Ryu ..." Funayama''s father was blowing bubbles and convulsing, apparently in a dangerous condition. With his right hand holding his head, he may indeed have had a blood vessel burst in his brain. "Kokubu-kun!" I jumped out of the shadows and, listening to Sudou-san''s surprised voice, put my hand on Funayama''s father''s head and cast healing magic. My body moved before I thought, since it would be bad if I left it alone. The convulsions that had struck Funayama''s father soon subsided, and his unfocused eyes returned to normal. And then, his eyes caught my eye, and his eyes widened. "Bastard, Kokubu Kento! Where have you been hiding until now!" "Guu ... breathe, gaa ..." "My, my ... son ... where ..." Funayama''s father, who had been holding me by the neck, suddenly started to feel dizzy, then he let go of me, let out a loud snore, and fell asleep. [ Kent-sama, I threw in some sleeping pills. ] [ Thank you, Reinhardt. You saved me. ] [ An easy task. ] Thanks to Reinhardt for being quick-witted, I was saved. "Kokubu-kun, what happened to Funayama-san?" "Yes, I think it was probably an intracerebral hemorrhage or something, but I cast healing magic. Right now, he''s sleeping due to the effect of sleeping pills, so I think it''s better to take him to the hospital and have him checked." "Healing magic, you can do something like that ... Okay, let''s do that. Hey, take Funayama-san over there and let him sleep." Following Sudou-san''s instructions, a young investigator carried Funayama''s father to the sofa. The magazine that fell to the floor had a large photo of me looking up from the passageway of the cemetery. As I was staring at the photos in the magazine, someone grabbed my shoulder and shook me. "It''s your fault. You just had to go and visit the graveyard, so it''s probably going to cause a fuss!" "Hey, what are you doing ..." "Stop! Let go with your hand, Katayama!" Grabbing and shaking my shoulder was the veteran detective who held me down when I first came to the Investigation Headquarters. "But, Director ..." "Kokubu-kun is a victim, what are you doing?" "Kuh, I understand ..." "I''m sorry, are you okay, Kokubu-kun?" "Ouch ... i, it''s okay." I was grabbed with a grip that felt like a gorilla, so there may be a hand-print left. "I''m sorry for my subordinate''s rough handling. If you accuse him, I promise to testify." "No, I don''t want to go that far. More importantly, that magazine ..." "Ah, it went on sale this morning ... Did you notice that this picture was taken?" "I noticed that they were taking pictures ... I noticed it, but I used shadow movement to shake them off before I was interviewed ..." "I see ... It''s not that Kokubu-kun is at fault, but I wanted to hear your take on it." "I''m sorry, I was thinking about a lot of things ..." "Yes, I guess so ..." As Funayama''s father said, it seemed that there was an image circulating on the internet that had been determined to be the same person by comparing the photo in the weekly magazine and the photo in the elementary school graduation album with a computer. It seemed that the majority of people on the internet were of the opinion that the data required for facial recognition, such as the distance between the eyes, the shape of the nose, the shape of the front teeth, and the shape of the ears, were compared, so there was no doubt about it. "It''s bad to find out that I''m back in Japan, isn''t it?" "Well, it''s not a welcome situation, but the government''s policy is the same as before." "Eh, but ... If the photo gets out ..." "Even so, if we say we haven''t confirmed it, that''s it." "Are you okay with that?" "It''s okay, rather, there''s no other way, and the media can''t find your whereabouts right now, so there''s no grounds for you to argue. I''m glad Kokubu-kun wasn''t caught by the reporters." Sudou-san was speaking calmly, but judging from the behavior of the detective earlier, it may not be all right. Besides, Funayama''s father saw me. "Umm ... Funayama''s father saw me, wasn''t that bad?" "Hmm ... That''s right. But, it was just a short time, and he soon passed out. The pictures in the magazine were burned into his eyes, so he had a hallucination ... I guess we''ll just have to deceive him with something like that." So to speak, he collapsed with what appeared to be a vascular disorder in the head, and since he fell asleep with sleeping pills immediately after the treatment, if you put the two of them together, I feel like that would make sense. But, I can''t shake the feeling that it''s a pretty powerful skill ... "I''m sorry, because I went to the grave on a whim ..." "What are you talking about? There is no reason for Kokubu-kun to be restricted. I''m sorry, I''m really sorry, but I''d like you to be patient until the other classmates can return." "Ah, about that return, I might have found a way." "What, is that true?" The Investigation Headquarters, which had been filled with sorrow until then, suddenly became vigorous. "Yes, it''s still a possibility, but someone knew how to bring living people into the shadow space I use." "Then, the others will be coming back soon, right?" "No, I''m still at the stage of asking for the method, and I don''t know if I can implement it, so I don''t think it''s going to happen soon." "This guy ... You''re giving us hope with such a sloppy story ..." "Stop, Katayama! Is that the attitude of someone who seeks cooperation to solve the case! Stop it right now!" When the violent detective tried to grab me again, Sudou-san loudly reprimanded him. "Sudou-san, an ambulance has arrived!" "Understood. Kokubu-kun, it wouldn''t be good to be seen by the ambulance personnel, so please leave for today." "Yes, I think I''ll receive new information tomorrow." I hid in the shadows as if being chased by the sound of the stretcher coming down the corridor. [ Are you okay, Kent-sama? ] [ Yeah, it''s okay if I use self-healing, so it''s okay. ] [ What a rude man. the next time he behaves like that, I will break one of his arms. ] [ Don''t go that far. I will have to treat it. ] [ I see, is that how it is. ] I thought about returning to Volzard, but decided to take a peek inside the police station. The ambulance parked in front of the entrance was surrounded by reporters with cameras in doubles and even triples, creating an air of frenzy. "The ambulance stretcher is back." "Yes, back away, everyone back away!" "It looks like it''s an adult male on board." "Isn''t that Funayama-san?" "Turn around, connect the relay quickly!" "Where''s Kokubu? Isn''t he here?" Apparently, this bloody atmosphere was also triggered by my photo in the weekly magazine. [ Kent-sama, are those guys after Kent-sama? ] [ That''s right, but you can''t mess with them. ] [ Are you sure you want to leave it like this? ] [ Hmm ... There''s no problem if I hide in the shadows ... ] I don''t think I can return to a very peaceful life even if my classmates return to Japan after receiving information about dark magic from Reese-san. Even though a large problem may have been settled, it feels like a new problem had arisen. AN: Fixed the scene involving Kent and Detective Katayama. CH 123 How to go back to Japan ***---*** On the way back from the Investigation Headquarters, Basten, who was conducting reconnaissance of the Second Prince faction, called out to me. [ Kent-sama, the group with Celia''s mother is leaving Bamata and heading to Lastock. ] "It''s here already, sooner than I expected." [ Probably, Camilla gave Kent-sama consideration and instructed them to hurry. ] "I see ... But when they arrive at Lastock, I still have to think about how to get to Volzard." [ How would you like to do it? ] "Maybe we should borrow a small carriage from the garrison and get Zae-tachi to pull it back." [ Is that appropriate? ] I visited Marianne-san, the commander of the garrison, and asked to borrow a carriage, and then moved to the site of the ramparts construction. The purpose was to tell Takayama about Celia''s mother and to see how my classmates and the teachers were working, but only Takayama could be seen. Now that I think about it, today was the day the class was held in the garrison''s auditorium, but I completely forgot about it. As I watched from the shadows, Takayama continued working silently among the adults. I have also participated, but the work of building the ramparts was not easy. Carrying heavy stones, kneading and carrying soil to fill the gaps. Work such as hardening was handled by people with an aptitude for the earth-attribute, so people with other attributes simply did heavy lifting. Of course, if you use magic to strengthen your body, you can lift and carry heavy objects, but you can''t use magic all day long, so in the end it''s a job that depends on your own strength. Even in the cold wind, Takayama wore only a short-sleeved shirt and carried the stones with the adults. Compared to when he was active as the ace of the basketball club, his body is even more solid, and I feel that he is comparable to adults. His work style was also serious, and it seemed like he returned to work immediately after giving a short reply to the instructions from the adult supervising the site. "Hmm ... It looks like he''s completely changed ..." [ That''s right, when he was called a Hero, he was a young man who had nothing but talent, but if it''s like this, it can be said that he has a promising future. ] "He was strangely praised, and he got carried away ... is that what you mean?" [ I guess so. It''s a classic example of how the environment changes a person. ] Even from the perspective of Reinhardt, who served as the branch leader of the knights order during his lifetime, Takayama seemed to be in a favorable situation. In that case, it was worth paying for the compensation. I''ve also been promoted to S-rank, but I have to live humbly without taking the situation like this morning at the guild for granted. In order not to surprise the people working on site, I stepped out of the shadows and called out to the foreman. "Um ... I''m sorry when you''re busy." "Yeah? Nuo ah, aren''t you the ''Monster User'' ... Wh, what do you need?" "It''s just, I''d like to say something to my friend ..." "Friend? Ah, Shuichi, I don''t care, just don''t get in the way of our work." "Thank you very much, sorry for bothering you." While I was waiting at the stone yard to call out to Takayama when the stones were finished being transported, another person who had come to pick up the stones was startled and stopped. If one person stopped, the person behind them would also stop, creating a traffic jam. "Oh, I''m sorry, I''m in the way. Please ..." "Oh, oh ... is that okay?" "Go ahead, go ahead ..." I was treated like an idol by younger children, but adults were wary of me. Should I do something to improve my image? For example, parading around town on Nero ... would have the opposite effect, wouldn''t it? While I waited in a place a ways away from the stone storage area and out of the way, Takayama came back to pick up a stone. "Takayama! Over here, over here." "Kokubu, what''s wrong, did you bring Celia with you?" When Takayama came running after seeing me, of course he asked about Celia. "Not yet. By the way, if Celia-san comes now, where are you going to live." "Uh, yeah, that''s right ..." "Takayama ..." "What?" "That''s why, find a place to live." "Eh ... that means." Takayama''s eyes opened wide. "It looks like Celia-san''s mother will be arriving in Lastock soon, so ask the guild to introduce you to a house where the three of you can live together." "Kokubu ... when, when can you bring Celia?" "Isn''t that up to you, Takayama? Is it okay if I bring her before you''ve decided where to live? Her mother will be with her, too. Are you going to let her sleep outdoors?" "Uh, I see, then let''s go to the guild now ..." "No, no, you should finish your work properly." "Right, that''s right ..." "Something like that, if Celia-san is involved, you really become an idiot Takayama." "Ugh, it can''t be helped. Unlike you, I''m not in a situation where I can meet her right away ..." "Well, hey ... But this time, her mother will be with her. First of all, you have to get her to acknowledge your relationship with Celia-san, so is it okay to ask her for her daughter?" "Ugh ... Stop it, don''t pressure me ..." Takayama glared at me with a bitter expression, but it''s interesting, so let''s play around with him a little more. "But, Takayama, it''s going to be tough from now on. You have to pay rent and living expenses for the three of you, and isn''t it difficult if you only work on the ramparts?" "That''s ... I think it''s tough, but I''m clumsy ..." "For the time being, even if the ramparts construction is the main focus, income won''t increase unless you use the guild''s free courses to acquire skills, get permission to go on a subjugation, find friends and form a party." "Yes, that''s right ... I''m not alone." Takayama folded his arms and began to think. "Oh, yeah, and you can''t live in a big house without earning money, and you can''t enjoy various things without that, can you?" "Hey, idiot, I can''t do that ... well, her mother is coming too ..." "Besides, won''t the number of people to feed increase?" "Eh ... Is that so?" "I don''t know, there''s no way I can ask such a thing." "Y, yeah, that''s right ..." "Anyway, come visit the guild once and talk about various things." "Okay, I''ll try tomorrow." If I stay too long, it will get in the way of their work, so I decided to leave it at that. When I returned to the guild, the trio including the chairman were sitting at a table in the corner of the bar, huddled with their heads together. No, to be more precise, Manon was lying face down on the table. "Umm ... Good work, everyone." When I called out to them, the chairman and Beatrice''s bodies shook, while Manon suddenly got up and turned her gaze to me all at once. Hey, it''s like the gaze isn''t on my face, but on my stomach ... "Hauuu ... Impossible! It''s impossible ..." Manon covered her face with both hands and fell down on the table again, and the chairman and Beatrice covered their mouths with both hands and turned away while blushing. Eeeehhhh ... What exactly did you learn? "Umm ... What happened?" "I can''t say!" "Uu ... Don''t ask me, Kent-sama." Beatrice covered her face with both hands and looked down. "Umm ... I don''t want to ask about the details, but was it quite radical?" The chairman kept her hands over her mouth and nodded. Uuh ... I''m really curious, but if I force myself to ask, it''s going to be sexual harassment, so I''ll put up with it. "For the time being, putting that aside, could you tell me how to bring living people into the shadow space?" When I asked about the main topic of dark-attribute magic, the chairman let out a big sigh and held her head. "Yuika, what''s wrong? Is there something wrong?" "Yeah, just a little ..." "But, she taught you the theory, or the method, right?" "Yeah, she taught us ..." So why is the chairman so depressed when I might find a way to bring my classmates back to Japan? "Haa ... What should I do, Kento?" "No, even if you ask me what to do, anyway, can you tell me the theory or the method?" After exchanging glances with Beatrice, the chairman reluctantly began to speak. According to Reese-san, the shadow space is a kind of different space that dark-attribute magicians can access. However, it seems that each magician has their own uniqueness in how they store their luggage and the routes they use for transportation, so even if they have the aptitude for the dark attribute, other magicians can''t access it. The reason my genus can freely enter and exit the space I use is because they have a magical link with me. "Well, after hearing the story so far, I feel that it''s difficult for other people to enter the shadow space ..." "Yeah, even so, if it''s a dark-attribute magician, you can enter another person''s space just by holding hands." "Is that so? Then, if it''s Reese-san, if we hold hands, she can enter the shadow space I''m using." "Yes, that''s how it is, but ..." "The problem is with people of other attributes, right?" The chairman nodded silently. It seems that everyone doesn''t want to talk about it, so I thought about it my own way, but I can''t come up with a good idea. No way, I''m not going to have to take their life and make them my genus ... "Sorry, I don''t know, what should I do?" "That is. Kento takes away the attributes of people he brings into the world of shadows." "Eh ... Take away attributes? Can I do that?" Both the chairman and Beatrice nodded. "What does it mean to take away an attribute?" "That''s exactly what it means. Kento will take away the magical attribute of the person he wants to bring in, and then grant Kento''s magical power afterwords. By doing so, it seems they will be able to enter and exit the shadow space." "Is that so? Or rather, what will happen to those stolen attributes? Can they be returned?" The chairman and Beatrice shook their heads. "It seems that once an attribute is taken away, it can never be restored." "Eeeehhhh ... In other words, if you use my shadow movement, you won''t be able to use magic?" "Yeah, it seems to be like that." In other words, in order for my classmates to return to Japan, it is a prerequisite that they can no longer use magic. That must be the reason why the chairman is depressed. If she lives in Volzard with me, it''s a waste if she can''t use powerful light magic. But she wants to go back to Japan and see her parents again ... huh? "hey, Yuika, in order to enter the shadow space, it''s fine to grant my magical power without any attributes, right?" "Yeah, Reese-san said so." "Then, wouldn''t it be easy to bring someone from Japan?" "Yeah, maybe ..." "Okay, let''s have Yuika''s parents come here. Then Yuika won''t have to lose her magic, right?" "Yeah, that''s right, but ..." Huh? I thought she was worried about not being able to use magic. Even though I told the chairman I would bring her parents here, her expression remained depressed. "Hey, what''s wrong? It must be a shock that you can''t use magic, but if you don''t mine, we found a way to return to Japan." "Yeah ... Reese-san also said that Kento should probably be able to do it." "Then, what''s the problem?" "Yeah ... The way to take away attributes ..." The chairman exchanged looks with Beatrice again, and after letting out a big sigh, told me. "The way to take away another person''s attribute is to suck it out of their mouth." "Hee, sucking it out of their mouth ... Eeeeeehhhhhh!" In other words, even men have to kiss each other to take away attributes. In other words, when Yagi says he wants to go home, Yagi ... Ueeeee ... "You know, Kento. It takes a lot of time for someone with a lot of mana to have their attribute taken." "Lieeeeeees! Is that the same for men?" "Yeah, right ..." "No waaaaay ..." Instinctively, I held my head and threw myself on the table. I guess the reason why the chairman and the others looked depressed was because they don''t like me kissing girls other than themselves. Hey, almost half of my classmates are boys, and even the teachers ... "Aaahhh ... I wonder if I should pretend that I didn''t hear about this story ..." The chairman glanced over at the table, and after a moment''s thought, she shook her head. "Kento ... what are you going to do?" "Sorry, let me think about it for a moment. As expected, it''s a little ..." "That''s right ... Ha, it would have been nice if there was an easier way ..." "Nakagawa-sensei ... he really wanted to go home ..." When I glanced at her, the chairman was also holding her head. As expected, it seems that she doesn''t want to imagine a picture of me and Nakagawa-sensei kissing. However, as a matter of fact, there is no other way to send my classmates back to Japan. It seems that I have no choice but to make up my mind in order to bring everyone back. And all of my classmates will also have to decide whether to abandon magic and return to Japan, or abandon Japan and keep their magic. "What the hell, what are you doing with those wet faces?" When I turned my face to the side while lying down on the table, I saw Klaus-san grinning. As if he had already finished his work, Klaus-san waved his order to the bar master, and he sat down at an empty seat at our table. "So ... what happened?" As expected, if we were to sit together with the Lord of Volzard, neither I nor Manon would be able to lie down on the table. After correcting my posture, the four of us exchanged glances, and I decided to answer as the representative. "Umm ..." "Ah ... Wait, wait, I''ll guess. When I see all four of you depressed ... Well, have you finally decided to break up with my Rise? So, Kent, which one will you choose, Yuika or Manon?" "Papa, annoying ... Kent-sama is talking, so shut up ..." "Guhaa ... Rise ..." Beatrice didn''t seem to have enough leeway in her feelings to go along with him as a joke, so she gouged at Klaus-san with an icy gaze and muttered. "Actually, I received information about returning to Japan from the Guild Master of Headquarters, Reese-san ..." When I explained how Reese-san taught us how to bring another person into the shadow space, Klaus-san burst into laughter while banging on the table. "Gyahahahaha ... Then, in order to bring them back, Kent will have to kiss them? Moreover, it takes a long time to suck it out, gyahahahaha ... It''s bad, my abdominal muscles are cramping ... Gyahahahaha ..." I understand that Klaus-san doesn''t like Beatrice being taken by me, but it''s better to notice that Beatrice is looking at him with a frosty gaze. "But, it''s good, isn''t it, the prospect of returning your classmates is set, did you report it to Shuji and the others?" "No, the contents are just the contents, but ..." "Kukuku ... But, I guess there''s no reason not to report it." "Um ... I have to send Manon home ..." "Ah, Manon will be with us halfway through, and we will send her home, so it''s okay." "Haa ... Then, I''ll report while sending Yuika home." "Kukuku, that''s right, that''s right, while you''re at it, ''chu chu'' with that rash brat and send him back to the original world." "Kuh ... I don''t know if I''ll do it yet." "Kukuku ... you can''t escape." Wow, how can you accurately point out where I''m going to take damage ... I''m getting mad at the bad old man''s smirk. "It''s okay. Even if Kent-sama is harmed by kissing a man, I will comfort him with the method that Reese-san taught me to heal a man." Beatrice''s words froze Klaus-san''s laughter. "Haa? H, h, heal a man?" "Alongside Kent-sama''s question about dark-attribute magic, I was also taught the basics by Reese-san." "Un, unforgivable! It''s too early to heal a man! I won''t allow it! Hen, Kent, you ... What are you doing to my Rise!" Klaus-san''s expression, which had been smiling triumphantly, changed completely, and he glared at me with a demonic expression. "No, Reese-san said it''s okay ... I don''t think it''s such an extreme content ..." "Well, if it''s too extreme ... Rise!" "Mama told me to make it an established fact quickly ... if possible, have a child, so I learned something very useful for that." "A, an established fact ... a child? I won''t allow it, I won''t recognize it!" "Then, Papa, is it okay for Kent-sama to leave Volzard?" "Th, that''s ... that''s no good." "Papa helped me out at the dinner party, didn''t you?" "Guu ... I, I''m going home, Rise, and Manon''s going too! Look, Kent, go and report, too." I haven''t been able to clear my head yet, but there''s no point in staying in the guild, so I decided to head to the garrison''s quarters with the chairman. It was frustrating, so when we parted, I kissed Manon and Beatrice in front of the bad old man. Haa ... Even so, I feel depressed when I think about reporting this. CH 124 Return ***---*** The town of Volzard was busy with people heading home after work and shopping for dinner. The chairman and I had our arms entwined as we headed towards the garrison''s quarters along the bustling main street. "Hey, can''t we postpone the report after all?" "Kento ... I understand how you feel, but wouldn''t the result be the same even if you procrastinated?" "That''s right ... Haa, I feel depressed ..." Compared to when Camilla told me that there was no repatriation formula, it''s a big step forward for the return, so I dn''t mind reporting it, but I''m depressed when I think about the development that awaits after that. "But Kento, don''t you think you want to kiss a girl?" "That''s not true. After all, it''s not a favorable situation for either of us to have a girl who doesn''t want to kiss me." "Then, if the other girl wants to kiss Kento, there''s no problem, right?" "There''s no such thing. Or rather, I have to do it with the boys ... think about my situation ..." "Sorry, that''s right ..." "Haaah ..." Even if I walked with heavy steps, I''ll reach my destination if I keep moving forward. I bowed to the guards at the gate and passed by, but both of them seemed to have uncertain expressions on their faces, and they gave me a dubious look. "Kento, why don''t we report after dinner?" "That''s right, I guess so." But when I think about what''s to come, I feel like I want to procrastinate even a little. When I head towards the cafeteria, Katou-sensei spotted us and quickly approached us. "Key, Kokubu, I told you to attend class properly, but you skipped twice in a row!" "I''m sorry. But, please forgive me for that much." "What''s that, come to think of it, Asakawa was absent today, too." When he gave the chairman a wink, he nodded as if it couldn''t be helped, so I decided to talk to Katou-sensei. "Sensei, I think I found a way to bring everyone to Japan." "What! Is that true? Can we really go back to Japan?" "I''m not sure yet, but I was taught the theory and usage of dark-attribute magic." "Then, can we really go back to Japan?" "Only if I can apply that method ... I haven''t tried it yet, so I can''t say for sure that I can do it." "Okay, I''ll gather the teachers, so please tell us the details." "Yes, I understand ..." Even the slightest delay isn''t allowed, God, aren''t you a little too strict ... While I was thinking that, an unexpected person called out to me. "Tell us about that story, too." "Hey, can we go home? Seriously, seriously?" "Hooray! I can finally go home." The person who called out to me was Kizawa Sumika, along with her seven female entourage. Katou-sensei, your voice is too loud. "You guys should be quiet! It''s not a definite story yet. After having the teachers listen to the story, I''ll properly tell the students, so please wait." "You say that, but aren''t the teachers planning on going back to Japan immediately?" "I don''t think so. If we can return to Japan, we will give priority to their students." "I can''t trust you. Ever since we came to this world, you haven''t done anything like a teacher." "What are you saying, we''re doing things for the sake of our students too ..." "We are able to live thanks to Kokubu being here. When you tell your students to work and earn their own money, I think you have already given up your role as a teacher. If there''s nothing wrong with that, then there shouldn''t be any problem with us sitting in together, right?" Kizawa-san argues in a strong tone, and doesn''t seem to have any intention of backing down. Katou-sensei frowned at the harsh way of saying it, but seemed to compromise after thinking for a while. "I understand, but Kizawa is the only student representative. After hearing Katou-sensei''s words, the chairman came and entwined our arms together and silently appealed that she would attend. Apparently, there seems to be no sign of her pulling back either. Isn''t it useless if I tell her to back off? The four of us went straight to the teachers'' rooms, but there again Kizawa-san had a quarrel with the teachers, but she refused to give up and won her participation. In addition to the six teachers, Ayako-sensei, the intern teacher, and the usual members, the chairman and Kizawa-san would participate as observers. As usual, Oda-sensei urged the report as a facilitator. "Then, Kokubu, can we hear the story?" "Yes, I understand." The Guild Master of Headquarters, Reese-san, is a dark elf. Dark elves seem to have an aptitude for the dark attribute without exception, and Reese-san has a lot of knowledge about dark-attribute magic. She told us that in order to bring others into the shadow space, it is necessary to steal their attributes and give them the magical power of the caster. "In that case, please take away my attributes right now and bring me back to Japan, please Kokubu!" Even though we were still in the middle of the conversation, Nakagawa-sensei kicked his seat and stood up and bowed his head low enough he was about to hit the table. "Uwaa, you really tried to push the students away and go home first ... I can''t believe it!" "Nakagawa-sensei, I understand how you feel, but you''re in front of the students, could you please restrain yourself?" After Nakagawa-sensei glared at Kizawa-san bitterly, he reluctantly followed Oda-sensei''s words and returned to his seat. "Kokubu, is it easy to take away someone''s attribute?" "No, there''s a little problem, it''s not easy, and I won''t know if I can actually do it until I try." Once the attribute is stolen, it cannot be returned, and the person who has it stolen cannot use magic. When I told them that the only way to take away their attributes was to suck it out with a kiss, and that it would take some time depending on the amount of mana, everyone had a conflicted expression on their face. "In other words ... It''s no good unless Kokubu sucks it out in a mouth-to-mouth state, but you don''t know if it''s possible since you haven''t tried it out yet ... Is that what you mean?" "Yes, it is ..." For the time being, I sent a glance to the chairman for confirmation, and she nodded back. Nakagawa-sensei, who stood up with momentum just before, scratched his head as he pondered. "Alright, then I''ll be your test subject!" "Kizawa, what are you talking about!" Even when Nakagawa-sensei, who was overtaken, raised his voice, Kizawa-san continued her assertion without showing any signs of flinching. "If the students are given priority over the teachers, then I would be the only one here. After talking to all the students, there will be a big fuss over who to choose." "I can''t let my students do something that I don''t know for sure if it can even be done!" "Eeeehhhh ... If it fails, I won''t be able to go back to Japan, and I''ll just be kissed by a trash man. Don''t you just want to go home first after telling us it''s dangerous even though there''s no danger?" "There''s no such thing, we put the safety of our students first ..." "If you''re talking about the safety of the students, isn''t it natural to return the students first?" "If by chance it fails and you can''t return to this place or the Earth ..." "So annoying. In the end, you''re only thinking about going home, you''re just arguing for the sake of argument!" "You, what a way to talk to a teacher!" "Say such lines after doing something like a teacher!" "That ..." "That''s enough!" Katou-sensei shouted at Kizawa-san and Nakagawa-sensei who became emotional. "Kizawa, I know you want to go home, but calm down a little. Nakagawa-sensei, don''t be so immature with a student, either." When silence returned to the room, voices could be heard from outside the room. "Hey, what happened ..." "Can we go home? Can we not go home?" "What do they mean by kissing or something?" "Hey, don''t push!" It seemed that Kizawa-san''s followers had leaked the news, and my classmates were gathering. The facilitator, Oda-sensei, made a sour expression and let out a big sigh before opening his mouth. "Kizawa, is it okay if you can''t use magic anymore?" "Of course. If I can go back to Japan, I have no interest in magic." "Is that so ... That, about kissing Kokubu." "I definitely don''t like it. But if there''s no other way, I''ll endure thinking that I was licked by a stray dog." Seriously, can you please stop staring at me like you''re looking at a piece of garbage. "Kokubu, what will you do?" "No, no matter what I say ..." When I involuntarily turned my gaze, the chairman seemed to be undecided. As the committee chairman, she may want to put the neurotic girls first, but she doesn''t want me to kiss other girls in the first place. Even so, I think she''s hesitant because it''s something I have to do eventually. At times like this, I have to be the one to decide. "Okay, I''ll try it." "Yes, please." I never thought that my first opponent would be Kizawa Sumika. Well, it''s better than Yagi, the old and new duo, and Nakagawa-sensei. "Then, should we wait outside ..." "I don''t like it. What would I do if I were left alone and Kokubu did something strange to me." "I won''t do anything. What are you saying." "Hmph, there''s no way I can trust someone who''s seriously trying to create a harem." Damnit ... She really pisses me off. In the end, the male teachers averted their gazes and I tried to take her attribute while the female teachers and the chairman were watching. I mean, it''s a little embarrassing for me to do it while people are watching. Before we started, the chairman also warned me. "Kento, it''s just an act to suck out attributes." "I know ..." "Kokubu, don''t touch anything strange." "I won''t touch you!" In order not to collapse even if our physical condition deteriorates, we sat side by side on the three-seater sofa to try to take her attribute. "Wa, wait a minute ... a, are you going to do it?" "I will, is there something?" When I was about to start, Kizawa-san suddenly lost her composure. "No, wa, wait a minute!" "What is it, if you hate it that much, I''ll stop ..." "No, before suddenly trying it with a kiss, wouldn''t it be better to try something like a handshake?" "Ah, that''s true ..." Come to think of it, I hadn''t considered the idea of trying contact methods other than kissing. "Hey, you should notice it sooner!" "Sh, shut up ... I can''t help it because it was so shocking that I couldn''t wrap my head around it." "So, you just wanted to kiss me, didn''t you?" "Well, if kissing is the only way, I''ll have to do it with Nakagawa-sensei someday ..." "Ugh, that''s a disaster ..." So, I decided to try it with a handshake ... "It''s hard, but not rugged ..." "I''m sorry ... I was working and this happened, so it can''t be helped ..." Compared to Kizawa-san''s hands, who only trained as a mage in Lastock and only played around after coming to Volzard, my hands, which have been overworked at the Libre Plantation, are completely different. "I love the hands of the hard-working Kento." Kuu ... Chairman, you''re a really good girl. My eyes were definitely not wrong when they chose her. "Hmph, you just skipped taking care of your rough hands ..." Kuh, this one really pisses me off. "Hey, what''s going on, did you do it? Can''t you?" "Sh, shut up, I''m trying it now, so please don''t mess around." I''m sorry, I actually forgot to try it ... Well, that''s because of Kizawa-san''s unnecessary words. Again, even if I concentrate on the hand I''m holding, is it thin, soft, and sweating a little? I can only understand that much, and I can''t feel the magical power. "Hmm ... It looks like it''s no good." "Really? Did you try it properly?" "Yeah, magic power ... in particular ..." "Is that right? Isn''t the skin on your hands too thick? Shave it off a little." "Don''t be so unreasonable ... so, what should we do next? "What should we do, you should think about it." I wonder if this careless attitude means she doesn''t really want to go back to Japan. "You know ... I don''t have to do it, I plan to live here forever ..." "Tch, don''t get carried away ... Th, then, next a hug ..." "Hmm ... I couldn''t feel anything with a handshake that touches our skin directly, but I wonder if it''s something that can be done with a hug with clothes in between?" "A, are you really going to tell me to hug each other naked?" "There''s no way I''d say such a thing!" Kizawa-san put her hands together to cover her breasts. "When Kento cast healing magic on me, I could feel the effect circulating all over my body when he hugged me, so why don''t you try that?" "I see ... then let''s try it ..." In the chairman''s case, I''m sure she wants me to avoid kissing if possible, but honestly, I don''t have much confidence. I spread my arms out and waited for her, but Kizawa-san wouldn''t come near me. "What''s wrong? You said we would try it with a hug, right?" "Flirting with various women, don''t confuse me with such trash, I''m mentally preparing myself." "Yeah ... I''m just trying to see if I can take your magic attribute. I''m already hungry, so hurry up." "Hey you ... I understand, you should do it, if you''re gonna do it. Anyway, don''t touch anything strange." "Yes, yes, I won''t touch you, I won''t touch you." "Damn, I''m annoyed ... Hya ..." I wonder why she let out a weird voice ... Eh, thin! She''s taller than me, but she''s thinner than Manon, but she''s soft. What is she made of? "Lies ... You''re this solid?" "Hey, can you please not say unnecessary things in my ear? I''m concentrating right now." "I''m sorry ... Or rather, aren''t you concentrating on enjoying the feeling?" "Hey ... be quiet." Concentrate, concentrate ... Even if I closed my eyes and focused my mind like when casting healing magic, I couldn''t feel Kizawa-san''s magical power, so I tried casting a little healing magic. "Ohh ... What is this, something is flowing ..." When I used healing magic, I could see things like the state of her body, but I couldn''t really feel anything like magic. "Kento, how is it?" "Hmm ... I can understand how her body feels when I use healing magic, but when it comes to magic power ..." Hey, why are you hugging me so tightly? "Yeah, it''s no good, this is ..." When I tapped her on the back to urge her to let go, Kizawa-san showed a sullen expression. "Wait, what kind of sloppy treatment ... Because you were able to hug a girl, you should rejoice more." "Yes, yes, happy, happy, I''m happy." "Really, you''re annoying." Hey, I can''t go crazy in front of the chairman. "So, what''s next ...?" "Next is ... I can''t help it, so I''ll let you k, kiss me ..." "Yes, yes, then shall be begin ..." "Wait, I''ll do it, so wait a minute ..." "What the, what is it this time?" It''s really troublesome should I let go or wait ... "Hey, why are you making such a sullen face? You should be grateful to be able to kiss such a beautiful girl." "Yes, yes, beautiful girl, beautiful girl, are you ready?" "Hey, so annoying ..." "Is it alright? Is it no good?" "You should do it, if you do ... try setting the mood for a bit." "Impossible, mood be damned in the work of taking attributes." "Work, work is it ... so annoying, hurry up ... you idiot." When I put my hands on her shoulders, Kizawa-san closed her eyes in a bad mood and her body trembled. I could feel Kizawa-san''s trembling through my hands. This is work, no romantic feelings, this is work, no romantic feelings ... Repeating such in my head, I touched her lips. I continued to repeat the chanting in my head in this state, a diffusing consciousness formed from our overlapping lips, and I imagined sucking out Kizawa-san''s magical power. Immediately, a strange magic flowed in through our overlapping lips. When I traced that magic power, I found that it reached every corner of the human being called Kizawa Sumika. Since it was about taking her attribute, I guessed I had to suck out all of that magical power and steal it. This looked like it was going to be a lot more work than I thought. "Hmm ..." Kizawa-san''s eyebrows knitted and she let out a painful sound. Having your magic drained out is like a sudden consumption of your magic power, so it might be a burden on her body. And I, who was the one who sucked it out, felt a different kind of magical power entering my body, and my head felt wobbly as if it was being eroded. "Kento ... are you okay?" The chairman called out to me worriedly, but of course I couldn''t answer because I was in a state of kissing, but I''m really not okay. "Hmm, Hmmhmm ..." The more I took away her magical power, the more Kizawa-san''s breathing became rougher, and I felt that her body temperature was dropping. The more magical power I stole, the worse my headache became, and I began to break out in unpleasant sweat. From our diffused consciousness, magic power was lost from the tips of Kizawa-san''s hands and feet. Kizawa-san''s hand, which had been searching for my arm as if wandering around, was put around her back and her claws were raised. "Hmm ... Hmmhmm ..." "Kento, Kento, are you okay?" It''s probably been more than ten minutes since we put our lips together. Kizawa-san''s temperature had dropped further, and her complexion seemed to be pale, but I couldn''t stop now because it was about to be taken away. If I stopped halfway, the magical power that had gathered would spread and I''d have to start all over again. Just a little more ... Just a little more ... Kizawa-san put her nails in my back. When Kizawa-san''s body had the last remaining magical power sucked up, her body suddenly lost its strength. All that was left was to imbue her with my magical power. "Nhaaa!" "Kento!" "Ugeeeeeeeeeee ... Damn, this, is tough ..." My head felt dizzy and nauseous, just like when I smelled paint or glue for a long time. What''s more, even with self-healing, there was no sign of improvement. "Wait! Isn''t it rude to be about to throw up after kissing for such a long time." "Because ... Ue, really, Ueeeee ..." "I can''t believe it! Idiot, fool, trash!" No matter what Kizawa-san says, it can''t be helped because it''s disgusting. "Kento, did it go well?" "Maybe ... Uee ..." "Then, shouldn''t you take her to Japan quickly?" "Uuu ... That''s right ..." I take out a shield of darkness and connect the path to the Investigation Headquarters. "Kizawa-san, grab my hand, oeee ... Don''t let go ... ueee ..." "Hey you ... It''s enough, hurry up and take me!" "Then, let''s go ... oee ..." When I pulled her hand, Kizawa-san staggered and embraced my arm, but smoothly entered the shadow world. The teachers who were watching cheered, but there was no time to be happy together, and I felt sick and unsteady on my feet. "Reinhardt, lend me ... uee ... a hand." [ Kent-sama, are you okay? ] "I don''t know ... But I have to go quickly ... Oeeee ..." "Hey, you guys, just take it easy ... that, was my first time ..." "Oeeee ... What did you say? Ueeee ..." With Reinhardt''s help, I managed to reach the Investigation Headquarters. Fortunately, Sudou-san was still there. I opened the shield of darkness next to Sudou-san''s desk and threw Kizawa-san out. "Kyaa ... Hey! Treat me more gently." "Ueee ... Impossible, Sudou-san, please handle the rest ..." "Kokubu-kun, this child is ... Kokubu-kun!" Sudou-san called out loud, but I''m at my limit. I moved to the Devil''s Forest with shadow movement and vomited out the contents of my stomach. "Ueeee ... Gueee ... Gohou, Ueeee ..." Even so, I was so busy today that I didn''t have lunch, and I was about to eat dinner when Katou-sensei caught me, so my stomach was empty. After vomiting gastric juice, I writhed with nausea and a headache. "Uuu ... It''s useless ... Nero, Mart, Mirt, Murt ... please ..." "Nya, Goshujin-sama, be strong nya." "Goshujin-sama, are you okay?" "I''m here with you." "Goshujin-samaaa ..." I didn''t even have the energy to answer everyone''s questions, so I let go of my consciousness as I fell onto Nero''s stomach. CH 125 Stolen attributes ***---*** When I woke up, it was already dawn and the sun was quite high. Nero''s fluffy stomach, fluffy Mart-tachi, so to speak, I woke up once and then slept twice. [ Kent-sama, how are you? ] "Ahh ... Yeah, somehow ..." "Goshujin-sama, are you okay?" "Yeah, thanks to everyone, I''m fine." "Really? Good." "Pat me, Goshujin-sama, pat me." "I want you to stroke Nero too, nya." Thanks to Nero and Mart-tachi, I was able to spend the night without catching a cold in the chilly night of the Devil''s Forest. I stroked them a lot. My physical condition had improved a little, and the severe headache had subsided, but I was still dizzy. Maybe it was because I didn''t eat anything after yesterday''s breakfast, and I even vomited gastric juice. [ Kent-sama, I have sandwiches, can you eat? ] "Eh, what''s with the sandwiches?" [ I wrote a note about the circumstances, and I gave it to Mart and asked Amanda-dono to make them. ] "Ah ... I worried her again." [ I told both Amanda-dono and the Saint-dono that you were probably overworked, but ... ] "Yeah, that''s fine, thank you. I''ll tell them the circumstances later." After eating a sandwich and milk, my head felt a little refreshed, but I couldn''t get rid of the dullness of my body. Also, I became aware that something was wrong with my body. [ Kent-sama, regarding the attribute stealing you did yesterday, isn''t it unreasonable to do that to everyone else? ] "Hmm ... Frankly, I don''t really want to do it, and even if I did, it would be about once a week ..." [ Is your physical condition really okay? ] "Yeah, I''m mostly fine now. I think I got drunk on Kizawa-san''s magical power that I took away." [ Drunk on magic ... is it? ] "Yeah, right now ... it seems like my body is getting used to it ..." [ Huh ... Then? ] "Yeah ..." I nodded at Reinhardt, and after unwinding my body by twisting my shoulders and neck, I took a boxing fighting pose. "Fuu ... fuu ... fuuuu!" After taking two deep breaths while solidifying the image in my head, I thrust out a right straight and a fireball shot out from the tip of my fist, and when it hit the trunk of a tree, it exploded and gouged a hole. [ Ooohhh ... Was that girl the owner of the fire attribute? Even so, it''s wonderful that fire-attribute magic doesn''t have to be chanted! ] "This is dangerous, isn''t it ... If I take away the other attributes, it looks like I''ll be able to use all the attributes." [ As expected of Kent-sama, you deserve to be called a Maou. ] "Goshujin-sama is amazing." "Amazing, amazing, Goshujin-sama." I never thought that I would be able to use other attributes, so it became a little fun, but at the same time, using fire attribute magic increased the dullness of my body. Strangely enough, the flames of fire-attribute magic don''t feel hot even when they touch my body. Even though it doesn''t burn when I put it on my clothes, when it touches the trees and grass around me, they will burn and turn to ash. I haven''t been practicing recently because I''ve been busy, but if I practice fire-attribute magic, I''ll be able to use it in various ways. As a test, when I put magic flames on my fists and legs, I was able to break a tree about 30 centimeters in diameter with a single blow. Yeah, it looks like an anime hero. [ Buahahaha, great! Great work, Kent-sama. I''ve never seen anyone use fire-attribute magic like that. ] "Is that so? It''s a common usage in manga and light novels ... I wonder if this world is conservative in how to use magic. But fire-attribute magic certainly seems to be suitable for attacks." [ In terms of offensive power, the fire attribute is probably the best. Now, Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better if you could go back once? ] "Ah ... that''s right. I came silently. I should show my face to the Investigation Headquarters." Considering my priorities, I decided to go to the Investigation Headquarters to confirm whether Kizawa Sumika was really delivered. I thought that Kizawa-san''s return would have caused a big fuss, but the Investigation Headquarters didn''t feel like there were any major changes. I stepped out into the Investigation Headquarters and greeted Sudou-san. "Good morning, Sudou-san." "Oh, good morning Kokubu-kun, I''ve been waiting for you. You looked pretty sick yesterday, are you okay?" "Yes, I''m still not feeling like I''m at my best, but somehow ..." "Is that so? Is it really difficult to bring people back from the other world?" "Yes ... It''s impossible every day." I explained to Sudou-san how to bring people into the world of shadows and bring them back. "I see, it''s hard to extract other people''s magic power, isn''t it?" "Yes, how to say it, I think it''s like a rejection reaction, but anyway, it takes time for me to get used to the magic." "How much time should we wait? It doesn''t matter if it''s just a rough estimate ..." "Well, if possible, I''d like you to leave an interval of one week, at least five days." "Honestly, we would like to ask you to do it at as short of intervals as possible, but if Kokubu-kun collapses by overdoing it, it''ll all be for nothing." "While considering my physical condition, I will do it as soon as possible, but ..." "The problem is how to take away that magical power, right?" "Yes, it''s a bit of a mess when I think about whether it''s necessary for men to do it." When I frowned, the Investigation Headquarters burst into laughter. No, it''s really no laughing matter. "By the way, Sudou-san, how is Kizawa-san doing?" "Ahh, she doesn''t seem to have any problems with her health, so I made her pretend to be a police officer, rolled up the media, and sent her home." Although she was able to exchange letters, she had been missing for such a long time, so it seemed that her priority was to return to her family. On top of that, it seemed that she promised to respond to investigator''s questioning at a later date, and for the time being, to remain quiet and not be open about her return. "Kizawa-san said that Kokubu-kun really did a great job." "Eh, no ... I just did what I could." "But she was very grateful. Without Kokubu-kun, she would have died. Kokubu-kun saved her life." "Haa ... Is that so." Hmm ... I wonder what''s going on. When she was in Volzard, I was called trash, but this difference is ... For the time being, I confirmed that Kizawa-san was delivered safely, so I decided to take the letters for today and return to Volzard. By the time I got back to the boarding house, Amanda-san''s shop was about to open for lunch. "Amanda-san, I''m sorry for worrying you." "Kent! Are you sure you''re alright. I heard from Reinhardt that you went unconscious again ..." "Yes, I just took on new challenges and unexpectedly exhausted myself, but now I''m fine." "Really, you have to be careful. Don''t worry me too much." "I''m sorry, I''ll be careful. But even if it was just one, I was finally able to send a classmate back to the original world." "Is that true! Ahh ... That''s why you collapsed unreasonably. Seriously, this child is ..." I was hugged by Amanda-san, who was slightly in tears. "You did a great job. Ahh, you''ve become stronger than when you first came to our house." Even on the day I was introduced by the guild to this boarding house, Amanda-san hugged me like this. The same scent of sweat and spices as that time was that of Volzard''s mother. "Ahh, I''m sorry, I kind of got overwhelmed with emotion ... Raising a son must feel like this ..." After undoing the hug, Amanda-san gently wiped her eyes. "Then, me too ... Good work, Kent." Meline-san also gave me a soft hug. Ahh, she smells like the same spices as Amanda-san. "Then, I have to inform others, so I''ll go for a while." "Aiyo. If possible, please come back by dinner, because Meisa was worried about you." "Yes, I will try to return as soon as possible." Next after the boarding house was the chairman''s place. I thought she was in the dormitory, but she''s not in the room. I thought it might be possible, so when I visited the clinic, I saw the chairman treating a patient. However, there were dark circles under her eyes and her smile was weak. "Yuika, you should rest. You look worse than the patients." "But ... Kento is also working hard ..." Even if Manon called out to her in between examinations, she wouldn''t allow herself to rest. I stopped by the examination room before the next patient came in. "Yuika ..." "Kento, Kento, Kento!" The chairman hugged me with great force. "I''m sorry for worrying you. Kizawa-san was safely sent to Japan." "What were you doing this whole time? I was worried, idiot, idiot, idiot ..." "I''m sorry. I felt like I was drunk with the stolen magical power, and after throwing up in the Devil''s Forest, I fell asleep exhausted." "Are you okay? Sleeping in the forest, if you''re not careful, you''ll freeze to death." "Nero and Mart-tachi warmed me up, so I wasn''t cold, and now I''m feeling much better. However, I don''t think it''s possible to take attributes frequently." "If it''s such a burden, it''s impossible unless you''re in good physical condition. If Kento collapses, there''s no way to return to Japan." "Yeah, I''ll be careful too." "Kento ..." When I hugged the chairman, who had closed her eyes, I heard groans filled with despair. "Aaahhh ... That bastard, who is he ..." "Idiot, that''s the ''Maou'' ..." "Damn ... my angel ..." Yeah, because she''s my chairman, also ... "I''m sorry for making you worry about me, Manon." "Kent ... But, everyone ... Nfuh." While hugging the chairman with my right arm, I hugged Manon with my left arm. "Gunuoooooo ... Even Manon-chan ..." "That''s the ''Monster User'' ..." "Become bald, pluck it off, rot awaaaaaay ..." Yeah, yeah, I was able to appeal my ownership to the garrison people. "Hey, Kento, what happened with the attribute you took from Kizawa-san?" "Yeah, Kizawa-san was a fire-attribute, but now I can use it." "Eeehhh, then you mean you can use three attributes?" "Yeah, that''s right ... Yuika, what''s wrong?" When I told her that I could use the fire attribute, the chairman started to think about something. "Kento, you can use light and fire attributes in addition to the dark attribute, but you can enter the shadow space, right?" "That''s right, but that''s ... Ah!" "Perhaps, even if you don''t take away the attribute, you can just give them the dark attribute, right?" "Maybe so ... Why didn''t I notice?" In the first place, I was able to move in the shadows even though I have the light attribute in addition to the dark attribute. Given that, even if you have other attributes, as long as you have the dark attribute, there is a high chance that you will be able to enter the shadow space. "Hey, Kento, give me the dark attribute." "But, if something bad happens to your light attribute ..." "At that time, I will give up at that time." "Wait, I''ll be the test subject, not Yuika." Manon raised her hand in an attempt to have me impart the dark attribute. "But, this story has nothing to do with Manon ..." "Yuika, people with light attribute are precious in this world. People with strong magical power like Yuika are even more valuable, so if it has an adverse effect, the whole of Volzard will be in trouble." Because medical care hasn''t progressed like it did in Japan, users of healing magic are really important. "But, even Manon would be in trouble if she couldn''t use magic." "There are many other water attributes, and Kent won''t hate me even if I can''t use magic, right?" "Of course, I didn''t fall in love with Manon because she can use magic." "Then, don''t worry, Yuika, please ..." "Yes, I understand, I ask of you." While the chairman held her breath and watched over us, I tried to give Manon the dark attribute by kissing her. "... Hmma!" "H, how is it, how did it go?" "No good ... the magic won''t go in ... Healing magic is fine, but if I''m conscious of the dark attribute, it won''t work." The chairman shrugged her shoulders. It seemed that in order to bestow dark-attribute magic, it was necessary to drain the opponent''s magic power until it took away their attribute. In that case, in order for the chairman to return to Japan, she must give up her light attribute magic. She must have been very disappointed since she had just been told that the owner of the light attribute was precious. "Yuika, I''ve just started looking for a way, so it''s not like it''s decided that you can''t enter the shadow world while still possessing the light attribute. I''ll look for a way without giving up, so cheer up." "Yeah, thank you. Besides, it looks like Papa and Mama will be able to come soon." "That''s right. Theoretically, it''s possible ... Theoretically ..." "Ufufufu ... Kissing Papa might be difficult." We hadn''t even been allowed to date yet, and considering various circumstances, it was a very high hurdle to get permission from the chairman''s dad. If the chairman couldn''t return to Japan, I would have to persuade them myself, and just thinking about it made my stomach hurt. I lightly administered healing magic to the chairman, and then separated from the two and went to report to the teachers. I was told by the chairman, but the rumor that they could return after all was leaked out, causing a stir, and it seemed that a briefing session was being held in the auditorium. It seemed that the chairman was also asked to attend, but she said that she had said everything that could be conveyed and that she didn''t want to be questioned, so she went to the clinic. "Isn''t it better for Kento to not go, either?" "Hmm ... But I have to report it, and I have to tell them that I can''t do it often." "Kizawa-san, how is she?" "It looks like she went home so that the media wouldn''t find out ... I hope she doesn''t go out and cause a fuss." "That''s right, but Kizawa-san has that personality, so I''m a little worried." "That''s right, but worrying about it won''t do any good, and I can''t take care of it." "That''s right ... Kento is working too hard." "Ah, yes, speaking of working too hard, I took a video of Camilla''s apology rehearsal. It''s on my tablet, so please take a look." "Okay, I''ll see you later." When I left the tablet with the chairman and headed to the auditorium, there was more commotion that I expected. "Isn''t it strange, why is Kizawa the only one who can go home first!" "Yes, it''s unfair! It''s completely unfair!" "Where did Kokubu go! Did he lay a hand on Kizawa?" "When are we going to go home?" "I don''t need magic, so hurry up and let me go home!" After all, it seems a little troubling to have let Kizawa Sumika go home first. However, about 30% of the boys and about 60% of the girls are just quietly watching, and they are probably classmates who have become accustomed to life in Volzard. "Quiet, be quiet! I can''t hear you if you all call out at once, and I can''t answer you!" When Katou-sensei yelled from the podium, it calmed down for a moment, but soon murmurs of voices spread. "Anyway! Until Kokubu comes back, I can''t say anything definite!" "So, you don''t know anything?" "Where did Kokubu go?" "Is it possible that Kokubu can''t come back?" "When I get back to Japan, I''m going to confess to that girl ..." "Stop it, you idiot, don''t say things that aren''t good luck." It''s going to be a big fuss if I go out, but it won''t settle if I don''t go out. I put out a shield of darkness next to where Katou-sensei was standing and stepped out. "I just returned." "Oh, Kokubu, how was it?" "it''s Kokubu, he''s back." "Can we go home? Can we go home, Kokubu?" "Next is me, let me go!" As expected, there was a lot of fuss, but when I kept my palms down and silently made gestures to calm down, the voices gradually stopped. "I''ll tell you something important, so listen carefully." At my words, the auditorium fell silent. Yeah, something like this feels good. "This method seems to be very taxing on my body, and it is impossible to do it every day." "What''s that, then when will I be able to return to Japan!" "Next, me, let me go home!" "Shut up, Kokubu is still talking, shut up." I used a gesture to make them quiet again and continued talking. "You want to ask me a lot of things, but let me talk first, and I''ll take questions later ..." In order to take the attribute, it is necessary to suck out all the opponent''s magical power, and the strange magical power can cause severe headaches and nausea. I don''t know the reason, but self-healing doesn''t work for this headache and nausea. I told them that I was vomiting up gastric juice in the Devil''s Forest and was writhing around and fell unconscious.(TN:Still unsure why the ''I told them'' part is on the last sentence instead of the first every time.) "If I do it a lot and get used to it, it might become easier, but at the moment I think I can only do it once a week. By the way, you have to be in a state of kissing me for over 10 minutes to take away the attribute, so if possible, I want the boys to give up on returning to Japan." When I finally confessed my true intentions, booing occurred as a matter of course. "Even I don''t want to kiss you, but if there''s no other way, just put up with it!" "Giving priority to the girls, you''ll get used to it faster if you go with the boys first, right?" "Then, you should do it first, that is, kissing ..." "Don''t be stupid, kissing Kokubu for more than 10 minutes would be torture." After letting them complain for a while, I quieted them again with a gesture. "Shut up! You guys do it once and it''s over, but I have to do it dozens of times. Think about my situation! Girls first, you bastards later! Rather, I won''t do it with the boys until the girls finish!" "This guy, spitting out his true feelings, EroMaou!" "Don''t be so noisy, it''s okay to give priority to girls!" "You say something like that, but you''ll probably say you can''t do it anymore as soon as the girls are over!" "That''s right, show me a precious scene!" "I oppose women''s supremacy! Seek equality between men and women!" The auditorium was in an uproar again, but I finished my message. "Sensei, the next time I''ll do it is in about a week, so I''ll talk about the details next time ..." "Hey, wait a minute, Kokubu!" I left the rest to the teachers, and dove into the shadows. CH 126 Standpoint ***---*** On the way to the guild, I wanted to tell Klaus-san that I was able to send Kizawa-san back to Japan, when Basten called out to me. [ Kent-sama, it seems that the Second Prince faction is starting to move. ] "Does that mean that they will attack Lastock?" [ Yes, it seems that he got bored of waiting in Bamata. ] "Even if he''s bored ... he''s not a child." [ That''s right, children are many times better. ] The report from Basten was far more terrible than I expected. [ The Second Prince, Bernst, has heard about turning the camp into a fort and the plans to evacuate the residents, and seems to be thinking of abusing it. ] "Abusing it ... what does he plan to do?" [ Yes, it seems that they are planning to gather all the residents inside the fort under the pretense of training and kill them all there. ] It would take time to find and kill all the residents scattered around the city, and in the process of hunting them, buildings would also be damaged. However, if you gather them in the fortress under the pretense of training, you can save the trouble of looking for them, and the buildings can be reused without being damaged. "What is that, what do they think the lives of the residents mean!" [ That''s not all. Kent-sama, Bernst intends to rape Camilla in front of the gathered residents, and then slaughter everyone in front of Camilla. ] [ Nuooo, what a heretic, there is no need to pardon him anymore, Kent-sama. ] "Basten, was that story something Bernst himself thought up?" [ It''s like that, but it seems that a man named Ryzas is injecting various things into it. ] Ryzas looked like a bandit boss, and he was said to be a man sent by Margrave Calvine. At first glance, he looked just like a ruffian, but contrary to his appearance, he had a good mouth and seemed to be well taken care of by the Second Prince Bernst. [ Apparently, it is Ryzas who is recommending the drugs to Bernst and the others, and it seems that Ryzas'' subordinates are bringing them in from somewhere. ] "If you follow the origin, does that mean you''ll end up in Barshania?" [ Probably, I think so. ] "I wonder what Barshania plans to do with the Second Prince faction?" Reinhardt answered that question on behalf of Basten. [ Barshania must be thinking about what to do with Bernst. ] "Eh, what do you mean? Because it''s Barshania that supplies the drugs, right?" [ Barshania is probably the one that is spreading the drugs, but if they can reduce Resenburg''s national power, that''s fine. Rather, it is Margrave Calvine who is trying to target and manipulate the Second Prince. ] The mere spread of drugs worsened public order and weakened the power of the country, so if it spread not only to the Second Prince''s faction, but to Resenburg, then Barshania''s goals could be achieved. The use of those drugs on the Second and Third Princes is probably the intention of Margrave Calvine, who wants to use them as puppets. "Is that Falzala? Is it addictive?" Both Reinhardt and Basten nodded strongly. [ Please think that once you use that kind of thing, it''s over. ] [ Already, Bernst''s eyes are becoming like those of a dead fish even in the daytime. ] "Uwaa ... Is Ryzas himself okay?" [ The person himself seems to think that he is fine, but from this point of view, it''s already useless. ] "Eeehhh ... But, if Ryzas is addicted, wouldn''t Margrave Calvine be in trouble?" [ So-called disposable pieces, there are many substitutes ... I guess that''s what it means. ] Reinhardt said bitterly as a parting remark. At this rate, blood would inevitably rain down on Lastock, it''s a bit early, but it looks like we have to confront the Second Prince''s faction. After receiving the report from Basten about the Second Prince faction, I visited Klaus-san''s office. Fortunately, there didn''t seem to be any visitors, so I went out of the shadow world into the corridor and knocked on the door. "Who is it!" "It''s Kent." "It''s open, come in!" "Excuse me ..." Klaus-san, who was sitting at his office desk, had a face that looked like he chewed on a bitter bug. He''s probably still dragging along the fact that Beatrice learned how to heal a man from Reese-san. "What do you want?" "I came here with a report and consultation." "I won''t approve of having a baby with Rise." "It''s a completely different matter." "Hmph, let''s talk." Other than being an extreme idiot parent, he''s reliable, but frankly, it''s a little troublesome. "Actually, it''s just one, but I was able to return a classmate to their original world." "Hou ... How did you do it?" "Yes, it''s the method I learned from Reese-san ..." I explained that by taking the other person''s attributes and granting my own magical power, they could be brought into the shadow world. "Ah, taking the attribute, huh ... what happens to the stolen attribute, can it be restored?" "No, I can''t seem to give it back ... It becomes mine." "Then, Kent, are you saying that you can use the new third attribute magic?" "Yes, like this ..." I turned my right palm up and made a fireball on top of it. "Kaa, are you even going to use the fire attribute without chanting ... You really are a crazy bastard." "Sorry." "Hmph, if you''re on my side, there''s no need to apologize. If it''s useful to Volzard, I don''t mind if you get stronger and stronger." "But since the danger of the maximum outbreak is gone, isn''t it an excessive force?" "If Resenburg is in trouble, I want as much strength as possible." If Resenburg or Barshania crossed the Devil''s Forest and attacked, reinforcements might come from a city of the same Landshelt, but basically, we would have to fight with only Volzard''s strength. In that case, the absolute difference in strength will be difficult to deal with. "It''s obviously better if there were no wars. However, no matter how much we dislike it, there''s no choice but to fight if the other party sets us up. You have to fight to protect the people you love, your home, and your city. Soldiers are needed to fight, and it costs money to feed them. Do you know how much I appreciate the existence of a human being who alone can do the work of dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of people?" "I see ... you can make use of the work of hundreds of people who you would have to pay salaries to without paying salaries." "On the contrary, it seems that you brought in magic stones, materials, and even ore last time." It seemed that the information had been conveyed, and Klaus-san relaxed his mouth into a grin. "That, it just happens to be a coincidence." "A coincidence ... Well, that''s fine, but what are you talking about?" "Yes, about the Resenburg mess." "Fumu, will the civil war finally begin?" "Civil war, rather, there are people who are trying to commit a one-sided massacre ..." "Massacre? Tell me the details." "Yes, actually ..." When I conveyed the movement of the Second Prince faction reported by Basten, Klaus-san''s expression, which had loosened up before, tightened again. "Kent, the Second and Third Princes ... Get rid of them." Klaus-san''s words had a shockingly cold sound that I had never heard before. "B, but, killing them without a warning ..." "Do you think that someone who is drowning in drugs and plotting the massacre of civilians will be useful in the future?" "No ... But, suddenly killing them ..." "I told you before. If you see someone who will only cause harm to you in the future, don''t forgive them. Someone who has eyes like a dead fish even when they''re not taking drugs, keeping them alive will only harm you. Kill them." "I understand ... But, please let me warn them just once. If it still doesn''t work, I''ll get rid of them." Klaus-san stared into my eyes with a stern expression on his face. As expected of a battle-hardened Feudal Lord, cold sweat was pouring from the pressure of his silent power, but I didn''t look away. "Hmph ... That''s fine, do whatever you want. That place, it''s a place I can''t get my hands on." "So, if it comes to getting rid of the Second and Third Princes, is it better to get rid of them all at once?" "Fufun, you''re thinking properly, aren''t you." Klaus-san erased the wrinkles between his eyebrows and loosened his expression. "Kent, if you want to get rid of the Second and Third Princes at once, give a warning to the nobility who hold the faction together. Otherwise, some idiots will become desperate and rampage." "Should I warn Count Gleisner and Margrave Calvine?" "That''s right, if they cause a useless civil war and make the people suffer, say that they will be chasing after the idiot Princes. In fact, it would be easy for you and your genus to do that, right?" "Well, that''s right." "It''s not bad that you don''t want to kill people, and I can''t let Rise marry someone who enjoys killing people. However, don''t make a mistake when it becomes time to make a decision." "Time to make a decision ... is it?" Klaus-san nodded once, moved his crossed arms on the desk to the armrests of his chair, and sat back down. "Kent, what are you working for this time? Is it for yourself? Is it for Volzard? Is it for Resenburg? Or is it for the people? Which one?" "U, umm ... for Volzard ..." "Wrong. Right now, you''re trying to act in order to be the good person you think you are. You want to be seen as a good person, so you will kill the stupid Princes of Resenburg." Klaus-san''s words pierced my heart like a sharp knife. "I''ve said it before, but the same thing can look different depending on how you look at it. What seems to be evil from one point of view can be righteous from another point of view. That''s why a guy who doesn''t have a fixed position gets lost in the judgment of what''s right and wrong and gets stuck. Conversely, a person who has a fixed standing position will not hesitate in making decisions, so there will be no hesitation in his actions." The person in front of me is someone who makes decisions and acts for the benefit of Volzard. In contrast, I am just a child who wants to be seen as a good person and not be criticized by others, just as Klaus-san said. "Kent, what do you have to protect?" "The ones I should protect are Yuika, Manon, Beatrice, the city of Volzard that accepted me, and my genus ..." "Those who endanger what you want to protect are evil. Make a decision to protect what''s important to you. Don''t forget that if your decision is delayed, what''s important to you will be in danger." "I understand ... I can''t make a mistake when I make the decision." "If you take that to heart, do it the way you want to do it." "Yes!" After bowing deeply, I left Klaus-san''s office. After confirming that the corridor was empty and diving into the world of shadows, Reinhardt asked where I was going. [ Kent-sama, where are you going? ] "Hmm ... I''ll go back to the boarding house first, and after dinner, I''ll go to Lastock, and then Bamata." [ You''re very busy again. How are you feeling? ] "I''ll take a nap on the way, so it''s okay." [ If that''s the case, then it''s fine, but please don''t force yourself ... ] "Yeah, I know." When I called out from the back door of the boarding house, Meisa-chan rushed at me. "Amanda-san, I''m back ... Uwaa, that''s dangerous, Meisa-chan." "Kent, did you collapse?" "Uuumm ... I didn''t collapse, I just couldn''t come back to the boarding house." "Uuh ... Really? Are you okay?" "I''m okay, I''m okay, I''m really okay." When I stroked the head of Meisa-chan, who was clinging to me, she narrowed her eyes and rubbed her cheek like Mart and the others. "Fufuun ... Really, Meisa-chan seems to really like me ..." "Nya! S, s, such a thing is nyat true!" Meisa-chan backed away as if she were repelled. "Nyat true ... You''re not Nero." "Th, that''s wrong, I just said it wrong!" "Huh? Weren''t you mesmerized by being stroked?" "I, I didn''t do that, there''s no reason for that!'' "Look, you guys, the store will open soon, so if you want to make a fuss, go upstairs." "Kent is in the way! Go upstairs!" "Yes, yes, I''ll stay quiet on the second floor, so please let me know when it''s time for dinner." Somehow, Meisa-chan these days is more like a cat than Nero. I returned to my room on the second floor and started preparing for tonight. "Hey, Reinhardt, do you know how to tie a rope?" [ Leave it to me, how to use a rope is the basics of the knights. What kind of thing do you want to tie? ] "Yeah, for the Second Prince''s warning, I thought I''d use a rope instead of a ribbon this time." [ Oh, are you going to tie up his crotch again? ] "No, this time it''s a more urgent warning ... I''m going to tie it to his neck." [ I see ... Then, I''ll teach you the official method of hanging that was used when we were alive. ] "Thank you, if you please." While learning from Reinhardt, I made rope nooses to put around the necks of the Second Prince and his entourage as a warning. Since they''re not actually going to be hung, the end of the rope was cut short, but the meaning of the warning should still be conveyed. After the Second Prince and the others have fallen asleep, I plan to hang these rope nooses around their necks and leave a message. To the fools who don''t care about the people and are addicted to drugs. If you commit any more folly, I will cut off your lives! From the Maou [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama is finally calling himself Maou. Let''s do our best work as the Maou''s followers. ] "Yeah, please. I''ll become a Maou and give a hammer to those who harm my precious ones." Even with this much warning, if they still try to invade Lastock, I will cut off the lives of the Second Prince and the others. To be honest, I''m still unsure. If I really commit murder, there is no turning back, and I will become a criminal who cannot return to Japan. Above all, I''m afraid of what kind of effect it will have on me if I violate an absolute taboo within myself ... I feel like I''ll become an completely different person, and I''m scared. [ Kent-sama, after all we are ... ] "Uuh, if I''m going to do it, I''ll do it myself." After making about 10 rope nooses for the idiot Prince and his entourage, and after writing the message, I left Mart at home and moved to the training grounds in the Devil''s Forest. [ Kent-sama, are you training in magic? ] "Yeah, I''m considering thinking about what I can do with fire-attribute magic." Magical flames are clearly different from ordinary flames, as they can be ignited from places where there are no sparks or combustibles. To put it simply, it''s like a flame with a will. What I want to burn, will burn, and what i don''t want to burn, won''t burn. As long as the magic power lasts, I can make it smaller. If I fire it, I can change the trajectory after firing it. [ Ooohhh ... I''ve never seen a fireball that changes direction partway through. ] "Yeah, I think everyone in this world, magic is like this ... I wonder if they''re trapped in a stereotype like that." By stretching the ball of fire out of my hand into a sword shape, I was able to cut down a tree too thick to hold with both hands. If I add the image of raising the temperature, it seems like it can even cut through an iron shield. I was able to extend it from my fingertips and make it look like a flaming claw. Yeah, fire magic is fuuuuuun! While I was trying out various fire magics, Mart, who was staying at home, came to call me. "Wafu, Goshujin-sama, Meisa-chan came to call you." "Thank you, Mart, I''ll go now." I calmed down Meisa-chan, who was waiting for me in the boarding house, and we had dinner with Amanda-san and Meline-san. "Meisa-chan, I''m going out for a while, I''ll leave Mirt to house-sit, so you can sleep together." "Mom, Kent is going to do bad things again." "Hey, Meisa-chan, I think you shouldn''t say bad things about people. I''m going to do the work of an ally of justice." "What is the work of an ally of justice?" "Eh, that''s a secret." "See, Mom, Kent is trying to do something bad!" "Ahahaha, then, let''s ask Kent to teach you arithmetic so that he can''t do bad things ..." "Gochisousama! I''m going to take a bath! Kent can''t do bad things!" "Yes, yes, I won''t do anything bad." Meisa-chan took her dishes to the sink and pitter-pattered up the stairs. Amanda-san saw her off and after taking a sip of her tea, she asked me. "So, what is Kent going to do?" "Huh? Umm ... that ..." "From those evasive words, it doesn''t seem like a guild nomination request ..." "Umm ... I thought I''d go to the other side of the Devil''s Forest and give the idiot Prince a scolding ..." "Haaa ... You''re going to do something dangerous again." "No, no, I''ll just watch from the shadows until he falls asleep, and then just play a little trick." "Really?" "It''s true. I won''t do anything dangerous." Amanda-san, who was glaring at me with reproachful eyes, loosened her expression with a feeling of disgust, and then Meline-san asked. "Hey, why is Kent scolding the Prince of Resenburg?" "Umm, that''s because ..." I hesitated a little, but I told her about the struggle for succession to the throne of Resenburg and part of the plan to massacre the residents by the Second Prince''s faction. "Terrible! Is the Prince really thinking about such things?" "Yes, he may not be able to make normal decisions anymore because of the drugs." "What an outrageous bastard. Kent, I don''t mind, so give him a harsh scolding!" "Yes, Klaus-san said that as well." I left Amanda-san and Meline-san without telling them about the case if the warning didn''t work. Leaving Mirt at home, I headed to Camilla''s office in Lastock. The lights were out yesterday, but tonight they were on and I saw Camilla at her desk. I stepped out of the shield of darkness and sat down on the sofa and called out to her. "Camilla, I need to talk to you. Come and sit down." "Yes, Maou-sama, right away ..." For some reason, her cheeks are blushing and she''s even smiling, but it''s not that kind of frivolous situation. "What do you need tonight? Maou-sama." "The Second Prince faction is thinking of slaughtering the residents of Lastock." "Huh? J, just now, what did you say?" In an instant, Camilla''s expression froze. "Bernst is thinking of gathering the residents into this fortress under the pretense of training and slaughtering them all." "Y, you''re joking ... no matter how stupid he is ..." "Do I look like I''m joking? Bernst intends to annihilate the inhabitants and give Lastock as a territory for his faction''s nobles." "I, in that case, Bernst-ani, are you trying to take down Lastock?" "It''s Camilla who asked for help, isn''t it? Bernst intends to boldly enter Lastock with armed soldiers in tow." "No way! I asked for help to protect the city from a catastrophic outbreak, and I didn''t intend to invite those who would massacre the residents ..." "Then what will you say to reject them? After asking for help yourself, are you going to tell them to go home because they are suspicious? To an opponent with a military force of about 20,000 people." "Such ... such a stupid ..." Camilla''s face turned pale like paper, and cold sweat ran down her blushing cheeks and dripped down her chin. "Tonight, I will give a warning to the Second Prince." "A warning ... is it?" "If you continue to commit folly, I will kill you, I warn you as the Maou." After Camilla swallowed her saliva, she asked. "Wh, what if Bernst-gikei, doesn''t follow Maou-sama''s warning?"(TN:Raws say gikei, which is older step-brother. He''s her half-brother, this may be a typo and it should be ÓÞÐÖ gukei instead of ÁxÐÖ gikei, which would be the normal, Stupid Brother. It keeps alternating between the two, so IDK.) I answered slowly while facing the gaze of Camilla, who was confused and shaken by the sudden story. "It''s inevitable."(TN: Zehi mo nashi. Dunno if there might be a better phrasing here.) Camilla shook her head as if she had been struck by lightning, then shook her head. Yeah, I wanted to try using that line once. Camilla held her lowered head and adjusted her breathing, and seemed to be gathering her thoughts. "Maou-sama, would you let me take on the role of defeating stupid Bernst-ani?" "Yeah, no way!" "Why is that? The royal family should deal with the stupidity of the royal family." "How are you planning on approaching Bernst?" "Th, that is, in the form of me welcoming him ..." "If you fail, the residents will suffer damage. Can you annihilate the opponent without causing any damage, 20,000 to 100?" "That is ..." Of course, I knew that she couldn''t do it, so I asked, Camilla was unable to reply and looked down again. "In the first place, aren''t the 20,000 soldiers also citizens of Resenburg? Aren''t they weak citizens who have no choice but to obey orders? Will Camilla kill them?" "But ... That doesn''t mean that''s a reason for Maou-sama to get his hands dirty, right?" "There is a reason. If such people live as royalty and become King, they will definitely have a bad influence on Volzard, where the people I love live. I can''t allow any more rampage." "Bernst-gikei ... That, excluding him means, are you going to put Alphonse-gikei on the throne?" "Hmm ... well, the current King is still alive, so for the time being it will probably go with that flow, but if he behaves inconveniently for us, I guess we have no choice but to warn him and eliminate him." This is like saying that I can move Resenburg as I please, but what will Camilla say. After Camilla looked down and thought for a moment, she looked straight at me. "I have pledged allegiance to Maou-sama. I will follow the instructions of Maou-sama." "Okay, then concentrate on preparing for the maximum outbreak. I will dispose of the Second Prince''s faction. If the city is ruled by those who pledge allegiance to me, I will protect it." "Yes, as you wish." Leaving Camilla with her head bowed deeply, I dove into the shadow world. Now, shall I go to warn that idiot Prince and the others. CH 127 Count Gleisner ***---*** The Second Prince of the Resenburg Kingdom, Bernst, and his younger brother, the Third Prince, Christoph, were staying at the mansion of Count Gleisner in Bamata. It seemed that they were confining themselves in a luxurious detachment built for the royal family''s visits, and have repeated banquets called war councils since daytime. [ Kent-sama, it seems that Bernst and the others will continue their misbehavior until after midnight, but what kind of procedure will be used to issue a warning? ] "How are they after the ruckus is over?" [ They sleep like the dead until the sun rises high. ] "Well then, let''s do it after they fall asleep. Before that, let''s see what kind of situation it is." [ It''s a terrible situation ... But, I''ll guide you. ] The room that Basten guided me to by moving in the shadows was filled with smoke from a suspicious incense burner. "Hee, just by looking at it, I feel like the smoke is getting thicker ..." [ You''re right. It would be impossible to maintain your sanity in this dense Falzala. ] Normally, when it comes to entertaining a member of the royal family, many waiters would take care of them, but in this room, although there were mountains of food and liquor prepared near the entrance, there was no sign of a waiter that would bring them to the table. If they''re hungry or thirsty, they can eat and drink as they please. The orgies taking place in the room were worse than in the capital. No one was wearing anything, and no one was having a decent conversation. A group of beasts who have no shame and are only interested in satisfying their own desires. You might be convinced that they are a group of thugs who had hit it big in the mines, but I don''t think anyone would believe that there were two Princes of the kingdom mixed in among them. [ Kent-sama, isn''t a warning meaningless to such people? ] "Yeah, I understand very well what Reinhardt wants to say, but just to make sure, I just want to convince them." [ Indeed, then there is no need for me to say anything. ] Since the frenzy was not likely to end anytime soon, I went to see Count Gleisner during this time. The head of the Count Gleisner family, Zephalos Gleisner, sat around a table with three men and had a bitter expression on his face.(TN: Zephalos could be read as Sephiroth, but I don''t want to.) He was in his fifties and was a well-built man with a magnificent mustache. He had dark brown hair and triangular ears, Gleisner was said to be of the dog-beast race. [ Kent-sama, sitting across from Zephalos is his eldest son Walter, next to him is the second son Vincent, and sitting a little further away is Cedric, their Kasai. ] "What is a Kasai?"(TN:It translates to something like Household Manager.) [ In a sense, it''s the prime minister of a noble house, they take care of various tasks on behalf of the Lord. ] All the men sitting at the table had sour expressions on their faces. It seemed that the Princes'' misbehavior had exhausted them and they were in a difficult situation. "Damn, that Calvine idiot. He gave him something like Falzala ..." "Brother, it can''t be helped anymore." "I know, I know, but this feeling won''t be settled even though I know!" "It''s the same for me, but I don''t know what to do ... We can''t handle it on our own." The head of the family, Zephalos, listens to the brothers with his arms folded. Kasai Cedric seems to be observing the facial expressions of Zephalos and his sons while listening to the story. "Father, are you really going to kill all the inhabitants of Lastock?" "Walter, what do you think?" "I am ... I''m against it. Even though Lastock is a land governed by Princess Camilla, who belongs to the First Prince faction, slaughtering and robbing the same Resenburg people will damage the family name in the future." "Vincent, how about you?" "I think that if it''s an order from Bernst-sama, I should obey it." "Vincent, you ..." "Brother, I want you to listen to the end." Vincent began to speak his thoughts, restraining his older brother, who involuntarily leaned forward. "We are vassals of the royal family, and we must obey the orders of the royal family. If after being admonished, he still doesn''t change his mind, we will only obey. Besides, I hear that whether it''s true or not, Camilla has brought in a Maou. Considering the upcoming battle with the First Prince''s faction, it''s necessary to cut off anxiety about the future." Zephalos nodded repeatedly while listening to Vincent''s opinion. Seeing his father like that, Walter had a scowl on his face and scratched his head. After listening to Vincent''s opinion, Zephalos closed his eyes and looked up at the ceiling, then opened his eyes after taking a deep breath. After checking first Walter''s, then Vincent''s expressions, he slowly opened his mouth. "Cedric, can you connect with Camilla?" "Yes, please leave it to me, Danna-sama."(TN:Danna-sama here means master.) "The Gleisner family will kill Bernst-sama and Christoph-sama!" "Father!" This time, Vincent started to stand, but Zephalos held him down with one hand and calmly sat down again. "Walter, if you prioritize righteousness, your thinking is correct. But, if you don''t have any thoughts beyond that, it''s just a decoration. Vincent, if you prioritize profit, your thinking isn''t bad. It''s not bad, but it''s a little unpredictable." Zephalos moistened his throat with cold tea, then spoke his own thoughts. "Listen, we nobles need just cause to kill members of the royal family. Conversely, if there is just cause, it is permissible to kill the royal family. Vincent, you said that we should cut off our anxiety of the future in preparation for the battle with the First Prince''s faction." "Yes, Camilla-sama''s forces may be few in number, but they are highly skilled, and there remains concern about the behavior of the Maou." "That''s right, you''re certainly right. But, Vincent, if we kill Their Highnesses, won''t there be no reason to fight with Alphonse-sama in the first place?" "Hah ... But, if Bernst-sama''s backing is lost, there is no guarantee that our territory will be safe, right?" "If the backing is gone, why not get a new backing?" "Oh! Camilla-sama ..." "That''s right ... Cedric, pour me some hot tea." "Understood." I came to take a look with the feeling of killing time while I was waiting for Bernst''s orgy to end, but it seemed that an unexpected story was unfolding. "Basten, how many soldiers does the Second Prince have?" [ Yes, there are 500 royal guards for each male member of the royal family. "The total military strength was said to be around 20,000, so maybe around 20 to 1 ..." [ No, Kent-sama, the soldiers of the Second Prince''s faction are still gathering, so I don''t think they have reached 10,000. ] "In that case 10 to 1 ... It''s still an overwhelming difference in strength, but it won''t be easy to defeat the Prince by destroying a crowd of 1,000 people, right?" [ Zephalos and the others are allies, so it shouldn''t be difficult to get close to them. But what will happen after defeating the princes ... ] "If the knights were to fight each other in a garrison where all the residents of Lastock were gathered, wouldn''t there be chaos and considerable casualties?" [ That''s right ... Kent-sama, they seem to be continuing to talk ... ] After tasting a couple of sips of the tea Cedric had brewed, Zephalos continued to speak. "Vincent, can you entrust the future of Resenburg to Bernst-sama?" "No, that''s impossible." "That''s right, it''s impossible in that state. Walter, who would you entrust the future of Resenburg to?" "That ... I thought it could only be Alphonse-sama ..." "Vincent, what do you think?" "Maybe, is it Diethelm-sama?" Zephalos slowly sipped his tea and shook his head. "Listen, I''m entrusting the future of Resenburg to you, Walter." "M, me? Why me ..." "I see! Brother, brother is going to marry Camilla-sama." "I to Camilla-sama ... get married ..." It seemed that Vincent had figured out what the plan was, but Walter didn''t seem to have caught up. "I will speak in order. Listen carefully." When Zephalos called out to him, Walter, who was stunned, tightened his expression. "First of all, contact Camilla-sama and tell her about Bernst-sama''s plans. I will continue to persuade him until the end, but if the persuasion doesn''t work out, I will tell her that I will kill the Princes and obtain her consent." After entering Lastock''s fortress, Zephalos intended to kill the two Princes before the evacuation drill began. "I will talk to the commander of the Imperial Guard Knights and draw them to our side. Well, I''ve already made the preparations, so don''t worry." In other words, the idea seemed to be to create a situation in which persuasion continued until the very last minute, while preventing unnecessary bloodshed by firmly laying the groundwork. After all, he was a heavyweight of the Second Prince faction, and it seemed that he was not just blinded by greed. "Listen, it''s the height of stupidity for talented knights to shed blood and kill each other in order to kill such fools. If you prepare a cause that everyone can understand, those who have strong feelings for their kingdom become allies." Vincent cut off his words and asked Zephalos, who was drinking tea. "Father, earlier you said that you would entrust the future of Resenburg to my older brother, but does that mean that Alphonse-sama will also be killed?" "Vincent, have you forgotten what I said? What does it take for a nobleman to kill a member of the royal family?" "A just cause." "Do we have just cause to kill Alphonse-sama right now?" "No, we don''t." "Then, that''s what it means. This time, we will kill Bernst-sama and Christoph-sama under the pretext of protecting innocent people. The primary purpose is to build a good relationship with Camilla-sama by promising to support her and protect her territory. On top of that, it would be even better if Walter and Camilla-sama could get married. Whether or not to eliminate Alphonse-sama is still a long way off." "But, you have to think about it ..." "Of course, I''m not saying don''t think about it. If you set it in haste, you will suffer severe damage. Vincent, don''t take the existence of royalty lightly." "Yes, I''m sorry." Zephalos, who scolded Vincent with a stern expression, softened his expression when he saw Vincent bowing his head obediently. "Cedric, another cup of tea, please." "Would you prepare a drink for me too?" I put out a shield of darkness a little way away from the table, stepped forward, and raised my hands to show that I didn''t mean any harm. "You! Who are you!" "Where did you come from!" Walter and Vincent kicked away their chairs and stood between me and Zephalos. "Yes, sit down, the two of you. Cedric, add one more tea." "Father ..." "Yes, sit down ... Ahh, you two should sit over there." Zephalos instructed Walter and Vincent to change seats, and he smiled and gave me a seat in front of him. "I apologize for the impolite visit." "Hmm, are you the Maou?" "It seems that''s what I''m called in Lastock." "Fumu ... It''s the first time I''ve seen a dark-attribute user." Zephalos'' gaze showed he didn''t let down his vigilance, but he also had a feeling of uncontrollable curiosity. "Let me introduce myself again, I''m Kent Kokubu. I''m a person from another world summoned by Camilla Resenburg." "What, is that true?" Vincent was about to say something, but Zephalos just raised his hand and he shut his mouth. "But, isn''t it strange? if you were summoned, wouldn''t you be a Hero instead of a Demon King?" "I thought so too, but apparently not." When I told him the truth about the Hero and the Demon King passed down in the royal family, Zephalos nodded his head many times with great interest. "I see, then I can understand why it''s Maou. So, what does that Maou want with us?" "Yes, I was wondering if we could build a cooperative relationship, so I disturbed you." "Hou, even if you say cooperation, what are we going to cooperate on?" "of course, it''s what everyone was talking about until just a moment ago." A heavy silence drifted through the room, and this time Zephalos stopped Cedric from moving. "Does that mean that you will do what we were trying to do instead?" "No, it''s not that, I''m thinking of having everyone do what you were thinking of doing." "Hou ..." Zephalos erased the smile that had been on his face until then, and began to evaluate me with a cold gaze. I don''t know if there''s a difference between dog-beast people like dog breeds, but compared to Gilik, he has a loose figure that seems to have no fighting ability. However, that gaze is thoughtful and even tries to read my inner thoughts. "May I ask you a question?" "Yes, what is it." "Why did you ... Why did you think about doing this? Camilla-sama''s orders?" "I''ll tell you this, but I''m not Camilla''s vassal." "You, to call Camilla-sama by name ..." "Walter, sit down!" I was thinking of telling them about Camilla''s pledge of allegiance to me, but with this reaction at just dropping her name, it seems better to just deny that I''m her vassal. "If you are not a vassal, then why are you cooperating with Camilla-sama?" "Well ... It would be too long to explain in detail, so I will omit it, but after I was summoned, I was treated horribly and almost died. At first, I was only hostile to Camilla." "Fumu, then did you change your mind partway through?" "Even now, I think that Camilla''s decision to summon us was a mistake, but I sympathize with her desire to save the people suffering from desertification in the western Resenburg." "I see, that''s why you''re acting upon Camilla-sama''s request." "No, I''m not. I''m acting on my own judgment." When I immediately denied it, Zephalos twisted his neck suspiciously. "Fumu, I don''t understand. If it wasn''t for Camilla-sama''s request, why would you kill a Prince of a kingdom?" "I can list all kinds of reasons, but in the end I don''t like it." "You don''t like it ...?" "Are you in favor of a Prince that slaughters innocent people?" Zephalos looked dumbfounded for a moment before his shoulders began to shake. "Fufufu ..." "Father ...?" "Well, I certainly don''t like it. If innocent people like that were killed together with those fools, the kingdom wouldn''t exist. Right now, you''re on our side, but if we''re hostile, the same treatment might be directed at us. I don''t like it, I don''t like it at all ... but." Zephalos, who erased his smile, turned a sharp gaze at me. "But, do you think that someone who tries to kill a Prince just because he doesn''t like him can be trusted?" "I don''t think that''s possible. I don''t think you can trust me that easily. But, regardless of whether I do it or not, aren''t you in a situation where you have no choice but to do it?" I personally want to protect the people of Lastock, but I''m not obligated to do so. However, if the Count Gleisner Family misses this opportunity, they will need to find another cause. Above all, even though they followed the Princes'' instructions, they will be labeled as complicit in the massacre. "Fumu ... That''s certainly true." "Besides, if I were to act, I would do so on the way to Lastock, in other words, in the territory of Count Gleisner. Wouldn''t that be inconvenient for Count Gleisner?" No matter how many royal guard knights were attached to the escort, if the Prince''s life was taken by an unknown person in his territory, it would hurt his honor as a noble. "So, you''re trying to get us to do the work you were supposed to do, and pretend to be an unconcerned spectator?" "No, as expected, I''d feel guilty about that, so I''ll do the work myself." "Oh, what are you going to do?" "How about giving a warning to keep Margrave Calvine from going out of control?" "How are you going to give a warning?" "That is ..." In front of Zephalos, I took out a rope noose that I planned to use for tonight''s warning from the shadow storage. "Put this around their necks while they sleep, if they go out of control, I''ll have him follow after the Princes ... I''ll add a message saying such." "Can you go in and out freely anywhere?" "As long as I can see it, and if it''s a place that me or my genus have been to, I can enter and move instantly." "Then, how is it, can you go to Lastock and come back right now?" "It''s possible." "Could you get Camilla-sama''s signature?" "If you wish ..." "Cedric, prepare a piece of paper." "Yes, right away ..." "You called yourself Kent. Then, please get Camilla-sama''s signature on the bottom of the paper I will prepare in a moment. If you can do that, I will accept your offer of cooperation." "Understood, then please wait for a while." I took the paper that Cedric brought and returned to Lastock. On the paper was a crest that seemed to belong to the Count Gleisner Family. When I returned to Camilla''s office, the lights were out unfortunately. When I moved to Camilla''s room, she seemed to be taking a bath. Seriously, while I''m running around for Lastock, it''s outrageous! Since circumstances won''t let me turn back to Bamata, helplessly, I have no choice but to enter the bathroom. I called out to Camilla, who was soaking in the hot water from a shield of darkness beside the tub. "Haa ... Maou-sama ..." "Camilla, I''m sorry, but could you give me your signature?" "Eh ... M, Maou-sama?" "Hey, it''s bad if the paper gets wet, so wipe your hands with this towel ..." "Yes, umm ..." "Here, take the pen." "Ah, eh ..." "It''s a signature for official documents ..." "Ah, yes, where ..." "Isn''t it good anywhere?" "Yes ... Um, this is ..." "Yeah, I''m negotiating with Zephalos Gleisner, so I''ll see you later ..." "Ahh, yes ... ehh ... I, iyaaaaaaaaaaa ..." When I returned to the shadow realm, I heard Camilla''s screams as she regained her senses. When I returned to Count Gleisner''s living room, Walter and Vincent, who seemed to have had a heated argument, stood up. Seeing my appearance, Zephalos also showed a startled expression. "No way ... are you saying you''ve already been to Lastock?" "Yes, I got her signature here." "Certainly, it looks like Camilla-sama''s signature, but ... To think that you would come back earlier than Cedric, who I had sent to pick up the document ..." I see, so you tried to confirm using Camilla''s signature whether I really went to Lastock. After that, Zephalos nodded his head, comparing it with the signature on the document Cedric brought, and held out his right hand towards me. "I don''t completely trust you, but our interests are the same regarding this matter. Let''s cooperate." "Thank you very much. Well then, I would like to talk a little more in detail, is that alright?" "I don''t mind. I don''t dislike men who are enthusiastic about their work." After a firm handshake, Count Zephalos Gleisner smiled satisfactorily. CH 128 Resolution to murder one''s own Lord ***---*** Through my talks with Count Zephalos Gleisner, I have decided to change my impression of the nobles of the Resenburg Kingdom. Until now, I had thought that the nobles were divided into the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction, and were fighting for power, and were blinded by greed. However, I learned that some nobles were seriously working to maintain their territories and livelihoods. After discussing the outline of the strategy with Zephalos, I promised to report the results to Camilla and mediate a relationship with the Count Gleisner Family. Of course, Camilla won''t say no to me, but considering the circumstances, she probably wouldn''t have the option of refusing. The meeting lasted for a long time, but not only Zephalos, but also Walter and Vincent were enthusiastically participating in the discussion. At the end of the meeting, Zephalos gave me a letter for Camilla. The official letter will be sent at a later date, and although it''s a simple personal letter this time, I''m entrusted with a signed letter, so I''m sure he trusts me. It was close to midnight when the meeting ended, but I decided to stop by Camilla''s room just in case. By the way, the rope nooses for tying to their necks that I prepared would be shelved this time, and there would be no warning from the Maou. If she had already fallen asleep, I would have to go back tomorrow, but the lights were still on in Camilla''s room. I looked into the room and saw that Camilla was drinking alone and she was pouring liquor into a glass. Camilla let out a big sigh as she drank about half the glass in one go. It feels like her head is shaking somehow. "Camilla, about Bernst and the others ..." When I stepped out of the shadows and called out to her, Camilla''s head, which had been looking down, raised, and her gaze turned towards me, but I felt like her eyes were out of focus. It looked like it would be better to start over. "Maou-sama ... Ma, ou ... sama ..." Camilla stood up while swaying and walked over with unsteady steps. "You don''t think I''m ... really that ... attractive, huh ..." "Huh? What are you talking about ... Uwah, you''re drunk ..." "Maou-sama ..." "Hey, Camilla ... it''s dangerous ..." Unable to support Camilla, who was unsteady, I was pushed down onto her bed. "Mufuu ... Ma?o?u?sa?m?a ..." "Ehh, hey ... what are you doing?" Camilla pushed me down, buried her face in my neck and rubbed against my cheeks. "Mufufuu ... You smell like Maou-sama ..." "Hey, Camilla, what the hell are you doing!" Camilla, who had been snuffling and sniffing me, suddenly lost her strength. As she lay down on me, she began to sleep. "What the hell is this drunk ... She''s absolutely outrageous. This ... this ... haa ..." I threw Camilla onto the bed with slightly disheveled nightwear. [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, do you mind if you don''t continue? ] "No way, to take advantage of a drunk and unconscious woman, I''m not one of those Yarisa bastards ..." [ Yarisa, what is that ...? ] "Ah, it''s those bastards who try to get women drunk and do nasty things." [ I see, but Camilla-dono seems to have wanted it too? ] "No, she probably won''t remember in this state. Aahh, this is what I looked like when I got drunk at Klaus-san''s dinner party, didn''t I?" [ Buhahaha, it was about this level of drunkenness. ] "Really, even though Bernst''s entanglement is approaching an important phase ... You idiot!" "Ahh ... Maou-sama ... Ma ..." When I smacked her forehead, Camilla''s hands roamed around like a zombie in a sleepy state, then suddenly stopped moving, and was sleeping with a slovenly smile on her face. [ Camilla-dono has more opportunities to interact with the people than the idiot Princes, and she behaves with common sense, but she still has the generosity of royalty, or rather, she''s sweet. ] "But, I informed her that Bernst is thinking about slaughtering the residents ... Well, it''s no use saying it now." I needed to talk about the movement of the Second Prince''s faction, so I wrote a note to make sure she didn''t drink alcohol and returned to Volzard. I woke up late today, but it turned out to be a day of hard work. I have a meeting with Zephalos tomorrow, so let''s go to bed quickly. Hey, Meisa-chan, can you return the pillow you''re holding ... After breakfast, I visited the chairman''s room before leaving for the clinic. It looked like I was going to be busy with the Second Prince''s matters from now on, and if there were any points to correct in Camilla''s apology comment, I thought I''d ask her first. So ... I''m sitting in seiza in the chairman''s room right now. "Kento ... I wonder what this is all about ..." "No, I don''t know what to say ..." "Camilla, are you adding her to the harem?" "That, of course, I have no intention of adding her right now." "Right now ...? Well then, are you going to bring her in when the heat cools down?" "No, no ... I didn''t mean that ..." It can''t be helped that the chairman has become a Yaksha. When Camilla confessed, I had forgotten to delete the video file that had been continuing to record. I put down the tablet halfway through, so it wasn''t able to capture the video, but the audio was picked up perfectly. [ I understand. I am fully aware that I am not suitable for Maou-sama. However, my feelings ... please listen to my sincere thoughts. ] [ Eh ... Ah, y, yes ... ] I don''t know how many times it''s been, but just listening to the replay sounds like I''m forgiving and accepting Camilla. However, in reality, it''s impossible to add her to the harem without an apology or compensation, just because I was pushed by Camilla''s momentum and gave a half-hearted reply. "I''m well aware that Kento is weak against girls, but Camilla is no good! Of course, it''s not like it''s okay to have other girls, but anyway, you have to tell Camilla clearly!" "Yes, I''m sorry ..." Unlike me, she had many opportunities to meet Camilla at the Lastock garrison, and since the committee chairman had seen the miserable situation of our classmates in detail, she probably couldn''t bring herself to forgive her. If she knew what happened last night, she might really get disgusted. "Hey, Kento, be honest. After all ... are you dissatisfied that since you haven''t been able to greet Papa and Mana, umm ... you can''t do naughty things?" "No, there''s no such thing. That''s because I''m thinking about it properly, so it''s okay." "But Kento, like Camilla, Reese-san, Meline-san, or the receptionist at the guild ... Since you fawn over women with big breasts ..." "Guu ... I"m sorry ..." There is no more room for objection. As the chairman said, I''ve been glancing, peeking, and staring at them. "Hey, Kento ..." "Yes, what is it?" "You know ... If you can''t stand it no matter what, I''ll ..." "Huh? Umm ..." "Reese-san taught me the other day ..." The chairman turned bright red and fidgeted. "No, no, no good, no good, I''ll tell Camilla properly. Or rather, since Camilla is a princess, isn''t there such a thing as an influential nobleman or a political marriage with a neighboring country?" "But, if it''s necessary to keep a relationship, isn''t Kento more important?" "Ugh ... But only Camilla and her younger brother Diethelm know about my existence ..." "But, aren''t you going to make Camilla''s brother the King?" "Uh ... Ah, that story may change, and a noble may propose marriage to Camilla." When I told her about the rambunctious behavior of the Second Prince Bernst, his younger brother Christoph, and their entourage, and the assassination plot by the disinterested Count Gleisner, the chairman showed an expression of disbelief. "Uwaa, it''s a terrible situation. "Anyway, I think the next few days will be the hurdle, so I thought I''d ask if there were any corrections to the apology comment before that ... Yuika?" "I''m sorry. The blood is rushing to my head, and I can''t look at the contents properly ..." "Eeehhh ..." "Because, it can''t be helped. Even with this retake, Camilla is obviously sending amorous glances at Kento who is filming, and I can''t stand watching this!" "Ugh ... even if it''s just a matter of checking the contents somehow ..." "Haa ... It can''t be helped, instead ..." The exchange condition presented by the chairman was to shoot a video of me and the chairman together and show it to Camilla. The contents of the video, which was re-recorded twice, was of the chairman declaring ownership of me to Camilla, showing the two of us acting passionately. I told the chairman that I was going to a meeting with Count Gleisner ... and left, but the first place I went to was Camilla''s place. I had to deliver Zephalos'' letter and his promise to support her in the future. Of course, I planned to show the chairman''s declaration of war. Camilla had her elbows on her office desk, holding her head. Spread out in front of her is the note I left yesterday. "Aahh ... How stupidly I behaved ... I hope it was just a dream ... Aahh ... My head hurts ..." Contrary to my expectations, Camilla seemed to remember yesterday''s abomination. Wait, isn''t her headache because she''s hungover? I stepped out of the shield of darkness and sat down on the sofa and called out to her. "Are you sober?" "Ma, Maou-sama!" "There''s no time to relax, I have a letter from Zephalos Gleisner. Read it immediately." "Yes, as you wish." "Also, can I get a cup of tea." "Yes, Bacchus, tea ..." Zephalos'' letter desribed the assassination plan of Bernst, Christoph, and their entourage that we discussed last night, and asked for Camilla''s approval and support in the future. The plan was to leave Bamata early in the morning and arrive in Lastock in the afternoon. The outline was to give a final reprimand at the camp''s training ground, and if that didn''t work, they would be killed on the spot. "This ... Does it mean that Zephalos Gleisner will betray them?" "No. He''s completely disgusted with Bernst and Christoph. I got a peek at their orgies yesterday, and it was just awful." "Did you see it?" "As the smoke from Falzala filled the other side of the room with haze, multiple men and women became entwined like beasts ... It''s not something a Prince of a country should do, and by no means can we leave the future of the country in their hands. Isn''t that why Zephalos made the decision?" "Certainly, it''s as you said." "So, are you going to accept Zephalos'' offer, or are you going to decline?" "I''ll accept it." I didn''t feel any hesitation in Camilla''s reply. "Okay, then, could you write a letter to Zephalos accepting the offer, and also to Bernst, Christoph, and the Commander of the Knight''s of the Royal Guard who are guarding each of them?" "Understood." Camilla wrote a rough draft, read it over, made corrections, and finally made an official copy using paper with the royal crest on it. She placed it in a gold-rimmed envelope and used a ring on her left hand to stamp the sealing wax. Yeah, it''s kind of cool because it''s like royalty. I thought the letter alone would be enough, but I decided to record a video of Camilla''s comments in order to increase the credibility. "I am the Third Princess, Camilla Resenburg. The decision to kill my half-brothers Bernst, and Christoph, must have been the last thing you wanted to think about. I fully support your decision. I want you to work without restraint, and to be loyal to the country." Honestly, I think it''s really good that I can''t notice the smell of alcohol. Even though she has a firm expression, the smell comes to me across the table. I stopped the recording and gave Camilla the OK. "Yeah, it''s no good ... Because the image doesn''t convey the smell of alcohol." "Uh ... I''m sorry." "I don''t know why, but yesterday was terrible, do you remember?" "N, no ... It seems like I was terribly drunk, and I found out from the note that Maou-sama was here." It''s completely different topic that we were just talking about, so she acts in a strange way. "After all, I was meeting with Zephalos until late ... It''s really outrageous." "I''m sorry." Camilla bowed her head with the momentum of hitting the table. "Well, anyway ... Also, there is a message from Yuika. Can you take a look at it?" "When you say Yuika ... Is it the Saint?" "Yes, that''s right, here, look ..." "Haa ... This is ..." Camilla starts looking at the video while tilting her head, but her eyes immediately widened, and after that her expression changed to a solemn expression. In the video, the committee chairman, while in close contact with me as if to show off, condemned the many mistakes Camilla had made, and pointed out in a sharp tone that there were still many people who were still suffering. And, until she apologized to those who had suffered the tragedy caused by our summoning, and provided compensation, and unless she got her permission, she declared that she would never accept her having a relationship with me, she kissed me on the cheek and the video ended. "I don''t think I will be able to accept Camilla''s feelings until the apology and reparations are completed and you receive her forgiveness." "Maou-sama ..." Camilla nodded while shedding big tears. "You''re right. I was spoiled by Maou-sama''s kindness. I''m truly sorry." "Anyway, I plan to go to Bamata to meet with Zephalos and the Commander of the Knights of the Royal Guard, so Camilla, make sure that the Lastock knights have a thorough plan." "Yes ... As you wish ..." Guu ... I wonder if she can''t stop looking at me like an abandoned puppy. It looks like I''m the bad guy ... It''s outrageous. I dove into the shadows and headed for Count Gleisner''s mansion in Bamata. When I arrived at Count Gleisner''s residence and looked into Zephalos'' room, I saw two men with stout physiques facing him with a sour expression. Those two were probably the Commanders of the Knights of the Royal Guard. Before I show myself, I''ll take a peek at what kind of people they are. [ Kent-sama, the one on the right with reddish-brown hair is Nathan Forst, the Second Prince''s Knight Commander, and the one on the left with dark green hair and a beard is Oswald Kirsch, the Third Prince''s Knight Commander. ] "Basten, whose orders do the Royal Guards move on?" [ Yes, the Royal Guard''s main duty is to protect the royal family, and the Commander of the Royal Guard is at the top of the chain of command, as long as they don''t disobey the order, they will move according to the order of the royal family who they are in charge of escorting. ] "In other words, if the plan to massacre the citizens of Lastock isn''t disobeyed by the Commander of the Knight''s Guard, then those two would follow Bernst and Christoph''s orders, right?" [ That''s right, but from a common sense perspective, I don''t think the Commander of the Knight''s Guard would allow such an act, and I don''t think those two would obey. ] "Then, is it safe to assume that those two are likely to become allies?" [ That''s right. I don''t think they''ll obey the orders of the idiot Princes. ] In fact, even listening to Zephalos, they seem to be having trouble with the idiot Princes'' misbehavior, and they seem to have almost run out of amiability. However, they appear to be holding off on the serious decision to kill members of the Royal Family. "Count-dono, wouldn''t it be better to confine them instead of killing them?" "Nathan-dono, I thought about it too, but wouldn''t it have a negative effect on the area around the confinement if they were imprisoned in that state? Besides, as long as they''re alive, I don''t think Margrave Calvine would leave it be. It''s difficult to succeed the throne, but that''s why I''m worried about being the leader of a rebellion." "Does Oswald-dono feel any resistance to killing Christoph-sama?" "It would be a lie if I said I didn''t feel anything at all, but I''ve reprimanded him many times, but he won''t listen to me. On top of that, if he''s telling me to kill civilians, I''ll have no choice but to execute His Highness." Nathan, who is guarding the Second Prince''s, seems to have some hesitation, but Oswald, who is guarding the Third Prince, seemed to have already made up his mind. "Nathan, I heard you just had a baby. It can''t be helped if you hesitate when making a decision that might give them the stigma of being a traitor. However, Nathan, we certainly sword to dedicate our lives for our country as Knights of the Royal Guard. If you think about what you need to do to protect your country and prosper, you should be able to find the answer." Hearing Oswald''s words, Nathan folded his arms and looked up at the ceiling. He remained in that position, closed his eyes, thought for a moment, and then turned his gaze back to Zephalos. "I understand, Count-dono. However, please give me a chance to give one last admonishment when we get to Lastock. If he still won''t change his mind, there''s nothing I can do. I will execute Bernst-sama." "That''s right. Leave it to me to execute Christoph-sama." It seemed that the Royal Guards were the ones who would actually execute the two Stupid Princes. And perhaps Zephalos had predicted this situation. Well then, let''s meet face to face. The three of them could see it well, but I put out a shield of darkness out of their reach and stepped into the room. "Who are you!" "Don''t worry. Nathan-dono, he''s on our side." As soon as he saw me, Zephalos held back Nathan, who stood up and readied himself. "Good morning, Count Gleisner. Also, it''s my first time to meet you, Oswald-san, Nathan-san. My name is Kento Kokubu. Nice to meet you ..." "I''m sure both of you have heard about him. He is the Maou who frequents Lastock." Even after hearing Zephalos'' words, the two don''t seem to let their guards down. Especially Oswald, who is still sitting, is looking at me like a blade. "Well, I''m sorry for being so hasty, but Maou, do you have that?" "Yes, I have it. But before that, could you call me Kent instead of Maou?" "Hou, don''t you like the title of Maou?" "Yes, to be honest, it feels unpleasant." "Fufufufu ... But, if the rumors that have come to my place are true, I think it''s appropriate to call you Maou?" "I don''t know what the rumors are about, but I would appreciate it if you could take it with a grain of salt." "Well, it''s fine, can I get the letter?" "Yes, here ..." Nathan and Oswald''s eyes widened as I took the letter out of the shadow storage. "You, where did you get that envelope ..." "That, please see for yourself." I handed over Camilla''s letters addressed to Zephalos, Nathan, and Oswald. Taking a paper knife out of his pocket, Zephalos cut the seal, handed the knife to Oswald, and began to read the letter. Oswald also smoothly cut the seal and opened the letter, but Nathan looked at the gold-rimmed envelope, checked the stamp on the sealing wax, and finally opened the seal. Zephalos nodded several times while reading the letter, and after confirming the contents of the letter in detail, returned it to the envelope. "Please tell me one thing. Did Camilla-sama make the decision without consulting with anyone?" "As far as I''m aware, the decision was made by Princess Camilla herself." "That''s sufficient, really, it''s almost as if Camilla-sama were a man ... I would think." By the time Zephalos gave his impressions, the two Royal Guards had also finished reading the letters. "This ... This, is it really written by Camilla-sama?" "Nathan, I understand your feelings of suspicion, but even the Count-dono would not have had time to prepare these envelopes and letter paper." "That, it''s true, but ..." "I thought you would say that, so I was also entrusted with a message, so could you take a look at it?" When I played back the video of Camilla that had been shot with the tablet, even Zephalos was astonished by it, and I was questioned by the three of them, but knowing Camilla''s backing was assured, they seemed even more determined. CH 129 Execution ***---*** I thought that if Count Gleisner, the Royal Guards, and Camilla formed an alliance, things would go smoothly, but it seemed that the Second Prince''s deterioration had progressed more than I imagined. Bamata to Lastock was a distance that could be reached in the afternoon if you left before sunrise and traveled by horse. Zephalos and the others had planned to leave early in the morning and finish up with lightning speed that day, but the important idiot Princes didn''t wake up. In the first place, there was no way the Second Prince and the others, who were accustomed the the promiscuity that continued until midnight every day, would be able to wake up before sunrise. Even so, Bernst seemed to be repeatedly urging them to get ready to leave as soon as possible. Therefore, Zephalos and the others came up with a plan, calling it training for a night march, and planned to leave at dusk and arrive the next morning. If they can''t get up early, they could have left before noon and arrived before sunset, but that would have meant that the Second Prince and the others would have to stay in Lastock before the operation. Considering Bernst''s unpredictable behavior, it was undeniable that Camilla would be attacked. In that case, Zephalos would lose his new backing. In order to protect Camilla''s chastity, a blitzkrieg was inevitable. When I heard the news that they were leaving, I went to the residence of Count Gleisner in Bamata to see how things were going, but more than half of Bernst''s group looked like crap. The first time I saw Bernst was when I went to the royal capital with Reinhardt, and at that time he was still vulgar, but he was full of cunning and determination to take the throne with his own strength. However, I couldn''t feel the slightest bit of spirit from the man before me. As expected, it was before the faction members lined up, so although they were dressed in royal clothes, they looked untidy and sloppy. With a plump woman in each arm, he had a loose smile, and his eyes were cloudy like rotten fish. I''m sure I''m not the only one who felt that the shadow cast by the bonfire made him look even more dismal. "Once you''re ready, leave quickly. I''ll suppress Lastock, which has rebelled against the kingdom under Camilla. I''ll kill all the inhabitants and give the land to you, Zephalos!" "Bernst-sama, slaughtering all the residents ..." "Noisy! We''re leaving! Damniiit, what''s with this insect!" Bernst was annoyed, waving his hands towards nothing. "Reinhardt, there''s no insect, right?" [ He must be hallucinating under the influence of drugs. In that case, there''s no way to save him. ] "What will happen to the people who are addicted to drugs?" [ Their heads will go crazy, and they can''t make normal decisions, they''ll either kill themselves, or maybe be killed by the people around them. ] "Isn''t it possible to heal with healing magic?" [ If it''s early on, maybe .. But, if it goes that far, it''s too late. ] Nevertheless, Bernst was able to answer for some time, but his brother, Christoph, didn''t even speak and glared at the people around him. Christoph was holding the shoulders of a young boy with blonde hair, who was about the same age as me. From his left eye to the area around his cheeks, there was a blue-black discoloration and it was swollen, probably the marks of being beaten, but I couldn''t feel any liveliness in his expression at all. "I didn''t think they would bring the women with them, but what will happen to them?" [ Depending on how long they''ve been affected by the drug, it will be difficult to return to a decent life. ] I don''t know if they told them to bring them along, or if they were perhaps brought there by force, but they probably never thought they would end up in a situation like this. It seemed that Ryzas and the rest of his seven entourage would ride on Bernst and Christoph''s carriages. The line-up for Lastock consisted of the two Prince''s carriages, a thousand Knights of the Royal Guard, and 1,500 soldiers of the Count Gleisner Family. At first, the 300 men who had arrived as Margrave Calvine''s advance part had also insisted on participating, but when they heard that they were going to Lastock and would come back directly, they seemed to have changed their policy to waiting on standby. He must have been thinking about making a profit by being quick-witted, but he may have given up because it wouldn''t go over well in a place that could be called Count Gleisner''s home. After leaving Bamata, the party headed for Lastock, relying on the lights of the torches held by the infantry. There were no streetlights like in Japan, and even highways are dark when the sun goes down, making visibility almost impossible. Even though there was torchlight, it would take more than twice as long as the daytime march. I didn''t intend to watch the entire route to Lastock, so I asked Basten to monitor them and returned to Volzard. The next morning, after a peaceful breakfast with Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, and Meline-san, I received news that the Second Prince''s group had arrived and headed for Lastock. In Camilla''s office, there were several knights such as Gert and Levic. "That''s the procedure for this operation. Listen, don''t get involved with my half-brothers in any way. The Commander of the Knights of the Royal Guard will carry out the execution. Our role is to prevent the cronies Margrave Calvine has sent Not only the knights standing side-by-side, but also the slight tremor in Camilla''s voice showed they were nervous. "Except for my half-brothers and a few of their entourage, everyone else is on our side, but don''t let your guard down." "Camilla-sama, the group has entered the city." "Okay, everyone get in place, I''ll prepare to receive them." "Yes!" After the knights left the room, I called out to Camilla, who was staring at the entrance of the garrison through the window and taking a deep breath. "If you''re nervous now, you''ll be exhausted by the time the operation starts." "Good morning, Maou-sama." She was suddenly called out to from behind, and although Camilla had a surprised look on her face, she let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was me. "Good morning. According to Basten''s report, it seems that Bernst and Christophe continued to have an orgy in the carriages, and they seem to have fallen asleep." "What an abomination ... They''re so pathetic even though they''re my half-brothers." "As expected, it''s not possible to kill them in such a state, so I guess they''ll let them sleep until the alcohol and drugs are a little out of the way." "Yes, Maou-sama, after all, my half-brothers, by my hands ..." "That, was decided after meeting with the Royal Guard, I don''t think it''s for you to judge ..." "Yes, I understand." When I was looking out the window alongside Camilla, Tart suddenly popped up. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, there are a lot of orcs coming." "Eeeehhhh, how many are there?" "Hundred? Thousand? Maybe more ..." It''s not that I didn''t expect it at al, but I didn''t expect it to be today. Hearing more than 1,000 in total, Camilla also held her breath. "To come at such a timing ... Where are they now?" "Half of them will soon reach the edge of the Devil''s Forest." "Hmm? Half ...?" "Yeah, half of them are heading to Volzard." "Camilla, evacuate the residents and lock yourself up here with the Knights of the Royal Guard. I''ll take care of Volzard first." "As you wish. Bacchus, raise the alarm! It''s not a drill, hurry up!" While ordering her secretary, Camilla also rushed off. Luckily, the hardening of the walls of the garrison had ended, and water was flowing in the moat. With that, even a horde of orcs won''t be able to break through easily. Let''s hurry back to Volzard. "Reinhardt, call everyone back and solidify your defenses." [ Understood, Kent-sama. ] "Tart, Tirt, Turt, Tert, Tort, aim for the Orc''s legs at the head of the horde and immobilize them." "Wafuu, understood! Goshujin-sama!" When I went out to the Devil''s Forest near Volzard, I could see a small number of Orcs coming from the depths of the forest with smoke. It''s true that there are more than 1,000 of them just with a quick glance. "Mart, go back to the boarding house and protect Amanda-san, Mirt go look for Meisa-chan and protect her." "Wafu, I understand." "Goshujin-sama, please pat me when we''re done." First, in order to convey information to the garrison, I moved to the city gate and shouted from outside. "A horde of orcs is coming! Sound the alarm!" "Understood, ''Monster User''!" As soon as the garrison members guarding the gates withdrew their faces, the warning bells were rung. I dove into the shadows again and headed to the guild this time. At this time, Donovan-san would be in the middle of his class. When I headed to the guild''s training grounds, Yagi was being beaten up by a female swordsman. I was worried, but it looks like he managed to get acquainted with a girl. Both Donovan-san and the participants in the course stopped moving when they heard the warning bell. "Donovan-san, there''s a massive outbreak of Orcs. Over a thousand are heading this way." "What, Orcs, is that true?" "Yes, I''ve summoned all of my genus, so they will meet them in the forest." "I''m counting on you, I''ll have a meeting with Klaus-san and go right away." "Understood. I''ll go first." I dove into the shadows and aimed for the ramparts again. [ Kent-sama, these us are hitting the head of the horde in the forest. ] "We''re going to make a feeding ground like last time. All right, Reinhardt, Basten, Fred, and Zae-tachi each take two Kobold assistants, finish collecting the magic stones. "Understood." "The rest of the Kobolds should keep the Orcs from spreading and detouring around Volzard." "Wafu, Understood, Goshujin-sama." "Nya, Nero wants to be of some use too, nya." "Then, Nero, if there''s an Orc breaking through the Kobold Squad, you should defeat them quickly." "Understood, nya, Orc, nya, will be easily beaten, nya." The horde of Orcs had approached to a distance that could be seen from the top of the ramparts, but thanks to the efforts of Reinhardt-tachi and Zae-tachi, they stopped moving and started cannibalizing. It''s good that the herd had stopped, but the strong smell of blood was carried on the wind and flowed into the city of Volzard. That caused a fundamental sense of disgust and fear among the garrison members and adventurers who began to gather at the ramparts. "Ugh, this time it smells terrible." "Are the monsters of the ''Maou'' already fighting?" "Look, they''re over there and over there." "Is it about 500 or 1,000?" The adventurers who had gathered were trying to see into the Devil''s Forest from the top of the ramparts and get even a little information. As I listened to their talk from the shadows of the ramparts, Reinhardt returned with a slightly refreshed look while covered in blood. Yeah, I felt a little sympathy for the Orcs who became a way to relieve stress. [ Kent-sama, the Orcs have stopped for a while, but there are quite a few. ] "But, it''s not as bad as the previous Goblins, is it?" [ I dont know, it looks like it''s going to be over 10,000 easily this time, so I ordered Zae-tachi to go wild even in the horde. ] "Then, do you think they''ll be obsessed with cannibalism for a while?" [ That''s right. After eating, they''ll probably go to sleep ... ] "Then, I''ll leave this to you for the time being, I''ll go see how Lastock is doing." [ Leave it to me. If there are any major developments, I will let you know. ] "Yes, please. Fred, Nero, come with me." [ Roger ... ] "Understood, nya." Back in Lastock, the city was in chaos. It seemed that the sense of danger had increased somewhat due to being attacked by the Storm Cat, but it seemed that the evacuation of the residents hadn''t progressed. No matter how many evacuation plans were made, no training was ever conducted, so it seemed that there were many residents who didn''t know how to actually move. There seemed to be no end to people trying to get into the carriages. The horde of Orcs had already reached the river, and the knights who climbed the walls of the fort yelled out to instruct them to evacuate quickly. The entrance of the garrison was made quite large, but even so, if the city''s residents rushed in, a traffic jam would naturally occur. In addition, it seemed that the guidance of the residents who entered the garrison wasn''t going well, and they stayed near the entrance, further hindering the flow of evacuation. [ Kent-sama ... If it continues like this, they won''t make it in time ... ] "That''s right. Nero, go rampage a little at the head of the Orc horde. Slow them down a little. " "Understood, nya, leave it to me, nya." Nero jumped out with a gleeful expression. Yeah, maybe it''s a bit like Reinhardt. When I looked for Camilla to tell her to evacuate now, something unexpected happened again. In front of the building that was supposed to be Bernst''s resting place, several people were lying covered in blood. In the surroundings, there were Royal Guards and knights of Lastock wielding blood-stained swords. "Hurry up and call a healer!" "It''s faster to carry them from here!" "It''s no good, the bleeding is too severe, we can''t move them poorly like this." "Camilla-sama, hang on!" In the center of the hurriedly moving knights was Camilla lying there with a short sword stuck in her stomach. Her breathing was already shallow and weak, and her complexion was pale. "Camilla! Get out of the way, I''ll treat her!" "Damn, bastard, what are you doing to Camilla-sama ..." "Fred, scatter those hindrances!" [ Acknowledged ... ] When I jumped out of a shield of darkness and rushed over to Camilla, the Royal Guards blocked my way, so I asked Fred to remove them. I put my hand on the wound and poured healing magic into it, but the short sword was still stuck in it, and the internal organs had been gouged out, so it didn''t work. "I''m, sorry, I''m truly sorry ... Maou-sa, ma ..." "You don''t have to speak, I''ll listen to the story later. I''ll pull out the short sword, so be patient." "Yes ... Ugh ..." The feeling of pulling out a short sword stuck in someone else''s body reminded me of the pain I felt when I was stabbed, and a cold chill ran down my back. When I removed the stuck short sword and cast healing magic, I could feel the wound gradually closing. The Knight Guards gathered around me while I was treating her, but they were intimidated by Fred wielding jet-black twin-swords and were unable to step in. I saw familiar faces among them. "Nathan, Oswald, command the Royal Guards and solidify your defenses! A horde of over 10,000 Orcs is approaching across the river! Levic, you command the Lastock knights and quickly accommodate the refugees. It''s an emergency, make every effort to survive!" "What is a bastard brat like you ... ugh ..." Reinhardt, smeared in Orc blood, stood in front of the knight who was about to step in while yelling. Basten also held his spear in a triangular position with me in the center. "I''m fine ... Follow the orders of Maou-sama ..." "You should keep lying down ..." "Excuse me, Maou-sama, just a little ..." The wound on her stomach seemed to have closed somehow, but she had lost a lot of blood and shouldn''t be able to move at all, but Camilla tried to get up. She didn''t seem to listen to what I said, so I held her back and Camilla sat up and looked around at her knights and opened her mouth. "Maou Kent Kokubu''s servant, Camilla Resenburg, orders you. Knights of Resenburg, do everything in your power to protect the people!" Hearing the words ''Maou''s servant'', the knights stiffened with startled expressions. "What are you doing, there''s no time, go!" "Yes!" Pushed by her spirit, the knights started to move, Camilla relaxed and her body slumped down. "So, how did this situation come to be?" "I''m very sorry. Christoph-gikei suddenly started swinging his sword ..." While guiding Bernst and the others from the carriage to the resting place, Christoph suddenly let out a strange voice and swung his sword around, killing the boy he was bringing along with him, and then slashing at the knights as well. It seemed that she reluctantly changed her plans and carried out the execution at once on the spot, but it seemed that she was stabbed by one of his followers in the confusion. "So, you executed them all?" "I''m very sorry. I was stabbed, and don''t know." "Seriously ..." I looked around to ask someone, and saw a pale-faced Walter Gleisner. "Walter, did you kill everyone of the Princes and their entourage?" "Eh ... A, ahh, I wonder, wait a minute ..." Walter hurriedly went to check the lined up corpses. He frowned at the bloodied corpses, folded his fingers and began to count. If I remember correctly, there were seven entourage, two women, one boy, and a total of twelve if the Princes were added. The reason why the number of corpses visible from here is more than that is probably because the knights were also sacrificed. "Maou-sama, you can also use light-attribute magic." "Aah ... Did you find out, I was trying to make you think you were my genus ..." "That kind of thing is no longer relevant. This body of mine belongs to Maou-sama." "Yeah, yeah ... Anyway, you can stand up by yourself now, right?" I continued to use healing magic while supporting her back, so her physical condition should have almost returned to normal. "J, just a little more ... is it no good ..." Guu, to make such a request with upturned eyes ... It''s outrageous. "I, it''s just a little longer." "Yes ... Maou-sama ..." No, no, you''re not Meisa-chan, so stop nuzzling me with your head. "It''s okay Maou, everyone''s dead ... Camilla-sama?" Seeing Camilla resting her head on my chest, Walter looked at me suspiciously. "A, ahh ... It looks like she''s still not feeling well ..." "I see ... But, you can even use healing magic ... I didn''t know, are you willing to serve me?" "That''s a great offer, but there are a lot of things that need to be done, so I''m sorry, but I can''t comply with your wishes." "Is that so, that''s unfortunate. But, if you change your mind ... Wha!" Zae appeared in front of Walter, who was still trying to recruit me. "My King, something is wrong with the orcs." "Okay, I''ll be back soon. Camilla, I''ll leave this side to you. There are Royal Guards and Count Gleisner''s soldiers. Shut yourselves up in here and protect the people." "Yes! As you wish." "Murt, Count Gleisner, do you know him?" "Wafu, fat dog ojisan?" "That''s right, let the Count know that Lastock is being attacked by a horde of Orcs, and prepare for an attack as well." "Okay, I''m going." Walter, who was listening to the story next to me, asked with a surprised expression. "Maou, is Bamata in danger?" "If they can''t fill their bellies in Lastock, they have no choice but to move on." "DIdn''t you say earlier that it was a horde exceeding 10,000?" "Well, that''s right, but there are soldiers in Bamata, right?" "That''s right, but ... borrowing your monsters ..." "Impossible, we will return to defending Volzard." "No way ..." "Or rather, I think Camilla has told you many times about the danger of a maximum outbreak ..." When I turned my gaze, Camilla also nodded. "Even when we were attacked by a horde of Minotaurs, I contacted the Count." "If that''s the case, isn''t it your fault for not preparing for it?" "Was it all true ..." Looking at Walter''s stunned state, it must be that measures weren''t progressing in the Gleisner territory. But, it''s impossible for me to protect them that much. "Hey, Camilla, it''s about time I head back to Volzard." "Ah, I''m sorry, Maou-sama." "Well, see you later ..." "Yes, as you wish!" She seemed to have recovered considerably, so, leaving Camilla, who bowed her head firmly, and Walter, who was in a stupor, I headed to Volzard. CH 130 Commanded Orcs ***---*** I returned to Volzard in a hurry and was surrounded by a tense atmosphere. The Orcs, who were thought to fall asleep when their bellies were full, weren''t sleeping and were crowded together. There were many with club-like things, and there were also ones with large stones, so they may be more intelligent than Goblins. All the Orcs'' eyes seemed to be directed towards the ramparts of Volzard in front of them, but they seemed to be sitting still and not moving. On the other hand, from the top of the ramparts, the Orcs could be seen through the trees, and the adventurers who felt their gazes, turned their eyes to the Orcs, as if they were glaring at each other. Among them were Donovan-san and Marianne-san, who seemed ready to give orders at any time. The combined number of garrison members and adventurers supposedly exceeds 1,000, but the number of Orcs lurking in the forest is believed to exceed 10,000. Since they were staring at each other without raising their voices, the sense of urgency surrounding them seemed to weigh on their shoulders. I put out a shield of darkness behind Donovan-san and called out to him. "Donovan-san, what''s going on here?" "Kent, I don''t know, this is the first time I''ve seen this situation." "I just took a quick look, but the Orcs are staring at Volzard in a tightly packed state." "If that''s the case, then there must be a superior species lurking somewhere." "A superior species, is it? We took out the magic stones from the Orcs we defeated to stop the horde." "No, they were probably under the control of a superior species before coming here." "But, is it something that can control them like this?" "I would say it can''t be done, but it''s happening in reality, so I guess it''s possible." My image of monsters was that they were savage creatures that acted according to their instincts and ate their companions if they were hungry. "Those guys, what are they thinking?" "Hmm? The Orcs?" "Yes, are they waiting with some purpose? That''s right." "Wait, then ... Damn, aren''t they just waiting until night comes ... Kent, come with me." "Ye ... s ..." No, no, if you grab me by the collar and drag me, I have no choice but to go with you. Donovan-san went to where Marianne-san was. "Marianne-san, are they waiting for night?" "Night ... I see, the possibility is high." Marianne-san, who folded her arms, returned her gaze to the Devil''s Forest and nodded with a stern expression. Most of the monsters have night-vision, so when the sun goes down, even if you prepare a lot of bonfires, the humans would be at a disadvantage. "If they rush in all at once after dark, it''s going to be a pretty tough situation." "But, if we make a move, and the other side doesn''t do anything ..." "On this side, we have this guy ..." No, no, if you''re going to use me as a trump card, don''t use that Plan, that Plan is ... "Umm ... what should I do ..." "I don''t care what you do, just make them move, I just want to avoid a night attack. If we don''t kill as many as we can during the day, we won''t be able to withstand that many during a night attack." "Then, is it fine if their leadership is disturbed?" "That''s right, can you do it?" "Yes, I think it''s possible." "Then, Marianne-san, prepare to intercept ..." "Understood ... Everyone prepare to intercept!" Marianne-san nodded and quickly raised her right hand, and tension ran through the garrison. The magicians began chanting, the archers readied their arrows, and the spearmen readied themselves. "**, Kent." "Yes ..." Donovan-san strode back to his post, still holding me by the collar, and raised his voice. "Everyone get ready! Defend the ramparts to the death! OK, do it Kent!" "Yes, Nero, you can come and play as much as you want." "Okay, nya, I''m coming, nya." When I put out a large shield of darkness on the wall, Nero landed smoothly without a sound, and immediately started running. "Whoa, what is that!" "Isn''t it a Storm Cat?" "That has to be an ally, we can''t deal with that kind of enemy." The adventurers who lined up on the ramparts raised their voices in shock, but the Orcs panicked even more. "Buhiiiiii!" "Buhii, buhiiiii ..." They squealed and tried to escape, but the dense formation became their enemy and there was nowhere to escape. "Nya!" When Nero swiped with his front leg, about three Orcs were slashed apart along with the trees they were trying to use as shields, and flew into the air as pieces of flesh. "Reinhardt, let Zae-tachi rush in. Fortify the surroundings with the Kobold Squad so they don''t escape." [ Understood. ] Zae and the others emerged from the shadows of the ramparts and pursued Nero in a way that widened the hole that was created when Nero plunged in, causing further confusion among the Orcs. Nero and Zae-tachi were overwhelming, and I wondered if it would be an easy victory ... "Buumoooooo!" "Bumooooo! Bumooooo!" At that moment I heard an Orc''s roar from far behind, it was repeated like an echo and spread throughout the horde, and logs and large stones flew from the forest. "Everyone, hide behind the battlements!" Without even waiting for Donovan-san''s instructions, the people who had gathered on the ramparts hid behind the battlements, where rocks and pieces of wood hit them with a bang and debris rained down. "Gua ..." "Idiot, don''t raise your head! Get down." There were quite a few people who crouched after being hit by stones, but it was difficult to go and help them when the stones were falling incessantly. "Nero, come back!" "Nya, it hurts to get hit with a ''bachi bachi'', nya ..." The damage itself was at the level of being painful, but Nero, who makes a large target, is unsuited for throwing stone attacks, so I had it come back. "Reinhardt, let Zae-tachi go wild inside the horde. Change the Kobold Squad to encircle them from the shadows." [ Understood, Kent-sama, I will also go on a rampage. ] "Fred, find the superior species and defeat them." [ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] The Orcs threw stones horizontally for the ones at the front of the horde, and at an angle for those behind them. They''re many times stronger than a human, so throwing stones is like cannonballs. As expected of Donovan-san, he is also hiding behind the parapet to protect himself from the stones. "Damn, there are plenty of stones lying around in the forest ..." They shoot with bows and arrows and magic while hiding behind the parapet from here, but they can''t aim well, and I feel like they''re outnumbered. Occasionally, I think that Marianne-san is the one who shoots a large fireball, but it feels like it has little effect. [ Kent-sama, I defeated some of the superior species ... but the situation doesn''t change ... ] "What do you mean? A new superior species has been born?" [ Perhaps, the order has already been given ... they won''t stop until it''s accomplished ... ] "Does that mean they won''t stop until Volzard falls?" [ Perhaps ... ] When it was Goblins, if we aimed at the superior species and defeated them, the underlings would be confused and easily defeated, but it seemed that wasn''t the case this time. "What''s wrong, Kent?" "Yes, Fred defeated the superior species of Orcs, but the situation doesn''t seem to change." "Damn, you mean the orders have already spread?" "Perhaps, I wonder if it''s like that ..." It seemed that Zae and the others were also fighting hard in the horde, but they seemed to be outnumbered, and the Orcs slowly left the forest and approached. "Damn, if they would just stop throwing stones ..." Donovan-san seemed to have killed Orcs by throwing hand spears, but in return it seemed he was hit by a stone, and his forehead was bleeding. At that rate, it was only a matter of time before they reach the ramparts. Members of the garrison wearing metal armor carried shields and attacked with magic, but it seemed that there were many people who fell down after receiving a direct hit from a stone. The stones are too big for me to hold with one hand, so the impact when they hit is considerable. When I was wondering if there was a better way, I saw an adventurer picking up the thrown stones and throwing them back. "I see, an eye for an eye, a stone for a stone ..." "What''s wrong, Kent, did you come up with something?" "Yes, I need to prepare a little, so please let me leave for a while." "Please hurry up." "Fred, come with me." [ Roger ... ] I dove into the shadows with Fred and headed to the dungeon. [ Kent-sama, what are you going to do in the dungeon ...? ] "I have business with the rocky mountain above it, not the dungeon itself." By the way, I should tell them about the maximum outbreak. Rodrigo-san was at the entrance to the dungeon today as well. "Hello, Rodrigo-san." "Hey, Kent, is it, what do you want today?" "Yes, a large horde of Orcs from the Devil''s Forest are rushing to Volzard, so please be on your guard as well." "What, how big is the horde?" "Probably over 10,000 ..." "You idiot, what are they going to do without an A-rank like you at a time like this!" "No, I''m here to pick up something to repel the Orcs." "Something to repel the Orcs, but what is it?" "Yes, it''s this." I pointed at the rocky mountain to Rodrigo-san, who had a strange look on his face. "The mountain, what do you need with that?" "I think I''ll cut out a bit ..." "Huh? Cut out the mountain?" "Yes, I''m in a bit of a hurry, so I''ll talk about the details next time. Well, Fred, please." [ Roger. ] I asked Fred to cut the rocks. They don''t have to be pretty, but they need to be too big for me to hold. I had several chunks of rock that weighed about 100 kilograms cut out and put them away in the shadow space. [ Kent-sama ... how will you use those ...? ] "Well, just enjoy watching ... Fred, let''s go back to Volzard." [ Roger ... ] When we returned to Volzard, the Orcs had reached the bottom of the ramparts and were beginning to climb up. As if to support them, the ones in the Devil''s Forest continued to throw stones at us. "Reinhardt, have Zae-tachi come back!" [ Understood, Kent-sama. You have a plan. ] "Yeah, just wait a minute." I put out a shield of darkness under a rock placed in the shadow space and connected it to the outside space. Shadow movement was a magic that allowed me to move within my sight range and to places I had been to in the past. The shield of darkness'' performance was similar to shadow movement, and it could be deployed freely within the range I could see. This time, the location where I placed the shield of darkness was about 1,000 meters above the Devil''s Forest where the horde of Orcs were staying. If we lose by throwing stones, I will drop them on their heads. One shot wouldn''t be enough, so I made a stock of about 100 shots. The rock that came out of the shield of darkness started to fall, but it didn''t go down easily. More than ten seconds after it started falling, the rock finally reached the ground. It was slightly blown away by the wind, and the falling point was around the exit of the Devil''s Forest. Gushiya, zun! There was a heavy rumbling of the ground, and the rock that had crushed one orc was just sunken into the ground. Hey, what''s with thaaaat! I expected a flashy explosion, it''s not filled with gunpowder like a bomb, but the ground isn''t hardened with concrete or asphalt, but on the contrary, the ground was soft with humus, so it only sunk into the ground. "Hmm ... not good enough ... Reinhardt, I''m sorry, but could you please break this rock?" [ An easy task, how big do you need? ] "Bigger than your fist, trying putting it there." [ Is it something like this? ] This time, I tried scattering the stones that Reinhardt cut for me from a height of about 500 meters, aiming a little deeper into the forest so they wouldn''t fall onto the ramparts. Zudadadada ... Bakibaki ... "Buhiiiiii..." There was a sound of crumbling trees, Orc squeals, and the stone-throwing from that area stopped, but the stone-throwing as a whole continued. The attack seemed to be effective enough, but the range seemed to be too narrow. "Should I expand the range a little more? Reinhardt, try cutting about three this time." [ An easy task. ] This time, I tried increasing the amount of stones by three times and the range by six times. Bakibakibakibaki ... There was an even louder sound than before, torn leaves fluttered in the air, and stone-throwing stopped in a wide area. "Yeah, I wonder if it''s okay like this, then, let''s try it a few more times." [ Understood. ] Since I was peeking out of the shadows of the ramparts, I couldn''t see what was going on in the area where I attacked, but if the stone-throwing stopped, there shouldn''t be any problems. After about 20 free-fall operations were performed while shifting the location, the Orcs almost all stopped throwing stones. In exchange for that, I could smell a thick smell of blood. [ Kent-sama, the area where the stones were dropped ... Almost completely destroyed ... ] "Then, Reinhardt, could you give instructions to everyone and start annihilating the remaining Orcs and collecting the magic stones?" [ Understood, let''s clean up quickly. ] Because the stone-throwing continued for a long time, many injured people were moaning on top of the ramparts. Once I report to Donovan-san, I''ll participate in relief. "Donovan-san, I''m having Reinahrdt and the others take care of the remnants." "Oh, I see ... But, to rain stones from the sky ... Even the Orcs got into a fight with the wrong person." "Eh ... Uwaa, gross ..." I looked in the direction Donovan-san pointed to with his chin, and I could see the Orcs that had taken my hits. There was one that got hit and had its head completely crushed, another one that got hit in its shoulder seemed like it had half its body crushed, not just its arm. The stones weighing more than 5 kilograms were falling down at a tremendous speed, so it accumulated. I thought it was fire attribute for attack power, but no, no, why is the dark attribute so brutal. "Kent-san, thank you for your hard work. You did a wonderful job again this time. As expected of my son-in-law." "Yes, I was wondering what would happen for a while, but I''m glad it was cleared up quickly ... Ah, Lastock." "What''s wrong, what''s wrong with Lastock?" "Yes, this time''s maximum outbreak was also heading to Lastock at the same time." "Kent-san, Volzard is fine now. Hurry up and help everyone in Lastock." "Yes, I''ll go there for a while." I dived into the shadows, gave orders to Fred and the others, and then headed for Lastock. "Fred, please command ten Kobolds and hunt down the remnants. Everyone else, head to Lastock!" [ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] [ Let''s go, Kent-sama. ] "Understood, My King." "Goshujin-sama, Nero will go too, nya." When I arrived at Lastock, the evacuation of the residents seemed to be over, but the fortified garrison was exposed to the rain of stone-throwing. The Orcs threw stones from the opposite bank of the river to support the others, while they crossed the river. The Lastock garrison was surrounded by a water moat along with a ramparts, which was shaped like a river sandbank. Because the ramparts drew a smooth curved surface and warped upwards, the Orcs were unable to climb up even if they reached the bottom of the wall. Nevertheless, some Orcs were swinging their fists and claws to break down the walls, and there was a risk that it might fall if things continued as they were. "I will deal with the Orcs who are throwing stones in the same way as before, so when I give the signal, can Zae-tachi clean up the Orcs in the water?" "Understood, My King." I asked Reinhardt to prepare ammo again, and dropped them from high in the sky on top of the Orcs who were repeatedly throwing stones. Dogagagagagagaga ... A terrible sound resonated only from the stone riverbank, but the catastrophe of the attack was even more terrible. A stone that was eaten in the brain penetrated the Orc''s body vertically and reached into the ground. Cold sweat flowed, witnessing the power of the attack that I didn''t see at Volzard. Some Orcs had dodged the density of bullets and escaped being hit by expanding the range of attacks, but they saw their companions around them transformed into pieces of meat, and stopped moving. "What is that attack!" "Where is that attack coming from?" "Above! The black shadow!" "It''s like a rain of death ..." Above the walls of the fort was Camilla in shiny gold armor, protected by knights'' shields. "The stone-throwing has decreased, now attack the Orcs below!" The soldiers guarding the fort regained their vitality as the amount of stones thrown visibly decreased. Until then, the Orcs had been gaining momentum, but as the number of thrown stones decreased and the attacks from the fort increased, they began to reverse it. "Okay, everyone in the Kobold Squad drive the Orcs to the riverbank, Zae-tachi annihilate the ones in the river, and Nero will crush the ones that run away to the outside." As Zae and the others rushed out, the river turned red with Orc blood. [ Kent-sama, Volzard is complete ... I will collect the magic stones there ... ] "Please, Fred. Reinhardt, let''s go to Camilla." [ Understood. ] At the fort where the stone-throwing had stopped, the knights began to slaughter the Orcs with high spirits. CH 131 Good Maou ***---*** When I moved to the top of the fortress wall where Camilla was, the knights and soldiers were making a fuss. "Not good! It''s a Storm Cat!" "Damn, just when I thought we were finally done with the Orcs." "Please, eat the Orcs and go home satisfied ..." Some of them even put their hands together in prayer. "Camilla, where are the injured people? I''ll treat them, so guide me." "Maou-sama, but there''s another Storm Cat ..." "That''s the Storm Cat I made into my genus the other day with necromancy, so don''t worry. Rather than that, guide me to the injured people." "Genus ... Even a Storm Cat ..." "It''s fine, where''s the first aid station?" "Ah, I''m sorry, I will guide you." Camilla entrusted the command to Levic, and she took the lead and began to guide me. "Maou-sama, was the magic that annihilated the Orcs just now done by Maou-sama?" "Yeah, I just dropped stones placed in the shadow space from above, what I did is simple, but the effect is intense." "To think that you can do such powerful magic by yourself ... As expected of Maou-sama." "But, I''m borrowing the help of my genus for preparations, and aiming is hard, also, if it''s a fast-moving target, it can be avoided, so its use is limited. Ah, but it might be good for castle siege ..." "Maou-sama, are you going to attack a castle somewhere?" "No, I don''t have any plans for that, so I guess I won''t be using this magic for a while ..." The barracks, which were assigned as relief stations, were in a terrible state. Apparently, the Orcs threw stones at the place where the refugees were rushing, and it seemed that there were quite a few people who lost their lives due to direct hits. There were people who were lying unconscious with blood-stained bandages around their heads. "Priority will be given to severely injured children and women. Those who are not in a life-threatening condition will be postponed, and I''m sorry, but I will ask the elderly to wait." "Relief troops, please guide Maou-sama." I really want to help the elderly too, but looking at the number of injured people, it seems impossible to finish treating everyone before my magic power is depleted. The first injured person I was guided by a medic to was a boy about seven years old who had his head injured. A woman who looked to be his mother was holding his hand and praying, and a little girl who may be his sister was standing there with tears in her eyes. "Can I ask you to start from here." "Umm ... This person is ..." Before answering his mother''s question, I placed my hand on the wound and cast healing magic. I feel like his skull had collapsed and he''s bleeding in the brain. Frankly, it was the same with Beatriche, but I have no idea how it could be treated theoretically.(TN:Changing Beatrice > Beatriche and Rise > Riche) Even so, if it could be treated, if I could save lives, there was no reason to hesitate. When I stopped the treatment when I felt that the fractures and injuries had healed and the intracerebral hemorrhage had subsided, the boy''s eyes opened slightly. "Kyle ... Kyle!" "Onii-chaaaan ..." After watching the three of them hugging each other with joyous cries, I headed to the next patient. "Who''s next?" "Y ... Yes, this one, please!" The medic, who was ordered to guide me by Camilla, had been looking at me with suspicion until just now, was looking at me with surprise and respect. "Was that healing magic? He didn''t chant, did he?" "No way ... I''m sorry, but I thought he couldn''t be saved." "Isn''t he more amazing than the Saint-sama who was here before?" "Who is that boy?" "He''s the Maou. It was that boy who defeated the Storm Cat the other day." As I treated the second and third patients, a commotion spread throughout the relief station, and I felt uneasy, so I would like you to activate your Princess power. "Camilla, the injured can''t rest, so can you make everyone be quiet?" "Yes, as you wish. Everyone, calm down! This is Maou Kent Kokubu-sama. Earlier, he annihilated the horde of Orcs that were surging in with his mighty magic. The crisis in Lastock has passed. Right now, he''s in the process of treating those who are suffering from injuries, so calm down! If you want to rejoice, go outside." "Ohh ..." The people who surrounded us were about to burst into cheers of joy, but Camilla was able to stop them by simply raising her hands. As expected of the royal family, I don''t think she needed to introduce me as a Maou. The people with mild injuries and their attendants who were in the first aid station left the room quietly, and then went outside and cheered to their heart''s content. "Uwaaa! We''re saved, the crisis is over!" "Long live Camilla-sama! Long live the Kingdom of Resenburg!" "Long live Maou Kent-sama!" Fuaa! Hey, even me? When Camilla looked at me, she nodded as if it were only natural, and the way the people around me looked at me was completely different from before. No, no, I have to concentrate on treatment now. [ Buhahaha, judging from Kent-sama''s achievements, it''s quite natural. ] [ The next king is already decided ... Resenburg belongs to Kent-sama ... ] [ Wait, both of you ... Now is not the time for that, anyway, is the hunt for Orc remnants over? ] [ Completed ... But, it seems like they ran away further into the mainland ... ] From Fred''s report, it seemed that there was a group that passed by the fortress of Lastock and advanced further inland because the fortress of Lastock was small compared to the size of the Orc horde. I issued a warning to Count Zephalos Gleisner, but it would be a problem if something happened to the Second Prince faction we took the trouble to win over. [ Basten, can you take the Kobold Squad and see what''s going on in Bamata? If it looks dangerous, can you help them from the shadows. ] [ Understood, I''ll go there soon. ] When I finished treating about 30 people whose lives were in danger, my magical power ran out. "I''m sorry, I''m at my limit, let me rest ..." "Y, yes, this way ..." When I laid down on a cot at the end of the first aid station, i fell into a fainting sleep. Even though I had just collapsed from being drunk on Kizawa-san''s magical power from taking her attribute, I may have entered a cycle of fainting again like before. I didn''t know how much time passed, but when I woke up feeling hungry, the surroundings were noisy. People surrounded me around the cot, but they had their backs to me. "Please, get out of my way. If we don''t restrain him with this bracelet while he''s asleep, we''ll be in trouble." "No! This person cured my Onii-chan!" "That''s right, he saved my son''s life, too." "Even among the knights there are people who have been saved, so it''s outrageous to make him a slave!" "I told you, he''s a Maou, and he''s deceiving Camilla-sama." I just woke up and my head isn''t working too well, but it seemed that the family of one of the people I treated was protecting me. [ Kent-sama, it seems that some of the knights have gone berserk and are trying to put a slave bracelet on Kent-sama. ] [ So, the residents are getting in the way of that. What about Camilla? ] [ She left this place after being summoned by a knight. ] [ I see ... ] It can''t be helped if I pretend to sleep the whole time, but above all, I''m hungry, so I''ll get up soon. "Nnn ... Hmm? What''s the fuss about?" "Damnit! Move it ... Ugh, what is this, I, I can''t move ..." The knight tried to push the girl away, so I surrounded him from the neck down with a shield of darkness, just like the small-fry adventurer. "Knights shouldn''t use violence against the residents, right. The Minotaurs, the Storm Cat, and this time, the Orcs, were repelled by me and my genus, but is it the courtesy of Resenburg to treat me like this?" "Shut up, I know you''re deceiving Camilla-sama!" "Haa ... I was summoned from another world by that Camilla, and was caused a lot of trouble, but what about that?" "Shut up, you monkeys should obey Resenburg." Hmm ... How should I put it, maybe he''s too infatuated with Camilla and can''t forgive her kneeling down to me. Well, it''s definitely annoying either way. That being said, I thought I disposed of all the slave bracelets, but did they hide some somewhere. [ Reinhardt, put him to sleep. ] [ Is that enough? ] [ It would leave a bad image if we''re too rough. ] [ Buhahaha, you''re a Maou that cares about the people''s image of you. ] When I got up from the cot and walked over to him, he looked down at me from above, with his sturdy physique, as expected of a knight. "A monkey like you, I''ll never ... recognize ... Nn ..." "I''m not going to ask you to recognize it, but ..." As I rolled the sleeping knight out of the shield of darkness onto the cot, the hem of my shirt was tugged. When I turned around, I saw the girl who seemed to be the younger sister who was accompanying the first boy I had treated. Bright yellow hair, her triangular ears with white tips, a leaf-shaped tail, she was a fox girl. "Is Onii-chan a Maou?" "Onii-chan ... is a good Maou." "Fu, a good Maou ...?" "Would a bad person heal injured people?" "No! Kyle-oniichan, even though he was in so much pain, he''s gotten better!" "Then, am I a bad Maou? Or a good Maou?" "Good Maou!" "Right, right!" Guuguuuu ... Kiyurururuuuuu ... Haa, even though I''ve gone to great lengths to act cool, what timing for you to cry out, My Stomach. Thanks to that, the people around me laughed at me. "Onii-chan is a hungry Maou! A hungry and good Maou!" "That''s right ... Hungry Maou." The first-aid room was filled with laughter, and I looked completely uncool. "Umm ... I''m sorry, but we only have bread that was distributed ..." "Ah, Onii-chan, you can eat mine too." "Ah, that ... thank you very much." I didn''t even have the dignity of a Maou, so I''m treated like a big brother. I ate the bread that was shared with me, and treated people with broken bones and other serious injuries. While I was treating them, the girl from earlier followed me around and stared at the treatment. "Good Maou is amazing! Thank you for being a good Maou." "It''s hard to call me good Maou, isn''t it. Kent is fine." "Good Maou is Kent, you say? I''m Leela." "Leela-chan, that''s a good name." "Leela, will be Kent''s bride when she grows up." "Huh? Bride ...?" "Yeah, Maou needs lots of brides, right? That''s why Leela will be your bride." Her mother is beautiful and has a good figure, so Leela-chan seemed to have a promising future, but I''m not a pervert who would fall for a four or five year old girl. But, I might want to fluff that tail a bit ... Hey, what''s with the lukewarm gazes of the people around me. "Umm ... needing lots of brides, that would be a bad Maou, I don''t really need brides like that ..." "Fuee ... Kent, do you hate Leela? Leela ... is hated ..." Aahh, no good, no good, Leela-chan''s eyes were starting to fill with tears. "No, no, I don''t hate you. I don''t hate you, but I just met you today, so, let''s think about it when Leela-chan is a little older." "When will I be older? Tomorrow?" "Well, I wonder if tomorrow is too early ..." "Then when? Tomorrow tomorrow?" "Hmm ... Leela-chan, when you graduate from school ... Maybe ..." "If I go to school, will I be able to be your bride?" "If you listen to what your mother and teachers say and are a good girl ..." "Be a good girl! Leela, will be a good girl and become your bride!" "Gofu ... I''m sure you''ll be a good girl." I was hugged with a rocket headbutt on par with Meisa-chan, and in the end, until the treatment was over, I was carrying her on my back, hugged, and somehow completely attached. Hey, Mom, please don''t just watch and take her back. [ As expected of Kent-sama ... He doesn''t forget to buy futures ... ] [ No, no, I''m not buying it. It''s just convenience. ] [ But, a Maou needs a lot of wives ... It''s still not enough ... ] [ Haa ... Anyway, let''s go back to Volzard after confirming Camilla''s situation. ] I left the first-aid room in search of Camilla while the patients and their families saw me off with warm eyes. It was a bit shaky due to the maximum outbreak of Orcs, but the Second and Third Princes and their followers were executed. After that, I wondered what happened. In front of Bernst and the others'' coffins lined up at the edge of the training grounds, it seemed that Camilla gathered Walter Gleisner, the main members of the Royal Guard, and the main members of the garrison, and held a simple funeral. Looking at the place where there was a man dressed like a priest, it seemed that the funeral was already underway, and Camilla was about to deliver her condolences. "Bernst-gikei, Chritoph-gikei, they fought bravely at the forefront of the knights during the maximum outbreak of the Orcs, protected the inhabitants of Lastock to the end, and lost their lives. I pray from the bottom of my heart that your spirits may rest in peace!" It''s an admirable way of saying it, but in short, the evidence would be destroyed by pretending that they died during the maximum outbreak ... [ Kent-sama, in order to prevent the remains of the royal family from becoming undead, they will cremate them and crush their bones before burying them. ] "Then, there is absolutely no evidence of a murder." [ Indeed, the only thing left at hand is the hair of the deceased. ] (TN:Apparently used for some Bhuddist ritual for the dead.) "Honorable death in battle or being killed after a riot, the former would be better for the idiot Princes, but which one would be better for Camilla?" [ If she wants to take over the influence of the Second Prince, the former would be better, but if she wants to follow the First Prince, the latter would be better. ] "In other words, does that mean that Camilla took over the power of the Second Prince''s faction?" [ I think it would be better if you asked her directly about her true intentions. ] Putting aside whether or not she was hostile to the First Prince, Alphonse, if she could take over the power of the Second Prince''s faction as it is, Camilla would be able to obtain the fighting power she desperately wanted. The western part of Resenburg was controlled by the First Prince''s faction, so even if it was difficult to stop desertification directly, it would be possible to advance the cultivation of the Devil''s Forest and obtain new farmland. Camilla''s popularity would increase even more if she could prepare a means to save the people who had become refugees due to desertification. The problem was how the nobles of the Second Prince''s faction would act. "Reinhardt, do you think the nobles of the Second Prince faction will follow Camilla?" [ Usually, nobles try to get the backing of male royals. The remaining male members of the royal family are the First Prince, Alphonse, and the Fourth Prince, Diethelm, Diethelm is Camilla-dono''s younger brother and he''s not yet an adult. So, following Camilla-dono, the older sister, and going under Diethelm ... Alternatively, maybe there are people who think about making Camilla-dono King and making their own son her husband. ] "Come to think of it, the First Prince was thinking of killing the Second Prince and the others. What will happen to that plan?" [ Since there is no one to kill, naturally it will be canceled. But ... I hope the followers don''t think it''s a bad thing ... ] What came to my mind was Torvil, the staff officer of the First Prince. I had the impression that the First Prince, Alphonse, was following Torvil''s orders. If Torvil could confirm that Alphonse would succeed the throne without any doubt, there would be no unnecessary commotion, but if he thought that Camilla''s existence was a hindrance, I think he would plot something. "Hey, I just thought about it, but wasn''t the person who poisoned Diethelm the staff officer called Torvil?" [ I can''t deny the possibility, but since there''s no hard evidence, it''s hard to say. ] "Are my thoughts jumping too far ..." [ Kent-sama, in any case, Camilla-dono should send a messenger to the First Prince. Knowing the death of the Second Prince and the others, let''s find out what kind of action they will take. ] "That''s right, there''s no point in moving blindly." When I was watching over the Second Prince''s funeral, Basten, who had gone to check on Bamata, came back. [ Kent-sama, we were able to repel the Orcs heading for Bamata. ] "Just in case, was there any damage?" [ We provided support, and since the Second Prince''s army had gathered, they had considerable fighting power, so they didn''t suffer much damage. However, the Orcs who lost their commanders fled apart, so I''m a little worried about what they''ll do in the future. ] "Were there any individuals that looked like superior species?" [ Yes, I killed the ones who caught my eye and collected the magic stones. ](TN:Basten, snipes the rare mobs and nabs their loot. Gamers would hate him.) "Then, for the time being, the crisis is over, right?" [ No, the danger of small settlements being attacked is much higher. ] Between Lastock and Bamata, there seemed to be small settlements of several houses, but it seemed that there were usually no knights or soldiers stationed there. It seemed that Count Gleisner had already dispatched knights, but it seemed that the situation was uncertain whether they would arrive in time. The large horde proceeded along the road and headed straight for Bamata, but some individuals must have left the horde, and the Orc population density should have increased at once. It could be said that the Devil''s Forest was overflowing and encroaching. According to Basten''s report, Count Zephalos Gleisner was quite good at fighting. It seemed that he skillfully moved the so-called hodgepodge of soldiers, including the soldiers of other nobles, to keep the attrition to a minimum. The Second Prince''s faction suffered the most damage from the army of Margrave Calvine, and it seemed that the absence of Ryzas and the others, who were responsible for coordinating the army, prevented them from taking command, and they were unable to advance and retreat smoothly. "I''m curious about the First Prince''s movements, but I''m also curious about Margrave Calvine''s movements." [ That''s right. Looking at the history so far, it wouldn''t be strange for him to switch over to the First Prince''s faction. ] "How about a maximum outbreak and a civil war?" [ It''s hard to imagine at the moment. With this Orc incident, many nobles know that the danger of a maximum outbreak is real, and if Count Gleisner gathers his forces, there will be a flow of people gathering under him. If they try to start a civil war under such circumstances, they''re going to get beaten up. ] "But, this incident will make Margrave Calvine lose his voice in his faction, won''t it? How is he going to make up for it?" [ We need to wait for him to receive a messenger from Camilla-dono to see how he will react. ] First Prince Alphonse, staff officer Torvil, and Margrave Calvine were all in the middle of gambling for their futures, so they wouldn''t give up easily. Of course, the same applied to other nobles who were on the side of the Second Prince, and Count Gleisner and Camilla were also part of the party. [ Kent-sama, I think it would be better if you let Camilla-dono and Zephalos Gleisner hold a meeting and try to communicate with each other ... ] "That''s right, they''re the two who hold the key to the future." [ Above all, it would be better to let the messenger adjust the text. ] "Basten, there was no damage to the town of Bamata, right?" [ Yes, we had an interception battle outside the city, so there was no damage to the residents. ] "Then, let''s go to Bamata and meet with Zephalos." After returning to the mansion, I told Zephalos the details of the execution of the Second Prince and the others, and recommended a meeting with Camilla. When I returned to Lastock and told Camilla what was going on, she also agreed readily, and the next day''s meeting was decided. CH 132 Coastline ***---*** It was completely dark when I returned to Volzard. The bonfires were still burning on the ramparts, and the garrison continued to take turns guarding the Devil''s Forest. My genus had finished subjugating the invading Orcs and collected the magic stones, but the corpses hadn''t been cleaned up. Because of that, Goblins and Kobolds had gathered to scavenge the Orc corpses. "If we don''t proceed with the disposal of the corpses, it looks like they''ll be attracting new monsters." [ Let''s carry them deep into the forest. ] "Yes, please." I asked Reinhardt and the others to clean up and went to the aid station. In this attack, it seemed that there were many casualties in Volzard due to the Orcs'' stone-throwing attacks. The staff at the first aid station who struggled to treat them seemed to be finally taking a rest break, including the chairman and Manon "Good evening everyone, thank you for your hard work." "Kento!" "Kent!" So as not to surprise them, I stepped out a short distance away and called out to them. The chairman and Manon, who had been looking a little tired until then, rushed over with smiles on their faces as if flowers were blooming. The two of them hugged me without paying attention to the staff''s gazes, and I hugged them in turn. Hmm, I, am popular. "Kento, are you hurt anywhere?" "I''m fine because I was in a safe place." "Kent protected us this time too, didn''t you?" "It''s not just me, everyone protected Volzard." I told the two of them to wait a little while, and gave the staff the cookies I had bought from Mesudori Pavilion. They''re a little pricey, but the very delicious Mesudori Pavilion cookies were very popular here as well. Yeah, I''m sure the two girls will continue to be in their care in the future, so it''s important to take care of them. I was invited by the staff to join them for tea. This time, I talked about how Orcs attacked Lastock at the same time, how we were able to protect the residents thanks to the conversion of the garrison into a fort, and how some of the Orcs reached the inland Bamata. "Then, did Resenburg suffer more damage?" "Yes, the small settlements between Lastock and Bamata probably would have been annihilated if attacked ..." A small village without any defenses being attacked, if it were replaced with Volzard, they would be able to climb over the ramparts and the Orcs rampaged in the city. The staff member who asked me also had a clouded expression, as if imagining such a situation. "But, you warned them many times about the danger of a maximum outbreak, didn''t you?" "Yeah, but it seems that the warning didn''t work because of the faction dispute over the succession to the throne." As Manon said, Camilla had repeatedly warned of the danger of a maximum outbreak and requested assistance. However, the First Prince''s faction and the Second Prince''s faction kept each other in check, and they overestimated the existence of the river and didn''t take effective countermeasures. They were also informed that a large horde of Minotaurs had attacked, but considering that a horde of nearly 200 Minotaurs was an abnormal situation, moreover, considering the number of Camilla''s forces, there was no way they should be able to repel them, and it seems that the information wasn''t trusted. "Did all of Kento''s genus exterminate the large group that entered Resenburg?" "No, there were soldiers gathered at Count Gleisner''s place, so it seems that the Count took command and repelled them." The horde approaching Bamata had nowhere to hide like in the Devil''s Forest, so even the stone-throwing Orcs were exposed to attack, and it seemed that the Orcs were at a disadvantage because they didn''t have shields. Also, unlike Volzard, thanks to the large number of soldiers, the high density of attacks was also a factor that was able to repel them. Basten and the others also helped out from the shadows. "But, with the Orcs invading the mainland, isn''t Resenburg going to be in trouble from now on?" "It depends on how many Orcs survived ... But, the danger will increase." If it''s a skilled adventurer, it''s not difficult to defeat Orcs alone, but Orcs are dangerous monsters for ordinary citizens. During the first actual battle, Yagi and the others were surrounded by Orcs, but in the end they were unable to defeat even one. If a group of about 10 people were to take on an Orc, it would be possible to drive them away, even if they couldn''t be defeated. However, if a small village was attacked with two or three of them gathered together, there was a high possibility of causing damage. "It''s a story of the other side of the Devil''s Forest, and it''s Camilla''s country that gave us a terrible experience, but I don''t want innocent women and children to suffer ..." When I told them about the casualties caused by the Orcs throwing stones at the Lastock garrison, the committee chairman seemed to be in pain. Since Camilla and Count Gleisner were scheduled to have a meeting tomorrow, I left the relief station after promising that that I would ensure the safety of the citizens on the spot when they asked me. When I moved to the guild, it was just after the damage was caused by the Orcs, so there were several employees other than Donovan-san who were still working. As usual, there were piles of documents on Donovan-san''s desk. "Good evening, Donoan-san." "Hmm, Kent, have you cleaned up over there?" "Yes, there was damage, but Lastock wasn''t wiped out." "Did the Orcs over there throw stones too?" "Yes, they crossed the river while being supported by stone-throwing, and some of them reached the direction of Bamata." "Did they cross the river ... It became an embarrassment." "Yes, it''s okay if it''s Goblins, but it was Orcs." Donovan-san had a sour expression, as if he was thinking about the situation in Resenburg. "Donovan-san, about the Orc corpses, I wonder if I should move them to the back of the forest." "About that, can''t you throw them further away?" "Further away is it?" "Aahh, right ... Is downstream of the river that flows in front of Lastock, where it meets the sea, difficult?" "Well ... I wonder if it would be possible if I have someone go there and use them as a landmark ..." Donovan-san was worried because, even though it''s in the depths of the Devil''s Forest, dumping a large number of Orc corpses could naturally attract a large number of monsters. The continent where Volzard and Resenburg are located is connected to the southern continent where monsters live by a thin piece of land. In the past, there was a war with the neighboring continent through that land, which led to the first Hero summoning. After the Hero became a Maou and was eventually subdued, the land was covered with trees due to a large outbreak of tree monsters, Trents, on the neighboring continent, forming the Devil''s Forest on this continent. "In other words, they will be thrown into the sea on the other side of the Devil''s Forest." "That''s right, if you go that far, the chances of Volzard being hit by a maximum outbreak should be minimized." "Okay, I''ll get to it right away." "Please." Hiding in the shadows, I decided to have Nero run first as a landmark. "Nero, did you hear the story?" "Nya, should I go down the river in Lastock and go to the sea, nya?" "Yeah, if you stay there, we can use Nero as a landmark." "Okay, nya, leave it to me, nya." (TN:Fun fact, Nya, or ¤Ë¤ã just looks like a picture of a cat, which is why it''s the SFX for a cat''s cry, a lot of choices are based on the pictures created by the word rather than the words themselves.) After having Nero run, I called Reinhardt. "Reinhardt, we''re changing the disposal site." [ Is something wrong? ] Reinhardt seemed to be convinced when I told him the results of the discussion with Donovan-san. [ I see, certainly in that place, the risk of attracting monsters to Volzard disappears. ] "Let''s carry them all together, just like we did when we cleaned up the goblin corpses that had piled up under the ramparts during the last maximum outbreak." [ Then, let''s collect the corpses in one place. ] When Reinhardt and I moved to the depths of the Devil''s Forest, there were already piles of Orc corpses. Because I subdued them by raining stones form the sky, all the corpses were badly damaged, and to be honest, I wanted to look away. However, since I was the one who took their lives, I''ll take care of them until the very end. Divided into five portions, I temporarily stored the Orcs'' corpses in the shadow space and called out to Nero. "Nero, are you there yet?" "Of course, nya. If it''s Nero''s legs, it''ll take no time, nya." Using Nero as a landmark, I moved downstream of Lastock to the coastline. The coastline on the Lastock side was lined with sheer cliffs, and the river passed through a deep valley and formed a sandbar before flowing into the sea. When viewed from the top of the cliff, the area connecting the contents was also a landform with steep cliffs that appeared to have been raised by crustal movement or something and had been eroded by the wind and waves. On the surface of the sea illuminated by the moonlight, white triangular waves crashed violently against the quay. The wind was blowing, but the waves seemed to be caused by the current, and they were swirling here and there. I thought that if the sea was close, it would be nice to have a thriving fishing industry, but it would be difficult to set sail in this rough sea. "It''s kind of a wild landscape." [ That''s right. This is the first time I''ve been to the sea around here, so I didn''t even imagine the scenery was like this. ] The scenery near the coast looked completely different across the river. On the other side of the river was a dense forest, and on this side was a grassy plain with white rocks. [ There''s a big difference in the scenery. ] "Maybe this area used to be the bottom of the sea." [ Hou, this place? ] "Yeah, I think it was uplifted by a big earthquake or crustal movement." [ Hohou, such a thing can happen? ] Reinhardt seemed to be skeptical, but the landscape on this side was a typical karst plateau that we learned about in class. The dense forest on the other side was probably due to the outbreak of Trents that surged from the neighboring continent and caused the creation of the Devil''s Forest. But, if there is this much limestone, wouldn''t it be possible to quarry it and turn it into an industry? The architecture in this world was hardened with earth-attribute magic, but if cement were further hardened, its strength would increase even further. Limestone must also have been used for purposes other than cement, so I should do some research when I return to Japan next time. The more new industries were created, the better the financial situation of Resenburg would be, and it should also help secure reparations. [ Kent-sama, please dispose of the Orc corpses offshore as much as possible. ] "Is there something wrong with the nearby area?" [ If they are washed up on the shore, there is no guarantee that there won''t be something that is lured by the smell and crosses the river or the sea. ] "I see, humans wouldn''t be able to climb this cliff, but you wouldn''t know if monsters could." Even if we keep the danger away from Volzard, it''s meaningless if we endanger Resenburg. I put out a shield of darkness in the sky as far offshore as possible, connected it to the shadow space, and threw the Orcs'' corpses into the sea. If it were in Japan, I would get scolded for illegal dumping, but since it''s this world, I can take it easy. Up to the horizon ... Since that''s impossible, I divided the Orc corpses into 5 portions about 500 meters offshore and threw them away little by little. The first and second times ended without incident, but it happened when the third dumping was carried out. A huge mouth popped out of the sea and swallowed whole the shield of darkness that was sticking out about 10 meters above the surface of the sea. "Uwaa, what''s going on!" [ It''s a tremendously big creature since it looks that size from that far away. ] "Is that a monster that lives in the sea?" [ Well, it''s the first time I''ve seen something like that, so I can''t say anything. ] After that I tried raising the position of the shield of darkness to 20 meters and then 30 meters, but I couldn''t even see the whole body of the creature that was biting it. It looked like an ancient fish like a coelacanth, and the moonlit scales shone lapis lazuli. [ There is a legend that a huge monster lives in the sea, but it seems to be true. ] "If there''s such a thing, I''m afraid we can''t take a boat out." [ Even in Resenburg, there is a harbor if you go further west. ] "The boats are sailing ships, right? If they were attacked by such a guy, they wouldn''t have a chance, would they?" [ This time, it must have been attracted by the smell of a large amount of Orc blood. It might be fine as long as you don''t spread the smell of blood. ] "Hmm ... For the time being, I won''t get on a boat." [ Buhahaha ... Wise? It''s not a bad decision. ] It would be helpful since I can use shadow movement, but it wouldn''t be very pleasant to be swallowed whole. I returned to the guild, reported to Donovan-san, had a cup of tea, and returned to the boarding house. The next day, there would be a meeting between Camilla and Count Gleisner in the afternoon, so I went to the Investigation Headquarters before then. I was a little worried about Kizawa-san''s behavior after she returned. The Investigative Headquarters I arrived at for the first time in four days was wrapped in a tense atmosphere. Did Kizawa-san do something wrong? "Good morning." "Aahh, Kokubu-kun, where is the second returnee?" Everyone who was present at the Investigation Headquarters gave me a look of anticipation, but when I told them that I hadn''t brought anyone with me today, they were frankly disappointed. "What are you dawdling around for, think about how many more people are left!" "Stop it, Katayama!" Is he still holding a grudge over the fact that I didn''t hand over the report from the teachers when I first visited the Investigation Headquarters? Detective Katayama''s words made the atmosphere at the Investigation Headquarters even worse. "Volzard was attacked by a horde of Orcs, and there was movement in the struggle for succession to the throne in Resenburg, it''s not like I was playing around. There''s no reason for you to complain, so if you want to complain to someone, you should do it yourself." "Bastard ..." "Both of you, that''s enough!" As expected, Detective Katayama didn''t put his hands on me this time, but even when Sudou-san reprimanded him, he glared at me hatefully. It seemed that having Kizawa-san come back has increased expectations and pressure from those around. "I am fully aware that Kokubu-kun also has his own circumstances, but is there any way you can speed up their return?" "I will consider it, but as I reported last time, it puts a toll on my body, and only one person can be sent back at a time, so there is a limit to how fast I can go." "In the previous report, you said about once a week, but could you please proceed with the return at a pace of about once very five days, or if possible, once every three days?" "Hmm ... I''ll do it as soon as possible, but in the event that Volzard is attacked by a horde of monsters like this time, I''ll have to move to defend the city as well, so I can''t say for certain that I''ll be able to do it. " "Is the defense of the city impossible without Kokubu-kun? Since Kokubu-kun wasn''t there in the first place, isn''t there a system to protect themselves?" "Of course, Volzard has a garrison, and Resenburg also has knights, but these monster attacks seem to be on a scale never seen before, and if I don''t participate in the defense, there will be a lot of damage. If monsters get inside the ramparts, there''s a chance they''ll hurt my classmates as well." "I see ... If possible, I''d like Kokubu-kun to concentrate on returning your classmates ..."(TN:I know that you reported that you could work 24h a day 7 days a week, but if possible I''d like you to work 30 hours a day 12 days a week ...) Sudou-san had a sour expression with his arms folded. I won''t talk to him about it, but I feel that the demands from the people around him are increasing considerably. Then Kajikawa-san from the Cabinet Secretariat joined the conversation. "Kokubu-kun, I understand well why the return is not progressing. We would like you to hurry up and return, but if that''s not possible, could you accommodate us with some magic stones?" "Magic stones, is it?" "Yes, if possible, I would appreciate if if you could get the magic tools as a set. Also, if possible, could you also get the materials for the magic tools?" According to Kajikawa-san, the demand for magic stones was rapidly increasing among researchers, and the amount I gave last time was no longer enough. "For the time being, we can''t have them provided free of charge, so we will buy magic tools for 2 million Yen each and magic stones for 500,000 Yen each. I''ll settle the bill and pay Kokubu-kun." "The Minotaur horn I gave you before seems to be good as a material for magic tools, but it''s expensive compared to magic stones because there aren''t many of them." "Ooh, so that horn was going to be a material, is it about 20 times the price?" "No, it wasn''t that expensive ..." "Okay, I''ll buy them for 8 million Yen each." "8 million Yen ..." "It''s a substance that doesn''t exist on Earth. Even if the price is 50 times higher than the local price, it''s still cheap." I just subjugated a large amount of Orcs, so there are mountains of magic stones in my shadow storage, and I still have more than 100 Minotaur horns. If they buy all of them, it will be enough money to spend your whole life playing around in Japan. "Umm ... Is it wrong to use that amount as compensation for the victims?" "I''ve talked about it before, but it''s difficult to use magic tools, but I think you can do it with magic stones and Minotaur horns instead of reparations." "Is that true, then, with my reserves ..." "Wait, wait, if Kokubu-kun puts it out, it''s no good. No, even if Kokubu-kun contributes, it has to be in the form of Resenburg contributing." "Then, would it be okay if I took a video of me receiving it and had something like a document?" "That''s right, I think it can be treated as an item of reparation." "Understood, the Princess and the faction''s heavyweights are scheduled to meet this afternoon, so I will take a video at that time so that I can provide the magic stones and materials tomorrow." "Thank you, it would be helpful if you could do that. To be honest, the pressure is getting a little stronger. It''s helpful to see visible results." The return won''t proceed immediately, but the magic stones and materials are scattered around. Even if I shoulder it, I think it would be better to finish it quickly. By the way, let''s shoot Camilla''s apology video. When it comes to meeting with Count Gleisner, Camilla will probably dress like royalty. "Speaking of which, Sudou-san. How is Kizawa-san doing?" "Ahh, if it''s about her, she''s being quiet at her house. The person in charge of public security is guarding her, and she''s obediently responding to interviews." "I see ... It''s kind of surprising." "Why is that? She seemed like a polite and well-mannered young lady." The other investigators nodded at Sudou-san''s words. I can''t help but think that Kizawa-san is putting on a fake appearance, but I hope she isn''t plotting something. I returned to Volzard after promising to proceed with the return as soon as possible and to make arrangements so that the magic stones and materials could be used as part of the reparations. CH 133 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 133 Meeting with the Count ***---*** The meeting with Count Gleisner would be held in Camilla''s room. Some of the knights seemed to have argued that it should be done in the commander''s office, but it seemed that Camilla herself made the decision in consideration of future relationships. In addition to Camilla and Zephalos, Levic and Walter were seated as assistants. And, at first, I was only going to watch from the shadows, but at Camilla''s request, Reinhardt and I also attended. "Hmm, the knight who served the Wise King Arthur-sama, huh ..." Upon hearing from Camilla that I was being followed by Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred, Count Gleisner seemed to be deeply impressed. "I believe that Maou-sama is the reincarnation of Wise King Arthur-sama." "Hohou, then Camilla-sama got the backing of the Wise King." "I''m the one who has devoted my allegiance to Maou-sama ..." "Are you serious about that loyalty!" "Stop it, Walter." Zephalos restrained Walter, who stood up at Camilla''s words, but Camilla continued her words indifferently. "Of course, I''m serious. When the Minotaurs attacked, without the help of Maou-sama, we couldn''t even protect the people of Lastock." When Walter turned his gaze to Levic, he affirmed Camilla''s words by nodding with a sour expression on his face. "Then, is it okay to think that Camilla-sama''s policy from now on will be up to the Maou-dono?" "I don''t mind if you think so." After hearing Camilla''s reply, Zephalos and Walter turned their gazes to me. "Then, Maou-dono, what do you plan to do with Resenburg?" "Before I answer that question, may I ask you one question?" "Hmm, what is it?" "Why did Count Gleisner support Second Prince Bernst?" "That, why was the First Prince Alphonse-sama not good enough? Is that the question?" "Yes, that''s right. Can you answer?" "It''s not a difficult story. Because I saw that Alphonse-sama lacked willpower." "Willpower ... is it?" It was said that the nobles of Resenburg had been probing the Prince since he was a child, in order to determine who the royal family would entrust their fate to in the future. "Alphonse-sama isn''t a bad person. He doesn''t have any outstanding talent, but he can''t be called stupid. However, his willpower to decide things is weak, and he is too influenced by the opinions of others." In front of Camilla, who belonged to the same royal family, that criticism probably shouldn''t have been made, but Camilla nodded, perhaps because it was a pointless remark. "Certainly, in terms of willpower, I felt that Bernst was stronger, but even so, didn''t you think that his behavior was a problem?" "That''s right, a commoner ... no, excuse me, it may have looked like that to the eyes of Maou-dono, but when the royal family was young, it wasn''t that much of a surprise. I thought it would be fine if I just held the reins, but it seems my expectations were a bit naive." It''s tempting to say that it''s not just a little naive, but the sensibilities of royalty and aristocrats may be a little different from ours. "After the death of both Bernst and Christoph, the Count Gleisner Family wants to secure the territory under Alphonse with Camilla as the backing. Is that what you think?" "Exactly. We have no right to execute Alphonse-sama at this point, so we will only be loyal and protect the people." To be precise, it''s probably to protect his house, but now isn''t the time to rush. "Is Camilla also okay with that policy?" "I intend to follow Maou-sama''s policy. However ..." Camilla, who kept her mouth shut, stared at me and then connected her words as if she made up her mind. "However, if Maou-sama allows it, I want to become the King of Resenburg! Now that Barshania is scheming, Alphonse-gikei and Diethelm are unreliable. I want to protect the people and make this country rich!" Perhaps because Bernst no longer existed, Camilla spoke clearly about her feelings for the throne. "That seems to be the case, but what do you think, Count Gleisner?" "Fumu, what do you think, Maou-dono, who has only been asking me since a while ago and doesn''t reveal his hand?" "That''s right, huh ... I haven''t been to this world for very long, and to be honest, I don''t even know the personalities of Alphonse and Diethelm. I think that those who continue to neglect the problem of desertification in the west while being cornered by the world do not deserve to be royalty." "Then, Maou-dono, do you think you will be able to put Camilla-sama on the throne?" "I warn you, and if it still doesn''t change, I have no choice but to reject you ..." "Is that something that can be said of the current King?" Zephalos asked me with a smile on his face, but his eyes weren''t smiling at all, which was rather scary. "In the case of the current King, is it more like pressing for abdication rather than execution?" "If you make a deal with the current King, there is a possibility that it will be considered a rebellion. Do you have any interest in doing that?" That is probably what Klaus-san meant about gambling with his life. By weighing risks and profits, they are looking for a partner to bet on. "If Camilla becomes the King, then we have to leave the rule of Lastock to someone else, right?" "I see, what else ...?" "Huh? What else?" I thought he would nod his head if I dangled the sovereignty of Lastock, is the skin of greed sticking out more than I thought. While I was at a loss for an answer, Camilla answered instead. "I promise that when I become King, the possessions of those who were in the Second Prince factions will be recognized, except for the Margrave Calvine Earldom." "Are there any lies in your words?" "Of course, those who set up bad governments that make the people suffer must be reconsidered." "Can you promise not to suddenly change the tax rate, change the territory, or destroy it?" "I promise." When Camilla answered firmly, Zephalos closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to be thinking. FIrst, the recognition of your own territory, then the treatment of your fellow faction members as leaders of the faction, and new profits after that. If he was a person who could easily move just by gaining a new territory, he might have followed the Second Prince and carried out a massacre in Lastock. "Understood, I''ll help Camilla-sama. However, we need a cause to move. As Maou-dono said earlier, I would like to admonish them, and if they still don''t change their mind, is it okay to ask them to withdraw?" "Of course, I have no intention of recklessly executing my relatives. If Alphonse-gikei works for the people, I will support him ... Well, it will be difficult ..." Camilla had already pointed out the problem of advancing desertification many times and urged them to deal with it, so she probably has no hope for the First Prince. He warns the current King to change his attitude, and if he still doesn''t listen, he presses him to abdicate, and if that doesn''t work, he executes him. As for the First Prince, he was asked to behave in a way befitting the next King. The next thing to decide was the content of the news of the Second Prince''s death that would be sent to various places. That was already decided by Camilla. "I intend to send news to various places that my half brothers lost their lives during the battle with the hordes of Orcs. On top of that, I will add that I will follow the will of my half brothers, protect the country, and devote myself to protecting the people." "It is unavoidable to take it as a declaration that you will take over the faction of the Second Prince and aim for the throne, but is that okay?" "With that in mind, I plan to admonish my father and Alphonse-gikei." "That''s fine. Is Maou-dono fine with that?" "What about Margrave Calvine? Ware you going to do the same thing as with everyone else, or are you going to warn him?" As if to control Camilla, Zephalos presented his thoughts first. "The wording of the letter that Camilla-sama sends should be the same as the others." "Why is that?" "Like the other day, Camilla-sama will use letter paper, envelopes, and sealing wax with the royal crest on it. In other words, it remains as evidence, and blatant intimidation should be avoided." "On the other hand, are you saying that it doesn''t matter if it''s not overt threats?" Zephalos smiled widely before answering. "As expected of Maou-dono. However, in this case, asking for loyalty to the country and mercy for the people without any trickery would be a threat to the dark-hearted." "I see, so those who aim for the royal road don''t need small tricks." "Exactly ... But that man named Havre Calvine is going to be a no-brainer." "Is he that kind of person?" "Otherwise, that mining town could not be ruled." Calvine''s mines were not like dungeons, where ores were suddenly produced, but they were the same as Earth''s mines. It seemed to be that sort of thing. Earth-attribute magic was used in the mining process, but there was always the risk of accidents such as cave-ins. If you hit a rich deposit, you''ll get rich quickly, but if you get involved in a single accident, that''s it. It seemed that the men involved in the mining had a rough temperament. Havre Calvine was the boss of such a group, and it feels like the boss of such a group was not a position for an average person. "He has a strong physique and strong arms, but he also has a sharp mind. It''s a scaled-up version of that follower Ryzas." "Why did such a man pick up the Second Prince drowning in drugs? Maybe it was connected to the First Prince behind the scenes?" "I don''t know, it shouldn''t have been difficult for Havre to manipulate Bernst-sama-tachi. That''s why I don''t understand the reason why he had him addicted to drugs." "Is there any suspicion that it''s a request from Barshania?" "There are many doubts, but there is no evidence." Zephalos belonged to the same faction as Havre, but it seemed they weren''t close enough to talk to each other. That being said, if they were able to cooperate to such an extent, Bernst and the others would not have become addicted to drugs. "What is Havre Calvine''s ultimate goal?" "Ultimate goal, is it ... His territory is blessed as a mine, but it can be said that it has zero value as a granary. Therefore, there is no situation where the economy can be established independently, so there is no idea of starting an independent country." "What about the desire to acquire fiefdoms in the breadbasket?" "Between the Calvine territory and the breadbasket there are forestry mountains and dairy farming areas, so even if you get the breadbasket, it will be an enclave. There is only one place to manage the territory. It''s quite troublesome just to rule over, I guess he wants to get a granary even if he becomes an enclave." The Calvine territory is rich in mines, enough to supply most of Resenburg''s mineral resources, and it seems that the income as a lord is higher than in the granaries. "Maybe I should ask Maou-dono to investigate that?" "Me, is it?" "I heard that Maou-dono can freely come and go anywhere. Could you find out what kind of reaction Havre would have after receiving the news that Bernst-sama and the others had passed away?" "Okay. Basten, can you find Havre Calvine?" [ Understood, I''ll go ahead and search. ] "I have sent my genus, so I will contact you as soon as there is movement." After giving a big nod, Zephalos turned his attention to Camilla. "Now then, Camilla-sama, what are you going to say to Alphonse-sama?" "In order to deal with the maximum outbreak, I will deal with it with the former Second Prince faction, and I plan to advise my half brother to proceed with the countermeasures against desertification." "Alphonse-sama, do you think that he will take Camilla-sama''s advice into consideration?" "Hmm ... That''s up to Torvil." "I guess ..." Both Camilla and Zephalos seemed to be thinking more about Torvil''s movements than Alphonse himself. "Does that man Torvil want to rule Resenburg as Prime Minister?" "Hohou, do you even know Torvil, Maou-dono? As you say, that man''s wish is to put Alphonse-sama on the throne and control the country from behind the scenes as Prime Minister." "That means that if Camilla were to aim to be King, she would naturally get in the way, right?" "I guess so. If you simply compare the qualities of the King, there is no need to argue about who is superior." "How do you think it will work?" "Now then, the First Prince''s faction is probably gathering its military strength. The soldiers have gathered, but there is no one to avenge them. Will it come, or will it be used as a countermeasure against desertification ... Even if Torvil plans, will Alphonse-sama be able to make a decision, and will he be able to persuade the faction ... this will also depend on the actions of the other side." In the case of Havre Calvine, the decision is up to him, but in Torvil''s case, he must persuade Alphonse and even sonsolidate the opinions of the faction''s nobles. If I were to use an analogy, it would be like Mitsunari Ishida in the Battle of Sekigahara. "Fred, investigate the movement of the First Prince''s faction, bring the Kobold Corps, and let them watch over Barshania for any invasion." [ Understood ... Leave it to me ... ] "Fumu ... It seems appropriate to call him a Maou to be able to monitor the movements of Alphonse-sama, Havre, or even Barshania while staying in Lastock." "Well, if Resenburg is going to be peaceful, you can use the name of the Maou." "Isn''t that going to be expensive for Resenburg later on?" "No matter how expensive it is, I have to get Resenburg to pay compensation." "Compensation? What do you mean by that?" "Well, I told you that we were summoned, but I didn''t tell you what happened in the world I am from at that time." I told Count Gleisner that the school building collapsed due to the summoning, 48 people lost their lives, and that Funayama died after coming here. "Then, is Maou-dono supporting Camilla-sama in order to collect compensation?" "That''s one of the reasons, but it''s also true that I don''t like the current situation of neglecting the progress of desertification and continuing power struggles." "Are your interests aligned?" "My wish is for the stability of Resenburg. For that reason, who would be the best to be King ..." "There is no element of hostility. By the way, how much will the compensation be?" "That''s the problem, the value of things here and the value of things in the world I''m from aren''t necessarily the same, but roughly speaking, 500 million Helts ... Burg here." "500 million Burg ..." "Don''t screw around! Can we pay such an exorbitant amount!" "Stop it, Levic!" "Camilla-sama, but the amount is ..." "Since it''s fine, sit down ..." Levic stood up and raised his voice in protest at the amount of money that even Zephalos was at a loss for words, but Camilla stopped him and he reluctantly sat down. "As I said earlier, the values in this world and mine are different. The same is true for the price of human life. You may think it''s an exorbitant amount, but that doesn''t mean there aren''t ways to deal with it." "Hohou, it seems that Maou-dono has something in mind when you say that." "Yes, magic essence doesn''t exist in our world." "What, if magic essence doesn''t exist, can you not use magic?" "As you say, there are no people who can use magic, there are no magic tools, and there are no magic stones." "Fumu, it doesn''t exist ... Does that mean it has scarcity value?" "That''s right." I talked about how there is no magic in our world, instead it is a world where science and technology have progressed, and as a hint for technological innovation, the demand for magic tools and powering magic stones, which were unknown theories. "It is difficult to substitute magic tools for daily necessities, but it seems that magic stones and materials necessary for making magic tools can be used as substitutes." "But, is it okay for you to reveal your hand like that?" "Why is that? Is Resenburg still hostile to our world?" "No, there''s no need to be." "Then, I think it''s only natural for both sides to think of ways to repair the relationship ..." "Fumu, it seems that this Maou-dono doesn''t look like a Maou." Zephalos opened his mouth with a grin which gave him a look like a child who found a new toy. If an old man likes me, I''m afraid of the consequences, so if possible, I''d like a beautiful woman to like me, but ... "Then, should we prepare magic stones and materials?" "No, I''m thinking of arranging that as well." "What do you mean. Then it won''t be compensation." "Camilla doesn''t have that many magic stones or materials, and it will be difficult to collect them from the former Second Prince faction nobles who support each other from now on." "Certainly, even though it costs money to move soldiers to deal with the maximum outbreak, some people will be dissatisfied if it becomes an additional burden." "On the other hand, if I postpone the compensation, the impression of Resenburg in my country could get worse." "But, even if you say that Maou-dono will prepare it ... I see, this time''s Orc magic stones." "Yes, and the horns of the Minotaurs. I will ask the Resenburg side to contribute these." "But, in that case, wouldn''t it be enough if Maou-dono says that he received it and submitted it to the other world?" "No, no, there are skeptical people in any world, so I would like to ask for your cooperation in the form of a video." "By video, you mean moving pictures, right. Not only Camilla-sama, but also me?" How troublesome, even though he''s pretending that it''s a nuisance, I feel like Zephalos is full of desire to be displayed.(TN:Something like he''s happy to be on video or something.) Behind his face as a heavyweight of the nobility, he can''t hide his curiosity. After that, I filmed the handover of the compensation and Camilla''s apology video, with Zephalos also appearing. Regarding Camilla''s apology, Walter and Levic complained, but Camilla herself suppressed them and filmed her apology with her head lowered. This time, Resenburg provided 20 Minotaur horns and 200 Orc magic stones. If we submit this to the Japanese government along with Camilla''s letter, it won''t be enough to cover the full amount of compensation, but it should be recognized as a small achievement. The meeting and the shooting were over, so I was thinking about returning to Volzard or showing up at the Investigation Headquarters when Zephalos suddenly asked Camilla a question. "By the way, Camilla-sama, you have made the decision to become King, but what are you going to do about your spouse?" "I can''t think of a spouse at this point. I can''t reach the throne of the King with such a frivolous feeling." Camilla answered Zephalos'' question without showing any hesitation. "I see ... In Camilla-sama''s case, there is also the option of handing over the throne to His Highness Diethelm, so there is no need to rush, but marriage and childbirth are also happiness as a woman. I think it would be fine if you would, but ..." "In my base, even if I am on the throne, I have no right to pursue happiness as a woman unless I am forgiven by apologizing and compensating." "Hmm ... Is that an instruction from Maou-dono?" Camilla looked at me and blushed a little before answering Zephalos. "That''s right. Otherwise, my heart won''t reach Maou-sama ..." "Isn''t Camilla-sama aiming for the throne to quickly finish her apology and compensation and marry Maou-dono?" "What are you talking about, I am to become King for the sake of the stability and development of Resenburg, and for the sake of the people!" "That''s true, I apologize for that." By the way, Camilla is staring at me, Zephalos is grinning, Walter and Levic are glaring at me like they''ve swallowed a bitter bug ... What should I do?" After that, Zephalos invited me to have dinner with him, and even at that time, I was thoroughly questioned. After all, it''s exhausting when an old man likes you. CH 134 Return of the second person ***---*** The morning after my meeting with Count Gleisner, I visited Oda-sensei at the garrison''s temporary quarters. The purpose was to have Camilla''s apology video that was shot last night checked. If all my classmates could see me, they would beg me to return them to Japan as soon as possible, so I visited the teacher''s room in person. "Good morning, Oda-sensei." "Oh, Kokubu, good morning." "Sensei, there''s something I would like you to check." "Check? Is it something to bring back to Japan?" "Yes, it''s Camilla''s apology video ..." "Camilla ... Is that the blonde Princess?" "Yes, that''s right, but ..." "Is it true that the Princess apologized?" "Ah ... That''s right, you''ve only met her in Lastock, haven''t you." Come to think of it, I''m the only one who''s met Camilla since she changed her attitude, and everyone else''s impression of her is the same as when they were treated as monkeys. So, I told him about Camilla''s current situation, and the situation in Resenburg, and then asked him to watch the apology video. [ I am the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg, Camilla Resenburg. With the activation of this summoning ceremony, we would like to offer our condolences to the victims, relatives, and all who were affected, we sincerely apologize to everyone involved for the inconvenience. I''m very sorry. ] "Hmm ..." Oda-sensei, who saw Camilla deeply bowing her head on the video camera monitor, let out a voice without thinking. For those who only knew the arrogant and proud appearance of Camilla when we were summoned, it would have been impossible to imagine her bowing her head with a solemn look on her face. In the video, Camilla explained that the reason for the summoning was the progression of desertification in the western part of Resenburg, and that it was to replenish the force for the development of the Devil''s Forest, and that the summoned beings transformed into Maous based on past summoning cases. She talked about how they used the slave bracelets to prevent it, and how the summoned people were treated like slaves because of that. On top of that, even though the struggle for succession to the throne did not free up the military potential, the judgment of relying on an outside source for replenishment, being caught in a past case and using the slave bracelets, she acknowledged mistakes such as the treatment of the summoned people, and deeply bowed her head again. Also, regarding the fact that the school building collapsed due to the summoning and even though it was completely unexpected that there were many casualties, Resenburg was fully responsible and promised to compensate as much as possible. Finally, she said that she would hand over 20 Minotaur horns and 200 Orc magic stones as compensation for the time being, while showing the actual items lined up, after more words of apology and a comment wishing for improved relations between Japan and Resenburg, the video ended with Camilla bowing deeply. "How is it, Sensei. Is there any problem?" "Well ... She has fully acknowledged her responsibility, apologized, and offered to pay compensation ... She''s stressing the point of apologizing. After that, in the case of ordinary crimes and accidents, criminal responsibility would probably be questioned, but, this time it will be difficult to sue because it was caused by summoning magic." "Is it difficult to fight in court if it''s caused by magic?" "If the cause-and-effect relationship between magic and incidents or accidents cannot be proven, it will be difficult to accuse them. Besides, if the other party is a foreigner, or a royal family from another world, the hurdles will rise even more." "Honestly, I don''t know anything about legal issues, so it''s better to leave everything to the government or the police, right?" "Yes, we have no choice but to let Japan decide." "So, I''ve been entrusted with Camilla''s personal letter, but can I ask Sensei to translate the contents? Um, the way of using words would be quite suspicious if it''s me ..." "I don''t mind doing that, but I can''t open the seal of the personal letter." "Ah, that''s fine. I have written the same content." "Okay, is it better to do it now?" "Yes, if possible ..." When I was asking Oda-sensei to translate Camilla''s personal letter, Katou-sensei knocked on the door. "Good morning, Oda-sensei ... Kokubu, you haven''t shown your face at all ..." "I''m sorry, I"m busy with various things ..." "Katou-sensei, what''s wrong?" "No, I was wondering if you were going to work on the ramparts today ..." "Right now, I''m translating Princess Camilla''s private letter at the request of Kokubu, so when that is done ..." "A personal letter from Princess Camilla!" "Shh ... Sensei, your voice is loud." "Oh, I"m sorry. But, Kokubu, what''s going on?" "Actually, it''s ..." I explained the situation to Katou-sensei and asked him to watch the video. "Hmm ... That impertinent Princess ... I can''t believe it." "As expected, that''s the reaction, isn''t it." "Kokubu, who is this old dog?" "Ah, that person is called Count Gleisner, and was the leader of the Second Prince''s faction." "Was ...?" "Yes, the Second and Third Princes died, and Camilla is taking over the faction from now on, so he''s like a heavyweight of the Third Princess faction." Katou-sensei frowned and shook his head when I told him about the power struggle between the First and Second Prince factions, and how the Second Prince and the others were killed. "Is the royal family and the nobility of Resenburg such a troublesome thing?" "We were on the receiving end of that." "The parents who lost their children might not be convinced even if they were shown a video like this, but even so, it might be better than nothing ..." "I hope I can be of some help, but ..." "By the way Kokubu, about the return method. Since then, we''ve been thinking about it as well." THere were two major points that Katou-sensei and his colleagues thought about. The first was that the burden on my body seemed to occur when I sucked out magical power and attributes, so they chose people with weak magical power and had them use magic until their magical power was depleted. The idea was that if I gradually got used to it, it would be less of a burden. "I see, if the amount of magic power is less, it will take less time to suck it out, and it may be possible to reduce the nausea and headaches." "If we have them use the practice field and use magic until they collapse from magic depletion, the burden will be lightened, and if they do that, the interval can be shortened, right?" The other was about methods other than kissing to steal magical power and attributes. I think that the reason why we had to kiss instead of shaking hands and hugging was because we needed to make contact with mucous membranes. Therefore, he thought that it would be possible to steal magical powers and attributes by making a small cut and touching bloody fingertips.(TN:Because all that power going out a small hole in a small finger is a great idea ... yeah.) "Considering infection and hygiene, it''s not a highly praised method, but isn''t it better than kissing between guys?" "Yes, if you ask me which one to choose, I would choose the wound contact method without hesitation." "So, Kokubu, the second one to return, how about it?" "Yes, I was planning to show up at the Investigation Headquarters once Oda-sensei finished translating, so, I can do it any time from now." "I see, do you know Sekiguchi Shiori from Class 4?" "No, I don''t know her." "About Sekiguchi, she seems to be quite depressed, so if possible, I want to send her home as soon as possible." Sekiguchi-san was originally an introvert, so she couldn''t get used to living in Volzard and had a bit of a nervous breakdown. Perhaps, the chairman was talking about Sekiguchi-san. "Then, I''ll go ahead and have Sekiguchi prepare, so please come after Oda-sensei''s work is finished." "Understood. Is the training ground fine?" Katou-sensei probably intended to bring Sekiguchi-san out ahead of time and make her consume her magic power. After reviewing the content and completing the clean copy, I asked Oda-sensei to sign it as a translator and put it in an envelope. "Kokubu, I feel sorry for the fact that I continue to rely on you. Don''t overdo it." "Yes, I will try to find time to rest." "Is that so, let''s go." "Yes." Oda-sensei would also accompany me to the training grounds to see if the return of the second person went well. When I left the teacher''s room, the boys who found me gathered. "Kokubu, what happened to our return." "Don''t say girls are the priority, bring the boys back." "Hey, if you''re giving priority to the girls, then finish the girls as soon as possible." "I don''t mind anytime, do you want me to do buchu?"(TN:buchu is sfx for kissing) "Isn''t there any way other than kissing ..." "Look, you guys are in the way! Open the way!" Oda-sensei brushed off the boys who were rushing towards me, and I followed behind him. Hey, why are you in the dorm at this time ... Everyone should go to work. Priority to girls will not change, so it will still take a few days for everyone to go home. The boys who gathered complained about it, but I''ll use the teacher as a shield and ignore them. When we moved to the training grounds, there were about a dozen girls who seemed to have heard the story, along with Senzaki-sensei, Ayako-sensei, and the chairman. "Good morning, Kento, are you okay?" "Good morning, yeah, I was so busy that I forgot." "Don''t overdo it." "Yeah, I know." The chairman leaned in with a flowing naturalness and entwined our arms. "Kokubu, I''m sorry to interrupt your enjoyment, but is it okay if we start now?" "Ah, yes, I understand." Sekiguchi-san, who was the target person, was standing behind the large Katou-sensei. She had bobbed hair, was a little overweight, and was much shorter than me, probably the shortest in the class. Due to lack of sleep, she had dark circles under her eyes, and her complexion also wasn''t good. "Sekiguchi, just in case, use magic again." "One more time ... I understand ..." If she smiled a little more, her face would look more charming, but her sullen wrinkled brows made her look gloomy. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world ... gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind ... dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a blade! Yaa ..." The wind blade was invisible, so I don''t know if the magic had been activated, but Sekiguchi-san was breathing heavily right after she swung down her right arm. "Haa, haa, haa ... Hurry up ... Hurry up, so I can go back to Japan!" Sekiguchi-san''s eyes, which were looking down, certainly looked a little dangerous. "Sensei, I''m going to start, but what should I do ..." "Then, can you come over here?" Chizaki-sensei, not Katou-sensei, started the explanation. It seemed that Senzaki-sensei came up with the idea of trying to suck out magical power and attributes by aligning the wounds. We wiped our fingertips with the high-strength distilled alcohol we prepared for disinfection. "Then, let''s hold each other''s hands, put our fingertips together and make a contract ... No, it''s nothing. Kokubu-kun, try it." "Yes, I will try." Just now, I was about to say something about the contract, but if I pursue it deeply, I think I''ll see the darkness of Senzaki-sensei, so I''ll stop. Sekiguchi-san''s hands were small, plump and girlish, and I had to slightly shift my palms to meet her fingertips. Our wounds touched each other, and a sharp pain ran through us, and we frowned at the same time. Focusing my attention on my fingertips, I can certainly feel the magic. "Okay, let''s start." "Yes ..." The moment I saw Sekiguchi-san nod and tried to suck out Sekiguchi-san''s magical power from her fingertips. "Guu!" "Ouch!" Shock and pain that seemed to be dozens of times stronger than static electricity ran through us, and we involuntarily let go of our held hands and fingertips. "What happened? What happened?" "No way, the contract failed ..." The chairman and Senzaki-sensei hurriedly approached. "Yuika, I''m fine, so please treat Sekiguchi-san." "I understand ... Sekiguchi-san, I''ll heal you, so give me your fingers. Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and heal!" The fingertips where the impact ran were split open and blood was overflowing. What looked white might be bones. I tried my best to heal myself and close the wounds. "Sensei, this is no good. I thought my fingertips were blown off." "I''m sorry. I didn''t think it could end up in such a terrible situation ... I wonder if it''s the compatibility of your souls ..." Yeah, it seemed like I should be a little more careful with Senzaki-sensei''s ideas. "Why! Why am I the only one who has to go through something like this!" Surprised by the sudden hysterical voice, I turned around and saw Sekiguchi-san screaming with her hair disheveled.(TN:Always try new things with mentally unstable people ... GJ!) "Why do I have to go through such a painful experience! Even if I can use magic, it''s only useful as a fan, why am I the only one ... No more, what about Resen. What about Volzard. This whole world should just perish." "Sekiguchi-san, calm down." "It''s fine! Asakawa-san received amazing magic, was called a Saint, and what she wore and ate was very different from us!" "No way ... I was ..." "It''s fine! You can stick with Kokubu-kun, who got cheats, flirt, be sticky, defeat lots of monsters, make a lot of money, and live without any inconvenience. You don''t understand the feelings of a person like me who has no merit!" Of course, the chairman and I haven''t just been having fun, so if you listen to it normally, it''s probably an angry line, but the appearance of screaming while scratching your hair like a mountain witch feels more dangerous than uncomfortable. "Sekiguchi-san, calm down." Sekiguchi-san snaps even when Senzaki-sensei tries to calm her down on behalf of the chairman. "Shut up! Don''t pretend to be a teacher when you can''t do anything! What, with this method, you don''t have to kiss. Don''t say inappropriate things. You can''t imagine how much that hurt? Try it yourself!" "I''m sorry. We also tried it with good intentions, so there was no malice." "Don''t screw with me! In the end, didn''t you just want to use me as a test subject." "Sekiguchi-san ..." "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I can''t trust you guys, even though you said Kizawa-san has been sent back to Japan, but you really must have thrown her away somewhere. Die, die, you guys should all die!" "Sekiguchi-san!" After screaming, Sekiguchi-san ran away from the training grounds, and was chased by Senzaki-sensei, Ayako-sensei, and several girls who seemed to be Sekiguchi-san''s friends. "Umm ... What should I do?" Both Oda-sensei and Katou-sensei were overwhelmed by the sudden situation. No matter how you look at it, it would be difficult for Sekiguchi-san to return today. "It can''t be helped, someone else ..." As soon as Oda-sensei said that, my classmates who had gathered around us rushed in. "Me! Send me back to Japan!" "What are you talking about! Men are later!" "Don''t screw with me! This happened because you gave the girls priority!" "Don''t mix me in with the crazy Sekiguchi!" "I, I''m prepared to do it!" That''s why, I want you to know that I wasn''t prepared for that. In the end, I chose the girls with the least amount of magical power, and finally chose one by rock-paper-scissors. Mizuho Kubo-san had a weak amount of earth attribute magic, and she seemed to have had a hard time in Lastock. In the midst of that food situation, how exactly did she secure her nutrition, or did she quickly store up after coming to Volzard, she has a fairly plump body. Since I came to this world, I realize I''ve trained quite a bit, but I don''t have the confidence to hold Kubo-san like a princess. She fires hardening magic repeatedly, and when she''s used up all her mana, I try to steal the attribute. It''s dangerous if we fall over, so we sat down on a sheet spread out on the ground and faced each other. "Well then, can we start?" "yes, please, Prince." "Eh, Prince?" "Ufufufu, because the Prince that Asakawa-san was talking about all the time at the Lastock clinic was Kokubu-kun, right?" "Umm ... That''s right, it looks like it." "For me, too, Kokubu-kun is a prince ..." Kubo-san spread her arms and closed her eyes. Is it practice taking a sumo wrestler stance ... and, it''s a secret that I thought such. I gently put my lips on top of hers and her arms tightly hugged me. When I broadened my awareness, I certainly felt that the amount of magical power felt form within Kubo-san''s body was considerably less than when it was Kizawa-san. However, since the magical power spread to every corner of the body, it seemed that it would take some time to absorb it. And, after all, when a foreign magical power flowed into my body, I was attacked by a headache and nausea of refusal. "Kuh ... Uuun ..." I''m the one who absorbs the mana, so I don''t know what it feels like to have it sucked out, but it seemed like she was feeling quite a bit of pain. Even if I thought it would be better to hurry up a bit, the magical power scattered in every nook and cranny of her body didn''t gather as I expected. "Uuuun ... Kuuu ..." Even Kubo-san, who I felt her complexion was too good before I started taking the attribute, after all, it seemed that her body temperature had decreased and was turning pale. At the time with Kizawa-san, it took over 10 minutes to suck out the magical power, but this time I was able to absorb more than 80% of the magical power in about 5 minutes. Just when I thought it was just a little longer, Kubo-san''s arms got stronger. Gueeeee, hey ... I''m going to return the magical power I sucked out ... But, I couldn''t stop here, so I desperately continued to suck it out. When I pulled out and sucked up all the magical power that was circulating in every corner of her body, Kubo-san''s body suddenly felt weak. "Nhaa ... Ugh ... Gee, I can''t do this, I''m going to diiiie ..." "Prince ... Hug ..." Kubo-san, what are you talking about with that ecstatic face ... I can''t do that even when I''m in good physical condition. "Uhh ... Reinhardt, please ..." [ Buhahaha, it can''t be helped. ] "I''m going for a while ..." I put out a shield of darkness, had Reinhardt hold Kubo-san in his arms, and headed to the Investigation Headquarters. When I was sucking out the magical power, I thought it wouldn''t be as bad as last time, but when I finished stealing the attribute and gave her my magical power, I was suffering from severe nausea and headache. I put out a shield of darkness next to Sudou-san''s desk in the Investigation Headquarters and asked Reinhardt to take Kubo-san out. "Uhh ... Sudou-san, here''s the second person." "Kokubu-kun, oh, is she the second person." "I have magic stones, but gee ... Hey, I''ll come back later ... Ueee." "Ah, Prince ..." "Kokubu-kun ..." Kubo-san and Sudou-san seemed to want to say something, but I didn''t have time to spare. [ Are you okay, Kent-sama? ] "No ... I can''t do it, gee ... I''m going to the Devil''s Forest ..." I wondered if I was no good because I was hungry last time, but this time I returned everything that was left in my stomach, and asked Nero again to use it as a bed, and surrounded by Mart and the others, I fainted. CH 135 Severed life ***---*** I woke up when the sun was about to set. My head was still wobbly and my stomach was sick. "Uhh ... I feel siiick ..." [ Are you okay, Kent-sama? ] "Goshujin-sama, are you okay?" "Still, sleep with us." "That''s right, nya, sleep with Nero, nya." Perhaps it''s because everyone in my genus is connected to me by a magical link, but they seem to be feeling unwell. The amount of magical power taken should have been considerably less than the time with Kizawa-san, but I didn''t feel that my physical condition had changed much. Perhaps the introduction of a new attribute had a major impact. Even if I try to verify it, I feel heavy when I think that I will have to steal magic and attributes again. I should be able to use earth-attribute magic now, but I don''t have the energy to try it. I was thinking of leaning on Nero and going back to sleep, when Fred came back to report. [ Kent-sama ... The First Prince faction is moving ... ] "As expected, the news didn''t arrive in time ..." After yesterday''s meeting with Count Gleisner, Camilla should have written a letter and run a fast horse to the royal castle and the First Prince, but no matter how fast a horse is, there is a limit to its speed, and the letter would take some time before it arrived. Currently, the First Prince Alphonse was staying in Lauf, the central city of the Drevis Duchy, which was a distance of seven days from Lastock by normal horse, and three or four days on a fast horse. It seemed that Alphonse gathered the nobles of his faction and declared that he would head east with his entire army in the morning. "The whole army doesn''t mean leaving no preparations against Barshania, right?" [ They''re not ... It seems like they''re going to pour in the whole army ... ] "If they knew that information, would Barshania move?" [ Possibility is ... 50/50 ... ] Since long ago, rumors had been circulating that Barshania was coming to attack, so to speak, it''s become the story of a boy who cried wolf. Even if rumors circulated, it would be necessary to cross the desert to actually see what was going on in Barshania, and until now there would have been no curiosity about going there to find out if it was true or not. This time, Barshania was conducting exercises in a city facing the desert. The exercise may be an annual event, but it could also be taken as preparation for an invasion. It was really a difficult country to read. "If we increase the number of Kobolds, can you keep an eye on whether the news will reach Barshania?" [ Perhaps ... I wonder if we can catch some sort of sign ... ] "Then, try setting up a little net." [ Roger ... I''ll let you know if there''s any movement ... ] I thought about letting Fred go back and thinking a little more about the First Prince''s faction, but I can''t still get my head to work. For the time being, let''s leave the video, the magic stones, and the horns at the Investigation Headquarters, report to the chairman, and return to the boarding house. When I moved to the Investigation Headquarters, I felt that the tense atmosphere had softened, probably because I had just sent Kubo-san. When I looked for Kajikawa-san, he seemed to be contacting someone on his cell phone, so I waited until the call ended before calling out to him. "Kajikawa-san, is now a good time? Whoa ..." "Oh, Kokubu-kun, of course it''s okay. Could it be about the magic stones? Or rather, you don''t seem to be okay, but ..." "Yes, I took the attribute to bring Kubo-san back, so I''m a little sick." "Is that so? It''s best not to push yourself too hard. If you go down, we''ll really be in trouble." "Yes, I''ll be careful. And there''s also Princess Camilla Resenburg''s apology and personal letter ..." "Oh, can we see that soon?" "Yes, it''s fine." When they heard that Camilla''s apology video was going to be played, Sudou-san and the others gathered, so I decided to play it on the monitor in the Investigation Headquarters. "Yeah, she''s quite beautiful ... But, I still don''t understand what she''s saying. It''s neither English nor French, and it sounds like it''s pronounced differently from German or Portuguese." "I thought so, and the content of the personal letter is the same as the comment in the video." "But, the personal letter was written in the other language, too, right?" "Yes, I had Oda-sensei translate it. This is it." "Let''s see ... Hmm ... I see ..." When I handed Kajikawa-san the translation that had been translated by Oda-sensei, Kajikawa-san immediately began to read it. I was asked by Sudou-san, who was staring intently at the screen. "Kokubu-kun, this man''s ears and tail are real, aren''t they?" "Yes, it''s not like he''s wearing a costume, and it''s neither special makeup nor CG." "I guess ... Sometimes they move and shake unsteadily. Are there other races or demi-humans? Are there beastmen?" "Yes, cat-type, fox-type, bear-type, sheep-type ... There are many." "Well ... It really seems like you''re in a movie." Once the playback ended, it went back to the beginning and played back, and all the investigators were scrutinizing the video as if to burn it into their retinas. "Yeah, it''s a valid comment. I think we''ll have to modify the expressions and the like, but it''ll be fine with this."(TN:He''s talking about the translated letter here.) "Then, I''m thinking of leaving the magic stones and horns ... Where should I put them?" "Ah, can I have you put them here?" I put a shield of darkness next to the designated place, took out 20 Minotaur horns and 200 Orc magic stones, and had Mart and the others carry them. "Kokubu-kun, compared to the previous magic stones, these are quite bigger magic stones, but what kind of magic stones are they?" "These are Orc magic stones. Last time it was a higher species of Goblin, so the physique was fundamentally different, and I think the magic stone is over five times large." "Okay, then let''s say 2.5 million Yen for each magic stone and 8 million Yen per horn." In other words, 500 million Yen for the Orc magic stones and 160 million Yen for the Minotaur horns, totaling 660 million Yen in compensation. The total amount of compensation is expected to be about 5 billion Yen, so more than 80% of it remains, but I feel like it can show some sincerity. Well, the magic stones and horns were provided by me, but I''ll collect the same amount from Camilla later. "Then, Kajikawa-san, can I ask you for the rest?" "Okay, it''s helpful to have proceeded this far. Go home soon and take a rest ... Is it okay to say you''re going home?" "Right. For me, Volzard is already my hometown, so I''m going home." "Ah, wait a minute, Kokubu-kun." When I was about to return to Volzard, I was stopped by Sudou-san. "Kubo-san will be sent home, just like Kizawa-san, and public security personnel will be on guard, so please rest assured." "Yes, my best regards." "Also, I have a pile of letters addressed to your classmates. I''ve been told that they''re still waiting for a reply ..." "Ah, I''m sorry, I was so busy that I forgot. I''ll get it to them right away and wait for their reply." "You don''t have to be in such a hurry. As long as you don''t forget, it doesn''t matter if it''s just a coincidence." "Yes, I''ll go home then." I headed to the garrison''s quarters to report that I had sent Kubo-san back to Volzard. First of all, I went to the room to show my face to the chairman, but I couldn''t see her. Since that was the case, when I turned to the clinic, not only the chairman, but also the teachers were gathered. It seemed that someone was lying on the examination table, and it looked like Senzaki-sensei was covering their face and their shoulders were shaking, but I wonder what happened. "Yuika, I''m home." "Ah, Kento ..." While everyone''s eyes turned to me, the chairman''s eyes turned red as she approached me. "Kento ... Sekiguchi-san ..." "Eh, Sekiguchi-san, what''s wrong? Eeeeeh!" Oda-sensei shifted his body and what jumped into my line of sight was the white cloth draped over Sekiguchi-san''s face. "After that, she jumped off the ramparts ..." "No way ..." Sekiguchi-san, who was hysterical because I was unable to touch her wounds to take her attributes, rushed out of the garrison''s grounds and ran up to the ramparts. A member of the garrison rushed to help her outside the wall, but it seemed that she died instantly with a broken neck. It seemed that the chairman tried casting healing magic, but it was ineffective and there was nothing she could do. I once resuscitated a dying child in Lastock, but Sekiguchi-san probably lost her soul from her body. At that time, I was able to revive the child because they had just taken their last breath, but in Sekiguchi-san''s case, too much time had passed, and in my current physical condition, I had absolutely no confidence in being able to revive her. "I ... It''s my fault. Because I came up with such a method ..." "It''s not only Senzaki-sensei''s responsibility. We also agreed, so we also have responsibility." "But .. But, Sekiguchi-san, who was mentally unstable, shouldn''t have tried it. We should have just verified it first." Senzaki-sensei shook their head violently while being supported by Ayako-sensei. "I ..." "Stop!" "Yuika ..." "Stop, Kento, you''re doing your best. Don''t take on any more responsibility. It''s our fault that we couldn''t support Sekiguchi-san. It''s not Kento''s fault." The teachers who were present also nodded greatly. "I understand. But, since this happened, I have to report it to Japan, right?" "Yes, you have to let them know ..." "I! Kokubu-kun, please let me go to Japan." Senzaki-sensei interrupted Oda-sensei''s words and asked, but I couldn''t help but shake my head. "I''m sorry. I sent Kubo-san back, so I''m still not feeling well. I don''t have the confidence to take your attributes right now." "That ... Somehow ..." "Senzaki-sensei, it will be troublesome if you force Kokubu to bear a greater burden than this and prevent others from returning. I understand how you feel, but please hold back." "Yes ... I''m sorry." It seemed that Senzaki-sensei gave up after being persuaded by Oda-sensei. "Umm, Oda-sensei ..." "What?" "I think it''s possible to transport Sekiguchi-san''s body ..." "Oh, really?" "Yes, it''s impossible to bring a living person into the world of shadows, but for reasons I don''t really understand, it''s possible when they''re dead." "I see ... At least the corpse should be returned to Japan ..." "For the time being, I''ll go back to the Investigation Headquarters and discuss how to respond." "Yes, can I ask that of you?" "Yes, I''ll go there ... Ah, I''ll leave the letters in your custody. I''ll come back here again, so is it okay if I bring everyone''s letters with me?" "Okay, I''ll prepare them." "Yuika, I''m sorry, but could you prepare something to eat?" "Understood. But, Kento, are you okay?" "Yeah, it''s okay if I just move myself, then I''ll go." When I returned to the Investigation Headquarters, it seemed that they were still verifying the video. They immediately turned back, and Sudou-san spoke to me in a strange, but good mood. "Oh, Kokubu-kun, did you forget something?" "Sudou-san, one of my classmates ... committed suicide." "What did you say!" The gazes of the people in the Investigation Headquarters focused on me, and the relaxed atmosphere suddenly became tense. "Kokubu-kun, I don''t mind if you know how it happened, so can you tell me?" "Yes, the one who committed suicide was a female student named Sekiguchi-san, who was in a different class than me, so I don''t know the details, but it seems she wasn''t used to live over there." I talked about Sekiguchi-san''s nervous breakdown and what happened today. "I see ... It feels like she had a nervous breakdown, and then a mental shock was added and she had a fit ..." "So, about Sekiguchi-san''s body, should I bring it here?" "Can you bring her?" "If they lose their life, I''m able to carry them into the shadow space, so I think I can bring her." "Originally, in the case of suicide, I would like to verify the body before moving it ..." "Since she fell outside the ramparts, they were worried about being attacked by monsters, and they thought that healing magic could bring her back to life, so they took her to the clinic." "Then, is she currently enshrined in that clinic?" "That''s right." "Okay, let''s carry her over here. No, the inspection room would be better." Sudou-san told me about the autopsy room I should take Sekiguchi-san''s body to. "If possible, I would like to interview the people involved ..." "Umm, Sudou-san, it might be possible to take people from here, but ..." I explained to Sudou-san the conditions for shadow movement, and I told him that if it was a Japanese person who didn''t have magical power, they might be able to enter the world of shadows just by granting magical power. "Hmm ... That means that if you kiss Kokubu-kun, you can go to another world." "Yes ... Ah, but if it''s just to give magical power, it might be okay to just touch a wound ..." I also talked about the failure with Sekiguchi-san of touching the wound to take the magical power, I told him that it might be possible to just give it to those who didn''t have any attributes. "Director, let me do it myself." "Morita, huh ... That''s fine. Get ready." Detective Morita, who had finished preparing the equipment necessary for the interviews and on-site inspections, would try to have magical powers for movement given to him. If this went well, I would be able to take my classmate''s families with me without kissing them. In other words, it would be possible to invite the chairman''s parents to Volzard. "Then, Morita-san, let''s get started." "I''m counting on you, Kokubu-kun." "Yes, if I fail, your finger will be torn to the point where you can see the bone ..." "Hey, I didn''t hear about that." "Yes, I just said it ..." "Eh, hey, wait a minute ... Nnnn ...?" Putting Morita-san''s worries aside, the enchantment was completed easily. "Then, let''s go. It''s pitch black inside, so don''t let go. If you get lost, you might not be able to get out." "Hey, don''t threaten me like that ..." I grabbed the hand that wasn''t injured and headed for the clinic in Volzard. "I''m back." "Eh, we already arrived?" For Morita-san'' it felt like walking to the next room. Suddenly, someone other than me appeared, and the teachers were surprised. "Oda-sensei, this is Detective Morita from Hikarigaoka Police Station. I asked him to come for an interview and an on-site inspection." "I''m Morita from Hikarigaoka Police Station. Nice to meet you." Morita-san, who presented his police ID card, exchanged greetings with the teachers, then put his hands together and turned the white cloth over Sekiguchi-san''s face. Sekiguchi-san seemed to have fallen from the back of her head on the right side, around her shoulder, and was covered with dirt. Morita-san, just by gently touching it, the head moved, even an amateur could understand that the neck bone was completely broken. "Kokubu-kun, how high is the ramparts?" "It''s about the veranda on the third or fourth floor ..." "Who was with her when she fell?" Senzaki-sensei and Ayako-sensei raised their hands at Morita-san''s question. "How did she fall?" "The top of the ramparts is a passageway, so she stood on the wall that''s like a handrail and then fell down headfirst ..." Perhaps remembering that moment, Senzaki-sensei covered their face with their hands again. Morita-san took out a digital camera and focused on shooting the right side of Sekiguchi-san''s head. "Kokubu-kun, the neck is wobbly, so it would be better if you had something like a stretcher to carry her." "Ah, if it''s a stretcher, over here ..." The chairman brought me a stretcher that I believe was used to carry her here. All the teachers helped put Sekiguchi-san on the stretcher on the examination table, but the white cloth back on her face, and put their hands together. "Then, Kokubu-kun, can I ask it of you?" "Understood. Morita-san can continue to interview." "Yeah, I''ll do that." Sekiguchi-san''s body could not be carried by myself, so I enlisted Reinhardt''s help. I lifted the stretcher and entered the shield of darkness while seeing everyone putting their hands together. [ Are you okay, Kent-sama. ] [ Yeah, I''m starting to feel better, so I''m okay. ] [ Is that so ... ] Perhaps what Reinhardt asked was not my physical condition but my state of mind. The chairman said that there was no need to feel responsible, but that''s just not possible. I can freely come and go between Japan and Volzard, but Sekiguchi-san, who wanted to go home so badly, ended up taking her life in Volzard. I''m not arrogant enough to think I can do whatever I want. However, if I had tried a little harder, I could have granted Sekiguchi-san''s wish, but when I thought that I might have been able to return her to her family with a smile, I naturally burst into tears. It''s frustrating, pathetic, and inexcusable ... I couldn''t stop crying. In addition to Sudou-san, there were about three men waiting in the examination room. The men other than Sudou-san were surprised by Reinhardt''s appearance and stepped back, but Sudou-san urged them to move Sekiguchi-san from the stretcher to the examination table. "Thank you, Kokubu-kun." "Yes, my best regards." I bowed my head to the men who would be in charge of the autopsy, once again faced Sekiguchi-san and put my hands together before returning to Volzard with Reinhardt. CH 136 Ambitious man ***---*** The morning after Sekiguchi-san took her own life, I received news from Fred and went to the territory of the Duke of Drevis, where the First Prince faction was concentrated. In the grasslands on the outskirts of Lauf, where the Duke''s mansion was located, soldiers were preparing to depart before dawn. We decided to watch the departure from the shadows. On top of a small hill overlooking the grassland, there were men in gorgeously decorated armor protected by knights in metal armor. And behind those men, there was the figure of the First Prince Alphonse. The noble men of the faction didn''t wear helmets, but they did wear armor and gauntlets. However, Alphonse''s clothes were light as if he were going out hunting. He sat down in a folding chair, stared straight ahead and pretended not to move, and seemed to be busy looking around with only his eyes. "Is he not wearing armor on purpose? Or is he unable to withstand the weight of the armor?" [ He can''t withstand it. I guess he''s deliberately pretending he''s not wearing it. ] "Is that so ..." Alphonse was sickly pale and thin like a crane, and I didn''t think he could hold the weight of his armor and walk around for long. Or should I say, his legs had been shaking since a while ago, and he was constantly wiping the sweat from his palms on his trousers. Is he cold, scared, or nervous ... Either way, he didn''t look like a general. Next to Alphonse, there was the figure of Torvil, who played the role of staff officer. The reason why he''s been licking his lips since a while ago was probably because he''s nervous. Diagonaly behind Alphonse was the figure of Diethelm. That one also didn''t wear armor and was dressed in something like a luxurious knight''s uniform, with a pale face and was trembling. It''s a little hard to tell if he''s cold, scared, or acting. Under the row of nobles, messenger soldiers one after another brought the news that they were ready to depart. There were twelve nobles, and it seemed that they were the First Prince''s hardliners. Sitting diagonally to the right of Alphonse was the lord of this place, Duke Drevis. Sitting across from him was Count Langhain. Next to him was Count Saruel, and it seemed that those three played a central role in the faction. Duke Drevis was a fat man in his late forties with a Kaiser beard. Twisting the ends of his beard must be a habit. Count Langhain was not as tall as Alphonse, but he was a slender, tall, middle-aged man with baldness on the top of his head. Even though he was about to leave for battle, he looked up at the passing clouds as if it were someone else''s problem. Count Saruel, in contrast, was a stout and petite man with a mustache and beard. That one, with his arms crossed, kept his eyes on the messengers rushing in one after another, repeatedly tapping his foot in anxiety. And, after the last messenger rushed in, Torvil whispered something into Alphonse''s ear, and Alphonse nodded politely. Torvil nodded back, licked his lips again, and opened his mouth at the nobles. "Well then, everyone, it seems that the preparations have been completed, so we will depart for Lastock at this point. The troops this time are to be relief for Lastock for the maximum outbreak of monsters, but a collision with Bernst-sama''s faction is expected along the way. Alphonse-sama has been patiently teaching Bernst-sama and Christoph-sama, who repeat the turbulence at the Royal Palace. However, Alphonse-sama''s patience reached its limit due to the behavior of Bernst-sama and the others who trampled on those feelings and continued to look down on them. Even though the Kingdom of Resenburg is in danger of survival, Alphonse-sama made a decision that he would have no choice but to punish them if they stood in the way of trying to seize the throne. If we lose in this battle, the Kingdom of Resenburg will be overrun by monsters and many people will lose their lives. Alphonse-sama is looking forward to seeing everyone''s efforts. Thank you very much for your efforts. Then, please declare your departure." As Torvil descended, the waiting soldiers handed cups of wine to the nobles. When Alphonse stood up with the extravagantly crafted cup in his hand, the nobles standing next to him also stood up and raised their cups. "L, let''s depart! Glory to the Kingdom of Resenburg!" "Glory to the Kingdom of Resenburg!" The nobles drank their wine in one gulp, slammed their cups on the ground, and marched into their ranks. Alphonse also threw his cup down, but it didn''t break and it looked like more than half of the wine remained. The trumpets were blown, and the sound of drums echoed to keep pace. That said, it looked like it would still take some time before Alphonse''s formation at the back of the line began to move. "Hmm ... It''s kind of theatrical, and it takes a lot of time to leave." [ Well, if more than 30,000 soldiers move, it will take time to adjust. ] "With this, when it comes to actual combat, will it be possible to smoothly rearrange formations?" [ It depends on the skill of the soldiers, but with such a large army, the difference in the strategy that was set up before the battle began will greatly affect the outcome. ] "I mean, once you start, it''s hard to start over." [ Indeed, that''s right. ] From a distance, as we were watching the formations that were slowly starting to move, Basten, who had been scouting out Margrave Calvine, called out to us. [ Kent-sama, it sees that information about the First Prince''s faction has reached Havre Calvine. ] [ Ehh? Have they already heard about the departure ceremony? ] [ No, it''s not that. Perhaps they found out that the departure date and time had been set to yesterday and notified them by means of a bird or some other means of communication. ] [ Kent-sama, you should go see it. ] "Yes, Fred, I''ll leave this to you." [ Roger ... I''ll let you know if anything happens ... ] I asked Fred to monitor the First Prince faction, and Reinhardt and I headed to Margrave Calvine''s mansion with Basten. The Margrave Calvine Earldom was located at the foot of a high mountain range in the northeastern part of Resenburg.(TN:Margrave = Frontier Earl.) The Lord''s mansion built on the shore of the lake looked more like a fort than a mansion, and the grounds protected by the sturdy masonry ramparts were like a scaled-down version of Volzard. In addition to the Lord''s mansion, there were barracks where the knights lived, stables for horses, and parade grounds, all of which were covered in snow. In the dining room-like room that Basten guided us to, there were about ten men around a large table. The furnishings in the room looked magnificent, but the men who lined up there seemed like it would be convincing to be called bandit leaders. [ Kent-sama, the people here are Havre''s close associates. ] "It just looks like a group of bandits ..." [ There are three commanders who lead the soldiers, and the others are like mine managers, so it''s not a mistake. ] Even when I listened to the men, I didn''t hear any words like First Prince faction or Lastock, all I could hear was talk about alcohol, women, gambling, and fights. "Havre is ...?" [ I think he will show up soon. ] Just when the thugs were getting tired of boasting, Havre Calvine appeared. If I had to describe Havre in short, it would be a gorilla in a tuxedo. His sloppily cut copper-colored hair, the lower half of his face covered in a beard, his beastly features, and his physique covered in real muscle reminiscent of Donovan-san. Despite that, he wore a neat aristocratic outfit, and the fact that it didn''t look out of place was proof that he''s used to wearing it. As soon as Havre appeared, all the men who had been talking sloppily stood up and straightened themselves. Havre sat down in a seat with his back to the fireplace and waved his right hand in a slightly pressing motion, and the men sat down accordingly. Until just a little while ago, it was filled with the hustle and bustle of a bar on the outskirts of the town, but now it was quiet without even the rustling of clothes. Among them, Havre slowly opened his mouth. "The news just arrived. It seems that the First Prince''s faction will advance their entire army to the east as expected. They will soon be sending their troops to Lastock." When Havre cut off his words, the man sitting in the middle of the table suddenly raised his hand. "Speak, Todd." "Hey, Havre-san, if we rushed now, wouldn''t we be in time for the decisive battle?" "We just need to arrive at the last minute. We have no intention of taking credit for fighting between factions." Hearing Havre''s words, the turmoil ran through the aides. The people sitting here didn''t know that Bernst and Christoph had already been killed. The battle they are about to face is, so to speak, a battle that divides the world. That said, rewards should be given priority to those who made achievements in battle. The fact that he doesn''t intend to take credit for himself means that he doesn''t want to receive a reward. "Havre-san, if you can''t get credit, you can''t get a reward, and it''s a loss to just participate, isn''t it?'' "Do you think so?" At Havre''s question, the men nodded in unison. After confirming that, Havre grinned and divulged what was in his heart. "Listen, this battle isn''t aimed at something as cheap as a reward ... We''re going to take this whole Resenburg!" "Ueeeeee ..." With his arms outstretched, Havre slowly rose from his seat, enjoying the astonishment of his entourage. "Calm down! I''m going to tell you the plan now. Don''t do anything imprudent!" Staring at Havre with both hands on the table, the men all gasped and fell silent. "We have already spoken with Barshania. Barshania should also receive news that Alphonse''s faction is moving. Upon receiving the news, Barshania will cross the desert and pursue Alphonse''s group. In conjunction with Barshania, we will crush the place where the stupid Princes crushed each other with a pincer attack. The three idiot Princes will go on a bloodbath, and I''ll make Princess Camilla my woman, and make this country mine!" "Uooooooooo!" As Havre once again spread his arms wide and declared, the thugs stood up and let out a roar. "Let''s go after eating! Everyone, don''t mess up!" "Ei!" When the waiting waiters brought in the food and the table was set up, Havre loosened his collar and relaxed his posture. In the blink of an eye, the silence from earlier was erased, and it returned to a bar in the middle of nowhere. It was a shockingly extreme scene, but I had to admit that the person named Havre, who made the change, was a man who was not easy to deal with. "No way, I didn''t think they were planning to take over Resenburg ... Well, it''s already a definite failure." [ Seriously. Certainly, if they intend to take over the country, there is no problem even if the stupid Princes are drugged and rendered useless. ] "Did he make this plan without revealing it to his aides?" [ Well, he may have leaked it to some people, but most people probably didn''t know about it. ] "But now, hearing that the country would be taken over, everyone is happy, does that mean that the current royal family is not supported?" [ That''s right, but if you look at the physique of those royals, it''s natural. ] It was an outrageous plan, but the prerequisites had already been broken, and if Camilla and Count Gleisner took countermeasures, it looked like it would end in an attempt, but I feel that the person named Havre could turn anything to profit. If I have my genus participate, I don''t think I would lose in an armed battle, but if an armed battle occurred, there would be casualties. Women, children, and the elderly are victims of war in this world as well. "I think Havre is a formidable opponent, but we have an overwhelming advantage in information warfare, so I don''t want bloodshed as much as possible." [ Well, since he is a man who can make plans like this, he should be able to judge whether he has a chance of winning or not. He wouldn''t commit such a foolishness as to foolishly challenge a match with the preparedness for annihilation. ] "I hope so, but ..." Since the news from Camilla would eventually reach Havre, I decided to ask Basten to continue monitoring for the time being. From the Calvine territory, I returned to the First Prince''s place once more, asked Fred to monitor Barshania, and as a marker to grasp the location of the First Prince''s faction, I decided to have Hart follow them. [ Kent-sama ... What are you going to do about Barshania ...? ] "Yeah, I''m planning on sending them home on the way." [ Return ... not annihilation ...? ] "Yeah, if Barshania feels that the odds of winning are slim, they''ll withdraw, right?" [ Are you going to make the rain of death fall again ... ] "I won''t do that. For human opponents, that''s a bit ..." [ Buhahaha, if Kent-sama wishes, I am always prepared. ] "No, no, I''ll seal that for the time being. Well then, I''ll go home and have breakfast." When I returned to the boarding house, Meisa-chan was being woken up by Amanda-san. It''s said that sleeping children will grow up, but Meisa-chan doesn''t seem to grow up that much ... After the four of us, including Meline-san, had a peaceful breakfast, it was time to move to the garrison''s quarters. Once the on-site inspection was complete, I had to send Morita-san to the Investigation Headquarters. After Morita-san finished the interviews, he stayed at the dormitory where the teachers were staying last night. In order to conduct an on-site inspection, it was too dark at night in Volzard, and even taking pictures was not possible, so he was planning to do it again this morning. When I headed to the cafeteria where I was meeting with Morita-san, there was something disturbing in the air. It shouldn''t be a day when classes are held today, but there were quite a few classmates left, and they all had gloomy looks on their faces. When I entered the dining room, whispering voices spread out, and their eyes were directed at me, but it seemed strange that they were full of sympathy or pity. When I found Oda-sensei and Morita-san and tried to approach them, they seemed to rush to open the way, and I felt that they were strangely taking notice of me. I thought it was probably related to Sekiguchi-san''s suicide, but it was kind of uncomfortable. "Good morning." "Hey, Kokubu-kun, good morning. I look forward to working with you again today." "Kokubu, did you eat breakfast?" "Yes, I ate well at the boarding house." "Come to think of it, Kokubu-kun doesn''t live here, he lives in a boarding house." "Yes, I was alone when I came, so the guild introduced me to a boarding house." "Hee, suddenly living alone in a different world, Kokubu-kun is strong." "No, it''s all thanks to the kindness of everyone in Volzard. Actually, I''m completely dependent on Amanda-san from the boarding house for cooking, and when I first came here, I didn''t even know how to do the laundry." "No, no, it''s a big deal ..." "What the hell are you doing!?" "Ehh?" Surprised by the harsh words suddenly thrown at me, I turned around and saw several girls staring at me. "Because you were lazy, Shiori is dead. But, why are you so frivolous!" "No ... I''m not frivolous ..." "You are! What''s the big deal. Anyone can do as much as living in a boarding house." "You guys, cut it out. Kokubu is doing his best ..." "Are you going to treat him like that again, Sensei?" Even when Oda-sensei intervened, the girls'' protests didn''t stop. Perhaps they were the people who chased Sekiguchi-san yesterday. "If everyone was brought together and received a special power there, wouldn''t it be natural to use it for everyone''s sake?" "That''s right. Just because you were a little active, don''t get too carried away." "Don''t try to make money, hurry up and proceed with our return." "Aren''t you only thinking about flirting with women?" The words that hit me seemed to accumulate viscously at the bottom of my chest, and it felt like my heart was freezing. Every time I let someone return, I threw up all the contents of my stomach in the Devil''s Forest, Even though I fell asleep like I fainted after writhing, it was a time when I wondered if I should still be criticized. "You guys didn''t see Kokubu when he sent Kubo to Japan, don''t get full of yourselves." "That''s right. He looked like he was about to die, his eyes were dead, it was a dangerous sight." "If you saw that, you couldn''t tell him to proceed with your return quickly ..." The ones who defended me, I think it was the boys who were observing, but, was I in such a bad state? When I instinctively turned my gaze to Oda-sensei, he nodded. "Hey, even though everyone is in the same situation, isn''t it strange to think that you''re the only one who''s unhappy?" "Wait, Shiori is dead. Why do you have to say such cruel things?" "Huh? What are you talking about, yelling at Kokubu who''s working so hard?" "He rescued us from the camp, took care of our housing, and gave us living expenses, how much do you think he cares about us?" "Well, it''s only natural because he got a cheat ability like that." "Isn''t that just stupid? Kokubu has no obligation to feed you guys, is he your father?" "You guys aren''t even working hard." "That''s why, you''re the only one who''s unhappy ... don''t say something like that." "Hey, even you guys couldn''t stop Sekiguchi from committing suicide, so don''t take it out on Kokubu." I don''t understand the feelings of Sekiguchi-san''s friends, but I feel that what they''re saying is unreasonable. I''m grateful that the boys defend me, but I feel like that''s a bit of an exaggeration. Above all, such a dangerous atmosphere seemed to cause a vicious cycle. "Hey, let''s stop now. There''s nothing good about us arguing." "You, who''s to blame for Shiori ..." "It''s not just my responsibility. I''m not a perfect person, but I"m going to do the best I can. Also, I got a cheat ability, but I didn''t learn how to use it, so I can''t do anything." "But, Shiori ..." "I think Sekiguchi-san did something pitiful, but I don''t think that arguing with each other is avenging her death." Sekigushi-san''s friends fell silent for a while, then left the dining room with a faint line that I couldn''t hear. "Then, Morita-san, shall we go?" "Are you okay?" "Yeah, it seems that more people understand us, so let''s quickly finish what we have to do." "Okay, then let''s go." Together with Morita-san, who had a camera bag on his shoulder, we left the cafeteria and headed for the ramparts. CH 137 Whereabouts of the soul ***---*** Senzaki-sensei and Ayako-sensei were scheduled to attend the on-site verification, but Senzaki-sensei seemed to have fallen asleep with a fever. "I''m sorry. Senzaki-sensei seems to have been greatly shocked ..." Ayako-sensei bowed her head to Morita-san, but she had dark circles under her eyes and her complexion was not good. "No, Sugiyama-sensei is also looking tired, so let''s get this done quickly." From the entrance of the garrison where we met, we went up to the top of the ramparts along the path that Sekiguchi-san followed. The bodies of the Orcs were all thrown into the sea, but the blood that was spilled when the Orcs were subjugated couldn''t be cleaned up, so the west wind carried a fishy smell. "Kokubu-kun, this smell is ..." "It''s the smell of the blood that flowed when we defeated the Orcs that attacked us the other day." "Isn''t this smell attracting other monsters?" "Right now, the direction of the seasonal wind has changed and it''s blowing from the forest toward the city, so the chances of attracting monsters from the depths of the forest should be low." "Ah, Kokubu-kun, over there!" "Ah, it''s Goblins. I''ve neglected the ones other than the groups, but it seems that the number is still increasing." "That''s a Goblin, huh ..." In front of Morita-san, who was looking curiously, the Goblin was looking at something that looked like a piece of Orc meat and put it in its mouth. While Morita-san was watching the Goblin, Ayako-sensei turned her eyes to the inside of the ramparts and held her mouth. Maybe she remembered the Goblin outbreak she encountered while escaping from Lastock. Besides, even if you''re not mentally damaged, you don''t want to smell this rotten smell. "Ayako-sensei, are you okay?" "Huh? Eh, yeah, I''m okay. Kokubu-kun, aren''t you overdoing it?" "It''s not that I''m not pushing myself at all, but I''m okay." "I''m sorry. To be honest, we teachers should be doing our best, but we couldn''t help either Sekiguchi-san or Funayama-kun ... Uuuu ..." Tears fell from Ayako-sensei''s eyes, and an uncontrollable sob leaked out from the hand that covered her mouth. "It''s not just Ayako-sensei''s responsibility. Even though everyone tried to do something, it didn''t go as planned, and it ended up like this, but that''s not our responsibility." "But ... But still ..." "Ayako-sensei. If you still feel responsible, let''s do our best to ensure that the rest of us can return to Japan safely. Otherwise, neither Funayama nor Sekiguchi-san will be happy." "Kokubu-kun ... Well, it''s the teachers'' job to get the students home safely." Ayako-sensei wiped away her tears, clenched her fists in front of her chest, and regained her spirit. Ayako-sensei, who was older than me, but looked like a small child, had a brave appearance that made me want to protect her. After guiding Morita-san to the place where Sekiguchi-san fell, Ayako-sensei put her hands together and prayed quietly. At that time, an idea flashed into my mind. "Ah, right! No, is it right ...?" "What''s wrong, Kokubu-kun." "Umm ... No, I just came up with something, but I might be wrong ..." "What is it, if you have something on your mind, I don''t mind what it is, so please talk to me?" "No, it has nothing to do with Sekiguchi-san''s suicide ..." "Hmm ... I''m curious. If you don''t mind, can you tell me?" I was a bit hesitant after being questioned by Morita-san, who was in police mode, but decided to talk. "Umm, it''s a bit unscientific, but it''s about Sekiguchi-san''s soul." "Soul ...?" "Yes, about the soul." Since I suddenly mentioned the soul, Morita-san and Ayako-sensei looked at each other and tilted their heads. "Yesterday, I brought Sekiguchi-san''s body to Japan, didn''t I?" "Yes. We were watching too." "In order to bring a living human into the shadow space, it is necessary to take their magical power and attributes and give them my magical power, but after they die, there''s no need for that." "Ah, I see. You thought it was because the soul had escaped from the corpse, right?" "Yes. It happened all of a sudden yesterday, and I couldn''t think of anything because I wasn''t feeling well and my head was spinning ... But, in that case, I feel like Sekiguchi-san''s soul was stuck in Volzard." "I see ... But, as expected, Kokubu-kun, it would be impossible to bring her soul back home, wouldn''t it?" Morita-san''s police mode was also turned off as it became a story about a soul that was not directly related to suicide. "No, it might have been possible." "No, no, because if the soul is in the body, you can''t enter the shadow space. Then you can''t take it home." "That''s right ... But if they were my genus as an undead, maybe ..." After I subjugated Zae and Art-tachi, I used Necromancy to make them my genus. As a result, they were able to enter and leave the shadow space freely, and they seemed to have inherited their memories from their previous life. If that''s the case, I thought that the original soul had settled into the undead state of the body. "But, Kokubu-kun, can you make a dead human into your genus?" "Well ... I''ve never tried it, so I don''t know if I can actually do it."(TN:What about Reinhardt/Basten/Fred? Sure, they''re skeletons now, but they were human ... >.< ) "And even if you could, that person would become a so-called zombie, right?" "Yes. I think it would be a zombie in shape." "What would happen to people who became zombies when they return to Japan? Certainly, there is no such thing as magic essence in Japan, right?" "Hmm ... For the time being, Mart-tachi said they were uncomfortable, but there weren''t any particular problems ... But, it was a short time, so I don''t know ..." "Kokubu-kun." "Y, yes, what is it?" Then, Morita-san called out to me with a serious expression in police mode, so I was a little overwhelmed. "Kokubu-kun, if Sekiguchi-san''s soul is wandering around, I understand you are saying this out of goodwill, saying that you want to bring her back to Japan, but you shouldn''t handle the dead in such uncertain circumstances." "Y, yes ... I''m sorry." "Because of my job, I get to meet the deceased more often than normal people. They should be treated with dignity, and should not be used as a tool for experiments except with the consent of the person, such as donating their body." Due to his profession as a police officer, the words of Morita-san, who must have come face-to-face with corpses in tragic situations, conveyed a certain weight. I thought it would be a good idea to make her one of my genus, but it doesn''t necessarily meet Sekiguchi-san''s wishes. "I will pretend that I didn''t hear what you said earlier. Sugiyama-sensei, too, is that okay with you?" "Y, yes, I didn''t hear anything either." "Thank you, Morita-san, Ayako-sensei as well." "Nn? What are you talking about, I didn''t do anything. Now, let''s start the on-site inspection." Morita-san, who winks with a mischievous look, is obvious, but he''s definitely more mature than me. Ayako-sensei must have thought that Morita-san was someone she could trust. Morita-san, who had finished inspecting the site on top of the ramparts, leaned over the parapet and spoke to me while looking down. "Kokubu-kun, I''d like to see a little bit of the situation below, but is it difficult?" When I see him looking towards the Devil''s Forest, he must be worried about Goblins. "No, it''s fine as long as my genus are on guard. From the castle gate over there ... No, let''s go down to the bottom with shadow movement." "Ah, that''s right, it''s the way we moved here." "Yes, then Ayako-sensei, could you wait for a moment?" I put out a shield of darkness and tried to move out of the ramparts with Morita-san ... "Ouch ... Kokubu-kun, I can''t pass ..." Morita-san hit his head against the shield of darkness very strongly. "Eeehhh ... You were able to pass yesterday ..." "Kokubu-kun, let''s try the thing from yesterday." "Ah, yes, then a knife ..." Just like yesterday, we put our wounds together and I transferred the magical power, and Morita-san was able to enter the shadow space again. "Yeah, is it the number of times, or the amount of time ... Either way, it seems that there''s some sort of limit." "I agree. But, it seems like it''ll be fine if I transfer magic again." "Otherwise, I''ll be in trouble. I won''t be able to go back to Japan." We descended under the ramparts via shadow movement, and while Morita-san was conducting an on-site inspection, I had Zae and the others surround us and escort us. Even if Reinhardt was just in front of us, Goblins wouldn''t come near us, but it was a performance so that Morita-san could work with peace of mind. Morita-san also took pictures from a distance so that he could see the place where Sekiguchi-san seemed to have fallen and the height of the ramparts. He called out to Ayako-sensei, who was on top of the ramparts, but it was dangerous to see her leaning over the battlements, so I asked Reinhardt to help her. After confirming where she fell and the orientation of her body, I returned to the top of the ramparts with Morita-san. "From what I have heard about the circumstances, I don''t think there is any incident, but depending on the situation, I may ask you about the circumstances again after you return to Japan, so please understand that point." "Yes, thank you very much." "I think Sugiyama-sensei is also in pain, but as Kokubu-kun said earlier, please think about how the remaining students can safely return to Japan." "Yes, I will." "Then, Kokubu-kun, is it okay if you send me to the Investigation Headquarters?" "Yes, I''ll send you before Morita-san can''t come in again." When I took Morita-san and dived into the shadow space from the shield of darkness and moved from the top of the ramparts to the Investigation Headquarters, disturbing words jumped into my ears. "It''s him! Kokubu Kento must be the mastermind behind the incident! He wants to hide it by becoming a group with the police!" I was taken aback, but the owner of the voice was not from the Investigation Headquarters, but Funayama''s father, who was shown on TV. "Director, I''ve just returned." "Morita, you had a hard time ... I see, Kokubu-kun is of course with you, did you hear what was just said?" Sudou-san, who turned at Morita-san''s words, smiled wryly when he saw me. "Yes, for some reason I''m the mastermind ..." "Seriously, Funayama-san is really troublesome. I explained it over and over again, but it seems that he still remembers the time when he collapsed. There was also a report in the weekly magazine, and a strange speculation spread on the Internet, seriously ..." "Umm, was Sekiguchi-san''s case made public?" "That''s right ..." The reason why Funayama''s father was yelling in front of the TV cameras was that Sekiguchi-san''s suicide had become public. After the autopsy was performed, Sekiguchi-san''s body was handed over to her family. At that time, Sekiguchi-san''s parents were requested to refrain from publicizing the suicide, as it could have a negative impact on the rescue efforts of the remaining students. "From the point of view of the family, after being unable to contact them for a long time, their safety was finally confirmed, and they thought that she would come back after a while. I don''t think they could accept that." Sekiguchi-san''s parents told the mass media that Shiori had been kidnapped to another world and committed suicide because she couldn''t come back to Japan, they talked to the mass media and loudly criticized the responsibility of the Japanese government and school officials. At that time, it seemed that I was also targeted. Come to think of it, it seemed that Sekiguchi-san didn''t have a good impression of me. "Kokubu-kun, I''m sorry to ask you something private, but are you dating three women?" "Eh, eehh ... Well, that''s right ..." "It seems that Sekiguchi-san wrote about it in the letter she sent to her family. There is also the incident with your parents, and the situation is not very favorable." "Huh, is that right ..." The mass media covered the adultery turmoil, and the suicide of my mother, and it seemed that I was being bashed for dating three people. "Regarding your relationship with women, it''s a private matter, and it''s probably not something we should interfere in, but could you please consider it so that it doesn''t have a negative impact on your future activities?" "Um, even if you say consider ..." "Is it difficult to refrain from dating until you finish returning your classmates home?" "I''ll think about it ..." "I''m sorry." The TV screen changed from the image of Funayama''s father, and the state of the studio was displayed. Self-proclaimed experts in the field of education, celebrities who I don''t understand what their connection was, it''s the parent''s genetics, it''s thoughts because of anime, as if I was the cause of Sekiguchi-san''s suicide, they were just throwing out ridiculous comments. Hearing that story, I wondered if people in Japan would take it seriously, but I felt like the temperature around me had suddenly dropped by about 5 degrees. When I was about to be overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness, I was tapped on the shoulder. "It''s okay, Kokubu-kun." "Kajikawa-san ..." "I will be returning to the Prime Minister''s Office soon, and I will advise him to release your history and the video you brought the other day. I''m going to show them how hard you''ve worked so far, and how you''re still working hard. We absolutely cannot allow such a ridiculous evaluation go unnoticed." Kajikawa-san, who usually had a somewhat frivolous image, had a quiet anger on his face. "We will do our best to protect Kokubu-kun''s honor. So, don''t worry about anything, just do your best so that everyone can return to Japan safely." "Yes, please treat me well." While being sent off by everyone in the Investigation Headquarters, I returned to Volzard in the shadows. [ Kent-sama, it would be better if you could take a rest after having lunch. ] "But, I have to tell Camilla-tachi that the First Prince faction and Havre Calvine have started to move ..." [ You should tell them that, but, unlike us, both factions take time to move. You don''t have to panic so much. ] "I see ... For the time being, they received the news from Camilla that the Second Prince-tachi had died, and I have to see their reaction." [ That''s right. Besides, since you went out to scout the First Prince''s faction early this morning, it would be better if you could rest your body a little and prepare to return the next person. ] "That''s right. The best way to shake off the notoriety in Japan is to bring everyone back." To be honest, I feel a little sleepy, and I feel like my core is still dull. It was a little before noon when I returned to Volzard, so I decided to have lunch with the chairman and Manon. I decided to wait outside the clinic until the morning''s examination was over. When I chose a sunny spot and sat down leaning against the wall, sleepiness suddenly hit me. "Mart, Mirt, Murt." "Wafu, Goshujin-sama, did you call?" "Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me." "Me too ..." "Yes, yes, come on everyone. If I fall asleep, wake me up if Yuika or Manon comes." "Nya, Nero sleeps with you too, nya." "I''m sorry, it''s going to be a big fuss if you''re here, so I''ll see Nero later ..." "Nyaa ... Boring, nya ..." After lunch, I''ll invite the chairman and Manon to have nap time with Nero. Surrounded by Mart and the others, I immediately fell asleep as soon as I leaned against the wall. "Kento." "Kent." "Hmm ... Ah, good morning, Yuika, Manon." When I woke up, the chairman and Manon were looking at me with a worried look on their face. "Isn''t Kento overdoing it already?" "You look really tired." "Yeah, I''m going to take a little rest after lunch ... Would you like to take a nap with Nero?" "I will, I want to, I want to!" "I want to take a nap on Nero''s fluffy belly too!" "Then, let''s go have lunch first." "Yes!" Both the chairman and Manon were unanimously in favor of taking a nap with Nero. When I visited the garrison''s cafeteria, the lunch menu was gyoza, and stir-fried pepper steak, along with ramen-style pasta. When I looked at the kitchen in surprise, I saw a female classmate. "Children who love cooking asked for the taste of home and borrowed a kitchen, and they asked them to help them because they wanted to learn new tastes." "Is that so. It''s been a long time, so I''m looking forward to it. Let''s eat quickly." When I was eating with the chairman and Manon, the young members of the garrison glared with resentment, but I don''t care, I don''t care. Sudou-san told me to restrain myself, but I will refuse. Because if I can''t interact with them, the stress would crush me. "Here, Manon, aah ..." "Eh, a, aah ..." "Yes, Yuika too, aah ..." "Aah ... Hmm, it''s delicious." The boys in my class also looked at me with resentment, but I don''t care, I don''t care. The gyoza, stir-fried pepper steak, and ramen all had a different flavor from Japan, but they were still delicious. After eating, we moved to find a sunny spot in the training grounds. The chairman wrapped herself around my right arm, and Manon took my left. I was so excited by the warmth of the two of them that I thought I wouldn''t be able to take a nap, but when I leaned against Nero, I fell asleep easily. Fuwafuwa, mofumofu, nukunuku ... It was already a blissful nap time. CH 138 Division of roles ***---*** When I woke up, the chairman and Manon were gone. Ahh, where are my angels ...? "Hmm ... Come to think of it, they just went back to work ..." In the end, I took a long nap until the sun began to set. However, thanks to that, I felt that the dullness that remained in the core of my body had disappeared. "Hmm ... Thank you, everyone." Even though it was a sunny place, the temperature was such that you would catch a cold if you lie down alone, but thanks to Mart-tachi and Nero, it was warm. I stroked Mart and the others in turn, and finally also stroked Nero behind its ears, and then started moving. [ Kent-sama, are you heading to Lastock? ] "Yeah, I have to tell Camilla and Count Gleisner about Havre Calvine." [ I''m sure they''ll be surprised. ] "I don''t know, I feel like the Count predicted it." Count Gleisner said that after his meeting with Camilla, he would remain at the Lastock garrison for a while. It seemed that he would move the forces of the former Second Prince faction to the garrison in Lastock to prepare for a maximum outbreak. As for me, if the monsters rushed Volzard and Lastock like last time, I would be short of hands, so I was grateful for that measure. Or rather, since Camilla first asked for support, this situation had to be created. When I moved to Lastock, the royal guards had already started building a defensive position. After that, if the military strength increased, they should be able to build the originally planned defense system using the river. It seemed to be a two-pronged approach of laying out the first line of defense using reinforced river-walls, and if they couldn''t be stopped there, they would stay in the fort and fight. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Lastock were busy rebuilding their city, which had been ravaged by Orcs. The residents were hurt by the stone-throwing, and the town where the residents had evacuated from was flooded with an avalanche of Orcs, causing damage to the buildings. Some of them were standing dumbfounded, like Marcel-san when his store burnt down. If you''re alive, you can start over ... It''s not that easy. Besides, the monster attack didn''t necessarily end this time, so they seemed to be wondering it it''s okay to rebuild. The figure of Count Zephalos Gleisner was in Camilla''s office. In addition, Oswald, the captain of the Royal Guard who was with the Third Prince Christoph and Levic. Apparently, those three would coordinate with Camilla, and Walter Gleisner and Nathan, who was with the Second Prince, would take command on the spot. From the table where they were exchanging opinions over a map of Lastock, I stepped out and called out to them. "The First Prince faction left the suburbs of Lauf this morning." "Oh, hey there Maou-dono, you''re really showing up at your leisure." Zephalos looked at me like a child who found a new toy, but I have no intention of playing with him. This Ossan''s pursuit is tiring because he''s persistent. "The First Prince''s faction has left no forces to hold back Barshania, and is advancing all of its forces east." "What, is that true?" "Unfortunately, it''s true, and Havre Calvine has also moved." "Hmm, from that tone of voice, it seems that Havre moved after learning about Alphonse-sama''s movements." "It seems that the time and date of departure was decided as of yesterday, so it must have been found out and obtained in some way." "But, isn''t it a little too late for Havre to move? Considering the distance from Calvine''s territory, the timing will not be in time for the originally planned decisive battle with the First Prince''s faction." "It seems that Havre didn''t intend to take credit from the beginning by arriving late in order not to lose his troops in the decisive battle between the First Prince and the Second Prince." Hearing my words, Zephalos wrinkled his eyebrows in suspicion. "He''s not going to take credit? That ambitious man?" "That''s right, he''s planning to get something bigger than credit." "Something bigger than credit ...?" Zephalos gave Levic and Oswald a glance, as if Havre''s purpose hadn''t occurred to him. Levic shook his head slightly, and Oswald let his gaze wander in the air for a moment before turning to me. "Is Margrave Calvine thinking of taking over the country?" "That''s right." When I affirmed Oswald''s words, the others raised their voices in surprise. "Maou-sama, is that true?" "No, no matter how much it''s Havre, such a reckless thing is ..." "Is he going to let the two factions crush each other and attack them when they''re tired?" "Havre Calvine has made a secret pact with Barshania, and intends to jointly attack the First Prince''s faction and the Second Prince''s faction." "What!" Oswald was also surprised when he heard about the collaboration with Barshania. When I told him that Barshania had somehow been informed that the First Prince''s faction had turned their entire army to the east, Zephalos made a bitter expression. "Maou-dono, this time, the fact that the First Prince faction has sent the entire army east is probably the result of Havre pulling the strings behind the scenes." "Then, is there someone in the First Prince faction who is cooperating with Havre?" "I don''t have solid evidence, but even though it''s a decisive battle for the throne, it feels strange to abandon preparations for other countries." Oswald nodded in agreement with Zephalos'' words, and then voiced his unease. "Count, wouldn''t that be a bit bad? It would be fine if the fast horse from here arrived and Alphonse-sama could make a decision to return on the spot, but if Camilla-sama''s personal letter is not believed, he would continue eastward. In that case, we will be attacked by Barshania." "That''s right ... Considering the circumstances so far, the possibility of such a situation is high ..." "That being said, if we send our troops, it could be taken as a showdown." After hearing Oswald''s guess, everyone who was present had a sad look on their face, and then Camilla turned her gaze to me appealingly. "Maou-sama ..." "Yes, yes, it would be fine if I stop Barshania." You''re really rough with people, it''s outrageous. "Will it be enough with just Maou-dono''s forces? If Barshania were to attack, they would probably pour in a considerable amount of fighting power." "The last time I checked, they were training with about 15,000 soldiers. If they actually come to attack, they''ll probably add more." "Training with 15,000 people? Then, wouldn''t it be dangerous even if Alphonse-sama''s power returned?" "Hmm ... It''s probably fine. All of my genus are strong, so all I have to do is get them to go back to Barshania." Actually, I don''t think that my genus, who can move around unexpectedly, will fall behind the Barshanian soldiers, but Oswald didn''t seem to trust them. "Hey, Maou, is your force really that strong?" "They have annihilated a herd of around 200 Minotaurs without any injuries, but is that enough?" "Umu ... But, when it comes to dealing with over 10,000 soldiers ..." "There were more than 10,000 Orcs the other day, and if it''s the Barshanian soldiers, if they judge that there is no chance of victory or the risk is too great, they''ll withdraw." I have no intention of slaughtering all 15,000 soldiers. I''m planning to harass them in a clever way and then send them home. "Then, Maou, are you going to deal with Barshania alone?" "Of course, I''ll be the only one to deal with them. I mean, is there anyone else who can do it? If the First Prince''s faction doesn''t return, there won''t be anyone else to fight." My genus and I can head to the border of Barshania by shadow movement, but if Oswald and the others try to go there, they will have to overtake the First Prince''s faction. While Oswald and Zephalos frowned involuntarily, Camilla stood up and knelt in front of me. "Maou-sama, please lend me your strength to protect Resenburg." Behind Camilla, Levic with a sour expression also knelt down, while Zephalos and Oswald unintentionally looked at each other and seemed lost. "Ah, you don''t have to overdo it. Camilla-tachi caused quite a bit of trouble, but it has nothing to do with the Count or the Knights of the Royal Guard. Besides, I won''t be able to rest until the Resenburg mess is over ..." It was a strange situation for the Count, who could be said to be the retainer, to be sitting while the royal family was kneeling, but I had no intention of forcing him to kneel. Unnecessary resentment ... I may have already bought it, but I don''t intend to increase it. "I''ll take care of Barshania. In exchange, I''d like you to take care of the First Prince and Havre Calvine." "It''s fine ... Or rather, that''s our job." Oswald nodded in agreement with Zephalos'' strong assertion. In the first place, the problem with the First Prince and Havre Calvine was a domestic problem in Resenburg, and if you think about the future, Camilla would have to demonstrate leadership. "Probably, Havre is also working to cut down on the amount of nobles. Camilla-sama, let''s work not only on faction nobles, but also on first-generation nobles." "Are you going to offer funding?" "No, it''s not that. Let us know the current situation and get support for Camilla-sama." "Even if you say that you will get their support, I have no way of rewarding them." "I don''t think there''s a need for such a thing. Excuse me, but the behavior of the male royal family has been passed down to this generation of nobles. Just telling them that Camilla-sama will take the place of Bernst-sama and do her best for Resenburg should be enough to gain the support of this generation of nobles." Lifetime nobles are those who have acquired the status of nobility with money, and most of them are those who have built up their fortunes through business. Their status as a noble cannot be passed on to their descendants, but their property will naturally be inherited. When thinking about their own business, if they thought who would be convenient for them to have assume the throne, they would prefer Camilla, who turned her attention to the people, rather than Alphonse, who had continued to neglect desertification. The question was what kind of move Havre Calvine would take. Since he owned a mine, he was well versed in business, and might offer attractive prospects to lifetime nobles, many of whom were merchants. What was the degree of support for the royal family in Resenburg, how popular was Camilla among them, and how much support was likely to be obtained if Havre advocated taking over the kingdom ... I couldn''t read it because I hadn''t been in this world for a long time. "I don''t have the power to spread support for Camilla. Also, after Havre gave the Princes a bloodbath, he would make Camilla his own and take over the country ... He said something like that." At my words, Camilla raised her well-shaped eyebrows and asserted. "I have no intention of giving myself to a man like that!" "It must be a sign that Havre is also relying on Camilla-sama''s popularity." Zephalos was right, and if he could make Camilla, who belonged to the royal family, his wife, he could justify the takeover. "This body, every single drop of blood and every single piece of bone, is something that I have offered to Maou-sama ... Such a thing as becoming another man''s property ..." "Y, yeah ... That story is after the apology and compensation are all done ..." "I understand ..." Camilla puffed her cheeks and gave me a resentful look ... It''s kind of cute, damn it. But, it''s not the time to grin. "It''s related to the apology and compensation, but one of my female classmates committed suicide." "Eh, that''s ..." When I talked about Sekiguchi-san''s suicide, Camilla looked down with a sorrowful expression. "Fifty people with this ... Will I be able to make amends?" "By giving the video from the other day and the magic stones and horns, it was supposed to move forward a little, but I can only say that it has fallen back greatly." Zephalos asked since he couldn''t bear to see the depressed Camilla. "Maou-dono, if Camilla-sama''s sins could be covered by Bernst-sama ..." "It''s impossible. Two hundred classmates and teachers in Volzard would testify that Camilla was the leader, and there should be some who have already written letters to their families about the summoning." "Then, is there any other way to proceed with the compensation as soon as possible?" "That will happen. For the time being, I will inform you of the information I have obtained regarding the movements of the First Prince faction and Havre, so please make good use of it to settle the internal conflict." I would deal with Barshania, and Camilla and the others would deal with Alphonse and Havre, so I should return to Volzard. When I tried to enter the shadows to move, I was approached by Fred, who I had asked to scout Barshania. [ Kent-sama ... Emperor Barshania has come to the border ... ] "Have they heard the news yet?" [ That''s unknown ... But about 20,000 soldiers are with him ... ] "They''re totally going to attack." [ There is almost no doubt ... ] The Emperor of Barshania, Constant Liforos, was still in his fifties and was a muscular and mighty man, and he was also a magician who could use wind-attribute magic. According to rumors that Fred heard, even after taking over the throne in his mid-twenties, he had the patience to tour around the country and listen to the voices of the people, and the harshness that would not tolerate injustice and corruption. I was told that he was said to be a virtuous ruler who would leave his name in later history. "Somehow ... I feel like it would be better to be conquered by Barshania." [ Buhahaha, if you compare it with the current Resenburg royal family, it can''t be helped that Kent-sama would think so. ] "Well ... Should we just let them pass without doing anything?" [ Kent-sama, I understand how you feel, but if Barshania goes through, blood will surely flow, and the weak will suffer. ] "That''s right ... It''s no good to hurt innocent people." If the rights could be handed over without war, like a bloodless surrender, I think it would be better to leave it to the royal family of Barshania, but there''s no way the nobles who have their rights threatened won''t resist. [ Then, Kent-sama, how will you repel Barshania? ] "Yeah, it''s basically harassment." [ You want to harass rather than fight? ] [ What about the rain of death ...? ] "I won''t be using that, it''s sealed! Besides, even the soldiers of Barshania have families, and if we drastically reduce their military strength here, they''ll be even more unprepared for the western country." According to Klaus-san, there was a war going on between the countries further west of Barshania. It would be nice if the war stopped there, but if the invasion were to go further east, Barshania might also be caught up in the war. If Barshania were to be easily defeated, then Resenburg would be next, and then ... Then it wouldn''t be possible. [ In other words, Kent-sama will repel Barshania without reducing their military strength in order to prepare for the west ... Is that right? ] "Yeah, that''s what I mean." [ However, will Barshania back off just by being harassed? ] [ Prepare a lot of ribbons ...? ] "Ahahaha ... It''s hard to do that to 35,000 people, so I won''t do it, but I guess that''s the basic idea ..." Reinhardt and Fred looked at each other and tilted their heads, but I intend to mobilize all the knowledge I have cultivated through manga and anime in order to repel Barshania. "First of all, let''s go back to Volzard and have a meal, and then go scout out Barshania." [ That''s right. You can''t plan an strategy without actually seeing the opponent. ] [ Besides, Barshania ... Doesn''t expect to be attacked ... They''ll let their guard down ... ] That''s right. Barshania must be trying to outwit Resenburg, but they don''t know what''s going on, and I don''t think they''ll be able to take the initiative. That''s probably our greatest strength, and they shouldn''t even know who we really are. I don''t hold any grudges against Barshania, but I''ll let them know. After returning to the boarding house and enjoying dinner with Amanda-san, Meline-san, and Meisa-chan, and finishing Meisa-chan''s arithmetic homework, we were off to Barshania. That''s what I thought, but when I asked Mart to stay at home and I was about to go out, Meisa-chan was in a bad mood. "Mou, Kent is going to do bad things again!" "Again, Meisa-chan says something scandalous ..." "You''re going to collapse because you don''t sleep properly at night." "Guu, I, I didn''t fall down, I just couldn''t stay up for a while." "You shouldn''t stay up late saying that." "Yes, yes, I''m just going over for a bit, and you''ll have Mart to take care of you, so it''s fine. Or is Meisa-chan unable to sleep because she''s lonely without me?" "Th, that''s not the case! As long as Mofumofu is here, it''ll be fine!" "Yeah, don''t forget to go to the bathroom so you don''t wet the bed." "Kiiii! I won''t do it! I won''t wet the bed!" I left the angry, pouting, Meisa-chan and moved to Barshania under Fred''s guidance. Now then, I guess I''ll take a peek at the Imperial Family. CH 139 Barshanian Imperial Family ***---*** Chowsk, the easternmost city of Barshania, lay on the west bank of the Grenano River, which bordered the desert. Since ancient times, it had prospered as a gateway to the desert, where travelers could prepare and rest after fighting the desert. In the past, a ferry was used to get in and out of the desert, but now there was a splendid bridge. The central part of the bridge was the flip-up type, and it was made so that the bridge boards could be raised to prevent enemies from crossing the river during wartime. Viewed from the moonlit desert, the city of Chowsk looked like it was floating on a sea of sand. The lights of the magic tools were still lit in the city, and it didn''t look asleep. [ Those who try to cross the desert ... are stopped ... ] According to Fred, entry into the desert had been prohibited since the day before yesterday, and Barshania was providing assistance with lodging expenses for stranded travelers. "Is that to prevent getting involved in the war?" [ Probably ... ] It was said that many of the merchants crossing the desert from Barshania carried textiles and other items purchased in Barshania. In other words, it was a stumbling block to protect Barshania''s customers. Most of Chowsk''s streets were clustered on the west bank of the Grenano river. Since it was located across the river, even if the monsoon blew from the east, there was no need to worry about the town being buried in sand. However, on the east bank of the river after crossing the bridge, there was nothing but a desert. Farmland was created by reclamation. [ Digging waterways ... Planting trees ... Driving out the desert ... ] "Of course, this is a project that Barshania is promoting as a country, isn''t it?" [ The Second Prince ... is leading the plan ... ] Waterways and anti-sand forests kept the desert in check, and the fertile soil brought by rivers was used for agriculture. It was easy to put into words, but it took a lot of manpower and time, so to speak, it was a large-scale public project. The Second Prince, who was leading it, was probably sharp in domestic affairs. The Imperial Family, including Emperor Constant, seemed to be staying in a palace on the north side of the city. Although it was a small size for a palace where the Emperor of the country stayed, the dome was reminiscent of an Islamic mosque, and most of it seemed to be made of marble. The pillars, walls, roof, and everywhere else were sculpted and painted with precision, and had a style suitable for a desert palace. The garrison adjacent to the palace had many tents. The lights were on in the city, and people could be seen coming and going, but here there was only the bare minimum of light, and there was no one outside the tents. Looking into the tents from the shadows, it seemed that the soldiers were already asleep. "Isn''t it a little too early to sleep?" [ Kent-sama, it just means they will wake up early. ] "I see ... So they''re leaving early tomorrow morning." If they leave early in the morning, there is a risk that the Imperial Family will go to sleep early. We hurriedly moved inside the palace. The royal family of Barshania gathered in one of the inner chambers of the palace. In the room where the fireplace was burning brightly, the one in the middle of the assembled imperial family was neither Emperor Constant, nor the First Prince, Gregory. WIth a map of Barshania and Resenburg in front of her, a small girl was in charge of Constant, Gregory, and the Third Prince, Nicolae. "Our army will flood the battlefield three days after the Princes of Resenburg start fighting ... Is that all right?" Her round ears peeked out from her white hair, and her slightly slanted almond-shaped eyes conveyed her strength. If it were everyone''s gentleman somewhere, you would feel like crying and worshiping, she''s like a little tiger girl with white short bobbed hair.(TN:Not entirely sure on the reference here, maybe My Love Tiger, but maybe something else?) "Of course. I''ll do my best for Sera-chan, so we might be able to do it two days early." "Father! Timing is important in this operation. Let the Princes of Resenburg fight each other and rush our army in when they''re exhausted. Otherwise, there will be a lot of casualties!" "Tsk, I know. It''s a joke, a joke!" The macho men surrounding the white-haired tiger girl were all smiling sloppily. "Umm ... Fred, what is this?" [ I don''t know ... I think she''s probably the First Princess ... ] According to Fred, who was scouting Barshania, was she in charge of the discussion? The Loli Tiger Girl seemed to be Seraphima, the only daughter of Emperor Constant. [ According to the information ... She is older than Kent-sama ... I can''t see it ... ] "Eeehhh, really?" It''s true that she had a sharp tone, but it was an anime voice, and if it were just her appearance, it would be reasonable to say that she''s Meisa-chan''s classmate, and I didn''t think she was older than me. "Sera-chan, what happened?" "No ... For some reason, I felt like someone was saying something very rude about me ..." "What is that ... Who, who said something rude to our Sera-chan!" "Brother, let''s find out and execute them." "Okay, right away ..." "You idiots! Execution is lukewarm! Torture to the point where they regret being born ... Ouch!" "Mou, Father and Brother too, cut it out already! It was just a feeling!" Seraphima let out a big sigh as she painfully rubbed her fist that hit her father on the head. "Uwaa ... Is this a group of idiot parent and idiot brothers?" [ There''s no need to guess, it''s as Kent-sama said. ] It seemed that my image of the Barshanian imperial family must be revised downward. After that, Seraphima took the lead in confirming the formation of the unit, the schedule of the invasion, and the expected counterattack in Resenburg. Seraphima proceeded with the conversation briskly, and the three of them nodded with their cheeks relaxed. No matter how you looked at it, it just looked like a family watching over their child''s homework. [ Kent-sama, it seems that this is a study session for the Princess. ] "It''s like ... What they''re doing is really brutal, but it''s a sloppy heartwarming mood ..." I thought that the meeting would end in a relaxed atmosphere, but the atmosphere changed as soon as Seraphima continued after defeating the Princes of Resenburg. "After defeating the Princes of Resenburg, we will continue the battle, defeat Havre Calvine, and continue to surround the royal capital Aldaros." "Hey, Seraphima. Are you going to betray the person we made a secret agreement with?" "Yes. The man named Havre Calvine is not to be trusted." Seraphima was completely unmoved by Constant''s sharp question, which had completely changed since then. "Havre Calvine asked us to provide Falzala as a medicine to relieve the pain of many people who suffered serious injuries in the mines of their territory, such as cave-in accidents. We have received information that it was given to Prince Bernst and Third Prince Christoph for their enjoyment." "Someday, it''s people who will be slain by our hands, isn''t it better that way?" Seraphima raised her eyebrows at the First Prince Gregory''s words. "Brother, are you seriously saying such a thing ..." "N, no ... What I said, by mistake ..." "It''s not a coincidence! If someone who holds the power of the royal family gets drunk on Falzala, even if it''s just for a while, it may bring tragedy to the people!" "No, I''m sorry ... Seraphima is right ..." Constant and the Third Prince, Nicolae, grinned as Gregory made his body smaller because he was scolded by the Loli Girl Seraphima. "Father and Nicolae-nii-sama too, what are you laughing at!" "No, I''m not laughing." "Y, yes, we are being serious." "Haa ... Well, that''s fine." After letting out another big sigh, Seraphima straightened her posture and continued speaking. "Listen. We''ve told Havre Calvine at length about the benefits of Falzala, as well as its dangers. We offered it under the pledge that it would never be abused. Even so, it is outrageous to let the royal family use it for pleasure. The existence of a country where such a man holds real power is unacceptable, even across the desert." "So, what are you going to do with Resenburg after you''ve killed Havre Calvine? If there''s no one to hold it together, there could be a quagmire of war." Both Gregory and Nicolae nodded at Constant''s question. "I will make Camilla Resenburg King." "Oh, why is that?" "I have heard that Camilla Resenburg is the only member of the royal family who works for the sake of the people. Desertification is progressing in the western part of the country, and it seems that she is promoting a reclamation project to accept the people who are suffering from it. However, it seems that it is not progressing as expected due to a lack of personnel. If she wipes out the current corrupt Resenburg royal family and assumes the throne with our backing, she will surely rule for the people." Constant nodded in satisfaction as he continued to ask questions. "Isn''t it better for us to rule?" "No, Father, that won''t happen." "Why? In terms of military strength, it is possible for us to overwhelm Resenburg." "Yes. Certainly, I don''t think that we are inferior in military strength. However, it is not strong enough to keep the entire Resenburg under control. Therefore, I will make Camilla a puppet and have her marry Nicolae-nii-sama." "Eeehhh ... My bride is Sera-chan ..." "Brother ..." "Uu, I know ... The Imperial Family is for the sake of the country ..."(TN:Fun fact, GoogleTL translates Kent''s name as country.) Nicolae, who was the most fragile of the three, was more than twice as macho as Gilik, but was shriveled up by Seraphima. "Uhahahaha, you fool. Sera-chan is, this me''s bride ..." "Father ..." "Sorry ..." This time, the Emperor, Constant, was being glared at. Yeah, I wonder what this family skit is ... "Haa ... All three of you, please take it seriously. This battle is for Barshania ..." "I understand. In addition to the soldiers, if you add the people in charge of logistics, we can easily move an army of over 40,000. I know that failure is unforgivable." "Sera ... We will go to the battlefield together, there is no guarantee that we will not lose our lives." "Of course, I have no intention of being killed unnecessarily." Constant, Gregory, and Nicolae all had the faces of determined warriors and smiles of men who loved their family. Seeing that smile, Seraphima''s eyes spilled tears. "Please ... Please, be safe ..." "Oh, don''t cry anymore. Do you really think we''ll be beaten by those Resenburg cowards." "Father is right, if Nico and I team up, it''s like running through an uninhabited field." "Brother, please don''t go too far and leave the soldiers behind in a one-on-one race." "Idiot, there were some people who relaxed since it was training, so it was easy to get fired up ..." "Aren''t you trying to show Sera-chan your good side by saying that?" "Don''t be silly. I''m trying to raise the morale of the army ..." "Sera-chan, don''t worry. I''ll properly hold the reins of my brother ..." "Bastard, Nico! You''re the one who''s planning to look good!" "No, no, I''m here to cover up for my unskilled older brother ..." "I got it already! I''ll be waiting for your return without crying, so please be sure to return safely." When Seraphima raised her voice, the three exchanged glances and grinned. "If so, I will swear here." "Three of us, not one missing." "We will come back safely together." The three of them slapped their chests with their rock-like right fists, then pointed to the sky and cried in unison. "By the pride of Barshania!" It''s bad ... They''re cool, this Ossan-tachi. I can''t help but want to support them, but if they attack, a lot of blood would flow and a lot of lives would be lost. "Reinhardt, Fred, can you help me?" [ Mmm, Kent-sama, what are you planning to do? ] "Yeah, if it''s an opponent like this, I think it would be rude to fight without revealing my identity, so I thought I''d say hello ..." [ Are you sure? You will lose the strength of being unknown. ] "Yeah, but you won''t lose, right?" [ Fuu ... Fuhahahaha, we have no intention of falling behind anyone as a follower of our Maou Kent-sama. ] [ Of course, I won''t lose ... I can''t lose ... ] "Then, let''s go say hello." After putting away the maps and documents, the Imperial Family began to enjoy tea that looked like milk tea. "Good evening, excuse me for being late at night." "Who are you?" "Where did you come from!" The three of them instantly moved to a position to protect Seraphima. I opened my hands and raised them over my shoulders to show that there was no hostility, but of course their vigilance was not lifted. "My name is Kent Kokubu. First of all, I apologize for my impolite visit." "Fumu, a magician with a dark attribute ... Where do you belong?" Constant glared at me with eyes that glowed like those of a tiger itself, and asked with a low, resounding voice, like a different person from when he was talking to Seraphima. "It''s not like I belong to any particular place, but I''m currently living in Volzard." "Hmm? If it''s Volzard ... It''s not Landshelt or Resenburg?" "Well, it''s not like I''m completely unrelated to Resenburg, but it''s a long story, so I''ll leave that for another time ..." "Hmph, so what is a Volzard boy here for?" "I was wondering if you could stop sending your troops ..." "We should stop sending troops? There is no reason for us to stop." Reinhardt and Fred were watching from the shadows, so maybe he thought I was alone, and Constant''s expression returned to a relaxed color. "Is that so? If I have information that you don''t know, what would you do?" "What ... Information I don''t know?" "Yes, as you say, I''m a magician with a dark attribute. As you saw earlier, I can move freely through the shadow space. Whether it''s to Volzard or to Resenburg ..." "Hmm ... So you''re saying that you have important information about Resenburg?" "Well, that''s how it is." "Catch him!" At the same time as Constant raised his right hand, a soldier hiding in the shadow of the pillar jumped at me, but before he could reach me, Reinhardt and Fred blew him away. Yeah, because we were scouting from the shadows, we knew perfectly well that the guard soldiers were lurking. "It''s a skeleton ..." "Well ... That''s quite a rough welcome ..." "Grey, Nico, don''t let your guard down."