《The Small Sage Will Try Her Best In The Different World From Lv.1!》 CH 1 I Finally Became The Sage of My Desire! Yay! Under 3 years of hardship, I finally became the sage of my desire! Haaaa. It was long. I, Kujo Yuuri, started this Elysia Online when I was 15 years old, 3 years ago. It is the so-called MMO, but it was the work of a famous Japanese game maker who had an established reputation for their graphics and story, so I thought that it looked interestinnnggg and used that as a motive to start playing. It was my first net game, so I move about in confusion without understanding anything. Without knowing where I should go, or what I should do, I roamed around the grasslands at a loss. At that time, of course, I encountered the new player killer, the raid boss that occasionally appears in the low-level area, and thought I would die, but in the nick of time, I was saved by an elf Onee-sama who happened to pass by. That elf Onee-sama taught me, who was a beginner at games, various things. Her appearance was a sexy beautiful elf, but in reality, when I found out that she was a middle-aged man and I was the same age as his daughter, I was shocked. Of course, his daughter also played the game and we became good friends. For some reason, his daughter was a male character and a swordsman though. Those people happened to be a guild master, so in the process I became indebted to their guild. Everyday was truly fun and time passed in a blink of an eye. I choose a mage simply thinking it was a world of swords and magic, and there was also help from everyone of the building while studying, and somehow became a Lv 99 mage. In this game, when you become Lv 99, you can change your occupation to another one. Because of that, the next job I chose was a priest that the guild was lacking in. No, well, it¡¯s because I was truly indebted to everyone in the guild. I wanted it to be a repayment¡­ And finally, finally! Although I was raising my level slower than everyone else due to exams, even so I also became a Lv 99 priest somehow, finally cleared the high-grade occupation Kue the Sage and became the sage of my desire! Yayyy! Now, I can use attack and recovery magic, and furthermore changed my occupation to a mage that could equip swords for some reason! Hehehe. I can finally hold a sword and spam my A button to raise my levels. Yayyy. Ha. That¡¯s right. While spamming my dream basic A button attacks, I might be able to surf the web as well!? I¡­¡­ I want to share this joy with someone through the friend chat. Well, I have to properly finish the quest first¡­ While fixing my eyes on the PC screen, I moved my mouse. [Congratulations. You have changed your occupation to a sage. You will start at Lv 1, but is that fine with you?] ¡ú Yes No Of course [Yes] in this situation. [Yuuri-san has become a sage from now on. Please adventure with an appropriate decorum of a sage.] Ooh, how should I put this, as expected of a sage. ¡®Adventuring with decorum¡¯ it says. [From now on, you are going to the true Elysia, but is that fine?] Hee. When I got a high-grade occupation, I go to a new map. I didn¡¯t know thattt. I¡¯m fundamentally in the ¡®playing games without looking at strategy guide sites¡¯ faction, so my chest trembled at my first message. I choose [Yes] here as well without hesitating. [Well then, please enjoy your new adventure.] When that message was sent, a radiant light, bright enough that I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes open, overflowed suddenly from the PC. When I recovered my consciousness, I was sleeping on a grassy place for some reason. The height of the grass wasn¡¯t so tall, not to the point that it¡¯s enough to hide my body. I should¡¯ve been playing a game at first, so I wonder if this is a dream. All things considered, it sure is a real-like dream¡­ I slowly stood up and looked around my surroundings. Under my bottom was some light brown grass rustling. If you looked up, it was a blue sky devoid of any clouds. Also, looking over beyond the small hill, there was a thick and rampant forest. If you looked around, there¡¯s something similar to a grey-colored road stretching out on the opposite side of the forest. A road¡­¡­ which means, first of all, people live around this area. I didn¡¯t know why I was in such a place, but I guess I should go there for the time being. Well, it is a dream after all. As I thought so, I started to walk, and I felt an uncomfortable feeling that couldn¡¯t be explained. Even though I was walking normally, it feels different from usual for some reason. I wonder if it¡¯s different since it¡¯s a dream. As I looked down at my feet incidentally, I noticed I was wearing something similar to sandals on my feet. Small¡­¡­? I felt like they were smaller than the feet I usually look at. Also, I was wearing a pelt knitted retro sandal. Aah, this is might how it feels to equip a beginner sandal in a game. Which means, if games became the so called virtual net games, it would feel like this I guess. Even if this was a dream, I¡¯m experiencing it in advanced? Fufu. It feels like I¡¯ve profited. But nonetheless, isn¡¯t my hands and feet a bit tiny. I haven¡¯t made such a small character though. Perhaps¡­¡­ pat pat, as I touched around my chest. Sigh. Perhaps I became a boy¡­¡­ ¡­¡­Ah, this one also isn¡¯t here. That¡¯s good. My gender didn¡¯t change. But¡­¡­ I became a small child? I tried to touch my face and body even more. I don¡¯t really understand really well, but it feels like I¡¯ve shrunk overall¡­¡­? There, I let out a giggle. A weird dream. A really weird dream. However¡­¡­ it was somewhat fun and exciting. That¡¯s right, this feeling is the same feeling as when I play games all the time. That¡¯s why I, filled with excitement, looked at the cloud of rising dust coming from the grey road with a dopamine rush. T/N: Just kidding, she¡¯s just looking forward to it. CH 2 I Definitely Do Not Want to Forget This Dream A cloud of dust rose from the grey road,gradually growing closer. If observed closely, it seems as if there were people mounted upon horses. Moreover, as a group. If you were to fixedly stare, the group stopped once, before breaking into a run again. Then, they reached the bottom of the hill where I was, and ran towards my direction. Hm? Are you coming here? Whilst watching the approaching group with stupefaction, they stopped a short distance away from me. ¡°Why is a child in such a place!?¡± cried the leader of the group as they pointed at me. I couldn¡¯t see their face clearly due to the glare of the backlight, but he had an amazingly good tenor voice. Who was it¡­ It¡¯s similar to the voice of a voice actor in an anime that I¡¯d recently watched. I¡¯m having a dream, so I guess I probably really liked how that voice actor sounded. The anime wasn¡¯t that interesting though. 1 Why are you in such a place? What happened to your parents?¡± Being asked by the person with that deep voice, I was puzzled. Even if you ask me why I¡¯m in such a place, I can only answer that it¡¯s because of a dream, right? As for my parents, I think they¡¯re at home, but I wonder if it¡¯s okay to answer like that. As troubled as I was, the person beside the one who had called out to me began to speak. ¡°Can you tell us your name?¡± The next person who called out, switched to a new question immediately.. ¡°I¡¯m Kujou Yuuri.¡± ¡°Kujoyuuri is it¡­¡­ I can¡¯t tell where you¡¯re from just by your name.¡± Kujoyuuri¡­¡­ even I can¡¯t tell which country that person is from! ¡°It¡¯s not Kujoyuuri, it¡¯s Kujou, Yuuri!¡± ¡°A house name holder!¡± 2 What¡¯s with that, mochi? 3 ¡°However, I don¡¯t remember hearing the house name Yuuri before. Argo, how about you?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know as well.¡± The person next to him also has a good voice. As expected, Since this is a dream, I wonder if this is a haven of beautiful voices.. Hehehe. ¡°Yuuri is my name. Kujou is umm, my family name.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­ however, it¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard of. Nonetheless, we can¡¯t leave the house name holder¡¯s child as they are now.¡± Aah, a house name holder is a person who possesses a family name, What¡¯s with that. I thought they were going to give me some delicious mochi. Speaking of mochi, I wanna eat Imamiya Shrine¡¯s aburi mochi. The kinako sure is a masterpiece. 4 ¡°We¡¯ll take you to the fort. Argo, put that child in front of me.¡± When the first beautiful voice said it, the person called Agro came down from his horse and approached me. He had light brown hair and light blue pupils; he¡¯s quite a beauty. Waa. What a feast for my eyes. Yup. As expected. Although this is a dream, it sure is fun to see people with beautiful faces. Argo-san said, ¡°Excuse me for a second,¡± and held me up in his arms. Ooh~. The view is more vast! As I looked around restlessly, Argo-san lowered his eyebrows. ¡°Uwa. This kid heals my heart a lot¡­¡­¡± Tehe. I was praised somehow. As I grew happy, I made myself pleasant to everybody with my grin. Moreover, Agro-san lowered his eyebrows more and more. Grin grin grin grin. Twitch twitch twitch twitch. The battle between the grin and twitch that I thought would last for eternity was put to an end by the beautiful voice-san. ¡°Agro, cut it out, hand that child over here.¡± ¡°Uuuh¡­¡­I don¡¯t wanna hand her over. Leader, please treat her carefully, alright?¡± Agro-san handed me over to the beautiful voice-san reluctantly. ¡°Uwaa~a.¡± When Agro-san carried me in his arms, the world¡¯s view became taller, but as expected on top of a horse is more amazing! Also, the beautiful voice-san, who I looked at closer, became a more amazing superior beauty. Gold hair that was loose and wavy. Green pupils with long slits similar to a fine emerald. A superior beauty, but without the effeminate portion and manly. It may be my imagination but it was similar to the charm of a male, however, he was a person that had a fluffy aura floating around him. His age seems to be in the latter half of his twenties. It¡¯s hard to determine the ages of western people, so I can¡¯t say for certain though. How should I put it¡­¡­ it was as if the main character of an anime materialized, and I was charmed by the Beauty-san without thinking. Yup. This dream sure is amazing. Even if I wake up, I definitely will remember! Yes. Currently, I am currently receiving a ride on a horse with Beauty-san who I¡¯ve never seen before. Because of my midget specs, I was felt stable as I was snuggly wrapped around (by Beauty-san). There¡¯s a saddle like object more or less and I clung onto the arms of Beauty-san holding the reins. His arms were trained quite well as they were firm. At any rate, the horse is jolting quite a bit¡­¡­ Honestly, this dream is too real. ¡°Yuuri, do you remember which country you came from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Japan.¡± ¡°Nihon¡­¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of it before.¡± 5 Looking from below, my eyes met with Beauty-san who looked at down at me. Uwa. Isn¡¯t that a foul play being good-looking even looking from below. ¡°It¡¯s an island country in the middle of the ocean. There are four seasons and easy to pass time.¡± ¡°Shiki¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Cherry blossoms bloom in the spring, we go to the pool in the summer, eat baked sweet potatoes in the autumn, and make snowmans in the fall.¡± ¡°That¡­ sounds fun.¡± ¡°It is.¡± 6 It seems like he doesn¡¯t really understand, but it¡¯s a dream and it¡¯s fine it I don¡¯t explain in detail. But¡­¡­ It¡¯s sort of scary for some reason. How should I put it, it feels really real, doesn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t know how I should put it in words, but it¡¯s strangely realistic, or rather¡­¡­ B-But, I¡¯ve never seen such a person that was more good-looking than a Hollywood star or a model in reality. This is a dream, right¡­¡­? Whether it was my uneasiness showing on my face or not, the blond hair Onii-san gently stroked my hair with the hand that I wasn¡¯t being held with. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright.¡± Yup. If it¡¯s said by a deep certain voice, it feels like everything is alright for some reason. ¡°¡­¡­Alright!¡± That¡¯s right. Since it¡¯s a real dream, let¡¯s have fun. CH 3 Can I Return To My Original World!? After pulling myself together, I looked around me. There was nothing else to see other than the grey-colored road, the grasslands and the nearby forest. Oh? I can sort of see a building nearby. When we gradually drew near it, I saw a European-style small fort. The nearby stone walls encircled the fort and towers could be seen in the center. ¡°That¡¯s Izel Fort. Have you heard of it before?¡± As I was asked by the blond hair Onii-san, I shook my head. ¡°I see. ¡­Well, let¡¯s talk about the details after we arrive at the fort.¡± When we got closer, I could see that there was a moat around the castle walls, and there was a drawbridge coming into view at the entrance. Then, a voice could be heard from the castle walls, and the drawbridge came down with a rattling sound. The drawbridge fell to the ground with a thud as I started to feel anxious. As we entered the fort, there was an area similar to a plaza. When the leader and them entered inside, people came and gathered around. ¡°Agro. I¡¯m entrusting Yuuri to you. Wait in the office for me.¡± ¡°Yes, Leader.¡± Agro-san, who just got off his horse, helped me get off. With a thump, feet reached the ground. I could feel a firm vibration coming from my feet. No, there wasn¡¯t a thump. This is a dream. It¡¯s a dream for sure. ¡°Well then Yuuri-san, come over here.¡± Agro-san lead me by the hand, and I was crushed by anxiety, but I chased after him after that. As we passed through the plaza, there was an entrance where people can only enter one at a time. Pass that, we proceeded up a dim narrow staircase. ¡°It¡¯s slightly dark so it¡¯s scary right? It¡¯ll become bright soon, so let¡¯s preserve a bit longer.¡± I nodded my head, Agro-san face towards again and moved forward. Having climbed the staircase, we got to the building¡¯s roof. As I left the gloomy place to the suddenly bright spot, my eyes got disorientated for a moment. They gradually got used to it and when I looked at my surroundings, I noticed there were another two buildings, one larger than the other, with towers erected on the rooftops. Agro-san walked towards the bigger building. The knights who stood in front of the door greeted him and we entered inside. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s this way.¡± The entrance opened up to a huge hall with a staircase going up from right to left. We climbed up and headed towards the room at the right end. When I entered, I first caught sight of a large desk. Also, a stack of papers that looked like official documents accumulated there. ¡°Well then, sit over here. Umm, I wonder if it¡¯s better if you had something to drink. I¡¯ll go get something real quick.¡± When he pointed at a sofa against the wall, he pulled the string on the opposite side of the desk. Then, after a while, someone knocked on the door. When Agro-san gave permission to enter the room, a bearded person similar to a bear entered the room. ¡°Did you call for me, vice-leader?¡± ¡°Ahh, yeah. I want you to bring this little girl something to drink. Something a kid can drink¡­. Yuuri-chan, is there anything you can¡¯t drink?¡± I tiled my head to the side as I listened. I mean, if I¡¯m asked that inside a dream, how should I answer? ¡°For the time being, Rico juice should be fine, Georg, I¡¯m relying on you.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± When the Bear-san called Georg left, Agro-san sat next to me. ¡°Well then. H~m. I wonder what I should ask.¡± I decided to try timidly asking Agro-san who said that while lowering his brows. ¡°Um¡­ where are we? What is this country called? The name of the continent?¡± ¡°Eh? Starting from there?¡± ¡°Yes. Please.¡± ¡°The name of the continent is Elysia. But this is the Izel Fort at the outskirts of the Ares Kingdom. It¡¯s a fort near the Demon Forest, but have you heard of it before?¡± Elysia¡­¡­ I remembered that at the time, I was asked if I wanted to go to the true Elysia when I changed my occupation to a sage. But, no way such a thing could¡­. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the name Izel Fort, but I have heard of the Ares Kingdom. Or rather, it¡¯s a country that appears countless times in quests. There was difficulties in the inheritance of the throne recently, and I have a feeling there was a quest to cooperate and end the fight between the king faction and the prince faction. The two of them were on good terms in fact, but the mastermind induced them to ruin their relationship. It was good that I got to choose between a sword and a staff as a reward from that quest. Wait, that¡¯s not it! Eh? Eh?! EH?!! Did I really enter that game world? Is this inside Elysia Online? Eh? But if this isn¡¯t a dream, what¡¯s going to happen to me from now on? Can I return to my original world? CH 4 Should I Try Saying It? While I was rolling my eyes at this incomprehensible situation, the door suddenly opened with a bang, and a super beauty with bright red hair appeared. She was a gorgeous lady with large red eyes nose and mouth. Her eyelashes were also thick, enough that a toothpick could be placed on it. 1 ¡°Agro! Is that kid leader¡¯s illegitimate child?¡± ¡°Amanda? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Na~h. Isn¡¯t she cute? Leader has a face as if he isn¡¯t interested in ladies, yet she has a cute girl like her. Hey, hey, how many? Her name? What happened to her mom?¡± She asked in rapid succession, and I rolled my eyes even more. The world is going round and round¡­ The world is shaking¡­ Then, everything faded. Often, it¡¯s said you can wake up in a dream, but when can you say that you really woke up? Is it when you wake up in your own bed? Well, what if you never woke up from that dream¡­? What if that dream became reality and what should be reality does not exist anymore¡­? Yes. I¡¯m also self-aware. I¡¯m still running away from reality. After all, when I woke up, it wasn¡¯t the familiar ceiling. I looked around when I woke up and I noticed that it looks just like that office I was in before I passed out.. It should¡¯ve been a dream, but I still haven¡¯t woken up¡­. I felt like my tears forming. But that¡¯s no good. Crying is no good. Even if I cry here, nothing will change. Think, think. What should I do after this I wonder? First of all, what do I want to do? It¡¯s decided: if this world is real, then it¡¯s to return to my former world. Then, how do I return to my former world? ¡­There, my thoughts stopped. Do people like me from different worlds come to this world I wonder? Perhaps you can freely come and go? If that¡¯s the case, I can immediately go home, so I¡¯d be relieved, but¡­. If perhaps I can¡¯t freely come and go between worlds, then whether it was intentional or by chance, there should be some sort of reason of why I came here. If I know that reason, I think I should also know the way of going home. However, how should I find out the cause I wonder¡­? As I looked up, I tried stretching out my arms. Those hands were much much smaller than my original hands. I¡¯ve definitely become a small kid. I wonder if this world is where a single small kid can manage on their own¡­? It¡¯d be good if I could see my status¡­ I could see it in Elysia Online, but I wonder if I can see it here as well? But there¡¯s no pressable buttons after all. Or perhaps I have to say ¡®status open¡¯ like in novels? S-Should I say it? Should I try saying it? It¡¯s said that once over the border, on may do anything. Should I try boldly saying it? ¡°S-Status. Open.¡± Because it¡¯s embarrassing since it¡¯s like I have chuunibyou, I tried saying it in a soft voice. Then, a semi-transparent window appeared in front of me. ¡°Eh. It worked?¡± A lot of words and numbers were lined up on the semi-transparent window. Perhaps this is my status? Umm, let me take a look. Kujou Yuuri. 8 Years Old. Lv 1 Sage. HP¡¡156 MP¡¡125 Skills Possessed Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Titles Magic Master Healing Master Stray From Another World The HP and MP are tricky numbers, but Lv1 would be something like this? Age is 8 huh. I wonder what¡¯s up with this half-assed age? H~m? If the skills are taken from the game, then these are the MAX values. The problem is the titles right¡­? What¡¯s with ¡®Stray From Another World¡¯ I wonder¡­? ¡®Stray¡¯, what does that mean I wonder? In Japan, the most famous stray monster is that silver one though¡­2 H~m, h~m? In other words, is it that? That I¡¯m a lost child??? That¡¯s right. The fact that the status screen appeared means that I can log out right? L-Let¡¯s try it out for now. ¡°Logout!¡± Silence. ¡°Execute: Logout!¡± Again, silence. ¡°Logout, enter!¡± ¡­No response. It¡¯s just a corpse. It¡¯s no good after all. Then, what about the friend chat I wonder? ¡°Friend chat open.¡± This also has no response. I wonder if only the status screen responds¡­? Haa¡­¡­how regrettable. So that means I can¡¯t go home. Oka-san, Oba-san, Onii-chan¡­ Tears flowed down my cheeks once more. CH 5 Try Thinking About the Current Situation As I was crying, I heard knocking on the door, and it sounded like someone was entering the room. I turned to look at who it was, and the figure of the transcendent-like handsome leader. Our eyes met, and my gaze became firm for some reason. ¡°?¡± W-What? Why are they firm? 1 ¡°Leader. Did that kid wake up? Eh? What¡¯s wrong? Did the leader make you cry?¡± Agro-san appeared from behind the transcendent beauty and approached the flustered me. Eh? I wasn¡¯t crying though¡­¡­ Oh, since my tears are falling, they misunderstood. I panicked and got up. ¡°No, um, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been crying¡­¡­ ah, I was slightly moved to tears, but it wasn¡¯t the Leader-san¡¯s fault in particular. Umm, err.¡± ¡°I see, I see. The leader¡¯s not a bad guy, but his words are a bit too harsh sometimes. I thought for sure he made you cry. So, you¡¯re fine? Can you get up?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Sorry for making you worry¡­¡­¡± I bowed to them gently while seated on the sofa, with my silver hair covering my cheeks. ¡­Hm? Silver? Could it be¡­that I have the appearance of the character I use in Elysia Online and not how I actually look?! In the game you can choose between six races: Human, Elf, Fairy, Demon, Dwarf, and Beast. It was my first time playing online, so I was considering between Human, Elf, and Fairy¡­but in the end I went with Human. My silver hair was around shoulder length and my cat-like eyes were purple. ¡­Come to think of it, I¡¯ve done a bad thing to that woman. She began to talk to me, but I suddenly passed out. ¡°Sorry for being a bother, Onee-san¡­¡­ As I dropped my shoulders, Agro-san sat down beside me and gently patted my head.2 Oh, don¡¯t worry about Amanda. Good grief, don¡¯t ramble on to a kid who¡¯s all alone and uneasy. You have to be considerate. Leader also thinks so right?¡± ¡°No, I think you¡¯re just noisy.¡± ¡°Eh?! No I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, shut up. I can¡¯t even talk to the kid.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah. The other party is a kid, so please don¡¯t scare them.¡± ¡°I know.¡± When Agro-san left, in his stead Leader-san sat beside me. Uuu¡­¡­ I¡¯m kinda nervous. ¡°I¡¯m called Leon, the leader of this fort. I want to ask you a few questions, but is that fine?¡± I nodded my head as a response. ¡°First, there¡¯s no mistake that you¡¯ve come from another country called ¡®Nihon¡¯?¡± 3 I nodded my head once more. ¡°Then, why were you at that place? Do you remember?¡± I shook my head at that question. Even I want to know. ¡°Were you together with someone? A parent or a relative¡­¡­?¡± I shook my head once again, and Leon-san looked at me troubled. But I¡¯m troubled too. You probably won¡¯t believe me if I said something like ¡®I came to this world suddenly¡¯ after playing a game. I wonder how I can explain this. Also, I¡¯m afraid of being considered a heretic if I told the truth¡­¡­ What should I do? What should I reply with? Someone teach me~~~~~ ¡°Anything¡¯s fine. Is there anything you remember?¡± When Leon-san asked, I nervously opened my mouth. ¡°Um¡­¡­I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me, but¡­¡­ I should have been in my own room up to then. However, when I noticed, it seems like I was sleeping there. I also don¡¯t know what happened¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Leon-san put his hand on his chin, and it seemed like he was thinking about something. ¡°A family name holder, furthermore she¡¯s probably a child of a high ranking noble family. It¡¯s unthinkable that such a child would have not even one guard. Which means that an accident occurred or something?¡± Huh? Noble? No no no, it¡¯s not such an exaggerated family you know?! Dad is a normal office worker after all. ¡°I¡¯m not a noble or anything you know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a noble? However, you have a house name¡­¡­ and that hand is probably not of a laborer¡¯s hand. Furthermore, to be able to talk in such a manner at that age, you can only be a person who has received education.¡± I feel that a laborer¡¯s hand is a hand that has dried skin and cracks. Certainly, I don¡¯t have such hands, but I don¡¯t groom my hands to the point to the so called ¡®noble¡¯s hand¡¯¡­¡­ I haven¡¯t shaved my nails with a file; just snapped them right off with a nail clipper. Also, as for the way I speak, of course it¡¯d be more mature than an 8 year old because I¡¯m actually 18. It seems I can¡¯t easily dodge these questions. However, I can¡¯t say the truth, what should I do¡­¡­? ¡°But in my country, everyone has a family name. There are no nobles¡­¡­ The royal family are royalty in name only. It might be opposite of your country.¡± They¡¯re the imperial family though. 4 ¡°Ohhh.¡± H~m. I think it¡¯s a little bit different though¡­¡­ but there isn¡¯t a class system, right? When I was troubled over what I should say, Leon-san lightly patted my head. 5 ¡°It was a difficult conversation for a kid. Sorry.¡± No¡­¡­ it¡¯s my bad since I can¡¯t say the truth¡­¡­ My stomach was in pain due to the feelings of guilt. Haa. At any rate, to have come to the game world where I changed my occupation to a sage¡­¡­ it feels like a fairy tail even though it¡¯s about me. If I knew this would happen, I shouldn¡¯t have changed my occupation¡­¡­ ¡­Hmm? Changed my occupation to sage?? Advertisements CH 6 I Might Be Able to Find Out the Method to go Back If this is the same world as Elysia Online, then there should also be Sage Kue at the Mage Tower that I went to right?! Since I came to this world immediately after becoming a sage at the Sage Tower, I should be able to go back if I go there once again. Also, there should be the Sage Master Tyrion at the Sage Tower. If I ask him, I might be able to find out the method to go back! ¡°Umm. I might be able to understand something if I go to the Sage Tower!¡± ¡°Sage Tower? Where¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Err, The tower built in the middle of the Demon Forest.¡± ¡°The Demon Forest?!¡± ¡°Ah, but you might need a key to go inside? If I remember correctly, I might have to go to the dungeons in the six respective countries? ¡­¡­Come to think of it, I wonder if I have the key. I should have put it in the item box, but I wonder where¡¯s my item box? I wonder if it¡¯ll appear if I say ¡®Item box Open¡¯. ¡­¡­Ah, it appeared.¡± When I tried saying it, an item box-like window appeared. I wonder if the key to the Sage Tower is¡­¡­ There were potions and other equipment that I used before, but I couldn¡¯t find the key to enter the Sage Tower. Come to think of it, I feel like the key disappeared when I used it in the game. H~m. That means if since I entered before, wouldn¡¯t I be able to enter the Sage Tower as-is? 1 Since I¡¯m a sage, of course I should have a free pass to the Sage Tower right? Mhm mhm. However, there¡¯s always the chance that it won¡¯t open. Should I go get the key once more? But is the first earth dungeon a place you could go at Lv 1¡­¡­? 2 As my thoughts ran wild, I didn¡¯t notice the amazed look of Leon-san and Agro at my mumbling. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely impossible for a small child like you to go to the Demon Forest.¡± ¡°Yup yup yup yup. Yuuri-chan probably doesn¡¯t know, but the monsters in the Demon Forest are stronger than others you know. I think you can¡¯t even beat a slime as your opponent?¡± I was told that by those two, but even so I can beat at least a slime! I¡¯m Lv 1, but I can beat it! ¡­¡­P-Probably¡­¡­ ¡°I can at least beat a slime. Or rather, if I raise my level, then the Demon Forest isn¡¯t a concern.¡± After all, I was a soloist when I was a Lv 99 magician. The monsters inside the Sage tower though were strong, so I had to go with a party for my job change quest though. Ahh, the guildmaster Cecilia-san called out to everyone and I went with my guild members. That¡¯s right¡­¡­ that just occurred half a day ago¡­¡­ Even though it was just half a day ago, it feels like a long time ago. I wiped my tears that overflowed once again with the palm of my hand. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll do my best. I¡¯ll do my best, level up, and go through the Demon Forest to the Sage Tower! And absolutely, return to my former world! ¡°Raising your level means becoming stronger right? Do you possess some sort of combat art?¡± Leon-san murmured as he seemed to be thinking about something. I waited for Leon-san¡¯s words to see what will happen from now on. ¡°¡­¡­For the time being, until we¡¯re certain on how to deal with you, the fort will look after you.¡± Does that mean, I get to stay here? Hooray! Yay~! The necessities of life are required to raise my level after all. Ahh, I¡¯m glad that I met good people. ¡°Thank you very much! Please take care of me!¡± ¡°I understand. Then¡­¡­ let¡¯s see. Agro, go call for Amanda.¡± Having said that, Leon-san got up from the sofa and held out his hand to me. ¡°Here. Please treat me well.¡± I took that hand and vigorously got up. Yuuri Kujou will become the Lv 1 Sage Yuuri Kujou and do my best to aim for the Sage Tower! 3 Advertisements CH 7 Amanda-san Amanda-san who was being pulled along still was in high tension. I got embarrassed being hugged and squished by her big breasts to the point of suffocating, but it¡¯s great she loves children. She and the female knights were in a building in the inner part of the fort that I didn¡¯t notice at first. When I went up that dark staircase, the dorm building for the male knights, the building with the office, and the female dorm building were lined up in front of me in a row. Female knights seem to be rare, being usually Imperial Guards, but it seems they¡¯ve been stationed here at Izel Fort for a long time now. Love between male and female knights happen, causing quarrels and racket before being settled by duels., Punishment made for that happening seems to be harsh. Well, if the atmosphere was strained due to love, they wouldn¡¯t be able to cooperate and fight. That¡¯s natural, isn¡¯t it? Also, the person that Amanda-san likes isn¡¯t that super hot Leon-san, but bear-like Gorg-san! I was really surprised. It seems like she really loves the muscular type. When I naively asked which muscles of his she liked, the conversation went maniacal, so I stopped.. ¡­She said his muscles around his chest is sexy¡­ ¡­ ¡­Yup. She has various kinds of preferences¡­¡­ Leon of course is the most popular one for the female knights, but he doesn¡¯t associate with them at all. It also seems those who untactfully assault him get booted out to a provincial city garrison.. Therefore, it seems like Leon-san is loved as eye candy from a distance. ¡°But Yuuri-chan, I couldn¡¯t tell if you were a boy or girl in the beginning, so I was thinking about what you should wear. You were wearing a loose robe after all. Now, no matter where I look, you¡¯re a cute girl though.¡± After Georg had asked Amanda and learned that I was indeed a girl, I had ended becoming a dress-up doll. The most skillful sewer at Izel Fort, Georg-san, quickly made me clothes. ¡­¡­Georg-san, who on earth are you!? ¡°Making clothes is Georg-san¡¯s hobby.¡± Hee~. His hobby doesn¡¯t match with how he looks. ¡°Also, he¡¯s an enchanter, so although he looks like this, he¡¯s got his physical and magic defense together.¡± ¡°Enchanter¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Huh, you don¡¯t know about it?¡± When I was asked in return about those unfamiliar words, Amanda-san explained about enchanters to me. ¡°They¡¯re simply people who can put magic squares into equipment. Amongst them, Georg is especially good.¡± For weapons it seems magic squares are engraved in the handle and for armor it¡¯s engraved onto a mythril plate over the heart.. Only the physical attack can be increased for weapons, but for armor and other defensive tools, on top of physical and magic defense you can add various other resistances. However, there are few people who are able to add those two types. Gerog-san seems to be one of the few excellent enchanters. ¡°Hee. That¡¯s amazing~.¡± The impressively beautiful Amanda-san blushed like a little girl and put her hands together in front of her chest. ¡°He¡¯s not only an enchanter, but also a strong swordsman. Also, he trains everyday, so he has very lovely muscles. He can also make clothes and good at cooking. He¡¯ll be the best husband there can be.¡± Amanda-san had high praise for him, so I thought that family-oriented males were popular in Elysia, but that seems to be not the case and just Amanda-san¡¯s preferences is Gerog-san. I wore Georg-sam¡¯s handmade dress and tried twirling around. The skirt lightly fluttered. The cat pouch that hung diagonally on my shoulder was actually from my item box. I understood that my status and item box can¡¯t be seen by other people. It¡¯s not so bad when looking at the status window, but an item appearing out of thin air is strange, so I decided to use pouch I had on hand for the time being. Why a cat pouch? That¡¯s because that¡¯s all I had¡­¡­ There was a ¡°Nyan Nyan Nyan Cat day even on February 22nd. During that time, defeating cat-type monsters and collecting paws, you can exchange them for all sorts of stylish equipment. It looked like that event was for covetous cat maniacs. Of course I participated and obtained all the equipment. Other than the bag, there were cat ear headbands, dresses with cat tails, and paw gloves. The other stuff are embarrassing so I couldn¡¯t take them out. ¡­But this one is fine, I think. A cat ear robe. It has no defense power, but it¡¯s cute. I¡¯ll try wearing it later. I¡¯m now wearing a pink dress, the cat bag, and a cypress rod. I couldn¡¯t equip anything else because I¡¯m at Lv 1. Huh? Do I look like a sage? I feel like a kid instead of going out to play¡­¡­ But it¡¯s fine! I will defeat slimes and raise my Lv with all of this! Ohhhhhhhh! CH 8 Yuri Kujou here, formerly Kujou Yuri. It¡¯s day two in this other world. After everything that happened last night I wound up getting so tired I went to sleep without eating anything. Waking up to see Amanda¡¯s giant knockers slapping me in the face, well, talk about a shock! How do I put it, waking up to that was powerful enough to shatter any faint hope I had of going home. While I was intensely flustered, Amanda gave a soft ¡°Good morning¡± in the slightly husky voice of someone just waking up. Wao.. even just waking up, a beauty is still a beauty. My heart skipping a beat there is going to remain a secret. Before I could get used to it, Amanda went and brought in a delicious breakfast to our room, from today on I¡¯ll start raising my level immediately! Besides. It won¡¯t just be Amanda joining me, Argo is also coming along. I want to see how much magic I could use, but regardless there are stronger enemies than just slimes near the Magical Forest. I seriously lucked out running into such a nice group of people right after coming to this world. It wouldn¡¯t have been rare to have gotten attacked by a monster or robbed by a thief before running into anyone. I have no clue why I came here, but I¡¯d sincerely like to express my gratitude to these kind people who picked me up. Sure, I¡¯d love to go home, but moping around isn¡¯t going to improve anything. And that¡¯s why, I¡¯m going to push forward! Do your best, me! After about 40 minutes of following my escorts¡¯ guidance we reached a thick forest. The first thing I¡¯m seeing after coming to this world is this Magical Forest place. That forty minute hike, wheeze, was rough for a city kid like me, gasp. ¡°There should be a slime, somewhere around¡­ Oh, there, there it is!¡± Looking at where Amanda¡¯s pointing¡­ Oooooh. First slime found!!! Can¡¯t tell where it¡¯s head¡¯s at; there¡¯s no eyes or mouth. Thanks to Elyusia Online I can still tell that¡¯s definitely a slime! Alright! Awww yisss, it¡¯s on! ¡°Yuri, do your beeest!¡± ¡°Yuri, fight!¡± Hearing Argo and Amanda¡¯s cheers lifted my spirit a hundred-fold. I¡¯ll give it my all! After picking up my Cypress Staff I valiantly swung at the slime. ¡°Hiyah!¡± The slime just quivered a little. That first attack seemed ineffective, so I swung again. ¡°Hiiiiyah!¡± The slime just kept quivering. ¡°Hya! Hei, Hiyah, Tei!¡± The slime just ignored my attacks and quivered with every strike. After all that I got worn out¡­ The heck, why aren¡¯t my attacks working. ¡°Um, hey. Yuri?¡± I turned around when I heard Argo, for some reason he seemed tired. ¡°Yuri, you¡¯re a mage right? Why don¡¯t you use magic?¡± I listened carefully! Such profound logic, I¡¯ve got to do things properly. ¡°You see now.. That¡¯s because I imagined levelling up by button-mashing A. Since mages and priests can¡¯t equip swords, they can¡¯t equip a Cypress Staff either, the only thing left was a Cypress Branch, y¡¯know? But whacking things with a branch is just weird right?! And so, now that I can finally equip it I wanted to bash it with my Cypress Staff!¡± Alright! I said it! ¡°¡­Yup. I don¡¯t get why, but you wanted to hit it with a cypress staff. Right right. That¡¯s good and all. But you know, it seems like that attack isn¡¯t doing anything at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Why is that?¡± ¡°No, I think it¡¯s impossible to kill it with that attack?¡± ¡°Eeeh?¡± ¡°¡®Eeeh?¡¯ nothing¡­ no matter how cutely you complain, what¡¯s impossible is impossible.¡± Next to argo who had his hand on his forehead Amanda was delightedly saying ¡°it¡¯s cute, so isn¡¯t it fine.¡± But, uhh. I see, I can¡¯t beat it with my Cypres Staff. ¡°Then, it can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯ll defeat it with magic¡­ If it¡¯s Fire, I might burn the surroundings and it¡¯ll become a wildfire, so that¡¯s out, Wind might cut the trees. Water is¡­ The slime looks like it¡¯d enjoy that. Lightning¡­ Oh, Water is weak to Lightning.¡± Certainly, that¡¯s how Pkm*n work. Lightning magic it is then! ¡°Thunder Arrow!¡± I tried chanting with my arm raised. Then I felt power flow towards my fingertip. Imagine an arrow of lightning and shake it down! Gooooo! Boooooom!!! With a great explosion countless arrows struck the slime. The cacophony of light and sound messed up my eyes and ears a bit. The magic was probably only active for three seconds, but in that moment it felt like eternity. And after the magic finally settled down¡­ There was no sign of the slime, instead there was a crater with a radius of five meters where it used to be. Tha¡­ That¡¯s strange? Could it be, I overdid it..? CH 9 Argo started ripping me a new one over the crater I made here, putting my levelling session on hold. But also as expected a single slime didn¡¯t raise my level any. How disappointing¡­ In any case we decided to take a break, when I sat down in the clearing I took the canteen of Rico juice Amanda offered me. By the way, to avoid getting my dress dirty Argo laid out a handkerchief on the ground. How very gentlemanly of him. Come here my Rico juice! Is it alright to put my mouth on it as it is? It¡¯s fine, right? Gulp. Ahhh. Isn¡¯t this the same Rico juice Gre-something1 brought me yesterday. It had a slightly sour taste going down, like diluted cherry. I think it¡¯d be better chilled. Since it¡¯s similar to cherry, it¡¯d be great if it was as full of Vitamin-C. I¡¯m a little girl even if I say so myself. No, because I¡¯m so little, it¡¯s important for me to take care of my skin from now on! Thank goodness for beautiful skin! ¡°Anyway, that was shocking! Using such amazing magic!¡±, said Argo, sat to my right. This is kinda embarrassing. After all, that was the weakest lightning-type magic y¡¯know. I might be a level 1 Sage, but in the first place my magic power is equal to a level 99 Mage¡¯s isn¡¯t it. That being the case, I have to be careful when I use it, isn¡¯t my magic power too OP? Wao, what a relief. Using Fire Ball back then¡­ Using my full power I might have caused a wildfire. Eek. ¡°What¡¯s more you used an abbreviated chant.¡± ¡°Abbreviated chant?¡± ¡°Yeah. Normally to invoke magic you¡¯d chant a long incantation. But you just used the spell¡¯s name and the magic activated right?¡± Yeah. I mean, in the game you wouldn¡¯t say something like, ¡°Lightning, heed my call. With your great power destroy my enemies, Thunder Arrow!¡±. Normally you just choose the Thunder Arrow spell from a menu and boom, it activates. ¡°Can you use any other type of magic?¡± ¡°Umm. There¡¯s also Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth-types you know.¡± ¡°All-Attirbute huh¡­ Pretty amazing.¡± That so? It¡¯s pretty much standard for any Mage in Elyusia Online though. As expected the game and real life are completely different things I suppose. ¡°Isn¡¯t using all magic types normal?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see. For example, I can use Water-type magic, anything else is beyond me. Amanda can use two types though.¡± ¡°Yep, Fire and Wind.¡± ¡°As far as I know, the only other person who has All-Attribute magic available is the Captain. What¡¯s more that absurdly out-of-spec guy can affix magic attributes to his sword.¡± Attribute-aligned sword you say¡­ Sounds like he¡¯s the Advanced Class ¡°Magic Swordsman¡±. Perhaps there are more unreleased Advanced Classes in this world, or something? Oh, but it looks like they don¡¯t know about The Sage¡¯s Tower, which means the Sage Class hasn¡¯t been released right. Speaking of Advanced Classes, besides Sage what else was there. I don¡¯t really recall much that doesn¡¯t interest me, but there was Magic Swordsman, Ninja, and what else? However the Base Classes are Swordsman, Hunter, Mage, and Priest. Yeeeep. I¡¯m going to have to remain aware of the differences and similarities between my knowledge of the world and the actual common sense here. If I say something carelessly someone might realize that I¡¯m not from this world. ¡°Oh, right. Because the Captain is spreading his fighting style Fort Izel has a large population of female knights.¡± Ohhh. Is that right. Ah, then, could it be that Leon is the Class-Change Master for the Magic Swordsman Class. ¡°In an ordinary swordfight women and men aren¡¯t an even match. But, if you do this¡­¡± At that, Amanda took the sword on her hip into her hands. ¡°O power of Flames that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Flame!¡± With that spell-like incantation, the sword in Amanda¡¯s hand burned up. Oh, wait. The flames came out of the sword. Ohhhhh. Amaaaaazing. How do I put it, this really feels like a fantasy now. ¡°Amanda¡¯s amazing, Amazing! Whoa, so cool!¡± I unintentionally started clapping watching Amanda¡¯s pretty face. Siiiiiiiiigh. How I yearn for that kind of stylish beautyyyy. ¡°Yuri, look, look, I can do it too! O power of Water that dwelleth within me, I beseech thee. Through my sword, flow forth Water!¡±2 Ohhhhhhh. Argo san is also amaziiiiing. Water currents flowed around the circumference of his sword. And so when he held his sword up it looked like a waterspout. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t I cool too?¡± ¡°Yeesss. Both of you are so cool!¡± ¡°Hmhm. Such an honest reaction is good.¡± Magic Swordsmen are so cool. Ahh, I wish I woulda raised my Swordsman level. My Mage level is 99, if my Swordsman level was also maxed¡­ Nah, Sage is best after all. I can use magic, I can use healing, what¡¯s more, I can equip swords. Oh, but can I get my Swordsman class to 99 somehow and use Sword Skills as a Sage? But when I stop and think about having to level up all over again¡­ Yeah. I¡¯m over that. ¡°Niiice, so cool¡­¡± ¡°Thanks. But, Yuri, I think you¡¯re more magic-focused than a swordsman.¡± ¡°I know right~¡± I couldn¡¯t defeat the slime, so I doubt I have any talent for swordsmanship. ¡°Out of everyone at Fort Izel, are there a lot of Magic Swordsman?¡± ¡°Hey now, that¡¯s a pretty good way of saying it. We¡¯ve just been calling ourselves Sword Mages, but Magic Swordsmen3 sounds good. Well, to be honest, knights are all sword-swinging muscleheads. Even before the captain spread his fighting style there were more swordsmen than mages.¡± Huh. Now that I think of it, Leon, Amanda, and Argo are all Magic Swordsmen, does that mean they all maxed their base classes?! ¡°Adding magic attributes to a sword, it¡¯s impossible if you can¡¯t use magic right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then, if a Mage wanted to, say they became a Swordsman, would they be a Magic Swordsman?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯re all prior Swordsmen, magic was not our forte. But adding attributes to our swords does require a spot of magic talent.¡± Then you can become a Magic Swordsman even without maxing your base class levels huh? As I expected, this world and the game world are really different¡­ The Sage¡¯s Tower¡­ it seems they don¡¯t know about it, but it does exist right¡­? CH 10 To be honest, I doubted my own eyes in that very moment. The countless arrows that were falling from the sky so abruptly. The thunder-attributed arrows fired from the sky at the same time as that small hand moved. The lightning and thunderous sound were so strong it made my eyes dazzled. After that brief moment that felt like an eternity passed by, the slime that was just there vanished, and not even a single part remained. Judging by how the ground that was hit by the arrows turned hollow, the magic¡¯s power was surely earth-staggering. The shock was strong enough that I was still trembling due to the chill that I felt on my skin. Am I scared¡­? This me, towards such a small child¡¯s¡­? The child called as Yuuri Kujou appeared on top of a tall hill near the magical forest. He didn¡¯t find it suspicious for a child to be on that place alone. The fort paid meticulous care towards its defense. In the first place, the Ares kingdom¡¯s fort existed in order to subdue the monsters that appeared from the Demon Forest. The fort¡¯s walls were imbued with strong defensive magical barrier, and it was impossible to be trespassed even from the sky. Although it couldn¡¯t prevent the kind of monsters close to a calamity existence such as dragons, monsters on the level of Blood Eagle couldn¡¯t break through the barrier and enter the fort. With the threat of Demon Forest, if we weren¡¯t united to defeat the demon king, let alone a country, the world might have been ruined. Thus, the kingdom wouldn¡¯t be hostile towards other countries save for the Demon Empire, and there was little to no concern about foreign country invasion. Especially since Ares kingdom¡¯s neighboring countries were the nameless Elven country and Urg, the beast¡¯s kingdom. Both of them were on friendly terms with humans, so there was no need to be on alert for invasion. But the problem lies within the Ares kingdom. Kaiser fort has been involved in war several times by now. Each and every war was caused by the throne succession. Currently, the Ares kingdom was divided into two factions: the king faction and the royal prince¡¯s faction. The royal prince¡ªin other words, our leader, Leonhart-sama didn¡¯t have any plan on usurping the throne. However, a lot of people wanted to set him up, being the hero he was. And then, this child appeared suddenly in front of that hero. Be it coincidence or not, as the vice leader in the Izel Fort, it was necessary for me to carefully ascertain the matter. But Yuuri didn¡¯t show any reaction when I purposely jumped from behind her with bloodlust, or even when Amanda aimed for her vital spots while pretending to hug her. Amanda and I could only love this nothing but innocent child. Was she really an ordinary child, or was she an expert that was trained not to react at all towards the other party¡¯s bloodlust¡­? There was little to no evidence for us to make a decision about that right now. Since she claimed to be a lost child, she would be taken care in the Izel fort, under my and Amanda¡¯s monitoring. We had to notify the other fort dwellers to have little to no contact with her. However, Yuuri showed a mind-blowing power to me. This child isn¡¯t a spy, nor is she an assassin. A magician possessing such an earth-staggering power wouldn¡¯t specially be used as a spy. This child alone can easily destroy a whole country. So young, and yet this magical power¡­ I wonder how much power she will hold once she grows up. I¡¯m sure that this child is who she claimed to be¡ªthe daughter of an influential person from a country called as ¡®Japan¡¯.1 Since she was asleep at that hill, I wonder if she was somehow involved in a power struggle then was moved to that place while asleep. Perhaps the light arrows from earlier could be seen even from the fort. The leaders would surely come running over here in no time. When they comes here, we will have to discuss about Yuuri¡¯s future. We have to protect this pure child to not be involved in the adults¡¯ ulterior motives. But before that, if we don¡¯t train her magic, her power might be too strong that it could even destroy the fort someday. Still, even though there are researches about enhancing one¡¯s magical power, will there be researches about holding one¡¯s magical power¡­? The overflowing cycle of monsters. Then, a girl who possessed an earth-staggering magical power. Something whose existence was too impossible to happen that one could even laugh upon thinking about it¡­the two of them were here in complete set. ¨CSomething will occur. I have that hunch. CH 11 It was a very sudden thing. ¡°Well, the leaders definitely saw the earlier magic and should be here soon¡­¡± The moment Argo-san said that, the forest before my eyes wriggled. The trees that were shaken by the wind and the clouds in the sky didn¡¯t change. However, the atmosphere was different from earlier. It was queer¡­heavy atmosphere. There was a presence of something squirming deep in the forest. ¡°This¡­It couldn¡¯t be! Amanda, take care of Yuuri-chan.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Amanda-san nimbly held me around her armpit and ran while still holding her sword in her arm. We were behind Argo-san who was also holding his sword. Eh? What is it? Why so suddenly??? I could only dart my eyes in surprise to the two¡¯s sudden changes. ¡°It¡¯s way too fast than it usually is in the cycle¡­What a worst timing. We could do it if there were horses. The leaders will be here soon, so you guys can join them there.¡± ¡°Argo, please hold out there somehow.¡± ¡°Hah. Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? Even if I may look like this, I¡¯m still Izel Fort¡¯s vice-leader, you know?¡± ¡°Right. Then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± For some reason, Argo-san¡¯s voice when he answered seemed a bit more distant. When I turned around curiously, I saw that there were lots of brown monsters in front of Argo-san. The monsters were moving¡­just like a child¡­ No, that¡¯s not right. They were goblins. Their ears were pointed and their eyes wee goggling. Their hands were holding sticks. Their figures were really similar to the in-game goblins. But there were too many of them. There weren¡¯t only dozens of them¡­there might be no less than one hundred?! ¡°Hii!¡± As Argo-san swung his sword, bright red blood splattered from the goblin. The splattered blood dyed Argo-san¡¯s sword and body in crimson. In the next moment, he swung his sword at another goblin. ¡°A¡­Argo-san, Argo-san. The¡­goblins are¡­¡± ¡°I know. Let¡¯s hurry and return to the fort.¡± ¡°B¡­but¡­Argo-san is¡­¡± ¡°Even if Yuuri-chan is there, you will only drag him.¡± ¡°B¡­but, I can also fight.¡± ¡°¡­There are too many of them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, Argo-san, too¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you don¡¯t want Argo to die, we have to quickly inform the leaders about this.¡± Die¡­? He will die¡­? In the game, you can revive someone using a priest¡¯s spell. Although this world is similar to the game, not everything is the same. If that¡¯s the case, it will really be the end once someone dies¡­? No way! I don¡¯t want that! I don¡¯t want Argo-san to die! Argo-san always gently laughed. He patted my head softly. I definitely don¡¯t want such a kind person to die! Think, I have to think. What can I do? That¡¯s right, let¡¯s take another look at my status¡­ ¡°Status Open.¡± I recited while still in Amanda-san¡¯s arms, and a semi-transparent window opened. The status screen that I saw yesterday popped open again. Eh? My name in the status screen has changed from Kujou Yuuri to Yuuri Kujou¡­1 Aside from that, isn¡¯t there something else?! Something else¡­ As I desperately scanned over the window with my eyes, I noticed that there was a small arrow on the bottom side of the window. When I tried to tap it, lots of words appeared. Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 1. HP: 156 MP: 125 Skills Possessed: Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Titles: Magic Master Healing Master Stray from Another World Available Skills: [Thunder Element] Thunder Arrow, Thunder Lance, Thunder of Judgment [Wind Element] Wind Arrow, Wind Lance, Destruction Tornado [Fire Element] Fire Ball, Fire Crash, Crimson Blaze [Water Element] Water Ball, Water Crash, Blue Torrent [Earth Element] Rock Fall, Earthquake, Meteor of Annihilation [Recovery] Healing Light, Heal, Extra Heal [Ranged Recovery] Healing Wind [Abnormal Status Recovery] Cure [Support] Protect Shield Magic Shield [Area Magic] Area Heal Area Protect Shield Area Magic Shield The advanced skills for both elemental magic and recovery magic are written in grey. Does this mean I still can¡¯t use them? My magic skill is around 100, so I should be able to use them, but¡­ But that isn¡¯t important now. What can be useful for now is¡­ That¡¯s right! The area magic, the sage¡¯s speciality! But just how big is the scope of the area? Me, Amanda-san, and Argo-san. How should I do it so it can also include Leon-san and the others who will be coming from behind? I don¡¯t know because I just became a sage recently¡­ F-for the time being, let¡¯s just try! Some novels said that magic was based on imagination, so let¡¯s imagine it! ¡°Area Protect Shield. Target, everyone from Izel Fort! Area Magic Shield. Target, everyone from Izel Fort!¡± As I recited the spell, I felt something seemingly leaking out from my body. This is¡­MP consumption, I wonder? How much MP does the Area Protect Shield consume? I wonder if the details would come out once I tap it? Aah, but my arms feel heavy¡­ When I raised my eyes, I was met with Amanda-san¡¯s surprised eyes. A semi-transparent red shield and blue shield were revolving around us. Thank goodness. For the time being, the shields had effects. With them, our physical and magical defense should be increased. I wonder if the effects will still be there even when I¡¯m apart from Argo-san? It will be nice if it¡¯s there. ¡°Amanda, what is this?!¡± At this time, a cool voice resounded. It was Leon-san. It seemed there were around six people coming over here on their horses. Ah, there semi-transparent shields were also revolving around Leon-san. My area magic was a success. Thank goodness. ¡°Leader, I will explain the details later! The omen of Demon Flood occurred. Argo is fighting them right now.¡± ¡°Alone?! How absurd!¡± ¡°He¡¯s just right here. I¡¯m taking this child to somewhere safe.¡± ¡°Understood. Go and notify the fort.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eh, I will return to the fort with Amanda-san alone? N¡­No. I want to go and help Argo-san! ¡°Uhm, I can do recovery magic! Please take me with you!¡± ¡°But you are a magician, not a priest, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong! I¡¯m a sage!¡± I¡¯m still level 1, though¡­Although I¡¯m level 1, I am a genuine sage! ¡°Sage¡­?2 Certainly, we aren¡¯t bringing a priest along right now. Yosh, if you know recovery magic, please do help. Robert, return to the fort and gather everyone. Let¡¯s go!¡± Amanda-san and I rode on different horses as we rushed towards where Argo-san was fighting. Please, Argo-san. Please be safe! Hurry, hurry, hurry! I shouted in my heart many times while I was riding on the horse that was running there. Argo-san, somehow, please be safe! ¡°Argo!¡± Leon-san reached first as he jumped from his horse and stood next to Argo-san who was dyed in crimson due to the blood¡ªthough it was unsure whose blood was that: the goblins or himself. The sword that was in Argo-san¡¯s hand was also dyed in crimson red, not washed by water magic. But thank goodness. He was still alive¡­ Just as I felt relieved, Argo-san¡¯s body slowly tumbled. ¡°Argo-san!!!¡± Even if I was thinking about coming down from the horse to go and help, the knight-san that gave me a ride stopped me, so I couldn¡¯t go to help. Argo-san was wounded, so if he¡¯s not healed¡­ Can [heal] reach him from where I am?! But it could reach in the game, so it should reach him! It will definitely reach him! ¡°Heal! Target is Argo-san!¡± A silver light flew from my fingertip to Argo-san. Please let it work! But Argo-san still hasn¡¯t stood up. Leon-san swung his sword as he was protecting Argo-san who was completely exhausted. Amanda-san and the other knights went down from their horses to back them up. ¡°Heal! Target is Argo-san!¡± One more time! Aah, if only I can use Extra Heal. That spell should be able to completely restore your HP even if the remaining HP is 1. As I was thinking about it, another possibility rose up in my mind. If¡­If there is no HP remaining¡­? Heal wouldn¡¯t be effective if there¡¯s 0 HP. But in that case, what should I do? Will I be able to use [resurrection] that I had used in the game before, even if it wasn¡¯t there in my status screen? My tears couldn¡¯t stop flowing. No, no, no! I don¡¯t want Argo-san to die! ¡°One more time¡­ Heal! Target is¡­¡± My voice trembled. At that time. ¡°Seriously, it was dangerous this time¡­¡± Argo-san slowly rose up. ¡°Argo-san!¡± ¡°Aah, I¡¯m quite¡­revived, I think. Is this thanks to Yuuri-chan¡­?¡± Argo-san who had stood up then fixed his grip on his sword, knocking off another goblin. Thank goodness¡­ He was alive! He was still alive!!! I was so relieved that I finally realized that I was exhausted. My arms are heavy¡­And my head is somewhat heavy as well¡­ The last thing that I saw was Argo-san fighting back-to-back with Leon-san CH 12 Apparently, I fainted from using my magical power too much. The morning that I greeted in this world happened after I fainted the day before, just what¡¯s up with me? Whenever I regained my consciousness, it was already a new day. This time, I didn¡¯t faint due to Amanda-san¡¯s breasts pressure, but I saw something dreadful the moment I opened my eyes. It was a priest-san whose muscles swelled just like a pro wrestler¡¯s or even yakuza¡­ Nah, it was natural for me to be surprised if someone like that was right in front of me the moment I opened my eyes, right? Moreover, it didn¡¯t seem to be a piece of hardwood no matter how I look at it. His face was of Latin heritage and his facial features were chiseled, and there was a scar around his eyebrow. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m bad to scream on top of my lungs upon seeing him! ¡°Well, well. Not many people will know that Frank is a priest right after seeing him.¡± It seemed that Frank-san, who was able to use recovery magic, took care of me instead of Amanda-san, since she had some errands to do. But as soon as she heard my scream, Amanda-san returned to explain with a laugh. ¡°Really, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Wahaha, I¡¯m used to it. Don¡¯t mind it. Ojou-chan1 how are you feeling?¡± Looking at Frank-san, I thought that he was a large-hearted and chattery oji-san2. But what¡­the image of a priest-san in my mind was someone slender with glasses, but¡­that image has been destroyed. ¡°My head is a bit heavy, but I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°I see, I see. Well, perhaps you¡¯ve used up too much magic, so you should be fine after resting. More importantly, you haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday morning, right? Drink the soup Amanda brought for you. You¡¯re still small, so you have to eat a lot and get the nutrition you need!¡± After being told that, I received the soup that Amanda-san gave me. The soup was simple, with ingredients akin to onion (tamanegi) and carrots added to it. I gradually devoured it. ¡°Delicious¡­¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m glad to hear it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. How is Argo-san?!¡± Are Argo-san and Leon-san alright? What about the other knights? Also, what happened to the herd of goblins? ¡°Thanks to Yuuri-chan, they are as lively as ever. We¡¯ve also exterminated the goblins. Thank you.¡± Is that so? ¡­I¡¯m glad¡­ I was so relieved that the strength left my body. Thank goodness¡­I really am glad. ¡°I heard from Amanda that you hurled [heal]? How did you do that?¡± ¡°He?¡± I tilted my head in response to Frank-san¡¯s sudden question. I gave the plate of the soup that I drank to Amanda-san. ¡°Hurling [heal]?¡± Uhm, what does he mean? ¡°I heard that you healed Argo from a distance.¡± ¡°Aah. So, that¡¯s what you meant. Could it be that [heal] shouldn¡¯t be able to be hurled like that?¡± ¡°Yeah, normally it won¡¯t take effect unless we touch the targets.¡± Hoe~, is that so¡­? Eh? Then, how was my heal hurled? ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Regarding that, I was told that the leader wanted to ask about the details. What should we do¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unreasonable to take her there. This little girl¡¯s condition isn¡¯t normal yet. If the leader wants to ask her, then tell him to come here.¡± ¡°But since the Monster Flood seemed about to start, I think he won¡¯t be able to leave his office for a while. Then we have no choice but wait until Yuuri-chan is completely healed, huh?¡± ¡°Well, she should be fine after resting for another day.¡± ¡°Understood. I will tell the leader so after this.¡± Amanda-san and Frank-san ended the conversation with a little bit of disappointment on their faces. F¡­for some reason, I felt bad for troubling them. ¡°U¡­uhm¡­I think it will be fine if I were to go and just talk¡­¡± ¡°But your body isn¡¯t completely healed yet, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright!¡± When I tried to flex my arms to show my energy, I felt dizzy.3 Au¡­I overestimated myself. ¡°Hmm¡­but to be honest, I also want to quickly hear this ojou-chan¡¯s explanation. Yosh, I will carry you.¡± After saying that, Frank-san lifted me up in his arms. The dreamlike princess carry¡­it wasn¡¯t that, but I was seated on top of his large arm instead??? Eh? No matter how they said I was small, it wasn¡¯t to the extent that I could be carried up on just one hand, though? Moreover, this person was a priest?! Eeh? Was Elysia Online a fighting game¡­? ¡°Really, Frank is such a muscle-head who lacks common sense.¡± A question popped in my head upon hearing Amanda-san¡¯s words as I looked at her from the top of the arm. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Amanda-san like muscles?¡± ¡°I like them, but I only like moderate and sexy muscles. Definitely not this overly muscular type.¡± What does she mean by moderate and sexy muscles? I couldn¡¯t really guess that. ¡°Sorry for being overly muscular, oi.¡± ¡°Furthermore, this person can even defeat monsters like goblins bare-handed. I wonder if he picked the wrong occupation, as he was livelier when he hit the goblins rather than healing people.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be able to quickly recover in the middle of battles? It¡¯s every man¡¯s dream you know, it¡¯s our romance. Moreover, if it¡¯s just small scratches, it could be healed one by one. More importantly, it¡¯s more efficient to exterminate the enemies altogether, then heal your allies after that.¡± Uwa¡ª. Is this the rumored muscle-headed person? Moreover, he¡¯s a priest¡­ Seeing it by yourself feels different than just hearing about it. Hmm, well, the person himself seems to be having fun, so it should be okay¡­? CH 13 After leaving the building for female knights, we went towards the office building. Basically, males were forbidden from entering the building that was for female knights. Only the priest-san could enter, it seems. Well, his job was similar to a doctor¡¯s. He would need to do a medical check-up visit. I was still being carried on Frank-san¡¯s arm as we headed towards the office. When the door was opened, Leon-san and Argo-san were there, talking to each other as they were looking at something akin to a map that was hung on the wall. ¡°Argo-san! Is your body alright?¡± ¡°Thanks to Yuuri-chan, I was completely restored. What about you, Yuuri-chan? I heard that you used up your magic¡­¡± ¡°It should be alright after a bit more rest. Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°No¡­It¡¯s my fault, sorry.¡± As we approached Argo-san, he patted my head. Yes. Even when I looked at him close up like this, his complexion seemed okay. Haa. Thank goodness. ¡°Yuuri, sorry for asking you to come despite you still feeling unwell. I¡¯ve been so busy that I couldn¡¯t step my feet out of here. Aah, Frank. Can you help Yuuri sit on the sofa?¡± Leon-san said. Frank-san put me gently on the sofa before standing sideway over there. Uu¡­with everyone standing up and only me sitting down, I felt kind of pressured. ¡°Now then. First, can I hear about the magic that Yuuri used yesterday?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. How to say it¡­¡± Thinking that I would be questioned a lot about it, I slightly straightened my back. It¡¯s definitely not because I feel like I¡¯m small and that I want to be seen slightly bigger, okay? ¡°Leader. Don¡¯t you think she¡¯d feel pressured with how we¡¯re all standing like this? Yuuri-chan seems to be really nervous.¡± ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s not what I¡­¡± ¡°Hm, then let¡¯s do it like this.¡± Leon-san nodded at Argo-san¡¯s words before he brought an elegant-looking seat that was across the big table and suddenly lifted me. Then, he sat down on the seat as he made me sit on his lap. Fweeeeeeeeee? ¡°You guys, sit on the sofa. With this, we could look at one another with the same level of sight.¡± Yeeeeees? No, that¡¯s right. But this is such an embarrassing posture! ¡°Leader¡­ah, no, it¡¯s okay. Yes.¡± Argo-saaaaan. Don¡¯t abandon me like thaaat. ¡°Anyway, about your magic yesterday, there were things like small shields revolving around our surrounding, huh? What are those?¡± U-wa¡ª. The tenor voice that I heard from my back was so stronggggg. ¡°Those are Area Protect Shield and Area Magic Shield.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of them. Are they under the same category as magic that enhance your body?¡± ¡°Uhm, Area Protect Shield is a magic used to enhance one¡¯s physical resistance to some degree, meanwhile Area Magic Shield is the magic used to enhance one¡¯s magical resistance to some degree.¡± As for the effect duration, was it just 30 minutes? Or was it 1 hour? I should try and check it later on. ¡°Such kind of magic exists, huh¡­? Certainly, the damage from the goblins¡¯ attacks decreased.¡± Leon-san muttered as he seemed to be thinking of something. ¡°The magic from Yuuri¡¯s country is slightly different from what we know, huh?¡± ¡°Eh, is that so?¡± ¡°First, when you recite a spell, the magic won¡¯t be activated with just its name alone. In order to bring forth a stronger magic effect, a lengthy chant is needed to some degree.¡± Aah, Argo-san also said that. ¡°Moreover, the magic used to reinforce one¡¯s body can only be used to one¡¯s own body. I¡¯ve never heard the kind of reinforcement magic that can be used for others, let alone for several people at the same time.¡± Ho~, is that so? As expected, things are different in the game. But I was using the same method of magic that was used in the game, though? Just how come¡­? ¡°As for [Heal], it can¡¯t be used to recover someone without touching them. Moreover¡­nobody can use both offensive magic and recovery magic. Is it normal for someone to be able to use both in Yuuri¡¯s country?¡± ¡°Normally¡­people should be able to use them to some degree although it may take time¡­probably?¡± ¡°How much time was needed for Yuuri to learn such magic?¡± ¡°Uhm, around 5 years, I think?¡± ¡°How old is Yuuri now?¡± Uu. How should I answer this question? Before, I was 18 years old, but now, I¡¯m 8 years old? ¡°Uhhmm, I was like 18, but now I am 8 years old, or uhhhmm¡­¡± ¡°Hm? In other words, you¡¯re 8 years old?¡± ¡°¡­Now it is so, but actually that¡¯s not it, uhmm¡­¡± ¡°No matter how you look at it, you¡¯re 8 years old.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right¡­?¡± I¡­Is this falsifying one¡¯s age? But if I were to tell the truth, nobody would believe me¡­Just what should I say? ¡°So, you began learning magic from when you were 3 years old, huh¡­? Did you come from a country of magicians¡­?¡± No¡­I only played an online game. I didn¡¯t learn anything. W¡­what to do? I think that Leon-san and the others might have a huge misunderstanding already. However, I couldn¡¯t say that I came to this world while playing a game to unravel that misunderstanding¡­ ¡°If you climb up the summit of the sacred mountain, Meteora, you will reach the country of the gods, Elysion¡­the gods¡¯ relatives are said to be able to use all magic there.¡± Frank-san muttered. Eh? What¡¯s with that sudden grand setting?! But, eh? Eh? Elysion? It¡¯s similar to Elysia Online, but are they connected somehow?! No, but I¡¯m just an ordinary human being! I¡¯m not a god aaaaaaaaaa¡­ CH 14 ¡°Ojou-chan, are you the relative of gods¡­no, that can¡¯t be.¡± Frank-san shrugged his shoulders upon looking at me who was shaking my head, denying it with all my power. ¡°Not a chance, not a chance. The country I was living in was Japannnn.1 Ah¡­I was still feeling dizzy after shaking my head. But just as my body was feeling a bit giddy, Leon-san stopped it by gently hugging me from behind. As I looked up at him with a feeling of gratitude, my eyes met with Leon-san¡¯s, and I felt a bit tenderness from his gaze. I thought that Leon-san wasn¡¯t an expressive person, but when I looked at him like this, his emotion was perfectly expressed. I was somewhat happy from realizing this fact, so I tried smiling. As I smiled, Leon-san¡¯s eyes slightly turned rounder. I noticed the slight change of his expression and became happier when his face loosened into a smiley one. ¡°Uwaa. It¡¯s my first time seeing leader making such kind of face.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also the first time for Argo. Well, it can¡¯t be helped because Yuuri-chan is so cute.¡± ¡°Yeah. I agree with that. Well, she¡¯s certainly cute¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she?¡± Uhyaa. I felt like running away for some reason upon hearing Argo-san and Amanda-san¡¯s conversation¡­Being told that I was cute made me happy, yet I also felt embarrassed at the same time. As expected, do they view me as cute because I am small? There doesn¡¯t seem to be anyone who¡¯s small here in this fort, certainly. In order to cover up my slightly reddening face, I covered my cheeks with my both hands. Uuu¡­ ¡°¡¯Japan¡¯, huh? I¡¯ve never heard of that country before. Where is it?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer Frank-san¡¯s question. Really, I wonder where is it from here? How can I return home? I reflexively grasped my hands tightly on top of my lap. ¡°That is¡­That, I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re lost, huh? How did you come to this country?¡± ¡°That is, how to say it¡­after I passed the exams to become a sage, I suddenly passed out, and the moment I regained my consciousness, I realized that I had been sleeping on top of that hill, then I was picked up by Leon-san there, something like that¡­?¡± ¡°¡¯Sage¡¯¡­huh?2 What is it?¡± ¡°Uhhm, in short, it¡¯s someone who can use both offensive magic and recovery magic.¡± ¡°Which means there are other people like Ojou-chan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Frank-san crossed his arms as he thought. It didn¡¯t really matter, but as expected, his arms were really thick. When he crossed his arms like that, his muscles seemed to be excessively huge. ¡°What kind of thing is this exam to become a ¡®sage¡¯?¡± I looked up at Leon-san and explained. ¡°It means fighting with the master that¡¯s on the top floor of the Sage Tower. If we win, we will be recognized as a sage.¡± ¡°It means a one-on-one duel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But I went with a friend ¡®til we reached the front gate.¡± Basically, when one switches their job to be an advanced job, one has to fight the said job master alone. But the place where the master resides is located deep in a labyrinth, and one has to go with a party in order to solve the labyrinth. There were also lots of strong demons appearing during when I went to the Sage Tower, so it was rather impossible to reach the top floor alone. There was a rumour that you¡¯d be directly transferred into the boss room after accepting a quest in the next update, but¡­ ¡°Anyway, nobody has a clue about the Sage Tower?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never heard of such thing. Does it exist in the Demon Forest?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a tower built in the middle of the Demon Forest.¡± ¡°Yuuri¡­that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there in the center of the Demon Forest is the Sacred Mountain Meteora. It¡¯s not the Sage Tower.¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡°Let alone someone who could climb up the Sacred Mountain Meteora, nobody could even reach its base. The monsters in the Demon Forest are just that strong.¡± Eh¡­but¡­ ¡°In the first place, isn¡¯t the [Demon Forest] that Yuuri talks about different from the [Demon Forest] that we know?¡± ¡°Different¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. If Yuuri went to the ¡®Sage¡¯ Tower through the Demon Forest, it would mean that she entered the Demon Forest through some country in this Elysia continent. As far as you can see, Yuuri¡¯s race is human. If that¡¯s the case, one would normally enter the Demon Forest from somewhere near the Ares kingdom. Thus, the closest town to Demon Forest would be Graham, but if they supplied their food there, they should have passed through Izel fort. But we didn¡¯t see such kind of travellers, and Yuuri didn¡¯t even know the name of the fort. In other words, the [Demon Forest] that Yuuri said should be different from the Demon Forest here, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Uhm¡­It¡¯s not that, but the Demon Forest I entered was the Demon Forest inside the world of the game, though¡­ But if the Sage Tower isn¡¯t located in the center of the Demon Forest, doesn¡¯t that mean this Elysia continent is different from the one I know in the game? Ah, that¡¯s right. A map! Wouldn¡¯t it be fine if I were to see the map that Leon-san and Argo-san were seeing when I entered this room? ¡°Ah, uhm¡­If it¡¯s alright, can you show me the map of Elysia continent? I might be able to figure something out after seeing it¡­¡± ¡°¡­No problem. Argo, bring it here.¡± Argo-san brought another map, not the one that was hung on the wall. Ooh. This is this world¡¯s world map, huh? The shape of the continent was the same as the one I remembered. There was one big continent that was divided into six, from the upper right were the Demon Empire, Dwarf Republic, the beastmen¡¯s Urg Beast Kingdom, the human race¡¯s Ares Kingdom, the nameless country of the elves, and the Niflheim where the fairies reside. The Demon Forest filled one third of the continent and was located in the center of the continent. Furthermore, the Sage Tower was¡­supposed to stand towering over the surrounding in the middle of the forest, but in this map, the place was occupied by a mountain called as the Sacred Mountain Meteora instead. The alphabets in which this map was written looked similar to the Runes that my friend who majored in the Northern European literature showed me. But the moment my eyes saw them, those alphabets were converted into Japanese. For the time being, I was glad that I was saved from the troubles of not being able to read the alphabets of this world¡­ ¡°This¡­The Sage Tower should be in where the Sacred Mountain Meteora is, but¡­¡± ¡°Where is ¡®Japan¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not in this map. I mean¡­I wonder how I could go there¡­¡± ¡°Which means Yuuri doesn¡¯t know how you went to the ¡®Sage¡¯ Tower through the Demon Forest from ¡®Japan¡¯?¡± When I deeply nodded, Leon-san gently patted my head. ¡°Then, you can try looking for ways to return to ¡®Japan¡¯ from now on. We will help you.¡± ¡°T¡­thank you very much¡­¡± Tears brimmed over my eyes upon hearing such kind words. Leon-san then adjusted the way he hugged me, as he turned me around to hug me tightly from the front. Then, he also comforted me by patting my back. ¡®Plop¡­plop¡­,¡¯ the sound of my back being patted synchronized with the sound of Leon-san¡¯s heartbeat that I heard from my closely pasted ear. Being pampered like a child like that, I cried loudly with all my heart for the first time since coming to this world. This was the moment I realized that this current condition was neither a dream nor a fantasy, but this was the reality. CH 15 I felt refreshed somehow after bawling for a while. It might even be a good thing to relieve my feelings through crying a lot. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sowry. I cried¡­¡± Au. My words were fumbled because I just cried a lot. Uu¡­how embarrassing. ¡°I¡­Is it fine for me to stay here until when I can somehow return to Japan? There probably isn¡¯t much that I can do, but¡­is it fine for me to be here?¡± I clung unto Leon-san¡¯s shirts as I looked up, only to be greeted by the unchanging gentle emerald eyes. ¡°Of course. You can become our knight¡¯s apprentice.¡± ¡°Right, right. Besides, I want Yuuri-chan to tell me more about your magic.¡± ¡°There¡¯s that hurled heal too, right?¡± ¡°Even your presence alone is soothing.¡± Argo-san, Frank-san, and Amanda-san¡¯s gentle voices resounded. Un. I will try my best. Since there are the kind everyone here, I will try my best. That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s work hard! ¡°Thank you very muchh¡­¡± This time, I was about to cry due to everyone¡¯s kindness. But I tried my best to endure it. I will have to get stronger! ¡°I wonder if I can teach magic¡­¡± I am slightly unconfident. After all, I learned not by training, but by leveling up instead. ¡°Though I am not sure about how it will be since the system seems different, but it should be worth trying over.¡± ¡°I understand. I will do my best.¡± ¡°First thing first, should you start from telling me what kind of magic are there?¡± ¡°Ah, then, can I have a paper and something to write with?¡± Argo-san gave me a paper and feather. Feather¡­? Could this be a feather pen??? As I was looking intently at the first feather pen I ever seen, Leon-san returned my seating to the front of the table while still hugging me. Then, I assumed the position of facing the table while being hugged by him. W¡­well, certainly if I wasn¡¯t carried by him, the table would be too high that I couldn¡¯t write. After all, I am small. For some reason, I had a feeling that being on top of Leon-san¡¯s lap was becoming my default position¡­ ¡°Uhm, first, from the magic¡­¡± Oooooh. Amazing. I was writing ¡®thunder arrow¡¯ in Japanese, but what was written on the paper was a proper Rune alphabets. This is truly fantastic! [Thunder] Thunder Arrow (MP 5) Thunder Lance (MP 10) [Wind] Wind Arrow (MP 5) Wind Lance (MP 10) [Fire] Fire Ball (MP 5) Fire Crash (MP 10) [Water] Water Ball (MP 5) Water Crash (MP 10) [Earth] Rock Fall (MP 5) Earthquake (MP 10) Since I couldn¡¯t use the ultimate magic, I didn¡¯t write them. Also, I wrote the MP consumption as a reference. Although feather pen was cool, it was quite hard to write in. Since it was feather, the grip was thin and it was prone to breaking. And perhaps the quality of the paper wasn¡¯t too good as well, as the pen was often caught in it while writing. I¡¯m already missing mechanical pencil and ballpoints¡­ Ah, speaking of which, my MP was 125. The cause of my exhaustion of magic power should equal to using all of my MP, so I might be able to count the MP used to cast area magic. Let¡¯s try calculating it a bit. At that time, I was using¡­ Thunder Arrow (MP 5) Area Protect Shield (MP Unknown) Area Magic Shield (MP Unknown) Heal¡ªuhm, I used it twice, so¡­ (MP 10¡Á2 = MP 20) If the MP consumption from Thunder Arrow and Heal equals to 25, the remaining MP should be 100. Which means, the MP consumption for each area magic should be 50, huh? Then, I can use them quite well. The next time I use area magic, I should consider the MP distribution. ¡°Yuuri. What¡¯s this number next to the magic?¡± The long finger pointed at where I wrote ¡®MP 5¡¯. Not only was he blessed with his face and voice, his hands were also sexy¡­But it wasn¡¯t like his fingers were slender, they were slightly scraggy and gave the vibe of an adult man¡¯s hand. ¡°That is MP consumption. ¡­Uhhm, the needed magical power to invoke that magic?¡± ¡°You can convert magical power in numerical value?!¡± He was surprised upon hearing my explanation. Eh? Is it different here? ¡°Then, if one were to use their magic to the point of exhaustion, they would be able to estimate their own magical power¡¯s numerical power, huh?¡­That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°How do the people here estimate their magical power up until now?¡± ¡°We just predict it based on experiences.¡± Hooe~ In other words, they were trying to feel the remaining of their own magical power just like how one would try to feel an expert¡¯s art, huh? That is also amazing¡­ ¡°Is the type of the magic the same?¡± ¡°Though I need to chant in order to enhance my magical power, it should be the same. Hmm¡­Then, do ultimate magic such as ¡®Thunder of Judgment¡¯ not exist here? Well, I can¡¯t use that kind of magic now, so not explaining about them should be fine. Uhm, next is the recovery magic. [Recovery] Light Heal (MP 5) Heal (MP 10) [Ranged Recovery] Healing Wind (MP 20) [Poison or Paralysis Recovery] Cure (MP 5) As for support magic¡­it could only be used to enhance myself? But for the time being, I will just write them. [Physical Defense Enhancement] Protect Shield (MP 5) [Magical Defense Enhancement] Magic Shield (MP 5) ¡°Is this the body enhancement magic that Yuuri used yesterday?¡± Leon-san said as he pointed towards the ¡®Protect Shield¡¯, but I quickly answered, ¡°That¡¯s wrong~¡± ¡°This can only be used for one person. Yesterday¡¯s area magic is one that perhaps only sages can use, they are ranged magic.¡± ¡°By ¡®for one person¡¯, you mean it can only be used on the person who cast it?¡± ¡°No, it can also be used for allies.¡± ¡°There were red and blue shields revolving around, could it be them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Protect Shield will cause the red shield to appear, while Magic Shield will cause a blue shield to appear. The effect lasts for 30 minutes.¡± They were the magic that I had used often when I went to the dungeons as a priest. I had memorized them by heart properly. Ehehen~ ¡°What we use are [Protect] and [Magic Protect]. Both of them can only be applied to ourselves. If there¡¯s time, we can verify which one is more effective¡­well, that can¡¯t be helped too.¡± ¡°Hey, Jou-chan. What is this ¡®Healing Wind¡¯?¡± Frank-san, who had been looking fixedly at my writing, asked. ¡°It¡¯s a [heal] that can recover all party members, but its amount of recovery might be less than normal [heal].¡± ¡°Party members? What the heck is that?¡± ¡°Uhhm, allies who fight together¡­?¡± ¡°Is it something that can heal those who fight together at the same time?¡± ¡°Perhaps it won¡¯t be effective if the members of the party exceed 6 people.¡± Speaking of which, can we even form a party? If we can, then how do we link the members? If there is a mouse, we can just click the person before us and invite them to a party. I wonder if there¡¯s an air mouse falling somewhere?¡­There isn¡¯t one, huh. In the game, if we hover the cursor to someone, we can view that person¡¯s name, level, and status to some degree, and we can invite them to a party, but this world is a reality, so we can¡¯t do that. If so, then I wonder how do we form a party? ¡°Jou-chan, how do we form that said ¡®party¡¯?¡± ¡°Before, I can just form a party by clicking that person¡¯s name and request for it, but it¡¯s impossible here¡­should I try to do it orthodoxically, like by saying it?¡± That¡¯s right. We can just try, trying is free. If it fails, then we can think again. ¡°Uhm, Frank-san, can we form a party, please?¡± ¡°W¡­what?¡± Frank-san¡¯s eyes shifted at my sudden words. ¡°Can you please say ¡®yes¡¯ here?¡± ¡°Y¡­yes!¡± Now, how was it?! Hmm¡­what is it, I feel like nothing has changed¡­ Haa¡­surely words alone won¡¯t work, then! Then, I have to show it by gesture¡­gesture, gesture¡­ah, I know. A handshake might do! ¡°Frank-san, can we shake hands?¡± I shook hands with Frank-san who stood across me. Ah¡­his hand was broad and hard. For some reason, it doesn¡¯t seem like a priest¡¯s hand~. ¡°Frank-san, please form a party with me!¡± The moment I requested that, a familiar semi-transparent window appeared before my eyes. Hooray! It¡¯s the party window! When I tried to look at it immediately, Frank-san¡¯s name and his job as a priest was written there. What? I can¡¯t see his status. It¡¯s unfortunate, but if that kind of thing can be seen conveniently, I feel like it might not be good, so this should be fine. ¡°Yay, yay! We formed a party! Ya-y!¡± ¡°We formed it¡­? I don¡¯t see any changes, though.¡± ¡°The [Healing Wind] can show its effect this way, though?¡± ¡°Hoo¡­Then, will I be able to use it if I were to learn about it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s practice! I will help, so let¡¯s do our best!¡± I was too happy that I swung the hand that hadn¡¯t moved from its former handshake position with Frank-san. CH 16 ¡°Yosh. Then, Jou-chan, let¡¯s go and test out various stuff!¡± With my hand still being grabbed firmly in a handshake, Frank-san suddenly lifted up my body. *Dangling* *dangling* I wonder what it was? I felt like everyone was dumbfounded back there. Certainly, it was becoming a pattern that the muscle-guy would lift up a small child with one hand, but I wonder what was going on? ¡°Wait a second, Frank. Our conversation isn¡¯t over yet. Besides, Yuuri is still recovering from using up all her magic power.¡± Leon-san pulled me apart from Frank-san. I¡¯m back, Leon-san¡¯s lap. ¡°We can just talk later, right? The Monster Flood is closing in. It¡¯s important to quickly make sure what we can do and what we can¡¯t do, right?¡± ¡°But it will be troublesome if you ask her to cooperate without knowing anything. Although she¡¯s still a child, Yuuri is smart. Won¡¯t it be better for you to ask her to cooperate after giving an explanation? What do you think, Yuuri?¡± When I was asked about it, I thought his words were right. I understand Frank-san¡¯s feelings of wanting to try out many things, but I also want to hear a bit more to the story, then I¡¯d like to try the things I can do about it. ¡°Uhm, what about Frank-san trying to request the forming of a party with me? Also, I don¡¯t realy know about Monster Flood1, so I¡¯d like you to explain me about it.¡± ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be helped, then. Right, that. Let¡¯s start with my trying to ask for a party formation. I should just say ¡®form a party with me¡¯, right?¡± ¡°Ah, please wait for a moment. Before that, we need to dissolve the party.¡± I wonder if this works to dissolve the party? ¡°Let¡¯s dissolve this party!¡± After I stated that, the party windows disappeared. Hoo. It seems like it worked. ¡°Then, Frank-san, please try.¡± ¡°Yosh, here I go. Jou-chan, form a party with me.¡± ¡°Please shake hands as well.¡± ¡°Ou. Is this okay?¡± The handshake we did was such a strong one. It was so, so strong that it huuuuurttts. Please go a little bit easier on meeee. ¡°Ah, the party¡¯s formed.¡± The party window appeared well. Success! ¡°Ooh.¡± ¡°Do you feel any changes?¡± ¡°No, not at all. What about you, ojou-chan?¡± ¡°Uhm, the party window opened after we formed a party, but how should I explain this¡­Let see, there¡¯s an indication that the party¡¯s been formed, floating in the sky, something like that?¡± Uuuu¡­my vocabulary bank is so poor that it¡¯s sad¡­ I can¡¯t explain it well~. ¡°In other words, it¡¯s something only jou-chan understands, huh? Which means, I and the other people won¡¯t be able to tell whether the party formation was a success or not?¡± ¡°Right¡­Ah, but if Healing Wind is effective, it means that the party formation succeeds, so you¡¯ll be able to tell as well? But using Healing Wind to just confirm that means a waste of 20 MP consumption, huh? Hmmm¡­¡± When I was troubled over it, Leon-san patted my head. ¡°There is no need to be that troubled. It will be good to try lots of things from now on, but let¡¯s think about them later after Frank learns about what he wants to try out the most, that is how to hurl a heal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­right. I understand!¡± Yeah. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s unreasonable to think about all at once. It will be good to do the things I can do bit by bit. ¡°Ah~, not just how to hurl a heal, I¡¯d like to learn how to shorten the heal¡¯s chant. Just how in the world do magic work?¡± I¡¯m sorry. I also can¡¯t explain that well¡­ ¡°Ah, Frank-san. Can you invite Leon-san and the others to try out together in a party?¡± ¡°Eh? I¡¯m the one doing it?¡± ¡°Yes. Since Frank-san is the party leader.¡± Frank-san knitted his eyebrows, making a reluctant face. Eh? Why does he look so reluctant? ¡°Saying ¡®form a party with me¡¯, then shake hands, huh¡­? With Leader, Argo, and Amanda¡­? Give me a break, oi.¡± Frank-san grumbled with a small voice. ¡°Even that feels unpleasant to us, too.¡± ¡°I will be fine shaking hands with Yuuri-chan, not Frank¡­¡± Amanda-san said as she patted her own arms. Argo-san agreed with her words. Eeeh¡­There¡¯s no need to look that reluctant-. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it. I don¡¯t need it because I can just recover myself like how it is up until now, even without forming a party! It¡¯s fine with just training to hurl the heal!¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right. We can just have the people who really need protection at all cost to form a party with Yuuri-chan and receive recovery.¡± Eh¡­Amanda-san is that reluctant? I don¡¯t really get the adults¡­ Eh? I¡¯m also 18 years old, just what am I saying? Even though it¡¯s something I thought on my own, I feel a little bit strange. Huh??? CH 17 ¡°Come to think about it, to what extend can the magic be hurled after a party is formed?¡± Argo¡¯s slight question dispelled the awkward situation just now. ¡°Hmm¡­The scope of this room should be fine, but I wonder what will happen if it¡¯s larger than this room?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try confirming the possible distance of hurling a heal, then. If it¡¯s tomorrow, jou-chan¡¯s magical power should be fully recovered, right?¡± Frank-san seemed like he would rush out and go right away if only my magical power was already healed by now¡­ Which reminds me, don¡¯t I have MP Potion inside my item box? I am unsure because I haven¡¯t checked all of the item box¡¯s content, but I¡¯m sure I always had five frames of them. The item box in Elysia Online separately contained items and equipment1, and could hold 100 items each. While one frame of equipment could only hold one equipment, in case of other items, one frame could hold 999 of the same items. So, having 5 frames of MP potions means 5¡Á999 = 4995 potions are there! Why would I have so many of them? Since I tried to level up my alchemy skills so that I won¡¯t need to buy potions, I had a lot of self-made potions. (T/N: Definitely my style of playing games. Definitely not an exaggeration.) ¡°Let¡¯s aim at self-sufficiency!¡± Such were the words I declared as I levelled up my alchemy. How nostalgic. I couldn¡¯t make things like weapons or armours or accessories, but there was someone in the guild who raised their skills in making them, so I brought the materials to them to make for me. I also picked some equipment in dungeons, so it wasn¡¯t really a troublesome matter. It was fun to diligently collect medicinal herbs to make a lot of potions from them, then giving the potions out for everyone in the guild. Aah, I want to see my fellow guild members. Haa. No, I can¡¯t. This isn¡¯t the right time to be nostalgic. Uhm, I should take out the MP Potion¡­ That¡¯s right. If only there¡¯s an alchemy pot, I can just collect medicinal herbs and make MP Potions, can¡¯t I? I hope that the alchemy pot is also inside the item box. I should check that as well. But I can¡¯t just take it out of the item box here. It has to be taken out from the dummy which is the cat face bag. I wonder if that bag is in Amanda-san¡¯s room? Ah, but wait. I still haven¡¯t heard about the Monster Flood.2 Let¡¯s take the cat face bag later on. ¡°Say, what is the Monster Flood?¡± At my question, Leon-san pointed his finger at the Demon Forest in the map. ¡°There are a lot of monsters in this Demon Forest. The reason is still unknown, but once a decade, those monsters would strangely increase and left the Demon Forest to a place where people dwell. The omen before that was the strange increase in goblins. Around the forest¡¯s outskirts where Yuuri was at the other day, there¡¯s supposed to be only weak monsters such as slimes, but when the Monster Flood happens, a lot of goblins will appear in the depth of the forest. Then, the goblins will show up at the forest¡¯s outskirts, and before long, stronger monsters such as werewolves, and sabercats will leave the Demon Forest to attack the villages and towns in its vicinity.¡± Leon-san¡¯s finger pointed at a place within the Ares Kingdom that was slightly distant from the forest. Although there wasn¡¯t anything drawn over there, did he mean that there were towns and villages around here that were attacked¡­? ¡°The Izel Fort existed for the sake of holding back the Monster Flood in its critical moments. Once the Monster Flood¡¯s omen occurs, we will enter the forest to kill the monsters, in order to decrease their numbers. Of course it¡¯s impossible to do it with our kingdom alone. We also notify the other countries.¡± Leon-san¡¯s words stopped there. ¡°Yuuri. You¡¯re still a child. But you possess a power that none of us holds. The Monster Flood this time occurs earlier than what we expected, so we aren¡¯t really well-prepared for it. I feel bad for requesting this from you, a child that we should be protecting, but are you willing to go with us to face the Monster Flood as rear support?¡± I¡¯ve done a lot of defeating the monsters in game, but¡­ I recalled yesterday¡¯s herd of goblins. This is a reality, so does the blood flowing from the demons, the blood flowing from Leon-san and the others, everything is real. I¡­Will I be able to defeat monsters here¡­? By rear support, does that mean raising the Area Protect Shield? If so¡­perhaps I can do it¡­? I recalled Argo-san¡¯s figure yesterday. If I were to sit here doing nothing while someone dies¡­Just thinking about it makes chill run down my spine. No, I definitely don¡¯t want that. I decided to do what I could do. If that¡¯s the case, I will work as hard as I can. ¡°I understand. I will try my best!¡± ¡°Thank you, Yuuri!¡± Level 1 Sage, Yuuri Kujou will try her best to exterminate monsters! CH 18 Having received one more paper from Argo-san, I wrote out the things that needed testing based on my discussion with the others. Whether it¡¯s possible to teach how to hurl a heal. Whether it¡¯s possible to teach about chant shortening. If the limit of members in a party is only 6 or not. Whether Healing Wind can be used after forming a party. Whether the effects of Protect and Protect Shield overlap or not. Whether the effects of my offensive magic could be curbed a little bit so that it could be used only on the targeted monster. ¡°Hm, that¡¯s about everything, I think~?¡± ¡°If we have any other ideas, we can just write more later.¡± ¡°Right.¡± As usual, I wrote everything while seated on Leon-san¡¯s lap. After all, the height was just perfect. ¡°If only tomorrow can come quickly¡­¡± Frank-san gloomily said. This person was indeed someone who loved fighting. I wonder why did he become a priest, really? It puzzled me. ¡°About that, there should be MP Potions inside my bag. I think my magical power will be completely recovered as long as I drink that.¡± ¡°No, no, wait a minute. If you want to use MP Potions, then you can use our stock. It won¡¯t be good for us to burden you even with that.¡± Argo-san said, but I have about 4995 of them. I can just make some more as long as I have the alchemy pot, so it¡¯s alright! I haven¡¯t checked it yet, but perhaps I have it. Let¡¯s pray that I have it inside my item box, yup. ¡°But I have a lot of them¡­¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± Argo-san hesitated while Frank-san heroically tapped on his shoulder. Ah, it looked painful. He was also coughing. ¡°That¡¯s right, we also have MP Potions. You can use them! I will quickly bring them, so wait for me in the plaza.¡± He had already left the room before we could even respond. So fast. ¡°Then, shall we go to the plaza?¡± Leon-san lifted my body before putting me down on the floor. Okie, I will try my best! After that, Frank-san arrived while bringing a pile of MP Potions in his arms, and we did various experiments in the plaza that I saw when I first arrived at the fort with everyone else. As for the result¡­ It seemed like we were able to somehow hurl the heal while we were practicing it in a party. Although we weren¡¯t conscious about the fact that we were in a party, could it be that our subconsciousness was aware of it and so the result appeared? At first, nothing happened no matter how many times we tried, but when we tried doing it while being in a party, for some reason we felt like there was something different from how it was before. As we continued our practice, we managed to learn it after around 2 hours. Frank-san is amazing! His muscular chest was triumphantly stuck out. But when Argo-san asked about what kind of thing was that ¡®feeling that he could do it¡¯, Frank-san answered with, ¡°Well, feeling that I could do it is just feeling that I can do it?¡± To be honest, it couldn¡¯t be said as an ¡®answer¡¯¡­ Only shortening the chant seemed impossible. I tried to teach Frank-san that magic was about imagination, since I could invoke the area magic yesterday by implementing it, but it seemed like I couldn¡¯t teach it well to him as expected. Is it impossible to invoke a game-like magic in reality after all? But forming a party had maximum members of six just like in game, and only when I was in a party could I use Healing Wind. Still, Frank-san didn¡¯t know of a magic like Healing Wind, so it seemed like he wasn¡¯t able to use it. As expected, is the magic I¡¯m using different from this world¡¯s magic? The spell name itself was more or less the same, though. As for whether the effects of Protect and Protect Shield overlapped or not¡­Unfortunately that could be tested when Leon-san and Argo-san were battling for real. Having said that it would be alright since there were two people in charge for healing, they gleefully fought. Normally, Argo-san seemed gentle while Leon-san was calm. The two of them didn¡¯t seem to be hot-tempered people, but the moment they held swords, they changed¡­ When they were injured, some cuts could be seen, and when the wound was an open one, blood flew from it. As expected from not using magical swords, they were fighting only using genuine swordsmanship. Even so, the two¡¯s exchange of blows was amazing. It was so scary that I wanted to run away, but I decided I would try my best after all. Therefore, I tried my best to watch over the two¡¯s battle while healing them. I managed to calm down after I realized that the wounds could be cured as long as heal was applied on them. Un. Magic is amazing. Even though it was bleeding so much, the skin could return to its healthy condition. Well¡­their clothes were torn, though. As for the confirmation result, Protect and Protect Shield¡¯s effects acted separately. Both seemed to last for around 30 minutes and reduced around 1/10 of the damage. In other words, if both were used, the received damage could be decreased by 2/10, in other words by 1/5 damage, right? Then, if the Monster Flood occurs, I wonder if it will be fine to place both Area Protect Shield and Area Magic Shield¡­? Since the effects of area magic last for 30 minutes, then there¡¯s no choice but to drink MP Potions after 30 minutes. Since one MP Potion heals around 30 MP, then drink 2 potions every 30 minutes. Ah, but if it¡¯s MP High Potion, it can heal around 50 MP, which is just perfect. I should have them saved in the item box as well¡­ Then, as for the biggest problem¡­ As for whether or not my offensive magic could be curbed a little bit so that the magic could only hit the targeted monster¡­ Since practicing it here could damage the fort physically, we decided to practice in another place. Certainly, it would be bad if the fort¡¯s walls were wrecked¡­ I wonder if I will be able to use it for the actual battle that will come in around one week? CH 19 There was only one week from the appearance of the goblin herd to the full-scale Monster Flood. It was the common knowledge up until now. However¡­ This is Yuuri who has lived in the different world for three days. For some reason, I am departing to subjugate monsters right now. In the end, we checked the effective range of hurling the heal the whole day yesterday. It took a considerable amount of physical strength in order to keep company with Frank-san who was very thirsty for knowledge. As expected, I was so exhausted that I slept like a log. Once I woke up, the fortress was in an uproar just like a poked beehive. W¡­what? What¡¯s going on? ¡°Yuuri-chan, you¡¯ve woken up?¡± Amanda-san seemed to have waken up prior to me and was long gone, so I was flustered for not knowing what was going on. A while later, Amanda-san returned and told me about how the [Monster Flood] had occurred. Eh¡­but the Monster Flood was supposed to occur a bit later, why? When I asked that, Amanda-san also seemed to not know the reason. ¡°Anyway, I want to ask for your help in reinforcement magic, so can you come with me, Yuuri-chan?¡± ¡°Y¡­yes.¡± To think that we¡¯d be going to the Demon Forest this quickly¡­ Even though I haven¡¯t really prepared for it¡­ But didn¡¯t I already decide it yesterday? Rather than sitting around while seeing others get hurt, I¡¯d do the things that only I can do, to be any of help! As I followed Amanda-san who was doing the preparation in her flustered state, I saw that the plaza I used yesterday to check on my magic was buried with people in armor. There were also horses lined up at the wall¡¯s side. When I observed them, the female knights made up one third of the people, and they were wearing something like light armor¡ªunlike the males who were wearing something more solid¡ªwhich covered their torso. Ah, now I realized that Amanda-san was also wearing the same thing. For some reason, I was only wearing a pink-colored one piece, and it seemed way out-of-place¡­ Uuu¡­As expected, I attracted too much attention. I was introduced as the knight apprentice who came from another country, to everyone in the fort by Leon-san yesterday during dinner but at one glance, I felt like I was out of place. ¡°Yuuri-chan, here, come.¡± Amidst the armored people, I found the brown-haired Argo-san. As he beckoned me, I went to his side. ¡°Argo-san, I heard that the Monster Flood occurred¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. The nearby village seemed to be attacked by the monsters early this morning. The survivors went to the fort, looking for help.¡± ¡°The village was attacked?!¡± ¡°Right. It seemed to be a herd of werewolves.¡± Werewolves were wolf monsters that I often saw in Elysia Online. They attacked people with their sharp claws and fangs. Although they weren¡¯t really strong, they were threats to the villagers who didn¡¯t have any way to fight, or so I think. Besides, a herd of them meant that there were a number of werewolves attacking at the same time¡­ ¡°W¡­what about the other villagers¡­?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. We will be going to that village in order to hunt the werewolves now. Hopefully there will be more survivors there.¡± ¡°¡­Yes¡­¡± I hope there will really be survivors there¡­ This is the reality. Here is the real world. Although I¡¯m scared, I can¡¯t run away. ¡°So, I¡¯d like Yuuri-chan to form a party with me, Amanda, and Leader. After putting the area reinforcement magic to everyone from the fort, Amanda and I will protect Yuuri-chan, so I want you to recover just Leader alone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite get it, but if you think it¡¯s better that way, then I will do so.¡± ¡°Un. Thanks. Sorry for having to bring you along to the battle with the monsters, even when you are this small. Moreover, we don¡¯t have equipment for kids, so this lightweight equipment (TL: can also mean dress)¡­but we will definitely protect Yuuri-chan.¡± ¡°I was told that Amanda-san put a defensive magic on this dress. Moreover, I can heal myself so it¡¯s okay.¡± I think that I won¡¯t get an instant death despite being level 1 if I put the Protect Shield. If my remaining HP is 1, I should be able to manage it by healing myself repeatedly. Un. It should be fine. I will try my best. At that time, Leon-san arrived at the plaza while riding on a horse. His golden hair fluttering, Leon-san¡¯s emerald pupils slowly scanned the surrounding. I know that this is not the time to think about something like this, but Leon-san¡¯s figure combined with his silver armor was just like a prince in the fairy tales. Uwaaaaa. A real prince! How fantastic! ¡°We are the brave knights of the Ares kingdom. We are humble yet sincere brethren. Finally, the Monster Flood began. From here on, we, the Izel fort¡¯s knights, will be united and become the shield to protect the people from the monsters¡¯ invasion. We will become the sword to defeat the monsters who harm the people. Now, let¡¯s go to the Dusk Village!¡± ¡°Oooooooooo!¡± As the knights howled, the road in front of Leon-san was opened. As Leon-san passed through that opened road, the knights ran towards the horses on the side of the wall and mounted them. I also rode on the same horse as Argo-san. Ah, should I form a party with Argo-san while we¡¯re at it? ¡°Argo-san, Argo-san. Let¡¯s form a party now. Please.¡± ¡°Yeah. Please take care of me.¡± As I grabbed Argo-san¡¯s hand that was grasping the reins, a party window appeared. Yosh, we did it. ¡°Yuuri-chan, you might bite your own tongue, so just stay like this and don¡¯t speak.¡± While we were in the middle of the journey towards the Dusk Village where monsters attacked, Argo-san began to talk. ¡°The Monster Flood doesn¡¯t just mean that the monsters will increase randomly. After the monsters increase, a monster king will be born from the Demon Forest.¡± Monster king¡­? ¡°They can be Goblin King or Orc King, it varies per time. The last Monster Flood happened around 8 years ago. The monster king at that time was Undead King.¡± Undead King¡­If I¡¯m not mistaken, the last boss in the dungeon that existed in the Demon Empire had such a name. Since it was originally dead, it could be resurrected many times, and each time it was resurrected, it would be powered up. As it was such a bothersome enemy, defeating it would be difficult. Since it was an Undead, it should be weak against fire magic. ¡°The Undead King was so strong that it was also called as the Immortal King, and even when the warriors from 6 countries of Elysia were collaborating, it couldn¡¯t be defeated. But at that time, a hero appeared.¡± Hero, huh? That¡¯s cool. ¡°The 16-year-old boy combined his swordsmanship and magic to face against the Undead King. Then, at the end of the deadly struggle, the Undead King was defeated, and it brought an end to the Monster Flood. That hero¡¯s name was Leonhart.¡± Hee. Being the hero, his name was also cool. ¡°You still don¡¯t get it?¡± Hwe? What? ¡°That hero is none other than our leader.¡± Eeeeeee, is that so¡ª?! Leon-san is the heroooo? Eh, what? 8 years ago, he was 16 years old? Which means, he is now 24 years old? Eeeeeeeeeeh?! I thought that he was older than thaaaat. I wonder why is it that I was more shocked that he was 24 years old rather than the fact that Leon-san was the hero? Age¡­ah, no, he looked quite calm¡­so I thought that his age was closer to 30. ¡°That¡¯s why, you can be relieved as long as Leader is here, Yuuri-chan. I dare say that he¡¯s the strongest person in this Elysia.¡± Aah, so Argo-san told me about this so that I wasn¡¯t anxious anymore. Thank you for the consideration, Argo-san. ¡°Now, we will arrive at the Dusk Village soon. While the scouts were working in the foreground, can you form a party with the other people at that time?¡± I nodded deeply as a response. We stepped down from the horse at a slightly distant place from the Dusk Village. I formed a party with Leon-san and Amanda-san there. Then, I put the Area Protect Shield to everyone. ¡°Area Protect Shield, target: everyone from the Izel fort!¡± As I chanted, small red shields appeared and revolved around everyone. The knights made a light uproar, but they went quiet after Leon-san gave them the order to. ¡°This is the magic from the foreign country to enhance your body. The effect lasts for 30 minutes. The effect can be piled up with Protect magic¡¯s effect, so those who can use it should use it on themselves.¡± Since the enemies this time were werewolves, there was no need to put on magic defense, so I only put the physical defense magic. The MP consumption was 50, so the remaining MP was 75, so there was quite a surplus for healing. In addition, there are MP Potions in my cat-faced bag! Un. When I think more about the last time with the goblins, the magic defense was unneeded. It was so embarrassing to lose my composure when I put on the defense magic, then as a result I used up all my magical power¡­ ¡°Leader, it seems that the werewolves are still in the village. We couldn¡¯t check on the survivers from outside.¡± ¡°I see¡­Hopefully there are survivors¡­Yosh, let¡¯s go! Follow behind me!¡± After hearing the scouts¡¯ report, Leon-san galloped his horse towards the Dusk Village. The knights were following him from behind, while Argo and I were almost at the end of the line. ¡°As for heal, hurl the recovery from the surroundings only when necessary.¡± ¡°Y¡­yes.¡± Finally, we are going to confront the monsters¡­ It¡¯s scary¡­but I will also fight in order to protect the people precious to me! All the knights of Izel fort descended from their horses and entered the village. I waited at the entrance in order to chant heal. Although I might say that, casting Healing Light took around 1 second while Heal took around 3 seconds, so I could do the recovery quickly, and there was actually no need to be on standby like this. ¡°O power of Water that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Water!¡± ¡°O power of Flames that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Flames!¡± Everyone who entered the village put on attributes on their swords. Argo-san and Amanda-san also put the water element and fire element respectively. While Leon-san who was slightly in front¡­that should be thunder magic, I guess. For some reason, light appeared from his sword. Then, beyond him, there was a herd of grey-furred werewolves. Leon-san swung a slash towards the herd of werewolves using his sparkling sword. With a woosh, the werewolves¡¯ heads fell. The other knights also slashed in succession, and the air was filled with the smell of blood. The werewolves naturally attacked back, but their claws and fangs weren¡¯t effective against their magic swords, and so they were rapidly defeated. The knights¡¯ swords that were clad in flames, water, and thunder waved in succession. White and red locus danced about in the air. And the deep crimson that surged in between. Leon-san¡¯s movements were really one in a thousand, and he was so strong that he didn¡¯t even need any healing. He slaughtered the herd of werewolves that were attacking with a single stroke of his sparkling sword. There were also werewolves that came my way, but Argo-san and Amanda-san defeated them. There were sounds of heavy objects falling. The red blood was seeping from below the fallen werewolves. The blood was immediately absorbed by the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s search for the surviving villagers! Argo, Amanda, and Yuuri should wait over there. As for the others, let¡¯s go deeper into the village. Let¡¯s go to search for the survivors while staying alert for the hiding werewolves!¡± Along with Leon-san¡¯s order, all the knights went deep into the village. CH 20 When I¡ªwho was left behind¡ªwas about to tumble down, Argo-san propped me up. ¡°Yuuri-chan, are you alright?!¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not so fine¡­¡± Even if I didn¡¯t use any offensive magic or even Heal, my legs were shaking that I couldn¡¯t stand up straight. This was¡­battle. This was a real battle against monsters, different from the hunting in-game. I was getting dizzy from the choking scent of blood mixed in the lukewarm wind blowing to my face. But¡­I grasped my hands tightly. I already decided to try my best here, in this world. I will surely return to my original world, but right now, I am right here. Let¡¯s do my best here. ¡°It¡¯s harsh for a small child like you, huh? But one won¡¯t be able to survive here without being strong despite being small. Yuuri-chan will also get stronger.¡± As I looked at Amanda-san whose deep crimson eyes were looking at me and her red hair blowing by the wind, I felt like she was a war maiden coming straight out from the fairy tales. The sword that she grasped without any negligence was blazing with red flames. ¡°But¡­to be honest, I expected you to either cry or faint¡­You did your best.¡± ¡°I¡­Did I do well¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, exceptionally.¡± My hands and feet were still trembling. However¡­ Having someone recognizing that you worked hard¡­I was happy. I only chanted the physical enhancement magic and was only protected afterward. But even so, I¡¯d like to become everyone¡¯s power later as I work harder. ¡°Amanda! Behind you!¡± As I was thinking about that, Argo-san suddenly shouted. ¡°Haa!¡± When I turned around, her sword that was clad in flames already slashed a werewolf who suddenly attacked. Then, she swung down her sword again. The werewolf that had run away from the depth of the village then fell down with a thud. Although Argo-san covered me with his back, some blood spurted to my face. As I sucked a breath and stiffened, I heard the howling voice ¡°Grrrouuu¡± from the fallen werewolf¡¯s direction. When I peeked from behind Argo-san¡¯s body, what I saw over there wasn¡¯t a grey werewolf. It was a blue werewolf instead. ¡°Tch. A variant, huh?¡± Variant? What is it? I¡¯ve never seen such a werewolf like this. ¡°Amanda, can you keep it on?¡± ¡°Yeah. Argo, continue protecting Yuuri-chan!¡± ¡°Ou!¡± Still with Argo-san protecting me behind him, we retreated behind. The blue werewolf looked here for a moment before it switched its gaze towards Amanda-san who was holding a sword. After it lowered its head, it sprung upon Amanda-san in the next moment. ¡°!!!¡± I shouted, yet not a single noise came out. Using her sword clad in flames, Amanda-san was pushing aside the blue werewolf¡¯s fangs that were drawing near to her throat. But immediately after that, its sharp claws attacked Amanda-san¡¯s left hand. *Slice* The sound of meat being torn could be heard. At the same time, I heard Amanda-san muttering a shriek. ¡°Yuuri-chan, Heal¡­!¡± T-¡­that¡¯s right. I should heal her! ¡°Heal¡­T-¡­tar¡­get is Amanda-san.¡± As Argo-san commanded, I chanted Heal with my trembling lips. A silver light appeared from my fingertip before it flew towards Amanda-san. Afterward, Amanda-san¡¯s condition seemed to be better. She repaired her grip on her sword once again. As for the injured left arm¡­From what I could see from the torn cloth, it showed a skin color. I think¡­it was already healed. Amanda-san confronted the blue wolf again. The blue wolf was still lowering its head, its sight was still fixated on Amanda-san as it lowly howled. The blue wolf¡¯s back was rising up. Then, it jumped again. Amanda-san set up her sword before her this time, then she pierced the werewolf¡¯s eye that was facing her sword. ¡°Gyauuuuuuuuuu!¡± The blue wolf raised its voice in agony. *Slice, slice* But the sound of the werewolf¡¯s claws as they gouged Amanda-san¡¯s skin resounded in my ears again. ¡°Heal, target is Amanda-san! Heal, target is Amanda-san!¡± I chanted Heal many, many times until both the werewolf¡¯s cries of agony and the sound of its claws tearing the skin could no longer be heard. ¡°Yuuri-chan, Yuuri-chan. Everything is fine now. There¡¯s no need for you to keep chanting Heal.¡± When I noticed, I was already hugged by Amanda-san, and my back was gently caressed by her. ¡°A¡­Amanda-san¡­¡± As I looked up at her, I touched Amanda-san¡¯s body. ¡°Is there any place that¡¯s hurting? Nothing is hurting, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, because Yuuri-chan healed me. Thank you. But you overdid it. At the end, you still healed me even though I was already fully healed.¡± ¡°Amanda-san, Amanda-san. Uwaaaaan!¡± As I felt relieved since there didn¡¯t seem to be any injury, my tears fell down from my eyes. Argo-san also patted my head while saying that I had done my best, so that only increased my tears senselessly. ¡°Yuurii, are you okay?!¡± Leon-san, who had returned from searching inside the village, reached out to me as I was still crying. Behind him were the other knights. There didn¡¯t seem to be any¡­villagers. ¡°¡­The variant ran off here, huh?¡± He furrowed his eyebrows when he looked at the defeated blue werewolf. ¡°Luckily, its strength wasn¡¯t at a king¡¯s level.¡± Argo-san said as he was also looking at the werewolf. ¡°It¡¯s still too early for the king to appear.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡­The goblins¡¯ appearance was also earlier, and the variant usually won¡¯t leave the forest this early, right? The earliest should be 2 weeks after the omen.¡± ¡°Certainly, it was early for a variant to appear. ¡­Did something happen inside the Demon Forest¡­?¡± ¡°We have to immediately prepare to explore the Demon Forest as quickly as possible in order to investigate that.¡± Argo-san took out a piece of cloth from the bag hanging around his waist, wiped the blood on his sword with it, then he took the sword back to its scabbard. ¡°How many days will the preparation take?¡± ¡°At least three days.¡± ¡°Hurry it up, as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Understood. By the way, what about the villagers¡­?¡± Argo-san¡¯s question was answered by Leon-san shaking his head. ¡°Well, it was already hard with the appearance of the variant. It was already good enough that one person managed to escape.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. ¡­Ah, Yuuri and Amanda, you two should return earlier to the fort along with the other female knights. We still have some things to deal with after the incident.¡± Things to deal with post-incident¡­ Aah, is it about burying the deceased¡­? ¡°Understood. Then, Yuuri-chan, let¡¯s ride on a horse with me and return.¡± ¡°Yes. Please take care of me.¡± Thus, my first demon subjugation along with the fort members ended just like that. CH 21 That night, I saw lots of nightmares, I moved around in my sleep, and I cried a lot. Then, my back was also patted many, many times over by Amanda-san. The Kuujou Yuuri1 and Yuuri Kujou2 in the dreams were eaten by the werewolf many times. Then, inside the werewolf¡¯s stomach, the two me became one. It was even worse when I woke up the next day. Although I couldn¡¯t remember what kind of dreams I saw, my head felt heavy as I cried too much. Uu~¡­ Is Amanda-san busy? She was no longer here in the room. My physical condition was also bad, did I move about in my sleep alone¡­? After a while, I came to think of something. Won¡¯t it be healed with Heal or Cure? As expected, after applying Light Heal, I felt a little bit restored. At that time, I thought of seeing my status for a bit and¡­ It seems that I leveled up~! Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 2. HP 176 MP 165 Skills Possessed: Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Titles: Magic Master Healing Master Stray from Another World Fortune Bringer My HP and MP increased a bit. Then¡­Eh? My title increased. Fortune Bringer, so it said. Does that mean my luck is quite good? Un. Certainly, I¡¯ve been meeting with just good people ever since coming to this world, so my luck can be considered good. That¡¯s how I got this title, I guess? But I thought that when I leveled up, I would hear a sound effect just like in game. I wonder when did I level up¡­? It was really unfortunate for me not to realize that moment. I guess it was yesterday, during when I formed a party? I might have received the experience points from when Leon-san and the others fought and defeated the enemies. It was just that I still wanted to fight and earn experience points by myself. Fighting¡­Huh? That¡¯s right¡­In order to become stronger, I have to fight¡­ If it was in the game, my chest won¡¯t ache even if I were to cut down the monsters before me. When I thought that the monsters were also living beings that bled, as expected, I hesitated in defeating them. But since they were monsters, if we didn¡¯t defeat them, then we would be the ones suffering the damages¡­Right. Just like the people from the Dusk Village. That¡¯s right. I shouldn¡¯t hesitate. For example, if the enemy wasn¡¯t a monster, but a lion. If I were holding a gun during when I was attacked, I think I would pull the trigger. The same goes for the monsters. If I don¡¯t resist, I will get killed, so I have to fight and defeat them. But before that, it might not be good if my magical power doesn¡¯t increase¡­ It¡¯d feel like wasting the treasure, since I¡¯ve become a sage too. As I was having a breakfast with Amanda-san who just returned, I was thinking about discussing my magic practice. Then, I decided to talk about it with Leon-san. Sorry for adding to your trouble, despite you being so busy already¡­ But thanks to it, I managed to have a magic practice in the afternoon. The one who taught me magic seemed to be a magician at the Izel fort. During the subjugation yesterday, the ones going were magic swordsmen, so I thought that there might be no magician at all, but in reality, there were magicians here. It seemed that they remained inside the fort because the fort¡¯s defense would be weak should they also go along for the monster subjugation. Since I would be dealing with that magician-san from now on, I went to Leon-san¡¯s office to wait for the magician-san together with Leon-san and Amanda-san. ¡°I am nervous¡­What kind of person will they be?¡± In my imagination, a magician is an elderly male with a long beard wearing a black robe. For some reason, that¡¯s the image I get. ¡°Although their words can be a bit harsh at times, they are a good person. They are only 16 years old, but they¡¯re already called as a genius in magic.¡± Ooh~. Such an amazing person! I hope we can get along well. I wonder if they are a male, or a female? While I was waiting full of excitement, the office¡¯s door was knocked. ¡°I¡¯m Serena. I¡¯m here because Leader called me.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The door was slowly opened. The one who appeared was a girl with her golden-colored curly hair who was wearing a simple yet high-quality dress. Combined with her slightly slanted blue eyes, she looked just like a bisque doll. Uwaa. This time, it¡¯s a princess¡­how lovely¡­ That person slowly bent her body while grabbing her dress just like a real princess, showing such an elegant bow. A¡­Amazing! It¡¯s just like what¡¯s portrayed in the films! ¡°I¡¯m Serena Lively.3 What kind of business do you have with me?¡± ¡°Serena, how many times do I have to tell you that this is not the palace? Hurry and raise your face.¡± ¡°Yes, Leonhart-sama.¡± As Leon-san said, the girl called Serena-san slowly raised her face. Uwaa. Even if I looked at her so close like this, she was still really pretty. She was really just like a doll. ¡°I¡¯d like you to teach this Yuuri Kujou about how to control her magic.¡± ¡°Is she the rumoured foreign priest from a few days ago? But she can also use magic, then that means¡­?¡± ¡°Yuuri isn¡¯t a priest, but she is called a sage, so it seems. She can use both recovery magic and offensive magic. However, the power of her offensive magic is too strong that it might even drag our allies.¡± ¡°Can use both¡­? I see, that brings us to controlling her magic, is it?¡± ¡°Can we ask you to do that?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what Leonhart-sama ordered.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After Serena-san did yet another beautiful bow, she slowly turned towards me. Her blue eyes were looking fixedly at me. ¡°I¡¯m Serena Lively. From now on, I will have to teach you on how to control your magic. Since it¡¯s related to controlling magic, I won¡¯t go easy on you even if you are a child. Will that be fine?¡± ¡°U-uhm. I am Yuuri Kujou. Err, I will try my best, so please do help me.¡± She seems so mature despite being only 16 years old. For some reason, I feel so childish in comparison to her that I¡¯m so embarrassed. But, somehow I feel like I¡¯m turning more childish than before. I¡¯m easily brought to tears. Could it be that my mental age is being affected by my physical age¡­? T¡­that couldn¡¯t be. ¡°I wonder if we can do the training at the training grounds in the basement? There is a barrier, and no matter how strong the magic hits it, it won¡¯t cause the building to be broken. I think that it will be fine for Yuuri-chan to use her magic there.¡± I see. Eh? But if that¡¯s the case, why did we have the recovery magic check the other day at the plaza? When I tried to ask Amanda-san, I was told that it was because recovery magic won¡¯t break the walls. U¡­I have no words to return to her. I went down to the training grounds in the basement with Serena-san, and with Amanda-san leading the way. It was a slightly spacious room made of stones. ¡°Now, I think Yuuri-chan can use your magic to your heart¡¯s content here. I wanted to hide the fact that I still have a lot more to go in magic, though.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I couldn¡¯t catch her last sentence because she muttered it with such a small voice¡­I wonder if it¡¯s just something trivial? ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin at once. Will Amanda-san watch?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I think I will watch for a while.¡± ¡°Then, please sit over there.¡± After Amanda-san sat on the chair in the corner of the room, Serena-san began to talk. The magic that we use seem to work in a way that we use the air in this world. The magicians use the long chant to gather the magical power around them, condensing it, then utilizing the magic. Then, it seems that if we use the magic while deciding on the target at that time, for example if it is a monster, then the magic will only be applied to the monster. U~n. I feel like I understand, yet at the same time I feel like I don¡¯t¡­ In my case, I don¡¯t need to use a long chant¡­I wonder how I should decide on the target then? ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s see your magic. Try to hit the wooden figure in the middle with your magic. What¡¯s your specialty magic?¡± ¡°Specialty¡­¡± ¡°Then, what magic attribute can you use?¡± ¡°Thunder, wind, fire, water, and earth.¡± ¡°¡­All attributes¡­¡± Serena-san was surprised, but she quickly regained her composure. ¡°Then, can you use Wind Arrow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, try attacking that wooden figure.¡± Uuuhm, then I should carefully reduce the power as much as possible, I guess. Ah, but that¡¯s not it, I should try to make the magic only affect the target.¡± For the time being, let¡¯s just try. ¡°Wind Arrow!¡± As I chanted the magic, several wind arrows rained incessantly towards the wooden figure. The wooden figure was minced to small pieces, turning it into wood chips. ¡°Impossible¡­To be able to use magic just by chanting its name? That¡¯s not possible¡­In addition, that wooden figure is supposed to have a magical resistance inserted in it¡­? That, such a¡­¡± Errr¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­ Since it¡¯s a magic from the game, it might be lacking in common sense¡­ Ah, but earlier, I felt that the Wind Arrow only hit the wooden figure for some reason. Could it be that imagining it was the key? I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to do it well by continuing this practice? Since it would be a waste of the wooden figures as they would break anyway despite being clad in protective magic, for some reason they were replaced by big logs. ? Why them? ¡°Just when I thought of processing them. Please turn them into firewood during the magic training.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that you can also fine-tune your magic while aiming to process the wood into firewood?¡± Eh? That¡¯s the reason? ¡°We have a lot of wood in the Demon Forest. That¡¯s why, go ahead and practice to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Amanda-san, I think that¡¯s not the problem at allllllll¡­! CH 22 In the magic training that day and the next day, I managed to clear the mission of cutting the logs into firewood-sized pieces with Wind Arrow somehow. I was tired to the point I couldn¡¯t think of anything, but¡­there was this feeling of accomplishment! It felt as if I had various breakthroughs so far. In addition, the preparation for winter provision was done properly. ¡­For some reason, something feels wrong here~~~. But for some reason, Amanda-san muttered, ¡°Next, use Fire Ball to light up a fire at the firewood, and after that use Water Ball to cease the fire, and it¡¯s perfect.¡± Eh? This is a training to hone the control over my magic power, right? This isn¡¯t a simple practice of making campfire, right?! I really didn¡¯t know where Amanda-san was heading to with this kind of practice¡­ Could she do this out of her parental love so I could survive in the unlikely event I get lost in the middle of exploring the Demon Forest? ¡°Hmmm¡­We can use the earth magic to create a cooking stove, but there is nothing applicable with thunder magic. Aah, but is a cooking stove too difficult? I wonder if making bricks would be better?¡± ¡­Let¡¯s pretend I never heard any more of her muttering! ¡°Serena-san, thank you very much for accompanying me on my magic training!¡± I turned towards Serena-san as I bowed to her. I felt like my magic power was more concentrated, or that a bit more power was drawn out. I was really helped by Serena-san¡¯s accurate advices. It seemed that Serena-san could use all magic except for earth magic, moreover she could use intermediate magic for all attributes that she could use. Perhaps there didn¡¯t exist any advanced level magic in this world or that they were simply unknown, but she seemed famous for being a high-ranked magician in Elysia. Ah, that¡¯s right. By the way, I already understood the reason I couldn¡¯t use the high-level magic. When I leveled up, I tried tapping the spell name at my status screen and it was written there that I would be able to use them after I reached the level of 50¡­ Even with my magic and recovery skill being 100, there was a level restriction so I couldn¡¯t use them, how cruel~. Even after I had an advanced job, they weren¡¯t the skills I could use from level 1 with my 100 magic skill-! But, speaking of which, I felt like I had seen someone screaming in the guild chat, saying ¡°There is a level 50 wall even after you have an advanced joooob!¡± Even if you changed your job into an advanced one, it seemed that you still couldn¡¯t use the high-level skill unless you reach level 50. Therefore¡­Ohoho. Well, with that, thanks to Serena-san, I managed to mass produce fine firewoods¡­that¡¯s not it, I managed to apply my magic only to the target. With this, it would be good if I could be of any use during the Demon Forest exploration that would start from tomorrow¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Anyway, the so-called ¡®sage¡¯ uses quite a special magic. It has also become a learning opportunity for me.¡± U~n, a sage isn¡¯t that special, though. But since right now, there is only one sage that is me in this world, it can¡¯t be helped that she would think like that. ¡°We will be exploring the Demon Forest starting from tomorrow, will you be coming with us?¡± ¡°P¡­Perhaps?¡± I tilted my head when Serena-san asked me. Nobody had requested me properly to come, but perhaps, I¡¯m going to tag along, right¡­? Eh? But since nobody has told me about it, could it be that I would be house-sitting? ¡°That¡¯s right. I think you should tag along.¡± Amanda-san answered the question for me. ¡°Right¡­¡± Serena-san hung her head down for a while before she raised her head to look down at me. ¡°Yuuri Kujou. It doesn¡¯t matter who you are or where you came from. But you¡¯d better remember this. Should you harm Leonhart-sama¡­even if you¡¯re a child, I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± T¡­that¡¯s right. It¡¯s natural to think that a stranger child like me whose origin is unclear to be hanging around the side of a hero just like Leon-san. Everyone has always been so kind to me that I never noticed that¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t mind it too much, Yuuri-chan.¡± Amanda-san gently patted my head as I was standing still on the spot. ¡°That child is a devout admirer of Leonhart the Hero. After Leader defeated the Undead King and brought peace back to Elysia, he was appointed as this fort¡¯s leader at the young age of 16 years. Hearing that, Serena thought of wanting to fight and be any help to Leader, so she began to desperately learn magic.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± Amanda-san continued her words. ¡°It¡¯s quite apparent, but that child is a noble daughter, you know? Even if she didn¡¯t become a magician, she should be able to lead a life without any inconveniences as a noble daughter. Despite that, she wanted to become any of help to Leader and even came to this Izel fort unreasonably.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Well, the Monster Flood 8 years ago lasted for around one year. During the time everyone was resigned to the fate, Leader came and defeated the Undead King. It can¡¯t be helped for a young child around Yuuri-chan¡¯s age to really admire him.¡± One year¡­During such a long time, did the monsters attack the towns continuously just like the herd of werewolves? ¡°How long does one last normally?¡± ¡°It depends on the Demon King¡¯s strength, but the longest should be around half a year.¡± ¡°Then, one year is awfully long, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why the people and the towns suffered quite some damage. Moreover, since it was an Undead King, there was an outbreak of a large number of Undead, the townspeople who were attacked also turned into Undead¡­¡± It means that the people who were close to you until just now turned into Undead after they were killed, then they came to attack you, right? If the knowledge from the game applies here, if the corpses were left as they were, they could become Undead or if they were killed by the Undead, they could turn into one themselves. Also, the people killed by Undead had almost 100% probability of being resurrected as Undead. That¡­Even if one survived, they would receive quite some mental damage. ¡°I heard that the town where Serena lived was one of the towns that were attacked. But once the King was defeated, the monsters would lose their control and moved in scatters. Thanks to it, the people were rescued from destruction, or so I heard.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Such a tough past existed¡­ ¡°Well, even if it was said to be unreasonable, she had the power to become a magician. But perhaps the reason it was said to be unreasonable was because there were only two years before the Monster Flood when she came here. This is the first line to stop the Monster Flood, after all.¡±1 ¡°Is there no other fort?¡± ¡°There are, but this fort is the easiest place to move. We can go to either the State of Beastmen and the State of Elves.¡± In other word, our position is right in the middle. Which means, the Demon Forest becomes more of a threat to this Elysia in comparison to the other countries. Then, I wonder if we are on good terms with the other countries? I tried to remember the game. If I¡¯m not mistaken, there was no story about wars with other countries. There were some confrontations between the elves and dwarves in the quests, but things could somehow be mended with the cooperation of the player. There was no ¡®player¡¯ in this world, but no matter how bad the relationship was, there were still the beastmen¡¯s Urg Beast Kingdom and Ares kingdom between the two countries. I don¡¯t think their relationship would be so bad that they would risk waging a war even if it meant crossing the shortest path which would be the Demon Forest. Aah, the demons and the humans might not have quite an amicable relationship. But the beastmen were mingling quite well with us that their figures should often be seen in the royal capital. The beastmen, huh¡­I wonder how their ears moved¡­ Uwaa. I¡¯d like to see them~~~~. ¡°Before I came to the Izel fort, my heart also fluttered from the thought of seeing the hero.¡± ¡®I¡¯d like to see the beastmen~,¡¯ while thinking about that, I was surprised by Amanda-san¡¯s abrupt words. ¡°Eh, Amanda-san did?¡± I thought that she wasn¡¯t interested in anything other than muscles, but could that not be the case in the past? ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s natural?! When it came to the hero, I thought that he would surely have dreamy muscles, so I came with such expectations. But Leader¡¯s muscles didn¡¯t show at all, you know? It would have been nice if they were a bit more apparent, though¡­¡± Correction. As expected, her standard would be the muscles. ¡°But it¡¯s fine since I managed to meet with the ideal muscles, fufu.¡± ¡°Georg-san¡¯s, was it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even his name is dreamy, don¡¯t you think?¡± She said with a wide grin. I was left with no other choice than to nod¡­ CH 23 The next day. On the first day of the Demon Forest exploration, we were blessed with good weather. The Ares kingdom¡¯s climate was warm all year round, and it seemed that it moderately rained in a gentle manner. I wonder if that meant there wasn¡¯t any need for an umbrella? I was thinking about how they would manage the water for drinking and for irrigation when I recalled they could use the underground water and the water from several rivers flowing from the Sacred Mountain Meteora. Come to think of it, there was a river close to the Izel fort. We used the water from well for drinking, though. It seemed that we would explore the Demon Forest by tracing along the lines of that river. We definitely wouldn¡¯t be lost going that way. The exploration for the monsters would be done by the knights who possessed the presence detection skill. Presence detection, huh? How nice. I think the presence detection was a skill that hunters possessed, but I didn¡¯t learn it because I never played as a job from the hunter tree. But the people of this world seemed to be able to use the presence detection skill despite being knights. As I gradually learned the necessary skills to myself, I felt like I was getting stronger. I could only learn new magic by levelling up, but I wonder what would be a sage¡¯s new magic? W¡­well, before that, I should just level up more. ¡°That¡¯s right, Jou-chan, did your magic skill get better?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking about whether or not it gets better¡­For Wind Arrow, I became able to give damage to only the target.¡± ¡°Hee. Does it seem to be applicable in real combat?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know until I try it, but perhaps it is¡­¡± Speaking of which, I was currently riding on Frank-san¡¯s left shoulder right now. As to why things turned out like this, I also didn¡¯t know¡­ I thought that we would be going to the Demon Forest by riding on horses, but it seemed that we would be going by feet. When I thought about it more carefully, there were lots of trees and ivy, so we weren¡¯t able to ride on horses there. We would apparently be punched in the face by the twigs. But if we were going on foot, an 8-year-old¡¯s feet would just get me left behind, and so I was thinking about how I should deal with that. That was when Frank-san carried me on his shoulder. It was perfect for his training, and I was already carried by him anyway. Frank-san¡­you¡¯re a priest, right¡­? I wonder if this kind of training is even necessary¡­ ¡°Well, I use magic during the times I¡¯m incapacitated. Basically, I can just heal myself. Otherwise, the recovery after a battle might happen slowly. Gahahahaha.¡± Such a lively laugh that it caused his body to shake~. It would be dangerous if I couldn¡¯t maintain the balance. For the time being, Frank-san¡¯s left hand was propping my body firmly, but it would be scary if I were to fall in a moment of negligence. ¡°Be at ease. The monsters over there won¡¯t be any threat to the knights of our fort.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then everyone would be fine even if I¡¯m not there¡­¡± If they are that strong, no matter how I think about it, I could only be considered as bonus.1 ¡°Well, well. If you remain in the fort alone, something even more dangerous than the monsters might come.¡± ¡°What is that ¡®something¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something for adults to think about. Well, no need to mind it.¡± Frank-san then messed my hair roughly using his right hand. Ukyaa. My hair is all messy now. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped for us to think about various matters. We should just let everything flows, though. Anyway, we just have to walk forward and we will somehow get by.¡± Mu~n. I wonder if it¡¯s something like that? As I leaned my head, Frank-san stopped walking. When I looked at my surrounding, the knights were taking down the bags they were bringing. ¡°We will be camping here today. Jou-chan, I¡¯ll let you down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Three magicians from the Izel fort were gathering at a slightly distant place from the river. Serena-san was one of them, and they were chanting something as they faced towards the forest. ¡°O great wind that passes through the sky, become a sharp arrow and shred the enemies before us. Wind Arrow!¡± As the three chanted the spell, the sharp wind arrows chopped down the trees of the Demon Forest from their roots. The cut down trees were transported by the knights, and in the blink of an eye, a campsite was made to some extent next to the river. Amanda-san beckoned me for some reason in front of the chopped trees. This, could it be¡­ ¡°Yuuri-chan, here. Show everyone the results of your training!¡± As expected, that¡¯s what she wanted to say-! And so, my job was to make firewoods until lunch time. After we finished eating the breads we brought from the fort, Leon-san stood up and began to issue orders. ¡°We¡¯re going to conduct the exploration of the Demon Forest after this. Every group, defeat the monsters as soon as you discover them. In case of the appearance of a herd or anomaly which are hard to defeat, do not overdo it and call for reinforcement. Argo¡¯s team, be on standby here and assist with the communication of each group. Now then, let¡¯s go!¡± Leon-san brought around ten knights with him as he entered the forest. Frank-san and Amanda-san also went into the forest, leading their respective group. Serena-san was also going for the exploration along with several magicians and knights. The remaining people were me, Argo-san, Georg-san, and five knights. ¡°Now then. Shall we get going with the preparation of the campground? Ah, Yuuri-chan, can you bring the firewoods here?¡± Argo-san took out something resembling a large cloth from the luggage we brought here. After that, he brought the chopped trees with the suitable length and created something similar to a few tents. In the middle of that, a small azure-colored bird turned up at Argo-san¡¯s side. After passing a small paper held in its beak, the small bird flew again. ¡°Argo-san, what is that?¡± ¡°Aah, Yuuri-chan doesn¡¯t know? They are called as magical birds, which are small birds made of magical stones that the dwarf tribe created. They enable us to report the information from another place like this.¡± Hee. Certainly, craftmanship seemed to be the dwarves¡¯ specialty. So, they created such small birds like that. ¡°I see. And Argo-san will be collecting the information like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The Monster Flood has just begun, so I think that there won¡¯t be too many of the monsters, though. But if the number of a specific kind turns out to be a lot, we will be able to tell from which kind will the king be born.¡± ¡°We are able to tell?!¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right. Before a monster king is born, the number of the monsters from that kind will increase a lot. That way, we will be able to tell from which kind of a monster will the king be born from, and won¡¯t we be able to prepare for a counter-measure faster, then? I think that the other countries are also exploring the Demon Forest around this time.¡± Is that so? For that reason, we are all exploring the Demon Forest like this. ¡°Ah, then the number of Undead increased eight years ago?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but Undead are basically only found near the Demon Empire. That is why, nobody had realized that their numbers had multiplied until they came to attack the people of Ares kingdom. In addition, the Undead King is rarely born.¡± Aah, that¡¯s why they were late in preparing the counter-measure, huh¡­? This time, it would be nice if we could immediately identify the monster king¡¯s species¡­ While thinking about that, several things akin to tents were made. In addition, something akin to a fireplace was also made. A¡­awesome. He was so fast in working! ¡°You see, these tents have protective magic formation added to them. That¡¯s why, as long as we are at the campsite, there is no need to be worried over being attacked by the monsters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a relief.¡± In Elysia Online, when we bought a tent and used it, we would be able to fully recover our HP and MP in the field. That must be the mechanism behind it. I see~. ¡°Shall we bring some water right now? Yuuri-chan, can you apply Cure to the water?¡± Ooh! That¡¯s one way to apply detoxification or the cure magic. With it, drinking unboiled water won¡¯t pose any harm to one¡¯s stomach! I steadily applied Cure to the water inside the pots that Argo-san and Georg-san carried. Since I only used Wind Arrows today, there was enough excessive MP for me to use. At any rate, I¡¯ll only be helping in the campground today, right¡­? I¡¯m only using my magic for it, right¡­? Arere??? But as long as I can be of any use to everyone, then it¡¯s alright! It¡¯s important to defeat the monsters, but securing a place to sleep is also important! My mood improved as I thought about that, so I continued using Cure. Amidst all that, Georg-san suddenly called me. I was so surprised that I reflexively jumped. Ah¡­The cure flew towards the inside of the forest. W-what do I do?! But¡­since it¡¯s only a cute, it should be fine, I guess¡­? It is fine, right? ¡°Since it¡¯s only a cure, it¡¯s alright.¡± Looking at my flustered figure, Georg-san reassured me. His outward appearance resembled a bear, but his eyes were very gentle. In addition, he possessed a calming and gentle voice. As expected from the person Amanda-san liked, he was surely a really great person. ¡°Ehehee.¡± As I laughed, Georg-san¡¯s eyes turned even gentler. ¡°That¡¯s it for today. Yuuri-chan, aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright! Everyone else should be even more tired, right?¡± ¡°They should be alright, for they regularly trained.¡± Certainly¡­At a glance, Argo-san didn¡¯t seem to be that tired. As for the other knights, they seemed to be brimming with physical strength, as expected from regularly training. I wonder if Serena-san and the other magicians are also regularly training? Ah, but if they have a magic formation to recover from fatigue, they can just put it on their clothes. Come to think of it, it¡¯s so convenient having magic formations. I wonder how they were made? I wonder if Georg-san will be able to tell me this time? At that moment. Suddenly, a growl ¡°Grrrrrr¡± could be heard from behind me. Ehh?! ¡°Be careful!¡± As I turned around, a black shadow sprung upon me. Eh, why? The area around here should be under the effect of the monster-proof magic formation, right?! At the edge of my vision, I could see Georg-san drawing out his sword. But the black shadow was even faster than him. ¡°Yuuri-chan!!!!!!¡± Argo-san¡¯s voice could be heard. ¡°Ehh?¡± Right before it collided with me, the black shadow made a turn and went down to my feet. And then¡­ ¡°Nyaaaaan.¡± ¡°Nya? Nyaa??????¡± When I looked at my feet, there was a pitch black kitten who was rolling around my feet. ¡°Eh? C¡­cat¡­?¡± Why would a kitten be here?! CH 24 ¡°Nya~ nya~¡± The kitten sweetly growled as it snuggled up to my feet. What?! What¡¯s happening?! ¡°Yuuri-chan, that cat is a monster, get away!¡± At the same time Argo-san shouted, Georg-san who was standing beside me was about to thrust his sword towards the kitten. But the kitten dodged the attack agilely, avoiding being slashed by the sword. Georg-san was targeting the kitten again, but my leg got in the way so it seemed that he couldn¡¯t target it well. ¡°Even though you told me to get away from it¡­Eh? Monster?¡± Even if it cried out, ¡°Nya~n¡±? Even though I could only see it as a kitten no matter how you look at it? As I unconsciously stared at it, the kitten looked up at me and cried out ¡°Nya~n¡± once more. Its sapphire-like blue pupils were shining as they were looking at me. Eh¡­what¡¯s with this cuteness? My chest reflexively tightened, and when I realized it, I was already holding the kitten in my arms. ¡°It¡¯s a cat~! Here kitty kitty kitty caaat~~~~~!!!¡± As I rubbed the kitten on my face, it licked my cheek. Aha. It tickles. I lifted up the kitten to my eyes¡¯ height as I talked to it with out eyes locking. ¡°Where did you come, cat-chan? What¡¯s your name? Why are you here?¡± When I looked at it carefully, it really had an adorable face. Its chesnut-like blue eyes were cute. I loved cats, but my big brother had an allergy to animals, so we didn¡¯t keep any at my home. A black cat with blue eyes was an ideal pet cat that I had wanted to keep~. But¡­as I remembered my big brother, I hugged the kitten tighter. I wonder if Onii-chan was doing well¡­Otou-san and Okaa-san too¡­ I had recalled my family many times over ever since coming to this world. It was inevitable that I¡¯d feel uneasy because I didn¡¯t know how I could go home. However¡­The warmth that I felt from the kitten that I hugged around my chest faded away such loneliness a bit. The kitten approached me as it cried out ¡°Nya~n,¡± as if it responded to my feelings. ¡°Uhhm¡­I wonder what we should do about this¡­?¡± I came to my senses back upon hearing Argo-san¡¯s words that he said in amazement. Ah, that¡¯s right, I was told that this cat was a monster. Eh, but it didn¡¯t attack? Besides, if it was indeed a monster, why was it in the campsite despite the fact that we put the magic formation that protected us against monsters? ¡°Isn¡¯t this child just a normal kitten?¡± ¡°There is no ordinary animal in the Demon Forest. Even if an animal gets lost here, they would normally be eaten by the monsters.