(TN:Grey short for Gregory, cause leaving it as Gre would be weird) "No, I have no intention of fighting, but ..." "Do you think we''ll allow anyone to get in our way?" "Then, won''t you stop the dispatch of troops?" "That''s a stupid question." "Tsk, what an stubborn idiot parent ..." "What did you say, brat!" A blue vein appeared on Constant''s forehead, but I can''t miss Seraphima''s desperate struggle to hold back her laughter. "Guards! It''s an intruder. Seize him!" "If that''s what you want, I have an idea too, so please prepare yourself. You Idiot Parent, Idiot Brothers!" A large number of soldiers had stepped in from the corridor, so I escape with a shield of darkness and retreate into the shadows. Seraphima, who couldn''t stand it anymore, was holding her stomach and falling over with laughter. "Hmm ... The Emperor is more stubborn than I thought ..." [ Kent-sama, what are you going to do? ] "If they say they won''t stop the dispatch, I''ll just have to stop it myself." [ Hurry up ... The rain of death ...? ] "I won''t do that. First ... It''s Nero''s turn." "Nya, Nero is number one, nya? I''m so happy, nya, what should I do, nya, Goshujin-sama." Yeah, come with me." We moved to the garrison next to the palace. From inside the palace, I could feel them running around frantically looking for me, but the soldiers here seemed to be sleeping. "Nero, can you run through these tents?" "Nya? Nya ... It''s really narrow and I''m going to bump into them, nya ..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, I want you to knock down the tent and wake up the soldiers inside." "Nya, ah, it''s okay to bump into, nya, it''s easy, nya." "Be careful not to hit the soldiers inside. Let''s see ... Come back after knocking down the tents." "Okay, nya, leave it to me, nya!" Leaping out of the shield of darkness, Nero sprinted through the tents, accelerating to top speed without making a sound. Basabasabasa ... Nero''s shoulders touched them, and the pressure of the wind rushed through, knocking over the tents one after another. "Whoaaaa, what happened!" "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" "Damn, where''s the way out!" "Light! Turn on the light!" The garrison, which had been asleep until just a moment ago, turned into an uproar. Soldiers like them, who couldn''t see at night, were unable to crawl out of the collapsed tents, and seemed to be crawling around looking for a way out. [ Buhahahaha ... As expected of Kent-sama, you are a bad person "Eeehhh ... It''s much gentler than making a rain of stones fall." [ Sleep disturbing ... Enduring tomorrow ... ] It was only after Nero returned that the Barshanian soldiers began to look around and be on guard. "Is this okay, nya?" "Thank you, Nero. It''s perfect." [ Kent-sama, what are you going to do after this? ] "Yeah, I''ll go back to Volzard and rest, so can I ask you to do this?" [ You''re saying ... ] "I wonder if you can repeat it a few more times before dawn. Nero, please." "Okay, nya, leave it to me, nya." "Also, Fred, check where the materials for the expedition are kept." [ Roger ... Food, water, weapons, check everything ... ] This visit was sudden, and they didn''t listen to me, but if the situation got worse, they would listen. I asked Reinhardt and the others to harass them on my behalf and returned to Volzard. CH 140 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 140 Princess Seraphima ***---*** Good morning. It''s Kent. Once again, I arrived at Chowsk, the easternmost town in Barshania. It was still early in the morning, and the palace where the Imperial Family was staying was asleep. I''m sorry, that''s a lie. The guard soldiers watched the surroundings with bloodshot eyes. According to Reinhardt, even after Nero ran wild last night, every time the soldiers tried to go to sleep, everyone in my genus continued to play tricks. After rebuilding the tents and taking a break, the Kobold Squad cut down the posts, cut off the supporting ropes, and flattened the tents again. When the tents were no longer used, the soldiers lay down on the ground with just a sheet spread out and they rained sand down on the soldiers'' faces as they began to doze off. I was told that a soldier who inhaled deeply through his nose coughed loudly and writhed. Zae-tachi poured water from the river on the soldiers who tried to cover themselves with cloths and tried to sleep. Even though it was near the desert, the season was winter, and the temperature dropped to near zero at night, so the soldiers screamed and jumped up, shivering. If they increased the lights for vigilance, the dark shadows would be created, and my genus would emerge from the shadows more freely, then disappear into the shadows, it seemed the soldiers hardly slept, they were walking unsteadily like ghosts, and were seen arguing with bloodshot eyes. It must have been quite stressful. By the way, it seemed that it was unfair for only the members of the Imperial Family to sleep peacefully, so the members of the Imperial Family had been very active in the palace. I was told that the Kobold Corps shook the trees planted around the palace all at once, rolled a large copper pot brought out of the kitchen, and ran through the corridors in groups. Emperor Constant, and the rest of the Imperial Family, were said to have had trouble sleeping. Currently, the soldiers that were guarding the palace were originally supposed to sleep early and change after midnight, so they must have been supplementing their lack of sleep with energy. The surroundings were quiet, but since last night, the commotion had been repeating aiming for the time when it was quiet, so the soldiers who were on watch seemed to be even more nervous, thinking that currently it was the most dangerous time. Well, no matter how tense the soldiers were, they wouldn''t be able to spot us hiding in the shadows. I visited the bedroom of the First Princess Seraphima. Eh?, am I going to do bad things again?(TN:Weird to have question mark followed by a comma, but ok.) No way. Judging from yesterday''s situation, I thought that Seraphima would be the person I could talk to the easiest. [ Kent-sama ... This way ... ] Fred led me to Seraphima''s bedroom, which was heavily guarded. Strong female soldiers stood on the left and right of the doors and windows, a circle of female soldiers a little further away, and a triple layer of security with fully armed male soldiers surrounding them. If you think about the Emperor and Princes acting like Idiot Father and Brothers, it''s a security system that makes sense in a way, but unfortunately it doesn''t make any sense to me. Seraphima''s bedroom, which I entered without hesitation, was covered with a luxurious carpet that seemed to bury me up to my ankles, and a bed with a canopy decorated with gold and silver was placed. Seraphima was asleep, buried under a quilt embroidered with floral patterns. The way she was lying on her side, curled up and sleeping was cute like a small animal. [ Kent-sama ... Quickly night crawling ... ] [ I won''t! Well, it looks like it''s already dawn ... ] [ If you cover it with a shield of darkness ... They won''t get in the way ... ] [ That''s why, I''m not doing that! ] For some reason, I feel like Fred has been playing around with me lately. I sneaked into Seraphima''s bedroom, but I didn''t intend to surprise her when she woke up. Even if it seemed like we could understand each other, I didn''t think I could enter the bedroom without permission and talk face-to-face when she woke up. Both the Second Prince Bernst and the Third Prince Christoph had already passed away, in Resenburg, the cause of civil war had disappeared, that Barshania and Havre Calvine were in communication, I planned to leave a letter that described the things that Camilla and Count Gleisner were aware of. Regarding this dispatch of troops, the preconditions had already collapsed and the risks were increasing. I went out of the shadows and put the prepared letter on the bedside table, and while I was at it, I paid my respects to the Princess of Barshania. Her pure white hair cut into a short bob was silky and shiny. It was cute how her round ears sometimes twitched. Meisa-chan, who looked to be about the same age has her, slept side-by-side with pillows every night, after all, the Princess looked different, her skin looked smooth and soft. Her face is small! Long eyelashes! Lips like cherries. It was a cliche, but while I was captivated by her doll-like cuteness, Seraphima flipped over her futon and she turned over. "Oh ..." A fluffy tiger''s tail peeked out from the hem of her silky white pajamas. I felt like the tip of her tail was twitching and inviting me. "Kuchuun!" "Huh ...?" When I came to my senses with her cute sneeze, I met Seraphima''s eyes as she rolled over. The mist that hung over her almond-shaped eyes quickly cleared and her eyes widened. "Kyaaaaaaaaaa!" "I, I''m sorry!" Immediately after I hurriedly hid in the shadows, the bedroom door flew open and a female soldier rushed in. "Seraphima-sama, what is the matter!" "J, just now, right there ..." "Is it the intruder from last night?" Seraphima nodded, and the female soldier rushed out of the room. "Wait, Natasha! Don''t move recklessly, be alert here." "Ha, as you wish." Seraphima got up from the futon, reached her hand over her side table, unfolded the letter and began to read. After she glanced over it, she followed the text slowly again, her eyes wandering into the air a little thoughtfully, and then she gave a big nod. "Riana, get ready to change clothes ..." "Yes, right away ..." As soon as Seraphima called out to her, a maid appeared with a change of clothes. "Seraphima-sama, has the time finally come?"(TN:Dunno, the word ''come'' here could also be inquiring about a letter, which would make sense, but I''m not sure how the rest would fit together.) "Yeah, but that''s for later. Father is ...?" "He''s already started making preparations for departure." "Hurry up a little." "Yes ..." Seraphima changed clothes with the help of her maid. Putting on her loose-fitting trousers and a loose flannel shirt with a pattern unique to Barshania, she quickly left the room and headed for the Emperor''s quarters. Her loose clothes hide her body shape ... Uhii, I was glared at again, but I wonder if it''s also a special ability to detect ... Emperor Constant was not wearing armor, but he had already finished preparations for the battle and was drinking tea calmly. His expression looked firm and calm, in contrast to last night''s lazy Idiot Parent mode. However, the dark circles under his eyes were probably the result of Reinhardt''s work. "Father, it''s Seraphima, can I have a minute?" "Come in ..." While answering in a calm voice, Constant''s expression loosened sloppily at Seraphima''s visit. But, that was only for a moment. Seeing Seraphima''s tense expression, he tightened his expression again. "What happened?" "Yes, the boy from last night showed up." "What did you say!" "Father! First, this ..." Seraphima handed over my letter to Constant who was furious and tried to stand up. Constant, who received it, read it twice, furrowed his brows, then placed the letter on the table and asked. "Do you think what is written here is true?" "I don''t know. But, if it''s true, I think our losses would be greater than originally expected." "Then, should we stop the dispatch?" "Honestly speaking, I''m at a loss for judgment. Father, how many casualties were there in the uproar up until this morning?" "Casualties, huh ... There are no casualties." "Is that true?" "Some people were bruised by fallen tent posts, but no one lost their lives or was seriously injured." As expected of my genus. They disturbed a good night''s sleep without causing deaths. You all did a good job, didn''t you ... "Father, if they really intended to attack, wouldn''t it be strange if there were no casualties?" "Nuu ..." Constant closed his mouth, folded his arms and closed his eyes. After thinking about it for a while, he opened his eyes and spoke to me. "Anyway, you''re probably peeping around here. Come out, brat!" If I''m called, I have no choice but to go out. But, it''s hard to meet Seraphima ... I put out a shield of darkness a little ways away, stepped into the room, and bowed. "Good morning." "Brat ... Did you sneak into Seraphima''s bedroom?" "Umm ... I just left a letter ..." Seraphima was showering me with a cold stare as if looking at garbage. Yeah, it''s really awkward. "Why are you bothering us?" "I hate it when people die." "Aren''t you from Landshelt?" "What do you mean ... If they''re not from my own country, I shouldn''t really care how many people die?" "It''s normal for people to die in battle." "Is that battle really necessary?" "Of course." "Why is it necessary?" "To get iron." Constant began to talk about the purpose of the dispatch. "Barshania and Resenburg have been in a hostile relationship for a long time. Since the desert is sandwiched between us, there is almost no direct interaction of force, but iron, which is used as a material for weapons, is prohibited from being brought into Barshania. It is also produced from dungeons in Barshania, but the amount is small and unstable, so the current situation is that most of the iron used in Barshania is imported from the Republic of Kilia." "I see ... If you become hostile to the Republic of Kilia, then you''ll be troubled for iron to make weapons." "Hmm ... It seems you''re not stupid." Just as Klaus-san had predicted, Constant was paying attention to the battle that was taking place further west of the Felciane Empire, the neighboring country to the west of Barshania. "The Republic of Kilia and the Jogesen Empire have been at war over the land they have been fighting for over the years, but it seems that this war is not just limited to the land they were fighting over, but is spreading across the country. It looks like it''s going to be a battle." "Does it look like Kilia will conquer Jogesen?" "That''s right. If Kilia and Jogesen become one country, it will become a large country with both mineral resources and granaries. If a neighboring country were to sink into war, it wouldn''t be strange at any moment that it would fly over to Barshania. When that time comes, if we don''t have the weapons to fight, we''ll just wait to perish." "So, you''ve teamed up with Havre Calvine to obtain iron for future emergencies." "That''s right. I don''t even know if there will be a battle with Kilia. Or rather, the possibility of it happening while this me is still alive is low. That being said, neglecting preparations is unforgivable." "If you build a friendly relationship with Resenburg ..." "I''ve tried that many times without even being asked. How can I build a friendly relationship with someone who doesn''t even send a decent reply even if I send a personal letter?" It seemed that Constant had already sent personal letters to the King of Resenburg, Alexis Resenburg, many times, but there had been no proper reply, and the ban on iron export hadn''t been lifted. Perhaps the Prime Minister may have crushed it. "Then, do you have any intention of stopping the dispatch even if the damage increases?" "Since there is no prospect of Resenburg lifting the ban on iron exports, it is probably unavoidable ..." "What would you do if you could get iron from somewhere other than Resenburg?" "What is it ... Volzard? Are you saying that you will bring it?" "Since trading is not my main business, I don''t know if I can offer it at the price you want, but it is possible to bring it from Volzard." "Fumu ..." Constant crossed his arms again and began to stare at me. Seraphima is also looking at me, but her gaze is really cold. Constant, who continued to observe me, slowly opened his mouth. "Nevertheless, what would you do if I told you I wouldn''t stop sending troops?" "Of course, I will disturb you." "Do you think you can stop an army of well over 30,000 on your own?" "Yes, it''s easy." "Oh ... Even if you kill me, the army won''t stop." "I won''t do such a troublesome thing." "Then, how are you going to stop it?" "Drop the bridge." "Kuh ... Where the bridge fell ..." "If you use a ship, I will sink it." "Nuu ..." Constant frowned and glared at me. The vulnerable point of the Barshanian army was that they were still this side of the river. If a group of more than 40,000 people were made to cross without using a bridge, it would be a big fuss. "It''s a splendid bridge, but if it''s my genus, it''s quite easy to break it. But if I break it, you''ll be in trouble, right?" "Naturally." "The farms on the other side of the river are amazing, aren''t they? I think it''s a manifestation of the power of the country of Barshania to be able to carry out a business of that scale." "Of course. The people work for the country, and the country works for the people, that''s Barshania." Without any hesitation, Constant spoke as if it were a matter of course. "If the bridge becomes impassable, you will not be able to take care of the farmland, and if you''re not careful, it may be buried in the sand ..." "Bastard ... Are you trying to threaten me?" "It doesn''t matter if you think so. In the initial situation, you might have achieved a great result with a small sacrifice, but in the current situation, if you force it, there will be great sacrifices, and I don''t know if it will be profitable. What is the point of a war in which both Resenburg and Barshania only suffer losses?" Constant, with his mouth closed, seemed to be pondering while staring at me. "Can you really prepare iron?" "Maybe ... I wonder if it''s okay ..." Constant demanded, showing his hand outstretched. "Prepare 50 corads of iron. I''ll buy it for 200,000 Rubles. You have five days." "Father, 50 corads in 5 days ..." "Understood. For the time being, I will try it, so please don''t move the soldiers for five days." I accepted Constant''s request, cutting off Seraphima''s words, which were trying to put a hold on it. Hey, how much is 50 corads? 200,000 Rubles is the currency of Barshania, right? I didn''t really understand the amount and the price, but I accepted it ... Well, it''ll work out somehow. "It''s okay. I''ll wait for five days, but I''ll leave on the morning of the sixth day." "Yes, that''s fine ... Then, I''ll do that ..." "Wait, the conversation isn''t over yet." When I tried to dive back into the shadows and return to Resenburg, I was stopped. "Are you still going to impose more conditions?" "It''s not about dispatching the troops." Constant''s expression seemed to be more severe and angry than when he was talking about dispatching troops. "Bastard ... You entered Seraphima''s bedroom, didn''t you?" "Eh, umm ... That, to put the letter ..." "Father, I, my sleeping appearance was seen." "No, hey ... That was inevitable ... Should I say it was an unexpected situation ..." "Did you see it?" "Uuh ... Yes ..." Seraphima wrapped her arms around herself and blushed, while Constant turned red with anger. I don''t know, this development full of deja vu ... I''m sweating profusely. "Brat, you entered the Princess'' bedroom before the wedding, so you must be prepared ..." "E, even if you say to be prepared ..." "I let the whole country know that I will marry someone who manages to sneak past my strict security and reach my bedroom." "So far, countless men have challenged us, but all of them have been defeated by Seraphima''s bodyguards." I thought the security was tight, but I didn''t know that that was the case. Is it okay to choose like that? "Umm ... I didn''t sneak in with that intention, but the letter ..." "Even though you went into the bedroom, you don''t want to get married ... Are you saying I''m unattractive?" "No ... I only saw you for the first time yesterday, and I haven''t even talked to you much yet ..." "What the hell is that, brat! You''re ignoring Sera-chan''s charm even when looking at her!" "No, no, I think she''s beautiful, but ..." "The Imperial Family cannot change the agreements they have made with the people." "Brat, think carefully and choose ... Marriage? Or death?" Uwaaaa ... I''ve heard about it before somewhere, the ultimate choice has arriiiiived! I wonder why the people of this world want people to make the ultimate choice ... I''m going to retreat into the shadows here. "Umm ... The answer, is on hold! Excuse me!" "Ah, wait!" "Brat, don''t think you can escape!" It looked like I could stop the invasion of Barshania, but I''ve got more problems. [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, you also took a wife from the Imperial Family of Barshania. ] [ Maou''s territory ... Expanding more and more ... ] "I told you I won''t marry her. I won''t rule either." For now, I''ll go back to Volzard and start procuring iron. Ah, I have to make sure the chairman doesn''t find out ... CH 141 Guild Onee-san ***---*** I returned to Volzard, had breakfast at the boarding house, and headed to the guild. Because I wanted to collect various information in order to purchase iron. Fleur-san would get mad at me again if I showed my face during a busy time and caused a ruckus, so I watched the situation from the shadows. The front of the bulletin board was crowded again today, and Ridner and the others were among them. It looked like they''ve finished dismantling the Scavengers. Dismantling that large amount of scavengers was a big deal, wasn''t it. There was no sign of my classmates, neither in front of the crowded bulletin board, nor by the far wall. Today was the day they had class in the garrison''s auditorium, and they''re going to hold a meeting about Sekiguchi-san, so I was told to show up. However, I still hadn''t been able to organize my thoughts on how to deal with Sekiguchi-san''s death, so I decided to skip it again. I''m sorry Katou-sensei. Sekiguchi-san and I were in different classes despite being in the same grade, so I had almost no contact with her. I was shocked when I saw the body, probably because I didn''t have any impressions other than meeting at the training ground, and I couldn''t empathize with her, but I think the shock was greater when Funayama died. I feel sorry for being late because I didn''t have enough strength, but I''ve done my best, so why ... That''s what I thought. With that kind of feeling, regardless of whether I were to be criticized or defended, I didn''t think I would be able to accept it. I waited for the crowd to end while mofuing Mart-tachi and Nero, then, as usual, I emerged from the bottom of the stairs. Since the question was about minerals, I approached the counter to talk to Tebez-san who appraised the ore, but for some reason Fleur-san caught me. "Good morning, Kent-san. Please don''t cause a ruckus this morning." "Good morning. With that in mind, I waited until the congestion was over." "That''s an auspicious idea. Please keep it that way. So, what do you want this morning?" Hmm ... I wonder why her atmosphere was so strong against me. I''d like you to respond to me with a slightly clearer tone and a little more of a smile. "Umm ... I''d like to purchase some iron, so I thought I''d ask to be taught various things ..." "Iron ... is it? How much do you need?" "Yes, about 50 corads ..." "Huh? Did you say 50 corads?" Huh, did I say something weird. Fleur-san asks me back with a wide-eyed look. "Umm ... How much does 1 corad weigh?" "Huh? Were you trying to purchase without knowing the unit of weight?" "Yes ... I''m sorry ..." While surprised, Fleur-san explained the unit of weight. The standard of weight is the seed of a nut called roud, and it was said that the weight of the fruit that had ripened and fallen from the tree was almost the same. The weight of that was 1 roud. 1 corad was 1,000 roud, which was about 16kg based on my weight. In other words, 50 corads was about 800 kilograms. "To find such a large amount of iron, you would have to collect it from all over Volzard." "Will there be enough if I collect it?" "Are you serious?" Uwaa ... She''s looking at me with such cold eyes. "No, I was just asking ... Ah, by the way, is 200,000 Rubles a reasonable price for 50 corads of iron?" "200,000 Rubles ... Are you planning to sell it to Barshania?" "N, no, I''m not planning that ... However, it''s not impossible ... How many Burgs is 1 Ruble?" "Kent-san, you weren''t trying to trade without knowing the unit of weight and the unit of money, were you?" "N, no way ... Surely, that kind of thing ... That''s impossible, isn''t it ..." Uwaa ... I was looked at with even colder eyes, but Fleur-san still explained about Rubles. 1 Ruble was converted to 1.3 times the Burg, so 200,000 Rubles was said to be 260,000 Burgs. Fleur-san kindly checked the market price of iron. Yeah, I wouldn''t complain if she was nicer to me, but this time it''s my fault ... "The current market price for iron is 4,800 Burg for 1 corad, so 50 corads is 240,000 Burgs, roughly 185,000 Rubles, so it''s not a bad transaction price, but you have to consider the transportation costs. It would be a big deficit." "Ah, I''ll use dark magic to move it, so it''s okay." "Even so! Transporting such a large amount of iron to another country without permission is unforgivable!" "Uuh ... But, in the first place, Volzard doesn''t have 50 corads of iron, right?" "It would be the same even if that were true. What are you going to use that large amount of iron for? No way, Kent-san, you''re not a Barshanian spy, are you." "Eeehhh ... It''s different, it''s different, okay. Something like me being a spy ..." When I was getting flustered by Fleur-san''s words, someone called out from behind. "What, Kent, did you switch sides to Barshania? Then it can''t be helped, I won''t let you get close to Beatrice from now on, should I kick out your classmates as well?" "Eeehhh ..." When I turned around, Klaus-san was standing with his arms folded. Yes, you''ll take me to the office, I understand. Anyway, Fleur-san, haven''t you tortured me enough yet, puffing out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, isn''t she a bit too cute. Sitting face to face on the sofa in the office, Klaus-san started a different topic. "Kent, what happened with the stupid Princes of Resenburg?" "Yes, the Second Prince Bernst, and the Third Prince Christoph, were killed along with their entourage." Klaus-san nodded in approval when I told him about the carnage during the Orc outbreak and about Camilla''s succession to the faction and the throne. "I told you to get rid of the idiot Princes, but in the first place, it''s a domestic problem in Resenburg. If it can be cleaned up without getting your hands dirty, that''s the best." "Yes, to be honest, I''m kind of relieved." "So, what''s the purpose of transporting 50 corads of iron to Barshania?" "Yes, to stop the invasion of Resenburg." Klaus-san nodded when told why Barshania had made a secret pact with Margrave Calvine, about Havre Calvine''s coup plan, and about the deal with Constant. "I see ... Kilia and Jogesen, are they really willing to go so far. Certainly, if the two countries are combined, a great power will be created, but for the time being, they will be busy with domestic affairs, and probably won''t be able to afford to attack other countries." "Yes, Emperor Constant of Barshania seems to have read that there will be no sudden change in the situation, but he said that there is no reason to neglect preparations." "Well, it''s only natural if you''re in charge of a country. If you want to get iron, and if your longtime enemy Resenburg is weak, it''s not strange to think of putting them under your country''s control." "However, many people would be hurt in a war, and it would be undesirable for Volzard''s neighboring country to be under Barshania''s control, wouldn''t it?" "Well, let''s see ... Even if we give them some iron, if Resenburg is waiting for them, I don''t think they will be willing to cross the desert to attack." Klaus-san turned his gaze to the ceiling and began to gather his thoughts. He was probably considering future policies based on the information he just heard and the past situation. "Alright, I''ll allow the export of iron to Barshania. However, Volzard alone can''t collect 50 corads of iron." "Yes, I''m thinking about bringing it from Japan." "Hmm ... Kent, is it easy to get iron in your country?" "If I ask for 50 corads, will you get it right away?" "Yes, I''m indebted to Volzard, so I think I can have it prepared as a token of my gratitude." "Okay, I''ll ask you for 50 corads of iron for Volzard. Of course, I''ll pay you at the market price." "No, I think it''ll be fine if I tell them that it''s for my classmates'' living expenses." "Is that so ... But, isn''t it Kent, who is paying for their living expenses, who will benefit from that?" "Eh, ah ... That''s right. But, wouldn''t it be nice if Volzard''s expenses were reduced." "Well, that''s true ..." Klaus-san cut off his words with a grin, and when he turned his gaze to me again, his expression tightened. "By the way, Kent, I heard that one of the girls committed suicide." "Yes, I didn''t report that, I''m sorry." "What''s going on. Isn''t it possible to return?" "That''s right, but ..." Klaus-san let out a sigh with an exasperated expression when I told him about the circumstances involving Sekiguchi-san''s suicide. "Haa ... That''s a story that''s hard for me to understand." "I''m sorry, I''m not strong enough ..." "Don''t say that. Kent, you''re not the only one to blame. You''re doing well enough. But the other guys ... No, some of the other guys aren''t desperate enough, are they?" "Yes, that''s right." When they were in Lastock, I think everyone was just desperate to survive, with the exception of Takayama and some classmates with high magical powers. However, when they came to Volzard and thought that they would not be able to return to Japan, but they thought that they would have no trouble living, I think the tenseness suddenly loosened. The uproar that caused Marcel-san''s shop to burn down was probably caused by such carelessness, and the fact that there were people who were still wandering around without going to work was probably a manifestation of that. "Needless to say, Volzard is a harsh environment facing the Devil''s Forest. It''s safe inside the ramparts, but it wouldn''t be surprising if you were take a step outside and be attacked by monsters. Therefore, if all the residents don''t work together, daily life will not be possible. Well, you understand, and I don''t want to say anything like whipping a dead man, but they''re fed, they have a place to live, and on top of that, they''re assured to be able to go home, so why should they die? Shuuji-tachi, what are you doing?" Klaus-san, as a parent with a daughter of the same age, was probably thinking about Sekiguchi-san''s parents. "Was the body returned to the family?" "Yes, it seems that it was handed over to the family according to the procedure of the government office." "Were you blamed?" "No, because they haven''t seen me ... directly ..." Klaus-san seemed to have guessed the situation in Japan from my murky tone. "I''m not obligated to say anything about other people, but blaming you would be no good." "Well, I guess so, but ..." "Kent ..." "Yes, what is it?" "No, there''s something I should tell you ... Once you''ve settled the Barshania incident, you should just watch over Resenburg and focus on sending back those who want to go home." "But, we have to proceed with the reparations and so on ... And the worry of the maximum outbreak hasn''t gone away ..." "You know, Kent. There''s a limit to what one person can do. If you try to do everything and you collapse in that state, it will cause trouble for the people around you." "But, if I don''t do it, other people won''t be able to move ..." I kind of understand what Klaus-san was trying to say, but moving to Japan and moving to Lastock is a situation where other people can''t help with it. "Kent ... If I die right now, do you think the city of Volzard would collapse?" "Ehh ... I think it would be a big fuss, but I don''t think the city would collapse ..." "Well, that''s natural. Even if I die, most of the things about the city will be left in the paperwork, so it will be confusing, but another person will take over the job and normal life will return with time. But, Kent, what happens if you die?" "Ehh, what if I die ...?" I never thought about what would happen if I died, so I was at a loss for an answer. "If you die, the other people will probably not be able to return to their original world. If you leave it to your genus, they may be able to exchange letters, but it will be impossible for people to come and go. Will your friends be able to live properly when that happens? Will they be able to negotiate with Resenburg? Will they be able to get in touch with officials from the original world? Are they prepared to be okay without you?" "N, no ... it''s not possible." "Even if it''s not you, you can use your genus to communicate with your original world. Isn''t that the same as with Lastock?" It''s true that Klaus-san was right, if I asked one of my genus to do the role of being a messenger in my place, they could fully fulfill the role. It may take a lot more time than if I personally visited, but to put it the other way around, I don''t need to go directly to them for matters that aren''t urgent. "As for Barshania, if it weren''t for you, we wouldn''t be able to talk about it. The same goes for returning. However, for other miscellaneous tasks, create a system where someone can take over for you, and think about getting help." "Yes, I understand." Klaus-san gave me homework and left the office. Isn''t it better to hire someone like a secretary to manage my work. Since I was at the guild, I decided to ask about it. When I went down the stairs and headed towards the counter, Fleur-san locked me in her line of sight. Is she equipped with something like an anti-Kent radar. "Kent-san, did you get permission from Klaus-sama to export iron?" "Yes, I got permission to do that." "But, how are you going to prepare 50 corads of iron." "Umm ... That, well, somehow ... It''s okay." "It''s okay, is that really true? If the deal fails, it could become a big problem between Volzard and Barshania. Do you really not need help from the guild?" "Yes, if I ask for it from a different place, it''s probably fine, so don''t worry." If I ask the Japanese government, I will probably be able to prepare about 1 to 2 tons of iron. I don''t know how much the price will be, but if you say 240,000 Burg, you can buy about 20 Orc magic stones, which the Japanese government could sell it to for about 50 million Yen, so the amount should be fine. Anyway, even though I answered that it would be fine without her help, why did Fleur-san look so dissatisfied. "You really, really, don''t need help, do you?" "Yes, I''m fine with iron, but I''d like to talk to you about something else ..." "Is there something else ... It can''t be helped. What is it?" Huh? Was it just my imagination that Fleur-san looked a little happy while saying it couldn''t be helped. "Umm ... Can I recruit someone like a secretary through the guild?" "Secretary ... is it?" "Yes, I''m a little busy with work, and I''d like to ask them to do something like managing schedules, sorting work, and communicating with others. It would be helpful to have someone who knows the situation of the country and the city, but ... How much do I have to pay to hire someone like that?" "I see ... I understand. I will accept." Flaur-san quickly answered my question. "Huh? No, no, Fleur-san is a guild employee ..." "It''s okay, I will retire." "Eeehhh ... I mean, I haven''t even decided on the salary yet ..." "Since the salary is fine ... Umm ... Permanent employment, please." "Huh? Umm ... haa?" While I couldn''t fully understand the meaning of Fleur-san''s words with blushing cheeks, a voice rose up from another place. "Hey, Fleur! What are you talking about. It''s forbidden to steal a march on us." "Right, right. Kent-san, I will take care of that secretary story." "No, no, I''d be better. My grandfather was from Barshania." "Wait, I was the first to offer." "That''s why, didn''t you promise not to steal a march on us!" "Fleur, it was your aim to appeal to Kent-san by talking in a harsh tone!" "Of course, if I don''t appeal, I''ll end up just being one of the crowd." Including Fleur-san, the four female staff behind the counter started arguing with such momentum that it seemed like they could even start a fight. "Umm ... Everyone, calm down ..." "Kent-san, it''s me, isn''t it? I''ve taken care of you this whole time, haven''t I." "Hey, Fleur, don''t jump to conclusions." "Yes, Kent-san, if you choose me, I will serve you well." "That poor chest is no good. If it''s me, I''ll satisfy you." "No ... Managing my schedule ... I, I''ll be back!" Everyone lined up behind the counter looked like a herd of carnivorous beasts, and I involuntarily put out a shield of darkness and ran away. "Aaahhh ... Wait!" "Hey, you just ran away!" "It''s because Fleur was stealing a march." "That''s right, you were tempting him last time, weren''t you." "No, that was the button on my uniform ..." "Fleur, aren''t you getting fat again?" "I told you, this cliff woman ... "A cliff, you''re so bloated!" "Stop it, you guys ..." "Shut up, old woman!" "Alright ... it looks like you don''t need your life ..." The battle between the women that broke out at the counter seemed likely to continue for some time yet. It was a promise of a different world to have a mufufu relationship with a guild''s receptionist, but being attacked by a herd of carnivorous beasts was a bit different. "Uwaa ... Scary, what''s going on?" [ Buhahaha, they''re probably aiming for Kent-sama''s riches. ] "My riches? Ah, I wonder if the guild staff know how much money has been transferred to my account." [ Well, I don''t know if they know the amount, but they do know about the Salamanders, Gigawolves, and the possession of a large amount of magic stones. ] "Eeehhh ... So, that Fleur-san''s cold attitude was calculated too?" [ Buhahaha, in any case, why don''t you hire them all together and let them serve you? ] "If I do that, the chairman will be disgusted with me." I thought that I would be able to recruit someone like a secretary at the guild, but I was troubled. For the time being, I decided to shelve the secretary story and go to the Investigation Headquarters to ask for the iron. But, I was worried about what happened to the bashing there. When I timidly peeked into the Investigation Headquarters, the desks were cleaned up, and it looked as if the Investigation Headquarters had been dismantled. Under Sudou-san''s instructions, more and more luggage was carried out. I stepped out of the way and called out to Sudou-san. "Umm, Sudou-san, this is ..." "Ah, Kokubu-kun, you''re here. As you can see, we''re moving." "Are you moving?" "Yes, we''re moving. By the way, Kokubu-kun, can you go to the place marked on a map with the movement method of lurking in the shadows?" "Umm ... I can move to places I''ve been to in the past, as long as I can see it, so if it''s not that far away, I can do it while looking at a map." "Then, you can move without being detected by the media?" "Yes, that''s fine." "Then, I''m sorry, but could you move here? Kajikawa-kun and the others should already be gone." "Eh, here ..." The location shown on the map was about 500 meters south of Toubu Nerima Station on the Toubu Toujou line. It was the Ground Self-Defense Force''s Nerima garrison. CH 142 Policy change ***---*** There was a discount store nearby, in front of the Ground Self-Defense Force, Nerima garrison, so I''ve been there many times. The site, which was sandwiched between Kawagoe Kaidou on the north side and Kanpachi Doori on the southeast side, was considerably larger than the surrounding residential area. Perhaps the news that the Investigation Headquarters had been transferred had already been conveyed, and many media outlets had gathered in front of the main gate. I was a little concerned that if such a situation were to occur, there would have been many helicopters flying for coverage, but not a single helicopter was seen this time. There must have been some sort of regulation in place. I had passed in front of the gate many times, but this was the first time I had set food inside the premises. Here at Nerima garrison, there were events such as cherry blossom viewing in the spring and fireworks in the summer to promote interaction with local residents, but my house was a little far away, so I hadn''t participated in them. The map handed to me by Sudou-san also showed the locations of the buildings inside the premises, and I searched for the location of the Investigation Headquarters based on that. Even so, it was a strange and unusual situation for an Investigation Headquarters to have been set up in the garrison of the Self-Defense Forces. I wonder what could have happened. The Investigation Headquarters was set up in a corner of the barracks near the center of the site, and the surrounding area was guarded by Self-Defense Force officers with rifles, and armored vehicles were also placed. The security was so strict that you wouldn''t believe it was in Japan. [ Kent-sama, is this a military garrison? ] "That''s right, that person in charge of security has a weapon from this world, and it shoots bullets using the principle of explosives that I talked to Klaus-san about before." [ Hohou, so it''s a weapon that even those who can''t use magic can use? ] "Yeah, you don''t need to chant, you can shoot continuously, and as long as you don''t run out of bullets or have it malfunction, it will show its power stably." [ Hou, there is such a weapon ... ] After all, his knight''s blood must have been noisy, Reinhardt seemed to be intrigued. In addition to familiar faces such as Kajikawa-san and Morita-san, there were also Self-Defense officers in the Investigation Headquarters. If I show up suddenly, it might cause a stir, so I''ll ask first before going out. "Kajikawa-san, is it okay if I go out here?" "Oh, Kokubu-kun, please wait a minute. Everyone, please listen to me for a moment. Kokubu Kento-kun will move here in a moment using magic. I''m sure some of you will be seeing it for the first time, but please don''t be surprised." When Kajikawa-san raised his voice and called out, the Self-Defense Forces personnel who had been working silently stopped what they were doing and paid attention. Hmm ... I don''t like being the center of attention, but it can''t be helped. I put out a shield of darkness next to Kajikawa-san and stepped out from there. "Hello, I''m Kokubu Kento. Nice to meet you." "Oohh ..." I bowed my head in greeting, and after a commotion resounded, for some reason there was applause. Yeah, it''s not a magic show. "Kajikawa-san. Why did the Investigation Headquarters move here?" "That''s because the Japanese government has officially recognized the existence of another world." Kajikawa-san, as he said at the Investigation Headquarters the other day, advised his superiors in the Cabinet Secretariat to release details of my background and Camilla''s apology video. "Well ... In the end, it wasn''t my advice, but the girl Kokubu-kun brought back first that was the decisive factor." "Eh, is that about Kizawa-san?" "Yes, I finally understand why Kokubu-kun was looking so uneasy. She''s an outrageous predator." Morita-san, who was listening to our conversation nearby, nodded his head many times. I was told that since Kizawa-san came back to Japan, she was thought to have been quietly at her house the whole time, but during that time, she had been making careful preparations. While the Japanese government was considering whether or not to announce the details of the incident, Kizawa-san began disseminating information at once using SNS, blogs, and video posting sites. It was said that she wrote about the details of the incident on SNS and blogs, and uploaded many videos showing the scenery of Volzard on video posting sites. Various types of beastkins, fruits and vegetables that were not seen on Earth, Goblins and Kobolds filmed from the ramparts, and magic being used at the training grounds. It seemed that the Kizawa Group split up and collected the videos they shot, transferred them to their smartphones, and took them home. Naturally, with a tremendous number of views and more comments than could be read, Kizawa-san seemed to have become a person of the moment. Moreover, Kizawa-san''s strategy didn''t end there. It seemed that they announced through the publisher that an autobiography that described the background of the incident and life in another world would be released. It seemed that she had been writing sentences on her smartphone since she was in Volzard, and some of the contents had been made public, and that had also become a big topic, and it seemed that it was even expected to become the best seller this year. "Her father is a translator, her mother is a writer of children''s literature, and I heard that they had a relationship with the publisher from the beginning, but did you know, Kokubu-kun?" "No, I was in a different class, so I don''t know anything about her family''s occupations." "Well, thanks to Kizawa-san, Kokubu-kun''s honor was protected." "Eh, what do you mean?" "Well, the proof is better than the theory, can you take a look ..." Kajikawa-san took me to his computer and showed me Kizawa-san''s blog. "if you want to see other pages, could you please open them in a different tab? It seems that access is concentrated, and once you leave the page, it becomes difficult to connect." As if to support Kajikawa-san''s words, even though it was just opened yesterday, the access counter was lined with ten-digit numbers. "Eeehhh ... Is this really Kizawa-san''s blog?" When I read the page titled Hero, I involuntarily muttered. There, regardless of his crisis, he confronted the Kingdom of Resenburg alone, rescued his classmates and teachers even though he was severely injured by having his stomach skewered, and protected a city in another world from a horde of monsters that filled the ground, like a written Hero, he protected a city in another world from a horde of monsters that completely covered the ground. "Well ... Reading this again, Kokubu-kun''s work is truly wonderful. Once the remaining classmates have finished returning, you should be given the People''s Honor Award ... There is a lot of talk on the internet. " "Eeehhh ... People''s Honor Award ... They were totally in a state of disrepair yesterday, weren''t they." "I wonder if it''s thanks to Kizawa-san ... Here, try scrolling to the bottom." "Haa ... Eeehhh ... This, after all, it wasn''t written by Kizawa-san, right." "Ehh, why is that?" "Because, it''s too different from when she was in Volzard." In her blog, she wrote about my courageous actions, my compassion for my classmates, my philanthropic spirit of showing mercy to even my enemies, my fighting power, my economic power, my negotiating skills, and so on, making me an indispensable human resource for Volzard. With such achievements, she asserts that dating three women was nothing more than a trifle. I couldn''t believe it was written by someone who called me trash to my face. "Well, she may have her own purpose, but thanks to her, your public reputation has completely changed, so it''s good." "I guess so ... But it seems a bit itchy ..." "Hahahaha ... Well, I thought Kokubu-kun would say that." In the end, Kizawa-san was the first to disclose the information, so it seemed that the Japanese government was forced to admit it. And officially acknowledging the summoning of another world meant acknowledging the existence of magic, magic tools and magic stones used in another world, and it seemed that inquiries from all over the world had flooded in. "So, to be honest, we don''t know what kind of organization or group will target unknown substances and theories such as magic stones, so the security of the police station might be compromised ... That''s why we decided to move the Investigation Headquarters here." "I see ... It''s for security reasons. Ah, so that''s why the helicopters for coverage weren''t flying?" "Oh, yeah, private helicopters are prohibited from flying in this area." "Somehow, it''s become a big story." "You''re saying it as if it''s someone else''s problem, but the main purpose of security is to ensure Kokubu-kun''s safety." "Eh, my safety?" "Yes, after all, Kokubu-kun is Japan''s savior." "Huh? A savior ... I am?" When I pointed to my face and asked Kajikawa-san, everyone who was there gave a big nod. "The other day, Morita-kun went to Volzard, interviewed about the situation and inspected the scene, and then came back, right?" "Yes, I picked him up." "That''s an amazing thing. From Japan, you can come and go between different worlds. You can also transport goods. Moreover, the world over there isn''t as advanced in civilization as this one. In other words, a world where almost untouched resources lie dormant has been opened only to Japan." If engineers and survey equipment were brought from Japan to Volzard and Resenburg, resource surveys could be conducted and if mining rights were obtained in advance, resources could be monopolized. "You won''t know unless you do some research, but if you can find oil resources and rare metal deposits, it''s no longer a dream for Japan to become the world''s largest resource powerhouse." "But, I don''t know if I can pick up and drop off very many people, right?" "Of course, we will give due consideration to Kokubu-kun''s physical condition, and at the moment we are in the stage of exploring the possibilities, and we will discuss the specifics from now on, but, as Japan, which has scarce resources, we have decided to move under the initiative of the government to make it a success." "Should I carry the technicians and the investigation equipment?" "That''s right. Also, I''d like to ask for your cooperation in passing the story about the investigation to the local leaders." "The investigation, how will it be done?" "If it were Earth, it would be a survey from a satellite, but since there are no satellites over there, we would survey from an airplane or a helicopter, and if there is a high possibility, it would be a local survey." "For some reason, I didn''t even think about it, so I can''t really understand it, and I don''t even know what to do." Until now, I was only thinking about how to return the summoned classmates to Japan, so resource development in another world came as a surprise. "Kajikawa-san, I think I have to focus on the return of my classmates ..." "About that. Can you stop it for now?" "Eeehhh ... Why do you want to stop?" "In the future, when resource development in the other world gets into full swing, there will be something absolutely necessary, do you know what that is?" "Is it a local labor force?" "Yeah, but it''s not just labor, you''ll definitely need an interpreter." "Ah, I see ... There isn''t anyone in Japan who understands the language of the other side, other than Kizawa-san and Kubo-san." "That''s right. There isn''t even if you search all over the world, let alone Japan." "But, will everyone agree ..." "That''s right, it''s at the stage where we are thinking about it, so I can''t say anything." "No ... My head is in a bit of a panic. If I stop returning, what should I do first?" "Well, I figured that would happen. That''s why we also prepared countermeasures. Suzuki-kun!" "Yes ..." Kajikawa-san called out to a woman in a suit standing by the wall. (TN:Apparently ''kun'' isn''t only for males, but also a general honorific for younger co-workers regardless of gender ... Huh. Guess I can''t always tell gender by the honorific since that''s the case ...) Her hair was pulled up, and her silver-framed glasses gave an intelligent and cool impression. "Kokubu-kun, this is Suzuki-kun, who will be in charge of being Kokubu-kun''s secretary." "My name is Suzuki Yukari. Nice to meet you." "Ah, I''m Kokubu Kento. Nice to meet you." "I will mainly manage your schedule in Japan. However, as a policy of the government, it seems that the government will take the form of adjusting the schedule, giving priority to Kokubu-san''s convenience." This was more like an organization that was backing me rather than an Investigative Headquarters. Kajikawa-san coordinated with the relevant ministries and agencies, and Suzuki-san seemed to be stationed here. Morita-san and other police officers were participating in order to smoothly resolve any threats or injuries that occur to me, my classmates, or their families. "About Kokubu-kun''s father, that ... His family is also guarded by public security officers." "Thank you for your concern." If the story of resource development leaked out and I played a central role, my father and the people who live with him may be in danger, so it seems that they were taking precautionary measures. "The first thing I would like Kokubu-kun to do is to obtain permission for the investigation from the local government." "Permission for the investigation, is it ..." "We will probably start with a survey using a helicopter, so we need to secure a place where the helicopter can take off and land, and obtain permission to fly." "I see ..." I think that Klaus-san''s permission would be obtained if I explained the details and method of the investigation. However, the Landshelt Republic was a council system of seven Lords, so if the other Lords don''t agree, the area that could be investigated would be limited to the area around Volzard. When I explained that to Suzuki-san, she asked me to explain the local situation in a little more detail. So, I explained the situation in Volzard, Resenburg, and Barshania, as well as the war that seemed to be going on further west. By the way, I also added that Barshania requested that I prepare 800 kilograms of iron. Currently, it seemed that permission for the investigation would be granted smoothly only in the area around Volzard. Resenburg was in a state of political instability, and I only just made contact with Barshania. However, if they were to investigate underground resources, it would be desirable to cover as wide an area as possible. "From what Kokubu-san said, it seems like it would be best to get permission from the Lord of Volzard first, and ask for his help so that we can conduct a survey all over Landshelt." "I met the Emperor of Barshania for the first time yesterday, but he seems to be having trouble obtaining iron, so if I tell him that it might lead to the discovery of an ore vein in Barshania, he might unexpectedly grant permission." "For that reason, let''s arrange the 800 kilograms of iron that Kokubu-san requested." "Umm, Volzard also asked me for 800 kilos, so can I ask for that as well?" "Okay, I''ll take care of that." Kajikawa-san took care of arranging the iron. "From what Kokubu-kun said, it doesn''t seem like there''s been a large-scale production of iron in that world yet." "Yes, it seems that there are mines, but it seems that mining is mainly done by human power, and refining seems to rely on earth-attribute magic." "If so, it would be easier to use rebar than a lump like an ingot." Kajikawa-san made a phone call to the Cabinet Secretariat and asked for the rebar arrangement. "I think I''ll get a reply in return, but just in case, I''ve arranged 3 tons of rebar. I''m indebted to Volzard in various ways, and if I can be of any help, it would be better than that." "Thank you. But, "Hmm ... I don''t know, let''s do some research." Kajikawa-san used the Internet to research the market price of rebar. "That''s right ... It''s around 210,000 Yen." "Eh, 3 tons is?" "Yeah, it''s around 70,000 Yen per ton, so it''s about 210,000 Yen." "Eeehhh ... Is it that cheap?'' "Well, most of the rebar is recycled, and if it''s too expensive, it can''t be used as a building material." "I see ..." "Kokubu-kun, are you thinking of making a profit from the difference?" "Eh? Ah, I see, magic stones sell at a high price, iron can be obtained at a low price ... Wow, it''s a rip off ... Well, I won''t do it." "You''re not going to do it? It won''t bother anyone, and it''s like Kokubu-kun''s privilege." "No, no, I don''t know because I didn''t calculate it, but if I do it, it feels like cheating." "Is that so? If I was allowed to participate, I was thinking of making some money, but ..." "Kajikawa-san, what are you talking about?" "No ... Suzuki-kun, I''m joking, joking!" Kajikawa-san was being looked at by Suzuki-san as if she were looking at garbage. If I bring Orc magic stones from Volzard, they will buy them for 2.5 million Yen, so I could buy 35 tons of iron with that money. 35 tons is 21,875 corads. In Volzard, 1 corad of iron costs 4,800 Burgs, so 35 tons of iron would be 105 million Burgs. In Volzard, Orc magic stones cost about 12,000 Burgs, so if all the money from the sale of iron was exchanged for Orc magic stones, it would be 8750. With only two transactions, 8750 times the original amount is pretty shoddy, isn''t it? "Kokubu-san, the government has decided to dispatch a counselor in consideration of the mental state of the students. We''re still in the process of selecting people, but could you send them to Volzard once they''ve been decided?" "I don''t mind. But will that person stay in Volzard?" "We are still negotiating about that, but counseling will take time, and the daily transportation will be a burden for Kokubu-san." "That''s right. It''s not that much of a burden to bring them from here, but I''m a little worried that if they stay in Volzard for a long time, attribute magic will sprout." "Does that mean that they might end up in the same situation as the other students?" "That''s right. I don''t know if it will happen or not, but I think you should consider it as a possibility ..." "Is that so. I''ll let them know." Kajikawa-san received a call on his smartphone while we were having a conversation, and he sent me an OK sign. "Kokubu-kun, it will be delivered to me by tomorrow morning." "Yes, thank you very much." I was able to arrange for the iron, so when I thought it was about time to return to Volzard, Morita-san approached me. "Kokubu-kun, wait a minute, it looks like Kizawa-san will be on TV soon." "Eh, TV, is she going to the TV station?" "No, it''s not like that, it''s like broadcasting over the internet." Kizawa-san declared that she would answer all questions via the internet because it would be a nuisance for the media to rush around her house and it would make security difficult. She went so far as to say that she would not give any interview to TV stations, newspapers, or magazines that didn''t leave the area around her house. "When she came back, I thought she was a quiet and polite girl, but she''s frighteningly calculating." "Yes, I think she probably had a plan since she was in Volzard." It seemed that Kizawa-san was scheduled to appear on an information program at noon. If I remembered correctly, it was the program with the highest ratings during this time period, and various celebrities also appeared. The host was an actor who was a bit foul-mouthed, but I was both scared and a little excited to see how Kizawa-san would respond. The program didn''t have the usual structure, and after the opening introducing the day''s participants, it seemed that the interview with Kizawa-san would begin immediately after the commercial. After the commercial ended, the screen changed to answer the call from the studio, and there was Kizawa-san in her uniform. "Eeehhh ... It''s a different person." "Wow, she disguised herself ..." Morita-san agreed with my unintentionally leaked voice. At our school, it was forbidden to dye or bleach your hair, but when she was in Volzard, Kizawa-san had much brighter hair. Her hair should have been more voluminous and fluffy, but now she had straight black hair of an honor student. Her uniform was not worn out, and the ribbon that decorated her collar was neatly tied. The interview proceeded according to a routine, asking questions one after another about the events that happened between being summoned and returning to Japan, the situation in a town in another world, impressions of using magic, and things about me. Kizawa-san listened to each question until the end, asked frankly about the parts that didn''t make sense, and answered in a firm tone. Morita-san, who was watching the situation through the screen, leaked a groan. "Hmm ... I think she practiced a lot in advance ..." "Really?" "Yeah, I don''t have any proof, but there are people who speak calmly and logically like this during interrogations. Usually, people like that are prepared in advance and coordinate their story." "I see ..." After a series of questions, the time for the interview was about to end. The host actor-san, asked in a different tone than before. "On the internet, there are various opinions about this incident, but among them some say that Kizawa-san''s confession is a publicity stunt, what do you think?" "I know that there is such an opinion, and I think that it may be unavoidable to think that way." "Does that mean that you want to become famous and are publishing videos and memos?" "To be honest, I have a feeling of admiration for the entertainment world and idols. But, right now, I have a stronger desire to let people know exactly what happened in the world where I was summoned." "But, come on, isn''t it about money to publish an autobiography like this?" Kizawa-san didn''t lose her expression even when she was bombarded with blatantly nasty questions as if losing their temper. "I won''t deny that either. We were summoned to another world, but in Japan the school building collapsed and many people died or were injured. However, it was an incident involving magic. I was told by my parents that the insurance payments weren''t progressing because of this. I asked if the book I wrote could make money, and I''m in the process of discussing whether it can be used to make up for the lack of compensation." "Well then, the book sales, all of it will be donated." "I don''t know how much it will cost to publish, so I''ll consult with the publisher, it doesn''t matter if there''s no personal reward for me." "I see ... Huh, I don''t have time? Then, last one, last one, why is your hair suddenly black? You used to have brown hair, didn''t you?" "Because I thought it would be rude for me, a survivor, to be dressed in a flashy manner when so many people had died ..." The screen changed to a commercial while Kizawa-san was talking, as if he had pulled the time to the last minute. "It''s certainly true, Morita-san." "Kokubu-kun, you seem to have something in mind." "Marianne-san, who is the commander-in-chief of the garrison in Volzard, and Kizawa-san had a chance to talk, but at that time, more emotions showed on her face." "I see ... In that case, I feel like one of her parents might be the Producer."(TN: No, not THAT Producer, it''s just Engrish.) Marianne-san advised Kizawa-san to start preparing to become independent, and perhaps, just perhaps that preparation was connected here. Let alone a cat, Kizawa-san seemed to be wearing a tiger or a lion, where exactly are you aiming, I just pray that I don''t get involved even if she does something.(TN:The expression of wearing a cat means to put on an appearance of sweetness or friendliness, while hiding their true personality.) CH 143 Uproar''s conclusion ***---*** After returning to Volzard from the Self-Defense Force''s Nerima garrison and having lunch at the boarding house, I moved to the Devil''s Forest training ground. I thought I''d try using the earth-attribute magic I took from Kubo-san. "Reinhardt, is earth-attribute magic mainly used for construction?" [ That''s right. Earth-attribute magic manipulates soil and minerals, such as construction, mining in mines, searching for veins, and appraising minerals. ] "Isn''t it used in battle?" [ Like Lastock, it is mainly used for support such as building positions and forts, creating traps, etc, and I have never heard of using it for direct battle. ] "I see ..." Apparently, there is no recognition that earth-attribute magic is for combat in this world, but in manga and light novels, there are things like solidifying earth and shooting it out as bullets, or turning the battlefield into quagmire to block the opponents movement, the figure of an earth attribute magician who is active on the battlefield is drawn. Even with dark, light, and fire-attribute magic, I seem to be using it in an unconventional way, so it might be possible to use it with earth-attribute as well. "Well, rather than thinking about it, I''ll try various things." [ That''s right, Kent-sama would probably use it in an interesting way. ] Let''s start by digging a hole, which is a classic among classics. I held my hand over the ground and tried to grasp the situation of the soil while being conscious of the magic power of the earth attribute, but somehow it didn''t come to mind. I didn''t know how to say it, but it felt vague and out of focus. So, when I put my hand directly on the ground and concentrated my attention, I could see the underground situation. I dug a hole with a diameter and depth of about 50 centimeters by casting magic into the ground about 10 meters away. [ Oh, as expected of Kent-sama, you can use earth-attribute magic without chanting. ] "Yeah, I tried digging a hole as a test, but it seems simple and surprisingly deep ..." [ Hohou, is it just a matter of digging a hole? ] "Yeah, to dig a hole, you have to move the soil, but what are you going to do with that soil ... what is it ..." If I tried to dig two or three holes of the same size using different methods, it seemed that the consumption of magic power would differ depending on the method of digging. The easiest way to dig was to throw the soil around the hole, which was the so-called normal digging method. The next easiest way to dig was to compress the soil towards the outer circumference of the hole. With this method, the dug soil would not pile up around the hole, and a hole would suddenly open in the ground. Moreover, since the area around the hole was compressed, it was in a hardened state. The method that felt like consuming the most magical power was the method of compressing the soil towards the bottom of the hole. That method also created holes without soil coming out around it, but it was more difficult than compressing towards the outer circumference, probably because it was to further compress things that were already compressed by gravity. However, even with the method of compressing in the horizontal direction, if the diameter of the hole increased, it seemed to consume magical power in the same way as compressing in the vertical direction. Next, I tried to turn the ground into a quagmire, which was also a classic among classics, but it didn''t work. It seemed that it was possible to crush the stones in the ground and create soil with uniform particles, but it wasn''t possible to manipulate the water necessary to turn it into a quagmire. It seemed that in order to turn the ground into a quagmire, I must also acquire water-attribute magic. It was possible to move the soil and harden it, so I hardened the ground with thorns like caltrops, and I was able to build and harden an earth wall. [ As expected of Kent-sama. The earth attribute is also freely used. ] "Hmm ... I can handle it, but I don''t really understand it ... Reinhardt, this wall, it''s okay to break it to see how strong it is, so check it out." [ Understood. Then ... Fuun! ] When Reinhardt swung his fist, the earth wall shattered with a sound like crushing stones. [ This is quite strong. That''s right, it''s strong enough to be like the ones made by high-ranking magicians. ] "Is that so ... Well, I guess it''s not very user-friendly ..." [ No, Kent-sama, it''s not the highest level in terms of strength, but no one can build a wall freely without chanting. ] "Maybe so, but if I use it in battle, the shield of darkness seems to be stronger, and I can freely put it out or erase it as I wish ..." [ I see ... Kent-sama''s shield of darkness is strong enough to easily stop Nero''s charge from before he became a genus. ] "Well, if I were to leave it as a structure, it would probably be this one, but from a usability point of view, the shield of darkness would be easier ..." Finally, I tried hardening the soil to see if I could shoot it as a bullet, and it was somewhat successful. To some extent, it''s because there are conditions, or rather constraints. First of all, in order to make a bullet out of soil and launch it, it was impossible to do so without directly touching the soil. Next, it took a certain amount of time to make the bullets. Well, this seemed to be able to save time, but I would need a certain amount of practice. Also, there seemed to be a limit to the size of the bullet and the speed at which it could be fired. The larger the bullet, the slower it shot, and at present, even a pistol-sized bullet could only produce enough power to be like throwing it by hand. "Hmm ... I guess it depends on practice, but in terms of attack power, light attribute attack magic and fire attribute attack magic are better." [ It seems so. From my point of view, just being able to use earth-attribute magic as an attack is a big deal, but for Kent-sama, it''s probably not a satisfactory level. ] "Yeah, and you have to put your hands on the ground to use magic, so it''s like declaring that you''re going to use earth attribute magic." [ That''s true. If you attack or defend while revealing your hand to the opponent, the effect will be halved. ] However, the reason why it''s not easy to use is that earth attribute magic isn''t suitable for combat, so it seemed that there were various ways to use it as far as the original work was considered. After all, the shape that came to mind could be reproduced as a three-dimensional object using clay, so I wanted to try making various things. [ If it''s Kent-sama, wouldn''t you be able to make an elaborate golem? ] "Golem?" [ To put it simply, it''s a clay doll. ] Even Reinhardt didn''t know how to make golems in detail, but he taught me the general mechanism. [ It is said that if you put the magic stone into the doll as a core and shape it into a clay doll, the magician who created it can move it as they please ... ] "Hee, that sounds interesting. I have tons of magic stones, so I think I''ll give it a try ..." [ That''s fine, Kent-sama, but it''s about to get dark. ] "Ah, it''s already this time ... Then, let''s go back." Even if I didn''t know what to do, it was fun to use new magic, and I couldn''t help but lose track of time. I had to go back to the city of Volzard, show up to the teachers after class, and tell them that the Japanese government was planning to develop resources in this world. When I moved to the garrison''s temporary dormitory and watched from the shadows, I saw Takayama. Usually Takayama didn''t attend classes, but I think he attended because there was a meeting today. "Takayama, did you show up to class today?" "Kokubu ... I went to class because I wanted to talk to you, but where have you been?" "I went to a country further west of Resenburg, and then went back to Japan once." "Further west of Resenburg ... What were you doing there?" "There''s a country called Barshania, and they were trying to start a war with Resenburg, so I went to stop them." "Huh? Stop the war between countries? Are you serious ..." "So, about Takayama''s business ... Well, I can guess without asking ..." "Oh, I rented a house after being introduced to it by the guild, what is it?" Takayama had a relaxed expression, so I just kept signaling him with my eyes hoping he would understand. "Nah ... It''s good, but are you ready to live properly?" "Th, that, look, together with Celia ..." "If that''s how it is, I don''t think it''ll be settled at all ... But it''s okay." "Really? Then ..." "Still, wait here for a bit ... No, I''ll go first." "Are you going to pick up Celia already?" "No. Before that, don''t you have to do something else?" "Ah ... That''s right ..." It seemed that Takayama finally understood after I waited for him. "It''s sudden, but let''s go to Marcel-san''s shop." "Is it okay? Suddenly rushing in ..." "Yeah, but well, there''s no point in waiting forever." "Yes, I understand." I decided to visit Marcel-san''s shop with Takayama to apologize for the incident before I showed up at the teacher''s place. "That construction is pretty amazing ..." "What, Takayama, did you go see Marcel-san''s shop?" "Ah ... I didn''t get too close ... But, I watched it from afar on the way back and forth from the construction of the ramparts, and it just kept getting better and better." "That''s right. When I went there for the first time in a while, I was surprised that the outside was completely finished." "Hey, can I be forgiven ..." "Well ... That''s not for me to decide, so I don''t know." "That''s true ..." Takayama caused a ruckus where half of Marcel-san''s shop burned down, but that was the only time he stood out, and the townspeople never pointed a finger at him. The street was crowded with people returning from work and shopping, and rather, an adventurer-like person pointed at me and whispered something. At Marcel-san''s shop, Herman-san climbed the ladder to attach the signboard, as if all the work had been completed. The boot-shaped metal signboard was broken when the store burned down and was brought to a blacksmith to be repaired. "Herman, attach it firmly so that it doesn''t fall off." "I understand, so don''t mess around from below. Leave it to me!" "Ah, I don''t care if you fall." "Idiot. Hold the ladder properly." Marcel-san''s joking face seemed to overflow with uncontrollable joy at the completion of his new store. I watched from a distance until the installation of the sign was finished, and when Herman-san got off the ladder, I called out to them. "Good evening, Marcel-san, Herman-san." "Oh, it''s Kent, look, look, my shop is finally complete." "Congratulations. Thank you for your hard work, Herman-san." "Well ... I''m overwhelmed by Marcel''s orders." "What are you talking about. That''s your job. Thank you, Kent. It''s thanks to you that I''ve been able to come this far." "No, no, it''s because of Marcel-san''s hard work. So ..." "Oh, what happened ..." It seemed that Marcel-san noticed Takayama who was waiting behind me when I gave him a look. "This one here is from that time ..." "I''m sorry!" Facing Marcel-san, who had an angry expression on his face, Takayama lowered his head as if he were about to hit his knees. A heavy silence drifted in the air, and some of the passers-by stopped while wondering what was going on. I thought about saying something to Marcel-san to mediate for Takayama, but I couldn''t think of the right words to say. Herman-san was also staring at Takayama with a stern expression. "Here, you''ll get in the way of the passers-by, enter the store ..." Leaving behind muttered words, Marcel-san opened the door of the store and went inside. I bowed my head to Herman-san, who urged me to go in first, and went through the entrance of the store with Takayama. "Uwaa ... Amazing ..." The interior of the store had also been completed, and the shelves were lined with a variety of shoes, from sturdy work boots to slender, stylish shoes for women. "This was all made by Marcel-san. It''s amazing ..." "That''s right, the shoes lined up here are all my masterpieces. And there were many shoes lined up in the store that day." "Really, I''m sorry." To Takayama, who once again bowed his head, Marcel-san continued. "Do you understand what I just said?" "Yes, I burned an important product ..." "No, that''s not right. The shoes lined up here aren''t just merchandise. You see, the shoes here are made with all my heart, thinking of the person who will wear them. Each and every pair of shoes is a part of my life, filled with thought and time. And you burned them." Takayama''s face turned pale when he heard Marcel-san''s words, and sweat was running down his cheeks even though it was midwinter. "I heard from Kent that you go to the ramparts construction, right?" "Yes, I''m not very dexterous ..." "How would you feel if the walls you built were destroyed in front of you?'' "That ... I would think it''s frustrating." "That''s right, it was frustrating and irritating ... I felt like I was going insane. Because of that, I also treated Kent poorly. I''m sorry about that time." "No, it can''t be helped in that situation." Marcel-san at that time, trampled on my prostrated head, rather, I was full of apologetic feelings. "Hey, show me your hands." "Eh, hands, huh ...?" "Yes, show me the palms of your hands." "Y, yes ..." Takayama''s hands looked rough and hard, and there were cracks here and there and blood stains on them. "What Kent said seems to be true ..." After confirming the feel of his hands, Marcel-san looked straight ahead at Takayama again. "Let''s be honest, I still don''t feel like completely forgiving you. However, I will forgive you on behalf of Kent''s honor. Did Klaus-san also pardon you?" "Yes, I had the bracelet removed." "I had a hard time too, but I borrowed the money to rebuild the store through the guild without having to pay it back, so I don''t have any financial problems. You know who paid that money, right?" "Yes, that, Kokubu ..." "That''s right, Kent had taken over the entire amount, and it should have been compensated with the money you earned from building the ramparts. What do you think would have happened to the money if you were forgiven in the form of an amnesty?" "Eh ... Ah!" "The Lord of Volzard, it''s because he''s calculating ... Isn''t that right, Kent." "Haa ... Well, he''s going to become my father-in-law one day, so it can''t be helped." "Well then, it can''t be helped." Marcel-san loosened his expression a little, but quickly returned to a stern expression. "No matter who sees you, live a life that''s not embarrassing. I will forgive you this time, but if you do something stupid again, I will kick you out of Volzard, so be prepared. Understood!" "Yes, really, I''m truly sorry!" When Takayama bowed his head once more, Marcel-san''s expression finally softened. "Even so, you''re wearing dirty shoes ... What''s with that." "Excuse me, I need some money ..." "Haa? Bastard, what are you saying ..." "Oh ... That''s wrong, that''s wrong, Marcel-san, it''s not like that." "It''s different, what''s wrong, Kent." "Umm, you see ... There''s a bit of special circumstances ..." I told Marcel-san about Takayama''s circumstances after being summoned, the welcome to Volzard, and about Celia''s circumstances whom he was planning to start a new life with. "Does that mean that young lady belongs to the royal family?" "Well, in terms of blood lineage, that''s true, but she seems to want to cut ties with the royal family." "Well, if she''s treated like that, it will be like that ... Are you okay? Will you let her eat properly?" "That ... I''ll do my best with all I have!" "Hey, I can''t rely on you for some reason ... Hey, don''t be so unsteady, I''ll support your feet. Sit on the chair over there and take off those dirty shoes!" "Eh, but, the money ..." "Don''t rattle your mouth, hurry up!" "Y, yes!" Marcel-san measured Takayama''s feet, threw the dirty shoes into the trash can, and brought in two pairs of work boots. "Try them on." "Yes ..." "How is it?" "It seems a little loose ..." "Okay, change to these shoes over here ... How is it?" "Yes, this is better ..." "Don''t be shy. Be honest, honest." "Yes, it seems to hit the side a little ..." "Okay, just take them off for now ..." Just like when I received my shoes, Marcel-san adjusted the work boots to fit Takayama''s feet with a serious expression. "How about this time?" "Yes, it''s a perfect fit." "Okay, I''ll give it to you as a pre-wedding celebration." "Eehh ... But ..." "In exchange, don''t be unsteady. If you show a pitiful appearance, Kent will steal your wife." "Hey, Marcel-san, I wouldn''t do that." "I don''t know ... Aren''t you also being targeted by the guild onee-chans?" "Ueehh ... Why do you know that ..." "Kent, you should realize that you are getting more attention than you think." "Guh ... I''ll be careful." Takayama''s shoulders were trembling next to me while Marcel-san was joking around. "Thank you, thank you ... For such an idiot like me ... Uuu ..." "You idiot, don''t cry. You''re going to be the breadwinner of the family from now on, aren''t you? Be cool, cool!" "Yes ... Yes ... Yes!" He slapped Takayama on the head while telling him not to cry, but there was something shining in Marcel-san''s eyes as well. "That''s right, the shop will open with a new look, so we have to celebrate." "Cut it out, hey Kent, how much do you think I am indebted to you." "No, no, my stupid classmates were causing a lot of trouble ... I wonder what''s good ..." [ Kent-sama, what about a Minotaur''s horn? ] [ I see, that''s good! ] Minotaur horns were impressive as ornaments, and if you''re short on money, you could sell them at a high price as a material for magic tools. From the shadow storage, I picked the one that looked the best and took it out. "Well then ... congratulations on the opening of the new shop!" "I, idiot ... This is, a Minotaur horn. How can I get such an expensive item!" "Ah, it''s okay. It''s just sitting around, so please don''t worry about it." "No, even if you tell me not to worry about it ..." "That''s right, Herman-san, could this nicely decorate a corner somewhere?" "Oh, that''s right ... After all, the place where you can see it immediately after entering the store is good. How about the back wall?" "Good. Can I ask you to install it?" "Ah, leave it to me, it''s an easy task." "Idiot, Herman, what are you doing?" "It''s fine, just take it. If you advertise that even the ''Monster User'' shops here, sales will definitely increase." "You ... Haa, I understand. Thank you, Kent." Marcel-san was somehow convinced and accepted it, and although there was some trouble with the decoration in the corner after that, we were finally able to put an end to the uproar. CH 144 Princess vs Idiot Parent, Idiot Brothers ***---*** After leaving Marcel-san''s shop, I said goodbye to Takayama and returned to the garrison quarters to report to the teachers. I was thinking of going straight to report, but Yagi was still there with a stoic expression on his face, so I tried to talk to him. He was attending a guild class when there was the maximum outbreak of Orcs, so I was a little curious about what happened after that. It seemed that he was beaten up while having a meeting with a girl. "Yagi ..." "Oh, Kokubu, good timing." "Good timing, what do you want?" "No, it''s okay to talk about you first, you have something to do with me, right?" "No, a little while ago you said you were going to attend a guild class, so I was wondering what happened after that ..." "Ah, I see. Hmm ... Well, I started to participate, but I had to stop because of the Orc disturbance." "Ah, I see, Donovan-san was also on defense." Yagi had a disappointed look on his face, probably because he took the trouble to participate but failed. "Hey, you did something to repel them again, right?" "It''s a strange way of saying I did something ... Well, that''s how it was." "We were evacuated to the guild''s bar, so I didn''t see it directly, but I heard that some commanded Orcs were attacking." "Yeah, according to Donovan-san, it seems that the superior species mobilized them and made them act." "Kah, it''s super troublesome if monsters have a habit of coming up with strategies to attack." "Well, I was busy this time because Lastock was attacked at the same time." "Why did you even save Resenburg? There''s no need for that." When I told him that I had been to Lastock to help, Yagi made a blatantly disgusted face. Well, considering how he was treated at the garrison, and how he almost died when he was sent out to battle, it was only natural that he should feel that way. "But then, there are ordinary people living in Lastock. A fox beastkin girl had also taken refuge ..." "What! Kokubu, you did a good job. Wait, you didn''t lay your hands on that girl, did you?" "I don''t have that much free time ..." "Then it should be fine. Alright, well done!" Yeah, Leela-chan was a little girl of about 5 years old, and she''s going to be my wife ... It''s a secret that I was told that, but I won''t stop Yagi from making arbitrary misunderstandings. "Speaking of which, doesn''t Yagi have something to do with me, too?" "Oh, right. To tell you the truth ... Can we talk about the future for a moment?" "Talk about the future ...?" "Ah, Kokubu is doing his best to be able to return us to Japan, but only two of us have been able to return so far, right?" "Yeah, it''s just Kizawa-san and Kubo-san." "Frankly, we men don''t know when we''ll be able to go home." "Well, that''s right ..." Or rather, due to the change in government policy, it may be even longer before they return. "So, Kokubu, you came to Volzard earlier than us and are now living alone." "Well, yes, but ..." "Well, I''d like to ask you something about that experience. What kind of work have you done so far, how the boarding house is, and how you interact with the people of the town ..." "I see ... Right now?" "No, the day after tomorrow is the day of rest, isn''t it. Because us boys will buy you lunch, please talk to us for a bit." "The day after tomorrow ... Well, that''s fine." "Seriously? That''s great, Kokubu, I owe you a favor." Actually, I was thinking of spending the day of rest with the chairman and the others, but it couldn''t be helped if it comes to the future of my classmates after being asked to do so. The fact that the Japanese government requires an interpreter, it''s no good if I don''t talk about it at some point, Yagi and the others would probably ask me a lot of questions. I parted with Yagi who was relieved, perhaps because I made an appointment, and headed towards Oda-sensei''s room. Whether the timing was good or bad, Katou-sensei was right there and scolded me right away. "I''m fully aware that Kokubu is busy, and I understand that you don''t feel the need for classes because you''re staying here to live. However, there was also talk about Sekiguchi''s passing this time. After all, I definitely told you to show your face." "Excuse me, I''ll talk about that later, so report first ..." "What happened?" "Yes, the Japanese government has changed its policy and asked us to wait for everyone to return." "What! We finally found a way to return, but what do you mean by waiting a little longer!" "The Japanese government intends to embark on resource development in this world." "Resource development ...?" Katou-sensei asked me to continue after meeting with Oda-sensei. "Detective Morita came to interview about Sekiguchi-san''s suicide, didn''t he? Because of that, he thought it was possible to travel between Japan and Volzard, so he wanted to send an engineer to conduct a resource survey. They seem to think that if we can discover petroleum resources or rare metal deposits, Japan will be on the road to becoming a resource powerhouse." "So, what is it, because Kokubu is going to be busy picking up and dropping off the technicians, the return of the students will be postponed?" "No, it''s not like that, it seems that they want to ask for an interpreter when full-scale resource development starts here." "Interpreter huh ..." Katou-sensei seemed to have understood the reason for interrupting the return, but it seemed that he wasn''t satisfied. "But, Kokubu, if they hear that the return will be postponed in the current situation, there will be people who follow Sekiguchi." According to Katou-sensei, the group of Sekiguchi-san''s friends who got involved with me in the cafeteria were suffering from severe homesickness. At today''s school assembly, they loudly insisted that they wanted to return to Japan as soon as possible, and they got into an argument with the boys, and some of them ended up crying. "Certainly, I can''t tell them in such a situation. Come to think of it, they''re dispatching a counselor, and they''re rushing to find someone." "Such a person would be helpful, but aren''t they slow to respond?" "Even so, it can''t be helped because they just found out that they can come over here." "Ah ... That''s right." Although Katou-sensei admitted his misunderstanding, he couldn''t hide his frustrated expression and seemed to be under a lot of stress. Oda-sensei, who was watching, brought up another topic. "Kokubu, I have a question for you, is it possible to make mobile phones work?" "Huh? From here? No, that''s a little ..." "Was it your shield of darkness? It''s connected to the world of shadows, isn''t it?" "Yes, that''s right, but ..." "People can''t enter the world of shadows, but things can, right?" "Ah ... I see, can radio waves pass through?" "Give it a try." "Yes, then ..." Oda-sensei turned on his smartphone and showed me the screen. Of course none of the antennas are up and out of range is displayed. I put out a 30 cm square shield of darkness in front of me and connected it to the shadow space, but the display was still out of range. So, at the moment when I put out another shield of darkness to connect the shadow space to Japan. Ringtones rang out from all over the dormitory, and screams and cheers erupted. Both Oda-sensei and Katou-sensei hurriedly started making phone calls using their smartphones. "Hell, it''s me ... No, I''m still in Volzard ..." "It''s me, me ... Don''t be an idiot, it''s not a scam, it''s not a ghost, it''s me!" Katou-sensei''s desperation almost made me burst out laughing, but when I realized that I had no smartphone and no one to hang out with, I somehow felt uncomfortable in this place. After about an hour, I cut off the connection and left a note requesting that the government change its policy, then dived into the shadow space and leaned on Nero. "Nya, Goshujin-sama, you''re tired, nya. Take a little rest, nya." "Yeah, but if I fall asleep, the call will be interrupted ..." Even if I leave the shield of darkness out, it doesn''t feel like it consumes much magical power. Is it because the dark attribute is the attribute I originally possessed. Even so, if I leave it out for about an hour, I will definitely be worn out. "Hey, Reinhardt." [ What is it, Kent-sama? ] "Is it possible to make a golem use magic?" [ Make a golem use magic? I''ve never heard of such a thing. ] "A golem is made with a magic stone as its core, right?" [ That''s right. That''s what I''ve heard. ] "If that''s the case, isn''t it something like an artificial monster?" [ I see, when you say that, I feel like that''s true. ] "Then, if I make it with the dark attribute, I wonder if it can maintain the shield of darkness instead of me." [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, you think of some interesting things. ] It didn''t have to move to maintain the shield of darkness, and I don''t have to worry about it being destroyed if I left it in the shadow space. The question was whether or not such a thing was possible, but I felt like it might be possible if I tried. If I could create a situation where the cell phones were always connected, it could alleviate their homesickness a little. I was about to disconnect and go back to the boarding house when Fred called out to me. [ Kent-sama ... Barshania is arguing ... ] "Eh, is that a conflict over the suspension of the dispatch of troops?" [ Anyway, please come here and see for yourself ... ] "I understand." Emperor Constant was the only one who promised to stop sending troops. Perhaps Gregory and Nicolae were against it. Excluding the 20,000 soldiers led by Constant, there were 15,000 soldiers led by those two. If they invaded Resenburg, a big battle would be unavoidable. When I went to Chowsk''s palace, the royal family gathered in the dining room and were raising their voices and arguing. "No, no, I won''t admit it!" "Why, Father! Even though we exchanged a contract already, are you going to say that we''re going to change it now!" It seemed that Constant and Seraphima were at odds. "I also agree with Father''s opinion." "That''s right, I can''t accept such a thing!" "Even my brothers are doing that ..." The fact that both Gregory and Nicolae agreed with Constant meant that Seraphima was struggling alone. It was an unthinkable situation for those Idiot Parent and Idiot Brothers. "Anyway! I won''t accept a marriage with a boy of doubtful origin!" Ah, it was a very predictable situation. "Hey, Fred, isn''t it better if I didn''t come?" [ No way ... It''s important to marry the Maou ... ] "Hmm ... As far as I''m concerned, as long as Barshania gives up on the invasion, that''s enough ..." [ If you forge a relationship with Barshania ... You will be able to suppress Resenburg ... ] "That may be true, but ..." It''s true that if I build a friendly relationship with Barshania, even if Resenburg becomes hostile, I''ll be able to cooperate with them in a pincer attack. But, I don''t think it makes much sense, because I won''t allow Resenburg to attack Volzard while I''m alive. [ Not only for Kent-sama ... For the prosperity of your descendants ... ] "No, even if you say prosperity of descendants ..." In the dining room, Seraphima continued to struggle alone. "You''ve spread the word about marrying someone who slipped through security and got into my bedroom, but you''re going to go back on your words?" "No, but Sera-chan was the only one who saw him ..." "Father! Then, who is said to have delivered this letter?" "Th, that is ..." "That must be Kobold he controls!" "So, Gregory-niisama is telling me to marry a Kobold!" "No, that kind of thing is ..." "Here, right! How about pretending that it never happened?" "Nikolae-niisama! Are you telling me to deceive the people! Then, what do you plan to do if Kent-sama shows up with the iron!" Huh? Have I been upgraded to Kent-sama? [ Seraphima ... She reads the letter again and sighs ... ] "Eeehhh ... I don''t think it''s a letter that makes you sigh ..." [ Correction of a maiden in love ... ] According to Fred, who continued the reconnaissance, Seraphima sighed sadly as she read over and over, the letter I had left to report the situation in Resenburg. But, I wonder if it''s true ... I don''t think there''s any reason for her to fall in love with me. [ Kent-sama ... Don''t doubt your genus ... ] "Uhii, I''m sorry." Emotions were leaking again. "But, Sera-chan, 50 corads of iron in 5 days is impossible no matter what." "That''s right, as expected of my father, it''s an unreasonable demand ... No, no, you have him a severe condition." Hearing Gregory and Nicolae''s words, Constant nodded with satisfaction, while Seraphima, on the other hand, showed a frustrated expression. "Father ..." "N! He took it upon himself. I won''t permit it if it lacks even one roud." "Then, if Kent-sama can prepare 50 corads of iron, will you approve the marriage?" "No, that''s ... Yes, I just promised to refrain from dispatching troops. I didn''t promise he could marry Sera-chan!" "However, father, you said, choose either marriage or death. If Kent-sama wants to marry me, will you approve it?" "Th, that is ..." "Emperor of Barshania, are you going to go back on the words that Constant Liforos himself said?" Yeah, the Idiot Parent is at a disadvantage, but I wonder how long this parent-child skit Part 2 will last ... [ Kent-sama ... Dinner ... ] "Eh, this is ...?" [ From the kitchen ... I got it ... ] "Hee, is this Barshanian cuisine." What Fred thoughtfully brought to me was the dinner that was to be served to the Imperial Family. What of Volzard, the menu included grilled chicken thighs with different spices, thin bread like naan, salads, and a whitish drink. The whitish drink was a mixture of yoghurt and lactic acid drink, and the chicken looked like so-called tandoori chicken. "Afafuu ... This is pretty delicious ... Yup, yup ..." [ Then ... I have high hopes for the new wife''s menu ... ] "No, no, if I add more than this, the chairman and Manon will get angry." [ But, if you refuse, it will be an international problem ... That''s also serious ... ] "Uuh ... I wonder if I can''t do something without that happening ..." [ First of all, it''s impossible ... ] Where Fred pointed, Seraphima was still speaking. At first glance, she looked like a loli kid, but Seraphima was the one who got the point across. "Seraphima. Why are you so obsessed with him?" "Father, please think about it. Where else can you find someone who can toy with the elite of Barshania to such an extent and then prepare 50 corads of iron in such a short period of time? For Barshania, it would be nothing but a loss not to form a relationship with such a person." "But, Sera-chan ..." "Will Gregory-niisama''s subordinates be able to do the same thing as last night''s uproar? What about Nicolae-niisama''s subordinates?" At Seraphima''s words, both of them frowned. Perhaps, the Barshanian army would be able to demonstrate their full strength in a head-on battle of strength. However, I don''t think they''re good at fighting like my genus. "Nn, nnnnn! Anyway, it''s whether he can prepare 50 corads of iron or not. If he can''t prepare it, we will invade Resenburg, and I will hunt him down and kill him! Good!" "Father ..." "No, this story is over. Let''s have dinner!" "I understand ..." Seraphima''s cheeks puffed up when the discussion was cut off, and the other three loosened their cheeks sloppily when they saw that ... Yeah, it''s a regular family skit. "Haa ... Fred, don''t scare me. Since you said they were arguing, I was wondering what kind of serious situation they were in." [ Taking a bride is a serious matter ... You were able to enjoy Barshanian cuisine ... ] "Well, I''m glad about that. Can you put the dishes back?" [ Roger ... Continue scouting ... ] "Yeah, please." Maybe it was because I ate dinner that I got a little sleepy, but since I came to Barshania, I''ll take a look at the situation in Lastock. There''s also the fact that Takayama was urging me. CH 145 Celia mother and daughter ***---*** Camilla was in the living room of the floor where Count Gleisner was staying. Hey, this was the floor Takayama used, wasn''t it. Since one floor was occupied, it seemed that Zephalos and Walter were staying here. After dinner, the two seemed to be discussing their future plans while drinking tea. "Good evening, can I have some tea, please?" "Maou-sama, yes, right away. Erna, tea ..." "Yes, as you wish." The maid who Camilla ordered to make the tea was the maid who was assigned to the chairman. As I sat down on the sofa, Count Gleisner asked impatiently. "Maou-dono, how is it going with Barshania?" "They''re still in Chowsk." "Oh, they''re not ready to leave yet, are they?" "No, it seems that they were planning to leave early this morning, but I had them cancel it." Camilla immediately reacted to my speech. "Maou-sama, from what you just said, it seems that you have negotiated with Barshania ..." "Yeah, I negotiated with Emperor Constant and received a grace period of five days." "What, you negotiated directly with the Emperor ..." "As expected of Maou-sama, you are far beyond our imagination." Count Gleisner opened his eyes wide in surprise as if he had forgotten that I suddenly appeared at his place, and Camilla nodded repeatedly as if it was only natural. "But, Maou-sama, what will happen after five days have passed?" "It doesn''t matter. I''ll have the iron ready to trade tomorrow, and if I deliver it, Barshania promises to stop the invasion." "What''s that, Maou-dono, are you planning to supply iron to Barshania?" "Yes, about 50 corads ..." "50 corads! What do you plan to do if they use that iron to forge weapons and attack?" "If they say that they will fight in vain, I will stop them, but it seems that Barshania has no intention of doing so." "Can you trust such a story? The other party is that Barshania." The face of Count Gleisner, who raised his voice, showed suspicion towards Barshania. "Excuse me, Count Gleisner, have you ever met Emperor Constant?" "What''s that ... it''s not ... but, what is it." "How can you say you can''t trust someone you''ve never met?" "Maou-dono doesn''t know. To what extent has the country of Barshania used palliative means to seize the opportunity to invade?" "Then, do you know that Barshania has repeatedly sent personal letters?" "What ... Personal letters? From Barshania?" "Yes, he said that he had sent personal letters many times, but he hadn''t received a decent reply." "Fumu ..." I thought he would deny it immediately, but both Camilla and Count Gleisner both thought about it. In other words, in the Kingdom of Resenburg, even personal letters from other countries could be crushed. "What do you think Camilla-sama?'' "There can''t be any lies in Maou-sama''s story. Probably the Prime Minister is crushing them." It seemed that Camilla, who had been crushed to the end, couldn''t help but feel resentment when she asked for help even by using a fast horse. "Maou-dono, is Barshania''s purpose to obtain iron?" "That''s right. Emperor Constant is worried about the war between the Republic of Kilia and the Jogesen Empire." It seemed that Count Gleisner was convinced when I told him about the situation of Kilia and Jogesen that I heard from Constant and Barshania''s thoughts on it. "However, if Barshania obtains a large amount of iron ..." "In the case of Resenburg, we have to do something about the domestic situation instead of worrying about iron and so on." "Kuh, Maou-dono can tell me a story that hurts the ears ..." "I have already arranged for the iron, so if I can deliver it to Barshania tomorrow, I will be able to finish it, but what about this situation?" Count Gleisner turned the paper spread out on the table so that I could easily read it. The family names of those who were thought to be nobles of Resenburg were listed there. "We have just sent letters to the thirty-six noble families of Resenburg and one hundred and twenty-four first-generation noble families. From the royal castle and the early horse sent to Alphonse-sama, the nobles on their way should receive news, but not all nobles will receive it. Therefore, I will send a letter to all the nobles to let them know Camilla-sama''s determination." "Speaking of the thirty-six families, the nobles of the First Prince faction are also included, aren''t they?" "Indeed. Even among those who weighed Alphonse-sama and Bernst-sama on the scales, if the other party changed to Camilla-sama, there might be someone who would change their policy." "Also, this is what you were talking about last time." "Right. Perhaps Havre Calvine is already working with some of the nobles. However, if those people read Camilla-sama''s letter, there should be some among them who will have their hearts shaken." Count Gleisner said it with a lot of confidence, but when I thought about it, I couldn''t deny that he depended on Camilla''s popularity. I felt like Havre Calvine, who was in charge of the mines, was taking a more realistic approach. "Isn''t Havre Calvine making more lucrative promises, such as territories and tax rates?'' "Just as Maou-dono says, if it''s Havre, he will probably make that kind of promise. However, unlike Camilla-sama, there is no guarantee that he will be able to fulfill his promise. If Alphonse-sama and the others crushed each other ... If they could cooperate with Barshania and seize the real power of the country ... Since it''s a story based on an uncertain future, they probably won''t be able to keep their promises or make a promise that can be left in writing." Camilla was still a member of the royal family, but Havre was just a member of the nobility at this point. In other words, he was not in a position to decide on matters such as territories and tax rates. "Most of the first-generation aristocrats are those who have made a fortune through business, so they are quick to profit. However, those who are simply preoccupied with short-term profits will not be able to make enough money to obtain the status of a generation of nobles." "It means that they won''t be moved by so much as dangling an empty promise from Havre." "Exactly. After that, look at the reaction after the swift horse arrives." A group of three Kobolds were attached to the fast horse to act as a marker to inform me of its position, and to act as a liaison in case something happened. If the First Prince faction comes into contact with Havre Calvine''s forces, they will contact me so that I can monitor the reaction. As for the power struggle in Resenburg, this is fine. So, I decided to talk to Camilla about another matter. "Camilla, changing the subject, how are Celia-san and her mother doing?" "Yes, I''ve given her a room to spend time with her, but ... her mother''s health isn''t very good." "You showed her to the doctor, right?" "Yes, of course. However, there aren''t many skilled healers in Lastock right now ..."(TN:Since you took our Saint ... Oh wait ...) "Okay, please guide me to where the two of them are. ICount Gleisner, I''ll let you know when Alphonse and Havre''s movements are known." "I''m begging you, Maou-dono." I shook hands with Count Gleisner and left the room with Camilla. As we made our way to the room where Celia-san and her mother were staying together, she told a story about them. The fourth queen of the Resenburg royal family, Flosche, was originally a farmer''s daughter. It was said that when King Alexis Resenburg went out hunting, he was caught in a storm, saw her for the first time in a village where he stopped by to take shelter from the rain, and she was brought along to the royal castle. What kind of hunting was he doing, he''s a completely outrageous King. For Alexis, who had grown tired of being around the daughters of nobles who grew up sheltered, the rustic Flosche was new to him, for a while, he began to visit the dormitory frequently, and it seemed that they had a child, Celia. When Flosche came to the royal castle, the Queens thought it was a whim of Alexis, and even sympathized with her, but as soon as they heard that she was pregnant, they exposed their hostility. Flosche felt that her life was in danger, and appealed to Alexis, who hid her outside the royal castle. After giving birth to Celia, she returned to the royal castle. From Flosche''s point of view, her child was a girl, and there were already three Princes, so she thought she wouldn''t be disliked so much. However, her expectations weren''t met. Until she gave birth, she hid herself in some influential aristocratic mansion. Wasn''t it possible that a marriage promise had already been exchanged with a noble''s son. Wouldn''t that nobleman harm their own son and aim for the throne. The Princes'' parents, the three Queens, were frightened by the unfounded suspicion and treated her coldly because of her low status. Even so, the reason Celia was able to grow up without being assassinated was because she had promised to obtain the consent of the three Queens before the marriage, and because she was recognized as a tool for political marriage. Flosche and Celia spent their stifling days in the royal castle under the watchful eyes of the three Queens. It seemed that the clothes they wore were shabbier than the castle maids, and their meals were on the same level as the servants. Still, a life that seemed humiliating for the three Queens, was rather blessed for Flosche, who was born and raised in a farming village and lived in poverty. The only thing Flosche felt sorry for was that Celia had no children to play with. Since she was a member of the royal family, she couldn''t attend an outside school, and although her tutor taught her about her studies, it seemed that she was forbidden to associate with the children of the other Queens and the sons of nobles. The mother and daughter continued to live just waiting for the day when a political marriage was decided, and it seemed that she was ordered to conceive a child with Takayama. "It''s kind of like Cinderella ..." "Shin ... What is it? Maou-sama." "It''s the story of a girl who is bullied by half-sisters in my world." "Is there such a story?" "Yeah, she''s bullied, bullied, but in the end she''s happy." Camilla stopped her feet and after a moment of silence she started talking. "I couldn''t interfere in their lives in the royal castle, and since she was born into the royal family, I wouldn''t be able to raise any objection to the person who was chosen." "Then why didn''t you deal with Takayama yourself?" "That is ..." "It was Camilla who ordered Celia-san to be Takayama''s partner, wasn''t it?" "Yes ..." "Calling him a monkey, and a Snot-nosed Hero, commanding the one who makes a fool of you, there''s no way to say that you''re not responsible, is there?" "Yes ... I''m sorry." Camilla guided me to a dormitory for the female staff working at the garrison. "Is this a residence suitable for royalty?" "No, I prepared a larger room, but the two of them said this one would be better ..." "Really?" "Yes, I''m not lying." Camilla took the lead and walked down the corridor, knocking on the door of the innermost room. "Yes, who is it?" "It''s me ..." "Yes, right away ..." Celia''s reply to the knock was soft, but when she realized it was Camilla, her voice sounded stiffer. "Do you need something?" "I guided Maou-sama. It seems like he has something to say ..." "Good evening, hello ... I would like to talk to your mother, is that okay?" "You, Shuuichi''s friend ..." "It''s Maou, Kokubu Kent-sama, don''t be rude ..." "Oh, I don''t care about something like that." "Excuse me ..." Celia-san''s eyes widened as she watched Camilla shrink from being scolded by me, but after taking a deep breath, she declined my visit. "I''m sorry, but my mother is lying down since her body is injured." "Could you let me examine her?" "Eh, is it you ...?" "Maou-sama is also an excellent user of healing magic." "But you used dark-attribute magic, right?" "Yeah, I can also use light-attribute magic, so for the time being, can I do a medical examination?" "Understood, please ..." After some hesitation, Celia-san invited me into her room. The interior of the room felt like a double room in a single dormitory, with a bed and shelf on each side of the room, plus a small table and two chairs. On the bed on one side, Celia''s mother, Flosche, was lying alone. Her complexion was not good and she looked haggard. "Oh ... Camilla-sama, I''m sorry for showing you such an unsightly appearance. Right now ... Ah ..." "Mother!" Celia hurriedly rushed over to support Flosche-san, who was on the verge of falling while trying to get out of bed. "This person here is Maou Kokubu Kent-sama. He''s going to examine you, so be grateful ..." "Yes, yes, Camilla can go back now." "M, Maou-sama?" "If Camilla is here, Flosche-san won''t be able to relax, so you can go." "Maou-sama ... I understand ..." When I waved my hand away, Camilla puffed up her cheeks and showed a dissatisfied expression, but when I waved my hand away again, she looked back twice with tears in her eyes as if she wanted to say something, then left the room. "Then let''s treat ... What''s wrong?" I was thinking about starting the treatment, but both Flosche-san and Celia-san were staring at me with their eyes wide open as if their eyeballs were about to fall out. "Ah, umm ... To treat Camilla-sama like that ..." "It''s okay. She''s caused me a lot of trouble, so I won''t let her complain about that." Well, it''s uncomfortable to be looked at with such eyes that even a Maou could see. I asked Flosche-san to lie face down on the bed and put my hand on her back to try treatment. "Uuh, this is ..." "What''s wrong? Umm, how is my mother ..." "I''m sorry. I''m going to get a little serious about using healing magic, so can I explain later?" "Yes, I''m counting on you." I noticed it immediately after casting healing magic. Flosche-san''s internal organs were in a state worse than those of Diethelm. Not only in the liver and kidneys, but also in the bone marrow, substances that should not exist in the body were accumulated, and tumors could be felt all over the body. Flosche-san must have been poisoned by someone. Also, it felt like it was piled up little by little over a much longer period of time than Diethelm. I changed my hand to Flosche-san''s flank and spread healing magic all over her body. It restored the functions of the liver and kidneys and encouraged the discharge of toxic substances flowing in the blood to the outside of the body. Thanks to the earth-attribute magic, I was able to control the harmful substances and collect them in the kidneys, but it became a cat-and-mouse game where the concentration increased and the burden on her kidneys increased. In other words, is it a miner-derived poison that could be collected with earth attributes. The amount of harmful substances remaining in the body was much higher than it was with Diethelm, and her physical condition had deteriorated, so it would take time to heal. The work of collecting harmful substances and the work of discharging them were being done in parallel, so delicate control of magic was necessary, and sweat was dripping down. "Celia-san, I''m sorry, but could you bring me some water?" "Yes, right away." Celia-san, who had trotted out of her room, came back with a jug and a cup. After I quenched my parched throat, I offered water to Flosche-san. "Flosche-san, could you drink some water, since it will help your body expel the toxins?" "Yes, I was just feeling thirsty, thank you." After finishing drinking water with Celia-san''s help, I asked Flosche-san to lie down again and continued the treatment. It looked like her complexion was getting better, but she was still far from healthy. Healing, collecting, and discharging ... Did I continue the steady work for over an hour. "Umm ... I''m sorry. Could you let me go to the bathroom?" "Ah ... I''m sorry. I didn''t notice ..." When Flosche-san called out to me, it was not good for me to temporarily stop the treatment and let my guard down. I suddenly lost all my strength and collapsed on my knees on the bed. When I thought about it, I had been on the move from Barshania, Volzard, and Japan since early morning. Lately, I felt like the days were a little too long ... If they found out that I''ve collapsed again, I''ll get preached to by the chairman ... I let go of my consciousness. CH 146 Loyalty is ... ***---*** How long had I been asleep. In my vague consciousness, I felt that I was lying on the bed, but I couldn''t even open my eyes. The fluffy one on the right is ... Mirt. If you were a mofuist like me, you would be able to tell by how mofu they are, even with your eyes closed. And the one at my feet is Murt. Already, I can tell with my feet. And, the soft one on the left ... what, what''s this? Soft? "Nnu ... Maou-samaa ..." Cold sweat broke out. I hurriedly tried to withdraw my hand, but it was firmly caught. "Ca ... mi ... lla ... ?" "Ah, Maou-sama ..." Camilla''s sad sigh tickled my cheeks. "Ugh ... Camilla, you smell like alcohol, "Auu ... I''m sorry ..." Camilla let go of the hand she was holding, and she backed away slightly, looking calm. Even so, she was in the same bed and the same futon, so even though she was away, she was not even 50 centimeters away. My heart sank for a moment, but lucky I was still wearing clothes. "Umm ... Mirt, how did this happen?" "When Goshujin-sama collapsed, a person named Celia told me about it, and Camilla carried you in her arms, and we slept together." It seemed that Camilla was quite drunk when Celia informed her, but she even used physical strengthening magic to carry me in her arms. "So ... we were just sleeping together, right?" "No." "Eeeehhhh ... No way, in a state of unconsciousness ..." "We did ''pero pero'' together." "P, pero pero ...?" When I tilted my head, Mirt licked my face, followed by Murt, and then Mart jumped over Camilla and came to lick me. It felt a little rough and felt like the skin on my face was being peeled off. And then, after each one licked me in turn, the three of them turned their gazes to Camilla as if to say come on. "E, excuse me ..." "Camilla, you smell like alcohol! Rather, you said that you licked me together, but ... Don''t look away!" "Uuu ... Maou-samaa ..." "Even if you have a cute face, it''s no good! What is the Princess of a country doing." "C, cute ... me, am I cute?" "No, that''s not the problem. Are you still drunk?" I wonder if the alcohol hadn''t run out yet, and she was different from usual, and it''s outrageous. "Mou, Reinhardt, you''re here, aren''t you. I''ll be in trouble if you don''t do it properly." [ Buhahaha, it''s Kent-sama who will be in trouble if you don''t do it properly. ] Reinhardt smiled broadly and slowly appeared near the foot of the bed. "Wait, this isn''t the time to be joking around." [ Of course it''s not a joke. Kent-sama''s treatment of Camilla-jou is too cruel. ] "Eh ... How I treat Camilla?" In contrast to the lively laughter, Reinhardt''s unusually serious tone made me startled. [ Didn''t Kent-sama accept Camilla-jou''s loyalty? ] "Umm ... I got that, but what about it ..." [ Remember what Kent-sama did last night. Who was it that drove Camilla-jou out like a stray dog? ] "Uuh ... It''s me." Certainly, I feel that my attitude last night went too far. [ To swear allegiance is to swear to dedicate your body and soul. In other words, Camilla-jou is the same as your genus. Have you ever treated us like that, Kent-sama? ] "That ... I haven''t ..." [ Kent-sama says that you will not be able to accept Camilla-jou''s feelings until she apologizes and prepares compensation, but if you accept her loyalty, it is your duty to do everything in your power to ensure that Camilla-jou is forgiven." "That''s true ..." When we were summoned, Camilla looked down on us and treated us like monkeys, but it felt good to have her kneel in front of me and made her swear allegiance, so I treated it casually, but from the perspective of former knight Reinhardt and the others, it was an act that shouldn''t be treated so lightly. True to what he said, Camilla was loyal to me, but this time I looked down on Camilla and treated her badly. I was able to do various things, and I was relied on by many people, and while I was meeting and exchanging words with Feudal Lords, Royalty, and Nobles, I was under the illusion that I was also great. With this, I don''t have the right to criticize Camilla when she summoned us. Camilla couldn''t hear Reinhardt''s voice, but she was probably noticing that we were talking seriously, so she was watching us intently. "Camilla ..." "Y, yes, what is it?" "I want to take a bath, so can you prepare it for me?" "Yes, as you wish. Umm ... Go in together ..." "No no ... I won''t do that." "Muu ..." "It''s no use sulking. Rather, go in first and sober up. Let''s have breakfast together after the bath." "Yes!" With a wide smile on her face, Camilla jumped out of bed with the momentum of a puppy who had a ball thrown to her. Are you really that happy to eat with me. [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better if you entered together anyway. ] "No, that''s no good. I haven''t even entered with the chairman." "Goshujin-sama, we will enter together." "Me too, me too." "Wash me too!" "Yes, yes, everyone will enter together." Mart and the others swung them around so much that their tails seemed about ready to tear off, going ''suri suri'' and ''pero pero''. Camilla, who had just returned from getting ready for the bath, had a look of envy on her face, but when I pointed out that her smell of alcohol was no good, she dejectedly headed for the bathroom. I accepted Camilla''s allegiance, but I can''t cross that line. Rather, if the chairman finds out about that, it''ll rain blood. Last night, in the middle of Flosche-san''s treatment, I lost consciousness due to running out of magic power, so my core was still dull. While Camilla was taking her morning bath, I used self-healing magic and stretched on the bed to work my fatigue away. Yeah, Mart and the others are really flexible. "Maou-sama, pardon me for going first. Go ahead, take a bath please." "Yes, thank you." Now that I think about it, this is the first time I''ve taken a bath with Mart and the others. I took off my clothes and threw them into the shadow storage and stepped into the bathroom. "Then, everyone should take a shower to remove the dirt." I showered Mart and the others in turn and we soaked in the bathtub together. Camilla''s room was for the commander, so the bathtub wasn''t very big. Mart and the others who were melting in the hot water were really cute, but it was a bit cramped. "Hmm ... When I build a house in the future, I''ll have to make it a big bathroom." [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, it''s impossible for the entire Kobold Corps to enter unless it''s the size of a large pond. ] "For that, I have to earn a lot." "Wafuu, we fetch a lot of magic stones." "Me too, me too." "Wau, Goshujin-sama, pat me, pat me." "Yes, yes, before that, I''ll wash you in order." I would have liked to enjoy a long, leisurely bath, but I was also worried about Flosche-san''s condition, so I''ll wash Mart and the others thoroughly before leaving. I ate all the splashes of Mart and the others, wiped my body, changed into the clothes I pulled out of the shadow storage, and returned to the living room. When I returned to the living room while wiping my head with a towel, the maid with Camilla was frozen with her eyes wide open. "U, u, umm ... Camilla-sama." "Maou Kokubu Kent-sama. He stayed here last night. Rosalie, please prepare breakfast for Maou-sama." "Y, yes, as you wish ..." Rosalie-san threw a glance at me while her face was blushing, but I think she''s come to a complete misunderstanding. Haa ... Even if I say it''s a misunderstanding ... It''s no good. "Maou-sama, take this seat ..." "Yes, thank you." I sat down near the fireplace where Camilla pulled out a chair. Mart and the others were grooming in front of the fireplace. The breakfast menu was simple, with toasted bacon, fried eggs, cheese, salad, bread, and soup, but the ingredients seemed to be of good quality. (TN: That''s ... simple?) That''s right, it''s the Princess of Resenburg who''s sitting with me. "Camilla, how is Flosche-san?" "I''m sorry. I haven''t seen her yet this morning ..." "Yeah, it''s fine. I''ll go check it later." Thanks to taking a bath in the morning, Camilla seems to have gotten rid of her drunkenness a little, and Camilla looked embarrassed as if she remembered her disgraceful behavior of the previous night. "Last night, Camilla brought me here." "Y, yes, I''m sorry ..." "No, it would have been a nuisance if I collapsed in the room of Flosche-san-tachi, so I was saved by being carried." "Maou-sama ..." "Camilla, from now on, I will also act so that Camilla will be forgiven." "Maou-sama ... Thank you very much." "For that reason as well, I want Camilla to take full control of Resenburg." Cooperating with the Japanese government in exploring underground resources and providing drilling rights could soften Japanese public opinion against Camilla and Resenburg. It should be possible to compensate for the damage caused by the summoning by providing the land that will serve as the base for the investigation and the mining rights. When I told her about the Japanese government''s plan, Camilla looked incredulous. "It''s a magic tool that allows people to fly in the sky? Investigate the ground from the sky?" "Well, it''s not a magic tool, but it''s a machine that allows people to fly in the sky. I don''t really understand how it works, but it seems like they''re investigating the geology with various analysis devices and finding promising places." Helicopter and aerial exploration seemed to be events outside of Camilla''s imagination. "Even if we conduct such a survey, if the domestic situation is unstable, Japan will not be able to send people in, and we will not be able to conduct a survey." "Certainly, just as Maou-sama says, Resenburg needs to stabilize the country." "There are classmates who can work as interpreters in Volzard, so I think it will definitely become a base for the investigation. Considering the distance, part of Resenburg can be investigated, but if you don''t make a decision as a country soon, you might fall behind Barshania." "Does that mean, Maou-sama, are you going to bring this story up with Barshania?" "The wider the scope of the investigation, the better, and if the country is not stable, it will not be possible to start mining. If we were to compare the current Resenburg and Barshania, it would go without saying which one is more stable. That''s we we have to stabilize Resenburg." "As you wish. Maou-sama, can I talk to Count Gleisner about this?" "Yeah, I don''t mind, but it''s not a final decision yet. There is such a plan ... Let''s leave it at that level." "I understand." The after-meal tea made by the maid Rosalie was herbal tea with a refreshing aroma. This is in consideration of Camilla''s hangover, isn''t it. However, having breakfast with Camilla was an unimaginable scene from the time when I was summoned. "By the way, about Flosche-san and Celia-san, after confirming their intentions, is it okay if I take them to Volzard?" "For the time being, she is in the position of the Fourth Queen, but in recent years the King hasn''t visited, and the days of mother and daughter have continued, so if they wish, I would like to leave it to Maou-sama." "Then, after the meal is over, let''s listen to what they have to say, if they''re willing to move to Volzard, I can even take them today." "Understood." For the time being, I would have to reconnoiter to see if there were any problems along the way to Volzard. "Reinhardt, I would like you to make sure that the road to Volzard is safe ..." [ I have already sent the Kobold Squad to reconnaissance. ] "Thank you, tell me the result once you know." [ Understood. ] Well, even the Kobold Squad should be able to overwhelm them as long as they don''t collide with monsters. When I visited after breakfast, Flosche-san''s complexion was good and her expression softened. "Thank you very much for your help yesterday. Thanks to you, I am enjoying an exhilarating feeling that I haven''t had in years." "That''s good. Then ... I don''t mean to say that, but I would like to ask about migrating to Volzard ..." "Yes, I heard about that from Celia. I would be happy to go with my daughter." "If you go to Volzard, you will be separated from Resenburg by the Devil''s Forest, so I think it will be difficult to return home easily, is that okay?" "Yes, from the beginning, when I headed for the royal castle, I was told to never return to my hometown again, both my parents and the elders of the village gave me harsh criticism, and I think I''ve already abandoned my hometown." From Frosche-san''s expression, I couldn''t feel even the slightest remorse for Resenburg. [ Kent-sama, there will be no problems on the way. ] [ Understood, can you call Tsuo, I''ll have them pull a carriage and head to Volzard. ] [ Understood. ] We borrowed a small carriage from Camilla and left Lastock with Tsuo pulling it. On the way, I would make arrangements for Kame and Tala to take turns. I''ll go back to Volzard ahead of time and talk to the garrison. After that, I would receive the iron from the Self-Defense Forces Nerima garrison and deliver it to Barshania and Volzard. It looked like it was going to be another busy day. CH 147 Kobold post ***---*** After sending off Celia-san and Flosche-san, I headed back to Volzard to ask the garrison to accept them, then headed for the Self-Defense Force''s Nerima garrison. After I received the iron, I had planned to deliver it to Barshania and then return to Volzard, but there were hardly any people in the Investigation Headquarters yet. The hands of the clock hanging on the wall showed just past seven o''clock in the morning. I vaguely felt that there was a time difference between Volzard and Japan. When I said time difference, it meant that there was a difference in the length of a day, not the time difference between Japan and America or Japan and Europe. Looking back, on the day we were summoned, we were summoned from Tokyo in the middle of the day to the wasteland in the middle of the night. However, when I returned to Japan the first time, I didn''t feel much of a time difference. Intuitively, I felt that a day in Volzard was shorter than a day on Earth. For the time being, it would be a waste to waste time idly in the morning, so I decided to call out to the member of the Self-Defense Force who was leaving early and collect information on the internet until Kajikawa-san and the others came to work. I called out to the Self-Defense Force member who was wiping and cleaning the desks. "Umm ... Good morning ..." "Who is it!" "Hii ... I, I''m Kokubu Kento!" I thought I was being considerate when I called out to them, but I was horrified when they shouted at me. "I apologize for that. It''s quite early." "Yes, there seems to be a slight time difference between here and there." "I see ... A time difference, is it." "So, I''d like to browse the internet for a while ..." "Yes, then, please use this computer." The Self-Defense Force member started up a computer that seemed to be shared. As expected of the Self-Defense Force, the line speed is fast and works smoothly.(TN:Apparently talking about the internet connection.) When I looked at the news sites of famous places, I could see a lot of topics about Kizawa-san. Also, there is writing about calls from another world ... It seemed it was awkward to have connected all of a sudden. I was surprised when I suddenly received a phone call from a family member who was supposed to be in another world. It cut off in about an hour, and I am rather worried ... There was a comment saying such. On the other hand, getting a phone call was weird. Actually they didn''t go to another world, but they were confined somewhere on Earth ... Some people say that. Well, just being in another world was unrealistic, but having a phone call was even more out of the ordinary. But, I don''t think it would be a bad thing to be able to contact them, so I''ll start making communication golems quickly. An article about Sekiguchi-san''s suicide was added to Kizawa-san''s blog. After being rescued from Lastock and arriving in Volzard, there were many people who, although their lives were no longer in danger, could not get used to life in another world. Kizawa-san herself wrote that she did not know when she would be able to return to Japan, and that even if she could return, she felt a great deal of anxiety about whether she would be able to return to her former life, and that she had accumulated stress. Sekiguchi-san''s suicide was regrettable, and I pray that everyone can return to Japan as soon as possible, but at the same time, when I returned, I was under a heavy burden, It is inevitable that it would take some time, was written. I was a little surprised because the comment was too much like an honor student. Judging from Kizawa-san''s demeanor when she was in Volzard, I thought she would criticize me, so to be honest, I was surprised and a little scared of what would happen next. On her blog, she said that her experience in the other world changed her, but she didn''t seem to have changed until just before her return. Hey, even though you were feeling anxious and stressed, you readied videos and notes. Furthermore, when I followed the link on the news site and read related articles, I was approached from behind. "Hey, Kokubu-kun, you''re early." "Ah, Kajikawa-san, good morning." "It''s quite early, but is it about yesterday''s phone call?" "No, there seems to be a time difference between Japan and Volzard." "That''s right, right, it''s not strange that there''s a time difference." "Yes, but, it seems that the length of the day is different rather than an overseas time difference." "Ah, I see ... It''s not Earth, is it. I didn''t even think about the difference in the length of the day." Kajikawa-san nodded when I told him that when I was summoned to Resenburg, it suddenly changed from daytime to midnight, and now it seemed that time had rewound a little. "So, Kokubu-kun, what happened with the phone last night?" "Yes, actually ..." When I explained the shield of darkness and the shadow space, he nodded once again. "So, in the current situation, Kokubu-kun is using magic to receive radio waves, right?" "Yes, I am." "In other words, Kokubu-kun, even if you''re in that world, you can make phone calls freely." "That''s right. It''s possible because it''s my timing to send them, but it''s difficult to receive them because I don''t know when they will come." "Is it easier for Kokubu-kun to come over here or just open the window and call me?" "Well ... It''s not a burden for me to move myself, so it won''t change." "I see ... But, it''s amazing that you can move at the same level as radio waves." "If you look at it like that, that''s true." It seemed that there was still some time before the rebar arrived, so I asked Kajikawa-san to provide some equipment. "Kajikawa-san, can you prepare cameras that can be used for voyeurism?" "Kokubu-kun, even though you can use your special ability, it doesn''t impress me to use it for your personal desires ..." "No, no, I''m not going to voyeur the bathroom, I''m thinking of using it as evidence to settle the internal conflict in Resenburg." What I was thinking of spying on was Havre Calvine''s camp. Even when he declared the takeover of Resenburg, it would have been irrefutable proof if I had secretly filmed it, but since I couldn''t do that, this time, I decided that I would keep track of what he was planning to do after receiving the news from Camilla. Of course, no matter what strategy he came up with, I was going to crush him, but if he didn''t come by force, but by tactics, if I didn''t have evidence, it could be dismissed as an accusation. When I told Kajikawa-san, he said he would prepare it right away. "Kokubu-kun, we will prepare the equipment for voyeurism and eavesdropping, but there is no need to ask what the Japanese government is using it for." "Yes, I have no intention of sticking my head into that." "I mean, if you ask Kokubu-kun to do something like intelligence, you''re invincible. You can get in anywhere." "But in Japan, voyeurism is a crime, and won''t it not be accepted as evidence in court?" "Well, that''s true for criminal investigations, but for espionage, knowing is the most important thing." Even if the method was considered illegal in Japan, in Resenburg, it would be astounding as evidence based on overtechnology. If Havre Calvine plotted more evil after his original plan failed, it was only a matter of suppressing the evidence and condemning him. "Kokubu-kun, are you planning to carry the rebars as soon as they arrive?" "Yes, I plan to bring them all into the shadow storage and deliver them to Barshania and Volzard in that order." "Then, it doesn''t matter if it is at that time, but since the vice minister of foreign affairs wants to pay a courtesy visit to the Lord of Volzard, could you please tell me what time is good?" "Of course, you''ll need an interpreter, right?" "Yes, can you please ask a teacher?" "I''ll ask ... Rather, I''ll ask them to make a plan." The Japanese government seemed to have chosen Volzard as its base, as it had created the most amicable situation with the resource development in mind. It seemed that the materials brought in for resource development would also be used to support the classmates who remained in Volzard at the same time. "Currently, we are completely dependent on Kokubu-kun for travel between Japan and Volzard, but it seemed that it was decided to proceed with research so that we can travel on our own." "Eh, you''re going to proceed with the research ..." The words, guinea pig, came to mind. "It''s okay, Kokubu-kun is the cornerstone of the plan, so we won''t treat you like an experimental animal." "Are you sure it''s okay?" "It''s okay. I''ll ask you to cooperate with things like physical examinations a few times, but I won''t let them do anything dangerous." If it reduced the burden as a result, I welcomed it, but shadow movement was not a magic that used spells, and the shadow space I used for movement currently belonged to me. Even if they were able to construct a new shadow space, I didn''t think it would go well because of the mountain of problems, such as how to set Volzard''s coordinates and how to twist the laws of physics. While I was talking with Kajikawa-san, he got a message that the rebar had arrived, so they used a crane to unload them from the truck to the back of the barracks. "Kokubu-kun, these rebars are D10 standard, 5.5 meters long, and weigh about 3 kilograms, each bundle is 50 rebars, and there are 20 bundles, I''ve prepared one thousand total." "Understood. Thank you." I put out a shield of darkness next to the piled up rebars and had everyone in the Kobold Corps carry them. The Kobolds, who were less than 140 centimeters tall, formed pairs and carried bundles of rebar. At first, the SDF personnel who were watching were so surprised that I thought their eyes would fall out, but after that, they looked relieved at the performance of the Kobold Corps. I planned to deliver 300 rebars in 6 bundles to Barshania and the rest to Volzard. "Then, after carrying them, I''ll ask Klaus-san when it''s convenient and come back." "Thank you very much. By that time, I think the cameras and other equipment will have arrived." "I understand. Well then, I''ll go there for a while." The Kobold and Kent courier service would first depart for Barshania. When I headed to Chowsk, the gateway to the desert, the Barshanian soldiers were training at the garrison. Don, Don, the sound of drums resounded, and it seemed that they were training to advance in formation according to the tempo and the way it was beat. Constant and the other members of the Imperial Family watched over the soldiers from the masonry stage. Constant sat on the floor in the center, with Gregory in front of him on the right, Nicolae in front of him on the left, and Seraphima directly on his left side.(TN:Guessing only Constant and maybe Sera are sitting while Gregory and Nicolae are standing?) In front of the stage, the stopped soldiers were glaring at each other. The numbers were about 2,000 versus 2,000, totaling 4,000. Constant nodded back at Gregory who glanced at him. Facing the front, Gregory pulled out the sword from his waist and raised it high toward the sky, the sound of the drum stopped, and a tense silence descended upon the surroundings. As the sunlight scattered and the sword was swung down, the armies facing each other began to charge while roaring. The soldiers of both armies carried long spears that were likely to be over 4 meters long. Of course, they were wooden spears used for training, and the tips were wrapped in rolled cloth, but the sight of so many strong soldiers clashing with each other was overwhelming. Each group of soldiers seemed to be led by a person who seemed to be a captain, and the formation changed according to their instructions. The group on the left changed its formation so that it was concentrated in the center, and the group attacking from the right moved its formation to encircle them. Taking advantage of the momentum of the left group gathering together, the right group seemed to complete the siege at once, but a counterattack started immediately. The soldiers in the left group rushed forwards like if a compressed ball burst and the internal pressure was released. The soldiers in the left group who rushed forward like wedges pushed forward from behind, and the soldiers who became new wedges rushed in from the inside. The siege of the right group was finally broken by a rush that was like a spear that was thrust repeatedly, and the match ended in victory for the left group. When Nikolae launched a fireball to signal the end of the battle, the tense atmosphere in the training ground eased. Constant nodded with satisfaction while sitting on the floor. Perhaps the losing group on the right was also at a satisfactory level in terms of movement. Gregory and Nikolae also looked at each other and nodded. "It''s amazing power ... If this army attacks, Resenburg will suffer great damage." When I put out a shield of darkness on the right rear of Constant and came out to the front and called out, the escort soldiers tried to confront me, but since they were dealing with Reinhardt on the right, and Fred on the left, they couldn''t step in carelessly. Constant, who turned around with plenty of composure, wrinkled his eyebrows and glared at me. "Hmph, what''s the matter, Volzard brat? If you ask me to reduce the amount of iron, I''ll refuse." "The iron is ready, so I''m sorry to bother you." "What do you mean, you already have fifty corads of iron?" "Yes, where shall I put it?" "Nuu ... Put it below the stage." Constant pointed with his chin to indicate the location. Under the designated stage, I put out a shield of darkness and had the Kobolds carry bundles of rebar. "Stop! Don''t mess with them!" Among the soldiers who saw the Kobolds, there were some who raised their spears in an attempt to avenge their insomnia, but when Gregory yelled at them, they quietly retreated. Nikolae jumped off the stage lightly, approached the bundles of rebars that had been brought out, and after taking a close look at them, gave instructions to his subordinates. "Hey, call someone who can appraise!" "Yes!" One of the soldiers ran out of the training ground. After the Kobolds finished transporting the rebars, they gave the Barshanian soldiers a Resenburg salute and returned into the shield of darkness. Seeing the Kobolds salute, the soldiers made a commotion and groaned. Seraphima looked at the rebars that were carried out and me alternately, and gave Constant a look as if to say something. She was annoyed at what Constant had said. "Hmph ... Something like a monster ..." "Does the Barshanian Emperor look down on the soldiers of other countries who show respect?" "What''s wrong with calling a monster a monster." "I don''t mind them being called monsters, but I don''t like them being looked down on as monsters." "Hou, what if I don''t like it? Shall we have a fight?" "Do you think that the soldiers of Barshania will be a match for my genus?" "Don''t speak and make fun of us, brat ..." Behind Constant, who threatened with a low voice, Gregory was also putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. On the other hand, Reinhardt and Fred, who were standing next to me, hadn''t even made a gesture to touch their beloved swords yet. It was Seraphima who broke the tense atmosphere. "Father, this is my father''s fault. Kokubu Kent-sama, I apologize for my father." "No, I acted immaturely. I''m sorry ..." When Seraphima bowed her head sharply, I had no choice but to pull back. Hey, the idiot parent pouts his lips, it''s not cute at all even if you try to be persistent. At that time, I heard a nervous voice from below the stage. "I''m sorry, what you have here is definitely iron. But ..." "But what? Tell me." "Yes, I think it''s iron with a terrifyingly high purity. It''s so pure it''s incomparable to Kilia''s iron ..." The eyes of everyone present focused on me. Yeah, it''s a pretty scary situation, but I have to make sure I don''t show it. "Brat, where did you get this iron? Volzard has that high of mining and refining technology?" "No, this iron isn''t from Volzard." "Then, where is it from? It''s not from Resenburg?" "No, this iron is from another world." "From another world ...?" Constant averted the gaze that had been glaring at me until then, but both Gregory and Seraphima, who were looking at me, simply shook their heads. "I am a person from another world summoned by Camilla Resenburg." "What kind of nonsense ..." "Then, you say that there is another reason for the purity of that iron?" "Nuu ..." Constant pursed his mouth like the ''¤Ø'' character. Seraphima asked on behalf of the silent Constant. "Kent-sama, would it be possible for you to pass on that refining technology to Barshania?" "It would be difficult right away, but if I take my time, it''s possible. To do that, I would like to have a more friendly discussion, how about it?" "Father, do you have any objections?" Seraphima also reminded him, and Constant nodded reluctantly. "Gregory, begin preparations to withdraw from the army with Nikolae. I will return to the palace." "Yes, leave the rest to me ..." "Kokubu Kent, follow me." Constant took the lead and began striding towards the palace. "Kent-sama, I will guide you." "Ah, yes, thank you ..." The smile of Seraphima, who casually snuggled up to me, was full of royalty-like elegance, and she looked different from Meisa-chan, the only daughter of the boarding house. Her clear expression made her look mature for her age, and her loose clothes ... "Kent-sama, aren''t you thinking of something rude?" "N, no. No way ..." Fuu ... I''m the type that shows my thoughts on my face, so I have to careful. "Kent-sama?" "Ah, umm ... I''m sorry ..." Even if you have a graceful smile, it''s really scary if your eyes aren''t smiling at all. The talk of marriage is ... "Kent-sama ..." "Oh, let''s hurry. The Emperor has gone first." I can''t ... I don''t feel like I can escape. In addition to Camilla, Seraphima ... I wonder how long the chairman''s sermon will last ... CH 148 Kent is caught ***---*** Returning to the palace, Constant invited me into a hidden room. This was the room where the Imperial Family gathered when I first visited Barshania. Constant and I sat facing each other across a large table, and Seraphima was standing next to Constant. The attendant made us a rich milk tea. It wasn''t just milk tea, it seemed to have had butter added, giving it a thick texture. Although it had a solid taste, the mellow scent of tea leaves wafted through my nostrils. Perhaps they generously used high-quality tea leaves. If I talked to Donovan-san, who loved tea, what kind of face would he make. "No then, Kokubu Kent. May I ask you to tell me a little more about the story that you are from another world?" "Yes, I was summoned from another world, Japan, along with about 200 of my classmates and 7 of my teachers, through the summoning technique that Camilla Resenburg used to secure a fighting force." From the background of how Camilla performed the summoning technique, arriving at Volzard alone, finding my place to stay, and how I rescued my classmates, I talked about the situation where it was now possible to travel to and from Japan. Apart from occasionally nodding his head until I finished my story, Constant never interrupted and listened to me. "I see ... Camilla Resenburg, even though her expectations were naive and led to a dangerous situation, in the end she achieved her original goal ... No, she got more than what she had envisioned." "Ehh ... I see, that''s right." Until Constant told me, I thought Camilla''s summoning was a failure. Camilla''s original goal was to develop the Devil''s Forest to save the people who lost their land due to the progression of desertification and lost their way. For that reason, all the troops she summoned escaped, but if I felt like it, I could open up the Devil''s Forest, and she has me and my genus on her side, she''s trying to accomplish something that she never even imagined would be the real power of the country. She fell to her knees and pledged her loyalty me, which was a humiliating situation, but considering only the practical benefits, it could be said that the summoning was a great success. Just by listening to my clumsy story, I have to say that Constant, who had an accurate understanding of the situation, is as expected of a person of importance. "I have a rough understanding of the relationship between you, Volzard, and Resenburg. Next, I would like you to talk about the world you lived in. To put it bluntly, how advanced is your technology compared to Barshania?" "That''s right ... It''s difficult to make a simple comparison, but if it''s just about civilization such as machines, I think we''re over 200 years more advanced." "Two hundred years? Do you have any basis for this?" "In our world magic doesn''t exist, so I can''t say for sure because the origins of civilization are different, but the situation in this world is the same as it was in our world about 200 years ago." "Magic doesn''t exist?" "Yes, magic essence itself doesn''t seem to exist." "I can''t believe it ..." "I wonder if the evolution of the machine civilization has progressed to that extent because magic couldn''t be used ..." When I told him that there were skyscrapers, railroad networks, airplanes, automobiles, and countries that had even sent people to the moon, Constant seemed to be at a loss for judgment and glanced at Seraphima. As for Seraphima, her eyes were shining as she listened to my story, and Constant, who saw that, was in a bad mood. "Hmm, you can say anything with your mouth, but how do you prove it''s true?" "If it''s proof ... I think the best thing is to actually see it, but the only way to get to Japan from here is to go through the world of shadows, but in order to do that, I have to take your attribute and give you my magical power." When I told them about the conditions for going to Japan, Seraphima looked really disappointed. "So, you''re saying there''s no way to prove it?" "No, Japan is planning to start resource development in this world, so I think it will be possible to see machines that fly in the sky." "Resource development? Will it be done in Volzard?" "Currently, the one with whom they have the most friendly relationship is Volzard, so it will be Volzard where they will build their first base." "What do you mean by resources? Is it iron? Or is it copper?" "What Japan is looking for is mainly rare metals and petroleum resources." When I talked about the intentions of the Japanese government and the method of resource surveys from the sky, Constant folded his arms and thought. "Well, if they conduct a resource survey from the sky, is there a possibility that iron veins will be found in Barshania?" "I''m not an expert in resource surveys, so I can''t say anything definite, but the possibility shouldn''t be zero. Besides, if you cooperate with the investigation, I think it would be possible to provide even more iron ..." "Are you going to proceed with that plan in Resenburg?" "Yes, when we were summoned, an accident occurred and many lives were lost. They want to develop resources in Resenburg in the sense of promoting compensation for that, but as you know, the internal situation of the country is not stable. Even if they move forward with the plan, it will probably be after those led by Camilla Resenburg take control of the country." Constant closed his eyes with his arms crossed and began to ponder. "Father ..." Even if Seraphima, who he doted on, called out to him, he kept thinking about it. After a while, he slowly opened his eyes and changed his posture. "Kokubu Kent. First of all, let me apologize for my impoliteness. Please forgive me." Constant bowed his head deeply. "No, I also bothered you without any warning ..." "Also, I am grateful for the high purity iron that I didn''t expect." Constant bowed his head again. Next to him, Seraphima was also bowing her head. "As promised, we will cancel the dispatch of troops to Resenburg this time." "Thank you very much." "No, it''s something I should be thanking you for. If we had dispatched troops as it is, our army would have suffered a considerable amount of damage." The plan to dispatch troops to Barshania was based on the premise that the First Prince''s faction and the Second Prince''s faction had crushed each other and were exhausted in terms of military strength. In a situation where the crushing was not carried out and all of Resenburg''s fighting strength remained, the preconditions of the plan collapsed. If the opponent wasn''t exhausted, naturally Barshania would have suffered a great deal of damage. I thought that the crisis of war was averted by Constant''s cancellation of the dispatch of troops, but it didn''t seem that easy. "However, although we will not be dispatching troops this time, if there is no improvement in the domestic situation and foreign policy of Resenburg, we may raise an army again." "So, everything depends on Resenburg?" "Right. Regardless of the fact that there''s a desert, it''s not like they can''t attack." Just as Count Gleisner had strong suspicions towards Barshania, Barshania also seemed to have strong suspicions towards Resenburg. "Why do you want to fight so badly?" "What can I say, it would be better if there was no fighting. Even so, if we are attacked from the other side, we have no choice but to fight." "However, if Camilla takes control ..." "When will that come true? Can you say that there is no chance of failure?" "No, I can''t say for certain, but ..." "Then it''s impossible to neglect preparations. It''s the Emperor''s duty to be ready to move troops at any time until Camilla Resenburg takes control and builds a solid friendship." It''s true that even in Japan, where many of the people are said to be peace idiots, the Self-Defense Forces existed as a defense force, so it was only natural for Barshania to prepare an army. "Kokubu Kent. I would like to continue to build a friendly relationship with you." "Then, let''s talk about resource development ..." "I''m sorry, but I can''t talk to you about that." "Ehh ... Why is that?'' "In the first place, what country do you belong to?" "Ehh ... I''m ..." "Living in Volzard, allying with Resenburg, and talking about a country called Japan, what country are you from and what position do you hold? What kind of authority do you speak with?" "I, I am ..." I felt like my head was making loud noises and my blood was draining. "Even if I can trade iron with someone who I don''t know what country they belong to, I can''t talk to them about how the future of the country will be affected." "However, talking about resource development isn''t bad news for Barshania either ..." "I''m not arguing whether it''s a good story or a bad story. I''m questioning your authority." Constant''s tone was neither harsh nor hostile, but quietly admonishing. That''s why it stuck in my heart. "Hey, Kokubu Kent. If I make a pact, the country of Barshania will use all its power to fulfill the pact. As the Emperor, I have that much authority. How much authority do you have? If I make a pact with you, will the country of Japan, even with all its strength, fulfill the pact?" "No ... I don''t have that kind of authority." "Looking at what you''ve done so far, you''re not a bad person. No, it''s not that. You''re trying to be a good person. The intention isn''t bad. At that age, you can negotiate directly with me, the Emperor, and say that we should stop fighting with other countries, so it''s a big deal." Constant spoke words of praise, but for a man of his age ... I could feel the composure of an elderly person in the smile on his lips. "However, to discuss matters that affect the future of the country, you lack experience, knowledge, status, authority, and resolve. I can''t discuss the future of Barshania with the you of now." I couldn''t find the words to reply to Constant''s clear words. I felt good about playing a central role in quelling the Resenburg civil war, but it was a countermeasure that could only be established by Camilla and Count Gleisner. Even if I went out by myself, no one would recognize me. In the same way, even if my abilities were recognized, I wouldn''t be recognized as a partner to carry out a national scale project together. "Then, if a person in a proper position in Japan brings up the idea of resource development, will you listen to them?" "Of course, I will listen to them. But, that doesn''t mean I''ll accept it." "Why is that? If we conduct resource surveys, we might find iron veins, and if we use the mining and refining techniques of my world, you might be able to efficiently obtain high-purity iron." "My biggest concern is that there is too much of a gap in technology. Think about it, do you think the world won''t be in turmoil if they suddenly enter 200 years into the future?" "That is ... I think it would be confusing." If people from the future suddenly came to Japan from 200 years in the future and told them about various overtechnologies, there would be a huge uproar. If resources were to be developed, helicopters and equipment for research, equipment necessary for mining, heavy machinery, personal computers, and communication equipment would naturally be brought to Barshania. The sudden introduction of unknown technology may make their lives richer, but it may also bring about an outrageous distortion. "Barshania was originally a country of a few tribes. Four generations ago, the Emperor united the country, and since then it has come together as a single country, but the source of the turmoil hasn''t completely disappeared. Wealth disparities tend to arise between mountainous areas and plains. If the disparities that have arisen between tribes are left unchecked, they will inevitably ignite the flames of conflict." Constant moistened his throat with cold tea and continued. "Increase exchanges between tribes, preach the benefits of uniting into one country, develop industries, and prosper together ... That''s how Barshania came to be. Certainly, your country''s technology sounds wonderful. A technology unimaginable to an old man like me might bring great wealth to Barshania. However, if it becomes a situation where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few people, distortion will occur and conflicts will flare up. Even if I accept your country''s offer, I''m sure there will be restrictions attached." "Understood. Regarding resource development, I will bring the official person in charge and talk to you again." "Umu, you do that." When Constant stopped talking, he signaled the attendant to re-brew the tea. A complete change from the rich milk tea from earlier, this time it was a refreshingly fragrant tea served with dried fruits. When I put the tea in my mouth, the refreshing sensation spread, and it went well with the sweet and sour dried fruits. It seemed that the feeling of being a little depressed by Constant''s relentlessness had cleared up. While enjoying the taste of the tea with rapt attention, Constant laughed. "Hmph, he''s a completely strange person. To this me who is the Emperor of Barshania, when acting face to face, he listens seriously to the talk with a serious look. Then, before you know it, he''s immersed in the taste of tea as if he forgot the existence of this me. Seraphima, are you really okay with being with such an oddball?" "Yes, while possessing the military power to take advantage of our Barshanian elite forces, he tried to resolve matters through negotiation without killing mindlessly. Regardless of family background, I believe that someone like Kent-sama is what Barshania needs." Seraphima turned her gaze to me after giving a straight answer and blushed. "By saying this, I''m reluctant, but I''ll let you arrange the wedding, I have no objections, Kokubu Kent." Constant''s glancing look towards me, wasn''t something of an elder teaching the younger generation like until just now, but it was filled with the passion of cursing me to death if I refused. However, I can''t just let that story proceed without a hitch. I have to resolutely decline. "I am very grateful for your offer, but I have someone who I have promised my future to, so I will decline." I bowed my head deeply and looked up ... A demon was there. In the background of Constant, I could even see a hallucination of blazing flames of wrath. "Are you going to decline? Sera-chan said she would marry you, but you''re going to decline ...?" "Hii ... I, I''m sorry. But I promised my future ..." "Is it to Camilla Resenburg?" "N, no, I made Camilla swear allegiance, but ... As for the marriage, compensation and an apology have to be completed ..." "Then, is it the daughter of the Lord of Volzard?" "Yes, I promised Beatrice my future, but there are also two others ..." "Three people ... Four people if you add Camilla Resenburg ..." With a mixed expression of anger and disgust, Constant turned his gaze to Seraphima. At the moment I said I would decline, Seraphima was stunned with tears in her eyes, but her eyes suddenly lifted, and it seemed as if flames were burning in the background. "I have heard that polygamy is allowed in Volzard as well. Father, I will go to Kent-sama in Volzard. Then we can build a friendly relationship with Volzard, and it will also serve as a restraint against Resenburg." "Is that really fine?" "Yes, the ability to enter the Imperial Family''s living room without regard to guards, the strength to overwhelm the elite forces, and listening to today''s discussion with my father, I have determined that he is someone I can trust. After that, I will devote myself wholeheartedly to serve him and win his favor." "So, Kokubu Kent. As soon as the internal affairs of Resenburg have settled down, I''ll have her join you in Volzard. Is that okay?" "No, umm ... Didn''t you hear what I was saying? I want to decline ..." "This many! Sera-chan has made this many concessions, but if you still refuse to listen, I''ll use the entire army of Barshania to attack Volzard, and I will put you in jeopardy!" "Eeehhh ... Is that so ..." "Kent-sama, don''t you want a peaceful resolution?" "Th, that''s what I want, but ..." "Then ..." Seraphima left her seat, walked around the table, and stood by my side, looking down at me. "Nnu ..." "Eh, hey, what are you doing ... Fuguu ..." Seraphima blocked my protest with her lips that she bit and dyed crimson with overflowing blood. I wondered if it was a complete dead end ... But, I poured healing magic into Seraphima''s lips. "Nna ... Why can you use healing magic ..." "Maybe it''s the effect of the summoning. I also have the light attribute, so the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' didn''t react. That''s why I was thrown into the Devil''s Forest alone." "Kokubu Kent. Now that you have signed a blood covenant, I won''t allow you to refuse to marry Seraphima." "Haa ... Don''t you think you''re being too pushy?" "Or, do you think you can get away from me?" Seraphima, who tilted her head and smiled, was so cute that I could understand the feelings of the Idiot Parent and Idiot Brothers, and crushed my feelings of trying to resist. "Haa ... This is unfair ..." Seraphima gently hugged my head, which was drooping, and stroked it as if to say it''s all right. "Kent-sama, aren''t you think of something rude?" "N, no ... I''m not thinking anything, so just stay like this for a while ..." "Ara, ara, Kent-sama is unexpectedly a spoiled child, ufufufu ..." Yes, I''m a spoiled child, and this is harassment of the Idiot Parent on the other side of the table. Ooohhh ... Your Imperial Majesty, your blood vessels are about to burst. "Nuu ... H, how long are you going to keep doing that!" "Oh, seriously father, I know you sometimes ask my mother to do this." "Wh, w, w, why do you know that ..." "Kent-sama, I''ll be in your care for many years to come." "Yes ..." It was no good, no matter how much she''s a Loli Girl, I was no match for a real carnivorous girl. CH 149 Volzard secretary ***---*** Although there was a grace period for having the internal situation of Resenburg stabilize, I was caught by Seraphima. At Chowsk''s palace, along with her two Idiot Brothers who had returned, I was treated to a very uncomfortable lunch. Since Seraphima took care of my food, the other three people kept staring at me as if to curse me, and I didn''t really know what I ate. Even so, the invasion of Resenburg was stopped, so I decided to send Fred to scout the First Prince''s faction and have the Kobold Corps keep an eye on Barshania''s movements. "Fred, I think that the horse that Camilla sent will come into contact with the First Prince''s faction soon, so keep an eye on how they will move." [ Understood ... Aside from the First Prince, I will keep en eye on Chief of Staff Torvil ... ] "Also, the three main noble families." [ Leave it to me ... ] Even so, in addition to Camilla''s case, if Seraphima''s case is added, the chairman and the others may be seriously disgusted. When I slipped into the shadows from Chowsk''s palace, I involuntarily crouched down. "Haa ... It''s depressing to return to Volzard ..." [ However, Kent-sama, is it okay not to tell your friend about Celia-jou? ] "Ah ... That''s right. I notified the garrison, but I didn''t tell the key person, Takayama." [ It would be better if you told him first. ] "That''s right. Well then, I''ll go tell him ..." Takayama exploded with joy when I went straight to the ramparts construction site and told him that Celia-san and Flosche-san were heading to Volzard. "Yyyyyaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Takayama suddenly raised his arms and screamed, surprising the surrounding people, who stopped their construction work and turned their gazes to him. "Ceeeeeeeeeliaaaaaaaaaa ..." Without even having time to stop him, Takayama ran towards the castle gate. No, she hasn''t even arrived yet at this time, and at the earliest it would be evening ... Celia-san, I wonder if it''s okay to be like that ... I mean, it would be helpful if you could hold the reins firmly. "Hey, Kokubu, what was that?" "Ah, Oda-sensei, actually ..." I was asked by Oda-sensei, who was among the people who were staring blankly, so I talked about Celia-san and Flosche-san. "Hou, that Takayama, he had someone like that?'' "Ah, I see, the teachers were locked up in a different place." The teachers were sent to a different facility than my classmates, so they didn''t see Takayama and Celia flirting. While meeting with Oda-sensei, I asked him to translate for the State Minister of Foreign Affairs. "I see, so they''re coming here to give greetings about the resource development we were talking about last time ... I understand. I will discuss this with the other teachers." "Yes, please. I''ll let you know when the exact date is decided." When I was about to head to the guild after completing my business, Oda-sensei stopped me and asked me something unexpected. "Wait a minute, Kokubu, about the next returnee. Please return either me or Katou-sensei." "Eeehhh ... Is it a teacher?" "Well, I understand how you feel, and to be honest, I don''t want to kiss you either. However, even though the report was sent, it would not be a good situation to have no teachers to report back. I understand your feelings of prioritizing the return of the children, but Klaus-an warned me that unless a responsible adult returns ..." "I understand. Then, tomorrow is the day of rest, so let''s do it before noon on the day after tomorrow at the beginning of the week. But why Oda-sensei or Katou-sensei?" "That''s because I''m earth attribute, Katou-sensei is fire attribute, and Kokubu has already taken those attributes." Nakagawa-sensei, who wanted to go home the most, had wind attribute, and Satou-sensei, who was my homeroom teacher, had water attribute, so they excluded them considering the burden on my body. Senzaki-sensei and Ayako-sensei were earth attribute, but they were excluded due to mental weakness and being a trainee teacher. Furudate-sensei was water attribute, and since he didn''t want to go home, he was excluded. I replied to Oda-sensei that I agreed, but honestly, I felt that the time had finally come. After arriving at the guild, first ask Donovan-san ... I thought that, but in order to ask Donovan-san to act as an intermediary, I would have to talk to the receptionists, led by Fleur-san, since it''s troublesome, I''ll go directly to Klaus-san''s place. Luckily, Klaus-san was in the office when I knocked on the office door. "Who is it?" "It''s Kent. May I have a minute?" "Oh, it''s open, so come in." "Excuse me ... Huh? Why is Riche here?" Beatriche was in Klaus-san''s office. "Recently, Kent-sama hasn''t come to see me at all, so I am lying here in ambush." Beatriche, who walked up to me leisurely, hugged me and kissed me on the cheek as usual. Yeah, the original Idiot Father reflected in the corner of my vision is twitching. "Kent-sama. What on earth is going on?" "Eh, what?" "It''s not ''what''. You smell like another woman." "Uuh ... Th, this is ..." "Hey, Kent! Give an explanation that will satisfy me and Riche ..." i was so caught off guard, I didn''t think she would find out so quickly. I forgot that Seraphima was snuggling up to me during lunch. I was seated across the table from Klaus-san, and Beatriche sat to his right. "Actually, I went to deliver iron to Barshania a while ago ... Well, at that time ... Seraphima, the daughter of Emperor Barshania, asked me to marry her." "Haa ... What the hell are you doing ..." "Of course, you refused, right?" When I told them how I got engaged to Seraphima, Klaus-san was amazed and Beatriche stared at me, so it was really hard to continue. "Of course, I said that I would refuse with a resolute attitude." "You, are you going to start a fire between you and Barshania?" "Even the Emperor, Constant, said something like war or marriage ... and so ..." "Kent-sama!" "Uhii ... I''m sorry ... It hurts ..." Beatrice grabbed me and pinched my side. Klaus-san on the other hand, was glaring at me with his arms crossed. "So, did you decide to give up on Volzard and go to Barshania?" "No way, my hometown is Volzard." "Then, will the Princess of Barshania come to marry you?" "Yes, if Resenburg stabilizes ... Also, it hurts, it hurts, Riche." Beatrice pinched me to the point that I thought she was going to rip the meat out from my side. "Kent-sama, did you report to Yuika-san and Manon-san?" "No, that, still ..." If the two of them join in this situation, and even Camilla''s case is exposed ... Isn''t it more of a pinch than when I was attacked by goblins? Rather, Beatriche with a pouting face is cute too ... Well, it''s not the time to think like that. "Honestly, I would cut him down with my own hands if he touched another woman while still having Riche ... But, it wouldn''t be a bad idea if he could form a relationship with Barshania." "Papa!" "Well, wait, Riche. If you''re the Lord''s daughter, then you should be able to understand the feelings of Princess Seraphima. How important the seemingly dull kid sitting in front you is ..." When Klaus-san cut off his words, Beatriche nodded reluctantly. "It''s unforgivable as Riche''s father, but I have to accept it as the Lord of Volzard. Or rather, Kent, what are you going to do about the house you live in?" "Oh ... That''s right. What should I do ..." "Haa ... To someone like this, he''s going to give his precious daughter as a wife, Barshania is probably also ..." Rather, there is someone in front of me who is trying to marry off their daughter. Even so, it''s awkward to not have a home. I was thinking of using a slightly larger apartment as a temporary residence, but it was quickly rejected. "If you don''t make it in time, I don''t mind if you use a guest house temporarily ... Or rather, it will happen, but when it comes to the marriage of the Princess, there is likely a decent number of attendants. They can''t fit in an apartment." "Eh, the attendants are ..." "She''s the Princess of Barshania, so she might bring her bodyguards, maids, and maybe even a cook." "Eeehhh ... I haven''t heard about that." "Idiot, that kind of thing is obvious. Needless to say." "Haa ... How big of a house should I prepare?" "Well, at the very least, you need a house with the same amount of rooms as the number of wives." "Klaus-san, how much does a house cost?" "Haa ... This kid wants to marry three or four people, it''s the end of the world ..." Klaus-san, with a stunned look on his face, promised to help me get a house and land. "Speaking of which, Kent. Are you looking for a secretary?" "Yes, but I won''t choose from the guild receptionists." "Don''t worry, I found one." "Eh, are you my secretary?" "That is ..." Klaus-san slid his gaze to the side. "Eh, is it you, Riche?" "Are you dissatisfied with me?" "No ... But, what about school?" "The graduation exam is already over, and I will be graduating in two weeks, so there is no problem." Beatrice puffed out her chest as if to say that''s how it is. "Riche has been educated enough to not be an embarrassment as the daughter of a Feudal Lord. Not only about Landshelt, but also the surrounding countries has been taught. Moreover, you''ll be together for a long time, so it won''t be a problem, do you have anything to say?" "Certainly, if it''s Riche, her communication with Klaus-san is also perfect." "If not for that, she was in a situation to go to the upper school in Bakkenheim, but Riche decided to stay for you. Be grateful, you bastard." "Eh, is that so? Riche." "Yes, but, I have decided that where I belong is by Kent-sama''s side, so it is a natural decision." Beatriche hugged my right arm and leaned her head on my shoulder. Naturally, Klaus-san''s forehead had blue streaks, and his mouth was distorted in a bad mood. "Come to think of it, you said you delivered iron to Barshania. In other words, did you get Volzard''s portion as well?" "Yes, I have prepared iron equivalent to 100 corads, double the 50 corads you requested." "Okay, Riche, you have to work right away. Arrange to buy the iron that Kent brought. No ... I''ll be there too." "As far as the purchase arrangement, I can do it by myself." "No, it''s just to see the iron that Kent brought. Isn''t the smelting technology advanced?" "Yes, even in Barshania it was evaluated as having a high degree of purity." "Okay, carry the iron you brought to the training ground in the back." Klaus-san tried to leave his seat, but please wait a moment. "Klaus-san, before that, I have a little question for you ..." "All consultations regarding women are rejected!" "No, it''s not about that, the Japanese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs wants to visit Volzard, and I was wondering when it would be convenient for Klaus-san ..." When I told Klaus-san that Japan wanted to develop resources and that the State Minister of Foreign Affairs wanted a meeting in relation to that, he sat down and began to think. "If the schedule for the visit is the day after tomorrow, that would make it convenient for me. As long as there are no major problems, it''ll be fine." "Okay then, I''ll check the schedule and let you know again." "Resource development ... Well, let''s hear about that from the Vice Minister." Klaus-san didn''t seem very enthusiastic about resource development. Similar to Barshania, Landshelt was also facing problems with the power relations between the seven territories and the disparity between the rich and the poor. Even so, if the economy of Volzard, which was even called the ''Farthest city'', improved, Landshelt would welcome it. At the training ground, there were Donovan-san, who called out to us on the way, Tebez-san, who was in charge of ore appraisal, and Reese-san, who heard about it from the Headquarters Guild. Hey, Bran the Gigawolf has been staring at me along with his owner Ruija since a while ago, but they don''t seem to be happy, right? When everyone in the Kobold Squad carried out the rebars, the people who witnessed it had varying expressions on their faces. The person who couldn''t hide his excitement the most was Tebez-san, the appraiser. "Amazing! This is amazing. There are rare high-purity ores produced in dungeons, but the purity is incomparable." Hearing Tebez-san''s words, Reese-san smiled and loosened her mouth, and Klaus-san, on the contrary, had a sour expression. "Klaus-dono, you''re not thinking of having Volzard monopolize this iron, are you?" "What are you going to do if I say that''s exactly what I''m going to do?" "No then, Volzard is collecting high-purity iron, are you going to start with preparations for war ... Maybe I should ask the people around me as I walk ..." "You fox ... But, even if I send it to another city, I can''t sell it at the same price as ordinary iron." "If you try to be too commercial ... It goes without saying for the Lord of Volzard." There seemed to be a subtle power balance relationship between the Headquarters Guild and Volzard. "Kent, I will decide the purchase price of this stuff and tell Riche, is that okay?" "Yes, that''s fine." "Donovan, keep this iron in the warehouse." "Understood." "Now then, Reese-san. Would you like some tea?" "Well, I''ve already decided on Kent as my companion for having a child ..." "If you''re just going to play around and refuse, that''s fine, but I''ll enjoy the delicious sweets alone." "Fumu, it''s not like a man to eat sweets alone, it can''t be helped, I''ll go with you ..." I see, after this, the fox and the tanuki will begin making fun of each other. In that case, maybe I should join in on the discussion. "Kent, please decide the visit schedule of the Japanese Vice Minister as soon as possible. We can''t afford not to make any preparations." "Ah, yes, I''ll get confirmation as soon as possible." Klaus-san threw a glance at me as if telling me to go quickly. It seemed that the delicious sweets was me. Yes, yes, the delicious sweets won''t be eaten and will go run errands. [ Reinhardt, just take a peek. ] [ Understood ... Well, Klaus-dono won''t do anything bad ... ] [ I don''t think so, but it''s probably about me, so it should be known. ] [ Then, I will hear it in place of Kent-sama. ] I told Beatriche that I would return to Japan and ask about the visit schedule of the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, and I went into the shadows. Because Beatriche will be managing my schedule from now on, I''ll have to make sure she understands all the issues I''ve accumulated so far. I''ve instructed Hort to serve as Beatrice''s escort and marker so that I don''t have to look for her to find her. When I went to the Investigation Headquarters in the Self-Defense Force''s Nerima garrison, everyone was looking at the TV with a grim expression. I thought that Funayama''s father had done something wrong again, but it seemed that wasn''t the case this time. Kajikawa-san, who usually feels relaxed, was also looking at the TV with his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face. "Kajikawa-san, did something happen?" "Oh, Kokubu-kun, you''re back. No, it''s nothing to do with us, but there was a barricade incident. It seems that he broke into the bank with a pistol and took the staff and customers hostage and barricaded himself." "Huh? Isn''t that Heiwadai?" The scenery projected on the TV was near Heiwadai Station, which I remembered. "That''s right, the Heiwadai branch of Yotsuba Bank was the scene, and the criminal was barricaded on the second floor with the hostages, and there were injuries reported in the media after being shot through the window." Kanpachi-doori in front of the bank was blocked, and riot police with shields surrounded them from afar, according to media reports. "The culprit seems to be one person, but he has a pistol, and he''s holding seven women hostage, the police are trying to persuade him, but he seems agitated and refuses to talk." When I turned my attention to the TV, I heard a dry pop and the screen shook. A reporter wearing a helmet was talking about the situation with an excited voice. [ Now I hear gunshots again, followed by a woman''s screams. There is no indication that the shooter has shot outside. There is a possibility that a random shooting is taking place indoors. ] Even though the TV screen, you could feel the tension at the scene. "Didn''t the culprit ask for anything?" "He''s asking them to bring him a stimulant and collect as much money as possible, but there''s no way he''ll be given a stimulant in this situation. They can''t respond to rough requests." Kajikawa-san was from the Cabinet Secretariat, so he was in a different field, so he was a general viewer, but Sudou-san and Morita-san, who were police officers, were watching the screen with a serious expression. "Umm ... Sudou-san, would you like me to take a peek?" "Eh, oohh, Kokubu-kun, can you go and see what''s going on inside without the criminal noticing?" "Yes, I can go unnoticed from the shadow space." "I see, can you do me a favor? It would be helpful if you could just draw a diagram of the situation." "The, I''ll go there for a while." My ability seemed to come in handy in unexpected ways. I hoped this could be resolved before anyone was injured. CH 150 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 150 Bank robbery ***---*** The Yotsuba Bank Heiwadai Branch was located across the Kanpachi-Doori from the large electronics store. There were pachinko parlors, convenience stores, drug stores, etc. in the surrounding area. When I peeked out of the shadows of the riot police, the window on the second floor was broken, and a man who I guessed to be the culprit was screaming. "Hurry up and bring the stimulants! Then prepare the getaway car and helicopter!" Uwaa ... Are you serious? Do you think it will go well, like a TV drama or movie. For the time being, I sneaked into the bank through the shadows in order to find out what was going on inside. In the building on the first floor where the shutters were closed, there was no sign of anyone. A voice could be heard from the top of the stairs in the back. From the landing at the top of the stairs, there was a corridor leading to the front of the store, and there were several doors along the way. But, the voice was heard from the innermost room. It was from a room that would face Kanpachi Street. "Shut up! Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet!" The one who was yelling was a man with a pistol, kicking a woman who looked like a bank employee while his blond hair was shaking. His eyes were bloodshot and he was restlessly looking around. "Ihii ... Uhihihi ... Don''t make a fuss ..." It was said that the culprit was just one person, but another fat brown-haired man was watching through the gap in the door that lead to the stairs. It was said that there were seven female hostages, but there were actually nine. In addition to bank employees, there were people who seemed to be customers, so it seemed that they were not able to grasp the number of people. One of them was sitting at the blond man''s feet, apparently being used as a shield when making demands outside. The other eight were gathered and seated about three meters away from the fat man. Everyone seemed to have their arms behind their backs and were restrained with zip ties. With the layout of the building and the location of the criminals and hostages in mind, I returned to the Investigation Headquarters. "Sudou-san, do you have something to write with?" "Morita, paper and pen ... How is it?" "There are two criminals and nine hostages." "Is there another person there ... It seems that the information is quite complicated." "Kokubu-kun, can you write it here." I wrote down the layout of the second floor of the bank and the location of the criminals on the A4 size paper Morita-san brought. After finishing the explanation, Sudou-san made a call and started explaining the situation. "Yes ... That''s right. Kokubu-kun used magic ... Of course, it''s a reliable story. Yes ... Then, I''ll fax it to your headquarters. Yes ... No ..." Sudou-san continued the phone call and instructed us to send them the floor plan I had drawn, and Morita-san sent the fax after asking the Self-Defense Force personnel. "I''m sorry, Kokubu-kun, but could you look at the situation a little more?" "I don''t mind. I could use medicine to put them to sleep ..." "No, I think you shouldn''t interfere. It seems that the headquarters over there is still half in doubt." "I understand. Then, if anything happens, I''ll let you know." Since I went to take a peek, this time I moved directly from the Investigation Headquarters to the room where they were locked up. The blond-haired man once again yelled at the riot police and then fired a single shot at the riot police. "If you don''t hurry up, I''ll kill them one by one!" "Uguuu ..." The blond man pressed the muzzle that had just finished shooting against her cheek, and the hostage woman groaned. She probably would be screaming if she could, but her mouth was covered with packing tape. [ Kent-sama, is the sound he just made using that weapon? ] "That''s right, the explosive that Klaus-san was talking about, the explosive power of what we call gunpowder, is used to shoot the bullets." [ I see, at that speed, an ordinary person can''t even avoid it. ] "Umm ... Reinhardt, can you see the bullets coming out?" [ This me was able to catch it, but I don''t think you could see it with the human eye unless you use a considerable amount of physical enhancement. ] "I, is that right ... By the way, if it was Reinhardt, how would you block the bullets?" [ If it''s that size, there''s no problem if I grab it, and there won''t be any damage if it hits me. ] The metallic skeleton floats a grin, I felt like I created something outrageous. The blond man who was looking at the table moved a little away from the window, kicked the woman who was being used as a shield, and beckoned to the fat man. "Masaki ... give me ..." "Kuhihi ... Don''t get too fired up ..." "Hee, I knoow ..." The fat man slid the silver case on the floor and handed it over to the blond man. The blond man took out a small piece of aluminum foil that had been rolled into a cylinder from the case, stretched out the folded parts on both ends with trembling hands, put it in his mouth, and began to burn it with a lighter. [ Kent-sama, what is he doing? ] [ I think he''s probably smoking drugs from this world. ] [ That silver paper doesn''t seem to burn ... ] [ Yeah, aluminum is a metal that has been stretched thin like paper, so it won''t burn at that level. ] [ Hmm ... Is there such a thing. ] After extinguishing the flame of the lighter and sucking in deeply, the blond man leaned sloppily against the wall and smiled faintly. The blond man let his gaze wander in the air for a while, as if he was in another world, but he turned his cloudy eyes towards the hostages. After distorting his mouth and showing a smile, he stood up like a ghost. He didn''t seem to notice the drool dripping from the corner of his half-open mouth. He swayed from side to side as he approached the hostage women, and he stopped about a meter before them. [ Kuhihi ... I like you too ... Kuhii." "Fuhahaha ... It''s good ... I can''t get enough ..." As if affirming the fat man''s words, the blond man let out a lascivious laugh as he began to assess the hostages. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better to just execute the people who try to get their hands on drugs and try to enslave girls? ] "No good, no good, in this world, just using drugs isn''t punishable by death." [ Oh, is that so ... But, is it okay to leave it as it is? ] "Of course it''s no good, but ..." In Resenburg, the women and boy who were forced to go along with it were also killed along with the Stupid Princes. We must prevent a similar situation from happening in front of us. The hostages, realizing the intentions of the criminals, were even more united and trying to protect themselves as much as possible. Come to think of it, most of the women who were being held hostage were relatively young, with the oldest being in their thirties. "Okay, I''ve decided, it''s you ..." "I hate it, stop it ... It hurts, it hurts ..." "Shut up!" "Guu ..." The woman was grabbed by the hair and forced to stand up while screaming, and the bond man mercilessly punched her in the stomach. The woman who bent over and fainted in agony had her hair grabbed again and she was forced to lift her face. "It hurts, or it feels good, choose one ..." "I don''t like it ... F, forgive me, I''m married ... Goa ..." "What, didn''t you hear me ..." "Gohou, gohou ... gue ..." The woman who got punched again had a look of agony with her body curled up like a shrimp. Her slender face was soggy with tears and a runny nose. At that time, the fat man called out to him. "Shouji, use X." "Hah? Ah, well, let me to take you to heaven where you can forget about your husband, ahyahyahya ..." The blond man opened the plastic wrap the fat man threw to him and took out a poisonous colored pill. It didn''t look like a very decent medicine. I hurried back to the Investigation Headquarters and informed Sudou-san. "Sudou-san, a hostage woman was beaten and is about to be drugged. Do you mind if I stop him?" "No, I''ll contact the headquarters over there soon, so please wait." "But ..." "Kokubu-kun, this is Japan." "I understand ..." I wasn''t convinced, but when I returned to the scene to watch over the situation, the blond man held a pistol in his right hand and a pill in his left, and thrust them in front of the woman as if to compare them. "Swallow it ... If you don''t swallow it, I''ll kill you ..." Caught in the eyes of the blond man who seemed to be out of focus, the hostage woman trembled and opened her mouth. With the pill shoved into her mouth and a pistol pointed at her, the woman closed her eyes as if determined and swallowed with a gulp. She was shivering with her eyes closed, but after a while her shivering stopped and she lost strength from her previously stiff body. When the woman''s eyes finally opened, the light of reason was gone. "Ahaa ... Ahaha ... What is this, fluffy ... Ahahaha ..." The woman who was so frightened before, was sitting in a slumped position with a half-smile. "Dude, you''re the best, aren''t you? Masaki, you can choose too. If not, I''ll do it all." "Kuhihi ... Then, I''m gonna ... Should I do it too." When the fat man left the door, he started checking them out with a pistol in his hand. On the other hand, the blond man was trying to undress the woman who he had drugged. [ Kent-sama, are you really okay with this? ] "There''s no way I am ..." I went back to the Investigation Headquarters and talked directly to Sudou-san. "Sudou-san, one woman was drugged and, umm ... She is about to be assaulted. If it comes down to it, I''ll have my genus jump in." "No, Kokubu-kun. I''m not in charge, wait." "But, I can''t let this situation go by." "I know you have special abilities, but you''re a civilian and don''t have the rights of the police." "Director, let me go." Morita-san raised his hand, perhaps because he could understand my dissatisfaction. "No way. It''s even out of your jurisdiction. I won''t give permission!" "But, Director!" "No way!" Even if I waited like this, I don''t think I would get permission, so I took out a shield of darkness and dove into the world of shadows. "Wait, Kokubu-kun ..." Sudou-san changed his expression and tried to stop me, but I had no intention of stopping. I rushed back to the scene to find the drugged woman having her shirt opened and her skirt stripped by the hands of the blond man. The fat man was also holding another woman at gunpoint and trying to force her to take the pill. The women who escaped the poisonous fangs were trembling in a corner of the room. [ Reinhardt, let''s give them some sleeping pills. ] [ Understood. ] I threw sleeping pills into the blond man''s stomach, and Reinhardt threw them into the fat man''s stomach. I thought it would be solved by releasing the hostages while they were asleep, but the criminals showed no signs of sleeping. [ Oh, did I give them magic recovery pills by mistake? ] [ No, you''re not mistaken. It''s probably the drug''s influence. ] The blond man who showed no signs of sleeping, played with the woman''s body with a lascivious smile. The fat man seemed to have finished giving the pill as well, and he was about to undress the woman who was beginning to faint. [ Ah, both of them were saved by their erotic minds. ] [ Kent-sama ...? ] Both the blond man and the fat man were focused on playing around with the women and had let go of the all-important pistols. I moved through the shadows and retrieved the two pistols that had been thrown on the floor. I didn''t forget to wrap them in cloth so that I didn''t leave fingerprints. "Then, everyone in the Kobold Corps. Finish this!" "Understood, Goshujin-sama!" I put out a shield of darkness and stepped out with the six members of the Kobold Corps. "Bastard, who are you!" "This ... Oh, there''s no gun. Guhee ..." "Uwa, damnit, ugya ... Gafuu ..." Yup, yup, drug-addicted thugs who don''t have pistols aren''t a match for my genus. The sight of those two bad-looking people getting beaten up by the Kobolds, was like a comedy movie. "I''ll cut the binding ties, so please take those two and run away." "Understood. Thank you very much." After talking to the bank employee who seemed to be the oldest, I cut the zip ties with a knife. The hostages were also surprised by our sudden appearance, but they were relieved to learn that they would be released. Let''s also treat the burns of the woman who was burnt by having the gun muzzle pressed against her. Just by putting my hand on it, the burn disappeared without even leaving a trace, so the viewers were more surprised than the person being treated. By the time all the hostages left the room with the help of the seven people who hadn''t been drugged, the two culprits were tied up with ropes by the Kobold Corps. "Okay, let''s go home. Thank you, everyone." I left the pistols in the farthest corner of the room from the culprits, and when I passed through the shield of darkness, a silver disk-shaped object was thrown through the window. When I involuntarily turned my gaze to that something, there was a flash of light and an explosive sound resounded. "Uwaa, my eyeeees ... My ears hurt ..." [ Kent-sama, are you okay? ] After erasing the shield of darkness and using all my strength to heal myself in the shadow space, I managed to regain my sight and hearing, but everyone in the Kobold Corps fainted in agony. "Goshujin-sama, I can''t see." "My ears hurt ..." Healing magic ... That''s no good, so I stroked their heads while being conscious of the magic of the dark attribute, and it seemed to heal somehow. [ Kent-sama, are you okay, Kent-sama! ] "I''m fine now. My eyesight and hearing have returned ..." [ Kent-sama, where are you, Kent-sama! ] Ah, so Reinhardt''s eyes and ears were damaged too. [ Reinhardt, I''m fine. I''ll recover you now, so don''t move. ] [ Oh, Kent-sama, I can hear telepathy. What exactly was that earlier? ] [ That''s a suppressive weapon that uses light and sound to deprive the opponent of sight and hearing, rendering them powerless. ] [ I see, it''s true that if you lose your sight and hearing, you won''t be able to judge the situation. ] Reinhardt had a very surprised expression at the unexpected power. When I looked at the scene, I saw that the members of the Special Forces were handcuffing the criminals and taking them away. "... Then, did that boy subdue the culprits before we broke in? Yes ... The guns were found and secured. Yes ... Both of them." When I listened to the conversations of the members who were being contacted by radio, it seemed that it was only natural that they found out that I interfered. When I returned to the Self-Defense Forces garrison, I was greeted by Sudou-san, who had a sour expression on his face. "Kokubu-kun, you didn''t need to interfere ..." "Now, now, it was an emergency, and the hostages were safe, so let''s say it''s all right." "Kajikawa-kun, with this kind of solution, there will be a trial later ..." "I''ll take care of it myself, and even if the method of arrest is special, the culprits'' crimes won''t change, so it''s okay." "Even so ..." "It''s okay. And now, shouldn''t we be grateful to Kokubu-kun for solving the case safely?" "Well ... I''m grateful for that." "No, I''m sorry for doing something selfish." When I lowered my head, Sudou-san nodded with a reluctant expression. "No, Kokubu-kun, I have prepared the camera and microphone you requested." "Thank you. Can you tell me how to use them?" "Of course, that''s easy." Kajikawa-san prepared a camera that fit comfortably in the palm of my hand, and even with that size it was possible to shoot in dark places. "Basically, it''s OK to leave it up to the camera, so just check the remaining memory and battery." "Basically, this mic is also linked to the camera, so no special adjustments are necessary. Since the video file that is created is a video file that combines video and audio, it can be played back as it is if you import it to a table or the like." The equipment that Kajikawa-san prepared was perfect for my request. It was easy to operate, and Fred and Basten could also use it. First of all, let''s use it for shooting at the camp of Havre Calvine, and if necessary, the First Prince''s faction. "So, Kokubu-kun, what are the plans of the Lord of Volzard?" "Yes, tomorrow will be the day of rest for Volzard, so it seems that he will be able to make arrangements for the day after tomorrow." "Okay, Suzuki-kun, can you contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and make the appointment?" "Yes, as you wish." Upon receiving the instructions, Suzuki-san began contacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by phone. "Umm, Kajikawa-san, on that day, I''d like to have one teacher return ..." "Eh, if you say you''re sending them back, Kokubu-kun, won''t you get sick?" "There''s a possibility of that, but ... Well, I have to send the Vice Minister''s group." "Yea, it depends on the Vice Minister''s schedule, but I wonder if you can prioritize that ..." "Understood. I will explain to the teachers." "I''m sorry. And Kokubu-kun, can you take this smartphone with you?" "Yeah, but I''ll be here in person." "Yeah, I know that, but you can''t always be here, so I want to be able to contact you." "But, if I suddenly connect again, everyone will be upset, and I won''t be able to answer the call because I don''t know when Kajikawa-san will call." Kajikawa-san nodded as if he understood the relationship between the shield of darkness, the world of shadows, and the radio waves. "Yeah, even if you can''t talk on the phone, it''s okay to send an email, right? And if Kokubu-kun is hiding in the world of shadows, it won''t connect to Volzard." "Ah, I see, that''s right." If I just wanted to receive emails, all I had to do was enter a place where radio waves could reach and operate the reception, and if I wanted to receive it in the shadows, there was no connection between Japan and Volzard. "This is an email application, and the basic operations are the same as general ones, but it''s a special encrypted application, so you don''t have to worry about someone spying on your email. Also, it''s troublesome to reply. Sometimes you can call me and ask me to come to you. Calls are also encrypted." "Uwaa, it looks like a special agent''s equipment." "No, it doesn''t just look like that. That smartphone was developed to be used for that purpose, so don''t lose it." "Eeehhh ... Is that so, I understand, I''ll be careful." It looked like the negotiations between Suzuki-san and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take some time, so I decided to have the results sent to me by email and then returned to Volzard. I had to teach Basten how to use the camera, and then talk to Oda-sensei about postponing the return. The day didn''t seem like it was going to end yet. CH 151 Golem ***---*** After returning to Volzard, I moved to where Basten was, handed over the video camera, and taught him how to use it. Basten continued to move with the army of Margrave Havre Calvine, and was now nearing the royal capital of Aldaros. The tall tower of the royal castle could be seen in the distance between the trees on the road. When I looked at the royal capital from the top of the tower, I felt that it was spacious, but if I looked a little farther away, I could see dense forests and rural landscapes. [ Kent-sama, the group is scheduled to arrive at the mansion in the royal capital by the end of the day, and Havre and a few of his entourage should be stationed outside the royal capital. ] "The fast horse should arrive at the royal capital by the end of the day, so the news will reach Havre, right?" [ Yes, since he is a man who makes plans like that, he should have his own information network. ] "Then, although it''s quick, can you use the video camera I brought to gather irrefutable evidence?" [ I understand ... I would like to say, but I can''t handle it well ... ] I explained the video camera to Fred, whom I called to Basten, but he was a muscular knight who lived in a world without television or video, so it was a little difficult to get him to learn how to use it. There were no words for liquid crystal, sensor, video, etc. , so I started by explaining what they were called, but in the end, I ended up explaining things like pushing this to move it and pushing this to stop it.(TN:People don''t need to know the inner workings of something, just a general, ''this is how you do it'' is plenty ...) Even so, he managed to remember how to see how much battery was left, how to charge it, and how to replace the memory card. The sight of a skeleton pulling out a small memory card from the video camera was quite surreal. In the middle of the explanation, I received the news that Celia had arrived at Volzard, but I had told the garrison over there, so I put it off for later. If I could find the time to teach everyone in the Kobold Corps how to use it, not just Basten and the others, it seemed that my followers would evolve into a high-tech intelligence unit. "Then, I will return to Volzard, so Basten should monitor Havre, and Fred should monitor the First Prince faction." [ Leave it to me, Kent-sama. ] [ There''s no mistake ... leave it to me ... ] Thinking that Takayama would be in high spirits, I grinned and went to the castle gate of Volzard, where Yaksha was waiting for me. Oh, Fujiyama, Tempura, Yaksha Girl ... This isn''t the time to joke around.(TN:I''m sure this is a reference to something, but search turns up completely empty.) Cold sweat ran down my back and dripped down. "Welcome back, Kento. Let''s speak slowly." "That''s right. I want to ask various things too." "Yuika ... Manon too ... Why are you here?" "I heard from my mother that an important friend of Kent-sama''s arrived in Volzard, so I contacted the two of them and asked them to wait here." "Riche ..." I wish she hadn''t shown her ability to communicate as a secretary so quickly ... By the way, it seemed that Takayama burst into tears the moment he met Celia-san and was comforted by Flosche-san. It seemed that the three of them went straight to the house that Takayama had rented, but I think it would have been better if they had confirmed whether it was ready for them to live in. That being said, right now I didn''t have time to worry about Takayama. The chairman, who usually wrapped her arm around my right arm, gave a signal with her chin to follow her, and started walking to her room. Manon also glared at me with scornful eyes, but she left with the chairman. "Come on, Kent-sama, let''s go!" "Uuh ... Why does Riche seem to be having so much fun ..." "I''m not completely convinced either ..." For the time being, she''s entwining our arms, but it''s not like it''s a fun date, it''s better to call it an escort situation. When I arrived at the chairman''s room, I was naturally sitting in seiza. Sitting down on a bed or chair, the three people with their arms folded were looking down at me. With the chairman in front, Manon on the right, and Beatrice on the left, I''m surrounded from three sides, and I''m being watched from my expression to my complexion, so I can''t escape. Why did Seraphima ask me to marry her, why didn''t I refuse, what does she look like ... And so on, I was thoroughly questioned and made to confess. "I am terribly sorry." When I finished cleaning up and confessing everything, I bowed my head again. Yeah, it''s a dogeza style that even you will fall in love with. "Haa ... Kento, you think we will forgive you if you apologize, right?" Uu, is she figuring it out ... "I know there are circumstances, but ... It''s no good after all." Yup, I understand a little bit about Manon-chan''s feelings. "I have no intention of losing, but it''s better to have fewer rivals." "No, it''s not rivals, everyone is on good terms ..." "It''s not that easy. What would Kento think if I went on a date with Yagi-kun?" "No good, no good, that''s absolutely no good, anyone but fake glasses." "Then, if I, umm, have an affair with Gilik-san ..." "No good, no good, I won''t forgive you for being with such a mutt." "Hey, even Kento would think so. Think about our feelings a little." "That''s right, it''s as Yuika says." "I will do as Kent-sama likes ..." "Beatriche ..." "I, I''m joking, Yuika-san." Yup, I wonder if it''s just my imagination that the chairman seems to have the personality of a final boss. "Umm ... What should I do ..." "Fuu ... As punishment, Kento will spend the whole day with us tomorrow. It''s forbidden to go to Japan, Resenburg, or Barshania!" "No, but I said that I was consulting with Yagi-tachi about the future tomorrow ..." "Can we discuss it together?" "W, well, that''s true, but ..." I wonder what it would be like to go out in a harem state to consult with a non-Normie group. "Or maybe you''re secretly going to be with a girl again ..." "No way! I really only have a consultation tomorrow, so please come with me. Please." "It''s fine if you understand ..." The chairman uncrossed her arms and squatted down to make eye contact with me who was sitting on the floor. "Kento ..." "Yes ...?" "I told you Camilla is no good." "Higuu!" "I told you it''s no good ..." "Yes ..." I won''t speak. If I talked about Camilla now, the fire of my life would definitely go out. [ Buhahaha, you have a rough road ahead, Kent-sama. ] [ It''s no longer a laughing matter ... ] In the end, starting with eating breakfast together the next day, having dinner together, and spending time together until I send everyone home, I somehow managed to be forgiven. Hmm ... Seraphima must not have thought that I was having such a hard time. I was finally freed from the chairman''s sermon, and when I checked my e-mail after hiding in the shadows, Suzuki-san had sent me a schedule for the State Minister of Foreign Affairs. They wanted us to be ready to leave the Nerima garrison at 10:00 am the day after tomorrow, Japan time. In Volzard, it would be around noon, so in consideration of my physical condition, I told Oda-sensei that I would like to delay his return, and he agreed. I will inform Beatriche of the schedule, and have her contact Klaus-san. Finally, today''s schedule should have been finished. I was also curious about Havre Calvine and the movements of the First Prince''s faction, but I''ll leave it to Basten and Fred. After I returned to the boarding house and ate dinner, there was something I wanted to do. I calmed down Meisa-chan, who was pouting, wondering if I was going to do something bad again, and moved to the Devil''s Forest training ground. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better for you to rest? ] "Yeah, just a little bit, I''ll make a golem." [ Oh, is it for the usual contact? ] "That''s part of it, but I''m interested in the golem itself." When I think of golems, I have the impression of a robot that moves with magic, so if possible, I''d like to make something like a giant robot. According to Reinhardt, golems were clay dolls with magic stones at their core, and a skilled earth-attribute magician controlled multiple golems. I''m going to try making a golem right away, using the Goblin''s high-ranked magic stone that''s lying around in the shadow storage as a core. Even so, I didn''t know how to make it at all, so I put my hands near the ground where the magic stone was placed and chanted out loud while imagining it. "Golem Create!" Yup, yup, shouting out the technique name while using magic is something good ... A clay doll with a square head, body, and limbs was created by enveloping the magic stone. [ Ooh, as expected of Kent-sama, to be able to make a golem so smoothly. ] "How is it usually done?" [ I don''t know the details either, but I have heard that you can''t make a golem unless you chant for a long time. ] "Hmm ... I haven''t seen the real thing, so I''m not sure." I felt that the completed golem was connected to the path of magic power, just like all of my genus. After issuing a command through the path, the golem slowly began to walk. However, as soon as I let it walk, I realized there was a problem. To put it simply, the movement was horrible. [ Hohou, as expected of Kent-sama, it looks quite good. ] "No, no, it''s no good at all. It''s movements are too bad." [ However, it looks like there is no problem with the movement of the golem. ] "No, such awkward movements are no good." The reason the golem didn''t move well was because it didn''t have joints. The hands and feet of the clay doll were forcibly bent and moved, so there was not even a fragment of smoothness. Another drawback of a joint-less golem was its lack of body strength. If the body was stiff, it would be difficult to bend its limbs and it wouldn''t be able to move properly. On the other hand, it''s unreliable with a squishy body, and it seemed that its uses would be limited. When I issued a command through the path, the golem returned to the earth. "Hmm ... I wonder if I could make ball joints like a figure if it would work well ..." I tried to make a golem with ball joints, but it didn''t work. Since the structure was complicated, it couldn''t be made in a single process. Since it couldn''t be helped, I made parts such as hands, feet, and neck separately, hardened them, and attached them to the body of the golem made with magic stones, but this time the path didn''t connect to the limbs and I couldn''t move it. It seemed that in order to pass the path through the hands and feet, I had to make them all at once, and it was too difficult to make the joint structure if I tried to make them all at once. I wanted to make a smooth-moving golem, but I suddenly hit a wall.(TN:Earth magic, dude ... of course you''d hit a wall.) "Hmm ... It doesn''t go as I expected ..." [ If you''re making a golem like Kent-sama envisioned, isn''t it like making a golem with several bodies right now? ] "Several bodies huh ... huh, several bodies?" [ What is it, Kent-sama? ] "Is that so ... several ..." The head, torso, arms, upper arms, upper limbs, and lower limbs were divided into a total of 10 parts, and ball joints were attached, and magic stones were placed in each part. In other words, it was a strategy to combine ten golems into one golem. I thought it would work, but unfortunately it was a failure. If I didn''t issue a command to each part, it wouldn''t move, so it would be jerky and fall down without balance. Normally, when we walk, we don''t move while thinking about how to move our hands, when to raise our thighs, and when to stretch our legs while swinging them. In the case of the integrated golem, I had a vague idea of how it would move, but since it was divided into parts, the operation became complicated. "Hmm ... I thought it was a good idea ..." [ Kent-sama, is this a collection of golems? ] "Yeah, that''s right ... But, I can''t move it well ..." [ Earlier, Kent-sama said that golems are like artificial monsters. ] "Yeah, golems are artificial monsters, and they feel like earth-attribute genus that I made." [ Then, how about using one of them as a superior species to lead the other golems? ] "I see! That''s it, Reinhardt." I immediately put a slightly larger magic stone in the head part and created it while imagining that it would play the role of leading the other golems. When I sent an image of myself walking to the newly created head part, it started walking with a smooth movement that was incomparable to the one-piece golem.(TN:No, it''s not a pirate golem.) [ Ooohhh ... It looks as if there''s a human inside. ] "Yeah, it''s hard to say it''s a perfect movement because it still doesn''t have many joints, but it looks like I can make a golem that moves smoothly with this." In the experiments that followed, I learned that if I created a high-ranking part to lead first, and connected the arms and other parts to the high-ranking parts from the beginning, then I only had to connect one path. If it was like this, it was possible to make an elaborate golem like a magical android. [ By the way, Kent-sama, is it okay if you don''t add the function for contact? ] "Ah, that''s right. It was fun to move, and I completely forgot about it." [ If you want it to use the shield of darkness, I think you have to give the golem the dark attribute, but I have never heard of such a thing. ] "Yeah, but Lizardmen, Kobolds, and Storm Cats were originally monsters with different attributes, right. In that case, wouldn''t it be possible to give even golems the dark attribute?" "I see, when you say it that way, it feels like it''s possible." That''s why I tried to give it the dark attribute by using the ball-jointed prototype golem, but it didn''t go well. Like when I made everyone into my genus, I tried to connect a dark attribute path, but it didn''t connect well. "Hmm ... I thought it was a good idea ..." [ Isn''t it difficult to give two attributes? ] "If it''s impossible to give it two attributes, should I just give it one?" Come to think of it, when I came up with the communication golem, I was thinking of making it a stationary golem that specialized in maintaining the shield of darkness. "I wonder if it''s better not to have such a complicated golem ..." The ball-jointed prototype golem was in a state where the part golems were connected to the commander golem, so it seemed necessary to give new attributes to all the golems in order to give it a different attribute. Therefore, I decided to create a communication-only golem as originally planned. It was a stationary type, so I thought of making it a statue of some kind, and tried to make it look like the Moai Statues of Easter Island. [ Kent-sama, does this shape have some meaning? ] "This is an imitation of a famous statue in our world that is full of mysteries about how it was made and who made it." [ I see, from my point of view, Kent-sama''s magic is also full of mysteries. ] I tried to give the dark attribute to the strange golem that couldn''t move by itself, but that didn''t work either. The structure couldn''t be simpler, so why is that. In this situation, the only way to secure communication between Japan and Volzard was to continuously use magic. [ Kent-sama, why don''t you follow the same procedure as when you made Zae-tachi your genus? ] "Same procedure?" [ Yes, it means that you will end its life once. ] Certainly, just as Reinhardt said, when I made everyone a member of my genus, I took their life once before making them a member of my genus. "But, is a golem originally alive ... I see, should I cut the earth-attribute path?" When I cut the path that was connected to the stationary golem, it became a Moai Statue with a magic stone inside. In that state, just like when I made everyone into my genus, when I was conscious of connecting the dark attribute path, I could feel the magical power being pulled and the path passed through. Then, when I ordered the shield of darkness to open through the dark attribute path, the shield of darkness unfolded in front of the Moai Statue. "Alright! This is fine. After that, it depends on how long the magic stone lasts." [ Amazing! As expected of Kent-sama, is it possible to create golems with fire-attribute using the same method? ] "I wonder if that''s possible. Let''s try it." I thought it would be best to keep the shape as simple as possible, so I made a cannon-shaped golem, cut the path once, and tried to connect the fire-attribute path again. "Hmm ... It looks like it''s no good. If I''m being conscious of the fire attribute, the path won''t connect." [ I see, I guess it''s because it''s the dark attribute that it can be made into genus. In other words, it''s like turning a golem into an undead. ] "If fire attribute could be made into my genus, I thought it would be possible to line up cannons and attack, so it''s a bit disappointing." [ However, you were able to create the golem you wanted, so it''s good, isn''t it? ] "That''s right. But, if the golem can maintain the shield of darkness, I wonder if it''s better to use a wired connection rather than a wireless one ..." If the shield of darkness could be maintained, I felt that communication would be more stable if a base station was installed by pulling a cable from Japan. However, I was worried about what would happen to the cable running between worlds if the shield of darkness disappeared. So, I should give it a try. [ Kent-sama, what''s wrong? ] "Yeah, it''s a little late ... But, I''m wondering what would happen if the shield of darkness disappeared while we were still inside it ..." I tried to erase the shield of darkness with a bat-sized branch that had fallen at the edge of the training ground. "Uwaa! What is this, it''s refreshing!" When I erased the shield of darkness, the thick branch was cut off where the shield had been, and the remaining part was lying in the shadow space. [ Hohou ... Kent-sama, couldn''t this be used as a weapon as well? ] "That''s right. Let''s try something else." I tried it with a knife this time, but without any resistance, the blade of the knife fell off with a ''porori''. "Uwaa ... This, could be a little bad ..." The only ones who could pass through the shield of darkness were me, the person who I enchanted with my magical power, or my genus, but if I got the timing wrong, they might get sliced into pieces, so I have to be careful. However, if you put the weapon of the opponent inside and cancel it, it seems that the weapon would be destroyed. It seemed better to refrain from pulling a cable from Japan, considering the time when the shield disappeared. For the communication golems, I made two paired bodies, decided to actually connect after listening to the opinions of those around me, and decided to return to the lodgings tonight. Tomorrow, I have a date with the chairman and the others, so I''ll go home and rest. Yes, it''s a date, it''s a date, no matter what anyone says, it''s a date. CH 152 Kent''s day off ? Part 1 ***---*** I, Kokubu Kento, am up early in the morning. Even though it''s the day of rest, Amanda-san''s shop will be open as usual ... That''s not why. After getting dressed, I will pick up the chairman and Manon in that order, and then we''ll be treated to breakfast at Klaus-san''s mansion. From there, I''ll spend the day with the four of us as the first step to atone for being overwhelmed by Seraphima. I do the unusual and bathe in the morning, change into good clothes, put on the shoes Marcel-san gave me, and I would like to say that I''m ready, but my hair is so messy ... Since I came to this world, I hadn''t been to the barber even once, so my hair had grown quite a bit. I think I''ll go to the barber shop when I go back to Japan ... But, it would be a bad thing if I were found. When I picked her up at the garrison quarters, the chairman was waiting at the gate. She wore a long dark brown skirt, a tan-based coat, and short boots on her feet. The fluffy knitted hat and muffler were also brown giving it a chic look. She noticed me and waved happily, and her smile was really cute. "Good morning, Kento ... Eeh." "Good morning ... Yuika." I''m sorry, I couldn''t help myself and hugged her tightly. "Hey, Kento, everyone is watching." "Does it bother Yuika if we''re seen?" "Mou ... Idiot ..." To the garrison member guarding the gate, please stop muttering in a low voice and chanting resentfully. I don''t want to lose my hair or go bald. "Shall we go?" "Yes!" The chairman held my right arm and rested her head on my shoulder. Yup, yup, when she''s like this, the chairman is seriously an angel. It seems like yesterday''s Yaksha girl was a lie. "That''s because Kento was bad ..." "Hyau, you''re right ..." Yup, the chairman can definitely read my mind. Volzard''s main street was crowded with people on the rest day. However, there was still time before the shops opened, so the traffic was sparse. "The town of Volzard is really beautiful." "Yeah, it''s well-cleaned, the sewers work properly, and the roads are paved, so it might be cleaner than Japan." "Above all, there are no cars running, so it''s quiet and the air is clean." "Yes, even when I first came here, I thought the starry sky was amazing." "But, Kento had a hard time after that, didn''t you?" "Oh ... Really, I thought I was really useless at that time ..." It felt like a long time ago when I was driven to the Devil''s Forest alone, almost eaten by Goblins, and was rescued by Reinhardt and the others. I couldn''t believe it''s only been a little over three months. Hey, it''s just too eventful. We passed through the main street, passed Klaus-san''s mansion, and came out onto the street where Manon''s house was. She wore a navy blue flared skirt, a sky blue short coat, and boots on her feet. Manon, wearing a checkered newsboy cap with blue tones, ran up to me, waving her hand. Yup, yup, Manon is super cute too. Therefore ... "Good morning, Kent ... ?" "Good morning, Manon." Of course, I gave her a hug. "Kent ..." "You''re cute, Manon." "Hee ..." Yup, Yup, Manon''s eyes are swirling. "Kento, what about me?" "Of course, Yuika is cute too." "Yup, that''s fine." That''s true. I have to love my future brides equally. But, that means, I have to do the pattern of hugging and whispering that they''re cute in front of that Idiot Parent. Yup, I feel like I''m digging my own grave. When I arrived at Klaus-san''s mansion with a flower in both hands, the garrison member guarding the gate let me through without even checking my guild card. Oh, have I finally gotten to the point where I can pass through with a face pass. A butler greeted me at the entrance of the mansion. "Good morning, Kent-sama, Yuika-sama, Manon-sama, everyone is waiting for you." "Good morning. Thank you for your time today." The butler guided us to the dining room, where Beatriche greeted us. The wine-red skirt and fluffy white sweater looked warm. In the back, I could see Klaus-san and Marianne-san sitting in their seats. "A good morning to you, Kent-sama." "Good morning, Riche, you look cute today, too." "Maa, Kent-sama ..." In Beatriche''s case, it''s the default for her to come hug me herself. My mission is complete if I just say she''s cute. Yup, naturally Klaus-san was glaring at me with a face that looked like he was grinding his teeth. "Good morning, Klaus-san, Marianne-san." "Tch, breakfast on a long-awaited holiday ..." "Maa, maa, well, don''t say that. Also, Kent-san, please call us father-in-law and mother-in-law." "Understood, mother-in-law, fa ..." "Klaus is fine ... Fuun." Klaus-san sat at the far end of the table, Marianne-san was diagonally in front of him, and Beatrice was next to him. I sat across from Beatrice, with the chairman on my right, and Manon on my left. I asked the chairman to sit as a buffer between Klaus-san and me, but it''s a little difficult for Manon. "Speaking of which, Kent, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs is coming tomorrow, right? "Yes, we plan to leave Japan at 10 o''clock, around noon here." "If that''s the case, can you guide him directly to the guest house? When the messenger from Resenburg arrives, I''ll be able to see what''s going on inside, so will it be okay?" "Yes, then I''ll guide them to the entrance of the guest house." "Ah, that''s fine. I''ll prepare to accept them as well." When he was talking seriously like this, he had the personality of a really sharp Lord, but when it came to Beatriche, why did his mental age suddenly drop ... I didn''t even need to ask. "Kent-san, so when will Her Highness the Princess of Barshania come to Volzard?" "That will depend on the stability of the domestic situation in Resenburg, I wonder when it will be ..." "Well, that''s a rather ambiguous answer ... Even though it''s a big deal for women ..." When I told Marianne-san about Barshania''s Idiot Parent and her Idiot Brothers, and that Seraphima pressed the story forward because she might want to become independent, she nodded strongly. "Then, Her Highness Seraphima''s very similar to our Riche." "Eh, but Riche''s brother is ..." "Riche''s two older brothers and older sister are attending a senior school in the academic city of Bakkenheim. In two more weeks, they''ll be back for New Year''s vacation, my eldest son will graduate from the academy, and my eldest daughter will graduate from senior high school, and from the beginning of the year they will be living in Volzard." In Volzard, there are only schools up to the so-called middle school level, and those who attend high school or university are said to live in a dormitory in Bakkenheim. Wait a minute. To say that Seraphima and Beatrice are similar means that the two brothers are idiots. Wait, wait, if the eldest daughter is an idiot who loves her little sister, won''t I be in big trouble? "Kent, there''s only two weeks left, so look forward to it ..." "No, I''m looking forward to it ..." Damn, are you saying that the parent Idiot Father will gain reinforcements? Are you serious? "That''s right, what should I do if even Ange is attracted to Kent-san ..." "Haa? It''s obvious that it''s no good. It''s hard to forgive even Riche alone!" "That''s right, Okaa-sama. Onee-sama is no good!" Huh? I feel the nuances of Klaus-san and Beatriche are slightly different. "That Ange-san you''re talking about..." "Don''t call her so familiar. It''s Angelina!" "Yes, I''m sorry, what kind of person is that Angelina-san?" "Kent-sama, you don''t have to be interested in my Onee-sama." "That''s right, it''s just as Riche said. You don''t have to know!" No, why are the two of you so desperate? "Ange inherited her father''s hair color and ear shape, and she inherited her face and figure from me." What''s that! She''s a dynamite sister-in-law. I have to get closer to her ... "It hurts, it hurts, Manon, it hurts. Don''t pinch me so hard." "Kent, you''re getting a lewd look ..." "Uu ... I''m sorry." "For now, Kent, if you put your hands on Ange, I really can''t leave you alive." "I understand. But, since they are going to be my brothers and sisters in law, I have to properly greet them ... Manon, that hurts!" "Hmph! Kent''s ecchi!" Ahh ... Manon, who was in a good mood, became in a bad mood ... Rather, it''s my fault. "Ara, ara, both Manon-san and Yuika-san are in a bad mood. Kent-san, the New Year is coming in a month, so why don''t you get dresses tailored for your future brides?" "Dresses ... is it?" "Yeah, we''re going to have a celebration party here for the New Year, so they need dresses." "I see ... But, where should I get them tailored?" "I''ll have Riche guide you." "Leave it to me, Kent-sama." That''s true. If I leave it to Beatriche ... Is it just my imagination that Klaus-san is looking at me with a pitiful gaze. Well, I''m not worried about the budget at all. With the exception of one person, there was a lively chat until the stores opened. "I have to have a consultation with Yagi-tachi, so I have to go back to the garrison gate at noon, but I don''t mind if everyone comes with me." "What is Yagi-kun''s consultation about?" "I found a way to return to Japan, but it will take some time before they can return. Especially since the boys have been put on the back burner, they want to hear how to spend their time in Volzard until they return." "But, they''ve been taken care of by Kento and Manon, don''t you feel it''s too late?" "Yeah, that''s right. But, I think it''s because the ones Manon took care of were mainly girls, and because the boys weren''t serious until now. No matter what, if they''re motivated, I''d like to cooperate." "Kent-sama is really a caring person, isn''t he." "Right, right, Kent is too kind." Normally, the chairman holds my right arm and Manon holds my left arm, but now Manon is on my right and Beatriche is on my left, and the chairman turned around and walked a little ahead. I only have two arms, but I have three future wives, so they decided to rotate.(TN:That are here, anyway.) Yup, it''s a wonderful, equal world. Boys around our age who stopped at the street corner and looked at us gave me a look of great resentment, but I didn''t care. I mean, I can''t refuse, and I don''t have any intention of refusing. "Riche, where do you order the dresses?" "I''m thinking of ordering from a shop that has become a hot topic, recently." "A popular shop?" "Yes, they sell clothes with very innovative designs and they are popular." "Innovative design ..." The direction Beatriche guided me to was the direction I imagined the store to be. The shop was crowded even though it just opened, Flavia-san''s shop that is. "Just as I thought ..." "Kent-sama, do you know about this shop?" "Yeah, the clothes I''m wearing right now were bought at Flavia-san''s shop." "Is that so? But it''s a rather normal design for that." "Well, I chose a normal design." When it came to Flavia-san''s shop, naturally the clothes would be more revealing. No, wait, it''s fine if it''s only me, but if there are other men around, it''s not good. "What''s wrong? Kent-sama." "N, no, nothing really ... Umm ... Why don''t we look at other stores ... I thought." "That''s fine, but I haven''t checked this shop yet." "R, right, that''s right. But, isn''t it rather crowded ..." "In a little while more people will gather, so let''s check it now." "Th, that''s right." I''d like to see the three of them in revealing dresses, but I don''t want to show other people. But, if they see Flavia-san''s miko cosplay-like outfit, the chairman would suggest we go to another shop. The shop was crowded with female customers, and I seemed to be the only male customer. "Sagara-san?" "Ah, if it isn''t Asakawa-san. Kokubu-kun is here too!" Sagara-san, who worked at the store, was wearing a maid outfit today. Even though it was called a maid outfit, it wasn''t unfashionable and practical, but it wasn''t like it was super mini with a high degree of exposure. The waist was tightened to emphasize the feminine lines, but the exposure was kept low, and the beautiful colors and ruffles were used to bring out the cuteness to the fore. "Uwaa, that''s cute ..." "Right, right. It''s based on my design, I finished it together with Flavia-san." "That''s nice ... Hey, we''re looking for dresses to wear at the New Year''s party." "Is that so? Maybe the timing was just right. Lately, the number of orders has been increasing, and we were planning to close the deadline for the New Year." "Well then, can you please do it for the three of us?" "Leave it to me! Asakawa-san took great care of me in Lastock, so I''ll put all my skill into it and do my best." While the chairman and Sagara-san were talking, Manon and Beatriche went to see the clothes on display and I was left alone. That being said, the appearance of the store had changed completely from the last time I came, and all the items on display were for women. The main thing was that it was frilly and cute, and there was a lot of space for underwear. As I was feeling a great sense of not belonging, the owner, Flavia-san, appeared. Last time, Flavia-san was dressed in a costume like shrine maiden cosplay, but this time she was dressed in a less revealing outfit. She wore a black knit long-sleeve dress, her collar was a turtleneck, and her skirt was below her knees. She feels like a woman owner who can do it. Flavia-san greeted me with a smile, but when she caught sight of me, she made her way between the customers. "Welcome, ''Monster User''." When Flavia-san said my name while smiling bewitchingly, the customers in the shop all turned around and started whispering. "What are you looking ofr today?" "Umm ... A dress to wear at the New Year''s party ..." "Dress? For you?" "No, no, not for me, it''s for my lovers." When I point to the three of them, Flavia-san turns around and at the same time, the noise in the store grew even louder. "I knew about Beatrice-chan, but the two over there are like that, huh, those two are adorable, aren''t they?" "Yes, they''re too good for me ..." "That''s not true. Look at the eyes of the customers in the store." "Eh, the customers is it ...?" Not knowing what to do, I looked around the store, and the customer I looked at was blushing with her hands on her mouth, waving her hand slightly, and yelping. After hearing that, the chairman''s trio came back to me quickly and wrapped their arms around me and hugged me. "Ehh, ehh, what''s going on ...?" "Oh, it seems you weren''t aware of it. The youngest S-rank adventurer in history who saved Volzard from danger and gained a huge amount of wealth. You''re the object of admiration for young women." "Eeehhh ... Really, is that so?" Uu ... It''s like sparks are flying between the customers and the chairman and the others. Are you saying that I''ve reached the age of being super popular? "Kento!" "Kent!" "Kent-sama!" "Y, yes ... I understand. Of course, I know ..." I can''t grin and smirk while being stared at from such a close distant, can I. "Ara, ara, it looks like no-one can shop. Everyone, please go to the back ..." We decided to order the dresses in a separate room in the back so as not to disturb the shop. In addition, I had my New Year''s clothes made for me and had my measurements taken. "Hee, you''re more solid than you look ..." "Since I came here, I''ve been trained in various ways ..." I mean, Flavia-san''s way of using her hands was somehow ecchi. When she measured my chest and waist, she touched me so casually that I got chills. Or rather, since they''re having dresses made, everyone will have their dimensions measured, right. That is, the chest size, the chest size, the chest size ... But, there''s no way they can show that to me. I was made to sit facing the wall while everyone had their measurements taken. When they were discussing measurements, design selection, fabric selection, detailed requests, etc. , it was already lunchtime in the blink of an eye. After everyone''s orders were completed, we left the store with a meaningful wink from Flavia-san. CH 153 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 153 Kent''s day off ? Part 2 ***---*** I would meet with Yagi at noon in front of the garrison gate. According to what we were talking about, there should be several other boys in addition to Yagi. I was told that Yagi and the others would treat me to lunch, but isn''t the money that the people who weren''t working properly money that I gave them to help? Well, it wouldn''t help if I said things that put a damper on their motivation, so I''ll keep quiet. This time, I walked with Beatriche on my right arm and the chairman on my left arm. Manon, who was walking while looking back, pouted her mouth and sulked a little, which was cute. As we approached the garrison''s gate, we saw a group of people in a bad mood. Since they were self-imposed guards for the temporary dormitory, I had expected it, but the group of seven people had faces that made Yagi look decent. Yagi noticed and tried to raise his hand, but he stopped midway and glared at me with the other guys. "Yagi, please wait." "Hold on, what''s going on?'' "No, no matter what you say, it''s hard to explain, but if you''re just going to have a consultation, there''s no problem if the three of them are with me, right?" "That, that''s right, but ..." Yagi had a sour expression on his face, and among the rest of the faces there were those who were blatantly displeased. Well, I understood how they felt. If I was in the opposite position, I would have made a similar expression. Yagi and the others started talking to each other a little ways from us. "Hey, Yagi, what is that. Is he making fun of us?" "Is that sarcasm, or is he here to show off?" "Hey, it really pisses me off ..." Yagi seemed to be trying to calm down the protests of the boys who were scheduled to participate. "Well, wait. Wait a minute." "What are we waiting for, you, don''t screw around." "Idiot, calm down! Listen to me!" Yup, I can hear everything, but after Yagi raised his voice again, he beckoned everyone and hid their voices. It was kind of suspicious that they would occasionally glance at me. "Kent, was it better for us not to come ..." "That''s no good, Manon, no good." "Yuika ... But." "From now on, we will continue to live in this state. Not just today, all of us will be Kento''s brides." "That''s right, Manon-san. Besides, there''s a high possibility that there will be another one ..." That''s right. I chose all three, so this state is what I wanted, and I should be responsible for the envy and jealousy. Yup, no matter what kind of abuse I get, I''ll take it all. I made up my mind and waited, but Yagi and the others, who had huddled up and talked in low voices, had disgusting smiles on their faces when they came out of the huddle. "Well, Kokubu, my bad, my bad, because there was a slight misunderstanding." "A misunderstanding ...?" "No, no, it''s on our side. It''s true that if it''s a consultation, Asakawa-san and the others won''t be a problem. No, rather, we''ll be able to hear a lot of information, so it''s a big welcome." Hearing Yagi''s words, the seven participating boys smiled as if they had done a complete flip-flop. The four of us involuntarily looked at each other, but no one could come up with a clear answer. "Then, let''s go. I''ve reserved a shop." Yagi took the lead and started walking, it''s strange to walk while looking at a map even though you''ve made a reservation. "Hey, Kento, are they really consulting about the future?" "Well ... That''s all I heard, but it''s kind of strange." The seven people walked behind Yagi, and we walked behind them, but everyone, including Yagi, seemed strangely restless. Among the participating boys, there were some who looked at themselves reflected in the glass doors and tried to arrange their hair and check their clothes. "Hey Riche, are there any dangerous places in the direction we''re walking now?" "No, there is one from the main street, but there is no place around here that is said to be particularly unsafe." "Well, I wonder if it''s okay ..." "Kent, do you think Yuusuke is deceiving you?" "Yeah, well, it feels like that, but I wonder if it isn''t so ..." As Beatriche said, the place where Yagi lead us was one street away from the main street, but it was an ordinary street where women and children walked normally. A short distance from the guild, where taverns and inns gathered, was said to attract adventurers and suspicious people, so we needed to be a little careful. Even so, since Klaus-san became the Lord, considerable reforms and improvements had progressed, and it was said that there were almost no situations where innocent people were stripped of their possessions. How far away are we going to go, anyway. Also, I think the high proportion of participating members wearing glasses was probably due to Yagi''s influence. Their body types were either fat or skinny, and rather than people who hadn''t adapted to this world, they seemed like people who weren''t able to get along with the world from the start. Well, before I came to Volzard, I was one of those people. As we walked down the back street for a while, I saw a girl waving in front of a restaurant-like shop. She looked a little older than us, and I felt like I''d seen her somewhere. Yagi waved his hand back and tried to run up to the girl and stumbled and fell. Damn, what was she doing ... Ah, I remembered. The girl who was waiting in front of the store was the one who beat up Yagi during the guild class. When the girl greeted him with a big smile, Yagi gestured to show the participating members, but as soon as she saw me surrounded by the chairman-tachi, her expression clouded over. Then she grabbed Yagi by the chest and raised her voice while pointing at me. "Hey, what''s going on. Women, aren''t they with you." "No, even we didn''t expect that." "Didn''t you say that and set it up like this from the beginning?" "No, that''s not it, it was really unexpected." When Yagi and the girl were arguing, several girls came out of the store, wondering what they were doing. Immediately after that, the male participants became fidgety and restless, and some even took strange poses for no reason. Yup, I think I understood the general situation ... "Hey, Kento, isn''t this a mixer?" "Yup, it looks like Yagi completely tried to dupe me." "What do you mean? Kent-sama." "Perhaps Yagi, who was subjected to a kangaroo court, tried to get along with the girls by introducing me or something." All three of them were on high alert just by seeing the reactions of the girls at Flavia-san''s shop, and they were snuggled up to me completely. The reason why the participating boys seemed to have no communication skills was that they were probably selected by Yagi in order to make him feel good about himself. Seriously, what ''I want to consult about the future''. Aren''t I the crowd puller for a mixer? "Shall we go home? Let''s have lunch at the pasta shop where Manon''s friend works." "Minuet''s place. Yeah, let''s do that." The three of them agreed without hesitation, so we changed the plan. "Yagi! We''re going home!" "Hey! Wait a second, idiot, if you aren''t here, it won''t work!" Yagi shook off the hand of the girl who was scolding him and came back with a ferocious dash. "I''m begging you! I got a girl on the condition that I introduce her to Kokubu, so if you''re not here, it''s no good." "Yeah, it''s nothing to do with me, and I came here because you wanted to consult about the future." "It''s a big deal. The success or failure of this mixer will change our lives from now on." "No, no, then you should do something with your own power." "Somehow! You see ..." Yagi clapped his hands together and bowed down. But, for Yagi''s sake, I''ll turn my heart into a demon ... No, devil, and refuse. I whispered quietly so that the girls couldn''t hear me. "Yagi ... Well, I also struggled a lot to get here. Starting with being almost eaten by Goblins, even after arriving at Volzard, I worked at the Livre Plantation and the Garm potato warehouse, I also did a gardener''s apprenticeship, and in the course of my daily life, I got to know Manon and Beatriche. Right now, Yagi has a chance to connect with a girl, but if you rely on me, you let go of that connection." "No, but ..." "If I stay, I''ll take over all the topics, is that okay?" "No, that''s no good ..." "In that case, cooperate with the other guys and do whatever you can to hold the girls here." "I''m fine, but ... because the others are an undesirable lot ..." I guess that''s what happens when the members are selected out of ulterior motives. I keep my voice low and whisper. "It''s good, so if you can stop them, won''t it be all about Yagi?" "Ehh ... Ah, right, that''s right. If Kokubu goes back and the girls stay ... Okay, if it''s like this, I''ll do something like prostrating or dancing naked!" "Yeah, I wish you good luck!" Yagi turned around, walked over the girls, when he decided to dogeza with such momentum that I thought he was sinking into the ground, the four of us left the place. Whether it went well or not, it was Yagi''s own responsibility. "Kent-sama is surprisingly a mischievous person." "Because, it would be a problem if I was used for this kind of thing every time." "Well, Yagi-kun has to do something about it." "Right, right ... Oh, the other guys are desperate too ..." When I turned around with the chairman, the participating boys were all on their knees. I was a little curious as to how far the Japanese Dogeza''s power could affect the women of Volzard, so I''ll ask later. At the pasta shop where Manon''s friend Minuet worked, there was a line at noon. When I was in Japan, I never had the desire to wait in line to eat, but now it''s different. In the first place, there''s a big difference between one person and four people standing in line. While we talked about the state of Chowsk, the view from the top of the royal capital Aldaros'' tower, and the city of Tokyo, the waiting time passed in the blink of an eye. "Welcome, Manon ...?" Minuet, who greeted Manon, saw me, the chairman, and Beatrice together, and her eyes widened. "Well, they''re all my best friends ... No, they''re the people who will become my family." Manon was a little shy, but she introduced us in a clear tone. "I see ... If Manon decided, it''s not something for me to talk about. But ..." Minuet nodded in agreement, but stood in front of me and looked straight at me. "If you don''t make Manon happy, I won''t forgive you." "I promise. Until the end of my life, I will live to make Manon happy." "Kent ..." With tears in her eyes, Manon hugged me tightly and then kissed me on the cheek with a slightly awkward movement. "Oooohhhh ..." After the roar of the customers and staff in the store, there was a big round of applause, and when Manon released her lips, I was kissed by the chairman and Beatrice, and there were voices of surprise. Even after we were led to our table, the noise didn''t stop. Everyone knew Beatrice''s face, and as Beatrice was treated as a part of a harem, it was a natural reaction. "What would you like to order? ''Monster User''-san." With just a few words from Minuet, the commotion subsided, as if the customers finally understood. The last time I came, I ordered the same menu as Manon, but this time all four of us ordered different menus. That''s right, it was a fascinating time. Most of the customers here were female, so I was able to avoid being exposed to resentful eyes like in the garrison''s cafeteria. After lunch, shopping time resumed. At this point, I came to know why Klaus-san was giving me a pitiful look. Anyway, it took a long time to choose, and when they asked me which one was better, I couldn''t answer because I wasn''t familiar with fashion. Small items, accessories, hats, daily necessities, over there, over here, I wondered if it was okay to go back ... Of course, I couldn''t stop smiling. What I considered to be a blessing was that I could throw all the items we bought into the shadow storage. It was scary to imagine what it would be like if I had to carry all that luggage by myself. Or rather, judging by Klaus-san''s expression, it seemed that Marianne-san and Beatrice had him carry their luggage. The Lord of Volzard is troubled. After drinking tea and taking a break on the way, we went to see Marcel-san for shoes. If I couldn''t find shoes that matched everyone''s dresses, I would have them made for them. Marcel-san''s shop seemed to have returned to normal business, and customers were choosing shoes. "Hello, Marcel-san." "Oh, isn''t it Kent, not just flowers in both hands, but flowers overflowing from both hands, hey!" "Yes, please find shoes that match my beautiful flowers." "Ohh, ohh, didn''t you come just to say that." Marcel-san patted me on the shoulder with a big smile. Rather, it hurts, it hurts, it really hurts, so please don''t hit me so hard. "Hey, hey, Kent, is that a Minotaur''s horn?" "Yup, I sent it to celebrate the opening of the store." "Really, I''m always indebted to Kent, so I don''t have to worry about it ..." Marcel-san seemed to be happy, even though he was a little disappointed. The three looked around for shoes, but they couldn''t find anything that matched the color or design of their dresses, so they decided to have them made. They consulted with Marcel-san about the material and shape, and had him measure their sizes as well. While I was waiting for the three of them to finish ordering, the door of the store opened and an unexpected group of three entered. "Yo, Takayama!" "Ah, Kokubu, in a place like this ..." When I raised my hand and called out to Takayama as he entered the store, Flosche-san and Celia-san approached me, as if to push Takayama away. "Maou-sama, thank you very much for your help this time. Thanks to you, my physical condition has improved completely, and I am now able to live with my daughter. Thank you very much." "A little while ago, I was able to stop by your residence, but since you were out, I just asked for a message. Thank you very much." "No, no, I did it because I felt like it, so please don''t worry about it so much. So, is the house okay? Do you have everything you need to live?" "That is ..." Flosche-san and Celia-san looked at each other and smiled wryly. Yes, just by looking at their expressions, I somehow got the idea. "Takayama ... Takayama ..." "I, it can''t be helped. I''ve never lived alone, and I don''t even know what to prepare ..." "Takayama ... At such a time, listen. An otchan who came to work on the ramparts, or an oba-chan at the shop." "That''s my bad ..." "So, do you have money to arrange daily necessities?" "That, what Celia brought from Resenburg ..." "Kah, how pathetic. Pull yourself together, or she''ll run away." "I, idiot, don''t say that even as a joke." "If you don''t want her to run away, look, introduce them to Marcel-san." "O, oh, that''s right ..." Takayama, after going in front of Marcel-san who was watching over him with a grin, beckoned Celia-san and Flosche-san. "Marcel-san, my ... W, wife-to-be, Celia, and Flosche-san, Celia''s mother. U, umm ... F, from now on, the three of us will live in Volzard, so please take care of us." "My name is Celia. I''m sorry that Shuuichi has caused you so much trouble. He''s still inexperienced, and he may cause you trouble in the future, but please be warm, and please give him strict guidance." Yup, Takayama is undoubtedly the type to be dominated, but if Celia-san holds the reins, I''ll be relieved. When I turned my gaze to Marcel-san, he nodded with a smile as if he was thinking the same thing. "I''m a poor shoemaker, so I can''t do much, but if you have a problem or something you don''t understand, just like Kent said earlier, don''t hesitate to ask." "Yes, thank you very much." While I watched Marcel-san and Takayama-tachi smiling and exchanging words, the chairman suddenly approached and whispered. "That''s good, Kento. It''s all thanks to Kento''s hard work." "He''s the main pillar of a family that''s kind of unreliable, but he''s got solid support, so he should be fine." "Make sure our main pillar doesn''t wobble either." "Guh ... I''ll do my best." That''s true. I started off my day off as a sort of atonement today, but this has to become a normal thing. Starting tomorrow, it looked like I would be busy again, but I''ll enjoy my day off today. CH 154 Havre''s strategy ***---*** After spending a satisfying time with the Chairman, Manon, and Beatriche, I returned to the boarding house and put Meisa-chan to sleep, and my day off was over. Then, should I go out ... I headed for Havre Calvine''s mansion in the royal capital of Aldaros. The nobles of Resenburg had mansions in the royal capital in addition to their mansions in their territory. It was also for the Lord of the nobility to stay, and when the Lord was absent, the heir to the family estate and the head of the family stayed to negotiate with the royal family. The amount of tax paid to the country, the cost of maintenance of roads and bridges, the burden of personnel, from everyday problems to emergency problems, such as the allocation of soldiers in an emergency, maintaining ties with the royal family, it seemed to be used as a base for information gathering in the royal capital. The size of the mansion in the royal capital, that is, showing the power relationship of the nobility, the mansion of the Calvine Family, which had been responsible for most of Resenburg''s metal resources for many years, had a large site and a gorgeous building. According to Basten, the Calvine mansion had many visitors yesterday and today. "After all, the important news that the Second and Third Princes had died together, the people who remained in the royal capital seemed to be quite shaken, and messengers came from the seven families of the former Second Prince faction, and more than ten families of the first-generation nobles. Along with Count Gleisner, Havre Calvine had played a central role in the Second Prince faction. For that reason alone, they seemed to be trying to ascertain what kind of actions Havre, who had the most influence, would take when Count Gleisner was not in the royal capital. Basically, it seemed that the housekeeper dealt with the first-generation aristocrats, but it seemed that Havre himself met with the Lords and sons of the aristocrats. "So, what is Havre going to do?" [ For the aristocrats who asked for a meeting, he gave a safe answer that they should work together to settle the situation while making a sorrowful look. ] "But that''s not what he means, is it?" [ Yes, yesterday, when he heard about the news about the fast horse arriving at the royal family, he was devastated. ] When I saw the footage that Basten secretly filmed, he became so enraged that the spy who came to convey the information trembled, he smashed the expensive pots that were placed in the room, hurled abuse at the Second Prince and Ryzas, who was dispatched to his entourage. "Basten, who is this man in the video with Havre?" [ That man is Havre''s right-hand man called Nestor, and seems to be from Barshania. ] Nestor had long, bright green hair tied up at the nape of his neck and a clean-shaven beard. Even though Havre bared his emotions and yelled at him, he didn''t so much as move his eyebrows, and had a calm expression, giving him the impression of being cold-hearted. He didn''t say a word until Havre''s anger subsided, and when he regained his composure, he called a maid and instructed her to clean up the room. And he closed his eyes as if he was meditating, even as he sat across from Havre, who hunched over the sofa. "Will Barshania move?" When Havre called out, he finally opened his eyes and gave his answer. "The probability is 50/50, but they probably won''t move ..." "Why do you think so?" "Emperor Constant of Barshania looks rough at first glance, but he actually has a meticulous personality, and he judges the situation well before moving." "Then, do you think they have the information that will serve as the criteria for that judgment?" "Of course he does. It''s no exaggeration to say that the fate of a country depends on it." As a matter of fact, as I had already informed him that, as this man named Nestor said, for Constant, it wouldn''t be funny if he neglected reconnaissance. In other words, Barshania wouldn''t have come to attack even if I didn''t plan for it. Then, there was no need to be forced to marry Seraphima, right. When I unintentionally held my head and fainted in agony, perhaps my state of mind was leaking, Reinhardt and Basten were chuckling softly. "Hey, it''s not a laughing matter." [ Kent-sama, continue ... ] "I understand. Even so, it''s a beautiful shot, but where were you taking it from?" [ This was taken from the shadow of a picture frame. Beyond the wall was outdoors, and the room was on the second floor, so they didn''t even suspect that someone was lurking there. ] "I see, if it''s a wall with a room next to it, there''s a possibility that it''s being peeped through, but they would doubt it if it''s the outer wall on the second floor." Physically, there''s no space for people to hide, but it didn''t matter for us who were hiding in the shadow space. At Basten''s urging, I continued playing the hidden footage that had been paused. "Is there nothing to be rewarded with for putting in so much effort?" "There''s no way that''s so. Princes Bernst and Christoph have already left for the other world, haven''t they." "Fuun, are you saying we should send Alphonse and Diethelm with them." "If that''s the case, wouldn''t it be fine to send them back? The two of them, who weren''t physically strong to begin with, fell ill after hearing the tragic news ... I can''t say for certain that such a thing wouldn''t happen." "Fuun, are you saying that you want to bother me again?" "No, there''s nothing for me to bother Havre-sama with. However, there is a possibility that some young person will misunderstand Havre-sama''s intentions and go out of control." "Calculating guy ..." Havre ordered the attendant to prepare drinks, and sat in silence in thought while it was readied. A large jug of liquor, which was brought along with several dishes, was poured down his throat, and after letting out a sigh that sounded like a groan, Havre murmured to no one. "Fuun ... It''s not as I expected, but it''s not bad ..." Nestor didn''t respond to Havre''s muttering, but followed the recommendation of his gaze and drank a mug of liquor. Havre seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, ignoring Nestor as he ate food and poured alcohol into his stomach. Nestor also didn''t say any extra words, and other than the occasional drink, he closed his eyes and seemed to be gathering his thoughts. When the food on the table was reduced to about half, Havre finally started talking to Nestor. "If the First Prince''s faction and the Second Prince''s faction were crushing each other, it would have resulted in the loss of soldiers on both sides. Considering the loss of national power, isn''t this situation rather welcomed?" "The situation that has happened should rather be dealt with as a situation that should be celebrated. It''s not like you can go back in time just by lamenting." "Fuun, that''s certain true. The two Stupid Princes have been dealt with. The remaining two ... Well, it will work out somehow. The problem is that the old men who control the factions are still alive." "That''s right. In particular, Dravis, Langhain, and Saruel, who belong to the First Prince''s faction, will become a hindrance to Havre-sama''s supremacy." Hearing Nestor''s words, Havre relaxed his expression for a moment, then rested his chin on his hands and made a dissatisfied expression. "Even the marriage with Camilla, with Barshania as a backing, it would be easy to push her down with force, but in the current situation, the trick is to postpone it by giving a reason such as mourning." "Don''t think about it too hard, how about just forcing it?" "Hmm, that restive horse, is it?"(TN:He''s referring to Camilla here, calling her a tomboy/restive horse.) "Skillfully managing an unruly horse is also a quality of a King." If you think about trying to force Camilla into something like that, the force that lifted Funayama with just her right hand and threw him away, would crush you. However, Havre also had a rugged body, and if he could use physical enhancement, it wouldn''t be strange for Camilla to be overwhelmed. "Fuun, I don''t mind making a strong-minded woman submit. Even more so, if the country comes rolling into my hands, there''s nothing to say ... But, it''s not yet the turning point." "Then, you should fix the surroundings first." "This news has arrived, that guy will show up even if I don''t call him." After that, the two of them just talked about trivial matters, and when the jug of liquor was exhausted, Nestor withdrew. "Hey, Basten, who is ''that guy''?" [ That is, recorded in the next video. ] After the Havre and Nestor video ended, another video shot in another room followed. Unlike the previous room, Havre was sitting alone in a study-like room. Before long, there was a knock on the door, and a voice called out from outside. "Havre-sama, I have guided him." Havre stood up, opened the door himself, silently invited the guest in, and ordered the guide to keep an eye on the corridor. The guest was wearing a robe that looked like a wizard would wear, and the hood was pulled down. "Now, please ..." Urged by Havre, the one who finally took off his hood was a nervous-looking elderly man. Even after removing the hood, he restlessly looked around the room. "This is my study in the innermost part of this mansion. The walls are also thick, so our voices won''t leak outside." "What does this mean, Havre. Isn''t the story different?" "I''m confused about that as well." "Not only is Alphonse alive, but none of the leaders of either faction are dead. What are you going to do?" "Whatever I do, I just heard the news today, so I can''t do anything right away." "But, at this rate ..." "Well, there''s nothing to talk about while standing. Please have a seat." The robed man seemed to have forgotten even to sit on a chair. "Basten, who is this robed man?" [ He is Florence Thalberg, Prime Minister of Resenburg. ] "This guy is ..." He was the one responsible for crushing Camilla''s requests for help and the personal letters from Barshania. "Does that mean the Prime Minister was in league with Havre?" [ I think you''ll understand if you watch the continuation ... ] Prime Minister Florence literally held his head while Havre was preparing tea. On the other hand, Havre seemed calm, probably because he had finished thinking about future developments during his meeting with Nestor. "Please ..." "Umu ..." Florence seemed to have finally regained his composure after taking a few sips of tea. "So ... What are you going to do, Havre." "I would like you to proceed with the marriage proposal with Camilla-sama." "Wait ... Don''t be stupid. Even if the two Princes are dead. Second Queen Terencia is in a state of frenzy, and the royal castle is in an uproar. There''s no way we can proceed with a marriage proposal in this situation." "It''s not like it''s just the two of them who will die." "What''s that ... Are you going to kill Alphonse-sama or Diethelm-sama." Florence put down the cup with enough force to make the tea spill, but Havre didn''t even change his complexion. "That was my intention from the beginning, and you agreed, didn''t you." "Don''t be stupid, if it''s in the middle of a civil war ... that''s what I agreed to. If another Prince dies in the current situation, there will definitely be suspicions." "No matter how much suspicion is raised, as long as there is no evidence that we did something, suspicion will remain suspicion." "However, under such circumstances, if we proceed with the marriage proposal with Camilla-sama, the heavyweights will not remain silent." "We just need to get an unofficial announcement from the King before making a fuss." "However, the King, without trouble ..." "Won''t the Prime Minister''s ingenuity do something about that." "It''s easy to say it like that, but ..." Havre erased the smirk that had been plastered on his face, and he called out in a low threatening tone. "Prime Minister." "Wh, what ..." In response to Havre''s stern expression as if he were pressuring his subordinates, Florence put up a brave front as much as possible, but he was trembling little by little just by being stared at. "We are in talks to take over the whole country of Resenburg. Don''t think you can win such a big prize without taking any risks." "B, bastard, are you trying to give me orders?" "Prime Minister ... Think about it carefully. If it were Alphonse-sama and Bernst-sama, they would have balanced each other out. But, do you think it''s possible to balance Alphonse-sama and Camilla-sama?" "That is ..." "I don''t know about the factions, but the first-generation nobles will join Camilla-sama''s camp like an avalanche." The high-performance camera even captured the drops of sweat running down Florence''s cheeks. "If Camilla-sama takes control, what will happen to those who have been crushing the relief requests so far?" "B, bastard, y, you''re going to threaten me ..." "Am I threatening you? I''m just reminding you of the future that awaits you. Or do you see a different future, Prime Minister?" Florence shook his head slightly, remaining silent. Even if Camilla didn''t take control, if Alphonse became the heir to the throne, it was obvious that Torvil, who was his own right-hand man, would be the Prime Minister. Florence was much closer to destruction than Havre. "I, if you take control, you promise I''ll be the Prime Minister, right?" "If I can''t become the next King, you''ll be on the scaffold instead of being the Prime Minister." "Understood ... I will present the marriage proposal to the King." "That''s fine then." "But, that Knig, I don''t think it will go smoothly." "That''s where the Prime Minister''s skills can be shown. Don''t forget that your own future is at stake ..." After frowning and making a face as if he had swallowed a bitter bug, Florence said clearly. "Havre ... Get rid of the rest of the Princes." "I understand. Prime Minister, don''t get distracted ..." "Who do you think you''re talking to. How many years do you think I''ve been in control of the royal palace." "I apologize for that. I''ll be waiting for the good news." After leaving his seat, Florence pulled the hood of his robe back on and slipped through the door opened by Havre, disappearing. "Escort him to the mansion. Don''t get found by other families." After ordering his underlings to guard Florence, Havre returned to the study and sat down. "Fuun, you troublesome old man ... If you don''t work, I''ll erase you too ..." Havre left the cold tea untouched, took a bottle from the cupboard, poured it into a small glass, and drank it all at once. Havre was alone in his thoughts, but after he finished another glass of liquor, he stood up and left the study, where the video ended. "To prevent Diethelm from being poisoned, tell Camilla to have meals prepared and have someone from the Kobold Corps deliver it. As for Alphonse, we have no obligation to protect him, so just deliver a warning letter." [ Kent-sama, what will you do with these videos? ] "I also copied them to the tablet, and I will inform Camilla and Count Gleisner later." According to Basten, Havre decided to stop going to Lastock and stayed in the royal capital. It seemed that there was a space near the royal capital where each nobleman could summon soldiers in case of emergency, and Havre''s soldiers would also stay there. Reinhardt was worried about such a situation. [ Kent-sama, there are Royal Guard Knights in the royal castle as well, but this situation is like Havre pointing a blade at the royal castle''s throat. ] "But, no matter whether they''re noble soldiers, they can''t enter the castle without permission, right?" [ Of course, that''s the way it should be, but if the Prime Minister were to guide them, it would not be impossible to imagine a situation where he could easily send in soldiers and take down the castle. ] "Even if Havre rebelled and took over the castle, would he be able to protect it with only his own soldiers?" [ It depends on the number of hands, but if you close the gate and barricade it, you won''t be able to attack easily. ] Just as Reinhardt said, the royal castle incorporated even the streets of Aldaros into its defense, making it difficult for a large army to attack from the outside, and the solid construction made it easy to defend from the inside with a small number of soldiers. "But, even if the castle is besieged, if reinforcements don''t come, they have no choice but to surrender it, right?" [ Well, that''s true, but when it comes to a rebellion that takes down the royal castle, there is no guarantee that there won''t be people who want to fight together. Those who are dissatisfied with the current territories, tax rates, and treatment from the royal family may even consider joining Havre to make a difference. ] "I see ... But, we have no obligation to protect the royal castle, and even if that happens, we can come and go as we please, so why don''t we think about it later? Wouldn''t it be good if we wiped out Havre''s group, who were barricading themselves after rebelling?" [ Buhahaha, I see, that''s certainly true. We''re going to take down the royal castle ... That''s good. Buhahaha ... ] Just as I was thinking of asking Basten to continue monitoring Havre and returning to Volzard, Fred appeared with a report. [ Kent-sama, a horse has arrived at the First Prince''s faction ... There is a conflict over future movements ... ] "When it comes to future movements of the First Prince''s faction ... Is it about advancing or returning?" [ Yes, many want to go back to prepare for Barshania ... Some are planning to break up the Second Prince faction at this time and expand their territory ... ] Among the First Prince''s faction, there were some nobles who had been severely affected by desertification, and it seemed that such people were plotting to win this decisive battle to acquire fertile territory. In other words, it was like being told that the bet was canceled as soon as you hit the big gamble to get rich quick. [ It costs money to deploy troops ... They can''t go home empty-handed ... ] "But, they were originally dispatched as a preparation for the maximum outbreak. Where did the story of expanding their territories come from?" [ Perhaps Torvil kindled it ... Or else the impoverished nobles wouldn''t move ... ] "I see, so they''re hanging a carrot called fertile land and having them participate in the war." [ That''s right ... The guys who didn''t get it right are blaming Torvil ... ] "But now, if you unilaterally attack an opponent who has no intention of fighting, it''s just an act of aggression, right?" [ If they take advantage of the confusion ... It seems that they think they can do something ... ] "What about the three heavyweight families?" [ Duke Dravis, Count Langhain insist on returning to the territory ... Count Saruel insists on marching ... ] "Count Saruel ..." [ Tapping his foot ... ] "Ah, that short-tempered person?" When the First Prince''s faction left Lauf, I remembered the stout and petite nobleman who had been tapping his feet the whole time. [ Apparently, the investment seemed to have failed ... ] "Ah, I see ... It means that he is in a lot of financial trouble." [ If he ends up empty-handed ... It seems like most of his territory will be seized by the first-generation nobles ... ] "How long will the discussion last?" [ Until tomorrow or the day after tomorrow ... ] "Even if they march, it will take days to advance to Lastock. For the time being, wait until the conclusion comes out, and let me know if they''re going to march." [ Roger ... ] I thought that if Bernst and Christoph were gone, there would be no worries about civil war, but it seemed that complete peace would not come unless the nobles'' speculations were resolved. "Ahh ... After all, it''s trouble some to be a noble or royalty." [ Buhahaha, it would be easy if everyone followed Kent-sama. ] "No, no, I''ll finish this kind of trouble quickly, and I''ll live my life leisurely." [ However, Kent-sama, once this mess is sorted out, you will have to welcome the Princess of Barshania. ] "Uu, that''s right ... Ah, I have to prepare my house, so when will I be able to relax?" [ Buhahaha, you will have four or five wives, so you have to take care of your troubles. ] Once the trouble was over, the situation was likely to continue. Or rather, I hadn''t even finished greeting the chairman''s parents ... Ah, I feel heavy ... CH 155 Different world guide ***---*** Before I go to pick up the Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs, I decided to report today''s schedule to Beatriche, who would serve as my secretary. Beatrice had Hort at her side as a marker and guard. "Morning, Hort." "Good morning, Goshujin-sama." Hort had a more fearless face than Mart and the others, but the way he wagged his tail was cute. "I guess Beatriche is in Klaus-san''s office." "Yes, I came with her from the mansion." "Yup, just keep escorting her." "Understood, Goshujin-sama." When I stroked his head and back, Hort narrowed his eyes and his tail wagged even more. I thought it would be rude to enter the office directly, so I went to the corridor and knocked on the door. "Who is it!" "Good morning, it''s Kent." "It''s open, come in." "Yes, excuse me ... Whoa ..." "Good morning, Kent-sama." "Morning, Riche, I was surprised when you suddenly opened the door." "But, I couldn''t wait ..." Beatriche, who hugged me as soon as I opened the door, put her head on my shoulder. Ah, her droop ears hit my cheek ... Nibbling on them is no good, isn''t it ... "Hmm! Hmmm! Hurry up and close the door! Seriously ..." Ah, that''s right, Klaus-san was there too ... I almost forgot. "Seriously ... Being so sticky at the beginning of the week. You should go back to school, Riche." "Ara, it''s much more casual than the morning greetings between Father and Mother." "Gufuu, what are you talking about, Kent, do you have business here?" He suddenly tried to change the topic, should we listen to the details of his morning greetings with Marianne-san. "I''m going to pick up Japan''s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, so I thought I''d drop by to let Riche know." "Are they arriving around noon?'' "Yes, I''m planning on around that time." "Right, there''s a time difference." "Yes, it seems that the time in a day is a little shorter in this world, and currently there is a time difference of about two hours." "If that''s the case, you can take a short rest at the guest house and have lunch after the meeting." "Yes, that''s fine." "I''m ready to welcome them, so don''t worry." "Thank you very much." He''s unreliable when he''s an Idiot Parent, but he''s reliable when he''s in Lord Mode. However, Klaus-san broke down his strained expression with a grin. "But, I don''t know if it will be a harmonious conversation ..." "Eh, what do you mean?" "It could mean anything, that''s what it means. I''m not going to do whatever they want." "That''s ..." "Kent, where do you stand? Decide it firmly." "Y, yes ..." "Also, Master Reese will be present at the meeting as well. Things like resource development cannot be decided by Volzard alone." "Understood ..." "What''s wrong, Kent. Is it bad for Master Reese to be present?" When I heard that Reese-san would be attending, I was lost in thought, and Klaus-san asked me what was going on. "No, I would rather welcome Reese-san, who is the Master of the Headquarters Guild, to attend, but does Reese-san have clothes with designs other than those?" "Hahahaha ... I see, now that you mention it, those clothes are too stimulating." "Yeah, I don''t know what kind of person the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs is, but I''m worried about where to focus my eyes ..." I had a feeling that the State Minister of Foreign Affairs would find it difficult to deal with the highly revealing dancer-like costume that Reese-san wore.(TN:As an ambassador, they SHOULD be used to such things and not be bothered, dude.) "Well, I don''t know what''s in Reese''s wardrobe, so I don''t know what kind of clothes she''ll wear, but I guess you could say it''s a cross-cultural exchange. Eye candy, eye candy." "That''s right ..." I unintentionally exchanged glances with Klaus-san, and when I smiled, a sharp voice flew at me. "Kent-sama! Father! That''s imprudent!" "Yesh, I''m sorry ..." "It, it''s just a joke, Riche. She''s actually an old woman over 250 years old." The long-lived Dark Elf Reese-san was already over 250 years old, but her face and body only looked like she was in her twenties. "Kent-sama! What are you thinking about?" "N, no, I have to get going soon ... Mugii ..." Beatriche grabbed my cheeks from the front and pulled me. "It would be a problem if you went with a smirk like that. Kent-sama is also a representative of Volzard." "Hesh ... I ufferffanf ..."(Yes ... I understand ...) "Kent-sama ... You can''t smile." "Hesh ... I''f shoffy ..."(Yes ... I''m sorry ...) "If you take a mistress in Japan, I won''t forgive you." "Ufferffoof ..."(Understood ...) "Hey, Kent, you''re an eyesore, so hurry up and go!" Oh, Klaus-san''s eyes were serious. Flirting with Beatriche was fun, but I should get going soon. "Then, I''m off, Riche." "Yes, please take care ... D?ea?r, chu."(TN:A?na?ta) It''s no good, can''t I just cancel the trip ... Beatriche is so cute it hurts. "Hurry up ... go!" Yes, yes, it''s no good. It''s fine if I go, I''m going ... "Yes, I''m sorry, I''m going ... Ogifu-san."(TN:Father-in-law) "Bastard ... Kent!" I ran away from Klaus-san, who seemed about to throw the pen he was holding, and dove in the shadows. At the Nerima Garrison Investigation Headquarters, which I moved to, there were more people than usual, and Kajikawa-san was among them. Suzuki-san was also sitting at her desk near Kajikawa-san, and I felt that the density of people was a little low around that area. That''s perfect, so I put out a shield of darkness there and went out. "Good morning, Kajikawa-san, Suzuki-san." "Oh, good morning Kokubu-kun, please take care of me today." "Good morning, Kokubu-san, you can call me Yukari-kun." "Huh ...?" Suzuki-san lifted the frame of her glasses with her right hand and said without a smile. "Oh, I''m sorry, it was so sudden that I didn''t realize you were joking." "Of course, I''m not joking." "Huh ...?" When she replied with a straight face, I didn''t know how to react, and when I involuntarily stared at her face, Suzuki-san''s expression didn''t change, but her cheeks blushed slightly. Hmm ... She''s kind of a difficult person to deal with. "Kokubu-kun, is it okay over there to accept them?" "Yes, I was told to move to the front of the guest house in Volzard. After taking a short break, we''ll have the meeting. After that, we plan to have lunch." "From here, the secretary and the escort SP will accompany us, so there will be a total of 7 people, but is it okay to move?" "Honestly, I''ve never moved that many people at once, so I can''t say for sure, but I think it''s probably okay." "How about an interpreter?" "I''ve asked a teacher to do that, so I think it''s okay, and in the worst case, if I do it, it''s fine ..." "Okay, then there''s no problem." "Yes, I don''t think there will be any problems with transportation, but can I ask one thing?" "If you have any concerns, please tell me now." "Actually, I was able to create a golem for communication, so I was thinking of installing it before I brought the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs." When I told Kajikawa-san about the Moai-type golem for communication, he asked me to install it immediately. "It''s amazing, Kokubu-kun, if communication with another world becomes possible, I think it will greatly reduce the stress of everyone remaining in Volzard." "Yes, even if you can''t go home right away, if you can hear a cheerful voice or show yourself on the videophone, it will help alleviate your homesickness." "But, If you can set up a shield of darkness that stays open all the time, it might be better to build a base station on the other side through a cable." "About that ... It doesn''t seem likely to happen, but in the unlikely event that the shield of darkness disappears ... This is just a tree branch, but please take a look." I prepared a tree branch about 5cm thick for the explanation, and when I put it into the shield of darkness and erased the shield, the branches and leaves were completely cut off. "Eh ... What''s going on?'' "I don''t really understand the detailed principle, but I think it''s something like a dimension cut or a space cut ... It feels something like that. Anyway, it will be cut off cleanly." "Then, if you put out that shield of darkness like crossing a building, will it be completely cut off?" "No, I can''t use a shield of darkness to break into hard objects. Air, water, or at most soil, seems to be the limit, and if it''s as hard as wood, it can barely bite into it." "I see ... In any case, this is dangerous and we can''t pass a cable through." "Yes, and there''s another problem. People and living things can''t pass through, but as I showed you earlier, things can pass through. In extreme cases it''s possible to throw in explosives, so what should I do about where to set it up ..." Explosives are extreme, but things like dust, dirt, rain, and even bird droppings would blow in. "Is it possible to change the location of the shield later?" "Yes, that''s fine." "Okay, I''d like it to be set up before the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs goes to Volzard ... So please wait for me." "Speaking of which, Suzuki-san ..." "Yukari ..." "Huh ...?" "Calling me Yukari-kun is fine ..." " ..." Suzuki-san has her arms crossed with a clear expression, but I wonder why she doesn''t look at me. "Umm ... Kizawa-san, after that, did something happen?" " ... No, it''s the same as usual." "Is that so ..." "Yeah ..." I couldn''t keep up with the conversation ... What is this person doing? She will act as my secretary. Hey, the Self-Defense Forces have been glancing at you for a while, but are you going to continue with that attitude? "U, umm ... What kind of person is the State Minister of Foreign Affairs?" "State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiota, originally, they used to work here." "Ehh, is it someone who came from the Self-Defense Forces?" "That''s right, you''ve seen it on the news because they went to a country in the Middle East to lead a unit in a UN peacekeeping operation, right?" "Hmm ... I don''t watch the news ..." "Besides the news, it was also in the newspapers and magazines, so if you lived in Nermia Ward, it wouldn''t be strange if you knew about it ..." "Hmm ... How long ago was that?'' "Umm, I think ..." Suzuki-san thought about it for a while, as if remembering, and then suddenly stared at my face. Yup, what is it. She didn''t even try to make eye contact until just now. "Anyway, he''s a person with that kind of background." "Ehh, about the overseas dispatch ..." "I only remember such a thing happened." "Haa ..." Suzuki-san looked away again and looked a bit grumpy. What is it. It''s a mysterious character that I really don''t understand. Kajikawa-san returned after his consultation. "Kokubu-kun, do you have a minute. I''d like you to see the place ..." "Yes, no problem." Kajikawa-san guided me to the water tower. At the top of the round white pillar-shaped tower, there was a circular part that looked like a thicker pillar, and below it was like an eaves. "If it''s that shadow, nothing will come flying like that. There''s a base station over there, so could you set it up facing that direction?" "I understand." "Oh, wait a minute. How big will it be?" "Last time I made it about 50 cm square, so I''m thinking of starting with the same size this time and adjusting it later." "Oh, okay, that''ll do it." "Then, I''ll do it from the shadows, so I''m going." The Volzard side had already been installed on top of the tallest watchtower in town, and if I installed this one, the radio waves would pass through. From the world of shadows, I issued a command to the communication golem and set up a shield of darkness in the shadow of the water tower. I returned to Volzard once to confirm it, but I was able to confirm that the radio waves had safely arrived. The temporary dormitory might be making a fuss again, but I didn''t care. After confirming, I joined Kajikawa-san under the water tower. "I checked with Volzard, and it was successfully opened." "Thank you. With this, even if the Vice Minister is in Volzard, we can contact him." "The Vice Minister is a former member of the Self-Defense Forces, isn''t he. Was he in the Middle East." "Hee, you know him well. It''s been a hot topic, but it was about 14 or 15 years ago, so wasn''t it around the time Kokubu-kun was born?" "Yeah, I just heard about it from Suzuki-san." I see, so Suzuki-san was old enough to clearly remember what happened when I was just born. At that time, she was a Junior High School student, fumu fumu, it seems that she''s getting married late, but it''s okay, Suzuki-san. But, it would be better not to talk about this. I''ve heard that talking about age to women is taboo. I returned to the Investigation Headquarters with Kajikawa-san. Or rather, it didn''t feel like an Investigation Headquarters anymore. "Suzuki-kun, did you talk to Kokubu-kun about the Vice Minister?" "Yeah, I was asked what kind of person he was ..." "I think the Vice Minister went to the Middle East when I was a High School student ... Was Suzuki-san a Junior High School Student?" Uwaa ... Kajikawa-san, stepping on a landmine from the front is either a hero or a fool ... Suzuki-san glared at Kajikawa-san with such force that I thought I was going to hear a loud noise, and answered in a low voice. "Since it was a long time ago ... I forgot." "Y, yeah ... That''s right, haha, hahaha ... I wonder if the Vice Minister will arrive soon ..." Yup, apparently he wasn''t a hero. "Come to think of it, Kajikawa-san. Some of my classmates don''t have smartphones or mobile phones, and it seems that some of them broke down while being taken away by Resenburg ... Is it possible to do something like a rental so that they can be distributed to everyone?" "Ah, is that so? I see, they''re now able to make phone calls, so I''d like to improve that. Alright, let me know how many people need them. I''ll make the arrangements." "Kokubu-san, could you go through me as your secretary? Otherwise, there would be no point in me being here. Kajikawa-san would be fine too." "Y, yes, I understand." "Th, that''s right, Kokubu-kun, I wonder if you can go through Suzuki-kun next time." Seriously, because of Kajikawa-san, I was dragged into something terrible. "Vice Minister, he''s arrived!" "Okay, Kokubu-kun, shall we go?'' "Yes." After hearing the news from the Self-Defense Forces, I moved with Kajikawa-san and Suzuki-san. State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiota was waiting for us in the reception room. "Hey, you must be Kokubu-kun. I''m Shiota, State Minister of Foreign Affairs." "I''m Kokubu Kento. Nice to meet you." I had heard that he was the Vice Minister, so I imagined him to be a politician, but what was waiting for me was a Dandy ojisan with a mustache. Yup, somehow he had the same feeling as Klaus-san, but maybe it''s just my imagination. "Today, we will ask you to assist and guide our party. My best regards." "Yes, to you too, my best regards." "For the time being, I have received an explanation about moving to another world, but we will share your magical power, pass through a different space, and move to another world at once ... Is this correct?" "Yes, it''s mostly correct. Or rather, I myself have only been able to use magic for a little over three months, so I don''t fully understand the details. It is necessary to align the wounds in order to pass the magic power, is that okay?" "Ah, we''ve heard about that too. Of course, I''m aware of the risks." When State Minister Shiota nodded, Kajikawa-san spoke. "Vice Minister, I am Kajikawa from the Cabinet Secretariat. Can I have a moment?" "Oh, I don''t mind. What is it?" "Yes, it was just a while ago, but thanks to Kokubu-kun, mobile phone radio waves are now available between Japan and the other world''s Volzard." "Oh, is that the same method as the other day?" "No, this time, it seems that the golem made by Kokubu-kun is doing it, so as long as the golem doesn''t break, we can continue to communicate." "That''s ... Good news for the students who are still over there and their parents who are waiting in Japan. The Japanese government must increase its support so that a tragedy like the one that happened the other day doesn''t happen again." "Yes, the counselor to be dispatched to the site will be decided by the end of the day." "Okay, I''ll continue to ask you to make the arrangements. Then, let''s get going soon." The Self-Defense Force medical office assisted with disinfection, etc., and the granting of magical power to the State Minister of Foreign Affairs was completed without incident. "Then, we will head to Volzard. The shadow space is pitch black, so please hold onto the rope I prepared. I put out a large shield of darkness, grabbed the end of the rope, and guided the State Minister of Foreign Affairs to Volzard. CH 156 State Minister of Foreign Affairs ***---*** From the Self-Defense Forces Nerima garrison to Volzard, it was a short journey. At the entrance of the guest house, six teachers and Ayako-sensei, the intern teacher, gathered to greet us. "No, I was surprised ... Is this the other world already?" "Yes, this is the guest house in Volzard. Also, the teachers." "Oh, I''m Shiota, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs. Thank you for interpreting today." "I''m Oda, who was the head teacher of the grade ..." While Vice Minister Shiota and the teachers were meeting, I made sure that everyone in the group had left the shadow space and erased the shield of darkness. (TN:Apparently in this chapter, Japanese will be " " and local language will be < > .) Beatriche, who had come to meet me along with the teachers, quickly approached me and hugged me as usual. For me, it''s a natural behavior, but in Japan, when Junior High School students hug each other, it stands out.(TN:Does it really?) The State Minister of Foreign Affairs also looked at us with a surprised look on his face. Vice Minister Shiota asked, perhaps on behalf of his party. "Kokubu-kun, is that woman one of your rumored lovers?" "Yes, my lover, the Lord of Volzard, Klaus-sama''s second daughter, Beatriche." "Beatrice Volzard ... is my name, welcome, to Volzard." To my surprise, Beatriche greeted them in Japanese. Of course, she lightly grabbed the hem of her skirt a little, and acted gracefully as usual. Starting with Vice Minister Shiota, everyone in the party let out a sigh of admiration. Yup, yup, she''s cute, has a good style, and is talented, she''s wasted on me. The State Minister of Foreign Affairs was moved to a room in the guest house and had a meeting with the teachers regarding interpretation. Satou-sensei, who taught Japanese, would be the main interpreter, and Oda-sensei would serve as an assistant. Vice Minister Shiota requested that I also attend. "Kokubu-kun, by nature, you''re in a position to be protected, but whether it''s the return of the students or the possibility of a resource development project from Japan, it won''t be possible without you." Vice Minister Shiota said that he was thinking about rewarding me for returning my classmates, but honestly, it didn''t really matter to me. If I wanted to make money in Japan, there were many ways to make money, such as selling magic stones or Minotaur horns, or setting a fee for communication between Japan and Volzard, but rather than becoming rich, I want to live a carefree life. Now that the preparations for the interview were complete, it was finally time to meet with Klaus-san. The meeting between Klaus-san and Vice Minister Shiota was held in a room overlooking the garden, not in the audience room where the Resenburg messengers came. Klaus-san, who greeted us, was completely different from his usual rough appearance, and he was dressed like a Feudal Lord. The stand-up collar reminiscent of a half coat was embroidered with fine flowering plants, and the undulations of the thread created shadows that made the pattern stand out in three dimensions. The scarf wrapped around his neck was a glossy wine red, and the material itself exuded a sense of luxury. "I am Takamasa Shiota, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The people of our country are very much indebted to you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness."(TN:Multiple ways of translating his name, Takaaki, Takamasa, Takayoshi ¡²ý ... Unimportant character, so whatever.) Vice Minister Shiota, who shook hands with Klaus-san, looked down at his hands in surprise. The hands that went to the site of the ramparts construction every week, and were covered in dust and sweat together with everyone, were not the hands of a person who did desk work. "I''m Shiota, it''s a pleasure to meet you." The emerald green dress Reese-san was wearing had a wide open chest, revealing her deep brown cleavage, and the waist was narrowed, further emphasizing the richly undulating body shape. Vice Minister Shiota was also at a loss as to where to look.(TN:Incompetent ambassador?) Klaus-san, with his usual grin, offered the group a chair. First, Vice Minister Shiota, next to him was the secretary. Satou-sensei sat between Klaus-san and Vice Minister Shiota, and Oda-sensei sat diagonally behind. The other teachers were supposed to sit next to the Vice Minister and the secretary, and I was supposed to sit next to the secretary, but there weren''t enough chairs. When I looked, there was an empty chair behind Klaus-san, next to Beatriche. Vice Minister Shiota saw that and had a dubious expression on his face, but Klaus-san didn''t seem to have any intention of yielding. "I haven''t heard anything like that, but have you spoken to Kokubu-kun''s parents?" "Kokubu-kun, are you planning to move to this world?" "Yes, I plan to live in Volzard." "Are you not going back to Japan?" "Right now, if the friendly relationship between Japan and Volzard continues, I intend to act as a bridge between them, but if the relationship deteriorates, I will join Volzard''s side." Klaus-san smiled satisfactorily when he heard Satou-sensei, who translated my words. Vice Minister Shiota, on the other hand, furrowed his brows slightly, but after nodding his head several times to convince himself, he continued. "Regarding the handling of Kokubu-kun''s nationality, I would like to discuss it again, including legal issues. However, for Volzard, that is protecting over 200 citizens of Japan, I would like you to understand that even though I am grateful, I have no intention of being hostile." "Japan also wants to build a good relationship as a neighboring country even after the people under protection return home safely. First of all, I would like to hand over a personal letter from the Prime Minister of Japan." In response to Vice Minister Shiota''s signal, the secretary handed over a parcel. The Vice Minister''s group brought in several large carrier bags, it must have been put inside. Wrapped in an indigo Furoshiki with a wave pattern, it was about 30 centimeters by 20 centimeters. "This is a letterbox for storing letters, made with traditional Japanese craftsmanship." When he unwrapped the silk hanky that was wrapped so that it wouldn''t get scratched, a letter box with black lacquer and peony flowers was revealed.(TN:Dunno why they call it a furoshiki before and now it''s a mawata(silk hanky).) The green stems and leaves, white and vermilion gradation petals, and yellow flower core had a three-dimensional effect. "This is made using a technique called carved lacquer. The base wooden box is coated with lacquer, a paint made from tree sap, to create a layer of colored lacquer, which is then carved and polished." It seemed that it was necessary to repaint many times to create a layer of one color, and it was necessary to repaint even more times to layer different colors. Then, it seemed that a delicate technique was required to accurately dig out the desired color while shaping the design and sharpen it to create a gradation. Reese-san, who was peering in from the side of Klaus-san, also had her eyes shining. Just by seeing Klaus-san''s hand open the lid, I could see the intricate construction. "As you probably already know, our country has advanced industrial technology. On the other hand, it is also a country where such traditional techniques are passed down." Klaus-san seemed to be fascinated by the carved lacquer box, even though he said it was frustrating. "You have concerns?" Vice Minister Shiota nodded as Klaus-san raised his fingers one by one while raising his concerns. "It''s certainly true. Even for us, we don''t want to create a situation where the country is thrown into chaos by sudden changes. We want to make steady progress." "It''s a painful story to hear, but as you said, we intend to enhance our support as soon as possible." In the meeting that followed, they agreed to set up something like a branch office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Volzard, station a person in charge, and begin preparations for future exchanges. If the person in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was permanently stationed, requests from teachers and classmates would be able to be smoothly conveyed to Japan. Having said that, I had no choice but to be involved in the transport of goods, so I had a feeling that there would be more work as a courier in the future. After the luncheon meeting with Klaus-san, Vice Minister Shiota asked to see the town of Volzard. It''s hard to imagine that Vice Minister Shiota would be targeted in the city of Volzard, but I''ll summon Zae and the others just in case. [ Reinhardt, call Zae-tachi. ] [ Understood. For the time being, the Kobold Corps will also be on guard. ] [ I''m counting on you. ] Klaus-san offered to prepare a carriage, but Vice Minister Shiota declined, saying that he wanted to walk around. "Kokubu-kun, can you guide me to the place where Sekiguchi-san died?" "I understand. We''ll have to walk quite a bit ..." "I don''t mind. Since I became a politician, I don''t have the opportunity to move my body as much as I used to, but I haven''t weakened to the point where it''s painful to walk." "Then, I will guide you." Even though I took the role of guide, I had been just jumping around, and I could say that yesterday was the first time I had seen the city slowly, when I went shopping with the chairman, Manon, and Beatriche. I wasn''t good at answering questions, so I asked Beatriche to come with me. In the early afternoon, the main street was bustling with people shopping and doing business. That said, compared to downtown areas such as Shibuya and Shijuku in Japan, it was more laid back. Next to Vice Minister Shiota, Beatriche and I walked side by side, and the SPs were on guard around us. The secretary held up a video camera and filmed what the Vice Minister was watching, but what was normal in Japan felt strange in Volzard. "No, to be honest, I thought it would be more cluttered, but the city is more well-maintained than I imagined." "Yes, I was also surprised, but Volzard is also called the ''Farthest City'', and it seems that they have proceeded with maintenance so as not to lose to the city in the center." "It has a smell peculiar to foreign towns, but it''s definitely not an unsanitary smell. How is security?" "Right. It seems that you need to be careful in places where unruly adventurers gather, but overall it''s good. For crimes, fines are the mainstream, and those who can''t pay will be deprived of their identity cards and exiled, therefore, the number of crimes does not seem to be high." "Speaking of which, I heard that some students caused a disturbance ..." "Yes, normally they would have been expelled, but as an exception, they were allowed make do with forced labor. As for the punishment of forced labor, they were given amnesty in celebration of overcoming the maximum outbreak of Goblins, so currently no one is being punished." It seemed that not only the secretary holding the video camera, but also the SPs who were guarding were captivated by the appearance of the beastmen with real cat and dog ears. The townspeople also looked at the eccentric party with curiosity, but since Beatriche was with us, they seemed to understand that they were people who had come to Volzard from somewhere far away. Vice Minister Shiota seemed to be a person who didn''t care too much about formalities, and even though he just finished lunch, he was interested in the sweets sold at the stalls and enjoyed eating while walking around. "I heard that Shiota-san went abroad when he was a Self-Defense Force officer, but how does it compare to Volzard?" "In principle, the places where the Japanese Self-Defense Forces are dispatched are non-combat zones, so it was a place where there were no security problems, but it was not such a peaceful place. Also, it was a place that needed humanitarian assistance, like water, medical care, and schools, it''s completely incomparable." "Was that the result of the war?" "That''s right. War only makes some arms dealers richer, and weak people such as women, children, and the elderly suffer terrible things, it''s something that should never happen." Vice Minister Shiota appeared to be smiling and kind, but his expression when he talked about the war was very stern. "Speaking of which, Klaus-dono said that you were attacked by a horde of monsters ..." "Yes, about a week ago, we were attacked by a large group of Orcs, and there were quite a few injuries." "Even with that many ramparts, it couldn''t be prevented ..." "No, it''s not that they were able to cross the ramparts, but the damage was caused by the commanded Orcs throwing stones." "Throwing stones, huh ... It''s quite primitive, but is it normal for monsters?" "No, it seems that it''s rare for Orcs to attack with stones." "Is that so?" "Yes, I don''t think it''s the effect of us being summoned, but this time''s outbreak was on an unprecedented scale, the attack method, and the irregular situations continue." Vice Minister Shiota tightened his expression and thought about it. Perhaps he was thinking about the impact on future resource development. "Is it likely that the monster''s attacks will continue?" "It seems it will change with the direction of the seasonal winds, and it seems that the probability of going to the other side of the forest, the Resenburg side, will increase from now on, but it seems that we don''t know how long the situation with many monsters will continue." "Those monsters, is it possible to repel them using the equipment of the Self-Defense Forces?" "Hmm ... I don''t know how powerful the Self-Defense Forces equipment is, so it''s hard to say, but I think it''s difficult depending on the type of monster." "Is there such a dangerous monster?" "That''s right. There are giant cats that can change direction even in the air using wind-attribute magic and treat humans like mice." "Joking ... it doesn''t seem to be." Using a Storm Cat as an example, Vice Minister Shiota suddenly stopped and was at a loss for words. The SP-sans, who were guarding us, couldn''t hide their confusion. I haven''t heard of that ... It feels to be such. "Regarding Storm Cats, there aren''t many of them, and they rarely appear, but when they do appear, they are said to be an unstoppable disaster." "Is there a possibility that such a monster will jump out of the forest?" "Yes, the area around Volzard is safer than others because my genus patrol it, but I can''t say it''s perfect." After passing through the main street and climbing up to the ramparts, the sight of Goblins roaming the forest caught my eye. They seemed to be competing for the food they found. The secretary excitedly captured the direction Vice Minister Shiota was pointing at with the video camera. [ Reinhardt, I feel like the number of Goblins is increasing ... ] [ That''s right, except for the large herds, we have left them alone, but I feel that the overall number has increased compared to before. ] [ Should we reduce them a bit? ] [ Isn''t it better to consult with Donovan-dono about that? ] [ Well, it might end up depriving the adventurers of their earnings. Alright, I''ll do that. ] A small vase of flowers was placed where Sekiguchi-san jumped off. Was it Senzaki-sensei, or maybe one of her friends? Next to him, the secretary filmed State Minister Shiota offering a large bouquet of flowers brought from Japan and bowing deeply. Perhaps it would be released to the press after returning to Japan. It seemed that Beatrice and I were also filmed offering a moment of silence. "The city is beautifully maintained and I thought it would be a perfect place to enjoy an exotic atmosphere, but unlike Japan, the internet is not available, entertainment is limited, and you never know when you will be able to return. On top of that, there is a possibility that monsters will take your life, so it can''t be helped if there are people who are mentally driven to do this." "That''s right. There are people who have adapted to life in Volzard and are enjoying it, but for those who can''t get used to it, it must be a difficult life." "You may not know it at your age, but many of the American soldiers who were dispatched to the Vietnam War and the Iraq War still suffer from PTSD traumatic stress disorder even after returning home. In order to prevent such incidents from occurring, we will promptly proceed with support such as counseling."(TN:Dunno why PTSD needs TSD repeated afterwards, but OK ... Maybe because PTSD is English and the following is Japanese?) "Yes, if you please." "At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there was an opinion that if the system was in place, we should proceed with the industrialization of tourism in Volzard, but considering the feelings of the students who are unable to return to Japan, it goes without saying whether to give priority to returning to Japan or the tourism industry." Being able to travel to another world ... If you ask me, there would be a lot of people who would want to go even if it meant paying a lot of money, and I felt like a tourism industry would be well-established. However, If my classmates saw them casually coming to play and casually leaving, I''m sure my classmates who wanted to go home but couldn''t go home would really have a nervous breakdown. After paying homage to Sekiguchi-san, State Minister Shiota moved to the temporary garrison dormitory, and after hearing the requests for support from the teachers and students who remained in the dormitory, he returned to Japan from another room so as not to be seen by the students. CH 157 Before setting out ... ***---*** The day after I guided the State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiota, I was told that since it was Sunday in Japan, the counselor would be dispatched at the beginning of the week, so I decided to finish my errands on the Volzard side. After breakfast at the boarding house, I was ready to go. Today as well, I thought of telling Beatriche my plans for the day before I acted, but that would mean I would end up spending more time with Beatriche, and it felt a little unfair. So, I decided to start the day after greeting the chairman and Manon in the morning. The first place I went to was the chairman''s room. "Good morning! Yuika ..." When I entered without checking, the chairman was in the middle of changing clothes. "Kyaaaa, Kento, you pervert!" "I, I''m sorry!" I turned around in a hurry, but the chairman sprouted horns. "It''s bad manners to enter a maiden''s room without knocking!" "I''f foffy ..."(I''m sorry ...) Uu ... I wondered if the chairman could use magic that strengthened her body without chanting, because my cheeks were about to be torn off. "Really ... I won''t forgive you if you suddenly barge into another girl''s room." "Yes, I''m reflecting ..." While puffing out her cheeks and showing that she was angry, the chairman stroked the cheeks she was pinching and chanted in a whisper. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and heal." The chairman kissed my cheek, that the pain had disappeared from due to healing magic. "Good morning, Kento." "Good morning, Yuika." "How is your morning?" "Yeah, Beatriche has started to manage my schedule, so I''ve decided to let her know my schedule for the day every morning." "Could it be, you didn''t want to spend too much time with just one person ... Did you come here thinking that?" "Yeah, and I''m thinking of eating lunch with the four of us." "Is that so, then, I''ll forgive you for peeping." No, no, I thought I was punished enough, but I couldn''t say that. "Then, are you going to visit Manon after this?" "Yeah, that''s what I intend." "You can''t suddenly enter Manon''s room." "I know. If she''s changing clothes, I''ll wait until she''s done changing before entering, so it''s fine." "I see ... What, then that means you''re going to enter after you finish watching her change clothes." "Ah ... Umm, I''ll call out to her in front of her door." "Very well. Are we having lunch at the garrison''s cafeteria?" "Yeah, that''s the plan." "Then, how about a nap with Nero?" "That''s right, let''s take a nap together today." "Yeah, I''m looking forward to it now." Finally, the chairman gave me a carefree smile. But, if the four of us take a nap next to each other, one of them will be away from me. That''s unfair, so maybe I should sleep while holding one of them. Should I choose Beatriche, who looks comfortable to hold, or the chairman? "Kento ... What are you imagining?" "Hiii! N, no, I''m not imagining anything ..." "I wonder if that''s true ... It looks like you''re getting a perverted look on your face ..." "R, right, I''ll have one of the Kobold Corps arrive at Yuika''s place so you can move quickly." Just like Beatriche, I decided to have Hert act as both a marker and an escort for the chairman. "Hert will watch over you from the shadows, so call it when you need it." "Yeah, understood. Nice to meet you, Hert." "Wafuu, nice to meet you, Yuika." Hert happily wagged its tail as the chairman stroked its head. After I stroked Hert, I hugged the chairman again before diving into the shadows and heading to Manon''s house this time. Unfortunately, Manon had already changed and was in the middle of breakfast with her family. I was going to peek after all? Hey, everyone is equal ... that''s what it meant. I was thinking of intruding at the breakfast table, but it was a little hard to go out because the parent and children where sitting around the dining table happily. Especially the younger brother Hamill, who looks down on me, so I''ll at least wait until breakfast was over. I knocked on the front door just as her mother, Noela, was cleaning up and Hamill was getting ready to go to school. "Yes, who is it?" "Good morning, Manon, it''s me." "Kent? W, wait a minute." Huh? Even though I was at the entrance, Manon seemed to have gone away by the sound of her footsteps. Eeehhh ... Maybe, I''m not welcomed? "What''s the matter, Manon, who is it?" "It''s okay, I''m leaving now, so wait!" "Leaving ... Is someone waiting for you?" "I, it''s fine, so wait." It seemed that mother and daughter were having a conversation at the top and bottom of the stairs, but what happened with Manon. I was left in front of the entrance and waited for a while ... I thought I heard footsteps rushing down the stairs again, and it seemed that she was taking a deep breath on the other side of the door. "I, I made you wait ... Good morning, Kent." "Good morning, Manon, you look cute this morning as well." "Hauu ... Thank you ..." When she was sitting at the breakfast table, she was dressed in a baggy shirt and pants like when we first met, but with a green plaid skirt, a bright green blouse, and a light beige sweater, she changed into girly clothes. Even though Manon was cute as it was, she hastily changed her clothes. I gently hugged Manon, whose forehead was dripping with sweat. Yeah, Hamill was glaring at me from the top of the stairs. "Manon, let''s have lunch together at the garrison cafeteria today." "Yeah, that''s fine, but what happened so suddenly?" "Yeah, actually ..." I also told Manon that Beatriche would manage my schedule as my secretary, and when I told her that it was to equalize the time we had to meet with each other, she was convinced. "But, isn''t Kent having a hard time?" "No way, I want to be with everyone, so I thought we''d all have a meal together." "That''s fine, but Kent works too hard ... Don''t overdo it." "Yeah, and I''ve decided to have Hurt stay with you so I can move to Manon anytime ... Please, Hurt." "Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama." "Nice to meet you, Hurt." "Nice to meet you, Manon." Manon and Hurt seemed to be doing well. Well, it''s my genus, so they don''t hate my future wife. "Then, Manon, see you at lunch ..." "Yeah, have a good time." "I''m off." I also gave morning greetings to Noela and Hamill, hugged Manon again, and decided to go out. Yeah, it''s nice to feel like a newlywed. Hamill was grinding his teeth. My secretary, Beatriche, was still at the mansion. I gave morning greetings Klaus-san and Marianne-san, told Beatriche about my plans for the day, and started my activities. My destination was Camilla''s office in Lastock, but she was nowhere to be seen. When I looked for her, I found her in the room Count Gleisner was staying, gracefully enjoying tea. Seriously, even though I, the Maou, have been busy since early morning ... What am I saying. "Good morning, Count Gleisner. Good morning, Camilla." "Oh, you''re early this morning, Maou-dono." "Good morning, Maou-sama." "Would you treat me to some tea, too?" "Yes, right away ... Tea for Maou-sama ..." Camilla and Count Gleisner were facing each other across the table, so I sat next to Camilla and faced the Count. "On the evening of star day, the fast horse arrived at the royal castle, and the contents of the news was also delivered to Havre." "Oh, then, how did that guy Havre react?" "About that, it would be quicker for you to see it." "See ... When you say that, is that the magic tool from before?" "It''s not a magic tool, but well, that kind of understanding is fine for now." I took out a tablet from the shadow storage and asked them to watch the video of Havre''s state that was secretly taken. "What, even the Prime Minister was sucking up to him ..." "Ridiculous, I have no intention of marrying such a man." "But, taking advantage of Camilla''s absence from the royal capital, isn''t he planning to talk about the wedding on his own?" "Even if the story is decided by my father the King, I will not let such a rebel do as he pleases." "Camilla-sama, let''s distribute this story in writing to the Lords. The rebellion of the Calvine family and the tyranny of the Prime Minster are now clear. We should attack them as enemies of the kingdom." "Yeah, with all the evidence so clear, we can''t let it go unnoticed. I''ll gather my troops and strike Havre Calvine!" Knowing about Havre and the Prime Minister''s strategy, both Camilla and Count Gleisner were furious, but haven''t they forgotten the most important thing? "Wait, wait! Aren''t the two of you forgetting something?" "Maou-sama, can you lend us your strength in the fight against Havre?" "Are you stupid? Don''t ask me that. In the first place, what are the soldiers stationed in Lastock fighting for?" "What are they fighting for? Ah ..." "Remember? A lot of the soldiers in Lastock were gathered in preparation for the outbreak of monsters." "Th, that''s right ..." Less than 10 days have passed since the horde of commanded Orcs attacked them. After that, the soldiers of the former Second Prince faction stationed in Bamata were summoned to Lastock, and the Knights of the Royal Guard attached to the idiot Princes were added, increasing the strength of the force. Even if they were hit by a large-scale outbreak of monsters, they might not be easily crushed. "At present, there may be an interception system in place against the maximum outbreak of monsters, but if the soldiers are pulled out from here, will it be possible to properly protect the city of Lastock? If Lastock is breached, won''t there be damage to the inland area?" The blood rushed to their heads and they stopped thinking, but I don''t think they have the military strength to go to the royal capital to subdue Havre. "But, I can''t let Havre do as he pleases." Count Gleisner seemed to be angry as someone who had supported the same faction. "The other day, I had a little talk with my genus Reinhardt, and I think that the most unsatisfactory situation in the current situation is for Havre to enter the royal castle with his soldiers." "Maou-sama, no matter how much the soldiers are nobles, to even go inside the royal castle ..." "But, the Prime Minister is an accomplice, right? Can you say they absolutely won''t?" "It''s certainly not absolute, but ..." "Then, wouldn''t it be better to first send the Knights of the Royal Guard as messengers so that the remaining Knights in the castle won''t let Havre''s soldiers enter?" Count Gleisner also agreed with my story." "Camilla-sama, it''s true what Maou-dono says, it will be troublesome if we let soldiers into the royal castle. Let''s let the remaining Royal Guards strengthen the defense here." "Understood, call for Forst or Kirsch!" At Camilla''s instructions, a messenger ran to call the commander of the Royal Knights who were attached to the former Second and Third Princes. "Maou-dono, you said that what you showed us earlier was from two days ago, but are Alphonse-sama and Diethelm-sama okay?" "I''ve had Diethelm delivered meals that Camilla prepared, and I have also delivered a warning letter to Alphonse, so the rest is whether he believes it or not." "But, if Alphonse-sama doesn''t take any measures ..." "It''s possible, but I can''t protect those who don''t believe my words. Isn''t Torvil, the staff officer, going to do something about it?" At present, Torvil was controlling Alphonse, but Alphonse''s presence was essential for things to proceed as desired. If Alphonse was poisoned, Torvil, without his backing, would be left untouched by the faction''s nobles. "That''s true, Torvil will take action ... We have no choice but to hope." "Also, the First Prince''s faction also received the news via the fast horse, and it seems that there are those who insist that they should return to their territories and prepare for Barshania, and those who insist that they should continue marching." "With Bernst-sama and the others dead, there is no longer any reason to fight." "That''s right. However, it seems that some nobles are thinking of expanding their territory or changing their territory in the confusion." Camilla, who heard the story, let out a sigh of exasperation. "Haa ... Do they really think that the royal family will allow such tyranny?" "I think they''re thinking of colluding with Torvil behind the scenes to move Alphonse-sama ..." Just as Count Gleisner had surmised, the anti-war Count Saruel was secretly connected to Torvil, but rather than colluding with him, he seemed to be threatening him. Even with Torvil, it would be troublesome if the faction''s leading figure would leave at a time when the disturbing Second and Third Princes were finally gone, and Alphonse was about to seize the throne, so they seemed to be struggling with how to deal with it. "The First Prince''s faction has also been monitored by my genus, so if they continue to march, they will contact me immediately." "But, if we were to fight, it would only make Havre happy, and more than anything else, allocating our fighting strength to that would be neglecting our preparations against monsters ..." Unlike in the case of Havre, this was an opponent that was coming at them, so they had no choice but to allocate their strength, but the problem was where to get that strength from. Count Gleisner and Camilla seemed to be calculating in their heads, but soldiers don''t just suddenly appear. "It can''t be helped. If Count Saruel''s faction advances, I will stop them." After hearing my words, Camilla''s expression suddenly brightened. "Maou-sama, can you lend me your strength?" "Because, you don''t have enough troops to spare, do you?" "Yes, but with just Maou-sama''s army ..." "Well, we stopped over 30,000 troops in Barshania. Do you think we''ll fall behind some of the First Prince''s faction?" "I''m sorry. I said something impertinent." If I remembered correctly, I heard that Kabasa Pass had a narrow area that wasn''t suitable for a large army to pass through. Let''s ambush them there and have them play with my genus. Or rather, I''ll throw it all to Reinhardt. [ I''ll let you entertain them, Reinhardt. ] [ Buhahaha, leave it to me. I''ll do it to the best of my ability, to entertain them. ] Yeah, I''m a little worried about overdoing it, but it should be fine. "Camilla, is the reconstruction of the city of Lastock going smoothly?" "Yes, fortunately, human damage was limited, and unlike before, we have received material support, so things are progressing smoothly." "Fortunately, it''s the off-season for farming, and I''ve arranged for people in my territory to accommodate those who have lost their seeds." Count Gleisner looked proud of himself, but if he had supported them sooner, the damage could have been less. Well, it would be troublesome if they ignored the main point and got in trouble again, so I wouldn''t push it. After that, I showed the video of Havre to Oswald, the commander of the Knights of the Royal Guard, who rushed over after receiving the news, and when we were having a meeting about sending a messenger to the royal castle, Hert suddenly showed up.