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, that one is a monster. A Dark Panther¡¯s child.¡± Dark Panther¡­Aah, there was such a monster. They weren¡¯t a really strong monster. As its name implied, they were black panther monsters. It was certainly black¡­but this child, no matter how I looked at it, I could only see it as just a cat¡­ Besides, normally, a large animal¡¯s child would have a small body yet big feet, and yet this one didn¡¯t have such big feet? ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand the ecology of animals, so I can¡¯t affirm anything, but judging from its size, it seemed like it was just born. Which means, monsters that were just born weren¡¯t ferocious¡­? No, but since it¡¯s a monster, it was supposed to not be able to approach as we put the monster-proof magic formation. In short, this, how should we say it¡­?¡± Argo-san didn¡¯t dare to be negligent as he still had his sword on standby even while he was thinking. At that time, Georg-san said, ¡°Could it be¡­¡± ¡°Earlier when Yuuri-chan was using Cure to the water, one of the Cure ended up flying to the direction of the forest. Could there be a possibility that the Cure hit this monster there?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be. To think that there¡¯s such a coincidence?¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s impossible to hold a monster in one¡¯s arms like that. There¡¯s supposed to be a cause to it.¡± At Georg-san¡¯s words, Argo-san was thinking as he tilted his head a bit. ¡°Speaking of which, Yuuri-chan, do you happen to have a magical skill to subdue monsters?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any. Does that kind of magic exist in Elysia?¡± ¡°I have never heard of it too. I see. It doesn¡¯t even exist in the foreign country, huh?¡± There doesn¡¯t exist such kind of magic in the game¡­ As I was thinking, the kitten lightly growled, ¡°Nyaa.¡± What should I do, it¡¯s really cute. As I ticked its neck, it purred as if it was feeling good. ¡°That being the case, was it really hit by Cure, then¡­? No good. There¡¯s just too many things I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s leave the decision to Leader.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± In the end, we maintained the status quo until Leon-san returned. ¡°Uhm, is this child¡¯s mother alright?¡± ¡°The mother?¡± ¡°This kind of monsters should be born from a mother, right?¡± That¡¯s right, what to do? If a large herd of monsters were to come attacking in order to take back this child¡­ ¡°I wonder about that. There¡¯s still a lot of things we don¡¯t know about monster breeding. We still don¡¯t have any clarification whether they were born from a parent or if they were born due to natural occurrence¡­Well, in any case, I wonder if the law of the jungle applied and that this child seemed to be dropped out from the herd when it was gone?¡± Did that mean this child was cast away at that time? If that was the case, would that mean its mother won¡¯t come looking for it? ¡°Even if a group of dark panthers comes attacking, we could just beat them at their own game. The number of the monsters is also reduced, so it¡¯s like killing two birds with one stone.¡± No¡­With that kind of development, it would seem as if we were the bad guys, and I¡¯d like to discreetly refuse that¡­ Until Leon-san returned from the exploration, I used the grasses around the area that seemed like green foxtail to play with the kitten to my heart¡¯s content. If I were to say it, it was a moment of pure bliss. In the beginning, Argo-san and the knights were alert, but as time passed, they grew used to the kitten and their attitude loosened to the extent that they would come to play along too. As expected, the cuteness of a kitten was invincible in whichever world it might be. ¡°So, how could a monster slip into the campsite?¡± Leon-san, who just returned, said as he looked amazedly at the kitten that I was holding with my arms. ¡°No, that is¡­¡± After Argo-san explained, Leon-san was thinking, ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Certainly, monsters shouldn¡¯t be able to come here as we have the monster-proof magical formation. But no matter how you look at it, it is a dark panther¡¯s child. Could it be that its ferociousness was purified with Cure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if that is the case, Yuuri-chan could hurl the Cure and we could nullify the monsters even from a distant place.¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth trying¡­huh? Frank!¡± Frank-san appeared as Leon-san called him. ¡°You were able to hurl the Heal. Think you can hurl Cure?¡± ¡°I think I will be able to, as long as I practice.¡± ¡°Then practice so you will be able to do it by the end of today, then hurl the Cure to the monsters at the beginning of the exploration tomorrow and let¡¯s see the situation.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Also, Yuuri.¡± ¡°Y-y-y-yes?¡± I straightened up my back as my name was suddenly called. ¡°We are still unable to judge whether that is really harmless or not. It¡¯s still a child now so it¡¯s fine, but once it becomes an adult, it will become a threat.¡± Eh? Could it be that they were planning to kill this child? But it still hasn¡¯t done anything bad now? Also, it¡¯s this clingy, you see? ¡°But we do not know the monsters¡¯ ecology yet. If we were to raise one from when it is still a child, we might be able to understand its ecology more. Like how long it will take to become an adult, how big it will be, and how intelligent it will be. This is surely a perfect chance to observe it. That¡¯s why, if Yuuri can raise it, then you can keep it alive. However, if it were to injure a person, we shall dispose it at once. How about it?¡± If you asked me about how it was going to be, my answer was already decided! ¡°I will raise it! I will do my best to raise this child!¡± ¡°I understand. Then, let¡¯s notify the others so they won¡¯t injure that monster.¡± ¡°Please treat me well!¡± I bowed with all my strength to Leon-san, all while tightly embracing the kitten. ¡°That¡¯s great, we can keep you! Ah, I have to give you a name!¡± I wonder what name I should pick? Since it¡¯s black, should I name it Kuro?1 But Kuro is way too ordinary. Ah, then, since its color is like the night sky, let¡¯s go with Noir.2 ¡°Noir. Your name is Noir! Nice to meet you, Noir!¡± ¡°Nyaa!¡± And thus, I made a new friend. CH 25 I put a red ribbon on Noir¡¯s neck in order to tell it apart from the other monsters. Georg-san¡¯s femininity shone as he brought a set of sewing tools to use in the campsite. And thus, Noir¡¯s cuteness just levelled up. Speaking of which, the ribbon was intended to be used by me to tie my hair later on when they grow longer. Georg-san, my hair won¡¯t grow longer that fast¡­ On that night, I shared the same tent with Amanda-san and the other female knights. My heart was throbbing in nervousness when I thought upon the possibility that I might share the same room with Serena-san, but I was relieved when I heard I was going to be with Amanda-san. I understood that it couldn¡¯t be helped to think like that about Serena-san, but as expected, I guess I was weak against the way she talked. On the other hand, Amanda-san and the other female knights had refreshing personalities, so I was much more at ease with them. Also, we ate meals together, but where did the female knights¡¯ normal chivalrousness go to? They gave Noir some meat and became charmed the moment it began to eat. Perhaps Noir also thought that the people who gave it some meat were good people, as it let them spoil itself to their hearts¡¯ content. As expected of a kitty. It was good at inducing others to naturally spoil it. I first thought that Noir would be drinking milk since it was a kitten, but it devoured the meat properly. There was no milk here, so I was glad. By the way, the ingredients to the meal we had were the monsters¡¯ meat. It seemed that there were monsters whose flesh couldn¡¯t be eaten without curing them first, but as for the Horn Rabbits who had a small horn growing from its forehead and monsters similar to wild boars, Fangs, who could be found in the Demon Forest, we could eat their flesh as they were. Apparently, the meat of the meals I had in the fort were also made from the monsters¡¯ flesh. I was a bit surprised. But it was impossible to keep cows in the fort, and it would be difficult to transport them from the nearby villages too. The closest one was the Demon Forest, so it would be fastest to supply the food from there. When night fell, obviously, I slept while hugging Noir firmly. When I woke up the next morning, for some reason, Noir was in Amanda-san¡¯s arms¡­What a mystery¡­ Then, from the next day, we conducted the experiment of applying Cure on the monsters to see whether they would become docile afterwards. Based on yesterday¡¯s exploration findings, the number of monsters seemed to be increased in overall, and they also formed herds. It seemed that the knights defeated herds of goblins, werewolves, and dark panthers yesterday alone. There wasn¡¯t only one herd, there were multiple herds. And as expected from the king not yet appearing, their movements weren¡¯t coordinated well. If the appearance of the Monster King was inevitable, it would be better if we could tell the species sooner¡­ Argo-san was in charge of watching the camp and arrange the information this time too, while Leon-san would be moving with the same group today. At the same time Leon-san left the campsite, I felt like Serena-san¡¯s sharp gaze was facing towards me in an instant¡­It would be nice if it was just my imagination, though. A short time after they left the campsite, several goblins attacked. Of course, Leon-san defeated them with his sword. When there was only one remaining, the knights restrained its limbs. ¡°Yuuri, Cure.¡± ¡°Yes. Cure, target is goblin!¡± A silver light similar to Heal went towards the goblin. But there was no change in the goblin¡¯s condition. ¡°Release.¡± As Leon-san and the others removed their restraints on the goblin, the goblin growled ¡°Gugugugugu,¡± and bared its teeth as it moved towards me. This, no matter how you looked at it, it was definitely coming to kill me. I felt like I was about to falter from the approaching goblin, but somehow I managed to hold on. Then, before the goblin could reach me, it was slashed by one of the knights. I¡­I was quite accustomed to looking at the monsters being defeated already. Though my heart was still thumping. ¡°There¡¯s no change to the goblin¡­¡± Leon-san glanced towards Noir who was right behind me. Perhaps he also wanted to see whether Noir would awaken its real nature as a monster from the battle earlier. I was slightly worried at first, but I was relieved then by looking at Noir¡¯s usual lovely condition. ¡°So, the cause wasn¡¯t Cure¡­? Or does it only affect the beast-type monsters¡­?¡± Noir cried, ¡°Nyaan,¡± as if to answer Leon-san¡¯s words. For some reason, it seemed like it understood our words, although that couldn¡¯t be the case. I unintentionally laughed at Leon-san and Noir¡¯s exchange that seemed like a conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s try it out a bit more.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As we left the goblins¡¯ dead bodies as they were, I asked if we should dispose the body so that they won¡¯t turn into Undead. Then, I was told that there were magical insects similar to earthworms that were called as [The Sweeper] in the Demon Forest. Apparently, they would eat the dead bodies completely. The feces that the magical insects produced would become fertilizer to the forest, which was why there were lots of trees growing in the Demon Forest. I see~. As we went further inside, we found a herd of rat monsters, War Rats, whose size was a little bit smaller than Noir. They still hadn¡¯t noticed our presence, so I tried to hurl Cure from a distance. ¡°Cure, target is the War Rat before me!¡± At the same time as I chanted, the herd of the War Rats noticed our presence. Then, the War Rat that I hit with my Cure had its red eyes turned towards us along with its friends simultaneously. War Rats¡¯ black eyes turning red indicated that they were about to fight, which meant¡­ Ah~. It failed, it seemed like there was no effect at all. Leon-san and the knights fought the War Rats that were headed towards us. I also chanted Wind Arrows to the War Rats. Then, at that time. Suddenly, a black shadow slipped by my feet. ¡°Noir?!¡± Noir bared its fangs to a War Rat¡¯s throat, then it successively defeated the War Rats. That figure of its was indeed a monster¡¯s, despite it being small¡­ Eh¡­? But cats hunted rats and ate them, right? Which meant, it feigned ignorance when it faced the goblins, but since we were facing rats this time, it ran after them? Noir was a cat monster, so could it be that it liked hunting rat monsters? In other words, it fed on the War Rats? They were its food?! Rather than getting surprised due to seeing Noir¡¯s monster instinct, I was thinking about how cats were supposed to hunt down the rats after all. And in no time, the herd of the War Rats was exterminated. Eh. Since when?! Noir was¡­Ah, it was licking its fur¡­ For a while, Noir seemed to show its satisfaction upon making its body clean. Then, it approached my feet as if it was asking for some praises. ¡°Nyaa~. Grogrogro. Nyaa.¡± T¡­this, I should praise it well. ¡°You did well, Noir. Good child, good child.¡± As I raised it up and stroked its fur, suddenly, it raised a cry, ¡°Nyaa!¡± Really, it seemed as if it could understand my words. After that, even if Noir was only as big as a kitten, it contributed greatly by defeating monsters bigger than itself. Ehh? ¡­Could it be that Noir was more contributive than myself?! In the end, I tried to apply Cure whenever we encountered monsters, but none of them turned tame just like Noir. Could it be that something else other than Cure was needed? When we returned to the fort in the noon, we also heard Frank-san¡¯s story, and as expected, it seemed that there was no effect at all. But I was told that perhaps it might succeed if we kept challenging in various situations, so we would keep hurling Cure from now on. ¡°There might be some certain compatibilities with the monsters.¡± I recalled how there were circumstances in which humans became friends with monsters in a certain national-setting RPG1 that I played. It was quite hard to become friends with a certain silver-colored stray, though.2 ¡°If it isn¡¯t compatible, it won¡¯t turn tame, then?¡± ¡°Might be.¡± ¡°Which means, we should try hitting several of them¡­?¡± I wonder about that? But that might be possible. ¡°Well, this has never happened before, so it couldn¡¯t be helped that we couldn¡¯t understand everything so quickly. We have to be patient, huh? Fortunately, we do not lack the number of monsters to try it on. Wahhahha.¡± Frank-san heartily laughed as he treated the knights who returned. I was also helping him out, and I was relieved upon seeing none of the knights suffering any serious injury. The priest in the Izel fort was just Frank-san, and I wondered if we would just use HP Potion in case of trivial injuries, but from the talk I heard, this world¡¯s potions didn¡¯t have a good efficacy. It seemed that they would just randomly recover a small amount of HP. In comparison, it was also a bit pricey, so not a lot of people used them. Of course, there were HP Potions with high efficiency, but it was more pricey. Therefore, the general treatment for light injuries in this world would be to pulverize the medicinal plants and smear them on the affected parts, before covering the injuries with bandage. MP Potion also had the same effect, but since the magical herbs that became its ingredients only grew in the Demon Empire, its price was even more expensive. I see~. If that¡¯s the case, we wouldn¡¯t be able to just drink the Potions that easily. In addition, our MP would immediately diminish if we gradually used Heal to treat trivial injuries. The potions that I brought, be it HP or MP, each of them would heal 30 points, while High Potions would heal 50 points each. As expected of the specification from the game. If I were to make the potions in this world from hereon, I wonder if they would have the same specifications? Or would the recovery rate be at random? Next time, I should try it when there¡¯s time. CH 26 It seemed that the experiment to determine whether we could tame the monsters through Cure was to be postponed from the afternoon. I stayed with Argo-san and the others as we watched over the campsite. I still applied Cure for the river¡¯s water¡­and sometimes I tried to hurl Cure at the direction of the forest, but no other monster like Noir showed up. How unfortunate. Ah, I suddenly recalled that I had a little bit of a fight and wondered if I leveled up. ¡°Status Open.¡± I tried to open my status screen with a small voice. Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 2. HP 176 MP 165 Skills Possessed: Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Subjugation 1 Titles: Magic Master Healing Master Stray from Another World Fortune Bringer My level didn¡¯t increase, but I unlocked a new skill! It was subjugation. An explanation appeared the moment I tapped on it. [Subjugation: A skill to subdue monsters; enables the user to befriend one monster.] That meant I could only befriend Noir for now. Eh, then my efforts until just now were all in vain, weren¡¯t they¡­? Hau¡­my fatigue just increased after I came to learn the truth that I¡¯d prefer not knowing. Even though I tried my best¡­ I began to think of various matters as Argo-san told me that it would be fine for me to take a break after applying Cure to the water. Of course, the kitten, Noir, was sitting on my lap. First, why was Noir subjugated? I bet the cause would be the Cure I hurled. That, and perhaps it was because we had an affinity. But, was there something else? Hmmm¡­ Nothing came up even after thinking for a while, so I digressed. Next. Since when did I possess subjugation skill? Was it before subjugating Noir, or was it after? But since I had no such skill before I subjugated Noir, that meant I possessed the skill after subjugating Noir. There was still a problem. Since I was using the magic I knew in the game¡¯s world, I had never used the magic that I didn¡¯t know, that existed only in this world. For example, the daily magic: Clean. The magic enabled the user to clean their bodies without having the need to bath, and it could also clean a slightly dirty room. All in all, it was a very dreamy magic. I watched Amanda-san using this magic and even asked her to teach me, yet in the end, I couldn¡¯t learn that magic. There was no bath at the fort, so I could only wipe my body using the water or hot water in a tub. It would have been awfully convenient if I were able to use the Clean magic¡­ Well, Amanda-san could use the Clean magic to me, so it was fine. But I also wanted to use it myself¡­ Other than that, I also couldn¡¯t learn a lighting magic used to light up the surroundings. That was why, I began to think that I wouldn¡¯t be able to learn magic other than the ones I could learn through levelling up as a sage¡­ Hmm??? The Clean magic and the subjugation skill. What made those two different? ¡°I don¡¯t get it, Noir.¡± I petted Noir¡¯s throat as it purred in bliss. How adorable. It was my first time raising a cat, so I wondered if cats were really this adorable. ¡­N? My first time¡­? Ah, could it be¡­The Clean magic already existed, but the subjugation skill didn¡¯t exist neither in Elysia Online and in the Elysia continent. In other words, since I was the first one to use subjugation, I could learn it? Then, would I be able to learn any new magic, even though its characteristic wasn¡¯t that of a sage? Ooooooh. Awesome! I couldn¡¯t think of a new magic immediately, but I felt like it was awesome! ¡°Noir, it¡¯s a big discovery!¡± ¡°Nyaa!¡± ¡°I feel so motivated now!¡± ¡°Nyaa, nyaa!¡± I was hugging Noir tightly while immersing myself in joy when the surroundings turned noisy for some reason. I wonder what happened? When I looked around, a group of the knights returned, but there didn¡¯t seem to be anything unusual¡­Ah, the one returning was Frank-san¡¯s group. ¡°Frank-san, welcome ho¡­me?¡± I looked at Frank-san whose face was sour as he bit his lips, looking like a sour-faced model from a book.1 Just what in the world happened??? ¡°Ah~, Jou-chan. It¡¯s about the method to befriend monsters. I somehow got it.¡± ¡°Is that so? Amazing, amazing!¡± I reflexively clapped my hands in joy, but Frank-san didn¡¯t look that happy¡­? But why? Why wasn¡¯t he happy when he had figured out the method to befriend the monsters? ¡°Frank-san befriended a monster, right? Where is it?¡± ¡°Jou-chan, you don¡¯t see it?¡± ¡°Yosh,¡± Frank-san said as he lifted me who was still hugging Noir, letting me ride on top of his shoulder just like yesterday. I could see Frank-san¡¯s faded-blonde hair whose color was similar to a corn¡¯s very well. ¡°Eh?¡± There was something pink within his blond hair??? As I wondered, I looked at it closely and saw a small pink rabbit¡¯s face peeking through the gaps of Frank-san¡¯s hair. ¡°Kyuu.¡± Eh¡­what¡¯s with this adorable creature??? ¡°And so¡­puh. Frank targeted the herd of the Horn Rabbits¡­pupu. He then used, pupupuu. Used Cure, and then that child suddenly rode on his head¡­? Upupupuu.¡± Frank-san still had a sour face as he bit on his lips. Eh? Was he sullen, or was he being stepped on? Well, whichever was fine~. ¡°Argo. If you want to laugh, then just laugh.¡± ¡°Bwahahahahaa. No good. My stomach hurts.¡± Even the people around us had their shoulders shaking. H¡­hmm. Well, certainly having a small pink rabbit peeking through Frank-san¡¯s hair as he had a stern face seemed surreal¡­ ¡°M-moreover, it was a variant child¡­pink on top of it. Upupupupupupu.¡± Argo-san¡­I understood your feelings, but you laughed too much. ¡°W-well, but you managed to understand the conditions to befriend monsters, so that¡¯s quite an achievement, right? Pupupuu.¡± That¡¯s right. Just like Argo-san said, thanks to Frank-san, we got to know the conditions to befriend monsters-! Frank-san and the others who found the Horn Rabbit herd didn¡¯t kill anyone, but first, they captured them in a net. Then, one by one were let out from the net as they came in direct touch with Cure, and sometimes they tested by hurling the Cure, hitting each one with Cure. Then, there seemed to be a pink-colored child among the Horn Rabbit herd. The Horn Rabbits were normally white in color, so we were able to tell a variant apart on a glance. Since variants were stronger than normal monsters, they hurled a Cure¡ªnot approaching it just in case¡ªand suddenly it began to cry out sweetly, ¡°Kyuu, kyuu¡± like a spoiled child. When they tried to let it out from the net, it ran at full speed and hopped on Frank-san¡¯s head, rubbing its head as it cried out sweetly, ¡°Kyuu, kyuu¡± again. It was really spoiled~. With that, we understood that the monsters won¡¯t be tame unless we had affinities with them. As to whether we had to hurl the Cure, we still couldn¡¯t come to a conclusion because we hadn¡¯t done enough experiment on that. Also, there seemed to be a lot of monster children, so we were going to try it out on them from now on. ¡°It seemed impossible to calm the monsters with Cure, but it seemed we were able to befriend them. Which meant, if we were to try on strong monsters, they might become a help to our fighting power. It might be alright for the village¡¯s priests to bring them rather than bodyguards.¡± Frank-san was thinking with a serious expression on his face, but I couldn¡¯t focus on him because the pink rabbit who was peeking from his head destroyed the serious ambience. ¡°But if we can control a strong monster, then it will cause the superiors to go into an uproar.¡± Argo-san seemed to notice that the conversation wouldn¡¯t go anywhere if he were to continue laughing. But he avoided looking at Frank-san¡¯s direction¡­ ¡°But they might ask us to bring the monster children to the temple. If we show them Noir and this child, the old geezers at the temple might ask us to bring the monsters there so they could control them. But that will be no good.¡± ¡°Yeah. Even a werewolf child isn¡¯t that strong, and we can¡¯t catch it even if we try to. In the first place, monster children aren¡¯t seen that often unless it¡¯s in the middle of monster flood, when the number of the monsters multiply.¡± That¡¯s right. Although I don¡¯t like the monster flood, but I got to meet Noir due to it. ¡°Then, that leaves us with this option. We should report this to the temple after the monster flood is over.¡± ¡°Right. Since we¡¯re in the middle of exterminating monsters, it¡¯s impossible to tell them that we let the children live and capture them. But I think it¡¯s alright if Frank slips this information to his trusted friends that can be taught about how to hurl the Cure.¡± Frank-san folded his rigid arms and nodded. But that caused the rabbit on top of his hat to be in everyone¡¯s vision field. ¡°By the way, have you decided on a name for that child? Pupuu.¡± Argo-san looked at the rabbit on top of Frank-san¡¯s head and had another laughing fit. ¡°Aah? Name? Won¡¯t ¡®Rabbit¡¯ be fine?¡± ¡°Y-you can¡¯t! You have to properly give it a name, or it will be too pitiful!¡± Although I was being glared at, I wasn¡¯t afraid! I had to do my best for the sake of the rabbit! ¡°Aah, then shall we have it made as a preserved food or emergency rations?¡± ¡°Youuuu caaaaaannnn¡¯tttt!¡± ¡°Nah, but well. I thought of hunting some to be today¡¯s food ingredients.¡± ¡°This child is Frank-san¡¯s partner, so you can¡¯t eat it¡ª-!¡± ¡°Then, you decide its name, Yuuri.¡± Frank-san said in exhaustion, and the rabbit that was quiet until just now, perked its ears as it began to cry out, ¡°Kyuu, kyuu.¡± Ehh, could this be its objection¡­probably? ¡°It seems like Frank-san has to decide its name.¡± ¡°Give me a break, oi¡­Whatever can be its name, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°You have to properly give it a name. For example ¡®pink¡¯ or ¡®meat¡¯ or ¡®ears¡¯.¡± ¡°Hey-! Argo-san too, please give it a more adorable nameeeee!¡± Good grief, really! You two, please think more seriously! In the corner of my eyes, I saw Noir yawning as if it was tired of it all. CH 27 ¡°Nyaan. Nyaan, nyaan.¡± ¡°Kyuu?¡± ¡°Nyaao, nyao.¡± ¡°Kyuu, kyuu.¡± The black cat and the pink rabbit were making cute voices before me. Moreover, when I looked at them from the side, Noir seemed to be a senior who was teaching the small rabbit various matters. H¡­how cute¡­ When I was shaking my grasped hands due to the excessive cuteness, my eyes met with Amanda-san who was doing the same thing. Ehehe. ¡°Still, I couldn¡¯t believe that the muscular bear-like Frank is the partner of this very cute rabbit!¡± ¡°Probably it understood that Frank-san is a good person?¡± ¡°I think that whoever can be friends with it as long as they can chant cure. I wish I could chant cure, too¡­¡± She was so bitter it seemed like she was about to sink in the ground. ¡°Can Cure only be learned by priests?¡± In this world, one seemed to be able to learn skills as long as they acquired them, but I wonder if Cure and Heal were different? ¡°The temple is hiding it. An ordinary person won¡¯t be able to learn it.¡± Aah, I see. If ordinary people were able to do Cure, then the priests would run out of their jobs. I wondered if having subjugation skill meant that one was a superior class in the game. Also wondering if we wouldn¡¯t be able to change jobs unless we reached level 99 in a priest job and hunter job?1 That was why its name was subjugation2 and Frank-san was a master. I could imagine how fun it would be to have the muscular Frank-san with a pink rabbit on top of his head when we go to do a job change. Well, the fact that I¡ªwho hadn¡¯t done the hunter job at all¡ªlearned the subjugation skill meant that it was irrelevant to the superior class, though. ¡°Come to think of it, have you decided on a name for the rabbit?¡± Currently, Frank-san was meeting with Leon-san and the others who just returned. It was inevitable to have their attention drawn to the rabbit on top of Frank-san, and so the rabbit was driven out from the tent. The rabbit growled, ¡°Kyuu, kyuu¡± outside the tent, and Noir seemed to pity it and came to comfort it, leading us to the current situation. ¡°It seems like it hasn¡¯t been decided, but since it¡¯s Frank, it seems like he will name it Luan.¡± ¡°Eh? Isn¡¯t that a cool name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the name of the rabbit meat that the butchers sell¡­¡± ¡°Eh¡­That is¡­¡± Having the same name with the meat would be pitiful¡­no, we ate it during the evening meal earlier, though¡­It was delicious, though¡­ I felt guilty for eating the meat of the Horn Rabbits with the rabbit-chan present over here, but everyone ate their meals quietly, so I closed my eyes and tried to eat it. It tasted delicious just like a chicken meat¡­in the end, I ate everything¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s Yuuri-chan, how will you name it?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­It¡¯s pink, so it might be Sakura or Sakura Mochi, or Momota or Momotarou?3 Other names would be Masao or Harunosuke or Momoko¡­¡± ¡°What strange names¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, it having a Japanese-sounding name might not sound familiar¡­¡± I wonder if Sakura existed in this world? If yes, I¡¯d like to see it¡­ ¡°If it¡¯s Amanda-san, how will you name it?¡± ¡°Let see¡­Rabbi, Rabbie, Rose, Rozeus, Vesta, Pink, Bonnie, Cupid, Coral, Roseria, Lapin, Clorie, Carl, Rosavie, Fult, Beauval, Flatt, Ratts, Cocoa, Ebner, Abel, Bit, and then¡­¡± Au. That¡¯s enough~~~. Then, as a result of the meeting, the rabbit¡¯s name was Luan! Amazing, it was just as Amanda-san predicted! It seemed like calling out ¡°Rabbit Meat¡±-chan, but calling it Luan would feel completely different now¡­right? Ah, the meeting wasn¡¯t especially to decide on the name of the rabbit, though?! But the timing was just perfect, so¡­Tehe. According to the meeting, the number of Goblins and Dark Panthers seemed to be the highest. The number of Goblins was originally quite high, so we couldn¡¯t really declare that there was an outbreak of them at this point in time, but the Dark Panther¡¯s was more obvious. Perhaps, the monster king this time would be born among the Dark Panthers. If¡­If the monster king were really from the Dark Panthers. If all monsters were to obey the king. I wonder if Noir would remain unchanged and stay by my side at that time¡­ I was anxious over it, but even so, I decided to do the thing that I could do right now, and that was to strengthen the bond with Noir until the king appears. I will definitely protect this child! ¡°Hey, Noir?¡± ¡°Nyaa.¡± ¡°We will always, always be together, right~?¡± ¡°Nyaa~n.¡± I hugged Noir tightly, feeling the warmth that its body emanated. This time¡¯s exploration to the Demon Forest was planned to take around three days, so the knights were divided into groups again the next day to resume their exploration, and then we were returning to the fort on the day afterwards. When we returned, Noir and I were riding on Frank-san¡¯s shoulder. Luan the rabbit was on top of Frank-san¡¯s head which became its default position. ¡°I think that perhaps, if we were to raise our subjugation skill, we will be able to befriend several monsters¡­¡± Frank-san and I were exchanging ideas about the subjugation skill during our journey to the fort. ¡°I wonder how we can raise it?¡± ¡°Hm. Being affectionate with them, probably?¡± ¡°Give me a break, oi¡­¡± ¡°Then, fighting alongside it?¡± This wasn¡¯t a game just like Elysia Online, but their affection should be increased by having them included in battles. ¡°If it¡¯s that, well¡­I think I can?¡± ¡°How do Horn Rabbits fight?¡± ¡°Well, using their horns. Oh right, this one¡¯s horn hasn¡¯t really grown, has it?¡± ¡°Kyuuu.¡± ¡®Are you talking about me?¡¯ Luan¡¯s ears were perked up and it raised its face as if saying that. ¡°Putting that aside. The problem is when the monster king appears, will they be influenced by it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± If these children were to bare their fangs against us¡­ Uun, that can¡¯t be. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s surely going to be alright. ¡°How long does it take for a monster king to be born, from when the Monster Flood begins?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The fastest is one month, the longest is three months.¡± The monster king is born faster than I expected¡­ ¡°Will the Monster Flood end once we defeat the monster king?¡± ¡°Yeah. The monsters¡¯ force will only increase until that time.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s better for the king to be born quickly and for us to quickly defeat it, so that the damage will be less, right?¡± ¡°N~. As long as we¡¯re prepared, yeah. But this time¡¯s Monster Flood happened faster than we predicted. Will the knight troops dispatched from the royal capital and the request for first-rank adventurers make it in time?¡± ¡°There are adventurers?¡± Could it be that there were other players than me?! Adventurers meant players, right?! ¡°Yeah, normally they are exterminating the monsters and earn from selling things like their skin, fangs, and so on. There are also cases in which a variant¡¯s heart was turned into magic stone, so they are qui.te widely hunted. Their meat is also delicious.¡± ¡°Kyuuu, kyuuu.¡± When Frank-san said ¡®they¡¯, his right hand was poking Luan-kun, and so it raised a voice akin to a protest. ¡°Nyaaa!¡± Noir was apparently mad too, as it emerged from within my arms to do a cat punch towards Frank-san¡¯s face. ¡°Ouch, ouch. What¡¯s Noir getting mad at?¡± That was because it thought of Luan-kun as an adorable younger brother figure? Frank-san. Please promote Luan-kun from food to a proper pet as soon as possible¡­ We finally returned to the fort while talking like that. Although I was only here for a few days, for some reason I felt nostalgic. In the few days we were gone from here, I became friends with Noir and also Luan-kun, such busy days¡­ Anyway, Leon-san and Argo-san went inside first to talk about Noir and Luan-kun. It would certainly be troubling to have the fort panic due to having monsters entering, without any prior knowledge on what was happening. After a while, Argo-san returned, then I entered the fort while still on top of Frank-san¡¯s shoulder. I ended up curling myself due to the sights that I felt from the people who were staying in the fort. ¡°Nya~u.¡± Perhaps sensing my anxiety, Noir licked the back of my hand as if saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­Thanks, Noir.¡± Well, in no time they would see Noir as an ordinary kitten, while Luan-kun would be seen as an adorable baby rabbit. And in a blink of an eye, the two were recognized as Izel fort¡¯s pets. Noir even stealthily received snacks from the fort¡¯s chef! Even though I properly gave it meals~. Sniffle. Luan-kun was shy, so it won¡¯t become affectionate to anyone other than Frank-san, but as expected, it was naturally loved by the cat and it couldn¡¯t be helped. Then, around the time Noir and Luan-kun became used to living in the Izel fort. The knight troops from the royal capital finally arrived at the Izel fort in preparation for the Monster Flood. CH 28 Today, Argo-san told me a review of the Ars kingdom¡¯s knight troops! There are three knight troops in the Ars kingdom. Imperial Guard Troops, Kingdom Knight Troops, Frontier Knight Troops. The previously mentioned Imperial Guard Troops protect the royals, the Kingdom Knight Troops protect the whole nation, and the Frontier Knight Troops protect the frontier lands. The Izel fort was entrusted with the Frontier Knight Troops. Actually, Leon-san isn¡¯t just the leader of the Izel fort, he is also the leader of all Frontier Knight Troops. But most of the Frontier Knight Troops¡¯ knights would return to the royal capital once the Monster Flood was over, and they were practically attached to the Kingdom Knight Troops. The Kingdom Knight Troops is divided again into three groups, The Twin Eagle Knight Troops, with red flag color and two-headed eagle¡¯s symbol. The Fierce Tiger Knight Troops, with yellow flag color and a tiger¡¯s symbol. The Wolf Knight Troops, with the blue flag color and a wolf¡¯s symbol. Such are their divisions. The people of the Ars kingdom seems to refer to each knight troops based on the color of the flag. For example, one belongs to the red knight troops. Then for the Monster Flood this time, the Imperial Guard Troops and the Fierce Tiger Knight Troops remained to protect the royal capital, while the remaining two knight troops were headed to each fort: Izel, Julei, and Chris. Fu~. I managed to remember them. Thank goodness, thank goodness. It seemed that there were bound to be noble men attached within the knight troops, so there were a large quantity of knights. The high-ranking people and the female knights were using lodging houses, while the others were sleeping in the plaza. The adventurers also arrived at the Izel fort one by one, camping outside the fort. It seemed like a discrimination for some reason, but it couldn¡¯t be helped since there was no other place left to set up the tents¡­ But the place where the adventurers camped had various people in it, making the place look like a foreign country! Moreover! As expected, there were no demon tribe, but there was a dwarf swordsman, a beastman-swordsman, and an elf magician! The three of them would form a party composed of four people along with the human priest, making them seemingly a famous S-rank party in Elysia. It seemed that they happened to be doing quests in Ars Kingdom when they received the report of Monster Flood, then they came to the Izel fort. And then, and then! There was something amazing. When I came to play at the campsite, I came to get along with those people of the famous party, and we completely became friends. If I were to say what kind of people they were¡­ The dwarf Gazad-san had a real green skin, slightly taller than me, and he was a short and stout person. But he was more quick-witted than he appeared to be. He was originally a blacksmith, but while testing out the sharpness of the blades he made, he became a swordsman when he noticed. The beastman Virna-san was a female with darkish skin and outstanding grey ears. She seemed to be a wolf beastman, and her tail was really, really fluffy. Aah¡­just a little bit is fine, please let me touch it next time! The elf Naruruth-san was, how to say it¡­had an image befitting that of an elf, and she was a beautiful onee-san. She was much, much prettier than the elf princess described in the fairy tale. Her ears were sharp, and they seemed to twitch when she was happy. Like when she was playing with Noir, I observed that her ears were twitching several times. The only human in the party, Simon-san was Frank-san¡¯s disciple, but how to say it¡­he was a very straightforward person. He seemed like a worldly-wise man who was managing everyone¡¯s relationship, for the other members of the party had strong personalities. According to Argo-san, when he became Frank-san¡¯s disciple, he seemed to be mentally tempered in various ways. U~n. Certainly, I felt like I could understand¡­ Everyone seemed to be wondering why a small child like me was present in the fort, but since I was tagging along Amanda-san every time I went to the campsite due to being forbidden to go there alone, perhaps they all thought that I was Amanda-san¡¯s little sister, that¡¯s my hunch. They seemed to think I often came to Izel fort to meet my big sister, but since the Monster Flood happened, I couldn¡¯t go home¡­ More or less, I am a sage. I definitely can be of any use! When I said that, I felt like they didn¡¯t quite believe me. W-well. Even though I said I was a sage, I couldn¡¯t be really of any use at this time, so there was no problem in them not believing me. Speaking of which, there was no one of the fairy tribe, huh~? Although the fairy tribe was famous among the players because we were able to make small girl character¡­ Then, there didn¡¯t seem to be any player from Elysia Online. Could it be¡­I thought of it, but¡­ Haa. It couldn¡¯t be helped¡­ The people called as the strong rankers among the adventurers and the knight troops went to subjugate the monsters every day. The number of monsters increased day by day as expected, and it was only a matter of time until the monster king appears. And then¡­ That day finally arrived. The first notice was brought by a magical bird from the Chris fort near the beastman country. It seemed that the Monster King finally arrived at a place near the Chris fort. The Monster King was a Goblin King. ¡°Yuuri, how¡¯s Noir doing?!¡± Amidst the fort which was bustling after receiving the news, Frank-san arrived to my place. ¡°For now, she¡¯s just as usual. Luan-kun¡­too, is just like usual, isn¡¯t it?¡± Luan-kun grew slightly bigger, but it was still positioned on top of Frank-san¡¯s head as it looked down at me with its black pupils. Yup. It¡¯s cute as usual. ¡°Yeah. I was worried if they¡¯d get possessed when the king appeared, but for now, it seems to be fine.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank goodness.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you relieved? We don¡¯t know how it will be if we approach the king, though.¡± Frank-san then said things such as ¡®Prepare yourself¡¯ or words that have come out of his mouth for so many times until now. The words that he said to me until now seemed like they were also meant as reminder to himself, but I wonder if it is just my imagination¡­ ¡°Tch. Good grief, I didn¡¯t think that I would be moved by affection this much.¡± ¡°I can tell that, you know? After all, Frank-san is kind.¡± I said as I smiled, then Frank-san patted my head until my hair became messy. ¡°Such cheeky words for a small child like you.¡± Really-! Even though I have told him many times to stop patting my head like that since it will mess my hair-! ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®small¡¯!¡± When I denied it, I noticed that Frank-san¡¯s ears turned a bit redder. Fufuu. I¡¯m mentally an adult, you know? Although I felt like I lost my confidence recently, I¡¯m an adult, after all, okay? I¡¯m an adult, don¡¯t ever question it!1 Fufu~n. I am, an a-dult-! ¡°Well, but since it¡¯s Goblin King, it is really better than other kings.¡± It seemed that the most frequent monster king that appeared was the Goblin King. Compared to the other kings, it seemed to not be so strong, and it could be defeated normally. ¡°Thank goodness it¡¯s not a Dark Panther King.¡± ¡°Yeahh.¡± Frank-san patted my head again. ¡°Once we arrive there, can you chant Area Protect Shield to everyone, Yuuri?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t know until I try, but¡­I think it should be fine as long as I target everyone¡ªfrom the knights and the adventurers, probably¡­?¡± ¡°Well, those are about all who will be fighting the monster king.¡± ¡°Later, I¡¯ll need to chant it again after 30 minutes. Do you think I should attack whenever I have a leeway?¡± Actually, I had been thinking all this time about how I could be of any use to everyone during fighting the monster king. If possible, I wish there won¡¯t be anyone dying, and then I wondered what I should do to help make it come true. I thought of chanting Area Protect Shield and then Area Heal at fixed intervals, but that would be too conspicuous and Argo-san rejected it. If I were that conspicuous, I might get kidnapped by a scary person, so he said¡­ I wonder who that scary person would be¡­? ¡°Rather than attacking, I hope you¡¯ll heal the leader. I will be devoting myself to healing those who have fallen.¡± ¡°Then, it will be better for us to form a party before going.¡± ¡°Right. We are departing as soon as the preparations are completed, so I¡¯ll call you before that.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± As I sent Frank-san off, I lifted up Noir who was calmly positioning itself at my feet. ¡°Noir¡­Let¡¯s do our best.¡± ¡°Nyan!¡± My hands and legs were trembling, but¡­ But let¡¯s defeat the Goblin King along with everyone! CH 29 The long, long rows that extended from Izel fort were headed towards the road to the Chris fort. The knights and the adventurers were headed towards Chris in order to defeat the Monster King. I was also riding on Argo-san¡¯s horse, positioned as the vanguard of the group. The one leading was none other than the golden-haired Leon-san whose face was looking grim. Slightly behind him was the grey-robed Serena-san. This time, I formed a party with Leon-san, Argo-san, Serena-san, Georg-san, and Frank-san. If push comes to shove, I can heal them all at once using Healing Wind. I put a lot of MP Potions inside my cat-faced bag¡­ P¡­perhaps this should be alright. Argo-san was also galloping his horse with crossed mouth, without even cracking any joke. Everyone was desperate in going to save the knights of the Chris fort, to defeat the Monster King as soon as possible. The Monster Flood¡­ The thing that I only heard from the stories. The Monster King that I had only heard from the stories. Just what kind of creature would it be¡­ In order to conceal my trembling hands, I tightly hugged Noir who was in my arms. Although Noir would usually sweetly cry, it only fixed its position this time, amidst the queer atmosphere. Actually, I hadn¡¯t wanted to bring Noir along¡­ But when I tried to leave it behind, I received a huge protest from it, going as far as to scratch my one-piece dress with its claws. Frank-san also experienced the same predicament, and when our eyes met, he only shrugged his shoulders helplessly. Please, Noir. Don¡¯t change even after we meet the Monster King¡­! We only headed towards Chris, without even taking a break. Midway, Argo-san read the paper he received from the magical bird and we modified our route subtly. It seemed that the Goblin King and its herd managed to defeat one village near the Demon Forest, and they were marching to the next village. Incidentally, the monsters at various places began to activate, as they seemed to be attacking the villages. That was why the members of the Izel fort were divided into the people who were headed towards the Monster King and the ones remaining to subjugate the monsters at the circumference of the Izel fort. We also encountered herds of monsters en route to Chris, but some of the knights remained there to deal with them as we continued to advance. And then, by the time we arrived, the land was meandered in red and black. They were thousands, no, tens of thousands¡ªa large quantity of goblin herds. ¡°Area Protect Shield. Target is all the knights, adventurers, me, Noir, and Luan!¡± After chanting Area Protect Shield, small red shields floated around everyone. I didn¡¯t know if they also applied to the members of the Chris fort that were headed towards the goblin herd too, but I couldn¡¯t check it now, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. I shall pray that the magic also applies to them safely¡­ ¡°O power of Flames that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Flames!¡± ¡°O power of Wind that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Wind!¡± ¡°O power of Water that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Water!¡± ¡°O power of Thunder that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Thunder!¡± ¡°O power of Earth that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Earth!¡± When we arrived, I heard people chanting to clad their swords in magic. ¡°O power of Wind and Flame that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Windflame!¡± Leon-san somehow clad his sword in the power of Flame and Wind at the same time. The flame that gushed forth from his sword spread so high until it could stab the heaven. Ooooh. As a result of the double element of Flame and Wind, the flame gushed out with such great vigour. This was perhaps the magical sword that only Leon-san could do. As expected of the hero. Then, the knights simultaneously put out their swords. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m Under the order of Leon-san whose sword was a combination of Wind and Flame, the knights and the adventurers simultaneously headed towards the goblins while still riding on their horses. The knights were headed towards the goblins as if they were silver arrows that were shot into the herd of dark red goblins. The mounted knights were kicking the goblins with their horses as they killed them with their swords as well. The goblins were immediately defeated, but the other goblins came attacking. Before long, the silver-armoured knights were mixed among the herd of goblins, going forward and forward. At a slightly distant place from the other party members, I was riding on Georg-san¡¯s horse this time. Noir was under the horse I was riding as it was defending against the attacking goblins along with Georg-san. I was looking over Argo-san who had let me ride on his horse until just now, as Argo-san was lining up with Leon-san as they cut through the lines to head towards the Goblin King. Perhaps due to Leon-san¡¯s sword being clad in both wind and flames, one swing of his sword managed to defeat the goblins in his surroundings. But the number of the goblins was too many, that it seemed like they couldn¡¯t go forward as planned. Area Protect Shield required 50 MP, one Healing Wind required 20 MP. My initial MP was 165, so the remaining MP would be¡­uhm, 95. It should be alright, there¡¯s supposed to be a surplus. ¡°O wind gushing forth from the sky. Become numerous sharp lances that destroy the enemies before me. Wind Lance!¡± Serena-san¡¯s voice resounded from a slightly distant place. She defeated the goblins in one go using the intermediate level wind magic. Behind her, another magician chanted. ¡°O great wind that passes through the sky, become a sharp arrow and shred the enemies before us. Wind Arrow!¡± The goblins were noisily defeated by the magic. But other goblins stepped on the corpses as if nothing happened as they advanced. Even if we defeated and defeated them, countless goblins surged from the Demon Forest. And beyond them, the Goblin King¡ªwhose size was double the normal goblin¡¯s¡ªwas seen. That is¡­the Goblin King. The Monster King born from the Monster Flood. Its dark red skin was covered by the rising muscles, its head was decorated with a crown of thorns. ¡°Gaaaaaaaaa!¡± Each time the Goblin King howled, the surrounding goblins regained their vigour in response. Even though we defeated and defeated them, we couldn¡¯t think that the number of the goblins decreased. I was relieved when I saw Noir not reacting at all in response to that Goblin King¡¯s howling. Thank goodness¡­ Really, thank goodness¡­! ¡°Healing Wind!¡± As I looked at Leon-san and Argo-san¡¯s condition as they moved towards the Goblin King, I chanted Healing Wind for the second time. My remaining MP was 75. But a wall of goblins kept Leon-san and the others from advancing, and they were still struggling to reach Goblin King. If things remained like this, we won¡¯t be able to make any progress! ¡°Fire Crash! Targets are goblins. Wind Lance! Targets are goblins.¡± I recited the intermediate level magic boldly towards the goblins which didn¡¯t seem to decrease even after we defeated and defeated them. An extensive flame danced about, as the wind further fanned its power. Goooooo. Eh¡­? T¡­the power was even stronger than I thought it was¡­ ¡­Was it just my imagination or the goblins¡¯ number just decreased in half? I looked up as I felt someone¡¯s gaze on me, and I was met with Georg-san¡¯s surprised face. ¡°E¡­ehe?¡± Here, I should just smile and push the matter aside! And while doing so, I should drink MP Potion to recover my MP! Ah, that¡¯s right. Shall I also take a look at my status right now? I might have levelled up after just now. Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 10. HP 216 MP 205 Skills Possessed: Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Subjugation 27 Titles: Magic Master Healing Master Stray from Another World Fortune Bringer A¡­amazing! I levelled 8 times into level 10! I wonder if it was because of that? Due to my earlier magic and the fact that I was in a party with Leon-san and the others, so I gained lots of experience points. When I tapped the arrow on the bottom of the window¡­ Available Skills: [Thunder Element] Thunder Arrow, Thunder Lance (Thunder of Judgment) [Wind Element] Wind Arrow, Wind Lance (Destruction Tornado) [Fire Element] Fire Ball, Fire Crash (Crimson Blaze) [Water Element] Water Ball, Water Crash (Blue Torrent) [Earth Element] Rock Fall, Earthquake (Meteor of Annihilation) [Subjugation] Status Control [Recovery] Light Heal, Heal, Extra Heal [Ranged Recovery] Healing Wind [Abnormal Status Recovery] Cure [Support] Protect Shield Magic Shield [Area Magic] Area Heal Area Protect Shield Area Magic Shield N¡­? What is this ¡®Status Control¡¯? ¡°Status Control.¡± When I tried to whisper, the party window opened. Eh? What does it mean? When I looked closely, there was a red HP bar and blue MP bar next to Noir¡¯s name, just like that of a game¡¯s. Ooooooh. If I have this, it will be really easy for me to manage its HP~! It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t see the other party members¡¯ HP¡­ Ah, for now, let¡¯s heal Noir. ¡°Heal to Noir.¡± A silver light rained incessantly on Noir. ¡°Nyann!¡± Noir let out a loud cry, perhaps it was happy because I healed it. Ah, that¡¯s right. The Area Protect Shield should be worn out soon, so I have to pile it now. ¡°Area Protect Shield. Targets are the knights, the adventurers, me, and Noir, and Luan!¡± The number of the goblins had decreased, and with this, Leon-san and the others could barely reach the Goblin King, won¡¯t they? Just right when I thought of that¡­ ¡°A herd of werewolves has come!¡± The adventurers who just defeated the herd of goblins from the left side shouted. When I turned around, I saw a herd of werewolves, followed by a herd of dark panthers behind them. ¡°N¡­no way¡­¡± Just when we had decreased the number, it increased even further, what¡¯s with this hard mode?! CH 30 Note: Chapter 30¡¯s size is very long (double the previous chapter which is already longer than the average/usual chapter), so I¡¯m splitting it into two. Part 1/2 Unlike the goblins, the werewolves and the dark panthers¡¯ fighting power was high. It felt like the knights and the adventurers were pushed due to the two¡¯s assistance. Along with that, the number of injured people only increased. ¡°Healing Wind!¡± ¡°O healing wind, assemble and heal Grace!¡± Frank-san, who had been beating up the goblins with his fists until just now, was fully absorbed in healing others by my side. Amanda-san and the other knights nearby were guarding us. ¡°Those who are injured, step back!¡± Leon-san shouted with a passing voice. It was apparent that soon, it won¡¯t be enough with just me and Frank-san healing those who were injured, as their number was on the rise due to the appearance of the werewolves and dark panthers. In the first place, there were priests stationed behind the knights, and so they were healing the casualties behind. But the ones healing those whose injuries were conspicuous were me and Frank-san. As a result, the knights continued to fight just as they were, but with some people retreating behind, the fighting force just fell. On the other hand, if the opponents were just goblins, the Protect Shield was enough to negate huge damage. But the damage received from the werewolves and especially the dark panthers was considerably high that the number of heal we hurled only increased. Frank-san and I were healing the others as we drank the MP Potion, but there were still people that we missed healing on. ¡°We¡¯re being pressed, huh?¡± ¡°Their number is amazing¡­¡± ¡°O healing wind, assemble and heal Darius!¡± As I expected, I couldn¡¯t remember all the names of the knights, so I entrusted the healing of the knights from Izel fort to Frank-san. ¡°Well, it is the Monster Flood, so it¡¯s only natural. But this time, it¡¯s a Goblin King and we have the hero. To add, we have a small sage here. It should be an easy victory.¡± ¡°It will be good if it¡¯s the case, though¡­Heal to Lucretia-san! Heal to Leon-san! Heal to Argo-san!¡± In the middle of the conversation, we healed the others or drank MP Potions. I handed over the MP Potion I brought to Frank-san, and when I told him the MP consumption of Heal, we could manage our MP consumption well. Besides, I had the cheat called as HP and MP bar in the party window! ¡°Still, they are strong.¡± At the end of Frank-san¡¯s gaze, we could see Frank-san¡¯s junior, Simon-san and his party. Perhaps due to the fact that the adventurers normally defeated monsters, they were able to steadily defeat the werewolves and dark panthers, and amidst everyone, the strength of Simon-san¡¯s party was so prominent that we could tell in a glance. Gazad-san the dwarf was defeating the goblins with his large sword, Virna-san the beastman was defeating the enemies using her slender sword coupled with her agility. Meanwhile, Naruruth-san the elf was attacking the enemies from behind the two of them using her magic, and Simon-san was next to her as he was healing. They made a very balanced party. As expected of the S-rank party. ¡°He¡¯s also able to hurl the heal, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah, I taught him after all.¡± For some reason, in order to be able to hurl the heal, one had to practice it while forming a party, or it won¡¯t do. That¡¯s why, ¡®teaching him¡¯ meant that Frank-san and Simon-san formed a party before¡­ In other words, I wonder if Frank-san said, ¡°Please form a party with me.¡± I wanted to laugh as I imagined it, but this wasn¡¯t the right time and place to do it, so I tried my best to suppress my laughter. Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m In the middle of it, the fighting situation was a switch between offense and defense, advancing and retreating. It seemed that the Goblin King¡¯s howling meant that it was using the skill called as [encouragement], and each time the others heard that howl, the monsters¡¯ attacks turned more violent. Leon-san and the others were also trying to approach the king, but the number of the goblin herds along with the addition of the werewolves and the dark panthers caused them to be nearly confined to their spot. If only I were closer to the Goblin King, I thought that my magic would reach it, but with this current distance, it won¡¯t invoke anything even if I chant it. The monster herds were pressing us bit by bit. If things remained like this, I wonder if we would have to retreat for a moment and rearrange our strategy. Although the humans need rest, I wonder if monsters need them, too? If they don¡¯t, will the Goblin King march on without any rest? The village, the town, and the humans will be affected by it¡­ But why does the Goblin King exit the forest and attack the humans? Why does the Monster Flood happen, and why does a monster king born? When I tried asking Frank-san about the questions that popped in my mind, I was told that [that¡¯s how the god tests the people]. Testing, what for? If god really exists in this world, does he mean that the god is testing the people in order to judge whether or not the world can continue to exist appropriately? But why does it need to be tested? I don¡¯t understand¡­ The people of this world might not think of it as a problem since this was how the world was like from the moment they were born, but I couldn¡¯t think of it as a natural occurence. However, I don¡¯t know what the cause to this repeated phenomenon is. Did the god decide it so¡­? Really¡­? Then, where is that god, and what are they doing right now? ¡°Yuuri-chan!!¡± Since I was thinking, my reaction was too late. When I looked up in response to Georg-san¡¯s voice, a dark panther approached with its fangs bared. I¡¯m going to get bitten¡­!!! I closed my eyes and readied myself for the pain, but there wasn¡¯t any damage that I had predicted. ¡°Migyaaaaaaa!¡± When I timidly opened my eyes, Noir¡¯s small body was biting at the dark panther¡¯s throat. The dark panther was intensely shaking its head in order to shake Noir off. However, Noir was clinging on to its bite desperately, not being shaken off by it. ¡°Noir!!!¡± The dark panther raised its foreleg and knocked Noir off. ¡°Noiiiiiiiiiirrrr!!!!!!¡± The small black body was thrown sideway, falling to the ground. Thud. In that moment, all the other voices disappeared, and I could only hear the sound of Noir falling down. The small body disappeared within the goblin herds. I immediately checked the party window. It¡¯s alright, Noir¡¯s HP still hasn¡¯t disappeared. ¡°Heal to Noir!¡± But if I don¡¯t rescue it from there, that small body will be trampled by the goblins. The moment I thought so, a dazzling light appeared from the place where Noir fell. W¡­what?! Then, the light disappeared and over there was¡­ ¡°Migyaaaaaaaaaaauuu!¡± Eh¡­? N¡­Noir¡­? There was the figure of Noir whose body turned bigger. Eh¡­? But for some reason, its size isn¡¯t as big as the normal dark panther¡­? ¡°Gyarurururuuuuuuu!¡± Noir roared loudly as it sprang upon the dark panther who was about to attack me. The two of them became entangled as they tumbled over the goblins. The two similar dark panthers were trying to attack each other¡¯s throat. No, when I looked more clearly, Noir¡¯s pupils were blue, while the other dark panther¡¯s eyes were yellow. Noir rolled up its back before it sprang highly the next moment. The other dark panther was also kicking the ground with its hind-legs. The two dark panthers crossed over in the middle of the sky. Then, one of them fell to the ground. While the other one¡­ ¡°Migyaaaaaaaauuuu!¡± It descended on the ground, roaring. Part 2/2 When the winning panther roared, the dark panthers who were attacking the people stopped. ¡°Gyarurururururuuuu!¡± With the next roar, the dark panthers turned its body around and bared their fangs towards the other monsters who were supposed to be their friends. Eh¡­? Eh¡­? What¡¯s happening? Unlike me who was taken aback by it, the knights and the adventurers responded quickly. ¡°Let¡¯s use this chance! Let¡¯s go right away!¡± Someone¡¯s voice prompted the others to shout, ¡°Oou-!¡± Leon-san and the others were also headed towards the Goblin King immediately. That¡¯s right. There is no time to be taken aback. For now, let¡¯s just think about defeating the Goblin King! ¡°Area Protect Shield. Targets are the knights, the adventurers, me, and Noir, and Luan!¡± After reapplying the Area Protect Shield whose effect wore off just now, I drank an MP Potion. My MP was healed right away. Next is whether or not it will reach it. ¡°Thunder Lance to Goblin King!¡± The thunder lances rained incessantly from the sky towards the Goblin King. ¡°Is it defeated¡­?!¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± After the light that was emitted from the thunder lances disappeared, the Goblin King was still standing over there. Really. I wonder if it has Magic Shield? Or since it¡¯s a Boss Monster, one intermediate level magic won¡¯t bring it down, I wonder¡­ From what I could see, it didn¡¯t seem to receive quite the damage. But maybe it was a little bit damaged? The Goblin King slowly turned its head to look at me. Ah! Speaking of which, if one were to attack first, one will get its aggro!1 In the game, the one who attacks a monster first will get the monster¡¯s attention and attack. Utilizing it, a paladin2 usually attacks first, but¡­ For some reason, it¡¯s not just my imagination, but¡­it¡¯s giving me a glaring look¡­ Ukyaaaaaaa! The Goblin King slowly changed its route. Noooo! It¡¯s coming over hereeee! Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m But fortunately for me, that route leads to Leon-san and Argo-san first. Leon-san nimbly jumped up. With flames and wind dancing on his sword, he attacked the Goblin King¡¯s torso. ¡°Ugaaaaa!¡± Leon-san¡¯s attack seemed to be effective, as the Goblin King groaned. Argo-san and the Izel fort¡¯s knights all pointed their swords towards the Goblin King. ¡°Heal to Argo-san, Heal to Leon-san!¡± ¡°O healing wind, assemble and heal Jacob! O healing wind, assemble and heal Stan, o healing wind, assemble and heal Lancely!¡± Frank-san and I chanted heal, healing everyone. Leon-san and the others continued to fight without having to worry about receiving damage, as they commenced attacks successively on the Goblin King. In the middle of it, the Chris fort¡¯s knights merged, sweeping the goblins who were surrounding the Goblin King. Eventually, a short time that felt like a long time passed¡­ ¡°Ugaaaaaaaaaaaa¡­.¡± At last, the Goblin King fell down to the ground. ¡°We defeated the Goblin Kiiiiiinnnggggg!¡± ¡°Uoooooooooo!¡± ¡°Leonhart-sama defeated ittttt!¡± ¡°Leonhart-sama, banzai!3¡± ¡°Banzai to the hero!¡± ¡°Banzai to the hero!¡± The shouts of joy welled up as if they could shake the ground. There, Leon-san held up his sword clad in flames and wind to the sky. ¡°Everyone! The Goblin King has been defeated. Now, I shall declare that this is the demise of the Monster Flood! However, despite the monsters¡¯ lack of command, the monsters¡¯ threat has yet to pass. Let¡¯s exterminate the monsters without losing your spirit!¡± Another cheer welled up as they began to exterminate the remaining monsters. Now that they have lost their king, the monsters who formerly moved in control, was now moving in confusion. There were a lot of monsters who ran away to the Demon Forest. ¡°Don¡¯t chase them too far! Defeat the remaining monsters!¡± At Leon-san¡¯s command, the knights and the adventurers who were about to chase the monsters into the Demon Forest stopped. And then, I¡­was standing in front of Noir who turned large. ¡°Noir¡­why do you have this figure¡­?¡± I looked uneasily at Noir whose body was a size larger than the normal dark panther. The dark panthers who were fighting alongside Noir now returned to the Demon Forest after the Goblin King was defeated. Well, the child before me was Noir, but¡­Although it was Noir¡­ I understand, but¡­ Still¡­ ¡°Migyaa¡­¡± Noir purred as if it was lonely. ¡°Yuuri-chan¡­¡± Before I even noticed it, Argo-san was next to me as he reached out in concern. ¡°Noir, why¡­¡± But Argo-san couldn¡¯t heal this sadness. ¡°Why did you turn biggeeeeeeerrr?!¡± ¡°Eh? That¡¯s the problem?!¡± Isn¡¯t that obvious?! ¡±I mean, it was still a child before, you know? Normally, one would need more time until it grew up to be an adult, right?! If so, I¡¯m already prepared for the day it turned into an adult someday. Growth is something joyous, after all. But, but, I never thought that it would suddenly turn bigger right away like this! Noir is still cute now, but I want to fully enjoy the time when it was still a childddddd!¡± ¡°Sorry. I was thinking that it was something more serious¡­¡± Argo-san whispered as if he was drained of strength. ¡°Regardless of whether it¡¯s serious or not, it¡¯s a tragedy for meeeee!¡± At that time. ¡°Nyaan.¡± I heard the familiar adorable cry. When I raised my eyes, I saw the child Noir!!! ¡°Noir, you just turned small?!¡± ¡°Nyaan.¡± ¡°Nooooiiiiiirrr! You¡¯re also cute when you¡¯re big, but as expected, you¡¯re way cuter when you¡¯re smaaaallll!¡± ¡°Nyaaan.¡± I hugged Noir who rushed over with all my strength, and that marked the end of the Monster Flood for me, as I could finally laugh in relief. After defeating the Goblin King and cleanly sweeping the gathered monsters, we decided to stay at the Chris fort for the time being before returning to the Izel fort on the next day. Both the humans and the horses were injured and tired, so we couldn¡¯t just go home like that. The Chris fort¡¯s structure was similar to Izel fort, and when we arrived, there was a loud cheer welcoming us. Since it was unreasonable to have everyone residing in the fort, we received some tents and it was decided that we would be resting there. But a large quantity of sake4 and food were carried over from the kitchen right away, and we were drinking and singing near the tent¡ªit was akin to a festival. It seemed that Leon-san and Argo-san had a meeting with the people in charge of the Chris fort, so I was enjoying the feast together with Georg-san and Amanda-san. ¡°This is delish~. What meat is it?¡± When I tried to eat a stew made of some meat, it tasted like a tomato sauce and was very delicious. The special product of the area around here seemed to be tomatoes, so they seemed to eat lots of cuisine that was made using tomatoes. ¡°Aah, isn¡¯t that horn rabbit¡¯s meat?¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Sorry, Luan-kun, for deliciously eating your friend¡­ ¡°Even so, Noir-chan seemed to be a special kind, isn¡¯t it?¡± After that, Argo-san said that Noir could have been a variant, or moreover a special kind. Why did he think it was a variant? Well, normally a dark panther¡¯s eyes were yellow, but Noir¡¯s were blue. And this was only a prediction, but Noir was supposed to be the original Monster King, but since it turned tame to me, a Goblin King was born in exchange of it. If not, after Noir evolved, there won¡¯t be any other suitable explanation as to why the dark panthers were listening to what Noir said suddenly. Actually, I was also guessing that, though¡­ No, anyway, I was wondering whether I levelled up again or not, and when I looked at my status¡­ Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 23. HP 281 MP 270 Skills Possessed: Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Subjugation 62 Titles: Magic Master Healing Master Stray from Another World Fortune Bringer Panther King¡¯s Friend The effect of being in a party was amazing, for I suddenly levelled up to level 23! Leon-san defeated the Goblin King, and since I launched first attack on it, I received lots of experience points, didn¡¯t I?! Putting that aside, I wondered about the new title I just acquired. [Panther King¡¯s Friend]¡ªthe panther king, no matter how I thought about it, was it talking about Noir? In other words, Noir is the panther king. I wonder if that has the same meaning as the Monster King¡­? In addition, Noir who turned bigger had the body size even bigger than the other dark panthers¡­ Ah, speaking of which, Amanda-san said that if Noir were to get as big as that, wouldn¡¯t I be able to ride on its back? Next time, should I try asking it? ¡°Although you¡¯re special kind, you¡¯re adorable, so it¡¯s alright.¡± When I said it, Noir cried, ¡°Nya~n,¡± as if it agreed. ¡°You¡¯re cute, clever, and strong, my child is the best!¡± ¡°Nyann.¡± CH 31 NB: This chapter¡¯s size is big too, double the lengthy chapters, so I¡¯m going to split it into two again. We¡¯re going to see someone else¡¯s PoV in this chapter~ Part 1/2 On the first day, God created the fairies from the light that flooded the earth. On the second day, God created the elves from the flowers that bloomed beautifully on the earth. On the third day, God created the dwarves from the shining stones in the earth. On the fourth day, God created the beastmen from the beasts running around the earth. On the fifth day, God created the humans from the soil blessed for its abundance in the earth. On the sixth day, the elves, dwarves, beastmen, and the humans were fighting over the land¡¯s hegemony. At that time, the demons were created from the blood spilled to the earth. On the seventh day, God lamented over the sight of people quarreling over the land. A drop of the God¡¯s tear fell to the earth, forming a river and a forest, and from there, the demonic beasts were born. ~According to the Book of Genesis~ My house, the Agios marquis house, was known as a family of priests often producing the head of the priests. Though it was rare among the house who possessed court rank, the one who would govern the territory wasn¡¯t the eldest son, but the second son. The eldest son was made to serve the temple from his childhood, spending their whole life to pray to the god. There were also female priests, and it wasn¡¯t like marriage was forbidden just because one was a priest, but a lot of the head of the priests remained single their whole life. Actually, the current head of the priests was my granduncle, and he remained single. I heard that he had been devoting his life for the sake of god, in other words he had been secluding himself to pray in the temple, so I think that was why we hadn¡¯t really met. As for me, I was the third son who didn¡¯t have to aim to become the head of the priests, nor should I succeed the territory, and although it was decided that I would become a priest after studying in the temple, I was allowed to live comparatively free after that. Although it was only a vague idea, but I was thinking if I should remain in the temple to assist my eldest brother. It wasn¡¯t like my parents were forcing me to do that, but I wasn¡¯t that stupid enough to not know why I somehow wanted that. It was because I couldn¡¯t find another thing I wanted to do, and so I was thinking ¡®oh well, let¡¯s do this¡¯. Though I was thinking of that, for some reason I became one of the adventurers due to the influence of Priest Frank who tutored me since I was 11 years old. If I had to say, Priest Frank was broadminded. If I were to say it poorly, he was a haughty and an unprecedented person. He was originally an adventurer who was enlightened to devote himself to the god after his life was saved by a travelling priest, then he changed his job to a priest. Normally, those who became priests were those whose family members were priests just like me, or people who were blessed with excellent healing power. Both would enter the temple since they were young to be a priest apprentice, and they would formally become a priest after their study, then dispatched to the temples in various places. There were exceptions, such as those who were demanded by the adventurer guilds after becoming priests, as they would be exterminating the monsters as the members of the adventurers¡¯ party. In case of those who entered an adventurer¡¯s party, half of their remuneration went to the temple, while half of it went to their own pocket. Therefore, there were lots of people from poor families who didn¡¯t remain in the temple and went on to earn as members of the adventurers. Unlike swordsmen, priests took less injuries and in a sense they could keep going on even after years, and in a poor village, it was enviable for one to become a priest possessing healing power and to become a part of the adventurers. Priest Frank seemed to be from a small village, and normally, his healing power should be seen during childhood, and he was supposed to study in the temple. If that were the case, he might even get to the top and became the first priest from the commoners. However, the priest that was dispatched to a small village near the Chris fort was already old that he seemed not to recognize Priest Frank¡¯s healing ability. Eventually, Priest Frank aimed to become an adventurer¡­well, his physique was trained to become a muscular person like he now was, and there was no one who would have predicted that Priest Frank had a healing ability at that time. Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m Certainly, even now, there were only a few people who could tell that Priest Frank was a priest during their first meeting. He also had a scary face, and even I could understand if someone were to say that he was a bandit. For some reason¡­he didn¡¯t have the atmosphere befitting of a priest, calm and gentle. No, he was a wonderful and kind person by personality, but not many had that kind of impression of him. However, according to the travelling priest who saw Priest Frank¡¯s healing power, his healing power was so magnificent that it could be said that he was a genius. For example, there was an injury that still couldn¡¯t be healed with three times a normal priest¡¯s heal, but it could be healed with Priest Frank¡¯s one heal. Then, although normally it would take one a full ten years to study to become priest, Priest Frank finished his studies with just half of the normal time¡ªfive years¡ªand then he was tasked with teaching us the priest apprentices. Normally, I was supposed to be studying under the priest who taught my eldest brother, but that priest was called to the god¡¯s side during the previous Monster Flood, so the head of the priests recommended Priest Frank as my mentor. At that time, I was troubled over why it had to be Priest Frank who was famous for his roughness, despite their being other superior priests. At that time, I didn¡¯t understand the reason, but now I understand. At that time, I was so apathetic to anything. I was just going with the flow, thinking that it would be fine to spend my whole life safely by supporting my eldest brother as a priest. But a priest could lead a life with a purpose, not spending their whole life dull just like that. I think that perhaps the head of the priests wanted to teach me that. However, it didn¡¯t seem like so at the beginning, and I was quite revolted over why I had to be guided by a commoner, moreover and old priest like him. Now that I think about it, it was such a rebellious attitude. But Priest Frank was so kind to such me¡­ Needless to say, I was mercilessly punished by his fist. Although I had to say that it was only to the extent of having his fist land on my head. Even so, to a noble kid who was raised with great care like me, that was similar to violence. Obviously, I would have had serious injuries if he were to go seriously on me, so it could be said that he was going easy on me, but to me who was never hit by my parents, it still gave me some shocks. In response to my protests, Priest Frank declared that I should just try to avoid it. I hadn¡¯t realized it yet, but it seemed that I quite hated losing. With just that declaration, I tried hard to avoid Priest Frank¡¯s fists. Priest Frank then thought of it as something amusing and started to suddenly raise his fist although there was nothing. During such times, he stopped before his fists could land on my body, but then again it was just how he was going easy on me, and it wasn¡¯t amusing anymore. While spending my everyday like that, I became able to avoid his fists the moment Priest Frank put his power on his arms. Of course that wasn¡¯t the only thing I learned. I was properly studying recovery magic as well. Now that I think about it, my study was also a bit different. My teachers until that time always stressed that we had to chant the magic while feeling grateful of the god¡¯s grace in order to use the healing magic. However, Priest Frank¡¯s coaching was different. It was natural to feel grateful to the god, but I was told to imagine what kind of injury did my healing target have, and how it would recover. Chanting it was important, but don¡¯t just value the chanting. By chanting, the power of the god dwelled in our bodies, but it was also important to imagine how that god¡¯s power would heal the target. For example, in the case of someone whose leg was broken by a monster, we should imagine how their bones would recover, and how they would be able to walk again. For example, in the case of someone whose arm was cut by a monster, we should imagine how their bleeding would stop, how their flesh would close, and then imagine a condition where they suffered from no injury. The torn arm won¡¯t return to how it was, but its wound would be closed and their life would be saved. At first, I was bewildered at how different his guidance from the others, but certainly when I did things based on what Priest Frank said, the amount of recovery I could do with just one chant increased. While spending my days just like that, days passed by in no time, and I was finally promoted to become a priest amidst spending the unchanging months and years with Priest Frank. I completed my study in half the normal 10 years that was normally taken, and I was called as a prodigy. But at the same time, a discord concerning the position of the future head of the priests was born between me and my eldest brother who was studying under our cardinal uncle. Putting aside my and my eldest brother¡¯s will, two factions were made, fighting for which one who would be the next head of priests. Still, our readiness to priesthood was different, for my eldest brother had been living in order to become the head of the priests since his birth, while I had been living with the flow. My eldest brother would be the most appropriate head candidate. But even when I told that to the others, I received words that my modest heart was befitting that of the head of the priests. Around the time all sides were occupied1 Priest Frank¡¯s dispatch towards the Izel fort was settled. It seemed that it was his own desire. The Izel fort was the foremost front line to fight the Monster Flood, and that was where the hero was. I thought that such a place was really suitable for Priest Frank somehow. In comparison to that, what about me? If I were to stay at this place, the temple¡¯s internal matter would be shaken. Then, wouldn¡¯t that mean this wasn¡¯t the place I was supposed to be? If so¡­where is the place I belong to? Part 2/2 If so¡­where is the place I belong to? The one who answered my doubt was none other than Priest Frank. He told me that the adventurer party he once belonged to was looking for a priest. But the party Priest Frank once belonged to was a renowned party. I wonder if I could enter such a party? When I spoke to him about it, Priest Frank heartily laughed as he said. ¡°You can already avoid my fist it I were to launch it at you, can¡¯t you? Even if your opponent is a monster, you¡¯d be able to avoid them. A priest who can protect their own body like so is amazing, you know? If it¡¯s a useful priest like you, then they will be so happy that they¡¯re going to cry.¡± ¡°I am¡­a useful priest?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? I have personally taught you, and you¡¯re my best disciple.¡± ¡°Th¡­ank you very much¡­¡± For the first time, he didn¡¯t land his fist at my head as I leaked out my sob, it was his gentle palm instead. ¡°Oh well, that¡¯s the memories of me and Priest Frank.¡± I told everything save for the fact that I cried and the girl before me had her purple eyes clouded due to being moved as she crossed her hands in front of her chest. Even though her pupils were purple, various colors were reflected in it as a response to the light that it was such wondrous pupils. She was a slightly peculiar child, but it was good that she could express herself without words or gestures. ¡°Then, to Simon-san, Frank-san is your honored teacher, right?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. If I were to tell the person himself, he would be hiding his own embarrassment as he hit me with his fist, though.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can somehow imagine that.¡± After that, I had been traveling the world as an adventurer. There weren¡¯t many places I had been to, but even so, compared to the days I secluded myself in the temple, the world was such a vast place. There were lots of anxiety I had since the other party members were a dwarf, a beastman, and an elf, but every day was a fresh and amusing day. And then, with the upcoming Monster Flood, we immediately rushed off to the Izel fort. All of my party members thought that Priest Frank¡¯s arms would be more polished when he¡¯d come to greet us, with him being in the Izel fort where the hero was. But alas, I had never thought¡ªeven in my wildest dream¡ªthat a pink rabbit would be riding on his head¡­ Moreover, it was a splendid monster¡ªthe variant of a Horn Rabbit; even if I was told that, I couldn¡¯t believe it right away. But that was the truth. Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m The story that I heard afterwards, if Priest Frank didn¡¯t say it himself, I would definitely deny it and deem it as impossible. Things such as hurling Heal and hurling Cure that I had never heard until now. Then, when I first heard about how hurling Cure to a monster could tame them, I was wondering if his mind went mad due to some poison. Moreover, the one who taught them was just an eight-year-old girl from a foreign country. But Priest Frank showed me in actuality how to hurl the heal. As expected, I wouldn¡¯t believe it unless it was put into practicality. I earnestly requested Priest Frank to teach me how to hurl Heal immediately. Priest Frank seemed to be thinking of doing that too, so I immediately received a crash course. For some reason, there was a rite of shaking hands in the beginning, but after repeating the practice, I became able to hurl Heal. After that, we received a notice that the Monster King was born near the Chris fort, and there was something that caused us¡ªwho rushed there¡ªto be surprised. That foreign girl put a protective magic that could be used to all of our allies. Her magic was different from the protect magic we knew, as each of us had small shields attached around us like fairies, and the shields were revolving around our bodies to protect us. Moreover, she was able to pile up the protect magic. It seemed to wear off after 30 minutes, but it was amazing how it was able to raise our defense power. There were way a lot more monsters gathering around the Monster King than what we anticipated, and so we were relieved that our defense power was increased. In the beginning, there was a leeway for me to heal the other parties. Moreover, that child was even able to cast offensive magic. Normally, a priest wouldn¡¯t be able to acquire offensive magic. Rather than that, I had never heard of someone who could use both healing magic and offensive magic. Later on, I heard that there was a job called as ¡®sage¡¯ in that foreign country, and people with that job were said to be able to use both recovery magic and offensive magic. Soon, the battle between the Goblin King, Leonhart-sama, and the Izel fort¡¯s knights happened¡­ After that, the Monster Flood¡¯s demise was declared in the shortest time in the history. However, after feeling relieved for a moment, I received a secret story from Priest Frank. That was about the foreign girl, Yuuri Kujou¡¯s bodyguard. The existence of her whole magic and the subjugation of Dark Panther would be way too conspicuous in a world after the crisis of the Monster Flood. Perhaps there would be people who¡¯d notice how this time¡¯s Monster Flood could be ended in a short term thanks to the existence of this girl. The temple would take notice of the girl¡¯s heal hurling, and the magician association would be interested in her magical power and the chant shortening. On the contrary, there were people among the adventurers who¡¯d consult whether or not they could invite a girl. Of course, the kingdom would also take notice of the girl. Then, among the nobles, there would be some who¡¯d scheme to adopt her after knowing that the girl was from a foreign country and had no guardian, and there would also be people thinking of capturing her through engagement. There were supposed to be no insolent people in the Izel fort who¡¯d think of abducting her, but it could happen. In addition, anyone could start a rumour, but none could stop one. Eventually, the girl¡¯s existence would spread to the people who weren¡¯t good. But the knights of the Izel fort would be busy with settling the Monster Flood that no one would be there to constantly guard the foreign girl. That was when we received the request to guard the girl. We were guarding the girl without her knowing anything about it. The request we received wasn¡¯t difficult at all. In addition, the foreign country¡¯s magic was very interesting to us, and we were able to witness the existence of monster subjugation near us as a side benefit. In the beginning, the knights of the Izel fort seemed to be suspicious that the girl whose appearance was unnatural was sent in order to do bad things to the hero, but that suspicion was quickly cleared up. I also thought that it was reasonable. This girl, Yuuri, wasn¡¯t vigilant at all that I wondered from which carefree country she was from. The people she met were all basically good people, and the Dark Panther child that was following her along was the one who were vigilant with its surroundings. Even a girl who grew up in the rural area would show a little bit more vigilance, or so I thought. With that condition, even when veterans were to be with Yuuri, their maliciousness would be extracted. Just like with Priest Frank and Leonhart-sama. The moment I saw the second son of the Owen house whose forte was trickery was pampering her, I was so surprised I thought my jaws would be disconnected. ¡°Speaking of which, what kind of monster does Simon-san want to befriend?¡± ¡°Well, about that. My party¡¯s strength is enough, so a scout would be good.¡± ¡°A scout, birds, huh? What kind of bird monsters exist? One whose cry is ¡®kupo¡¯¡­ah, that isn¡¯t bird, is it?¡± Yuuri who was tilting her head before my eyes was so charming. I had no younger sister, but if I were to have any, I wonder if she would be just as adorable? ¡°If it¡¯s a monster near here, then Blood Eagle?¡± ¡°Uwaa. A blood-stained eagle would be scarryyyy.¡± ¡°Ahaha. It¡¯s not the eagle¡¯s blood, but the eagle has its prey¡¯s blood stained over it.¡± ¡°Ukyaa. That¡¯s even scarieeeer.¡± Yuuri who was truly frightened was comforting herself by rubbing Noir¡¯s face. It sometimes glared at me in criticism, but I guess that was just my imagination. Un. It was really interesting. Priest Frank. You once told me that the world was so vast. And now, a brand new world was laid out before my eyes. O God. I really am grateful to you for granting me a life in this world. CH 32 Translator¡¯s Note: Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s epilogue for the current arc, not for the whole series. One week passed by after defeating the Goblin King. We returned to the Izel fort and led some hectic days. Although the Monster Flood ended, the monsters in the Demon Forest still continued to increased. But that also calmed down after a while. That was why, it was time to seriously think of the future. Going a little bit south from here would lead us to the Earth Labyrinth. If one were to go there, one could find the key to the Sage Tower. The ones who would accompany me were Amanda-san and Argo-san who had received one year holiday after the Monster Flood. Also Frank-san who said that it looked fun, so he would be tagging along. And then, there was one more person. It was Karin-san who was conducting a research on slimes at the Izel fort. Actually, the slimes of this world were living together with people and were very helpful. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere and seeing this message, chances are you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Long time ago, there was a certain monster researcher who had an eye on the special characteristic that anything put in the slime¡¯s body would melt. Then, the slimes underwent a selective breeding so that they won¡¯t attack people and could only process trashes. With that, the slime farmers increased, and it seemed that they were dealing with trashes and leftovers. The slimes that had undergone selective breeding were transparent just like jelly, and they didn¡¯t multiply arbitrarily. ¡°But look, they only multiply when they¡¯re given food during Slime day, don¡¯t you know?¡± My eyes turned round at Amanda-san¡¯s explanation. ¡°Slime day¡­What is it¡­?¡± For some reason, it was a slime circumstances that I hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Even in Elysia Online, nobody said anything about keeping slimes in their houses! In addition, it¡¯s my first time hearing about Slime day. ¡°Slime day is the longest day of the year.¡± Hmm. In other words, Slime day is a summer solstice. ¡°What happens to the multiplied slimes?¡± ¡°About that, you see. People who throw them away never cease to exist.¡± ¡°Throw them away?¡± ¡°After that, don¡¯t they become wild and stray slimes? That¡¯s why there are lots of slimes around the towns and around the forts.¡± ¡°Stray slimes¡­¡± Moreover, it seems that they mutate based on what they eat, and this is still being researched upon. Karin-san, an expert in the slimes, was¡ªhow should I put it?¡ªshe was a very peculiar person. She was a slime mania who even had a slime-shaped hat and she wore a pair of thick glasses, perhaps it was because she overdid herself during the research. She was seventeen years old, but she was a person whose speech was really old-fashioned. The clothes she was wearing were shrine maiden-like. That Karin-san said that she wanted to go together with us in order to study the slimes. Eh-. I wonder if that¡¯s alright? Also, the beastman Virna-san too¡ª ¡°Eeh. Virna-san also wants to come along?¡± ¡°Yeah. The men over there threw the Izel fort¡¯s priesthood to Simon. The [Dawn¡¯s Seeker] has been inactive for awhile.¡± In response to Virna-san who said that as she shrugged her shoulders, Frank-san laughed with his lively voice. ¡°Hahhaha. Sorry, Virna.¡± ¡°Frank, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit cruel?¡± ¡°But well, it¡¯s also a good opportunity for you. After going through the Earth Labyrinth, we will be going to the Fire Labyrinth that¡¯s located in the Urg beast kingdom. You can return home after a long time.¡± This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Frank-san shrugged his shoulders and Luan was sweetly crying, ¡°Kyukyuu¡± on top of his head as if it was agreeing. Waa. So cute. Noir who was at my feet rubbed its body on me as if it understood that I was thinking Luan was cute. ¡°Nyaa.¡± Geez. How can my child be this cute? This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters As I held Noir up in my arms, I said, ¡°I like Noir the best!¡± as I hugged the small black cat tightly. Yo~sh. Let¡¯s seek the key to the Sage Tower, and let¡¯s do my best despite being small. Ou~! CH 33 A month after the Monster Flood, the adventurers and the royal chivalric order that was gathered in the fort¡ªeach of them went away from the Izel fort. The ones who remained were only [The Dawn¡¯s Seeker] whose party movements were indefinitely postponed by Frank-san¡¯s absurdity. The leader, Simon-san, was to assume the duties of a priest in the Izel fort on behalf of Frank-san, so their movements were suspended. Though thanks to that, the beastman Virna-san would be able to go together with me to explore the labyrinth. The remaining members, Gazad-san would be returning to the Dwarf republic to concentrate on blacksmithing for some time, while Naruruth-san the elf seemed like she would be staying in the Izel fort in order to study the rejuvenated Demon Forest. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Since the elf that usually won¡¯t leave their own country would be staying in the fort, the knights seemed to become excited, but unfortunately, they didn¡¯t seem to be able to catch Naruruth-san¡¯s eyes. Yeah. Things like they were too young¡­ C-certainly, I heard that the elves were famous for their longevity, but no matter how you look at it, she seemed to be eighteen-year-old? Just how old is Naruruth-san¡­? Actually, Frank-san seemed to have heard about it, that Naruruth-san herself wasn¡¯t even sure about that. She only answered with, ¡°I¡¯m still a young tree¡±, but were the elves born from the trees?! ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Elves are born from the flowers.¡± ¡°Flowers, huh?¡± After the Monster Flood ended, not many strong monsters appeared in the vicinity of the Demon Forest. And so, today, I am accompanying Karin-san with her slime research. Of course it would be dangerous with just me and Karin-san alone, so Amanda-san, Virna-san, Argo-san, and Frank-san were also there. It included all members who would be going to the Earth Labyrinth together, so it seemed like we would be grasping our coordination from now on. ¡°On the first day, God created the fairies from the light that flooded the earth. On the second day, God created the elves from the flowers that bloomed beautifully on the earth. On the third day, God created the dwarves from the shining stones in the earth. On the fourth day, God created the beastmen from the beasts running around the earth. On the fifth day, God created the humans from the soil blessed for its abundance in the earth. On the sixth day, the elves, dwarves, beastmen, and the humans were fighting over the land¡¯s hegemony. At that time, the demons were created from the blood spilled to the earth. On the seventh day, God lamented over the sight of people quarrelling over the land. A drop of the God¡¯s tear fell to the earth, forming a river and a forest, and from there, the demonic beasts were born.¡± This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters A bright voice flowed from Karin-san¡¯s mouth. If not for the slime hat that was put on her head, it would make a very beautiful scenery befitting of a painting. ¡°The Book of Genesis, isn¡¯t it?¡± What Karin-san hummed was some phrases from the [Book of Genesis] that played out during Elysia Online¡¯s opening. The opening where one could witness the birth of each race in a 3D and 360 degree full screen was really beautiful that I wouldn¡¯t be bored no matter how many times I watched it. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a myth, so I don¡¯t know to what extent is it true, but the elves compare themselves to trees. When they are small, they are called as [the small young leaves].¡± ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s my first time hearing that.¡± Amanda-san looked at Karin-san in surprise. It seemed like Argo-san¡¯s first time hearing it too, so he was surprised. In comparison, Frank-san and Virna-san who were in the same party as Naruruth-san seemed to have known about it, as they weren¡¯t surprised at all. ¡°When they are adolescent, they are called as [the fresh verdure saplings]. Naruruth-san is in that group. Upon becoming adults, they will become [the dignified mature tree], and finally they will become [the wise old tree].¡± He~. It felt like following a tree¡¯s evolution. Interesting. ¡°But we won¡¯t be able to tell one from another if we go by the same names, right?¡± I nodded at Amanda-san¡¯s question. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Elves are able to put magical powers in names. That¡¯s how they are able to be called differently.¡± ¡°Is it Kotodama?1¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ooh. So Kotodama is the elves¡¯ peculiar magic?! The guild master, Cecilia-san was an elf, so I have seen it in use before. Fighting magic that uses plants and thorny whips really suit them. Come to think of it, I remembered that there was a certain person that was famous in a group of people called as the queen, although the person behind her should be an uncle. How nostalgic. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Can the kotodama be used to summon the slimes?¡± ¡°If only that¡¯s possible, that¡¯d save us a lot of troubles!¡± As Amanda-san pointed that out, Karin-san¡¯s mouth formed the character of ¡®¤Ø¡¯. Karin-san¡¯s ambition of taming slimes with Cure was, unfortunately, a failure. The arranged slimes all fled to the forest. How unfortunate. I thought we would be able to find Purun a friend. Purun is my new friend that I gained during the time we searched for slimes the other day. It was a very adorable slime, you see? It had candies or other sweets as its meal. It was transparent, so lots of colour felt like they were mixed in it. If one were to give it various candies, it would turn into pretty colour~. The blue slime that Karin-san brought along was also cute, but my child won¡¯t lose to it, okay? But Karin-san seemed like she wanted to keep another slime besides the slime that was tamed by making it drink the holy water. As for why, it was because my Purun could understand what people say better than Karin-san¡¯s slime. But I think that wouldn¡¯t it be because of my subjugation skill? However, Karin-san said that taming it by Cure and the holy water might make them different, and she was hoping that she could investigate that matter! Still, every-thing, it ended up in a failure¡­ Once, there was a transparent slime in Izel fort, but it was still needed to clean up the fort, so it couldn¡¯t be handed over. Amanda-san witnessed Karin-san trying to take it stealthily, only to be scolded by the cafetaria auntie. That was why, everyone invited her to go look for slimes in order to cheer up the disheartened Karin-san. Karin-san¡¯s favorite peculiar slime-san. Just where could you be~? CH 34 ¡°It¡¯s not that easy finding peculiar slimes, huh?¡± Amanda-san pointed at the green slime in front of her who was vigorously jumping around. We~ll¡­ Certainly, there are a lot of green and brown slimes, but slimes of other colors can¡¯t be seen anywhere. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters he transparent slimes¡¯ amount increased due to the slime farmers, and their variation would be decided based on the first food they ate after leaving the barrier. Therefore, the green slimes were results of them eating leaves, while the brown slimes were results of them eating the soil. Speaking of which, Karin-san¡¯s slime was blue because it was a variant that ate the holy water. It doesn¡¯t have a name up until now, so I think it will be very nice if it were given a name. That¡¯s right. Shall I try giving her some recommendations? ¡°Karin-san, you haven¡¯t named that slime?¡± I tried asking while seeing the specially made slime pouch that was hanging on Karin-san¡¯s waist. The blue slime should be inside that pouch. ¡°¡­Done.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Karin-san mumbled some words, but I wasn¡¯t able to catch her words, so I tried asking once again. ¡°I said that I¡¯ve already named it!¡± ¡°Is that so? What name is it?¡± Whoa. It already has a name~. I wonder what kind of a name it is? ¡°Maximillian Jr.¡± ¡°¡ªEh?¡± ¡°How¡¯s it? Isn¡¯t it a wonderful name?¡± Karin-san stuck out her flat chest triumphantly, but¡­isn¡¯t it too splendid of a name for a slime¡­? ¡°What¡¯s with that name? It isn¡¯t slime-ish.¡± Everyone nodded when Amanda-san pointed it out. It seems like a name of some king from somewhere. ¡°It¡¯s the name of a demon researcher who studied the slime¡¯s ecology. Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no way we¡¯d know.¡± Saying that, Amanda-san shook her hand. Aah, so that¡¯s the name of the researcher who did a selective breeding on the slimes. I see~. She took that person¡¯s name, turning it into such a splendid name for the slime. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve given it a name, as it will make it easier to communicate its mind now.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± Karin-san suddenly approached me and grasped both of my shoulders with vigor. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters I-it hurts! It hurts, you see! ¡°Nyaaaaaaa!¡± Noir realized that I was hurting, so it jumped from my feet to my shoulder as it tried to scratch Karin-san¡¯s hand with its claws. ¡°Wait, Noir! You can¡¯t scratch her!¡± It¡¯s just that everyone¡¯s already being cautious because Noir is a magical beast, so it can¡¯t be angry with just this. ¡°Nyauuu. Nyaunyau.¡± Noir protested, but I told it that I was fine. ¡°S-sorry. I was just too excited.¡± Karin-san realized that she put too much strength and let go of my shoulders. Without a moment¡¯s delay, Amanda-san hugged me tight from behind. Ah¡­ Amanda-san¡¯s breasts were right on top of my head. ¡°Jeez. Yuuri-chan is still small, so you have to properly adjust your strength.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I accidentally did it as I was too excited¡­No, but this is very interesting.¡± Karin-san folded her arms and tilted her head, thinking. Then, suddenly, she raised her thick glasses using her index finger. ¡°Mine didn¡¯t change even after giving it a name, but this little girl¡¯s slime had changes, huh? ¡­Hmm. What¡¯s the difference between me and this little girl? It¡¯s whether or not we can use a foreign country¡¯s magic. Then, is it possible for Elysian people to learn the foreign country¡¯s magic? Hmm. I conclude that it is possible. The reason behind it is that the sham priest was able to learn how to hurl the heal. ¡­Which brings us to¡­¡± ¡­The sham priest, could she mean Frank-san? Could it be that Karin-san doesn¡¯t call people other than Amanda-san with their names¡­? T-that couldn¡¯t be. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Yosh, little girl. Let¡¯s form a party!¡± I shook the hand that she held out. I said, even if you don¡¯t shake your hand like that, we can still form a party properly! ¡°Little girl. Did we manage to form a party?¡± ¡°Please wait for a bit. Party Window Open.¡± At my words, a transparent window was opened. Yup. It was a success. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s fine.¡± At my words, Karin-san raised up both her hands in fists. ¡°Right now, I will be witnessing the greatest breakthrough in the history of the slime research. Everyone, you¡¯d better thank me!¡± Then, a blue slime was taken out from within the pouch on her waist, along with her sonorous declaration. ¡°Maximillian Jr.! Got it, your name is Maximillian Jr.!¡± Being the center of everyone¡¯s attention, the blue slime shivered. CH 35 Being the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, the blue slime that was placed on the ground, Maximillian Jr., was wobbling. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s measure your understanding of our wish!¡± Karin-san said, and I watched over them cautiously while wondering just how she was going to do that. Apparently it was not only me, as the others were also holding their breaths while we were watching. ¡°Now, Maximillian Jr. [Hand]!¡± Karin-san said as she crouched, smiling and extended her hand towards the slime. The blue slime continued to wobble. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?! Give me your [hand].¡± The slime was wobbling. ¡°Hey, hurry!¡± The slime continued to wobble. ¡°Maximillian Jr., what¡¯s wrong?¡± The slime was¡­ This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°¡­Hm. It seems there¡¯s no effect at all.¡± No wait, I think that¡¯s obvious, though?! After all, slimes do not have hands, do they?! ¡°Karin¡­may I have a word with you?¡± Amanda-san pressed her forehead as she called Karin-san with a low voice. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do slimes have hands?¡± ¡°Amanda, what absurdity are you spewing? There¡¯s no way slimes could have hands. Generally, slimes have jellylike round sphere form that makes them beautiful. You can say that it¡¯s their flawless beauty. Despite that, it¡¯s so sad that you don¡¯t understand the magnificence of this form. This form, you see¡ª¡± ¡°Stop, stop! What I wanted to talk about isn¡¯t the slimes¡¯ shape, but it¡¯s the fact that they don¡¯t have hands, so even if you asked for its [hand], it won¡¯t be able to do it.¡± ¡°Hmph. So that¡¯s it.¡± Hearing Amanda-san¡¯s words, Karin-san nodded and pointed at me. Eh. M-me?! I, the slime¡¯s hand¡ª Ahh. ¡°The little girl there had asked [hand] from the slime. Therefore, it¡¯s nothing that Maximillian Jr. can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Yuuri-chan did it?¡± ¡°Jou-chan, you did such an interesting thing.¡± Argo-san and Frank-san who had been silent until now were surprised and looked at me. Virna-san was speechless, but her ears were twitching. Wait, wait. There¡¯s an explanation to that! Flustered, I pushed my hands forward. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually ask for Purun¡¯s hand, I was just instructing Noir.¡± Noir is a magical beast, so it might be different from others, but Noir is still from the cat family at first glance, so I was wondering if it could give me its hand, so I tried it out. Cats might not do a handshake, but I still wanted to test it out. ¡°Hey, Yuuri-chan. What is the [hand] command?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± When I was asked that, I wonder if this world doesn¡¯t keep any pet like dogs or cats? Could it be that ordinary animals don¡¯t exist because magical beasts exist? If ordinary dogs don¡¯t exist here¡­Yup. It might be a little bit too unreasonable to have magical beasts as pets. I glanced up at Virna-san¡¯s beast ears. There is no custom of keeping animals as pets in this world, so I wonder if Virna-san likes Noir. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Uhm. Hypothetically speaking, it¡¯s when I extend the palm of my hand to Noir and then Noir reacts by placing its hand on top of mine, but¡­it hasn¡¯t done it yet until now¡ªhuh? Eeh?!¡± As I explained how to complete the [hand] command, Noir¡¯s forefeet were placed on top of my hand! ¡°Amanda-san! It¡¯s Noir¡¯s first time giving me its hands! Uwaa, uwaa, I¡¯m so happy! How cute!¡± I reflexively hugged Noir and lifted it high up in the air. Noir! How smart are you?! ¡°Little girl! Let me hear something about the slimes, not Noir!¡± ¡°Ah. That¡¯s right.¡± I hugged Noir closely as I stuck out my tongue and shrugged. Ehehe. Since it¡¯s the first time Noir managed to follow the [hand] command, I was unconsciously getting too excited. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Karin-san. U-hm, about that. At that time, I was dejected because Noir wouldn¡¯t give me its hand, so Purun who was right beside me did the command in exchange.¡± And the way it did the hand command was by nimbly bouncing and getting on top of my palm. ¡®Eeh, that¡¯s how the [hand] command works?!¡¯ Everyone was surprised. I thought that it might be just a coincidence but when I tried it again, it jumped on top of my palm again. Amazing, right? I was unconsciously moved that I ended up bringing Purun with both hands like now and turned around. ¡°Why?! Why can this little girl¡¯s slime do the [hand] command, while my Maximillian Jr. won¡¯t do it?!¡± ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s because I have a subjugation skill, and the level of the skill is quite high?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier that if I were to give it a name, we would come to understand each other, little girl? Is it just a lie?¡± ¡°U-hmm¡­How should I put it? The subjugation skill is a skill that enables us to tame monsters. If we were to give the tamed monsters names using the skill, the monster¡¯s power will be increased, and furthermore it seems to be able to understand what we¡¯re saying¡­I mean, I feel like that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°How can we acquire the so-called subjugation skill?¡± This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters If you ask how we can acquire it, uhm¡­ ¡°I think I acquired it the moment I tamed Noir, but I don¡¯t understand. I managed to acquire it before I even noticed.¡± ¡°Before you even noticed, huh? ¡­Hmph, then there¡¯s a possibility that I have already acquired it. But the [hand] command didn¡¯t succeed. ¡­Why is that?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­maybe it¡¯s because the level of your subjugation skill is still too low? How about we try to use commands that are easier to understand? For example, ride on my palm?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try it out.¡± Karin-san crouched once more and extended her palm towards the slime. ¡°Maximillian Jr., ride on top of my palm.¡± As Karin-san said it, Maximillian Jr. wobbled and wobbled before it did a big jump and rode on top of Karin-san¡¯s palm. Hooray-! Success! In celebration of this success, everyone at this place did a high five! CH 36 Amidst the excitement of having Maximillian Jr. learning how to do the [hand] command, Karin-san suddenly stood up with the slime still riding on her hand. ¡°Hmm¡­Something smells. It smells.¡± Karin-san¡¯s nose was twitching. When I turned to look at her line of sight, there was Frank-san with Luan who was on top of his head as usual¡­ C-could it be¡­? ¡°Eew, Frank. You were the one who did it, weren¡¯t you?!¡± Amanda-san distanced herself from Frank-san quickly, still carrying me. Virna-san who was beside Frank-san also nonchalantly moved. ¡°Wha, what are you talking about, Amanda? It¡¯s not me.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± Luan also protested from the top of Frank-san¡¯s head. But Karin-san was approaching Frank-san with her nose still twitching. ¡°Hm hm. This smell is!¡± ¡°So it¡¯s Frank who smells, right? Did you properly wash yourself with the clean magic?¡± Amanda-san distanced herself further from Frank-san, and he shouted, ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± Contrary to Amanda-san who took a step behind, Karin-san stood in front of Frank-san with her nose snorting and¡ªthen she passed by him. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Eh?¡± Huh? It¡¯s not Frank-san¡¯s smell? ¡°Hm hm hm. What¡¯s with this smell? It¡¯s a smell that I¡¯ve never sniffed until now. Is it fire¡­? No, it¡¯s a bit different. This scent that tingles the depth of my nose¡ªcan it be a new slime variety?! Uh huh. This is very interesting!¡± A new slime variety? Amazing. If it were really discovered, wouldn¡¯t it be a great discovery? Karin-san quickly entered the forest. Odd enough, the road doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s an animal¡¯s trail, but it has a width that¡¯s enough to let people pass through. Sometimes, the trees¡¯ branches hinder one from passing through, but if one were to slightly bend down, one can just pass through. ¡°Wait, Karin, where are you going?¡± ¡°Hm. It¡¯s still ahead.¡± ¡°¡­She doesn¡¯t hear us at all, does she?¡± With Amanda-san¡¯s length of hair, it was apparently caught in the branches at times, so she often stopped. It would be nice if we have something like the hair tie¡­ Ah. When I looked inside my cat pouch, I took out the thing I was searching for. Ta-da! Hibiscus barrette, white version! It was an item that I got from when there was an event called as [The Midsummer Beach Party] in [Elysia Online], and since it was an accessory meant to be combined with a swimsuit, it was a barrette. We could choose between red or white, and I picked white. Using this, we would be able to put the hair in order, I guess. I also obtained a bikini swimsuit, but it didn¡¯t suit me so I hadn¡¯t worn it, but someday, I could let Amanda-san¡­ ¡°Amanda-san, please use this.¡± ¡°Oh my, what is it?¡± Amanda-san received the barrette and blinked looking at it. It seemed like she didn¡¯t understand how to use it, so I had Amanda-san crouch down and I put her hair in order. ¡°This is how we use it, how is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very nice! But isn¡¯t this a valuable item?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I have a lot of the same thing.¡± During the event, we could gather the items several times, and I actually had had ten of it. In addition, the white hibiscus barrette suited Amanda-san, so I was so happy to see it being used by her. ¡°And this is how you should attach it. See, it suits you a lot. Hey, don¡¯t you think so, Argo-san?¡± ¡°Yeah. It suits her well. Won¡¯t it be good if you show it to Georg later?¡± When Argo-san said the latter part, Amanda-san smiled brilliantly. ¡°Fufuu. Is that so? Yuuri-chan thinks so, too?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters After all, Amanda-san is so beautiful and gentle, she¡¯s an ideal woman. How nice. I also want to be a woman like Amanda-san. ¡°Amanda, it seemed like the professor found something.¡± While we were being relaxed like this, Karin-san, Frank-san, and Virna-san who went along with her returned. ¡°Did you find something?¡± ¡°¡­It would be faster for you to see.¡± We rushed up to follow Virna-san, but since I was so small, I couldn¡¯t go fast. ¡°Ah.¡± I was about to fall down after getting my foot caught on the grass, but Argo-san propped me from behind. ¡°Your foothold isn¡¯t so good, huh? I¡¯ll carry you.¡± And then, just like that¡­ Eeeeeh, I¡¯m being princess-carried?! ¡°Eh. W-wait a minute, please!¡± ¡°Oh my, Argo. Aren¡¯t you so thoughtful? Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Amanda-san turned around to take a glance at me, and seeing that I was being princess-carried, her running speed increased. Argo-san¡¯s speed also increased to match hers and¡ª Uwaaah! I can¡¯t open my eyes due to the wind pressure-. With my eyes tightly shut, a stinking scent that made the depth of my nose tingle floated in the air. Eh? I felt like I had smelled this scent before, somewhere¡­ Feeling that Argo-san stopped walking, I opened my eyes and a scenery that didn¡¯t suit one that should be in the middle of a forest unfolded before my eyes. Beyond the forest, an isolated small fountain was seen. There were some rocks surrounding it, and there was fire rising up from the cracks. ¡°How odd. It should have been a slime¡¯s smell, but¡­¡± Karin-san said as she began to crawl on all fours sniffing the ground. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°¡­A slime¡¯s smell?¡± Come to think of it, Karin-san often said that ¡°it¡¯s a slime¡¯s smell¡±, but when I sniffed Purun, it didn¡¯t have any smell, though? I wonder if everyone of this world can tell a slime¡¯s smell? ¡°Karin¡¯s nose is special. For some reason, she can tell a slime¡¯s smell.¡± ¡°Hwaa.¡± Is that so? ¡­Somehow it feels like it¡¯s amazing? Karin-san was still crawling on all fours as she went beside the fountain. We also followed behind her. ¡°Huh? The steam is rising up.¡± When I touched the fountain with my hand, it was warm. Ah. I see. I thought that I¡¯ve smelled this scent before, so it turns out to be the scent of sulfur? ¡°This is onsen!¡± ¡°Onsen?¡±1 Karin-san asked as she put her hand in the fountain as well. ¡°It means warm fountain. In Japan, we warm our bodies by entering onsen. Depending on the place, it can also be effective in treating illness.¡± ¡°Hou. So it has that kind of effects, huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if this onsen has that kind of effects, but I¡¯m sure that we will feel healed.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­It seems that I can¡¯t find any slime, so why don¡¯t we try entering this onsen?¡± Wha, Karin-san was suddenly about to take off her clothes, please stooooop! There are Frank-san and Argo-san hereeeeeeeee! CH 37 ¡°Wait a minute, Karin, what are you doing?¡± Amanda-san and Virna-san rushed to stop Karin-san who was about to undress. However, Karin-san seemed like she didn¡¯t understand why she should stop, and her mouth formed the ¡®¤Ø¡¯ shape in dissatisfaction. ¡°We¡¯re going to enter this onsen, right? If so, we need to do it so we can test out its effects.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there are Argo and Frank here, you know? Please put more thoughts into it!¡± Yes, yes. Argo-san smiled bitterly, while Frank-san crossed his arms and his eyes evidently showed that he was troubled. But what came out of his mouth was something outrageous. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°I don¡¯t mind even a bit. Not just Karin, but what about Amanda and Virna also enter the onsen? We will be keeping watch, so please be rest assured.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t feel rest assured the most if it¡¯s you, Frank.¡± Amanda-san huffed in anger, then Argo-san raised his voice, ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better for us to go in first? If it¡¯s bad for your body, then Frank can heal it using Cure.¡± Ah, I see. I was unconsciously celebrating the fact that we found an onsen, but I didn¡¯t know if this world¡¯s onsen would be the same as the onsens in Japan or not. But, I put my hand in the hot water earlier and my condition didn¡¯t turn strange, so wouldn¡¯t that be alright? In addition¡­I¡¯d like to enter an onsen. After all, I¡¯ve only been cleaning my body by having Amanda-san use the Clean magic on me ever since coming into this world, and I hadn¡¯t entered a bath, not even once. Since we¡¯ve finally found an onsen, I¡¯d absolutely want to soak in it-! ¡°But I put my hand in it earlier and I¡¯m fine? That¡¯s why, I¡¯d like to enter it!¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Even Yuuri-chan, just what are you saying¡­¡± Next to Amanda-san who protested, Virna-san supported me. ¡°Come to think of it, I have heard about a spring that could fasten wound healing in the Urg Beast Kingdom.¡± ¡°Virna¡­Aren¡¯t you just saying that you¡¯d like to enter the onsen?¡± Amanda-san asked in a low voice, but Virna-san¡¯s tail was swaying, and that became her answer. It was now 3-on-1 on Amanda-san, and so she heaved a long sigh. ¡°I understand that everyone wants to enter the onsen. But Argo and Frank are here, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t mind¡ªit hurts! What¡¯s up, Argo?¡± Argo-san strongly tapped on Frank-san¡¯s arms until it made a sound. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right, it will be fine as long as we¡¯re going to keep watch of the surroundings, right? Though I have to say that as long as Noir is here, it should be okay, I think.¡± ¡°Noir, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. As long as Noir becomes bigger, I think nothing will come attacking unless it¡¯s a strong monster that won¡¯t be frightened by Noir¡¯s presence?¡± A-as expected of Noir! On top of being cute and smart, Noir can even become a guard! Uhm, how do I say it? Noir isn¡¯t a watchdog, but it is a watchcat? ¡°Mu¡­Then does that mean that the slimes will flee as long as Noir is here?¡± Karin-san¡¯s thick glasses glittered. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°I wonder about that. With its size right now, its legendary beast presence isn¡¯t that strong, so I don¡¯t think the slimes will run?¡± ¡°Hmm. Then that¡¯s good.¡± Karin-san was quickly satisfied with it and declared, ¡°Yosh, then let¡¯s enter the onsen!¡± Now then, it was decided that by the time we entered the onsen, Noir was to turn big¡ªinto a watchcat, but Argo-san and Frank-san apparently would be keeping watch of the surroundings. Not only monsters, but it would be troublesome if someone from the Izel fort were to encounter us here inadvertently. But even as we¡¯re going to enter the onsen, it would be troublesome if we were to be stark naked if something were to happen. Although Karin-san was much eager to undress¡­ Amanda-san and Virna-san were talking about entering with their underwears, so I proposed something else, for I possessed something good. That¡¯s right! That is the swimsuit that I received during the event along with the hibiscus barrette~! Moreover, I have every kind of swimsuits~. I¡¯d give the red bikini to Amanda-san. Then the aqua one piece to Karin-san. And for Virna-san, it¡¯d be a white tankini. As for me¡­the only remaining one was the school swimsuit, so I¡¯d be wearing that. ¡­Besides, it¡¯s also the only one whose size fits me¡­ We put a pareo on a tree¡¯s branch for blindfold while we were changing, so it was fine! Karin-san seemed to be bad at taking off her clothes, so Amanda-san and I decided to enter the onsen first! Hurra~y! Onsen, onsen! Noir who grew bigger was sleeping next to the onsen. On top of its back, Purun and Maximillian Jr. were jiggling together. Hou~. Adorable. ¡°I¡¯ll try entering first.¡± With her outstanding physique, Amanda-san slowly entered the onsen first. As far as I could see, there seemed to be no abnormality in her condition. ¡°It isn¡¯t that deep. If it¡¯s like this, Yuuri-chan can enter.¡± The pair of melons that floated in front of Amanda-san who was soaked in the steaming onsen¡­Ah, wrong. It was her breasts. Uwaa. Her breasts were big, and they could float like this. Her long hair was tied up with the barrette, and some of the straggling hair was sticking to her nape, and that was quite sexy. Fuwaaaaaa. I felt like having blood rushing to my head even before entering the onsen! CH 38 After pulling myself together, I tried entering the onsen. ¡°Fwaaaa. It¡¯s an onsen.¡± My voice ended up leaking due to how good it felt. When I tried to scoop the hot water using my palm, it was slightly white. Ooh~. For some reason, I felt like it would have an amazing effect. ¡°Yuuri-chan, it¡¯s okay to sit over here.¡± As Amanda-san beckoned me, I approached her, and there was a place that slightly stood out. I see. If I were to sit here, I won¡¯t be drown even if I were to soak my shoulders with the hot water. ¡°Waa. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Yuuri-chan is small, so it will be bad if you were to drown, right?¡± ¡°It will be alright as long as I stand~¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get tired, then.¡± Certainly, I might be getting my priorities backward if I were to exhaust myself in order to enter the onsen to relieve my fatigue. N~. But having an onsen after a while for the first time is sure nicee. As I stretched out with all my strength, Karin-san and Virna-san finished preparing and turned up. Uwaa. Virna-san¡¯s dark skin suited the white tankini¡­Moreover, her tail could be seen well. Tail¡­How I¡¯d like to touch it. N¡­no good. Only their family and lover could touch the beastman¡¯s tail, so I have to be patient. Let¡¯s enjoy Noir¡¯s tail later on. Noir growled, ¡°Nigyaa,¡± and its large tail was hitting the ground as if it could hear my heart¡¯s voice. Un. As expected, petting Noir is the best! Perhaps hearing the words I whispered in my heart, Noir¡¯s tail began to swing in a good spirit. Since even its tail got bigger, I should give it lots of petting after this. ¡°Karin¡­How about taking off your hat?¡± I nodded my head at Amanda-san¡¯s astonished words. Since she was still wearing her slime hat despite entering the onsen. The one piece swimsuit¡­Yup. It matched Karin-san¡¯s figure¡­I guess? ¡°We don¡¯t have to let our heads get wet when entering the onsen, right? This hat is my favorite.¡± ¡°Certainly, you don¡¯t have to let it get wet, but it¡¯s going to get out of shape due to the moisture.¡± Karin-san looked at the steam that was rising up from the onsen, then at Amanda-san, and then again at the steam. ¡°Hm¡­Is it better to remove it?¡± Karin-san turned behind, asking Virna-san who had helped her change, and not Amanda-san. ¡°I think so, too.¡± ¡°Hmph. Then I¡¯ll remove it.¡± Karin-san readily agreed and took off her hat. Incidentally, she also removed her thick glasses that would just get blurred due to the steam. Eeeeeeeeeeh?! W-wait a minute. Who is this beautiful girl?! Moreover, her ears are pointed? Could it be that Karin-san was an elf, huhhhh?! Amanda-san noticed that I was staring at Karin-san in wonder. ¡°Oh my, Yuuri-chan, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Karin-san was an elf all along?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You didn¡¯t know? You weren¡¯t surprised when the trees formed a path when we came here, so I thought you already knew.¡± The trees formed a path? Uhhmm, that thing that was like an animal trail, it was all thanks to Karin-san? Ah, I see. Did she order the plants using the kotodama magic?1 I totally didn¡¯t realize it. Or rather, I closed my eyes while Argo-san carried me, so I hadn¡¯t seen it. ¡°Speaking of elves, I thought of them as a mystical race of beautiful men and women¡­Haa.¡± Amanda-san heaved a long sigh. Certainly, the image of elves that I had up until now was starting to crumble¡­ ¡°Naruruth is so elf-like, but Karin is¡­¡± Amanda-san sighed as she poured hot water on her shoulders. I was troubled over where I should look at, since she was so sexy. ¡°I said it myself, but is it true that the elves who left the forest were all weirdos?¡± ¡°Yeah. Then, that Naruruth too?¡± Naruruth-san, who was the magician at the [Dawn¡¯s Seeker] to which Virna-san belonged to, was a bit of a cold beauty, and she had a detached atmosphere that could be said to be very elf-like, but¡­I wonder if she was as weird as Karin-san? ¡°Yeah. She left the forest because she wants to taste all the alcohol around the world.¡± ¡°Alcohol?!¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t even eat, she only drinks alcohol. I won¡¯t be surprised to hear that the thing flowing along her body isn¡¯t blood, but alcohol.¡± Somehow, I was shocked to know a heavy drinker and a slime mania as the examples of the elves. The two are certainly beautiful, but¡­I thought that the elves were more of a mystical existence¡­ Uwaaaan. Return my admiration for the elveeeeees! CH 39 Perhaps thanks to entering onsen yesterday, my body was pleasantly warm that I slept soundly. As expected, making your body clean using the cleaning magic wasn¡¯t enough, it was important to use hot water and relax. ¡°Nyaan.¡± Pururun. When I woke up and stretched in the room where the morning sun shone, Noir and Purun were there to greet me. The two of them were sleeping together every day inside the basket bed that Georg-san specially made. ¡°Good morning, Noir and Purun. Amanda-san has gone to training, hasn¡¯t she?¡± The knight Amanda-san started her morning early. I used to wake up when the sun rose and then went to the training grounds, but lately I¡¯ve been oversleeping, and I always woke up after Amanda-san left. Uu¡­I wanted to wake up a bit earlier, but I couldn¡¯t seem to do that. I wonder if I felt relaxed after getting used to this world. But, that seems like a good thing¡­? I washed my face using the washbasin that was on top of the table and then I changed my pajamas. And then when I opened the window to let the air circulate, I realized that the courtyard was noisy. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s the matter?¡± In the courtyard, there was a somewhat gaudy group. There was someone who was awfully dressed up and the ones who seemed to be his followers. T-that person, isn¡¯t he a dwarf?! Next to the dressed up person, there was a green-skinned person. He was a dwarf, the same race as Gazad-san who was in the same party as Virna-san. When I thought about it, Gazad-san and the other members of the [Dawn¡¯s Seeker] appeared in the courtyard. ¡°Well this, this, Sir Agios. It¡¯s been a long time since we last met.¡± As he was called, Simon-san stopped. Ooh. Simon-san is called as Sir Agios, huh? Could it be that he is a noble? Leon-san is a royal prince, and Argo-san is also a noble, so there might be lots of nobles in this world. Simon-san who was called then gave an elegant noble-like greeting. ¡°Count Rainier, it¡¯s been a long time. I didn¡¯t expect us to meet in this kind of a place, so I was surprised.¡± ¡°My son has been taken care of here, after all. So I came here to see his condition since the Monster Flood just ended.¡± ¡°Yeah, he was deployed as a magician here.¡± Ho~. That kind of person existed, huh? I wasn¡¯t really acquainted with magicians other than Serena-san, so I didn¡¯t remember whether or not there was someone named Rainier-san here. ¡°When I last saw Sir Agios, it was before you became a priest, huh? And now, you¡¯ve become a splendid one. With all of his sons flourishing, Marquis Agios is surely at peace.¡± Before Simon-san became a priest, that meant it was quite a long time ago, I guess? But they were amazing, to be able to remember each other¡¯s faces and names. I was quite bad at remembering someone¡¯s name¡­ ¡°No, compared to my elder brothers Lucius and Michael, I¡¯m still inexperienced.¡± ¡°No, no. Sir Agios¡¯ fame has reached the royal capital. I was surprised when I heard that you became an adventurer, but when I heard of your recent activities, I could only hear words of praises that it was as expected of the Agios family¡¯s son.¡± The person called as Count Rainier said with all smiles. He was slightly fat, and he was making a face similar to a raccoon¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s not due to my own power, but it¡¯s thanks to all party members. Thanks to the god¡¯s guidance, I was blessed with amazing comrades.¡± ¡°Ooh. Then, won¡¯t you introduce your amazing comrades to me?¡± ¡°With pleasure. Everyone, this is Count Rainier who¡¯s governing a territory in adjacent to Izel fort. Count Rainier. They are my comrades, Gazad, Virna, and Naruruth.¡± As Simon-san introduced them in order, the three of them bowed. ¡°It¡¯s Gazad. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Virna.¡± ¡°¡­¡± U, uhm¡­I guess they didn¡¯t have the appropriate attitude towards the nobles, but it was also because Gazad-san and the others weren¡¯t Ars Kingdom¡¯s people. ¡­Surely it would be fine, right? ¡°Gazad-dono, aren¡¯t you Krumm¡¯s old acquaintance? Krumm, come here.¡± He said as he called the dwarf next to him. I couldn¡¯t see them well, but he had something like glasses on¡­Ah, wrong. That is a monocle. The dwarf tribe has an image of having a small and stout stature, but Krumm-san is slightly of a small stature and his skin is green. Leaving those traits aside, he has a smart figure akin to a human scholar¡¯s. ¡°Gazad. Long time no see.¡± ¡°Ooh, isn¡¯t it Krumm? Have you been well?¡± Gazad-san tapped Krumm-san¡¯s shoulder and hugged him. Whoa. It was like a foreigner¡¯s greeting. ¡­but well, they are dwarves, so they are really foreigners. ¡°You also played a very active part in the Monster Flood, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not that active. I was only the Izel fort¡¯s hero¡¯s outrider.¡± ¡°His Highness Leonhart, huh¡­? I heard that he defeated the Goblin King in no time. Is he a lot stronger than eight years ago?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But I heard a strange rumour. That a very young girl used a powerful magic to assist His Highness Leonhart¡­¡± Thump! T-that is¡­Could it be, me? Could it be¡­that my existence has become a rumour?! CH 40 No, well, certainly since I used such a flashy magic like that, it couldn¡¯t be helped that I became a rumour. Hm-m. Did I overdo it? But I was quite desperate at that time. When I was thinking about what I should do, Noir who was riding on my shoulder rubbed my cheek and said, ¡°Nyaan¡±. Then, Purun who was riding Noir¡¯s back moved to the shoulder opposite to Noir and rubbed my other cheek. Ahaha. Both of you, that tickles-! ¡°Oh my, Yuuri-chan. You¡¯re awake?¡± Along with the sound of the door opening, Amanda-san came in bringing breakfast. I wonder why? She usually ate meals in the dining room. Perhaps my face expressed my question, since Amanda-san said, ¡°Ah, about this,¡± and lightly lifted the tray she was holding in her hands up. ¡°I heard that there was a noble I didn¡¯t really want to meet coming here, so I¡¯m evacuating.¡± Noble, huh¡­Could it be¡­? When I reflexively turned to look under the window, Amanda-san placed the tray and looked under the window as well. Then, she had a sour expression. ¡°Whoa. Isn¡¯t that Count Rainier? This is the worst¡­¡± ¡°You seem to know each other?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a regular customer at my family¡¯s company. He has an innocent-looking face, but he¡¯s quite a sharp and able person. Anyway, I¡¯m glad that I don¡¯t have to meet him.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He approached me with the intention of making me his second wife.¡± ¡°Eh, but Amanda-san has Georg-san, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I turned him down, but he was quite persistent¡­Count Rainier¡¯s son, Lansley is also here in the Izel fort, so I had tried to turn him down from him, but he wouldn¡¯t give it up. Certainly, it¡¯s true that normally it¡¯d be a great story if the daughter of a merchant family can get married to a noble, moreover quite a wealthy noble, but Count Rainier is a lot older than me, you know? Besides, I don¡¯t plan on marrying someone other than Georg!¡± Awawawa. Amanda-san, your voice is too loud! Sure enough, the racoon-looking person called as Count Rainier looked up. I closed the window in a fluster, but I felt like our eyes met. ¡°This is bad¡­Although I was supposed to be away investigating the Demon Forest, my lie might be exposed.¡± Or rather, I think that it¡¯s certainly exposed. Since our eyes met just now. Moreover, I felt like the dwarf-san next to him called Krumm was also looking up at me. I hope nothing will happen¡­ But my anxiety hit the mark perfectly. I thought that I could spend my time locked up in my room while Count Rainier was staying by asking Virna-san¡¯s cooperation to bring me my meals, but when I was summoned by Serena-san for a magic training¡­ ¨CHe was there. The black-bellied racoon. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? It¡¯s supposed to be Yuuri-chan¡¯s magic training.¡± Amanda-san put her hands on her waist as she reproached Serena-san at the entrance of the underground training grounds. That figure of hers clearly showed anger no matter how you looked at it, but the red pupils that flickered due to the anger was incomparably fascinating. ¡°Count Rainier is an Earth magician. He was going out of his way to teach some Earth magic that I couldn¡¯t teach. I thought that you¡¯d be grateful, so I don¡¯t know why you¡¯d get angry instead.¡± Serena-san didn¡¯t falter from Amanda-san¡¯s sharp gaze, and her beautiful blue eyes were looking at us intently. In her eyes, I couldn¡¯t see any ill intention especially towards Amanda-san. ¡°Have you asked for the leader¡¯s confirmation?¡± ¡°Why must I? Am I not this fort¡¯s head magician? Even if I don¡¯t ask Leonhart-sama, this is still within my authority.¡± ¡°¡ªYou haven¡¯t heard, huh? Yuuri-chan, let¡¯s return.¡± When Amanda-san turned her heels to leave, Count Rainier who had been silent all this time called and stopped her. ¡°There isn¡¯t any need to return this quickly, right? It¡¯s been a while since we last met. Let me see your beautiful visage for a while more.¡± As Count Rainier said that, Amanda-san silently took out and curled up a paper from her pocket. I saw it before, it¡¯s a puff ball that¡¯s used here instead of letters. Amanda-san blew on the puff ball and it quickly became white clumps of snow and flew away. ¡°The leader¡¯s going to be here soon, so if you¡¯d like to see some beautiful face, I think you can just see the leader¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Strong-willed as usual. That¡¯s why you¡¯re good, don¡¯t you think so, Krumm?¡± ¡°Dwarves prefer meek women¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s good to have a strong-willed woman who will turn meek just to me? Really, dwarves are no fun.¡± Count Rainier was laughing, ¡°Kukuku¡­,¡± like a villain. Meanwhile, Krumm-san who was next to him turned his gaze away from Amanda-san, signalling his disinterest. Really. Although he¡¯s Gazad-san¡¯s friend, why is Krumm-san serving Count Rainier who seems quite detestable? It¡¯s a mystery! CH 41 ¡°That¡¯s enough, isn¡¯t it, Amanda? I¡¯d like to start the training soon.¡± Serena-san opened her mouth, without minding Amanda-san¡ªwho was obviously angry¡ªat all. Eeh. You¡¯re saying that, in this kind of atmosphere now? Eeeh? ¡°Meow.¡± I was so surprised that I ended up hugging Noir tightly in spite of myself, thus receiving a protest. Sorry, Noir. ¡°¡­Serena. You¡¯re not able to read the situation as usual, huh?¡± Amanda-san sighed and muttered with an inaudible small voice, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m envious of from nobles.¡± Certainly, I felt that nobles were excellent at expressing their true feelings. The black-bellied racoon in front of me¡­No, I meant Count Rainier was racoon-like, but he was really good at expressing himself without words of gesture. He was currently looking at Amanda-san and Serina-san¡¯s exchange as if he found it fun. ¡°Count Rainier is a busy person. Since he¡¯s able to teach Yuuri some Earth magic, we ought to make good use of the time.¡± ¡°Good grief, you completely don¡¯t understand, do you?¡± Amanda-san put her hand on her forehead before walking in front of me. As soon as she did that, I could no longer see Count Rainier¡¯s figure. This¡­ Is she hiding me? ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re going to return to our room. Yuuri-chan, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Wait, Amanda!¡± Amanda-san turned her back to Serina-san as she took my hand and we left the training grounds. Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m ¡°Amanda-san, is this okay?¡± When I asked in concern, Amanda-san smiled at me, as if telling me to not worry. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll leave it to Leader to think about what to do next. ¡­Eh, dear me, just when we just talked about him, here he comes.¡± At the stairway during our journey to return from the training grounds, we met Leon-san and Argo-san who seemed to be in a hurry. Leon-san was as expressionless as usual, but Argo-san looked worried at first before he heaved a breath of relief. Don¡¯t steal this translation. Convallaria¡¯s Library translated and posted this for free. If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, well¡­ Thieves! ¡°Amanda and Yuuri-chan, did something happen?¡± As Argo-san asked, Amanda-san answered while frowning. ¡°Not only Count Rainier, but Krumm was also there. ¡­Why did he have to bring him along?!¡± ¡°That is¡­bad.¡± ¡°Very. It¡¯s also troubling that Serina couldn¡¯t read the situation. Moreover, she thought that she was in the right, it¡¯s really a bad character of her that she won¡¯t admit her own wrongs.¡± Hm? According to Amanda-san and Argo-san¡¯s conversation, the problematic one wasn¡¯t Count Rainier, but it was Krumm-san who was with him? I wonder why? Isn¡¯t Krumm-san just an ordinary attendant? ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll go to give a warning.¡± Leon-san said and Amanda-san nodded. ¡°Please do. I was also negligent because I thought it was just Serina. I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡± ¡°No. In this case, Serina is the one at fault, so there¡¯s no need for you to apologize, Amanda. ¡­Argo, go to the office with Amanda and Yuuri-chan first. I¡¯ll go there later.¡± ¡°Understood, Leader.¡± Uhm¡­What¡¯s going on? Someone, please explain it to me-! We arrived at the office in silent and for the time being, I sat on the sofa. Noir was on my lap, and on top of Noir¡¯s head was Purun¡ªit was as if Purun was copying Karin-san¡¯s slime hat. ¡°Hmm¡­Speaking about Krumm, it¡¯s that Krumm, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, that Krumm.¡± Argo-san folded his arms as Amanda-san confirmed. I wonder what they meant by saying that Krumm. Is he that famous? As I inclined my head in confusion, Argo-san gave an explanation. ¡°Krumm the dwarf is famous as an artifact researcher.¡± ¡°Artifact, is it?¡± The term ¡®artifact¡¯ also existed in Elysia Online, but I wonder if those two were the same? It is a term for weapons that are called as [the gods¡¯ relics] that are dropped after we defeated the dungeon¡¯s bosses, and they will always have the title of an [artifact] written in their names. For example, the armor dropped by the Moon Goddess, it¡¯s called as [Artifact ¨C Lunaria]. The Ancient Imperial Emperor dropped a weapon called as [Artifact ¨C Kaizer]. Among them, there was an artifact called as [Artifact ¨C Duston] that was famous as a bugged weapon because there were lots of errors in it, but it was a general name for the amazing legendary-class weapons or armours. I also have a set of the [Artifact ¨C Lunaria] armours. The set is splendid since it has an effect of preventing confusion and charm. However, I couldn¡¯t use it now due to the level restrictions, so it was stored deep inside the item box. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s rumored that his monocle is something developed for artifact research purposes.¡± Monocle, in other words, the glasses-like thing? Then, I wonder if Krumm-san invented glasses here? When I asked about it, Argo-san shook his head. Eh? It¡¯s wrong? ¡°It is a kind of magic tool that replaces the appraisal eye.¡± Appraisal eye¡­In other words, if we were to wear that monocle, we would be able to appraise using it, right? I wonder if that means I¡¯d be able to see my own status and everything else? If so¡­Isn¡¯t it quite bad?! CH 42 My current status is like this. Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 26. HP 306 MP 375 Skills Possessed: Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Subjugation 62 Titles: Magic Master Healing Master Stray from Another World Fortune Bringer Panther King¡¯s Friend Yup. Names and level seem fine. As for HP and the others¡­ They are, perhaps, not safe? I wonder what about the skills I possessed? It didn¡¯t detail anything about my magic or recovery, so they might be barely safe? However, I think that the [Titles] are all bad. [Magic Master] and [Healing Master] are fine, but [Stray from Another World] is completely revealing, isn¡¯t it?! Uwaaa¡­ What do I do if Krumm-san were to use his appraisal eye and see this status? ¡°What kind of things can the appraisal tell?¡± In Elysia Online, there wasn¡¯t any skill called as appraisal¡­or it should have been. Advanced level [ninja] might have it, but I had no interest in other job than sage, so I couldn¡¯t really tell. In the first place, since it was a game, there was no need to purposely appraise them. As long as we click it with a mouse, the other party¡¯s name or something¡¯s name will be shown. ¡°It isn¡¯t able to give out a detailed information like the Appraisal Orb in the Adventurer Guild, but I heard hat it could tell the judged party¡¯s forte and magic. For adventurers, it will enable them to immediately appraise the things they discover in the dungeon¡ªlike whether or not it¡¯s cursed¡ªso it¡¯s convenient to have the Appraisal Eye.¡± ¡°Is the Appraisal Eye an innate skill?¡± ¡°Most are, but there are rarely people who acquired them later. In that case, they seem to be the disciples of the people who have Appraisal Eye.¡± In other words, whichever is the case, there shouldn¡¯t be a lot of people who have Appraisal Eye. As expected, acquiring skills in this world isn¡¯t like in the game where you can learn it after entering a specific job system and levelling up. They are either innate or acquired by being taught by someone else. ¡°Krumm is originally the dungeon¡¯s researcher, and he often explored the dungeons along with Gazad before he entered the [Dawn¡¯s Seeker]. But at some point, he was injured in the middle of a battle against the dungeon¡¯s boss. There was a priest there, but it wasn¡¯t just a normal injury, a curse was also in it. Heal wasn¡¯t effective, and he ended up losing his left eye.¡± Hmm~. In other words, the priest¡¯s level was low that they couldn¡¯t dispel the curse, huh? There were battles that involved curses in Elysia Online, too. To dispel a curse, the priest¡¯s level needs to be more than 50 because at that level, they can remember the [Prayer] needed to do that. It¡¯s a skill exclusive to priests, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to use that skill as I¡¯ve changed my job into a sage. How regrettable. I wonder if Frank-san will be able to use it? ¡°Then, Krumm wanted something that could replace the left eye he lost, and with Count Rainier¡¯s backing, he began conducting researches on artifacts.¡± Argo-san¡¯s explanation completed Amanda-san¡¯s. I see~. So that¡¯s what happened. Ah, but, in the end, what are the artifacts in this world? ¡°Artifacts are ancient relics. It¡¯s said that they were made when the humans and the other races were still fighting. But the strong artifact weapons were said to be able to bring the people living in this Elysia and everything to be ruined. Therefore, the god became angry due to it and destroyed the artifacts.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ But there are still some remaining, right?¡± After all, Krumm-san was researching the artifacts. ¡°Yeah. The artifacts still lying deep inside the dungeons escaped the god¡¯s fury.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re what Krumm-san is researching about?¡± ¡°Yeah. Until then, even if the artifacts were to be excavated, they were sealed in the temples because they are relics that can stir the god¡¯s fury. Even so, artifacts aren¡¯t just things used in battles, there have been researches about how they can be used in order to improve the people¡¯s livelihood. That monocle was Krumm¡¯s first invention.¡± ¡°In the first place, the Appraisal Orb in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was rumoured to be an artifact in the beginning. That¡¯s because the temple lent it to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± Listening to Amanda-san and Argo-san¡¯s explanation, I wonder if the artifacts that came out in the game were exactly the equipment that were destroyed by the god¡¯s fury. I¡­ possess such things in my hands, will it be alright?! CH 43 ¡°If Krumm could appraise Yuuri-chan, then it¡¯d be troublesome, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. How will that Count Rainier turn up then¡­?¡± No, not good. Rather than equipment, I need to think about Count Rainier first. As for the equipment¡ªI still couldn¡¯t equip them, and as long as I put them inside my item box, everything will be alright, right? It was fine up until now, after all. Let¡¯s think about it once I reach a level where I can equip them. ¡°Is Count Rainier that amazing of a person?¡± When I tried asking in my anxiety, Amanda-san furrowed her eyebrows. Whoa. It¡¯s not good for a beautiful woman to make such an expression! ¡°It can be said that he¡¯s the wealthiest noble in the kingdom. He has a magical crystal producing area.¡± ¡°Magical crystal?¡± I know of magical stones, but what about magical crystal? ¡°Do you know that magical stones are the hearts of strong monsters?¡± I nodded when Amanda-san asked me that. The hearts of the monsters or variants that had lived long turned into magical stones upon death for some reason. In the game, [Red Gem] or [Blue Gem] were dropped after we defeated strong monsters. They became the ingredients to make weapons and armours, so I assume they¡¯re the same thing. However, unlike the game, the magical stones here don¡¯t have any attribute. In the game, the [Red Gem] is of fire lineage, while the [Blue Gem] is of water lineage and we needed to choose which to use in accordance to the needs of the equipment we wanted to create. But in this world, only the size and the quality of the magical stones seem to be important. The magical stone that was dropped from the Goblin King that Leon-san defeated during the Monster Flood was around the size of a human¡¯s head, but even that was considered small because the Goblin King was defeated before it could grow stronger. As for the magical stone that was dropped from the Undead King that was defeated eight years ago, it seemed to be amazingly big as by the time it was defeated, it was terribly strong already. The magical stones dropped from the Monster King were all kept by the temples. I¡¯d like to see them one day. ¡°The magical crystal looks like an ordinary stone, but it can store magical power. In other words, it¡¯s a degraded version of the magical jewel.¡± Is that something similar to a battery, then? Certainly if it¡¯s something that can only be taken from Count Rainier¡¯s territory, he¡¯d certainly become filthy rich. ¡°The one that discovered the magical crystal in the very beginning was a dwarf that was traveling to find crystals to be used for blacksmithing. That¡¯s why dwarf researchers receive favourable treatment in Count Rainier¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why even though Krumm-san is researching artifacts, he went to Count Rainier¡¯s place, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a well-known story that Count Rainier is gathering talented people with promising future for his profit and hobby.¡± I see I see. By gathering superior and talented people, he¡¯d be able to develop his territory to be more abundant. Even though he has a face similar to a racoon¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s true that we can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. ¡°That¡¯s why, if he were to know about Yuuri-chan, he¡¯ll absolutely want to take you in.¡± Argo-san said with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. ¡°That¡¯s right. Yuuri-chan is still small, so it¡¯s impossible to hire you¡­ Upon further consideration, he¡¯d want to take you in as one of his relatives, then, I guess?¡± ¡°¡­Certainly, he has a son around her age.¡± ¡°Yeah. He was thirteen, if I¡¯m not wrong. And he is supposed to not have a fianc¨¦e yet.¡± Uhm¡­ Then, could it be that I would be engaged to that son of Count Rainier? Eeeeh?! If you¡¯re reading this in a site other than Convallaria¡¯s Library, then you¡¯re reading this from a thief! ¡°We have to do something before he backs us into a corner.¡± What do I do? Don¡¯t joke around with me and tell me I have to get engaged to someone I don¡¯t even know! But I am not sure what I should do¡­ ¡°Oh my. Then, what about becoming my daughter? That way, I think even that persistent Count Rainier will give up on me. Since there¡¯s no way he can have a woman with a child be married into his Count house!¡± Amanda-san clapped her hands as if she just thought of something good, but Argo-san heaved a sigh. ¡°Amanda¡­ With your age, it¡¯s impossible to have a daughter as old as Yuuri-chan.¡± ¡°Is that so? And if it¡¯s important to have the father of the child, then as long as I persuade Georg, she will definitely have a complete set of parents.¡± ¡°¡ªI feel like that¡¯s your true intention.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s not it. Hey, Yuuri-chan, aren¡¯t you interested in becoming my daughter?¡± Even if you looked at me with eyes full of expectation¡­ If it¡¯s not becoming her younger sister, but for me to become Amanda-san¡¯s daughter, I think it¡¯s quite impossibleee. ¡°Uhm, I feel like it will be way too young for Amanda-san to become my mother.