(TN:Oswald Kirsch, 3rd Prince Commander) "Goshujin-sama, please come back because Yuika is having a hard time." "Ehh? What happened?" "Umm ... Someone died." "Eeehhh ... Okay, I''ll be right back, so go ahead." Camilla, who was listening to the story next to me, turned pale and seemed to be slightly shaking. "M, Maou-sama ..." "I still don''t know what happened, but I think it''s a bad situation. I''ll let you know when I know more, so Camilla should focus on Resenburg." "I understand ..." If one of my classmates died, public opinion in Japan might become harsher against Camilla. Anyway, I should hurry back to Volzard for now. CH 158 The tragedy of the concerned student(TN:Chapter name may be wrong, I don''t know. ''Nama omo no higeki'' Nama can be student or life, and omo has to do with the person in question) ***---*** The location of the chairman, where I moved using Hert as a landmark was the garrison''s infirmary. The teachers were all together, and it seemed that Oda-sensei and Katou-sensei were in contact with someone on their cell phones. A person was lying on the examination table in the back, but their face was covered with a white cloth, so I didn''t know who it was. The chairman, Manon, and Beatriche were also present. If nothing happened, the four of us would have eaten together and enjoyed our nap time, but that would have been canceled. There was another classmate sitting in a chair by the wall, absent-minded as if his soul had disappeared. It was Watase Yuki, who was Funayama''s entourage. Did that mean that the person who was laying there was another of Funayama''s henchmen, Tayama Katsutoshi, who had always been with him? When I put out a shield of darkness and went out into the examination room, everyone''s eyes turned to me. "Yuika, what happened?" "Tayama-kun ... I think an Orc threw a stone ..." "Eeehhh ... He didn''t go outside the ramparts, did he?" "Nope, it looks like they were streaming on the internet at the top of the ramparts." "Streaming on the internet ...?" Tayama and Watase found out that Kizawa-san, who was the first to return, was attracting attention in Japan when their cell phone line was connected, and they came up with the idea of live streaming to stand out. They thought that monsters would attract the most attention for a stream from the other world, so they tried to stream images of Goblins and other monsters from the top of the ramparts. However, they thought that it wouldn''t be interesting to just show images of monsters, so they started doing something. "You see ... It looks like they used magic to shoot Goblins from the top of the ramparts." "Eeehhh ... Didn''t the garrison stop them?" "Yeah, they were doing it in a place away from the castle gate, so the guards didn''t seem to notice." Tayama and Watase found Goblins, took turns attacking them with magic, and competed to see who could kill them. Tayama had fire attribute, and Watase had water attribute, and their magic looked different, and it seemed that the video of using magic to defeat monsters had recorded a tremendous number of views. It seems that Tayama damaged the first one and Watase killed it. If they had stopped there, it would have ended without incident, but Tayama, who lost, was not convinced and continued. The second Goblin, lured in by the smell of dead Goblin blood, also seemed to have been killed by Watase after Tayama had damaged it. At that point, there was no way Tayama would say they should stop, and even a third Goblin that had come closer was turned into a match, and he was finally able to bring it down. The tragedy happened when Tayama, with a big smile on his face, repeatedly gave fist pumps at the smartphone that Watase was holding up. A stone like a cannonball hit the left side of Tayama''s head, who was jokingly doing a double peace sign. It seemed that blood splattered all the way to the lens of the smartphone that Watase was holding. "His skull is completely collapsed, and the contents are exposed, so I can''t do anything about it ..." Perhaps remembering Tayama''s terrible condition, the chairman turned pale and trembled as if she was holding herself in her own arms. Before I could think, I stepped forwards and hugged her gently. "Even I can''t do anything in that state. Yuika did what she could, so you shouldn''t feel responsible." "Yeah, but, it''s still painful ..." The chairman''s voice whispered in my ear, and she was wet with tears. [ Reinhardt, go find the remnants of the Orcs and kill them. Also, if there are Goblin corpses left near the ramparts, take them to the depths of the forest. ] [ Understood. Monsters throwing stones is dangerous to the city, so let''s get rid of them. ] [ Yeah, please. ] According to the chairman, Japan was in an uproar over the tragedy that happened while it was being watched by people from all over the world through the internet. Come to think of it, the smartphone I borrowed from Kajikawa-san was left in the shadow storage with the power turned off. WHen I took it out and turned it on, the ringtone rang out. "Uwaa ... H, hello ..." "I''m finally connected. If you turn off the power, I won''t be able to contact you!" As soon as I answered the phone, Suzuki-san complained furiously. I understand how you feel, but it''s kind of pissing me off. "Umm ... Who are you?" "Hey ... Suzuki, no, I''m Yukari. This is Kokubu-san, right?" "That''s right, but I don''t know why you complained without even giving your name ... It''s not convincing." "I''m sorry about that, but it would be a problem if you leave the power turned off." "Then, I''ll return this smartphone. I have various circumstances, so I can''t always answer the phone, so please excuse me ..." "Hey, wait a minute. There''s a lot of commotion here." "Even if you say that, I have just returned from Resenburg and have just heard about the situation." "I understand. I know that Kokubu-san has his own circumstances, so it''s fine to do so when you can, so can you please come back to Japan as soon as possible?" "Haa ... Understood. But, it''s impossible right now." "Yes, I''ll be waiting for you." Even when I was in Japan, I was given a smartphone, but my father only called me occasionally. And now I was in a different world, let alone Japan, but when I thought I would receive troublesome phone calls, I wanted to return it. "Kento, are you going back to Japan?" "If I don''t go back, it will be no good, and I have to carry Tayama ..." "That''s right. About Watase-kun, what are you going to do ...?" "Even if you ask me what to do, I have to take the attribute to return him to Japan, and the water attribute is an attribute that I haven''t taken yet, so if I do, it will be difficult to travel back and forth with Japan." "That''s true ..." Even though we were talking about two meters away, Watase''s eyes were wandering in the air, and his mouth was half open and he didn''t even move. "When he came here, he cried and had a hard time, but suddenly it felt like a thread had been cut ..." "How are the other classmates doing?" "I don''t think the people who went to work got the news, but the people who stayed are upset." While I was talking to the chairman, Oda-sensei called out to me. "Kokubu, are you alright?" "Yes, I''m okay." "I asked you a while ago, but can you do it now?" "Last time ... Uu, I forgot ..." "You ... Well, it''s not like I don''t know how you feel, but what do you think?" "That''s right ... In this situation." I forgot, or maybe my brain refused to remember. Oda-sensei asked me to let either him or Katou-sensei return to Japan. When I gave priority to State Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiota''s visit to Volzard, I felt like it just flew away out of my head. "So, who do you want, me, or Katou-sensei?" "Um ... Well then, Oda-sensei ..." "Okay, so the place should be the training ground?" "Wait a minute. I have to carry Tayama too ... So could I finish that first and then send Sensei back?" "I see ... That''s right. Then, wait a moment, contact Japan and have them prepare ..." "Then I will contact them." "Really, wouldn''t you rather have me do that?" It was a little awkward to contact Suzuki-san, so I called Kajikawa-san. "Kokubu-kun, what do you think, can you come back?" "That''s right, but you''ve already heard about Tayama''s death, right?" "Of course, that''s why I want Kokubu-kun to come back once ..." "When I return, I''d like to bring Tayama back with me, but could you make arrangements to receive him?" "If that''s the case, we''re already ready. Did we show you the infirmary that accepts the returnees? Can you carry him over there?" "I understand. Is it okay right now?" "Oh, I don''t mind." "Then, later ..." When I hung up the phone and turned my gaze, Oda-sensei nodded as if he understood. "Then, I''ll bring Tayama back to Japan first." "Once that''s over, let me go back. I''ll handle everything in Japan." Tayama''s body was on a stretcher, so I decided to carry it. [ Reinhardt, can you lend me a hand? ] [ An easy task. ] I put out a shield of darkness and headed for Japan while being seen of by everyone. As we carried Tayama away, Watase remained dazed and worried about the future. Sudou-san and Morita-san were waiting at the Self-Defense Forces garrison. "Kokubu-kun, thank you for your hard work, can I ask you to put him here?" "Yes ..." The room was prepared to check the health of the returnees, but the first person to use it was the silent Tayama. "Is the damage to the corpse severe?" "I haven''t seen it, so I can''t say anything, but I heard that part of the brain has come out." "Kokubu-kun, weren''t you in Volzard when the accident happened?" "Yes, I went to Resenburg, so I didn''t even watch the streaming video." "I see ... It''s a pity that something like this happened even though the communication line with the other world was connected." "Um, Sudou-san, what''s the situation here?" "In a nutshell, it''s in flames." When opinions criticizing Tayama and Watase''s actions as being careless flooded the internet, more and more people said that it was a cruel way to talk about someone who was dead, and that conflict was flooding the internet. Some people said that it was pitiful to kill Goblins that were just living in a natural state for fun ... From my point of view, who was about to be eaten to death, I couldn''t help but wonder what they were talking about.(TN:Seriously.) There were many opinions not to impose their own values in a different world, and there seemed to be a conflict there as well. "Not only in Japan, but on a global scale, there is an ongoing debate, or an exchange of criticism, and it will take some time to calm down." "Is that so ... Um, what about Tayama''s family?" "It''s not possible for them to leave the house because of the mass media." "Then, what will happen to Tayama''s body?" "The relatives will be able to see it, and we are making arrangements to carry it to the funeral home. Since their home is a rented apartment, there seems to be no place to put a coffin." Even if there was space to receive the coffin, it would be difficult to get the coffin into the house with the mass media flooding. "Then, can I ask you to take care of Tayama''s body?" "Ah, from here on out, it''s our job." "Also, I''m planning to send one teacher back so that they can explain the situation. Is it okay if I bring him here?" "I don''t mind, but in the current situation, it''s like coming back to become prey for the media." "Of course, I think he''s fully aware of that." "I don''t mind if that''s the case, but have you decided, Kokubu-kun?" "Haa ... I don''t want to rush into that too much." I thought about returning to Volzard, but Kajikawa-san sent me a signal with his hand. Suzuki-san, who was next to me, looked like she was pouting as hard as she could. Also, an unfamiliar man was giving me a sharp gaze. He must have been about 180 cm tall, dressed in a crisp suit, and seemed to have a double aura of being elite and handsome. "Kokubu-kun, if you''re going back to Volzard, I want you to take him with you." "Yes, that''s fine, but who is he?" "He is Takagi Keiichirou, who is in charge of counseling the students." "Well, I heard that the counselor would be tomorrow at the beginning of the week ..." "In response to this situation, I asked them to bring forward the dispatch." "Is that so, nice to meet you, I''m Kokubu." "I''m Takagi. Hmm, you ..." It was natural to say that there was a height difference, but he seemed to be looking down as hard as he could, and he kind of seemed like a bad person. Takagi-san, who seemed to be thinking about staying for a long time was carrying a large carry case, and when I was about to start preparing to move to Volzard, this time, I was approached by Teramoto-san of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Kokubu-kun, thank you very much for guiding Vice Minister Shiota yesterday. The Vice Minister also asked me to convey my regards." "Yes, it''s great that the meeting ended smoothly." "Then, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will send permanent staff to Volzard, and we are currently in the process of selecting personnel, so I think we will be ready tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. I will also contact the teachers, but I would like you to lend me your strength to prepare to receive them." "Understood. There should still be vacancies in the garrison''s temporary dormitory where my classmates are living, so is it okay if they move in there?" "Ah, that''s fine. I''m sorry for asking you to do something troublesome when you''re busy. I''m going to improve my support accordingly." "Yes, thank you very much." During the meeting with Teramoto-san, Takagi-san was looking down at me with his arms folded. "Hmm ... You can use words properly." "What do you mean?" "No, nothing in particular ... I''m just praising you, saying that you''re not just an idiot who''s just getting carried away with the power he''s been given." He said he was praising me, but I felt that Takagi-san''s words sounded like he was ridiculing me. "If you''re ready, I''ll head to Volzard ..." "I''ve already finished my preparations. I''m tired of waiting, because no one has contacted me." "I see. I''m sorry about that. I''m a busy person, too." "Why don''t you focus on getting your friends back to Japan instead of chasing after women''s asses?" "Hey ... You have no right to say such things as someone who doesn''t know anything!" "Just because you can use magic that is a little different from other people, you feel like making a harem ..." "Takagi-san, can you not forget that Kokubu-kun is also a subject of your counseling?" After Kajikawa-san interrupted, Takagi-san shrugged his shoulders and bowed his head lightly. "That was rude. I accidentally forgot about my job." "Regardless of how you feel about Kokubu-kun, please remember that he is an indispensable person to solve the series of troubles." "I see ... I''ll do my best." "Is Kokubu-kun okay? As for Takagi-san, I don''t mind if you leave him to the teachers." "I understand ..." I gave magic power to Takagi-san, who was still looking down on me with a mocking gaze, and grabbed him by the shoulder and headed for Volzard. As soon as I passed through the shield of darkness and entered the examination room, I heard Watase''s screams. "Tayamaaaa, Tayamaaaaaa!" "Calm down, Watase! Tayama has returned to Japan! He''s gone!" "Tayamaaaa! Uaaaa. Tayamaaaaaa!" Katou-sensei and Nakagawa-sensei were trying to hold him down on the floor, but Watase was violently flapping his limbs and crying. Satou-sensei, Senzaki-sensei, and the chairman were just watching over them, not knowing what to do. Takagi-san passed by me who was stunned by Watase''s derangement. "Tayamaaaa! Tayamaaaaaa!" "Watase! Calm down ..." "Good, shout! Tell me what you think!" Watase and Katou-sensei turned around in surprise at Takagi-san''s sudden voice. "What are you ..." "That kind of talk is for later! What''s wrong, you have something you want to convey. Don''t hold back, spit it out! Spit out everything in your chest! Tell me!" Takagi-san pointed at the ceiling after making a passionate appeal to Watase. Watase was dumbfounded, but when Takagi-san turned his gaze to where he was pointing, he spun words as if they were being squeezed out. "T, Tayamaa ... Why did you die. If you and Funayama die, wouldn''t I be alone ... Tayamaa, Tayamaa, come back ... Let''s do something stupid together again. Tayama, Tayama, Taya ... Uuuaaaa ..." Watase, who was at a loss for words, curled up in a fetal position and began to sob. Takagi-san knelt down next to Watase and put his hand on his shoulder, but didn''t say anything more to him. "Who exactly are you ..." "I''m Takagi Keiichirou, dispatched as a counselor. Nice to meet you." "I''m Katou, a physical education teacher. Thank you for your help." "When someone is in this situation, they need to cry and scream until they feel comfortable. If you force them down, their heart will break." "Is that so ..." Perhaps Watase had regained his composure, or perhaps he was tired of crying, but he was curled up and letting out small sobs. "I will accompany him. Excuse me, but can I have you handle my luggage?" "I understand. I will take responsibility and handle it for you. Nakagawa-sensei, is it okay if I ask you to follow Takagi-san?" "It''s okay. Please leave it to me." "I''ll prepare Takagi-san''s room ... Kokubu, aren''t you going to the training ground?" "Ah, that''s right. I''m going now." If possible, I would like to postpone it for another minute, or even another second, but it seemed that I couldn''t escape this time. With a heavy feeling, I headed towards the training ground where Oda-sensei was waiting. CH 159 The inevitable moment ***---*** Worried about me, the chairman and the others followed me to the training grounds. To be honest, I really didn''t want to be seen ... kissing Oda-sensei. No, that''s wrong. I don''t want to because I''m thinking it''s a kiss. Ritual ... No, it''s just like artificial respiration. It''s a humanitarian measure that must be taken to save lives .... No matter how much I think about it, I still didn''t feel like bringing Oda-sensei back. When I arrived at the training ground, Oda-sensei seemed to have used magic many times, and his breathing had increased a little, and it looked like a thin layer of sweat was floating on his forehead. "Kokubu, did you have any trouble?" "No, there was no problem with Tayama''s transportation, but when I brought the counselor from Japan, Watase was agitated and distraught ..." "Is that so, is Watase okay?" "Yes, he has the counselor now, so I think he''s okay." "I see, then he''s okay. Then, shall we start?" "Haa ..." "I understand how you feel, but don''t look so displeased. It''s not like I like it either." Sheets were spread out in the training ground, and preparations were made so that I could take the attribute and return at any time. Luckily, my classmates seemed to be distracted by Watase and Tayama, so they didn''t come here. "Then, I''ll use magic two or three more times, so be prepared." "I understand." I concentrate while Oda-sensei chants and uses earth-attribute magic. Manon called out to me as I sat down, closed my eyes, and controlled my breathing. "Kent, use this towel." "Towel? What am I going to use it for?" "Umm ... I thought if you covered the nose and above, it would make you feel a little better." "I see, if I can''t see the face, it might be a little different. Thank you." When I was thanking Manon and received the towel, Oda-sensei came back with unsteady steps. It looked like he used magic to the very last drop. Oda-sensei said he was earth-attribute that I had already taken, and if I concentrate my mind, it might be possible to take his attribute unexpectedly easily. "Kokubu, are you ready?" "Yes, I''m going to train with you on artificial respiration, so please lie down here." "I see, you''re considering it artificial respiration ..." Oda-sensei lay down on the sheet with a wry smile on his face. "Sensei, please hide your face for a while." "Umu, I was going to close my eyes, but it might be better for both of us to hide our faces." I hid the face of Oda-sensei who was lying down with a towel, and after taking deep breaths, I called out to him. "Okay, let''s get started." "I''m sorry. I''m counting on you." His chin, with his stubble growing a bit, was by no means feminine. Still, I made up my mind, concentrated, and put my lips on Oda-sensei''s lips. Maybe it''s because I''m strangely conscious, but I felt scared when I touched him. Still, when I focused my attention and explored Oda-sensei''s magical power, I twas able to be conscious of magical power more clearly than ever before. Maybe it''s because I had already made use of the earth attribute for my golem production. I imagined the magical power spreading to every corner of Oda-sensei''s body as if it was my own magical power, and sucked it out at once. "Nnu ... Nnuu ..." Having your magical power sucked and your attribute taken from you must be a huge burden on your body. It took more than 10 minutes to steal Kizawa-san''s attribute, and it took more than five minutes with Kubo-san, but this time it took about 30 seconds to absorb and impart magic. Well, it felt like it lasted forever, but ... "Nna ... Uee, my head is still wobbly ... I''m going to go for a while, so everyone wait here." "Kento, I''ll cast healing magic on you ..." "No, it''s probably no good ... I tried self-healing before, but it didn''t help, so Reinhardt, please bring along Sensei." [ Understood. ] Reinhardt helped Oda-sensei, who seemed weak because of the magic power that was sucked out of him, and headed for the Nerima garrison through the shield of darkness. "Sudou-san, I brought you a teacher, so please." In the garrison''s infirmary, an autopsy was being conducted on Tayama, but I had Oda-sensei go out regardless. "Kokubu-kun, are you okay." "I''m not really okay, I''m going back ..." "Understood. When you feel better, please contact Kajikawa-kun." "Understood. Then ..." I dove through the shield of darkness again and returned to the training grounds where the chairman and the others were waiting. "Nero, come with me ..." "Understood, nya, Goshujin-sama should rest with Nero quickly, nya." I put out a large shield of darkness on the training ground and went outside with Nero. "I, I''m back ..." "Kyaaaaaa ..." "Ehh, what? What''s wrong?" When I turned my gaze towards the sudden scream, Beatriche collapsed and was trembling. "Ah, I''m sorry, I didn''t introduce Nero to Riche. Nero, this is Beatriche." "Nero, nya, nice to meet you, nya ..." "Y, yes ... N, nice to meet you ..." Beatriche nodded while sitting still. "Then, Nero, as always, please." "Understood, nya." Nero sniffed his nose to check the direction of the wind and laid down so that the sun would hit me and the wind wouldn''t hit me. I lay down on his fluffy belly and beckoned to the chairman and the others. "Kento, what about lunch?" "Nn ... I don''t need it now, I don''t want to eat ..." "Then, I''ll buy you something so you can eat when you wake up." "Nn ... Are you going?" "I''ll be back soon, so wait with Mart and the others." "Nn, understood ..." "I''ll come with you." "M, me too ... for a bit ..." For some reason, Beatriche was fidgeting while her face was blushing, and the chairman and Manon sighed and stared at me. Did I do something wrong. I don''t know what to do, so I''ll think about it later. I leaned against Nero and was surrounded by Mart, Mirt, and Murt, it was impossible to stay awake. I let myself fall asleep while enjoying the fuwafuwa, mofumofu texture. After a while, when my consciousness emerged from the depths of my sleep, the texture of the mofumofu that I was supposed to be holding had changed. "Nn ... Yaa ..." It seemed that Beatriche, not Mart was trembling in my arms. When I opened my eyes, I could see droopy bunny ears twitching in front of me. Th, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so why don''t I take a nibble. Pretending to be asleep ... While pretending to be asleep ... "Kento, are you awake?" "Hiiya! Ehh, ehh, huh? This place is ..." "Ah ... I''m sorry. I think I woke you up." Surprised by the sudden whisper in my ear, the chairman misunderstood that I was still asleep. Ah, that was dangerous. I forgot about the chairman. "Uwa, Riche? Huh, Mart is ..." "I asked to change." "I, is that right. I thought it was definitely Mart ..." Leaning on Nero, I was sleeping with the chairman on my right, Manon on my left, and Beatriche in my arms. Yeah, what a paradise, huh, is it a luxury to want to quickly clean up the mess and enjoy it every day. As soon as I woke up, my stomach seemed to wake up and it rumbled loudly. "Kento, I bought you a sandwich, can you eat it?" "Yeah, it seems that the burden on my body will be less if it''s an attribute that has been taken once, and the bad feeling has subsided, so it''s okay." It seemed that stealing magical power was a heavy burden if it was an attribute I didn''t originally have, and if I took in someone else''s magical power even if I did have the attribute, I would still get sick. "When taking wind or water attribute magic, I have to be prepared for a quite poor physical condition, and even if it''s earth or fire attributes, it''s impossible to bring back many people at once." "It seems so. Looking at it this time, the time it took to steal the magic power was short, but right after it was over, Kento was about to collapse after all." "For the time being, I wonder if it would be better to give priority to people with wind attribute or water attribute who want to go home quickly, and make it possible to smoothly take over all attributes. At this pace, I feel like I can proceed with the return without difficulty." "That''s right. I will also talk to Sensei about the selection of the next person to return." While I was eating sandwiches and talking with the chairman about the upcoming returns, Manon asked me a question. "Hey, Kent, that counselor? What does that person do?" "Umm right ... I guess he''s someone who listens to people who are feeling unstable and gives them advice so that their hearts will be lighter." "Yeah, it was kind of amazing. Kent''s friend was distraught and I was freaking out and didn''t know what to do, but I didn''t expect him to tell them to shout whatever they wanted." "That''s right. Certainly, maybe so ..." It''s true that his skill as a counselor was amazing, but I wanted him to stop attacking me strangely. My tone of voice was strange, but Beatriche noticed. "Kent-sama, what is it?" "Eh, no ... Takagi-san, the counselor, was strangely hard on me." "Isn''t he jealous of Kent-sama''s achievements?" "I wonder if it''s jealousy ... Come to think of it, I''m getting carried away with the power I''ve been given ... Did he say something like that?" "That''s terrible! I can''t forgive him. I don''t want people who don''t know how hard Kento has worked to say such things!" "That''s right. It''s just as Yuika says. If Kent didn''t do his best, I don''t know how many people would have been sacrificed, or what would have happened to the city of Volzard." "Kent-sama worked so hard to the point of collapsing, so we are able to live like this. Kent-sama ..." Afuu ... Beatriche turned around in my arms and hugged me from the front. "Hey, Riche ..." "M, me too ..." Afuaa ... The chairman and Manon also hugged me, paradise, this is paradise! "Joining, I''m joining too!" "Me too, I''m together too!" "Goshujin-sama, pat me!" Guhaa, If Mart and the others also cling on me, I''ll be crushed ... But, it''s so peaceful, oops, the sandwich seems like it''s going to flow backwards ... "Nya, it looks like you''re having fun, nya, Nero too ..." "Wait! Nero can''t do it, I''ll be crushed!" "Nyahahaha ... Just kidding, nya." I slept for about two hours and had a light meal, and my physical condition had improved considerably. Come to think of it, Sudou-san said that I should contact Kajikawa-san. But, it seemed better to call Suzuki-san at this time. I''ll try calling back the number that called my smartphone this morning. "Hello ..." "Yes, this is Suzuki. Who is this?" Yup, she''s still angry. This is my cell phone number, so I''m sure she knows it''s from me. "Umm ... It''s Kokubu. I was told to contact you when things settled down ..." "Yes, about tomorrow, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will dispatch three staff members to Volzard, so I would like you to come pick them up, but are you okay?" "Umm ... That''s right. I don''t think there''s a problem if I just bring them from there." "Then, could you pick them up at ten o''clock in Japan time?" "I understand." "Also, I would like you to secure a place where three people can stay ..." "I have to check over here, but are all the staff men?" "No, two men and one woman." "Understood. I will contact you again after confirming the matter of the dormitory." "Thank you." I have to secure a place for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff to stay, but once the three of them come, most of the requests from Japan should be allocated to them, so the burden on me should be reduced. "Yuika, staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are coming, but it seems that there is a woman there. Are there any vacancies in the girls'' dormitory?" "I think it''s probably okay. Kizawa-san and Kubo-san have returned to Japan, Sekiguchi-san too ... That''s why." "I see, so if we can secure a room for two people in the men''s dormitory, it should be fine." As for the men''s dormitory, Takayama had left and Oda-sensei had returned to Japan, so there should definitely be two vacant rooms. I didn''t need to worry about the dormitory. "Kent-sama, if there is no problem with the dormitory, what about the office?" "I see, people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aren''t coming for sightseeing. Hmm ... I wonder if it would be better to rent a building somewhere ..." "Kento, wouldn''t it be better to ask the people you bring with you how they will act?" "I see .. That''s also true. There''s no point in setting up an office in a farmland or residential area if they want to be active in the city." As expected of the chairman, she notices things that I would never have thought of. "Hey, Manon, if they''re going to be active in the town of Volzard, then I wonder if the area around the guild is good?" "That''s right, not only city people, but also a lot of adventurers gather around the guild, even so, if they cause trouble around the guild, it would become a problem when they receive requests, security is good because adventurers rarely act violently. However, it is popular as a place, so I wonder if there is a good property ..." "I see, including that area, it might be better to have them actually see it once." The chairman, who understood the situation in Japan was more considerate than I am. Manon was born in Volzard and knows the city very well. As for Beatriche, as the second daughter of the Feudal Lord, she is familiar with the management of the city. Yeah, aren''t my future brides really well-balanced? "Kento ... What are you grinning about?" "Yeah, being surrounded by everyone, I''m so happy ... I thought that." "Yeah, I''m happy too ..." "I''m happy too." "Me too." I wanted to be endlessly immersed in paradise, but I had to get things done. I thanked Nero, stroked it behind the ears, and headed towards the dormitory used by the boys. When I entered the temporary men''s dormitory, my classmates were gathered in the visitor space by the entrance. It looked like they were gathering and looking at something. Hasegawa-san, who was in the same class as me, noticed me and approached me. "Kokubu, what happened to Tayama?" "Tayama''s body was brought to Japan." "Is he really dead after all ..." "Ah, didn''t everyone know about it ..." "No, because of that situation, I thought it was no good." A slightly larger smartphone was placed upright in front of Hasegawa-kun''s chin. "Are you watching that video online?" "No, this is 1Seg."(TN:A Japanese digital broadcasting service for mobile devices.) "Eh? Ah, I see, if you''re getting cell phone signals, you''re also getting TV signals." "Right, right, can we get a TV please? if possible, two or three." "Tomorrow, people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are scheduled to come, so I think there will be a lot of equipment to be added, so I will ask them at that time." "Oh, that''s right, then I''ll ask you." On the screen of the smartphone, in the studio where the commercial had ended, there was a discussion about the uproar. No, I was wrong. It couldn''t be called a discussion. They didn''t listen to the other person''s opinion, and they just kept talking one-sidedly about what they came up with. "They can say whatever they want ... The people here were also summoned, and can''t go home." Hasegawa-kun''s mumbled words made the classmates nod in unanimity. "Kokubu may not have seen it, but he''s talking shit about Tayama and Watase, and I really want to kill him." "Right, right, it''s this guy, it''s titled something like education, but do you know what that is. Don''t joke around." Certainly, an educational critic criticized the two''s actions as careless, and instead of pointing the finger at the teachers, they even turned the brunt of it towards the Volzard garrison. "Looking at something like this, you really think that Japan is full of Peace Idiots." "Saying such things ... There''s no such thing as Orcs in Japan." "All those guys, should be abandoned in a horde of Goblins ..." "That sounds good. Kokubu, you can easily bring them from Japan, can''t you? Do it." "I don''t like it. I don''t know what they''re going to say just by looking at me." "Is that so ..." Even though I said I didn''t like it, I thought it would be fun to have all my genus barge into the studio where this recording was being done. CH 160 Prince''s death ***---*** I went back to the boarding house, had dinner with Amanda-san, Meline-san, and Meisa-chan, took a bath, and just when I was about to go to sleep, Kirt suddenly appeared. "Goshujin-sama, Fred wants you to come." "Eh, did something happen?" "The Prince is dead." "Eeehhh ... Is the Prince, Alphonse? Diethelm?" "Umm ... The older one." "Okay, tell him I''ll be there soon." "Wafu, I understand." I asked Kirt to give a message to Fred and got ready to leave in a hurry. Luckily, Meisa-chan was already in her dreams, so I didn''t need an excuse. [ Really, Kent-sama gave him a warning ... ] "As expected, he was poisoned by someone from Havre''s minions?" [ That''s the only reason I can think of. ] Together with Reinhardt, we moved using Fred as a landmark. The place we moved to was the camp where the First Prince''s faction had received news from the fast horse from Camilla and had a discussion. THe flags of each aristocratic family fluttered, and numerous tents were lined up in the dry grassland. Fred was in a particularly large tent built in the center of the camp. "Fred, how is it?" [ The First Prince ... was together with his mistress ... ] "Eeehhh ... Even though they''re in the middle of an expedition?" [ His mistress, Magdalos is ... The commander of the Royal Knights ... ] "Ah, they were always acting together. I mean, he was killed while the Royal Guard was with him?" [ After one bout, Magdalos drank alcohol ... The Prince took a sip of water ... ] "In other words, the water was poisoned?" [ Probably ... ] A few moments after the First Prince Alphonse drank the water in one breath, he started coughing up blood while scratching his chest, and continued to struggle and suffer for a while. It was said that a healer was immediately summoned and healing magic was cast on him, but it seemed that he never recovered, and now he was laid on a bed, and his face was covered with a white cloth. At present, Alphonse''s tent was filled with the bloodshot-eyed Magdalos, Staff Officer Torvil, the faction''s leading figures, Duke Dravis, Count Langhain, and Count Saruel, as well as the Fourth Prince, Diethelm, and an elderly knight. A heavy silence drifted between the seven people on the floor along the perimeter of the circular tent. "Fred, who is that old knight?" [ Knight with Diethelm ... J¨¹rgen Remmert ... ] It was J¨¹rgen who broke the heavy silence that ruled the tent with his aloof speech. "Well, everyone, staying silent like this won''t solve anything. As long as one of Alphonse-sama''s servants has disappeared, it''s reasonable to assume that that person was complicit." "Saying such a thing, didn''t you guys actually do it?" It was Magdalos who interrupted J¨¹rgen''s words with a voice that, though not loud, sounded like it was coming from the depths of the earth. In response, J¨¹rgen let out a small sigh and tightened his expression. "Magdalos, be careful with your words. Never again will I forgive such disrespectful words." In a complete change from his easy-going tone until then, J¨¹rgen''s words seemed to carry a dignity and weight that made everyone who was there straighten their backs. Even Magdalos, who spoke directly in front of him, couldn''t hide her expression of pressure. "After Alphonse-sama, Bernst-sama, and Christoph-sama passed away, the future of Resenburg rests on Diethelm-sama''s shoulders." J¨¹rgen cut his words quietly and bowed his head slightly towards Diethelm. Diethelm, who received it, stood up from the floor and walked towards the center of the tent. "I was informed of the danger of being poisoned by my sister." "What! Is that true!" Apparently, the three heavyweights didn''t know about Havre''s plan, and among them, Count Saruel stood up with a bright red face. The Count, whose expression changed and tried to approach him, was controlled by Diethelm by simply raising his left hand. Diethelm looked like an idiot when he was talking to me, but when he looked serious like this, he gave off a royal aura. "A warning letter should have been delivered to my half-brother as well. Isn''t that right, Torvil?" "Yes, it certainly arrived, but to believe a letter from an unknown person ..." "You idiot! What are the drawbacks of being on guard against poisoning? In the first place, there are people who slip through the eyes of vigilance and deliver letters, so there is no reason not to be vigilant." "I, I''m sorry ..." In Torvil''s case, Alphonse''s death meant downfall, and he had no choice but to drop his shoulders with disappointment and bite the price of his negligence. The one who broke the silence again was Count Langhain, who was looking into the distance as if it were someone else''s business. "May I have a moment, Your Highness Diethelm?" "I don''t mind." "Yes, judging from the manner in which His Highness spoke earlier, it seems that you know the person who warned His Highness Alphonse ..." "Umu, I really know." Hearing Diethelm''s calm tone, Torvil raised his drooping head and yelled out a question. "Who is it, that person, aren''t they the one who killed Alphonse-sama?" "Do''nt be rude!" "I, I''m sorry, but ..." "Shut up! He saved the city of Lastock, the people of Resenburg, and the life of my sister! I won''t allow you to speak rudely again!" Uwaa ... I thought I''d show up at the right time, and if possible show him the video of Havre on the tablet, but he''s raised the bar so much. In a hurry, Torvil knelt and bowed his head to Diethelm, who didn''t even try to hide his anger. The one who interjected was the splendidly bearded Duke Dravis. "Your Highness seems to have a very high opinion of that person, but have you actually met him face to face?" "Umu, I''ve only met him in person once, but it''s thanks to him that I''m able to live like this. It seems I''ve been poisoned for a long time." "What is that, is that true." "How do you see me now? Do I look sickly like I used to?" At Diethelm''s words, they noticed that he was regaining his health, and everyone other than J¨¹rgen was surprised with their eyes wide open. Duke Dravis asked as if representing everyone. "Your Highness ... Is it because you were poisoned that Your Highness was not feeling well?" "Right. No, that''s what I was told." "But, what if it was that person''s self-made performance?" "You fool! That person just came to Resenburg about three months ago. I wasn''t feeling well for years. I thought I told you I won''t allow you to speak rudely!" "Yes, I''m sorry." Yup, Diethelm really had the qualities of an actor. Or maybe it was the royal aura he was born with. At that time, Magdalos, who had been silent until then, opened her mouth. "Your Highness, who is that person you are talking about? I don''t remember anyone like that." "Do you want to know?" "I do ..." Diethelm took his eyes off Magdalos, looked around at the crowd, and spread his arms out wide. "Maou, Kent Kokubu-sama."(TN:Weird to suddenly change the order of the name, but ok?) "Maou ...?" In response to Diethelm''s confident statement, the gathered people were twisting their heads while exchanging glances with blank expressions. Yeah, Diethelm, Hey, it''s getting harder and harder to go ouuuut ... "It''s not unreasonable for you to be perplexed. But don''t worry, from now on, I''ll tell you about the splendor of my Maou Kent Kokubu-sama ..." After that, Diethelm talked loudly about how I and my genus repelled the Minotaurs that were approaching Lastock, the fortification of the garrison, the subjugation of the Storm Cat, repelling the horde of Orcs, and furthermore, with an ecstatic expression he talked about how the invasion of Barshania was stopped. Hey, your half-brother is dead behind you, is it okay for you to do that? After finishing his speech, Diethelm puffed out his chest with a doya face, but it seemed that the people who were there were not sure how to react. "Your Highness ..." "What is it, Torvil, I won''t allow you to speak rudely about the Maou." "Yes, I understand. However, if the words of Your Highness that I just heard are true, isn''t the purpose of that Maou to rule Resenburg?" "Of course, if Maou-sama were to do so, there would be no trickery to conquer Resenburg." "For someone like that ..." "Listen until the end!" "I''m sorry." "Maou-sama''s wish is the peace of this country." "Peace ... is it?" Every time Diethelm spoke confidently, it felt like more and more question marks were appearing above the heads of the ones listening. "Maou-sama is the kind of person who even forgives those who oppose him and stab him from behind with a sword, and is the kind of person who tells us to live in order to protect the people. However, in a conflict between intelligent humans, he considers even the enemy''s position and is generous in finding a way to make the most of them without killing them." Uwaa ... I felt like Diethelm''s eyes were dying. [ Completely, infatuated with Kent-sama ... no doubt he will join the harem ... ] "I told you he can''t enter. I don''t have such a hobby. No, I''m not against people with that kind of hobby, but I''m different!" [ Buhahaha ... That''s right, Kent-sama, at this rate, the First Prince''s faction could fall apart. ] "Haa ... It can''t be helped, I ask you for Magdalos and J¨¹rgen, please." [ Understood. ] [ Leave it to me ... ] I put out a large shield of darkness, went out with Reinhardt and the others, and slammed the back of Diethelm''s head with the flat of my hand. "You talk too much!" "Ouch! M, Maou-sama!" "You, who are you!" Magdalos and J¨¹rgen stood up to hold me down, but Reinhardt and the others stood in their way. The atmosphere of the metallic skeleton and the carbon black skeleton made the people standing in line feel silent pressure and stop moving. "Maou-sama, since when have you been here ..." "I''ve been watching you since you stood up and started talking, but you talk too much, rather, talk about the important things first! Diethelm, you want to be King, right?" At my words, the hostile gazes that were directed at me changed to ones filled with expectations adn hopes as they turned towards Diethelm. "Yes, I want to be a King who cares about the people." "Oooohhhh ..." When Diethelm answered strongly, there was an uproar. "As I promised before, I will help you become King ..." "You ... As I thought, to Alphonse-sama ..." Magdalos let out a groan like vomiting blood and looked at me as if to curse me to death, but she''s knocking on the wrong door. "Don''t misunderstand. It was Florence Thalberg and Havre Calvine who ordered to have Alphonse killed." "What is that, the Prime Minister and the Margrave ... Is there evidence?" "I''ll show you that in a moment ... This is a tool that captures and records the scene." I gave a brief explanation while showing the tablet I took out of the shadow storage. Of course, the performance of the tablet was not limited to that, but it was troublesome for now, so I omitted it. I turned on the power and played the video file that Fred secretly shot. "Wh, what is this ... A person is trapped inside ..." "I''ll give you a detailed explanation later, so for now just shut up and watch." "What is that, you ..." "Duke Dravis, talk later." Ordered by a child like me, Duke Dravis turned red and tried to protest, but Diethelm scolded him and he reluctantly fell silent. However, when the video was played and it became clear that Havre''s plot and secret agreement with the Prime Minister were revealed, he began to stare intently at the screen. Then, as soon as the video finished playing, Torvil yelled. "What disrespect, what misdeeds, Your Highness, you can''t hand over the future of Resenburg to such people!" "Of course. I''m not going to call Havre or anyone like that my brother-in-law!" When Diethelm said it clearly, Count Saruel immediately suggested. "Your Highness, such tyranny, we can''t allow such violence. The Margrave and the Prime Minister should be executed!" "Like Liebert-dono said, this William Dravis will also be of some help." "Your Highness, make a decision!" Advised by Duke Dravis and Torvil, Diethelm nodded and declared. "We shall exact vengeance on Margrave Havre Calvine, who wreaked havoc on the royal family, and Prime Minister Florence Thalberg! Nkya ... M, Maou-sama?" "I apologize when you''re all excited, but shouldn''t you first mourn Alphonse-san?" For some reason, I felt sorry for the First Prince, whose existence had been completely forgotten, so I interjected. "Certainly, Havre and the Prime Minister are plotting to obtain Resenburg for personal gain, but the only ones who can complain about it are the two royal guards and Diethelm, aren''t they?" In the lively atmosphere of Havre should be defeated and the Prime Minister should be executed, I poured cold water on him as hard as I could. Otherwise, I felt like they were going to charge at the opponent who was planning a strategy and crush it. "The three leaders of the faction are also sloppy in their countermeasures against desertification. And, the main intention is to increase their own profits. Even with this dispatch, the main intention is to reduce the power of the opposing faction and increase their own profits, rather than supporting Lastock. I don''t think you have the right to criticize Havre or the Prime Minister." "What are you talking about, we''re here to protect the country from a massive outbreak of monsters ..." "William-dono, for someone who knows the internal affairs of the country to this extent, such an excuse is unseemly." It was Count Langhain who stopped Duke Dravis from trying to argue against me. "Just as you said, we have been too careless about the future of the country. I used to admonish Alphonse-sama, but I arbitrarily gave up on his indecisiveness and acted like a recluse. Anyway, I decided that I couldn''t lead Resenburg in a good direction with the time I had left." Talking that far, Count Langhain opened his eyes, which had narrowed sleepily, and strengthened his tone. "But, that was a mistake. We nobles must show the right path for the sake of the people, walk together, and prosper together. What we should do is to honor Alphonse-sama with dignity, protect the people from the outbreak of monsters, and work together to overcome the national crisis of desertification, on top of that, under Diethelm-sama''s instructions, the disloyal people should be punished." I see, Count Langhain was upset because Alphonse didn''t approve of his admonition. What he was saying was quite correct, but rather than being an ambitious person, Count Saruel, who had a fast-moving household, had a dissatisfied expression on his face. "If the country takes the lead in combating desertification, the income of your territory will also recover, won''t it? In addition, I wonder who will get the rights to the mines in Calvine''s territory if Havre loses his position ... Isn''t it someone who has made a big achievement?" When I guided him in an easy-to-understand manner, Count Saruel glanced at me, then lowered his gaze and began to think about something. "For the time being, now that Alphonse-san has passed away, the First Prince faction will be taken over by Diethelm, and will work in cooperation with the former Second Prince faction led by Camilla ... Is it okay to assume that?" When I turned my attention to it, the people gathered nodded, but Torvil was the only one who agreed, yet still had a worried look on his face. "Diethelm, do you have someone who can support you as your right hand?" "No, J¨¹rgen is handling my personal protection, but ..." "Is that so, then why don''t you try using the person there?" As I pointed with my chin, the gazes of the bystanders focused on Torvil, but they weren''t all positive. At his gaze, Torvil knelt at Diethelm''s feet in a theatrical motion and bowed his head deeply. "Your Highness Diethelm, please use me. I will definitely help you." Diethelm, possibly unsure what to do, turned his gaze to me. "Torvil-san''s work is well known to all of you gathered here. My impression was that he was manipulating Alphonse-san and wielding power ..." When I finished speaking, everyone nodded in unison, and cold sweat ran down Torvil''s cheeks as he was kneeling. "Honestly, I''m not impressed with the way you''ve done it so far, but I think your knowledge is fine. So, if you can vow to work selflessly, I think you will be useful, what do you think?" "I''ll throw away my selfishness and definitely help you. Please, please ..." After thinking for a while, Diethelm exchanged glances with the people in line to confirm. "Fine. Torvil, serve under me." "Yes, thank you very much." "However, if you run your selfish desires, I will mercilessly cut you down, so keep that in mind." "Yes, I''ll keep that in mind." When I heard that Alphonse was poisoned, I thought he had been killed by Havre, but I was able to hand over the First Prince faction to Diethelm, so the result was good. "Diethelm, I will leave a Kobold for communication, so keep in touch with Camilla and make sure there are no misunderstandings. There are no more trivial factional disputes in Resenburg." "Yes, understood. Maou-sama, please continue to give us your help." When Diethelm knelt down and bowed to me, Count Langhain immediately followed, and the others who saw it also knelt down. Yup, it felt a little good, but if I thought about how it would be troublesome later one, I honestly couldn''t be happy. "Then, I''ll go home, see you later." After offering a silent prayer to the deceased Alphonse, I returned to Volzard through the shield of darkness. CH 161 A moment in the morning ***---*** I, Kokubu Kento''s morning is early. It''s not because I''m staying in a cafeteria and I need to start preparing early. Meisa-chan used me as a pillow, and I woke up to the coldness of her drool. When we go to bed at night, me, Meisa-chan, and Mart-tachi will fall asleep in the shape of a river(´¨). Yeah, even though it should have been the character for river(´¨), in the morning Meisa-chan was hugging me while I was lying on my back. It''s like being used as a hug pillow or a large stuffed animal. Well, Meisa-chan was like a little sister to me, so it was better to be liked than hated. That''s why it''s fine for me to be hugged, but in that position, Meisa-chan''s sloppy smile appeared on her face. She didn''t have a beautiful girl''s smile, which was good because she had a cuteness that was easy to get along with, but drool was dripping from the corner of her half-open mouth. That''s why, it''s cold, it''s cold, and it woke me up. Still, I''m her partner, so it''s fine, but if it''s her first night with her boyfriend, even a 100-year-old love would grow cold. Nn? Boyfriend? First night? No, no, no good, no good, Onii-chan won''t forgive that. [ Kent-sama, are you awake? ] [ Yeah, I woke up to the coldness of Meisa-chan''s drool again this morning. ] [ Buhahaha ... Meisa-chan loves Kent-sama after all. ] [ Well, it''s fine. So, what happened? ] [ Yes, it seems that Havre''s soldiers have entered the royal castle. ] [ Ah, didn''t the Royal Knights'' fast horse make it in time ... ] The royal castle that towered above Aldaros was easy to defend, difficult to attack, and was called impregnable. The wide road leading to the castle was a main street lined with shops, and during the day it was crowded with people, making it impossible for an army to pass through. Even on the main street, once you hit the water moat that surrounded the castle, there was no straight bridge to cross, and you couldn''t proceed to the royal castle unless you turned left or right along the moat. It seemed that Havre Calvine''s forces passed through the main street before the city woke up and quietly entered the castle. [ Well ... It is truly shoddy. If the royal family were barred in the royal castle as hostages, there would be no doubt that the attacking army would hesitate to attack, it''s troublesome. ] Reinhardt is constantly saying words like shoddy and troublesome, but he couldn''t control the smile that welled up when he imagined actually taking down the impregnable royal castle. [ Does the fact that Havre''s soldiers have entered the royal castle mean that the Prime Minister''s backroom work went well? ] [ Regarding that, you will hear it from Fred later. ] According to Reinhardt, basically no noble private army ever set foot inside the royal castle. ''Basically'' meant that when the army of another country advanced to the capital, it was assumed that they would besiege together.(TN:In other words, the private army would JOIN WITH the royal guard in defending the inside, they would never be allowed alone inside.) A long time ago, there was a country of humans on the southern continent, which was now a den of monsters. [ In this situation, if they receive a message from the Royal Guard attached to Camilla, how do you think the Royal Guard in the royal castle will act? ] [ That''s right ... It''s up to the King. ] [ Come to think of it, the Royal Guards move according to the orders of the Knight Commander, right? Does the Commander of the Royal Guard act under the King''s orders? ] [ That is true in normal times, but in times of emergency, we will make our own decisions and prioritize the interests of the country. ](TN:Hard to remember, but that was actually Reinhardt/Basten/Fred''s position when they were alive under Arthur. When I started translating I didn''t know what the position meant AT ALL, so I may not have done a good job getting that point across. Reinhardt was the top leader over all the knights, while Basten and Fred were leaders of squads under Reinhardt.) [ Does that mean that there are times when you disobey the King''s orders? ] [ That''s right. Yes, however, such situations are rare. ] For example, if the army marched to another country but was likely to be defeated, and the King still ordered the march, they might ignore the order and withdraw in order to protect the King. [ Besides, disobeying the King''s order means preparing to take responsibility and commit suicide. ] [ That means that depending on whether or not the King is worthy of risking your life, the reaction of the Knight Commander will change, right? ] [ That''s right. Also, depending on how loyal you are to Resenburg, your response will probably change. ] [ In any case, you can''t move unless you see what happens when you receive information about the knights of the Royal Guard who left Lastock, right? ] [ That''s right, I guess after seeing what kind of judgment the King and Prime Minister will make, and how Camilla-jou and the Fourth Prince will react to it. ] Alphonse was poisoned, and Diethelm was the only remaining Prince, and I thought that he would inevitably inherit the throne, but I still felt like there was still a lot of upheaval. Around the time I finished the meeting with Reinhardt, the door quietly opened and Amanda-san came in. Since I started sleeping with Meisa-chan, I haven''t locked the door to my room, and I have told Amanda-san that it is okay for her to come check on her. Amanda-san, who met my eyes, let out a sigh while covering her face with her right hand. "Haa ... This morning, too, I''m sorry, Kent." "I''m used to it, so it''s okay." After flipping up the futon and showing Meisa-chan, Amanda-san let out another big sigh and then took a deep breath to yell. But, Amanda-san had a loud voice, so if she yelled at her, she might annoy the neighbors, so I raised my hand to stop her. When Amanda-san looked at me with a puzzled look, I started by stroking Meisa-chan''s head. Then Meisa-chan''s smile deepened, and then she hugged me tightly and rubbed her face against me like a cat. Next, when I stroked her behind her ears, she started to shake her head and groan because it tickled. It didn''t look like she was going to wake up yet, so I poked her cheeks with a ''Puni puni'', her eyebrows wrinkled, and after her mouth tightened, she finally slightly opened her eyes. As I poked her cheeks, her eyes, which had been vague, began to focus, Meisa-chan''s body trembled, and when she saw Amanda-san''s face beside me, her face turned bright red. "Really ... Since when did you fall in love with Kent so much?" "Is that so? Meisa-chan." "I, It''s different ... I''m not ... It''s different." She couldn''t come up with a good excuse because she was still half asleep, so when we saw Meisa-chan''s mouth starting to pout, Amanda-san and I both smiled. "Hey, hey, change your clothes quickly, Meisa, wash Kent''s pajamas before breakfast." "I''m counting on you, Meisa-chan." "Uuu ... Understood." Meline-san, who came to help with the preparations, also joined us for breakfast. Yesterday, I went to the chairman first, so today I visited starting with Manon''s room. Peeking into the room from the shadow space, Manon in pajamas was arranging her clothes on the bed, twisting her head at various combinations. Then, the door opened and her brother Hamill appeared. "Nee-chan, food ... Wait, what are you doing?" "Hey, knock first, okay." "Maybe, he''s coming this morning, too?" "Yes, say hello properly." "I don''t want to ... Why is that guy ..." "Hamill, Kent will be your ... B, b, brother-in-law." "Hmph, I don''t approve of that kind of guy ... Wait, Nee-chan, you don''t need a bra ... Fuugya." "This mouth? Is it this mouth that says stupid things?" Oh, Manon grabbed the edge of Hamill''s mouth by moving so quickly it seemed as if she had teleported. "Hefh, heffh ... I''f foffy!"(Yes, yess ... I''m sorry!) "If you say something unnecessary next time, I''ll cut you off ..." "I fof if, I ufferfaff ..."(I got it, I understand ...) Manon began to change her clothes after kicking out the teary-eyed Hamill. When Manon finished changing her clothes and started combing her hair in front of the mirror, I called out to her. "Manon, can I come in?" "Kent? Y, yeah, wa, wait a minute ... Okay, it''s fine." I put out a shield of darkness in front of Manon who hastily finished combing her hair. "Good morning, Manon, you look cute today as well." "Hauu ... Thank you, Kent." I gently hugged her. "Kent, are you busy today?" "Today, I''m only bringing the Japanese officials with me, but I get the feeling that if I go to Japan, it''ll be troublesome ..." "Tayama just passed away yesterday." "Yeah, I''m also worried about Oda-sensei, who has returned to Japan." "Then, can you come back for lunch?" "Will Manon go to the clinic again today?" "Yeah, I''m going to continue doing that for the time being." "Then, I''ll contact you if it looks like I''ll be able to come back." "Yes, I''ll be waiting." After another hug, I walked down the stairs with Manon and greeted Noela-san and Hamill before diving into the shadows. I headed for the chairman''s room, but today she had already changed her clothes and was sitting on the bed waiting. "Yuika, can I come in?" "Please ... Good morning, Kento." The chairman invited me to sit next to her by tapping on her bed. "Good morning, Yuika, you look cute today too." "Ehh, th, thank you ..." I sat next to the chairman, who blushed slightly, and gave her a soft hug. Yeah, shouldn''t I just push her down like this. "You went to Manon first this morning, didn''t you." "Ehh, how did you know?'' "Because If you come to me first, you won''t say I''m cute, right?" "Ehh ... N, no, because yesterday, you were changing clothes ..." "You think Yuika is scary ... or something?" "No way! Yuika is so cute! You''re too cute for me." "Really ...?" "Really." The chairman closed her slightly moist eyes. This, it''s okay to push her down. But, when I hugged her, I heard a noise. "Be quiet! I can''t hear them." "Shh! Your voice is loud, they can hear you." Yes, I can hear you, the onlookers on the other side of the door. The chairman was red to her ears. It was really cute, but it was really awkward. "Umm ... Do you want to continue?" "Idiot ... Kento''s ecchi." "Gufuu ... I''m sorry, I was joking." It''s no good. The chairman who is blushing and sulking has too much destructive power. Isn''t it okay if I just throw away all the troublesome work. "Kento, you''re going to pick up the people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, right?" "Uu ... That''s right. But, that''s at ten o''clock in Japan time, so it''s still okay." "In Japan, there may be people who say various things to Kento, but you don''t have to worry about it. We know that Kento is doing his best." "Yeah, understood. Thank you, Yuika." I wondered if the chairman is worried about me being slammed again in Japan. But, regardless of whether I''m put down or praised, what I do won''t change, and as long as the chairman and the others understand me, I''m fine. "Well then, I''m going. I have to report to Klaus-san." "That''s right. Have a nice day." "Yeah, I''m off." I hugged her again, then dove into the shadows and moved to Beatriche''s place this time. Beatriche had just finished breakfast with Klaus-san and the others. I visited the dining room where the Feudal Lord family was relaxing. "Good morning. I''m sorry that my classmate caused a commotion yesterday." Usually, Beatriche would come up to me and kiss me, but this morning I bowed my head and started off with a greeting. "Good morning. It''s true that there''s been a bit of a commotion, but Kent, it''s already been a month since your comrades came to Volzard. Even if they foolishly get killed by a monster, you shouldn''t apologize or feel responsible." "That''s right. Kent-san will become a person of Volzard, rather, it''s okay to get angry if they don''t cause trouble." "Yes, I appreciate you saying that. Father-in-law, Mother-in-law." Marianne-san had a big smile on her face, and Klaus-san had a bitter expression. At that point, I stood up from my seat and hugged Beatriche, who walked over to me. I''m sorry, I was aiming for this timing. But, it''s kind of fun, so I''ll continue. "Father-in-law, I am planning to bring three officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Japan today. They will be stationed here and will support my classmates while preparing for future exchanges with Volzard. Also, I''m late in reporting this, but yesterday, I brought a psychological counselor with me. We plan to have him stay in the temporary dormitory like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff." "I see, I heard about that psychological counselor from Beatriche. The staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also be welcomed. If you have any problems or requests, do not hesitate to tell me. Mutual understanding is essential for smooth exchanges from here on." "Yes, my best regards." When I lowered my head, Klaus-san showed a sour expression again. "That''s why ... Kent, what side do you belong to?" "Ehh ...?" "You''re going to be a Volzard person, right?" "Yes, that''s right. Even if I return to Japan for the sake of the friendship between Japan and Volzard, I intend to base my life in Volzard." "Then, you are not the one who asks, but the one who is asked." "Ah ... That''s right." "Well, you probably won''t be able to change it all of a sudden, but in order to make your position clearer, try to be conscious of it on a regular basis." "Yes, I understand. Father-in-law." "Tch, you''ve always been conscious of unnecessary things, when you first came to Volzard, you were much cuter ..." Marianne-san spoke to Klaus-san, who was lashing out in dissatisfaction, while holding back her laughter. "Ara, ara, if you complain about such a cute son-in-law you will be punished. After all, he is also the savior of Riche''s life." "That''s right, Father, he''s going to be my precious husband." "Hee, hee, is that so ... Huh, Kent, remember it well. In another 20 years, you''ll be in the same position I am now ... No, you''ll have to work harder because you have more wives. It serves you right." "No, no, I never thought that spending time with my future wives was a hassle, so there''s no need to worry." It was no use trying to get me involved, and forcing the criticism to me. "Well, according to the rumors, I heard that you were made to sit on the floor in front of three people and was interrogated a little bit ..." "Guu, I, I wonder if such a thing happened ... I don''t remember very well." "So, when will the Princess of Barshania come to Volzard?" "No, that''s after the internal conflict in Resenburg has been settled ..." "It''s nice to meet your future wives every morning, but it''s not good for Volzard to neglect the princess of a country ..." "Gufuu, I understand. I will make sure to show up at Seraphima''s place as well." "Oh, come to think of it, did you greet Yuika''s parents yet?" "Guhou, well, not yet ..." "I see ... Kent, let''s do our best again today." "Yes ..." Damniiiiit, Klaus-san''s triumphant smile pisses me off. I was told to bring the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to Klaus-san''s office in the guild. Takagi-san, the counselor, would also be guided so that they could register together. I was annoyed to go home after losing, so I tried to show off to Klaus-san, gave Beatriche a long kiss, and then dove into the shadow space. The destination was Chowsk, the border town of Barshania. Now that I thought about it, I didn''t visit them at all after I delivered the rebar. For the time being, the Kobold Corps were watching the movement of the Barshanian army, but Fred, who was in charge of reconnaissance, was now attached to the former First Prince''s faction. Even though I no longer had to worry about them invading Resenburg, did I leave them alone a little too long? In Chowsk, it seemed that the peddlers had been released, and a line of caravans could be seen heading into the desert. Meanwhile, the Barshanian forces began to move. That said, they seemed to be moving towards the center of Barshania, not towards the desert. [ Kent-sama, it looks like that is a unit led by the First Prince. ] "Huh? Aren''t their units heading towards the desert?" [ That''s true, but it looks like an engineering corps rather than an attack unit. ] "What is an engineering corps?" [ Simply put, it is the military unit in charge of civil engineering. ] "I see ..." Certainly, as Reinhardt said, the troops heading to the desert were carrying tools such as shovels and pickaxes rather than swords and spears. "Isn''t that a considerable number of people?" [ That''s right. At a quick glance, it seems there are more than 2,000 people. ] "Is this ... a desert reclamation unit?" [ Perhaps, that might be so. ] At the very end of the engineering corps marching in unison, there was Seraphima riding on a camel-like donkey-like animal, and her escort female knight. "Reinhardt, what is that animal called?" [ That''s a Belft, it''s an animal that''s strong in the desert. As you can see, they have large hooves and are characterized by their difficulty in burrowing into the sand. ] It''s true that they had big hooves, longer legs, and shorter torsos than horses. There was something like a bump around the base of the neck, but it was probably a bag to store water. After crossing the bridge, the engineering corps headed upstream along the river. Beyond the bridge over the waterway dug to surround the cultivated farmland, there was a construction site further ahead. The current cultivated farmland spread out in a fan shape around the bridge, but it seemed that a new waterway had been constructed to double the radius. It seemed that the idea was to dig a waterway, plant a sand control forest, and turn the inside into farmland all at once. Upon arriving at the site, Seraphima opened the blueprints and gave instructions to the men who seemed to be the commanders, and the construction began. The engineering unit seemed to have not only earth-attribute magicians, but also wind-attribute, and water-attribute magicians. The waterway was shaped by well-coordinated movements, such as those who used magic, those who finished the walls using their strengthened bodies, and those who were in charge of surveying. [ Hou, this is splendidly organized. ] "They''re digging quite wide and deep." [ Probably, they''re considering passing a ship to transport agricultural products. ] "I see ... they''ve thought about that." Seraphima wore pants with a tight hem and a long jacket with a hood, perhaps to avoid sand and direct sunlight, and watched the progress from the already completed riverwall. I called out to her from a distance so that she wouldn''t be surprised and I wouldn''t be attacked by the escort female knight. "Good morning. Seraphima-san." "Ah ... Kent-sama, good morning." Seraphima, with her eyes, restrained the female knight who was placing her hand on the hilt of her sword. "I don''t mind if you come here ..." Before I could finish my words, Seraphima rushed over with a lightness like fluff blown by the wind and hugged me. "It''s really cruel to leave your bride alone for four days." "Umm ... I''m sorry. Or rather, isn''t that a little bad." The construction was completely stopped. Not only that, but I was pierced by gazes containing murderous intent from the surroundings. "It''s okay. I''ve already announced my engagement to Kent-sama to the people. Everyone here is also aware of it." "Eeeehhhh ... But, I feel like there is no celebratory mood at all ..." "Ufufufu, it''s just Kent-sama''s imagination." Smiling, Seraphima put her arms around my neck again and kissed me on the cheek. The surroundings were enveloped in voices of resentment, like the groans of the dead who fell to the depths of hell. Yeah, I''m seriously worried about being cursed to death. "Kent-sama, can you take it easy today?" "I''m sorry, I have a lot of work today." "Haa ... It can''t be helped. It''s normal for a competent gentleman to be relied upon." "So, I thought I''d leave one of my genus so that I can be in contact with Seraphima-san and come anytime." "Speaking of genus, are they Skeletons and Kobolds?" "Yeah, Come, Hirt." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, did you call me?" Hirt jumped out of the shadows and was wagging its tail at my feet. When I petted it, it wagged its tail even more violently. "I can instantly travel to places where my genus are, even if I have never been there before, and they can come back to me immediately. I''ll let Hirt stay by your side, so please contact me when you need something." "Ko, Kobold spoke ..." "I''m Hirt, nice to meet you." "I''m Seraphima. It''s nice to meet you as well, my best regards for the future." Seraphima was also timid at first and stroked Hirt, but she was immediately fascinated by the fluffy texture. "I''d like to watch the construction a little more, but I have to go soon, so I''ll come to see you again." "Yes, please come any time." I hugged her again and dove into the world of shadows, but the moans of resentment once again dominated the surroundings. Wouldn''t this be worse for Volzard than leaving Seraphima alone? Well, it''s already too late. Now, let''s head to Japan. CH 162 Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff ***---*** I arrived at the Self-Defense Forces Nerima garrison about fifteen minutes earlier than the scheduled time of 10:00, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff who were assigned to Volzard had already arrived. There were three staff members, two men and one woman, who would be assigned to the International Development Cooperation Section 4 of the International Cooperation Bureau. The International Development Cooperation Division prepares plans for loans and grants financial assistance and technical cooperation for other countries, and it seems they negotiate and coordinate with local and international organizations, it also seems that it is further divided into several sections depending on the region. The members selected this time were members of the newly established section, which was expected to act as a bridge between different worlds. Miura-san, who was the leader of the three of them, was an honest man in his early 40s, with a square face, silver-rimmed square glasses, and slightly gray hair that was neatly cut and parted in 7:3. "I''m Miura. I think that I will be working with you in many ways from now on, and I look forward to working with you." "I''m Kokubu. To you as well, it''s nice to meet you." "I''d like to introduce my subordinates. Kadokura, who has an unnecessarily good physique, was a rugby player when he was a student." "Nice to meet you, Kokubu-kun." "You as well." I shook hands with Kadokura-san, but as I was told, his grip was strong and my hands hurt. "Then, this is Yamanobe Kana." "I''m Yamanobe, nice to meet you." "Ah, I''m Kokubu, it''s nice to meet you." Yamanobe-san has her hair that is a little longer than her shoulders tied back, giving the impression that she is a bit stubborn. :The three of us will divide the work, listen to the students'' requests, investigate the local situation, and proceed with negotiations with the local people. Basically, we plan to have the teachers cooperate with the interpretation, but we may ask some of the students to cooperate with gathering information about the city." "Yes, some of my classmates are already accustomed to life in Volzard, and some of them have actually started working there. I think those people know more about Volzard than I do." "Is that so? I thought that Kokubu-kun, who arrived at Volzard first, was the most knowledgeable." "Since I''ve been scurrying around here and there, I didn''t have enough time to take a leisurely look around the town of Volzard. Even so, I am on good terms with some of the people in town, so I will cooperate as far as necessary." "I would like to ask for your cooperation. It''s true that we are a little perplexed because we have almost no prior knowledge of this country." "Basically, I will deal with it from Volzard''s side, but I can''t decide various permissions, so I think I''ll have to check with the Lord Klaus-san first." "That''s fine. It''s a world where the environment and culture are different, so I''d like to avoid a situation where there''s a conflict as much as possible, so I don''t have any plans to rush forward." I thought they had received an explanation in advance, but I explained the procedures for imparting magic power and moving in the shadows again. The three of them each brought two large carry cases filled with their personal belongings, and a rear car the size of a cart containing equipment.(TN:A rear car is a trailer made for pulling behind a bike.) "I will have my genus carry the luggage, so please hold on to me empty-handed. It''s pitch black inside the shadow space, so please don''t let go of my hand." Before I moved with the three of them, I had Mart and the others carry their luggage. The three of them looked relieved when they saw Mart and the others carrying their luggage. Unexpectedly, Miura-san seemed to be the most curious and asked me a question. "Kokubu-kun, are those Kobolds okay?" "Yes, they were originally Kobolds, but now they have died and become undead." "So, are they immortal?" "No, probably, but after I die, I feel that all my genus will not be able to maintain their existence." "It means that they will be with you even after you die. Somehow, it''s a very nice story." "I won''t know until that time comes, but I feel very happy." After carrying the luggage, I went to Klaus-san''s office ahead of time, and after confirming that there were no other visitors, I guided the three of them to Volzard. Takagi-san, the counselor, and Beatriche were already there, with Satou-sensei as an interpreter. (TN:Again, Isekai language is <> while Japanese is "" .) Klaus-san, who welcomed them with his arms spread out, was dressed as usual, so if you just look at him, he looked like a veteran adventurer. The three of them who shook hands with him seemed to be surprised at Klaus-san''s appearance and his rough palms. "Y, yes, thank you very much." Miura-san and the others probably heard about it from the secretary who was accompanying Vice Minister Shiota, but meeting Klaus-san in person must have been unexpected. When I first met him, I wondered what kind of bad old man he was. "Our purpose is to get to know Volzard and to let people know about Japan." "Thank you very much. I intend to introduce traditional items from Japan as well as advanced items." "I would like to have a good relationship with you for a long time, so I will give you plenty of consideration." The four of them were asked to fill out the paperwork in order to create the necessary ID for staying in Volzard, but since they couldn''t read it in Japanese, Satou-sensei and I decided to write it for them. No one reacted when they touched the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' that was brought just in case. I tried touching the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' with a little expectation, but it remained unresponsive as usual. Isn''t it because it''s unresponsive if you have multiple attributes? By the way, Beatriche inherited her mother''s fire attribute, and her magical power was quite high, and the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' emitted a strong red light. Klaus-san seemed to have a wind attribute, but when he was an adventurer, he was a brawny type who mainly strengthened his body. Miura-san and the others from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were watching the reactions of the ''Evil Eye Crystal'' with great interest, but Takagi-san, the counselor, was the only one who looked uninterested, and he occasionally threw a glare at me. I didn''t know why he was hostile to me, but I thought it would be better if I didn''t deal with him, but when the conversation in the place was cut off, suddenly Takagi-san came to talk. "Why did you let the teacher return first?" "Ehh ... ?" For a moment, I didn''t understand what was going on because I was suddenly asked a completely different topic. "There are many students who want to go back to Japan, so I''m asking why you sent a teacher back first." "That''s because Oda-sensei asked me to do it ..." "If your teacher asks you to do anything, will you obey?" "I don''t mean anything by it, but I thought it would be awkward to decide who to return on my own, so I asked the teachers to select the people ..." "But, if it''s not you, the summoned people can''t be sent back to Japan, can they? Isn''t it normal to ask you to send the students first?" "I''m sure the teachers are thinking about that, and this time I thought I needed someone to explain the situation in Japan ..." "Since we can receive cell phone signals, they should be able to explain the situation even if they are here. There''s no need to bother going home, is there?" "That''s why I said, it''s up to the teachers to select the people to return ..." "And I''m saying that''s irresponsible." Takagi-san, who had just arrived in Volzard and didn''t know much about the situation, gave me a complaint, and just when my blood was boiling, Klaus-san intervened. "As a counselor, I think that we should proceed with the return of the students first, in order to stabilize the mental state of the students ..." "Compensation? Why are you talking about compensation?" "No, that''s true, but ..." Unusually harsh and sharp, Klaus-san''s reprimand made me bow my head and apologize. Even if the three people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Takagi-san didn''t understand the meaning of the words, they corrected their posture when they saw that Klaus-san was in a bad mood. There was absolutely no room for objection, and while I thought it would be strange to apologize, I apologized anyway. Klaus-san let out a disgusted sigh before turning his attention. "Th, that''s, it''s common sense in Japan ..." Miura-san''s face changed when he heard Klaus-san''s words translated by Satou-sensei. "Wa, wait a minute. Takagi-kun''s words are his personal words, the Japanese Government is truly grateful to Kokubu-kun." "Th, that''s ... We were discussing the specific amount ..." "It''s just as you say, but since it''s something that has never happened before, what should be the basis for calculating the amount ..." It''s frustrating, but right now I couldn''t even find a way to retort. Beatriche was also holding my arm with a pouting face, but she couldn''t seem to find a good counterargument against Klaus-san. The market price of iron in Volzard was about 40 times higher than in Japan. Klaus-san, after loosening his mouth with a grin, suggested an idea of compensation. 240,000 Helts is worth about 2,400,000 Yen, so I think it''s a bit too much, but maybe it''s reasonable considering it''s a reward for an S-rank adventurer. When I was worrying, Miura-san spoke to me. "Kokubu-kun, I will try to bring it up to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but I think 56,000 Yen per person is a reasonable price." "That''s right. I feel like I got a little too much, but if you pay with iron, it''s true that Japan''s burden will be small." The burden on the Japanese government was small, but it was a reasonable reward for an S-rank adventurer, and if it was made reality, a large amount of high-quality iron would be brought to Volzard. For Klaus-san, the last part was probably his biggest aim. He was pretending to be serious, but his mouth was loose and twitching. "Understood. Based on Klaus-san''s proposal, we will consider paying the reward as soon as possible." "Kokubu-kun, what should we do about the reward for moving from Japan?" "That''s right. Moving from Japan is less of a burden ..." I''d like to say that it''s not necessary, but it seemed that I would be told that S-rank adventurers didn''t work for free again. "How about half the price, 800 kilos of iron for a round trip?" "Understood. I will consider it." Klaus-san asked Satou-san to translate and asked about the price. Takagi-san, who heard Klaus-san''s words, was still not convinced, and had a slightly dissatisfied expression. After thinking about it for a while, Takagi-san was about to open his mouth when we suddenly heard a warning bell ringing. Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Klaus-san''s expression tightened at once at the warning bell announcing the approach of a monster. Satou-sensei''s face stiffened as he probably heard it when the Orcs approached. [ Kent-sama, it really got us. It''s a griffon. ] [ What kind of monster is a Griffon? ] [ A Griffon is a monster with the upper body of an eagle and the lower body of a lion, and is twice as big as Nero. It attacked all at once from the sky, kidnapped one of the garrison guards and flew away. ] Klaus-san showed his irritation by slamming his fist into his knee. After hearing heavy footsteps coming from the corridor, the office door opened without knocking and Donovan-san entered. Donovan-san left after finishing the meeting in a hurry, and Klaus-san turned his gaze to me. After hugging Beatriche, I left my seat. "Miura-san, a dangerous monster has arrived, so I''m going to take action. I''ll entrust the luggage to Katou-sensei, who is in charge of physical education, so please pick it up at the dormitory. Please be assured that my genus will escort you from the shadows until you reach the dormitory." "I understand. But, Kokubu-kun, there is no one who can take your place, so please be careful and don''t overdo it." "Yes, I will be very careful." I jumped into the shield of darkness and started moving. [ Reinhardt, bring back Fred and Basten. ] [ Understood. A battle with a Griffon, my arms are ringing. ] [ It looks like a tough opponent, but I can''t let Volzard become a hunting ground. ] [ Of course. I won''t leave the town Kent-sama lives in to the likes of a Griffon. ] In Camilla''s office, Count Gleisner, his son Walter, and the Royal Guards Nathan and Oswald were also present. Come to think of it, I still hadn''t told them about Alphonse''s case. "Camilla, a Griffon has appeared in Volzard. Be careful here too." "Griffon ... Is that true, Maou-sama." Not only Camilla, but Count Gleisner and the others also changed their complexions. "It seems that one person was kidnapped, but I was inside a room, so I didn''t actually see it." "Is that so, if it''s Maou-sama, there''s no way he''ll miss it if he''s facing it." "I don''t know about that, but I''m moving towards subjugation. Count Gleisner, please send the news to Bamata and the surrounding villages." "Okay, I''ll make arrangements right away." "Camilla, just in case, use a Kobold and let Diethelm know." "Yes, I heard from Diethelm that Alphonse-gikei was poisoned." "Yeah, I know. Has it been decided how the First Prince''s faction will move?" "Yes, one-third of our fighting strength will return to the territory to prepare for Barshania, and the rest will carry the body of Alphonse-gikei to the royal capital Aldaros." "Ah, that''s right, about the royal capital, it seems that Havre''s forces have entered the royal castle." "Is that true!" "That''s stupid! I can''t believe it." Royal Guard Knight Nathan raised his voice in surprise even more than Camilla. "It''s a report from my genus, so I''m sure it''s correct. Tell Diethelm and the others not to set things up recklessly. You can''t allow a civil war to start at this time and cause the country to decline." "Understood. In that case, I will leave the protection of Lastock to the knights and return to the royal castle." "I''ll leave the judgment of that to you, but the opponent is that Havre. Think that it''s not going to be easy, so make sure you''re well prepared before you act." "Understood. Be careful, Maou-sama." "Yeah, then, I''ll leave it to you." After exchanging greetings with Count Gleisner and the others, I jump into the shield of darkness. Now, let''s start dealing with the Griffon. ***---*** Author''s Note: The book version, Cheat Magician Life That Started From Being Judged Useless The first volume is on sale. The second volume will be released on March 30th! Reservations have started on the book mail order site. Thank you very much. CH 163 Griffon ***---*** The Griffon that attacked Volzard flew away in the southwest direction, but the Kobold Corps, which were on guard in the Devil''s Forest, were unable to follow it. The Griffon, which was about twice as large as Nero, could swallow a human whole, it was said that its huge body took aim from the sky so high that it could be seen as a dot from the ground, and descended all at once to attack. In addition to its tremendous fall speed, its front legs were shaped like those of a bird of prey and had sharp claws, and it was said that humans would die instantly the moment they were grabbed. In order to subjugate the Griffon, we were working out countermeasures at the Devil''s Forest training ground. "First of all, how do we sense the approach of the Griffon?" [ That''s right, it will attack from a high place in the sky, we should be vigilant with enhanced eyesight, right. ] "Okay, let''s strengthen everyone." I strengthened everyone''s eyesight by using the Orc magic stones that were lying around in the shadow storage. The eyes of the Kobold Corps, which were ''Kuri kuri'', were given a ''Kira kira'' feeling along with the ''Kuri kuri'' feeling, I didn''t forget to enhance the cuteness.(TN:''Kuri kuri'' is large and round, and ''Kira kira'' is sparkly/glittery.) Zae and the Undead Lizardmen had their glaring factor powered up. The Kobold Corps would also be deployed around the Devil''s Forest and Volzard to expand the enemy detection range and aim for the early detection of the Griffon. "It''s not perfect, but you should be able to notice the Griffon''s approach sooner than before." [ That''s right. But, the problem is how to prevent the Griffon''s attacks. ] "Since the guild also said that they would gather magicians and archers for interception, wouldn''t it be better to think about not only us, but how to cooperate to repel it?" [ As Kent-sama says, at present, our repulsion methods are limited. Other than the attacks of this me and Basten, we have no choice but to rely on Kent-sama''s attacks. ] It''s a mystery how Reinhardt and Basten can attack from a distance, but Zae-tachi and Art-tachi have no other means of attack than direct attacks. If it''s about Orcs or Minotaurs, they can overwhelm them, but fighting a Griffon with hand-to-hand combat was very risky. The only other means of attack was my light-attribute attack magic and the fire-attribute attack magic I just learned. [ Kent-sama, it is said that magical attacks are less effective against Griffons. ] "Eh, why is that? Is there a reason?" [ Yes, at first glance, Griffons look like they are flapping their wings, but in reality they wear wind magic and control the wind to fly in the sky. Therefore, unless it''s an extremely powerful attack magic, it won''t be able to pierce through the magical power of that wind, and even if it does, the effect will be greatly reduced. That''s why they have not only magicians but also archers. ] "I see, but does that mean that even if I cut off it''s wings, it will still be able to fly and won''t fall?" [ Well, I have never actually fought a Griffon before, so I won''t know until you try. ] If the effectiveness of magic attacks diminished, physical attacks such as bows and arrows would be effective, but none of my genus had the means to use physical attacks from a distance. "Hey, Reinhardt, is there some sort of weapon that can be used immediately by all of my genus, especially Zae-tachi, and can be attack far away?" [ The bow and arrow are powerful enough to attack from a distance, but it takes time to learn how to use them. If you want to make the most of Zae-tachi''s physical strength, throw a javelin or a bola. ] "I understand the javelin, but what is a bola?" [ It''s a bundle of three ropes with weights attached to the ends. ] "Is that powerful?" [ Rather than direct power, the main purpose is to entangle the opponent with a rope and deprive them of their freedom. ] "Ah, I see ... But, Griffons are big, aren''t they? Can they get tangled up?" [ If it''s Zae-tachi, they should be able to handle it even if the rope is long. No matter how much it uses wind attribute magic, if it can''t move its body, it won''t be able to move quickly. ] "I see, it feels like it''s supporting the archers. If their movement slows down, it will be easier to hit with javelins." [ That''s how it is. ] I immediately prepared javelins and bolas. I got the rope from the carriage that was attacked by monsters on the way to Volzard.(TN:SUPER early chapters.) The weight was made using earth-attribute magic. The javelins were also made with earth-attribute magic, and the tips were carefully hardened. "Then, Zae, try throwing a javelin." "Understood, My King." Zae held a javelin with a length of 2 meters and a diameter of 5 centimeters, and threw it at a large tree about 30 meters away. "Eeeehhhh ..." I imagined a javelin that flew in a loose parabola and pierced about 10 centimeters, but the javelin that flew in a straight line as if pulled by a string stuck halfway into the tree. Well, if it''s a human, it would be able to penetrate them. "My King, could you make it a little heavier? It''s too light and doesn''t have much power." "Uee ... Understood, wait a moment." Giving them spears that were 40% heavier, Zae and the others demonstrated an almost linear attack up to 50 meters away. [ Buhahaha ... As expected of Kent-sama''s genus. If this is the case, there may be no turn for archers. ] "No, it seems that the javelin is not catching up with the throwing power, I feel somewhat regretful ..." The javelin could pierce, but due to the excessive throwing speed, it broke as it pierced and was in a state of being disposable. However, perhaps the broken pieces scattered about, the tree that was hit by them was gouged out. [ Kent-sama, if the strength is the same as it is now, it seems to be more powerful. ] "Yeah, it''s like bullets that are banned in my world." [ Buhahaha, this is Volzard, and the opponent is a Griffon. There''s no need to hold back. ] "That''s right. It''s to protect our city, so I''m sorry, but I"m going to have the Griffon die." When I started taking measures, I was worried about whether I would be able to defeat the Griffon, but now I felt a little sympathy. Somehow, I had a feeling that the Griffon would meet a spectacular end. For each of Zae and the others, I prepared 10 throwing javelins and 5 bolas each. It was getting dark, so I decided to return to the town of Volzard. Unlike Goblins and Orcs, Griffons were inactive at night. It''s probably because it was a style of hunting where it determined its prey from the sky and killed it all at once. I went to Donovan-san''s place to ask about the guild''s system, so that I wouldn''t interfere with the magicians and archers, so that my genus would be able to move smoothly. It was supposed to be a busy time in the evening, but the guild seemed quieter than usual. It was probably because of the Griffon''s influence. Donovan-san was facing a pile of documents at his desk. "Donovan-san, may I have a minute?" "Umu, Kent, it''s fine." I put out a shield of darkness in front of Donovan-san''s desk and stepped out. "Donovan-san, can you tell me about the system of the guild?" "That''s right. If you don''t know our position, it will be difficult for you to move." The guild''s system consisted of arranging surveillance personnel on top of the ramparts, and stationing interceptors and archers in several locations on the ramparts and in the city. It seemed that the locations shown on the map had been arranged in advance so that personnel could be placed in anticipation of monsters invading from the sky. "Could it be that this arrangement was also decided after Klaus-san became the Lord?" "That''s right, 18 years ago, the city was infiltrated by a group of Rock Ogres, and the city suffered great damage. At that time, while rebuilding the city, various countermeasures were taken." It seemed that it was a countermeasure put forth by Klaus-san when he was young, but I felt that it was great foresight. "Kent, what are you going to do?" "Yes, it''s still vague, but I''ve strengthened the eyesight of my genus, so the Kobolds will be deployed around the city, and when they find the Griffon, they''ll bark to let us know." "That''s a big help, then it''s easy to understand." "Yes, as for the interception, we can move in the shadows, so we can enter anywhere, so we will try to attack from a place that does not interfere with the line of fire of the guild''s magicians and archers." Donovan gave a sharp nod when I told him that I had given Zae and the others javelins and bolas. "I see, it''s true that Griffons are strong against magic. I''m grateful to have more physical attack methods like that." "Um, Donovan-san, have you ever fought a Griffon?" "Fufun, there''s no reason for it. It''s a monster that only appears once every few decades." "Is that so. So, you haven''t fought one?" "There have been cases of Griffons being subjugated in the past. But I had no hand in that." "Then, are you going to stick to the basics this time as well?" "The basics are the same, but this time Kent, you and your genus are here. If possible, I would like to subdue it without leaving future trouble." It would take a long time for the Griffon to give up if they just solidified their defenses, and even if they managed to drive it away, there was a risk that it would come back depending on its mood. As a countermeasure, the guild seemed to be prepared to use flashy attack magic to keep the Griffon in check when it approached, and to attack with bows and arrows if it came closer. "If you want to subjugate it, you have to drop the Griffon to the ground, right?" "Of course that''s right, but it''s not good to drop it in the city and have it rampage. If you drop it, please do it outside the city." Even if the Griffon could be dropped to the ground, if it rampaged with a body larger than Nero, it would naturally cause damage. Stop the Griffon from swooping down, and then launch an all-out attack when it tries to fly away to restart the hunt. That was the general procedure for subjugating the Griffon that Donovan-san and I agreed on. "Even so, to think that a dangerous monster like a Griffon appeared ... What exactly is going on?" "The Griffon, shouldn''t we assume that it came from the southern continent?" "Right, I think something is probably happening over there ..." The southern continent was connected by a narrow land beyond the Devil''s Forest, but naturally the density of monsters was high, and no adventurer ventured that far. Before the outbreak of Trents, before the appearance of the first Maou, people lived in the southern continent, and trade and war were said to have taken place, but now it was believed to be a region ruled by monsters. "Nya, monsters are moving from the southern continent, it''s getting hard to live there, nya." "Ehh, Nero also found it difficult to live there, so you moved to this continent?" "That''s right, nya, maybe the Griffon is the same, nya." Originally, young Griffons moved away from their parents to acquire their own territory, this time, it may have moved to this continent due to the fact that it was difficult to live on the southern continent. "So, unless the movement of monsters from the south ends, monsters will continue to flood to this side." "That''s what it seems like." "Could it be that a more dangerous monster will appear ... Is that what it means?" "It''s not like it''s impossible, but wouldn''t such monsters be the cause of the movement from the south instead?" "Ah, now that you mention it, that might be so." "In any case, think about the Griffon for now. I''m counting on you, S-ranker." "I''ll give it my best." After finishing the meeting with Donovan-san at the guild, when I returned to the boarding house, Amanda-san''s shop was thriving as usual. I went upstairs after calling out from the back door of the kitchen. "Amanda-san, I just got back." "Ah, welcome back Kent, things will settle down in a little while, and then I''ll send Meisa to call you." "Yes, I understand." When I listened to the talk at the dinner table, it seemed that Griffons only attacked during the day, so while the number of people coming and going decreased during the day, more people came out than usual after sunset. "From tomorrow onwards, we will reduce the amount of preparation we do during the day." "I see ... Meisa-chan, how about school?" "School, they''ll see how it goes for a few days, so I''ll be absent starting tomorrow." There were still about two weeks until the end of the year and New Year holidays, but Meisa-chan was grinning because school was temporarily closed. But, what would you do if the Griffon commotion continued for a long time ... While I was thinking that, Amanda-san talked to me. "Ah, it seems that Griffons have a set time for hunting. If the commotion drags on, they can avoid that time to go to school and continue school." "I see, the few days off are for determining the time for hunting." "Even so, it wouldn''t be strange for the time to suddenly change because the other party is a monster. Meisa, even if it seems safe, you have to hide as soon as the warning bell rings." "I know." "Meisa-chan doesn''t seem like she would fill its stomach, so she might not be targeted by the Griffon." "Ahahahaha ... Meisa certainly doesn''t seem to be enough for it ..." "Kiiii, even I''ll be ''Boin boin'' when I grow up, and I won''t keep company with Kent!"(TN:Bouncing SFX, you get the point.) "Yes, yes, you have to eat well and grow up for that." "Kiiii, Kent''s cheeky despite being small, despite being small, despite being small!" Uu, being told that I''m small so many times, it''s probably because I''m small other than my height ... I''m worried about it.(TN:Not THAT) Well, I think I''m an average size, so it''s fine. After putting Meisa-chan to sleep, I held a final strategy meeting with Reinhardt and the others. "If the Griffon attacks, I''m thinking about stopping it with the shield of darkness first." [ That''s fine. If it hits Kent-sama''s shield, the Griffon should take damage from its own speed. ] "But, there''s also a problem. The Griffon is aiming and falling above the city, isn''t it?" [ Collide ... and fall into the city ... ] "It''s just as Fred says. That''s no good, isn''t it?" [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, there''s no problem if we kill it all at once. ] [ That''s right, Kent-sama, it''s not so much a problem if we attack all at once when the momentum has dropped and finish it off while it''s in the air. ] [ Stop it at once ... No problem ... ] If it collides with the shield of darkness and receives damage, the wind attribute magic that it''s wearing would also be disturbed, and if Reinhardt and Basten''s long-range attacks, Zae-tachi''s javelins, and the magicians and archers gathered by the guild were added, even a Griffon wouldn''t be able to take it. Of course, I also intended to use light-attribute attack magic. Also, if there were people who were likely to be trapped under the Griffon, I think there would be no problem if they were evacuated by the Kobold Corps. It might be a good idea to guard with a shield of darkness and limit where it falls. [ Kent-sama, the preparations for killing the Griffon are complete. Now, it''s the night before the decisive battle, so please rest early. ] "That''s right. Rest my body and challenge the battle in perfect condition." The next morning, Seraphima, the chairman, and Manon, I went around to say my morning greetings, and finally came to Beatriche''s place. Beatriche came to the guild''s office with Klaus-san. "Good morning. Father-in-law, Riche." "Oh, good morning, Kent. It''s disgusting, but today I can feel that leisure is reliable." "I''m not confident, but I think I''ve prepared for it, so I''m letting it go as usual so that I can move as usual." "That''s fine. Neither Donovan nor I have ever had a fight with a Griffon, and the countermeasures are all based on past cases. No one knows how far it will work, but I''m not going to let it do as it pleases. With all that we have, we''ll treat it to plenty." "Yes, I plan to watch from the roof of the church tower and send instructions to my genus." "Kent, I think you understand, but you have a lot of things on your shoulders. Don''t go to the front like an idiot. Be aware of your roles and responsibilities." "Yes, I understand." "Okay, I''m counting on you, son-in-law." "Kent-sama, please be careful ..." After shaking hands with Klaus-san and hugging Beatriche a little longer, I dived into the shadows and moved. I headed to the top of the ramparts closest to the Devil''s Forest. There, Donovan-san and Marianne-san were having a final meeting. "Good morning. Donovan-san, Marianne-san." "You''re here, Kent, how are your genus arranged?" "They''re in place, and it''s under surveillance." Hearing my reply, Donovan-san nodded with satisfaction. "Kent-san, thank you for your time today." "Are you going to command from the top of the ramparts, too, Marianne-san?" "Griffons tend to target places with a lot of prey, so the command post will be set up under a roof. The number of adventurers and garrison members who will intercept it has also been allocated evenly." "Is that so, I plan to issue instructions from the shadows on the roof of the tower." "I have high hopes for the work of Kent-san and every one of your genus." "I will do my best to meet your expectations." After confirming the placement of the guild and the garrison combined forces, I also moved to my post. The bell that called for vigilance had been ringing repeatedly since morning, with a rhythm of ''Kaan kan kan'', ''Kaan kan kan''. Even if I turned my gaze to the main street, there were almost no people. Occasionally, I saw people who looked up at the sky and then trotted to their destination. The whole city of Volzard felt like it was wrapped in a tense atmosphere. [ It''s a gentle westerly wind ... ] If you''re on top of a tower with nothing else blocking your view, you''ll be able to see the direction of the wind. Although it''s gentle, the seasonally chilly west wind brings dry air, and the sky is clear with only a few streaks of clouds that look like they have been swept with a brush. "Perfect hunting weather for Griffons?" [ Indeed, in this weather, it will definitely show up. ] A tense silence reigned over Volzard, with the exception of the occasional vigilance bell. About an hour had passed since everyone had taken their positions and started to be vigilant. Won! Wooooon! From the forest to the southwest, the bark of the Kobold Corps resounded. [ Kent-sama ... Over there ... ] "Ehh, where ...? Oh, that''s it!" Looking to where Fred was pointing, an object the size of a sesame seed was flapping in the blue sky. Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! The silence was broken by the sound of the warning bells, the streets of the city were empty, and I could feel the excitement and nervousness from the people who arrived at their posts. THe Griffon was slowly circling far above Volzard as if aiming at someone. It probably flew the same way yesterday, but if you just looked at it from below, it looked just like a normal bird. [ Kent-sama, it''s about time, be prepared. ] "It''s okay, I''m ready any time." Immediately after Reinhardt called out, the Griffon stopped flapping its wings, folded its wings and began to descent at once. I was planning to put out a shield of darkness about 150 meters above the ground in order to give myself enough room to beat the Griffon that continued to fall after taking damage. However, if I put out the shield too early, it might be able to avoid it, so timing was important. While doing so, the Griffon continued to descend, revealing its size as it approached. "Everyone, get ready!" [ Understood! ] "Let''s go, Shield of Darkness!" In front of the swooping Griffon, I deployed an unavoidable-sized shield of darkness. The moment when I thought that the winning formula would start from there. Bakii----n! The shield of darkness shattered into pieces, and the Griffon, that didn''t even feel any damage, continued to dive without slowing down. "Ehh ... No way ..." [ Kent-sama, the garrison is being targeted! ] "Ehh, ehh ..." Voices of chants echoed through the city of Volzard, and attack magic was released all at once, but the Griffon circled in a conical shape and dodged their trajectories before they could hit. The archers then launched a volley of shots, but they were all deflected and none of them reached the Griffon. The Griffon was aiming at the garrison members stationed on the roof of the building about 10 meters away from the tower, but it seemed as if it were approaching me. "Reinhardt! Basten!" [ I know! ] Reinhardt and Basten launched a long-range attack, but the Griffon simply flapped its wings to repel the attacks. "Zae! Javelins!" ""Yes!"" Five Javelins rushed in just before it could grab a fleeing adventurer, but the Griffon spread its wings to wrap around its body, but didn''t stop descending. "Damn, eat this!" I hurriedly shot a light-attribute attack magic, but it moved so fast that it didn''t seem to hit a vital point. "Gyaaaaa!" Agyaaaaa!" In the next moment after terrifying screams echoed, the Griffon kicked the building with its strong hind legs and soared into the sky. An adventurer and a garrison member were clasped one in each of its two front legs, and fresh blood overflowed from their deeply clawed bodies, pouring down on the city of Volzard from above. Although Zae-tachi''s javelins scattered the Griffon''s wings, they didn''t seem to do any effective damage. "Damnit, damnit!" The Griffon flew away at breakneck speed like a fighter jet launched from a catapult. The follow-up light-attribute attack magic only slightly injured its hind legs. A heavy atmosphere covered the city of Volzard after the complete defeat that there was no way to overcome. CH 164 Sacrifice in vain ***---*** It was commonplace in the natural world, and it wasn''t uncommon in Volzard, where there were dungeons and the Devil''s Forest, but for someone who grew up in Japan, being eaten by something was an unusual way to die for humans. One person died yesterday and two people today, but after the Griffon flew away, Volzard immediately returned to normal. No matter how powerful of monsters come, they can''t easily run away from the city they live in. It would be a different story if the Griffon built a nest and stayed there, but the risk of being hunted was not a reason to abandon the city. In that case, it was only natural for Volzard to return to normal life as much as possible. However, it seemed that the classmates who were unreasonably brought from Japan were different. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that there was almost no danger as long as they hid in a building until the Griffon flew away, even so, turmoil spread among the classmates. Isn''t it enough to just have a Griffon ... A horde of monsters even larger than the Goblin outbreak might attack ... What if there is an even more powerful monster like a Dragon appearing ... Will they be able to return to Japan by then. It seemed that the classmates had gathered at the cafeteria, which was built to be the most sturdy place to evacuate in case the monsters invaded the ramparts, but some of the girls who had a strong desire to return to their home country started to panic. "Was it Takagi-san who prevented that?" "Yeah, I think they''re the kids who were on good terms with Sekiguchi-san, but even if they yelled at each other he got yelled at, he listened calmly the whole time, and even if other boys intervened, it was the same. He listened to them properly and relieved their anxiety by untying knots one by one." "Hmm, is that so ..." After being helplessly defeated by the Griffon, we discussed countermeasures for the future in Klaus-san''s office in the guild. After that, I asked the chairman how my classmates were doing, but I didn''t get a clue at all. To me, Takagi-san gave me the impression that he was rather emotionally throwing his words at me. "If it''s the teachers, shut up right now, we''ll listen to you later ... they would interrupt the conversation while saying something like that, but Takagi-san listened to them patiently while taking notes, so everyone gradually calmed down, then what should we do ... is what it turned into." "Hmm ... For some reason, he seems like a different person than when he meets me." "However, I''m a little worried about the fact that I feel like he''s too eager to bring everyone back." "Ah, even when he was with me, he complained about why I let a teacher return first." "Because, you asked the teachers to decide who to send back." "That''s right. Besides, Klaus-san told me to send one teacher back." "Is that so? Then, it''s not Kento''s fault, is it." "That''s right, but Takagi-san didn''t seem to be very convinced." I was on the move due to the uproar with the Griffon, but Takagi-san was still trying to say something. I don''t know if it''s because he has two sides, or if I personally don''t like him, but I don''t want to get involved with him unnecessarily. "Hey, Kento, what are you going to do about the Griffon?" "Yeah, we intercepted it today, but tomorrow we''re going to raise an alarm and evacuate with everyone." I tried to intercept it, but it didn''t work at all, and on the contrary, two people were killed, so tomorrow, I''m planning to try a way to have the Griffon leave by evacuating everyone indoors when the alarm sounds. However, it would be nice if everyone hid and the Griffon went away, but if it tried to get food even if it meant destroying a building, the damage might actually be greater. "But, as long as the Griffon is there, we won''t be able to go out during the day, right?" "It depends on the Griffon, but if there are no other good hunting grounds, it may come back." Klaus-san chose to hide and let it leave, but I had no intention of giving up on subjugating it. If I thought I could do something, I would get permission from Klaus-san and start subjugating it. If a monster like that was flying over my head, I wouldn''t be able to live in peace. "Could it be that Kento intends to subjugate it?" "Yeah, I''m still thinking about how to do it. Considering Volzard''s future, I can''t just run away forever." "You''re thinking of a way?" "Hmm ... It''s still vague, but there are two problems. One is how to slow down the Griffon''s speed of attack. The other is how to hit it." The chairman was surprised when I told her that my shield of darkness didn''t work, and that my attacks didn''t hit as expected and had almost no effect. "Kento''s shield of darkness didn''t break even when Nero hit it." "That''s right, but it seems to change depending on the strength of the opponent''s magic power, so I think the Griffon''s magic power is considerably higher than mine." "Is there a chance of winning then?" "I''ve come up with a few methods, so if they go well, I think I can do some damage." "For example, what are you thinking?" "Hmm ... That''s right, the shield of darkness was destroyed, but this time I''m thinking of stacking it several times so that it won''t break easily." "Even so, if it''s destroyed, won''t someone fall victim again?" "No, the next time we do it, we''ll use the Kobold Corps as decoys and evacuate them to the world of shadows before they''re grabbed by the Griffon, so it''s fine." As for the Griffon, it moved very quickly, so I thought it was a good idea to give priority to stopping its movement, and if it stopped moving, the chances of being able to hit it would increase. To be frank, I thought that if I fired several shots of light-attribute attack magic to its head, I would be able to stop it even further. "But, how will you hit it? Because it''s wrapped in wind magic, half-baked attacks won''t hit it, and you won''t be able to deal any damage, right?" "Yeah, that''s the problem. I came up with something, and put up a guild request." "A request ... ?" "Yeah, it''s a small thing. I couldn''t do it, so I asked a specialist to do it, and they said it was probably fine, so if it went well, the attack would hit ... I feel like." "Somehow, it feels a little unreliable, but is it okay?" "Well, after all, the opponent is a Griffon. Assuming that it won''t work, I can''t win if I don''t think of many tricks." "It doesn''t matter if you don''t win, but it''s no good if you get hurt." "I know, I don''t care if I lose, but I''m planning a strategy based on the premise that everyone of my genus is safe, so it''s okay." "Yeah, that''s fine." Like today, even if I lose, if I survived, I would have a chance to get my revenge. I had learned a lot from today''s defeat. I''ll analyze the information I''ve obtained about the Griffon and find a method of subjugation. After returning to the lodgings, finishing dinner, and putting Meisa-chan to bed, I took measures at the Devil''s Forest training ground. The first thing I started working on was combining the shields of darkness. Anyway, unless the Griffon''s speed was stopped, the subsequent strategy wouldn''t go well. Up until now, I had deployed two or three at once, but when it came to five or ten, I had never tried it. Considering the momentum of the Griffon that broke through the shield of darkness, I felt that if I could deploy at least 10, ideally about 30, I could definitely stop it. For the time being, I started practicing so that I could deploy five at once. That was relatively easy to do, but it was difficult to arrange them neatly in a specific direction, so I asked Nero to help me visualize it. In order to be able to instantly deploy five layers of shields in front of the moving Nero, I practiced over and over again. Nero was one of my genus, so it could pass through without hitting the shield. When it went through the shadow space and came out from another place, ''Nya!'' it let me know where it was. From there, Nero began to move randomly, so I continued practicing deploying multiple shields in front of it. Tonight, when I was able to deploy the five layers of shields as I wanted, I ran out of mana, so I finished my practice. "Haa, haa ... This ... It''s pretty tough ..." "Nya, Nero had fun, nya." I felt a little envious of Nero who wasn''t breathing hard at all because he was an undead. When I returned to the boarding house and crawled into bed, I fell asleep like I was switched off. The next day was dark day, and Amanda-san''s shop was closed, so I woke up a little later than usual, but I wasn''t waking up at all, and Meisa-chan and Amanda-san woke me up. "It''s rare that Kent isn''t awake." "It looks like I used too much magic yesterday ..." "Kent is always working too hard, so you have to think about resting your body." "Yes, I don''t have any particular errands today, so I should be able to take it easy, so it''s okay." "Is that so, then that''s fine." The three members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been assigned to Volzard, but due to the Griffon turmoil, they were unable to carry out their activities in the city. In a situation where they didn''t know when the alarm would go off, they couldn''t go out with peace of mind, so the number of people on the main street had decreased dramatically. Yesterday and before, the Griffon was able to obtain food through its raids, so after the alarm was lifted they were able to go out without worry. However, starting today, we would change the policy to a method of hiding to prevent damage, so they needed to consider the possibility that the Griffon would return even if the alarm was lifted. I didn''t think the number of people walking in the city would increase even after the alarm was lifted. "We''re closed today, so it''s fine, but we may have to think a little about business starting tomorrow." "Will other businesses be affected as well?" "of course. If customers stop coming, there''s no way to do business." Usually, Amanda-san seemed to be full of energy, but this time she was in a situation where she couldn''t do anything, so she looked really troubled. After all, if I thought about Volzard''s future, it seemed that I had no choice but to subjugate the Griffon somehow. On this day as well, I sent every member of the Kobold Corps to watch, and I waited for the Griffon to come, hiding myself in the shadow space at the top of the tower. Both the garrison members and the adventurers gathered by the guild had been summoned and assigned to their posts, but they were ready to hide immediately. Even before the alarm was issued, there was no one on the main street, and the whole city was wrapped in a heavy atmosphere. Won! Won won! Won! Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Just like yesterday, the barking voices of the Kobold Corps could be heard from the southwestern forest, and the warning bells were run immediately, after ringing for a period of time, the bells ceased, and Volzard fell into a suffocating silence. According to the city''s arrangement, once the Griffon appeared and the warning bell rang, you were not allowed to go out at all until the cancellation bell rang. The Griffon continued to circle high above the city just like yesterday, but it didn''t show any signs of diving, perhaps because it couldn''t find any prey. The Griffon, which made two or three laps, suddenly turned to the east and looked like it was leaving the city for a while. "It looked like it had given up and gone looking for food elsewhere." [ It seems so, if we finish evacuating so quickly ... No, Kent-sama, it''s coming. ] "Ehh ... Why?" The Griffon seemed to move away from Volzard once, but when it folded its flapping wings, it began to descend towards the ground at once. Rather than heading straight in, it looked like it was going in from a slightly diagonal direction. [ Kent-sama, isn''t that the direction of the garrison quarters? ] "Eeehhh! No way ..." I had a bad feeling about it, but I heard that my classmates would gather in the cafeteria for breakfast and continue their classes until the evening. If that''s the case, did someone in the garrison carelessly expose themselves. There was no time to check it out, so I deployed the 5 layered shield of darkness in front of the charging Griffon, but immediately after a crushing sound resounded, a death scream echoed through Volzard. "Gyaaaaaa!" It was a little far away, so I couldn''t say for sure, but I thought it was a young man with black hair. The Griffon grabbed a bloodied human and calmly returned to the sky and flew away. When I hurriedly headed to the garrison''s cafeteria, the cafeteria building didn''t look damaged, and apart from a frightened female student who heard the scream, there didn''t seem to be any particular problems. I was a little relieved that I was able to confirm that the chairman was safe. Then, who was the one who raised the death scream just now ... Looking around the premises in search of the answer, the third floor of the building where the boys were staying was largely destroyed. When I went to the room where the outer wall was destroyed, there was a classmate who was sitting facing the direction of the broken outer wall, his eyes wide open and trembling. After all, my bad premonition was right, and it seemed that the one who was kidnapped by the Griffon was a classmate. I went out from the shield of darkness and called out to him. "What''s wrong? What happened?" "M, Mita is ... Mita iiis ... Aaaaah!" "What were you doing here? Why was Mita-kun kidnapped?" I grabbed the sobbing male student by the shoulders and shook him, half forcing him to regain his senses and started talking to him. Taichi Fuuji, who was slumped on the ground, and Masashi Mita, who was kidnapped, in order to take a picture of the Griffon, they slipped out of the cafeteria and returned to the lodgings. Mita, who was kidnapped, was filming with a smartphone from the window, and it seemed that he leaned out to chase after the Griffon that changed directions on the way, but it seemed that he was blocked by the building and couldn''t see it. He couldn''t get a good picture at all, and he couldn''t tell if it was a Griffon or a bird, maybe it would come back ... The next moment when he was leaning out of the window and talking, he was grabbed by the Griffon that was approaching while hiding behind a building and was taken away. Tayama died just three days ago, and there were victims yesterday and the day before yesterday, so I was honestly a little surprised by his actions that didn''t seem to have a sense of crisis at all. Kaan, kaan, kaan, kaan ... Perhaps because they confirmed that Mita had been kidnapped, the alarm bell rang, and eventually I heard footsteps running down the corridor. "Hey, is there anyone here, if so, answer me!" When I went out into the hallway, I met Katou-sensei who was running up the stairs. "Sensei! This way." "Kokubu, what happened? Uu ..." When Katou-sensei was invited in, he was at a loss for words when he saw the blood splattered on the wall that had collapsed. "Sensei ... Mita was, Mita waaas ..." "Was it Mita who was kidnapped?" In response to Katou-sensei''s question, Fujii, who was still depressed, nodded. When I explained what I had heard on behalf of Fujii, who seemed unable to have a proper conversation, Katou-sensei covered his face with his right hand and let out a deep sigh. "What the hell ... Tayama just died ... To prevent something like this from happening, we gathered them in the cafeteria and even did roll call ..." After the roll call, Mita and Fujii pretended to go to the bathroom and returned to the dormitory. Katou-sensei started taking pictures of the room with his mobile phone, and he let out a sigh after each shot. Of course, he had to report to Japan, and thinking about it made me want to sigh. He was probably dead, but he was eaten by a monster and his body didn''t exist ... It was impossible to report that. Like Funayama, he would be treated as a missing person, and then certified as dead. However, unlike with Funayama, this time my classmates had a means of contacting Japan. Mita''s story would soon be posted online. It seemed that he was kidnapped by a monster and eaten ... If the story spread, I was worried about what kind of reaction would happen. Before long, Nakagawa-sensei and Furudate-sensei also showed up, so I asked them to take care of Fujii and went to report to Klaus-san. I saw Donovan-san in the guild''s office, but I walked in regardless. "I''m sorry, Klaus-san." "Was it your friend who was kidnapped?" "Yes, it seems that after everyone gathered in the cafeteria, they slipped out to take a look at the Griffon." "What, are they stupid?" "It can''t be helped if you say so. However, even though he leaned forward, he was looking from the window, not outside the building." "I see, from the window ..." Hearing that Mita, who had been kidnapped, had not left the building, Klaus-san crossed his arms and thought deeply before suddenly opening his mouth. "Kent, is there still no prospect of subjugation?" "Yes, I tried to block it with a five-layered shield of darkness just now, but it seemed to have been pierced through." "Does that mean you can''t stop it?" "Currently ... But, if 5 is no good, then 10, if 10 is no good, then 15, if 15 is no good, then 20, but I''m not going to give up." "Have you thought about what to do next after stopping it?" "We haven''t been able to make the item you mentioned, and at present, we''re not prepared enough." "Is that so ... If you rush to launch it and fail, it will only make it wary." "Yes, I''ll get back to preparations." After bowing to Klaus-san and Donovan-san, I dived into the shadows and headed for the Devil''s Forest training ground. "Nero, can you help me with training again?" "Of course, nya, leave it to Nero, nya." With Nero''s help, I was able to deploy ten shields at will thanks to the training I continued until the sun went down while doping myself with medicine that helped restore my magic power. [ Kent-sama, you should leave it at this for today. ] "That''s right. Before I go back to the boarding house, I''ll stop by Nott-san''s shop and ask about the progress of the item I ordered." [ That''s right. It''s necessary for another strategy. ] As Reinhardt said, the magic tool I asked Nott-san for would play an important role. Once the shield of darkness was layered and the magic tool was completed, the path to subjugating the Griffon should become visible. CH 165 Magic tool of slavery ***---*** As the sun set, the town of Volzard was even more lively than usual. The Griffon didn''t hunt after dark, so everyone could go outside with peace of mind. If you couldn''t go out during the day, you probably would think that shopping and errands should be done after the sun went down. If that''s that was the case, I thought it would be nice to have a day and night reversal while the Griffon was around, but there were some tasks such as farm work that could only be done during the day, and at night it was a different kind of work. It was also the time when monsters became active. Also, the children wouldn''t be able to go to school. Nott-san''s magic tool shop also had more customers visiting than usual. The visitors'' aim was the magic tool of light, perhaps in anticipation of the increase in nighttime activities. "Good evening, Nott-san, how is the thing I mentioned before?" "Ah, Kent-san, good evening. Please go to the back. My father and sister are working." "Understood, I''m sorry to disturb you." Passing by the counter, I stepped into the workshop in the back. At the workshop, Nott-san''s father, Gain-san, and his younger sister Jerus-san were in the middle of making my order.(TN:Dunno what to put for her name, it''s ¥¤¥¨¥ë¥¹ ierusu, unimportant char, so I guess it doesn''t really matter.) "Good evening, thank you for your help." "Umu ..." "Sure ..." Both Gain-san and Jerus-san just nodded lightly and immediately went back to work. Nevertheless, the ordered item was placed on the table that Gain-san pointed to with his chin. "There''s only one completed ..." "The remaining, will be tomorrow afternoon at the earliest ..." Gain-san seemed to have dwarf blood mixed in with him, and he had a stocky, muscular build that gave the impression of being strong. Jerus-san also had a body similar to her father, and both of them seemed to have the spirit of a true artisan, and their conversation ended with two or three short words. Placed on the table were special bolas. Each of the three bundled chains was about 1.5 meters long and was made by carving the horns of a Minotaur. And the part that bound the chain was equipped with a bracelet of slavery. When I held it in my hand, it was so heavy that I couldn''t handle it. "Excuse me. Do you mind if I try it for a bit?" "Umu ... Rather, try it and tell us your opinion. There is no problem with functionality." "For us as well, it''s the first time we''ve made it, so that''s convenient." "Understood, then ..." From the workshop, I held the special bola in my arms and returned to the training ground through the shield of darkness. "Reinhardt, Basten, Fred, give it a try." [ Understood. Hmm, the chain part seems to be made quite sturdily. ] [ If this chain is entangled, it will act as a bracelet of slavery. ] [ Kent-sama ... Your idea is wonderful ... ] The Griffon deflected attacks because it was wrapped in wind-attribute magic. When I thought that it was necessary to nullify the Griffon''s magic in order to hit it, I remembered the bracelet of slavery as a means of making it impossible to use magic. However, a normal bracelet could not be put on the Griffon. That''s why I came up with the idea of giving a bola the function of a bracelet of slavery. Guile-san, a magic tool craftsman, said that there was no problem, so it seemed that it would show its power if wrapped around the target.(TN:Dunno why it was ¥¬¥¤¥ó Gain before and now it''s ¥¬¥¤¥ë Gairu. Typo I think.) The problem was the usability to wrap it around the target. [ Then, Kent-sama, I will try it, so could you please step away from me for a while? ] Reinhardt held the bundled part of the chain in his right hand and the bundled chain in his left hand and began to swing with great recoil. Buun, buun, the chain began to spin slowly, gradually increasing its speed, and the sound of cutting the wind became sharper. Byu, byu, byu, byu, byu, byun! When Reinhardt released his hand at the right moment, the bola jumped into the air and spread out, entangling a large tree about 30 meters away with a clinking sound. If it were a human, the bones of the body would likely break from the impact, but since the opponent was a Griffon, there should be no problem. "How is it, Reinhardt." [ It''s not bad. No, I think it''s a good result. ] After that, Basten and Fred took turns trying it out, and both seemed to be satisfied with the results. [ It''s well-balanced and easy to handle. ] [ It''s heavy and spreads well ... I can do this ... ] When I returned to the workshop and conveyed my impressions, Gain-san finally smiled a little.(TN:Aaand it''s back to Gain ...) As a craftsman, it wasn''t enough just to deliver the item, and it makes you feel relieved when you are told it''s good workmanship. "This chain has been crafted aiming for the last minute gap that allows it to move smoothly. Thinking normally, it''s unlikely that the contact will be interrupted, but if it''s interrupted, the slavery effect will also be interrupted." "I see, the effect won''t happen unless the bracelet of slavery is also fitted." "That''s right." "Umm, is the magic tool technique different from the magic that people use?" "Basically, the phenomena that occur are the same, but the magic that people use is more versatile as it can be manipulated freely." "Are you saying that anyone can use the magic of magic tools, but there are various restrictions?" "That''s right. According to an old legend, a wise man long ago wrote down the magic used by humans as a formula for magic tools, but much of that technology seems to have been lost." In other words, the magic of magic tools based on the formula was like a backwards compatibility with the magic that human used, and it seemed that there were many more formulae in the distant past. "Then, are magic tools also divided into six attributes?" "Basically, that would be the case, but light magic tools have no healing effect, and earth-attribute magic tools don''t exist either." "Umm, we were summoned by Resenburg''s summoning technique, but what attribute would summoning be?" "Hmm ... If it were to summon monsters, it would be dark magic, but if it were to summon humans ... well, i don''t know what attribute it would be ..." While Gain-san and I were puzzled, Jerus-san stopped working and joined the conversation. "It''s probably a combination of the dark attribute and some other attribute." "Do you mean compound magic?" "Yes, even with the magic that people use, if you combine the wind attribute and the fire attribute, the power won''t be doubled, but the power will increase many times, the magic tool that cools things is also made with a combination of different magics." "That means that someone who can use dark attribute magic and another attribute can summon ... you mean?" "Well, that''s how I think of it, but there''s no one who can actually use that kind of magic." Gain-san and Jerus-san knew that I could use dark magic, but they didn''t know that I could use light, fire, and earth magic. However, if I could use summoning techniques by combining the dark attribute with another attribute, I might be able to reverse summon my classmates in Volzard from Japan. Currently, I had to concentrate on subjugating the Griffon, but once that was done, it seemed necessary to obtain the remaining wind and water attributes and see if it was possible to summon them. The remaining two special bolas would be finished tomorrow, so I decided to return to the boarding house for today. It was dark day and Amanda-san''s shop was closed, but there was a nice smell wafting from the kitchen. Today, Meline-san was going to cook with the recipes she was taught in preparation for going independent, and it was decided for her to show her ability and skill. Before she came for training, she had thought about closing the shop her father left her, but now she seemed to be gaining the confidence to manage it herself. "Amanda-san, I''m back." "Ah, you''re back, Kent. Good timing, because I''m going to check Meline''s skill. If everything goes according to plan, dinner will be served soon." "Is that so, Meline-san, I''m hungry, so please finish quickly." "I''m nervous, so don''t rush me. Mou, Kent''s a meanie." "I, I''m sorry." Meline-san was an adult woman who was over 20 years old, but when she pouted with a puffed up face, she looked surprisingly young. "Kent''s a pervert." "Guhaa, I, I wonder what you''re talking about, Meisa-chan." "Fuun, you have a habit of looking at only her breasts, not at Meline-san''s hands." "Uh, th, th, that kind of thing ... there''s no way that happens ..." "Pervert ..." "Guuh ..." Even if you don''t cover it up, I won''t look at Meisa-chan''s endlessly flat chest. However, when she hugged me tightly while sleeping, she was surprisingly soft, and it was a secret that my heart throbbed a little. "Okay, I kept you waiting." It was hard to compare her to Amanda-san, but even though Meline-san took a bit of time, she finished the meal without any problems. The appearance and taste were the deliciousness inherited from Amanda-san. "How is it? Kent." "Yes, it''s delicious. Yup, it''s really delicious." "That''s right. There were times when you got a little sluggish, but it should be fine once you get used to it. The taste, is okay ... but, it''s not quite there yet." Listening to Amanda-san''s words, Meline-san, whose eyes were sparkling until halfway, was in a slightly dejected mood. This was, did she require a little help. "But Amanda-san, it''s delicious." "That''s right, it''s the recipe I taught her. It doesn''t taste bad. But, you know, Kent, even if she can make it taste the same as mine, it won''t work for Meline." "Eh, why is that?" "Meline has to approach and surpass the taste of her late father." Meline-san, who had been looking down, raised her face in surprise and nodded once. "Yes. It''s just as Amanda-san says. I didn''t receive any cooking lessons from my father, but my tongue remembers the taste. Based on the recipes you taught me, I will try to get closer to my father''s taste, and I will definitely surpass it." "Ah, that''s right. That''s how you should give back to your late father." "Yes, yes ..." Amanda-san, who stood up from her seat, hugged Meline-san, who was bursting into tears. Yeah, it''s a scene of master-student love, it would be nice to be sandwiched between them ... It''s a secret that I thought such. "Kent''s a pervert ..." "Guu ... There''s no way that''s true ..." Meisa-chan, who inherited from her mother and had a strangely good intuition, saw through me. Hey, for even Meisa-chan to see through me ... that''s right. After enjoying a delicious dinner, I felt a strong drowsiness, probably from the exhaustion from the daytime special training that I had done, including doping with potions. Even though it was a fun time to chat while drinking tea after dinner, I almost fell asleep. "Kent, aren''t you overdoing it again?" "No ... I, I''m not overdoing it ... Yup, it''s okay." "Haa ... don''t you think your eyelids will stick together at any moment? Look, look, hurry up and take a bath and go to sleep." "Yes ... Yes, I will." Honestly, as Amanda-san said, I couldn''t seem to stay awake. "It''s kind of dangerous, Meisa, follow him and put him in the bath, then shove him into bed." "It can''t be helped ... Kent really is ..." Amanda-san and Meisa-chan seemed to be talking about something, but I couldn''t understand what was going on. Meisa-chan pushed my butt from behind while I was wandering up the stairs. Ah ... That helps, but I feel like I am going to fall forward ... "Hey, Kent, wake up and take a bath!" "Yeah, yeah ... I got it ..." "Hey, take off your pants ... Take off your shirt, too!" "Yeah, yeah ... I know ..." "Fuwaa, Reinhardt-oji-chan ..." It seemed that Meisa-chan passed the baton to Reinhardt. [ Kent-sama, is it okay, I''ll wash you. ] After washing away the dirt with the magic tool shower, I was washed with a body brush. I felt like I had become a potato or a radish, but it was fine as long as the dirt had been removed. [ Kent-sama, it''s over, let''s get out. ] "Yeah, yeah, thank you ..." When I got out of the bathroom and changed into my pajamas, Meisa-chan scolded me. "Hey, Kent, you have to dry yourself properly!" "Y, yeah, I know ... my back, please ..." "I can''t reach it like this, so crouch down! Hey!" "Yes, yes, like this ..." She wiped my back with a bath towel, but there was no fabric softener in this world, so the towel was stiff. "Not yet. Hey, your head is still wet!" "Yeah, yeah, I know ... Hey, Meisa-chan, I''m going to sleep ..." "Wait, I''ll go get undressed quickly ..." When I wandered back to my room, Mart and the others greeted me by wagging their tails. The bed with the boxes lined up was ready, and all that was left was to sleep. Then, Meisa-chan came in with a patter of footsteps. "Hey, Meisa-chan, I''m going to sleep ..." "Haa ... I''m already tired ..." "Yeah, yeah, Meisa-chan is a hard worker ..." "Haa ... Well, that''s not it ..." As usual, Meisa-chan, Mart, and the others form the shape of a river(´¨) and get into the futon. Yeah, why don''t I hold Meisa-chan and sleep with her for once ... "Hey, Kent ... It hurts ..." "Hmm ... It''s a bit bony, but it''s rather nice ... rather nice ..." "Wait a minute ... Mou, it can''t be helped ..." "Yes, yes ..." As soon as I held Meisa-chan in my arms, I lost consciousness and fell asleep. The next morning, when I woke up, the haze that hung over my train of thought cleared, and I began to recognize various situations. Meisa-chan was sleeping curled up like a cat, using my left arm as a pillow, while her left hand was tightly gripping the chest of my pajamas. Huh? I had a lot of fun last night ... It seems like that, doesn''t it. I felt the door open without a sound, and when I turned my gaze, Amanda-san was about to enter. "Good moning, Kent, how did you sleep?" "Y, yes ... Umm, it looks like I''ve caused a lot of trouble ..." "Ah, I don''t mind. Meisa is usually taken care of by you, but sometimes it''s okay to let her take care of you." "Yes, thank you very much." "That''s why, regardless of whether it''s for Volzard''s sake, don''t try to do something about it alone." "Yes, I understand." Amanda-san smiled, took a deep breath, and raised the volume of her voice by two steps. "Hey, Meisa! Hurry up and get up. There''s no preparation this morning, but you shouldn''t be sleeping forever! Hey, hey, Kent is going out too." "Hmm ... Kent, I don''t want you to go." "Ehh ...?" Meisa-chan, who was woken up by Amanda-san, seemed to be half-asleep and hugged me and pressed her head against my chest. Could it be that she was dreaming of when I went to the dungeon a little while ago for the nomination request. "Hey, Meisa! Don''t keep sleeping forever!" "Nn naa ... Nnh ... Fuee, eeh ..." Gradually grasping the situation, Meisa-chan turned bright red like a tomato. "Yeah, yeah, Meisa-chan seems to really like me." "Th, that''s wrong! This is ... I remembered that Kent tried to leave without drying off." "Ueehh ... No, I was half asleep ..." "Hey, hey, Kent, get up, change your clothes, and we''ll have breakfast." "Uuh ... I understand." A typical family, I wonder if it''s like this. If I had a younger sister like Meisa, my mother too ... I couldn''t help but think about it. In order to protect my current happiness, I should make the Griffon scream. CH 166 Repelled ***---*** I trained at the training grounds in the Devil''s Forest from the morning, but the limit was thirteen shields of darkness. If I tried to increase it beyond that, the whole thing became unstable, and it felt like my magical power would run out all at once. If I repeated this special training for several days, I might be able to increase my magical power, or increase the efficiency of the magical power used for shields and increase the number of shields, but I didn''t have enough time to do that. "Can it be stopped with this?" [ Kent-sama, isn''t it okay not to stop it. ] "Eh, but if I don''t stop the movement of the Griffon, the subsequent attacks won''t hit. If the ''Slavery Bola'' doesn''t work, won''t other attacks not work as well." [ As you say, the bola''s work is important, but there is a way to stop the Griffon even if the shield is broken. ] "Eeehhh ... A way to stop the Griffon even if the shield is broken?" [ It should be possible if it''s Kent-sama. ] "Is there a way I can do it ...?" [ However, a little special training will be necessary. ] The method that Reinhardt taught me with a grinning smile was certainly possible for me, and it was probably a method that could damage the Griffon. This time, we planned to meet the Griffon outside the ramparts. Even if the ''Slavery Bola'' went well, if the Griffon rampaged with its gigantic body, it would cause damage to the city. In order to prevent that, I planned to have the decoy Kobolds move in the grassland on the east side of the ramparts and cause the Griffon to crash there. In other words, drop the Griffon onto the ground instead of onto a building. Here''s what Reinhardt thought about. Deploy a shield of darkness in front of the Griffon, that is attacking the decoy Kobolds. Use a three to five layer shield of darkness, and while the Griffon''s vision was blocked by the shield, use earth magic to erect a pillar at the place where the Kobold was. The Griffon was descending from its original height to the ground, so the idea was that if the height was increased, it would crash into the pillar. I thought that method would be good if I couldn''t stop the movement with a shield, but when I tried it, a problem appeared. The biggest problem was that I had to heap up the soil instantly. If I just heaped up the soil, I could do it, but that only raised soft soil, and it wasn''t strong enough. If I tried to increase the intensity, I wouldn''t have enough time this time. [ Kent-sama, no problem ... just bring it in ... ] "Eh, bring it in ...? Ah, right, that''s what you mean!" Fred''s method was to make a pillar in advance, place it in the shadow space, and set it up while blocking the Griffon''s view with a shield. Certainly, with that method, I could create a strong pillar in advance, and I could install it instantly. A pillar seemed to be stronger than those made of soil, so I asked Fred to cut out rocks from the rocky mountain above the dungeon into cubes about 5 meters square and 7 meters high. I thought that if someone crashed into it, even a Griffon would take damage ... But, then another problem arose. [ Kent-sama, it''s too heavy ... ] "That''s right ..." It probably weighed more than 500 tons, so it seemed impossible for Reinhardt and the others to carry it instantly. I didn''t have time to do things like using rollers and pulling with a rope, so I was at a loss. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better to drop it from above? ] "Ah, right, I had that option." Immediately, all my genus brought them to the shadow space, and dropped the cut rocks in the same manner as dropping stones on the horde of Orcs. However, it was enough just for the rock to fall, so I dropped it from a height of about 8 meters, but there was a tremendous tremor and the ground shook. [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, if you let this rain down from high in the sky, an impregnable castle will be destroyed with a single blow. ] "No, no, I won''t do that. Just thinking about how much damage would be done if I dropped something like this on a castle is scary." The Griffon could destroy even the garrison''s building, but as expected, it couldn''t destroy a mass of rock. I tried practicing about five times to gauge the timing of the drop, but later I learned that the village near the dungeon was in a panic due to a mysterious quake. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to cause trouble. It was almost time for the Griffon to arrive, so I put the cut rocks away in the shadow space and headed back to the city of Volzard. Since they hadn''t made the rest of the Slave Bolas, I planned to chase the Griffon away today without confrontation. I tried looking at the city from the top of the tower, but there was no sign of the people who could be seen until yesterday, albeit sparsely. The city seemed like a ghost town, with only the alarm bells ringing occasionally. Learning from Mita''s sacrifice yesterday, the glass windows of each house were covered with curtains so that the shadows of the people inside could not be seen. Won, wooooon, won, won. Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Today as well, the barking voices of the Kobold Corps was heard from the southwestern forest, and the warning bells were rung, but no one responded in the already empty city. The Griffon that appeared in the sky began to slowly circle over Volzard. Even after three or four laps, the Griffon wouldn''t leave. After seven, eight, and more laps, it finally gave up and flew off to the east. Even if the Griffon flew away, the alarm bell wouldn''t stop ringing immediately. It wasn''t until about 30 minutes later that I saw movement in the town where everyone was hiding. The tarpaulin spread out on the roof of the building began to move, and the garrison members appeared. They were members who were good at strengthening their bodies, and they strengthened their eyesight and watched the Griffon from behind. The Griffon seemed to have disappeared from their field of vision, and a signal was sent, and the bell was finally run to clear the alarm. Kan, kan, kan, kan, kan. When the sound of bells ringing in the tranquility echoed, I could feel the tension fading from the whole city as if they breathed a sigh of relief. Even so, the city wasn''t immediately flooded with people. Peeping outside through the gaps in the curtains and timidly looking up at the sky, little by little people began to appear. When a few people started walking through the city, it was as if a dam had broken, and the city overflowed with people. Stores were desperately trying to recover sales as soon as possible by opening shop in a hurry. "Apparently, it looks like there were no casualties today." [ It seems so. Considering the scope of the Griffon''s actions, there''s no reason to stick with Volzard. ] "But if it went east, doesn''t that mean another town in Landshelt was targeted?" [ It may be so, but it''s impossible for us to protect such a range by ourselves. ] "That''s right ..." Just when I was thinking about returning to the training grounds in the Devil''s Forest to take measures against the Griffon. Won, won, won, won, won! The barking voices of the Kobold Corps resounded from around the city. [ Kent-sama, look up! ] "It came back!" The Griffon had already begun to descend from far above Volzard. Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! Kan kan kan! A warning bell rang out, and the city of Volzard was enveloped in screams and barks. In order to gain even a little time to evacuate, I deployed a 10 layer shield of darkness, but the Griffon riding on its speed easily broke through. "Everyone prepare to intercept!" [ Understood! ] I deployed the 10 layer shield of darkness again, this time with a little more space, but the Griffon still didn''t stop. "Kobold Corps, look around for anyone who failed to escape!" "Wafu, understood, Goshujin-sama!" "Zae-tachi prepare the javelins!" "Understood, my King!" [ Kent-sama, what about the bola? ] "If it stops, use it. I''ll leave the judgment to you!" [ Understood! ] In front of the Griffon, whose appearance could already be seen clearly, I deployed the ten-layered shield for the third time, but the Griffon didn''t stop. It didn''t stop, but it looked like it slowed down just a little bit. When the ten-layer shield of darkness was deployed, the Griffon''s appearance became larger, but this time it seemed to slow down noticeably. And the Griffon broke through the 5th ten-layer shield of darkness, but it was already on the verge of stopping. "Zae, javelin!" "Yes!" Zae and the others'' javelins flew in, but the Griffon flapped its wings and knocked the javelins away. Still, it seemed puzzled by the fact that it wasn''t able to catch its prey as easily as before. At that point, the garrison members and adventurers attacked with attack magic all at once. Gyaaaauuuu! Raising an annoyed roar, the Griffon repeatedly flapped its wings and deflected the magic, but a large number of arrows fired mixed in with the magic pierced the Griffon''s hind legs. I also aimed with light-attribute attack magic, but the Griffon ran on the air as if it had a foothold, and it was hard for me to aim. I thought about deploying a shield of darkness inside the Griffon and attacking it directly, but maybe it was because the opponent had stronger magic, or it was wrapped in wind-attribute magic, but I couldn''t deploy a shield as I wanted. The Griffon, that was running around while deflecting attack magic in the air, aimed at the moment when the attacks were weak, and attacked the attacking formation on the roof of the building. The Griffon swooped in with its sharp claws, but the Griffon wasn''t the only one waiting for the right timing. [ Dooryaaaaaa! ] [ Shyaa! ] [ Shii! ] Three skeletons jumped out of the shadows and swung their beloved swords and spears all at once. Gyaaaauuuu! Reinhardt''s beloved sword Gram bit into the claw-wielding front legs, Basten''s Gae Bolg''s continuous attacks bit into its body, and Fred''s twin swords Laevatin and Dainsleif bit into its hind legs, and the Griffon''s fresh blood danced in the air. Although the Griffon was finally able to be dealt some damage, it didn''t seem to do as much damage as expected, probably because it was still clad in wind-attribute magic. Even so, the Griffon, that received an unexpected attack, kicked into the air and escaped into the sky. It then kicked into the air and suddenly changed direction to aim at the attackers on the roof of another building, but this time Zae and the others were waiting for it and attacked it with throwing javelins from close range. The javelins only scattered its feathers, but the Griffon escaped into the sky again. Furthermore, when the garrison members and adventurers attacked, the Griffon looked around and suddenly flew south. Gyaaaauuuu! Leaving behind a nasty-sounding roar, the Griffon flew away, dripping blood and not seeming to come back. Have we made it through today. [ I feel like our efforts have finally been rewarded. ] "Did we get rid of it for today?" [ We can''t let our guards down yet, but maybe ... ] As the Griffon receded, a murmur began to erupt from the adventurers participating in the battle, which eventually turned into a roar. "Ooooo! We drove it away!" "We beat the Griffon!" "You bastard, run away with your tail between your legs!" While there were adventurers who raised their voices and made a fuss, there were also people who had complicated expressions on their faces. Actually, the Griffon seemed to run away today, but I didn''t think it was damaged enough to be called serious, and it felt like that was only after all of Volzard''s efforts. If you were to ask me if we could drive it away in the same way when we fought again tomorrow, I wouldn''t be able to answer that we would be able to do so. Perhaps even the Griffon would come up with some sort of countermeasure against today''s attack. "Reinhardt, do you think you can use the ''Slavery Bola''?" [ To be honest, it''s quite difficult. If I don''t get really close to it, I feel like it will either be repelled or deflected and it won''t be able to reach it. ] "What about the strategy you thought about today, crashing into a rock?" [ That is also unknown. It seems to have a higher success rate than the ''Slavery Bola'', but since it''s a one-shot game and there''s no second chance, I think it would be better to ask Donovan-dono for his opinion ... ] "I see. I''ll consult with him while I''m reporting. Tell the Kobold Corps not to let their guard down until dusk." [ Understood, is Kent-sama going to the guild? ] "Yeah, first of all, I''ll report the situation to the Lord, Klaus-san." When I moved to the guild''s office, Klaus-san was receiving a report from a member of the garrison. Beside him was Beatriche with a worried expression on her face. After finishing the report, I waited for the guards to leave the room and stepped into the office. "Klaus-san, it looks like we managed to survive today." "Oh, Kent, good job, it looks like you did a great job." "No, even with all-out attacks with all my genus, I was barely able to drive it away." "Kent-sama, are you injured?" "Yeah, I''m fine. I was fighting from a distance." I embraced Beatriche, who approached me, rejoicing that I was safe. "Anyway, the best thing is that there were no casualties today." "It''s naive to think that the Griffon will give up now ..." "That''s right, if I don''t prepare for it, I don''t know how many people will be sacrificed." Klaus-san said that it was possible that the Griffon learned that there was prey in the buildings because of Mita''s sacrifice.(TN:Damnit Mita!!) It''s true that today''s Griffon''s movements had us off guard and came all at once from the sky to decide the game. Actually, if a building was destroyed, the people inside could have been kidnapped. "I have to notify people not to stay on the top floor of tall buildings." "It''s a cause of great stress for the people of the city, too. I want to subdue it as soon as possible ..." "Is it possible to subdue it?" "We''re thinking of ways, but we''re not quite sure yet." "Oh, what are those methods?" At Klaus-san''s request, I explained about colliding with the cut rocks and using the ''Slavery Bola''. "I see. In order to inflict damage, you have to do something about the wind attribute magic that the Griffon is wearing, but in order to attach a magic tool to counter the magic, you have to do a certain amount of damage ... Which is a contradiction." "That''s right. I think that the method of colliding with a rock can only be used once, and if the timing is off, it will be avoided and that''s the end." "Even with magic tools, if it knows about it, it will be wary, and it will become more and more difficult to use." Klaus-san crossed his arms and thought deeply before opening his mouth. "Next time. The next time the Griffon appears is the decisive battle." "Tomorrow ... Will it show up?" "It''ll come. It''s supposed to be trying to build a new territory. If that''s the case, there''s no way it will allow someone in that territory to have an existence that doesn''t go its way." "It''s probably unforgivable for the Griffon, but since we lived here first, there''s no reason for it to complain." "That''s right. I have no intention of letting our city be turned into a feeding ground." After talking to Klaus-san, the place to lure the Griffon was in front of the castle gate closest to the Devil''s Forest. The castle gate also had a three-story corridor where archers and magicians were placed for defense, so they could attack while hiding themselves, so they could increase our offensive power by adding to what my genus did. If the Griffon was damaged and the ''Slavery Bola'' worked well, we planned to launch a simultaneous attack to defeat it. "Anyway, Kent, the key to the strategy is you. Make sure you''re in good physical condition so that the decisive battle will be fine tomorrow." "Yes, after confirming the movement and timing with my genus, I''ll try to rest early today." "I will send a notice to the garrison through Marianne, and to the adventurers through Donovan, so please proceed with your preparations." "I understand." After finishing the meeting with Klaus-san, I moved to Nott-san''s magic tool shop. Today, there weren''t as many customers as yesterday, and the store was rather quiet. "Hello, Nott-san." "Ah, welcome, Kent-san, I heard you did a great job today." "Eeehhh, you already know?" "The talkative neighbors come to inform me about various things even though I don''t ask." "Ah, I see ... But, we haven''t subjugated the Griffon yet, so the game is about to begin." "How was our magic tool? Did it work well?" "I''m sorry, I haven''t had the opportunity to use it yet ... So, are the rest finished?" "Yes, they''re already finished. Please come to the workshop." "Well then, excuse me." At the workshop, Gain-san and Jerus-san stopped their hands and welcomed me. "I heard you drove off the Griffon." "It''s not just my power. It''s also the power of the garrison and the adventurers." "Don''t be humble, if you weren''t there, they wouldn''t have been able to stop it, right?" "Well, that may be true, but it''s not like I could drive it away alone." "Fuun, you''re strangely stubborn ..." Even while saying that, Gain-san''s mouth loosened a little. "Was my magic tool useful?" "I''m sorry, I couldn''t find the right timing to use it today." "Well, I''m an amateur when it comes to fighting, so I won''t say you can''t force it, but when the time comes to use it, use it to your heart''s content. If it doesn''t work out, I''ll make a better magic tool. We can only contribute to the city with magic tools. Through you guys, let us also protect the city." "Yes, I understand. I will use it together with everyone''s thoughts." Gain-san, who usually only spoke slowly, had a certain weight to his words, which were abnormally eloquent. I felt that the ''Slavery Bola'', which was filled with the thoughts of Gain-san and Jerus-san, would surely lend us their strength. I exchanged a firm handshake with the two of them and returned to the boarding house to prepare for tomorrow. CH 167 Under Camilla ***---*** When I returned to the boarding house and was thinking of lying down for a while until dinner, Hart, the liaison between Camilla and Diethelm, showed up. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Diethelm has arrived in Lastock." "Ah, he''s finally arrived. Unlike us, it takes time. Okay, I''ll go check on him later. Thank you for letting me know." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me." When I stroked its mofumofu belly, Hart wagged its tail happily. After telling Amanda-san I was going out, I headed for the garrison in Lastock. In the dining room for guests, the Camilla and Diethelm siblings, and the leaders of the factions that had been in conflict up until this point, gathered together. Count Adan Langhain and Count Liebert Saruel were from the former First Prince faction, and Count Zephalos Gleisner was from the former Second Prince faction. Duke William Drevis, a former member of the First Prince''s faction, had returned home with soldiers preparing for Barshania. In addition to those five, another five, Torvil Muurien, who was the First Prince''s staff officer, Magdalos Eisler, the captain of the Royal Guard who was attached to the First Prince, Nathan Forst, who was attached to the Second Prince, Oswald Kirsch, who was attached to the Third Prince, and J¨¹rgen Remmert, who was with Diethelm, were also present. Ten people were seated facing each other, and the host''s seat, the so-called birthday seat, was empty, but the table was set. Once everyone had taken their seats, glasses of wine were poured, and Camilla stood up with one in her hand. "Count Langhain, Count Saruel, welcome to the farthest city of Lastock. Thank you for coming to a place where there is concern about a maximum outbreak of monsters. I''m thinking of starting the get-together right away, but before that ..." Camilla cut off her words for a moment and looked around the air. "Maou-sama, if you''re coming, please show yourself." I wasn''t good at that kind of pompous production, but I couldn''t help but go out. At the empty birthday seat, I put out a shield of darkness and stepped into the dining room. "Good evening, everyone. Excuse me for showing such an appearance. Unfortunately, I had just come from handling the Griffon and didn''t even have time to take a bath." "Maou-sama, did you kill the Griffon?" I shook my head as I answered Camilla, who asked me with a look full of expectation. "No, I was barely able to drive it away." "It can''t be defeated even with the power of Maou-sama?" "I''m not the only one. All of Volzard is its fighting opponent, and we finally drove it back. Four people have been killed so far. Didn''t it show up here?" "Yes, fortunately, it has not appeared, but we have strengthened the surveillance system." "Yeah, it''s better to hide yourselves and not think about subjugating it poorly." "Understood, we''ll evacuate quickly ..." "Could you wait a minute?" The one who interrupted Camilla''s words by slightly raising her right hand and calling out to her was Magdalos, the First Prince''s Royal Guard Knight and mistress. Last time, she was kneeling before me as if following Diethelm, but she still wasn''t convinced. "I accept that Kent Kokubu-dono is an excellent dark-attribute magician, but with 2,000 Knights of the Royal Guard waiting here, we cannot accept the measure of devoting ourselves to evacuation." "You, even though Maou-sama is giving you advice ..." "It''s fine. From what I''ve seen so far, even if the Griffon kills two people, it doesn''t seem to kill more than it can eat, so if you want to fight that much, you can give it a try. Instead, evacuate the citizens so there will be no casualties. Also, even if there are casualties among the Royal Guards, I won''t be responsible." "Of course, I have no intention of asking you to take such responsibility. Please don''t underestimate the Knights of the Royal Guard." Camilla, who had an irritated expression on her face, tried to say something to Magdalos, who spoke arrogantly, but I held up my hand. "I''m not here to talk about the Griffon today. Let''s get down to business." "As you wish. Maou-sama, please take a seat ..." "Ah, right, right, first of all, I have no intention of becoming the King of Resenburg. That''s why I''m asking you to sit in this seat, Camilla." "Maou-sama ..." I kept the surprised Camilla, and the members of the former First Prince faction who didn''t even try to hide their dissatisfied expressions, from opening their mouths by raising both hands, and continued talking. "People who belonged to the former First Prince faction may not know the details, but I was summoned from another world by Camilla. In other words, it was done as a result of Camilla thinking that she would pay the price for everyone who had not taken effective countermeasures against the progression of desertification." The members of the former First Prince''s faction, who had been complaining until just a moment ago, had their expressions turn sour. "That summoning caused us a great deal of trouble and caused many casualties. And at this time, the compensation has not been completed. The reason I''ve been cooperating with Resenburg so far is to solve the summoning-related problems quickly. For that reason as well, I want Camilla to take full control of Resenburg and solve this problem as soon as possible. I would like her to hand over the throne to Diethelm after that." Hearing that the throne would be transferred to Diethelm, Count Langhain and Count Saruel seemed to be satisfied, but Magdalos intervened again. "I understand the gist of what you''re saying, but what right do you have to intervene in Resenburg''s succession to the throne?" "Are you telling me not to interfere unnecessarily?" "Of course. Resenburg will be decided by the people of Resenburg. There is no reason for outsiders to interfere." "Is that so. If so, please prepare 65 corads of pure gold as compensation." "Wh, what! 65 corads of pure gold!" Not only Magdalos, but most of the people present were speechless. "What''s wrong? If you tell me not to interfere, please fulfill your obligation to compensate me." "How can we accept such an exorbitant demand! Don''t get carried away, brat!" "Restrain yourself, Magdalos!" Magdalos stood up vigorously, but received a sharp scolding from Camilla, causing her to tremble and stop moving. "Camilla-sama, a brat like this ..." "Didn''t you hear me when I told you to restrain yourself?" These days, it was easy to forget when she was drunk and lazy, but when she was serious, Camilla showed off an aura that made her feel like she''s the royal family. "Excuse me ..." Overwhelmed by the atmosphere Camilla was creating, Magdalos lowered her head and returned to her seat. "It seems that there are people who have misunderstood, so I will say it again. Myself and Diethelm have pledged allegiance to Maou Kent Kokubu-sama." "Wh, what is that ..." "Restrain yourself! My sister is in the middle of talking now. Or Magdalos, are you going to say that our story is not worth listening to?" "No, I have no intention of doing that. I apologize." Magdalos finally shut up after being reprimanded by Diethelm, but maybe she didn''t like the fact that Alphonse, who was the First Prince whom she was the mistress of, was poisoned and the throne fell to another person. After confirming that Magdalos had kept her mouth shut, Diethelm urged Camilla to continue speaking. "Even when the people of Lastock were attacked by 200 Minotaurs, or a horde of over 10,000 Orcs, it was thanks to Maou-sama that we were able to survive. It was Maou-sama who uncovered Havre Calvine and the Prime Minister''s plot, who stopped the invasion of Barshania, and who restored Diethelm''s health. And the one who saved my life after being stabbed in the stomach was Maou-sama. I vowed to serve him with every last drop of blood in my body, down to every last strand of hair. If you don''t like it, leave me. I will not stop you. I won''t stop you, but in the face of a national crisis, the King who doesn''t take any measures or me, as a Resenburg nobility, as a Royal Guard, who should you serve, think carefully and decide." Camilla cut off her words and looked around the audience. "Can I say something, Camilla-sama." "What is it, Count Langhain." "A little while ago, Maou-dono asked Camilla-sama to take full control of all the power and hoped for a quick resolution of the various problems, but when the problems are resolved, will you definitely hand over the throne to Diethelm-sama." "I believe that if Diethelm is a good King who cares about his people, I will not cling to the throne." "However, Camilla-sama, the amount of compensation we were just asked is an amount that can be said to be exorbitant. Will it not take a considerable amount of years to finish the payment." "That concern is understandable, but I will discuss the amount with Maou-sama, and when the path to a solution is reached, I don''t mind transferring the throne." Count Langhain nodded and seemed to be convinced. "Can I say something as well." "I don''t mind, Count Gleisner." "We have received a promise from Camilla-sama that our territories would be assured, will that promise still be valid when Diethelm-sama takes over the throne?" After hearing Count Gleisner''s words, Camilla urged Diethelm to answer. "How is it, Diethelm." "Yes, if it''s a promise that was exchanged with my sister for a valid reason, there''s no reason to break it." "Is that okay? Count Gleisner." "It''s fine." After seeing that Count Gleisner bowed his head lightly, Camilla looked around the audience again, and after confirming that there were no objections, she began to speak. "Until now, we have continued to live a self-indulgent life, relying on the land and property left to us by our predecessors. As a result, Resenburg was in danger. The progress of desertification, the outbreak of monsters, the rebellion of Havre Calvine, the invasion of Barshania. If these events had happened all at once, the country of Resenburg might have disappeared." Just like Camilla, who stopped speaking, and looked at the attendees, I felt that there was a difference in the sense of danger they had. In reality, Count Gleisner, who was attacked by Orcs, and the Knights of the Royal Guard, Nathan and Oswald, seemed to see the crisis as something real, but for the former First Prince faction who hadn''t fought against monsters or Barshania, I felt that everyone saw it as a political dispute with Havre Calvine. "It is no exaggeration to say that the person who saved Resenburg from an unprecedented crisis was Maou Kent Kokubu-sama. If Maou-sama hadn''t been here, Resenburg would have been in chaos by now. However, that doesn''t mean the crisis is over. It cannot be said with certainty that the crisis of the monster outbreak has completely passed. Havre''s ambitions were not completely crushed either. And the progress of the desertification should be progressing while we are doing this. But, from now on, it''s our turn to show Maou-sama the latent power of Resenburg. Prepare for the threat of monsters and crush Havre''s ambitions. The petty factional fights of the past are over. Join forces under me, sweat together, proper together ... Those who have no objections should answer with silence!" When Camilla cut off her words, the dining room was filled with silence. Camilla exchanged glances with each of them, and she finally met mine, and she gave a big nod and held up a glass of wine. "Glory to the Kingdom of Resenburg!" "Glory to the Kingdom of Resenburg!" Everyone in attendance spoke in unison, and everyone drank up the win in one breath. Umm, I wonder if I have to drink too ... Diethelm ... Uu, he''s been drinking a lot. Eeehhhh, drink up. Since it''s wine that royalty and nobility drink, it must be of high quality. The mellow aroma and fruity taste, combined with the richness of aging, made it so delicious that I was at a loss for words. Then, as it flowed into my empty stomach, I could feel the heat welling up. "Hohou, Maou-dono is quite a good drinker. What do you think, this wine is a specialty of our Gleisner territory. This one is from the 18th year, which is said to be particularly good." "Is that so, I haven''t drank much alcohol, but this is wonderful." "Come on, have another drink ..." "No, I still have to go back and proceed with the Griffon countermeasures ..." "Hohou, is it enough to make even Maou-dono struggle?" While saying that, Count Gleisner continued to fill my glass with wine. No, today is not the time to get drunk, but ... it''s hard to say no. "Griffons are clad in powerful wind-attribute magic, so magic attacks are repelled and have little effect." "What, how do you intend to challenge such an opponent." "Basically, it''s like using a strong non-magical attack and hitting the area where the wind-attribute magic is disturbed ... But, it''s quite difficult." With a toast as a signal, the attendants began serving the food. It felt like a so-called course meal, and the dishes were so elaborately arranged that it would be gone in about two bites. It was delicious, but it wasn''t enough since I was hungry after moving around all day. "I heard that Griffons swoop down from great heights and kidnap people, is that true?" Since it was a monster that appeared only once every few decades, Count Langhain and Count Saruel asked various questions with deep interest. "That''s right. A body bigger than a Storm Cat attacks from a height that makes it look like a sesame seed." "Then it will attack with ferocious force, won''t it." "That''s right. In face, the first time and the second time, three people total were kidnapped without being able to do anything about it." "How do you prevent it from getting prey?" "After deploying multiple dark attribute magic shields ... barely ... it feels like." The food was said to be prepared by a chef who was summoned from the mansion by Count Gleisner. I was hungry, so I was a little dissatisfied with the quantity, but I guess it was the right choice in the sense that it didn''t interfere with the conversation. I couldn''t bring myself to drink anything else, so I got my throat wet with wine while we talked, and I gradually started to feel better. "Even so, Camilla-sama and Maou-dono seem to have a close relationship, was it that kind of relationship from the time you were summoned?" "There is no such thing ... Just because the Evil Eye Crystal didn''t shine, You can go wherever you like ... or something like that? At the end of the day, I was told to walk through the Devil''s Forest alone, and I almost got eaten and killed by Goblins. It''s truly outrageous ..." "I, I''m sorry. At that time, I didn''t realize the power of Maou-sama ..." Now she''s apologizing with an admirable look on her face, but, ah, I remembered that time. "At that time, you really hated me ... At least when I asked you to give me some water, you said, sip muddy water and walk! I thought I''d make you cry someday. Also ..." "I''m sorry. At that time, the summoning went well and I was in a strange state of excitement ..." "Ah, that''s right. The night I first met with Zephalos-san, she took a carefree bath, and after that she drank and got drunk." "I''m sorry ..." "Seriously, I, who has no direct relationship with Resenburg, even though I worked until midnight, you''re so relaxed, what''s with that?" "Th, that is ..." Camilla cut off her words for a moment, drank the wine from her glass, and then turned her gaze towards me. What, what, aren''t your eyes glazed over for some reason? "That is, Maou-sama is bad too ..." "Huh? What, what''s wrong with me? I worked so hard!" Hey, hey, why is Camilla drinking so much. Hey, my glass is empty, quickly pour me some, Zephalos. "Fuhaa ... It''s bad, of course it is! I ... the Third Princess of Resenburg ... you stepped into the bathroom ... instead of touching my skin, you asked me to sign ... that''s impossible!" "Th, that was ... Count Gleisner wanted me to go and get your signature ... I couldn''t make him wait! Huh?" I wondered why Zephalos was reluctantly nodding his head. "So tell me, my ... na, naked body in front of you, to have such a businesslike expression?" "Eeehhh ... Wait, did you get drunk because of that? Even though I was working?" "Maou-sama works too hard ... Even before this, you treated Flosche until you collapsed ... I took care of you for a while ..." "That''s right, you were drunk at that time! Even though I was working ... It''s outrageous! Hey, you just announced that you''re aiming to become the next King, so why are you getting so drunk?" Look, isn''t Diethelm freaking out with a worried look on his face. "I''m not drunk ... or should I say, I wasn''t drunk at that time, either. I carried Maou-sama to the bed and took care of you." "Saying something like taking care of me, you were going to lick me with Mart-tachi ... hmm?" Suddenly, there was a metallic sound, and a knife fell in front of me. "Eh, Mart? What, what happened?" When I looked at him, Mart was glaring at the knights with a black dagger that looked like a toy. "That guy aimed at Goshujin-sama and threw it." The target of its gaze was Magdalos, while Reinhardt pointed his beloved sword Gram at her. Her eyes were filled with the regret of failing to kill me. "What are you trying to do with Maou-sama!" "Camilla-sama, don''t let such a suspicious person steal your heart! I can''t trust anyone who uses such monsters!" "Shut up! You have no right to insult Maou-sama!" Camilla slammed her glass on the table and stood up, letting out a bellowed shout. "When I was struggling alone ... When I asked for help ... What did you do? Did you send soldiers? did you send materials to build the ramparts? Even a single rope, you didn''t send anything to me!" No one could argue with Camilla, who shouted with her hair disheveled. "The one who saved the people of Lastock, that had been abandoned by the country and had no choice but to perish, was Maou-sama who hated us and we deserved to be his enemy. He even forgave the knight who tried to stab him to death, and told him to work to protect the people. He corrected my narrow-minded thinking and taught me how to make the most of people. He even said that he would lend me his strength so that I, who had made a big mistake, would be forgiven. I know I told you how Resenburg was helped. If you still insult Maou-sama, you ... you will be executed by my hands ..." "Yes, that''s enough!" Camilla was so excited that she seemed to be about to go out of control, so I stopped her. "Maou-sama ...?" "He''s suspicious, so kill him ... I don''t like the way you do that, but I''m not going to take revenge just because of that. I wonder why it became such a dangerous story about execution or killing ... Magdalos." "Wh, what!" "Your thinking is too shallow! Too shallow ..." "What the hell, brat! You''re the one ... Uu." Magdalos fell silent as Reinhardt pointed his sword at her. "If I die, the footage of Havre''s secret meeting with the Prime Minister will no longer be usable. Can you convict them without evidence? Doesn''t the fact that Havre''s forces entered the royal castle mean that the King and the Knight Commander have been captured, right? Can you turn the situation around?" "W, well, if we tell the truth ..." "Havre Calvine is not such an easy opponent. Right, Zephalos-san." "That''s right. Just as Maou-dono says, he''s a difficult opponent." "Then you have to use me. You can''t trust me? You can worry about that later. Think more about what you should do now and what is important. Is it okay if Resenburg, of which Alphonse wanted to be King, is messed up? Is it okay to let Havre do whatever he pleases?" Magdalos kept her eyes fixed on me and didn''t answer. "Ah ... I''m drunk, so I''m going home ... Well, everyone, thank you for your continued support. Uwaa, the floor ..." "Maou-sama, it''s dangerous ..." "Fugaa ... Nn ... After all, it''s outrageous softness ..." When I stood up, my feet were ''Gunya gunya'' and I fell into Camilla who tried to support me.(TN:Otomotopeaia for flabby/limp/squishy.) "M, maou-sama, you should stay here tonight ... I''ll be your night attendant ..." "No way, I''m going home. I have to beat the Griffon ... Mart, Mirt, lend me a hand." "Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama." "Goshujin-sama, you drank too much again." "Nyahahaha, that''s fine ... hey, Nero." "Nyaa ... Goshujin-sama, you smell like alcohol, nya." "Nyahahaha, everyone, let''s go home." When Nero showed up, the dining room seemed to be in an uproar, but I don''t care, I don''t care. With the support of Mart and the others, I slipped through the shield of darkness and returned to the boarding house. CH 168 Subjugation ***---*** I didn''t remember it very well, but after I got drunk and returned to the boarding house in Lastock, it seemed that Meisa-chan, who had just fallen asleep, woke up, and I was lectured by Amanda-san at the breakfast table. "Kent, I know that you have a relationship with adults that is unthinkable for a child of your age. But, getting drunk of all things, it''s bad to drink alcohol and cause people trouble. What you''re doing looks like a middle-aged man in the thirties." "I''m sorry. I''m reflecting on it." "That''s right, but what are you going to do, Meisa?" "It can''t be helped ... I''ll forgive you this time, but if you do it next time, I''ll kick you out of the room." "Yes, I''m sorry. Or rather, Meisa-chan, over there is my room ..." "I, I know that. This house belongs to us, so the room Kent is using belongs to us! Stop grinning!" "Yes, that''s right. I''m sorry." The angry puffed up Meisa-chan looked like a kitten with bristling fur, so it''s a little cute. Even though I''m being scolded, I''m almost grinning. "Seriously ... you''re so impertinent despite being just Kent ..." "Umm, so, I, what did I do wrong?" "No way! Don''t you remember?" "After finishing drinking in Lastock, when I stood up from my chair, my feet felt ''Gunya gunya'', and then ... I feel like it was strangely fun ..." "You came hugging me while smelling like alcohol, stroking my head, and ''Muni muni''ing my cheeks ... you even ki, kissed me." "Eeehhh ... No wayyy ... Did I really do that?" I had a faint memory of ''Guri guri'' to her head and ''Muni muni'' to her cheeks, but I wonder if I really kissed her ... "Are you saying that I''m lying?" "No, that kind of thing ... I''m sorry for the inconvenience." "Ah, I guess you have to take Meisa as your wife as well ..." "Eeehhh ... That is ..." "Wait, mother, you always say that marrying someone like Kent would be difficult!" "Eeehhh ... I, are you really saying that?" "Ahahaha, that''s right, even though there are three such cute and well-made wives, Meisa won''t be able to compete." "I see, that''s right ..." "I can''t believe it! Kiiiii, even I will become a ''boin boin'' beauty in five years. I''ll be out of Kent''s league!" "Amanda-san, it seems that the shop is safe." "That''s right, you don''t have to be all ''boin boin'' or a beautiful woman, so if you can do arithmetic a little more and stop wetting the bed, that''s enough." "Ah, that one might be more difficult." "Kiiiii, I don''t wet the bed! Arithmetic ... I hate iiiiit!" I had a good laugh with Amanda. It''s a little noisy, but if I spend a warm and fun time, I''ll have to do my best to protect this happiness. "Kent, are you going to fight the Griffon again today?" "Yes, today I''ll give it a proper finish." "Kent ... Will you be okay?" "It''s okay, even if I lose, I''ll come back safely." When I stroked the worried Meisa-chan''s head, she narrowed her eyes like a cat and tightly hugged me. "If you don''t come home safely, I won''t sleep with you." "Yes, yes, I will return safely so as not to make Meisa-chan who loves me sad." "No, that''s not it. If Kent gets hurt, mofumofu will get hurt too ..." "Yes, yes, then, I''m heading out." "Aiyo, do your best and come back to report when you''re done." "Kent ... come back soon." "Yes, I''m going!" Amanda-san and Meisa-chan sent me off, and I passed through the shield of darkness and headed for the Devil''s Forest training ground. Actually, it was to finish the Griffon countermeasures that were supposed to be done last night. First, I''ll replenish the javelins that Zae and the others used yesterday. I''ve made about 25 pieces so far, so I''m used to working with them, but this time I''ll change the shape a little. I cut a cross in the tip of the spear. [ Kent-sama, what is the notch for? ] "This is because the tip explodes along with the notch when it hits, causing great damage to the enemy." [ Hohou, you deliberately create a weak part and break the tip on purpose. ] "Yeah, if it''s Zae-tachi''s throwing ability, I think this one will be more powerful." It''s the principle of the so-called Dum Dum bullet, but even with the javelins up until now, the power of Zae and the others was superior, and the same effect was occurring, but I thought that by making it work intentionally, it would increase the power even more.(TN:Dum Dum bullets are also called exploding bullets.) When Zae actually tried it, the trunk of the tree it hit was gouged out. I prepared 3 sets of 15 throwing javelins with this Dum Dum bullet structure, and if it still couldn''t kill it, they could throw in the remaining 2 sets of 10 javelins. After replenishing Zae-tachi''s javelins, I confirmed the operation procedure with all my genus and then moved to the castle gate. At the castle gate, there were already members of the garrison and adventurers who had been summoned to the guild. I could also see Marianne-san and Donovan-san, who were coordinating the two organizations. "Good morning. Donovan-san, Marianne-san." "Kent, you''re here ..." "Good morning, Kent-san, my best regards today." "To you too, my best regards." Marianne-san, who was wearing the uniform of the garrison, combined with the bunny ears that stood up, made me think that it was a cosplay at first glance. However, once she appeared on the battlefield, she was a veteran who burned down her enemies with her powerful fire-attribute magic, and was also the commander-in-chief of the garrison. "Today, will Marianne-san also join the attack?" "Kent-san, that''s wrong ..." "Eh, about the attack ... Ah, I''m sorry. Will Mother-in-Law also join the attack?" "Yes, that''s right. Since the opponent is a Griffon, I plan to concentrate all the firepower of the garrison." "Kent, I heard that you will prepare a decoy, but please tell me the procedure again." "Yes, our Kobold will move from the Devil''s Forest to the castle gate as a decoy." I confirmed the operation procedure with Marianne-san and Donovan-san. When the Griffon appeared, Art and Irt would act as decoys and trot from the edge of the forest toward the castle gate. When the Griffon attacked, use the shield of darkness to block the view, and carry out a strategy of crashing into a huge rock. If the collision went well, the subsequent steps would likely proceed as expected, but if the plan went awry, then there would be no choice but to flexibly proceed with subsequent developments. Even if it was avoided, it should slow it down, so use the shield of darkness to hinder its path and time the Slavery Bolas. In the worst case, if we couldn''t use the Slavery Bolas, I planned to devote myself to chasing it off today as well. Of course, being able to subjugate it would be best, but I prioritized avoiding casualties. "Then, our attack will be right after your genus'' attacks have passed and the damage has been done." "Yes, anyway, if we don''t do something about the wind-attribute magic that the Griffon is wearing, no matter how much we attack it, it won''t be effective, so I don''t think we can bring it to subjugation." "Certainly, that''s right. Does that Slavery Bola work well?" "It works fine for humans, but I honestly don''t know if it works for Griffons until I try it." "Really, well, if it''s no good, we have no choice but to think about it when it''s actually no good." "Then, I will move to my post soon." Before diving into the shadows, I checked the position of the attack formation, and the garrison had prepared five crossbows in addition to longbows, and about 100 magicians were deployed. The guild side also had adventurers with strong magical powers and archers, and among them were the three Flame Hounds. Also, isn''t that also Takayama over there. "Eh, Takayama wasn''t called up because he''s an E-rank, right?" "I''m allowed to participate in the storming. I can be useful from a well-protected place, and above all, I want to protect the city where I live with my own hands." "Hmm ... Don''t say things like when this operation is over ..." "Idiot, don''t try to raise a strange flag. From now on, I''ll be in Volzard ..." "What are you going to do with the flags from what you''re saying!" "Ah ... That''s right." After laughing with Takayama for a while, I dove into the shadow space. It was sunny in the morning, but clouds began to appear as the time for the Griffon to appear for hunting drew near. At first there were only thin clouds, but as time passed, they thickened and even blocked out the sun. Even so, it wasn''t raining, and when the clouds broke, the sun shone in. Thick clouds hid the appearance of the Griffon, so it wasn''t a very good condition. [ Kent-sama, please prepare yourself in the case that we are caught off guard. ] "I understand. I''ll consider it to be hiding behind the clouds and approaching." [ I''ll tell everyone to stay alert. ] "Let the decoys, Art and Irt, go outside already." [ Understood. ] The decoys, Art and Irt, wore conspicuous red and yellow cloths, respectively. WIth that appearance, it seemed as if they were stuffed with grass, and moved from the forest to the castle gate.(TN:Not sure what this is supposed to mean, ²ÝÔ‘¤ß kusatsumi. ''Stuffed with grass'' is what it came up with. Kusa is referring to grass/weeds or ninjas, while tsumi has to do with being checkmated or reaching the limits of something. Maybe it means they look like super out of place ninjas or something, I dunno.) It was when an adventurer who mistook them for real people and started making a fuss, and Donovan-san yelled at them and calmed them down. Won! Wonwonwon! Wonwon! "Operation start!" While shouting loudly, I deployed a five-layer shield of darkness with a wide gap. The bottom shield was less than 10 meters away from the ground. From that shield, a huge stone began to fall towards the ground. Art and Irt quickly disappeared into the shadows and hid themselves. The gigantic rock appeared, and the Griffon broke through the first shield at the same time as the people gathered on the ramparts roared. The Griffon showed no sign of slowing down at all, and when it broke through the second, third, and fourth shields, the huge stone fell and a tremendous earth tremor occurred. The distance between the Griffon that broke through the fifth shield and the giant rock should not have been 5 meters. The moment I made a fist pump that it worked, the Griffon opened its wings all the way. Gyaaaauuuu! A strong gust of wind blew from its wings, and the Griffon suddenly decelerated as if it had been fired backwards from a rocket, but as expected, it couldn''t slow down and kicked with its stiff limbs and crashed into the huge stone. "Alright! Hooray ... Eeehhh ..." The Griffon smashed the rock with its extremities enchanted with wind-attribute magic, and when it landed almost undamaged, it opened its wings again and tried to aim for the sky. "I won''t let you!" I quickly deployed a shield of darkness in front of the Griffon to block its path, but the Griffon didn''t care and flapped its wings and rushed towards the shield. From the Griffon''s point of view, it probably thought that one shield of darkness would be easily broken. "Here, you can''t pass, nya!" Nero''s neko punch exploded as a counter when the Griffon tried to break through the shield of darkness. With its neck twisted, the Griffon lost its balance and fell to the ground. "Now!" Three shields of darkness were deployed around the fallen Griffon, and from the shields Reinhardt, Basten, and Fred had prepared the Slavery Bolas. One was knocked away by its rampaging wings, but the other two were tightly wrapped around its neck and hind legs. "Throwing javelins!" This time, five shields of darkness were deployed around the Griffon, and Zae and the others, who had prepared in the shadow space, threw their special javelins at close range. Gyaaaauuuu! The Griffon let out an anguished cry, and not only feathers, but also pieces of flesh and blood splattered. It seemed that the Slavery Bolas were demonstrating their power, and the javelins seemed to hit directly. "Second shot!" After changing the position and deploying the five shields of darkness again, Zae and the others'' second shots were fired. Gaaeeeeeee! Along with a cry of agony, a large amount of feathers and blood splashed again, and the Griffon was convulsing. "Fred, drop its wings!" [ Leave it to me ... ](TN:For some reason here, it''s "" instead of [] in raws, but it''s a typo, Fred can''t ''talk''.) Jumping out of the shield of darkness, Fred swung his jet-black twin swords and slashed off the Griffon''s wings. "You bastards, do it!" When Donovan-san''s angry roar resounded, a simultaneous attack began from the ramparts towards the Griffon. The fire-attribute attack magic that increased in power by mixing with the wind-attribute attacks, and arrows were shot down like rain. In order not to hinder the attacks of the garrison members and the adventurers, I had Zae and the others throw all the remaining javelins from the shield of darkness deployed under the ramparts. When it was wearing wind-attribute magic, it was like wearing a strong armor, but after becoming just a living body and even having its wings cut off, the Griffon was reduced to a monster with a slightly large body. There was no way to resist the concentrated attack. Gyiiiiii ... Gyii ... Gyi ... The Griffon struggled while becoming a fire daruma, but it gradually stopped moving and only twitched and convulsed, and eventually it stopped. Even with that, the attacks on the Griffon didn''t stop, and water-attribute attack magic rained down, causing the Griffon to look like it was collapsing in the huge steam that spewed up. "Stop the attack!" At Donovan-san''s voice to stop attacking, the area was enveloped in silence. The Griffon, which was the important thing, couldn''t be seen due to the steam that was wafting in the air. The air calmed down for a while, and a commotion began to mix in. "Hey, what happened." "Did we do it?" "You idiot, don''t say unnecessary things." "It''s not moving." "If we can''t beat it with that, how can we beat it." When the noise started to rise, a strong west wind blew, blowing the drifting steam away. A lump of charred meat with javelins pierced like a mountain of swords appeared from behind the steam. All of its feathers had been burnt off, and only the beak and sharp clawed feet remained of a Griffon. [ Kent-sama, why don''t you make it your genus now? ] "That seems impossible." [ Is it the number limit? ] "No, I don''t think so. I don''t get a response even if I call out using dark magic." [ Hohou, I wonder if the damage to the body is too severe after all. ] "Or ... maybe the magic stone has broken." Everyone I''ve made into my genus so far had only minor damage, and more importantly, their magic stones were undamaged. And the magical passage felt like it was connected to the magic stone. It seemed that the corpse could be moved without connecting the passage, but I felt that it would just move like a puppet instead of moving with intention like all my genus. [ I thought that if it was added to the genus, it would become a great fighting force, but it''s a shame. ] "Well, I think it will be fine if we strengthen the current genus." [ However, the presence or absence of the ability to fly would have made a big difference. ] "Yeah, about that, but I feel like it couldn''t fly just by making it my genus." [ Hohou, why is that? ] "Griffons don''t fly with their wings, they fly with wind attribute magic." [ I see, it might not have been possible to fly in the sky with only darkness attribute. ] "If I could give wind attribute, even Nero feels like he can fly in the sky." [ For that, Kent-sama needs to acquire the wind attribute. ] "That''s right. It''s time to bring back the next person. My classmates'' dissatisfaction is about to explode." I put out a shield of darkness and went out to Marianne-san and Donovan-san. "Thank you for your hard work, it looks like we were able to defeat it." "Kent-san, you did a good job. It''s quite an achievement this time, too." "Umu, I think this is a relief, but let''s check just in case." Even if the archers fired arrows at Donovan-san''s orders, the Griffon mass of flesh showed no reaction, and a loud cheer erupted from the walls. At the same time, Kan, Kan, the bell announcing the release of the alert rang loudly. "We won!" "Come on, Griffon bastard, it''s just a lump of meat." "Thanks to my magic." "You''re just one of the people, don''t be stupid." "That''s right, thanks to the crossbow I shot." "Idiot, rather than a snotty brat like that, it was the Monster User''s javelins. Whatever it is, it''s too brutal." "It''s the same with the javelins, but that rock ... What is that, it''s unfair ..." "When the Orc maximum outbreak occurred last time, weren''t rocks raining down from the sky?" "Isn''t he also controlling a Storm Cat? It''s too dangerous ..." The cheers gradually turned into a roar, and the eyes of the surroundings gathered on me. For some reason, it''s really uncomfortable ... "Well, then I''ll go report to Klaus-san." "Fufuu, Kent, it''s only natural for an S-rank adventurer to be looked at with awe. Be bold, be bold." "That''s right, Kent-san is the Hero who protected Volzard." "Haa, it doesn''t seem to click for some reason, but I guess that''s what it is." I didn''t know what to do, so I lowered my head to the eyes of the surroundings and moved to Klaus-san''s office. Klaus-san sat in front of the desk with his arms crossed, while Beatriche stared at the window with the curtains open. I put out a shield of darkness and stepped directly into the office. "Klaus-san, we killed it. We won!" "Alright! You did a great job!" "Welcome back, Kent-sama." I tightly hugged Beatriche who came running over, but for today Klaus-san was still smiling. I gave a brief report on the process leading up to the subjugation. "So, did the Griffon join your genus?" "No, about that ..." Klaus-san seemed a little disappointed when I told him how the affiliation didn''t go well, but he agreed. "Well, it''s a monster that has killed four people, so even if it''s your genus, the people in the city might have opposed it, so maybe it''s fine." "Yes, for the time being, I''m planning to obtain wind attribute magic and try to see if I can bestow it on Nero, the undead Storm Cat." "If you can do that, it can fly in the sky, right?" "I think it will feel like running rather than flying, but I wonder if it will go well ..." "Anyway, thank you for killing the Griffon. I''d like to thank you again. Kent, I''m so glad you came to Volzard." "Yes, I''m really glad I came to Volzard as well." After I shook hands with Klaus-san, I decided to go inform the chairman and Manon that I was safe. The city of Volzard was overflowing with people, and it seemed that a festive commotion had begun. CH 169 Cleaning up ***---*** After reporting the Griffon subjugation to Klaus-san, I visited Manon''s house. Usually it was time to go to the garrison''s clinic, but she said she would refrain from going out due to the Griffon incident. Peeking out of the shadows, Manon was in the living room with her mother, Noelle-san, sitting down in a chair, she got up, went to look out the window, came back and sat in the chair, and looking restless she went to go look out the window again. "Manon, just sit down calmly." "Because, the alarm cancellation bell rang ..." "If that''s the case, why don''t you just go outside and have a look." "But, if Kent comes looking for me in the meantime, I''ll be troubled ..." "Than, wait quietly." "Because, if Kent got hurt, it would be a problem ..." "It''s okay, he''s protected Volzard all this time, right." "That''s right, but this time the opponent is a Griffon ... So I''m worried." This is bad. I''ve never experienced having a girl worry about me before, so I think I''m going to grin a little. I put out a shield of darkness and entered the living room. "Manon, it''s over. The Griffon is subjugated!" "Kent, Kent, Kent!" I hugged Manon as she rushed over. Manon was trembling a little and I felt happy that there was such a girl who cared about me. "I''m sorry for worrying you." "Umm, you''re not injured, right? Weren''t you in danger?" "It''s okay, I''m not injured anywhere. Because everyone in my genus worked hard." "Yes, that''s good ... Really good, welcome back, Kent." "I''m back, Manon." When I hugged her tightly again, I could feel the tension in Manon''s body disappear and the trembling also disappeared. "Ah ... I''m sorry I''m late to say hello, pardon my intrusion. Mother-in-law." "Ara, ara, thank you for your hard work, Kent-san. If you called me Noela-san, I would have scolded you. Thank you very much for protecting Volzard." "No, it''s not something to thank me for. Volzard is my important city, so it''s only natural to protect it." "Yup, yup, he''s really a good son-in-law. I''m impressed by Manon''s eyes even though she''s my daughter. Well done, Kent-san." "Mom, I didn''t catch him ... I just fell in love with Kent ..." "Manon ..." "Kent ..." "Ara, ara, isn''t it better to continue in Manon''s room? Oh, right, I wonder if Manon''s room is full of clothes again?" "Hey, Mom!" "Ever since Kent-san started coming every morning, Manon''s morning preparations have gotten longer ..." "Mom!" When I thought about Manon worrying about choosing clothes for me every morning, I couldn''t help but smile. "Manon, there are still other places I need to report to, so I''ll come back later. Mother-in-law, I''ll be back at a later time." "Yes, yes, please stop by any time." After hugging Manon tightly again, I hid in the shadows and returned to the boarding house. "I''m back just now. The Griffon, we beat it!" "Ah, Kent huh, you''re back. You''ve worked hard ... Meisa, please take the plate over there." "Wait a minute ... Yes, mother. Kent, welcome home!" "Welcome back, Kent, thank you for your hard work." "Ah, Meline-san, thank you ..." So, although there are voices, no one came out of the kitchen. Since the Griffon had been subjugated, I guess they were hurrying to prepare for the opening of the shop. Well, this kind of treatment was the usual thing, and since I reported the subjugation and my safety, I should go to someone else. "Amanda-san, I''m going to the garrison''s quarters ..." "Wait a minute! Kent, have you had lunch?" "No, I was busy with the Griffon subjugation ..." "Okay, sit over there!" "Haa ... But, everyone is busy preparing ..." Just as I was saying that, the three of them came out of the kitchen. Amanda-san and Meline-san had plates of food in both hands, and Meisa-chan was holding plates, knives, and forks for everyone. "Hey, hey, what are you staring at? Sit down." "Hey, Kent, over here." "Kent, sit down ..." Soups, salads, roasted chunks of meat, and freshly baked bread were also served. "Ehh ... How about preparing the shop?" "Don''t be stupid, there''s no way I''m going to prepare something even though I took a break due to the Griffon riot." "Well then, until just now ..." "We were all ready to eat when Kent came back." I could see Meisa-chan''s figure puffing out her small chest as if to say that''s how it was. "Kent, you did a great job." "Kent, thank you!" "Kent, thank you for your hard work ..." "Yes, thank you ..." Uuh, it''s dangerous. I''m weak to this sort of thing. "Seriously, even though you''re going after such an outrageous monster as a Griffon, you''re still a crybaby." "Yes ... Sorry ... I''m sorry." "Hey, hey, there''s no need to apologize, so eat while it''s not cold." "Yes ... Yes, Itadakimasu." All of these are the flavors of Volzard''s mother, Amanda-san, that I''ve become accustomed to eating since I came to Volzard. I realized that being able to eat ordinary meals was peaceful and happy. While we were eating, we talked about the battle, but all three of them thought that the ground tremor caused by dropping the huge stone was the work of the Griffon, and when I told them that it was my fault, they were astonished. "You came up with something completely outrageous. I thought it was the Griffon''s attack, and I was chilled." "I''m sorry. I was going to try anything that seemed to have an effect on my opponent, so ..." "So, what happened to that rock?" "Oh, it was trampled by the Griffon." "Eeeeeehhhhhh! That big rock was?" Not only Amanda-san, but Meisa-chan and Meline-san also had wide eyes. After enjoying a slightly late lunch while being amazed, surprised, and laughed at, I decided to head to the garrison''s quarters. Since I was late in informing her, the chairman might get angry. Amanda-san and the others would go shopping for ingredients and start preparing for tomorrow. The chairman was gathered in the cafeteria with my classmates and the teachers. I thought it was going to be exciting, but there was something heavy in the air. If you think about it, they couldn''t honestly be happy because Mita was a victim. "Yuika, I''m back. The Griffon has been subjugated." "Welcome back, are you injured?" "Yup, I''m fine, there''s nothing." "That''s good ..." I hugged the chairman who walked over and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. That''s when Katou-sensei called out to me. "Kokubu, what happened to the Griffon?" "When I weakened it, the garrison members and the adventurers attacked it all at once." "No, I know you subjugated it, but what''s going on with the Griffon?" "Eh, what''s going on ... it''s dead." "No, what''s the condition of the Griffon''s corpse?'' "The condition is it ... erm, it''s like a mass of flesh that has been charred black with javelins stuck all over it." "Is that so ... Does it seem difficult to find Mita''s remains?" "Eh, do you mean the inside of the Griffon''s belly?" When I asked in surprise, Katou-sensei nodded silently. "No ... It''s been two full days since he was kidnapped. Isn''t it really tough?" "I see ... That''s right ..." I didn''t know how long it would take for the Griffon to digest what it ate, but I didn''t think it would have remained in its stomach for two whole days. I thought it would be better to think of it has having already been digested and possibly excreted. "Actually, Mita''s story was leaked to the mass media, and it seems that there is a lot of talk about at least part of the body ..." "But, I don''t think so ... The Griffon''s corpse was also badly damaged, and if it had already been digested ..." "I guess that''s true, but Mita''s family won''t be able to accept it if there''s nothing left, so I''m wondering if it''s possible to at least show it in the form of a search." "Ehh, is that like tearing open the Griffon''s belly and taking a picture of what''s inside?" Katou-sensei nodded silently. "I don''t think you''re asking me to do that." "No, I can''t say that much." "Then, who will do it?" "Could you ask someone to do it for you?" "That''s a little ..." "Isn''t it better if Kokubu asks for it instead of us asking?" "That may be true, but ... Wanting to examine the contents of the internal organs ..." So far, my genus and I have defeated a huge number of monsters, but I''ve never dismantled them myself. Rock Ogres and Minotaurs, I asked Fred to collect their materials, and Gigawolves and Salamanders were purchased at a price minus the cost of dismantling them. The only exception was when I subdued Nero, I took out the corpses in its stomach, but I asked Reinhardt to do that too, so I couldn''t look straight at it. "What are you doing? You''re trying to come up with a reason to refuse, but can''t you think of the feelings of the bereaved family?" When I was reluctant to answer Katou-sensei, Takagi-san interrupted. It was a sharp way of saying it, and it was irritating. "Takagi-san, who said that, will you go to ask?" "It goes without saying who is more suitable to ask, me who just came here and can''t understand the language, or you who can understand the language and has a good reputation with the Lord." "What''s that, I''m refusing for a reason, myself. Please don''t talk arrogantly about people when you haven''t done anything." "It''s only natural for a human being who has obtained great power to fulfill a corresponding responsibility. Why are you not even trying to fulfill a natural responsibility?" "If you''re talking about natural responsibility, I''ve fully cooperated with the Griffon subjugation. If you''re going to complain about others, please do what you can." "It''s totally out of the question. No matter how powerful of magic you get, you''re only chasing women''s asses, and your responsibility is ..." Pa--n! A pleasant sound resounded, and Takagi-san staggered slightly while holding his left cheek. The chairman''s eyes were angry with the posture of giving a slap with all her might. "Please give it a rest. You have no right to blame him as someone who doesn''t even know how much Kento has worked so hard to help us. First of all, we are not being chased by Kento. We chose Kento out of our own will, and decided to live together. Please don''t be rude. Let''s go, Kento." "Ehh, ahh ... Yeah, let''s go." I left the cafeteria while letting the chairman pull my hand. Takagi-san''s face, like a pigeon getting hit by a peashooter, was the best. Chairman, Good Job. "I understand why Kento doesn''t look good when Takagi-san talks. What''s wrong with him." "Yeah. But, Yuika was kind enough to do it for me, so I was relieved." "Because, I couldn''t keep quiet like that. It''s wrong to force everything on Kento. In general, Kento was doing his best to subdue the Griffon more than anyone else." "Yeah, but for me, as long as Yuika understands that, that''s enough." "Kento, thank you for your hard work." "Thank you, Yuika." At the edge of the training ground where I kept walking with momentum, I hugged the chairman tightly. While I was leaning against the fence of the training ground and talking to the chairman about the subjugation, Miura-san from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs walked in looking for me. "Hey, Kokubu-kun, you did a great job in exterminating the Griffon, thank you for your hard work." "Yes, I managed to subdue it with the help of the garrison members and the adventurers. With this, I think Miura-san and the others will be able to work freely." "Well, it''s been a while since we arrived, so I was honestly wondering what to do, but now I''m relieved. So, Kokubu-kun, about the return and travel rewards we were talking about the other day." "Yes, umm, it was 800 kg of rebar per person." "Right, right, the government''s approval has been obtained, and the Nerima garrison has prepared the amount so far, it doesn''t matter when it''s convenient for you, Kokubu-kun, but could you go pick it up?" "Yes, I understand. But, so far ..." "Three returnees, a group of seven members of the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, and a one-way trip for the three of us and Takagi-san, the total is 9.6 tons." "Eeehhh ... 9.6 tons, huh ..." Klaus-san noticed that there was a big difference in the price of iron between Japan and Volzard, but I didn''t think that it would be such a large amount if paid at once. "Hahahaha, if you put it all together, it''s going to be quite a lot." "Yes, I will consult with the Lord, Klaus-san, and have him create a system to accept it." "That''s right, that would be best. Also, Kajikawa-kun was in trouble because he couldn''t get in touch with you, so I told him that you were busy with the Griffon incident ... You should contact him later." "Uwaa, yes, I completely forgot. I''m sorry, thank you for your help." "Then, you can go pick up the rebar anytime and make sure it''s okay, so you don''t have to get permission. You can do it when it''s convenient for you." "Yes, I understand. Thank you for everything." After finishing his errand, Miura-san smiled and waved and went back to the dormitory. That''s crazy ... the existence of a smartphone had completely fallen out of my mind. I took it out of the shadow storage, but I was afraid to turn it on. "Kento, didn''t you contact Japan?" "Yeah, my head was full with subjugating the Griffon, so I completely forgot about it." "Wouldnt it be better to contact them?" "Yeah, that''s right, but ..." "No, you can''t put it off." I was about to put it in the shadow storage, but the chairman pressed me. "Haa ... It can''t be helped. Eii ... Whoa!" As soon as I turned on the power, over a hundred messages arrived. When I tried to delete them all at once, the ringtone rang out. "Yes ... It''s Kokubu." "Is it finally connected ..." What I heard from the other side of the phone was Suzuki-san''s voice, which was as cold as ice. "I''m sorry. I was a little busy ..." "There are piles of rebar, so I would like you to pick them up as soon as possible, and I have prepared smartphones to lend to students who do not have mobile phones, so could you come pick them up?" "Yes, err, I''ll visit once Volzard is ready to receive the rebars." "Please do so as soon as possible." "Yes, then ... Haa ..." When I hung up the call, I let out a sigh. "Kento, who was that just now?" "Umm ... Cabinet, secretariat room?" "Everybody wouldn''t be able to do their job without Kento, so it would be nice if Kento was more confident ..." "Well, maybe that''s true, but ... I''m not good at it, is what I feel." "Fufuu, it certainly doesn''t seem like Kento." "Right. Haa ... I need to ask Klaus-san or Donovan-san to make a position to receive the iron, 9.6 tons ..." "If you take it easy, the number of people coming and going will increase, and it may just keep piling up." "That''s right. Well then, I''ll go for a while." "Yeah, see you later ..." After hugging the chairman tightly again, I moved to the guild. In the guild''s office, Donovan-san was reporting on the Griffon subjugation. "We plan to collect the claws and beak and put them up for auction. Since dilettantes will drop them at a high price, we should be able to use them to make up for the turmoil this time." "The victims were two guards, one adventurer, and one from Kent''s place, right?" "Yes, that''s right. If we give the prescribed condolence money for those three people, how will you deal with the other one?" "That person is a person who didn''t follow the evacuation instructions in the first place, even though I consulted with the teachers, so basically, it''s zero ... Well, let''s think about it." "What are you going to do with the Griffon''s corpse?" "That''s right, rather than just cutting off the beak and claws, I''d rather preserve the entire skeleton. Wouldn''t that be more expensive around Bakkenheim?" "I see, that''s certainly true. Then, like that ..." "Ah, that''s right. Please check the state of the magic stone. Kent said that the magic stone might be broken." "Okay, let''s collect it, including the fragments." "Please ..." I put out a shield of darkness and entered the office when the conversation was interrupted. "Excuse me. Klaus-san, can I have a moment?" "Oh, are you in a hurry?" "Yes, it seems that the Japanese side has prepared iron as a reward for me who was involved in the returns until now, so I thought I''d ask the Volzard side to prepare for it." "Oh, is that so. So, how much will it be?" "Umm, it''s 9.6 tons ... 600 corads?" "Hooo ... I see, I see, 600 corads ..." Klaus-san had an uncontrollable smile on his lips. "Donovan, is there any space left in the guild warehouse?" "600 corads will be a considerable amount, but it is possible to accept it." "Okay, Kent, you can come here any time. Bring it in when it''s convenient for you." "Yes, then, I''m going to go get it now, so is it okay to bring it to the training ground behind the guild?" "No, please load it directly into the warehouse. Just in case, I''ll have Tebez present." Later, I decided to go to the warehouse with Donovan-san and ask him to specify where to bring in the rebar. "Also, I have a favor to ask about the Griffon''s corpse ..." "What, I''m going to pay the daily allowance for the subjugation according to the regulations." "Yes, I''m not going to make an request regarding the reward, but actually ..." Since they were talking about dismantling the Griffon and preserving its skeleton, I consulted with him about one of the items left behind. "I see. It''s not like I don''t know how you feel ... But, Kent, just think about it. If that Griffon wasn''t hunting outside of Volzard, what would it have in its stomach?" "Uuh ... Humans, right?" "Yes, to be precise, it used to be human. I don''t know how much the Griffon will eat, but I don''t think it would keep its original form. However, the people who dismantle it know what it was. Are you still asking me to open the internal organs and check what''s inside?" "No, I can''t ask you to go that far. So, it''s fine without opening the internal organs, so could you just let me take a picture of the dismantling process?" "Well, it''s something you''ll do anyway, so it doesn''t matter, but make sure you don''t make any strange noises. Among the people involved in the dismantling, there may be people who have had their friends and acquaintances killed." "I understand, I''m sorry to say this, but if I say something unnecessary, feel free to punch me away." "I see, I understand. Donovan, when you want to dismantle it, please talk to the teachers." "I understand." After meeting with Klaus-san and Donovan-san, I returned to the garrison quarters, looked for Katou-sensei, and told him the story. Since that matter had been resolved, I thought I should go to Japan to finish some errands. CH 170 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 170 Japan after a long time ***---*** The Nerima garrison, which I had been busy with Griffon countermeasures and seemed to have been out for a long time, had an air of lethargy. Actually, it didn''t seem like there was much to do here unless I showed up. Suzuki-san, who was introduced as my secretary on the Japanese side, was also sitting in a chair with a blank expression. What do you call this, ennui? Sulking? Which one. Now, rather than calling it the Investigation Headquarters, many people were watching TV screens in a room that could be called the Isekai Countermeasures Headquarters. When I turned my gaze, it seemed that someone had already sent an image, and the charred corpse of the subjugated Griffon was displayed. Perhaps it was an image taken in high-definition mode that was sent, but it was very clear, and the image was used to give a dubious commentary. "This head part, as you can see, it has the characteristics of a complete bird. And this part here! It''s the part of the hind legs, do you understand? It''s easy to understand if you compare it with the front legs, but it''s shaped like a cat or canine animal ..." Yeah, it''s true that the Griffon had the upper body of a bird of prey and the lower body of a lion, so it was in the shape of a cat. I called out from a distance so as not to startle the people watching the TV screen. "Hello, sorry for the long absence ..." "Oh, Kokubu-kun, it feels like it''s been a while." Sudou-san, who was the closest, greeted me with a smile. Yes, I chose the place farthest from Suzuki-san. "Kokubu-kun defeated that Griffon after all." "No, no, it''s charred like that because of Volzard''s garrison members and all the adventurers attacking all at once. All I did was stop it from moving." "Is that so. No, according to the reports, you defeated it alone ..." "There''s no way that''s true. I can''t defeat a Griffon by myself. Look at that size. It''s the size of a monster." In the picture of the Griffon shown on the TV, the garrison members were reflected, and you could clearly see the size of the monster. "It grabs adults one in each of its front legs and flies away without slowing down. Its body is wrapped in wind-attribute magic, so it''s difficult for attacks to pass through, and if someone could defeat that alone, they would be a monster." "If such a thing appeared in Japan, it would cause a big fuss." "I don''t know, since Japan doesn''t have magic power, it would eventually run out of magic power and the defense of the wind attribute magic would collapse, so the size was a threat, but I think that the equipment of the Self-Defense Forces would be able to compete with it." "Well, even if that''s the case, it looks like there would be a lot of damage before then. Kokubu-kun, please don''t bring in that kind of thing." "I''ve already had enough with just that Griffon." At that time, I noticed that six days had passed since the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Volzard, and the time difference at that time was about one hour. Even though I left Volzard before evening, it was still past noon in Japan. Kajikawa-san came to talk to me when Sudou-san and I stopped talking. "Hey, Kokubu-kun, it seems that you''re making good use of the smartphone I lent you, and Suzuki-kun is happy too." "I''m sorry, I''m really sorry. My head was full of Griffon countermeasures ... please don''t bully me like that." "Ahahaha, I understand that it was a formidable opponent from listening to Sudou-san, and I think it can''t be helped, but I wanted you to contact me at least once a day." Kajikawa-san laughed as he said that, and Suzuki-san''s gaze stabbing me from behind hurt. "I''m sorry. The Griffon measures are over, so I think it will be fine from now one." "Thanks to Kokubu-kun, we are able to communicate with the locals, but we still rely on Kokubu-kun for the transportation of goods and people." "Ah, that''s right. I have to carry the rebars." "Also, can you bring the smartphones that we will lend to the students?" "The number of smartphones ..." "Ah, I contacted the local teachers, and there are enough for everyone, so it''s okay." "Understood, then I''ll take care of that first." I received the three cardboard boxes that were placed in the countermeasures room and put them away in the shadow storage. "Wow, no matter how many times I see it, it''s convenient." "Yes, I can put in and take it out from anywhere, and it seems that the capacity is increasing as I use it, so even a fairly large item is fine." "Could it be that the almost 10 tons of rebar is going to be included?" "Yes, a rock mass of about 500 tons has already entered, so it''s okay." "500 tons ... it looks like you can carry tanks and combat helicopters." "Eh, well, I don''t think there''s anything that can''t be carried, but ..." Huh, did I say something bad there. When I told him that I could put a 500 ton rock in, I felt like the atmosphere around me had changed. "Oh yeah, Kokubu-kun''s magical movement can go anywhere you''ve been before, right?" "Yes, well, I can go." "Does that mean that once you go to a place you''re going to, you can come and go freely?" "Haa ... Well, that''s right." "Also, you took the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs from Japan to Volzard. Is it possible to do that movement on Earth?" "Umm ... Why is that?'' "Ah, don''t be so cautious ... is impossible to say. See, recently there have been terrorism incidents in various countries. In the future, some country suddenly plunges into a state of civil war, leaving Japanese people behind ... there is a possibility of something like that happening. At that time, I thought that if we could use Kokubu-kun''s method of transportation, we might be able to rescue the Japanese people safely and quickly." Certainly, as Kajikawa-san said, Japanese people who don''t have magical power can enter the world of shadows just by adding a little of my magical power, so whether it''s America or Germany, if it was a place I''ve been to, instant movement was possible. "I see ... But, I''ve never been abroad, so it''s impossible in the current situation." "I understand that. However, as the Japanese government, we always have to consider the best method, so we are just going to consider it, and of course we have no intention of forcing it, so you don''t have to worry." "Honestly, I don''t want my powers to be used for war, but if it''s to help those in need, I''ll do my best to help." "Thank you, it would be helpful if you could do that. Well then, shall we have you carry the rebar." "Yes, I understand." Guided by Kajikawa-san, we headed to the warehouse where the rebar was placed, and of course Suzuki-san accompanied us. Suzuki-san was wearing a pants suit today. "Umm ... I''m sorry I didn''t contact you." "It can''t be helped because ... it seems that you were busy." "Haa ... I''m sorry." Uwaa ... It''s really awkward, but why is Kajikawa-san laughing. "Kuukuukuu ... Suzuki-kun, just leave it at that. Kokubu-kun has various circumstances." "I know. I''m not angry at all ..." No, no, you''re definitely angry. You''re in a bad mood, aren''t you. The warehouse I was guided to was piled high with rebar. "It''s the same D10 standard rebar as last time, so each one is about 3 kg, 9.6 tons total, 32,000 items in total. I had them bundled in units of 100, so there will be 320 bundles." "Somehow, it''s an amazing amount." "Recently, when we build a large building, we bring in pre-made materials, so we don''t see a lot of rebars anymore, but it''s not an uncommon sight when you go to a big construction site." "Is that so ... For the time being, I''ll carry it." I placed a shield of darkness as close to the rebar as possible and had everyone carry them in. "Then, everyone, can you carry them." The undead Lizardmen, Zae the the others, took down the things that were piled up, and the Kobold Corps carried them in. Hey, even though they weigh 300 kilograms, it''s easily carried by two of them ... Kajikawa-san and Suzuki-san, who were present, were also watching with surprised expressions. The rebar piled up like a mountain quickly decreased in height and was carried into the shadow space in about 10 minutes. Kajikawa-san was surprised at the beginning, but from halfway through, he watched my genus work with a serious expression. After all, he must have been thinking about the transportation of materials and the rescue of Japanese people in the event of an emergency that he was talking about earlier. "My King, it''s done." "Thank you, I''ll have you carry it to Volzard later, my best regards." After giving the Resenburg Knight''s Salute, all of my genus descended into the shield of darkness. "Wow, that''s a big deal. How can you train monsters like that?" "Eh, I didn''t train them. Everyone of my genus are like my family, so everyone thinks for themselves." "Eh, is that so? Well, that''s a big deal, isn''t it? I see, they''re doing it of their own volition ... saying that, does that mean that they make decisions on various situations by themselves to some extent?" "That''s right. Everyone is thinking for themselves." Basically, Reinhardt plays a central role in my actions, and perhaps because they are connected by a magical path, they almost never do anything that deviates from my intentions. Sometimes, as their master, I want them to be like this ... They act like that. "By the way, Kokubu-kun, what happened to that Griffon''s corpse?" "It seems that they are trying to sell it to the academic city in the form of a skeletal specimen." "I see, Griffons are rare monsters over there." "Yes, it is said that it only appears once every few decades." "Have you heard about Mita-kun''s remains?" "Yes, I heard from Sensei that such a story was raised, but it''s been a full two days since he was taken, so it''s a little difficult ... Ah, but I got permission to film the dismantling process." I talked with Klaus-san, the Lord, and I got permission to film the dismantling, but I told him that it was difficult to confirm the contents. "I see, I understand well. You did your best to film the state of dismantling ... We''ll guide the opinions of the internet along the lines of such." "Eh, are you trying to induce opinions on the internet?" "It''s not every time, but sometimes we intervene when it''s inconvenient. That being said, we don''t want to create a flow of talk that''s convenient for the government. It feels like we can suppress the spread by disseminating correct information." Kajikawa-san''s way of talking was that the flow was inconvenient for the government. "Umm, how do you feel about Tayama and Mita''s affairs here?" "That''s right ... Both of them lost their lives as a result of their careless actions, so there are many people who criticize that part, However, both of them were basically unable to return to Japan, so there was something like frustration with the lack of progress on returning, and they tried to film the scenery of monsters of another world, but the results were disappointing, there is criticism of the trend that encourages filming." After all, there must have been criticism of the current situation in which only three people had returned to Japan. I was also part of the cause, so I felt a little responsible. "I''m sorry. The Griffon turmoil has been settled, so I''ll try to get serious about returning them." "Ah, it''s not Kokubu-kun who''s being criticized, but the coming and going of the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs may be a reason for the delay in returning, so you don''t have to worry about it. Of course, it would be better if you proceeded with the return." "I understand the criticism about the delay in returning, but when you talk about being encouraged to film, does it feel like they''re competing for the most access to a video site?" "That''s part of it, but in Mita-kun''s case, a friend in Japan wanted to see the Griffon, so please take a picture ... it seems that he had sent a message like that." Kajikawa-san answered with a slightly sour expression. "Eeehhh ... Then, he was kidnapped by a Griffon while trying to respond to that request?" "That''s right. So, the girl who requested the filming was identified on the internet ..." "Uwaa ... It''s not about to burst into flames, is it?" "Let alone going to school, she can''t even leave the house, and they have hired security guards to guard their home. Tayama-kun''s case had just happened, and above all, it''s a case that''s attracting a lot of public attention." When my father was attacked by the weekly magazine, he had to move out of the apartment where he lived with his new family, if it''s a story related to the summoning, the scale of the flames will increase. "Speaking of which, how is Kizawa-san doing?" "Ah, that girl did well. Just between us, the government is also keeping an eye on what''s going on. The income from the video posting site alone will be considerable, and as I mentioned before, it''s selling at a tremendous rate and it seems that it will be sold overseas, so the royalties will be a considerable amount." "It seems that they also talked about donating the sales ..." "That''s right. A foundation called Kizawa Sumika Fund was established. From there, condolence money will be paid to those injured in the school building collapse accident, and condolence money will be paid to the bereaved families of the deceased. However, compared to the amount she earned, it seems to be a very small fraction." "Haa ... Then, Kizawa-san, does it feel like she''s retreating after winning?" "That''s right. Since the communication with the other world has been established, the attention to her has decreased, so if she fades out like this, it feels like winning and running away. Well, it''s not a scenario drawn by her alone. It sounds like her parents are deeply involved." Even so, she made the decision while it was uncertain that she might be able to return home, snatched the right to return, and achieved the results so far, I have to say it''s a big deal. "How is Kubo-san, who came back second?" "In contrast to Kizawa-san, she doesn''t show up at all. She has security at home, and it seems that the media is still sticking to her, but she herself is taking classes via the internet, she hasn''t stepped out of her house." "That''s extreme, too." "Well, maybe that''s just the right amount of time to be forgotten by the mass media." "Umm, how is Oda-sensei?" "As for Oda-san, at one point, the criticism was focused on him. The teachers were also given bracelets that restricted their actions, and they made it known that there was a life-threatening situation if they resisted, so the criticism has subsided. Or rather, the source of criticism was Funayama-san." Funayama''s father was making a fuss in front of the media when Sekiguchi-san died, but after Tayama died and Mita was snatched, he seemed to be yelling at the media again. From the point of view of the mass media, he''s the father of a student whose whereabouts were unknown, and because he''s that character, it was easy to make jokes about him. "Even if Oda-san received a lot of criticism, he responded without losing his composure, and most importantly, Oda-san himself was a victim. Criticism of him could become criticism of the victims, so I don''t think there will be anything blatant in the future. Well, it would be difficult to teach normally." In fact, except for spending time with his family on the day of his return, Oda-sensei seemed to have been dragged out here and there to give explanations. Oda-sensei seemed to be cooperating in interviews with his affiliated institutions, and he intended to continue to cooperate fully until all of his students had returned home. "Kajikawa-san, regarding the return of the students, I think Takayama Shuichi will remain in Volzard along with me, but what will happen to his nationality?" "Hmm ... Nationality, huh ... To be honest, I don''t even know how it will be treated." "Does that mean that I''m not recognized as a citizen of Volzard?" "Hmm ... The principle is that you are free to choose your nationality, but that requires obtaining a foreign nationality. Otherwise, you will become a person without a nationality." "I see, then Volzard''s ... No, if we acquire the nationality of the Landshelt Republic, it''s possible to lose Japanese nationality, right?" "No, first of all, Japan has to recognize the Landshelt Republic as an independent nation, but ... there is no precedent for recognizing a country other than on Earth as a nation. You took the nationality of another country, you don''t need Japanese nationality ... I don''t think that will work." "Then, does that mean that I will remain a Japanese citizen forever?" "In the current situation, that''s true. That''s why Kokubu-kun is bound by Japanese law." "Eh, is that so? Then, I can''t drink or smoke yet, and can''t get married?" "That''s right. Of course, if you marry two or more women, you will be accused of bigamy." "Eeehhh ... That''s not good. Seraphima is going to come over when the Resenburg mess is settled ..." Due to the Griffon turmoil, the situation in the Resenburg royal castle was unknown, but it was decided that the former First Prince faction and the former Second Prince faction would gather under Camilla, so depending on the situation with Havre Calvine turned out, there was also the possibility of a simple solution. Even though the Princess of Barshania was coming, I felt that the situation was a bit unpleasant, if I married Seraphima, unless I married the other three, Klaus-san wouldn''t remain silent. "Somehow, won''t the national recognition of the Landshelt Republic be sped up?" "Hmm ... I don''t think people in the government should say this, but bureaucratic work doesn''t progress that easily. Let alone that there is no precedent ... I can''t expect much." "Is that so ..." I wonder why Suzuki-san looks happy when I''m troubled. "Well, if you want to move forward with that matter quickly, I think you have no choice but to ask Miura-san and the others from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their cooperation." "I see, if Miura-san''s work progresses, exchanges between nations will become closer, and approval may come sooner." "Well, that''s right, but it''s better to think that it won''t be so easy." According to Kajikawa-san, even if Japan tried to move in the direction of approval, there was the possibility that allies and neighboring countries would make complaints. Depending on how you think about it, there is the possibility that Japan would become a country with a huge landmass, and even if it came to the interests of underground resources, there was a possibility that monopolization would not be allowed ... There was also a possibility that a story like that would be brought in. Or rather, to accept Seraphima, I had to find a house ... No, I had to have one built. Well, what should I do about the land. I had to proceed with the return of my classmates, the matter of my home, the mess in Resenburg ... Even if I got rid of the Griffon, I couldn''t seem to relax at all. For now, let''s bring the rebars I received to the guild''s warehouse. CH 171 Late night guild ***---*** By the time I got back to Volzard, the sun had already set and it was getting late at night. When I was talking with Kajikawa-san, I completely forgot about the widening time difference between Japan and Volzard. The Griffon had been subdued, so there were still echoes of the festivities in the city, but the guild''s staff space had fallen silent, and the sound of pens moving could be heard. Donovan-san, CEO of a self-black company, was the only person using a pen at that time. Due to the Griffon turmoil, normal work may have decreased, but the number of subjugation-related documents had probably increased. Donovan-san''s desk had piles of documents that I was impressed that they didn''t fall apart. I was a little hesitant to call out, but I heard that Tebez-san, who was in charge of appraisal, should be present when the rebar was brought in, so it would be better to ask him if it should be brought in tomorrow. "Good evening, Donovan-san." "Kent, what are you doing at this hour?" "Yes, I returned to Japan after a long time, so I forgot about the widening time difference while talking about various things." Donovan-san gave a wry smile when I talked about the situation while coming out of the shadows. "Fufuu, if you want to work that late, I can give you as much work as you want." "Th, that''s outrageous. I politely decline." "Fuun, well, it''s about accepting the iron, isn''t it?" "Yes, it''s better to do it tomorrow, right?" "Is it possible for you to hang on to it?" "Yes, that''s fine." "Yes, then the day after tomorrow." "Ehh, it isn''t tomorrow?" "Are you going to tell me to work on the holiday?" "Ehh ... Ahh, tomorrow is the day of rest." "Yes, you should rest for a while." "That''s right ... A week here is different from a week in Japan, and Amanda-san''s shop, where I''m staying, is open on the day of rest, so my senses are off." "You''re working a little too hard. Well, just sit there and let''s have a cup of tea." "Haa ..." Even if someone who worked harder than me told me that, it''s not like I would be convinced, I felt like he just wanted to drink tea, but let''s treat it like an adult. Donovan-san started working on the pile of papers again, using the magic tool pot on the side of his desk to boil water. "Kent ..." "Yes, what is it?" "How many people have you seen die before you came to this world?" "Dead people ... is it?" "Yes, to put it another way, how many corpses have you seen?" "When I was in Japan, my grandmother died of illness." "I see ... Japan seems like a good country." "Yes, there are people who die from accidents, illnesses, and disasters, but it''s one of the safest countries in the world I lived in." Donovan-san listened to me and nodded while flipping through the documents one after another. Maybe Donovan-san was the reincarnation of Shoutoku Taishi.(TN:Someone canonized as a Buddhist saint, and quite famous apparently.) "Kent ..." "Yesh, wh, what is it ..." "What are you surprised for?" "No, I was thinking about something else ..." "I see ... So, since you came to this world, how many corpses have you seen?" "Um ... I don''t know the exact number, but I think it''s more than 20 ..." Thinking about it again, the numbers are too different. Just recently, I''ve seen the bodies of five people: Tayama, Mita, the garrison member and adventurer who were killed by the Griffon, and the First Prince, Alphonse Resenburg.(TN:The other garrison members/adventurers weren''t ''seen'' by Kent.) "Kent, are you used to death?" "I wonder about that. I don''t know for sure, but if the corpse isn''t severely damaged, I feel like even if I see it, I''ll no longer be disturbed." "High-ranked adventurers are able to obtain higher rewards than others because they have unique skills and have more opportunities to step into places where there is a risk of death." It''s true that low-rank adventurers would prioritize evacuation over interception even when monsters appeared in large numbers, and they wouldn''t have the opportunity to set foot in a place where Salamanders and Griffons were. On the other hand, as a high-ranked adventurer, if you go to such places, the chances of encountering death will inevitably increase. "Those who are shaken by the deaths of others and are unable to make accurate decisions will eventually lose their own lives. If you want to continue your activities as an S-rank adventurer in the future, be careful not to lose even the minimum level of composure when you see someone else''s death." "Is that what you mean by getting used to people''s deaths?" "Right. Ohh, it looks like the water is boiling ..." Taking a break from flipping through documents, Donovan-san began brewing the tea with a careful hand. That seemed to be a ritual, and maybe it was an important opportunity for Donovan-san to refresh himself. "Take it as a thank you for killing the Griffon." "Thank you. Nnn, this is ..." Just by holding the cup to my mouth, I could smell the sweet aroma of fruit. Then, when I put it in my mouth, the rich taste of tea leaves spread in my mouth. The fragrance was pure, and the taste gave a feeling reminiscent of a leading actor.(TN:Ñݼ¼ÅɤδóÓùËù means a master actor who relies on skills rather than appearance, so maybe it just means it tastes good without relying on looks?) "This is a taste that leaves me speechless." "Fufuu, that''s right, that''s right, because the skill of the person who brewed it is also good." If Donovan-san gives such a terrifying smile, no, you''re wrong ... I can''t say such a thing. Donovan-san sat back in his chair and relaxedly enjoyed the taste of the tea. You don''t need a poor gourmet report for this fragrant taste, right. Donovan-san, who was immersed in the taste of the tea for a while, returned to the topic. "High-ranked adventurers often go to places where they are faced with death. That''s why they have more chances to see people die, but it''s not just people who have little to do with you that will lose their lives." "But, in my case, the only people I work with are my genus ..." "That''s true for now, but it won''t always be the case in the future. As you age and gain experience, you will be in a position to lead other adventurers. I know your abilities are outstanding, but that doesn''t mean you can absolutely protect those around you. In fact, someone was already snatched by the Griffon." "It''s true that Mita was snatched, but that''s because he didn''t follow the instructions to evacuate ..." "Right. That''s right, but from now on, there will be people who will easily take actions that you don''t expect. And those kinds of people die easily." "In other words, do you mean that I can get used to the death of people close to me?" "Well, that''s how it is, but if you get used to that kind of situation again and again, you''ll be in trouble. So, even if someone close to you loses their life, be prepared not to lose your composure." "I kind of understand what Donovan-san is saying, but whether or not I''m prepared ... I can''t say with confidence." When I heard that Funayama, who I wasn''t on very good terms with, died, I was quite upset, and I was stopped by Reinhardt because I lacked composure. Compared to that time, I thought I was able to act relatively calmly when Tayama and Mita died. However, if someone with a closer relationship, for example, the chairman, Manon, Beatriche, etc., were to be killed, I would undoubtedly go out of control. Even with Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, and Meline-san, I didn''t have the confidence to keep my composure. "How did Donovan-san become prepared?" "Me? I ... learned from my mistakes." "Even Donovan-san can make mistakes." "Of course. When I was your age, I was a kid who was more full of himself than Gilik is now." I couldn''t imagine Donovan-san, who didn''t neglect to check the participants even in combat training against beginners, and who didn''t cut corners, was more out of control than that mutt. "At the time, I was based in the Academic City of Bakkenheim, and I was just a kid who had just risen to C-rank. I did a request by pretending to have a party with two people I was interested in. There was a party that invited us like that ..." It seemed that it was a party of seven men in their late twenties who called out to Donovan-san and the others, who were 17 or 18. They didn''t dislike lively young people ... While accumulating experience, he was told to take a peek at a slightly higher-ranked job, so he decided to work with that party to complete the request. As the party consisted of one A-rank member, four B-rank members, and two C-rank members, they were able to accept high-rank requests that Donovan-san and the others at the time could not accept. "The request was to subjugate the Ogres that appeared in a suburban village, and the number was supposed to be four to eight, and it was an A-rank request. For C-ranks like us, it was a request that we couldn''t even accept unless we teamed up with someone who was A-rank. I had a strong desire to fight with an Ogre, so I agreed immediately." The village, about two days by horse-drawn carriage from Bakkenheim, was alert to the hordes of Ogres that were frequently sighted in the vicinity, and built a fence around it to solidify its defenses. Donovan-san and the others decided to divide into 3 teams, 3 young men and 2 veteran parties, to investigate the surroundings of the village. Even though they were divided into three teams, they were told to be positioned so that their voices could be heard and they would act within the range where they could be seen. However, the instructions were meant to deceive Donovan-san and the others. "There were four Ogres that attacked me, and if it were me now, I would be able to manage at least one, but at the time there was no chance of winning in a one-on-one battle. I immediately called out to the veterans, but they didn''t come to help me. At first, I thought it was to help us gain experience, but even when the situation got worse after our comrades got injured, they didn''t even pretend to help us. Only then did I realize that we had been deceived and were used as a decoy." He learned later that the veterans were the only ones who sprinkled medicinal powder that monsters disliked. Just hearing about using a promising young man as a decoy made me angry, but Donovan-san remembering those days didn''t have an expression of anger, but rather, an expression of regret that he could not see through the opponent''s strategy. "We should have escaped to the veterans without worrying about shame or rumors. But, one of my comrades was killed, and the blood rushed to my head, and I couldn''t think of the option of escaping." "But, the fact that Donovan-san is here means that you were saved, right?" "That''s right. My second companion was also killed, and it was only a matter of time before I was killed. An adventurer happened to pass by and instantly killed the four Ogres with his magical swordsmanship. That was a famous S-rank adventurer at the time, the one who is currently guarding Master Reese, Lau-san."(TN:He uses Engrish Masutaa here.) Every time Lau-san''s sword flashed, an Ogre''s arm flew into the air and its head fell to the ground. Wait, Lau-san was an S-rank adventurer? I wish I had been told that when we met. Lau-san also took revenge on the seven adventurers who attacked him. Donovan-san was also wounded and dizzy, but when he tried to slash at the adventurers who deceived them, he was beaten and forced to stop by Lau-san. "Being an adventurer is a business where you carry everything on your own. Even if we were deceived, I was told that the reason we couldn''t deal with the Ogres was because we were immature. From that mistake, I learned that I should not lose my composure even if someone close to me collapsed. After the first comrade had fallen, there was still the possibility of escaping, and I might not have lost the other comrade." Lau-san collected the guild cards from the veteran adventurers and carried Donovan-san back to the village. It seemed that the guild cards were collected so that he could report the circumstances and dispose of them, even if each and every one of them argued, the words of S-rank adventurers had a lot of power, and the seven people''s arguments didn''t go through. Donovan-san didn''t know what happened to the seven adventurers after that, but in order to receive work through the guild, it was necessary to accept the punishment, and the only way to avoid the punishment was to register again from F-rank. "But, isn''t it a bit strange that there is no penalty if you start over from F-rank?" "Think about it carefully, F-ranked adventurers in their late twenties, would be those who didn''t work until that age and were lazy, or those who registered as new members to avoid being punished." "I see ... it''s like saying yourself that you''re someone who did something in the past." "That''s right." After that, Donovan-san followed Lau-san like a stalker, and learned many things, such as the mental attitude of an adventurer. For me, now is the time to learn as an adventurer. "Kent, if you want to continue working as an adventurer, you need to get used to the death of people, but don''t become indifferent." "Indifference ... is it?" "Right. Getting used to it and being indifferent seem similar, but they''re different." I''m sure there are differences, but if asked how they differ, I didn''t have the confidence to give a good answer. "Of the 20 ore more dead people you''ve seen since you came to this world, how many of them have you had a close relationship with?" "We weren''t on good terms, but there were two people I knew." "People with whom you have a weak connection will probably cause you to be shocked if they die in front of you, but unlike those who were close to you, you should be able to switch relatively easily." "It''s as you say, that''s true." "But, Kent. Even if they aren''t close to you, they always have family, friends, and acquaintances. From the point of view of those people, their death is a big deal." "I suppose that''s true." I think what he''s saying is true, but I didn''t quite understand. "That''s it, Kent. Um, it has nothing to do with me ... it sounds like you want to say that." "Ehh ...?" "When someone close to you dies, you feel a great sense of loss. And you want the people around you to agree. I have nothing to do with it ... if you hear such words being said, what the hell is this guy ... it gives a somewhat repulsive feeling." "That is, it''s about understanding the feelings of the bereaved, isn''t it?" "Right. I think there''s something that comes to mind." Certainly, when Funayama died, I even went to search for traces of his body, but I felt like I gave up from the beginning when it came to Mita. When Takagi-san asked me why I couldn''t abide by the feelings of the bereaved family, I couldn''t help but feel repulsed. Well, that must have been influenced by Takagi-san''s character. When I talked about the circumstances of that time, Donovan-san nodded several times and answered after listening. "Well, it wasn''t a very clever response. As your rank rises and you play a central role in things, the number of people who make various demands increases. Naturally, it''s impossible to satisfy everyone''s demands, and in fact, searching for the remains will also be refused." "That''s right. If that''s the case, was there anything wrong with my response?" "No, didn''t you have a needless confrontation. In the first place, the matter of remains left behind is not something that you can judge, so you''ll ask, but you don''t know if your wish will go through ... You should have just said something like that." "But, if they ask for such an unnecessary thing ..." "It''s fine, isn''t it. You work hard enough, leave that troublesome decision to Klaus-san. He''s going to be your father-in-law, so don''t hesitate to use him." Saying such, Donovan-san grinned. Yup, it''s a learning experience. "But, if you take an interest in the other person, you''re likely to think about a lot of things when they die, and if that happens, you won''t be able to keep your cool, and it''s kind of difficult to balance." "Rather than balance, it''s switching." "Switching, is it?" "Right, at least don''t be upset if someone dies in battle. The turmoil of those in power puts others in danger. And once safety has been secured, don''t forget to mourn those who died." "I see ..." Donovan-san''s words carried a weight of experience. Come to think of it, I might have been immersed in the joy of subjugating the Griffon and lacked the feeling of caring for Mita''s family and friends. "Kent, you are in a very distorted state." "Distorted ... is it?" "That''s right, it''s distorted. Ability values and experience values are not balanced. It''s an overwhelming lack of experience." "I see, not that. Certainly, I don''t have enough experience to match my abilities." "Since you belong to an organization called a guild, you must act according to the rules of the guild. That''s why I recommended you to become S-rank ... To be honest, I think it''s too early to become S-rank." "But, I''m already an S-rank, aren''t I." "That''s right. However, no request nomination as an S-rank has come yet. Due to the Griffon disturbance, Master Reese is staying in Volzard, but that will disappear soon." "Does that mean that if Reese-san returns to Bakkenheim, I might receive a nomination request?" "Well, it won''t be right now, but there''s no guarantee that it won''t come. Then you''ll need to be prepared when it does." To be honest, I had to proceed with the return of my classmates, the troubles in Resenburg hadn''t been resolved, and I personally had Seraphima''s marriage and house hunting to do, I couldn''t afford to think about requests from other cities. "Since your affiliation is Volzard, you will need the consent of the Lord to request nominations from other towns. However, since there are certain circumstances in issuing a nomination request to an S-rank adventurer in another city, the reality is that in most cases there is no choice but to accept it. I will be informed of the details of the request, so I should be able to give you some advice, but you should also consider becoming the center of a large organization." "Eeehhh ... even if you suddenly say that ..." "You don''t want to do that, you''re likely thinking that right now." "That''s right ..." "Well, in your case, Reinhardt is at your side, so if you are unsure about your decision, ask for advice." "Ah, that''s right. Reinhardt was the branch leader of the Knight Order, so he''s good at that sort of thing." When I turned my attention, Reinhardt, who had been listening in the shadows, spoke to me via telepathy. [ Buhahaha, it''s true that I''m used to moving groups, that''s why if you''re in trouble, rely on me. ] [ W, well, I''ll try my best to do so ... ] If I stayed too long, Donovan-san''s unpaid overtime would increase, so it was about time to leave. I finished drinking the tea that was left in the cup and stood up. "Thank you, it was a treat. I''ll take it slow and think about the future." "That''s right. But, don''t think about work tomorrow, take it easy." "Yes, I will do so. Then, good night." "Ah, good night ..." When I turned around when I was diving into the shield of darkness, Donovan-san was seeing me off with his arms folded. Klaus-san would become my father-in-law if I married Beatriche, and Donovan-san was more a strict father than a big brother. I didn''t get along well with my biological father, but I was blessed with a good father in Volzard. Now then, what should I do on my day off tomorrow. CH 172 Imperial siblings ***---*** On the morning of rest day, I headed first to Chowsk, a town in Barshania. Chowsk was far west of Volzard, beyond Resenburg, and beyond the desert. If you think about it, it''s not strange that there''s a time difference. In line with Amanda-san''s business as usual, breakfast at the boarding house was a little early as usual. By the time I finished breakfast and headed out, it was finally time for Chowsk to start moving. Seraphima was still in bed and in her dreams. Even so, she seemed like a really elaborate doll, and her beauty was breathtaking. I''m sorry, I accidentally stared at your sleeping face, but I''m not a pervert, it''s true. While I was enjoying Seraphima''s sleeping face from the shadows, a maid came into the room and gently spoke to her. "Seraphima-sama, it''s morning." When she was called out to, her round tiger ears twitched, and she was really cute. It wasn''t unreasonable that there was an idiot parent and idiot brothers. "Nn-h ... Is it already morning?" "Today is the day of rest, so do you want to take a little more rest?" "Nn-h ... No, Kent-sama may come, I will get up." "Clothing is, over here ..." "Thank you." Seraphima slipped out of the futon and was wearing soft pajamas with her tiger tail swaying. When I was about to watch her changing clothes, she gave me a sharp look. As I thought, doesn''t she have a detection skill. "Is something wrong?" "No, I felt like Kent-sama is here ..." "Is he a rude person who peeks at a woman who is changing clothes?" "There''s that, you''re right ..." I''m sorry, I''m staring at you with all my heart ... Hii, her eyes are like a Yaksha''s ... "Seraphima-sama?" "No, it''s nothing ..." "Breakfast is ready, but ..." "I''ll have it." While Seraphima was eating breakfast, should I take a look at the desert reclamation site. I visited the construction site five days ago, and even though it was a large-scale excavation project even in today''s world, I felt that it was progressing faster than I thought. There was no heavy machinery in this world, so it should only be a combination of human power and magic, but the workmanship seemed to be as good as modern construction methods.(TN:Dude, magic can be WAY better than science if used right.) "Reinhardt, it looks like the construction has progressed much more than when I came last time." [ That''s right. The engineering corps of Barshania is that excellent, isn''t it. ] "There''s still a long way to go, but at this pace, I think the waterway will be completed by the end of next year." [ That''s correct. However, even if the construction is finished, the desert will not suddenly turn into green land. ] "It looks like it will be much more difficult after the waterway is completed." [ Indeed, that''s right. ] I heard that even on Earth where science and technology had advanced, there were many areas where desertification could not be stopped. Rather, a country like Barshania, which could deploy a large number of personnel, might be able to advance the development of the desert. Speaking of which, there seemed to be a theory that the Egyptian Pyramids were a large-scale public works project. In a harsh environment like the desert, it might have been necessary to give people jobs through such projects. "Reinhardt, isn''t there a big river like this in the area where the Resenburg desert is progressing?" [ That''s correct, but there''s nothing as wide as this river. That''s probably why desertification is progressing. ] "Is it really impossible to artificially create a waterway in the desert?" [ For that, they need a water source, but there are no big lakes in the western part of Resenburg, so it would be quite difficult ... ] "Speaking of which, you can use a magic tool that produces water even in the desert, right?" [ It''s not as though it can''t be used, but compared to areas with high humidity, the amount of water coming out will be less, so it''s not efficient. ] "I see ... It''s not going to be easy after all." [ It''s not easy to deal with nature. If the desert could be easily cultivated, I don''t think Resenburg would end up in that kind of situation ... ] "That''s right ..." Seraphima had just finished breakfast with her brother, the Third Prince Nicolae, when I returned to the palace of Chowsk after finishing my tour of the construction site. The fact that they were not here meant that Emperor Constant and his first son, Gregory, must have left Chowsk. They''re going to prepare tea after eating, so I''ll join them for it. "Good morning, Nicolae-san, Seraphima-san." When I greeted them while stepping out of a shield of darkness, Nicolae gave me a piercing gaze. "Fuun, a rat from Volzard, huh ..." "Brother! Please don''t say rude things to my Danna-sama."(TN:Danna-sama is a way of saying husband or master, in this case, husband.) "Sera-chan, you can still make it in time now. Hey, you should reconsider." "Brother, I also exchanged a blood covenant with Kent-sama. If it is changed, I will kill myself." "Sera-chaaaan!" Yup, it''s like a regular sibling skit. "Kent-sama!" "Y, yes, what is it." "Seraphima-san is, please stop calling me so formally. Call me Sera, please." "Umm ... I understand, Se, Sera." "Yes, Kent-sama." Yup, it''s a collaboration between Seraphima''s radiant smile and Nicolae''s death-by-curse gaze. "Kent-sama, you didn''t show up yesterday or the day before yesterday, but was there something wrong?" "Yeah, I was a little busy with Griffon countermeasures ..." "A Griffon!" Nicolae, who had been glaring at me until then, kicked his chair and stood up. "Ah, it''s okay. I finally subjugated it yesterday." "What, you subjugated a Griffon? Was it you alone?" "No way, I can''t do it alone. It felt like it was finally possible with the Volzard garrison members and all the adventurers." "I see ... But, to subdue a Griffon ... Is Volzard''s military power that strong ..." Nicolae sat back and folded his arms and began to ponder his thoughts. "Brother, wouldn''t it be better to ask for a little more detailed story?" "That''s right ... Can you tell me more about it?" "Of course, Brother-in-law." "Naa, nuu ... Sit down now!" While Seraphima chuckled, Nicolae turned red and pointed to the seat in front of him. "Fufufuu, Kent-sama is unexpectedly mean." "Yeah, the Lord of Volzard is an idiot parent like a certain Emperor, and I''ve been trained in various ways." "Maa, is that Feudal Lord''s daughter the one who is fighting me for Kent-sama?" The word ''fight'' bothered me, so I stared at Seraphima. "Kent-sama ... Is something wrong?" "The three women who have promised to share their futures with me are supporting me together. If a fight is brought in there, I cannot accept you." "Bastard! Even though Sera-chan said she would marry you ..." "Brother, please be quiet!" Nicolae leaned forwards, but Seraphima''s harsh tone made him sit down. "Kent-sama, you don''t intend to put a ranking order on your consorts, do you?" "Until I came to this world, I wasn''t blessed with much affection from my family. That''s why I don''t want to put ranking or superiority on my family." "I understand. I''ll join in, and the four of us will support Kent-sama ... If that''s the case, is that okay?" "Yes. However, among the three, there is also an ordinary woman who grew up in a normal household ..." "You''re saying you don''t care about their position. It doesn''t matter, if Kent-sama looks at me as a woman, then I will also look up to Kent-sama as a man." "Thank you, Sera." We were in front of Idiot Brother No. 2, but I hugged Seraphima. "Finally, Kent-sama finally hugged me." "I''m sorry, until now I''ve been overwhelmed with various things, and I haven''t been able to convey my feelings well ..." "From now on, please tell me more about Kent-sama." "Yeahh! Nhonn! Come on, can you start talking about the Griffon? I can''t play around as a Prince either."(TN:Some weird sounds going on at the start. ¤¦¤ó¤ó¤Ã£¡¡¡¤ó¤Û¤ó¤Ã£¡He''s obviously talking while grinding his teeth, but I''m not sure what he''s actually saying there.) Nicolae irritably tapped the table with his fingertips and urged me to talk about the Griffon, but he just wanted to prevent me and Seraphima from flirting. "I"m sorry. Since you''re a Prince of Barshania, you must be busy even on a day of rest." "Naa ... Th, that''s natural. A Prince should be prepared for a constant battlefield ..." Nikolae turned red and started making excuses, but Seraphima couldn''t take it any more, and she burst out laughing. I would feel sorry for him if I kept playing around, and I think he might bear a grudge, so I''ll talk about the Griffon. "The Griffon appeared in Volzard five days ago, on the day of wind. I was told that it kidnapped a garrison member who was conducting patrol work on top of the ramparts and flew away in the blink of an eye." "The size of that Griffon, how big was it?" "It was big enough to grab an adult with each of its front claws. One wing was about twice as tall as an adult, so it really felt like a monster." "How many Volzard victims were there?" "One on the first day, two on the next day, one on the third day, four in total." "Was the Griffon showing up every day?" "Yes, it showed up at the same time every day, circling over Volzard and taking aim." "You said you subjugated it yesterday, but what happened the day before yesterday, didn''t the Griffon show up?" "It showed up the day before yesterday, but at that time, we managed to drive it away by concentrating firepower in Volzard." "I heard that Griffons are clad in wind-attribute magic, and magic attacks are almost ineffective, is that true?" "Yes, it''s true. It''s a pretty powerful magic, and our attacks were at most scattering feathers." "How the hell did you subdue such a monster? A long time ago, a Griffon appeared in Barshania, but it was said that all they could do was hide and wait for it to fly away." "It feels like we used every conceivable means and attacked without regard to form ..." I talked frankly about all the methods I tried to subjugate the Griffon. Speaking of which, it wasn''t possible to imitate everything, but it was for reference in case a Griffon appeared in Barshania. It would be impossible to imitate the multi-layered shield of darkness, the huge rock cut out from the rocky mountain, the throwing javelins of Zae and the others, and Nero''s neko punch. Nicolae, who was listening to the story, seemed to feel that too, and the more the conversation progressed, the more stern his expression became. "I understand the process of subjugating the Griffon, but isn''t that a strategy that can''t be completed without a dark-attribute magician like you?" "Certainly, I played a major role in Volzard''s strategy, but if they set some sort of trap, in order to attach a magic tool that has the same effect as the Slavery Bola, there should be a possibility of subjugation even without the presence of a dark-attribute magician." "I see ... It''s certainly worth considering." "Brother, wouldn''t it be better if you let Joseph-nii-sama know as well so we can borrow his wisdom?" "Right, along with my thoughts on it, I''ll send it as a letter." I heard that Joseph was the Second Prince of Barshania and a practical person in charge of domestic affairs. "Umm, was that Joseph-san the one who planned the desert reclamation project?" "That''s right, but what of it?" "Could you tell me what the plan is." "Why do you want to know?" "Yes, even in the country where I lived, large-scale construction was underway, but I felt that the construction in Barshania was progressing faster, and I felt that the completion was superior." "Naturally, because our construction technology is advanced." "Is that so. Are all the people involved in the construction related to the military?" "For the time being, they are incorporated into the unit of magicians, but they are a group of construction specialists and basically do not participate in battles." "Then, are they something like construction experts?" "That''s right. Originally, when it comes to attribute ratio, the earth attribute is the most common, but when it comes to serving in the army, the earth attribute is unsuitable as offensive magic. For that reason, people with the earth attribute often become soldiers who specialize in strengthening their bodies, but there are strengths and weaknesses in strengthening their bodies, and skills such as swordsmanship and spearmanship are required, so they require proficiency. In other words, the earth attribute is not suitable for soldiers." "You have prepared a place where earth-attribute magicians can play an active role in the most meaningful way ... Is it something like that?" "Right. Joseph-anija founded a department that specializes in large-scale construction such as roads, bridges, and this waterway, instead of ordinary construction."(TN:Another weird way of saying older brother.) In other words, establishing a national general contractor ... It feels like such. "Then, domestic roads and facilities have been improved all at once, haven''t they?" "Hou, it seems your head works quite well. Certainly, the efficiency of large-scale construction has improved dramatically since Joseph-anija established the unit, and it has also led to the rise in status of earth-attribute magicians." Perhaps he felt better after I praised the Barshanian engineering corps, Nicolae taught me a lot about the desert reclamation business ... or so I''d like to say, but it was Seraphima who actually answered most of my questions. Nicolae''s main role was military service and defense, and it seemed that he had not touched on the economic and domestic affairs fields such as reclamation. By the way, it seemed that administrative work such as logistics was assisted by specialized civil servants, so it was like being in charge of the brain. Nevertheless, the major difference between him and the Stupid Prince of Resenburg was that his principle of action was for the peace and prosperity of Barshania. "It is natural for the Imperial Family to work for the country. Just being born into the Imperial Family cannot be called a member of the Imperial Family. You can only call yourself a member of the Imperial Family if you work for the country and the people." Nicolae seemed a little cool as he spoke naturally as if he was breathing, rather than flexing his shoulders and elbows. I see, it made sense that the Barshanian Imperial Family was popular with the people. In the current situation of Barshania, I felt that building a friendly relationship with Resenburg would have a positive impact on both countries. So, I decided to talk about the current situation in Resenburg. "As you may know, in Resenburg there was a conflict between the First and Second Princes over the right for succession to the throne. Barshania was planning to invade in cooperation with Havre Calvine, who took advantage of that." "That''s right, if you guys didn''t show up, we should have crossed the desert." "This is about Resenburg after that ..." Following the Second and Third Princes, the First Prince, Alphonse, was poisoned by someone from Havre''s minions, and the feuding factions gathered under Camilla to resolve the conflict. Afterwards, I talked about the situation of the final confrontation with Havre, who had entered the royal castle. "The story that the First Prince seemed to have died has been handed down, but isn''t it the first time we''ve heard that the rival nobles joined hands?" Seraphima nodded at Nicolae''s question. "Brother. I hear that Camilla Resenburg is supported by the people. If Camilla continues to inherit the throne, we may be able to expect an improvement in relations with Resenburg." "What about helping to stop the desertification? Currently, the western part of Resenburg seems to be suffering from desertification, so if Barshania can stop it or improve it, I think the impression of the people will change." I tried to propose cooperation with Barshania''s civil engineering technology, but neither Nicolae nor Seraphima responded positively. "Since you were summoned from another world, you may not be able to understand it just by hearing about it, but the relationship between Barshania and Resenburg cannot change that easily." "I am fully aware that Kent-sama suggested it out of kindness, but the engineering corps is an important group for Barshania, so it is not something that can be easily loaned out. In the unlikely event that they are captured and forced to work, it will develop into a war." "Is that so ... Well, that''s a history of conflict that I don''t understand as someone from another country." The two nodded in unison at my words. On Earth, it was like America and Russia, or Japan and South Korea. Luckily, there''s the buffer zone called the desert, so I guess the only thing that can be done is to improve the relationship over time. After writing a letter about the Griffon, Nicolae returned to his room and I was alone with Seraphima. Of course, the person in charge of serving and the maid would be waiting in the next room, so I couldn''t do anything unusual. "Kent-sama, if you leave the surroundings of the royal castle and the other parts are under the control of Camilla Resenburg, then it''s fine to bring me in early in the new year." "Umm, about that ..." When I told her that in Volzard I lived in a boarding house for 3,000 Helts a month with meals, and that I didn''t have a house to live in, Seraphima looked puzzled and didn''t seem to understand what I was talking about at first. "So, how many people will you come with when we''re married?" "Yes, there are 18 guard knights, including the captain, 2 civil officials, 4 maids ... Ke, Kent-sama?" "Sorry, I''m a little dizzy ..." "Are you okay?" "Y, yeah, somehow ... somehow. So, how many people are there in total?" "It''s about 30 people, I think." "Hahaa, hahahaa ... Th, that''s right, you''re a Princess of a country. Haa ..." "Kent-sama, is there a problem?" "Hmm ... you could call it a problem, or you could say that I didn''t think about it ..." I was a little lost, but I honestly told her that in a typical civil marriage, the person would just enter the other person''s house, and I didn''t think about having the Imperial Attendants come, as in a royal marriage. "So, at the moment, the only building that can accommodate Sera and the others is the guest house in Volzard, for the time being, Klaus-san, the Lord, said that he doesn''t mind if I use it temporarily, but I can''t use it forever, so I''m thinking of owning my own house. However, I have to find and secure the land to build it on ... Well, can you wait a little longer?" "Is that so ... I''m sorry that I didn''t realize that there was such a situation. I will consult with my father and think about reducing the number of people traveling with me ..." "That''s right. It might be difficult considering Constant-san''s love for you ..." "Haa ... I''m really sorry." "No, since there are two of us, let''s discuss and think of the best way." "Yes, that''s right. Let''s think together, slowly ... together ..." Seraphima, who leaned close to me and stared at me with slightly upturned eyes, looked shockingly glamorous. When I tried to draw her in and put our lips together, the door was violently opened. "Seraphima, I''d like to consult with you about the letter ... Nn? What''s wrong?" "Brother, you''re too insensitive! I''ll go there later, so please wait in your room. Kent-sama, continue ..." "N, no ... I, I have to go back to Volzard soon ..." "Muu, Kent-sama, today is also a day of rest for Volzard, isn''t it." "U, umm, look, I have to treat my wives equally ... right." "Muu ..." Puffing out her cheeks and giving a sullen expression made Seraphima look younger all at once. Seeing that expression made me want to treat her like Meisa-chan. "Yes, yes, I''ll come to visit you again ... right?" "I''m sure you will. I''ll be waiting for you ... Nnh" I ignored Nicolae''s existence and hugged Seraphima before returning to Volzard. "Well then, brother-in-law, I will bother you again." "Fuun, you don''t have to come for the time being ..." Under the cold stare of my future brother-in-law, I slipped through the shield of darkness. CH 173 Feudal Lord''s intention ***---*** The town of Volzard was originally located right next to the dungeon, but it was destroyed by the overflowing monsters. After that, it seemed that the current Volzard was built with high ramparts in a slightly distant place to protect it even if the monsters overflowed. The first section was created as a square city with walls of the same length in the north, south, east, and west. Inside the city, the main street ran diagonally across the square, and the streets were parallel to it, it had a unique structure in which the grid was tilted 45 degrees. When the city was built, Volzard was one of the cities of the Kingdom of Resenburg, and it seems that the southwest gate in the direction of the royal capital Aldaros was the main gate, and the northeast gate in the direction of the dungeon was the back gate. Currently, if anything, the northeast direction was the direction towards the center of the Landshelt Republic, but the southwest gate was still considered the main gate. Less than ten years after the first town was built, construction began on a new section, and the extension of the ramparts and the construction of new sections were still ongoing. New rectangular compartments were added to the outside of the original ramparts, and as a result of repeating the creation of the compartments many times, the shape was a bit distorted, but the current wall construction was progressing, when finished, the outermost circumference would return to a square shape. However, it seemed that that was also temporary, and soon a new wall would begin to be built, and it should change to a slightly distorted shape. After returning from Barshania, I invited the chairman and Manon to the Lord''s mansion. Because, including Beatriche, the four of us would be able to spend time together, and I wanted to consult with Klaus-san about the land for the house. The Lord''s mansion in Volzard was built on a large piece of land along the north wall of the first block, and the guest house was built on the same site. The mansion itself was not what it was when the town was built, and it seemed that it had been rebuilt several times, since they secured a large site at the beginning, there was no problem in terms of size. Listening to Seraphima''s story of marriage, and considering that it had to be large enough for my genus to relax, the site of the house should be quite large, even if it was not as big as the Lord''s mansion. In Volzard, for land of that size, it was only in the section that was currently under construction. It looked like we would be able to secure the land for the new section, but it was a bit far from the first section, which had the Lord''s mansion, guild, and garrison quarters, and we would need to cross several sections. I don''t think the straight line distance would be 3 kilometers before entering the first section, but in the case of Volzard, there was a slight problem with the act of crossing the sections. A new wall would be built outside the existing walls to create a section. Naturally, the new section and the old section would be separated by conventional walls, but the walls were left in place in case monsters invaded the city or a large fire broke out. Gates were created to move between compartments, but depending on the position of the gate that connected the compartments, crossing a place where multiple compartments overlapped might require a large detour. Such a thing was irrelevant to me, as I could reach my destination via shadow movement, but it would be troublesome to walk normally. In the living room of the Feudal Lord''s mansion, we were discussing the city map, but I didn''t think the location of the new section was very good. "If you''re not satisfied with the new land, build your own wall here and secure the land." Klaus-san pointed to the west side of the first section, facing the Devil''s Forest. "But, this is the place where the Devil''s Forest is approaching, isn''t it?" "Right. You can open it up yourselves." "But, it''s not a house site, it''s a front line base against the Devil''s Forest, isn''t it?" "Well, that''s true, but if you leave the Storm Cat alone in the garden, monsters won''t come near you." "Does that mean that we will protect Volzard against monsters?" "In other words, it''s the same as now, isn''t it." Klaus-san just laughed at what I was saying. Well, that''s certainly true. "What should we do? Which one is better?" I personally thought that the west side of the first block would be more convenient, but I had to listen to the opinions of everyone who would live with me. "I also think that this western location is good, but isn''t it difficult to build a wall by ourselves?" "Yeah, I''m the same as Yuika, the location is good there, but I''m worried about the construction." "Kent-sama, is it possible to build a wall?" "Well, if I only design the construction, I wonder if the rest will work out somehow ..." It was fine to leave the digging of the foundations to the Kobold Corps, and Fred could cut out stones and transport them through the shadow space without any hassle. After that, we should be able to make it by asking everyone in my genus to assemble it. More than anything else, it was attractive that I didn''t have to pay for the land if I was going to open it myself. "Kent, if you''d like, please open up more than what you''re going to use, and have the Japanese officials buy it." "Ah, that''s right, isn''t it. If Japan starts full-scale activities in Volzard, land will definitely be necessary." "I''ll buy the cut down trees as lumber if you open up the Devil''s Forest." "Oh, do I have that hand ... Rather, Klaus-san, didn''t you want me to do that from the beginning?" "I didn''t intend for it from the start, but if you open up the city map and look for land, you''ll naturally arrive at that kind of answer." The south side of the first area was the area where the garrison''s lodgings and training grounds were located, and it was originally a heavily defended area. On the other hand, the west side was an area where houses and warehouses were lined up, and if I created a new area there and had my genus stationed there, the defense would become stronger. Not only could I get the land for free, but I could also earn income by selling or renting it to the Japanese government. The construction of the walls should be possible by my genus, but the construction of the building must be done by an architect. If I could earn the cost of building the house from the cost of the land, I could get a large house without spending any money. "Yup, then, I''ll open up this place, make one-third our house, and sell the rest to the Japanese government." "Kento, it''s fine to sell it, but how much do you plan to sell it for? Besides, what kind of money do you plan to have them pay for it?" "Ehh ... Umm, I''m sorry, I haven''t thought about that yet." Ahhhh ... Everyone is amazed. "I mean, even though the construction hasn''t finished yet, to think about the price ..." "That''s different, Kent. The bigger the organization, the more time it takes to move. If you let the information flow in advance, the delivery will be smooth when the construction is finished, and the money will come in quickly." "But, it''s still in the planning stage, nothing has been done." "Even so, a large amount of land that the Japanese can use, it''s only there." "I see ... That''s right. For now, I''ll just talk to them." "No, Kent is no good." "Eeehhh ... Why is that?" "You''re going to get ripped off." "Guu, it''s painful that I can''t deny that ..." "Riche, proceed with the land negotiations with Japan on behalf of Kent." Beatriche smiled and nodded when Klaus-san gave her orders. "Riche, can I ask you this favor?" "Please leave it to me. As the daughter of the Lord of Volzard, as Kent-sama''s secretary, and as your future wife, I will do my best." She''s younger than me, but in terms of strength in negotiations, Beatriche is better. Besides, the Japanese government wouldn''t be able to mimic the ability to beat down prices of the daughter of the Feudal Lord, Klaus-san. [ Kent-sama, if you divide the area, we will start leveling the ground. ] "Klaus-san, is it okay if I just divide the area. It seems that Reinhardt-tachi want to start leveling the ground." "Ou, I don''t mind. Like this ..." "Eh, is it okay to be so wide?" "If you have any leftovers, I''ll buy them from you for Volzard, so don''t worry." "I mean, isn''t it divided so that there''s leftovers?" "Ohh ... don''t say that." "Well, I don''t mind contributing to Volzard, but ..." "I see, then a little more space ..." "No, no, no, that''s enough. How much are you planning to make me work." The place where the new section was being created was on the opposite side of the city from the Devil''s Forest, so it was safe for construction, but there was a problem in terms of location. In order to increase the number of sections adjacent to the first section, the Devil''s Forest must be cleared, so construction was dangerous and difficult to carry out. If he has me do it, he''ll be able to get a safe and well-located piece of land. The Lord of Volzard is shrewd, isn''t he. After lunch, we started talking about the land, and around the time for afternoon tea, the butler announced to Klaus-san that he had a visitor. "Klaus-sama, Ritsuko Satou-sama and Keiichirou Takagi-sama are here." "Right, please guide them to the study." "As you wish." When I was surprised by the name of an unexpected person, Klaus-san gave me an order with a grin. "Kent, protect me from the shadows." "Ehh, that''s ..." "Don''t get me wrong, I don''t mean to ask you to eavesdrop. Even though I look like this, I''m the Lord of Volzard after all. I''m going to meet with a person from another world who I don''t know very well, so it''s just in case something happens. That''s why, don''t come out of the shadows unless I''m in danger." "Haa ... I understand." Apparently, Takagi-san didn''t come to visit, rather, Klaus-san called him. Maybe he''s trying to resolve the conflict between me and Takagi-san. As I was told, I hid in the shadows and followed Klaus-san to the study. [ Eeeehhhh ... Wait, that is ... ] [ Hohou, he''s being treated pretty harshly. ] Sitting on the sofa in the study, Takagi-san had a blue mark around his left eye, and his right cheek looked swollen. For a moment, I thought it was from the chairman''s slap, but it''s not. Satou-sensei was looking worriedly at Takagi-san, who looked exhausted, but he didn''t seem to notice that he was being watched. < Sorry for calling you on your day off. > Klaus-san, who entered the study, sat down at a position across the table from the two of them while talking casually. While the attendant was preparing the tea, Klaus-san stared at Takagi-san, and Takagi-san lowered his gaze in embarrassment. < It looks like you''ve been hit a lot, don''t saying anything unnecessary, I told Kent to tell you that, but didn''t you hear it? > "No, I heard it ..." It seemed that Takagi-san made an order regarding the contents of the Griffon''s guts at the Griffon dismantling site. < Then, why did you talk so much? > "Mita-kun was unreasonably brought to this world and lost his life in this land. Even so, I thought that neither the bereaved family nor his friends could accept his death if we could not return his ashes and hair to Japan, let alone the body." < I see, you''re working like a doctor to heal the pain in their hearts, aren''t you. > "That''s right. It''s my job to care for the students who can''t return to Japan from this world." < For that reason, it''s okay to trample on the feelings of the residents of Volzard? > "No, that''s ... I''m sorry." Takagi-san silently lowered his head at Klaus-san''s unusually harsh question. < The story that you are talented has also reached my ears. However, on the other hand, there are too many problematic behaviors. Frankly speaking, the current state is at a level that cannot be overlooked as a Feudal Lord. > "I''m very sorry." < I don''t want to talk about this too much, but people from Japan have both good and bad reputations. It''s not like the people in town know everything about you guys. Regarding the garrison''s lodgings, the rent is properly paid, but some people seem to think that outsiders are occupying it. People who can''t get used to the city and don''t have a job and are wandering around are also the cause of the bad reputation. > This story was new to me as well, but Klaus-san was probably trying to prevent Beatriche from telling me. < There are people who are familiar with the city and work hard, but it''s a matter of course in Volzard, so it''s not worthy of special evaluation. Thanks to the work of Kent and Yuika, the Japanese people were able to avoid being viewed as hostile. Thanks to the work of those two, it''s finally in a state of balance between good and bad ... but your presence, could tip that balance. Either way ... but doesn''t that go without saying? > "Are you asking me to go back to Japan?" Takagi-san''s tone sounded more like he was afraid of being affirmed rather than being rebellious. Klaus-san moistened his throat with tea and continued. < I heard that in Japan, if you make a mistake, you''ll be replaced by someone else. Volzard is a place that is said to be the ''Farthest city'' where you can be eaten by monsters if you take a step outside the ramparts, so talented people are valuable. I won''t treat you as disposable, but I have no intention of letting you do whatever you want. > "What do you mean?" < Change the way you do things. If you can''t do that, I''ll send you back to Japan. > Takagi-san had a relieved look on his face, as if he was prepared to be kicked out of Volzard. "Understood. From now on, I will try to respect the opinions of everyone in Volzard." < Ah, if that''s true, then why are you attacking Kent? > "Kokubu, is it ... That is ..." Klaus-san asked Takagi-san a sharp question. < Do you really not understand the importance of Kent? > "Of course I understand it. Without him, the students and teachers here wouldn''t even be able to return to Japan. He must have played an important role for Volzard as well." < If you know that, why do you attack? Why are you saying things that upset him? > "Precisely because he is an important person, since he has great power, his actions must be strictly controlled. Someone who has power, who is regarded as important by the world, I can''t let him go with the trend of having it not matter what he does." Takagi-san began to speak his thoughts eloquently as if he had made up his mind. "There''s no way he should be allowed to be treated like a hero and let him get away with what he''s doing! In the first place, isn''t his power acquired by chance, it''s like winning the lottery. A man like that shouldn''t be allowed to have a harem. As a father of a daughter, I cannot allow such a ridiculous situation. In the future, when my daughter grows up, what will she do if the world accepts a man like Kokubu. What would she do if she was deceived by a playboy man who had several women serving him. Klaus-san, are you just watching your daughter fall victim to a man like Kokubu? Are you still a father of a daughter?" Satou-sensei, who was acting as an interpreter, was taken aback by Takagi-san who suddenly began to speak passionately, and Klaus-san, who did not understand what he was saying was also confused. Umm, maybe the reason why he was attacking me was because he was aggravated as an extreme idiot parent who surpassed Klaus-san and Constant-san ... is that it. At one time in Japan, I was criticized for dating three potential brides, but the tide started to change after Kizawa-san''s remarks, and now it seems the majority are accepting it. On the other hand, there seems to be strong opposition from the fathers of daughters, and Takagi-san was a typical example. < Then, if Kent is allowed to have three wives, you''re worried that when your daughter grows up, she will be poisoned by a harem bastard? > Klaus-san, who finally restarted from the confusion, asked Satou-san with an exasperated expression. "Of course. It''s my daughter, so it''s natural to worry about her." < How old is your daughter? > "She just turned 3 years old last month. She''s already the apple of my eye. She''s seriously an angel. No, it might be better to call her a Real Angel. So that she would grow beautifully like dancing flowers, Maika, I named her Maika. This, is a photo of her birthday, how is it, isn''t she just so cute!" He just asked him about her age, but when Takagi-san took out his smartphone, he must have used continuous shooting. He started endlessly swiping through similar photos. Hey, that idiot parent, Klaus-san, is backing away. < Ah, I understand how cute your daughter is, so calm down a bit. So, you''re just against Kent having multiple wives? > "That''s right. If Kokubu chooses one woman and has a sincere relationship, I won''t say anything." < Aren''t you just forcing your ideas on Kent? > "No way, in Japan it is forbidden by law to marry two or more women." < But, this is Volzard, not Japan. Polygamy is not forbidden. > "But, he''s still a Japanese with Japanese citizenship."(TN:Because you refuse to let him NOT be.) < Then what would you do if Kent said that he would stop coming and going to Japan? > "That kind of thing is not allowed! I will have him travel to and from Japan." < How will you do that? > "That''s why, I will make a firm protest and correct his wrong ideas." < Don''t say such naive things. > Klaus-san lowered his tone of voice to Takagi-san, who said such with a lot of confidence. Before Satou-sensei could translate, Klaus-san''s intimidation made Takagi-san shudder and fall silent. < Aren''t you just taking advantage of Kent''s concessions. Protest? If something like that is refused, it''s over. Correct his wrong ideas? That''s done for if Kent continues to insist that his ideas are correct. Let me tell you, if Kent got serious, even if all the Volzard garrison members and adventurers were gathered together, they wouldn''t stand a chance. It''s just a matter of not doing it, but it should be easy for him to destroy Volzard. How are you going to move Kent who can do that? Takagi, you''re just all talk, you don''t have the materials or rewards to actually move Kent or restrain him. > "But, as a Japanese, for Japan ..." < Don''t go off topic. I''m talking about you now. I''m not talking about Kent and the Japanese government. > After being at a loss for words, Takagi-san opened his mouth indignantly. "Why is it. Why is it that you are defending him so much?" < It''s obvious. Until now, Volzard has been severely protected by Kent. When the maximum outbreak occurred, the surroundings of the ramparts were filled with Goblins, and several Salamanders were approaching the city. If it was just us, the Goblins would have infiltrated the city, and we would have been attacked by Salamanders there. If Kent hadn''t been there, it wouldn''t be strange if many Volzard people would have lost their lives, or even if the city of Volzard itself would have disappeared. We were able to get through that situation with only a few injured people. Why would Volzard, who was indebted to him, not protect Kent. I''ll be very clear. If you are hostile to Kent, I will not allow you to stay in Volzard. I will also dissolve relations with Japan. > "I can''t forgive such arrogant talk." < I''m the one who decides whether to forgive or not, if you don''t like it, get out of town. Even without Kent''s help, we can drive you out of town. > If Takagi-san, who couldn''t use magic and couldn''t even speak the language, was banished from the city, only death would await him. Satou-sensei couldn''t help but look at Takagi-san, who was trembling and at a loss for words to argue back, and came to the rescue. < Klaus-sama, I''m going to give Takagi-san a good talking to, so could you forgive us for today? > < Ritsuko, in the first place, this is not something I would normally do. The importance of Kent, you guys should be familiar with it. Why leave a man who appeared later, who could be called an outsider, to criticize him as he pleases? Why don''t you protect Kent. You guys had Kent save your lives, didn''t you? Or is it the Japanese way of repaying kindness with enmity? > < I''m very sorry. As you said, we lacked consideration for Kokubu-kun. In the future, if Takagi-san is in conflict with Kokubu-kun, I will request the Japanese government to replace the counselor. > < I''ll say it one more time. If you cause any more trouble, I will banish you from Volzard. I''m not joking, I''m going to expel you outside the castle gate of the ramparts, keep that in mind. > Next to Satou-sensei, who bowed her head deeply, Takagi-san also bowed his head reluctantly. < Kent is protected by Volzard. But, it''s not like I''m going to allow anything and spoil him. If he strays from the path, even if he hits me, I''ll have him change his path. Doesn''t that require a relationship of trust? Takagi, have you built a relationship of trust with Kent? Isn''t that sort of thing your area of expertise?> "You''re right ..." < Takagi, you, are you really looking at Kent? > (TN:Huh, I just noticed, but the way Klaus calls him is ¥¿¥«¥·¥í which is Takashiro ... maybe I mistranslated his name? Whatever, I''ll leave it as Takagi even though it ruins my image of the name Takagi-san.) "Looking at Kokubu ... is it?" When Takagi-san, who tended to look down, raised his gaze, Klaus-san nodded and asked. < Why Kent is having three ... no, four if you include the Princess of Barshania, do you know why he''s going to have four wives instead of one? > "That''s because he''s a womanizer, indecisive, and powerful, so he''s getting carried away ..." < Wrong. You don''t understand Kent at all. > Klaus-san cut off the words of Takagi-san, whose tension began to rise again. < Kent is distorted. There are other reasons why he wants to have four wives, but the main reason is Kent''s mental distortion. > Last night too, with the words of Donovan-san, it made me more shocked than at that time. "What do you mean by distorted?" < Kent, though he may not realize it, is hungry for the affection of his family. Because he grew up without enough love from his parents. That''s why, after gaining power and being able to do various things, he''s been working foolishly for others, and for the sake of his comrades, he''s been crouching and bowing his head, desperately trying to be recognized. Like when his parents abandoned him, he''s afraid of being abandoned, of being alone. The reason why he can''t narrow down the women he''s become friends with is because he doesn''t want to be abandoned, so he can''t cut them off. > Klaus-san''s words struck me like thunder. "If you understand that, shouldn''t you teach and admonish him and have him narrow it down to one woman?" < Are you telling Kent to throw away his frantically-gathered happiness? He''s literally covered in blood, sweat, and dirt, and you''re trying to destroy the happiness he''s obtained after working so hard? > "That is ..." < It''s true that Kent right now doesn''t understand his duties as a husband or head of a household at all. He can''t understand it at that age. If he doesn''t understand, I''ll tell him. If it''s not enough, I''ll make up for it. Such a kid desperately got them, isn''t it an adult''s job to help those who are trying to protect them? > In response to Klaus-san''s question, Takagi-san was silently lost in thought. After staring at him, Klaus-san asked with a slightly changed tone of voice. < By the way, Takagi, is your daughter a helpless fool? > "No way, my Maika-chan will definitely be a talented woman in the future." < Is that so, then are you incompetent as a father? > "That''s not true. I''m fulfilling my duties as a father splendidly." < If that''s the case, then you''re missing the point with attacking Kent. All you have to do is educate your daughter properly so that she won''t fall for a worthless man. Is it different? > "Ahh ..." Takagi-san opened his eyes wide and stared at Klaus-san. < That''s all from me. So that the students who want to return can return safely, and to build a good relationship between Volzard and Japan, each of us will make an effort, okay? > Satou-sensei and Takagi-san bowed deeply before leaving the study. After seeing them off, Klaus-san asked the attendant for two cups of tea. "Kent, come out and sit down." "Yes ... Thank you very much ..." I put out a shield of darkness and entered the study, bowing deeply. "You idiot, you shouldn''t cry, but ..." "But ... Because I was happy ..." "You''ve protected us from monsters many times, and I''ll take over for those guys." "Yes, thank you very much." Klaus-san had a warm smile like spring sunshine instead of his normal smile. WIthout saying a word for a while, we drank the fresh tea that the attendant had brewed for us, and slowly began to talk. "Kent, I can protect you in Volzard, but I can''t protect you in Japan. You still have things to do in Japan, right?" "Yes, the return of my classmates and resource development ..." "I''m not talking about that." "Ehh, but ..." "Have you gone to greet Yuika''s parents?" "Uu ... not yet." "Haa ... I asked you to subjugate the Griffon, even though you had no obligation to, but don''t neglect your relatives because you''re busy. The new year will come soon. Please finish your greetings by then." "I, I understand." "Also, my sons are coming home." "Guu, I will greet them properly." "Kuukuukuu, I''m looking forward to various things, Kent." Kuuu, I feel like he''s getting rid of his daily grudges, but today I couldn''t even find a way to counterattack. "Look, you can go back. I have a small thing to do here." "Yes, thank you very much." "Ou, I know, I know ..." Klaus-san kicked me out of the study like a dog, and I returned to the living room where everyone was waiting. CH 174 Main street at night ***---*** I had dinner at Klaus-san''s house, and after sending Manon home, I walked with the chairman to the garrison quarters. When the sun went down, it became freezing cold, but with the warmth of the chairman, who held my hand as if intertwining our fingers and snuggled close to me, filled my heart. "Hey, Yuika, am I distorted?" "Ehh, are you distorted? Kento is?" "Yes ..." I raised my head, which was leaning on my shoulder, and told the chairman, who was looking at me with a slightly puzzled look, about the conversation between Klaus-san and Takagi-san. "I''ve never thought of it that way, but when you say it, I might agree with it a little ..." "For example, how?" "You look down on yourself and work desperately for the sake of others ... It''s a little dangerous, or you could say that there are times when I worry about it, so I wonder if that kind of mental distortion is affecting you ... I think." "I see ... Yeah, I feel that way myself." When I arrived at Volzard, if I hadn''t been warmly welcomed by the garrison Kartz-san, and the boarding house Amanda-san and Meisa-chan, I might have returned to the garrison in Lastock. Even after finding my place in Volzard, the reason I worked hard to rescue my classmates may have been because I didn''t want to be left out of the group. "Kento, do you have any regrets?" "Eh, regrets, what?" "I wonder if you are regretting that you promised to marry the three of us in the future ..." "There''s no reason to do that. All three of you are too beautiful for me, you have good personalities, and you''re smart ... Yuika would be the one to regret choosing me ..." "I won''t. There''s no reason to do so!" As the chairman raised her voice, passers-by turned around wondering what was going on. "When I was in Lastock, do you know just how hopeless I felt. I''m so grateful that Kento came to visit me and supported me emotionally. I can''t express in words how grateful I am. "Yuika ... Thank you." "Mou, I''m the one who should thank you, Kento, thank you." When I stopped and tried to hug the chairman, Reinhardt called out to me. [ Kent-sama, it''s the Flamehounds. ] "Ehh, understood ... Yuika, stay behind me." "What happened?" "Yeah, just a small thing ..." About 10 meters ahead, there were four men walking side by side. When I stepped forward to protect the chairman, the other side also noticed me and stopped. The lion beast man Bartolo was in the middle, the bearded dog beast man Orest was on the left, and the giant shaved-headed Jarma was on the right. And the troublesome thing was that there was the figure of Takayama next to Orest. The three of them suddenly stopped walking, so Takayama turned around in a panic and looked back at me as if he sensed something unusual. Bartolo glared at me with a look as if he wanted to shoot me to death, and Orest and Jarma both grinned. After Takayama looked at me and the Flamehounds alternately, he called out to me. "Hey, Kokubu ... What''s wrong?" "Takayama, why are you with the Flamehounds?" "When we were together during the previous Griffon subjugation, they said they saw my talent, so I was invited to join the party, uh, so ..." "Takayama, refuse that offer." "Ehh, why. Everyone is so kind to me." "They are the types who use their underlings as decoys if their own lives are in danger." "Ehh ..." When the startled Takayama turned around, Orest exaggeratedly extended his hand and denied it. "Oi, oi, I think you shouldn''t say bad things about people ... We''re just trying to nurture talented and promising young people." "Gahahaha, that''s right, that''s right, what Orest said. What evidence do you have to make such an accusation." The giant Jarma raised a loud voice so that the onlookers who began to gather around him could hear it. Bartolo, who was listening, also bared his teeth and smiled at him, and he took a step forward. "Kent, you''re a coward. You openly abused us all over the city, so I''ll have you clean it up." "I''m sorry ... Shall I tie that up with a ribbon again?" "Bastard ... Don''t get full of yourself and look down on me!" Beside Bartolo, who was red-faced and yelling, Orest and Jarma were frantically holding back their laughter. "Come to think of it, it seems that you were chased by a large group of Scavengers and were trapped deep inside the dungeon. If I didn''t get rid of them, how were you going to get back to the surface?" "E, even without the help of you bastard, we should have been able to return to the ground safely. Besides, you insulted us without evidence, how are you going to take responsibility for that?" "Since I only told the truth, I have no intention of taking responsibility." "Stupid. For an adventurer, reputation is directly linked to our bread and butter. You degraded it without any evidence. If we complain to the guild, in the worst case, you will be expelled from the city, is that okay?" "If I say that will be a problem ... what are you going to do?" "Isn''t that obvious ..." Bartolo turned his palm up and made a circle with his thumb and forefinger. "As compensation for insulting us without evidence, you will pay 50,000 Helts per person, that''s 150,000 Helts for all." "That''s if the guild trusts your story ..." "Would you like to see which the guild trusts, what the A-rank adventurer party says or what the kid says?" "Well, would you like to see if they will believe the so-called adventurer''s party or the S-rank adventurer based in Volzard?" "What ... S-rank?" "What, you didn''t know that? You''re an adventurer, but you''re not very knowledgeable about it. Even the girls in town know about it." Bartolo turned his gaze to Orest and Jarma, but both of them were twisting their necks in confusion. Even after coming back from the dungeon, they probably continued their lives as drunkards. It seemed that Takayama didn''t hear about my promotion to S-rank either. "Kokubu, is it true that you''re S-rank?" "It''s true. Raising my rank will only make things more troublesome, so even B-rank would have been fine." "In the first half of the battle against the Griffon, the fighting strength of Kokubu was almost the same, right?" "That''s right. My genus are also steadily improving their levels, so I don''t think the three of you would stand a chance." When I turned my gaze to the three Flamehounds, Orest and Jarma were also glaring at me with grim expressions. "Brat, don''t get too carried away. No matter how strong your monsters are, in a town like this ... Uwaa, wh, what is it!" As if to interrupt Bartolo''s story, Mart crept up from the shadows and hit his knees, causing a burst of laughter from the onlookers. "What are you doing in the town?" "Damn kid ..." "Well, wait, Bartolo, don''t get so heated. After all, the opponent is an S-rank adventurer, so we ordinary people can''t be a match." "Orest, are you saying that I should ignore getting looked down on by such a brat!" "That''s why I said you''re getting too heated." In comparison to Bartolo, whose head was completely flushed, Orest and Jarma were calm, and it was eerie that they had grins on their faces. "Bartolo, it''s true that this brat may have been promoted to S-rank, but it doesn''t mean that his experience level as an adventurer will increase immediately." "What about it." "In other words, we have a mountain of knowledge and experience as adventurers that this kid can''t teach him. Hey, Shuichi, don''t you think so?" As soon as Orest spoke to Takayama, Bartolo also grinned. "Ehh, ah, is it me?" "Of course. We''ve traveled to many towns and completed many requests. I don''t know if he''s S-rank or something, but don''t you want to know what adventurer''s experience that a pop-up brat can''t know?" "That ... I want to know ..." Takayama seemed to be confused as he compared Orest-tachi''s and my face. "Takayama, it''s not just your body anymore. If Takayama is gone, what will Celia-san and the others do?" "Uuh, that''s right ..." "Why is it, why is it, are you already dominated by a woman? How can you say that you''re a man, you bastard?" "I, it''s not like I''m being dominated." No, he was definitely dominated, so he''s worried about that, is he. Hey, you''ve taken too many easy provocations, haven''t you. "Shuichi, if you''re a full-fledged man, you should decide your own path and tell women to shut up and follow you." "I, is that so?" "Isn''t that obvious, but, you have the mark of a man hanging at your crotch, don''t you? Decide your own way of life." Takayama nodded at Orest and then turned to face me. Yup, it looked like he had already been affected. "Kokubu, I ..." "Takayama, none of those people are married. The way of life of a person who has never been married is not helpful, is it?" "Ahh ..." When Takayama turned around, Orest twisted his face and clicked his tongue. "Tch, brat, don''t say unnecessary things." "Because the way of life is different between adventurers who don''t know their future and Takayama who has a cute wife waiting at home." "I don''t like it at all, brat. Bartolo, Jarma, let''s go. It''s disgusting, so let''s drink again." "Hohou, even Orest is disgusted, what an unpalatable brat." "Hey, let''s go, Jarma." The three Flamehounds abandoned Takayama and headed back the way they came. "Kokubu, did something happen with the Flamehounds?" "Yeah, I had a bit of a dispute with them before, and they even tried to put their hands on Amanda-san''s shop, so I gave them a warning." "What did you do to warn them." "I just sent a letter of reconciliation and visited them." When I talked about the incident with the Flamehounds, not only Takayama, but also the chairman was taken aback. "Kento, don''t do anything too dangerous." "I know, at that time, they were about to be violent with even Meisa-chan, so I was angry too." "Well, then it can''t be helped." "Takayama, if you want to gain experience as an adventurer, talk to Donovan-san from the guild. I''ll also talk to him." "As expected, are those three dangerous?" "They can''t be trusted for a moment." When I talked about the water magician who formed a temporary party with the Flamehounds when they subdued a Salamander, Takayama seemed to have second thoughts. "I came to a different world and obtained powerful fire-attribute magic, and to be honest, I have an admiration for being an adventurer. Besides, the construction of the ramparts alone is not enough for the living expenses of the three of us." "Why don''t you let Celia-san and Flosche-san work when they have free time? Wouldn''t that help them get used to the city faster?" "I think Flosche-san is fine, but Celia is a bit ..." "Ehh, is she feeling unwell somewhere? Then in a moment ..." "No, it''s not like that, it''s not like she''s sick ... you know." "Ehh, could it be ... could it be?" "A, ah, it looks like I did it ..." Takayama scratched his head in embarrassment. "Hey, Kento, it looks like he did it, you don''t mean, a baby?" "Dunno? Ask Takayama, not me. What do you think?" WIth a bright red face, Takayama silently nodded repeatedly. "Kyaaaaaaa ... Congratulations ... isn''t it." "I don''t know, Takayama''s earnings ... It hurts." "Don''t say that, congratulations." "Yes, that''s right. Congratulations, Takayama. Stay strong, Papa." "Thank you. To be honest, I''m really worried, but Celia is probably more worried, so I have to be strong." "I see ... Well then, you''ll have to find a job that pays a little more." "Kento, why don''t you ask Donovan-san or Klaus-san?" "That''s right. Tomorrow, the guild will have the rebars delivered, so I''ll ask about it then." "Really? I''m sorry, Kokubu, I owe you a favor." Takayama put his hands together and bowed at me. "Maa, I don''t really care about Takayama, but Celia-san and Flosche-san are having a hard time." "You don''t care ..." "Takayama, you must have forgotten who paid your debt." "Uuh, I haven''t forgotten. I''ll pay you someday, so don''t say that." "Maa, I don''t care about the debt, but please do your best as the breadwinner of the family." "I know. Even if you don''t say that, I will protect Celia, Flosche-san, and the child that will be born, even if it means risking my life." I once again reminded him not to get involved with the Flamehounds, promised to meet him at the guild tomorrow, and parted ways with Takayama, who was heading home. When I started walking towards the garrison''s quarters again, the chairman grabbed my arm even tighter than before. "Yuika ... Are you cold?" "Hey, Kento ..." "What is it?" "I want one too ..." "Ehh, you want one ... Eeeehhhh!" "Do you hate it?" "I, I don''t mind it, but I haven''t even greeted Yuika''s parents yet ..." "I see ... That''s right. But, it''s okay ..." "You know, Yuika. Klaus-san told me to go and greet Yuika''s parents before Volzard welcomes the New Year." I was told by Klaus-san that he would protect me in Volzard, and that he told me that he couldn''t protect me in Japan, so I told him that I wanted to go and greet them. "It would be rude to ask suddenly, so could you ask what time is good?" "Hmm ... That''s right. You can''t procrastinate forever." The slightly depressed voice of the chairman seemed to indicate that her parents didn''t have a good impression of me. For a while, the two of us continued walking in silence, and when the garrison gate came into view, the chairman opened her mouth. "You know, Kento. My father, mother, and sister are against it." "Do you mean your whole family?" "Yes ..." The chairman''s family consisted of her parents, her younger sister, and the chairman, and her father opposed marrying me and living in a different world. Her mother seemed to approve of living in a different world, but she was against marrying me. Her sister said that she was fine with marrying me, but she opposed living in a different world. "Well, you don''t have to worry about my sister''s objections ..." "What do you mean? If possible, I''d like everyone to agree ..." "My little sister is only against it because if I move to Volzard, she will be forced to take care of our parents in their old age." "I see, but that''s fine for now, but won''t it become a serious problem in the future?" "Yeah, well, that''s true." Even so, I was troubled ... I didn''t think that the whole family would be against it. "Are you in contact with your house?" "Yeah, with my mother ... But, I wonder if I can talk as well as I did before with her ..." "The reason why she''s against the marriage is because I have four wives, right?" "Yeah ... That''s right, but ..." It seemed that there was something I hadn''t been able to talk to the chairman about as of yet. "Maybe it''s about my parents?" "Yeah ... I''m sorry." "Nope, Yuika shouldn''t be apologizing because it actually happened." The reason why the chairman''s parents were against the marriage was that I had four wives, and the incident that my parents caused seemed to be the cause. "Even if I marry Kento, they seem to think that you will eventually lose your heart to another woman and abandon me." "I see ..." Rather than say that my father was fascinated by another woman, he didn''t feel affection for my mother from the beginning. The incident with my parents was thought to have been caused by my mother, who was simply overwhelmed by my father''s affair, so they must have thought that I would be cheating on her, too. I was a little lost as to whether I should talk to the chairman about my father. "Kento? Sorry, you don''t want to talk about your parents after all." "Hmm ... Or should I say, yeah, I''ll talk about it." I was at a loss, but I''ll pass on the contents of the letter from my father to the chairman. It looked like it would be a bit long, so I took out a box and a blanket from the shadow storage and talked while leaning against the wall of the dormitory. The chairman was smiling when we were wrapped in a blanket together, but as the story progressed, she burst into tears. "That''s cruel ... It''s too cruel. Kento needs to get more angry." "Yeah, that might be true, but when I read the letter from my father, I was strangely convinced. I''m very happy now because I got to know people who have become like fathers and grandfathers to me, like Marcel-san the shoemaker and Bruno-san from the Livre Plantation." "Kento is strong. I don''t think I could stand it." "I wasn''t able to build a good relationship with my real father, but I want to build a good relationship with the people I get to know in the future. Of course, the same goes for Yuika''s parents." "But, my father is quite stubborn ..." "Even so, I chose Yuika, and Yuika chose me, so I have to face it properly. Ahh, that''s right ... I''m not sure about this yet ..." I told the chairman about the relationship between the magic that uses the magic circles and the magic that people use. "Does that mean that you might be able to summon people from Japan here?" "Hmm ... I don''t know yet, but I think it would be nice if that happened ..." "If you can do that, will I be able to return to Japan without giving up my light-attribute magic?" "I can''t say anything until I try it." "I see, but you can''t talk about things that are uncertain." "That''s right. In the current situation, I have no choice but to have Yuika talk on the premise that she won''t be able to return to Japan. You can call your family at any time." "I see, I can call my father and the others. I see, I see ..." "Yuika?" "Yeah, I''ll try to talk to my parents. Depending on the situation, I might ask Kento to pick them up, but is it okay?" "That''s fine, but please explain how I enchant them."(TN:Meaning, how he gives them dark attribute, aka, wounds.) "Okay then, can I introduce Kento to my parents after we talk a little more?" "Yeah, I''m sorry for burdening only Yuika." "Don''t worry about that. It''s for both of us." "Yeah, that''s right. Thank you, Yuika." "Kento ..." I hugged the chairman tightly. CH 175 Attribute assignment ***---*** When I sent off the chairman and returned to the boarding house, Reinhardt asked me for a favor. [ Kent-sama, there''s something I would like you to try. ] "Try? What is it?" [ Yes, I was wondering if it would be possible to enchant the Kobolds with earth-attribute magic. ] "Strengthening. It''s better to have earth-attribute magic for ramparts." [ That''s right. Stones are piled up for the ramparts, and the gaps are filled with soil, which is then hardened by an earth-attribute magician. If the Kobolds can take charge of that process, the construction of the ramparts can be made more efficient. ] "Roger, then let''s move to the Devil''s Forest training ground." Looking back, this training ground was also cleared by Reinhardt and the others in a few days. If my genus got serious, leveling the land for the house might be finished in a few days. [ Buhahaha, what are you talking about Kent-sama, we will finish leveling the ground tonight. ] "Eeehhh ... I mean, isn''t it no good if you don''t cut down the trees and dig up the roots as well?" [ Fred has already finished the felling, and Nero will finish digging up the roots in a while. ] [ The felled trees ... have been trimmed and sawed ... ] "Haa ... Maa, that helps, so I''m not complaining, but I don''t know what to say." In a way, it felt like Camilla had the right decision to summon me to clear the Devil''s Forest. When I was overwhelmed by the speed with which all my genus worked, Fred talked to me. [ Kent-sama ... A moment ... ] "Nn? What''s wrong, Fred." [ That Takagi ... he''s a little weird ... ] "Ehh, what do you mean by weird?" When I asked back, Fred folded his arms and started twisting his neck. [ I can''t say it well ... But, there''s something wrong ... ] [ Kent-sama, Fred has always been the intuition type, so please be careful of him. ] "Did Reinhardt also feel that Takagi-san was weird?" [ No, this me didn''t especially ... I felt he was an extreme idiot parent, but that''s all. ] While Reinhardt and I were talking, Fred kept twisting his neck. Yup, it''s been a long time since I''ve seen a thinking skeleton, isn''t it? "Alright, if Fred thinks so, there must be something. I''ll be careful, too." [ Whenever you meet with Takagi ... I want you to call me ... ] [ Indeed, you should call out for me, too. ] Even so, I wonder what kind of discomfort Fred felt. Today, I was surprised to see the bruises and swollen cheeks, but other than the idiot parent, I didn''t see anything different. "Maa, I''ll be careful about Takagi-san, so why don''t we try adding the earth attribute?" I gave Mart, Mirt, and Murt magic stones and strengthened them while imagining that they could use earth-attribute magic, but it didn''t go well. When I was using the dark attribute, I imagined connecting the path, so the second time I imagined connecting the path with the earth attribute, but it didn''t go well. "Hmm ... What''s missing." [ Is it no good? Kent-sama. ] "That''s right, it feels like the pass won''t connect." [ Then, Kent-sama, why don''t you try it like when you bring people from Japan. ] When people were brought here from Japan, we put our wounds together and I imbued them with magical power. That was to satisfy the same conditions as the so-called mucous membrane contact, but I wondered if the undead could do the same thing. Also, if attributes couldn''t be given without contact with mucous membranes, I felt like Reinhardt and the other skeletons wouldn''t be able to. Therefore, I decided to try to see if I could give attributes to them while touching them normally. "Well then, let''s start with Mart." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, will you hug me?" "Come ..." I held the fluffy Mart with a magic stone in my hand and tried to strengthen it while being aware of the attribute assignment in that state. A dark haze enveloped me and Mart, and the scenery around us gradually disappeared. It was the first time I was wrapped in the haze of strengthening, but strangely, I didn''t feel uneasy, and rather, I was wrapped in a sense of security like when I was held by my mother and grandmother when I was young. I didn''t need to worry about anything, I even felt like I could do anything. "Mart, are you okay?" "Wafuu, I think I can use magic properly." True to its word, Mart used the magic of hardening to show it. Afterwards, attributes were given to Mirt and Murt, and I finished giving attributes to each of the five in the Kobold Corps in turn. By the way, I tried giving Mirt the fire attribute, but it didn''t go well. [ Apparently, it seems to be affected by the attributes they originally had. ] "If that''s the case, does that mean that Zae-tachi must be water attribute, and Nero must be wind attribute?" [ Perhaps, that may be the case. ] "By the way, what attributes did Reinhardt and the others have?" [ This us? I was fire attribute, Fred was wind attribute, and Basten was water attribute. ] "Well then, let''s see if I can add Reinhardt''s fire attribute." [ Though this us have been sufficiently strengthened as we are now ... ] "Yeah, but there''s no guarantee that powerful monsters like Griffons won''t appear in the future, and there''s no guarantee that swarms of monsters larger than the Goblin outbreak won''t attack Volzard." [ I see, then would you like to try it. ] It was impossible for me to hold Reinhardt, who was bigger than me, so I tried giving him the attribute while he was on his knees with my hands on his shoulders. As I felt when I was giving the Kobold Corps attributes, the giving of attributes felt like they were being tied to me at the very core of my soul. I felt that Reinhardt''s thoughts burning like fire were still thinking about the prosperity of Resenburg. "How about that, how is it?" [ Ooohhh, this is, this is ... ] Reinhardt, whom I finished giving the attribute, pulled out his beloved sword Gram in a place away from us, and lightly swung it sideways as if looking up with the belly of the sword. At that moment, Gram was wrapped in crimson flames, and when Reinhardt fired up towards the sky, a huge ball of fire was shot out. [ Buhahahaha! This is exciting! Kent-sama, if it''s like this, I can even burn a Griffon to the ground. ] "Y, yup, at that time, I''ll be counting on you ..." [ Leave it to me. Buhahaha ... Buhahahahaha! ] Let alone a sword, he was a skeleton that wielded a large sword with flames all over his body, from the side, he looked like a demon. [ Kent-sama ... you overdid it ... ] "No, because, I just gave him an attribute ..." [ It can''t be helped ... Basten, I''m counting on you ... ] [ Ueehh, it''s me, it''s me again ... Kent-sama, please get the water attribute as soon as possible and give it to me. I have to pour water on that Branch Leader to cool his head ... ] [ Therefore, Kent-sama ... I''m counting on you ... ] "Haa ... I understand. The next person to return will be a person of water attribute." [ Buhahaha! Be happy, be happy! Buhahahahaha! ] The Fire Daruma Skeleton didn''t seem like it would stop for a while, so I left him to Fred and Basten and went back to the boarding house. Even though he''s my genus, I can''t take care of him. Well, he got the attribute he originally had, so he probably wouldn''t start a fire. The next morning, I walked from the boarding house to the guild for the first time in a while. I had an appointment with Takayama, but if I suddenly showed up and caused a ruckus, the receptionist, Fleur-san, would get angry. Besides, my cat-eared angel Muell-san may be at the guild at the beginning of the week, and it would be even better if there weren''t any annoying Gilik. I opened the guild door and walked down the short corridor inconspicuously, but an adventurer who came close to me noticed me and jumped back as if repulsed, but somehow it made me feel like I''ve become a G.(TN:G = gokiburi = cockroach.) I won''t take it separately and eat it, and I don''t fly out of the blue.(TN:Sorry, not sure what the first part ''„e¤ËÈ¡¤Ã¤Æʳ¤Ã¤¿¤ê¤·¤Ê¤¤¤·'' part should actually mean, it has something to do with what cockroaches do, but I''m not particularly familiar, so I don''t know.) The guild seemed to be busier than usual. Last week, due to the Griffon turmoil, there was hardly any daytime work, and the footsteps of the New Year were approaching, so there must have been some people who were working hard to raise money for New Year''s Eve. And today, Ridner-tachi were still in front of the bulletin board, which was crowded with people. In the past, it seemed like they were just being tossed about by the waves of people, but today I felt a strength that made me feel like they were being pushed, but not being swept away. After all, if you participate every day, you can train yourself. And, she was there by the wall a little ways away. Muell-san, who had pink hair and cat ears, was standing there looking a little lethargic. A little further away, Takayama was surrounded by girls looking for work. By the way, the news must have flowed quickly from the chairman. "Good morning, Muelle-san." "Ah, good morning, Kent." "Muell-san, what''s wrong with you? You look unwell." "Umm, maybe it''s because I was a little too excited yesterday ..." "Could you turn that way for a moment?" "Eh, it''s fine, but ..." "Excuse me." "Ahh ..." I put my hand on Muell-san''s back and cast healing magic. Yup, her whole body was slowing down, and it felt like she had a cold. "Yup, is this okay?" "It''s amazing, Kent, it feels like the bad things that have accumulated in my body just spawned out, amazing, amazing!" When Muell-san turned around, her expression suddenly brightened and her complexion improved. And then, with the momentum of turning around, I was hugged with a ''Gyu''. "It''s amazing, I knew Kent could use healing magic, but I didn''t expect it to be this amazing." "No, no, it seems that my classmates are indebted to Muell-san in many ways, so please feel free to talk to me about things like this at any time." "Thank you. So, Kent came looking for a job too?" "No, today I''m here to bring in the materials and ask for a favor about Takayama, who''s over there." Takayama noticed that the topic was raised and lowered his head. "What''s wrong with him?" "Yes, I thought I''d ask Donovan-san if he could get a job that paid a little more, or if he could gain experience as an adventurer." "Kent is kind, aren''t you. But, in Volzard, I think it''s up to the person in question to do something about it." "Maa, I suppose so, but Takayama, like me, hasn''t been in this world for a long time, and it looks like he''s going to have a baby soon ..." "Eeeehhhh ... But, he''s the same age as Kent, right?" "That''s right, but there are various circumstances ..." "Hee ... is that so." While I was waiting for the morning crowd to end while I was talking with Muell-san, about 20 male classmates came in in droves. When the curious gazes of the people of Volzard were directed at them, the black-haired group walked towards us along the wall to avoid their gazes. Among them was Hasegawa-kun, who was in the same class as me. "Yo, Kokubu, I heard that you can take a combat class for free ..." "Yeah, you can take it. Just go to the reception and apply." "Alright, thank you." The group of classmates moved to the reception desk. "That''s right, Takayama, have you ever taken a guild course?" "No, I haven''t, but is it better to take it?" "That''s right, if you think about the future, you should take it." "Alright, I''ll apply too." As I saw Takayama off to the reception desk, Muell-san spoke quietly. "It feels like just a while ago that Kent came to ask us about the training course, but he''s already an S-rank, isn''t he? It''s amazing, it''s really amazing ..." "Oh, no, such a thing, it''s a coincidence, you know, a coincidence ..." Mufuu, that''s right, I''m pretty amazing. It''s okay to praise me more. I''m the type that grows when I''m praised. It''s okay if you fall in love with me. I''m going to build a big house, so would you like to move in? To my harem. "It feels like Kent has gone far away." "No, no, I''m thinking of putting down roots in Volzard, so I won''t go far." "It''s not that kind of distance, it''s like an emotional distance? You have three marriage partners, right?" "Uhh, ehh, eehh ... Maa, that''s right ... C, come to think of it, Gilik-san isn''t here today?" "Yeah, Gilik is sick and in bed, so I guess it''s impossible for a while ..." "If he''s that sick, I''ll go ..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, it''s fine if you don''t go." According to Muell-san, it seemed that he was being used as a toy for his elder sisters under the word ''nursing''. I really wanted to see such an interesting thing, but I was a little hesitant when I heard that if I went there, I would be turned into a toy. "But, if Gilik-san isn''t here, wouldn''t it be a problem if you don''t have an escort to go out gathering?" "Yeah, that''s right, but today I''ll be gathering only in shallow areas of the forest, so I''m fine." "But, you weren''t able to collect them last week because of the Griffon commotion, were you?" "Yeah, that''s right ... I wonder if it''s a bit of a problem." "If that''s the case, I''ll send my genus as an escort." "Eh, it''s okay, it''s okay, that''s bad ..." "No, it''s totally fine. I don''t have any plans to go out today, and in case of emergency, they can come back right away, so there''s no problem." "Really? Then, I''ll ask it of you." "Well then, I''ll introduce you at the training ground, so can you come with me later?" "Thank you, that helps a lot. To tell you the truth, I wanted to go deeper to gather, but I was in trouble because Gilik wasn''t here. Kent is so reliable." It''s here, it''s here, it''s heeeeere, hug & caress my head.(TN:Muell really is my favorite char in this novel, if only things didn''t move sooo sloooowly with her ...) Anyone who wants to inform the chairman will be assassinated by a ninja skeleton.(TN:LMAO) Seriously, please don''t tell her, please. The morning congestion subsided, and the boys went to the conference room, the girls went to work, and I decided to head to the warehouse with Tebez-san and Muell-san. Regarding Takayama''s case, I asked Donovan-san, who would be the instructor of the course, about the situation. "Isn''t it fine. First of all, I''ll decide after seeing his attitude in class, but do you mind?" "Yes, thank you very much. I''m counting on you." "You''re totally meddlesome." "It seems that this is just my nature ..." With a grin, Donovan-san made heavy footsteps towards the meeting room. The warehouse where Donovan-san told me to put the rebar was on the other side of the training ground. When I headed there with Tebez-san and Muell-san, under the eaves of the warehouse, there were also the Gigawolf Bran, the self-proclaimed Monster User Ruija, the Headquarters Guild Master Reese-san, and her escort, Lau-san. "Good morning, everyone." "What is this, Kent, is this another new bride?" "No, I''ve been indebted to Muell-san since I came to Volzard." "Kent, who are these people?" When I told Muell-san about the identity of Reese-san and the others, her eyes widened in surprise. Lau-san, too, smiled when I said Donovan-san told me of the stories of his youth. "Ho~ho~ho~, did Donovan tell such an old tale. He seems to have quite the expectations for you." "Yes, but, it''s no laughing matter ..." "Ho~ho~ho~, if you''re going to train, do it while you''re young. After all, becoming an old man like this me will only make you grow older." "But, skills and experience won''t disappear, right?" "Hou, it''s true that experience won''t disappear as long as you don''t become senile, but your technique will rust as your body declines." If he''s just talking like this, he''ll only look like a gentle old man, but if he let out a little bit of seriousness, it was so powerful that I felt like I was just a small child. Tevez-san and Muelle-san, who didn''t know about it, were listening to the story with a smile, but he''s really scary. "Well, Kent. I heard that the additional iron came, how is it?" "You are really quick to hear, aren''t you. In a bit, I''m going to put it in the warehouse with Tevez-san present." "Do you mind allowing me to be present?" "Well, the request of the Master of the Headquarters Guild can''t be refused." "What, that''s a cold way of saying it. Even though we''re in a relationship to become companions in the future ..." "N, no ... That, that''s right, but ..." Uwaa, Muell-san was looking at me with eyes that were empty of emotion like glass balls ... With a gaze as if she were looking at garbage, I felt a little thrilled ... I actually didn''t. Ruija and Bran were also looking at me like I was the enemy of their parents, and it was really uncomfortable. Let''s quickly bring in the rebars. I had Tevez-san decide the location, and had the Kobold Corps carry the rebars from the shadow storage. Hey, everyone''s covered in mud, but they''re definitely going too far, aren''t they. The ramparts were being built with great momentum. Reese-san''s smile deepened as the mountain of rebars was completed. The last time I brought in rebars, she had a secret talk with Klaus-san, and I was sure it would be the same this time. "Kent, is this the last time you''re bringing in this iron?" "No, I think I''ll probably still bring it a few more times." "Is the amount the same as this time?" "As for the amount, I can only say it depends on the time." "This much iron, this much ... Landshelt may change a lot." After taking a closer look at the rebar that was brought in, Reese-san said she would visit Klaus-san''s office with Lau-san and walked away. Muell-san was also surprised by the mountain of rebars. "Kent''s world is amazing." "Maa, it just so happened that the world I lived in developed faster, and I think this world will eventually reach the same level." "But, it''s far worse for now." "Hmm ... But, in exchange for progress, there are many negative aspects such as air pollution and soil pollution, so I don''t think it''s easy to say which is better." "I see, there are problems as progress happens." I decided to attach Tsuo as an escort to Muell-san. Muell-san was surprised when she first say the Undead Lizardman. Her tail stood up completely straight. "Then, Tsuo, please." "Understood, My King. I will protect her from the shadows." "I''m Muell, nice to meet you." "I''m Tsuo. You won''t see me, but I''ll be in the shadows, so don''t worry." After parting with Muell-san at the training grounds, I will go to the garrison''s quarters once I show up at Klaus-san''s place, and if they were ready, I planned to send someone back. Well, let''s do our best again this week. CH 176 Close call ***---*** When I stepped into Klaus-san''s office, Beatriche approached me with a trot and hugged me with an unusual passion. Reese-san was looking at it with a smile. I see, she must have been teased. Just like that, Beatriche held my right arm in her arms, and took a stance that she wouldn''t let go, no matter what. "Good morning, father-in-law." "Kent, have you finished bringing in the iron?" Klaus-san''s words were even more thorny than usual. "Yes, I had Tevez-san present and put all of them in the warehouse." "It seems like you''ve been flirting with a big-breasted woman since early morning." I see, he also heard from Reese-san. "Huh? Aah, you''re talking about Muell-san. Since Gilik-san is resting, I just lent my genus to guard her when she went out to gather." "Hou, does that Gilik ever rest." "Somehow, it seems that he''s being used as a toy by his elder sisters." "Hmm, that Gilik, is it ... Maa, putting that story aside, you''re pretty quick at working, aren''t you." Klaus-san, who erased the wrinkles between his eyebrows along with the suspicion of cheating, smiled this time. "Perhaps, are you talking about the land?" "There''s no perhaps about it, it''s about the land." "I''m sorry, I heard about it from Reinhardt, but I haven''t seen it yet." "A guy from the garrison came to tell me that the forest was gone." "I, I''m sorry, everyone is kind of enthusiastic ..." "No, there''s no need to apologize. I''m not going to complain about how quickly the work was done. Even so ... in one night, the trees in the forest turned into lumber and the land was cleared ... I''ll leave it to you guys. If you keep it up, won''t you be able to clear the entire forest?" "Haa ... It''s hard for me to deny it ... But, if the domestic problems in Resenburg are settled, I''ll do something like widening the road through the Devil''s Forest." "Is that so ... That''s a story for the future. The Devil''s Forest is a troublesome existence, but it also plays a role in preventing the invasion from Resenburg. It would be a problem at this point if it suddenly disappeared." Klaus-san''s words were based on the fact that Resenburg and Landshelt had different ways of establishing their countries. Resenburg was established as a country under one King, but Landshelt had a parliamentary system with seven Feudal Lords. If Resenburg attacked, Volzard would have to defend on its own at the beginning and wait for reinforcements from other regions, creating a military disadvantage. Because of the existence of the Devil''s Forest and the fact that the logistics were always in danger, there was little worry of being attacked, but if the forest disappeared, there was a danger of being attacked by a large army all at once. "If you think about it in terms of trade, it would be better if the forest weren''t there, but in case of an invasion, it would be necessary to have it to play the role as a natural fortress. What to consider will be after Resenburg stabilizes." "That''s right. As for Resenburg, I think I''ll wait and see for a while." "Hmm, weren''t you going to let Camilla Resenburg take power and proceed with talks about reparations?" "That''s right, but if I, an outsider, interfered and Camilla became King, I thought that Camilla would be seen as a puppet and lose her authority." "I see, it''s important to get power, but what''s more important is what happens after that, you''re properly thinking about it." Klaus-san nodded several times when listening to the story and agreed. "Yes, right now, the current King and the Prime Minister in the royal castle, if Havre Calvine does something ... it''s come to a situation like that. For the time being, I''m able to be contacted at any time, so I''m going to wait and see unless something serious happens." "Are you going to proceed with the return while you are watching Resenburg?" "Yes, that''s my intention. If possible, I plan to have one of them return today, and another one within this week." "Alright, just keep going. Don''t worry about the land negotiations with Japan." "Thank you very much. Well then, I''m going to the garrison''s quarters. Riche, I''m counting on you." "Yes, as you wish, Kent-sama." I bowed to Reese-san and the others and dove into the shadows. The destination was the garrison''s temporary dormitory, and I asked the chairman yesterday to tell them to prepare to return someone. "Good morning, Katou-sensei." "Good morning. I''ll be counting on you, Kokubu." "Sensei, have you completed the selection?" "Yeah, it was a wind attribute or water attribute girl. They should be preparing at the training ground." "Then, shall we go." It seemed that Nakagawa-sensei and Furudate-sensei were out to act as interpreters for Miura-san and the others from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Honestly, I think it''s necessary for Japan, but I''m worried that our job as teachers seems to be neglected. It''s been more than a month since we came to Volzard, but I can''t help but feel that everyone has become lax about the whole situation." Katou-sensei''s concern, as symbolized by the actions of Tayama and Mita, was that since they were able to escape from life-threatening danger, they could live without working or studying in particular, it seemed that the number of my classmates who were acting carelessly and becoming lethargic was increasing, probably because the radio waves of mobile phones and TVs had started to reach them and the information environment close to Japan had begun to be established. Some of my classmates seemed to be glued to their smartphones all day long near the solar panels, and even if the teachers drove them away, they would go right back, and it was like a cat-and-mouse game. "Speaking of which, I heard that Takayama is having a child ..." "It seems so. I also heard from Takayama, but I don''t think this world knows how many months it''s been." "I guess ... I mean, is he okay? Will he be able to feed his wife and child properly?" "Well ... I''m not Takayama, so I don''t know the contents of Takayama''s wallet, but if it doesn''t look like it''s going to work, I''ll help him. I''m responsible for bringing Celia-san and Flosche-san here." "I see, well, please help to the extent that Takayama doesn''t become dependent on you." "Understood." At the garrison training ground, there were several female students, Senzaki-sensei, Ayako-sensei, the chairman, Manon, and Takagi-san. As we approached, Takagi-san walked up to us with a determined look on his face, but Katou-sensei stepped forward to block his way. "Takagi-kun, what do you want." "To Kokubu for a moment ..." "At this moment, Kokubu is going to send one of the students home. I want to avoid upsetting him before that, so if possible, I would like you to do it on another day ..." Katou-sensei''s words were polite, but his tone showed a firm refusal. "I understand. That''s why I''m thinking of apologizing for what I''ve done so far and wipe away his worries in the future." Katou-sensei stared at Takagi-san''s face for a while with an expression of not letting Takagi-san even take one step, and then turned to me. "How about it, Kokubu." "If we can finish it quickly, I think I can listen to his story first ..." "Understood ... Takagi-kun, it''s fine. I''ll ask you to be quick." "I understand. Umm, is it okay if I you lend me Kokubu-kun for a moment so it''s just the two of us?" Katou-sensei asked me with his eyes, so I nodded and conveyed my intention of affirmation. "Well then, I''m going first, so please be very quick." "Understood ..." Katou-sensei accepted Takagi-san''s nod and walked to where the girls were. The chairman looked at me with a worried look on her face, so I nodded to her as well. "Kokubu-kun, I''m worry for taking up your time before your important work. And I would like to apologize for the many rude attitudes I''ve had up until now. I''m sorry." Takagi-san deeply bowed his head. "No, I heard a little about it from Klaus-san, but Takagi-san has his own thoughts, so I guess it can''t be helped ..." "That''s right. To be honest, I''m not completely convinced about that, but what we should do in the current situation is to return the students who want to return to Japan as soon as possible." "Yes, I think you''re right." Takagi-san also nodded strongly and then continued talking. "For that to happen, Kokubu-kun, your power is essential. So, I''m sure you''ll think it''s a really selfish phrase, but I''m going to put aside all the harem stuff and give you my full support." "Give me your support?" "That''s right, if you ask me, besides returning the students, you seem to have taken on the troubles of Volzard and the neighboring country of Resenburg." "Haa ... Maa, I''m thinking of gradually reducing that, but ..." "I see. I would appreciate it if you could do that, but it is normal for people with power to have troubles. And, such troubles almost always involve human emotions. So, I would like to use my experience as a counselor to give you advice as a profiler, so to speak. "I see ..." Certainly, as Takagi-san said, human greed and vanity were intertwined with the chaos of Resenburg. I felt that the advice of Takagi-san, who had experience as a counselor, would be especially useful in deciphering the psychology of troublesome opponents like Havre Calvine. "Is that so. It would be helpful if you could do that." "Seriously, I''m happy to hear that. I''m looking forward to working with you from now on." "To you too, my best regards." Takagi-san bowed his head deeply again, and I bowed my head in the same way. As I lowered my head, Takagi-san''s hands flashed like a magician in my vision, and a faint glow seemed to pass in front of me. The next moment, a burning pain ran through my neck, and when I looked up, I could see Takagi-san''s face with cold eyes and a faint smile, a shiver ran down my back as if cold water had been poured on me. However, in the next moment, Takagi-san''s devilish smile changed into a startled expression. Fred came out of the shadows and slashed his twin swords, slashing Takagi-san''s arms from the elbows down. Fred held me as I fell down, and removed the weapon from my neck. I tried to scream when I felt something like a string being pulled out from deep in my neck, but the air leaked out of my throat and I couldn''t make a sound. As I tried to stabilize my wobbly head with both hands on my neck, I could see blood gushing out from between my fingers. [ Kent-sama, heal yourself, please heal yourself with all your might! ] Following Reinhardt''s voice, which resounded loudly in my head, I frantically tried to heal myself, but my head became dizzy and my consciousness faded. "Kento, Kent, stay strong!" "Kent, Kent, Kent." [ Kent-sama, get a grip, Kent-sama! Heal yourself! Heal yourself! ] While listening to the screaming voices of the chairman, Manon, and Reinhardt, I continued to heal myself, but suddenly I became faint and let go of my consciousness while being supported by Fred. I lost consciousness, but it probably wasn''t for that long. "Kento, come back. Kento, Kento." "Kent, don''t die, Kent, open your eyes, Kent, Kent." "Aah ... Uuh ..." "Kento! Kento, be strong, Kento!" "Kent, do your best, Kent, Kent!" In my blurred vision, I could see the crying faces of the chairman and Manon. I still didn''t understand what happened, but I was pretty sure that Takagi-san almost killed me. [ Kent-sama, are you okay? ] "Yeah ... somehow ..." "Kento! I''m so glad, I''m so glaaaad ..." "Kent, Kent, Uuuuu ..." The chairman and Manon were clinging to me and crying. [ Reinhardt, what happened? ] [ It seems that Takagi tried to cut off Kent-sama''s head using a wire as thin as a thread. ] [ Why, why did Takagi-san ... ] [ I don''t know about that, but Takagi took poison and killed himself. ] [ Eeehhh ... ] "Kento? Wait, don''t force yourself." When I tried to get up in surprise, the chairman stopped me. "But, Takagi-san ..." "It looks like he vomited blood and died ..." It seemed that Takagi-san had fallen a little away from me, and the guards who had rushed over were gathering around him. Kartz-san was among them. "Kartz-san ... Kartz-san ..." When I called out, Kartz-san came running over. "Have you regained consciousness, Kent, it''s better not to overdo it yet." "Takagi-san ..." "He''s dead, he committed suicide by taking poison ... He probably had a poison capsule in his teeth." Kartz-san''s point of view was almost the same as Reinhardt''s. "Is that a secret weapon of Kent''s world? A terrifyingly thin, terribly pliant, and terribly strong wire." "I think it''s used as the string for musical instruments." Perhaps what seemed to flash for a moment was something like a piano wire. I remembered the moment it bit into my neck, and my body trembled. "If you weren''t Kento, you would have died. What is that, why would Kento be targeted?" "I don''t know, either. It would have been dangerous if Fred weren''t being cautious." The wound on my neck seemed to have healed between my self healing and the chairman''s healing magic, but I lost a lot of blood and my head felt dizzy. I felt like I had a lot of things to do, but I couldn''t come up with anything. Besides, a fierce chill was hitting me. "Yuika ... I''m cold ..." "Wait, I''ll find something to wear ..." "Asakawa, we should take him to the infirmary. I''ll carry him on my back, so go ahead and make preparations." "Yes, please." The warmth of Katou-sensei, who carried me on his back, seemed to seep into my body. "Sensei, I''m sorry. The return ..." "Idiot. You don''t have to worry about that now. Take a good rest." "Yes, I''m sorry ..." The vibrations of Katou-sensei walking invited drowsiness. Before we got to the infirmary, I lost consciousness again. The next time I woke up, it was the middle of the night and I was on a bed. Beside me on the bed, the chairman, Manon, and Beatriche were lying there sleeping. Mart and the others were hiding in the futon and warming us up. [ Reinhardt ... ] [ Did you call me? ] [ Sorry, that jug over there ... ] [ Wait a moment. ] Reinhardt poured from the jug of water into a cup and gently helped me up. The cold water quenched my dry throat and made me feel refreshed. I thought my head was starting to work somewhat. [ That was a very dangerous situation. ] [ Really, when I think about it, it makes me shudder. My neck was wide open, right? ] [ Probably, it was only connected by the neck bone and a few muscles ... ] [ Whoa, rather, I heard the sound of air leaking from my throat. If I hadn''t used healing magic, I would have died. ] [ Are you okay, Kent-sama? ] [ Hmm ... I''m still far from my normal condition because I''m still sluggish, but I think I''ll be fine if I take it easy for a couple of days. ] [ Is that right. Is your heart okay? ] [ How can I say it. But, this is the third time I''ve been nearly killed, and the shock is a shock, but well, somehow ... ] [ It would be better if you could take a little rest instead of pushing yourself too hard. ] [ I agreed. I feel like I don''t have enough blood. ] Come to think of it, I fell asleep without changing clothes, so they were clotted with blood and I looked like a mess. I wanted to take a bath and wash my body, but I felt like I would wake up the chairman and the others, and I didn''t have the energy to get up in the first place. [ Come to think of it, Takagi-san didn''t make any footsteps. ] [ As expected of Kent-sama ... He wasn''t walking normally ... ] [ I noticed later that I heard Katou-sensei''s footsteps moving away, but I didn''t hear Takagi-san''s approaching footsteps. ] The garrison''s training ground was unpaved soil, but fine sand or gravel was scattered on the surface. If you walked normally, you should hear a crunching sound, but Takagi-san didn''t make a sound as he approached. In the Feudal Lord''s mansion, the corridors were also carpeted, so there were no footsteps, but Fred felt uncomfortable about Takagi-san''s footsteps. [ As expected, he must have had some sort of training. If you examine the luggage he brought from Japan, you may find some clues, but ... since he tried to kill Kent-sama, he must have been prepared not to return from the beginning. ] [ Then, it might be difficult to find any traces even if we examine the luggage. ] [That''s right, he may have disposed of the things that could serve as evidence. ] There was one thing that really bothered me, so I asked Reinhardt. [ Hey, Reinhardt, did Takagi-san really have a daughter? ] [ Well, what do you think. ] [ If being so obsessed with showing those pictures was all acting ... I think I might not be able to trust anyone. ] [ That''s right. Or maybe that girl was a real girl, held captive as a hostage. He was threatened that she would be killed if he disobeyed ... I can''t say that it isn''t like that. ] [ I see ... A hostage, huh ... ] Even if I tried to imagine it in my head, I couldn''t think of a reason how to make sense of it. [ Now, Kent-sama, there is still time before dawn. Even if you can''t sleep, close your eyes and rest. ] [ Alright. Anyway, I''m going to focus on getting back into shape for now. ] I slept so disconnectedly that I thought I wouldn''t be able to sleep until dawn, but as soon as I closed my eyes, I fell asleep. CH 177 Unidentified man ***---*** When I woke up the next morning, the chairman and the others were already awake and the sun was already high. The terrible chill was gone, but the dullness was stuck to the core of my body. The chairman told me that I should still sleep, but the dried blood was disgusting, so I borrowed the garrison''s bathroom and washed my body. When I washed away the sticky, clotted blood from my hair and body, I finally felt refreshed. After I got out of the bath and took out my underwear and clothes from the shadow storage and put them on, I finally felt a little better. Breakfast time had already passed in the cafeteria, but the chairman and Manon seemed to have explained the situation in advance, and they prepared a light breakfast for us. "I''m sorry for being selfish." "What are you talking about. Do you have any idea how much you''ve helped me, I can''t return the favor with something of this level. Thank you as always." When I bowed to the lady in the cafeteria, she thanked me. However, in the cafeteria, there were classmates who were not going to work and were wandering around. But, I didn''t have the energy to warn or argue with them today, so I''m sorry, but I''ll turn a blind eye. "Ahhh, after I eat this, I have to contact Japan ..." "Didn''t the teachers contact them?" "Maybe. But, if I don''t contact them, they''ll probably get worried, and I''ll have to talk to them about Takagi-san''s body." "You can''t go back to Japan yet. You have to take it easy today." "That''s right, it''s exactly as Yuika says. Kent, you look terrible." "Yeah, I''ll take it easy today." I didn''t know because I hadn''t looked in a mirror, but I was definitely feeling lethargic, and I felt like I was far from my normal condition. After finishing the meal, I made a phone call to Japan from the cafeteria so as not to worry the chairman and the others. Suzuki-san''s voice echoed from the other side of the receiver before the ring tone even rang. "Kokubu-san, umm ... are you okay?" "Yes, I''m fine somehow, but the bleeding was so bad that I won''t be able to go back to Japan for two or three days." "Is that so, there is information that the counselor Takagi-san attacked you, but is that correct?" "Yes, there''s no doubt about it. It would be better if Takagi-san''s body was taken there." "Of course, that''s true, but it will be fine after Kokubu-san''s health returns. We are responsible for choosing the person who caused this incident. Please make recovery your priority. I''m really sorry." "Umm, I''d like to ask you something, what kind of person was Takagi-san? Was he really a counselor?" Usually, when I ask her, she comes back with a resounding response, but after a few moments, Suzuki-san''s reply came back. "We are still in the investigation stage, so I can''t talk about the details, but there is a possibility that someone else was impersonating him." "Does that mean that a completely different person was using Takagi-san''s name?" "Yes, that''s right." "Um, does he have a wife or children?" "Yes, they exist, but it seems that they don''t think that the one who impersonated him was Takagi-san." "Ehh, what do you mean?" "The fake Takagi-san, who committed suicide there, told his wife not to contact him because he had a falling out with his parents. The real Takagi-san ran away from home when he was in high school. Since then, he seems to have become estranged from his family, and his whereabouts cannot be confirmed. When I asked the parents of the real Takagi-san to look at the photo of the fake Takagi-san, they said that he was a completely different person." It seemed that Takagi-san, who attacked me, was an unidentified person who used to pretend to be a psychosomatic physician, and the Metropolitan Police Department, etc. were currently investigating. The investigation had just started yesterday, but it seemed that some unnatural points had been pointed out in the process of selecting a counselor to be dispatched to Volzard. It seemed that the fake Takagi-san who tried to kill me was active as a psychosomatic physician, but there seemed to be a suspicion that he was forcibly injected into the selection of counselors to be dispatched to Volzard. It seemed that a considerable amount of money was spent in the process, and the media had already made a fuss about it. "I can''t say for sure yet, but it seems highly likely that he was an agent of some country." "Does that mean that I was targeted by a country other than Japan?" "The government seems to think that it''s highly likely." "But, why am I being targeted?" "Perhaps, Kokubu-san''s abilities are considered dangerous." "That ... Well then, Dad ..." "Don''t worry. We have already assigned security guards to Kokubu Takehito-san''s family. "Umm, Yuika ... How about Asakawa Yuika''s family?" "It''s okay, I''ve finished placing security personnel over there are well." "Haa ... Thank you very much." According to Suzuki-san, she didn''t tell my father''s family or the chairman''s family about it, but she had already posted security guards in preparation for unforeseen circumstances. "But, what country would have thought that my abilities were dangerous?" "We are currently investigating, and there are many countries that come to mind." Once I visited a place, I could move freely and instantly, and I could even transport large items. If it was a human from Earth, I could take them to a remote location with a simple procedure. Japan might monopolize the abundant resources of another world. It''s possible to assassinate a VIP without leaving any trace. I wouldn''t be surprised if some countries saw me as dangerous. However, if Takagi-san was an agent, why did he complain about me from the beginning and do something that made him stand out from the crowd. Even after coming to Volzard, he acted to impress people here, including Klaus-san. I couldn''t help but feel that he was acting inconsistently for an agent. "We will proceed with the investigation here, but, though it''s fine to do so when your physical condition returns, please transport the body. We plan to try to identify the poison and identify the person based on their physical characteristics." "Understood, I will contact you as soon as I recover enough to return to Japan." "Yes, my best regards." After hanging up the phone, I turned off the power and put it away in the shadow storage. "Kento, Takagi-san, was he a spy from some country?" "I don''t know yet, but I was told it''s highly possible." "But, if he''s a spy, wouldn''t he stand out too much?" "I thought so too, but on the contrary, no one would think that he was a spy if he stood out that much, so maybe that was the strategy." "Well, you certainly didn''t think he was a spy at all." Even I, who had been warned by Fred beforehand, was completely unprepared at that moment. If Fred hadn''t cut Takagi''s arms off, my head would have been separated from my torso. If that happened, it would have been impossible to heal with self-healing, and my life would have been lost, and not only my classmates and teachers, but also the three people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not be able to return to Japan. "Hey, Kent, you haven''t brought any suspicious people with you, have you?" "There are only the three people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who are staying in Volzard from Japan right now, so I think they''ll be fine, but I''ll be on high alert." Manon''s anxiety was natural, and I was starting to become skeptical myself. Let''s have Fred and the others escort me from the shadows when I meet Miura-san and the others. "Riche, did Klaus-san say something?" "Generally speaking, I was told to tell you to concentrate on getting back in shape." "I''m sorry for worrying you, tell him that I''ll report back when I feel better." "I understand. However, I will report on your behalf, so you don''t have to rush." "Yes, alright." Whether it was because I ate lightly or because I didn''t have enough blood, I felt sleepy, so I decided to go back to the boarding house and rest. When I called out form the back door, even though it was the busy time before the store opened, Amanda-san came out with a changed expression. "Kent, I heard you were attacked, are you okay?" "Yes, as you can see, the wound has healed, but there was a lot of bleeding, so I''m not in my best condition." "How about food? Did you eat properly?" "Yes. I just had a light meal at the garrison''s cafeteria." "I see, but your complexion doesn''t look good, so go back to your room and rest." "That''s what I intend to do. If I don''t wake up, could you wake me up for dinner?" "Understood. Today, I''ll prepare something that''s easy to digest and nutritious, so you can rest well." "Thank you very much." When I went up the stairs and entered my room, I didn''t feel like changing clothes, so I lay down on the bed in the same clothes. "Mart, Mirt, Murt, can you warm me up?" "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, it''s okay." "Me too, I''ll warm you up." "Me too, me too!" [ Kent-sama, we are with you, so please rest at ease. ] [ The security is perfect ... Leave it to me ... ] [ Please rest assured, as for suspicious people, we won''t let so much as a single kitten through. ] "Nero is watching over you, so it''s okay, nya." "Everyone, thank you ... I''m counting on you ..." If I had been alone, I would have been overwhelmed with anxiety, no matter how sick I was, and I wouldn''t have been able to sleep. I continued to sleep soundly, and continued to sleep without dreaming until Meisa-chan woke me up. "Kent ... Kent, dinner is ready, Kent." "Nn ~ ... Is it already morning?" "Mou, what are you talking about, it''s night, night. It''s dinner time." "Eh, ah, that''s right. I asked to be woken up." "Kent, are you okay? Should I bring it here?" "It''s okay, I''ll get up." When I got out of bed and stroked her head, Meisa-chan hugged me. Meisa-chan seemed to have worried about me too. "I''m sorry for worrying you, Meisa-chan." "Yeah, I was worried ... But, I''m glad you came home properly ..." "Thank you, then, shall we have dinner?" "Yes!" For dinner, the meat was stewed until it was runny, and there was bread like naan, and salad. After apologizing to Meline-san for worrying her, I felt like I had finally returned to the usual dining table, but my appetite hadn''t returned, and I felt like I was barely able to cram it in. "Even so, to be attacked by someone brought from the world Kent used to live in, what the hell is going on with that?" "It seems that there is a high possibility that another country was pulling the strings behind the scenes, rather than a personal grudge." "Is another country at war with Kent''s country?" "No, it''s so peaceful that there''s a saying ''peace idiots'', but it seems that it was a superficial thing, and there seems to be a lot of things behind the scenes." "It looks like ... You''re talking like it''s someone else''s problem, but it was Kent who was attacked." "That''s right, but I don''t feel like I''m involved in such a dark battle, so it doesn''t strike home to me." "Haa ... Maa, I guess your understanding hasn''t caught up with this sudden happening, but anyway, you be careful from now on." "Yes, more than ever, I''ll make sure that all my genus are careful, so please don''t worry." No matter what I said, there was no way they would be relieved, and Amanda-san, Meisa-chan, and Meline-san all had worried expressions on their faces. Amanda-san changed the subject as if she understood. "Come to think of it, the forest on the west side of the city suddenly disappeared, and there was a lot of commotion, but was that Kent''s doing?" "Uhh, umm ... that''s right." "Seriously, did you start taking on the expansion work of the city?" "It''s not that, I''m thinking of building a house where all my genus can relax together ..." "I see ... In your case, you will have at least three wives, so you need a house." "Yes, I think it''s still a long way off, but I''ve started preparing a house where everyone can live." Amanda-san and Meline-san agreed when I told them about my home construction plan, but Meisa-chan pouted and seemed dissatisfied. "Kent, are you leaving our house?" "Ehh, yeah, but it''s not right now." "But, you are leaving?" "Yes, but it''s close, so you can come visit anytime." "Mofumofu won''t be here either, right?" "Yeah, but, that''s right. I''ll put someone in charge of security here." "Really? Really really?" "Yeah, really really, this place is like my Volzard parents'' house, so I''m worried even if I leave." "But, Kent will be gone, right?" "Well, that''s right. But, I''ll come to play from time to time." "Uuu ... Really?" "Really, really, I promise." "Then ... I guess it can''t be helped ..." I promised that I''d send over a Kobold for security and come visit from time to time, and Meisa-chan finally agreed. After dinner, I took out my smartphone from the shadow storage and turned it on. Other than an email from Kajikawa-san expressing concern about my condition, I didn''t receive any kind of message. Perhaps, they are trying to reduce my burden. After borrowing the smartphone, I hardly used it, but I decided to check the situation in Japan via the internet. The incident in which I was attacked by Takagi-san had already been reported in the news and caused a big uproar. Various speculations were made regarding Takagi-san''s true identity, and in the process, information about his family was leaked. It seemed that Takagi-san had a wife and daughter, and the photo he showed to Klaus-san was of his real daughter. Speculation was spreading that Takagi-san''s wife was actually an agent of a certain country, and it seemed that SNS photos had been scattered around, and people with the same name had been victims. The most problematic thing was that even the photos of Takagi-san''s daughter were spreading on the internet. Takagi-san almost killed me, but I didn''t blame his three-year-old daughter at all. Nevertheless, I felt angry at the act of scattering photos just for them to make noise and enjoy themselves. There were growing calls for the Japanese government to take responsibility for the fact that the counselor sent to care for the students harmed the students they were supposed to care for. It seemed that it was already known that Takagi-san was an unidentified person, and it seemed that the people involved in the selection process who chose such a person were also being attacked. It seemed that the people who recommended Takagi-san and some of the selection committee members were suspected of taking bribes, and they were also being targeted by the media and were being pressed for an explanation. Also, it seemed that the opposition parties were intensifying their pursuit that the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, who sent the counselor, was responsible for the incident. [ Kent-sama, what are you looking at? ] "This is a tool that allows you to see information about the world I was in." [ Hohou, can you get information about distant places while saying here? What a convenient tool. ] "Maa, it''s certainly convenient, but since anyone can add information, there''s inaccurate information mixed in, so you need to be careful when using it." [ I see, so sometimes it''s mixed with false rumors. ] "Or rather, if you don''t think more than half of it is fake, you''ll be swayed by the information." Speculation, reasoning, delusion, anything was possible on the internet, so it might be better to take things that were poorly supported, such as being published on multiple media, with a grain of salt. Among the information, there were people who claimed to be classmates staying in Volzard, but it seemed that they were not all genuine, and the contents of the writing was also quite suspicious. On the other hand, the writings of people who were actually at the scene were strangely realistic, and the moment I was attacked unintentionally crossed my mind and gave me goosebumps. Even from a distance, they could see my neck was slashed open, my blood was splattered all over, and I was in a terrible state. Regarding Takagi-san''s final moments, both arms were cut off, and a large amount of blood also spurted out. It seemed that Takagi-san was standing upright with no arms, but when he spit out clotted black blood from his mouth, he fell flat on his back and started convulsing. I confirmed with Reinhardt that there was no mistake in the situation, and he must have put poison in his mouth. [ Kent-sama, how about turning that Takagi''s corpse into an undead genus and trying to find out behind-the-scenes information about the organization? ] "Hmm ... I don''t want to do that." [ Hou, why is that. ] "Takagi-san''s body will be dissected after being transported to Japan." [ Dissected ...? ] "Yes, in order to identify the cause of death, the type of poison, etc., the stomach is split open to examine the condition and contents of the internal organs. This time, the perpetrator of the incident killed himself with poison. However, since he was a person whose true identity was unknown, I have a feeling that he will be dissected in more detail." [ It''s a matter of examining the corpse in detail. ] "Yes, after being dissected, it is said that the body will be sutured and returned to the bereaved family, but I think it would be painful for the bereaved family to have the body cut up, even if it was for examination." [ I see, Kent-sama, you feel reluctance to turn him into an undead or a genus for the same purpose as being dissected. ] "Besides, my genus are like family to me, so even thought he committed suicide because he didn''t want to talk about it, I made him my genus and forcibly extracted information. I don''t want to do such a thing. It''s an act that cuts off my genus, so I don''t want to do it even if I won''t understand the other side of the case." [ If Kent-sama thinks like that, then you should do what you think. ] "Yeah, I want to finish transporting the body tomorrow, so even though I''m not really sleepy, I''m going to rest." I sent an email to Kajikawa-san asking him to arrange for the photos of Takagi-san''s daughter to be deleted from the internet, and turned off my smartphone. Tonight, Meisa-chan would sleep in her room so that I could sleep comfortably. It''s true that it might be a little painful to be used as a pillow today, so while I was a little relieved, I also felt a little lonely. CH 178 Grass ***---*** Thanks to a relaxing day, my health had almost returned to normal. When I woke up at my usual time and finished my breakfast as usual, I felt like my normal life had finally returned. Today, I planned to report the details of the matter to Klaus-san, and then transport Takagi-san''s body to Japan. It was still a little early, so before heading to the guild, I decided to take a look at the land that my genus had cleared. "Eeeehhhh ... Hey, isn''t this too wide?" [ We just cleared it according to the division. It''s not good for the ramparts and the Devil''s Forest to meet, so the surrounding trees were cut down just like the other places, so it just feels wider. ] "No, even so, it''s quite wide ..." [ That''s probably because there are no buildings. ] It''s true as Reinhardt says, the land with no buildings looks spacious, but the land in front of me looked more expansive than wide. "Umm, is one-third of this land going to be ours?" [ Indeed. It might be bigger than the Feudal Lord''s mansion. ] "Eeehhh ... That isn''t good." [ Buhahaha, in that case, shouldn''t Kent-sama become the Lord of Volzard? ] "No, no, I just want to live in peace and harmony with everyone." Klaus-san seemed to have a son who would be his successor, so I would be spared the troublesome work of being a Feudal Lord. Even so, the forest had been felled, the roots dug up, the ground leveled, the base of the ramparts dug down, and even the stonework had already begun. "That stone, what''s with that?" [ Last night in the middle of the night ... I cut it out ... ] "Nero helped carry it, too, nya." [ Don''t worry about it, Kent-sama''s protection was secured by me and Basten. ] [ Kent-sama, we will complete the ramparts within this week. ] "Y, yeah, thank you ..." I didn''t know what was motivating everyone, but if the house was built too early, there would be no excuse to prolong the marriage with Seraphima. Well, even if I thought about it, the construction wouldn''t stop, so let''s proceed. After confirming the location of my home, I visited Klaus-san in the guild''s office. "Good morning. Sorry for worrying you." "Good morning, your complexion isn''t bad, you look alright." "Yes, I took it easy yesterday, so I think I''m almost okay now." "Well, to be honest, when I heard the news, my heart sank. The Griffon turmoil has just ended, and there''s no certainty that there won''t be a massive outbreak in the future. We can''t afford to lose you at this time." Klaus-san was talking with a serious expression, but Beatriche couldn''t help but let out a giggle. "What''s wrong, Riche." "Ufufufu, you say you were worried about the maximum outbreak, but you were more worried about Kent-sama than I was." When Beatriche revealed what happened at the time of the incident, Klaus-san blushed and denied it. "D, don''t be silly, I was worried because Volzard''s defense would be weak ..." "He had Hort make many round trips between this place and the garrison to keep him informed of Kent-sama''s situation. What''s wrong with Kent ... I wonder if he''s okay ... he was so distraught that he only calmed down when you regained consciousness." "That''s why, about the city ..." "Thank you very much. I''m sorry to make you worry so much, but I''m really happy." When I bowed my head again, Klaus-san''s expression relaxed and he stared at me. "It''s obvious. It''s natural to be worried. Kent, you''re an important family member." "Yes, thank you very much." My tear glands collapsed again, and I couldn''t stop the tears from falling as I kept my head down. I told Klaus-san the information I learned yesterday. "I see ... No matter how the country appears to be peaceful on the surface, there are dark battles behind the scenes. Certainly, Kent''s ability is reassuring if he becomes an ally, but is extremely dangerous if he becomes an enemy. "But, I never thought I would be attacked by Takagi-san." "From Takagi''s point of view, that''s probably what he was aiming for. I couldn''t even imagine it, so when I heard that you were attacked, at first I thought it was just a fistfight." Klaus-san summoned Miura-san of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday to lodge a strong protest. In order not to expose those who have taken great pains to protects us, and who have already seen the path to the students'' return, to danger, from now on, a strict background check will be run on anyone who comes to Volzard from Japan or who is involved with Kent in Japan. "Even so, how far did that bastard go with his acting? I heard that Yuika also slapped him, but at that time, he didn''t unconsciously avoid it? A man involved in assassination would probably also have training in martial arts." "That''s right ... even when I think back, I don''t think there was any suspicious feeling, and right after being hit, he was really surprised." "Does that mean that Yuika''s slap was calculated, too?" "Speaking of which, the incident at the Griffon dismantling site was also the same. Did he get hit on purpose?" "Maybe so." When Klaus-san cut off his words, he stared into my eyes. "Kent, are you going to turn Takagi''s corpse into an undead?" Klaus-san''s expression was serious, and I knew he was testing me. "Honestly, I''m conflicted." "Why are you conflicted?" "If I could make him undead, I would be able to obtain information about the organization Takagi-san belonged to, but I feel that the dignity of the deceased would be lost. Besides, making someone my genus is the same as becoming a family member for me, so I''m reluctant to do it just for the sake of getting information. Conversely, if I don''t turn him into an undead, I feel that information will be lost, and the families of me and Yuika will be in danger." "I see ... So, which one do you choose?" From Klaus-san, who pressed me to make a decision, I could feel the harshness of being the Lord of Volzard, and the sweat gushed down my back. "I ... I won''t turn Takagi-san into an undead." To be honest, I was hesitant to say it, but when I looked Klaus-san in the eyes, I said it clearly. After Klaus-san stared at me in silence for a while, he slowly opened his mouth. "It''s naive ... But, for this time, that''s fine. Return Takagi''s body to his family." "Haaaa ... Understood." I involuntarily let out a big sigh, and my body lost strength. "Kent, you were hesitant until the last minute to answer, weren''t you?" "Yes, to be honest, I didn''t have a clear reason for it, I just kind of didn''t like it." "I see, then I''ll tell you why. To draw a line." "A line ... is it?" "Right. The fight between you and Takagi was, so to speak, a small war. Takagi launched a surprise attack and you repelled it. Isn''t that right?" "That''s right, it feels like that." "Certainly, as you said, organizations and countries are pulling strings behind Takagi. Here, the return of 200 people and the future of trade are at stake. It''s precisely because so many people and things are involved that a war won''t end unless a line is drawn somewhere. If you draw a line, draw it with respect. Besides, Takagi wouldn''t have had any useful information. He may have been a terrifying user, but he was a disposable agent after all." "But, then he didn''t need to die ..." "Isn''t the Japanese government aware that you are using undead genus? Then you should think that the enemy also knows. If he knew, he would be turned into an undead even after he died, and they would at least assume that information would be extracted. Even if you pass on the information that Takagi knew, it wouldn''t be anything about the mastermind. Make a distinction that it was Takagi who died." "I see ... That may be true." "Before the story gets too big, draw a line here. Mourn Takagi''s body with gratitude. And show a clear will that this conflict is over. Draw a line here, but in case the line is crossed, tell the other party that you will show no mercy next time!" "Yes!" Klaus-san took a deep breath and relaxed his expression. "War is easy to start, but difficult to stop. For you, with your confrontation with Resenburg, you should have had a taste of that." "Yes, that''s right." "Even if it''s a conflict that your opponent has started, think about how to end it and where to draw the line, not how to stop the opponent. Got it." "Understood." "Takagi''s body is in the garrison''s morgue. If you get in touch with the sentry, I told them to hand it over." "Yes, thank you very much. I''m planning to transport it to Japan by the end of the day." "Well, if you go back to Japan, there will be new information, so please let me know what you find out. It''s my first time seeing a type like Takagi, so I''d like to know a little more for my future studies." "Undrestood. I''ll let you know." Klaus-san nodded and then changed the subject. "Also, it depends on the situation, but please expect to receive a nomination request." "A nomination request, is it? Maybe it''s from another city?" "The client is Master Reese." "Ehh, no way ... Is it the matter of becoming her companion?" "Idiot, that''s not it. It''s an escort to Bakkenheim." "Ehh, but Lau-san will accompany Reese-san." "Of course that''s right, but since Volzard cannot monopolize the iron you brought in, it will eventually be transported to Bakkenhaim. For that time, I''m thinking of having you go to Bakkenheim once." If I used shadow movement, I could immediately move to a place I had visited once, and I could also transport goods. I guess that''s why he wants me to go to Bakkenheim once. "But, even if I don''t go there, if my genus have been there before, it''s possible to move there if I have them move first and use them as landmarks." "Oh, right, that''s right. Reinhardt and the others might have been there before." "Maybe ... Reinhardt, have you ever been to Bakkenheim?" [ Of course, Landshelt used to be a part of Resenburg, and since then Bakkenheim has flourished as an academic city. ] "Is that so ... Klaus-san, I hear they''ve been there before." "I see, then there''s no need to go. Alright, Reese and I will have a meeting about that matter, and I will contact you when the details are decided." "Understood. I''ll keep it in mind for now." After reporting to Klaus-san, I headed to the garrison''s morgue to pick up Takagi-san''s body. I thought about calling out to the chairman and Manon at the clinic, but they were both busy working as the examination had already started. In particular, the chairman seemed to be handling the main treatment while consulting with the healer who was originally enrolled. In the case of trauma treatment, it seemed to be good to close the wound with healing magic and heal it by increasing the regenerative power, but in the case of illness, it seemed that if healing magic was used to completely recover, the immune system would decrease. So, for example, in the case of a cold, healing magic should be applied to increase immunity while suppressing inflammation in the throat. Yeah, just trying to fix everything like me ... then they couldn''t do that. I stepped out from the shadows of the building and called out to the garrison member guarding the morgue so as not to startle them. "Good morning. I''ve come to pick up Takagi-san''s body." "Yes, I heard. Go ahead ..." Takagi-san''s body was placed on a stretcher on a table with a stone top. Judging from the swelling of the white cloth that was hung over the body, it seemed that the severed arms were put into their original positions. "You don''t have to return the stretcher. Also, the weapon used to attack Kent-san is wrapped in this cloth." "What about the blood on the murder weapon?" "It was left as it was. Also, the belongings of the deceased are gathered there." "Understood, thank you very much." It seemed that the teachers sorted out the belongings and put them in a carry-on bag. When I contacted Suzuki-san in Japan before taking Takagi-san''s body out, she replied that preparations were in place to accept it. "Then, I''ll carry it out. Thank you for your help." "No, thank you for your hard work." Reinhardt and Basten carried Takagi-san''s body on the stretcher, and Fred carried his luggage. At the Nerima garrison, which was visited by the Skeletons, there were a lot of people I knew. From among them, Kajikawa-san and Suzuki-san stepped forward and bowed their heads deeply. "Kokubu-kun, I''m really sorry. We put your life in danger because of the oversight of the Japanese government. Originally, the Prime Minister or the Chief Cabinet Secretary should apologize, but we took over. I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I am truly sorry." "Kajikawa-san, Suzuki-san, please raise your heads. To be honest, if I were anyone other than me, I think I would have died. The effects of the bleeding have subsided, so I''ll draw a clear line here." "If you''re drawing a line, does that mean you don''t intend to hold the people behind Takagi-san accountable?" I told Kajikawa-san, who had a dubious expression, about my conversation with Klaus-san. "As for me, I don''t want any more conflict, so at this point I will draw a line and I won''t question the responsibility. In exchange, could you announce that I will show no mercy if they continue to cause conflict?" "Are you sure you are okay with that?" "Yes, it''s no problem." "Hmm ... alright. Kokubu-kun, I will make the statement as your individual opinion, but I will continue the investigation activities of the Japanese government. This is not a problem that the government can tolerate. We will conduct a thorough investigation, destroy any domestic organization, and if any country is involved, we will issue a strong protest, or possibly impose sanctions. This is an assassination attempt on a Japanese citizen, and an act of terrorism that threatens the return from Volzard." "Yes, I understand." I held out my right hand and exchanged a firm handshake with Kajikawa-san. "At a later date, the government will send an official apology. At the same time, Kokubu-kun should be paid a consolation fee." "No, even if you don''t go that far ..." "No, we have to make a distinction, so I want you to accept it." "Is that so ... I understand. So, where should I put Takagi-san''s body ..." "Can you put it down on the examination table for now?" "Sudou-san, this is the weapon used in the attack." "Let me take a look ..." Putting on gloves, Sudou-san opened the wrapping and found something like a piano wire that had turned dark and was stained with blood. The end part was connected to a metal ring, and the finger must have been put through the ring. "Is this covered in Kokubu-kun''s blood?" "That''s right, but Takagi-san''s bleeding seemed to have been severe, so it''s possible that his also flew there." "Okay, Kokubu-kun, I''m sorry, but could you help me collect DNA later?" "Is it blood sampling or something?" "No, it''s just rubbing the inside of your cheek with a cotton swab, so it''ll be over in no time." "Understood." After that, Morita-san interviewed me about the situation. I was also a victim, but since Fred cut off Takagi-san''s arms, I was also in the position of the perpetrator, but it seemed that there was no worry that I would be prosecuted due to the circumstances. "You don''t have to be so stiff, so it''s fine." "Yes, my best regards." The interrogation wasn''t just about what happened at the garrison''s training grounds. I was asked about the events from just before Takagi-san was assigned to Volzard until the incident occurred in detail. Looking back, I could only believe that from the first time I met Takagi-san, he was showing his hostility towards me and was deliberately trying to make a strong impression. It seemed that it could only be a minus as an agent, but did he have any speculations. After the general interview was over, I asked Sudou-san, who was present with me, about Takagi-san. "Takagi-san, was he really an agent of some country? Wasn''t he just a person who falsified his identity?" "Kokubu-kun, do you think an ordinary person would prepare such a deadly weapon?" "Ahh, I see ... That''s right." If I was attacked with a knife, it was possible that an amateur was furious, but it was hard to imagine using a dark instrument made of piano wire or not making a sound with his footsteps. "Kokubu-kun, do you know grass?" "Ehh, grass ... is it? it grows from the ground ..." "Don''t you know how it looks? I''m not talking about the net term grass."(TN:Net term for grass is the Japanese way of saying LoL, which looks like grass growing. WWWWWWWWW) "It''s neither the plant grass nor internet slang, but grass, is it? I don''t know." "It''s a word that appears in ninja stories in period novels, and it''s said that grass is a ninja who lives in the land under the guise of a normal person and continues to hide for generations." "Are you saying Takagi-san was that grass?" "Well, it''s not a ninja, so I guess it''s like grass." Through the investigation so far, the real Takagi Keiichirou ran away from his parents'' home in Fukuoka 12 years ago when he was a high school student. After that, it turned out that he was in Osaka, but about 10 years ago, he moved around and changed his address, and before anyone knew it, he had been replaced by the fake Takagi-san, a university student from Tohoku. After that, he obtained a medical license and received training as a psychiatrist, working at a hospital in Tokyo. He said that he received financial support from his uncle for his university tuition, but the existence of said uncle could not be confirmed, so it was possible that the support came from the organization he belonged to. It seemed expensive. It was said that the Takagi family in Fukuoka received letters and remittances that said he was engaged in the construction industry that moved from place to place in various places, although he did not show his face at home, they seemed to think that he was doing well. The Investigation Headquarters believed that the real Takagi Keiichirou was likely to have been killed. "Pretending to be someone else, hiding in Japanese society, working as an agent if ordered, and ending his life as a commoner if there was no order ... We believe that such a person existed. The story of the counselor to be dispatched to the world leaked out, and Takagi-san, who happened to meet the conditions, was probably dragged in by the organization." Listening to Sudou-san''s story, I felt like cold water had been poured on my back. "Perhaps the reason Takagi-san was confronting me was not because he was against the harem, but because he would not be able to see his daughter by assassinating me. He was angry with me for causing such a situation, and if it weren''t for me, he would have been able to live in peace with his daughter ..." "Kokubu-kun. If you feel responsible, you''re wrong." "Ehh, but ..." "But, nothing. You have no responsibility, and you have no valid reason to be killed." I couldn''t help but nod at Sudou-san''s harsh tone. "This is just my personal opinion, but I believe that the person who ordered Kokubu-kun''s assassination was someone who was afraid of being assassinated. For example, it might be a dictator of some country. There''s also the issue of resources from another world, but if they were to be obtained, they would benefit the entire planet, and it''s hard to imagine crushing that possibility at this point in time when it is unknown what kind of resources there are. Conversely, from the perspective of those who fear assassination, Kokubu-kun''s abilities are extremely dangerous. No matter how much you protect yourself, you can''t escape from Kokubu-kun, who can enter anywhere. Even so, Kokubu-kun didn''t attempt any assassination, and the person who should be held responsible is the person who ordered the assassination out of fear, and Takagi-san, who carried out the assassination. Kokubu-kun bears no responsibility." Sudou-san quenched his thirst with cold tea after clearly stating such. "If Takagi-san was forced to assassinate Kokubu-kun for the sake of his family''s safety, he should have asked for help. In that case, he should have asked Kokubu-kun to evacuate his wife and daughter to a different world. If that happened, people on this side wouldn''t be able to get their hands on them." "Umm ... Are the safety of Takagi-san''s wife and daughter ensured?" "Of course, we have security guards assigned, and we are proceeding with arrangements to have the photos of his daughter deleted from the internet as requested by Kokubu-kun. However, it is practically impossible to delete all information from the internet, so we are trying to focus on personal protection as we proceed." "Is that so, my best regards." "Kokubu-kun, you''re strange. Normally, if someone were almost killed, they would direct their anger and resentment not only on the perpetrator, but also on the perpetrator''s family and relatives. Only someone extremely good-natured ..." "I think I''m distorted." "Distorted?" When I talked to Sudou-san about Klaus-san''s story the other day, he nodded in agreement. "It''s true that Kokubu-kun has a tendency to care too much about others. It might be a problem if it becomes too excessive, but if Kokubu-kun is satisfied with it and it doesn''t interfere with your life, I think it''s fine to do what you want." "Is that so. I don''t know how much is normal ..." "Hahahaha, no, I''m sorry, unfortunately, Kokubu-kun can no longer be a normal person. The only person in the world who can travel between different worlds and transport people and goods. Even if you were a normal person, the world wouldn''t allow it. So, yes ... as long as you don''t deviate too much from the law and don''t get too much backlash from others, you can do whatever you want, right." "No, is that something Sudou-san should be saying?" "Hahahaha, that''s right. But in fact, even if Kokubu-kun does whatever he pleases, there is a limit to what we can do to stop you, in the situation where you are responsible for the return of 200 people from another world, public opinion would not allow us to detain you. In reality, it is a fact that Kokubu-kun is in an extralegal state. Well, even so, I would be in trouble if you were allowed to do whatever you wanted." "I see ... I''m in a state of being raised up right now, and if I do too much, later the ladder will be removed, I''ll be dropped, and I''ll be hit ..." "Well, it''s like that. The media likes that kind of thing, so it would be wise to be careful." When I was thinking about returning to Volzard after finishing the interview, Kajikawa-san stopped me. "I''m sorry, Kokubu-kun, but could you take some luggage with you when you return?" "Yes, I don''t mind, but what is it?" "I''m sorry, it''s a slightly large luggage, so it''s in the warehouse." When I moved to the warehouse with Kajikawa-san, there was a small container with the Japanese flag on it. "This is an item requested by Miura-san of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is the key to the contain, so could you give it to Miura-san? The container can be left outdoors." "I understand, what''s inside?" "It seems that additional solar panels, TVs, antennae, a set of construction materials such as cables, etc., and Japanese food items are also included. Of course, we have strictly checked that there are no explosives mixed in, so I want you to feel at ease." "Understood, then I''ll have it carried." I put out a shield of darkness and asked everyone in the Kobold Corps to carry it, but all the Undead Lizardmen, excluding Tsuo, came out. "My King, the Kobolds are concentrating on the construction, so let us carry it." "Ahh, that''s right, understood, please." "Leave it to me." Ah, while I''m doing this, the ramparts surrounding my land must have been steadily built. Before Seraphima comes, I have to get permission from the chairman''s parents, but ... I have to do my best. CH 179 Maiden in love ***---*** After handing over the luggage from Japan to Miura-san, I went to the land development site that was I was a little worried about. Many people were flocking to the top of the ramparts, which overlooked the developed land, and they were surprised to see the vacant land that was suddenly cut out of the Devil''s Forest. "What is this ... The forest is really gone." "I participated in the Griffon subjugation, but there was no land like this." "Is it the Monster User again? I can only think that it is his work." "Look at that. Kobolds are buildings a rampart." "But, where did the stones for the walls come from?" It was kind of like a tourist attraction. At the reclaimed land, leveling had been completed, the foundation work for the ramparts had been completed, and the walls had been built up to about a quarter of the height. Certainly, if the work progressed at this pace, the ramparts construction would likely be completed within the week. The outer wall of the first section of Volzard would be extended to the west, and the third of the land being developed on the south side would be my land, while the rest would be rented or sold to the Japanese government. At the vast construction site, everyone in the Kobold Corps was covered in mud and were happily working on their work. I didn''t know why they were so obsessed with their work, but I felt sorry for having everyone work for me. So, I just wanted to convey my gratitude. I chose an empty place in the center of the developed land, went out and called out to everyone. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone! For those who can stop ... come to me!" When I called out with my hands outstretched, everyone in the Kobold Corps rushed over and in the blink of an eye, I was crushed. "Goshujin-sama. Welcome back." "Pat me, pat me." "Uhyahyahya, it tickles." "I''m going to lick you too!" "Me too, me too!" The Undead Kobolds were smaller than me, but they were many times stronger, so even if one of them jumped on me, it would roll me over. Excluding the five liaison personnel and the five patrol personnel, there were twenty-three of these Kobolds, so I seemed to be tossed about by a torrent of mofumofu. They took turns licking my face, being stroked as many times as I could, and by the time everyone was satisfied, I was exhausted and covered with mud. "Haa haa ... Dangerous, I''m tired ..." [ Buhahaha ... It''s a bit ridiculously hard to get used to after recovering from being sick. ] "Everyone is doing their best, so I wanted to give them a little help." [ As expected, Kent-sama is kind. However, for the Kobolds, this is also their nesting place. It''s only natural to work hard. ] "Is that so. It''s the place where we all will build our homes. Right ..." I wanted this house to be a place where all my genus and future brides could relax. [ What''s wrong, Kent-sama? ] "Yeah, I was wondering what kind of house I should make ..." [ That''s right. We have to make it a majestic mansion worthy of a Maou''s castle. ] "No, no, it''s okay to be normal, so be normal." [ Buhahaha, weren''t you just told by Sudou-dono that that''s impossible? ] "No, because this is Volzard, not Japan." [ Kent-sama, the Princess of Barshania won''t come to a normal house. ] "Uuh, that''s right. Haa ... I wonder what to do ..." [ It would be best to consult an expert about that. ] "Expert ... I see, let''s consult with Herman-san, who worked on Marcel-san''s shoe shop." I decided to talk to Herman-san about the house, and when I returned to the boarding house, Amanda-san scolded me for entering the house dressed like that. I took off my clothes at the back of the well, washed the mud off my head, and jumped into the bathroom. "Uu ~ h ... I''m cold, haa ... it''s warm ..." It seemed that the warm shower water melted my frozen body that was covered with water at the edge of the well. While I was enjoying the paradise, Hart, the liaison with Camilla, showed up. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, it looks like Gigawolf has appeared." "Eeehhh ... how many? Have they arrived at Lastock yet?" "Umm ... Not in Lastock, but in other places, about three of them sometimes appear." "Nn? Isn''t it a maximum outbreak?" "Yeah, that''s wrong. But, she seems to be troubled." "Alright, I''ll go over to Camilla after dinner, so tell her." "Wafuu, understood." After stroking its head, Hart squinted its eyes and wagged its tail, then dived back into the shadows. "Reinhardt, what''s the situation?" [ It''s probably not a big group, but a few strays. ] "That, are they strays?" [ Otherwise, it must be young individuals that have just separated from the pack. ] "But, dangerous is still dangerous." [ Of course. If they are looking for new territories and are moving while hunting, ambushing them would be difficult, and subjugating them would be difficult. ] Although not as strong as a Storm Cat, the Gigawolf had excellent running power, and its fangs and claws were sharp, so if it attacked using a hit-and-away method, it would be unmanageable. Come to think of it, Donovan-san said that Volzard was once attacked by a stray individual and suffered damage. [ Kent-sama, are you planning to add them to your genus? ] "Hmm ... I don''t know yet, but I''m thinking of scouting for security at my house ..." [ If it''s security guards, I think the Kobold Corps will be enough. ] "Yeah, that''s right. Kobolds are strengthened to be cute, so even if they have strength, they will be underestimated by their appearance, so I thought I''d add a slightly more powerful genus." [ I see, so it''s not about a deceptive appearance, but about the appearance of making them wary. ] "Yeah, it''s like that. If there''s ferocious-looking Gigawolves in the garden, no one will try to break into it, right?" [ Buhahaha, no matter where you look for a mansion like that, you won''t find it. ] "To protect my family, I thought I''d use whatever threats I could" [ Buhahahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, using Gigawolves to threaten people. ] At the dinner table, when I said that I was going out for a while, Amanda-san gave me a sour look. "Aren''t you still in bad shape? What would you do if you''re out in the middle of the night and don''t feel well, don''t be whimsical, be obedient." "No, I''m just listening to them today, and I''ll be right back, so it''s okay." "Is that really true ... Don''t get drunk and come back dead drunk again." "Yes, of course. I''ll be right back, so it''s okay." "Haa ... Maa, there are things that can only be done by Kent, so it may be unavoidable, but don''t worry too much." "Yes, I promise, I''ll come home early and serve as Meisa-chan''s pillow." "E, even if Kent isn''t here, it''s fine as long as Mofumofu is here." "Yes, yes, I understand. I''ll come back properly." "Kiiii ... Cheeky, cheeky, you''re so cheeky despite being just Kent!" After all, I just got a big injury, so if I went out like a night out, I would make them worry. I''ll just listen and come back as soon as possible. Using Hart as a landmark, the destination was not Lastock, but Bamata, the territory of Count Gleisner. It seemed that Camilla was staying was the detached house of Count Gleisner. Or rather, wasn''t this the room where the idiot Princes were having their orgies? Well, it was cleaned up now, and there was a maid waiting in one corner of the room. Camilla was sitting on the sofa placed in the center of the room and seemed to be looking through some documents, she would read a few lines and raise her gaze, then look around the room lightly and repeatedly return her eyes to the documents, she seemed somewhat restless. To my surprise, Camilla was wearing a light pink one-piece dress. Speaking of Camilla, knight clothes, armor, bathrobe, naked, I had never seen her dressed like a woman before, so it looked a little fresh. Perhaps she had already finished her bath, it seemed that she didn''t like her hairstyle, and she seemed to be very concerned about the vertical roll. She was kind of amusing, so I thought I''d observe her a little more, but Amanda-san and the others would be worried if I came home late, so I stepped out of the shield of darkness matching the timing when Camilla raised her gaze. "Good evening, Camilla." "Maou-sama!" Camilla suddenly smiled like a flower blooming, then she stood up and tried to kneel before me, suddenly stopped moving, and with a slightly shy expression on her face, she lightly pinched her skirt and made a feminine greeting gesture.(TN:A curtsy I guess?) "Welcome, it''s a pleasure to see you, Maou-sama." Her figure was full of dignity, suitable for the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Resenburg, and it made my heart flutter. "Maou-sama? What are you doing?" "No, nothing ... it''s nothing." "Is that so. Umm, please come this way ..." When I sat down on the sofa she recommended, Camilla sent a signal with her eyes to the maid who was waiting on her. Hart suddenly showed its face, so I tapped the left side of the sofa, and its tail wagged and it snuggled up. Mart and the others who saw that also showed their faces and I was immediately caught in the four mofumofu siege net. Seeing that, Camilla puffed out her cheeks a little and put on a sullen expression. It was a little cute, but the mofumofu siege net was only for me. I thought she would prepare tea, but the maid brought a trolley with alcohol and light snacks. I called out to the maid while she was trying to arrange the dishes. "I''m sorry, I''m not feeling very well. May I have a cup of hot tea?" The maid turned her gaze to Camilla with a slightly surprised face, and when she nodded back, she began to clean up the trolley. After the maid went back to prepare the tea, Camilla spoke to me. "I''m sorry, Maou-sama, I didn''t realize you weren''t feeling well ..." "Yeah, I''m just here to listen to the Gigawolf story. There are already casualties, right?" "Yes, in three villages, about ten people ..." "I don''t think we should talk while drinking even when I''m in good physical condition." "You''re right. I''m extremely sorry." Camilla slumped her shoulders like a scolded puppy. Isn''t she a little too cute, it''s outrageous. "If you''re in Bamata, does that mean you on your way to the royal capital?" "Yes, I intend to expose Havre Calvine and the Prime Minister''s evil deeds in front of my father in the royal castle." "Then, you''ll need the footage from before, right?" "Yes, at that time, I would like to receive the help of Maou-sama by all means." "Hmm ... I think it''s better not to go public if possible. I''ll teach you how to use it before the audience with the King, so can you contact me when you get to the royal capital?" "Maou-sama, will you not be able to attend?" "Yeah, I think Camilla''s authority will be shaken if I go too far. I think it''s unfair to be seen as my puppet." "However, I have pledged allegiance to Maou-sama ..." "Even so, I want to choose a method that will make things run smoothly. Or will Camilla''s loyalty be shaken that way?" "There is no such thing. I will follow the instructions of Maou-sama." "Thank you." The maid, who had prepared the tea again, until she finished serving, I mofu''d Mart and the others the whole time. Mufufu, maid, it looks like you can''t help but want to mofu ... I know you''re looking at them. When I was observing the maid''s gaze, Camilla was showing a displeased expression. It''s not like I won''t let you mofu, so you don''t have to be so jealous. Or rather, I don''t mind if you mofu the liaison, Hart, once in a while. The tea that the maid brewed had a mellow taste with a little bitterness. The scent was gorgeous, but it didn''t feel like it pushed me away, it felt like it gently enveloped me. It was a blend that was meant to be drunk at night so you didn''t have trouble falling asleep. "Maou-sama, you said earlier that you weren''t feeling well, but ..." "Yeah, I was almost assassinated, and I almost had my head cut off." "What did you say!" "It''s okay. As you can see, it''s connected, so there''s no need to worry. It''s just that I bled a lot, so I''m a little anemic." "But, who the hell was trying to attack Maou-sama?" "A psychotherapist from Japan, my original world?" I briefly explained Takagi-san''s incident to Camilla, but when I talked about how the weapon was pulled from my neck, she turned pale. "Maou-sama, how is it that you can be so calm. You were almost killed." "But, I''m not dead, all my genus are doing well, and although it''s true that there was a problem with the selection by the Japanese government, no one thought he was an assassin." "But ..." "Mou, the story is over. Instead, tell me about the Gigawolves." "Understood ... The Gigawolves seem to be a pack of three, and they first appeared about five days ago.." I was told that the Gigawolves first appeared in a village called Kaid, a little inland, up the river from Lastock. The Gigawolves appeared like the wind, and they ran off with two women in their mouths. From the moment they appeared until they ran away, it happened so quickly that the people of the village couldn''t do anything and seemed to have watched them leave in shock. The next time they appeared was at a village called Sakusa, further north from Kaid, where three people were said to have died. The next target was the village of Gafchi, located southwest of Sakusa, and northwest of Kaid. "After Gafchi, the Gigawolves attacked the first village, Kaid." "Ehh, then, the Gigawolves circled around and came back to the original village." "That''s right. We dispatched knights to protect the villages, but since it''s agricultural land, we couldn''t send enough people to protect the entire area." The area where Kaid, Sakusa, and Gafchi were located was a land dotted with farmlands, woodlands, small forests, and forests, and it seemed that even the large body of a Gigawolf had no trouble finding a place to hide. It seemed that there was no way to deal with them, as it was a pattern of approaching the immediate vicinity of the village, keeping low and unobtrusive, and then attacking all at once. "Even if the knights pursued them on horseback, they could easily be shaken off, and we don''t know when they will attack or where they will come from, so we can''t even ambush them." "From what I''ve heard, aren''t they trying to make that area their territory?" "Yes, I think so too, but the range connecting the three villages with lines would be a considerable area, so I think it wouldn''t be easy to find them ..." "Hmm, I wonder what to do ..." If I mobilized a large number of Kobold troops, we may be able to discover them, but since everyone was happily working on the ramparts construction, I would like to let them continue if possible. On the other hand, when asked if there is a better way, I couldn''t think of any. [ Kent-sama, why don''t you let Basten and Nero try it. ] [ Basten and Nero? That''s a strange combination. ] [ During his lifetime, Basten was skilled at flushing out game and cornering them, so he would be a great asset to hunt the Gigawolves, and even if they escaped, Nero would be able to hunt them down. ] [ I see ... Basten, I''m thinking of turning them into genus, so I''d like you to defeat them without hurting the magic stone, but with the feeling of attacking the vital points, is that okay? ] [ Please leave it to me. I''ll clean up the three Gigawolves without them realizing they''ve been killed. ] Unlike Reinhardt, who overdid it when he got excited, Basten would be fine, and Nero''s speed was guaranteed. "Camilla, about the Gigawolves, my genus will also chase after them, so I will let you know when it''s finished." "Thank you very much. What method will you use to subjugate them?" "I''ve decided to hunt with Basten, one of the three loyal retainers, and a Storm Cat, who I made my genus, but since the search area is wide, I wonder if the knights who are guarding can continue their activities." "As you wish. Thank you for your help." "I can''t say how long it will take to subjugate them, but I''ll let you know as soon as we finish subjugating them." "Yes, thank you very much." "Speaking of which, is Diethelm going with you?" "No, Diethelm is in charge of being vigilant against a maximum outbreak in Lastock." "Is Torvil the only one assisting?" "No, J¨¹rgen, the royal guard knight who was originally attached to my younger brother, is assisting in the military aspect." "What about Magdalos, who was attached to the First Prince?" "Magdalos is accompanying me. It''s not like I"m going to replace him, but Nathan, who was with Bernst-ani, is staying in Lastock, and Oswald, who was with Christoph-ani, is accompanying me." In addition, it seems that Count Saruel from the former First Prince''s faction and Count Gleisner from the former Second Prince''s faction would accompany Camilla to the royal capital. [ Reinhardt, are you also monitoring the swarms of monsters heading towards Lastock? ] [ I have entrusted the Kobold Corps to patrol in the deep part of the Devil''s Forest, so they will not miss the swarms coming from the southern continent. ] [ Understood, let them continue to monitor. ] [ I respectfully obey. ] I was planning to go home quickly, but I was talking about things other than the Gigawolves, so I was a little late. I let Mirt and Mart return in the middle, but Meisa-chan would probably complain if it was too late. "Then, I''ll go home soon." "Are you going to go back already ..." "Yeah, my body isn''t feeling well yet either." "Ah, that''s right. I apologize for keeping you so long." "Nope, Gigawolves are troublesome monsters, and I was thinking of adding them to my genus, so don''t worry about it." "Thank you. Maou-sama, please take care of yourself." "Thank you." I put out a shield of darkness and hid in the shadows, but when I realized I forgot something, I stopped and looked back. "That''s right, Camilla ..." "Yes, what is it, Maou-sama." "Umm ... That outfit looks good on you." "Ehh ... Th, thank you very much." Camilla looked surprised for a moment, then she smiled like a large, blooming peony. Uuh ... That is crazy destructive power, it''s outrageous. "G, good night." "Good night, Maou-sama ... I love you ..." As I slipped through the shield of darkness, I glanced back and saw the smile of a maiden in love. [ Buhahahaha, Kent-sama, the fifth wife is confirmed. ] [ As expected of Kent-sama ... A hunter who puts Basten to shame ... ] [ To be defeated with bare hands, as expected of you, Kent-sama. ] "Uu ~ h ... I can''t help but feel that I''m the one being hunted ... It''s a secret from everyone." I returned to the Volzard boarding house with the Skeletons, who had meaning smiles on their faces. CH 180 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 180 Return of the fourth person ***---*** When I woke up the next morning after hearing about the Gigawolves from Camilla, my physical condition had mostly recovered. Maybe the self healing that I had been using until I went to sleep last night had some effect. So, I decided to do the return work that I couldn''t do the other day. I consulted with the chairman when I visited for the morning greetings, but she wasn''t very happy. "Your complexion has improved, but isn''t it better not to overdo it yet?" "I''m okay now. Volzard will soon be on holiday to welcome the New Year, so I''d like to have as many people as possible return before then and enjoy the New Year holidays slowly." "I understand how you feel, but why don''t you at least take it easy for one more day?" "Hmm ... I don''t think I''ll be able to take it easy once I''ve recovered." "Mou, Kento can''t be helped ..." Hort, Beatriche''s liaison, showed its face when the chairman showed an exasperated expression. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Klaus-san said he has something to talk about." "Klaus-san is it? I wonder ... Should I go to the guild?" "Yeah, he''ll be waiting for you in the usual office." "Alright, tell him I''ll be there in a little while." I stroked Hort''s head and asked it to deliver a message. "Yuika, tell the teachers that I''m going to do the return work." "Haa ... It can''t be helped. Kento is surprisingly stubborn." "Uuh, I''m sorry." "But, it''s just like Kento to do things not for himself, but for someone else. I''ll let the teachers know, so you can take care of Klaus-san''s errands." "Thank you, Yuika." "Kento ..." I hugged the chairman tightly. When I moved to Klaus-san''s office, Reese-san and Lau-san were also there. "Good morning." "Ohh, come here Kent, come and sit down." Reese-san and Lau-san sat side by side on the reception sofa, me and Beatriche sat side by side, and Klaus-san sat down on the sofa for one person. "The reason I asked Kent to come is to receive a nomination request." "Eh, isn''t it better not to go to Bakkenheim now?" "Well, if it''s just to simply deliver iron, I wouldn''t mind, but if you''re going to work as an S-rank adventurer from now on, I think it would be better to know the villages and topography along the way." "I see, if I used Reinhardt-tachi as a landmark to move, I wouldn''t know what was between Volzard and Bakkenheim." According to Klaus-san, it took about a week to get from Volzard to Bakkenheim by wagon. "But, I''m worried about being away from Volzard for a week, and in fact, there''s been damage from the Gigawolves in Resenburg, so I''d like to do something about that as well." "It doesn''t matter, you can move if you use your genus as landmarks, right? There should be no problem if you leave one of your genus as a landmark at the party''s place." "Ah, right, that''s right. But, then the role of the escort is ..." "There should be no problem with Lau." "That''s right. If Lau-san is there, it''s like I''m going on a sightseeing trip to Bakkenheim." "Fufufufu ... If that''s the case, you can go on a honeymoon with me." "Uuh, that ... it hurts, Riche, it hurts, my flesh is tearing off." Today''s Reese-san was indoors, so she was dressed in her usual dancer-like costume, and it was poisonous to my eyes. "Kent-sama, we are in the middle of explaining the nomination request. Please concentrate." "Y, yeah ... Understood." "How far have I told you, right, Kent, this is neither a sightseeing trip nor a honeymoon. It''s also a trip to make up for your lack of experience as an adventurer." "My lack of experience ... is it?" "Listen, Kent, Donovan seems to have told you this before, but you don''t have enough experience to be proportional to your rank. In the first place, experience is something that can be acquired by completing a number of requests, but in your case, you were promoted too quickly and your experience hasn''t caught up." "Since you have the qualities to be my companion, it would be a problem for the Headquarters Guild to have you twisted in a strange way. So, on the way to Bakkenheim, I''m thinking of asking Lau to instill the knowledge of an adventurer into you." As soon as I shifted my gaze from Reese-san to Lau-san, I felt like my hair stood up. Since a while ago, his posture and smiling expression hadn''t changed, but his eyes were serious. "Houhouhou, it''s still a long way off, but it''s good, it''s good that you''re feeling it." "Umm ... Could you please be gentle with me?" "Houhouhou, that''s a difficult order ... Right, Reese." "Fufufufu ... Lau, I''ll be in trouble if you break him." "Houhouhou, then I guess there is a better way." Uwaa ... It''s the feeling of a frog being stared at by a snake. "Ah, right! Reese-san, is it okay if I take one person with me?" "Hou, even though you have someone like me, are you going to take another girl with you?" "No, no, the person I want to take is a man of the same age as me." "What, do you also have thoughts of sodomy?" "No, no, I don''t have that kind of intention. It''s not like that, if you don''t mind if there''s one more person, I thought I''d ask to train him as well ..." I briefly explained to Reese-san and the others about Takayama since coming to this world and Celia-san''s upbringing. "Hou, for someone with a fire attribute who possesses that kind of talent ... How is it Lau?" "I can''t say anything until I meet him, but if the material is good, it would be fun to hit it and mold them." "Good, it''s none other than Kent''s request, so bring him along." "Thank you very much. Then, I should go invite Takayama as well ..." "Ah, wait, Kent, we''re not done yet." When I tried to go invite Takayama, Klaus-san stopped me. "I have one more thing to ask of you." "Is that another request?" "Well, that''s right. It''s after going to Bakkenheim." "Am I going to do something in Bakkenheim or deliver something?" "Please escort my daughter and son to Volzard." "Oh, come to think of it, are they coming back from senior high school?" "That''s right, my eldest son and daughter are graduating, and my second son is coming home. If they hire an escort in Bakkenheim, they will have to pay for the return trip, but they don''t need it." "I see ... I understand. Is it alright if Takayama and I take on the task together?" "Ah, I don''t mind. In exchange, someone of Shuichi''s rank can''t accept a nomination request, so I''ll have that guy accept a normal request." With that said, Klaus-san grinned from ear to ear. The price of a nomination request and a normal escort request must be quite different." "Haa, Underst ..." "No, Kent-sama." "Ehh, Riche?" Beatriche interrupted my words and turned to face Klaus-san. "I will accept this request as a nomination request to Kent-sama. On top of that, Kent-sama will hire Shuichi-san as an assistant." "Riche ... You." "Father, I am Kent-sama''s secretary, so it is only natural for me to help him accept the request at a fair price." Yup, yup, my future wife is really talented. "So, is that all right? Father-in-law-san." "Kuh, it can''t be helped ... This time, I''ll make a nomination request to give face to Riche." "Thank you very much. Mart, can you look for Takayama for a moment?" "Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama." While we were having a more detailed meeting about things like the price conditions and the schedule to Bakkenheim, I asked Mart to look for Takayama. The departure was tomorrow morning, and we were scheduled to arrive at Bakkenheim four days later in the evening. The way to move was to ride in a carriage pulled by Bran the Gigawolf. In the case of a carriage, it took a lot of time because there were transfers and running errands along the way. Bran was stronger than a horse and had more endurance, so he could arrive much faster than a normal carriage. On the way back, we planned to ride in the carriage of the Feudal Lord''s house and return to Volzard in about six days. Well, in my case, it was possible to move to another location while leaving my genus as a landmark, and in fact, I''d like to subjugate the Gigawolves and return home if possible. After finishing the meeting and before returning to work, I stopped by the boarding house and told Amanda-san that I would be away for about 10 days due to a nomination request, and moved to invite Takayama. Takayama was sweating at the ramparts construction site today, so I called out to him when he was free. "Takayama! Do you have a moment?" "Oh, Kokubu, what do you need?" "Let''s go to Bakkenheim." "Huh? What are you saying all of a sudden, you." "Maa, that''s the normal reaction, isn''t it. Actually ..." I told Takayama about the details of the meeting up until now. "The escort target is the Master of the Headquarters Guild, so there''s no loss in selling your face. It would be useful to see the state of towns other than Volzard later on, and the escort targets on the way back are Klaus-san''s son and daughter, and the eldest son will one day succeed Klaus-san, so I don''t think there''s any loss in selling your face there, either. So, are you coming?" "Of course, it''s obvious I''ll go." "Then, we''ll meet in front of the guild at 5 o''clock tomorrow morning. Get ready and don''t be late." "Alright ... But, what should I prepare?" I was casually asked by Takayama, but I didn''t know how to answer. "Ehh, umm ... I wonder what you need." "Hey, and you call yourself an S-rank adventurer." "Iyaa, you''re making me embarrassed ..." "I''m not praising you! What are you going to do?" "No, in my case, I can go back and pick things up any time, and I have various things in the shadow storage, so I don''t need to prepare anything." "Uwaa, it''s a cheat ... You, you''re cheating." "Takayama, who had been enjoying delicious food in Lastock, are you really qualified to say that?" "Uuh, that may not be the case, but ..." "Well, just bring a change of clothes for now. I''ll prepare other things." "Seriously, I''m sorry ... I''ll be indebted to you." "Takayama really needs to take care of himself ... I''m really worried about being a Papa and so on." "Uuh, it''s annoying. I''m doing my best, even with this." "Yes, yes, then tomorrow you can''t be late. Don''t flirt with Celia-san until midnight." "I know. Well, the house is small, so I can''t do that." "Hmm ... Is that so. Then, you''ll have to make more money and move to a bigger house." "Damn, someday I''ll make a lot of money and pay back the debt along with a noshi."(TN:Noshi is a long, thin strip of dried abalone in folded patterned paper, attached to a gift.) "Yes, yes, then don''t be late." Takayama readily gave the OK, so let''s finish the return work quickly. When I took out my smartphone from the shadow storage and called Suzuki-san to confirm, I got a reply that they were ready to accept the returnee at any time. "Kokubu-san, are you okay? I''m worried that rushing the return now will affect your work later." "Yes, I''m fine, so please don''t worry too much and wait." "If Kokubu-san says so, I will leave the judgment to you." When I hung up and moved to the garrison''s quarters, Katou-sensei was waiting impatiently. "I''m sorry, Sensei, it was a little long." "No, it''s okay. The student who is going to return is waiting in the girls'' dormitory. It''s really cold to wait outside." Today, the sky was covered with dull clouds, and it felt cold because there was no warmth from the sun. When Katou-sensei called out to the girls'' dormitory, Senzaki-sensei, Ayako-sensei, and several female students came out.(TN:I guess Senzaki is actually female then? I still haven''t seen it written either way for sure.) At the center of the schoolgirls was a petite girl who was being teased for some reason, I thought it was the child that was planned to be sent back, but we''ve never been in the same class, so I didn''t know her name. The chairman and Manon were waiting in front of the clinic as the group headed to the training grounds. Had they been waiting all this time in this cold weather? "Aren''t both Yuika and Manon cold waiting outside?" "No, we just came out, so it''s okay." "Yeah, I asked Hurt to let me know when Kent and the others left the dormitory." I see ... Come to think of it, I didn''t know if the shadow space was hot or cold. Mart and the others said it smelled like me, so I wondered what was going on. When we moved to the training grounds, the one who began using magic to reduce her magical power was the petite girl who was surrounded by everyone. Harukawa Sanae-san had her shoulder-length hair tied up on both sides, and she seemed to be somewhat similar to Ayako-sensei. She shot wind-attribute magic towards the sky, and the girls around her were cheering her on every time she did so, it seemed she was the type that couldn''t be left alone. While Harukawa-san reduced her magical powers, I told the chairman and Manon about the nomination request. "Then, we won''t be able to see Kent for a while?" "Nope, I want to proceed with the return as fast as possible, so I asked for their consent to come back halfway through." "Kento can come back, but Takayama-kun can''t come back, right?" "That''s right. Takayama will not be able to come back for about ten days." "In the meantime, will Celia-san be okay?" "Ah, now that you mention it ... will she be okay?" "Mou, Kento is too sweet." "Uuh, I''m sorry. But, what should I do, if I start the return work after this, I probably won''t be able to afford to follow up with Celia-san." "Leave it to us! I''ll call out to Celia-san-tachi instead of Kent." "Thank you, if you need money or something, please contact me via Kobold and I''ll reimburse it." It was very helpful to have someone who could help me with what I was lacking. I decided to ask Manon to follow up with Celia-san and Flosche-san while Takayama was away. Also, just in case, I planned to dispatch a security guard from the Kobold Corps. Let''s be prepared to send reinforcements, including Zae-tachi, should something happen. "Kokubu, are you ready now?" "Ahh, yes, I''m going now." When Katou-sensei called out to me and I returned, Harukawa-san was sitting on the seat that had been prepared for her. She seemed to have used a lot of magic, and despite the cold weather, her forehead was sweaty and she was breathing heavily. "Umm, is it okay if I start?" "Yesh, it''s my f, f, first time, so please take care of me ... Ahh, I said it ..." When I sat down on the seat, Harukawa-san twitched and then her face turned bright red. The first time, it''s not about returning, it''s about kissing. "I''m sorry. There is no other way at this point, for me to be the first ..." "N, no, it''s fine. I''m rather lucky ... Hawawawa, n, no, I''m not lucky, it''s as I wanted ... not that ... Umm, umm, I, I like you!"(TN:Suki desu.) "Ehh?" The girls who were accompanying her let out shrill voices, and Harukawa-san was so red that I was worried that her blood vessels might burst. I felt like there was something going on, but the chairman and Manon were giving me cold stares, and I felt like it was wise not to go deeper than this. "O, okay, let''s get started." "Yes ..." When I put my hand on the shoulder of Harukawa-san, who turned her face upward a little and closed her eyes, her body shook with a shock as if she had been electrocuted. When I put my lips on top of hers and started sucking out the magical power inside her body, Harukawa-san gripped my jacket tightly. "Nn! ... Nnu! ..." This was the third time I sucked out magical power of a different attribute, but it still took time if it was an attribute I didn''t have. In the case of Oda-sensei, that I didn''t even want to remember, I was able to finish it in about 30 seconds, but this time it only progressed about 80% even after over 5 minutes. And then, as expected, my head was wobbly and I was sweating cold sweat. "Nnnn! ... Unnnn! ..." Harukawa-san''s trembling increased as the sucking progressed. She hugged me with all her strength, to the extent that I wondered where such power could be found in such a tiny body, and I even felt suffocated. "Nn ~ ! ... Nn ~~ ! , Nn! Uuunn!!" After completely sucking out her magical power and taking her attribute, Harukawa-san limply relaxed her grip. Finally, with granting her a little bit of my magic, I released her lips. "Nna ... This is really hard ..." "Ah ... Kokubu-kun ..." I felt sorry for Harukawa-san, who was exhausted and had an ecstatic expression, but I had a terrible headache and was nauseous. My head was wobbly, and it seemed difficult for me to carry even the small Harukawa-san, let alone hold her. "Reinhardt, Harukawa-san, please." [ As you wish. ] "Kento, after you send Harukawa-san, come back here." "Kent, you can''t go to the Devil''s Forest." After nodding at the chairman and Manon''s words, I put out a shield of darkness and dived into the shadows. When I moved to the garrison, a nurse was waiting in addition to Suzuki-san. "The fourth person, Harukawa-san. I''m counting on you." "I will definitely take care of her. Please leave the rest to me." I nodded back to Suzuki-san and returned to the shadow space with Reinhardt. I didn''t want others to see me in too much pain, so I was a little hesitant, but I made a promise, so I returned to the garrison training ground. "Kento!" "Kent, hold on!" "Ugeeeeee ..." I restrained the chairman and Manon who were running up to me, vomited up everything in my stomach, and crouched down and writhed around. As I continued to vomit, I lost consciousness. After all, it seemed that acquiring an attribute that you don''t have is an act that puts a lot of strain on your body. CH 181 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 181 Before dawn ***---*** I woke up to a sudden impact assailing my face with a thump. "Kento, Kento ... Ah, what should I do." "Yuika, first of all, cast healing magic on him." "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and heal! I''m sorry, I''m sorry ..." "Uuuh ... Yu, ika ..." In my vague vision I could see the chairman''s crying face, and next to her, I could see Manon''s worried face. "I''m sorry. Until now, I didn''t know that Kento was in such pain, I''m sorry, I''m so sorry ..." The chairman is tearing up while casting healing magic. Finally, my head began to start working, and I found myself lying on the floor in a room somewhere. Perhaps, I fell out of bed while I was thrashing. Until now, when I took the attribute and fell ill, I would go to the training grounds in the Devil''s Forest and lean on Nero. I''m sure it''s a nuisance for Nero, but with Nero''s big belly, it didn''t matter how much I rolled around, and since it''s on the same height as the ground in the first place, there was no need to worry about falling off. Above all, I managed to avoid showing my weakness to the chairman, so it seemed that the decision to return to the garrison training ground was a mistake. "It''s okay ... If I rest a little longer ... Don''t cry ..." "Kento, Kento ..." The chairman held my outstretched right arm to her chest and continued to cry. I let go of my consciousness while feeling guilty for making her worry about me. The next time I woke up, I was entrusting my cheeks to a soft warmth. The warmth conveyed a throbbing heartbeat. It seemed that I was asleep while being held by the chairman. [ Reinhardt, are you there? ] [ How are you feeling? ] [ My physical condition ... is not good, but the current situation is the best. ] [ Buhahaha, if that''s the case, please allow yourself to rest. ] [ I''d love to do that, but I haven''t made any preparations for Bakkenheim. ] [ You can take out what you need from the shadow storage. That''s Kent-sama''s style, so there''s no need to prepare. ] [ I see ... That''s true, too. ] Certainly, no matter where I went, I didn''t remember making any preparations since I became able to use dark magic. If I needed something, I could take it out of the shadow storage, and if I didn''t have anything on hand, I could go back and buy it. [ But now, when an ordinary adventurer receives a request and goes on an outing, what kind of things do they take with them? ] [ That''s right ... We only have knowledge as knights, but normally, we would have a change of clothes, money, medicine, bandages, portable tableware and food, camp paper, rain cloth, blankets, knives, and our own weapons ... I feel it''s like that. ](TN:camp paper, in case you forgot, is paper with magic symbols/circles on them to activate things like lighting campfires, or creating water.) [ Am I missing anything? ] [ That''s right ... Most of the things are in the shadow storage, and if I had to say something is missing, it would be food such as dried meat. ] [ It can''t be helped ... I''ll try to go back to buy it later. ] [ Then, are you going to take a rest? ] [ Yeah, wake me up about an hour before the meeting time. ] [ As you wish, please take a good rest. ] [ Thank you. ] It seemed that there was still some time before dawn, so I decided to sleep a little more while enjoying the warmth of the chairman. The chairman was still asleep when Reinhardt woke me up the next morning. I tried to get out of the futon without waking her up, but she woke up. "Nnh ... Kento, Kento!" "Oh, did I wake you up ..." "Kento, where are you going?" I told her yesterday that I was going to Bakkenheim, but I guess since she just woke up the chairman''s head hadn''t started working yet. "Because I have a meeting with Reese-san and the others in front of the guild ..." "Ohh ... that''s right." Even as I said that, the chairman grabbed the hem of my pants and wouldn''t let go. "I''m sorry ... I didn''t know Kento was suffering so much ..." "No, I didn''t tell you about it either, so it''s not Yuika''s fault. Besides, it didn''t change even after trying my best to heal myself, so it doesn''t seem like it''s something that can be cured with healing magic." "Yeah, I tried using healing magic too ... I''m sorry, I couldn''t do anything." I gently hugged the chairman who was looking down and crying. "I was scared ... Kento let out a terrific cry, looked like he was in pain, and I thought he was going to die ... Still, I couldn''t do anything ..." "Yuika ... I''m happy just to have Yuika by my side." "Kento ..." As I gently hugged her and stroked her back to calm her down, she fell asleep. [ Yuika-jou, she stayed up late last night and took care of Kent-sama, so she must be mentally and physically exhausted. ] [ As expected, was it a mistake to come back here? ] [ Rather than that, I think it was a mistake to not explain the reason why you didn''t come back. ] [ Right, that''s right ... ] I laid the chairman on the bed, asked Helt to watch over her, and left the infirmary. I tried to move into the shadows, but the bugs in my belly complained loudly. [ Ah ... I''m hungry. ] [ Kent-sama, then let''s go near the back gate of Volzard. ] [ Ehh? Are there any shops open at this time? ] [ There should be a stall for adventurers and travelers who leave early in the direction of the dungeon. ] [ Hee, they''ve been doing it since this time. ] As Reinhardt said, several food stalls had already started operating around the back gate of Volzard. It seemed that they earned by providing breakfast to those who leave Volzard towards the center of Landshelt and the dungeon. They also sold bread, soup, tea, sandwiches, kebabs, skewered meat, and fried bread. I bought something like a kebab and soup to satisfy my hunger while looking at the street, it was true that it was before dawn, but there were quite a few people who were getting ready to travel, and many horse-drawn carriages were waiting for passengers. [ Everyone starts moving at such an early hour. ] [ If it''s summer, it''s already bright. ] [ Ah, I see, it''s winter and dawn is late, so I just think it''s too early in the morning. ] [ That''s right. Unexpected things can happen on a trip, so they leave as early as possible and aim for a town with plenty of time to book a place to stay for the day. ] [ I see ... ] [ Well, it doesn''t have much to do with Kent-sama, who can move in the shadows. ] [ Maa, that''s right, but if I travel with someone, it''s knowledge I have to remember. ] [ Indeed. ] When I finished eating and returned to the front of the guild, Takayama was standing there, rubbing his eyes sleepily. It looked like he came on time. "Good morning, Takayama." "Oh, good morning, I''m sleepy ..." "Maa, the time is like this." "In spite of that, you don''t look very sleepy, but ... you, don''t you look awfully pale?" Even Takayama noticed it, so I guess I was still pretty pale. "Ah, I had to take the attributes of one person yesterday, so I''m not feeling very well." "Oh, one more person has been returned, how many is that now, three, four?" "It''s the fourth one. I won''t have to experience that disgust once I finish taking the water attribute." "Is it possible to use the stolen attributes?" "Yeah, I haven''t used the wind attribute yet, but I can use the fire and earth attributes as well." "Are you serious ... You''re really a cheat ..." "No, if you have to experience that disgusting feeling, you won''t want to be able to use other attributes. It''s really painful." "I see ... Cheats aren''t easy either." "Even if you say that, you''re cheat enough for everyone else, but you were only having fun at the beginning, right?" In Takayama''s case, it''s mostly self-inflicted, but after leaving Lastock where he was treated as a Hero, he was just a stupid bastard with a slightly high magical power. "Ah, now that you mention it, it might be so. It seems that my mana is quite high, but it seems that I can''t be something like an adventurer with just that, so it''s not going to be like in anime." "Well, yeah ..." "That''s right, yesterday, it seems that Manon-san visited my house, that''s my bad." "No, I thought that Celia-san and the others would be worried if Takayama left Volzard. Actually, I didn''t even notice it, but Yuika and Manon pointed it out and got angry." "What''s that. Isn''t Kokubu also dominated?" "Of course. It won''t go well if they don''t dominate me." "Hee ... Harem isn''t easy either." "Right, right, cheats and harems aren''t easy either." While I was talking with Takayama, Donovan appeared from the guild. "Good morning, Donovan-san." "Good morning, Shuichi is here too." "G, good morning." Takayama, you''re pretty freaked out, did you do something wrong during the course. "Kent, where''s your luggage?" "My luggage is stored in the shadow storage, so I''m empty-handed." "I see, do you have that hand. Shuichi, is that all you have?" "Y, yes, Kokubu told me to bring a change of clothes for the time being ..." "Haa ... You guys, did you even bring a knife?" "Umm, I have several knives ..." "Take it out for a moment." "Yes ..." Donovan-san seemed a little annoyed, so I hurriedly took out the knives from the shadow storage. "Hou, Kent, what''s with these knives?" Donovan-san nodded when I told him that I had received them from a carriage that had been attacked by monsters on the way to Volzard. "Keep the length of the knife from your elbow to your wrist, including the handle. If it''s too long, it will be difficult to handle, and if it''s too short, it will be useless. A knife with a very narrow blade is light but breaks easily, so it''s not suitable for fighting. Choose something with thickness and width." From the items I took out of the shadow storage, we hung the ones that Donovan-san judged suitable on the waist of our dominant hand side. "Keep your knives free, whether it''s straight hand or reverse hand. If you let go of your weapon, it will be your partner that will protect your life. Kent, if you could use the knife freely, "Yes, that may be so." "Your genus are powerful, but they won''t be in time. When you come back, I''ll train you hard, so be prepared." "Eeeehhhh ..." "What, do you want me to train you so quickly, alright, then Lau-san ..." "No, no, no, it''s fine after I return. Yes, I''m looking forward to it." "Fuun, maa, they can train you without me telling them, so be prepared." "Yes ..." I looked at Takayama and drooped my shoulders in disappointment. Then I heard a roar from across the street. I looked up to see what was going on, the Gigawolf Bran pulling the cabin of a carriage appeared, Takayama was also surprised. "Uwaa, what is that!" "That''s the vehicle we''re going to ride." "That big thing ... Isn''t it a monster?" "That''s right. Bran the Gigawolf is registered as a tamed monster, so it''s fine." "Are you serious? It won''t come over and chomp, right?" "Well? I don''t know about that, but ..." In the cabin pulled by Bran, Ruija, the self-proclaimed Monster User, and her younger brother, a GoriMatcho, Gunther, were on board.(TN:GoriMatcho, Macho Gorilla) Bran approached me with strong steps, wrinkled his nose and bared his fangs a little and glared at me. "H, hey, Kokubu, are you sure it''s okay?" "Well, I wonder ..." I was thinking of calling Nero, but it would be a problem if Bran leaked again, so I decided not to. Ruija, who came down from the coachman''s stand, also glared at me. "Wait, why are you here." "Good morning. Ruija-san, Gunther-san. Takayama and I will accompany you to Bakkenheim." "What the hell, I''ve never heard of such a thing!" "Didn''t you think Reese-san would keep quiet because it was amusing again?" "Hey you, don''t call her Reese-san in such a familiar manner, how many times do I have to tell you. Master Reese, or Reese-sama." When Ruija attacked us, the large Gunther bowed his head and entered the building next to the guild. "I have no intention of letting you in a carriage pulled by Bran. If you want to come with us, run on your own feet." "Eeehhh ... Maa, Takayama is fine with that." "Hey, no way. Let me ride too." "Eeehhh ..." "Eeehhh ... is wrong, eeehhh ... is, there''s no way I can follow with human feet." "Since that''s the case, we''re going to ride too." "That''s not what I meant. I just told you that you can''t ride. Are you stupid?" "Eeehhh ... everybody''s selfish ..." "Who''s selfish. You''re selfish, aren''t you." When Ruija pointed at me and raised her voice, I heard a bewitching voice that did not match the morning atmosphere. "What''s this, what''s this, being noisy so early in the morning ... What''s the fuss about?" "Good morning. Master Reese." "What''s that, Kent, being so cold right away in the morning ... Don''t be so formal, call me Reese ~." Reese-san was wearing a coat, but her chest was wide open, and it was difficult to focus my eyes. "G, good morning, Reese." "That''s no good, put more love and intimacy ..." "G, good morning ... Reese ... Nnguu." Reese-san, who gracefully walked up to me, put our lips together with a flowing naturalness. I thought it was just a normal kiss, but it almost sucked the magical power out of my body, so I hurriedly strengthened my defenses. "Nnh ... As expected of Kent, it''s good, it''s good, that''s why you''re suitable to be the father of my future child." "Yesterday I took an attribute so I''m not in the best condition, so please don''t bully me too much." "Hou, what attribute did you get?" When she learned that I had acquired a new attribute, Reese-san''s eyes lit up suspiciously. "It''s wind attribute." "So, how many do you have?" "It''s the fifth one. The only one left is water attribute." "I see, you''re becoming more and more suitable to be my companion." Looking at Reese-san licking her lips, I felt like I was being targeted by a reptile.(TN:Plot twist, she''s actually a dragon not a dark elf!!! Just Kidding.) "Should we leave soon, I woke up early, but we''re going to be late." "How boring, Kent, well, it''s fine. So, is that man Kent''s lover?" "No, no, I already told you I don''t have such a hobby. Takayama, this is Master Reese of the Headquarters Guild. Say hello." Takayama, who was overwhelmed by Reese-san''s presence, bowed his head in a hurry. "I, I''m Takayama Shuichi. Ohh, no ... Shuichi Takayama. Nice to meet you!"(TN:First he says his name in Kanji which is how their names are said in Japan, 2nd time he switches to Katakana which is how their names are said in this Isekai.) "Fumu, I heard that you were blessed with magical power due to the fire attribute ..." "Yes, but I have almost no experience in actual combat." "Hou, to expose your weak points, are you honest ... or are you an idiot ..." "He''s an idiot. Takayama is a true idiot." "Hey, why is Kokubu answering!" "Kukukuku ... It''s fine, Lau, maa, maa, you look like you''re in good shape, until we get back to Bakkenheim, it would be good to train a little." Lau-san was hiding behind Reese-san''s presence, and he probably didn''t even notice Lau-san being there. Takayama followed Reese-san''s gaze and saw Lau-san. Hey, why does Takayama look so calm, Lau-san, scary, scary, bloodlust is scary ... "Ho!Ho!Ho! ... It''s true that his body can handle it, but it doesn''t seem like he''s crossed too many dangerous bridges." "I''m sorry, he''s really stupid, I''m sorry." "Hey, Kokubu, no matter how you call me stupid, stupid, isn''t it going a bit too far." "Stupid, you really are stupid. If you become an adventurer like that, you''ll be in the other world in no time." "Why is that. What''s wrong with me." It seemed that Takayama didn''t realize how scary Lau-san was. "Hey Donovan. This Kent is interesting, I can understand why Reese wants to meddle." "I don''t think the ingredients are bad, but he''s still a child and I can''t get rid of the naivete. Please train him a little before Bakkenheim." "Ho!Ho!Ho! , it''s okay, I''ll train that kid too while I''m at it." Ah ... Now the tourist trip to Bakkenheim has been completely cut off. Just thinking about what kind of training awaited was scary. CH 182 Physical Strengthening ***---*** The carriage pulled by Bran, which started moving towards Bakkenheim, had much less vibration than I had imagined, and I felt that the ride was comparable to modern Japanese fixed-route buses. Inside the cabin, there were bench seats on the left, right, and back, with enough space for five people to sit on the right side, three people on the left side where the door was located, and four people in the back. Master Reese lay down on the backmost bench seat, Lau-san took a position in the center of the right seat, Takayama sat on the door side of the left seat, and I sat near the back. Ruija and Gunther were on the driver''s box. "Kokubu, isn''t the ride really comfortable?" "That''s right. I thought so too." "Fufufufu ... This is the cabin used by the Master of the Headquarters Guild, it''s obviously made with the best techniques and materials. "Speaking of materials, are they harvested from monsters?" "That''s right, the tendons of the Salamander''s legs are used to suppress the shaking." Those tendons supported a truck-sized body that moved at great speeds, so they must have considerable strength and resilience. According to Reese-san, the cabin, wheels, and axles were also made of materials taken from monsters, making them both lightweight and durable. "Even so, Kent, you really look unwell. Shuichi, move next to Lau and let Kent sleep there." Although in name only, I had received a nomination request, but honestly, I was not feeling well, so I decided to accept Reese-san''s offer. "I''m sorry, I''ll take you up on your offer ..." As soon as I lay down on the seat, I fell asleep like switching off. I gave myself up to the comfortable shaking and fell asleep, but I heard something like a groan and woke up. "Guu ... Fuu ... Gu! ..." As my hazy consciousness returned, I opened my eyes while remembering where I was due to the shaking, but at first I couldn''t understand the situation in front of my eyes. "Uu! ... Ku! ..." At first, I was lying down, so I thought maybe I was losing my sense of up and down, but that wasn''t the case. In the shaking cabin, Takayama was doing a handstand while drenched in sweat. "Ehh, what''s going on ..." "Kent, are you awake?" "Yes, umm ... This, what kind of situation is it?" "Lau ..." "Ho!Ho!Ho! , this is basic training for strengthening your body. Hey, Shuichi, hold firm!" "Guuu ... Mou, ah! ..." Takayama lost his balance and fell down on his back. "What, is that already your limit. That''s pathetic." "Regardless of whether I''m using physical enhancement, this is unreasonable." "You''re a man who has a lot of complaints ... come on, get up and chant." "Y, you should let me rest for a while ... Ouchh." Sitting cross-legged in the center of the cabin, Lau-san hit him with a cane while greatly perplexed. "If you use physical strengthening, you''ll get rid of your fatigue faster and feel better. "Tch, I understand. Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world ... Ouch!" "It''s slow, it''s slow, in that case the sun will set before the chant ends." "Haa ... Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" After finishing the chanting with the speed of a tongue twister, Takayama closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing as if he were sitting in Zen meditation. If I''m not mistaken, before I fell asleep, it should have been a luxurious cabin used by the Master of the Headquarters Guild, but when I woke up, it had quickly changed into a gymnasium-type gym where corporal punishment was OK. While I was stunned, Reese-san spoke to me. "Kent, are you good at strengthening your body?" "No, I can''t say I''m good at something when I''ve never used it." "I see, you said that you used magic in your own way without even chanting." "Yes, I''ve never chanted ... No, I did many times when I couldn''t use magic ..." "What''s that, you chanted even though you couldn''t use magic?" When I was still in Japan, I used to repeat Chuunibyou-like chants with various poses in my room, hoping to be able to use magic. "No, please don''t touch on that subject ..." "Fufufufu ... Maa, that''s fine. But, isn''t it inconvenient as an adventurer if you can''t use physical enhancement?" "Hmm ... In my case, I hide in the shadows and give instructions to my genus from a safe place, or launch long-distance attacks, so I basically don''t fight." "Hou, in a sense, you can say that you are a typical dark attribute magician, but aren''t your other attributes a waste of treasure?" "Yes, that may be true ..." Basically, I don''t expect to fight, so I use the earth attribute for making throwing spears or golems, but I hardly use fire attribute magic. "If it''s an outstanding magician like you, you may think that strengthening your body is not necessary, but physical strengthening is also the basis of manipulating magical power. If you wear it and polish it, you will be able to use your magic efficiently when using other techniques. That way, even if you fight for a long time, you won''t be attacked by magic power exhaustion." "I see, so I don''t have to needlessly waste magical power." "That''s right. Right now, what Shuichi is doing is training to partially strengthen his body and strengthen his reflexes and ability to maintain balance." "Is it possible to do such a thing?" When I raised my voice in surprise, Reese-san spun her words with a bewitching smile. "Why do you think it can''t be done? From our point of view, your chantless incantation is extremely out of the ordinary. Even though you are using unconventional magic, it''s strange that you are putting limits on your magic." "Certainly, now that you mention it, you''re right." "The journey to Bakkenheim is only four days. During which you are able to do matters of little importance. So, what Lau came up with was to teach how to use physical enhancement efficiently, and how to use magic efficiently." "Ho!Ho!Ho! , it''s easier if Reese explains it. It''s called using people efficiently." After laughing for a while, Lau-san gave me a sharp look. "And so, Kent. As you heard, let''s start by using physical enhancement and teach you how to use it efficiently." "Uuh ... please be gentle with me." Lau-san''s first request was to clearly capture the magic within my body. "Kent, have you ever felt magic circulating in your body?" "Yes, when I cast self-healing magic or steal attributes from others, I can feel it circulating inside my body." "Well, if you can do something like that, it should be easy to use physical strengthening, but try using physical strengthening as a test." "Haa ... Well, let''s try it for a bit." I''ve circulated magic in my body for self-healing many times, but I''ve only used it for healing wounds and relieving inflammation and muscle pain. While listening to Lau-san''s advice, I circulated the magical power with the image of increasing muscle strength. "How is it, are you able to strengthen it well?" "Somehow ..." "Then, try holding my hand for a while. I''ll slowly increase the strength of my grip, so try to hold back and endure it." Lau-san''s hands were about the same size as mine, and I''ve heard that he''s a master swordsman, so I thought his hands would be rough with bumps and calluses, but they looked like an ordinary old man''s hands. "Look, we''re just getting started, come on, come on ..." "Nunuu ... Uu!Uuuu ..." Right after I grasped his hand, his strength was still strong ... So I thought that even if he gradually increased his strength, I should be able to use physical strengthening, so it would be fine. But, that couldn''t be true, since he was a former S-rank adventurer. "Hey, what''s going, Kent, hey, do your best." "Guoooooo ... Ouchh, ouchh, give, give, I give up!" Lau-san''s hand was tightened with a force that made me think that it seemed to have changed into a vise or a press machine halfway through, Lau-san had a cool face, even though he was tightening his grasp and I was red in the face while fighting against it. "Fumu ... It''s not bad for the first time, but you can''t use physical strengthening efficiently, and you don''t have enough training in the first place ..." "Owowowow ... I thought my bones would break ..." "You said that you could use self-healing, didn''t you, a small thing like broken bones ..." "No, no, it would be bad if the bones of my hand broke even if you say something like that." "Fumu, you''re surprisingly hard-headed, okay, Kent, this time you should strengthen your muscles and swing your arms as hard as you can." Lau-san made a gesture like throwing a ball. I lost concentration due to the pain of losing the strength comparison, so I refocused my magical power once again and tried to increase the strength of my arms. In order to swing the arm strongly, the muscles of the upper arm were more important than the arm, so I focused on the muscles that extended the arm. "Here I go ... Eei!!" The moment I started to swing my arm, my arm began to swing with an acceleration that I had never felt before. The next moment after swinging my arm, it left a sound that cut through the air. "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, my elbow! My elbooooow ..." A sharp pain ran through my elbow as I heard a sound that should not have been heard. I hurriedly applied self-healing to the right elbow I was holding. "Ho!Ho!Ho! , good, Kent, I''ve seen enough." "Ugiiii ... It''s no laughing matter, Lau-san, you knew this was going to happen, didn''t you?" "No, I thought you would only feel a little pain in your elbow, but I didn''t think you would improve so quickly, Ho!Ho!Ho! ..." "Uuuuhh ... So mean." According to Lau-san''s explanation, I swung my arm with all my strength while strengthening only my muscles, so my bones and joints couldn''t stand it. "Just like Kent experienced, if you can strengthen it partially and efficiently, it''s possible to draw out more power than you think, but if it becomes too focused, the parts around them will scream unbearably." "But, if it leads to pain and injuries like this, wouldn''t it be dangerous to strengthen your body efficiently?" "Obviously, physical enhancement is something that draws out strength, speed, and reactions that exceed the original limits of humans, so danger is inherent. However, even if you don''t use physical enhancement, martial arts and the like will polish the parts to exceed the limits of humans, how will you paint your limits when dealing with monsters? If you don''t use it because it''s dangerous, you won''t make any progress." "I see ..." I''ve become able to move in the shadows, and if I think I''m in danger, I can run away, so I don''t feel the danger of monsters as much as other people. However, when an ordinary person who cannot move in the shadows encounters a monster, they must either defeat it or inflict enough damage to prevent it from chasing them, or their lives will be in danger. In a cornered situation, if you could defeat or stop monsters in exchange for damage that would make one arm unable to move, you would use it without hesitation. "Kent, even the movements that we usually do casually weren''t usable from the beginning. Far from running and jumping, humans start in a state where they can''t even stand. It''s natural that you can''t do things you don''t know or have never done, but there are many things that you can do as a matter of course if you practice. It''s the same with physical strengthening. Even if at first you are conscious of it and struggle to use it, you will be able to use it unconsciously as if it were a matter of course." Takayama listened to Lau-san''s story with a serious expression. We were summoned to another world and suddenly became able to use magic, but due to the influence of manga and anime, we tend to think that we will be able to use magic as soon as we receive it. When you heard the word ''magic'', you think you can do anything, but magic also requires practice. The road from Volzard to Bakkenheim could be summed up in one phrase: a country road. For the time being, the road had been carved out, but it was not paved like Japanese roads, and it felt like it was made by travelers and carriages. Because Bran was fast, the travelers and carriages that left Volzard this morning had already been left far behind. For someone like me who grew up in Tokyo, the world where I could see the horizon with no human presences in front or behind me was very refreshing. Bran also passed through villages where ordinary carriages stopped by during the day. He drank water in the river on the way and took a rest, but it seemed that he had far more stamina than horses. Around noon, Reese-san stopped the carriage in the grass on the side of the road. When I got out of the carriage, Lau-san called out to me. "Kent, Shuichi, can you run an errand before lunch?" "An errand? I don''t mind." As I looked at Takayama wondering what we would do in a place like this, Lau-san gave us an order. "Could you please bring us some lunch for Bran?" "Haa? Bran''s lunch ..." "That''s right ... Even one Goblin should be enough." "Haa ... ?" Lau-san continued to give instructions to me and Takayama who involuntarily looked at each other. "You can use offensive magic or Kent''s genus to get to the point where you find and drive out a monster that will become Bran''s food. However, Kent and Shuichi are the only ones who can kill them. The only magic that can be used to kill it is physical strengthening, and the only weapon that can be used is the knife on your waist. Alright, don''t think of killing it all at once. The two of you should work together, shave it down, shave it down, weaken it enough, and then finish it off. The opponent will desperately try to counterattack, so don''t let your guard down until it stops breathing, alright." Lau-san, tightened his expression severely, and as expected, Takayama seemed to be unaffected by the feel of the atmosphere. Lau-san''s expression softened as he looked at us who broke out in cold sweat. "Don''t let your guard down, but your body won''t move well if you''re too nervous. Now, relax your body and enter the forest. Once you take a step into the forest, think of it as a battlefield." We swallowed our saliva at the same time, after making eye contact, we began to do warm up stretches. [ Kent-sama, I will look for affordable prey and prepare it. Step straight into the forest. ] "Thank you ... Takayama, my genus will prepare affordable prey, so let''s go straight ahead." "I see, I''m saved. To be frank, I''m nervous, but let''s do it!" "Of course, don''t pull my leg." "Hey, don''t get carried away. If you can''t use attack magic, I''ll be more useful." "Then, I''ll leave it to Takayama." "Hey, that''s not right, let''s cooperate!" "I get it, you''re pretending to leave it to me, aren''t you?" "Hey! Stop joking around, let''s go soon." "Roger!" I lightly bumped fists with Takayama and stepped into the forest. The trees were sparse near the highway, and the sunlight reached the ground. Takayama was on the right, and I was on the left, leaving a gap of about 2 meters between us as we walked through the dense green scent. "The footing is pretty bad ..." "Isn''t it dangerous to fight Goblins with this footing?" "That''s right ..." In untouched forests, fallen trees and rocks were everywhere, making it difficult just to walk. If you fight here, even a Goblin opponent will be risking your life. While exchanging glances with Takayama, we proceeded cautiously through the forest when Reinhardt spoke to me. [ I prepared one Goblin at the end of this path. I chose a lively one. ] "Haa ... Thank you. Takayama, it seems there''s a lively Goblin ahead, so prepare yourself." "A lively one ... Roger." When we went straight ahead, we found a frightened Goblin crouching in a slightly opened place in the forest ... No, in a place that had been artificially cut open. Seeing more than 20 trees cut down and piled up at the edge of the open space, Takayama seemed a little taken aback. "Hey, Kokubu, this is ... well, it''s fine." "Takayama, if you think about it, you will lose. Don''t make a mistake like tripping over a stump." "I know, I won''t let my guard down until the end, it''s a cornered mouse or something ..." "That''s right ..." The Goblin, who was crouching down and looking around restlessly as if frightened, saw us, bared its fangs, let out a nasty squeaky growl, and threatened us. "Gigigiiiiii ..." "Kokubu, let''s make a pincer attack ..." "Understood ... Takayama, chant." "Oops, that''s right ..." While Takayama was chanting to strengthen his body, I also focused my attention and used magic to strengthen my body. When we pulled out our knives, the Goblin seemed to have strengthened its will to fight, opened its hands wide to show off its claws, lowered its posture, and prepared itself. [ Kent-sama, if you stab it too deep, the knife may not come out. Please try to cut it shallowly, except for the finishing thrust. ] "Roger ... Takayama, if you stab it too deep, it might not come out ... do shallow cuts." "Alright ..." There was a sense of tension in both of our voices when I called out to Takayama and he returned his voice. While gradually shortening the distance with the Goblin, the distance between the two of us widened, trying to catch it in a pincer. "Gigiiii ... Giya! ... Giya! ..." The Goblin seemed to be weighing me and Takayama against each other while raising a threatening voice. And I was the one the Goblin headed towards before it got caught. "Giya giya, giyaaaa!" "Kuh, you!" Under normal conditions, the speed would have made me shudder, but I managed to cope with it thanks to my physical strengthening. When I used the knife to swipe the Goblin''s arm that was scratching at my face, fresh blood splattered with a light response. The Goblin pulled back its arm in surprise, but Takayama, who had closed the distance from behind, cut open the Goblin''s flank and quickly took a distance. This time I cut the Goblin''s back as if it had been flipped around. "Giya! ... Giya ... Giya giya ..." The more confused the Goblin became, the more we regained our composure, and when Takayama saw the Goblin holding its head and solidifying its defenses, he kicked it in the knees. "Hiyaaaa ... Giya giya giya ..." With a dull gurgling sound, the Goblin crouched down on its knees, and the moment I saw its unprotected neck, I unconsciously thrust a knife into it. With a twist, I pulled out the knife while jumping back, and fresh blood spurted out of the Goblin''s neck like a fountain. I hurried to my feet, but Takayama couldn''t afford to laugh at my clumsy appearance, and watched the weakening Goblin vigilantly. "How is it? Takayama ..." "It''s not dead yet ..." Although weak, the Goblin was still breathing. However, the blood spurting from its neck had almost stopped, and the light seemed to have disappeared from its wide-open eyes. Inside the thick smell of blood, we continued to watch the Goblin die completely. CH 183 Check-in ***---*** "For the first time, it''s okay." When Takayama and I were watching over the Goblin without letting go of our tension, Lau-san suddenly called out to us, and we turned around as if we were repelled. "Lau-san, please don''t startle me. I thought my heart would stop." "Ho!Ho!Ho! , it''s not a bad thing to concentrate, but if you don''t pay enough attention to your surroundings, you''re not quite there yet." No, even if you''re on guard, you won''t notice Lau-san, who has disappeared. Even in normal times, I tend to forget that he''s even hiding behind Reese-san''s presence. "Then, once you''ve taken out the magic stone, take it back with you." Lau-san said those words casually, but Takayama and I couldn''t help but look at each other. Then we began to make concessions with each other''s eyes as to which one would take out the magic stone. "What''s wrong, get the magic stone quickly ... I see, haven''t you guys dismantled monsters before?" "I, my genus has always done it for me ..." "Because I didn''t have a chance ..." "Haa ... Are you aiming to become an adventurer like that? Hey, it doesn''t matter either way, just take out the magic stone." Being pushed by Lau-san, who said that in amazement, it couldn''t be helped so we decided to start dismantling it. "Then, my genus will do it, so I don''t have to do it from now on ..." "Wait, Kokubu, after all, I''ll have to do it many times in the future ..." "By all means, by all means ..." "Oii!! Tch, it''s fine, i''ll just do it, just do it ..." It seemed that Takayama would voluntarily take out the magic stone, so I''ll watch him. Takayama was fine until he took out the knife he had put away, but he didn''t understand the procedure at all and asked Lau-san for help. "I''m sorry, Lau-san. I really don''t know anything, so could you just give me instructions?" "It can''t be helped ... A Goblin''s body isn''t much different from a human. Cut open the center of the chest, yes, deeper, yes ... Then stick your hand in, don''t be so timid, thrust it in further." "Ueeehhh ... It''s bad, disgusting ..." With his sleeve rolled up, he put his left hand into the Goblin''s chest, and Takayama frowned. "The hard lump next to the heart is a magic stone, pull it out." "Ueeehhh, where is it, what is this, is this the magic stone?" Takayama''s bloody hand, pulled from the Goblin''s chest, held a chunk the size of a chicken egg. "Kent, do you have a magic tool for water, a camp paper and a pot?" "Y, yes? P, please wait a moment." [ Kent-sama, here''s the water magic tool. ] Just when I was thinking of scouring the shadow storage in a hurry, Reinhardt was ahead of me and prepared it for me. "Thank you, Reinhardt ... Takayama, water." "Ou, thank you." When Takayama washed the blood off his hands, a reddish magic stone appeared. I had magic stones lying around in my shadow storage, but thinking that you took it out from a monster that you defeated with your own hands, you''ll feel that it had a slightly different glow. Takayama was also staring at the magic stone through the sunlight. "Somehow, I''m overwhelmed with emotion ..." "That''s true ..." "Look, you can be immersed in your emotions later, so let''s go back, carry that guy on your shoulders." "Is it no good if I throw it in the shadow storage?" "Nn? Can you put living things in there?" "It''s possible to enter after it''s died." "I see, then throw it in and let''s go back." I put out a shield of darkness and tossed in the Goblin corpse with Takayama''s help, then followed Lau-san towards the exit of the forest. Reese-san was relaxing on a lounge chair next to a table set on the sunny grassland. Because the number of people who don''t know him had decreased, Gunther-kun, who had taken off his iron mask, seemed to be doing his best to take care of her. "What''s with that, Kent and Shuichi are all sweaty, it''s just a pitiful Goblin ..." "Kuu ... If I could use attack magic, I can instantly kill not only Goblins, but even Rock Ogres ..." "What, Kent, is it true that you can use light-attribute attack magic?" "Yes, I can use it. Or rather, it''s my number one weapon." Aside from Reese-san and Lau-san, who listened to my words and looked at each other, Ruija started criticizing me. "Are you stupid? Light attribute magic is healing and purification magic. I''ve never heard of attack magic." "No, even if you say that, I can use what I can use ..." "If you say it''s not a lie, use it and show me." "That''s fine. Is there anything that can be used as a target?" When I was looking for something to target, Reese-san gave an order. "Ruija, go put the seche over there on the rock over there." Seche is a pale purple fruit that looks like an apple. Ruija placed it on a rock across the road with a width of about 20 meters. "Come on, Kent, show me." "Yes ..." I shaped my right hand like a pistol, and shot light-attribute attack magic where I aimed. Come to think of it, I''ve practiced this magic quite a bit, haven''t I. "Ho!Ho!Ho! , this guy is surprising ... Even I can''t avoid that." "Fufufufu ... As expected of the man I''ve chosen." "Laser ... Kokubu, you''re probably too much of a cheat ..." Lau-san, Reese-san, and Takayama seemed to have noticed, but Ruija didn''t seem to notice that I cast magic and was looking around. "Ehh, ehh, what happened?" "Ruija, take the Seche." "Y, yes ... Eeeeeehhhhhh, why, why?" Ruija rushed over and let out a startled scream. "Reese-sama, there''s a hole in the rock ..." Behind Ruija''s seche, there was a gaping hole in the rock. It felt like an application of physical strengthening, but it must be because I concentrated more than usual and shot harder. Lau-san nodded repeatedly while stroking his goat-like beard. "Umu, umu, Kent, as a magician, you''re definitely an S-rank. It''s the first time I''ve seen magic like this in my life, and I don''t feel like I can block it." "This magic also has its weaknesses, but I won''t mention them." "Fog? Steam? Kokubu, it''s ... Ouch!" "Idiot! You really are an idiot. Don''t talk about things like that." In this world where there was no modern knowledge, noone will know if you keep silent and don''t blabber about it, I slapped the back of Takayama''s head with the flat of my hand.(TN:Insert Gibbs slapping Tony meme here.) "Ho!Ho!Ho! , I see, there is no such thing as a perfect thing." "Haa ... Takayama is already too much of an idiot, my head hurts." "What are you talking about. Even if I expose your weaknesses, no one will be able to prepare the fog before you shoot magic." "Even so, don''t talk about people''s weaknesses." "Well, it''s Shuichi''s fault just now, if for some reason Kent loses his life for talking about his weaknesses, would you think nothing of it?" "No, that can''t happen ... Hii!" Takayama was trembling when Lau-san''s murderous intent hit him head-on. "I can''t say with certainty that it is impossible. In the years ahead, there will be times when you will be forced to fight very close battles as you continue to be an adventurer for many years to come. At times like that, the slightest difference can be the difference between life and death. Don''t take people''s weaknesses lightly. Those who do such things without hesitation will never be trusted as companions. They can''t be recognized as a companion that can be entrusted with their life. In other words, if you don''t succeed as an adventurer, you won''t be able to survive. If you repeat the same mistake on the way to Bakkenheim, I''ll beat you up on the spot and throw you away, got it?" Takayama couldn''t even reply in front of Lau-san''s eyes that seemed to swallow him up, so he nodded his head and showed his understanding. Lau-san shifted his gaze from Takayama to me and asked. "Kent, in return you can reveal one of Shuichi''s weaknesses." "Takayama''s weakness is that he''s too much of an idiot. His other weaknesses are that he''s so stupid that he can''t see them." "Ho!Ho!Ho! , is it possible to cure Shuichi''s weakness?" "Nope ... it''s impossible, isn''t it." "Hey, no matter how you say it, that''s too much." "Shuichi, keep your comrades'' weaknesses to the extent that they can be laughed at." "Guu, understood." Lunch consisted of Gunther''s special soup, grilled sausage and black bread, and Bran was given the freshly killed Goblin. Yeah, he was eating in a place where I couldn''t see directly, baribari, boribori, I could hear terrible sounds as he finished off his meal. Ueehh ...(TN:baribari and boribori both mean crunching and munching) After eating, we rested in the sun until Bran was able to move. Even while lying on a spread out rug, I continued to circulate the magic power that strengthened my body. That said, I was full, I was warm, and I was getting sleepy. When I started to doze off, Mart, Mirt, and Mart suddenly appeared and approached me as if it was their natural right. "Dangerous ... Takayama, wake me up before we leave ..." "Idiot, Kokubu, don''t sleep!" "Impossible! Because, it''s fluffy, it''s fluffy ..." "You, whoa, when did they ..." Even if Takayama was surprised by Mart and the others who suddenly appeared without a sound, they didn''t care. Murt was sprawled on my right side, Mart was on my left side, and Mirt was between my legs, fusa ... fusa ... their tails were wagging. I looked at the clouds slowly drifting by, I felt like I didn''t care about anything. After a while, I started to hear the clatter of the harness being attached to Bran, so I got up and started preparing for departure. I ate and took a good rest, so it felt like the effects of taking an attribute had completely disappeared. As a test, I imagined creating a small whirlwind in my palm, and the airflow began to flow in that direction. I imagined that the speed of the air current would increase and created a vacuum blade, then threw it at a tree about 30 meters away. Maybe it was because I acquired the wind attribute, but when I was conscious of it, I could see the flow of air currents. By controlling the air currents between the standing trees, the blade reached with the image of ripples spreading on the surface of water, and silently cut through the trunk, which could have been as large as an arm. However, perhaps because the cut surface was too smooth, the tree remained standing still. "Kokubu, what are you doing?" "Ehh, no, I think the wind attribute is also a cheat." "Cheat? What''s with that ... Hey, whoa, seriously!" As Takayama was watching, the wind blew the tree, and the cut surface began to slide, making a loud clattering sound and started to fall. Perhaps she was looking at it from earlier, Reese-san was smiling as if she found a new toy. Next to her was Ruija, who was glaring at me with furrowed brows. It''s not like I caused you any trouble, so I think you don''t need to make such a disgusting face. Even in the cabin in the afternoon, it wasn''t an elegant sightseeing trip. From the ceiling of the swaying cabin, I was forced to hang with one hand using physical enhancement and compete with Takayama to see who could endure the longest. After that, we were forced to chase the cabin to the city where we were staying for the day. "Uwaa ... what is this ... Haa haa ... it''s beyond tough ..." "Haa haa, , basketball practice ... haa, feels ... haa, more relaxed." Even though I cast magic on my legs to strengthen my body, it was a marathon that matched Bran''s running speed, so it might be a world record pace. "Haa haa ... I''m dying ... On the way, I strengthened, my lungs, but ... Haa, it''s tough ..." "Damn, there was that option ... Hurry up, haa haa, tell me, Kokubu ... Haa ..." "Don''t push yourself ... Haa, leeway, to talk ... no time ... Haa ..." "That''s right ... Haa haa ..." We collapsed on the side of the road, without any shame and breathing heavily, the people of the town were looking at what was going on, but we didn''t have the energy to stand up. I tried self-healing and strengthening my body, and after about ten minutes, I was able to get up. "Ah ~ ! ... I''m exhausted." "Hey, Kokubu, help me up ... Hey, how are you standing up." "Ah, I can use self-healing, so I can recover from muscle pain." "Youu, you''re cheating, aren''t you?" "Look, I''ll lend you a hand, so get up." "Sorry, ugaaa, wait, cramps, cramps ... craaaaaamps!" As soon as he tried to stand up, Takayama''s calves began to spasm and convulse. "Ah, I can''t take care of you anymore, come on, I''ll stretch your legs ..." "It hurts, it hurts ... Ugaaaa ..." "It can''t be helped ... I''ll give you a massage later. Muscle pain will be cured in one shot." "Seriously, please do it!" To Takayama, who had an expression that looked like he met Buddha in Hell, I tried to charge a fee. "One massage is 3500 Helts." "You idiot, isn''t that ten days'' wages for the ramparts construction! I can''t afford it!" "It can''t be helped ... I''ll pay for the debt." "Damn ... No matter how much I work, I feel like I''ll be ripped off by Kokubu." "Nii-chan, I really want you to pay for what you borrowed ..." "What kind of loan shark are you?" "Don''t be silly, let''s go, get up, get up." "Damn, was it a mistake to decide to stay here?" "Can you say that line to Celia-san?" "There''s no way I can say that." "Or rather, Takayama, is it okay with your family? Will your parents forgive you?" "Ah, they have my two stupid big brothers so it''s okay. When I told them they were going to have a grandchild, they were ridiculously happy." Well, if you look at Takayama''s foolishness, you can imagine that he has a big-hearted family. "Hey, you guys, how long are you going to play around, just get up and follow me." If Lau-san, who came looking for us who never showed up presses us, Takayama had no choice but to get up with a frown on his face and head towards the entrance of the inn while dragging his feet. The name of the inn was Mitsuboshi Pavilion, on Earth, people would probably tilt their heads about the naming sense, but in this world, it seemed to be of the highest class.(TN:Mitsuboshi literally means 3-stars. On Earth highest class inns would be 5 stars.) On the way from Volzard to Bakkenheim, there were said to be about 40 villages along the highway. Villages near road junctions and mines inevitably grew larger, and on the contrary, there were small villages where carriages didn''t even stop. This village accepted the special mode of transportation called a cabin pulled by a Gigawolf, and it also had an inn suitable for the Master of the Headquarters Guild to stay at, so it must be a fairly large settlement. I''ve heard that Mitsuboshi Pavilion was the best inn in the village, so I thought we would be staying in a luxurious room tonight. "Well then, Kent, it''s forbidden to reveal your adventurer''s rank in the inn. Got it." "Haa ... Well, I don''t think they''ll believe me even if I reveal it, but why?" "Since you''ve come all this way, enjoy the treatment of a novice adventurer." "Haa ..." From Lau-san''s meaningful smile, there must be something going on. In this world''s inn, there was a front desk just inside the entrance, and we would be taking up lodging here. "These guys are the two I was talking about earlier ... Ah, don''t worry, I''ll have them go through the back door." The person at the front desk frowned when they saw Takayama and I covered in dust. Well, it''s not like we wanted to be covered in dust, but I''m not so brazen as to step inside the inn with this appearance. The front desk person handed me and Takayama a key with a leather strap. The key with a small wooden tag with the room number written on it and a leather cord passed through it was a classic key that might appear in an RPG. After receiving the key, Lau-san took us out the front door of the inn, then we circled around the building and headed for the back door. "This inn is in the decent category in this village, but a terrible inn looks at the other person before asking a price. You should carefully observe the person''s facial expressions before negotiating the price." "In other words, you mean that young chicks like us should be careful not to get ripped off?" "Ho!Ho!Ho! , you understand well, that''s how it is." At the back of the inn Lau-san took us to, there was a space to park the carriage and stables. At the far end of the horse stall, Bran, who had already had his harness removed, was squinting as Ruija brushed him. From there, there were three empty stalls in between, and normal horses were tied up, but one of them had its ears pricked up and a tense look on its face. That was because there was a Gigawolf nearby, so it was like that. I hoped that horse didn''t collapse tomorrow. "When you leave a horse at an inn, be sure to write down the characteristics of the horse in the lodging book. Make sure you write down the characteristics of the coat color, apparent age, etc., and don''t make a mistake that they can deceive you of the horse." "Hey Takayama, listen carefully and memorize it properly." "Hey, Kent, what are you saying as if it''s someone else''s problem?" "Ehh, but I don''t think I''ll move by horse ... Ouch!" "Fool! If you receive a request for an escort, you will move by carriage, on your way back from Bakkenheim, aren''t you going to protect Klaus-dono''s son?" "Ahh, that''s right ... I''m sorry." Lau-san knocked me down with his cane. "Well, this is what you should pay attention to when booking an inn. When it''s time for dinner, I''ll have Gunther call you. Before then, you should wash up and change your clothes." "Yes, understood." When we followed Lau-san to the inn, we were chased away at the back door. "You guys, where are you going?" "Ehh, where you say, the room we''re staying in ..." "Your room is over there." "Eeeeeehhhhhh!" Looking back out the back door, Lau-san pointed with his cane to the second floor of the stable with a big smile on his face. CH 184 Creeping shadow ***---*** The room Takayama and I were given was a double room on the second floor of the stable. We climbed a dusty staircase, walked down a hallway with hay piled at the end, I unlocked the room that I wondered if there was any meaning to locking, and when the door opened we stopped in place. "This thing ..." "Takayama, I''m going back to the boarding house ..." "Don''t joke around, are you going to tell me to sleep here alone!" "No, because ..." If I had to describe what was on the other side of the door in one subject, it would be a haunted house. Unlike Japan, people here didn''t have a custom of taking off their shoes before entering. So, it was not uncommon for a room to be a little dirty, probably because the people who took care of the horses stayed there, it was dusty, smelled musty, smelled like horses, and I didn''t feel like I was in a room at all. "For now, let''s open the window ..." "Yeah ..." Inside the room was a clothes rack to the right of the door, a small table and two chairs in front of us, two beds with a gap of about 1 meter between them, and a lone window on the wall at the end. When I opened the window while leaving the door open, the wind blew through the hallway, adding hay and dust. "What kind of living is this!" "No, I don''t know what to say ..." "Is this the job you invited me to?" "That''s right, but even Takayama readily gave the OK." "That''s right, but ..." As if he was already resigned, Takayama threw himself onto the bed covered in dust. "Takayama, don''t do that ..." "I don''t care, even if the futon is full of dust ..." "No ... it''s not like that, but it looks like there are fleas and ticks, right?" "Uwaaaa! Idiot, tell me faster. Don''t just watch, I think there''s something on me. Somehow my back feels itchy ..." "Anyway, let''s do something so that we can sleep." "Something, what are you going to do ..." Reinhardt gave me some advice when I was at a loss as I looked at Takayama. [ Kent-sama, no creatures can enter the shield of darkness. Besides, wouldn''t it be good practice for wind attribute magic? ] "I see ... Right, right." "What, did you come up with a good idea?" "Takayama, lend me a hand." "Ohh, that''s fine, what are we doing?" "Throw the bedding out the window." "Haa? You, have you lost your mind?" "That''s not it, actually ..." When I explained that the shield of darkness would prevent living creatures from entering, and I explained that it could be used to remove pests from the futon, Takayama was of course very much in favor of it. "If I put out a shield of darkness outside the window and throw the futon there, the futon will fall into the shadow storage, and the pests will be blocked by the shield, it''s perfect!" "You, that''s such a waste of a cheat, but let''s do it, Kokubu." "Yeah!" I put out a shield of darkness parallel to the ground outside the window and threw the futon there. "Huh? What''s with that?" "Kokubu, did the futon go in ... Ugeeh, what the hell is that!" The moment the futon unfolded, it looked like it was riding on the shield of darkness, and when it began to sink at such a speed as if it were being drawn into a swamp, ticks and fleas came up to the extent that the whitish futon cover turned black. At such a sight, after confirming that the futon had sunk, I mowed down the surface of the shield of darkness with fire-attribute magic. "Uwaa, disgusting! Impossible, impossible, sleeping on a futon like that would hurt my whole body." "It''s dangerous, a cheap inn in another world, it''s too dangerous, isn''t it." "Anyway, let''s deal with the remaining futon. We have no choice but to destroy every single one of those." "That''s right, anyway, when we return to Volzard, please do my futon too." "Ah, I have to do that to the futon in the boarding house tooooo ..." The remaining futon and the pillows were treated in the same way, and a large number of ticks and fleas were similarly destroyed. "Okay, then I''ll clean the room next." "It''s fine to clean, but there''s no broom, no rags, nothing." "Leave that to this me, I''m Kent Cyclone Kokubu." "Oh, are you going to blow it away with wind attribute magic, the suction power can''t change until the end, right?" "Isn''t that obvious!" First, I created a whirlwind in my palm and guided the tip of the whirlwind out the window. Next, I dropped the vortex into the room and controlled the speed of the airflow and the position of the vortex from the outside. "Ohhh, it''s really amazing, the dust is sucked up and it''s gone." "I''m just going to have the dust in the room go outside." From the floor, under the beds, the beds themselves, the wardrobe, the top of the table and chairs, the walls and the ceiling, the dust was sucked out by running a vortex. "It''s amazing, Kokubu is amazing. Magic is convenient after all." "The control of physical enhancement is probably useful, but the sense of collusion is unbelievable." After that, I pushed the dust out of the hallway, wiped it with a rag I took out from the shadow storage, and returned the futons that Reinhardt and the others had beaten the dust from. "Ah ~ ... I''m so tired." "No, having Kokubu here, it really saved me." "Rather than that, Takayama, if you continue to work as an adventurer in the future, won''t you encounter a similar situation? You should think about how to deal with that, seriously." "I guess ... I mean, it would be quicker to ask Lau-san how much the inn would be so you can sleep properly, right?" "Ah, that''s true, if it could be solved with money, it''s easier." "Or should I form a party with someone who can use the wind attribute ..." Takayama cut off his words and stared at me. "What''s with those eyes, no way, I won''t do something like being Takayama''s caretaker." "Tch, don''t say something so cold. You''re a classmate, right?" "Takayama, you should be more aware of how much you''ve caused trouble to people." "Kuh, I know ..." After that, I had to clean the communal shower room, and when I tried to take a shower, I found that there was no hot water, the cold water made me shiver, and I was even more exhausted before dinner. "Well, both Kent and Shuichi should have gotten enough rest since they arrived at the inn, but they look dull." "No, no, Reese-san, I''m sure you know what''s going on." "Ku!Ku!Ku! ... Now, I wonder what you''re talking about ... Do you know, Lau." "Ho!Ho!Ho! , if you''re a fledgling adventurer, you should go through this path at least once. So, what''s wrong?" "Mou, you know what''s wrong ..." When Takayama and I talked about how we were at a loss when we saw the room, how we finished cleaning everything and finished taking a cold shower, Reese-san and Lau-san were laughing while hugging their stomachs. "Ho!Ho!Ho! , cleaning the whole room of the inn is good, good, it''s beyond my imagination." According to Lau-san''s expectations, he thought we would either lie down on the futon without thinking and become prey to ticks and fleas, or we would peel off the futon and sleep on a hard bed with just a blanket, shivering. "Lau-san, what should we do to stay at a decent inn?" "That''s right, if you''re going to a city for the first time, don''t immediately find an inn, but gather information while shopping at stalls and shops. If it''s only in one place, they may have connections to the inn, so you''ll have to ask in several places to find an inn. If you don''t have time to ask around, just ask how much a room you can sleep in costs." According to Lau-san, in the case of large towns and villages, inns for merchants were relatively decent inns. Looking at the other guests in Mitsuboshi Pavilion''s dining room, certainly, most of them seemed to be merchants. However, in the case of such inns for merchants, it seemed that they often refused to let you stay if you didn''t dress neatly. If you wore dusty clothes like we did today, you would definitely be kicked out. If you wanted to stay at a good room at an inn for adventurers, the easiest way was to request an expensive room. The only way to find a cheap and good inn for adventurers was to use information from fellow adventurers and your own knowledge and intuition. In other words, it''s about accumulating experience as an adventurer. Luckily, the food menu was the same as Reese-san and the others, and the amount was increased. While I was enjoying a satisfying meal in both taste and quantity, Fred spoke to me via telepathy. [ Kent-sama ... Just listen ... ] [ Is something wrong? Fred. ] [ From Kent-sama''s view, to the back on the left ... The man sitting in the corner is suspicious ... Don''t look at him ... ] [ He''s suspicious, how is he suspicious? ] [ When the carriage arrived ... He was just observing and stayed at this inn ... ] [ Is he aiming for something? ] [ I don''t know yet ... I''ll look into it ... ] [ Tell me later. ] The man that Fred said was suspicious was right behind Lau-san, so he was probably out of sight. I pretended to look at Ruija, and when I glanced at her, she seemed to be talking to a bellboy and didn''t look at me. I only glanced at him, but he appeared to be around thirty years old, with short brown hair and the clothes of a merchant.(TN:The suspicious individual) After finishing the meal and as we returned to our respective rooms, I casually whispered about the man, Lau-san was a little surprised, smiled broadly, and nodded twice. Probably, Lau-san also noticed. If I were to act as an escort, I would have to pay attention to these things, but if Fred hadn''t told me, I wouldn''t have noticed at all. When we returned to the room on the second floor of the stable, Takayama threw himself on the bed and didn''t seem like he would move even if I tried. [ Reinhardt, is there anyone around? ] [ There''s nobody here. ] "Takayama, do you have a minute?" "It''s no good, I can''t move anymore ..." "In the dining room, did you notice the suspicious man?" "Ehh, a suspicious man?" Takayama was still lying down, but he opened his eyes and turned his gaze to me, who was sitting on the bed. "My genus saw him, but he observed that the carriage arrived at the inn, and then he reserved a room." "Does that mean we''re being targeted?" "I don''t know yet, but it seems that he was observing us from the corner of the dining room even when we were eating." "What''s with that, it''s creepy." Takayama also got up with a frown on his face. "Lau-sn seemed to have noticed, and my genus are looking into it." [ Kent-sama, the man has gone out. Fred is following him. ] "Okay ... The man has gone out." "Do you want us to follow him?" "It''s okay, because I have my genus following him." "What do you mean. Does he have companions outside?" "Maybe ... that''s right?" "Is it like a robber?" "I wonder ... Hey, Takayama, are you prepared to fight humans?" "Humans ... I don''t know, if they attacked I will fight back, but killing them is a little ..." "That''s right ..." Most of my fights so far have been with monsters. Whether it''s the knights of Resenburg, or the Flamehounds, even when I fought directly, I never directly attacked a human and used ways such as sleeping pills or overwhelming them with my genus'' strength. I accepted this quest because I was told that I could accumulate experience as an adventurer, but when I think about it, it wouldn''t be strange for escort work to involve protecting people from thieves, bandits, robbers, and kidnappers. "Takayama, I''ll massage you so that you can move in perfect condition at all times, so lie down." "Oh, I see ... Rather, I won''t pay you." "For today, I''ll give it to you as a bonus. But, what are you going to do? Fighting against humans." "I ... will survive even if I have to kill my opponent. I can''t leave Celia alone. Or rather, if anything, it''s a situation where Kokubu can''t die. Don''t be merciful." "I understand, but ... As expected, I''m not suitable for escort work." "Certainly, I don''t think Kokubu is suitable. You''ll save the guy who impaled you rather than killing him. I feel like you''re going to get a painful reprisal when it comes down to it." "Probably, because even if I''m about to be killed, I''ll recover in two or three days." "Ah, I see, the pain at that time was terrible, but the recovery was fast, so the anger didn''t last." "That''s how it is. In fact, even when I was impaled, I was in excruciating pain for a couple of hours at most." "From the perspective of a normal person, it would be nothing more than a beating ... But, as expected, that''s abnormal. From my point of view, it feels like a side effect of cheats." "A side effect of cheats ... That''s quite a nice thing to say, Takayama is cheeky." "Saying Takayama is cheeky is too much. Rather, don''t be merciful, Kokubu." "Understood ... I''ll do my best." After about 30 minutes of massage, Takayama seemed to have completely recovered. And not long after Takayama''s massage, Fred came back. [ Kent-sama ... he was a bandit ... ] [ Did he have companions outside? ] [ Meeting at the tavern ... He was conveying information ... ] [ Who is the companion he gave the information to? ] [ Murt is tailing him ... I''m going to look for him ... ] [ Let me know if you find out anything. ] [ Roger ... ] Fred returned to collecting information with Murt as his landmark. "Takayama, it seems he was a bandit after all." "Seriously! With the fact that he was a bandit, does that mean we''ll be attacked somewhere on our way to Bakkenheim?" "I think so, but my genus are following the person who received the information, so they should learn more detailed information." "Should we inform Master Reese?" "For the time being, let''s go to Lau-san''s place together." "Alright, we''ve become somewhat like adventurers." "Maa, right, but it''s not a game." "I know, like I said earlier, I can''t afford to die." "We''ll pretend to be normal as much as possible. Also, all conversations until we get to Lau-san''s room will be in Japanese." "Oh, right, if it''s Japanese, people here won''t make sense of it." "Mart, keep an eye on the room. Even if someone enters, nothing will be stolen, so just watch what they do." "Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama." After leaving the room and locking it, as if our purpose was to take a piss together, we went down the stairs, and went to visit Lau-san''s room. Or rather, if you think about it, Lau-san would be staying with Master Reese in the best room. When I knocked on the door, the peephole opened and I could see Gunther''s iron mask. "It''s Kent and Shuichi. We came here because we have something to tell." The peephole was closed and the door was opened immediately. When we entered the door, there was a short corridor, and there were doors on the left and right, such as bathrooms and toilets. There was a large fireplace in the living room at the end of the corridor, and the firewood was burning red. It seemed that Master Reese was enjoying a nightcap while wearing a bathrobe. "What''s wrong, Kent, it''s still a little too early for a night crawl." "It looks like we''re being targeted by bandits." "Oh, is that the man Lau was talking about?" Lau-san, whom Reese-san turned her gaze to, seemed to be enjoying a drink as well with his usual calm demeanor. "Yes, he left the inn and passed the information on to his comrades at the bar. The man who received the information is being followed by my genus." "Fufufufu ... Kent is really reliable, what do you think, Lau?" "I guess new people have sprung up in Rivarre Pass again." "New to Rivarre Pass ... is it?" "That''s right, if you go a little further from this village, you''ll come to a mountain pass. Since long ago, bandits have repeatedly appeared and been exterminated on that Rivarre Pass." According to Reese-san, there were people who tried to make a hit in the farthest town of Volzard, and then in the mining city of Marburg, which was located at the end of the forked road ahead of the pass, but on the contrary, lost their property For the time being, it was the Marburg family that governed as a territory, but the bandits were hiding on this side beyond the pass, and it seemed it was quite difficult to crack down during normal times. "Even the Marburg household is doing patrols, but in the end they lost initiative, and after becoming bandits, it will become a form of subjugation." "Maybe it''s a plan to capture the bandits by purposefully making them attack?" "Fufufufu ... Kent is quite smart, however, such thinking is naive." "Such thinking is naive ... What, no way!" "The bandits should be exterminated. It''s a death sentence even if they''re captured." I was overwhelmed by Reese-san, who had a bewitching smile, and Lau-san, who I tried to ask if it was true or not, nodded with a stern expression. "Kent, Shuichi as well. I don''t know what the laws and ordinances of the world you live in are like, but in Landshelt, those who join bandits are punishable by death. It doesn''t change even if it''s a female or a child. Bandits are monsters who kill, steal, and don''t drop magic stones. If you want to live in this country and be accepted by this country, don''t show mercy to the bandits. Got it." Reese-san didn''t lose her smile, but there was undeniable intention in those words. "D, do I really have to kill them?" "Fufufufu ... Really, Kent is sweet, but if you really don''t want to kill them, you don''t have to kill them. In return, you can''t allow them to escape out of mercy or put yourself or your friends in danger. If you really want to keep them alive, cut off one or two of their limbs so that they can''t fight or run away. In that case, they will also be useful to find out where the hideout is and where their companions are. However, you can''t change their fate of being executed." "I understand." "There are plenty of opportunities to get back on your feet before you lose yourself to becoming a bandit. Getting involved with bandits is punishable by death, this is a rule of life that people living in Landshelt have been told for as long as they can remember. Do you think a person who can''t even abide to that can live as a member of the world? There''s no need to show mercy to bandits." Immediately after Reese-san finished talking, Fred came back and reported on the bandits'' strategy. It seemed that there were 37 bandits in all, digging a side hole in the mountains of the pass and hiding in there, and it seemed that they would ambush and attack at Rivarre Pass. "Umm, Reese-san, what kind of strategy will you use to intercept them?" "What plan? The plan is ... Lau jumps out and cuts them down. That''s all." "Eeeehhhh ... But there are more than 30 people. Lau-san alone ..." "That''s right, it''s troublesome to miss out, so I''m going to ask Kent to help you, how is it, Lau?" "Ho!Ho!Ho! , well, with this old body, it''s a bit of a pain to annihilate every single one. If you can stop those who are trying to escape, it will be helpful." Lau-san smiled as usual, but it wasn''t that he couldn''t do it, the meaning was that it could be done, but it would be a little hard. Takayama and I were told that tomorrow''s departure would be as planned and that we should just pretend to know nothing, so Takayama and I withdrew to our own room. CH 185 Gigawolf genuses ***---*** Takayama and I returned to the room on the second floor of the stable from the room where Reese-san and the others were staying, and we sat down on the bed and faced each other. "It''s tough after all ..." "Right ..." Reese-san''s words to ruthlessly annihilate the bandits were weighing heavily on us. "But, hey, the other side is coming to kill us, so it would be impossible for us to be the only ones not to kill." "Maa, that''s right. Even when we defeated the Goblin, we were desperate if we didn''t kill it." "That''s right. Kokubu can manipulate attack magic freely, but I can''t use it like that in a real battle." "Isn''t that just a lack of practice. Even when you were in Lastock, you were just chanting and just shooting at the target." "That''s right ... To be honest, I haven''t used it much since I came to Volzard, and I was just shooting with all my might during the time of the Goblin outbreak and the time of the Griffon previously." "Takayama, if you could move in the shadows, I would take you to the special training ground." "What is that special training ground?" "Ehh, there''s a special training ground for me in the Devil''s Forest." "Are you serious!" Takayama''s eyes widened in surprise when he heard about the special training ground that Reinhardt had cleared. "What''s that, it''s like a secret training ground for an anime protagonist. Wait, did you do that kind of special training in the shadows ... then you''ll get better at using magic?" "I use dark attribute magic such as shadow movement on a daily basis, and I have used healing magic to the extent that I collapsed from running out of mana more than once, and I certainly have experience with magic." "But, in my case, I''m fire attribute, so I can''t practice if I don''t have a place to do so." "Eeehhh, that''s not true. Practicing magic isn''t just about enlarging it, so if you practice small control, won''t you be able to improve your ability to control it?" While we were talking, when I used fire-attribute magic to light a fire at my fingertips, Takayama was dumbfounded. "Uwaa, what a terrible feeling of defeat. You got the fire attribute when you sent Kizawa back, didn''t you?" "That''s right. Kizawa-san was fire attribute, Kubo-san was earth attribute, and the latest Harukawa-san was wind attribute." "It makes me sad to see Kokubu, who acquired fire-attribute magic much later, use magic more freely than I do ..." "If you don''t like it, then you just have to practice." "Okay, I''ll get serious from tomorrow. Hey, let''s go to sleep soon, tomorrow will be harder than today." "That''s right ..." When I weakened the light of the magic tool and crawled into the narrow bed, Mart and the others naturally crawled in. Just when I thought tonight was the first time in a long time that we were packed together, Basten called out to me. [ Kent-sama, the Gigawolves were found. Nero is watching them. ] [ There''s three of them, right? How are they doing? ] [ They''re asleep in the forest near Sakusa. ] [ Aren''t they nocturnal? ] [ Since they attack people during the day, it seems that they rest their bodies at night. ] While I was having a short conversation with Basten, Takayama fell asleep. I was a little hesitant, but I should quickly defeat them, turn them into my genus, and come back. [ Basten, take Nero''s place and tell Nero to come to the Devil''s Forest training ground. ] [ Are you granting the wind attribute? Understood. ] In order not to wake Takayama, I quietly got out of bed, put on my shoes, and moved to the Devil''s Forest training ground, where Nero was already waiting for me. "Thank you for waiting, Nero, thank you for your hard work tracking the Gigawolves." "Something like that, it''s easy for Nero, nya." "Then, I''ll give you the wind attribute. I''ll prepare the magic stones, so please wait a moment." "Roger, nya." I took out about 10 magic stones from the shadow storage, threw them into Nero''s mouth, clung to Nero''s fluffy neck and gave the attribute. Enveloped in a jet-black haze, imagining the figure of Nero running through the air, I imagined it being stronger and faster, and I was able to safely add the wind attribute. After Nero, I also gave Fred the wind attribute. This was the image of a ninja who cut through the wind and soared silently in the air. After the enchantment was completed, Nero was able to freely shoot wind blades from its claws, and Fred from his jet-black twin swords, and the degree of brutality increased further. Nero had regained the ability to kick the air and run around like a Storm Cat, and was happily running around in the Devil''s Forest. "Currently, nya, something like three Gigawolves, nya, I can cut them to pieces with one blow, nya." "No, no, I''m recruiting them for my home''s security, so I''ll be troubled if they''re cut into pieces." "I know, nya, it''s a joke, nya." While saying that, it cut the trunk of a thick tree into pieces and turned it into wood chips, so it wasn''t convincing at all. After giving attributes to Nero and Fred, I headed to the Gigawolves with Basten as my landmark. Peeking out from the shadows, the three Gigawolves were lying on top of each other in a hollow in the depths of the forest. They weren''t as big as the boss of the group I subjugated before, but they looked stronger than Bran. The fangs peeking out from the half-open mouths were also brutal. When I was observing the Gigawolves, Reinhardt spoke to me. [ These three probably came from the southern continent. ] [ Ehh, but the Kobold Corps are patrolling, right? ] [ Indeed, but only large packs are being watched over, and if we keep track of even the small packs, there won''t be enough of us, so we''re leaving them alone. ] [ I see, since if we exterminate all of them, the prey of the adventurers will disappear. ] [ Maa, we can prevent damage to the citizens, but you won''t be able to get the materials then, so it''s a matter of thinking which one is better. ] These three Gigawolves seemed to have a habit of snatching people doing farm work during the day, and sleeping like this at night. For Gigawolves, they''re just living a normal life, but for humans, they''re the most annoying thing, so I''m sorry, but I''m going to subdue them. I connected a shield of darkness to each Gigawolf''s head and cut the medulla oblongata with a knife. The three Gigawolves'' lives were cut off as their regular breathing stopped. When I went out of the shadows, it wasn''t a magical forest, but I was surrounded by a dense green scent, and it felt like I was being told this was the realm of beasts, not the realm of humans. "Then, let''s turn them into genus and end it with strengthening. Will you become my new genus ..." When I spoke to them while imagining linking myself with all three of them, the Gigawolves slowly opened their eyes as I felt the magical power drain from my body. "Guruuuuuu ..." "Everyone, you''re my genus. Nice to meet you." "Guruuuu ..." The three Gigawolves made a sound in their throat and showed their bellies in front of me. "Then, I''ll strengthen everyone, so I''ll put magic stones in your mouths. Reinhardt, what attribute does a Gigawolf have?" [ Gigawolf has the same earth attribute as Kobolds. Are you going to finish the granting as well? ] "Yeah, I''ll finish it all at once." I went into the middle of the Gigawolves lined up in a circle, added the image of earth-attribute magic, and enhanced their leg strength and biting power. As I was wrapped in a jet-black mist, the memories of the three of them flowed in. The three of them seemed to be three sisters of different mothers who were born in the same pack, and came to this continent to become independent after leaving the pack. I finished the strengthening while hoping that they would be able to stay on good terms with the other genus and protect everyone from now on. Jet-black Gigawolves were born from the black haze of reinforcement. I could clearly see that the muscles around the shoulders, waist, and jaw had increased. "Everyone, are you alright?" "Yes, I feel very good. Nushi-dono."(TN:Nushi is usually referring to the owner or master of a pet, there are other meanings, but this is the current case.) "I''ll name you all. You''re Zeta, you''re Eta, you''re Theta." "Thank you very much. Nushi-dono." "My family members have suddenly increased, and I''m a little confused. Nushi-dono." "For me, I like a big family. Nushi-dono." For some reason, the new genus, the Gigawolves, seem to be good big sister types. Since the Gigawolves'' kinship was successfully completed, I summoned Hart, who was the contact liaison for Camilla. "Wafuu, did you call me? Goshujin-sama." "Hart, can you tell Camilla that the subjugation of the Gigawolves and making them my genus is over?" "Alright, I''ll tell her." "Thank you ..." When I stroked its head, Hart gleefully wagged its tail and went back. I suddenly noticed that Zeta-tachi were looking at me with wistful looks. "Everyone, come on ... Uwaaa ..." "Haa, haa ... This, is quite ..." [ Buhahaha, in terms of training Kent-sama, I would like the Gigawolves to play an active role from now on. ] "That ... I''m begging you to be gentle." "Nero will join too, nya." "Oof, that ... I feel like It will exceed the limits of my body if I don''t train a lot." I asked Nero, who was also a senior member of my genus, to take care of the Gigawolves, and decided to return to the inn. When I returned to the inn, Takayama was fast asleep with his mouth half open and snoring loudly. Tomorrow, we would be attacked by bandits, but are you stupid or strong ... No, I didn''t even need to think about it. [ Now then, Kent-sama, good night. Tomorrow is also early. ] "That''s right, but I don''t have a futon ..." I''ve exterminated the pests and beat the dust, but the musty smell hadn''t gone away. I was impressed that Takayama could sleep calmly in this futon. "Yeah, sleep is really important, so I''m going to rest in the shadow space today. Nero, can I count on you?" "Leave it to me, nya." I dove into the shadow space, leaned against Nero''s fluffy belly, who was lying down, Mart, Mirt, and Mart immediately showed up, and tonight, Zeta, Eta, and Theta, while making slightly envious expressions, relaxed in their own ways. Fufun, I''m a mofumofu millionaire, it''s a mofumofu harem. "Reinhardt, wake me up in the morning." [ Understood, please take a good rest. ] The next morning, we went to the cafeteria with Gunther, who came to wake us up, and ate a light breakfast, but there were no other customers besides us. When the rumors of the bandits of Rivarre Pass spread, the number of travelers leaving the village early in the morning and heading for Bakkenheim was said to have dropped sharply. In the same way, the number of travelers crossing the pass to enter the village in the evening would decrease, and those who crossed the pass early in the morning ended up making their way to the next village. As a result, most of the people who took lodgings in this village were heading to Bakkenheim and would cross the pass after the sun had risen, so they didn''t wake up at this time. After finishing breakfast and paying for the lodging, we boarded the cabin pulled by Bran and headed for the Rivarre Pass. On the road where the night had not yet finished, there were only travelers walking to the mountain pass, and there were no carriages. Only the rustling of the wheels of the cabin could be heard in the silent townscape. The village where we stayed last night seemed to have really been at the foot of the mountain pass, and the road began to climb gently in less than 30 minutes. From the rural scenery with an open view, the more we climbed the road, the more trees grew, and eventually we entered a winding mountain pass. Yesterday, the self-proclaimed Monster User Ruija and her younger brother Gunther were sitting on the driver''s stand of the cabin, but today Ruija sat on the valley side of the road, Lau-san sat on the mountain side, and Gunther was riding in the cabin. We proceeded in that state, and when the attack begins, Ruija would enter the cabin after removing Bran''s harness, and Lau-san would start the subjugation. "Well, isn''t it about time, Kent." [ Kent-sama ... Five more curves ... ] Fred prepared the answer to Reese-san''s question. "Five more curves, no, four because one is already finished." "I see, Ruija, are you ready?" "Y, yes, I''m fine, Master Reese." "Is Kent okay?" "Yes, my genus are already in place." "Even if you don''t manage to catch one of them and let them escape, imprint that fear into their heart so that they never think about becoming a bandit again." "Yes, but I don''t think they can escape." The bandits'' strategy was fairly simple. If the cabin we boarded entered the mountain pass, the cliff would collapse and block the road, and they would all attack where we couldn''t move. The bandits that attacked were unusual bandits with no leader or boss. If it was a death sentence if they were caught anyway, even when they attacked, they would risk their lives to attack, steal together, and enjoy themselves to the fullest extent possible. The 30-odd men waited in line on the slope, and the moment the cabin stopped, they were going to attack us. Whomever killed the most, whomever found the most expensive thing, and whomever got to the woman first, it seemed that it was the rule that whomever got to the aforementioned woman first, would be the first to get her.(TN:This sentence seems extremely messy ... Why is that part mentioned twice, because it''s important?) The method of deciding when to attack was also very simple, and when the stolen money ran out, they would attack in search of new prey. As of last night, if the bandits attacked, everyone except Lau-san was supposed to stay in the cabin and he would take them down by himself, but Reese-san wanted to see how my genus acted, so the strategy was suddenly changed. [ Kent-sama ... two more curves ... the road is already blocked ... ] [ Reinhardt, are you all ready? ] [ Everything is ready, all you have to do now is wait for the battle to start. ] [ Then, please do as we agreed ... ] It seemed that the bandits had blocked the road ahead of schedule, and really all of them were attacking in a horizontal line. After turning the right curve with poor visibility, a large rock blocked the road ahead of the straight path about 50 meters ahead. Ruija instructed Bran to slow down, and the cabin stopped about 15 meters before the rock. "Hya!Haaaaaa!" "Kill, kill, kiiiill!" "Woman, womaaaaaan!" As soon as the cabin stopped, the bandits let out strange voices and started running at full speed in the woods beside the road. Some were wearing tattered clothes, others were dressed in gold thread, and the weapons they wielded ranged from rusty machetes to sabers decorated with glittering gold, and others were carrying axes The 30-odd bandits believed that in a moment, they would be the ones to kill, to loot, and to disgrace. But ... "Woooooo! Whooooooooo!" Suddenly, a roar that shook the core of the body echoed through the surface of the mountain pass, causing the bandits to stop and stand still. The surprised birds flew off all at once while shaking the treetops. "Whoooooo!" "Oohoooooo!" A roar echoed from two other places. All of them were from a distance where it wouldn''t be strange to see them through the trees. "What, what''s going on!" "What to do, do it, or run away." "It''s bad ... It''s definitely a strong one." "I, I''m running away ..." The moment the man at the very end tried to escape by going down into the valley, his upper body became a splash of blood and disappeared. Just as a black shadow suddenly passed by, two more bandits appearances became like shredded rags, and Nero silently appeared on the roof of the luxurious cabin. The bandits all turned around and started running at once when Nero licked its sharp claws as if to show them off, and were immediately stopped. "Guruooooo ..." The siege of Zeta, Eta, and Theta, the three Gigawolves with their ferocious fangs bared, ended it. "Why is it ... why is there such a monster ..." "I ... don''t want to be eaten ..." "I, idiot, there are four of them, and there are over 30 of us here, so run away all at once ..." "Uuwaaaaa ..." Each time Nero waved its claws, swiping from above the cabin, the bandits vanished in a splatter of blood, and those who tried to slash at Zeta-tachi or tried to slip through were torn apart by claws and fangs. Nero turned to the last few, who, seeing their comrades transforming into pieces of flesh one after another, stood still in despair, into blood splatters, completing the subjugation of the bandits. [ Fred, can you check if there are any remnants? ] [ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] [ Reinhardt, tell everyone to clean up and get some rest. ] [ Understood. Bandits are no match for us. ] [ Right. But you have to be careful not to get complacent. ] [ As expected of Kent-sama. ] When all my genus disappeared into the shadows, I reported to Reese-san that the subjugation was over. "Reese-san, we''re looking for any remnants, but the subjugation is over for the time being." "You had a hard time, Kent. Members of the Marburg Family should show up for inspection soon, so is it okay if the bounty is transferred to your account via the guild?" "Yes, that''s fine." When we left the inn, Reese-san had arranged for the Marburg Family''s officials to be informed about the bandits'' attack. Of course, the information about the suspicious man was also written there, so he should have been captured by now. "Kokubu, is this alright?" "For me, I have decided to live in Volzard in the Landshelt Republic, so I will live according to their way of life. Of course, I have many thoughts, but I don''t think I have the power to assert them and change the world. So this is the ending that I think is right, for now." "I see ... That''s right, for us, we''re still just kids. To assert ourselves, we need to get stronger." By the way, once the raid began, Ruija was supposed to remove Bran''s harness and Bran would follow instructions to hide under the cabin. Even after the inspection of the Marburg Family was over and he was told he was free to leave, Bran still shivered and would not come out from under the cabin. Zeta-tachi''s roars seemed so frightening that there was a puddle under the cabin. CH 186 Japan''s crisis? ***---*** While waiting for the inspection of the Marburg house, I had some time, so I took out my smartphone from the shadow storage and turned it on, and I found a message from Suzuki-san on the app. When I opened the message, I found something startling. [ Please come back to Japan as soon as possible. I will explain the details when you come here. Thank you very much, Japan is in crisis. ] It was already light in Landshelt, but it should still be midnight in Japan. When I checked the clock on my smartphone, it was not even 4 o''clock yet, but a call was ringing. Of course, the identity of the caller was Suzuki-san. "H, hello ..." "Kokubu-san, I''m sorry for being so early in the morning. Is it possible for you to come back to Japan?" "Umm ... Please wait a minute. Reese-san, is it okay if I go back to Japan for a while?" "What''s that, you''re so popular ... I don''t mind. In return, if you don''t come back properly, I don''t know what will happen to Shuichi." "Yes, Takayama ... It''s fine if you do as you like with him, so I''ll go there for a while." "Hey! Kokubu, you want to be the only one to escape from Lau-san''s special training!" "Wh, what are you talking about ... I, don''t understand ..."(TN: He says ''Boku, wakaranaiyou'' in katakana, as if to imitate a foreigner speaking Japanese.) "Why are you saying that in monotone." "Ah ~ ... Annoying, annoying, it can''t be helped since it''s a crisis in Japan. Basten, could you please act as an escort for Reese-san and also as a landmark?" [ Understood, Kent-sama. ] "Hello, Suzuki-san, I''ll be right there." "Yes, I will also head there soon, so, my best regards." From the other side of the smartphone, I could hear some kind of rattling sound and the rustling of clothes, but the train wasn''t moving at this time, was it. Suzuki-san, are you okay. In other words, if Suzuki-san isn''t in the countermeasures room, is the situation not that urgent. When I moved to the countermeasures room at the SDF Nerima Garrison, the lights were bright even though it was just before 4:00 in the morning.(TN:Just going to abbreviate Self Defense Forces to SDF from now on, it''s a pain to type out every single time.) However, it seemed that the only person in the room was the SDF officer who seemed to be on duty. Let''s make use of the lessons I learned last time, and this time let''s go out before revealing myself. "Good morning, Kokubu Kento, I have appeared!" "Yes!! Good morning. Thank you for your hard work!" In front of the SDF officer who decided to salute, I put out a shield of darkness and bowed my head in greeting. "Excuse me for arriving so early in the morning. It seems that Japan is in a crisis. What happened?" "Ha!? Is there a crisis in Japan?" "Ehh, is it wrong?" "Japan is ... Ah, that''s right, Japan is in a crisis!" Umm ... We''re talking about a crisis in Japan, but I wonder why the person on duty is smiling. "Isn''t the crisis in Japan an urgent situation?" "Urgent ... It''s urgent. Yes, I think it''s urgent." "Is that so ... For the time being, what should I do?" "That ... can you ask the person in charge directly?" "Really, is it. Is it urgent ...?" "Yes, it''s urgent." Hmm ... I felt like his eyes were smiling even though he was saying that it was urgent. I had coffee made for me, so I sat down on the sofa and waited. As I was thinking about that, at that time Murt popped its head out, and after stroking it, it went back in a similar matter. Next, Mirt, then Mart, Murt again, then Mirt again, apparently Japan which had no magic essence was uncomfortable, but it seemed that they still wanted to be pampered. Mart again, then Murt, then ... nose!? It was Zeta who stuck out her big nose. Yes, yes, you want me to pet you. Yup, it''s a little moist, but it feels really good. Zeta-tachi joined Mart-tachi, and when I stroked the six of them in turn, I heard trotting footsteps and Suzuki-san appeared. I wondered if she ran out of the house in a hurry, and she looked like a junior high school student who rushed into the classroom just before she was late, instead of her usual tight-knit feeling. "Haa haa ... Good morning, Kokubu-san." "G, good morning ..." Whether it''s because she came running or because she just got up, her hair was flying all over the place and her eyes were a little sunken. "Umm ... Japan''s crisis ..." "It''s a big deal! By all means, please lend us your power, Kokubu-san!" "But, I don''t sense any atmosphere of urgency ..." "That''s not true. It''s very urgent." "Umm ... So, what''s going on?" "Akane-chan got injured." "Ha!? Just now, what ..." "I told you, it''s because Akane-chan got injured." "Haah ...?" With the case with Takagi-san, maybe they were in trouble with some other country, I thought maybe it was about a civil war breaking out in some country, so I couldn''t understand Suzuki-san''s words, and my eyes became dots. "Kokubu-san, do you understand the current situation?" "No, I have no idea." "Haah ... Kokubu-san, are you really Japanese?" "No, I''m more than half a Volzard person ..." "This is not the time to be joking! Take it seriously." "I''m really serious. Who is Akane-chan?" Upon hearing my words, Suzuki-san opened her eyes wide, let out a deep sigh, lowered her gaze, and shook her head left and right as if it were impossible. No, the SDF officer on duty was fainting in agony from laughter ... "Fukuzawa Akane, are you saying you don''t know the female figure skater representing Japan?" "Aaahhh ... skating is ... yes, yes, I know ... but, I just watch it on TV." "That Fukuzawa Akane got injured!" "Is that so ... it''s a pity. But, how does that relate to the crisis in Japan?" "Kokubu-san, do I have to explain such a simple thing?" "Haah ... Please start with the basics." "Understood. Let''s start with the basics so that even a kindergartener can understand. In the first place, the sport of figure skating is ..." "Eeehhh, from there?" To summarize Suzuki-san''s explanation, Japanese women''s figure skating ace Fukuzawa Akane fell and injured herself during practice for the Four Continents Championships. She was scheduled to compete in the world championships next month, but it seemed that her participation was in jeopardy due to this injury. "Do you get it, Kokubu-san. Following athlete Kanbayashi, who was found to have a stress fracture, and Fukuzawa, who is the ace athlete, were to miss the event, it was said that they would definitely secure three slots for next year''s Winter Olympics, but we might end up with only two slots! It''s a crisis for Japan!" "Could it be, you want me to treat that athlete, Fukuzawa?" "That''s right. Kokubu-san, who can use healing magic, should be able to save Japan from this crisis!" Yeah, I fully understand that Suzuki-san is a no good figure skater otaku. "But, Suzuki-san, wouldn''t it be better to treat athlete Kanbayashi as well?" "Eh, Kokubu-san, can you heal broken bones?" "Yes, I''ve also healed my broken collarbone and arm during combat training." "Is that true! Please wait a moment." Suzuki-san took out her smartphone and started contacting someone hastily. She seemed to be checking if athlete Kanbayashi was staying in Japan. "Excuse me, I will get back to you, so please wait a moment." I mean, it was still before 5:00 in the morning, but I wondered if things were okay. In addition, Suzuki-san seemed to be making adjustments by calling several places. As expected, it took more than 30 minutes before I got a reply. "Kokubu-san, it seems that athlete Kanbayashi is also staying in Japan, so could you please give them treatment?" "I don''t mind that, but am I going to treat them here?" "No, Kokubu-san will move now." Towards Suzuki-san, who nodded with confidence, I had a bad feeling, but I wondered if it was just my imagination. Suzuki-san handed me something, it was a map. "Kokubu-san, if it''s around here, it''s possible to move without being noticed, right?" "Yes, it''s possible, but ... here is?" "It''s the SDF lodgings across the Kawagoe Highway from Nerima Garrison. For now, could you please move to this room and follow the staff''s instructions?" "Haah ... Understood. Is it okay to move directly into the room?" "Yes, if possible, it would be helpful if you could talk to them at the entrance." "Understood ..." I didn''t know what it was, but I moved to room 202, Building F, Nerima Kitamachi Dormitory, which was drawn on the map. Looking at the situation from the shadows, it seemed that preparations were being made in a hurry. I thought about going directly into the room, but in Japan you had to take off your shoes. So, I went out at the front door and called out. "Good morning, I''m Kokubu Kento. Umm, is this room okay?" "Yes, good morning. I''m Kimura, the backup staff. Please come up." "Yes, excuse me ..." The view from the entrance looked like a normal apartment, but what was supposed to be the living room had been renovated to look like a barber shop or some kind of studio. "Kokubu-san, please come over here ..." I was directed to a chair like you would find in a barber shop or beauty salon, with a mirror and a sink in front. "Possibly, have you not had a haircut since you went over there?" "Yes, I don''t even know where the barber is, and I don''t have time to look for it ..." "Then, what should I do ... For now, I''m told that you should look like a different person from the photo in the weekly magazine ..." "Umm ... I''ll leave it to you. Please make it as cool as possible." "Understood. Then, let''s make it a little shorter, and a more hassle-free form." Kimura-san gave me a haircut, black-rimmed glasses, a blazer uniform in a different color than the Hikarigaoka Junior High school uniform, a duffle coat, and an enamel sports bag to hang over my shoulders. Yup, I didn''t look like Kokubu Kent because it felt a little sophisticated. I was told they would hang onto the clothes I was wearing, but I threw them all in the shadow storage. "Then, there is a white wagon parked in the parking lot down the stairs, so please move with the staff there." "Understood, thank you for your help." When I put on the provided sneakers and walked out the front door, I felt like I was living in Japan. When I went down the stairs, a white one-box car was waiting for me, and after I bowed to the person in the driver''s seat, the door behind them opened. That''s right, electric doors were commonplace in Japan. "Good morning. I''m Kokubu, nice to meet you." "Please, take any seat you like ... Ahh, just in case, please put on your seat belt." "Understood ... Then, nn, here goes ..." After I fastened my seatbelt, the car sped off. Yeah, Japanese cars were definitely quieter and didn''t shake. But, it didn''t have the taste or feel of a different world. The car glided along the streets of Tokyo, where traffic jams had not yet started. It seemed that the destination was a large hospital after going around the Imperial Palace, passing through Ginza, turning left on Harumi-dori at Tsukiji. In front of the hospital, Suzuki-san, who went ahead of me while I was changing clothes, greeted me. "For a moment, I didn''t know who you were." "It feels weird to me, too." "Please, this way. Please walk side by side with me normally." "Normally ..." "Since the mass media are rushing in, please act normal ..." Media cars were driving around the hospital, and reporters seemed to be preparing for their morning information programs. Even though it was before the start of general outpatient services, I thought it would be more suspicious, but once they found out that I wasn''t a related person, it seemed the media would lose interest. Besides, it was a large hospital, so it was normal for people to come and go even at this hour. Suzuki-san guided me to the elevator and up to the surgical ward. After returning from Taipei, where the Four Continents Championships were held, athlete Fukuzawa entered the hospital directly from the airport and was said to be hospitalized. When I got off the elevator, I was greeted by someone who seemed to be related. "Yukawa-san, this is Kokubu Kento. Kokubu-san, this is Director Yukawa of the Skating Federation." "I''m Yukawa. Thank you for your hard work so early in the morning." "Nice to meet you, I''m Kokubu." "To get straight to the point, might I ask of you?" "Yes." Yuakawa-san guided me through the corridor, where a man in a white coat who seemed to be a doctor was standing in front of the hospital room, staring at me with a stern expression. Director Yukawa told me that he was athlete Fukuzawa''s doctor. "Good morning, Sakaguchi-sensei." "Good morning. Yukawa-san, who are these people?" "Suzuki-san from the Cabinet Secretariat and Kokubu-san." "I heard that you asked for some kind of dubious treatment, but I would be troubled if you were treat her without permission in the hospital." "I fully understand what you are saying, but we are also desperate." "Performing such a thing as a dubious treatment, if athlete Fukuzawa''s life is endangered, how do you intend to take responsibility?" Maa, I expected it, but I''m not welcome. In front of the hospital room, Dr. Sakaguchi and Director Yukawa started arguing in a polite tone.(TN:Says Sakaguchi-ishi, but as with all not super common honorifics, I''ll translate it) "Suzuki-san, can I go home?" "What are you saying, it''s obvious that''s no good, isn''t it?" "But, I''m not welcome." "Haah ... Understood." We were watching the two of them argue from a little distance away, but Suzuki-san let out a sigh and stepped in between them. "Athlete Fukuzawa, let the person in question decide for herself.) "But, in our hospital ..." "Isn''t this hospital respecting the patient''s wishes? After listening to the explanation, if the patient wishes to be treated with healing magic, it should be respected." "That''s fine. First of all, let''s confirm the person in question''s intentions." Dr. Sakaguchi lead the way to the hospital room, inside was athlete Fukuzawa and their coach, who I often saw on TV, athlete Fukuzawa''s right knee was rigidly fixed in place. The diagnosis using MRI and other methods revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscal slope injury, requiring reconstructive surgery. "I would like to speak from a doctor''s point of view, but I am very concerned that dubious treatment will worsen the condition of the injury and put the athlete''s life in danger. If surgery were done right now, it might be in time for the Olympics. Of course, it''s something that is quite strict in terms of time, but there is hope." Dr. Sakaguchi, who had expressed his opinion earlier, stopped and turned to face me. Everyone in the hospital room turned their eyes to me. "What''s wrong, say something." "Even if tell me to say something ... To be honest, I don''t know anything about medicine, and frankly, I can''t guarantee that she''ll be cured. Still, if everything goes well, she''ll be cured here and now." "You don''t know ... Go home." Uwaa, those eyes are as if looking at an insect. Maa, a lot had happened since I went to another world, and I was used to this kind of treatment. It seemed that it would take about half a year to be able to return to training on the ice after surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament, so it seemed that the timing was really close to aim for the Olympics. Athlete Fukuzawa, after consulting for a while with coach Yamamura, decided to have me treat her. "If it really heals, I would like to participate in next month''s world championships and contribute to securing a quota for the Olympics ... so, please." "Understood. Sakaguchi-sensei, could you be present to see if I''m doing something strange?" "Of course, I will fulfill my duty as the attending physician." In the presence of Dr. Sakaguchi, I had the knee brace removed. As a figure skater, athlete Fukuzawa was a bit plump, so maybe that''s why her knees were strained ... uwaa, she''s staring at me like crazy. From the thigh to the knee to the calf, I wrapped my palms around them and stroked them while concentrating. On the other hand, inflammation spread around the knee, and when I concentrated, I could see that the ligaments were torn. I couldn''t answer at all when asked how I could know or what could be cured, but it was my style to cure anything that could be cured. After about fifteen minutes of healing magic being poured into the knee, the tear and inflammation disappeared completely. "Umm, how is it. If there are other painful places, I will treat them ..." "Ehh, no way! ..." Athlete Fukuzawa timidly bent her knee and looked at the coach in disbelief. "It doesn''t hurt. I don''t feel any discomfort at all ... It seems like a lie! Umm, can I ask you for my left ankle too?" "Yes, I don''t mind. Then, is that everything." After that, I spent about 30 minutes taking care of the muscles, joints, and ligaments of her legs, back, and lower back. After getting out of bed after the treatment, athlete Fukuzawa easily performed a double turn by jumping. "Thank you, it''s been a long time since I haven''t felt pain or discomfort anywhere like this." "Th, that, you''re welcome ..." Coach Yamamura, Director Yukawa, and Suzuki-san were happy to shake hands. And, there was only one person who was stunned. "No way ... Impossible ... how!" "Hmm ... It''s troubling if you ask me that. To be honest, I don''t even know, myself, so I can''t explain it." "Does it increase cell regeneration? No, the collateral ligament can be repaired, but the cruciate ligament can''t be repaired ..." "Sorry, I refuse to be a guinea pig for research." The color of Dr. Sakaguchi''s eyes changed, so I gave him a warning first. Suzuki-san was beckoning from the side of Dr. Sakaguchi, who looked disappointed that he let his prey escape. "Now, Kokubu-san, let''s head to Tokyo Station." "Hee!? To Tokyo Station?" "Yes, Kanbayashi-san is staying in Nagoya, so we will be traveling by Shinkansen. Director Yukawa, could you contact them over there?"(TN:Shinkansen, or commonly known as a bullet train.) "Yes, I will have the staff of the federation pick you up at Nagoya station. Kokubu-san, thank you very much." "Y, yes ..." "Come on, Kokubu-san, let''s go." "Eeehhh ..." After that, I was dragged by Suzuki-san to Tokyo Station, crammed into the first class car, and moved to Nagoya. To the facility of the university where Kanbayashi belonged, Where I treated the stress fracture. CH 187 Bakkenheim ***---*** Bakkenheim had long been known as the city of science. The foundation of the city was the city where the King''s residence was located, and a private school was founded by scholars to compete with the commercial and political center of Aldaros. Centering on that private school, various academic research facilities were created, and merchants gathered for the students and new technologies, and the current Bakkenheim was formed. The founding principal of the private school, who was a core member, was also the founder of the current Bakkenheim family. Since Bakkenheim was built based on a sense of rivalry with royalty and aristocracy, it had been a city with a strong populist power since it was one of the cities of the Kingdom of Resenburg. And when the Resenburg Kingdom was divided due to the encroachment of the Devil''s Forest, Bakkenheim was the first to advocate independence. Bakkenheim spearheaded the secession, but after independence, the political center was transferred to the thriving commercial city of Breichberg, taking a step back. Bakkenheim''s basic stance was that it was an academic town. Bakkenheim was a city that had developed in such a way that shops and residential areas filled in between the scattered research and educational facilities. Therefore, instead of an orderly townscape divided by squares, the city was a mosaic of vast research facilities and a maze-like townscape. "Reese-san, I feel like we''ve been going around in circles for some time now." "Fufufufu, that''s right, the roads that the carriage can pass through are limited, and there are restrictions on the direction of traffic, so it''s impossible to reach your destination in a carriage without turning corners many times and weaving your way forward." "Uwaa, I wonder if I''ll be okay going home ..." "Don''t worry. In Bakkenheim, there are carriage guides who guide carriages to their destinations. If it''s the son of the Volzard family, then he should be accompanied by a butler, and he would have already made arrangements." "A carriage-specialized guide ... it''s like a dungeon, isn''t it." The roads that horse-drawn carriages could pass were limited, and there were some one-way roads depending on the location. Even if you wanted to go right, you couldn''t turn right, so you had to turn left, left, left to change directions. When we entered the town of Bakkenheim, many people waved at us. Everyone seemed to be looking at Bran. Bran could only walk slowly because sometimes children ran up to him and hugged him. Ruija said that she was famous as a Monster User in Bakkenheim, but it seemed that he wasn''t feared, but was loved like a mascot. Ruija and Bran, who had been flaring up at me for a long time, stopped flaring up at me after I annihilated the bandits at Rivarre Pass. Or rather, when Bran glared at me, I could hear a growl resounding from the depths of the earth. Bran probably didn''t like my presence, but it didn''t seem like Zeta-tachi were going to allow Bran to rush at me. The Bakkenheim Guild functioned as the Headquarters that oversees all the Guilds in the Landshelt republic, and if the Volzard Guild was a village office, this was like a central government agency. If the building was larger, the number of people coming and going would be incomparable, and I felt quite overwhelmed. Maa, compared to Shinjuku or Shibuya in Tokyo, it was tranquil, but I guess I had gotten used to the tranquil atmosphere of Volzard. It seemed that Takayama, who was next to me, was thinking the same thing. "Kokubu, there are quite a few people." "That''s right. Compared to Volzard, it''s quite a lot, isn''t it." As soon as Reese-san got out of the cabin, she was surrounded by staff who rushed in and seemed to be pressing her to pay for this and that. Anyway, I guess it was the price of taking it easy in Volzard. Although I was asked to accompany her, a wall of waiting staff had been created between me and Reese-san. After finishing the payments, one by one, they left the line, but three new staff members were added ... it felt like the number of people would not decrease at all. I mean, today was supposed to be the day of rest, but the Headquarters Guild doesn''t have a day off, does it. "Kent, Shuichi, wait for me in room seven!" "Understood!" I guess that''s the room where the guild staff met with the people who came for requests. It was just a room with a simple reception set and a bookshelf with writing utensils. "For now, let''s sit down." "That''s right." In the four days before coming to Bakkenheim, Takayama was thoroughly trained by Lau-san. The basics were physical strengthening magic, but from the third day onwards, he was forced to activate and control fire-attribute attack magic. In the first place, in the world of knights, knight types and magician types were considered separately, but in the world of adventurers, it seemed that it was common not to draw a strict line. Lau-san told us that using whatever was available and surviving was the basics of being an adventurer. Takayama was also trained as a magician at Lastock, but when he was in Japan, even in his second year, he was selected as a regular member of the basketball club, and his basic physical abilities were high. However, since he''s the type that lacks dexterity a bit, by being assigned to practice like learning by rote by Lau-san, it might be better to train his body to react on its own instead of thinking with his head. However, until the body remembered it, it seemed that failures were repeated many times, but when we went goblin hunting again for Bran''s lunch, Takayama''s attack magic almost burned me to a crisp as well. "Kokubu, let me use the special training ground." "Impossible, that''s impossible because it takes about a day and a half to walk normally from Volzard! Rather, you can do it at the guild''s training ground." "Is that the only way ..." "Ah, why don''t you train with Gilik-san?" "Gilik, you mean the one with the old and new duo?" "Right, right, it''s said that he''s a promising candidate among the young people of Volzard, so break his nose and make him say ''ouch!''." "Hey, why is Kokubu treating that Gilik guy as an enemy?" "Because when I just arrived in Volzard, I was so-to-speak ''Treated tenderly''."(TN:An ironic meaning of ''kawai gatte''/''Treated tenderly'' is ''tormented'' or ''trained harshly''.) "Ah, I see ... You''re thinking of beating him up someday." "No, I''ve already beaten him in a serious match with magic." "That''s right, you can''t beat Kokubu if there''s magic." "Well, I have no intention of losing, and I won''t lose." Takayama was flabbergasted by the fact that Mart-tachi were sitting next to me on the sofa as if it were natural, and when Zeta-tachi and Nero also stuck out their large heads, he watched them demanding to be petted. At first Takayama was freaked out just by watching the bandit subjugation, but now he''s no longer surprised when Zeta-tachi show up. "Seriously, you''re a Monster User." "That''s wrong. They''re my precious family, so it''s not like they''re working for me." "Right, it''s a big family." The door to the room opened when Nero was rubbing its face against me, maybe because it was happy to be called family. "Excuse me ... Iyaaaaaaaa!" The female staff member who opened the door without knocking while carrying a tea set in her hand, perhaps under Reese-san''s instructions, froze for a moment and then let out a scream and fell on her butt. Well, if you look at Nero with its mouth wide open, it''s understandable for that to happen. The sound of a broken tea set and the loud sound of a metal tray being dropped resounded, and the surrounding people gathered to see what was going on, by the time the female staff member screamed, all my genus had disappeared into the shadows. "What''s wrong, Chiko, get a hold of yourself." "M, monsters ..." "What, if there''s a monster, where is it!" A man who seemed to be an adventurer rushed over to the female staff member who was sitting down and trembling and shaking ... Yeah, it looks like it will be troublesome. The female staff member just pointed at me and Takayama. The male adventurer was in his late twenties, not very tall, but he had a fearless look. The sitting female staff member called Chiko was a canine beastman with droopy ears and was probably in her late twenties. "Hey, you guys, what are you doing here?" "Master Reese asked us to wait here, so we''re waiting, what''s wrong?" "Where did you put the monster?" "There are no monsters anywhere. I don''t mind if you confirm it." When I spread my hands out and showed him, the man stepped into the room, checked behind the door and behind the sofa where I was sitting, then suddenly threw his fists at me. If it was me four days ago, I probably would have been mercilessly beaten, but by the time the man entered the room, I had already activated my physical enhancement. Compared to Lau-san''s special training, it looked like a fly that was barely moving, and I easily caught it with my left hand. "Hey, bastard, you!" With his right hand grabbed, the man punched with his left fist, but my right hand could easily catch it. "Bastard, damnit! Uwaa ..." The man whose hands were grabbed desperately tried to throw a front kick, when I let go of his hands, he lost his balance, and when he lifted his right leg to try to kick me, he fell flat on his back. Yup, he had talent as a clown. "This shitty brat! I''ll kill you!" With his face so red that his veins were about to burst, the man got up and pulled out the knife hanging from his waist. The instant the man raised the knife, I fired a prepared wind attribute bullet at the right hand of the man holding the knife. "Gua ... Bastard, when did you chant ..." The knife flew to the wall and the man crouched down holding his right hand. It was only intended to be powerful enough to knock the knife away, but was it a little too strong? "If you''re too persistent, I won''t take it easy on you either. If you say you''re going to keep this up, you had better be resolved that it''s okay to lose an arm." "Youuu ..." "Fel-san, please stop it. Any further violence in the guild would be a problem." Chiko-san, who was sitting outside the door and watching the battle, called out to him, and it seemed that the man called Fel finally felt like withdrawing. "Damn, I''ll back down for today on behalf of Chiko''s face. I''ll remember this ... Hey, Chiko, your hand ... Guaaa ..." "Ah, Fel-san, are you okay." No, he''s a refreshing small-fry character, so I wonder why he held out his injured right hand. Fel seemed to have talent as a comedy actor in addition to being a clown. When Chiko finally stood up after grabbing Fel''s left hand, a dignified voice resounded. "What is all this fuss about?" A slender woman in a guild uniform appeared, with short ice-blue hair on her head, pointed triangular ears, and a bush tail swinging behind her tight skirt. The sharp expression gave the impression of a strong woman, and she reminded me of a wolf, not a dog. "Rita-san, these bastards tried to play a joke on Chiko." "That''s not it. It looked like there was a monster in the room, so I was surprised ..." The woman called Rita threw a sharp glance at me, and I answered with a raised hand pose. Rita-san looked at Chiko and Fel again, and after she let out a small sigh, she bowed her head towards us. "I''m sorry that my people caused a disturbance." "Why are you apologizing to these guys, Rita-san! Generally speaking, these guys ..." "Shut up! Fel, can you kill 30-odd bandits by yourself?" "Ehh ... Th, that''s unreasonable, isn''t it." "If that''s the case, don''t think of doing unnecessary things for me." "Why, for such a brat ..." "This is Kent Kokubu, the youngest S-rank adventurer in history, who used monsters to single-handedly annihilate 30-odd bandits at Rivarre Pass." "No way ... He''s an S-rank adventurer ..." At Rita-san''s words, the people who were there raised their voices in surprise. "Umm, I''m sorry ... That''s Shuichi Takayama, and I''m Kent." "Huh!? I, I''m extremely sorry." Rita-san was so confident in her introduction that it was a bit difficult to correct her, but just in case ... "Also, I was talking to Takayama just now, but my genus are my family, so they''re not working for me, so please let me correct that as well." "My apologies. Chiko, clean up here and prepare some tea ..." "Y, yes, understood ..." Rita-san entered the room and closed the door after driving away Fel, who was still standing in place with an expression of disbelief. "I''m sorry. The door was suddenly opened without knocking ..." "I see, is that so ..." Rita-san seemed to understand the situation just by explaining the situation briefly. "Master Reese is busy with work, so I will take care of the formalities in her stead. First of all, here is the document regarding receiving bounties for the bandit subjugation. Please take a look, and then please sign here." It seemed that a bounty of 20,000 Helts would be paid per bandit subjugated. There were 37 people this time, so 740,000 Helts. In the sense of Japanese Yen, it would be about 7.4 million Yen. It may be too wild to think that one person''s life was worth about 200,000 Yen, but I felt like taking a life, not being charged with a crime, and even getting a reward was far from the Japanese sense. After signing the bounty receipt, Rita-san handed out additional documents. "Here is the document for the nomination request from the Volzard family. It is a request from the Volzard family, but since the starting point of the escort is Bakkenheim, this request will be handled by us." Klaus-san''s son and daughter were accompanied by a butler and a maid, who would come to the lodgings for a meeting later. It seemed that we could use the facilities for visitors attached to the guild for the dormitory. It was a so-called S-rank privilege, and Takayama seemed to be treated as my servant. "Would you like to have dinner? We can prepare it for you, or you can go out to eat ..." I made eye contact with Takayama and we decided to go out to eat. "Then, I will send you a map of Bakkenheim with recommended shops later. Is there anything else you need?" "No, there''s nothing in particular, but are there any places to be careful of when going out into the city?" "That''s right. Bakkenheim is an academic town, and public order is good in Landshelt. However, please do not approach the dark alleys. Also ... When you go out to dinner, Fer from earlier may interfere, but please do it as calmly as possible, to the extent that it cools him down a bit." "Understood, we''ll do our best." After that, Rita-san guided us to the lodging facility. The accommodation facility was connected to the guild by a connecting corridor, but it was in a separate building. There were two security guards stationed in the hallway from which I could see the entrance to the room, and if we had something to do, we could tell the security guards and they would be able to meet most of our requests. After Rita-san left the room, Takayama and I looked at each other in silence for a while. "Takayama ..." "Kokubu ..." "We can finally stay in a decent roooom!" On the way to Bakkenheim, on the second and third nights, Lau-san handed us 200 Helts per person and ordered us to find an inn within that amount. In other words, it was a practical exercise to find an inn in a city we visited for the first time. After being baptized at a cheap hotel on the first night, we were taught various techniques for finding an inn. However, there was a big difference between knowing and being able to do it. On the second night, we didn''t have much time to look for an inn, so I had to clean up and exterminate pests again. On the night of the third day, although we managed to get a room where we could sleep, thanks to persistent price negotiations paying off, we didn''t realize that there was an extra charge for the meal, so we ended up spending the night with an empty stomach. While we were impressed by the fluffy and clean beds, and the bath that was shiny and had hot water, there was a knock on the door of the room. When I opened the peephole, I saw a picture-perfect handsome butler and a beautiful maid standing there. The butler''s dark green hair was tied back slightly, and although he was slender, he had a build that looked like he was in good shape. The maid had slightly slanted eyes, ice-blue straight hair, and looked like a fox beastman with triangular ears and a bushy tail. "We belong to the Volzard family. It''s correct that Kent Kokubu-sama''s room is here, is it not?" "Yes, please wait a moment." I closed the peephole, unlocked the room, and invited the two of them in. "Please ... To the interior ..." "Excuse me." The butler and the maid proceeded to the living room after bowing their heads firmly and gracefully. For the time being, I followed the two after locking the door. Oh, Maid-san, with that fluffy tail ... Hey, she''s looking at me with murderous intent like Lau-san ... I wouldn''t touch it, really. "It''s my first time to meet you. My name is Johannes, and I am the butler of the Volzard family. And this person is the maid Fione. It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance ..." Johannes and Fione bowed their heads deeply, but perhaps it was just my imagination that somehow their words felt harsh. "Is it okay if I talk about the escort matter?" "Ah ~ ... I''m sorry, but that''s Kokubu." "Eh!?" Johannes and Fione turned around with great force. Well, if it''s just going by looks, Takayama is taller and a little more handsome. "Hello, I''m Kent. Please, have a seat." "I, I''m sorry. I ..." "Ah, I''m the same as Klaus-san, I''m not good at formalities, so let''s talk about the escort." "Is that so ... As you wish." Johannes bowed his head lightly as he agreed, but he seemed a little annoyed. Fione ... She was looking at me with cold, bloody eyes, but I wondered why. "In a message from Klaus-sama, we were told that Kent-sama would escort us, but the only ones who will accompany us are Kent-sama and this one ..." "I am Shuichi Takayama." "Is it just the two of you, Kent-sama and Shuichi-sama?" "That''s right. However, I''ve been told that he doesn''t mind if I leave if there''s urgent business." "What do you mean? Are you saying that guarding the Volzard family is a side job?" They didn''t seem to have heard the details from Klaus-san, and Johannes didn''t even try to hide his frustration when he heard that I might leave halfway through. "No, no, it''s not a side job, and I''ll leave a substitute escort properly while I''m not here." "What do you mean? Can a replacement be found on the move?" "I am a dark attribute magician, and I have many monsters as my genus. I will summon the best among them and assign them to the escort duty, so you don''t have to worry." "What is that, do you mean to have monsters guard Angelina-sama." When I said that I would have my genus act as guards in my absence, Fione raised her eyebrows and protested. "Are you dissatisfied?" "Of course. The likes of monsters ..." "I would like you to withdraw those words. If my genus weren''t here, Volzard would have suffered a great deal of damage due to the massive outbreak of monsters. The subjugation of the Griffon that attacked the other day was also thanks to the activities of my genus. My genus are like family to me. If you speak and act in such a way as to deny their existence, then I will have to reconsider my relationship with Volzard from now on." "Are you going to put Beatriche-sama and monsters on the same level?" "Yes, that''s right ..." "What the hell ..." Knowing or ignoring the speechless Fione''s feelings, Mart suddenly came out and I held it on my lap. "Ehh ... From where ..." The surprised Johannes and Fione aside, Mirt and Murt also came out and snuggled up. "Goshujin-sama, are these guys your enemies?" "I wonder if that''s the case ..." "Did the Kobold speak?" Mart-tachi were staring at Fione with their eyes wide open. Observed by six eyes, Fione seemed extremely uncomfortable. "Fo, for the time being, we''ll leave it at that for today ..." "They''re not enemies ..." "They''re not enemies?" "For now ..." "For now?" Mart-tachi, who tilted their heads together had a high destructive power. The reason Fione''s hands were wiggling was probably because she wanted to mofu. For a mofuist like me, you can see it.(TN:All MCs must have one utterly braindead trait they believe to be absolutely true, like seeing that everyone wants to fluff the mofus when they''re scared or whatever.) She finally understood when I told her that there were other powerful genus besides the Kobolds, and that they had exterminated the bandits at Rivarre Pass on the way to Bakkenheim. "Then, at 5 o''clock tomorrow morning, we will pick you up in front of the guild and head straight to Volzard, is that alright?" "Yes, it''s fine. I''ll prepare well." They''re not 100% convinced, but we''ve decided to leave for Volzard, so let''s go out for dinner. CH 188 Before the meal and after the meal ***---*** "Meat!" "Meat!" After finishing the escort meeting, we wiped our sweat and changed clothes, and in order to decide on a restaurant for dinner, we started discussing with the map given by Rita-san, but we came to a conclusion in two seconds. We decided to head to a restaurant that served meat dishes from the Bakkenheim region, although it was a short walk from the guild. I checked it on the map, but when I asked the guards where it was before leaving the dormitory, they told me that it would be easier to find it if we went through the park, although it would be a small detour. Looking at the map, it certainly seemed easier to walk through the promenade in the park than through the chaotic streets. We left the dormitory in casual clothes with only knives hung around our waists, and started walking towards a park with evergreen trees. The sun had already set, and the lights were on in the city. "It''s kind of exciting." "I agree, I came to another world, but I didn''t do any sightseeing." "Ah, Takayama is right." "Come to think of it, Kokubu has been going here and there." "That''s right. Aldaros, the royal capital of Resenburg, Bamata of the Count Gleisner territory, Gaso of the Margrave Calvine Territory, Lauf of the Drevis Duchy, Chowsk on the border of Barshania ... I go here and there, but I don''t do sightseeing in the city, it might not be much different from Takayama." "Oh, really?" "I go here and there, but only inside the mansion, or only in the grasslands where soldiers gather ... that''s why." "Got it ..." The town of Bakkenheim was a European-style townscape that was more jumbled and intricate than Volzard. The roads were not only paved with magic, but also cobbled in places, and there seemed to be no standards for the size of houses and shops, and the sizes of buildings were also uneven. On the main street where the carriages passed, there were of course buildings with wide frontages, but even buildings that were small enough for an adult to spread their hands out had shops on the first floor. The products they carried were suitable for an academic city, and there were also shops that sold writing utensils, research equipment, laboratory equipment, and chemicals. As for the clothes of the passers-by, adventurer style like us was in the minority, and people who seemed to be students, merchants, and educators stood out. As we approached the entrance of the park, Fred spoke to me. [ Kent-sama ... The guy from earlier is ambushing you ... ] [ Haa ... Seriously, well, should we clean up before enjoying dinner. ] [ Seven people ahead of the promenade ... Five people behind ... ] [ Fred, if I give you a signal ... Can you do it? ] [ Leave it to me ... ] Apparently, just like Rita-san said, Fel came to take revenge. If this were outside the city, I would have Zeta-tachi surround them and let them experience the fear of being eaten, but it would be difficult inside the city because there would be panic around us. So, let''s focus on Fred as the main punisher. "Takayama, seven in front, five behind ... an ambush." "Huh!? Is that the bastard from earlier? What should we do, avoid them?" "No, no, they''re just acquaintances of the guy called Fel, and I''ll deal with them before breakfast, no, before dinner." "Kokubu, since you came here, you''ve become extremely belligerent, haven''t you?" "Ah ... That may be possible, but it can''t be helped, can it?" "Well, I guess we can''t do the same as in Japan." Streetlights were also lit in the park, but compared to the rest of the city, the darkness stood out. Well, since I have night-vision, the darkness is rather welcome, and I can see how they''re hiding. "Takayama, it looks like they''re about to come out, but it''s fine if you just watch. Rather, don''t unexpectedly meddle." "Ou, I''m hungry and I don''t want to move anymore, so please clean up quickly." "Roger ..." As I was walking along the promenade while chatting with Takayama, I heard multiple footsteps approaching from behind, and a group of men appeared as if to block my path. The ugly-looking men were all carrying sticks. "Yo, are you guys the Monster Users of Volzard?" "Nope, we''re not, but ..." "Ehh, it''s different ..." When the men standing in our way were puzzled, Fel, who was hiding in the darkness, jumped out. "You bastard, don''t act stupid!" "I''m not acting stupid. I''m the only one who uses monsters, not us." "I see, this brat''s making fun of us. Hey, Fel, is it okay to strangle them both?" "Ah, do it ..." As the men who surrounded Takayama and I slowly closed the distance with wide grins on their faces, a gust of black wind blew through. Karan ... Karakaran ... Kon! Karakarakara ... "Ehh ... what?" "Hey, what is this!" "What''s going on ..." The sticks brought by the men were cut from their hands and scattered on the promenade. Maa, they can''t see Fred''s movements in this darkness, can they. "I told you earlier. If you mess with me any more, please be prepared to lose at least one of your arms ... So, have you come to your senses?" "Kokubu, didn''t these gathered people hear that you were S-rank?" Takayama''s words caused the gathered men to back away. "Hey, Fel! I didn''t hear that the opponent was an S-rank." "I''m leaving ..." "I''m out too ... ouch." "Uwaa ... what is it?" When one person tried to run away, the entire crowd tried to run away, and as soon as they started running, they collapsed. It seemed that Mart and the others grabbed their legs from the shadows and knocked them over. Mart and the others seemed to be playing around when they tried to escape, but the men were unable to move and started trembling. "What''s going on ... what''s going on?" "You bastard, Fel, what are we going to do!" "We were tricked, we didn''t know." "Guruuuuuu ..." "Fu! ... Fu! ... Fu! ..." If it''s going to cause a ruckus if they show themselves, then they shouldn''t show themselves, right ... Just like that, Zeta-tachi, started circling around the men, growling as they hid in the shadows. "It''s bad ... It''s bad, hey ..." "I''m sorry. I really didn''t know ..." "Is that so, then, the reason why I''m called a Monster User, should I thoroughly teach your bodies?" "Wait, please wait! Please, I''m sorry, I won''t do it again, so please forgive me." "I''m begging you, like this ..." Everyone, including Fel, crouched down and begged for forgiveness, so I''ll leave it at this. "Then, I''ll leave the punishment of that person called Fel to you. Everyone, you can let them go." When I called out to them, Zeta-tachi''s growls suddenly stopped and the silence returned. The men stood up fearfully, and when I waved my hand and made a shooing motion, they scattered like spiderlings and ran away. "It''s black ... It''s Black Kokubu." "What are you talking about. I only threatened them and didn''t hurt anyone. I''m too kind Angel Kokubu." "Angel, is it ... you mistook Devil. That guy called Fel, they''ll probably beat the hell out of him to their heart''s content, right?" "It''s self-inflicted, isn''t it ... An idiot who suddenly attacks, it''s better if he meets with a painful experience." "Maybe, maa, it doesn''t matter, let''s go eat." "Yeah. I''m hungry." The shop we were aiming for, ''Moonlight Grotto'', was about a five-minute walk straight from the point where we exited the park through the promenade. It was made of solid masonry, and a metal plate with the store''s name was inlaid on the sturdy wooden door. "Kokubu ... Doesn''t it look expensive?" "Maa, maa, I''ll treat you tonight." "Rather, you, do you have any money?" "You know ... I''m someone who carries around a large storage compartment, right?" "Oh, I see, is there money in there as well?" "Right, right, don''t worry about money." In the shadow storage, there were still Minotaur horns and magic stones lying around, and the cash I recovered from the carriage that was attacked by monsters before coming to Volzard was almost untouched. No matter how expensive it was, there was no way I couldn''t afford it. When we entered the store and looked at the menu, the prices were certainly high, but they were surprising. Stewed, grilled, steamed, deep-fried ... we chose a variety of dishes with different recipes, laid them out on the table, and Takayama and I put them into our stomachs one by one. "It''s bad ... These skewers are super delicious, Kokubu." "Whoaaa ... Takayama, this, this stew ..." "Which one ... Nuaa, it melts, it melts away, but the taste is so good! Hey, it''s too dangerous." "Noaaa, this sausage is so tender ... so tenderrr ..." "It''s bad, I think I should move here with Celia ..." "Haa? What are you talking about, Takayama, mugumugu ... You don''t have any savings, mugu ... You don''t even have a regular job, mugumugu ... Your child will be born, and there''s your mother-in-law. Mugumugumugu ... Think more about your current situation, mugumugu ..." "Eat or talk, choose one or the other ... I know it''s impossible." "Maa, mugumugu ... Then, mugu ... That''s fine, mugu ..." "That''s enough, just eat." "Mugu ..." Following Takayama''s words, we sat quietly for a while, enjoying the food, and just when I was thinking about ordering a final dish, Hart, who was the liaison with Camilla, appeared. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Camilla is in a pinch! Come with me!" "Eeeehhhh ... Takayama, I''m going for a second!" "Hey, Kokubu! Wait a minute ..." It seemed that Takayama was shouting something, but I followed Hart into the shadows and moved. I didn''t know where we moved to, but in the room, Camilla in a dress was pushed down on the bed by a man. "Hey, what kind of situation is this?" [ Kent-sama, that''s Havre Calvine! ] "This is, inside the royal castle!" Camilla was being held down by Havre''s hands. "Insolent fellow! Do you think you can get away with this!" "Of course, Camilla-sama. His Majesty the King has given permission for our wedding." "Idiot! Someone! Is there anyone there!" "There is no one to interfere with the marriage between a man and a woman who have decided to marry." It seemed that the King had been rounded up by Havre. "Basten, camera ..." [ Understood, I will prepare immediately. ] I thought about going to help right away, but I decided to record the abomination "Let go! Who would, with you bastard who had my older stepbrothers killed ..." "Hou, did you suspect even that, yes, I ordered everything. But, is there any proof? It''s true that I ordered them to be killed, but how can you prove it. No matter how much I tell the truth here, if there are no witnesses, it won''t prove anything." Maa, I guess that''s the common sense in this world, but I filmed and recorded it perfectly. "Let go, you traitor, this body is dedicated to Maou-sama, I will not let you bastard do as you like!" "What, dedicated ... to this Maou ..." "That''s right, this body of mine, every single strand of hair and every single drop of blood, belongs to Maou-sama!" "Fuun! , I don''t know to what extent, but I hate you shaking your ass at another man. Maa, it doesn''t matter, I''ll make you forget about that man right away. I will engrave the mark of this Havre Calvine deep into your body." "Kuh! ... Let go, insolent fool! Somebody! Somebody!" Havre put Camilla''s hands above her head and held her down solidly with his left hand. On the day we were summoned, Camilla hoisted that Funayama with one hand, but in a situation where both of them are using physical enhancement, she would probably lose in strength to Havre, who was far superior in physique. "Let go! Let go! Someone, someone ... Maou-sama!" "Fuhahahahaha ... There''s no way such a person will ever appear. The strong, the wise will get everything. That''s the truth of this world. This castle, this country, and this body belong to me. Come on, let''s have a lot of fun ... Goaa!" The moment Havre was about to tear the neckline of her dress with his now free right hand, I kicked him as hard as I could while coming out of the shield of darkness that I had put out beside the bed. Havre tumbled out of the bed, holding his right side and fainting in agony. Yeah, in addition to strengthening my body, I kicked him without holding back. "Maou-sama!" "Camilla, isn''t it too careless to not have an escort?" "I''m extremely sorry." Havre Calvine was still crouched on the floor, glaring at us. "Gufuu ... Bastard, who are you. Where did you come from ..." "Greetings, nice to meet you, Margrave Havre Calvine. My name is Kent Kokubu." "Are you the Maou ... Guu ..." "Maa, in the end, it feels like I''m playing as a Maou." "Fuun, it seems to be possible to some extent, but the likes of a dark-attribute magician ... What ..." I made a demonstrative fireball above my right hand, Havre widened his eyes and was speechless. "Did you say something about a dark-attribute magician?" "Aren''t you a magician with the dark attribute?" "Well, what do you think ..." "If you''re not a dark-attribute magician, how did you get in!" "Well, where should I start from ... Havre-san, since when did you have the illusion that you had conquered the royal castle?" "What, that ..." Of course, I didn''t care about Resenburg, so I didn''t know what was going on with the royal castle, but looking at Havre''s confident expression, I could guess that he thought he had conquered it. I tried to bluff, as if I was sure, but it was more effective than I expected. "Who is it, who betrayed me. The Prime Minister, or the Knight Commander." "Do you really think I''ll tell you that?" "Damnit, who is it! Who the hell is it!" Even if Havre raised a loud voice, there was no sign of even hearing footsteps. Perhaps, Fred had probably already cleaned up. "Damn, what are you going to do with me?" "That''s right ... Tomorrow, how about gathering everyone at the royal castle and making everything crystal clear?" "Did the King betray me?" "If you aren''t confident, please wrap your tail between your legs and return to your territory tonight. Of course, as soon as you leave the castle, please think that you will be chased by the hunters." "Kuh ... That''s fine. This Havre Calvine won''t run or hide! Gufu! ..." "Then, please, get out ..." When I urged him to leave the room, Havre frowned at the pain in his side and left with his chest puffed out while staggering. [ Fred, watch him for me. ] [ Roger ... ] As I saw Havre off, I commanded Fred, then slowly turned around to see Camilla kneeling and bowing her head. "Maou-sama, I''m sorry for bothering you." "I think you let your guard down too much, but ... I didn''t think that Havre was such an idiot. Camilla, are Count Gleisner and Count Saruel in the mansion below the castle?" "Yes, they should be in their respective mansions ..." "Do you know where their mansions are located? I don''t think it will happen, but it would be a problem if an assassin was sent, so I''d like to take action now." "Yes, then, the map ..." I asked her to tell Reinhardt and Basten the locations of the mansions, and let them move with Camilla''s letter. They would watch over them until the security system was in place. "I was going to not show up, but apparently I have to participate." "Maou-sama, please lend me your strength." "As I said earlier, tomorrow we will gather everyone together and condemn Havre and the others. However, according to Havre''s words, it seems that the King and the Knight Commander have been rounded up, or they are voluntarily cooperating, so depending on the case, it may be a brute force settlement." "I have pledged allegiance to Maou-sama. I am prepared to part with my father." I asked Camilla to write letters to bring together the important people. I dragged the guard who was under the influence of Havre and was knocked out by Fred, roused him up, and threatened him to choose whether it was better to deliver the letters or have his whole family executed for betraying the Princess. In addition, I took out my smartphone from the shadow storage and asked Suzuki-san to order a mobile projector. Because of the time difference, it was only after 6:00 in the evening in Japan, so I got a reply that it would be ready by tomorrow morning. Reinhardt and Basten returned from going back and forth, and reported that Count Gleisner and Count Saruel finished guarding their mansions with soldiers. Fred then came back and reported on how Havre was doing. [ Havre was summoning the Prime Minister ... He seemed to be quite suspicious ... ] It seemed that the bluff I came up with for Havre was more effective than expected. It seemed that Havre was looking at the Prime Minister''s reaction while saying that there was a power within the castle that was influenced by Camilla. Originally, because he was trying to deceive others and win big, Havre must have been extremely afraid of being betrayed. For the time being, it seemed that the suspicions about the Prime Minister had been cleared, but this time it seemed that the suspicions about the Knight Commander could not be dispelled. According to the Prime Minister''s story, he told the Knight Commander that Havre and the others had taken action out of concern for the country, and that the current King would abdicate, and that Havre would support Camilla as her husband and install her on the throne. For that reason alone, suspicion of betray was like doubting the Knight Commander''s loyalty to his country, to it seemed that there was no way to summon him and ask him. As for the Knight Commander, he seemed to have come to the conclusion that the only option was to act according to the basic plan and deceive him according to the circumstances. In the middle of the conversation, the Prime Minister suggested that they assassinate him, but the Knight Commander was a warrior, even if not as much as when he was young, and it seemed that not only was the success unlikely, but even if it succeeded, it would turn the knights against them, so it seemed that they gave up on it. For Camila''s protection, I contacted Oswald, the Commander of the Royal Knights who came with her from Bamata, and asked him to send a knight. In addition, Basten would also protect her from the shadows. I consulted with Camilla about how to proceed with tomorrow''s meeting, and when I returned to Bakkenheim, the date was about to change. In the living room of the dormitory, Takayama was sitting with his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. "I''m back, Takayama." When I stepped into the living room from the shield of darkness, Takayama glared at me. "What''s wrong, Takayama?" "Hey, you ... what''s wrong with you. I don''t know where you went, but pay the money before you go!" "Ooohhh ... Sorry, that''s right, dinner payment ... Sorry, sorry, how much was it?" "Total of the two, 940 Helts, 470 Helts each." "Sorry, I''ll pay now ..." "You idiot, it''s not ''I''ll pay now''! Think about it, do you think I''m carrying around 940 Helts?" "Ah!!" " ''Ah!'' is right. You left without paying, so I had a lot of trouble ..." Takayama who was almost penniless, was about to be handed over to the authorities, so he explained that he was from Volzard together with Master Reese. However, he was thought to be using Master Reese''s name without permission, and was not believed. He tried to get Rita-san, who was the caretaker, to be contacted, but he couldn''t remember the name of the essential Rita-san, so he was worked hard washing dishes and such until they could get in touch. In the end, Rita-san paid for it, and it would be withdrawn from my guild account. "No, my bad, my bad ... As for Resenburg, it feels like things are finally coming to an end, and it''s tough." "You, be careful when you''re alone, because that will be dine and dash. Just pay the money before you go." It took even more time to fix Takayama''s mood, and it wasn''t until the date changed that I was finally able to sleep. CH 189 Ani to Ane(TN:Elder brother and Elder sister) ***---*** In the Guild of Bakkenheim, there was a shop that offered snacks from early in the morning. Or rather, it was a restaurant during the day, a bar at night, and a fast food establishment in the morning. There weren''t as many people coming and going in the Guild early in the morning as I thought. Bakkenheim was larger than Volzard and had a more complicated townscape, so it took time to get out of the city from the Guild in the center. For this reason, it seemed that it was customary for many people who received work in the early morning to complete the order procedure by the day before. A security guard told me that if it got a little later, the hallway would be crowded with people. It seemed that it rained during the night, and the road in front of the guild was damp. The streetlights that were still lit in the dimly lit city were blurred by the drifting fog. Takayama and I were waiting for the Volzard Family''s carriage, but the sparsely populated town looked like a scene from a movie. "Somehow, it has a certain air." "Right ... Because Hikarigaoka had nothing but apartment complexes." "Right. It had a completely different atmosphere." Then came the sound of hooves, and a large carriage with four horses appeared as if it was oozing out of the mist. On the driver''s stand was Johannes-san, the butler of the Volzard Family, dressed in a black coat. As I bowed my head towards the approaching carriage, I could see Johannes-san giving a light nod. When the carriage slowed down and stopped in front of the guild, the cabin door opened and the maid Fione got out. "Good morning. Kent-sama, please go inside the cabin. Shuichi-san, please sit next to Johannes." We looked at each other for a moment, but followed Fione-san''s words, Takayama went up to the coachman''s stand and exchanged greetings with Johannes. After taking a deep breath, I boarded the cabin. The Volzard Family''s cabin was a little smaller than the Headquarter Guild''s, with seats fitting 3 people in the back, 2 on the right, and 1 on the left. Two men were sitting in the three-person seat, and a lone woman was sitting in the two-person seat on the right.(TN:I knew it was all 3 of Klaus'' kids that were being escorted, but up until this point it only said ''son'' instead of ''sons'', so it was rather ambiguous ...) "Good morning. I''m Kent Kokubu." When I greeted them at the entrance of the cabin, the man sitting on the right side of the three-person seat replied to me. "I am Klaus Volzard''s eldest son, Augusto. This is my Imouto, the eldest daughter, Angelina, and this is the second son, Baldini. It''s a pleasure to meet you." "Y, yes, to you as well, it''s a pleasure to meet you." Augusto-san had parts of his face that were similar to Marianne-san, but his strong-willed chin was similar to that of Klaus-san. His language was firm, but it was refreshing rather than intimidating. Such an Augusto-san gave me a light bow, and I bowed back, but I struggled to hold back my laughter. As Augusto-san, who was very serious, bowed his head lightly, the bunny ears growing on his head bowed with him. I know it''s prejudice against appearance and discrimination, but it''s unfair, it''s too funny, it''s totally a skit! "Ufufufu ... You''re Riche''s lover ... I heard that you were the hero who protected Volzard, so I thought you were a bigger person, really, you ..." "Yes, it''s a pleasure to meet you." Angelina-san''s features were somewhat similar to Klaus-san''s, but her eyes were a little droopy, giving her an airy feeling. Her ears were normal ears, but I was captivated by her clearly similar proportions to Marianne-san. "Aniue, is a child like this really an S-rank?" "Dii, you must have heard about his achievements. Unless Father, Mother, and Riche colluded to deceive us, he is performing well for an S-rank. However, with that alone, I can''t judge that he is suitable as Riche''s spouse."(TN:Technically Baldini''s name has an extended ''i'', so it should be Baldiini, which is why it''s Dii, but the actual name should only have one ''i'', so it''s like this.) "Is that so ..." Baldini-san, the second son of the Volzard Family who was giving me a stern look, seemed to be one year older than me, this person as well, his looks, facial features, and bunny ears were just like Marianne-san. It was really surreal that two handsome guys with bunny ears were having a serious conversation. "Umm, where would it be okay for me to sit?" I thought it was probably the single seat on the left side, but when I checked just to be sure, Angelina patted the east next to her and spoke. "Please have a seat next to me ..." "Ojou-sama, such a thing as letting the likes of an adventurer sit next to Ojou-sama, it cannot be allowed!" Fione-san who was behind me raised her voice in protest, but Angelina-san answered with a smile. "Ara, Kent-san and I will become family one day, so there''s no problem. Fione, sit over there. Now, Kent-san, come." "Haa, excuse me." When I sat down next to Angelina-san, she wrapped her arm around my shoulders and drew me in and hugged me. "Aneue! What are you doing." "Ara, are you jealous? Recently, you haven''t even held hands with your Onee-chan ..." Angelina-san was holding me in her arms, stroking my head with ''iiko, iiko'', as she dealt with Baldini-san.(TN: ''iiko'' means good child, it''s a way of dealing with small children.) "U, umm ... Angelina-san, as expected, this is a bit embarrassing ..." "Ara, do you not like it?" "No, I don''t particularly mind, but ..." "Then, just stay like this for a while, and also, please call me Ange-oneechan." "Th, that is, that ... Klaus-san told me not to call you in an overly familiar manner ..." "Ara, why is that? Once you marry Riche, we''ll become a family. Isn''t it normal for us to be overly familiar?" "That may be so ..." "Then, try calling me Ange-oneechan, ye ~ s." "A, Ange-oneechan ..." "Yes, well done. Kent is a good boy ..." Fuaa ... I understood why Mart and the others wanted to be stroked. "Aneue! Please restrain yourself!" "What? Does Dii want ''iiko, iiko'', too?" "I don''t want you to do such a shameful thing!" "Mou, you''ve become so rebellious ... In the past, Onee-tan, Onee-tan, you found it unpleasant if we didn''t sleep or bathe together."(TN:Onee-tan is a childish way of saying Onee-chan, like lisping.) What, something like that, I''m so jealous. "When exactly are you talking about. That was five or ten years ago!" Yeah, there''s a big difference between 5 years and 10 years, so please clarify which one. "Seriously, I wonder when you became so twisted ... But, it''s okay, because I got such a cute Otouto, right, Kent." "Y, yes ... Ange-oneechan." "Nn ~ ! ... Kent is a good boy ..." Howaaaa ... Until we reach Volzard, is it okay to stay like this? "Ange, you should quickly release Kent. That will interfere with his work as a bodyguard." "Ara, not good ... That''s right. I''m sorry, Kent." "N, no ... It''s okay." Kuh! ... You said something unnecessary, damned Augusto. Oh, Fione-san from the opposite seat, and Baldini-san from diagonally in front, were looking at me like they were looking at a trash insect. "Well, Kent. I would like to confirm something, is it okay?" "Yes, what is it, Augusto-san." "I heard that you will move to a different place in the middle of our escort and do a different job, is that true?" "Yes, I plan to go back to the world I originally lived in and also go to Resenburg." "What are you talking about, you ..." "Dii, please don''t interrupt us, we''re in the middle of an important conversation." "I''m sorry ... Aniue." Augusto-san rebuked Baldini, who tried to flare up at me, softly, but with a firm attitude. "If it''s just listening to the contents of the story, it''s hard to believe, but I know from the way you talk that it''s not a joke or a lie. However, if the story is true, I think that the only one who will be our escort while you are away, is the one who is next to Johannes ..." "No, my genus are lurking in the shadows, so they will serve as escorts while I move elsewhere." "About those genus, but I wonder if they''re useful as an escort? I''d like to see them if possible ..." "I guarantee their abilities. If it''s a Rock Ogre, they can defeat it with a single blow, and I''ll leave someone to contact me with behind, so if something happens, I''ll come back. However, if they show up, I heard that horses are afraid of monsters ..." "I see, I understand. If the security system is perfect, I have no complaints." After Augusto-san agreed with my explanation, he took out a thick leather-bound book and started reading. In place of Augusto-san who started reading, Angelina-san asked with a sense of curiosity. "Hey Kent, I heard that there is always a Kobold with Riche, are they here, too?" "Yes, they are. However, I don''t know the effect on the horses, so to come out ..." "I see ... it''s a pity." Fione-san, who was sitting across from me, nodded with great regret.(TN:Maybe he wasn''t wrong about Fione''s hands itching from wanting to mofu after all ...) "Then, I''ll introduce you when we get to the inn tonight." "Maa, I''m looking forward to it." Yup, Fione-san was also nodding at high speed. "Hey, Kent. Didn''t you just say you were going to Resenburg?" "Yes, that''s what I said." "Is it about the succession to the throne?" "Yes, it is." Augusto-san, who must have been listening to the conversation, also lifted his gaze from the book and turned his attention to me. "We have heard that the Second and Third Princes of Resenburg died, but we have not heard anything after that. What is happening in Resenburg right now?" "Then, I''ll tell you about the situation after the Second and Third Princes were killed in Lastock." When I started to talk, Augusto-san closed the book and took a serious attitude to listen, and Baldini, who was looking at me critically, listened with a serious expression. To begin with, the Second Prince and the others'' misbehavior, the fact that Margrave Havre Calvine was manipulating the threads behind the scenes, that he was planning to cooperate with Barshania, that the life of the First Prince was also lost, that the opposing faction was Camilla''s, and that the Diethelm siblings came together and gained recognition as the next King. Havre colluded with the Prime Minster, and went to the royal castle where the current King and the Knight Commander were rounded up, Camilla arrived, and I talked about the final confrontation. When I finished speaking, Augusto-san immediately asked me a question. "If that Camilla Resenburg takes control, there is no possibility of antagonizing Volzard, right?" "Since it''s something that humans do, I can''t say for sure that it''s absolutely certain, but you can think of the possibility as almost zero." "On the other hand, what if that Havre Calvine takes control?" "I can''t say for sure because I don''t know what''s going on in other people''s heads, but the chances of them starting a fight should be much higher than they would be with Camilla." "Hypothetically speaking, hypothetically, if Resenburg attacks at this point in time, do you think Volzard can win?" "There''s no problem. My genus, hands down, will kick them around." Augusto-san nodded at my words, but Baldini didn''t seem to trust me. "Fuun, you can say anything with your mouth. If you''re going to talk big, do it after you''ve actually routed a large army." "With over 40,000 soldiers in Barshania, we toyed with them, and stopped the invasion of Resenburg." "Eeehhh ... Just Kent and his genus? How did you do it?" "Umm ... Harassment and threats." To the astonished Angelina-san, I told the story of how I dissuaded the Emperor of Barshania by disturbing the sleep of his soldiers, and threatened to bring down the bridges and sink ships if he did not cancel his campaign. "I see ... I understand why Father acknowledged your relationship with Riche." "Really, Kent is amazing ..." Hyaaha ~~ !! Again, Angelina-san hugged me with ''iiko, iiko''. It''s bad ... I might not be able to resist the addictive nature of being ''iiko, iiko'', Ange-oneechan ... "Aniue, Aneue as well, do you believe what he says? Barshania might have just happened to change their policy and cancel the dispatch of troops, and he might just be talking about it as if taking credit for it." "If that''s the case, why is the Princess of Barshania trying to marry Kent?" "Aniue, is that story true?" "It was attached to a letter from Father. The fact that the Princess of Barshania is coming to Volzard for marriage means the same thing as creating a friendly relationship between Volzard and Barshania. As Riche''s older brother, it''s an unpleasant story, but as a Lord''s Family, this story should be welcomed." "But, this guy ..." "Dii, it''s true that Kent is younger than us, looks dull, and isn''t part of the aristocracy. However, don''t let what you see and your personal feelings cloud your eyes and make a mistake in your assessment. That is something that as a Lord''s Family, you should never do." "Yes, I understand, Aniue." Umm, you''re dissing me indirectly, aren''t you. Damned Augusto ... In honor of Ange-oneechan''s ''iiko, iiko'', I''ll spare you today. After leaving Bakkenheim, the carriage went smoothly along the highway. In the season when the monsoon blew from the northwest, it didn''t rain much. That was because the wind that crossed the desert and went over the Kabasa Pass brought dry air. Since there was little rain, the roads were not muddy and the carriages could run smoothly. There were two places to be careful of on the way between Bakkenheim and Volzard. The first place was Rivarre Pass, and the other was the Irosun Great Forest. Bran passed in one day, but it would take a day and a half for a normal carriage to get through. After lunch on the second day, we would enter the forest. Wild beasts lived in deep forests, and to a lesser extent, monsters also inhabited them. And then, those who were kicked out of society and disguised themselves as bandits were hiding in search of prey. While passing through the Irosun Great Forest, unless there was an emergency call from someone else, I planned to stay as the escort. Maa, it was obviously an excessive force against bandits if I put all my genus into it. There were more concerns about being targeted when the carriage was stationary than when it was moving. So, I headed back to Japan to pick up the mobile projector before stopping at a village along the way for a lunch break. Even though we left Landshelt a little before noon, it was just past 6:00 in the morning at Nerima Garrison. Suzuki-san hadn''t come to work yet, but she had the mobile projector box on her desk. I greeted the SDF officer on duty, checked the contents of the box, left a note for Suzuki-san, and returned. After returning to the carriage, after a while, I could see the village where we would rest at noon. In villages along the highway, there were facilities like drive-ins for people traveling in horse-drawn carriages. It was a place where humans ate and rested, and the horses also got fodder, water, and rest, Takayama and Johannes took care of the horses and looked after the carriage, while eating just sandwiches and milk. While protecting the three members of the Volzard Family, I also ended up with the same menu. When we were traveling with Reese-san, Gunther-kun prepared meals for us, and we all ate the same food at the same place at the same time, but when it came to guarding as a serious escort, this form must have been natural. After the break, the carriage started moving again, and after Fred confirmed that there were no suspicious pursuers, I headed for Resenburg. "Then, Augusto-san, I''m going to Resenburg for a moment. I will leave the ex-knight Skeleton as the leader, five Undead Lizardment, and two Kobolds for communication, so don''t worry." "Alright. Can you tell me the results of that as well?" "That''s right ... If there''s no problematic content ... I will." "That''s fine. Then, go ahead." "Yes, I''ll be back, please excuse me." With Basten, who was accustomed to escort duties, as the leader, and Zae-tachi as strength, while Mart and Mirt were asked to act as liaisons. With Reinhardt and Fred at the head, I led the rest of my genus to the royal castle of Aldaros to see how Camilla was doing. Today''s meeting would be held in a room called the Chamber of Proceedings of the Royal Castle, where the King consulted the nobles about the future of the country. However, it seemed that the room hadn''t been used for many years, and that was probably why the Prime Minister''s tyranny was passing through. In the Chamber of Proceedings, a wide, long table was placed. Those with the same opinion would line up along the long side, and on the opposite side where the width was set so that you could not reach even if you swung a sword, the opposition lined up. It seemed that the King would sit in the so-called birthday seat, watch the two factions arguing across the table, and finally make a decision. In the Chamber of Proceedings, on the table, there were cards with the names of who would sit where. From the King''s point of view, the right side was Camilla''s faction, and the left side was Havre Calvine''s faction. Sitting by Camilla''s side were Count Gleisner, Count Saruel, and the Commanders of the Royal Guard, Magdalos and Oswald. On the other hand, sitting on the side of Havre were Prime Minister Florenz, Knight Commander Berdets, and two other nobles whom Havre had enticed before coming to the capital. As of last night, Havre said that he had doubts about the Knight Commander, but had he reconsidered, or was he pretending, he even had a faint smile on his face. Camilla, who sat in front of him, clenched her molars and glared at Havre. "Camilla-sama, will last night''s mouse help today, or don''t you need it?" "Fuu, not knowing is, in a way, a blessing." "What do you mean? What can a mouse do?" "You will understand shortly, the true terror of Maou-sama." Contrary to a few moments ago, Havre glared at Camilla, who had a relaxed smile on her face, with blue streaks floating on his temples. Immediately after that, the back door opened and a man who appeared to be the chamberlain raised his voice. "His Majesty the King, has arrived!" The current King, Alexis Resenburg, who showed up, couldn''t support his overweight body with only his own legs, and his right hand was supported by a cane, and his left hand was supported by his maid. Even walking a few meters seemed to be a trial, and it took a long time to reach the large chair, and when he collapsed in it, he was breathing hard and didn''t seem to have the leeway to say a word. Seeing that, Havre bowed to the King, stood up from his seat, stood next to the King, and called out to the attendees. "To all of you in attendance, I, Havre Calvine, would like to address you first." Havre cut off his words and gave a light nod to the attendees before continuing. "I am risking my life for today''s appeal. Our country Resenburg is in the worst crisis since its founding. Nevertheless, we have spent too much time in idleness. With all due respect, from His Majesty the King, down to every last knight!" Havre held up his left hand and pointed to the people sitting at the end of the table. It was when the gaze of the attendees drifted from Havre to the last seat, lured by that movement. Just as I thought I heard a light sound like metal scraping, the pale head of King Alexis Resenburg flew into the air. Havre, with the posture of shaking off the blood-stained sword, smiled triumphantly at Camilla, who was sitting on the other side of the splattering blood. CH 190 Ambition''s end ***---*** Sitting at the foot of the large table, facing the King, I could see everything Havre Calvine was doing. Raising his left arm in a large motion to guide the gaze of those present, he drew a sword from his waist and decapitated the King. [ Eeehhh, where did he get the sword from ... ] [ It''s a dark weapon called a belt sword. It''s a sword that bends well and doesn''t break, but it''s sheathed in a belt-like sheath, but if you don''t have a lot of training, you shouldn''t be able to handle it that well. ] At the beginning of this rally, they must have been meticulously prepared to kill the King. As evidence of this, when Havre raised his left arm, every last person sitting on Camilla''s side turned their gaze towards the lowest seat, but those sitting on Havre''s side were facing the upper seat. The people sitting on Camilla''s side didn''t seem to be able to understand what was going on for a few moments, even when their eyes returned to the King. Who could have imagined that the King would be cut to death while he was out of sight for just a moment. "Fa, Father!" "Your Majesty the King!" An unexpected person yelled at the people on Camilla''s side who jumped up from their seats in astonishment. "Quiet!" Zaa, Kasha, Shaa, Jaaki! In line with the Commander''s shout, the knights in armor, who were lined up by the wall of the room and held up their swords while holding the tip of their swords, changed the direction of their swords with a single undisturbed movement, and gripped the hilt and readied their swords. "Knight Commander, what is this. Will the Knights point their swords at the Royal Family?" "Camilla-sama, we knights have decided to take up swords for the sake of the people. Indulging in pleasure and spending all their time fighting for power is outrageous!" With angry eyes and a voice that sounded like he was commanding a knight, the Commander commanded the atmosphere, causing the people on Camilla''s side to stand up and stop moving. "As a Knight Commander, it is heartbreaking to point my sword at the Royal Family, but I can no longer leave the current situation of being threatened by the sands of the desert and the thieves of Barshania. I, to create a new Resenburg, where government is for the people, by the hands of the people, have decided to become the sword of Havre Calvine, who threw away his status and property, and risked his life to start a revolution. Camilla-sama, be prepared ..." "Wait, Berdets! You are being deceived by Havre." "That''s right, Commander, it''s just as Camilla-sama says." "Commander, please come to your senses. Havre Calvine is the root of all evil." "Shut up! All of you who belong to the Royal Family who repeat acts of misbehavior, apologize to the people with your death!" Zaa, Zaa, Zaa! Commander Berdets raised his right hand, and the armor-clad knights began marching in step towards the attendees on Camilla''s side. "Come on, you guys, stop!" "Listen to me, at this rate, you''ll do exactly as Havre wants!" The Royal Guard Commanders Magdalos and Oswald, who attended on Camilla''s side, also did not carry weapons in front of the King. Even so, Camilla, Count Gleisner, and Count Saruel stood in their way, but there was no chance of winning against a knight in full armor with bare hands. [ Then, everyone, please follow the plan ... ] A shield of darkness covered the windows and ceiling, and the Chamber of Proceedings was enclosed in darkness. I''ve been training myself to take on Gryphons, so this was a piece of cake. "This, what happened!" "Turn on the lights, what''s going on!" "Maou-sama!" "Damnit, yesterday''s mouse." "Don''t panic!" A white square wall suddenly emerged in the direction of the lowest seat of the large table. "You stubborn knights, open your eyes and look." Of course, the white square wall was illuminated by a projector, and the image and sound were played immediately after. The video began with a secret conversation between Havre and Havre''s right-hand man, Nestor. As the conversation progressed, it was revealed that Havre was pulling strings behind the scenes, even communicating with Barshania, and was trying to get rid of the Princes and take over the country. "Havre-dono, what the hell is this?" "I, I don''t know, that kind of thing is a hoax, it''s definitely some kind of illusion." "It''s an illusion? I''ve never heard of an illusion where this many people see exactly the same thing?" At the request of the Knight Commander, Havre fell silent because he was at a loss for words to respond. The video then showed Havre beckoning a man wearing a deep hood in. "Auu ... Stop it! Stop that illusion!" "Shut up! Don''t act so disgracefully!" "Guu ... Aaahhh ..." After being shouted at by the Knight Commander right beside him, the Prime Minister collapsed and sat down in the chair that he had once stood up from. [ What''s going on, Havre. It''s a different story, isn''t it. ] [ I am confused about that as well. ] [ Not only is Alphonse alive, but none of the leaders of either faction are dead. What are you going to do? ] [ Even if you ask what I''m going to do, I just heard the news today, so I can''t take action right away. ] The footage uncovered Havre and the Prime Minister''s conspiracy to seize control of the country and control its wealth. And finally, the appearance of Havre, who was acting violently towards Camilla, was shown. [ Hou, did you suspect even that, yes, I ordered everything. But, is there any proof? It''s true that I ordered them to be killed, but how can you prove it. No matter how much I tell the truth here, if there are no witnesses, it won''t prove anything. ] The figure of triumph while overpowering Camilla, it looked really stupid. [ Fuhahahahaha ... There''s no way such a person will ever appear. The strong, the wise will get everything. That''s the truth of this world. This castle, this country, and this body belong to me. Come on, let''s have a lot of fun ... Goaa! ] I stopped the video when Havre rolled awkwardly to the floor. At the same time that the light from the projector was turned off, the shields of darkness were also released, and the brightness of the Chamber of Proceedings was restored. "Hello, everyone, my name is Kent Kokubu." "Maou-sama!" "It''s an intruder, seize him!" Havre yelled, but none of the knights moved anymore. "Just now, the video you saw was actually taken by my hands. Knight Commander, I don''t know what that man has instilled in you, but you''ll regret it if things go on like this." "That''s right, Commander, please reconsider." "Commander, the enemy of the people is Havre Calvine!" The Commander ordered the knights while piercing Havre with an angry gaze. "Everyone, put down your swords and stand back." Kasha, Jaaki, Zaa, Zaa, Zaa, Zaa ... The knights who received the orders from the Knight Commander held their swords by the tip again, retreated to the wall, and stopped moving. The Prime Minister sat down in his chair, lowered his head, muttered something, and didn''t even move. From the other side of the long table, Havre was glaring at me with bloodshot eyes as if he wanted to curse me to death. "Well, Havre-san, what are you going to do?" "A brat like you ..." Havre turned his gaze from me to the right and rushed towards Camilla with a blood-stained sword in one hand, I blocked him with a shield of darkness. "B, bastard, you''re a dark-attribute magician after all! Damnit, Nestor! Come in!" When Havre gave the signal, the front and back doors were filled with thug-like people with weapons in their hands. "Siege defense, double time!" At the command of the Knight Commander, the knights grabbed their swords by the hilts again and prepared a defensive system surrounding Camilla''s attendees who had retreated to the window side. I was pushed by the momentum, and even I was surrounded by the protective circle. Even though they were armed with full armor, there were eight knights. On the other hand, it seemed that there were about 50 of Havre''s subordinates, even if you roughly counted them. Havre calmly moved to the wall with a triumphant smile on his face. "Fuun, you stupid brat. To think that you''re here to be killed, did you think I wouldn''t do anything about it?" "Excuse me, please let me out for a moment." I went out of the knight''s enclosure and moved to the area where the Knight Commander was, and stood across the table from Havre, who was acting triumphant. "By any chance, Havre-san, do you think you''ve won?" "Fuun, I won''t fall for your lies anymore. The guards are all locked up in the training grounds, and the only people around this room are my subordinates. Even if there is the Knight Commander, it won''t be a match if there are no weapons." "What are you going to do with us?" "That''s obvious ... The dead don''t talk." "Haa ... I wonder ... I thought you were a more formidable person, but I''m disappointed." "What''s that ... Huh?" Seeing Murt suddenly jump out of my shadow, Havre put on a dubious expression. When I petted it on the head, it gleefully wagged its tail. "Fuhahahaha, you''re called Maou, just when I wondered how many people you had, it was just one Kobold!" Drawn in by Havre, his subordinates also let out laughter. He didn''t know that Murt''s appearance was a signal that the Kobold Corps had overwhelmed the surrounding Havre forces, and he was carefree. "It''s baaaad, Havre-san, this guy is too dangerous, gyahahaha ..." "Hey Hey Hey ... My stomach hurts, it''s just a Kobold ..." "I don''t need a weapon, I''ll just killed it with my bare hands." "Goshujin-sama, are these guys enemies too? Beat them?" Murt''s words stopped the laughter. "Haa, did a Kobold just speak?" When Havre and the others tilted their heads, a distant thunder-like sound began to resound in the room. Doro doro doro ... Doro doro doro ... Doro doro doro ... At the eerie sound, the knights who were protecting Camilla and the others tightened their expressions as they looked warily at their surroundings. Doro doro doro ... Doro doro doro ... Doro doro doro ... When I put out a shield of darkness behind me, Nero slowly appeared from there and snuggled up to me, purring in good spirits. "S, Storm Cat ..." "It''s bad, it''s seriously bad ..." Putting both hands on the table, the triumphant Havre, ran to the wall all at once, in addition, some people rushed to the exit, which I blocked with a shield of darkness. "Havre-san, what should we do?" "Don''t panic! You see, take a good look. You see, that Storm Cat can''t move. That guy is Camilla''s shield after all." No, it''s completely different, but the subordinates were nodding their heads. "As expected of Havre-san, we have different points of view." "Okay ... Okay, at my signal, everyone attack all at once. You see, if that''s the case, even a Storm Cat can''t withstand it. Okay, this side, get ready ..." "Guruuuuuu ..." As if to drown out Havre''s instructions, a growl resounded from the shield of darkness that blocked the door behind them, and Zeta suddenly appeared. "G, Gigawolf ..." "It''s bad, step back, step back!" The minions who were near the back door all backed off all at once, and even Havre was pushed and staggered. "Hey, go back further ..." "Idiot, don''t push ..." "Guruuuooooo ..." "Hiii, even from here ..." "Hey, back off! Hurry, hurry uuup!" The minions panicked as Eta emerged with a roar from the shield of darkness that blocked the front door. "Havre-san, Havre-san! What do we do." "Shut up, don''t make a clamor!" Havre and his minions were pinned against the wall, frantically watching to see if Nero and Zeta-tachi would attack together. Murt asked while watching the panic of Havre and the others. "Goshujin-sama, are we going to beat these guys?" "Hmm ... I don''t know what to do ..." "Wait, wait a minute, why don''t you team up with me? I''ll give you Camilla. Half of Resenburg ... No, I''ll give you two-thirds. Two-thirds anywhere you like, it''s not a bad story, is it?" Havre''s face was dripping with sweat. "That''s right ..." "Hey, that''s right, it''s not a bad story. Right, I''ll add this castle. OK, OK?" "I don''t think it''s a bad story, but in the first place, neither this castle nor Resenburg belong to Havre-san, right? Giving me land that doesn''t belong to you ... Is there anyone who would be happy to hear that?" "Damniiiit ..." While talking to me, Havre frantically searched for an escape route, moving his gaze to the right, to the left, and up and down. "Benito, Jose, Cleo, Tamir, lend me your ear ..." Havre called his minions and started a meeting. Seeing that, Camilla called out to me with a tense tone. "Maou-sama, he''s plotting something. It''s better to catch him now ..." "Yeah, maa, it''s fine. There''s no problem." The four people Havre summoned gathered a few more and entered the center of the cornered group. Then, they started chanting all at once. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and penetrate the earth, penetrate, penetrate, penetrate the earth, drill!" All of Havre''s subordinates chanted an earth-attribute magic that digs a hole, and when seven or eight of them activated it all at once, the floor collapsed. "Maou-sama, they''re planning to escape downstairs!" "Don''t worry, don''t worry, they can''t escape." They must have thought of going downstairs from the collapsed floor and escaping, but the area around the meeting room had already been checked. Breaking the wall and escaping into the hallway, smashing through the window and escaping outside, and smashing through the ceiling to escape. The meeting room was on the second floor, and the downstairs was the dance hall. Havre and the others, while competing with each other, jumped into the collapsed pit. The only entrances to the dance hall were the large central door and the glass door that leads to the garden. I had Theta waiting at the door that Havre ran over and opened. "Guruuuuu ..." "Damnit, go around to the garden!" When Havre returned to the center of the hall, I put out a shield of darkness in front of the glass door and sent in Zeta and Eta. Nero followed from behind Theta as she stepped into the hall through the door. "Knight Commander-san, please solidify the perimeter of the dance hall. For the time being, I will ask them to surrender." "Alright. Hey, send the first squad." The cornered Havre-tachi gathered in a mass in the center of the dance hall, and Nero and the others were circling around them. Through the shield of darkness, I descended in front of Havre. "Well, Havre-san, what are you going to do?" "Shitty brat ..." "You can choose to surrender or dance with these girls, whichever you prefer." "Don''t joke around ... How much I''ve worked so hard to get to where I am ... Do you know how much time and effort went into making this plan!" "No, I don''t know." "Just because they were born into the royal family, just because they were born into an aristocratic family, they live a luxurious life without any hardships, and continue to fight petty battles over the next to sit on the throne. If you have good family background, you will be given power, and if you have power, you will be allowed to do most things. I was born in the womb of a noble on the frontier, was not given enough money, and grew up smeared with dirt in a mine. Raised in the mountains, trained in the mountains, I built personal connections, learned how to outwit people, kicked out my shitty stepbrothers who only knew how to indulge in pleasure with the money they were given, and banished my shitty father and obtained a noble household! This world is about power, and the one who has the power and cleverly knocks down the enemy takes everything. What''s wrong with that!" Havre glared at me and shouted in a loud voice that echoed through the hall. "Answer me, shitty brat, what''s wrong with that!" "That''s right ... It''s inconvenient for me." "Haa? Something like being convenient for you bastard has nothing to do with it. Why do you have to interfere with my plans just because it''s inconvenient for you bastard." "Because, Havre-san, you said it yourself, the one with the power gets everything." "What is that, even so, you bastard ..." "According to Havre-san''s logic, if I''m stronger, if I have more power, then it''s okay to do whatever I want, right?" When Havre stared blankly at me and fell silent, one of his subordinates, who had waited for the timing, crawled under Eta''s stomach and ran through. While everyone''s eyes were focused on him, Murt popped out in front of the subordinate. "You''re a hindrance, the likes of a Kobold is ... Guaa!" The sword that the subordinate swung with one hand, Murt flipped away with the toy-like dagger it was carrying without being able to see when it drew it, and threw a side kick into his stomach and blew the group away. When Murt showed a power that didn''t match its appearance, and furthermore, when the Kobold Corps burst forth, Havre''s subordinates lost their fighting spirit, threw down their weapons and sat down. While his subordinates had expressed their intention to surrender, only Havre and Nestor had not abandoned their resistance. Zeta-tachi stopped walking around and glared from the surroundings with the Kobold Corps. Nero sat next to me, rubbing its big face against me, purring. "A shitty brat ... a brat who doesn''t know how hard it is ..." "It''s not like that. I had my guts pulled out by Goblins, and my stomach was skewered with a sword by a knight of Resenburg, and even before this, I almost had my head cut off." "Fuun, at that time, you should have died quietly ..." Havre threw away the sword smeared with the King''s blood, picked up a two-handed sword thrown away by his minions, and swung it to see how it felt. Beside him, Nestor also re-gripped his sword. [ Kent-sama, we are ... ] [ Sorry, let me do it today. ] [ As you wish. ] [ Kent-sama ... show me what you''ve got ... ] With a pat on the back of its neck, Nero moved away from me. "Hou, are you not going to ask for help from monsters?" "I don''t need to." "Then, Nestor, you too ..." "Both of you, go ahead ... even if I look like this, I''m an S-rank adventurer." "Fufu! , you''re just a brat who''s been fooling around. Then, I''ll turn you bastard into a bloodbath, break through the blockhead knights'' enclosure, and run away. Let''s go, Nestor." "As you wish ..." Havre and Nestor started walking side by side and started running at once. As the two closed the distance, I first aimed at Nestor''s legs with a blade of wind. Since I just waved my arms without chanting, they may have thought that I was just taking a stance. The blades of wind slashed through both of his thighs, causing Nestor to fall over. Maybe he caught Nestor''s fall at the edge of his vision, and at the moment when Havre''s momentum slowed down for a moment, I strengthened my body and stepped in at once. Havre raised his sword high and waited, then swung down without hesitation the moment I entered the range. I used a shield of darkness to block his arm from swinging down his sword, and into the defenseless body of Havre, I used wind-attribute magic in addition to physical enhancement to accelerate with a left hook with all my might. "Kaha! ..." I could feel his bones crunching and breaking, and his body bent into the ''¤¯'' character. When the giant Havre''s head was lowered, I threw in a right hook that was also accelerated with wind-attribute magic. My fist caught Havre''s left jaw, and I felt the sensation of bones breaking again. As I swung my fist straight through, Havre''s body, which had let go of his sword, slid about 10 meters along the floor of the dance hall, and remained motionless. "Angyaaaa ... It hurts, it hurts, my fist, my fist brooooke ..." I went and did it, I didn''t strengthen my bones enough. Broken bones were piercing through the skin in places. Healing, healing, I quickly tried my best to self-heal. Aaahhh ... I looked so uncool at the last minute. CH 191 Report pilgrimage ***---*** After I beat Havre Calvine down, I used all my strength to self-heal my broken fist, so the pain subsided soon after. Luckily, my finger movement didn''t seem to be a problem. [ It was a strong blow, but there is room for improvement. ] [ Kent-sama ... That last was too naive ... ] "I know that. It was really painful." Everyone in the Kobold Corps had finished collecting the weapons abandoned by Havre''s men. Furthermore, in order not to hide weapons such as waistband swords, they wore only pants and were driven out of the dance hall and handed over to the knights. Both Havre and Nestor were taken in by the knights who entered the dance hall while being frightened by Nero and the others. Since I''ve dealt with Havre and the others, it''s my turn to take care of my genus. "Okay, everyone, come on ... Owaa, hey, hey, hoaaaa ..." With Nero, Zeta-tachi, and the Kobold Corps joining in, I was crushed by the raging waves so much that it was hard to tell which way was up and which way was down. My satisfied genus returned to the shadow space in order, and I was the last one left, sprawled out in the dance hall. "Guheee ... it was unreasonable. As expected, it was unreasonable for everyone at once ... gaku!" [ Kent-sama, there seems to be some kind of commotion in the Chamber of Proceedings. ] "Eh!? Are there still Havre''s remnants?" [ It seems that the Knight Commander ... tried to commit suicide ... ] When I used shadow movement to return to the meeting room, I found the Knight Commander lying with a knife stuck in his abdomen. "Camilla, what''s going on?" "Maou-sama, the Knight Commander said he would apologize for his misunderstanding ..." "Ma, Maou-dono ... I''m sorry, Camilla-sama ..." "Shut up for a moment!" I casually pulled out the dagger from the Knight Commander''s stomach and cast a powerful healing spell on it. I wondered if this was also thanks to the physical strengthening magic training, it seemed that I was now able to concentrate and cast healing magic better than ever. "Wh, what are you doing. Responsibility for my misunderstanding ..." "Don''t be stupid. The King died suddenly, the Princes are dead, and Resenburg is in a critical state, you just said it yourself. Don''t be so happy to die." After I finished casting healing magic, I slapped the side of the Knight Commander''s face. "If you want to take responsibility for your misunderstanding, support Camilla and rebuild this country. Use your life for that. Even a kid like me can understand your wrongdoings!" "I, I am ashamed ..." When I stood up after treating the Knight Commander, everyone in the Chamber of Proceedings was looking at me. "Count Gleisner, I don''t know anything about Resenburg''s funeral customs. Could you please look after Camilla until she is enthroned?" "Of course. Let''s promise that not only me, but all Resenburg nobles will come together and support her." "Please." I also shook hands with Count Gleisner, Count Saruel, and the captains of the Royal Guard, Magdalos, and Oswald. "Camilla." "Maou-sama, thank you very much." "Yeah, I would like to proceed with the reparations, but first of all, you should mourn the King properly, punish Havre and the others, and concentrate on rebuilding Resenburg." "Yes, as you wish." "Also, I''ll keep Hart as your liaison, so don''t hesitate to let me know in case of an emergency." "Thank you very much." "Then, I''m in the middle of an escort request, so I''ll head back. I''ll visit you again from time to time." When I put out a shield of darkness and tried to leave, following the lead of Camilla, who took the initiative to kneel, everyone knelt down to show their respect. I dived into the shadow space with mixed feelings of comfort and fear. [ Umu, umu, with this, Resenburg is almost under the control of Kent-sama. ] [ Kent-sama ... The day when he will ascend the throne is near ... ] "No, no, I''m going to live a normal life in Volzard." [ Buhahahaha, it''s not normal to welcome the Princess of Barshania to one''s mansion. ] [ Kent-sama is definitely far from normal ... ] "Haa ... I''m fine with being normal ... Fred, I''d like you to keep an eye on Camilla''s surroundings and see how the situation unfolds." [ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] While thinking that I was getting farther and farther from a normal life day by day, I vowed in my heart that I would aim for peace and returned to the Volzard Family''s carriage. The carriage was moving lightly on the road where the sun was about to set. It looked like nothing happened. I thought it was about time we started to see the village where we would be staying overnight. In the carriage, Augusto-san looked down on a thick book as usual, Baldini-san was dreaming, and Angelina-san seemed to be chatting with Fione-san. "I''m back." "Welcome back, Kent." "I''m sorry, but could you tell me what the situation was?" Even though Ange-oneechan had taken the trouble to activate the collaboration of hugging and ''iiko, iiko'', he was a rude man. "Yes, something unexpected happened, but we were able to put the rebellion in order." Alexis Resenburg, the King of Resenburg, was killed by Margrave Havre Calvine. I uncovered the conspiracy between Havre and the Prime Minister, and cleared the Knight Commander''s misunderstanding. I reported that I had beaten Havre and wiped out the power of Havre that had entered the royal castle. I omitted the incident where my fist was broken due to the wrong degree of physical strengthening. "The King of Resenburg was put to the sword ... Kent, I''m sorry, but I want you to go and report it to my Father immediately. Even if Kent is acquainted with the next King, it doesn''t mean that Volzard has a direct relationship with them. It should be necessary for Father to respond, so the sooner the information, the better." "Understood, I''m going to Volzard for a while. I''ll maintain the state of security here, so don''t worry." Certainly, even though the relationship had not been very friendly so far, if the supreme power of the neighboring country across the Devil''s Forest died, various measures would be necessary as a Lord. I understand that, but aren''t you trying to keep me and Ange-oneechan apart? When I returned to Volzard and looked into the guild''s office, Klaus-san seemed to be approving documents together with Beatriche. "It''s Kent. Excuse me." "What''s the matter, did something happen?" "Yes, the King of Resenburg, Alexis Resenburg, has been murdered." "What, is he really dead?" "Yes, he was decapitated, so there is no doubt." I explained to Klaus-san the series of events that took place in the Chamber of Proceedings of the royal castle. "Then, Camilla Resenburg''s greatest opponent standing in her way, is it finished with this?" "Probably, but at the moment there is no information about any person or group that could be a counterforce." "Alright, you''ve done well to inform me. Currently, there is no friendly exchange, but I don''t know what the situation will be from here on. As for me, I want to create as friendly and advantageous a situation as possible. For that reason, I want to avoid losing initiative with information. From now on, please tell me as soon as possible what information you have learned about Resenburg." Klaus-san seemed to be starting to think about exchanges with Resenburg in the future. "So, how will Volzard act in this matter?" "That depends on how the other party reacts. An important matter such as the death of the King, even if I have a connection with Kent, it would be strange for me to do something before the news from the other party arrives. That''s like declaring that you''re investigating their inner workings." "I see, that''s true, too. Then, the response will be after an official messenger arrives from Resenburg ... Is that what you mean?" "Maa, that''s how it is. By the way, what about Augusto-tachi''s escorts?" "With Basten as the leader, they have the Undead Lizardmen Zae-tachi as their fighting force, and there are also two Kobolds accompanying them as liaisons in case of emergency." "Okay, then there''s no problem. Kent, let Reese know about the Resenburg incident. Of course, don''t talk to the staff of the Headquarters Guild. Tell Reese directly or through Lau. Okay?" "Understood. I''m heading off, Riche." "Kent-sama, be careful ..." After hugging Riche tightly, I dived into the shadows again and went back to Bakkenheim this time. I returned to the Headquarters Guild in Bakkenheim and emerged from an empty corridor. As it was the evening after the holidays, the Guild was crowded with people reporting the completion of their requests and work. The number of receptionists at the counter seemed to be more than double that of Volzard, but it was still twice as crowded, and I didn''t even know where to go to request a meeting with Master Reese. In the first place, I didn''t even know which line to line up in, so when I was wondering around, I was knocked down. "Fugya ... Ow ow ouch ..." "A brat like you shouldn''t be wandering around, you''re in the way!" The large, middle-aged man who knocked into me quickly lined up for his destination. I thought it was my fault since I was wandering around, but I felt a little disgusted ... As I was thinking about that, I heard a strong, husky voice. "Hey, you there, don''t do anything that will hurt Bakkenheim''s reputation ... Come back and apologize to the boy ..." The owner of the voice was an adventurer dressed in navy blue berry shorts, an end-of-the-century black leather jacket and pants, and stiff lace-up boots. A large sword was carried on the lean waist, and a large leather bag was on the shoulder. They must have been nearly 180 cm tall, and I thought they were a man for a moment because of their macho body, but the dynamite chest armor claimed that she was unmistakably a woman. "I''m sorry, I apologize ... Uu! , O, Oni Eater ..." "You seem to have heard of me ..." The middle-aged man seemed to know the female adventurer, and when she urged him to apologize with her chin, he gulped and swallowed his saliva before turning to face me. "My bad, boy, I was in a bit of a hurry. Please excuse me." "No, I was wandering around without know what to do ..." After bowing his head to me, the middle-aged man returned his gaze to the female adventurer and nodded back, then hurried back to the line. "Sorry, boy, the end of the year is approaching and everyone is in a hurry." "No ... Ah! , thank you very much." The female adventurer held out her hand and lifted me up while I was still sitting on the floor. "Fufu! , are you like a novice adventurer?" "Eh!? Maa, something like that ..." The female adventurer''s hands had thin fingers, but the skin on her palms was hard, and her joints had dents. It was a big difference from my hands, where I had only had a few knife fights in special training with Lau-san, and I hadn''t had many chances to swing my own sword lately. If you were to judge me just by the feel of my palm, you would think I was a novice adventurer. "So, what kind of business did you come to the guild for?" "I''d like to meet someone from the guild, but I don''t know where to apply ..." "I see, then come with me, I''ll ask the staff." "Is it okay? Thank you very much." The female adventurer, known as the Oni Eater, walked towards the farthest, uncrowded counter. "Welcome back, Graciela-san. Are you done already?" "Ah, if it''s a job like this ..." The female adventurer who was called the Oni Eater seemed to be called Graciela, and seemed to be popular with the guild staff. Graciela put the leather bag on her shoulder down on the slightly lower counter. I wondered if she was asked for some kind of collection, but the moment the female guild staff opened the leather bag, the smell of blood wafted through the air. "Yes, I have confirmed that the two Ogres have been subjugated. Is it alright to transfer the reward to your bank account?" "That''s right ... 5,000 Helts in cash, and the rest in my bank account." "Very well. Now, please sign the paperwork. I''ll bring you the cash right now." "Ah, wait a minute. This boy wants to meet with the staff of the guild, can I ask you?" "You''re going to meet the staff, who is it?" "Umm ... I''d like to meet Master Reese ..." As soon as Reese-san''s name was mentioned, both Graciela-san and the guild staff-san gave a dubious look. "I''m sorry, boy, Master is a busy person, so you can''t see her easily." The faces of the guild staff-san had a look of being troubled by an ignorant child ... and a perplexed look was floating on her face. Maa, to some extent, it was a predictable reaction. "Is that so ... Then, could I change it to Rita-san?" "Rita-san, is it ...?" I expected that I wouldn''t be able to see Reese-san, so if that didn''t work out, I thought I''d ask to meet Rita-san, but it seemed it was going to be difficult. When the guild staff-san showed a deeply troubled look, Graciela-san raised her voice. "He ~ y, Rita! Rita! Over here, do you have a minute?" I couldn''t see it from my point of view, but apparently Rita-san was in the back, and Graciela-san waved her hand high and called her. After a while of waiting, Rita appeared with a slightly sullen expression. "What''s wrong, Ciela. I''m busy right now ... Huh, Kent-san?" "I apologize for the inconvenience. I would like to meet with Master Reese as soon as possible ..." "Is it urgent?" "Urgent ... Not so much, but there''s something I want to tell her as soon as possible." "Understood, please come this way ... Ciela, thank you, see you later ..." Rita-san invited me in through the counter and lightly raised her hand to Graciela-san. "Umm, thank you very much. As I bowed my head, Graciela-san smiled and raised her hand lightly. She had a smile on her face, but her eyes lit up like a carnivore looking for prey. Rita-san guided me through the staff corridor. "Graciela-san seems to be skilled." "Yeah, she was just promoted to A-rank about two months ago, but she is one of the top five adventurers in Bakkenheim." "She was called the Oni Eater ... But ..." "Because she treats Ogres as her enemies, that''s what she''s been called by those who have a bad mouth, but she''s a serious adventurer who loves Bakkenheim." "Yes, thanks to her, I was saved." "Would you mind waiting in this room, I will go follow up with Master Reese." "Thank you very much." The room I was guided to was an interview room for staff, with a simple sofa and table. As soon as I sat down on the sofa, Murt came out and lay down on the sofa and asked for me to rub its stomach. "You are such a spoiled child ..." After stroking it for a while, it was replaced with Mart, who had been left as a liaison. When I finished stroking Mart and mofu''d Mirt, who switched in, the door to the room opened, and Reese-san, accompanied by Lau-san, came in with a bewitching smile. "What''s wrong, Kent, did you miss me already?" "The King of Resenburg, Alexis Resenburg, has passed away." Reese-san''s expression tightened and she ordered Lau-san to be vigilant in the corridor and urged me to continue the story. "Tell me more about it." "Yes, this afternoon, in the royal castle of Aldaros, in the Chamber of Proceedings, the Third Princess Camilla Resenburg and Margrave Havre Calvine were scheduled to have a fight over the succession of the throne in the presence of the King." While talking about the tragedy that occurred at the beginning of the meeting and the process of beating down Havre, Reese-san grasped the situation while confirming several things. After listening to the general story, Reese-san sat back on the sofa, folded her arms, closed her eyes for a while, and gathered her thoughts. "I see ... It''s a fitting end for a Foolish King." "Foolish King ... ?" "Even in Bakkenheim, we are analyzing Resenburg based on information from peddlers. The story of Alexis Resenburg being a good King, I''ve never heard of one ... No, that''s not right, he was a convenient King for the Prime Minister." Maa, even when I visited the royal castle for the first time, he had a young woman serve him during the day and rank alcohol in the bath. That couldn''t be a wise king. "Then, Resenburg will rebuild under Princess Camilla, right?" "Yes, I think the biggest problem is the desertification of the western part of the country, but it seems that few countermeasures have been taken so far due to pointless factional disputes, but the government should take the lead in that as well." "What about the invasion of Landshelt ...?" "Since it''s something that people do, I can''t say it won''t happen, but it''s fine to think that it''s almost impossible at the moment, but in case it happens, me and my genus will repel them." "How reliable ... Certainly, if Kent and the others are there, an invasion beyond the Devil''s Forest won''t come true. Strength, speed of information, S-rank may not be enough ... There are no adventurers on par with Kent in Landshelt." The information I gave this time would be passed on to the Lords of Bakkenheim and other towns through the guild network by Reese-san. "Kent, when your problem is solved, please come back and contact me." "Eeehhh ... That, no way ..." "Fufufufu ... I don''t mind being your companion at any time, but I want you to travel." "Travel, is it?" "That''s right, I would like you to travel through Landshelt from corner to corner and place it so that you can instantly move to the main towns and villages." "Is it for being a contact person?" "That''s right, even if we use birds, fast horses, or tamed monsters, there''s no one who can move faster than you. Invasions of other countries, powerful monsters like Griffons, natural disasters ... They won''t happen right now. But, if you can prepare for it, it''s only natural to prepare." "That''s right. Volzard is a member of Landshelt, and if Landshelt prospers, Volzard will naturally prosper. As soon as my problems are settled, I will think about building a contact network." "Fufufufu ... That''s good, as expected, there''s something I''ve just begun to see." Reese-san, who was sitting deeply back on the sofa, leaned forwards with her arms folded. "I, I, I''m in the middle of an escort request, so please excuse me!" At this rate, the tadpole was likely to be swallowed by the snake, so I put out a shield of darkness and ran away. "Ku!Ku!Ku! , Kent, next time you come, sneak into my bedroom ..." That, I''ll do that when I''m older! I hurried back to the Volzard Family while wiping off my strange sweat. CH 192 Mofu mofu is the strongest tradition? ***---*** When I returned from Bakkenheim, the Volzard Family had arrived at the inn for the first day. It seemed that this inn was used as a regular lodging by the Volzard Family, and they were making adjustments so that the schedule didn''t overlap with the Marburg Family, who was also a regular at that lodging. In a room with a suite-like living room, Augusto-san and Baldini would stay in the main bedroom, Angelina-san would stay in the secondary bedroom, and Fione-san would stay in the servant''s room. Myself and Takayama, along with Johannes-san stayed in a separate room across the hallway, we were supposed to take turns guarding at night, but I suggested my genus take over. "Are you sure it''s okay?" "I told you, they won''t let so much as a kitten through." Johannes-san was reluctant at first, but since he himself was also a coachman during the day, he couldn''t resist the temptation to get plenty of sleep at night. "Alright, I''ll believe the words of the S-rank adventurer recognized by the guild." "Thank you very much. By the way, Johannes-san, what happened to your hand?" I had been wondering about it for a while, but Johannes-san''s right hand was wrapped in a white cloth, and it was bleeding a little. "I caught it on the metal fittings when I took them off the horses, but it''s not a big deal ..." "No, but, it''s your dominant hand, isn''t it? I''ll treat it, so could you show me?" "Treat, rather, you can use light-attribute magic?" "Yes, didn''t I talk about that?" It seemed that Johannes-san''s right palm was gouged out by something, and when the cloth was removed, the blood began to swell. I thought it hurt a lot when he worked with this, but maybe he didn''t like worrying people due to getting injured because of his own carelessness. When I wrapped my hands around it and cast healing magic on it, the wound closed easily. "This is ... amazing." "It''s hard to do your work if your dominant hand is injured." "No, thank you. To be honest, I was having a hard time because I didn''t have the strength. This was helpful." "No, no, it''s only natural since we''re a team that works together to carry out the same task of sending everyone from the Volzard Family home safely." "Right, that''s right. Then, Kent, could you finish reporting to Augusto-sama." "Roger." The three Volzard siblings were relaxing in the living room while drinking tea made by Fione-san. Augusto-san and Angelina-san nodded when I told them that I had reported to Klaus-san in Volzard and then to Master Reese in Bakkenheim afterwards, and Baldini looked at me with a dissatisfied look. "Then, both Father and the Headquarters Guild are going to wait and see how the other party will react, right?" "Yes, I think so, but I don''t think they''re just waiting." "Hou, why is that?" "I can''t explain it well, but neither Klaus-san nor Master Reese are easy to deal with." "Certainly, that''s right. So, Kent, what do you think they will do?" "Hmm ... Honestly, I can''t imagine it at all." When I put my hands up, Augusto-san nodded as if it was a matter of course, and Baldini laughed through his nose. Rather, did you understand? I would like to say that, but I''m hired as an escort, so I''ll keep quiet. And then Angelina-san spoke to me, as if she had figured out that the conversation was over. "Hey, Kent, can you introduce me to Kobold-chan?" "That''s right, Mart, Mirt, Murt, come." Come ... Before I could finish saying that, everyone jumped out of the shadows and snuggled up to me. When I stroked them in turn, they fluttered their tails in a happy mood. "These are Beatriche''s Onii-san, Augusto-san and Bardini-san, and Onee-chan Angelina-san."