¡± After all, Amanda-san is 21 years old, while I¡¯m 8 years old. So, uhm, that¡¯d mean she gave birth to a child when she was thirteen. ¡°Oh my. It¡¯s fine to give birth to a child that early. No problem at all.¡± ¡°What about becoming your younger sister at most?¡± ¡°Then, I have to start by convincing my parents. It will take too much time.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, you see? Won¡¯t you become my child?¡± I¡¯m truly happy to know Amanda-san¡¯s feelings, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry. As expected, I¡¯m a child of the Kuujou family, and I can¡¯t become a child of another family. ¡­I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± After all, I¡¯ll definitely return to Japan. If I were to change my Kuujou name, I got the feeling that I won¡¯t be able to return to Japan. I¡¯d hate that! CH 44 ¡°T-that¡¯s right. Yuuri-chan has her own family. ¡­But, I wonder how we can escape from Count Rainier¡­¡± If the probability of me returning to my original world is zero, I might become Amanda-san¡¯s family. But I have a hope called as ¡®The Sage¡¯s Tower¡¯, so as expected I don¡¯t want to throw away the name of ¡®Kuujou Yuuri¡¯. ¡°Do you think Yuuri-chan can be an adopted daughter to protect herself even if her ¡®Kuujou¡¯ surname remains?¡± Uhm¡­ What do you mean? Since I couldn¡¯t understand the meaning behind the words that Argo-san said, I waited for his next words. ¡°But if it¡¯s like that, wouldn¡¯t it be approved by the members of the adopting family¡­?¡± Since I would still become Kuujou Yuuri. My only parents are the Kuujou parents, so even if I were to have a new family, I don¡¯t think I can get along well with them¡­ ¡°That¡¯s why, if having a temporary family until Yuuri-chan¡¯s family comes to fetch her is fine, why don¡¯t you become my little sister?¡± ¡°Argo-san¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. In my family, there are only male siblings. I think that my parents will be extremely happy if they can have a daughter. That¡¯s why, if Yuuri-chan becomes one of us, my family will all be happy!¡± Argo-san leaned over and made an eye contact with me. When I looked at the gentle water-coloured pupils, this world¡¯s Yuuri was reflected in them. As expected, it¡¯s absolutely impossible for a person as small as me to live alone. I wonder if it¡¯s fine for me to take advantage of Argo-san¡¯s words¡­ ¡°Not fair, Argo! I said it earlier, so she should become my family!¡± ¡°But if she enters Amanda¡¯s family, the name Kuujou won¡¯t be preserved, right? If it¡¯s my family, then it can be preserved.¡± I wonder why my Kuujou name won¡¯t be preserved if it¡¯s in Amanda-san¡¯s family, but it can be preserved if it¡¯s Argo-san¡¯s? When I tilted my head, Argo-san gently smiled. ¡°For nobles, there¡¯s an adoption done when one leaves their homes. In this case, they can keep their original names. So, if Yuuri-chan becomes my family, you¡¯ll become Yuuri Kuujou Owen.¡± ¡°Yuuri Kuujou Owen¡­¡± I wonder why. Somehow, the name seems to be very fitting. ¡°Yuuri-chan, what do you think?¡± Argo-san¡¯s gentle voice penetrated the depths of my heart. Hey, Father, Mother, Big Brother. I¡­ Is it fine for me to create a family in this world¡­? Since it¡¯s called as the ¡®temporary family¡¯, then is it fine for me to take advantage of that term¡­? Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m ¡°Uhm¡­ But is it fine? Since Argo-san¡¯s family is a noble family, for an unknown person like me to suddenly be adopted, will it be fine?¡± ¡°Even if we can be called as a noble, my family is a liberal one. They won¡¯t mind about Yuuri-chan. Actually, I¡¯ve already talked with my family about this. That¡¯s why, yes. Give me your hand.¡± As I gave him my hand as he told me to, Argo-san put a ring on my left hand¡¯s middle finger. I thought that it would surely fall since it was too big, but once it was put on my finger, the ring turned to fit my finger. This is¡­ a magical tool. When I inspected it, the golden ring had a small blue magical stone embedded in it. Then, there was the drawing of a bird¡¯s feathers circling the stone. ¡°Good grief¡­ When did you even have the time to prepare such a thing? There¡¯s no more place for me to compete.¡± Amanda-san had an astonished and admiring expression on her face. Argo-san showed his refreshing smile. ¡°Well, even I¡¯m a member of the Owen family. I¡¯ll gladly receive your praises.¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t be negligent. I wanted Yuuri-chan to become a part of my family, though. It¡¯s really regrettable¡­¡± Amanda-san shrugged. I grabbed the ring that was on my finger with my both hands. ¡°Yuuri-chan, this is a ring to prove that you¡¯re a member of the Owen family. Please treat it well.¡± ¡­Which means I¡¯ve become Argo-san¡¯s little sister?! Eeh? Since when did Argo-san prepare this ring? ¡°We can¡¯t formally adopt you unless we go to the royal capital, but as long as Yuuri-chan shows that ring, everyone will immediately understand that you¡¯re under the protection of the Owen family. I think that Count Rainier will not be able to readily interfere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Argo¡¯s family is a notable family, so Yuuri-chan can use that authority to the utmost. If it¡¯s Argo, I think he will cherish Yuuri-chan, so I can be at ease.¡± If the person I can trust the most in this world¡ªAmanda-san¡ªsaid so, I think it will definitely be alright. Argo-san is my big brother, huh¡­? For some reason, I feel embarrassed. If Argo-san is my big brother, then Amanda-san is my big sister figure. The father is Frank-san, I think. Then, who will be the mother¡­? Someone who¡¯s very caring and gentle¡­ Ah, what to do? Only Georg-san popped out in my mind. Leon-san fits the position of the neighbourhood¡¯s big brother, I guess. It was fun when I thought about it. ¡°Uhm¡­ If so, can Noir and Purun also come together with me?¡± I have to properly ask this. I will definitely refuse it if I have to leave Noir and Purun back at the forest. But Argo-san¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, before a gentle smile floated in his face. ¡°Of course. Noir and Purun are also Yuuri-chan¡¯s family. You all can come to become the children of my family.¡± Thank goodness! Noir and Purun will be together with me forever, too! I¡¯m really glad! ¡°Nya~n!¡± As if it understood Argo-san¡¯s words, Noir who was sitting on my lap rubbed its head against me. At that time, Purun fell from Noir¡¯s head and bounced to my lap. CH 45 ¡°Uhm¡­Then, please treat me well from now on.¡± As I said that and bowed, a thought crossed my mind. From now on, Argo-san will be my big brother, right? If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t the way I address him should change? Onii-san1¡­ No, it¡¯d sound formal, but since it¡¯s a noble family, calling ¡®onii-chan¡¯ is also weird. I wonder if calling him ¡®onii-sama¡¯ is the best decision? 2 ¡°Please treat me well too, Yuuri-chan. Aah, since you¡¯re now my little sister, can I just call you ¡®Yuuri¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course. Uhm, Argo-oniichama¡­¡± Aauuuuuuuu! I mixed Onii-chan and Onii-samaaaaa! It¡¯s so child-like, I¡¯m so embarrassed! Ah, but I¡¯m now a child, so it should be okay, I guess? No, it¡¯s not good, not good. I¡¯m really embarrasseeeeeeedd! I¡¯m so embarrassed. But when I looked upward, I saw Argo-san¡¯s face reddening as he covered his mouth using his hand. ¡°Little sister is¡­ this adorable, huh¡­?¡± Argo-san whispered, and Amanda-san tapped on him with a cold stare like Leon-san¡¯s. ¡°Get your sanity back, Argo. I think you already get it, but Yuuri-chan is your little sister now. Li-ttle sis-ter! Please treat her within the acceptable moderation!¡± ¡°Of course. Since I¡¯ve gotten such an adorable little sister, I won¡¯t let any bad bugs approach her!¡± ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s not what I mean, but¡­ Well, alright. With this kind of mannerism, you¡¯d be able to deal with Count Rainier well, right?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?! Yuuri is still this small. It¡¯s way too early to talk about betrothal!¡± Argo-san shouted as he hugged me tightly. W-wait! Noir and Purun who are on top of my laps will be crushed! ¡°Nyaa! Nyaa nyaa!¡± Noir protested as it climbed on my shoulder, scratching Argo-san¡¯s hand that was holding my head. ¡°Whoa, wait a bit, Noir. It¡¯s not like I bullied Yuuri-chan. Rather, I promise I¡¯d cherish my little sister.¡± ¡°Nyaan, nyaa, nyaa.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll protect her no matter what. Noir thinks so too, right? That¡¯s why, let¡¯s cooperate with each othe¡ª¡± ¡°Nyao! Nya, nyan!¡± ¡­For some reason, Argo-san and Noir seemed to be talking to each other quite well. Argo-san, since when were you able to talk with Noir? Ah, it¡¯s no longer ¡®Argo-san¡¯, I need to call him as ¡®Onii-chan¡¯. Hmm¡­ Onii-chan or Onii-sama, which one is better? As expected, since we¡¯re nobles, it should be [Onii-sama]. But Argo-oniisama is a bit hard to say. Then, I¡¯ll slightly abbreviate it¡ª ¡°Ar-niisama.¡± Argo-san was quarrelling with Noir, but when I said those words, his movements instantly stopped. ¡°Argo-san?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Ar-niisama?¡± ¡°C-can you say it one more time?¡± ¡°Ar-niisama.¡± As I said it with a smile, I was hugged tiiiiiightly again. Whoa. Like I said, wait a bit. Purun is crusheeeed! ¡°Enough. Stop itttttttt!¡± At the same time as Amanda-san screamed, there was another sound on top of my head. ¡°Unyaaa!¡± ¡°It hurts, it hurts! Like I said, Noir, it¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°Argo, Yuuri-chan is hurting, don¡¯t you see? Please let her go!¡± Argo-san¡¯s head was knocked by Amanda-san, and Noir scratched his hand. Even so, he didn¡¯t let me go. ¡°Ar-niisama, please let me go. Purun¡¯s crushed.¡± ¡°Nyau, nyau!¡± ¡°¡­Aa, sorry.¡± Argo-san, no, Ar-niisama let me go in a fluster, then he lightly nudged the trembling Purun on my lap. I noticed that the back of his hand was slightly reddening as a result of being scratched by Noir, so I tried healing it. ¡°Heal to Ar-niisama.¡± I chanted heal as my fingertip touched the back of his hand, and a silver light was absorbed by Ar-niisama¡¯s hand. ¡°Thanks, Yuuri.¡± I was so happy as he smiled so tenderly. Ehehe. We look like a real brother and sister. ¡°Yuuri-chan. Even if you become brother and sister with Argo, don¡¯t hesitate to rely on me too. Since there will be things that you won¡¯t be able to consult to Argo from now on.¡± ¡°Aah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ll be relieved if Amanda wants to do so.¡± ¡°Yes, Amanda-san. If something like that happens, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± To me, Amanda-san is exactly like a big sister figure. When push comes to shove and I need to rely on her, I can actually do it. It¡¯s really reassuring. Amanda-san, Argo-sa¡­ no, Ar-niisama. I can only rely on you for now, but¡­ But, I also need to become a splendid sage so I will be worthy to be called as the two¡¯s little sister. Hey, Noir and Purun. Let¡¯s work hard together! CH 46 The next day, Izel fort was so boisterous from the morning. I wonder if another bigshot came? But for some reason, there were many merchants who successively passed through the front gate and went to the courtyard. After I had a meal in my room so that I wouldn¡¯t meet with anyone, I went to Leon-san¡¯s office when Argo-san¡­ no, Ar-niisama told me. ¡°About that. We¡¯re holding a celebratory festival to commemorate Yuuri becoming our family¡¯s child.¡± ¡°Eeh? Is that so?!¡± I knew that Argo-san was a noble, but was his family so amazing that they could hold a celebration in the fort? Is it alright for me to be adopted into such a family?! ¡°¡±¡ªObviously that is not the case.¡± Amanda-san lightly hit Argo-san¡¯s head. I was relieved hearing that. T-thank goodness. Apparently, it was only a joke. That¡¯s right. No matter how you look at it, it isn¡¯t something that¡¯s worth holding this much uproar. In order to calm down my racing heart, I caressed Noir¡¯s back as it was within my embrace. I felt relieved upon feeling the warm temperature that was transmitted to my palm. Noir¡¯s animal therapy gave an instant effect. Nevertheless¡­ Amanda-san isn¡¯t a noble, yet she hit Argo-sa¡­ no, Ar-niisama¡¯s head like that, would that be fine? If only Amanda-san had a paper fan with her, it would certainly suit her so much. ¡­Come to think of it, there was a joke equipment called as [paper fan]. No, no. It was a joke equipment that only had 1 offensive ability that was distributed during an event by the Game Master. No matter how much it suited her, I couldn¡¯t give such a thing to Amanda-san. ¡°After the Monster Flood ended, everyone would receive one year holiday, right? That¡¯s why we have the merchants coming, since it¡¯s customary to purchase souvenirs for the family that we haven¡¯t seen in a long time. However, before we even noticed, it suddenly became something similar to a festival.¡± ¡°Everyone will have some money to spare since we¡¯d receive a special salary after dedicating ourselves to handling the Monster Flood.¡± I see~. That is certainly something worth becoming a festival, I guess. Since lots of stores are going here, it¡¯d feel like Ennichi1 Whoa. I wonder how a festival in this world will be like? ¡°I¡¯m excited, Noir.¡± When I said that to Noir who was in my arms, Noir said, ¡°Nyan,¡± as if agreeing with me. Purun who was on top of Noir¡¯s head was also shaking as if it agreed. ¡°Oh my, but Yuuri-chan¡ª¡± ¡°There is Count Rainier here¡­¡± Eeh? I can¡¯t¡­ go to the festival? Even though it¡¯s the first festival that¡¯s happening since I first came to this world¡­ Besides, I¡¯ve already become family with Ar¡­-niisama, so it¡¯s not like Count Rainier can do anything to me, right? But Ar-niisama and Amanda-san did so in consideration of myself, not like they were doing this to bully me, so¡­ It¡¯s really, really unfortunate, but I should give it up. ¡­Should I? I¡¯m getting depressed¡­ After looking at me who was crestfallen, Ar-niisama and Amanda-san looked at each other. ¡°But, it will be fine with me and Amanda coming along, right? When push comes to shove, Leader can shield us.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right! If Leader is watching, I think Count Rainier wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± So I can go? Hurray-! ¡°Thank you! Ar-niisama, Amanda-san!¡± As I held Noir with my left hand, I hugged Amanda-san with my right hand. ¡°Eh. Wouldn¡¯t your big brother over here need to be hugged, too?¡± ¡°Fufun. Even though Yuuri-chan and I aren¡¯t family, and just good friend¡­ Oh yeah, where is Leader who called us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the time for the magical bird that flew to the royal capital to return, so Leader should be back soon, I think?¡± ¡°Royal capital¡­ Could it be?¡± ¡°¡ªIf we have the acknowledgement from the royal family, the adoption will be smooth, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Good grief¡­ Even the leader has to move¡­¡± When I raised my face with a happy expression, Amanda-san¡¯s red lips formed a smile. ¡°It¡¯s said that the good wind is the one that blows quickly.¡± I turned my line of sight towards the owner of the proud voice and I saw Ar-niisama wink at me. ¡°Argo, way to go.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for Yuuri after all.¡± ¡°Keep it up, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to protect her.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ehehe. My big brother and big sister are really reliable. ¡°Then, I can also go to the festival?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Yay~! I wonder how the festival will be like. I¡¯m looking forward to it! CH 47 After receiving the official adoption papers from Leon-san who returned to the office, I officially became Yuuri Kuujou Owen! A noble family¡¯s adoption usually would take a lot of time, but it was Leon-san¡ªthe king¡¯s younger brother¡ªwho requested for it. According to Argo-san, the king was very enthusiastic towards his younger brother¡¯s request, for Leon-san never depended on him¡­ Could it be that the king of the Ares kingdom has a brother complex? In the game, the two should be having a confrontation instead. As expected, this world is different from the game¡¯s world, huh? Even though they really resemble each other. In the afternoon, various stalls were lined up in Izel fort¡¯s courtyard. It was pleasant to see that the knights who were usually tense, were now choosing items in the stalls in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. The stalls were selling food that were grilled on skewers, fruits juices, and a lot of other food that I had never seen in the Izel fort¡¯s dining room. As I took Amanda-san¡¯s hand, I looked here and there, all around the courtyard. That kushiyaki1, I wonder what meat it uses? The most famous meat is the horn rabbit meat, I guess? Then there is Luco juice and¡­ I wonder what they¡¯re selling next to it? It¡¯s yellow, so hmm¡­ banana? ¡°Whoa. It¡¯s like the summer festival.¡± As I muttered unconsciously, Amanda-san asked, ¡°What is summer festival?¡± ¡°When spring comes every year, there¡¯s a festival where people dance and eat lots of delicious food from the stalls.¡± The biggest festival in the neighbourhood is the one which is held in the famous temple. The road leading to the main shrine would be packed with stalls and I would be looking forward the most to eating the delicious powdered rice cake which was sold at the one-of-a-kind rice cake store. When I was young, I used to eat cotton candy and get my face and hand sticky. ¡°Although there are no dances, I think there are a lot of delicious food. They¡¯re also selling some souvenirs, so shall we take a look at them later?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m excited for it!¡± I said as I looked around again. Then, Amanda-san said, ¡°Don¡¯t get lost, okay?¡±, and tightened her grip on my hand. Ehehe. Amanda-san is really like my older sister. I was so happy that I tightened my grip on her hand, and when I did so, Amanda-san¡¯s red pupils squinted as she gently smiled. ¡°Do you have anything you want to eat, Yuuri-chan? I recommend the fruit juice. ¡­Eh? I wonder what¡¯s up with that crowd?¡± When I followed Amanda-san¡¯s line of sight, I found a crowd in the corner of the courtyard. ¡°What is it, I wonder?¡± I wanted to go and see it as I expected that there would be something really amazing being sold, but I couldn¡¯t see anything because it was too crowded and I was shorter than everyone. ¡°I can¡¯t see it.¡± Even Amanda-san couldn¡¯t see it, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to see it at all. But I¡¯m curious¡­ Perhaps hearing the voice of my heart, Noir jumped from my arms. Purun who was sitting on top of its head as usual then swiftly returned to my arms. ¡°Noir?¡± ¡°Nyaan.¡± It was as if Noir was saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a quick look,¡± as it then ran through the knights¡¯ feet. After a while, Noir returned and explained, ¡°Nyaan, nyaanyaa.¡± Yup. Cute. But, sorry. I can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying at all¡­ Hmm¡­ But when we¡¯re in the middle of battles, we¡¯d be able to understand each other¡¯s intention quite well. ¡°Yuuri-chan. What is Noir saying?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± ¡°Nyaa, nyaa, nyaa.¡± Noir went up to my arms and hit Purun with its front paw. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Purun?¡± ¡°Nyaan, nyaanyaa.¡± Noir¡¯s front paw hit Purun even further. ¡°Hmm?¡± As I tilted my head, not knowing what Noir wanted to say, Purun whose body was hit many times by Noir then rhythmically swayed its body, matching Noir¡¯s hit. Noir also began to play together with Purun. jab, jab, jab brr, brr, brr jab, jab, jab brr, brr, brr ¡°Hmm¡­ I feel like they¡¯re trying to say something, but I can¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious, but shall we check out the crowd later?¡± When I was about to leave as Amanda-san urged¡­ ¡°Priest Frank, can you please cut it out?¡± I heard a voice that called out to Frank-san. Eh? Is Frank-san here? And just now¡­ though the voice was lower than it normally was, was it Simon-san? What are they doing here? ¡°Now, the next race is beginning. You should hurry up!¡± ¡­Eh, the voice just now, was it¡­ Karin-san?! CH 48 ¡°Yosh. Next is number two!¡± ¡°¡­Priest Frank. Please make this the last. I won¡¯t lend you any more than this.¡± ¡°Aah, wait. I¡¯m going to repay double the original amount next. Believe in my sixth sense.¡± ¡°You say that every time, and I think you¡¯re going to be penniless at this rate, though.¡± ¡°Wahaha. I won¡¯t become penniless. Simon, you remember the words of commoners, huh? You¡¯ve grown.¡± ¡°Whose fault is it, huh?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m deeply moved as your teacher. Besides, don¡¯t you feel glad that you¡¯ve gained experiences that you couldn¡¯t have gotten as a noble? ¡­Oh. It has begun. Number two, come on!¡± Upon hearing the conversation between Frank-san and Simon-san, Amanda-san covered both of my ears. ¡®Why?¡¯ I thought as I looked up, and Amanda-san¡ªwho was slightly bending forward¡ªhad her hands that were covering my ears slightly slip. ¡°It will be a bad education for her if she were to hear your hopeless adult conversation. I don¡¯t want Yuuri-chan to hear that.¡± But, even if my ears were covered, I could still hear the loud voice¡ª ¡°Seriouslyyyyy?! You¡¯ve got to be kidding, right?! Why did number four overtake it?!¡± Uhm¡­ Frank-san, what are you doing? Then, at that time, I saw the grim-faced Ar-niisama finally arriving. ¡°You guys, what are you doing? It¡¯s forbidden to gamble inside the fort!¡± Since Amanda-san was slightly leaning over and I was but a small child, they seemed to not notice us as we pushed through the crowd and moved forward. ¡°Ah, Argo-san. No, we¡¯re only looking¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re just looking, then won¡¯t you stop?¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡± ¡°Other than those who gambled, go!¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± The spectators hurriedly scattered in all directions, and the ones who remained were Frank-san and Simon-san and Karin-san. Furthermore, there were three Izel fort¡¯s knights left, with their faces clearly showing their guilts of being found out. ¡°Whoa, this is bad. Let¡¯s run.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s useless even if we were to run now¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Simon. Your teacher is still going to run. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you!¡± ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s not ¡®I¡¯ll leave the rest to you¡¯, Priest Frank.¡± Ar-niisama was standing with his arms crossed right in front of Frank-san who was about to run. ¡°Ou, isn¡¯t it Argo? Did you also come here to see the race?¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± Argo-san looked at Luan who was on top of Frank-san¡¯s head and then heaved a sigh. ¡°Good grief, what are you doing? You¡¯re a priest. Gambling is prohibited here, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such stiff things like that, Argo. We¡¯re finally able to return home after the Monster Flood ended, right? Don¡¯t you think we can let things loose for a little bit?¡± ¡°¡­Simon. You were there, why didn¡¯t you stop them?¡± Simon-san shrugged his shoulders upon hearing Ar-niisama¡¯s low voice. ¡±I just want to lend Luan for a little bit.¡± Aah, speaking of which, we knew that we could tame a variant child by using Cure, but we couldn¡¯t really find a monster child, so we were talking about having Noir and Luan search for them. That¡¯s why, he didn¡¯t need to do that and we¡¯d look for a variant child along with Luan, I think. Though Simon-san should have understood that already, and he might only be hanging out with Frank-san. If that was the case, Simon-san was quite the adult, huh? ¡­It was just right, since Frank-san didn¡¯t have any ¡®adult¡¯ vibe. ¡°More importantly, this slime race is really interesting. Do you want to watch it too, young lass?¡± Ar-niisama turned around at Frank-san¡¯s words, noticing that Amanda-san and I were there. ¡°Yuuri and Amanda. What are you doing at this place?¡± ¡°We went to see it since there were lots of people¡­ Just what the heck is this?¡± Amanda-san was asking Karin-san. Then, Karin-san puffed her chest with pride as if saying ¡®Good question!¡¯ ¡°Ooh, isn¡¯t it Amanda? Fufufu. Were you asking what is this? Would you like to hear it? This is the great invention that I thought of. The name is [Slime Race]!¡± Slime Race?! Such a thing existed in Elysia Online, but Karin-san was the one who invented it?! In the game, there was a place called as ¡®Casino Island¡¯ where we could play with slot machines and roulette. There, the [Slime Race] was being held every Saturday. It was a race where a total of ten slimes would be competing in terms of their speed, and the slimes who were participating in it were all the slimes that were bred from fast-type slimes that the players who were called as slime breeders did. To qualify for Saturday¡¯s [slime race], one had to enter the top 10 rank in the preliminary contests that were happening from Monday to Friday. Since we would be able to tell which slimes would be participating right at midnight on Saturday, people would be able to bet on which slime who would be winning from that time until 9 PM. Of course, there was a system where the slime breeder who raised the winning slime would be receiving a prize money. The first slime that one can buy for the purpose of entering the slime race can only be bought at the casino stall, but the ability of the slime is random, so one has to breed it with the fast-type slimes that you bought in order to make faster slimes. Speaking of which, we couldn¡¯t trade slimes between players, so one had to diligently breed a fast slime by themselves. Sometimes, an outrageously fast slime would appear, but after winning in the [Slime Race] for 20 times, it would be added into the hall of fame and couldn¡¯t participate in the race again, so one couldn¡¯t keep winning with the same slime forever. Slime breeders had to breed that fast slime with another slime, creating another slime, but it wouldn¡¯t always be better than its parent, but this system was passionately supported by the players who loved rearing games. Whoa, I¡¯d be happy if I can watch another [slime race]! CH 49 The next day, Izel fort was so boisterous from the morning. I wonder if another bigshot came? But for some reason, there were many merchants who successively passed through the front gate and went to the courtyard. After I had a meal in my room so that I wouldn¡¯t meet with anyone, I went to Leon-san¡¯s office when Argo-san¡­ no, Ar-niisama told me. ¡°About that. We¡¯re holding a celebratory festival to commemorate Yuuri becoming our family¡¯s child.¡± ¡°Eeh? Is that so?!¡± I knew that Argo-san was a noble, but was his family so amazing that they could hold a celebration in the fort? Is it alright for me to be adopted into such a family?! ¡°¡±¡ªObviously that is not the case.¡± Amanda-san lightly hit Argo-san¡¯s head. I was relieved hearing that. T-thank goodness. Apparently, it was only a joke. That¡¯s right. No matter how you look at it, it isn¡¯t something that¡¯s worth holding this much uproar. In order to calm down my racing heart, I caressed Noir¡¯s back as it was within my embrace. I felt relieved upon feeling the warm temperature that was transmitted to my palm. Noir¡¯s animal therapy gave an instant effect. Nevertheless¡­ Amanda-san isn¡¯t a noble, yet she hit Argo-sa¡­ no, Ar-niisama¡¯s head like that, would that be fine? If only Amanda-san had a paper fan with her, it would certainly suit her so much. ¡­Come to think of it, there was a joke equipment called as [paper fan]. No, no. It was a joke equipment that only had 1 offensive ability that was distributed during an event by the Game Master. No matter how much it suited her, I couldn¡¯t give such a thing to Amanda-san. ¡°After the Monster Flood ended, everyone would receive one year holiday, right? That¡¯s why we have the merchants coming, since it¡¯s customary to purchase souvenirs for the family that we haven¡¯t seen in a long time. However, before we even noticed, it suddenly became something similar to a festival.¡± ¡°Everyone will have some money to spare since we¡¯d receive a special salary after dedicating ourselves to handling the Monster Flood.¡± I see~. That is certainly something worth becoming a festival, I guess. Since lots of stores are going here, it¡¯d feel like Ennichi1 Whoa. I wonder how a festival in this world will be like? ¡°I¡¯m excited, Noir.¡± When I said that to Noir who was in my arms, Noir said, ¡°Nyan,¡± as if agreeing with me. Purun who was on top of Noir¡¯s head was also shaking as if it agreed. ¡°Oh my, but Yuuri-chan¡ª¡± ¡°There is Count Rainier here¡­¡± Eeh? I can¡¯t¡­ go to the festival? Even though it¡¯s the first festival that¡¯s happening since I first came to this world¡­ Besides, I¡¯ve already become family with Ar¡­-niisama, so it¡¯s not like Count Rainier can do anything to me, right? But Ar-niisama and Amanda-san did so in consideration of myself, not like they were doing this to bully me, so¡­ It¡¯s really, really unfortunate, but I should give it up. ¡­Should I? I¡¯m getting depressed¡­ After looking at me who was crestfallen, Ar-niisama and Amanda-san looked at each other. ¡°But, it will be fine with me and Amanda coming along, right? When push comes to shove, Leader can shield us.¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right! If Leader is watching, I think Count Rainier wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± So I can go? Hurray-! ¡°Thank you! Ar-niisama, Amanda-san!¡± As I held Noir with my left hand, I hugged Amanda-san with my right hand. ¡°Eh. Wouldn¡¯t your big brother over here need to be hugged, too?¡± ¡°Fufun. Even though Yuuri-chan and I aren¡¯t family, and just good friend¡­ Oh yeah, where is Leader who called us?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the time for the magical bird that flew to the royal capital to return, so Leader should be back soon, I think?¡± ¡°Royal capital¡­ Could it be?¡± ¡°¡ªIf we have the acknowledgement from the royal family, the adoption will be smooth, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Good grief¡­ Even the leader has to move¡­¡± When I raised my face with a happy expression, Amanda-san¡¯s red lips formed a smile. ¡°It¡¯s said that the good wind is the one that blows quickly.¡± I turned my line of sight towards the owner of the proud voice and I saw Ar-niisama wink at me. ¡°Argo, way to go.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for Yuuri after all.¡± ¡°Keep it up, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to protect her.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ehehe. My big brother and big sister are really reliable. ¡°Then, I can also go to the festival?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Yay~! I wonder how the festival will be like. I¡¯m looking forward to it! CH 50 Amanda-san seemed to have given up on having a companion monster because she guessed that the slime would always be riding on top of one¡¯s head. Yup. If a slime were to ride on top of your head, somehow, it apparently would cause your hair to get messy. I meant, a slime¡¯s body was mostly water, after all. ¡°When I think about it, Noir and Purun, too, as long as I¡¯m with Yuuri-chan, I can spoil them to my heart¡¯s content. Besides, if I were to drop the slime in the middle of a battle, it would be too pitiful. I think there¡¯s no need for me to go through the pains of learning ¡®Cure¡¯.¡± ¡°Hm? As long as you use this slime pouch, it won¡¯t fall. And if you¡¯re good with it being on your head, look. Right now, I¡¯m in the middle of researching for a way to improve this slime hat for a better slime protection. If the slime likes being on top of your head, as long as it¡¯s in this hat, you don¡¯t need to be worried that it will fall. How do you think of it? Amazing, right?¡± Karin-san grinned and boasted. Amanda-san was looking down at such a Karin-san as she lightly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll refrain from wearing such a hat. ¡­If you were to look at me wearing it from a distance, you might mistake me for Karin.¡± ¡­Certainly, this hat had such an impact. When I first met her, I thought that it was a big slime. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be that reserved! Until Amanda manages to learn ¡®Cute¡¯, I¡¯m going to finish improving the hat.¡± ¡°No, please let me be reserved.¡± ¡°Ah, Karin-san! This slime doesn¡¯t have any eye, yet how could it continue moving forward?¡± I was anxious that Amanda-san would be forced to wear a slime hat if things were to continue, so I tried to distract Karin-san by asking a question about slimes. ¡°Hmph. About that. You just have to not give it any food and put its food on the goal during the race.¡± I see~. In other words, it¡¯s something like making a horse go hungry and put a carrot at the goal, right?! ¡°As expected, there is no other quick slime to compete with?¡± ¡°Hm. This number 2 is fast. Isn¡¯t it slightly smaller than the other slimes? However, if we¡¯re talking about stamina and sturdy stature, it would be this number 3. And then, this number 1¡ª¡± Crap! Karin-san¡¯s slime talk started. She won¡¯t stop for a while. What do I do? Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m I looked up to seek help from Amanda-san and Ar-niisama, but¡­ The two of them were looking at me as they were grinning, it seemed like they completely had no intention to help me. ¡°Nyau.¡± Pururun. As Noir cried, the shaking Purun fell from Noir¡¯s head and descended to the race circuit. Then, it ran in front of slime number 2. Slime number 2 was drawn by Purun and together, they went to the opposite direction from the goal. However, rather than competing with each other, it seemed like they were playing together. ¡°Oooooooooh. Unbelievable, how is it possible that a slime that hasn¡¯t been subjugated to play like this?!¡± ¡°It has never played before?¡± Because it was Karin-san who said that, I wonder if she never played with a normal slime that wasn¡¯t subjugated. After all, she understood each slime¡¯s personality. I could only see all the slimes as the same transparent slimes, but Karin-san was able to tell which was which, and that¡¯s amazing. It didn¡¯t seem like it could communicate its will like Maximillian Jr., but¡­ But it might be easier to be tamed than normal slimes. Which means, what will happen if we try to subjugate that kind of slime using ¡®Cure¡¯? Can it become a super amazing slime?! ¡°Never. Could it be that since it¡¯s with Purun, it received such an effect? Then, what about Maximillian Jr.?¡± Karin-san let Maximillian Jr. out from the special waist pouch that she was carrying and placed it next to the slime number 3. However, the slime number 3 who was next to Maximillian Jr. then went away from Maximillian Jr. with its movements even faster than the one from the race. ¡°Wha¡­ Why?! Why is it that when it¡¯s Purun, it will be friendly and play with it, but when it comes to Maximillian Jr., it¡¯s no good?!¡± Karin-san was shocked. Amanda-san then said, ¡°Could it be¡­,¡± as she put her finger to her own lips. ¡°Maximillian Jr.¡¯s food is the holy water, right? Could it be because it hates that?¡± ¡°What did you saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay?!¡± In contrast to Karin-san who was shouting as she held her head under her arms, Ar-niisama and Frank-san nodded as they said, ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Putting that aside, gambling inside the fort is forbidden, so you¡¯ll have to grounded for a while¡ª¡± ¡°Ah¨C. Please wait, Argo.¡± ¡°What is it, Priest Frank? Since you¡¯re dispatched from the temple and don¡¯t strictly belong to Izel fort, I can¡¯t really give you a penalty, but¡­¡± ¡°No, listen. At first, we were looking at the slime race that Karin managed to bring here and thought that this was amazing. Then, it was just me and Simon who made a guess on who would be winning. Then, before I even noticed, the onlookers increased. At first, they were only watching, but then they ended up getting passionate on which slime would be winning. The next thing I notice is how we went on wagering. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t punish them, let me receive the punishment in exchange. If it¡¯s just a house arrest, then I¡¯m used to it.¡± ¡°Priest Frank always involves the surrounding without any self-awareness, huh?¡± ¡°No, Simon is here, so my mind is at peace. If it¡¯s you, you¡¯ll be able to do something about it.¡± Frank-san laughed, while Simon-san had a bitter smile on his face. ¡°Good grief¡­ That¡¯s why I¡¯m no match for Priest Frank. Anyway, Argo-san. Since everything is Priest Frank¡¯s responsibility, please give him any kind of penalty, be it a house arrest or a fine or what.¡± ¡°No, wait a second, Simon. Putting house arrest aside, there¡¯s no fine, you know?!¡± ¡°With that, you¡¯ll learn from experience even if it¡¯s just a bit.¡± Ar-niisama nodded at Simon-san¡¯s words. ¡°I see. Then, the one that appears to give the most repentance is by giving him a fine. Let¡¯s go with it, then.¡± Frank-san who heard it then shouted, ¡°Wait a minute!¡±, but Ar-niisama completely ignored him. Haa. With this, case closed, huh~ Noir, isn¡¯t it good~? CH 51 For the time being, the traffic light trio were all released without being given any charge. Thank goodness, thank goodness. ¡°Amanda.¡± ¡°What?¡± But just as we were leaving, one of the traffic light trio, the slightly chubby yellow-san stopped and called Amanda-san. I wonder if he is quite close with Amanda-san? ¡°That¡­ Apparently, Father will be coming, but I wonder if it will be alright?¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind, it¡¯s fine.¡± Amanda-san hopelessly said, but yellow-san lightly cast down his eyes. ¡°But, I have to tell your story to Father¡ª¡± ¡°Geez. It isn¡¯t your fault, is it? Don¡¯t worry about it for so long.¡± ¡°U-uhn. But if there¡¯s anything, I can be of help, so¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, Lansley.¡± ¡°Then, see you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After saying that, the chubby yellow-san left. Hm hm. It seems there¡¯s some kind of particular circumstances. However, it isn¡¯t good to stick your nose to where it doesn¡¯t belong. It¡¯s better for me to feign ignorance. Thinking like that, I patted Noir who was in my arms. Then, Amanda-san had a wry smile on her face as she explained. ¡°He is Count Rainier¡¯s son.¡± Eeeeeeh?! That black-bellied raccoon old man? However, he has such a kind-looking face. He is not alike his father at all. ¡°And he¡¯s also my senior partner during my student days.¡± ¡°Partner?¡± According to Amanda-san¡¯s explanation, there should be a royal academy in this Ars kingdom. And the academy is divided into knight department and magic department. It¡¯s been decided that noble men will definitely enroll in that academy. Of course noble women also enroll in that academy, but if their houses are far away from the royal capital, it looks like that they will get private tutoring in their own houses instead. Not only nobles are enrolled in that academy, but children of the wealthy merchants also enrol there, and that¡¯s why Amanda-san enrolled there. ¡°Yeah. In the academy, a pair between a senior student and a junior student will be made. Normally, we will be paired with member of the same gender, but not many women enrol in the academy, so there are some women who are paired with men just like me.¡± I see. Is that so. Since Amanda-san was paired with the chubby yellow-san who was Count Rainier¡¯s son, his father had an eye on her. Certainly, he couldn¡¯t blame himself for that, then. ¡°Moreover, you see. Before he was paired with me, Lansley was paired with Georg. Unfortunately, Georg and I passed by each other since he graduated by the time I enrolled. Then, Lansley came to the Izel fort as he idolized Georg, and then I came here since Lansley invited me. That¡¯s why, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fate for me and Georg to meet in this Izel fort like this, since we shouldn¡¯t have met?¡± Amanda-san crossed her arms as she blushed. No matter how I looked at her, she is definitely a maiden in love. But, hmm? For some reason, something bothered me. After all, Amanda-san really loves Georg-san, right? I wonder if Georg-san¡¯s type of woman is completely different from her? Because Amanda-san is beautiful and has a good personality, yet nothing happened between the two of them. However, there are lots of Georg-san¡¯s handmade items in Amanda-san¡¯s room, like his handmade cushion and sewn curtain. Then, I wonder if he made those items for her because he also likes her? Still, he didn¡¯t confess to Amanda-san¡­ It¡¯s totally puzzling, but¡­ C-could this be, perhaps, by some chance¡­ A love triangleeeee?! Amanda-san and Georg-san¡¯s feelings should be mutual, but could it be that he held his confession back out of consideration for the chubby yellow-san who was his close friend and junior? And, Amanda-san completely didn¡¯t notice the chubby yellow-san¡¯s feelings, huh? The chubby yellow-san wanted to support Amanda-san¡¯s love but he couldn¡¯t because he himself also fell in love with her. Then, at that time, his father said that he wished to have Amanda-san as his second wife, huh? Whoa, it looks like a drama! ¡°After one graduates from the academy, even if one is the successor of a noble, one has to join the chivalric order for two years at the very least. But normally, a noble¡¯s legitimate child would want to join the royal capital¡¯s chivalric order or the Imperial Guards¡¯ chivalric order, and not a frontier chivalric order. That¡¯s why, I think Lansley certainly didn¡¯t want to join Izel fort. But thanks to that, I was introduced to Georg, so as expected, Georg and I are really connected by the red thread of fate!¡± I see. The chubby yellow-san introduced Amanda-san to Georg-san. If the chubby yellow-san truly liked Amanda-san, then it would be very complicated. As I was thinking about it, Ar-niisama who finished lecturing Frank-san went to my side. ¡°Yuuri, have you visited the stalls?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Then, would you want to visit them with me?¡± ¡°Of course! Ya-y! So happy!¡± ¡°There is a delicious sweet stall over there.¡± S-sweets?! I want to eat them~! CH 52 I returned to my room after receiving lots of delicious food from Ar-niisama and Amanda-san, and then I shared some with Noir and Purun. Obviously, Purun could only eat candies, so I gave it a fruit-flavoured candy. It was shaking even more than usual, so it seemed to like it. I stored the rest of the sweets inside the item box. As long as I put it there, I could eat it anytime I¡¯d like to. Recently, I came to know that there was an item similar to item boxes in this world. What the¡­? In that case, I guess there wouldn¡¯t be any need for me to keep my item box a secret, right? I feel like the capacity of the item box that I have depends on the number of items stored in it, but the pouches called as storage bags distributed in this world have a capacity that changes depending on the weight of an item. is The storage bags can store lots of items by expanding or compressing the space inside it. That¡¯s why, heavy armour and weapons can¡¯t be put inside the bags, but clothes and food can. We can also put water in, but since it¡¯s heavy, the space inside the storage bag can be filled up with just water alone, and as time passes by, it can spoil, so it seems like we can¡¯t put it there. I see. So putting it inside storage bags can spoil¡­ I think the item boxes in the game won¡¯t make anything stored in it spoil, but I wonder about that? I don¡¯t want to see anything being spoilt when I take it out. But anyway, I don¡¯t think I put anything like raw food inside. ¡°Hmm. The things put inside an item box won¡¯t spoil, so I wonder if I can store something like the skewers bought from the stall?¡± ¡°Eh, it won¡¯t spoil?!¡± Amanda-san just finished applying the Clean magic to me when she was surprised by my words and opened her red eyes wide. ¡°Uhm, I won¡¯t know until I try it out, but perhaps it won¡¯t spoil, I think.¡± ¡°Is that one of Japan¡¯s technologies? Japan is amazing.1¡± ¡°That¡¯s right~¡± It isn¡¯t particularly Japan¡¯s technology, but it¡¯s just the system in the game. However, I can¡¯t explain it well, so I faked a smile and agreed with what she said! Speaking of which, the [Mellow Chocolate] and [Surprise Candy] that I obtained during some events in the game¡­ I wonder if they are still edible? They were the items dropped by the monsters defeated during Valentine Day and then White Day, and certain amount of them could be exchanged into equipment in NPC. Obviously they weren¡¯t just stylish equipment without any defense power, but the Valentine Day¡¯s equipment for women would be black gothic lolita, and black tuxedo for men. Meanwhile, the White Day¡¯s equipment for women are pink pastel colored- lolita clothes called as Sweet Lolita, while for men, it was a white tuxedo. They were the equipment line-ups one absolutely wanted their characters to wear, so everyone desperately gathered the event items. After all, it¡¯s rumored that they would implement a mechanic from another game where we could overwrite our equipment¡¯s appearance with another cute equipment¡¯s appearance. Even if one wanted to collect the equipment after the mechanic¡¯s implemented, there were many cases where the equipment one obtained from the event could only be worn by ourselves, and they could only be obtained during that time, so everyone wanted to complete the equipment. Of course, I gathered them together with my guild mates. That¡¯s why, there should be both gothic lolita and sweet lolita clothes stored inside my item box. It¡¯s just that wearing them here will be too flashy and the skirts are short, so I¡¯d be too embarrassed to wear them. Among the items I gathered and exchanged during those times were [Mellow Chocolate] and [Surprise Candy]. They have effects such as increasing your agility or defense for five minutes after consumption, but I wonder if they¡¯re safe to eat? In the first place, do they really taste like chocolate and candy? ¡­Let¡¯s try taking them out first. I picked up the cat pochette that was put on top of the bed. ¡°Open Item Box.¡± The storage bag is just a pouch that can contain items a lot more than it looks like, so it can be freely used by anyone, even if they¡¯re not the owner of the bag. However, my item box can only be used by me, so I need to say a spell to take it out¡­ That¡¯s how I explained it. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have to hide first in order to take an item out. I am such a genius! ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s try taking out the Mellow Chocolate. Uhmm. I found it, this is it!¡± I took out a heart-shaped chocolate. Whoa. I feel like it¡¯s been a long time since I last saw a chocolate. I wonder if it¡¯s still edible? It would be good if I can eat it. ¡°Yuuri-chan, what is that black thing?¡± ¡°This is called ¡®chocolate¡¯, a snack full of nutrition.¡± ¡°Snack?! That is?¡± Amanda-san widened her eyes in disbelief. Hmm¡­ Certainly, people who don¡¯t know chocolate won¡¯t know that it is a snack. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s try to see if it¡¯s still alright to eat.¡± ¡°If you were to eat it, won¡¯t you upset your stomach?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡®Probably,¡¯ so I added in my heart. Then, I tried to eat the chocolate that I held. Hm, delicious! ¡°Amanda-san, do you want to try it out, too?¡± As I recommended it, Amanda-san timidly received the chocolate and put it in her mouth. ¡°¡­Oh my. It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Right?!¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s black, it¡¯s sweet. How mysterious.¡± ¡°I still have a lot~¡± I said as I took out more chocolate, and Noir approached. I wonder if Noir also wants to eat it? We must never let cats eat chocolate, but Noir isn¡¯t a cat, but a magical beast, so I wonder if it¡¯s okay? ¡°Nyaan.¡± ¡°Is it alright for you to eat it?¡± ¡°Nya!¡± As if saying ¡®it¡¯s alright¡¯, Noir licked my hand. If it went that far to say that it was alright, I wonder if it¡¯s really fine? I wonder if it¡¯s alright for me to just use ¡®Cure¡¯ when push comes to shove? ¡°Then, just one piece for now, alright?¡± ¡°Nyan.¡± After eating the chocolate, Noir made some sounds that were akin to a cat¡¯s purr, as if saying that it was delicious. CH 53 The next day after the chocolate party with Amanda-san and Noir, I woke up to the sounds of the merchants closing and tidying up their stores in the courtyard. A buzzing noise could be heard from outside the window. The light that shone through the window felt nice. It seems that the weather is nice today. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Fwaa~h! I overslept again.¡± I yawned as I woke up and saw Noir playing with Purun soundlessly as if they were trying not to wake me up. Noticing me, Noir cried, ¡°Nyaa.¡± The two were playing [Look That Way!1] using Noir¡¯s tail. I taught Purun before when it seemed to bee playing with Noir¡¯s tail since it seemed to be having so much fun, and then they often played it. ¡°Morning, Noir and Purun.¡± ¡°Nya-u.¡± Pururun. After Noir lowered its head towards Purun, Purun hopped up to Noir¡¯s head. It seemed that their synchronization was perfect. Then the two of them jumped on top of my bed, greeting me once more. ¡°Nyaa.¡± Purupururun. ¡°Let¡¯s have lots of funs today too, Noir and Purun.¡± ¡°Nyaan.¡± Noir washed its face with its forefoot as if saying ¡®I ate lots of delicious stuff.¡¯ Purun also stretched its body front-to-back as if agreeing with Noir. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Lately, Purun had been stretching its body front-to-back during the times when it was happy or having fun. When it was sad, it became flat, so it was easy to tell. Slimes also feel emotions, huh~ This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Now then. I need to get changed and eat breakfast.¡± I changed from my pajamas to the pink dress that Georg-san made. Hm~ Since I¡¯d only be eating breakfast, there¡¯s no need to wear my white cat robe, right? As I was thinking about it, I could hear the sound of the door being opened, and Amanda-san entered the room. ¡°G-good morning, Amanda-san.¡± ¡°Morning, Yuuri-chan. Yesterday was fun, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Being told the same thing that I just said to Noir, I reflexively grinned. Ehehe. Amanda-san is also thinking of the same thing~ ¡°What about this morning¡¯s breakfast? Shall we go to the dining room?¡± ¡°Eh, but¡­¡± We had been refraining from using the dining room for quite a while in order to avoid Count Rainier who wanted to make Amanda-san his second wife. So I was wondering if it was alright, but I heard that he had left Izel fort early this morning. Then, it should be fine! Two people and two monsters went to the dining room together. Perhaps it was due to that it was already past the most crowded time, but there weren¡¯t too many people on our way. ¡°What is today¡¯s meal, I wonder?¡± After one sits down, a junior knight will come with a tray on their hands. A junior knight is someone who wants to become a knight but can¡¯t go to the school. They are receiving swordsmanship lessons while doing chores in the chivalric order, and apparently they can become a knight as long as they receive recommendation from at least three knights and one of the chivalric order¡¯s executives. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Ah, we¡¯re having ham today.¡± A normal breakfast here would usually consist of cooking that used bread, soup, and beans; and also cooking that used meat akin to a ham and sausage. As for the dessert, there were lots of fruits. Fresh vegetables were there too, but there was no dressing, so it felt like chewing on leaves. Hmm¡­ Since there were only Western cooking, I missed Japanese cooking. ¡°Oh my. Today is Boafang¡¯s ham, huh?¡± As expected, it was a monster¡¯s ham too, huh? But it¡¯s delicious. Chomp, chomp. Noir also ate the ham from the plate that was put on the floor, and next to it was a small plate of candies for the round, tumbling Purun. Purun moved and took in the candies before it happily quivered. Noir and Purun were completely used to living in this Izel fort. Apparently, the two also secretly received snacks from the knights. Hm, hm. This too, was because Noir and Purun were cute. ¡°Yuuri and Amanda, good morning.¡± Then, Ar-niisama¡¯s voice could be heard. Ar-niisama, thanks for your hard work yesterday! ¡°Argo, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ar-niisama took a seat next to me and greeted me ¡®good morning¡¯ by brushing my hair gently first thing first. His gentle water-colored eyes were looking at me tenderly. ¡°Good morning, Ar-niisama.¡± ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you busy cleaning up after the caravan?¡± ¡°No, Georg was a little¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s happened with Georg?!¡± The moment Georg-san¡¯s name appeared, Amanda-san enthusiastically drew closer to Ar-niisama¡¯s seat. Ar-niisama said, ¡°Wait a little bit,¡± and held Amanda-san back. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Nah¡­ Before, there was a belt that Amanda requested to give a magic too, wasn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s Yuuri-chan¡¯s belt.¡± We were going for the Earth Labyrinth after this, but since my equipment weren¡¯t ready yet, we had Georg-san apply magic to lots of things. Among them was one belt, but thinking that I was already wearing a white cat robe, I requested him to do that to the paw belt. It was a belt with the design of paws meeting in the middle as if having a handshake, and it was a stylish equipment that I purchased from the white cat NPC, the same place where I bought my white cat robe. What happened to that paw belt? CH 54 ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s something we need to talk about that belt. Can you please come to the meeting room?¡± ¡°Understood. ¡­Did something awful happen? Before, that belt was said to not have any effect, though¡­¡± Towards Amanda-san who lowered her voice, Ar-niisama shrugged and said, ¡°It¡¯s not something bad, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that we can¡¯t talk about it in a place with many people¡­¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯ve finished eating too, so let¡¯s go.¡± After separating from Ar-niisama who was busy with other errands to do, Amanda-san and I headed towards a slightly spacious room called as the meeting room. Located next to Leon-san¡¯s office, an antique round table was put in the middle of the room to make it easier to hold meetings. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Georg-san was already waiting here, and my paw belt was put on top of the table. ¡°Sorry for suddenly asking you to come.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I always want to see you.¡± ¡°Amanda¡­¡± Looking at Georg-san who furrowed his eyebrows as if he was troubled, Amanda-san lightly sighed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand that you¡¯re not interested, Georg. But I¡¯ll make that change someday!¡± ¡°¡­You never change, huh.¡± Uhm¡­ I wonder if the two of them still remember that I¡¯m here¡­? The ambience is strangely good. Am I not like a third wheel here? ¡­Are they really not a pair of lovers? ¡°Anyway, I heard from Argo that we were called here because of the belt. Did something happen?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was troubled over what to install in this belt, since physical and magical protection could be covered with Yuuri-chan¡¯s magic, so something other than them should be alright. If you¡¯re a magician, I thought that [agile] effect would be good, but¡­¡± Ho~. So Georg-san and Amanda-san spoke to each other like this. It felt a little bit blunt, but it might be because they were being real. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°[Agile] is good, right? Is there a problem?¡± Speaking of which, there¡¯s no Enchanter like Georg-san in Elysia Online. But there¡¯s such thing as special effects applied to an equipment. For example, the [Dark Armor] dropped by a rare monster called as [Dark Lord]. It has an effect of increasing one¡¯s physical power in exchange to becoming more invulnerable to fire attacks. Another example is the [Lightning Sword] made by people who selected blacksmith as their secondary job, it would be strong against monsters like zombies. In case of [agile] effect, if I remember correctly, there was an equipment called as [Gale Ring] that one could equip starting from level 50. It was a rare item that was dropped from a monster called as Boss Swallow that appeared after defeating monsters called as Gang Swallow that usually appeared in a group of two to three monsters. However, Boss Swallow didn¡¯t come out often and furthermore it was a rare drop that could increase the speed as well as the attack that one could do, so we went back and forth to the hunting ground where Boss Swallow appeared to get it. ¡°Although it was supposed to be the agile effect, another effect was installed instead.¡± ¡°¡ªCould it be the [God¡¯s Whim]?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it awesome, Georg?!¡± God¡¯s Whim? What is that? As I tilted my head, Amanda-san told me in excitement. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°[God¡¯s Whim] is when you put an item inside a magic circle that¡¯s been endowed with magic, it will shine at the end and grant you a special effect.¡± ¡°Special effect?¡± ¡°Yes. Effects such as being able to ward off weak monsters or making it easier to get good items in a dungeon.¡± Something like that might have existed in Elysia Online. Very rarely, manufactured equipment would have the effect of [Monster Repellent] or [Rare drop item rate 1.2]. Players would put such equipment on display in the [Mall] as they were selling their own creations. The equipment with rare-dropping effects, except for the [Monster Repellent] ones, would usually be sold at an outrageously high price. Could it be that this Paw Belt¡¯s got a rare-dropping effect installed in it?! ¡°And what effect did it get?¡± Amanda-san and I excitedly waited for Georg-san¡¯s answer. C-could it be that it managed to get the effect of a rare-drop equipment that was too expensive to buy in the game, that I yearned for?! ¡°It¡¯s [Fortune].¡± Hmm? Fortune? ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing?!¡± Hmm¡­ It¡¯s amazing? ¡°Yeah. I had only worn it once, so I was surprised.¡± ¡°What kind of effect does [Fortune] have?¡± I tried asking as I thought that it might increase the rate of rare drop. Hmm. Dreamy rare drop-san¡­ Will you just become a dream of mine~? Sobs sobs. ¡°In short, it will make you have good luck.¡± ¡­That doesn¡¯t explain anything. Can you please be more specific?! This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°The one keeping that equipment has always been Georg from earlier, right?¡± ¡°No. I happened to get something that Leader asked me to wear, so I handed it over.¡± ¡°Then, we can¡¯t tell if Leader¡¯s fortune has become better or not, can we? In the first place, Leader has a very good luck. He is undeniably the hero.¡± Certainly, heroes do have an amazing fate. That¡¯s why, even if something good were to happen, we can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s the effect of the equipment or not. ¡°That¡¯s right, but Leader said that there was an effect, so most likely something had happened. At any rate, be it [Fortune] or [Physical Protection], since it helped Leader, as an Enchanter, it¡¯s something I¡¯m most delighted in.¡± ¡°Good grief. If you have that much of a skill, then try and boast it more! Then, I want you to be delighted in something else.¡± ¡°Like a date with Amanda-san?¡± When I unconsciously interjected, Amanda-san nodeed and said, ¡°Yes, yes!¡±, and then she turned to look at me. ¡°Yuuri-chan, what did you say?!¡± Georg-san had a very gentle gaze as he looked at Amanda-san who already turned bright red. CH 55 ¡°But, is it alright? To receive a belt with such an amazing effect¡­¡± Georg-san passed the paw belt to me, but I wavered when my hands were about to receive it since I felt bad. After all, it has such a rare effect, right? ¡°Of course. It¡¯s originally Yuuri-chan¡¯s belt, after all.¡± Georg-san said so, but¡­ This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no need for a child to mind about it. It¡¯s fine for you to just meekly say ¡®thank you¡¯.¡± Amanda-san sat next to me as she gently brushed my hair. I grabbed the paw belt tightly as I lowered my head. ¡°Georg-san, thank you very much. I¡¯ll use it with care.¡± ¡°Yeah. If you do that, I¡¯ll be happy.¡± As he smiled pleasantly, the dark brown pupils which were the same colour as his hair looked extremely gentle. Eh? For some reason, when I look at him like this, had he not have the scraggly beard, Georg-san would have had a pretty well-featured face¡­? Ah, but if he were to shave his beard, Amanda-san¡¯s rival might increase, so I should keep my mouth in check. It¡¯d be fine to have Amanda-san become the only one to know Georg-san¡¯s charm. Amanda-san, do your best! This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Anyway, just what kind of effect is the [Fortune] effect? Ah, since it¡¯s my own equipment, won¡¯t I be able to see what effect it has? We couldn¡¯t see such a thing in this world, but in the Elysia Online, a semi-transparent window could appear once we took a long hard it would tell us things such as the name of the NPC or the store, the equipment¡¯s strength, and so on. For example, if it was Amanda-san, there would be a name displayed on top of her head that read out as [Amanda]. In case of equipment, we would be seeing the offensive power for weapons or the defensive power for armours. However, in this world, I was only able to see my own equipment¡¯s numerical values. I wonder how about the items that were dropped from the monsters or the items that I could draw out from the treasure chest¡­ Speaking of which, I heard that magical jewels could be dropped after a monster was defeated, but what about items such as their fur or bones? The items like furs that were dropped by monsters could become ingredients for armours, meanwhile items that were like bones could become ingredients for weapons, and I wonder if they were dropped as they were¡­ Surely that won¡¯t be the case, right? Ever since I came to this world, I only defeated monsters such as slimes and goblins. For slimes, my magic was too strong that they would be burnt without leaving anything, and for goblins¡­ Speaking of which, I wonder if the sticks they carried could be considered as the items they dropped? But that would simply be an item that the goblins carried and fell easily after they were defeated. I felt like it couldn¡¯t be categorized as their drop items. I wonder if I would come to understand it once I go on an adventure towards the Earth Labyrinth? As I was thinking about it, I stared at the paw belt. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Paw Belt It is obtainable through a purchase from the White Cat NPC Basic Effect: Agility+5 Additional Effect: Fortune (Enchanter: George) Ooh! Georg-san¡¯s name was properly recorded as the Enchanter. Amazing! And if I were to tap around the [Fortune] text¡­ Eh? It didn¡¯t show anything. I wonder why? Hmm¡­ But since it really had the [Fortune] effect, surely it would be something good, right? Ah! Could it be that even if it wasn¡¯t written there, it would increase the chance of a rare drop?! If it¡¯s the case, I should quickly equip this! This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters I equipped the Paw Belt on the pink dress that Georg-san made. How is it? Does it suit the dress? ¡°Yuuri-chan, so cute!¡± ¡°Ya-y! Thank you very much. Do you think it suits me too, Noir?¡± As I asked, Noir who was sitting on top of my lap stared at the Paw Belt. ¡°Nyaa.¡± ¡°Here look, Noir. The paws are matchi-ng!¡± I took Noir¡¯s front paw and let it touch the Paw Belt as Noir tilted its head and cried, ¡°Nyaa?¡± Kyaaaaaa! How cuteeee! As expected of my Noir! Its cuteness is no match! And then the temptation of this squish paw¡­ nobody could withstand it. Haaaaa! I want to squish if foreveeeeerrrr¡­! Then, a knock to the door could be heard. ¡°Amanda, do you have a moment?¡± It¡¯s Ar-niisama¡¯s voice! This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Amanda-san and Georg-san looked at each other. Then, seeing Georg-san nodding, Amanda-san answered, ¡°Go ahead.¡± As the door opened, there was one more person who was with Ar-niisama, and they entered the room. Eh? It¡¯s the chubby yellow-san¡­ no, uhm, he is Lansley-san. I wonder what¡¯s up? As Lansley-san saw Amanda-san¡¯s figure, his face showed a very delighted expression. And when he also noticed Georg-san, his face dulled. Hmhmhm. As expected, the three of them are in a love triangle?! ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It seems that Lansley has something he wants to tell Amanda.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± C-c-c-c-could it be, he was planning on confessing here?! No, but there¡¯s also Georg-san here? Is it a confession with a resolution to accept a honourable defeat?! ¡°It¡¯s just that my father, he said that there was something that weighed his mind¡­¡± ¡°Count Rainier?¡± The moment she heard the name, Amanda-san was trying to conceal her disgust, and Lansley-san had an apologetic expression. ¡°Ah, no. This time¡¯s matter isn¡¯t about you.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat is it about, then?¡± Lansley-san removed his line of sight from Amanda-san who was puzzled, and then he was staring at me. ¡°It is related to Yuuri-chan.¡± Eeh? Me? W-why?! CH 56 ¡°Do you know that Krumm, my father¡¯s aide, has an artifact with the same effect as the Appraisal Eye?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s famous.¡± Hearing that from Lansley-san, Amanda-san turned to look at me with concern on her face. Ar-niisama and the others also showed a similar worried face. Uhm, Krumm-san is a dwarf who¡¯s Gazad-san¡¯s friend, right? C-could it be that he managed to appraise my status and was surprised by it? If so, then that is bad! After all, aside from my HP and MP, I have the title [Stray from Another World]. And if he were to see that, the fact that I came from another world would be found out! ¡­Ah, but it¡¯s not like it has to stay as a secret. It¡¯s not like people will believe it even if I were to mention it, and I have disclosed it to Amanda-san. Then, is it a problem with my status that he saw? No, wait a minute. As expected, there¡¯s a problem! With the title of [Panther King¡¯s Friend], he would find out that Noir was the Monster King. But the Monster Flood ended¡­ Eh? Then, won¡¯t there be a problem? ¡°Could it be that he appraised Yuuri-chan and discovered something absurd?¡± ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s the reverse.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It seems that he couldn¡¯t appraise anything.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Nah. That is certainly the problem. It isn¡¯t a public knowledge, but Krumm¡¯s appraisal is quite excellent. It seems that his ability was increased from his studies about artifacts. That¡¯s why, since Krumm couldn¡¯t appraise Yuuri-chan, Father seemed to take an interest in her. That¡­ Father likes gathering superior talented people.¡± Lansley-san said as he furrowed his brows. He looked completely unlike that black-hearted father of his, Count Rainier. Certainly, their raccoon-like features are the same, but he looks like a really good person. ¡°Currently, Yuuri is under the protection of the leader, but do you know how Count Rainier plans on taking in Yuuri, Lansley?¡± Ar-niisama put his hand on his chin as he asked. Lansley-san thought for a little while before answering. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I think that he wouldn¡¯t be able to forcibly take in a girl who received the Izel fort leader¡¯s protection as expected. As for the back-handed way¡­ Perhaps, an engagement to my younger brother whose age is apart from me?¡± ¡°¡ªEven though Yuuri isn¡¯t a noble?¡± ¡°Father doesn¡¯t really care about such things.¡± Lansley-san glanced at Amanda-san. Aah, well, certainly Count Rainier had said that he wanted to take Amanda-san, who wasn¡¯t a noble, to become his second wife. ¡°I understand Lansley¡¯s concern, but Yuuri is already my younger sister, so I think even Count Rainier won¡¯t be able to interfere in her matters.¡± ¡°Owen family¡¯s¡­?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ar-niisama nodded as he took my left hand and showed it to Lansley-san. On my left hand was a ring with a blue magical jewel embedded in it. ¡°The blue encircling feather¡­ It¡¯s Owen family¡¯s crest, huh?¡± ¡°The formal adoption procedure will happen once we arrive at the royal capital, though.¡± Me, too! I also think of Ar-niisama like a real big brother! ¡°Then, I will give my father a warning about that. Most likely he wouldn¡¯t want to make an enemy of the Owen family.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll entrust that matter to you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ar-niisama tapped on Lansley-san¡¯s shoulder. Thank goodness. With this, Count Rainier won¡¯t become a problem anymore. ¡°Thank you for purposely telling us this, Lansley.¡± ¡°Nah. ¡­You seem to cherish Yuuri-chan, Amanda, so it made me worried. But, it seems that it¡¯s only a needless concern from me.¡± As Amanda-san gave her thanks, Lansley-san¡¯s face looked delightful again. ¡­No matter how I look at it, he really likes Amanda-san, doesn¡¯t he? As for Amanda-san¡­ Hmm¡­ For some reason, she doesn¡¯t seem to notice it. Well, Amanda-san is devoted to Georg-san, so perhaps other people couldn¡¯t enter her eyes. Then, what about Georg-san? I thought as I turned to look at Georg-san, but his expression didn¡¯t seem to change at all. Hmm¡­ I think Georg-san also likes Amanda-san, but could it only be my misunderstanding? ¡°Then, I¡¯ll excuse myself. ¡­What will you do during the holidays, Amanda?¡± ¡°I plan on accompanying Yuuri-chan to go to the royal capital.¡± ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s the matter of the adoption to Owen family¡­¡± We plan on going to the Earth Labyrinth before going to the royal capital, but I wonder if we shouldn¡¯t mention about that matter to Lansley-san? To Amanda-san, Lansley-san is different from Georg-san, and he might not be the person with whom she can talk to about anything. ¡°Yeah. Even if they¡¯re going to become siblings, we can¡¯t leave Yuuri-chan to Argo alone. She¡¯s like my own younger sister as well.¡± ¡°¡­Georg is also coming along?¡± ¡°Nah. I plan on coming home for a little while.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ so.¡± The relieved Lansley-san left the room together with Georg-san who said he had something to do. Me and Ar-niisama who remained then looked at Amanda-san reflexively. As expected, no matter how you look at it, it¡¯s a love triangle, right¡­? But, Amanda-san doesn¡¯t seem like she noticed it. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why are you two looking at me?¡± ¡°¡­No. I just think that you don¡¯t really understand the male¡¯s heart as usual.¡± ¡°What are you saying? If Georg were to respond to my feelings, I¡¯d be able to tell in a heartbeat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± I agreed with my whole heart to Ar-niisama who was shrugging his shoulders. Could it be, could it be that this gorgeous and beautiful Amanda-san would be quite ignorant with romance, how unthinkable¡­! ¡°Yuuri-chan too, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Ah, no¡­ I just think that you¡¯re on good terms with Lansley-san.¡± ¡°Well, he was my partner in t he academy. But when we were students, I often lamented how he didn¡¯t really have the tender feelings to protect a woman as strong as the one he has right now.¡± Eeh, but isn¡¯t it more like he was hiding his embarrassment or that at that time, he hasn¡¯t grown to like you as much as he does right now? Hmm¡­ adults¡¯ romance situation is perhaps complicated. CH 57 Finally, it¡¯s time to depart from the Izel fort towards the Earth Labyrinth. Using their one-year-holiday after the Monster Flood ended, Ar-niisama and Amanda-san would be accompanying me in my travel. I have to work hard so I can reach the Sage Tower within that one year. Then, Frank-san decided to tag along because he thought it seemed interesting. Of course, Luan who was usually on top of his head also came along. Recently, I became used to seeing the little pink rabbit sitting on top of Frank-san¡¯s head. Rather, I would think that it was lonely if the rabbit were to go missing from his head. It was the same with Noir, but unless one was told about them, people wouldn¡¯t think that they were monsters. They would consider them as new pets. ¡°Nyaa. Nyan, nyaa.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± Uh huh. It might only be seen as a pet kitten and little rabbit having a conversation. Eh? Noir was certainly [The Panther King], wasn¡¯t it? Huh? Could it be that its cuteness was also at a king¡¯s class?! Yup. That ought to be right. And then the beastman Virna-san was planning on returning home by going to the Fire Labyrinth that was in the Beast Kingdom that lies after the Earth Labyrinth, so she decided to go together with us. Then, when everyone was heading towards the gate¡ª ¡°Young lass! Let¡¯s go and capture the slimes¡¯ new variety!¡± Eeeeeeeeh?! Karin-san was also coming along?! I hadn¡¯t heard about it¡ª! When I turned around, there was Karin-san with her usual thick g lasses and slime hat. Moreover, she put her hand on her waist, having an ¡®ahem¡¯ pose! ¡°No matter what, I hadn¡¯t heard anything about Karin coming along¡­¡± ¡°It won¡¯t matter even if there is just one or two people who are ignorant of the ways of the world.¡± In contrast to Amanda-san who said her words with a concerned tone, Frank-san didn¡¯t mind it one bit and just proceeded. Eeh¡ª. But I think Karin-san and I aren¡¯t people who are ignorant of the ways of the world. That¡¯s awful! When I unconsciously pouted, my head was patted by someone. As I looked up, my eyes were met with Ar-niisama¡¯s gentle water-like eyes. ¡°Well, I think the more, the merrier.¡± Ar-niisama smiled sweetly. When he put it that way¡­ that¡¯s true, I guess. ¡°By the way, what kind of slime is the new slime variety?¡± ¡°Hm. What a good question. ¡­That¡¯s right. The slimes around here are either green or earth-colored, but among them there are some that only eat a particular leaf or soil. We should just find them.¡± ¡°Uhmm¡­ How can we tell if they only eat those particular food?¡± ¡°Of course it can be decided from their scent. An ordinary green slime who eats various grasses will have a mixed scent, but a slime who only eats a particular leaf will only have that particular leaf¡¯s scent.¡± Eeeeeeh? We can determine that through the slime¡¯s scent? But I can¡¯t tell a slime¡¯s scent. As a test, I tried smelling Purun who was sitting on top Noir¡¯s head, but¡­ Hmmm~mm. Slimes don¡¯t really have a scent, huh? For some reason, Noir had a smell similar to the sun. It¡¯s such a lovely scent, so I like it. ¡°¡­The one who¡¯s capable of doing that extraordinary feat is obviously only Karin, don¡¯t you think?¡± Amanda-san said as she was aastonished, and Karin-san was so shocked she froze up. ¡°W-w-w-what?! Are you telling me that you can¡¯t tell if this slime has a sweet smell?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just normal.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s just wasting most of your lives!¡± ¡°No. I think only you will think of it that way, Karin.¡± ¡°Humans are such a poor race¡­¡± ¡°¡ªVirna, can you tell?¡± Amanda-san asked Virna-san, whose ears moved for a moment. Then, she looked at Purun and shook her head. ¡°It seems like Virna who has a sharp sense of smell can¡¯t tell. With this, we can assume that even a fellow elf, Naruruth won¡¯t be able to tell, either.¡± ¡°What did you saaaaaay?!