(TN:Not sure why it''s not Onii-san-tachi, I don''t completely understand introductions though, so there may be some implied pluralization or something that I don''t know. Just like when Klaus asked him to escort his ''son'' and daughter, but there are two sons.) "Wafuu, are they Riche''s siblings?" "Then, are they all family?" "They''re not the enemy." Mart-tachi must have been watching from the shadows the whole time, but they were looking at the three of them with big, round eyes, as if to confirm once again. Augusto-san seemed to have become interested in what Mart-tachi talked about, so he closed the book he was about to open again and observed. Angelina-san seemed to be itching to mofumofu quickly. And, as for Baldini, he had a dissatisfied expression. "H, hey, Kent, is petting them okay ... it''s okay, right ... let me pet them." "Everyone, say hello." "Wafuu, it''s Mart." "Me too, Mirt." "Me too, Murt, pat me, pat me." "Iya ~ ahn, mofumofu ... they''re so mofumofu, it feels good ..." Angelina-san began to enjoy a blissful mofumofu time surrounded by Mart-tachi. Fione-san, who was waiting to serve her, had her fingers itching. I get it, I get it, my kids are all super fluffy. Baldini, who was watching Angelina-san surrounded by Mart-tachi with a bitter expression, stood partway up in surprise. "Wh, what is that!" "Ah, I''m sorry. This kid is the Undead Gigawolf Zeta." Because Mart-tachi were being stroked, it seemed she was jealous, and stuck out the tip of her nose and demanded I stroke it. "Yes, yes, Eta and Theta, Nero is later ..." "Kuu ~ n ..." They snorted in dissatisfaction, but it would be a big mess if everyone came out. "Hey, don''t let dangerous things like Gigawolves wander around!" "They''re not dangerous, and I''ll make sure they don''t show their faces when I''m not here, so it''s okay." Baldini yelled at me while halfway standing up, but he looked scared because his ears were lying flat. "Besides, I don''t accept Kobolds as family!" Mart-tachi, who were pointed and cursed by Baldini, turned their eyes in that direction for a moment and then turned back to me all at once. "Goshujin-sama, is he the enemy?" "We''re not enemies, but we''re not family." "Hmm ..." "Ara, I''m family. Please call me Ange-oneechan." "Wafu, understood, Ange-oneechan." "I like Ange-oneechan because she''s good at stroking." "Me too, please stroke me too." Mart-tachi were flapping their tails while narrowing their eyes. Yup, I wonder if I can join in too ... I''d like to enjoy Ange-oneechan''s hug and ''iiko iiko'' collaboration ... "Wh, what are you talking about, Aneue! To such a monster ..." "Cut it out, Dii." "Aniue, but Aniue, they''re merely monsters ..." "Dii, how long are you going to be a kid?" "Aniue ..." "Dii, I told you before not to blind your eyes with personal feelings and make a mistake in your assessment. The abilities of these Kobolds are for more useful than those of A-rank adventurers out there. Which is the correct path for the Lord of Volzard, to make these people your allies or turn them into your enemies?" Augusto-san put the thick book he was holding on the sofa and stood up, then walked over to Mart and the others. "Hi, everyone. I am Beatriche''s Ani, Augusto, it''s a pleasure to meet you." "Is Augusto our friend?" "Of course. I''m Riche''s Ani, so please think of me as everyone''s family member." "Really? Then stroke me, stroke me." "Oh, I don''t mind. Hou, this is ... quite the feeling." Surprisingly, Augusto-san, who seemed to be a straight-laced person, came to close the distance with Mart-tachi. Together with Angelina-san, Augusto-san mofu''d Mart-tachi, while Baldini hugged his knees while sitting on the sofa and glaring at me. I felt like he became stubborn because of Augusto-san, but could you please stop glaring at me? And then there was another person, Fione-san who was looking like she couldn''t wait to mofu, and Murt rushed over to her with a ''toko toko''. "Can I pet it?" After staring at Murt who tilted its head, I nodded back at Fione-san, who gave me an appealing look, and she began to mofu it while hugging it. Yup, yup, mofumofu is the strongest, I feel like mofumofu can save the world.(TN:Plot twist, final boss dies of sugar due to mofumofu! Bwahahaha!) Baldini, left alone, folded his arms and leaned back on the sofa and began to pretend to sleep. If you don''t enjoy this mofumofu, you''re wasting your life. At Angelina-san''s request, Mart and the others would take turns acting as escorts and huggable pillows during the trip. If they had someone by their side, such things as small bandits wouldn''t stand a chance, and even if something worse happened, I would be contacted immediately. Rather, if that was the case, even if I took on that role ... It''s no good, isn''t it. After dinner, we thought we''d sleep too, but since we were supposed to take turns guarding, there were only two beds. In that case, I''ll dive into the shadow space. "Johannes-san, I''ll be sleeping with my genus in the shadow space, so please use the beds with Takayama." "Do you mind?" "Yes, that will make everyone in my genus happy, so when you need me for something, just call me normally." "Alright, I''ll do that." As soon as I dived into the shadow space, Eta and Theta came together. "Thank you for your hard work today, Nushi-dono." "Tonight, please lean on me and take a rest, Nushi-dono." "No, not Theta, it''s me ..." "However, I said it first." "Yes, yes, take turns, take turns, fighting is no good." First, I stroked Eta, then Theta, and when I stroked Zeta, who was dissatisfied, Fred came back. [ Kent-sama ... If possible, Camilla ... ] "What''s wrong with Camilla?" [ The battle of the Queens ... She''s sick of it ... ] "Ohh, come to think of it, I didn''t even think about the Queens." For example, even if the First, Second, and Third Princes died, the First Queen would not be downgraded to the Third Queen. Although her rank as Queen remained the same, it was Camilla and Diethelm, children of the Third Queen, who succeeded her to the throne. Originally, if the child of the Third Queen, who was the lowest in the hierarchy, was to take the throne, there would be no no reason why there wouldn''t be any disputes. "Okay, I''ll go meet her for a while, please guide me." [ Roger ... This way ... ] Fred led me to Camilla''s room, where we had a skirmish with Havre yesterday. In the room, besides Camilla, there was a maid who was in charge of serving, and a middle-aged woman who I wondered if Camilla would look like her if she were twisted and aged. "Mother, no matter how many times I say this, my will won''t change. This body is something I dedicated to Maou-sama." "Camilla, marriage with someone whose origins are unknown, I won''t allow. I don''t care if you take the throne. After all, my daughter will become the first Queen of the Resenburg Kingdom. But, that''s why your marriage partner has to be from a noble lineage." According to Fred, this Oba-san ... Hii, I was being glared at ... This person, was Camilla''s mother, the Third Queen, Maylene, a little while ago, the First Queen came in and threatened while making demands about the King''s inheritance. "I have no interest in those who have joined in trivial factional disputes and have not worked for the well-being of the people." "Fuu ... Camilla, have you forgotten the legend of the Demon King that has been handed down in the royal family? Let alone a daughter of your age, if they like your appearance, whether it''s someone else''s wife or a young child, they''ll rape you until you''re insane." "Mother, as I have said many times, the current Maou-sama is not the type to commit such evil deeds. He even spared the life of the knight who impaled him with a sword and asked him to work for the people." "Camilla, you are being deceived ... That''s enough, let''s end it here tonight." Queen Maylene put her hand on her forehead lightly to suppress her headache, and after she shook her head several times, she hugged Camilla lightly before leaving the room. Remaining in her room, Camilla let out a big sigh, crumbled down on the sofa and looked up at her ceiling. Her outfit looked like the knight''s uniform I saw in the daytime, and her face showed a strong color of fatigue. "Haa ... Is the throne too heavy for me ..." The murder of her father, the current King, the confrontation with the traitor Havre Calvine, and the petitions of the Queens, although it was a mentally taxing day, as someone who aspired to be King, wasn''t she a bit too timid. As Camilla closed her eyes, which had been looking up at her ceiling, while she was lost in thought, I came out into the room, I sat down on the sofa across the table. "Didn''t you want to protect the people and enrich this country?" "Ehh, M, Maou-sama!" When I called out to Hart, the liaison, Camilla looked up in surprise. To such a Camilla, I tapped the seat next to me on the right, next I patted my right thigh with a ''pon pon''. Camilla opened her eyes wide, and after showing a slightly hesitant gesture, she went around the table and sat down next to me. "E, excuse me ..." Camilla lay her head on my thigh and I gently put my hand on it. I silently stroked Camilla''s head with my right hand, and continued to gently stroke Hart with my left hand. Yup, Camilla''s texture is quite nice too. "I''m sorry, Maou-sama." "Truly. Camilla is troublesome." "Sorry, I apologize ..." "But, it can''t be helped. Humans are beings that can''t live alone." "Maou-sama ..." "I was summoned by Camilla and made to enter the Devil''s Forest alone, and I was about to become food for the Goblins in the Devil''s Forest ... No, actually I fed them a little. If Reinhardt and the others didn''t come, I would have just been eaten ... You don''t need to get up." "I''m truly sorry, Maou-sama." "You''ve already apologized many times, so you don''t have to apologize, just shut up and listen." I stopped Camilla, who was trying to get up and apologize, and continued talking while stroking her head. "Thanks to Reinhardt and the others, I passed through the Devil''s Forest, I went to Volzard, Volzard is a different country than Resenburg, of course, I didn''t know anyone, I was at a loss, but thanks to Kartz-san from the garrison, Otto-san from the guild, and Amanda-san and Meisa-chan from the boarding house, I managed to create an environment where I could live. After that, Muelle-san taught me about the work of the Livre Plantation, and I was treated well by people on the plantation such as Bruno-san, Dino-san, and Maya-san, and thanks to Donovan-san and Klaus-san, my classmates were also accepted." The time since I came to this world was only a part of the time I had lived, but I had been connected with many people with deeper and more important bonds than the people I had been involved with up to that point. Of course, cheat magic helped me a lot, but no matter how much cheat power I had, I wouldn''t have been able to do it on my own. "I couldn''t live by myself. I couldn''t even take care of myself. A place for 200 classmates, if I didn''t bow my head and ask, I couldn''t help them. Camilla will run a bigger country, so she can''t do it alone. Count Gleisner is fine, or it could be the Knight Commander, Camilla should watch from above, all you have to do is put the old guys you''ve been playing around with to work." "Ku! ... Kuku! ... Fufufufu ..." "Wait, what are you laughing at. I''m being serious here." Camilla twisted her body to face me and gave me a mischievous smile. "However, even if Maou-sama, who has come all the way to Aldaros to take care of me at this time of night, says so, it''s not very persuasive." "Na! ... Th, that is, because if Camilla collapses, the talks about compensation won''t progress, so it can''t be helped ... Right, it can''t be helped." "Thank you very much, Maou-sama. Will you continue to lend me your power?" "I, it can''t be helped ..." If you ask me in such a sweet voice, I have no choice but to answer. "My Otouto, Diethelm as well, will you help him?" "It can''t be helped ..." "Will you promise not to abandon Resenburg?" "It can''t be helped ..." "Will you please stay together with me tonight?" "It can''t ... I don''t think so. Dangerous ... I was about to say that it couldn''t be helped." "No good, is it ...?" Guu, what''s with those abandoned puppy eyes. "No good, but ... I''ll stay until Camilla sleeps ..." "Are you sure?" "I, it can''t be helped ... I''m tired too, so get ready quickly." "Yes, I will get ready right away, so please wait a moment." Where did the dejected look from just now go? Camilla left the room with bouncy steps. "Haa ... What are you doing, me ..." [ Buhahahaha, Kent-sama, just follow Havre Calvine''s example and push her down, you just need to hug her tightly and rub her gently. ] [ If you make a fait accompli ... Even the Queen can be silenced ... ] "Even though I''m just slipping out of the escort request, if I do that, I''ll end up in trouble later." While I was waiting for Camilla, I wondered if there was anything I forgot to do, I remembered that I had just left a note for Suzuki-san, who hurriedly prepared a mobile projector for me. I was forced to work hard to treat athlete Fukuzawa and athlete Kanbayashi, but that didn''t mean it was natural for me to ask for a favor. I took out my smartphone from the shadow storage, and when I thought it was a thank you call, I received a message. The sender was Suzuki-san, and the subject was ''Thank you for your help''. CH 193 Resignation ***---*** [ To Kokubu Kento It was a short time, but thank you very much for your help. The medical treatment of Fukuzawa Akane and Kanbayashi Mio, who you were kind enough to help the other day, was not requested by the Japanese government, and I did it all at my own discretion. I, Suzuki Yukari, have committed myself to being punished for many acts that deviate from the rules and laws, such as falsifying various payment documents, misappropriating expenses for private purposes, and requesting treatment from Kokubu-san, who is not qualified as a doctor. As of today, I have submitted my letter of resignation and have decided to step down as a Cabinet Secretariat employee. I will bear all the responsibility and will not cause any trouble, but in the future, there will be voices questioning Kokubu-san''s responsibility, and it may make you feel troubled. I understand that it is unacceptable to cause trouble without informing you of anything, so I would like to convey the motives that led to this scandal. I had a younger sister who passed away two years ago due to a blood disease. During her treatment, it was athlete Fukuzawa who supported my younger sister, who was suffering from the side effects of the medicine. At the previous Winter Olympics, where she participated with the expectations of all of Japan on her back, athlete Fukuzawa boldly challenged a highly difficult jump in the short program, the icing was disturbed and the rotation was insufficient, so she started in 7th place. My sister, who was watching in her hospital room, was disappointed as well. However, in the next day''s free program, athlete Fukuzawa once again attempted the highly difficult jump and succeeded brilliantly. She won the silver medal, surpassing the world''s highest score at the time. Even under immeasurable pressure, she boldly takes on challenges, and even if she fails, she continues to take on challenges without fear and wins the crown. Unfortunately, my sister was unable to overcome her illness, but athlete Fukuzawa''s never-give-up attitude continued to give her hope and courage to live. That athlete Fukuzawa''s life was in danger, and if I had the means to save her, I would have had no hesitation. Perhaps, I will face criminal prosecution, but I have no regrets. I''m really sorry that I got Kokubu-san involved in my selfishness. And, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for granting my wish. I apologize for not being able to fulfill my duties as a secretary, let alone thank you. I think that the heavy responsibility will continue in the future, but I will support you from the shadows so that everyone can return home without overdoing it. Suzuki Yukari ] After reading the message, I tried to call Suzuki-san, but all I could hear was that the number was not in use. If I used healing magic in Japan, various problems would arise, so there was no way Suzuki-san didn''t know that. I had a feeling that Suzuki-san was probably acting on her own authority, but I didn''t think there was such a reason. I was wondering if she would continue working as if nothing had happened, but the treatment was done on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday in between. When I called Kajikawa-san, he picked up before it rang even a single time. "Kokubu-san, I''m sorry. Even though there was only just the incident with Takagi-san, I have no excuse." "Suzuki-san, did she really resign?" "Although she has submitted her resignation letter, it will not be accepted and her retirement allowance will not be paid until disciplinary action for the scandal is decided."(TN:This is obviously BULL, because you know the government is going to ask for treatment for SOMEONE later on, and that will make trying to charge her with criminal activities for doing the same thing completely NULL.) "Is that so, I would like to hear a little more detailed story, so is it okay if I ask now?" "I don''t mind that, but considering the time difference, isn''t it already midnight over there?" "Maa, that''s right, but I couldn''t get free for the past three days, so ..." "I apologize for putting a burden only on Kokubu-kun. I''ll be waiting at the Nerima Garrison." "Yes, I''ll call you in a little while." I told Camilla that I would stay by her side until she fell asleep, but considering the time difference in Japan, it was necessary to act here during the daytime. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow I will be entering the Irosun Great Forest as a guard for the Volzard Family, so I couldn''t leave my post. I wrote on the table that I was returning to Japan due to some urgent business, asked Hart to leave a message, and dived into the shadows. [ Kent-sama, you seemed to have noticed that the matter the other day was not an official request, but there was no agreement on compensation, is that alright? ] "Yeah, if it was Suzuki-san''s personal decision, then there wasn''t much point in negotiating my compensation, and I don''t think the Japanese government can afford to be hesitant to compensate me. In that case, I thought that it would be better for us to proceed with the negotiations after the various things have been clarified." [ I see, when it comes to Kent-sama, who is responsible for the return of his classmates, the government over there has lost its advantage in negotiations. ] "That''s why, I''m thinking of going there and asking for a robust reward." Kajikawa-san sat down on the sofa in the reception area and waited for me. "Good evening Kajikawa-san, sorry for making you work overtime." "No, no, if you say such a thing, then Kokubu-san working at midnight is also working overtime." "Yes, so I''m thinking of getting overtime pay." "Those guys would be troubled, so please go easy on them." Kajikawa-san brewed his own coffee while answering lightly. After placing his cup on the table, Kajikawa-san changed his posture and bowed deeply. "I apologize again. Kokubu-kun, I''m sorry." "Kajikawa-san, please raise your head. As for me, I thought I was a little busy, but I can only think that I have completed a request from the Japanese government, so please don''t think so seriously." "I appreciate you saying that, but Suzuki-kun''s actions seem to violate not only the rules of the ministry, but also the laws and regulations, so I can''t just leave it so vague." "I received a message from Suzuki-san, saying that her motive for causing this incident was that her deceased younger sister was a fan of Fukuzawa-san and was supported by her during her fight against illness ... It was written as such, but, is that story true?" "It''s true that she lost her sister two years ago, and I think the story about athlete Fukuzawa is probably true." "Then, it was a premeditated crime." "The usage of the phrase ''premeditated crime'' is a little different, but the nuance is the same. I guess she was prepared from the beginning to receive punishment. I felt a little jealous when I saw her expression that she had done it without any excuses." WIth a bittersweet smile, Kajikawa-san told me about the time when Suzuki-san submitted her letter of resignation. "However, from the point of view of Kokubu-kun, who was involved, it was really troublesome even though he was already busy, so I''m really sorry." "Maa, I''m certainly busy, but if I get paid for the amount of work I''ve done, I have no particular complaints." "About that remuneration, but according to Japanese law, people who are not qualified to practice medicine cannot receive remuneration for medical practice."(TN:Yes, but healing magic did not exist.) "Is that so? But for me, of course I think I will be rewarded." "If you practice medicine without a doctor''s license and get paid for it, you will be sentenced to imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 1 million Yen for violation of the Medical Practitioners Act ..." "Even if such a law exists, I thought it was a request from the Japanese government, so I naturally thought that the legal issues had already been resolved." "If it''s an official request from the Japanese government, I''d like to ask for it after considering legal issues, but this time it was Suzuki-san''s own decision, and it was being done under illegal procedures." "Then, about this matter. You''re saying that it''s purely at Suzuki-san''s discretion, and that the Japanese government has no responsibility, so they have no intention of paying any compensation?" "Hey, Kokubu-kun, please don''t bully me too much." Kajikawa-san must be following the government''s policy when he talks, and there must be a line that can''t be compromised even if he wants to. "In the first place, is it possible for Suzuki-san to use such things as backups, car arrangements, expenses, etc., so easily?" "Ah, umm ... Actually, I think you noticed it vaguely, but I have sent a notice to the relevant ministries and agencies so that they can respond to Kokubu-kun''s request as much as possible. Otherwise, they will not be able to respond immediately in an emergency. This time, such a thing was made use of by Suzuki-kun." "Ehh, so what you''re saying is, I wanted to treat athlete Fukuzawa-tachi ... Are you saying it''s something like that?" "Yes, when I think about it later, it''s full of contradictions, but if the Kokubu Kento card is brought up, they can''t say no. After all, the return of the 200 people is not over yet." "Haa ... Then, not only was my body used, but my name was also used." "That''s right." If it was Suzuki-san''s own decision, I thought things seemed to have gone too smoothly, but I never thought that even my name would be used. "In the end, how will this case be handled?" "As I said earlier, it is difficult to pay compensation for treatment, so we plan to pay 500,000 Yen as a nuisance fee." "500,000 Yen ..." Making 500,000 Yen in one day, although it would be an exceptionally high reward for regular junior high school students, considering the contents of the treatment, I felt that it was exceptionally cheap. "I think it''s difficult to talk hypothetically, but if this case was treated as a treatment, how much would the reward be?" "I can''t give you a definite figure, but when it comes to reconstructive surgery for the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee, insurance would cover 30%, and it would cost 300,000 to 400,000 Yen. Of course, insurance doesn''t apply to treatments using healing magic, and if you include meniscus injury treatment, it''s 1.5 to 2 million Yen, and roughly two cases, so it''s like 4 million Yen." "But, if I receive that amount, does that mean that I will be accused of violating the Medical Practitioners Act?" "That''s how it is." "Is it correct to assume that the fact that the Japanese government will not pay for treatment means that they will not request treatment in the future?" Kajikawa-san, after staring at me in silence, clearly nodded. "At this point, that''s how it is, but we also recognize the usefulness of Kokubu-kun''s treatment. To be honest, to fix a severed cruciate ligament in the knee while watching is ridiculous. But, if it became public, no, if it is publicly acknowledged, there will definitely be a flood of people seeking treatment. From all over the world, even if it costs hundreds of millions, or even billions ... There would even be people who say. In the world of professional sports, there were athletes who earned a tremendous amount of money. If such an athlete had an injury that threatened their life, and if there was a way to heal it in a matter of minutes, they would still want treatment, even if it cost billions. With that treatment alone, I should be able to obtain a huge amount of wealth. "It''s not that we don''t want Kokubu-kun to make money. If requests come in from all over the world, we can''t completely identify the identities of patients and related people. So, if we can''t confirm that someone like Takagi-san is among those people, we can''t allow the treatment." "My personal safety, in other words, unless everyone''s return home in completed, does that mean it won''t be allowed until then?" "No, even after everyone has returned to their home country, currently, we''re relying on Kokubu-kun to travel to and from Volzard, if the development of underground resources becomes a full-fledged situation, permission will no longer be granted." To be honest, it''s attractive for me, a fanboy, to be able to earn money just by treating famous athletes and to get to know the athletes themselves. However, considering legal issues, the position of the Japanese government, and my personal safety, I felt that it would be better to follow this decision. There were many other ways to make money, and I felt that it would be unwise to get acquainted with more attractive women. "Is that so ... I understand. To be honest, I thought that Suzuki-san''s case was truly a tasty check from the Japanese government, so I was thinking of being a bit difficult and claiming a high medical fee, but since it''s a measure that considers my safety and legal issues, I will settle with this amount of money." "I''m sorry. It''s not like it will make up for that, but from now on, I''ll continue to enhance Kokubu-kun''s support, and I''ll pay for the expenses involved in transporting supplies and personnel. Also, if there are any supplies that Kokubu-kun needs, please don''t hesitate to ask." "The equipment for shooting was really helpful, so thank you very much." I decided to receive the nuisance fee in cash at a later date. "But, isn''t it pointless if Kokubu-kun has it in cash?" "Ehh, that''s not true. Even I want to do some shopping once in a while, don''t I?" "No, wait a minute, are you planning to go shopping in Japan?" "That''s right, but is there something wrong with that?" "Well, when you''re in Japan, we''d like you to have an escort ..." "But, it''s not like I''m going out from the main gate here. If I go out from a back alley around the place, they won''t know." "Hmm ... I can''t really recommend it ..." According to Kajikawa-san, my images are starting to circulate on the internet. It seemed that my classmates started uploading images of me after they started receiving cell phone signals, and as soon as Kajikawa-san found them, he requested that they be deleted. "Once an image is circulated on the internet, it is difficult to completely delete it. Well, in Kokubu-kun''s case, he''s basically considered to be in another world, so I don''t think they''ll find out from your face if you''re wearing clothes that you normally see in Japan, but I''d like you to refrain from acting alone ..." "Is it a bad idea to go shopping around Ikebukuro for a while?" "Hmm ... I think it''s okay if it''s just that much, but if it''s something that we can prepare through us, of it it''s something you can get by mail order, I would prefer you choose that." "Understood. If there are such circumstances, it can''t be helped." For the time being, I''ll use a mail-order site to have the items I want delivered to the SDF garrison. I decided to ask them to send me an email later on how to receive the mail-order items, so I went back to take a rest. In Japan, it was around 6:30 in the evening, but in Landshelt, it was about the time the date changed. Tonight, I planned to rest in the shadow space with my genus, but I was concerned about Camilla, who I had suddenly left, leaving her behind, so I took a peek at the royal castle of Aldaros. I moved to Hart, Camilla appeared to be in bed in her bedroom with her lights off. If she had already fallen asleep, I thought I should rest as well, but I heard a sigh. "Haa ... I wonder if Maou-sama hates me ..." "Nn ~ ... I wonder." Camilla, who I thought was already asleep, held Hart in her bed and seemed to be agonizing. "Haa ... I''ve been causing trouble to Maou-sama, and I haven''t been able to do anything to repay him, let alone atone for my sins ... Wouldn''t he hate me for something like this ..." "Nn ~ ... I wonder ... Goshujin-sama is kind, so isn''t it okay?" "Haa ... I wish I could be of help to Maou-sama like Hart ..." "If Camilla does her best, she will be stroked a lot." "Haa ... I guess so ..." Yeah, what is this. The image of a Princess trying to become the King of a country being comforted by a Kobold is quite surreal. She''s a very caring Princess, isn''t she. "Haa ... I''m ..." "If you keep sighing like that, your happiness will run away." "M, Maou-sama! D, did you come." Hart jumped out of Camilla''s arms as she sat up in surprise. "Goshujin-sama, pat me, pat me." "Yes, yes, thank you for your hard work, Hart." When I stroked it, Hart narrowed its eyes as if pleased and wagged its tail. The only light in the room was the starlight coming in through the window, and normal people would be able to see only the outlines of people, but I could see Camilla well because I had night-vision. "Camilla, get in bed. You''ll catch a cold if you''re dressed like that." "Eh! ... Umm, Maou-sama, can you see me?" With her face flushed red, Camilla hurriedly crawled into the futon. That being said, If I hadn''t returned to Japan, would she have come back from the bathroom dressed like that? "I can''t see well, but it''s cold if you''re out of the futon in your pajamas, isn''t it?" "Ah! , yes, that''s right ..." Hart seemed to understand my intentions, crawled back into bed, and slipped into Camilla''s arms. I sat down on her bedside and gently stroked Camilla''s hair. "As promised, I''ll stay here until you sleep." "Maou-sama ... Thank you very much." Whether it was the burned incense fragrance of the bedclothes, or the smell of Camilla''s perfume, the sweet smell made me sleepy. When I turned my eyes, Camilla was squinting her eyes and staring at me as if she could see through the darkness. "Camilla, you can''t sleep with your eyes open." "I, I''m sorry ... Maou-sama, as I though, you can see me." "Guu, C, Camilla, didn''t you wear that because you thought you wanted to be seen?" "Umm ... Maou-sama, for you to see ... Ouch!" For the time being, I flicked Camilla''s forehead. "Go to sleep quickly! I slipped out in the middle of a request." "I''m sorry. You''re not interested in me ..." "No ... that is, it''s not that I''m not, it''s not that I''m not ... Don''t grin." "Ouch! ... Uu~h, Maou-sama is harsh." "What are you talking about, I''m staying by your side until you fall asleep, despite the fact that you''re not considered my bridal candidate." "Is that true?" "You did something wrong, but I know Camilla is trying. If you continue to build a country for the people, I will continue to support you, so you don''t have to worry." "Maou-sama ... Thank you very much." After opening her eyes wide once, Camilla quietly closed them and soon began to fall asleep. Well, I guess I''ll dive into the shadow space and go to sleep. Or rather, thinking about it, I didn''t even take a bath. [ Kent-sama, why don''t you enjoy the bath in the royal castle? ] "WOuldn''t it be awkward to enter the royal castle''s bath without permission?" [ I hear that hot water is always available in the bathroom used by the royal family. ] "But, isn''t there someone to look after or manage it?" When I mentioned my concerns, Fred, who seemed to have taken the initiative, spoke. [ It''s okay, maybe because the King died ... There''s no sign of anyone ... ] "Hmm ... Then, I wonder if I''ll bother them for a bit ..." Honestly, I wanted to bathe in a big bath. In the royal castle''s bathroom, there was no one around and the lights were turned off as it was midnight. However, when I reached out from the shadows and checked, the water was still warm. "Fred, can you keep an eye out for people?" [ Leave it to me ... Take your time ... ] I took off my clothes in the shadow space, put out a shield of darkness next to the bathtub and went out into the bathroom. After pouring hot water on myself while taking care not to make too much noise, I submerged myself in the bathtub. "Aahhh ... Fuuuu ..." I felt like my body was going to melt into the hot water with the slightly warm water. It was nice to have a bath where you could stretch your arms and legs, wasn''t it. Yeah, let''s make a spacious bathroom in the house we''re building in Volzard. Why don''t I go in with the chairman and the others and have some fun washing up. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better if you went in with Camilla-jou anyway? ] "If Camilla is with me, won''t there be someone to take care of her? I won''t be able to take it easy." [ Since you were able to enter together in Lastock, it would be better to appeal to the royal castle as well, this will prevent the appearance of foolish people who want to claim the throne by taking Camilla-jou as their property. ] "Eeehhh ... I defeated Havre, so someone like that won''t show up anymore, right?" [ Kent-sama, the royal family is in that state. I can''t believe there isn''t a stupid son of a noble underneath them. ] "Haa ... When you say that, it might be true ... Although I think that, it''s impossible to add Camilla to the harem at this point." [ If that''s the case, wouldn''t it be better to manipulate the impression of Camilla-jou? ] "Impression manipulation, huh ... I see ..." Recently, with the Takagi-san turmoil, Griffon countermeasures, and all the other things I''ve been busy with, I''ve completely had compensation slip my mind. If the uproar over Resenburg''s succession to the throne was dramatized to the extent that it wasn''t a lie and sent to Japan, public opinion on Camilla may change. However, since my classmates could freely use the internet, negative opinions would continue to be stronger, and it would not be easy to change the direction of the wind. After slowly soaking in the large bathtub of the royal castle, leaning against Theta''s belly, I hung Eta''s fluffy tail instead of a futon, and fell asleep in no time. CH 194 Irosun Great Forest ***---*** The Irosun Great Forest was a forest area located on the border of the Marburg and Bakkenheim territories. It was so large that it would take two days by horse-drawn carriage or four to five days on foot just to cross the highway, and the north-south length would be doubled. Many wild animals inhabited the vast forest area, and although not as many as in the Devil''s Forest, monsters also lived there. There were about seven villages scattered along the highway, but they seemed to live off forestry, hunting, and business with travelers. On the afternoon of the second day after leaving Bakkenheim, the Volzard Family''s carriage arrived at the entrance to the Irosun Great Forest. The Guild had a branch office at the entrance to the forest, where they checked to see if the passers-by were in a safe state to travel. For example, those who wanted to cross on foot would need an escort for those below D-rank, and the rank and number of escorts would be confirmed for a carriage. And, it seemed that adventurers were being arranged for those who needed escorts. "The Volzard Family''s carriage, is it, seven people in total, two of whom are guards, the rank is ... it''s S!" When I headed from Volzard to Bakkenheim, I was with Master Reese and Lau-san, and above all, I was in a cabin pulled by Bran, so I passed through with a face pass. The person in charge compared my face with the guild card many times when I went to pass through with Johannes-san, and even used magic tools to check if the card was genuine. Maa, outside of Volzard, my name and face weren''t well known, so it was only natural for this situation to happen. "Certainly, the card is genuine, and I heard rumors about the youngest S-rank adventurer, but I didn''t expect him to be such a kid ..." "In my case, it''s because my genus who fight alongside me are stronger than me." By saying that, I tried not to drawn attention to myself as much as possible, but because of the delay in the procedure, I heard whispering voices here and there. Since it was dangerous to travel through the forest, it seemed that there were quite a few people who were looking to move near carriages with strong guards and high-ranked adventurers. They probably thought they could escape trouble if they were close to someone with good skills, but from the side of the escort, were they people they wanted to protect, or were they people who wanted to rob them, it was also an existence that was very difficult to get rid of. "Takayama, could you change places for a moment?" "I don''t mind, but wouldn''t it be better if Kokubu was near the escort targets?" "My genus are near the escort targets, so it''s okay. More importantly, when something happens, if I receive a report from my genus, then I go outside to check and give instructions ... I feel like my initial action will be delayed." "I see, then I''ll be the escort in the cabin." "Yeah, don''t open the door if someone other than me and Johannes-san approach." "I know. Kokubu should be careful." Before entering the Irosun Great Forest, I decided to switch places with Takayama and sit on the coachman''s stand. "It''s a pleasure to work with you, Johannes-san." "To you as well. There are many travelers on the highway, and monsters and thieves rarely appear, but it''s better to be careful." "Yes, I will have my genus running alongside the highway, so as long as there are no major issues, there shouldn''t be any problems." On the side of the road where the Volzard Family''s carriage traveled, a total of ten Kobolds, five at a time, ran side by side in the forest to prepare for approaching monsters and thieves. We also had two Kobolds ahead of us to scout. Nero and Zeta-tachi were prepared to leave at any time, and to put it bluntly, if there were monsters or thieves attacking us, I would probably sympathize with them. When the Volzard Family''s carriage began to move along the road that cut through the great forest, several carriages followed after a short interval. [ Basten, keep an eye on the carriage behind us. Let me know if you see anything strange. ] [ Understood. If it attacks us, I will lightly stop them. ] [ In moderation, thank you. ] Even if the carriage that followed us was thieves and attacked us along the way, if Basten and the others broke the wheels of the carriage, their ambitions would be crushed. [ It''s up to Kent-sama''s judgment, but the punishment for thieves is no different from that for bandits. ] [ In other words, if you get involved with thieves, it''s the death penalty, right? ] [ That''s correct, and if you carelessly show mercy, it might harm other travelers. ] [ Is that so. But, our current job is to bring everyone in the Volzard Family home safely, and travelers should protect themselves by themselves, right? ] [ Maa, that''s certainly true, but the main rule is that the disturbance on the highway is different from the usual commissioned work, and if something happens, we help each other. ] Normally, adventurers were responsible for their own activities, and it was considered good manners not to intervene unless they asked for help. If you interfered, in the worst case scenario, they would think you were trying to steal their prey, and they would attack you. In the case of trouble on the highway, it seemed that the principle was to help as much as possible regardless of whether or not there was a request for help. For example, if someone was fighting monsters, they would support each other as much as possible, and share the materials they had obtained. [ I see, so if there are people who attack, it would be better to annihilate them, right? ] [ Or, after disarming them completely, it would be better to submit them to the authorities. ] The road that ran through the Irosun Great Forest was wide enough for even large carriages to pass each other with plenty of room to spare, and the sides of the road were grasslands that were about the same width as the road. Water holes were built here and there so that the horses could rest when they got tired. In the Republic of Landshelt, carriages were stipulated to pass on the left side of the road, and Johannes-san sat on the right side of the coachman''s stand, manipulating the reins. I sat on the left side of the coachman''s stand and kept my eyes on the front, back, left, and right of the road, but the carriages that were following us were far enough away, and the carriages that passed each other were sparse, somehow it made me feel like I was on a long trip. "I was nervous before going in, but nothing seems to happen." "Hahaha, even if it''s the Irosun Great Forest, it''s not as dangerous as the Devil''s Forest." "I see. When I hear the word forest, I always think of the Devil''s Forest." "Come to think of it, I heard that Volzard was attacked by a maximum outbreak ..." "Yeah, it was a tremendous number of Goblins, wasn''t it. The surroundings of the ramparts were filled up, and the piled up corpses were approaching the top of the ramparts." "Was it that much ..." "Yes, I thought it would be fine if we pushed them back and cut them down little by little, but four Salamanders appeared, and the Goblins who ran away rushed in again, and it was a pretty dangerous situation." I talked about the previous Rock Ogres, the herds of commanded Orcs, the Minotaurs attacking Lastock, and the flying Griffon, and Johannes-san had a nervous expression on his face. "That, it was fine, Volzard was." "Yes, there was damage from the Griffon, but there was no damage to the general public, and the city was not destroyed." "If the story just now is true ... No, it''s probably true, but it worked out without causing any damage." "The garrison members and the adventurers were also doing their best." Johannes-san was born in Volzard, but since he was still young at the time of the maximum outbreak 18 years ago when there was great damage, he seemed to reminisce a little. Neither the Volzard Family nor Fione-san had experienced a large-scale outbreak, and they thought that they might be instructed to have Baldini remain in Bakkenheim. "If he stays in Bakkenheim, it will definitely be safer than Volzard, and even if something should happen, we will not lose our lineage. If it''s Klaus-sama, I thought it wouldn''t be strange for such instructions to arrive. The fact that we have received instructions to let Baldini-sama return also means that he trusts Kent that much." "Rather than me, I think he trusts the full strength of my genus." We were blessed with good weather that day, and the route through the Irosun Great Forest was so comfortable that it felt like we were enjoying a drive. It wasn''t like I was letting my guard down, but I was startled when Art popped its head out of the gap in the coachman''s stand. "Goshujin-sama, ahead, the carriage is being attacked by an Ogre." "Okay, Johannes-san, please stop at a position where you can see the carriage." "I understand. Kent, when we stop the carriage, please wave your hand at the carriage behind us." "Understood." After passing through a gentle curve, I saw a carriage overturned about 200 meters ahead. Johannes-san pulled the reins to stop the carriage, and when I sent a signal to the carriage behind us, the signal came back with a big wave. After confirming that the carriage behind us had stopped, I would head to the rescue. "Johannes-san, I will leave the escort behind, so please wait here." "Okay, be careful. Our guard comes first." "I know, then, I''m going." I put out a shield of darkness, hid in the shadows, and moved all the way to the carriage in front of us. A small carriage with two horses was overturned, and an Ogre was tearing and eating a fallen horse. The people sitting on the coachman''s stand were hiding in a nearby grove and watching what happened. If the number of monsters was small, or if the escort was not strong enough, it seemed to be common sense to hide and let it pass, even if it meant sacrificing horses. This time, too, they must have decided that if the Ogre had one horse in its belly, it wouldn''t mess with anyone else. [ Kent-sama, if you let the Ogre escape, travelers will be attacked again. ] [ That''s right, then, let''s quickly defeat it. ] If I suddenly appeared from close by, I might be suspicious, so I went back a little and stepped out from the side of the road and stepped towards the Ogre. I prepared wind-attribute magic in both hands while sprinting while strengthening my body. In order not to be noticed by the Ogre, I approached it while hiding behind the overturned carriage and swung a blade of wind while running past it. When I turned around after running about 10 meters, the Ogre''s gigantic body, which had turned around to follow me, was slashed diagonally and collapsed. [ Ooohhh, as expected of Kent-sama, you''re amazing. ] "Art, are there any other monsters around?" "Nearby, there''s not even one Goblin." "Okay, stay alert, eliminate anything that approaches, and let Johannes-san know that the subjugation is over." "Understood, Goshujin-sama." Now then, the Ogre was subjugated by being cut down easier than I thought, but what should I do after this. When I was wondering what to do with the aftermath, the coachman who was hiding came out of the grove when he saw the Ogre had fallen. "I, is the Ogre dead?" "Yes, it''s fine now." "Thank you very much. Hey, we have to go help ** "Wait a minute, shoulder ..." The person who seemed to be the coachman bowed his head towards me and asked, then he called out to the adventurer-like man behind him, but he seemed to have hurt his right shoulder and couldn''t raise his arm. It seemed that there were still people inside the overturned carriage. The left side, where the doorway was, was facing the ground, so they couldn''t come out. He climbed onto the overturned carriage and called out through the window. "The Ogre has been subjugated, so it''s fine now." Then, after removing the cloth covering, a woman and a young girl appeared. "Excuse me, a hand, could you lend me a hand? Ojou-sama, stay strong, Ojousama!" When I looked closely, the young girl was bleeding from the head and was lying there limply. I entered the carriage and decided to treat her. "Excuse me for a moment. I can use a little healing magic, so let me examine her." "Is that true! Please help my Ojou-sama." The girl, about the same age as Meisa-chan, appeared to have been hit so hard on the left side of her head that her fluffy emerald green hair was stained with blood. She appeared unconscious and her breathing felt shallow and feeble. I placed my right hand over her wound and focused my attention to channel healing magic. She had lacerations, a fractured skull, and a slight intracerebral hemorrhage, but it closed up cleanly. Her head wound had been treated, but she looked terribly unwell. "Umm ... I treated the head wound, but is there something wrong with this child?" "Yes, it''s a chest disease, but even the Healer-sama of Bakkenheim told me that a complete cure would be difficult ..." "Is it okay if I take a look at that, too?" "Yes, but, even the famous Healer-sama of Bakkenheim ..." Half-ignoring the woman''s explanation, I put my hand over the girl''s chest and found that her lungs seemed to be inflamed. Maybe because of that, her lungs didn''t expand well, and she couldn''t exchange gasses. As I used healing magic to suppress the inflammation while imagining them returning to a healthy state, her lungs, which had been hard and stiff, regained their softness, and she was able to breathe bigger and deeper. Redness returned to her cheeks that were pale like a dead person, and her expression seemed to have softened. "Yeah, this should be fine." "That ... Even the famous Healer-sama who is one of the top three even in Bakkenheim gave up ..." "Isn''t my healing magic more suitable for this child''s constitution?" The girl was breathing soundly in the arms of the stunned woman. "Kokubu, are you okay?" "Oh, Takayama, I''ve just finished the treatment, so let''s get the carriage up." I asked the woman to stay in the carriage, and I joined forces with Takayama and the men behind the carriage to raise it back up. Of the two horses, one had become the Ogre''s prey, but the other one seemed to be okay if it was calmed down. It was a little bit further to the next village, so it seemed that it would slowly pull the carriage alone and they would buy horses at the village. After finishing preparations for departure, the male coachman came to thank us again. "Thank you very much for saving us from that dangerous position. My name is Racole, employed by the Dukas Company of Marburg. I don''t know how to thank you, even treating Lucile-ojousama''s injuries ..."(TN:Lucile is ¥ê¥·¥ë, ''Rishiru'', not sure how else to translate it without sounding weird.) "Speaking of which, is the other man okay?" "Ah, Jarre''s shoulder seems to have become dislocated, so I asked a man who was passing by earlier to put it back in, somehow ..." "Is that so ... But, the journey will continue from now on, right? Isn''t that person handling the escort role?" "Haa, that''s right, but ... it''s truly merely for show ..." When the carriage tipped over after being attacked by the Ogre, the two people riding in the coachman''s stand were thrown to the side of the road, but although Racole-san was almost unharmed after taking the hit, but Jarre, who was employed as the escort, landed on his right side and dislocated his shoulder. "Even so, it''s no good to be unable to move his arm. If you don''t mind, I''ll treat him ..." "Is that true? Yes, I will pay the cost, so please do so." I treated athlete Fukuzawa''s joints, so I did it in a similar way. There was damage not to the ligaments, but to the part that determined the position of the shoulder joint, so when I focused on repairing that part and suppressing the inflammation, the treatment was complete. "Wow, seriously ... It doesn''t hurt at all, with this, I can swing my sword as usual." I received 50,000 Helts worth of gold coins as a treatment fee from Racole-san. The Dukas company must have been a large store, as they could easily pay around 500,000 Yen in Japan''s sense of money. When they asked me my name when we parted, I answered that I was Kent, an adventurer from Volzard, and everyone was surprised when I revealed that I was an S-rank. By the way, I collected the magic stone and horns from the Ogre''s corpse, put it in a hole dug with earth-attribute magic along with the horse''s corpse, and then buried it after burning them with a flame magic that combined Takayama''s fire attribute and my wind attribute. Although there was an Ogre commotion on the way, we arrived at the planned village of Slakka in the evening. Slakka was a typical settlement in the Irosun Great Forest, surrounded by a ditch and log walls. At the four corners of the wall, watchtowers had been built, and at night, bonfires and magic tools were lit. It was like a miniature of Volzard. The inn at Slakka was also a regular lodging for the Volzard Family, so there was no need to worry about the horses being switched out or being ripped off. THe security at the inn was basically handled by everyone in my genus, so after dinner, both Johannes-san and Takayama were slowly relaxing. "Johannes-san, may I go out for a moment?" "I don''t mind, as long as you maintain this escort system, but where are you going at this hour?" "Yes, I thought I''d take a little walk in the forest ..." "Hahaha ... As expected of an S-rank adventurer. Normally, one wouldn''t think of walking alone in the forest at night." "Well, in my case, I can go in and out of the city freely, and I have my genus with me." "Kokubu, you aren''t going to do secret special training again, right?" "I won''t do that. I''m just taking a walk." When I dived into the shadow world, everyone seemed to be impatiently waiting, wagging their tails. I asked Basten, and Zae-tachi to stay behind, moved away from the city, out of sight of the guards, and then went out. As soon as I stepped outside, I was enveloped in the night air with a moist, dense green scent. A large moon was rising in the sky, and the undergrowth and moss were shining. "Nya ~ ... It feels good in the woods after all, nya." "Right. I feel like I''m surrounded by the vitality of nature." Nero, who came out, stretched out and started sharpening its claws on a fallen tree. Everyone in the Kobold Corps were running through the trees, and Zeta-tachi were having fun together. [ The night forest is a world ruled by beasts and monsters, but right now they''re prostrating at Kent-sama''s feet. ] "No way. I don''t think I''m such a big deal that I can surpass the power of nature. It takes decades, even hundreds of years, to complete this forest, and before that flow of time, I''m a small existence." [ As expected of Kent-sama. Normally, when you have this much power, you would want to wield it to your heart''s content. But without worrying about it, you behave naturally ... No, it''s exactly the style of a King. ] "King, huh ... I can''t do it ... The King has to be followed by retainers, but everyone here is not my retainer, but my family." [ Kent-sama, to become a retainer is to join the royal family and become a family. ] "Is that so? But, the current Resenburg Kingdom doesn''t feel like that, right?" [ That''s right. As the country grows and the number of retainers increases, the sense of family will fade. If there is a sense of family, there is no talk of who is superior or who is inferior, if someone is in trouble, everyone will help, and if someone does something good, everyone will be happy. ] "Desertification is progressing, and there are people who are having trouble making a living, but it''s not a family when you spend all your time fighting for power." [ Indeed. In order to make a country where all the people can live with a smile, the country of Resenburg will need to become one family. This me, if it''s Kent-sama, I think it can be done, but ... ] Reinhardt conveyed his sincere feelings for Resenburg. There is belief in me, and it also contains the feelings that people expect of me. "I''m sorry, Reinhardt. I can''t do it now. For me of right now ..." [ Fuhahahaha, I understand. Since I was summoned in the Devil''s Forest, I have shared joys and sorrows with you, so I know very well what Kent-sama is like as a person. However, I am also a man who was once in charge of a group of knights. The eyes that look at people are not going to be clouded. ] "Haa ... I didn''t know about it because I didn''t have much of a relationship with my family, but the expectations from a family are so heavy." [ Buhahahaha, I have no intention of letting Kent-sama carry it alone. When you carry it on your back, we will carry it together. ] To be honest, I have no intention of becoming King, but I will spare no effort in helping Resenburg, which Reinhardt-tachi once loved and pledged allegiance to, to become a better country. But, I''m not good at ceremonies and formal events. I don''t want fancy buildings, fancy food, or fancy clothes, and more than that, the time I enjoy walking with everyone like tonight is more important to me. "Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me." "Nero too, behind the ears is nice, nya." "Nushi-dono, I also would like to ask." "Yes, yes, everyone take turns ... Uwaa, no good, no good, don''t pushhhh ..." The walk under the moonlight went way over the planned time. CH 195 Dispute ***---*** After spending the night in a village in the Irosun Great Forest and getting ready to leave for Volzard, something seemed to be happening on the highway. Guild staff were stationed at the entrance to the village, and just like when we entered the forest, they adjusted the order of departure so that the strength of the people traversing the highway was even. Around the guild staff members, perhaps waiting to depart, there was a large mass of people crowding. "Johannes-san, I''ll take a look." "Don''t, you can''t get close because of that crowd." "No, I can hide in the shadows, so it''s okay." "Ou, is that so, then go and ask them what''s going on." "Understood." If I hide in the shadows, no matter how many people there are, I can make my way to the center. It seemed that the commotion was caused by the guild staff not giving permission to leave. "When exactly are you going to let me leave?" "The people we sent to the scene have not returned yet, so we do not know what is going on. It seems that violent attacks are continuing." "Is it completely impassable then?" "For now, consider it to be so." "The prospects of a solution ... what about that?" "I can only say that I don''t know anything about that." After listening for a while, I came to understand the situation, albeit vaguely. According to them, a small settlement a little further from Slakka in the direction of Volzard was attacked late last night. It seemed that not only the residents of the village but also the people who stayed there suffered casualties, and it seemed that Bakkenheim and Marburg were at odds over the raid. The Irosun Great Forest was located on the border between Bakkenheim and Marburg, and there was a checkpoint set up by both families at the midpoint of the highway that passed through the forest. Even within the same Landshelt Republic, there were items that were prohibited from being distributed, and it was said that it was a facility to check to prevent such items from being brought in or taken out. In terms of Earth, it would be like a border checkpoint for a landlocked country such as Europe. The checkpoint was set up across a buffer zone of about 50 meters in width, and although it was usually a place to go through the procedures for passage, it seemed that a skirmish was happening currently as it was like a mutual fort. I didn''t know the details, but it seemed that due to the continued confrontation between Bakkenheim and Marburg, traffic on the highway had become impossible. When I reported what I heard to Johannes-san, he told me to go with him to Augusto-san. "Then you have no idea when we''ll be able to leave?" "Yes, it seems that the guild has given instructions to postpone departures from the village to the direction of Volzard at this time." After hearing Johannes-san''s report, Augusto-san sank into his own thoughts for a while with his arms folded. "Kent, is it possible to use shadow movement to scout?" "Yes, I can. If I dive in and approach them, they won''t even notice." "Okay, then go on reconnaissance to grasp the current situation, then come back and report to me." "Understood. The escorts here are as solid as yesterday''s, so please rest assured." When I dived into the shadows, Reinhardt was waiting for me. [ Kent-sama, I have sent Kobolds to the attacked village. It is better for you to understand the current situation. ] "Alright. Let''s go there first, then the checkpoint, and then go back to Volzard." The village of Lindahl, which was attacked, was in a terrible state. Most of the buildings had burned down, and there was a burning smell in the air. People who appeared to be soldiers of Bakkenheim were collecting the bodies, perhaps from Slakka or the checkpoint, but most of them were burnt to the point that it was difficult to determine their gender just by looking at them. [ It''s probably the work of raiders. ] "Is there no possibility of monsters?" [ Most monsters are afraid of fire, with the exception of fire-attribute monsters such as Salamanders. Besides, you can see cut marks and stab wounds on the corpses. ] I couldn''t help but turn my eyes away from the terrible state of the corpses, but when I made up my mind and took a look, there were indeed deep cuts on the shoulders and chest that looked to have been caused by a knife. Among the corpses, there were also those that looked to be young children. Being shown such cruel methods, bandits and thieves, I agreed with the policy of the death penalty as soon as they were caught. "It''s the Marburg guys. They''re the ones who did it. I saw it with my own eyes! Marburg soldiers. Those uniforms belong to Marburg''s soldiers!" Next to the soldiers collecting the corpses, there was a middle-aged man shouting. His clothes, which covered his hands and face, were black with soot, and some of his hair even had burnt marks. He sat by the roadside, his tears running down his cheeks stained with soot and falling to the ground in black drops. "My wife, my children, my house, my horse, they are all gone. I beg you, I beg you, take revenge. Kill the guys from Marburg ..." The soldiers surrounding the man had various expressions on their faces. Some had a sorrowful look on their face, others were clenching their fists with anger and gritting their teeth, and others were drowned in thought with their arms crossed. [ Kent-sama, it seems that this is the cause of the uproar. ] "Hearing that the men who attacked the village were wearing the uniforms of Marburg''s soldiers, do you mean that there were people who attacked without even checking?" [ Even if you think about it calmly, there are people who can''t make normal decisions when they see such a scene. As a result of such people carelessly getting ahead of themselves, there are cases where it develops into a big conflict. ] "Fred, come back for a minute." I summoned Fred, who was investigating the state of the royal castle, with a shadow summon. [ Did you call me ... Kent-sama ... ] "Can you command the Kobold Corps and chase after those who attacked?" [ The area around the village ... cannot follow the smell because of the fire ... but, if you go a little distance, you should be able to catch it ... ] "Chase them and look for a hideout." [ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] Fred and five of the Kobolds would form a tracking team to find the attackers. "Reinhardt, let''s go to the checkpoint." After leaving Lindahl and moving to the checkpoint, the situation was worse than expected. "Uraa, dieeee!" "Don''t screw with me, you raiders!" In the buffer zone, Bakkenheim and Marburg soldiers were fighting with swords. Just looking around, there were nearly 100 people fighting and no one was trying to stop them. Attack magic fireballs, water arrows, and bows and arrows flew about, and there were soldiers who were lying still and not moving. [ This looks bad, Kent-sama. If the fight continues to intensify, it could turn into a full-fledged battle. ] "No, no, to me it already looks like a full-scale war situation ..." [ If the number of casualties increases, they will hold a grudge against each other, and the resolution of the dispute will be delayed. ] "But, even if I tell them to stop, if it''s all messed up like this ..." [ What, it''s easy. All you have to do is throw in something that poses a threat to both sides. ] "I see, Zeta, Eta, Theta, surround them and intimidate them as much as you can. Nero, while running through the buffer zone, cut down two or three large trees!" "Leave it to me, Nushi-dono." "Leave it to Nero, nya." The roar of Zeta-tachi shook the air of the battlefield, where swords against swords, swords and shields clashing, the roars of the soldiers, and screams swirled. "WOoooooo!" "WOoOOooooo!" "WoOooooo!" The roar that surrounded the battlefield from three sides caused the soldiers with swords to jump back and take their distance, sending wary looks at the surroundings. Then, Nero kicked through the air and ran over the soldiers'' heads like a gale, brandishing its claws. Nero''s wind blade cut the surrounding giant trees into shreds, and thick branches and trunks rained down on the buffer zone. "Storm Cat! Return to the checkpoint!" "Lend a hand to the injured, hurry up, go back!" Zeta and the others jumped out of the shadows and ran through the soldiers who began to return to their checkpoints in a hurry. "Uwaa, Gigawolf!" "Where did they come from!" "Hurry up and get back to the checkpoint!" Yeah, they probably wanted to appeal that they could run as well as Nero. [ Now, Kent-sama, please ... ] "Eh, please, what?" [ If they just stop fighting, they might start a skirmish again. If they fight any more than this, they will face an S-rank adventurer, so please warn them. ] "Haa ... I''m not good at standing out ..." However, just as Reinhardt said, even if the battle ended, the possibility that something would trigger another skirmish could not be ruled out. In the middle of the buffer zone where Bakkenheim and Marburg were glaring at each other, I put out a shield of darkness and went out. "Hello everyone! I am Kent Kokubu, an S-rank adventurer based in Volzard." "What business does an adventurer of Volzard have here!" "I think both sides have their own reasons, but please end the skirmish first." "Why should we take your orders." "That''s right! People who have nothing to do with it should go away!" When I proposed they stop fighting, I got a lot of boos. "Then, how did you all plan to end the battle? Ah, kill all the opponents ... I don''t need such a stupid answer." "Such a thing, Marburg can just hand over the culprits!" "Don''t screw around! Show me the proof that Marburg did it!" "Don''t be fooled, there are people who have properly witnessed it!" It felt like a verbal tit-for-tat, they were so emotional that they couldn''t even have a calm discussion. "Yes, yes! That''s enough! If everyone continues to skirmish, who will be looking for the raiders? Aren''t the people who attacked being carefree? Do you want to help the raiders get away?" "Then, what should we do!" "Don''t say you haven''t thought of anything!" "I''m sending my genus to find the raiders'' hideout. I''ll let you know as soon as I know the location, but are you dissatisfied with that?" "Is that true? How are you looking for it?" "My genus Kobolds are in the process of searching for them by following their smell. It will be difficult because of the burnt smell around the village, but after the raid, there must be a smell of blood left behind. If they track it down, they should be able to find the hideout. What do you think, can you put an end to this useless fight?" There was no objection from either Bakkenheim or Marburg, and it was decided to collect the fallen people in a disarmed state. The bodies of those who died in battle were horribly damaged, with no arms or legs, or decapitated. If I continued to live in Volzard, I might have more chances to see such corpses. This was the second time since Nero and Zeta-tachi exterminated the bandits of Rivarre Pass, but seeing a real decapitated corpse was tough mentally. [ Kent-sama ... Found the hideout ... ] "Really? I have to let the people here know, so could you draw a map for me?" [ Roger ... It''s not too far from the highway ... ] The raiders'' hideout was in the woods on the Bakkenheim side, not in Marburg. It seemed that more than 40 raiders were hiding in a cave that was dug over a small hill after going about 500 meters from the road into the forest. After both sides finished collecting the soldiers'' bodies, I brought out Zeta-tachi to show off. "These kids are my talented genus. As you just saw, they can enter and exit freely within the shadows. I''m letting these kids watch over whether the truce is being respected, so please don''t even think about resuming the battle. If you start a fight, I''ll make them gobble you up from your feet, so with that in mind ..." When Zeta-tachi bared their fangs and growled, they had no choice but to agree. While returning Zeta-tachi, I also dived into the shadows and moved to the checkpoint on the Bakkenheim side. "Who is the person in charge?" Most of the people were looking towards the buffer zone, so when I called out to them from behind, they all turned around in surprise. "I''m the one in charge, Vanel, but are you a dark magician?" "Yes, I can''t tell you the details, but more importantly, my genus discovered the raiders'' hideout." "Really, where is it?" "In the woods on the Bakkenheim side." "That''s stupid ... The people who attacked us wore Marburg uniforms ..." "Don''t you think it''s strange to attack in such an easy-to-understand outfit? If the assailants were really from Marburg, they wouldn''t act in a way that would expose their identity." "Are they really, truly on the Bakkenheim side?" "There is no Bakkenheim or Marburg for thieves. Aren''t they enemies of virtuous citizens?" "Umu ... That''s right. So, can you guide me?" "This is a map showing the location. Do you understand?" Looking at the map Fred drew, Captain Vanel nodded several times. "It''s okay, we also patrol the forest on a daily basis, but this is outside of that route." "Then, the other party is aware of your movements." "I guess so ... What''s the mark here?" "It seems that there are guards lurking there. There are four places in total, and two people are stationed at each place." "Probably a watchman and a messenger. Alright, we''ll take care of it from here on out." "It seems that there are more than 40 people in total, but do you need our support?" "There are so many people ... We might miss them alone. Can we ask for help?" "I don''t mind, as long as I receive a reward." "It depends on how much help is possible ..." "Let''s see ... How about putting all the guards to sleep and encircling them so that there are no raiders running away?" "Is it possible to put the guards to sleep?" "Yeah, it''s easy." It''s easy if I used the sleeping pills I prepared when rescuing my classmates from Lastock. The rest would be checkmated if the Kobold Corps surrounded the area. When I was thinking about negotiating the amount with Vanel-san, Mirt, who had been left as a liaison, showed up. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Basten is back, and there''s going to be a riot." "Understood, I''ll be right there. Vanel-san, I have to go back to Slakka, so could you come after me? Let''s meet at the guild''s office." "Understood. I''ll catch up with you right away once we''ve got our staff together." I hurried back to Slakka, there was an uneasy atmosphere in the village. "Collect the guys from Marburg! If you hide them, we won''t let it be!" "Ora, this way! Don''t dawdle, walk faster!" "Guaa ... What did we do, stop being violent!" It seemed that there were some people who had gone out of control in Slakka, and they were gathering travelers from Marburg in the square in the center of the village. Some of the men who were gathering travelers were wielding swords soaked in blood, and it seemed that the bloodshed had already progressed. Most of the male tourists in Marburg had bruises on their faces, and the cloth that covered their foreheads was soaked with blood. The people from the Dukas Company who we helped on our way to Slakka were also there, but there was no sign of the escort. The gathered travelers were surrounded by village men and adventurers armed with sticks and swords. From among them, a fat man with a bloody sword stepped forward and raised his voice. "Okay, that''s good! I''ll avenge Lindahl now! KIll all these bastards!" "Oooooo! Kill them! Make an example of them!" "Who''s first? A kid? A woman?" The people who surrounded the people from Marburg had bloodshot eyes and mentally deviated from their normal state. When I was thinking of asking Zeta-tachi to threaten them again, someone called out to the men who turned into a mob. "What are you doing! What right do you have to detain these people!" "Who are you, you bastard!" "I am Augusto Volzard, the eldest son of Klaus Volzard, the Lord of Volzard." "N, Noble-sama, this is a problem between Bakkenheim and Marburg. You''re unrelated, so please withdraw!" "Don''t be ridiculous! There''s no way we can overlook a violent act of execution without judicial investigation in the Landshelt Republic." "Sh, shut up! Those guys from Marburg set Lindahl on fire! What''s wrong with getting revenge!" "Then show me solid proof that it was burned down by Marburg." "Someone who survived said it was the work of Marburg soldiers!" "Something like that doesn''t count as evidence. Show me proof that identifies the identity of the attacking soldiers! In the first place, for what reason would Marburg attack the village. Marburg''s main industry is mineral resources. It''s number one customer is Bakkenheim. If Bakkenheim stops buying ore, Marburg will be in trouble. Far from a gain, it''s a big loss!" The pressure of Augusto-san had lowered the tension of the gathered mob. This was the place to put out the finisher, wasn''t it. As if to show off to the mob, I put out a shield of darkness diagonally behind Augusto-san and stepped forward. "Augusto-san, I found the hideout of the raiders." "Kent, as expected of an S-rank adventurer, you work fast!" The emergence from the shield of darkness and the words ''S-rank adventurer'', sent the mob into turmoil. "Kent, where is the hideout?" "Yes, in the forest on the Bakkenheim side." Hearing my words, this time the people who gathered the people from Marburg raised their voices. "Don''t screw with me! They have nothing to do with us!" "These guys ... They did whatever they wanted, how are you going to make up for that!" "Calm down! Compensation for the victims will be handled by this Augusto Volzard. Keep your cool! Everyone surrounding them, disarm immediately." "L, lies. Such a story has to be a hoax. I heard, the guys from Marburg did it, I definitely did!" The fat man who had been confidently raising his voice until just a moment ago was trembling with a pale face. The sword that he held in his right hand was undoubtedly stained with someone''s blood. Since he pretended to be an ally of justice and turned into a criminal, he wasn''t at peace. "Augusto-san, I don''t see the soldiers ..." "Maybe they''re headed for the checkpoint." "I see, so the people who could restrain these guys are ... not here." "It seems like that, Kent, can you hold them down?" "Of course." The people who surrounded the people from Marburg had gathered and started discussing something. From from disarming themselves, their eyes looked bloodshot again. I hadn''t confirmed it, but I think they killed a few people. Among the people who were gathered, there were some who were seriously injured. After the discussion, the mob seemed to split into two groups, one side facing the gathered people from Marburg, the other side facing me and Augusto-san. Furthermore, when several men started chanting after that, a fireball with a diameter of 2 meters appeared over their heads. "Not good, compound magic, huh ..." I immediately crouched down and put my hands on the ground to make a hole about 3 meters deep at the feet of the mob. The figures of the rioters disappeared into the hole, and the fireball also fell from above. "Ugyaaaaaa!" Along with the screams of the mob, a pillar of fire blew up from the bottom of the hole, but they''re not dead, right? I wanted to sprinkle water on them, but I didn''t have the water attribute yet. "Hot!! Ho ~ t, water, waterrrr!" "Quick, quickly water, it burns, fiiiire!" The people from Marburg who were forcibly gathered were holding their stomachs and laughing. "E, excuse me. If there is someone with water attribute, could you pour some water on them?" When I asked for it, people with water attribute started throwing water balls from above, err, it''s not water spears, so they won''t die. The water balls continued being thrown until the white smoke from the bottom of the hole stopped. CH 196 Raider hunting ***---*** The rioters who were dragged out of the pit were tied up and collected in one place. The surface was charred black, and the wet group was shivering with the cold at the end of the year. The Bakkenheim garrison members led by the Captain, Vanel-san had arrived, so I decided to hand over the rioters. "I am Augusto Volzard, the eldest son of the Lord of Volzard. These guys were detained because they committed unfair violence against the people of Marburg. Along with taking strict measures, we will demand compensation from those who have been harmed." "I am Garrison Captain Vanel. I apologize for the inconvenience." "According to the victims, there are also those who have committed murder. I want a strict investigation and punishment." "Ha!! As you will." It''s easy to forget because I''ve been in contact with Klaus-san and Beatriche on a regular basis, but there''s a difference in social status in this world. Upon hearing that they would be punished, the detained rioters began to struggle. "It''s different, we were just collecting suspicious guys, and we just fought back because the other side attacked." "That''s right, for us to protect ourselves ..." "Don''t make disgraceful excuses!" Augusto-san yelled at the rioters who were trying to escape punishment. "Once you showed your clear intentions to attack me, you won''t be able to complain even if you are executed. However, if you lose this many people at once, the village will not be able to survive. If they honestly admit their sins, they will not be questioned for trying to harm me. However, if they refuse to admit their guilt, we demand Bakkenheim execute them all. Is that fine, Vanel." "Ha!! It is certainly acceptable. Thank you for your generosity." If everyone is executed, or only those who have committed murder are executed, it is only natural that those who are likely to be saved will begin to tell the truth. In no time, the fat man who was leading the mob and about four other people were accused of murder. The Captain, Vanel-san walked up to me after ordering a few of his men to question the damage. "It looks like I''ve caused trouble here as well, but can you lend me a hand in subjugating the raiders?" "Augusto-san, do you mind if I lend them a hand?" "Of course. Either way, unless this matter is settled, it will be difficult to pass through the checkpoint. If so, lend them a hand and finish it quickly." In order to pass the checkpoint that entered a state of dispute, it would be necessary for both Bakkenheim and Marburg to reach an agreement, and for that to happen, it would be necessary to subdue the raiders. "Since that''s what he says, let''s capture them quickly, Vanel-san." "Capture them? I will execute all the raiders." "Eh, but, a trial ..." "In Bakkenheim, it is forbidden to set up a residence in the Irosun Great Forest without permission. As soon as you live in the forest without permission, you will be recognized as a kind of bandit and will be subject to execution." "Then, the people in the hideout ..." "There are no applications for residence for that place, and in the first place, applications for residence are only accepted within the range of our patrols. Therefore, every single person will be executed." From a Japanese point of view, it''s unimaginable severity, but I guess that''s how this world works.(TN:Didn''t you just freaking GET OVER THIS with the bandits and thieves before? Sigh ... Also, technically I would call these guys bandits as well, but the literal translation is more ''night thieves'' which sounds weird. And since they raided the village I put it as raiders.) "So, what should I do?" "Right, I''ll ask you to suppress the sentries as we start, but if you hesitate to execute them, make sure to make them incapable of fighting." "Then, I will make them incapable of fighting and capture them. So, what is the reward?" "The reward is 20,000 Helts per person. It''s the amount decided as a bounty for capturing bandits and thieves, but how is it?" "It''s fine. Well then, let''s clean up quickly." The number of garrison members led by Vanel-san was 47, and it seemed that about 5 people would be left behind to deal with the riots, so the number would be almost the same as the raiders. Even so, perhaps because they saw the devastation of Lindahl, which was burned to the ground, every member of the squad had a firm expression on their face. [ Kent-sama ... The number of guards has increased ... ] [ Are there other lookouts aside from the four? ] [ Yes, a place closer to the highway ... One on the Bakkenheim side, one on the Marburg side ... ] [ Then, let''s put them to sleep and capture them. ] [ Kent-sama, sleeping pills ... We only have enough for about 20 people ... ] [ Ah ... It''s the remaining from the rescue operation. I have to replenish them next time. ] I thought about putting all the raiders to sleep, but it became difficult due to the amount of materials. "Vanel-san, it seems that a guard has been set up near the highway." "What''s that, they seem to be quite cautious." "Including those guards, ten people will be put to sleep and captured. Even though they''re outside the hideout, it seems like it would be a problem if they were suddenly executed." "That''s right. It''s not forbidden to enter the forest itself, so please capture those who are far from the hideout." "Yes, and I will put the executive-like people in the hideout to sleep. If the person giving the instructions is incapacitated, they won''t be able to lead the counterattack." "I see, if you do that, the main criminal can be executed as an example." Personally, I thought it would be better to find out about the raiders'' tricks and punish them, but apparently Vanel-san probably intended to gather Marburg''s negative emotions and turn them towards the raiders and execute them. [ Depending on the number of people, there will probably be public executions in Lindahl, which was burned down, Slakka, where the riot broke out, and the border with Marburg. On top of that, if they offer an apology and compensation to the Marburg side, they will be able to dress it up. ] [ Will Marburg be satisfied with that? ] [ It will depend on the negotiations, but if the checkpoint remains closed, it will be a big disadvantage for both territories, and people in other territories who use the checkpoint will also protest, so they will have to bury the hatchet. ] The raiders'' hideout was located on the Bakkenheim side of Slakka. I went ahead to capture the sentries near the road, and then wait for Vanel-san and the others. Guided by Fred, I moved to the lookouts and watched what was going on. The man on the lookout stood in a place slightly inside the forest, keeping an eye on the road. In his left hand he held a small cylindrical object. [ When working in the woods ... A whistle that lets others know where they are ... ] [ Is that something commonly used? ] [ Yes, even if they have it ... It''s not suspicious ... ] It seemed that the whistle itself was not suspicious, but the man''s behavior was suspicious because he was not wary of the forest, but the road. It seemed that there was a sentry who was also vigilant in a place further along the highway. [ Okay, can you please put the other one to sleep and tie him up? ] [ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] I had Fred move to the other sentry, and I put sleeping pills into this sentry. The sentry who had sleeping pills thrown directly into his stomach fell asleep without even being able to blow the whistle. "Reinhardt, can you tie him up?" [ As you wish ... But, if you want to capture people rather than kill them, it would be better if Kent-sama also learned how to tie them up. ] "Uuh, understood. But, I don''t have time right now, so just tie him up." [ Leave it to me ... ] Reinhardt put the man face down on the ground, tied his arms behind him, and tied the rope around his neck. [ With this method of tying, if you hold this part and pull it, you can tighten his neck, so you don''t have to worry about him being violent. ] "I see ... This is how the knights tie people up." Reinhardt used yet another rope to restrain his legs. [ If you carry them around like this, if you let them walk, you only have to untie the ropes on their legs. ] "I see ... There are various ways to tie them up." While I was talking to Reinhardt, Fred returned with another sentry who was put to sleep and tied up tightly. Vanel-san and the others arrived shortly after, so I decided to tie the sentries to a tree. In the Devil''s Forest, they would become food for Goblins, but there was no need to worry in the Irosun Great Forest. No, but an Ogre appeared yesterday, so I wonder if it''s really okay. As our group entered the forest, I went ahead and put the sentries to sleep. Each lookout was placed in a place with a good view, such as on a large rock, where the undergrowth was cut off, or on the opposite side of a stream. Two raiders were stationed at the lookout, which was camouflaged with grass and branches, one person kept watch and the other could take turns at any time, so they were always ready to send the news. Bows and arrows were also placed at the lookout post, and it was thought that they were prepared to launch a preemptive attack on the enemy. A glove and a small jar with a lid were placed near the quiver. [ I guess they''ll use it for poison arrows. ] [ Are the contents of the jar poisonous? ] [ Perhaps, the poison collected from frogs and snakes is used against monsters, but it is not used to kill edible prey. ] [ That means the poison won''t be removed even if you cook it, right? ] [ That''s right. It is applied to arrows and knife blades to defeat Ogres and Orcs, but the powerful poison is dangerous if it so much as comes into contact with the skin, and the effect will fade if exposed to the air for a long time, so care must be taken when handling it. ] "Maa, I won''t let them use it this time."(TN:Kent suddenly speaks out loud here, what.) In cooperation with Fred and the Kobolds, I put them to sleep and tied them up. I could see Vanel-san and the others advancing through the forest, so I waved a white cloth to let them know that the lookout was taken care of. The other side also waved back at me, so I went to go take control of the hideout. The hideout, which was created by digging a horizontal hole in a small hill, was more solid than I had expected. The passage from the entrance made in the shadow of a large rock turned 90 degrees to the right after going straight about 5 meters, and then turned 90 degrees to the left after about 5 meters. Moreover, there was a hidden room behind the wall of that passage, and it was made so that a spear could be stuck out from there. The hole through which the spear stuck out was also covered with a thin layer of soil, making it impossible to see where the spear was located from the passage side. [ Uwaa, that''s a really serious precaution. These guys must have disliked not being in complete control, right? ] [ That''s right, if you go through the passage without knowing anything, you''ll be severely damaged. ] The passageway led to a hall, but at the entrance there was a plank with spears sprouting out from it like a suspended ceiling. [ It feels like it''s full of traps. ] [ That''s right. If there is such a mechanism, there must be a secret passage prepared. ] [ The secret passage is ... The depths ... ] According to Fred, another secret passageway had been built, leading from the raider bosses'' room to the outside world. The exit of the secret passage had a door planted with grass, so it was completely invisible from the outside. In the hall, the raiders were sitting in a circle and drinking, and in the corner of the hall, women who looked to have been kidnapped were gathered. [ The bosses are ... In the back room ... ] [ Guide me there. ] There were three men and three women in the bosses'' room. A carpet was laid out in the room, and a fire magic tool was lit. The women, who seemed to be a little older than me, looked like they had already been violated by the men, and had dead fish eyes, and were limp. [ Kent-sama ... The garrison members are coming soon ... ] [ Fred, take control of the guys in the hidden room in the corridor, and Reinhardt, please take care of the guys here. I''ll deal with the suspended ceiling. ] [ As you wish. ] I left the three in the bosses'' room to Reinhardt and returned to the hall. Twenty-odd men continued to drink without knowing that they were being attacked by the garrison members. Vanel-san and the others stepped in along with the sound of hasty footsteps. "Bastard raiders, prepare yourselves!" "Damn, what are the guards doing! Hey, drop it!" When the man at the end of the room cut the rope, the spear-filled ceiling fell, but I put out a shield of darkness and swallowed it into the shadow space. When I erased the shield of darkness, I saw only a rope hanging from the ceiling. In the meantime, the guards who stepped in unharmed mercilessly wielded swords and spears, turning the raiders into a bloodbath. The raiders were subjugated without any means to do anything, and it only took a moment until they fell silent. The sight of someone being killed with edged weapons was shocking, and at the same time, it reminded me of the moment when Takagi-san almost killed me, and I started sweating badly. [ Kent-sama, are you okay? ] [ Yeah, somehow ... I didn''t feel it when Nero and Zeta-tachi exterminated the bandits, but seeing people kill people is a bit ... ] Vanel-san stepped into the bosses'' room, so I decided to move there. The raider bosses were put to sleep by Reinhardt and tied up tightly. For the women who were thought to have been kidnapped, the ropes that had restrained them were cut and blankets were given to them. "Vanel-san, thank you for your hard work." "Nn? Kent-kun, where are you?" "Yes, I will come out now." I put out a shield of darkness a little away from Vanel-san and went out. "These guys seem to be the executives. Just like the sentries, they were tied up after being given sleeping pills." "I see, thanks to you we were able to annihilate them without resistance." "It''s fine. There''s a hidden room behind the entrance passage, and the people who were hiding there have been put to sleep and tied up." "What, really?" "Yeah, it looks like they were going to attack the intruders with spears from behind." "It seems that something was set up on the ceiling too ... Was that you as well?" "Yes, I sent it to the shadow space." "No ... We''ve been taken care of from start to finish. After that, I have to make them confess their identities and ask them the reason for these uniforms." At the end of Vanel-san''s line of sight, what seemed to be a soldier''s uniform was thrown off. "This, is it the Marburg uniform?" "At first glance, it looks like that, but I can''t say for sure unless I ask someone in Marburg whether it''s real or not." "If it''s genuine, was it stolen, or was it something they diverted, in any case, they were trying to pin the blame on Marburg." "I guess that''s true, but these guys themselves might be soldiers of Marburg. When I think about it, I''m glad I was able to capture them alive." If they were simple thieves, it might end with annihilation, but this time it developed into a conflict with Marburg, so it was still necessary to investigate. I asked them to write down the reward payment for a total of 16 people, including 10 sentries, 3 people who were in the hidden room, and 3 people who seemed to be executives. If I submitted this document to the guild, the reward would be transferred to my account. Leaving Vanel-san and the others who were still searching the hideout, I decided to return to Slakka a little earlier, and was asked to report to the guards and the guild who remained after the riot. After returning to Slakka, it seemed that the Marburg people who had been forcibly gathered were released and returned to the inn. Regarding the money, most of it seemed to have been returned, but the problem was the murdered bodyguards. In addition to the carriage of the Dukas Company, which I rescued from the Ogre attack yesterday, there were two other carriages occupied by travelers from Marburg, each of them had an adventurer as their guard, but those three were killed.(TN:RIP Jarre.) I heard that the Bakkenheim Guild had offered to recruit adventurers to protect them, but it seemed that the event''s event caused them to carry distrust, and it seemed that adventurers who belonged to Bakkenheim could not be trusted. For this reason, the three carriages were escorted by the Bakkenheim garrison members to the checkpoint, and it was decided that adventurers would be hired as escorts in Marburg''s territory. When I heard about that from the staff of the guild, Racole-san of the Dukas Company called out to me. "Kent-san, yesterday and today, thank you very much for helping us when we were in danger." "We were just talking about that right now, but you really did a tremendous job." Racole-san also seemed to have been hit, and his left cheek was bluish-black and swollen. "Can I see it a moment?" "No, at this level ... Oh, this is ..." I put my hand on Racole-san''s cheek and cast healing magic. "If the pain remains, you won''t feel better. This is a service." "No, I''m sorry. The pain ... Oh, the swelling is gone. Excuse me, but how many attributes of magic can you use, Kent-san? Yesterday you were using wind-attribute magic, but just now you used light-attribute magic. Besides ..." "Ah ... That situation, its a trade secret ..." "Indeed, it''s like that. Umm ... I apologize for the impolite question, but is Kent-san employed by either Family? If you are not employed by either Family, then at Dukas Company ..." "I''m sorry. I have decided to make Volzard my base, so I have no intention of going to Marburg." "Is that so ... Does that mean that you are under the patronage of the Volzard Family?" "Yes, it''s fine to think that way. The city of Volzard really took care of me when I was in trouble, and it''s still taking care of me, and I think it''s the place where I am needed the most." "Is that so ... If you have talent like Kent-san, you won''t be short of money, and if you have such circumstances, it can''t be helped." Lucile-chan, who was treated yesterday, seemed to have regained her energy, but now she was frightened due to the riots. Lucile-chan''s mother didn''t seem to be very strong, so they wanted me to treat her if possible. Racole-san asked me if they could make a nomination request through the guild, and I was asked about my achievements in healing magic, whether they could receive treatment if they went to Volzard, etc., I was told that they would like me to stop by if I ever went to Marburg as they would like to thank me. In any case, I was currently in the middle of escorting the Volzard Family, and I couldn''t extend my journey to Marburg, so I explained the situation and was able to decline. After all the problems had been sorted out, I have been asked by Master Reese to travel around the country, and I''d like to go to Marburg once. At that time, if the timing was right, it might be a good idea to visit the Dukas Company. CH 197 Novice adventurers ***---*** Luckily, we were only stranded in Slakka for one day. Since the Bakkenheim side apologized to the Marburg side and promised to respond to their request for compensation, the checkpoint was reopened. As the Volzard Family''s carriage passed through the checkpoint, we were saluted not only by the Bakkenheim garrison members, but also by the soldiers of Marburg. "It seems that Kent''s success was reported to Marburg as well." "Ehh, is that so?" "Since it''s the Volzard Family''s carriage, the person in charge of the checkpoint will salute you when you pass through, but everyone stationed at the checkpoint won''t be lined up and saluting like today." "However, Augusto-san also contributed to the suppression of the riot, so it''s not just me." "Right, then, let''s leave it like that." When Augusto-san went to stop the riot, Basten, Tsuo, and Kame were properly guarding him from the shadows. Before leaving the inn, Augusto-san called out to them and had a meeting with the escorts beforehand. That kind of quick wit must have been inherited from his father, Klaus-san. On this day, clouds covered the sky already in the morning, and although it didn''t rain, the sun didn''t reach us, and it was getting colder. The coachman''s stand was set at a high position so that you could see the front and back of the carriage. The view was nice, but there was nothing to block the wind, so your body temperature was steadily lowered. I took out a blanket from the shadow storage and wrapped it in a way to avoid the wind, but it still took away my body heat. As a last resort, I wrapped myself in the blanket and summoned Murt between my legs while being careful not to be noticed by the horse. The fluffy Murt blocked the wind from my stomach, which was a big help. Even so, my exposed face was starting to hurt. I wondered if I should exchange places with Takayama. Although the temperature was low, the carriage progressed without incident. The Dukas Company carriage was waiting for departure when we left Slakka, but I wondered if they hired a good escort. "Is the Dukas Company a big store?" "I think it''s a middle-ranked upper-class in Marburg. However, in terms of scale, it should be larger than the Orlando Store in Volzard." According to Johannes-san, the Dukas Company was a store that mainly dealt in ore, and it didn''t have a long history, but the current chairman seemed to be very talented and had achieved rapid growth in the last five years. It seemed that if the current momentum could be maintained, it was certain that the company would join the ranks of the major companies. "If it''s a company that deals in ore, isn''t that a business enemy for Volzard?" "In the dungeon of Volzard, you can mine ores that are not found in the mines of Marburg, and conversely, there are ores that are only found in Marburg, so it doesn''t feel like a business enemy. It''s not a bad thing to have a connection with a promising firm." The dungeon in Volzard produced gold, silver, gems, as well as ores such as copper and iron, but it was not possible to obtain a staple amount of them. Marburg was a mine, not a dungeon, so the amount of ore that could be produced was limited, but as long as the ore veins didn''t run out, a stable amount of mining was possible. "What is the main ore mined in Marburg?" "The most mainstream is iron ore." "Ehh, so the main products of the Dukas Company are also iron ore?" "That''s right. I hear they''ve unearthed a new vein." "Uwaa, then, it will be a big business enemy." "Ehh, why is that? You can''t get much iron ore in the dungeon of Volzard." "Ah, I see, Johannes-san was in Bakkenheim, so you haven''t heard about the iron I brought here ..." "Kent brought in iron ... What do you mean by that?" Johannes-san seemed to understand when I told him that it was possible to travel back and forth to my original world, and that the iron in Japan was much more pure than the iron here. "I see, bringing in a large amount of such high-purity iron would change Volzard''s position from a buyer to a seller, and it should have a considerable impact on our relationship with Marburg." Volzard, who had been on the buying side until now, would suddenly shift to the selling side, so it must be a surprise to those who had been supplying iron. Usually, when making ironware, it seemed that you could start by extracting iron from iron ore purchased from places such as Marburg by combining blacksmithing technology and earth-attribute magic. This was the so-called refining work, but this work took time and effort, so if you could get high-purity iron from the beginning, the blacksmith would be able to save a lot of trouble. Then, the question was whether to sell the high-purity iron I brought in at a high price, or to make the conventional iron cheaper. "Well, if it''s Klaus-sama, I think he''ll be able to find a common ground where it won''t cause too much offense, but, that''s only if Marburg can maintain its current costs. If production decreases or workers demand higher wages, they will probably lose their superiority in terms of cost, so I wonder if confrontation is inevitable." I thought that if I could get paid with iron, which was relatively more valuable than in Japan, the burden on the Japanese government would be reduced, and it would also be profitable for Volzard, but I guess things weren''t going to be that simple after all. This time, the purpose of my trip to Bakkenheim was to train with Lau-san on the way, but it was also a preliminary preparation for transporting iron from Volzard using shadow movement. I didn''t know how much iron was circulated in this world, but Bakkenheim was a big customer for Marburg, so if Volzard were to steal that business, it would naturally cause conflict. "Hmm ... I guess it''s better not to bring too many things from Japan ..." "Wouldn''t it be better to leave it to Klaus-sama and Augusto-sama to take care of that? Kent, who is not familiar with this situation, will be limited by what one person can think about by themselves." "That''s right. I''ll find an opportunity and talk to Klaus-san." Most travelers traveling through the Irosun Great Forest used carriages. It went without saying that the speed of movement was fast, and the carriage was always accompanied by an escort, so even if they were attacked by monsters or wild animals, they would be protected. However, there were a few people who travel on foot. Many of them were adventurers who were confident in their skills and wanted to save money on travel. For example, let''s say you were contracted to escort from Marburg to Bakkenheim. Depending on the contents of the contract, there may be cases where the remuneration included return travel expenses, and there were requests where only one-way remuneration was given. That was because even those who made requests would spend money on escorts if they were transporting important people or important items, and if they were transporting cheap items, they would like to save the fee if possible. For adventurers who undertook the job as escorts, skilled people would be hired for important items, while the natural trend would be to hire fledgling adventurers for requests that wanted to save money. In other words, those who were trying to pass through the forest on foot were either adventurers who were just starting out after completing a one-way escort, or adventurers who didn''t have enough money. Horse-drawn carriages on the highway rang bells to alert pedestrians of their approach. It was customary for pedestrians who heard the sound of the bell to move out of the way to avoid obstructing the passage of the carriage. That was because the people riding the carriages were of higher status and were richer. The Volzard Family''s carriage also overtook some adventurer-like youngsters, ringing the bell from time to time. The headwind was strong today, so the adventurers being overtaken were watching the carriage with envious faces. "I was thinking that the coachman''s stand was abundantly cold, but compared to people who travel on foot, it''s much more enjoyable." "Certainly, although that''s true, but being cold is being cold. I want to get to the village where we''re taking a lunch break quickly and have some warm soup. I''ll leave the care of the horses to Shuichi." "That''s right. I totally agree." Johannes-san and I decided, while laughing, to let Takayama take care of the horses during the day, since he was comfortably relaxing in the cabin. After the afternoon''s rest, the carriage once again ran through the Irosun Great Forest. Due to the severe cold, the horses weren''t exhausted from the heat, so things up to this point were going well. According to our schedule, we should be able to reach the exit of the Irosun Great Forest this evening. The Volzard Family''s carriage was progressing smoothly in the afternoon, but Irt, who had been scouting ahead, returned and reported.(TN:Apparently there wasn''t just Art with the base ones, AIUEO + ruto. Only Art was referenced from that batch up until just now.) "Wau, Goshujin-sama, there are adventurers being attacked by wolves ahead." "Wolves?" "Kent, it''s probably Forest Wolves. They sometimes attack people in groups, but they''re not monsters, they''re wild animals. If you keep approaching them in a carriage, they''ll run away, so we''ll be fine." "Understood." After passing through a place surrounded by trees, I could see the shadows of about three people surrounded by green-furred wolves. When Johannes-san rang the bell announcing the approach of the carriage, the Forest Wolves turned around and disappeared into the forest. The Forest Wolf was said to be a fairly intelligent wolf, and usually hunted deer and other animals for a living, but it seemed that it would attack adventurers walking along the road if they saw them looking weak. In the Republic of Landshelt, ''Adventurer attacked by a wolf'' was a slang term for an adventurer who was beaten by even a wolf. So, the novice adventurers this time seemed to be a party with two men and one woman, and were a little older than me. A slightly overweight boy, a tall and macho looking girl, and a small boy with a thin figure seemed to be bitten here and there by wolves. "That''s why, I told you we should just ride a carriage here." "What, are you saying it''s my fault?" "But, wasn''t it Sousa who said let''s go on foot?" "It can''t be helped, because if we don''t save our travel expenses, we won''t make any money." "That''s because Sousa and Brau eat too much." "What are you talking about? It''s not that we eat too much, Sumit eats too little." Seeing the girl who seemed to be called Sousa, arguing with the petit Sumit, the slightly overweight Brau was flustered. "Umm ... Are you okay?" When I called out to them from the driver''s seat of the carriage parked by the roadside, Sousa turned around and looked appreciatively at the Volzard Family''s carriage before answering. "Thank you very much. Just, it looked like these guys got beaten, but there''s no problem." "What are you talking about, Sousa. You should ask them to give us a ride." "Shut up. It''s no good if this kind of person looks down on you. We need to convince the other side to invite us on board ..." "Isn''t that an unreasonable decision, we''re just E-ranks." "Idiot, why are you disclosing our ranks. You just have to make them think that you''re about C-rank." "Isn''t that a scam." "It''s fine, it''s only a scam if you actually call yourself a C-rank, but if you just make them think so, it''s not a scam or anything." No, no, they may be trying to hide their voices, but I can hear them. "Johannes-san, what should we do?" "No, if they can''t ride, it looks like they''ll be beaten by Forest Wolves again ... But, where would they get on ..." "That''s right ... It can''t be helped, someone should escort them to the next village ..." When Johannes-san and I started talking, they looked at us with hopeful eyes, wondering if they could get on board, but we couldn''t let those unknown people get on board. "Johannes-san, could you go on ahead, I''ll catch up with you soon. Murt, stay here." When I got off and the carriage started moving again, the three of them were clearly disappointed. Perhaps on behalf of the three, Sousa spoke to me while scratching her head. "So, what are you going to do by getting off alone?" "I thought I''d escort you and send you to the next village." "Haa? You, our escort? Won''t it just be increasing the food for the Forest Wolves. Look, what are you going to do!" As the Volzard Family''s carriage receded, the pack of Forest Wolves that had hidden themselves in the forest returned. Perhaps because they were wary of the increase that was me, they didn''t attack at once and were watching the situation from afar. The number increased from one to two, crossing the highway from a distant place, and gradually narrowing the circle of siege. "Hee ... They look really smart." "Wait, you. If you take it easy, you''ll really be eaten. We don''t have the luxury to protect you." Sousa was holding a large knife, the small Sumit was holding a bow, and the obese Brau was holding a spear with a tense expression. "Wait, you should prepare too. You''re seriously going to get hurt!" Little by little, the Forest Wolves narrowed the surrounding circle and waited for the right moment to leap. "The green coat, huh ... It''s pretty good, but it''s not a monster, so I guess it''s impossible to make it a genus. Zeta ... Come out!" WIth a confident expression, Zeta jumped out in front of the group of Forest Wolves that were about to jump and roared. "Uwaa!" "Giyan ... Kiyain!" Surprised by the sudden appearance of Zeta, the Forest Wolves jumped back and disappeared into the forest with a fierce dash. "Yup, yup, that''s fine, Zeta, that''s perfect ..." "Thank you, Nushi-dono. However, this is ..." The Forest Wolves were driven away, but the trio were all sitting on the ground together. "Ah, aaahh ... D, don''t eat ..." Sousa looked strong, but her eyes were wide open and she was trembling. "This kid is my genus Zeta. Don''t worry, she won''t harm you." When I petted her behind her ears, she wagged her fluffy tail and narrowed her eyes. "As you just saw, Zeta can move freely in the shadows, so don''t worry, she''ll watch over you from the shadows until you reach the next village. Please, Zeta." "Leave it to me, Nushi-dono." "The Gigawolf spoke ..." "She''ll keep an eye on you until the next village, but she won''t take care of you after that. Think and act on your own. If I didn''t help you because you were pretending to be strong, wouldn''t you have been eaten? You should ask for help even if it''s unsightly, since it goes without saying which is more important, profit, or life." I was talking big, but I''ve done a lot of unreasonable things too. However, I was able to do that because everyone in my genus was there, and they should be more careful since they were the only ones there. "Then, I have work as an escort, so please excuse me." When I tapped Zeta''s shoulder and tried to dive into the shield of darkness, I was stopped by the petit Sumit. "W, wait! Umm ... Thank you very much. Could you tell me your name?" "Me? I''m Kent, an adventurer from Volzard. Then ..." "Umm! Rank ... What''s your rank?" "S-rank." Leaving the three of them with expressions of disbelief, I went into the shadows with Zeta. I asked Zeta to watch over the three of them, and I returned to the carriage using Murt as a landmark. "I''m back, Johannes-san." "Ou, even if I know about it, it''s surprising if you suddenly appear. What happened with the three of them?" "When the carriage left, the Forest Wolves approached again, so I drew them in and summoned the Gigawolf Zeta to drive them away. I told Zeta to watch over the three of them from the shadows until they reach the next village." "That too ... It''s a big service, isn''t it?" "When I called Zeta, all three of them were timid ... I think they learned a little ..." "Well, adventurers of that age tend to be unreasonable ..." Johannes-san also had an expression that seemed to have some circumstances behind it. "Once we''ve passed through the Irosun Great Forest, the only difficult place left is the Rivarre Pass, but it should be okay because we exterminated the bandits the other day. For Johannes-san, isn''t this the first time in a while that you''ve been to Volzard?" "That''s right. It''s been half a year ... I hope the number of graves I visit doesn''t increase ..." It seemed that four years ago, Johannes-san began staying in Bakkenheim with the Volzard brothers, and in the beginning, every time he went home, he was informed of the death of a classmate who had become an adventurer. "Every time I returned to my hometown, it was quite painful to hear that a childhood friend had died. Recently, the topic of finally getting married or having a child has increased." "Didn''t you want to become an adventurer, Johannes-san?" "I had two older brothers, my second brother became an adventurer, but he died recklessly when he was just starting out, so my parents were against it, and I didn''t have strong magic, so I gave up." "Is that so ..." "Well, I didn''t become an adventurer, but I was blessed with the opportunity to go outside Volzard, and I''m not dissatisfied with my current job. No, far from being dissatisfied, I feel greatly rewarded." "You''re the butler of the Volzard Family, aren''t you? Eventually, I''m sure you''ll manage Volzard as Augusto-san''s right-hand man." "Well, I wonder about that ... Augusto-sama is excellent, and Baldini-sama is also here, so I guess I''ll only be working on things within the Volzard Family. Besides, in terms of being Augusto-sama''s right hand, wouldn''t Kent carry a bigger responsibility than me? "Me, is it? I ... rather than work that uses my head, I specialize in rough work involving monsters." "Maybe so, but considering the nature of the place called Volzard, it''s an important job." "That''s right. But, Volzard is a city that is important to me, so it''s only natural to protect it." "What a reliable guy. One day, Volzard may be called ''The safest city in Landshelt'' instead of ''The farthest city''." "That''s right, I will do my best to make it so." Under the still cloudy sky, the Volzard Family''s carriage continued to run lightly, and passed through the Irosun Great Forest before evening as planned. CH 198 Request of the Imperial Princess ***---*** After passing through the Irosun Great Forest, the road to Volzard was about halfway to the end. Today would be a relatively safe route through the breadbasket, and tomorrow there would be the difficult passage called the Rivarre Pass, but since the bandits had just been annihilated, there shouldn''t be much to worry about. That being said, Lau-san also told us to be very careful, as it seemed that bandits would spring up like bamboo shoots after the rain. We planned to return to Volzard in the evening of the next day after passing through the Rivarre Pass, so let''s concentrate on escorting them again ... Just when I was thinking that, Hirt, who was the liaison with Seraphima, returned. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Seraphima has a request." "A request? For me?" "Wau, a big monster is coming and they''re in trouble." "A big monster, it''s not a Griffon, right?" "Yeah, it''s bigger and heavier." "It''s bigger and heavier ... ?" Even though it was said to be a big, heavy monster, I could only imagine what kind of monster it was because I only had knowledge about monsters from manga and anime. [ Kent-sama, you should think of this as a request for help from Barshania. ] "Does Emperor Constant also agree?" [ I don''t know about that, but if it''s a request from Princess Seraphima, it should be considered a request from the country. ] "Reinhardt, do you know what the big and heavy monster is?" [ Well, I can''t say anything with that much information, but when it comes to the Salamander that Kent-sama defeated before, i can only think of legendary class monsters like Dragons and Cyclops. ] "Legendary class ... Griffon was a fairly rare monster, wasn''t it?" [ That''s right. As Donovan-dono said before, something might be happening in the southern continent. ] For the time being, I explained the situation to Augusto-san and received permission to go to Barshania. "I hear that Barshanian soldiers are well trained. If it''s a monster that can''t be handled by Barshania, it''s possible that it may even bring disaster to Volzard in the future. Anyway, find out what the situation is and report back." "Yes, I will continue to use the former knight Basten as your guard, as well as the Undead Lizardmen, so please don''t worry." Baldini, who shared the room with Augusto-san, looked uninterested, but said nothing. It''s helpful that he didn''t get involved like he did in the beginning, but I was worried that he was becoming more insidious. When I went to tell Angelina-san that I was going to Barshania, she puffed out her cheeks and gave me a quizzical look. What''s with that, she''s older than me, but she''s really cute. "Even if you say you''re going to investigate the monster situation, isn''t it that you''re actually going to flirt with the Princess of Barshania?" "Y, you''re wrong. If a monster that even the soldiers of Barshania couldn''t deal with comes to Volzard, wouldn''t it be troublesome? So, I''ll investigate the situation ..." "I wonder if that''s true ... Hey, what kind of girl is the Princess of Barshania?" "Eeehhh ... Seraphima is a year older than me, but at first glance, it feels like she''s about two years younger ... How can I say it, it feels like she''s a work of art." After talking about Seraphima''s appearance, her Idiot Parent, and her Idiot Brothers, Angelina-san, after some thought, allowed me to go to Barshania. "It can''t be helped ... Because Volzard wants to build a good relationship with Barshania. But, it''s not good to put aside Riche and give special treatment to that Seraphima girl." "Yes, I know that, yes ..." So, unfortunately, there is no hug or ''iiko iiko'' this morning. Following Hirt''s guidance, the destination of the shadow movement was not Chowsk, the gateway city to the desert. What''s more, it was like a first-aid station, and many injured soldiers were groaning in pain from their wounds. [ It seems that there was a considerable battle. ] "That''s right. Anyway, I have to find Seraphima and ask her about the situation." Seraphima was working with medics to care for the wounded. I came out from a distance so as not to startle her and called out to her. "Sera, can you tell me what happened?" "Kent-sama! So you came." Seraphima jumped into my chest with light steps. The gesture of hugging me tightly is so cute ... Rather, it''s not the time to be all ''dere dere''.(TN:''Dere dere'' is lovestruck, etc.) "In the seaside town of Leinef ahead, a Gigas appeared and the city was destroyed. My father and older brothers have embarked on subjugation, but it''s as if they''re in a situation where they can''t do anything." "A Gigas is the monster in question, huh." "Yes, they are more than five times taller than adults, they cannot be damaged by normal magic, and they can be damaged by compound magic by a group, but they recover quickly "Alright, anyway, I''ll think about it after seeing the real thing, but before that, let''s treat the seriously injured. Let me examine the most serious patients first." "Yes, over here." I only treated Seraphima''s lips when we signed the blood covenant, but she must have understood that I was confident that I could treat them. The severely injured person who I was guided to had received a strong impact on the abdomen and had internal injuries. His complexion was pale, and he seemed like he would stop breathing at any moment. I took two or three deep breaths to calm myself down, and used healing magic while being conscious of controlling the magical power I cultivated through special training with Lau-san. After repairing the ruptured liver and right kidney, suppressing inflammation in the peritoneum, and revitalizing the patient''s general condition, the patient''s face regained its complexion and his breathing stabilized. "Okay, this one''s fine, the next patient is ... Sera?" "Y, yes! This one, please." Seraphima was watching the treatment in a daze, and the people around her were making a commotion, but now was not the time to worry about it. After finishing the treatment of about 10 people, it seemed that the treatment of those whose lives were in danger had been completed. "Thank you very much. I honestly didn''t think Kent-sama''s healing magic was this good." "For the time being, it seems that there are no more people in danger, so I''ll go see the Gigas after I get some rest." "Then, Kent-sama, this way ... I''ll prepare the tea right now." While drinking tea, after moving to another room, I listened to a detailed explanation about the Gigas. A Gigas was a monster that appeared in legends even in this world. It had a stout, humanoid body, and had four fingers and toes, and it seemed that it was a shape where it grasped things with one thick finger and three paired fingers. The surface of its body was like mud, or like bark, and covered with rough, hard, brown skin, and it seemed that even if you scratched it, it would be repaired while you watched. "The Gigas manipulates earth-attribute magic to confine its human prey in a dome of earth. It seems that they accumulate more than they can eat at one time, and even now there are people who are trapped in the earthen domes." "How many days ago did it show up at Leinef?" "It appeared about eight days ago, and it seems that the people of the city who were trying to escape were captured one after another in the earthen domes. It was the day before yesterday that the horses were sent to the royal castle and the subjugation army was immediately organized and the first battle took place." It was said that the Gigas was able to repel the attacks of the Barshanian army with its tough skin and powerful regenerative ability. In that case, I thought of waiting for the Gigas to fall asleep and then attacking it, but when it slept, it curled up around its head and at the same time hardened its body surface with magic. In that state, even compound magic couldn''t damage it, and it seemed that they were practically helpless. The only fortunate thing was that the Gigas hadn''t moved from the city of Leinef where it first appeared, but there was no guarantee that it wouldn''t move further inland once the earthen dome that captured the inhabitants was gone. Currently, I was in the rear camp, about ten minutes away from the city of Leinef by horse-drawn carriage. The composition of the Barshanian army was the same as when it was trying to invade across the desert, with the direct command army led by Emperor Constant, the knight squad led by the First Prince Gregory, and it was said that the magician squad led by the Third Prince was at the forefront. "Kent-sama, please lend your strength to my father and brothers." "Honestly, I don''t know how effective the attacks of me and my genus will be, but I''ll try my best." I hugged Seraphima tightly and then dived into the shadows. [ Kent-sama, I''ve been scouting ... I''ll guide you ... ] [ I''m counting on you, Fred. ] While I was treating the injured, Fred was scouting the front line. The city of Leinef was the southernmost town in Barshania, and fishing seemed to be the main industry. In the past, when I disposed of the Orc corpses, a huge fish jumped out of the sea, but I wondered if it was okay to engage in fishing. The town faced a cove, with a sandy beach at the far end of the cove, and a pier for mooring fishing boats was near the entrance of the cove. The city spread out along the sandy beach, giving it the feel of a port town in the Mediterranean Sea. It seemed that buildings with white walls and red tiled roofs stood side by side, but now most of them had turned into piles of rubble. In the middle of the rubble lay something like a gigantic brown rock, which was probably the monster called Gigas. It seemed to be about 5 meters in diameter, and when I looked closely, it seemed to be sitting in a gym sitting position and holding its head lowered between its legs with both arms. Around the Gigas, there were many earthen domes with a height of about 3 meters containing rubble. Maybe, the residents who failed to escape were trapped inside. The Barshanian army built a position about 300 meters away from the Gigas to block the road leading to the city, and continued to monitor the Gigas, which was believed to be sleeping. At the same time, they continued to struggle to find a way to rescue the residents left behind from the domes located far from the Gigas. [ Hey, aren''t those people from the engineering unit who were engaged in desert development in Chowsk? ] [ Apparently, that might be the case. ] Maybe the walls of the domes were too hard, but the work of the engineering unit seemed to be progressing slowly. Inside the Barshanian army''s encampment, Emperor Constant sat down on the floor and glared at the Gigas with a bittersweet expression. On both sides of him were the figures of the First Prince, Gregory, and the Third Prince, Nicolae. In order to avoid causing a commotion, I put out a shield of darkness within sight of the three of them and then stepped out. "It''s been a while." "Kent Kokubu, are you here for reconnaissance?" "Yes, and I gave treatment at the relief station." "I see ... I heard you had a fight with a Griffon." "Yes, I feel like I defeated it with the help of everyone from Volzard." "Can you tell me how you defeated it?" Emperor Constant didn''t show signs of fatigue, but when he asked me for information, he must have been at a loss as to how to subdue the Gigas. I talked about the fact that the Griffon was clad in powerful wind-attribute magic, the fact that it did not take damage from physical attacks or magic attacks, and the fact that I was able to subdue it with a magic tool that used the principle of the Slave Bracelets. "I see, I didn''t think that the Slave Bracelet would nullify attribute magic." "Father, I think that method would be effective against the Gigas, but there are no magic tool craftsmen here. At this time, even if we send out production instructions by fast horse, it should take nearly a week to complete." "Gregory, are you saying that there is another way?" "No, that''s ..." "Then, prepare a fast horse for the royal capital!" "Umm, can I have a moment?" "What''s wrong, Kent, do you have a way?" "Yes, how about I go back to Volzard and place an order with the magic tool craftsman who made the Slavery Bolas for when I subjugated the Griffon? If all goes well, it may be finished in about three days." "I see, you''re faster than a fast horse, and a craftsman who has already created a magic tool once is more reliable. Alright, money doesn''t matter. Please order 4 sets of magic tools." I passed through the shield of darkness and visited Nott-san, at the magic tool shop in Volzard. I explained the situation to Nott-san''s father, Gain, who was a craftsman, and Nott-san''s younger sister, Jerus, and asked them to speed up the production.(TN:It''s back to Gain, guess Guile was a typo.) "I see ... It''ll be done tomorrow evening." "Can you make it so quickly?" "You can''t replace a human life ..." "Thank you very much." After they confirmed the Minotaur''s Horn I took out of the shadow storage as material, I was kicked out because I was just a hindrance to their work. I also greeted Nott-san and then returned to Barshania. "It seems that the magic tools will be finished by tomorrow evening." "I see, maybe we''ll make it in time." Constant stood up and glared at the Gigas as he pondered his thoughts. The First Prince, Gregory, who was watching his expression, asked. "Father, it seems that the Gigas will start moving after a while, but what should we do?" Of course, he must have heard the question, but Constant kept his silence while staring at the Gigas. "Surround it and watch quietly. No need to interfere!" "Father, are you going to let the captured residents die?" "Then, what do you want me to do?" "Aiming at the area that was damaged by the compound magic of the magician squad, shoot crossbows and such ..." "Isn''t it the same as before? So, how much damage did we do? How much damage remains?" Looking at the place Constant pointed, he couldn''t refute, it seemed that no residual damage was done as a result. "Certainly, it is possible to temporarily inflict damage with the method you said. But, it has recovered before our eyes. In order to recover, a monster consumes physical strength. If it loses physical strength, it needs to make up for it ... What does it do to make up for that?" If you could only inflict temporary damage, it would only increase the number of victims. "Are you thinking that I don''t feel anything when I see my country''s people being eaten? There''s no way that''s true! My guts are boiling and I''m going crazy. However, if you just attack unnecessarily, it will only increase the number of casualties. Until the magic tools arrive, I forbid you to interfere in any way!" At Constant''s order as if vomiting blood, no one objected. "Umm, Gregory-san, are the people trapped in those earthen domes still alive?" "I don''t know. But, it''s definitely a pretty tough situation. From here it looks like a hemisphere, but it''s a sphere with the bottom half underground. The residents who were trying to escape were rolled up together with the rubble and solidified, so if there were any gaps left, it''s possible that they''re still alive, but it''s also true that too many days have passed." A week had already passed since the Gigas appeared. It was said that 72 hours was the time limit for survival at disaster sites, but more than double that time had already passed. If it was rolled up and hardened, the air flow would be cut off, and survival would be hopeless. As I was deep in thought, Constant spoke to me. "Kent Kokubu. If their lives ended, could you remain calm if even the corpses of your genus were eaten?" "No way, I don''t think I could stand it." "It''s the same with me. The people are like family to me. The Gigas will definitely be punished. But, to be honest, my means aren''t enough. The magician unit, which is the main force of the attack, has been hit by a counterattack and its fighting strength has been halved. Even if I was able to peel off its attribute magic armor, I doubt that I would be able to kill that giant. Given the circumstances, failure is unacceptable. Please lend me your strength, I will kill it no matter what!" "Understood. If the magic tool will be completed tomorrow evening, then it''s fine to assume that the operation will be carried out after the morning the day after tomorrow?" "Umu, that''s right. Do you have any plans?" "It''s not decided yet, and I can''t make a decision until I see the Gigas in action, but I''d like to come up with a powerful attack." "I see ... Please." "I promise to spare no effort in cooperating as much as possible." With determination, I shook the thick, hard hand that reminded me of a warrior belonging to Constant who shook hands with me. About an hour later, the Gigas'' huge body, which had not moved even slightly like a rock, began to wobble and its ugly face lifted up. On other sides of its face with no nose bridge like a frog or a snake, it had large dark-green eyeballs. "Boooooo ..." The mouth, which let out a cavernous groan, was devoid of lips and was lined with large, square molar-like teeth. When it stood up while puffing up the dust, it was over 10 meters tall. Rather than walking upright on two legs, it seemed to walk with its long arms on the ground like a gorilla. When the Gigas woke up, it smashed the nearest earthen dome with both hands, searched for the corpse of a resident from the rubble, and threw it into its mouth. The sound of the bones and meat of the corpse being crushed resounded, and the soldiers of Barshania clamored in resentment, but the Gigas didn''t care at all and continued to eat. "As long as we don''t attack from here, will the Gigas not come here?" "It doesn''t seem to at the moment, but I don''t know what will happen if it finishes eating all of the domes. If you go a little further west, you''ll find another settlement, and there''s another settlement a little further into the mainland. We can''t rely on hopeful observations such as when it''s finished eating, it''ll quietly return home." "Even if you attack, does the speed of movement change?" "Well, basically the torso doesn''t move much, but that''s because it has that huge body. Even if a swinging arm hits it, it will flatten a human being." "I see ... I''d like to see its reaction, so is it okay if I let my genus intimidate it?" "Hmm ... That''s fine, but only intimidation." "Then, I''ll go for a while." I dived into the shadows and gave instructions to Nero and Zeta-tachi. "First, Zeta, Eta, Theta. Try to surround the Gigas, and gradually shrink the circle while roaring from time to time. It''s like the Forest Wolves we saw yesterday." "Leave it to me, Nushi-dono." "If the Gigas attacks, end it there, and return to the shadows." "What should Nero do, nya?" "I want Nero to do the same thing around the Gigas'' head as Zeta-tachi will do. I want to see how close it will come to attack, and how fast it will attack." "Okay, nya, that''s easy, nya." "This time, it''s just wait-and-see. Do it without letting your guard down so that you won''t be hit by its attacks." First, Zeta-tachi stepped out of the shadows and roared around the Gigas. "Guruuuuuu ..." The Gigas, who recognized the appearance of Zeta-tachi, stopped eating and began to be cautious. Even if Zeta-tachi started going around the Gigas in a circle, the Gigas just watched them with wide eyes and didn''t move. However, the moment Eta stepped on an earthen dome. "Booaaaaaah!" It roared loudly and swung its thick arms as if to mow her down. Of course, Eta quickly jumped back and the Gigas'' arm cut through the air, but its unclear whether it originally intended to hit her or just intimidate her. After that, when I let Zeta-tachi continue to intimidate it, it would only attack if they stepped into the area where the earth domes were. After having Zeta-tachi return to the shadows, It was Nero''s turn. Recognizing Nero''s appearance, the Gigas, unlike with Zeta-tachi, raised its arms to its chest and prepared for battle. When Nero circled around, it turned not only its eyes, but also its body to warn Nero. [ Even a Gigas has to be wary of a Storm Cat''s attacks. ] "If Nero shows up, it''ll be wary, but if you look at it from a different perspective, if Nero shows up, the Gigas'' attention will be drawn." Even after Nero returned into the shield of darkness, the Gigas remained vigilant for a while. CH 199 Spear golem ***---*** After confirming the Gigas'' reaction with Nero and Zeta-tachi, I returned to Volzard and reported the current situation to Klaus-san. "Gigas? Even with the previous Griffon, and also the maximum outbreak of unprecedented scale, what''s going on with that." "I don''t know about that, but Barshania is in a difficult situation, and I feel that it would be unwise to allow the Gigas to continue to build its territory." "That''s true. I don''t know if other monsters will come across the sea, but if the territory of monsters spread, naturally humans will be deprived of places to live. Right now it''s a problem in Barshania, but if it''s something like a monster that destroys an entire city, there''s no guarantee that it won''t affect Volzard through Resenburg. Cooperate with Barshania to defeat it." "Yes, I''ve been requested by Barshania, so I''ll think of a powerful means of attack." When I was about to return to my escort duties, Beatrice leaned over and hugged me. Ou, maybe it''s because I compared her to Seraphima, but I feel like Beatrice is growing up. "Kent-sama, please be careful ..." "Yup, I''ll attack from the shadows, so it''s okay. I''m heading out." I hugged Beatrice cheek-to-cheek before slipping into the shadows and returning to my escort duties. According to Gregory''s prediction, it would take about a week for the Gigas to eat up the earthen domes, so it was hard to imagine that it would start moving before the Slavery Bolas were completed. If I didn''t have to worry about it moving, what remained was how to kill it. When Zeta-tachi were threatening it, I tried to deploy a shield of darkness inside its body to attack directly, but perhaps it''s because the Gigas had strong magical powers like the Griffon, or because it was clad in earth-attribute magic. Somehow, I couldn''t deploy the shield as I wanted. When it was the Griffon, I had Zae-tachi attack with throwing spears, but it might not be powerful enough to pierce the Gigas'' rock-hard skin and inflict fatal damage. "Hmm ... Is it a missile?" [ What kind of weapon is a missile? ] "Simply put, it''s like a giant spear made with explosives." After returning to the escort mission and arriving at the inn for the day, I asked Basten to stay behind and moved to the special training ground in the Devil''s Forest to prepare a weapon that could defeat the Gigas with a single blow. [ But, Kent-sama, there are no explosives here. Are you planning to bring it in from Japan? ] "Nope, you need a permit to get a large amount of gunpowder in Japan, and unfortunately I''m not qualified to handle it." [ Then, what are you going to do? ] I pointed at the night sky as if to answer Reinhardt''s question. I''ve come here to look at it almost every day, but it''s still an overwhelming starry sky. [ The sky ... Is it? ] "Yes, I''m thinking of raining spears from the sky and skewering it." The strategy was quite simple. I was thinking of building a heavy, strong spear, and going ''Do~on'' with the momentum of free fall.(TN:The SFX for bang or boom.) [ It''s like the ''Spear of Judgment'' ... Kent-sama is finally in the realm of God ... ] "God, rather ... Umm, what is that ''Spear of Judgment''?" [ When a powerful monster that was uncontrollable by humans appeared, the high priest offered a prayer to the heavens and a huge spear fell from the heavens, defeating the monster with a single blow ... There is such an old saying. ] According to Reinhardt, the story of the ''Spear of Judgment'' was a so-called mythological legend, and it was a story long before the Kingdom of Resenburg was created, so it''s unclear if it actually happened. "What kind of shape did that ''Spear of Judgment'' have?" [ Well, according to legend, it was shaped like a long, thick arrow, with two wings in the middle and four wings in the back. ] Reinhardt drew a line on the ground and drew the shape of the ''Spear of Judgment'', but it looked like nothing more than a cruise missile. "I see ... But, in my case, I''ll drop it from above, so I guess just the four wings on the back is fine." The shape was like a dart arrow that pierced straight from the sky. The tip was sharpened into a spear shape to add weight, and then wings were added for balance. "For now, let''s make a model and experiment." The actual spear we''ll be using is for subjugating the Gigas, so it''s planned to be about 10 meters long and about 1 meter wide at the thickest part. I created a 1/100th scale model of the real thing with earth-attribute magic and applied hardening magic. When I threw up the finished model, thanks to the weight of the tip and the wings on the back, it fell straight down with the spear part down and stuck in the ground. "Then, let''s drop this from the sky next." I put out a shield of darkness about 150 meters above in the sky and dropped a model spear through the shadow space. [ Kent-sama ... It was swept away ... ] "Yup, it went somewhere ..." The spear was swept eastward by the wind in the sky. Right now, it was dropped from about 150 meters above the ground, but I was thinking of dropping it from about 3 kilometers above the ground, so it was probably impossible to hit it at this rate. "But it''s okay, I''m thinking about countermeasures in case something like this happens." Using earth magic again, I made a model of the spear. The shape was almost the same as the first one, but there were two joints on the shaft. "Jaja ~ an! Spear Golem!" [ Hohou, you did well to think that, Kent-sama. By moving that axis, you can control the direction in which it falls. ] "That''s right. I added two joints with a 90-degree shift, so I can freely change its direction." When I tried while holding it in my hand, the joints moved smoothly and as expected. This time, it was dropped from a place about 200 meters above the ground, higher than before. [ Kent-sama ... It flew off somewhere ... ] "Yup, that''s right ... Come to think of it, if you let it go from your hand, it will spin around and you won''t know which way to move it." I thought it would work this way, but when I moved it, it seemed to be in the opposite direction, and the model of the spear was blown away by the wind. The free-fall guidance system should have solved everything, but my assumption was too naive. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be fine if you used the shield of darkness? ] "A shield of darkness ...?" [ Sending the spear to the sky is from a shield of darkness that was sent to the sky through the shadow space, right? In that case ... ] "I see, put out a shield of darkness where it fell, and use another shield of darkness above the Gigas'' head to go out without losing momentum." This time, I made a 1/50th size spear and dropped it from 200 meters above the ground so that it wouldn''t be easily blown away by the wind. Since it had been doubled in size, it should have been heavier than it was at first, but a strong west wind seemed to be blowing around 100 meters above the ground, and the spear drifted eastward. Ascertaining how it was drifting away, I caught it with a 10m diameter shield of darkness, and launched it from a similarly 10m diameter shield placed 5m above the training ground. With a thumping sound, the spear was almost buried in the ground. "Alright! This should be fine." [ Kent-sama ... This is no good ... ] "Ehh, why is that? I don''t think the power is a problem ..." [ The shield is too big ... It won''t hit ... ] "Ahh! I see ... That''s right." If you use a shield with a diameter of 10 meters to catch a 1/50 size model, the diameter of the shield will be 500 meters for the actual thing. With a range of 500 meters in diameter, if you don''t know where it will fall, there is a risk that it will hit not only the Gigas but also the Barshanian soldiers. In order to reliably hit the Gigas, the diameter of the acual shield of darkness should be about 3 meters, preferably about 1 meter. For that reason, the shield of darkness that captured and has the model pass through must have a diameter of 2 to 6 cm, and must be large enough for the model''s spear to pass through. It''s impossible to pass through such a small shield of darkness all of a sudden, so I tried it with a diameter of about 50 cm, but I couldn''t catch the spear at all. Just when I thought I had finally caught it, it hit the edge of the shield and the spear fell apart. "Hmm ... I thought it would be easy, but it''s more difficult than I thought." [ Kent-sama, ask the Barshanian soldiers to withdraw. How about raining rocks like when you killed the Orcs? ] "Hmm ... I think that Barshania is the main character in this time''s subjugation of the Gigas. I helped them to obtain the Slavery Bola, but the Barshanian soldiers would still want to subdue it with their own hands, so it''s no good. Even so, I want them to think that This time, the City of Leinef had been destroyed by the Gigas. The people of Barshania must have a strong desire to get revenge on their enemy. I will handle the Slavery Bolas, but if possible, I would like the people of Barshania to kill the Gigas. What I''m preparing is a means to prevent the Gigas from escaping and surviving when the people of Barshania run out of options.(TN: ...) "Isn''t it just a spear, if it''s Nero, it will definitely appear where you aim." "Ehh? Oh, I see! There was that option!" "Nya? Is it Nero''s turn, nya?" "No, I have to have Nero do another job, so I''ll prepare the spear after all. I''ve come up with a way to make it hit." Based on Nero''s hint, I made another 1/50th scale model of the spear, drew a three-ringed target on the ground of the training ground, and aimed at it while dropping the spear from 500 meters above.(TN:A target like that at an archery range.) The spear was stuck in the middle of the target, and the back wings were buried in the ground. [ As expected of Kent-sama ... The realm of Gods ... ] "For the time being, it seems that the model will be fine, but if possible, I would like to prepare and test the same thing as the actual product ..." The actual spear was about 10 meters long, about 1 meter in diameter at its thickest part, and looked like a gigantic dart arrow with four tail wings attached to the rear. The material was earth, but I had the earth-attribute Zeta-tachi do their best to cast hardening magic on it. It probably weighed more than 10 tons. [ Kent-sama, are you going to do a test with this? ] "Yeah, that''s what I intend." [ I feel like the influence on the surroundings is too great here. Why don''t you try it on the beach where you went to dispose of the dead Orcs? ] "That''s right, it looks like the visibility would be better over there." I had the completed spear carried to the shadow storage and moved to the beach where I went to dispose of the dead Orcs. When I moved to the coast, a strong west wind was still blowing. In this case, even if it''s a heavy spear, it looked like it was going to fail if I didn''t calculate that it would be swept to the east. [ Kent-sama, what are you going to do about the target? ] "That''s right ... I wonder if that big piece of driftwood is fine." Affordable driftwood had been washed up on the beach overlooking the cliffs. I checked the procedure again and did image training before the test. After confirming the position of the target driftwood, I prepared to launch a shield of darkness about 15 meters above it. Underneath the spear placed in the shadow space, another shield of darkness was deployed, connected to the sky far above and dropped. Immediately after catching the spear that was falling at a tremendous speed with the shield of darkness, the ground shook with a tremendous impact sound, and sand was blown up into the sky. I hurriedly retreated into the shadow space, waited for a while, and when I fearfully came out to the surface and looked under the cliff, I saw a crater with a diameter of over 50 meters. "Uwaa, the Gigas will be smashed to pieces with this." [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, the power is worth of the name of Maou. ] [ It''s no longer a Maou ... It feels better to call him a Majin ... ](TN:Bit of wordplay here, Majin ''ħÉñ'' is the Kanji for Devil/Demon ''Ma'' and God ''Kami''. So he''s calling him a Demon God instead of a Demon King.) "No, no, even a King is too heavy of a burden, a God is absolutely impossible." [ Kent-sama, it looks like your aim is perfect. ] "That''s right, I''ve got the prospect of hitting the Gigas as well." Nero gave me the hint to shoot from a small shield of darkness. First, create a spear as an earth-attribute golem and disconnect it. Next, connect the magic link as a dark attribute golem and summon it from the shield of darkness above the target. With this method, no matter how big the shield of darkness is, it can be shot from a small shield of darkness. After that, in order to adjust the power, I adjusted the height of the drop, the size and weight of the spear itself, and completed something that I was satisfied with. [ Well, Kent-sama, tomorrow we''re going through Rivarre Pass. Go back soon and take a rest. ] "That''s right, I don''t think bandits will appear, but being careless is a great enemy." The day after I went to Barshania to scout the Gigas, it was finally the day we crossed the Rivarre Pass. When I came to Bakkenheim, it was the Gigawolf Bran who was pulling the cabin, and after finishing the bandit subjugation, I went to Japan to treat athletes Fukuzawa and Kanbayashi, so it was my first time crossing the pass. Rivarre Pass was a strategic point connecting the major cities of Landshelt, Volzard, and the Kingdom of Resenburg. The roads were well maintained, but the places where sheer cliffs were carved and the winding uphill roads were tough on the horses that pulled the carriages. You had to carefully observe how the horses breathed and how they sweated to decide how fast to climb the mountain pass, which was an opportunity for the driver to show off their skills. There were spaces here and there on the pass where horses could park and rest, but the number of carriages that could be parked was limited because of the limited space available on the pass road. For that reason, it seemed that there were cases where they couldn''t take a rest at the place they had planned, and it will come back around later, causing the carriage to get stuck. "Johannes-san, please let me know if it gets tough on the horses. I can move the luggage to my shadow storage to make it lighter, and Takayama will run on his own feet." "Okay, it''s fine now, but if an accident happens, I''ll ask you." "As for Takayama, you can let him run even if there is no accident." When I was discussing emergency protocol with Johannes-san, the window of the cabin opened and Takayama showed his face. "Kokubu, I can hear you, rather, you can move easily, you should get off." "What are you talking about? Wouldn''t you be in trouble if I wasn''t in charge of the escort?" "No, if your genus are here, Kokubu will be ..." "I''m necessary! Because I''m really necessary." Seriously, can you please stop calling me like an extra for my genus. Just a moment, just for a moment, because it''s not like I''m unaware that it''s actually like that. Johannes-san drove the carriage while observing the condition of the horses and resting early. The Volzard Family''s carriage successfully climbed the Rivarre Pass. We took a slightly longer lunch break at the rest area near the top of the pass. "Hey, Takayama, it''s time to get to work. Give the horses water and fodder." "Kokubu, you were just sitting today, too, get to work." "What are you talking about. Even though you were sleeping in the cabin." Today, unlike yesterday, there was a cloudless blue sky, but perhaps because we came up the mountain pass, the air felt tense and cold. "Uwaa ... It''s a superb view." "Kent, over there is the direction of Volzard." From the resting place, we could get a good view of the distant scenery, and in the direction Augusto-san was pointing, there was a place that seemed to be pastures and cultivated land, and beyond that, the green belt that even looked black was probably the Devil''s Forest. "As expected, we can''t see the city of Volzard, but according to the story of an adventurer who spent the night at this resting place, the faint light can be used to locate Volzard." "I see, the city lights stand out because the surroundings are pitch black. I''ll come and see it next time." "Really, if it''s a place Kent has visited once, you can easily go there. I envy you." "The sea at night is also amazing. There are fish that will surprise you." Augusto-san seemed to have been intrigued by the story of the giant fish I witnessed previously. "If such a fish really exists, I''d like to see it." "If it''s time to subjugate a large number of monsters and dispose of their corpses ... Ahh, but it''s hard to get to the coast." In order for Augusto-san to reach the coast, he must go through the Devil''s Forest from Volzard, cross the river into Resenburg, and continue on a path with no road. Since he was the heir to the Lord of Volzard, it would be difficult for him to easily go to another country. After all, I felt that the Feudal Lord Family was bound by various ties. The Volzard Family''s carriage had crossed the pass smoothly so far, but it was stopped shortly after it started running after the lunch break. The carriage that was supposed to have taken the lead after finishing its rest earlier than us came back. "He ~ ey! There''s a big fallen rock ahead and we can''t get through. Well, it''s impossible for one or two days. If you don''t turn back early, accommodations for tonight will run out." "Alright. Thanks for the info." When Johannes-san raised his hand and signaled, the returning carriage called out to the carriage behind and went back the way it came. A carriage came back from behind them and said that it would not be possible to pass at all, and turned back. "Johannes-san, could you please move in front of the fallen rocks?" "What are you going to do? Do you intent to restore the road?" "It depends on the situation, but my genus are excellent." "Kokubu isn''t needed after all, are you?" "Takayama, you''re noisy!" Even though he doesn''t do anything escort-like to the extent that he takes care of the horses, he''s really starting to say unnecessary things. The site of the fallen rocks was at the back of a curve that seemed to enter the mountain surface, and the road was buried for about 30 meters by fallen rocks and earth and sand. Below the road was a steep cliff about 40 meters high towards the stream after a slope about 15 meters wide continued inside the curve. The largest fallen rock was more than 10 meters high, and the rock surface must have peeled off and fallen down. "This is ... It certainly won''t be possible to pass in a day or two." "No, no, Johannes-san, we also have experts in civil engineering." [ Kent-sama ... A carriage got involved ... ] "Ehh ... Ahh, it''s true!" A carriage, apparently caught in the fallen rocks, was barely caught at the edge of the slope. The connection between the horses and the cabin was broken, the horses were nowhere to be seen, and the person on the coachman''s stand must have been thrown off. The expensive-looking cabin with the coat of arms was also broken in various places, lying on its right side, with the wheels barely caught in tree roots. It seemed that there were people on the other side of the landslide who had noticed, but there was a sheer cliff on the other side, and it seemed that they could only look at it from above. "Reinhardt, support it!" [ Understood. ] For the time being, I placed a shield of darkness below the carriage and had Reinhardt support the carriage from there. When I dived into the shadows and looked inside the carriage, I saw two men lying unconscious. CH 200 Overpass ***---*** The carriage that was hanging on the cliff was a four-seater, with two seats facing each other. The left front part that was hit directly by falling rocks was destroyed, and the sky was visible from there. "Are you okay? Please pull yourself together." "Uuh, uuh ..." I called out to the middle-aged man who was lying on the right side and tapped him on the shoulder, and he slowly opened his eyes. "B, bastard, a bandit!" "Huh? No, no, you''re wrong. The landslide was an accident, and I''m an adventurer guarding a passing carriage. This carriage is about to fall off the cliff." Outside the window on the right side, you could see the stream flowing far below. "What, this is ..." "Please calm down. My genus are supporting us from below, so there''s no need to worry about falling." "You, did you come down the cliff to help us?" The carriage had slipped about 50 meters off the highway and was barely caught in the roots of a tree, and even if you looked up you could only see a sheer cliff. "I''m a magician with the dark attribute, so I can move through the shadows. I came here through the shadows." "I see, even so, I am grateful that you came to help us. But, how can we climb this ..." "That person, are they alright?" "Huh, Angel-sama, Angel-sama ..." "Wait, he might have hit his head, so please don''t shake him and call out to him." "I see, that''s right ... Angel-sama, please pull yourself together ..." As the middle-aged man continued to call out, the young man called Angel woke up and began to look around with a blank look. After looking first at the middle-aged man''s face and then at mine, his body trembled. "Wh, who are you?" "Angel-sama, he is an adventurer who came to help us. It seems that the carriage fell towards the cliff due to falling rocks." "Ehh ... h!" Angel-san stiffened when he realized that the carriage had been overturned and that below the window was a cliff that plunged into the stream. "It''s okay, the carriage is supported by my genus, so it won''t fall." "Genus?" "I''m a dark-attribute magician, so I live and work together with subjugated monsters as my genus." Here we introduced ourselves again. This carriage belonged to the Robere Company in Marburg, and Angel-san was said to be the successor to the chairman, and he was on his way to Volzard for business negotiations. "You''re escorting the Volzard Family at such a young age, or are there other veteran adventurers out there?" "No, the other one is the same age as me." "Is that so, then you must be quite skilled." Angel-san had light brown hair and round ears on his head, giving him the impression of a young lion. His deep brown eyes made him look intelligent and full of curiosity. Or rather, he was clearly a carnivore. The middle-aged man''s name was Lyle-san, and he seemed to be Angel-san''s secretary. His greenish-brown hair was neatly arranged, and his green eyes, which tended to droop a little, gave a gentle impression. "So, how do we escape from here ..." "That''s right ... I''ll make a staircase with the shields of darkness, so let''s go up." "Shield of darkness ... I think that''s a dark attribute defensive magic ..." "Yes, but the shield of darkness can pass through inanimate matter, but not animate matter." I had Lyle-san ride the shield of darkness that I sent out as a trial, but he didn''t seem to flinch. "You certainly can ride it, but your shoes sink in and it feels like you''re walking barefoot." "Do you have any problems walking?" "It''s fine, but ... It''s a weird feeling." "Then, first I''ll make a staircase to the door, so let''s go up it and go outside. Is that okay, Angel-san?" "Alright. Then ... Ouch!" "What''s wrong?" "My knee ..." I wonder if he didn''t notice because he was nervous, but maybe he hit something while he was falling and rolling, and when he rolled up his pants, his left knee was swollen and bruised. "I will treat you, so can I take a look?" "You, you''re a dark-attribute magician, aren''t you?" "Yeah, that''s right, but I can use healing magic for some reason?" Angel-san''s knee seemed to be just a bruise, and the treatment was easily completed. "That''s amazing. As expected, the Volzard Family chose their escort well." "Then, for now, let''s go back up to the road. I will support you from the shadows, so please don''t panic." "Roger, my best regards." The door of the carriage was distorted due to the impact of the fall and could not be opened, so I didn''t hesitate to use wind-attribute magic to blow it away. I made a stairway up to the door with shields of darkness and pulled them up onto the overturned carriage. "Uuh, it''s really high ..." "It''s okay. In the unlikely event that you are about to fall, I will put out another shield to prevent it, so don''t worry." After getting out of the carriage and once again recognizing the situation in which he was placed, Angel-san''s expression stiffened. Because he''s suspended in mid-air on a high cliff, he''s honestly paralyzed. "Then, I''ll make footholds with the shield of darkness, so please climb it." I placed five 5-meter-square shields of darkness in a stepped pattern, and when they reached the top step, placed the next five, and moved the two of them to where the Volzard Family''s carriage was. Upon returning up to the road, Angel-san and Lyle-san let out deep breaths, and finally seemed to come to their senses. Then, when they turned to face me, they changed their postures and lowered their heads. "Kent-kun, thank you. I''d like to thank you again, but if I ask the Volzard guild, I wonder if they''ll know?" "That''s right. If it''s a staff member of the guild, they probably know me, but when helping each other when you''re in trouble, it''s fine to just say thank you." "No, that''s not going to happen. If I can''t properly thank you for helping me out of a life-threatening situation and treating my knee, the name of the Robere Company will be ruined." "Then, the standard gratitude is fine." While Angel-san was greeting Augusto-san and the others, Reinhardt came back carrying three bags. [ Kent-sama, I brought their luggage. ] "Thank you, Reinhardt. Lyle-san, this is the luggage that was on the carriage." "Oh, thank you very much, I''m saved because there was something necessary for business negotiations in there." Seeing that Angel-san-tachi were saved, the people on the other side of the landslide seemed to have turned back along the pass, leaving the only nearby carriage being the one belonging to the Volzard Family. The restoration work of the landslide was likely to involve all of my genus, so I put out a shield of darkness in front of the carriage to block the view so that the horses didn''t panic. "Then, Augusto-san, I''ll restore the road for a while." "Okay. Should we just wait here?" "Yes, I''ll get it done quickly." I moved through the shield of darkness until I could see the landslide site. "Reinhardt, please escort them with Zae-tachi." "Understood."(TN:Dunno why it''s spoken dialogue here, should be [ ] telepathy if it''s Reinhardt.) "Okay, well then, let''s clean up quickly. Zeta, Eta, Theta, cast hardening magic on the crumbling cliffs and harden them so that they won''t crumble any more." "Leave it to me, Nushi-dono." "Basten and Nero, can you break the large rock?" "Leave it to me, Kent-sama."(TN:Again, why spoken dialogue for Basten? Should be [ ] telepathy ...) "Nero will do my best, too, nya." "Everyone in the Kobold Corps, remove the dirt from the road and fill in the holes and harden them." "Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama." "When we''re done, pet me." "Well then, everyone, let''s get started!" Zeta-tachi would scatter along the slope and harden from above to prevent further collapse. Every time Basten wielded his beloved spear Gae Bolg and Nero wielded its claws, a large rock was carved away and became smaller in the blink of an eye. The Kobolds were digging up the accumulated earth and sand in places where Basten and Nero were not working, and dropping them down the cliff. "Well ... I thought it would be done pretty quickly, but like this ..." [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, everyone is used to clearing the forest in Volzard, so this level of work is easy. ] In less than ten minutes, the large rocks disappeared, and only about half of the original area was filled with earth and sand. If they kept working at this pace, we should be able to pass the road in less than an hour. [ Kent-sama ... The mementos of the people who fell under the cliff ... ] What Fred brought were two guild cards and two locks of hair. I returned to the carriage and handed them over to Lyle-san. "Lyle-san, these are mementos of the people who fell." "Thank you very much for everything. Since the two of them were adventurers owned by the Robere Company, I will hand them over to the bereaved families." "Um, what should we do with the corpses?" "They fell from such a height, so aren''t they in a terrible state?" [ It''s pretty terrible ... It''s difficult to transport ... ] "That''s right. It seems like they''re in pretty bad shape." "Is it possible for you to bury them on the spot?" "Yes, it is possible." "Then, could you arrange for that?" "I understand." The bodies were moved by Fred before the restoration work began. It seemed that they had now returned them to their original state, but when they were discovered, their limbs were bent in impossible directions. I dug a deep hole in the stream with earth-attribute magic and placed the two of them in the bottom of the hole. In order not to be dug up by animals and monsters, I hardened it several times along the way and covered it with soil before burying it. "Even if you don''t get attacked by monsters, people lose their lives in accidents like this, right." [ They might one day ... Become a genus of a great necromancer ... ] Perhaps, Fred and the others were also buried deep underground. The two of us offered a silent prayer and returned to the restoration site. [ Kent-sama, it''s almost finished. After that, just blow the dust away and it''s done. ] "Thank you, everyone. I''ll do the final cleaning." The crumbling cliff was solidified with earth-attribute magic, and the road surface was beautifully finished with no unevenness. I blew away the dust with wind-attribute magic, and the traces of the landslide disappeared from the road. "Okay, everyone line up and get petted in order." I petted the Kobold Corps lined up on the road in order, then petted Zeta-tachi, and finally petted Nero, and the restoration work was completed. I returned everyone to the shadow space, erased the shield of darkness, and returned to the carriage. "Wh, what''s going on. I can''t believe it. How can those huge stones and earth and sand be cleaned up in such a short time ..." "Angel-sama, am I dreaming ..." The two members of the Robere Company were staring blankly at the place where the landslide occurred, and Augusto-san and Angelina-san couldn''t seem to hide their surprise. "Well, it''s not Kokubu, but his genus that are excellent." "What are you talking about? I gave them instructions so everyone could move without confusion, do you understand?" "No, even without Kokubu, they would still be in control." "That''s why, as the supervisor ... it''s fine. When I get back to Volzard, I''ll tell Donovan-san that Takayama is getting lost in the moment, so please be strict with him." "No, please wait a minute, I did it properly." "No, no, weren''t you living it up in the cabin." "If you say that, even Kokubu would have been living it up until we entered the Great Forest." "No, I was thinking of having Takayama gain some experience ..." "Kent, Shuichi, do you have a moment?" While I was joking around with Takayama, Augusto-san called out to us. "I decided to take the two from the Robere Company to the village at the foot of the mountain, but even if we pack the seats, there will only be one more place to ride." "Now, Takayama, it''s your turn. Are you ready to run?" "Hey, wait a minute. Regardless of the fact that it descends from here, you would die running from here to the foot of the mountain, normally ..." "No, you don''t have to run. However, you have no choice but to hold on to the steps and stand on them and ride." The carriage had a step under the door for getting on and off, but the width was about 30 cm, and although there was a handrail, it was quite a thrill to stand and ride while receiving the vibrations of the carriage. "Takayama, I''m relying on you!" "Wait, wait, you''re trying to return to the coachman''s stand without permission." "Takayama, who has higher physical ability than me, would be the best choice here." "Hey, it''s useless to try to flatter me only at times like this." "It can''t be helped, it''s rock-paper-scissors without grudges." "Okay, let''s do it. Is it okay to play three times?" The rock-paper-scissors game for the driver''s stand ended with a simple victory for Takayama. "Kuu, Takayama is cheeky ..." "Ha!Ha!Ha! , then, I''m on the driver''s stand and Kokubu is on the step, okay?" "No, I''ll follow along via shadow movement, so it''s okay." "Ehh, I guess so ... Wait, then there was no need to play rock-paper-scissors." "Wh is that. If I had won, Takayama would have ridden on the step." "You''ve been getting worse and worse lately." "It''s okay, it''s limited to Takayama." "Kent, we''re about to leave." "Ah, yes, please leave because I will chase after you." "Idiot, I haven''t gotten on yet." "Tch ..." "Tch, is not it, tch, is." Takayama climbed onto the driver''s stand and the carriage began to descend the pass. After seeing it off, I tried to dive into the shadows and move, but Zeta appeared. "Nushi-dono, please ride me." "Eeehhh ... Is it okay if I ride?" "Of course. When Nushi-dono strengthened us, I could feel his desire to ride on our backs and run." "Ahh ... I see, I certainly thought such." "Come on, Nushi-dono ..." "Well, excuse me ..." I climbed onto Zeta''s back while she was lying on the ground, and it felt wonderfully fluffy. "Then, let''s go." "Wa, wait a minute, Zeta, slow down, slow down." "I understand, Nushi-dono." "Fuaah ... H, high!" When Zeta stood up straight, the height to her back was nearly 2 meters. In addition, my sitting height was added, so I felt like I was looking down from the window of the second floor. "Oooh ... F, fast!!" When Zeta started running, Eta, Theta, and Nero also came out and started running side by side. In addition, the Kobolds also came out and ran together. Or rather, I''m scared I''ll fall off ... "Zeta, don''t get too close to the carriage as it might frighten the horses." "I understand, Nushi-dono." "Next, ride Nero, nya. Then I''ll run through the sky, nya." "I see, the sky ... If I fall, I''ll die, so I''ll think about countermeasures first." Come to think of it, when I gave Nero the wind attribute, I wanted to run through the sky with it. I''ve been so busy lately, it seems like I''ve forgotten a lot of things. Today, I had to go get the Slavery Bolas, and tomorrow was the actual subjugation of the Gigas. The carriage was scheduled to arrive at Volzard in the evening, and the day after tomorrow I had to go pick up the dress with the chairman. Vaguely, I had to proceed with the next return, and if I did the next return work, I would have all the attributes. If the magic from the magic circle was a degraded version of attribute magic, then the secret of summoning may be solved. Personally, I would like to refrain from taking attributes from boys, so I would like to acquire summoning techniques somehow. And, I had to greet the chairman''s parents by the new year. "Aaah ... I have a lot of work to do. It''s not the last day of summer vacation." "Nushi-dono, why don''t you forget your worries and enjoy yourself for now?" Zeta''s running speed was, in terms of horses, a leisurely gait, and it didn''t feel like we were running against the wind, but it was the best way to relax and enjoy the scenery. It''s no good if I''m the only one who''s frowning while everyone is smiling while running around me. "That''s right. Nn ~ ... This feels good, it''s the best ..." When I entrusted my body to Zeta''s neck as if hugging it, the fluffy fur became a cushion for the best ride. "Nya! The best is Nero, nya!" "Yup, that''s right, Nero''s coat feels good, I know that well." "That''s good, nya." Thanks to the landslide, all the carriages that were supposed to be climbing the pass turned back, and the road was reserved for us. I enjoyed the feeling of going on an excursion with my genus near the village at the foot of the mountain. CH 201 Night before subjugation ***---*** "5,000 Helts!" "Such a thing ..." "Do you have any complaints?" "It''s too cheap!" "Fuun, you bring in the Minotaur Horns, and the rest is up to us. No matter what you say, we won''t accept any more!" When I went to pick up my Slavery Bolas, Gain-san, a magic tool craftsman, presented me a price. The daily wage for general jobs was around 500 Helts, but it was not uncommon for highly specialized jobs to earn 1,500 Helts or more. Moreover, this time, Gain-san and his daughter, Jerus-san, worked late into the night. The two magic tool craftsmen put their heart and soul into the work for a day and a half. "I still owe you a lot of debt, such as the provision of the Minotaur''s Horns and the protection of the town of Volzard. I have no intention of receiving anything other than the labor wages as a craftsman." I threw a glance at Jerus-san, who was working nearby, asking if she could somehow back me up, but she only shrugged her shoulders lightly. Apparently, she knew that once he brought it up, he wouldn''t change his mind. "Understood, then 5,000 Helts is fine. In return, if there are any materials you can''t get, please let me know. I can handle most things." "Fuun, give the payment to Nott, don''t give him any extra!" Gain-san returned to work as if the story was over. If this is the case, there''s nothing I can do about it, so let''s leave the workshop, pay Nott-san at the store, and go home. "Nott-san, this is the payment for the magic tools." "That''s no good, Kent-kun, if I get this much, my father will yell at me later." "Haa ... Each and every one of you, why are you so stubborn ..." "Hahahaha, I think Kent-kun is the stubborn one even though he was told so much by my father and still tries to pay extra." I had no other choice, so I finished with just paying 5,000 Helts. "Hmm ... I think it''s okay to ask for more if you''ve done this much work." "Well, this job was a bit special, but from my father''s point of view, making magic tools is like daily necessities." "But, they made it quite quickly." "Yeah, that amount has been added." "But ..." From my point of view, it''s a magic tool full of craftsmanship that can''t be imitated, so I can''t accept it as the level of daily necessities, and I can''t help but feel that the price is too cheap. "My father will never charge an exorbitant price. In return, there is no such thing as a bargain sale." "Does that mean that any work is the same?" "Yes, that''s right! Whether it''s a special item like this time or a magic tool for daily necessities, it''s a manifestation of my father''s intention that he will never cut corners as a craftsman. Previously, we talked about the advantages and disadvantages of camp paper." "Yes, the performance will change depending on the quality of the materials and the accuracy of the formation." "Right, right, magic tools like camp paper and daily necessities aren''t expensive, but if they don''t perform as expected, the people who use them will really be troubled. Because it''s a magic tool, he will never cut corners." "I see ... That''s the pride of a craftsman." "Also, it''s only natural to charge the same price for the same work, and if you charge a higher price because it''s a special item, it wouldn''t be strange that you had to charge a higher price for daily necessities as well. Since magic tools are meaningless unless they are used, daily necessities are not expensive. In that case, my father''s idea is that the labor cost is the same whether it''s a luxury item or a one-of-a-kind item." "I see ... He really feels like a stubborn craftsman." "Hahahaha, that''s right." "But, he''s kind of cool, isn''t he." "That''s right." After laughing with Nott-san, I once again thanked him for rushing the Slavery Bolas and left the store. As a craftsman, they don''t discriminate between jobs, approach each one with the same attitude, and only receive time and effort. Since I''m an S-rank adventurer, it''s only natural that I earn more money than the F-rank and E-rank guys. I think both are correct, but it''s difficult to put a price on your work. With the completed Slavery Bolas, I moved to Barshania. The Barshanian army set up a position about 300 meters away from the Gigas, and set up a camp about 500 meters further behind. The large tent at the far end was probably the tent for Emperor Constant. When I looked inside, I found Constant, who had taken off his armor, sitting on the rug. Gregory was with him, wearing nothing but a breastplate for armor, but both of them seemed lost in thought and did not seem to speak to each other. I went out of the shadows while calling out that I was entering. "Good evening, it''s Kent. "Is it finished, did you take care of it." "No, I just ordered it." "It''s quick, but would you like to show me the items?" "Yes, they''re heavy, here ..." The Slavery Bolas were so heavy that it seemed I would stagger if I let my guard down. I took one out of the shadow storage and placed it in front of Constant. "Hou, I see. If you make a chain with the Minotaur''s Horn that allows magic to pass through, and if this is entwined, it will work as a large Slave Bracelet." "Yes, that''s right." Constant wrapped the Slavery Bola around Gregory''s arm to make sure it actually worked. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a blade!" Gregory put the chain around his left arm and tried to activate magic with his right hand, but no air current was created. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" "How is it, Grey."(TN:It should technically just be Gre(Gure) short for Gregory(Guregorie), but that sounds weird, so I''m changing it slightly.) "Yes, I can''t use attribute magic at all, and I basically can''t activate strengthening magic." Since it demonstrated its power during the Griffon subjugation, there should be no problem with the quality. It seemed that Constant was satisfied with that point, but at the same time he also remembered his concerns. "Grey. Can you handle it?" "I can ... It''s a little heavy, but I can handle it with physical strengthening." "Are you sure you can hit with it?" "That is ..." Gregory seemed to be thinking about an actual battlefield. "It may be difficult. Where the Gigas allows access is up to where there are no earthen domes. If I intend to throw it from there, it''s unsure whether it will go as intended." "I see. Kent, how close did you approach the Griffon when you used it?" "Since I can use shadow movement, it feels like we threw it from close range at the stopped Griffon." "Is that so ... Could you accept the role of throwing the magic tool during the subjugation tomorrow? Failure is not allowed, and it is difficult for us to get close enough to hit it. How about it?" "Yes, that''s fine, but one of the three people who used this magic tool during the Griffon subjugation was entrusted with commanding the escort, so only two people can actually throw them ..." "It doesn''t matter. Four magic tools were prepared, and two people throw them. Then, even if they fail once, you can try again." "Understood. I will accept it." If it''s us, we can use the shield of darkness to throw them from close range, and even if it fails, it''s possible to retrieve it. "What are you going to do about the attack after the Slavery Bolas hit? I have prepared the powerful attack you requested, but ..." "I''m sorry, but please leave it to us." Gregory''s words interrupting my conversation made me feel like he had prepared. "Perhaps, if we leave it to you, we will be able to subdue it smoothly, but when a city of Barshania is being attacked and the people of Barshania are being killed, there is no way we let it end with doing nothing. I know that even if I say this, it doesn''t look good after getting so much help. Even so, just watching is not allowed." Constant nodded gravely when Gregory turned his gaze to him. "Kent. I''m sorry for stealing cred, but will you accept it?" "Yes. My attack is fine for just in case. Please feel free to bring a hammer down on the Gigas." "I''m sorry, and thank you." "As for me, it will be a good experience to accumulate experience in subjugating a Gigas, so I will do my best to help you." After hearing from Gregory about the Gigas'' behavioral patterns so far, we decided on the start time for the next morning''s operation, and the day''s meeting came to an end. "Then, I will visit the defensive position tomorrow morning." "Wait. Are you not going to see Sera?" "Umm ... My Volzard Sister-in-law told me not to treat just one person as special ..." "I see, that certainly makes sense. But, how is it as a man to leave his uneasy fiancee alone?" Constant''s expression changed from his heavy expression he wore until just then and loosened his mouth with a grin. "Eeh, that is ..." "If it''s a battle against a human, we won''t fall behind, and we won''t actually lose. However, this time the opponent, a Gigas, is different. It''s an opponent that we can''t do much damage to even if we stand up against it as a group, let alone the power of an individual. In fact, in the first battle, many casualties were caused to the Magician Corps. During the day, when she came to check on this me and the others, I told her that we would definitely win, that we would definitely come back alive, but Sera, who is sensitive, must have noticed that those words were mixed with anxiety. She''s in the rear camp now, so please meet her. And, will you tell her not to come here tomorrow?" "I understand." I dived into the shadows and moved to Hirt, the liaison, to find Seraphima in her tent. She sat on a shaggy rug like a carpet, facing Hirt. "Is it better not to go to the front line tomorrow?" "Wau, if they say you can''t go, you have to be patient." "But, I''m still worried." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama is there, so don''t worry." "Of course, I''m not doubting Kent-sama ... But I''m worried." "Wau, Goshujin-sama is strong, so it''s okay." Yup, I wonder if it''s popular among the Princesses of this world to ask Kobolds for life advice. The sight of Hirt patting Seraphima on the shoulder to cheer her up was heartwarming. "Sera, can I come in?" "Ke, Kent-sama! Please, come in." "Good evening, sorry to disturb you." "Is there anything you need?" I showed up without warning her, so Seraphima looked worried. "I just finished delivering the magic tools that will be used for the Gigas subjugation tomorrow. Can I take a break for a while?" "Yes, of course. I''ll prepare tea ... Kent-sama, have you had dinner yet?" "No, I was so busy that I haven''t eaten yet." "We can''t serve a lot of food due to the location, but would you like to have some?" "If Sera is with me ..." "Yes, then, I will prepare it for you." When Seraphima left the tent to prepare food, Hirt approached. "Hirt, thank you for being Sera''s conversation partner." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me." Hirt lay down on the rug, showing its belly. When I petted it as requested, Hirt looked enraptured and wagged its tail in satisfaction. As expected of a rug used by the Imperial Family, it felt wonderful to the touch, but Hirt''s stomach was more fluffy and comfortable. The heating was on inside the tent, and when I sat still, sleepiness attacked me. It seemed like it would be nice to lie down with Hirt, but it would be a bit rude, wouldn''t it. "Thank you for waiting, Kent-sama." The attendant who came with Seraphima quickly set the table. The menu was simple: broiled sausage, soup, and black bread, but since it was a rear camp on the battlefield, I didn''t expect an extravagant menu from the beginning. The attendant set the table and then bowed and left. "No, Kent-sama, please enjoy your meal." "Thank you, itadakimasu." The menu was simple, but the seasoning of the sausage and soup was a little different from Volzard. Spicy spices like chili and pepper were used to stimulate your appetite. The base of the soup was a vegetable that resembled tomatoes, but it had a rich umami flavor that went well with root vegetables. "Afuu ... This is spicy, but it''s really delicious. Is this a seasoning unique to Barshania?" "Yes, this seasoning is common in Barshania. Do you like it?" "Yup, the other day, I went to a meat restaurant in Bakkenheim, but this seasoning is completely different from that, and the food in this world is delicious." "Bakkenheim is a city of science, isn''t it. Were you trying to find out something?" "Nope, the reason I went to Bakkenheim was to accompany the Master of the Headquarters Guild as an escort." I told Seraphima that I was accompanying Master Reese to Bakkenheim, and that I was on the way back from escorting the Volzard Family''s carriage, and that there were bandits, thieves, and landslides. Before I knew it, Hirt rested its head on my feet and was in perfect relaxation mode. "Haa ... It seems that wherever Kent-sama goes, trouble awaits." "Ahh, now that you mention it, that might be so. Or rather, there are too many troubles." "Because people and things will gather under someone as talented as Kent-sama, the number of incidents will naturally increase." "Hmm, I just want to live a peaceful life." "I''m sorry. We also depended on Kent-sama ..." "No, don''t worry about it. Monsters like the Gigas will only cause more damage if we don''t work together to fight them." "Thank you very much ..." Seraphima smiled when she was listening to the escort story, but her expression clouded over when the subject of the Gigas came up. "Are you worried?" "Yes. Many magicians lost their lives before Kent-sama arrived. Listening to those who were brought in with wounds, they said that the attacks of Barshania''s proud Magician Corps had little effect ... Tomorrow, even though Kent-sama will help us, I think that many people will be hurt again, as a member of the Imperial Family, it''s a pathetic story, but I can''t control my anxiety." "Do you want to go to the front line?" "That is ... I don''t know. I want to be close to my father and brother, but I also feel that I shouldn''t go and become a hindrance. What should I do ..." Seraphima seemed to be suffering from being unable to reconcile her feelings and actions. "I ... want Sera to stay here." "Kent-sama ..." "I think tomorrow'' battle will probably be tough, and depending on the situation, there may be a lot of injuries. At that time, I think the role of the camp here will be very important, and they need someone to manage this place. Isn''t that Sera''s role?" Seraphima raised her face, which had been looking down, and stared at me. "Yes, that''s right. That is my role. Please leave it to me." "Yup, I''ll cooperate as much as I can, so please take care of things here." "Yes, as you wish." Seraphima''s expression seemed to have disappeared, if it looked like this, I didn''t need to worry about her coming out to the front line. As soon as one worry disappeared, sleepiness hit me again. This time, I''ve finished eating dinner, and my stomach is full, so its power was increasing. My eyelids became heavy, and I almost fell asleep. "Kent-sama?" "Nya, nyani kana?"(TN: ''Wh, what is it?'' Original should be Na, nani kana, but he''s surprised.) "You look tired." "Yup, but it''s okay, all I have to do is go back." "Is that so ... Um, why don''t you go back after taking a short break?" "Ehh ..." Seraphima pointed at Hirt in Relax Mode and then patted her own thigh. That, isn''t it an invitation to take a break on Seraphima''s lap? "Is it no good?" "No good ... It isn''t, yes." "Then ... Go ahead." I didn''t know why, but I couldn''t seem to resist the ''pon pon'' temptation.(TN: ''Pon pon'' is patting sound, like her hand patting her thigh.) "Then, just a little bit ... Fuaaa." Seraphima looked delicate, but her thighs were moderately fleshy, and the height that supported my neck was a perfect fit. I was embarrassed to face her face-to-face, so I closed my eyes, and then I felt a soft touch on my cheek. When I opened my eyes in surprise, Seraphima with a loving smile began to gently stroke my head. Ah, I can''t resist an ''iiko, iiko'' that is a little different from Ange-oneechan''s. This tolerance ... I wonder if it''s a Princess'' correction. Feeling a weight on my stomach I turned my gaze, Hirt, who had been removed when I got a lap pillow, had changed places and was leaning its head on me. While being stroked by Seraphima, I started stroking Hirt, but it was soft, warm, and fluffy, and I was easily lulled into sleep. CH 202 Gigas ***---*** On the day of the decisive battle, a strong west wind was blowing in Leinef early in the morning. A large brown mass sat in the center of the city, which had turned into rubble and dust, as if it didn''t feel the wind. The sun had just finished rising, and the blowing wind mercilessly tried to steal our body heat, but the Barshanian soldiers lined up were staring at today''s enemy with a firm expression. Today, Barshania planned to put all their strength into a short-term decisive battle. At the moment when the Slavery Bolas got entangled, they would attack in one fell swoop and finish it off. The knights who normally fought with swords and spears were under the command of the magician squad today to attack with compound magic, after damaging the hard outer skin it seemed they would transition to a double-sided attack of physical and magic. If the Slavery Bolas were effective, the magic armor should be peeled off, the damage should be easier to pass through, and the speed of regeneration by strengthening the body should be slowed down. If they could damage the hard skin with compound magic, it might be possible to damage it with the swords and spears of the knights. If that didn''t work, it would be my turn. There were three types of spear golems for attack, large, medium, and small. I could also change the damage dealt by the size of the spear and the height at which it was dropped. This time, I assumed that there would be Barshanian soldiers around the Gigas, and if I didn''t think about the strength of the attack, there was a risk of it becoming friendly fire, so I had to make my choices carefully. Emperor Constant and the First Prince, Gregory, stood at the rearmost position of the battle line and glared at the Gigas. The Third Prince, Nicolae, who lead the magician corps, should be standing on the front lines and taking command. From the base to the front line, there should have been more than 20,000 Barshanian soldiers, but there was a tense atmosphere. "Good morning. My genus have also finished preparations, so it''s okay to give the signal at any time." "I see. Today''s battle won''t be able to get drunk on the delicious liquor of victory without your efforts. I''m counting on you." "Yes, I''ll do my best. I''ll be waiting in the shadows, but please give instructions assuming I''m here." It was too windy and too cold outside. In the shadow space, I would wait while leaning against Nero. "Today, Nero has a turn, nya?" "If everything goes smoothly, you won''t have a turn, but if something goes wrong, you will play an important role, so keep that in mind." "That''s fine, nya. Nero is always ready, nya." I stroked him behind the ears and Nero purred at me gleefully.(TN:I''m just gonna go with male for Nero since it''s a male name, and is used for male pets in every novel I''ve read. If it turns out to be wrong later, then I''ll switch it at that time, but until then, he''s male.) Usually I get sleepy when I''m leaning against the fluffy Nero, but today I didn''t feel sleepy at all, probably because I''m nervous. Today''s goal was to subdue the Gigas without incident, and if possible, have no one injured. About an hour after the Barshanian army finished their preparations, the Gigas began to move, as if it had finally felt the warmth of the sun. It released its defensive posture from during sleep, and I could see its ugly face. Outside the area lined with earthen domes, the Barshanian soldiers prepared to attack all at once, but the Gigas didn''t even seem to care. Probably, it had decided that they were not a presence that posed a danger to itself in the last battle. In the shadow space, Reinhardt and Fred began preparations to toss the Slavery Bolas, but there were no instructions from Constant yet. Looking closely, the Gigas was still staying still. It didn''t seem to care about the Barshanian soldiers either, so it turned its back and stared at the sea for a while. Finally, the Gigas turned its gaze back towards the land and stood up. "Kent Kokubu. Get ready ..." Hearing Constant''s words, Reinhardt and Fred started brandishing the Slavery Bolas. The whistling sound of the wind echoed through the shadow space. Just when the Gigas stood up and stretched out its hand towards the earthen dome that was its food. "Now. Kent Kokubu, throw it!" At the same time as Constant''s signal, I put out shields of darkness on both sides of the Gigas. Reinhardt and Fred immediately threw their Slavery Bola, and the Gigas'' thick arms were entangled in the chains. At the front line, a knight in armor riding a horse raised one hand, and wind and fire chanting erupted from among the soldiers. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind ..." "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame ..." The wind created by each person was combined into one, and the air current transformed into a tornado that contained the Gigas. The flames created by each person were combined into one, and a huge fireball was created and thrown into the tornado. The moment the fireball was taken in, the tornado turned into a huge pillar of fire, blazing, and with a thunderous roar ''Go~o~o~o'', the flames scorched the Gigas. "Booouooo!" The Gigas let out an anguished groan and thrashed its body, making the ground tremble just by stepping with its feet. I was worried that the Slavery Bolas might come off, but they were wrapped around the burnt skin and showed no signs of coming off. Occasionally, the strong west wind swayed the whirlpool of flames, but the magician in charge of the compound magic was desperately suppressing the turmoil. If the vortex weakened, they added wind magic, and if the fire weakened, they added a fireball. Struggling in the vortex of flames, the Gigas curled itself up into a defensive posture similar to when it was asleep. Usually, when it slept, the Gigas unconsciously deployed attribute magic to solidify its defense, but it couldn''t use magic now. Even after it rolled into a ball, the sizzle of meat and the smell of burning protein wafted through the air. "There''s no time to rest! Squeeze out your magic power! Maintain your magic!" "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind ..." "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become a flame ..." Despite being exposed to the heat of the vortex of flames, the soldiers of Barshania desperately tried to maintain their spells, but the force of the fire seemed to be gradually weakening. The Gigas'' body surface, which was burned by the flames, was charred black, and transparent liquid was dripping here and there. If it were a human, they would die if they received such serious burns unless they received very advanced treatment. "Reinhardt, do you think they can beat it like this?" [ So far, it looks fine, but don''t let your guard down. ] The chants continued to echo on the battlefield, but the turbulence of the vortex of flames continued to grow. [ Compound magic puts a heavy burden on the magician who puts together the magics, so it will be difficult to maintain it any longer. ] Just as Reinhardt said, the whirlpool of flames that had become disfigured was blown away by the occasional gusts of wind. "Everyone, start attacking! Let''s goooooo!" "Uooooooooh!" Upon the command of the Third Prince, Nicolae, the Barshanian soldiers charged towards the Gigas. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" The knights, who cast body strengthening magic, concentrated their attacks on the Gigas'' thick ankles. They must have thought that if the ankles were cut off, no matter how much it strengthened its body, it would not be able to recover, and if it was unable to walk, they would be able to prevent damage to other villages. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become water, dance, dance, dance oh water, and become a lance!" The water-attribute mages, who did not participate in the compound magic and had spare strength concentrated their attack magic on the Gigas'' head and neck. Whether the attack to the head was successful or whether it didn''t have the strength to move, the Gigas remained curled up and didn''t move. Spears, swords, and attack magic pierced it, and fresh blood splattered out, and I thought they would be able to keep going. [ Kent-sama, it''s bad ... The Slavery Bolas ... ] Water-attribute attack magic splashed on the place that had been burned by the vortex of flames and it became brittle, shattering the Slavery Bolas. "Boooooooohh!" With a roar, the Gigas raised its right arm and swung it down at the knights attacking its ankle. The knights of Barshania seemed to anticipate a counterattack of this magnitude, so they jumped back quickly and none of them received a direct hit. The Gigas'' movements were sluggish, and many thought that this was the moment they would be able to finish it off. "Gyaaaaa!" Screams echoed across the battlefield, and the strong winds sprayed blood. Countless spikes with sharp pointed ends protruded from the ground and skewered the Barshanian soldiers. The thickness of the base was more than 10 centimeters, and the length likely exceeded 2 meters. A forest of spikes suddenly appeared, and the battlefield froze in silence as the comrades were ruthlessly pierced from their feet to their heads. The spikes protruded from the area where the earth domes were lined up, and the distance between the spikes was less than 30 centimeters. The water-attribute magicians who were attempting to attack from close range also fell victim. I could hear groans, so there must be some people still alive, but I couldn''t even go help them. "Boooooooh!" The Gigas roared in anger, glared at the Barshanian soldiers, and stepped towards the base. "Nero, attack from the sea side and attract its attention." "Alright, nya, leave it to me, nya." "An attack may come, so be careful." "Roger, nya." Nero jumped out of the shadows and swung his claws at the Gigas'' back. "Buoaaaaaah!" Surprised by the sudden attack from behind, the Gigas turned around and glared at Nero, picking up an earthen dome and throwing it at him. Of course, there was no way Nero would be hit by such an attack, and he lightly took steps in the air to avoid it. Furthermore, when the Gigas stamped its left foot, spikes were shot out from the ground, but Nero easily dodged them as well. I dropped a spear golem from the air while the Gigas'' attention was drawn to Nero. Since there were still many Barshanian soldiers left behind, I chose the smallest size spear. In the unlikely event that it could not be caught by the shield of darkness, the spear was dropped over the sea so that there would be no damage. "Kent Kokubu, I ask for you help!" When Emperor Constant gave a painful shout, the spear golem dropped from about 1,000 meters above in the sky was safely captured by the shield of darkness. A spear golem was summoned and shot out from the shield of darkness placed 30 meters above the Gigas'' head. "Goooaaaaaah!" Just before it hit, the Gigas leaned slightly and the spear hit its right shoulder. Its right arm was torn off and the right half of its body was destroyed up to its groin. Losing support on its right leg, the Gigas roared on its side, groaning in agony. "Guuuuhuuuu ..." "Reinhardt, finish it off!" [ Alright! Zuryaaaaa! ] When Reinhardt jumped out of the shadows and slammed his beloved sword Gram into the Gigas'' neck, blood and pieces of meat exploded, but it couldn''t be separated with a single blow. [ Doryaaaaa! ] Two more blows, and finally the Gigas'' head rolled away from its torso and the Gigas was completely silent. Reinhardt raised his blood-stained sword aloft, and cheers erupted from the Barshanian soldiers. "Nero, you can go back. "Is it already over, nya? It''s not enough, nya." [ Buhahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, it was tremendous power. ] I''m telling you, you''re covered in blood and I''m scared, so hurry up and take a bath. [ Kent-sama ... I collected the magic stone ... ] "Uwaa, big!" The Gigas'' magic stone that Fred had collected was so large that I could not lift it without holding it.(TN:Guess he means with just using his arms.) [ Even I have never seen a magic stone of this size. I can''t even imagine how much it would cost. ] "I will hand over this magic stone to Barshania." [ Why ... The Gigas subjugation was due to Kent-sama ... ] "Maybe so, but a lot of people died in this battle, so I thought I''d use it for the bereaved families ..." [ Are you sure? ] "Well, if I take Seraphima as my wife, then the Imperial Family of Barshania will also become part of my family. Rather than that, I''ll go help the injured." It seemed that the containment of the wounded who were imprisoned in the pincushion hell created by the Gigas was difficult because of the dense spikes. "Break the spikes! Proceed straight to the wounded!" It seemed that the Third Prince Nicolae was commanding outside the range of the spikes and was not injured. An engineer unit rushed over and joined the rescue, but it seemed that the strength of the spikes was higher than expected, and the work was slow to progress. "Fred, cut off the base of the spikes." [ Kent-sama ... If it''s about destroying the spikes, even the Kobold Corps can do it ... ] "I see, everyone, split up and break the spikes." "Wafuu, understood, Goshujin-sama." Fred wielded his pair of jet-black swords, and the Kobolds used earth-attribute magic to break the spikes. "Nicolae-san, my genus will break the spikes. Please carry out the injured and the corpses." "Muu, Kent Kokubu. Thank you for your cooperation." "I can also use healing magic. Please let me treat the injured." "I''m sorry. Please ..." More than 1,000 Barshanian soldiers were trapped within the range of the spikes, but it seemed that less than a tenth of them survived. Many of those who survived were severely injured, and treatment was a matter of seconds. I tried to stop the bleeding and seal the wounds, trying to save as many lives as possible, but there were quite a few people who died while waiting for their turn. The more Fred and the Kobolds struggled, the more injured people were rescued, and the treatment could not keep up. At this point, I was starting to think that I might run out of magic and collapse before I could finish treating everyone. "Nushi-dono, something is coming from the sea." Hearing Zeta''s sudden warning, the Barshanian soldiers around me all turned their gazes to the point where the sea surface began to rise. "Boooooooh!" It was another Gigas that emerged from the surface of the sea. "Buooooooh!" Another Gigas raised its head from behind. When Gigas woke up, it stared at the sea for a while, probably because it noticed these guys approaching. The Barshanina soldiers groaned in despair. "Nero, stop them so they can''t get on land!" "Leave it to me, nya!" As Nero rushed across the path, the two Gigases stopped in the water up to their waists. "Fushaaaaa!" "Buuoooooh!" The Gigases prepared themselves for battle as Nero threatened them with his hair bristling all over his body. "Nicolae-san, please have the soldiers retreat now." "Understood. Please buy me some time. Everyone, retreat! Hurry up!" When I interrupted the treatment and tried to go defeat the Gigases, my knees suddenly lost their strength and I put my hands on them. It seemed that the treatment consumed more magical power than I thought. I took out the medicine that helped restore magical power from the shadow storage and threw it into my mouth. "Ueeh, bitter! ..." Thanks to the bitter taste of the medicine, I felt like my head was a little clearer. Because there was some distance from the Barshanian soldiers, I chose a medium-sized spear golem and dropped it from above. "Nero, come back!" "Understood, nya!" I dove into the shadows while calling Nero back, and set up a summoning shield of darkness about 10 meters above the Gigas'' head so that I didn''t miss my aim. The speed of the spear golem was so fast that it landed as soon as it was seen. The earth trembled differently from with the previous small spear golem, and the Gigas turned into a piece of meat and was blown away along with the seawater and sand. The other fell on its back due to the shock of the impact, and initially sank into the sea, but it got up with its limbs fluttering and looked around. I guess it didn''t understand the situation when its friend suddenly disappeared. I immediately dropped a medium-sized spear golem on the Gigas, and when the Gigas noticed the summoning shield of darkness, it looked up and the spear golem hit it directly. The second Gigas was also blown away as a piece of meat. CH 203 The fight''s conclusion ***---*** After subjugating the two newly landed Gigases and continuing relief activities until my magical power was about to run out, I learned against Nero in the shadow space and took a nap. It was past noon when I woke up, but I felt like I was still sluggish in the core of my body. I twas probably because I had been doped with a medicine that accelerated the recovery of my magical power and continued to use healing magic until I was on the verge of collapsing. Even so, I was worried about what happened to the Barshanian soldiers, and I didn''t feel like sleeping again. When I went out of the shadow space and went to the water''s edge of the cove, I found pieces of Gigas'' meat scattered about and a flock of seabirds. The shape of the sandy beach also seemed to have changed, but, maa, it would return to its original shape as the tides and waves washed it away. The power of the spear golems was unquestionable, but the fact that it crushed even the magic stones was something that needed improvement. As I went up the gentle slope, I could see the huge body of the Gigas that had fallen sideways. The seabirds were also flocking here to get food. The Barshanian soldiers seemed to be busy collecting the corpses of their comrades and removing the spikes stuck in their bodies, leaving the Gigas'' corpse unattended. There was only one person looking down at the Gigas'' severed head. It was Constant Liforos, Emperor of Barshania. "Can you stay alone without an escort?" "In my country, if I can''t go out alone, I would be disqualified as Emperor." Constant bowed his head deeply towards me after showing a wry smile. "Kent Kokubu. I am truly in your debt, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you." "No ... Please raise your head. Monsters like this Gigas can''t be defeated alone, so it''s only natural to cooperate." "Fuu ... What are you talking about. Didn''t you single-handedly defeat three Gigases. To be honest, when the other two appeared, both I and Gregory thought about abandoning Leinef." Barshanian soldiers shouldn''t be weak. By devising ways to use the Slavery Bola, and using this experience to come up with a strategy, it should be possible to subjugate a Gigas. However, this time, I think it didn''t go well because the Gigas'' abilities were unknown, and because they were too eager to get revenge for their allies. Constant said that he thought about abandoning Leinef, but even now, apart from a house on the outskirts of town, not even one building remained safe. It was said that the residents who escaped the disaster were staying in the rear camp, but it seemed that the number was less than one-third. Even if the city was to be rebuilt, it would require money and manpower, and most of all, it would take a long time for the wounds of the survivors to heal. "Umm ... I recovered the magic stone from this Gigas ..." "That is, make it yours." "But ..." "If it weren''t for you, we wouldn''t have been able to defeat it, and in fact, it was your hand that killed it. There''s no reason for us to accept it." Seeing Constant''s stern expression reminded me of Gain-san, the magic tool craftsman. It was likely that no matter what I said right now, he would refuse, so I''ll just accept it for now. "I understand. However, it looks like it will come with a fairly high price, so I will offset the cost of the magic tools." "I see ... I''m sorry." The expression of Constant, who bowed his head lightly again, showed a deep color of fatigue. It was only natural since one city was destroyed and many soldiers were lost. "By the way, what happened in Resenburg after that?" "Ehh, Resenburg, is it?" Suddenly, I was asked an unexpected question, and I couldn''t help but ask back. "That''s right. With this much damage, it''s only natural to be concerned about the situation in neighboring countries." "I see, that''s right. But, don''t worry. The Third Princess, Camilla Resenburg, has almost taken full power over it." I omitted the detailed situation such as the murder of the King that happened in the royal castle of Aldaros, I told him that the current King abdicated, Camilla was scheduled to become the next King, and there was a mountain of problems in domestic affairs, such as countermeasures against desertification, and that they could not afford to go abroad. "Is that so, then it''s safe to assume that the domestic situation has stabilized?" "Yes, the faction dispute over the succession to the throne has ended, so there shouldn''t be any disputes between nobles." "In that case, even early in the new year, you can bring Seraphima into your house." "Uuee ... Umm, that''s a bit ..." "What, are you still not convinced to marry Seraphima?" "N, no, I don''t mean to say that, it''s because I don''t have a house that can welcome the Princess of Barshania ..." In Volzard, I continued to live in the boarding house, and I told him that I didn''t even have a house of my own yet, and that I didn''t want to differ from the chairman and Manon, who came from ordinary families. "I have also consulted with Sera about the number of people to bring in. However, the Princess of Barshania cannot have a bridal procession alone." "That''s right ..." "Therefore, I will send four skilled female knights, four talented maids, and two cooks with Seraphima." Even so, 10 people, if I were to hire the same number of people for the other 3, we would have a total of 40 people. "Fufufu ... Don''t look so pathetic. With power like yours, it should be possible to feed 1,000 or even 10,000 people." "No, no, no, that number is impossible for me." "If it''s you, it wouldn''t be strange if you called yourself the King of a country, but it must be difficult for someone who has lived as a commoner. The female knights and maids assigned to Seraphima should also be in charge of the other wives. Let the cooks cook for the whole household. Then there is no problem." Everyone would work for Seraphima during the bridal procession, and after arriving at Volzard, they would be in charge of the other brides as well. In other words, it''s like handing over ten subordinates to me. "It''s a great idea, but will they agree?" "Do you think I''d let a person who would object to such a thing accompany Sera''s marriage? Besides, do you feel that the people who will be your wives aren''t worthy of being served?" "No, that''s not true. They are all very attractive women." "Then, there''s nothing to worry about. I''ve heard that you can borrow the Guest House in Volzard as a temporary residence, so there won''t be any problems, right?" "Uuh ... Yes, for now ..." Actually, I hadn''t finished greeting the chairman''s parents, but it was a little pitiful and I couldn''t talk about it. More than that, I was wondering why he was rushing to bring Seraphima in, even though the country was suffering a great deal of damage due to monsters. I thought it would be normal to put it off until later. "What''s wrong, are you dissatisfied with something?" "No, I have no objection to taking Seraphima in, but with the amount of damage caused, I feel that it would be better to postpone it for a while ..." "That is ... To strengthen the connection with you." "The connection with me ... is it?" "That''s right. It''s natural to want to build a strong relationship with someone who has the ability to subdue three Gigases without any difficulty." "Haa ... Maa, that might be true." Certainly, I think that''s true, but even in the current situation, if Seraphima called for help, I would rush over like this, and somehow Constant''s attitude didn''t look right. "Wh, what is it, do you still have something to say?" "Umm ... Is there a reason to hurry to bring in Seraphima?" "That''s why, that is, with you ... Haa." Constant stopped his rebuttal, sighed heavily, lowered his gaze, and shook his head from side to side. "If it''s read by someone like you, Sera will naturally notice it." "Then, there must be a reason." "I think I told you a little when you brought in the iron, but Barshania is a country made up of a few tribes. On the surface, it looks like they are united as one country, but there are those who feel that the current situation is not interesting. Various measures have been taken to prevent such people from growing dissatisfied, to correct the gap between the rich and the poor, and to activate exchanges between tribes. And, we have also hinted at our superiority in military strength. In other words, we are maintaining a balance through a mix of hard and soft measures." "Is that balance likely to collapse due to this damage?" "That may be the case ... Or rather, the balance will definitely collapse. The problem is whether it will go unnoticed, or even if it is noticed, if the balance can be restored before anything happens." Some tribes seemed to have people who had radical ideas that relied on military force, and if they didn''t respond correctly, there was even the danger of developing into a civil war. "In the unlikely event that it develops into a civil war, do you mean to have Seraphima stay out of danger?" "There is that, but ..." After he stopped speaking, Constant fell silent while directing a strong gaze as if searching for my heart. After his uncomfortable silence, I was questioned. "Have you ever killed someone?" "I''ve done so by instructing my genus to subjugate bandits." "Have you killed with your own hands?" "That ... I haven''t." "Is that so ..." After hearing my answer, Constant stared at me again. Yup, I don''t know what it is, but it''s really uncomfortable. "What would you do if someone asked you to shoot the attack that subjugated the Gigases?" "Eeeh, is it aimed at people? That''s a bit ... If it''s a heinous criminal, I''ll think about it, but it''s still too powerful. By any chance, are you expecting me to compensate for the decrease in strength from this time?" " ... That''s right. The damage this time has greatly exceeded our expectations. In the first battle, many casualties were suffered by the magicians, and in today''s battle, there were casualties among the knights and water-attribute magicians. It''s undeniable that there will be a significant drop in strength, and above all, the reduction in the number of personnel means that the range that can be dealt with will also decrease. In the current situation, if there were several rebellions at the same time, we would not be able to deal with it." "Is there a possibility of such a thing happening?" "No, there aren''t any signs of that, but I can''t say it''s impossible ... If something like that happens, will you lend us a hand?" Constant asked with a bitter expression. I had no intention of not cooperating, but there were things I was worried about. "I don''t mind lending a hand, but is it okay if I lend a hand?" "What do you mean?" "Well ... Even if you use force to suppress the rebellion, I think the other party will be able to understand it because it is the regular army of Barshania. But, if I, who has nothing to do with Barshania in the first place, went out, would the other party accept it?" "Umu ... I see, that might be so." "On the contrary, if I, who has absolutely nothing to do with them, go out and beat them all up, it may be possible to suppress their hatred towards the Imperial Family ... It''s not persuasive for me to say that, as I''m standing in between Barshania and Resenburg, but thinking about the other person''s impression, if you can use me well, I will do my best to cooperate. However, I will limit myself to helping you coexist, not to kill each other ..." "Is that so ..." Constant folded his arms and began to lose himself in thought again, but his expression seemed brighter than before. "Is that so ... Then, if it''s to prevent bloodshed, is it okay if I use you?" "Umm ... It depends on the degree ..." Rather, what is that, that evil grin. "Hey, I''m not asking you to sweat and work. I''m just asking if I can use your name." "No, no, I feel like that''s more dangerous, but what do you plan to do with my name?" "We will just announce you as Seraphima''s marriage partner." "No, it''s definitely not like that. You have a different aim." "We, the Barshanian regular army, suffered great losses from the Gigas. However, Serahima''s husband-to-be, Kent Kokubu, single-handedly killed the three Gigases. A person with this level of power will become a strong ally of Barshania in the future ... I just want to let the people know that." "Eeeh, something like that ... I''ll be troubled." "Why should it bother you. It''s all true, and a man with the name Kent isn''t particularly rare." "Ehh, I see, it''s not like I''m going to parade around with Serahpima. Is my face not known?" "That''s right. When you think of a man who can single-handedly defeat three Gigases, the average person would imagine a big, muscular man. For example, even if we advertise your correct appearance, their own speculation will create a different appearance." Constant smiled as if this was a great idea, but it was kind of annoying. Well, I look unreliable, but if you say that to my face, I''ll get hurt. "Haaa ... I understand. If you can prevent a rebellion with just my name, please use it as much as you want." "Muhahaha, sorry, son-in-law. Please give up because you are going to be in a relationship with us. Nuhahahaha!" Constant laughed heartily and patted me on the shoulder. "Everyone, raise your heads! Puff out your chests! We fought a Gigas and were defeated. However, with the help of Kent Kokubu, we were able to defeat the Gigas. My daughter Seraphima has decided to marry this Kent Kokubu. Even if a Gigas attacks again in the future, we have acquired the means to repel it!" "Ooooooh ..." Hearing Constant''s words, the soldiers roared. "Listen! We survived this battle! We were entrusted with Barshania! We have many missions! There is no time to rest! Now is the time to swear that we will risk our lives to work in place of our fallen comrades!" When Constant raised his right fist, the soldiers followed suit, thumping their chests in unison, pointing to the sky and shouting. "By the pride of Barshania!" Some of the soldiers were crying, but I couldn''t feel the darkness of the defeated soldiers from earlier, and everyone had a proud and determined expression on their face. Crap, I missed it, I was so fascinated that I forgot to participate with everyone. Kuu, I''ll do it together next time. I was beckoned by Constant to return to the base together, but I was surrounded by all the Barshanian soldiers and was separated. "Thank you very much for taking revenge for our comrades." "Thank you for protecting Barshania." "It''s amazing to use a Storm Cat like one of your limbs ..." "Damnit, how dare you take our Seraphima-sama ..." "That powerful magic, how did you do that." "Barshania will continue to rely on you." Even if it was okay to be asked for a handshake, patted on the shoulder, it was hard to move forward, also, isn''t everyone using the wrong amount of force? My hands looked like they would break, and my back and shoulders were definitely red. It was definitely gratitude, but it was full of intentions other than friendship. I was exhausted by the time I reached the base after passing through the battlefield. "What''s wrong, Kent Kokubu. You look tired." "Ku! , you knew it was going to happen, so you drew me in." "Well, what are you talking about. I allowed you to refuse, but you agreed, didn''t you." His triumphant smile irritated me ... If that''s what you want, I''ll let you draw the treasured sword of family as well. "Kuu ... that''s right. I definitely understand, Father-in-law." "Wh, what did you say ..." "Ehh, did I say something strange, Father-in-law." "Ugigiii ... Th, there''s nothing wrong ..." He seemed to be more of a Stupid Parent than Klaus-san, so I was holding back, but you don''t have to grind your teeth, your teeth are about to break. As Constant and I glared at each other, Gregory approached us with a stack of paper. "Father, the damage situation of the soldiers has been summarized." "Umu, tell me." "Yes, the current number of casualties is 947 knights and 621 magicians." "Is that the number from today''s battle?" "Yes, it is." "What happens if you combine it with the previous number?" "Yes, there were 442 knights and 1,472 magicians who died in the battle previously, so if you add up from the total from this time, there will be 1,389 knights and 2,093 magicians." I had seen the corpses of the soldiers both during and after the battle, but hearing that more than 3,000 people lost their lives in just two battles seemed unreal. "It exceeded 3,000 people, huh ... I was prepared, but there are so many." "Yes, Father, at this rate the Mungia guys ..." "Don''t worry about that. I decided to use Kent''s name." "Kent Kokubu''s name?" Constant explained the story from earlier to Gregory, who was looking at me with a puzzled expression. "I see ... I don''t agree with giving Seraphima as his wife, but I agree with you about using his name. However, the problem is whether the people of Mungia will trust Kent Kokubu''s military strength." "That''s right. In that case, should I send them the Gigas'' bones as well?" "No, let''s display the skeleton in the Imperial Capital''s museum. That way, those who see it will know just how big and dangerous a Gigas is." "Okay, arrange it like that. After that, rumors will spread on their own, and a rare hero will be born." "Hahahaha, as expected of Father, those who have heard the rumors will surely inflate their imaginations on their own." He''s dissing me in a roundabout way, but I guess he''s already forgotten that if I wasn''t there, it would have been a pretty bad situation. ANyway, there''s nothing I can do here, so I should get back to guarding. We were scheduled to finally arrive at Volzard this evening. "Umm ... I''ll be returning to Volzard soon." "Ohh, thank you very much. Once again, let me give you my thanks." "Let me also thank you. Thank you for saving Barshania." "No, no, I just did what I was supposed to do. Then, excuse me, Father-in-law, Brother-in-law." "Nuu ..." "Hey, bastard, just now, what ..." Leaving Constant, who had an expression as if he had chewed up a bitter bug, and Gregory, who seemed unable to understand what he had heard, I went into the shadows. These people will become family, so this is normal ... I''ll stop by Seraphima before returning to Volzard. The rear camp was surrounded by a turbulent atmosphere with the wounded injured in today''s battle being carried. Seraphima seemed to move around busily, giving out instructions one after another. At first glance, didn''t it look like adults being swayed by a little child, but the eyes of the adults around her were filled with a sense of trust. She looked too busy, so I thought about returning without calling out to her, but a woman who seemed to be Seraphima''s maid recommended that she take a rest, so I decided to meet with her. I put out a shield of darkness in front of Seraphima who was sitting on a chair in the staff tent, and she sighed in relief. "Sera, thank you for your hard work." "Kent-sama ..." Seraphima stood up and jumped into my chest. Seraphima hugged me tightly, as if confirming my existence. "I''m glad you''re safe. Kent-sama." "I''m sorry, Sera. I couldn''t protect many people ..." "No, I have heard of Kent-sama''s activities. Thank you for protecting Barshania." "That''s natural. It''s the precious country where Sera was born and raised. However, just today, more than 1,500 people lost their lives. I should have done better ..." My excuse-like words were blocked by Seraphima''s index finger. Seraphima appealed to me while looking into my eyes. "Kent-sama got revenge on their enemies splendidly. No one could have done anything better than Kent-sama. So, please don''t blame yourself." "Sera ... Thank you." As I was hugging Seraphima once again, someone appeared at the edge of my sight who stepped into the tent and then hurried back. "Riana, bring some tea for Kent-sama." "I, I respectfully obey." A panicked voice came from outside the tent. I felt like I did something wrong. "Kent-sama, if you don''t mind, have dinner ..." "I''m sorry, I have to go back to Volzard today. I have to report various things." "Are you going to report the damage to the Barshanian army to Volzard as well?" "Hmm ... There''s no possibility of an invasion from Volzard to Barshania, so I think it would be better to report it ..." "I agree. I will leave the decision to Kent-sama." "Alright. I''ll think about making it a good result for Barshania as well." After that, I drank tea with Seraphima, took a break, and then returned to Volzard. CH 204 Booster ***---*** "It seems to defend with elemental magic just like the Griffon ... By strengthening its body, it regenerates damage ... An area attack that sticks out sharp spikes, and a projectile attack ... In addition, it''s five times as big as a human, it''s outrageous." "Yes. However, they move slower than a Griffon, and their range of movement is limited to the ground, so subjugating them isn''t difficult." "Hahaa, there is an even more outrageous guy in front of me." After finishing the subjugation of the Gigas, I checked the current position of the escort carriage and returned to Volzard first. I was currently in the guild''s office reporting to Klaus-san about the Gigas subjugation. "However, over 3,000 people died in battle in Barshania ..." "Yes, that''s just the number of soldiers, so if you add the casualties of the residents, it should increase even more." "Is the city of Leinef in a state of destruction?" "Except for the buildings on the outskirts of town, there aren''t any safe buildings, and it''s really just a pile of rubble." "No way, Kent, you''re not the one who did it, right?" "Absolutely not. I attacked with proper power in mind, so the terrain changed only in the ocean ... Huh?" When I told them that the middle-sized spear golem used to defeat the two Gigases that appeared later had gouged out a little near the coast, Klaus-san and Beatriche looked at me with jito eyes.(TN:Jito me, or scornful/reproachful eyes, the things the dude in Lonely Attack is obsessed with, kind of? Sort of?) "You ... Maa, this time the city was already destroyed, so it doesn''t matter, but be careful." "I understand. This time, I did an experiment in advance and confirmed that a large spear golem can create a crater ... Huh?" Why are you both sighing with a disgusted look on your face. Even though it was properly tested and no damage was caused. "However, with that much damage, wouldn''t Barshania be in a lot of trouble?" Behind Klaus-san''s words as if to change the subject, it seemed that there was information supporting the domestic situation in Barshania. "That is, are you talking about the fear of rebellion?" "Ou, did they reveal their hands to that extent. Does that mean you were also asked to cooperate in suppressing the rebellion?" "Yes, I haven''t heard about the details, but I think a tribe called Mungia is troublesome ..." "Mungia, Kajimina, Borovska ... It is said that those tribes are dissidents, but I''ve heard that they''ve softened their stance a lot, with the exception of Mungia. However, with this much damage to the army, it wouldn''t be strange for people with some strange ambitions to appear." "Yes, Emperor Constant seemed to be worried about that, and he asked me to lend him the combat power of my genus." I was asked to help suppress the rebellion, but in order to avoid bloodshed as much as possible, we settled on a method of using my name, along with that, I reported that Seraphima would be arriving early in the new year. "Uhahahaha, Kent Kokubu, a rare hero. That''s a masterpiece." "No, maa, it would be better if I could avoid being exposed in the city, but it''s kind of complicated." "Think of it as a celebrity tax and give up. If that doesn''t cause a civil war, wouldn''t it be fine." "But, I wonder if it''s going to work ... My name isn''t known at all, is it?" "That''s right. That''s why they''re going to put the Gigas'' skeleton on display and take various measures. Above all, doesn''t the fact that the Princess is going to marry you prove your worth?" "I see, if that Stupid Parent and Stupid Brother give up ... That''s what it means." When I was reporting to Klaus-san, Mart appeared. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, the carriage has arrived at Volzard." "Okay, thanks for letting me know." "Kent, take Riche home. After confirming that the carriage has arrived at the mansion, return with Shuichi and report to the guild that the request has been completed." "Understood. Riche, let''s go." "Yes, Kent-sama." As I left Klaus-san''s office, Beatriche wrapped her arms around mine. Ou, you''re growing up, Riche-chan. "It''s been half a year since you met everyone, right?" "Yes, it''s far to Bakkenheim, so I can''t see them unless it''s time to come home." "But, Augusto-san and Ange-oneechan are graduating, so they won''t be returning to Bakkenheim even after the new year." "Yes, that''s right, but ... Kent-sama, you just said Ange-oneechan, didn''t you?" "Ehh, uu, yup ... I was told to call her that ..." Oops, somehow a cold gaze pierced me. "Kent-sama." "Y, yes, what is it." "You haven''t been hugged and gotten headpats from Onee-chan, have you?" "Ueeh, th, that''s ... What should I say ..." "It''s no good. You can''t even think about taking Onee-chan as your wife." "Absolutely not. I''m not thinking about that." "Is that true?" "Really, really, really, I''m not thinking about that." "Uu~h ... Cheating isn''t good either." "Yes, I understand." As expected, they are sisters, so she probably knows the addictiveness of Angelina-san''s hugs and ''iiko iiko''. It''s a pity that I won''t be able to enjoy that collaboration, but considering the degree of Beatriche''s growth, she should be able to compete in two or three years. "Kent-sama, I would like to invite Yuika-san and Manon-san to my house for breakfast tomorrow, and I would like you to join us, is that alright?" "Have you spoken to the two of them?" "Yes, I have the consent of the two of them." "Then, just like last time, I will pick up Yuika and Manon and visit the mansion." "Yes, would you mind doing that." On the way from Bakkenheim, we stopped at Irosun Great Forest for one day, so tomorrow''s rest day I would be able to take it easy. After having breakfast at Klaus-san''s mansion, let''s go to Flavia-san''s shop to pick up the dresses. For lunch, we should eat something delicious at a restaurant, and then go shopping. "Kent-sama, aren''t you a little tired?" "Yup, I''ve been dealing with the Gigas since this morning, and I also treated the Barshanian soldiers. To be honest, I feel a little tired." "Kent-sama, you are working too hard. Please take it easy around the new year." "Yup, it would be nice if I could do that ..." Actually, there are still a lot of problems, so it''s probably not going to be easy. "Kent-sama, please go home early today and have a good rest." "Ah ~ ... Come to think of it, I haven''t returned to the boarding house at all. I feel like I haven''t even paid for the boarding house ... Amanda-san will get mad at me." "Meisa-chan too, right?" "That''s right. Come to think of it, Mart-tachi were out the whole time." It would be better to purchase some Mesudori Pavilion cookies. The carriage had already arrived at Klaus-san''s mansion. Upon entering the drawing room, Beatriche was caught by Angelina-san who ran up to her and was showered with passionate hugs and a baptism of collaboration with ''iiko iiko''. While looking at it from the edge of my gaze, I briefly explained the Gigas subjugation to Augusto-san, and decided to withdraw for the time being. "Well then, I will visit you tomorrow. I''m going to find Takayama." "Okay. Thank you for your help. Thank you very much." When I finished my greetings and left the mansion, Takayama was nervous as if he was about to start running. "Then, Kokubu, am I fine here?" "Haa? What are you talking about, that''s after reporting to the guild. I know you miss Celia-san, but if you don''t report it, you won''t be able to get paid." "Tch, I know. That being said, this time, can I get paid?" "Ehh, Why? You''re working as an escort, so I''m sure you''ll get paid." "No, it was a normal request on the way out, but wasn''t it a nomination request on the way back? Kokubu accepted it, and wasn''t I treated as an assistant?" "Ahh, now that you mention it, that''s true." Klaus-san asked me to escort the Volzard Family, but Takayama, who was E-rank, couldn''t accept that request, so I hired him as my assistant. "You ... Well, it''s fine, that''s what I''m talking about, so I''m fine here, right?" "Haa? The request is until the report is finished. There''s no way Takayama, whom I employed, can leave before I finish the report." "Here it is, Black Kokubu. I''ll sue you for violating the Labor Standards Act!" "Hehe ~ en, what a shame. This is Volzard, so ..." "Wafuu! Goshujin-sama, it''s serious! Hurry up, Camilla is about to die!" When I was about to head to the guild, Hart suddenly jumped out of the shadows and pulled my arm. This was the first time Hart had been so flustered. "Takayama, you can go home. I''m going to Aldaros." "Hey, Kokubu ..." A middle-aged woman was riding on Camilla, who had collapsed on the floor, like a horse, when Hart guided me through the shadow space. I used wind magic to repel the woman who was trying to stab the knife in a reverse grip with both of her hands. "Camilla!" "Ma ... ou ... huh ..." "You don''t have to talk! Hang in there!" Camilla, who nodded weakly, had a dull complexion, her breathing was weak, and it was about to stop at any moment. It seemed that she had several puncture wounds on her abdomen, and her glossy pale pink dress was soaked in blood. I hurriedly cast healing magic, but the wound didn''t heal as I expected it to. "Wau, Goshujin-sama, Camilla was forced to drink something." According to Hart, this was the room of the woman who was knocked out, and as soon as Camilla drank the tea that was served to her, she vomited blood and collapsed in agony. Fred told me the identity of the woman. [ Kent-sama ... That woman, the First Queen ... ] "In that case, is it this woman who poisoned Diethelm and Flosche-san?" [ Possibility is ... high ... ] I didn''t think she was dead, but she seemed to have fainted because she was knocked away with wind attribute magic without much effort. I didn''t know what kind of poison Camilla was poisoned with, but it was certain that her whole body condition had deteriorated due to its effects. At this rate, I might run out of magic power before Camilla''s treatment is finished. A chill ran down my spine the moment I picked up the case of the medicine that aided in the recovery of magic power that had been stored in the shadow storage. I forgot that I took my last pill when I treated the Barshanian soldiers. At this point, the only thing left to do was to continue treating her until I ran out of magic power and collapsed, and then bet on Camilla''s resilience. I took a deep breath, it was time to start treatment again. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, there are a lot of rats heading to Lastock." Nort, who was patrolling the Devil''s Forest, came to report. "What kind of rat is the rat?" "It''s about this size ... It has fangs." The width of Nort''s open arms was about 50 centimeters. [ Kent-sama, it''s probably Nibble Rats. If it''s a horde of them, they will attack people. ] According to Reinhardt, Nibble Rat was a monster rat with sharp fangs and claws, and could grow to nearly one meter in size. Was it like a vicious capybara. "Nort, how many rats are there?" "Hmm ... I can''t even see the ground." Even though I didn''t run out of magic power, I felt faint. "Fred, check the situation. Basten, inform Diethelm!" [ Roger ... ] [ I''ll go immediately. ] They went into the shadows and headed for Lastock, but I couldn''t move from here. A horde of Nibble Rats, how many were there. How far were they from Lastock. Was it possible to issue an alarm and evacuate the residents in time. Would the stationed knights be able to protect them. Even though I was casting healing magic on Camilla, I was in a hurry and couldn''t concentrate well. "Maou-sama ... Instead of me, Lastock ..." "What are you talking about. You want to become King. Protect the people, you want to make this country rich!" "Yes ... But ..." Camilla''s complexion was pure white as she was shedding tears. "Damn ... What should I do. What should I do ..." [ Kent-sama, please calm down. We will protect Lastock with your genus. Kent-sama focus on treatment ... Kent-sama! ] My magic power was about to run out, my vision shook, and I almost collapsed on top of Camilla. With Reinhardt''s support, I managed to maintain my consciousness, but I didn''t feel like I could activate healing magic. "Maou-sama ... Thank you very much ..." "Camilla, you can''t, you can''t die." "I love you ... I truly do ... Kent-sama." The fire of life seemed to be extinguishing from Camilla''s tear-filled eyes. "Camilla, Camilla! Damnit, think, think, I can''t heal, there''s no medicine, so go to Corey-san''s shop ... That''s right!" I remembered the medicine bottle I left behind in the shadow storage, took it out and drank the contents in one go. A booster that I received as a bonus for purchasing a large amount of sleeping pills before conducting the rescue operation for my classmates. It seemed that it wasn''t a lie that in return for sleeping for three full days after the effect wore off, you could fight for half a day without running out of magic power. "Uaaaaah!" As soon as the liquid reached my stomach through my throat, my body exploded with magic power. I felt like I could do anything with my immeasurable magical power. I regained my spirit and cast healing magic, but it didn''t go around Camilla''s body well. It seemed that Camilla''s heart had already stopped moving. "Damn, I''m sorry! I won''t let you die, I absolutely won''t let you die. I won''t allow you to die even though you haven''t paid anything yet!" Through the shield of darkness, I thrust my hand into Camilla''s chest, directly grasping her heart and forcing it to move while casting healing magic. "Come back, come back! Camilla!" Once I saw Camilla''s heart beating again, I put my hand over the wound on her abdomen to seal it. It didn''t matter if she was in bad shape or not. I sealed it forcefully by entrusting it with magical power. [ Kent-sama, the residents of Lastock have begun to evacuate, but it is uncertain whether they will make it in time. ] [ The number of Nibble Rats is countless ... More than the maximum outbreak of Goblins ... ] "Nero will attack fro mthe sky, Zeta-tachi and the Kobolds from the shadows, and Zae-tachi in the river. Reinhardt and Basten will be in command, and Fred will remain as my guard." [ Understood, please leave Lastock to me. ] "Nero will tear them to pieces, nya." "Nushi-dono, we will do our best." "Wau, Goshujin-sama, please pet me when we''re done." "My King, I won''t let them go further than the river, don''t worry." "Everyone, I''m begging you!" After sending all of my genus away, I devoted myself to treating Camilla. Thanks to the booster, I no longer had to worry about running out of magical power, but this time I was feeling abnormally high because of the excess magical power. It would be fine if I fired attack magic at the monsters, but in the case of healing magic, control was also required. It was like riding a bicycle across a narrow single bridge while rowing with all your might, but I didn''t feel like I was going to fail. "Maou ... Sama?" "Be quiet, I want to concentrate ..." Although she had regained consciousness, Camilla still seemed blank and had unfocused eyes. Although the stab wounds had been repaired, the effects of the poison still remained. As I was revitalizing her weakened liver, kidneys, and bone marrow to make up for the lost blood, I heard footsteps running down the hallway. The door was violently opened, and a group of female knights rushed in. "Marguerite-sama! Ca, Camilla-sama ... You, who are you!" "Fred, silence them." [ Acknowledged ... ] The five female knights who pulled out their swords all at once fell flat after being hit by Fred without having any time to prepare. When Camilla''s treatment started to get on track and I finally had some time to spare, I noticed that the surroundings were noisy. It was fragmented, but in addition to words like Camilla-sama and Marguerite-sama, words like assassination and madness seemed to be flying around, and footsteps were approaching again. Was there someone who saw Camilla being stabbed before I came. "Camilla-sama! Who are you ..." "Skeleton, why is there a monster ..." Assuming that this was the room of the First Queen, the place was the inner palace of the royal castle, so only female knights stepped in, and while they were raising their voices, they were silenced by Fred. If it was a male knight, there might have been someone who knew my face, but with the combination of a suspicious child and a Skeleton, it looked like it would take some time to clear up the misunderstanding, so I''m sorry, but just sleep for now. When Hart informed me and I rushed over, the outside of the window had just begun to turn red, but the sun had already set and the stars were beginning to twinkle. Female knights who stepped in one after another were hit by Fred one by one, and then they were tied up and rolled in the corner of the room. Incidentally, the First Queen was also tied up and rolled. Everyone was gagged, so the ones who woke up were muttering annoyingly. "Maou-sama, it''s okay now, so go to Lastock ..." "That''s no good, there''s still poison left. Even so, nobility and royalty are being poisoned left and right, what''s going on in the country of Resenburg." "I''m very sorry. It seems that someone slandered me saying that I killed my half-brother Alphonse." Towards Camilla, who was unable to move after consuming the poison mixed in with the tea, the First Queen remembered Alphonse''s vengeance ... And while screaming, she swung a knife. "But, at this timing, why do they need to spread such a rumor?" "I don''t know that far either." "Fred, turn on the lights in the room and bring in an awake knight." [ Roger ... ] The female knight had a rebellious gaze, but when Fred easily carried her, she showed a resigned expression. "Camilla, have her go call for the Knight Commander." "As you wish. The one here is Maou Kent Kokubu-sama. You don''t have to worry about me, so call Berdets." "However, Camilla-sama ..." "I''m fine. Tell them that you''re allowed to enter the inner palace because of the emergency." "Ha! , as you wish!" As expected, it seemed that Camilla''s direct order could not be disobeyed, and when Fred untied the rope, she made a salute that seemed to be audible and ran away. However, even after finishing Camilla''s treatment, the Commander didn''t show up. "Camilla, I''m going to see how Lastock is doing. Fred will remain as Camilla''s escort. Hart, come and let me know when the Knight Commander arrives." As I stood up, Camilla grabbed my arm. "Maou-sama, please save the people of Lastock." "Fufun, who do you think I am? Maou Kent Kokubu will visit in person. Such things as rats will be mowed down. So please wait quietly." "Maou-sama!" Opening her eyes wide, Camilla said something as I strongly hugged her. After converting the excess magical power into healing magic and circulating it through our two bodies, when I untied the arms that were wrapped around her back, Camilla''s cheeks blushed and her expression melted. "I''m off!" "Fortunes of war be with you ..." Maybe it''s because of the booster that made me feel weird, but I couldn''t control myself. This, it will look really bad after the effect wears off and I fall asleep, but I can''t stop it. Now, let''s quickly defeat the rats, shall we. CH 205 Spear of Judgment ***---*** "Knock them down! Don''t let even one of them inside!" "They''re coming! Concentrate on dropping them no matter what!" "The north side was also circumvented! Assistance is requested!" "Ugyaaaa, help me!" "They''ve entered! Requesting Cover! Quickly!" The moat surrounding the Lastock garrison was already filled with Nibble Rats. I didn''t know if the residents had finished evacuating, but the drawbridge had already been raised, and the knights had taken up positions on the ramparts and were frantically knocking down the rising Nibble Rats. On top of the castle wall, there was also Diethelm accompanied by a royal guard. His face was pale from the tension, but he seemed to be trying to fulfill his role as a Prince even though he was nervous, but I couldn''t help but feel like he was getting in the way. It seemed that Zae-tachi were fighting hard in the river, and Zeta-tachi were fighting hard in the wasteland across the river, but regardless, there were too many Nibble Rats to repel them all. The surface of the river was also filled with Nibble Rats, and the pressure was surging towards the garrison. The knights continued to fight hard, but they looked like they were being pushed, so I spread shields of darkness along the ramparts. Having lost their footholds, the Nibble Rats scattered and fell while getting involved with the ones climbing up from below, but they soon started climbing again. Seeing that, the knights breathed a sigh of relief and then tightened their expressions again. "Reinhardt, tell me about the situation!" [ I''m sorry, Kent-sama. The number and range were both unexpected, and they ended up slipping through the ranks. ] The abilities of my genus were high, but the numbers were so different that they seemed to be spilling out of their fingers like water they scooped up with their hands. It seemed that Reinhardt had continued to fight fiercely, and as usual he was covered in blood, but he couldn''t deal with them. Looking in the direction of the Devil''s Forest, it was filled with hordes of Nibble Rats, and the ground looked like it was undulating. What''s more, it seemed that monsters such as Goblins, Kobolds, and Orcs were mixed in with the large army of Nibble Rats. "How about contacting the Gleisner territory?" [ I already sent a Kobold with a letter. ] It seemed that a considerable number of monsters had already avoided Lastock and headed further inland. On the way to the Gleisner territory, there were small passes and forests spread out, so if it wasn''t a group of them looking for food, they may live in hiding without attacking the city. "Call back the Kobolds and use them to defend the ramparts." [ Ha! , At once ... ] "Wouldn''t it stop if we created a feeding ground like during the Goblin outbreak?" [ Since they approach the corpses of their comrades without even looking at them, that alone won''t stop them. ] "Okay, let me try something for a bit, call back Zae-tachi for now." After having the Undead Lizardmen who were fighting hard in the river come back so they wouldn''t get involved, I tried attack magic using my surplus magic power. "First, with wind ..." I created a tornado with wind-attribute magic from the shadow space towards the surface of the river. The image was of Barshania''s compound magic performed against the Gigas. Although the scale was a little smaller, the swimming monsters were caught in the whirlwind and swept up along with the water of the river. "Hey, what is that tornado!" "You idiot, don''t stop, they''re coming up!" The tornado caught the eyes of the knights defending the ramparts, but they couldn''t stop pushing the Nibble Rats back. I tried to move the tornado downstream while hoisting up the Nibble Rats and monsters that filled the river surface. Immediately after the tornado passed through, there was a blank area, but it was soon filled with monsters. "Hmm, it doesn''t have the effect I expected, so here, fireball ..." I imitated the tornado of flames that scorched the Gigas, but the river water was also swirled up in the tornado, so the moment the fireball that I shot without holding back touched it, steam was generated with tremendous force. "Oh! , this might be bad ... Everyone get down!" Dogaaaaaan! For an instant, a steam explosion occurred that made it possible to see the bottom of the river, and the monsters caught in the whirlpool came falling as pieces of meat. I put out a shield of darkness on top of the ramparts and yelled from there, but it didn''t seem like I made it in time, and the knights were moving about in confusion in the wake of the blast. Uwaa, Diethelm was also covered in blood. "Uhiya, I messed up, messed up, I overdid it. Tehe!" [ Buhahahaha, Kent-sama, both enemies and allies alike are standing still with their eyes wide open. ] A large blank area was created around the hypocenter, but it was gradually filled in from the direction of the Devil''s Forest. "Hm ~ m, that''s kind of strange. They didn''t stop even after an explosion like that." [ You''re right. I wonder if there''s a reason for that ... ] The Goblin outbreak that attacked Volzard stopped for a while and then suddenly surged in, but the cause was the four Salamanders. "Is there something behind the group of Nibble Rats?" [ That possibility is high. ] "Nero, come back for a minute." I called back Nero, who had been slashing hordes of monsters from the sky, with a shadow summon. "Even if I cut and cut, it never ends, nya." "Nero, can you go and check if there''s some kind of big monster behind the horde?" "Okay, nya, I''m going, nya." "Zeta, Eta, and Theta should intimidate in the forest so that the monsters don''t go towards Volzard." The Nibble Rats, I didn''t know what was deciding their direction, but it would be troublesome if this horde headed for Volzard. If Zeta-tachi were intimidating, they should be able to restrict the direction to some extent. As I watched the monsters rushing in like the Night Parade of 100 Demons, Nero returned from scouting. "There is a big snake with three heads, nya." "Three heads?" [ Kent-sama, it might be a Hydra. ] A Hydra was a monster that was originally a single-headed serpent, but was transformed into a multi-headed creature by the Maou. THere were several theories about the number of heads, ranging from two to nine, but there were no records of actual sightings, and the exact number was unknown. "It doesn''t matter how many heads it has. If the swarm of monsters won''t stop because of that guy, then I''ll just subdue it. Nero, guide me." "Leave it to me, nya." When I climbed into the shadows with Nero and moved to the tail end of the Nibble Rats swarm, a sight that left me dumbfounded spread out. A monster that looked like a Hydra was pushing down the trees in the Devil''s Forest, but the three-parted sickle neck was about the same height as a Gigas. The length from the base of the three necks to the tail was more than twice as long, making it a suitable size to be called a monster. "Uwaa ... Certainly, this makes me want to run away ..." "Nyaaa ... Nero can''t even beat that, nya." The Hydra moved its three sickle necks at a speed that could not be imagined from its size, and put the monsters in its stomach. The three heads seemed to be watching over the front, back, left, and right, so you couldn''t approach it carelessly. "Somehow, it feels like a living fortress." The Hydra''s three heads appeared to have different magical attributes. The central neck was fire attribute, the neck on the right side was wind attribute, and the third neck was water attribute. It seemed that the fire attribute neck attacked with a fireball, the wind attribute neck attacked with a breath containing wind blades, and the water attribute neck spat poisonous liquid. The size of the body, the attack power, and the attribute magic probably strengthened its defense. Ordinary people, even if they challenged it to a fight with a frontal attack, there is no doubt that it would retaliate. Even with a well-trained group, it was going to be a tough battle. At first glance, it seemed impregnable, but although it moved quickly from the neck up, the torso that supported the sickle necks was huge, and it didn''t look like it could move quickly. "Even if it''s a Hydra, it can''t survive if its body falls apart, right?" "Nyaa ... Goshujin-sama is smiling wickedly, nya. Don''t overdo it, nya." "But, isn''t it better not to hurt it with half-baked attacks and let it rampage?" "That''s true, nya ... But, if you overdo it, Reinhardt will scold you, nya." "No, no, it can''t be helped because today is an emergency. So, I''ll drop the large spear golem!" "Nya!! There''s no time to stop it, nya ... Wait, it''s already falling, nya." "I''ll drop it from a higher place than usual!" "Goshujin-sama is running wild, nya. Nero sympathizes with the Hydra, nya." For the large spear, I tried to drop it at an altitude of about 10 kilometers. As it plunged into the atmosphere, it was red hot and rained down ... If it''s going to drop, it''s better to be flashy. After waiting about 20 seconds, a red dot appeared. I was worried that it would burn up, but it seemed that the link as a dark attribute golem was still alive. "Nero, make sure you don''t go out." "Even if you tell me to go out, I refuse, nya." I put out a huge shield of darkness, caught the spear that was falling faster than the speed of sound, and launched it from directly above the Hydra. The moment I saw the spear, I closed the shield of darkness, retreated into the shadow space, cut off access to the outside, and no sound or vibration would be transmitted. "Nya ~ ... Goshujin-sama, I''m sure you''re overdoing it, nya." "Nero really is a worrywart. Since I''m going to defeat a Hydra, I need that much." "I''m sure it''s going to be terrible, nya, I''m afraid to see it, nya ..." "It''s okay ... maybe. But, let''s go back to the garrison once." "That''s better, nya." When I went back to the garrison with Nero, there was a lot of commotion. "A star has fallen! God''s judgment!" "Isn''t that the Spear of Judgment." "It''s the end of the world ... The time of destruction has come ..." The knights, forgetting to knock down the Nibble Rats, were pointing at the Devil''s Forest and making a fuss, and some even crouched with their heads in their hands. No, no, everyone is exaggerating, aren''t they ... Rather, a mushroom cloud was formed. The sun had already set, but the big moon was rising, illuminating the cloud rising deep inside the Devil''s Forest. Riding the strong westerly wind, the dust was blown up and flowed eastward. Once again, both humans and monsters had stopped moving and were looking towards the Devil''s Forest. [ Buhahahaha, as expected of Kent-sama, you have already surpassed even the realm of gods. ] "Nah ... The realm of gods is too much, but maybe I went a bit too far?" [ What happened to the Hydra? ] "I wonder? It should have been right under that place, so there may not be any form left. Or rather, it seems that the pressure from the forest has increased." [ The power was beyond the power of a Hydra. ] The plan was to reduce the pressure from the forest by subduing the Hydra, but it seemed that due to its slightly higher power, the monsters fled and the momentum towards Lastock increased. "It can''t be helped, let''s fire a few shots in the middle and make them run away in different directions. Zae-tachi go support Zeta-tachi." "Understood, My King." The spear golems I had were one large, two medium, and six small. For the time being, I dropped one medium-sized one into the wasteland between Lastock and the Devil''s Forest. Although it was temporary, the pressure on Lastock increased further, so I dropped two small spear golems on the opposite bank of the river. With this, the pressure on Lastock was greatly reduced, but just as I was worried, some of the monsters began to head towards Volzard. After receiving the news from Zeta, I dropped three small spear golems in quick succession at the head of the group that was heading towards Volzard to stop the group from moving. "Zeta, push them back." "As you wish, Nushi-dono." When Zeta-tachi roared furiously, the swarm of monsters turned and headed back. I felt like I was leading a flock of sheep with a sheepdog. "Nero, push back from north to south." "Understood, nya." The east side would be surrounded by Zeta-tachi and Zae-tachi, Nero would drive in from the north, and we would be in charge of the remaining west side. "Now, Reinhardt, Basten, do it." [ Buhahaha, I''ve been waiting for this, let''s go Basten! ] [ Let''s make it flashy, Branch Leader. ] Reinhardt and Basten moved to the opposite bank of Lastock and began to rampage at will. Reinhardt used his beloved sword, Gram, to blaze and mow down hordes of monsters. Since this didn''t stop them, the Hydra''s pressure must have been considerable. In order to support Reinhardt and the others, I scattered fireballs from the shadow space towards the swarm of monsters and pushed them back south. It seemed that the invasion of the swarms of monsters had somehow subsided, so I went to see what happened to the Hydra. "Ahha! , ahahahaha ... Let''s pretend we didn''t see this ... This is the work of a meteorite." A crater with a diameter of over 200 meters was created where the large spear fell, and the surrounding trees were also knocked down in a concentric circle. There was absolutely no trace of the Hydra, but I wondered if it was successfully subjugated. That being said, if there was a monster that could withstand this attack, there was nothing we could do about it. When we returned to the garrison, the knights finally took a breather and wiped their sweat thanks to the drastic reduction in the number of monsters that were surging in. Several Nibble Rats climbed over the ramparts and entered, but the Kobolds chased after them and dealt with them. It seemed that Diethelm, dressed in an unfamiliar armor, had finally recovered from his tense state. Because he was bathed in the blood and flesh of monsters that rained down from the steam explosion, his appearance was quite impressive. I put out a shield of darkness in front of Diethelm and called out to him. "It''s not over yet. Don''t let your guard down, Diethelm." "Maou-sama, thank you for your help. Umm, Aneue is ..." "Since I''m here. Isn''t it obvious she''s already made a completely recovery." "Ha! , I''m sorry." "Camilla was poisoned by the First Queen and was stabbed when she was no longer able to control her body. It was pretty dangerous, but now it''s fine." The nearby knights raised bewildered voices when I said that the First Queen had been told that Camilla was the one who killed Alphonse. "Who the hell, that kind of hoax ..." "Well, that''s what I need to investigate from now on, but it''s not something that people here think." "However, it seems that disasters will befall my sister from now on ..." "Diethelm. That''s for Camilla to worry about. You have things to do, right. From what I''ve seen, a considerable number of monsters have entered the mainland. The area between here and the Count Gleisner territory should be in the same state as the Devil''s Forest." "Certainly ... It''s as Maou-sama says." "Currently, Lastock is isolated in the Devil''s Forest. If we don''t secure traffic on the highway, won''t there be a shortage of various supplies." Hearing that they were isolated in the Devil''s Forest, the surroundings were shaken, and some knights unintentionally let out groans. Even so, J¨¹rgen, the royal guard knight attached to Diethelm, remained calm. "Don''t panic. As Maou-sama said, the current situation is tough, but we''ve overcome the hopeless situation. What we should do is work together to protect the residents, and above all, don''t give up hope!" I felt that not only the knights, but also Diethelm''s courage grew after receiving J¨¹rgen''s shout. In fact, the city of Lastock had suffered a great deal of damage from monsters. The city had finally recovered from the damage caused by the Orcs raid, so it must have been a big shock to the residents. "Diethelm, I think I won''t be able to come for two or three days, but I will have my genus come to check on the situation, so if there are any urgently needed supplies such as food, tell them. Even if it''s not possible to travel between here and the Count Gleisner territory, it can be transported directly through the shadow space." "Thank you very much. We have secured enough food for a few days, but if the isolation is prolonged, I will ask for it." Several knights guarding the ramparts were injured, but the goal of the Nibble Rats was not to attack and eat people, but rather to enter the garrison as a hideout, so there were no serious injuries requiring emergency medical attention. However, Nibble Rats may be hiding in buildings throughout the city, and the reconstruction work after dawn seemed to be accompanied by danger and difficulty. [ Reinhardt, select five Kobolds from the Kobold Corps and have them subdue the Nibble Rats that are hiding in the city of Lastock. Everyone else, please be vigilant around Volzard. ] [ Understood, so far, we have not been able to confirm a large group heading for Volzard. However, it''s not like they''ve completely returned to the southern continent, so don''t let your guard down. ] [ It would be better to let Klaus-san know, but I wonder if it''s a little too late. ] [ That''s right. Tomorrow ... I would like to say, but Kent-sama used the booster. ] [ That''s right. It still seems okay, but I''m afraid of what will happen after the effect wears off. ] When I was talking with Reinhardt about the future, Hart called out to me. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, the Knight Commander has arrived." "Finally, that took a long time, but did something happen?" "Wau, they said someone escaped." "No way ... Diethelm, I''m going back to the royal castle, so I''ll leave Lastock to you." "Ha! , leave it to me." After exchanging glances with Kingsguard J¨¹rgen accompanying Diethelm, I dived into the shadows and headed for the royal castle. CH 206 Prison Break ***---*** It was almost time for the date to change, but the royal castle of Aldaros was lit up brightly, and many soldiers were moving around. Camilla, who returned to her room and changed into her usual outfit that looked like a luxurious knight''s uniform, had a sour expression on her face. "Camilla, can you explain what''s going on?" "Welcome back, Maou-sama. Lastock is ..." "Yeah, a horde of monsters chased by a Hydra was approaching, and it was a pretty dangerous situation, but I feel like I managed to protect it somehow." "Hydra! Did a Hydra really appear?" "I''m not familiar with monsters, but if there are other snakes with three heads that are even bigger than a Gigas, it might not be a Hydra." After looking at Camilla, the Knight Commander timidly asked. "Maou-dono, what happened to that Hydra?" "Yeah, I think probably, it maybe blew to pieces ..." "The Hydra blew to pieces ... What kind of attack did you make?" "Hmm ... Somehow or another, it might be something like that, maa, isn''t it good to have a different attack method? More importantly, I heard that someone escaped ..." Both Camilla and the Knight Commander bowed their heads. "I''m sorry Maou-sama. I allowed Havre Calvine to escape." "I thought as much ..." The First Queen went crazy, Camilla was seriously injured on the verge of death, monsters invaded the castle ... And so on, rumors flew about, and the royal castle was thrown into chaos. While most people''s eyes were on the inner palace, the prison in which he was imprisoned was breached and Havre Calvine disappeared. "So, the person who spread the rumor to the First Queen, did that person cooperate in helping him?" "Yes, we are still in the stage of investigating, but it seems that some people have spread suspicious information and caused confusion in the royal castle." "Even so, is the security of the royal castle something that can be broken so easily?" "I''m truly sorry. It seems that this time they went through the sewer and escaped into the waterway." The King who was killed the other day was said to be a Foolish King, and the Princes could do whatever they wanted, inside they royal castle, there was no discipline, and noone would be imprisoned, so the prison appeared to have been unused. As a result, the guards were also inexperienced, and the turmoil surrounding Camilla''s assassination attempt left them agitated and they left their post. I was at a loss for words. Even so, it seemed likely that the escape could have been prevented if they had gone through a normal corridor, but it seemed that the people who guided Havre went down the sewer. "The royal castle''s sewage, what is it like?" "Sewage is collected in one place, purified by magic tools, and then drained into the water moat surrounding the royal castle. However, if you pass through a passage that hasn''t been purified, you will naturally be covered in filth." "It was thought that no one would ever pass through such a place." "That''s right, and the waterway that leads to the moat is fitted with a lattice, and normally people can''t enter or exit." "Is that lattice broken?" "Yes, it seems that they were well prepared." It seemed that Havre Calvine had his minions lurking in the royal castle in addition to those who acted on the surface. Even after he lost the showdown in the Chamber of Proceedings, they would have survived, leaving room for resurgence. By the time the escape was discovered, it was already dark, and it seemed that it was difficult to track down Havre, who had left the royal castle. "If there was a collaborator inside the royal castle, it would be better to think that he is naturally outside the royal castle, right?" "Yes, we are still investigating, but it is reasonable to assume that they have already left the royal capital." "The escape destination is naturally his own territory, isn''t it?" "Probably ..." "Are there any nobles who are likely to cooperate with Havre?" "That part is a little tricky. Havre was originally a heavyweight of the Second Prince faction, and it is possible that he has taken in those who border his territory." I thought that all the troubles in Resenburg had been cleared up, but when the most troublesome Havre was able to escape, I felt like we''ve stepped back a lot, if not going back to the beginning. In the worst case, the possibility of a civil war could not be denied. Havre''s territory was a mountainous area, including mines, to the north of the royal castle. When I went to do reconnaissance about a month ago, Havre''s castle was covered with snow. Perhaps it would be closed by deep snow. "Hey, Camilla, does the Calvine territory get a lot of snow?" "It seems that it changes depending on the year, but it seems that during the winter, luggage is transported by sleds instead of horse-drawn carriages." For two to three months, the roads to Calvine''s territory were blocked by snow. Work in the mines continued throughout the winter regardless of whether it snowed outside and supported the finances of the Calvine territory. "In that situation, even if Havre runs away, there is little worry that he will attack the royal capital." "Yes, it is as you say, but it is difficult to attack from here as well." It''s true that it''s insane to attack up a snowy mountain road. "So, Camilla, what are you going to do now?" "Yes, I would like to avoid it if possible, but I will start preparing for battle." "Have you already sent the news to the nobles who govern the lands adjacent to the Havre territory?" "Yes, I don''t know if they will be allies, but I have a fast horse running." If the neighboring nobles were to weigh the balance between their past friendly relations and their acts of rebellion, including the murder of the King, which side would they side with, if you thought about it normally, they would side with Camilla. However, since the opponent was the battle-hardened Havre Calvine, I didn''t know what kind of move he would use. As for Camilla, it seemed that she wanted to encircle the Calvine territory by the time the snow melted, with the surrounding nobles at her side. In any case, it seemed that the aristocrats were reluctant to take any action as it was the time before the year-end and New Year holidays, and it was expected that things would start to move after the new year. "Knight Commander, I would like you to first identify and eliminate Havre''s collaborators. I don''t want Camilla''s life to be targeted any more, to prevent any further disorder. I wonder if you can prepare a system for personal protection, including a poison taster." "As you wish. We have already detained several collaborators. We will prepare a security system for Camilla-sama as soon as possible." "Also, a large number of monsters have entered beyond Lastock, being chased by the Hydra. Beginning with the Gleisner territory, warn the people of the southern region to be vigilant." "How many monsters are there?" "I don''t know the exact number, but it''s better to think that Lastock is current isolated in the Devil''s Forest. In fact, it feels like the Devil''s Forest has overflowed beyond the river." When I told him about the swarm of monsters that were mainly Nibble Rats, the Commander''s expression clouded over. "In addition to Havre Calvine, we have to allocate personnel to countermeasures against monsters ..." "But, doesn''t that just depend on your way of thinking?" "How do you mean?" "Yeah, in the country where I was born and raised, and the neighboring country across the sea, when an inconvenient situation occurs within the country, they fend off domestic criticism by making foreign countries out to be enemies. If you replace this with Resenburg, the matter of Havre is a domestic trouble, and the monster swarm is a foreign country, isn''t it?" "Indeed, the country is united under the common enemy of monsters." "That''s right. Can you do it, Camilla?" "Yes, I will bring the country together with the plan given to me by Maou-sama, and I will settle the matter of Havre and show you." After discussing the transportation of relief supplies in case Lastock''s isolation was prolonged, the Knight Commander returned to take measures to take back to the knights. It seemed that Camilla''s living room was protected by a team of female knights, including the corridor, under the window, and in the next room. A female knight was attached to the people in charge of serving tea and other things, watching over them to make sure they didn''t act suspiciously, and at the same time acted as a taster. Even now, two female knights were standing in the corner of the room, watching over us. "Umm ... Maou-sama, is my brother Diethelm safe?" "Yeah, he was commanding on the ramparts while being accompanied by J¨¹rgen, the royal guard. He was bathed in the blood of the monsters, but I think it was a good experience." "Bathed in the blood of monsters ... That''s how he commanded the front line." "Ehh, uu, yeah ... Maa, something like that ..." It''s the blood that was the result of what I did, but I thought it would be better to keep quiet here. "Maou-sama, thank you for saving my life this time as well. I promise once again that I will dedicate my body and soul to serve you." Seeing Camilla standing up from the sofa and kneeling in front of me, the guarding female knights had a startled expression on their faces. "This time, it was fine because Hart informed me so quickly, but in a similar situation, I can''t always be there in time. The problem of the desertification in the west, and the monster issue this time, there are a lot of problems in Resenburg, so you can''t be allowed to die so easily." "Yes, I promise to work to protect the people and enrich the country." I approached Camilla, who had bowed her head again, and hugged her. "I''m so glad ... I thought it was no good for a while." "Ma, Maou-sama." I hugged the surprised Camilla tightly and confirmed her warmth. "I won''t allow you to let this heartbeat stop without my permission." "Yes ..." "Because I used a special medicine to increase my magical power, I think I''ll be unable to move for about three days, so don''t let your guard down." "Maou-sama, to do that for me ..." After answering Camilla''s question by embracing her once more, I released her body and stood up. "I will return to Volzard. In case of emergency, let us know through Hart as before. Camilla Resenburg, do your best for the people!" "Ha! , as you wish." Her enchanted expression tightened in an instant, and seeing Camilla bow her head while answering with a stern voice, the female knights who guarded her also knelt and bowed their heads. Yup, I''m becoming more and more like a Demon King. As soon as I put out a shield of darkness and walked calmly into the shadows, I reached my limit. My knees suddenly lost their strength and I couldn''t get up. "Reinhardt, this might be bad ... I probably won''t be able to move ..." [ Kent-sama, where are you going back to? ] "Umm, the boarding house is no good ... The Devil''s Forest, is no good ..." I was told that I would have to sleep for three days, but I hadn''t thought of any countermeasures. For the time being, where in Volzard should I return to, I didn''t have enough energy to think about it, and my consciousness was getting hazy. "Umm ... Umm ..." While I was thinking about it, my consciousness faded, and after that I ended up experiencing the horror of the booster''s side effects. When I woke up, I was lying on a bed in some room. I was shocked when I tried to move my head to see what was going on in the room. My consciousness was quite dim, and I couldn''t move my body at all. I could only move my eyelids and eyeballs, and when I moved my gaze, it didn''t seem like I was in my boarding house room. I hurriedly talked to Reinhardt via telepathy [ Reinhardt, Reinhardt! ] [ Are you awake, Kent-sama? ] [ I can''t move my body. What should I do? ] [ As expected, did that happen ... ] [ What do you mean? Reinhardt, did you know this would happen? ] [ It''s not exactly the same, but there was a similar medicine in the time when we were alive. You will be able to use a large amount of magical power temporarily, but as a side effect, you will not be able to move your body ... ] [ What should I do, hey, what should I do? ] [ Calm down, Kent-sama, you will return to normal in a few days. ] I almost panicked because I couldn''t move at all, but I was relieved to hear that I would go back to normal, and at the same time, I realized I was thirsty. [ Reinhardt, water, give me some water. ] [ As you wish. However, that is not my role. ] [ Ehh, what''s going on? ] The shadows of three people jumped into my field of vision, clearing my doubts. "Kento, are you awake?" "Kent, Kent, stay strong." "Kent-sama, I''m so glad ..." When I saw the worried faces of the chairman, Manon, and Beatriche, I remembered my promise to have breakfast with them, but I couldn''t even say a word of apology. Even when the chairman and Manon lifted me up and put the cup to my mouth, I couldn''t even drink water properly. Then, the chairman put water in her mouth and fed it to me. Next was Manon, and then Beatriche. [ Yup, not being able to move is not all bad. ] [ Kent-sama, the situation where you cannot move by yourself is not a very praiseworthy situation. ] [ I know. But, I hope everyone will be kind to me ... ] [ Fumu ... Kent-sama, you have to reflect a little. ] [ No, no, I''m reflecting properly. I''m thinking about not having to use the booster anymore. ] After having the three of them each give me two mouth-to-mouth drinks, my thirst was quenched and I felt a little more conscious, but I couldn''t move my body at all. [ Well ... I''ve been busy lately, so it''s good to take it easy once in a while. ] [ Haa ... Kent-sama, it seems that you haven''t reflected enough, but, maa, you''ll regret it soon. ] It was true that the three of them would be putting off sermon time until after I could move my body, but for now, I thought it was fine to enjoy the situation to its fullest. Reinhardt was just a worrywart ... Thinking of such, how naive it was, it was already creeping up on me. [ Uu! , what should I do ... ] [ What''s wrong, Kent-sama. ] [ Umm ... just a little, the bathroom ... ] [ Nuhahaha, please, please, don''t hesitate to go. ] [ No, I can''t move ... ] [ That''s right. You need help with this. Let me tell them. ] [ Ehh!! Wa, wait a minute, who are you going to tell? ] [ That''s a stupid question that is uncharacteristic of Kent-sama. It''s obviously the three in front of you. ] [ No, no, no, wait, wait! No, no, that''s a little ... ] [ Kent-sama, if you are careless, you will have to take care of yourself. ] [ No, because ... ] [ So, which is it? Big or small? ] [ Eeeehhhh ... ] A body that didn''t move even the slightest bit, and an ever-increasing urge to urinate. I decided to accept the harsh reality because I couldn''t let it leak and dirty the bed. I couldn''t keep my eyes open, so I had no choice but to close them tightly and wait for the time to pass. "Kento, I''ll prepare the urinal, so please wait a moment." "Eh! , Eh! , Riche, are you going to take it off?" "What are you talking about, Manon-san, we have to take it off." "Eh! , but, men don''t have to take off their clothes ... "We should take them off, Manon, help me."" "Eh! , yeah ..." Ahh, they took off my belt, unbuttoned my trousers, pulled them down, and completely undressed me. The strings on my underpants were also untied ... Ah, I feel so relieved ... Wait, what''s with this strange silence. "The two of you, Kent-sama will catch a cold." "R, right. We have to hurry up ..." "U, umm, who''s going to do it?" "Eh! , that''s ..." "At this time, all three of us ..." Eeehhh ... Don''t you think you don''t have to do that kind of joint work? Ah! Aaaahhhh ... [ Buhahahaha, Kent-sama, you certainly leave nothing to be desired, buhahahaha. ] [ Uuhh ... I will fast until my body can move. ] [ Nuhahaha, it would be nice if your body could move before that time comes. ] "Kento, preparations are complete, so it''s fine ..." In the end, with the helping hands of the three people, I was placed on the urinal and finished using the toilet without soiling the bed, but for the next two days, it was decided to continue my life of being helped by the three people. The three gave me not only water, but also soup and stew, saying that I should get as much nutrition as possible so that I could recover quickly. However, if the stomach and intestines are active, the natural physiological desire will come, and my nerves were scraped off before I could move my body. CH 207 Aftermath of having done treatment ***---*** Even while I was unable to move, all of my genus continued their activities. The Kobold Corps and Zeta-tachi worked together to keep the density of monsters in the Devil''s Forest to the same level as before, splitting up large hordes and pushing the whole group down south. It seemed that Zae-tachi would select and mow down large monsters that had entered the vicinity of Lastock, and collected magic stones and materials. Fred gathered information in the royal castle while guarding Camilla with Hart. It seemed that Basten moved to Havre''s mansion to find out what was going on. [ Then, are the housekeeper named Hegel and the man named Todd central to running the Calvine Family? ] [ Yes, it''s like Hegel makes the plans and Todd carries them out. ] The mansion in the Calvine territory had already received news that Havre had escaped from prison, and preparations were underway to accept him. If it were Havre''s subordinates, I would have thought that they would be trying to replace Havre and take control of him, but it seemed that they were trying to save him and share his fate. And it seemed that this wasn''t just limited to the Calvine Family, but also the manager of the mine. [ Does that mean that the man named Havre Calvine is charismatic? ] [ Probably, it seems such. ] That kind of charisma was probably necessary to rule over a land where rough people gathered in the mines, but if Havre was eliminated, who would be in charge of the subsequent governance, I was worried about how it would go. [ Better yet, when Havre comes back, how about using a large spear golem to blow the entire mansion away? ] [ Kent-sama, as expected, that is ... ] [ I wonder if it''s no good ... A meteorite has fallen ... It''s divine punishment ... Something like that. ] [ It''s certainly a quick method, but I feel like that doesn''t change the foundation of Resenburg. With that method, there is no problem while Kent-sama is here, but after Kent-sama passes away, it could become a source of turmoil again. ] [ In other words, if the Kingdom of Resenburg doesn''t demonstrate its self-cleansing effect, it''s no good. ] It was getting kind of annoying, so I wanted to quickly go ''Do~n'' with a spear golem, but Basten stopped me. When it came to charisma on par with Havre, the first thing that came to mind was Camilla, but that was for the general public, and I felt like she would be underestimated if it was a rough-and-tumble miner. Diethelm''s body lines were too thin, and I felt like he would be looked down upon again. Wasn''t there a shortage of personnel for both the royal family and the nobility in Resenburg? Or was it possible that there were some outstanding figures that I just didn''t know about? Regarding the isolation of Lastock, it seemed that in addition to the activities of Zae-tachi, the Count Gleisner Family had volunteered to provide relief supplies and guard the carriages that came and went. However, the damage to the city that was trampled by monsters was enormous, and it seemed that it would take time to recover. It seemed that some buildings were destroyed last time they were attacked by a group of Orcs, but the purpose of the Orcs was to attack and eat people, so the damage to the buildings was limited. However, the Nibble Rats'' purpose this time was to secure a hideout, so it seemed that the Nibble Rats entered most of the buildings and ransacked them. It seemed that a lot of damage had been done to the entrances and walls of the buildings, as well as to household goods and living utensils, so it seemed that it would take time to restore the daily lives of the citizens. If a similar situation occurred in Volzard and a large number of Nibble Rats had entered, I couldn''t even imagine how much damage would have been done. Because it was the end of the year, it was necessary to pay more attention to maximum outbreaks than ever before. [ Hey, Reinhardt. Should I explore the southern continent? ] [ That''s right ... It''s true that the situation where a Hydra appeared in addition to a Griffon and the Gigases is no ordinary thing. ] [ Klaus-san and Donovan-san seem to think that something is happening on the southern continent, so wouldn''t it be better to confirm that? ] [ I think it''s as you say, but even if you do reconnaissance, the area is too wide, and since it is originally a land ruled by monsters, I don''t know if you can detect abnormalities just by looking at it. ] [ I see, for example, even if there are several Hydras, it means that I won''t know if it''s abnormal or normal. ] There was a time when people lived on the southern continent in the past, but a war broke out with Resenburg before they were divided by the Devil''s Forest, and after the Hero summoned in that case became a Demon King, he ruled it. It was said that the Demon King spread a huge amount of magical power, causing the number of monsters to increase explosively, and the continent became ruled by monsters. If an ordinary person set foot on it, they would become food for monsters, and it had been a long time since humans stopped approaching, so the current situation was completely unknown. [ Better yet, how about blowing away the place connected to the southern continent with a spear golem? ] [ Buhahahaha, only Kent-sama could think of such a thing, and it is possible to do it, but if the traffic to the southern continent is completely cut off, the number of monsters will decrease drastically. ] [ If that happens, will there be a shortage of materials like magic stones? ] Monsters were a troublesome existence, but at the same time they were indispensable existences in order to use the magic tools that were the basis of life in this world. The magic stones that made magic tools work, and the materials that made magic tools were both dependent on monsters. [ Come to think of it, I''m thinking of turning the Gigas'' magic stone into money and sending it to Barshania as a reward, but does Landshelt''s money work in Barshania? ] [ Normally, you can use gold coins of the highest value without any problem, but other currencies are generally exchanged at border towns. ] [ I see, so then, should I change the Gigas'' magic stone into gold coins? ] [ However, Kent-sama, I think it would be a bit difficult to handle a magic stone like that in Volzard. ] [ I see, then, while I''m reporting various things to Master Reese, I think I should exchange it for cash at Bakkenheim. ] [ The most expensive way to sell it is to sell it at the auction held in Bakkenheim, and the target is probably the day after the New Year holidays are over. ] It seemed that there was a so-called festive market in this world as well, and in the first transactions after the year-end and New Year holidays, the main products were priced high. I will have to go to Master Reese to greet her at the beginning of the year, so let''s talk about it at that time. Until the booster effect wore off, I spent three days at Klaus-san''s mansion, under the care of the chairman, Manon, and Beatriche. As I was finally able to move my body, sermon time naturally awaited me. Even so, Reinhardt reported the series of situations in writing beforehand, and I was released in a shorter time than I had expected. Having said that, I couldn''t go against the three of them anymore because they took care of me. Or rather, I couldn''t go against them to begin with. It seemed that Flavia-san delivered the dresses that the three of them had made for the New Year''s party. If that was true, they surely would have tried them on when they received them, but I had to leave it until the party. Flavia-san must have made dresses that would make the three of them fascinating, so I couldn''t wait for the party. After the sermon was over, I decided to send Manon and the chairman home then go to the boarding house. I hadn''t been back for a long time, and Amanda-san and Meisa-chan might be worrying about me. I apologized to Manon''s mother, Noela, for worrying her, and I was still ignored by her younger brother, Hamill. "I''m sorry. He doesn''t like having Manon taken from him. He will always be a child ..." "No, it can''t be helped. But, please bring him with you to the New Year''s party." "Alright. I''m looking forward to having a party at the Lord''s mansion because it''s not easy to attend." I invited Manon''s family, so naturally I couldn''t help but invite another family. I finally had to go and greet the chairman''s family, which I''ve been procrastinating on with the excuse of being so busy. "Yuika, could you please tell me when would be a convenient time for your parents?" "Yeah, alright ... But, isn''t the time difference with Japan getting bigger? Will you be okay?" "It can''t be helped. I''ll make the adjustments myself, so please prioritize your parents'' convenience." I thought I''d send the chairman to the garrison''s temporary dormitory and then make plans for the next return, but I met Yagi on the way to the men''s dormitory. As soon as Yagi saw me, he quickly walked towards me with angry eyes. "Kokubu! You sure have nerve to show up in front of me!" "What is it, are you still angry about the mixer?" "Not that! Don''t joke around, didn''t you feel sorry for Seitarou-chan!" Yagi grabbed me by the collar. "Ehh, Seita ... Who!?" "Don''t screw with me, if you went back to Japan for a little treatment, wouldn''t they have been saved?" "Yagi, I really don''t understand what you''re saying." "Didn''t you look at the information on the internet?" "I was busy, so I didn''t see it at all ..." Escorting the Volzard Family''s carriage, the bandit disturbance, the landslide, the Gigas subjugation, Camilla''s assassination attempt, the Nibble Rat''s attack, the Hydra extermination, and sleeping for three days. Yup, I feel like I''m too busy every day. While I had completely forgotten about contacting Japan, the turmoil began. It seems that the beginning of things was a scoop article in a weekly magazine that was released about a week ago. The contents of the article, which was said to be a confession by a certain hospital official, was a detailed description of the treatment I gave to athlete Fukuzawa. Although my name wasn''t written, being able to travel to another world, it was written as a boy who could use magic, and combined with information such as Kizawa-san''s notes, they could tell from the content. Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee, damage to the medial meniscus, injuries that would take half a year to fully heal under modern medicine, the content could only be thought of as a miracle, such a thing as being completely healed in just a few minutes, combined with the comeback drama of a nationally popular skater, it seemed to have become a big topic. And there was a person who read the article and entrusted them with a ray of hope. The mother of a five-year-old boy, Fujimura Seitarou-chan, who had been diagnosed with a serious heart problem and had no choice but to undergo transplant surgery, requested the Japanese government for treatment. However, the Japanese government only replied that they were not providing such treatment, and no donor was found, and Seitarou passed away the day before yesterday. After hearing from Yagi, I hurriedly took out the smartphone I was borrowing and turned it on, and there were more than a dozen messages. All the messages were from Kajikawa-san, and the content was that the Japanese government did not recognize the existence of treatments using healing magic and refused all of them as agreed. Regarding Seitarou-chan''s treatment, since there was no actual contact, it was written that if I was asked something, I should answer that I had not been informed. After Seitarou-chan''s death, his mother wrote a series of responses by the Japanese government on SNS, and as it spread, it seemed that not only the Japanese government but also me had been criticized. "What''s that, Kokubu seriously didn''t know about it ... Or rather, isn''t it clumsy?" "No, even if you say it''s clumsy, I''ll ask you what''s wrong." When I called Kajikawa-san''s cell phone, he answered before it even rang. "It''s Kokubu. I''m sorry I didn''t contact you." "Kokubu-kun, where are you now?" "I''m at Volzard." "Do you know about the ruckus?" "Yes, I just heard about it ..." "As I said before, the Japanese government has a policy of not recognizing the existence of treatments using healing magic, so Kokubu-kun should keep that in mind. No matter what media you are dealing with, you can''t approve of the treatment." "However, Kajikawa-san, there are situations in Volzard where I have no choice but to use healing magic, so I have no choice but to say that it is possible here." Volzard didn''t have an established emergency medical system like Japan. Just like with Camilla''s assassination attempt, I never knew when I would have to use healing magic, and if I hesitated, it would affect people''s lives. "It can''t be helped for people to receive treatment over there, but I hope you can be careful not to film yourself using healing magic as much as possible." "Understood, unless it''s an emergency, I''ll treat them after paying attention to my surroundings." "Also, it''s better not to come back to Japan until the turmoil subsides." "However, I haven''t made any progress on the return of my classmates for a while, and if I send back a water-attribute person next time, I will be able to obtain all attributes, so depending on the situation, I may be able to use summoning magic." "I see ... But, could you please refrain from doing that for at least a week? Because the criticism against Kokubu-kun is getting stronger for a while, I''ll try to calm things down a bit, so could you please wait for me?" "Is that so ... Yes, I understand." After finishing the call with Kajikawa-san, when I opened the browser, I saw many negative opinions about me. Even though celebrities were treated, I abandoned small children. I''m sure they paid a lot of money for treatment. Isn''t he a celebrity, himself. Just reading it made me feel depressed. It was true that Yagi was right, and I felt like this was a bit clumsy. Of course, the chairman''s parents had heard these critical opinions flooding the internet, so I felt that their impression of me was getting worse. Was it better to put off going to greet them for a while because of this situation, or was it better to go and greet them without running away because of this situation, both seemed to be correct, and both seemed to be incorrect and my head was spinning. "Kento ... Kento, hey Kento!" "Ehh, ahh, sorry ..." "By any chance were you thinking of going to greet my parents?" "Ehh, no ... Yeah, just a little." "Would you like to postpone it for a while?" "Hmm ... But then I won''t be able to invite just Yuika''s family." "But, Kento didn''t invite your father, did you?" "Yeah, I''m already going to be independent from my father." "Then, I''ll be independent too. Then you don''t have to go greet them ..." "That''s no good. Me and my father don''t get along well, but I want to build a good relationship with Yuika''s family. That''s why I don''t want to give up right from the start." "I see ... Alright. For now, I''ll try talking to my mother. So, if they''re being too critical, let me think about it for a while." "Okay, I''m sorry, I messed up a lot." "Nope, that''s natural. We decided to live together." "Yuika ..." "Kento ..." Only the chairman was reflected in my eyes, and only I was reflected in the chairman''s eyes. When I tried to gently hug her ... "Ahem! You know, is my presence so thin?" "Tch, are you still here, Yagi ..." "I''m sorry. Kokubu, did you forget that I attacked you?" "Ehh, ahh, because that''s a misunderstanding." "Idiot, you really are an idiot. Even if it''s a misunderstanding, it means that the people other than me are also misunderstanding." "Ahh, I see ... That''s right." "Kokubu, shouldn''t you at least explain the situation to the teachers?" "That''s right. Certainly so." While heading to the boy''s dormitory to explain to the teachers, I was reminded of the situation Yagi was talking about. As soon as my classmates I met along the way saw my face, they had an unpleasant expression as if they wanted to spit, and some of them even started yelling at me. "You miser, what about Japan, it doesn''t matter to you anymore, right?" "Along with Takayama, you were domesticated by the Lord, weren''t you." "That red-haired girl took your backbone, didn''t she ..." "Wait, Kento properly ..." "Fuun, let''s go ..." The group of girls who sneered and walked away as soon as the chairman began to argue were probably people who were close friends with Sekiguchi-san, who committed suicide. Even after entering the boys'' dormitory, everyone in the reception area of the entrance hall frowned and looked at me with hostility. A few of them walked up to me, but Yagi stepped in front of me. "Maa, maa, wait a minute. I just heard about the situation, but Kokubu didn''t get a call." "What is that, did the government stop asking for medical treatment?" "Maa, that''s how it is, but it''s impossible for Kokubu-kun alone to do this and that. Actually, this dormitory is still rented, and it''s hard to refuse requests from people here." "What''s with that. Then again, are the media saying whatever they want?" After hearing Yagi''s explanation, my classmates softened their hostility towards me and looked a little embarrassed. "Kokubu, I''ll take care of the explanation for everyone here, so you go to the teacher''s place." "Thank you Yagi, please." "Ou, in return, introduce me to a girl. Manon-chan, or Beatriche-chan''s friend ..." "Ahh ... In my heart, my feelings of gratitude towards Yagi are collapsing with a rattling sound." "No, wait a minute ... Hey, Kokubu!" After Oda-sensei returned to Japan, Katou-sensei, who was acting as a facilitator for the teachers, seemed to be out of the building. "You, why are you wandering around! You, aren''t you Japanese! Why are you not thinking about Japan first!" "But, Sensei ..." "Shut up! Don''t make excuses! You, weren''t you fine even if you were stabbed by a Resenburg knight, right? You can use healing magic, right? Then why didn''t you help!" Nakagawa-sensei, who was shouting and screaming, had dark circles under his eyes, his eyes were bloodshot, and it looked like his cheeks were sunken while I hadn''t seen him for a while. "You haven''t even done any work to return to Japan. What are you doing? You can come and go freely with Japan, so I guess you don''t understand other people''s feelings! Everyone, how much do they want to go back to Japan, have you ever thought about it!" It had been a long time since I was confronted with raw hostility, or rather, from my point of view, the words that seemed to be an accusation made me feel cold to the core. "Sensei, Kento had some circumstances ..." "Noisy, shut up! I''m talking now. Don''t butt into the conversation!" The way Nakagawa-sensei yelled at the chairman who tried to defend me was clearly strange. He had always been sarcastic and tended to get his point across, but he wasn''t this aggressive, and it didn''t feel like he was losing his cool. As we were one-sidedly being yelled at, Furudate-sensei came into the room as if my classmates pushed him in. "Nakagawa-sensei, what happened?" "Furudate-kun, it can''t be helped. I was preaching to Kokubu and Asakawa." "Was it Seitarou-chan, was it about that?" "That''s part of it, but I was just scolding him for neglecting to let the students return." I thought it would help us, but I felt like Nakagawa-sensei''s expression was even more stern because of Furudate-sensei''s way of speaking that didn''t have a sense of danger. Wasn''t he just adding fuel to the fire. "Is that so ... I don''t know about the return, but I heard he wasn''t told about Seitarou-chan." "What, don''t like to me, Kokubu." "Yes, there was no request for treatment from the Japanese government." "Why! You, didn''t you treat the skater?" "Yes, but it seems that it was a government employee''s personal decision ..." "You can treat a skater, but not a child?" "No, that''s why, I didn''t get a request ..." "Don''t make excuses! You have the power to save them, if that''s the case ... that''s, why ..." As soon as Nakagawa-sensei''s eyes started to look a little crazed, his body tilted and he fell down. "Nakagawa-sensei!" [ Kent-sama, this guy is mentally ill. I put him to sleep because he was unable to talk straight. ] [ Understood, thank you. ] When I told them that my genus were quick-witted enough to put him to sleep, both the chairman and Furudate-sensei patted their chests in relief. "Nakagawa-sensei, he seems to be under a lot of stress, and he hasn''t been able to sleep much lately." According to Furudate-sensei, Nakagawa-sensei was able to get in touch with his family by connecting his mobile phone, and he was calm for a while, but there was a problem at home and it seemed that it was a big stress that he couldn''t deal with it directly by going home. "Furudate-sensei, are you okay?" "Me? I''m fine. I''m single, and I have an older brother, so I don''t have any problems with my parents'' house. Isn''t it great!" Seeing him talk happily with sparkling eyes like a child, I was convinced that a certain percentage of Nakagawa-sensei''s stress was definitely caused by Furudate-sensei. CH 208 Muell''s troubles ***---*** When I explained the situation to Katou-sensei, who had just returned from an outing, he was able to understand to some extent, but as expected, I received a scolding for the delay in the work of the return to Japan. "I know that Kokubu wants to live here, and since we are indebted to you, I can''t say it too strongly, but please think about other people a little more. It''s already been two weeks since we let Harukawa return, so at this rate there''s no telling when everyone''s return will be finished." Certainly, even if one person were to return every day, it would take more than half a year for 200 people to return, and if it were to happen once every two weeks, it would be many years away. "Sensei, Kajikawa-san of the Cabinet Secretariat told me not to send anyone back to Japan for a while, but what should I do. I also want to proceed with the return work." "Let''s see ... Can I talk to that person named Kajikawa?" "That would be fine. Please wait a minute." I took out my smartphone from the shadow storage, called Kajikawa-san, and switched with Katou-sensei. Katou-sensei complained that the return was not progressing and stress was building up not only among the students but also the teachers, and as a result, it was decided to proceed with the return work. "So, Kokubu, when will the next return work be done?" "Yes, I''m a little sick today and I''m not feeling well, so if possible, I''d like to do it after tomorrow ..." "Is that so, then tomorrow morning ..." "Wait a minute. The time difference is getting bigger, so it would still be midnight in Japan in the morning here." "Is that so, then tomorrow afternoon?" "Rather, it should be evening, it should be morning in Japan." "Okay, tomorrow evening, a water-attribute girl is fine?" "Yes, once I get the water attribute, it should be easy to return after that." If I sucked magical power out of someone with an attribute I didn''t have, I would get a rejection reaction and my body would get sick. If it were a person with the attribute I had, it was relatively easy to steal the magical power, and it took less time and had less rejection. Also, magic that uses magic circles was said to be a degraded version of the magic that people could activate, so it was possible that I would be able to use magic that was a higher version of the summoning formula. Even if it was impossible to summon 200 people at once, if I could move 5 or 10 people at once, I should be able to return everyone quickly. I decided to return to the boarding house after promising to do the return work tomorrow evening. I thought about eating lunch together with the chairman in the garrison''s cafeteria before parting, and moving to the boarding house in the shadows, but I decided to take a short detour. The first stop on the way was Mesudori Pavilion, and I looked for an assortment of cookies. Since I first came to Volzard, when I lived and worked at the Livre Plantation, I could say it was the first time I was away from the boarding house, my motive was to try to make Meisa-chan happy with a small gift. I bought three boxes of cookies and headed to the next shop. Another detour was Corey-san''s medicine shop. I''ve run out of sleeping pills and pills that help restore magical power, so I needed to replenish them. Also, it didn''t have to be as strong as the booster, so I was going to ask if there was a magic potion that would keep me from falling unconscious. "Hello ... Huh?" "Tch ... What do you want, Chibisuke?" When I opened the door of the small pharmacy in the back street, it wasn''t the witch-like Corey-san or the captivating cat-eared angel Muell-san who was tending the store, but rather a bored-looking Gilik. Well, it''s the first time I''ve entered a store and suddenly been ''tch''ed at. "What do I want, obviously, I must have come to buy medicine, right." "Fuun, I wonder ..." Seriously, I''m not going to ask you to be nice to me since I''m a customer, but I wonder if you couldn''t treat me like a normal person. The customers would run away with this. "I would like 100 sleeping pills of 1/8 size and 20 pills of 1/8 size to help recover magical power, please." "Fuun, wait a minute. Baba-san, a customer!"(TN:Baba = old hag or old lady) When Gilik raised his voice towards the back of the store, a reply came back. "I''m in the middle of something, so please wait a moment." "That''s how it is ..." Gilik sat on the chair and rested his chin on the counter, keeping his eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. Wasn''t it normal to recommend a chair to a customer? Rather, counting the medicines, calculating the price, and handing them over, I wondered if he couldn''t do something to that extent. From the back of the store, I couldn''t hear the contents, but I could hear someone answering Corey-san''s voice. "Umm ... Corey-san is ..." "Shut up, Myuu-ane is learning compounding right now, so shut up and wait!" "Haa ..." When I was standing in the shop without doing anything, a box with the perfect height to sit down came out from the shadows. When I sat down on the box, Mart popped up and rubbed its head against me, telling me to pet it. After strong Mart, Mirt showed its face ... Ah, this pattern, come to think of it, after the battle with the Nibble Rats, I didn''t take care of all my genus. Once I''ve finished shopping for medicine, let''s go to the Devil''s Forest ... No, the land we''ve cleared for our new home, and take care of everyone. As I stroked Mart, Mirt, Murt, Zeta, Eta, Theta, and Nero in order, Corey-san came out from the back of the store. When I stood up, Murt picked up the box, bowed its head to Corey-san, and then went into the shadows. "Hii hii hii, was that your genus just now? It''s really an interesting kid." "It''s been a while, Corey-san. I''m here again to buy sleeping pills and pills that help restore magic." Corey-san''s mouth loosened a bit when she heard the amount I ordered. "Hii hii hii, what is it, are you planning to start a war with someone again?" "Well, I can''t say that there won''t be such a situation, but it''s an indispensable item for capturing bandits, so I''m thinking of keeping it on hand." "I see, I see, you''re a good customer after all, hey Gilik, you''re in the way, get out of here!" Gilik clicked his tongue and went into the back of the store. "After all, he just got a huge body and is useless." "Umm, Gilik-san, can''t he sell medicines for Corey-san?" "There''s no way I''ll let such a rough person touch the shelves I arranged." "I see, so he becomes like an ornament." "I could use him as a watchdog, but he won''t be able to become a good man unless he goes through some hardships and gets hurt. Maa, it''s no good if he''s chasing Muell''s butt ..." Now that she mentioned it, Gilik seemed to be a set with Muell-san. He went out to collect with Muell-san, peeked at Muell-san''s lectures, and spent all his time in Corey-san''s store, who was Muell-san''s master. "He doesn''t do requests for subjugations, or diving into the dungeons, does he ..." "Who knows ... That''s not something I know." Certainly, Corey-san was not Gilik''s guardian, and she probably didn''t know about it. "Come to think of it, is there a booster-like medicine that will keep me from falling unconscious?" "Hii hii hii, what did you use the booster for? You defeated the Salamanders by yourself, and even beat a Storm Cat. What exactly did you fight?" "Umm ... After fighting the Gigases, a horde of Nibble Rats and a Hydra." "Ah~haahaahaa, that''s a masterpiece. You''re really funny, if you''re going to joke, it should be on that scale." "Haa ... Thank you very much." Apparently, Corey-san thought the Gigases and Hydra were a joke. Maa, I don''t know if she would believe me if I said it was true. "So, what did you do after using the booster? You were like an ornament, weren''t you?" "Uuh ... That story, please don''t ask me." "Ah~haahaahaa, naturally, I guess you were taken care of by your bridal candidates ... Down to the bottom." "Guu ... So, is there a booster that will make it so I don''t fall unconscious?" "Unfortunately, there is no such convenient thing. In this world, in order to get something, you have to give something else. If you don''t work, you don''t get money. If you don''t love, you won''t be loved. You can''t just get results without taking any risks." Corey-san''s words, which made me laugh, had the weight of a person who has lived for many years. "Corey-san, can you sell me more boosters?" "Fumu ... Let''s see, what do you think about using the booster?" "Honestly, I don''t want to use it if possible." "Hou, then again, why is that?" "How can I put it, I can obtain great magical power, but I feel like I am no longer myself as I am swung around by the magical power, and if I use it over and over again, I feel like my brakes won''t work." "Even after the medicine wore off, it must be hard, hii hii hii." "Yes, I''m so pathetic ... I can''t go against them for the rest of my life." "Well, if it''s you, it''s okay to sell it." "Does that mean there are side effects?" "Originally, the state after it wears off is a side effect when it comes to side effects. There are very few people who try to abuse it, but that doesn''t mean there aren''t any." According to Corey-san, the booster was a medicine made for soldiers going to the battlefield. In the old days of wars in this world, battles began at dawn and ended at sunset, and boosters were given to the soldiers who stood on the front lines. The given soldiers could continue to strengthen their bodies and fire offensive magic throughout the day''s battle, but once the effects wore off, they became useless. For that reason, it seemed that victory or defeat was determined by what percentage of frontline soldiers received boosters and when to administer them. "Some people were drowning in the feeling of omnipotence they felt when using boosters." "However, when the effect wore off, they would fall unconscious, so wasn''t it difficult to use on the battlefield?" "That''s right. It was awkward when the medicine wore off, so what would they do?" "Eh, is there a way to keep the effects of the medicine from wearing off? Don''t tell me, they kept taking it ..." "That is it indeed, in the distant past, it seemed that there was a person who fought while drinking boosters on the battlefield, what would happen with that recoil, you would understand if you tried it." When I thought about the sense of exaltation, as if the magical power was coming up infinitely, the omnipotence, and the feeling of emptiness and the immobile body when it wore off, I didn''t even want to think of a situation where it was going to hit me many times over. "Really, did that actually happen?" "Well, I just asked my master, but it seemed that most of them were death soldiers." "Death soldiers ... Aren''t those soldiers who didn''t intend to return alive from the beginning?" "That''s right, a booster is something like that. Are you still going to buy it?" The booster was not the kind of medicine that I would actively want to use. However, there was no doubt that it was an effective method in situations like that where there were no other methods. "What are you going to do? Are you going to buy, or are you not going to buy?" "For example, if I continuously take pills that help restore magical power, will it have a booster-like effect?" "That''s impossible. That one, the effect is limited even if you keep drinking, you can''t keep using magic like with a booster." "I understand. Then just one booster please." "Hii hii hii, that''s good. If you said two or three, I wouldn''t sell them, I think you''ll be fine. Just don''t use it unreasonably." While Corey-san was wrapping the medicine, Muell-san came out from the back of the store. "Hello, Muell-san. Thank you for your hard work." "Oh, Kent. Thank you very much for escorting me during the gathering. It helped me tremendously." "No, no, when someone''s in trouble, you should be there for each other." "What''s that, is it because of you that Muell was able to go gathering while Gilik was asleep?" "No, I didn''t escort her, I just asked my genus to escort her ..." "Hii hii hii, that''s it, it''s all thanks to you. You have a lot of reliable escorts with you, and you also contribute to the sales of the store. After all, you should catch and take Muell as well." "What the hell are you saying, Babaa! There''s no way that Chibisuke and Myuu-ane are a good match for each other!" Of course, I''m sure she was joking, but Gilik lashed out reflexively, and Corey-san''s mouth loosened with a grin. "Hii hii hii, far from not being a good match for each other, isn''t getting money and social status by marrying a rich and powerful man the best thing one could ask for. The youngest S-rank adventurer in history, a hero who protected the city of Volzard with powerful monsters. That''s a world of difference from a little kid who''s just a little big." "What''s that, Babaa ..." "Oya, what''s going on. I just said some kind of hulking kid. Or are you that kid, Gilik?" "D, damnit ..." Gilik clenched his teeth so hard that he gnashed his teeth and rushed out of the shop. "Seriously, no matter how much time passes, he will still be a kid, and he won''t grow at all ... If he keeps sticking to Muell like this, he won''t be able to expect any growth. He''s young, so he''ll have to go out more." Muell-san had a slightly sad expression, as if she was keenly aware of Corey-san''s words. "Umm, Gilik-san, by any chance, has he never left Volzard?" "Yup, we go out to collect medicinal herbs, but I don''t think he''s ever been to another city." I''m not going to boast that I''ve been to Resenburg, Barshania, Bakkenheim, etc., but there were many things I didn''t know unless I learned from Lau-san or experienced them myself. I''m not saying that escorting a carriage heading to another city is better than escorting Muell-san, but if you keep doing the same routine all the time, your experience as an adventurer won''t increase. Muell-san, who was lost in thought, suddenly raised her head and stared at me. That determined expression, was it that she really wanted to join my harem. "Hey, Kent ..." "Y, yes, what is it?" "Could you take Gilik out of Volzard?" Yes, yes, I thought that was the case. But wait, as a condition for bringing Gilik out, Muell-san''s harem entry ... I can''t say something like that. "That guy, you shouldn''t ask Kent." Before I could reply, Corey-san shot it down. "It may be pitiful that he was twisted by household circumstances, but if you keep spoiling him, nothing will change." "I know that, but ..." Muell-san seemed to think that the current situation was no good, but she seemed to be troubled because she couldn''t come up with any good ideas. But, if you''re going to let Gilik stand on his own, wouldn''t it be better to hire a bodyguard instead? "Umm, Muell-san, how much money can you pay to hire someone guard you while gathering?" "Hmm ... About 400 Helts even if I do my best." "Ah, I see ... Is it possible to apply for a job like a gathering apprentice?" "Gathering apprentice? Not so much ... I''ve never heard of it. Gathering medicinal herbs is something that you learn by learning the basics in the guild''s course, and then practicing on your own." Come to think of it, Oren-san, the gardener, said that there was also a course on gathering medicinal herbs. But, if you took the course, you would put it into practice right away, and wouldn''t you pick the wrong grass. "I see, but, you can submit a request to the guild, right?" "Hmm ... I think I can probably submit it, but I don''t think anyone will apply. There''s a high chance that they''ll make more money if they go collect them themselves." "I see, I see ... If it''s an apprentice, they''ll get 350 Helts, no, if you pay 300 Helts as a fee-for-service, they''ll acquire knowledge, and they''ll gain experience as an escort ..." "Kent, what are you thinking?" "It''s about a cheap way to hire an escort who can replace Gilik-san ..." "Have you come up with any good ideas?" "I don''t know if it will go well, and in any case, wouldn''t it be better after next year?" "That''s right. I also don''t plan to go out to collect anything until the end of the year, so is it okay if I talk to you again after the new year?" No way, Muell-san, if you ask me to do something while looking at me with an upturned glance, I won''t be able to refuse. "Yes, I think I have a basic idea right now, let''s work out a strategy when the timing is right." "Thank you, Kent is really kind." Fuooooo, Muell-san''s hug is here~~~!! "Hii hii hii, it gets better and better, doesn''t it ..." After enjoying Muell-san''s hug without any usual interruptions, I returned to the boarding house after paying the bill. Amanda-san''s shop would be open until rest day, and would be closed for the end of the year from the dark day of the week, so it should be business as usual today. It was time for preparations before opening in the evening. "I''ve just returned. I''m worried that my schedule has gone awry ... Fubuu!" When I entered through the back door and called out to the kitchen, Meisa-chan rushed in like a rocket. "M, Meisa-chan ...?" "Uu~h ..." Even when I called out to her, she pressed her face against my chest, clung tightly, and only groaned a little and didn''t answer. "Kent! I was told you were reckless and slept for three days again? You seriously like to make people worry." "I''m sorry. It was a bit of an emergency, so I had to use my last resort ... I''m sorry, Meisa-chan." "Uu~h ..." When I gently stroked her head, the arms that were clinging to me loosened a little. Meline-san brewed tea for me, so I tried to cheer her up with cookies from Mesudori Pavilion, but Meisa-chan continued to pout, and even after the evening business started, she wouldn''t leave my side. Even when we went to bed, she didn''t look at Mart or the others, and she clung to me. For a while, she rubbed her face against me like a cat, but before long she began to sleep. After Meisa-chan fell asleep, the door to my room was gently opened and Amanda-san came to check on her. "I''m sorry, Kent." "No, it''s fine." I''m sure that I have a half-sister in Japan, but I''ve never met them, and if I compare them with Meisa-chan, it goes without saying which one I''d feel closer to. "Kent, there are many things that only you can do, and I know that you are relied on by many countries and people, but please don''t forget that there are things that only Kent can do here." "Yes, I think of this as my Volzard parent''s house." "That''s right. Even if you own a house and build a new family, feel free to come back anytime." "Yes, thank you very much." Amanda-san patted my head and then went back with a smile on her face. Now then, let''s go to sleep too. The effects of the booster had just disappeared, and I had to return someone to Japan tomorrow. I had to get a good night''s sleep and keep myself in shape. CH 209 Graciela ***---*** Breakfast at the boarding house after a long time was the same as usual, but it was a little different. The reason was that Meline-san''s training would end today, and from the beginning of the new year, the shop her father left behind would reopen. Meline-san, who, for a little over two months, although commuting from home, was with her from morning preparation to evening cleanup, would be gone, and Meisa-chan seemed to be lonely. Yesterday, I came back after a long absence, and this was also the reason she stuck to me so much. "Meisa, why do you have such a gloomy face. A strong rival will appear. If you look like you''re in a bad mood, we''ll lose all our customers." The reason why the restaurant was not prosperous despite having the poster girl named Meline-san was because her younger brother, Nicola, who took over from her father, was not good at cooking. From the beginning of the year, it would change to the flavors directly handed down from Amanda-san, I thought it would soon become a store where people would line up. At the very least, Kartz-san would definitely make frequent visits. "Meline-san, are you going to run the shop alone?" "Yes, I''ll try it alone at first, and if it gets busy, I''ll consider hiring a clerk." "Umm ... It''s a little hard to ask, but what about your brother ...?" "Yeah, Nicola seems to go to the guild every day to become an adventurer." "Does he go to the guild every day to take classes?" "Hmm ... I won''t go into too much detail, but I heard that he''s an apprentice of a certain party ..." The first thing that came to my mind when I heard about a certain party was the three Flame Hounds, but the Flame Hounds weren''t the only part that were in and out of Volzard''s guild. Rather, it was more likely that it was a different party, but it might be better to take a look around and find out. After breakfast, I had some time before the return work in the evening, so I took a quick look at the situation on the internet. Previously, Kajikawa-san talked about the government''s control of information, and at that time he explained that instead of deleting irrelevant information, it was a method of disseminating correct information and clearing up misunderstandings. The basic method was probably the same this time, but it didn''t seem to be going well. In the first place, in this case, the Japanese government''s stance of not acknowledging the existence of healing magic that actually existed was being viewed as a problem, and disseminating the correct information meant admitting their own faults. In addition to that, the problem was that communication between Volzard and Japan had become possible, and information was being leaked by my classmates. Some of my classmates saw me being impaled by the knight of Resenburg, and the scene where Takagi-san almost cut off my head. In addition, there were people who had seen me using healing magic, and information had flowed from those people that I could use powerful healing magic. Also, it seemed that some of my classmates held antipathy towards me, and that they were providing information that twisted my relationship with Klaus-san and the guild. While malicious information flowed, it seemed that there were also more than a few opinions that defended me, and this had created a conflicting structure on the internet. If one side leaked information, information that denied it was leaked, and the confrontation escalated with a sense of buying and selling words without knowing the truth. Unfortunately, it seemed that no major incidents or accidents had happened in Japan, and the topic of Seitarou-chan had become the center of attention in the media. "I wonder if a fire like this can be put out ..." [ Kent-sama, this is a rather sloppy story written as if it actually happened. ] "Yeah, in Japan, freedom of the press and freedom of speech are guaranteed, so there are quite a few people who misunderstand it. Anyone can freely post information, so there are people who write inaccurate information for fun, and there are people who believe it when they see it, so it''s easy to spread rumors." [ Then, is it not a problem for those looking for information? ] "It''s troubling, but the current situation is that we have to consider the possibility that false information is mixed in from the beginning." When I was still in Japan, I often heard the term ''Fake news'', but I never thought that I would be the one involved. The other parties, athlete Fukuzawa and athlete Kanbayashi, seemed to be keeping their silence and seemingly completely refused to comment on the treatment. Even so, the one who leaked this story, was it Sakaguchi-sensei, or was it someone from another hospital, for someone to have leaked personal information, I wondered if it was okay. In any case, since it became such a big problem, it was unlikely that it would be settled even if I said anything about it, so I stopped searching for information on the internet. "Now, what should I do until the evening ... That''s right." Because I was always too busy, I decided to go see my home site that was left unattended. Probably, because everyone in my genus was working on it, the construction and walls should have been completed, but confirmation was necessary. [ Kent-sama, if you have time, wouldn''t it be better to report to the Headquarters Guild about the Gigas and Hydra? ] "I see, I reported it to Klaus-san, but I should also inform Master Reese, right." [ At the same time, if you tell her about the Gigas'' magic stone, the price would go up even more as a highlight of the auction at the beginning of the year. ] "Ohh, if that happens, I can increase the sympathy money I give to Barshania." After seeing the developed land, let''s go to the Headquarters Guild. I told Amanda-san, who was preparing lunch, that I was going to the Guild and left the boarding house. I bet she didn''t think I''d go to the Bakkenheim Guild. From the desolate back alleys, I went into the shadows and headed for the redeveloped land, and even the ramparts were completely finished. Furthermore, the genus with nothing to do had gathered and were digging up the soil. Nearby, Zae, Art, and Zeta had gathered and were discussing something. "What are you guys talking about?" "Wafu, we were discussing the location and size of the pond." "I think it would be better to make the pond wider, My King." "Though the pond isn''t bad either, if it''s too wide, the yard will be narrow. It''s better to have a large yard, Nushi-dono." "No, no, if you want to run around, you should run in the forest. Also, when it gets hot, everyone will want to go swimming." "That''s true, but I also want a place where we can all bask in the sun." "Aren''t you guys making your burrows wide?" "That''s right, but there are a lot of us ..." There seemed to be a territorial dispute between Zae, who basically preferred the waterfront, and Art and Zeta, who wanted space to run around. Or rather, the Kobold Corps, Eta, and Theta were digging up the soil with great momentum. "Well, make sure you leave enough land for Klaus-san''s mansion to be built, and then you can do whatever you like, so don''t fight and get along. I also want to go swimming in the summer, and I want to bask in the sun too." "Leave it to me. We have secured the place with the most sunlight as the location for the Lord''s Mansion." "Wafu, I''ll make sure everyone can keep an eye on the surroundings." "I''ll make sure not even a single rat can get through the defense watch, Nushi-dono." "Yup, everyone, please allocate a place so that we can always be close to each other." Someone, it seemed that everyone''s places would be completed before my house was completed. The Kobold Corps and Zeta-tachi were not only building their own burrows, but they were also working with Zae-tachi to build a pond, and everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves. After the year-end and the New Year holidays, I should ask Herman-san, the architect, about building a house. In order not to interfere with everyone''s work, I dived into the shadows and moved to the Headquarters Guild in Bakkenheim. I was told to sneak into her bedroom the next time I came, but I didn''t know where Master Reese''s bedroom was, and I didn''t even know where the usual office was. Rather than looking around, it seemed better to have Rita-san take over. I stepped out into a deserted hallway and headed over to the guild counter. The last time I came, it was overwhelmed with people, but today it was disappointingly empty. Was it because last time it was evening, and this time it was in the morning. It was good that there weren''t many people, but which counter should I go to talk faster. Maybe I should choose the most beautiful and stylish receptionist here ... I thought, but then I was approached. "Yo, the youngest S-ranker in history, what''s your business today?" When I turned around in surprise, there was a tall woman standing with her arms crossed. She was the A-rank adventurer, Graciela-san, who had the nickname ''Demon Eater''. "Ahh, Graciela-san, hello. Thank you for your help the other day." When I thanked her and raised my head, Graciela-san was dumbfounded with a look of amazement on her face. "You, are you always like this?" "Heh, like this ... is it?" "Ahh, apparently so, but how can I say it, you don''t feel like an S-rank at all." "Haa ... I don''t have the self-awareness or self-esteem of an S-rank ..." "Fumu ... That''s kind of disappointing. I heard that you beat up the Blue Gale guys." "Blue Gale ... ?" It''s a name that somehow has a chuuni smell, but I don''t remember hearing it. "What, wasn''t it you? I heard that you single-handedly half-killed more than 30 people who were ambushing you in that park." "Ahh ... It''s the group that Fal, or maybe Fil belonged to. That, the story grew even more exaggerated." "Is that so?" "Yes, the actual number was 12 or 13 people, and I just threatened them a little." "Hou, it seem to be true that you are the youngest S-ranker, huh?" Graciela-san grinned and revealed her intentions. It seemed that the team called Blue Gale was like Graciela-san''s apprentices, and she heard directly about the actual number of people and the events that happened. On top of that, I heard that she tried to see how I would react if she talked about something that was more exaggerated than the actual story. "I''m sorry, they did a cowardly act of surrounding a few people with a large number of people. I''ve disciplined them properly, so please forgive them." "No, they didn''t do any real harm, so please don''t worry about it." "That''s right. If you were a third-class adventurer, if the number was higher than the actual number, you would show off without correcting the number. But, you corrected it to the actual number and made it sound like you didn''t do much. In the first place, dealing with more than 10 adventurers and driving them away without taking any damage is a feat that can only be done by someone with real ability." "In my case, it''s just that everyone in my genus is competent." "What can I say, I heard that you played a central role in subjugating a Griffon, and commanded powerful monsters to protect Volzard during a Goblin outbreak." "Nope ... It''s just a coincidence. A coincidence." "That humility, it''s better to keep it in moderation. It''s impossible for an ordinary adventurer to employ a monster that can frighten Bran." That being said, calling me an S-rank adventurer and Kent-sama ... Something like that, it''s not something to boast or brag about. Rather, I only just became aware, but Bran was considerably frightened. "So, what do you want from the Bakkenheim guild today? Will you meet with Master Reese again?" "Yes, I thought I''d make a monster-related report ..." "Monster related? Will it have an impact on Bakkenheim?" "Hmm ... At this point, it''s hard to think it will directly impact it, but I can''t say that it''s completely unrelated." "I see ... That report, can I sit in on it, too?" "Ehh, Graciela-san too ... is it?" "Right. I swear to never reveal anything about it. Is it no good?" "Hmm ... Do you have a reason?" "Ahh, there''s something I''m a little worried about, and I''m in a state where I want even a little information." According to Graciela-san, sightings of Ogres were increasing in the forest southwest of Bakkenheim. Considering the distance, I didn''t think the Gigas turmoil in Barshania or the Hydra turmoil in Lastock would have a direct impact. However, I couldn''t completely get rid of the idea that what was happening on the southern continent may have some kind of impact. "Understood. I will put restrictions on the information I can provide, but if you don''t mind, please come with me." "I see, I owe you a favor. I don''t think there will be many chances to hear how the youngest S-ranker fights." Graciela-san showed a grin and her mouth loosened, but it seemed that I couldn''t explain everything about how I fought. I went ''Do~n'' and cleaned up with a large spear golem ... No matter what I say, it will be meaningless. When I went to the counter with Graciela-san and had Rita-san called for me, I naturally got a suspicious look. "Ciela, you''re planning something, aren''t you?" "Hey, hey, Rita, it''s terrible to doubt me. I''m properly thinking of Bakkenheim ..." "Yes, yes, I understand. I don''t mind if Kent-san agrees." In guild rank, I was higher, but if it was just appearance, Graciela-san definitely looked stronger. Rita-san guided us to Master Reese''s office. Normally, even at this time, there would be a constant stream of people wanting to meet, but since it was the end of the year holiday period, there were no intermediaries except for urgent cases, and it seemed that the side who asked for meetings also considered that. "What''s this, Kent, have you come to report that you are putting your hands out to Ciela?" In a well-heated room, Master Reese was smoking a long pipe while lying on a sofa. Her outfit was a dancer-like outfit with a high degree of exposure as usual. On the sofa beside her, her escort, Lau-san, was sitting like a figurine. "Master Reese, please don''t be prudish. You know that I''ve decided to offer my body to a man stronger than me." Eeehhh ... In that case, Graciela-san will be single for the rest of her life ... Uhii, I was stared at. I, nothing, I''m not thinking anything, it''s true ... "Kuu kuu kuu, then, isn''t it even more suitable in this case. Kent is, he''s stronger than you." "No, I''ve heard from my underlings that he uses powerful monsters, but what I''m looking for is their own strength, not total power." "Fufufufu, then why don''t you ask Lau to be your partner?" "That''s fine. If it''s Lau-shi, I have no objections."(TN:Shi honorific is like San, but more distant, referring to someone you are almost completely unfamiliar with personally.) "Ho-ho-ho, don''t make fun of an old man, if I were to deal with you, my lower half would be exhausted. Besides, Kent is far stronger than I am." "Stronger than Lau-shi ... ?" Perhaps Graciela-san has had a match with Lau-san before. It''s only natural that she wouldn''t be convinced even if she was told that I was stronger than Lau-san. "So, Kent, what are you here for today?" "Yes, I came to report that a large monster appeared in Barshania and the Resenburg side of the Devil''s Forest." "Hou, what is the large monster?" "Gigas has appeared in Barshania, causing great damage to a city." "Gigas!" Master Reese, who until then had a relaxed expression on her face, raised her body and then sat down again, tightening her expression and urging me to continue. Lau-san and Graciela-san also had stern expressions on their faces. When I spoke about the details of the Gigas subjugation that took place in Leinef, speaking ambiguously about the number of victims and the method of attack, Master Reese and Lau-san deepened their smiles, but Graciela-san gave a dubious expression. "Kent, those Gigases came from the southern continent across the sea, didn''t they?" "Yes, I think so, but I don''t know how they got across the sea." "I see, this makes me more and more curious about the state of the southern continent." "I thought about going to the other side, but I don''t know what it''s like normally, so I don''t think I''ll be able to tell if anything is different even if I go there ..." "That''s right. If you don''t know the normal state, you may not notice any abnormality." "Also, by the way. I''d like to put the subjugated Gigas'' magic stone on the auction at the beginning of the year." "Hooo, I''m looking forward to it, is it possible to see that magic stone here and now?" "Yes, I don''t mind ..." "W, wait a second!" When I was talking to Master Reese, Graciela-san interrupted me. "What''s wrong, Ciela?" "Do Master Reese and Lau-shi believe what he is saying?" "What, was there anything suspicious about it?" "There is. It''s an opponent that couldn''t be beaten by an all-out attack by the army of Barshania, right? Are you satisfied with ''I defeated it with my attack''? What kind of attack is it, how powerful is it, aren''t you going to check?" Upon hearing Graciela-san''s appeal, Master Reese and Lau-san turned their gazes as if to ask what I was going to do. "Umm, the attack is like making a big spear, dropping it from the sky, and skewering it." "Dropping a spear from the sky ... Can you defeat a Gigas with just that?" "Maa, it depends on the size of the spear and how high you drop it from." She didn''t seem to be convinced by just explaining it verbally, so I dropped a knife in its scabbard from near the ceiling via the shield of darkness, and when I showed her the magic stone of the Gigas, she finally seemed to be convinced. All three of them were amazed at the magic stone, which was so big that I couldn''t even lift it. "This is the first time I''ve seen a magic stone this size." "Ho-ho-ho, I''m glad I''ve lived a long life." "I can''t even imagine how much this would cost." After putting away the magic stone into the shadow storage, the three of them tightened their expressions again when I talked about the Hydra and the swarm of Nibble Rats that had attacked Lastock. "Gigas, Hydra, and even Griffon ... Without Kent, even this continent might have become a monster territory." "Master Reese, is it related to the increase in Ogre sightings in the southern forest?" "Let''s see ..." In response to Graciela-san''s question, Master Reese stuffed the pipe with new leaves, lit it, and slowly savored the purple smoke as she pondered her thoughts. "Even if the number of Ogres is increasing, it is difficult to conclude that it is the influence of the southern continent. Rather than that, it would be more plausible to think that an undiscovered dungeon in the forest to the southwest could have been created." "Is a dungeon something that suddenly appears one day?" "I don''t really understand how a dungeon is created. As a general theory, it is said that a dungeon is born when magic essence accumulates in the ground and becomes the core, but no one has ever seen that moment, so I can only say that I don''t know." It was unknown how dungeons were created, but it seemed that a dungeon had been created in the forest, and monsters could emerge from it. In such a case, the number of certain types of monsters tended to increase, and Master Reese believed that this was likely the reason for the increase in Ogre sightings. Hearing Master Reese''s thoughts, Graciela-san expressed her concerns. "It''s fine if it''s just Ogres, but I don''t want to think about a situation where a large number of Rock Ogres are coming." "I see, unlike Volzard, Bakkenheim isn''t protected by high walls." "If they approach the city after the sun goes down and enter, it will be a situation too terrible to see." Ogres alone were dangerous enough for ordinary people, although it didn''t mean that the performance was triple when they turned red, when it came to Rock Ogres, the danger increased even more.(TN:Guessing the turning red part is a reference to something, but I don''t know what.) If it was the A-rank adventurer, Graciela-san, she would probably be able to subdue the Rock Ogres alone, but if they were scattered over a wide area, dealing with them would be extremely difficult. Eighteen years ago, Volzard suffered a great deal of damage, so the damage was likely to be even greater in Bakkenheim, which had no ramparts. "Bakkenheim is a school city, but is there an evacuation system for students?" "The school and dormitory buildings are built to be strong, so there is no need to worry. However, there are those who ridicule it as a prison because of its sturdiness." When the new year begins and the new semester begins, Baldini, the second son of the Volzard Family, should return to Bakkenheim. If something happened, Beatriche would be sad, and since he is going to be my brother-in-law, it might be better to think about countermeasures. I decided to bring the Gigas'' magic stone with me again at the beginning of the year and returned to Volzard. CH 210 TN:POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING Attribute obtained ***---*** Katou-sensei was waiting for me at the garrison training ground as the sun began to set in the west. There were also the chairman, Manon, Senzaki-sensei, and a blonde girl. When I looked at her face again, she was Watanuki Sachiko-san, who was in the same class as me in the first grade. From the beginning of her enrollment, she was a bit hoodlum-like and mature, but she had black hair. She felt a little rough. "Katou-sensei, am I going to send Watanuki-san back?" "That''s right, hey Watanuki, Kokubu is here, get ready quickly." "Ye~s ..." Katou-sensei watched over Watanuki-san, who seemed unmotivated and started chanting, with a bitter expression. I whispered to ask the reason so not to be heard by Watanuki-san, who continued to use magic to consume her magical power, from a distance. "Umm ... Did something happen?" "It''s bad behavior. I can''t say more." Katou-sensei, who also answered in a low voice, was glaring at Watanuki-san with wrinkles between his eyebrows. Perhaps, it wasn''t her own will, but a forced return by the teachers. Watanuki-san, who languidly chanted and continued to use magic, seemed to have quite a large amount of magical power. Still, for nearly an hour, as she continued to use her spells, she began to breathe heavily and the size of the water ball that formed was getting smaller. "I can''t do it anymore, sluggish ..." "Kokubu, are you okay?" "Yes, let''s begin." Watanuki-san walked over, dragging her heels, and sat on the seat spread out on the ground. "Hey, Kokubu, if you need to touch mucous membranes to steal magical power, why don''t we do something more pleasant than a kiss?" "Ehh, more than a kiss ... ?" "Isn''t it obvious. Perhaps, you haven''t done it with Asakawa yet?" "Watanuki, don''t joke around! Kokubu, hurry up!" "So annoying ... I think Kokubu is also doing his best, even if he gets a little reward, he won''t get punished, right?" "Watanuki!" "Yes, yes ... I understand." Watanuki-san was calm even when Katou-sensei yelled at her. Did something happen after we came to this world. "Kokubu, get started!" "Y, yes ... Well then." "I''m sorry, Asakawa-san, I''m going to borrow Kokubu for a bit." Wait a minute, can you please stop, Yaksha ... The chairman will turn into a Yaksha. When I knelt next to her and brought my body closer, Watanuki-san hugged me. "Hey, Watanuki-san ... Nnh!" She put her arms behind my neck and forced our lips together. Look, the chairman is already a Yaksha ... Huh? She isn''t. If anything, should I say she seemed sad, while feeling the sympathetic gaze of the chairman, I started stealing magical power, but as soon as I concentrated on sucking out magical power, I noticed something was wrong. "Nn~h! Nn~~h!" After tapping Watanuki-san''s shoulder, I half forcibly pulled our lips apart. "Wait a minute!" "What is it, Kokubu, don''t tell me, you don''t like me!" "It''s not that, it''s not that, but ..." "What is it." "Th, there''s a child in your stomach ..." "Tch ..." I felt Watanuki-san''s magical power when our lips were connected, and when I stretched my consciousness to every corner to suck it out, I noticed the existence of another magical power. "A child? Watanuki, are you pregnant?" "So annoying ... So what if I am. I''m going to have an abortion anyway, can''t the surgery be done here? I should go back to Japan as soon as possible." "You, who''s the father?" "So annoying ... I don''t think that kind of thing has anything to do with it." "Watanuki!" "Katou-sensei, please wait a moment." Senzaki-sensei tried to intervene by suppressing Katou-sensei who was furious, and tried to find out the circumstances, but Watanuki-san didn''t want to go into detail. "Katou-sensei, what should we do?" "Kokubu, is it possible to steal the magical power in the current state?" "Well, this is the first time I''ve ever been in such a situation, and I don''t know what kind of effect it will have on the baby, and I don''t know what kind of effect it will have on Watanuki-san herself." "Is it dangerous?" "Japanese people don''t have magical powers to begin with, so I think it''s okay, but I can''t say for sure." "I see ..." When Katou-sensei looked at her like he was looking at garbage, Senzaki-sensei continued to ask her questions, but after sharply clicking her tongue, Watanuki-san got angry. "You''re annoying! Don''t pretend to be a teacher now even though you weren''t able to do anything at the critical moment!" "Watanuki-san ..." "Watanuki, you!" "I was raped, forcibly! By those who confined me!" "W, watanuki, you ..." "Shut up! This body has been defiled. Over and over and over and over ... Why didn''t you help me! This, this, this ..." [ Reinhardt, put her to sleep. ] [ Leave it to me. ] Watanuki-san was hitting her lower abdomen with a clenched fist, with her body violently shaking, and I caught the body of Watanuki-san who fell asleep as if she was collapsing. "Katou-sensei, what should I do? I think it''s possible to steal magical power even in this state." "I see ... Wait a minute." Katou-sensei started consulting with Senzaki-sensei at a place a little away from us. They may be trying to hide their voices so that we can''t hear them, but Katou-sensei, who had a naturally loud voice, could be heard. "Yuika, umm ... Did you know?" "I hadn''t heard about her when she was in Lastock, but since she came to Volzard, the rumors ..." After arriving in Volzard, the story of Watanuki-san being assaulted in Lastock gradually spread among our classmates. Rumors spread, and Watanuki-san, who became desperate, seemed to have had relationships with several classmates. The rumors reached the teachers'' ears, and she was forced to return because she was of the water attribute. After about 15 minutes of discussion, Senzaki-sensei relented and decided to let Watanuki-san return. "Kokubu, please send her back to Japan. We can''t do enough counseling, and even if Watanuki wants an abortion, we can''t handle it in this world." "Understood. Then, I''ll take her attribute and send her back to Japan." Watanuki-san, who was on the chairman''s knees, even in her sleep, she was shedding tears. I knew that my classmates were being treated harshly at the Lastock garrison, but I had no idea that they were sexually assaulted. Katou-sensei''s decision made me feel like he wanted to get rid of the trouble, but it might be better for her to return to Japan than stay in Volzard.(TN:With the way the people there''s opinions are? Yeah, just no.) "Kento, is the baby in her belly okay?" "Honestly, I don''t know, but I don''t think it''s going to work as it is, and I think it''s true that Japan can handle various things." After making eye contact with the chairman and nodding, I put my lips on Watanuki-san''s. This time, I had a grasp of the situation, so the first thing I did was suck out the magic from the baby in her belly. The baby had the wind attribute, which I already possessed, and the amount of magical power was very small, so it was over quickly. Fortunately, I didn''t think there was anything life-threatening. Next, I tried to suck out Watanuki-san''s own water-attribute magical power, but as usual, I had a difficult time because I didn''t have water-attribute magic, but something was different than usual. It was the same as usual until the point where my head wobbled and cold sweat erupted as I sucked out the magic of the water attribute, but somehow my body started to tingle. The numbness spread from the tips of my hands and feet to my whole body, and eventually it began to be accompanied by intense pain. It was as if noise ran through my body and I fell into the illusion of being disassembled. Unlike ever before, even though I thought it would be bad at this rate, I hadn''t been working on returning recently, and thinking that this was the last attribute, I couldn''t stop sucking out the magical power. " ... Kento ... ou okay?" "Ken ... don''t ove ... it." The worried voices of the chairman and Manon sounded like they were coming from a distant speaker, and I couldn''t quite make out what they were saying. By the time I had finished stealing the magical power, a stabbing pain had begun to run through my body. When I was able to absorb the last drop of magic from Watanuki-san''s body, I reached my limit. "Nna ... the sucking out is ... Gohaa!" "Kento!" "Kent, stay strong!" The vomit that pushed up out my throat was dyed bright red. As if lying down in the sea of blood that I spit out, I lost consciousness. Fragmented memories flowed. A scene where I was scolded for falling asleep in class. When I was asked if I was studying, I stood still in front of my father. The grandmother who comforted me when I cried. In the summoned wilderness, I looked up at the big moon. A Goblin attacking. Breakfast with Amanda-san and Meisa-chan at the boarding house. Days at the Livre Plantation. Camilla''s outrageous bathing appearance. Manon who was confused by being told she was cute. A Skeleton that instantly killed a Rock Ogre. A night wrapped in a blanket with the chairman. Beatriche licking her lips. A puddle where my head was stepped on and my face was thrust into. Zae-tachi slaughtering the horde of Orcs, and Art-tachi surrounding them. The pain of being skewered with a sword from behind. Resenburg''s Idiot Princes'' misbehavior. Nero''s fluffy tail. The city of Barshania, which seemed to float in the desert. Seraphima''s sleeping face that looked like an elaborate doll. The Griffon that broke through the shield of darkness, grabbed the black-haired person, and flew away. A chill with a wire digging into my neck. Zeta-tachi snorting like they were spoiled. The pain of the fist that blew Havre away ... I felt like I was floating in water, wondering if this was a memory of my life like a revolving lantern I saw just before death. It was faintly bright and warm as if I was being wrapped in it, but the boundaries between my it and my body, above and below, were vague, and I felt like I was just floating. Maybe I was about to die and be reborn. The small life I felt in Watanuki-san''s body, I might be in that state right now. If that was the case, would these memories be lost as well. When I was in Japan, I didn''t have many good memories. Even after being summoned to Resenburg, there were many painful things. But, more than that, there were so many happy, fun, and loving memories. I didn''t want to lose those memories. I wanted to be Kokubu Kento as I was. While I kept praying strongly, strongly, I was floating in space. Even though I said that, it didn''t mean that I had a real body, it just felt like my consciousness was floating in space. A blue star floated below. But the shape of the continents was different from the familiar globe. As I descended slowly, I could see a distorted triangular continent, and an even larger continent spreading to the north. As I went further down, I could see a dense forest spreading in the area connecting the continents, and as I went further down, I could see a brand new crater. I thought it was an out-of-body experience, but I felt something was wrong. Slowly moving over the forest, I could see a city surrounded by ramparts. It was supposed to be square, but there was a protrusion on the west side. The garrison grounds were along the south wall. The boarding house was located in a back alley off the main street that ran through the old town. There was a guild in the center of the old city, and the Lord''s Mansion was in front of the northern wall. I finally came to understand while taking a walk in the sky over Volzard. This was the ability after acquiring all attributes, this was the skill of star-attribute magic. Fire day, water day, wind day, earth day, dark day, light day, and finally, star day. Eight days, including rest day, was one week in this world, but I was always curious about the existence of the star day. The attribute that lead to the end of obtaining all attributes was the star attribute. I hadn''t been able to understand the details yet, but there seemed to be no doubt that it was an outrageous cheat, and that it had a power close to that of a God. If I could learn and understand everything, I felt like I could summon my classmates to Earth. But right now, it was more important to put everyone at ease. The moment I tried to regain my consciousness, I returned to my body. My right hand was held by the chairman, and my left hand was held tightly by Manon. Beatriche seemed to be lying on the bed asleep. "Nna ... The garrison''s infirmary ..." "Kento, are you awake?" "Kent, Kent!" "Kent-sama!" The three of them hugged me and started crying. "I really thought you were going to die!" "I thought Kent wouldn''t be Kent anymore, even your hair color changed." "Ehh, hair color?" "Kent-sama, the color of your eyes has also changed." In the mirror that Manon brought, my face looked like that of a different person. The pigment had fallen out of my hair, but it was more fitting to call it silver hair than white hair, and my eyes were the same color. Yup, silver hair and silver eyes, isn''t this quite chuunibyou-like, I felt like my left arm ached. It seemed that I was unconscious for about half a day. "Kento, how is your physical condition." "Yeah, it''s probably okay. However, it seems that my body has changed ... It feels like?" "Even though you just became able to move again, Kent overdoes it. I''m worried." "Everyone, I''m always worrying you, I''m sorry." As soon as I got up from the bed, my stomach growled loudly. "Kent-sama, would you like to have some food brought here?" "No, the cafeteria ... Is it still a little early?" "No, at this time, the cafeteria should already be open for the early shifters." "Well then, shall we go?" "Kento, you should change your clothes before that." "Ueh? Ahh, I should change my clothes." Yesterday, I dived into a sea of blood that I made myself, so the clothes I was wearing were covered in blood. When I changed into the clothes I took out of the shadow storage and went to the dining room with the other three, there weren''t many people using it, probably because it was still early. "Oya, boy, what''s going on with that hair?" "Haa, when I woke up, it became like this ..." "Ahahaha, there''s no way that can happen. You''re a funny kid." "Haa ..." An old lady I knew thought I was joking and gave me a breakfast menu while laughing. I was with the three girls, so some of the guards were looking at me with a dubious expression. "Do I still stand out?" "Rather than that, isn''t it because they''re not used to seeing it?" "Yup, silver hair isn''t that uncommon in Volzard." "You''re different from the Kent-sama so far, so they''re just surprised." "Then, if they get used to it, won''t I stand out less than before? Ehh, no good?" At my words, the three of them shook their heads in unison. "In Kento''s case, it''s not a matter of how you look." "That''s right, you always overdo it, because it''s too much to do everything alone." "But, I think the silver-haired Kent-sama is also wonderful." "Riche ... If you spoil him, Kent will overdo it again, so you can''t do that!" "That''s right, it would be a problem if Kent overdid it ... But, silver hair might be cool too ..." "Manon!" "Hyau, th, then, Yuika too, don''t you think he looks cool?" "Ehh, th, that is, Kento will always look cool, right." "I guess ..." "That''s right." Yup, what is it, are you trying to kill me with praise. If you praise me too much, it''ll be troublesome, or rather, the guards are glaring at me as if they''re about to throw a fork at me, but I''ll respond to praise about one''s loved one with praise about one''s loved ones. "You three, you''re more charming than I deserve, you''re wonderful. I may continue to overdo it, so will you support me?" "Kento ..." "Of course, Kent." "If there''s something I can do, I''ll do anything." "Thank you, I''m a lucky person." The problems were still piling up, but I felt like I''ve seen a little bit of light, so I was going to pull them into my hands and grab a ''mufufu'' happy life. CH 211 Star attribute ***---*** After having breakfast with the chairman, Manon, and Beatriche, I contacted Katou-sensei and Kajikawa-san and asked them to wait for a while before the next return work. Katou-sensei looked reluctant, but he was finally convinced when I told him that if all went well, everyone might be sent back together. Watanuki-san would be supported by Satou-sensei, Senzaki-sensei, and Ayako-sensei. On top of that, I planned to make it possible for her to return to Japan and have an abortion if she wished for such. After that, I headed to the Devil''s Forest training ground. The star-attribute magic that combined all attributes. This was probably the higher version of summoning magic, but I didn''t think I could summon or send people back without any training. I planned to practice more so that my classmates could return faster. [ Kent-sama, have you grasped a clue? ] "Yup, it seems like the star attribute, which combines all attributes, has great potential, but unlike normal attributes, it feels very vague about what it can do." For example, if it was fire attribute magic, it was like a fireball, and if it was wind attribute, it was like air currents, a specific phenomenon came to mind, it''s just that I could do amazing things with the star attribute, but I couldn''t think of anything specific. However, one thing that I could definitely think of was summoning. If I practiced this summoning technique, I should be able to summon people from afar regardless of their attribute. In other words, I should be able to summon my classmates in Volzard from Japan. "That being said, I don''t know how I should summon someone, or how to practice ..." [ Kent-sama, why don''t you first try to summon an object within the visible range to your hand? ] "Yeah, how to do it ... I should feel rather than think." First, I tried it with a tree branch that had fallen at the edge of the training ground. I looked closely at what I was summoning, and imagined it teleporting after aiming. "Summon!" Just as I imagined it in my head, the branch instantly moved into my hand. [ Ohh, as expected of Kent-sama. At this rate, it''s only a matter of time before you can send back your schoolmates. ] "No, no, I''ve only summoned a branch, it''s impossible without going through many stages before trying it on a human." After that, I tried a knife, a wooden box, and a rock that was too big for me to hold, all of which were successfully summoned. It seemed that there were some limits to the size and weight, but it was possible for a single person to move around without any problems. The next thing I tried was the repatriation technique. When I tried to see if I could send the items I had to a distant place, it worked well. Instantly summon from a distant place, and instantly send it away to a distant place. In Japan, it was magic that would make you a useless person who wouldn''t even move a step out of a kotatsu.(TN:A kotatsu is usually a table covered by a blanket with a heater underneath. Apparently too comfy to get out of without effort.) "Yup, objects seem to be fine, but the problem is living things." [ Would you like to try an animal or something? ] "That''s right. Monsters don''t seem to come near here, so let''s move a little." It seemed that Nero and Zeta-tachi were claiming their territory in the Devil''s Forest training ground, and monsters like Rock Ogres refused to come near. However, if I dive into the shadows and move deeper into the forest, I could easily find groups of affordable Goblins. [ How will you do it, Kent-sama. ] "Let''s see ... Let''s summon it and send it back to another place before I''m attacked." After watching the situation for a while, one Goblin separated from the herd as if it had found something. Let''s have this guy become a practice target. When I stepped out from the shadow of a tree about 30 meters away to see what was going on, I suddenly met the Goblin''s eyes. "Summon!" The Goblin instantly moved to a distance of about 1 meter. "Gii! Gigiiii!" "Repatriate! Ah! ..." The activation of the repatriation technique and the surprised Goblin jumping back, was it because both of those happened at the same time. The front half of the Goblin''s body disappeared, and the rear half, which had been severed vertically, fell while scattering its guts. Suddenly, a thick smell of blood began to waft around. "Gya! Gigyagyagyaaaa!" A commotion was also beginning to occur in the group of Goblins where the front half had been sent. "Uwaa, a big mistake ..." Some of the herd spotted me and ran towards me, so I put out a shield of darkness and slipped into the shadows. [ Kent-sama, what happened? ] "Yup, when you summon or repatriate, it''s like cutting out the space where the target object is and moving it, but just now the Goblin moved, so it was out of that range." [ I see, the front part of the body that remained within the range was repatriated, and the protruding rear half remained, right? ] "It seems so. But, I have to be a little careful about this, because if my classmates become like that, it will be no joke." [ That''s right. However, it seems that even living creatures can be summoned as long as they are within range. ] "That''s right. I need some more verification." After that, when I continued the verification several times, it seemed that if it protruded beyond the specified range, it would be cut off suddenly, and before moving, if there was a solid object at the location, it seemed that it couldn''t be repatriated successfully. For example, even if I wanted to send the Goblin back into the rock, I couldn''t push the rock away and ram in the Goblin. It seemed possible if I first summoned the large rock to hollow it out and then sent the Goblin into that open space. "I''ve come to understand quite a bit about summoning and repatriation, but there''s a bit of a problem." [ What is that, Kent-sama? ] "Yup, if it''s within the visible range, it seems like it can be summoned and repatriated, but I don''t feel like I can summon or repatriate anything that I can''t see." [ I see, is it a range specification problem? ] "Yup, that''s how it feels." The ability to instantly summon far away objects closer to me, or conversely to send them away, was convenient, but I didn''t think I would be able to use it to return my classmates. "I see, that method ... No, it''s no good ..." [ Kent-sama? ] If I used the method of viewing from the sky that I experienced when I acquired the star attribute, the range I could see would expand significantly, but I still couldn''t see Japan from Volzard. From from Japan, if I was 500 meters away, the visual estimation became vague. [ Kent-sama, how about calling it here for today? ] "Ehh, ahh, that''s right. Let''s go back soon." When I was engrossed in summoning and repatriation, the sun had completely set and the area was getting dark. As soon as I was conscious of the time, my stomach complained of hunger. Come to think of it, I didn''t eat lunch, did I. I hid in the shadows and moved to the back of the boarding house. "I''ve just returned ... Fubuu!" "Who are you! Ehh, Kent ...?" When I opened the back door and called out, Meisa-chan, who came rushing in like a rocket, let go of my body and took a stance. "What''s wrong? Meisa-chan." "Kent ... Right?" "That''s right. Ahh, this ..." "Why don''t you have black hair? Did you suddenly get old?" "It''s not like that. This seems to be the effect of taking in attributes." "Attributes, taking ...?" "What''s going on, you''re making a lot of noise ... Oya, Kent, what''s wrong with your hair?" "Yes, that''s what I was trying to explain." Amanda-shan''s shop was closed from today until the dark day of the week at the beginning of the year. When I was thinking about talking about my hair color, my stomach growled loudly, so I decided to finish dinner first. It seemed that tonight was a prototype of a new menu that they were planning to release from the beginning of the year. The chicken wings were seasoned with salt mixed with herbs and grilled until the skin was crispy. It seemed that the key to the new menu was the sauce that went well with it, and there were about five kinds of sauces lined up. I think the reason why the restaurant was so popular was that they were not satisfied with the status quo and were always looking for new flavors. "Now, Kent, try each sauce and give us your frank opinion." "Then, this fir ... st, I think the last one would be better." The first sauce looked like it was going to be spicy. "Ahh, it''s a little stimulating, so leave it for later." "Then, from this one ..." "How is it?" The green sauce had a slightly bitter vegetable as the base, the sauce itself was delicious, but when applied to meat, maybe it was incompatible with the herbs used for seasoning, it wasn''t good enough and I felt the bitterness strongly. "Just a little, I feel a strong bitterness when combined with the herbs." "I see ... Fumu, right, that''s true. Then, next." The second sauce was a deep orange, refreshing citrus sauce. "Mugu mugu ... Nguu, this feels like saltiness and sourness collide." "Right, right ... Fumu, right, that''s true. Then, next." The third sauce was a thick, creamy sauce. "Mugu mugu ... Nguu, this is also rich and delicious, but I feel that the light taste of the meat is lost." "Right. Certainly, the sauce is a bit too strong." The fourth sauce seemed to be a purple fruity sauce. "Nnh! Yup, yup ... This is delicious. The balance between sweetness and sourness is exquisite." "Let''s see, ahh, right. This level of balance is good." And the last was the bright red sauce. As soon as it was placed on the table, a spicy scent wafted in the air, but it was also an appetizing scent. "Nn~~h! Spicy! , but delicious!! Ahh, this is crazy, it''s addictive." "Ahahaha, right, that''s right, that''s the work I''m most proud of." It was so spicy that it made my tongue tingle, but it wasn''t a simple spiciness, it was a complex spiciness that you could feel the umami and sweetness. This removed the odor of the meat and brought out the flavor. Meisa-chan, while going ''hii hii'', was also in a state where she couldn''t stop. But did Amanda-san feel a sense of urgency to prepare a new menu when Meline went independent? "Obviously, if you can easily overcome your master, you might become complacent and stop training. The predecessor must be a high wall to overcome." "But, then Meline-san''s shop won''t get on track ..." "Don''t be silly. I accepted it and sent her out, so there''s no way it won''t be popular." "That''s right, but the taste was terrible before the store was closed ..." "Ahh, it''s true that there will be bad reviews, but Meline will be fine." "Ma, that''s true." "Also, Kent, what happened to your hair and eyes?" "Yes, this is ..." When I explained how I had taken the water attribute and acquired all the attributes, including "Eh~h ... It''s a bit unbelievable that you can use all the attributes, because you''re just Kent." "No, no, Meisa-chan, it''s strange that you can''t believe it. I''m doing my best too." "Eh~h ... Then, show me proof." "Even if you say to prove it ..." "Ehh, whaat? No wayy ..." I summoned the half-eaten pudding that was in front of Meisa-chan and immediately returned it to its original position. Amanda-san, who was watching it from the front, widened her eyes in amazement. "Kent, what was that just now?" "Yes, this is the star-attribute summoning technique that I can use after obtaining all the attributes." "How do you know that it''s star attribute?" "Ehh, that ... Somehow?" "It''s amazing, but it''s kind of unreliable." "Haa ..." No, no, Meisa-chan, while I''m talking, I wish you wouldn''t extend your spoon and force summon my pudding. "Hey, Kent, can you send Kent''s friends back to their home country?" "Right now, I can only use it where I can see, but eventually ..." "Is Kent going back too?" "I''m not going back. In my case, returning to my original world will be troublesome, so I''ll stay in Volzard." "Really? Really really?" "Really, really, I''m not returning ... Or rather, I don''t want to return." "Mufuu ... I see, that''s right. You don''t want to go back." Meisa-chan puffed through her nose and had a satisfied expression on her face, but maybe she doesn''t like having her favorite toy gone, or maybe she doesn''t like losing the fluffy Mart-tachi. "That''s right. The shop is already closed, and I''m also taking a little vacation ..." "What, what, what are you doing?" "Meisa-chan, should I teach you arithmetic earnestly." "I hate iiiiiit! I haate arithmetic!" "Don''t you have winter vacation homework?" "That ... I don''t! Something like homework ..." "Meisa ... If you''re thinking about lying and skipping your homework, I''ll ask Kent to double the math problems." "No way! After all there is, I''ll do my homework properly ..." Seriously, Meisa-chan, trying to run away from the difficulties in front of you ... I can''t say I''m any better. "Hey, Kent, when are we going for the picnic?" "Ueh? Picnic ..." "Did you forget? You promised I could take a nap with Nero, didn''t you." "That''s right ..." It''s true that I promised Meisa-chan to go on a picnic so that she could take a nap with Nero. "What''s that, what picnic, you can''t go in this cold weather." "No, I''m going on a picnic! I''m going to take a nap with Nero, Mart, Mirt, and Murt! Also, while I''m at it, Kent ..." Me, while you''re at it, is it. But, I have to keep my promises. "Right, Amanda-san, I have a piece of land that I have cleared to build a house, how about spreading a sheet there and eating lunch together?" "Land, you say ... Ahh, it just popped up on the west side of town. A customer said it was rumored that monsters were working on it." "Yes, I''m currently building a place for all my genus to live, but I''m planning to build my own house as well." "You''re just Kent, having your own house is cheeky!" "Maa, just like Meisa-chan says, I think I''m being cheeky myself, but there are various circumstances." "Kent should stay on the second floor of my house forever!" "No, no, then there''s no place for my wives to sleep." "Then you shouldn''t get married!" "There are circumstances that can''t be said ..." "Circumstances, you say? Yuika-san, and Manon-san, and Beatriche-san, there''s no reason to hurry, right?" "Maa, that''s right, but ..." When I talked about the Gigas extermination and Seraphima, both Amanda-san and Meisa-chan froze with their mouths wide open. "Okaa-san, I think Kent can''t tell the difference between dreams and reality." "I think so too ... Kent, I''m guessing you''ve properly talked to the other three." "Yes, it has already been properly reported." "Hey, hey, Okaa-san. Kent will have four wives and live in a house like the Lord''s Mansion?" "Well, I guess so, but I can''t imagine it at all." "I don''t really have a sense of reality, myself, and it''s not my house, it''s the house where everyone will live." In fact, the size of my current boarding house is enough for me, and I planned to let everyone else use the rest. I just wanted a large dining room where everyone could eat together. I arranged the time during the break, agreed to have lunch with everyone at the planned construction site, and returned to my room for the time being. [ Kent-sama, Zae has a request to ask of you. ] "Zae does? What is it." "My King. If possible, please grant us the water attribute." "Ahh, that''s right. I''ve managed to acquire the water attribute. Then, is the planned construction site okay?" "Yes, thank you very much." Zae and the others moved to the planned construction site of their home in order to give the Undead Lizardmen water attributes, but I was surprised. "Ehh, trees are growing, but ..." "My King, nature is still needed." "Ehh, ahh ... Yup, right." It was a huge piece of land, so I thought it would look bleak without garden trees, but I wondered just how many trees were towering over me. I wondered where and how they brought them in. "Nyaa, Nero helped carry them, nya." "Nushi-dono, we also helped." "Ahh ... Yup, thank you." "An easy task, nya." "Ask us anytime, Nushi-dono." Perhaps Zeta-tachi dug it up and Nero put out a shield of darkness and brought them in. Nevertheless. The big trees were planted on the west side and the north side of the land, probably considering the sunshine properly, but the big trees were not planted on the east side and the south side, probably also considering the sunshine. Or rather, something like a huge resort pool had been built, but I wondered if this was the pond that Zae was talking about. I could see the structure clearly because there was no water in it, but the front was shallow and the farther you went, the deeper it was dug. Moreover, the bottom and sides seemed to be solidly hardened with earth-attribute magic. Somehow, my house looked like it was going to be an amusement park. "Th, then, let''s give the attribute." I gave Zzae-tachi magic stones and asked them to form a circle around me. Wrapped in a dark mist, what I imagined was the figure of Zae-tachi who freely manipulated water, played with water, and fought with water. When the mist was cleared and the attribute was given, it felt like the scales of Zae and the others were shining brighter. "Magnificent, as expected of My King, Kent Kokubu-sama. With this, I can fight even stronger and more skillfully." After Zae and the others had finished being given the attribute, they scattered all over the pond and started casting magic all at once, filling the pond with water. "Yup, I''m sure this will make me want to swim in the summer." There was even a small island in the pond, and it seemed to be just right for sunbathing after swimming. "Umm, but, how should I purify the water in this pond?" [ Don''t worry, Kent-sama. The Lizardmen should be able to use magic to purify the water. ] "I see, so should I leave the management of the pond, including the water quality, to Zae-tachi?" [ Indeed, that''s right. ] Yup, yup, it''s pretty good, when summer comes, I''d love to have my brides wear racy swimsuits ... This is a dream come true. From Flavia-san at the clothing store, should I order some white school swimsuits for Manon and Seraphima as well. The chairman and Beatriche should definitely wear bikinis. Yu~p, I can''t wait for summer now. CH 212 Attack of the Undead ***---*** While I was watching Zae and the others filling up the pond at the planned construction site of my house, Basten, who was scouting the Calvine Territory, came back. [ Kent-sama, may I have a moment. ] "Havre is finally back, is he?" [ No, it''s the opposite, Havre hasn''t gone back. ] "Ehh, what''s going on?" Enough time had passed since Havre Calvine escaped from the royal castle prison that he should have returned to his mansion. However, Basten reported that he hadn''t returned to his residence in the Calvine Territory. "It''s just that he hasn''t returned to the mansion, but isn''t he back in his territory?" [ I thought so too, and tried to follow housekeeper Hegel and his aide Todd, but it seemed that they were using birds to communicate with the outside of the territory. ] When the Idiot Princes of Resenburg were still alive, Havre was able to obtain information from faraway places through his own information network. Even if the Lord was absent, the information network would still be alive, and would be responsible for contacting Havre outside the territory. [ Kent-sama, there is one more thing that worries me. It seems that a swarm of Undead attacked a village in Resenburg. ] "A swarm of Undead?" [ Yes, it is a group of Zombies and Skeletons, and although they are not individually strong, they are durable enough not to fall down until the magic stone is destroyed, so it is difficult for women and children to defeat them. ] "Are there are lot of casualties?" [ It seems that the damage to people was minor, and the damage was mainly to the buildings of the village and the grain that was stored. ] "Ehh, aren''t the Undead attacking villages to eat people?" [ Yes, it seems to be different. ] Basically, monsters attack villages and towns to eat humans, but like the swarm of Nibble Rats the other day, there are times when they are chased by other large monsters and rush to towns to escape and hide. However, in this case, buildings and crops were damaged, so I felt that it was different from either case. [ So, it''s a little hard to say, but rumors are spreading in the Calvine Territory and nearby lands that the Undead attacks are the work of Maou Kent Kokubu. ] "I wonder if someone is using the Undead to attack the village to make people think it''s my work?" [ It''s probably the work of Havre''s prot¨¦g¨¦, a dark-attribute mage ... ] It was said that the number of people with the dark attribute was extremely small, and as far as I knew, only Master Reese had the dark attribute, but it wasn''t like there weren''t any others. Summoning the Undead, it wouldn''t be strange if there were wizards who did evil deeds. I have Reinhardt and other Skeletons as my genus, and their appearances have been seen. It may be unavoidable to think that the one who manipulates the undead = Maou Kent Kokubu. "Hmm ... Maa, I don''t mind if my reputation falls, but if you think about the impact on others, it''s no good, isn''t it?" [ I agree. It is known that Kent-sama and Princess Camilla are already fighting together. If Kent-sama''s reputation declines, Princess Camilla''s reputation will inevitably decline as well. ] "That''s right ... I guess that''s what Havre is aiming for, but, Undead attacking buildings and crops without attacking people, considering how unnatural that is, you''ll know right away who''s pulling the strings." [ Kent-sama. The public consciousness is more prone to easy-to-understand false explanations than truths that require back reading. ] "Then, as long as they continue with this method, I wonder if things will go according to Havre''s plan." [ That possibility is high. ] When Havre escaped, I thought it would be troublesome, but it seemed that it had caused more trouble than I expected. "Reinhardt, how should I deal with this?" [ Let''s see, the only real solution is to hunt down Havre Calvine. ] "Even so, it''s difficult if I don''t know where he is, right?" [ Therefore, the dark-attribute magician should come first. ] "But, how are we going to find them?" [ The most basic method is to predict which villages are likely to be attacked next, based on the locations of the villages that have been attacked so far. ] "Basten, do you know the villages that have been attacked so far?" [ Yes, three places, Lutos, Serati, and Burghini. ] "Even if you say that, I don''t know the places ... Let''s go to Lastock." When I thought I needed a map, the first thing that came to my mind was the commander''s room at Lastock garrison. Camilla was looking down in front of the big map on the wall. I dived into the shadows and moved to Lastock with Basten and the others. In the commander''s office, Camilla''s younger brother Diethelm seemed to be having a meeting with the staff officer Torvil and the royal guard J¨¹rgen. "Good evening, I''m going to bother you for a while." "Maou-sama! Thank you very much for the other day." Immediately getting up from their seats, following Diethelm, who was kneeling in front of me, Torvil and J¨¹rgen also knelt and bowed their heads. "You don''t need to be so formal. I have something I want to discuss with you, so could you sit down?" "Haa, umm ... Maou-sama, your hair color has changed ..." "Yup, when I got all the attributes, it became like this." "When you say all attributes, do you mean all six attributes?" "That''s right. Even though I say that, I can''t use it at all." Diethelm and the others, after exchanging looks and nodding, sat down. On the sofa in the commander''s office, Diethelm was sitting next to me, Torvil in front, and J¨¹rgen next to him. "First of all, can you tell me what happened with the Nibble Rats the other day?" "Yes, Torvil, please explain to Maou-sama ..." "As you wish. Fortunately, the damage to the residents was limited in regards to the maximum outbreak of Nibble Rats, and although there were some injuries, there were no fatalities." According to Torvil, thanks to the timely evacuation guidance, there was little damage to people, but the damage to buildings and household goods was large, and it seemed that it was taking time to rebuild the lives of the residents. "Fortunately, support from the royal capital and the Gleisner Territory have begun to arrive, so it looks like we will be able to welcome the new year without starving the residents." Until now, even if a request for support was sent from Lastock, it would have been crushed by the hands of the Prime Minister, and the neighboring Gleisner Territory was a different faction, so support itself could not be expected. Thanks to the death of the Foolish King and the Idiot Princes, the atmosphere in Resenburg had finally improved. "This is all thanks to Maou-sama. The future of Resenburg is bright." "Diethelm ..." "Yes, what is it, Maou-sama." Diethelm, sitting next to me, had a radiant smile on his face, and if he had grown a tail, it would have been shaken to pieces. "You''re too relaxed." "Huh? Maou-sama ...?" "You''ve heard that Havre Calvine escaped from the royal castle, haven''t you?" "Yes, but it''s only a matter of time before he''s caught ..." "What about the attack using the Undead?" "No, I haven''t heard that." Not only Diethelm, but Torvil and J¨¹rgen''s expressions were also tense. Given this situation, Camilla may have withheld the information in order to prioritize reconstruction. Diethelm stood up indignantly when I told him what I had heard from Basten. "What an impudent person. Impersonating Maou-sama to torment the people is worthy of death. Why is my sister leaving this situation alone!" "Your Highness, please calm down." "What are you saying, J¨¹rgen. How can I be calm about this!" "Your Highness, if you get too excited, you''ll just be taken advantage of by Havre." "But ..." "Fixing the turmoil in Lastock and rebuilding the lives of the residents is nothing less than the greatest counterattack against Havre. Camilla-sama should already have taken countermeasures. As for us, we should focus on what we have to do." "I see ... That''s right ..." Admonished by J¨¹rgen, Diethelm sat down. "I''m also planning to start taking countermeasures against the attack using the Undead. For the purpose, I''ve come to borrow the map for a bit. Basten, tell me where the attack took place." [ Understood. It was here, Lutos, that was attacked first. ] Basten emerged from the shadows and used the large map on the wall to point out the locations of the villages that had been attacked by the Undead. "Lutos, Serati, Burghini ... They seem to be heading south along the northeastern mountains." Basten nodded at J¨¹rgen''s words. Then, Torvil raised his hand and asked me if he could speak. "Maou-sama, is it alright?" "Please let me know if you notice anything." "Yes, Lutos was attacked first, then Serati four days later, and Burghini four days later, but I don''t think it would take much time to move between the villages." It was true that the three villages didn''t look very far apart. "How far is it between these villages?" "Let''s see. If you''re traveling on horseback, you can get there in the evening if you leave in the morning." "Are they taking time to preview for the raid?" "That is also possible, but if this is an action to lower the reputation of Maou-sama, it would be more effective to do it in a wider area, so there must be some reason why it can''t be done." According to Torvil, the three villages seemed to be clustered together in a narrow area spanning two fiefdoms, and it was certainly more efficient to spread the notoriety over a larger area. "If they''re moving at the same pace as before, where is the next likely target village?" "Probably Shiron, or Kuujo, thereabouts ..." It seemed that the villages that had been attacked so far were connected by a line, and the villages at the end of the line were Shiron on the mountain side and Kuujo near the base of the mountain. After looking at the map and predicting the next attack point, Torvil continued. "Maou-sama, this sounds like a desperate move by Havre Calvine." "A desperate move?" "Yes. As I said earlier, the scope of the raid is too narrow for an attack to damage the reputation of Maou-sama. Besides, the people of Resenburg have already begun to hear about Maou-sama''s actions. So, they won''t think this level of attack is the work of Maou-sama ..." Protecting Lastock from the Orc attack, stopping Barshania''s invasion, beating up Havre Calvine in the royal castle ... It seemed the things I''ve done in Resenburg have become rumors among the citizens. Especially in Lastock, it seemed that after the Orc attack, the story of continuing treatment until I collapsed was so widespread that there was no one who didn''t know it. "Since we''re in Lastock, we haven''t been able to grasp the situation around the royal capital, but the scale of Maou-sama''s actions so far and the current raid are too different. Why would it be necessary for a person who can walk around the royal castle to attack a frontier village. Even if some people believed the rumors, I don''t think even the Lords of the Forst or Maltritz Families will believe them." "I see ... But, if the people''s voices get louder, won''t even the Lords be unable to suppress them?" "That possibility cannot be denied, but if it was around the time when the First Prince faction and the Second Prince faction were at odds with each other, now that the order of succession to the throne has almost been decided, Maou-sama and Camilla-sama, or Havre Calvine, noone should have a hard time choosing between them." In other words, the stage of gambling with your life as a chip was over. "Then, in regards to this matter, is it better for me not to move openly?" "It depends on the extent of the response, but I think it would be better if Camilla-sama resolved it herself." "Alright. This matter will be dealt with after meeting with Camilla, so you should give priority to the work here." "Haa, as you wish." After confirming that all three of the bowed their heads, I left my seat, but there were still things to do. "That''s right, Diethelm." "What is is, Maou-sama." "I want you to punish a knight." "Huh? Wh, what did you just say?" "You know that I was summoned from another world with my classmates, right?" "Yes, I heard that my sister used a summoning ceremony that is a secret of the royal family." "I was rejected and exiled, and my classmates were detained in this garrison, but one girl was sexually assaulted by a knight." "What did you say! Is this true?" When I talked about Watanuki-san''s incident, Diethelm and the others all frowned. "Since such a despicable act cannot be forgiven, find the knight who assaulted her and punish them." "Haa, as you wish." "I''m counting on you. Among the knights of Resenburg, there are no such unscrupulous people ... I don''t want to hear such a stupid report, and if I only get such a reply, I might become Resenburg''s enemy." Hearing my words, Diethelm''s body shook and he lowered his head. "I will certainly find out the imprudent fellow and punish them." When I turned my gaze, both Torvil and J¨¹rgen had changed their posture and bowed their heads. I called Nort from the Kobold Corps to act as a liaison with Diethelm, and moved to Camilla''s room in the royal castle. Camilla was in the middle of a meeting with Count Gleisner and Knight Commander Berdets in the royal castle''s office. "Good evening, it''s been a while, Count Gleisner." "If it isn''t Maou-dono, I''m the one who should apologize for the long absence. I''ve been indebted to you this whole time, and I haven''t been able to repay you in any way." "That can be taken care of later." "Ohh, I ask you to be gentle, because if Maou-dono collects, not even the the royal castle can escape. Anyway, what happened to your hair?" "Ahh, this is ..." Count Gleisner looked at Camilla and the Knight Commander with a surprised expression when I told him that I had obtained all the attributes. "Maou-sama, thank you for saving me from the dangerous situation the other day." "Camilla, are you feeling alright?" "Yes, thanks to you, I am having a trouble-free time." "You know what I''m here for, don''t you?" "Yes, it''s about the attack using the Undead." "Yup, I''m thinking of taking countermeasures myself, but first of all, could you tell me about your countermeasures?" "As you wish. Berdets ..." When Camilla gave him a look, the Knight Commander spread out a map on the table. There were three X marks and two O marks on the map. Lutos, Serati, Burghini, as well as Shiron and Kuujo. "I know that Maou-sama has already heard about it, but these three marks are the villages that have been attacked so far, and these two marks are the villages where the next attack is expected to occur. We have already dispatched knights to both villages." "How many personnel do you have?" "Yes, the number of Undead witnessed in the raids so far is said to be between 100 and 200. 200 knights have been sent to each village, a total of 400 people." "Knight Commander, is it possible to subdue that number of them without any problems?" "Haa, all of them are well-trained knights, so if it''s an Undead, they can deal with about five Undead each." It was a simple calculation, but it was safe to assume that they had more than five times the strength of the Undead. [ Reinhardt, is it okay? ] [ There is no problem in combat. After that, it just depends on how much they can handle irregular situations. ] "Camilla, what if other settlements than those two are attacked?" "Yes, I have arranged to dispatch soldiers of the Forst Family, and the Maltritz Family to the villages other than Shiron and Kuujo, as well." "Okay, then, I wonder if it''s my turn this time ..." "Maou-sama, it is very difficult to say, but Maou-sama''s name has been misrepresented as the mastermind behind this raid. I realize you would like to take care of this on your own, but could you leave it to us this time." "That''s fine. However, I''m going to keep an eye on it regardless of how it ends ..." Camilla''s Undead countermeasures, because they were something about which I had no complaints for the time being, I decided to keep an eye on it from above. "Even so, will they attack as expected?" "It depends on the other magician, but I don''t think it will exceed our expectations." "Is there any basis for that?" "Yes, the dark-attribute mage who carried out this attack is probably using a booster." Considering the rarity of dark-attribute mages, it seemed that only one person was responsible for the attack, but it seemed that there were too many Undead to be summoned by a single magician. It seemed that there was a blank period of three days between attacks. "Maou-sama, didn''t you use a booster during the commotion the other day?" "Ahh, I see, you saw me use it, so you thought about that." "Yes, you are right." "But, if the other magician is using boosters, wouldn''t it be better to increase the number of personnel?" "Even if a magician''s magical power doesn''t run out, there is a limit to the number of Undead that can be summoned." "Is that so, can''t they replenish the Skeletons and Zombies?" "Yes, this is just a guess, but if they don''t use boosters, the number of Undead that the magician can handle should be about one-fifth." Assuming that Camilla''s prediction was correct, the opponent magician would be able to use about 20 to 40 undead even in normal times. My genus were 45 in total. I thought it was better to think of them as a fairly formidable opponent. [ Nope, Kent-sama, us genus and the Undead being used are probably different things. ] [ Is that so? ] [ Perhaps they are not able to think independently like us, they just follow simple orders. ] From Reinhardt''s words, I felt something like pride as a family member. "Camilla, we talked about the same thing earlier at Lastock, but Torvil guessed that Havre was acting out of desperation, but what do you think?" "Yes, we must be vigilant, but we also believe that Havre is in a stalemate. We plan to resolve the Undead attack in three days, when the next one is expected, and proceed with the capture of Havre." "Alright. I''ll leave this matter to Camilla, but I''m interested in the other dark-attribute magician, so I might move to capture them, but that is okay, right." "Yes, I think it would be difficult for us to capture a magician who is hiding in the shadows. It would be helpful if we could get the help of Maou-sama." The Resenburg knights would be in charge of annihilating the Undead, and I would be the one to capture the magician. Before returning to Volzard, I told Camilla about Watanuki-san''s case, and strictly told her to punish any of the knights accompanying her who participated in the assault. "How disgraceful ... I will keep in touch with Diethelm, and I will definitely identify and punish those who are imprudent." "Yup, can you contact me through Hart?" "I respectfully obey." Camilla promised to deal with him immediately and clean up the order of the knights. CH 213 Maiden''s wish *** ---*** After finishing breakfast, when I was about to leave for the Devil''s Forest training ground, Hert suddenly appeared. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Yuika has something to talk about." "Okay, let''s go together." After stroking Hert''s head, we jumped into the shield of darkness together and moved to the chairman''s room. "Good morning, Yuika, may I come in?" "Good morning, I''m sorry I called you. Come in." "Excuse me." The chairman was sitting at her desk writing something, but when she lightly approached me, she naturally hugged me. Yup, it somehow feels like we''re lovers. The chairman had a mischievous smile on her face. "Nnh, what is it?" "Ufufufu, somehow I''m still not used to Kento''s silver hair, and it feels like having an affair." "Ahh, I see ... By the way, how is Watanuki-san doing?" "She''s staying locked up in her room, Ayako-sensei brings her food and other things, so she doesn''t run into other people when it comes to bath and toilet." I sat down on the bed and asked her how Watanuki-san was doing. Until now, it seemed that some girls who heard rumors had turned their gaze away from her, but with the turmoil the other day as the trigger, it seemed they now turned their gaze towards her with sympathy and pity. Before the uproar, Watanuki-san herself seemed to take an attitude that she didn''t care about the gazes, but perhaps her tenseness had broken, and it seemed that she could no longer stand the gazes. "It seems she''s still undecided about whether to return or have an abortion. It''s probably an unwanted pregnancy, but she seems to be reluctant to cut off the life that resides within her." "Is that so. However, I don''t really know, but if it grows up too much, she won''t be able to have an abortion, right?" "From what I''ve learned on the internet, it seems that the method of surgery and the burden on the body are different between those who are less than 12 weeks pregnant and those who are up to 22 weeks pregnant." "12 weeks you say, it depends on when she got pregnant, but isn''t it pretty close?" "Yup, the teachers seem to be worried about that too." On the day of the return work, Watanuki-san was punching herself in the lower abdomen, "Yesterday, I went to Resenburg, I ordered Camilla and her brother Diethelm to find of the knight who assaulted Watanuki-san and punish them." "Can they find him?" "There is no such unscrupulous person ... If they give such a stupid reply, I will be their enemy, so it should be fine." "Well, it would be a problem if Kento turned against them. No matter how many knights they have, they can''t be protected." "I hope so. So, Yuika''s story isn''t about Watanuki-san, is it?" "Yup, sorry for the sudden talk, but could you meet my parents today?" "What time is it?" "They want you to go to the house at 10 o''clock in Japan time." "Alright ... But, I don''t know where Yuika''s house is." "Yup, I''ll tell you now." The chairman''s house was on the street in front of the Hikarigaoka station in the direction of the fire station. "Above this convenience store, room 302 is my home." The chairman looked nostalgically at the streetscape displayed on the internet map. "Wait just a little longer. If I can use summoning magic, repatriation magic, or magic that can send everyone back, Yuika might be able to go home." "Yup, but, I don''t want to be unable to use the light-attribute magic that I''ve been given. I want to give back more and more to everyone in Volzard." The chairman had steadily gained experience at the garrison''s clinic, and was now an indispensable presence in Volzard. The star-attribute summoning magic should be a higher version of the summoning magic that used the magic circle, but I didn''t know what would happen to the magic talent gained by summoning. If you couldn''t use attribute magic as soon as you returned to Japan, I would not be able to meet the chairman''s wishes. "Umm ... Should I bring some souvenirs?" "Isn''t it a bad idea to bring items from here?" "I see ... Hey, how should I greet them ... Ahh, no, I''ll think about it myself." "Kento, are you nervous?" "Of course. I''m really nervous." "But you still have more than ten hours." "I know, but ... It''s my first time meeting them, ahh!" "What is it?" "Hair ... Should I make it black?" "Haa ... Don''t surprise me. It''s okay because I''ve talked to them properly." "Really? A delinquent, or a gaudy person, they won''t think of me like that?" "It''s okay, it''s okay, so calm down a bit, okay." "Ehh ..." I was pulled to the chairman and was hugged as if holding my head. "It''s okay, Kento is the boy I chose. Even if Manon is here, even if Riche is here, or if Seraphima comes, even so, you''re a boy whom I don''t want to be separated from, so it''s okay." "K ..." Fuwaaa, it''s bad, it''s soft, and warm ... While having my head stroked, I listened to the chairman''s heartbeat and almost fell asleep. "Hey, Kento, what do you plan to do after everyone returns?" "I haven''t decided what I''m going to do specifically, but I''d like to cooperate with Volzard''s development while doing the work required of an S-rank adventurer." "That''s right, Kento is an S-rank adventurer, isn''t he." "Well, I''m not so great ... Because, most of my power is a gift." "That''s not true. It''s because Kento worked hard." "Well, I guess so ..." Ah~h, I want to stay like this forever, but without practicing my summoning techniques, I won''t be able to truly relax. I decided to meet with Watanuki-san before moving to the Devil''s Forest training ground. WHen I asked Ayako-sensei, who had come to pick up the breakfast dishes, she replied that it was okay to meet with her. "Excuse me ..." "Hey, Kokubu, what''s with you, you look like a different person." "Ehh, Ahh, my hair. When I woke up, it looked like this." Watanuki-san, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with her knees in her arms, looked kind of haggard. "What are you talking about. Did you fall unconscious again? Aren''t you trying too hard?" "No, because if I don''t do it, other people won''t be able to do it ..." "That may be true, but come on, it''s unfair for Kokubu alone to carry the burden on your shoulders. You were stabbed with a sword, and your head was almost cut off, also, ahh, you were eaten by Goblins too. A normal person would be dead long ago, seriously." "Maa, that''s right, but I also have a lot of delicious thoughts ..." "That''s right ... I didn''t think Kokubu would make a harem, but what of it? I don''t think that''s excessive, is it?" Watanuki-san, who was grinning from ear to ear, seemed to be more energetic than I thought. "No, no, compared to when I was in Japan ..." "Ahh, I''m sorry, that''s right, Kokubu''s house was complicated." "No, I''m going to be independent from my Japanese house, so it''s okay." "Hee ... Kokubu has changed. A year ago, I only got the impression that you were getting scolded for falling asleep. That''s it ..." "No, no, the weeding penalties for falling asleep came in handy when I was a gardener''s apprentice." "Kyahahahaha, what the heck, were you a gardener or something? Seriously?" "Seriously. Gardener''s apprenticeship, plantation harvesting, potato transport in the warehouse." "Hee ... You were doing a lot of things. While doing that, you were also preparing to help us, weren''t you? Kokubu, you''re really amazing ... I really respect you." "Well ... I was completely absorbed in it." "Hey, Kokubu ... I, what should I do?" Watanuki-san, who had been laughing until then, had her face distort and spilled large tears. "I''m sorry, if only I could help sooner ..." "That''s wroong! That''s wroong, that''s wroong, it''s not Kokubu''s fault, those guys, those guys ... Uuuu." Watanuki-san, who grasped my upper arms tightly when I rushed over, sobbed. Her fingers were digging in and hurt, but I couldn''t shake her off. "Last night, I went to Resenburg and ordered Camilla and her brother Diethelm to find out and punish the knights who did such a terrible thing to Watanuki-san." "Ehh, lies! ..." "I''m not lying. What do you want to do, Watanuki-san? What kind of punishment do you want to give them?" "Kill them ... Beat them to death. Those filthy assholes, beat them all to death." "Alright." "Ehh, will you kill them? Seriously?" Watanuki-san''s eyes widened in surprise as I said that I would kill them with no hesitation. "Yup, I''ll kill them in place of Watanuki-san. Then, Watanuki-san, will you look forward and get back on your feet?" "Ehh ... I, I don''t know." "If it helps Watanuki-san get back on her feet, I will kill them. But, if Watanuki-san might regret it, I won''t kill them and give them a different punishment." "A different punishment, for example?" "For example? For example ... Cut it off?" "Uwaa, Kokubu, you''re cruel ..." "No, no, for example, it''s just an example." "Nn~ ... But, it might be good. Killing them has a bad aftertaste, but if you spare their lives, and in exchange, make sure they won''t be able to do bad things again ... Yup, that might be good." "Speaking of which, do you know their names?" "Nope, I don''t know, and I don''t even want to know." It seemed that the knights rarely gave their names while they were training at Lastock. Of course, she remembered their faces, but she didn''t want to see them again. "For the time being, think about what kind of punishment you want to give until Camilla contacts me. I''ll give them a punishment that Watanuki can agree with." "Alright, thank you, Kokubu." "Then, how about returning home?" "Yup, I''m a little conflicted about that. It''s not like I''m comfortable staying here, but I''m sure I''ll be told many things when I return." Watanuki-san seemed to be concerned about media reports. "Maybe I''m too self-conscious, it might be better if I don''t watch TV or the internet, but I''m still curious. Kokubu was called demeaning things, right." "Maa, it certainly doesn''t feel good. Doing whatever they like, to see someone say something perfunctory based on speculation or something like that ..." "Right? Besides, I was wondering what to do with my child ..." "Are you conflicted?" "Yup, I don''t know whose child it is, but it''s definitely my child, and if the other half is his child ..." Watanuki-san cut off her words, fell silent for a while, and then returned her gaze to me. "Hey, Kokubu, I want you to listen to me for a moment ... I don''t want you to tell anyone, it''s a secret story." "If you''re okay with me, I''ll listen." "Kokubu is nice. Somehow, Kokubu is doing his best, but it''s all hardships, how should I put it, a sense of affinity springs up, a sense of camaraderie ... That''s why, hear me out." "Alright, I promise I won''t tell anyone." "You know ... About the child in my stomach, but ... The odds are low, but I wish it was Maejima''s child." "Maejima? Maejima you say, is it Maejima Keita?" "Yup ... Right." Maejima Keita was in the same class as Watanuki-san when we were in first grade, and I think he was in the soccer club. He was tall and didn''t look handsome, but he wasn''t ugly and had average looks. It seemed that Maejima was among the men that Watanuki-san had had relationships with since arriving at Volzard. "Maejima is, well, he seems to have had zero romantic feelings, but since I was in first grade, I thought he was a little good ..." Considering the time when Watanuki-san stopped menstruating, the possibility that Maejima was the father was not zero. "But, if you tell Maejima something like this, he''ll definitely think it''s disgusting, and a bitch like me won''t be a romantic interest, but, but ... If I think it just might be ..." Covering her face with both hands, I gently hugged Watanuki-san, who began to sob again, and rubbed her back. "Kokubu, what should I do ... If I go back to Japan, my parents will definitely tell me to have an abortion, but if I think it might be Maejima''s child, I want to give birth, but even if I give birth, I don''t have the confidence to raise it alone ... I don''t know anymore. Kokubu ... Help me." "Alright. I''ll help." "Ehh, Kokubu ...?" "If Watanuki-san wants to have the child and raise it, I will support you financially so that you can live in Volzard. If you want to have an abortion, I will properly send you to Japan. Therefore, Watanuki-san, just think about what you want, and give me an answer that you won''t regret." When I reached Volzard alone, many people supported me. If there''s a girl in pain right in front of me and I have the power to help her, wavering or hesitating are not necessary. "Kokubu, but ..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, I, I''m quite rich. I defeated a giant monster called Gigas the other day and got a huge magic stone. If I put it up for auction at Bakkenheim at the beginning of the year, I think it will sell for a great amount. If I run out of money, I can dive into the dungeon. If nothing else, I''ll go to the southern continent and hunt monsters like crazy." "Fuu, fufufu ... Ahahahaha ... As I thought, Kokubu has changed. Ah~ ... I should have realized it sooner. No, it''s not too late, I wonder if I should join the harem too ..." Watanuki-san held my right arm tightly. "Ehh, n, no, that is ... Just now, Yuika, that ..." "Kyahahahaha, I''m obviously joking. How much do you think we were taken care of by Asakawa-san in Lastock. Even though her complexion had already passed being pale and looked white, she continued the treatment. It''s absolutely not allowed to make Asakawa-san cry!" "Ahh, ouch! I understand, so please don''t hit me with all your strength." Watanuki-san hit me hard on the back, but it was so powerful that I wondered if she was using chantless body strengthening. "Then, when you''ve made up your mind, let me know via Ayako-sensei or Yuika." "Yup, thank you for everything, Kokubu." Watanuki-san came to see me off in the hallway, and as we parted, she kissed me on the cheek and then closed the door. "Kento ... that, what''s going on?" "Ehh, it''s different, it''s different. I''m not cheating. Watanuki-san was just teasing me ... Really, it''s true." "Fufuu, I know ..." The chairman lowered her raised eyebrows and hugged me tightly. "I don''t know if it went well, but I told Watanuki-san that I would cooperate as much as possible. It seems that she wants to decide after thinking a little more about whether she will return to Japan, so Yuika, please help as well." "Yup, of course. Thank you, Kento." "Yuika ..." "You guys ... If you''re going to flirt, do it somewhere else ..." When I tried to hug Yuika again, Watanuki-san gave a tsukkomi from the other side of the narrowly opened door. The door was closed immediately, but it seemed that her eyes were smiling, so she should be fine. Before visiting her home, I promised to visit the chairman again and moved to the special training ground in the Devil''s Forest. I was able to grasp the tricks of activating summoning and repatriation techniques, but there was still a big problem. How do I pull something from an unseen location, or how do I send something to an unseen location. If I could solve this problem, the return of my classmates should progress greatly. "Hmm ... Speaking of unseen places, in the case of shadow movement, if I imagine a place I''ve been to before, I can move to the shadows of that place at once." [ That''s right. Thanks to Kent-sama''s strengthening, we can use the same technique, so I can understand that feeling. ] "But, I feel like there''s quite a bit of error there." [ It''s certainly as you say. However, since the destination of movement is also in the shadow space, there is no worry of falling or colliding. After arriving there, fine-tuning and going out is not a problem. ] "Right, right, that''s right, but in the case of summoning and repatriation techniques, if the error is large, I feel like it''s going to be a big deal." For example, if I intended to summon someone into the SDF Nerima garrison, but the place was shifted and they were summoned in the middle of the Kawagoe Highway, dying in a car accident on the way home ... What a situation that would be. [ Kent-sama, how about putting them in something like a box and summoning it or sending it back? ] "A box, huh ... But, even if I put them in a box, I can''t tell where the box is, and I can''t even decide where to send it." For example, if I put them in a box and sent it to Japan, it would be a disaster if I sent it to a place about 20 meters high instead of dropping it on the ground. [ Then, Kent-sama, how about using us genus as a landmark? ] "I see, I will know where everyone in my genus is, and it can be a landmark." When I moved in the shadows, I could move to places I''ve never been before if I use my genus as landmarks. In this case, the location of my genus was not recognized as coordinates, but was perceived intuitively. Even with my eyes closed, I could tell where my ears were, where my mouth was, and where my nose was. With this, I didn''t have to worry about mistaking the location even from far away Japan. I immediately enlisted the help of the Kobold Corps, and just as I was about to start practicing, Hart showed up. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Camilla has a report." "Alright, let''s go together." It was probably about the knights who assaulted Watanuki-san. Should I have them imprisoned first until Watanuki-san decided what kind of punishment she wanted, and in the meantime, should I threaten them to cool down a little. CH 214 Punishment of the knights ***---*** I moved to the royal castle of Aldaros, where Hart guided me. Although it was surrounded by walls, there was no roof, and I could see the blue sky. It was 20 meters square, covered with quarried stones, and the smell of blood hung in the air. "Maou-sama, I apologize for the trouble." Camilla walked up to me, knelt down and lowered her head, but my gaze was glued to the scene behind Camilla. A man of good physique, with his hands tied behind him, was lying on his knees with his head thrust through a thick board about 50 cm high. I was looking at it from the side, but the man''s shoulders seemed to be stuck to the board. A large pool of blood had formed at the base of the board, and a man''s head was placed on a platform about two meters away from the board. This must be the royal castle''s execution site. In one corner of the execution ground, five knights stood upright in a line, probably involved in the execution of the sentence. "It has been determined that the people who committed immoral acts on Maou-sama''s friend were three people, one who was with me, and two people who remained in Lastock, so I punished them as per your orders." I was able to hear what Camilla was saying indifferently, but my brain was refusing to understand what she was saying. "Maou-sama ... Is something the matter?" "Two people from Lastock ..." "Haa, I''ve already finished the execution." "Are you sure? Did those three admit their guilt?" "Yes, all three have admitted to the charges." I strictly ordered them to be punished, but I never thought that they would be executed. I didn''t think about it, but now that I think about it, it wouldn''t be strange for an execution to take place. Lastock had already been attacked by hordes of monsters many times, and each time, they received my support. I didn''t mean to brag, but if it weren''t for the work of me and my genus, it was possible that the people of Lastock would have been wiped out. In addition to that, in a situation where Havre Calvine had escaped and was carrying out so-called acts of terrorism, I could not be allowed to become an enemy. When I ordered them to be severely punished, I should have been able to fully predict the possibility of them being executed. "I would like to inform Maou-sama. In this investigation, although they did not directly participate in the act, 17 people were aware of the actions of the three who were executed." "So, they were aware of it but didn''t try to stop it ... Is that what you''re saying?" "Yes, you are right." Of course, even though they were aware of it, they didn''t stop them from doing so, which wasn''t a very commendable act. However, when I thought about how everyone was treated like monkeys when we were captured by Lastock, rather, I thought that it was good that it ended with merely three people. "Maou-sama, could you spare the lives of these 17 people. If you say no, then, my life instead ..." "Don''t be ridiculous! I went through so much trouble to save you. I went so far as to use a booster and be unable to move for three days! I told you, I won''t permit your heartbeat to stop without my permission." "I, I''m extremely sorry. But, losing seventeen knights at once ..." Recently, Camilla had been friendly with me, but today she seemed to be afraid of me. Even the knights lined up had their bodies tremble just by looking at them. "I agree to spare their lives. However, I can''t say that there will be no punishment." "Thank you very much. The 17 people will be stripped of their knight titles." "What will happen if the title is stripped?" "Yes, they will be deprived of their status as a noble, their family name will be taken, and their compensation will be greatly reduced." "That''s fine, I accept the punishment." "Haa, thank you very much." The knights had their lives spared, and Camilla took a deep breath as if a load was removed from her shoulders. As for me, it was up to Watanuki-san, but I intended to spare the lives of those who actually committed the assault. Camilla too, I talked about the importance of life when I made her submit, I''m sure I talked about the policy of not killing blindly, but has she forgotten over time. Or, was there some other reason. "Camilla." "Y, yesh! What is it?" Something was strange. Just by calling out to her, Camilla''s body trembled, and it seemed that the gaze that was directed at me was trying to figure out my mood. "M, Maou-sama ... Wh, what''s wrong?" "That''s my line. What''s wrong? Why are you so nervous?" Camilla, after looking like she was hesitant about my question, asked me as if she had made up her mind. "Umm, Maou-sama. That, didn''t you feel that something changed after you obtained all the attributes?" "Does it look like it''s changed? Now that you mention it, when I was taking the last water attribute, my body trembled and I felt like I was being rearranged into something else ..." "As I thought, was that the case ..." "What, what is it? Please explain so that I can understand properly!" "I, I''m truly sorry!" I was annoyed by her suggestive words and unusually reserved behavior, and when I raised my voice, Camilla once again bowed her head. "That ... Maou-sama was awakened as a Demon King by acquiring all the attributes ... I think." "Awakened as a Demon King?" "Yes. According to the legend handed down in the royal family, the Demon Kings of the past became more brutal and cruel as they mastered magic of all attributes." "Ehh, well then, since I got all the attributes, I might become a cruel Demon King ... Is that what you''re saying?" Camilla nodded while displaying a timid appearance. "Haa ... That''s not the case. I''m me." "However, if you were the Maou-sama until now, I don''t think you would have told me to deal with the knights ..."(TN:„I·Ö ''Shobun'' can mean punish/dispose/deal with. She misunderstood what he meant.) "I told you to punish them, but I didn''t tell you to execute them, right?" "Ahh, th, then ..." "I was planning to decide on the contents of the punishment later." "Is that so." "Sexually assaulting a woman who was tricked into wearing a Slave Bracelet, it''s an unbecoming act for a knight, should I take away their lives, or should a different punishment be given, I wanted to make the best content for the girl who was a victim to recover." "Th, then, Maou-sama, you''re still the same Maou-sama, right?" "That''s what I believe." Camilla let out a big sigh, relaxed her body and released her tension, then tightened her expression once more. "Maou-sama, excuse my impertinent behavior, I''m sorry. However, the actions of the three people who were executed cannot be overlooked. I executed the sentence according to the rules of the Knight Order." "Understood. Camilla Resenburg." "H, haa!" "This person paid for his crimes with his life. Bury the body with dignity!" "Haa, as you wish." "From now on, anyone who uses his knighthood to assault a woman should be given the same punishment. Anyone who defiles the pride of a knight in the Kingdom of Resenburg deserves death. I will not tolerate such despicable acts!" "Haa, I will surely comply." Following Camilla''s kneeling and bowing, the knights also knelt, but when some of them looked up, they had expressions of dissatisfaction. Perhaps the dissatisfied knights were not involved in the turmoil at the royal castle the other day. I seemed to be gaining some popularity, but for those who saw me for the first time, I looked like just a kid. "Are you dissatisfied with my punishment?" "I''m not dissatisfied with the contents of the punishment, but ... We pledged allegiance to the Kingdom of Resenburg, not to a child like you bastard." "How rude! I won''t allow such rude remarks to Maou-sama!" "Camilla-sama, you are the one who will become the King of Resenburg. Bowing to such a child will not be an example for the common people." "You fool! So far, the Kingdom of Resenburg, just how much do you think we have been helped by Maou-sama. If it weren''t for Maou-sama''s help, our country might have been trampled by the soldiers of Barshania, and the country itself might have disappeared." "However, Camilla-sama, was Barshania really trying to invade, did they really abandon the invasion due to the intervention of the Demon King, you don''t have any evidence, do you." "You are you saying I''m being deceived? He has saved me from the brink of death twice so far, and he is the one who shattered the ambitions of Havre Calvine in the Chamber of Proceedings the other day, are you trying to say that everything is my misunderstanding! Do you think you can fulfill your duty as a knight by blinding yourself with petty vanity and averting your eyes from the truth!" Seeing Camilla''s raging fury, the knights looked like they said too much, but it didn''t seem like they acknowledge my existence. "It''s fine, Camilla." "Maou-sama, I can''t forgive it. I can''t forgive such impudence ..." "No matter how much you talk, they''re not going to admit it until they actually see my power. I don''t mind, I''m not acting because I want to be recognized by someone I don''t know, if they get in the way, I''ll just mow them down." "What''s that, bastard, looking down on me ..." Hearing my words, the rebellious knight raised an angry voice and stood up, but immediately after that, his eyes widened and he stepped back. I didn''t call him, but Nero smoothly appeared from behind me, and approached me with a rumbling purring sound. Staring at Nero''s large golden eyes, all the knights stood up and put their hands on the swords at their waists. "Don''t panic, it''s Maou-sama''s genus." Camilla, who had seen Nero in the Chamber of Proceedings, called out to them and they released the swords they were about to draw, but the knights'' faces remained tense. When I stroked the back of his ears and Nero narrowed his eyes, they seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief and release their tension. "Camilla, this is fine as a punishment for the scandal, but we need compensation for this incident as well, so keep that in mind." "Haa, first I intend to calm down the country as quickly as possible, and then I will fulfill my liability for compensation." "Yup, please take care of the attack by the Undead and the capture of Havre Calvine." "Haa, I will do my best." Camilla remained on her knees and bowed her head again. "Ahh, that''s right. It''s a story about next year, but Princess Seraphima of Barshania is going to marry into Volzard, can you accommodate her on the way." "The Princess of Barshania ... Is it the eldest son of the Volzard Family, Augusto-dono?" "No, it''s not." "Then, the second son, Baldini-dono?" "Nope ..." "No way ... With Lord Klaus-dono, aren''t they the age of parent and child." "No, no, the other party is not Klaus-san." "Then, who is ... no way?" Camilla opened her eyes wide and stared at me. Immediately after that, ''pota pota'' drops fell and wet the floor. Camilla, who''s shoulders were shaking for about twenty seconds, wiped her eyes with her cuffs, and she looked up at me with red eyes. "C, congratulations, Maou-sama." "Thank you, Camilla. Although it''s not permitted right now, some day ..." "Yes, I understand." I left the royal castle and returned to the Devil''s Forest training ground while being sent off by Camilla''s best smile. "Haaa ... I thought I''d have to say it someday, but it''s more awkward than I imagined." [ Buhahaha, if you push the Resenburg matter to His Highness Diethelm and kidnap Camilla-jou, everything will be settled. ] "That''s right, nya, as Reinhardt says, nya, Goshujin-sama is too reserved, nya." "It''s not going to be that easy." "Goshujin-sama thinks too hard, nya. It''s the law of nature for a strong male to monopolize, nya." "If that''s all it takes, then I wouldn''t worry so much." I still had time to practice summoning magic until I visited the chairman''s house. I came up with the idea of asking all my genus to act as a mark for summoning from a distant place out of sight and sending things back to a place I couldn''t see, so I gave it a try. I went to the depths of the Devil''s Forest, asked them to surround a rock with a diameter of about 1 meter with five heads, Sart, Sirt, Surt, Sert, and Sort, and summoned it from the training ground. "Summon!" I imagined summoning what Sart-tachi recognized, and I succeeded in summoning the rock as expected. "Alright! With this, I can summon from far away where I can''t see." [ You did it, Kent-sama. ] "Yup, there are still many things to check, but this is a big step forward." Next, I asked Sart and the others to move to an unseen location and sent the rock back there. After repatriation, when I moved to where Sart and the others were, the large rock was successfully repatriated. [ Kent-sama is still cautious about trying to master both summoning and repatriation. ] "Yup, I guess you could say that. As expected, the longer the distance, the more mana it consumes. Summoning and repatriating use about the same amount of magical power, so I think it would be better to repatriate them from Volzard." [ There is also the consideration in the case where magical power runs out. ] "Right, if I ran out of magical power in Japan, where there is no magic essence, I will not be able to come back to Volzard."(TN:Couldn''t he just have a genus open a shield and he can go in?) Another flaw was exposed in the summoning that used my genus as landmarks. After summoning a rock, I tried summoning a tree, but I couldn''t recognize how tall it was, and it was summoned in the form of a log that had been cut off halfway through. Conversely, when repatriating, the height of the item to be sent could be recognized, so it was possible to send it back even if it was about 10 meters high. "It looks like it''s better to think about repatriation as the basic." [ Kent-sama, it''s a power that you can use after great pains, so why don''t you try using summoning for work. ] "Using summoning for work?" [ Yes, if you can recognize the height of the summoned object, I think you can easily move an item without moving from Volzard. ] "Hmm ... That may be true, but if I''m going to send something, I think it''s better to have my genus carry it via the shadow space, it won''t consume much magical power, and I feel like it will be certain." [ I see, you can certainly use transportation via shadow space to move goods. ] "So, currently, summoning and repatriation are mainly for the return of my classmates and teachers, and after that I am thinking about applying it to attack magic." [ Attack magic, is it? ] "It''s possible to cut off a part and move it like the example of the Goblin''s failure to repatriate, and it seems that the procedure for using the spear golem can be simplified." [ I see, Kent-sama is becoming more and more vicious. ] "No, no, compared to everyone else, it''s still cute." No matter how strong I became, I didn''t think I would be able to blow off a Rock Ogre''s head with a punch. After that, I tried summoning a creature back to an unseen place using a captured Goblin, and I was able to succeed without any problems. When I was trying to summon and repatriate using Goblins, I came up with something, so I figured I''d try it while I was at it. [ What are you doing? ] "Yup, just a little ..." The Goblin was tied up with a rope and left standing, then sent back to a place a little further away. "Repatriate!" "Giii ... Gugya!" Changing the direction in the middle of repatriation, the Goblin fell on its back to the ground and passed out. "Yup, it''s pretty good, isn''t it." [ Hohou, as expected of Kent-sama, you are thinking of something interesting. It''s like being blown away in an instant. ] "Yup, yup, it seems to be useful when I get entangled with something like small fries." I''ve only just started practicing, but it seemed that summoning and repatriation techniques could be used in a wide range of ways, and they could also be used for powerful attacks. [ Kent-sama, it''s time to end your practice and get ready. ] "Uuh, that''s right. Well, let''s go back ..." I returned to Volzard after I mofu''d Sart and the others who were with me for practice. After washing up at the boarding house, I changed into casual clothes, and when I visited the chairman''s room, I also saw Manon. "Yuika, may I come in?" "Please ..." It seemed that the garrison''s clinic would shorten the hours for medical examinations during the holidays, and the chairman and Manon had just returned from the clinic. "Yup, you''ve properly changed." "Yuika and I were worried that Kent would come in his usual clothes." "No, even I, you know, properly think about it." "Have you thought of how you''re going to greet them?" "Uuh, that''s ..." When I went to say hello at Manon''s house, it worked out somehow, and I was sure it would work out this time too ... Or rather, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn''t think of anything, so I ran away to practice summoning. "Maa, even if you try to be pretentious, in the case of Kento, it seems that his true self will come out right away, I wonder if it''s better to be as it is ..." "It''s okay, Yuika. Even if it doesn''t go well this time, that doesn''t mean it''s over, right." No, no, Manon-chan, that''s true, but I wanted you to say that things will go well this time ... "Ahh, come to think of it, what''s going on with the incident with Seitarou-chan? I haven''t checked the internet." "In that matter, Kento is still being criticized, but don''t worry." "But, if I''m being criticized on the internet, it''s a bad image, isn''t it." "Maa, that''s right, but it''s probably okay, so go and show them the usual Kento." "Really? Well, that''s all I can do." "It''s okay, Kento is the boy I chose." "That''s right, it''s okay. Kent is the boy I chose." I hugged the chairman and Manon in turn. That''s right, I was the one chosen by the two of them, so I should be confident and show myself as I am. The chairman contacted her family at home on her smartphone when I was about to leave, and I finally decided to return to Japan and greet the chairman''s parents. CH 215 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 215 Unexpected hospitality ***---*** After confirming that no one was around, I went outside, entered the room number on the automatic lock control panel, and rang the intercom. "Yes ..." "U, umm ... M, my, my name is Kokubu Kento, nice to meet you!" "Come in ..." I heard a calm female voice, probably the chairman''s mother, and the automatic door opened. I took the elevator up to the 3rd floor, and when I rang the chime in front of the room again, the front door opened with a clicking sound. "H, hello! Nice to meet you! My name is Kokubu Kento!" "Fufuu, I''ve been waiting for you. Now, come inside, please." I lowered my head so that my forehead touched my knees, and after a small chuckle I was invited into the house. The chairman''s mother had a slender and sharp impression, and seemed like a capable woman. The floor plan of the house was like an average 3LDK, and it reminded me of my former home, but this one was full of life and had a gorgeous atmosphere like a family with many women. In the living room I was guided to, a short-haired, muscular man, and a ''Made In Japan Meisa-chan''-like girl, were waiting. It must be the chairman''s otou-san and imouto-san.(TN:Didn''t feel like putting ''father-san'' and ''little sister-san'' that would sound weird.) "I, I''m sorry to disturb you." Once again, I deeply bowed my head to say hello, and was urged to sit on the sofa. In front of me was the chairman''s father, next to him was her mother, and her younger sister sat on the sofa on the short side of the table. "I am Yuika''s father, Asakawa Tadao. This is my wife, Mika, and that is my second daughter, Mio." "I, I am Kokubu Kento ... N, nice to meet you." When I greeted him in a tense state, Tadao-san suddenly softened his expression. "You don''t have to be so nervous. It''s not like I''m going to catch you and eat you or anything." "Y, yes ..." "Impossible. There is no way he wouldn''t be nervous if Papa stared at him from the front." "What are you talking about, Mio, such a gentle Papa as this, you won''t find often." "Eeehhh, Terashima-san often tells me that you look like a person with a job that gets yelled at?" "D, don''t be silly. Hey, I don''t look like that, right Kokubu-kun." "Y, yes ... In that manner, by no means ..." No, actually, I can see it a little bit, but I haven''t heard that the chairman''s father is that kind of person, so it''s different isn''t it? Please say it''s different. "Uwaa ... This person is a liar, therefore, isn''t he disqualified as a groom for Onee-chan?" "Eeehhh, i, it''s not like I''m l, lying ..." "You''re too easy to understand. Just like I was told, you''re too bad at lying ..." "Guu, that kind of thing ... It might not be possible." "Ahahaha, this person is interesting. Yup, it might be good!" "Mio, leave it at that. I''m sorry, Kento-san. She doesn''t have any male siblings, so she''s just having a little fun." "Y, yes ... It''s fine." The mother, Mika-san, seemed to like me, but Mio-chan, with a smirk on her face, seemed to be ready to use me as a toy. "Now, since you''ve probably relieved your tension, let''s get to the main topic." "Y, yes. My best regards." "First of all, I must say thank you to Kokubu-kun. Thank you very much for rescuing my daughter from her predicament. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart." "Thank you very much." "Thank you very much for helping my sister." When Tadao-san lowered his head again, following that, Mika-san, and Mio-chan also lowered their heads. "N, no, it was completely out of my control, and I just did what I could ..." "I''ve heard stories from my daughter, but could you tell me what you''ve done so far? I''ve heard stories from the school and the police, but it seems that information is controlled in various ways, so I want to hear from you, who knows more than anyone else." "Understood. It''s going to be a little long, but let me tell you the story from when I was summoned until today." Abandoned alone in the summoned wasteland, made to walk in the forest without being informed that monsters lived there, attacked by Goblins and unconsciously activated magic, from the time I met Reinhardt and the others, the days at Volzard, the rescue operation, I talked about the Goblin outbreak and so on. "Is it true that you spared the enemy who impaled you instead of killing him?" "Yes, it''s true, but at that time I thought that the Resenburg side still had control over the method of returning, so it was also a calculation to advance negotiations later." "I see ... It may have been supported by the Skeletons of the former knights, and with the cooperation of the people of Volzard, but you did a really good job." "No, I just happened to acquire powerful magic, and I haven''t been able to return everyone to Japan yet, so I''m only halfway there." "Nope, Kokubu-kun. You should be proud of what you''ve accomplished. Even if they got the same power as you, there shouldn''t be many people who could do the same things you did. You correctly used the power you obtained, made connections with the locals, and successfully rescued your classmates. It''s something to be proud of." "Thank you very much." I was blown away when Tadao-san recognized what I had done head-on. However, the content of Tadao-san''s story that continued right after that made my body stiffen. "I heard from Yuika, and read Kizawa-san''s memoirs. I''ve read the articles that your classmates have posted on the internet, and I''ve seen and heard so-called public opinion. Among them, Funayama-san, who lost his life on the way, the girl who committed suicide, the boy attacked by the monster, the quarrel about the boy with heart disease, there are many opinions that criticize you." Ever since it was decided that I would come to greet them today, I had been concerned about Seitarou-chan''s case. Much of the public criticism was directed at the Japanese government, but there was also deep-seated criticism of me. Even though i had my own circumstances, from the perspective of someone I didn''t know, it was like letting a child die. Tadao-san continued to talk while keeping a strong gaze on my eyes. "Kokubu-kun, we are on your side." "Ehh ..." "It''s wrong to put all the responsibility on you alone. There is a limit to what one person can do. We, the families of the rescued students, fully understand what you have achieved when you were thrown into another world all by yourself, and we are truly grateful. So don''t forget. Even if public opinion turns against you, we are on your side." "Th, thank you very much ..." It''s no good, I couldn''t stand it. I thanked him and bowed, tears dripping down my thighs. "There''s not much we can do to help you with the difficulties you''re facing. However, if you want to come back to Japan, we will definitely make a place for you. I can only do something like this, but I promise you." "Yes ... Yes, thank you very much." I was under the impression that I would be hit with harsh words about the chairman, so I guess I was more nervous than I thought. The tension suddenly loosened and I couldn''t stop crying. When I couldn''t life my head, Mika-san gently held my head down. "Kento-san, you did a great job. Your mother must be proud of you too." "Uuuhhh ... Yes, yes ..." This is no good. I thought I''d show them a more solid appearance and have my future with the chairman recognized, but it''s uncool to be crying like this. After consuming a large amount of the Asakawa Family''s tissues, I was finally able to stop my tears and runny nose, but I''m sure my eyes were like those of a rabbit. Even Mio-chan laughed at me, and I didn''t have the dignity of her future brother-in-law. "Have you calmed down?" "Yes, I showed you an unsightly appearance." "No, you seem to be carrying too much. It might be better to show your emotions once in a while." "Is that so. Both my father and mother were people who didn''t show much emotion, so honestly I don''t really understand." "I''m going to ask you something a little intrusive, but how is your father doing?" "My father ... My father seems to be building a new family with a woman different from my mother." "Are you sure you don''t want to live with him?" "Yes, I intend to become independent from my father and live in Volzard." "Is that so ..." Tadao-san nodded once, then took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, then returned his gaze to me and began to speak. "Kokubu-kun, there is no lie in what I said earlier that we are on your side. If the world hits you, we will be your shield as much as possible. However, I cannot approve of you marrying Yuika. Do you have any idea why?" "Yes, we are not of legal marriageable age in Japan, and umm ... Polygamy isn''t allowed in Japan ... Right?" "That''s right. It''s true that you and Yuika are still young from our point of view, and as a father, I honestly don''t want to admit the situation of polygamy. But, Kokubu-kun, if you look at countries other than Japan, there are countries that allow marriage even at your age, and there are countries that allow polygamy. I don''t actively agree, but if Yuika says she really wants to marry a man from such a country, I think my wife and I will eventually approve." Tadao-san''s story was once again different from what I expected. I was under the impression that they were opposed to me because I was young and because it was polygamy, but it seemed that there was another reason. "We''re worried because the place you''re trying to live is a world other than Earth." "Volzard is indeed a different world, but I plan to make it possible for people to come and go, as well as being able to make phone calls and carrying luggage." "Is that so. There seems to be a time difference with Japan, but is it possible to exchange phone calls and emails, deliver packages, and even go there?" "Yes, that''s right. It''s possible to move easily if you''re from the Earth side, which doesn''t have magical power." "But, Kokubu-kun. Isn''t it all dependent on your power?" "Yes, it''s just as you say, but if I use the golems, it should be possible for my genus to carry out the communication and transportation without me being involved." "Can those genus continue to work as before, even after Kokubu-kun''s unexpected death, for example?" "No, it may not be possible." "We are concerned because the traffic between Japan and Volzard is unthinkable without Kokubu-kun." Tadao-san took another sip of tea and then spoke to me. "For example, if Yuika were to marry into a foreign country where polygamy was allowed, and her partner were to die in an accident ... Even in that situation, we would be able to help her by traveling by plane or by car. Even if it became a battlefield, the Japanese government would help rescue them. But if Yuika remained in Volzard and you died in an accident, we wouldn''t be able to help her no matter how hard we try. The same is true for the Japanese government, and it would be impossible even if the US military cooperated. If communications and logistics are cut off, won''t Yuika be left alone in another world?" "That ... Certainly, that''s true." I was so preoccupied with our age and the fact that I had other future brides that I didn''t notice the underlying problem. "Maybe Kokubu-kun can freely come and go between Japan and Volzard, so he''s probably not aware of this problem." "That''s right, I suppose ..." The living room was supposed to be kept at a comfortable room temperature, but an unpleasant sweat was dripping down my temples. "Kokubu-kun, please don''t misunderstand me." "Y, yes, what is it." "I''m not blaming you. I''ve said it many times, but we''re on your side. Certainly, I have a problem with your relationship with Yuika, but I have no intention of forcing the solution on you alone." "But, the traffic with Volzard ..." "That''s right. It''s a situation where we have to rely on Kokubu-kun. But, that doesn''t mean we can''t think of anything, and it doesn''t mean we can''t help you at all. Let''s think, think together, think of a way to convince everyone and make everyone smile." Suddenly, I felt that the field of vision in front of me opened. Since shadow movement, summoning, and repatriation were things that only I could do, I was convinced that I had to do something about them. However, theories, procedures, and ideas could be considered even if dark or star-attribute magic could not be used. Looking back, it was Yagi''s words that made me realize that I was able to come back to Japan. "Yes, please. I can''t come up with good ideas on my own, so please help me." "Of course, I would be happy to cooperate with you." "Umm, this is a sudden request, but in a few days, Volzard will be celebrating the new year. I would like everyone to participate in the party that will be held at the Lord''s Mansion ..." "Speaking of which, I''ve also heard from Yuika. It''s about the same time as today, three days later." "Yes, umm ... I think it''s a weekday in Japan ..." "Don''t worry. I''ve already applied for vacation." "Hey, Papa, can I go too?" When it came to talking about going to Volzard, Mio-chan interrupted the conversation as if she couldn''t stand it. "That''s right ... Having Mio house-sit ..." "No way, no way, I definitely don''t want to watch the house! I want to go, I want to go to another world too!" "Hmm ... I don''t know, Kokubu-kun." "Yes, the daughter of the boarding house I''m being taken care of at is about the same age as Mio-chan, so I don''t think she''ll get bored." "Alright ..." "Yippee~e!" Mio-chan was dancing happily. "By the way, Kokubu-kun, we can''t speak the language of Volzard, but is that okay?" "Ahh, that''s right ... Let''s have my genus translate for you." "When you say genus, do you mean monsters?" "Yes, because it''s a Party, the Kobolds are always with me. Mart, Mirt, Murt, come here." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, you called?" "Goshujin-sama, I don''t like this place, let''s go back to Volzard." "Pat my belly when we get home." Mio-chan''s gaze was instantly fixed when Mart and the others appeared. Of course, Tadao-san and Mika-san were also looking at them with deep interest. "Umm, they can speak Japanese?" "Yes, they can speak both Volzard''s language and Japanese." "Goshujin-sama, can I go back?" "Ahh, I''m sorry, wait in the shadows." When Mart and the others returned to the shadow space, Mio-chan''s shoulders drooped. "I''m sorry, Mio-chan. Mart-tachi aren''t good with the atmosphere in Japan where there is no magic essence that can be used as a source of magic. You can play together when you go to Volzard." "Really? Can we play together?" "Yup, it''s true. Look forward to it because there are more genus than Mart-tachi." "Are they big? Fluffy?" "Yup, that''s right." "Fuwaaaa ... I want to go quickly!! Quickly, quickly." Mio-chan couldn''t wait to go to Volzard, and it looked like she was about to start running, but she''s going in three days. In order to appease Mio-chan, I used wind-attribute magic, but it didn''t work. At a cheap hotel on the way to Bakkenheim, it demonstrated the power of a cyclone vacuum cleaner, but the output was unstable, probably due to the lack of magic essence. This also became a state of postponement, I felt a little sorry for Mio-chan. When she comes to Volzard, should I give her a little service. While having lunch, we talked about the current state of summoning and repatriation techniques related to returning home, and I promised to return in three days. On the way back, Mika-san gave me a hug and asked me to take care of the chairman. "Kento-san, please take care of Yuika. Of course, the other children are important, but for us, Yuika is an irreplaceable family member ..." "Yes, I will protect her no matter what." Tadao-san encouraged me while sending me off with a powerful handshake. "Kokubu-kun, there may be difficult situations ahead, but let''s do our best together." "Yes, my best regards for the future." When I put out a shield of darkness at the entrance and tried to dive in, Mio-chan also spoke to me. "Come and pick me up in three days, Onii-chan." "Ehh ... Y, yup, see you." Ofuu ... The destructive power of Onii-chan was unexpectedly high. Should I ask Amanda-san to prepare some sweets for her. After diving into the world of shadows, I had an idea and called Kajikawa-san. "Kokubu-kun, is it? Did something happen?" "Sorry for disturbing you on your day off. I have a question for you." "Alright, then in one hour at the Nerima garrison ..." "Nah, I think it will be enough just to talk, so the call is enough." "I see, so what is the consultation?" "Yes, actually, I am getting closer to repatriating everyone to Japan, but there are still some issues that need to be resolved ..." I told Kajikawa-san that it was possible to summon and repatriate people from places I couldn''t see by using my genus as a landmark, and told him that I wanted to experiment with actual living creatures. "Does that mean sending those creatures to Japan?" "Yes, I plan to use Goblins so that I don''t have to worry if I fail." "Goblins ... That is, while alive, right?" "Yes, but I''ll do it while they''re tied up so that they don''t get violent." "Kokubu-kun, that Goblin, is it possible for you to hand it over to us?" "For the time being, I''d like to experiment with summoning from Japan, so it doesn''t matter if it''s after that ... Is it okay? Even if I bring in a living thing." "Please don''t worry about that. I''ll make proper preparations for epidemic prevention, and since it will be transported alive from another world, I''ll pay you a proper reward." I felt like Kajikawa-san''s tone of voice had risen. You didn''t see live Goblins on Earth, so are you planning to exhibit them in a zoo? "Understood. Then, I will conduct an experiment when you are ready to accept it, so may I ask you to contact me?" "Alright. I''ll email you when I''m ready, but ... Kokubu-kun, can you check your email properly?" "Uuh ... I''ll make sure to turn on my smartphone several times a day, so please don''t bully me like that." "Hahahaha, sorry, sorry. Then, when you start the experiment, can you contact me like today?" "Yes. Then, please prepare to receive it." After hanging up the phone, I could feel that my return work to Japan was finally coming to an end. If the experiment with the Goblins went well, I could proceed with the return of my classmates. In order to avoid kissing the boys, I had to make the experiment a success. I returned to Volzard with renewed determination. CH 216 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 216 Repatriation experiment ***---*** I thought it would take a few days to prepare to receive the Goblins, but the next morning I received an email saying they were prepared. That said, the time difference between Volzard and Japan was widening every day, and now it was about eight hours. Morning here, in Japan, it would be late at night when the date was about to change, so for the experiment, I replied that I would do it starting this afternoon. By the way, in Japan, it seemed that a suspect in a serial murder case for insurance money had been arrested, and the media attention seemed to have focused on that, and the case of Seitarou-chan had died down. Suzuki-san, who submitted her resignation in connection with athlete Fukuzawa''s treatment, said that she would shoulder all the responsibility ... But, she was probably stopped by the Japanese government. While the Japanese government refused to recognize such a thing as treatment, she was allowed to do it at her own discretion ... If such a story came up, it would be a big problem. After having breakfast at the boarding house, I moved to the Devil''s Forest training ground. I thought I''d finish the preparations for the experiment in the afternoon. I would start with one Goblin, and depending on how much magical power I had left, I was thinking of sending several Goblins at once. [ Kent-sama, how many Goblins should we prepare? ] "For the time being, about ten will be fine. It will be troublesome if they act violently, so leaving aside about two, put the rest to sleep with medicine." [ Understood. In that case, let''s have the Kobold Corps prepare. ] "Yup, please." While the Kobold Corps were out hunting Goblins, let''s make one more preparation. When using long-distance summoning and repatriation techniques, I used my genus as a landmark, but I felt that it would be pitiful to keep them in the air of Japan for a long time, so I came up with another method. [ Hou, is it a dark-attribute golem for marking purposes. ] "Right, right, it''s unknown how long it can be used in the atmosphere of Japan where there is no magic essence, but if I cover the magic stone with soil and harden it, I think it will be fine for a long time." By the way, the dark-attribute golem I made for communication with Japan was still working without any problems, and the consumption of the magic stones inside was not as much as I thought. I made four dark-attribute golems for position acquisition, arranged them in a square and tested them, and they performed their role without any problems. While I was preparing the golems, the Kobold Corps caught the Goblins. Nine were put to sleep and tied up, and two were tied up while awake. Even the awake Goblins were shivering and trembling as they were surrounded by Zae and the others. It was a little early, but I was going to show up at the Nerima garrison. When I checked the time on my smartphone, it was still 6:00 in the morning, but Kajikawa-san was already there. "Good morning, Kajikawa-san." "Ahh, morning, Kokubu-kun. I heard about it, but your hair really does stand out. Besides, it''s early in the morning ... No, it isn''t early for you, right?" "Yes, it''s past noon in Volzard. Kajikawa-san is really early." "That''s right. After all, I''m going to encounter an unknown creature." "Ahh, that''s right. For people in Japan, Goblins are creatures that only appear in fantasy. I can see more of them in the Devil''s Forest than you would find stray cats here, so it means nothing to me." "I see, by the way, Kokubu-kun, I would like to buy the Goblins for 100 million Yen each, is that okay?" For a moment, I didn''t understand what Kajikawa-san said. "Huh? One, 100 million Yen ... is it?" "If not, how about 150 million?" "No, no, I don''t mean that, can you buy them that high?" "That''s right, because they''re Goblins. They''re not on Earth. Considering that the rental fee for a giant panda is 100 million Yen a year, I think it''s too cheap." Considering the rarity value, it''s rare than a panda, but will someone buy them. "Well, what are you going to do with the Goblins?" "At any rate, it''s a valuable biological resource. I don''t think they would be simply killed. I don''t know about quarantine or breeding methods, so I don''t know how much demand there is, but there''s no doubt that there are people who want it even if they pay a higher price." "Then, 100 million Yen each is fine, so could you take it towards compensation for the summoning incident?" "Is it okay if you don''t make them your personal property, Kokubu-kun?" "Yes, anyway, I want to settle the summoning-related matters, including the compensation ..." "I see ... The circumstances related to Queen Camilla, right?" "Gufuu ... Wh, why did Camilla come out ... No, it''s only natural for her to come out ..." Kajikawa-san, who had a broad grin on his face, gave me advice with a slightly serious look on his face. "Kokubu-kun, no matter what kind of relationship you have with Queen Camilla, it''s not my place to say anything about it, but there is a lot of criticism against her. After all, more than 50 people have died if related deaths are included, and some are suffering from severe aftereffects. At the very least, until Japan and Resenburg confirm the completion of reparations and build a good relationship, I think it would be better for the public not to know about it." "Yes, I think I fully understand that." "I personally like the development of a hero of justice marrying a reformed evil queen, but I don''t know if it will be received by the general public." "No, before that, my brides will get angry." "Hahahaha, even if you''re invincible against monsters, you''re still no match for your cute girlfriends." "No, no, in Volzard, I''m still just a novice." Klaus-san and Donovan-san are a matter of course, but I''m still no match for even Amanda-san. "Also, Kokubu-kun, can you accommodate some magic stones again?" "I don''t mind, but you can''t use them well in this world, can you?" "About that. It seems that that problem can be solved unexpected easily." Magic tools that used magic stones did not demonstrate their original abilities in the Earth''s atmosphere where there was no magic essence. The reason for this was that the magic essence originally used for magic tools was released into the atmosphere, and that there was a shortage of magic essence in the atmosphere that was used to activate the phenomenon. Therefore, they placed a magic stone in an airtight space, then left it until the natural decay disappeared, after that, when they tried using a magic tool, it seemed that it demonstrated the performance that was supposed to be the original ability. "It''s still in the experimental stage, but it seems that the energy efficiency of fire magic tools far exceeds that of fossil fuels. If you just want to take out the energy, it''s possible to burn a magic fire in an airtight space to warm up the pipes and take it out as steam." "I see, does it feel like a thermal power generation using magic tools?" "Yeah, that''s what it feels like, but if light magic tools are sealed with transparent glass, they should probably be able to be used in the same way as Volzard." Previously, Furudate-sensei talked excitedly about it, but for scientists on Earth, magic essence was an unknown energy source, and it seemed to be an existence that may become the basis for new theories. If this solved the Earth''s energy problem, that might be a good thing, but on the other hand, it would be a problem if Volzard were to run out of magic energy. When I conveyed my concerns, Kajikawa-san nodded that he understood. "We fully understand Kokubu-kun''s concerns, and it is not our intention to cause such a problem. Therefore, I have no intention of importing tons of them in the future, and research has begun to clarify the existence of magic essence and artificially reproduce it. Besides, the cost is too high in the current situation, so magic tools are not commonly used which would consume a large amount of magic essence." "Understood, then that''s fine." The magic stones were stuffed into a large airtight trunk that was prepared, but this was also purchased for a price of 100 million each. That said, the cash was not piled up in front of me, and I just received a receipt, so I didn''t really feel it at all. While I was handing over the magic stones to Kajikawa-san, the people who were in charge of transporting, breeding, and researching the Goblins gathered one after another. The Goblin repatriation experiment would be conducted using the garrison''s warehouse. The equipment was set up yesterday, and the air conditioning equipment had been set up so that the air inside the warehouse did not leak outside. In a warehouse the size of a school gymnasium, there were about twenty cages for animals. "Kajikawa-san, after the experiment is over, should I put the Goblins in those cages?" "Would you do that. By the way, Kokubu-kun, what do Goblins eat?" "Dunno? I think they''re probably carnivorous ..." [ Kent-sama, Goblins are omnivorous, so they will eat anything. ] "According to my genus, they are omnivorous, so they seem to eat anything." "Okay. Then, shall we start now?" "Yes, my best regards." There were many cameras installed in the warehouse, and Kajikawa-san and the others seemed to monitor the summoning and repatriation experiments through the monitor. For the time being, in order to repatriate and summon one Goblin, I set up a square of golems at intervals of 2 meters and returned to Volzard. I would communicate with Kajikawa-san using the prepared two-way radio. The state of the garrison''s warehouse was also transmitted to the wireless monitor. In order to increase the sensitivity of the radio waves, I asked Nero to keep a shield of darkness open at the Devil''s Forest training ground as well. "Kokubu-kun, can you hear me?" "Yes, it''s fine. I can hear you well." "Can we get started then?" "Then, first I''ll repatriate one Goblin, and then summon it back here." "Roger. You can start at Kokubu-kun''s timing." "Understood." I thought it would be difficult to recognize the landmarks in Volzard and Japan because they seemed to be terribly far apart, but I could recognize them more clearly than I thought, probably because of the effect of opening a shield of darkness nearby. "Let''s go. Repatriate!" When I used the repatriation technique, the Goblin in front of me disappeared and immediately reappeared on the monitor. There was a little dirt on the ground, but that was sent along with. "Ohh, Kokubu-kun, you succeeded." The Goblin appearing on the monitor seemed perplexed by the sudden change in the scenery around it, and looked around restlessly and cautiously. "Then, I''ll summon it back to Volzard for now." "Okay, I don''t mind if you start." "Yes, summon!" After activating the summoning technique, the Goblin on the monitor disappeared and returned to my sight. "Gya! , Gya gya gya!" "Yup, it doens''t look like a problem." "Is it a success? Kokubu-kun." "Yes, I feel lke I''m consuming a lot of magical power, but it''s still not as much as I thought." "Then, are you still going to continue the experiment?" "Yes, next time I''ll send three of them together." This time, I would repatriate one awake Goblin and two sleeping Goblins together. After adjusting the distance between the marks to 3 meters, it was time to resume the experiment. "Then, Kajikawa-san, I''m starting." "Anytime is fine." "Repatriate!" The three Goblins disappeared in an instant and moved to the garrison''s warehouse. Perhaps because the repatriation range had expanded, I felt like I''ve consumed more magical power than when I sent only one. Just in case, I took a medicine that assisted in the recovery of magical power. "Kokubu-kun, it looks like you succeeded." "Yes, should I throw the three that went over there into the cages?" "It would be helpful if you could do that." "Zae, can I ask it of you?" "An easy task, My King." Zae-tachi, who moved to the warehouse of the garrison, untied the ropes and threw the Goblins into the cages. The lone awake Goblin was confined in a small space, so it looked around cautiously, but it didn''t show any signs of rampage. I asked Zae and the others to further widen the gap between the golems used as landmarks before they returned. "Kajikawa-san, next time I''ll send eight of them at once. Considering my remaining magical power, today''s repatriation experiment will be over." "Alright, but if it''s impossible, you can do it later." "Yes, one more time is fine. Let''s go, repatriate!" One awake Goblin and seven sleeping Goblins safely moved to the garrison''s warehouse, but the larger the range that I sent, the more magical power I consumed. [ Are you okay, Kent-sama. ] "Yup, it''s not enough to fall over, but it''s pretty tough." "Kokubu-kun, are you okay? The experiment seems to have succeeded." "Yes, this will accelerate the return of my classmates. It depends on your acceptance system, but I''m thinking of starting a group return tomorrow, what do you think?" "Of course, I don''t mind, but Kokubu-kun, you can''t push yourself too hard. If you collapse, it will be no good." "Yes, I understand that. Then, I''ll send my genus to clean up." "Roger, Kokubu-kun, take a good rest." "Yes, thank you very much." I asked Zae and the others to return the radio and monitor, collect the golems used as landmarks, and move the Goblins to their cages. Since I used a large amount of magical power at once, I felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue. [ Are you okay, Kent-sama. ] "Yup, I''m a little tired, but somehow." [ I just watched it from the side, but I feel that it would be better to keep it to the extent of sending about five people twice a day. ] "If I push myself hard, I think I can repatriate about twice that amount, but if that happens, I''m likely to collapse." [ If Volzard is in danger when you consume the last of your magical power, there is a risk that you will not be able to deal with it. ] "That''s right. It''s no good if I don''t leave enough magical power to move at all times." [ Also, an attack using the Undead is expected tomorrow night. You have to leave enough energy to deal with that. ] "I wonder what kind of person they are, the dark-attribute mage employed by Havre." So far, the damage had been limited to buildings and crops, but if they started attacking people, it was no good, so it seemed better to catch them. However, even if they were caught, it would be difficult to keep them in prison. "Hey, Reinhardt. How can I keep that dark-attribute magician in captivity?" [ The only option is to restrain them with chains and place them under strict surveillance. ] "I see, even if they could escape from the prison by shadow movement, they can''t remove the handcuffs and fetters." [ Besides, if it''s a normal magician, they need to chant even if they move in the shadows. If you bind their mouth, they won''t be able to resist. ] "Yup, something like that, I''ll try to catch them first." After taking a short break in the Devil''s Forest, I headed to the garrison''s temporary dormitory. It was to report the results of today''s experiment and have them choose who to return. If 10 people could return every day, everyone could return in about 20 days. "I see, you did great, Kokubu!" "Katou-sensei, would you mind if I ask you to select the order in which they will be sent back?" "Of course, ten people a day. Leave it to me, I''ll get to it right away." "Until now, women were given priority, so would it be possible to give priority to men who are mentally exhausted." "Umu, that''s right. Actually, Watase and Fujii are in a difficult situation." It seemed that Watase had been shutting himself up in his room ever since he witnessed Tayama, with whom he was doing a ''Real Monster Hunting'' online broadcast, die in front of his eyes after being hit in the head by an Orc''s stone. Fujii also seemed to have been dejected ever since he saw Mita, who tried to photograph the Griffon, being snatched right in front of him. "Certainly, it would be better to send those two back to Japan as soon as possible. Also, this may be a redundant matter, but wouldn''t it be better to send Nakagawa-sensei back as well?" "It''s true that Nakagawa-sensei is mentally exhausted, just as Kokubu says, but if we teachers leave our students and go back to Japan, we might become the target of criticism again." "That may be true, but I feel that leaving Nakagawa-sensei alone would have a bigger negative impact." "I think Nakagawa-sensei will calm down if he finds out that he will be able to return to Japan in about 20 days ... But, let me think about it for a moment." "Yes, either way, the return work will be done tomorrow afternoon, so it will be fine if you can select the personnel by then." "Alright, leave that to me." After finishing the meeting with Katou-sensei, I "Yuika, can I come in?" "Please, welcome, Kento." Yuika put down the smartphone she was looking at and welcomed me with her arms outstretched. "How was my family?" "A reliable father, a kind and conscientious mother, a lively little sister, you have a good family." "That''s right. Kento will become a family member too ... It seems that you didn''t get approval, but both Papa and Mama were impressed that Kento was doing a great job." "I was very relieved when they said they would be on my side." "Mio said you were crying, but ..." "Uuh, can you please not touch on that part ..." Yuika couldn''t see it, but the information was transmitted. "Ufufufu, Mio seems like she can''t help but want to come to Volzard as soon as possible." "Ahh, Mart-tachi don''t like the atmosphere in Japan, so they don''t really want to go out." "Right, right, she was really looking forward to playing with the big fluffy ones, but if she saw Nero, she might lose her nerves." "Isn''t she the same age as Meisa-chan? She has a perfect companion to play with, so I think she can enjoy it." "That''s right. Also, don''t forget Manon''s younger brother, Hamill." That''s right, I completely forgot about his existence until Yuika told me. "Maybe I should make a display of how passionately in love Beatriche and I are to Hamill ..." "Kento ... That isn''t right. Seriously, even though you''re kind to girls, you''re really mean to boys." "Th, that kind of thing ... It''s just a little bit." "Well, it''s fine, I''ll tell Mio to get along with Hamill-kun this time." "Fuumu ..." "What''s wrong? Am I doing something wrong?" "No, in Hamill''s case, he gets cornered by even Meisa-chan alone, so if Mio-chan joins in ..." "Ahh, I see ... But since he can get along with a cute girl, he can only think of it as a perk, can''t he?" "Well, that''s also a life experience, isn''t it." I also told Yuika that the repatriation experiment went well, and that I had received compensation for selling the Goblins. "Kento, what happens to the magic attribute when you use the repatriation technique?" "I don''t know because I''ve only sent Goblins so far, but I have an image of sending them as they are with the magical attribute, so I''ll have the people I send back tomorrow see if the attribute remains." "If the magic attribute remains the same, I can return to Japan ... What''s wrong?" "Yup, if star-attribute summoning techniques are superior to magic circle-based summoning techniques, I wonder if it would be possible to add attributes or language knowledge." "Hey, Kento, why don''t you try if you can add language knowledge when inviting my family?" "I see, if I use summoning, I don''t need to cut our fingertips." "I don''t particularly mind if you kiss with Papa." "Eeehhh. That''s a bit ..." "Yup, I said it myself, but I think it''s a bit disgusting." "Yu~i~ka~ ..." When I turned my gaze, Yuika stuck out her tongue and hugged me on my right arm. "Kento, I hope Papa and Mama will approve us soon." "Y, yup ..." Now, I had no choice but to earnestly proceed with the return and compensation, and get approved. CH 217 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 217 Accident ***---*** Good morning, everyone. I''m currently in the capital of the Barshanian Empire, Guryayev. The Imperial Capital Guryayev seems to proper radially around the palace, which has a natural water moat created by the meandering river. The palace is a magnificent building with an onion-shaped dome, and is many times the size of Chowsk''s palace. This morning, after breakfast, I came to tell Seraphima that I had ordered Resenburg to make arrangements for the trip, but looking from Volzard, Guryayev was located further west with Resenburg in between, so there was a time difference. Seraphima seemed to still be in her dreams. She looked like a fairy sleeping in a bed that I thought was too big, wrapped in pale pink bedding. At Seraphima''s feet, Hirt was curled up and sleeping. With her smooth white hair, I can''t endure the fact that the round tiger ears sometimes twitch, It might be bad manners to look at someone''s sleeping face without permission, but I still looked at her. Rather, isn''t it okay if I hug her, since she''s coming to my place as a bride. It''s still no good? That''s right ... It''s no good. While enjoying Seraphima''s sleeping face, there was a knock on the bedroom door. "Seraphima-sama, it''s morning." "Nn, nnn~h ..." When the maid who entered the room opened the curtains, Seraphima opened her eyes with her long eyelashes blinking and rubbed her cheek against her pillow as if she hadn''t had enough sleep. Hey, can I change places with that pillow. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, Seraphima sat up wearing pale pink pajamas. "Seraphima-sama, please change ..." Seraphima climbed out of the bed, and when she unbuttoned her pajamas, she flung them off straight down at her feet. Hii ... I was peeking at the clothes changing when Seraphima turned around and stared at me. "What is it?" "Nope, it''s nothing." Seraphima tilted her head to think for a moment, then brushed her hair back and turned to face me with a mischievous smile. It''s obvious that she knows I''m looking at her. I wondered why, but Hirt was looking at me and wagging its tail. Uwaa ... It''s difficult to leave, it''s really clumsy. But, if Seraphima, who had finished changing clothes, called out to me, I couldn''t just go out. "Good morning, Kent-sama? What''s with your hair?" "G, good morning, Sera, this is what it looked like when I got all the attributes ..." "Is that so, but, if you were here, it would have been nice if you could have called out to me ..." "N, no, you just started changing clothes, so I thought I shouldn''t peek." "If it''s Kent-sama, I don''t mind showing it to you." "No, no, no, we''re not even married yet, so I''ll do something like that later ..." "Kent-sama, you''re surprisingly a late-bloomer." Seraphima leaned forward and wrapped her arms around my waist in a flowing motion. Yup, the maid''s gaze hurts, but I wondered if Seraphima didn''t mind. "Nnh ... Kent-sama, have you finished breakfast?" "Yup, I''ve already finished at Volzard." "Then, would you like to join me for just tea?" "With pleasure ..." Although I said that, the Barshanian Imperial Family was in full force at the tea table. Emperor Constant Liforos, First Prince Gregorie, Second Prince Joseph, Third Prince Nicolae, Fourth Prince Staniera, and Empress Lisaveta. The Second Prince, Joseph, was tall and slender, and had the appearance of a sharp person. The Fourth Prince, Staniera, was like a mischievous kid pretending to be a good child. And the consort Lisaveta. She had a voluptuous style that made me think she was definitely Seraphima''s mother. "I, I apologize for the sudden visit. Also, it''s the first time I''m meeting you, I''m Kent Kokubu." "Nope, I don''t mind. You are the Hero who subdued the Gigas, saved Barshania, and will be Seraphima''s groom." No, while saying that it doesn''t matter, you''re glaring at me with a face that looks like you''re grinding your teeth. Gregory, Nicolae, and Staniera all looked like they were going to bite me, and Joseph was also giving me an icy look. "Maa, maa, so you are Kent-san. I was worried because my husband and the others told me that you were an arrogant and rude person, but yet, you are ..." As soon as Lisaveta-san, who was looking at me with a gentle gaze, turned her gaze towards him, Emperor Constant''s huge body trembled. "Dear, I have something to talk to you about after breakfast." "N, noo, today we have a meeting for New Year''s Eve ..." "Joseph, take care of it instead. It''s fine like this." "N, no ... As the Emperor ..." "It''s fine, is?it?not!" "A, alright ..." Yup, just from the exchange just now, I have a good idea of who is in control of Barshania. "Nnh, ahem, wh, what are you here for today?" "No, it''s not a big deal, Seraphima ... Ouch, umm, I just came to tell you that I ordered Resenburg to make it easier for you on the way when you bring Sera in." Seraphima was holding my right arm tightly, and if I didn''t call her Sera, she would pinch me. "Maa, maa, Kent-san, you can give orders to Resenburg." "No, the next King, Camilla, is indebted to me for various things, so she can''t go against me." "Maa, then isn''t it like Kent-san is in control of Resenburg?" "No, I have no intention of interfering in Resenburg''s domestic affairs, unless they do something that is too unprofessional." "I see ... As Sera said, you''re not ambitious." "Yes, to be honest, I don''t want to be the King of a country because it seems troublesome." Hearing my words, Lisaveta-san frowned. "Then, do you want to use your rare talents to live your life freely?" "Yes, as you say ... But today, there are a lot of things I have to do after this, so I might not be able to go to bed until dawn tomorrow. Or rather, I don''t feel like I''ll be able to live my life freely, but I wonder why ... Haa." "Ufufufu, I see, I feel like I understand a little bit more about you. As long as you have that kind of talent, it''s inevitable that you''ll be relied on, and I guess it''s your nature not to reject others. Certainly, you are not the one who reigns as the King of a country, rather, you are the one who is in the field and among the people, demonstrating your power. Sera, make sure you heal him properly." "Yes, Mother." Seraphima tightly hugged my arm. Hmm ... It seemed that I would be caught in various ways. "Joseph, how are the preparations for displaying the Gigas'' skeleton?" "Yes, some parts such as the skull have been washed, had the surface treated, and were magically treated to prevent them from becoming undead, but only about 20% of the total remains." "If you''ve finished processing the skull, that''s fine. Display it in a conspicuous place so that it can be seen by the people who come to the palace to celebrate the New Year." "As you wish." "Also, spread the word about Kent-san''s achievements, his marriage to Seraphima, and that he is a person who hates turmoil, is loyal, and respects harmony." "Mother, then Mungia could take it as a threat." "I don''t mind. Taking it as a threat, something like that shows that they feel guilty. We are not making unreasonable demands to them. If they still hate us, show our willingness to accept it." "Ha! , as you wish." Umm ... Constant was the Emperor of Barshania, wasn''t he. What is that expression telling me not to look at you. Or rather, the real Emperor is Lisaveta-san. When they were planning to invade Resenburg from Chowsk, and when they were confronting the Gigas in Leinef, I wondered if it was okay for the Emperor to go to the front line like that, but there was more to it. Maa, in terms of being dominated, I couldn''t say anything about other people. "Then, Kent-san. When the New Year''s celebrations are over, we will carry out your marriage with Sera, that''s fine, right." "Umm, the house isn''t ready yet ... The land and garden are ready, but the building isn''t ready yet ..." "I heard that you can rent the Guest House in Volzard." "Yes, that''s right." "Then, there''s no problem." "Haa ..." Even though it wasn''t possible to run away from Seraphima, there was no way I could beat Lisaveta-san''s pressing. Rather, Constant-san, you''re the Emperor of Barshania, so please don''t look at me like you''re glaring at me. After that, Lisaveta-san asked me what kind of person the other brides were, and she found out about my relationship with Camilla, so I had a very uncomfortable time. They asked me to have lunch with them, but it was getting close to the return work time, so I declined and fled back to Volzard. At the training ground where I planned to do the return work, not only those returning today, but also many classmates and teachers were gathered. As soon as I put out a shield of darkness and went out, I was yelled at. "You''re late, Kokubu, where were you wandering about, hurry up and start." I knew that the voice was Nakagawa-san even without looking at him. "Excuse me, I''ll start preparing right away ..." "What did you say, what have you been doing this whole time to have to start preparing now, bastard!" Katou-sensei stopped Nakagawa-san from approaching me, but the dark circles under his eyes were even darker than the other day, his cheeks were covered with stubble, and his eyes seemed to have an unusual glow. "Nakagawa-sensei, Kokubu has various circumstances. Even so, he''s worked hard until now so that we can return, so please be patient." "I know, I know, but we keep waiting ..." "Maa, maa ..." While Katou-sensei was holding back Nakagawa-sensei, I prepared for the return. When I called Kajikawa-san, as usual, he picked up before it rang a single time. "Hey, Kokubu-kun, I thought it was about time you called." "Yes, I would like to do the return work in the same way as yesterday, is that okay?" "This reception preparation is always OK." "Understood, then, I will visit you to set up the golems and receive the monitor." "Roger that." I went to the Nerima garrison once, received the radio and monitor, and set up dark attribute golems as a landmark in the warehouse. After returning to Volzard, I entrusted the monitor to Yuika and explained the summoning and repatriation techniques not only to those returning but also to the gathered classmates. "In a moment, I will use the repatriation technique to send five people to the Nerima garrison first, but there is something I want you to absolutely abide by, so listen carefully. Summoning techniques and repatriation techniques are magic that moves everything within a certain range that I recognize. What will happen if you go out of that range ..." I took out a thick wooden stick that I prepared here and used the repatriation technique to move the part in the middle. The eyes of my classmates focused on the piece of stick that fell with a rattling sound. "As you can see, it''s completely cut off. When I repatriate, I specify a range in advance and move you to a slightly wider range than that range, but absolutely don''t leave that range. Even your arms and legs will be completely cut off and gone. In fact, during the experiment, a Goblin was split vertically in two, so this is not a joke. Seriously, stop it." As expected, I showed the actual product and demonstrated it, and my classmates also had a serious expression. Maa, this should be fine, and I planned to set the range wider. "Then, the first five, are you ready." The first five were three boys and two girls, including Watase and Fujii. It seemed that the two girls were close friends with Sekiguchi-san, who committed suicide. When I gathered the five people and drew a circle on the ground around them to specify the range, Nakagawa-sensei called out to me again. "Hey, Kokubu. If you can repatriate five people, you can repatriate six people. Please send me to Japan first." "No, don''t worry, I''ll send you on the second repatriation, so it''s okay." "Saying such a thing, I wonder if you''ll fall down saying you''re out of magic again. In the end, you''ll say it didn''t go well and suspend the repatriation." "I won''t do that. It''s fine, so please wait." "Nope, I can''t trust you ... You say you rescued us, but weren''t you actually in collusion with Resenburg?" Nakagawa-sensei''s words and actions, which could only be thought of as completely insane, were booed by my classmates. "Shut uup, Nakagawa, back off!" "Right, right. Kokubu said he''d send you, so shut up." "Don''t get in the way, comb-over baldy!"(TN:Someone who is bald on top, except for a few strands of hair combed over the top.) "What! The guy who just said that, come forward!" Because of Nakagawa-sensei, the atmosphere became turbulent and the mood for repatriation was lost. Katou-sensei hurriedly intervened, but Nakagawa-sensei was so agitated that he wouldn''t calm down. "Nakagawa-sensei, calm down. At this rate, our return will only be delayed." "Katou-sensei, the speech and conduct show they don''t think of such a teacher as being a teacher ..." "After returning to Japan, it''s fine to give a sermon, right now, let''s prioritize going home." "However, is he really able to repatriate twice? Can you trust what Kokubu says?" "Let''s believe, we''ve been helped by Kokubu until now, haven''t we?" "But that is ..." Katou-sensei, who had a black belt in judo, while half forcibly dragging Nakagawa-sensei, sent me the signal to proceed. Certainly, it wasn''t clear at this point, so let''s send the first five. "Then, the first five people gather. Never leave this line. Kajikawa-san, I will repatriate the five people, so please take care of them." "Roger, any time is fine." "Then, let''s get started." I checked the marker golems on the monitor that Yuika held, closed my eyes and intuitively identified the location, opened my eyes, confirmed the positions of the five people, and activated the repatriation technique. "Repatriation ... Aaahh!" When I tried to activate the repatriation magic, I saw a shadow jumping in from the edge of my vision, but I couldn''t stop the magic halfway through. One of the girls stumbled halfway out of the repatriation range after being pushed away by Nakagawa-sensei who rushed in. The girl standing next to her pulled her back, but her right leg was still sticking out. Her right leg that was severed above the knee was left in Volzard, while the rest of her body was sent to Japan. After a moment of silence in the training grounds, screams and roars swirled around. "Damnit, what are you doing. Yuika, Manon, wash the amputated side of her leg. I''ll bring her back and treat her here." Without waiting for a reply, I jumped into the shield of darkness and moved to the Nerima garrison warehouse at once. "Nooooo ... My leg, my leeeeg ..." The girl whose leg had been amputated was crouching while screaming. "Kokubu-kun, Kokubu-kun! What''s wrong, what exactly happened!" "Kajikawa-san, just before they were repatriated, Nakagawa-sensei suddenly jumped in and pushed out one of the girls." "Does that mean that they left the scope of repatriation?" "Yes, I explained that this kind of situation could happen, but ..." "Don''t screw with me! What are you bastard doing despite being a teacher?" "No, I''m ... Guhaa!" Nakagawa-sensei, who caused the accident, was surrounded by Watase and the others and was starting to get beaten up, but I ignored them. I took out a thin rope from the shadow storage and tied the severed base of her right leg to try to stop the bleeding, but the bleeding didn''t stop. "Kokubu-kun, what are you going to do?" "I''ll take her back to Volzard once and try to re-attach it with healing magic. Hey, hold her down so she doesn''t go out of range of these golems." "Alright, hurry up, please ..." I had the girl who was safe hold the girl who had her leg cut off. "Fujii! These children will be returned to Volzard for treatment, so stay away from this golem''s range and don''t let anyone come near it!" "Alright, leave it to me!" "Kajikawa-san, I''ll be back." "Alright, leave this place to me." When I hurriedly returned to Volzard, Yuika supported the amputated leg and covered the amputated surface with water that Manon created with water magic. I checked the monitor and confirmed that the girls I wanted to summon back were inside the golems used as a marker, and then activated the summoning magic. "Summon!" The summoning magic was successful, and the two girls returned. "Manon, can you wash her leg too?" "Yup, leave it to me, mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become healing water." The water ball created between Manon''s hands seemed to emit a faint light. After covering her wound with the water ball, the pressure of the water stopped the bleeding, the girl who had her leg amputated, as if her pain had eased, loosened her clenched teeth, and breathed heavily in search of oxygen. "Listen carefully. I''m going to attempt to reconnect the amputated leg, but since it''s my first time doing such treatment, please cooperate. Keep imagining that your leg is connected and moves as it was before, do you understand?" Perhaps it was hard to return words, after confirming that she nodded, I started reconnecting her leg. "Manon, can you keep the water ball as it is?" "Alright, that''s fine." "Yuika, the leg ..." "Yes." The leg that Yuika handed over to me was so neatly severed that even a master swordsman wouldn''t be able to do it. When I carefully aligned the amputated leg with the cut surface, I could feel the healing magic flowing through the body where it was connected. While slightly shifting the position and increasing the number of connected points, the healing magic continued to flow. As I continued to cast healing magic with all my might, imagining that the bones, nerves, and muscles would all be restored to their original state, and that there would be no scars left, the wound healed while emitting a faint light. While I was concentrating on connecting her leg, Yuika was using healing magic to make up for the blood loss. It took about 20 minutes or so, but her leg was reconnected without even leaving a scar. "How is it? Try moving it." "M, moves, it moves ..." She tried bending and stretching her knee, and twisting her ankle. "Any pain or discomfort?" "Pain ... Not at all. Amazing ... It''s like a lie, I can''t believe it." The girl who once lost her leg was convinced of success when she stared dumbfoundedly at her reconnected leg. At the same time, my strained feeling of tension disappeared, and my vision shook violently. "Kento, be strong!" "Thank you, I''m a little tired." Yuika, who supported my staggering body, chanted in a low voice and cast healing magic on me. I called out to Katou-sensei, who was watching the treatment nearby. "Sensei, it''s impossible to repatriate a second time. Besides, if we don''t think a little about safety measures, it''s scary to do it again as it is." "That''s right. We''ll think about countermeasures on our side. Kokubu, please rest for today." "Yes, let me do that." Katou-sensei started to disperse my classmates who had gathered, but some of them seemed to be holding their smartphones and filming. It was an emergency, so I didn''t think about it, but I had a bad feeling about it. CH 218 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 218 Deadline for deciding ***---*** After taking a short break, I returned to the Nerima garrison to discuss the future with Kajikawa-san. It seems that he was beaten quite severely, his face was swollen, and his left arm was also facing in a strange direction.(TN:I''m assuming they''re talking about Nakagawa-sensei here not Kajikawa-san ...) Since we used the same system as the repatriation experiment using Goblins, we left only the camera inside the warehouse, and the SDF personnel waited outside. They couldn''t tell what had happened through the camera, and as a result, were late in stopping Fujii and the others. "Kokubu-kun, have you finished the treatment?" "Yes, I managed to reconnect it, and it seems that there is no worry about the aftereffects so far." "No, it wouldn''t be an overstatement to call it a miracle that a completely amputated leg could be reconnected in such a short time." "But it''s good that it went well, however, it wouldn''t be strange if it didn''t go well." "That''s right. By the way, Kokubu-kun, the teacher''s treatment ..." "I refuse." Before the question ended, I answered immediately, but it seemed that Kajikawa-san also predicted it. "Maa, I thought so. Even though you explained the danger in advance with a demonstration, it''s not something a teacher should do to take that risk." Even looking at Nakagawa-sensei, who was groaning painfully, I couldn''t feel the slightest sympathy. Or rather, it was a pity I couldn''t hit him with my own hands. What Nakagawa-sensei did could be called attempted murder, but the place where he did it was Volzard, and the leg was reconnected without leaving any scars, so I don''t know if he could be charged with a crime. Nevertheless, since Fujii-tachi''s assault was committed in Japan, they would likely be charged with bodily harm. Even if it was the law, it was impossible to accept it. "Kajikawa-san, regarding the return work from now on, I would like to postpone it until some fundamental safety measures are taken ..." "It would be better to do so. Since they witnessed this accident, I think that other people will not repeat the same mistake, but if by any chance a fatal accident occurs, the return operation itself might be questioned." "Yes, and besides, the repatriation technique from Volzard to Japan cannot be stopped in the middle." "What would happen if it were interrupted halfway through?" "I don''t know about that either, but if they''re thrown somewhere between Volzard and Japan, I think their chances of survival are almost zero." Even if you think about the Earth, 70% of the surface was ocean, and even on land, the places where humans could actually live were limited. Even if the distance from the center of the earth to the surface was more than 6,000 kilometers, the range where humans could survive was about 3 kilometers.(TN:Guessing it means only up to 3 kilos deep as opposed to the full 6,000 to the core.) Considering the scale of the solar system, there was only a miraculous probability of an environment where humans could live. The chances of them being thrown between Japan and Volzard into an environment where humans could survive were almost zero. If they were thrown alive into space with no air, no water, and absolute zero temperature, they would definitely die instantly. If I thought about it, there was no way I could stop the magic in the middle. "If I can''t stop it in the middle, I have no choice but to remove the factors that cause accidents. Specifically, the two points are to prevent them from leaving the range and prevent them from entering from outside the range." "I think it''s okay if no one comes within 20 meters of the deportation range to prevent them from entering." "The problem is how to prevent them from going out from the inside." "That''s right. The larger the range of summoning and repatriation, the more magical power is consumed, so if possible, I would like the people who return to be in a narrow range." "In that case, the only way to open and close the entrance is to have them enter something like a cage that can be opened and closed from the outside. As an image, it''s like playground equipment at an amusement park." Ferris wheels and such at amusements parks were bolted from the outside to prevent people from opening the door and going outside. It seemed that Kajikawa-san would make arrangements for the production of the cage. "Kokubu-kun, Volzard will start a full-fledged year-end holiday tomorrow, right?" "Yes, tomorrow is New Year''s Eve, and the day after tomorrow is called New Year''s Day, and it feels like the new calendar will start three days later, so it''s a holiday period until about ten days from now." "Then, it will take ten days to make the cage." "Eh, that''s ..." "Kokubu-kun, you should take a good rest once in a while." "But, is it okay?'' "For better or worse, the cage won''t be ready until ten days from now." When he said that, Kajikawa-san smiled with a hint of a grin. "I see, is that so, ahh, in that case, I won''t be able to do any tests until 10 days from now." "Maa, that''s how it is, but Kokubu-kun, maybe you should brush up on your acting skills a little more." "Guu, I''ll think about it." Now that we had a plan for safety, I remembered one thing about when I returned to Volzard. "That''s right, Kajikawa-san. It seems that some classmates were filming today''s treatment ..." "Ahh, is that so." "It was an emergency, so I wasn''t even aware of it until the treatment was over, but it''s a bit bad, isn''t it?" "That''s right. As I said earlier, it''s impossible for modern treatment to reconnect an amputated leg in such a short time. Speaking of which, after finishing the treatment, did that girl walk home on her own?" "Umm ... That''s right, yes, she was walking on her own feet." She borrowed the shoulder of her friend when she was repatriated, but she walked on her own two feet and nodded that she was fine. "Shouldn''t it have been better to prohibit photography beforehand?" "Well, it would be better to have them do that, but if you suddenly cut off information that had not been controlled until now, it would invite a backlash. But, that''s right, that treatment can only be done in Volzard, where you can use magic perfectly ... I''ll try to calm them down by passing out information like that." "Actually, I don''t think that level of healing magic is possible on Earth where there is no magic essence." "And if you emphasize the fact that the repatriation magic that is used to go back and forth with Volzard caused the accident, it would somehow calm down ... It would be great if I could do that." "No, Kajikawa-san, please do your best." "Maa, we have human resources, so I think someone will do their best." Somehow I felt that he would rely on others and it felt a bit unreliable, but because of that it ended without feeling serious. I promised to contact Kajikawa-san from time to time, collected the golems, and returned to Volzard. When I returned to the garrison training grounds to see if there was anything left unfinished, the sun was already setting and there was no one around. An accident occurred and it became a mess, but it was proven that if I used the repatriation technique, I could send my classmates back to Japan. This was a big step forward for both my classmates and myself. If I could finish the return work, all that remained was compensation from Resenburg, and I was able to reduce it all at once because the Goblins were sold at a high price. If Goblins could be sold for 100 million Yen, then Orcs and Ogres could be sold for the same price, and the reparations payment would likely be completed soon. As soon as I felt relieved, my stomach complained of hunger. "Ahh ... Speaking of feeling hungry, I missed lunch again." [ Kent-sama, if you don''t eat well, you won''t have the strength. ] "Certainly, I think you''re right. For now, I''ll go to the garrison''s cafeteria." As I was walking with heavy steps from the training ground to the cafeteria, someone called out to me from the side. "What''s wrong, you look a little unsteady, but are you okay, Kent." "Aah, Kart-san, it''s been a while. I just missed out on lunch." "That''s no good, you can''t build a strong body if you skip meals when you''re growing up." When Kartz-san, who was huge and I had to look up when I stood next to him, said so, he had an undeniable power of persuasion. Kartz-san invited me to go to the cafeteria for dinner together, and we ran into Bart-san at the entrance. "Ooh, it''s been a while, Kent, are you eating with the captain?" "Good evening, Bart-san is also heading there?" "Yeah, can I come with you?" "Yes, gladly." When I entered the cafeteria, the gazes of the classmates who had come earlier were all directed at me. They probably wanted to ask about Nakagawa-sensei and their future return, but Kartz-san and Bart-san from the garrison were with me, so it seemed difficult to talk to me. Bart-san seemed to be popular with the ladies at the cafeteria, and even though he was just receiving the menu, the atmosphere around him was bright. I didn''t know about his business skills, but he must be an indispensable member of the garrison. After receiving the food and taking a seat, Bart-san started talking about Meline-san''s restaurant. "Come to think of it, was it Kent who introduced Meline-san to the place of training?" "Yes, I introduced her to Amanda-san''s shop where I am staying, and she will finally be on her own from the beginning of the year." "Is that so, captain, you have to go there every day." "No, as expected, every day ..." "No, no, captain, I know Amanda-san''s shop too, but if she can bring out that flavor, the number of customers will increase immediately." "I, in that case, even if I don''t go every day ..." "No, no, no, if you''re that passive, you won''t know if Meline-san is snatched up by some doubtful person. Right, Kent." If a pass came from Bart-san, I had to hit it directly and return it. "That''s right. I''m sure it will become very prosperous, and the number of regular customers will definitely increase." "No, that''s why I said ..." "Kent, what do you think of that indecisive attitude." "Bart-san has a lot of hardship as well ... Rather, Bart-san and Meline-san ..." "Don''t be silly Kent, Bart is definitely no good." "In that case, add her to Kent''s harem ..." "That''s no good, that''s no good, what are you talking about, the two of you, at an important time when the store has just reopened, things like love affairs will only cause trouble for Meline." "Haa ... What do you think, Kent." "I think he''s beyond saving." "You guys ..." I thought that if the two garrison members were with me, there wouldn''t be any classmates who would cut in, but I forgot about the existence of Yagi who doesn''t read the atmosphere. "Hey, Kokubu, when is the next time you are going to return us? Tomorrow?" "Even if it resumes, it''s probably about ten days from now ..." "Eeh, why? Fujii and the Comb-over Baldy returned to Japan safely, right?" I had a vague feeling that the heckling I heard before the repatriation sounded familiar, but this is it. "The four of them returned to Japan safely, but with such an accident occurring, we won''t be able to resume operations unless we take measures." "Rather, isn''t it fine if we just go out of range?" "That''s right, but I can''t say with certainty that there will never be an idiot who rushes in like today, or someone who jokingly sticks out their hands or feet." "Well, I don''t know if that''s true, but you can finish it in about 40 more times, right? Wouldn''t it be better to just do it right away?" "Yagi, I don''t mind, but if something happens again, I''ll be criticized again, and of course the Japanese government will be criticized, too." "Ahh, is that so ..." After talking about the impact of another accident, Yagi finally seemed to be convinced. "Hey, Yagi-tachi, have you decided whether to go back or stay?" "Haa? It''s obvious I''ll go home. I''m one of the Selected Five."(TN:Engrish, yay.) "What''s that, Select-whatever ...?" "Selected Five. The first five people who were chosen, it has such a meaning." "Ahh, I see, you''re one of the first five rescued." "That''s wrong. You''re really stupid. What is the Selected Five, we didn''t lose our rebellious spirit even under oppressive circumstances, the Resenburg guys found us hard to handle, we were recognized as tough, and as a result, it''s a general term for the brave people who had been chosen for execution in what they called the first actual battle." Yagi spoke proudly with his chest puffed out, but the reactions of his classmates around him were weak. "Rather, isn''t that Select-whatever something Yagi came up with?" "D, don''t be silly. S, such a thing ..." "I wonder ..." If you speak like that, it''s the same as confessing, isn''t it. "If it''s that Select-something, why do you have to go home?" "Seriously, you ... Among the Selected Five, this Yuusuke Yagi-sama in particular made a great contribution as the Brain in the subsequent rescue operation. If I go back to Japan, I will surely be praised as a hero." "Nn~ ... That''s impossible. It''s not written in the teachers'' reports, and it doesn''t appear in Kizawa-san''s notes, right? The cell phone line is connected, and information about Volzard is flowing ''ban ban'', at this stage to go out all ''noko noko'' ... To be honest, it seems behind the times.(TN:noko noko is acting unconcerned/shameless.) "Really?" "Does that mean, rather than me, Yagi knows more about it?" "Well, I didn''t expect Kizawa to publish her memoirs so quickly ..." In Yagi''s case, he had plans to become famous as a journalist by announcing the details of his being summoned to another world, but Kizawa-san completely took away the most delicious part from him. That''s probably why he created the Selected Five, but he couldn''t deny that it was too late now. Video streaming from Volzard had also become critical since ''Real Monster Hunting'' where Tayama was sacrificed, and at the same time, the number of videos streamed had increased, and it seemed that the Earth side was getting tired of it. Well, if you''re in the safe streets of Volzard, it''s impossible to make powerful images of monsters, and it seemed that beastmen, who didn''t exist on Earth, were treated in the same way as cosplay. If it was Muell-san''s video, I would expect it to be popular, but I didn''t think it would be possible to slip through Gilik''s guard and film her. "Haa ... I guess I should return to Japan once, consider the method of interviewing, and start over." "No, no, what return to Japan once, you probably won''t be able to come back to Volzard." "For the Selected Five to do that ... Is it no good?" "That''s right ..." The classmates who were listening to Yagi and I started chatting with their friends around us. Of course, the topic was whether to return or stay. Four of our classmates and Oda-sensei had already returned to Japan by stealing their attributes and enchanting them with my magical powers to move in the shadows, but only one of them could return to Japan at a time. On top of that, a kiss was necessary to take away the attribute, so the boys were postponed, and they didn''t know when they would be able to return to Japan. Therefore, everyone must have assumed that it would be a long time before they had to decide whether to return to Japan or stay. "I''m going home. Even if I can use magic, my magical power is weak ..." "Eeh, I''m going to stay. Because my current job is interesting, and if I go back to Japan, I can only live a normal life." "I don''t know what to do ... I"m longing to be an adventurer." "But if you don''t study hard when you get home, you won''t make it in time for the exam, right?" "Uwaa, it''s depressing to think about exams, but I don''t want to stay here and work ..." Kartz-san left his seat when my classmates began to voice their concerns and hopes. "My name is Kartz, commander of the Volzard garrison''s third unit. May I speak with you for a moment?" 190 cm was quite tall, and there was no one who would object to his solid figure and his clear, well-tuned voice. "Under me, various rumors about Volzard gather. Among them, rumors about you all are included in no small part, and there are both good rumors and bad rumors. There are stories that you brought us ideas and knowledge that were unimaginable for Volzard up until now, and that you gave up on the contracted work in the middle and left without permission ... I hear such rumors." When it came to those rumors, the girls were mostly confident, and I could see the composition of boys grimacing, but if I looked closely, I could see some girls who were uncomfortable. It wasn''t necessarily the case that girls got used to Volzard and boys couldn''t adapt. "I''m on good terms with Kent, so I asked him about your world. And, Volzard is also a dangerous land called the farthest city. To be honest, I want as many talented people as possible, but if you want to stay, you need to be prepared." When they heard the word danger, many of my classmates must have remembered the massive outbreak of Goblins. It seemed that many classmates were traumatized by the large army of Goblins that almost covered the ground when they thought they would escape from Lastock and arrive at a safe city in just one more moment. "Food, living environment, clothing, entertainment ... Volzard should be inferior in all aspects. To force you to stay, I can''t say such a thing. Even if it''s only for a short time, I hope that you, who have lived in the same town and ate the same food, will be happy. For that reason, please make a choice without regrets." Kartz-san cut off his words, looked around at my classmates, drank his cold tea in one breath, and picked up his tray with tableware. "Bart, it''s time to change, let''s go." "Ahh, that''s right, we should go. Then, see you, Kent." "Yes, let''s go to Meline-san''s shop next time." "Ou, that''s fine. Why don''t we go without the captain at that time?" "Bart, you''re slow, let''s go." "Yeah, yeah ..." Bart-san gave a dexterous wink and left the dining room with Kartz-san. My classmates'' eyes were on me who remained, so I should talk while I''m at it. "I think you heard about it earlier, but due to safety measures, we will conduct a test in ten days, and if there are no problems, we plan to start the repatriation using the repatriation technique the next day. Five people at a time, twice a day, so ten people, if things go smoothly, everyone will finish returning in 20 days. It would be better if you thought that once you go back to your country, you won''t be able to come back to Volzard unless there are some serious circumstances. Therefore, in the next ten days, please decide whether you will return to Japan or whether you will remain." When I got up from my seat with the tray in my hand, there was a boy who timidly raised his hand, so I nodded and asked him to talk. "If we ask Kokubu, can you let us come over here?" "I intend to remain in Volzard, but I have no intention of being hostile to the Japanese government. If the Japanese government bans arbitrary travel, I can''t respond to that request. Make the decision where if you stay, you can''t go back, and if you go, you can''t come back." "You say that, but aren''t you going to let Asakawa-san''s family come and go freely?" "Obviously, because we''re going to be family." "Uwaah, such a defiant attitude." "Fufun, if it''s frustrating, you should gather all the attributes." I returned the tray and left the dining room while being booed with a mixture of dissatisfaction and envy. I ate and took a break, so my energy came back. Then, shall I go to the last task of the day, to capture the dark-attribute magician who was raised by Havre. CH 219 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 219 Whiff ***---*** With the New Year just around the corner, the nights in the mountains north of Resenburg were freezing cold. The snow that seemed to have fallen a few days ago dyed the surroundings white, and even the moon floating in the sky looked cold and bright. Even though it was such a cold night, the bonfires were burning brightly in the mountain village of Shiron, and many knights were keeping an eye on security. Three days after the last attack, if the pace so far was maintained, an attack using the Undead was expected, so the knights dispatched from the royal capital were strengthening their defenses, but anyway, it was cold. Even if you had suitable cold protection equipment, if you stood still, it would get cold from your feet and your toes would start to hurt. Many knights gathered near the bonfire and repeatedly stamped their feet. I peered at such scenes from the shadow space. Fortunately, the cold didn''t invade this space, perhaps because the image was just reflected. In villages other than Shiron, royal knights and territory knights were assigned to strengthen their defenses, and Kobold units were dispatched to those villages to monitor them. Even if another village was attacked, I planned to rush there via the shadow space. "They''re not readily making an appearance, huh." [ Because of this temperature, the other party may be hesitating to attack. ] "But, as long as there is a possibility of an attack, we have no choice but to strengthen our defenses." [ That''s right. Even if it ends in vain, showing the attitude of protecting will lead to the trust of the people. ] No official announcement had yet been made about the King''s death, but rumors were starting to spread. At the same time, there were rumors that Camilla would become the next King, and whether or not such a policy would be implemented would have a great impact on future expectations. "Basten, what is the reputation in the city like?" [ Yes, there are rumors that the Undead attacks are the work of the Maou. On the other hand, positive opinions spread about the swift dispatch of the knights. Until now, it seemed that even if something happened, there was almost no treatment from the kingdom. ] "Then, did Havre''s aim whiff and rather just raise Camilla''s stock?" [ Right now, that''s the situation. ] "As expected, I wonder if Havre is in a stalemate situation?" [ Maybe so, but don''t let your guard down. ] "That''s right, let''s tighten our minds." I continued to wait near Shiron, where the chances of an attack were the highest, but nothing happened even after midnight. I went to Barshania this morning, after returning to Volzard, used the repatriation technique to do the return work, dealt with the accident, and after that, I traveled to Shiron. Since I used shadow movement to move around, it didn''t cause fatigue, but the fatigue from moving around all day would gradually come to the fore. In the shadow space, I was sitting on a convenient box, but if I let my guard down, I would nod off. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better if you took a little rest? ] "Yup, but, I don''t know when the attack will come." [ In that case, it would be better if you could take a rest now. ] "I see, then, let me lie down for a while, wake me up if there''s movement." [ Understood. ] I leaned against Nero''s belly with the intention of taking a short nap until the attack happened, and I was instantly lulled into sleep. Mart and the others were with me, so I didn''t have to worry about catching a cold. Just like that, I fell asleep soundly and didn''t wake up until Reinhardt woke me up. [ Kent-sama, Kent-sama ... ] "Uu, Uu~n ... Reinhardt? Hah, I see, the Undead have arrived, right?" [ Nope, it''s already dawn, but it seems that no villages were attacked by the Undead. ] "Ehh, is that so?" [ Yes, we have expanded the area to confirm that no raids have taken place, but so far we have not received any reports of raids. ] "I don''t know why ... Is it because security was done, after all?" [ That possibility is high, but it is also possible that the other magician was not in a good physical condition. ] "Right, it''s highly likely that they''re using a booster." Judging from the number of undead used in the two raids so far, it was thought that Havre''s dark-attribute magician was using boosters to supplement their magical power while causing the incidents. I also have experience using boosters, but since I couldn''t move my body for three days, it was a heavy burden both physically and mentally. They did that twice in quick succession, so it''s no surprise that they''re sick. "Then, are they aiming to attack during this New Year''s Eve period?" [ Considering the effect of the attack, there is a good chance of that. ] "Really, they''re not considerate about bothering other people ..." [ It can be said that Havre is cornered, but if you think about it from his point of view, it seems like a natural strategy. ] If you were to compare the current situation to baseball, would it be like being behind by 10 points and only going on the offensive in the bottom of the 9th inning. From Havre''s point of view, anything could happen, for instance, causing a brawl and forcing the opposing pitcher to leave. From Camilla''s point of view, the victory was almost in her hands, so she would want to reduce her exhaustion as much as possible and prepare for the upcoming battle. Having said that, it was not like the victory or defeat had been decided yet, so there was no guarantee that something like the attempted assassination of Camilla the other day wouldn''t happen. "Aiming for the New Year''s Eve period it is ... Hey, Reinhardt." [ What is it. ] "What is the royal capital Aldaros like at the beginning of the year?" [ The royal capital, is it? The royal capital ... ] Reinhardt folded his arms and sank into thought. Maybe he had the same worries as me. [ Kent-sama, if it''s the same as usual, it might be a bit bad. ] "A bit bad you say, is there something wrong?" [ Yes, part of the royal castle will be open to the public at noon on the first day of the year. ] "By being open, do you mean citizens can freely enter the royal castle?" [ That''s right. ] Was that like Japan''s Imperial Palace''s New Year congratulatory visit to the Imperial Palace, if so, it depended on security, but the possibility of terrorists entering could not be ruled out. If a riot broke out in the royal castle that had been visited by a large number of citizens, a large number of knights would be needed to deal with it, but those knights had been dispatched to deal with the Undead attacks. "Yup, I feel like that''s the winner. Let''s go back to the royal castle for now." While keeping the Kobold Corps in each village, Basten for Shiron, and Fred for Kuujo, I moved to the royal castle of Aldaros. Camilla had finished her morning workout and was in the middle of bathing, so I decided to wait on the sofa in the living room. Eeh, i, it''s not like I''m going to peek at her, it''s true ... "M, Maou-sama, good morning." "Yup, morning. You''ll get the news soon, but there was no raid." "Is that true ..." Camilla, who came back dressed in her usual knightly garb, was surprised to find me there, and then her eyes widened further when she heard that there had been no attack. "Camilla, on the first day of the New Year tomorrow, part of the royal castle will be open to the public, right?" "Yes, as an annual event, we freely allow access to a section of the front yard to the citizens ... No way, the target is the royal castle ..." After asking the maid in the room to prepare some tea, Camilla sat down to face me, and after listening to the story, she realized the possibility of an attack on the royal castle. "I think that possibility is high, but is the security system perfect?" "I have ordered security to be carried out as usual, but ..." "Does that mean they''re prepared to be attacked?" "No, we haven''t seen anyone cause a disturbance so far, so I think it''s just a form of security." "Do you have enough personnel to turn it into something that can respond to an attack?" "I don''t know. However, if a large-scale raid were to take place, there would be a shortage of personnel." "We still have time. Let''s review the security system immediately." "Maou-sama, have you finished breakfast?" "No, I just woke up from a nap ..." "Then, I''ll have some breakfast prepared, so why don''t you bathe while you''re at it?" "Ah~ ... I''ll accept your offer and do that." I succumbed to the temptation of the large bathtub in the royal castle and ended up enjoying a morning bath with Mart and the others. While making Mart and the others full of bubbles, we rubbed together, and I was washed in reverse with a fluffy sponge. When I returned to the living room while wiping my head with a towel, I saw the Knight Commander in addition to Camilla. "Good morning, Knight Commander." "If it isn''t Maou-sama, did you have fun last night?" "Haa, I was on standby near Shiron last night." "That is ... I apologize for not knowing." "Last night, did you hear there were no Undead attacks?" "Yes, I heard from Camilla-sama. In addition, I didn''t consider the possibility of an attack on the royal castle." "What about personnel?" "To be honest, I think it''s not enough to take all possible measures ..." As someone who guarded the royal castle, I couldn''t help but say that it was a little sloppy, but it was the result of being forced to do double-sided operations with undead countermeasures, so it couldn''t be helped. "Is it possible to allocate the knights assigned to Undead countermeasures here?" "It''s possible if we only consider the number of people, but we won''t be able to move from Shiron or Kuujo in time." "If I remember correctly, Shiron and Kuujo have 200 knights each, right?" "Yes, that''s right. If we can at least call back half of them, we can strengthen our defense ..." "Okay. Those two hundred people will be repatriated here, so write an order." "Huh? What did you just say?" "I will use the repatriation technique to send people from Shiron and Kuujo back to the royal castle, so please write an order to follow my instructions." "Repatriation technique ... Is such a thing really possible ... Ooohhh!" When I used the repatriation technique to move the breakfast plate in front of me, the Knight Commander showed a startled expression. "As you wish. I will write an order to change the layout." "So, how do you plan to change the security system of the royal castle?" "About that, it''s unprecedented ..." "In that case, we have no choice but to think about it again. The problem is, how do you keep the raiders from entering the royal castle, and in case they''re let in by accident, how, in these two cases, can you minimize the damage." In the security system so far, even if the knight watched over while people entered, it seemed that inspections such as baggage inspections had not been done at all. It seemed that even inside the royal castle, the knights were stationed in places where the citizens might be lost and guided them. Therefore, this time, we would set up two checkpoints, one at the bridge across the water moat and one in front of it, and thoroughly inspect any suspicious items such as weapons brought in. "I have never seen the royal castle open to the public, but there will be quite a few people, right?" "Yes, the chance to set foot inside the royal castle is only at the beginning of the year, so many citizens will come." "Then, in order to avoid confusion, we have to use staff other than knights so that the inspection can be carried out smoothly." "Even so, I think that confusion is inevitable ..." "In that case, let''s explain the reason to the people gathered and let them understand that the purpose of the inspection is to ensure the safety of the citizens." "I respectfully obey." As for the interior of the royal castle, we would build walls to prevent people from entering places other than those necessary. It was sort of like a barricade, but it seemed surprising to Camilla, who had thought that everything would be dealt with by arranging knights. "Are we going to build a wall?" "If you use earth-attribute magic, it shouldn''t be a big job, so you can remove it when you''re done." "I see, so on the day of the event, it would be fine to block the entrances and exits to unnecessary buildings, right?" "Right, right, if that''s the case, the number of knights to be placed can be reduced, and even if you want to set something up, it will take time to enter the building, so it will be easily detected. If you specify the locations, I''ll let my genus help as well." "Thank you very much." In addition to this, while thinking about Japanese event security, making the flow of people one-way, creating a flow line to the toilet, while eating breakfast, we worked out how to deal with emergencies, how to assign backup personnel, and so on. In the first place, in Japan, even if you made a fuss at an event, you would only be detained by the security staff, but it would not be surprising if they were executed on the spot in Resenburg, so it didn''t seem to be expected that the general public would go on a rampage. "I see, there is a difference in the way of thinking about security between the world of Maou-sama and Resenburg. No, thanks to you, we can build a perfect system." "Then, Knight Commander, all that''s left to do is repatriate the knights." "Yes, I will prepare the order, so please wait for a while." When the Knight Commander left the room, although there was a person in charge of serving, Camilla and I were faced with each other. "Umm, Maou-sama, what are your plans for New Year''s Eve ..." "This evening, I will attend a party hosted by Klaus-san, the Lord of Volzard. Before that, I have to go to Japan to pick up Yuika''s family, and tomorrow evening I have to show up at the banquet in Barshania." "Is that so ..." Camilla seemed satisfied with the story of Klaus-san''s party, but when she heard Yuika''s family and Barshania''s name, her expression clouded over. "I will ask Hart to stand by near Camilla, and depending on the situation of the attack, I will come to support you." "Are you sure?" "Of course, if a commotion occurs while a large number of citizens have gathered, it''s conceivable that many people will be injured, so it''s obvious that it''s better not to happen, but if it does happen, I will spare no effort in cooperating." "Thank you very much, Maou-sama." Camilla quickly left her seat, came around the table, knelt next to the chair I was sitting on, and bowed her head. "Maou-sama, I intend to inform the citizens of my father''s abdication and my succession to the throne on the first day of the year. I thought it was premature in the situation where Havre Calvine has not yet been captured, but I decided that if the situation where the throne is uncertain continues for a long time, the course of the kingdom will not be decided. However, to be honest, I feel a great deal of anxiety as to whether I will be able to fulfill my duties as King. I will give my all and pledge allegiance. I would like to ask you from the bottom of my heart for your support." As she raised her lowered head, Camilla''s face showed both determination and the anxiety of a great responsibility. Staring at her moist eyes, which swayed as if seeking her salvation, I was hugging Camilla when I came to my senses. "Maou-sama, I yearn for you ..." In response to the whispers of a hot breath in my ears, we hugged each other with all our strength as if to fuse our existences. CH 220 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 220 Repatriation, summoning ***---*** Negotiations with the knights stationed in Shiron proceeded smoothly thanks to the order of the Knight Commander and the advice of the knights who witnessed the commotion in the Chamber of Proceedings. However, when they were told that they would be sent to the royal castle using the repatriation technique, the knights didn''t even try to hide their suspicious expressions. Even in this world, summoning and repatriation seemed to be unfamiliar magic. After demonstrating using Mart and explaining precautions using wooden sticks, they finally seemed to be convinced. "Then, I will repatriate fifty people first, so please line up in five lines of ten people, keeping the distance as close as possible." They were strong knights, but when they were lined up tightly, they fit in a place of about 5 meters square. As a mark of the repatriation destination, the dark-attribute golems were set up at the royal castle training grounds where the Knight Commander was waiting. "Then, let''s get started. Don''t play around by sticking out your limbs or pushing each other ... Repatriate!" After feeling my magical power being sucked away, fifty knights disappeared from my sight. I immediately sent Mart as a messenger to tell them to leave the repatriation destination. As soon as the receiving side was ready, I immediately repatriated the next 50 people. After repatriating from Shiron, I moved to Kuujo and repeated the same work. Compared to sending people from Volzard to Japan, I used less magical power, but there were a lot of people to repatriate at once, and they were repatriated to a place far away, so I had to consume an amount of magical power accordingly. I didn''t collapse yet, but I planned to summon Yuika''s family to Volzard in the afternoon, so I took some medicine to help restore my magical power. "Then, Camilla, Knight Commander, I''ll leave the rest to you." "Yes, I respectfully obey. Maou-sama, please have a good new year." "Yup, happy new year ..." Since the Knight Commander watched us embracing each other in a daze, it was kind of embarrassing. Starting with the Knight Commander, the salutes of the 200 repatriated knights sent me off as I dived into the shadows and headed for Volzard. When I moved to Yuika''s room, she seemed to be on the phone with her family. "Yuika, can I come in?" "Aah, Kento, come in, come in. Then, Okaa-san, Kento will pick you up in a little while, so get ready. Yup, yup, I''ll see you later." Yuika''s voice was lively, as expected she must be happy to see her family after a long absence. "Did your parents say they were ready?" "Yup, or rather, Mio can''t wait and it looks like they''re having a hard time." "Then, I would like to pick them up early, but is it awkward to have them come here?" "Yup, other people will see, so I''m thinking of having them directly sent to Klaus-san''s mansion." "Then, Yuika will also go, right?" "Yup, I''ve asked Riche to let me stay in the same room with my family." "I see, then, shall we go?" "Yup ..." Our bodies drew together, but as soon as we separated, Yuika frowned. "Kento ... What is this smell?" "Ahh, yesterday I was on standby near a village in Resenburg, so I went straight to the royal castle for a meeting, so I borrowed a bath. After all, a big bath is nice ... I''m going to make a big bath in my house too." "Is that so ... So, a meeting?" "Yup, it was still a mess as usual ..." Yuika let out a sigh of exasperation when I told her about the Undead attack and the possibility that the royal castle would be targeted on New Year''s Day. "Haa ... They''re still doing that." "Yup, I think it''s okay because I''ve created a system that can respond even if I''m not there." I had briefly talked about Havre Calvine''s behavior so far, so Yuika seemed to be convinced when she heard that it was the last stumbling block. Yup, it looked like I managed to gloss over the case of hugging Camilla, but the aftermath was scary. When I walked with Yuika toward the Lord''s Mansion, the town was decorated with various decorations to welcome the New Year. The brightly colored decorations, such as red, green, and yellow, were like a mixture of Tanabata and Christmas. There were dolls such as Goblins and Orcs with their necks tied, and if you saw them for the first time, you would be taken aback. The big difference from Japan was that most of the shops were closed and not open for business. Volzard''s style seemed to be to welcome the New Year quietly with your family, instead of putting on conspicuous decorations and holding end-of-the-year sales and New Year''s sales. "It''s strange that it''s more lively than usual, but it''s less crowded and quieter than usual." "Yup, really. In Japan, from Christmas until the beginning of the New Year, it feels like a festival." "But, I''ve heard stories that in the past, even in Japan, it used to be like this near famous temples, other than entertainment areas." "It seems so, but that''s a story of our grandparents time." "Yup, but, I wonder which one is better. It''s important for the family to get together properly, but it''s also fun to have the city be lively." "I wonder which is better. But, if you want to run a shop, you need people who work, and those people don''t have time to relax with their families, so the Volzard style might be better." "Aah, I see ..." "What''s the matter?" "For us, wouldn''t it be nice to enjoy both?" "Yeah. Around New Year''s Day in Japan, go back to Japan and have fun, and when it''s Volzard, enjoy it in Volzard." Kajikawa-san was likely to give me a sour look if I talked about this, but I was doing my best, so I wouldn''t be punished for this kind of reward. When I arrived at Klaus-san''s mansion, Yuika''s family had arranged to be allowed to use the mansion''s guest room. "Morning, Riche, my best regards." "Good morning, Kent-sama. Please leave the hospitality of Yuika-san''s family to us." It would be rude to suddenly move into the room, so I used the garden in front of the entrance to summon Yuika''s family. Now that the Volzard side was ready to accept them, I visited the Asakawa Family in Hikarigaoka. I bypassed the auto-lock this time and directly rang the doorbell. "Good morning, it''s Kokubu. Everyone, are you all ready?" "Morning, Kokubu-kun. Thank you for your time today." "Yes, that''s right, I think you heard it from Yuika-san, but this time I will invite you to Volzard using summoning. For everyone, it will be in the form of moving from the living room with shoes on, is that okay?" "Yeah, it doesn''t matter. I''ll leave everything to Kokubu-kun." "Then, would you please prepare to go out, such as locking the door, and gather in the living room with your shoes?" While Yuika''s family was locking the door and checking the sources of fire, I laid out the cardboard I had prepared in the living room and arranged dark attribute golems around it. When everyone had gathered, I told them about the customary summoning and repatriation techniques. "It''s really dangerous, so please be sure to abide." "I know. After seeing the video of the accident the other day, I absolutely wouldn''t consider imitating that." Mio-chan, who was in high spirits, had her expression stiffen after hearing Tadao-san''s words. "Could it be that you also saw her leg being amputated?" "Oya, Kokubu-kun, didn''t you watch it. The situation of screaming after leaving a leg behind, up until Kokubu reconnected the leg, it was recorded perfectly. Well, I heard about it, but healing magic is amazing." I was too busy to look at the information on the net again, and it seemed that the video of the summoning accident the other day had spread. The Japanese government seemed to be sticking to the position that healing magic did not exist in Japan because it was a different world. Nevertheless, it seemed that the internet was overflowing with requests for treatments that were impossible with modern medicine. "Yu~p ... I guess it''s a bad thing after all." "Are you okay, Kokubu-kun." "Maa, it''s probably okay. It should work out somehow, so let''s move to Volzard for now." "Alright. Excuse me, but could you turn off the lights in the living room?" "Understood, the switch is ... over there." When the Asakawa Family was ready, I moved to Klaus-san''s mansion and summoned the three of them. "Summon!" The summoning technique was successfully activated, and along with some cardboard extras at their feet, we welcomed Yuika''s family. "Papa, Mama, Mio!" "Yuika!" "Yuika-chan." "Onee-chan!" Seeing the four members of the family embracing each other made my eyes feel hot too. "Everyone, is there anything wrong with you?" "Kokubu-kun ... Words." "It looks like it went well." "What does this mean? I''m speaking a language other than Japanese, right?" "Yes, I summoned you with the image of imparting language knowledge, so you should be able to speak this language." "Eeeehhhh, is that so ..." Beside Tadao-san, who was raising his voice in surprise, was Mio-chan with an expression of terrible disappointment. "Huh? Mio-chan, are you not able to understand the language?" "Nope, I think I understand it, but if I understand the language, I won''t be able to have mofumofu translate for me ..." "Ahh, you were worried about that, Mart, Mirt, Murt, please play with Mio-chan." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, this girl is Yuika''s imouto, right." "Wau, in that case, they''re going to be family, right." "Wau, pat me, pat my belly." Mio-chan''s eyes were wide open, surrounded by Mart and the others who had jumped out of the shadows. "C, can I touch them?" "This one is Mart." "This one is Mirt." "I''m Murt, pat me, pat me." "I, I''m Mio. It''s nice to meet you. Fuwaaaa, mofumofuu ..." Mio-chan, who stroked Murt, was making a bewitched expression, she also stroked Mart and Mirt. As Tadao-san and Mika-san watched over her while squinting happily, the front door of the mansion opened and Klaus-san and Marianne-san appeared. Naturally, Tadao-san and Mika-san''s eyes were glued to Marianne-san''s bunny ears, weren''t they. "Welcome to Volzard. I am the Lord Klaus Volzard. This is my wife, Marianne." "Asakawa Tadao, no, my name is Tadao Asakawa. This is my wife Mika, and my second daughter Mio. My daughter Yuika is indebted to you." "Nn? Do you understand what I am saying?" "Yes, thanks to Kokubu-kun''s summoning technique, I seem to be fine with the language." "Hou, if that is the case, we can talk quickly. Maa, let''s not stand around and talk, please come inside." "Yes, I will be in your care." We were invited by Klaus-san and I tried to enter the mansion, but I was pulled by the back of my jacket. "Hey, what about the big mofumofus?" "Ahh, that''s right. Nero, Zeta, Eta, Theta, this is Yuika''s imouto, Mio-chan. Please get along well." "Hii!" As soon as she saw Nero slipping out of the big shield of darkness, Mio let out a short scream and clung to me. When Zeta and the others showed up after Nero, she started trembling while clinging tightly. "I''m Nero, nya, let''s get along, nya." "I''m Zeta, nice to meet you." "I''m Eta, hello." "I''m Theta, it''s nice to meet you." "Mio-chan, they''re all my genus, so it''s okay. They won''t bite ore scratch you." "I, I''m Mio. N, nice to meet chu ..."(TN:She bit her tongue.) When I stroked the back of Nero''s big ears, Mio-chan also timidly extended her hand. "Fuwaaaa, so fluffyy ..." As soon as Mio-chan learned how Nero felt with her hands, she unconsciously moved as if drawn in and lay against the nape of its neck. "Fuwafuwa, it''s so fluffy, it feels good ..." Mio-chan was rubbing her face against Nero''s neck to the point where I wanted to ask which one was the cat. "Mio, let''s go, Mio." "Onee-chan, just a little longer ..." "It''s okay, Nero won''t run away, so hurry up." "Ye~s ... See you soon, Nero." "Let''s play again, nya." Mio reluctantly released Nero and ran after Yuika. "Kent-sama, us too ..." "Yup, nn? What''s wrong, Riche." "I smell a woman ..." "Ahh, that''s ..." I was sniffed out by Riche, who had good intuition, but I showed off the excuse I used with Yuika earlier. Yup, the second time you make an excuse, it will flow smoothly. "Is that so ... Kent-sama, do you take a bath with your clothes on?" "Eeh? I, it''s not like that ..." "Yuika-san too, because she can see her family, I guess they drew her attention. The perfume isn''t from Kent-sama, it''s from the clothes you wear." "Uguu, th, that''s ..." "Kent-sama." "Y, yes ..." "I''ll do you a favor just this once, but there will be no next time." "Ii! ... Understood." Riche pinched my flank as hard as she could. "Now, let us go, Kent-sama." "Yes ..." Yup, it looked like it would be better to wait for a chance somewhere and change clothes quickly. Klaus-san said that he had something to talk about with the Asakawa couple, and since they no longer needed an interpreter, I was kicked out. After Yuika and Mio-chan were guided to their room by Riche, they also seemed to be having some kind of girls talk and I was kicked out again. Riche''s wink at that time was extremely meaningful and terrifying. As a side note, Mio-chan had Murt assigned as her bodyguard and comforter. [ Kent-sama, there is still time until evening. We should go back to the boarding house and take a short break. ] "That''s right, then shall we." I returned to the Asakawa Family''s living room from Klaus-san''s mansion, turned off the lights, collected the dark attribute golems, and then dived into the shadows and moved to the boarding house. In the evening, I planned to escort Amanda-san and Meisa-chan to Klaus-san''s mansion. "I''m back." "Ahh, you''re finally back. Where are you wandering around without contacting me at all." "I''m sorry. Even though it''s the end of the year, it''s been a mess." "Kent, have you had lunch?" "Aah, I''ve forgotten to eat again." "Seriously, it can''t be helped. Sit down, I''ll make something for you." "Thank you very much." The inside of the shop was neat and tidy, probably after a big cleaning. "Amanda-san, what about Meisa-chan?" "Ahh, she went to sleep saying she was tired from cleaning. It''s okay, I''ll wake her up in time and dress her up." "Yes, I''m counting on you." Amanda-san made a creamy soup with short pasta floating in it. A gentle taste that permeated my empty stomach. "Right, Amanda-san, I have to pay the boarding fee." "Ahh, right. I haven''t received it for this month yet." After paying for this month''s lodgings, including meals, I felt like I''ve finally paid for the rest of the year. "Amanda-san, thank you for all your help. I''ll be in your care next year." "You''re the one who is taking care of us. Kent, please protect Volzard next year as well." "Yes, I will use all the power of me and my genus to protect our city." "It''s been a difficult year for Kent, and it may have been better not to come to this world, but I am grateful to the Princess of Resenburg for summoning you, Kent." "That''s right. Even now, I think it''s good that I was summoned. If I had stayed in Japan like that, I would have remained a useless child, I feel like I would have become irresponsible and unable to become independent due to the collapse of my family. Right now, it''s the power I''ve been given, but I''ve been able to help everyone a little bit, so I want to grow up step by step so that I can protect the people who are important to me." "From my point of view, it looks like you''re trying to become an adult too quickly, but Kent will be fine. When you''re lost or in trouble, don''t hesitate to rely on the adults around you." "Yes, I will do so." With the New Year approaching, Seraphima would come to Volzard in a little while. Even if the formal marriage came first, it would be impossible to let Seraphima alone live in the Guest House. In that case, Yuika, Manon, Riche, and I should move into the Guest House together. It wouldn''t be long before I started lodging there. I wouldn''t say it out loud, but Amanda-san should know. Of course, since I would continue to live in Volzard, I could come visit anytime. However, there was no doubt that our relationship would be a little different than before. I tasted the last boarding house meal of the year with a little sorrow. CH 221 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 221 New Year''s Eve party ***---*** Before going to the party, I turned on my phone and took a peek at what the internet was saying. After all, the most talked about video was the reconnection of the leg. At first, it seemed that many people questioned whether it was CG, but after several verification sites were created, they were surprised when they realized that it was reconnected without any tricks. A little over 20 minutes of reconnecting, and then standing up and walking without rehabilitation, even though she was borrowing a shoulder, was something that modern medicine could not do. Since that was the case, there was even an opinion that it would be possible to replace the head of a human being, which was considered impossible in modern medicine. There were various possibilities and speculations about healing magic, and it seemed that Seitarou-chan''s case, which once died down, was reigniting. The Japanese government''s response was that the video was filmed in a different world, not Japan, and the details could not be confirmed. It had been confirmed that in order to use magic, it was necessary to have magic essence as its foundation, and on Earth where magic essence did not exist, a statement was issued that they believed it would be difficult to treat with magic, and that requests for treatment would not be accepted. Kajikawa-san''s email also explained the policy of the Japanese government and requested that I refrain from contacting the mass media until the situation calmed down. Maa, whatever the situation, I had no intention of contacting the media. Another thing that bothered me was the backlash against Nakagawa-sensei, and this was already a full-blown situation on the internet. Not only the personal information of Nakagawa-sensei, but also the personal information of his home and family was identified and spread around. The troubles at home that triggered Nakagawa-sensei''s nervous breakdown were exposed, and information about his daughter''s dating partner and friends was leaked, wasn''t that a situation where a family collapse was just waiting to happen. My father was also hit by the media, his personal information was leaked on the internet, and he even had to move out of the house he lived, he left the house in Hikarigaoka and his apartment in the Wangan area, so money didn''t seem to be a problem for him. However, Nakagawa-sensei was an ordinary civil servant, and I didn''t think he could afford to sell his house and buy a new one. It seemed that no press conferences had been held so far, and if the press investigation seemed to be prolonged, I was worried that Nakagawa-sensei would cause further trouble. However, thanks to Nakagawa-sensei''s conspicuousness, there was almost no information about the students who had returned. Watase and Fujii, since they were returned as a result of trouble, if it meant they wouldn''t be investigated by the media for Real Monster Hunting and the Griffon matter, it might be a good idea to have Nakagawa-sensei act as a decoy for a while longer. One more thing, there was also no article about the repatriation of live Goblins. Perhaps the Japanese government was refraining from making an announcement. Once the biological investigation was over and a breeding system was established, it may be opened to the public, but for now it was probably classified. [ Kent-sama, it would be better if you start preparing soon. ] "Ehh, it''s already been that long, thank you, Reinhardt." After washing up and changing clothes, Meisa-chan burst open the door and entered. Unlike usual, she was wearing a one-piece dress. "Kent, are you ready?" "Just a little longer." "It''s already late! Hurry up, hurry up!" "Yes, yes, I get it, you''re wearing a cute outfit, so I wonder if you can''t be a little more graceful." "Cute? Am I cute?" "You''re cute, Ojou-sama." "Ojou-sama ...?" It was nice to see Meisa-chan''s expression crumbling with a sloppy grin, rather than putting on airs. "Now everything is ready. Let''s go, Meisa-ojousama." "Y, yup ... Let''s go ..." I exaggeratedly got down on one knee and held out my hand, Meisa-chan grasped my hand with a jerky, robot-like motion. I couldn''t help but want to hug her, I wanted to stroke her head, but let''s be patient. When I went down to the first floor, Amanda-san who had finished preparations was also waiting there. Yup, like a madam who dominates the social world, she gave such a deluxe feeling.(TN:She''s a large woman.) "What is it, Kent, do you have something to say?" "Nope, the atmosphere is different from usual, so I was a little surprised, but it''s nice." "What are you talking about, compliments won''t gain you anything. I won''t be cooking tonight." "Yes, let''s have a feast at Klaus-san''s mansion." "Ahh, let me tell you ... Kent, you can''t drink too much." "Right, right, Kent isn''t allowed alcohol." "Guu, I get it. Yuika''s parents are also there, so I can''t show them an unsightly appearance." That being said, if Klaus-san brought out a vintage Livre, I wouldn''t have the confidence to resist the temptation. At dusk, the main street was beautifully decorated and lit by magic tools, but there were almost no people. It seemed that there were only a few bars open tonight that catered to single people. We walked side by side through the quiet town with Meisa-chan in the middle. "It''s really quiet." "It''s New Year''s Eve, that''s why ... It feels like the end of the year doesn''t it?" "Yes, in the town where I lived, the New Year is celebrated in a more lively manner, but this kind of feeling is also good." "It will be possible to taste it again many times in the future." "That''s right. I will do my best to make next year a good year." As we passed through the center of town, the guild door opened and Donovan-san came out. He was dressed smartly, but I wondered if he had been working until this time. "Good evening, DOnovan-san, are you going to Klaus-san''s mansion?" "Ahh, that''s right." "It''s hard work right up until New Year''s Eve, isn''t it." When I tried to be a little ironic, Donovan-san smiled with a terrifying grin. "Seriously, there are a lot of guys who don''t finish their work properly, so I have to squeeze a lot in the New Year. In particular, I have to be very careful with idiots who forget to report the completion of nomination requests." "Geeh ... Th, that''s ..." "Fuu ... Be prepared." "Yes ..." That''s right, when I was about to report the completion of the nomination request to protect the Volzard Family, Hart came to inform me of Camilla''s crisis, and after that, I used a booster and was in bed for three days, and completely forgot to report. "Haa ... What are you doing, me." "Okaa-san, sure enough, Kent is Kent." "Ahahaha, Meisa, a perfect Kent would be disgusting." "Ahh, that might be true ..." "This is just the right amount for Kent." "Gufuu, next year I''ll do it properly, I''ll do it properly." "Ahahaha, that''s how he is ..." "Ri~ight." Uuuhh, so mean, it''ll be a year in a little less than four months, but I did my best. Wouldn''t it be nice if they would treat me a little better. "Be prepared." "Yes ..." [ Buhahahaha, Kent-sama, you''ve been skipping special training lately. From the beginning of the year, I will train you hard. ] [ Ahh, somehow I''m getting depressed about welcoming the New Year. ] At the mansion, the participants of the party had gathered. Klaus-san, Marianne-san, Augusto-san, Angelina-san, and Baldini-san. Manon''s mother Noela and her younger brother Hamill. Asakawa Tadao, his wife Mika and Mio-chan. It seemed that Yuika and Manon were in the middle of changing into dresses in Beatriche''s room. Mio-chan had already been captured by Ange-oneechan, and she was captivated by hugs and ''iiko iiko''. Just a bit, could I replace you in that position ... Rather, Hamill thought so too. "Amanda-san, let me introduce you to Yuika''s parents." "Ahh, I heard you summoned them from over there." I took Amanda-san and Meisa-chan and approached the Asakawa couple. "Tadao-san, Mika-san, this is Amanda-san and her daughter Meisa-chan from my boarding house." "Nice to meet you, I am Yuika''s father, Tadao, and this is my wife, Mika." "Nice to meet you, Yuika-chan, she''s a good daughter, isn''t she ... She''s too good for Kent." "No, no, she''s still only a child. Has she not been causing you trouble?" "Far from it. Even when we held a dinner party at our restaurant, she helped me with that skillfully. Besides, the rumors about the clinic I hear from customers are all good stories." "Iyaa, if you say such a thing, I feel relieved as a parent." Now that the conversation between the adults has started, let''s take Meisa-chan to Mio-chan. Right, right, the purpose is to introduce Mio-chan and Meisa-chan, not for me to go to where Ange-oneechan is. "Good evening, Ange-oneechan, Mio-chan, this is Meisa-chan, the daughter of the boarding house I''m at." "Maa, how cute, welcome." "I, I''m Meisa ... Fuguu."(TN:Me, Meisa de ... fuguu. She bites her tongue while saying desu.) Ou, she''s completely tensed up ... Tonight''s Ange-oneechan, she''s dressed in a bright green glossy fabric, and my line of sight was attracted to the boldly opened chest. "Nnh ... I''m happy tonight. I can have two cute little sisters like this ..." Ange-oneechan was holding Mio-chan and Meisa-chan in her arms. Just a bit, let me intrude in the middle ... Doing that is no good. Because I know that, Baldini can you please stop glaring at me with eyes like a hit man. Baldini looked away from me after smirking, but then his body shook as if he had been electrocuted, and he stared at one point with his mouth half open. "B, beautiful ..." Following Baldini''s line of sight, there stood three beautifully dressed women. Yuika was wearing a black satin dress, I think it was called a halter neck, right, I wondered if the chest was a little too bold. Manon was wearing a light blue dress, and although her collar was high necked, her back was boldly open from her shoulders, emphasizing her slender style and giving her a mature feeling. Beatriche was wearing a bright red dress, it was called a bustier, I think, with no shoulder straps and it felt like it was supported from below. I see, the Idiot Brother was captivated by Beatriche''s beauty. "Who is that beautiful person ..." "Ehh?" Wait a minute, Baldini started to walk unsteadily like he was sleepwalking, he must have been infatuated with Beatriche. Baldini with his ears standing straight up, approached not Beatriche, but Yuika. "Beautiful person, I would like to hear your name, if you please." WIth his right hand on his chest and his hips reverently bent, the figure of Baldini was sarcastically dignified. "Y, yes, Yuika, I''m Yuika Asakawa." "I, I''m Manon." "Nn? I didn''t ask for your name." Manon probably thought it would be better to introduce herself because it was also their first time meeting, but Baldini coldly told her that he was not interested at all. Manon''s shoulders drooped dejectedly, and Yuika''s eyebrows twitched upward. Ahh, she''s pretty angry about that, for me it would be the Seiza Course. Beatriche, who also raised her eyebrows, opened her mouth as the representative of the three of them. "Dii-niisan." "What''s wrong? Riche." "What''s wrong you say. You''re being rude to the lady who greeted you." "What is it. I''ve heard that tonight, apart from my family, it''s all commoners. No, that can''t be right, this lady used her family name ..." "It looks like you didn''t listen carefully. Yuika-san and Manon-san are both planning to marry Kent-sama, just like me, so Dii-niisan won''t have a turn." "Wh, what did you say!" Baldini, who turned around with such force that I could hear a grinding sound, glared at me with a killer-like gaze again. Fufun, if you look at me like that, I have to live up to your expectations. While catching Baldini''s gaze, I approached the three of them and sent a signal with my gaze, and Yuika came closer. "You''re so beautiful, Yuika." "Thank you." "But, the chest is a little too open ..." "Ufufufu, this is a service for Kent ..."(TN:For some reason she uses Kent rather than Kento here, maybe because she''s ''speaking'' the isekai language at the moment.) Yuika moved to my right and nodded at Manon. Manon nodded back and jumped into my chest and hugged me tightly. "You look very lovely, Manon." "Thank you, but, I ..." "I need Manon. Please be by my side." "Kent ..." After hugging Manon, whose eyes were moist, she nodded at Beatriche. Beatriche smiled broadly at Baldini, who was clenching his teeth so much that blue streaks appeared at his temples, then she wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned against my cheek. "You''re very attractive, Riche." "Kent-sama, I''m sorry for my incompetent brother." "Yup, it''s okay. Rather than that, umm ... Be careful, in various ways." "Is that right. I''ve recently grown up ... But, I can only show you, Kent-sama." Beatriche, after releasing her arms, turned to Baldini and leaned her head against me. "Hmph!" Klaus-san clapped his hands twice when Baldini, who had dutifully watched until the end, snorted and left. "The entertainment before the opening, is it fine to stop there? Now, the people who have gathered tonight are those who will become relatives in the near future. Of course, I have no intention of building a fence between nobles and commoners." Klaus-san looked at Baldini with a smile on his face, but his eyes weren''t smiling. "As everyone knows, this year was a turbulent year for Volzard. Rock Ogres, Goblins, Salamanders, and outbreaks such as Orcs, the maximum outbreak, and as a bonus, a legendary monster called a Griffon appeared. To be honest, it wouldn''t be strange for this city to be destroyed, but we were able to keep the damage to a minimum ... It''s all thanks to the young boy with the lewd look on his face over there." Klaus-san''s eyes, which were directed at me, were laughing despite being amazed. Maa, I was certainly aware that I had a lewd look. "It was an unbelievable year, but from another point of view, it was also a year in which we obtained enough human resources to face such a situation. From the beginning of the year, he will help me with a part of my business. I have no intention of getting old or retiring, but the New Year will be the first year to start handing over to the next generation. I hope that peaceful days will continue, but we must strengthen our ties even more so that we can cooperate and overcome even when something happens. Tonight''s gathering is meant to deepen our bonds with each other ... Leaving aside the formalities, thank you for a peaceful year, I want you to have a great time." Drinks were distributed to everyone, a toast was made and the party began. The party was a casual buffet style, with lively conversations taking place around a table with drinks and simple meals. At the beginning, the Asakawa Family, who was meeting them for the first time, continued to exchange greetings, and after that, everyone was gradually divided into groups and the conversation started to get lively. The strongest force was the Madam group, with young women coming and going, centered on Marianne-san, Noela-san, Mika-san, and Amanda-san. The second group was the Middle-aged Men''s group, with Klaus-san, Donovan-san, Tadao-san, and Augusto-san at the center, with Baldini and Hamill on the edge. There was no way I could form a dreamy group with my three bridal candidates plus Ange-oneechan, and I felt like I was fumbling between the Madam group and the Middle-aged Men''s group. It''s strange ... You three, didn''t you dress up for me? I was planning to greatly enjoy myself. "Hey, hey, Kent. Can you call mofumofu too?" "I want to play with the mofumofu, is that okay? Brother-in-law." "Mart-tachi are fine, but it''s a bit too small for Nero-tachi to come out, so you''ll see them tomorrow." "Eeehhh ... I want to play with Nero too." "I want to play with Zeta, Eta, and Theta." "Yes, yes, I will make time properly, so please play with Mart-tachi for now." Meisa-chan and Mio-chan looked a little dissatisfied, but when Mart and the others showed up, they quickly recovered. That being said, Hamill, if you want to play with them, it would be nice if you didn''t look like that and just mixed in with them. Incidentally, how about if Baldini, who is next to you, joins in too? It''s the only place where the atmosphere is dark. "Kent! Come here for a second. Here''s some Livre liquor." "No, no, Klaus-san. I''m still underage in Japan ..." "Kokubu-kun, in this world you are already treated as an adult, aren''t you? Keep us company for a little while." "No, even Tadao-san ..." "Kent ... I''m not going to carry you tonight, so ask your genus to carry you instead." "Ou, I won''t let you take off your clothes either." "It''s okay. It won''t be like that time." "Like that time ...?" When I told Tadao-san, who seemed to be in a good mood after a lot of drinking, the story of how I got drunk and passed out at the dinner party and about the plot for an ''asa chun'' with Beatriche, he laughed at me.(TN:Asa = morning, chun = birds cheeping, it''s essentially fade to black into waking up the next morning beside a girl.) "Hahahaha, no, I''m sorry, Kokubu-kun, it''s no laughing matter. Even so, the resolution of the Feudal Lord''s Family is to that extent ... I can''t imagine it having lived in peace in Japan." "No, Tadao. If we don''t have to plan like this, it would be much better." "Maybe so. However, my daughter seems to be completely infatuated with Kokubu-kun ..." "From the point of view of a father, what is good about a kid like this ... But, as an adventurer, he is an irreplaceable genius, so it''s a shame." "Hahahaha, what a male parent, I guess everyone is the same. Even so, he is talented and has a good personality, he is a hard-to-find person." "Maa, that''s right. Hey, why aren''t you drinking, Kent." "Haa, am I being praised, or am I being disrespected, I have mixed feelings." There are a lot of things to think about, but it''s troublesome, so I''m going to drink. "Kento ..." "It''s not good to drink too much." "Yes, I understand ..." I was thinking about forgetting things and drinking, but Yuika and Manon told me not to. "Even if you drink too much, I will ..." "Riche ..." "It''s okay, Yuika. We''ll be together tonight." "I see, then Kento, just for now you can go ahead and drink too much." "No, I''ll be careful. I think it would be a waste if I don''t remember various things." "Kent, ecchi." "Ecchi you say ... Manon, what do you think I''m going to do?" "Hiyai? Because, because, Kent ..." Nn~ ... Manon who is bright red and going ''awa awa'' is cute. To be unable to understand this cuteness, Baldini still has a long way to go. As time went by, the party became more lively and exciting. CH 222 New Year ***---*** The party progressed with increasing chaos. I was thinking of sharing a ''mufufu'' time with the Yuika, Manon, and Beatriche trio, but now I''m caught in the siege of the Madam''s group. "Kent-san, the Princess of Barshania will be coming here at the beginning of the year, right? We will make it possible for Riche, Yuika-san, and Manon-san to live together in the Guest House." "Yes, I will let you know once the specific date is decided." Marianne-san wore a dark violet bustier-type dress, which made it even more difficult for me to focus my eyes than with Beatriche. "Will Kento-san also live with Yuika-tachi?" "Yes, that''s the plan, but is it no good." "Let''s see, even if you can''t help but live in the same building, I''d like you to live in moderation." "I see, that''s right ..." Mika-san was in a turquoise green party dress, but the degree of exposure was low, so I didn''t have to worry about where to focus my eyes. Or rather, I was going to climb the stairs to adulthood when we started living together, but is that no good. "Ara ara, Kent-san, you don''t have to by shy about my Manon. I want to see my grandchild''s face soon." Noela-san seemed to have forced her plump body into a calm dark green dress, and the fabric seemed to be screaming, so I was a little worried in a different way. "That''s right. Being called Obaa-chan is a bit ... However, you don''t have to hold back with Riche either." "You two, is it okay? My daughter is still a child, and even if she does have a child, I won''t be able to help her easily, so I''m worried." "It''s okay, Mika-san. Yuika-chan is already just like my daughter." "That''s right. I will help her as much as I can." That''s right, Noela-san, Marianne-san, please push hard. If Mika-san relents, Tadao-san will likely accept it without hesitation. When I was cheering for her in my heart, I was hit on the back. "Ubuu! Amanda-san ..." "Kent, because you don''t have it together, Mika-san can''t stop worrying. Be even cooler!" "No, I''m going to do my best, but ..." "I''m sure you''re doing your best against monsters, but as a man and as a husband, you''re not cool." "Guu, even if you say that ..." Before I was summoned, the only thing that I was known for was being a mob character who was dozing off and was scolded, I had no love experience other than unrequited love. I know I''m uncool, but I don''t really know what to do. "It''s Mika-san, right. Maa, I have a child at the age of Yuika-chan ... As a parent, I''m sure you''re worried when you think about it, in Volzard, the new life, the next generation who will carry the world on their shoulders, are to be raised by the whole city. If they give birth, something will be able to be done." "Is that so ..." "For me too, my husband passed away when I was pregnant with Meisa, maa, I wouldn''t say I didn''t have a hard time, but I managed to get through with the help of everyone in town." At the edge of the room, where Meisa-chan was playing with Mio-chan and Mart-tachi, Amanda-san turned her gaze, which seemed full of kindness and pride. Mika-san looked at Amanda-san and Meisa-chan alternately, then looked down for a while to collect her throughts, then turned her gaze to me. "Kento-san." "Yes, what is it." "As a father, as her husband, will you fulfill your responsibilities?" "The house I grew up in was different from a normal home, and to be honest, I don''t think I know what to do. Nevertheless, I promise to devote my unchanging love to protect Yuika to the end." "Please take care of Yuika." "Yes, Mother-in-law." With this, it meant that Mika-san had given her stamp of approval. Once the New Year''s vacation was over, I should quickly finish returning my classmates. As I was grinning, I caught sight of Baldini, who was standing aimlessly in the corner of the room. Baldini gave me a very sullen look, and then turned his face away with a snort. The Middle-aged Men group, after hearing about Japan''s political structure and social system from Tadao-san, seemed to be discussing how to use it in Volzard. Maa, since they were drinking alcohol, it didn''t seem like it was all about serious talk, but since Marianne-san''s eyes were shining, it didn''t seem like it was too soft of a topic. It seemed that Augusto-san would start working as Klaus-san''s right-hand man from the beginning of the year, so he seemed to get in the middle of the Middle-aged Men and showed his opinion, but was Baldini not being dealt with much, he seemed a little confused as to whether or not he should join the conversation. Another withdrawn person, Manon''s brother Hamill, it seemed that he was being used by Meisa-chan and Mio-chan as a toy. In the beginning, it seemed that he was repeatedly rebutting, but now he seemed to be being comforted by being tapped on the shoulder by Mart. Yup, I felt a little sympathy for what happened while I took my eyes off him. "Kent, if you''re in a daze, I want you to be this Onee-chan''s partner." "Ahh, Ange-oneechan, I''m sorry for not being attentive." Angelina-san seemed to be a little drunk, her white skin was slightly reddish, and her eyes were even more seductive than usual. If she told me to take care of her, I would do everything in my power to take care of her. "Then, let''s talk here with us." "Y, ye-hii ..."(TN:H, haHii ...He''s screaming in the middle of saying yes.) I was taken away by Angelina-san with our arms entwined, but when I put on a lewd expression, there were three people who gave me ice-like eyes. "Nfufu, everyone, I brought Kent here ..." "Hey, Ange-oneechan, aren''t you drinking too much?" "Yes, yes, sit down, sit down." Before I knew it, a sofa and a table had been prepared in one corner of the room. On the sofa across the table, the Yuika, Manon, and Beatriche trio sat down, and on this side, it was like I was supporting Angelina-san, who occupied a place for two people and leaned against me. "Ufufufu, first of all, Riche, apologize to your Onee-chan." "Eehhh, why is that?" "You''re going to marry before your Onee-chan, so it''s natural." "That, that may be true, but ..." "Besides, it''s with such a cute boy, Riche really is cheating." "Since Onee-sama went to Bakkenheim, I am fulfilling my duties as the Lord''s daughter ..." "Then, now that I''m back, it''s okay for me to be the one to marry Kent." "That''s no good! I''m the one who will marry Kent-sama." This is, the drunk Angelina-san, it felt like we were being treated like toys. "Then, then, Riche can also get married, but how about I marry Kent too?" "Th, that''s no good. It''s no good to be with Onee-sama." "Eeehhh, isn''t it fine. Hey, Kent, does Kent hate older women?" "N, no, I don''t hate them, but ..." Angelina-san, who had a high body temperature because she was drunk, was leaning against me, she was soft in various ways, she smelled good, and honestly I loved her. No, no, everyone, I''m just playing around, so don''t stare at me like a Yaksha. "Then, I''m going to be Kent''s wife too ..." "No, no, even if it wasn''t no good, Klaus-san would kill me." "Eeehhh ... Papa can''t beat Kent, can he." "No, even if that''s the case." "Then, Kent, is it okay for me to be married to the stupid son of some aristocrat?" "Th, that is, in the first place, Klaus-san won''t allow it." "But, but, if Bakkenheim, or Marburg, or Resenburg threaten to go to war if you don''t surrender your daughter." "I will punish them for that kind of thing. If they do wrong to Volzard, they will be destroyed." "Really? Will Kent really protect me?" "Of course. While I''m alive, I won''t let them do such a selfish thing!" "I''m happy, I love Kent ..." Ou, I was kissed on the cheek. Nfufufu, I''m going to protect Ange-oneechan ... Huh, something''s strange. "Kento, you''re actually serious about Angelina-san as well ... You''re not seriously thinking that, right?" "A, as expected, Kent, umm, is it better to be big?" "Kent-sama, you are enjoying yourself with Onee-sama too much." "Yes, I''m sorry ..." If I got involved with the drunk Ange-oneechan, the mood of the three of them would get worse and worse, so some countermeasures were necessary. That''s why, I sent eye contact to Mart and the others and asked them to come here. If Mart and the others moved, naturally Meisa-chan and Mio-chan would come with them. "Maa, maa, maa, everyone, welcome. Have you eaten? There''s cake, too." "Meisa-chan, you can sit here. Mio-chan as well, sit down, sit down." Yuika had a wry smile on her face, but let''s have the two of them and Mart-tachi do their best here. Or rather, I forgot Hamill''s existence. Ahh, he''s being melancholic in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall. "Manon, please call Hamill too. If I call him, it will have the opposite effect." "Alright. I will." "As for me, I am going to the washroom quick." The party venue was heated and warm, but when you went out into the hallway, the air was chilly. Augusto-san came in when I was using the restroom. "Hey, Kent, are you having a good time?" "Yes, I''m having a great time." "That is wonderful." "Augusto-san, it seems like it would be quite difficult for you to accompany Klaus-san." "Hahaha, that''s right. Maa, after the New Year, it will be an everyday thing, so I have to get used to it." When I was about to wash my hands and return to the party venue, Augusto-san stopped me. "Kent, do you have a moment?" "Yes, what is it." "It''s about Baldini." Augusto-san invited me into a small room for those who escaped from the party to have a secret talk. There were no tables or chairs, and it felt like a smoking room in Japan, and only the heating worked. "From Kent''s point of view, Baldini looks like an annoying man, doesn''t he?" "N, no, that kind of thing is ..." "You don''t have to worry about it. I have no intention of telling the person himself, and even from my point of view, there were some unpardonable things." "Haa, maa, I won''t deny it." "I''m not asking you to understand him, but my brother is like a mass of inferiority complex ..." The Volzard siblings, Augusto-san and Angelina-san, inherited the wind attribute from their father. Baldini and Beatriche were said to have inherited the fire attribute from their mother. The fire attribute was more rare than the wind attribute, but Baldini seemed to have extremely low magical power compared to the other siblings. Conversely, the other three seemed to have considerably higher magical power than ordinary people, and no matter how rare it was as an attribute, between a strong wind attribute and weak fire attribute, it was hard to say which one was more important. In addition, it seemed that his academic performance paled in comparison to the older two. "My younger brother is not incompetent, and compared to the general public, I think he is in the excellent category. However, due to personality problems and the inferiority complex that he has been carrying, he is unable to demonstrate his true abilities." "Personality issues you say, is it that he''s impatient?" "That''s right. His thinking is not bad, or rather, he''s a good person, but when faced with obstacles he rushes too much, and he tends to overlook important things and move on." I guess the commotion before the party started was typical of that. Perhaps, when he heard that the members of today''s party were only commoners, he decided how to behave himself and overlooked the fact that Yuika and Manon were my bridal candidates. "I think my brother''s rushing too fast is like an obsession that comes from an inferiority complex that he has to produce results." "Of course, to the person himself, you have pointed out these problems, right." "Naturally. However, it is doubtful whether the point made by the person in question, who causes the inferiority complex, is being communicated well." Surely, even if his older brother, who excels in both magic and studies and is always the object of comparison, tells him, I wondered if he could honestly accept it. On the other hand, even if I, who was facing open hostility, said that, it would only have the opposite effect. "What do you want me to do?" "Let''s see, don''t provoke him too much. My brother might mess with you, but it''s only ten days. He''ll be back at school in Bakkenheim in the second week of the New Year. Until then, please avoid contact as much as possible and do not aggravate him." "Understood. I''m not going to do anything from my side." "I''m sorry. Just like Ange said, Dii used to be obedient, but ..." Augusto-san, who had a brooding expression on his face, was undoubtedly handsome, but his drooping bunny ears were ruining it. In other words, it''s a foul to move your rabbit ears to show your emotions, even while you''re talking seriously. It was too hard to hold back my laughter when we''re talking face to face. There would be more opportunities to see each other next year, so it was no good if I didn''t get used to it now. When I arrived back at the party venue, Meisa-chan and Mio-chan were dozing off while leaning against Angelina-san. Angelina-san, who was also leaning against them, sometimes had her head slump, and I felt like she was falling asleep. Hamill seemed to have completely fallen asleep with his head on Manon''s lap. "Welcome back, Kento." "I was talking with Augusto-san for a while, but everyone seems to have fallen asleep." "Yup, I think Mio got tired because she was having fun early in the morning." "For Meisa-chan, it''s already time to go to bed. Should I send her home?" "No, we have prepared a room for the children, it''s almost the New Year, so let''s make a toast with the New Year''s bell, and after that, the children will go to bed in a separate room." "What about the adults?" "It will be like this until morning ... It seems." "Uwaa, that''s tough." Just as Yuika said, at midnight on New Year''s Day, the bells rang throughout the city. It was the same slow This was said to be a wish that monsters would not attack this year. It seemed that there was also such a custom. "Have a Happy New Year, Yuika, Manon, and Beatriche." "Happy New Year, Kento." "My best regards for this year, too, Kent." "A Happy New Year to you as well, Kent-sama." While I was giving New Year''s greetings and hugging the three in turn, Angelina-san suddenly stood up. She walked up to me with unsteady zombie-like steps and opened her arms and hugged me. "Happy New, Year ... Kent, nnh!" "Nha ... Ange-oneechan?" "Nfuu ... It''s a kiss~, fuu ..." "Wait, you went back to sleep!" Just when I thought that my lips were stolen with a passionate kiss, without pause she relaxed limply and started to breathe the breath of a sleeper. "Kent-sama, I''m sorry, could you carry my sister to her room?" "Yup, alright ... But, it seems impossible to carry her in my arms, so please help me carry her on my back." At times like this, it would be cool to be able to carry her gallantly in a princess carry, but it would be a disaster if I dropped her on the way, so I carried her on my back. Angelina-san was lighter than I thought, but I couldn''t stop my heart from pounding from the feeling I felt on my back. Still, I feigned composure and stood up. "Riche, show me to her room." "Yes, this is it." Angelina-san''s room was next to Beatriche''s room, which I had previously visited for the rot treatment. There was a gorgeous smell when I walked into the room. "Kent-sama, can I ask you to put her on the bed please?" "Leave it to me, yotto ... Uwaa." I put Angelina-san down on the bed and tried to put her to bed with Beatriche''s help, but I was grabbed by the collar and pulled, and I was rolled on the bed. "Nfufuu, Kent, let''s sleep together ..." "No, no, I can''t do that, Ange-oneechan." "Why, why, is it okay if Riche is with you?" "No, it''s no good even then." "Eeehhh ... You said you would protect me." "That, I will protect you properly. I won''t forgive anyone who would be an enemy of Volzard." "Really? It''s a promise." "Yes, yes, I promise." "It can''t be helped, so I guess I''ll forgive you tonight ..." WIth a satisfied smile on her face, Angelina-san traveled to the world of dreams in no time. "Kent-sama, thank you very much. As for me, I will loosen my sister''s dress a bit and then return." "Umm, to help ... I don''t need to. Yup, I''ll return first." "Yes, I will come soon." Just kidding, it was a light joke, so it''s okay if you don''t stare at me like that. When I returned to the party venue, all the kids group who had woken up briefly had a crushing defeat. I assigned Mart and the others as caretakers so that they wouldn''t have to have trouble finding the toilet if they woke up before dawn. CH 223 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 223 New Year''s ceremony ***---*** On the morning of New Year''s Day, it was better to have a solemn Japanese style. On the morning of New Year''s Day, the party room was filled with corpses. This was the result of continuing to drink even after the party started last night. Around the New Year, sofas and tables were added, and after alcohol and simple snacks were added, the waitstaff disappeared. Perhaps, we won''t bother you from here on out, so you guys can do what you want, it must have been like that. One by one, the participants who continued to drink were passed out and rolled on a sofa. Baldini had disappeared before I knew it, and Augusto-san also withdrew to his room on the way. Yuika and Manon seemed to be staying in Riche''s room, and I tried to go with them, but Klaus-san grabbed me and made me drink. I wanted to have a ''mufufu'' time with the three of them and see the first dream of the year alongside them, how cruel. Tadao-san was also there, but he was in a rather sluggish state, and I got the feeling he Around that time, my memory began to blur, and when I woke up, I had fallen deeply asleep sitting superficially on the sofa. "Nuaah, my neck ... My head ... My voice ..." [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, you drank a lot last night. ] "Ahh, Reinhardt, don''t raise your voice too loudly, it will resound in my head ..." [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be easier if you applied self-healing? ] "Ahh, maybe so ..." After taking a deep breath, I applied self-healing magic to my whole body, and the pain in my neck and the discomfort of my hangover went away. Yup, self-healing is the best, if I could use this power in perfect condition even in Japan, I feel like I could work as a salaryman. "Ahh, that''s more comfortable." [ Kent-sama, can you get up? ] "Yup, what time is it now?" [ It''s still early in the morning, there is still some time before noon. ] "Then, I''ll get dressed first, and then prepare to go to Aldaros." Klaus-san, the host of the party, and Donovan-san, who was unusually drunk, seemed to be in a stupor, so I left a note. By the way, before leaving the mansion after eating the leftovers, I looked into Beatriche''s room and found that the three of them were sleeping together on the same bed. Beatriche was sleeping in the center, and Yuika and Manon were sleeping on both sides. Everyone stayed up quite late, so let''s let them sleep a little longer. Or rather, I also wanted to greet the morning here. I returned to the boarding house in the shadows, washed up, and changed into my normal clothes. [ Kent-sama, are you going to Aldaros? ] "Before that, let''s stop by the Devil''s Forest training ground." [ Do you need to do something. ] "Yup, I''ve used up all my spear golems, so I''m thinking of replenishing them." In the series of battles between the Gigases and the Hydra, most of the large, medium, and small spear golems had been used up. I didn''t think there would be many opponents who I would need to use the Spear of Condemnation against, but it was meaningless if I couldn''t use it in an emergency. When I lightly moved my body at the training ground, my head also began to start working. "Speaking of which, is the temporary wall of the royal castle completed?" [ Of course. It has already been completed and the magic of hardening was also applied. Unless it''s an earth-attribute magician, it should take a considerable amount of time to destroy it. ] "Everyone, you did your best. Alright, come here!" After being mobbed by everyone in the Kobold Corps, I made a variety of spear golems and had the Kobolds and Zeta-tachi apply hardening magic to them. I also exchanged New Year''s greetings with Zae-tachi who gathered in full force. "Everyone, a Happy New Year to you all." "We are always at My King''s side. Command us at any time." "Thank you, I hope you''ll accompany me to the royal capital soon. I want to prepare for an attack." "As you command, My King." I asked Basten and Fred, who had been asked to monitor Shiron and Kuujo to return. "Basten, Fred, a Happy New Year to you." [ Happy New Year, Kent-sama. ] [ This year, the year when Kent-sama rules Resenburg ... Happy New Year ... ] "No, no, I''m not going to be King. So, how are Shiron and Kuujo doing?" [ No movement at all. Just as Kent-sama predicted, the attack on the royal capital is the winning pick. ] [ They also have the strength of the knights ... We should concentrate on the royal capital ... ] "Is that so. Then, you two should come to the capital as well." I put the spear golems in the shadow storage and moved to the royal castle of Aldaros. The city of the royal capital was also decorated to celebrate the New Year just like Volzard, but perhaps because it was still early, there weren''t many people passing by. Before heading to Camilla''s room, let''s check if the security system we discussed is in place. The royal castle originally had four gates and drawbridges, but only two bridges had been lowered today. The bridge on one side was for entering the royal castle, and the other was for exiting, in other words, they are trying to make the flow of people one-way. There was a checkpoint about 500 meters before the bridge on the entrance side, and youths that were young boys and older, excluding female children, had their identities verified using guild cards. Not only that, there would be a further checkpoint just before the bridge, and they planned to pick up suspicious individuals and conduct detailed background checks. After crossing the bridge and passing through the gate, the route to the place where Camilla would give the greetings was decided, and walls had been built to prevent anyone from entering a place other than those that were designated. It seemed that patrols by knights had already been carried out, and they were keeping an eye on surveillance here and there. In a situation where the whereabouts of Havre Calvine could not be determined, and the dark-attribute magician who repeatedly attacked using the Undead had not been arrested, if it was said that there was a high possibility of an attack, it was only natural that the knights who had been outwitted so far would wait impatiently for their opportunity. As for Camilla, she was not in her own room in the inner palace, but in the room where the King did their work. A red coat and white riding breeches, polished black boots, a breastplate of shiny gold armor in the background, along with a pure white cloak was prepared. With a firm expression, Camilla seemed to be holding a final meeting with the leaders of the Knight Order, including Knight Commander Berdets. At the long table, five people were on each side of Camilla''s view, and each of the ten knights had a stern look on their face. Of course, they shouldn''t be drinking and relaxing, and they seemed to be having a detailed meeting. I put out a shield of darkness at a position facing Camilla across the table, and went out with Reinhardt and the others. The moment she saw me, Camilla sprang to her feet, and the knights all stood up at the same time. As Camilla circled the table, she walked quickly to me and then knelt and bowed her head. The knights also knelt and bowed their heads. "A Happy New Year to you, Maou-sama." "Happy New Year, Camilla. Is security in order?" "Ha!, thanks to you, we were able to secure the number of knights, and the temporary construction of the walls inside the royal castle were completed. Right now, we''re just doing the final confirmation." "It''s fine, keep checking." "Ha!, as you wish." I sat across the table from Camilla and asked After all the confirmation work, Camilla asked for my opinion. "Maou-sama, is there anything missing?" "Nope, I think it''s well planned." "Thank you very much. Then, could you say something to the knights?" "Ehh, from me?" "Yes, if you please." Guu, I didn''t expect this, but I couldn''t escape in this situation, could I. "Then, a few words. The security situation I was told was something that I felt was well thought out down to the smallest details, even though I don''t know much about the structure of the royal castle. If it were a normal opponent, I think this would be enough, but the opponent is that Havre Calvine. There is a high possibility of an attack that exceeds our expectations. I promise Camilla''s safety, so I want everyone to do their best to ensure the safety of the citizens. And today, I want you to face things with the intention of settling things with Havre. That''s it." The knights followed Camilla and rose to their feet, gave me a salute that made a loud sound, and then dispersed to their posts. I returned the Resenburg salute, but I don''t think it was conventional like Reinhardt and the others. The Knight Commander also left, leaving only us and Camilla in the room where the meeting was held. "I was able to see the security system inside and outside the castle, but it seems that preparations are complete." "Yes, but it''s the first security system, so it''s inevitable that unforeseen circumstances will occur." "That''s right. If you think that everything will go well, everything will go wrong." "Since Maou-sama has instructed us that unexpected situations might occur, the knights will also try to respond flexibly." "No, no, my words are like the nonsense of an outsider''s child ..." "Far from it. The turmoil at the Chamber of Proceedings the other day, and the repatriation technique that sent the knights to the royal castle. Currently, among the knights, Maou-sama is thought of as the guardian deity of the kingdom." That being said, it was probably only the knights who saw my actions directly, and there should still be resistance among the knights who hadn''t actually seen it. "Maa, I don''t care about my reputation, but do you have any idea where the all important Havre is?" "Yes, we receive a lot of information every day, but none of it is reliable, and it feels like the information itself is to confuse us." "If that''s the case, it might end in vain today as well, but don''t let your guard down." "Yes, umm ... Will Maou-sama give your protection today?" "Yup, I promised the knights too. I will be watching from the shadows until the citizens finish their visit." "Thank you very much. I am able to attend the ceremony with confidence, thanks to your unparalleled support." I approached Camilla, who bowed her head slightly, and hugged her. "Maou-sama ..." "I''m with you. You intend to unify the country of Resenburg, take countermeasures against desertification, and hand over the throne to Diethelm after you finish paying compensation to Japan, right?" "Yes, you are right." "Until then, I don''t think we''ll ever be able to marry each other, but as long as Camilla continues to be a King who cares about her people, I''ll support her, so don''t worry." "Maou-sama, thank you very much." I hugged Camilla, whose eyes were moist, even tighter. While the Citizens'' Visiting Ceremony was being held, I was going to be on standby near Camilla, but I didn''t feel comfortable doing it alone, so I asked Fred for assistance. Reinhardt would wait in a position overlooking the venue of the ceremony, and Basten was in a position overlooking the entrance gate. Also, I had Zae-tachi patrol the water moat surrounding the royal castle, which could not be covered by the knights. My genus were powerful, but from the point of view of the citizens of Aldaros, they probably wouldn''t be able to tell the difference from ordinary monsters, so their appearance could cause panic. I planned to thoroughly follow up from inconspicuous and invisible places. [ Kent-sama, citizens are starting to gather soon. ] "Has there been any confusion?" [ It seems to be fine for now, but it seems that there will be a little confusion during the time when the number of people increases. ] According to Camilla and the others, the security method had been changed, and it seemed that the citizens were notified that a guild card was required for adult males to enter, but since they were only just notified of this yesterday, there may be a conflict with those who visit without knowing it. Even those who arrived early and were able to enter the castle without any confusion seemed to be confused by the security, which had changed dramatically from previous years. As the time for the ceremony approached, the maids prepared Camilla''s clothes and hair. I intended to watch from the shadow space, but at Camilla''s request, I went outside until just before the ceremony and waited in a place where I could be seen. The maid who didn''t know the situation gave me a suspicious look, but when the maid who seemed to be familiar with the situation whispered into her ear, she gave me a meaningful look and nodded. Huh, I wonder what she said. [ As Princess Camilla''s lover ... The Maou who rules over Resenburg from the shadows ... ] [ No, no, lover you say ... Is it useless to say that? But, I have no intention of ruling Resenburg. ] [ But, even if Diethelm becomes King ... He can''t go against Kent-sama ... ] [ That may be true, but I have no intention of imposing unreasonable demands on him. ] [ A true King is ... A being who doesn''t make you feel like you''re being ruled ... That''s Kent-sama ... ] [ I don''t mean to do so, but I want the citizens of Resenburg to live in peace. ] [ That is enough ... I ask of you for Resenburg ... ] Even if the country had changed greatly from the time when they were alive, Fred still had feelings for his homeland. Furthermore, today was the first day of the New Year, and it was also the day Camilla declared her succession to the throne. I think it''s only natural to wish for things to become even a bit better for your home country. "Camilla-sama, it''s about time." "Alright, I''ll be right there." After giving a short reply to the Knight Commander who came to inform us of the time limit for the ceremony, Camilla stood up from her chair, asked the maid to put on her cloak, and walked over to me. Her eyes seemed determined, but the corners of her lips seemed to tremble. "Then, Maou-sama, let''s go." "Yup, I''ll be watching from the shadows." "Yes." I hugged her softly so as not to ruin her hair, and then hid in the shadows. The front yard where the ceremony was to be held was packed with so many citizens that there was almost no room to breathe. At first glance, it looked like there were more than 10,000 people. Between the balcony where Camilla would appear and the citizens, full-plate knights were lined up with drawn swords. While intimidating the citizens, they showed that they had no intention of wielding their swords. When the citizens entered the castle, it seemed that there was a dispute when it was crowded, but when the armed knights showed a resolute attitude, the citizens withdrew. In the usual security, the knights were lightly dressed, and a fully equipped knight like today seemed to have an intimidating effect just by their appearance. After passing through two checkpoints, the flow of people seemed to flow smoothly, although some were surprised by the changed look of the castle. Surprisingly, the King himself would not show up at the annual ceremony, and a body double would climb onto the balcony and wave to the citizens. If he didn''t say a word to the citizens and just waved his hand, it may be that there was no problem even if he wasn''t the person himself. The body double would disguise himself as fat, but he wasn''t so fat that it was difficult for him to walk like the King himself, so his complexion was perfectly healthy. For that reason, the gathered citizens let out a roar of surprise when Camilla appeared instead of the King. "Hey, isn''t that Camilla-sama." "That''s right, it''s Camilla-sama, but what happened to the King?" "The Princes aren''t in sight either, were the rumors true?" "But, what''s wrong with the King and the Princes?" "Calm down! Calm down! In a moment, Camilla-sama will give you a word, listen carefully!" When the knight who stood on the balcony raised his voice, the citizens who had gathered rather than being quiet, they roared loudly. Normally, even if the royal family appeared at New Year''s ceremonies, they wouldn''t say anything. With neither the King nor the Princes present, it would be impossible not to be surprised at the unprecedented situation in which only Camilla showed up, and, on top of that, spoke to the citizens. "Heey, calm down! Everyone, calm down!" Even though the knight''s face turned bright red and he yelled, the citizens'' roar did not seem to stop. "It''s fine, back down ..." Camilla, who stopped the knight from continuing to yell, continued walking to the front of the balcony, and moved her right hand from top to bottom, seeing this, the crowd closed their mouths and pricked up their ears. "I have something to say to everyone." Without shouting, without yelling, even so, Camilla''s words seemed to permeate every corner of the populace. "My father, King Alexis Resenburg, has passed away." With Camilla''s words, there was a breathtaking roar, but that also was suppressed by simply the movement of Camilla''s right hand. "Not only my Father, but also the First Prince, Alphonse, the Second Prince, Bernst, and the Third Prince, Christoph, died due to Havre Calvine''s machinations." Hearing that not only the King, but also three Princes died at the hands of the aristocrats, an incomparable roar spread. "What''s going on, not just the King, but also the Princes." "I also heard that there was a power struggle within the royal family." "What about the Fourth Prince, if I''m not mistaken, he''s Camilla-sama''s younger brother, right?" "Did she even kill her own brother to take the throne?" "Calm down! Camilla-sama is in the middle of speaking, calm down!" "It''s fine, I told you to back down ..." Camilla waited until the people had finished talking, then gestured several times to tell them to calm down. "At this time, without Father or my brothers, for Diethelm to carry the country on his back, he is still too young. Therefore, I will succeed the throne and rule Resenburg. Everyone''s anxiety is quite natural, but there is no need to worry about it. As long as this me is here, I will show you unprecedented prosperity and glory. Follow me!" When Camilla spread her hands as if she were flapping her pure white cloak, the crowd erupted in cheers that shook the ground. "Long live Queen Camilla! Long live the Kingdom of Resenburg!" "Glory to Queen Camilla! Glory to the Kingdom of Resenburg!" There probably were shills mixed in among the people and were inciting them, and at a time when most of the citizens were screaming feverishly. Zuuuuuun! Vibrations and explosions shook the air as they pushed up through the ground. CH 224 Havre''s trump card ***---*** The cheers that erupted at Camilla''s succession to the throne turned into screams and roars in an instant. Black smoke was rising from the other side of the building with the people on the other side of the balcony where Camilla was standing. "Don''t panic! Don''t move recklessly, stay where you are!" Camilla raised her voice, but the public commotion didn''t seem to stop. [ Kent-sama, the checkpoint is being attacked. The knights were blown away with magic that I have never seen before. ] "My King, a horde of Zombies is coming up from the moat." As Basten and Zae reported, it seemed that they attacked from the front. "Zae-tachi clear the moat of Zombies, and Basten guide me to the attack site. Camilla!" I called out to Camilla from the back of the balcony, which the citizens couldn''t see. "Maou-sama, what is it?" "I''m going to check on the situation, I''ll leave Fred as your escort, so don''t let anyone other than the Knight Commander come near. The report can be heard even if we''re far away, is that fine." "Ha!, as you wish." Zuuuuuuuun! As soon as Camilla bowed her head, the sound of an explosion resounded again. "Maou-sama, what is that sound?" "Probably, Havre got some explosives." "What are explosives?" "A chemical invented in the Republic of Kilia that generates strong energy when instantly combusted." "The Republic of Kilia, instantly combusted ... energy you say?" "In any case, think of it as a dangerous thing, so Camilla should go to the back of the building and let the knights guide the people ..." "Nope, even if it''s an order from Maou-sama, I can''t follow those instructions." "Are you going to take the lead?" "Yes, I can''t just put the people in danger and stay in a safe place alone." As a member of the Royal Family, it was a respectable attitude, but to be honest, considering the side of the escort, it was nothing more than a nuisance. However, there was a determination in Camilla''s eyes that she was unlikely to move even if forced. "It can''t be helped ... Knight Commander!" "You called for me, Maou-sama." "Keep people out of Camilla''s vicinity, and create a system to protect her from those around her. I''ll have my genus protect from the inside." "As you command." "Fred, don''t let anyone carelessly approach Camilla." [ Roger ... Leave it to me ... ] "Nero, keep an eye on the surroundings from within the shadows, and slash anyone who tries to attack from above." "Leave it to me, nya." "Camilla should give instructions from a place away from the people, since Camilla is being targeted, the people will be in danger if they get close." "Yes, as you wish." I left Camilla''s escort to Fred and Nero, and I moved with Basten to the attack site. Zudooooooon! As soon as I peered out of the shadows, a third explosion sounded. The knights who had drawn a defensive line in front of the bridge were blown away and flew into the air. The first checkpoint, which was set up in front of the bridge, was blown away without a trace, and a small crater was formed on the ground. On the other side, a horde of Zombies were wriggling as if filling the road. [ Kent-sama, several bodies from that group of Zombies came running in a mass and suddenly activated an unknown magic in front of the knights. ] "That''s not magic, it''s the explosion of explosives." [ Kent-sama, it''s that. ] A group of about 10 Zombies were running towards where Basten was pointing. On of them held something like a small barrel. The inside of it must be explosives, that is, gunpowder. I didn''t expect it at all, but I guess this was Havre''s trump card. "Here they come again! Magician''s attack!" The knights on the defensive side shot off attack magic, but even if the Zombies running in front were defeated, the ones coming from behind would step on the flesh of their comrades and move forwards without showing any signs of stopping. If they rushed the knights at this rate, there would be more damage. Aiming at the barrel from the shadows, I fired a light-attribute attack magic. Zugaaaaaan! When the explosives inside the barrel ignited, around ten Zombies turned into bones and pieces of meat and were blown away. Anyway, aren''t the Zombies too fast? They came running fast. When you say Zombies, Ah~h ... or, Uh~h ... while groaning, I had the image of them walking around, but they''re too fast, aren''t they. Zombies overflowing from the direction of the city also fell into the water moats. It may be that they wanted to swim across the moat and climb the wall to enter the castle, but as soon as they fell, they were chopped up and turned into pieces of meat and drifted away. Even if the Zombies were able to move faster than I expected, they wouldn''t be able to match Zae and the others in the water. I found a small barrel floating in the water moat, so I used summoning to bring it closer to me. [ Kent-sama, it''s dangerous. ] "It''ll be fine as long as it doesn''t get too close to a fire. However, that Havre, to think he even got a hold of explosives." While I was talking with Basten, another group of Zombies started running towards the knights. Of course, I had no intention of letting them reach the knights, so I shot light-attribute attack magic into the barrel filled with explosives and blew them away. The Zombies running in front acted as a shield, and when they reached the knights, they somehow set fire to self-destruct. Because Zombies that were originally corpses were used, even if they self-destructed, the attacking side wouldn''t feel any pain even so much as an itch. It was possible that the Republic of Kilia used the same tactics in their fight against the Jogesen Empire. "Basten, there must be someone handing explosives to the Zombies, so go find them." [ Roger that. ] Even after Basten was sent out, a group of Zombies with explosives came running out of nowhere. This time, they were so clumped together that I couldn''t see the barrel from the outside, but I fired light-attribute attack magic regardless. Originally light-attribute magic was extremely effective against the Undead, so it easily penetrated the Zombies and ignited the explosives. Zudoooooon! The knights holding up their large shields weren''t directly damaged by the explosion, but the Zombie flesh rained down, and the surroundings became in a terrible state. Another group of Zombies advanced, this time in a larger mass. It wasn''t as quick as it was before, but I was worried about whether attack magic would work. So, I used the repatriation technique to send the barrel directly above the group of Zombies, aiming for the moment it fell on top of the Zombies and shot through it.(TN:If it was in the moat, wasn''t the gunpowder in the barrel wet?) Zudoooooon! Twice as many explosives as before blew up all at once, so the ground was gouged out with an even louder sound. The knights who were hit by the blast were also knocked over, but they were wearing full-plate armor, so they should be fine. When I turned my eyes in the direction of the group of Zombies, the Zombies behind them were also blown away, and their advance seemed to be stalled. [ Kent-sama, I found them. ] "Guide me there." Basten guided me to a merchant''s warehouse, where small barrels were piled up. Several burly men with black cloth over their mouths and their heads were on the lookout around the barrels. The warehouse faced a back street, and it was overflowing with Zombies. The person who was handing the barrels to the Zombies was a strange-looking woman. Her dark hair was intricately braided in fine braids like those of a reggae musician. She wore a bright green and yellow geometric national dress, and even her face was painted with the same pattern as her clothes in blue-black dye. The woman holding a short wand that looked like a baton was probably a dark-attribute magician hired by Havre. [ Basten, what is that pattern? ] [ I don''t know, but I wonder if it''s something magical ... ] [ To even put makeup on your face ... ] [ Kent-sama, that is probably a tattoo. ] [ Ehh, do you put a tattoo on your face? ] When Basten told me to take a closer look, perhaps because of the booster, the woman''s forehead was glistening with beads of sweat, and although she occasionally wiped it with her arm, the pattern didn''t seem to blur. While I was fascinated by the strange appearance of the dark-attribute magician, a man ran down from the second floor of the warehouse. "Damn, you have to protect them more carefully." "Any more than this, it''s difficult." "Idiot, why don''t you just let the Zombies hold the barrels and be carried by Zombies. Hurry up!" After being instructed by the man, the magician chanted and handed the barrel to a Zombie. A single Zombie curled up with the barrel, and another Zombie carried it onto the main street. [ Kent-sama, what should we do. ] [ For the time being, let''s blow away the ones that just left, and then deal with the barrels over here. ] From the shadow of the ramparts overlooking the road along the moat where the Zombies were advancing, I aimed at the Zombies holding the barrels. Because I shot them before they left the Zombie horde, the surrounding Zombies were also caught up and became pieces of meat. [ Kent-sama, do you want to blow up the rest of the barrels as well? ] [ No good, no good, if that amount explodes all at once in the city, it will be a catastrophe. ] [ Then, what should we do? ] [ I''ll take all of them to the shadow storage with my summoning technique. ] When I returned to the warehouse, I saw another man running down from the second floor. [ That''s no good, that''s no good. You need to protect them better. Or rather, don''t let the Zombies accidentally explode, right?" "I won''t do that. There''s no way I can do that in my position." "Is that true?" "I''m not lying. I can''t lie." "Tch, you''re useless ... Okay, five at a time this time, in the same way as the first time, have them rush at once!" I only heard a little about it, but it seemed that the dark-attribute magician was more threatened rather than hired. Even so, five barrels at a time would be troublesome, so I''ll take the remaining barrels." [ Summon ... ] The dozen or so barrels filled with explosives all moved into the shadow space. "They''re gone! What''s going on." "Where, where did they go! Was it you bastard?" "It''s different, I didn''t do anything." "If that''s the case, why did the barrels disappear!" "Ah~ ... I took the explosive barrels." After confirming that there were no people left on the second floor of the warehouse, I called out to them from the top of the stairs, and all the men''s gazes gathered at once. "Bastard, where did you enter from." "Umm, about there, it somewhat feels like ..." "Bastard, don''t look down on me! Who are you!" "Haa ... There''s only one kid who would get in the way of Havre, isn''t there. Why don''t you use your head a little?" "Bastard ... Maou, is it?" The masked men unsheathed the daggers hanging from their waists all at once. Gasha gasha~~n! "You''re kidding me ..." "How is that ..." Aiming at the tips of the daggers, I summoned them one after another. The masked men groaned when they saw the tips of their blades falling on the stairs with a loud noise, leaving only the handles in their hands. "Basten, beat them up enough that they won''t die." [ Roger that. ] When Basten came out of the shadows and moved like a gale, the masked men were slammed into the walls of the warehouse one after another and fell silent. Only the dark-attribute magician remained. "Now, what are you going to do?" "I have no intention of resisting, you and I are on completely different levels." "Then, can you get the Zombies out of town?" "Alright. I''ll follow your instructions ..." "It looks like there''s something you want to say." The dark-attribute magician hesitated a little before opening her mouth. "Though you''re not obligated to do as I ask, can you help me save my brother?" "Your brother, where is he?" "He should be with Havre, in the castle." "Inside the castle? How did Havre enter the castle." "Havre never left the royal castle, he pretended to run away and hid inside the castle." "Basten, please stay here, I will return to the castle!" [ As you wish. ] It was almost at the same time that I returned to the royal castle that the building facing the front yard was blown up. From the third floor where the explosion occurred, a large amount of debris rained down on the gathered citizens. I immediately spread a shield of darkness and sent the blast and debris to the training ground via the shadow space, but it seemed that some people were injured due to fragments of the wall that I didn''t intercept in time. "Camilla! Are you okay!" "Yes, I''m fine, but the citizens ..." "Listen! Foolish people!" It was Havre Calvine who raised his voice to the crowd, interrupting Camilla''s voice. To my surprise, he emerged from the building protected by about five knights and stepped into the crowd. He should have been in hiding, but his clothes and hair were neatly arranged, and he didn''t look haggard. "My name is Havre Calvine. I am the one who will save this Resenburg from the tyranny of the Royal Family. You are being deceived by the Resenburg Royal Family." Some people had dissatisfied expressions, but they were overwhelmed by the power of Havre, who led the rough men in the mines, and kept their mouths shut. "Only this royal capital has escaped heavy taxes, but you know how much the surrounding territories suffer from heavy taxes. In the western territory, you probably know that there are people who starve to death every year. Don''t you know that the eastern territories are suffering from monster attacks! All of this is the result of the tyranny and incompetence of the Royal Family. At this rate, Resenburg will be attacked by Barshania, and it won''t be long before it becomes a vassal state. Even if the King leading it has changed completely, fools with the same bloodline will not be able to let you survive this national crisis. That''s why I stood up, even if I was deprived of my status as a noble, even if my territory was taken away, even if my life was taken away, I absolutely cannot allow the Royal Family''s tyranny!" Havre waved his right hand quickly as he shouted out his arbitrary reasoning. Then, the knights who were guarding stepped away from Havre and stepped into the crowd. The knights were carrying barrels that were probably filled with explosives. "Everyone, don''t move! These barrels are filled with special chemicals made by the Republic of Kilia. If you pour magic into the lid, it will be like that." The spot pointed at by Havre was the building of the royal castle that was destroyed mercilessly after being blown up. There was a large hole in the wall, and the surrounding window frames were also messy. "If we blow up the chemical here, the gathered people will be blown to pieces. Camilla Resenburg, if you want to save the lives of the people, you must end your life here or swear in front of the people that you will become my wife." Havre looked decent when he appeared, but as he spoke louder, his eyes became strange. The fact that he looked the same as Nakagawa-sensei the other day shouldn''t just be my imagination. There were five knights who were aiding with Havre, all holding barrels in both hands above their heads and stepping into the seated crowd. In addition, a boy about the same age as me was kneeling at Havre''s feet with a barrel on his back. Perhaps, this boy was the younger brother of the dark-attribute magician. "What''s wrong, Camilla Resenburg. Answer me!" I whispered to Camilla, who gave me a questioning glance, to extend the talk, and when I was about to hide in the shadows, Havre raised his voice. "Oops, don''t do weird tricks. Besides, the Demon King kid should be there. Show yourself!" I nodded back, and Camilla jumped to her feet, and she stepped to the edge of the balcony without showing any emotion. After that, walking as if to obey, I checked the positions of the knights. The people had left the area around Havre, and only the boy was kneeling. Reinhardt called out to me from the shadows. [ Kent-sama, shall I decapitate him with a single blow? ] "Nope, don''t make a move yet." [ Do you have an idea? ] "Yup, just a minute." Camilla stood at the edge of the balcony, and she spoke poignantly. "Havre Calvine, you great sinner who colluded with Barshania to try to take over the country. You have finally shown up. You were running around the royal castle like an insect, but you''re dressed neatly, so you must be fully prepared to be executed." "Fuhahaha, I don''t hate strong-minded women. I''ll train you until you''re fully obedient." "If you spout such nonsense, you''ll only have a painful experience again." "Fuunh, who''s the one who''s going to have a painful experience? Knight Commander, kill the kid, otherwise the people will lose their lives." In his own way, he must have used the explosives he had obtained to try to turn things around, but for some reason, it seemed that various plans had failed. It was true that the progeny knights were holding up barrels of explosives, but if the nearest knight''s barrel exploded, Havre wouldn''t be able to get away unscathed. Above all else, if the barrel carried by the boy at his feet exploded, he would be blown to pieces. "What''s wrong, Knight Commander, kill the kid!'' The Knight Commander was unable to move with a bewildered expression on his face. I didn''t know whether or not he wanted to kill me, but from a position that couldn''t be seen from Havre, in my shadow, Fred was poised with his twin swords. "Umm, can I have a moment, Havre-san." "What is it, brat. Are you going to summon a monster again? If you show signs of doing so, it''s going to be a bang." Havre threatened by placing his right hand on the lid of the barrel the boy was carrying. "No, no, I would like to ask you a question, have you been inside the royal castle all this time?'' "What''s wrong with that. It was ridiculous to see those people who were confused thinking that I had escaped." "Is that so, be honest, who was protecting you?" "Fuun, do you really think I''m going to reveal that? Ridiculous." "If you don''t tell me, I guess I have no choice but to stubbornly ask." "I, do you think I will speak easily?" "No, I don''t think so ... But, you''re a little far away, so should we talk a little closer?" "Haa? What are you saying ..." "Summon!" While talking, I carefully checked the position, set the range, and summoned Havre to the balcony, but left the right hand that protruded from the range. Following that, the five barrels held by the knights were also summoned. It was charming that I summoned their wrists as well. "Ugaaaa, my hand ... Wh, what''s going on. You, what have you done!" "I won''t mess up this time." Accelerating by adding wind attribute magic to the magic of body strengthening, I hit a left hook that strengthened my bones and skin firmly into the flank of Havre, and pushed up the right uppercut towards the falling jaw. Havre, whose toes seemed to float up, fell down with a bang. There might be questions for him, so I cast healing magic on the amputated part of his right arm to stop his bleeding. In the front yard, the knights who had lost their wrists with the barrels were being beaten up by the crowd. "Reinhardt, protect the boy." [ Got it! ] Citizens were also crowding around the boy who was forced to carry the barrel, but when Reinhardt suddenly appeared from the shadows, they screamed and retreated. "Don''t panic! That Skeleton is Maou-sama''s genus. Don''t worry, they won''t harm you!" "I won''t let you, nya!" Almost at the same time as Camilla raised her voice to the people who were surprised by Reinhardt, Nero jumped out of the shadows and swung its front legs. The blades of wind shot from Nero''s claws broke the arrows shot at Camilla, and even cut through the soldiers holding their bows in the opposite building. "Calm down! This Storm Cat is also a genus of Maou-sama. It won''t harm innocent people. Don''t worry!" Seeing Camilla approach Nero herself, the panicked populace regained their composure. CH 225 The time to become King ***---*** Pretending to have escaped, he stayed in the royal castle and continued his life without being found by the knights. He even enlisted several kingdom knights to cooperate with him in his own coup. Even though the Resenburg Royal Family''s system was in a state of disrepair, it seemed that Havre Calvine had built up power behind the royal castle beyond all expectations. "As you can see, Havre Calvine and his crew have been apprehended. Havre is a major criminal who plotted to take over the Kingdom of Resenburg and assassinated my father and brothers. After rigorously investigating whether there are any further collaborators, he will be sentenced to death. With this, the enemies of Resenburg are wiped out. From now on, the people will unite as one, overcome the national crisis, and achieve unprecedented prosperity!" "Long live Camilla-sama! Glory to the Kingdom of Resenburg!" Camilla, standing on the balcony with Nero under her command, proclaimed loudly, and the gathered people went wild again. While the public''s eyes were focused on Camilla, I protected the boy who seemed to be the younger brother of the dark-attribute magician, and entrusted him to the Knight Commander along with Havre, who was tied up. "Knight Commander, I believe this boy is the younger brother of the dark-attribute magician who was being held hostage by Havre. In a short while, I will hand over the magician in question to the knights, so please take care of the rest." "Understood. Even so, this barrel is ..." "I will collect and dispose of the barrels. I will make time to explain the contents at a later time." "I kindly request of you." I left Hart and Fred as Camilla''s escorts and joined Basten. In the warehouse where the barrels of explosives were piled up, the cloth that covered their faces was stripped off, and the strong men who were tied up were lying on the ground. The dark-attribute magician was standing silently by the wall. "Basten, is there no problem here?" [ Yes, there seems to be none of Havre''s minions other than those who are tied up. ] "Got it. I''ll hand these guys over to the knights, but before that ... I protected your brother." As soon as she heard that her brother was safe, a smile appeared on the magician''s face, which had been expressionless until then. "Thank you ... But, why are you so kind to me?" "Hmm ... I wonder why it is, maybe because we''re magicians of the same dark attribute." "But, you and I are at different levels as magicians." "I don''t know your level, but it seems there are various circumstances." "I see, by the way, what will happen to my brother?" "I protected him and entrusted him to the Knight Commander, but he won''t be charged with a crime." "Is that so ... Then, I don''t have any regrets ..." "Ehh, I won''t allow you to commit suicide." "I have no intention of killing myself. But, I don''t think I can escape the death penalty for committing so many crimes." ''But, wasn''t that because Havre took your brother hostage and threatened you?" "Even so, it doesn''t change the fact that I committed a crime." When I glanced at him, Basten nodded back. [ From what I''ve seen, quite a few knights were killed in that attack. Besides, this is also treason against the country, so even considering the circumstances, I don''t know if she can escape the death sentence ... ] [ I see ... Got it. ] Treason against the nation in this world was a serious crime that could not be compared to Japan. I could understand it in my head, but my emotions couldn''t understand it. "Could it be, are you able to talk to that Skeleton?" "Ehh? Yup, he can''t speak, so it''s just telepathy. Basten was a knight of the kingdom." "Wait, does that Skeleton have its own memories and intentions?" "My genus all have their own intentions and are helping me, but ..." "Ahh ... What can I say. There is a magician who has mastered the dark attribute in front of me, but I''m going to die without knowing the depths of it ..." The dark-attribute mage, who had a philosophical attitude until now, looked down and her body trembled a little. It was difficult to read her facial expression due to the intricate pattern of the tattoo, but I was sure it wasn''t sweat dripping from her slender chin. "Basten, I''m going to call the knights." [ Roger that, Kent-sama. ] When I dived into the shadows and moved from the warehouse to the main street, I saw a large number of knights moving around. If it was a low-ranking knight, they would be confused, so when I searched for someone I knew, my eyes caught a knight who was giving instructions while riding a horse. If I remembered correctly, he was one of the knights who had a meeting with Camilla together with the Knight Commander before the ceremony. I chose a place that was visible to the knight, but away form the other knights, and emerged from the shield of darkness. "I have restrained Havre''s minions, can you come pick them up?" "You are, Maou-sama ... I will go with you, can you guide me?" "Of course, if you please." The knight dismounted and left his horse with his men and summoned about five other knights. "Then, if you please. How many of Havre''s minions are there?" "Seven or eight men with good physiques, and one dark-attribute magician." "Was the dark-attribute magician also captured?" "To say captured, it looks like she was threatened by Havre." While guiding the knights to the warehouse, I talked about the explosives, the attack method, and the dark-attribute magician. When the knights arrived at the warehouse, they saw Basten''s appearance and put their hands on their swords all at once, but they were surprised when he returned the Resenburg-style salute and they let their guards down. "Basten is my genus, and he was a knight of Resenburg during his lifetime, so it''s okay." "Could it be, one of the three loyal retainers ..." "Right, right, so don''t worry." Havre''s men were roused up and taken away, as Basten had tied them up in ropes for easy retrieval. Only the dark-attribute magician remained. "I didn''t think it would be a woman ..." "Because of this person ..." "I''ll give you plenty of pain and make you confess everything." Because she was the one who stole many of their companions'' lives, the knights'' gazes at the dark-attribute magician contained a sense of hatred. As they said, after being taken away, it seemed that torture called interrogation awaited. "I will personally interrogate this woman, so keep her separate from the others. The tattoos on her face seem to have some magical meaning, so in order not to make any more sacrifices, do not make careless contact. Got it?" As soon as they heard about the tattoo, all the knights who were close to us retreated. Of course, they didn''t need to worry about that, but it was to prevent the knights from being violent. "Regardless of the fact that she was threatened, she was the magician that Havre Calvine used as a trump card. Because she must have information that is needed to be heard, don''t let your guard down and handle her carefully so that it doesn''t end up in a situation like escape, suicide, or getting sick and dying." "Understood, Maou-sama." I handed over the dark-attribute magician and Havre''s minions, then returned to the royal castle. After finishing the ceremony in the front yard, Camilla returned to her waiting room and received a report from the Knight Commander. It seemed that the gathered people were also quietly leaving through the gate on the exit side. "The ceremony is over, Camilla." "Maou-sama, yes, I was able to finish it somehow, this is also thanks to Maou-sama''s help, thank you very much." "How are the civilians injuries?" "Yes, there are people who were hit by large pieces and broke their bones, but fortunately no one was injured in a life-threatening manner." "That''s wonderful. Just now, I handed over Havre''s minions and the dark-attribute magician to the knights." "Have you captured the magician?" "Yup, I caught her ... Apparently, she was threatened by Havre." I explained to Camilla how I stopped the explosive attack, located the hideout, captured them, and handed them over to the knights. "There was a tattoo on their face ...?" "Right, at first I thought she was wearing makeup with that kind of pattern. Have you ever heard of that kind of custom?" "Tattoos on the face ..." "Is it alright, Maou-sama." While Camilla was thinking, the Knight Commander asked to speak. "Do you know something?" "I have only heard rumors, but I have heard that there are tribes with such customs in the mountains of the Felciane Empire, further west of Barshania. I''ve heard that they''re a kind of so-called shaman, a kind of necromancer, but they''re also a dark-attribute magician, so maybe ..." "I see, the explosives were made in the Republic of Kilia beyond that, so it might be related." "What, did they come from Kilia? In that case, I have to investigate how Havre brought them in." "That''s true, but did you figure out how Havre was able to live in the royal castle?" "It''s not clear yet, but the knights who followed Havre, although it''s a shameful story, seem to have been stuck in debt." According to what the knights, who had given up after losing both hands, confessed, it seems they were forced into a situation where they had no choice but to listen to what they were told, as they had snowballed the debts they had made through gambling and playing with women in brothels. In the first place, the gambling and playing with women that caused the debts, it seemed that Havre had a hand in causing them, and it seemed that they were targeted as knights with many openings from the beginning. Somehow, it really was a country that was beyond useless in various ways. Maa, it seemed that Japanese government offices were also corrupt and hid things that were inconvenient, so I couldn''t say much about other people. "Anyway, we''ve captured the ringleader, Havre, so don''t let him escape this time." "As expected, the knights of the Kingdom of Resenburg cannot tolerate any more abominations. We will put in place a strict security system and take all possible measures." "That''s right, about the captured dark-attribute magician, since I think that if the booster runs out, she won''t be able to move, please let someone take care of her. I''ll ask about the situation after she is able to move." "As you command." "Then Camilla, I will return to Volzard, so I will leave the rest to you." "Ha!, as you wish." "As for me, I don''t know anything about Resenburg, and I don''t know anything about the ceremony of succession to the throne. But Camilla, today, in your own words, you declared to the people that you would become King, from now on, as the King, I want you to behave in a way that you will not be ashamed of." "Yes, thinking of the people, as a King who cares about their country, I vow to do my best not to be shameful." "Knight Commander, I''m asking you to assist Camilla." "Ha!, I certainly accept it." I dived into the shadow space while being sent off by the two who were on their knees with bowed heads. "Reinhardt, I think it''s fine, but have a Kobold watch over Havre." [ Understood. Even if you captured him, you won''t let your guard down, as expected of Maou Kent Kokubu-sama. ] "Because, it would be troublesome if he escaped again." [ Buhahaha, you''re right. I am also tired of being Havre''s opponent. ] "Also, have Zae-tachi withdraw as well." [ As you wish. ] When I returned to Volzard, the trio of Yuika, Manon, and Beatriche, had spread out the sheets in the courtyard of the Guest House, and Mio-chan, Meisa-chan, and Hamill were spending time with the Kobolds. It was a bit late as the Aldaros riot had dragged on, but it seemed that this situation was being demanded. Now, first, let''s get everyone out before me. "Nya~, recently Goshujin-sama, is using this cat harshly, nya, it feels like something like that, nya." "I will gladly come if it is the order of Nushi-dono." "Zeta is so serious, nya." While spewing such things, Nero slipped out of the shield of darkness. "I kept you waiting, nya, Nero worked a lot, nya, so I will relax in the sun, nya." "As for us, it''s nice to meet you." "Now, what shall we play." "Of course, it''s fine if you pet me." While Meisa-chan and Mio-chan jumped at Nero and the others with high pitched cheers, Hamill clung to Manon with a pale face. Maa, it might not be unreasonable after seeing them for the first time. "I''m sorry I''m late." "Welcome home, Kento. Good work." "Welcome home, Kent-sama!" "Welcome home, Kent ..." "Ahh, it''s fine as it is, Manon. I''m home." After hugging Yuika and Beatriche who greeted me, I approached Manon who was being clung to by Hamill and gently hugged her. "Hamill, you don''t have to be afraid because everyone is my genus." "Sh, shut up! I, it''s not like I''m scared, so go away." "Yup, that''s fine, but why doesn''t Hamill play with them too?" "Sh, shut up! I, I''m taking a break right now." "Yes, yes, I understand." It seemed that Hamill had no strength to stand up. On the other hand, Meisa-chan and Mio-chan were running around with Zeta-tachi. Nero ... He was really taking a nap, but he didn''t work much today. "Kento, has the Resenburg mess been settled?" "Hmm ... Tentatively, I captured the mastermind Havre, but it seems like there are still collaborators, so I guess it''s not completely settled." "Kent-sama, have you finished your lunch?" "Ah! ... I haven''t eaten." "We have sandwiches here, so please enjoy them." "Thank you, I''m hungry." "Kento, you have to wash your hands properly before doing anything!" "Uuh, it''s troublesome to go to the well ..." Using water-attribute magic, I put out a water ball about 30cm and washed my hands, then used wind-attribute magic to blow away the water droplets. Yup, it''s really convenient to have all the attributes. "Haa ... I feel like Kento is getting lazy." "Eeehhh, forgive me for this much. But, if I go back to Japan, I''m confident that I could live my life without stepping out of the kotatsu." "Mou, don''t do that, seriously." "It''s okay. In the first place, I don''t get the feeling I can be that relaxed ..." "Kent-sama, if that''s the case, please take it easy for now." "That''s right, let''s take it easy." Beatriche and Yuika held me by the arms ... Oops, it''s bad, I''m being glared at by Manon-chan. Hey, Hamill, who seems to be indefinitely unable to stand up, don''t be shy and go play. "Riche, what is Klaus-san doing?" "Papa is ... He''s useless for about three days in the New Year." "Maybe, is it alcohol?" "Yes, he''s groaning with a hangover right now, but he''ll drink again at dinner, and tomorrow he''ll have a repeat hangover." "So, does Marianne-san no longer stay silent on the fourth day?" "That''s right. Kent-sama, do you need something?" "Yup, but it''s not urgent, so I''ll come back after the fourth day." "Then, I''ll tell him when I see him." "Yup, please." It would be better to hear that the explosives from the Republic of Kilia came to Resenburg, albeit through the help of Havre. Depending on the situation, it may be better to bring the collected explosives to Japan and have them analyze the performance of the explosives. Currently, giving them to Undead to hold and self-destruct was an unimaginable way to use it on Earth, but I felt it was only a matter of time before they started using guns and cannons. In a world of swords and magic, cannons and guns would be unromantic. I wondered if Kilia would be destroyed by raining ''Spears of Condemnation'' ... But, I won''t do it. In the sunny courtyard, the building blocked the seasonal wind from the west, making it a warm and comfortable space. Nero was curled up in the sun and taking a good nap, but when Meisa-chan and Mio-chan got in the way from time to time hugging him, he chased them away with is tail. Contrary to Nero, Zeta, Eta, and Theta seemed to actively try to play together, giving them a dog-like feel. At first, Hamill was frightened, but now he was running around with Meisa-chan and Mio-chan. No matter what you say, you are in quite a delicious position. "Uu~h ... I''m the only left out, everyone''s a bad child." Appearing while groaning, Angelina-san was wearing a thick turtleneck knit and woolen skirt, with her right hand on her temple and a slightly pale face. it went without saying that this was a hangover. "Uu~h ... Kent, I feel sick ..." "Uuh, Ange-oneechan, you smell like alcohol ..." The smell of alcohol still wafted from Angelina-san, who hugged me after walking over on unsteady steps. If she couldn''t drink until this time, her tolerance for alcohol was probably pretty weak. Angelina-san, who hugged me from the front, was exhausted with her head on my shoulder. "Hey, Ange-oneechan?" "Yup, yup, you called me Onee-chan properly, Kent is cute." "No, hey ... Fuguu ..." Angelina-san put my head on her chest and started stroking it. Fuwaa, it''s dangerous, it''s so soft that it really looks like I''m going to rise to the heavens. It couldn''t be helped, so I cast healing magic on Angelina-san while being held in her arms. "Fuee ... Eeehhh, lies, what''s going on?" "Ange-oneechan, you drank too much. You don''t normally drink much, do you? Don''t drink too much." "By any chance, Kent cast healing magic on me?" "You had a bad hangover." "Mou, thank you! Kent, I love you!" "Fugua ... Muguu ..." "Wait, Onee-sama, if you''ve recovered from your hangover, please get away from Kent-sama." "Eeehhh, why is that? If we''re going to be brother and sister, isn''t physical contact important?" "Fuguuu ... Muguu, Fugaaa ..." "Look, Kent too, says it''s right." "Onee-sama!" Beatriche, Yuika, and Manon were puffing out their cheeks in anger, but I think Angelina-san''s natural airheadedness is good ... Yes, I''m sorry. Hey, I''m not the one who''s bad this time. I can''t just push her away ... Yes, I''ll be quiet. But, if this became an annual event, then Volzard would be the best. CH 226 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 226 Preparations for the feast ***---*** I sent Manon, Noela-san, and Hamill home, and then went back to the boarding house with Amanda-san and Meisa-chan. "Kent, don''t you want to eat dinner?" "Yes, I''m going to Barshania for a while, so dinner will be their treat over there." "Barshania is it ... If a normal person said that, I''d think they were crazy, but in Kent''s case, it''s true, so it''s shocking." "Hey, hey, Kent, are you going with all the mofumofu?" "Hmm ... That''s what I was planning, but well, Barshania doesn''t seem to be in danger, so I wonder if Mart-tachi can stay here." "Really? Yippee~! I love Kent." Meisa-chan was hugging me with a big smile on her face, but it''s Mart and the others that Meisa-chan loves. Mart and the others seemed a little dissatisfied when they heard they were house-sitting, but when I asked them to protect the boarding house, they reluctantly agreed. "Kent, is it okay to dress like that when you go to Barshania?" "Ehh, yes, it seems that they want me to come in casual clothes, and they will prepare a change of clothes over there." "I see, if that''s the case then it''s fine, but the other party is the Imperial Family of Barshania, right? Don''t be too discourteous." "Yes, I will be very careful." Well, I''ve said quite rude things before. As my bodyguards, I asked the Kobold Corps scattered in the northeastern part of Resenburg to act as liaisons in preparation for the attack by the dark-attribute magician to return. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone." "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me." After being crushed by the Kobold Corps that returned to the shadow space, I headed for Barshania. A long line had formed at the palace in Guryayev, the imperial capital of the Barshanian Empire. I didn''t know what it looked like every year, but the main target of the procession was the skull of the Gigas on display at the palace. The line of eight people lined up next to each other stretched out to the outside of the palace. The last people in line, I wondered if they would be able to pay their respects to the Gigas'' skull today. "There are women, children, and the elderly, so don''t push or run! I won''t forgive anyone who disturbs the line!" A large number of knights were lined up to guide the procession, and although they were wearing scabbards, they were holding spears while watching to see if anyone was disturbing the procession. A large screen was placed at the entrance of the building where the Gigas'' skull was displayed, so that the inside could not be seen from the outside. And, on the screen, the appearance of the rare hero Kent Kokubu subjugating a Gigas, written in considerable dramatization, it was also written that Princess Seraphima would be married to me. "Is it true that he single-handedly subjugated three Gigases?" "If it''s not true, there''s no way Seraphima-sama would want to marry him." "However, if you have a relationship with such an heroic figure, the Imperial Family will be more secure." The row of 8 people side by side became rows of 4 people each, and they split left and right to go around the screen and proceeded into the building. The Gigas'' skull, which was placed on a pedestal about the height of an adult''s waist, was illuminated by light magic tools from the surroundings, giving it the atmosphere of an exhibition in a museum. It had a more angular shape than a human skull, and was slightly taller than an adult. "Ooohhh ... What a size." "I can''t believe this isn''t a fake ..." "Just how big was the whole body." When the people saw the Gigas'' skull, they let out a cry of surprise, and that voice distracted the people behind in line, the knights who organized the procession were raising their voices and continuing their struggles. Reinhardt let out a sigh as if in admiration. [ Fuumu, seeing it like this, I realize once again how huge it was. ] "Well, it looks different inside the building when the lights are on than when you see it outside in the daytime, and all we saw was the fleshy state." The procession was led around the Gigas'' skull on both sides, joined at the back, and exited the building. A fence had been set up around the skull to prevent people from approaching it, but the people who came to see it were frightened by its majestic appearance and instead looked a distance from the fence. [ It seems that the Empress'' expectations were correct. ] "I don''t know. If the dissidents of Mungia didn''t see it, it wouldn''t make much sense, would it?" [ No, no, this many people are gathered to see it. Even if you don''t go to this place, the stories of those who see it will surely spread to the town. It should reach the Mungia''s ears. ] "Is that so, people''s rumors ..." [ People''s rumors change as they spread. Perhaps this story about the Gigas'' skull will be exaggerated even more. ] Rumors become exaggerated, it seems to be the same everywhere in the world. People who heard the rumor would never have guessed that Kent Kokubu was such a child. The Gigas'' skull wasn''t the only thing on public display. Elaborately carved monster bones and horns, beautifully painted large vases, rugs woven with elaborate patterns, things given as proof of friendship from other countries, and among the special products of Barshania, the finest products were pleasing to the eyes of the citizens. Events like this, it felt like it was universal. After taking a look at the exhibits, I visited Seraphima''s room as promised in advance. Seraphima sat face to face with Hirt on the bed and seemed to be talking to it, but it occasionally tapped her on the shoulder. Perhaps, Seraphima was on the same level as Hamill ... Rather, that''s not the case, is it. "Sera, can I come in?" "Kent-sama! I have been waiting for you. Please, come in." Seraphima rushed over with light steps that made me think she had wings on her back, and she gently wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned closer to me. "Happy New Year, Sera." "A Happy New Year to you, Kent-sama." After exchanging New Year''s greetings, Seraphima rested her head on my shoulder. "Sera, the time is fine, right?" "Yes, we have some time before the dinner time. Kent-sama, after taking a bath, please change into the Barshanian outfit we prepared for you." "Umm ... I don''t really know how to wear Barshania''s outfits ..." "Not to worry. I have reserved a caretaker." "Thank you, I''m counting on you." "Yes, I will guide you to the bath room." Seraphima guided me with our arms linked together. Her soft hair tickled my cheeks, and a sweet scent filled the air. When we went out into the corridor, two women who seemed to be maids followed us from about three steps behind us. Perhaps, those two were the caretakers. Perhaps, just perhaps, they would take care of me when I took a bath. I arrived at the entrance of the bath room while my heart was puffed up with slightly naughty expectations. "Well then, Kent-sama, there are caretakers waiting inside, so please leave it to them." "Yup, got it. Then, later ..." "Yes, take your time ..." Perhaps, I wondered if Seraphima would join me ... Or so I thought, but it didn''t seem to be the case. However, when I stepped into the dressing room, there were two caretakers wearing just loincloths waiting for me. Mou, they had great chests, so muscular. "Kent Kokubu-sama, we''ve been waiting for you. Uwaa, deep, it was a heavy bass that echoed in the stomach. The caretakers were muscular giants both in shape and appearance, and both were skinheads. "N, nice to meet you." "Ha!, then, please take off your clothes here." "U, understood." I understand, but it''s pretty embarrassing to take off my clothes while the two of you are staring at me. I''ve been training since I came to Volzard, but there''s a height difference of more than 20 centimeters between me and them, and if I was pinned down, I wouldn''t be able to do anything and my neck would be broken. Because of the unpleasant tension, I was completely shrinking ... "Then, please proceed into the bathhouse." "Y, yes ..." "Come here ... I''ll pour hot water over here. Please give me a signal when you''re ready." "H, haa ... Then, please." "As you wish!" The two caretakers grabbed buckets that were about three times the size of a normal bucket, filled them with hot water, and poured it over my head. After being baptized with two buckets of hot water from each side, I would soak in the bathtub, which was how, wasn''t it. I was surprised when they poured the hot water, but it was definitely over 45 degrees Celsius. It was hot enough to turn my feet red in no time. "Come, come, Kent Kokubu-sama, please soak yourself up to your shoulders." "Ye, sss ..." When I soaked up to my shoulders, my whole body was burning. And, speaking of the two caretakers, they were standing outside the bathtub ... Rather, can''t they enter! "Then, let me briefly explain the history of Barshania to Kent Kokubu, who has come all this way from afar. The history of the Balshanian Empire is old, going back more than 700 years ago ..." Eeehhh ... Could it be that I couldn''t leave until I finished listening to 700 years of lectures? I''m boiling, that, maybe I''m being cooked for tonight''s dinner? Am I being simmered over low heat? The pores in my head were fully open, and my eyes were dripping with sweat. Even after about five minutes, it still was only about 200 years worth ... "And ... that brings us to now, this is the history of Barshania. Then, please, come to this bathtub." "Haa, I finally got out ... Cold!" "This is a water bath. Please soak yourself up to the shoulders to cool down your flushed body." "Eh! ..." "Please ..." "Y, yesss ..." Uwaa, I was stretched out to the fullest, but right away as if on cue, I curled up again. "Then, I will talk about the specialties of Barshania." "Yess?" "If you have questions, you can ask about them later." "Yes ..." The moment I entered, it was very cold, but my hot body was cooled and I felt better. I often hear about a cold bath after a sauna, is this the same thing. Haa, this might be surprisingly pleasant ... Or so I thought, until the first three minutes or so had passed. Even after five minutes had passed, the explanation of the special products of the eastern region had just finished and the explanation of the special products of the southern region had just begun. Was it possible that there were many specialty products in the north and west as well? When my back teeth, which should have been clenched, began to make a clacking sound, the explanation of the specialties finally ended. "Then, Kent-sama, this bath tub now ..." "Y, y, esss ..." Even if I knew it was a hot bath, I had no choice but to go in to warm my cold body. Hey, is my heart going to be okay, go for it, don''t break a blood vessel in my head, do your best! Fortunately, this time wasn''t long enough to get dizzy, and after my body warmed up, I was guided to the washroom. To tell the truth, even though I was just taking a bath, I felt exhausted. "Then, let me wash your body." "Eh!, no, I can do it myself ..." "Excuse me!" The two caretakers dipped scrubbing brushes resembling a loofah into a bucket of soap and began to scrub my body. Hey, it hurts, it hurts, my skin is peeling off, I don''t think you''re supposed to shave off my flesh, it really hurts. After the power peeling treatment by the two caretakers, I went to the hot water bath again, this was like the White Hare of Inaba.(TN:A Japanese myth.) I moved from the hot water bath to the cold bath, and when the hotness of my body cooled down, I was finally allowed to get out of the bath. Hey, I really used self-healing. I won''t go into Barshania''s baths anymore, no matter how much it is recommended. After wiping my body and putting on super soft pants, I was asked to put on a super soft bathrobe. "Kent-sama, have a drink ..." "Ahh, thank you very much." The lemonade-like drink had an exquisite balance of sourness and sweetness, and the slight bitterness made me feel like it was a grown-up taste. When I was relaxing on a chair made of woven plants similar to rattan, two court ladies came to pick me up. "Kent Kokubu-sama, we will guide you to the preparation room." "Yes, please." I was guided to a room in a separate building from the bathhouse, with a large dressing table and a full-length mirror. "Please, come here ..." First, I was seated in front of the dressing table and had my hair and eyebrows done. When it was smeared with a good-smelling oil and hardened into an all-back style, my hair turned silver, and I looked a little more grown-up. Compared to when I was in Japan, my body was tighter and my face was less round, which was probably why I looked more mature. "Then, let''s have you change ..." The shirt and pants that were prepared were made of glossy white fabric with fine gold thread embroidery, and at first glance they were excellent items that you could tell were expensive. The hem of the loose pants and the belt that tightened the waist were embroidered with silver thread on an emerald green background. I put on the same emerald green short vest as matched the belt, and everything was ready. Putting aside the contents, just looking at the outfit, I looked like royalty from the Arabian Nights. "It suits you very well." "Thank you very much." "Then, we will show you around the waiting room." I left the preparation room, moved to another building, and was guided to the room ahead of me through a long corridor. Since it was an antechamber, I thought it was a waiting room before meeting the Emperor, but inside was Emperor Constant and Empress Lisaveta relaxing. "Hou, isn''t it quite good." "It really is awfully good-looking." "Thank you very much for inviting me today." "Umu, there''s still time before the opening of the meeting. You should sit here and relax." "Yes, excuse me." Besides the Emperor and his wife, there were only waiters waiting in the antechamber, and there were no Princes or Seraphima in sight. At the beginning of the New Year, before the auspicious banquet, I thought it was a little unfashionable, but I talked about the turmoil that occurred in the royal castle of Aldaros. If I got drunk at the banquet, I was likely to procrastinate talking. "Havre Calvine attacked the New Year''s party at the royal castle in Resenburg." "Hou, you look pretty calm for that, don''t you think." "Yes, we expected an attack, and after that, it was just a matter of what kind of means they would use." "Then, they were annihilated without causing any damage?" "No, the knights who were in charge of security and the people who got caught up in it suffered casualties." "What, were there sacrifices even though they expected an attack. The knights of Resenburg are no big deal." "This time, we prepared a different security system than usual, and we were fully vigilant, but Havre''s attack exceeded our expectations." "Hou, is it safe to assume that there was an unexpected attack on the castle?" "That''s right. It feels like that tactic can be used as a means of attacking a castle. Havre ..." "Ahh, wait a minute, it can be used as a means of attacking a castle ..." When Constant-san interrupted my words as I tried to continue, and began to anticipate the means of the attack. "Did they drive into the castle gate that invites the people in at once on horseback?" "Nope, they didn''t use horses." "I see, then they blended in with the people ..." "This time, we made it mandatory for anyone entering the castle to present a guild card." "Fumu, neither on horseback nor mixed with the people ... What method did they use?" "Havre Calvine brought in explosives." "What did you say! Explosives! Are you sure about that?" "Yes, I don''t know how they were brought in, but he got a considerable amount of explosives." "From Kilia?" "We''re investigating that too, but, probably ..." Constant-san''s expression clouded when I mentioned the barrels of explosives and suicide attacks using the Undead. "We''re still investigating the war between Kilia and Jogesen, and the term ''Dead Soldier'' is often used in reports, but a dead soldier usually refers to a soldier who continues to use boosters at the risk of death, so apparently it means something different." "If you prepare explosives, dark-attribute magicians, and boosters, you can get as many Undead corpses as you want on the battlefield." "Nuu, it''s a tactic that tramples on even human dignity." "This time, I have seized the explosives from Havre''s hideout, so I will bring them back another day." "Really?" "Yes, I just need to handle it carefully, so another day ..." "Alright. As expected, I''m glad I got you on my side. You''re suitable to be my daughter''s marriage partner." Constant-san lightly used his chin to point, and there was the figure of Seraphima dressed in a gorgeous outfit. An emerald green dress embroidered with silver thread, a pure white veil embroidered with gold thread, and loose pants. At first glance, the degree of exposure of the skin was extremely low, but everything was made of thin fabric that allowed light to pass through, and the outline of Seraphima''s slender body could be seen. "It looks like Sera is ready. Let''s get the party started." For the banquet, I stepped in side by side with Seraphima as if following the Imperial couple. I thought it would be the same as the party held at Klaus-san''s mansion, but I was wrong. With the appearance of the Emperor, the banquet hall resounded with a groan like the rumbling of the earth, it looked bigger than a school gymnasium, and just by looking around, it seemed that more than 300 strong men were attending. "From here on, the celebration party will begin." "Ooooooh!" The men''s roars shook the air in the room and made my body shake. Umm, is it okay if I go home? Doing that is no good ... CH 227 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 227 Banquet''s trap ***---*** The banquet hall was in the shape of a circular dome, and facing the raised stage where the Imperial Family sits, there were three rows of about fifty people sitting facing each other, there were over three people attending. In the center of the stage, I sat side by side with Seraphima, with Emperor Constant and Empress Lisaveta on either side. Or rather, doesn''t this look like a wedding reception? "Everyone, I''ve kept you waiting. Now, let''s begin the feast of celebration. Some of you may be familiar with him since we fought together in Leinef, but the man sitting next to Seraphima is Kent Kokubu. The man who defeated the Gigas and protected Barshania." "Oooooohhhhhh ..." The people who listened raptly to Constant-san''s words roared, but unlike the enthusiastic one when he announced the start of the party, there was a mixed sound of confusion and doubt. Maa, even from a distance, I''m far from muscular and I''m not tall. In the eyes of the stalwart people standing in line, I''m sure I look unreliable. "Some of you may have already heard, but Seraphima will leave Guryayev on the 16th of this month, on the rest day, and marry Kent Kokubu." "Oooooohhhhhh ..." No, no, I haven''t heard that, when did it get decided, that plan. "Barshania will deepen its ties with Kent Kokubu and proceed on the path of development under peace. Celebrate the New Year and auspicious occasion, tonight drink a lot, eat a lot, and enjoy yourselves a lot! Now, raise your cup, Glory to Barshania!" "Glory to Barshania!" Together with the participates, we toasted together with cups about the size of sake cups, and drank the alcohol in one breath.