¡± Karin-san hugged her head, feeling stricken. Meanwhile, Amanda-san lifted her gaze to look at the giant gate of the Izel fort. There was a figure of a person on top of the gate¡¯s watchtower. That person is¡­ Leon-san? Did he purposely come here to see us off? I felt somehow happy, and I waved my hand as hard as I could. Ar-niisama and the others who also noticed then turned to look up. After Leon-san lightly raised his hand, he turned his back on us. Fufuu. He¡¯s just as usual, huh? Eeeeeh, how do you say it? He¡¯s cool, but he has a dere1 side too, so he¡¯s a kuudere2, I guess. He went through the troubles to make sure he could see us off, after all. He was showing his affectionate side. Yup. ¡°Now, shall we go?¡± Yosh! Let¡¯s head towards the Earth Labyrinth, departing now¡ª! ¡°Uh huh! Let¡¯s begin this journey to find the new slime variety! My heart is beating so fast!¡± Karin-san pointed towards the distance as she stuck out her flat chest. Or rather, only Karin-san has something off with her determination! What will happen to my adventureeeeee?! CH 58 The road from Izel fort towards the royal capital was mostly just us going straight ahead. To me who had spent most of my time being in the Izel fort, everything that I saw was a wonder. The scenery that appeared was similar to the areas one could see in Britain¡¯s countryside¡­ at least that¡¯s how I felt. I actually had never been there, so I could only guess. ¡°Hmhmhm¡­ I haven¡¯t seen a slime, not even once! This trip is boring!¡± But apparently, Karin-san didn¡¯t like this kind of relaxing trip. She has always been making a complain for quite a while. ¡°Ars Kingdom¡¯s main road is safe. Karin also knows this, right?¡± There was no incident of any monster coming to attack in the middle of the journey. There were stone pillars embedded with magic circles in the main road, which had the effect of repelling monsters who weren¡¯t that strong. Slimes were obviously also repelled, so Karin-san tried to go astray from the main road when she saw an opening. But she was immediately stopped by Amanda-san. ¡°That stone pillar is the one that repelled the monsters, huhh¡­? Then, if it were to be destroyed¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not the only ones passing by this road, okay? If we were to go near a village somewhere, there will be slimes there, so please endure for a little bit more.¡± Amanda-san was exasperated. Karin-san replied by yelling, ¡°I have to wait that long?!¡± ¡°Good grief¡­ The child here, Yuuri-chan, was obediently riding on the horse, but why is it that Karin who¡¯s acting wilful? In the first place, you¡¯re an elf so you are the oldest here, right?¡± Eh¡­? Karin-san is even older than Frank-san?! Eeeeeeeh?!! ¡°Hum hum. I¡¯m the oldest here, so everyone should show some respect for me. Then, we shall have a little break and search for slimes¡ª¡± ¡°Rather than dilly dallying here, we should just go quickly and then return quickly. That reminds me, the village after this has a good sake1. We should go there quickly and have some drink, don¡¯t you think?¡± As Frank-san laughed out loud, Virna-san who heard the word ¡®sake¡¯ had her ears and tail swaying. ¡­Does Virna-san like sake? ¡°That¡¯s right. If we move a little bit more, the Graham Village will be there, so shall we take our time there? I think there are slimes near the village. The slimes might have gotten some kind of effects after the Monster Flood.¡± ¡°What did you say?! If that¡¯s the case, we should quickly go there!¡± Hearing Ar-niisama¡¯s words, Karin-san kicked her horse¡¯s stomach as it started to run. Oooh. Karin-san was exceptionally great at riding horses, huh? ¡°W-wait, Karin. Wait for a moment!¡± Amanda-san was flustered and quickly chased after her. But right ahead, Karin-san stopped her horse. Then, Amanda-san who caught up with her quickly dismounted her horse and prepared her sword. W-what¡¯s going on?! ¡°Giant Rat!¡± ¡°Oi oi, are you serious? Moreover, it¡¯s a mutant, isn¡¯t it?¡± Hearing Amanda-san¡¯s voice, Frank-san and Virna-san hurriedly joined together. Only Ar-niisama was distancing himself and stopped his horse at that spot. Certainly, there was a giant rat monster in the middle of the road. Its size was around half my size, so it was considerably large. Moreover, it was standing on its two legs. Giant Rat, huh? How nostalgic. Giant Rats are monsters that appear at a place a bit further from the initial village, and are a bit hard to defeat for beginners. But since it sometimes gave a rare drop called as [The Gold Ring], it became a perfect method of raising money during the early days. I heard from the guild master, Cecilia-san that back in the early days when Elysia Online¡¯s service had just started, it was the reason why its hunting ground was really crowded. In the first place, it was a monster that appeared at the same spot after it disappeared for a while once defeated, so there were many people who remained at the same place to wait for it to respawn. Although when I first started the game, there weren¡¯t that many beginners, so I could hunt the Giant Rat to my heart¡¯s content. The Giant Rat that I knew was light brown in colour, but the Giant Rat standing in the middle of the road was a mutant, so its colour was black. ¡°Yuuri, want to try using ¡®Cure¡¯?¡± Ar-niisama asked, but I already had too many subjugated monsters, and as expected the Giant Rat is¡­ ah, it¡¯s not cute, so I don¡¯t want it. As I shook my head, Frank-san also turned away and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°I have no interest in monsters other than slimes!¡± Ah, yup. Karin-san was as usual. Right-? ¡°Amanda, do you want to try?¡± Amanda-san readied a stance with her sword. Could it be possible for the rare drop [The Gold Ring] to appear after the Giant Rat was defeated?! I was excited. ¡°This kind of monster can¡¯t even be called as my enemy! There¡¯s no need for me to use my magic sword.¡± Amanda-san¡¯s red hair fluttered. The next moment, the Giant Rat was split into half. Whoa. As expected of Amanda-san! ¡°¡­Oh my?¡± As Amanda-san gazed at her feet, she bent down to the ground and picked up something. C-could it be¡ª! ¡°This is¡­ A ring?¡± Oooooooooohhh! The rare drop, the gold ring appeared¡ª! Amazing, amazing! It¡¯s the same gold ring in the game! Awesomeeeeeee! ¡°There seems to be a name written. Let see¡­ From Mary to Carl¡­?¡± ¡°Eh? Is it someone¡¯s property?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± Eeeeh? But the gold ring is supposed to be a rare drop, one that we can sell for money¡­ Eh? What¡¯s going on?! It¡¯s not a rare drop, but someone else¡¯s lost item? It seems like a quest¡ª ¨ŒA quest has appeared. ¨ŒDo you want to accept this quest? ¨Œ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¨Œ Yes¡¡¡¡¡¡No Wait a minute! A semi-transparent window appeared in front of my eyes, and this is¡ª Q¡­ Quest?! CH 59 Errrr, this world isn¡¯t a game, but it¡¯s reality, right? But, just why would a quest window pop out of nowhere?! If everything that has happened until now was just the continuation of the Sage job change quest in the Elysia Online¡­ there¡¯s no way that can be true, right? C-could it be, no way¡­ Hmmm. Even if I think about it, I still don¡¯t get it. If that¡¯s the case, for the time being, let¡¯s just try accepting this quest! Eiii! Ooh. The color of the [Yes] alphabet turned blue. Whoaaaa. What is this? So we should just deliver it to the person called Carl in Graham village? But how should I explain it to everyone? If I were to suddenly say, ¡°This ring belongs to Carl-san from Graham village, so let¡¯s send it to him!¡±, there¡¯s no way they will believe my words, right? Just when I was looking at the semi-transparent window that showed the quest with worries, Ar-niisama called me out from behind with a worried tone of voice. ¡°Yuuri, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Since the Giant Rat we defeated was a mutant, currently, we¡¯re checking whether or not it has a magic stone. In other words¡­ Since its corpse was being dissected in the middle of the road where we finished it off, the kind Ar-niisaama moved his horse so that I wouldn¡¯t be able to see the spectacle. But since I was staring into the air where there was nothing, he was apparently worried. ¡°It¡¯s such a mystery why the Giant Rat would possess the golden ring¡­¡± ¡°It might have bitten the owner of the ring. For example, it might have bitten off and torn up only a finger.¡± Ueeee?! I feel hurt just by imagining it¡­ ¡°The nearest place where people live from here would be the Izel fort and then if we were to go straight here¡ª¡± ¡°Graham village, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Dusk village that we went to during the Monster Flood was located between the Izel fort and Julei fort, so the direction was totally different. Besides, it was destroyed by the werewolves, so there isn¡¯t anyone there right now. ¡°Then, perhaps the owner of that golden ring is in the Graham village?¡± But the reward for completing the quest is [A stay in the inn], so the person might be related with the inn. Since the quest is telling me to deliver this to that person, so there¡¯s no way that person is already dead. ¡°Hmm¡­ But the items dropped after defeating monsters belong to the ones who defeated them, so there¡¯s no need to purposely deliver it. Since it¡¯s a golden ring, it can be sold at a high price. Then, let¡¯s buy holy water using the money we gain from its sale! My Maximillian Jr. will soon go hungry, so the timing is just right!¡± Come to think of it, Karin-san¡¯s slime only feeds on holy water. Even so, selling the ring we found is no good! Even without a quest, it¡¯s a no-no! ¡°Aah? Don¡¯t say such a petty thing, Karin. Besides, no matter how you look at it, this ring looks like something precious, don¡¯t you think? We¡¯re going to Graham village anyway, so why don¡¯t we just deliver it while we¡¯re at it? God is always watching what you¡¯re doing, the holy writings even said that.¡± Frank-san finished dissecting the corpse and casted the clean magic to wipe out any dirt and he was coming while bringing stuff such as the monster¡¯s fangs or claws. Ah. Could those be the items dropped?! Even though this world isn¡¯t a game, for some reason the development has turned to be game-like. But whyyy? ¡°¡­What?! Didn¡¯t Frank just speak like a priest?!¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®like a priest¡¯? No matter where you look at me, I¡¯m a splendid priest, ain¡¯t I?!¡± ¡°Snow is going to fall in Niflheim!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a land of everlasting summer where the elves live? There¡¯s no way snow will fall there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how unbelievable your words were!¡± Ho¡ª. I wonder if it is like an idiom in Elysia? It looks like the phrase ¡®It¡¯s going to hail tomorrow.¡¯ ¡°Oi oi, Even if I¡¯m like this, I¡¯m still a priest. Don¡¯t you forget it, okay?¡± Frank-san grumbled, to which Ar-niisama shrugged his shoulders and replied, ¡°It¡¯s the consequences of your actions.¡± Uh-huh. I think so, too. Even if Frank-san is actually a kind person, he normally looks like a vulgar delinquent. Although he is wearing a priest¡¯s clothes, he still doesn¡¯t look like one. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go to Graham village and try asking around about this ring, shall we?¡± Agree! Let¡¯s quickly deliver the ring to Carl-san and complete the quest¡ª! Yes¡ª! CH 60 Please don¡¯t repost my translation anywhere else! Also, don¡¯t hesitate to drop any comment~ (you can choose between default WordPress comment or Disqus) or via my Discord server. Comments are great motivations for me. I do read them, yes ^^ Special thanks for all patrons~! ^^ [Casual Supporter: Michelle, Riley R, Diego R, mjkj, SkVt, aureliaxangel, Graeme K] [Translation Mania Level 1: George P, wagtail] [Translation Mania Level 3: Robert LS, Melissa S, Teresa] [Double Degree Level 1: e] [Double Degree Level 2: Christopher] [Double Degree Level 3: Browser] [Library Owner: Erika S] Happy reading ^^ Aside from the appearance of the Giant Rat, we managed to arrive at the Graham village without any other problem. I was wondering if there would be someone at the gate of the village who¡¯d say ¡°Welcome to Graham village!¡±, but that kind of person wasn¡¯t there. It was slightly disappointing. Speaking of which, Karin-san went off to do something separately from us right in front of the village. Until the sun sets, she¡¯s going to find out whether or not a new variety of slimes exists in the village¡¯s circumferences. Uh huh. Well, that¡¯s just so like Karin-san, right? When I first saw the Graham village, it was so charming, as if it was a village straight out of fairy tales. White walls and red roof. In the middle of the village, a big stone monument stood towering its surrounding public square. This stone monument has a monster-repelling magical circle engraved on it, and since it exists, the monsters won¡¯t come into the village. However, since the barrier in this small village doesn¡¯t seem to be as strong, if there is a strong mutant or a horde of monsters attacking, the barrier might break. It¡¯s also my first time learning that once a magical circle was installed, it doesn¡¯t mean that its effects would continue to apply for all eternity. It has to be maintained by regularly pouring magical powers into it. But it seems that the amount of the magical power poured is tied to how strong the effect is. In case for a small village like this, the number of people who can use magic is only a few, so there isn¡¯t much magical power poured into the magical circle. So, only the magical circle forming a weak barrier could be installed. In a larger town, one single stone monument wouldn¡¯t be able to shield the whole area, so four stone monuments were build at the four corners of the town. Furthermore, in case for the Izel fort that¡¯s very close to the big Monster Forest, a more high performing and special monster-repelling magical circle is installed. Since there are also lots of magicians, the magical power is also gradually poured. It¡¯s strong. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s place the horses.¡± We went down from our horses before entering the village, and the first thing we¡¯re going to do is to find an inn with a barn. Most of the travels done in Elysia are by horses, so there should be barns even in a small village. In the scope of the Graham village, there seemed to be a lot of joint establishment of barn and inn. In other words, I guess we¡¯re going to the inn now. Since the reward for clearing the quest is [A stay in Graham village¡¯s inn], could it be that we could quickly clear the quest?! ¡°After putting the horses, we will go to the tavern first, right?¡± Frank-san said with a self-satisfied look. In response to him, Amanda-san frowned and said, ¡°Drinking alcohol during the daytime, this is definitely not how a priest would act.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. In order to gather information, taverns which will have lots of people gathering will be the best place to go, right? In addition, as long as they drink just a little bit of alcohol, their closed mouth will loosen up and tell us the information.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just going to ask whether there is a person named Carl here or not, aren¡¯t we? You¡¯re exaggerating it. Now, let¡¯s go to the inn quickly.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± While Frank-san showed his displeasure, Luan who was on top of his head let out a cry that seemed to indicate that they understood it. Hearing that voice, the nearby old man stopped in his surprise. The old man¡¯s ears restlessly searched for the source of the animal cry, and when he saw what was on top of Frank-san¡¯s head, his eyes went round. Aah, since Frank-san¡¯s tall, he might haven¡¯t realized that Luan was there up until just now. Luan is a mutant, so I guess it surprised him? Surely he wouldn¡¯t have any problem if he were to see a pink Horn Rabbit. ¡°Kyuu¡­¡± Noticing his stare, Luan was flustered as it quickly hid inside Frank-san¡¯s hair which was colored like a corn beard. It intended to hide itself, but Frank-san¡¯s hair was short, so it could only hide its head. ¡­Your round and adorable tail is visible, Luan¡­ ¡°Ah. Isn¡¯t that the inn?¡± For now, we should move from this place. So, I pointed at a slightly large building on the opposite side of the public square. ¡°It might be it. Villager, is the inn over there?¡± When the knight Ar-niisama asked politely, the old man suddenly straightened his previously curled up back. Ojii-san1. There¡¯s no need to be that nervous, Ar-niisama is kind~. ¡°Y-yes. That¡¯s right. ¡­By the way, are you knights people from the Izel fort?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for ending the Monster Flood quickly. I¡¯d be very anxious if it were to continue for a long time just like the Monster Flood eight years ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just because of the people of the Izel fort, it¡¯s the result of everyone joining hands together.¡± ¡°The hero is also there, right? God be praised, thank you!¡± The old man suddenly assumed the praying posture as Ar-niisama showed a wry smile. ¡°Oi oi, Jii-san. If you want to pray, go to the church.¡± ¡°¡­You are¡­ the priest-san, right?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes was glued to the top of Frank-san¡¯s head again. ¡°That, thing on top of your head, just what¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s emergency rations.¡± ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± ¡°The emergency rations, Luan2.¡± ¡°W-wha¡­¡± After confusing the old man, Frank-san said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± as he walked quickly towards the inn. Ah, wait¡ª! CH 61 ¡°Kyuuuu, kyukkyu!¡± ¡°Huh? It¡¯s true that you¡¯re an emergency food. Don¡¯t complain.¡± ¡°Kyuu!¡± ¡°Ouch, it hurts! Look, you can¡¯t stomp over there.¡± The villagers we met¡ªeach of them¡ªmade a startled face when they saw Luan who was on Frank-san¡¯s head, but seeing Frank-san¡¯s arguing that seemed like a comedy act, they quickly changed their expression to one that seemed to be looking pleasantly. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Hmhm. Certainly, the sight of the tough-looking Frank-san playing around with the small pink rabbit created a gap moe1 that it was heartwarming. ¡°Excuse me¡ª¡± As we arrived at the inn, Amanda-san called out from the entrance. It wouldn¡¯t be good if we were to proceed before restraining the horses first. However, there was no reply from inside. ¡°¡­I wonder if there¡¯s no one here?¡± ¡°There is a barn here. It¡¯s open, so for now, let¡¯s tie the horses.¡± Frank-san¡¯s voice could be heard from the back of the inn. ¡°That¡¯s right, let¡¯s do that.¡± After tying the horses, we went through the inn¡¯s door. The door was closed but it seemed like it wasn¡¯t locked, as the door was opened right as soon as my hand touched the key section of the door. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Good afternoon¡ª Is anyone there~?¡± The interior of the inn looked a lot like the inn that was in the initial village in Elysia Online. Right in the front there was the receptionist and a plate decoration with the mark of a bed symbolizing inn engraved there. On the left side, there was a small dining room with around three tables. Meanwhile, there was a staircase leading to the second floor on the right side. Whoaa. How nostalgic. In the beginning, I didn¡¯t have my own housing, so I was quite dependent on the inn~. There was an area called as Residential Area in Elysia Online, and if we were to buy a plot there, we would be able to construct our own house as we liked. The Residential Area is connected to the town located in the center of each country. In Ares kingdom, there is an entrance leading to the residential area in its royal capital. And the players that wanted to have a house of their own would need to go towards the residential area of the town they wanted to live in, and then apply for having a housing over there. However, if there were multiple applicants to the same house, the owner would be decided through a lottery. There was a time when the guild chat was filled with agonizing cries¡­ Luckily, I was able to buy a plot in the location I wanted. The residential area was really spacious, so moving from one end to another was very troublesome, but when you wanted to move towards the residential area, you would be asked to which block you wanted to move, so there was no need to worry about moving around the area in general. Moreover, if it was just going to your own house from the field, we would be able to quickly return home as long as we clicked on the home button. And by operating the panel located at the entrance of our own home, we would be able to conveniently move to the houses of our registered friends or to the guild house. A guild house is a big house that can be used by guild members as they like, and it was fun to gather there to chat with everyone. It felt like a shared housing. The people who are making weapons and armors could put the slightly failed equipment that couldn¡¯t be sold at high prices in the [Guild Storehouse] where they could be shared among a guild. ¡­Yes. I was also indebted to it in my earlier time. Of course I also put the potions I made inside the storehouse and also used them freely. There was a website filled with the showcase of wonderful housings that were made public by people. If we wanted to go there, we could just point at that house through our panel. On the contrary, we could also set our own housing as [Private] if we didn¡¯t want people we didn¡¯t know to be able to access our housing. Unfortunately, it seemed that the house I built didn¡¯t exist here in Elysia. Since I couldn¡¯t find the home button anywhere. If I were able to use it, there would be lots of items in my house, ranging from the low-leveled equipment to legendary items. Fortunately, I was able to use item boxes, so I was really saved by that. ¡°What the heck? Is nobody here?¡± As I looked around, the back door was opened. Ah, is it the inn¡¯s staff? ¡°¡­Hm? What¡¯s the matter? No one is in the reception.¡± ¡°I was wondering who it was, but it¡¯s just Karin, huh? Have you had enough with slimes?¡± ¡°I looked around and smelled things all over, but it seemed like there was no new slime variety. So I decided to rest early.¡± Amanda-san looked towards the dining hall and noticed Karin-san as she spoke to her. The scent of slimes¡­ She smelled it all around, huh? If she were seen by the villagers doing that, wouldn¡¯t they think that she was acting weird? Would that be fine? ¡°Good grief. What¡¯s wrong with them, not greeting customers who arrived? ¡­What? It¡¯s noisy over there.¡± Karin-san knitted her brows as she looked up at the ceiling. As soon as she did that, I heard some voices arguing. ¡°I have had enough! You have too many excuses! If you have given it to that woman, you should¡¯ve just said so!¡± ¡°Like I said, that¡¯s not the case! Why won¡¯t you believe me?!¡± ¡°What? Just because she¡¯s slightly beautiful, you became infatuated to her? Besides, she¡¯s an adventurer, so don¡¯t you think she¡¯s not going to stay forever in this small village? ¡®I¡¯ll come again later¡¯, such words are obviously just lip service!¡± T-this is¡­ Could it be the so-called scene of carnage?! As I was confused, Karin-san heaved a long sigh. ¡°What¡¯s up with them, not noticing that there are customers and fighting on the second floor? No matter how small of a village this is, it¡¯s such a failure as an inn.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But since this village is so small, I wonder if there isn¡¯t any other inn? ¡­Eh, Frank, what are you doing?!¡± As Amanda-san was agreeing with Karin-san, she took notice of Frank-san who sat down on a counter in the dining hall before we even knew it. ¡°Ooh. I had no expectation since this village is so small, but they have gathered some fine alcohol here. Don¡¯t you think so too, Virna?¡± ¡°Certainly, this is amazing.¡± Looking at the earthenware pots of alcohol lined up deep in the counter, Virna-san¡¯s tail was swaying around. So Virna-san really likes alcohol too, huh? ¡°Like I said, you¡¯ve got it wrong. Tania liked this village so she said that she would come again. That¡¯s only it.¡± ¡­The quarrel on the second floor still continued. ¡°How well said! Even though you already gave your ring away to her!¡± ¡­Hm? Ring? CH 62 ¡°Kyuuuu, kyukkyu!¡± ¡°Huh? It¡¯s true that you¡¯re an emergency food. Don¡¯t complain.¡± ¡°Kyuu!¡± ¡°Ouch, it hurts! Look, you can¡¯t stomp over there.¡± The villagers we met¡ªeach of them¡ªmade a startled face when they saw Luan who was on Frank-san¡¯s head, but seeing Frank-san¡¯s arguing that seemed like a comedy act, they quickly changed their expression to one that seemed to be looking pleasantly. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters Hmhm. Certainly, the sight of the tough-looking Frank-san playing around with the small pink rabbit created a gap moe1 that it was heartwarming. ¡°Excuse me¡ª¡± As we arrived at the inn, Amanda-san called out from the entrance. It wouldn¡¯t be good if we were to proceed before restraining the horses first. However, there was no reply from inside. ¡°¡­I wonder if there¡¯s no one here?¡± ¡°There is a barn here. It¡¯s open, so for now, let¡¯s tie the horses.¡± Frank-san¡¯s voice could be heard from the back of the inn. ¡°That¡¯s right, let¡¯s do that.¡± After tying the horses, we went through the inn¡¯s door. The door was closed but it seemed like it wasn¡¯t locked, as the door was opened right as soon as my hand touched the key section of the door. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Good afternoon¡ª Is anyone there~?¡± The interior of the inn looked a lot like the inn that was in the initial village in Elysia Online. Right in the front there was the receptionist and a plate decoration with the mark of a bed symbolizing inn engraved there. On the left side, there was a small dining room with around three tables. Meanwhile, there was a staircase leading to the second floor on the right side. Whoaa. How nostalgic. In the beginning, I didn¡¯t have my own housing, so I was quite dependent on the inn~. There was an area called as Residential Area in Elysia Online, and if we were to buy a plot there, we would be able to construct our own house as we liked. The Residential Area is connected to the town located in the center of each country. In Ares kingdom, there is an entrance leading to the residential area in its royal capital. And the players that wanted to have a house of their own would need to go towards the residential area of the town they wanted to live in, and then apply for having a housing over there. However, if there were multiple applicants to the same house, the owner would be decided through a lottery. There was a time when the guild chat was filled with agonizing cries¡­ Luckily, I was able to buy a plot in the location I wanted. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters The residential area was really spacious, so moving from one end to another was very troublesome, but when you wanted to move towards the residential area, you would be asked to which block you wanted to move, so there was no need to worry about moving around the area in general. Moreover, if it was just going to your own house from the field, we would be able to quickly return home as long as we clicked on the home button. And by operating the panel located at the entrance of our own home, we would be able to conveniently move to the houses of our registered friends or to the guild house. A guild house is a big house that can be used by guild members as they like, and it was fun to gather there to chat with everyone. It felt like a shared housing. The people who are making weapons and armors could put the slightly failed equipment that couldn¡¯t be sold at high prices in the [Guild Storehouse] where they could be shared among a guild. ¡­Yes. I was also indebted to it in my earlier time. Of course I also put the potions I made inside the storehouse and also used them freely. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters There was a website filled with the showcase of wonderful housings that were made public by people. If we wanted to go there, we could just point at that house through our panel. On the contrary, we could also set our own housing as [Private] if we didn¡¯t want people we didn¡¯t know to be able to access our housing. Unfortunately, it seemed that the house I built didn¡¯t exist here in Elysia. Since I couldn¡¯t find the home button anywhere. If I were able to use it, there would be lots of items in my house, ranging from the low-leveled equipment to legendary items. Fortunately, I was able to use item boxes, so I was really saved by that. ¡°What the heck? Is nobody here?¡± As I looked around, the back door was opened. Ah, is it the inn¡¯s staff? ¡°¡­Hm? What¡¯s the matter? No one is in the reception.¡± ¡°I was wondering who it was, but it¡¯s just Karin, huh? Have you had enough with slimes?¡± ¡°I looked around and smelled things all over, but it seemed like there was no new slime variety. So I decided to rest early.¡± Amanda-san looked towards the dining hall and noticed Karin-san as she spoke to her. The scent of slimes¡­ She smelled it all around, huh? If she were seen by the villagers doing that, wouldn¡¯t they think that she was acting weird? Would that be fine? ¡°Good grief. What¡¯s wrong with them, not greeting customers who arrived? ¡­What? It¡¯s noisy over there.¡± Karin-san knitted her brows as she looked up at the ceiling. As soon as she did that, I heard some voices arguing. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°I have had enough! You have too many excuses! If you have given it to that woman, you should¡¯ve just said so!¡± ¡°Like I said, that¡¯s not the case! Why won¡¯t you believe me?!¡± ¡°What? Just because she¡¯s slightly beautiful, you became infatuated to her? Besides, she¡¯s an adventurer, so don¡¯t you think she¡¯s not going to stay forever in this small village? ¡®I¡¯ll come again later¡¯, such words are obviously just lip service!¡± T-this is¡­ Could it be the so-called scene of carnage?! As I was confused, Karin-san heaved a long sigh. ¡°What¡¯s up with them, not noticing that there are customers and fighting on the second floor? No matter how small of a village this is, it¡¯s such a failure as an inn.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But since this village is so small, I wonder if there isn¡¯t any other inn? ¡­Eh, Frank, what are you doing?!¡± As Amanda-san was agreeing with Karin-san, she took notice of Frank-san who sat down on a counter in the dining hall before we even knew it. ¡°Ooh. I had no expectation since this village is so small, but they have gathered some fine alcohol here. Don¡¯t you think so too, Virna?¡± ¡°Certainly, this is amazing.¡± Looking at the earthenware pots of alcohol lined up deep in the counter, Virna-san¡¯s tail was swaying around. So Virna-san really likes alcohol too, huh? ¡°Like I said, you¡¯ve got it wrong. Tania liked this village so she said that she would come again. That¡¯s only it.¡± ¡­The quarrel on the second floor still continued. ¡°How well said! Even though you already gave your ring away to her!¡± ¡­Hm? Ring? CH 63 ¡°Incidentally, when my father¡¯s health declined and he retired one year ago, my older brother suddenly became a minstrel and said that he wouldn¡¯t be succeeding the inn¡­¡± A minstrel, huh? It wasn¡¯t an occupation that was available in Elysia Online, but it existed here. I wonder if they sung the song of heroes? Speaking of heroes, it would be Leon-san, so¡­ in other words, they were singing songs about Leon-san? Whoa. I¡¯d like to listen to it. ¡°¡­Was your elder brother talented?¡± Carl-san pondered over Frank-san¡¯s question for a while. ¡°Who knows, what about it? I never really heard others¡¯ singing after all. ¡­But, I loved Nii-san1¡¯s singing. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to support him in chasing after his dreams. If that doesn¡¯t work out, then he could just return.¡± ¡°In addition,¡± Carl-san continued. ¡°But when it comes to succeeding an inn, managing the inn alone is difficult, so I have to take a wife. My brother was so popular that he once had three lovers, but when it comes to me, I wasn¡¯t popular at all¡­¡± Hmmm. Carl-san¡¯s elder brother who had three lovers and only sang without succeeding an inn, how do I put it, I feel like he isn¡¯t that good of a man. He didn¡¯t want to become a minstrel because he wanted to be more popular, did he? ¡°I worked hard alone for a while, but as expected, it was awful. So when I was thinking of asking a matchmaker to be introduced to someone, my retired father recommended Mary, my childhood friend. And then, I got married to her and officially succeeding the inn, but since it was just right when the Monster Flood began, we hadn¡¯t had our marriage ceremony. In exchange, we gave each other a present, and it was that golden ring.¡± I see~ And that was the golden ring we picked up. When they were just getting married before the Monster Flood, they were a lovey dovey newlyweds. And since work was so difficult, he became thinner, and the ring dropped. Which means¡­ with this, we¡¯ve cleared up the quest, right? But how do I make sure of it? Hmm¡­ If I could see my status through the [Status Open] command, then I should be able to display the quest through the [Quest Open] command, huh? Shall I try with a small voice? ¡°Quest Open.¡± Pretending to be talking to Noir that was in my embrace, I uttered those words stealthily. With this, a window would¡ª ¡­Nope. Nothing is popping out. When I received the quest, a semi-transparent window suddenly popped out, so there¡¯s a high possibility that a window would pop open when I clear the quest. In other words, I haven¡¯t cleared the quest? But, the quest was to hand over the ring to Carl-san, right? If that¡¯s the case, then it should¡¯ve been cleared, though? ¡°When the Monster Flood finally ended, the adventurers who returned from the Izel fort began to visit this place. Among them was Tania who previously brought Thor¡¯s axes. At first, she seemed to have forgotten about me, but since she remembered it, she told me stories about Thor. She was a good person.¡± ¡°I see. Since you were on good terms with that child called Tania, your wife became jealous. Moreover, you lost your ring at that timing¡­ Nii-chan, what a luck you have.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Frank-san tapped the shoulder of the crestfallen Carl-san, trying to comfort him. ¡°Well, now that you got the ring back, you should show it to her and solve the misunderstanding properly.¡± ¡°Ah, no. I should guide you all¡ªmy guests¡ªto the room¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be more difficult if you let a woman angry. You should apologize as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Just go.¡± Frank-san opened the door and urged him. Carl-san grasped his hands tightly and bowed his head. As expected of Frank-san. He said such a good stuff. ¡°Thank you very much!¡± After saying that, Carl-san rushed out, but he ended up bumping into the people who were entering the building. ¡°Carl, this is bad!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Jack?¡± ¡°An Armored Insect appeared! Moreover, it is the biggest one I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± If I¡¯m not mistaken, an Armored Insect is a monster that is immune to physical attacks and thus has to be defeated by magical attacks. In the game, it was quite big, so I wonder how big it is in this world. ¡°What?! Where did it appear?¡± ¡°At the west field. Can I entrust this matter to you?¡± ¡°Yeah. Leave it to me.¡± Carl-san turned to look at us before he lowered his head. ¡°Dear guests, I apologize. There is something I have to attend to. The two rooms in the back of the second floor are vacant, so would you like to take a rest there first?¡± When he asked that, Frank-san turned to look at Ar-niisama with an inquiring look, to which Ar-niisama nodded. ¡°Can you use magic?¡± ¡°No. But I learned an axe technique, [Shell Smash], from Thor-san.¡± Aah, certainly the axe skill [Shell Smash] would be able to give damage even to an Armored Insect, I guess. This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°I see¡­ Then, you are indeed Thor¡¯s apprentice.¡± Ar-niisama was looking at the axes decorating the dining hall¡¯s wall as if he was looking at something nostalgic; as if saying that he knew Thor-san. ¡°Do you know Thor-san¡ª¡± ¡°Hurry, Carl!¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Sorry, Jack. ¡­I¡¯m going now.¡± Being urged by Jack-san, Carl-san took the new axes that was displayed on the wall. ¨ŒA serial quest has appeared. ¨ŒWould you like to accept the quest? ¨Œ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¨Œ Yes¡¡¡¡¡¡No Whoa! Another semi-transparent window popped out! Moreover, a serial quest?! CH 64 As I thought, the quest hasn¡¯t ended yet! After choosing ¡®Yes¡¯, the quest detail¡ªwritten in blue¡ªshowed up. Hmm, what is it now? ¨Œ You have accepted a serial quest that continues after the Golden Ring quest. ¨Œ An Armored Insect showed up outside the Graham village. Exterminate it together with Carl. ¨Œ Reward for quest clearance: Receiving ???¡¯s key from Carl If the quest is failed: Won¡¯t get ???¡¯s key Eh. Eeeeeeeeeeeh?! Could it be that, by some chance, we¡¯d receive the key to the Sage Tower if we were to clear the quest?! But why the hell would that be possible? Wouldn¡¯t we be able to receive the key to the Sage Tower only after clearing the Earth Labyrinth and the Fire Labyrinth? It was certainly that way in the game, but¡­ But could it be that it could perhaps be obtained more easily in this world. Or could it be a quest that appears after clearing some special conditions, just like a hidden method? If that is the case¡­ If that is the case, will I be able to return to my original world after clearing this quest?! Although I was confused with this unexpected development, I pulled on Ar-niisama¡¯s sleeves and made an appeal. ¡°Ar-niisama. I also want to help with exterminating the Armored Insect!¡± Certainly, it was possible to defeat the Armored Insect with the skill [Shell Smash] that Carl-san possessed, but perhaps if that was the case, we might not be able to obtain the [???¡¯s Key]. Besides, even if it wasn¡¯t a quest, defeating an enemy that¡¯s resistant to physical damage is quite hard, so it¡¯s just right for me¡ªa magic user¡ªto help! ¡°That¡¯s right. I will go too.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Ar-niisama and Amanda-san also joined, and Frank-san also followed suit. ¡°If it¡¯s an Armored Insect, if you¡¯re there, young girl, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem. However, I will also tag along, just for caution¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°Although I can¡¯t use magical sword, I will also accompany you.¡± The sword that Virna-san¡¯s using is somewhat thin, so I wonder if it could even lay some damage on the Armored Insect. I just hope that the sword won¡¯t break. ¡°I don¡¯t have interest in anything other than the slimes. I will go and rest in the room first.¡± Only one person¡ªKarin-san alone showed no interest and decided to go ahead to the inn¡¯s room. ¡°Ah, then can you please look after Purun? It might get dangerous for it if we were together during the battle.¡± After entering the village, aside from Noir who looked like an ordinary kitten at a first glance and Luan who wouldn¡¯t get away from Frank-san¡¯s head, the slime Purun was in a bad situation no matter how you look at it. Therefore, Purun was hiding inside the special pouch that was given by Karin-san, that was the same kind as Maximillian Jr.¡¯s. That¡¯s why as long as I handed the pouch over to Karin-san, it would be safe. ¡°Sounds good to me. ¡­Young lass.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to do the slime research together with me, so don¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡­What? Since when are we going to do the slime research together? But with such words, Karin-san showed her concern over me, right? Ehehe. I¡¯m happy. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± I replied while smiling and slightly grinning at Karin-san. She then huffed and turned away her face before going up to the second floor. ¡°Oh my, how rare. Karin is being shy.¡± Oooooh. Karin-san was displaying her affection to me, which is rare! Yaaaay¡ª! Wait, this isn¡¯t the right time and place to be rejoicing like this. We have to hurry and go to Carl-san¡¯s place. We rushed after Carl-san, going towards the field that was located to the west from the village. Upon arriving, there was¡ª ¡°It¡¯s a Hercules Beetle¡­¡± How weird. The Armored Insect in the game had a rounded form that was similar to the scarabaeid beetle no matter how you look at it, and it didn¡¯t have any big horn. The color was certainly black, but¡­ But it wasn¡¯t supposed to be this big. This Armored Insect¡¯s size seemed to be about the size of an elephant. Moreover, it had three horns. The middle horn was very big and sharp that I felt like it wouldn¡¯t be good if one were to get stabbed by it. This giant rhinoceros beetle was currently eating the cabbages that were grown in the field with such a great vigour. ¡°Whoa.¡± For the time being, the herbivorous rhinoceros beetle was too absorbed in devouring the tousled cabbages that it completely ignored the villagers who were attacking, trying to drive it away. Somehow, the villagers¡¯ desperate attacks might only be seen as something slightly annoying to the gigantic rhinoceros beetle. After all, physical attacks don¡¯t work on it¡­ But it would be quite dangerous if the Armored Insect were to swing around those huge horns even if it was only thinking of driving away the annoying ¡®flies¡¯ around it. If one were to get stroke by it¡ªeven only for a bit¡ªit could already send one flying. Ah, and Carl-san was over there. Then, he used the [Shell Smash] skill to attack the Armored Insect¡ª E-eh? For some reason, it didn¡¯t seem to mind it at all and continued to eat the cabbages¡­ Could it be that the attack wasn¡¯t effective at all?! CH 65 ¡°It isn¡¯t effective.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t effective, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s that big, its shell is surely very tough.¡± As Ar-niisama and Amanda-san mentioned the same thing, Frank-san was roughly scratching his hair. Luan who was on top of his head skilfully avoided that hand. ¡°That¡¯s right. The Armored Insect is weak against magic, but¡­¡± Yes, ye-s! I will do my best-! I was about to raise my hand when¡ª ¡°Yosh. Then should I do it?¡± Eh¡­ Frank-san?! But Frank-san is a priest, right? Although he is a priest who fights, too¡­ Next to me whose eyes widened, Rank-san gleefully approached the Armored Insect. Then, neither Ar-niisama, nor Amanda-san, and not even Virna-san was going to stop Frank-san. Frank-san was about to go as he was, but then he remembered Luan was on top of his head, so he was trying to pull it away from him since it would be dangerous. However, Luan desperately resisted by entwining its claws in his hair. I think one of Luan¡¯s cute side could be seen in how Luan was clinging tightly to Frank-san¡¯s hair and not his scalp in order to not hurt him. Luan really likes Frank-san after all, huh~? ¡°It hurts, it hurts. Oi, don¡¯t cling to my hair.¡± ¡°Kyuuu. Kyukkyuu.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, so go to the young girl¡¯s side.¡± ¡°Kyuu, kyukyuu.¡± ¡°¡­Geez¡­ It can¡¯t be helped. Then, hang on to me firmly, okay?¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± After Luan answered, Frank-san turned around and broadly smiled. ¡°Well now, I¡¯ll be off for a bit.¡± Frank-san took something out of his storage pouch and inserted it into his fingers. Something that you use by inserting it into your four fingers¡­ Is it a weapon? It is slightly pointed, so I think it resembles a weapon a lot. ¡°Protect Shield to Frank-san!¡± I hurled a protective magic towards Frank-san¡¯s back as he ran. The Armored Insect doesn¡¯t have any magical attacks, so a physical protection alone should be enough. Frank-san went near the Armored Insect and drove away Carl-san. I immediately casted heal on him. Hoo. Thank goodness. Carl-san seems to be alright. Then, behind the Armored Insect kept on eating the cabbages without minding the situation at all¡ª ker-bonk thud, ker-thump, thwack Frank-san attacked the Armored Insect many times over, as he was changing the angle several times to find the spots which dealt the most damage. ¡°Amazing! Its back is dented!¡± Although physical attacks were supposed to be ineffective, Frank-san¡¯s attacks managed to dent its shell. And as expected, the Armored Insect noticed the effective attacks as it stopped eating and turned around. Then, it turned towards Frank-san and began to attack with its big horns. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± I unconsciously let out a shriek when I saw that the Armored Insect¡¯s big horns were headed towards Frank-san. But Frank-san jumped behind and avoided that attack. Looking at Frank-san who was distancing himself from it, the Armored Insect stopped walking for some reason. Then, it started to shake its wings. ¡°Eh¡ª. It was dented, but it¡¯s back to its original form!¡± The back that was all dented returned to its original smooth form in the blink of an eye. Hmmm. As expected, it seems like physical attacks aren¡¯t effective against the Armored Insect. Now is my turn to launch magical attacks! I immediately took out the Gecko Wand from my item box and began attacking the Armored Insect with magic. ¡°Wind Arrow to the Armored Insect!¡± At that time, the Armored Insect raised its horns again. Then, the Wind Arrow directly hit the horns¡¯ roots. ¡°I was aiming at its body, but it missed?!¡± The Armored stopped moving, still with its previous posture of raising its horns. Then, it slowly turned its face over here. ¡°Eh¡­ The magical attack was ineffective too?!¡± It was looking at me very intently for some reason, thoughhhh¡­ No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s targeting meeeeee! Could it be that it was the same as Noir¡ªa mutant though it looked like a normal monster at a first glance?! Thus, it was immune to not only physical attack, but magical attack as well¡ª The Armored Insect was approaching here. Then¡ª Doooooonnn! It let out such a big voice¡­ ¡°I-it broke¡­?¡± Surprisingly, the Armored Insect¡¯s horns came off from their roots before it fell down to the ground! ¡°I-is it finished¡­?¡± The Armored Insect whose horns were broken off didn¡¯t move. In other words¡­ ¡°Hurray¡ª! It¡¯s been defeated¡ª!¡± I reflexively assumed a triumphant pose. But¡­ ¡°Eeeeeeeh, why is it moving agaiiiiiin?!¡± CH 66 The Armored Insect that was slowly moving suddenly turned up. Should I cast another Wind Arrow¡­? Ah, but I wonder if another magic is better here? Fire Ball is out of question because it¡¯d burn the surrounding trees, Water Ball will wash away the cabbages that haven¡¯t been eaten yet, Rock Fall will leave some rocks behind in the field which will be a hindrance¡­ If that¡¯s the case, then will Thunder Arrow be able to damage the Armored Insect? I was about to cast the magic when¡ª The Armored Insect suddenly fell over on its back. Then, its legs were twitching. Ooh. Could it be that the effect of the Wind Arrow earlier just manifested?! Hurrayy¡ª! As I was rejoicing, Ar-niisama who was next to me said in admiration. ¡°As expected of Frank.¡± Hmm? Frank-san? Weren¡¯t Frank-san¡¯s attacks not effective at all? I looked up at Ar-niisama curiously, he said, ¡°How absurd,¡± as he explained. ¡°Frank¡¯s skill is [Surging Fist]. Since it¡¯s an attack that transmits waves to one¡¯s body, the harder its exterior, the more damage it can deal. That¡¯s why the inside of its shell should have been destroyed. The drawback is that it will take a while for the effect to be visible, but it¡¯s quite a powerful skill.¡± Au. Here I thought it was the effect of my Wind Arrow, but I was mistaken. Ha¡­ How embarrassing~. As I was tapping my hands around my cheeks in embarrassment, Frank-san returned after checking that the Armored Insect had been defeated. ¡°As expected, the shell is really hard. That¡¯s why the skill was effective.¡± ¡°Good grief, it¡¯s baffling why Frank became a priest. Rather than becoming a priest, wouldn¡¯t becoming an adventurer suit him better?¡± Amanda-san said in admiration before she looked at Frank-san in astonishment. Hmhm. I think so, too. ¡°Although Frank-san is a priest, why are you so strong?¡± My question unconsciously slipped through my mouth, and Frank-san patted my head. ¡°Jou-chan, what do you think is a priest¡¯s job?¡± ¡°Healing, isn¡¯t it?¡± If anything, I think that Frank-san¡ªwho could do other things than just healing¡ªwas an unusual priest. With his thick muscles, he looks like a pro wrestler. ¡°To heal someone, we need to touch the target¡¯s body, right? However, there are some people who get so badly injured amidst of a battle that they can¡¯t retreat. In such a time, the priest has to go to where the injured person is. It is a priest¡¯s duty to heal the injured, after all. And the monsters aren¡¯t going to go easy on us just because we¡¯re a priest.¡± It¡¯s true that one has to touch the target in order to heal them in this world. In addition, since they didn¡¯t know anything about the party system, they also wouldn¡¯t know about the skill [Guardian Shield] that a shield-wielding person could do in order to take over the damage of other party members. Although it was the very first skill that one could learn from the shield skills, it was awfully useful. I was also protected by a swordsman who wielded shield during boss battles. Especially when I was a priest, since a party that had their priest defeated couldn¡¯t make a comeback¡­ Ahh. I see. Certainly, it was the same case even in this world. If the priest is defeated, there won¡¯t be anyone who can heal. Also, since a priest has to go to the same place as the vanguard in order to heal them, a priest has to train their own body, too. In other words, the priests of this world have to be able to heal and defend themselves. When I asked about it, Frank-san showed a broad and cheerful smile. ¡°It¡¯s exactly like that, Jou-chan. But defense alone isn¡¯t enough. In addition, don¡¯t they say that attack is the best defense? Isn¡¯t it a man¡¯s dream to be able to defeat the monsters quickly so that they can heal their allies slowly? Don¡¯t you think so too, Argo?¡± As he was suddenly dragged into the conversation, Ar-niisama bitterly smiled as he answered. ¡°It¡¯s true that a priest should also be good at protecting themselves, but only you trained his body to such an extent, don¡¯t you think, Frank?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Yuuri-chan. Not all priests battle absurdly like him.¡± Virna-san also silently nodded in agreement in response to Amanda-san¡¯s words. ¡°Is that so? Simon is also strong, though?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because he is your disciple.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also that, huh? Wahaha.¡± Frank-san heartily laughed, and Luan who was on top of his head also cried out ¡®kyuu kyuu¡¯ in high spirits. ¡°Oh my~. You saved me. My esteemed guests are strong, huh?¡± Carl-san who was shouldering his axe also turned up. ¡°I was wondering what I should do when my [Shell Smash] isn¡¯t effective at all¡­ You have my heartfelt gratitude.¡± Carl-san bowed his head. Frank-san then waved his hand as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± At that moment, a woman¡¯s voice called out to Carl-san. ¡°Mary!¡± Ah, Mary-san who ran off from the inn earlier was now running to our direction. ¡°Carl! I heard that an Armored Insect appeared. It¡¯s been exterminated? Are¡­ Are you hurt??¡± Mary-san stopped in front of Carl-san before she touched Carl-san¡¯s body to check whether or not he was hurt somewhere. ¡°I¡¯m alright, sorry for making you worried. The travellers were the ones who defeated it.¡± ¡°Thank goodness¡­ You¡¯re the only one who can fight against an Armored Insect, and when I thought about how you¡¯d get hurt, I¡­¡± ¡°Mary¡­¡± Carl-san then hugged Mary-san. At that moment, Ar-niisama used his palms to cover my eyes. W-wait a moment! It¡¯s such a heartfelt moment, so why couldn¡¯t you let me see it?! CH 67 ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve found the ring.¡± After a while, Carl-san¡¯s voice could be heard. But Ar-niisama still hadn¡¯t removed his hands from my face. ¡°This is¡­?!¡± ¡°For some reason, it appeared after a mutant Giant Rat was defeated.¡± ¡°A Giant Rat?¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­ When I dropped the ring outside the village, the Giant Rat ate it. The ring received a little bit of divine magic, so it is possible.¡± I heard about it from Amanda-san before. In the case where one wanted to apply a defensive power on their equipment, other than having an enchanter like Georg-san endow the equipment with a magical circle, there were other ways to endow divine protection on it. Rather than engraving a magical circle on an equipment, it would be easier and cheaper to have someone possessing a magical power to endow divine protection on it, and it seemed a lot of people did it for their wedding ring just like Carl-san¡¯s. It seemed like monsters didn¡¯t only eat living creatures, they also ate things that possessed magic, and that was why Carl-san¡¯s ring was eaten. ¡°Is that when you went out of the village with Tania?¡± ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a small village. Of course I¡¯d know! As I guessed, you and that woman¡ª¡± ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, Mary. I did go out of the village with Tania, but it was in order to visit a grave.¡± Hee. The gravesite was located outside the village. Certainly, the graveyard¡ªwhere the Undeads appeared in the game¡ªwas located slightly distant from the village. Such kind of thing was the same as how it was in Elysia Online, huh? ¡°Visiting the grave?¡± ¡°Yeah. There is a hill where we could take a look down towards the village a short distance away from the village, right? We went to Thor¡¯s grave there. I put a fragment of Thor¡¯s axe in his gravesite, simply to satisfy myself.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know.¡± The Monster King during the previous Monster Flood was an Undead. According to the story I heard a bit from Ar-niisama, the people who were defeated by the Monster King in the battle turned into Undead themselves and attacked the others, so maybe, Thor-san also¡­ Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m ¡°I thought I had to say this sooner or later, but I didn¡¯t marry you just because the Monster Flood was occurring and there wasn¡¯t the time to look for anyone else. That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡± ¡°I¡­ Sorry, Carl. I had always loved you, so¡­ When I heard that you were looking for a marriage partner, I thought that¡­ Since anyone would be fine, then I would be fine, right? That¡¯s why I told your father that I¡¯d like to marry you, Carl.¡± ¡°Is that so? ¡­Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize it. I thought that you had always loved my older brother for sure. That¡¯s why you must have been reluctant to marry me¡­¡± It seemed that Carl-san was chubby back then, and all the women preferred his older brother who was popular. ¡°Give me a break, I¡¯m not such a woman. I don¡¯t like someone who¡¯s too friendly to all the women in the village. I like your kindness and I feel healed by being with you, Carl!¡± ¡°Mary¡­¡± ¡°Ah~. Cough. I wonder if you guys still remember that there are other people around you? And we also have a young girl over here.¡± It felt like Frank-san¡¯s words and his purposeful cough made the two become separated from each other. When Ar-niisama¡¯s hands that were covering my eyes finally went away, Carl-san and Mary-san were bright red¡­ Yup. Being lovey dovey is sure nice, isn¡¯t it?! ¡°Mary. Will you please insert this ring once more?¡± ¡°Of course, Carl.¡± The two of them stared at each other with blushing cheeks. And as their faces gradually drew near¡ª Eh. Why are you covering my eyes again, Ar-niisama?! ¡°Yes, yes. Save that kind of thing for later~¡± I heard Amanda-san¡¯s voice along with the sound of hands clapping, and Ar-niisama¡¯s hands left my face. Geez, I thought as I looked up at Ar-niisama, but he then patted my head. Y-you wouldn¡¯t be able to gloss over it with just this, okay? ¡°Ah, sorry. ¡­Even so, I¡¯d like to express my gratitude to everyone no matter what¡­¡± ¡°Carl. What about giving them today¡¯s lodging as a service?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m also thinking about that, but that alone won¡¯t be enough. I received a help not only to make up with you, but also in defeating the Armored Insect¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Come with me to the inn,¡± said Carl-san as we followed him along. Then, he took out something from behind the axes that were Thor-san¡¯s memento that decorated the wall. Eh. Wait a bit! Isn¡¯t that¡­ a key?! ¡°If you¡¯d like it, I¡¯ll be giving you this. There is a dungeon called as [The Cavern of Ordeal] near this village where there won¡¯t be that many strong monsters appearing, but this is apparently the key to enter a hidden room in it. It¡¯s an item that I received from Thor with the hope that we¡¯d be going there together once I become an adventurer and be able to fight, but I¡¯d always be staying here making a living with the inn together with Mary, so it¡¯s not something I can use anymore.¡± Carl-san looked at the key with a very nostalgic expression before he handed the key over to Frank-san. Eh, but¡­ If I remember it correctly, [The Cavern of Ordeal] is a dungeon that¡¯s located near the Initial Village. In other words, this Graham Village is the Initial Village that one visits in the very beginning of the Elysia Online?! ¡°Thor said that apparently, there would be a treasure chest in the hidden room that¡¯s guarded, but the guard isn¡¯t that strong, so it¡¯s just perfect as a test of strength.¡± Yup, yup. Certainly, there was a boss deep inside the dungeon. It was a monster in the form of a black, murky beast from the canine family¡­ what was it? Eehh, that¡¯s right. Mad Dog would show up there. The guild master, Cecilia-san, helped me in defeating it and it was an instant kill, though¡­ I looked at the faces of the people around me. Ar-niisama, Amanda-san, Frank-san, and Virna-san. And then there was also Karin-san who wasn¡¯t here. ¡­Yup. We¡¯d definitely be able to defeat it in an instant. CH 68 ¡°As long as you use this key, you should be able to enter the hidden room. Please do have it.¡± Carl-san said as he held the seemingly important key with both of his hands and handed it over to Frank-san. ¡°¡­Even though this is such an important thing, is this really alright?¡± ¡°If I were to hold on to it, it¡¯d be a waste of the key sitting around without being used. Besides¡­ I heard that the guard that¡¯s inside the hidden room changes their form from time to time. That¡¯s why, perhaps a guard that nobody has ever seen so far will come up. ¡­I also would like to see it with Thor-san, but the person I wanted to see it with is no longer here. Since that is the case, would you take a look at it in my stead?¡± ¡°Understood. In exchange, treat me to a high-grade sake to celebrate the victory once we return.¡± Frank-san turned his sight towards the sake bottles lined up deep within the counter and grinned. Ah¡­ Virna-san¡¯s tail swayed as hard as it could get! She is so full of motivation, all for the sake of sake¡ª! ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll treat you with the best, treasured sake.¡± As Frank-san received the key, a semi-transparent window popped out. Hurray¡ª! With this, the serial quest was a success¡ª! But since the reward of the quest was a key, I was lowkey hoping that it would be¡ªby any chance¡ªthe key to the Sage Tower¡­ As expected, it wouldn¡¯t go as smoothly. ¡­Haa. Even so, what would be the reward for defeating the boss located deep inside [The Cavern of Ordeal]? I felt like it would be some sort of an equipment, but I had my equipment made by the people from the guild, so I couldn¡¯t remember what showed up after defeating it. Besides, the equipment that was dropped by early bosses weren¡¯t anything that good. Ah. But, since it¡¯s an equipment that can be used from a low level, I might be able to equip it as well. My current level is 26, but the equipment stored inside my item box are all high-levelled equipment, so I can¡¯t equip them. If [The Cavern of Ordeal] was the same dungeon that it was in Elysia Online, the equipment that would come out of the treasure box would be the ones that we could use from level 10. Of course, in the case of others also wanting the equipment and not only me, we could decide who¡¯d get what based on a rock-paper-scissors game, but if the equipment were only those of level 10, nobody might want to have them, I guess. ¡°[The Cavern of Ordeal], is it? Now that you mention it, such a thing exists, huh? Either way, we¡¯d be able to see how well we can cooperate with one another, so shall we go there at once?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If the enemies aren¡¯t that strong, it might be just perfect as a place to test our skills.¡± Ar-niisama nodded at Frank-san¡¯s suggestion. Amanda-san and Virna-san didn¡¯t seem to object, too. Then, a semi-transparent window popped out. Ooh. What quest is it, I wonder? Hmm. This¡­ Not being able to tell what kind of quest it is before accepting it seems bad, huh? Well, I might be able to guess what kind of quest it might be in general. Perhaps this quest¡¯s objective is to defeat the boss located deep in [The Cavern of Ordeal], that kind of thing, right? Then, I¡¯ll pick [Yes], and¡­ Uhhm, this quest is¡­ ¨Œ The quest has been accepted. ¨Œ Defeat the boss located deep within [The Cavern of Ordeal] ¨Œ Reward for quest clearance: Receiving a blessing If the quest is failed: [The Cavern of Ordeal] will disappear Ukyaa! This is a quest where we have to succeed! Since [The Cavern of Ordeal] will disappear if we fail this quest, I wonder if it¡¯s a quest that¡¯s difficult to clear? But in the game and in this world, [The Cavern of Ordeal] is supposed to be a beginner¡¯s dungeon¡­ But, I have no choice but to do it! I will do my best to clear [The Cavern of Ordeal] together with everyone! CH 69 ¡®Hng,¡¯ as I clenched both of my fists, the sound of someone coming down the stairs could be heard. When I turned around, there was Karin-san who had been resting in a room. ¡°Good grief, what happened here? The inn¡¯s staff can¡¯t be seen even until now, what¡¯s going on? When I thought how noisy it was on the second floor, the inn owner ignored the customers and jumped outside¡­ On top of it, ignoring the guests just like that, no matter how remote the location of this inn is, I can¡¯t stay at such a place. It might be even better to camp.¡± Karin-san seemed to be very angry. Certainly, it was understandable to be angry, but there was a profound reason behind it. The lovey dovey married couple had an understanding that threatened their marriage! ¡°Calm down, Karin. It took some time before he returned because a giant Armored Insect appeared in the village¡¯s field. We¡¯re going to the dungeon called as [The Cavern of Ordeal] near this place. Let¡¯s prepare the necessary stuff.¡± ¡°Hohoo. That kind of thing exists? Could there be new variety of slimes over there¡ª¡± ¡°It is possible.¡± Amanda-san smiled sweetly and affirmed, but¡­ I wonder if there is? I feel like there isn¡¯t. But if we were to go together, I¡¯d be able to see how Karin-san would be fighting in a battle. Within all the members, I only haven¡¯t seen Karin-san fighting, and I¡¯d like to see the elf¡¯s magic words1 at work~! I¡¯m looking forward to it! Then, I noticed that Carl-san¡¯s wife, Mary-san, was looking at Karin-san intently. But at the end of her vision wasn¡¯t Karin-san¡¯s face, but the one slightly above it¡ªall her stares were fixed to her hat. It¡¯s such an odd hat, after all. Since it¡¯s unusual, she¡¯s been staring at it, huh? I assumed that, but my assumption was mistaken. ¡°Oh my, what an adorable hat!¡± Eeh~? It is cuteee? ¡°Hm¡­ You, do you understand this hat¡¯s excellence?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a hat with the motif of a slime, right? Their jellylike figure is extremely wonderful. Let me tell you. I also love slimes very much. I want to have a hat like that too.¡± Mary-san put her hands in front of her chest, and it looked like she was genuinely interested in Karin-san¡¯s hat. Eeeeeehh? There¡¯s someone else with a preference like Karin-san?! ¡°That is so, that is so. The part where this hat bends looks very much like a slime, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°The curve is magnificent. It is surely the work of a renowned hatmaker, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating. This is the hat that I created myself.¡± Having her hat praised, Karin-san¡¯s mood immediately improved as she stuck out her flat chest even further. If she were to be praised more, she¡¯d fall backward soon. ¡°Oh my, how amazing!¡± ¡°Hohoo. To think that you¡¯d understand this hat¡¯s excellence. ¡­Hm. When I look closely, even this old stairway is quite refined. The cleaning seems to be thorough too, and it¡¯s quite a tasteful inn even for one that¡¯s in a remote region like this. This is indeed very interesting.¡± Karin-saaan. After having the slime being praised, you said a completely opposite thing from what you just said earlier¡ª! ¡°Well, thank you very much. I¡¯m also proud of my cooking. It¡¯d be nice if my cooking will suit my guests¡¯ taste.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Then, how about drinking until the food¡¯s ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accept your offer.¡± Karin-san, who was in a good mood, was escorted to the table by Mary-san before she watched Mary-san¡¯s figure going away. Then, we unconsciously met with Carl-san¡¯s face. ¡°T-then, dear guests, please come here. Today¡¯s accommodation will be in our service as a gratitude, please receive it. First, please slowly enjoy the welcome drink.¡± ¡°Ou. Then, I¡¯ll have a sake. Will it be alright if I were to choose from the sake that are lined up over there?¡± ¡°Yeah, go ahead. The high-grade sake for the victory celebration is placed deep inside, so you can choose from that line without any reservation.¡± ¡°Hahhaa. It¡¯s not just Karin who¡¯s thinking about it, this is indeed a good inn!¡± Frank-san whacked Carl-san¡¯s back, and Carl-san choked in response. ¡°Will Rico Juice be fine for Yuuri-chan?¡± Yaa¡ªy! I love Rico Juice, since Rico is similar to a peach! ¡°I¡¯ll give Noir some of it.¡± ¡°Nyaa.¡± Noir who was inside my white cat robe then slightly showed its face. Purun was still inside the special pouch and was taken by Karin-san before, so I have to let it out of the pouch later when I am in the room. Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to [The Cavern of Ordeal] together with everyone, huh? I wonder what kind of place it is. I¡¯m looking forward to it! CH 70 The next day. Blessed with a fine weather, we were headed towards [The Cavern of Ordeal] located at a slightly distant place from the Graham village. ¡°Everyone, please be careful during your journey.¡± As I waved my hand to Carl-san and Mary-san who went to see us off, the two of them looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, ¡®Eh, this small child is also coming along?¡¯ Even if I¡¯m small, I¡¯m a sage. You can entrust me with healing and offensive magic! This chapter is brought to you by Convallaria¡¯s Library (convallariaslibrary(dot)com). If you¡¯re reading this elsewhere, then you¡¯re reading from a site who¡¯s stolen our translation. Please do not support theft and read at Convallaria¡¯s Library! It¡¯s free, and you can also drop by to comment and motivate the translator to continue translating more chapters ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be going for a moment to defeat the enemies and we¡¯ll be right back.¡± Carl-san and Mary-san looked at Frank-san and Ar-niisama and the others who waved one of their hands too, and talked something like, ¡°With these many protectors around, it will be fine. That place is a beginner-level dungeon, too.¡± ¡­Kuuuuh. I couldn¡¯t deny the fact that Frank-san and Ar-niisama and the others were coming along as my protectors. ¡°Mary, was it? In case of a new variety of slime being discovered, I¡¯ll capture one and show it to you.¡± ¡°Oh my, thank you very much. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Mary-san clapped both of her hands in delight. She was someone who loved slimes so much that she fed the slimes and caused them to increase on Slime¡¯s Day. According to the slime farmers, during the Slime¡¯s Day that happened during the summer solstice, they would feed the slimes that they were raising, and it caused them to rapidly multiply. Naturally, the slimes in Mary-san¡¯s house became too overpopulated that her parents told her to throw the slimes away, and as a result, Mary-san tearfully threw them away outside the village. Such was the story I was told. Certainly, that kind of person would seem to get along well with Karin-san¡­ Even so, she became curious of the condition of the slimes that she threw away after that, so she went to look for them. When she was about to get attacked by the slimes which were her ex-pets, Carl-san rescued her, and that was the beginning of her falling for Carl-san. ¡°We will take care of your houses properly until you return, so please be rest assured.¡± ¡°Ou. I¡¯ll entrust them to you.¡± If it is a big dungeon, there should be inns or weapons/armors/tools merchants inside the dungeon intended for the adventurers who want to conquer the dungeon, but since [The Cavern of Ordeal] is a beginner-level dungeon with only two floors, such a convenient facility is not present there. Obviously, since there won¡¯t be an inn where we could entrust our horses to, we entrusted our horses to this inn and had to walk until we reach [The Cavern of Ordeal]. If we were to just leave the horses outside the dungeon, there was a possibility that they would be stolen by someone, or that they would be attacked by monsters. Besides, I was told that it would only take around one hour to go by foot there, so it would be easy, just a cakewalk. If I were to get tired in the middle of the way and couldn¡¯t walk by myself no matter what, Frank-san said that he would carry me, too. But if I were to walk while playing with Noir and Purun, one hour would just pass in a blink of an eye. ¡°So, this is [The Cavern of Ordeal], huh?¡± After we walked from Graham village, [The Cavern of the Trial] was just on the other side of the hill. Its entrance was open along the hill¡¯s slope, and it was located at a place where people who¡¯d normally travel around here wouldn¡¯t take notice of it. Aah, it exists, indeed. This kind of hard-to-discover dungeon. We can see and find it on the map, but it¡¯d be difficult to actually reach the place. Moreover, since its entrance is located at the hill¡¯s slope, it¡¯s natural why people won¡¯t notice it and will just end up going past it. I was often lost in the game. ¡°Hmhm¡­ There¡¯s a water-like smell.¡± Karin-san¡¯s nose was twitching, and she said that as she looked at the cavern¡¯s entrance. Come to think of it, Carl-san said that there was an underground lake in [The Cavern of Ordeal], didn¡¯t he? Whoa. Karin-san could tell it well, huh? ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s a dungeon with strong water-type monsters inside¡­ It¡¯s got a bad compatibility with me.¡± ¡°Amanda¡¯s magic type is fire-attributed, right?¡± ¡°Argo¡¯s element is water, so his power will rise, but¡­ If we¡¯re fighting against water-attributed monsters, his attacks might not be able to deal that much of a damage.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s thunder-attributed magic, it¡¯d deal quite a considerable amount of effect, but¡­¡± Amanda-san and Ar-niisama were talking when they turned around to look at me. ¡°Yuuri-chan, you can¡¯t use your magic.¡± ¡°Yuuri, don¡¯t use your magic.¡± Eeeh? Why are they saying the same thing? ¡°But I can also use thunder-attributed magic, you know?¡± ¡°Of course we know.¡± Ar-niisama patted my head as he gently smiled. ¡°Besides, I have trained my magic too, so my magic won¡¯t go out of control, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah. We all know that Yuuri has worked really hard. But¡ª¡± Hmmm? Thunder-attributed magic would be effective against water-type monsters, so wouldn¡¯t it be fine for me to defeat the monsters should they come? ¡°Since there is an underground lake in the cavern, we can consider that the cavern in general will have water around. Then, if Yuuri¡¯s magic slightly misses and the thunder arrow were to hit the walls, what do you think it will become?¡± Water will transmit electricity, so if the wall is hit with thunder arrow, its effects will be transmitted throughout the cavern¡¯s walls¡­ I guess? After I voiced it, Ar-niisama patted my head once more. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯d be the same as attacking the cavern¡¯s walls. If things don¡¯t go well, the whole cavern will fall through instead. If that happens, wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous to us who are inside the cavern?¡± C-certainly. And as for my confidence to make sure that my magic will surely not miss is¡­ Uuuu. Unfortunately, I am not so confident in it. sobs sobs. ¡°Ah, if that¡¯s the case, if I were to use an earth-attributed Rock Fall¡ª¡± ¡°We might get buried alive.¡± Frank-san answered without a moment¡¯s delay. I see. If I were to use Rock Fall inside the cavern, the cavern might end up being filled with rocks. Uwaaa¡ªaan! If that¡¯s the case, what kind of magic can I use¡ª?! CH 71 The interior of the cavern was slightly chillier than the outside. Although there wasn¡¯t any light, the whole wall was slightly glittering in light, so there wasn¡¯t any inconvenience for us to move forward at all. ¡°Hee. Luminous moss, is it? It¡¯s nice that the interior of the cavern is well-lit.¡± Frank-san rubbed the wall, and there was a faint light at the tip of his fingers. ¡°Luminous moss?¡± ¡°Yeah. They live in this kind of cavern. Without this, the dungeon will be dark and it will be hhard for us to proceed.¡± Yeah. Come to think of it, in the early stages¡¯ map, the dungeon was well-lit everywhere, but if we had to climb up a dungeon with some certain high levels, a torchlight might be necessary. I see~. The interior of the dungeon is well-lit thanks to the luminous moss, huh? In other words, there should be slimes who ate on the luminous moss. If we were to subjugate one of them, wouldn¡¯t it become a torchlight?! According to what Carl-san said, [The Cavern of Ordeal] was a beginner-level dungeon where only weak monsters appeared. The path was a straight path without any branching, so we could just continue moving forward until the depths of it. The monsters we encountered en route were light brown earth slimes, but perhaps since our levels were high, they were avoiding us by jiggling close to the wall. ¡­Yup. They were quite adorable. But when I carelessly let my thought slip, Karin-san¡¯s slime course began. ¡°Young lass. Do you know that the slimes in this dungeon are different from the ordinary slimes?¡± Eh~ Different? Is there even any differences? I turned my gaze towards the slimes who were jiggling as they collided into the walls as they were trying to avoid me. ¡­I couldn¡¯t see what made them different from the ordinary slimes, though. Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m ¡°Hm. You lack knowledge.¡± No, I wasn¡¯t particularly planning on becoming a slime expert, so I wasn¡¯t planning on studying it in the first place¡­ ¡°The slimes in this dungeon are odourless.¡± ¡°Odour?¡± ¡°Yes. To begin with, the slimes are living creatures that will transform depending on the thing they took in when they first emerged. Even if they are all earth slimes, their odour will have subtle differences depending on the soil.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The slimes in the Monster Forest and the slimes that inhabit this area have completely different odour.¡± Ho~ The odour is different. But that. Wouldn¡¯t that be something that only Karin-san could scent out? ¡°But the slimes inside this dungeon, each of them is odourless.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Hm. Before I answer that, young lass. Do you know what happens to the carcasses of the monsters defeated inside the dungeon?¡± ¡°Hmmmm. Wouldn¡¯t they be cleaned by the slimes?¡± Certainly, I felt like I had heard about it. ¡°That is true in places with slimes. But in the places where strong monsters live, there are no slimes. I haven¡¯t observed it, though. The carcasses that were left as they were, before long they would end up getting absorbed by the dungeon. In addition¡ª¡± Karin-san stopped talking as she pulled out the short sword that was in its sheath on her waist, then she slashed at the slime that was close to the wall. The slime¡¯s surface was ripped, and transparent liquid came out from its insides. ¡°Ka-Karin-san?!¡± ¡°Look. If they are ordinary slimes, the soil and water inside their body will come out. But this, there¡¯s only water.¡± ¡°¡­There is no soil, isn¡¯t there?¡± The liquid flowing from the slime soaked into the cavern¡¯s ground, and eventually, all of it was absorbed. ¡°If it¡¯s a green slime, there will be grass and water. If it¡¯s blue, both are water anyway, so we can¡¯t tell them apart¡­¡± Come to think of it, the slimes in Elysia Online were only blue-coloured, but after defeating them, sometimes they dropped medicinal herbs. If they were originally green slimes, perhaps the medicinal herbs they ate remained inside their bodies, and upon defeating them, the remaining contents came out. Ooh~. It¡¯s a new discovery! Following the mystery why the Giant Rat dropped the golden ring, the mystery about why slimes dropped medicinal herbs was also solved. ¡°Apparently, I feel like the slimes in this dungeon are slimes, yet at the same time, they aren¡¯t slimes.¡± ¡°They are slimes, but they aren¡¯t slimes too?¡± What does that even mean? ¡°In other words, they are not real slimes?¡± Ar-niisama who listened to my and Karin-san¡¯s conversation looked at the slimes who were bumping into the walls trying to avoid us and asked. ¡°Hm. There¡¯s no excitement, too.¡± ¡°Excitement¡­¡± In response to the unexpected word, Ar-niisama¡¯s water-coloured eyes were widened. Smelling their odour or feeling excitement¡­ How do I say it, Karin-san is truly¡­ A bit¡­ No, she¡¯s a very serious slime nerd. ¡°When I see slimes, I will usually feel excited or some kind of throbbing sensation in my chest. But when I look at those slimes, I don¡¯t feel that at all.¡± Karin-san put both of her hands on her chest. It was a ladylike pose, but the thing that she said was completely perverted! ¡°This is just my hypothesis, but the monsters inside this dungeon aren¡¯t real. I think that they might be illusion created by demons.¡± ¡°But when we defeated the monsters, we could obtain their fangs or flesh, right? If they were only illusion, wouldn¡¯t that also disappear?¡± Frank-san rebutted Karin-san¡¯s theory. Yes. Certainly, if they were illusions, the dropped items would have disappeared. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s still a hypothesis. ¡­Hmhmhm. I want to unravel it one day.¡± As we continued walking and went out to an open area, there was a lake over there. Whoa. This is an underground lake¡­ No fish could be found within the shining lake surface. It seemed like fish-lineage monsters weren¡¯t present in this place. Instead, blue slimes were jiggling and hopping around the lake. Ooh. Wild blue slimes! ¡°Oioi, until when are you planning on continuing your lecture? Just leave the thing about the slimes, let¡¯s quickly find the hidden room!¡± Even though Karin-san said that she didn¡¯t feel any excitement towards the slimes of this dungeon, she still began investigating alongside the walls in no rush. Because of it, Frank-san grasped her scruff. ¡°Kuh. Let me go! Let me gooooo!¡± Between Frank-san who wanted to quickly conquer the dungeon and drink some sake and Karin-san who wanted to investigate the slimes, apparently Frank-san was the winner. Karin-san. Let¡¯s just hurry and find the hidden room here! CH 72 But there were only walls surrounding the underground lake that were covered with luminous moss, there wasn¡¯t any sign of the entrance to the hidden room anywhere at all. We received a key from Carl-san, so there should have been a keyhole somewhere, but where could it be, I wonder? ¡°Oi, Karin. Can¡¯t you tell where the entrance might be located in, using that good nose of yours?¡± ¡°Kyu~¡± ¡°Humph. There shouldn¡¯t be any slime inside the hidden room, so how could I tell?¡± ¡°Kyukkyu.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an uncommon special power, so go and sniff out something other than slimes!¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± ¡°Why should I do such a meaningless thing? Don¡¯t even talk about it.¡± Frank-san grabbed Karin-san¡¯s scruff as usual so that she won¡¯t run off to a place with slime, and the two talked while still in that position, but¡­ Luan cried out in the middle of their conversation, so for some reason it was chaotic. Ar-niisama and Amanda-san were knocking the walls, trying to find a hole. Ah, I see. Since the opposite side of the wall is hollow, there is a high possibility that the room is located there. How smart! As for Virna-san¡­ V-Virna-san?! ¡°What are you doing?¡± In a fluster, I tried to stop Virna-san who was somehow removing her equipment. There aren¡¯t just the two of us here, there are also Frank-san and Ar-niisama! She can¡¯t undress here! ¡°Nah. I think that the keyhole might be located at the bottom of the lake. I was thinking that I should go underwater and check it out.¡± ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t abruptly undress!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s save it as our last resort. For now, let¡¯s try to look around the walls.¡± I pulled Virna-san in a rush, taking her towards the front of the faintly glowing wall. But there didn¡¯t seem to be any kind of door anywhere. Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m ¡°Hmm¡­ Can¡¯t find it~¡± Everyone was looking for the entrance to the hidden room, but it couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. I wonder if an item was necessary in order to find something. But that¡­ Ah¡­ Wait a bit. ¡­There is! That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t there the key?! ¡°Frank-san! You got the key with you, right?¡± ¡°Ou. What¡¯s with it?¡± ¡°I think that maybe, we need to use the key to find the hidden room.¡± ¡°There is no keyhole, how are we supposed to use it?¡± ¡°Uhmmm, something like saying ¡®Open Sesame!¡¯, while holding the key in your hand?¡± ¡°What the heck is that?¡± Frank-san said with an astonished expression, and I could only drop my shoulders. Jeez. It was only an example! ¡°Or what about¡­ trying to pour magic inside the key?¡± ¡°How do we pour magic in it? Can you do it, Jou-chan?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t.¡± My shoulders dropped even further, and Frank-san said in a slight hurry. ¡°No, but well, we don¡¯t know how we should use the key. If there¡¯s an area somewhere that¡¯s slightly caved in, we can try to insert the key there¡ªoops.¡± When Frank-san did the gesture of trying to insert the key to the wall, Noir nimbly jumped off from my arms towards Frank-san¡¯s feet. ¡°Nya~u.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± Luan who was at its usual place that was on top of Frank-san¡¯s head then went down from his head to his shoulder, then it moved just like that through his thick arm to his wrist. Frank-san who boasted on his muscles then shook the hand that was holding the key and whose wrist had Luan on top of it, and¡­ The antique key¡¯s tip hit the wall. Then, light simultaneously appeared from that area. The light spread on the wall, as if it was an ivy that was rapidly growing. Yeah, it wasn¡¯t just the wall. Even the ceiling, too. There was only a single line of light initially, then it split into two, three, and eventually linked up again. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± The spreading light intertwined in a complex manner, forming one giant magic circle that covered the whole cavern. Not only me, but all of us were also speechless at the spectacle that was like a game¡¯s CG. ¡°This is amazing¡­¡± ¡°The magic circle was hidden under the luminous moss, huh?¡± ¡°I see. This is very interesting.¡± As Frank-san let out his voice in a wonder, Amanda-san and Karin-san nodded. Virna-san seemed to be surprised as well, as the fur at her ears and tails were standing on its ends. Among all of them, Ar-niisama alone was calmly observing the cavern¡¯s interior. ¡°Found it. The keyhole is over here.¡± At the end of his pointed finger was exactly the center of the light. ¡°Frank, the key.¡± Urged by Ar-niisama, Frank-san put the key into the keyhole. This time, blue light spread from the keyhole, forming the shape that was similar to a big door. The next moment. The blue light that was forming a door shone very brightly¡­ before it disappeared. Then, what emerged was a real door. This is¡­ T-the door¡­ to the hidden room! CH 73 Special thanks for all patrons~! ^^ [Casual Supporter: aureliaxangel, Michelle, Diego R, Eli D, mjkj, SkVt, Greame K, ghost750x] [Translation Mania Level 1: wagtail] [Translation Mania Level 1: George P] [Translation Mania Level 3: Teresa] [Double Degree Level 1: e] [Double Degree Level 2: Christopher] [Double Degree Level 3: Browser] [Library Owner: Erika S] Happy reading ^^ Note: This is a special chapter that the original author wrote in commemoration of the light novel publication. The author would like to say thanks to all of the readers¡¯ support with this special chapter. Dark Panther¡¯s fur is generally stiff, making beginner adventurers¡¯ attacks not effective. And Noir is Dark Panther¡¯s child, and it can grow bigger. Naturally, its fur will turn stiff and hard soon, that¡¯s what I thought, but¡­ Surprisingly, its fur is so soft and fluffy, just like a kitten¡¯s! Moreover, the softness doesn¡¯t change even if it grows bigger. I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s because Noir is a peculiar kind, or if it¡¯s because it received Cure when it was just born and thus becoming my subjugated monster, but in any case, it¡¯s a good thing that Noir is fluffy, so there is no problem at all. Hmm. Actually, there was one problem. ¡°Noir, you¡¯re so fluffy~¡± ¡°¡­I am conflicted on what to think about having Noir grow bigger so that you can stroke its fluffy fur¡­¡± Amanda-san bitterly smiled, but her hand was brushing Noir¡¯s back gently. Yup. I get it, I get it. Once you stroke this coat of fur, you wouldn¡¯t be able to keep your hands away from it anymore. ¡°But if it grows bigger, there will be more fluffy area to stroke, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Well, that is certainly true, but¡­¡± This is the true animal theerapy, isn¡¯t this? Haa. I¡¯m being healed~. ¡°Young girl, what are you doing over there?¡± As I was rubbing the fluffy Noir who turned into its bigger form together with Amanda-san in the courtyard, Karin-san turned up while wearing her usual slime hat. ¡°I¡¯m stroking Noir¡¯s fluffy fur.¡± ¡°Migyaa.¡± Purun. As Noir cried, Purun who was on top of head also shook its body. Perhaps¡­ they were communicating, I guess? ¡°No matter how tame it is, to think that you¡¯d be stroking a Dark Panther¡­¡± Karin-san avoided Noir, so she was looking at us from a slightly distant place. Perhaps she slightly backed away. ¡°I can¡¯t help it, Noir¡¯s fur is this lovely, isn¡¯t it? Very lovely to the extent that I¡¯d like to stroke it foreeeever. Right, Amanda-san?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I wonder how it could be this fluffy? How incredible.¡± ¡°¡­I heard that a Dark Panther¡¯s fur is so stiff that it can even repel the attack of people who are still training¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But Noir¡¯s fur is this soft. I wonder why?¡± ¡°Hmhm. Speaking of which, that Horned Rabbit that¡¯s with Frank also has soft fur. Is there something that makes them different from the normal magical beasts?¡± Karin-san was mumbling as she approached, seemingly forgetting the fact that she was usually afraid of Noir, then she touched its body repeatedly. Noir was normally scared of the intimidating Karin-san, but it was also calm today, for some reason. ¡°Could it be that the juvenile form has fur as soft as this? If that is the case, does that mean it¡¯s actually still a juvenile even if it gets bigger like this? Hm. Each and every fur is finely fluffy. ¡­W-what, this feel is¡­?!¡± Karin-san put her finger on Noir¡¯s fur and raised her voice at the sensation. Hmhm. I understand. I understand. It¡¯s a supreme fluffiness that¡¯s unparalleled in this world. ¡°Haa. I got it! The reason behind it having this kind of fur coat¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, aren¡¯t you amazing, Karin? You understood why?¡± As Amanda-san said in admiration, Karin-san boastfully puffed her flat chest up. ¡°Uh-huh. It has undergone a peculiar evolution in order to mislead us with this fur coat. There are slimes who also underwent peculiar evolution under special conditions¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes. We got it.¡± Amanda-san perfunctorily interjected as Karin-san explained her theory even further. But¡­ I think slimes and Noir are completely different. As I locked eyes with Noir, it did a big yawn as it lied face down, assuming the posture of basking in the sun. ¡°However, if its fur really evolved to be this fluffy in order to be doted on like this, then it¡¯s amazing.¡± As I murmured unconsciously, Noir cried, ¡°Migya.¡± Eh¡­ Really? ¡­But, whichever is fine. As long as Noir can be this fluffy. Right, Noir? CH 74 ¡°First, let¡¯s apply a body strengthening magic before entering.¡± At last, we arrived in front of the hidden room, and as per Ar-niisama¡¯s proposition, we applied a body strengthening magic to each and every one of us. Ar-niisama, Frank-san, and Amanda-san applied a protective magic to themselves. This world¡¯s magic dictated that ¡®Protect¡¯ could only be applied to yourself. Just as I was wondering what to do with Virna-san who couldn¡¯t use the protective magic, she used a special skill belonging to the beastmen tribe that could enhance her body. How to say it? The image was like when you were getting fired up, thus strengthening your body. I applied Protect Shield and Magic Shield to everyone. Since Protect and Protect Shield¡¯s effects could be stacked, the three of them should have their physical defense increased quite considerably. It would be great if there were magic that could be applied in one go to party members during times like this. It was quite a chore applying enhancement magic one by one. On the other hand, the area magic¡¯s effects¡¯ scope was too vast, and it also consumed too much of MP. It would be nice if I could learn magic that was like Party Protect Shield, but that kind of magic didn¡¯t exist even in Elysia Online, so I wonder about that. As I looked at the semi-transparent red and blue shields that were circling around our bodies, I remembered something. Speaking of which, what kind of magic would a sage learn after levelling up? I felt like the magic would just be something like enhancing recovery magic or enhancing offensive magic power. ¡°Is everyone ready?¡± In response to Ar-niisama¡¯s question, everyone nodded. This time, Noir had also turned big as it¡¯d be participating in the battle, but Purun and Maximillian Jr. were on standby inside Karin-san¡¯s waist bag. Actually, we wanted them to wait outside the door, but¡­ If, by some chance, they were to wander around in the wild, putting aside Purun who was transparent with a faint hint of prismatic colors, the blue-colored Maximillian Jr. might get mixed with the water slimes that inhabited the surrounding of the lake, and we might not be able to find it. For the time being, let¡¯s just return them to be with Karin-san. They didn¡¯t seem to be good at fighting, too. Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m Frank-san still grabbed the key as he slowly pushed the door. At the other side of the door that opened without a sound, another lake which was a splitting image of the underground lake that was over here could be seen. Uhm, didn¡¯t Carl-san say that the guardian of the [Cavern of Ordeal] was like a boss that changed form every time? But well, I heard that it wasn¡¯t that strong, so surely it¡¯d be easy peasy, right? Yosh, let¡¯s go-! I passed through the door while walking behind Ar-niisama and the rest, and suddenly, a gust of wind blew from who-knows-where. We were inside a cavern, and yet, a gust of wind¡­? I thought that there¡¯d be a place where it was connected with the outside world, but as I turned around to look for it, there was no such place. Then, what was that just now? When I tilted my head in confusion and returned my line of sight¡ª ¡°Ah. The buff is gone!¡± The semi-transparent shields that were circling everyone¡ªall of them disappeared! W-why? When I turned to look behind me, the last person, Karin-san had just passed through the door. Then, the door closed without any sound. Wait a bit. First, I should reapply the physical and magical shields¡­ ¡°Oh my? The physical shield Yuuri-chan applied has gone.¡± Amanda-san noticed that the semi-transparent shields that were flying around her disappeared, everyone also noticed that their shields had disappeared as well and all of us stopped on the spot. ¡°I think that the protective magic that Amanda-san and the others had applied on yourselves was also gone, so please reapply them.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± I hurriedly reapplied the defensive magic to everyone. Hoo. Thank goodness it wasn¡¯t the type of a dungeon where the boss would immediately appear upon entering. It seemed like the type where the boss would start to move once we got closer to it. Or¡­ it¡¯d appear once we try to open that treasure chest. Whichever of the two, the possibilities seemed to be high. On the opposite side of the lake, there was a red treasure chest that was covered in the black haze. I wonder what would be inside that treasure chest. ¡°Yosh, shall we go?¡± At Frank-san¡¯s words, we were about to take another step forward when Karin-san said, ¡°Wait,¡± and stopped us. When I turned around wondering what the matter was, before I even knew, she had already taken off her thick glasses and Karin-san had turned into a peerless beauty. ¡°I feel the presence of something wicked. Just in case, let me present the blue dragon¡¯s dance that¡¯d increase our defense against the water element attacks.¡± Karin-san clapped her two hands. For some reason, though she only did that simple action, I felt like the atmosphere had changed. ¡°Kashikomi kashikomi mo, mousu.1¡± What I heard next was something akin to an incantation that I had heard at the shrine. Although the sound that I heard in my ears was completely different, I could tell that they were ancient words that contained some kind of power. Karin-san made a full turn before she grabbed something with her extended hands. Riiiiiiing The bell¡¯s sound reverberated. It was a short sword with lots of small bells on its tip. Each time Karin-san swung it, the refreshing sound of the bells echoed. I had seen this kind of thing somewhere¡­ Where was it? Right. It was the Kagura bell that the shrine maiden held in the shrine. ¡°You see, Karin is a member of the special tribe among the elves, the Carinthia Schlein. Amanda-san told me while she was still gazing at Karin-san. But, the Carinthia Schlein, huh¡­? When I heard those words, my mind automatically understood the meaning as a [Shinto priest] or [shrine maiden]. Then, mysteriously, although I heard the sound of ¡®Carinthia Schlein¡¯, I could only hear it as ¡®shrine maiden¡¯. ¡°They are able to enhance the defense of various elements through the mysterious power of words2 while dancing. Normally, that¡¯s how it should feel like, but¡­ Looking at this kind of dance, I feel like she¡¯s the god¡¯s envoy.¡± Certainly, Karin-san¡¯s figure as she danced while wearing an outfit that was similar to a shrine maiden¡¯s while resounding the bells was very mystical yet beautiful. ¡°O god who rules over all things in nature, I send this prayer to the heavens. Bestow upon us the divine protection of the blue dragon.¡± ¡®Ring¡¯, as the bells¡¯ sound could be heard clearly, in a moment, a whirling water wrapped all of us up before it disappeared. However, mysteriously, none of us got wet at all. ¡°Yosh. The preparation¡¯s complete. ¡­Let¡¯s go!¡± CH 75 Upon approaching the treasure chest that was shrouded in mist, I felt like the atmosphere was gradually getting heavier. Even Frank-san, who had taken the lead, wrinkled up his brows. Then, we stood before the red treasure chest that was shrouded in the black mist. ¡°I feel an unpleasant presence.¡± Everyone nodded at Frank-san¡¯s words. ¡°Well then, Argo. I¡¯ll entrust opening it to you. Whaat, even if it¡¯s cursed, I¡¯ll definitely dispel the curse, so rest assured.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± Frank-san broadly smiled as he tapped on Ar-niisama¡¯s shoulder. Luan also seemed like it was saying, ¡°Good luck¡±. ¡°¡­Is it just my imagination, or I¡¯ve always gotten this kind of role like this?¡± Ar-niisama smiled wryly, but he still assigned an attribute to his sword before he opened the treasure chest. That¡¯s right. Once the treasure chest is opened, a boss will definitely appear. Looking at that, Amanda-san also followed. ¡°O power of Water that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Water!¡± ¡°O power of Flames that dwelleth in me, I beseech thee. From my sword, burst forth, Flames!¡± The swords that were swung, had water and fire swirling around it respectively. As always, magical swords are so cool! ¡°Now. ¡­Is everyone ready?¡± Ar-niisama confirmed and after everyone nodded, his right hand was still holding the sword as it was, while his left hand touched the treasure chest. The atmosphere quivered. Then, the inside of the treasure chest that was now opened was empty and¡ª ¡°Something is coming!¡± At the same time as Karin-san¡¯s yell, the black mist that was coiling around the treasure chest formed a whirlpool as it turned into a giant sphere. As it slowly grew bigger, the color darkened. ¨CThen, there was a white crack in its center. Some beast¡¯s claws straddled from the interior of the sphere. Does the Mad Dog have such claws? Rather than dog, these look more like a reptile¡¯s¡­ Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m The atmosphere quivered once more. The claws that came out from the crack multiplied. Then¡ª ¡°Seriously¡­ Isn¡¯t this a dragon?¡± As Frank-san groaned, Karin-san opened her eyes wide as she dumbfoundedly said. ¡°No, wrong. That is¡­ the divine beast, Leviathan.¡± The one showing its face was a creature whose face was similar to a dragon¡¯s. However, its body was closer to that of a Chinese dragon¡¯s rather than a (Western) dragon¡¯s. From within the opened crack, Leviathan slowly showed itself. That figure was neither that of a Western dragon¡¯s, nor was it like a Chinese dragon¡¯s. It had the head of a Western dragon¡¯s and hands with sharp claws, its body continued without feet just like a serpent¡¯s, and at the end of it, there was a tail that was like a whale¡¯s. But it didn¡¯t have any sinister air like a monster¡¯s. If I had to say, it was an existence that seemed to be close to a deity¡­ ¡°Divine beast¡­?¡± I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know such a thing. Divine beast, is it like a deity¡¯s beast¡­? That¡­ Can we even defeat that? ¡°It¡¯s been quite awhile since I last descended to this land.¡± ¡°It spoke!¡± When I spoke in surprise, the golden eyes that contained intelligence, looked at me. ¡°Ho. This is interesting. Blending nicely, huh?¡± Blending? What does it mean? I thought of asking it, but Karin-san¡¯s voice interrupted. ¡°Divine beast Leviathan¡­ So, it isn¡¯t just a legend, huh?¡± ¡°Legend, huh¡­? Certainly, during the flow of this eternal time, you could say that I had never descended to this land.¡± ¡°The mythical era that existed before the Genesis, the story that was passed in the Elven country¡­ The legend that stated the existence of divine beast, Leviathan, was actually the truth, huh?¡± ¡°Oi oi, wait a bit. I had never heard of the era before the Genesis.¡± In response to Karin-san¡¯s muttering, Frank-san turned around with a serious expression. That¡¯s right. The Genesis stated that this world was created by a single god. If there existed any living being before that, then the doctrine that Frank-san had been believing would crumble into a lie. ¡°During the mythical era, lots of deities resided over this world. But one day, a war between the deities broke out, and this world fell into ruin, and lots of living creatures were all dead. Then, the deities abandoned this land, leaving to the distant land over the sea1. But a single deity took pity on the surviving creatures and remained on the land. The surviving people¡¯s descendants were said to be the fairies.¡± ¡°On the first day, God created the fairies from the light that flooded the earth¡­¡± Frank-san recited a verse from the Genesis, and Karin-san nodded. ¡°That light was probably the [spirits] that had lived in this land during the mythical era. My family¡¯s dance was said to borrow the power from those [spirits]¡­ If the divine beast Leviathan existed, then that legend was actually telling the truth, huh?¡± ¡°Indeed. But this body is a temporary figure of mine. Since my name has long been forgotten, I¡¯ve lost my power in this land for quite some time. As of now, I can only manifest myself like this, but¡­ Since I was already summoned like this, this must have been destiny. Do you desire my power?¡± Desire its power? What does that mean? Leviathan floated its body around in the air as it howled. ¡°If you want to receive my blessing, then you have to prove your power!¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± At the same time Ar-niisama¡¯s voice rang, everyone readied themselves. Translator¡¯s Comment: Yuuri before this: ¡°Oh, the boss here is definitely going to be easy peasy.¡± Yuuri in this chapter: ¡°WTF?!¡± I had expected this to happen ever since she thought to herself that it¡¯d be easy to conquer this boss, haha. What do you guys think? CH 76 ¡°Guooooo!!¡± My body was petrified upon hearing Leviathan¡¯s roar. It was way more powerful than the Goblin King, is this a joke?! As if its roar acted as a signal, the ground then swelled. Many of the swelling lumps cracked, and from there appeared monsters with forms that were akin to a fish, a human, and a four-armed monster. Wait a minute. Isn¡¯t that Malenti?1 Magical attacks aren¡¯t that effective against them, and I feel like it was terribly hard battling it when I was at around level 50. Since its movement is slow, we¡¯d be able to avoid their attacks as long as we look at them closely. However, at the very least, it¡¯s not a monster that can be defeated easily by beginners. Moreover, from what can be seen, there are not less than ten of them here. Can we defeat that many of them with just us alone?! ¡°What is that?¡± After getting over his petrification, Frank-san looked around vigilantly. ¡°Sahuagin¡­ but its arms are so many. Which means, a mutant? Good grief, what is happening? Recently, we¡¯ve encountered lots of mutants.¡± ¡°Sahuagin is a monster that appears near the ocean, right?¡± Ar-niisama stood as if protecting me as he readied his sword. ¡°Yeah. I have never heard of them appearing near the lake. Moreover, there¡¯s a rumor that magic are barely effective against them.¡± ¡°In other words, Yuuri¡¯s magical attacks won¡¯t work against them, huh?¡± ¡°¡­From the beginning, we shouldn¡¯t count on her like that.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just quickly defeat them.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Amanda-san and Virna-san also participated in the conversation between Frank-san and Ar-niisama. Karin-san who was staring fixedly at Virna-san was also there, so as long as all of us combined our power, we¡¯d somehow manage, right?! ¡°Grrruuu¡­¡± Noir was growling by using the voice that was deep in its throat. Yeah, right. Noir as well, let¡¯s all work hard! Perhaps responding to the voice in my heart, Noir also raised its roar. ¡°Gyawrrr!¡± The next moment. The Malenti¡¯s movement that was approaching us then suddenly stopped. ¡°Hoo. To be able to overpower my servants! So it¡¯s not just an ordinary beast. ¡­I see. Panther king, huh? However, why would a panther king be mixed with you lot and even yield to you?¡± Noir shifted hits sapphire-like pupils towards Leviathan before averting its face away. Then, it began attacking the Malenti whose movement was stopped. ¡°¡­I see it.¡± Virna-san who was standing across me then carried a thin sword in both of her hands and in that instant¡ªshe ran towards the Malenti. F-fast! After Virna-san ran, there were around ten Malenti who sustained injuries¡­ Then all of them simultaneously collapsed. Could it be that she was slicing them as she ran?! Virna-san who had killed the last Malenti in the twinkling of an eye, whirled the swords that she held on each hand to blow away the blood that was on them. Amazing¡­ She defeated them in no time. Virna-san is this strong, huh¡­? ¡°As expected of the [Dawn¡¯s Seeker]¡¯s member, huh?¡± In response to Amanda-san¡¯s praise, Virna-san readied her swords once more as she lowered her waist. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started.¡± As if it was a cue, Leviathan roared once more, causing the ground to swell. ¡°Noir, let¡¯s go!¡± As if it understood Virna-san¡¯s words, Noir also roared, not wanting to lose to Leviathan. Once it did so, the Malenti that crawled out of the holes in the ground simultaneously stopped moving. Seeing that, Virna-san ran towards the horde of Malenti. ¡°As expected of the panther king, huh? My servants can¡¯t keep it company at their level. ¡­Then, shall I become your opponent?¡± ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t just forget about us!¡± Leviathan was turning towards Noir, and Frank-san stood in their way. ¡°¡­Interesting. Show me your power to decide whether or not you¡¯re all worthy to be bestowed with my power!¡± Leviathan slowly raised its face and opened its jaws wide. Something that was akin to a giant energy was gathering inside its mouth. ¡°Run from Leviathan¡¯s sight! Its water spears are coming!¡± Everyone simultaneously escaped to the side as Karin-san warned. When I was thinking of escaping as well, Ar-niisama held me in his arms. ¡°T-thank¡ª¡± My word of gratitude was stopped by the raging stream that came attacking right after that. The attack was just like a flock of small dragons. Each of them seemed like they were carrying a will on their own, as they were coming this way. ¡°Move aside!¡± Was it Ar-niisama or Frank-san who just shouted? Ar-niisama¡¯s body that was hugging me closely as if covering me from the water current then bounced from the impact. CH 77 ¡°Ar-niisama!¡± As I unconsciously shouted, the hands that were hugging me tightened. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s only a slight graze. Besides, there¡¯s a defense magical circle in this armor of mine.¡± When I instinctively lifted my face, his gentle water-colored pupils were looking down at me with a reassuring gaze. Hoo¡­ Thank goodness. It seems like he wasn¡¯t injured. As for the other people¡ªI looked around¡ªit seemed like Amanda-san and Virna-san weren¡¯t injured as well. Frank-san was now holding and protecting Luan who had been on top of his head, and of course, Noir was by my side. As for Karin-san¡ª A wooden dome? A dome was created from a branch of the tree that was located in a corner of the cavern. Deep in its slightly opened crevice, Karin-san was there. ¡°I guess that is a barrier created through kotodama1. It seems that you could only defend once you enter it, but Karin has a secret technique to repel any kind of attack.¡± For some reason, Karin-san¡¯s image changed rapidly. So, she wasn¡¯t just an oddball slime nerd. ¡°Next one is coming!¡± Together with Karin-san¡¯s voice, Leviathan¡¯s roar could be heard. ¡°Hold on to me firmly!¡± I clung to his arms tightly as per Ar-niisama¡¯s words. It looked like it didn¡¯t even graze us this time, there was no impact as well. ¡°You think you could defeat me just by running away?!¡± But shortly after, the next attack came. ¡°We¡¯re getting nowhere. Oi, Karin, I¡¯m entrusting this fellow to you!¡± Suddenly, Frank-san flung Luan who was still in his arms. ¡°Kyuuu!¡± The hands that emerged from within the wooden dome then caught Luan. ¡°Kyuuu, kyuukyuuuu!¡± In response to the protesting Luan, Frank-san said, ¡°Be obedient over there!¡± ¡°You¡¯re our emergency rations when push comes to shove, so you should be in the safe place.¡± ¡°Leave it to me. ¡­Hey, don¡¯t struggle.¡± ¡°Kyuu. Kyuuuu.¡± But Luan who didn¡¯t want to be apart from Frank-san seemed to be struggling inside the dome. ¡°I gotta go all out if I want to defeat this huge thing, so be obedient until then. ¨CL-u-a-n.¡± ¡°Kyuu. Kyuuuuuuuuuu!¡± When Frank-san called Luan by its name for the first time, it let out a huge cry¡­ And then it became quiet afterwards. ¡°With this, I can go all out to my heart¡¯s content. First thing to do is a trial.¡± Frank-san readied his fist as he faced Leviathan. Then, he kicked the ground and mustered his fist towards Leviathan¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Take this! Surging First!¡± ¨CHurray! The attack defeated the Armored Insect, so it should be effective, even for a little bit. However. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work, huh?¡± Frank-san¡¯s technique that should have injured its insides was transmitted along its scales and absorbed. ¡°Split Flame Blade!¡± Amanda-san began the next attack as if changing places with Frank-san who was coming down. The sword that was clad in flames hit Leviathan¡¯s solid scales¡ª ¡°It¡¯s repelled?!¡± ¡®Clang!¡¯ There was a sound of a sword hitting a solid surface. ¡°What a tough scale!¡± Our attacks weren¡¯t effective at all?! During that time, Leviathan called out some Malenti that Noir and Virna-san defeated. ¡°Oi, Virna.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Leave them to us, quickly, try to slice this big one like you did earlier.¡± After Frank-san said that, Virna-san stopped her arms that were swinging the swords and turned to look at Leviathan¡¯s direction. ¡°¡­From what I see, I won¡¯t be able to slice it.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be helped, then.¡± Frank-san then started to attack Leviathan again. Then¡ª ¡°Frank, move aside!¡± Leviathan¡¯s tail rolled over to Frank-san¡¯s direction. ¡°Argo, there¡¯s no need for you to tell me that¡­ Whoops.¡± Though he seemed about to lose his balance, he managed to avoid the whale-like tail. ¡°Yuuri, wait a bit.¡± Ar-niisama put me down near Karin-san¡¯s dome before he ran towards Leviathan. ¡°Flashing Water Stream!¡± ¡°¡­You won¡¯t be able to defeat me with these kinds of attacks. Now, go and be more serious!¡± A¡­ Ar-niisama¡¯s attack was ineffective too?! Thunder element attacks are effective against water-attributed enemies, but we¡¯d get electrocuted as well if we were to launch a thunder element attack here. Then, I can only do this. ¡°Wind Arrow!¡± Right after that, this one too! ¡°Wind Lance!¡± Wind arrows and lances rained incessantly on Leviathan. Countless pointed blades were wrapping Leviathan, swallowing its figure. ¡­D-did it work¡­? CH 78 The white mist covering Leviathan was fading gradually. Inside it, Leviathan was crouching with its eyes closed. However¡ª ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad. But I haven¡¯t shown you my full power yet. Try receiving this attack!¡± Leviathan¡¯s golden eyes were suddenly opened as it rose, then it spread out its big wings that were nowhere to be seen until just now. Then, each time it flapped its wings, a giant water whirlpool grew larger on top of its head. ¡°Storm Breath is coming! Protect against it!¡± At the same time as Karin-san¡¯s voice could be heard, the water was approaching with a tremendous power. The whirling water was trying to crush one¡¯s body. It¡­ It¡¯s painful! Even after applying Protect Shield, I could tell that I was continuously receiving damage. ¡®It¡¯s not good,¡¯ so I thought. And at that moment, somebody pulled my back toughly. ¡°¡­kh¡­ Cough¡­¡± After being rescued from the water whirlpool, I vomited the water that had entered my lungs. ¡°Migya¡­¡± ¡°Thanks, Noir¡­¡± The one that came to save me was Noir. Apparently, Noir bit on my white cat robe and pulled me out from the water current. ¡®What about the others?¡¯ I thought as I turned to look at my surroundings and¡­ This is bad! Everyone was breathing, but all of them were collapsed on the ground. ¡°This can¡¯t do. I need to heal everyone. Healing Wind!¡± But nobody got up. Aah, geez. Can¡¯t I heal more than this? Since it¡¯s come to this¡ª ¡°Area Heal to all of my allies that are inside this cavern!¡± I sensed my magical power being wholly decreased. However, there was a sign that everyone was getting up, so I should¡¯ve succeeded in healing them. We didn¡¯t even have the time to rest as Leviathan started to spread its wings again. Is the same attack coming again?! What to do? Wind magic isn¡¯t effective, water and fire also have a small effect. But, if I were to use a lightning magic, we¡¯d also sustain some damage¡­ Then, it¡¯d be hit or miss, using earth magic¡ª Wait a minute. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t I level up thanks to the experience point I had received after defeating the Armored Insect?! Adding the points from the Malenti that Virna-san and Noir defeated, could it be that¡­ ¡°Status Open.¡± Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 30. Hooray! I levelled up! Then, perhaps I¡¯ve learned some new magic. My magic¡ª Available Skills: [Thunder Element] Thunder Arrow, Thunder Lance (Thunder of Judgment) [Wind Element] Wind Arrow, Wind Lance (Destruction Tornado) [Fire Element] Fire Ball, Fire Crash (Crimson Blaze) [Water Element] Water Ball, Water Crash (Blue Torrent) [Earth Element] Rock Fall, Earthquake (Meteor of Annihilation) [Ice Element] Diamond Dust, Frozen Stream I learned ice magic! Moreover, there were two of them! Then, if I were to use the stronger one¡ª ¡°Your power only amounted to this, huh? How foolish. ¡­Now, playtime is over. Leave this place.¡± Leviathan floated into the air; its wings were widely spread. Then, its body was greatly arched¡ª ¡°Try and receive this. Ocean Howl!!¡± ¡°Tch. Surging First!¡± ¡°Split Flame Blade!¡± ¡°Flashing Water Stream!¡± ¨CIt¡¯s coming! ¡°I won¡¯t let you! Frozen Stream, gooooooo!!¡± Lots of icicles were fired from the tip of my wand, going towards Leviathan as if they were gliding on top of the floor. Just in time! A large water wall formed at Leviathan¡¯s back. It slowly raised its head, trying to swallow us whole. ¡ªPlease! Guooooooo. The rushing wave was approaching us above our heads. ¡ªFreeze!! Splashes of water rained down from above our heads. The next moment. The tip of my eyelashes was frozen in white. Then. Shriiiin¡­ Shrririiiin¡­ The light sound echoed so out-of-place with this tensed situation. Then, in a twinkle of an eye, the wave wall that was about to swoop down on us was getting frozen. The group of icicles found their way to Leviathan as if they were a counter-current¡ª Its tail, its wings, and its torso that was covered in scales were all getting frozen. Eventually¡­ Leviathan¡¯s neck was also frozen. The shining golden left eye of Leviathan who had turned away was glaring down at me. ¡°To think that there is someone in this world that can use ice magic¡­ No, it¡¯s the person who had blended, huh?¡± Then, it removed its gaze on me¡­ ¡°Then, good job, to be able to stab a sword at me, huh?¡± There was the sound of Leviathan forcibly moving its face. And on its right eye¡ª ¡°You were trying to stop me by throwing a weapon at me, huh? ¡­I see. The sword was clad in water that forced my waves back, huh?¡± Ar-niisama¡¯s sword was lodged in quite deeply there. When I glanced at him, Ar-niisama was frozen at his feet as he glared at Leviathan. As for the others, their feet were also frozen. H-hurry, I gotta heal them! ¡°¡­Hmph. You¡¯ve demonstrated your power to me, huh? Very well. The person loved by the water, receive my blessings!¡± As Leviathan¡¯s voice echoed, the lodged sword was now floating in the air. Then, that sword flew back towards Ar-niisama¡¯s side. Ar-niisama received that sword with his right hand. Then, Leviathan¡¯s right eye that was still stuck in the sword changed into the form of a small golden dragon. It smoothly walked along the sword and huddled on top of the back of Ar-niisama¡¯s right hand. The next moment, a blinding light that caused one to be dazzled appeared¡ª ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± Ar-niisama raised his voice in surprise. His right hand was glittering in golden color, leaving a pattern that seemed to be a magic circle that had the form of Leviathan. ¡°During the time when you need my power, that mark of a blessing will shine. But my manifestation in this world is only transient. Therefore, you should augment my blessing in the middle of the battle.¡± After saying that, a small crack ran along the cavity of Leviathan¡¯s right eye. That crack rapidly grew deeper. ¡°The person loved by water. Summon me from the spirit world. My true name is Azure Dragon Livyatan!¡± Eeh. I didn¡¯t know because Karin-san said that it was the Divine Beast Leviathan, but it was actually the Azure Dragon Livyatan?!1 In front of me who widened my eyes in surprise, the ice on Leviathan¡¯s frozen body shattered, crumbling away with an ear-piercing sound. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again in the Sage Tower.¡± All of the ices were broken into fragments, and Leviathan was sucked up into the black haze that appeared in the very beginning. Eh, wait. What did it mean? The Sage Tower really existed? Then, what remained at the very end was only the empty treasure chest. CH 79 Skip to the content CONVALLARIA''S LIBRARY ¤è¤¦¤³¤½‡í•øð^¤Ø! Please don¡¯t repost my translation anywhere else! If you find someone else posting this translation outside this site, please help me and report them or tell them to take it down if possible. Also, don¡¯t hesitate to drop any comment~ (you can choose between default WordPress comment or Disqus) or via my Discord server. Comments are great motivations for me. I do read them, yes ^^ Special thanks for all patrons~! ^^ [Casual Supporter: aureliaxangel, Diego R, Eli D, mjkj, SkVt, Greame K] [Translation Mania Level 1: wagtail, Piotr B] [Translation Mania Level 2: George P] [Translation Mania Level 3: Teresa] [Double Degree Level 1: e] [Double Degree Level 2: Christopher] [Double Degree Level 3: Browser] [Library Owner: Erika S] Happy reading ^^ Did we win¡­? As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I ended up feeling the strength going out of my body. ¡°Migyaa.¡± My knees were just about to crash into the ground when Noir¡¯s big forefeet caught me before that could happen. Then, I leaned towards Noir¡¯s body. ¡°¡­How warm.¡± The temperature of its soft fur calmed my tensed heart. ¡°O healing wind, assemble and heal Argo!¡± When I felt so relieved that I got dazed, Frank-san¡¯s voice could be heard. Haa. This wasn¡¯t the right time and place to be relaxed like this. ¡°Heal Amanda-san. Heal Virna-san.¡± The ice on their feet were already smashed up by Livyatan, but the damage from being frozen was quite significant. I gotta hurry and heal them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I ended up freezing everyone, too¡­¡± ¡°What are you saying, Yuuri-chan? If your magic wasn¡¯t there, we¡¯d all be done for. We¡¯re saved. Thank you.¡± I bowed my head to apologize, but Amanda-san answered cheerfully. ¡°That¡¯s true. I was wondering what would become of us earlier, but if you can use that kind of a strong magic, you should¡¯ve just used it from the very beginning without putting on airs.¡± But I didn¡¯t even know I had levelled up at that time. Geez, that¡¯s very stupid of me! Why didn¡¯t I try to check my status after defeating the Armored Insect? From now on, I should never forget to check my status from time to time. But how should I answer Frank-san? I couldn¡¯t say that I managed to learn new magic after levelling up. ¡°I¡¯m growing up even where nobody is watching!¡± ¡°Growing up, huh?¡± In response to Frank-san¡¯s suspicious questioning, I laughed. I need to leave it up to my deadly smile here! Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m ¡°Oh well, leave it be, Frank. A maiden has one or two secrets, after all. Even so, as expected of Yuuri-chan! What an amazing magic!¡± I was hugged by the approaching Amanda-san. Awawa. Uhm, it¡¯s difficult for me to breath if you put my face around your big breasts¡­ ¡°By the way, why are you sitting like that, Virna?¡± As I turned around, Virna-san was sitting cross-legged on top of the wooden dome that Karin-san had created. ¡°Preserving energy.¡± ¡°Then, are you meditating?¡± In response to Frank-san¡¯s astonished question, Virna-san silently nodded. ¡°¡­Then, isn¡¯t it unnecessary now?¡± ¡°I am now reflecting on how it was too fast of me to give up.¡± Ah, Virna-san¡¯s wears were pointing downwards, and her tail was drooped. Although she was normally a wild beauty, this kind of figure of hers looked extremely cute. ¡°Eei, since the battle¡¯s over, hurry and go away! If you sit there, I can¡¯t undo the technique!¡± Karin-san scolded Virna-san from inside the dome, so Virna-san lightly went down from the dome. At the same time, the twigs that created the dome was sucked towards Karin-san¡¯s palms with a rustle, before they reverted back to the form of a seed. The wooden dome was actually from a plant¡¯s seed. ¡°Kyuu!¡± From within Karin-san¡¯s arms, a pink-colored rabbit ran towards Frank-san¡¯s side with a powerful vigour. ¡°Kyuu, kyuu.¡± Frank-san held Luan who jumped at him. Perhaps feeling happy that Frank-san was safe, Luan nuzzled its small horn eagerly. ¡°As promised, I managed to take them out, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Kyuu. Kyu.¡± ¡°Nah. You can¡¯t fight after all, right?¡± ¡°Kyuuu.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say, you gotta be stronger first.¡± As he brushed Luan¡¯s back gently, Frank-san spoke awkwardly. Fufuu. For some reason, Frank-san looked like he was a father talking to his young child. ¡°Migyaa.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± ¡°Gyaruu.¡± ¡°Kyukyuu.¡± Then, Noir and Luan were talking about something I couldn¡¯t comprehend. After a while, Luan cooed, ¡°Kyafun,¡± as if it was satisfied with something, then it went towards the top of Frank-san¡¯s head as usual before it huddled up there. Frank-san lightly patted Luan who was on top of his head once more, then he approached Ar-niisama. ¡°What happened before? What is going on with your right hand, Argo? The mark of blessing¡­ was it?¡± ¡°That is¡­ It shone for a while before it disappeared.¡± ¡°Disappeared?! Where? Let me see.¡± Frank-san took Ar-niisama¡¯s left hand and checked it while turning it upside down. ¡°It¡¯s nowhere to be seen.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve memorized the magic circle¡¯s form, so I¡¯ll try to copy it on a paper after this.¡± In response to Ar-niisama¡¯s words, Karin-san enthusiastically approached. ¡°Show it to me, too! No one in my elf¡¯s hometown has ever seen Leviathan¡¯s mark.¡± ¡°It said that it wasn¡¯t Leviathan, but Livyatan, though.¡± Ignoring Frank-san¡¯s muttering, Karin-san snatched Ar-niisama¡¯s right hand away from Frank-san. ¡°Hmm. Though the mark is invisible, I certainly feel its power. However, why did Leviathan¡­ Aah, right. Did it manifest due to the blue dragon¡¯s dance? Or was it attracted to the sound of the kagura bells? This place is close to the border of the spirit world, so it is possible. ¨CIt is indeed very interesting.¡± Amanda-san then approached the nodding Karin-san. ¡°Please don¡¯t be satisfied on your own, explain as well. What do you mean by ¡®this place is close to the border of the spirit world¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, really. The dungeons existed because they are places that are close with the border of the spirit world, thus the demons accumulate there as well, right?¡± Eeeeeeh?! Dungeons were created like that¡ª?! CH 80 Karin-san was surprised at the fact that everyone was surprised. ¡°Could it be that you didn¡¯t know?!¡± ¡°Even the thing about the spirit world, it¡¯s my first time hearing about it, you know?¡± Frank-san briskly scratched his hair that was like a corn¡¯s beard while he skilfully avoided the area where Luan was sitting on. ¡°It is said that the world of the dead is also called as the spirit world. The gods once resided in this very land. Even the young ones in the elves¡¯ village know this, though?¡± ¡°Seriously¡­?¡± Frank-san, who was looking up towards the sky, was a priest. That was why, perhaps he had received shock from knowing that the legend that he had been believing until now was actually different from the truth. ¡°Humans and beastmen aren¡¯t like elves that live a long life, after all. Perhaps this kind of folklore was lost in translation as it was transmitted during the long time.¡± ¡°So, what kind of story does the Genesis that Karin know?¡± Amanda-san bent her body forward in order to hear better, and Karin-san put her hand on her chin as she said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Once upon a time, there were a lot of powerful gods in this world. However, lots died during when the wars between gods enfolded, and the gods whose power weakened due to losing followers then departed to the spirit world with more primordial power.¡± ¡°How come the gods who lost their followers also lost their power?¡± ¡°Now, I don¡¯t even know what really this existence is we call as ¡®god¡¯. So, I can¡¯t answer that. However, I am certain that this is what I was told about. It¡¯s said that the followers imitate their god¡¯s figure, so Leviathan¡¯s people should have a figure resembling them.¡± ¡°Similar to those mutated Sahuagin from earlier? But they weren¡¯t that similar.¡± ¡°Since it said that they were its servants, they might not be the followers that had power.¡± ¡°I wonder if their form changes if they hold some power¡­?¡± Is it something akin to evolution? There are monsters of affiliated type in Elysia Online. For example, in the area where only weak monsters appear, the monsters that appear in the coast are only Sahuagin, but in the area where a slightly stronger monsters appear, Malenti appear. In the coast where an even stronger enemies appear, Dragonewts appear, while in areas with formidable enemies, Sea Dragons appear. If those Malenti¡¯s evolved form were the Dragonewt¡­ What if we were to consider that the followers¡¯ forms evolved, for example Sahuagin ¡ú Malenti ¡ú Dragonewt ¡ú Sea Dragon, just like that? In other words, the monsters that appeared were originally the ancient gods¡¯ followers? Eh, but if that is the case, why are the monsters attacking humans? ¡°Hmm. Still, Leviathan said that it was just its transient form, huh? If that¡¯s the case, the mutated Sahuagin were also transient, then? ¡­Hmmmm. The slimes in the dungeon were odourless, so¡­ I see. This place might be something like the shadow picture imitating the spirit world. That¡¯s why, the dead monsters are absorbed by the dungeon. The phantom returns to the spirit world.¡± ¡°Errr¡­ I don¡¯t really get it, but to put it simply, the monsters in this dungeon aren¡¯t the real deal?¡± ¡°That is most likely.¡± Karin-san nodded in response to Amanda-san¡¯s question, and Frank-san also muttered once again, ¡°Seriously¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gone through dungeons when I was still an adventurer, but I was completely oblivious about it up until now.¡± ¡°Frank-san was an adventurer before?!¡± When I asked in surprise, Frank-san touched the tip of his nose as he said, ¡°Well, yeah.¡± ¡°He was [The Dawn¡¯s Seeker]¡¯s leader.¡± ¡°Eeeeeeeeeeh?!¡± I reflexively raised my voice after hearing the truth from Virna-san. ¡°Then, Frank-san and Virna-san were colleagues?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Frank-san answered, while Virna-san nodded as her tail swayed. Really, Frank-san and Virna-san were members of the same party?! Eh, but if so¡ª ¡°Since Simon-san is there, does that mean Frank-san didn¡¯t function as a priest, but rather fighting alongside everyone?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª. Nah. I was in [The Dawn¡¯s Seeker] before I became a priest.¡± ¡°Eeh¡ª?¡± Upon hearing the detailed story, it seemed that Frank-san was an adventurer who used a large sword, befitting of his appearance. By a strange coincidence, he formed a party with Gazad-san the dwarf and Naruruth-san the elf, then with the addition of an old priest, [The Dawn¡¯s Seeker] was formed. Receiving the influence from that old priest, Frank-san chose the path of becoming a priest instead of an adventurer, and he left the party not too long after Virna-san had just joined [The Dawn¡¯s Seeker]. ¡°I thought he¡¯d return quickly.¡± Everyone nodded at Virna-san¡¯s words. After all, Frank-san really didn¡¯t look like a priest. When I heard that he was originally an adventurer, I was like ¡®Aah, I see¡¯. ¡°Knowing that I¡¯d be the laughingstock of y¡¯all, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d return.¡± Frank-san muttered as if he became sulky. ¡­It was certainly hard to train to become a priest after he had fully grown up as an adult. ¡°Well, although they aren¡¯t cute, I also had some worthy disciples. It wasn¡¯t all that bad.¡± Simon-san, who was his disciple that he probably thought of cute in his heart, expressed his interest in learning more about the world, so it seemed like Frank-san introduced him to [The Dawn¡¯s Seeker] who was looking for someone who could cover the role of the old priest¡ªFrank-san¡¯s teacher¡ªwho had retired by that time. Hee~. So that kind of thing happened, huh? ¡°Let¡¯s end this reminiscent talk, shall we return?¡± Everyone agreed to Frank-san¡¯s words. In the end, the divine beast Livyatan appeared from the treasure chest and Ar-niisama received the blessing¡­ I¡¯m glad we came here. Could it be that there are other dungeons where divine beasts appear just like this one¡­? Upon exiting the hidden room, the usual semi-transparent window appeared. ¨‹ The following quest has been cleared. ¨‹ Defeat the boss located deep within [The Cavern of Ordeal] ¨‹ Quest cleared! Reward: Received the blessing from the divine beast, Azure Dragon Livyatan. It is now possible to summon Livyatan. Quest cleared, hooray¡ª! I wonder how this summoning Livyatan would work? Aah, I¡¯m excited to find out! After we exited the Cavern of Ordeal, the blue sky was laid out for us to see. Then, over there¡ª ¡°Ooh, look. The rainbow of blessing appeared.¡± A beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky. CH 81 Note: We are entering a new arc, the third arc, titled: ¡°Heading towards the Earth Labyrinth!¡± *** When we returned to the inn in the Graham village, we told Carl-san that the key had disappeared. Mysteriously, the key was sucked into the cavern and disappeared once we exited the hidden room. According to Karin-san, Livyatan¡¯s manifestation consumed a large quantity of magical energy there, and wouldn¡¯t that cause the hidden room to disappear? Hmm¡­ As expected, dungeons are full of mystery, huh? ¡°So, the hidden room really existed?¡± ¡°There was a hidden room, but the treasure chest there was just a dummy, and that room itself was like the treasure chest. There was this weird magical circle carved inside it, after all. It¡¯s just that the key disappeared at the same time as the room¡¯s door just as we exited the room. Though it¡¯s Thor¡¯s memento too, sorry.¡± Hearing that, Carl-san seemed to imagine that the one inside the hidden room wasn¡¯t a thing, but a magical circle instead. Yup. There¡¯s no mistaking it. We only didn¡¯t mention that the same magical circle that summoned Livyatan was also carved on the back of Ar-niisama¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­No. I still have the axe, so please don¡¯t worry about it. But, it¡¯s troublesome. I was thinking that the inside of the treasure chest would belong to you guys to express my gratitude. What any other form of gratitude should I¡­¡± Carl-san was wondering what other stuff that Thor-san left that had any value, as his shoulders slightly dropped. ¡°No. We¡¯ve found something even more valuable than the content of a treasure chest, so that is enough. So don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? But I shouldn¡¯t ask more than this, should I? I¡¯m glad if that key was useful, even for a bit.¡± Carl-san broadly laughed. He was a splendid inn owner, indeed. No matter in which world it might be, not prying into a guest¡¯s matters was the most important thing an inn keeper should do. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a treasured sake as promised, now, do come here.¡± As Carl-san led the way, Frank-san¡¯s steps were light, Virna-san¡¯s tail was also swaying intensely with great vigour. I¡¯m also excited upon hearing that treats have been prepared! Let¡¯s eat lots of delicious food! ¡°Speaking of which, what are you going to do with that horn?¡± Amanda-san, who was in a good temper having eaten delicious cuisine and delicious sake, pointed outside the inn. The horns and shell of the Armored Insect that was defeated outside the village was there, in the open space that was in front of the inn. Due to their size, they couldn¡¯t be brought into the inn. ¡°There isn¡¯t any Adventurer¡¯s Guild here. And the closest place here¡­ Is it the Abbot town?¡± Frank-san was the one who defeated the Armored Insect that was raging outside Graham village, so the villagers gave the Armored Insect¡¯s horns and shell that could become a material. But since they were too big to carry around, we were thinking of having the village¡¯s general store to purchase them, but there was a problem. While the shell and the smaller horn could be processed in the village, they didn¡¯t have the money to afford purchasing the biggest horn, so that horn was rejected. But how are we supposed to carry a horn that large? We¡¯d be able to manage it somehow if it was stored in the Item Box, but as expected, it¡¯d be a little troublesome to be seen when putting something as big as that. ¡°Abbot, is it¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something with Abbot?¡± Carl-san¡¯s voice dropped when he asked the town¡¯s name, and Frank-san put the silver goblet he was carrying on the table. ¡°Recently, there¡¯s a slightly worrying rumour¡­¡± ¡°Rumour?¡± ¡°I heard that children went missing there.¡± ¡°Children went missing?!¡± ¡°Yeah, due to the bots that are stealing our translation, ouchie. Stop supporting them and go to our site to read and leave a few comments to motivate the translator! Everyone simultaneously paid attention to Frank-san who was shouting. ¡°Yeah. It might be the work of the bandits, so there¡¯s a warning issued to our village that we should be careful.¡± ¡°If the opponent is the bandits, it¡¯d be the chivalric order¡¯s job, then.¡± Saying that, Frank-san glanced at Ar-niisama. ¡°It¡¯s happening right after the Monster Flood, so we are wondering whether or not the knights will be able to come soon¡­¡± ¡°They surely won¡¯t be abandoning their duty. It¡¯d be better to leave it up to them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Frank-san held out the empty goblet towards Carl-san whose shoulders relaxed out of relief. ¡°Anyway, this sake is tasty. Give me one more cup.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad it suits your taste.¡± Frank-san drank Carl-san¡¯s treasured sake in loud gulps without any reserve. Virna-san who was across him was also drinking silently since before. ¡°Hey, Argo. What do you think?¡± Amanda-san who was sitting to my left, asked Argo-san, who was sitting to my right, in a small voice. ¡°I¡¯m a bit worried.¡± ¡°Have they received a request to investigate the bandits?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve been staying in touch every day with them using a magical bird, but I have never heard of such thing.¡± The magical bird mentioned was a pretty lapis lazuli coloured bird that carried letters to send, that was created by the dwarves¡¯ craftsmen. Every morning, Ar-niisama would get in touch with the Izel fort via the magical bird, so if something were to happen in Abbot town which was close to the Graham village, he¡¯d usually say something about it. ¡°That¡¯s weird. Even if it¡¯s not the work of the bandits, if the incident happening was widespread as a rumour, the chivalric order would surely appeal for an investigation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s just¡­ Since the incident is about children going missing, there¡¯s a possibility that it¡¯d expose Yuuri to danger.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± Amanda-san closed her deep crimson pupils as she took a deep breath. ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t just leave it be.¡± Amanda-san nodded at Ar-niisama¡¯s words. ¡°Yeah. ¡­Let¡¯s go to Abbot town to check what¡¯s going on. We will protect Yuuri-chan, so there¡¯s nothing to be worried about.¡± Amanda-san hugged me, still from my left side. ¡°Oi, oi. You guys aren¡¯t having your meals and are gossiping instead. Here, this is delicious. Try it.¡± Frank-san brought the goblet with one of his hands, and the other one was carrying a chicken wing. It was most likely another monster¡¯s meat instead of a chicken¡¯s, though. ¡°Listen. Although Heal made our physical wounds recover, the heart¡¯s fatigue that we received from the battle can only be cured by delicious meals and warm bed, you see? That¡¯s why, eat more.¡± ¡°Here,¡± he said as he handed over the chicken wing before picking another one. As I put it in my mouth, the savoury taste of the meat juices spread inside my mouth. Delicious¡­ That¡¯s right. As Frank-san said, for the time being, let¡¯s eat until we¡¯re full without thinking about anything too deeply. The things other than that¡­ Let¡¯s just think about them tomorrow, together with everyone! Note: This chapter marks the end of the current arc! We¡¯ll be entering a new arc after this~ CH 82 I thought that Frank-san and Virna-san, who had been drinking sake with great vigour to the point of almost emptying the wine cellar in the inn, would be having a bad hangover, but they were surprisingly in a better condition than I thought they¡¯d be in. Virna-san seemed like she wouldn¡¯t get intoxicated no matter how much sake she drank, while it seemed that Frank-san healed himself from the hangover by using Cure, as usual. ¡°The Abbot town is famous for the stonemason giant, right?¡± Frank-san talked to Carl-san who came to the outskirts of the village to send us off. ¡°There¡¯s a legend there that a giant lost a wager with the town¡¯s feudal lord, and so the giant was made to carry the stones from the quarry to the town.¡± ¡°Giant, huh? Do they really exist?¡± Karin-san answered Frank-san who was puzzled. ¡°The origin of the Abbot town, huh? I¡¯ve heard about it.¡± Ooh. As expected of an elf! She was well-informed about the old stories. ¡°Hee. As expected, giants really exist, huh?¡± ¡°No. The story that I heard was about how they won a wager against an earth-attributed magician and had the magician build the town overnight.¡± ¡°Whaa¨C?! So it was just a dreamlike story, then?¡± ¡°Humph. Reality is such a thing.¡± Everyone laughed bitterly in response to Karin-san¡¯s flat declaration. ¡°In any case, shall we hurry and head towards the Abbot town?¡± Saying that, Frank-san turned around to see Carl-san and the others. ¡°Let¡¯s pray so that the glory of our one and only god will illuminate your path as husband and wife.¡± Frank-san tidily bowed, and at that time, he looked different from his usual self and now showed a face that reflected his nature as a priest. ¡°Thank you for taking care of us. ¡­Now then. Shall we go?¡± Frank-san showed his usual broad smile as he rode on his horse. ¡°Still, it¡¯s hard carrying this horn. I wonder what we would do if Noir weren¡¯t there?¡± After walking for a while, Frank-san said in admiration as he looked at the big-sized Noir who was running side-by-side with him. After it was decided that we¡¯d sell the Armored Insect¡¯s horn in Abbot town¡¯s adventurer guild, the problem that came up next was how we should transport it. In the end, we had Noir turn big and have it carry the horn that was fastened on its back. Noir didn¡¯t seem to have a problem being made into a magical beast that transported thing over. I wonder if we¡¯d be able to enter the Abbot town just like this, then, with the big Noir? ¡­Carl-san had a slightly suspicious face upon seeing the big Noir, but he didn¡¯t say anything, so it should be alright. Right. ¡°If Noir weren¡¯t there, there¡¯s no other choice but to have Frank carry it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I can carry such a huge thing.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be a good chance to use those idle muscles of yours?¡± Amanda-san looked at the area around Frank-san¡¯s arms, and Frank-san brooded over it, ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Thinking about it, is it possible for me to carry it after training?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be too suspicious and our entry to the Abbot town would be denied because of it?¡± I nodded in response to Ar-niisama¡¯s remark. It¡¯d be convenient to have a horse-drawn cart in times like this. Carl-san offered to arrange a cart for us, but we¡¯d need to go to Graham village again to return the cart, and we didn¡¯t know if we¡¯d be using the cart all the time anyway, so we only accepted his good will with gratitude. In the game, we could pay for a service in it where all party members could ride on an extravagant carriage and advance through, be it through the mountains or the valleys or even in the rough road without any problem. As expected, there wasn¡¯t such a convenient carriage in this world. I was riding on the horse together with Ar-niisama as I gazed at the unfolding sceneries before my eyes. Aah, I¡¯ve seen this kind of sceneries in the game. It was so nostalgic, so heartrending. Although the sceneries were the same as the game, this place wasn¡¯t the game world¡­ No, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t think negatively like that. I need to level up more, then go to the Sage Tower, and return to my original world! I gotta chin up¡ª! Ou¡ª! Ah, right. Talking about levels, we defeated Livyatan the other day, so I should¡¯ve levelled up more. I was so looking forward to checking how many levels I¡¯d levelled up after defeating a boss. There were too many commotions after the Monster Flood so I¡¯d forgotten about it, but this time, I got to check it properly. Anyway, I didn¡¯t have anything else to do. Got to check it, check it. ¡°Status Open.¡± I stealthily whispered with a very small voice as Ar-niisama and Frank-san were conversing about Abbot town. After I whispered, the usual semi-transparent window appeared. Yuuri Kujou. 8 years old. Sage level 33. HP 342 MP 399 Skills Possessed: Magic 100 Healing 100 Alchemy 100 Subjugation 75 Titles: Magic Master Healing Master Stray from Another World The Girl Who Invites Luck The Girl in Whom Fortune Dwells Panther King¡¯s Friend The One Who Defeated Livyatan Hooray! My level increased by three. As expected of Livyatan. It seemed to have given me plenty of experience points. But, hmm. My MP was 399, huh? It was slightly disappointing. Just one more point, and my MP would be a clean 400 points. I didn¡¯t learn any new magic, huh? How unfortunate. Hopefully, I¡¯d learn something new once I levelled up more. It was good that my subjugation skill increased, but it seemed like I was only able to keep two familiars, huh? Perhaps I¡¯d be able to befriend three familiars once my subjugation skill level turns to 100, I guess. That would surely be fine, but I wonder if I¡¯d be able to take care of them all¡­? Well, when push comes to shove, Noir would help me out, so it might be alright. Noir was also taking care of Purun, so yeah. ¡­Hm? I felt like with a simple brush of Noir¡¯s body, Purun took out its rice candy¡­ Perhaps the two of them wouldn¡¯t be too much of a trouble after all. Eh? CH 83 The Abbot town was located southeast to the Graham village. Located to the east of it was a big mountain named Colora, and it seemed that high-quality jewels were mined from there. Just when I was wondering what kind of mountain would it be¡ªthat made it possible to mine jewels from there¡ª, I saw the mountain from afar. ¡°Aah, the Colora mountain can be seen from here.¡± Ar-niisama pointed towards the mountain. ¡°Ar-niisama. The mountain is white!¡± Ares kingdom is a country where there are only spring and summer seasons, but does the snow fall on top of the mountain? But it¡¯s not just the top of the mountain, why is it that even the middle of the mountain white? ¡°The jewels mined from Colora are white in color, after all. They¡¯re called as marble.¡± I see~. Even if it¡¯s called as jewels, they were actually marble. That was why the surface of the mountain turned white. It wasn¡¯t snow¡­ ¡°The Abbot town is manufacturing the jewels from Colora. That¡¯s why it¡¯s said that the whole Abbot town was made from marble.¡± Ooh~. It¡¯s somehow amazing. Beyond the gate, uniform buildings with white walls and orange roof were lined up, creating a scenery that was akin to a picture postcard. Two gatekeepers were standing by in front of the gate, wearing their shining armour. They approached us who were going down from the horses as they spoke, ¡°Stop¡±. ¡°Take out your identification.¡± In response to their words, Ar-niisama, Amanda-san, and Frank-san took out something that was similar to a necklace form the bottom of their necks. Since we didn¡¯t have to show it when we were entering Graham village, I thought about how strict things were over here. And then, I remembered about how recently there were missing children in the town. No wonder they¡¯d end up being on a high alert like this. ¡°Ooh. Aren¡¯t you the knights from Izel fort? Thank you for coming here this early.¡± A silver-colored plate was hanging at the tip of the necklace, and inside it seemed to be a writing that proved they were knights from Izel fort. Ho~. That kind of thing existed, huh? ¡°No, we¡¯re having a holiday right now and I¡¯m heading with my friends towards the royal capital. During the way, we defeated a monster and we are thinking of selling the materials dropped by it in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, so we are stopping by. If you¡¯ve requested a dispatch for Izel fort¡¯s knights, I think it¡¯s about time they¡¯re settling down, and I think they should be heading here.¡± ¡°What, is that so¡­¡± The gatekeepers seemed to drop their shoulders, and Ar-niisama gave them his refreshing smile. Then, he continued his words, ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± ¡°Is it fine for my adventurer friend as well as the magical beast that¡¯s carrying the material for us to come inside the town together?¡± ¡°Of course. Please do.¡± ¡°Then, we¡¯ll gladly enter.¡± Ar-niisama signalled with his eyes as Amanda-san nodded, they mounted on their horses again and returned to the direction they were from, heading towards Virna-san and the others. After a while, we returned with everyone else, and the gatekeepers¡¯ eyes were wide open as their jaws were open as well. ¡°Da-Dark Panther?!¡± They pointed their fingers at the big-sized Noir. However, Ar-niisama had properly explained that there would be a magical beast carrying the material. Perhaps the gatekeepers were thinking that the magical beast would be something close to a horse or a cow, but still, we didn¡¯t tell any lie. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s this child¡¯s pet. Contrary to its appearance, it¡¯s docile.¡± ¡°This small child¡¯s¡­?!¡± Ar-niisama nodded at the gatekeepers who were even more surprised. ¡°It¡¯s been together ever since it was this small, so it¡¯s quite affectionate.¡± When Ar-niisama mentioned ¡®this small¡¯, he tried to show Noir¡¯s size when it was still a kitten using his hands. We didn¡¯t know whether or not it was true, but right now, there¡¯s an incident in the Abbot town where children disappeared. Thus, we had a talk about how, rather than keeping Noir in its kitten size just like how it was in Graham village, wouldn¡¯t it be safer to have Noir in its big size and accompany me like that? It was just, Noir was part of the renowned strong monster, Dark Panther, so we didn¡¯t know if it could be let into the town if it were in its big size. So, Ar-niisama devised a plan to talk and persuade the gatekeepers first. ¡­Although it might be more appropriate to call it as deceiving them with words. ¡°Please wait a bit. I¡¯m going to confirm this with the higher-up.¡± One of the gatekeepers ran towards the city in a fluster. Oh, oh. We can¡¯t enter the town that easily, huh? Too bad. ¡°Hum hum. The slimes around this area might be eating stones, but most likely they¡¯re only eating marble. ¡­Then, wouldn¡¯t that mean that there is a new variety of slimes within the earth slimes?! Khukhukhukhu. ¡­Hmm, I don¡¯t particularly smell a new variety, though. Then, maybe there will be a new type of slimes if I were to go to the mining spot.¡± Virna-san grabbed Karin-san¡¯s scruff as she seemed about to head towards the mining spot right now. Ooh. Despite the fact that the two of them are riding on their horses, Virna-san is so dextrous. ¡°What are you doing? Let go!¡± ¡°Virna. Grab her tightly, okay? If she were to run off towards the mining spot without any permission, she¡¯d definitely get arrested.¡± Frank-san told Virna-san, who responded by nodding and putting more power to the hand that was grabbing Karin-san. ¡°I see. Do we need a permit to enter the mining area?¡± Ar-niisama asked the remaining gatekeeper, still with his refreshing smile on. Being politely asked by Ar-niisama who was a knight, the gatekeeper smiled as if he was feeling much obliged. ¡°Yes. The feudal lord¡¯s permission is necessary.¡± ¡°This town¡¯s feudal lord is Viscount Willard, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t know the town mayor¡¯s name, though.¡± ¡°The town mayor¡¯s name is Bowan-sama.¡± Immediately after the gatekeeper¡¯s explanation, a man that was wearing a fine set of outfit showed up from inside the town along with the soldiers. Then, he gave a broad smile upon seeing Ar-niisama¡¯s figure. ¡°Ooh, aren¡¯t you the knights? We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Hm? ¡°Well, since it¡¯s immediately after the Monster Flood, I thought that I¡¯d only be able to welcome the knights a little later, but to think that you¡¯d arrive this quickly, you have my thanks. Now then, please come this way.¡± Eh? Could it be that the town mayor thought that we were the knights that had been dispatched as per their request? It couldn¡¯t be, right? After all, a child like me was brought along. No way he could think that way, right? CH 84 ¡°No. We just happened to pass by this town¡­ Just what is the matter?¡± Ar-niisama asked seemingly worried, with a face that seemed to say that he didn¡¯t have any idea about the incident that had occurred in this town. Ooh. Ar-niisama might even be able to become an actor. ¡°Oh my. So you¡¯re not the dispatched knights?¡± The town mayor opened his small eyes widely, looking at us in turns. Then, he was surprised upon seeing Noir who had the Armored Insect¡¯s horn on its back. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a Dark Panther?!¡± No, it had always been here since before, though? Moreover, the soldiers that came together with the town mayor had all been on guard towards Noir since before. As expected, they wouldn¡¯t go so far as to draw their swords before Ar-niisama and Amanda-san who were the kingdom¡¯s knights, but they were in a stance that seemed like they¡¯d be ready to draw their swords at any time. It was weird for the town mayor to only notice Noir just now. ¡°This one is this child¡¯s pet, so there¡¯s no need to worry. We¡¯ve received a permission from Izel fort¡¯s lord, Leonhart-sama to have it travel together with us.¡± ¡°That great hero¡¯s¡­¡± The people of Ares kingdom refers to Leon-san as the great hero, huh? It¡¯s cool somehow. ¡°That, the young girl over there, just who¡­?¡± Bewildered, the town mayor looked around us. His eyes wavered between Ar-niisama, Amanda-san, Frank-san, Virna-san, Karin-san, and lastly me, in order. That¡¯s right. Certainly he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell what¡¯s up with our line up. ¡°I apologize, but we can¡¯t reveal that information.¡± Ar-niisama smiled sweetly, silently applying pressure that he won¡¯t be answering any more than that. At that moment, the town mayor¡¯s face worsened. ¡°So, it¡¯s like that¡­ Then, what kind of business do you have that prompted you to visit this town?