(TN:Sake cups are really small.) Ugaa, hey, this, isn''t it insanely strong. From my esophagus to my stomach, it''s as hot as a fire. "Now, now, Kent-san, please enjoy your meal." "Yes, thank you very much." "Mother, taking care of Kent-sama is my duty." "Ohohoho, right, I shouldn''t take Sera''s job." "Yes, now, Kent-sama ..." Ehh, is this aa~n under the public eye? Just a bit, or rather, I''m pretty embarrassed ... But I can''t refuse "Ah~n ... Mogu mogu, Nnh! It''s delicious." "I''m glad it seems to suit your taste." What Seraphima gave me was like steamed chicken. It had a moist texture and a light scent of ginger and herbs, which eliminated the odor and enhanced the flavor. The meat itself also seemed to be of good quality, and the more I chewed it, the deeper the richness began to seep out. The other dishes were also wonderful, and I wasn''t familiar with them, but it felt like they were the best of both Middle Eastern and Chinese styles. "Now, Kent-sama, please have a drink. This is a different alcohol than before." "Uwah, it smells amazing." "Yes, it is a flower alcohol that is served at celebrations." When I brought the cup close to my mouth, the scent of flowers wafted through the air. When I put it in my mouth, it had a refreshing aroma and taste of fruit wine, and the scent of flowers lingered in the finish. Exquisite food, exquisite alcohol, and Seraphima, who served me, was an exceptionally beautiful girl. WIth this, I would have nothing to complain about if I weren''t so exposed to the crowd. The Princes of Barshania were sitting next to us in a line at the front of the stage, like everyone was relatives. The four Princes stood up and walked in front of us. Gregory, Joseph, Nicolae, and Staniera, the Princes lined up in order of age and were holding their respective cups. "Kent Kokubu. If you do anything that makes Sera-chan cry, I won''t forgive you." "Yes, I understand." "Please lend us your strength for the development of Barshania." "Yes, I will do my best." "I won''t recognize you ... I give my blessing." "Thank you very much." "Why someone like you ... Take good care of Sera." "Understood." With words that make me tilt my head, whether they''re blessings or resentment, my cup was filled with alcohol, conversely, I filled their cup, then we drank the alcohol. The flower alcohol seemed to be a weaker drink compared to the alcohol used for toasting, but even so, if I drank four cups in a row, I would start getting drunk. "Kent-san, excuse me for a moment." "Ah!, yes ..." "Gregory, please." At that point Lisaveta-san excused herself, and although I was fine with the seat being vacant, instead, an expressionless Gregory sat next to me. Then, immediately after Lisaveta-san left, there was movement in the audience. The men sitting in the leftmost row stood up all at once and formed a line onto the stage. Everyone had a cup in their hand, and a sake cup was prepared next to Gregory, who was waiting in line. Did this mean that I had to accept everyone''s alcohol? Even though it''s the size of a sake cup, isn''t 300 cups unreasonable? "My name is Ryuushin, and I am in charge of military affairs under Gregory-sama. Congratulations on this occasion." "Ah!, thank you very much." The middle-aged Ryuushin-san, who seemed to be the head of the non-royal military, poured alcohol with a wry smile on his face. This flower alcohol seemed to be a little different, with a stronger scent of flowers. 1 person, 2 people, as I was drinking alcohol with them, I was getting more and more intoxicated, and my body was on fire. "Kent-sama, how about some food?" "Yup ... Fuu, fuu, thank you, Sera." A sweet scent wafted from Seraphima, who took care of me so well, and my heart started pounding. Perhaps the drunkenness was trying to remove my shackles of reason, and the desire to hug Seraphima was welling up. [ Kent-sama, it would be better if you used self-healing for a bit. As expected, this number of opponents is impossible. ] [ Ehh, ahh, yup, that''s right ... ] I forgot, but I was able to cure my hangover with self-healing, so I should be able to get out of my drunken state. If I suddenly returned to sobriety, it might seem suspicious, so I used self-healing to reduce my intoxication to the extent that I wouldn''t completely sober up. By applying self-healing, the drunkenness could be reduced, but what could not be reduced would steadily accumulate in my bladder. At times like this, what should I say to excuse myself. "E, excuse me, Gregory-san, I would like to go to the toilet for a moment." "Fumu, I don''t mind. It''s on the left side from the door over there." "Thank you ... Ah!, everyone, I''m sorry ..." As soon as I bowed my head to everyone who was queuing up to have a drink, I almost collapsed and sat down. It looked like I would have to heal myself a little more. But, I didn''t dislike the fluffy feeling .. No, I rather liked it. "Kent-sama, are you okay." "Ah!, I''m okay, I''m okay ..." I often hear that when people are asked if they''re okay while drunk, they always answer that they''re okay, but I wondered if that was how I was feeling right now. In the end, I headed to the bathroom with Seraphima''s support. "Kent-sama, don''t overdo it, it''s fine to pretend you drank it." "Is that so? But, then the next person won''t be able to pour it in." "It''s okay, because the other party will also pretend to pour it." "I see, that''s how it is ... Ahh, but it feels good." Mou, so fluffy and soft, warm, and smells good, it''s the best. When I left the banquet hall and was in front of the toilet, I couldn''t stand it. "Haa, haa ... Sera ..." "Kent-sama, nnh ..." I forcefully hugged Seraphima. It seemed that there was a haze in my head, and the blood in my body seemed to be gathering in the lower part of my stomach. "Sera ... Sera ... Sera ..." "Kent-sama, we are still in the middle of the banquet ..." "But, Sera ... I ..." "Kent-sama, that''s for later ..." Seraphima, who unentwined our arms, persuaded me to enter the bathroom. Yup, I''ve reached my limit. At this rate, I felt like I would push Seraphima down on the stage of the banquet hall, so I tried to heal myself while taking care of business. Perhaps because of that, I felt refreshed and the pink haze in my head had cleared. At this age, to be under the influence of drunkenness ... It''s unskillful. "I''m sorry, Sera. I think I was a little too drunk." "Are you okay, Kent-sama." "Yup, let''s go back." "Yes." I returned to the banquet hall and faced offensive drinking from the attendees. I couldn''t remember everyone''s faces and names, but the people who served me were all important military and political posts in Barshania. By the time I went to the toilet, less than one-third of the people had finished drinking. I was told that I didn''t have to force myself to drink, but when I was encouraged to do so, I ended up emptying the glass and feeling dizzy again. I was surprised when Seraphima, sitting next to me, looked irresistibly charming and found myself pulling my arms around her waist. I thought this was not good, so I went to the bathroom again, but my thoughts and body seemed to be separated, and I couldn''t control myself. As soon as I stepped out of the banquet hall into the hallway, I hugged Seraphima. "Sera ... Sera, I already ..." "Kent-sama ... No good, here is ..." "Ha!, I''m sorry ..." With what little reason was left in me, I ran into the bathroom. I wondered what I was thinking when I was in the middle of a banquet attended by important national figures. No matter how drunk I was, I was being too rude. When I applied self-healing to completely cool down my drunkenness more powerfully than before, the rampaging desires subsided as if the tide had subsided. "Haa ... Nn? Huh?" [ What''s wrong, Kent-sama. ] [ This, no matter how you think, it''s strange. Reinhardt. ] As soon as I was sober, I felt a sense of incongruity, and instinctively spoke to Reinhardt via telepathy. [ What do you mean is strange? ] [ No matter how drunk I am, I feel too lewd. ] [ Hahaa, Kent-sama, that''s because of a drug. ] [ A dose of poison? ] [ No, it''s not poisonous. It''s probably some kind of aphrodisiac. It was after the Empress had left her seat that you received a drink from the attendees. ] [ Ahh, now that I think about it, I feel like the scent of the flowers has gotten a little stronger. ] There was something like an aphrodisiac mixed in with the alcohol that the attendees were drinking, and so that there was no such thing or kissing or touching due to that, Lisaveta-san must have excused herself. If I didn''t heal myself to the point that I wasn''t actually drunk while acting drunk, I was likely to do something outrageous. [ Wouldn''t it be better to follow along with Barshania''s plan instead. ] [ No, no, after returning to Volzard, what kind of horrible things will happen if it''s found out ... ] After completely sobering up, I went out of the bathroom, but since I was afraid that I would be suspected by suddenly becoming sober, I kissed Seraphima on the cheek. Yup, forgive me for this ... I hope as much. While pretending to be drunk, I returned to the banquet hall and continued to drink while pretending to be drunk. The aphrodisiac mixed with this alcohol seemed to be quite strong, and even if I knew it, I would be washed away if I let my guard down. While continuing to act, it seemed like I was in a state of self-healing all the time, so I was getting quite tired. Every time I went to the bathroom, I went out into the hallway and pretended to be lustful. But, Seraphima seemed to be drinking the same alcohol little by little, her eyes were looking sleepy, and she was looking more and more passionate, it was hard to put up with this even if I wasn''t intoxicated or under the effect of aphrodisiacs. By the time I finished drinking with everyone in attendance, I was barely drunk, but I was exhausted. "Hohou, it''s a big deal to drink everyone''s alcohol, but as expected, there are various limits. Sera, please guide him to the bedroom for tonight." "Yes, Father ..." "Oooooohhhhhh ..." Seraphima supported me while I was pretending to be drunk, and when I was about to leave the banquet hall, the participants, who knew the plan, let out a roar of resentment. I mean, the guy who calls her Sera-chan, Seraphima is mine. Hey, maybe I''m a little drunk again. "Kent-sama ... Please, follow me ..." "Ah!, yup ..." Seraphima, who seems to be intoxicated with alcohol and the aphrodisiac, has her usual pale skin dyed vermillion, and her listless gaze was very sexy. I was guided to a separate room, and beyond the living room with a sofa and a table, there was a large bedroom. The bed alone was about 6 tatami mats in size, and it was a spacious bedroom that made it look like a normal sized bed. "Kent-sama, here is some water to soothe you ..." "Thank you." Seraphima poured cold water into a cup from a jug on the side table. It felt good to have cold water running down my throat and into my stomach, I couldn''t get enough of the intense floral scent. Seraphima also drank the water she had poured herself into her cup in a single breath. "Kent-sama, I yearn for you." "Sera ..." I fell down on the bed while embracing Seraphima, who entrusted me with her all. I embraced Seraphima tightly and activated healing magic. In order to free myself and Seraphima from the effects of the aphrodisiac. "This is, Kent-sama?" "Did you sober up?" "Since when did you notice it?" "Nn~ ... Maybe after the second time I stood in the bathroom." With eyes that had regained the color of reason, Seraphima stared at me. "Do you dislike me ... ?" "Nope, that''s not it. Sera is very attractive." "Then, why ..." "I don''t like it. I don''t want to be robbed of my reason by an aphrodisiac and let my instincts go like a beast." "Is that so. To be honest, when Kent-sama stood in the bathroom for the second time, I felt terrified." "As I thought ..." "Yes, your eyes were bloodshot, and I thought I would be pushed down in the corridor ..." "Yup, now that I actually think about it, I think it was pretty bad." I probably stopped because I still had a little reason left, and because I didn''t know what to do because I had no experience. If I had experience with women, there was a high possibility that I would have gone on a rampage. "I feel like my mother was a little impatient." "Is that so? But, I don''t think there''s any need to rush." "Kent-sama, you are more important to the people around you than you think you are. No matter what country you look in, you shouldn''t be able to find someone who can defeat three Gigases alone." "It wasn''t just my power, it was because everyone in my genus cooperated with me ..." "Kent-sama is the reason for the success of your genus, and if you have that much power, you won''t have any financial problems." "Maa, I don''t think I''m too worried about money." "My mother seems to think that since Kent-sama can''t be moved by profit, there is no choice but to move you by emotion." "Is that why she is rushing the relationship between me and Seraphima?" "Yes, I am terribly sorry." That''s fine, but I was still hugging Seraphima the whole time. The aphrodisiac''s effect should have been gone, but at a distance where we could feel each other''s breath, my heart started to pound. "Kent-sama ..." "Y, yes, what is it." "Tonight, can I stay with you?" "Umm, that, that kind of act should be done after the marriage is over ... Then." "Then, before we go to bed, why don''t you wash off your sweat?" "Ah~ ... What should I do." "Fufufu, there is no caretaker, and the temperature of the water is not too high." "Then it''s safe ... Rather, did you know?" "I heard that it was a ritual to purify oneself before the wedding ceremony." "It''s good that I can use healing magic, but I think it''s at the level of torture for a normal person." "Maa, I apologize for that. I will have to chastise my father later." Damnit, then that was instigated by Emperor Constant. The bathhouse that Seraphima guided me to was not as large as a public bath, but it was large enough for about three adults to stretch out and soak in. I was sweating a lot at the banquet, so I poured hot water over myself before soaking in the bathtub. Unlike the hot water earlier, the slightly warm water seemed to melt away the tiredness of my body and mind. If I put my head on the edge of the bathtub and closed my eyes, I might fall asleep. "Excuse me ..." "Ehh?" I heard the sound of the bathroom door opening, and when I turned my eyes toward the voice, Seraphima came in wearing a bathing suit. "Ehh, hey ..." "Is it okay to soak in the hot water together?" "No, I don''t mind, but ..." "Then, please excuse me." When Seraphima started pouring hot water over herself, her bathing suit got wet ... And I was at a loss as to where to look. "Excuse me ..." "Ehh, eeehhh ..." With a mischievous smile on her face, Seraphima turned around in front of me and immersed herself in the hot water, leaning against me with her back. "Kent-sama, I hear that being too patient is not good for your body ..." "No, no, that''s no good, no good ..." "Is that so. I am mentally prepared." "Fuhiya! No, no good, today is no good ..." When I let my guard down, Seraphima stroked my stomach with her tail and I made a strange noise. I mean, we''re going to sleep in the same bed after this, but can my reason endure it. CH 228 After a sleepless night ***---*** I greeted the morning at the palace in Barshania, but I think I really did my best with reason. It was explained that the nightwear that was prepared for me after the bath was like a long shirt that reached my ankles, and that you don''t wear underwear. The fabric was smooth and soft to the touch, but it was so thin that it felt like I wasn''t wearing it. When Seraphima entered the bed in similar pajamas, she snuggled up and smiled bewitchingly. "Good night, Kent-sama." "G, goodnight, Sera." Rather, how can I sleep! Seraphima used my left arm as a pillow while keeping herself in close contact with my body, entwining my legs as if not to let me escape. Whether she was sleeping or not, every time Seraphima moved, she felt soft and fluffy through her thin pajamas. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before my reasoning collapsed, so I summoned a tranquilizer. When I tapped the empty right side of my bed, Hirt came out, guessing my intention. It put its head on my right shoulder and licked my cheek. Yup, Hirt doesn''t have to force itself to entangle my legs. As long as this mofumofu is here, my worldly desires ... Will never disappear! There''s no way they''ll disappear. Puni puni, suri suri, it''s bad.(TN:Squishy sfx and snuggling sfx.) Right, right, Hirt is mofumofu, I tried to distract myself from the suri suri. In the end, I fell asleep while Seraphima stopped moving, so I didn''t get much sleep. Seeing my sleepy face at the breakfast table, Lisaveta-san smiled broadly, but she was disappointed when she heard the actual situation. "Seriously, you don''t need to be so reserved. Please show me my grandson''s face as soon as possible." "Haa, that''s after we''re done with the wedding ..." Regarding the method of transport, I proposed using the summoning technique or repatriation technique in consideration of safety on the way, but it was simply rejected. On top of that, I was told that 100 selected knights would accompany the parade. "No, no, Constant-san, I can''t support 100 knights as well." "What are you misunderstanding. They''re going to accompany her as an escort, but once Seraphima is safely delivered to Volzard, it''s obvious that everyone will return to Barshania." "Haa, then it''s fine ... I guess?" "What, are you still dissatisfied with something?" "Since they''re accompanying her as an escort, the knights must be armed." "Of course. There''s no way they can fulfill their duty as an escort without a weapon." "That may be true, but for armed Barshanian knights to pass through Resenburg ..." Barshania and Resenburg, with the Davira Desert between them, have been in conflict for many years. There were merchant caravans coming and going for the purpose of peddling, but I heard that there was no exchange between countries." "Fufun, that''s exactly why." "That''s exactly why ... Are you going to have the knights accompany her just to show them off?" "The primary purpose is to protect Seraphima, and there is no falsehood about that. But, it''s also a demonstration of power. The Imperial Family of Barshania will join Volzard. If you let the people of Resenburg know about this, they won''t think about going to war with Barshania or Volzard. I have already sent a messenger to Resenburg." I didn''t think Camilla, who would succeed the throne, would do anything stupid like launching a useless battle, but even if she''s taken control, there was no guarantee that there would not be some among the nobles who got offended and caused unforeseen circumstances. The demonstration that Constant thought of seemed reasonable, but I was worried that the demonstration itself would cause trouble. [ Kent-sama, the role of keeping that kind of thing in check should be borne by these us. ] [ Is that so ... I''m counting on you, Reinhardt. ] [ What, it''s a simple task. ] Seraphima''s party would leave Guryayev on the 16th of this month, and would march through Barshania like a parade, arriving in the border town of Chowsk around the end of the month. Furthermore, in Resenburg, they planned to pay a courtesy visit to the royal castle of Aldaros. "What''s wrong, Kent Kokubu. Do you still have concerns?" "Is it okay to suddenly go visit the Princess of a country that has been in conflict with you until now." "Isn''t it the son-in-law''s job to mediate that? You stopped our army''s invasion for Resenburg''s sake, but now you have to stop them from going out of control for Barshania''s sake." "No, although that may be so ..." For Camilla and Seraphima to face each other, I felt like it wasn''t a favorable situation. What should I say, I was a little worried that I might end up in a carnage situation. [ Buhahaha, there is no choice but to ask Kent-sama to keep that kind of situation in check. ] [ Uuh, I know that. I know that, but I''m worried ... ] [ Buhahaha, if they''re going to complain, all you have to do is take the two of them together and shut them up. In one hand, the next King of Resenburg, and in the other hand, the Princess of Barshania. ] [ When you put it that way, it feels like a man''s romance, but I don''t think it can be done so lightly ... ] Maa, let''s have Hart and Hirt coordinate well so that Camilla and Seraphima don''t clash. It will be more than three weeks before Seraphima arrives in Aldaros at the earliest. By then, let''s solve the problem of the classmates'' return and put in place a system where I can respond immediately. By the time I returned from a late breakfast at the Barshanian palace, Volzard was already close to noon. I thought of going to Klaus-san''s mansion and reporting the schedule for Seraphima''s wedding, but it was impossible. Klaus-san and Tadao-san seemed to be a strange match, and last night they continued drinking until late. Since they were parents with daughters of the same age and had grown up in completely different environments, they seemed to have plenty of topics to talk about, and it seemed that they both had a hangover and couldn''t wake up. It seemed that Yuika tried to use healing magic, but was stopped by Marianne-san and Mika-san, and they were both still holding their heads and groaning. "Kento, if possible, could you call Meisa-chan. Mio has to go back to Japan this evening, right. She would like to spend time with her until then." "Alright. I''ll go back to the boarding house for a while." After returning to the boarding house, Meisa-chan and I headed to Klaus-san''s mansion. It felt like we were having a picnic in the courtyard again today. Today, Marianne-san, Augusto-san, and Angelina-san were also participating. Augusto-san walked up to Zeta-tachi who had appeared, had them show him their claws and fangs, and asked them some questions. He was friendly but strangely serious, which was kind of interesting. "Kent, come over here." She didn''t seem to have a hangover today, so if Angelina-san with a smiling face invited me, I had no choice but to happily go. "Come, sit down, sit down." "Yes, excuse me." As soon as I sat down next to Angelina-san, I was grabbed by her arms. "Kent, I heard you stayed in Barshania yesterday." "Y, yess, that''s right, but ..." "Tell your Onee-chan everything about what happened." Uuh, Angelina-san, you''re smiling, but your eyes aren''t smiling. Or should I say, Yuika and Beatriche''s eyes are slanting upwards ... "In Barshania, I was made to change into clothes that were prepared for me, made to go to a banquet, and made to get along with old men." Yup, I''m not lying. There are various parts omitted, but let''s convince them by calling it a digest version. "Fu~n ... Hey, Kent, what kind of costume was it that they prepared?" "Umm, it was like wearing a loose shirt, pants, and a short vest." "The color?" "Ehh, what color?" "Yup, the color of the fabric and the belt." "Umm, the fabric was white, and the belt and vest were green." "What were the seats in the banquet hall like?" "Eh, the seating order was ... Seraphima and I were lined up in the front, with Emperor Constant and Empress Lisaveta sitting on either side, and the military and government officials sitting in rows." "Haa ... I knew it." Angelina-san, Beatriche, and Marianne-san let out a sigh when they heard my story. "Umm ... Did something bad happen?" "You know, Kent. In Barshania, only members of the Imperial Family are allowed to wear white and green at formal occasions." "Eeehhh, then, that banquet ..." "That was Kent and Seraphima''s wedding." Maa, from the arrangements of the seats and the way I was treated, it would have been nice to at least say a few words. "Hey, Kent. What happened after the banquet?" "Eh, after the banquet? Because I kept using self-healing so as not to get drunk, I fell asleep tired." "Alone?" "Ehh, what is it?" "Were you alone in the bed?" "Th, that''s ..." Angelina-san had firmly grasped my arm, and I enjoyed the wonderful feeling, but in exchange for that, there was no way to escape from the sharp pursuit. "Kent, answer your Onee-chan honestly. That Seraphima child was with you, right?" "Y, yes ... But! But, nothing happened. It''s true, Hirt was with us." "I wonder if it''s true ..." "It''s true! It''s true, I tell you, there was nothing to feel guilty about, , I refused that kind of thing until after the marriage is completed. Right, it''s about the schedule for the wedding ceremony, but ..."(TN:Dunno why there''s a double comma there. Maybe a typo.) Marianne-san and Angelina-san''s expressions tightened when I told them about the schedule and process for bringing in Seraphima. After all, as a family of Lords, they must have been sensitive to sensing Barshania''s intentions. "I will report to Klaus-san later, but what do you think, Marianne-san?" "Right ... But, before that, please call me mother-in-law." "Yes, umm, Marianne-gibo-san ..." "You can call me brother-in-law too." "Ehh, y, yes, Augusto-gikei-san."(TN:These are so awkward, but translating them is worse, so w/e. Just consider any honorific with ''gi'' in it to be an in-law of some sort. Though with Camilla''s case, it was step not in-law, in-law/adoptive/step are all the same word in Japanese, which is why there''s so much confusion over which to choose.) I was a little surprised to hear from an unexpected source, but Augusto-san seemed to be more than just a straight-laced person. "And, what do you think, Marianne-gibo-san?" "From my point of view, Barshania''s method is welcome. If Resenburg thinks that a friendly relationship has been established with Volzard, it will reduce the worry of unnecessary conflict." "What about Augusto-gikei-san?" "I think the same. In the first place, there is no risk for Volzard in regards to this marriage. In addition, even if the marriage is completed, it doesn''t mean that Barshania and Volzard will form a direct relationship." "No, that''s true ..." "Well, wait. I know what Kent wants to say. What I''m talking about now is that you can consider it like this." Seraphima would come to my place, but since it wasn''t directly connected with the Feudal Lord''s Family, if Resenburg and Barshania were in a state of conflict, it was possible for Volzard to claim that they weren''t related ... It seemed to be something like that. Of course, if that happened, I couldn''t just ignore it, and I would do my best to resolve the dispute. When I said that, Augusto-san nodded. "That''s right. In fact, if Kent is in perfect condition, the possibility of a conflict between Volzard, Resenburg, and Barshania is extremely low. That''s why, Barshania''s demonstration could be said to be completely useless ... But it''s human nature to have to do something." "But, even if the head of the country and the nobles are fine, wouldn''t it invite backlash from the people?" "It can''t be helped. The countries have been at odds for many years, so reconciliation won''t happen anytime soon, but ... Can''t we use it as an opportunity to move in a good direction?" "I see, there''s no guarantee that anything will turn out badly. It would be nice if we could use Seraphima''s marriage as a trigger to build a friendly relationship." Seraphima was planning to stop by Aldaros, the royal capital of Resenburg, on her way to Volzard. At that time, let''s think about whether we can come up with a proposal that will help improve the relationship. If the passage of Seraphima''s party brings benefits to the region, it may change the people''s view of Barshania. The first thing that came to my mind was to provide development technology for desertified land, but it seemed that the Barshanian engineering corps was also busy with Leinef''s reconstruction project after being attacked by the Gigas, so it may be a little difficult. [ Kent-sama, it is difficult to develop the desert, but we can do it if it is just the maintenance of the road. ] [ I see, we have earth-attribute Kobolds and Zeta-tachi in our house. Let''s consider it. ] [ It will be useful for ensuring the safety of Seraphima-jou on the way, and the maintenance of the highway will also benefit the residents. ] Since Seraphima was coming to marry me, the process should be a celebration, not a troublesome one. There was still some time before Seraphima and her party entered Resenburg, so let''s think about whether there are any other good ideas. The Asakawa family would return to Japan after dinner. At Marianne-san''s suggestion, I decided to invite Manon''s family and Amanda-san again for a dinner party, but it seemed that there would be no alcohol tonight. Klaus-san and Tadao-san also showed up during the afternoon tea time, but they were disappointed when they were told not to drink at the dinner table. No, no, it''s enough if you drink to your heart''s content for two days in a row. "Kokubu-kun, would you be able to invite us again around the time of Golden Week in Japan?" "Yes, that''s fine. This time my classmates hadn''t been finished returning yet, so I asked you to refrain from sightseeing in the city, but by that time they''ll have finished being returned, so please take your time and enjoy the sights." "That''s right. Volzard seems to be closed during the New Year period, just like in old Japan." "Right, now that I can use summoning, you can visit towns other than Volzard." "Ohh, a full-fledged trip to another world, that''s amazing." "The Japanese government may reject it, but it will be fine." I would like to take Yuika, Manon, Beatriche and the others to Aldaros, the royal capital of Resenburg, Guryayev, the imperial capital of Barshania, and the border town of Chowsk. In the first place, I was just flying around to clean up various incidents, and I hadn''t done any sightseeing in any city. Now that I think about it, it might be nice to take everyone on a honeymoon. Mio-chan and Meisa-chan were getting along really well, playing cards and **, which they seemed to have brought from Japan, and running around with Mart and the others. Just when I was thinking about such, I turned around and found myself leaning against Nero''s stomach and falling asleep. The term ''Behaving with abandon'' fit perfectly, but just when I thought it would be difficult to say goodbye, Meisa-chan asked me at the dinner party. "Hey, hey, Kent." "What is it, Meisa-chan." "I want to go to Japan." "Hmm, to Japan ..." "Hey, isn''t it fine? Mio said I could stay with her." "No, but you have to ask Amanda-san and Mika-san ..." "If those two say it''s fine, will you take me?" "Hmm ... But, even if you go to Japan on a weekday, it will be difficult to guide you ..." "Mio says that Japan will be closed tomorrow and the day after tomorrow." "Then, as long as Amanda-san and Mika-san say it''s good, it''s fine." "Yippee! I love you Kent!" Yes, yes, you just want to go to Japan. I was a little worried, but if I couldn''t protect at least Meisa-chan, I wouldn''t be able to bring my wives to Japan in the future. Mika-san replied immediately, and Amanda-san reluctantly allowed Meisa-chan to go to Japan. It seemed that today was Friday in Japan, so it would be a short homestay with the Asakawa Family until Sunday evening. For Kajikawa-san, let''s consider it getting consent after the fact. Strictly speaking, it was probably going to lead to illegal immigration, but Meisa-chan wouldn''t be able to enjoy it if I arranged for a strict security system. However, sightseeing in Tokyo sounded like a bit of fun, didn''t it. After dinner, it was decided that the Asakawa Family of three along with Meisa-chan would be sent back to Tokyo. Yuika and Mika-san hugged each other and cried despite knowing they could meet like this, they must have been sad to be separated from their family. As I was looking at those figures, I was called out to by Tadao-san. "Kokubu, I''m leaving Yuika in your care. After coming to Volzard and talking with Klaus-san and everyone else, I''m convinced that this city is safe. As a father, I''m worried, but I trust you and Volzard. Please do not betray my expectations." "Yes, I will do my best to live up to your expectations." After exchanging a firm handshake with Tadao-san, I went to the Asakawa Family home in Hikarigaoka, spread out a sheet in the living room, and set up the dark attribute golems. After that, I first repatriated the three members of the Asakawa Family, and then I repatriated Meisa-chan, imagining giving her knowledge of the Japanese language. < Uwaa ... Is this already Japan? > "Oops, Meisa-chan, take off your shoes. In Japan, you take your shoes off inside the house. Also, can you understand what I''m saying?" "Umm ... I can. Is this Japanese words?" "That''s right, it seems to be fine." After Meisa-chan looked curiously at the Asakawa family''s living room, she charged into Mio-chan''s room. < Then, Tadao-san, please take care of Meisa-chan. > < Ohh, even after returning, I still understand Volzard''s words. > "It looks like it''s okay. With this, it seems that we won''t need an interpreter for the people we bring from Japan." "That''s right. I wonder if you can tell Amanda-san that we will take care of Meisa responsibly." "Yes, roger that. For the time being, I will have my genus hide in the shadows, so if something happens, please call for me to let me know. I will rush to you immediately." "Alright. But, I don''t think there will be any trouble in Japan." "Maa, that''s probably right, otherwise it would be a problem." Once again, I exchanged greetings with the Asakawa couple and returned to Volzard. CH 229 It''s Tokyo, Meisa-chan ***---*** This is a magical land. Kent said that there were no spells or magic in Japan, but that''s a lie. "Mio, why is the picture moving?" "This is called animation, and it draws a lot of pictures and projects them at a tremendous speed." "Fu~n ..." I don''t know what it is. I don''t know what it is, but I know it''s a lot of fun. Pictures move, talk, music plays, girls transform, sing, and beat bad guys! You can''t find such an amazing magician in Landshelt, let alone Volzard. TV is amazing, D. V. D. is amazing. There were many things in Mio''s room that I had never seen before. The first thing that surprised me was how many books there were. I felt sorry for Mio when I thought about how much you had to read and study in Japan, and I thought it was only natural that Kent was good at arithmetic. "Meisa-chan, do you want to read manga?'' "Manga? Nope, studying is a little ..." "That''s wrong, it''s not studying, it''s comics." Mio took out a book and showed it to me. It really wasn''t studying. There were a lot of fun pictures, there were lines, and it was a story. It was fun, it was fun, and I couldn''t stop reading it. "Mio, where''s the next one?" "Sorry, that''s the newest one, so the sequel hasn''t come out yet." "Eeehhh ... What will happen after this? I want to read the rest!" "i want to read it too, but I can''t because it''s not sold yet." Mio told me that there were people who specialized in drawing manga, and they sold a lot of them. It was in Mio''s room, and apparently it was being sold dozens of times, hundreds of times more, and even more. "There''s so much, I can''t read it before I die." "That''s right isn''t it ... I want to read manga all the time, but if I don''t study Mama will get angry." "My mother is always asking me if I did my homework." "It''s the same. Japan and Volzard both." "Yup, the same!" It seemed that Japanese and Volzard were completely different, but it was hard for children both in Japan and Volzard. "Mio, Meisa-chan, shall we go shopping?" "Let''s go! Meisa-chan, come along too!" "Yup!" From Volzard, I entered Mio''s house directly, so I didn''t see what was going on outside, but the outside of the house was full of surprises. "Mio, what is this box?" "This is an elevator, it''s so you don''t have to go up and down the stairs." "Hee ... Uwaa, did it move?" "It''s okay, we''re on the third floor, so we''ll be there soon." I was surprised and clung to Mio, but we didn''t walk from the 3rd floor to the 1st floor and still made it down. When we exited the large entrance, there were trees planted along the paved road. "Uwa!, the carriage is running even though there are no horses." "That''s called a car, and it runs on mechanical power." "Amazing ..." Cars that run without being pulled by horses came running one after another. They didn''t rattle or make a loud noise and they were fast. "Meisa-chan, this way, let''s go!" "Y, yup ..." When Mio walked leading me by hand, my legs almost gave out. "Hey, hey, Mio, that, is it a castle?" "Nope, that''s called an apartment, and it''s a collection of ordinary houses. Ours was the same, wasn''t it." "Ehh, isn''t the Lord living here?" "Nope, it''s a normal house. Look, there''s one over there and another over there." "Yup, amazing ... Fuu ... Fuu ..." "Meisa-chan, you''re breathing heavily." "Yup, I know. But, I can''t stop ..." I know my eyes are wide open and my breathing is getting rougher, but I can''t stop myself. From the intersection of the wide roads, I could see a very tall building, so I thought it was definitely a castle, but it turned out to be an ordinary house. I had never seen or heard of such a tall building. "Mio, I''m thinking of taking Meisa-chan to the Sky Tree tomorrow, but what do you think?" "Yup, let''s go, Meisa-chan, I''m sure you''ll be surprised." "Sky ...?" "It''s called the Sky Tree, and it has a really tall tower." "Is it taller than that building?" "Yup, more than ten times that!" "No way ... I mean, it''s ten ... over twenty floors." "Yup, but you''ll understand if you go." Mio was very confident, but I couldn''t believe there was such a tall building. But, when I saw the store where we went shopping, I wondered if it was real. "What is this ... Is it all a shop?" "That''s right, Mama, where are we shopping first?" "First of all, Meisa-chan''s clothes." "Ehh, mine ...?" "Tomorrow, you''re going out and you don''t have a change of clothes, right?" "Yup ..." Oops, I was so preoccupied with coming to Japan that I completely forgot about a change of clothes. When I got home, I was going to get scolded by my mother again. When I thought about what would happen after I returned home, I got a little depressed, but when I was walking in the store called a shopping mall, I quickly forgot about it. "The stairs are moving ..." "It''s an escalator, first go up ..." "Y, yup ..." It was dozens of times bigger than the Orlando Store, the biggest shop in Volzard, and had a lot of glittering decorations I''ve never seen before. There was also a clothing store. It was wide, there were many kinds, and above all, the colors were insanely beautiful. "Would you prefer culottes because they are easy to move around in?"(TN:Basically a split skirt.) "Hey, hey, Mama, what''s over there?" "It''s for parties and graduations over there. It''s a little too stiff to go hang out." "Hey, hey, Meisa-chan, what would you like?" "Yup ... Amazing ..." "No, that''s not it, what kind of clothes do you like?" "Fueeh, ehh, clothes?" "Meisa-chan, you''re too surprised." "Because ... It''s amazing." Don''t be surprised ... What an absurd story. I didn''t know of any store with so many children''s clothes, and I didn''t even know what to choose. In the first place, I didn''t remember going to buy clothes for myself. It was just hand-me-downs from regulars at the cafeteria and neighbors. The clothes I wore when I was invited the the Lord''s Mansion party were also handed down by Beatriche-san. I left everything to Mika-san and Mio, but somehow I got tired. Buying clothes was fun, but it was hard work. "I''m ordering pizza for dinner, so let''s buy a cake and go home." "Good job! What do you like, Meisa-chan? Strawberry Shortcake? Or Montblanc?" "Ehh, are there different types of cakes?" As for cakes, I only knew cakes made from baked dough mixed with dried fruits, but the shop Mio took me to had colorful cakes lined up. "Meisa-chan, which one would you like?" "E, everything ..." "As expected, it''s impossible to eat all of them. Shall we buy different types and share them." Even if I was asked which one I would like, they all looked delicious, so I couldn''t decide. Mika-san chose one for me, but if I was alone, I wouldn''t have been able to decide even if it took me until tomorrow. The floor where food was sold had a wonderful smell. My mother''s cooking was supposed to be the most delicious ... But, there were a lot of dishes and sweets on sale that I had never seen before. When we finished shopping and went out of the store, there was a place where people were coming out. "It''s a subway station. Tomorrow we''ll take the subway from here to the Sky Tree." "S, sabuwei? What''s that?" "Let''s see, they dug a tunnel under the ground and lay tracks there to run the train." "Torakusu? Torein?" "Umm ... I''ll explain later using a tablet." "Tabu ...?" After returning home, Mio used a tablet to show me. The internet is amazing. "Here''s a map of this area ... This is my house, adn the shop we saw earlier is here." "Y, yup ..." "And, this is a picture taken from the sky." "What''s this ..." "Meisa-chan, you know about pictures, right?" "Y, yup ... That, Kent said it copies things ... I guess." "Yup, it''s something that can be taken with a digital camera or a smartphone, but it was taken from the sky." "From the sky? How is that?" "I think it was taken from an airplane." "Erupurane?" I was surprised. It seemed that Japanese people could fly in the sky. They used tools such as airplanes and helicopters to fly in the sky and go far. I was told that there were underground roads in this city, and a tool called the subway ran through them. It seemed that the size of the city was incomparably larger than Volzard. "You can ride the subway tomorrow, and you can see the city from the top of the Sky Tree." "Yup, yup, amazing, amazing, fuu ... Fuu ..." I ate pizza while watching TV. There were various flavors, all of them were delicious, TV was fun, Mika-san and Tadao-san were kind, and I couldn''t help but look forward to going out tomorrow. Ever since I came to Mio''s house, I''ve been in a state of uncontrollable excitement. I got a fever. After taking a bath with Mio and changing into pajamas, I felt ''fura fura'' and sick, and I couldn''t stand up.(TN:Fura fura is unsteady/dizzy.) "You were too excited, your body got surprised. You''ll be fine as long as you get some rest." "Mika-san, if my fever doesn''t go down, can I not go out?" "About that ... It might be a little difficult." "No way, I want to go out ... Uuuhhh ..." "Well then, you should sleep quietly." "Yup ..." I absolutely wanted to go out with Mio. I was going to take the subway, and go see the Sky Tree, I felt out of sorts. Mika-san came to check on me several times, and each time I could see her smile disappearing. I wanted to go out, but I wondered if I couldn''t. "Wafuu, I''m going to call Goshujin-sama." "Ehh, wait, Kobold-chan ..." Mika-san tried to stop it, but the answer that came back was not Mart''s voice. "Good evening, is it okay if I disturb you?" "Kent! Kent, Kent!" "I''m sorry, Kent-san. At this hour ..." "No, it''s already dawn in Volzard, so it''s fine." "Kent ... I want to go out, subway, Sky Tree ..." "Yes, yes, seriously, Meisa-chan is really troublesome ..." Kent gave me a wry smile and cast healing magic on me. From Kent''s hand on my chest, gentle magic seemed to flow in, and the pain disappeared. "Then, I will ..." "No way, you can''t go home ..." Kent was about to go back to Volzard, so I grabbed the edge of his shirt and stopped him. I was kind of lonely and wanted to be with him. "Haa, it can''t be helped ... Mika-san, I''ll stay with her until morning, is that okay?" "I''m sorry. Can you do me a favor?" "Yes, Meisa-chan, you can''t wet the bed or drool." "I won''t do that, I won''t do that anymore ... That''s why, you can''t go home." "Yes, yes, I understand." When I clung to Kent when he entered the bed, I smelled Kent''s scent. When he came to stay at our house, he was ''poyo poyo'', but now he''s muscular and solid.(TN:poyo poyo means soft and squishy.) While reclining on Kent, it seemed that I fell asleep right away. Kent stayed with me even after I woke up. "Tadao-san, is it okay if I go to the Sky Tree with you? Actually, I haven''t climbed it yet." "Ahh, in that case, let''s go together, because it''s safer for us as well." "Is Kent going with us?" "Yup, is it no good?" "It''s not no good, it''s not no good, yippee!" Even yesterday, when I was with Mika-san and Mio, I shouldn''t have had anything to worry about, but when Kent is with me, I feel incredibly relieved. I''m sure Reinhardt-ojichan will be with Kent. As the name suggested, the subway station was underground. "Hey, hey, Kent, this is a dungeon, isn''t it." "Ahh ... I don''t know, I wonder if there will be any monsters today ..." "Hii ... Will there be monsters?" "I don''t know ... I wonder if they won''t come out ..." Mio spoke up when I was a little worried. "Meisa-chan, there are no monsters in the subway." "Ehh, is that so? Mou, Kent is mean!" "Buhoo ... Meisa-chan, aren''t your punches mean?" "Funda ... You''re so cocky despite being just Kent ... Uwaaah, what is that." "That''s the monster that nests in the underground space, Ooedosen ... Buhoo!"(TN:Apparently the name of the subway or something.) "I was just a little surprised, Mio taught me about it on the tablet yesterday." I was taught about it yesterday, but when I saw the real thing, the power was different. "Hey, hey, Kent, is this road connected forever?" "That''s right. There are many subway tracks running underground in Tokyo." "Don''t they bump into each other?" "It''s okay because the depth to make the tracks is changed." "I see ..." Everyone on the subway was looking at a small tablet. "Hey, hey, Kent, what are those guys looking at?" "Umm, they''re playing games, posting on SNS, or looking at something like a message board." "Fu~n ..." The subway ran quite fast, so the distance should be quite long, but the scenery didn''t change, so it was a little boring. We changed to another subway on the way, but I wonder if the dungeon exploration was like this. "Hey, hey, Kent, is it like this in the dungeon?" "Nope, Volzard''s dungeon is darker, the rocks are rugged, and there are monsters, so it''s not that comfortable." "I see ... That''s right. If it were this safe, there''s no one who wouldn''t come back." When I got off the subway and went to the surface, I was relieved that there was no danger. There was a wide road on the ground, and many horseless carriages were running. "Meisa-chan, look, it''s the Sky Tree." I turned my eyes in the direction Kent was pointing at and froze speechless. There was a tower so tall that my neck hurt when I looked up. "Kent ... Is there a God living up there?" "Nope, this is a tower for broadcasting TV signals. After this, we''re going up to the observation deck above." "Up to the top? I''m not prepared to go up." "It''s okay, just get on the elevator." The closer we got to the Sky Tree, the taller it looked, and when I reached the base of the tower, I had to learn back to see the top. I''ve already taken the elevator several times, so I thought it would be fine, but it was no good. "Kent, my ears hurt ..." "Meisa-chan, try swallowing your saliva, with a gulp." "Ohh, I''m cured. Why?" "Yup, it''s related to atmospheric pressure, but it''s hard to explain, so just think of it as that." "Fu~n ... Alright." When I got off the elevator, it was another world. Perhaps, let alone Volzard, even if you searched Landshelt or the entire continent, there shouldn''t be anyone who looked down on the city from such a high place. "Kent, that, is it a car?" "That''s right. Can you see people walking?" "They look smaller than a pea." "Haahaa, look, the people are like rubbish!"(TN:The obligatory Castle in the Sky reference.) "What is that ..." "Ehh, something you have to do when you go to a high place?" "What a strange thing ..." Somehow Kent was disappointed and Mio and the others smiled wryly. The first elevator I got off was on the 350th floor, the next one was on the 445th floor, and I walked up to the observation corridor to the 450th floor. "Kent, the city spreads out everywhere. Is it so big?" "Yup, Tokyo is the largest city in Japan. It''s many times larger than the royal capital of Resenburg, and the townscape extends to neighboring Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa." "Hee ... How many people live there." "Umm, about ..." "It''s about 13.7 million people." Tadao-san told me about it, but it was a number I couldn''t even imagine. I had a lot of pictures taken with Mio and Kent in the observation corridor. I heard that they would Purinto them later, but what was Purinto? After getting off the observatory, I was taken to the aquarium. A fish bigger than me was swimming in a big tank I had never seen before. There were also flightless birds called penguins and fur seals. And the jellyfish were so floaty and funny. The goldfish were nice too. Even in the aquarium, I had a lot of pictures taken. After returning to Mio''s house on the subway, Kent returned to Volzard. "I''ll come to pick you up again tomorrow around this time." "Kent, are you really going home?" "What, what, I wonder if Meisa-chan won''t be able to sleep because she''s too lonely without me." "Th, that''s not true. I can sleep alone." "Mart and the others are watching over you in the shadows, so it''s okay. Then, Mika-san, please." After Kent left, Mio taught me some video games. When you press the button in your hand, the people in the screen move and it''s really interesting. Yup, it''s fine without Kent. On the second day, I went to the airport in a car driven by Tadao-san. It seemed that there was a tool that really flew in the sky, and it could fly over mountains and even over the sea to foreign countries. Kent says magic is amazing, magic is amazing, but machines are absolutely amazing. In a place called Shinjuku, there were many tall buildings and many underground subways were running. A huge number of cars, a huge number of people, I felt dizzy. I wanted to play forever, but Kent came to pick me up in the blink of an eye. It was time to go back to Volzard. I also bought a cake as a souvenir for my mother. "Meisa-chan, come visit us again." "Manga, I''ll buy you a new one." "Yup, thank you for your kindness. Please come visit Volzard again." "Then, I''ll send you to the back of the boarding house. Thank you very much, Tadao-san, Mika-san, and Mio-chan." "Kokubu-kun, please take care of Yuika." "Yes, then ..." Kent returned to Volzard first, and I was summoned right after that. It was strange to see the scenery change in an instant. "What, Kent, it''s pitch black." "It''s still before dawn in Volzard." "Welcome back, Meisa. Did you have fun?" "Okaa-san!" A slightly sleep-eyed mother welcomed us. When I jumped on her, she was the usual full-bodied mother. "It was amazing, I looked down on the city from a really, really high place. There was a big fish in a big tank, jellyfish, and there were even goldfish ..." "Even if you don''t speak in such a rush, I won''t run away. Now, let''s go home. I''m sorry for the trouble Kent." "No, I had a lot of fun, too." "Okaa-san, there is a subway system in Japan. There are many carriages that are not pulled by horses, and airplanes are flying in the sky." "Hee, that''s amazing ..." "Right!" We talked a lot about Japan, but the thing that surprised my mother the most was the souvenir cake. She said that she would research it so that it could be served at our cafeteria, but I wonder if it will go well ... Aa~hh, I just came back, but I want to go to Japan again. CH 230 Men of the Volzard Family ***---*** When I was told that Meisa-chan had a fever, I was a little nervous, but luckily it didn''t turn out to be a big deal. I guess she was too excited and also had jet lag. Thanks to that, I was able to see Tokyo, but they ended up spending a lot of money on Sky Tree tickets and aquarium admission fees. I said that I would pay for myself and Meisa-chan later, but they requested that I make up for it with their future trip to the other world. Maa, it will serve as a service to Yuika, so I have no objections. After returning to Hikarigaoka with Meisa-chan and the Asakawa family, I decided to return to VOlzard for the time being. It was almost time for Klaus-san to finish drinking, so I thought I''d talk about the details of the Resenburg riot and Seraphima''s marriage. From Marianne-san too, around this time ... That''s what I was told. [ Kent-sama, are you okay? You should get some sleep before heading to Klaus-dono''s mansion. ] "Ahh, that''s right. I''ve had a lot of fun, too." When I left Hikarigaoka in the evening, it was before dawn in Volzard. I planned to visit the mansion around noon, so I should take a nap until then. "Nero, let me borrow your stomach." "An easy task, nya." "Reinhardt, can you wake me up when it''s time?" [ As you wish. ] It was only for about three or four hours, but I was able to sleep soundly because I lay down on the most comfortable bed. When I visited the mansion, Klaus-san seemed to have completely stopped drinking, and he had a toned face like a feudal lord. And, next to Klaus-san, Augusto-san and Baldini were also there. "Good morning. Thank you very much for making time." "Nope, it''s very much related to Volzard''s future, and it seems like a lot of time has passed. Kent, please start talking now." "Understood. Let''s start with the Resenburg turmoil ..." Klaus-san was sitting on the sofa on the short side of the table, I was on the right side, Augusto-san was on the left side facing me, and Baldini was sitting next to him. As I talked about Camilla''s speech at the royal castle in Resenburg and the turmoil that occurred during it, Klaus-san nodded and urged me to move on, while Augusto-san listened attentively while taking notes. Baldini never looked at me and was completely uninterested, and I wasn''t sure if he was even listening. "Then, Kent, are you the one keeping the explosives?" "Yes, there is something that seems to be a fire magic tool in the lid of the barrel, and it is a device that ignites and explodes when magical power is poured in." "So they let an Undead and hold it and rush in, and when it reaches the enemy, it activates the magic tool and explodes." "Yes, that''s right." "The power is enough to make a hole in the ground and dismember the people around it. Moreover, Havre Calvine brought in a considerable amount ..." "That''s right. Even in Japan, where I lived, it was used to destroy hard bedrock, so it''s possible that it was related to mine excavation technology and used a connection to Kilia to obtain it." "I see, destroying the bedrock is an essential technique for mining mines. The Calvine territory, which was rich in mining from the mines, and Kilia, whose country was also supported by mining resources, it wouldn''t be strange for them to have some kind of connection." Klaus-san put his hand to his slightly unshaven chin in thought, and Augusto-san gave his opinion. "Father, at first, explosives may have been provided as mining technology, but considering the dark-attribute magician, shouldn''t we think that it was for the usurpation of the throne from the beginning?" "That''s right, that''s certainly a high possibility. Either way, we''ll have to get them to speak up to find out. Kent, what''s going on over there?" "Yes, I haven''t contacted them since the commotion, but Havre should be under strict investigation, and the dark-attribute magician shouldn''t be able to move until around tomorrow due to the effects of the booster." "I see, the dark-attribute magician is more likely to speak honestly than Havre." "Yes, I think so as well, and I feel like they know about Kilia''s circumstances." "Even so, there is even a tattoo on their face ... I''ve never heard of it." "According to the story of the Knight Commander of Resenburg, there are tribes with such customs in the mountains of the Felciane Empire, the neighboring country of Barshania." "Felciane, huh ... Dark attribute ... Speaking of which, Kent, didn''t you say you had some business to go to Bakkenheim?" "Yes, I am planning to exhibit the Gigas'' magic stone at the auction at the beginning of the year." "Okay, I don''t care if it''s after that, but please ask Reese if she has an idea." "Ahh, I see ... Maybe Master Reese knows something." Master Reese of the Bakkenheim Headquarters Guild had a deep knowledge of dark-attribute magic, so she might know the reason for the tattoo. Klaus-san asked me to see the power of the explosives, but simply detonating them would not give him a sense of their power, if I put up dolls or logs as indicators nearby, there was a risk that they would fly away in the blast. Therefore, I decided to detonate it in a safe place where there was no danger to the surroundings, record its power on video, and play it back later. I thought that the talk about Resenburg was over, so I tried to talk about bringing in Seraphima, but Augusto-san interrupted me. "Father, shouldn''t Volzard also study tactics that incorporate explosives?" "Why do you think that?" "Yes, according to Kent, explosives exert their power regardless of the presence or absence of mana. Needless to say, Volzard is a town bordering the Devil''s Forest, and considering the recent active movement of monsters, I think it is necessary to take measures to strengthen our military strength." Klaus-san listened to Augusto-san''s story while nodding several times, and then asked in his usual light tone. "I see, but if it''s fighting power, isn''t it enough with Kent and his genus?" "Yes, as you say, if Kent is present, most of the dangers can be dispelled. However, Kent is not immortal. If we think about the next generation, and the generation after that, I think it will be necessary to use explosives to defend Volzard." "I see, even if Kent was there, if the scale of the Goblin maximum outbreak last year was even bigger, and we were pushed in by an overwhelming number of enemies, there would be no guarantee that we would be able to protect the people. We may need to start researching now." Klaus-san crossed his arms and thought for a while before turning his gaze to me. "Kent, can you give me one of those barrels of explosives?" "That''s right ... Before that, I''ll bring you something smaller." "What do you mean by smaller?" "Yes, explosives in Japan ... It is called gunpowder in Japan, but it is not only used as weapons, but also as entertainment tools." "If it''s entertainment ... How is it used?" "Umm, they add materials that emit strong light when they burn, and we enjoy the light when they are launched into the night sky and exploded." "Hou, the country you lived in has changed a lot." "Yes, that entertainment is called fireworks, but related to that, there are things called firecrackers that you can enjoy the sound of exploding." "That''s what you mean by smaller." "Yes, that''s right." If people who had never seen gunpowder suddenly handled a large amount of gunpowder, there was a high possibility of an explosion accident. Therefore, I thought it would be better to hand over the barrels of gunpowder ... After knowing the nature of explosives. "But Kent, those firecrackers must be brought from Japan. Are you sure it''s okay? Didn''t you say it was difficult to bring them from Japan?" "Hmm ... Firecrackers are basically not intended to be used as weapons. Even ordinary people without qualifications can buy them, so I think it''s probably okay, but I''ll check it out just in case." "I see, if possible, I would like to know the knowledge and precautions regarding handling explosives. Could you ask if such materials are available?" "Understood. Mishandling can lead to a big accident, so I''ll ask about that as well." I heard in the news before that places that manufactured fireworks were wary of static electricity, and there shouldn''t be any houses within a range of hundreds of meters around. Let''s ask Kajikawa-san for advice on safety measures about that. "Kent, for example, if someone were to do the Undead with explosives tactics that Havre used on a tenfold scale, would you be able to stop them?" "Ten times ... I think it''s probably okay." "How would you stop it?" "Let''s see ... Basically, while I''m using light-attribute attack magic to stop the ones who are charging at me, I''ll have my genus find the place where the explosives are stored and do something like blowing it up to stop them." "What if they''ve already distributed all the explosives?" "Ehh, that''s ..." "If you try to get your genus to stop them, isn''t there a possibility that they will be blown up?" "Right, that''s true ..." My genus could freely enter and leave the shadow space, so they could launch attacks from places the opponent didn''t expect and leave immediately. However, if the opponent used explosives, there was a possibility that they would take damage if the explosion occurred at the moment all my genus came out of the shadows. If their magic stone was safe, I may be able to regenerate them with dark-attribute magic, but if the magic stone was damaged, I would not be able to maintain their body. I took it for granted that my genus would never die, and that I would always be with them, but I felt like that was going to crumble with a clattering sound. "If the Undead run out, all you have to do is replace them with new ones. If Volzard can be protected with that, then isn''t there anything more efficient than that?" I couldn''t understand the meaning of the words suddenly thrown by Baldini. "What, what are you dissatisfied with. Undead can be replaced as much as you want. Rather, use them as a tool to stop the enemy by having them actively rush in." "What did you say ... You, just now, what did you just say! My genus are, they''re my family! They''re not disposable tools! Don''t screw with me!" When I realized it, I was standing up from the sofa and yelling. "You, just who do you think you''re talking to!" "Stop, Dii! Sorry, Kent, I''m sorry, I''ll scold my little brother well." "Aniue, what is Aniue talking about! The likes of such a suspicious commoner ..." Do~n!! Klaus-san slammed his fist on the table to cut short Baldini''s words. "I''m sorry, Kent. This guy doesn''t listen to people until the end, what happened in Volzard while he was in Bakkenheim, how much work Kent did, he doesn''t understand how strong the bond is between you and your genus." "Father, even Father ..." "Shut up! Since when did you become so powerful that you can interrupt me when I''m talking. Right now I''m not your father. I''m the Lord of Volzard, Klaus Volzard. Keep your mouth shut until I give you permission, and keep your ears open so you don''t miss a single word I say!" The three of us closed our mouths and changed our attitudes at Klaus-san''s fierce attitude, which was unimaginable from his usual frivolousness. "Don''t worry, Kent. I am well aware of the abilities of your genus. Those who do work better than A-rank adventurers, I won''t let them be used and thrown away, I don''t mind if you don''t do that." "Yes, but, if that happens, there is a possibility that I won''t be able to stop the opponent''s attack ..." "The question just now was purely about a hypothetical situation. It won''t happen right away, so there''s no need to worry about it. I''ll think about whether we can deal with it without relying on Kent and his genus." "Understood. I''m sorry for letting the blood rush to my head and my words becoming rough." When I lowered my head, Klaus-san smiled as usual. "Ahh, don''t worry about it. With you being an adventurer like that, you won''t be playing around. I only stopped it because we still have things to talk about. After the talk about Barshania is over, you can swear at each other or fight each other as you like." "Father, you just said that you were speaking as the Lord of Volzard. Something like that would be a problem." "Oops, that''s right. How is it, Kent. My heir is excellent, isn''t he?" "Yes, he''s reliable." "Then, let''s talk about Barshania." I talked to Augusto-san once, but I didn''t report it to Klaus-san, so I talked about the schedule of the wedding, including the state of the banquet. Baldini furrowed his brows and glared at me as I spoke, but he seemed to be listening to Klaus-san anyway. "I see, Barshania would like to use this opportunity to convince Resenburg that they can''t mess with them. One city was destroyed by a Gigas, and many knights were also sacrificed. It seems that there are people who want to start a civil war within the country, and they probably don''t want others to get involved from the outside." "Do you think the skull of the Gigas will act as a deterrent to Mungia?" "Who knows, I don''t know about that unless I ask the people of Mungia, but as the Imperial Family of Bashania, I guess they want to keep Mungia under control, even if it means taking such measures." "I see ... Come to think of it, what is the relationship between Barshania and Felciane?" "Nn? Barshania and Felciane, is it, how is it Augusto." Augusto-san, who was put on the spot by Klaus-san, explained with a wry smile. "Barshania and Felciane are said to maintain a friendly relationship on the surface. Barshania is a country based on agriculture, and Felciane is a country based on dairy farming, so they supplement each other''s lacking parts through trade. However, as is the case with any country, there are places where disputes over territorial rights are taking place near the borders of the countries. One of the parties involved is the dissident Mungia of Barshania." "Is the issue of territorial rights also the cause of Mungia''s dissatisfaction with the Barshanian Imperial Family?" "That''s right. I don''t think either Barshania or Felciane want to fight a wasteful battle. However, as a party, they are not convinced. That''s why it''s a conflict." Japan also had territorial disputes over island nations such as the Northern Territories and Takeshima. Fortunately, no armed clashes have occurred, but if this was a place connected by land, it would be even more dangerous. "Umm, Klaus-san. What about Landhelt? Are there any conflicts between the seven cities?" "Landshelt is it ... How is it, Augusto." It was hard to tell if he was trying to get him to gain experience or if he was just taking it easy, but Augusto-san explained with a wry smile. "So far, nothing that seems to be a conflict has occurred in Landshelt. While each of the seven cities have their own uniqueness, they are still relatively rich financially. They''re not driven enough to think about invading another city." "It''s Marburg that borders Volzard, isn''t it?" "That''s right, but the relationship between our house and Marburg is good so far. Marburg''s main town is on the other side of the Rivarre Pass, but the border of the territory is on this side of the pass. In other words, if we look at it from a tactical point of view, even though we have conditions that make it easy for us to capture it, we won''t interfere in any way, so we''ve built a relationship of trust." "Bakkenheim and Marburg too?" "Bakkenheim is a big customer for Marburg, a minerals-based industry. Making their relationship worse would be like strangling themselves." "And, there was also the Irosun Great Forest." "That''s right, for now, Volzard doesn''t have to fight with the surrounding countries or territories. If we add a relationship with Barshania, we can increase the stability even more." "If our relationship with Barshania is useful, wouldn''t it be better if Aniue takes the Princess as his wife." Baldini spoke without permission, but Klaus-san just frowned and didn''t say anything. "Dii, I can''t meet Barshania''s demands." "So, you''re saying this brat is better than Aniue?" "Right. Barshania''s desire is to obtain iron, to be a restraint against Mungia, and to be able to keep watch over Resenburg. I can''t meet any of Barshania''s demands. It''s only natural that the Princess of Barshania would marry Kent." "This guy, isn''t his power given to him by someone else." "Even so, there is no change in the fact that Kent is the one with the power." I think Baldini probably understood it in his head, but he couldn''t understand his emotions because he wasn''t blessed with magic. Klaus-san threw in a word at that. "Baldini, do you want to take Kent''s place?" "N, no, that''s why ..." "Riche, Yuika, Manon, and the Princess of Barshania, you may think you would be happy to have a number of women attend you, but I wouldn''t want to take Kent''s place. Just how many times have you almost died since then?" Klaus-san asked while smiling really happily. "Umm ... About three times." "How did you almost die." "I was made to walk alone in the Devil''s Forest at night without being informed of anything, and had my guts eaten by Goblins, I was skewered from behind with a sword by a knight of Resenburg, and an assassin from Japan almost decapitated me with a wire and hung me up." "Seriously, I''m amazed you''re alive." "Yes, I think so too." At that time, I was completely absorbed at that time, but in retrospect, I think it was pretty dangerous. Putting aside the first Goblin incident, the latter two incidents happened after I got my genus, so I guess I was pretty careless. From now on, I didn''t intend to step into such dangerous situations, but since I would have four wives, I would need to think about my own safety as well. "Baldini, humans have places where they are suitable to display their talents, but there are also times when it is a position or occupation that does not suit them. When one finds out, it''s up to them to decide whether to accept the position or continue on their own path. You should choose the path you like. But, don''t be envious of or begrudge others. Even if you do that, happiness won''t come rolling in. Good luck only comes to those who believe in their own talents and struggle." Baldini listened intently to Klaus-san''s words, but I didn''t know how much he was convinced. "If you want to succeed me and become the Lord of Volzard, show me the strength that Augusto will be satisfied with. If you want to take Kent''s place, show me the power that surpasses Kent. If you don''t want to fulfill your duties as a Lord, I don''t mind you becoming an adventurer. Why don''t you try harvesting at the Livre Plantation like Kent or apprenticing as a gardener? It''s your life, live it how you like. However, as the Feudal Lord''s family, you''ve lived a decent life with the taxes of the people in the city, so you have to work hard to pay it back. Once you''ve done that, you can do whatever you want for a living, live in whichever city you want, and live with whatever kind of women you want." Baldini just nodded silently at Klaus-san''s words. "Well then, I think I''m going to push a lot of troubles on you this year, but I''m counting on you, son-in-law." "Yes, I understand, father-in-law." "Fuu ... Come to think of it, what are you going to do with your house? It seems like you''ve planted a huge tree and created a huge pond." "Ahh, that''s right. I''m thinking of asking Herman-san, the carpenter, to do it for me after the New Year holidays." "I see, you should talk to the magic tool shop as well." "Ehh, the magic tool shop?" "It''s natural, it should be about the same size as this place, kitchen, bath, toilet, etc., fire magic tools for cooking, magic tools for heating, it''s going to be many times more than for a normal house." "I see, that''s right. Well then, I''ll go ask Nott-san." "It looks like you''ve become familiar with carpenters, magic tool shops, and other places." "Yes, everyone has been taking care of me." "Aren''t your connections already wider than in your original city?" "Ah!, that may be so ..." When I lived in Tokyo, even the neighbors in my apartment complex only greeted me when I met them in the hallways or elevators. That didn''t mean I was in need of it, but if I think about my connections in the city, I felt that Volzard was much wider than Hikarigaoka. "Kent, I''m counting on you for our town, Volzard." "Yes! I''ll do my best again this year." As Klaus-san said, Volzard was already my hometown. CH 231 Punishment ***---*** With each step down the stairs, the air became more stagnant and the musty smell intensified. The spiral staircase that lead down to the basement was lit up with lights from magic tools here and there, but it was probably dim enough for normal people to feel it was dim. However, thanks to the dark attribute, it was bright enough for me, who could see at night, and I could see that Camilla, who was walking next to me, frowned at the smell. It seemed that Havre Calvine had been thrown into a dungeon that held felons in order to prevent another prison break. This was the only staircase leading from the dungeon to the surface. There were two soldiers in front of the prison, two on the stairs, and six soldiers in the corridor leading to the stairs, and in addition, 10 soldiers were on standby at the station so that they could respond immediately in case something went wrong. Animal moans and sharp whipping sounds echoed from the bottom of the stairs. In terms of height, there was a sturdy iron gate at a place where it was about two stories high, and after opening the bar and stepping in, there was a corridor about two meters wide. It seemed that the depth was about 20 meters, and it seemed that the space was wider than I thought. Bashiiiiiin! "Guuaaaaaah ..." "Isn''t it better to spit it out quickly and feel better?" "Wh, who would talk ..." Bashiiiiiin! "Gaaaaaaah ... Bastard ..." "You stubborn guy ..." In the dungeon separated by a corridor and iron bars, there were two knights in charge of interrogation and one criminal. If I hadn''t been told beforehand that it was Havre, I wouldn''t have known who the culprit being chained was. Havre had his right arm, severed at the tip of his elbow, and his intact left arm tied behind his head and was suspended from the ceiling by ropes. His legs were fixed in a kneeling position, and he was not even allowed to fall. When he was first captured, he was treated like a nobleman, but this time he wasn''t even allowed to wear clothes, and had been interrogated in this position for a long time. His body was covered in whip marks and blood was oozing from the torn areas of his skin, but he didn''t appear to have been treated. His face also appeared to have been hit, and his left eye appeared to be blocked by a swollen eyelid. His right eye, which seemed to be barely able to see, captured us standing outside the prison, and a light filled with madness filled it. "Maou! I''ll kill you, you shitty brat! Guaaaaaah!" Havre raged to the point of tearing off the leather belt that restrained him, and he wouldn''t stop even after being whipped by the soldiers. "Damnit, damnit, damniiiit! If it wasn''t for you, this country would have belonged to me. A brat who doesn''t know how hard it is has the nerve to start excessively meddling! Guaaaaa!" The soldier in charge of the interrogation whipped him in quick succession, and in the end, he was kicked in the pit of the stomach, and Havre threw up bloody gastric juice and stopped moving. The areas around the flanks and pit of the stomach must have already been beaten many times, and they were turning blue and black. It seemed that Havre firmly refused to answer the questions posed to him, but the knights in charge of the interrogation didn''t seem to expect any answers either. At first, it seemed there was the idea to carry out a public execution as an example, but by hiding the death of Havre, it seemed that they switched to a policy of preventing a spontaneous discharge from the Calvine territory. And, it was decided that Havre would be deprived not only of his dignity as a nobleman, but also his dignity as a human being, and that he would be put to death in prison. The most humiliating end to the life of a man who prided himself on his power and aimed to rule by force would be the revenge of the knights who lost so many of their companions. "Havre-san, you ordered the explosives from Kilia, right?" "Fuun ... That kind of thing ... even if you ask ... do you think?" Havre appeared to be out of breath, but his heart still seemed to be unbroken. He looked up from his downward gaze and even had a smile on the corner of his mouth. "I heard that the Republic of Kilia is a country rich in mineral resources. Explosives are used to blast hard bedrock to facilitate mining, right?" "Fuun, did you hear that from somewhere ..." "Nope, in my world, things like this are within the scope of common sense." "My world ...?" "Huh, haven''t you heard? I''m a person from another world summoned by Camilla." "Nonsense ..." "Maa, you don''t have to believe it, but it was a tool in my world that reflected Havre-san''s past appearance at the room of proceedings." "Then what is it ... it''s all over ... I have no interest." I thought that if I talked about Japanese technology, which was a different world from Resenburg''s point of view, he would show a bit of interest, but Havre showed no interest at all. "Then, what about the Calvine territory?" "Fuufuufuu, even if you captured me, not yet ... gofuu ... I guess you can''t get it under control." "Maa, it seems that it will be closed due to snow this time of year ..." "Fuhahaha ... Even if the snow melts in the spring, the Calvine territory will remain the Calvine territory. You guys ... won''t be able to get it." "If that''s the case, what should be done?" "It''s easy ... gofuu ... all you have to do is send me home ..." "Do you want to go home?" "Fuun, intending to return ... probably not ..." "Aren''t you worried about your territory''s future?" "I won''t be there ... The Calvine territory ... I don''t care what''s going to happen ..." "Aren''t you worried about the lives of the people of the fief?" "Fuhahaha ... gofuu, gafuu ... the people of the territory ... in order to do their best for me ... they exist. For me ... I don''t worry about them ... they worry about me ..." I heard from Camilla beforehand that the state of the Calvine territory was a society where wealth was monopolized by a few people, with Havre at the top, and the gap between the rich and the poor was also severe. It was expected that factional disputes would soon begin once word reached that Havre had been executed. Although it was decided that he would be put to death in prison, it seemed that the issue of how to govern the territory after Havre''s death remained. Count Saruel, who was in the former First Prince faction and had financial difficulties, was planning to acquire the Calvine territory by changing his territory if he was lucky, but it seemed that he didn''t have the skills to coordinate the miners. "Havre-san, where were you hiding after pretending to have escaped?" "Fuun, the future King ... it''s only natural to live in the royal castle." "But, someone was hiding you, weren''t they?" "I wonder ... Gofuu, gofu gofuu ..." After coughing, Havre raised his face and grinned, his front teeth stained with fresh blood. After seeing that, I asked Camilla. "Is there no progress in identifying the collaborators?" "Havre didn''t say anything, but the knights who were captured with him spoke." "Who was hiding Havre?" After a moment''s hesitation, Camilla said the collaborator''s name. "The Third Queen, Maylene Resenburg, my mother." "Fuhahahahaha! That''s right, the one who was hiding me was your mother, Maylene. Gafuu, gofu, gaaaa ..." "Stop it! Let him speak as he wants." When Camilla stopped the soldier who kicked Havre, Havre coughed for a while and then slowly raised his head. "Gofuu ... How is that prostitute woman doing. Even if he had young women attend him in the middle of the day ... he was already useless as a male ... instead of that stupid King, this me ... plenty of joy as a woman ... I taught her. By now ... indiscriminately fishing for men ... isn''t she doing so? Gefuu ... Camilla, you too should be honest ... Gafuu ... If you become mine ... You''ll ascend to heaven with your mother ... I''ll make you feel comfortable! Gah ... Guhaa ... Ugaaaaa ..." The soldier who received a look from Camilla whipped and kicked him, and forced Havre to shut up. Havre, who was unconscious, was forced to wake up by being showered with water from a bucket by the soldier. Havre''s whole body was covered in wounds, so much that the water spilled on the floor was dyed red. I wouldn''t be surprised if he died in front of me. "Haa ... Haa ... Brat ... You, you think you''ve won." Bending his neck, he didn''t even look at me, and between his rough breathing, Havre spoke to me. "Haa ... Haa ... At best you''re in good shape ... You bastard ... are also the same as me." Havre lifted his head like a ghost and gave a convulsive smile. "Those who have power ... are envied ... shunned ... like me ... and will be destroyed, fuufuu, gafuu, gufuu ..." Havre coughed violently, spitting up blood over his chin, staining the nape of his neck red, and continued looking up at me hauntingly. After meeting Havre''s gaze, I bowed deeply. "Thank you for your advice. I will keep your deeds in my heart so that I won''t end up like you." As if looking at something I didn''t understand, I continued speaking to Havre, who had stopped moving. "You were a talented person. You had the talent and the power. But, you were ruined because you used your power for your own sake, to entrap others. That''s why I use my power for everyone. I use it to help the people around me and prosper together. Havre Calvine, I will never forget you. As long as I remember your existence, I will never go astray." "Sh, shitty brat! Gafuu gefuu ... to you bastard, to you bastard ... Gofuu ..." "Goodbye, Havre Calvine. I will never see you again." Havre tried to stop me when I urged Camilla to return to the surface. "Wait, wait, you bastard! Gofuu ... Don''t leave yet, about the magician ... I''ll tell you." "Never mind. As for the dark-attribute magician, I''ll ask them directly. Then ..." "Wait! Wait, we''re not done talking ... Gofuu ... Wait, wait, shitty brat! Gaaaaaa!" Listening to the sound of the whip and Havre''s groans from behind, I climbed the spiral staircase. When I returned to the ground and was released from the stagnant air, I felt that the grudges clinging to my body had cleared. It seemed that many criminals had died in the dungeon so far, so perhaps it was really full of grudges and curses. The next place I headed to with Camilla was a prison where the dark-attribute magician was imprisoned. There was a foul stench in the area where Havre had been confined before. In addition to the dark-attribute magician, her younger brother was also imprisoned in the prison. I told them that the magician''s tattoo might have a magical meaning, and that it was dangerous to approach blindly, so the knights who were afraid of the curse left him as the caretaker. Seeing me standing in front of the prison with Camilla, the magician and her brother prostrated themselves on the floor. "It''s hard to talk like this, so can you raise your head?" "Ha!, as you wish, Maou-sama." Apparently, after being imprisoned, it seemed that various things had been instilled in him, and the younger brother was trembling. Considering the future situation, I cleared the room so that no one could hear what we were talking about, and blocked the corridor with a shield of darkness. I asked Camilla to leave because of the excuse of preparing for a magical threat. It was planned to have her hear the details of the interrogation later. "First, can I ask your name?" "Yes, my name is Marzella, my younger brother''s name is Ruzek." "It''s quick, but can you tell me the details of how you were used by Havre and captured?" "Understood." Marzella and Ruzek were said to be from a minority hill tribe called Bronetsk, who lived in the north of the Felciane Empire, the country to the west of Barshania. Bronetsk was said to produce many magicians with the dark attribute, and when those with the dark attribute reached the age of 15, regardless of gender, they got tattoos on their face and both arms. It was said that the tattoos deepened the affinity with the dark attribute and increased magical power, but Marzella herself seemed skeptical about the effect. "As you know, I can''t use many Undead without relying on boosters. There is a limit to the number of Undead that can be used not only by me, but also by the people of my tribe. Tattoos are left as a custom, but I don''t think they''re effective." "Is that so? It seems that it would be difficult just to get a tattoo like that, so I was wondering if it would have an effect." "If it had the effect of increasing magical power, it would be applied to those who did not have the aptitude for the dark attribute." It seemed that the tattoo was applied directly to the shaved scalp. "No matter how much awe and respect it gives, the pain of being tattooed is terrible, and above all, I can''t feel the effect." "Then, if it could be erased, would you like to erase it?" "Of course. To me, it''s just an abomination." In Bronetsk, dark-attribute magicians were said to be objects of awe, but even if that was not taken into account, it seemed that she still had a complex about her eerie appearance and the pain of being tattooed. "Unlike daughters with other attributes, dark-attribute daughters are not given freedom. Eventually, they will be married to a man with the dark attribute and forced to make children so that dark-attribute children will be born." "Got it. So, why did Marzella-san, who was in Felciane, come to Resenburg?" "That was ... My brother''s treatment was the trigger." In Bronetsk, many people with the dark attribute were born, but on the other hand, it seemed that very few people with the light attribute were born. Her younger brother Ruzek was born with a weak body, and even if he wanted to receive treatment, he had to go to a far away city to see a healer. For that to happen, it would take a lot of time and money, and Marzella''s house, which was practically self-sufficient, had no choice but to give up. "One day, a man from the Republic of Kilia came to the village to hire a dark-attribute magician. A male magician is the pride of the tribe, but he''s also the workhorse of the family, so he can''t leave the village. That''s why I decided to go to Kilia on the condition that my brother be treated." "I see, but hearing about the battle between Kilia and Jogesen, I can''t believe there was only one magician." "Yes, several male magicians from the tribe were brought in after me." It seemed that Kilia succeeded in scouting male magicians in exchange for bringing a large amount of grain and goods to the Bronetsk village and enriching their lives. Since the number of male magicians had gathered, it seemed that Marzella, who had weak magical power, was almost thrown away, and it seemed that she was sent to Resenburg by Kilia, who received a request from Havre. "Fortunately, my brother''s health has improved, but he was taken hostage and there was no way to resist." Ruzek had his face lowered and tears were streaming down his face. He probably thought that his existence caused his sister to commit a crime. "Maou-sama, I do not think that I will be forgiven for taking the lives of many knights. However, please save my brother''s life. I will not complain at all, no matter what kind of humiliation I receive, no matter how brutally I am executed." "Onee-chan! Don''t do that. I will die with you!" "Don''t say stupid things. I will bear the burden of my crimes. You will live my share as well." "I hate it, I hate it! I don''t want you to die. Onee-chan, Onee-chaaaan!" Ruzek clung to Marzella and began to "Marzella-san, there is no lie in what you just said, is there?" "Yes, as long as my brother can be saved, I will accept any punishment." "Now, lie down on your bed. And, can you close your eyes and absolutely not raise your voice until I say you can?" "... I understand." Marzella stood up, took a deep breath, and lay down on the bed. Using the shield of darkness, I stepped into the prison, where Ruzek stood in my way with outstretched arms. "I won''t let you. Even if you''re a Maou, I won''t let you do anything cruel to my Onee-chan!" "Reinhardt, please tie up Ruzek. Also, blindfold and gag, please." [ Understood. ] Reinhardt emerged from the shadows, and Ruzek was tied up without even being able to resist. "Stop! Don''t touch Onee-chan ... Mugaa, mugaaaa ..." "It''s okay, Ruzek, I have no intention of being rough with her. Now, lie down on the bed and close your eyes." "Understood ..." Marzella lay down on the bed and closed her eyes tightly. "Then, absolutely don''t open your eyes." "A, alright ..." Marzella''s voice was weak and trembling. When I touched her cheek, she jerked and stiffened, but as I stroked her from her cheek to the top of her head, her eyes widened. "Close your eyes ..." Marzella closed her eyes again, but her body was trembling. After removing my hand once, I slid my fingertips along her arms and upper arms. As I stroked her while using healing magic, her tattoos disappeared like the writing on a whiteboard. "You can open your eyes." "S, such a thing ... I can''t believe it ..." "Reinhardt, please release Ruzek''s restraints." [ Understood. ] "Onee-chan ... Lies ..." "It''s not a lie. I''m the Maou." When Reinhardt released his restraints, Ruzek jumped up and immediately froze. Maa, it wasn''t unreasonable to freeze when you saw Marzella regain her white, flawless cheeks. Marzella also stared at her arms, where her tattoos had disappeared, and remained motionless. "Why ... Why did you do that?" "Hmm ... Because I wanted to do it, maybe? Look, I am the Maou, I will do what I want to do." Marzella and Ruzek prostrated themselves before me again. "Yup, it''s hard to talk, so raise your heads." "Yes, umm ... So, what will happen to me from now on. Maybe, you erased the tattoos so the knights of Resenburg can humiliate me in peace ..." "I won''t do such elaborate harassment." "I apologize." "I''ll have the two of you go to Volzard." "Volzard ... is it?" "The tattoos are gone, the tribe''s old conventions are broken, and the two of you are going to start a new life together." "No, but my crime was ..." "I will tell the Resenburg people that the two of you were executed, and you will continue to be abused as Undead for eternity." "But, if they find out I''m alive ..." "They won''t find out. Even if I''m facing you like this now, I can only see you as a different person." "Ah! ..." Come to think of it, Marzella herself didn''t see her tattoo-less face because there was no mirror. "Ruzek''s face will change as he grows up and will not be recognized, and Marzella-san is like a different person, so there should be no problem." "Then, can I live ...?" "Yup, but I hope you can find a way to live that helps people without forgetting your guilt." "For the sake of others ... is it?" "It''s not about sacrificing yourself for everyone, I want you to live a life that makes you and the people around you happy together." "I and the people around me ... I understand. I don''t know if I can do well, but I will live my life to the fullest." "Then, let''s send you lickety-split ..." I used the repatriation technique to bring Marzella and Ruzek back to Klaus-san''s mansion. I explained the situation and asked for protection until the guild resumed operations. Now, shall I go back to Resenburg and talk to Camilla about the situation. CH 232 Uncontrollable thoughts ***---*** "After executing the brother and sister dark-attribute magicians, I transformed them into Undead and sent them to Volzard. From now on, I won''t even allow them to die, and I''ll abuse them until their body breaks down." When I said that, the soldier who was guarding the prison turned pale and trembled. I would talk about how the dark-attribute magician left the Felciane Empire, so when I told him to prepare a place where I wouldn''t be disturbed, I was led to Camilla''s room. I asked Fred to make sure no one was around, and then proceeded. "Maou-sama, what did you actually do to that brother and sister?" "Before I tell you that, I''ll tell you what happened." Camilla frowned when I told her about the Bronetsk Tribe and its customs. She let out a large sigh when I told her how they went to Kilia and how they ended up in Havre''s hands. "In that case, aren''t those people also basically Havre''s victims." "Maa, that''s right. If I couldn''t use magic like I can now, and my family and friends were taken hostage, I''d probably do the same thing." "Then, why did you execute them?" "I didn''t execute them. After erasing Marzella''s tattoo with healing magic, I sent them back to Volzard. Currently, they''re being protected by the Lord''s Mansion." "You removed their tattoo?" "Yup, I erased it. It didn''t seem to be of any use, and it was somehow disgusting ..." "Everything?" "Yup, I erased everything neatly." "I see, is that so ... What are you going to do with the two of them after this?" "I''m going to have them register at the guild normally, work normally, and live normally ..." Camilla was dissatisfied when she heard that they were executed, but when she heard that they were going to live in Volzard instead of being executed, she was still dissatisfied. Should they be executed? Should I not execute them? What exactly do you want? "It may be dissatisfying for Camilla, who had many knights killed, but I have no intention of punishing those two anymore." "If Maou-sama has made a decision, I will follow it ..." Even though you said you would follow my decision, why do you look like you''re pouting? "I''m not going to change my decision, but if you have any complaints, I''ll listen." "Maou-sama, do you intend to add that magician as well?" "Add ... ? What?" "That is, umm ... As a concubine at the lowest rank." "Ehh, I won''t do that. I''ve only met her twice, and I''ve heard about her background, but I don''t really know what kind of person she is." "Is that true?" "There''s no need for me to lie." "Is that so. In that case, it''s fine." Camilla is a bit strange because she suddenly broke into a wide grin. I was a little reluctant to ask when she was feeling better, but there was still something I wanted to confirm. "Hey, Camilla. Did the Third Queen really cooperate with Havre?" "Yes, I have already confirmed it with the person herself." The Third Queen, Maylene, the mother of Camilla and Diethelm was apparently bored. After becoming pregnant with Diethelm, her relationship with King Alexis must have cooled down. It seemed that they rarely met each other and had no conversations. Figuratively speaking, supposing that the King treats you coldly, and your child is competing for the throne of the next King with the children of the First and Second Queens, I guess she was trying to satisfy herself by being pampered by the noble faction. "However, I am a woman, and Diethelm was sickly, and even in social situations my mother was not in the spotlight. So it seems that Havre caught her by that gap in her heart and she was entangled." With a bitter expression on Camilla''s face, she calmly recounted the relationship between her mother and Havre. "But, even if she''s the Third Queen, she can''t freely leave the royal castle, can she?" "Yes, you''re right. Normally, you can''t go out unless you''re protected by a guard knight." "Then, Havre had a relationship with Maylene in the castle?" "Nope, it seems that the Prime Minister acted as a guide." Usually, the pleasure of a Queen is the balls and concerts held in the royal castle, but for Maylene, who had no aristocratic faction, it was nothing but a pain. So, Havre got the Prime Minister to cooperate and took Maylene out of the royal castle. It was said that he took her to the theater, opera, dance hall, and tavern for the common people held in the castle town, and obtained Maylene''s heart and body in his own mansion. "Huh, wait a minute. Since the Third Queen was the collaborator, she was also involved in Havre''s escape plan, right?" "Yes, that''s right." "No way, the First Queen spread the false information ..." "Nope, my mother said it wasn''t her. Havre also said that she wasn''t the one who spread the slander." In addition to that, as for the the coup d''etat at the Chamber of Proceedings, it was explained that he intended to keep Camilla alive in the end and make her a formal bride. The Third Queen also seemed to be dazzled by the love affair and was unable to make normal decisions, and even when she was told the truth, she ended up saying that Camilla was being deceived. "So, what will happen to the Third Queen?" "I have decided to send all of the former King''s consorts to their home territory." "Did they not agree?" "None of the agreed at first, but once the domestic situation is resolved, I will hand over the throne to Diethelm. When that happens, I hinted that it would only go downhill, and I convinced the First and Second Queens." "So, what about the Third Queen?" "Someday, I''m going to send her forcibly." It was said that Maylene still lived in her room in the inner palace, but all the people who took care of her were replaced and she was strictly monitored by the royal guard. Even after being returned to her parents'' house, with the outward appearance of resting, Camilla said she was being confined, as expected, it seemed that she was also hesitant to dispose of her real mother. "By the way, Camilla, what are you going to do about the Calvine Territory?" "Yes, we plan to keep the Calvine Territory under our direct control for the time being." With a tightened expression, Camilla began to talk about her plans for the future. "As Maou-sama knows, the Calvine Territory is not a simple matter. Each mine has its own power, and it''s no easy task to bring it all together." "Is there anyone qualified?" "Nope. Only here, even if I send some nobles in the form of a change of territory, they will either be kicked out or besieged." "Even in that state, Havre, who had governed them so far, had that confidence." "Yes, so there will not be a Feudal Lord and there will be a resident knight order." "The knights ...?" "Yes, we will send selected people from the knight order, and put them together with someone who is well informed and replace them every three months." Half-hearted nobles were likely to fall behind in terms of both military strength and intelligence, so in any case, they would send a knight order to make up for it in a rough situation, and have a civil official accompany them to make up for the lacking parts. "The purpose of frequent replacement is to prevent them from being bribed." "You are right. If their stay is prolonged, they will definitely become acquainted." "I see ... But, if it''s every three months, you''ll need four captains a year, right. Do you have the personnel?" "Don''t worry. The captain will be a decoy, and the official captain will be appointed as the lieutenant." "I see ... But, what if the lieutenant was also bribed?" "I will have that adjutant accompany them as a member, and although I don''t really want to do it, they will take the form of mutual surveillance." "Does that mean that they both will monitor each other''s affairs?" "Yes, in fact, there were knights who exposed disgraceful behavior in the commotion on New Year''s Day, so there was no objection from the knights. Besides, rather than monitoring them, I have instructed them to create an environment where they can speak frankly with each other." "I see. It''s not just an acquisition, it''s a relationship where they can consult and help each other when a situation where their weaknesses are taken advantage of happens, right?" "Yes, that''s right." Camilla nodded with a satisfied, confident expression. With some knights cooperating with Havre, it seemed that there was a voluntary movement to clean up discipline within the knight order. The Second and Third Princes were killed, the First Prince was poisoned, and in the abnormal situation where even the current King was killed, Camilla had declared her succession to the throne. Nevertheless, the knights seemed to rouse themselves, saying that if the knights were not united, there would be no bright future for Resenburg. "If you dispatch the knights, I don''t think they''ll be outmatched by force, but will that alone be enough to hold them back?" "It''s probably impossible with just that, so we''re considering other measures." Another measure Camilla talked about was the so-called conciliatory strategy. "The Calvine Territory is mostly mountainous. There are many animals such as deer and wild boars, so it''s relatively easy to obtain such meat, but grains such as wheat and corn are difficult to obtain, and they are dependent on imports from other territories." "Does that mean that the knights will suppress the grain?" "Yes, to be precise, we plan to set up a checkpoint to limit the movement of grain and sell it at a lower price than before." "But, if that''s the case, wouldn''t the people who have been profiting from the sale of grain be repulsed?" "If nothing is done, that will happen. Therefore, we will reduce the tax on the sale of grain. If we return the high taxes that have been sucked up by the Havre gang to normal, I think they will be able to make a good profit." "I see, so far the tax amount has been decided by Havre. So that means they can get a tax reduction just by keeping it on par with other territories." "You''re right. Tax rates have been too high." "Armed force and food, huh ... Huh, I think I''ve heard that somewhere ..." [ It was a conciliatory measure that Kilia used with Bronetsk. It''s normal to control your opponent''s stomach. ] As Reinhardt said, it seemed like it was normal to hold back on food and other daily necessities. In addition to suppressing grain, which was the staple food, Camilla also planned to repair the highway leading to the Calvine Territory under the pretext of ensuring the safety of passage. For the residents, the maintenance of the road was a blessing, and for the knights, it also had the advantage of making it easier to send soldiers. If it was difficult to reduce their strength all at once, it seemed like Camilla''s policy was to take time to conciliate and reduce their strength. "I believe that the people of the Calvine Territory are preparing countermeasures against these measures. I don''t think it will be easy, but we will respond flexibly and tenaciously." "Understood. If you proceed in that way, it seems that there will be no turn for me. But, if an unforeseen situation arises and you need help, ask Hart to send a message. I''ll do what I can." "Thank you very much. I have also decided to become a King, so I don''t think I can just rely on Maou-sama. That being said, in case of emergency, please take care of me." Since its name came up, Hart showed its face, thinking it was called. It wagged its tail happily when I petted it. Camilla''s eyes narrowed happily watching what Hart and I were doing, but she spoke with a slightly stiff voice. "Maou-sama, a messenger from Barshania is coming." "Ehh, have they arrived in Aldaros already?" "No, I learned from the series of disturbances that the speed of information transmission is important, I am in the process of building a transmission network using birds. I prioritized communicating with border towns first, and that quickly proved useful." "I see. Information transmission, huh ..." The first thing that came to mind was the Japanese mobile phone network. By laying a golem with a dark attribute, it was possible to open the entrance to the shadow space and send out radio waves. However, it seemed that it would be difficult to teach people about charging facilities and knowledge about phones, and in the first place, I had to think about whether the rapid progress of civilization was a good thing or a bad thing. For the time being, let''s just put the idea in a corner of my mind. "Maou-sama, is the purpose of the messenger from Barshania related to the marriage of the Princess?" "Hmm ... I wonder if I should say something about messengers between two countries ..." "If there is something that could become a source of conflict, I would like to make preparations as well ... Can you tell me?" "That''s right. In order to prevent unnecessary troubles, I would like you to have it as preliminary knowledge." When I told her that one hundred escort knights were going to accompany Seraphima in her wedding procession, Camilla''s eyebrows began to wrinkle. Furthermore, when I told her that Seraphima wanted to visit the royal castle, the wrinkles between her brows grew even deeper. "Considering the current situation in Resenburg, there is no other way than to set things up with Barshania. Besides, since the long-standing conflict may be resolved, I think it should be welcomed, but ..." After stopping her words, Camilla lowered her gaze and sank into thought for a while. I felt that the air in the room suddenly became heavy. After she took a couple of deep breaths, Camilla looked up and her eyes were moist as if blaming me. "Resenburg will take care not to cause unnecessary clashes, but would Maou-sama please tell Barshania to also be careful themselves?" "I''m going to tell them that, and I''m going to take measures to prevent conflicts." "Thank you very much. After listening to the message from the messenger, I will consider it as much as possible so that it will be in line with your wishes." "Thank you, Camilla. I should be the one to thank you." "No, this is also for Resenburg ..." Camilla, who suddenly cut off her words, looked down and seemed to be clenching her back teeth. At a time like this, I wished I could say a witty line, but I had nothing that came to my mind. "This ... I think this is a good opportunity for Resenburg. But, but ... Even if my head is convinced, my heart is ..." Seeing Camilla''s tears, I involuntarily stood up from my seat and hugged her. What I was doing may be what the worst scumbags did, but even so, it was impossible for me to coldly push the current Camilla away. "I haven''t been able to persuade Yuika yet, so I think it''s no good in reality." "I also ... I understand in my head that I shouldn''t want it now ..." "Camilla ..." "Maou-sama ..." The more words I said, the more I felt like I was covering lies with lies, and we hugged each other without words. "I am terribly sorry ..." "There''s no need to apologize. I believe that this sin must be borne by the both of us." "Maou-sama ..." "But, it''s still no good right now. As for us, we have work left to do." "Yes ..." "But, when it''s all over ..." "Yes ..." We hugged each other tightly as if we were making a vow. I was just worried about Camilla and Seraphima facing each other in this situation, but that was a problem that I needed to solve. It was only a few days into the new year, but it was sure to be another eventful year. When I told Camilla the rough schedule for Seraphima''s wedding and was about to return to Volzard, Mirt showed up. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Kajikawa wants to talk." "He~, Kajikawa-san?" "Wau." Mirt nodded and held a powered-on smartphone in its hand. It looked like there were a lot of things I needed to ask, but for now, let''s answer the phone. "Hello, it''s Kokubu ..." "Ahh, I''m glad. Kokubu-kun, I''m sorry for the sudden talk, but can you come here now?" "Yes, maa, it''s fine, but is this not about the cage you mentioned." "The cage is also complete, but today is a different matter, and if possible, I''d like to talk to you directly ..." Kajikawa-san''s voice, which always seemed a little frivolous, was tense with a sense of urgency today. Since I was asked to return to Japan suddenly, it was highly likely that those who returned to Japan caused some kind of trouble. That being said, there were also troublemakers such as Kizawa-san, Nakagawa-sensei, and the first boy group to return to Japan, so it was impossible to predict who caused it. "Understood. I''ll visit the Nerima garrison in a little while, so could you wait for a while?" "I don''t mind. But, it would be helpful if you could do it as soon as possible ..." Pipo! pipo! "Ehh, the battery is dying? I understand, I''ll go as soon as possible!" I answered loudly and hung up the call so as not to be overwhelmed by the alarm that suddenly started ringing. Turning my gaze, Mirt looked down like a kid who was caught doing a prank. "Did Mirt try using it too?" "Wau ... Meisa and Mio looked like they were having fun ..." "Sorry, I didn''t notice. Next time, I have to teach everyone how to use it." "Goshujin-sama, aren''t you angry?" "I''m not angry, come here." When I called for Mirt, Mart and Murt also jumped out. It seemed that the three of them got together and messed with it, and it seemed that the tablet and mobile battery stored in the shadow storage were out of charge. When I return to Japan, let''s charge them while I''m at it. "Wau, I''m sorry, Goshujin-sama." "It''s okay. But, if you want to use it, just tell me." "Understood. Goshujin-sama." "Me too, I want to use it." "Me too, me too!" "Yes, yes, after charging it." They must have been envious that Meisa-chan, who usually is together with them most of the time, had fun in Japan. But, if I taught Mirt and the others, the other Kobolds would probably want to join in, and if Zeta and the others said they wanted to try it, what should I do. I wonder if there''s such a sturdy tablet out there ... For military use, it seems sturdy, but it''s expensive ... Or rather, I wonder if they''ll sell it. After mofuing Mirt and the others, I kissed Camilla on the cheek, who was looking at me in envy, and then slipped into the shadows and moved to Japan. I left Aldaros before noon, but due to the time difference in Japan, it was before 3:00. Even though it was around midnight, the Nerima garrison''s countermeasures room was lit up with lights and the air was tense. And, besides Kajikawa-san, an unexpected person was waiting impatiently for my arrival. "Yo, Kokubu-kun, it''s been a while." "Vice-minister Shiota ... I''m sorry, I''m late." "No, no, I''m sorry for calling you so suddenly." Waiting for me at the Nerima garrison was State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shiota, who had previously visited Volzard. This, it doesn''t seem to be a matter of talking about my classmates or teachers ... If I didn''t listen to them with a little composure, it seemed to be a bit awkward. CH 233 Request for treatment ***---*** "There isn''t time, so let me be blunt. I want Kokubu-kun to treat a certain person." "Ehh, a treatment request is ..." When I sat down on the sofa in the reception room, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shiota began to explain why he called me. Next to him, Kajikawa-san silently bowed his head to me. "I think Kajikawa-kun told you that the Japanese government would never ask for treatment, but we can''t say that this time." "Would you mind telling me a bit more about it?" "That''s right. It''s rude to push a request without explaining the circumstances. The person I want Kokubu-kun to treat is President Azirmat of the Republic of Hazakhstan who is visiting Japan."(TN:Sorry if the name is wrong, I''m not familiar with names of that region.) "Hazuki ... President?" "Correct. It must be an unfamiliar country name." "Yes. Somehow, I wonder if it''s the country around there ... It feels like." "Hazakhstan is a small country in Central Asia, and you can think of it as a so-called dictatorship." "A dictatorship ... is it?" After giving a big nod, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shiota told me about Hazakhstan. Although the country was not large, a natural gas deposit boasting one of the world''s largest reserves was discovered, and it seemed that Japanese trading companies had been contacted to develop it. It seemed that President Azirmat''s visit to Japan this time was meant for entertaining him. "That Ajiri ..." "President Azirmat." "The President suddenly fell ill ... No, I don''t think it''s necessary for me to come in just for a sudden illness ..." "The President suffered a serious injury that broke his neck and is being treated at a hospital in Toranomon, but his cervical vertebrae are so badly injured that he is paralyzed from the neck down and unable to move." President Azirmat was a former military employee who gained control through a coup d''etat, and was said to be a giant, nearly 190 centimeters tall. The day before last, the President was being entertained by the trading company, and on the way to the next store, he slipped off the stairs. It seems that a beautiful onee-san was with him, but she couldn''t support the President and they fell together, and she also suffered serious injuries such as broken ribs. "Supposing ... Supposing I don''t treat him, what will happen?" "I talked about it a bit earlier, but Hazakhstan is a dictatorship ruled by President Azirmat. It is also a multi-ethnic country where multiple ethnic groups and religions coexist. If the President can''t move for a long time like this, it wouldn''t be strange for a civil war to break out." President Azirmat was said to belong to the second largest faction, although he belonged to the majority ethnic group. It was said that he successfully suppressed conflicts between groups and factions through conciliation through force and profit, and this was largely due to his own charisma. "Needless to say, if it develops into a civil war, the development of the gas fields will come to a standstill, and it could also affect Japan''s energy policy." From the gas fields to be developed, there were plans to build pipelines across neighboring countries, and exports to Japan were also being considered. "Understood. I will accept it." "I''m sorry. Even though we just made a big deal about not requesting treatment ..." "Nope, it can''t be helped because of the circumstances. Besides, if it''s a request from the Japanese government, I''ll naturally receive a reward, right?" "Of course. I''m ready to pay a reasonable amount because you''re going to treat a situation where there is no chance of recovery with modern medicine." "Specifically, how much will it be?" "300 million. The Japanese government will pay 300 million Yen for this treatment. However, it will be in the form of a success fee, but is it okay?" "300 million Yen is it, isn''t that too high?" "It''s an amount to make you think so." According to Vice-minister Shiota, this treatment would not be revealed at all, and would be carried out in absolute secrecy. They planned to release the information to only a small number of people involved at the hospital, but the possibility of it being leaked was still not zero. In the unlikely event that information on the treatment leaked out, it seemed that the exorbitant treatment cost was set so that there would not be a flood of requests. "I understand the amount, but I have two requests ..." "What are they, if it''s possible, I''ll grant your wish." "Firstly, I would like you to use the cost of this treatment for the Resenburg compensation." "Then Kokubu-kun will be working for free, but is that okay?" "Yes, no problem." "Alright, let''s use it for part of the compensation. What''s the other?" "Secondly, I am planning to send my classmates back in earnest, but when that is completed, would it be possible to make the compensation from Resenburg completed?" "Hmm ... But, I don''t think it''s reached the compensation amount estimated in Japan yet, what do you think, Kajikawa-kun?" "Yes, even if you add this reward, it will be calculated that there is a shortage of about 3.5 billion Yen." The Goblins sent to Japan as test materials for repatriation were sold for 100 million Yen each, so that''s all it took to pay more than 1 billion Yen in compensation. In addition, the magic stones, Minotaur''s Horns, and the cost of this treatment should be around 1.5 billion Yen, but the situation was far from complete. "Kokubu-kun, do you intend to avoid paying the 3.5 billion Yen?" "No, in regards to that, I will continue to help with the collection work, but I think that once the summoned classmates return to Japan and the compensation is completed, the public opinion of Resenburg will change. I don''t know to what extent the Japanese government intends to undertake resource surveys and development in places such as Volzard and Resenburg in the future, but I think that a friendly relationship, even if only a little, will make things go more smoothly ..." "I see, you certainly have a point. However, the amount of money is too big to make a decision here. Is it no good to take the second talk back and consider it." "Understood. That''s fine." "Then, about the specifics of the treatment ..." I shook hands with Vice-minister Shiota, and when we were about to start a meeting, my stomach growled loudly. Now that I think about it, I''ve only had breakfast. "I''m sorry. I was so busy today ..." "No, you can''t fight if you''re hungry. Let''s talk after eating." However, since it was past 3:00 in the morning, the cafeteria staff weren''t there either, so I ate rice balls and cup noodles from a nearby convenience store for a late-night snack. It had been a long time since I''d had cup noodles, and they felt strangely delicious. In addition, while I was going to eat and do the treatment, I had my smartphone, tablet, mobile battery, etc., charged all at once. Also, I got a solar panel for charging. "Ah, that''s right. Kajikawa-san, do you have any materials about handling gunpowder?" "Is gunpowder that exploding gunpowder?" "Yes, gunpowder has been developed in that world and is actually starting to be used." "Hou, that sounds like an interesting story. Can I hear about it too?" When I told him about the development of gunpowder in the Republic of Kilia and its use in warfare, former SDF Vice-minister Shiota listened with great interest. When I talked about the attacks using Undead, he seemed to remember suicide attacks, perhaps from his experience of being dispatched to the Middle East, and had a sour expression on his face. "It''s not a very pleasant story to be used as a tool of war even after death." "It''s just as you say, but it seems that the effect was tremendous. I saw it in the daytime, but in the battle between Kilia and Jogesen, it was used for night raids and achieved great results." The Undead, who could see at night, attacked under the cover of darkness, carrying barrels of gunpowder. If you were on the defending side, it must be a nightmare. Kajikawa-san would prepare materials on gunpowder handling and gunpowder manufacturing, and would dispatch lecturers if necessary. Although it was out of season, they arranged for firecrackers and fireworks. "Now, regarding the treatment of President Azirmat, in order to prevent information leaks, only a limited number of hospital staff have been informed. So, Kokubu-kun will accompany me as a government official, so you''ll have to disguise yourself again." "Vice-minister, I think it would be better if I don''t show up and treat him from the shadows ..." "Is that possible?" "Yes, or rather, magic can be used more stably in the shadow space where magic essence exists." When I explained about shadow movement and treatment from the shadow space, Vice-minister Shiota had the experience of actually going to Volzard via the shadow space, so he understood it easily. "Then, how should we proceed." "That''s right. I don''t know where the hospital is, so could you drive me to a place nearby. After that, as long as I know where the hospital room is, I''ll follow the shadows inside and treat him." "Once you''re done with the treatment, get back in the car and I''ll drop you off here." "No, if I use shadow movement on the way back, I can come back here, so it''s okay." "My, my, magic sure is useful. Then, I will be waiting here, so I wonder if you can come back after the treatment is over." "Understood." I asked them to prepare a floor plan of the hospital, and I was shown the room where President Azirmat was hospitalized. It was a hospital room for VIPs, and he was a huge foreigner, so there was no mistaking it. They decided to contact the hospital staff who they had been talking to about the treatment after the treatment was over. Maa, since it was treatment from the shadows without showing my face, there was no need to worry about my existence being exposed. When I was guided to the parking lot, a one-box car was waiting. A black film was affixed to the rear seat glass, and a curtain was drawn between the driver''s seat so that the interior could not be seen from the outside. "I''m Kokubu, nice to meet you." "Likewise, go ahead ..." When I called out to the driver, he opened the door for me. "Is it okay if I leave?" "Yes, go ahead." "Then, call me when you get near the hospital." The car left the Nerima garrison and drove towards Ikebukuro along the Kawagoe Highway in the middle of the night. Even though it was a weekday, it was before dawn, so the roads were empty. It took about 30 minutes to go around Ikebukuro, Gokokuji, Iidabashi, and the Imperial Palace to reach Toranomon. "Kokubu-san, we''ll be arriving soon. The hospital will be the large building on the right side of the road." "Understood, thank you very much." With the hazard lights flashing, the car stopped on the left side of the road. I hid in the shadows from inside the car and started moving. The hospital was also famous for being used by politicians, and I could see the media in the area. There were security guards keeping an eye on the entrance to the hospital, but it didn''t matter to me as I moved in the shadows. If I went outside, I might be caught on surveillance cameras, so I''ll move while submerged. As it was a hospital late at night, the hall was silent. In the inpatient ward, the only lights that were on were at the nurse station. President Azirmat was hospitalized in a special room on the 11th floor, and only the area around it was on high alert. In consideration of the domestic situation in Hazakhstan, the Japanese government had not made any announcements regarding the President''s detailed symptoms, and they seemed to be very sensitive to information leaks. Infiltrating such a heavily guarded place was like a spy movie, and it was a little exciting, but I should brace myself until the treatment is over. The hospital room was further back, past the reception space from the corridor. In a room decorated to look like a hotel, there was a high-class bed that you wouldn''t expect from a hospital, and a man was lying there with his neck tightly fastened. With black hair and a mustache, his slightly plump face was reminiscent of a famous game character. I couldn''t see him from the neck down, but judging from the amount of swelling in the futon, I was sure he was a little overweight. If I fell down the stairs with that physique, I would break my neck too. I put my hand between the cast and his neck from the shadows and poured healing magic into him. I was told that the misalignment of the bones had already been corrected, so all I had to do was repair the nerves. In fact, it was a simpler treatment than joining an amputated leg. The treatment was over, but the patient, the President, was still asleep, so I didn''t know if the treatment was successful. On the other hand, I couldn''t wake up a foreign President before dawn. As I was wondering what to do, the door to the reception area quietly opened. I thought it was a patrolling nurse, but it was a middle-aged man who appeared. He had a mustache just like the President, but he was skinny and looked gloomy because the room was dim. Judging from his appearance, he was probably related to the Republic of Hazakhstan, not Japanese. The man who entered the hospital room turned around to the drawing room and closed the door shut quietly. [ Kent-sama, what a dubious person that is. ] [ I agree. He looks suspicious, doesn''t he. ] The man approached the bed where the President slept while silencing his footsteps. When I looked at the reception area, I saw two men who had fallen asleep, leaning on the sofa. There were three cups on the table, one of which seemed to have not lost its contents. It was kind of a situation, but I didn''t want the President who I went to the trouble of treating to be harmed. It seemed a little expensive, but I''ll ask you to forgive me. I used the repatriation technique to move the cup from the top of the table to the ceiling and dropped it. Gacha~~n! THe man who had walked up to the President''s bedside was startled by the shattering of the teacup and stopped and looked back at the door. A security guard in the hallway rushed into the reception area. "What happened!" "This is ... Hey, pull yourselves together!" The two men who were sitting on the sofa in the drawing room didn''t wake up even though the cup was shattered on the table in front of them. The man who entered the hospital room clicked his tongue sharply, muttered something in a foreign language, and took out a knife from his pocket as if determined. I thought about using a shield of darkness to protect him, but the moment the man tried to swing down the knife he was holding in his hand, the futon covering the President was flipped up. The President''s fist exploded in the face of the man who pushed aside the futon while shouting in a foreign language that I didn''t understand. Having his knife go flying, the man collapsed by the wall and yelled in a foreign language with a startled expression on his face, but the President gave him a stomping kick and fell silent. After cursing the man with an angry look, President Azirmat suddenly opened his eyes and started at his own hands. [ Did he finally notice that he''s moving! ] [ Buhahahaha, he was said to be a former soldier, so his body must have moved on its own. ] [ Maa, anyway, I''ve fulfilled my role properly, so they can clean up that mess themselves. ] Whether it was an attempted assassination due to an internal conflict or something, the security guards who jumped in and the hospital staff who rushed to the scene also got involved, creating a big fuss. Maa, as long as the President is still alive, there shouldn''t be any complaints, so let''s go back to the Nerima garrison. It was almost at the same time as I returned to the Nerima garrison that State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shiota''s mobile phone rang. "It''s Shiota ... What, assassination attempt, wa, wait a minute, Kokubu-kun, is the President''s treatment over?" "Yes, the President beat down the man who planned to assassinate him." "Haa? The President himself?" "Yes, it was a thin man who seemed to be related, but the President beat him down and the security guards restrained him." "Hello, is the President safe? I see, please make arrangements so that the commotion doesn''t leak outside, right ... I''ll ask of you." After hanging up the phone, Vice-minister Shiota let out a big sigh. "Haa ... Kokubu-kun, please don''t scare me too much." "Even if you say that, I was only asked to treat the President. I wasn''t even asked to provide personal protection, so for the time being, I worked things out so that it would only be an attempt." Vice-minister Shiota seemed to understand when I explained what had happened in President Azirmat''s hospital room. "For the time being, the President has regained his health, and from now on they will have to take care of it themselves." "Maa, that''s true, but if possible, I wanted them to not bring the internal mess to Japan." That''s not my business. "Then, since the quest has been completed, is it okay if I return to Volzard?" "Ahh, wait a minute, Kokubu-kun." Vice-minister Shiota gave the OK, but Kajikawa-san stopped me. After seeing off the Vice-minister who hastily returned to his official residence, I was invited to the reception sofa. "First of all, I apologize once again. It''s really pitiful to be in such a state of mind, even though we made a big deal about not asking for that kind of treatment." "No, no, this case can''t be helped, please raise your head." "From what I''ve heard from Kokubu-kun, people wouldn''t think that Kokubu-kun was involved in this case, and I''m grateful for that as well." "No, in the first place, it''s easier to use healing magic from the shadow space." "However, in this incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognized the usefulness of Kokubu-kun." "Does that mean that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will make requests like this one?" "Of course, I''ll try to refuse as much as possible, but for example, if the President of the United States or Russia collapses during their visit to Japan ..." "Maa, it can''t be helped. It''s a problem if I''m going to have to spend 365 days, 24 hours a day on treatment, but once every few months is fine." "Is that so, it''s helpful if you say that. But ... Kokubu-kun, I need you to understand your own value a little more properly." "My own value ...?" "That''s right. After all, you can freely transfer people between another world and Japan. If you were brought to Washington in advance, wouldn''t it be possible to even send armed soldiers to the Oval Office of the White House?" "That''s, maa ... If you say whether it''s possible or not, it''s possible ..." "Injuring the blood vessels in the brain and assassinating an important person by pretending they died of disease ... Isn''t that possible?" "M, maa ... It''s not impossible, but I won''t do it." "Of course I know that, but foreign governments don''t always understand. In fact, you were almost assassinated." "Ahh, Takagi-san ..." I dared not ask about the status of the investigation after that, but Takagi-san, who tried to assassinate me, must have been someone from a non-Japanese organization. "That''s why, Kokubu-kun. I want you to refrain from sightseeing in Tokyo casually." "Uuh, did you find out ..." "Don''t underestimate public security in Japan. I know that the Asakawa family went to Volzard, and that a girl came from Volzard. I''m not saying it''s absolutely no good, but if you don''t let us know in advance, we won''t be able to set up a security system." "I''m sorry ..." I didn''t think that they would find out that I invited the Asakawa family. "Frankly, I don''t mind if people go over there. The people in this world can''t touch you. However, if you come here, I want you to think more about them being targeted as someone related to Kokubu-kun." "But, I had my genus watch over us from the shadows as escorts." "Even so, if some organization intervenes, even if the person themselves is safe, there is a concern that the people around them will be involved, right? Will you be able to protect all the tourists in the Sky Tree?" "That''s ... That''s impossible." "As I said earlier, I won''t say it''s definitely no good, and I will be asking the Lord of Volzard for an official visit sooner or later. That''s why, please let me know in advance. Is that okay?" "I understand, I''m very sorry." It was kind of strange that we were just apologizing to each other today. "Haa ... But, Kokubu-kun consented to the treatment, which was a big help. I don''t want to bring up the matter of bringing a girl from Volzard like a bargaining chip." "Excuse me, I''ll be more careful from now on." "No, I''m also being taken care of by Kokubu-kun, so I don''t mind as long as you don''t mind, but I want to put in place a perfect system ... That''s right, can you rely on me a little more." "Yes, well then, I will rely on you without hesitation." "Ehh ... No way, you can refrain from doing it for a while." "No, no, I''ll stop behaving like a stranger and rely on you." "No way ... It was just a little bit of a slip of the tongue ..." In any case, it seemed unlikely that I would be able to refuse any request from the Japanese government, so in that case, let me ask you for a favor. With Kajikawa-san, five days later, I promised to resume the return work, and then I returned to Volzard. CH 234 Bakkenheim turmoil ***---*** "Umm ... Who!?" The day after I treated President Azirmat of the Republic of Hazakhstan, I visited the Lord''s Mansion to see how Marzella and Ruzek were doing. Marzella, who was in the living room with the members of the Volzard Family except for Baldini, had untied her braided hair and changed into feminine attire, making her look like a different person. As soon as they saw me, they were about to prostrate themselves, so I hurriedly stopped them. "Ahh, you don''t have to do that. Rather, I''m begging you, please stop." "However, it''s all thanks to Maou-sama that we can receive such hospitality." "Ahh, don''t call me Maou-sama either, in Volzard, just call me Kent." Beatriche whispered something into Marzella''s ear, who was confused by my words. Marzella nodded back and spoke while lowering her head lightly towards me. "As you wish, Danna-sama." "Da, Danna-samaa?" My voice turned inside out at the way I was called that I didn''t expect. Beatriche explained the reason for calling me Danna-sama. "Kent-sama, I would like Marzella-san to continue working as a maid in our house, and eventually move to Kent-sama''s mansion." In Bronetsk, Marzella''s hometown, she used Undead to do various jobs, but if she did the same thing in Volzard, people might panic. In that case, Beatriche and the others thought about other jobs, but since she had only worked as a dark-attribute magician, she didn''t seem to know what to do in general. Therefore, it seemed that it was a measure to have her learn general work while familiarizing herself with Volzard. "I see ... What about Ruzek?" "I''ll let Ruzek go to school from here." "I don''t really understand the school system in Volzard, but I wonder if he can manage well?" "It''s okay, don''t worry. If there''s anything you don''t understand, I''ll teach you ... right?" "Y, yes, A, Ange-oneechan ..." Ruzek was hugged by Angelina-san from behind and turned bright red with his head down. "Even so, I was surprised because your impression was completely different." In the Resenburg prison, she was given only poor clothes. I also erased the tattoo on her face, so she was a woman that you could find anywhere, or rather, she''s quite a beauty, so I''m thrilled. "Hey, hey, Kent." "Yes, what is it, Ange ... Onee-chan." "I took a bath with Marzella, but I was surprised at how smooth her skin was." "Is that true?" "Yup, right, Marzella." "No, this is also thanks to Maou ... Danna-sama. Originally, I had a tattoo and my skin was rough." Come to think of it, when Marzella''s tattoo was removed, Marzella''s skin looked like dry land from a drought. "Probably, because I used healing magic when I erased the tattoo." "Yup, yup, I see ... Marzella also said that you carefully treated her." "I don''t mind, but I wonder if it''s still unnecessary for Ange-oneechan ..." "Yup, in the future ..." "Ara, ara, if I want my skin to regain its youthfulness, I''d like to ask you to do it all over my body ..." What did you say! Will I be given the chance to caress my charming mother-in-law? I thought such, but Klaus-san put a stop to it immediately. "That kind of thing is obviously no good." "Ara, are you saying that I don''t have to stay youthful?" "Y, you''re still young enough so you don''t need it ..." Tsk, I thought I would get a good opportunity ... No, no, I won''t do healing magic esthetics without Klaus-san''s permission, so it''s fine if you don''t glare at me that much. Ahh, but I''ll have to be more careful with Beatriche ... Right. "Kent, I''m changing the subject, but when Baldini returns to Bakkenheim, are you and Shuichi going to escort him again?" "Ahh, I see, Baldini-san will return to school in Bakkenheim after the end of the year-end and New Year holidays." "I can ask other adventurers, but then I may not be able to fit Shuichi in." "That''s right, but you can go to Bakkenheim in an instant if I use summoning, even if you don''t have to take the carriage." "Ahh, right, there is that hand. Alright, let''s go with that." From Volzard to Bakkenheim, it took about a week by horse-drawn carriage, crossing Rivarre Pass and passing through the Irosun Great Forest. On the way, it was necessary to be vigilant against attacks by bandits and monsters, and there was also the cost of lodging. However, if I summoned Baldini to Bakkenheim using summoning, the movement would be completed in an instant. "The time is just a moment, there is no need to be vigilant against attacks, there is no need to stay at an inn, there is nothing to say." "Assuming that summoning will be used to move, how many days before you want to send him to Bakkenheim?" "Let''s see, three days before the start of the new semester would be fine." "Then, is next week''s light day okay?" "Ahh, that''s the plan, please." "I understand. Riche, can you remind me so that I don''t forget?" "Yes, but Kent-sama, aren''t you forgetting something?" "Ehh, forgetting ...?" "Since this is a nomination request from the Feudal Lord Klaus Volzard, it will be troublesome if you don''t properly talk about the reward." "Ah!, right, that''s right." When I turned my gaze, Klaus-san clicked his tongue and scratched his head. "Seriously, you''re my daughter, but you''re stubborn. But, it doesn''t take as many days as normal escorting, so I''ll reduce the amount." "That''s unbelievable! Since you''re using summoning, which is a rare magic, it wouldn''t be strange to get paid more than a normal escort." "Riche, you really ..." "What is it, Otou-sama ..." Gunununu ... The father and daughter clashing with each other''s eyes was quite interesting, but it was better to stop at a moderate point. "Klaus-san, how about taking the one-way reward for normal escorting, and paying half of that?" "Ou, you understand what I''m talking about, Kent." "Kent-sama, then the reward is too low ..." "I''m very grateful that Riche is doing her best, but my work is finished in an instant, and I cannot receive exorbitant rewards. Besides, the money Klaus-san pays is part of Volzard''s taxes. Let''s have it used for something that will benefit the city." "I understand. If Kent-sama says so ... But, from now on, our family will increase, so we''ll be in trouble if you don''t make a lot of money." "Guu, understood." Klaus-san''s triumphant grin made me angry. Rather, Klaus-san is also firmly laid under Marianne-san''s thumb, isn''t he. Maa, in my case, I have to deal with four people, so it weighs four times as much ... So by no means will I say anything. After having lunch at Klaus-san''s mansion, I headed to Bakkenheim, which we talked about. I''ve heard that Bakkenheim, which was known as an academic city, would suddenly become quieter as most students returned home during the year-end and New Year holidays. The guild was not open during the holidays, so I thought I would be looking for the guild master Reese-san in a nearly empty guild. However, the guild in Bakkenheim, which I visited by shadow movement, was crowded with many people and was surrounded by a turbulent atmosphere. "They could be hiding in an unpopular school." "Even so, who''s going to find them. We don''t have enough security guards." "Aren''t they supposed to come back at night? We need to set up a security system as soon as possible ..." Many adventurers gathered in front of the guild''s reception desk, voicing their opinions. [ Hey, Reinhardt. Was there a monster attack? ] [ Perhaps, that might be so. ] [ Fred, Basten, go check out the city for a bit. ] [ Understood, leave it to me. ] [ Basten is north and east ... South and west is me ... ] Right after Basten and Fred left for reconnaissance, Master Reese''s right-hand person, Rita, appeared at the reception. "Please be quiet ... Be quiet!" "Ora!, shut up! This is not the time to play around!" Rita-san''s voice alone didn''t stop the commotion, but the A-rank adventurer Graciela-san, who had the nickname of Demon Eater, calmed down the tide with a shout. "Good, Rita." "Thank you, Ciela. Everyone, please listen carefully. One hour from now, we will be holding a meeting on the security system in the conference room, so please gather C-rank and above adventurers. Please let as many people who are not here as possible know, everyone D-rank and below. That''s all." After Rita-san finished speaking, the people gathered in front of the reception began to move, including those who seemed to move to the conference room, and those who ran to inform someone. Rita-san entered the staff space accompanied by Graciela-san. Today, I''ve come to say New Year''s greetings to Master Reese and deposit the Gigas'' magic stone to be exhibited at the auction at the beginning of the year, but it seemed that I was going to receive a request for a different matter. Rita-san and Graciela-san climbed up the staff-only stairs, passed through a narrow corridor, and knocked on the door of a hidden room. "It''s Rita. I brought Graciela." The one who quietly opened the door was Master Reese''s bodyguard, Lau-san. In the room, as usual, Master Reese, dressed in a revealing dancer girl-style outfit, smoked a pipe. "Graciela, how much damage did they do?" "Yes, I don''t know the exact number yet, but I think there are at least 20 people who are dead or missing." "How about the number of Ogres?" "I don''t know for sure, but there are probably more than fifty ..." "What about Rock Ogres?" "It seems to be mixed." From what I heard from Master Reese and Graciela-san, it seems that a horde of Ogres had attacked. Come to think of it, when I visited at the end of last year, I heard that the number of Ogres was increasing. [ But, with about fifty heads, it''s not a big deal, is it? ] [ Kent-sama, unlike Volzard, Bakkenheim does not have a ramparts. ] [ Ah!, right. If Ogres suddenly attack where there is no defense, then I understand the damage I just heard. ] [ At this rate, the damage may spread even further. ] Volzard, which bordered the Devil''s Forest and had a dungeon nearby, gathered a lot fighting power, such as adventurers who were proud of their skills and adventurers who wanted to test their skills. Bakkenheim, which usually didn''t have many chances to be attacked by monsters, didn''t have the fighting strength of Volzard. [ Moreover, the area of Bakkenheim should be several times larger than Volzard. ] [ Isn''t the land to be protected too large and the personnel for security not enough ... Would it be better to help. ] [ That''s right. If the damage is too great, there is a possibility that the successful bid price of the auction at the beginning of the year will drop. ] The magic stone of the Gigas that would be put up for auction at the beginning of the year is the one that was subjugated in Barshania. The money obtained from the sale of the Gigas'' magic stone would be used as a gift to Barshania, so I would like it to be sold at the highest possible price. [ Shall we clean up quickly? ] [ Kent-sama, for the time being, it would be better to consult with Master Reese. ] [ Right, that''s true too. ] When Master Reese heard about the current situation from Graciela-san, she gave instructions to go to the conference room first. Even though the city was attacked by Ogres, she looked calm and normal. It seemed that Lau-san would start a meeting while looking at the materials spread out on the table, so I asked him first. "Hello, Reese-san, Lau-san, Happy New Year." "Kent, is it? Don''t sneak around and come in." "Excuse me ... Or rather, if I don''t speak out, Lau-san will cut me straight down ..." "What are you talking about ... Kent, what happened with your hair?" "Ahh, it''s the first time I''ve met you since my head became like this." "Fumu ... Did you get all the attributes?" "Yes, and then it became like this." I briefly explained how I got the last remaining water attribute. Both of them seemed to be more curious than when they were receiving the report about the Ogres. "I see, so you''ve finally obtained all the attributes ... Then you should fulfill your promise to me." "Fua? Promise ..." "You already know, what, are you becoming forgetful." "No, no, it''s not the time to do that when the city is being attacked by Ogres, right?" "Fifty or one hundred Ogres, there''s nothing to fear. If the city is going to be destroyed at that level, then that''s the extent of it." "Ehh, no, Bakkenheim doesn''t have any ramparts ..." When I turned my gaze to Lau-san, he seemed to agree with Master Reese and nodded. "Umm, shall we help subjugate the Ogres?" "There''s no need to bother the youngest S-rank adventurer in history." "Eeehhh ... I mean, haven''t more than 20 people already been killed?" "That''s right ... But that''s when we weren''t prepared. If we prepare now, it should be fine." "But, there''s also Rock Ogres mixed in ..." "Kent. Certainly, it would be quicker, safer, and more reliable to subdue the Ogres if I asked you. However, if we rely on you, we will lose the opportunity to help Bakkenheim''s adventurers grow. In the future, it may be a step towards the decline of Bakkenheim''s level of adventurers." I didn''t even think about the adventurer''s level of growth or decline. Is it possible that what I''ve been doing in Volzard, Lastock, Barshania, etc., was a mistake. When I asked her that question, Master Reese shook her head. "The scale of the crisis is different. A maximum outbreak overflowing from the Devil''s Forest would be a crisis on the level of destroying the city. If the crisis that Bakkenheim is facing is the same level, I won''t hesitate to ask Kent for help." "Isn''t this Ogre attack that much of a crisis?" "I don''t think so. Graciela said fifty, but half the story, twenty would be fine. Five Rock Ogres, fifteen Ogres, and the city''s adventurers will challenge all-out war. There is no need to borrow Kent''s help." Once again, Lau-san nodded his head in agreement. Certainly, with that amount of numbers, they could subdue them by themselves. "I''m just going to say this, there''s no need to interfere." "But, if their life is in danger ..." "Even so, interfering is no good!" "I understand ..." It seemed useless to argue if she made such a clear statement. It can''t be helped, so let''s fulfill our original purpose. "Reese-san, will the auction at the beginning of the year be held as scheduled?" "Of course, it will be held as planned." "Then, I would like to sell the Gigas'' magic stone ..." "Ahh, that''s right. We plan to make it our first feature product of the New Year." "Then, is it okay if you keep it for me?" "I don''t mind. I''ve never seen such a big magic stone anywhere else, and for anyone other than Kent to obtain one, they must either buy it from Kent or steal it." Even so, Master Reese created a handwritten deposit receipt. After I deposited the magic stone and received the deposit receipt, Rita-san came to tell us that the time for the meeting was approaching. "Master, it''s about time ... Kent-san, at what point." "Excuse me, I''m disturbing you." "That''s right, Kent. You can also come to the meeting." "No, but I''m not allowed to interfere, right?" "That''s right, you don''t need to interfere, but you''re free to look around." Seeing Master Reese''s smile full of implications, it didn''t seem possible to just look around, but I wanted to maintain a good relationship with the guild headquarters, so I decided to accept the invitation. Along with Lau-san, I followed Master Reese to the conference room. There were so many adventurers gathered in the conference room that they couldn''t even sit on the chairs. There were those who had uneasy expressions on their faces, and there were those who were about to jump out of the way right now. Some of them seemed to be drunk during the New Year holidays. Gathering the eyes of the gathered adventurers, Master Reese climbed onto the podium. "In the case of a crisis in Bakkenheim, you should have already prepared ..." Along with Master Reese''s well-resonated voice spreading throughout the conference room, the expressions of the adventurers tightened. "According to reports, there are more than fifty Ogres that have attacked ... But, I don''t think it''s all that scary. If you think it''s scary, go home quickly and cover yourself with a blanket and tremble." The provocative words raised the eyebrows of the adventurers. "Ogres attack people thinking they are food, but to us they are nothing more than prey. They''re nonchalantly coming to hunt from the other side, don''t hesitate to raise a blood festival with them and earn a lot of money!" "Ooooooohhhhhhh!" "Lau will tell you about everyone''s placement. Don''t be rash and humiliate yourself by getting the tables turned on you. Ahh ... That''s right, I almost forgot." When Master Reese turned her gaze to me, she smiled broadly. "The silver-haired man next to Lau is Kent, an S-rank adventurer from Volzard. He''ll be participating as an observer this time, but if you show a miserable appearance, I think all the prey will be taken away." The gazes of the adventurers gathered in the conference room all turned to me. "Hey, Kent of Volzard ... Is it the ''Real thing''?" "Ahh, it''s the ''Real thing'' that killed all the bandits at Rivarre Pass." "Is it the ''Real thing'' that single-handedly settled the conflict between Bakkenheim and Marburg?" The adventurers who looked at me with hostility, curiosity, and even awe, all said the phrase ''Real thing'', but I wondered if they were suspicious because my hair had changed from black to silver. When I asked Lau-san, he told me the reason. "Ho!Ho!Ho!, Kent. The ''Real thing'' these guys are talking about means ''Genuine Monster User''." "Genuine Monster User? Ahh, I see ... Does that mean Ruija and Bran are treated as an ''Impostor''?" "Ho!Ho!Ho!, they''re not even called an ''Impostor'', but they''re treated as an ''Imitation'' or a ''B-class article''." Uwaa, it looked like it would be better if we didn''t see each other for a while. While receiving the curiosity of the adventurers of Bakkenheim, I ended up joining the Ogre subjugation. CH 235 Ogre subjugation ***---*** The group of Ogres that attacked Bakkenheim last night invaded the city under the cover of darkness. It was said that they attacked sleeping houses and kidnapped the residents. In the attacked houses, it seemed that blood splashes were scattered to the ceiling on top of being messed up. The roars of the Ogres that echoed in the middle of the night and the screams of death from the residents seemed to make the neighbors feel even less alive. It was said that an adventurer who lived near the house that was attacked went towards them with a sword in his hand, but did not return. There were traces of blood on the ground, and they were heading towards the forest beyond the cultivated land that spread out to the south of the city. There was an opinion that they should search the forest and subjugate the Ogres, but since the raid was late at night and they didn''t know the number of Ogres, they could not calculate the necessary force and canceled it. Then, at the time when the moon was tilting to the west and the date was about to change, I was standing on the outskirts of Bakkenheim to the southwest. "Graciela-san, if there was an attack last night, they may not come tonight." "No, they were able to get their prey last night without any resistance. They got a taste, they''ll underestimate us humans, and they''ll show up again tonight." "But, if a bonfire is lit like this, wouldn''t they be wary and not approach?" "Nope, they attacked in groups. If they were alone, they would be on guard, but they will be arrogant about their numbers. Or rather, aren''t you casually using me as a windbreak?" "Th, there''s no reason for such a thing to happen ..." Hey, it can''t be helped if it''s exposed ... Or rather, the west wind is cold, isn''t it. We are the closest to the house that was attacked, right above where the blood stains were left. Me and Graciela-san, who has the nickname of ''Demon Eater'', and the members of ''Blue Gale who set up an ambush when I came to Bakkenheim before. "Maa, this turmoil has nothing to do with you, who is based in Volzard, and I will do my best to protect you from the wind, but you don''t look like an S-rank adventurer." "That''s true. Even when I look at myself in the mirror, I don''t look like an S-rank." "It''s disappointing if you agree with me instead of objecting, even though I said you don''t look like an S-rank." "Even if you say so, it doesn''t matter to me." "Haa ... By the way, Kent, have you ever defeated an Ogre by yourself without using your genus?" "I have. I defeated them in the Devil''s Forest." "Hou ... That''s surprising. How many have you beaten in a single day. Four is the best for me." While talking, Graciela-san proudly puffed out her chest. "I counted seven of them, including the Rock Ogre." "Se, seven of them? Did you defeat them alone? Without the help of your genus?" The members of ''Blue Gale'' who were listening were also surprised by the number seven. "It''s obviously bluffing. I can''t believe you took on seven Ogres by yourself!" The one who interrupted me and Graciela-san''s conversation was an adventurer named Phil or Fal who got involved with me when I visited Bakkenheim for the first time. Come to think of it, he should have been beaten by his comrades after the ambush, but it didn''t seem like he learned much. "How is it, Kent. I also have doubts about the number seven, but ..." "If you don''t want to believe it, you don''t have to believe it." "If you were to defeat seven Ogres with your physique, did you perhaps use attack magic?" "That''s right. At that time, I''d only ever wielded a wooden sword ... Rather, now that I think about it, I still don''t have my own sword." "You don''t carry a weapon? Even magician-type adventurers carry swords and spears." "For the time being, when I leave the city for escort work, I carry around a knife, but I don''t usually carry one. That''s because my genus are always together with me." Hearing that my genus were with me, the members of ''Blue Gale'' began to look around in shock. "Fumu ... Master Reese and Lau-san vouch for it, so there must be no mistake, but I have a nature that only believes what I see." "Even if you say so, I''m an observer this time, so I won''t interfere." "If you were in the position of subjugating, how would you defeat the Ogres?" "Before they approach, fire off attack magic and it''s over." "What if they can avoid it?" "If they could avoid it ... What should I do ... But, I don''t think they can avoid it." "Hou, that''s a lot of confidence. For an adventurer, overconfidence is the number one killer." "I guess. I''ve been on the verge of death a few times, so I understand." Since I learned that I would be assigned to the same place as ''Blue Gale'', I always had a shield of darkness ready to go just in case, and Fred was keeping an eye out from the shadows. Or should I say, everyone in my genus, with the exception of Nero, was wandering around in the shadows wondering if it was their turn. "Ugh ... Even so, it''s cold, isn''t it. They''re not coming tonight, are they?" "Haa ... Even though you''re an observer, can you please not say things that will discourage me?" "Excuse me. But, "Wauuh, Goshujin-sama, did you call?" "Yup, let''s all huddle together and warm up." "Wafuu, leave it to me, leave it to me." "Me too, I''ll warm up too!" The west wind is too cold, so I decided to call Mart and the others and be warmed up with a small Oshikura Manjuu.(TN:Oshikura Manjuu is a children''s game in which three or more people stand back-to-back in a circle and shove each other. Literal translation is ''Don''t cry when shoved''.) "Nushi-dono, if it''s shelter from the wind, we''ll ..." "I''d like to do that, but the Ogres might not come closer if Zeta-tachi are around." "In that case, we can go eradicate the Ogres in one go ..." "I want to do that, but please be patient this time." I took turns stroking Zeta and the others who only showed their snouts and soothed them. By the way, Nero seemed to be very relaxed and had no desire to work. "Kent, just now ..." "It''s my Gigawolf genus. They''re about twice as big as Bran, aren''t they." "How many monsters are you using?" "I''m not using them, they''re the same as my family. Three Skeletons, five Lizardmen, thirty-three Kobolds, one Storm Cat, and three Gigawolves, but some of them are still at Volzard. They''re doing patrols, so I won''t be able to gather everyone." "Goshujin-sama, rub my belly." "Me too, me too ..." Yup, yup, thanks to Mart and the others, it looked like I would be able to survive the cold. When Graciela-san and the members of ''Blue Gale'' heard the number of genus, they looked at me as if I were a monster. Right, right, if you mess with me, you''ll be beaten by my genus. That won''t happen ... Basten reported when I was surrounded by Mart and the others. [ Kent-sama, the Ogres are leaving the forest. ] [ How many are there? ] [ About fifteen of them. Among them, there are two Rock Ogres. ] [ Roger, thank you. ] On the south side of Bakkenheim, arable land spread, and it seemed that wheat and potatoes were cultivated. Now that the barley had been harvested, we could look out over the forest, except where some leafy vegetables were grown. However, the moon was hidden behind the clouds tonight, so normal people wouldn''t be able to see beyond the bonfire. The distance from the city to the forest was about 2-3 kilometers, and about ten minutes after receiving Basten''s news, I could see the Ogres. "Graciela-san, Ogres are coming." "What, is that true?" "Yeah, look, they can already be seen. The number is about fifteen." "Ehh, where are they, where are they?" "They''re right in front of us. They''re coming this way." "Can you see them in this darkness ... Hey, turn on the floodlight!" The light from the large magic tool illuminated the darkness, revealing the figures of the Ogres approaching across the field. At the same time, a whistle blew, alerting the surrounding adventurers to the approach of the Ogres. Mart and the others returned to the shadows. "I''ll be the commander! Magicians, start chanting. Archers, shoot your arrows!" Graciela-san raised her voice, and the gathered adventurers prepared to intercept. [ Kent-sama, another pack is coming from the west. The number is about ten. ] [ Alright. ] Far from looking down on humans, they might be a formidable group of ones who are thinking properly. "Graciela-san, another pack is coming from the west. The number is about ten." "What did you say, point the floodlights to the west! Don''t point them all, you idiots! Let them shine in front of us too!" When some of the floodlights were aimed at them, the Ogres who realized they had been spotted let out a roar. "Ubooaaa!" "Uboaaa uboooo!" After exchanging roars, the Ogres that were approaching from the south changed course to the east, and those approaching from the west went north. "What, where are they going." "Hey, Graciela, what should we do?" "The 1st to 7th squads will attack the eastern group! THe rest will hit the western group! Don''t let them enter the city!" The adventurers and guards, who were about to gather together, hurriedly moved to change their positions. "Don''t be so sluggish, move quickly." "Shut it, don''t push me, you idiot." "Hey, the floodlight ..." I''ve seen monsters being subjugated in Volzard several times, but I felt like Bakkenheim wasn''t used to it, and the whole movement felt sluggish. However, in the case of Volzard, it felt like they were attacking the surrounding area while defending the surrounding area, so it felt like everyone was fighting without even moving. I felt that it would have been less confusing if everyone hadn''t crowded together this time around, and would have gathered together when the battle started, or supported each other from the rear. The packs of Ogres had split into two groups, and seemed to be trying to enter the city, leaving the adventurers behind. Graciela-san and the members of the ''Blue Gale'' headed to intercept the west pack, but I remained there to see how the two of them were doing. [ Kent-sama, at this rate they will force their way into the city. ] "That''s right ..." Adventurers who seemed to be using physical strengthening magic were chasing after them, but the Ogres ran so fast that many were unable to catch up. In addition to that, the Ogres, who could see at night, ran calmly, but the number of interceptors stumbled and fell, and they dropped out one after another. [ If they enter the city, there will be casualties among the citizens ... ] "Reese-san told me that I shouldn''t interfere, but I can''t do that at this rate ..." I sped ahead of the pack by diving into the shadows and heading east, and put out a large shield of darkness in front of the oncoming horde of Ogres. "Buugaaaa ... Gafuu ..." The Ogres collided with the shield of darkness that suddenly appeared and collapsed. If I stopped them this much, the adventurers would be able to catch up. Next, I moved to the front of the Ogres that were trying to go around from west to north, and blocked their way with a shield of darkness the same as before. "The Ogres have stopped, now, magicians and archers, shoot! What''s wrong, magicians ..." Graciela-san gave the order to attack, but the magicians who weren''t good at strengthening their bodies in the first place couldn''t catch up. I didn''t know much about Graciela-san, but I got the impression that she was the type that usually worked alone and wasn''t used to fighting in groups like this. Maa, it seemed that the Ogres also collided with the shield of darkness with considerable force and didn''t get up right away. "Ubaa ... Ubooaaaaah!" When the magicians and archers who caught up with them sporadically launched attacks, the Ogres seemed to have made up their minds as they approached with a roar. "Spread out! Don''t hit head-on! Let''s go!" After giving an order that couldn''t even be called an order, Graciela-san couldn''t wait to go to the Ogres. Yup, she''s the type of person who fits the word reckless. In no time, the Ogres and the adventurers were jumbled together in a melee. [ Reinhardt, what do you think when you''ve seen this much? ] [ Both the person in charge and the people receiving the instructions are inexperienced. ] [ Hey ... Do you think I should help out a little more? ] [ Maa, it''ll be fine. The number of people has begun to gather, and others will be able to cover them before they get fatally wounded. ] It was true that even if the adventurers were in trouble, someone else would attack and distract them, and they would manage to escape in the meantime. [ After that, as long as they don''t get exhausted and support is delayed, they will be able to do something about it. ] [ Then, all that''s left is to just watch. ] At the beginning of the melee, the Ogres showed the momentum to push the adventurers, but when those who caught up joined them, the situation gradually began to reverse. The adventurers were instructed to aim at preventing the enemies from leaving first, so they dodged the Ogre''s attacks while aiming at the legs. At the same time, the magicians fired attack magic at the Ogre''s face. Ogres were much taller than humans, so if they were aiming for the face, they didn''t have to worry about attacking their allies. If they tried to mow down the adventurers at their feet, fireballs and wind blades would attack their face. THe cooperation between the magician type and the knight type was going well, but there were beings who ignored such cooperation. The Rock Ogres kicked without worrying about attack magic, and the adventurers were sent flying like soccer balls. "Surround them! Strike from the sides and back! No matter how hard it is, it doesn''t mean your attacks won''t go through!" "Ubooaaaah ... Ubaaubooaaaa!" One Rock Ogre had been pulled out of the pack, and Graciela-san had joined in, and they surrounded it with about ten people, but it felt like it was all they could do to stop it. The Rock Ogre didn''t look like it was seriously injured, but it seemed pretty annoyed because the adventurers were clinging to it. A cheer went up in the surroundings, and the Ogres fell down one by one. "Once you''ve done the finishing blow, you can go around to support other people, and rest only after you''ve finished everything!" Every time an Ogre was knocked down, the support for the other Ogres increased, and more Ogres fell. And, the number of people surrounding the Rock Ogre steadily increased. [ It looks like it has mostly been decided. ] [ That''s right, but they shouldn''t let their guard down until they do the final blow. ] [ That''s right, but if they have this many adventurers, it should be fine. ] [ Maa, that''s right ... ] Now, the Rock Ogre was surrounded by more than 20 adventurers and felt like it was getting beaten up. There were only about three Ogres left, and their movements seemed to be slowing down. "Ubaaaa ... Ubooaaaah ..." The Rock Ogre''s roar did not receive any response from its companions. Its sturdy body was also stained with blood from repeated attacks. "Okay, take a breather, kill this guy and drink some delicious liquor!" "Oooooohhhhhh!" Immediately after the surrounding adventurers raised their spirits, a fireball hit the Rock Ogre directly in the face. The Rock Ogre staggered backwards, twisting its body, knocking it off balance and onto all fours. "Not yet! Kill it!" "Ubaaaaaa!" The Rock Ogre, which was thought to have fallen, rushed into the adventurer''s siege with its head lowered, just like taking a crouching start. "Ugyaaaa!" "Damnit ... Uwaa!" "Chase it! Don''t let it escape, chase it!" The Rock Ogre grabbed a nearby adventurer and threw them at its pursuers. On the other hand, the besieging adventurers had the skillful adventurers on the inside, and the surrounding magicians became a wall, delaying their pursuit. [ It still has energy left. ] [ When it comes to Rock Ogres, you can''t let your guard down until you finish them. Rather than that, Kent-sama, it will escape at this rate ... ] [ Hmm ... For now, let''s wait until the attacking side gives up, and then defeat it. ] [ You were told that you don''t need to interfere, but is that okay? ] [ Hmm ... Then, have the Kobold Corps watch over it. I''ll do it after I ask Reese-san. ] [ Understood. ] It seemed that the Rock Ogre that escaped from the pack headed west, so I asked them to track it down. When I went out, there was a strange atmosphere among the adventurers. Those who finished off the Ogres couldn''t contain their joy, but those who let the Rock Ogre escape were bitter. Graciela-san also had a face that looked as if she had swallowed a bitter bug. "One of them got away." "Kent, where have you been all this time! If you know it ran away, why didn''t you help!" When I called out to her, Graciela-san grabbed me. If you grab me by the nape of my neck, my legs will float. "Master Reese told me that there was no need to interfere. Didn''t I say that I was an observer from the beginning." "Wouldn''t it be possible for you and the monsters you use to defeat the Rock Ogre?" "Yes, it''s possible." "Then, why!" "I haven''t received a subjugation request, nor have I been asked to help. That, isn''t that your job?" "Kuh ... That''s certainly true, but if we let the Rock Ogre escape, we''ll have to keep vigilance from tomorrow onwards." "In that case, from the beginning, it would have been better if you asked me to take it down if you couldn''t handle it. Besides that, aren''t there seriously injured people? I should treat those whose lives are in danger." "What is that ... Can you use healing magic as well?" "If you have any doubts, it would be quicker to just let me do it. Rather, isn''t the person who got hit at the end in pretty bad shape?" When the Rock Ogre broke the siege, the person who was stepped on where it fell and the person who was kicked like a soccer ball were in dangerous condition with damage to their internal organs. Both of them were adventurers and originally had stamina, so they could easily recover by casting healing magic. A colleague who had been vomiting blood and was about to die rose to his feet, and the people surrounding them raised their voices in surprise. "Amazing ... There are only a few healers like this in Bakkenheim." "Maa, it''s an emergency, so it''s a service. Others, please do something about it yourself." "Thank you. To be honest, I thought those two were done for." "Then, I''ll go report to Master Reese, so I''ll leave the rest to you." "Roger that." Under the watch of the gathered adventurers, I slipped through the shield of darkness and into the shadows. Now, should I report to Master Reese and return to Volzard. CH 236 Volzard''s Mother ***---*** It seemed that the laws of the world were different between Japan and Volzard. Maa, it was clear that it was different considering you could use magic. The decisive difference seemed to be the amount of magic essence contained in the air, but it didn''t seem to be the only difference. "Hey, hey, Reinhardt. It''s really late, but the magic stones used in magic tools just get smaller, right?" [ That''s right. The more a magic stone is consumed, the more impurities it emits and the smaller it becomes, so the size of the magic stone is considered valuable. ] "The color of the magic stone varies depending on the monster, but does the amount of magic essence contained in it change?" [ Differences in color and transparency are questioned when making jewelry, but it is said that the amount of magic essence does not change. ] "Is that so ..." Since I came to the world of swords and magic, I have had more opportunities to use magic myself, but I actually didn''t use magic tools very often. I didn''t use the most popular light magic tools because I had a dark aptitude and could see at night. That''s why I didn''t notice the changes in the magic stones used in the magic tools. "When you use a magic tool in Japan, the magic stone turns black and collapses in the blink of an eye, but is it because of the amount of magic essence?" [ Who knows, I don''t understand it, but it must have some kind of influence. ] "Come to think of it, a magic stone is like a mass of magic essence, right? Is it possible to increase your magical power if you grind this into powder and drink it?" [ Kent-sama, don''t eat the flesh and blood or magic stones of monsters. ] "Ehh, is that so?" [ Kent-sama came from another world, so you probably don''t know about it, but in this world, it''s a matter of course due to common sense. ] "Is that so. What if I put it in my mouth?" [ Let''s see ... If it''s a small amount, there''s no problem. However, it is said that if you continue to eat it, you will turn into a monster and lose your sense of self. ] "Eeeehhhh! Humans become monsters?" [ That''s what they say, and in fact, once every few years, there are incidents of monster-turned-humans going on a rampage. ] "Is that so ... I think I should tell my classmates about it." [ That''s right. Many of your schoolmates will be able to return to Japan, so it should be fine, but if would be better if you told Shuuichi-dono and the others. ] "I see, Takayama will stay in Volzard. Yup, I''ll let him know when we meet." I never thought that a human would turn into a monster. If there were people in this world who didn''t know about it, I should tell them that it''s dangerous, it''s very likely that they will not be told about things that others know and take for granted. It may be better to be a little careful about the elementary dangers associated with sorcery and magic. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, I got an email from Kajikawa." "He!? Th, thank you ..." "Goshujin-sama, pet me, pet me!" "Ahh, yup, thank you." When I petted Murt, who had the smartphone borrowed from Kajikawa-san, it narrowed its eyes while flapping its tail. Somehow, I felt like it wasn''t my smartphone anymore. The contents of the email was that the return cage had been completed, and several images were attached. "Hmm ... It''s kind of strange." [ What''s wrong, Kent-sama. ] "Yup, it''s the cage used for the return work ..." [ Hohou, it looks like a strange-shaped carriage. ] I simply thought it would be a cage to keep their hands and feet out of the range of the repatriation technique, but as Reinhardt said, no matter how you look at it, it''s a vehicle. The shape was a rounded cube, like a small bus. Four balloon tires for rough terrain were attached to it, along with a suspension that seemed to be sturdy, and it somehow looked like a lunar probe. Inside the vehicle, there were 5 seats facing each other, a total of 10 seats that seemed to be for sports cars, and were equipped with 6-point seat belts. According to Kajikawa-san''s email, the frame was made of duralumin and the body was made of polycarbonate. However, although it was good that the coloring was white and red based on the Japanese flag, it looked like an airplane from a long time ago and was lame. Maa, I didn''t have a good sense of design, so even if I didn''t mind it, I wondered how much it would have cost to prepare something like this in such a short period of time. If one wasn''t careful, wasn''t it going to cost them tens of millions? Didn''t that sound like a waste of tax dollars. [ Kent-sama, isn''t this for transporting dignitaries from Japan and Volzard? ] "Ah!, I see. If I use summoning and repatriation techniques, even people with attribute magic can come and go." [ Although Kent-sama bears the cost of staying, he protects his classmates and provides them with a place to stay, so there will probably be some kind of approach to Volzard in the future. ] "I always get so busy that I tend to forget, but there''s also the matter of resource development." I see, if you consider it for transporting dignitaries, this may be the case. The cage itself could be transported via the shadow space, so it was nice that it had wheels. The small number of people was also reasonable considering the unlikely event of an accident. Perhaps the preparations were underway before the talk came out. I wanted to check the actual product, so I should go see it when I had time. Also, if I were to resume the return work, we would have to decide the order of the people who would return, so I should visit the garrison''s quarters. I moved through the shadow space to Yuika''s room. "Yuika, can I come in?" "Kento? Wait a minute ... Yes, please." Yuika hurriedly closed her diary and put it in her desk drawer. Come to think of it, I wondered what kind of things were written in that diary. "Excuse me." "Welcome ... Nn!" I gently hugged Yuika. "How are you doing today?" "Yup, I got the news that the return cage was completed, so I thought I''d resume the return work after the holidays." "What kind of shape is the cage?" "Hmm ... Iffy?" "Iffy ...?" When I showed Yuika the photo I was sent, she nodded saying that it was really iffy. It seemed that my sense really wasn''t strange. "Speaking of which, how is Watanuki-san?" "Yup, she hasn''t been depressed lately, and it seems like she''s eating out of her room, but I don''t feel like she can talk to everyone yet." "I see ... Has she decided about the child in her stomach yet?" "Hmm ... I don''t know, I didn''t ask because I thought I shouldn''t rush it." "While we''re talking about the cage ... Should I ask something like that? If she''s going to have an abortion, the sooner the better." "Yup, Kento might be easier for Watanuki-san to talk to." "Then, let''s talk with her for a moment." I went out from Yuika''s room into the corridor and knocked on Watanuki-san''s door. "Who is it?" "Hello, it''s Kokubu." "Ahh, it''s open. Come in, come in." The voice that came back from the other side of the door sounded more lively than I had expected." "Pardon me for disturbing ..." "Yo, long time no see!" It seemed that Watanuki-san was sitting on the bed and playing with her smartphone. "What''s wrong, did the teachers ask you to check on me again?" "No, they didn''t say that. I got a message today that the return cage was completed, so I thought I''d have a meeting about resuming the return work after the holidays, so I stopped by beforehand." "I see ... I''m sorry, but I haven''t decided yet." "I don''t mind that, but if Watanuki-san decides to go home, I''ll tell the teachers to give you priority." "No, you don''t have to give me priority." "Eh!? I mean, umm, there''s a lot of deadlines ..." "Ahh, it''s fine, it''s fine, I''ve already decided to give birth." "Ehh, I see ... If you don''t have an abortion, the deadline doesn''t matter ..." "That''s how it is. Maa, after thinking about it, I don''t know who the child''s father is, but I''m sure that I''m the mother. If the father abandons his responsibility, and on top of that, if even I abandon them, this child would be too pitiful. So, I will give birth and I will take responsibility for raising them." Watanuki-san, who said it clearly, looked very cool compared to when she was desperate. "Well, it''s good that I decided to give birth, but I was wondering which would be easier to raise a child, Japan, or here, so I was still looking at the website of Nerima Ward." "A website of Nerima Ward?" "Yup, it seems like there are various kinds of support for single mothers. That''s right, Kokubu, isn''t there such support here?" "Ahh, I don''t know ... I haven''t heard about social welfare, so I don''t know, but it seems that there is something like private help. Amanda-san, who is the owner of my boarding house, is also a single mother, and it seems she raised a girl named Meisa-chan all by herself while running a cafeteria." "Seriously? Hey, can I talk to Amanda-san?" "Yup, that''s fine. Right now it''s a vacation period and the shop is closed. Would you like to go?" "Is it okay? It would be really helpful if I could listen to someone with experience." "Well then, shall we go?" "Or rather, Kokubu, don''t you have to go to the teachers'' place?" "Ahh, it might take a long time if I show up, so I''ll worry about it later ..." "Kuukuukuu, Kokubu has changed, it feels good." Yuika guided her to the boarding house, and I decided to go back first and talk to Amanda-san about the situation. When I returned to the boarding house by shadow movement, it was filled with a sweet smell. When I went down the stairs and looked into the shop, I saw many cakes on the table. "Amanda-san ..." "Hey, Kent, didn''t you go out?" "Yes, I went out, but I came back because I had some business to do. Actually ..." When I told her about Watanuki-san''s situation, Amanda-san patted herself on the chest and promised to take care of it. "However, that child is the same age as Kent, isn''t she? The Resenburg guys do such terrible things. I can''t forgive them!" "Yes, but we found out who did it and they were punished ..." "Even if you say punished, isn''t it a lukewarm punishment anyway?" "No, umm ..." When I used a hand sword to show a decapitation gesture, Amanda-san''s eyes widened in surprise. "I didn''t think the punishment would be that severe ... As expected, unlike the men in the city, being a knight must be tough." "Maa, I think so." Indeed, I can''t say that I wouldn''t be scared. When I said that I hadn''t told Watanuki about the executions yet, she told me to tell her after seeing the situation. "Well, she must be angry with them, but she might be shocked when she hears that they were executed. They were severely punished for her unborn child ... It might be better to just tell her about it." "Speaking of which, I can''t see Meisa-chan ..." "Ahh, Meisa hasn''t finished her homework for over the holidays, so I''m shutting her in her room. I told her I won''t let her eat the cake until it''s done." Just like in Japan, the schools in Volzard also gave out homework during long vacations. Meisa-chan was playing the whole time during the holidays, and her homework seemed to be completely untouched, so Amanda-san came up with a plan. If she didn''t complete her homework as planned, and she had to leave the cake, the gluttonous Meisa-chan would have no choice but to do it desperately. Amanda-san was making prototypes based on the cake that Meisa-chan brought back as a souvenir from Tokyo. "Normally, I don''t make cakes very often, so when I started making them, it became fun and I ended up making a little too much." "Just a little ... is it." "Maa, Sachiko and Yuika will also come. If there are five of us, it''s perfect for lunch, ahahahaha ..." No ... There are seven whole cakes about thirty centimeters in length, but are you saying that each person should eat more than one? If I ate that much, I would be like Amanda-san ... I won''t say anything like that. While doing various things, Yuika-tachi seemed to have arrived, and I heard voices from the front. "Kent, open it for them. I''ll prepare the tea." "Yes, please." When I opened the door of the store, Yuika and a slightly nervous looking Watanuki-san were standing there. "Welcome. Goodo Timingu. I''ll have the two of you help me sample the cakes."(TN:Engrish) "Ehh, cake? Ah!, really, it smells sweet." "Amanda-san''s cooking is really delicious." "I see, Asakawa-san has come many times." "Now, now, it''s cold, so come inside! Meisa! Bring your homework and come down!" Amanda-san, who came out of the kitchen with a tray full of pots and cups, called out to Meisa-chan on the second floor. Watanuki-san seemed to be a little overwhelmed by Amanda-san''s loud voice and good physique. When I first came here, I must have looked like that. "I''m Amanda. Now, sit down. Let''s talk while we eat." Yuika and Watanuki-san sat down, and when Amanda-san started cutting the cake, Meisa-chan came down the stairs. Judging by her pouty face and teary eyes, it seemed she didn''t finish her homework. "Seriously, this child ... After eating, I''m going to have Kent look at your math." "Ye~s ... Rather, who is this person?" "This person is Kent''s classmate and wants to hear from me." "Fu~un ... Do you want to start in a cafeteria?" "That''s not right. SIt down." "Ye~s ..." Meisa-chan''s mouth loosened when she saw the sliced cake, even though she gave a careless reply. THe cakes ranged from plain sponge cakes to cakes with dried fruits and nuts mixed in, and layered cakes like mille-feuille. The first was a dough mixed with dry Livres and served with sour cream. The dough is thick and filling, isn''t it. "Amanda-san, did you use Livre liquor for this?" "Ahh, right. After it was baked, it was finished with Livre liquor mixed with honey." "The sweet and sourness of the dried Livre is accented and delicious." "It seems so, it seems so." The second was a plain dough cake served with a pot of syrup. "First of all, eat it as it is, and if you think you need it after that, try pouring some syrup over it." When I tried to cut the plain sponge cake that had been cut into pieces with a fork, it fell apart. When I put it in my mouth, it didn''t feel fluffy at all, and it was just crumbly. When I unintentionally turned my gaze to Yuika, she tilted her head as expected. Beside her, Watanuki-san muttered. "I think this is a lack of egg whipping ..." "You, have you ever baked a cake? I tried to imitate the one Meisa brought back as a souvenir, but it wasn''t fluffy at all." "Sponge cakes are a race against time, measuring the amounts properly, whipping the egg well, and time." "Hoo, I see ... Teach me the trick a bit next time." "But, it was just a hobby, so ..." "Still, it was better than this, wasn''t it? Maa, it''s probably different from that world, but even so, if you can teach me the tricks, I''ll be able to do it well after failing a few times. Not everything goes well from the beginning, it''s okay to fail, learn, and improve." "Fail ... Improve." Watanuki-san seemed to be thinking about something else while staring at the crumbly sponge cake. "That''s right. Right, right, you wanted to talk to me. I''ll tell you anything I know." "Yes. Actually, I have a baby in my stomach ..." Watanuki-san opened up about the cruel treatment she received in Lastock and her desperate life since coming to Volzard, with tears in her eyes. Just listening to the raw content made my heart hurt. Amanda-san silently stood up and hugged Watanuki-san, whose shoulders were shaking. "If you want to stay in Volzard and give birth to a child here and raise it, I will put you on the second floor of my house. Anyway, Kent will leave after a while. It''s a cafeteria, so you won''t have to worry about being able to eat. If you live in and work, I don''t need rent. If you think the world over there is hard to live in, come here." "Yes ... Thank you very much." Watanuki-san probably had parents and family in Japan, so she probably wouldn''t be able to make a decision right away, but if she were to give birth and raise a child at our age, she would be concerned about what others would think of her. If that was the case, it might be easier to live in Volzard, where she has few acquaintances. In the end, it was up to Watanuki-san to decide, but I thought it was good that she had a wider range of choices. That aside, will I get kicked out? I''m joking, but it''s time to seriously think about my family. Otherwise, I won''t be able to go further with Yuika than a Kiss. "Kento, what are you thinking?" "Umm, i, it''s time to talk to Herman-san about my house ..." "... Kento''s ecchi." Guha!, Yuika whispered to me in a low voice. As I thought, I seem to show too much in my expressions. CH 237 Participating in the special training grounds ***---*** The day after I received Watanuki-san''s consultation, I headed to the Devil''s Forest training ground. There were only two days left in the year-end and New Year holidays, and after the holidays, I planned to get back to work in earnest, so I couldn''t stay idle forever. That''s when I decided to move my sluggish body. The Kobold Corps and Zeta-tachi were running around and playing in the training grounds and the surrounding forest. It was so deep in the Devil''s Forest that it took a whole day to walk from Volzard, but monsters wouldn''t be able to get close to it. This place felt like an empty safe zone. First of all, after jogging and stretching, I practiced swinging with a wooden sword and strength training. Since I could now use earth-attribute magic, I made my own dumbbells and barbells. Although, not to the extent of Meisa-chan, because I was playing around during the holidays, it''s pretty tough, isn''t it. Even so, thanks to the light attribute, I could heal my muscle pain on my own, so it was easy. [ Now, Kent-sama. Should we have a bout after a long time? ] "Before that, let me practice the star attribute a little ..." [ The star attribute, is it? ] "Yup, I''m curious about what''s going on near the traces of defeating the Hydra." [ I see ... You could just send your consciousness and see what''s going on in a remote area. ] "Right, right, that''s how it feels ..." Star-attribute magic, which combined all attributes, I didn''t know what it could do other than summoning, repatriation, and this clairvoyant ability. However, I had a hunch that if I practiced what I already knew, I would be able to understand other abilities. That''s why, from now on, I planned to find time to train. "Mart, Mirt, Murt, support me a little." "Wafuu, understood, Goshujin-sama." "I too, will support you properly." "Me too, I''ll warm you up." I spread the sheet in a sunny place in the training ground, sat there and had Mart and the others support me from around. When I imagined drawing out my consciousness in that position, I was able to see myself sitting from above. I raised my consciousness as it was and went up into the sky. The Devil''s Forest was a forest with many evergreen trees, and it was covered in deep green even at this time of winter. Even so, it seemed that there were trees that turned red and yellow here and there, and the colors of red and yellow caught my eye. As I proceeded to the southern continent over the Devil''s Forest, I could see a group of Kobolds and Ogres below me. Currently, I was flying in the sky with only my consciousness moving around. As a test, I lowered my altitude and plunged into a tree in the forest, and I slipped through without feeling any impact. Hyaaha~~!, this, is fuuuuuun! I could fly around freely with the feeling of an ultra-realistic VR game. As I continued to glide by increasing my speed, suddenly my field of vision opened up and the surface of the water spread out. When I slowed down and increased the altitude, I found that the crater that was created when the Hydra was exterminated was filled with water and turned into a large pond. I could also see Goblins, Kobolds, and Orcs around the pond. Were the monsters gathering because of the waterhole. Since I was just a state of consciousness that didn''t have a physical body, I wouldn''t be noticed even if I got close enough to touch them. This was the perfect skill for investigating the ecology of monsters. Besides, if I used this ability the women''s bath would be more powerful than ever ... I won''t do something like that. A Goblin approached the pond while watching its surroundings. After all, they were probably at the bottom of the food chain in the Devil''s Forest, so it sometimes stares at Orcs in distant places. After being extremely vigilant, it was the moment when it finally put its mouth to the surface of the water and began to drink. A large indigo snake jumped out of the water and bit the Goblin''s neck. The total length of the snake seemed to be more than five times that of the Goblin, and it immediately began to entwine its whole body and tighten it. "Gya, gyaaa ... Gaa! ... Giii ..." Mishi mishi, boki boki, the sound of breaking bones rang out, and the Goblin stopped moving with bloody foam coming out of its mouth. After constricting it for a while, the snake swallowed the Goblin that had stopped moving and disappeared to the bottom of the water. Yup, it was more intense than National Geographic. If I shot and broadcast in 4k or 8k, it was likely that there would be a great response. Or rather, I can''t shoot because I don''t have a physical body right now. After that, I looked around the pond while keeping the altitude low, but I didn''t see a large pack that I needed to be vigilant about. I raised the altitude again and aimed for Volzard this time. When I increased my speed and glided, it felt like I was flying in a wing suit or jet suit. Once I got used to it, I could do drilling, turning, and somersaults at will. What''s more, I didn''t have to worry about getting hurt or dying if I crashed, so it was addictive. In the blink of an eye, I reached the sky above Volzard and passed by at a tremendous speed. Let''s try circling in the sky while slowing down a bit. When I looked at it from the sky like this, I could really understand the history of Volzard''s development. A rampart was built to add to the square old town, and part of it was like a maze. It was the year-end and New Year holidays, so there weren''t many people coming and going, but I would like to see how bustling it was on a weekday. The Lord''s Mansion on the north side, the warehouse district on the west side, and the garrison grounds on the south side. I saw figures moving at the garrison''s training ground. Even though it was a holiday, I wondered if they were doing training, so when I approached them, they were my classmates. Nitta Kazuki, Furuta Tatsuya, the old and new duo, Kondo Joji, the nice guy from the Judo Club, and Yagi Yuusuke, also known as fake glasses. The old and new duo and Kondo seemed to be confirming their movements with wooden swords in their hands. Yagi seemed to be sitting on the fence and saying something from the side. "After all, the bat swing will be the most powerful." "That''s just Kazuki. Kicking is the best thing for me, but I don''t think I can defeat monsters with kicks." "No, there''s like a shin guard for armor, so why not attach a spike or a blade?" "Ohh, as expected of Joe, you''re smart." "Ke!Ke!Ke!, how much does it cost to make something like that. How will you earn that money." At Yagi''s words, the other three gave a sour expression. It seemed interesting, so I thought about joining the conversation, but I ended up leaving my body behind. Let''s go back to the Devil''s Forest training ground and start over. "I''m back, everyone, thank you." "Wafuu, welcome back, Goshujin-sama." "Wau, pet me, pet me." "Me too, rub my belly." "Yes, yes, in turn." With their tails swinging around, Mart and the others came close to me, and the other Kobold Corps and Zeta-tachi also gathered and were petted together. [ Kent-sama, how was it? ] "Yup, water pooled up where the spear golem was dropped, and it became a watering hole for the monsters." [ Hohou, then, isn''t there a reserve army for a large number of outbreaks? ] "I took a quick look around, but there weren''t any large hordes to watch out for, so it should be fine." [ Is that so, let''s have the Kobolds look around once in a while. ] "Come to think of it, a deep blue serpent swallowed a Goblin whole." [ Hohou, probably a Cobalt Viper. It''s a monster that doesn''t show up much, so its leather is traded at a high price. ] "Is that so? Or rather, I left my body here, so it was impossible to catch it." [ In that case, Kent-sama, why don''t you trying to summon your body at hand? ] "Ou, I see, that sounds a bit interesting." I tried laying down on the sheet, moving my consciousness outside, and using summoning, but it didn''t work. Then I changed my idea and tried sending my body back to a place where my consciousness existed, and this time it worked. [ Oohh!, as expected of Kent-sama. ] "Yup, this is a bit interesting. Depending on my ingenuity, I can use it in various ways." [ However, Kent-sama, your unconscious body is defenseless. ] "That''s right. In that case, I will leave my body in the shadow space. Then there will be no harm from outside enemies." [ I see, then you''re safe. ] Reinhardt seemed to be itching to have a bout, but before that, let''s take a quick look at those four. I used shadow movement to move to the garrison training grounds, the four were still in the same place. "Hey, what are you guys doing?" "Ou, Kokubu, you can tell just by looking at it, it''s training." "No, no, Yagi is just watching." "Fo~ol, you''re really stupid, I''m a supervisor. I was just giving these guys advice on their training." "You just got in the way, didn''t you?" When I turned my gaze to the old and new duo and Kondo, all three of them nodded. "Even so, there are times when it''s useful, even if it doesn''t seem like it ..." "You, Kondo, I already pointed out the price of shin guards." "Even if you point out the price problem, you won''t present a solution ..." The shin guard is the thing Furuta wanted earlier. "Solution ... Right, if it''s about money, there''s a solution here, isn''t there, Kokubu." "Regarding money, we will start return work in earnest from the day after tomorrow, so I won''t give you any more money." "No, these guys will stay in Volzard." "Ehh, seriously?" "Yeah, me and the old and new duo will remain in Volzard and become adventurers." The old and new duo were influenced by Gilik, and Kondo continued to participate in the construction of the ramparts even after the forced labor ended, where he heard stories from the adults of Volzard and made up his mind. "I see ... So you trained voluntarily. Come to think of it, have you taken any guild combat classes?" "Of course we''ve taken them. All three of us are currently aiming to break through the day of the week of wind." "Hee ... Of course, Yagi didn''t participate, right?" "Shut it, I''m in charge of brain labor, so just taking it once is enough." Come to think of it, I persuaded him to take it when they came to Volzard. "Speaking of which, Kokubu, are you not going to take a guild course?" "Huh? No, look, I''m already S-rank ..." "it seems like old man Donovan wanted to have you take it, right, Kazuki." "Ou, it''s just as Tatsuya said. He told us to bring you here once in a while." "Eeehhh ..." Come to think of it, it would be awkward if I didn''t go to apologize after the holidays, such as forgetting to submit a completion report for the nomination request. It seems like I''ll be told to participate in the class at that time ... [ Kent-sama, it would be best to return to the training ground and have a bout. ] [ Uuh, maybe so ... ] When I was wondering whether to return to the training grounds, Kondo asked me. "You''re basically a magician, aren''t you? And you''re also doing knight training?" "Maa, that''s how it''s supposed to go, isn''t it ..." "But, I don''t see you at the guild''s training grounds, where are you training?" "Training ... At the training ground in the Devil''s Forest ..." "Seriously? Ah!, you''re training with that Skeleton genus, that''s unfair Kokubu." "Ou, Tatsuya, let''s go and train." "That''s right, let''s do it." "No, no, wait, wait, it''s impossible because it takes about a whole day to walk from Volzard." When I said they couldn''t move to the training ground, Yagi thrust at me. "Fo~ol, you are really stupid. "Oh!, I see ... No, but there''s no armor ..." "What about you." "Ehh, me? I got it from the garrison in Lastock ..." "If that''s the case, then you should be able to handle three more." [ Kent-sama ... I already have spare armor ... ] I almost fell to my knees when I heard Fred''s cheerful voice. "Haa ... My excellent genus has already prepared." "Then, don''t just complain, let''s go." "Eh!, are you going too, Yagi?" "Fo~ol, I told you I''m a supervisor, what are you asking." "Yes, yes, I get it, I get it ... It can''t be helped, so I''ll take you. However, please don''t go out of the range I specified. I''m warning you." "O, ou ... Got it." Using Mart and the others as a landmark, I sent the four of them back to the Devil''s Forest training ground, and followed them with shadow movement. At the training ground, my genus who showed interest in the sudden visitors surrounded them, and the four of them stood together in a cold sweat. "Everyone, these four are my classmates, so please don''t be rough." "Hey, Kokubu, isn''t that kind of talk something to talk about before sending us?" "Maa, that''s right, but I forgot, tehe!" "Idiot, you really are an idiot, even if you do something like tehepero ..." "Goshujin-sama, is this guy your enemy?" "Nushi-dono, would you like to exclude him?" When Yagi attacked me, all my genus slowly closed the distance. "No, i, it''s different. It''s different I tell you, that''s unpleasant ... I was just playing around with Kokubu." "Wau, Goshujin-sama, really?" "Yup, really, really, Yagi wants to hang out with everyone." "Hey, Kokubu ... san, that''s a little ..." "Now, everyone, play nice with Yagi." "If it''s Nushi-dono''s order, I''ll do my best ..." "Wafuu, we''ll play with all our might." "No, hey, hey ... Wait, aaaaaaaahhhhhh ..." Yagi was mobbed by the Kobold Corps & Zeta-tachi and forced to move to the edge of the training ground. "Kazuki, look, there are dumbbells." "Oohh, there''s even a barbell. Kokubu, you, did you have your equipment sent to you." "You''re wrong, it was made with earth-attribute magic." "Seriously? This is good, please make it for us next time." "If it''s just this much, can''t you just ask the people who are bored in the dorm to make it?" "Ou, right. Should I ask the earth-attribute guys." "Tatsuya, let''s make it possible to change the weight." "Wouldn''t it be nice to have a bench stand?" "Oohh, as expected of Joe, you''re so smart." When the three of them started talking about training equipment, Reinhardt, who seemed to have gotten tired of waiting, appeared with a wooden sword and armor. [ Come, come, Kent-sama. If you play forever, the sun will set. ] "That''s right. But, what should I do ... Not everyone can use self-healing ..." [ First of all, Kent-sama will have to make arrangements as usual, and when one finishes, the next person will take over for them, and Kent-sama will have no choice but to heal the injuries of the others. ] "I see, I should treat them ... In the end, I have to leave enough magical power to send everyone back." [ That''s right. Then, shall we begin ... ] Fred gave the old and new duo and Kondo the armor that Fred had prepared, and I put on my own as well. "Then, I''ll have a bout first. After one bout, someone will replace me, so watch carefully." "Ou, understood, but ... Will he take it easy?" "Yeah, that''s fine. If he doesn''t take it easy, my life will be in danger too." [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, would you like to try it seriously once. ] "No, no, no, no matter how much I can use cheat self-healing, I can''t heal my body that exploded." Of course, Reinhardt was probably joking, but it wouldn''t be funny if he was serious. [ Then, let''s go ... ] "Please!" We faced each other at a distance of about five meters, and immediately after holding the wooden sword, Reinhardt closed the gap in an instant. The heavy-looking metallic Skeleton moved the wooden sword in a flowing motion. For a moment, I felt like I could hear the three people''s surprised voices, but I focused all my attention on Reinhardt''s sword and knocked away the side-slashing sword with all my strength. Even if I dodged a blow so heavy that you might think it''s made of lead, I couldn''t let my guard down. I quickly dodged the diagonal blow that immediately attacked me, and then met the blow from below that approached me from behind. Every time the wooden swords collided with each other, scraped pieces flew at me, but if I faltered, I would just be beaten down in an instant. By reading the lines of the sword and tightening my reflexes, I survived Reinhardt''s raging attack. [ Come, cone, Kent-sama, it''s unskillful to just protect yourself. Hey, hey, you''ve been resting too much and you''re getting dull! ] "Uuh, kuh ... Shut it, guhaa!" Unable to dodge the strikes from below, my wooden sword was knocked up, and I received a severe blow to my unguarded side. I rolled around the training ground like an empty can that had been kicked away, and when I stopped, I crouched down and used all my power to heal myself. I felt like I had a couple of broken ribs. "Ugiiii ... Not yet!" [ Kent-sama, it''s time to change. ] "Ehh ... Ah!, I see, uguu ... Then, who will do it next?" I called out to the three of them, but they were all frozen with their mouths half-open. "What happened?" "No, you ... Do you always do this kind of training?" "That''s right, but ..." "That''s it, is it okay. The blow just now was no joke." "Aahh, I took quite a hit, but I''ve already started self-healing, so it''s okay. I''ll treat everyone when they get hurt, so it''s okay." "No, no, saying you''ll treat us so it''s okay ..." "What should we do, Kazuki." "What should we do ..." "Alright, I''ll do it!" It was Kondo who took the first step. Kondo faced Reinhardt at a distance of about 5 meters just like me, bowed once, and held up his wooden sword. Kondo''s wooden sword was knocked away by Reinhardt''s strike from below, after approaching with a gliding step, and Kondo was hit on his side just like me and fell to the ground. "Aguaaa ... Gafu! Gofu! ... Guuuuu ..." "Uwaa ... Kondo, are you okay? I''ll treat you right away, so remove your arm." Kondo, who rolled on the training ground, was sweating profusely with clenched teeth. When I cast healing magic on him, two of his ribs were broken, and naturally the bruises were starting to swell. Maa, bruises like this were a daily occurrence for me, so the treatment was over. "O, oou, seriously, you''re kidding, it doesn''t hurt at all." "Yes, yes, which one is next? Furuta? Nitta?" "Okay, I''ll be next ..." "No, wait Tatsuya, I''ll go first ..." "Please, please ..." "Uwah, bastard ..." "Look, it doesn''t matter which one, let''s do it quickly." "Alright, I can do it, I''ll do it!" It was good that he walked out with a wooden sword, but Nitta was rather timid. Both the old and new duo were knocked over by a single blow at first, but the more times they hit each other, the more time they had to fight each other. This area really showed the strength of the brain. After that, the matches with Reinhardt continued until the sky turned red. Ahh, Yagi had a lot of fun playing with my genus until the end of the special training. I felt like he was being used as a ball, but it must have just been my imagination. CH 238 ***---*** I doubted whether it was appropriate to call it a cage, but when the body like a lunar probe appeared, my classmates made a commotion. On the day of fire after the end of the year-end and New Year holidays, I went to the garrison''s training ground to proceed with the return work. Until a while ago, everyone in the garrison gathered together and listened to Marianne-san, who served as the commander-in-chief, at the beginning of the year. After that, training for the garrison members had also begun, but we would borrow a corner that would not get in the way and proceed with the return work. The time difference between Japan and Volzard was about ten hours. It was just before noon, so Japan would be before 10 o''clock at night. Kajikawa-san told me that I should worry about using the repatriation technique in perfect condition and not worry about the time in Japan. Once my classmates returned, they would of course need to be checked for their health condition, and they needed personnel to send them home safely. I didn''t know if they would end up working overtime late at night, or if they would have to go to work late from the start, but I felt a little apologetic. "Kokubu, can you really send such a big thing?" "It''s fine. I tested it yesterday and had no problems. But, please only do one repatriation per day." A golem had already been installed in the Nerima garrison warehouse as a landmark, and all that was left was for my classmates to board and then use the repatriation technique. Maa, it was only natural that Katou-sensei felt uneasy, but I had no intention of failing either, so I did a test yesterday and created a perfect system. Originally, it was planned to be a cage that could hold five people, but it seemed that they decided to use a cage that had been created with the coming and going of dignitaries in mind. When I sent the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shiota to Volzard, he was tied to me with a rope, so I thought it looked bad in that form. When sending people to Volzard from the Earth side, it was possible to move through the shadow space if magic power was given to them. This cage was probably made for that pattern of movement. "Okay, everyone get in. Fasten your seatbelts when you get in." The 10 people selected were 5 boys and 5 girls, including Kojima-san, who had her leg amputated in the accident the other day. "Kokubu-kun, thank you for everything you did last time. To be honest, when I lost my leg, I thought I was going to die." "Is there any discomfort or any aftereffects?" "Yup, I''m fine. It feels like a dream that my leg was amputated." "That''s good. Take care." "Yup, thank you ... Also, I''m sorry for saying all kinds of harsh things about the thing with Shiori. If it wasn''t for Kokubu-kun, the day I could go home like this wouldn''t have come ... I''m really grateful. Thank you very much."(TN:Shiori was the girl who jumped off the ramparts. This girl was one of her friends.) After Kojima-san and the other nine people bowed their heads, they asked for a handshake. "Thank you, Kokubu." "I really appreciate it." "Thank you Kokubu-kun, I hope you stay well." "You must attend the class reunion." "Yup, everyone be well!" I had already sent several people to Japan, including Kizawa-san, and had secured communications with Japan. Well, when I realized that I was being asked to shake hands by classmates like this, and I was sending a large number of people back, I was overwhelmed with emotion that I had finally reached this point. "What is it, Kokubu, are you crying?" "I, idiot. I just got a little bit of dust in my eye." "You can come back to Japan, right? Let''s meet when things settle down." "That''s right. Once everything is settled." After exchanging greetings, my classmates climbed into the cage one by one. "Huh, where does this go?" "Ehh, why are there six?" A normal car seat belt was a three-point seat belt on one shoulder and both sides of the waist, but this cage had six-point seat belts used in racing cars attached. I didn''t think such a shocking situation would occur, but Kajikawa-san requested that they always wear them in case of an emergency. "Both shoulders and both hips, and two of them pass between the crotch. After fastening the buckle, adjust and tighten the belt." "Ou, is this over here?" It was built to hold ten people, but the living space was limited and they were huddled together. If you had a physique like Donovan-san or Gilik, you may not be able to sit without using two seats. After finishing putting on their seatbelts, my classmates started waving to their friends watching over them. I could send 10 people a day, so we planned to have most of them return in 20 days. However, there were people like the old and new duo and Kondo who were thinking about staying in Volzard. The classmates who returned and those people may not be able to see each other for the rest of their lives if things went wrong. They could make phone calls and receive emails and messages, but it made me realize that the other world was far away. "Kokubu, please go soon." "Yes, I understand." My physical condition was perfect, and Japan''s acceptance system was perfect. Katou-sensei locked the entrance from the outside and asked my classmates to evacuate from near the cage. "Repatriation!" Along with a feeling of having my magical power being cut away, the cage with ten classmates disappeared, and immediately after that, it appeared on the other side of the monitor held by Yuika, at the Nerima garrison. "Katou-sensei, the cage seems to have arrived safely, but I''ll check to see if there''s anything wrong with it." "Are you okay, Kokubu. Your face is pale." "It takes a lot of magical power, so I feel a little sick, but it will be fine if I rest." "I see, then that''s fine, but don''t overdo it." "Yes, I understand." When I headed for the Nerima garrison through the shadow space, my classmates who got off the cage were cheering and hugging each other. Until now, only one person at a time was allowed to return, so I couldn''t see the spectacle of sharing the joy like this. "Everyone arrived safely, right? No one got hurt or got sick?" "Ou, Kokubu, everyone is safe ... Or rather, even though we just said goodbye, it doesn''t make sense if we meet again right away!" "Ahh ... But, I have to make sure everyone is safe ..." "That''s right. Everyone is safe!" "Ou, no problem." "We''re fine too." The faces of the ten people who returned were all smiles. "Okay, then I''ll go back to report ..." "Ou, see you! Kokubu." "Yup, see you!" It was a long way from Volzard to Japan, but as long as I was healthy, it was possible to come and go. I hadn''t checked how many classmates had decided to stay, but if they wanted to go home, I wouldn''t mind sending them a little. "Good job, Kokubu." "Ah!, Kajikawa-san, thank you for your hard work." "It looks like you were able to repatriate without any problems." "Yes, as expected, my magical power will be scraped away, so it''s the limit to repatriate once." "is that so ... Is it possible tomorrow? It doesn''t matter if it''s just a day later. Since we have the prospect of returning a large number of people like this, the public opinion will be lessened." "Is that so ... Then, tomorrow morning, I will check my physical condition and let you know if I will do the return work." While Kajikawa-san and I were talking, Nero put out a shield of darkness, and Zae-tachi put away the cage in the shadow space. There may be people who would sneak into the Nerima garrison and do bad things, so the cage was supposed to be stored in the shadow space. "That''s right, Kajikawa-san. About the classmates who were sent back. Were they able to use magic here as well?" "Aahh, that''s right. Last time, I had a student who returned home with the repatriation technique try it, but it seems that it was only usable temporarily, and once the magic power was consumed, it could no longer be used." "Does it seem like their magical power doesn''t recover even if they rest?" "That''s how it seems. The government plans to announce that the students who have returned will not be able to use magic. As expected, if they are thought to have different abilities, they will be targeted." In fact, the magic that Volzard could use was just as powerful as firearms on the Earth side. If you could use a blade of wind, it should be possible to assassinate someone without using a weapon. "To be honest, it''s difficult for the Japanese government to provide personal protection for everyone who has returned. There is no magic essence on Earth, so even the returning students can''t use magic. This will be the official position of the Japanese government." "Understood. Then, I will let you know by 2:00 PM Japan time whether or not I will do return work tomorrow." "Alright. But it''s okay, Kokubu-kun''s genus are excellent, so they seem to be able to handle phone calls properly." "Aahh ... That''s right. Thank you very much for the solar panels and the tablets. Thanks to you, everyone is happy." For Kajikawa-san, it seemed that being able to contact me was extremely helpful, and he prepared tablets, solar panels, and batteries for charging for Mart and the others. The Kobold Corps who weren''t patrolling seemed to be gathering and playing around. As for me, it was a little troublesome for me to contact him if it was inconvenient for him, but it couldn''t be helped because he''s taken a lot of trouble. I asked Kajikawa-san about the returned classmates and returned to Volzard. I returned to the garrison''s training ground and reported to Katou-sensei that they had returned safely. After having lunch with Yuika and Manon at the garrison cafeteria, I headed to the Bakkenheim auction site. The auction was held in the auditorium adjacent to the Guild in Bakkenheim, and it seemed that many customers and curiosities gathered for the first auction of the New Year every year. Among the rare items on display, the Gigas'' magic stone was a big topic. 500 times more in weight than a normal size Orc magic stone. A magic stone this big seemed to be a legendary item that had never been seen in real life, even though it was thought to exist. At the auction, the Cobalt Viper I witnessed the other day and the leather of the Salamander were put up for sale, but it didn''t seem to be very exciting, with people who seemed to be vendors bidding on them. And yet, the venue was always surrounded by raspy voices and a kind of strange heat. "Basten, how does it seem?" [ Let me see, I have no experience observing the auction itself, so it''s hard to say anything, but the people at the venue seem like a group of Gigawolves aiming at something. ] "Are you saying that everyone is aiming for the Gigas'' magic stone?" [ I believe so. In the middle of the venue, there should be the best people, but most of them don''t participate in the auction. They are probably saving money in preparation for the Gigas'' magic stone. ] "How much will it sell for?" [ Who knows, the Orc magic stone is about 10,000 to 15,000 Helts, and it''s more than 500 times larger than that, so a simple calculation would be 5 million to 7.5 million Helts. However, it should not go for only that level of price. ] "The Gigas'' magic stone''s turn hasn''t come yet, right?" [ Yes, it''s the last exhibition, so there''s still time. ] "I''m going to greet Reese-san for a bit." [ Understood. ] Bakkenheim''s Guild Master, Reese-san, was in the waiting room next to the auction hall. Lau-san, her real escort, and the escort Gunther, who was just for show, were together. "Hello. Reese-san, do you mind if I disturb you?" "Kent is it? Come in ..." As usual, Reese-san was lying on the sofa in a revealing outfit, but for some reason she looked in a bad mood. "Excuse me. Hello, Lau-san." "Ho!Ho!Ho!, Kent, I''ll leave being Reese''s opponent to you." "He!, what''s wrong?" When I sat down on the sofa with the table between us, Reese-san glared at me. "You don''t know what''s wrong, is it. Thanks to the Gigas'' magic stone, it''s not exciting at all." "Is that because they want to save some money ...?" "That''s right. The people who spend the most money every year won''t participate in the auction this year. It''s like a funeral." "Even if you tell me that ... Then, wouldn''t it have been better to put the Gigas'' magic stone as the first auction? Then the losers would have to buy other items ..." "I know that. Even if I realize that, I can''t change the order now. Aahh, what happened is the height of my regret ..." Reese-san thought that if the Gigas'' magic stone was put up for auction first, the subsequent auctions would not be lively, but it seemed that her expectations were off. "Kent. Did you check the reward for subjugating the Rock Ogre?" "Ah!, yes, thank you very much." During the Ogre subjugation the other day, one Rock Ogre escaped from the north side that Graciela-san was in charge of, and another one also escaped from the east side. The Kobold Corps reported that the Rock Ogre over there was cut down by Lau-san, who appeared like the wind right after the adventurers gave up chasing it. I wondered if it was really scared of Lau-san, its tail was hidden, and it was pretty cute. However, even if Graciela-san and the others tried to get close to it and attacked repeatedly, he managed to get by with a single blow on the Rock Ogre ... It''s a special case, isn''t it. The subjugation of the remaining one was quickly finished by Fred after receiving a request from Master Reese. The reward for the subjugation would be 40,000 Helts, plus the magic stone and horns would be my share. "Has there been an Ogre attack since then?" "I haven''t seen any signs so far, but it was a rare raid in Bakkenheim, so there might still be something." Reese-san spoke while slightly irritably smoking her pipe, but her current interest seemed to be the excitement of the auction. As I was drinking tea with Reese-san and the others while feeling uncomfortable, the noise from the auction hall grew louder as time passed. You could feel the heat rising through the walls. The auction was nearing its end, and it seemed that people who had given up on the Gigas'' magic stone from the beginning began bidding for other featured products. "Fuun, it''s finally starting to get exciting. In the first place, there are only a limited number of people who can drop enough for the Gigas'' magic stone, so don''t be stingy and use the money ..." Even though the auction had started to heat up. Reese-san''s mood hadn''t improved. "Come to think of it, is the auction profitable for the guild?" "Of course. A certain percentage of the successful bid price will go to the guild. In other words, the higher the price, the more profitable it will be for the guild." "I see, so it''s a problem if they don''t get excited." "Well, it''s about time. How much will it go for ..." Reese-san put down her smoking pipe and stood up. Lau-san followed us like a shadow after we headed to the auction site. Even when Reese-san appeared at the venue through the door on the side of the stage, the eyes of the people gathered were glued to the stage. "What is that? Is it really a magic stone?" "It''s unbelievably big. How many times larger than the Ogre''s magic stone?" "I''ve seen a Salamander''s magic stone, but it''s nothing comparatively." Ta~~n! When the auctioneer thumped their hammer loudly, the venue was enveloped in a stillness as if water had been thrown on it. "Then, today''s last exhibition, the magic stone of a Gigas. This magic stone is from the Gigas that destroyed the port town of Leinef in Barshania, which was subjugated by Kent, the youngest S-rank adventurer in Volzard''s history, ''Monster User''. The Bakkenheim Guild will prove that it is a genuine, gigantic magic stone unlike any other in the world." "Oooooohhhhhh ..." Upon hearing the auctioneer''s words, the audience erupted in a thunderous roar. "This magic stone weighs more than 500 times the weight of an average Orc magic stone, so I will start with 8 million Helts." "10 million Helts!" "12 million!" "15 million!" "20 million!" As soon as the bidding started, the people who had taken up positions in the center of the venue, which had been quiet until then, began to raise the price. "30 million!" "35 million Helts!" "40 million!" "50!" Every time the price went up, there was a commotion, and Reese-san''s smile deepened each time. Those who had saved their money looked at the other party''s complexion, consulted their own finances, and raised the price. "65 million Helts!" "76 million!" "77 million!" "Is there anyone else?" "80 million Helts!" "Oooohhhh ..." "80 million Helts, is there anyone else ...? Then ..." "100 million Helts!" "Oooooohhhhhh!" Coming to the final stages of the auction, the one who suddenly raised the price was a well-built man with a Kaiser beard who looked like a wealthy man. "100 million Helts, is there anyone else? Anyone else? Then, the bid is 100 million Helts!" Ta~~n! At the same time as the auctioneer''s hammer struck loudly again, Reese-san pulled me by the arm and brought me back to the waiting room. "Ehh, hey ... Reese-san?" "That many is not simple. It would be better not to meet Kent directly yet ..." "Does that mean he''s a villain?" "Fufuun, things like good or bad can change depending on the direction you look at is. Besides, rather than that kind of beardy, keep me company." "Ehh, wait, wait ..." At the same time as Reese-san restrained my arm, my stomach complained loudly. "Kukuku ... Kent, is your appetite greater than my sex appeal? Maa, it''s fine, let me feed you until you''re satisfied, and then I''ll dote on you to my heart''s content." "Eeeehhhh ... Wait, wait ..." "I won''t wait, I won''t wait ..." Kajikawa-san, I''m sorry. It seems that tomorrow''s return work will be postponed. CH 239 New request ***---*** The morning after the auction was held in Bakkenheim, Hort, Beatriche''s escort, suddenly appeared. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, please come to the Guild''s office." "Ehh, Klaus-san? What is it?" "Hmm ... I don''t know." "I see, maa, I''ll meet him and listen to what he has to say. Thank you." I petted it and it wagged its tail as it walked away. The guild was crowded with people looking for work since the New Year holidays had just ended. Wasn''t the crowd in front of the bulletin board about 50% more than usual. Also, there was the promised appearance of Ridner and the others, but they seemed to have gotten used to the crowds, so they didn''t seem to be jostled around as they used to. Had they been participating in combat training since then? When I looked into the office on the second floor while hiding in the shadows, I saw Klaus-san and Beatriche. Come to think of it, Beatriche was acting as my secretary. I normally contacted him directly, so I was kind of ignoring it, but it wasn''t good at this rate, so I should think of some countermeasures. I went out into the corridor and knocked on the office door. "Who is it?" "Good morning, it''s Kent." "Ou, please come in." When the door to the office opened, Klaus-san got up from his seat and sat down on the sofa. Beatriche immediately started making tea. "I''m sorry to call you when you''re busy." "No, I was thinking of postponing today''s return work, so it''s okay." "Hou, are you not being rushed by Japan?" "Yes, since I sent ten people back to Japan at once yesterday, it seems that the prospects look brighter for Japanese government and it looks like I have some leeway." "I see ... But then, wouldn''t they want you to proceed with the return?" "That''s right, after all, if I repatriate to a different world, the amount of magical power used all at once will increase, and if I drop them somewhere on the way, it would be impossible to recover them, so it was said that it''s better to take all possible measures." "I see, in any case, I''m glad that there is the prospect of returning." "Yes, I''m very grateful to Volzard for their help." "Speaking of which, Volzard has been saved many times in times of crisis, and I cannot thank you enough." Starting with the horde of Rock Ogres, the maximum outbreak of Goblins, the stone-throwing Orcs, the Griffon ... Klaus-san smiled wryly as he counted them. "Maa, I''m glad they ended without incident." "The Griffon was really troublesome." "Such a thing rarely comes, and it would be a problem if it came, but in case of emergency, I''ll be counting on you, my son-in-law." "Of course, I will intercept with all my might." After that, after talking about the horde of Ogres that attacked Bakkenheim and yesterday''s auction, we got into today''s main topic. "Is it a nomination request?" "Indeed. Appointed by the Dukas Company of Marburg." "Dukas Company ... Ah, I wonder if it''s the ones I met in the Irosun Great Forest?" "It''s that Dukas Company, Kent, they need your healing skills." The Dukas Company was the owner of the carriage that I rescued from the Ogre attack in the Irosun Great Forest on the way back from Bakkenheim while escorting the Volzard Family. I treated a girl who was given up on by the Bakkenheim healers, so I guess it was to be expected. "I treated the girl, but did she get sick again?" "Nope, the girl has completely recovered and seems to have recovered to the point where she seems to be doing well, but her mother seems to be unwell." The girl I treated, Lucile-chan, was the only daughter of the Dukas Company, and it seemed that she inherited her sickly constitution from her mother Sybil. Sybil had also suffered from respiratory problems for many years, and her condition worsened around the end of last year, seeing the treatment results of Lucile-chan, rather than the Bakkenheim healers, it looked like they made a request to me. "The reward is 2 million Helts. However, it seems that they want to use it as a success reward on the condition that Sybil Dukas regains her health. What will you do?" "2 million Helts is another large reward, isn''t it." "It''s true that it''s large compared to normal rewards, but judging from the story, she''s in a state even the Bakkenheim healers can''t handle, and if the nominee is an S-rank adventurer, the amount of money cannot be said to be exorbitant." "Hmm ... What should I do." "What''s wrong, are you dissatisfied with something?" "It''s not that I"m dissatisfied, but ..." Regarding the treatment, I had an unsubstantiated confidence that it would probably be fine, but I told Klaus-san that I had doubts about the situation where those who could pay the high cost of treatment were saved, while the poor could not receive treatment. "I see. How is it in Japan? Will people without money be able to receive treatment?" "No, there are treatments that you can''t receive without money." "Then there is no need to hesitate. The world is unfair. It''s not just about treatment and medicine. The right to education, expensive clothes, expensive ingredients, luxurious mansions, money and power. Some people get it, and others who don''t have it don''t get it ... You seem dissatisfied." "I understand it in my head, but my feelings are ..." Klaus-san smiled at me who frowned. "In that case, use the money you get so that the poor can afford it. Oops, don''t get me wrong, I''m not telling you to give it away, use it so that they can get it as a reward for working properly." "Is it a reward for working?" "Indeed. There are some poor people who want to work but can''t. You should reach out to those people, but don''t give charity easily to those who can work but are lazy." "Those who don''t work, shouldn''t eat ... Does it feel like that?" "Maa, it''s a matter of course, but handing over money easily would deprive them of the opportunity to get back on their feet and to let their inherent talent bloom. Kent, we talked about when you just came to Volzard, right?" "Yes, I tried various jobs ... That''s right." "Even if you do one or two jobs and it doesn''t go well, if you try different jobs, you will definitely find a job that makes you shine. If you give lazy people money, their chances of finding that job will go away." "That''s right. But ... Would the people not try to grip the chance by themselves?" What came to my mind was the thugs who came to me when I was working at the Garm Potato Warehouse and told me not to work seriously. I was just thinking about having fun, and I didn''t feel the need to grab a chance. "Those who don''t move on their own and aim higher will have no choice but to grovel all the time. We can prepare a chance for them, but Volzard isn''t such a sweet town as to deliver it." "I see ... But, if I pay them for their hard work, does that mean I''m going to make a request of the Guild for something?" "That''s one way. Another option is to make a donation for the construction of the ramparts. Those who can''t provide their own labor will contribute to the city with donations." "Hmm ... But, isn''t that just making Klaus-san''s expenses lighter?" "D, don''t be ridiculous. Donations to the construction of the ramparts will only be used for the construction of the ramparts, and it''s already decided that I''ll put out an annual budget as well." "That''s right. Then, if this nomination request goes well, I will donate half of it. Riche, can I ask you to handle the procedures?" "Yes, leave it to me." Perhaps because she was asked to work as a secretary, Beatriche smiled with satisfaction. "So, Kent, what time are you leaving for Marburg?" "If I remember correctly, the road leading to Bakkenheim turns in the middle, right? Then ..." [ Kent-sama, if it''s Marburg, we have already been there, so we can act as a landmark first. ] "Klaus-san, Reinhardt ... has been there before, so I should be able to use shadow movement." "I see, then it won''t take long to move, right? In that case, you should go quickly, considering the return work. If you accept the request and it was too late when you arrived, it would leave a bad aftertaste." From Marburg to Volzard, requests were delivered by making use of a fast horse. Even so, it should have taken about three days from departure to arrival, so there was a high possibility that her condition had deteriorated further. "Then, I''ll go and see how things go. Anyway, I''ll start the treatment, and if it''s impossible to do it in one day, I''ll split it up into two or three days." "I see, even if you divide the treatment into several days, is it possible to come back in the middle." "Yes, anyway, I have to proceed with the return work, so I''ll consider going to do treatment while watching the interval." "For you right now, the first priority is to return the others home. It may depend on the patient''s condition, but think about that first." "I understand." I went into the shadows from the Guild''s office and headed for Marburg with Reinhardt as a landmark. Reinhardt guided me to a road overlooking the city of Marburg. Marburg was a basin surrounded by mountains, and it seemed that the main entrance to the city was the road along the river, and there was only a mountain road for hunters to follow. Iron and copper ores were said to be produced from the surrounding mountains, and Marburg''s main industry was the smelting of these iron and copper ores. "There is an amazing building, but what is that?" [ Probably Marburg Cathedral. At the time we were alive, the roof hadn''t even been completed yet. ] In the center of the city, there was a cathedral with two tall towers, and in front of it was a cobbled square. Was it perhaps stone quarried in a mine, the stone pavement had a complex geometric pattern. Many of the buildings surrounding the plaza were also made of stone, giving the whole town a dignified feeling. "Well, where is the Dukas Company?" [ It''s probably near this plaza, but since it''s an emerging business, we can''t tell. ] "Well ... It would be good to go out and ask passers-by, but isn''t it quite noisy?" [ The New Year holiday is over, so I don''t think it''s a festival, but ... now? ] In front of the large building facing the plaza, there was a crowd of people packed together, and the air was somewhat tense. On the other side of the building and the plaza, I went out in a deserted alley and asked an elderly woman who was passing by at the end of the alley for directions. "Excuse me. I would like to go to the Dukas Company, could you tell me the way?" "The Dukas Company is it ... Go down the road ahead and go a little to the left at the end." "Thank you very much." When I entered the street I was told from the plaza, there were many shops lined up, but there were almost no shoppers. A middle-aged man who seemed to be the store owner was standing in front of the store with his arms crossed and a bitter expression on his face. When I passed through the street lined with shops and turned to the end of the street I was told, there was a crowd of people there. "Alternative personnel, help me carry the food!" "Hey, don''t be sluggish!" "You idiot, you can''t necessarily help right away even if you''re in a hurry." "That''s why, you can''t just do it so leisurely!" "It could be a long battle, if we fall, it could be troublesome!" "Everyone, don''t forget to ensure your own safety! Don''t cause a secondary disaster!" Men with strong physiques were moving around in a tense atmosphere. It seemed like this place was the Dukas Company, but it was a little harder to get close than in the Guild during the morning. [ What happened? ] [ Perhaps there was an accident in the mine. ] [ I see, these people are the people who are going to rescue. ] [ Kent-sama ... I''ll investigate for you ... ] [ Yup, please, Fred. ] Let''s complete the nomination request while Fred investigates the situation. I made up my mind to approach the Dukas Company, but the flow of people was uninterrupted, so I couldn''t find the right timing. "U, umm ..." "Ora, you''re a nuisance. Kids shouldn''t be wandering around!" "I, I''m sorry." Many people were moving around in the Dukas Company, and I was stuck on the edge of the door and couldn''t move. [ Kent-sama, this me will scatter them ... ] [ No way, no way, if Reinhardt shows up, there will be a big fuss. ] [ Then, wouldn''t it be better to enter inside with shadow movement? ] [ But, it''s the first time I''ve come here, so I should be hesitant to enter on my own. ] I moved along the wall from the edge of the door and tried to approach the counter little by little. It would be helpful if I could talk to someone in charge of the office. As I continued to move sideways like a crab, I met the eyes of a bearded old man. "Hey brat! Where did this guy enter from." "Uhii, I received a request ..." "A request? I''m busy right now, so I can''t trade, so go home!" "No, it''s not ... Wa, wait a minute!" The old man walked up to me and grabbed me by the neck and held me in the air. I wonder why I''m treated like this even though I reached S-rank. "Wa, wait a minute, I came from Volzard after receiving a request." "That''s why I said we aren''t doing business." "No, it''s a request from the Dukas Company." "A request from the Dukas Company?" Just before I was thrown out of the door into the street, the bearded man''s legs stopped. "I haven''t heard that a request was sent to Volzard." "That''s not possible. It''s a formal nomination request through the guild." "A nomination request? A guild nomination request is ..." Just as the bearded man was about to throw me out again, a voice called out from the back of the store. "Release him, Luzekk!" "Racole-san, do you know this guy?" "It''s fine, just let him go, you idiot!" "Y, yeah ..." The person who called out to me was Racole-san, who was the driver when we met in the Irosun Great Forest. "Kent-san, I''m very sorry. Even so, it was three days ago that I sent a request via fast horse to Volzard, but I didn''t think I could see you so quickly." "Because I can use the shadows to move faster than a normal person ... Rather than that, about the request." "That''s right. Will you accept it?" "Of course, I asked with that intention." "Thank you very much. Then, please come this way ... You guys, what are you standing around for!" The people who were so busy moving around until a little while ago were looking at me with strange faces, but when Racole-san shouted at them, they began to move in a hurry. It seemed that Racole-san held an important position in the Dukas Company. "Kent-san, what happened to your hair? You had black hair before, so for a moment I didn''t know who you were." "Aahh, there were various things ..." "Is that so, if it''s someone like Kent-san, there must be some circumstances that you can''t talk about. Please, come this way." The further I was guided into the store, the stronger the smell of Chinese herbal medicine. The medicines in this world were not as scientifically created as those on Earth, but depending on the type, they were very effective. Even with that medicine, she wouldn''t recover, so it must be a pretty serious condition. Racole-san knocked on the door of a hidden room. "Danna-sama, Kent-san from Volzard is here." "What, is that true? Send him in right away!" "Kent-san, please, go inside ..." "Excuse me ... Uuh." The room was so hot that I stopped walking when I entered the door, and the smell of medicine was filling the room. A bed was placed in the back of a large room of about 20 tatami mats, a woman who looked white beyond pale was lying there, and a man with a haggard expression was sitting on a chair beside her. "What are you doing! The medicated bath will escape, so hurry up and close the door!" "Ehh, y, yes. Excuse me ..." Beside the bed was another nervous-looking man in a well-tailored shirt rolled up and wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Orlean-dono, who is this boy." "He''s a healer from Volzard ..." "What''s that! Are you saying that my treatment can''t be trusted?" "No, it''s not like that, but at this rate, my wife''s life ..." "In order to save your wife''s life, isn''t it for that reason that I''m using all my strength to continue treatment like this! Relying on a child like this ..." It seemed that this nervous-looking man was Sybil-san''s primary doctor. When I treated Beatriche''s rot, the healer in Volzard was resting, so I didn''t have to worry about it, but from the healer''s point of view, if a child like me were to butt in, it would be natural for them to be opposed. "Umm ... If I''m in the way, I''ll go home ..." "That''s outrageous! It would be a problem if you had to go back. With your skill in treating Lucile-ojousama, who even the famous healers of Bakkenheim gave up on, please help Sybil-sama." I was about to go home, but Racole-san stopped me with an angry look. "What are you going to do, Orlean-dono. If you say you''ll rely on a child like this, I''ll be going home." "No, please wait. If Sensei goes back now ..." "Then, that child ..." "Danna-sama, Lucile-san is thanks to Kent-san ..." "I know. But ..." "Orleans-dono, what are you going to do?" When I saw the older adults arguing, I snapped. "Don''t be so noisy. There''s a sick person here, all of you shut up!" "What is that, you, I trained at Bakkenheim ..." "Reinhardt, throw this thing out. Basten, open the window." [ As you wish! ] [ Roger that, Kent-sama. ] "Whaa, S, Skeleton ..." The three of them were speechless at the sight of the two Skeletons slipping out of the shield of darkness. Basten quickly opened the window, and Reinhardt threw the healer out into the garden. "They are my genus. No harm will be done to you. Rather than that, let me treat her." "U, understood. Please." When I walked over to the bedside, Sybil-san was breathing painfully with a whistling sound in her throat. "Excuse me ..." When I took off the futon to use healing magic, Sybil-san was so skinny that I thought she was a skeleton. When I put my hands on her thin chest and cast healing magic, it was a terrible condition that was worse than Lucile-chan''s symptoms by several steps. She also had several tumors in her lungs, and from the healing magic that ran through her body, I could feel that it had spread to other organs. I was also concerned about her metastatic lesions, but for now I would focus on stabilizing her breathing. When I focused healing magic from her lungs to her trachea, her painful rasping stopped and her cheeks gained some color. "Oohh, even an amateur like me can tell you that her condition has improved! This much ..." "Danna-sama, it was correct to rely on Kent-san after all." It seemed that in order to completely heal her whole body, I would have to use healing magic to the extent that I collapsed again, so considering the return work tomorrow, I would cut off the treatment for now. "Fuu, I''ve treated the condition of her lungs for the time being, but the condition of the other organs isn''t good either. I''ll have to do a few more treatments, is that okay?" "Of course. Please help my wife." I decided to continue the treatment in response to the request of Orlean-san, who bowed his head deeply. CH 240 Rescue operation ***---*** The mine where the accident occurred was not owned by the Dukas Company. "Then, is the Dukas Company carrying out rescue work for the Robere Company''s mine?"(TN:The Robere Company is the one that Angel, the guy Kent saved from the carriage that fell off the cliff, belongs to.) "No, the rescue work is not only our company but also other companies in cooperation. Because the accident in the mountain is not someone else''s problem." After finishing Sybil-san''s treatment, I was told about the mine accident at lunch with Orlean-san, the chairman of the Dukas Company. The accident happened at a copper mine owned by the Robere Company. "The Robere Company is one of the oldest companies in Marburg, and the accident occurred in an old mine that had been excavated for years. For that reason, the current excavation point is a place that has been dug quite deeply, and it seems that the tunnel leading to it has collapsed over a wide area." "I don''t have much knowledge about mines, but aren''t the tunnels hardened with earth-attribute magic?" "We apply hardening magic to weak ground and strata that seep a lot of groundwater, but other places are just reinforced with wood etc." Many earth-attribute magicians were involved in mines, but most of them were said to be mainly involved in refining ore, searching for veins, and destroying bedrock at excavation sites. Because it was a mine, instead of simply digging a hole, it was necessary to destroy the bedrock, break it into pieces that could be carried, and carry it out. For that reason, even if there were many earth-attribute magicians enrolled, it seemed that the current situation was that they couldn''t get around to hardening the tunnels. "Is there any prospect of rescue?" "Nope, there really isn''t. The accident happened at the end of last year, so I''ve already heard voices despairing their survival, but as I said earlier, the mine accident is not someone else''s problem. Considering the time of when the accident happened, I can''t give up or throw it away halfway through." "Last year ... Has it been more than ten days already?" "Right. How much space is left inside, is there a place where underground water is gushing out, and the food on hand ... It depends on the conditions, but it''s pretty tough." [ Fred, do you know what''s going on inside? ] [ Unfortunately, I don''t know ... The range of the collapse is too wide ... ] I and all of my genus could move through the shadow space, but it wasn''t without restrictions. You could move to places you have visited in the past without any problems, but there were restrictions on moving to places you didn''t know or couldn''t see. For example, it was possible to move between rooms separated by a wall, but it was not possible to move several tens of meters underground. If the collapsed area was a short distance this time as well, Fred would probably have been able to dive in and see what was going on, but the collapse seemed to have occurred over a long range and would make it difficult to move. "I don''t think you can stop the rescue work, but in the meantime, the excavation work of the Dukas Company has stopped, right?" "Right. But, I''ve said it many times, but as someone involved in the mine, it''s not someone else''s problem." "What about compensation from the Robere Company" "Nope, we don''t ask for compensation in the first place, and even if we were able to make a claim, there is no way that Robere would pay for it." "Is it some sort of business with a story?" "So to speak ... Robere is an old firm after all." It seemed that there was a saying among mining workers that they should take care of their own lunch and accidents. To put it in modern Japanese terms, it was all about your own responsibility. Wages were paid according to the amount of ore transported and the amount of iron and copper contained therein, so the more you dug, the more income you would earn. It seemed that it was a long-standing Marburg tradition that the firm provided no compensation for accidents or injuries during excavation in exchange for providing the mines it owned as a place to earn money. "However, with the old methods, it is difficult for miners to earn a stable living. That''s what makes it interesting when you hit a vein, but it''s not uncommon that you don''t earn much while you''re there. Besides, if they lose their lives in an accident like this, the lives of the remaining family will not be able to survive. So I started a new way of doing things." The method that Orlean-san started was to hire people working in the mines as employees of the Dukas Company. A fixed wage was paid instead of being based on the amount of ore mined, and a temporary bonus was paid when a vein was hit. To put it simply, the people working in the mines had become salaried workers. "However, since the method of paying wages will change significantly, won''t the workers be dissatisfied?" "In that respect, they can get a proper wage even when the profit is low. On the other hand, before they started working at my place, I explained to them at length that it would be a little less profitable when they were able to make a lot of money, so it''s fine for now." Those who dreamed of getting rich quickly went to the firm with the traditional wage system, and those who seek stability flocked to the Dukas Company. The fact that the Dukas Company was developing probably meant that the people working in the mines were becoming more stable. Even so, the old way of working at the Robere Company was the so-called freelance way of working, and the new way of working at the Dukas Company was the salaried worker method. "Orlean-san, how many people are left behind in the tunnel?" "According to the Robere Company, more than 40 people have been left behind." "I wish there was some way I could help." "Miners belonging to other companies have also gathered and are taking turns drilling, but it seems that there are places that are prone to collapse along the way and they are having difficulty." Even Orlean-san, who could be said to be a mining professional, seemed to be unable to do anything and wrinkles appeared between his brows. [ Kent-sama, how about using star-attribute magic? ] "Ah!, I see! There was that option ..." "What''s wrong, Kent-san." "Yes, I just came up with something, and if it goes well, I might be able to help the people who are left behind in the tunnel." "Is that true? If it''s really possible, please do it. I will pay 30,000 ... No, 50,000 Helts for every person rescued." "No, something like that ... In the first place, it''s not a mine of the Dukas Company, is it?" "It doesn''t matter whose mine it is. In the first place, as long as the matter of this accident is not settled, the excavation work at our mine will remain stopped, so somehow, I''m begging you." "I understand, I don''t know if I can do it well, and I will discuss the reward later, but I will try anyway." I accepted Orlean-san''s request and dived into the shadow world for the time being. "Fred, take me to the mine." [ Roger ... This way ... ] First, I asked Fred to guide me to the mine of the Robere Company. Peeking out of the shadows, I could see many people gathered at the entrance of the tunnel, including a woman staring into the tunnel with teary eyes. Then, let''s search for the people who were left behind with only my consciousness moving from here. "Then, I''ll be going for a while, so please take care of my body." "Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama." "You should lean against Nero, nya." It was rare for Nero to be aggressive, but isn''t it that you want to use it as an excuse not to move? Maa, even so, I leaned against Nero''s belly, which was the most comfortable to sleep on, and sent my consciousness into the tunnel. The mine of the Robere Company had the atmosphere of an old-fashioned mine. A two-meter-square tunnel was dug through the bare rock surface, and was reinforced with wooden structures in places. Here and there in the tunnel, there were large spaces that doubled as branches, and strong men carrying stones on wheelbarrows were coming up one after another from the ground. The tunnel formed a spiral slope that stretched downward and was blocked by a collapse about 100 meters down. I dived to where the men, with sweat dripping from their bulging muscles, were digging to find those left behind. Because only my consciousness was moved with star-attribute magic, it was possible to freely enter into the hard bedrock. However, as soon as I dived in, I lost all sense of direction. It was the same as being trapped in bedrock, so no matter where I turned, front and back, up and down, left and right, it was pitch black and I couldn''t see anything. When I went a little further, I didn''t even know where I should go, or even what direction the ground was, and I panicked a little. Of course, if I tried to summon my body in such a state, it would be a big problem. My heart was pounding ... but it wasn''t here, even so, I imagined calming down with deep breaths and returning my consciousness to my body. "Fuah! That''s good, I came back. Haa haa ..." [ Kent-sama, what happened? ] "When I dived into the bedrock, I completely lost my sense of direction, I didn''t know what would happen." [ I see ... Certainly, unlike in an open place, visibility is not good. But, that''s troublesome. ] "Yeah, it might be difficult if I don''t think of a way." [ Well then, Kent-sama, why don''t you use earth-attribute magic to try underground probing? ] "Underground probing?" [ Yes, Orlean-dono was talking about it, but there are some earth-attribute magicians who explore underground veins. If you use that principle, you can find the position of the buried tunnel. ] "I see, it''s worth trying." I opened the entrance from the shadow world into the bedrock, put my hands on it and probed inside. As an image, it felt like I was searching inside the other party''s body when I took the attributes during the return work. Apparently, in this world, the soil and stones contained magic essence, and when I traced it and spread it out, I found the front of the collapsed tunnel. "I found it. It seems that the tunnel continues beyond what is buried, and it feels like there is space." [ What about those left behind? ] "I know the shape of the tunnel, but I don''t know if there are people there. So, I''ll dive in again. As long as I know the general direction, I should be able to get there somehow." In my head, I memorized the structure of the tunnel I probed, and once again, I used star-attribute magic to send my consciousness away. It had been a long time since I acquired the dark-attribute aptitude and became able to see at night. I was afraid that I would panic, but I knew that I would be able to return to my body properly, so I slowly and steadily headed for the tunnel. Perceptually, I was walking at a walking speed, and it took about five minutes to reach the buried tunnel. In the tunnel I arrived at, there was a miserable sight. There were several people who were dead after being crushed by falling rocks, and there were several people who were covered in blood and weren''t even twitching, lying near the site of the cave-in. When I went further, the people who were left behind were huddled together. All their faces looked exhausted under the light of magic tools. Fortunately, groundwater seemed to be dripping from the nearby bedrock, and it seemed that the water was secured, but it didn''t look like there was food. For the time being, I was able to confirm the situation and that they were still alive, so I returned to my body. "I''m back, I found them. I have confirmed the survivors, so let''s go back to the Dukas Company." [ To the Dukas Company ... is it? ] "Yup, the people left behind in the tunnel will be sent to the surface with the repatriation technique, so it''s necessary to secure a place for that." [ I see, that''s certainly true. ] I hurried back to the Dukas Company and explained the situation to Orlean-san. "Send them here? Is that even possible?" "I don''t mind sending them near the tunnel, but it may not be possible repatriate everyone at once, and in that case, if people gather, it will be impossible to repatriate the next group ..." "I understand. Well then, please use our courtyard. This is ..." The courtyard that Orlean-san guided me to was as large as a basketball court. It looked like I could safely repatriate them here. I set up the dark attribute golems that were in the shadow space and prepared for repatriation. "Orlean-san, please do not enter inside of there these golems are lined up. If you do, I can''t guarantee your life." "U, understood. I''ll be responsible for keeping an eye on it so that no one enters." "Please." Maa, I actually had my genus watching over it, but if they showed themselves to the public, it would cause a commotion, so I asked Orlean-san. Now that they were ready to accept them, I used shadow movement to move to the people who were left behind. It was possible to move through the shadows to places visited using star-attribute magic without any problems. When I put out a shield of darkness about two meters away from the people who were left behind and stepped into the tunnel, the stagnant air with a terrible odor surrounded me. "Everyone, hello ... Aahh, please don''t stand." "Wh, who are you, where did you come from." "My name is Kent, I''m an S-rank adventurer from Volzard. In a moment, I will send you all back to the surface using the repatriation technique." "Really! Can you help us?" "Oooohhhh ... We''re saved, we''re saved!" "Be quiet! Excuse me, please listen to me." I raised my voice to the people who were trying to stand up and raised voices of joy. "Excuse me, but please wait until you return to the surface before you rejoice. Repatriation is dangerous, so please listen to what I have to say." "A, alright. What should we do?" "Repatriation magic is a magic that sends objects within a specific range that I recognize to another place. If, by chance you go out of that range, your hands, feet, or even your body will be completely cut off." When I put a knife hand to my neck and made a gesture of cutting it off, the people who were left behind swallowed sharply. "First of all, let me check before I send you back. Are the people here all the people who were left behind?" "That''s right, I checked the excavation site from where the cave-in was, but it''s just the 38 of us here. The others ... Unfortunately, they''re under the rocks." "Understood. Then, I will divide you into two groups and send you to the surface. Could you divide yourselves into 20 people from here and 18 people behind them?" "Okay. One, two ... 20 people up to Jose. Please split up there." "Hey, you''re going to leave us behind ..." "I won''t do that. I''ll send you right away, so don''t worry. As I said earlier, please don''t move until the repatriation is over. Then, once you''ve confirmed that you''re on the surface, please move from that spot. Please make room for the next 18 people. Got it?" "A, alright. Okay, everyone sit down, don''t move, absolutely don''t move." Everyone sat down on the spot, I confirmed that they had stopped moving, and activated the repatriation technique. "Repatriation!" "Ooooohhhhh ..." As the twenty people disappeared along with a small part of the floor and walls of the tunnel, there was a cry of surprise. "Mart, Mirt, Murt, please check if the golems are properly placed and if everyone has left the range." "Wafuu, understood, Goshujin-sama." Mart and the others who suddenly showed their faces quickly disappeared into the shadows, and the remaining 18 people had their eyes wide open. "I''m sorry, what was that just now?" "They''re Kobolds of my genus. Right now, I asked them to confirm the situation on the other side. I''ll send you as soon as the place becomes available." "I see, thank you. To be honest, I was about to give up." "That, you can thank me after returning to the surface." "That''s right, that''s for sure ..." Still, the person who talked to me seemed to be unable to suppress his joy and smiled. "Wau, Goshujin-sama, it''s ready." "Thank you. Then, I will repatriate the rest of you. Please don''t move ... Repatriation!" The second group of 18 people also disappeared from the tunnel, just like the first 20 people. "It''s fine with this ... Now, let''s go back." [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better if you also called out to the people who are doing the rescue work? ] "True, that''s true as well." Since I went to see the front line of the rescue work using star-attribute magic just now, it was possible to move through the shadow space. At the forefront of the excavation, the same strong men as before continued to struggle with the bedrock. I put out a shield of darkness on the side that wouldn''t get in the way of their work. "I know you''re busy, but excuse me." "Uwaa, what are you! Who are you!" "My name is Kent, I''m an S-rank adventurer from Volzard. At the request of Orlean-san of the Dukas Company, I send the 38 people who were left behind in the tunnel to the surface." "What! Really!" "Yes, i sent them to the courtyard of the Dukas Company for the convenience of using the repatriation technique, so you can stop working here." "Is it okay to trust that story? Is it not a lie?" "Maa, if you think it''s a lie, you can keep digging. I properly told you. Then ..." "H, hey, wa, wait a minute ..." No, no, even if I wait, it was going to be an argument, and that would be troublesome, so I won''t wait. When I returned to the courtyard of the Dukas Company, the men who I had sent away were hugging each other and exploding with joy. "It''s the surface! No mistake, there''s the sky!" "We''re saved, we were saved!" Hearing the men''s shouts, a large number of people gathered from inside the firm. Then, it''s time for me ... [ Wait a moment, Kent-sama. ] "Ehh, what''s wrong, Reinhardt." [ Are you going to join that circle? ] "Uuh ... True." In the courtyard, the men who were dirty with sweat, grease, and dust, were shouting and throwing their bodies at each other. Uwaa, Orlean-san is getting mobbed ... It looked like I should wait a little longer. The excited men moved from the courtyard with Racole-san''s guidance, and Orlean-san, who was finally released, rewarded me with 10,000 Helts per person who was saved, and I returned to Volzard after promising to return for Sybil-san''s treatment two days later. CH 241 Hopes of the ones staying behind ***---*** The second return operation using the cage like a lunar rover had ended successfully. However, the time difference between Volzard and Japan continued to widen, so if we continued as we were now, it looked like they would arrive in the middle of the night. The classmates who alighted to the warehouse of the Nerima garrison were celebrating joyfully just like the last returnees. The classmates who were selected to return last time and this time were all mentally unstable and strongly wished to return, so they must have been relieved to be back in Japan. Kajikawa-san called out to me while I was having Zae and the others clean up the cage. "Hey, Kokubu-kun, thank you for your hard work, I''m glad we were able to finish the second time safely." "Thank you for your hard work. Maybe since it''s the second time I''ve done the return work using the cage, but it didn''t feel as bad as last time." "I see, that''s good, but to prevent the unlikely event that an accident will happen, it would be fine if the next return is the day after tomorrow." "Yes, if we do that, it will be helpful for me as well." "So, Kokubu-kun, I''m sorry, but could you spare me some magic stones again?" "I don''t mind that, but not too many ..." "I know that, but it''s about the Goblins you brought with you the other day. They seem to be getting weaker with each passing day." The Goblins that were used as test subjects for the repatriation technique and were handed over to Japan as they were, it was said that they were bred in a research institute managed by the government and were strictly managed. "By any chance, are you going to give the Goblins the magic stones?" "The biggest difference between that world and Japan is whether magic essence exists or not. Should it be crushed into powder and given to them, or should it be disintegrated in the breeding room and mixed in the air, the researchers said they wanted to try such things." "I don''t mind that, but monsters are strengthened by taking in magic stones, so if you give them too many magic stones, they may become unmanageable, so please be careful." "Got it. I''ll thoroughly warn the researchers." I waved to my classmates who were going to another room to get a health checkup, sold a trunk full of magic stones to Kajikawa-san, and decided to return to Volzard. It depended on my physical condition, but if possible, I would like to go to the Dukas Company in Marburg for treatment. Before that, Katou-sensei seemed to have something to talk about, and when I returned to Volzard, I was told to show up at the dormitory that the teachers were using. The return work was going smoothly, so what''s going on? When I peered into the dormitory from the shadows, I understood why I was summoned. The old and new duo with dissatisfied faces as well as Kondo, and with Yagi in addition, it made four of them. Hey, it looks like it would be troublesome if I show up, so can''t I go home. "It''s Kokubu. I''m coming in." "Ooh, come here, you too, come and sit here." Katou-sensei beckoned me, but I didn''t want to go. "Sensei, may I ask you what I have to do first?" "These guys are the reason I asked Kokubu to come." "What''s wrong with the four of them?" "They say they have no intention of returning to Japan." "I see. But, does that have anything to do with me?" "I''m sure it will. Or, Kokubu, are you going to abandon them if these guys are having trouble living in Volzard?" "No, I''ll talk with them about that, but ..." "In that case, come and sit down. I''m not going to stubbornly oppose it, whether you stay or go home depends on your intentions and whether your guardians agree." Oh, it''s not like he won''t allow them to stay in Volzard ... If that''s the case, should I hear what they have to say. "I understand that you guys want to stay in Volzard. But, from my point of view, I cannot allow you to stay until I can see that you guys can live a decent life." Kondo countered Katou-sensei''s words on behalf of the four. "That''s why, as I said earlier, the guild can arrange cheap lodgings, and even if we can''t find a job, we can still make money by going to the construction site of the ramparts. Hey, isn''t that right, Kokubu." "Is that so? Kokubu." "Maa, it''s exactly as Kondo said. The monthly rent for my boarding house is 3,000 Helts, which includes breakfast and dinner, so you can pay for it if you go to the ramparts construction for nine days. There are also other apprentice jobs, so if you work seriously, you can make a living." Personally, I''d like to see the source of trouble return to Japan, but it''s encouraging that my classmates are still in Volzard. The old and new duo and Kondo had better physiques than when they came to Volzard, and they''ve also experienced the construction of the walls as a penalty for the disturbance. Compared to me at that time, the three of them should be much more dependable. The problem is fake glasses that looks like it''s someone else''s problem. "Sensei, I think it''s okay for the three of them, but Yagi is a little ..." "Hey, you, Kokubu, even I work when working." "I think the number of working days is the biggest problem." "Idiot, you really are an idiot. The reason I''m staying in Volzard isn''t to work as an adventurer." "Then, how are you going to make a living?" "Fufun, okay, listen carefully. I intend to write a report on my long-term stay in Volzard. Until I get on track, I''ll continue to post information on SNS while working in Volzard. Once I get on track and get picked up by the media, it will be alright. After that, with the manuscript fee from Japan, I will continue living a life of ease and comfort." Yagi had a proud expression on his face, as if to say that I didn''t understand even this much. "But, Yagi, how are you going to receive that manuscript fee?" "Idiot, you really are an idiot. They can transfer it to my account, or they can pay with virtual currency." "No, that''s why I''m saying, how are you going to use that money in Volzard? Japanese Yen doesn''t work here. We also don''t do virtual currency transactions." "Ehh, have Kokubu drop it off ..." "In that case, where will you exchange money for Helt? By the way, I don''t exchange money." "Umm ... Well then ..." I didn''t know what to do with this tanuki, but I think he intended to sell his reports and get money easily.(TN: Tanuki is a way of referring to someone sly or cunning.) That precondition had collapsed, and Yagi was sweating profusely. "I will consider Nitta, Furuta, and Kondo. But Yagi, in your current state, I can''t give you permission." "No, please wait, Sensei. If I were to go home, who will report? Who will tell them about the other world that the whole world is paying attention to?" "Kokubu, Asakawa, and these three should submit reports." "No, no, no, that''s no good. There''s no way an amateur like them can make a report. There''s no one more qualified than me who knows what reporting is all about." "If you''re going to go that far, sign a contract with some newspaper company or publisher. While you''re at it, get permission from your parents to stay. I''ll put you last in the order to return home, and if you can''t produce results by then, I''ll force you to return home." "Th, that''s tyranny. It''s a violation of basic human rights." "Fuun, say what you will. It''s my job to take responsibility and bring you back to Japan. If you want to be an exception, try to convince me. Kokubu, please lend me a hand when I force Yagi to return to Japan. You don''t want to be left with a troublemaker, do you?" "That''s right. Yagi is only going to cause trouble ..." "You idiot, Kokubu, why are you so cold! Come on, in this case, I''ll show you I will win a contract. Even if I win a contract for an astronomical amount, I won''t give you a single Yen, I''ll remember this!" Yagi ran out of the room leaving behind a throwaway line, but I''m telling you there''s no way to spend that astronomical amount of money in Volzard ... I guess he''s forgotten by now. It seemed that the Kondo three had not yet received permission from their parents, and Katou-sensei also asked them to come up with more concrete plans for work, income, and housing. From the point of view of the three of them, they probably wanted to continue living in a fantasy world where magic could be used, which was like a dream, but from a parent''s point of view, it was worrying. "Sensei. For those who want to stay here, as long as I''m safe, I don''t mind sending people to Japan if it''s about two or three times a year." "Is that so. I have no choice but to rely on Kokubu for travel to and from Japan, will you do that." All three of them seemed relieved, perhaps because they thought that securing travel to and from Japan would have a positive effect on persuading their parents. "Even so, it was surprising that Katou-sensei would agree." ''What are you talking about, I haven''t said I agree yet. After all, if you have a prospect of life and your parents'' permission ... It''s your life, do what you like." We couldn''t help but look at each other when we saw the transformation of Katou-sensei, who had an image of a stubborn person. "You guys, do you know how Nakagawa-sensei is being talked about on the internet?" The smartphone I borrowed from Kajikawa was in the state of being a toy for Mart and the others, so I hadn''t looked at his reputation on the internet at all. Even the old and new duo and Kondo, who weren''t really interested, seemed to have heard about it. "He was beaten so badly it isn''t the time to go up in flames. But since he did that much, it can''t be helped, can it?" "Well, if it''s Kojima who had her leg amputated or those who were waiting for their turn to return, it couldn''t be helped to use harsh words. However, staying in a safe Japan, I can''t stand hearing something about it by people who don''t know anything about it." It seemed that the severe arguments against Nakagawa-sensei gradually subsided while the return work was suspended. However, it seemed that since the return work had resumed, it had been rekindled by reports that Kojima-san, who had her leg amputated, returned to Japan. "The one who pisses me off the most is Kizawa. That idiot, who was allowed to return the earliest, in spite of everything, wants a profitable experience, and already forgot about the suffering of those left behind ..." Kizawa-san seemed to be pouring fuel into the flames by revealing that Nakagawa-sensei wanted to leave the students and return first when she herself returned. "Even teachers are human. If there''s something to worry about in one''s family, it is only natural to want to go home and do something about it. Even if you can communicate by letter of phone, your worries may increase instead of disappearing." "But, I told him that the repatriation technique was dangerous ..." "Even so. You haven''t forgotten about Sekiguchi, who took her own life, have you? Even if you know that if you wait a little while and follow the proper procedures, you would be able to return home, there are times when you can''t control yourself. It''s called being human." Certainly, as Katou-sensei said, Nakagawa-sensei at that time was eccentric. Instead of forcing him to endure it, it may have been better to let him go home first. "From a teacher''s point of view, I can''t allow you guys to decide to stay in Volzard. That''s why, if the conditions are met, I won''t force you to be taken home." "Oooohhhh ..." "However! Don''t allow your decisions to make other people unhappy. If you want to stay here, get your family''s approval. I will contact them directly to confirm. This condition is absolute!" The expressions of the three people, who were about to loosen for a moment, tightened up severely. They''re old enough to start living on their own in Volzard, but in Japan they''re minors, and staying without parental consent isn''t allowed. I promised Katou-sensei that the next return work would be done the day after tomorrow, and headed to Marburg''s Dukas Company. Before heading to the Dukas Company, I decided to take a look at the city, and when I peered into the square in front of the Marburg Cathedral, it was overflowing with people. There were people strumming musical instruments, people drinking liquor with large mugs, and people dancing with their hands joined, it was like a festival. [ This is the daily life in Marburg ... Or rather, there''s no way, right? ] [ Probably because Kent-sama rescued those who were left behind in the accident. ] [ Even so, isn''t it a big fuss? ] [ The accident happened at the end of last year, so I guess they gave up the holidays from the end of the year to the New Year. ] [ I see, this is the backlash of that commotion ... ] In fact, there were people who lost their lives due to the tunnel collapse accident, and there were also people who were missing. Even so, the 38 people who there was no hope for were able to come back alive, so there must have been a large uproar. The street leading to the square, where I didn''t see anyone walking yesterday, was also crowded with people. On the other hand, it was quiet in front of the Dukas Company, which was crowded with people yesterday. Since the accident occurred, the people involved in the excavation had probably been busy with rescue work, so they may have taken that much time off. When I was wondering whether to call out to them from the front or hide in the shadows and enter, the door of the company was violently opened. A plump, slightly thin-haired middle-aged man came out of the building and walked off down the street with a dissatisfied look on his face. "I''m sorry, Orlean-san. This matter, at another time ..." Next, a young man came out of the Dukas Company, bowed his head to Orlean-san, and chased after the middle-aged man. This one had round ears on his head and looked like a young lion. I didn''t recognize the middle-aged man, but I thought I had met the young man somewhere. As I twisted my neck in thought, Fred told me. [ Kent-sama ... Rockfall accident at Rivarre Pass ... ] [ Ahh, I see, at that time ... ] When I was escorting the Volzard Family from Bakkenheim, there was a rockfall accident on the Rivarre Pass on the way, and one carriage was suspended in the air. One of the two men on board was the young man from earlier. [ Ohh, come to think of it, he said he was from Marburg''s Robere Company. ] [ Right, his name is Angel ... Heir to the Robere Company ... ] [ Does that mean that the old man just now was the chairman of the Robere Company? ] [ Maybe ... Investigate ... ? ] [ Yup, go and check it out. ] [ Roger ... ] While Fred was scouting the Robere Company, I would proceed with the treatment of Sybil-san. In front of Orlean-san, who returned to the company, I put out a shield of darkness and went outside. "Hello, Orlean-san." "Well, well, Kent-san. Will you do treatment today as well?" "Yes, I intruded upon you with that intention." "Thank you very much. Then, this way ..." I asked a few questions while being guided to Sybil-san''s room. "It seems that a member of the Robere Company was here just now ..." "Aahh, you were watching ... Kent-san, do you know Alonzo-san?" "Alonzo-san, is that the chairman of the Robere Company?" "That''s right, but don''t you know?" "Yes, the one I know is Angel-san." "Hou, so you''re acquainted with Angel? Ahh, here." The room Sybil-san used had the smell of medicated water in it until yesterday, so now it had been cleaned and the windows were open. "Sybil, the healer Kent-san is here. Now, Kent-san, please come in." "Excuse me ... Hello, Lucile-chan." Her daughter Lucile-chan was sitting next to Sybil-san''s bedside, but when I called out to her, she hid behind the maid-san''s shadow. "At that time, thank you for all the help you gave us." The maid-san, who had been with Lucile-chan during her treatment in the Irosun Great Forest, bowed her head deeply to me. "Maa, so you also treated Lucile. Truly, thank you very much." "Aahh, Sybil-san, please lie down. I haven''t finished the treatment yet." "Is that so? I heard that you treated me yesterday, and thanks to you, I''m feeling better than I''ve felt in years." "I''m glad you feel like that, but there are still tumors all over your body, so let me clean them up." I had finished treating her lungs and trachea, so today I was going to put my hand on her stomach and cast healing magic. I focused on treating the liver and kidney tumors that I felt yesterday, and also activated other internal organs. Even so, I wondered how much she had endured until now to feel like she was in good shape. Sybil-san began to fall asleep while she was being treated. "Orlean-san, for now, I think that the condition inside her body is fine. Also, she seems to have a few bed sores on her back, but ... It seems she''s taking a rest now, so I''ll see you tomorrow." "Thank you very much. I haven''t seen her in such a healthy state since we got married." Sybil-san''s physical condition deteriorated after giving birth to Lucile-chan, and her patient personality became a disaster, and it got worse. Originally, she was not very strong, so she probably had a habit of putting up with her poor physical condition. Sybil-san fell asleep, so when the maid-san urged her to play in another room, Lucile-chan nodded obediently and left her room. Perhaps, she was probably accustomed to her mother''s poor health. "If my wife''s health continues to improve, will she be able to spend more time with our daughter?" "Of course. I''ll treat her until they can run around and play together." "Is that true? As Racole said, I''m glad I asked Kent-san. Aahh, we shouldn''t talk while standing, so how about having a cup of tea in another room?" "Thank you very much." As Orlean-san guided me to another room, we heard lively voices from outside the building. "Kent-san, have you seen the state of the square?" "Yes, there was a lot of excitement." "Because of the cave-in accident, it wasn''t a good time to celebrate the New Year." "It''s like a week late celebration, isn''t it?" "That''s right, but ... Aahh, this way ..." "Yes, excuse me." After being guided to a sunny room overlooking the courtyard, I had a cup of tea while listening to stories about Marburg. CH 242 Mine''s manager ***---*** It seemed that the reason why Alonzo, chairman of the Robere Company, was visiting the Dukas Company was to protest the recent rescue operation. It seemed that most of the 38 rescued people wished to transfer from the mines of the Robere Company to the Dukas Company. For the Robere Company, in order to revive the mine and collect the bodies of the deceased, they must re-excavate the tunnel. Under such circumstances, allowing a large number of transfers all at once would lead to a significant decline in the labor force. So, while persuading the miners not to transfer, Alonzo himself came aboard and negotiated directly. "I explained to Alonzo-san that you needed a place to use the repatriation technique, but he said that even the Robere Company had a place like this, and it was hard to convince him." "After all, wouldn''t it have been better to send them back near the entrance to the mine?" "Nope, people would have gathered near the entrance of the mine, and the surrounding area would be full of mountains. It would be difficult to secure an open space." "In the end, was Alonzo-san convinced?" At my question, Orlean-san shook his head with a wry smile. "Alonzo seems to suspect that the purpose of the rescue was to recruit the miners." "Did his son Angel-san as well?" "No, Angel came to stop his father from going out of control." Orlean-san was the current chairman of the Dukas Company, and Angel-san was said to be the next chairman of the Robere Company. Since the two met at a bar and hit it off, they seemed to have been interacting on a regular basis. Simultaneously, while the companies were in a rivalry, they were also in a relationship of cooperation, including in cases such as this accident, as the main industry that supported Marburg. Angel-san seemed to be interested in Orlean-san''s method, and Orlean-san also thought that if the long-established Robere Company adopted the new employment system, it would contribute to the stability of the lives of the miners, he seemed to have told him what he thought. "For Angel, he has a flexible way of thinking, but if you put it in another way, he feels like a young boy who hasn''t lost his naivete." "Orlean-san, do you want to entice Angel-san to your side?" "Enticing ... It''s a bit different from that, it doesn''t have to be the same as my way of thinking. The most important thing is to stabilize the life of the miners, so if we agree on that point, I welcome exploring other methods." "Is it like making money together with the people who work in the mines?" "Right, right, that''s right." "I see ..." On the way from Bakkenheim to Volzard, I heard that the current chairman of the Dukas Company had been growing rapidly in the last five years. Orlean-san, who was sitting in front of me, was a talented manager, but it seemed that he was not just a person who was good at making money. "Kent-san, is something wrong?" "Orlean-san, would it be alright if I consult with you for a moment?" "Of course. If it''s a consultation with Kent-san, who is the benefactor of my wife and daughter, I don''t mind throwing away my fortune." "No, no, it''s not about money, it''s about managing a mine, how to successfully govern a territory like Marburg ... something like that." "Is it governing a territory? That''s a pretty big deal, isn''t it." "Yes, actually ..." I briefly explained to Orlean-san about the uprising caused by Havre Calvine in Resenburg, on the other side of the Devil''s Forest. "So that''s what happened, is it. I''ve heard that the Lord of Calvine was ambitious, but ..." "That''s right, the Feudal Lord, Havre, is in a state of being restrained, but the territory is still closed due to snow and is not yet under control of the Royal Family." "I see, so Kent-san is going to take control of Calvine''s territory, which has no Lord." "Huh? No, no, that''s wrong. It''s not about me governing, I want to know how the Resenburg Royal Family can govern it well." "Is that so, is it a request from the Resenburg Royal Family or something?" "M, maa, something like that." It would take some time to start talking about my relationship with Resenburg, so I''ve omitted it for now. "Kent-san, what do you think is the main motive for the miners to work?" "Motive ... is it?" "That''s right. To put it a little more plainly, what do people work the hardest for?" "That''s ... It''s money, isn''t it." At my answer, Orlean-san slowly shook his head. "If it''s not about money, family ... That''s not relevant to single people ..." "Kent-san, the strongest motive is life." "Life ...?" "Of course, it''s not done currently, but in the past, even if Marburg, criminals and people with large debts were forced to work in the mines. If you were asked to work or die, you would have no choice but to work." Orlean-san''s words reminded me of Camilla''s appearance when we were summoned. When we were shown their overwhelming power, had a Slavery Bracelet put on, and were forced to choose between obedience or death, there was no choice but to obey. "It''s not done in Marburg, but I hear something similar is still being done in the Calvine territory." "Eeehhh! Is that true?" "As someone who also runs a mine, I have had the opportunity to hear stories about the Calvine territory, and I have heard many of them." In the Calvine territory, the mine managers had a lot of power, and the miners continued to be exploited. "It''s a cruel way of making them work to the point where they don''t die. Expulsion may not sound bad, but if you have everything confiscated and are kicked out of the territory, it will be extremely difficult to start over in another land." "In other words, they''re going to die on the road." "That''s right. If, if I were a member of the Resenburg Royal Family, I would dispose of all the managers of the Calvine territory." "Ehh ... Dispose of, is it?" I was taken aback by the harsh words, but Orlean-san did not lose his smiling expression. "Of course, just in case, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to dispose of them on the grounds that they were complicit with Havre Calvine, who rebelled against the Royal Family." "But, if you get rid of the managers, won''t the mine be unable to operate?" "That is so, it will stop operating temporarily. But, isn''t the result still the same?" "Ahh, that''s true ... It''s not going the way the Royal Family wants." "Kent-san, it is the people who actually work in the field that make the mine run. Even if there is a temporary chaos due to the absence of the managers who were in charge, if you prepare an environment where the people in the field can work, things will go back to normal." From Orlean-san''s words, I could feel the weight of a person who had been involved in mining for many years. "Even if we dispose of the managers, will the confusion be easily settled? It seems that it will not be easy to bring the people working in the field together ..." "That''s right. If it''s a job that anyone can do, there would be no reason for me to exist." "As expected, the ones who follow the ruffians are ..." "Kent-san, that''s not true. It''s true that the managers of a mine might have an image of suppressing people with a violent temper, but miners are no different from ordinary workers." "Is that true?" "Yes, so, let me ask you again. What motivates them to work?" "Ehh? That is, life ..." At my answer, Orlean-san slowly shook his head again. "Sorry for asking in a slightly nasty way. But, satisfying the miners'' montivation to work is the best way to keep them together." "I see, they are the people who have been forced to work by having their lives threatened. They need to be given fair wages and a guarantee of livelihood, not have things continue the same way." "That''s right, that''s exactly right. It''s wonderful that you can think that far at Kent-san''s age. Why don''t you try managing a mine?" "No, no, I''m just an amateur, so it''s impossible." "Hahahaha, I''m not talking about right now. But, if you keep thinking like you do now, you could be a good manager." "That''s right. I''m lacking in thinking, so I''ll try to think a little more deeply before I act." "In another ten years, my daughter should have grown up beautifully. How about being my son-in-law ..." "No, no, no, my wives, I have enough ..." "Hahahaha, if you become an S-rank adventurer at that age, a lot of women will be attracted." The number of bridal candidates has increased, it''s a little girl from Marburg ... If I say such a thing, my life will be in danger.(TN:You already promised Leela, the little fox girl, you''re already in danger. Imagine if she was a genius and skipped grades to graduate early and showed up at your door saying she graduated so here she is. Pretty sure that won''t happen, but just saying.) "Orlean-san. Let me get back on topic, but the people who are in charge of managing the mines still need expertise in the mines, right?" "That is so, it would be nice to have it, but if you have someone you trust to help you, you probably don''t need it. It''s more important to be able to see the big picture and make the necessary decisions." "Don''t you need arm strength?" "Yes, it''s not necessary if you have someone to assist you." "I see ... Considering the situation in the Calvine territory so far, it seems like the people who work in the field will be on your side if you create favorable conditions, right?" "There is no doubt about that, but the problem is what kind of grip the managers have on them." "Grip ...?" "Yes, are they in control of the lives of the miners, are they in control of their property, or are they in control of their family''s safety ..." "I see, if their family was taken hostage, they wouldn''t be able to go against them." "I''d like to think that it''s not such a terrible situation, but I''ve heard rumors about that sort of thing ..." "Is that so ..." I had heard that the people were treated poorly in the Calvine territory, but from what Orlean-san said, it seemed necessary to make a downward revision. "Kent-san, it''s not a bad thing to organize your thoughts, but it''s pointless if it''s not based on accurate information. If you don''t know what''s going on with the current Calvine territory, what kind of attitude they''re going to take towards the Royal Family, and the relationship between the managers and the populace, no matter how much you think about it, it''s nothing more than desk theory." "Is that so, you''re right. I''ll do some research." "That''s fine, but isn''t the Calvine territory snowbound at this time of year?" "I and my genus can move using shadows, so the snow is not a problem." "Is that true? No, it must be possible because you went to the depths of the mine shaft where the accident happened. Kent-san, if you figure out the state of the Calvine territory, would you be able to tell me?" "I don''t mind, but ..." "The Calvine territory is the cornerstone of the ore production of neighboring countries. If production continued to halt at this rate, we could consider exporting iron and copper from Landshelt." "Understood. In exchange for that, it would be helpful if I could consult with you like today." "Of course, I''d be happy to ..." I shook hands with Orlean-san and promised to exchange information. Nothing would be more reassuring than having a talented manager from Marburg serve as a supervisor. For a certain pseudo-supervisor who is only stingy with fledgling adventurers, I''d like to make him drink a concoction of dirt from Orlean-san''s nails. I left the Dukas Company and went into the shadows, but where should I go. [ Kent-sama, are you going to the Calvine territory? ] "Hmm ... Aldaros first ... Ahh, Fred, how is the Robere Company?" [ Chairman Alonzo has a tyrannical disposition ... He doesn''t listen to Angel''s words ... ] "I see, it would be nice if there weren''t any disputes with the Dukas Company ... But it would be wiser to leave it to Orlean-san rather than me interfering." When I moved with Hart as a landmark, Camilla was in a room that looked like a conference room and was having a discussion with the Knight Commander and his subordinates. I waited for a good break, while stroking Hart, and was approached by Mart-tachi and it became a Mofumofu Festival ... Wa, hold on, the pressure from Zeta-tachiiii ... A large map of Resenburg was spread out on the desk where Camilla and the others were discussing. [ Apparently, they are discussing countermeasures against desertification in the western part of Resenburg. ] "Haa, haa ... It seems so. Does it feel like it''s finally happening?" [ Finally, it''s really late, but it''s better than not doing it. ] Listening to the story, they built a wall on the river bank in the area where desertification was progressing and stopped the progress there. The basic plan seemed to be to deploy wind and earth attribute magicians to push back the sand when the wind direction changed to the east. "Camilla-sama, I understand the gist of the plan, but the problem is what to do with the pushed back sand." "I know. That''s why I''m assigning earth-attribute magicians. When the sand that''s pushed back reaches a certain amount, it will be hardened and used as a material for the erosion control wall." "Are you going to build a wall with sand? Won''t that cause problems with strength?" "I understand that, but at present there is no other way. We have to harden it regularly to maintain its strength, or cover the surroundings with soil to supplement its strength." At the start of the desertification, the sand would have been pushed back as it was, but since it had progressed to deep areas, the amount of sand had become enormous. The distance to push back was too far from the desert. "Reinhardt, does the sand not harden even if hardening magic is applied?" [ It''s not like it won''t harden at all, but it''s weaker than clay soil. ] "It can''t be helped, shall I send it to the middle of the desert with the repatriation technique?" [ Kent-sama. If you just want to move the hardened sand, it would be enough to go through the shadow space. ] "Ahh, I see. Recently, I''ve been using the repatriation technique frequently, so I''ve been thinking about it all the time, but it''s easier to go through the shadow space." Well then, should I interrupt the discussion for a moment. I put out a shield of darkness in front of Camilla''s line of sight and stepped into the conference room. "Maou-sama, it''s been a while." "Aahh, you can continue the meeting without doing anything exaggerated, I just took a peek, but it''s a countermeasure against desertification, right?" "Yes, in order to stop further desertification, we will build a wall along the banks of the river that flows through the Count Saruel territory to stop it." "Yup, then push the sand back." "Yes, you are right." "As for that sand, if you harden it to a suitable size, I will have it carried to the middle of the desert." "Are you sure?" "Yup, in exchange, let''s make it possible to resume farming as soon as possible." "Thank you very much. I plan to mobilize magicians belonging to the knight order, as well as magicians from the territory, to proceed quickly." "Yup, let''s continue the meeting. After we''re done, we''ll have a discussion about the Calvine territory." "As you wish. Then, excuse me, I''ll decide the staffing and schedule, so please wait a moment. Hey, bring tea for Maou-sama!" I sat down at the top seat of the large table and observed the state of the meeting while drinking tea. Both Camilla and the knights seemed to be working energetically, probably because there were no more Idiot Princes who get in their way. Or rather, this must be their normal. The construction period, personnel, and location were decided, there was a slight conflict with the knights who wanted to have some leeway in the construction period in case of bad weather or accidents, but it seemed that it was settled on a schedule closer to what Camilla wanted. The contents of the meeting would be recorded by the secretary, confirmed by Camilla and the Knight Commander, and a copy would be distributed at a later date. "Maou-sama, thank you very much for your patience. Was there a problem with the Calvine territory?" "It''s not a problem, it''s still at the consultation stage, so I don''t mind if the knights over there go back to work. Aahh, but if possible, could the Knight Commander stay?" "As you wish. Then, Berdets stay behind and the others return to their duties." "Yes!" The knights all left the room after giving a crisp sounding salute. Sitting diagonally to my right was Camilla, and diagonally to my left was Knight Commander Berdets Orden, and we talked while drinking tea. "I got acquainted with the chairman of the Dukas Company, which is rising in Marburg, and asked him for his opinion on the Calvine territory." "Marburg is a mining city in Landshelt, isn''t it." "So, according to the chairman of the Dukas Company ..." Both Camilla and the Knight Commander nodded their heads many times when I talked about Orlean-san. "Certainly, just as Maou-sama says, the Calvine territory''s notoriety has reached the knights order. However, because it is a frontier territory, we are unable to interfere." "Knight Commander. Are things really that bad in the Calvine territory?" "As for us, we haven''t been to the site to check it, but according to the merchants who do business with the Calvine territory, with Havre at the top, most of the industries and residents are controlled by five managers." "Specifically, how are they controlled?" "That''s right. The mines in the territory are basically owned by the Calvine Family, but the rights are managed by five managers, and I hear that they not only manage the rights of the workers, but they also manage the rights of the stores and collect taxes on their behalf." "Somehow, their families are being held hostage ... I''ve heard stories like that." "That would be the collective housing of those who work in the mines." "Collective housing?" "Yes, it''s ostensibly a housing complex, but it is said that it looks like an internment camp from the outside." "Do you mean that the miners and their families are trapped there?" "On the surface, it''s a residence, and you can come and go freely, but you need to notify the guard''s office to come and go, and it seems that the gate is closed at night and they can''t go out." The people who worked in the mines of the Calvine territory were born and raised in that camp-like housing, and both men and women worked in the mines. Those who could no longer work would be supported by their families, but those without relatives would be expelled. If you got old and were expelled from the territory, what awaited you was death on the road. Residents said that even if they wanted to help their old friends and acquaintances, they couldn''t afford to help because they couldn''t even afford to help themselves. "Camilla, do you intend to continue this situation in the land under the direct control of the Resenburg Royal Family?" "Of course, I have no intention of allowing such a thing. It depends on how the managers deal with it, but I intend to strip them of their rights and turn it into a land where the residents are given priority." "Alright. Whatever the road, the problems with the Calvine territory won''t be discussed until the snow disappears, so I''ll find out how the managers are doing in the meantime." "Thank you very much. Please, lend me your power, Maou-sama." "But, it''s Camilla and the others who will actually control and manage it. Otherwise, the people won''t be convinced." "Yes, you are right. Up until now, the Royal Family''s authorization has not reached the edges of the kingdom, the areas called the frontiers. From now on, I intend to ensure that the protection of the Royal Family extends to all citizens." "Alright. Then, I''ll scout out the Calvine territory and report back." "Thank you very much." "Knight Commander, if it''s decided to suppress them with force, is it okay to leave it to you?" "Of course. If something like that happens, I''ll show you how terrifying the knights of Resenburg are." After shaking hands with the Knight Commander who smiled fearlessly, I returned to Volzard in the shadows. CH 243 My Home(TN:Mai houmu, Engrish. XD) ***---*** I asked Fred and Basten to scout the Calvine territory. While there were no pressing issues, I planned to have them do some insider investigation. The knights told me about the area where the house of the five managers and the housing complex were built. A man named Benoit was the oldest of the five, and even in his sixties he had not handed over the family business to his son. A woman named Donie was the second oldest after Benoit, and after her husband died, she was said to be a brave woman who had displayed her shrewdness. A man named Lacroix was a macho man in his 40s, and it seemed that of the five of them, he was the most devoted to Havre. A man named Kesran was the same age as Lacroix, a thin man who didn''t show his expression, and seemed to have a personality that liked to plot behind the scenes. And the fifth, a woman named Magnifica, whose age was unknown, looked like a teenage girl at first glance, and a butler named Lore always followed her like a shadow. There was a rumor that Lore was the fifth manager, but the details were unknown. "Somehow, they seem to have one or two quirks." [ Of course they do. After all, they are the ones that Havre used. ] In addition to these five managers and butler, the Calvine Family''s housekeeper Hegel should also be involved in the management of the territory, so at this point there were seven people to mark. "Are the five following Hegel''s instructions?" [ Maybe, I don''t know either. For the time being, it should have been conveyed that Havre is being restrained and interrogated, so at this point in time, I don''t think they can ignore Hegel''s instructions. ] "On the contrary, if Havre died, how would the five move?" [ That is also completely unknown at this point. We should investigate it first. ] No matter how much I ask Reinhardt, there would be no way he could understand the thoughts of people he''s never met. "Then, Fred, Basten, I''m counting on you." [ Roger that. Just like when I investigated Havre, I will also take pictures if necessary. ] [ For us ... There is nothing we cannot find ... ] "Yup, I''m counting on you." The combination of Skeletons that hide in the shadows and modern Japanese electronics was too much of a cheat. The day after I spoke to Orlean-san, I was planning to head to Marburg for treatment today as well, but before that, I visited Herman-san, the architect. I could temporarily rent the Guest House, but I had to ask him to build my own house. Herman-san''s company was located in a corner of the warehouse district on the west side of the old town of Volzard. This kind of place was probably more convenient for storing construction materials. When I visited, Herman-san was in the middle of a meeting with the people working on the site. "Good morning, Herman-san." "Ou, it''s been a while, Kent." "Yes, it''s been a while. Aahh, please have your meeting first ..." "Right, then, let me do that." It seemed that Herman-san and his colleagues had received a request for construction of a new building in the eastern district of the old town. Right now, the furniture inside the building was being removed, and the demolition was scheduled to begin around tomorrow. If that was the case, should I have my genus do it? The number of genus had increased compared to when Marcel-san''s shop was demolished, and the destructive power had also increased ... Or rather, it''s no good to take their job, right. After the meeting was over, the employees went to the site to preview and began preparing building materials for the new construction. "Thank you for waiting, Kent. Is it a request for the exterior and interior construction of your new house?" "Ehh? No, I''m going to ask you to build it, but ..." "What are you talking about? If it''s that mansion, isn''t it already built?" "Huh? I don''t remember building a mansion ..." "Beyond the west wall, the newly opened land belongs to Kent, right?" "Yes, that''s right, but ..." "There are tall trees planted, there''s even a wide pond, and there''s a huge mansion built, isn''t there?" "Umm ... Excuse me, can I go and check for a moment?" "Aahh, it''s fine, I''m going to be working here today." "Excuse me. Just a minute, I''ll go there for just a minute." I dived into the shadows from Herman-san''s workplace and moved to the planned construction site of my house. Yes, without a doubt, the house is being built. It''s not a house, is it a mansion? Palace? "Reinhardt, this is ..." [ The Kobold Corps piled up the soil, and Zeta-tachi hardened it with all their might. Even if Shuuichi-dono put in all his magic, it wouldn''t get a single scratch. ] The three-story building was gray like bare concrete, with no doors or window frames. The floorboards and walls were unpainted, so at first glance it looked like a ruin, but it was definitely a mansion that was still under construction. On the first floor, there were two large halls facing the garden, one of which lead to the back room, which would be the kitchen. There were several rooms on the side of the entrance hall, and when I was thinking that the layout looked like something I had seen somewhere, it was similar to the layout of Klaus-san''s mansion. It looked like it was made with reference to the Lord''s Mansion. When I went up to the second floor, there were eight rooms facing south, four on each side of the central staircase. Since all the rooms were the same size and were made in the same way, I thought that these were the rooms for my brides, but there were a lot of them. "Reinhardt, I guess these are rooms for my wives, but the number is ..." [ Buhahahaha, there are already four, five if you include Camilla-jou, and there are also Muelle-jou and Meisa-jou ... If it''s Kent-sama, it will not decrease but only increase, buhahahaha. ] No, no, I''m not going to increase them any more ... Muelle-san, huh ... no, no, that''s no good, no good. On the third floor, there was a large hall on the east side of the stairs, and a large bathroom on the west side. There was a large balcony on the west side of the bathroom, and there was also a bathtub there. I mean, aren''t the rooms and bathtubs too big? Even if the bathtub is nice, I felt like the room would be cold in winter. "Nya, it won''t be cold if you''re with Nero, nya." "I see, there''s no shortage of heaters in our house ..." If it''s a room where the whole family gathers, it certainly should be at least this big. Even with Nero, Zeta, Eta, and Theta, there was still plenty of room to spare. If it was like this, it would be okay to have all my genus. [ How is it, Kent-sama. If you don''t like it, we''ll tear it down and rebuild it as many times as needed. ] "Yeah, I like it. This is my new home. Thank you, everyone." After stroking my genus who came out in rotation to the spacious living room on the third floor, I returned to Herman-san''s workplace. "Sorry I made you wait." "How is the mansion?" "Yes, it seems that all my genus built it in secret, so I can only say that I''m surprised." "Hahahaha, from my point of view, I was more surprised that Kent didn''t know about it. It''s been talked about that the Kobolds were building a house." "Is that so? No, I really didn''t know." "It had a bumpy exterior that looked like it had been kneaded with clay, and it didn''t look like a building at all. And that Black Skeleton went ''Supaa'' ... like that."(TN:''Supaa'' is sfx for cutting with a blade.) "I see, so the Kobold Corps were in full swing, Zeta-tachi consolidated it, and Fred cut it ..." "So, what does the floor plan look like? Because we have to install the plumbing and magic tools." "Ahh, umm ..." As I was trying to remember the floor plan, Reinhardt handed me the floor plan. "Umm, it''s like this." "It looks like Kent really didn''t know anything. Let''s see ..." While looking at the floor plan, Herman-san asked about the size and purpose of the rooms. At the same time, he marked the floor plan and wrote down the necessary magic tools on a separate piece of paper. "Okay, Kent, let''s go to Nott''s shop." "Yes! Rather, Herman-san, what about your work?" "What are you talking about, Kent''s order is a fine job, isn''t it? Or are you going to use me for free?" "No, no, that''s outrageous. Please bill me properly. I''ll pay you exactly." We went to Nott-san''s magic tool shop and Herman-san asked about various things while ordering the necessary magic tools. Heating, cooking, cold storage, water supply, hot water, heating and purifying the bathtubs, purifying domestic wastewater, etc, since it was a large order at once, Nott-san also had an energetic face. "Well, if it''s Kent-san, I don''t have to worry about you being overwhelmed by the payment, and I''m grateful to have this big of an order." "Nott-san has been teaching me a lot about magic tools, so I''m looking forward to working with you." I was asked by Herman-san on the way back to his workplace after ordering the magic tools. "By the way, Kent. Where should we enter to work?" "Ehh ... Aah! I see, there''s no entrance." I completely forgot, but my land was outside Volzard''s ramparts, created by cutting through the Devil''s Forest, and surrounded by new walls. I and my genus moved through the shadows and entered the ramparts, but it was impossible for Herman-san and the others. "Even if you make a hole in the ramparts and make a gate, you have to get permission from Klaus-sama." "That''s right. Even if there is a new ramparts outside, all of my genus are running around on my land." "Right, if someone accidentally gets lost and suddenly runs into a Gigawolf or a Lizardman, they''ll be surprised and be frightened." "That''s right ..." Of course, at first Herman-san and the others would be involved in the construction work, but considering the future, I decided to build a gate near the ramparts gate in Volzard. If it was close to the ramparts gate, I thought of having the advantage of having the garrison rush over if there was a commotion. I planned to hollow out the original ramparts and install an iron lattice gate on the outside. Or rather, I had to prepare the all important gate ... It might be quicker to order it from Japan than to have it prepared in Volzard, where iron was expensive. Let''s talk to Kajikawa-san over the phone for a bit. "Yes, it''s Kajikawa. Did something happen?" "Ehh, no ... There''s a small something I''d like to talk to you about personally." "Then, there''s no trouble?" "Yes, it''s fine." "No, it''s rare that I get a call from Kokubu-kun, so I thought there was some kind of serious trouble." "I''m sorry to startle you. So, I''d like to ask for a large iron gate ..." "A gate? Is it the gate for a school or a large mansion?" "That''s right, that''s right." "What size do you need?" "Let''s see, it''s about the size that a large carriage can pass through ..." "Really, that is pretty big." "Yes, actually ..." When I talked to Kajikawa-san about the purpose of the gate, he gave me a good suggestion. "Alright. If that''s the case, I''ll find you a second-hand gate." "Second-hand is it?" "Yup, building a new large iron gate would cost a lot of money and take a lot of time, so when it comes time to dispose of it, it''s more profitable to sell it than to scrap it." "But, will it be the convenient size?" "If they don''t have it, it''ll have to be ordered and have it made." "I understand. I''m sorry, but could you make arrangements?" "Roger that. This is an easy task." After asking Kajikawa-san to arrange the gate, I visited Klaus-san to get permission to install the gate. Looking into the guild''s office, besides Klaus-san, there was also Augusto-san, Angelina-san, and even Beatriche. Somehow, it looked like the Volzard Family''s living room. I went out into the corridor and knocked on the office door. "Who is it?" "I, it''s Kent." Instead of Klaus-san''s blunt voice, Angelina-san''s gentle voice responded, and I was a little nervous. "Come in!" Aahh, Klaus-san''s voice was a little more calming. "Excuse me ... Uwah." As soon as I entered the office, I was hugged by Beatriche. "Welcome, Kent-sama." "Hello, Riche. I was surprised." "I was wondering if Kent-sama was distracted by Onee-sama ..." That''s why, it was just a little bit. "I don''t think you just came here to flirt. What do you want?" "Ahh, yes, I came to ask for permission to install a gate on the ramparts." "Is it finally time. Judging by how you look, did you ask Herman to do the interior?" "Yes, they need a gate to enter for the construction ..." "I don''t mind if you install it, but please make it as sturdy as possible. In the unlikely event that monsters enter the city, measures will be taken to block the gate ... Rather, will your place be okay." "Nope, in a situation where monster are invading Volzard, my genus will also go out to defend the city, so I''ll think about keeping the gate tightly closed." "I see, alright." "Umm, changing the subject, Augusto-san and Angelina-san ..." "Aahh, I plan to have the two of them gradually take over my work." It would mainly be Augusto-san, but it seemed that he would start taking over the work as a Lord. "But, Klaus-san is still too young to retire." "I''m not going to hand over the leadership right now. Still, you never know what will happen to humans, so it wouldn''t be a bad thing to have them learn my work early." "I see ... It''s for Klaus-san to take it easy ..." "D, don''t be ridiculous. Just think how long I''ve been working, I won''t get punished for having a little fun." Klaus-san looked indignant, but the grinning smiles of the other three seemed to tell the whole story. "S, speaking of which, Kent, what happened with that nomination request?" "Ahh, yes, if I do the treatment again today, it will be over. When I visited the day before yesterday, she was in a pretty terrible condition, but it''s almost completely healed now." "I see, I heard that the Dukas Company was a company that was doing well in Marburg, but what kind of person was the chairman?" "Let''s see ... Is he someone who is the owner of an advanced way of thinking." "Hou, do you think he can be trusted as a business partner?" "Yes, I also learned for the first time when I went to Marburg, but there was a cave-in accident at the mine owned by the Robere Company." "How many people were involved in the cave-in accident?" "Yes, more than forty people were involved ..." I talked about the situation of the cave-in accident, the details of the rescue, and the active participation of the miners belonging to the Dukas Company in the rescue operation. "I see. Rather than pursuing his own profit, is he emphasizing the profit of the entire mine." "Yes, in face, the reward for the rescue will also be paid by the Dukas Company." "What''s that, isn''t Robere paying?" "Yes, on the contrary, it seems that Robere has also filed a complaint regarding the rescue." Klaus-san let out a sigh of exasperation when I told him that Alonzo, the chairman of the Robere Company, had entered into a direct negotiation. "That is, he''s a typical problematic old man." "However, Angel-san, who is said to be the successor, seems to have similar ideas to Orlean-san." "If there is such an heir, then it would be better if he handed over the head of the family quickly ... I will retire before I become such an old man, so I''m counting on you, Augusto." "Yes, I know, Father." From my point of view, Klaus-san seemed to be too flexible, maa, it''s better not to say that. "What are you grinning about, Kent." "No, I just thought Volzard was safe." "Fuun, if the S-rank adventurer in front of me could calm down a little more, it would be even safer." "That''s ... Please watch over me with warm eyes." "Fufuu, you''re going to be my relative, I''ll watch you with a strict eye. Kent, you''re going to Marburg again today, right?" "Yes, the treatment will be over today." "I see, I know you''re busy, and I don''t mind if it''s when you have some time, but please visit the Dukas Company from time to time." "Is there some reason?" "Yes ... It''s iron." "Are you going to do business with the Dukas Company?" "Idiot, high-purity iron is coming from Japan to Volzard, so the relationship with Marburg may be reversed from now on, or it may become a rivalry. Besides, if the Japanese are serious about resource development, they will definitely make a deal with Marburg. As preparation for that, I''ll make a network of contacts." "I see ... The relationship may change significantly from now on." "That''s right. That being said, Kent, there''s one thing I''d like to request of you." "Request, what is it?" "Summon me." I couldn''t understand Klaus-san''s unexpected request for a moment. "Huh? By summoning do you mean going to Japan?" "That''s not it. You took the daughter of the boarding house to Japan, didn''t you." "Yes, I let Meisa-chan go to Yuika''s house to play ..." "If you are summoned, you can get the knowledge of words, right?" "Ahh, I see, so you''re trying to learn the words for negotiating with the Japanese." "That''s right. I don''t care if you don''t send me to Japan or anything, just try moving around to the next room or the hallway and see if I can learn the words. And if it succeeds, I''ll request that you take similar measures for the remaining three." "Umm, is it okay to have it be a nomination request?" "Fuun, how about 100,000 Helts per person as a success reward?" "No, I''m joking. It''s not a big deal, so it''s not necessary." "Riche, handle the formalities. If doing that is a success, the reward will be around 100,000 Helts." Certainly, if you think about it, at the negotiating table, your advantage would change greatly depending on whether you understood the language of the other country. In the negotiations with Japan, I didn''t think the superiority would change as long as I was on the Volzard side, but it was still better to have an advantage in terms of language. "Then, I''ll try it, so please don''t move." "I know, I don''t want to suffer from being one leg short." "Then, here goes. Summon!" In the office, it was a summoning technique that just moved from right to left about 2 meters, but I did it with the image of imparting knowledge of Japanese. "How is it?" < Aahh, this is Japanese. > < Yes, it seems to have gone well. > < It doesn''t seem to be a problem. I also ask you for Augusto-tachi. > < Roger that. > It was only a two-meter movement, but it seemed that I succeeded in imparting knowledge of Japanese. After that, Augusto-san, Angelina-san, and Beatriche were given knowledge of Japanese, and later, I was asked to perform the same treatment for Marianne-san and Baldini-san. CH 244 Monster-fallen ***---*** After getting permission from Klaus-san to install the gate, I returned to my home. It still looked drab now, but it was a size that was more appropriate to call it a mansion than a house. "I wonder how much it would cost to build a house like this in Tokyo ... Or should I say, isn''t this too big for Volzard?" [ Kent-sama, this is the house where your genus will also live, it''s rather cramped. ] "I see, if you think about it, it''s not too big ... hmm ..." [ Buhahaha, once the construction is finished, the brides are welcomed, and life begins, you will be able to realize it. ] "That''s right. It''s still on its way to becoming our home." When I was looking up at the house alongside Reinhardt, Hirt, who was attached to Seraphima, came back. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Seraphima is troubled." "Ehh, what happened to Sera?" "The procession can''t advance." [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better if you went to see how things are going? ] "Yup, that''s right. Hirt, guide me." "Wau, it''s this way." Princess Seraphima of Barshania departed from the Imperial Capital of Guryayev with a grand parade on the last day of the New Year holidays. After that, the procession continued quietly along the road, but on the fourth day, yesterday, a little trouble occurred and they were forced to stop. Seraphima was in the middle of meeting with an elderly man. "Seraphima-sama, then, are you going to leave anyway?" "I''m not thinking about going back to the Imperial Capital with this level of anxiety." "But, since something ominous like this happened ..." "This commotion is probably the work of those who do not want the Imperial Family and Kent-sama to form a relationship. If we turn back here, it''s going along with the opponent''s plans." "But ..." "The escort knights are all skilled. There is nothing to be afraid of, for such things as those who have become monster-fallen." "But, if the bridal procession is covered in blood ..." "Noisy! I will never yield to those who use such despicable means!" "A, as you wish." Sensing that Seraphima''s strong tone didn''t waver due to her resolve, the old man and the man accompanying him bowed their heads deeply before leaving the room. "Seraphima-sama, I will tell the knights that we will be departing tomorrow." "I ask of you." Seraphima let out a big sigh as the female knight, who had been standing by Seraphima''s side during the meeting, left her room to convey her instructions. "Haaa ... Hirt, Hirt, come out." "What''s wrong? Sera." "Kent-sama! Why ... Aahh, Hirt must have informed you." "Yup, Sera is troubled ... What happened?" "Actually ... The procession was attacked." This morning, right after Seraphima''s part left the village, two men wielding swords attacked the procession. "The escort knights took their weapons and tried to suppress them, but they were both monster-fallen ... They had turned into monsters, so they were defeated." "Does that mean they ate monster meat and magic stones?" "I can only think so, but this area is not an area where monsters frequently appear, nor is it a land where food is in short supply." "Did someone force them to eat it?" "Maybe so, but I don''t know for sure." Even in Barshania, there were times when people believed that eating monster meat and magic stones would give them strong magical powers, or they became monsters due to false knowledge. It depended on the degree, but if the monsterization progressed to the point where they were no longer possible to maintain their ego, it was said that there was no other way but to take their life. "But, how did you know they were turning into a monster?" "Kent-sama, you''ve never seen a person who is monster-fallen, have you?" "Yup, I''ve only heard about it, but I''ve never seen it." "If you become completely monster-fallen, you lose your ego, become violent, and become as powerful as when you use physical enhancement. And, the color of your skin becomes different from that of normal people." "Skin color ... Is it like a Goblin?" "Yes, I''ve heard that some people have skin colors that are unimaginable for normal humans, such as blue or green, and some of them even become scaly." It seemed that the skin of those who attacked Seraphima''s party this time had also changed to reddish black and rough. "Although I only just heard the story, I wonder if it''s the work of Mungia after all?" "I think that the possibility is high, but I don''t know what kind of hand was used." Normally, if you didn''t consume monster meat or magic stones repeatedly, you wouldn''t completely turn into a monster. Even if they were forced to turn into monsters, she didn''t know how they were brought in, or how they made those who lost their senses attack the procession. "The clothes they were wearing were not Mungia''s clothes. They didn''t seem to have lived a very wealthy life, and they didn''t seem to be from this village." "You don''t know if they were brought in after being turned into a monster somewhere, or if they were turned into monsters after being brought here ..." "Just in case, we have knights scouting ahead to check if there are any abnormalities on the road ahead. There are a number of escort knights, so I don''t feel any imminent danger ..." "Yup, but creepy is creepy, isn''t it." "Yes ..." Seraphima''s party was accompanied by 100 knights as escorts, with the added meaning of keeping Resenburg in check. Even if ten times the number of monsters attacked, it was unlikely that Seraphima would be harmed. Perhaps the other party''s goal was to cause bloodshed and give the impression that the marriage was ominous, rather than causing physical harm. Seraphima was also acting strong, but she seemed somewhat unwell. "Are you okay? Sera." "Yes, of course I''m fine. I will not waver over something of this degree." "I see, that''s fine, but don''t overdo it. It''s a long way to Volzard." "Yes, I''m used to traveling, and I''m surrounded by people I know, so don''t worry." "By the time Sera arrives in Volzard, our house may be complete." "The house we will live in. I''m looking forward to seeing what kind of house it is." "Yup, all of my genus made the foundation, so all we have to do is fix the interior and exterior ... Ahh!" "Kent-sama, what is wrong?" "I don''t have any furniture ..." I asked Herman-san to finish my home, and Nott-san to provide the necessary magic tools, but I completely forgot about the furniture. "Kent-sama, if you are going to start the interior work from this point, there is still time. It would be better if you consult the brides other than me about furniture and such." "Right, that''s right. Ahh, right ... I''ll bring you a video of the house next time." "A video ... is it?" "Yup, look forward to it." As we talked about our home, Seraphima''s concerns seemed to dissipate, and the softness of her expression returned. "Then, if something happens, use Hirt to let me know." "I understand." "Please, Hirt." "Wafuu, leave it to me, Goshujin-sama!" I stroked Hirt and hugged Seraphima tightly before hiding in the shadows. The destination was Guryayev, the Imperial Capital of Barshania. Of course, Seraphima would be spreading the news, but I was also going to tell them about the attack. That being said, the palace was too big to know where Emperor Constant was. I had no choice but to ask everyone in the Kobold Corps to search the palace. It wasn''t a human wave tactic, it was a Kobold wave tactic. The palace was too large to search for someone alone, and even with the mobilization of the Kobold Corps, it took about 20 minutes. "Those rats of Mungia ..." "Father, it''s not decided that Mungia did it yet." "Hmph, it''s obvious that they''re the ones who would use such a palliative method. Or is there someone else?" "Right, maa, that''s right, but ..." Emperor Constant of Barshania sat across his office desk from his second son Joseph, who assisted him in domestic affairs. It looked like there was a commotion going on here as well. "It''s been three days in a row, have you found any clues yet?" "Yes, not only the knights, but also spies have been sent to investigate, but we have not received any significant information yet." "Fumu, how are Gregory and Nicolae doing?" "The circumstances being the circumstances, I told them not to go directly to the scene, but ..." "I don''t think they are people who will be stopped with just words." "Yes, we have sent a spy over there to keep an eye out for any suspicious people approaching." "Fufuu, are you going to use your brothers as a decoy ..." "No, with that kind of intention ..." "I know. I don''t mind if you use those boar-like people as a decoy."(TN:It says inoshishi-domo, which I guess refers to someone who rushes headlong at things, dunno if there might be a better way to phrase this. Inoshishi means boar or Japanese boar, and domo is referring to multiple.) "Understood." At the moment when the conversation was cut off, I put out a shield of darkness where the two of them could see and stepped into the room. "Hello, father-in-law, brother-in-law." "Hmph, Kent Kokubu, what do you want at this busy time?'' "Seraphima''s procession has been attacked." "What! Is Sera safe!" "There''s no problem. It seems that two men swung swords at the procession, but the escort knights dealt with it." "Is that so, then it''s fine, but ..." "It seems that the men who swung swords at them were monster-fallen." "What did you say!" With a cry of surprise, Constant exchanged glances with Joseph. "Excuse me, I heard just a bit of your talk, but is there a commotion happening over here?" "Right. Those who have become monster-fallen are rampaging and causing damage to the citizens. Tell me more about your situation." "Yes, I just heard from Sera, but ..." No, no, it''s a tense situation, so you don''t have to make such a sullen face just by me calling Seraphima Sera. When I talked about what Seraphima said about the attack, they looked at each other and nodded. "Apparently the same guys committed the crime." "Can you tell me about the disturbance that happened in Guryayev?" "That''s fine, Joseph, explain." "Understood. The first commotion happened four days ago." On that day, the parade to celebrate Seraphima''s bridal procession ended, and the hustle and bustle of Guryayev remained after the festival. Suddenly, a man who had become monster-fallen went on a rampage on the main street, killing two passers-by and seriously injuring five. Fortunately, the knights guarding the parade defeated him, and the damage did not spread further. It seemed that the man who became monster-fallen was a so-called homeless man. Due to his filthy appearance, he was unable to receive the liquor for celebrating Seraphima''s bridal procession, and it seemed that some people witnessed him shouting in the back alley, but it seemed that his movements after that were not known. The next day, a man who had become monster-fallen rushed into a bar and killed four people, including a female employee and a man who tried to stop him. It seemed that the man who committed the crime had just been rejected by the murdered woman, but he didn''t appear to be overwhelmed. And today, a day later, another man who was monster-fallen rampaged and there were casualties, but the details were still under investigation. "That''s all we know so far." "Thank you very much. This is just for confirmation, but has there ever been a time in the past when someone became monster-fallen in Guryayev and went on a rampage?" "It''s not completely out of the question, but that was more than ten years ago." "Then, it seems that someone is intentionally causing people to become monster-fallen." "I haven''t been able to confirm it yet, but I can''t think of anything else." "What''s the easiest way to make someone monster-fallen?" "I''ve never heard of one. Many people who become monster-fallen are the result of seeking easy power. The act of eating monster meat and magic stones is taboo." "This, as expected is Mungia involved?" "It''s obviously so! No, rather, it must be!" As soon as he heard the word Mungia, Constant-san interjected. "It would be more troublesome for Barshania if there were people other than Mungia who tried to attack Seraphima''s procession, not just here in Guryayev." "Is it because of the display of the Gigas'' skull, or because Sera is being brought to my place?" "Well ... There is no way such an uproar can be caused without any preparation. I''m sure they''ve been making preparations for a long time ..." Constant-san fell silent to collect his thoughts after cutting off his words. It was a little hard to talk to him since he had deep wrinkles on his eyebrows and was deep in thought. "Father, do you have some concerns?" "Umu, the Mungia people have used palliative means so far, but most of them are surprise attacks and night attacks." "Are they from Borovska?" "They''ve been on good terms lately, but considering the circumstances of the turmoil, I can''t rule out the possibility that they''re involved." "Excuse me, is that Borovska a dissident tribe?" "They used to be more hard-line, but now they''re more like anti-government ..." The Borovska were said to be an anti-government tribe along with Mungia and Kajimina. However, in recent years, it seemed that Constant''s compromise policy had been successful, and they had softened their attitude. And the Borovska were said to be a local tribe that secretly manufactured drugs such as Falzala, and they were good at handling drugs. "Did the plan involving Kent provoke Borovska?" "Even if that''s the case, we''re currently in a state of shortage of people and money due to Leinef''s reconstruction. Measures are necessary to suppress a large-scale armed conflict." Leinef''s name came up in the conversation between the two, so I remembered something I had forgotten. "Ahh, right, I forgot. Reinhardt, please." [ As you wish. ] After putting out a shield of darkness, Reinhardt, Mart and the others began carrying the gold bars that had been piled up in the shadow space. At the Bakkenheim auction, the proceeds from the sale of the Gigas'' magic stone were converted into gold bars so that it would be easier to transport. "K, Kent Kokubu, this is ..." "This is condolence money from me and Volzard. Please use it for Leinef''s recovery." "I see, did you sell that magic stone ... But, then subjugating the Gigas would be done for free. I can''t accept this ..." "I will become a family with Seraphima. That means I will become a family with the Barshanian Imperial Family, right? Besides, disasters caused by monsters can happen in any country, in any city. Monsters cannot be managed by an individual''s power, and recovery from disasters cannot be achieved without a lot of power and a lot of money." "Is it really fine?" "Yes, please use it for the victims." "Alright. Then, I swear that these gold bars, down to the last Ruble, will be used to restore the people of Leinef to their original lives ... On Barshania''s pride!"(TN:In case you forgot, Ruble is the Barshanian currency. I almost missed it, myself.) Emperor Constant and his second son Joseph made a vow, striking their chests with their right fists and pointing to the heavens. Ahhh, I missed the timing to mix in again. "Regarding Sera''s procession, I will also dispatch my genus to keep an eye on the surroundings, so please do not worry." "That''s right. Judging from the modus operandi so far, it''s hard to imagine a situation where a large number of people attack at once. Sera has a hundred escorts, so it shouldn''t be a problem." "I will make an appearance here as well, so if you find out anything please let me know. I will let Sera know." "Please. Let me know what you find out there." "Understood." After shaking hands with Constant and Joseph, I went into the shadows. It was a little late, but I should go to the Dukas Company in Marburg and finish the treatment. In the city of Marburg, the festivities continued. Many stalls were lined up in the square in front of the cathedral, and various goods were sold. It was like a large-scale flea market in Japan, with food, drinks, and clothes. "Reinhardt, isn''t the New Year in this world celebrated quietly at home?" [ That''s the normal, but the normal New Year''s holiday period has passed. The people who run the stores are trying to make up for the loss in sales due to the accident. ] "I see ... But, looking at this crowd, I feel like it''s going to become an annual event." [ Maybe so. It''s probably going to be a considerable amount of sales, so it wouldn''t be strange to think about it next year as well. ] In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the square, the Dukas Company had fallen completely silent. This was probably because the miners who gave up their time off for the accident rescue work were being given time off again. After passing through the counter where several people were sorting out their books and proceeding to the back of the house, Orlean-san''s family was chatting in a sunny room. His wife, Sibyl-san, had recovered from her illness and was tired, but her complexion was good and she had already cleaned the floor. "Hello, Orlean-san, may I disturb you?" "Well, well, if it isn''t Kent-san, please come in." When I put out a shield of darkness and was allowed to go into the room, his daughter Lucile-chan was surprised when I suddenly appeared. "Sybil-san, how are you feeling?" "Thanks to you, I have a healthy feeling that I''ve forgotten for so many years, it''s like being reborn." "I''m really glad. I would like to do the finishing treatment today, is that okay?" "Yes, please do." Sybil-san was asked to lie face down on the bed and I put my hand on the part that was slightly off and treated it. As the healing magic flowed through her body, the magical power flowed so smoothly that it was incomparable to the day before yesterday. I often heard that the flow of energy affected health, but in this world, it seemed that the flow of magical power affected the physical condition. "Yes, it''s over. How is it?" "Aahh, the pain in my back is completely gone, I really don''t know how to thank you ..." "No, no, I just fulfilled the request, so don''t worry about it." "Kent-san, thank you very much. My wife and daughter have regained their health." "I am very happy to be of service to you. Well then, would you please report the fulfillment of the request." "Yes, would it be alright if I transfer the reward via the guild?" "Yes, that''s fine." On this day, I was treated to dinner at the Dukas Company. Sybil-san had regained her appetite, and it seemed that her beauty would improve once the haggardness of her face was resolved. Now, let''s finish the third return work tomorrow, and then we''ll start choosing furniture together. CH 245 Compensation and marriage proposal ***---*** The return operation using the cage like a lunar probe was successfully completed for the third time. Taking into account the time difference, we left Volzard in the morning, but it was still dark in Japan. "Yo, Kokubu-kun. Good work." "Thank you for your hard work, Kajikawa-san." "Regarding the gate, I''m looking for one now, so can you wait a little longer?" "Yes, I''m counting on you." "Also, regarding the compensation for returning the students, I think it''s time to start paying it ..." "Ohh, come to think of it, I forgot the compensation." If I had only proceeded with the return work without making arrangements for compensation, I would have been scolded by Klaus-san again. "Regarding the compensation, as promised earlier, would it be okay to pay 800 kilograms of iron for each student returned? Since various procedures are required to change it, it would be appreciated if you could leave it as it is now." "Umm, right. The return work has become easier, so that''s fine." "Then, I''ll prepare the same standard D10 rebar as last time. Including the students and teachers who have returned so far, along with the round trip for the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, it''s about 30 tons at the moment." "Th, thirty tons!" "That''s 10,000 rebars." "Eeeehhhh ..." The reward was arranged in a way that was convenient for both the Japanese government and Volzard, but I never thought it would amount to 30 tons. "It seems that you are surprised, but if the rest of the students are also sent back, I think we will have to pay another 140 tons." "Eeeehhhh ... I, is it okay to wait a moment." "I heard that iron is more valuable in the other world than in Japan. If you export it too quickly, it will have a big impact on the price." "I think so, and since Volzard was originally on the side of buying iron, I have a feeling that our relationship with other towns will change as well." Volzard''s dungeons also produced ores, but most of them were precious metals such as gold and silver, not metals such as iron and copper that were used in daily life. For that reason, I''ve heard that the iron used to make swords and spears was imported from Marburg. If they were to purchase 30 tons of iron at once, and if it was of a higher purity than the ones from Marburg, it would have had a major impact. "For the time being, we have already prepared 30 tons of rebar in the warehouse, so you can take it out anytime." "I, is that so ... I''ll go back to Volzard and consult for a bit." It wasn''t just my imagination that I could see Klaus-san laughing out loud. "Aahh, and Kokubu-kun. The magic stones from before, it seems that they tried to disintegrate them into the air in the cage with Goblins in it." "I see, I think that''s the safest method. How was the result?" "It looks good. According to the person in charge of observation, it seems that if they rampage, it will consume their magic power." It seemed that there were individual differences among Goblins, and while some were frightened by an unfamiliar environment and acted violently, others seemed to be quiet, seemingly uninterested. Naturally, if you rampage, your physical strength will be consumed, but in the case of monsters, it seemed that magical power would also be consumed. However, there was a clear difference in the degree of recovery. "From now on, they will continue to observe the Goblins, and it seems that they want to use Goblin diplomacy rather than panda diplomacy." "Something like Goblins ... Rather, I guess that''s what I feel since I''ve gotten used to Volzard." "That''s right. Because it''s a Goblin, if you can see a live Goblin, I''m sure fantasy maniacs from all over the world will go crazy." Come to think of it, the internet live stream of Tayama and Watase, who died from being stoned by Orcs, had gained a tremendous number of hits. "And so, Kokubu-kun. Can''t you catch monsters other than Goblins? Kobolds or something ..." "That''s possible, but wild Kobolds aren''t as cute as my genus." "Is that so? But even wild Kobolds can walk on two legs and hold and use things, right?" "Well, it seems like they can use things." "Are they the same size as Kokubu-kun''s genus?" "Yes, most Kobolds are around 120 centimeters." "Then, please catch Kobolds and send them in a way that doesn''t affect the return work of the students." "How much will you buy them for?" "Is it the same as when it was Goblins?" "Understood. I will consider that as well." "And, Kokubu-kun, I''m sorry, but could you sell me some magic stones again?" "Again? Maa, the number of experiments involving Goblins seems to be increasing." After selling a trunk full of magic stones, I was guided to a warehouse where rebars were placed. It seemed that the inside of the warehouse was being filmed by surveillance cameras, and although I was free to take out the rebars, in that case I was told to sign the documents provided. Then, let''s go back to Volzard and talk to Klaus-san. When I looked into the guild''s office, Klaus-san had a face that looked like he bit a bitter bug. On the desk were two high-end envelopes and a letter. Augusto-san, Angelina-san, and Beatrice-san all had a bewildered look on their faces. Maybe that letter was the cause, but what was it. I went out into the corridor once and knocked on the office door. "Who is it!" "It''s Kent." "Come in!" Klaus-san''s blunt voice had a harsher tone than usual. "What''s wrong, did you have any problems during the return work?" "No, things are progressing smoothly, but I have a little question for you ..." "If it''s troublesome, I refuse. Do something about it yourself!" "Is that so ... I procured a large amount of iron as a reward for the return work, but it can''t be helped, so to Bakkenheim ..." "Wait, wait! Say that sooner. How much do you have? Fifty corads, or 100 corads?" "Umm ... Just under 1,900." "Haaaa? It''s 1,900 ... Fuh, fufufu ... Fuhahahahahaha!" Klaus-san''s eyes widened and he started laughing as expected. "Good job! As expected of Riche''s groom! Something like this ..." Klaus-san picked up the letter that had been thrown out on his desk, tore it to pieces, crumpled it up and threw it into the trash can. "Father, are you sure?" "Fuunh, can you take such a silly letter seriously! Kent, when can you bring in that iron? Also, can you get copper in addition to iron?" "I can bring the iron any time, and I think it''s possible to get copper as well." "Is that so, then please inquire if you can purchase copper." "Yes, that''s fine, but did something happen?" "Aahh, the Marburg Family just said something silly. But, as long as we can secure iron and copper, there''s nothing to worry about. Klaus-san''s expression remained loose, as if his surly face just now was a lie. Or rather, it''s definitely an evil grin that''s plotting something. I didn''t quite understand the contents of the story, so I turned my gaze to Augusto-san and he explained with a wry smile. "That letter was a marriage proposal from the Marburg Family." "A marriage proposal ... is it?" "It''s not uncommon for Landsheldt Lords to make marriage proposals, and if there is an offer from the Marburg Family, they usually respond sincerely." "Huh, come to think of it, there were two letters ..." "That''s right, you saw well. There are two marriage proposals, and they''re from the same Marburg Family." "From the Marburg Family ... Two?" I didn''t understand the meaning to the point that I involuntarily parroted it back. "There are two people who seem to be the next head of the Marburg Family." "Eeeehhhh ... Could it be that the Idiot Sons are fighting over the head of the family again?" "Fuhahahaha, Kent, you seem to have a lot of ties to other families'' fights." When I raised a disgusted voice, Klaus-san seemed to find it unbearably funny. "No, but this time, I have nothing to do with it." "What are you saying, you have a lot to do with it. Who exactly is the one who brings all the iron to Volzard?" "Aahh, the Marburg Family is also involved in the ore trade, isn''t it." "You could say so." The brothers Ars and Zarua, who were said to be the next heads of the Marburg Family, were so-called fraternal twins, but it seemed their hair color, eye color, and facial features were not the same. In fairy tales, if the children who inherited the Family Estate were twins, one was given up for adoption or killed, but it seemed that it was common in Landshelt to raise them in the same way. The ideal relationship would be for two brothers to support each other and make up for each other''s deficiencies, but it seemed that the Marburg brothers were like cats and dogs. Maa, if they were brothers on good terms, there was no way two letters would be received. "If either one of them were excellent and had prospects in the future, I would consider it, but they are both equally talented, and if I''m worried about their future, how can I offer Ange as their wife." "The Marburg brothers, are they lacking in talent so much?" "Compared to Augusto and Baldini, they are lacking in talent, even if you take into consideration seeing them in a favorable light as my family." Regarding Augusto-san, I''m sure he''s an excellent person, but when I heard that they were inferior to Baldini, I wondered how bad they were. "But, is it okay if you decline?" "That''s why I checked, if you can secure the copper." "Are you saying that if you refuse the marriage proposal, they will stop trading in ore and mineral resources?" "Right, at least for Ars." "In that case, isn''t the other Zarua more promising?" "No good, no good. Ange or Riche, he''s an idiot who says he''ll make the one he likes his legal wife and the one he doesn''t like his concubine. What is there to talk about." "Aahh ... I see. The types are different, but both of them are idiots." "That''s what I''m saying. By the way, there are no subordinates who can stop it." The reason why the two letters arrived at the same time this time seemed to be to keep each other in check and not be outwitted. "These idiots, being fair with each other ... While saying that, they''re only thinking about outwitting their opponent. They can''t even think about how their actions are viewed. It may sound harsh, but I agreed with Klaus-san''s words. The family succession dispute was a matter of their own family, but they should refrain from actions that would cause it to be noticed by the outside world. Because they can''t think about such a thing, it seems to be of no use to consider whether they have talent or not. "Then, are you going to refuse the offer from the Marburg Family?" "Maa, I''ll leave it alone until they say something. However, the guild will issue a notice to the Volzard merchants. There is a possibility that the deal with Marburg will stop." "Is it okay to say that?'' "You moron, I can''t deal with it after the transaction really stops. For that reason, please confirm as soon as possible whether copper can be procured." "Understood, I''ll get in touch in a minute." When I contacted Kajikawa-san using the borrowed smartphone, he replied that it was possible to purchase copper. "Then, Kokubu-kun, is it okay if we use part of the money for the magic stones we received today to purchase copper?" "Yes, please do so." When I hung up the phone, Klaus-san had a big smile on his face. Come to think of it, he''s come to understand Japanese. "Kent, how many corads are those three tons?" "Yes, about 190 corads." "Well done. Is that copper as pure as the iron?" "Yes, I think it''s okay if you think it''s about the same ..." "Good, good. Even if the story gets tough, we can still keep our advantage against Marburg." "The Lords of Landshelt aren''t in conflict with each other, are they?" "Maa, in the current situation ... that''s right. Each of us has equal interests, so we can hardly argue, but if we import iron and copper from Japan, the situation may change." The direct relationship between Volzard and Marburg would also change, and considering their relationship with Bakkenheim, they may become rivals in selling iron and copper. "As you can see from actually going there, Marburg has few industries other than mineral resources that can be sold. If the industry that supports the foundation of life is shaken, the feet of the Feudal Lord will also be shaken." "Could it be, you just don''t want Ange-oneechan to get married ..." "D, don''t be ridiculous. I''ll give her away as a wife, but I just won''t marry her to an idiot." Maa, it''s true that Angelina-san can''t be entrusted to the Marburg Family just by hearing the story. "Even so, it seems that the relationship with the Marburg Family will become difficult from now on." "In the first place, what is the person who is creating the reason for that, saying such a carefree thing?" "Uuh, that''s true, but ..." "Besides, it will only be until Kent''s comrades return that Volzard will be able to obtain a large amount of iron from Japan." "Once all my classmates have finished returning home, receiving iron as a reward will end for the time being, but in Japan, magic stones are needed for experiments, so it is possible to import iron using magic stones as payment." "Oohh, I see. You said that there is no magic essence in Japan. If that''s the case, you should be able to stably purchase iron and copper for a certain period of time." Klaus-san folded his arms and closed his eyes and began to think. Augusto-san also put his hand on his chin and pondered his thoughts, but he suddenly raised his gaze and spoke to Klaus-san. "Father, do you intend to acquire the territory of Marburg in the future?" "Do you think there''s merit in going that far?'' "Nope, if we plan to expand our territory, it will be inevitable that the other six Lords will join us." "That''s not all. In order to expand the territory, you must also gain the support of the residents there. Simply expelling them will not expand the territory. It becomes our own territory for the first time after we rule it ... Do you want to do such a troublesome thing?" "Nope, I refuse." "Then, Augusto, what are you aiming for? What are you looking for?" "I see ... What about income and rights." Klaus-san nodded lightly and asked me a question. "Kent. Japan wants to develop resources in Landshelt, right?'' "Yes, Japan is an island country with a small land area, so they rely on imports from other countries for resources." "In that case, would you like to mediate the mine development in Marburg?" "Hmm ... I don''t think Marburg is a promising iron mine." "Hou, why is that?" "I heard that the mines in the countries where Japan imports iron are from are made entirely of high-purity iron ore." "Huh? The whole mountain is iron ore?" "Yes, so rather than digging, it feels like breaking it down." I once saw it on a TV quiz show or variety show. In a Brazilian mine, a huge excavator was used to break down a mountain, which was then transported by a huge dump truck. In the case of Marburg, it would take too much time and effort to excavate the ore veins by digging through the tunnels. "The fact that the whole mountain is iron ore means that the ore is exposed, right?" "Yes, it''s like that." Klaus-san shrugged his shoulders after looking at Augusto-san. "There is no such mountain in Landshelt. At least, I have never heard of it." "Is that so. If so ..." "What is it, do you have some place in mind?" "I don''t know, but ... Could it be in the Davira Desert?" "Huh? The desert, huh?" I''ve only been to the Davira Desert on the border with Barshania, but somehow I felt like the sand was reddish. I''ve heard that the Davira Desert was a barren land of sand and rocks. If it was just sand, it was unlikely, but if there were rocks, there might be a mountain of iron ore. "I have never been to the Davira Desert, but even if there is no mine, is it possible to create a base for excavation there ... No, if Kent is here, is it possible." "That''s right. There is no problem in transporting goods via the shadow space. People can also be sent back using the repatriation technique." "If a large-scale mine is discovered, there is no doubt that Resenburg and Barshania will have troubles, including about ownership." "Eeehhh ... Even though the long-standing conflict may end." "Then, you''ll have to manage the distribution so that it''s fair." Reparations from Resenburg to the Japanese government were still more than 3 billion Yen. Exporting iron ore may be a good way to reliably repay it, but since it''s an iron material, the market price should be cheaper than iron itself, right. I felt like we couldn''t pay the reparations unless we exported a huge amount. Or rather, I might have finished paying for it with just one Gigas magic stone ... Heck, it''s too late to realize it now. "What''s wrong? Kent." "No, it looks like it''s going to be a big story, and I can''t imagine it well." "Maa, talking about new mine development is not something that one individual can handle. Rather than that, you should only think about steadily advancing the return of your comrades." "That''s right. That''s more important to me." "If you don''t finish it quickly, the Princess of Barshania will depart, right? The preparations for the house and the preparations for reception will never end." "Ahh, about that matter ..." I talked about the attacks that were taking place in Barshania, but neither Klaus-san nor Augusto-san knew how to intentionally make people monster-fallen. "If you want to intentionally make someone monster-fallen, you can mix magic stones and monster meat with food for a long period of time, but it doesn''t seem to be like that." "Yes, I feel like it''s a more immediate method." "Even if that method spreads to Volzard, it will still take some times, but if it happens before we take countermeasures, we will be one step behind. If you find anything about Barshania, please let me know." "Yes, I will report it as soon as I get the information." I didn''t think it was because I spent the New Year''s holiday leisurely, but I felt that various troubles were slowly creeping up on me. I''d like to finish at least the return work before any major trouble occurs. CH 246 Salamander ***---*** The day after finishing the third return work using the cage, I visited the Lord''s mansion after finishing breakfast. Recently, I had been entering the mansion through the shadow space, but this morning I would go out in a deserted alley and go through the main gate to visit. I didn''t have any particular reason, but I wanted to show my S-rank card for identification. I prepared the guild card in my pocket and proceeded to the main gate. "Good morning, Kent-san. You''re coming from here this morning." "G, good morning. Yes, I needed a little walk ..." "Is that so, please pass by." "Y, yes, thank you very much." The garrison member in charge of security greeted me with a smile. Yup, I guess it''s amazing that it''s a face pass, but I don''t know ... When I banged the knocker at the entrance, the butler led me to the drawing room. In other words, I''ll be taken care of by various people, so I''ll just come directly starting next time. "Good morning, Klaus-san, Baldini-san, Johannes-san." "Morning, Kent. I''ll be in your care for today." "Yes, unlike sending someone to Japan, if it''s in the same Landshelt, it doesn''t use much magic, so it''s okay." The reason I visited the Lord''s mansion this morning was to repatriate Baldini, the second son of the Volzard Family, to Bakkenheim. Until now, it would have taken about six days to have a carriage go to Bakkenheim. If you use the repatriation technique, you can move from Volzard to Bakkenheim in an instant, which will save you a lot of time and money, and you won''t have to worry about being attacked by bandits along the way. "Are the ones going to Bakkenheim, Bardini-san and Johannes-san?" "Right, Augusto and Angelina graduated." "Is it okay if I drop them off at the school dormitory?" "That''s right, but do you know where it is?" "No, I only know the area of Bakkenheim around the guild." "Johannes, tell Kent where it is." "Kent, I''ll explain with a map, so come here for a moment ..." "Yes, please." While listening to Johannes-san''s explanation using the map, Baldini''s mouth was turned down, and he didn''t seem to want to speak on his own. "This is the church, and there is a chapel with a pointed triangular roof. The dormitory is behind it, and there is a large garden, so please use that area." "Understood. I''ll check it out quick." Whether I was repatriating or summoning, I needed to make sure I knew where they were going to be sent to. It would be a disaster if they were repatriated to a place where people were, so it would be safer to summon them while checking the situation on the Bakkenheim side. I moved from the drawing room of the Lord''s Mansion to Bakkenheim via the shadows. I moved to the front of the guild as if following the instructions, but the Bakkenheim I saw while peeking out from the shadows was in an uproar. Fires were rising from all over the city, and the warning bell was ringing like crazy. Angry roars and screams echoed through the streets, and I could see people running away. "What, what''s going on?" [ Kent-sama, there! ] When I turned my eyes in the direction Reinhardt was pointing, a huge fireball flew and fell into the city. The pillar of fire rose, and it seemed that new fires had begun to rise. "A Salamander!" [ Probably the south side of the city where the Ogres were intercepted. ] "Let''s go. Mart, tell Klaus-san that the summoning will be canceled for the time being." "Wafuu, understood, Goshujin-sama!" The large buildings in Bakkenheim were made of stone or used earth-attribute magic to harden the outer walls, but there were also wooden houses inside, and wood was used for the pillars and beams. In addition, it seemed that many roadside trees, park trees, and facility garden trees were spreading the flames. "Isnt there a fire brigade or something?" [ Kent-sama, probably the water-attribute mages were sent out to intercept the Salamander, and they are short of manpower. ] "Basten, come back!" [ You called me, Kent-sama. ] "Lead Zae-tachi to put out the fire in the city. Consider the direction of the wind and prevent the spread of the fire even a little." [ Roger that! ] "Aahh, it''s going to cause another uproar if they see you, so please do your best from the shadows." [ As you wish. ] "Zae-tachi, please." "Leave it to me, My King." Zae and the others traveled in the shadows, surrounded the building that started the fire, and joined forces to form a giant water ball that was hurled into the blazing flames. Although it was a rough extinguishing method, the overwhelming amount of water was extremely effective, and the flame disappeared as if it were washed away. When I left the firefighting activities of the city to Basten and Zae-tachi and moved to the south side of the city, many garrison members and adventurers were gathered, and water-attribute magicians continued attacks of intimidation. Water-attribute attack magic was used sporadically, but the damage didn''t seem to go through, and the Salamander was slowly approaching the city while spitting out flame bullets. "Somehow, it''s like they''re out of control ..." [ That''s right. If you want to stop a Salamander, you should focus on making it annoyed by pouring a large amount of water on it, rather than damaging it with attacks. ] "Are the people of Bakkenheim not used to dealing with Salamanders?" [ It may look like that, but someone like Lau-shi should know about it, and it''s only natural for Master Reese to know about it ... ] "Ohh, it started ..." People who seemed to be adventurers cut into the sides of the Salamander, who was plodding towards Bakkenheim. A group of about seven people, all holding a javelin in hand, rushed towards it using body strengthening magic. Compared to the adventurers'' movements, the Salamander''s movements were sluggish, and it looked like they could deal damage. However, just when the adventurers swung their spears all at once. "Guwaauuuuu!" The Salamander shook the air with its roar, and in contrast to its sluggish movement, it shook its head with a force that made a rumbling sound, and spat out flame bullets towards the adventurers. Not to mention the adventurers who were in a throwing stance, we who were observing the movement couldn''t react at all. The adventurers who received a direct hit from the gigantic flame bullet turned into balls of fire in an instant and rolled around, then immediately stopped moving. The garrison members and adventurers who were trying to stop the invasion of the city stood still without any way to make it happen, and the attacks with water magic that had continued sporadically, ceased. "Guruaaaaaa!" Once again, the Salamander let out a roar that made the air shake, and as soon as the Salamander took a large step forward, the defending formation collapsed. When one of the adventurers at the end of the formation escaped, the adventurers left their posts immediately after and scrambled to get ahead. "Hey!, what are you doing! Don''t leave your post!" The adventurers didn''t turn around even when the person who seemed to be the captain of the garrison raised their voice. Even if the garrison members who had roots in the city of Bakkenheim remained, the adventurers who could move to other cities and earn money with just their strength would probably put their own lives first. [ Kent-sama, at this rate, it will enter the city. ] "Yup, I know. Art, Irt, Urt, Ert, stand in the four corners of the training ground and act as a landmark." "Wafuu, roger that, Goshujin-sama." [ Kent-sama, what are you doing? ] "Since it''s impossible to get a request at this time, I''ll take the whole thing." While I was talking to Reinhardt, the Salamander spat out fireballs and walked towards the city. "Shoot, shoot, shoot! Keep hitting until you run out of mana and collapse!" The chanting of the garrison members resounded, and water-attribute attack magic was fired one after another, but the Salamander didn''t seem to care. Then, it took a deep breath and spewed out a remarkably large flame bullet at the garrison members. "Shield of darkness!" The Salamander''s flame bullet was blocked by a shield of darkness that was about 30 meters square, and at the same time, it should have blocked the view of the garrison members. "Repatriate!" The Salamander, that was surprised by the sudden appearance of the shield of darkness, was repatriated to the Devil''s Forest training ground. "Reinhardt, let''s move as well." [ Understood. ] When I moved through the shadow space to the Devil''s Forest training ground, the Salamander was about to fall from the sky. Zushiiiiiin! The Salamander slammed into the ground with a rumbling sound, it seemed that it could not move due to the severe impact. In the meantime, I connected a shield of darkness to the inside of the Salamander''s skull, and cut the medulla oblongata with a knife to complete the subjugation. [ Iyahya, for Kent-sama, a Salamander is like a baby. ] "Compared to the Griffon and Gigas." The only problem was how to stop the movement of the Salamander, so I repatriated it with a target of about 100 meters above the training ground. It should have been on the ground, but it was suddenly bungee jumping without a lifeline, so the Salamander must have been very surprised. "Nero, Zeta, Eta, Theta, could you keep the Salamander in the shadow space?" "An easy task, nya." "Leave it to me, My King." Although saying that, Nero will only use the shield of darkness and won''t do any heavy lifting. "Reinhardt, let''s go back to Volzard for now." [ That''s right. It would be better to repatriate Baldini-dono after the confusion in Bakkenheim subsides. ] Although Basten and Zae-tachi were using water-attribute magic to extinguish the fires, it seemed that a considerable number of fires had broken out, and it was possible that the academy had suffered damage as well. It would be better to send Baldini after confirming its safety. Back at the Lord''s Mansion, Klaus-san folded his arms and furrowed his brow. Beside him was Beatriche with a worried expression on her face. "I returned just now." "What''s wrong, is there something wrong?" "Yes, the city of Bakkenheim was attacked by a Salamander." "What is the extent of the damage?" "I don''t know the casualties, but fires were breaking out all over the city. Right now, I''m having my genus help them put out the fires." "Is the subjugation of the Salamander over?" "Yes, I subjugated it, and the whole thing is stored in the shadow space." "Kent, I''m sorry, but please check on the situation in Bakkenheim. If possible, it would be helpful if Master Reese could confirm the prospects for reconstruction, but it seems difficult today ..." "That''s right. The site seemed to be in a lot of confusion as well, so I guess it''s all that can be done to confirm the current situation." "For the time being, I will have Baldini sent after the situation is clarified." "Yes, that''s what I was planning to do." "Then, Baldini''s trip to Bakkenheim will be the day after tomorrow. Is that okay?" "Yes, that''s just fine. Then, I''m going to check on how Bakkenheim is doing." Returning to the shadows, I returned to Bakkenheim and looked out over the city from the top of the Guild''s roof. There were places where I couldn''t see because it was blocked by buildings, but when I looked around, I couldn''t see any blazing flames, just white smoke rising from several places. [ Kent-sama, I extinguished the places where the fire was strong. Right now, I''m looking around to see if there''s a place where the fire hasn''t been extinguished. ] "Thank you Basten, you are really quick with your work." [ No, this time is more the credit of Zae-tachi than me. In terms of handling water, it is overwhelming. ] "The number of injured people increased due to the fire extinguishing ... That didn''t happen, right?" [ Yes, we conducted the firefighting activity while confirming that there were no people who failed to escape, so there is no problem with that. ] "Thank you. When the people of Bakkenheim start extinguishing the fires, have Zae-tachi withdraw." [ As you wish. ] It seemed that the spread of the fire was somehow stopped, but it seemed that there were many victims just by looking at Basten and the others. Although they were forced to carry out two-sided operations: rescue and firefighting in the city, and an interception battle on the outskirts of the city, I felt that the chain of command and order was not functioning in this turmoil. I searched for Master Reese to ask her about the situation, but she wasn''t even in her room or the Guild, nor was her bodyguard, Lau-san. [ Kent-sama, looking at this situation, isn''t Reese-dono out of town? ] "I see, is that why the scene was so chaotic ..." When i looked inside the guild, there were many people around the counter looking for information. Originally, the Guild building seemed to have been made sturdy, and many people had evacuated, and those who had returned from the defensive battle had joined them, and it seemed that they were confused. "It''s true! The Salamander really disappeared!" "Will I get a share after it was subjugated? What will happen to my share!" "Is it okay to go back to town? Rumor has it that Lizardmen have appeared." "Idiot, the Lizardmen were helping put out the fire. Weren''t they tamed?" "I''ve never heard of a tamed Lizardman!" "Then, do you know of any other Gigawolves that have been tamed like Bran!" The guild staff were working at the counter, but they didn''t have accurate information, so it seemed that all they could do was ask them to wait. Even in the space behind the counter, the staff were running around, and at the center of it all was Master Reese''s assistant, Rita-san. She had a cool beauty that suited her ice blue short hair, but her expression showed a tiredness that couldn''t be hidden. I called out as I stepped out of the shield of darkness. "It looks like Master Reese is away." "Kent-san, it was you after all." "I received a request ... Such a thing, I didn''t have time to do that, so I cleaned up the Salamander." "Thank you very much. There are some problems with the procedures, but I am grateful that you gave priority to the subjugation as it was an emergency situation." "Normally, it''s bad manners to intercept another adventurer''s opponent, isn''t it?" "Yes, but in this case, the situation was beyond the control of the people of Bakkenheim alone, so I have no intention of protesting from my side. It will only be the amount of money for selling the Salamander, but ..." "I don''t mind. It would be a problem if I claimed the rights of the Salamander, but in a sense, I subjugated it on my own, and I didn''t negotiate the reward in advance, so I don''t intend to demand that much." A staff member who didn''t know me was watching in surprise as I suddenly appeared and talked to Rita-san in a friendly manner. "Kent-san, I heard that the Lizardmen were helping put out the fires ..." "It''s my genus. They can use water magic, so I asked them to help put out the fires." "is that so. Salamanders appear in Bakkenheim only once every few decades, so it seems that the garrison''s response wasn''t working well, and there was a shortage of personnel to deal with the fires in the city. I think the situation would have been different if Lau-** had been here ..." "Speaking of which, where is Reese-san?" "Yes, Master Reese is on her way to Briechberg." Breichberg was said to be the center of commerce and industry in the Republic of Landshelt, and it was also the center of politics where meetings to decide national policies were held. Even though it was closer to Volzard, it took two days on a fast horse. It seemed that they sent a bird to let them know that the Salamander was approaching yesterday afternoon, but they had only just arrived. "If the news arrives, will Reese-san be able to come back?" "Yes, I think she can come back if she hears of the Salamander ..." "Since the subjugation is over, is there no need to come back?" "That''s right. This much damage has been done, so I think there will be confusion, but it won''t be enough to require Master to come back and deal with it." [ Reinhardt, have you ever been to Breichberg? ] [ I have. Leave it to me if you need a guide. ] "Rita-san, should I let Reese-san know?" "Is that okay?" "Yeah, it''s a ship I boarded, and it''s easy for me to move around." "Thank you very much. By all means, please." After learning where Master Reese was staying, I decided to head to Breichberg. I asked Rita to summarize the extent of the damage while waiting for me to return. [ Then, Kent-sama, would you like to go? ] "Yup, I''m counting on you." I was heading to a city I had never been to, but Reinhardt guided me through the shadow space, so there was nothing like the emotion of a trip. [ Hou, the city has developed considerably. ] "Isn''t it as good as Aldaros, the Royal Capital of Resenburg?" [ The place where we are now was outside the city when these us were alive. ] We were just peeking out of the shadows, but it was so lively that I would think I was in the middle of the city. "Umm ... Which way is the Guild?" [ The direction of that tall tower is the center of the city. The Breichberg Guild is over there too. ] "I will move to that tower once and look at it from above." [ Shall we do that. ] The tower, which was about five floors above the ground, was like a monument to a church, and it wasn''t made for people to climb, but it didn''t matter to us who could hide in the shadows. Looking down from near the top of the tower, the city of Breichberg seemed to spread out along the highway like liquid seeping out. "Unlike Volzard, there is no need to build a wall, so I guess it will spread like this." [ That''s right, it''s not that far from Bakkenheim, but it seems that the frequency of which monsters appear is greatly decreased. ] "Maybe it''s because there isn''t a forest like the Irosun Great Forest nearby?" [ That''s probably the biggest factor. ] Breichberg was surrounded by pastures and cultivated land, and although there was a thicket of trees, there was no deep forest. Perhaps, not only monsters, but also wild animals appeared less frequently. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be better to do sightseeing after finishing your errand? ] "That''s right. I almost forgot the most important thing." Let''s look for Master Reese at the Breichberg Guild, which can be seen from the tower. CH 247 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 247 Messenger ***---*** If information were transmitted at the same speed as in Japan, Breichberg might have been talking about the Salamander. The Guild may have been invaded by people who were concerned about the safety of their relatives and friends in Bakkenheim, as well as those who wanted to subdue the Salamander. However, the Breichberg Guild that I looked inside was very peaceful, and there wasn''t even a shred of bloodlust in it. "I guess the information hasn''t been communicated yet." [ Or maybe they''re controlling information. ] "Ehh, why is that? Wouldn''t it be a problem if someone went to Bakkenheim without knowing the situation?" [ Even if Bakkenheim suffers devastating damage, they will come back after encountering refugees in the villages along the way. ] "I see, they''ll know before they get there, so if they let them go there, there''s no problem." [ That''s right. Besides, Breichberg is a commercial city. If inaccurate information spreads, there is a concern that it will adversely affect commercial activities. ] "I see, so they''re refraining from announcing information until they know the exact situation." I didn''t know the details, but if I were to compare it to Japan, it would be like stock prices going up and down depending on various information. I thought it would take some times to find her whereabouts, but Master Reese was in the Guild Guest House. She wore her usual skimpy dancer-like outfit, and she was lying on the sofa smoking her pipe as usual. In the room was the escort, Lau-san, as well as the figure of Gunther, who looked restless and unable to calm down. "Haa ... Is it okay if you''re so relaxed?" "Hou, Kent is it? Lau, there''s no need to return." "Ho!Ho!Ho!, that''s helpful because traveling is difficult for the elderly." Lau-san, who was sitting quietly on the sofa, seemed to be calm, and he didn''t seem to be in a hurry either. "It looks like there was a lot of damage done." "Fuun, to be in such a situation with something like a Salamander, it seems like the garrison''s level of proficiency is declining year by year. Besides, if Kent is here, the subjugation is over, isn''t it?" "Maa, I finished subjugating it, but fires broke out all over the city, and there were casualties." "Really now, that''s a poor response." "Ho!Ho!Ho!, that Andel boy must have had a heavy load." "Fuun, he''s not even old enough to be called a boy ... He''s still just a brat in my mind ..." It seemed that the Andel boy that Lau-san mentioned was the current Lord of Bakkenheim. "Is that Andel-san a no-good Lord?" "Compared to the former King of Resenburg, he is far better, but should I say that his ideals are a little too high, or that he doesn''t see the reality ..." "It''s not that it''s bad to try it, but does it feel like it''s not in line with reality?" "Exactly. If only Andel was as flexible as Kent ..." "Is he that straight-laced?" "He''s a completely straight-laced person, he goes so far as to preach at me to refrain from wearing slovenly clothes every time he sees me." Reese-san shrugged her shoulders in exasperation. "What a waste ... No, no, rather than that, aren''t you both too calm?" At my words, Gunther, who was waiting in the corner of the room, nodded with all his might. "Even if we are in a rush, we can''t move around like Kent. In that case, just wait for the follow-up report and if the damage is small, just return as it is. If the damage is large, we will have no choice but to get support from Breichberg and then return." "That, that may be true, but ..." It was true that it would take two days to travel from Bakkenheim to Breichberg by horse, or three days by carriage. If Bran pulled the cabin, they may be back in two days, but it was more likely that the commotion would be over by the time they returned. "Most likely Andel was stingy." "Stingy ...?" "Kent, do you know how to respond when a Salamander approaches the city?" "Umm, gather water-attribute mages and threaten it from getting closer ...?" "Do you think a Salamander will go to another place just because of that?" "If it thinks the city is tough, shouldn''t it aim for other places?" "Maa, if it''s not hungry, then just that alone might make it pull out." "If it''s not starving ... Maybe, you''re fishing with bait?" "Right, that''s right, as I thought, Kent is smart." When the Salamander approaches the city, they threaten it with water-attribute magic and then lure it away from the city by running decoy livestock. "At this time of year, the direction of the wind is from the west, so the herd of livestock should run from a place west of the town towards the forest to the south. It''s also important to make sure they''re scattered." "I see, so the Salamander is attracted to the smell of blood and returns to the forest?" "First, keep it away from the city so that it doesn''t cause damage to the city. The decoy livestock may be eaten by monsters other than the Salamander, but if that happens, that monster will become the decoy instead." "But, will the Salamander ever appear again?" "That will happen, but if you can buy time, it is possible to make a request for Kent. Other than Kent, adventurers who want to make a name for themselves when they hear Salamander will start subjugating it. They could have prevented a situation that would cause damage to the city." Certainly, I didn''t see the Salamander chasing a decoy. "Are they stingy with using that decoy?" "Because Bakkenheim is an academic city, they don''t raise livestock such as cows and pigs in the city. Horses are the only decoy they can use, and horses are expensive." "Does it feel like the city was burned down because they were stingy with horses?" "Kent, how many places were set on fire?" "Umm ... Please wait a moment." [ Kent-sama, we just confirmed that there were fires in 14 places, and about a third of them resulted in casualties. ] [ Thank you, Basten. ] Far from being responsive, the ability of my genus is such that they respond before I even ask.(TN:It says something about rather than them making a sound after being struck, they make a sound before being struck.) When I told her about the fires, Reese-san frowned. "If it''s just that much, it''s not enough to make the city of Bakkenheim stop functioning, but it''s not a small amount of damage. I have to chastise that Andel when I return." "Ho!Ho!Ho!, he''s a troublesome brat, isn''t he." Uwaa, I wondered if Lau-san would do the chastising ... I might feel a little sympathetic. Afterwards, when I talked about the defensive battle, Reese-san let out a sigh of exasperation, and it seemed that more and more people would receive a scolding. After that, Reese-san invited me to have lunch together at the cafeteria attached to the guild. Gunther went to secure seats ahead of us, so it wouldn''t be surprising if this person showed up. "Wait, why are you here!" Bran''s owner, Ruija, the self-proclaimed Monster User of Bakkenheim, was looking at me with dissatisfied eyes. "Me, is it, I''m a messenger from Bakkenheim." "Messenger? Master, when are we leaving for Bakkenheim?" "When are we leaving? That''s right, the morning of the day after tomorrow ..." "Such a thing! A Salamander is attacking, and at this rate Bakkenheim will ..." "If it''s the Salamander, Kent over there has already taken care of it." "Haaahh? This guy, there''s no way ..." At Reese-san''s words said with a grin, Ruija didn''t seem to believe them at all. "Speaking of which, Kent, how did you defeat it?" "Umm ... I used the repatriation technique to move it high in the sky, and while it was fallen and couldn''t move, I finished it off by cutting its brain with a knife through space." "Ho!Ho!Ho!, it seems like it''s a lie that the two of you were struggling to defeat one Goblin." "That, that''s because Lau-san said to only use physical strengthening magic. If I apply the repatriation technique, I could also cut the Salamander in two on the spot. Maa, it would be a problem if the value of the material dropped, so I won''t do that." "Ho!Ho!Ho!, it''s like a Salamander is being treated as a Goblin. As expected of an S-rank." Perhaps they heard Lau-san''s words, and a commotion spread out in the dining room. "I, I won''t admit it. Unless I see it with my own eyes, I won''t recognize you as an S-rank!" "Didn''t you see me destroy the bandits at Rivarre Pass?" "Th, that''s because of the monsters you''re using, isn''t it? It''s not your own strength." "Yes, yes, please think as you wish. As long as I''m certified by the Guild, that''s fine, besides, I don''t care about my rank." "Kuu, cheeky, so cheeky!" After that, Ruija tried to lash out, but when Reese-san said it was noisy, she had no choice but to keep her mouth shut. Or rather, the customers around us are strangely paying attention to me, and I can''t relax even when I''m eating. Maa, even if I didn''t like it, I would be exposed to the public''s gaze because of Reese-san''s presence. While drinking tea after the meal, we returned to the topic of Bakkenheim. "Kent, have you finished extinguishing all the fires in Bakkenheim?" "Yes, there should be no more burning places." Perhaps, her motive is to attract attention and spread information about Bakkenheim. "Were there about a dozen victims?" "I don''t know the exact numbers, but I think it''s about the same in the city ..." "What''s that, did the defensive line for threatening the Salamander take damage?" "About seven adventurers who carelessly acted fell prey." "Kent, why don''t you add the Salamander to your genus?" "To my genus ... I didn''t think about doing that." Honestly, until Reese-san told me, I never imagined the Salamander becoming my genus. It could also be given the fire attribute, so if I made it a genus, the attack power and appearance would be unquestionable. "Hmm ... I''ll think about it." "Ku!Ku!Ku!, Kent is going to become more and more vicious." "That''s not true at all. All my genus are gentle." No, no, why is Lau-san shrugging his shoulders. That, well, I exterminated the bandits at Rivarre Pass, but that was because they were bandits. "Maa, it''s fine Kent, go back and report to Rita. If a shop that has suffered damage asks for a loan, pay a lump sum even before the damage is confirmed. Also, don''t give rewards to the adventurers who left their post." "Understood, I''ll let her know. So, Reese-san will return after finishing the meeting as planned?" "That''s right, we should be back in about five days." "Then, I''ll go tell Rita-san the message." When I returned to the Bakkenheim Guild, the commotion was still going on there. Some asked where the Salamander had disappeared to, some asked for daily wages for subjugation, and some asked for compensation for the goods destroyed by the water used to extinguish the fire. Yup, that fire extinguishing work was done by Zae and the others. It would be intolerable if I was asked to compensate even though I was doing it with good intentions. When I was about to report and go home, Rita-san was caught by Graciela-san. "Well then, you''re saying Kent stole the Salamander, right?" "You say he stole it, but Ciela, wasn''t it too much for you guys to handle?" "E, even if that''s the case, if an adventurer from another city steals it without asking, Bakkenheim would lose face." "Even if that''s the case, I heard that many of the adventurers who participated in the defense left their post and fled. If the Salamander had stepped into the city, how much damage would it have caused." "That''s true, but it didn''t actually step inside, and if we still cooperated with the strength of the garrison ..." "Did you really want to fight the Salamander that much? Aahh, Rita-san, I informed Reese-san. For those who have suffered damage and applied for a loan, you should give a lump sum payment even before the damage is confirmed ... Also, it seems that the adventurers who ran away won''t receive any reward." "Kent, you ..." Graciela-san glared at me when I put out a shield of darkness behind Rita-san and stepped out to speak to her. She''s a woman, but she''s nearly 180 centimeters tall and has a macho figure. "Regardless of whether I want to fight or not, that''s Bakkenheim''s prey." "Prey, is it ... Bakkenheim seemed to be the prey ... Or should I say, adventurers were actually killed." "That''s because they attacked carelessly." "Rita-san said it too, but quite a few adventurers ran away, didn''t they?" "Even so, that''s Bakkenheim''s ..." "Rather, how did you plan to defeat it? Could you manage to defeat it?" "That is, in cooperation with the garrison ..." "Is that so, then, shall I go to the southern continent, find a lively Salamander, and deliver it?" "Please stop. I know it''s a joke, but it would be troublesome while Master is away." "I, I''m sorry. Of course I''m joking." I was more scared of Rita-san, who changed her expression and narrowed her eyes, than Graciela-san, who seemed to be grinding her teeth, so I apologized without thinking. "Ciela, I understand how you feel about the adventurers of Bakkenheim. However, it''s true that we couldn''t handle it, no matter how much you try to bring up the theory of principle that adventurers should not interfere with the prey of others. If you can''t accept that, you don''t have the right to call yourself an A-rank adventurer." "Kuu ... Alright, I''ll hand over the Salamander. However, please properly pay the reward for those who participated in the subjugation." "Of course, I will pay them. However, I will not pay those who abandoned their post. Tell me exactly who stayed and who abandoned their post." "Alright, I''ll look into it and report it here." After finishing negotiations with Rita with a deep furrow between her eyebrows, Graciela-san glared at me again. "Kent, I will treat this matter as a loan. But, if you repeat the same thing, we will take that into consideration as well. Remember that ..." After saying what she wanted to say, Graciela-san turned her back and walked away. She was probably not a bad person at heart, but she was a troublesome person. "Kent-san, I''m truly sorry. Ciela seems to have too strong of feelings for Bakkenheim ..." "I don''t mind. If she says it''s stealing, it''s stealing. From now on, I will do it after receiving a request." "Alright, but the damage will increase ..." "But, that''s up to the adventurers of Bakkenheim, isn''t it? This time, I just happened to visit to see how it was for the convenience of dropping off a member of the Volzard Family, it''s not like I''m permanently stationed in Bakkenheim." "That''s right. Kent-san is an adventurer based in Volzard, so it''s absurd to ask so much. I''m sorry." After that, when I told her about Reese-san and Lau-san in Breichberg, Rita-san placed her hand on her forehead and sighed deeply. Aahh, she worked with those two on a daily basis and must have been having a lot of trouble. "Thank you very much. I will transfer the reward for this message as well." "No, no, for me, if it''s just that much, I don''t mind doing it." "That''s not going to work. I''m asking an S-rank adventurer to run an errand, so I''ll pay you." "I don''t mind if you don''t mind, then please transfer it appropriately. Aahh, also ... Could you turn your back for a moment? Yes, just don''t move ..." "Kent-san, what ... This is!" She must have been busy with Salamander countermeasures, and Rita-san''s expression was deeply tired. Therefore, I put my hand on her back and cast healing magic to heal her. "This is a service. If Rita-san collapses, Bakkenheim will be in trouble."(TN:He actually calls it ''jinchuu'', which is a way of providing comfort for someone hard at work as a sign of support, but I''m not sure what exactly to call it, ''courtesy call'' doesn''t exactly sound right.) "Thank you very much. But, it would have been easier if I just collapsed ..." "That''s ... I can only tell you to do your best." "I see, Kent-san, would you accept me as your wife?" "Haaahh? Wh, what''s with this all of a sudden ..." "As you can see, I will do the work of managing the Bakkenheim Guild." "No, no, even if you say that ..." "Fufufu ... I''m joking. But, when Master returns, shall I say that ... along with a letter of resignation." "No, no, no, that''s no joke." "Fufufu ... I''m just kidding." Of course, it must be a joke, and even if I knew that I was being teased as a means of relief, Rita-san normally looked so serious, so I was shocked. Or rather, if I was wandering around, I was afraid I would be asked to do something unnecessary again, so I decided to leave. Before returning to Volzard, I went to check on the state of the town of Bakkenheim. Fortunately, the academy''s dormitory, where the summoning was originally scheduled, escaped damage. Even so, a fire seemed to have broken out less than 50 meters away, and several houses had burned to the ground. "As expected, a Salamander''s attack seems to have tremendous power." [ Since Salamander flame bullets are synthesized with magical power, they are said to burn more easily than normal flames. ] "Could it be, is it hard to erase with normal water?" [ That''s correct. It was the correct answer to instruct Zae-tachi to use water magic to extinguish the fires. ] At the scene of the fire, there were people who were starting to clean up, and there were also people who were standing dumbfounded. Seeing such a scene reminded me of when Takayama set Marcel-san''s shoe store on fire. Speaking of which, I haven''t seen Takayama lately. When I return to Volzard, I should give him some troublesome work. CH 248 Cheat Magician (Hazure Hantei) Chapter 248 Flamme ***---*** After returning to Volzard and reporting the situation in Bakkenheim to Klaus-san, I moved to the Devil''s Forest training ground. In the center of the training ground lay the subdued salamander. [ Kent-sama, are you going to make the Salamander your genus? ] "Hmm, I''m thinking about what to do." This time I just subjugated an average-sized Salamander. The combined size of its head and torso was only about one size larger than Nero''s, but when combined with its thick and strong tail, it was almost double the size. To put it simply, it was a size that couldn''t be used indoors at all. Nero and Zeta-tachi could only come out in a large room like in a royal castle or a Lord''s Mansion, but in the case of the Salamander, the tail seemed like it would get in the way. "If you cut the tail ... It wouldn''t be cool anymore ..." [ In terms of strength, I think that the current genus are enough. ] "Maa, that''s right, but when the Goblin outbreak occurred, the Salamanders arrived and it became a pinch." [ That''s right. The Goblins who stopped for a while came to Volzard because they were afraid of the Salamander. ] "If you think about it the other way around, if the Salamander arose from the Volzard side, the Goblins would have been able to be pushed back." [ In terms of intimidation, it seems it would be more effective than Nero and Zeta-tachi. ] "And, when the horde from the maximum outbreak comes rushing in, Volzard will be upwind, right?" [ I see, if you let the Salamander attack from the windward side, you can spread the fire in the Devil''s Forest and push even further. ] "Maa, it might not go so well, but I thought it might be useful as a deterrent." A Salamander''s flame bullets were also impressive in appearance. Even if a Griffon came flying in, if you kept it in check with flame bullets, the chances of it treating the area as its territory would decrease. If I had one complaint, it was that it wasn''t fluffy, but even if I say that, Reinhardt-tachi who were Skeletons, and Zae-tachi who were Lizardmen were also here. "Okay, will you become my genus?" When I concentrated my attention and imagined connecting the passage, the Salamander woke up right after I felt like I had my magical power sucked out. "Guruuuuuu ..." A large eyeball with a vertically open iris was staring at me while making a guttural rumble that echoed in its stomach. "Will you be my genus?" "Guruuuu ..." The Salamander nodded with its big head. "Then, I''ll strengthen you and give you the fire attribute." I threw a pile of magic stones into the Salamander''s large mouth, and placed both hands on its nose to strengthen and enchant it. As the dark haze enveloped me and the Salamander, an image flowed into my head. A Salamander that grew up in a forest overgrown with tropical plants fell into a crevice in a cave and found itself transported to an unfamiliar forest cave. It was a very worrisome image, but let''s prioritize strengthening and enchanting for now. The scales that covered the body were given the dark attribute, and other attribute magic would be repelled. Strengthen muscle strength so that even a large body can move quickly. Then, add the fire attribute and it''s done. The reddish-brown scales turned moist and a glossy jet black, and the body had become firmer and more defined. It felt like a completely different monster from a Salamander, but it was more powerful. Its eyes were glaringly golden, and it felt like they were coldly piercing its prey. "Your name is Flamme." "Hey! Nice to meet you, Aniki." "Ehh ... Aahh, yup, nice to meet you." "Let''s work hard! Everyone, it''s nice to meet you!" Huh? I imagined it to be friendly because its appearance was a little scary, but I think it gave a bit too much influence. "Now, Aniki, where do you want me to start a fire? Something is filling up my body, and if it''s now, let''s turn this area into a sea of fire!" "No, no, you don''t have to burn things indiscriminately ... Rather, you can''t burn it." "Is that so? I gotcha. If Aniki says so, I won''t burn it. Wow, this place, it''s a very nice forest!" Flamme looked around, stretched out and looked into the distance, and looked somewhat restless. However, my genus should have inherited their original personality, so I wonder if Flamme was originally like this? "Hey, Flamme." "What is it, Aniki." "Flamme, you lived in a warmer forest, didn''t you?" "That''s right. It''s the first time in my life that it''s this cold." "Did you fall into a crevice in the depths of a cave, and move to a cave in this place?" "That''s right. Huh, I wonder what happened." The sight of a giant Salamander twisting its neck and thinking was quite humorous. [ Kent-sama, what are you talking about? ] "Yup, it''s the image I saw when I strengthened Flamme, but maybe the cave in the southern continent and the cave in the Bakkenheim forest are connected." [ Previously, Reese-dono said that a new dungeon might have been created, but it might be that. ] "I wonder if the previous group of Ogres also wandered in from the southern continent?" [ That possibility is high. ] In a sense, it was more dangerous than Volzard because it was connected to the southern continent where monsters roamed. "Hey, Flamme, how big was that cave?" "That''s right, it''s a size that I could easily pass through, so it''s pretty big." "Is the cave on this side about the same?" "This side is a little narrower, but it''s basically the same." "Uwaa ... That''s a little bad. Reinhardt, let''s go inform Bakkenheim." [ That would be best. Large monsters don''t always appear every day, but if you don''t prepare for them, you''ll move late. ] I wanted Flamme to stay with Nero and the others, and I dived into the shadows with Reinhardt and Mart-tachi, heading for Bakkenheim. Somehow today I was busy going back and forth. At the Bakkenheim Guild, although the chaos was subsiding, the staff were busy moving around. At the desk at the far end of the staff space, Rita was standing and giving instructions. Or rather, there were piles of papers on the desk, and if she sat down, she couldn''t see her surroundings. In order not to surprise her, I put out a shield of darkness where she could see it and went out. "Sorry to bother you when you''re busy." "Kent-san, do you need something?" "Yes, it''s not exactly good news ..." "Haa ... That, is it something I can handle?" "Hmm ... But, I can''t afford not to tell you ..." "I understand. Do you mind if we talk here?" "Hmm ... If possible, a separate room would be better." "Then, this way ... I''ll leave for a while!" Rita-san called out to a nearby staff member and guided me to another room. "So, what do you want to talk about?" "Yes, it seems that a cave in the Bakkenheim forest and a cave in the southern continent are connected." "Haa? The caves are connected ... ?" "Yes, actually, I added the Salamander I subjugated to my genus ..." "Yes? You made the Salamander your genus?" "Yes, that''s right ..." The cool beauty Rita-san, had a surprised look like a pigeon who had been shot by a peashooter, but as the story progressed her expression stiffened. "Is it something that someone intentionally set up?" "Maa, I didn''t actually go there and check it out, so I don''t know." "Are they still connected at this point?" "I don''t know about that either, but Flamme ... According to the Salamander who is my genus, it doesn''t feel like they''re directly connected, but rather it seems like they''re connected with something like a distortion of space." "Will another powerful monster like a Salamander appear again?" "If it gets lost in the cave on the southern continent, conceivably ..." "Haa ... Why is it when Master isn''t around ..." After holding her head in her hands, Rita-san suddenly raised her head and cast a piercing gaze at me. "Kent-san, could you investigate and close the cave?" "Hmm ... Aren''t you relying too much on an outside power? If I did it and later Graciela-san found out about it, it would be troublesome ..." "That''s right, it''s certainly as you say. I will discuss with the captain of the garrison and the high-ranked adventurers." "Please do so." "However, if Bakkenheim alone cannot handle it, I will send a nomination request to Volzard, so please keep that in mind." "I understand." After shaking hands with Rita-san, I dived into the shadows. [ Kent-sama, is it okay if you don''t go to investigate? ] "Yup, I''m curious, but it''s not like I can do everything." [ That''s right. There''s also the case of Barshania''s monster-fallen and the case of the Calvine Territory. If you hold on to too much, you might not be able to move around. ] The southern continent seemed to have a higher density of monsters than the Devil''s Forest, and if a horde of Ogres or Salamanders appeared, I might not be able to let my guard down. However, this was Bakkenheim''s problem, and above all, it was like the Bakkenheim garrison and adventurers would be judged as useless if I interfered from the beginning. Maa, if I looked at the subjugation of the Ogres and the response with the Salamander, their skill was doubtful, but I didn''t want to be called out for something like stealing credit again. "Then, if I don''t get back to the boarding house soon, I''ll miss dinner." [ Amanda-dono and Meisa-chan are waiting impatiently. ] "I don''t know about that, but I have to go home before it''s cleaned up." Amanda-san''s dining room seemed to be a success tonight, and Meisa-chan was also busy helping out at the restaurant. "I''m back just now!" "Aahh, welcome back Kent, please wait a little longer." "Kent is in the way, so go upstairs!" "Yes, yes, understood. I''ll be on the second floor." Until the end of last year, Meline-san was training, so the number of workers had decreased by one, so she must be extra busy. Speaking of which, I should show up at Meline-san''s newly opened shop, shouldn''t I. Kartz-san must have already gone. But, if that Meline-san started serving delicious food, her restaurant would definitely prosper. It seemed that the number of customers who were there for Meline-san would increase, and Kartz-san couldn''t be careless. In my room on the second floor, the bed had been extended recently, so when I opened the door, it almost felt like it could be called a bed. As soon as I took off my shoes and sprawled on the bed, Mart and the others came up to me. Hmm ... Mofumofu, it''s healing, isn''t it. "Goshujin-sama is working too much." "Right, right, play with us more." "Right right, pat us more." "Yes, yes, that''s right. Let''s do our best tomorrow, and let''s all relax on the day of rest." Lying on the futon, if mofumofu, surisuri is done, I will be attacked by drowsiness.(TN:surisuri is snuggling/cuddling.) I wonder if I should doze off until dinner ... As I thought such, Fred came back. [ Kent-sama ... Tomorrow evening, the managers will gather ... ] "Does that mean they''re planning something?" [ Maybe not ... They seem to meet regularly ... ] According to Fred''s research, the five mine managers in the Calvine Territory held meetings on weekend nights. For the time being, it was hosted by Havre, and it seemed that it was being held at the Calvine Family''s Mansion. "Perhaps it''s a regular meeting ... But, right now they''re stuck in the snow and can''t get any information, right?" [ I guess so. But, Kent-sama, you can see their personality at such gatherings. ] "I see, it''s a situation where they don''t know about Havre''s safety, so it might be necessary to see how the five managers move." The Lord of the Calvine Territory, Margrave Havre Calvine, was being held in a dungeon for plotting a rebellion. I heard that he was tortured repeatedly and that he was going to die in prison without any treatment, but I have not heard of Havre''s life or death after that. I''ve heard from Camilla that Havre''s life or death won''t be revealed. "If the opinions of the five of them are divided, should I provoke them to self-destruction?" [ If you use the strategy well, it will bring about great results, but if you use it poorly, it will have the opposite effect. ] "In this case, on the contrary, it will strengthen their unity ... Is it like that?" [ The Calvine Territory is closed off with snow, and time has been granted, but as soon as the snow melts, the stopped clock begins to move. Those five are, so to speak, a community of destinies. A superficial strategy will only make the situation worse. ] "In that case, it''s wiser to focus on reconnaissance this time." [ That''s fine, isn''t it. ] As if in response to Fred''s return to the Calvine Territory, I heard footsteps pattering up the stairs. "Kent, Kent, food ... Unfair! You''re the only one gets to sleep with Mofumofu!" "Later, Meisa-chan will sleep with us, right. We won''t run away, so it''s okay." "Muu, Kent is unfair." "Because Meisa-chan was helping in the dining room, she can''t sleep with Mart-tachi." "Then, Kent should work too." "Eeehhh ... I''ve worked hard. I went to Bakkenheim, returned to Volzard, went to Bakkenheim again, went to Breichberg, returned to Bakkenheim, came back to Volzard, then I went to Bakkenheim again, and then came back." Meisa-chan''s eyes widened when I told her that I had been moving all day. "He~y, you guys, if you don''t come down quickly, I''ll have you skip dinner!" "We''re going now, Mother, Kent has been drifting around all day!" "Hey, Meisa-chan, I wasn''t just drifting around!" While eating dinner, Amanda-san and Meisa-chan looked at each other when I told them that Bakkenheim had been attacked by a Salamander and that the Salamander I subjugated was added to my genus. "Kent, umm ... Is it okay?" "Yes, Amanda-san, you''ve met Nero the Storm Cat and Zeta-tachi the Gigawolves, haven''t you. Just like that, the Salamander joined my genus." "It''s just ... Even if you say that." "It''s troublesome if you turn it into an enemy, but it''s reassuring if you turn it into an ally." Both Amanda-san and Meisa-chan looked skeptical, so I introduced Flamme behind the restaurant after dinner. As expected, it would cause a fuss if other people saw it, so I surrounded us with shields of darkness and asked for it to come out. "Flamme, these are Amanda-san and Meisa-chan, whom I''m indebted to." "Hello, I''m Flamme. It''s nice to meet you!" When the jet-black Flamme slowly came out from the shield of darkness, both of them stiffened their bodies, but after being greeted in a light tone, this time they froze with their mouths open. Yup, as expected, parent and child have the same reaction. "Aniki, those two, what are they doing?" "They''re surprised because it''s the first time they''ve seen a Salamander that is alive and speaks words." "Is that so, wow ... I was a little worried because I thought they might have disliked me." "Aahh, I''m sorry. As Kent said, I was surprised because I had never seen a Salamander so close. I''m Amanda, and this is my daughter Meisa. It''s nice to meet you." "What a polite fellow, it''s nice to meet you!" Amanda-san''s freeze seemed to have been resolved, but Meisa-chan remained frozen. Giigii ... with a movement that seemed to make such a sound, Meisa-chan turned her gaze to me.(TN:A slow creaking noise.) "Meisa-chan, would you like to touch it? It''s ''sube sube'', ''su~be sube''."(TN:Sfx for smooth/sleek/silky) Meisa-chan kept her eyes wide open as if her eyeballs were about to fall out and nodded. Ordinary Salamanders were rugged, but Flamme was designed to be all smooth and velvety when enhanced, so you could only slightly feel the difference in scales. The scales were not only hard, but also supple and had a slippery sheen. "Fuwaaaah ... ''tsuru tsuru'' and ''sube sube'' ... it feels good."(TN:tsuru tsuru is smooth/slippery.) When she stroked the nape of Flamme''s neck, who was lying flat on the ground, she narrowed her eyes after seeing it felt good. "If there''s a large number of Goblins, Flamme will mow them down." "This me, will do it when I have to!"(TN:Flamme calls itself ''Orecchi'' which is a cutesy way of saying of saying ''I'' for males.) Amanda-san''s cheeks loosened at Flamme''s light tone, which felt a gap between its frightening appearance. It seemed that Flamme would be able to get along as a new genus. CH 249 Managers'' evening party ***---*** During this time of year, the Calvine Territory was covered in deep snow. The wind from the southwest carried moist air from the sea, hitting the mountains and turning into snow. The roads connecting the neighboring countries on the plains were also covered in snow, and the pass roads could only be passed by sleds pulled by large dogs or large deer that lived in snowy areas called Varka. Even with a sled, there were many difficult spots along the way, and those who were unfamiliar with it would fall to the bottom of the valley, and they wouldn''t even be able to be found until spring. Surrounded by mountains and covered in snow, the Calvine Territory continued to be mined during the winter. The roads to the tunnels and waterways that used spring water had been built throughout the city, and people threw accumulated snow into them to secure passage. However, it snowed almost every day, so the area around the city was a silvery white world. Overlooking the snow-covered city, Havre Calvine''s castle served as a gathering place for the city''s rulers while the Lord was away. Five men and women were sunk in the luxurious sofas set in the drawing room. Overlooking the five of them, a chubby man sat in a seat with his back to the fireplace, and an elderly man sat behind the young female participant. [ Kent-sama, that stout man is the housekeeper Hegel, and the man standing there is Magnifica''s butler Lore. ] After the attendant finished placing the tea and snacks, Hegel stood up with his arms outstretched in a theatrical gesture. "Everyone, I would like to thank you all for coming here despite the bad weather. Well then, let''s start the meeting. First of all, from this week''s yield ..." Hegel was a small man, about 160 centimeters, and paled in comparison to the giant Havre. I felt that his theatrical gestures and tone of voice were meant to put up a front so as not to be underestimated by the five managers. The regular meeting started with a report on the quantity and quality of ore produced from each mine. Which mountain, which depth, which direction was dug, and what kind of results were obtained ... For an amateur like me, I couldn''t understand it at all, but some of the managers took notes and repeated calculations. [ Hey, Basten, are those reported numbers correct? ] [ I wonder about that, perhaps when Havre was there, they would have reported the correct numbers because they couldn''t attempt an unskilled deception. ] [ Now that Havre is absent, is there anyone who could falsify the numbers? ] [ I don''t know. For these meetings, there may be an unwritten rule to not report false numbers to each other. Here in the Calvine Territory, the situation is that they are at odds with the country, and the five share the same fate. Considering that, it seems likely that the numbers are accurate. ] Even Hegel, who was in charge of the meeting, seemed to be accustomed to handling such numbers, as he was in charge of the Calvine Family. There were occasional questions about the difference from past figures. The amount of output from each mine and the amount of iron contained in them seemed to be roughly within the expected range, so the conversation proceeded in a matter-of-fact manner. "This week''s mining volume, there doesn''t seem to be any problem with the amount of production going forward. Now, let''s talk about the future ... I would like to say that, but unfortunately I have not been able to obtain any new information." "What are you doing. Are you still unable to rescue Havre-sama!" The man who raised his voice was a man in his forties, macho like Havre. "I''m sorry, Lacroix-sama. During the New Year''s raid, we used the knights we recruited as companions, so the discipline and surveillance within the castle have become stricter. On top of that, it''s difficult to get close to the dungeon where Havre-sama is confined." "Isn''t it your job to do something about that!" "That''s true, but ... Every since that Camilla seized control, we''re in a situation where traditional methods such as bribery and threats could reveal our existence." "Tch, that disgusting woman ..." "Hegel, were the knights who took part in the raid executed?" From the side of Lacroix who clicked his tongue, the man who seemed to be the oldest asked with a hoarse voice. He was a lot fatter, and his gray hair was thinning. "Yes, Benoit-sama. The knights who participated in the attacks have already been executed, and their houses have been demolished." "Hegel, wouldn''t it be better for you to think about how you''re going to act?" "That''s right. Maa, I''m nothing more than a servant to the Calvines. If the Lord were to change, I would stay if I thought I needed to, and leave if I thought I didn''t." "You! Do you think that Havre-sama will be removed from the position of Lord! You unfaithful person!" "That''s just an example, Lacroix-sama." Hegel''s forehead glistened with sweat even as he smiled convulsively as Lacroix called him an unfaithful person as he pretended to be calm in response to Benoit''s sarcasm. "Maa, dno''t get so worked up, Lacroix, I dno''t think they think an outsider can rule this Calvine Territory. If they want to lead us, they must show us a suitable vessel. Isn''t that right?" "I know that much. But ... I don''t like the season when we''re closed in this damned snow." Even after being soothed by Benoit, Lacroix had a disgusted expression on his face. "When the snow melts, those fools of the royal capital will realize. Calvine''s Territory itself is an impregnable fortress and the linchpin of Resenburg''s industry." "That''s right. This Lacroix-sama will show them things, guhahahaha." "Such a small man ..." "What! Donie, you!" "That''s what I''m saying, blood rushes to your head and you lose your composure. Learn a little from Havre-sama." Donie, who talked Lacroix down, was a fat woman who looked like a Youkai and was said to be in her late fifties.(TN:A Youkai is a monster or demon from Japanese lore.) "Havre-sama didn''t cling to this Calvine Territory, and he was trying to take over all of Resenburg. Don''t be satisfied with just driving away those fools from the royal capital. Show your mettle enough to crush them." "Fuun, I know. However, Kilia''s dead soldiers and the explosives were also suppressed. What can be done." "It''s true that our methods of attacking are decreasing, but look at the royal capital. The King died, the Princes died, and a little girl like Camilla calls herself the King. Do you think the exhausted, dissatisfied nobles will obey?" "That would be impossible. Most of all, the Calvine Territory won''t obey. There''s no way the kingdom can exist without Calvine''s iron and copper." Benoit''s words, which seemed to complement Donie''s assertion, made Lacroix smile like a Hannya. "I don''t like to do it in such a tediously slow way, but I know that sometimes it''s necessary to get great results. If you''re going to show that much confidence, then you should do something, Donie." "This conflict is like a quarrel. If we stop eating, we will immediately raise a ruckus, I guess the people in the royal capital are thinking such. By the time they realize they''ve failed, they will have been driven to a point of no return." "Hou, what are you planning to do. Are you going to go around killing even the brats in the royal capital?" "Kesran, please explain ..." The thin man next to Donie nodded back and quietly began to speak. "We will not rely on illegal means as much as possible, just in case they get to this point." "Don''t be foolish! There''s no way I''ll tolerate the foolishness of the royal capital!" "It''s just in case. Addressing all concerns is the normal course of business." In response to Lacroix''s outrage, Kesran remained expressionless and didn''t even move an eyebrow. "Simply put, we collect iron products in Resenburg and export them to Barshania. Weapons such as swords, spears, and armor cannot cross the border, but there is no problem with tools such as pots and cauldrons. Buy them, sell them, make a profit ... And if there is no iron or copper left in Resenburg ..." "So, they''re going to have to rely on the Calvine Territory?" Kesran nodded back expressionlessly at Lacroix''s Hannya-like smile. "Do you really think it will go that well?" Kesran frowned slightly at the words of the young woman who was sitting to the side of him. "Magnifica, are you saying there''s something wrong?" "It''s a good idea, but how long are you going to keep doing it? If there''s a shortage of iron in the country, exports will be stopped, and food stockpiles are limited." "Grain is densely packed in tunnel number seven which has become an abandoned mine. If you eat normally, it will last for four years, and if you economize, it will last for five years. Meat can be obtained by hunting mountain beasts. Before the deadline comes, I will take as many measures as I can. If we still can''t win, it will only prove us incompetent." "I wonder if the management of tunnel number seven is okay. If it collapses or is flooded, won''t that alone derail the plan?" "It goes without saying that we have strict security. After all, it''s our lifeline." "I see, that''s fine ..." Magnifica lowered her reclining body into the sofa and looked away as if she had lost interest. Her petite body was wrapped in an over-decorated Gothic-Lolita dress, and at first glance she looked young, but if I looked closely, she wore makeup as thick as Donie. I felt like the Youkai degree was higher with this one. [ Even so, to prepare a large amount of food and besiege. And in the meantime, do regular business to cause an iron insufficiency ... ] [ Even though they were cornered to this extent, they still haven''t given up on taking over the country. ] [ Nevertheless, if the secret is revealed, there is nothing they can do. ] [ Buhahaha, only Kent-sama can say that. The people of Resenburg would not be able to dive into the mine shafts and carry out the food, nor would they be able to negotiate with Barshania. ] [ Is that so ... ] As Reinhardt said, if the grain stockpiled in the mine shaft was carried out via the shadow space, their plan would fall apart. [ But you know, in the country I used to live in, people used to besiege people long ago, but I heard that when they ran out of food, people would starve to death, and it was terribly miserable. ] [ That''s right. The only way to ruin the plan is to carry out all the food before it is noticed, and make it so they have no choice but to surrender without even the slightest hope. ] [ That''s right ... Fred, about the materials that Hegel has, investigate where they are stored, including the past ones. ] [ Roger ... I''ll keep it ready to take them away at any time ... ] As expected of my genus, they seem to understand my intentions. [ Are you going to show the production volume and other data to Orlean-tono of the Dukas Company? ] [ Yeah, I don''t understand what''s going on, but if it''s a professional in that field, they should be able to grasp the situation by looking at the materials. ] [ That''s right. Given their attitude, if you look at the numbers going back in time, you can see how Calvine''s mines have developed and how much prospects they have left. ] [ If you can understand the current situation from the origin of the mine, wouldn''t it be possible to proceed with the operation from now on without any problems? ] [ In that case, none of the people here are needed. ] [ After that ... If we secure the safety of the engineers, will everything work out if we work together? ] Orlean-san of the Dukas Company told me that the people who actually operate the mines are the people on the field. It was the same here in the Calvine Territory. Even if you eliminated the five managers, there should be no problem if you create a situation where they can work on site. [ Most of the engineers are under house arrest in collective housing, aren''t they. If I suppress that place, will that settle things? ] [ That''s right, the miners of the Calvine Territory seem to be forced to work day and night. ] According to Basten''s research, mining continued day and night in a so-called three-shift system. [ They say that once you go underground, it doesn''t matter if it''s day or night. ] On top of the three-shift system of work, it seemed that it was good if they got one day off per month, so Basten looked at the five of them with a bitter expression. He was just bones, but I could tell the difference in his facial expressions. [ Check the people who are monitoring the engineers in the housing complexes and tunnels, and check the number. ] [ Are you going to incapacitate them with sleeping pills again? ] [ Right, right, that''s the easiest way, and it seems that these people still don''t know about it. ] [ Roger that, I will split up with Fred and make a list. ] Basten and Fred began to act after nodding to each other. [ Buhahaha, it looks like Kent-sama will clean it up. ] [ Ahh, I see, is it no good if I don''t let Camilla do it ... ] [ If Kent-sama becomes King, there will be no problem. ] [ That''s no good, no good, the people won''t accept it. ] [ It can''t be helped. Then, you should devote yourself to being the Maou who manipulates Camilla-jou from behind as before. ] [ I can''t deny it''s like that, but how can I say it ... ] I couldn''t help but feel that things were going according to the grinning Reinhardt''s plan, but as long as the work of my genus was the main thing, such as carrying out food and disabling the guards, we should come up with a strategy, and it looked like it would be better to move Resenburg''s personnel under Camilla. [ Kent-sama, if you want to take control of the Calvine Territory, I recommend doing it before the snow melts. ] [ Ehh, why is that? If there''s still snow, the knights of Resenburg won''t be able to move. ] [ That''s okay. There will be no problem if Kent-sama repatriates them. [ [ I see, we''re going to suppress these guys while they''re off guard. ] [ That''s right. It''s a normal course of tactics to target the enemy''s unpreparedness. ] [ Okay, let me talk to Camilla for a bit. ] The meeting of the five managers had already derailed from the main topic and had become a mere feast. Since I had no obligation to go along with the boasting of the elderly, I moved to the royal castle of Aldaros. Moving with Hart as a landmark, Camilla had already finished her bath and was about to enjoy a nightcap before bed. "Even though I was scouting the Calvine Territory for Resenburg, it''s outrageous." "M, Maou-sama, I''m terribly sorry." Hart, who was being carried, rushed over to me, and at the same time, Camilla got down on her knees and lowered her head. "I''d like to have a drink too ... But, I know what the managers are aiming for, so let''s finish the conversation first." "What are they up to?" "While continuing a siege, they intend to disturb the steps of the Royal Family." "Are they still being ambitious instead of protecting themselves?" When I told her about the plan to stockpile a large amount of food, stay in the castle for a long time, and export the iron from Resenburg to Barshania during that time, Camilla showed an astonished expression. "Such a plan would fall apart if we closed the border with Barshania ..." "Can you do that?" "Are you talking about blockading the border?" "Yup, can you do it?" "Of course, it is possible. Until now, if relations with Barshania deteriorated ..." Camilla, who cut off her words, opened her eyes wide and stared at me. "Resenburg and Barshania will repair their relationship from now on, right?" "Yes, that''s right. We can''t blockade the border." Camilla must have been thinking of Seraphima, the Princess of Barshania, whom she had yet to see. Countries that had been at odds for many years could not become friends overnight. However, it was also my hope that Resenburg and Barshania would build a friendly relationship. "Since we can''t blockade the border with Barshania, I''m thinking of putting an end to the Calvine situation before iron starts being taken out of Resenburg." "However, we will become completely dependent on Maou-sama again." "Since I and my genus will move in the unseen parts, I will have Camilla and the knights in the visible parts." In other words, we prepare the ingredients and leave the finishing touches to Camilla. When I told her that that I could decide the match all at once while the opponent was off guard when I was ready, Camilla''s expression stiffened. "I will order the knights to select the best personnel." "Yup, that''s fine, but Calvine''s men are still in the castle. Don''t let them know what we''re doing." "Haa ... Are such people still coming in and out. After the New Year commotion, I had a thorough background check done." "Havre-tachi''s methods are cunning. Even the knights who helped the rebellion weren''t originally incompetent people, were they?" "Yes, in order to join the royal knights, it is necessary to overcome a tough selection. All of them should have been competent, but ..." "Even such knights were forced into a situation where they could not resist, so it would be difficult to completely eliminate them from the royal castle where many people work." "Rather than that, you are going to take control of the original Calvine Territory ..." "That''s what I intend to do. Yup, that''s the end of this story. I''ll come back to talk to you when the situation is a little more detailed, so just proceed with the selection of personnel." "As you wish. Umm, Maou-sama, why don''t you take a bath before drinking?" "A bath, is it ..." Certainly, returning to the boarding house and taking a bath now made me feel uncomfortable, and a bath that looks like the royal castle''s pool was attractive. I felt an irresistible charm in a large bath, and this was probably part of my Japanese nature. "If you can keep people away so that the caretaker doesn''t come in ..." "As you wish. So that you can relax slowly, I will clear everyone out." When I asked Camilla to clear everyone away and stepped into the large bathroom, Mart, Mirt, Murt, as well as Hart were already waiting. "Goshujin-sama, we will also enter." "Wash me, wash me." "Me too, wash my stomach." "Yes, yes, everyone in turn." As I soaked in the hot tub, Zeta-tachi peeked their faces out. "Nushi-dono, are we alright?" "U, umm, the hot water will overflow if you all enter at once, so Zeta-tachi take turns." First, I poured hot water over Zeta and put her in the bathtub, and Eta and Theta waited in the washing area, but the hot water still overflowed. "Aaaahhhh, it feels good ..." "Hot water is a very good thing, isn''t it, Nushi-dono." When I stretched my body while leaning against Zeta, my body melted in the hot water. Mart and the others squinted in pleasure as they soaked in the hot water, and in the washing area, Eta and Theta were covered with soap. Flamme also showed his face there. "Aniki, can I come in too?" "Maou-sama, wash your back ... Hiiii ..." Camilla opened the bathroom door, collided with Flamme, and sat down hard and was unable to stand up out of fear. "Ma, ma, ma, Maou-sama, th, th, th ..." "Yup, it''s my new genus, Flamme the Salamander. Or rather, we can''t go in together, so please wait obediently." "Hiyaa, I, I''m sorry ..." You really wanted to enter with me, right? It goes without saying. CH 250 School dormitory ***---*** Even though it was the morning of rest day, Amanda-san''s shop was open as usual, so I woke up at the same time as on weekdays, had breakfast, and visited Bakkenheim. Bakkenheim was damaged by the Salamander attack, but since it was a holiday, the city still seemed to be awake. As I wandered around the city while hiding in the shadows, I could smell the burning building materials left behind where the fires had broken out. "After all, it''s not something that can easily be cleaned up." [ It''s not like when we cleaned up the burnt-out ruins of the shoe store. ] Takayama and the others foolishly burned down Marcel-san''s shop, we surrounded it with shields of darkness, demolished it, and carried it to the Devil''s Forest. It was all over in no time, but normally it took time to dismantle it and move it out. [ Kent-sama, will you undertake the demolition work? If you convert it into an hourly rate, you''ll make a good amount of money. ] "That may be true, but I''m going to refrain from doing so because I''m going to take away jobs from people who have that as their job." I went back to the front of the Guild once, passed through the church grounds, and entered the adjacent grounds. The reason I came to Bakkenheim this morning was to send Baldini, the second son of the Volzard Family, who was supposed to be sent there the other day. I heard that behind the church was the advanced level school dormitory. "Hee, I thought it would be more luxurious because it''s where the Lord''s son lives, but it''s surprisingly simple." [ Kent-sama, there are many sons who are not aristocrats attending the advanced school, and in principle discrimination based on status is prohibited inside. ] It seemed that this had been going on since Reinhardt and the others were alive, whether they were royalty or aristocrats, discrimination based on status was prohibited, and those who disliked it received an education from a private tutor. [ Those who can study at advanced schools are all from wealthy families, with the exception of some who receive scholarships. It seems that there is also the implication that such people will experience the life of the so-called common people. ] "Hee, is that so ... But, that kind of thinking itself feels aristocratic." [ Buhahaha, that is certainly true. ] If it weren''t for the impact of the Salamander attack, the new semester should start tomorrow, but students of my age probably wouldn''t wake up at this time of day on their days off. I decided to go out of the shadows of the building and look for a suitable place to perform the summoning. The building of the dormitory was simple but dignified, and it seemed that the garden trees were well maintained and cleaned. As I walked along the path that wound through hedges, I could hear a person''s voice. It was when I turned the corner of the hedge in the direction of the voice that suddenly caught my interest. "Watch out!" "Ehh, uwaa!" A large water ball suddenly flew at me, and I hurriedly put out a shield of darkness to block it. The shield of darkness had been practiced a lot and I used it as a matter of course on a daily basis, so I could deploy one immediately with the sense of reaching out my hand. "I''m sorry, are you okay?" "Yes, maa ... I''m okay." At the edge of the shield of darkness, there was a girl about the same age as me. The girl apologetically walked up to me, and as soon as she saw me, she raised her eyebrows. "Who are you! This is the girl''s dormitory of the advanced school, men are not allowed to enter." "I, I''m sorry. I think I got lost by mistake." "You got lost? What are you talking about, you can''t enter this garden unless you go through the entrance of the dormitory that is guarded by guards. Where did you get in from! Or are you saying that you climbed over the fence and got lost!" The girl with long light blue hair was a little shorter than me and had triangular ears on her head. She looked like a dog because of her tail, but she looked like a yapping Chihuahua. "Hey! Are you listening properly!" "N, no, no, that''s not true, yes, I''m sorry." "So, who are you. I, expected to serve as the third-year''s chairman, am Adelina Bakkenheim. Now, name yourself!" Uwaa, unlike my chairman, she was a chairman with great vigor. [ Reinhardt, I wonder if it would be better if I gave my name ... ] [ It seems that she is the daughter of the Bakkenheim Family. Didn''t Reese-dono say that her father was a straight-laced person? ] [ Aahh, that''s right. It looks like she''s going to be troublesome, so let''s excuse myself. ] I unfolded a shield of darkness in front of Adelina, who was approaching steadily, and slipped into it to hide in the shadows. "He''s gone! Where! Be obedient and come out!" Adelina started trotting around the garden, but she couldn''t find me in the shadows. I didn''t know there was a girl''s dormitory where boys weren''t allowed, as the map they drew during the explanation only indicated the large dormitory grounds. Or rather, a garden where men are not allowed ... Moreover, girls from wealthy families gathered there ... I''d like to take a peek, but let''s leave that for another time. A similar building was built on the adjacent site, which was separated from the women''s dormitory by a high wall. Apparently, this was the men''s dormitory. Even so, children of nobles and wealthy families were gathered here. If there weren''t such a high fence, there would be people who would climb over it and sneak in. [ Kent-sama, enduring and overcoming trials and tribulations for one''s beloved woman ... There is no low or high status in this romance. ] "I see ... Rather, I feel like nobles have stronger desires." The men''s dormitory looked similar to the women''s dormitory, but instead of a garden, it was a vast riding arena. At first glance, it seemed to be about a kilometer in length, and several people were riding horses with long poles in their hands. [ This is a riding ground for jousting. ] "Are they fighting with javelins?" [ In the Knight Order, we also did such training, but in the case of students, it will be horse jousting as a competition. ] The jousting competition was a competition to see how quickly and accurately a target could be set on the course, and was contested by adding up points and running time, which varied depending on the size of the target. The spears that were used had weight restrictions, but there were no restrictions on length or thickness. [ Long spears are advantageous for aiming at low targets, but they are difficult to handle when aiming at consecutive targets. A short spear would be the opposite. ] It was said that those who aimed at targets by body handling on horseback used short spears, and those who aimed by hand using spear handling used long spears. [ Perhaps, there will be a competition at the beginning of the new year. ] In the direction Reinhardt was pointing, there was a shooting range attached to the riding ground. If the jousting competition was for knight-type people, then there must be a competition for magician-type people as well. Even there, several people had already started practicing, chanting and firing offensive magic at their targets. What they were doing was the same as the Guild''s magician training, but I felt like they were dressed like a nobleman going out hunting, and this was also really weird. [ It must be the upperclassmen who are practicing, they are quite skilled. ] As Reinhardt said, the chant was smooth and the accuracy seemed to be high, but somehow it felt unsatisfactory. [ That must be because Kent-sama has done a lot of battles. ] "I see, everyone is practicing seriously, but it''s because there''s no life-or-death urgency." Even during the Ogre attack in Bakkenheim, all the adventurers fought desperately, although the result was them failing to kill the Rock Ogre. [ Among those who participate in these competitions, there are those who show great feats, but that doesn''t necessarily mean that they will be able to achieve feats in actual combat. ] "Is it no good even if they get accustomed to it?" [ That''s right, if you are someone who has experienced a dangerous battle and still has a heart that doesn''t break, you will be respected by those around you. ] Actually, there were people who had joined the knights based on their achievements in these competitions, but it seemed that there were quite a few who quit because they couldn''t overcome the gap between their ideals and reality. [ It seems that people who live in towns who don''t go to places where adventurer are active can genuinely enjoy these kinds of competitions, but Kent-sama and I would likely feel dissatisfied. ] "I wonder if that''s the case ..." [ For example, let''s see ... In the case of jousting, it would be quicker to mow down the whole pedestal than to hit the target accurately. ] "Aahh, yup, I understood that analogy well. Besides, the target doesn''t attack." [ That''s right. ] In the end, areas such as riding grounds and shooting ranges weren''t very suitable for using summoning due to the large number of people coming and going. Then, I looked around the dormitory and found a suitable spot outside the dormitory. This seemed to be a shared space for those who entered the dormitory to unload their belongings. It seemed that most of the people who moved into the dormitory had finished moving in a few days ago, and it seemed that it was rather empty today, the day before the new semester. Since I found a place where I could use summoning, I headed to the Volzard Lord''s Mansion. Originally, we were supposed to go to Bakkenheim two days ago, so Baldini had finished packing and was in the middle of breakfast with his family. "Good morning." "Ou, Kent, please take care of me today." "Yes, I''ve already finished the preliminary inspection, so I can go anytime." "Good morning, Kent-sama." "Morning, Riche." After hugging Beatriche, who had just left her seat, I was treated to a cup of tea. Augusto-san, who started working as Klaus-san''s right-hand man, asked about the situation at the dining table. "Kent, how is the situation in Bakkenheim?" "Yes, it''s only the second day, so the fire scenes haven''t been cleared yet, but it looks peaceful." "Does it look like there''s no problem with the advanced school?" "There was no damage to the premises, and I also saw people practicing jousting on the riding grounds of the men''s dormitory." "I see, it''s the season to practice for the competition." "Did Augusto-san also participate in the competition?" "I''m more of a knight type, but there''s no scene where I would use jousting in Volzard." "Ahh, I see ..." Battles in Volzard were mainly defensive battles on the ramparts. If you became a garrison member, there would be escort missions with a javelin, but Augusto-san would be the one being escorted. I felt like I would be stepping on a minefield if I brought up this topic with Baldini, so I''ll refrain. After breakfast, it was finally time to summon Baldini from the courtyard to Bakkenheim. Together with Baldini, I would send the butler Johannes and the luggage. Mart, Mirt, Murt, and Hort, who was usually with Beatriche, would serve as landmarks on this side. "Then, I will summon you from the Bakkenheim side, so please wait without moving." "Alright, I''m counting on you." In contrast to Johannes-san, who gave a refreshing reply, Baldini didn''t even nod back. I slipped into the shadows and traveled to Bakkenheim, only to find no one in the common space. After confirming the safety of my surroundings and trying to use summoning, I heard a voice. "That guy, the man standing over there is a suspicious person." When I turned my gaze, I could see Adelia and a man who seemed to be a security guard.(TN:Adelina ''¥¢¥Ç¥ê¥Ê'' suddenly became Adelia ''¥¢¥Ç¥ê¥¢'' ... GG author.) Uwaa, it''s troublesome timing ... Maa, let''s push everything onto Baldini. "Summon!" "Don''t move, this time you can''t escape ... Eeehhh!" Adelia and the security guard who rushed over were surprised at the sudden appearance of Baldini and Johannes. Maa, if you see it for the first time, you would probably react like this. "Muu, Adlia Bakkenheim, it''s been a while." "Baldini-san ... What is this." "Johannes-san, please handle the rest." "No way, Kent, this situation is ..." "Wait a minute!" When I tried to hide inside the shield of darkness, I was stopped by Baldini who grabbed me by the neck. Kuu, the ease at which the nape of my neck is captured is reproachful. "Explain what is going on." "Baldini-san, do you know each other?" "When I was in Bakkenheim, it''s a thieving cat who broke into my house." "In that case, you may arrest him." I hurriedly interrupted the conversation between Baldini and Adelia. "No, no, you''re going to be my brother-in-law soon, so that''s no good." "Fuun, who knows. If your behavior sullies the Volzard Family, all future entry will be prohibited. Adelia, I''ll leave dealing with him to you." "Geeh, tah, wait ... it hurts." Baldini pulled me by the collar, and as I staggered, the security guard grabbed me and twisted my arm. In this state, I couldn''t hide in the shadows and run away. "This man uses a strange technique, so please don''t let him go." "Understood." "Johannes, let''s go!" "No, wait a minute ..." "As for you, this way. Follow me." Baldini quickly headed for the boy''s dormitory, and Johannes-san followed him with a wry smile on his face. And as for me, I was ''Donna Donna'' to the guard station of the girl''s dormitory. But, even so, it was possible that I was legally invited to the forbidden garden ... It wasn''t possible. Across the desk in the office was Adelia, next to her was a security guard, and a security guard was holding my arm. Hmm, it''s troublesome, when Baldini''s summoning was over, we were all going to go pick out furniture. "Now, I won''t let you escape this time. Who exactly are you. Baldini-san called you a thieving cat ..." "Haa ... I''m an adventurer named Kent Kokubu." "Kent Kokubu you say, don''t joke around! The hero ''Monster User'' who single-handedly resolved the crisis that could possibly plunge Bakkenheim and Marburg into war, it can''t be a seedy-looking child like you!" "Eeehhh ... Did it become such an exaggerated thing?" She was the daughter of the Bakkenheim Family, so it wouldn''t be strange to hear about the incident that happened in the Irosun Great Forest. Even so, I don''t think I''m a hero or anything like that. "Don''t mess with me, give your name properly. In the first place, I hear that Kent Kokubu is a strong man with black hair and dark eyes." "Ah~h ... As for my hair and eyes, there''s a little problem, but my physique hasn''t changed." "You, to persist in calling yourself Kent Kokubu ... Ehh?" "Uwa, Goshujin-sama, Riche is waiting to see if you are coming home yet." Adelia and the security guards were wide-eyed at Hort who suddenly appeared from the shadows of the desk. "Yup, I should be able to go home in a little while, so tell her to wait with Manon and the others." "Wafuu, alright." When I stroked its head with my free right hand, Hort narrowed its eyes and slipped back into the shadows. "J, just now ..." "That''s one of my genus. I plan to return to Volzard after this and go with Beatriche and the others to choose furniture for our new house, so that''s what it was reminding me about." "So, you''re the real Kent Kokubu?" "That''s why, I said so from the beginning. I was in the garden of the girl''s dormitory because I was moving through the shadow space, so I really just got lost. The purpose was for Baldini-san, who you saw earlier. I was looking for a place suitable for summoning." I reached out my right hand to the shadow storage and presented my S-rank guild card, and Adelia''s eyes widened and her face turned pale. "L, let go, release your hands! Hurry up!" Adelia ordered the guard with a shout, and she got up from her seat, knelt and bowed her head. "I am extremely sorry. I didn''t know, but I am very sorry. Also, the day before yesterday, thank you for your efforts in subjugating the Salamander and putting out the fires in the city." "Ah, aaahhh, yes, nope, it''s okay if you don''t exaggerate like that." "Can you forgive me?" "Yes, it''s fine already, it''s like a minor misunderstanding between us." "Thank you very much." Adelia raised her face and stared at me with her cheeks blushed and her eyes moist. Rather, isn''t her treatment too different. "Umm ... Kent Kokubu-sama, as an apology for being rude, let''s have lunch ..." "I''m sorry. I''m a bit busy today, so I''ll see you later ... Then, excuse me." "Ahh, please wait ..." No, no, I won''t wait. If I wait here, it will become troublesome again. I quickly put out a shield of darkness and dived into the shadows. [ Buhahaha, it was a chance to get a wife from the Bakkenheim Family, did you not like it. ] "If I add more brides, Yuika and Manon will end up being disgusted by me." They haven''t met Seraphima yet, and if I say that Adelia will join them, it will rain blood. I have to go back to Volzard quickly and make the three of them happy. Come to think of it, where can I buy furniture in Volzard. CH 251 Disturbing news ***---*** After delivering Baldini to Bakkenheim, I returned to my home in Volzard. When I stepped out into the front yard of the house under construction, Zeta-tachi and the Kobold Corps all gathered at once. "Wafuu, welcome back, Goshujin-sama." "Thank you for your hard work, Nushi-dono." "Uwaaaah, wait, wait, everyone in tuuuurns..." I was happy about the warm welcome, but it was quite hard. Meanwhile, Nero was lying in the sun and didn''t move. The fact that his tail fluttered once or twice was probably Nero''s way of signaling welcome home. "Right, Flamme, you can come out here." "Gotcha, this is Aniki''s nest."(TN:Apparently Flamme ends everything with -ssu, but I don''t wanna deal with that so I''ll ignore it for now. Also, the ''Gotcha'' is ''uissu'' just in case you''re interested.) "That''s wrong. This is everyone''s home, so it''s also Flamme''s house." "Seriously. But, if I go inside the house, it looks like it might break, so I''ll just relax in the garden." "Yup, you should ask Nero about where it''s warm and where it''s cool." "Gotcha, understood." Flamme walked up to Nero and after speaking a word or two with Nero, started basking in the sun. Seeing the appearance of my genus, the people who had gathered on top of the ramparts were in an uproar. "Hey, what is that big black lizard?" "It''s not a Salamander, is it." "Three Gigawolves and a Storm Cat ... If they fall, you can''t be saved." "Hey, is that cute thing a Kobold?" The top of the ramparts on rest day had become a so-called dating spot, and most of the people who gathered seemed to be couples. Yup, you shouldn''t be flirting while peeping into people''s houses. [ Kent-sama, where do you want to set the gate? ] "Let me see ... Around there?" The reason why I went to the planned site of my home was to install a gate that would be the entrance to the site. The gate Kajikawa-san searched for seemed to have been used at a school that was about to be demolished, it had an arch shape with a height of more than 3 meters and opened from the center. "Let''s install the gate first, after that, we''ll make a hole in the ramparts." [ Roger that. ] The iron gate seemed to be quite heavy, but Reinhardt and Zae-tachi carried it without feeling it was too heavy. The gateposts were solidified with earth-attribute magic so that the gate would stand along the ramparts. After opening and closing and confirming the construction, the next step was to make a hole in the ramparts. [ Kent-sama, do you want Zeta-tachi to dig into the ramparts? ] "Nah, I''ll cut through it all at once with the repatriation technique and move it to the Devil''s Forest. Zeta, Eta, Theta, can you cast hardening magic on the inside in advance?" "An easy task, please leave it to me, Nushi-dono." I had Zeta-tachi cast hardening magic so that the wall wouldn''t collapse when I opened a hole, and after confirming that there were no people outside the ramparts, I hollowed it out with the repatriation technique. "Zae, can I ask Zae-tachi to guard this gate?" "Leave it to me, My King. I will protect it even if I have to exchange this body." "Starting tomorrow, the construction of the house will start, so I don''t mind letting the people from Herman-san''s company go through." "Roger that, as you wish." If there was a strong Lizardman on the other side of the gate, no one would think to enter. After the gate had been set up, I was about to go pick them up, but there were three figures walking through the tunnel that had just been completed. That was, Yuika, Manon, and Beatriche. "I''m sorry for making you wait. I just finished setting up the gate, so I was thinking of going to pick you up." "Is that so, I came to take a look because Manon and Riche wanted to see how things are going." "Yup, the townspeople said that a hole suddenly opened in the ramparts." "Kent-sama, was there anything wrong in Bakkenheim?" "Ehh, aahh ... Just a minute." I explained to the three that I had been seen where I summoned Baldini and had been questioned by security personnel. Yup, I wasn''t lying. "Well then, let''s have a quick look, Zae, can you open it?" "Welcome, Wife-samas." After giving a knight''s salute, Zae unlocked the bar and opened the gate. Behind the three of them were the townsfolk who were watching, but of course I couldn''t let them in. "Excuse me, this is private property, so please refrain from entering." I loudly informed them, but the number of people looking inside the tunnel seemed to be increasing. Maa, they would get tired of it in a few days. The three who entered the premises stopped when they reached the front yard. "Kento, is that ... ?" "My new genus, Flamme the Salamander. I''ll introduce you later." Flamme was quietly in nap mode next to Nero. It wouldn''t be a laughing matter if they were gobbled up while he was still half asleep, so I would have them greet him after he woke up. When they entered the house under construction, all three of them seemed surprised at how spacious it was. "Haa~h, I thought it would be big, but I didn''t think it would be this big." "Sometimes, on my way home from the infirmary, I''d look at it from the top of the ramparts, but now that I''m inside, it feels really spacious." "Kent-sama, the floor plan around here is ..." "Yup, it seems that they used the Lord''s Mansion as a reference." After we finished our tour of the first floor, we went upstairs to the rooms for the three. Even without explanation, the three of them seemed to understand when they saw the rooms of the same size and construction. "Hey, Kento, why are there eight rooms?" "Umm, th, that''s when a guest comes, umm ... If we have children won''t we need more rooms?" "If Yuika''s family comes, we''ll have to ask them to stay here next time." "Next time is it, it would be nice to have a day off from Japan." The balcony of the second floor overlooked the front garden and pond. Tsuo and Kame were swimming comfortably in the pond. "Hey, Kento, can we swim in the pond in the summer?" "Yup, that''s right, right now it''s impossible because it''s cold." Of course, I had high hopes for everyone''s swimsuits. "Can Kent and Yuika swim?" "Huh, Manon can''t swim?" "Yup, there''s no place to swim ... How about Riche?" "I have also not gone swimming." Volzard''s school didn''t seem to have a pool, nor did it have swimming lessons. Wouldn''t it be profitable if I built a large pool? If I partnered with Flavia-san''s clothing store and sold swimsuits, I might make even more money. Let''s talk to Klaus-san by summer. Next, the large living room and large bathroom on the third floor were well received by everyone. Once my home was complete and we all lived together, it would be okay to move in together. At that time, it would be fine to do this and that, right. "Kento, you''re thinking about something ecchi, right?" "Umm, th, th, that kind of thing ... Just a little bit." "Kento''s ecchi ..." "I''m sorry ... But, hey." "As for me, I am fine anytime, Kent-sama." Oohhh, I felt like Riche, whose arms were entwined, was growing again. Seraphima would join these three, right. Honestly, Harem is the best. "Kent-sama." "Mufufufu, what is it, Riche." "Where are the rooms for the servants?" "Huh? Servants?" "Yes, if I remember correctly, a maid, a female knight, and a cook will come with Seraphima-sama." "Right ... I forgot." There was enough space for me and my wives to live in, but there was no place for the servants to live. "Riche, how is it at the Lord''s Mansion?" "The servants'' residence is in a separate building from the mansion. Wouldn''t it be good to build a separate building for this place as well?" "I see, another building, let''s do that." [ Kent-sama, leave it to us. In anticipation that the number of people will increase in the future, we will build a separate building. ] After listening to the opinions of the three of them, we decided to build a separate building along the walls from the side of the gate, and connect it with a connecting corridor. Fortunately, it would still take several days for Seraphima''s party to reach Volzard. If we proceeded with the construction in the meantime, we should be able to make it in time. "It''s no good if I don''t listen to various people''s opinions." "But, Kento, is the money okay?" "Yup, I''ll have Klaus-san take over the iron from the reward for returning my classmates, and I''ll be earning money at Bakkenheim, so it''s okay." "But, I can''t believe that such a big house will become my home. If I go shopping, I might end up returning to my parents'' house by mistake." No way, I don''t think that would be the case, but Manon was quite airheaded, maybe ... But, I wondered if Hamill, who loves his Onee-chan, would come to visit. Or, would he take this opportunity to distance from his sister. "Right, Riche. Where can I buy furniture." "At our house, we ask Mauri-san, a furniture craftsman. The large table in the dining room and the chairs that go with it are not ordinary furniture, so they will be made to order." Come to think of it, there was no way an ordinary furniture store would sell a long table that could seat more than ten people on either side. And unlike Japan, I didn''t think furniture was mass-produced in this world. Rather than choosing furniture, it would be more correct to order it. "Hey, Kento, about the living room on the 3rd floor, but instead of chairs, can we use tatami mats or carpets, take off our shoes and sit directly?" "Ahh, that might be good. The space where you relax in Barshania is sitting directly on the carpet, so I think Seraphima could also relax." "In Kent''s country, do you take your shoes off?" "Yup, it''s common to take off your shoes at the entrance and then go inside." "Hee, how peculiar." After consulting with the three of them, we decided to take off our shoes in the private space from the second floor onwards, so that guests on the first floor could leave their shoes on. We had to create a space where you could take off your shoes when you went upstairs. Tatami mats and a tea table from Japan, I also couldn''t forget to import a kotatsu. Hurt, Hert, and Hort, as usual, we walked around the house with the three of them, and Mart-tachi also came out. When the six of them were wandering around, this time the Kobold Corps came up to me wondering what was going on. When they did that, Zeta-tachi came to take a peek with just their faces out. A normal person would probably faint, but for the three girls, it was normal, and they didn''t seem to be surprised. When I was looking at the living room on the third floor, Nero had taken over the balcony before I knew it. It was just right, so let''s relax on his stomach and take a rest. "Nero, do you like this house?" "It''s sunny, there''s a forest nearby, and there''s a water hole, so there''s nothing more to say, nya." It seemed that the tail swaying with a ''Pata, pata'' told of a high degree of satisfaction.(TN:''Pata pata'' is a constant light tapping sound.) In the warm sunlight, with the fluffy stomach, neither I nor any of the others had anything to say, but we were getting a lot of attention from the top of the ramparts. It was almost the same height, so they weren''t looking down at us, but let''s think about something like a blinder. That was when the three of them started discussing what to have for lunch today. Suddenly, Nero''s body started shaking, and then the house shook. "Hiyaa! What?" Manon, who was next to me, clung to me tightly, and Riche was also holding onto Yuika''s arm. "Kyaaaaa!" "What, it''s shaking, what''s happening!" Screams erupted from the top of the ramparts, and it seemed that people were rushing to the stairs to get down to the ground. "Kent, Yuika too, why are you so calm?" "Ehh, even if it''s an earthquake, isn''t the seismic intensity only about 2 or 3?" "Kento, there are no volcanoes near Volzard, so there won''t be any earthquakes, right?" "Is it not rare in Japan?" "Yup, Japan is an island country on the boundary of a plate, so earthquakes are not uncommon, and a few years ago an earthquake caused a lot of damage." "Damage, you say, what will happen? Will Volzard be okay?" "Manon, calm down. I don''t know the geology of this world, so I can''t say anything for certain, but it doesn''t seem like there''s a volcanic eruption or tsunami to worry about, so it''s okay." The tremor didn''t last long and seemed to subside quickly, so the commotion on the ramparts seemed to have subsided. "But, Kento, an earthquake in an area that it doesn''t usually happen is kind of unsettling." "That''s right, but as expected, we can''t do anything as far as earthquakes are concerned, we''ll just have to wait and see." If it was just one time, there was no problem, but if it happened frequently, it might be better to consult with Klaus-san about evacuation drills and other countermeasures. I think we should reinforce the furniture in our house so that it didn''t fall over. We decided to go to Amanda-san''s restaurant for lunch, but when I headed back to the boarding house with the three of them, Murt stopped me. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, a call from Kajikawa." "Alright, thank you." The call was taken as usual, and I guess Kajikawa-san was also asking for an intermediary normally. "It''s Kokubu, good after ... no, good evening?" "Good evening, is it around noon there?" "Yes, I''m going to eat lunch now." "I see, then let me briefly tell you what I called for. Tomorrow''s return work will be canceled for the time being." "Ehh, did something happen?" "Maa, even if it''s a secret, I''ll tell you because you''ll find out eventually, but I don''t know the details yet, so I hope you''ll listen to me with that in mind." "I understand." "Actually, we had our first death among the students returned to Japan by the repatriation technique." "Eeeehhhh, was that because of the repatriation technique?" "No, the cause is under investigation, but I don''t think it''s the effect of the repatriation technique ..." The person who died was Fujii Taichi, who was with Masashi Mita when he was snatched by the Griffon. It was said that when Fujii returned to Japan, he cooperated with a government experiment. The contents of the experiment seemed to be an attempt to restore Fujii''s magical powers so that he would be able to use magic in Japan. "Isn''t it impossible to recover magical power in Japan, where there is no magic essence?" "I don''t know either, but it seems that it was successful." It seemed that the experiment was conducted secretly at the research facility. It seemed that by letting the magic stones collapse in the room and filling the air with magic essence, it was possible to restore the magic power. However, this method consumed too many magic stones, so it seemed that other methods were tried. The experiment, which began at the same time as Fujii''s return to Japan, lasted more than three weeks, and Fujii became emotionally unstable, probably due to the unfamiliar environment. So, it was said they took advantage of the weekend to let him go home temporarily, but the incident happened during that time. "At the Harajuku Takeshita street crowded with tourists, suddenly, Fujii-kun seemed to have started going on a rampage." "A rampage you say, could it be that he used magic to go on a rampage?" "It was said that he attacked passersby one after another in a situation that can only be considered to be so." "A quarrel turned into a brawl ... Is it like that?" "Hmm ... That would have been fine, but there have been multiple deaths." "Come to think of it, Fujii died too ..." "Yes, he was shot dead by a police officer." "Eeeehhhh! Shot to death you say ... why." "He killed the police officer who tried to detain him." It was said that Fujii, demonstrating superhuman strength, killed a passerby, and even killed a police officer who rushed to the scene after receiving a report. "He used physical enhancement ... But, why." "We''re still investigating the details, but as usual, a video was leaked." He crushed the opponent''s arm, broke it to pieces, and crushed their head with his fist. A piercing hand penetrated from the stomach to the back, and he pulled out their guts. When it was first posted, it was thought to be a special effects video, but when it was discovered that it was actually a person being murdered, it seemed to have gone viral in no time. Currently, the original video seemed to have been deleted, but it had been copied and spread all over the world. "Could it be that Fujii''s personal information was also identified?" "That''s right. I would like to refrain from making additional returns until the situation calms down a little." "Understood. If you know any more details, please let me know." "Roger that. I''ll keep the teachers informed from here." "Please." After hanging up with Kajikawa-san, Yuika spoke to me with a sad look on her face. "Kento, is it true that Fujii-kun passed away?" "Maybe, I just heard from Kajikawa-san, so I can''t say anything ..." "Kento, let''s take a look at the internet." The tablet that the Kobold Corps usually played with seemed to have a SIM card in it, so it could be connected to the internet as it was. When I borrowed it for a while and searched, the posted video was worse than we had imagined. CH 252 Reminiscence of Fujii Taichi (TN:This chapter is rather graphic.) ***---*** Since that day, except for going to the cafeteria, I rarely left the dormitory. The sky in Volzard, where there were no tall buildings blocking the view like in Tokyo, was too wide. A Griffon would suddenly attack from somewhere ... such a thought crossed my mind, and I almost panicked when I was outside. I was envious of Kizawa. Even though she was summoned the same as me, she quickly returned to Japan and made a lot of money. Immediately after we were able to communicate with Japan, we posted a video of Volzard, but it didn''t get as many hits as we had hoped. On top of that, the video''s popularity plummeted after Tayama was killed by an Orc during an online livestream. In that case, I wrote a memoir imitating Kizawa and uploaded it to a novel posting site, but I deleted it because I got angry at the criticism. At that moment, a Griffon appeared. A legendary monster that grabbed and snatched away humans. I accepted Mita''s invitation to sneak out of the cafeteria and shoot a video. With a Griffon, I thought I could earn numbers. Mita clung to the window of his room and tried to take a video, but he was caught in the shadow of the building. He leaned out of the window frame and began taking a video of the Griffon as it flew away. It happened when I approached the window frame to take a look. Suddenly, the ceiling was pierced, and sharp, huge claws rained down. The claws grabbed Mita firmly in front of me, who had lost strength in my legs. Mita let out a death scream, blood pouring down from his chest, which was pierced by the claws. A gust of wind blew with the clatter of wings, and when I opened my closed eyes, Mita had disappeared. Kokubu appeared out of nowhere, and Katou-sensei rushed in right after, but I sat there and couldn''t do anything. When asked, I answered honestly about the circumstances of the incident. In reality, I was quite upset and seemed to be giving incoherent answers from start to finish, but it was decided that it would be impossible for me to speak calmly. I couldn''t say that Mita, who was screaming in agony, was desperately reaching out towards me. Mita of that time appeared in my dreams many times, and I woke up with my own scream. In order not to disturb others'' restful sleep, I also lived a day-night cycle until I stopped dreaming. For me ... It was impossible to live in Volzard. However, to return to Japan, a big obstacle stood in the way. It was said that if you passed through the world of shadows created by Kokubu, you could return to Japan, but those with attributes other than darkness could not pass through. The only way to allow passage was for Kokubu to steal the attribute, but the only way to do that was through contact with the mucous membranes, in other words kissing. I wanted to go back to Japan, but I didn''t want to kiss someone like Kokubu. I knew the world was unfair, but even so, Kokubu''s share was probably too blessed. It seemed that he had a bit of a hard time, but having three girls serving him, professing he would live a harem life, I wanted to say don''t screw with me. According to a guy who found a job at the guild and worked there, just by looking at him who had black hair, a girl living in Volzard would talk to you and ask you to introduce them to Kokubu. Just because he was an S-rank adventurer, it seemed that he was not in need of money or women. I had half given up on going back to Japan, and I felt like I was going insane when I shut myself up in my lodgings. Thinking about whether I would end my life shutting myself up in this dormitory, my feelings of impatience and resignation alternated, and my mood only became negative. At that time, I was suddenly told that I could return to Japan. It seemed that Kokubu had mastered the summoning and repatriation techniques, and it seemed that it was no longer necessary to steal attributes. Because of my mental illness, I was the first among the boys to be allowed to return to Japan. I hated being taken care of by Kokubu again, but you couldn''t make an omelet without breaking eggs. It seemed that Kokubu himself didn''t know the details of the repatriation technique. I was worried if it was okay to send a human with such a thing, but it seemed that experiments were repeated. More than anything else, I didn''t want to be in Volzard. For that reason, I was willing to put myself in a slightly dangerous situation. Kokubu said that repatriation was dangerous. Now that I thought about it, even when I was summoned here, the entire third floor of the school building was cut off and sent with us. In the same way, it seemed that the area specified by Kokubu would be cut off and sent, and anything that went across the boundary would be cut cleanly. In fact, when I saw a wooden stick thicker than my arm being severed, I didn''t think I should risk trying it out on my own body. The members who would be returning with me were Watase, who was streaming online with Tayama, who was killed by an Orc, a boy from another class who was mentally ill after being beaten by a knight at the Lastock Garrison, as well as two girls who were close friends with Sekiguchi who committed suicide. I wanted us to be sent to Japan as soon as possible, but Nakagawa, the English Teacher who frequently got involved with Kokubu, interrupted. Someone called out ''Comb-over baldy'', and I burst out laughing at the comment. Comb-over Nakagawa was dragged away by Katou-sensei. The accident happened when Kokubu made the final confirmation with Japan and I thought I could return to Japan. Comb-over Nakagawa rushed into the area of repatriation. If he had just rushed in, the number of people repatriated would have increased, but one of the girls was about to be pushed out. As a result, one leg protruded from the repatriation range and was left behind at Volzard. I was surprised to suddenly move from outdoors in the daytime to an unfamiliar warehouse-like place, but only for a short time, a girl''s scream echoed. "Nooooo ... My leg, my leeeeg ..." Blood spurted from her severed thigh. The girl''s screams triggered me, and the frozen time began to move at once. "Don''t screw with me! What are you bastard doing despite being a teacher?" "No, I''m ... Guhaa!" When I saw Watase punching Comb-over Nakagawa, something inside me snapped. I kicked Comb-over Nakagawa in the stomach with all my might. Since I was involved in such an unreasonable thing as being summoned to another world, I had found my target to vent my pent-up resentment on, and I didn''t feel like stopping. While the three of us boys were beating the hell out of Comb-over Nakagawa, Kokubu called out to me. "Fujii! These children will be returned to Volzard for treatment, so stay away from this golem''s range and don''t let anyone come near it!" When I looked at him, it seemed that the girl''s leg was tied with a rope and his hands were covered in blood, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. I thought he was a harem bastard who was blessed with cheats, but being able to move like this on the spur of the moment was a big deal. "Alright, leave it to me!" After answering in a loud voice, Kokubu disappeared into the shadows, and immediately after that, the two girls returned to Volzard. I learned about it later, but it seemed that Kokubu used healing magic to rejoin the girl''s leg. I also saw a video uploaded by one of my classmates on a posting site, but while I was watching it, the amputated leg stuck back on without leaving a trace, and the appearance of standing up immediately after was really like a magic trick. If you could do such tricks, it made sense that money and women would come to you. Still, the other girl who pulled back the girl who had her leg amputated, it was seriously a Super Play. Without it, her body would have been cut in two, and even Kokubu wouldn''t have been able to save her. Comb-over Nakagawa was beaten up so much that the shape of his face changed. I was stopped by a SDF officer who rushed into the warehouse, and later I was lectured by a police officer, but I had no intention of apologizing. I might end up getting punished, but I had no regrets. After being questioned by the police and having our health checked, we were allowed to go home. When I returned to Japan after about four months, tears came to my eyes. Cars running on the road, traffic lights, utility poles, buildings and apartments lined up. This was not a fantasy world, there were no Griffons here. I ate sushi, ate snacks, and guzzled carbonated drinks. I savored the preciousness of an ordinary life that was not rare and nothing unusual before being summoned. However, not all good things were waiting for me. Probably hearing from one of my classmates, Mita''s family came to visit. There was no need to ask about their purpose, it was to make me talk about when Mita died. Of course, I declined the visit. Despite this, Mita''s mother came to my house every day. My memories, which had finally been suppressed, revived, and the days of nightmares returned. It was then that a person from a government research institute came to make a request. I was asked to cooperate in an investigation into magic. I was told that the research would be conducted overnight at the research institute and that I would be paid a fee. I, who was annoyed by Mita''s mother''s visits, agreed without hesitation. When they heard that I could receive counseling, my family also agreed. The contents of the investigation was about magic itself. If magic could be used in Japan, it would be nothing less than the flowering of new human potential. It seemed that this research institute was also conducting research on the magic tools that Kokubu brought back, but from this point on, research on humans would also be conducted. The classmates who had returned to Japan until now had their attributes stolen by Kokubu, so they were unable to use magic when they returned. However, those of us who returned with the repatriation technique did not have our attributes stolen. In other words, I was the first person to return to Japan outside of Kokubu who had the ability to use magic. Moreover, Watase and the other person who returned to Japan at the same time refused to use magic. At last, it seemed I finally had gotten my chance. Unfortunately, I was a magician type, but if I used physical strengthening magic, I should be able to break the world record for 100m sprinting. However, when I performed the chanting that I vaguely remembered and activated the attack magic, I couldn''t activate it after two shots. The researchers were not discouraged, even though they were worried that they might miss the chance they grabbed. Since magic essence did not exist in Japan, it seemed that it was within the scope of the assumption that magic could not be used. In fact, after resting in a room filled with magic essence and magic stones, I was able to use magic again. My luck wasn''t lost. From that day on, the days of being hounded by measurements related to magic began. I was requested to use not only offensive magic, but also physical strengthening magic. I didn''t remember the physical strengthening magic chant, but I was made to remember it by watching a chant video uploaded by my classmate from Volzard. I had a low rate of physical strengthening. Even though I tried my best, I couldn''t reach the rate of two times, and my knight-type classmates made fun of me, but here I received a storm of praise. If you could run 50 meters in 4 seconds, that was only natural. If the knight-type people returned home, my world may end, but until then, it was my turn. The measurement itself was extremely boring, but it didn''t bother me too much because of the continuous praise. Even when the measured values dropped, people said they were glad that they were able to obtain new patterns of data. I didn''t feel bad even though I knew that some of was just being polite. What''s more, the person closest to me who supported the experiment was a young female scientist researcher. When she put the measuring equipment on me, I was touched by her body, and sometimes it hit me ... her chest. I used to get angry when I saw Kokubu grinning, but now I understood. With female scientist Takamatsu-san, we spent more and more time together outside of taking measurements. During meals and breaks, we talked about things other than measurements, but most of them was talk about Japan and Volzard was barely heard. There was no way she wasn''t interested in other worlds, but she was probably thinking about Mita''s case. Ever since I started staying overnight at the research institute, I no longer had nightmares. At the same time as measurements related to magic were conducted, various attempts were also made to recover magic power. At first, I waited for recovery in a closed room with magic stones. It seemed that the room was equipped with a carbon dioxide removal device equivalent to that of a spacecraft. After the small room, it changed into a cylinder and a mask. Next, was a bottle. The magic stone seemed to dissolve in water, so it was crushed and I drank it dissolved in water to restore my magic power. It may be similar to the recovery medicine that was taken in Lastock, but perhaps because it was mixed with a sports drink to improve absorption, I felt that this one had a faster effect. Every time the method was changed, my magic power recovered faster, but I started to feel stressed because the frequency of measurement increased. Even if Takamatsu-san was nearby, it wasn''t like I could flirt with her like Kokubu. I felt like I had become a dog who got caught in custody, and I became more and more irritated. At that time, I was approached to talk about going home temporarily. Recently, public interest in returnees seemed to be waning. This time, there was an accident in which a girl had her leg amputated, so there was a lot of bashing against Comb-over Nakagawa. The media hadn''t come to my house, and Mita''s mother seemed to have given up and stopped visiting my house. Even so, in order to ensure my own safety, I was given a GPS transmitter and told to inform my destination when I left the house. It seemed that the bodyguards were on duty 24 hours a day. While I felt safe, I also felt suffocated as my movements were being monitored. On my return home, tablets were handed to me. It seemed to be made by turning magic stones into fine particles, hardening them, and coating them with water-soluble sugar. It seemed that if I threw this into a 500ml plastic bottle, it would become a magic potion. However, the use of magic outside the laboratory was limited to cases of danger such as kidnapping. Or rather, kidnapping you say ... Maa, considering my rarity, it wasn''t impossible for such a story. It must be a blessing to not have to worry about being exposed to the media. Even when I returned home, it was a very ordinary room in an apartment complex with nothing out of the ordinary. However, somewhere in my heart, I had a desire to be fawned over by the world like Kizawa. On the other hand, being surrounded by the media seemed really annoying. At that time, I suddenly came up with the idea of using magic outside. To that end, there was one obstacle, the bodyguards. If they saw me using magic outside, they would definitely come to stop me. Therefore, I came up with a plan to shake off the bodyguards. It would be to the extent that they would just complain if it failed, but if they had any complaints, I would say that I would refuse to cooperate with the investigation. I told them that I was going shopping at the shopping center, and got on the Oedo Line with the bodyguards. I got off at Yoyogi Station, passed through the Meiji Shrine and headed for Harajuku. I left the GPS transmitter on the train. I was worried at first because I had my bodyguards scattered around me, but after confirming that I wasn''t being followed inside the Meiji Shrine, I felt like I was finally able to return to being a normal person. I wanted to be the center of attention, but I didn''t want to be monitored. I thought I could use magic without worrying about it, but the problem was how to use it. My motor nerves weren''t good enough to show off acrobatic movements using physical enhancement. However, I couldn''t use offensive magic to cut people apart, and I would only be criticized for cutting down trees. Thinking about it again, I didn''t think magic had much use in modern Japan. If that was the case, why did I try using it for something trivial. I came up with an idea. I started practicing magic while walking along the approach to the Meiji Shrine. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance." I released the wind generated in my hand without turning it into a blade. I practiced many times so that the direction of release was the direction I wanted. I brought all the pills I was given, so there was no need to worry about running out of magic power. It became troublesome to dissolve it in a drink, so I put the tablet in my mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed it. I thought it would feel sandy, but it wasn''t and the effect was dramatic. The idea popped into my head that it might be profitable to mass-produce these in Japan and sell them in Volzard. After about 30 minutes of practice, my original magic was completed. Surprisingly, I seemed to have a talent for magic. I didn''t realize it because I only used routine magic in Lastock. I wondered if it would have been better if I stayed, but I really didn''t want to stay in that town. After passing through the Meiji Shrine, I headed towards Omotesandou Hills near Harajuku. I searched for a suitable place and moved to sit on the fence on the sidewalk in front of Omotesandou Hills. While pretending to be waiting for someone, I chanted in a whisper. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance." A small vortex of wind that left my hand glided along the sidewalk and soared into the sky. "Kyaaa! What, the wind is ..." My magic flipped the skirts of five high school girls. Plaid, white, even string ... the effect of my original-style attribute magic ''Skirt Flipping'' was tremendous. I was engrossed in this silly game. If wind was generated in the same place, they would be alarmed. Therefore, I changed the direction, distance, and angle of the whirlwind and flipped up the skirts. But, soon I got bored of it. This kind of thing was no different than an elementary school kid running around and flipping skirts. I should do more things that only magic could do. It was also best not to go all out. I put another tablet in my mouth and chewed it. As it fell into my stomach, I felt a surge of power. This was a feeling of exhilaration that was incomparable to the medicine I was given in Lastock. Right now, I felt like I could do anything. Right now, even Kokubu and Takayama should prostrate at my feet. I moved from Omotesandou to Takeshite Street. When I thought about what I should do, I naturally burst into laughter. The people I passed were looking at me with quizzical faces. My magnificent Aura might have been noticed. A woman dressed in Gothic Lolita was walking about five meters in front of me. That''s right, let''s go with that woman. Not only would her skirt be flipped, but I would also use a strong wind to tear it off. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance." The whirlwind that left my hand slid down the road and moved towards the feet of the Gothic Lolita woman. "Go!" "Kyaaaaaa!" The Gothic Lolita skirt rolled up, but it didn''t get torn off. "Tch, that''s not interesting ..." I looked for another target, walking down Takeshita Street in the direction of the station. I guessed I had to make it stronger. Should I tear off not only her skirt but also her underwear and strip her naked. Aahh, I see, if the blades mix with the wind, the skirt and underwear can be cut apart. Kufufufu ... Let''s do that. Oops, pills, pills, it''s already troublesome, let''s eat them all at once. I crunched the tablets and swallowed them. Next, I chose a trio of high school girls who were eating crepes as targets. Now, I''ll strip you naked in the middle of the crowd. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a blade! Uraaaa!" The vortex of the image mixed with razor-like blades was bigger than before, and it slid into the middle of the three people as intended. "Orah, let''s go!" The magic I unleashed was more powerful than I had imagined. Far from the skirts and underwear, the high school girls'' skin and flesh were cut into pieces, and their internal organs and bones were dismembered and scattered around the surroundings. "Ahahahaha, what is this, that''s not erotic at all, it''s just gross. Aa~h ... It''s troublesome, that''s right, I can just rip it off with my hands." "Ehh, what!? Noooooo!" When I pulled the uniform of another high school girl nearby, it was torn as easily as paper. Power seemed to well up from the depths of my body. Aahh, don''t yell at me, huh, her neck broke when I slapped her. "Bastard, what are you doing to my woman!" What is this bastard, what are you hitting me with, it doesn''t hurt at all, ahh, I broke his arm. When I kicked his leg, it also broke, so weak ... Haha, hahahahaha, it''s so fun! More importantly, woman, it''s a woman! Idiot, there''s no way you can run away from me right now, take it off, take it off. Damn, police, you''re in the way! Huh, I punched the belly and it went out his back. Aguu, what are you shooting, bastard, guu ... ahh ... CH 253 Staying behind Three Musketeers ***---*** He killed three high school girls with magic, and killed three people, including a police officer, with his bare hands. The incident caused by Fujii was widely covered by overseas media. A security camera in the crepe shop filmed the high school girls being dismembered by wind-attribute magic, and was repeatedly reposted on video posting sites around the world. Videos of Fujii slaughtering passers-by one after another with his bare hands had been posted from various angles, and the Japanese government was being pressed for an explanation. From the forensic autopsy and belongings, it was determined that Fujii''s rampage was due to the abuse of pills made from powdered magic stones. When I asked Reinhardt, he told me that it may have happened while he was losing his ego just before he became monster-fallen, not while in a state where he had completely become monster-fallen. Naturally, the research institute that proceeded to have him take the magic stone powder without confirming its safety was criticized by the mass media and the public at once. "Hey, Reinhardt, wasn''t this magic stone dissolved in water used in the riot in Barshania?" [ Kent-sama, magic stones don''t dissolve in water. ] "Ehh, because Kajikawa-san reported that it was a drink with dissolved magic stones ..." [ In that world, magic stones will collapse if left unattended. Is it not the same regarding water. ] "I see ... So it doesn''t dissolve in water in this world." The air and water in this world probably contained a saturated amount of magic essence. But, was there some kind of difference between the magic essence contained in the magic stones and the magic essence floating in the air. [ If they dissolved in water, just by throwing a magic stone into a well, many people would become monster-fallen. ] "Is that so. Then, if the turmoil in Barshania wasn''t because it was mixed in the water ... what caused it?" [ Who knows, even I can''t figure it out that far. ] At the same time as the research institute was being criticized, the public eye also turned to the returning classmates. Those who had their attributes stolen and returned to Japan via the shadow world had to reveal the process of their return and claim that they were safe. It seemed like I was criticized for the method of stealing the attributes, but I''d like them to consider I did it with Oda-sensei, too. And the problem was the classmates who returned due to the repatriation technique. The Hikarigaoka Junior High School building, which I had been attending until now, was completely destroyed by the summoning, and construction had just begun. For this reason, classes were held in elementary school buildings that were no longer used due to consolidation. Classes for some of the returned students had just started to resume at that school building. In addition to the mass media, a suspicious citizen''s group was barging in on them, and it seemed that the returned classmates were notified to stay at home. The return work from Volzard, which had begun to get on track, would also be postponed for a while. As for the government, as was in this case, as long as you didn''t overdose on magic stones, you wouldn''t be able to use magic, and they had issued a notice prohibiting the administration of magic stone ingredients to the human body in the future. However, through some researchers, it was reported that a considerable amount of magic stones had already been brought to Japan, and that if left unattended, they would collapse and be released into the atmosphere. In fact, even if all the magic stones brought in were released into the atmosphere, the returned classmates wouldn''t be able to use magic freely. However, the media overreacted again, writing in the tone that monsters would appear if the magic in the stones flowed out. If we proceeded with the repatriation in the current situation, it would only provoke public opinion, and it was decided that many people would be needed to protect the returned people. Naturally, the turmoil spread among the classmates who stayed behind in Volzard. It seemed that many people were worried that they would not be able to return home with peace of mind in the current situation, and that even if the disturbance subsided, they would be exposed to prejudice and discrimination. I didn''t know what Fujii was thinking when he went on a rampage, but it was a story that no one could welcome ... Or so I thought, but some people had benefited. "It is unknown what will happen from now on, so I was told that I didn''t have to go back until the situation calms down." "Right, right, so please introduce me to some delicious work." "Hey, you ... If it''s a job, go to the guild and look for one. Besides, Fujii is dead, isn''t it a little imprudent?" On the other side of the table, Nitta Kazuki and Furuta Tatsuya, the old and new duo, were smiling broadly, and Kondo Joji was smiling wryly next to them. It seemed that the three of them would be able to stay in Volzard for the time being after their parents gave them permission to stay in Volzard. By the way, Yagi also got permission from his parents, but it seemed that finding a job as a journalist was not resolved, so he seemed to be out looking for stories today. "But, it''s not uncommon for people in Volzard to talk about the death of an acquaintance." "Things like they went into a dungeon and didn''t come back, or they lost an arm after being attacked by a monster." "That may be true, but ..." "I was surprised to hear that my classmates died, but it''s not like we were particularly close." "We were never in the same class, so it doesn''t really click." Certainly, I had classmates whose names I didn''t even know, and I only knew Fujii because of the Griffon matter, so I wasn''t shocked enough to just stay in bed. "Maa, I understand what Kokubu is saying. We should try to find a job by ourselves, right?" "If you know, then don''t do it." "However, making the most of your connections is also the real thrill of being an adventurer, isn''t it?" "Haaahh ... What real thrill. If you want me to introduce you so much, how about I introduce you to the Bakkenheim cave survey?" "Ohh, what''s that, is it profitable?" "Or, is it that? Is it possible to get acquainted with a beautiful Onee-chan?" When I told the old and new duo who leaned forward about the cave where Flamme came out of, they changed their complexions and shook their heads. "If we entered the cave where a Salamander was, wouldn''t we die instantly?" "Rather, a distortion of space-time? If you''re not careful, you''ll be sent to another continent, won''t you?" "Maa, maa, everything is an experience ..." "Are you trying to kill me!" It seemed that the three people who would remain had also looked for work in the guild. However, the only quests that could be accepted by F-rankers did not include adventurer-like work such as subjugating monsters or procuring materials. In other words, since they were able to remain in Volzard, they seemed to want to imitate being an adventurer. "Even if you say that ... I''ve never done a normal adventurer-like quest." The only job I did was to escort the Volzard Family from Bakkenheim, but the contents were completely unordinary, so I couldn''t use it as a reference. "Speaking of which, what about Takayama? Isn''t he with you?" "Aahh, Takayama ... He''s like the Hope of the ramparts building."(TN:Compared to Gilik being called the Hope of the novice adventurers.) "Besides, since Celia-chan came here, he hasn''t wanted to associate with us ..." According to Kondo, Takayama was doing self-training for physical strengthening while working on the ramparts. He seemed to be trying to extend the time he could continue by controlling the rate of reinforcement and the parts to be strengthened. In other words, it was an application of Lau-san''s teachings. "Rather, you introduced Takayama to an escort job, so please introduce us to something." "Right, right, is there something wrong? Collecting medicinal herbs is also fine." "Ahh, collecting medicinal herbs, huh ... Aahh, I forgot." "What is it, do you have a good job?" "Hmm ... If you don''t mind buying a grudge from Gilik, it''s not like there isn''t one." As soon as Gilik''s name was mentioned, the old and new duo looked at each other. Those two seemed to have followed Gilik when they came to Volzard, but they haven''t been on good terms lately. "What should we do, Kazuki." "No way ... When you talk about collecting medicinal herbs concerning Gilik-aniki, I can somehow understand." "Heeh, you can imagine the contents of the work. It''s a little surprising." "Kokubu, bastard, we''re not stupid." "Are you going to tell us to protect Muell-oneechan?" "Heeh, you understand that much, that''s even more surprising." "It''s not surprising or whatever." When the old and new duo came to Volzard, they tried to accompany Muell-san, but were refused. "In case of emergency, it''s of utmost importance to defend Muell-anesan, we can''t even defend ourselves ... We were told such a reason ..." "That is, don''t disturb our time together ... That''s what it means." Because of the Marcel-san shop matter, there was a time when those three were also forced to work, and they seemed to be keeping their distance from Gilik now. "Heeh, is that so. So, what are you going to do?" "What are we going to do, you say, you, are you seriously thinking of getting rid of Gilik-aniki?" "I mean, Muell-san is worried about Gilik''s current situation ... Something like that?" "Aahh, I see ... Hey, Tatsuya, listen to me for a minute." "Ou, what is it?" The old and new duo turned their backs to me and began a mumbled consultation, but their voices were so loud that I could hear everything. Yup, the odds of you guys being able to win over Muell-san are close to zero, but if you can get rid of Gilik, it''s possible that it will go up somewhat. After the consultation, the two of them gave a thumbs-up together for some reason. "Let''s do it!" "Are you stupid? It''s not let''s do it, it''s please let me do it." "I understand. Rather, will Gilik-aniki be satisfied with us being escorts?" "If Muell-san is OK with it, it has nothing to do with Gilik, right." "No, it''s not that easy. I won''t allow someone weaker than me to be the escort ... Rather, he''ll definitely say that." "It''s just as Kazuki says. He has a large figure, but he''s considerably childish." It seemed that since he was hanging out with the old and new duo, when Gilik got kicked out of Corey-san''s shop along with them, he seemed to have become very upset. If you don''t want to be kicked out, then you should be able to do at least a decent job as a shopkeeper. "Hey, I don''t get what you''re talking about, please explain." "Ahh, I see, Kondo doesn''t know." I explained to Kondo, who was left out, about the relationship between Muell-san and Gilik, and described the situation where it would be good if the dependency were resolved. "I see, I understand the story, but I feel that the fundamental problem has not been solved. In the first place, are we supposed to be escorts?" "That''s impossible." "Kokubu ... Don''t say it so easily." "Eh~h, because none of the three of you have ever done anything like subjugating monsters." "Maa, on the way to this place, I used magic to shoot Lizardmen, and then the Goblins from the maximum outbreak." "As for the old and new duo, is it to the extent of starting with Goblins?" "Hmm ... That''s right." "If that''s the case, it''s impossible to be an escort." "Nope, impossible you say, Kokubu is trying to make us do it, aren''t you. What are you going to do?" "Maa, I''ll ask my genus to help with that." There was a certain amount of anxiety about having the escort for Muell-san be just these three. Of course, I planned to deploy my powerful genus to create an excessive amount of fighting power. However, Kondo didn''t seem to be satisfied with the placement of my genus. "Are you dissatisfied with my genus?" "No, the ones who helped us from Lastock in the first place were Kokubu''s genus. There can be no complaints." "But, you don''t seem convinced." "There''s no problem in terms of strength, but if that''s the case, we won''t be able to gain experience as escorts." "Aahh, I see ... That might be true." "So, Kokubu, you should come too. If you can''t do the return work anyway, you''ll have free time, right?" "No, I don''t have that much free time, and even if I go, I can''t teach how to escort." "I don''t expect that. If Kokubu is coming, the Skeleton Knights will be coming with you, right? I''ll have them guide us, so please translate." "I see, I''m a bonus ... Rather, hey!" "Also, though we''ll be together, you can act together with Muell-san for a day." "Muu, it''s not like I really want something like that ..." In any case, it would be out of the question if Muell-san didn''t agree, so I left the three of them at the lodgings and visited Corey-san''s shop. When I opened the door of the store, I found a useless guard dog. "Tch, what do you want." "Hello, Gilik-san. Today, I have something to talk about with Muell-san ..." "Go home! Myuu-ane has no business with you!" "No, at the end of last year, Muell-san asked me to have a consultation with me." "Consultation ...?" "Yes, I was asked to help her to keep away the man who clung to her ..." "Bastard ... You really have the nerve to speak and make fun of me." "Muell-san will get angry if you act violently here." "You bastard ..." Gilik glared at me from behind the counter, gritting his teeth. I felt like his eyes were dying a bit, did I tease him a little too much. While I was glaring at Gilik in a tense atmosphere, Corey-san came out from the back. "Are you guys trying to destroy my store? Customers will run away if you glare at each other like that." "Hello, Corey-san, I look forward to having a good relationship with you this year too." "I ask you for your kind regards as well. Please buy more this year. Hii hii hii ..." "Umm, is Muell-san here?" "Aahh, you''re talking about getting rid of Gilik, right?" "Baba~a, you bastard are also an accomplice!" "Don''t yell at other people, just take a look at yourself in the mirror and see how pathetic you are." "Damnit ..." Gilik pushed Corey-san aside and went into the back of the store, and immediately after that, I heard Muell-san''s voice. "What''s wrong, Gilik? Hey, what, let go, Gilik!" The sound of the door opening was heard, and the footsteps of the two faded away. "Haa ... It''s no good, aarya ..." "Could it be, he escaped through the back door ... is it?" Corey-san nodded with a sigh of exasperation. "So, what are you going to do? Aren''t you going to chase after them?" "Hmm ... Even if I go, I feel like the conversation would get even more complicated ..." "Then, until Muell comes back, please be the talking partner of this old lady. Anyway, let me brew you a cup of tea ..." "Thank you very much." Corey-san withdrew once to the back of the shop and came back with a teapot in one hand. After adding dried medicinal herbs from the medicine cabinet in the store, she returned to the back of the store. Umm ... She was going to treat me to tea ... As I waited anxiously to see what kind of thing would come out, Corey-san returned with two mugs with lids. "Be careful, it''s hot." "Yes, thanks ... Fuwaa, the scent ..." Just by lifting the lid a little, steam and a refreshing scent rose up. It was certainly a scent that was more appropriate to call it tea than medicated water. A complex mixture of citrus-like freshness and cinnamon-like scent. When I put it in my mouth, the right amount of astringency and sweetness spread on my tongue, and the scent left my nose. Besides, as the tea went down my throat, it warmed my stomach. "It''s amazing ... I''ve never had a tea like this before." "Hii hii ... I see, drink it slowly." Even though she asked me to talk with her, Corey-san was silently drinking tea. In other words, she wanted me to quietly enjoy this tea. I felt sleepy as my stomach warmed up. The tense feeling of glaring at each other with Gilik gradually loosened. "So, what are you going to do with that hulking, rambunctious kid?" "Huh? Ahh, umm ... I''m thinking of assigning a different bodyguard to Muell-san ..." "Do you think he''ll be satisfied with that?" "I wonder ..." Even when I explained the content of the strategy that utilized the three people who were staying behind, Corey-san''s reaction was not very good. "Is it not enough?" "Well ... It''s probably better than doing nothing, but if it would be solved with just that much, he would have already become independent ..." "Aahh, now that you say so, you''re right." According to Corey-san, there had been people other than Gilik who had served as escorts in the past, but they couldn''t come to an agreement due to financial issues, and the operation fell through. "I see, it''s meaningless if I don''t keep him away from her for a long time, and if that happens, would she be unable to bear the cost of hiring them." "Muell doesn''t dislike Gilik either, but it doesn''t seem possible for him to be a lifelong companion." I wondered if Muell-san saw Gilik as a troublesome brother. Come to think of it, Gilik called Muell-san Myuu-ane. Not seeing her as a woman, a man who called her as an older sister couldn''t be the object of her love, right. While I was dazed by the effect of the tea, I heard the sound of the back door opening. Yup, it sounded like the footsteps were angry. Muell-san came out into the store with her tail swinging wildly. This, it looks like a big deal. "Haaah ... Mou, no more, acting so spoiled, I don''t care anymore!" "Want a drink?" When I held out the half-drunk cup, Muell-san gulped it down without hesitation, then let out another big sigh. "Haaah ... So, what are you going to do?" "Yes, my classmates, Kazuki and Tatsuya, as well as another person will be assigned as an escort." When I talked about what I had discussed with the three people who were staying behind, Muell-san replied with an OK immediately. It wasn''t that there wouldn''t be problems with long-term continuation, but for the time being, starting tomorrow, we would begin a strategy to make Gilik stand on his own. CH 254 Gilik removal plan ***---*** "And so, why is Yagi here?" "Idiot, you really are an idiot. There''s no way a journalist like me wouldn''t cover an event like this." "In other words, you came to disturb me." "Idiot, what are you saying, it''s an interview!" "Yes, yes, you''re going to pick a fight with Gilik too. You''re going to make him say ouch ... is what you mean?" "Don''t be ridiculous! I have no intention of doing that. I''m a pacifist. Stop messing around, what are you going to do if he hears you!" "Eh~h ... But, Muell-san is your goal, right?" "Idiot! I''m just doing an interview ..." "Then, Yagi can walk in front with the old and new duo, and me and Muell-san can walk in the back, right?" "N, no ... You know, it''s not possible to report on the whole thing, and interviews with local people are also necessary." "Saying that, you just want to talk to Muell-san, you want to get close to her ... right?" "That why, my intentions are pure ..." "Then, do you not want to get along with Muell-san?" "That is ... It''s obvious I want to. To be honest, those breasts ... and cat ears and tail! Isn''t it obvious I wish for something like that!" "Yup, I''m sure Yagi''s thoughts will reach." "Seriously!" "Yup, to Gilik ..." "Don''t screw around! Because that''s no good, absolutely don''t say that!" On the morning of the operation to make Gilik independent (Under the pretext of an operation to get along with Muell-san), when I went to the meeting place at the northeast gate of Volzard, in addition to the old and new duo, and Kondo, even Yagi was there. Also, Gilik, who was clumsily following, was hiding in the shadows of the alley. Just in case, I had Mart and the others search around the meeting place, and it was just as I thought. He was wearing a long hooded robe like a magician''s, but if you looked at him from behind, he was carrying a sword, and most importantly, his silhouette was just like Gilik. In the first place, there was no way he could hide or disguise himself because he was unnecessarily bulky. It couldn''t be seen from where we were talking because it was across a stall, but he was probably using physical reinforcement to listen. That''s good, Yagi. He should be able to hear our entire conversation. "By the way, you three, what''s with that?" The three boys who were saying behind all had blades on their left hip. The length of the blade was about 30 centimeters, and the handle and scabbard combined were about 50 centimeters, so it felt more like a machete than a short sword. "What''s with that you say, we bought them." "That''s right, Tatsuya and I said we''d like a bigger sword, like the one Gilik-aniki carries, but Kondo ..." "It''s obvious, you can''t use a large sword all of a sudden, it seems to be difficult to handle, it''s not like you can do subjugations, it''s expensive, and practicality is first." "I see, as expected of Kondo, you''re reliable." The three of them were also equipped with armor in addition to blades. A type that was based on leather armor and had metal plates at key points. It felt like a motorcycle protector. "Yagi, are you unprepared?" "I''m not going to subjugate anything, so I don''t think it''s necessary." "But, war photographers are properly equipped with protectors and helmets." "Even Kokubu isn''t equipped." "When I think I''m in danger, I will hide in the shadows and run away, but what about Yagi?" "No, no, because Kokubu''s genus will protect me, won''t they?" "I will protect Muell-san, but why do I have to protect Yagi as well?" "You, don''t say such cold things. Aren''t we friends?" "Haa ... You''re too spoiled. If you didn''t have me, you wouldn''t be able to do anything." "Maa, maa, if the work gets on track, it will work out somehow." "Will it really be that easy, or will it go unplanned ..." When I was exasperated at Yagi''s usual Yagi style, Muell-san arrived. "Morning, my best regards today, everyone." "Good morning, Muell-san. You know Kazuki and Tatsuya, don''t you. This is Joji, he''s more reliable than the other two, and ... there is one other person." "Hey! What the heck is that lazy treatment." "Ufufufu, I remember properly. You''re Yusuke, aren''t you? Are you also an aspiring adventurer?" "Oohh, did you remember me, I, Yusuke Yagi, is reporting on Volzard''s daily life ..." "Aahh, the useless talking has become long, let''s go soon." "That''s right, shall we depart." "So mean!" As expected of Muell-san, she properly understood how to treat Yagi. The northeastern gate of Volzard was on the opposite side of the Devil''s Forest, heading towards Marburg and Bakkenheim, so it was crowded with people leaving in the morning. The three people who were staying behind and Yagi seemed to have come here at this time for the first time, so they looked around curiously. "Muell-san, where are you going today?" "Today, it''s near the pond on the way to the dungeon. I will collect the medicinal herbs that grow on the waterside." Reinhardt called out to me when I started walking along the highway with travelers and people heading to the dungeon. [ Kent-sama, is it okay to instruct the escorts? ] [ That''s right. Tell me about all the points to be aware of when escorting. I will tell the others. ] [ Roger that, let''s get started ... ] Reinahrdt would communicate with me through telepathy what to do as an escort, and I would pass it on to the other trio. "Then, I''m going to start the escort lecture, so listen carefully, all three of you. We''ve already left, but originally, you would normally confirm the day''s action plan before leaving." Where you were going, what you were doing, who you would meet, what you brought with you, the method and number of escorts would naturally change depending on the purpose and location. If necessary, they may do some preliminary research in advance. It seemed that royal and noble escorts checked to see if there were any places where thieves were likely to be hiding, or if there were any places where monsters were likely to appear. "Rather, what about collecting herbs, you can''t decide on a course if you don''t know where the herbs are growing." "Nitta, you should aim for the place where the medicinal herbs you''re going to collect grow. Right, Muell-san." "Right. If you don''t know which medicinal herb grows where, you can''t collect it. Also, the effect will be completely different depending on when you collect it. Kent did well to know that." "Yes, I was taught when I was apprenticed as a gardener." "I see, when you looked in on Manon bathing." "No, would you say that was an accident ..." Certainly, I saw Manon bathing, but I didn''t think Manon was a girl at that time, so it''s not just my fault. "Bastard, Kokubu, to have the nerve to have such a delicious experience!" "Tatsuya, let''s execute, execute." "What are you talking about, old and new duo. In the first place, I''m engaged to Manon, so you can''t say something like that." "Or rather, how can someone like Kokubu get three cute wives. The world must be wrong!" "Huh? Don''t you know, Yagi ..." "What is it." "There are four wives, but ..." "Haaaahhh? What''s with that? I didn''t hear that! Otou-san won''t permit it!" "No, Yagi isn''t my father, and I got permission from Seraphima''s father." When I talked about Seraphima, the old and new duo and Yagi complained with a ''gya-suka'', but the bridal procession parade had already departed.(TN:Not entirely sure how to translate ''¥®¥ã¨D¥¹¥«'' ''gya-suka'', the suka part is disappointed/let-down, not entirely sure what the whole part is supposed to be, maybe an angrily disappointed manner?) I was surrounded by three people, and while they were shouting about interrogation and execution, Kondo called out to me in a low voice. "Hey, have you noticed ... We''ve been followed the whole time." The old and new duo and Muell-san let out a sigh at Kondo, who raised his right thumb and pointed behind him. "What? Did I say something strange?" "No, it''s not Kondo''s fault. That''s the Gilik in question." When we went out on the highway, travelers were in a hurry, and we, who were walking leisurely, were rapidly passed. However, the man in the robe followed us, keeping pace with us as we walked leisurely. I''m sure she expected this, but Muell-san was holding her head. "Haa ... Mou, I''m fed up with this." "Maa, I expected it, but I feel like this won''t change no matter how many days we do this." "That''s right ... What should I do ..." Previously, even when she asked another person to escort her, Muell-san seemed to have been defeated by this stalking act. It certainly didn''t look like he would give up in a week or so. When I was wondering what to do, Kondo muttered. "This is, it might be cheesy, but there''s no choice but to pretend that Kokubu is your lover, right?" "Idiot, why is it Kokubu. There must be other people available." "Because, he''s strong, isn''t he? To have the nerve to put your hands on my woman, will Yagi be able to oppose such an attack?" "Impossible!" "What about the old and new duo?" "Well ... A direct confrontation, right?" "That''s right, it''s just impossible." "Then, Kokubu is the only one here." "No, no, can you use such an obvious trick? Muell-san?" As expected, I thought that she wouldn''t go along with such a clich¨¦d strategy, but Muell-san stared at me. "For Kent, does it bother you to pretend to be my boyfriend?" "Umm ... I, don''t hate it, but ... I don''t think it will go well." "But, is there a better way?" "That is ... I can''t think of any." "As for me, I want Gilik to see the wider world. Not only is he always loitering around me, but I want him to go to Marburg, Bakkenheim, or even Resenburg would be good. I don''t want him to seclude himself in just Volzard." "Umm ... I know it''s a nosy question, but do you have any feelings for Gilik-san ..." "There''s no way. I''m too close to Gilik, so I can only think of him as a troublesome younger brother. I mean, I''ve known him since we were so~ young. The whole time, Onee-tan, Onee-tan, he was so clingy." Uwaa ... Muell-san completely cut him down. Come to think of it, I heard that he spent his childhood being traumatized by his older sisters. If he''s been clingy since then, it must be annoying. "Maa, there was a time when he was cute in the past, back in the day ... But, now he has that figure, and his contents, haa ..." Gilik was thoroughly spoken ill of, it was originally pleasant, but at this point, moreover, if Muell-san was in a state of completely bashing him, it really made me feel sad. "Kokubu, cooperate in the deception." "For us also, Gilik-aniki, I think that''s no good." Since the old and new duo who I had been working together for a while told me, I guess I had no choice but to give a helping hand. "But, suddenly becoming lovers ... Wouldn''t that be strange?" "Well then, shouldn''t you shorten the distance more than usual?" "That''s right, let''s do it like Joji says."(TN:Guessing this is Muell here, calling Joji strangely so it almost looks like George.) Oou, Muell-san intertwined our arms, this degree of closeness ... Wonderful, I thought it would be troublesome to take care of the detention group, but if there is a reward like this, I will do my best every day. Rather, Yagi is, go bald, go bald, go die ... and the like, shut up will you. Also, I felt a gaze that seemed to pierce from behind. Entering the road from the highway to the dungeon, Muell-san took out a bundle of iron rings. There were about 5 smaller rings inside a larger ring. Muell-san grabbed the large ring with her left hand and walked while clattering it. "Muell-san, what is that?" "Ehh, it''s to avoid monsters. Don''t you know, Kent?" "Yes, I''m seeing it for the first time." "Oi, oi, Kokubu, can such a person guide us?" "It''s just as Tatsuya says, that''s completely a strike." "Even if you say that, I have no need for a more powerful monster avoidance ..." [ Buhahaha, I''m sorry, Kent-sama. We no longer need to avoid monsters, so I completely forgot about it. ] That''s right, I don''t think there''s anything better than Reinhardt to avoid monsters. The ring to avoid monsters was like a bell to avoid bears. If they hear the sound of metal clashing against each other, they would think that you were holding a sword or other weapon, making it difficult for monsters to approach you. When I looked into the shadow space for a moment, Mart and the others had slightly disgusted looks on their faces. It seemed that one person in each group should have a ring to avoid monsters, so Nitta decided to carry it instead of Muell-san. Right, right, Muell-san, I''d like you to wrap your arms more tightly. Haaa, so happy ... "Muell-san, are you going to collect medicinal herbs every day?" "Nope, there aren''t many medicinal herbs this time of year, so once a week is enough. I feel like I go out every day in the summer." "Isn''t it supposed to be harvested in the summer and dried before being used?" "That''s right, but there are also medicinal herbs that can be used raw." "Which type of herb are you collecting today?'' "It''s the type that you use after drying." The medicinal herb called Urajiroashi grew all year long, but it seemed that the medicinal effect was stronger during the winter season.(TN:Looking up this name, ''¥¦¥é¥¸¥í¥¢¥·'' brings up a tree in Japan, not an herb.) The reason why Muell-san showed up at the guild at the beginning of the week was because she collected the amount to be wholesaled to the guild in addition to the amount to be used at her master Corey-san''s shop. If you collect what is in high demand that week and bring it home, you will get a better yield. "Today, are you going to collect the amount to be sold to the guild as well?" "Hmm ... The types of medicinal herbs are limited this time of year, so I''ll have to wait and see how they grow." There seemed to be an unspoken rule when it came to collecting medicinal herbs. And, in places where there were traces of collection, no collection would take place. It seemed that you should never do anything that completely wiped out the roots. "Is that a resource protection?" "That''s right. If the medicinal herbs stop growing, we won''t be able to make medicine." "Is it difficult to cultivate in a field?" "That''s right. It''s not like you can''t do it, but the medicinal effect will fade." "If it''s not an environment suitable for growing, it''s no good." "That''s right. Just like Gilik, I want them to change the environment so that they can grow further." Kuu ... You''re an ungrateful mutt even though Muell-san thinks of you like this. We were able to arrive at a colony of Urajiroashi near the pond before noon. The group of three who were staying behind remained vigilant, and Muell-san, me, and Yagi did the collection work. At first, Yagi refused to work, but since he was an idiot who came empty-handed with only his smartphone, I told him that if he didn''t work, he would skip lunch. "Yagi, if you don''t do exactly what Muell-san taught you, you won''t be able to eat." "So noisy, I''m doing it right! Damn, why is the Journalist me ..." "A fledgling journalist, aren''t you supposed to report from the ground up?" "Moreover, that''s too plain, too plain! If there''s no flower to attract more readers ..." Yagi''s gaze wandered around Muell-san''s chest and waist. "Yagi, where are you looking? You should realize that your actions are also being stalked." "Geeh, say that sooner ..." Because there''s a man in a robe who climbed a tree on the shore across the pond and was keeping an eye on us. The conversation before departure must have been overheard, and Yagi''s fate seemed to have run out three times already. We bundled the collected Urajiroashi and soaked the roots in the pond before having lunch. "Hey, Kokubu, come to think of it, you''re empty-handed, aren''t you. What are you doing with food, food, food!" "Aahh, you''re really annoying. Did you forget that I can move in the shadows?" "Ahh, I see ... No, I''m joking, don''t get angry like that ..." "Wait a minute, I''m going right now." Since we were working outdoors in the cold, I asked Amanda-san for some warm soup takeout. Muell-san was very happy about this. "It doesn''t rain very much this time of year, so I''m afraid to use fire outside." "Is it because the medicinal herbs will also burn in the event of a fire?" "That''s right. It will be a big problem if things that grow from now on become no good." The piping hot soup contained meatballs and was very filling. "Yes, Kent, Ah~n ..." "Ehh?" "I''ve got to show it off to someone climbing a tree." "That''s right, isn''t it, ah~n ... Ah fuu ah fuu." Hyaaha~~h, from Muell-san, I recei~ved an ah~n. "Kazuki, even though I know it''s a strategy, I feel like we''re the ones taking the most damage." "Aahh, Tatsuya. I won''t deny it, I won''t deny it at all." It was when the old and new duo complained. Meki meki mekiiiii ... With a loud noise, a tree fell over the pond. It was the tree that the mutt was climbing up until just now. "Uwaa ... Muell-san, do you still want to continue? It looks like it''s going to cause environmental destruction and have a negative impact on the surroundings." "Haaah ... I was in a good mood with having a delicious lunch, but it''s ruined." "Hmm ... Isn''t it no good if we don''t think of another way?" "Hey, Kokubu." "Kondo, do you have a good idea?" "That Gilik, what is his rank as an adventurer?" "Gilik is a D-rank like me." Muell-san answered for me. "That adventurer rank, how do you raise it?" "Adventurer rank is just your achievement as an adventurer." Your guild''s rank would increase according to your achievements, such as the amount of materials you had brought in and the work you had undertaken in the guild. Even Muell-san didn''t seem to know the detailed criteria, such as how many Orcs you had to kill to raise it. In Gilik''s case, he was always with Muell-san, so no matter how much strength he had, he could only sell medicinal herbs, so his rank didn''t go up. When Kondo heard that, he made a proposal. "Well then, how about setting a deadline and saying that if he can''t be promoted to C-rank or B-rank by then, you''re really going to marry Kokubu? In that case, then he''ll have to do other work to achieve his goals, right?" "As expected of Kondo, you''re smart! What do you think, Muell-san?" "Yup, that''s good! It''s true that if you only gather medicinal herbs, your guild''s rank won''t go up, so if he''s with me, he won''t be able to achieve his goals. Yup, let''s do it!" Thanks to Kondo''s idea, Muell-san was also in a good mood, and when I was enjoying the tea after the meal, Mart suddenly popped up and I was informed of a visitor. CH 255 Orc subjugation training ***---*** "Goshujin-sama, an Orc is coming." "Ehh, Orc? Where?" "Over there, over there." When I looked in the direction Mart was pointing, I could see a shadow moving between the trees. Everyone got nervous when they heard the word Orc, but it looked like there was only one, so there was no need to panic. [ Kent-sama, what would you like to do? ] [ Ehh, I see, is it better to let them experience subjugation. ] [ It seems like there''s only one, and it''s affordable. ] "Okay, Nitta, Furuta, Kondo, go subjugate it." "Haa? All of a sudden, will Kokubu support us?" "Hmm ... If it''s a standard magician''s level ... Aahh, I''ll treat you, but for a fee." "Do that for free, okay, Kazuki, Joe, let''s do it!" The three who were staying behind, nodded at Furuta''s words, and started preparing for the subjugation. "Muell-san, please stay here. Mart, just in case, please guard her." "Wafuu, understood." "My best regards, Mart." Mart was being petted by Muell-san and its eyes were narrowing. "Hey, Kokubu, what about me?" "Yagi ... do your best!" "Heyy! Rather, is it okay if I stay here ..." He shrewdly secured a place next to Muell-san, but his face looked a little pale. Frankly, I was tired of defeating Orcs and Ogres, but from Yagi''s point if view, it might feel like entering a cage in a zoo. Even while we were talking, the Orc approached us while checking on the situation. [ Kent-sama, if it gets dangerous, I will help them. ] [ It''s okay, I''ll put out a shield of darkness to stop any dangerous attacks. ] [ I see, there is no need to worry if you have the support of an S-rank adventurer. ] [ Maa, there''s no point in messing around too much. ] The three staying behind people also had a tense expression on their faces, bending and stretching, rotating their arms, and trying to release their tension along with that of their bodies. "Don''t think about killing it all at once. Whittle it down, whittle it down, and keep your guard up until it''s completely dead." "Tch, it''s really big ..." "It''s okay, it''s okay, it''s four-on-one, Nitta. I''ll play around with Hit And Away." "Damnit, Kokubu is too calm." "Ha!Ha!Ha!, that''s the difference in experience, Furuta-kun." "It''s annoying ..." While we were joking around, the Orc seemed to have made up its mind. "Bumoooooo!" "Come on, everyone chant, aim for the feet! Anway, stop it from moving." "Understood! Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my body, return, return, return and become my power, strengthen!" "Shi!" "Bufuuu ..." Towards the rushing Orc, two blades of wind shot, and in addition, a gust was blown and its feet stopped. With daggers in their hands, the three boys rushed to their respective positions and started attacking. "Hey, over here, over here!" "Sorasorasorasora!" "Hey, take that!" The staying behind trio circled around the Orc, slashing at its legs. As expected of people from athletic clubs, they aimed at really disgusting places such as the Achilles tendon and the back of the knee. "Buu ... Bufuuuu ..." The Orc had an irritated expression on its face, but when it tried to chase Nitta and the others, its slashed leg hurt and its face was distorted. On the other hand, the three of them seemed to be moving more and more lightly, as if their tension had eased as they moved. [ Kent-sama, the Orc still has room to spare. Tell them not to let their guard down even if it gets down on its knees. ] "Understood. Everyone, don''t let your guard down even if the Orc gets down on its knees. It still has some energy left." "Tatsuya, don''t let your guard down!" "Kazuki too, oops, dangerous!" For the three who had improved their movement with physical strengthening, the Orc''s attacks just cut through the air. However, there was a problem there. [ Shaving with a dagger might take a little time. ] [ It feels like fat armor. ] The three of them aimed at the leg joints to stop the Orc from moving, but it seemed that the daggers were a little lacking in power to break through the thick subcutaneous fat and pass the damage through. It was on all fours with its knees completely bent, but if you got close, it would swing its thick arms around, so it wasn''t quite enough to drain its stamina. "Kokubu, it''s bad! I can''t cut it!" "Me too, it''s probably the fat!" The three were slashing its flanks and back, but apparently the subcutaneous fat stuck to the blades and took away the sharpness of the daggers. The Orc''s leg was cut and it couldn''t move, but the wound itself wasn''t that big. As Reinhardt said, it still had a lot of energy left. "If it''s like this, oraa!" "Buooooo!" "Watch out!" Nitta stabbed the dagger into the Orc''s side, but he was nearly mowed down when he stopped moving. The shield of darkness came in just in time, but Nitta let go of the dagger. "What are you doing, Kazuki!" "Shut it, it''s going to be bad at this rate! Kokubu, give me some kind of weapon, weapon!" Nitta left his post and ran back to me. "You know ... Normally you can''t replenish weapons in the middle." "Give me a sword too, a sword, uraaaa!" "Hey, you guys!" Furuta came back with his dagger stuck in the Orc''s side. Kondo ended up facing off against the Orc, but luckily the damage to its leg was great, so it just waved its arms around and didn''t go after him. "Kokubu, hurry up and get a weapon out, please!" "No good, no good, that kind of cheating is unacceptable." "Then, what should I do." "Can''t you kill it with attack magic, or barehanded?" "I can''t use amazing magic like you." "Hey, hurry up. I can''t do anything by myself!" I thought the subjugation got off to a good start, but it was already slowing down. "It can''t be helped ... It''s only this time." It was when I was taking out the swords that were placed in the shadow storage. "Zuryaaaaaa!" A large figure suddenly ran in, wielded a large sword and cut off the Orc''s head. The Orc collapsed with blood splattering from its severed neck, and everyone froze as if time had stopped. The first to move was Gilik who broke in. When he put the blood-splattered sword back into its scabbard and turned to Muell-san, his expression was disgustingly proud. Muell-san quickly stood up and stepped forward. "How is it, Myuu-ane, to rely on guys such as this ..." Paan! Muell-san''s slap caught Gilik''s cheek, and a dry sound resounded. "Do you know what you''ve done! As an adventurer, you should never do something like stealing prey from a junior with a rank lower than yours! What are you doing!" "N, no ... I''m ..." It must have been because Muell-san linked her arms with mine. I think he was just trying to show his good side, and he didn''t understand what was going on. As expected, the old and new duo frown and sigh. "Everyone was trying their best. Although I thought it was becoming more and more useless, I thought it was really amazing to cooperate and stop the movement of the Orc. After this, if they killed the Orc, they would have gained both experience and confidence ... But Gilik ruined it all." "No ... I was, to protect Myuu-ane ..." "I didn''t ask you to do that! I''m taking measures to protect myself! I''m not a child, I''m a full-fledged adventurer, don''t look down on me!" Pushed by Muell-san''s sharp words, Gilik was silent. "Apologize. Apologize to everyone ... Gilik!" "I, I was ..." In front of Gilik, who was about to turn around and run away, I put out a shield of darkness to block his way. "Are you going to run away with your tail between your legs like that again?" "Bastard ... Damned Chibi ... I''m not." Gilik bared his teeth and glared at me, but I was the one who was pissed off. As if to show off, I pierced trees with water spears, cut trunks with wind blades, and floated huge fireballs above my head. "Frankly, if I put my mind to it, Gilik-san won''t even be my opponent. No matter how hard you try, you''re still a D-rank. There''s no way you can match me, an S-rank." "You ..." "I was the one who provided support, controlled the situation so that there would be no danger, and had everyone gain experience. Well, it was certainly a waste of time, but they were still doing their best, just like Muell-san said, and their failures should have been their sustenance for the future. No one had been injured yet, and they hadn''t given up. Why are you stealing their prey!" "Kuu ..." The old and new duo and Kondo were also looking at the silent Gilik. "I decided. These guys said they won''t go back to Japan and will stay in Volzard, so I''ll give them special training as adventurers and let them gain a lot of experience. If I take them deep into the Devil''s Forest, there will be Orcs and Ogres scattered about. I''m sure they''ll overtake Gilik-san in no time." "D, don''t joke around!" "I''m not joking around. Let''s see, right ... Please show me the courage to be promoted to A-rank within this year. If not, I will seriously take Muell-san." I walked over to Muell-san, wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her. "That''s right, I''m already tired of babysitting a brat who won''t admit his own mistakes, so I guess I''ll choose Kent ..." Muell-san also guessed my intention and leaned her head on my shoulder. "Guu, giii ... Remember this, damned Chibi. I''ll crumple you bastard up and throw you in the garbage can ... Oi! Bastard, don''t get carried away ... I, I''m sorry!" Gilik ran away after I removed the shield of darkness. Still, I wondered if he thought that was an apology ... Muell-san let out a big sigh, walked over to the three who were staying behind with a wry smile on her face, and deeply bowed her head. "I''m really sorry. It was a great opportunity ..." "No, no, it''s not Myuu-neesan''s fault." "Right, right, I know Gilik-aniki is like that." "We were also being slow ..." No, really, being slow was also a good thing. "That''s why ... I''ll let the three of you experience subjugating Orcs at my special training ground. If you want, I''ll bring Ogres and Rock Ogres." If it was the special training ground in the Devil''s Forest, Orcs were roaming around. "Seriously. Unexpectedly, we will rise to A rank faster, right?" "Right now I''m not good enough, but shouldn''t I increase my experience points?" "Ahh ... But, prepare your own weapons." "Wait a minute, you''re telling me to hit it with a dagger again, ahh, my dagger is broken!" When the Orc fell, Furuta''s dagger was broken at the base of the blade. [ Kent-sama, wouldn''t it be fine if we accommodated what was prepared in Resenburg? ] [ Hmm ... I thought it would be better to start from scratch, but it''s no good without a weapon. ] [ These people are quite strong, so if you train them, they will become good. ] [ Maa, they said they will stay here, so I''ll give them some preferential treatment. ] To deal with large monsters such as Orcs and Ogres, daggers didn''t seem to have enough reach or power, so let''s have them borrow something from the Lastock garrison. "For the time being, we can''t leave the Orc corpse as it is, so take out the magic stone. I''ll take care of the corpse disposal." "Ou, that''s right. Then, Tatsuya, please!" "Why is that, Kazuki, do it." "Yes, yes, you''re going to become adventurers right? You''re going to do it dozens or hundreds of times from now on, so hurry up and do it!" In the end, it was Kondo who started taking out the magic stone, and I had a feeling that he was going to have a series of hardships in the future. Now that I mention it, Yagi is strangely quiet. Yagi stopped moving while staring at his smartphone screen. "Yagi, what''s wrong?'' "No, it''s nothing ..." "Did something happen in japan again?" "Kokubu, people with good intuition are hated." "And?" "It''s not and ... Aahh, mou, a storm of criticism is being stirred up towards Watase because of Fujii''s case." "Aahh, those two went home together, didn''t they. Did something happen before or after they left?" "Maybe. While fully defending Fujii, there seemed to a clash with the victim protection side." Fujii, who was on the verge of becoming monster-fallen and caused murders, and Watase, who was live streaming with Tayama, who died after being stoned by an Orc, returned together with the first repatriation technique. Both of them had their friends killed by monsters in front of them, so there must have been a part of them thinking about themselves. Fujii is the victim, stay in a safe Japan, don''t criticize someone when you know nothing ... Writing on the SNS like this seemed to be the beginning of the storm of criticism. "Home identification And convexity Pattern?"(TN:Dunno. A mix of Engrish and other words. ×ÔÕ¬Ìض¨¥¢¥ó¥É͹¤Î¥Ñ¥¿©`¥ó£¿ Jitaku tokutei Ando totsu no Pataan?) "Maa, that''s about it." "Haa ... It''s better not to go home." "That''s right, but we don''t have cheats." "What are you talking about? What is Yagi holding." "Ehh? Ou, I see, if I have a smartphone, can i cheat with modern knowledge?" Yagi happily raised his smartphone and tilted his head in contemplation. "What? A follow-up report on Watase?'' "No, not that ... I mean, a modern knowledge cheat is a guy who uses modern knowledge to develop things and create things, right?" "That''s right. Is it Over-technical, so to speak?" "Rather, it''s troublesome at the point of making something ..." "Uwaa, it came out. So Yagi-like, it''s so Yagi-like." "Because, for example, if you''re going to make a bicycle. Chains, tires, brake wires, it''s a lot of work to make everything. It would be quicker if Kokubu just happened to bring it." "Maa, that''s true, but ..." "I want to make money without working! Alright, Kokubu, cast a spell on me that will allow me to make money just by breathing." "There is no such magic. That''s right, if it''s a different magic, I''ll cast it on you." "A different magic?" "Yup, this morning, I was talking to Yagi at the meeting place." "You, don''t tell that story ... Wait a minute ... Was I really heard? By that dog bastard." Recalling that Gilik was stalking us, Yagi''s face paled as he grasped the situation. "Yagi, you don''t like people with good intuition, do you?" "Don''t joke around, you idiot! What am I going to do." "It''s okay. Gilik can''t afford to be bothered by something like Yagi." "Ou, I see. If he''s aiming for A-rank within the year, he can''t afford that." "Right, right, it''s fine as long as you don''t mess around in the city." "You, don''t say such scary things. I won''t be able to walk in the city." "But, if Gilik isn''t there, it''s a chance to get along with Muell-san." "Ou, that''s right, invite her to dinner while the dog bastard is away ... No wait, it''s a trap, it''s a trap to beat me up in the city!" "Yagi, who has good intuition ..." "That''s enough. A heartless person like you should be cursed to have no time to spend it even if they have money." "Ha!Ha!Ha!, it''s useless Yagi, that kind of curse, it was already on me a long time ago!" Guha!, I took damage by saying that myself. Mart comforted me by patting me ''pofu pofu'' on my shoulder as I fell to my knees. CH 256 Monster''s paradise ***---*** "Goshujin-sama, the number of monsters is increasing." "Monsters?" "Yup, like cows, and pigs ..." The next morning after escorting the staying behind three and Muell-san, Kirt returned from patrolling the Devil''s Forest. It was an awkward way of saying it, but I felt something disturbing. Starting today, I was planning to repatriate the staying behind three to the training grounds in the Devil''s Forest and give them special training supervised by Reinhardt, but it might be better to wait and see how things go. "Kirt, where are the monsters increasing?" "Nnh lessee ... Where there is a big pond." "Aahh, over there ..." The big pond that Kirt was talking about was the place where the spear golem fell before to subjugate the Hydra. The crater filled with water and became a pond, making it a perfect waterfront for monsters. [ Kent-sama, it would be troublesome if the number of monsters increased in that place and the monsters suddenly moved north. ] "Yup, or rather, it''s already become a troublesome situation. If I don''t deal with it for a while, it will be no good." I moved to the garrison quarters and told the staying behind trio that the training was postponed. "What''s that, I thought I could subdue monsters with great effort ..." "The special training ground is deep in the Devil''s Forest, so it''s closer to where the monsters are increasing than Volzard." "No, no, no, I won''t do it. It''s not a joke that a large number of monsters appear in a place without ramparts." Even Nitta, who had a muscle brain, didn''t want to do it when he remembered the mass outbreak of Goblins. It seemed that the three of them would go to the guild''s training grounds, find suitable opponents, and spar. Well then, let''s go exterminate monsters. "Uwaa ... What the heck ..." [ This is also an amazing number ... ] Compared to the last time I came to check, I felt that the number and types of monsters had increased several times. There were Minotaurs and Lizardman that I hadn''t seen very often, and there were more and more wriggling snakes in the pond. "Why are there so many monsters gathering here? If it''s just the waterfront, there''s a river flowing through the Devil''s Forest, right?" [ Certainly, it is as Kent-sama says. It is natural to think that there must be some kind of reason for such a large number of monsters to gather. ] Around the pond, Goblins were being attacked by Orcs. A little further away, there was a group of Goblins that seemed to have escaped from Orcs, and another Orc seemed to be targeting them. In the surrounding bushes, there were also a group of Gigawolves with cubs (Even though they were larger than St. Bernards). It had completely become a paradise for monsters. "This, how should I deal with it?" [ That''s right ... I feel like if we reduce any specific monsters, the balance will collapse, and the number of monsters will increase more and more ... ] For Reinhardt, it seemed that this was the first time he had dealt with such a situation, and he couldn''t seem to come up with an answer. "I mean ... The monsters here look strong, don''t they?" [ Fumu, it''s true ... It looks like they have a better physique than the ones I''ve seen elsewhere. ] The Goblins, which were most numerous, were a bit more macho than the ones you normally saw, and their limbs looked thick enough to make you think that the Orcs were of a higher class. "Even though there are so many of them, are they rather well-nourished?" [ True, I guess ... Normally, if the number increases, I think there will be a shortage of food ... ] "Isn''t it better to observe a little before dealing with it?" [ Indeed that is true. An impromptu response might make the situation worse. ] I thought the reason why so many monsters gathered was because of the most numerous monsters, Goblins. Although there were more of them than others, they had a better physique than others. If you thought about it normally, there must be an abundance of better food than others. When I observed a group of Goblins, they were constantly digging up the soil and carrying something to their mouths. I didn''t know what Goblins ate in the first place, but they were probably insects or small animals. "Ugeeh, what is it ..." [ It looks like an earthworm, but it''s pretty big. ] What the Goblins were digging up was large earthworms. They were thicker than a water hose and seemed to be about a meter long. "Gigiyaa!" Surprisingly, the earthworms weren''t just being eaten, they were squirming and biting the Goblins. Their round mouths were lined with triangular teeth, and bit into a circle about 5 centimeters in diameter where they bit. "Apparently, those earthworms seem to be the cause." [ That''s right. It''s the first time this me has seen it, but it''s probably a kind of monster. ] "Ehh, it''s a monster? Indeed, I see, is that why the Goblins'' physiques are getting better. But, where did those earthworms come from?" [ That''s where the problem lies. ] "Could it be that something that was deep in the bottom of the earth came out after the ground was gouged out by the explosion of the spear golem?" [ That possibility is also considered, but in that case, wouldn''t the earthworm return to the deep underground? ] "I see, if they originally lived deep underground, the place where they breed should be deep underground." Even while observing, Goblins scavenged for earthworms, Orcs and Gigawolves attacked them, and the food chain continued to unfold. [ Kent-sama, isn''t this caused by the soil? ] "Soil ...?" [ Yes, the soil. ] "Aahh, I see, the cause was the soil that was dug up by the explosion." [ Nope, that is not how it is. ] "Ehh, is that wrong?" [ Yes, probably not. ] "But, there''s nothing else that could be causing it." [ Kent-sama, what happened to the Hydra? ] "Oohhh! I see, the Hydra ..." At the hypocenter of the crater, which was now a large pond, there certainly was the giant monster with three heads, the Hydra. [ Perhaps, however, the flesh and blood of the Hydra, which was smashed to pieces by Kent-sama''s spear golem, along with the magic stone, rained down on the earth, right. ] "A large number of earthworm monsters appeared after eating it, and then the Goblins ate them ... So that''s the cycle." [ It is said that the reason why the southern continent became a land where monsters roam is because the Demon King''s enormous magical power went out of control. Isn''t that exactly what this feels like? ] "Uwaa ... I guess we have to dredge up the soil and move it to solve the problem fundamentally." [ As a perfect countermeasure, it might be so. ] When I subjugated the Hydra, I drank a booster and my tension was rising, so I had no time to think about such a problem. "Well, if that''s the case, it might be bad ..." [ What is it? ] "The same situation as here may be happening in a different place ..." [ A different place ... Leinef? ] "Yes, it''s not scattered as widely as here, but two Gigases worth of blood and magic stones are scattered." [ I see, but in Leinef''s case, it''s not a place where monsters gather, and the subjugation was done at the beach, so most of them must have been washed away into the sea. ] "Maybe so, but it''s better to contact them just in case." [ Indeed that is true. Even if Barshania deals with it, it would be better to have information. ] Regarding the monsters that had increased here, I asked Fred and Basten, who were conducting reconnaissance in the Calvine Territory, to return and thin out the large-scale monsters. "Then, reduce it to less than half so that it doesn''t overflow from this area." [ Leave it to me, Kent-sama. ] [ Magic stones and materials ... make a lot of money ... ] It was a chilling situation for normal people, but for the two of them, it was probably just an increase in prey. Even so, the monsters gathered here, it would not be good if they headed to Volzard or Lastock, so I strengthened the patrol of the Kobold Corps, and had Flamme push them back if there were signs of going north. "Please, Flamme." "Gotcha. Leave it to me." I thought it was a very difficult situation, but if we could manage the crisis properly, it might be possible to use it like a ranch for breeding and harvesting monsters. I''m not Yagi, but I might be able to make money without working. Before heading to Guryayev, the Imperial Capital of Barshania, let''s visit Seraphima. When I moved with Hirt as a landmark, she had left the lodgings and was being rocked in a carriage. The sun was shining in the Devil''s Forest, but it was raining here. There were wide fields around the road, and there were no people due to the rainy weather. The procession progressed solemnly while being hit by the hazy rain. Seraphima was also staring blankly out of her window and she looked a little bored. "Morning, Sera." "Kent-sama, kya! ..." "Oops, it''s dangerous, are you okay?" The carriage shook the moment she stood up, and I caught the staggering Seraphima. "Yes, Kent-sama supported me, so it''s okay." Although older than me, Seraphima, who was petite and delicate, aroused a desire to protect her. As I sat down next to her seat, Seraphima cradled my left arm and leaned her head on me. "Is the road going smoothly?" "Yes, after that, there was a commotion of monster-fallen only once, but it was just a commotion in the city, and the procession was not attacked." "But there was a commotion about the monster-fallen." "Yes, it seems that a man who couldn''t accomplish anything attacked his lover and his companions." "Well then, the person who became monster-fallen was identified." "Yes, but although they thought hard, it seems that they didn''t talk about anything that would make them become monster-fallen." "Then, did they suddenly lose consciousness one day?'' "Yes, the day before the commotion, there was a little trouble at the bar, but other than that, nothing seemed to have changed." "Have you checked their belongings?" "Yes, I had them check the house and rooms, but there was nothing particularly suspicious." When I talked to Seraphima about the Fujii incident that happened in Japan, it seemed that there were a few things that were different from the commotions that were happening here. Those who had become monster-fallen here were completely monster-fallen, and their skin had changed. Also, they had never used attack magic, and seemed to only rampage while their bodies were strengthened. "For Kent-sama''s friend, it looks like he''s suddenly fallen into a state of being near monster-fallen, but in a place where there is no magic essence, if he was only consuming the magic essence that came out of magic stones, wouldn''t he gradually become monster-fallen?" "I see, that''s right. But, in Fujii''s case, he consumed a large amount of magic stone powder at a point where he had used up his magic power, so he must have been in a state close to being monster-fallen, but according to what you said about the previous person, they didn''t consume any special magical power, did they?" "Yes, even in a state where magic power is not consumed, there is certainly something that makes people become monster-fallen." "And, considering when and where it happened, there must be at least two people who can do the same thing." "Yes, that''s right." There''s a lot we don''t know about Barshania''s monster-fallen. When I told Seraphima, who looked a little depressed, that the construction of the house was progressing, her smile returned. "Kent-sama, actually, I have seen the state of our house." "Ehh, our house in Volzard, is it?" "Yes, nothing has been done to the interior yet, but I have seen the floor plan and the surrounding garden trees." Hirt was proudly showing off next to Seraphima, who smiled mischievously. "I see, all the Kobolds took pictures with a tablet and showed it to Sera, right?" "Yes, I''ve heard that it is a magic tool from Kent-sama''s country." "Yup, it''s a bit different from a magic tool, but it''s also true that I can''t explain in detail." "I''m looking forward to arriving at Volzard." Oouuu, when Seraphima hugs me, I feel the suppleness of the cat family. Compared to when I spent the night in just pajamas after the New Year''s party, I''m wearing more and there is less stimulation, but my heart still pounds. "Sera ..." "Kent-sama ..." After being rocked by the carriage for a while with Seraphima, I headed for Guryayev, the Imperial Capital of Barshania. When I searched Guryayev''s palace, Emperor Constant was in the middle of his official duties. Maa, he''s an idiot parent who loves Sera-chan, but since he''s the Emperor of a country, I didn''t expect him to be playing during the day. But, the King of Resenburg, who was killed by Havre, had a daily life in the Sake Pond Meat Forest. Maa, it''s rude to compare him with that. Constant was meeting with men dressed in peculiar national costumes. Was it another country, or was it a tribe within Barshania? At first glance, it looked like a friendly press conference, but I had an image of this kind of press conference as a deep-seated meeting. [ Kent-sama, it seems that these people are part of the neighboring country of the Felciane Empire. ] [ Is that so? ] [ When I listened to the contents of the conversation, they were talking about the grown of the sheep, the timing of the wool harvest next year, etc. ] The Felciane Empire was said to be a country where sheep farming was popular. On the other hand, cotton cultivation was thriving in Barshania. I heard that the two countries had built a good relationship through the trade of various goods, mainly cotton and wool. Even when peeking from the shadow space, both sides had a calm expression on their faces while they were talking about trade. "Now, then, shall we get to the point." When Emperor Constant started, the room was filled with tension. There were two major concerns common to the two countries, the Barshanian Empire and the Felciane Empire. The first was the issues of borders involving Mungia, an anti-government tribe in Barshania. The other was the outcome of the war between the Kilia Republic and the Jogesen Empire on the other side of the Felciane Empire. "Needless to say, we, Barshania, want a friendly relationship with your country. However, we cannot dispel the concern that some stubborn forces will go out of control." "We''re in the same position about that. The Nuoranne guys are quiet now, but if Mungia makes a move, they''ll easily be provoked ..." It seemed that the tribes competing for the border line for the leaders of both countries were also dissidents of their own respective countries. Both Constant and the meeting partner wanted to maintain friendly relations between countries at all costs. For that reason, I felt that they had created opportunities for communication like this. "This matter will be fine if we keep in close contact. The problem is Kilia." "Regarding Kilia, they pushed Jogesen in at a pace that far exceeded our expectations, but it seems that they have not yet completely stabilized. Moreover, even in areas that were thought to be pacified, the resistance seems to be wriggling, and it seems that they can''t afford to start a war." Although the Republic of Kilia had the upper hand in the war with the power of iron and explosives, it was only a quarter of the size of the Jogesen Empire. Even if they drove out the Jogesen''s soldiers, it seemed that there were not enough people to control the populace. "Then, is your country going to stick to the stance of waiting and watching?" "That''s correct. Kilia''s iron, Jogesen''s grain, if requested, we will trade with either country, and we have no intention of giving preferential treatment to one or the other." "However, I have heard that the ones responsible for the core of Kilia''s tactics is the mountain tribe of Felciane, are you okay with that?" "Has this been passed down to Barshania as well? As you say, Bronetsk dark magicians were the cornerstone of Kilia''s tactics, but they are now prohibited from leaving the country." "From Jogesen, didn''t they say something sarcastic to you?" "Maa, that country is a disgusting country even if there is nothing." The Jogesen Empire was an agricultural country with fertile land, and its agricultural productivity seemed to be its advantage over its neighboring countries. In other words, it was a battle between a large country that has long prospered through agriculture and a small country that has prospered with emerging technologies such as iron and explosives. "For example, even if there were no necromancers, as long as there were explosives, the situation where Jogesen was pushed in should not have changed. In fact, I''ve heard that Kilia, whose Bronetsk dark magician was assassinated, was using criminals instead of undead." "Are they having criminals hold explosives and blow themselves up?" "That''s correct. I hear that if they disobey, their families will be threatened with punishment, and they will even bind you with slave bracelets." "In war, we take away each other''s lives, but it''s a story that makes me feel sick." Emperor Constant promised to provide grains, and Felciane expressed their gratitude. [ Apparently, both Kilia and Jogesen are difficult for Felciane to handle. Even if there is a border dispute, it seems that Barshania is more desirable as a friendly country. ] As far as I could see from here, I felt that Reinhardt''s assessment was correct. [ Even for Barshania, they want to avoid a fight with Felciane, right? ] [ Since it is a country where good trade is conducted, there will be dissatisfaction from within the country if it becomes a situation such as the severance of ties. ] [ But, if they get along well with Felciane, Mungia will get angry ... it''s kind of troublesome. ] [ Buhahaha, Kent-sama, it is not just limited to countries. There are people fighting within the house, such as Resenburg and Marburg. ] [ I see, in my house, I have to make sure everyone is smiling. ] [ If it''s Kent-sama, you should be able to make everyone smile even if it''s a territory or a country. ] [ No, no, it''s impossible for me now. Besides, if I want something big before my feet have settled down, I''ll be the same as some stupid Prince. ] After that, more detailed information about Kilia and Jogesen''s situation was discussed, and the meeting ended with a smile and a handshake. Well then, let''s talk about Leinef. CH 257 Emperor''s speculations ***---*** The guests left with the First Prince, Gregory, and Emperor Constant, who finished seeing them off, took the Second Prince, Joseph, to the office. The entire wall of the office was covered with bookshelves, but thanks to the large skylight, there was no need to turn on the lights of the magic tools. Constant sat down at a large, beautifully carved desk and ordered tea from his butler. "Would you mind treating me to a cup of tea, too?" "Muu, Kent Kokubu, huh, okay, an additional tea." The butler was surprised when I put out a shield of darkness and went out, but Constant and Joseph seemed familiar with it and weren''t surprised. "Did something happen? Don''t tell me something happened to Sera-chan ..." "No, no, Seraphima is fine. With a hundred escort knights and my genus, there''s no way something will happen." "Umu, that''s fine, but then, what do you want?" "It''s not an emergency, but I came to inform you about something that has me a bit concerned." "Something that has you concerned?" "Yes, the place that connects this continent and the southern continent, the place where the Hydra appeared before ..." I talked about the reason why the crater was created by subjugating the Hydra, and the current situation that was like a monster''s paradise. "So, I''m afraid that a similar event may have happened at Leinef, where the Gigases were subjugated." "I see, if that''s the reason, then it makes sense." "Yes, Father." After hearing my story, Constant and Joseph exchanged glances and nodded. "Perhaps, are there some signs?" "Umu, in the city of Leinef, the search for missing people and the cleanup of rubble is being carried out, but there are reports of Mermen appearing frequently." Merman was the so-called half-fish person. Although it had human-like limbs, its entire body was covered in scales and had a fish-like face. It was nearly two meters tall, and was said to attack humans and drag them into the sea. With their sharp teeth and claws and webbing between their fingers, they were believed to live in the sea. They were said to have been seen very rarely in the waters near Leinef, but they never came ashore. "Then, was there any damage done?" "Nope, we just subjugated the Gigas. We''ve been on guard against monsters, so we''ve repelled them all, but I''ve received reports that the search and other work has been delayed." Mermen were vicious monsters in the sea, but they were said to be less dangerous than Orcs on land. "Then, is it okay for now?" "That''s right. We can''t let our guard down, but what we can actively do is limited. We can''t live in the water." "But, Father, if this situation continues, won''t it be difficult to rebuild the city?" Leinef was once a fishing town. It seemed that most of the residents made a living from processed seafood, so it would be difficult to continue fishing in the sea where Mermen frequently appeared. "Kent Kokubu. Was there not an increase in earthworm-like monsters in the place where you exterminated that Hydra?" "Yes, about this thickness, about this length ..." "Is it really an earthworm? Isn''t that a giant snake?" "No, it looked like an earthworm. It''s just the size is a joke." "Fumu ... If that''s the case, it''s possible that such monsters are breeding in Leinef." When it came to breeding on the beach, I wondered if monsters like lugworms and sea cucumbers were also increasing. I wanted to see it, but I also didn''t want to see it ... Constant seemed to be imagining a similar situation. "Joseph, there may be an increase in small monsters near the beach, dispatch a water magician to Leinef. Cooperate with the earth-attribute magicians of the engineering corps who are searching, and mix the earth and sand that seem to have accumulated the Gigas'' meat and magic stones with seawater and send them outside the cove." "I understand. I''ll arrange it right away." Joseph left the office. The connecting corridor was said to be the center of the government affairs in Barshania. "If you throw it offshore, won''t it attract more monsters?" "Don''t worry. If the traces of the Gigas disappear near Leinef, even if the density of monsters increases temporarily offshore, it shouldn''t last long. I''ve heard that the tide is fast outside the cove." Maa, if the density of monsters increased, the big fish would come to swallow them whole. "Umm, if there''s anything I can do ..." "Let''s just accept your feelings. You''ve been giving us a lot of help so far." "But, shouldn''t we have to hurry with the reconstruction?" "Leinef will eventually recover. We will recover, but the damage was too great." The town of Leinef, which was attacked by the Gigas, was in a state of destruction except for a few houses. Not only houses, but also seafood processing plants, government offices, and ships had been destroyed or washed away. Above all, the damage to the residents was enormous, and even if everyone returned, it would be difficult to operate the city on the same scale as before. "Houses and ships can be taken care of if you give money. That''s why I can cover a considerable part with the money I received from you. But, people don''t grow up easily." "What are you going to do?" "Reduce the size of the city and start rebuilding, recruit applicants from the slums and move them." "Moving them from the slums?" "That''s right, this isn''t limited to Leinef''s recovery, it''s a relief measure for the poor." In Barshania, as a support for those who could not escape from poverty, it seemed that a migration policy to areas and settlements that had suffered great damage like this time was being implemented. "Among the poor, there were those who had been deceived by unscrupulous moneylenders or forced to shoulder the debts of their parents. It was forbidden to lend at an interest rate higher than that set by the government, or to make people shoulder the debts of their parents, but those who dodged the law would be cut off. Besides, it was the duty of the ruler of the country to extend a helping hand to those who were born to poor parents." Constant explained the anti-poverty measures in Barshania. In the slums, there were people in charge who monitored the city on a daily basis, and they listened to the situation of poverty and the current situation where they couldn''t escape, and talked to them when the migration project was carried out. "However, I won''t lend a hand to everyone. I won''t lend a hand to those who are addicted to gambling or drinking. Only those who sincerely want to escape from their current life and live a proper life." For example, in the case of a family that cannot get out of poverty because of an alcoholic father, it seemed that divorce procedures and child protection were also taken care of. "So, will the Father agree?" "If they don''t agree and follow their family ..." Constant put a knife hand to his neck and pretended to cut it off. It was unimaginable severity in Japan. "There''s no good reason why some people can''t even lead a normal life just because of people who can''t help themselves with alcohol and gambling. I don''t know if there are sleeping talents among those who will carry the country on their backs in the future." Relief measures were being taken against poverty, but there seemed to be no recognition of addiction like in Japan. I felt that there were still no relief measures in place for the people who had fallen into disrepair. "If such relief measures are taken, I feel that the slums themselves will disappear." "Fuun, it won''t be so easy. No matter how much we reach out and pull them out, we can''t save all the humans who fall into the slums." Maa, even in Japan, there were people who committed crimes because they wanted money to have fun, and there were people who could not work for various reasons. No matter how hard you tried, it would be difficult to save everyone. "But, wouldn''t the security of the slums themselves only get worse if you are only picking out the relatively decent people like that?" "In the slums, special departments deal with the situation. If you commit a crime, you will be punished more severely than others. If you drink and go on a rampage and injure someone else, the first offense will only be thrown in for a few days, but if you repeat it, you will be forced to work hard. If that still doesn''t work ..." "I see ..." It looks like they''ve been given a chance to get back on their feet. "Constant-san, has there been any progress since then regarding the monster-fallen?" "Monster-fallen, is it ... After the first three days in a row where people who became monster-fallen went on a rampage, the commotion had stopped, but the day before yesterday, there was another incident in which a person who had become monster-fallen went on a rampage. It was the slum residents who were targeted." It seemed that a man who became monster-fallen near dawn went on a rampage in the slums, causing many casualties among the residents. The man who became monster-fallen would often become violent and uncontrollable when he drank alcohol, and those who knew him stopped approaching him when he started drinking. It seemed that the night before the incident happened, he had been drinking alcohol and getting into trouble, but there was a man who skillfully persuaded him to take him out of the store. "Then, is that man the culprit of the riots?" "I still don''t know that far, but it''s highly possible because he was the one who was with him at the end." The man who took out the monster-fallen man had a face that you didn''t see around here. "Gregory''s subordinates are looking for the whereabouts of the man, but he has not been found yet." "But, is there some kind of medicine that will instantly make you monster-fallen just by drinking it?" "Nope, I''ve never heard of such a thing, but if it''s actually happening, you should assume it exists." I told him about what happened to Fujii in Japan, thinking it might be of some help. "Fumu, it''s hard to imagine a world without magic essence, but just consuming one magic stone won''t make you monster-fallen. Just as Sera had surmised, there must be a factor in the replenishment of magical essence before that time." "Even if you eat magic stones, you shouldn''t become monster-fallen overnight, but there are actually people who are becoming monster-fallen and rampaging ... What kind of method are they using?" "I don''t know, however, they can make people become monster-fallen overnight, but it''s not an easy method, and they probably won''t be able to control the monster-fallen humans as they wish." If it was just a matter of giving them something to eat or drink, they would probably make more people become monster-fallen. Also, it seemed that humans who had become monster-fallen instinctively went towards things they held a grudge against, and they didn''t seem to be launching attacks towards a specific location. "If it''s not something that can be used as a tool of war, does it give a feeling of relief." "What did you say, is it possible to have a feeling of relief. Even if they can''t do it now, if they keep improving it, it might become a way to easily make people become monster-fallen. If they create something that will make people monster-fallen just by putting it in their mouth, what a terrible situation will be caused." "That''s right. I said something careless, I''m sorry." "Regarding this matter, I''m having the responsible patrols move around in civilian clothes and search. I''ll definitely grab them by the tail." "As expected, Mungia is involved?" "Rather than saying that the possibility is the highest, I don''t really want to think about other cases." As for Mungia, they were the most hardened of the Barshanian dissidents. "As is talked about in Leinef, the name of Kent Kokubu has already spread as a hero. Many knights were lost to the Gigas, but there are rumors that the Barshanian Imperial Family is in good health after forming a relationship with a man who single-handedly defeated three Gigases. Because of such a situation, if Mungia, who has not come out to attack, will involve other tribes and cause a mass uprising ..." "It''s okay. In that case, I''ll move too." "Are you going to let your genus kill people?" "No, no, I want them to feel the same as those who were stranded in Chowsk." "I see, the Storm Cat lurking in the shadows and the Gigawolves ... Please don''t disturb the peaceful sleep of your allies by mistaking the faction." "I will do my best." With a bitter smile on his face, Constant must have been remembering the harassment by Nero and the Kobold Corps. Maa, if I were to do it again, I''d have Flamme participate in addition to Zeta-tachi, so I''d make it even more flashy to disturb their sleep. "Even so, why are Mungia and the Barshanian Imperial Family on such bad terms?" "Unfilled gap between rich and poor and territorial disputes." The Mungia were said to be a tribe living in the northwestern part of Barshania. They lived by hunting and a little farming, they had no special products, and they were far from the main roads, so they seemed to live poorer than other tribes. "Making processed goods using materials such as leather and horns obtained from hunting, and widening the way to the highway ... Such proposals to eliminate the gap between rich and the poor have been made, but they have been categorically rejected." "What is the territorial dispute?" "Mungia borders on the neighboring country of Felciane across the river, but they continue to skirmish with the tribes on the other side of the river over territorial rights on the sandbanks of the river." "Is there a reason why they are so particular about the sandbank?" "From our point of view, it''s just a sandbank, but to them, it seems to be their ancestral land." On the sandbank, there were mausoleums dedicated to the ancestors of both tribes, and there was a legend that those who ruled the sandbank would prosper. "But, the tribe on the opposite bank is just one tribe of the Felciane Empire, right?" "That''s right. Even if Mungia obtains the sandbank, it doesn''t mean that they can attack to the opposite shore, and the same is true for Nuoranne on the opposite shore. From our point of view, it''s a silly battle for encampment, and if they don''t come attacking us, we don''t have any intention of dealing with it. They don''t seem to like that." It seemed that Barshania and Felciane had agreed not to invade each other''s territory across the river. For example, if one side crosses the river, they can repel it, but they are not supposed to help the invasion. From Mungia''s point of view, such an attitude would appear uncooperative. "Mungia is a troublesome existence, but it seems that you are able to maintain a friendly relationship with the Felciane Empire." "Did you peek?" "Yes, I happened to listen for a moment." "It''s an ability that I want from a spy in Barshania. Maa, it''s fine, on the surface, things go well with Felciane." "On the surface ... is it?" "That''s right. The man who came earlier is known as a pro-Barshanian even among the Felciane. Naturally, the story is closer to our position." "Then, are there any people who are anti-Barshania?" "Of course, those who repeatedly skirmish with Mungia are the biggest." "Umm, Nuoranne ... was it? But, it''s an anti-government tribe, isn''t it?" "That''s right, it''s the same with Mungia. Bare your teeth to our Imperial Family, bare your teeth to Nuoranne, bare your teeth to Felciane ... If we show a naive appearance, the idiots will push their limits endlessly." Constant seemed to be deeply disgusted. "Aren''t you thinking of pacifying them with force?" "We lost many knights in the Gigas turmoil, but we still have the strength to take down Mungia." "Even so, you have no intention of doing it?" "Barshania was originally a country made up of ethnic minorities. If one tribe is wiped out by force of arms, it will be impossible to maintain ties with other tribes. If they will get destroyed anyway ... Thinking about things like that, it''s possible that some tribes will follow Mungia." "Uwaa ... Just listening to it is troublesome." "It may look like that, but everyone has troublesome existences. It just got a little bigger." "I see ..." Come to think of it, I also had troublesome existences like Gilik and Baldini.(TN:Not Yagi? XD ) "An Emperor is someone who governs a house called a country. Mungia is also a member of the family, although it''s irritating. For that reason, if they''re causing an uproar, we will have to give them a strong warning." "Does that mean that you and Felciane are neighbors?" "That''s how it is. It would be nice if they weren''t planning something behind the scenes." "Are they a country that plots behind the scenes?" "What, weren''t you peeping?" "Yes, from what I heard, they seemed friendly, but ..." "It''s a country that deals calmly with both Kilia and Jogesen, so there must be something behind it." "Ahh ... I see. Then, are they thinking of invading Barshania?" "They are most likely thinking of such. However, in the current situation, it''s just that it''s better to continue the friendly relationship." "I see ..." That meant that while Barshania was also considering invading Felciane, it seemed that it would be more profitable for them to continue their friendly relationship in the current situation. "Felciane borders on both Kilia and Jogesen. They probably think that once Kilia has pacified Jogesen, they might be the next target. When that happens, if they move on Barshania, they''ll be forced into a two-sided strategy. They just want to avoid that at all costs." "If Kilia attacks Felciane, will Barshania also attack Felciane?" "Now then, it all depends on how Kilia behaves. Kilia and Jogesen didn''t get along very well to begin with. However, Kilia and Felciane have built a long-standing friendship. A country that attacks a friendly country, we don''t welcome a situation where a neighboring country is attacked. Maa, it''s still a long way off for that kind of situation to happen ..." He calculated that Kilia would stop exporting iron, cross Felciane, and even invade Barshania, since he was the person who made a secret pact with Havre, he must be thinking about various things. Now then, it seemed that there was a line of people waiting for the documents to be approved on the other side of the door, so let''s go home. "Then, I''ll depart now." "Informing me about the Leinef case is appreciated." "No, it''s natural to this degree." "I see, is that so, then, even when you don''t have anything in particular to do, show up and tell me how Seraphima is doing." "Yes, I''ll take my other wives and visit you to say hello." "Hou, is such a thing possible, then let''s look forward to it, Son-in-law." "Yes, Father-in-law." Had he finally sorted out his mind, I nodded to Constant with a wry smile and dived into the shadows. Since there were many things to worry about, such as the matter of the monster-fallen and the matter of Leinef, I decided to place one of the Kobolds near Constant to see how things were going. Occasionally, should I record Sera''s message with a tablet and send it to him. CH 258 Great Forest incident ***---*** The earthquakes were frequent. However, unlike volcanic earthquakes, they didn''t occur hundreds of times a day, but only about two or three times a day with a seismic intensity of less than three. Nevertheless, everyone seemed to be feeling uneasy because Volzard had had almost no earthquakes until now. We, the people summoned from Japan, were well aware of the mechanism that caused earthquakes. Therefore, I felt uneasy imagining what was happening under the ground, such as whether it was a harbinger of a large earthquake or a crustal movement. On the other hand, everyone in Volzard didn''t really know why earthquakes occurred. That was why they couldn''t even imagine what was going on under the ground, and seemed to be feeling a lot of anxiety. That morning, as usual, as we sat around the breakfast table, we were shaken. The tableware on the shelf and the windows rattled, and the conversation stopped abruptly. The seismic intensity was barely 2, but Meisa-chan clung to me as soon as it suddenly came. I thought about teasing her, but her expression was too serious, so let''s stop. "It''s okay, it''s settled down now. Don''t worry." When I gently stroked her head, Meisa-chan let out a big sigh, and her tense body seemed to stop trembling. "Seriously, ''Gura gura''(TN:Shaking), ''Gura gura''(TN:Wobbling), I can''t even eat quietly. Kent, what''s going on?" "Hmm ... I don''t know. In the country where I lived, various measuring instruments were developed, so it was a system that could immediately tell where the epicenter was and how much it shook. I can estimate the cause of the earthquake, but it is difficult to make a judgment based only on the shaking direction and magnitude." "Will there be a big disaster?" "In Japan, a large earthquake occurs once about every few decades, but the topography is different from that of Landshelt, so I don''t think it can be used as a reference." Amanda-san, who normally prided herself on leaving everything to her, seemed worried because she had no experience with it. Therefore, I shared my knowledge about earthquakes, such as hiding under the table to protect yourself if a big tremor hit, turning off the fire when cooking, and not sleeping near furniture that could topple over, such as a chest of drawers. "I see, let''s take measures little by little from where we can." "Above all, please prioritize protecting yourself. You can buy new things even if they are broken, but you can''t get your life back if you lose it." I didn''t tell them, but until the earthquakes subsided, someone from the Kobold Corps would take turns watching over them. Meisa-chan went to school, and Amanda-san started preparing to open the store, when Hort who was attached to Beatriche suddenly showed up. "Wafuu, Goshujin-sama, Klaus wants to talk." "What does Klaus-san want? Did something happen?" "Nnh lessee, something didn''t arrive." "It didn''t arrive ... ? What is it." I prepared to go out, called out to Amanda-san, then dived into the shadows and moved with Hort. Klaus-san was waiting in the guild''s office. "Excuse me ..." Beatriche walked up to me when I put out a shield of darkness and went into the office. "Morning, Riche." "Good morning, Kent-sama." Augusto-san and Ange-oneechan were also in the office. "Good morning, Klaus-san." "Ou, Kent, sorry for calling you." "No, I didn''t have any urgent plans today, so it''s okay. So, I heard from Hort that something didn''t arrive." "Ou, no wheat is arriving." "What is the staple food, isn''t it? Was the harvest bad?" "No, the wheat was good last year, and we have already purchased it." "Then, is it some other factor?" "It seems that something strange is happening in the Irosun Great Forest." Volzard was located on the western edge of the Landshelt Republic. The border was the mining city of Marburg. The Irosun Great Forest spread out to the east. Beyond the Irosun Great Forest was the academic city of Bakkenheim. To the east was Breichberg, the center of politics and commerce. It seemed that the wheat that Volzard buys was made in Liebenstein, a breadbasket that spread further east. "The price of wheat produced in Liebenstein is determined by the market in Breichberg. This is to ensure fair distribution to each city. Of course, there are wheat fields near Volzard, but the scale is too different." "Is it cheaper to buy even if you add the transportation costs?" "That''s how it is. However, considering the case where the wheat doesn''t arrive like this time or the harvest is bad, I''m making the wheat grow." "But, is it not profitable?" "In that area, we are compensating for it by issuing subsidies." "I see ... So, the what you bought via Breichberg didn''t arrive because of an incident in the Irosun Great Forest?" "That''s right, to put it simply, it seems that it''s becoming like the Devil''s Forest." We escorted Augusto and the others back from Bakkenheim through the Irosun Great Forest, but the only monster we encountered was an Ogre. Instead, the bandits disguised as Marburg soldiers were more troublesome. "Are there so many monsters?" "According to the stores that have been spreading, it seems that sightings of Minotaurs have increased, as well as a herd of more than ten Orcs." "Is that so ..." When I was surprised by Klaus-san''s story, Reinhardt spoke to me. [ Kent-sama, this may be related to the cave where Flamme came out. ] [ Ohh, I see ... ] [ And, if there were multiple caves ... ] [ Uee ... That might be a little bad. ] If there were many places that were almost connected to the southern continent, it couldn''t be helped if it became like the Devil''s Forest. "Klaus-san, something comes to mind ..." "Something comes to mind? What is it." "Yes, about the Salamander appearing at Bakkenheim, but ..." I told Klaus-san and the others about the image I saw when I made Flamme my genus and gave him the attributes. "What''s that ... A cave connected to the southern continent ... You, why would you leave such a thing alone!" "No, I submitted a report to the Headquarters Guild. However, due to the Salamander incident, the relationship with the adventurers of Bakkenheim is not good ... Besides, the location is not Volzard ..." I had a dispute with Bakkenheim''s A-rank adventurer Graciela-san over the subjugation of the Salamander. "I see ... Certainly, if the story leaks out later, there are people who will complain. Fumu ..." After hearing the story, Klaus-san folded his arms and began to ponder his thoughts. "Okay, I understand. Kent, nomination request." "What''s the content and the reward?" "Transport me to Breichberg, protect me during my stay, and then transport wheat. How about a reward of 500,000 Helts?" "Umm, what about the cave?" "We''ll see how things go for a while." "Is it bad for Klaus-san to be the one making the request?" "It is possible for me to issue a nomination request to Kent for something that is happening in the Irosun Great Forest, but that would mean that I would have to be the one paying." Klaus-san gave a broad grin. That meant that the nomination request of 500,000 Helts must be able to pay for itself in some way. "How many days are you planning to stay in Breichberg?" "I don''t plan on staying long, so it should probably end in a day, or three days at the most." "From today?" "No, because a meeting is necessary to arrange for me being away, we''ll go tomorrow." "Understood. I will accept it." "Okay, I''ll call out to you at about the same time as today, so please keep that in mind." "I understand. Is there anything I should prepare?" "Let me see ... Not in particular ..." "Father, may I accompany you?" "Fumu ... That''s right, Augusto, please come with me. Kent, there will be two people for you to pick up ..." "As for the reward, I don''t mind if you leave it as it is." "Is that so, that helps a lot." Klaus-san grinned, and Beatriche puffed up her cheeks. It was like an in-house request, so don''t be angry. But, it''s a little cute, so I feel like I want to bother her a little more. For Klaus-san, it seemed he planned to go to Breichberg and bring back the purchased wheat. It seemed that he was also aiming to show that he could move himself and transport a large amount of wheat even though the traffic of goods was halted. "That''s not all." "Do you still have another purpose?" "This thing ..." What Klaus-san took out of his desk drawer was a rebar I had brought from Japan that had been cut into pieces of about ten centimeters. "Selling iron to Breichberg ... Ahh, I see, if it becomes difficult to pass through the Irosun Great Forest, will the price of iron transported from Marburg rise?" "That''s how it is." In the same way that Volzard was not receiving wheat, Bakkenheim and Breichberg should not be receiving iron from Marburg. "The iron brought in by Kent has a high purity, so we want to sell it at a price higher than conventional iron, but no matter how high the purity is, if it''s too expensive, few people will reach out." "That''s why now is the time to make a sale when transportation costs are skyrocketing, is it? However, if adventurers from Bakkenheim deal with that cave and the Irosun Great Forest returns to normal ..." "Maa, it won''t be so easy. You know how wide it is because you have been through it." "Now that you say so, that''s true." It was so big that it would take a day and a half by carriage just to travel through it. If the number of monsters increased throughout the Irosun Great Forest, it would be difficult to reduce them. "But, isn''t it a big minus for the Landshelt Republic as a whole to make it difficult for people and goods to come and go?" "That''s right. However, Kent, if you do something about it ... it''s wrong to think like that." "But, they''re not my genus who can reduce monsters from such a wide area ..." "That''s true. If it''s not your genus, it will be difficult to solve it all at once. But, Kent, you aren''t immortal, are you? It''s still a long way off, but what would you do if something similar happened after you died? Who is going to deal with it?" "That''s true, but ..." "Both the Bakkenheim guys and the Marburg guys should try to do something on their own first. That''s why the adventurers who had a conflict with you will fight hard. That''s how the level as a whole is raised little by little. Don''t worry about it, if they can''t do anything about it, the request will come." "Understood. Then, when the request comes, I''ll be ready to deal with it immediately." "That''s right, that''s fine." I left the guild office in order to prepare for the trip to Breichberg from tomorrow. The entrance to the Irosun Great Forest was where I headed from the shadows. There was a guild branch office there, and the staff was checking the presence and rank of the escorts, but it was very crowded. "Why is it, we have two C-rank adventurers." "A herd of over ten Orcs has been spotted, so do you still want to go?" "Geh, ten Orcs ... I''ve never heard of such a story, it''s impossible." "That''s why we''re building a caravan. We''re going to form a formation and use the adventurers we''ve gathered to defend ourselves. If you understand, please write down the number and rank of the guards, the number of companions, and your luggage here." Apparently, it seemed that it was difficult to pass alone, so it seemed that they were forming an impromptu caravan. [ Reinhardt, is this kind of response good? ] [ That''s right, it''s a measure that is taken when a dangerous monster appears, but it hasn''t been done recently. ] Certainly, it wouldn''t be so confusing if it was done frequently. Until now, when going through the Irosun Great Forest, it seemed that one adventurer was the basic form of guarding one carriage, but from the looks of it, each carriage had two escorts, and it seemed that five carriages were advancing in a formation. In this case, at least ten adventurers would be the escort. I''ve heard that a skilled adventurer could take on three Orcs on their own, so they should be able to repel a group of over ten Orcs. It was a simple calculation, but the number of escorts would be doubled, so naturally adventurers were flocking in search of jobs. For travelers, the increase in monsters may be nothing but a nuisance, but there were also adventurers who were grateful for the increased work. Among the adventurers who registered for escort jobs, there were those who looked outright evil, and those who looked unreliable, but from the perspective of others, I was the same. What could I say, I didn''t look like an S-rank at all. As I was looking at the entrance to the forest, I heard the clanging of bells. "Let''s go! The tail end, are you ready!" "Anytime is fine!" The last driver in the line waved their handbell, shouting back loudly. The caravan of five horse-drawn carriages slowly made its way to the road through the forest, gradually picking up speed. [ Reinhardt, what is with that bell? ] [ If the interval in the formation is too wide, or if a monster is found, they will sound it and notify the surrounding carriages. ] They were moving in a caravan, but the horse-drawn carriages could not run exactly like a self-driving car. If you kept the so-called inter-vehicle distance, there would be a considerable distance from the beginning to the end. It seemed that handbells were used as a way to notify the front when something was wrong with the last carriage. [ Kent-sama, let''s go deep into the forest. ] [ That''s right, I wonder if the density of monsters will be higher in the center of the forest here as well? ] [ Who knows, I don''t know, but the possibility is high. ] The midpoint of the Irosun Great Forest was also the boundary between Bakkenheim and Marburg. At this point, there were offices for both towns, where items that were prohibited from being taken out or brought in to the city were checked. Just a month ago, the knights of both cities were in a state of conflict due to the ruse of thieves, but now there was not even a single figure. There were log cabin offices on both sides of the buffer zone, but they had been completely destroyed. [ Hey, this is ... ] [ I guess they were attacked by monsters. ] When I peeked inside the cabins while hiding in the shadows, I saw Goblins scavenging on the floor. Blood splattered on the walls, and traces of blood pools were left on the floor. [ Wasn''t this place filled with nearly ten people? ] [ That''s right, but it''s also possible that the number of personnel was reduced due to other measures taken before the attack. ] [ I''d like to think so ... But, this is terrible. ] I could only pray that everyone who saw us off with a salute on the way back from Bakkenheim did not become a victim. The village of Slakka, which we moved to next, was attacked by a herd of Minotaurs. Zudoooooon! The sturdy log gate creaked from the Minotaur''s charge and looked like it would crumble at any moment. "Hurry up and load up the sandbags! Hurry up or they''ll break through!" "Archers, fire when they draw near, if there is a distance, it will be repelled!" "Boooooo!" Twenty Minotaurs in all, one after the other, charged at the gate. "Mana, oh mana, oh mana that governs the world, gather, gather, gather in my hands and become the wind, dance, dance, dance oh wind, dance, and become a blade! Daaaaaa!" At the tower above the gate, the adventurer who finished chanting loudly swung their arm down, and the charging Minotaur''s chest was slashed and blood splashed. "Boooo ..." The Minotaur fell to its knees, but another Minotaur ran past it and rushed at the gate. "Archers ... fire!" More than a dozen archers shot their arrows at once, but the Minotaur curled up its upper body, bowed its head low, and plunged into the gate without slowing down. Zugaaaaaan! The bolt that closed the gate cracked, and the gate moved inward slightly. "It''s dangerous! We can''t hold on like this! Stop their rush!" "I''m doing so without being told! We don''t have enough staff!" "Sandbags! Bring me more! Earth-attribute magicians, if you''re here, harden them!" Even while soldiers and adventurers were running around inside the gate, the Minotaurs prepared themselves and rushed forward. [ Kent-sama, they will be destroyed at this rate. ] [ Yup, let''s stop them a bit. ] "Booooooo!" I unfolded a shield of darkness in front of the Minotaur, who charged with a roar. There was a loud thud, but the shield of darkness didn''t flinch and stopped the Minotaur. When I shot it in the head with light-attribute attack magic from the shadow space, the Minotaur stopped moving and collapsed. [ Rinhardt, collect it. ] [ Roger that, what about the rest? ] [ Yup, I''ll beat them quickly. ] I stopped the Minotaurs trying to charge with a shield of darkness, shot them dead, and had Reinhardt collect them. I finished the wounded Minotaur and left it alone. It took less than 20 minutes to finish tidying everything up with assembly line work. "Hey, what''s going on. The Minotaurs are disappearing!" "Is there a dangerous monster we can''t even see." The Minotaurs had been dealt with, but if things continued like this, other monsters would come. [ Zeta, Eta, Thetha, can you get rid of the monsters in the area? ] [ Leave it to me, Nushi-dono. ] [ Let''s make this area our territory. ] [ I will finish it soon. ] [ Yup, please. ] Zeta-tachi jumped out of the shadow space while happily wagging their tails. "Woooooon!" "Woon, woon, woon, woooooon!" Zeta-tachi scattered around the village and started howling all at once, causing the soldiers and adventurers to turn pale and stop moving. It seemed that Zeta-tachi were going round and round around Slakka, repeatedly roaring as the moved away little by little. "It''s no good ... It''s over, Gigawolves are rallying their allies." "How many are there, five? Ten? We can''t win." "What are you saying, if we don''t protect the city, who will. Stand up, stand up and fight!" The adventurers misunderstood Zeta-tachi''s roars as an attack and fell to their knees with a look of despair. [ Kent-sama, can you explain it to them? ] [ Hmm ... I''ll be troubled if their sense of danger disappears, so I''ll leave it as it is. ] [ It nyant be helped, nya ... Nero will also mark it, nya. ](TN:Took a bit to figure out what the first bit was, ''¤·¤ç¤¦¤¬¤Ë¤ã¤¤¤Ë¤ã¤¡'' (shiyouganyainyaa), turns out it was shouganai wa (It can''t be helped), just nya-ified.) It was rare for Nero to move on his own, but wasn''t that just because he wanted to pee? Maa, most monsters wouldn''t come near if a Storm Cat marked the area. [ Reinhardt, would Nero''s marking be effective around Volzard? ] [ It would probably be effective, but there are people who will be in trouble if monsters don''t come. ] Monsters were dangerous creatures, but you could get magic stones and materials from them. For Minotaurs, horns were traded at a high price as a material for magic tools. [ Completely eliminate the monsters from around Volzard, monopolize the materials ... ha, that''s not good. ] [ That''s right. Everything is better in moderation. ] After stroking Zeta-tachi who returned after claiming the territory and Nero who had finished marking, I continued my reconnaissance of the Irosun Great Forest. The five carriages advancing in formation would slow down and stop when they discovered a monster, forming a dense mass. Starting from a single line, they were crowded in a row, two, one, two, and when they had time, they gathered all the passengers in the carriage in the center. In the case of lone Orcs and Ogres, most of the cases were dealt with by the adventurers at the front. This was because the adventurers guarding the front and rear of the formation were assigned skilled people. Even if they could defeat monsters, they couldn''t finish processing their corpses. Because they couldn''t afford to dig holes, burn corpses, and bury them. Once they''ve removed the magic stones and horns, the best they could do was push them away from the road. Abandoned corpses were swarmed by Goblins and Kobolds, and large monsters gathered to target them, creating a negative cycle. CH 259 Nacios ***---*** It was true that the number of monsters in the Irosun Great Forest was increasing, but it didn''t seem to be easy to pinpoint the cause. The Irosun Great Forest was a forest that spread between Marburg and Bakkenheim, and it took a day and a half by horse-drawn carriage just to cross the road from east to west. The north-south length was said to be three or four times that, and it would be extremely difficult to find the cave from which Flamme came out. Moreover, if monsters were increasing in this vast forest, it should be considered that there were multiple caves or that it was connected to the southern continent even before Flamme''s arrival. [ This seems to be difficult to deal with even if a nomination request comes. ] [ That''s right. No matter how many monsters you hunt, if you don''t do something about the original cave, the same situation will happen again. ] [ Even that cave is not limited to one, and even if it is buried, a new cave may appear in another place, so I don''t feel like I can deal with it. ] [ It''s not like there is no other way. ] [ Are there any good measures? ] [ It''s a little unrealistic, but if you dig a deep moat on both sides of the road, the danger level will be considerably lowered. ] [ That''s true, but wouldn''t it take a huge amount of money and days for construction? ] [ It would take a while. ] There must be more than 100 kilometers from one end of the road through the Great Forest to the other. I couldn''t even imagine how long it would take to complete it if we dug a moat on either side of it that could prevent even large monsters. [ Even if a moat can''t be dug, just widening the grass on the side of the road would greatly reduce the risk of an attack. ] [ I see, so they would be less worried about being suddenly attacked. ] Both sides of the highway that ran through the Irosun Great Forest were grasslands that were about the same width as the road. By widening the width of this grassland, the visibility would be improved, and the fear of being attacked by monsters would be reduced. I''m sure it would be effective as a safety measure, but I couldn''t even imagine how long it would take to cut down the forest and clear the land. Nevertheless, let''s keep it in mind as a countermeasure in case Reese-san requests it. The morning after scouting the Irosun Great Forest, Hort and I headed to the Lord''s Mansion. It seemed that they would move directly from there without going to the guild''s office. "Kent, have you been to the Breichberg guild before?" "Yes, I went to inform Reese-san about the Salamander incident the other day." "Then, please send me and Augusto to the corner of the guild''s training ground." "Understood." When I went to visit the guild in Breichberg, I thought it was the bustling time in the morning, but it felt like it was sparsely populated. The structure of the guild was similar in any city, and there was a training ground in the back, but there was no one there either. Maa, it was good not to get in the way, so I immediately summoned the two of them. "Ohh, oohh ... Is it already Breichberg." "No, even though you know, it''s bewildering when the scenery suddenly changes." Klaus-san and Augusto-san had experienced the summoning technique to impart knowledge of Japanese, but unlike this time, it was about the distance of right to left. From Volzard to Breichberg, a distance that would take more than a week to travel by carriage was done in an instant, so there must be some bewilderment. "Okay, Kent. You can escort us from the shadows." "Then, does it mean it''s better if I''m not seen?" "That''s right. The trump card should be hidden." "Understood." As Klaus-san said, I will watch over the two of them from the shadows. Klaus-san, who must have been here several times in the past, stepped into the guild without showing any signs of hesitation. Come to think of it, Klaus-san was active as an adventurer before he became a Lord, so he may have been in and out of the Breichberg guild since then. Klaus-san entered the guild and he walked straight up to the counter. "My name is Klaus Volzard. I want to see Nacios, please relay this." "Y, yes, just a moment, please wait a little." Today''s Klaus-san wasn''t dressed like the usual adventurer''s outfit, he was wearing something like an aristocrat''s travel outfit, so there was a dignified feeling. Hey, Klaus-san, you definitely chose a female staff member that you liked and called out to her, didn''t you? This place, it''s a lot closer to the right than the center. I''ll have to report this to Marianne-san when I get home. "I will guide you, please come this way." The female staff member who disappeared into the back staff space once came out of the counter and guided the two of them. Rather, Klaus-san, you''re definitely looking at the Onee-san''s butt. His mouth is completely slackening. Yup, let''s report this to Marianne-san. "Please, have a seat and wait. I will prepare tea right away." "Aahh, I''m sorry for bothering you ..." Klaus-san settled down on the sofa in the back, and Augusto-san also sat down on the sofa next to him. [ Kent-sama, there is a peep room. ] Viewed from the sofa where Klaus-san sat down, the picture was hung diagonally to the left. Behind it, there was a passage that was large enough for one person to pass through. A small light was lit in the passage, but it was barely bright enough to see your feet. Then, a small man entered with killing the sound of his footsteps. He walked over to the wall where the painting was hanging, gently opened a small window in the wall, and peered in. A look of surprise appeared on his face. The man immediately closed the window and left the passage with killing his footsteps again. When he got out of the locker in the next room, he went through the corridor and opened the door to the room where Klaus-san-tachi were. "Klaus, what kind of magic trick did you use? Don''t tell me you were your own escort." "I''m sorry for coming to you so suddenly, Nacios. But, I think it''s better to hurry things up." "Aahh, it''s about Irosun. Maa, sit down ... Is this Augusto?" "Oops, sorry for the delay in introducing you, this is my oldest son Augusto." "I''m Nacios Breichberg. It''s nice to meet you." "That''s what I should be saying, it''s nice to meet you." Nacios shook hands with Augusto-san and sat down in the seat facing Klaus-san. Nacios Breichberg was about twenty centimeters shorter than Klaus-san, and his dull blue hair was thin on the top of his head. He seemed to be about the same age as Klaus-san, but his smile made him feel soft and friendly. "Now, Klaus. You being here, is it because of Kent Kokubu, your favorite child?" "Who knows, by what means ... I can''t reveal the details, but it''s Kent''s power." "Really, what a lucky man you are. I can''t imaging having that kind of talent falling into one''s lap." "Lucky is it ... Maa, I guess so, but when I think about Beatriche being taken away, I don''t think I''m so lucky." "Fuhahaha, I see, to think that you, an idiot parent, would offer your daughter ... I definitely want to meet him once." "I''m sorry, but I won''t give Kent to Breichberg." "I thought so, let''s get to the point, shall we." Nacios quenched his thirst with tea and his expression tightened. "We have also suffered greatly from the increase in monsters in the Irosun Great Forest ..." Breichberg was a city of commerce and industry. Many items from Landshelt were collected, traded and processed in Breichberg, and then transported to other cities. If traffic through the Irosun Great Forest was blocked, the ores and materials from Marburg and Volzard would not be able to come in, and goods such as grains and fabric would not be able to be sent. For the city of commerce, this was the worst possible loss. "Klaus, the fact that you are here means that there is a way to solve our predicament, right?" "Maa, don''t panic, Nacios. It''s true that it''s not like there''s no way to avoid the Irosun abnormality, but it''s also an act that relies on the talent of a single person ..." "Kent Kokubu, is it?" "That''s right, but it''s not a desirable situation to let one person hold the core of the country''s economy." "Certainly, you''re right. Currently, there are nearly twice as many adventurers as before, but if there''s no place for them to work, it wouldn''t be surprising if a riot broke out." The reason why the guild in Breichberg was deserted was because many adventurers had left the city to receive escort requests or get escort jobs. "But Klaus, I understand what you''re saying, but the cost of escorts is too high as it is now. Adventurers might get rich, but the poor will not be able to survive." "I don''t think the Irosun incident is a problem that can be solved in the short term. Each territory will have no choice but to take measures, including treatment for the poor." "That being said, Volzard has the means to solve the problem, and isn''t the problem just a matter of adjusting?" "Maa, that''s right, but I have no intention of continuing to rely on Kent alone forever." "I see, by the way Klaus, what do you think is the cause of the incident? Should we assume that a large-scale dungeon has appeared somewhere in the Great Forest?" "Regarding that matter, I will ask Bakkenheim about the details, but it seems that there is a cave that has a space distortion and is connected to the neighboring continent. Maa, it might be a dungeon in a sense." "You say it''s connected to the neighboring continent? Is it really possible for such a thing to happen?" "I haven''t seen the actual thing either, so I can''t say for sure, but I suspect the possibility is high." "But, even if the cave is the cause, how are we going to find it?" "That''s the problem. No matter how good Kent is, it will be difficult for him to find it, and even if he does, it doesn''t mean that he can definitely deal with it." "Fumu, in other words, it''s difficult to find a fundamental solution." Nacios folded his arms and began to ponder. "The problem is iron ore and copper ore ..." Klaus-san nodded at the words Nacios leaked. [ What does that mean? ] [ From Breichberg, there are two cities on the other side of the Irosun Great Forest, Marburg and Volzard. Regarding Volzard, if Kent-sama''s power is used, there will be no problem with the distribution of goods. ] [ I see, the remaining problem is the increase in the price of ore purchased from Marburg. ] [ It will be like that. ] Nacios unfolded his arms and asked Klaus-san. "How much iron ore will be produced from Volzard''s dungeon?" "Unfortunately, including Breichberg, we can''t produce enough to cover four towns." "I thought as much. In the first place, ore is heavy, so transportation costs are high. On top of that, if the cost of escorts increases due to this situation ... My head hurts." "I suppose ..." "Don''t talk in such a relaxed manner, you can make such a carefree face because it doesn''t interfere with traffic to and from Marburg ..." "No, it''s not really that, there is a possibility that we will not be able to do the transaction itself." "What, is there something going on at Rivarre Pass?" "No, it''s not that. The stupid sons of Marburg have come to ask me to take Angelina as their wife." "Hou, did you outright reject them because they sent you such a joke of a negotiation?" "That''s how it is." "Kuukukuku, what are you going to do about that? Isn''t it a problem if the ore is really stopped?" "That''s why, this thing ..." What Klaus-san took out was a rebar cut into about ten centimeters. "What''s that? Iron, huh." "Aahh, that''s right. I''ll give it to you as a sample." "If it''s a sample ... What does that mean?" "I can accommodate if necessary." Nacios turned his gaze quietly to try to find Klaus-san''s true intentions and then fell silent. After a while, he alternated between looking at the rebar in his hand and Klaus-san, and then stood up. He opened the door leading to the corridor and told the passing staff. "Call for Nacho, aahh, and hurry up." Nacios returned to his seat after seeing off the staff member who ran with short steps. "You said you would leave it as a sample, is this something different from normal?" "Even if it say it from my mouth, you won''t believe me unless you check it out, right?" "Maa, that''s right ... This thing, where did you get it? Possibly, from Resenburg?" "Didn''t you call an appraiser? It''s fine even after they''ve finished assessing it." "How much do you have?" "Four hundred ..." "Four hundred corads, if that''s the case ..." "Oops, it''s better to leave that calculation for later." "Muu, really, is it that pure." "That''s how it is." There was a knock on the drawing-room door, and an appraiser who conducted mineral appraisal entered. "Nacho, take a look at this thing." "This, it''s iron ..." The appraiser, called Nacho, picked up the piece of rebar and started appraising it, and his eyes widened immediately. "Nacios-sama, where was this refined? This is the first time I''ve seen such high-purity iron." "I see, this story may affect the survival of Breichberg, don''t reveal it to anyone else." "As you wish." Nacho returned the rebar to Nacios, bowed and left the room. Nacios, who seemed friendly, no longer had a smile on his face. "In other words, the cost of refining and transportation is added to the price ... No, since the purity of refining is different, are you thinking of trading at a higher price?" "It''s helpful that you understand quickly. However, it would be troublesome for Marburg to run wild." "Haa ... Are you asking me to think about distribution to the extent that Marburg doesn''t go out of control, just how much work are you going to push on me?" "Well then, do you not need that?" "Wait, wait, I didn''t say that. Seriously, this bastard guy ..." Klaus-san smiled broadly when Nacios made a face that looked like he had swallowed a bitter bug. "However, Nacios. If the Irosun incident becomes worse than ever, the ore from Marburg will really stop." "I understand. But, if that happens, Marburg won''t be able to survive, and it will definitely affect Volzard." "That''s right. In order to keep the country of Landshelt alive, Irosun''s traffic must be secured no matter what." "Are there any concrete measures?" "There are, whether it''s building a wall, or digging a moat, in any case, if we don''t start with logging, it''s probably not going to work." "Is it necessary to have a country discussion? Or should we let Marburg and Bakkenheim do it first?" "There is no choice but to do it as a country. However, I wonder if Edelich''s shitty old man will agree ..." "I''ll have to convince them. I''ll do some groundwork in advance for Verlingen and Liebenstein." "What time is the meeting?" "That''s right, we''ll see how it goes for another two weeks, and then we''ll issue a notice, so it will be a month later at the earliest." "Alright, let''s clear our schedule." After that, Klaus-san and Nacios had a series of detailed meetings about the schedule of meetings by the Lords. Before I knew it, Augusto-san took out his notebook and wrote down the main points. After finishing the meeting, Nacios took a deep breath and rested his back on the sofa. "Klaus, are you staying the night?'' "Aahh, with that in mind, I pushed my job onto Donovan." "Really, the people around you suffer from misfortune. Okay, I''ll get my work done. I''ll let you know when the room is ready, so please wait until then." "No, I want to see the city for a while, I''ll be back by evening." "Really, then do what you like. After the New Year, the economy is booming and public order is not bad. I don''t think there will be any problems, but please be careful." "Is that so ... Kent, come out for a second." "What? Where, where did you come from?" I put out a shield of darkness next to the sofa where Klaus-san was sitting and stepped into the reception room. "Nice to meet you, I''m Kent Kokubu." "Fuumu ... I heard that you were a magician with the dark attribute, but this much ... I''m Nacios Breichberg." "I can''t hand him over to Breichberg, but if it''s just a matter of lending him, I''ll consider it." "Of course, it''s going to cost a lot of money, right? At the moment, there''s no need for help, but I''ve heard that you can make a Salamander disappear like a magic trick. When things get out of hand in Breichberg, I think I''ll have you lend a hand, my best regards." "To you as well, my best regards." "Fumu ... Excuse me, but you look like a normal boy to the point of disappointment." "Hahahaha, I and Augusto thought the same way. But, he''s the one who will marry Beatriche, you should understand just by that." "Right ... Then, Klaus, let''s continue at night while having a drink." "Roger." After shaking hands with Klaus-san, Nacios went back to his work. "Now, Kent, can you take out the bag I left with you?" "Yes, please wait a moment." Klaus-san and Augusto-san began to change their clothes after I took out a bag that was slightly larger than a suitcase for travel. It was like a quick change from an aristocratic outfit to a normal adventurer style. Augusto-san was also wearing the same clothes, but somehow it felt like a cosplay. I thought it was because I was unfamiliar with him because he usually wore close fitting clothes, but Klaus-san said the same thing. "That''s no good, Augusto. It looks like you''re wearing a disguise." "I see, is that so?" "Isn''t it right? Kent." "Umm ... I wonder if it''s because I''m not used to seeing it ..." "No, it''s not, just take off your clothes, Augusto." Klaus-san took off the adventurer-like clothes from Augusto-san, who had taken the trouble to change his clothes, he rolled them into a mess and crumpled them up. The shirt, pants, and jacket were all messed up. "Here, put it on." Augusto-san had a strange expression on his face, but when he changed his clothes as he was told, he looked like an adventurer. "Not yet ..." Klaus-san beckoned to Augusto-san and messed up his hair. I see, Augusto-san was overly strict about various things. This would make him look like an adventurer. "How is it, Kent. This will make him look like a petty adventurer." "I don''t know if he looks petty, but he looks like an adventurer." Or rather, Klaus-san, it suited you too well. "From now on, I plan to have Augusto visit other cities as well. At that time, in order to freely look around the city, it is necessary to get used to this kind of clothing." "Understood. It will be educational." "Also, your manner of speaking. Maa, until you get used to it, let''s go with a taciturn character." Augusto-san silently nodded. Rather, you''re really serious, aren''t you. I thought it was just right to add Klaus-san and Augusto-san and divide them in half. "Okay, Kent. Put away the bag. Let''s go eat lunch." "Understood." Seeing Klaus-san, who was about to head out into town happily, I exchanged glances with Augusto-san and gave a wry smile. CH 260 Old friend''s shop ***---*** Leaving the Guild of Breichberg, Klaus-san walked along the path around the high monument of the church. This area was in the center of Breichberg, and the number of people and carriages on the road was much higher than in Volzard. "Father, where are we going?" "No good, no good, let''s see, right. How about ''Pops, where are we going?'', try it."(TN:Augusto uses ''Chichiue'' usually, which is a really formal way of calling Father, Klaus asks him to use ''Oyaji'' instead, which is more like Pops or Old Man.) "P, Pops, where are we going?" "Haa ... Maa, it''s fine, let''s have a meal for now. Come with me." Klaus walked lightly through the city of Breichberg. In Volzard, when walking down the street, we would be greeted by various people, but in Breichberg, our faces were almost completely unknown. That''s why, it gave a feeling of returning to being an adventurer. [ Reinhardt, can you keep an eye out for dangerous guys approaching? ] [ Leave it to me. Kent-sama, please enjoy sightseeing in Breichberg to your heart''s content. ] [ Thank you, my best regards. ] Klaus-san entered the alley from the main street and proceeded without hesitation. The number of shops selling weapons and armor on the streets had increased, and the number of adventurers with swords hanging from their waists had also increased. This area was probably like the eastern district behind the Guild in Volzard. Eventually, we arrived at a corner lined with bars, but most of the shops were closed since it was daytime. In any case, I would have liked to have come at a later time as Klaus-san''s treat. Klaus-san opened the door of a shop in a corner of the entertainment district that was still deserted. "I''m coming in, there are three of us, but can we come in?" "Aahhn, oya, it''s the Klaus brat, it''s been a while." The woman who appeared from the back of the store appeared to be an aged version of the boarding house''s Amanda-san by about 20 years and made her more dignified. "What''s this, you have some pretty cute kids with you, don''t you. Do you have a secret mistress aside from your wife?" "Give me a break, I''m in no mood for that kind of thing. These are my sons." "Ho~e~e, this fellow amazes me. You had such fine sons." "I guess, these are Kent and Augusto." "It''s the first time ... I''m meeting you ... It''s nice to ... Meet you." "I''m Kent, hello." Augusto-san, who was warned about his tone a while ago, seemed to be confused as he tried to speak casually. "I''m Dana. Come, come, don''t just stand there, sit down." "Ou, this way. Dana, three servings of the usual." "Righto, wait a minute, I''ll do my best to make it for you." "Aahh, this place hasn''t changed ..." Klaus took a nostalgic look around the store as he settled down on a seat by the wall near the kitchen. The ceiling and walls were black with soot and grease. It was hard to say that it was a beautiful store, but it did make you feel like it had been around for a long time. "Klaus-san, did you work as an adventurer in Breichberg?" "Yeah, advanced school was troublesome, I quit after two months and changed my saddle to an adventurer." "Two months ..." I involuntarily exchanged glances with Augusto-san. "But, why didn''t you go back to Volzard?" "If I went back, I would have a stiff life. I ran away because I didn''t like that, so there''s no way I would go back." "Eeehhh, you ran away?" "Yeah, I left a note just in case, don''t look for me ... it said." "Eeehhh ..." Klaus-san escaped the eyes of the butler who had gone with him from Volzard and ran out of the dormitory with a change of clothes and cash. It seemed that he rode in a shared carriage and headed to Breichberg in the opposite direction from Volzard, where he registered as a new adventurer in the Guild. "Well then, it caused a big fuss, didn''t it?" "Who knows, I didn''t return to Volzard for a while, so I don''t know much about it. Besides, I had a talented older brother, so they didn''t expect much from me." Klaus-san seemed to have interacted with adventurers since he was in Volzard. "Rather than playing with the kids around me, it was more fun hanging out with people my age. Those guys graduated from school and became adventurers, and when I listened to their stories, it was natural for me to want to do it myself." That being said, the son of a Feudal Lord in Volzard couldn''t possibly become an adventurer, so going to Bakkenheim seemed to have been the same as getting a chance to escape for Klaus-san. "Well then, instead of quitting after two months, wouldn''t it be more correct to say it took two months to prepare to run away?" "Ou, what you said is exactly right." Normally, the son of a noble runs away from home and becomes an adventurer ... If it''s such a pattern, it''s assured they will get lost in the street after being stripped of their possessions. "Stu~pid, there''s no reason for me to screw up like that. In this world, you have to cross over quickly and skillfully." While we were talking, the fragrant smell of grilled meat wafted from the kitchen. Immediately, my stomach let out a voice of dissatisfaction. "Fuhahaha, maa, Kent''s age may be the best age to eat. Maa, wait a little longer." When I turned my gaze to the kitchen anticipating what would come out, a large-built man suddenly came out and startled me. "Yo, Ivan, how are you doing?" The man Klaus-san called Ivan, probably about 30 years old, silently nodded twice and began to arrange the dishes. A large basket of black bread, a large cup of potage soup, and a knife and fork were lined up. "Aiyo, it''s a Breich pork Steak." "Ou, if I don''t eat this one, I won''t feel like I''ve come to Breichberg." What came out on a large plate was a chunk of meat the size of a brick. The surface was crispy and browned, and the fat made a sizzling sound. The garnish looked like cut potatoes. "Now, let''s eat before it gets cold." "Yes, Itadakimasu!" Klaus-san grabbed a knife and fork, so I also didn''t hesitate to dig in. I felt that it was soft just by pressing it with a fork, but when I put a knife on it, the blade slipped into it. The meat was cooked to medium rare, and the meat juices overflowed from the cross section. When I cut it into large pieces and stuffed my mouth with it, the umami of the fat and the umami of the lean meat blended together and exploded in my mouth. "Nn~~h! Uunma~i! Dangerous, this is a dangerous taste!"(TN:Extended ''Umai''(Tasty)) "How is it, it should be tasty. The taste of Breich pork is famous, and the steak at this restaurant is excellent." "Certainly, this is delicious ... it''s tasty."(TN:Awkward Augusto trying to speak casually instead of formally.) "Fuhahaha, don''t make a difficult face, just focus on eating like Kent." Eehh, I don''t care what you say. I can''t stop cutting the meat anymore. After coming to this world, I learned that the blend of herbs and salt was the strongest combination with grilled meat. While removing the unpleasant odor of the meat, it brought out the original wild flavor of the meat and reduced the persistent aftertaste. Perhaps it was the supreme blend that they arrived at as a result of trial and error over and over again. I put about half of it in my stomach at once, and enjoyed the collaboration with black bread and potage soup from there. The crispy texture of the black bread and the aroma of the wheat brought out the rich flavor of the meat, and the potage soup added the sweetness of the vegetables. "Fuwaaaah, so happy ..." "Kuukuukuu, you really eat deliciously. It''s worth feeding you." "No, because ... I''m already happy." It''s crazy, I can''t say how good it is. When I suddenly moved my gaze to the side, Augusto-san was scraping the surface of the meat to check the taste of herbs, and cutting out only the center of the meat to check the taste. Yup, I understand how you feel, but I''m tempted to ask if you''re going to become a chef. Klaus-san was also smiling wryly at the seat on the other side. After I finished eating all the meat, I was thinking of wiping the remaining sauce on the plate with a piece of bread before eating it, but more meat was added. "Hoeh?" "Kid, you''re eating well. This is a treat from me. Eat it and grow up well." When I looked up, Dana-san was standing there holding a frying pan and a large fork in her hands. "Th, thank you very much. Itadakimasu!" "Fuufuufuu, Klaus, isn''t he a good son." "Indeed. These are my proud sons. This is my eldest son, and this is my son-in-law." "Haa, son-in-law? This brat is?" "Yeah, that''s right, also, he''s going to have four wives." "Haaa? You, are you joking with me?" "I''m not kidding, I''m neither lying nor joking, he''s an S-rank adventurer even if he looks like this." "Haaaaahh? S-rank you say?" With Dana-san''s loud voice, the eyes of the other customers in the store seemed to be focused on me. But, the steak is more important now. If it cools down, the taste will be halved, so I''m busy. "Guyahahahaha, did you hear that, that chibi is an S-rank adventurer." "Idiot, it must be a joke. That kind of kid can''t even get up to D-rank." Yes, yes, I know that I don''t look the part without being told. "Klaus, can''t you make a better joke than having four wives or being an S-rank adventurer." "Maa, because he looks like this, it does sound like a joke, but I''m serious. If this guy weren''t here, Volzard might have disappeared." No, no, although I don''t mind such talk, but is it okay if I eat this black bread? It''s fine, isn''t it, I''ll eat it even if you say it''s no good. "Oi, oi, are you drunk in the middle of the day, old man!" "Nn? Did you say something, it''s hard to understand what you''re saying ..." "What''d you say, basta~rd!" I wonder what it is, Klaus-san, coming to an old friend''s shop, it completely feels like being an adventurer. [ Sorry, Reinhardt, have them be quiet a little. ] [ Roger that. ] I put out a large shield of darkness in front of the two adventurers who kicked up their chairs and blocked their way, and at the same time blocked Dana-san''s view. "Uaa, wha~ ..." After raising a voice of surprise for a moment, the adventurers immediately fell silent. [ Kent-sama, it''s over. ] [ Thank you, Reinhardt. ] When I erased the shield of darkness and glanced at the two adventurers, their pale faces were trembling. Yup, I wonder what happened behind the shield. "Is there anything still?" When I called out to them, they both shook their heads. [ Reinhardt, what did you do? ] [ I went out and pointed my sword at them, but Zeta and Nero were also interested and showed their faces ... ] [ I see, so that''s it ... ] This might be what happens when a metallic Skeleton shoves a large sword at you and a Gigawolf and Storm Cat glare at you. "Fuu, thank you for the meal." "Seriously, that just surprised me Klaus. This kid, is he the one who erased the Salamander that appeared in Bakkenheim?" "Yeah, that''s right. As a bonus, that Salamander seems to follow him as his genus. Adventurers around here might be turned into cinders in no time." Hearing Klaus-san''s words, the two adventurers put the money on the table and clapped their chairs and stood up. "O, ou, we''ll leave the payment behind ..." They hurriedly went straight out of the store. "Klaus-san, isn''t this an obstruction of business?'' "What are you talking about, those guys, they''re people who don''t make money because they don''t do proper requests and just wither away." "Yeah, that''s right, just like someone when they were young, fufufufu ..." Klaus-san shook his head at Dana-san''s words and showed a wry smile. Maybe it was like the relationship between me and Amanda-san currently. After leaving Dana-san''s shop, we returned to the main street and looked around the shops one after another. Klaus-san talked openly to the store clerks to gather information, such as the market prices, quality, and the condition of the vegetables and fruits. You couldn''t look up market prices online like you could in Japan, so this kind of information must be valuable. Augusto-san, who was walking with me, seemed to want to ask various questions, but as soon as he started talking, the clerk showed caution. After all, you could tell something aristocratic in every part of his words, and it seemed that his clothes gave the impression of being inconsistent with each other. That being said, even if he was warned, he couldn''t ask for detailed information, but he could listen to the story at a normal customer service level. Even with just that, it was information that you couldn''t get if you were in Volzard, so Augusto-san was furiously taking notes. Rather, that memo is also a cause for suspicion. Last year, Volzard was attacked by monsters such as Ogres, Goblins, Orcs, and a Griffon, but it didn''t seem to have affected the vicinity of Breichberg. The weather seemed to have been relatively mild, and it seemed that grains such as wheat were doing well. "Kent, for agricultural crops, did you know that even if the harvest is too bountiful, it will be troubling?" "Umm ... Because the amount on the market has increased too much and the price has fallen ... is it?" "Oohh, you know it well, grains that can be preserved have a small drop in price, but vegetables and fruits that can''t be preserved can be halved in price if you''re not careful." "But, in the case of Volzard, the price won''t drop that much, right?" "Hou, why do you think so?" "Umm ... I don''t think the area of the fields is large compared to the number of people consuming it ..." Klaus-san, who heard my answer, loosened his mouth with a grin. "What''s that, Kent. You''re really not so useless after all are you. Or is that common knowledge in your country?" "That''s right. If I had to say, it''s closer to common sense. If the price of oil or vegetables rises sharply, it will be on the news." "I see, in that case, I think it''s okay to talk about it with a certain amount of knowledge. Kent, please help Volzard improve their eating habits." "Could it be that you will buy vegetables in Breichberg and bring them to Volzard?" "That''s right, can you carry it without taking days?" According to Klaus-san, the market in Breichberg sold many times more kinds of vegetables than in Volzard. However, there was a limit to the number of days that such vegetables could be transported, and it seemed that they had not been able to transport them to Volzard, which took more than a week by carriage. "Near Breichberg, the adjacent Verlingen, and Liebenstein, agriculture is flourishing. They have a wide variety and are reasonably priced." "But, wouldn''t it be a problem for Volzard''s farmers if we bring in too cheap vegetables?" "If you buy it blindly, I suppose it will. However, in the current state of Volzard, the amount of vegetables that can be grown is basically insufficient. With the Devil''s Forest and dungeon nearby, the men choose the path of an adventurer over that of a farmer." "As the city grows, there may be food shortages, right?" "Maa, it''s not right now, but it''s a situation where it wouldn''t be strange if it happened in the near future." It seemed that the reason why he let Augusto-san accompany him this time, in addition to simply showing the work of the Lord, was to consider transporting vegetables using me. "Actually, it''s obvious that it''s best to cover everything within your own territory. However, we have to have a way to overcome the year of bad harvest. Kent, did you know that much of the wheat eaten in Volzard is from the previous year?" "Saying that, does that mean that you stockpile the wheat harvested that year and eat the wheat from the previous year?" "Indeed, that''s right. If the bad harvest is only one year, with this we can survive, and if other areas are not bad, we can buy and replenish it. However, vegetables have a limited shelf life. In the past, a large number of monsters have trampled the fields that were about to be harvested, causing a serious food crisis. Even if we protect the city, it would be meaningless if there were people starving to death in the subsequent famine." Klaus-san was thinking of starting with the purchase of vegetables to make up for the lack of vegetables in Volzard, and in the future, he was thinking about contract farming with farmers near Breichberg. "But, Klaus-san, in the end, I''m the only one can do that transportation. It''s fine as long as I''m healthy and working, but won''t it be a problem fifty years from now, or a hundred years from now, after I die?" "Kent, did you forget something?" "Ehh, is there a way to solve this?" "Kent, what do you think is the problem?" "It takes time to transport from Breichberg to Volzard." "How long does it take to travel the same distance in Japan?" "Oohhh! I see, if the transportation system is developed, the time can be shortened." A hundred years ago in Japan, trains were running only in certain areas, and cars were not common. What''s more, in the case of Volzard, it wouldn''t be strange for it to develop even more rapidly, considering the technology transfer from Japan. "Too rapid of technological development carries the risk of causing great distortion and confusion in the world, but it is the role of the Feudal Lord to think about developments that will improve the lives of the residents. To put it simply, I will feed the people of the territory delicious food." Klaus-san''s frivolous grin gave me goosebumps. He had many problems, but he was a wonderful Lord who really cared about the happiness of his people. Eehh, there were various personality problems. "Augusto, listen to Kent and think about what to start with. This problem will have to be dealt with in your time rather than mine." "Yes, I will do my best for the people of the territory." "Kent, please cooperate." "Yes, I will do everything I can to help." "Okay, I''m counting on you two. Let me take it easy, fuhahahaha!" Looking at Klaus-san who was smiling happily, Augusto-san and I together smiled wryly. CH 261 Bakkenheim''s response ***---*** "Kent, can you take a look at Bakkenheim for a moment?" I returned to the guesthouse attached to the Guild, and after taking a short break, Klaus-san asked me. "Since we''re inside the Guild, there is almost no need to worry about being attacked. As long as you leave a Kobold for communication, we''ll be fine. In that case, tell them that we are also starting to move, and ask them about their response status." "Understood, I''ll try to get back to you as soon as possible." "Aahh, no, instead, investigate slowly. I wonder what the adventurers on the streets are thinking, and how the people in the town, such as shopkeepers, feel." "Yes, I''m going." Leaving Mart and Mirt as liaisons with Klaus-san-tachi, I headed for Bakkenheim. The first place I went was in front of the Guild''s counter. Peeking out from the shadows, it was evening and it was crowded with adventurers who had come to report on their quests. [ Kent-sama, look at that ... ] [ Aree, what are they doing at this hour? ] Looking in the direction Reinhardt was pointing, there was a crowd in front of the bulletin board with the requests. It wasn''t as busy as in the morning, but it seemed that many adventurers were examining the requests. [ Most likely, the rush of requests for escorts has caused a lack of adventurer hands. There will probably be requests other than escort ones, so there must be some good work left at this time of day. ] [ I see, there''s a labor shortage going on. ] In the staff space behind the counter, Master Reese''s right-hand person, Rita-san, was giving instructions to the staff while wrestling with piles of documents. Ice blue short hair that suited her, a Cool Beauty wolf girl, that was Rita-san, but she had dark circles under her eyes. The head of any Guild had a hard-working black constitution, didn''t they.(TN:black constitution is like a black company as in they overwork, etc.) At this rate, Rita-san''s will further delay getting married ... Hii, I was glared at. Even though I was in the shadows, I was sent a ghastly stare. It seemed like it would be better to call out after a while. [ Should we go take a look at the city first? ] [ I agree. Also, I''ll have a little meal. ] It was still a bit early for dinner, but let''s finish dinner before we start investigating and scouting. We headed to the ''Moonlight Grotto'', a meat restaurant that I visited before with Takayama. As expected, it must be meat! Looking at the store from the shadows, there were no customers yet, probably because it had just opened. I came out in a hidden back alley and opened the door of the store. "Good evening, I haven''t made a reservation, but is it okay?" "Welcome, how many people are there?" "I, there''s just me." "It''s okay, please, this way ..." An Onee-san with a lovely smile guided me to a seat. I had steak for lunch, so I had stew and deep-fried food for dinner. "Are you a student of the advanced school?" "No, I''m a humble adventurer." "Is that so. Recently, everyone seems to be doing well." "Aahh, I guess that is so. I''m an adventurer from Volzard ..." "Maa, then, did you work as an escort through the Irosun Great Forest?" "Eehh, something like that." "I heard that the number of monsters has increased considerably, but what is the actual situation?" "Let''s see. It seems that there are more than before, but since people are moving in a caravan, the battles are done by the skilled ones, so it doesn''t feel like much of a difference." "But, to be asked to be an escort at your age, it''s because you have the ability, right? It''s amazing." "N, no way, someone like me, there''s still a long way to go." Because other customers had not come yet, I was asked various questions by the Onee-san of the store. Even though I knew it was a sales smile, it still made me nervous. The food that came out was as exquisite as ever, and I thoroughly enjoyed it to my heart''s content. After paying the bill, I asked the store Onee-san for information. "Umm, where is the shop where the most adventurers gather around here?" "Let me think ... It''s a bit of a walk from here, but a bar called ''Ogre''s Severed Head'' is famous. However, it seems that there are many people who are a bit rough, so I don''t recommend it." "Is that so, then, I''ll take a peek from the outside and just taste the atmosphere." "Fufufu ... You sure are an interesting person." "Ehh, is that so?" "Yes, if an ordinary adventurer were told the same thing, there''s nothing to be afraid of ... they would say such a thing." "I see ... Then, th, that kind of thing, th, there''s nothing to be afraid of." "Ahahaha ... Customer-san is really an interesting person. Umm, may I ask your name?" "Mine, is it? My name is Kent." "Ehh, no way, an adventurer from Volzard, you said ..." "I''ll be in your care again another time." Instead of opening the door, I put out a shield of darkness and dived into the shadows. Mufuu, I feel like I''m something of a celebrity. Next time, how about visiting just before closing time, after this, how about a drink ... inviting her to do such a thing ... If I did, everyone would get mad at me. In my case, there''s no way they wouldn''t find out. I followed the directions as instructed and soon found the location of the store. Above the entrance to the shop were two large skulls with two horns on their foreheads. If ''Moonlight Grotto'' was a quiet restaurant, ''Ogre''s Severed Head'' had the atmosphere of a pub in the outskirts of town. Cigarette smoke filled the store, along with the echoes of laughter and yelling. Sturdy adventurers were throwing mugs of ale at each other, and magicians in robes were having secret conversations in the corner of the store. An adventurer who touched the buttocks of a dog-beast employee received a backfist without delay and was blown away. "How dare you touch me with such dirty hands! Next time you do it, I''ll cut off your arm!" At the Onee-san''s brisk caustic words, a burst of laughter arose. "To have the nerve to do that, this amateur ..." The man lying on the floor, raised an angry voice while bleeding from the nose, but was forced to Fade Out in the middle. The store employee Onee-san, who had closed the distance as if she were flowing, pointed a Trench Knife at his neck. "This is not a brothel, if you want a woman, go somewhere else!" The man who turned pale nodded, then after putting the drink payment on the floor, stepped back and went out of the store, then ran away at once. Even so, with a pile of tableware on the tray in her left hand, that quick movement was that of no ordinary person. The tavern ''Ogre''s Severed Head'' seemed to be very busy, but I didn''t know how it usually went, so I didn''t know how prosperous it was. Let''s listen to the conversation for a minute. "Hey, did you get the request for tomorrow?'' "Yeah, it''s the escort of the Togar Company." "Seriously, how much?" "It''s 3,000 at a round trip of 6 days, so 18,000." "That must be a lie, I''ll only receive 2,200." "Stu~pid, it''s because you didn''t search properly." "Damnit, I received a different request ..." Apparently, even just by listening to the story, I could feel that the reward for the request had increased. Certainly, if the adventurers were getting rich, the expenses of those who asked for escorts would continue to rise steadily. [ Is the price going up by 800 Helts in one day ... ] [ Kent-sama, there are times when they need twice as many people as before. ] [ Uwaa ... This is going to cost too much for an escort. ] Let''s listen to the other tables, shall we. "Orcs aren''t rare anymore." "No, seriously, the frequency of hitting monsters is odd." "That''s right, I heard that Slakka was in danger." "Aahh, it seems that the ''Real Thing'' has taken care of that." "I heard, he manipulated more than ten Gigawolves and killed all the Minotaurs, right?" "Isn''t that a lie? No matter how you look at it, that''s just exaggerated rumors." "You idiot, it''s someone who can erase a Salamander." "Kent Kokubu, seriously dangerous." Yup, it looks like the Slakka case has been exposed as my work. What''s more, it seems to have become quite the rumor. "What''s that, Kent Kokubu, huh. I''m going to put a stop to that brat someday." I heard a familiar loud voice, so when I turned my gaze, I saw A-rank adventurer Graciela-san, who had the nickname of Oni Eater. The people around her seemed to be a Group called Aoki something or another. "But, Ciela-Anego, that Kent bastard is dangerous." "Fuun, I don''t know if he''s S-rank or something, but I know what a single person can do. Look, the Volzard guys will start crying soon." "Volzard crying you say ..." "That city, you know, depends on Breichberg for its staple food. Wheat and potatoes won''t reach Volzard unless they can cross Irosun. Remember, don''t accept escorting goods to Volzard." "But, if the reward is good, there will be people who will receive it." "Maa, it doesn''t matter. Even just the goods to Volzard has the expenses of the escort. If that''s more expensive than going to Marburg, they will throw in the towel." "As expected of Anego, you''re on the ball." "Pass the notice on to your acquaintances, if done well, the rewards for other quests will also increase." The underlings of the Aoki something or another immediately started talking to the people sitting at the nearby tables. Some people left the store and headed somewhere else. [ Hmm, I wonder what it is ... If it doesn''t turn out to be Bakkenheim''s disadvantage, I wonder if they think they don''t mind doing anything. ] [ They are utterly narrow-minded idiots. Soaring escort costs lead to higher costs for materials, the people who feel the burden the most is the poor, why can''t they think about that ... It''s a group of dumbfounded people. ] For Graciela-san, compared to when we first met, my image of her has considerably lowered. [ Let''s carry all the goods from Breichberg to Volzard by ourselves. If you rent a warehouse somewhere, collect the goods, and transport it to Volzard''s Guild via the shadow space, you''ll be able to save on escort costs. ] [ Indeed, if it is a job of that extent, we will do it on behalf of Kent-sama. ] [ For Volzard, that''s fine, but the problem is Marburg. ] [ As expected of Kent-sama, are you thinking about that. ] [ Orlean-san of the Dukas Company has given me a lot of advice. ] [ Are you going to carry only the goods of the Dukas Company? ] [ Hmm, I wonder if that''s too blatant ... I''ll ask Reese-san for her opinion. ] [ That''s fine. ] When I returned to the Guild in Bakkenheim, the lights around the counter were dimmed and the adventurers were only in the tavern, but the staff space was lit up. It seemed that several employees were working overtime, led by Rita-san. Looking at this situation, I thought that Reese-san must be busy with her duties as a Guild Master, so I looked around in the staff space, such as the room where I met her, but she was nowhere to be seen. I thought that maybe she was discussing countermeasures with the Lord of Bakkenheim, but I didn''t know the location of the Lord''s Mansion. Before looking for it, I checked the living space for the time being, and I was already exhausted. As if she had already finished her bath, she was wearing a bathrobe, with alcohol and snacks on the table, and smoking her pipe as usual. "Everyone, they were still working." "Kent, is it, it''s just right, treat yourself to alcohol." "Mou, is it okay for you to be getting drunk?" "What, my job is to listen to reports and give instructions~, it''s no problem~." "No, you could say it''s like that, but ..." "And you came here to talk to me about that?" "Haa ..." It couldn''t be helped if it was recommended by the Master of the Headquarters Guild. It''s not because I succumbed to the temptation of the Libre liquor ... I definitely didn''t. As expected of Reese-san, the Libre liquor had a mellow aroma that seemed to be vintage. When I put it in my mouth, the taste and aroma permeated my body after the thick texture. "Aa~hhh, fuuu ..." "Kuu kuu kuu, Kent really likes Libre liquor ..." "That is, when I came to this world ... no, it was the first job I''ve ever been involved in." "I see, you did say that ..." "Look, another drink, drink it up." "Haa ..." I ended up having a few drinks as I was advised, but Rita-san and the others were busy with work even while I was doing this. Really, although I felt sorry about it, I couldn''t stop ... "Kuu kuu kuu, Kent, before you talk about work, you''re going to pass out, aren''t you?" "A, about that ... No, it''s better to finish it first." "Kuu kuu kuu, Kent is really cute ..." "S, so, about the Irosun Great Forest ..." "Didn''t you send Klaus to Breichberg?" "Heeh? Why do you know that ..." "Both Klaus and Nacios like scheming." I wondered if it was the result of age, it seemed that Klaus-san''s actions were foreseeable. "Klaus-san is, tonight, he''s thinking about countermeasures with Nacios-san, won''t the Bakkenheim Guild take any countermeasures?" "Thinking about countermeasures ... I don''t know about that, about this time, they''re probably talking nonsense while drinking. The real discussion about countermeasures will start from tomorrow afternoon." "Aahh ... So that''s why he asked me to investigate slowly." "Kuu kuu kuu, if that''s the case, about this time they''ll have young women attending them, and they''ll be ogling them." "Haa ... I''m not in a position to say anything, but Augusto-san is too pitiful." Augusto-san was spending a lonely night alone at the Guild guesthouse ... No, was he seriously reading a book or something? Or maybe, it seemed like he was having a serious conversation with Mirt, who was accompanying him for contact purposes. "Augusto? I think he was Klaus'' successor. Did you bring him along to Breichberg?" "Yes, for the sake of the future, he''s going to inspect the city ..." "Hou, then, it''s up to Nacios, but he might be willing to arrange a formal marriage interview." "A formal marriage interview you say?" "Maa, it wouldn''t be that ceremonious, but I think Nacios had a daughter, so after meeting face-to-face, if the two of them don''t mind, I''m sure they''ll be willing to proceed with the marriage talks." "I see, I see, either way, I would be a hindrance." "In that case, you should relax and take it easy." As soon as I finished drinking the cup, Reese-san poured more Libre liquor immediately. "Hey, Reese-san, let''s talk about work ..." "What''s that, is an S-rank adventurer crushed by this kind of liquor?" "No ... A, and, what will you do about Irosun?" "For now, we''ll wait and see. Do you know what kind of measures are being taken when going through Irosun?" "Yes, I went to see it for a while yesterday." "At the front and back of the five caravans are skilled adventurers. Younger adventurers will be able to watch their performance for free. No, they can even get money rather than being free. There is no other job with such conditions." "Certainly, it''s a good situation for adventurers, but if you think about Landshelt as a whole, isn''t there a lot of problems?" Aahh, it''s clumsy, it''s clumsy, I''m all floaty and feeling good. "Kent, it''s not my job to take countermeasures in the first place." "Ehh, but, Reese-san is the Guild Master, right?" "That''s right, but I''m not the Lord." "Ahh, I see, umm, Andel-san was it?" If I remembered correctly, the Lord of Bakkenheim was said to be a straight-laced person. "In that respect, that Andel boy, that stubborn Marburg person too, even if you try to call upon the other party, they won''t move of their own accord. If I could move all carefree like Klaus, the situation would be resolved quickly ... Maa, let''s wait and see until next month." "Reese-san, I was just looking into the bar ..." When I talked about the ''Ogre''s Severed Head'' tavern where I eavesdropped on Graciela-san and the Aoki something or another, Reese-san let out a sigh of exasperation. "Anyway, if it''s about Kent, you already have countermeasures in mind, right?" "M, maa, just in case ..." "Then, is it okay to end the formal talk?" "Umm, umm ... Yes." "Then, it''s time to have some fun from here." With a bewitching smile, Reese-san untied the strings of her bathrobe. "Hiu ... I, I''ll come again!" "Ahh, hey, Kent!" When I tried to stand up, my waist gave out on me, so I hurriedly pulled out a shield of darkness and fell into it. [ Buhahahaha, Klaus-dono seems to be enjoying himself, and wouldn''t it be better if Kent-sama had a relationship with Reese-dono? ] [ No good, no good, if I go too far with drunken momentum, it''s gonna rain blood later. ] I hadn''t even gotten married yet, but like Klaus-san, I thought that I understood Marcel-san''s feelings for a moment.