¡± ¡°We¡¯re thinking of bringing in this Armored Insect¡¯s horn to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°Oh my, an Armored Insect that had this big enough of a horn appeared? That¡¯s terrible. The soldiers, hurry¡ª¡± ¡°Aah, no. The Armored Insect appeared near the Graham village. It¡¯s good that it¡¯s been defeated, but we were told that we were unable to sell it there.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s certainly a very large horn that¡¯s hard to be sold.¡± The town mayor was looking at the horn of the Armored Insect that was on Noir¡¯s back with admiration. Then, he turned to stare at Noir. Hmhmhm. Noir is indeed cute, but I won¡¯t give it to you! ¡°Then, this person shall lead you towards the Adventurer Guild¡­ We wouldn¡¯t want to be careless.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After saying that to the soldier that was right next to him, the town mayor returned to the path that he had walked up before. As Ar-niisama stared at the figure of his leaving back, the remaining soldier smiled at him. ¡°So, can we enter the town now?¡± ¡°Please do. Welcome to Abbot town.¡± With the guidance from the soldier, we walked towards the inner part of the main street. The town¡¯s buildings were all built from marble, and for some reason it seemed as if we were wandering into a high-end residential area. At the end of the main street, there was the public square. There was a water fountain at the center of it, and the fountain was also made from marble. There were flower beds at the edge of the public square, and there were also benches where people could rest at. Of course, they were marble benches. In this world, there¡¯s a round public square in the center of a town, and there are lots of people who go there to relax. That was also the case with Graham village, but their public square wasn¡¯t as refined as this one. I thought that there would surely be lots of tourists coming, but there wasn¡¯t anyone who¡¯d go through the trouble of coming here to see the quarry. Certainly, it was safe inside the town or village because there was a barrier, but taking one step outside it might make you encounter a monster. Perhaps they weren¡¯t able to go out of their way to enjoy sightseeing around it with the risks of meeting danger. Though it¡¯d surely be nice to slowly enjoy the sceneries safely in this world. I was deep in my thoughts that I didn¡¯t even realize we had arrived in front of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. If I wasn¡¯t told that this was the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, I might not realize that it was indeed its entrance due to its air of luxury. I had a feeling that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡¯s image was a place where the rowdy people gathered, but the entrance was, probably because it was made of marble, more fitting to be the entrance to a high-end store. Perhaps I would never realize that it wasn¡¯t the case, had the crest of Adventurer¡¯s Guild not been on display on top of its entrance. The symbol was exactly the same as the crest that I had received in my occupation change quest to a sage¡ªa picture of a sword and staff crossed¡ª, but the position of the sword and the staff was the opposite of it. I wonder if the occupation of a sage had something to do with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild? After saying thanks to the soldier who had led us to this place, Ar-niisama and Frank-san who unloaded the Armored Insect¡¯s horn from Noir¡¯s back then entered the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. As expected, it¡¯d cause an uproar if Noir were to enter the Adventurer¡¯s Guild together with them, so all the girls including me and Amanda-san were waiting beside the entrance together with Noir. ¡°It might be good to have Noir wear a medal.¡± ¡°A medal?¡± ¡°Yeah. This is the case with the One-Horned Cows. Since they have a meek temperament, they¡¯re often kept and used for transporting items. But people won¡¯t be able to tell if the monster is kept or not aside from the time when they¡¯re transporting items, right? So, they wear a medal on their neck, that has the owner¡¯s name engraved on it. I think that Noir won¡¯t need it if it¡¯s in its kitten size, but with this big of a size, well¡­ We can have the Adventurer¡¯s Guild make it, so shall we have Noir¡¯s medal made later on?¡± Is a medal something similar to a pet¡¯s collar? Will Noir be willing to wear such a thing? As I turned to look at Noir who was snuggling up to me, Noir let out a cry, ¡°Migyaa,¡± with a curious face. CH 85 While I was in front of the Adventurer Guild waiting for Ar-niisama and the others, the townspeople nearby were looking at my direction from the distance. Each time Noir slightly moved, the townspeople shuddered with a start. Au. Dear townspeople, sorry for making you afraid. But Noir isn¡¯t a bad magical beast~. It could enter the barrier that protected against magical beasts after all, so it¡¯s fine~ Perhaps everyone wanted to inquire why a magical beast like Noir would be in the town, but since Amanda-san and Virna-san were standing without concealing their vigour, nobody dared to come close to us. By the way, Karin-san was muttering some sort of a theory, perhaps it was because she was bored with nothing to do. I wonder if Ar-niisama would return any time soon? In Elysia Online, there¡¯d be a woman whose surname was definitely [Joy-san] in the Adventurer Guild¡¯s receptionist. Their names would be something around the line of Maria Joy or Francois Joy, but everyone had the same faces, and were only called with ¡°Joy-san¡±. Joy-san had a pink hair in a pigtails style, wore a white uniform, and although they had a baby face, their breasts were big, and there were hardcore fans of them. Moreover, the fans were divided based on which cities¡¯ Joy-san, and there was an event to decide which town¡¯s Joy-san was the best, named as [Joy-san¡¯s general election]. The people who voted on the winning Joy-san would get a 1/10-sized figure of the winning Joy-san that could be put in their own houses in the game, so it was quite hyped up. I wonder if there¡¯d be a Joy-san in this Adventurer Guild? If so, I¡¯d like to see her. ¡°Oy, you!¡± Moreover, since everyone had the same face, I wonder what¡¯s up with the genes of the Joy family? Is there no male there? But if a male had that kind of a face, they could probably only be seen as a girl, though. ¡°You, over there!¡± Haa. Could it be that a Joy-san in some town was a boy all along? And it was just that nobody had noticed it at all?! ¡°The silver-haired purple-eyed little girl! I¡¯m talking with you!¡± Hmm¡­? Me? When I took a closer look, there was a boy around the same age as me amongst the crowd. He had a standoffish orange-colored hair, and he had a seemingly determined face. ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± I tried to point at myself, and the boy nodded. ¡°Yes, I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°Uuhm, what is it?¡± ¡°Is the big magical beast over there your pet?¡± ¡°Not a pet, it¡¯s my family.¡± Right? I took a glance at Noir, and it let out a small cry, ¡°Migya¡±. See? Noir also said so. ¡°Family, is it?¡± The boy narrowed his orange eyes and had a doubtful expression. But it¡¯s true. Noir is my family. ¡°Hey. Just where did you catch this guy?¡± ¡°Catch?¡± I reflexively turned my face to look at Amanda-san, who was also looking at me. Does that mean he¡¯d like to have a pet like Noir? ¡°Hey boy, why do you want to catch a magical beast?¡± Amanda-san asked in my stead. ¡°I¡¯m going to look for my family.¡± ¡°Looking for them? Did they go missing?¡± ¡°They suddenly disappeared. But since I am still a child, I am not supposed to go out of the town all by myself. That¡¯s why, although I¡¯d like to go to look for them, I was told to wait until the knights come. That¡¯s why I waited, but even the priest-san who promised he¡¯d go together with me to look for my family ended up missing. That¡¯s why, I want to go look for them, even if I¡¯m all alone. But if I am alone and the bad guys appear, I won¡¯t be able to beat them up, so I want a strong pet just like yours. Tell me where I should go so I can catch one like that. Please!¡± I was bewildered at the boy who was bowing his orange head down. Uuuhm. That means, this boy is the family member of the aforementioned missing children case, right? Then, in order to go to the place of the bad guys who abducted them, he¡¯d like to get a magical beast like Noir as a pet, to use as a bodyguard, huh? ¡°I think it¡¯s impossible for a child like you. First, you might not even be able to escape harm should you encounter a magical beast.¡± ¡°But that girl over there is also a pipsqueak, but didn¡¯t she manage to subjugate a magical beast?¡± I am not a pipsqueak, I am only small! Within time, I will grow bigger! Or rather, even I have completely forgotten about it, but I was originally older. Recently, I have been completely recognizing myself as a small child¡­ How odd. ¡°This child is an exception.¡± ¡°Then, give it to me! Uhm¡­ I don¡¯t have money right now, but in the future when I become rich, I will return the favor.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. Didn¡¯t I tell you that Noir is my family? Are you going to sell your family?¡± Although he had such a devotion to his family that he thought of looking for them though he was all alone, he was mean to ask me to sell my own family! But the boy looked surprised at my words as he apologized, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Even after you¡¯ve said just now that the magical beast is your family. Really, sorry. Then, can you lend it to me until I can find my family¡­ No, uhhm, I¡¯d like to have that magical beast help me. Please, accept my request!¡± I was perplexed at the boy who bowed his head even lower than before. ¡°I won¡¯t lend Noir, but¡­ But, uhm, I¡¯m thinking of helping out with looking for the missing children. That¡¯s why, can you tell me more about it?¡± We came here for that in the first place. This time, I won¡¯t become a small sage, but I¡¯d become a small detective, and I¡¯m definitely going to find the missing children¡ª! CH 86 Right at that time, Ar-niisama and Frank-san exited the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. They didn¡¯t bring the Armored Insect¡¯s horn, so it seemed like it was received safely by the guild. ¡°Ou, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Frank-san lightly patted my head. When I lifted my head to look at his face, he was furrowing his brows. No matter how you look at it, this expression of his wasn¡¯t priest-like at all. When I glanced at the boy from before, I could tell that he was overwhelmed by Frank-san¡¯s intimidating air. ¡°His family has gone missing. So, he wants us to help look for them.¡± In response to Amanda-san¡¯s words, Frank-san¡¯s gaze at the boy softened. Noticing that, the boy relaxed his previously stiffened body. ¡°We¡¯ve heard a little bit of the story in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡­ We¡¯ve gotten plenty of extra income too, so shall we talk about it over a meal?¡± Frank-san stooped and grinned. But the boy¡¯s eyes were focused onto Luan who was sitting on top of Frank-san¡¯s head. Before the boy, Karin-san came approaching with her nose twitching. ¡°Smelly, you smell!¡± ¡°¡ªEh. I properly cleaned myself five days ago, though?¡± As the boy answered, he sniffed his own body. In this world, there was no custom of entering the bath. But in exchange, they used the Clean magic to remove any dirt from their bodies. It was a magic that I couldn¡¯t learn for some reason no matter what, but it seemed that even a small child could use it. It was normally applied every day, but¡­ It was still the same as not taking a bath in five days, right? It wasn¡¯t like he was stinky, but I still reflexively took a step backward. ¡°Hey, kid. You know of a new type of the slimes, don¡¯t you? Where did you find them?! Tell me!¡± ¡°Slime?¡± The boy had an expression of being unable to make heads or tails out of Karin-san¡¯s words. Meanwhile, Karin-san approached the boy, smelling him from various directions. ¨CNo matter how you look at her, she was a splendid example of a pervert. Then, somehow, I felt like the surrounding villagers¡¯ eyes turned chilly. Everyone, it¡¯s a misunderstanding! The perverted one is only Karin-san hereee! ¡°Now, now, wait a bit, Karin. Let¡¯s put aside the thing about slimes first and let¡¯s search for the missing people. Oy, boy, there¡¯s Louise¡¯s diner in this town, right? Guide us there.¡± Louise¡¯s diner?! If it¡¯s Louise¡¯s tavern, then it¡¯s famous, but there¡¯s also a diner named like that, huh? ¡°If I guide you there, will you help me look for them?¡± ¡°After all is said, I am still a priest. Helping people is like my job anyway.¡± ¡°Eh, you¡¯re a priest?!¡± The boy stared unblinkingly at Frank-san, and it seemed that he noticed that Frank-san¡¯s clothes were that of a priest¡¯s. The outfit looked a bit similar to a woodcutter¡¯s clothes, add that Frank-san was a brawny man, so nobody could tell right away that he was a priest¡­ Moreover, the impact of Luan sitting on top of his head was quite strong, so people wouldn¡¯t really observe his clothes. ¡°Oy, oy, no matter how you look at it, I am a splendid priest. Right, Jou-chan?¡± Uuuhmm¡­ No matter how you look at him, it isn¡¯t obvious that he was a priest, so how should I answer this? While waiting for my answer, Ar-niisama looked at the boy and kindly spoke to him. ¡°Do you know where Louise¡¯s diner is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just right over there. Here.¡± With the boy guiding us, we quickly found our way to the Louise¡¯s diner which was located nearby. ¡°The new type of slime is¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Karin. Let¡¯s talk about it slowly afterwards.¡± Karin-san seemed like she was about to charge at the boy, so Amanda-san and Virna-san grabbed Karin-san¡¯s hands and tightly guarded them. I reflexively turned to look at Noir who was also looking at me, and I shrugged my shoulders. Louise-san¡¯s diner was located three buildings away from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Would there be a bunny waitress inside the store? My heart was thumping as I entered, but there was no bunny-san at all. Too bad. ¡°Ou. An intruder is here.¡± When we opened the door that triggered the bells to ring ¡®clank clank¡¯, a person who was drinking something while sitting on the corner table then raised their face. It was an elder sister with a black hair, red eyes, and a mole on the corner of her mouth, giving off an amorous vibe. ¡°Oh my. It¡¯s a familiar face, huh?¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you Louise? So, you¡¯re in this town right now? No wonder it¡¯s so stinky here.¡± It seemed like she was Frank-san¡¯s acquaintance. Uhhm, I wonder how he became acquainted with her? Could it be that they were once lovers?! ¡°I heard the rumor about you becoming a priest and then caving in the Izel fort, but did you get fired? If you become an adventurer again, I can introduce you to lots of jobs, seeing that you¡¯re skilled.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t become an adventurer again now. You won¡¯t return to becoming an adventurer after retiring in the information shop, right¡ª¡± Before Frank-san could finish his words, there was something that flew and brushed against his cheek. Then, red blood streamed from it. ¡°Don¡¯t reveal people¡¯s secrets that easily!¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t telling anyone else. Besides, the fact that Louise¡¯s diner is also an information shop has been famous among the competent adventurers. Everyone said to check the location of Louise¡¯s diner from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in a town that they visited for the first time.¡± Frank-san healed the wound on his face as he carried on with the conversation as if nothing had happened. Wait a minute! The two of them are acquaintances, right? Why would they be this brutal with each other?! ¡°¡­Good grief. When I thought that I¡¯d be able to live a peaceful reclusive life in a remote place, as expected things were quickly uncovered. So, what do you want to ask about?¡± ¡°As expected of an information shop, you¡¯re quick to the topic.¡± Frank-san grinned as he sat down on a seat located right in front of Louise-san. ¡°Children are going missing in this town, aren¡¯t they? Tell me more about it.¡± Louise-san glanced at the boy who was standing next to Ar-niisama. Then, she looked at me and Noir who were standing right at the doorway with a scrutinizing look. ¡°Fine. But that means this place will be reserved for it from hereon, so it will be expensive.¡± Saying that, Louise-san stood up and put up a ¡®closed¡¯ note at the door. CH 87 Chapter 87 ¡°Well then. Now, sit at the appropriate places. Reina, bring us some suitable drinks!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Another amorous woman¡ªthough not as sexy as Louise-san¡ªappeared from the kitchen. Reina-san seemed to be surprised upon seeing Noir¡¯s figure, but she quickly nodded and returned to the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask just in case before we talk, but won¡¯t this one go violent suddenly?¡± Louise-san pointed at Noir¡¯s long claws that were painted in red. Frank-san sat right in front of her and folded his arms. ¡°As long as this little girl doesn¡¯t encounter any danger, it will remain docile.¡± ¡°Hee. Although it¡¯s such a ferocious monster, it can become that docile, huh? It¡¯s been tamed quite well. ¡­So, is that the same with the one on top of your head?¡± ¡°¡­Well, yeah.¡± In response to Frank-san¡¯s sour expression, Louise-san let out a small laugh, ¡°Pfft¡±. ¡°I would have never thought that Frank would tame a mutated Horned Rabbit. That Dark Panther, too, it has blue eyes. It¡¯s a mutant too, right?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s just leave it at that. Now hurry and give me some information.¡± ¡°How detestable. I hate impatient men. Hey, don¡¯t you think so, too, little girl?¡± I was suddenly brought into the conversation, so I reflexively looked at Ar-niisama. Ar-niisama nodded once and covered me with his back. ¡°I want to get through with our business first.¡± ¡°To think that the vice deputy of Izel fort is here, too. Things have become interesting, huh?¡± ¡°How do you know when we have never met before?¡± ¡°I could tell simply by looking at the aqua-colored armour and by your appearance. You¡¯re undoubtedly a lady-killer, although not as great as the hero. ¡­Shall we end the small talk with this? Now then. It¡¯s becoming a hot topic that there are children that went missing in this town¡­ There are four children that have gone missing in total. The butcher¡¯s son, and three children from the church.¡± Louise-san counted the number of the missing children with her fingers. In the meantime, Reina-san brought us some drinks, and after receiving it and saying thanks, I sat down. The boy and me sat on the most corner seats. Reina-san who returned to the kitchen then collected the short sword that Louise-san had thrown to the wall, as if nothing had happened. I wonder if it¡¯s just me that thought that she was quite used to it for some reason? ¡°The children from the church have gone missing too, huh?¡± Frank-san asked with a low voice. As expected, since he was a priest, hearing the children that had been living in the church were involved in a case would surely be very concerning, right? In this Ares kingdom, the orphans were being taken care of by the churches until they turn ten. As such, every child from the church is an orphan. ¡°It¡¯s always the more vulnerable children that got involved in cases. The boy over there had been desperately looking for them, but he wasn¡¯t able to grasp any clue at all.¡± ¡°Oi, boy. Are you a child from the church?¡± As Frank-san asked, the boy lifted up his orange eyes and answered. ¡°What if it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°No¡­ You didn¡¯t become thin and you¡¯re wearing such clean clothes. That made me think that the priest in this town is a very sensible person. I wonder what¡¯s their name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Priest Rou.¡± ¡°That gramps, huh?! I see. Then, you must be my junior brother!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Frank-san sat from his seat and tapped on the boy¡¯s back. The boy¡¯s body pitched forward due to Frank-san¡¯s excessive strength. ¡°Wait, Frank, please be more delicate with your strength.¡± Amanda-san rebuked, and Frank-san answered, ¡°No, it¡¯s my bad, boy, sorry,¡± as he tapped on the boy¡¯s back once more. This time, it seemed that Frank-san didn¡¯t put too much of strength. ¡°To think that I¡¯d be meeting my junior brother in this place. Then, it means that, huh? The missing children would also be my junior brothers, then? It seemed that the thread spun by God¡¯s hands came around in the end.¡± Uhmm, what does that mean? Frank-san sometimes said things that were priest-like indeed, huh? Judging by the nuance of his words, I guess it meant something like a meeting that was guided by the thread of fates. Both of Frank-san¡¯s parents were adventurers, but they had passed away in a battle against the monsters when Frank-san was just a child. The young Frank-san was being taken into the church¡¯s care, and it seemed that the one taking care of him was Priest Rou. A lot of children that possessed a talent in healing magic would become a priest immediately just like that, but Frank-san chose the path of becoming an adventurer, just like his parents, and not becoming a priest right away. The church¡¯s higher-ups had opposed Frank-san¡¯s decision of becoming an adventurer since he possessed a talent in healing magic, but Priest Rou had said that it¡¯d be better for him to choose an occupation that he himself wanted to do, so it seemed that he had become Frank-san¡¯s support during that time. ¡°If it¡¯s true, then you must be Elysia¡¯s number one mischievous child that Priest Rou had always mentioned, aren¡¯t you, Uncle?¡± ¡°What the heck is that?¡± Hearing Frank-san¡¯s question, the boy¡¯s orange eyes sparkled. ¡°When we turn ten, we¡¯d have to pick an occupation we want to become. Priest Rou has always told me this. The occupation that you want to be and the occupation that¡¯s suitable for you are two different things. Obviously, it¡¯s better to pick an occupation that fits you, but you¡¯re still young, so you can have many adventures, and so, just pick the occupation that you like. If that doesn¡¯t work out, then you can still start over.¡± Ooh. As expected of Frank-san¡¯s master. That was a very good advice. I see. Just as I thought so, the boy continued his words. ¡°Besides, if it¡¯s a calling that¡¯s been decided by the gods, then we¡¯d eventually take up on that occupation in the end, so there¡¯s no need to be worried over it. Even the most mischievous child in Elysia had become an adventurer in the beginning, but in the end, he chose the path of a priest. So Priest Rou said. That is an important detour that he had taken, that has led him into the path of becoming an amazing priest. Uncle, you¡¯re the priest that he¡¯s mentioned before, and your name is Frank, right?¡± An important detour in order to become a great priest, huh? Ah, Frank-san¡¯s face turned red. Could he be embarrassed?! CH 88 ¡°That¡¯s right. Frank is an amazing priest. He will surely look for the missing children, so will you tell him what has happened so far?¡± Ar-niisama gently said that, and the boy nodded. As expected of Ar-niisama, our credibility had taken a sudden rise in the boy¡¯s eyes. Karin-san who was beside him was chewing on her words, ¡°But the new species of the slimes is¡­!¡±, but Virna-san seemed to be able to hold her mouth back so she didn¡¯t scream. ¡­Virna-san, please do your best so that you could hold her back just like that. ¡°The first one to go missing was Thomas from the butcher¡¯s shop that I often played together with. But his father told me that Thomas was gone to a relative¡¯s place for a while, and everyone was talking about how heartless of Thomas to not say anything to us before leaving, though we were always playing together every day.¡± ¡°Are you all good friends with Thomas, then?¡± ¡°Yes. The one that¡¯s playing with us is just about him, after all¡­¡± I heard later that it seemed that the town¡¯s children didn¡¯t really play with the children from the church. Even though they were children, a lot of them helped with their parents¡¯ work, so they seemed like they didn¡¯t have lots of time to play. Even the child named Thomas seemed like he had been busy helping out in the butcher¡¯s shop before, but lately he had been able to play with the children from the church. ¡°And after that, did the children from the church go missing?¡± ¡°Yeah. They were gone one by one in turns.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Ar-niisama slightly pondered, and then asked another question to the boy. ¡°Where do you usually play?¡± But instead of answering Ar-niisama¡¯s question, the boy held his tongue and turned his gaze away. Ah, could it be that they were playing at a place where they were told not to play at, and that was why he was unable to say it? Then, my prediction was proven to be right immediately. ¡°Lately, you¡¯ve been going to the quarry, right? Good grief, it¡¯s always been like that, the more we tell the children not to do something, the more they want to do it instead.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell Priest Rou!¡± ¡°If you want me to keep my mouth shut, give me the information.¡± Louise-san crossed her legs as her red lips smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be childish, your opponent is a kid.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? These children are orphans. It¡¯s better to teach them about the adversities in the society from now on. You were also raised that way, right?¡± Being loaded with Louise-san¡¯s words, Frank-san could only sullenly cross his arms. In response to that, Louise-san shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Good grief, you are still as childish as usual. Here I thought you¡¯d have slightly grown up with the passing of time, but¡­ Oh well. Let¡¯s continue our conversation.¡± ¡°We were playing by throwing the pebbles into the water well. When the pebbles fell there, they made some sound, but there were times when there was no sound at all. When we tried peeking inside the water well to find out why, we felt like there was something moving at the bottom of the well. Then, we lowered the bucket that was placed there to draw water, in order to check what that thing was. When we did so, there was a strange colored slime that appeared from inside the bucket.¡± When the word ¡®slime¡¯ slipped from his mouth, Karin-san shook off Virna-san¡¯s restraint and was worked up. ¡°As expected, you¡¯ve got a slime?! What kind of slime was it?! What is its color? What about its shape? How big was it?! Hurry and show me!¡± ¡°Wait a second, Karin. Calm down. You¡¯re only frightening the boy, aren¡¯t you? But anyway, I was surprised to hear that there was really a slime. I wonder what¡¯s up with Karin¡¯s nose, really?¡± Karin-san was just about to charge at the poor boy but she was returned to her seat by Amanda-san, who had a wry smile on her face. Virna-san also helped, so the two of them combined their power to stop Karin-san. ¡°You want us to be silent and not snitch you to Priest Rou who had told you not to play in dangerous places, right? Then, tell me what kind of slime it was!¡± Louise-san cast a sidelong glance at Karin-san, then asked the boy another question. ¡°It was similar to the earth slime that¡¯s usually found outside the town, but it was slightly ashen in color.¡± ¡°Ooh, then that is surely a new variety of slime!¡± The boy began to talk when Karin-san stood up in excitement once more. ¡°That girl with the weird-looking hat. If you go beyond this, I will whip you out of my store.¡± ¡°A weird hat, you said?¡ª¡± ¡°It seems you really want to be whipped out of the store.¡± Karin-san seemed irritated because her favorite slime hat was being called as a weird-looking hat, but she quickly became quiet after being threatened to be kicked out. It seemed that her passion toward the new variety of slime triumphed over her slime hat. It was just so like Karin-san. ¡°Right, right, that is good. ¡­So, where is this water well located at?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the dry well that¡¯s in the quarry.¡± ¡°There, huh? ¡­But that¡¯s weird. A monster-warding magical circle is always put around the water well, so even if it¡¯s just a mere slime, any monster shouldn¡¯t have appeared at all there.¡± ¡°But somehow, it was in the well. Its size was around this.¡± The boy then showed the slime¡¯s size by using his hands after saying that. The slime that the boy found was around the same size as Purun. I reflexively patted the slime pouch that was hanging on my waist. Purun, you¡¯re being so quiet, what a good kid. I will let you out afterwards, so please endure it for a little bit more. ¡°That is the new variety of slime, isn¡¯t it?! Let¡¯s go to the dry well right now!¡± ¡°Well, hold it. Only those with permissions can enter the quarry. Putting aside the children, if this many of adults were to suddenly go there right away, we¡¯d just be driven away immediately.¡± ¡°But, a new variety of slime awaits!¡± Karin-san grasped both of her hands tightly in order to insist, but Louise-san rebuked her, ¡°That¡¯s why, I told you to wait.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s really a new variety of slime or not, but it¡¯s a fact that the slime was hidden quite well.¡± Despite being overwhelmed by Karin-san¡¯s vigor when she suddenly bent herself forward, the boy nodded. ¡°Boy, well done! Then, where is that slime right now?!¡± The boy seemed hesitant in whether or not he should say it or not, but when his gaze met with Frank-san¡¯s, he seemed to be determined in opening his mouth. ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯m hiding it under my bed. We¡¯ve decided that we¡¯d keep it an absolute secret, but old man, you¡¯re my senior brother, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s why, I will especially show it to you!¡± Eeeeh? Under the bed?! If he really intends to hide it somewhere, isn¡¯t below his bed is the number one hiding place that will be discovered immediately?! Anyway, it seemed that the slime held the key to solving the case, huh? It was definitely suspicious. Yoosh. We will be investigating the mystery behind the slime after this, and then we will settle this case. Ou¡ª! CH 89 (T/N: I spent so much time to think about the title¡¯s translation. In Japanese, it¡¯s ¡®Meitantei Yuuri to Meitantei Karin-san¡¯, both having the same pronunciation but with different kanjis, with different meaning. ÃÔ̽‚É is for Yuuri, meaning the inept detective, while Ãû̽‚É means the great detective, that¡¯s for Karin-san. I tried making them a little similar, hence ¡®green¡¯ and ¡®great¡¯. If you have other suggestion that¡¯s better, feel free to drop it in the comment section!) We went to the church in the Abbot town, but unfortunately, Priest Rou was absent. Frank-san who had been looking forward to seeing him again after a long while looked disappointed. ¡°Priest Rou has been away from this morning.¡± ¡°Hee. Where did he go to?¡± ¡°He said that he was going to the town mayor¡¯s place.¡± ¡°To Bowan¡¯s place, huh?¡± And, for some reason, Louise-san also tagged along to the church. Perhaps she was interested in the new variety of the slime? Since she was someone who was selling information, if something new were to be discovered, perhaps she¡¯d like to have a grasp on what kind of thing it was. ¡°Boy. Hurry and show us the slime.¡± Karin-san rushed up the boy as she was unable to wait. ¡°If that means I can find my missing family, then¡­¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°Understood. Please wait here for a little bit.¡± As we saw the boy running off after saying that, Amanda-san turned around with a concerned look. ¡°Karin, will it be fine? About the thing you said.¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Is it alright for you to declare that the missing family could be found?¡± ¡°Hmm? If it¡¯s about the missing children, won¡¯t they be found before long?¡± Not only Amanda-san, but all of us were surprised upon hearing Karin-san readily asserting that. ¡°¡­Eh. What do you mean?¡± Karin-san usually only gave brief explanation in a begrudging manner in response to our questions, but since her mood was good today, she explained it carefully to us. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s weird for a slime to be able to get within the barrier in the first place?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°Then, how did it enter? Most likely, it was from outside the town, and used the fact that the barrier applied to the quarry was only on surface level. The slime entered from outside through the dry well, drinking what little water was left there. Perhaps the remaining water that it drank had been purified by Priest Rou¡¯s Cure magic. In other words¡­ What occurred to it was similar to what happened to my Maximillian Jr.¡± Uuuhm. In other words, it was a phenomenon where it became a Familiar by drinking water that had Cure magic applied in it, wasn¡¯t it? But that explanation still didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t it have become Priest Rou¡¯s Familiar?¡± Right. I think so, too. But why is it reared by the boy instead of Priest Rou, then? Or rather, with that, wouldn¡¯t it mean anyone could have a Familiar even if they weren¡¯t priest? As expected, it¡¯d be impossible for strong monsters like Noir, but if it was around the same level as slimes or Horn Rabbits, it seemed like they¡¯d be able to be made into Familiars. ¡°Hmm. But that wasn¡¯t the case, so I wonder what could be the cause of it? The truth really piques my interest.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. But if that¡¯s the case¡ª¡± Amanda-san was about to voice out her question that was similar to mine, but she closed her mouth again. At the end of her sight was Louise-san. By the way, Louise-san is someone who sells information, right? If that¡¯s the case, maybe we shouldn¡¯t have told her how to tame a monster into a Familiar. ¡°Hee. So the cute one who¡¯s sitting on top of Frank¡¯s head was acquired that way, huh? That¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡°Kyuu.¡± Luan responded, perhaps it was aware that Louise-san was talking about it. ¡°Which brings us to this little girl over here.¡± ¡°Louise. Can you stop your prying over it right there? It¡¯s going to hinder our work.¡± ¡°Of course I understand that. Well, I am just curious. But it doesn¡¯t seem like anyone feels like explaining it to me in details, huh?¡± Louise-san shrugged her shoulders and seemed to stop her pressing and leave it at that. Meanwhile, Karin-san was devoted on anticipating for the slime. ¡°The fact that the slime¡¯s color is grey means that most likely, it has ingested things other than water and the soil. It might have ingested marble, which is Abbot town¡¯s specialty, but¡­ if that is the case, its color should be white instead. With that being said, if we could find out what that might be, it might become our key to finding the missing children.¡± ¡°¡­Wait a bit. It will become our clue?¡± In response to Amanda-san¡¯s question, Karin-san turned her gaze to her that seemed to say that she found it unbelievable that Amanda-san still didn¡¯t understand what she was trying to say. For some reason, this felt like I wasn¡¯t the small detective here. Karin-san ended up taking the role of the detective instead. ¡°Of course it will. It¡¯s obvious that the children went missing because they found out what that something is.¡± EEEEEEEEEH?! Is that the case? My eyes blinked so much. When I looked at Ar-niisama, he nodded. Frank-san was staring at the door where the boy had gone to while scratching his cheek, and Virna-san had her arms crossed as she closed her eyes. In other words, Detective Karin¡¯s deduction is correct? And thus, Karin-san¡¯s excellent deduction was interrupted by the boy¡¯s return. ¡°Oooooooooooh! T-this is¡­! A scent that I¡¯ve never smelled before! Which means, it is exactly a new type of slime that I¡¯ve always desired, isn¡¯t it?! Finally, at long last¡­ I¡¯ve finally found it! Come here, come here. I see, its appearance is certainly similar to earth slimes, but it¡¯s mixed with grey color. And then this scent is¡­ I feel some stiffness among the coldness. Hmhm. As expected, it¡¯s not marble, its scent is closer to the crystal. But this is¡ª¡± As expected of Karin-san. The moment the boy returned, she jumped towards the box that the boy carried in his hands and smelled it. Then, she examined the slime while saying that it wasn¡¯t this and that. ¡°Hum hum, I see. This is very interesting. To think that it exists in a place like this.¡± ¡°Karin, can you tell what it is?¡± ¡°Hmm. The reason why the children went missing is now clear.¡± Karin-san¡¯s thick glasses glittered. Oooooooooh. Amazing. Karin-san, you¡¯re really a great detective! ¡°Stop putting on airs and tell us already!¡± In response to Amanda-san¡¯s words, Karin-san stuck up her flat chest. ¡°The slime consumed a magical crystal.¡± ¡°Eeeeeeh, magical crystal?!¡± ¡°This scent can¡¯t be anything other than magical crystal.¡± But isn¡¯t that, uhm, precious crystal that can substitute magic stones, that can only be found and extracted from Count Rainier¡¯s territory? It can be found and extracted from Abbot town, too? Eh, but what does it have to do with the disappearances of the children?! I don¡¯t get it~! CH 90 For the time being, in order to get a clue on the missing children, we decided to go and see the dried well once. But since you couldn¡¯t enter the quarry without any permission, me and the boy named Mark would stealthily enter first, and then Ar-niisama and the others would come looking for me afterwards. That was our plan. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s really alright to have Yuuri-chan and him go first, with just the two of them?¡± Amanda-san looked worried, so I laughed to show that I was alright and lightly tapped my white cat robe. ¡°Noir and Purun are also with me, so it will be fine.¡± Actually, I was hiding Purun and Noir who had become small inside my robe. Since Noir had always assumed its big form inside the town, nobody would¡¯ve thought that Noir would become this small and hide in such a place. When push comes to shove, the two of them would be able to help out. Besides, I am a sage! Be it an offensive magic or recovery magic, come here! Something like that. ¡°Noir and Purun, please help Yuuri.¡± ¡°Nyaa!¡± Pururun. In response to Ar-niisama¡¯s request, the two Familiars responded as if saying, ¡®Leave it to me!¡¯ Ehehe. The two were like my knights, for some reason. ¡°Be careful, little girl and young lad. Escape once things are looking dangerous.¡± Mark-kun nodded although he seemed a little bit embarrassed being told that by Frank-san. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be going.¡± Mark-kun and I held hands as we headed towards the quarry. Only one road was available from Abbot town to Colora mountain. Two stone pillars with monsters-repelling magical formation installed were built at the two sides of the road, so there was no need to be worried about being attacked by monsters. ¡°Hey.¡± Mark-kun suddenly called out to me, so I turned around in wonder. His orange eyes were staring at me fixedly. ¡°You know, about your pet¡­ No, about the cat that¡¯s your family. If I were to learn Cure, is it possible for me to tame it?¡± As I was feeling annoyed for Noir being called as pet, Mark-kun quickly revised his wording in a fluster. Even so, he was quite sharp for being able to catch this just by listening to our conversation quietly. ¡°Hmm. I think we¡¯d be able to tame them quickly if it were a slime, but if it¡¯s like Noir, then it¡¯s a little bit unreasonable, I guess?¡± After all, those that could be subjugated were only mutant cubs. Also, I think we couldn¡¯t really find them other than during the Monster Flood. But hearing that, Mark-kun bit on his lips until it turned white. ¡°But I¡­ also want to be stronger¡­¡± I see. That¡¯s right. Even if his family helped, nothing could be done with children¡¯s power alone. But even if he were to learn Cure, I wonder if that would equal with him becoming stronger? Let¡¯s put aside the war priest like Frank-san. ¡­Oh, right! If he were to aim to become like Frank-san, it¡¯d be fine, right? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s fine to aim to be like Frank-san. War priests are strong, you know?¡± ¡°¡­A priest can fight?¡± ¡°Hmmm. I wonder about that. But, he was quite powerful that he managed to defeat an Armored Insect around this big.¡± When I tried to show him by using my left hand, Mark-kun couldn¡¯t believe it and said, ¡°What? There¡¯s no way such a big Armored Insect like that even exists.¡± ¡°It is true! We sold the horn to the guild here, so please take a look at it after this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a lie. But that guy, he certainly looks strong. ¡­I see, a war priest, huh?¡± Ooh, Mark-kun seemed to be motivated. Or rather, calling him Mark-kun was a bit hard to my mouth. Then, Maa-kun would be fine, right?! ¡°Maa-kun, too, please become a strong priest like Frank-san.¡± ¡°Y-yeah!¡± Maa-kun¡¯s ears turned a wee bit red, perhaps he was happy to get my encouragement. Good luck, I cheered for him from inside my heart, and at the same time as that, Maa-kun stopped. ¡°After this point, there will be the quarry¡¯s guards at the entrance, so we will enter from here.¡± Apart from the road, there were lots of slimes jumping up and down. If Karin-san were to see them, she¡¯d be dancing wildly. ¡°The slimes won¡¯t attack unless we were to attack them first.¡± Maa-kun clasped his hand powerfully as he said that, perhaps he thought I was scared since I was looking at the slimes fixedly. ¡°Yes. If a strong monster were to come attacking, then I¡¯ll protect you!¡± ¡°Eh¡­ No, that¡¯s where I should be the one protecting you, though¡­¡± ¡°Even if I look like this, I am strong!¡± I made a gesture to flex my arms. Ah, but I only used magic, so my arms¡¯ muscles didn¡¯t develop at all. Tehehe. ¡°Now, shall we go?¡± At a time like this, let¡¯s just deceive him with a smile! ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡± Yosh, he agreed! Maa-kun led me to a small crack found in the fence circling the quarry. It seemed like only small children could pass through it. ¡°We have always entered from here to play.¡± Following Maa-kun, I also crawled on all fours to pass through the crack. I have to keep Noir and Purun from falling. One of my hand was supporting the place where Noir and Purun were, and I could hear Noir¡¯s small cry, ¡°Nyaa,¡± as if it was saying that they were fine. Uwaa. So, this is the quarry, huh? Square-cut marble of various sizes were piled up here and there. That alone was a spectacle magnificent enough, and I ended up feeling as if I had wandered into an ancient ruin. ¡°This way.¡± When I was looking all around, Maa-kun pulled my hand. ¡°There is the dried well ahead this road¡­ Wait. Someone¡¯s there.¡± Maa-kun suddenly stopped just as we were about to arrive at the dried well. It seemed like there was someone ahead. We hid behind a big marble in a fluster. A few people seemed to be conversing, but it seemed like there was a familiar voice¡ªone that I have heard before¡ªmixed in somewhere¡­ Huh? This voice is¡ª Translator¡¯s Note: Guess who is that? CH 91 Speaking of which, I just realized that Christmas was coming soon. But there was no Christ or faith in the Christ itself in this world, so obviously there was also no Santa Claus or Christmas cake. As expected, not having any event to do during the end of the year felt somehow lonesome. Elysia Online had lots of seasonal events, so obviously there was a Christmas-vibe in the game during Christmas time. The capital city of each country was adorned with decorative lighting, and the residential areas were also decorated with a large Christmas tree. Naturally, there were some quests related to it. Last year, there was a quest to retrieve the stolen present bags. The rewards for clearing the quest was just an outfit, and we were able to choose one of the five options that we liked, ranging from the normal Santa outfit, Santa dress, mini-skirt Santa-styled outfit, an angel¡¯s outfit, or even a reindeer costume. That quest was one that we could accept many times over, so of course I worked hard until I managed to collect all of the outfits. But, hmm¡­ I was lining up the outfits on my bed and¡­ Yup. There were indeed five of them! That¡¯s it! I got a good idea~ Ehehe. ¡°That¡¯s why, please wear this, everyone~¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Amanda-san was holding the reindeer costume¡­ or rather, the cartoon-character costume and was taking a long, hard look at it. The reindeer¡¯s horns were splendidly spread out¡ªit was a wonder how they made it that way¡ªand the costume¡¯s surface was so fluffy that it felt really good to touch. Of course, it still lost against Noir¡¯s fur. ¡°Uhhm, you see, there¡¯s this kind of a fairy called Santa Claus that gives good children presents once a year.¡± It was slightly different, but the setting in the Elysia Online was supposed to be something like this. There was even a pair of small transparent wings on Santa-san¡¯s back. ¡°So, is that person a fairy living in your origin country, young girl?¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s a country where only Santa-san lives there, and he visits from that country. Along with the flying reindeers¡­ this animal. Santa-san would ride on a sled pulled by this reindeer, giving out presents to good children.¡± ¡°A magical beast that can fly in the sky despite not having wings, huh? ¡­In other words, it¡¯s flying using magic, huh? Fumu. It is truly interesting.¡± Karin-san looked at the reindeer costume fixedly. Next to her, Virna-san had her eyes sparkling, and her tail was swinging. Virna-san liked fluffy thing, so she seemed to be really interested in the costume. ¡°This¡­ Do you want to wear this, Virna-san?¡± ¡°Is it alright?¡± She asked with her body leaning really forward. ¡°Of course.¡± I said that as I handed it out to her, and Virna-san rubbed her cheek against the reindeer costume, fully enjoying the fluffiness. ¡°In short, we should wear the costumes and go distribute presents at the orphanage?¡± Ar-niisama asked, and I turned around to look at him. Uhhmm¡­ Ar-niisama¡¯s eyes are blue, so¡­ cosplaying as an angel¡­ no, the angel costume would suit him. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Donating to the orphanages is certainly a noble¡¯s duty, and the children there might be delighted with the peculiar idea of us wearing costumes.¡± Noblesse oblige, is it? The nobles were obliged to periodically donate to the orphanages. This time, after hearing about it from Ar-niisama, I thought of visiting the orphanage while becoming a Santa. We might as well try it, and it might even make the children happier. ¡®Yup, yup¡¯, as I nodded several times, I handed over the angel costume to Ar-niisama without any hesitation. He had an expression that seemed to say, ¡®Eh, this?¡¯, but I pretended to not notice it at all. After all, the ones left were the dress, the mini-skirt, the angel costume, and the regular Santa outfit. If Ar-niisama were to get the regular Santa outfit, what outfit would Frank-san be wearing, then? Frank-san in an angel costume was¡­ it was something that I wouldn¡¯t even dare to imagine¡­ I guess. Santa-san seemed to suit him, or rather, Elysia Online¡¯s Santa Clause suited him as he was somehow muscular. That was why, the image was a perfect fit. The remaining would be the mini skirt and dress, but¡­ between Amanda-san and Karin-san, who would be wearing which one, I wonder? ¡°Amanda-san and Karin-san, which one would you like to wear?¡± ¡°I am not wearing anything like that.¡± I had already guessed that Karin-san would respond that way. But these Santa outfit actually had an amazing feature that was tailored for Karin-san! ¡°Wearing those outfit will make slimes approach you.¡± ¡°What? You should¡¯ve said that earlier. They will approach me quickly, huh?¡± Right, right¡ª? In the first place, the Christmas quest was for us to collect Present Fragments by defeating the slimes, so various slimes would come near us if we were to wear those outfit and go out. I had forgotten that feature at all, but when I took out the outfit earlier, I saw the text [Santa outfit, well-liked by the slimes], so I quickly thought, ¡®this is it!¡¯ Ehehe. But the Santa outfit I had at my hand was the mini-skirt, would that be fine, I wonder? ¡­Well, to Karin-san, as long as the outfit could attract the slimes to approach her, anything would be fine, I guess. Which meant, the remaining Santa dress would be for Amanda-san. Unfortunately, there was no kid-sized outfit among them all, so I would be joining with regular clothes, but I was also a small child now, so I would be the one receiving a present too, right? Then, after everyone had changed their clothes¡­ ¡°What, isn¡¯t this way too red?¡± Whoa. Frank-san in Santa-san¡¯s costume was a splitting image of the game¡¯s Santa-san! Although he was muscular, the outfit unexpectedly suited him. ¡°It¡¯s so fluffy.¡± Virna-san in the reindeer costume seemed to have enhanced the fluffiness, it was lovely! ¡°Where is the new type of slimes?¡± Karin-san in the mini-skirt Santa outfit was adorable. ¡°My whole body is donned in the passionate red. Fufuu.¡± Amanda-san in the Santa dress was even more gorgeous than the usual. ¡°I can¡¯t really calm down without a sword by my side.¡± And Ar-niisama was¡­ ¡°Whoa¡­ An angel¡­¡± His handsome features made him look like a real angel. To think that it¡¯d suit him so perfectly¡­ I wonder if the wings at his back won¡¯t spread out by itself? ¡°Yuuri, you don¡¯t have any costume to wear?¡± ¡°Ah, uhm. There¡¯s no costume with a size fitting me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ar-niisama seemed to be thinking for a while before he called out to me and suddenly lifted me in his arms. ¡°Fuwaa!¡± I reflexively raised my voice in surprise, and I was met with his tender brown pupils1. ¡°Then, Yuuri should wear this hood and play the role of my retainer2.¡± Come to think of it, in Elysia Online, the players would be accepting the Christmas quests from a white cat NPC, if I remembered things correctly. Which means, I¡¯d be playing the role of that white cat? Whoaa. What a coincidence! ¡°Then, what should we say when we are giving the presents to the children?¡± ¡°You should say ¡®Merry Christmas¡¯.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, shall we all try it out?¡± In response to Ar-niisama¡¯s suggestion, everyone raised their voices. One, two¡­ ¡°Merry Christmas!¡± After that, a certain story started to spread out in Elysia, about how a macho fairy called as Santa-san would be coming to give good children presents once a year, but it was a talk for another story. CH 92 ¡°How is it? Did you get the magical crystal?¡± It was a voice that I had heard somewhere before. Uhhmm, where was it, though? While I was unable to remember at all, a somewhat fluttering voice answered. ¡°It is not going so well.¡± ¡°What about the children?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be good if we don¡¯t bring new ones soon. They are getting weaker.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just focus on this town and make it showy. Target the children from another town.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. We will go after the children from the royal capital¡¯s slums next, so we can kidnap as many children without any issue. More importantly, Mayor, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been getting quite a lot of rewards, right?¡± ¡°It will be distributed later.¡± Mayor?! Come to think of it, the voice from earlier was this town¡¯s mayor¡¯s¡­ uhm, the one named Bowan, it was his voice! Which means, the mayor was the mastermind behind this incident?! I pressed my index finger against my mouth in order to stop Maa-kun from rushing out to the two people as we overheard their conversation. Here, we should be gathering more information instead, Watson-kun¡­ No, Maa-kun. ¡°Besides, I heard that the Izel fort¡¯s knights came to this town just now. Isn¡¯t it better for us to be quiet for a while?¡± ¡°But Count Rainier is coming for an inspection. We have to arrange the mass production system until then.¡± Did they just mention Count Rainier¡¯s name just now? Could it be that the mastermind behind this case was that black-bellied raccoon geezer?! ¡°Then, how about asking that Count Rainier to help provide us with the children?¡± ¡°Idiot! If you were to say that, we won¡¯t be able to keep our heads.¡± I instantly understood that Count Rainier had nothing to do with this case from their words just before. ¡°Eh~. In other words, you¡¯re crossing a dangerous bridge on your own, Mayor?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not like I am crossing such a dangerous bridge.¡± ¡°Well, as long as we can get good rewards, then it will be fine, right?¡± The other person spoke as if he was a rogue or mercenary. For some reason, I felt like he had the presence of an outlaw. I wanted to take a better look at him, but I got to endure. Endure it, me. In mystery novels, someone who lost to their curiosity would show their face and be discovered by the culprit instead. Fufun. The great detective Yuuri isn¡¯t going to commit such a blunder~ The town mayor and the other seemed to have taken their leave, so Maa-kun and I slowly turned up from behind the rock. ¡°The town mayor is the kidnapper, huh¡­?¡± ¡°What do we do, they talked something about the children¡¯s condition weakening.¡± ¡°We have to hurry and save them!¡± For the time being, I sensed that the town mayor had left, but the other man still remained in that place. I wonder if he was guarding the dried well¡¯s surrounding? Which means, the possibility that the children were there was quite high. If that was the case, I wonder if we could only force our way through from here, then? As I readied myself to do so, a voice could be heard from inside the dry well. Hearing that, the guarding man let down a rope ladder towards the dry well. As I was observing the situation for a while, there were children coming out from inside the dry well. ¡°Everyone¡­!¡± Maa-kun stifled his voice and whispered. Hoo. As expected, the kidnapped children were indeed here. Thank goodness we were able to find them. I continued to peek at the unfolding scene as I held my breath so that I wouldn¡¯t be discovered. After the man received something from the children, he chased the children away to go back inside the dry well in irritation. After making sure that all the children had descended, he pulled the rope ladder back up. He then went somewhere else with the silver mass he had received from the children. ¡°Now¡¯s our chance!¡± I took Maa-kun¡¯s hand and rushed up towards the dried well in a hurry. But, what to do? If we were to drop the rope ladder and left it as it was, if the guard earlier were to come back, he¡¯d find out that we had come here then. As far as it goes, Frank-san and the others would come to the quarry in order to look for us who had gone missing, but if possible, I¡¯d like to come together with those children before that. For camouflage, it¡¯d be better to raise the rope ladder again, but¡­ Hmmm. ¡°Oh, yeah. Hey, Noir. Once we arrive at the bottom of the well, can you pull the rope ladder back up?¡± ¡°Speaking of which, that cat was actually bigger than that, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± It might be impossible for the small Noir to accomplish this task, but if Noir were to turn bigger, it should be fine. When I asked whether Noir could do it or not, Noir cried, ¡°Nyan,¡± and appeared from within my robe. ¡°Then, let¡¯s hurry and go down to save everyone before the guard from earlier returns.¡± ¡°But what do we do to go back?¡± ¡°It will be alright. I will have Purun call Frank-san and the others. Right?¡± Purun who had jumped out from my white cat robe after Noir then shook its body. It seemed to be totally willing to do that! ¡°Purun, please help us.¡± After coming down to the ground, Purun returned to the path that we had originally taken with a speed that was unimaginable for a small slime. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°You too, you¡¯re small, so don¡¯t fall.¡± At first, Maa-kun said that he¡¯d go down first, but I firmly rejected that idea. After all, I was currently wearing a skirt. If Maa-kun were to look up, then my pants would be completely visible to him in that position. After we carefully got down, I sent a signal to Noir. After Noir skilfully pulled the rope ladder back up, Noir turned back into its small kitten form and went down by pressing its feet against the wall of the dried well. A small lantern that was lit by a magical crystal was set at the bottom of the dry well, so I could see the surroundings quite well. There was a small hole at the bottom of the well, and apparently the children were sent to the bottom of that hole. The hole was so small that children my age could barely go through it by crawling on all fours. ¡°I wonder if everyone is on the other side of this hole?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Nyaa.¡± Noir cried out, signalling us to follow after it. With Noir as the lead, we proceeded through the small hole. CH 93 After I went through the tunnel at the bottom of the dried well, I finally arrived at my destination. I sent Noir inside first to make sure that it was safe to proceed. ¡°Nyaa.¡± As I followed after Noir, I could tell that we had arrived at an open area. When I stood up and looked over my surrounding, suddenly light spread from under my feet. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± The faint light turned stronger within no time, and the whole room was wrapped in a light that was bright enough to irritate our eyes. But it happened for only a moment as the light changed into a calming one. ¡°W-what is this¡­?¡± Maa-kun looked at me with an astonished look, but even I didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°Mark!¡± When I turned to look at the direction of the voice, there were the children that I saw just now. Everyone had dirt all over their bodies and they looked worn-out, but for the time being I was glad that it didn¡¯t seem like they were injured, as far as I could see for now. ¡°Have you come to save us?¡± When the tallest child asked, Maa-kun nodded. ¡°And what about that kid?¡± ¡°She¡¯s here with me to save you guys. She came to this town along with the knights from Izel fort.¡± ¡°Hooray! The knights have come to save us!¡± Among the delighted children, there was a child who was slightly faltering. I wonder if their energy had deteriorated because they had always been passing the magical crystals all this time? Talking about the magical crystals¡­ I wonder if the silver light that shone before was all of the crystals here? It was said to be valuable, so it was pretty amazing for this place to have that many, way too amazing even, right? Particularly the large clump of magical crystal located in the middle of the room, it looked very valuable. But why did they suddenly shine just now? ¡°Hey, are you a magician?¡± Uhm, I am a sage, not a magician, but I wonder if they will get it if I explain it to them? Hmmm¡­ I guess it¡¯s better to say that I can use magic, then? ¡°I can use magic.¡± ¡°Eh. Really?¡± When Maa-kun was surprised, the tallest child laughed, saying ¡°You also didn¡¯t know that?!¡± ¡°I just met her, after all¡­ More importantly, that magical beast is way cooler.¡± ¡°Magical beast?¡± Maa-kun pointed at Noir, who tilted its head and meowed, ¡°Nya?¡± Hau. How adorable. ¡°What? It¡¯s so small and looks so weak.¡± In response to the disappointed boy, Noir turned its glance at him. Before the intimidating air that Noir suddenly exerted, not only the boy, but everyone stiffened. ¡°Hey, Noir!¡± Good grief~! Don¡¯t just rashly scare them. ¡°Nyaa.¡± The moment Noir loosened its intimidating air, the children took some deep breath as if their paralysis had just been lifted. Forgive my Noir. What do I do? There are several children who look like they are weak in the knees now. ¡°Nyaa.¡± Even if I wanted to get angry at Noir, I couldn¡¯t, not when I saw its figure with its ears facing down as if it was showing its remorse. ¡°From now on, you can¡¯t do that kind of thing again.¡± It was also my bad for not knowing that Noir could exert such an intimidating air even when it was in a small size. Or rather, it couldn¡¯t exert such an intimidating air during its small mode before, so I wonder if it had grown to be able to do that? Since I couldn¡¯t tell Noir¡¯s level, I couldn¡¯t really say anything. ¡°Nyau.¡± After it showed its remorse, Noir sat down just like a good cat it was. ¡°Now, let¡¯s hurry and escape. Uhhmm, can you run?¡± There was a child that sat down hard on the ground among the children. Maa-kun also extended his hand to help, but it didn¡¯t seem like they were able to get up. Is it really impossible to quickly go up the rope ladder without being spotted by the guards? Hmm¡­ This is troubling me. When I was troubled over what we should do, Noir walked towards the wall and let out a small cry. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Noir?¡± As I took a closer look at the spot among the wall where Noir was scratching at, there was a small crack there. I approached it and saw that there was a thin light beyond the crack, but it was still too dark to see things clearly. ¡°I wonder if this is connected to the surface? How should I make sure of it? Hmm¡­¡± The crack was too narrow for even Noir to go through it. I could enlarge this crack using magic, but it would be meaningless if the other side of this crack didn¡¯t lead to the surface. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± I just thought of a good thing! I put my hand inside my cat pouch and took out an item box. Then, with this thing that I had received from Amanda-san¡­ ¡°Oi, what are you doing?¡± Maa-kun looked at me with a puzzled expression as I suddenly began writing a letter on a paper that I took out. Fufufu~n. This is used this way. ¡°To Frank-san. After I went through the passage located at the bottom of the dried well, there was a big room, and there were the children as well as stuff that seemed like magical crystals. But it seemed impossible for us to go up the well again. There¡¯s a crack on the wall here and this letter is written to confirm whether the crack is connected to the surface or not. If this letter were to reach you, please go towards the direction the puffball flew in. ¡­Hmm. This will do.¡± I blew the puffball that I received from Amanda-san and let it fly towards the direction of the crack. The puffball that had become a white fluffy mass was gently sucked towards the other side of the crack. ¡°Yay! It seems like it¡¯s really connected to the surface.¡± Then, I should enlarge this crack with magic. Uhmm, it¡¯d be dangerous for me to use Fire Ball since it¡¯d envelop the room with gas, water would be dangerous too, so it¡¯d be either the wind or thunder magic, but I wonder if the wind magic would blow away all the debris? ¡°Hold it, everyone, stand behind me. ¡­Hm. This should be fine. Then, Wind Lance! Gooooo!¡± A spear that was made from the swirling wind went towards the crack. Boooooom! The roaring sound resounded as the crack grew larger. The debris dispersed outside along with the spear of wind. Then, the blue sky could be seen beyond that. ¡°Yaay! Hooray!¡± As I jumped up and down in joy, Noir also came to my side and seemed to be in good spirit as well. Maa-kun and the others also cheered from behind. We did it, it¡¯s a success! For some reason, the blue sky could be seen beyond the crack, but¡­ We were supposed to be going underground, so I wonder why. However, I shouldn¡¯t get too caught up thinking about the minor details. As I was about to hurry and go outside, Noir suddenly growled. ¡°Noir, what¡¯s wrong?¡± When I turned around, there was something moving at the corner of my field of vision. Rumble, rumble rumble¡­ There was the sound of something heavy moving. As I blinked, the mass of stone in the middle of the room moved. Thump, thump. Then, it formed something in a twinkle¡­ What stood up together with a bang was the familiar stone monster from Elysia Online¡ª. ¡°Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh?! Goleeeemmmmmm?!¡± CH 94 8-10 minutes 14.04.2023 [Casual Supporter: mjkj, SkVt, Mark S, Bigos2] [Translation Mania Level 1: wagtail, Piotr B] [Translation Mania Level 3: Teresa, George P] [Double Degree Level 1: e] [Double Degree Level 2: Christopher, Abbi] [Double Degree Level 3: Browser] Happy reading At that moment, suddenly the quest occurrence window was opened. A quest has appeared. Defeat the golem and save the children! Reward for quest clearance: Acquiring the qualifications to enter into the deepest part of the Earth Labyrinth If the quest is failed: The Abbot town¡¯s church as well as the Earth Labyrinth¡¯s deepest part will be closing down. Would you like to accept the quest? Yes¡¡¡¡¡¡No Eh. W-wait a minute. What is the deepest part of the Earth Labyrinth? Could it be that by defeating this golem, I would be able to enter the room where the boss that would drop the key to the Sage Tower would be in? Eh, but, it was only a coincidence that I stumbled upon this place. Despite that, why would such a quest occur? I couldn¡¯t help but think that this might not be a mere coincidence due to how eerie this ¡®coincidence¡¯ was. The events happening in a game would frequently be connected to the next quests, but¡­ Of course, this wasn¡¯t the game world, but¡­ But I was sure that this world was exceedingly similar to the game world, so was it why such a coincidence could occur? ¡°Grrrrr¡­¡± I came to my senses the moment I heard Noir¡¯s small growling voice. No, no good. This isn¡¯t the time for me to be leisurely thinking about that. I have to do something about the golem standing before me. ¡°Everyone, get away from this place!¡± I stood facing the golem as I covered the children with my back. The rising golem¡¯s eyes shone in red as it moved its face slowly to the left and right as if it was looking for its prey. Then, when it stopped, at the end of its sight was¡ª Eh? It¡¯s not me, but Noir? ¡°You should hurry and escape, too!¡± I heard Maa-kun¡¯s voice from behind. But if the golem wasn¡¯t defeated right here, this town¡¯s church as well as the deepest part of the Earth Labyrinth would be closing down. That¡¯s why, I couldn¡¯t run! ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, hurry and go outside together with the others!¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°I can use magic, so I will be fine! Besides, Noir is here!¡± ¡°Migya!¡± The moment I mentioned Noir, it felt as if Maa-kun was relieved. ¡°Then, I will go look for that muscular priest once I am out of here, so hang in there until then.¡± ¡°Yeah. Please do that.¡± Then, I heard the sound of people running away. I wonder if it would be fine like this? I should accept the quest while I still could do that. Naturally, I would say, ¡°Yes¡± here, right? The quest has been accepted. Defeat the golem and save the children! ¡°Yosh. Noir, turn big!¡± ¡°Nyau!¡± It would be bad if the children were to be unable to run away or even move due to the fear they¡¯d feel if Noir were to suddenly turn big in front of them, so I had Noir stay small until just now. But now I didn¡¯t have to worry about that. Noir arched its back as its form changed. Its small legs grew big in the twinkle of an eye, and its small fangs grew bigger and sharper. ¡°Migyaaaaaa!¡± Standing there was the mutated variant of Dark Panther, one that was supposed to be the Monster King. I¡¯m counting on you, Noir! I took out the Gecko staff from inside my item box. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Noir!¡± ¡°Migyaa!¡± The golem dashed forward with a thud. Perhaps due to its heavy body, it seemed like it couldn¡¯t move nimbly. If that was the case, we¡¯d be winning in terms of our agility! ¡°Wind Lance!¡± Wind lances pierced the golem. But it seemed like the golem didn¡¯t receive a significant amount of damage. Even in the game, magic wasn¡¯t so effective against golems. However, damaging it with magic attacks over and over again should be able to defeat them. Noir scratched the golem¡¯s leg using its claws. That¡¯s good! If the golem¡¯s legs were to be broken, it wouldn¡¯t be able to move. The golem swung down its leg in attempt to trample Noir who was running around its legs. But Noir was faster than the golem, so the golem¡¯s attacks were in vain. My magic and Noir¡¯s attacks damaged the golem little by little. Noir¡¯s claws scratched the golem¡¯s legs over and over again. The golem¡¯s body shook violently as it swayed. ¡°Let¡¯s do the finishing blow now. Take thisssss!¡± As the wind arrows hit the golem, the parts that was hit shone in silver. At the same time, the magical crystals inside the room also shone. Then, the places where the golem sustained damage were slowly restored. ¡°No wayyyy!¡± Although we managed to scrape the parts, now everything returned to how they were before! Then, our efforts until now¡­ what¡¯s it even for?! No, but if only I knew it could regenerate itself like that, I¡¯d have given it a fatal blow before it could regenerate. But what kind of attacks could do that, that was the question. Noir and I¡¯s power alone clearly wasn¡¯t enough to defeat it before it regenerated. If only Frank-san and Ar-niisama and the others were here¡­ ¡°Jou-chan, sorry to make you wait!¡± ¡°Yuuri, are you alright?¡± ¡°Yuuri-chan!¡± When I turned around, I saw my reliable friends there. Hooray! We can win with this! CH 95 ¡°Yuuri, come here. That way, the golem won¡¯t come after you.¡± Eh, really? If so, I should believe in Ar-niisama¡¯s words and withdraw from here. ¡°Noir, lead the golem to the walls!¡± ¡°Migyaa!¡± Since the golem¡¯s movement was slow, as long as it could be led to the other side of the crevice, it shouldn¡¯t be able to catch up with me so soon. As expected, the golem wasn¡¯t able to change its direction so suddenly, so we were able to run towards the other side of the crevice by making use of it. What awaited us was what appeared to be a gentle downhill part of the marble quarry. We were supposed to be down inside the dry well, so why was it a slope that descended down even further? How did it even work, I wonder? Could it be that the dry well was located halfway up the mountain, so despite going down through it, we were still able to see the sky after going to the opposite side of the crevice? Perhaps that was the case. ¡°Ar-niisama!¡± I threw myself to Ar-niisama who was waiting for me with both of his hands open. ¡°I knew you¡¯d definitely come!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alright.¡± I looked up at Ar-niisama who was patting my head and laughed. I felt really relieved upon looking at his gentle aqua eyes. ¡°Are Maa-kun and the others fine?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking about the children who fled, they¡¯ve been taken into protection just now. Incidentally, the attacking soldiers were all tied up by Karin¡¯s thorny vines.¡± ¡°What about Purun?¡± ¡°Purun managed to guide us properly here. Just as I was about to head towards the direction of the dried well, but then Frank suddenly got a puffball delivered to him, so we headed here. The children were now protected inside Karin¡¯s wooden dome, so it should be safe.¡± The wooden dome that Karin-san made using the power of words was something that only allowed them to defend from within it, but it was considered an extreme secret technique that could nullify any kind of attacks. ¡°Is that so? Thank goodness¡­¡± Thanks for reading at convallariaslibrary???m I looked around after feeling slightly relieved, and I saw an unfamiliar old man next to Frank-san. He had the appearance of a priest, so¡­ Ah, I wonder if that person was Priest Rou? More importantly, what about the golem? When I looked at the place where the crevice was, it was located at the foot of the mountain, and there was the sound of the golem hitting the walls. Certainly with how big the golem was, as long as the wall wasn¡¯t broken, it wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of that place. Looking from here, the wall seemed to be a marble wall, but the inner side of it was blended with magical crystals, so as expected, I guess it would be impossible to destroy it, even if it was a golem. Yes. It¡¯d be safe, then. Then, I felt the tension leaving my body and¡ª ¡°¡­Odd. As long as it¡¯s within the barrier, the golem shouldn¡¯t be able to move.¡± The person that I guessed to be Priest Rou said as he wrinkled his eyebrows. ¡°What does it mean, Gramps? As long as we manage to run away here, it would be safe, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± In response to Frank-san who said that with a relaxed tone, Priest Rou let out a big sigh, ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡°You have a sharp tongue as always, huh¡­? But anyway, this isn¡¯t the time to talk about something like that. It seemed that the golem was¡ªaccording to the legend¡ªthe creation of the magician who was said to have built this town, in exchange for a guard. I have been trying to find where it was, and to think that it¡¯d be hidden in such a place¡­¡± ¡°Gramps, could it be that you deliberately became a priest in such a remote place in order to unearth that golem?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always told you, Frank. A man needs this kind of ¡®romance¡¯ in his life.¡± ¡­Yup. He was unmistakably Priest Rou, Frank-san¡¯s teacher. After all, when Amanda-san asked Frank-san why he had become a priest, he laughed and answered with his favourite phrase, ¡°Isn¡¯t it cool to be able to quickly heal yourself and the others during a pinch? It¡¯s a man¡¯s ¡®romance¡¯, get it?¡± ¡°According to that legend, you see, although it was good that the Earth magician created the golem, the golem had to exert all its power just in order to fight a single slime. Since the magician had worked hard in order to create this town, it wouldn¡¯t be good to have the golem to damage it right after the creation. Eventually, the golem was sealed inside the barrier, or so the legend goes.¡± ¡°¡­Wait, Gramps. Then, isn¡¯t it a little bit weird? If it was sealed, then it shouldn¡¯t have been able to move again so quickly, or else it would be not good, right?¡± ¡°Hmm. Golems have a disposition to start moving after detecting an enemy, so I think it¡¯s most likely awakened in response to the Dark Panther, but¡­ It¡¯s still able to move despite being away from the barrier, that¡¯s odd¡­ This is bad. Could it be that the barrier¡¯s been destroyed? But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s even possible to give enough shock to destroy the barrier that¡¯s been created by a legendary magician.¡± Hearing those words, Frank-san and the others looked at me simultaneously. Even Ar-niisama who was still hugging me was staring at me. ¡°E¡­ehe.¡± As long as I smiled, it would be able to help me dodge this¡­ obviously not. ¡°Uhm, in order to create a path of our escape, I thought that I had to enlarge the crevice slightly, so I ended up using quite big of a magic.¡± ¡°A largish magic¡­ That, could it be¡­¡± Amanda-san put her hand on her forehead as she looked up at the sky. At the same time, a strange noise that was similar to a creak resounded from the mountain¡¯s surface. When I slowly turned around, there was already a big crack on the crevice through which we had escaped. C-could it be¡­? ¡°Ar-niisama! Please form a party now!¡± I took Ar-niisama¡¯s hand, then I hurriedly formed a party together with Amanda-san and Frank-san as well. Creak Boom The golem¡¯s arm smashed down the marble wall. The arm that suddenly appeared once drew back in, then right after that another arm stuck out again from the side. ¡°Protect Shield to Ar-niisama. Protect Shield to Amanda-san. And to Frank-san¡­¡± Since it was a golem, it was only capable of physical attacks, right? Everyone also applied Protect on themselves since the effects could be stacked. Eh, huh? Ar-niisama¡¯s right hand is shining?! Fuwawaa! Livyatan¡¯s magical circle is shining?! ¡°Ar-niisama, your right hand!¡± ¡°Although it should¡¯ve disappeared before¡­¡± The magical circle on Ar-niisama¡¯s right hand was now dimly shining. T-this, could it be¡ª?